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Initial feasibility studies suggest that the utility of certain storable rocket propellants can be extended to include life support and other essential services in the space environment, thereby improving the habitability and over-all performance of manned systems. Two liquid combinations are considered: hydrazine/hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine/nitrogen tetroxide. Both are good propellants, and their oxidizer-rich combustion in a gas generator theoretically yields potable water, a two-gas atmosphere of controllable composition, and energy for power generation and/or thermal management. The basic thermochemical relationships are presented from which performance in specific areas is derived. Problems of contamination , safety, and reliability are discussed, and possible applications to manned probes, space stations, extravehicular operations, planetary bases, biosatellites, and high-altitude aircraft are explored. The concept is applied in some detail to two hypothetical missions, and its over-all effectiveness is compared with that of more conventional approaches.

Applications of the thermal energy storage (TES) principle (storage of sensible heat or latent heat, or heat storage in reversible chemical reactions) in power systems are evaluated. Load leveling behind the meter, load following at conventional thermal power plants, solar thermal power generation, and waste heat utilization are the principal TES applications considered. Specific TES examples discussed include: storage heaters for electric-resistance space heating, air conditioning TES in the form of chilled water or eutectic salt baths, hot water TES, and trans-seasonal storage in heated water in confined aquifers.