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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Characterization and manufacture of braided composites for large commercial aircraft structures

Braided composite materials, one of the advanced material forms which is under investigation in Boeing's ATCAS program, have been recognized as a potential cost-effective material form for fuselage structural elements. Consequently, there is a strong need for more knowledge in the design, manufacture, test, and analysis of textile structural composites. The overall objective of this work is to advance braided composite technology towards applications to a large commercial transport fuselage. This paper summarizes the mechanics of materials and manufacturing demonstration results which have been obtained in order to acquire an understanding of how braided composites can be applied to a commercial fuselage. Textile composites consisting of 1D, 2D triaxial, and 3D braid patterns with thermoplastic and two RTM resin systems were investigated. The structural performance of braided composites was evaluated through an extensive mechanical test program. Analytical methods were also developed and applied to predict the following: internal fiber architectures, stiffnesses, fiber stresses, failure mechanisms, notch effects, and the entire history of failure of the braided composites specimens. The applicability of braided composites to a commercial transport fuselage was further assessed through a manufacturing demonstration. Three foot fuselage circumferential hoop frames were manufactured to demonstrate the feasibility of consistently producing high quality braided/RTM composite primary structures. The manufacturing issues (tooling requirements, processing requirements, and process/quality control) addressed during the demonstration are summarized. The manufacturing demonstration in conjunction with the mechanical test results and developed analytical methods increased the confidence in the ATCAS approach to the design, manufacture, test, and analysis of braided composites.

Fedro, Mark J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A study of the relationship between mineral content and mechanical properties of turkey gastrocnemius tendon

The vertebrate skeletal system undergoes adaptation in response to external forces, but the relation between the skeletal changes and such forces is not understood. In this context, the variation in the amount and location of calcification has been compared with changes in mechanical properties of the normally mineralizing turkey gastrocnemius tendon using ash weight measurements, X-ray radiography, and mechanical testing. Radiographic evidence from 12- to 17-week-old birds showed calcification in only portions of gastrocnemius tendons proximal to the tarsometatarsal joint. Mechanical testing of these dissected proximal regions demonstrated an increased ultimate stress and modulus and a decreased maximum strain that appeared to parallel calcification. Further, stress-strain curves of portions of uncalcified turkey gastrocnemius tendon were shaped similar to those of other typical unmineralized tendon curves while highly calcified tendons yielded curves resembling those of bone. The proximal portions of the gastrocnemius where mineralization begins were observed to have a decreased tendon cross-sectional area compared with distal portions which do not mineralize. Based on the resultant measures of mineral content and location and mechanical properties, it is hypothesized that increased calcification is a result of increased stresses at certain locations of the tendon, perhaps the consequence of the natural forces exerted by the large leg muscles of the bird into which the gastrocnemius inserts. More specifically, tendon calcification may be the result of stress-induced exposure of charged sites on the surfaces of collagen molecules, fibrils, or fibers so that deposition of mineral and subsequent mechanical reinforcement occur in the tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2024

Welding of Crack Sensitive Aluminum Alloys for Liquid Rocket Propulsion Applications

In this welding test campaign, electron beam welding (EBW) and manual gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) processes were utilized to join an additively manufactured aluminum alloy nozzle to a wrought aluminum flange. Both aluminum alloys were 6061, which in their conventional form are susceptible to solidification cracking issues. The AM nozzle utilized a novel high-performance modified version of 6061 which exhibits crack resistant properties during the AM process and during welding. When manually conducting GTAWs a filler wire with the same modified version of 6061 was utilized to weld different combinations of 6061 coupons (either modified or unmodified). Due to the grain refinement technology in the modified 6061, either as filler material or base material, there was complete elimination of weld solidification cracking. During EBW development a combination of wrought 6061 with a modified and additively manufactured 6061 was investigated. The EBWs developed exhibited no crack like defects. Each weld development program utilized non-destructive evaluation, metallography, and mechanical testing to determine the final weld acceptance. Mechanical testing involved hardness evaluation and tension testing on welded coupons. Both welding techniques were successfully developed and exhibited adequate properties for the final test articles and met all requirements of the development campaign. These welds were ultimately developed to be utilized on a set of all-aluminum liquid rocket nozzles to demonstrate additively manufactured aluminum alloys for propulsion applications. These aluminum nozzles were tested at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s hot fire test facility and subsequently underwent a test campaign involving a variety of chamber pressures and liquid propellant combinations. Following the hot fire test campaign each weldment was investigated for post operation performance and any defects that may have evolved during testing.

Welding↗
DOE OSTI2025

Survey of baffle plate samples, specimen machining, and hydrogen measurements

This report outlines preliminary results on the survey and characterization of irradiated baffle plate, baffle former, and flux thimble tube specimens as part of the ongoing investigation into irradiation-induced embrittlement in austenitic stainless steels at ambient (room temperature) conditions. The specimens originated from commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) components, covering displacement damage doses ranging from approximately 0.065 to 75 dpa. Initial scanning electron microscopy (SEM) surveys revealed that specimen surfaces exhibited fine machining marks and in-service-formed oxide layers on the side surfaces of the analyzed specimens. The oxide layers revealed specific features resembling localized "pitting-like" corrosion. An additional set of specimens representing in-service oxidation is being preserved for future microstructure analysis work. As believed, this will provide additional insights into long-term material degradation in PRWs. Specimen machining challenges emerged due to a complex failure of the electric discharge machining (EDM) system located in hot area. Despite partial restoration, issues persist with the EDM’s secondary power supply, necessitating the exploration of alternative EDM or computer numerical control (CNC) machining approaches to facilitate tensile specimen preparation. Currently, low speed saw cutting is in progress to prepare specimens for hydrogen measurements and general microstructure analysis. The near-term goals include completing tensile specimen machining for advanced mechanical testing and characterizing fracture mechanisms, and stress-corrosion cracking testing, ultimately aiming to identify and mitigate the ambient-condition intergranular cracking through targeted post-irradiation annealing strategies.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS2004

Brazing SiC/SiC Composites to Metals

Experiments have shown that active brazing alloys (ABAs) can be used to join SiC/SiC composite materials to metals, with bond strengths sufficient for some structural applications. The SiC/SiC composite coupons used in the experiments were made from polymerbased SiC fiber preforms that were chemical-vapor-infiltrated with SiC to form SiC matrices. Some of the metal coupons used in the experiments were made from 304 stainless steel; others were made from oxygen-free, high-conductivity copper. Three ABAs were chosen for the experiments: two were chosen randomly from among a number of ABAs that were on hand at the time; the third ABA was chosen because its titanium content (1.25 percent) is less than those of the other two ABAs (1.75 and 4.5 percent, respectively) and it was desired to evaluate the effect of reducing the titanium content, as described below. The characteristics of ABAs that are considered to be beneficial for the purpose of joining SiC/SiC to metal include wettability, reactivity, and adhesion to SiC-based ceramics. Prior to further development, it was verified that the three chosen ABAs have these characteristics. For each ABA, suitable vacuum brazing process conditions were established empirically by producing a series of (SiC/SiC)/ABA wetting samples. These samples were then sectioned and subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS) for analysis of their microstructures and compositions. Specimens for destructive mechanical tests were fabricated by brazing of lap joints between SiC/SiC coupons 1/8-in. (.3.2- mm) thick and, variously, stainless steel or copper tabs. The results of destructive mechanical tests and the SEM/EDS analysis were used to guide the development of a viable method of brazing the affected materials.

Steffier, Wayne S.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Brazed Joints Design and Allowables: Discuss Margins of Safety in Critical Brazed Structures

This slide presentation tutorial discusses margins of safety in critical brazed structures. It reviews: (1) the present situation (2) definition of strength (3) margins of safety (4) design allowables (5) mechanical testing (6) failure criteria (7) design flowchart (8) braze gap (9) residual stresses and (10) delayed failures. This presentation addresses the strength of the brazed joints, the methods of mechanical testing, and our ability to evaluate the margins of safety of the brazed joints as it applies to the design of critical and expensive brazed assemblies.

FLom, Yury↗
DOE OSTI2024

Analysis of Deformation and Fracture Mechanisms in the Harvested High-Dose Baffle-Former Bolt with Stress-Corrosion Cracks Formed While in Service

This report presents the results of advanced mechanical testing conducted on miniature tensile specimens excised from an irradiated baffle-former bolt, a commercial pressurized water reactor component. The specimens were extracted from the midsection of the bolt shank, where the estimated damage dose reached 23 displacements per atom. The mechanical testing included the following tests: (1) conventional tensile testing at room temperature, augmented by digital image correlation (DIC) to enable noncontact strain measurements, and (2) in situ tensile testing within a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) instrument equipped with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) detectors to evaluate active deformation and fracture mechanisms. Additionally, SEM fractographic analysis revealed alterations in the fracture mechanism from a predominantly ductile fracture in nonirradiated steel to a mixed fracture mode (still dominating ductile and minor cleavage spots) in irradiated specimens derived from the baffle bolts. The findings indicate a complex strain localization behavior for in-service irradiated steel specimens. Beyond conventional necking at the macro scale and defect-free channel formation at the micro scale, DIC results identified the presence of deformation bands approximately 100 μm in width. These bands consist of chains of grains exhibiting elevated local strain levels and may be considered an intermediate or mesoscale level of strain localization. These bands become discernible near the yield stress as localized hot spots, areas of elevated strain, persisting throughout most of the experiment. The formation of mesoscale deformation bands as a strain localization mechanism may exacerbate the defect-free channel formation in irradiated materials, further promoting irradiation-assisted stress corrosion crack initiation.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Recycling Disassembled Automotive Plastic Components for New Vehicle Components: Enabling the Automotive Circular Economy

As the automotive industry increasingly relies on plastic components to meet fuel efficiency and emissions targets, the challenge of managing end-of-life vehicle (ELV) plastics continues to grow. Currently, more than 80% of ELV plastics in the U.S. are landfilled due to limited economic incentives and technical barriers to recycling. This study examines a mechanical recycling pathway for thermoplastic components disassembled from ELVs and assesses their usability for reintegration into new vehicle parts. Four representative materials were chosen based on material labels embedded in recovered parts and aligned with their virgin industrial equivalents: polypropylene (PP), 10% talc-filled PP (PP-T10), 20% talc-filled PP (PP-T20), and a 20% glass-/mineral-filled polyamide (PA6 + GF7 + MF13). The materials underwent shredding, drying, and injection molding before being characterized by particle size analysis, density measurement, thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), mechanical testing, and heat deflection temperature (HDT) evaluation. The results in this work indicated that minor differences in crystallinity were observed and small differences between model materials and ELV materials could have contributed to these changes. Mechanical testing revealed that neat polypropylene suffered a 15–20% reduction in stiffness and tensile strength, but talc-filled polypropylene and glass/mineral-filled nylon retained >90% of their modulus, strength, and heat deflection temperature values relative to virgin controls. Differences between virgin and ELV materials could have been attributed to use life degradation, contamination during use life, or even chemical/processing differences in model materials and ELV materials. However, these findings suggest that mechanically recycled, disassembled ELV plastics can retain sufficient structural performance to support circularity efforts in the automotive sector.

automotive recycling↗
NASA NTRS2006

Active Metal Brazing and Adhesive Bonding of Titanium to C/C Composites for Heat Rejection System

Robust assembly and integration technologies are critically needed for the manufacturing of heat rejection system (HRS) components for current and future space exploration missions. Active metal brazing and adhesive bonding technologies are being assessed for the bonding of titanium to high conductivity Carbon-Carbon composite sub components in various shapes and sizes. Currently a number of different silver and copper based active metal brazes and adhesive compositions are being evaluated. The joint microstructures were examined using optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Several mechanical tests have been employed to ascertain the effectiveness of different brazing and adhesive approaches in tension and in shear that are both simple and representative of the actual system and relatively straightforward in analysis. The results of these mechanical tests along with the fractographic analysis will be discussed. In addition, advantages, technical issues and concerns in using different bonding approaches will also be presented.

Singh, M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

The Role of Bearing and Scan Mechanism Life Testing in Flight Qualification of the MODIS Instrument

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is an instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM-11) satellite and has been operating successfully since December 1999. MODIS has been viewing the entire Earth's surface and gathering data to better understand the global dynamics and processes occurring on land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. All observations are made through an extremely high resolution, optically and mechanically precise, scan mirror motor/encoder assembly. The reliable performance of this assembly depends on two duplex bearing pairs lubricated with Pennzane, a synthetic hydrocarbon, formulated with lead napthanate. This paper describes the results of accelerated and operational life tests. It also describes the post-test analyses of the disassembled bearings. Analyses were performed using micro-Raman, micro-FTIR, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). In general, the three sets of bearings in each of the test stations were in very good condition after accumulating 68, 144, and 209 million revolutions, respectively. Some of the bearings exhibited lubricant degradation, indicated by viscous lubricant deposits on the cage and raceways.

VanDyk, Steven G.↗
NASA NTRS2001

The Role of Bearing and Scan Mechanism Life Testing in Flight Qualification of the MODIS Instrument

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is an instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM-1) satellite and has been operating successfully since December 1999. MODIS has been viewing the entire Earth's surface and gathering data to better understand the global dynamics and processes occurring on land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. All observations are made through an extremely high resolution, optically and mechanically precise, scan mirror motor/encoder assembly. The reliable performance of this assembly depends on two duplex bearing pairs lubricated with Pennzane, a synthetic hydrocarbon, formulated with lead napthanate. This paper describes the results of accelerated and operational life tests. It also describes the post-test analyses of the disassembled bearings. Analyses were performed using micro-Raman, micro-FTIR, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). In general, the three sets of bearings in each of the test stations were in very good condition after accumulating 68, 144, and 209 million revolutions, respectively. Some of the bearings exhibited lubricant degradation, indicated by viscous lubricant deposits on the cage and raceways.

VanDyk, Steven G.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Lateral Load Testing of the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC-E2) Heater Head

Free-piston Stirling convertors are fundamental to the development of NASA s next generation of radioisotope power system, the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). The ASRG will use General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules as the energy source and Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs) to convert heat into electrical energy, and is being developed by Lockheed Martin under contract to the Department of Energy. Achieving flight status mandates that the ASCs satisfy design as well as flight requirements to ensure reliable operation during launch. To meet these launch requirements, GRC performed a series of quasi-static mechanical tests simulating the pressure, thermal, and external loading conditions that will be experienced by an ASC E2 heater head assembly. These mechanical tests were collectively referred to as lateral load tests since a primary external load lateral to the heater head longitudinal axis was applied in combination with the other loading conditions. The heater head was subjected to the operational pressure, axial mounting force, thermal conditions, and axial and lateral launch vehicle acceleration loadings. To permit reliable prediction of the heater head s structural performance, GRC completed Finite Element Analysis (FEA) computer modeling for the stress, strain, and deformation that will result during launch. The heater head lateral load test directly supported evaluation of the analysis and validation of the design to meet launch requirements. This paper provides an overview of each element within the test and presents assessment of the modeling as well as experimental results of this task.

Cornell, Peggy A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Lateral Load Testing of the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC-E2) Heater Head

Free-piston Stirling convertors are fundamental to the development of NASA s next generation of radioisotope power system, the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). The ASRG will use General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules as the energy source and Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs) to convert heat into electrical energy, and is being developed by Lockheed Martin under contract to the Department of Energy. Achieving flight status mandates that the ASCs satisfy design as well as flight requirements to ensure reliable operation during launch. To meet these launch requirements, GRC performed a series of quasi-static mechanical tests simulating the pressure, thermal, and external loading conditions that will be experienced by an ASC-E2 heater head assembly. These mechanical tests were collectively referred to as "lateral load tests" since a primary external load lateral to the heater head longitudinal axis was applied in combination with the other loading conditions. The heater head was subjected to the operational pressure, axial mounting force, thermal conditions, and axial and lateral launch vehicle acceleration loadings. To permit reliable prediction of the heater head s structural performance, GRC completed Finite Element Analysis (FEA) computer modeling for the stress, strain, and deformation that will result during launch. The heater head lateral load test directly supported evaluation of the analysis and validation of the design to meet launch requirements. This paper provides an overview of each element within the test and presents assessment of the modeling as well as experimental results of this task.

Cornell, Peggy A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Lateral Load Testing of the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC-E2) Heater Head

Free-piston Stirling convertors are fundamental to the development of NASA s next generation of radioisotope power system, the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). The ASRG will use General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules as the energy source and Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs) to convert heat into electrical energy, and is being developed by Lockheed Martin under contract to the Department of Energy. Achieving flight status mandates that the ASCs satisfy design as well as flight requirements to ensure reliable operation during launch. To meet these launch requirements, GRC performed a series of quasi-static mechanical tests simulating the pressure, thermal, and external loading conditions that will be experienced by an ASC-E2 heater head assembly. These mechanical tests were collectively referred to as "lateral load tests" since a primary external load lateral to the heater head longitudinal axis was applied in combination with the other loading conditions. The heater head was subjected to the operational pressure, axial mounting force, thermal conditions, and axial and lateral launch vehicle acceleration loadings. To permit reliable prediction of the heater head s structural performance, GRC completed Finite Element Analysis (FEA) computer modeling for the stress, strain, and deformation that will result during launch. The heater head lateral load test directly supported evaluation of the analysis and validation of the design to meet launch requirements. This paper provides an overview of each element within the test and presents assessment of the modeling as well as experimental results of this task.

Cornell, Peggy A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mechanical behavior of a ceramic matrix composite material

Monolithic ceramic materials have been used in industry for hundreds of years. These materials have proven their usefulness in many applications, yet, their potential for critical structural applications is limited. The existence of an imperfection in a monolithic ceramic on the order of several microns in size may be critical, resulting in catastrophic failure. To overcome this extreme sensitivity to small material imperfections, reinforced ceramic materials were developed. A ceramic matrix which has been reinforced with continuous fibers is not only less sensitive to microscopic flaws, but is also able to sustain significant damage without suffering catastrophic failure. A borosilicate glass reinforced with several layers of plain weave silicon carbide cloth (Nicalon) was studied. The mechanical testing which was performed included both flexural and tensile loading configurations. This testing was done not only to determine the material properties, but also to initiate a controlled amount of damage within each specimen. Several nondestructive testing techniques, including acousto-ultrasonics (AU), were performed on the specimens periodically during testing. The AU signals were monitored through the use of an IBM compatible personal computer with a high speed data acquisition board. Software was written which manipulates the AU signals in both the time and frequency domains, resulting in quantitative measures of the mechanical response of the material. The measured AU parameters are compared to both the mechanical test results and data from other nondestructive methods including ultrasonic C-scans and penetrant enhanced x ray radiography.

Grosskopf, Paul P.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Yawed-Rolling Tire Mechanical Properties Testing of the Navy T-45 Aircraft Tires

The T-45 Goshawk is a United States Navy Jet aircraft used primarily as a trainer. The aircraft design makes use of "off the shelf" hardware as much as possible and was found to have unusual directional control issues during around operations. The aircraft was involved in numerous pilot-induced-oscillation incidents as well as observed to have unusual directional control reactions to failed main gear tires, a condition that is normally handled relatively easily by conventional aircraft steering control techniques. The behavior of the aircraft's tires had previously been modeled in simulators as a result of approximations provided in 40-year-old reference publications. Since knowledge of the true tire cornering and braking behavior is essential to modeling, understanding, and fixing directional control problems, the United States Navy requested assistance from the NASA Langley Research Center's (LARC) Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility (ALDF) to define the yawed-rolling mechanical properties of the T-45 aircraft tires. The purpose of this report is to document the results of testing the subject tires at the NASA LaRC ALDF in September 1998. Brief descriptions of the Instrumented Tire Test Vehicle (ITTV) are included to familiarize the reader with the ITTV capabilities, data acquisition system, test and measurement techniques, data accuracy, and analysis and presentation of the testing results.

Daugherty, Robert H.↗
DOE OSTI2026

FY26 Progress Report on the Operation of the Activated Materials Laboratory at the Advanced Photon Source as a Nuclear Science User Facilities Partner Facility

The Activated Materials Laboratory (AML), located in the Long Beamline Building of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), provides a centralized radiological capability for preparing, handling, and supporting synchrotron experiments on activated materials. As a Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) partner facility, the AML enables the receipt of radioactive shipments, open-form sample handling, encapsulation, transport of specimens to and from APS beamlines, and experimentation with dedicated equipment. The partnership includes the APS 1-ID and 20-ID beamlines, which provide high-energy x-ray scattering, tomography, and diffraction microscopy techniques for ex-situ, in-situ, and grainresolved three-dimensional (3D) characterization. All samples supported through the AML and partner beamlines must meet radiological limits of less than 100 mrem/h at 30 cm. This FY26 progress report summarizes the first full year of AML operations as an NSUF partner facility and highlights progress in both user support and capability development. By the end of FY26, the AML had received a total of 10 NSUF-awarded projects, including 2 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR), 7 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE), and 1 Super RTE projects. Beamtime was fully delivered for 3 RTE projects and partially delivered for 1 CINR project, demonstrating successful workflows for receipt, encapsulation, beamline transfer, and radiological experiment execution. These efforts demonstrated safe radiological experiments at APS beamlines for samples with dose rates above the historical 5 mrem/h threshold and now up to 100 mrem/h at 30 cm, marking an important milestone for neutron-irradiated materials research. During FY26, the AML also expanded its experimental capabilities. A Psylotech xTS load frame with in-grip rotation was deployed for room-temperature mechanical testing with threedimensional x-ray characterization during interrupted loading. A Linkam TS1500V vacuum heater was commissioned for thermally driven studies, and temperature calibration experiments were performed to establish specimen-relevant thermal profiles. In parallel, a customized split-tube furnace for high-temperature mechanical testing entered commissioning, and initial work began on robotic sample handling to reduce worker dose and improve operational efficiency. Data workflow and beamline operations continued to mature. Together, these developments demonstrate that the AML is becoming a unique national resource for safe, efficient, and scientifically advanced characterization of activated materials at the APS.

Zhang, Xuan↗
NASA NTRS2003

Bio-Inspired Engineering of Exploration Systems

The multidisciplinary concept of "bioinspired engineering of exploration systems" (BEES) is described, which is a guiding principle of the continuing effort to develop biomorphic explorers as reported in a number of articles in the past issues of NASA Tech Briefs. The intent of BEES is to distill from the principles found in successful nature-tested mechanisms of specific crucial functions that are hard to accomplish by conventional methods but that are accomplished rather deftly in nature by biological organisms. The intent is not just to mimic operational mechanisms found in a specific biological organism but to imbibe the salient principles from a variety of diverse bio-organisms for the desired crucial function. Thereby, we can build explorer systems that have specific capabilities endowed beyond nature, as they will possess a combination of the best nature-tested mechanisms for that particular function. The approach consists of selecting a crucial function, for example, flight or some selected aspects of flight, and develop an explorer that combines the principles of those specific attributes as seen in diverse flying species into one artificial entity. This will allow going beyond biology and achieving unprecedented capability and adaptability needed in encountering and exploring what is as yet unknown. A classification of biomorphic flyers into two main classes of surface and aerial explorers is illustrated in the figure, with examples of a variety of biological organisms that provide the inspiration in each respective subclass. Such biomorphic explorers may possess varied mobility modes: surface-roving, burrowing, hopping, hovering, or flying, to accomplish surface, subsurface, and aerial exploration. Preprogrammed for a specific function, they could serve as one-way communicating beacons, spread over the exploration site, autonomously looking for/at the targets of interest. In a hierarchical organization, these biomorphic explorers would report to the next level of exploration mode (say, a large conventional lander/rover) in the vicinity. A widespread and affordable exploration of new/hazardous sites at lower cost and risk would thus become possible by utilizing a faster aerial flyer to cover long ranges and deploying a variety of function- specific, smaller biomorphic explorers for distributed sensing and local sample acquisition. Several conceptual biomorphic missions for planetary and terrestrial exploration applications have been illustrated in "Surface-Launched Explorers for Reconnaissance/ Scouting" (NPO-20871), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 26, No. 4 (April, 2002), page 69 and "Bio-Inspired Engineering of Exploration Systems," Journal of Space Mission Architecture, Issue 2, Fall 2000, pages 49-79.

Thakoor, Sanita↗