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At least 253 records · Page 14

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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Envisioned Future Priorities for In Situ Resource Utilization

A major objective of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Artemis program is to create a sustainable human lunar exploration program through the establishment of lunar infrastructure and commercial space operations. A key aspect in achieving this objective is characterizing the resources that exist on the Moon and Mars, and learning how to utilize them to create products for crew, power, transportation, and infrastructure growth. Commonly known as In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), the ability to make products from local materials instead of bringing everything from Earth has the potential to significantly reduce mission costs, mass, risks, and dependency on Earth. To achieve this vision, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) established a strategic framework, called the Strategic Technology Architecture Roundtable (STAR) process, to coordinate development of critical capabilities around four major Thrusts (Go, Land, Live, and Explore). To guide and drive the development of critical mission capabilities, the STAR process involves establishing a ‘grand vision’ known as an Envisioned Future for each of these capabilities. For ISRU, the Envisioned Future is “Scalable ISRU production/utilization capabilities including sustainable commodities on the lunar and Mars Surface”. This paper will discuss the STAR process, and the strategic plan and near-term priorities for achieving the ISRU Envisioned Future.

In Situ Resources Utilization↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Lunar Surface Operations & Power Grid

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis Program is developing, testing, and demonstrating new capabilities and technologies required to support a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface and a longer-term vision of sending astronauts to Mars. Artemis lunar surface operations will begin with robotically exploring the lunar south polar regions for locations suitable for harvesting lunar surface resources. Over time activities on the lunar surface will expand beyond robotic operations to human lunar surface operations with the delivery of a lunar habitat and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) assets increasing the need for highly reliable and available electrical power. As operations move beyond the Artemis technology demonstrations and exploration activities towards full commercial lunar surface activities, the ability to expand the original envisioned Artemis power system and repurpose power system components to support commercial activities will be crucial. One technology that will be necessary to support commercial lunar operations is a power grid. A lunar surface power grid would offer the ability to integrate various power sources to maximize power availability, including fission surface power (nuclear), solar arrays, batteries, and regenerative fuel cells. Newly designed terrestrial microgrids are flexible and can be designed to allow for islanded operation, where power is utilized near the loads to minimize power distribution losses or in a power sharing mode where power is transmitted longer distances. This capability is crucial during failures where overall power availability is reduced, and load demand exceeds generation/storage capability. These terrestrial microgrids will also allow for the power system to grow and evolve over time, meeting the need to expand beyond initial lunar surface activities. This presentation will discuss the NASA Artemis plans, potential power system architectures, and power distribution options that will enable growth from initial technology demonstrations towards a lunar economy with a lunar surface power grid that offers many of the advantages of terrestrial microgrids.

Microgrids↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Computer Vision Dataset for Aircraft Taxi Operations

The development and democratization of computer vision algorithms are contingent on the availability of high-quality datasets. In this paper, we introduce a database of forward-facing videos from taxiing aircraft as well as the time-correlated flight data at approximately 1 to10 Hz containing aircraft state data and environmental conditions. The video data is sourced from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Airborne Science Program archive and includes over 33 hours of 4k, 1080p, and 720p video from twenty-two airports around the world. This paper describes the method of the database construction and a brief analysis of its contents.

Ryan Horn↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Model Correlation and Thermal Analysis of xEMU Boot at Lunar South Pole Temperatures

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis program plans to send astronauts to the lunar south pole, a region of the moon that is colder than previous lunar missions and low earth orbit operations. The spacesuit boots that will be used on these missions will be directly impacted by these extremely cold temperatures (down to ~50 K). To assess the performance of the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) lunar boot in these extreme temperatures, the boot was tested at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in the Cryogenic Ice Transfer, Acquisition Development, and Excavation Laboratory (CITADEL) thermal vacuum (TVAC) chamber. This data was used to correlate thermal models to predict operational performance of the boots on the lunar south pole. This paper documents the data analysis, thermal boot model correlation, and operational predictions conducted using data from the xEMU TVAC test. Data from the test series was used to determine expected thermal conductances within the boot and between the boot and environment. These conductances were used to correlate a Thermal Desktop model of the xEMU boot across 10 different test points which varied external temperature, internal boot ventilation flowrate, and contact pressure. The correlated model was then used to predict operational performance in the lunar south pole. While the predictions indicate promising evidence for performance of the boots at the 100K test point, there is still substantial uncertainty in performance, particularly at the 48K test point. The results of this test series and model correlation stress the importance of improved testing for characterizing the expected thermal resistance between the outside of the boot and the lunar surface.

thermal analysis↗

NASA NTRS2026

Model Correlation and Thermal Analysis of xEMU Boot at Lunar South Pole Temperatures

xEMU↗

NASA NTRS2005

STS-114: Discovery Post Landing Press Briefing

Dean Acosta, NASA Public Affairs Deputy Assistant Administrator hosted this press briefing. Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator; Bill Parsons, Shuttle Program Manager; Michael Leinbach, Shuttle Launch Director; and Bill Ready, Space Operations Associate Administrator were present. The Panel specifically honored the Columbia crew as they praised Commander Eileen Collin's performance in bringing the Discovery and crew safe back to Earth. Re-entry, test flight and next test flight, thermal insulation, heat, vehicle inspection, turn around processing, and ferrying Discovery back to the Kennedy Space Center were topics covered with the News media. Michael Griffin announced the launching of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will take place the following morning.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1979

The NASA Space Power Technology Program

This paper discusses the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Space Power Technology Program which is aimed at providing the needed technology for NASA's future missions. The technology program is subdivided into five areas: (1) photovoltaic energy conversion; (2) chemical energy conversion and storage; (3) thermal to electric conversion; (4) power system management and distribution, and (5) advanced energetics. Recent accomplishments, current status, and future directions are presented for each area.

Mullin, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS1973

The NASA Firefighter's Breathing System Program: A Status Report

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), through its Technology Utilization Program, has been making its advanced technology developments available to the public. This has coincided in recent years with a growing demand within the fire service for improved protective equipment. A better breathing system for firefighters was one of the more immediate needs identified by the firefighting organizations. The Johnson Space Center (JSC), based upon their experience in providing life support systems for space flight, was subsequently requested to determine the feasibility of providing an improved breathing system for firefighters. Such a system was determined to be well within the current state of the art, and the Center is well into a development program to provide design verification of this improved protective' equipment. This report - outlines the overall objectives of this program, progress to date, and future planned activities.

McLaughlan, Pat B.↗

NASA NTRS1997

The New Millenium Program: An Overview

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)has established the New Millenium Program (NMP), a science-driven technology-validation program that is designed to accelerate the avaliability of technology needed for NASA's science missions of the 21st century.

New↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program Data System

The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program was established to identify, evaluate, and acquire data from commercial satellite companies that support and complement NASA’s Earth sciences missions and research goals. Since becoming a sustained program in 2020, CSDA has been developing a data system to provide scalable, efficient, continuous, and repeatable data management processes for all commercial data acquired by NASA. This includes providing access to commercial data to approved science investigators through NASA developed and vendor operated interfaces. As the commercial data user community and volume of data acquired by CSDA has grown, the team managing these data has adapted technologies and services to better address the data and information search, discovery, and access needs of the science user community. This presentation will provide an overview of CSDA Program data system activities including data availability, development of CSDA user interfaces, challenges in managing large-volume diverse datasets, and long-term data preservation activities to retain data for scientific reproducibility.

data management↗

NASA NTRS2017

Centennial Challenges Program Overview: How NASA Successfully Involves the General Public in the Solving of Current Technology Gaps

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Centennial Challenges Program, part of the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), addresses key technology needs of NASA and the nation, while facilitating new sources of innovation outside the traditional community. This is done by the direct engagement of the public at large, through the offering of Congressional authorized prize purses and associated challenges developed by NASA and the aerospace community and set up as a competition awarding the prize money for achieving the specified technology goal.

Roman, Monsi C.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Developing Geology Sampling Tools for the Artemis Program

Humans are set to return to the Moon for the first time since 1972 with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Artemis Program. One of the primary objectives will be the collection and return of lunar samples. To support this objective, the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tools Team at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) has started developing the next generation of lunar geology sampling tools. The EVA Tools Team are experts in the hardware certification process for space hardware and have been working on planetary surface tools for nearly a decade. Funded by the EVA Office at JSC, the Artemis tools project began on October 1, 2019 with an initial set of eight tools. That initial set of tools was brought to a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on October 30, 2020. An additional 17tools have been proposed to support geology sampling operations, with the development of a subset of that list beginning on October 1, 2020.Additional tools may also be considered in the future should the science requirements drive this need. This abstract describes how this project is defining requirements, what tools are being developed, and the schedule for this work.

Artemis↗

NASA NTRS1987

Publications of the Exobiology Program for 1985: A special bibliography

The Exobiology Program, within the Office of Space Science and Applications of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is an integrated program to methodically investigate those processes that are responsible for, or related to, the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe. The list of l985 publications resulting from research pursued is contained.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1978

Information requirements of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's safety, environmental health, and occupational medicine programs

A survey of the internal and external reporting and recordkeeping procedures of these programs was conducted and the major problems associated with them are outlined. The impact of probable future requirements on existing information systems is evaluated. This report also presents the benefits of combining the safety and health information systems into one computerized system and recommendations for the development and scope of that system.

Whyte, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

The New Millennium Program: Fast-Track Procurements

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA'a) New Millennium Program (NMP) has embarked on a technology flight-validation demonstration program to enable the kinds of missions that NASA envisions for the 21st century. Embedded in the program is the concept of rapid mission development supported by a fast-track procurement process.

New↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Completion of NASA’s Two-Year Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) completed its two-year experiment program in June 2024. The LCRD geosynchronous payload includes two laser communications terminals interconnected via an onboard electronic switch. The payload relays data between two optical ground stations located in California and Hawaii and can also exchange data with an RF ground station in New Mexico. The addition of the Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) on the International Space Station in 2023 enabled data relay demonstrations between a laser terminal in low Earth orbit and either one of the optical ground stations or the RF ground station. The experiment program has included a variety of experiments originating within the LCRD project, NASA, and industry. The experiments have included measurements of the effects of the atmospheric optical channel (turbulence, weather) on the performance and availability of laser communications, adaptive optics characterization, demonstration of optimetrics techniques, and demonstration of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN). Furthermore, various future operational scenarios including robotic and exploration missions and various network service configurations have been emulated. This conference paper provides an overview and highlights of the LCRD experiment program with an emphasis on activities and results since the start of the ILLUMA-T testing in December 2023. A discussion of the expectations for the next phase of the LCRD mission, as well as how LCRD results may be applied to future applications is also included. LCRD is a joint project involving NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL).

Laser communications↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Completion of NASA’s Two-Year Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program

"The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) completed its two-year experiment program in June 2024. The LCRD geosynchronous payload includes two laser communications terminals interconnected via an onboard electronic switch. The payload relays data between two optical ground stations located in California and Hawaii and can also exchange data with an RF ground station in New Mexico. The addition of the Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) on the International Space Station in 2023 enabled data relay demonstrations between a laser terminal in low Earth orbit and either one of the optical ground stations or the RF ground station. The experiment program has included a variety of experiments originating within the LCRD project, NASA, and industry. The experiments have included measurements of the effects of the atmospheric optical channel (turbulence, weather) on the performance and availability of laser communications, adaptive optics characterization, demonstration of optimetrics techniques, and demonstration of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN). Furthermore, various future operational scenarios including robotic and exploration missions and various network service configurations have been emulated. This conference paper provides an overview and highlights of the LCRD experiment program with an emphasis on activities and results since the start of the ILLUMA-T testing in December 2023. A discussion of the expectations for the next phase of the LCRD mission, as well as how LCRD results may be applied to future applications is also included. LCRD is a joint project involving NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). "

Lasercom↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Early Results from NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) mission began its two-year Experiment Program in June 2022. This experimental phase includes long-term measurement of the effects of the atmosphere (turbulence, weather) on the performance and availability of lasercom. Furthermore, various future operational scenarios including robotic and exploration missions and various network service configurations are being emulated. In addition to experiments and demonstrations proposed by the LCRD Investigator Team, NASA enables individuals and groups from government agencies, academia, and industry to propose experiments under the LCRD Guest Experimenters Program. This conference paper provides highlights of the early LCRD experiments and a preview of the future experiments, including relaying data to and from the Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) on the International Space Station. The LCRD geosynchronous payload includes two laser communications terminals interconnected via an onboard electronic switch, and can relay information between two optical ground stations located in California and Hawaii. LCRD is a joint project involving NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL).

lasercom↗