66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel. Copyright ©2015 by Mr. Joshua Fogel.

Published by the IAF, with permission and

released to the IAF to publish in all forms.

IAC-15-B3.5.5

A PROPOSED PHOTOELASTICITY-BASED ENHANCED VISUAL INSPECTION

TOOL FOR ASTRONAUT EVA

Joshua A. Fogel1
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Millennium Space Systems Inc., El Segundo, CA, USA

Prof. Madhu Thangavelu2 and Nathan Turner3

Space debris & micrometeor impacts pose a significant threat to the ISS, as evident by the continuous barrage of
damage sustained throughout its operation. Though critical systems have not yet been affected, active
monitoring, damage assessment, repair and recovery options are high priority items in ISS operations. Solar
arrays are especially vulnerable to impacts due to their large deployed area and minimal cover glass protection,
which necessitates routine monitoring of array health. Only direct visual inspection can confirm the full extent
and location of possible cracks, torsions and penetrations. The concept architecture for an Enhanced Visual-
Inspection System (EVIS) for use by astronauts during EVA and IVA is proposed that promises to expand
astronauts’ visual senses. Current MMOD protection and inspection methods employed by astronauts, as well as
a notable inspection and repair EVA, are summarized. The proposed EVIS system is a direct line-of-sight visual
tool that uses simple optical elements to locate abnormal stress and thermal patterns in certain exposed, semi-
transparent materials in real-time. The EVIS concept is comprised of a passive polariscope inspector, with an
active forward looking infrared (FLIR) system for thermal imaging as a future addition. The polariscope
inspector is a simple, low mass device that visualizes induced stress geometry of certain observed components
using birefringence properties of the material via the photo-elastic effect. The process renders a colorful
isochromatic contour map depicting lines of constant shear stress. Trained astronauts may use these stress
signatures to identify distressed components, and characterize anomalous stress gradients indicative of possible
damage. This allows the structural integrity of critical components (such as solar cells, truss structures, panels
and windows) to be verified in-situ. Certain distressed components may be identified prior to failure so that
appropriate action may be taken by the crew. The thermal infrared inspector is a streamlined, low-power device
based on existing FLIR systems that enables quick assessment of the thermal conditions of exposed radiators and
components. Both inspectors are hand-held, and may be attached to the EMU spacesuit through appropriate
hooks and scars. Other potential future enhancements such as robotic inspection platforms and helmet visor
integration are also explored. The EVIS concept promises astronauts advanced situational awareness that
enhances the quality, quantity, and rate of acquisition of visual inspection data during both routine and
emergency operations, with the potential to significantly reduce the duration of inspection EVAs.

1. Introduction 1.1 Is the ISS Safe from MMODs?

“The threat that orbital debris poses to international space
activities is presently not large, but it may be on the verge of
becoming significant. If and when it does, the consequences
could be very costly - and extremely difficult to reverse. By
contrast, the cost of reducing the growth of the hazard can be
relatively low. ... The committee believes that spacefaring
nations should take judicious, timely steps now to understand
the risk and agree on ways to reduce it.”
- The National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Committee on
Space Debris, 1995.[1] 1
One of the greatest threats facing the International
Space Station (ISS) and other space-based systems are
micro-meteor & orbital debris (MMOD) impacts. This is
evident by the continuous barrage of damage the ISS has
sustained throughout its operation (Figure 1-2). Though
critical systems have not yet been affected, active
monitoring, damage assessment, repair and recovery
options are high priority items in ISS operations. ISS
solar arrays are especially vulnerable to impacts due to
their large deployed area and minimal cover glass
protection (Figure 1), which necessitates routine
monitoring of array health.

11 joshuafo@usc.edu
2 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
3 Millennium Space Systems Inc., El Segundo, CA, USA.

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Figure 1: ISS solar array damage from a 1-2 mm

diameter MMOD. “Bullet hole, a small stone
from the universe went through our solar array...
glad it missed the hull.” - Col. Chris Hadfield,
April, 2013 (Credit: NASA)
In April, 2010, Bryan O’Connor, NASA’s chief of
safety and mission assurance, requested the NRC to
conduct a study on NASA’s MMOD programs, in
response to the White House Office of Management and
Budget and the Office of Science and Technology
Policy’s concern on the matter [1]. Their results included a
list of research needs and management issues to be
considered in the formation of an MMOD strategic plan.
One of the listed items is to “increase efforts to
characterize the damage resulting from impacts of orbital
debris of various particle shapes and densities” [1]. The
NRC report found that such efforts would provide
insights into the effects MMODs have on operational
space systems, specifically with regards to particulates
that are too small to be cataloged yet large enough to
disrupt spacecraft operations. To achieve the goal of
characterizing hazardous MMODs too small to track by
traditional means, a system must be implemented to
locate and characterize MMOD damage. Before the
development of such a system can be explored, current
protection and detection systems employed on-board ISS
must be examined.
Figure 2: MMOD impact damage to the cupola
window, with a ruler for scale (top left), array
thermal damage from bypass diode impact (top
right), and Shuttle Orbiter window impacts across
multiple missions (bottom). (Credit: NASA)
minimize its cross-sectional area facing known hazardous
directions, as well as placing critical components (i.e.
crew) in areas with the lowest particle flux.
The ISS has three key strategies for mitigating
MMOD impact risk which fit into this basic mitigation
framework: (1) robust shielding. (2) collision avoidance,
and (3) sensors and crew response [2]. The ISS is
equipped with Nextel & Kevlar multi-layered “Whipple”
shielding (Figure 3), which is effective at halting
penetrations by MMODs of up to 1.3 cm in diameter at
typical impact conditions (~7 km/s) [2]. For instance, a
1.27 cm diameter hypervelocity MMOD penetrates a
5.08 cm thick aluminum block, but is stopped by Whipple
shielding using significantly less mass (with comparable

1.2 Current MMOD Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate MMOD impact risks, three classifications
of protection strategies are typically employed: passive,
active, and operational [1]. Passive protection refers to
spacecraft shielding, redundant system design, orbit
11.4 cm

selection to reduce particulate risks, etc. Active

protection includes the elimination of debris in the path of
an orbiting spacecraft, avoidance maneuvers of the
spacecraft prior to predicted impacts, and the removal of
large objects to eliminate future potential debris-
generating events. Operational protection strategies
protect against MMODs that are too large to actively
mitigate or too small to be detected and avoided. Such
Figure 3: Cross-section schematic of the ISS Whipple
strategies can include orienting the spacecraft to
shielding, at ~22 kg/m2. (Credit: NASA)

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 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel. Copyright ©2015 by Mr. Joshua Fogel. Published by the IAF, with permission and
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mass to a 0.9525 cm thick block of aluminum) [1]. To

avoid ground trackable debris > 10 cm in diameter, the
ISS can perform collision avoidance maneuvers. Should
an impact occur, the crew can use onboard sensors and
tools, such as a hand-held ultrasonic leak detector [2], to
detect, isolate, and repair pressure wall leaks.
While these methods have thus far been effective,
untrackable, small diameter MMOD impacts remain a
threat to vulnerable ISS systems, specifically the solar
arrays. Reduced voltage output may indicate possible
damage to a wing, but only direct visual inspection can
confirm the full extent and location of possible cracks,
torsions and penetrations. Given appropriate
development, this can be accomplished with simple tools,
without the need for complex, high-powered systems.
Such an approach adheres to the guidelines set forth in
NASA’s Human Integration Design Handbook, which
states that “if a person can observe or use a simple
measurement to determine whether [a] requirement is
satisfied, inspection is the proper method. Inspection is
typically the least expensive verification method” [3].

1.3 Notable Inspection & Repair EVA:

ISS Assembly Mission 10A (STS-120)
The primary objective of ISS assembly mission 10A
(STS-120, October 23 - November 7, 2007) was to install
the Harmony connecting module. This required to the
stowage and relocation of one of the solar array wings to
the Port-6 truss segment [4]. After successful installation
of the Harmony module, the relocated array was being
redeployed when images taken by the crew and station
cameras indicated that a guide wire had snagged, causing
part of the wing to tear. The crew immediately stopped
deployment. While the damaged array was still capable
of generating electricity, it was unable to conduct Sun
tracking due to its partially deployed state. Ground
controllers also feared that Sun tracking would induce
physical stresses that could cause further damage.
Repairing the the torn P6 solar array wing became the top
priority for the remainder of mission 10A [4].
After discovering the ruptured solar array, the crew
conducted a 7 hour, 19 minute extra-vehicular activity
(EVA) to assess the state of the array, characterize the
damage, and conduct repair operations (Figure 4). Both
the shuttle robotic arm (SRMS) and the ISS robotic arm
(SSRMS) were employed to maneuver two astronauts
into position at the base of the damaged array and directly
above the tear [4]. The Orbiter Boom Sensing System
(OBSS) was repurposed as an extension to the
Canadarm2 to provide the astronaut with a mobile work
platform that could reach the tear.
The damaged array was eventually repaired, with five
“cufflinks” installed to relieve tension from the torn
hinge. Later electron microscope images of the damaged
guide wire indicated that MMOD impacts compromised
the wire, leading to the failure. While these efforts
demonstrate the successful implementation of emergency
EVA planning and execution using robotic manipulation
Figure 4: Emergency EVA to inspect and repair a torn
solar array wing during ISS assembly mission 10A.
(Credit: NASA)
systems, it also illustrates the limitations of current
inspection methods. The discovery of mission critical
damage was reliant on images taken by crew and station
cameras, but comparable damage resulting from MMOD
impacts may not always be as noticeable. It is for this
reason that a fast, information-dense inspection system is
needed in the astronaut’s “tool belt” to identify
potentially hazardous situations resulting from MMODs,
thermal loading, and secondary damage cause by events
like the P6 solar array tear.
2. On-Orbit Inspection
2.1 Inspection System Requirements
NASA’s Human Integration Design Handbook [3]
outlines a set of guidelines for the design of equipment
and systems that facilitate maintenance and ensure proper
maintainability, in terms of complexity, duration,
frequency, and safety. The guidelines for designing for
maintainability include:
• Reduce the need for specialized skills, tools, and
training
• Reduce crew time spent on preventive and
corrective maintenance

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• Reduce crew cognitive workload
• Ensure crew safety during maintenance tasks
To enable faster, more efficient means of data
collection during inspection EVAs, the proposed
inspection system must adhere to the following
requirements derived from the NASA guidelines:
1. The inspection system must provide quick, in-
situ data acquisition and assessment of
exterior spacecraft components. This is to
minimize the time spent by the astronaut
inspecting components while on EVA, which
saves mission time, O2 reserves, and prolonged
effort by the astronaut.
2. The inspection system must require minimal
training & effort to use while on EVA. Due to
the hazardous environment the astronaut must
operate in while on EVA, longer, more complex
EVAs increase risk to the astronaut. Reducing the
complexity of the inspection tool will improve the
rate at which data may be collected, and reduces
the time needed to conduct the inspection. This
includes the time and effort needed to train the
astronaut in the tool’s use, as the astronaut should
be able to parse key inspection information from
the tool in a reasonably short period of time.
3. The inspection system must be integrated into
existing EVA architecture, and must not
interfere or be hazardous to existing ISS
infrastructure. This is to ensure realistic
implementation in current EVA & ISS operations,
and to minimize incurred safety risks.
4. The inspection system must collect data from a
safe distance (defined by the component under
inspection), and must not interact with the
component in any way that could cause
additional damage to the component. As the
inspection tool is intended for use in situations
where possible damage may exist, to maximize
astronaut safety, inspection operations should
minimize potentially high-risk situations, i.e.
placing astronauts too close to or in direct contact
with potentially distressed components.
5. The inspection system must be low power, low
mass, and low cost. This is to minimize the
impact of the tool on existing EVA operations
(and its storage on-board ISS), as well as to
ensure the development, test, and implementation
of the proposed system on-orbit in a reasonable
timeframe.
Based on these requirements, an Enhanced Visual-
Inspection System (EVIS) is proposed which utilizes
photoelasticity to visualize the stress geometry in
exposed, distressed, semi-transparent components. The
IAC-15-B3-5.5
low-to-no power tool will allow trained astronauts to
quickly scan spacecraft components, such as solar arrays
and radiators, and interpret a contour map of induced
shear-stress to assess the distressed state of the
component. The tool’s capabilities may be extended by
adding a forward looking infrared (FLIR)-type system
which, at the expense of required electrical power, can be
used to characterize the thermal conditions of exposed
components.
2.2 Solar Cell Inspection via The Photo-Elastic Effect
The photovoltaic manufacturing industry has
identified a demand for a reliable and fast nondestructive
method of detecting residual stress and micro-cracks in
polycrystalline silicon wafers used for mass production of
solar cells [5-7]. During manufacturing verification,
microwave and ultrasound inspection methods are not
sufficient in completely characterizing micro-cracks that
may develop during wafer processing, such as polishing,
metallization and etching [6]. A proposed method exploits
the fact that the residual stress within a silica wafer
induces the anisotropy (birefringence) of the optical
properties of the material due to the photo-elastic effect[6].
As light passes through or reflects off of the wafer, a
polariscope may be used to render a colorful contour map
with lines of constant shear stress, known as
isochromatics, whose geometries correspond to the
induced stress gradients.
The nominal experimental set ups of a transmission
and reflection circular polariscope are shown in Figure 5,
with isochromatic stress maps rendered for various solar
cell specimens in Figure 6. In a circular polariscope set-
up, light is sent through a pair of filters, with
perpendicular polarization directions, to circularly
polarize the light. The light is then transmitted through a
photoelasticity-sensitive material (or coating on a
component if the object under load is not at least semi-
transparent), and passed through another pair of circularly
polarizing filters. The birefringence is then rendered
visible to the observer or camera, thanks to the
manipulation of the light during transmission through the
material under load. It should be noted that transmission
polariscopy is primarily used in solar cell wafer
verification in conjunction with infrared lasers, although
reflection polariscopy can be used for evaluating the
quality and integrity of metalized solar cells [6]. Since
these industrial tests rely on infrared light, post-
processing is needed to generate stress maps that can be
used to determine the level of residual stress. Image
recognition software can also be employed for precise
localization of critical areas or micro-cracks.
Leveraging its use in solar cell wafer verification, the
photoelasticity-based inspection method may be applied
to in-situ inspection operations during intravehicular
activity (IVA) and EVA. In addition to solar cells, this
approach may reveal stress maps of other materials found
on the exterior of the ISS, including solar array cover
glass, module windows, and possibly semi-transparent
Page 4 of 11
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Transmission e coatings and films on certain components. For this

lat ate
Polariscope 1 ve P Pl application, the reflection polariscope model has been
r av
e r2
rize Wa W rize selected due to the on-orbit mass, power, data processing,
la 1/4 1/4 la and safety requirements needed to employ an infrared
Po Po
laser polariscope, as well as the logistical complications
Observer associated with implementing transmission polariscope
Light
or components on both sides of ISS solar arrays
Source
Camera
simultaneously.

Component 3. EVIS: The Polariscope Inspector

Under Load
(Solar Cell)
3.1 Preliminary Tool Design
Reflection ate The proposed EVIS Polariscope Inspector is a direct
Polariscope r2 e Pl
ize av line-of-sight visual tool that uses passive optical elements
lar W
Observer Po 1/4 to locate abnormal stress patterns in certain exposed,
or semi-transparent materials in real-time. This is done by
Camera taking advantage of the observed material’s birefringence
properties via a circular polarized reflection polariscope
Component to visualize the induced stress geometry. The process
Under Load renders a colorful isochromatic contour map depicting
(Solar Cell) lines of constant shear stress. Once stress maps of
relevant ISS elements under nominal orbit conditions are
Light characterized, trained astronauts may use them as a
Source Photo-Elastic baseline to compare with in-situ observations to identify
e
r1 lat Coating anomalous stress gradients indicative of possible damage.
rize ve P (Cover Glass)
la a This allows the structural integrity of critical components
Po 4 W (such as solar cells, solar array cover glass, truss
1/
structures, pressurized habitation module structural
Figure 5: Notional set up of a transmission panels and windows) to be verified in-situ. Certain
polariscope (top) and a reflection polariscope distressed components can also be identified prior to
(bottom), with indicated light path through two failure so that appropriate action may be taken by the
sets of polarizing filters and transmission through, crew.
or reflection off of, a photo-elastic sensitive The Polariscope Inspector concept is a simple,
specimen. Polarizers 1 & 2 are oriented such that passive, low mass system comprised of an easily
their directions of polarization are perpendicular. manipulable wide-screen format view-finder of layered
polarizer & quarter-wave-plate films (Figure 7). The
EMU spacesuit flood light is used as the polarized light
source by affixing polarizer & 1/4 waveplate filter caps to
the lights, oriented perpendicular to the nominal
horizontal orientation of the tool (Figure 8). Further
investigations may prove scattered sunlight to be a
sufficient source of circularly polarized light. Should the
Sun be used as a source, the inspector’s filters may be
a) b) required to be disk-shaped to allow for manual rotational
tuning by the astronaut to orient the polarization direction
Isochromatics of the filter perpendicular to that of the source to render
the birefringence visible.
The tool is designed to be hand-held with ergonomic
positioning handles, and can be used regardless of
handedness. The handles are designed to be overlarge, as
is typical of EVA tools, to assist astronauts’ pressurized
c) glove grip. The inspector may be attached to the EMU
spacesuit through appropriate hooks and scars. Initial
Figure 6: Examples of photo-elasticity: a) visible image implementation includes a tether hook to the EMU
of an Si wafer [6], b) stress map (via IR reflection) spacesuit for simplicity (Figure 9a). This allows the
of (a) at the presence of cracks [6], c) a plastic ruler astronaut full freedom of motion with the tool, but
with induced isochromatics around a punched hole
via visible light transmission (Credit: Tan Yee Wei).

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Figure 7: Preliminary designs of the EVIS Polariscope Inspector with a standard EVA tether hook as per NASA
design guidelines [3] .

requires manual position-holding while inspecting a

component.
Polarizing Filter Upon successful on-orbit demonstration of the
tethered Polariscope Inspector, a more sophisticated
Caps
anchoring system may be employed. A 5-DOF
positioning arm based on a “steady-cam” rig architecture
can be mounted to the EMU backpack (Figure 9b),
which ensures the inspector’s polarization direction
remains perpendicular to the light source polarizers.
While this effort will have significant impact on existing
EVA infrastructure, the resulting advantage is clear. The
astronaut can position the inspector so that the
isochromatic map is viewed, and then proceed to inspect
components hands-free. This reduces the exerted effort
by the astronaut, and improves the safety and efficiency
Figure 8: EMU helmet lights with polarizer & 1/4 of the EVA by preserving the ability to multi-task or
waveplate filters to produce circularly polarized change focus quickly.
light. (Credit: NASA) The simplicity of materials needed to construct the
Polariscope Inspector simplifies the manufacturing and
assembly process. Compression of the polarization filters
between rubber foam pads within the assembly will

Possible
Puncture Damage
a) b)
Figure 9: a) The EVIS Polariscope Inspector secured via standard EVA tether hook, revealing possible MMOD
damage, b) The EVIS Polariscope Inspector secured via 5-DOF “steady-cam” positioning arm. (Credit: NASA)

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prevent sliding while in microgravity. Low outgassing
materials will be selected to limit any potential
contamination of the filters, EMU spacesuits, or ISS
systems. With the advent of 3D printing technology
aboard the ISS, there lies a distinct opportunity to
manufacture the structure of the Polariscope Inspector on-
orbit. The shell of the tool can be designed simplistic
enough to easily fabricate, with minor adjustments based
on build area and dimensional accuracy of the printer. By
completing most of the assembly on-board the ISS with
available plastics, the only components required to be
launched specifically for the tool’s construction are the
polarizing filters (comparable to a few sheets of paper-
thin plastic) and fasteners. Reduction of experimental
cost and improvements to maintainability of the EVIS
Polariscope Inspector are benefits of selecting a modular,
3D printed design.
3.2 Initial Ground Experiments
Prior to full on-orbit experiments, initial ground-
based tests will be conducted to validate the concept in an
Earth-analogue environment. Samples of various
materials found on the ISS exterior, such as solar cells,
solar array cover glass, windows, and semi-transparent
film coatings, etc., will be tested for their photoelasticity
compatibility. Using a prototype inspector, observations
will be made of the materials while varying a set of
inspection parameters. These parameters include
observations distance, angle of incidence, lighting
conditions (to simulate a full ISS orbit through direct &
indirect sunlight and eclipse, as well as potential
interference from artificial lighting and Earth albedo),
and light source. The EMU flood light and sunlight
sources will be compared to find the best induced
birefringence renderings in the materials. The inspection
parameters may be found to have different optimal
combinations depending on the type of material and
component under inspection. All forms of EVA mobility
will be considered, such as anchoring the astronaut to a
robotic arm or module exterior, and their impact on data
collection considered.
Using the experimental set up, various types of
damage caused by MMODs, such as cracks, torsions, and
penetrations, as well as natural age degradation will be
simulated. Observations under analogous on-orbit
conditions will be made to develop component stress
maps which will inform the methodology necessary for
successful damage detection and characterization. The
results of these initial experiments will culminate in an
on-orbit concept of operations (CONOPS) of the tool, as
well as training materials to help astronauts identify
potential component damage using the Polariscope
Inspector.
3.3 On-Orbit Experiments & Nominal Operations
Once initial ground experiments and tests are
complete, the EVIS Polariscope Inspector will be
IAC-15-B3-5.5
Figure 10: Astronaut Karen Nyberg observes one of
the ISS solar arrays during IVA. (Credit: NASA)
validated on-orbit. The first experiment will be
conducted on IVA within the safety and control of the
pressurized habitat. Identical samples to those used in
ground testing will be inspected using the tool with
previously identified light source(s) to confirm operation.
Lighting and component orientation restrictions
permitting, the the tool will then be used to observe ISS
solar arrays and other exterior components visible
through the various module windows (Figure 10), such
as the cupola. After all IVA inspection opportunities have
been successfully exhausted, the Polariscope Inspector
will be tested on EVA.
The full EVA experiment will provide astronauts the
opportunity to inspect a solar array, or other component,
and compare the observed stress map with existing
models at comparable conditions. It will also provide
baseline stress data of the component, which will support
future inspection operations. For the EVA experiment, an
experimental Polariscope Inspector will be tethered to the
EMU spacesuit in the interest of simplicity and safety.
Thanks to the tool’s low mass and convenient form-
factor, the EVA experiment may be included as an
additional task to a separate low-priority spacewalk. This
is in support of the spirit of the proposed concept. The
Poalriscope Inspector is intended to be a powerful (low-
power) tool at the astronaut’s side that can be deployed at
any time, should the need for spontaneous in-situ
inspection arise.
While initial EVA validation with the astronaut
hooked to a module exterior may be found in ground test
to be viable, a more robust test can be conducted with the
astronaut anchored to one of the station’s robotic arms,
such as in the emergency EVA during ISS assembly
mission 10A. A robotic arm platform gives the astronaut
the ability to vary their position above the solar array or
component, allowing them to scan across the surface of
the component in a controlled, timely manner. Such an
architecture provides consistency in observation distance
and angle of incidence, which will aid in the quality of
collected data. A robotic platform also allows the
inspection parameters to be varied during the EVA
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experiment to compare with the parameter configurations
derived during the ground test.
After the successful EVA experiment and
demonstration, the experimental Polariscope Inspector’s
design and CONOPS will be revised with the lessons
learned during the test. A Phase II Polariscope Inspector
will then be used during nominal operations as a powerful
aid to astronauts during in-situ inspection. Further
development of the tool’s EMU anchoring mechanism, as
well as additional inspection attachments and
modifications, will then be developed.
4. EVIS: Polariscope Inspector Design
Assessment
4.1 Design Merits and Limitations
The proposed Polariscope Inspector concept has an
array of design merits which support previously stated
NASA goals, and make it a promising tool for current and
future inspection operations:
1. Information density and inspection speed. The
Polariscope Inspector provides instantaneous,
information-dense snapshots of the stress
conditions of a component.
2. Reduces total inspection EVA time and
complexity. The ability to capture the induced
stress state at-a-glance allows the astronaut to
make in-situ characterization and assessment of
the component. This reduces the complexity and
total time spent on inspection EVA.
3. Ease of system integration. The simplicity of the
tool and minimal impact on existing EVA
architecture makes it an ideal support system that
can be implemented in current operations in the
near-future.
4. Ease of use. The simplicity of the tool requires
little effort to use, and relies on the astronaut’s
natural Human proclivity for pattern recognition.
Key isochromatic stress geometries indicative of
distress at the presence of cracks and other
damage can be easily identified with minimal
training.
5. Powerful capability to have during IVA,
maintenance EVAs, and emergency scenarios.
The proposed tool offers advanced situational
awareness at little-to-no cost to mass, electrical
power, or convenience, which makes it adaptable
to any type of on-orbit situation.
5. Extensible to surface operations. The
Polariscope Inspector is useful in the planetary
regime as well. Whether on Earth, the Moon, or
Mars, the proposed tool offers inspection
IAC-15-B3-5.5
capability to habitation modules, solar array
farms, rover components, and more.
The proposed Polariscope Inspector concept is not
without inherent design limitations, all of which must be
addressed to help develop the concept:
1. A proof-of-concept is needed. While the concept
of using photoelasticity to assess the induced
stress conditions of solar cells has been
successfully implemented by the photovoltaic
industry [5-7], a ground based demonstration is
needed to prove that constructed spacecraft
components produce birefringence phenomena
under controllable conditions.
2. Lighting conditions and required inspection
parameters. Once the proof-of-concept is
demonstrated, it must still be shown that an
isochromatic stress map can be rendered in real-
time with a reasonable set of inspection
parameters. The strength of the light source
needed to produce birefringence in the observed
component (restricted by the EMU light capability
and solar illumination) must be quantified. The
maximum distances and angles of incidence from
which stress geometry detail can be resolved in
different components by the astronaut must be
determined. Potential light interference from the
Sun, Earth & Moon albedo, and artificial sources
must be characterized and shown to be
manageable.
4.2 Next Steps
As previously mentioned, a proof-of-concept is
needed before further development of the Polariscope
Inspector may proceed. Once the concept is verified, the
ground experiment phase may begin. Relevant ISS
exterior components will be tested for their photoelasticy
compatibility, and the full set of inspection parameters
will be explored in Earth-analogue to develop a
preliminary on-orbit CONOPS. Next, an IVA experiment
will be conducted on-board the ISS to validate the tool’s
operation. The full EVA experiment will then be
conducted. An astronaut will perform an EVA to inspect
a solar array or other component with a known stress
model for nominal on-orbit conditions. Based on the
series of ground and on-orbit tests, an evolved Phase II
Polariscope Inspector will be developed and used during
nominal operations as a powerful aid to astronauts during
in-situ inspection. Further development of the tool’s
EMU anchoring mechanism and additional inspection
attachments and modifications will then be conducted.
6. Future Enhancement
The proposed EVIS concept is designed to be a
flexible architecture. As such, additional inspection
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 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel. Copyright ©2015 by Mr. Joshua Fogel. Published by the IAF, with permission and
released to the IAF to publish in all forms.

attachments, modifications, and form factors are natural

evolutions of the Polariscope Inspector. While the
following future enhancements to the EVIS concept are
inherently more complex and power & mass intensive
than the initial design, they are ripe with benefits which
will extend the capability of the EVIS.

6.1 Additional Inspection Attachments:

The FLIR Inspector
The use of Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera
systems in military, police, firefighter, and civilian
communities has become commonplace. FLIR systems
are composed of an infrared sensor and micro-processor
which processes and displays a thermal image in real-
time. Such devices have become commercialized, with
publicly available hand-held devices sold at relatively
low costs (Figure 11). While an active FLIR system is
more complex than the passive Polariscope Inspector, the
addition of such a device in the EVIS concept provides
invaluable inspection capability to astronauts.
Thermal assessment and control is an essential
activity in a vacuum environment with harsh thermal
gradients. A thermal FLIR attachment will provide real-
time inspection of thermal loads and conditions of any
exposed component, not just those photo-elastic
compliant, at a relatively small cost to tool mass,
electrical power, and complexity. Some of this
complexity may be mitigated by the device by using a
self contained battery pack, as opposed to the limited
EMU spacesuit power system. This attachment will
allow astronauts to characterize the thermal state of flight
critical components such as radiators, electronics, truss
structures, module panels, and others whose health rely
on controlled thermal conditions. Other wavelengths of
light can also be queried by adapting exiting multi-
spectral optical systems. Should an MMOD impact or
hardware malfunction occur to thermally sensitive
components, astronauts on IVA and EVA will have a tool
capable of in-situ thermal and multi-spectral assessment.
6.2 Robotic Inspection
The Polariscope Inspector was conceived as an
astronaut EVA & IVA tool due to its simplicity of
operation and reliance on the astronaut to interpret the
observed stress map. While this is a perfect form factor
for experimentation and emergency capabilities, robotic-
based platforms offer the ability to acquire higher-quality
inspection data, and to operate for durations and in
situations where astronaut EVA or IVA may be restricted.
The simplest robotic implementation is to attach a remote
camera or cameras sensitive to IR and visible
wavelengths to one of the station’s robotic arms. The
appropriate polarization filters and light sources can be
affixed to the ISS to enable both photo-elastic and FLIR
inspection simultaneously. The use of IR cameras also
opens the possibility of IR polariscopy. An additional
benefit of real-time data processing is to the potential
Figure 11: Example of a commercially available hand-
held FLIR system for firefighters. (Credit: FLIR®
Systems, Inc.)
capability to use software to correct for secondary light
interference from the Earth, Sun, stars, and artificial
sources. These benefits come at the expense of additional
complexity to the EVA/IVA model, as camera systems
require real-time data processing. Integration into
existing robotic and telephoto systems may also pose a
challenge.
A more robust form factor for the EVIS concept is to
secure the Polariscope and FLIR inspectors to a free-
flying robotic vehicle, such as a platform based on the
successful IVA Synchronized Position Hold Engage and
Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) system [7]
(Figure 12). This will allow for teleoperated or
autonomous inspection operations of solar arrays and
other components. This architecture provides greater
mobility than the station-mounted variant, with greater
access to components outside the work envelope of the
station’s robotic arms. However, safety and integration
complications are further increased with this approach
due to the inclusion of free-flying systems.
The versatility of the EVIS concept can extend even
farther, as one can envision attaching the inspection
systems to Robonaut 2 (Figure 13) or a solar array truss-
scaling inspection robot. Such a system could prove a
useful addition to the diagnostic facility of the ISS. The
robotic truss-scaler can be scheduled to perform
autonomous inspection sweeps of the solar arrays using
the EVIS camera(s), whose prolonged data collection will
Figure 12: The SPHERES micro-satellite testbed on-
board the ISS. (Credit: NASA/ISS)

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 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel. Copyright ©2015 by Mr. Joshua Fogel. Published by the IAF, with permission and
released to the IAF to publish in all forms.

EVIS system is a direct line-of-sight visual tool that uses

Figure 13: Robonaut 2 on-board the ISS. (Credit: NASA)
be used for diagnosing potentially hazardous cracks,
torsions and penetrations prior to component failure.
This approach avoids the complications of free-flying
systems, but requires careful safety considerations of
robotic/truss interactions. In light of these possibilities,
the first step is to start with a simple, direct
implementation of the tool for use by astronauts on IVA
and EVA.
6.3 EMU Helmet Visor Integration
One additional future enhancement that can be made
to the EVIS concept is to integrate the Polariscope and
FLIR inspectors into the helmet visor of the next
generation spacesuit. The Polariscope Inspector can be as
simple as a pull-down visor, similar to the current EMU
Sun visor, comprised of the polarization filters. A more
complex system can integrate a small multi-spectral
camera into the helmet, which can be used in conjunction
with the relevant filters and on-suit data processing
computers to display the polariscopy and thermal-infrared
imaging on a heads-up display (HUD). After addressing
the complex integration and operational challenges
inherent to this arhitecture, it is clear that the system will
provide the ultimate synergy between the inspection tool
and the EVA spacesuit.
simple optical elements to locate abnormal stress patterns
in certain exposed, semi-transparent materials in real-
time. The EVIS concept is comprised of a passive
polariscope inspector, with the ability to attach an active
thermal infrared imaging system for thermal assessment.
The polariscope inspector is a simple, low mass
device that takes advantage of an observed material’s
birefringence properties via the photo-elastic effect to
visualize induced stress geometry. The process renders a
colorful isochromatic contour map depicting lines of
constant shear stress, which trained astronauts can use to
identify anomalous stress gradients indicative of possible
damage. This allows the structural integrity of critical
components (such as solar cells, truss structures, panels
and windows) to be verified in-situ. Certain distressed
components may be identified prior to failure using this
method so that appropriate action may be taken by the
crew.
The thermal infrared inspector is a streamlined, low-
power device based on existing FLIR systems that
enables quick assessment of the thermal conditions of
exposed radiators and components. Both inspectors are
hand-held, and may be attached to the EMU spacesuit
through appropriate hooks and scars. Potential future
enhancements such as robotic inspection platforms and
helmet visor integration have also been explored. The
EVIS concept promises astronauts advanced situational
awareness that enhances the quality, quantity, and rate of
acquisition of visual inspection data during both routine
and emergency operations. The EVIS concept offers the
potential to significantly reduce the duration and
complexity of inspection EVAs.

7. Conclusions
Current MMOD protection and inspection methods
employed by astronauts on-board the ISS have been
described, as well as the emergency EVA during ISS
assembly mission 10A to inspect and repair a damaged
solar array. The concept architecture for an enhanced
visual inspection system based on polariscopy has been
proposed for astronaut EVA and IVA. The proposed

IAC-15-B3-5.5 Page 10 of 11
 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel. Copyright ©2015 by Mr. Joshua Fogel. Published by the IAF, with permission and
released to the IAF to publish in all forms.

Acknowledgments
The original concept for EVIS was developed by
Joshua Fogel in the ASTE 527: Space Exploration
Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio course, conducted
by Madhu Thangavelu in the department of Astronautical
Engineering within the Viterbi School of Engineering at
the University of Southern California. The initial version
of the EVIS concept, THEIA, was part of the 2014 fall
team project called Tipping Point: The Future of
Astronaut Activity and Human Spaceflight, the results of
which may be accessed at [9]. The presentation of this
work at the IAC 2015 has been supported by NASA
Research and Education Support Services (NRESS).

References
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[2] Graves, R., “On-Orbit Leak Detection and Repair for
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[3] NASA/SP-2010-3407/REV1 “Human Integration Design
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