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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Integration of planetary protection activities

For decades, NASA has been concerned about the protection of planets and other solar system bodies from biological contamination. Its policies regarding biological contamination control for outbound and inbound planetary spacecraft have evolved to focus on three important areas: (1) the preservation of celestial objects and the space environment; (2) protection of Earth from extraterrestrial hazards; and (3) ensuring the integrity of its scientific investigations. Over the years as new information has been obtained from planetary exploration and research, planetary protection parameters and policies have been modified accordingly. The overall focus of research under this cooperative agreement has been to provide information about non-scientific and societal factors related to planetary protection and use it in the planning and implementation phases of future Mars sample return missions.

Race, Margaret S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Development and Qualification of Alternate Blowing Agents for Space Shuttle External Tank Thermal Protection System

The Aerospace industry has a long history of using low density polyurethane and polyurethane-modified isocyanurate foam systems as lightweight, low cost, easily processed cryogenic Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) for ascent vehicles. The Thermal Protection System of the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) is required so that quality liquid cryogenic propellant can be supplied to the Orbiter main engines and to protect the metal structure of the tanks from becoming too hot from aerodynamic heating, hence preventing premature break-up of the tank. These foams are all blown with CFC-1 I blowing agent which has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an ozone depleting substance. CFCs will not be manufactured after 1995, Consequently, alternate blowing agent substances must be identified and implemented to assure continued ET manufacture and delivery. This paper describes the various testing performed to select and qualify HCFC-1 41 b as a near term drop-in replacement for CFC-11. Although originally intended to be a one for one substitution in the formulation, several technical issues were identified regarding material performance and processability which required both formulation changes and special processing considerations to overcome. In order to evaluate these material changes, each material was subjected to various tests to qualify them to meet the various loads imposed on them during long term storage, pre-launch operations, launch, separation and re-entry. Each material was tested for structural, thermal, aeroshear, and stress/strain loads for the various flight environments each encounters. Details of the development and qualification program and the resolution of specific problems are discussed in this paper.

Williams, Charles W.↗
NASA NTRS1959

A Combined Water-Bromotrifluoromethane Crash-Fire Protection System for a T-56 Turbopropeller Engine

A crash-fire protection system is described which will suppress the ignition of crash-spilled fuel that may be ingested by a T-56 turbo-propeller engine. This system includes means for rapidly extinguishing the combustor flame, means for cooling and inerting with water the hot engine parts likely to ignite engine ingested fuel, and means for blanketing with bromotrifluoromethane massive metal parts that may reheat after the engine stops rotating. Combustion-chamber flames were rapidly extinguished at the engine fuel nozzles by a fuel shutoff and drain valve. Hot engine parts were inerted and cooled by 42 pounds of water discharged at seven engine stations. Massive metal parts that could reheat were inerted with 10 pounds of bromotrifluoromethane discharged at two engine stations. Performance trials of the crash-fire protection system were conducted by bringing the engine up to takeoff temperature, actuating the crash-fire protection system, and then spraying fuel into the engine to simulate crash-ingested fuel. No fires occurred during these trials, although fuel was sprayed into the engine from 0.3 second to 15 minutes after actuating the crash-fire protection system.

Campbell, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Cathodic Protection Deployment on Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters

Corrosion protection of the space shuttle solid rocket boosters incorporates the use of cathodic protection(anodes) in concert with several coatings systems. The SRB design has large carbon/carbon composites(motor nozzle) electrically connected to an aluminum alloy structure. Early in the STS program, the aluminum structures incurred tremendous corrosive attack due primarily to the galvanic couple to the carbon/carbon nozzle at coating damage locations. Also contributing to the galvanic corrosion problem were stainless steel and titanium alloy components housed within the aluminum structures and electrically connected to the aluminum structures. This paper will highlight the evolution in the protection of the aluminum structures, providing historical information and summary data from the operation of the corrosion protection systems. Also, data and information will be included regarding the evaluation and deployment of inorganic zinc rich primers as anode area on the aluminum structures.

Zook, Lee M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Lightning Protection Guidelines for Aerospace Vehicles

This technical memorandum provides lightning protection engineering guidelines and technical procedures used by the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Electromagnetics and Aerospace Environments Branch for aerospace vehicles. The overviews illustrate the technical support available to project managers, chief engineers, and design engineers to ensure that aerospace vehicles managed by MSFC are adequately protected from direct and indirect effects of lightning. Generic descriptions of the lightning environment and vehicle protection technical processes are presented. More specific aerospace vehicle requirements for lightning protection design, performance, and interface characteristics are available upon request to the MSFC Electromagnetics and Aerospace Environments Branch, mail code EL23.

Goodloe, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Thermal Protection Systems for Future NASA Space Vehicles

The proposed first through fourth generation of future NASA Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV) within NASA will be described, in general, along with their relative goals for improvement in performance (i.e., cost, safety, life, and turnaround time). A brief description of Spaceliner 100 activities representing a means to achieve those goals will be included. Some of the families of thermal protection materials with widely varying characteristics that are being developed for first generation space vehicles at Ames Research Center will be described as well as potential materials and composites for second and third generation applications as systems. These families of materials include functionally gradient material composites that are made from a variety of low-density substrates and moderate to fully dense surface treatments providing the resultant material with both toughness and higher temperature capability opening the envelope of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) capabilities. Some of the materials truly represent enabling technologies that are required to achieve substantially enhanced thermal protection system performance thereby reducing vehicle risk. Finally the needs for integrated vehicle health monitoring (IVHM) of future vehicles thermal protection systems relative to achieving the goals for third generation reusable launch vehicles and for improving vehicle performance and capabilities reducing risk will be described along with the state of the art in TPS.

Leiser, Daniel B.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Thermal Protection Materials for Reentry and Planetary Applications

Thermal protection materials and systems (TPS) are used to protect spacecraft during reentry into Earth's atmosphere or entry into planetary atmospheres. As such, these materials are subject to severe environments with high heat fluxes and rapid heating. Catalytic effects can increase the temperatures substantially. These materials are also subject to impact damage from micrometeorites or other debris during ascent, orbit, and descent, and thus must be able to withstand damage and function following damage. Thermal protection materials and coatings used in reusable launch vehicles will be reviewed, including the needs and directions for new materials to enable new missions that require faster turnaround and much greater reusability. The role of ablative materials for use in high heat flux environments, especially for non-reusable applications and upcoming planetary missions, will be discussed. New thermal protection system materials may enable the use of sharp nose caps and leading edges on future reusable space transportation vehicles. Vehicles employing this new technology would have significant increases in maneuverability and out-of-orbit cross range compared to current vehicles, leading to increased mission safety in the event of the need to abort during ascent or from orbit. Ultrahigh temperature ceramics, a family of materials based on HfB2and ZrB2 with SiC, will be discussed. The development, mechanical and thermal properties, and uses of these materials will be reviewed.

Johnson, Sylvia M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Rigid Tile Thermal Protection Materials Research and Space Shuttle Performance

The materials research activities and materials characterization capabilities of the Thermal Protection Materials and Systems Branch at Ames Research Center will be described. The Branch's activities involved with the development of several parts of the thermal protection system on the Space Shuttle and their performance will be reviewed. The status of materials research in rigid light weight insulations and the potential of a newer generation of thermal protection materials designated as Toughened Uni-Piece Fibrous Insulation (TUFI) used in protecting entry vehicles will be presented.

Leiser, Daniel B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Planetary Protection and Mars Exploration

Planetary spacecraft to explore Mars are subject to international and NASA policy regarding biological cleanliness. This policy is referred to as planetary protection and it establishes guidelines to prevent biological cross-contamination of planets during solar system exploration missions. Mars mission designs and exploration strategies are incomplete without consideration of planetary protection. In this paper, the foundation for planetary protection policy will be reviewed and key issues identified. Existing guidelines governing both forward and back contamination will be summarized. Various Mars exploration scenarios will be examined and the impact of planetary protection requirements will be assessed. Technical issues that need resolution will also be identified. Finally, there will be a discussion of anticipated public attitudes concerning the risk of back contamination from Mars sample return missions.

DeVincenzi, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Thermal Protection Materials for Reentry Applications

Thermal protection materials and systems (IRS) are used to protect spacecraft during reentry into Earth's atmosphere or entry into planetary atmospheres. As such, these materials are subject to severe environments with high heat fluxes and rapid heating. Catalytic effects can increase the temperatures substantially. These materials are also subject to impact damage from micrometeorites or other debris during ascent, orbit, and descent, and thus must be able to withstand damage and to function following damage. Thermal protection materials and coatings used in reusable launch vehicles will be reviewed, including the needs and directions for new materials to enable new missions that require faster turnaround and much greater reusability. The role of ablative materials for use in high heat flux environments, especially for non-reusable applications and upcoming planetary missions, will be discussed. New thermal protection system materials may enable the use of sharp nose caps and leading edges on future reusable space transportation vehicles. Vehicles employing this new technology would have significant increases in maneuverability and out-of-orbit cross range compared to current vehicles, leading to increased mission safety in the event of the need to abort during ascent or from orbit. Ultrahigh temperature ceramics, a family of materials based on HfB2 and ZrB2 with SiC, will be discussed. The development, mechanical and thermal properties, and uses of these materials will be reviewed.

Johnson, Sylvia M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

"TPSX: Thermal Protection System Expert and Material Property Database"

The Thermal Protection Branch at NASA Ames Research Center has developed a computer program for storing, organizing, and accessing information about thermal protection materials. The program, called Thermal Protection Systems Expert and Material Property Database, or TPSX, is available for the Microsoft Windows operating system. An "on-line" version is also accessible on the World Wide Web. TPSX is designed to be a high-quality source for TPS material properties presented in a convenient, easily accessible form for use by engineers and researchers in the field of high-speed vehicle design. Data can be displayed and printed in several formats. An information window displays a brief description of the material with properties at standard pressure and temperature. A spread sheet window displays complete, detailed property information. Properties which are a function of temperature and/or pressure can be displayed as graphs. In any display the data can be converted from English to SI units with the click of a button. Two material databases included with TPSX are: 1) materials used and/or developed by the Thermal Protection Branch at NASA Ames Research Center, and 2) a database compiled by NASA Johnson Space Center 9JSC). The Ames database contains over 60 advanced TPS materials including flexible blankets, rigid ceramic tiles, and ultra-high temperature ceramics. The JSC database contains over 130 insulative and structural materials. The Ames database is periodically updated and expanded as required to include newly developed materials and material property refinements.

Squire, Thomas H.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Galvanic Liquid Applied Coating System for Protection of Embedded Steel Surfaces from Corrosion

The corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is an insidious problem for the Kennedy Space Center, government agencies, and the general public. Existing corrosion protection systems on the market are costly, complex, and time-consuming to install, require continuous maintenance and monitoring, and require specialized skills for installation. NASA's galvanic liquid-applied coating offers companies the ability to conveniently protect embedded steel rebar surfaces from corrosion. Liquid-applied inorganic galvanic coating contains one ore more of the following metallic particles: magnesium, zinc, or indium and may contain moisture attracting compounds that facilitate the protection process. The coating is applied to the outer surface of reinforced concrete so that electrical current is established between metallic particles and surfaces of embedded steel rebar; and electric (ionic) current is responsible for providing the necessary cathodic protection for embedded rebar surfaces.

Curran, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS2002

Fast Three-Dimensional Method of Modeling Atomic Oxygen Undercutting of Protected Polymers

A method is presented to model atomic oxygen erosion of protected polymers in low Earth orbit (LEO). Undercutting of protected polymers by atomic oxygen occurs in LEO due to the presence of scratch, crack or pin-window defects in the protective coatings. As a means of providing a better understanding of undercutting processes, a fast method of modeling atomic-oxygen undercutting of protected polymers has been developed. Current simulation methods often rely on computationally expensive ray-tracing procedures to track the surface-to-surface movement of individual "atoms." The method introduced in this paper replaces slow individual particle approaches by substituting a model that utilizes both a geometric configuration-factor technique, which governs the diffuse transport of atoms between surfaces, and an efficient telescoping series algorithm, which rapidly integrates the cumulative effects stemming from the numerous atomic oxygen events occurring at the surfaces of an undercut cavity. This new method facilitates the systematic study of three-dimensional undercutting by allowing rapid simulations to be made over a wide range of erosion parameters.

Snyder, Aaron↗
NASA NTRS1980

Fire Protection Materials

Avco has drawn upon its heat shield experience to develop a number of widely-accepted commercial fire protection materials. Originating from NASA's space shuttle thermal protection system, one such material is Chartek 59 fireproofing, an intumescent epoxy coating specifically designed for outdoor use by industrial facilities dealing with highly flammable products such as oil refineries and chemical plants. The coating is applied usually by spray gun to exterior structural steel conduits, pipes and valves, offshore platforms and liquefied petroleum gas tanks. Fireproofing provides two types of protection: ablation or dissipation of heat by burn-off and "intumescence" or swelling; the coating swells to about five times its original size, forming a protective blanket of char which retards transfer of heat to the metal structure preventing loss of structural strength and possible collapse which would compound the fire fighting problem.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2003

Liquid Galvanic Coatings for Protection of Imbedded Metals

Coating compositions and methods of their use are described herein for the reduction of corrosion in imbedded metal structures. The coatings are applied as liquids to an external surface of a substrate in which the metal structures are imbedded. The coatings are subsequently allowed to dry. The liquid applied coatings provide galvanic protection to the imbedded metal structures. Continued protection can be maintained with periodic reapplication of the coating compositions, as necessary, to maintain electrical continuity. Because the coatings may be applied using methods similar to standard paints, and because the coatings are applied to external surfaces of the substrates in which the metal structures are imbedded, the corresponding corrosion protection may be easily maintained. The coating compositions are particularly useful in the protection of metal-reinforced concrete.

MacDowell, Louis G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Atomic Oxygen Durability Evaluation of a UV Curable Ceramer Protective Coating

The exposure of most silicones to atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit (LEO) results in the oxidative loss of methyl groups with a gradual conversion to oxides of silicon. Typically there is surface shrinkage of oxidized silicone protective coatings which leads to cracking of the partially oxidized brittle surface. Such cracks widen and branch crack with continued atomic oxygen exposure ultimately allowing atomic oxygen to reach any hydrocarbon polymers under the silicone coating. A need exists for a paintable silicone coating that is free from such surface cracking and can be effectively used for protection of polymers and composites in LEO. A new type of silicone based protective coating holding such potential was evaluated for atomic oxygen durability in an RF atomic oxygen plasma exposure facility. The coating consisted of a UV curable inorganic/organic hybrid coating, known as a ceramer, which was fabricated using a methyl substituted polysiloxane binder and nanophase silicon-oxo-clusters derived from sol-gel precursors. The polysiloxane was functionalized with a cycloaliphatic epoxide in order to be cured at ambient temperature via a cationic UV induced curing mechanism. Alkoxy silane groups were also grafted onto the polysiloxane chain, through hydrosilation, in order to form a network with the incorporated silicon-oxo-clusters. The prepared polymer was characterized by H-1 and Si-29 NMR, FT-IR, and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy. The paper will present the results of atomic oxygen protection ability of thin ceramer coatings on Kapton H as evaluated over a range of atomic oxygen fluence levels.

Banks, Bruce A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The C-terminal region of alpha-crystallin: involvement in protection against heat-induced denaturation

Recent studies have demonstrated that the alpha-crystallins can protect other proteins against heat-induced denaturation and aggregation. To determine the possible involvement of the C-terminal region in this activity, the alpha-crystallins were subjected to limited tryptic digestion, and the amount of cleavage from the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the alpha-A and alpha-B crystallin chains was assessed using antisera specific for these regions. Limited tryptic digestion resulted in cleavage only from the C-terminal region of alpha-A crystallin. This trypsin-treated alpha-A crystallin preparation showed a decreased ability to protect proteins from heat-induced aggregation using an in vitro assay. Together, these results demonstrate that the C-terminal region of alpha-A crystallin is important for its ability to protect against heat-induced aggregation, which is consistent with the hypothesis that post-translational changes that are known to occur at the C-terminal region may have significant effects on the ability of alpha-A crystallin to protect against protein denaturation in vivo.

NASA Discipline Cell Biology↗
NASA NTRS2005

Intelligent, Self-Diagnostic Thermal Protection System for Future Spacecraft

The goal of this project is to provide self-diagnostic capabilities to the thermal protection systems (TPS) of future spacecraft. Self-diagnosis is especially important in thermal protection systems (TPS), where large numbers of parts must survive extreme conditions after weeks or years in space. In-service inspections of these systems are difficult or impossible, yet their reliability must be ensured before atmospheric entry. In fact, TPS represents the greatest risk factor after propulsion for any transatmospheric mission. The concepts and much of the technology would be applicable not only to the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), but also to ablative thermal protection for aerocapture and planetary exploration. Monitoring a thermal protection system on a Shuttle-sized vehicle is a daunting task: there are more than 26,000 components whose integrity must be verified with very low rates of both missed faults and false positives. The large number of monitored components precludes conventional approaches based on centralized data collection over separate wires; a distributed approach is necessary to limit the power, mass, and volume of the health monitoring system. Distributed intelligence with self-diagnosis further improves capability, scalability, robustness, and reliability of the monitoring subsystem. A distributed system of intelligent sensors can provide an assurance of the integrity of the system, diagnosis of faults, and condition-based maintenance, all with provable bounds on errors.

Hyers, Robert W.↗