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NASA NTRS1995

Development of the Fish Medaka in Microgravity

The goal of these experiments was to determine the effect of microgravity on the early development of the fish medaka. There were two objectives for this flight series. The primary objective was to assess the effects of microgravity on different stages of development and to ascertain whether the relevant developmental questions can be addressed at the gross morphological level or if the issues involve more subtle questions about regulation at the molecular and cellular levels. The secondary objective was the assessment of the utility of flight hardware with the capabilities to perform embryological studies. We have been able to take advantage of the flight testing phase of the STL-B hardware to also study the effects of microgravity on the early development of the fish, Medaka. Our initial studies involved monitoring the early Medaka development and raising flight embryos for breeding. Images of the developing embryos were collected either via video which was either taken by the astronauts or broadcast to Earth. Sample video images were digitized and stored on a hard drive resident within the on-board STL-B unit. Embryos were fixed at specific intervals, returned to Earth and are being analyzed for the timing and location of molecular events associated with controlling the morphological pattern for the onset of adult structures.

Wolgemuth, Debra J.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Pulsed Lidar Performance/Technical Maturity Assessment

This report describes the results of investigations performed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) under a task entitled 'Pulsed Lidar Performance/Technical Maturity Assessment' funded by the Crew Systems Branch of the Airborne Systems Competency at the NASA Langley Research Center. The investigations included two tasks, 1.1(a) and 1.1(b). The Tasks discussed in this report are in support of the NASA Virtual Airspace Modeling and Simulation (VAMS) program and are designed to evaluate a pulsed lidar that will be required for active wake vortex avoidance solutions. The Coherent Technologies, Inc. (CTI) WindTracer LIDAR is an eye-safe, 2-micron, coherent, pulsed Doppler lidar with wake tracking capability. The actual performance of the WindTracer system was to be quantified. In addition, the sensor performance has been assessed and modeled, and the models have been included in simulation efforts. The WindTracer LIDAR was purchased by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for use in near-term field data collection efforts as part of a joint NASA/FAA wake vortex research program. In the joint research program, a minimum common wake and weather data collection platform will be defined. NASA Langley will use the field data to support wake model development and operational concept investigation in support of the VAMS project, where the ultimate goal is to improve airport capacity and safety. Task 1.1(a), performed by NCAR in Boulder, Colorado to analyze the lidar system to determine its performance and capabilities based on results from simulated lidar data with analytic wake vortex models provided by NASA, which were then compared to the vendor's claims for the operational specifications of the lidar. Task 1.1(a) is described in Section 3, including the vortex model, lidar parameters and simulations, and results for both detection and tracking of wake vortices generated by Boeing 737s and 747s. Task 1.1(b) was performed by GTRI in Atlanta, Georgia and is described in Section 4. Task 1.1(b) includes a description of the St. Louis Airport (STL) field test being conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, and it also addresses the development of a test plan to validate simulation studies conducted as part of Task 1.1(a). Section 4.2 provides a description of the Volpe STL field tests, and Section 4.3 describes 3 possible ways to validate the WindTracer lidar simulations performed in Task 1.1(a).

Gimmestad, Gary G.↗

NASA NTRS2023

Loft: An Automated Mesh Generator for Stiffened-Shell Aerospace Vehicles

Loft is an automated mesh generation code designed for aerospace vehicle structures. Based on user input, it can generate meshes for wings, noses, tanks, fuselage sections, thrust structures, etc. As the mesh is generated, each element is assigned properties that mark what part of the vehicle it is associated with. This property assignment is an extremely powerful feature making possible detailed analysis tasks such as load application and sizing. Loft can save its meshes in NASTRAN bulk data deck, EDS’ I-DEAS Universal File format, Abaqus input file format, VRML 2.0 (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and STL (Stereo Lithography) files. The property assignment scheme was designed to make sizing in Collier Research’s HyperSizer easy. Support for other mesh storage formats can be added as needed.

Structural modeling↗

NASA NTRS1962

SOME TYPICAL SHELL STABILITY PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THE DESIGN OF BALLISTIC MISSILES

Investigations carried out at STL on three current problems involving instability of thin shells in applications to aerospace vehicles are discussed. The first concerns the experimental determination of the buckling behavior of longitudinally stiffened pressurized cylinders; the second, the analytic prediction and experimental confirmation of the buckling behavior of multi-layer cylinders and the third involves the behavior of cylinders under combined axial load and lateral pressure. In each case the background of the application is reviewed, followed by a short description of the work. It is indicated that the longitudinally stiffened cylinder shows considerable promise in taking maximum advantage of the strengthening effect of internal pressure, that the use of an external low modulus layer as an insulator can have a significant effect on the buckling capability of a shell, and that the assumption of a linear interaction for pressure and axial load is unnecessarily conservative.

SHELL STABILITY↗

NASA NTRS1963

Comet Intercept Study

STL (Space Technology Laboratories, Inc.) has been studying, during the past year, the problems of carrying out a comet intercept mission. During the course of this study, the properties of 31 short-term comets have been examined to determine the feasibility of a mission to any of them during the next 15 years. In the process of selecting these comets, injection energies for each of these comets at a suitable launch period were determined. In addition, the distance of the earth at intercept, the transit and flight times, and the guidance requirements were evaluated. Also, to determine the effectiveness of such a mission, possible scientific instruments which could be used to measure the various characteristics of the comets have been studied. Finally, to determine the present feasibility of such a mission, the payload capability of available boosters was examined, and a spacecraft configuration with appropriate subsystems was also studied.

INTERCEPTION↗

NASA NTRS1960

Subtabulated Lunar and Planetary Ephemerides

In a joint JPL-STL effort the planetary ephemerides have been collected on IBM 704-709 magnetic tape, and a series of routines have been written to utilize these tapes. This paper describes the contents and preparation of the ephemeris tapes.

Hudson, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Analysis of effect of internal and operating variables on performance of SVDS constraint model (ABIND)

An examination of the factors which modify the simulation of a constraint in the motion of the aft attach points of the orbiter and external tank during separation has been made. The factors considered were both internal (spring and damper constants) and external (friction coefficient and dynamic pressure). The results show that an acceptable choice of spring/damper constant combinations exist over the expected range of the external factors and that the choice is consistent with a practical integration interval. The constraint model is shown to produce about a 10 percent increase in the relative body pitch angles over the unconstrained case whereas the MDC-STL constraint model is shown to produce about a 38 percent increase.

Pendergrass, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

STS-45 Space Shuttle mission report

The STS-45 Space Shuttle Program Mission Report contains a summary of the vehicle subsystem operations during the forty-sixth flight of the Space Shuttle Program and the eleventh flight of the Orbiter Vehicle Atlantis (OV-104). In addition to the Atlantis vehicle, the flight vehicle consisted of the following: an External Tank (ET) designated as ET-44 (LWT-37); three Space Shuttle main engines (SSME's), which were serial numbers 2024, 2012, and 2028 in positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively; and two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB's) designated as BI-049. The lightweight redesigned Solid Rocket Motors (RSRM's) installed in each of the SRB's were designated as 360L021A for the left SRM and 360W021B for the right SRM. The primary objective of this mission was to successfully perform the planned operations of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 (ATLAS-1) and the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument (SSBUV) payloads. The secondary objectives were to successfully perform all operations necessary to support the requirements of the following: the Space Tissue Loss-01 (STL-01) experiment; the Radiation Monitoring Equipment-3 (RME-3) experiment; the Visual Function Tester-2 (VFT-2) experiment; the Cloud Logic to Optimize use of Defense System (CLOUDS-1A) experiment; the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment 2 (SAREX-2) Configuration B; the Investigation into Polymer Membranes Processing experiment; and the Get-Away Special (GAS) payload G-229. The Ultraviolet Plume Instrument (UVPI) was a payload of opportunity that required no special maneuvers. In addition to the primary and secondary objectives, the crew was tasked to perform as many as 10 Development Test Objectives (DTO'S) and 14 Detailed Supplementary Objectives (DSO's).

Fricke, Robert W.↗

NASA NTRS1993

STS-53 Space Shuttle mission report

The STS-53 Space Shuttle Program Mission Report provides a summary of the Orbiter, External Tank (ET), Solid Rocket Booster/Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (SRB/RSRM), and the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) subsystems performance during the fifty-second flight of the Space Shuttle Program, and the fifteenth flight of the Orbiter vehicle Discovery (OV-103). In addition to the Orbiter, the flight vehicle consisted of an ET, which was designated as ET-49/LWT-42; three SSME's, which were serial numbers 2024, 2012, and 2017 in positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively; and two SRB's, which were designated BI-055. The lightweight RSRM's that were installed in each SRB were designated 360L028A for the left SRB, and 360L028B for the right SRB. The primary objective of this flight was to successfully deploy the Department of Defense 1 (DOD-1) payload. The secondary objectives of this flight were to perform the operations required by the Glow Experiment/Cryogenic Heat Pipe Experiment Payload (GCP); the Hand-Held, Earth-Oriented, Real-Time, Cooperative, User-Friendly, Location-Targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES); the Space Tissue Loss (STL); the Battlefield Laser Acquisition Sensor Test (BLAST); the Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III); the Microcapsules in Space-1 (MIS-1); the Visual Function Tester-2 (VFT-2); the Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM); the Clouds Logic to Optimize Use of Defense Systems-1A (CLOUDS-1A); the Fluids Acquisition and Resupply Experiment (FARE); and the Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS). In addition to presenting a summary of subsystem performance, this report also discusses each Orbiter, ET, SSME, SRB, and RSRM in-flight anomaly in the applicable section of the report. Listed in the discussion of each anomaly is the officially assigned tracking number as published by each Project Office in their respective Problem Tracking List. All times given in this report are in Greenwich mean time (G.m.t.) as well as mission elapsed time (MET).

Fricke, Robert W., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1996

A convertor and user interface to import CAD files into worldtoolkit virtual reality systems

Virtual Reality (VR) is a rapidly developing human-to-computer interface technology. VR can be considered as a three-dimensional computer-generated Virtual World (VW) which can sense particular aspects of a user's behavior, allow the user to manipulate the objects interactively, and render the VW at real-time accordingly. The user is totally immersed in the virtual world and feel the sense of transforming into that VW. NASA/MSFC Computer Application Virtual Environments (CAVE) has been developing the space-related VR applications since 1990. The VR systems in CAVE lab are based on VPL RB2 system which consists of a VPL RB2 control tower, an LX eyephone, an Isotrak polhemus sensor, two Fastrak polhemus sensors, a folk of Bird sensor, and two VPL DG2 DataGloves. A dynamics animator called Body Electric from VPL is used as the control system to interface with all the input/output devices and to provide the network communications as well as VR programming environment. The RB2 Swivel 3D is used as the modelling program to construct the VW's. A severe limitation of the VPL VR system is the use of RB2 Swivel 3D, which restricts the files to a maximum of 1020 objects and doesn't have the advanced graphics texture mapping. The other limitation is that the VPL VR system is a turn-key system which does not provide the flexibility for user to add new sensors and C language interface. Recently, NASA/MSFC CAVE lab provides VR systems built on Sense8 WorldToolKit (WTK) which is a C library for creating VR development environments. WTK provides device drivers for most of the sensors and eyephones available on the VR market. WTK accepts several CAD file formats, such as Sense8 Neutral File Format, AutoCAD DXF and 3D Studio file format, Wave Front OBJ file format, VideoScape GEO file format, Intergraph EMS stereolithographics and CATIA Stereolithographics STL file formats. WTK functions are object-oriented in their naming convention, are grouped into classes, and provide easy C language interface. Using a CAD or modelling program to build a VW for WTK VR applications, we typically construct the stationary universe with all the geometric objects except the dynamic objects, and create each dynamic object in an individual file.

Wang, Peter Hor-Ching↗

NASA NTRS1997

Six Month Report on Tissue Cultured Avian Skeletal Myofibers in the STL/A Module Aboard STS-77

Space travel is know to effect skeletal muscle, causing rapid and pronounced atrophy in humans and animals, even when strenuous exercise is used as a countermeasure. The cellular and molecular bases of this atrophy are unknown. Space travel may cause muscle atrophy by a direct effect on the muscle fibers and/or indirectly by reducing circulating levels of growth factors such as growth hormone. The recent development of a tissue culture incubator system for Shuttle Middeck basic science experiments [Space Tissue Loss (STL) Module] by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) allows the study of the effects of space travel directly on isolated skeletal myofibers. Avian bioartificial skeletal muscle 'organoids' containing differentiated skeletal myofibers and connective tissue fibroblasts were flown aboard the Space Shuttle (Space Transportation System, STS) on Flight STS-77, a repeat of a similar experiment flown on STS-66. The results from these two flight experiments show for the first time that space travel has a direct effect on skeletal muscle cells separate from any systemic effects resulting from altered circulating growth factors.

Vandenburgh, Herman H.↗

NASA NTRS1961

Participation of Bell Telephone Laboratories in Project Echo and Experimental Results

On August 12, 1960, Echo I, a 100-foot-diameter spherical balloon, was placed in orbit around the earth by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The objective was to demonstrate the feasibility of long-distance communication by microwave reflection from a satellite. A two-way coast-to-coast voice circuit was to be established between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) facility in California and a station provided by Bell Telephone Laboratories (STL) in New Jersey. Similar tests were also planned with the Naval Research Laboratory and other stations. This paper describes the general organization and operation of the Holmdel, New Jersey, station, and discusses the results of the experiments performed between the balloon launching and March 1, 1961. Successful voice communication was achieved through a variety of modulation methods including frequency modulation with feedback, amplitude modulation, single-sideband modulation, and narrow-band phase modulation. Careful measurements were also made of the loss in the transmission path.

Jakes, William C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Growth Factors and Tension-Induced Skeletal Muscle Growth

The project investigated biochemical mechanisms to enhance skeletal muscle growth, and developed a computer based mechanical cell stimulator system. The biochemicals investigated in this study were insulin/(Insulin like Growth Factor) IGF-1 and Steroids. In order to analyze which growth factors are essential for stretch-induced muscle growth in vitro, we developed a defined, serum-free medium in which the differentiated, cultured avian muscle fibers could be maintained for extended periods of time. The defined medium (muscle maintenance medium, MM medium) maintains the nitrogen balance of the myofibers for 3 to 7 days, based on myofiber diameter measurements and myosin heavy chain content. Insulin and IGF-1, but not IGF-2, induced pronounced myofiber hypertrophy when added to this medium. In 5 to 7 days, muscle fiber diameters increase by 71 % to 98% compared to untreated controls. Mechanical stimulation of the avian muscle fibers in MM medium increased the sensitivity of the cells to insulin and IGF-1, based on a leftward shift of the insulin dose/response curve for protein synthesis rates. (54). We developed a ligand binding assay for IGF-1 binding proteins and found that the avian skeletal muscle cultures produced three major species of 31, 36 and 43 kD molecular weight (54) Stretch of the myofibers was found to have no significant effect on the efflux of IGF-1 binding proteins, but addition of exogenous collagen stimulated IGF-1 binding protein production 1.5 to 5 fold. Steroid hormones have a profound effect on muscle protein turnover rates in vivo, with the stress-related glucocorticoids inducing rapid skeletal muscle atrophy while androgenic steroids induce skeletal muscle growth. Exercise in humans and animals reduces the catabolic effects of glucocorticoids and may enhance the anabolic effects of androgenic steroids on skeletal muscle. In our continuing work on the involvement of exogenrus growth factors in stretch-induced avian skeletal muscle growth, we have performed experiments to determine whether mechanical stimulation of cultured avian muscle cells alters their response to anabolic steroids or glucocorticoids. In static cultures, testosterone had no effect on muscle cell growth, but 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone and the synthetic steroid stanozolol increased cell growth by up to 18% and 30%, respectively, after a three day exposure. We completed development of a new IBM-based mechanical cell stimulator system to provide greater flexibility in operating and monitoring our experiments. Our previous long term studies on myofiber growth were designed around a perfusion system of our own design. We have recently changed to performing these studies using a modified CELLCO cartridge bioreactor system Z since it has been certified as the ground-based model for the Shuttle's Space Tissue Loss (STL) F= Cell Culture Module. The current goals of this aspect of the project are three fold: 1) to design a Z cell culture system for studying avian skeletal myofiber atrophy on the Shuttle and Space Station; 0 2) to expand the use of bioreactors to cells which do not grow in either suspension or attached to the hollow fibers; and 3) to combine the bioreactor system with our computerized mechanical cell stimulator to have a better in vitro model to study tension/gravity/stretch regulation of skeletal muscle size. Preliminary studies also reported on involved : (1) how release of tension can induce rapid atrophy of tissues cultured avian skeletal muscle cells, and (2) a mechanism to transfer and maintain avian skeletal muscle organoids in modified cartridges in the Space Tissue Loss Module.

Vandenburgh, Herman H.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Tissue Engineered Skeletal Myofibers can Directly "Sense" Gravitational Force Changes

Long-term manned space flight requires a better understanding of skeletal muscle atrophy resulting from microgravity. Atrophy most likely results from changes at both the systemic level (e.g. decreased circulating growth hormone, increased circulating glucocorticoids) and locally (e.g. decreased myofiber resting tension). Differentiated skeletal myofibers in tissue culture have provided a model system over the last decade for gaining a better understanding of the interactions of exogenous growth factors, endogenous growth factors, and muscle fiber tension in regulating protein turnover rates and muscle cell growth. Tissue engineering these cells into three dimensional bioartificial muscle (BAM) constructs has allowed us to extend their use to Space flight studies for the potential future development of countermeasures. Embryonic avian muscle cells were isolated and BAMs tissue engineered as described previously. The myoblasts proliferate and fuse into aligned postmitotic myofibers after ten to fourteen days in vitro. A cylindrical muscle-like structure containing several thousand myofibers is formed which is approximately 30 mm in length, 2-3 mm in diameter, and attached at each end. For the Space Shuttle experiments, the BAMs were transferred to 55 mL bioreactor cartridges (6 BAMs/cartridge). At Kennedy Space Center, the cartridges were mounted in two Space Tissue Loss (STL) Modules (three to four cartridges per Module) and either maintained as ground controls or loaded in a Mid-Deck locker of the Space Shuttle. The BAM cartridges were continuously perfused during the experiment at 1.5 mL/ min with tissue culture medium. Eighteen BAMs were flown for nine days on Mission STS66 while eighteen BAMs served as ground controls. The complete experiment was repeated on Mission STS77 with twenty four BAMs in each group. BAMs could be maintained in a healthy state for at least 30 days in the perfusion bioreactor cartridges. The BAM muscle fibers directly detected both the loss of gravity and the reloading effects of 1 x g. While total cellular metabolism and total protein degradation rates were not altered during 9 to 10 days in Space, protein synthesis rates were significantly reduced and resulted in significant myofiber atrophy compared to ground controls. One g reloading of the flight muscle cells post-flight significantly increased protein synthesis rates and the synthesis rates of myosin heavy chain, fibronectin, and collagen. Tissue cultured muscle cells can directly "sense" changes in gravity and provide a valid model to begin the study of countermeasures. Based on our ground based experiments, and the experiments of others, growth hormone and/or insulin-like growth factors are attractive protein therapeutics which may assisting attenuating skeletal muscle wasting in space. Our laboratory is developing a new cell-based delivery system for this and other potential therapeutic factors for attenuating muscle and bone wasting.

Vandenburgh, Herman H.↗

NASA NTRS1999

STS-93 Post Flight Presentation

An overview of Flight STS-93 is presented. The primary objective of the STS-93 mission was to deploy the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), also known as the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The mission flew on the Columbia Shuttle, on July 22, 1999. This facility is the most sophisticated X-ray observatory ever built. Other payloads on STS-93 were: (1) the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX), (2) Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Local Exhaust (SIMPLEX), (3) Southwest Ultraviolet Imaging System (SWUIS), (4) Gelation of Sols: Applied Microgravity Research (GOSAMR), Space Tissue Loss-B (STL-B), (5) Light Weight Flexible Solar Array Hinge (LFSAH), (6) Cell Culture Module (CCM), and (7) the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II), (8) EarthKam, (9) Plant Growth Investigations in Microgravity (PGIM), (10) Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), (11) Micro-Electrical Mechanical System (MEMS), and (12) the Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC). The crew was: Eileen M. Collins, Mission Commander, the first female shuttle commander; Jeffrey S. Ashby, Pilot; Steven A. Hawley , Mission Specialist; Catherine G. Coleman, Mission Specialist; Michel Tognini (CNES), Mission Specialist. The video contains views of life aboard the space shuttle. This mission featured both a night launching and a night landing at the Kennedy Space Center.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2000

Challenges in Integrating Nondestructive Evaluation and Finite Element Methods for Realistic Structural Analysis

Capabilities and expertise related to the development of links between nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and finite element analysis (FEA) at Glenn Research Center (GRC) are demonstrated. Current tools to analyze data produced by computed tomography (CT) scans are exercised to help assess the damage state in high temperature structural composite materials. A utility translator was written to convert velocity (an image processing software) STL data file to a suitable CAD-FEA type file. Finite element analyses are carried out with MARC, a commercial nonlinear finite element code, and the analytical results are discussed. Modeling was established by building MSC/Patran (a pre and post processing finite element package) generated model and comparing it to a model generated by Velocity in conjunction with MSC/Patran Graphics. Modeling issues and results are discussed in this paper. The entire process that outlines the tie between the data extracted via NDE and the finite element modeling and analysis is fully described.

Abdul-Aziz, Ali↗

NASA NTRS1999

Field Encapsulation Library The FEL 2.2 User Guide

This document describes version 2.2 of the Field Encapsulation Library (FEL), a library of mesh and field classes. FEL is a library for programmers - it is a "building block" enabling the rapid development of applications by a user. Since FEL is a library intended for code development, it is essential that enough technical detail be provided so that one can make full use of the code. Providing such detail requires some assumptions with respect to the reader's familiarity with the library implementation language, C++, particularly C++ with templates. We have done our best to make the explanations accessible to those who may not be completely C++ literate. Nevertheless, familiarity with the language will certainly help one's understanding of how and why things work the way they do. One consolation is that the level of understanding essential for using the library is significantly less than the level that one should have in order to modify or extend the library. One more remark on C++ templates: Templates have been a source of both joy and frustration for us. The frustration stems from the lack of mature or complete implementations that one has to work with. Template problems rear their ugly head particularly when porting. When porting C code, successfully compiling to a set of object files typically means that one is almost done. With templated C++ and the current state of the compilers and linkers, generating the object files is often only the beginning of the fun. On the other hand, templates are quite powerful. Used judiciously, templates enable more succinct designs and more efficient code. Templates also help with code maintenance. Designers can avoid creating objects that are the same in many respects, but not exactly the same. For example, FEL fields are templated by node type, thus the code for scalar fields and vector fields is shared. Furthermore, node type templating allows the library user to instantiate fields with data types not provided by the FEL authors. This type of flexibility would be difficult to offer without the support of the language. For users who may be having template-related problems, we offer the consolation that support for C++ templates is destined to improve with time. Efforts such as the Standard Template Library (STL) will inevitably drive vendors to provide more thorough, optimized tools for template code development. Furthermore, the benefits will become harder to resist for those who currently subscribe to the least-common-denominator "code it all in C" strategy. May FEL bring you both increased productivity and aesthetic satisfaction.

Moran, Patrick J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

ISRU Technologies for Mars Life Support

Life support systems can take advantage of elements in the atmosphere of Mars to provide for necessary consumables such as oxygen and buffer gas for makeup of leakage. In situ consumables production (ISCP) can be performed effectively in conjunction with in situ propellant production, in which oxygen and methane are manufactured for rocket fuel. This project considers ways of achieving the optimal system objectives from the two sometimes competing objectives of ISPP and ISCP. In previous years we worked on production of a nitrogen-argon buffer gas as a by- product of the CO2 acquisition and compression system. Recently we have been focusing on combined electrolysis of water vapor and carbon dioxide. Combined electrolysis of water vapor and carbon dioxide is essential for reducin,o the complexity of a combined ISPP/ISCP plant. Using a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) for this combined process would be most advantageous for it allows mainly gas phase reactions, O2 gas delivered from the electrolyzer is free of any H2O vapor, and SOE is already a proven technology for pure CO2 electrolysis. Combined SOEC testing is conducted at The University of Arizona in the Space Technologies Laboratory (STL) of the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department.

Finn, John E.↗