Engineering topics

Palaszewski, Bryan A.

Publications and source records attributed to Palaszewski, Bryan A..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2020

Solar System Exploration Augmented by In-Situ Resource Utilization: Human Mercury and Saturn Exploration

Human and robotic missions to Mercury and Saturn are presented and analyzed. Unique elements of the local planetary environments are discussed and included in the analyses and assessments. Historical studies of space exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and industrialization all point to the vastness of natural resources in the solar system. Advanced propulsion benefitted from these resources in many ways. While advanced propulsion systems were proposed in these historical studies, further investigation of nuclear options using high power nuclear thermal and nuclear pulse propulsion as well as advanced chemical propulsion can significantly enhance these scenarios. Updated analyses based on these historical visions will be presented. Nuclear thermal propulsion and ISRU enhanced chemical propulsion landers are assessed for Mercury missions. At Saturn, nuclear pulse propulsion with alternate propellant feed systems and Titan exploration with chemical propulsion options are discussed.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System: Outer Planet Resource Processing, Moon Base Propulsion,and Vehicle Design Issues

Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and deuterium can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and deuterium were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. Analyses of orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), landers, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) mining factories are included. Preliminary observations are presented on near-optimal selections of moon base orbital locations, OTV power levels, and OTV and lander rendezvous points. Based on earlier propulsion investigations, the analyses of round trip OTV flights from Uranus and Neptune to their major moons with a 10- Megawatt electric (MWe) OTV power level and a 200 metric ton (MT) lander payload were selected. The OTV power level was based on delivering a relatively short OTV trip time and minimization of the number of lander flights. Moon base sites at Uranus and Neptune and the OTV requirements to support them will also be addressed. These analyses will include all of the major moons of Uranus and Neptune. In addition, the total masses and mass delivery schedules needed for atmospheric mining are presented.

nuclear propulsion↗

NASA NTRS2017

Solar System Exploration Augmented by In-Situ Resource Utilization: Human Planetary Base Issues for Mercury and Saturn

Human and robotic missions to Mercury and Saturn are presented and analyzed with a range of propulsion options. Historical studies of space exploration, planetary spacecraft, and astronomy, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and industrialization all point to the vastness of natural resources in the solar system. Advanced propulsion benefitted from these resources in many ways. While advanced propulsion systems were proposed in these historical studies, further investigation of nuclear options using high power nuclear thermal and nuclear pulse propulsion as well as advanced chemical propulsion can significantly enhance these scenarios. Updated analyses based on these historical visions are presented. Nuclear thermal propulsion and ISRU enhanced chemical propulsion landers are assessed for Mercury missions. At Saturn, nuclear pulse propulsion with alternate propellant feed systems and Saturn moon exploration with chemical propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion options are discussed. Issues with using in-situ resource utilization on Mercury missions are discussed. At Saturn, the best locations for exploration and the use of the moons Titan and Enceladus as central locations for Saturn moon exploration is assessed.

Lunar↗

NASA NTRS2017

Solar System Exploration Augmented by In-Situ Resource Utilization: Human Planetary Base Issues for Mercury and Saturn

Establishing a lunar presence and creating an industrial capability on the Moon may lead to important new discoveries for all of human kind. Historical studies of lunar exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and industrialization all point to the vast resources on the Moon and its links to future human and robotic exploration. In references 1 through 9, a broad range of technological innovations are described and analyzed. Figures 1 depicts program planning for future human missions throughout the solar system which included lunar launched nuclear rockets, and future human settlements on the Moon. Figures 2 and 3 present the results for human Mercury missions, including LEO departure masses and round trip Mercury lander masses. Using in-situ resources, the missions become less burdensome to the LEO launch infrastructure. In one example using Mercury derived hydrogen, the LEO mass of the human Mercury missions can be reduced from 2,800 MT to 1,140 MT (Ref. 15). Additional analyses of staging options for human Mercury missions will be presented. Figures 4 shows an option for thermal control for long term in-space cryogenic storage and Figure 5 depicts the potentially deleterious elements emanating from Mercury that must be addressed, respectively. Updated analyses based on the visions presented will be presented. While advanced propulsion systems were proposed in these historical studies, further investigation of nuclear options using high power nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion as well as advanced chemical propulsion can significantly enhance these scenarios. Human bases at Mercury may have to be resupplied from resources from regolith and water resources in permanently shadowed craters at its northern pole.

Mercury↗

NASA NTRS2016

Propulsion Estimates for High Energy Lunar Missions Using Future Propellants

High energy propellants for human lunar missions are analyzed, focusing on very advanced ozone and atomic hydrogen. One of the most advanced launch vehicle propulsion systems, such as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), used hydrogen and oxygen and had a delivered specific impulse of 453 seconds. In the early days of the space program, other propellants (or so called metapropellants) were suggested, including atomic hydrogen and liquid ozone. Theoretical and experimental studies of atomic hydrogen and ozone were conducted beginning in the late 1940s. This propellant research may have provided screenwriters with the idea of an atomic hydrogen-ozone rocket engine in the 1950 movie, Rocketship X-M. This paper presents analyses showing that an atomic hydrogen-ozone rocket engine could produce a specific impulse over a wide range of specific impulse values reaching as high as 1,600 s. A series of single stage and multistage rocket vehicle analyses were conducted to find the minimum specific impulse needed to conduct high energy round trip lunar missions.

rocket propulsion↗

NASA NTRS2014

Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System:

Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and hydrogen can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and hydrogen (deuterium, etc.) were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. Additional supporting analyses were conducted to illuminate vehicle sizing and orbital transportation issues. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. With these two additional gases, the potential for fueling small and large fleets of additional exploration and exploitation vehicles exists. Additional aerospacecraft or other aerial vehicles (UAVs, balloons, rockets, etc.) could fly through the outer planet atmospheres, for global weather observations, localized storm or other disturbance investigations, wind speed measurements, polar observations, etc. Deep-diving aircraft (built with the strength to withstand many atmospheres of pressure) powered by the excess hydrogen or helium 4 may be designed to probe the higher density regions of the gas giants. Outer planet atmospheric properties, atmospheric storm data, and mission planning for future outer planet UAVs are presented.

planetary exploration↗

NASA NTRS2014

Waste Management Options for Long-Duration Space Missions: When to Reject, Reuse, or Recycle

The amount of waste generated on long-duration space missions away from Earth orbit creates the daunting challenge of how to manage the waste through reuse, rejection, or recycle. The option to merely dispose of the solid waste through an airlock to space was studied for both Earth-moon libration point missions and crewed Mars missions. Although the unique dynamic characteristics of an orbit around L2 might allow some discarded waste to intersect the lunar surface before re-impacting the spacecraft, the large amount of waste needed to be managed and potential hazards associated with volatiles recondensing on the spacecraft surfaces make this option problematic. A second option evaluated is to process the waste into useful gases to be either vented to space or used in various propulsion systems. These propellants could then be used to provide the yearly station-keeping needs at an L2 orbit, or if processed into oxygen and methane propellants, could be used to augment science exploration by enabling lunar mini landers to the far side of the moon.

Space processing↗

NASA NTRS2013

Aerospace Fuels From Nonpetroleum Raw Materials

Recycling human metabolic and plastic wastes minimizes cost and increases efficiency by reducing the need to transport consumables and return trash, respectively, from orbit to support a space station crew. If the much larger costs of transporting consumables to the Moon and beyond are taken into account, developing waste recycling technologies becomes imperative and possibly mission enabling. Reduction of terrestrial waste streams while producing energy and/or valuable raw materials is an opportunity being realized by a new generation of visionary entrepreneurs; several relevant technologies are briefly compared, contrasted and assessed for space applications. A two-step approach to nonpetroleum raw materials utilization is presented; the first step involves production of supply or producer gas. This is akin to synthesis gas containing carbon oxides, hydrogen, and simple hydrocarbons. The second step involves production of fuel via the Sabatier process, a methanation reaction, or another gas-to-liquid technology, typically Fischer-Tropsch processing. Optimization to enhance the fraction of product stream relevant to transportation fuels via catalytic (process) development at NASA Glenn Research Center is described. Energy utilization is a concern for production of fuels whether for operation on the lunar or Martian surface, or beyond. The term green relates to not only mitigating excess carbon release but also to the efficiency of energy usage. For space, energy usage can be an essential concern. Another issue of great concern is minimizing impurities in the product stream(s), especially those that are potential health risks and/or could degrade operations through catalyst poisoning or equipment damage; technologies being developed to remove heteroatom impurities are discussed. Alternative technologies to utilize waste fluids, such as a propulsion option called the resistojet, are discussed. The resistojet is an electric propulsion technology with a powered thruster to vaporize and heat a propellant to high temperature, hot gases are subsequently passed through a converging-diverging nozzle expanding gases to supersonic velocities. A resistojet can accommodate many different fluids, including various reaction chamber (by-)products.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Nanotechnology Investigated for Future Gelled and Metallized Gelled Fuels

The objective of this research is to create combustion data for gelled and metallized gelled fuels using unique nanometer-sized gellant particles and/or nanometer-sized aluminum particles. Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center are formulating the fuels for both gas turbine and pulsed detonation engines. We intend to demonstrate metallized gelled fuel ignition characteristics for pulse detonation engines with JP/aluminum fuel and for gas turbine engines with gelled JP, propane, and methane fuel. The fuels to be created are revolutionary as they will deliver the highest theoretically maximum performance of gelled and metallized gelled fuels. Past combustion work has used micrometer-sized particles, which have limited the combustion performance of gelled and metallized gelled fuels. The new fuel used nanometer-sized aluminum oxide particles, which reduce the losses due to mismatch in the gas and solid phases in the exhaust. Gelled fuels provide higher density, added safety, reduced fuel slosh, reduced leakage, and increased exhaust velocity. Altogether, these benefits reduce the overall size and mass of the vehicle, increasing its flexibility.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Solid Hydrogen Particles and Flow Rates Analyzed for Atomic Fuels

The experiments were conducted at Glenn's Small Multipurpose Research Facility (SMIRF, ref. 5). The experimental setup was placed in the facility's vacuum tank to prevent heat leaks and subsequent boiloff of the liquid helium. Supporting systems maintained the temperature and pressure of the liquid helium bath where the solid particles were created. Solid hydrogen particle formation was tested from February 23 to April 2, 2001. Millimeter-sized solid-hydrogen particles were formed in a Dewar of liquid helium as a prelude to creating atomic fuels and propellants for aerospace vehicles. Atomic fuels or propellants are created when atomic boron, carbon, or hydrogen is stored in solid hydrogen particles. The current testing characterized the solid hydrogen particles without the atomic species, as a first step to creating a feed system for the atomic fuels and propellants. This testing did not create atomic species, but only sought to understand the solid hydrogen particle formation and behavior in the liquid helium. In these tests, video images of the solid particle formation were recorded, and the total mass flow rate of the hydrogen was measured. The mass of hydrogen that went into the gaseous phase was also recorded using a commercially available residual gas analyzer. The temperatures, pressures, and flow rates of the liquids and gases in the test apparatus were recorded as well. Testing conducted in 1999 recorded particles as small as 2 to 5 mm in diameter. The current testing extended the testing conditions to a very cold Dewar ullage gas of about 20 to 90 K above the 4 K liquid helium. With the very cold Dewar gas, the hydrogen freezing process took on new dimensions, in some cases creating particles so small that they seemed to be microscopic, appearing as infinitesimally small scintillations on the videotaped images.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Solid Hydrogen Particles Analyzed for Atomic Fuels

Solid hydrogen particles have been selected as a means of storing atomic propellants in future launch vehicles (refs. 1 to 2). In preparation for this, hydrogen particle formation in liquid helium was tested experimentally. These experiments were conducted to visually characterize the particles and to observe their formation and molecular transformations (aging) while in liquid helium. The particle sizes, molecular transformations, and agglomeration times were estimated from video image analyses. The experiments were conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center in the Supplemental Multilayer Insulation Research Facility (SMIRF, ref. 3). The facility has a vacuum tank, into which the experimental setup was placed. The vacuum tank prevented heat leaks and subsequent boiloff of the liquid helium, and the supporting systems maintained the temperature and pressure of the liquid helium bath where the solid particles were created. As the operation of the apparatus was developed, the hydrogen particles were easily visualized. The figures (ref. 1) show images from the experimental runs. The first image shows the initial particle freezing, and the second image shows the particles after the small particles have agglomerated. The particles finally all clump, but stick together loosely. The solid particles tended to agglomerate within a maximum of 11 min, and the agglomerate was very weak. Because the hydrogen particles are buoyant in the helium, the agglomerate tends to compact itself into a flat pancake on the surface of the helium. This pancake agglomerate is easily broken apart by reducing the pressure above the liquid. The weak agglomerate implies that the particles can be used as a gelling agent for the liquid helium, as well as a storage medium for atomic boron, carbon, or hydrogen. The smallest particle sizes that resulted from the initial freezing experiments were about 1.8 mm. About 50 percent of the particles formed were between 1.8 to 4.6 mm in diameter. These very small particle sizes are encouraging for future formation experiments, where simpler operations will reduce the costs of production.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Safer Aircraft Possible With Nitrogen Generation

A system named On-Board Inert Gas Generation System/On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBIGGS/OBOGS) was studied with Boeing. The study established the requirements for nitrogen purge (for fuel tank inerting and cargo compartment fire suppression) and oxygen (for passengers and crew). The nitrogen would be used for suppressing fires and fuel tank explosions on the aircraft, and the oxygen would be used for breathing gas during high-altitude or emergency operations.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Safer Aviation Materials Tested

A series of thermally stable polymer samples were tested. These materials are called low heat release materials and are designed for aircraft interior decorative materials. The materials are designed to give off a minimum amount of noxious gases when heated, which increases the possibility that people can escape from a burning aircraft. New cabin materials have suitably low heat release so that fire does not spread, toxic chemicals are not given off, and the fire-emergency escape time for crew and passengers is lengthened. These low heat-release materials have a variety of advantages and applications: interiors for ground-based facilities, interiors of space vehicles, and many commercial fire-protection environments. A microscale combustion calorimeter at the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Technical Center tested NASA Langley Research Center materials samples. The calorimeter is shown. A sharp, quantitative, and reproducible heat-release-rate peak is obtained in the microscale heat-release-rate test. The newly tested NASA materials significantly reduced the heat release capacity and total heat release. The thermal stability and flammability behavior of the samples was very good. The new materials demonstrated a factor of 4 reduction in total heat release over ULTEM (a currently used material). This information is provided in the following barchart. In other tests, the materials showed greater than a factor 9 reduction in heat-release capacity over ULTEM. The newly tested materials were developed for low dielectric constant, low color, and good solubility. A scale up of the material samples is needed to determine the repeatability of the performance in larger samples. Larger panels composed of the best candidate materials will be tested in a larger scale FAA Technical Center fire facility. The NASA Glenn Research Center, Langley (Jeff Hinkley), and the FAA Technical Center (Richard Lyon) cooperatively tested these materials for the Accident Mitigation aspects of Fire Prevention under NASA's Aviation Safety Program.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Solid Hydrogen Formed for Atomic Propellants

Several experiments on the formation of solid hydrogen particles in liquid helium were recently conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. The solid hydrogen experiments are the first step toward seeing these particles and determining their shape and size. The particles will ultimately store atoms of boron, carbon, or hydrogen, forming an atomic propellant. Atomic propellants will allow rocket vehicles to carry payloads many times heavier than possible with existing rockets or allow them to be much smaller and lighter. Solid hydrogen particles are preferred for storing atoms. Hydrogen is generally an excellent fuel with a low molecular weight. Very low temperature hydrogen particles (T < 4 K) can prevent the atoms from recombining, making it possible for their lifetime to be controlled. Also, particles that are less than 1 mm in diameter are preferred because they can flow easily into a pipe when suspended in liquid helium. The particles and atoms must remain at this low temperature until the fuel is introduced into the engine combustion (or recombination) chamber. Experiments were, therefore, planned to look at the particles and observe their formation and any changes while in liquid helium.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Use of Atomic Fuels for Rocket-Powered Launch Vehicles Analyzed

At the NASA Lewis Research Center, the launch vehicle gross lift-off weight (GLOW) was analyzed for solid particle feed systems that use high-energy density atomic propellants (ref. 1). The analyses covered several propellant combinations, including atoms of aluminum, boron, carbon, and hydrogen stored in a solid cryogenic particle, with a cryogenic liquid as the carrier fluid. Several different weight percents for the liquid carrier were investigated, and the GLOW values of vehicles using the solid particle feed systems were compared with that of a conventional oxygen/hydrogen (O2/H2) propellant vehicle. Atomic propellants, such as boron, carbon, and hydrogen, have an enormous potential for high specific impulse Isp operation, and their pursuit has been a topic of great interest for decades. Recent and continuing advances in the understanding of matter, the development of new technologies for simulating matter at its most basic level, and manipulations of matter through microtechnology and nanotechnology will no doubt create a bright future for atomic propellants and an exciting one for the researchers exploring this technology.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Advanced Fuels Can Reduce the Cost of Getting Into Space

Rocket propellant and propulsion technology improvements can reduce the development time and operational costs of new space vehicle programs, and advanced propellant technologies can make space vehicles safer and easier to operate, and can improve their performance. Five major areas have been identified for fruitful research: monopropellants, alternative hydrocarbons, gelled hydrogen, metallized gelled propellants, and high-energy-density propellants. During the development of the NASA Advanced Space Transportation Plan, these technologies were identified as those most likely to be effective for new NASA vehicles. Several NASA research programs had fostered work in fuels under the topic Fuels and Space Propellants for Reusable Launch Vehicles in 1996 to 1997. One component of this topic was to promote the development and commercialization of monopropellant rocket fuels, hypersonic fuels, and high-energy-density propellants. This research resulted in the teaming of small business with large industries, universities, and Government laboratories. This work is ongoing with seven contractors. The commercial products from these contracts will bolster advanced propellant research. Work also is continuing under other programs, which were recently realigned under the "Three Pillars" of NASA: Global Civil Aviation, Revolutionary Technology Leaps, and Access to Space. One of the five areas is described below, and its applications and effect on future missions is discussed. This work is being conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center with the assistance of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The regenerative cooling of spacecraft engines and other components can improve overall vehicle performance. Endothermic fuels can absorb energy from an engine nozzle and chamber and help to vaporize high-density fuel before it enters the combustion chamber. For supersonic and hypersonic aircraft, endothermic fuels can absorb the high heat fluxes created on the wing leading edges and other aerodynamically heated components. Dual-fuel options are also possible, where endothermic hydrocarbon fuels are used for the lower speed portions of flight below Mach 8, and hydrogen fuel is used for the final acceleration to the upper stage separation velocity.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Metallized Gelled Propellants: Heat Transfer of a Rocket Engine Fueled by Oxygen/RP-1/Aluminum Was Measured by a Calorimeter

A set of analyses was conducted to determine the heat transfer characteristics of metallized gelled liquid propellants in a rocket engine. These analyses used data from experiments conducted with a small 30- to 40-lbf thrust engine composed of a modular injector, igniter, chamber, and nozzle. The fuels used were traditional liquid RP-1 and gelled RP-1 with 0-, 5-, and 55-wt % loadings of aluminum (Al) with gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer. Heat transfer measurements were made with a calorimeter chamber and nozzle setup that had a total of 31 cooling channels. A gelled fuel coating, composed of unburned gelled fuel and partially combusted RP-1, formed in the 0-, 5- and 55-wt % engines. For the 0- and 5-wt % RP-1/Al, the coating caused a large decrease in calorimeter engine heat flux in the last half of the chamber. This heat flux reduction was analyzed by comparing engine firings and the changes in the heat flux during a firing at NASA Lewis Research Center's Rocket Laboratories. This work is part of an ongoing series of analyses of metallized gelled propellants.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Fuels and Space Propellants for Reusable Launch Vehicles: A Small Business Innovation Research Topic and Its Commercial Vision

Under its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program (and with NASA Headquarters support), the NASA Lewis Research Center has initiated a topic entitled "Fuels and Space Propellants for Reusable Launch Vehicles." The aim of this project would be to assist in demonstrating and then commercializing new rocket propellants that are safer and more environmentally sound and that make space operations easier. Soon it will be possible to commercialize many new propellants and their related component technologies because of the large investments being made throughout the Government in rocket propellants and the technologies for using them. This article discusses the commercial vision for these fuels and propellants, the potential for these propellants to reduce space access costs, the options for commercial development, and the benefits to nonaerospace industries. This SBIR topic is designed to foster the development of propellants that provide improved safety, less environmental impact, higher density, higher I(sub sp), and simpler vehicle operations. In the development of aeronautics and space technology, there have been limits to vehicle performance imposed by traditionally used propellants and fuels. Increases in performance are possible with either increased propellant specific impulse, increased density, or both. Flight system safety will also be increased by the use of denser, more viscous propellants and fuels.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗