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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

A Future Moon Mission: Curatorial Statistics on Regolith Fragments Applicable to Sample Collection by Raking

The strategy of raking rock fragments from the lunar regolith as a means of acquiring representative samples has wide support due to science return, spacecraft simplicity (reliability) and economy [3, 4, 5]. While there exists widespread agreement that raking or sieving the bulk regolith is good strategy, there is lively discussion about the minimum sample size. Advocates of consor-tium studies desire fragments large enough to support petrologic and isotopic studies. Fragments from 5 to 10 mm are thought adequate [4, 5]. Yet, Jolliff et al. [6] demonstrated use of 2-4 mm fragments as repre-sentative of larger rocks. Here we make use of cura-torial records and sample catalogs to give a different perspective on minimum sample size for a robotic sample collector.

Allton, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Asteroid Redirect Mission: EVA and Sample Collection

Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Overview (1) Notional Development Schedule, (2) ARV Crewed Mission Accommodations; Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) Mission Summary; ARCM Accomplishments; Sample collection/curation plan (1) CAPTEM Requirements; SBAG Engagement Plan

Abell, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2016

Curating NASA's Past, Present, and Future Extraterrestrial Sample Collections

The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office (henceforth referred to herein as NASA Curation Office) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is responsible for curating all of NASA's extraterrestrial samples. Under the governing document, NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 7100.10E "Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials", JSC is charged with "...curation of all extra-terrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions." The Directive goes on to define Curation as including "...documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public outreach." Here we describe some of the past, present, and future activities of the NASA Curation Office.

McCubbin, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Extravehicular Activity Asteroid Exploration and Sample Collection Capability

One of the challenging primary objectives associated with NASA's Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) is to demonstrate deep space Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and tools and to obtain asteroid samples to return to Earth for further study. Prior Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) spacewalks have benefited from engineered EVA interfaces which have been designed and manufactured on Earth. Rigid structurally mounted handrails, and tools with customized interfaces and restraints optimize EVA performance. For ARCM, EVA complexity increases due to the uncertainty of the asteroid properties. The variability of rock size, shape and composition, as well as behavior of the asteroid capture mechanism will complicate EVA translation, tool restraint, and body stabilization. The unknown asteroid hardness and brittleness will complicate tool use. The rock surface will introduce added safety concerns for cut gloves and debris control. Feasible solutions to meet ARCM EVA objectives were identified using experience gained during Apollo, Shuttle, and ISS EVAs, terrestrial mountaineering practices, NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 16 mission, and during Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory testing in the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) suit. This paper will summarize the overall operational concepts for conducting EVAs for the ARCM mission including translation paths and body restraint methods, potential tools used to extract the samples, design implications for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) for EVA, and the results of early development testing of potential EVA tasks.

Sipila, Stephanie A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Extravehicular Activity Asteroid Exploration and Sample Collection Capability

One of the challenging primary objectives associated with NASA's Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) is to demonstrate deep space Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and tools and to obtain asteroid samples to return to Earth for further study. Prior Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) spacewalks have benefited from engineered EVA interfaces which have been designed and manufactured on Earth. Rigid structurally mounted handrails, and tools with customized interfaces and restraints optimize EVA performance. For ARCM, EVA complexity increases due to the uncertainty of the asteroid properties. The variability of rock size, shape and composition, as well as behavior of the asteroid capture mechanism will complicate EVA translation, tool restraint, and body stabilization. The unknown asteroid hardness and brittleness will complicate tool use. The rock surface will introduce added safety concerns for cut gloves and debris control. Feasible solutions to meet ARCM EVA objectives were identified using experience gained during Apollo, Shuttle, and ISS EVAs, terrestrial mountaineering practices, NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 16 mission, and during Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory testing in the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) suit. This paper will summarize the overall operational concepts for conducting EVAs for the ARCM mission including translation paths and body restraint methods, potential tools used to extract the samples, design implications for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) for EVA, and the results of early development testing of potential EVA tasks.

Sipila, Stephanie A.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Curating Nasa's Future Extraterrestrial Sample Collections: the Role of Advanced Curation

The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) (henceforth referred to herein as NASA Curation Office) is responsible for curating all of NASA's extraterrestrial samples. Under the governing document, NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 7100.10F "Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials," JSC is charged with "The curation of all extraterrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions." The Directive goes on to define Curation as including "...documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for re-search, education, and public outreach." Here we describe some of the ongoing efforts to ensure that the future activities of the NASA Curation Office are working towards a state of maximum proficiency.

McCubbin, Francis M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Curating NASA's Future Extraterrestrial Sample Collections: How Do We Achieve Maximum Proficiency?

The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office (henceforth referred to herein as NASA Curation Office) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is responsible for curating all of NASA's extraterrestrial samples. Under the governing document, NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 7100.10E "Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials", JSC is charged with "The curation of all extraterrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions." The Directive goes on to define Curation as including "... documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public outreach." Here we describe some of the ongoing efforts to ensure that the future activities of the NASA Curation Office are working towards a state of maximum proficiency.

McCubbin, Francis↗
NASA NTRS1988

Mars sample collection and preservation

The intensive exploration of Mars is a major step in the systematic exploration of the solar system. Mars, earth, and Venus provide valuable contrasts in planetary evolution. Mars exploration has progressed through the stages of exploration and is now ready for a sample-return mission. About 5 kg of intelligently selected samples will be returned from Mars. A variety of samples are wanted. This requires accurate landing in areas of high interest, surface mobility and analytical capability, a variety of sampling tools, and stringent preservation and isolation measures.

Blanchard, Douglas P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Mars Rover Sample Return: A sample collection and analysis strategy for exobiology

For reasons defined elsewhere it is reasonable to search for biological signatures, both chemical and morphological, of extinct life on Mars. Life on Earth requries the presence of liquid water, therefore, it is important to explore sites on Mars where standing bodies of water may have once existed. Outcrops of layered deposits within the Valles Marineris appear to be ancient lake beds. Because the outcrops are well exposed, relatively shallow core samples would be very informative. The most important biological signature to detect would be organics, microfossils, or larger stromato-like structures, although the presence of cherts, carbonates, clays, and shales would be significant. In spite of the limitations of current robotics and pattern recognition, and the limitations of rover power, computation, Earth communication bandwidth, and time delays, a partial scenario was developed to implement such a scientific investigation. The rover instrumentation and the procedures and decisions and IR spectrometer are described in detail. Preliminary results from a collaborative effort are described, which indicate the rover will be able to autonomously detect stratification, and hence will ease the interpretation burden and lead to greater scientific productivity during the rover's lifetime.

Sims, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Pre-Mission Input Requirements to Enable Successful Sample Collection by A Remote Field/EVA Team

The FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) team, part of the Solar System Exploration Virtual Institute (SSERVI), is a field-based research program aimed at generating strategic knowledge in preparation for human and robotic exploration of the Moon, near-Earth asteroids, Phobos and Deimos, and beyond. In contract to other technology-driven NASA analog studies, The FINESSE WCIS activity is science-focused and, moreover, is sampling-focused with the explicit intent to return the best samples for geochronology studies in the laboratory. We used the FINESSE field excursion to the West Clearwater Lake Impact structure (WCIS) as an opportunity to test factors related to sampling decisions. We examined the in situ sample characterization and real-time decision-making process of the astronauts, with a guiding hypothesis that pre-mission training that included detailed background information on the analytical fate of a sample would better enable future astronauts to select samples that would best meet science requirements. We conducted three tests of this hypothesis over several days in the field. Our investigation was designed to document processes, tools and procedures for crew sampling of planetary targets. This was not meant to be a blind, controlled test of crew efficacy, but rather an effort to explicitly recognize the relevant variables that enter into sampling protocol and to be able to develop recommendations for crew and backroom training in future endeavors.

FINESSE↗
NASA NTRS2018

What Could Be Learned About the Geochronology of Mars from Samples Collected by M-2020

Based on meteoritic evidence, Mars accreted as early as 2 Ma after the formation of the first solids in the solar system from material with an O-Ti-Cr-Ni isotopic provenance distinct from the Earth- Moon system. It likely formed a magma ocean within approx. 100 Ma after solar system formation, from which the martian core last equilibrated with its mantle at pressures of approx. 14 GPa. The formation of most of the mass of the Martian crust is constrained to have occurred by 4.35 Ga. Remanent magnetization in martian meteorite ALH 84001 demonstrates a dynamo had initiated on Mars at or before 4.1 Ga. Sample return is necessary because meteorites lack geologic context and their orientation with respect to the paleomagnetic field is not known.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2006

Elemental Compositions of Comet 81P/Wild 2 Samples Collected by Stardust

We measured the chemical compositions of material from 23 particles in aerogel and residue in 7 craters in aluminum foil, collected during passage of the Stardust spacecraft through the coma of Comet 81P/Wild 2. These particles are chemically heterogeneous at the largest size-scale analyzed, ~180 nanograms. The mean chemical composition of this Wild 2 material agrees with the CI meteorite composition for the refractory elements Mg, Si, Cr, Fe, and Ni to 35%, and for Ca and Mn to 50%. The data suggest the moderately volatile elements Cu, Zn, and Ga may be enriched in this Wild 2 material.

Flynn, G. J.↗