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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Nuclear electric propulsion operational reliability and crew safety study: NEP systems/modeling report

The objective of this study was to establish the initial quantitative reliability bounds for nuclear electric propulsion systems in a manned Mars mission required to ensure crew safety and mission success. Finding the reliability bounds involves balancing top-down (mission driven) requirements and bottom-up (technology driven) capabilities. In seeking this balance we hope to accomplish the following: (1) provide design insights into the achievability of the baseline design in terms of reliability requirements, given the existing technology base; (2) suggest alternative design approaches which might enhance reliability and crew safety; and (3) indicate what technology areas require significant research and development to achieve the reliability objectives.

Karns, James↗
NASA NTRS1993

Reduced cost alternatives to premise wiring using ATM and microcellular technologies

The cost of premises wiring keeps increasing due to personnel moves, new equipment, capacity upgrades etc. It would be desirable to have a wireless interface from the workstations to the fixed network, so as to minimize the wiring changes needed. New technologies such as microcellular personal communication systems are promising to bring down the cost of wireless communication. Another promising technology is Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), which could dramatically increase the bandwidth available for wireless connections. In addition, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology is emerging as a technique for integrated management of voice, data, and video traffic on a single network. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the future utility of these new technologies for reducing the premise wiring cost at KSC. One of the issues to be studied is the cost comparison of 'old' versus 'new,' especially as time and technology progress. An additional issue for closer study is a feasible time-line for progress in technological capability.

Gejji, Raghvendra R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Comparison of Stirling engines for use with a 25-kW disk-electric conversion system

Heat engines were evaluated for terrestrial solar heat receivers. The Stirling Engine was identified as one of the most promising engines for terrestrial applications. The potential to meet the Department of Energy (DOE) goals for performance and cost can be met by the free-piston Stirling engine. NASA Lewis is providing technical management for an Advanced Stirling Conversion System (ASCS) through a cooperative interagency agreement with DOE. Parallel contracts were awarded for conceptual designs of an ASCS. Each design will feature a free-piston Stirling engine, a liquid-metal heat pipe receiver, and a means to provide about 25 kW of electric power to a utility grid while meeting long-term performance and goals. The Mechanical Technology, Ins. (MTI) design incorporates a linear alternator to directly convert the solar energy to electricity while the Stirling Technology Company (STC) generates electrical power indirectly by using a hydraulic output to a ground-bases hydraulic pump/motor coupled to a rotating alternator. Both designs use technology which can reasonably be expected to be available in the 1980's. The ASCS designs using a free-piston Stirling engine, a heat transport system, a receiver, and the methods of providing electricity to the utility grid will be discussed.

Shaltens, Richard K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mars sample return mission: Two alternate scenarios

Two scenarios for accomplishing a Mars Sample Return mission are presented. Mission A is a low-cost, low-mass scenario, while Mission B is a high-technology, high-science alternative. Mission A begins with the launch of one Titan 4 rocket with a Centaur G' upper stage. The Centaur performs the trans-Mars injection burn and is then released. The payload consists of two lander packages and the orbital transfer vehicle, which is responsible for supporting the landers during launch and interplanetary cruise. Near Mars, the landers separate - one bound for a polar site and the other for an equatorial site. After descending to the surface, the landers deploy small, local rovers to collect samples. The rovers return these samples to the landers for loading on the direct return rockets, which return the samples directly to the Earth's surface. Mission B starts with four Titan 4 launches, used to place the components of the planetary transfer vehicle (PTV) into orbit. The fourth launch payload is able to move to assemble the entire vehicle by simple docking routines. Once complete, the PTV begins a low-thrust trajectory out from low Earth orbit, through interplanetary space, and into low Mars orbit. It deploys a communications satellite into a one half sol orbit and then releases the lander pad cage at 500 km altitude. The lander package contains the lander, the Mars ascent vehicle (MAV), two lighter-than-air rovers (called Aereons), and one conventional land rover. The entire package is contained within a biconic aeroshell. After release from the PTV the lander package descends to the surface, where all three rovers are released to collect samples and map the terrain. The Aereons attempt to circumnavigate Mars and collect samples from a wide variety of sites, while the land rover examines a local area more thoroughly. The Aereons are equipped with small sample return rockets that can return their samples to the lander in the event that an Aereon is incapable of returning to the lander itself. Once all samples have been collected they are loaded onto the MAV and launched into orbit. The PTV then collects the samples and returns them to Earth orbit for recovery.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

Invention-driven marketing

Suppose you have just created a revolutionary bicycle suspension which allows a bike to be ridden over rough terrain at 60 miles per hour. In addition, suppose that you are deeply concerned about the plight of hungry children. Which should you do: be sure all hungry children have bicycles; transfer the technology for your new suspension to bicycle manufacturers worldwide; or start a company to supply premium sports bicycle based on your patented technology, and donate the profits to a charity which feeds hungry children? Woven through this somewhat trivial example is the paradox of technology transfer - the supplier (owner) may want to transfer technology; but to succeed, he or she must reformulate the problem as a user need for which there is a new and better solution. Successful technology transfer is little more than good marketing applied to an existing invention, process, or capability. You must identify who needs the technology, why they need it, why the new technology is better than alternatives, how much the customers are willing and able to pay for these benefits, and how to distribute products based on the technology tc the target customers. In market-driven development, the term 'technology transfer' is rarely used. The developers focus on studying user needs and designing solution They may have technology needs, but they don't have technology in search of a use.

Carlson, William E.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Series Bosch System Development

State-of-the-art (SOA) carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction technology for the International Space Station produces methane as a byproduct. This methane is subsequently vented overboard. The associated loss of hydrogen ultimately reduces the mass of oxygen that can be recovered from CO2 in a closed-loop life support system. As an alternative to SOA CO2 reduction technology, NASA is exploring a Series-Bosch system capable of reducing CO2 with hydrogen to form water and solid carbon. This results in 100% theoretical recovery of oxygen from metabolic CO2. In the past, Bosch-based technology did not trade favorably against SOA technology due to a high power demand, low reaction efficiencies, concerns with carbon containment, and large resupply requirements necessary to replace expended catalyst cartridges. An alternative approach to Bosch technology, labeled "Series-Bosch," employs a new system design with optimized multi-stage reactors and a membrane-based separation and recycle capability. Multi-physics modeling of the first stage reactor, along with chemical process modeling of the integrated system, has resulted in a design with potential to trade significantly better than previous Bosch technology. The modeling process and resulting system architecture selection are discussed.

Abney, Morgan B.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Preliminary design of a supersonic cruise aircraft high-pressure turbine

Development of the supersonic cruise aircraft engine continued in this National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sponsored Pratt and Whitney program for the Preliminary Design of an Advanced High-Pressure Turbine. Airfoil cooling concepts and the technology required to implement these concepts received particular emphasis. Previous supersonic cruise aircraft mission studies were reviewed and the Variable Stream Control Engine (VSCE) was chosen as the candidate or the preliminary turbine design. The design was evaluated for the supersonic cruise mission. The advanced technology to be generated from these designs showed benefits in the supersonic cruise application and subsonic cruise application. The preliminary design incorporates advanced single crystal materials, thermal barrier coatings, and oxidation resistant coatings for both the vane and blade. The 1990 technology vane and blade designs have cooled turbine efficiency of 92.3 percent, 8.05 percent Wae cooling and a 10,000 hour life. An alternate design with 1986 technology has 91.9 percent efficiency and 12.43 percent Wae cooling at the same life. To achieve these performance and life results, technology programs must be pursued to provide the 1990's technology assumed for this study.

Aceto, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Alternative management and funding options for aeronautics programs, Task 1

Research and technology will be at lower program levels with basic military research for aviation decreasing as fewer aircraft programs are initiated and the present new aircraft programs move into the prototype and production status. The key question is can industry take on the management and financing role and meet the criteria and characteristics considered essential for a viable research and technology program. The criteria for evaluating alternative approaches include an examination of the nature of the product to be provided, responsiveness to changing needs, efficiency in terms of costs, ability to provide leadership, and to provide impartial and independent evaluation of approaches, and to provide technological inputs for regulating functions.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

Internet Protocol Display Sharing Solution for Mission Control Center Video System

With the advent of broadcast television as a constant source of information throughout the NASA manned space flight Mission Control Center (MCC) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), the current Video Transport System (VTS) characteristics provides the ability to visually enhance real-time applications as a broadcast channel that decision making flight controllers come to rely on, but can be difficult to maintain and costly. The Operations Technology Facility (OTF) of the Mission Operations Facility Division (MOFD) has been tasked to provide insight to new innovative technological solutions for the MCC environment focusing on alternative architectures for a VTS. New technology will be provided to enable sharing of all imagery from one specific computer display, better known as Display Sharing (DS), to other computer displays and display systems such as; large projector systems, flight control rooms, and back supporting rooms throughout the facilities and other offsite centers using IP networks. It has been stated that Internet Protocol (IP) applications are easily readied to substitute for the current visual architecture, but quality and speed may need to be forfeited for reducing cost and maintainability. Although the IP infrastructure can support many technologies, the simple task of sharing ones computer display can be rather clumsy and difficult to configure and manage to the many operators and products. The DS process shall invest in collectively automating the sharing of images while focusing on such characteristics as; managing bandwidth, encrypting security measures, synchronizing disconnections from loss of signal / loss of acquisitions, performance latency, and provide functions like, scalability, multi-sharing, ease of initial integration / sustained configuration, integration with video adjustments packages, collaborative tools, host / recipient controllability, and the utmost paramount priority, an enterprise solution that provides ownership to the whole process, while maintaining the integrity of the latest technological displayed image devices. This study will provide insights to the many possibilities that can be filtered down to a harmoniously responsive product that can be used in today's MCC environment.

Brown, Michael A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Development of low cost custom hybrid microcircuit technology

Selected potentially low cost, alternate packaging and interconnection techniques were developed and implemented in the manufacture of specific NASA/MSFC hardware, and the actual cost savings achieved by their use. The hardware chosen as the test bed for this evaluation ws the hybrids and modules manufactured by Rockwell International fo the MSFC Flight Accelerometer Safety Cut-Off System (FASCOS). Three potentially low cost packaging and interconnection alternates were selected for evaluation. This study was performed in three phases: hardware fabrication and testing, cost comparison, and reliability evaluation.

Perkins, K. L.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Site Remediation Technology InfoBase: A Guide to Federal Programs, Information Resources, and Publications on Contaminated Site Cleanup Technologies. First Edition

Table of Contents: Federal Cleanup Programs; Federal Site Remediation Technology Development Assistance Programs; Federal Site Remediation Technology Development Electronic Data Bases; Federal Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Other Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Other Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Selected Bibliography: Federal Publication on Alternative and Innovative Site Remediation; and Appendix: Technology Program Contacts.

INFORMATION RESOURCES↗
NASA NTRS1985

Systems study for an Integrated Digital-Electric Aircraft (IDEA)

The results of the Integrated Digital/Electric Aircraft (IDEA) Study are presented. Airplanes with advanced systems were, defined and evaluated, as a means of identifying potential high payoff research tasks. A baseline airplane was defined for comparison, typical of a 1990's airplane with advanced active controls, propulsion, aerodynamics, and structures technology. Trade studies led to definition of an IDEA airplane, with extensive digital systems and electric secondary power distribution. This airplane showed an improvement of 3% in fuel use and 1.8% in DOC relative to the baseline configuration. An alternate configuration, an advanced technology turboprop, was also evaluated, with greater improvement supported by digital electric systems. Recommended research programs were defined for high risk, high payoff areas appropriate for implementation under NASA leadership.

Tagge, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Automotive technology status and projections. Volume 2: Assessment report

Current and advanced conventional engines, advanced alternative engines, advanced power train components, and other energy conserving automobile modifications which could be implemented by the end of this century are examined. Topics covered include gas turbine engines, Stirling engines, advanced automatic transmissions, alternative fuels, and metal and ceramic technology. Critical problems are examined and areas for future research are indicated.

Dowdy, M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A two dimensional artificial reality

The current presumption is that it is necessary to don goggles, gloves and a data suit to experience artificial reality. However, there is another technology that offers an alternative or complement to the encumbering techniques associated with NASA. In VIDEOPLACE, your image appears in a 2D graphic world created by a computer. The VIDEOPLACE computer can analyze a person's image in 1/30 second and can detect when an object is touched. Thus, it can generate a graphic or auditory response to an illusory contact. VIDEOPLACE technology exists in two formats: the VIDEODESK and the VIDEOPLACE. In the VIDEODESK environment, the image of your hands can be used to perform the normal mouse functions, such as menuing and drawing. In addition, you have the advantage of multipoint control. For instance, you can use the thumbs and forefingers of each hand as control points for a spline curve. Perhaps most important, the image of your hands can be compressed and transmitted to a colleague over an ISDN voice channel to appear on the remote screen superimposed over identical information. Likewise, the image of your colleague's hands can appear on both screens. The result is that the two of you can use your hands to point to features on your respective screens as you speak, exactly as you would if you were sitting together. In the VIDEOPLACE environment, you can interact with graphic creatures and the images of other people in other locations in a graphic world. Your whole body can be moved, scaled and rotated in real-time without regard to the laws of physics. Thus, VIDEOPLACE can be used to create a fantasy world in which the laws of cause and effect are composed by an artist.

Krueger, Myron W.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Optimization of a Multifunctional Hot Structure Aeroshell for Mars Entry

Vehicle size and weight are driving cost factors in sending vehicles into space because the cost of launch is directly related to the payload mass being delivered. Vehicle size and weight have a larger impact on deep- space missions compared to sending a payload to low Earth orbit due to the extra fuel and supplies required to complete the longer duration mission. One area of study for possible vehicle volume or weight reduction is the thermal protection system (TPS) of a vehicle. Hot structures have been proposed as a TPS concept which can carry both primary structural loads and thermal loads. The use of hot structures on a Mars entry vehicle may be feasible and have potential volume and weight savings over the current state of the art ablative TPS technology. A preliminary trade study was performed on a mid lift-to-drag aeroshell Mars entry concept vehicle; comparing the weight and skin thickness of a vehicle using ablative TPS with a vehicle using hot structures. Independent thermal and structural analyses were performed to determine the minimum mass designs. The goal of this study was to determine if the use of hot structures was feasible and had potential for significant vehicle volume and weight savings over the current state of the art. This trade study found that use of a hot structures leads to a feasible alternative to ablative TPS technology, with potential 53% weight and 22% thickness (volume) saving benefits that could enable future missions.

Langston, Sarah L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A 1987 overview of free-piston Stirling technology for space power application

An overview is presented of the NASA Lewis Research Center free-piston Stirling engine activities directed toward space-power application. NASA Lewis serves as the project office to manage the newly initiated NASA SP-100 Advanced Technology Program. One of the major elements of this five-year program is the development of advanced power conversion concepts of which the Stirling cycle is a viable growth candidate. Under this program the status of the 25 kWe opposed-piston Space Power Demonstrator Engine (SPDE) is presented. Included in the SPDE discussion are comparisons between predicted and experimental engine performance, enhanced performance resulting from regenerator modification, increased operating stroke brought about by isolating the gas bearing flow between the displacer and power piston, identifying excessive energy losses and recommending corrective action, and a better understanding of linear alternator design and operation. Technology work is also conducted on heat exchanger concepts, both design and fabrication. Design parameters and conceptual design features are also presented for a 25 kWe, single-cylinder free-piston Stirling space-power converter.

Slaby, Jack G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advancements in Logistics Reduction for Exploration Missions

Management of logistics on exploration missions includes both looking for ways to minimize the quantities, mass and volume of various consumables, supplies, spares and equipment as well as ways to minimize the crew time needed for locating and handling those items. Also included are ways to minimize the waste, handling and resultant products from the processes of maintaining a crew on these missions. The Logistics Reduction project encompasses technologies for management of waste, trash, autonomous logistics, and clothing. This paper provides a status of work in these areas including recent accomplishments and challenges encountered. Future objectives will also be covered along with the work currently in progress. Specifically, the paper will cover technologies in waste management, namely, the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) or exploration toilet and work on an alternative waste collection container, the Alternate Fecal Canister. Trash management technologies work on the Trash Compaction and Processing System (TCPS) and Trash to Gas (TtG) is summarized with progress to date as well as information on how Jettison as an option is related. Progress and summary of recent accomplishment on the RFID (Radio Frequency ID) Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management (REALM) and the Autonomous Logistics (AL) technologies is detailed. Advanced Clothing System (ACS) and work in the area of Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) is also included. Status of the technologies, accomplishments and how the focus areas inform program decisions will be addressed.

human spaceflight↗