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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10

Guideline for ground radiation testing of microprocessors in the space radiation environment

The goal of this work is to develop a guideline that is applicable to processors that are potentially useful in space. Thus, the guideline does not consider very high performance processors that are intended for server or high-performance applications where very large amounts of power are tolerated to gain performance because it would be impractical to use such high-power devices in typical space applications. This guide is intended to support insertion of these microprocessors into spaceflight applications and to recommend ground test protocols. The first guideline principle that should be followed is a serious concurrent engineering approach for down selecting space-qualified microprocessors. This requires that the design engineer seek the support of a radiation effects expert who understands total ionizing dose (TID) and single-event effects (SEEs) issues for microprocessors as applied to the system in question.

Irom, Farokh↗

Pluto Express Sciencecraft System Design

A number of mission system architectures have been studied for a Pluto flyby mission, with the goal of achieving the most cost effective means of meeting a well defined set of science and technology objectives. The results of this trade study have been coupled with a new development implementation approach to create a highly integrated concurrently engineered mission system called a

Pluto↗

Implementation of the ASTER Science Standard Data Product Requirements in the EOSDIS System

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emmission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is designed to provide a high-resolution map of the Earth in both visible, near-infrared, and thermal spectral regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The ASTER Science Team has developed standard data product algorithms to permit the estimation of surface radiances and reflectance values, to calculate surface temperatures both over water and land, to provide a color enhanced product with a high degree of surface discriminability, in addition to other functions. The ASTER Product Generation System (PGS) Team is implementing these requirements within the constraints of the EOSDIS system, using a rapid development methodology that emphasizes open lines of communication in a team approach using concurrent engineering techniques. This paper describes the critical elements in the development and integration of the ASTER PGS system.

ASTER↗

An Exploration of Mission Concepts That Could Utilize Small RPS

The NASA Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program Mission Analysis Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) requested a JPL Innovation Foundry Architecture Team (A-Team) study to assess mission pull for small RPS (1 mWe - 40 We) in order to inform the RPS Program Office on what future power system developments should be focused on. The A-Team is JPL’s concurrent engineering design team for science definition and early mission concept development, targeting concept maturation levels of 1 through 3. The requested small RPS study was tasked to identify the architecture space of potential small RPS missions, and suggest power levels that could enable or enhance potential future small spacecraft missions. This paper describes the collaborative engineering processes that the A-Team and Mission Analysis Team used to reach results quickly and the findings to inform the RPS Program about mission concept power requirements on RPS for small missions.

Bairstow, Brian K.↗

Forging the Forge

As part of the NASA Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) effort to revitalize and recommit to our “Dare Unite Explore” vision for the future, the Center is exploring a new strategy to spread the innovation mindset and increase collaboration across the workforce. In order to maintain JSC’s leadership in human spaceflight, there is a need for working at the speed of commercial industry, breaking down silos between organizations, improving innovation and increasing workforce flexibility. Through brainstorming concepts and benchmarking other facilities, the leadership team evaluated several ideas, assessed constraints and derived that an “Innovation Team” was relatively easy to adopt. Modeled after productive teams like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Innovation Foundry and Glenn Research Center's Compass team, JSC is laying the foundation of a new innovation team called the Forge. This team is as much about getting employees tempered in the ways of innovative thinking as it is about refining design studies and hammering out proposals. By the dictionary definition of the verb, forge can mean either to move ahead slowly and steadily or to move with a sudden increase of speed and power. Driving cultural change in a large government organization like NASA often involves slow perseverance with small injections of momentum to forge ahead. Leveraging lessons learned from the Innovation Foundry and Compass, this paper describes how the collaborative, concurrent engineering framework was tailored to JSC’s needs, as well as the aspects that were considered given JSC’s operation-focused, Program-driven landscape. Our process to drive cultural change, the steps taken, and challenges encountered are discussed. The first two pilots of the teaming framework are described with initial results presented in terms of employee engagement and fostering innovation. We also describe the planned future work and next steps to continue to push the initiative forward. Long has the Center been resting on its operations heritage, now we are forging a new path to Dare to expand frontiers, Unite with our partners and Explore space to benefit humanity.

Culture Change↗

Rapid Assessment of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module

Johnson Space Center is piloting an innovation team known as the Forge to perform rapid turnaround, concurrent engineering studies. The Forge is intended to be able to pull together a team of strategically selected domain experts to innovatively solve a specified problem within a short period of time. The Forge’s inaugural project being the development of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module concept. The lab module is intended as an option for the Artemis program’s Lunar Architecture Team. The lab module may allow for increased science productivity and return on investment than a surface architecture with only the habitat. This paper will discuss the configuration of the Lunar Laboratory module, including the pressure vessel, its placement relative to the Surface Habitat and Pressurized Rover, and internal architecture. In order to determine the suitability of such a design, a human factors evaluation is conducted. Historically, a human factors evaluation of a habitable volume could require a month or longer, including time needed to prepare a test plan, conduct the evaluation, compile the data, and produce a report. The entire Forge effort will only last for five weeks, forcing the creation of a rapid assessment process. This rapid assessment includes three evaluation studies, all conducted and processed in the space of a single day, to determine the acceptability of the resulting design. The first evaluation is a card sort evaluation of the laboratory instruments. A brief discussion of the card sort evaluation is provided. This card sort is focused on the relative positioning of the laboratory instruments, determining whether a given instrument should be adjacent to, or separated from, another. It will use human factors personnel and both life and physical scientists as subject matter experts. The second evaluation is a science productivity tabletop evaluation. This evaluation focuses on the selection of instruments and the number of instruments, attempting to assess the amount of work the crew will be able to use the facility to do. It uses life and physical science personnel as subject matter experts. The third evaluation is a CAD or Virtual Reality human factors walkthrough evaluation. This evaluation focuses on the layout of the lab module and its connectivity to the basecamp’s pressurized elements. If possible, astronauts will be used as subject matter experts. Each of these evaluations will focus primarily on objective data with limited subjective comments, reducing the time required for processing responses. The results of each evaluation and their implications will be discussed. Based on the evaluation data, an overall acceptability of the Lunar Surface Laboratory Module produced by the Forge study can be determined. Lessons learned and recommendations for future use of the human factors rapid assessment process in early design trades will also be provided.

Lunar Laboratory↗

A Rapid Assessment of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module

Johnson Space Center has piloted an innovation team known as the Forge to perform rapid turnaround, concurrent engineering studies. The Forge is intended to be able to pull together a team of strategically selected domain experts to innovatively solve a specified problem within a short period of time. The Forge’s inaugural project was the development of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module concept. The lab module is intended as an option for the NASA Lunar Architecture Team and may allow for increased science productivity and return on investment than with only the Surface Habitat. The Forge team developed two concepts, a stationary laboratory and a mobile laboratory. Human factors evaluations have been conducted to determine the acceptability of the resulting design concepts. The human factors evaluations conducted include a card sort evaluation of the laboratories by science discipline and the System Usability Scale (SUS). The card sort focused subject matter expert expectations for the relative positioning of the laboratory functional areas, determining whether a given lab area should be adjacent to, or separated from, another. The SUS focused on layout efficiency. Both used human factors personnel and both life and physical scientists as subject matter experts. Each of these evaluations will focus primarily on objective data with limited subjective comments, reducing the time required for processing responses. The results of the card sort and SUS evaluations and their implications will be discussed. Based on the evaluation data, an overall acceptability of the Lunar Surface Laboratory Module produced by the Forge study can be determined. Lessons learned and recommendations for future use of human factors rapid assessment processes in early design trades will also be provided.

Forge↗

Lunar Surface Relay - Mobile: Concept to Provide Relay Links to Surface Assets

At the request of NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) program, the Glenn Research Center’s (GRC) Compass concurrent engineering team developed a conceptual design of a Lunar Surface Relay- Mobile (LSR-M) system to provide a variety of surface and relay communication links in support of future Artemis sorties. The team determined that a mobile asset, with its ability to relocate to support a variety of surface sites and leverage more hospitable winter locations on the lunar south pole, would be of particular use in the architecture. Following the design of a solar array and battery powered baseline case, a quick look design further investigated adding a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) to the system to reduce battery requirements to survive the lunar night and remove the need to relocate to favorable night locations during the lunar winter.

Lunar Surface Relay↗

Rapid Assessment of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module

Johnson Space Center has piloted an innovation team known as the Forge to perform rapid turnaround, concurrent engineering studies. The Forge is intended to be able to pull together a team of strategically selected domain experts to innovatively solve a specified problem within a short period of time. The Forge’s inaugural project was the development of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module concept. The lab module is intended as an option for the NASA Lunar Architecture Team and may allow for increased science productivity and return on investment than with only the Surface Habitat. The Forge team developed two concepts, a stationary laboratory and a mobile laboratory. Human factors evaluations have been conducted to determine the acceptability of the resulting design concepts. The human factors evaluations conducted include a card sort evaluation of the laboratories by science discipline and the System Usability Scale (SUS). The card sort is focused subject matter expert expectations for the relative positioning of the laboratory functional areas, determining whether a given lab area should be adjacent to, or separated from, another. The SUS will focus on layout efficiency. Both will use human factors personnel and both life and physical scientists as subject matter experts. Each of these evaluations will focus primarily on objective data with limited subjective comments, reducing the time required for processing responses. The results of the card sort and SUS evaluations and their implications will be discussed. Based on the evaluation data, an overall acceptability of the Lunar Surface Laboratory Module produced by the Forge study can be determined. Lessons learned and recommendations for future use of human factors rapid assessment processes in early design trades will also be provided.

Human Factors↗

Collaborative Assistive Tool To Enable Novel Solutions (CATTENS ) DE Expansion

CATTENS is a model-based, multi disciplinary concurrent engineering tool whose purpose is to enable engineers and scientists to collaborate in defining and developing a mission or system concept. The initial deployment target for CATTENS is the GSFC Mission Design Laboratory (MDL), but CATTENS is available to all GSFC engineers and scientists.

Stephen Waterbury↗

Kiloton Class ISRU Systems for LO2/LCH4 Propellant Production on the Mars Surface

As part of the 2023 strategic analysis cycle to explore the trade space, the NASA Mars Architecture Team wanted to explore what it takes to produce in situ on Mars many hundreds of tons of propellants for a large all-chemical transportation system. The conceptual operations and design of the LO 2 /LCH 4 in situ resource utilization (ISRU) water acquisition, propellant production and liquification system was assigned to the NASA Compass concurrent engineering team with support from various NASA ISRU, cryogenic fluid management, and surface power experts. The conceptual point design examined one case producing 300 t of LO 2 /LCH 4 from the Mars atmosphere and delivered water in 20 months and storing the liquified propellants in a to-be-reused lander. Several of these large single-stage, all-chemical class large vertical landers would deliver the required ISRU equipment. The required 150 t of water stock for the ISRU system was traded between three options: delivered, pumped from subsurface ice deposits or extracted from surface soils. The large propellant production systems consist of atmospheric CO 2 collection scroll pumps, a combined solid oxide electrolysis and methanation system to convert the CO 2 and water into gaseous O 2 and CH 4 , and various dryers, scrubbers, and separators to remove the excess water, CO 2 and H 2 . The liquefaction system consisted of 90 K cryocoolers to provide cold Ne to the launch vehicle tanks to liquify these CH 4 and O 2 gases and store them as rocket propellants. The systems are deployed using a 6 t (payload) capable chassis derived from conceptual pressurized rover designs. In total, the propellant production and liquefaction systems required three propellant production pallets, two liquefaction pallets, two water tankers, and six 40 kW-fission surface power systems (FSPS) with cabling. All this equipment was found to notionally fit inside two- 75 metric ton payload capacity Mars ascent and landing vehicles (MALV). For the case where 150 t of water delivered from Earth, four cargo MALVs are required for the full system. The same is true when the 150 t of water is extracted through surface mining. For the borehole system, only 3 cargo MALVs are necessary. A comparison of approaches in terms of number of landers, number and type of elements, power and time is made.

ISRU↗

Lessons Learned in Concurrent Mission and Systems Design at NASA Glenn Research Center: Almost Fifteen Years of the Compass Team

This paper is a retrospective of the lessons learned during the almost 15-year history of the Compass concurrent mission and systems design team at NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC). It examines the key factors in the team’s evolution from a temporary group gathered to perform a single study to the successful, sustainable team it is today. Compass is a matrixed team of experts with various technical backgrounds and personalities. They collaborate over a two-week period either physically in a dedicated meeting space, or virtually to design a space system (Spacecraft, stage, science package, etc). Over the years, because of the rapid nature of the design studies, the team leadership has iterated on the optimal team member personality makeup, facility elements and tools as well as NASA GRC management support necessary to lead to sustained success.

systems engineering↗

Materials technology assessment for stirling engines

A materials technology assessment of high temperature components in the improved (metal) and advanced (ceramic) Stirling engines was undertaken to evaluate the current state-of-the-art of metals and ceramics, identify materials research and development required to support the development of automotive Stirling engines, and to recommend materials technology programs to assure material readiness concurrent with engine system development programs. The most critical component for each engine is identified and some of the material problem areas are discussed.

Stephens, J. R.↗

Automated workstation for the operation of spacecraft engineering subsystems

This paper addresses the development of a workstation that exploits automated tools to enable an operator to monitor concurrently several engineering subsystems and/or several space missions. The use of artificial intelligence and advanced graphics capabilities to achieve fast prototypes is discussed. The monitoring of engineering telemetry data from the Power and Pyro Subsystem of the Galileo spacecraft is emphasized.

Bahrami, K. A.↗

A concurrent irradiation-mechanics multiscale coupling model

The vast majority of our current knowledge regarding the basic mechanisms controlling irradiation effect on mechanical properties is based almost entirely on the results of post-irradiation experiments or theoretical models. However, the concurrent effects of irradiation, mechanical stress, and thermal damage on the failure phenomena of materials and components remain largely unexplored due to its internal multiscale-multiphysics coupling nature. Here, we present here a concurrent irradiation-mechanics multiscale coupling model. The concurrent evolutions of nanoscale irradiation defect clusters, microscale dislocation configurations, and mechanical responses are well captured based on coupling cluster dynamics, discrete dislocation dynamics, and the finite element methods using an effective time marching scheme. Model predictions of defect densities and size are in general agreement with experimental observations. Irradiation hardening is shown to take place also in samples undergoing concurrent irradiation-mechanical loading, similar to samples tested post-irradiation. However, the occurrence of plastic flow localization and dislocation channel formation is not accompanied with apparent yield drop (softening) under concurrent irradiation-mechanical loading conditions, which is different from the post-irradiation case.

42 ENGINEERING↗

STARDUST: Discovery's InterStellar Dust and Cometary Sample Return Mission

The STARDUST Discovery mission will collect samples of cometary and interstellar dust and return them to Earth. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides project management with Lockheed Martin Astronautics as the spacecraft industrial partner. STARDUST management is aggressively pursuing cost control through the use of Total Quality Management principles, specifically operating in a Project Engineering and Integration Team that

STARDUST↗

RANGERS: Methodology Report on Design and Performance Assessment of Engineered Barrier Systems in a Salt Repository for HLW/SNF

Salt formations are one of the potential host rocks for the final disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in deep geological repositories, both in Germany and the United States. The safe isolation of radioactive waste in these repositories relies on a multi-barrier system, combining engineered and natural barriers. The natural barrier is provided by the salt rock itself, known for its self-sealing properties and long-term stability. The engineered barrier, on the other hand, comprises sealing components strategically placed within the repository to enhance its containment capabilities. In both Germany and the United States, long-term safety assessments require demonstrating the integrity of the natural barrier for a period of up to 1 million years. Concurrently, the engineered barrier system (EBS) must maintain its structural and functional integrity until the long-term sealing, such as the granular salt backfill material, has re-consolidated to its final low porosity and permeability. Based on extensive expertise and experience with engineered barriers in salt formations, BGE TECHNOLOGY GmbH and Sandia National Laboratories have partnered to develop a robust methodology for the integrity and performance assessment of EBS in HLW repositories through the RANGERS project. This collaborative effort aims to establish a unified approach to geotechnical engineering, repository design, integrity and performance evaluation of EBS in salt repositories.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗