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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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NASA NTRS2001

Thermal Design, Analysis, and Testing of the Quench Module Insert Bread Board

The science requirements for materials processing is to provide the desired PI requirements of thermal gradient, solid/liquid interface front velocity for a given processing temperature desired by the PI. Processing is performed by translating the furnace with the sample in a stationary position to minimize any disturbances to the solid/liquid interface front during steady state processing. Typical sample materials for this metals and alloys furnace are lead-tin alloys, lead-antimony alloys, and aluminum alloys. Samples must be safe to process and therefore typically are contained with hermetically sealed cartridge tubes (gas tight) with inner ceramic liners (liquid tight) to prevent contamination and/or reaction of the sample material with the cartridge tube.

Breeding Shawn↗

NASA NTRS2012

Space Environments and Spacecraft Effects Concept: Transitioning Research to Operations and Applications

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is embarking on a course to expand human presence beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) while expanding its mission to explore the solar system. Destinations such as Near Earth Asteroids (NEA), Mars and its moons, and the outer planets are but a few of the mission targets. NASA has established numerous organizations specializing in specific space environments disciplines that will serve to enable these missions. To complement these existing discipline organizations, a concept is presented focusing on the development of a space environment and spacecraft effects organization. This includes space climate, space weather, natural and induced space environments, and effects on spacecraft materials and systems. This space environment and spacecraft effects organization would be comprised of Technical Working Groups (TWG) focusing on, for example: a) Charged Particles (CP), b) Space Environmental Effects (SEE), and c) Interplanetary and Extraterrestrial Environments (IEE). These technical working groups will generate products and provide knowledge supporting four functional areas: design environments, environment effects, operational support, and programmatic support. The four functional areas align with phases in the program mission lifecycle and are briefly described below. Design environments are used primarily in the mission concept and design phases of a program. Environment effects focuses on the material, component, sub-system and system-level selection and the testing to verify design and operational performance. Operational support provides products based on real time or near real time space weather observations to mission operators to aid in real time and near-term decision-making. The programmatic support function maintains an interface with the numerous programs within NASA and other federal agencies to ensure that communications are well established and the needs of the programs are being met. The programmatic support function also includes working in coordination with the program in anomaly resolution and generation of lesson learned documentation. The goal of this space environment and spacecraft effects organization is to develop decision-making tools and engineering products to support the mission phases of mission concept through operations by focusing on transitioning research to application. Products generated by this space environments and spacecraft effects organization are suitable for use in anomaly investigations. This paper will describe the organizational structure for this space environments and spacecraft effects organization, and outline the scope of conceptual TWG's and their relationship to the functional areas.

Edwards, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Space Environments and Spacecraft Effects Organization Concept

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is embarking on a course to expand human presence beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) while also expanding its mission to explore the solar system. Destinations such as Near Earth Asteroids (NEA), Mars and its moons, and the outer planets are but a few of the mission targets. Each new destination presents an opportunity to increase our knowledge of the solar system and the unique environments for each mission target. NASA has multiple technical and science discipline areas specializing in specific space environments disciplines that will help serve to enable these missions. To complement these existing discipline areas, a concept is presented focusing on the development of a space environments and spacecraft effects (SENSE) organization. This SENSE organization includes disciplines such as space climate, space weather, natural and induced space environments, effects on spacecraft materials and systems and the transition of research information into application. This space environment and spacecraft effects organization will be composed of Technical Working Groups (TWG). These technical working groups will survey customers and users, generate products, and provide knowledge supporting four functional areas: design environments, engineering effects, operational support, and programmatic support. The four functional areas align with phases in the program mission lifecycle and are briefly described below. Design environments are used primarily in the mission concept and design phases of a program. Engineering effects focuses on the material, component, sub-system and system-level selection and the testing to verify design and operational performance. Operational support provides products based on real time or near real time space weather to mission operators to aid in real time and near-term decision-making. The programmatic support function maintains an interface with the numerous programs within NASA, other federal government agencies, and the commercial sector to ensure that communications are well established and the needs of the programs are being met. The programmatic support function also includes working in coordination with the program in anomaly resolution and generation of lessons learned documentation. The goal of this space environment and spacecraft effects organization is to develop decision-making tools and engineering products to support all mission phases from mission concept through operations by focusing on transitioning research to application. Products generated by this space environments and effects application are suitable for use in anomaly investigations. This paper will describe the scope of the TWGs and their relationship to the functional areas, and discuss an organizational structure for this space environments and spacecraft effects organization.

Edwards, David L.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Multifunctional Bistable Ultrathin Composite Boom for In-Space Monitoring of Deployment Dynamics

A novel concept of a multifunctional deployable ultrathin composite boom with flexible electronics and circuits integrated in a highly compact configuration, which can monitor its deployment dynamics in space, is presented in this paper. This concept is particularly suitable for CubeSats with extremely limited payload volume. The multifunctional deployable boom will be flight hardware installed in a 3U CubeSat that is scheduled to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2023 as an in-space technology demonstration. The multifunctional boom consists of a bistable self-deployable ultrathin composite boom, flexible electronics and circuitry for dynamics monitoring, and embedded flexible thin wires for power delivery and data transmission. The design, materials, and fabrication methods for the multifunctional boom are presented. Tests in simulated space environments showed the survivability and stability of the flexible electronics within a temperature range of 7 °C to 50 °C and under a high vacuum level of approximately 1 × 10−6 Torr. Ground-based vibration and deployment tests demonstrated the overall design of the multifunctional boom, data acquisition system, and deployment mechanism. Analyses of the data obtained from the integrated flexible electronics successfully captured the deployment dynamics and identified the natural frequencies of the boom in the range of 0–100 Hz. These results demonstrate that the concept is a promising approach to future multifunctional ultrathin deployable space structures.

Yao Yao↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Multifunctional Bistable Ultrathin Composite Boom for In-Space Monitoring of Deployment Dynamics

Yao Yao↗

NASA NTRS1990

The feasibility of solar reflector production from lunar materials for solar power in space

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) investigated the feasibility of producing solar reflectors from indigenous lunar materials for solar power production on the moon. First, lunar construction materials and production processes were reviewed, and candidate materials for reflector production were identified. At the same time, lunar environmental conditions were reviewed for their effect on production of concentrators. Next, conceptual designs and fabrication methods were proposed and studied for production of dish concentrators and heliostats. Finally, fabrication testing was performed on small-scale models using earth analogs of lunar materials. Findings from this initial investigation indicate that production of concentrators from lunar materials may be an attractive approach for solar energy production on the moon. Further design and testing are required to determine the best techniques and approaches to optimize this concept. Four materials were identified as having high potential for solar reflector manufacture. These baseline materials were foamed glass, concrete with glass-fiber reinforcement, a glass-fiber/glass-melt composite, and an iron-glass sintered material.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2015

Initial Operation of the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator

The Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) facility is designed to perform realistic non-nuclear testing of nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) fuel elements and fuel materials. Although the NTREES facility cannot mimic the neutron and gamma environment of an operating NTR, it can simulate the thermal hydraulic environment within an NTR fuel element to provide critical information on material performance and compatibility. The NTREES facility has recently been upgraded such that the power capabilities of the facility have been increased significantly. At its present 1.2 MW power level, more prototypical fuel element temperatures nay now be reached. The new 1.2 MW induction heater consists of three physical units consisting of a transformer, rectifier, and inverter. This multiunit arrangement facilitated increasing the flexibility of the induction heater by more easily allowing variable frequency operation. Frequency ranges between 20 and 60 kHz can accommodated in the new induction heater allowing more representative power distributions to be generated within the test elements. The water cooling system was also upgraded to so as to be capable of removing 100% of the heat generated during testing In this new higher power configuration, NTREES will be capable of testing fuel elements and fuel materials at near-prototypic power densities. As checkout testing progressed and as higher power levels were achieved, several design deficiencies were discovered and fixed. Most of these design deficiencies were related to stray RF energy causing various components to encounter unexpected heating. Copper shielding around these components largely eliminated these problems. Other problems encountered involved unexpected movement in the coil due to electromagnetic forces and electrical arcing between the coil and a dummy test article. The coil movement and arcing which were encountered during the checkout testing effectively destroyed the induction coil in use at the time and resulted in NTREES being out of commission for a couple of months while a new stronger coil was procured. The new coil includes several additional pieces of support structure to prevent coil movement in the future. In addition, new insulating test article support components have been fabricated to prevent unexpected arcing to the test articles. Additional activities are also now underway to address ways in which the radial temperature profiles across test articles may be controlled such that they are more prototypical of what they would encounter in an operating nuclear engine. The causes of the temperature distribution problem are twofold. First, the fuel element test article is isolated in NTREES as opposed to being in the midst of many other mostly identical fuel elements in a nuclear engine. As a result, the fuel element heat flux boundary conditions in NTREES are far from adiabatic as would normally be the case in a reactor. Second, induction heating skews the power distribution such that power is preferentially deposited near the outside of the fuel element. Nuclear heating, conversely, deposits its power much more uniformly throughout the fuel element. Current studies are now looking at various schemes to adjust the amount of thermal radiation emitted from the fuel element surface so as to essentially vary the thermal boundary conditions on the test article. It is hoped that by properly adjusting the thermal boundary conditions on the fuel element test article, it may be possible to substantially correct for the inappropriate radial power distributions resulting from the induction heating so as to yield a more nearly correct temperature distribution throughout the fuel element.

Emrich, William J., Jr.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Grain Shape Characterization as an Enabling Capability for Lunar Surface Technologies

Lunar regolith has unique physical and geotechnical properties compared with familiar granular materials on Earth, and most lunar simulants as well. Specifically, the cohesion, angle of repose, and compressibility are much higher, and flowability is much lower for lunar regolith than otherwise similar terrestrial-derived materials[1,2]. There is confusion in the literature about the relative importance of vacuum, gravity, and inherent grain characteristics in driving these differences. Here we emphasize the importance of characterizing grain types and shapes for designing and test-ing lunar surface technologies, including for rover mobility, material handling, soil sampling, and heat transfer analyses. We demonstrate laboratory capabilities and preliminary studies, and outline further work to better characterize and simulate lunar grains to reduce risks for surface activities

K. M. Cannon↗

NASA NTRS1991

Mechanical properties of 2D and 3D braided textile composites

The purpose of this research was to determine the mechanical properties of 2D and 3D braided textile composite materials. Specifically, those designed for tension or shear loading were tested under static loading to failure to investigate the effects of braiding. The overall goal of the work was to provide a structural designer with an idea of how textile composites perform under typical loading conditions. From test results for unnotched tension, it was determined that the 2D is stronger, stiffer, and has higher elongation to failure than the 3D. It was also found that the polyetherether ketone (PEEK) resin system was stronger, stiffer, and had higher elongation at failure than the resin transfer molding (RTM) epoxy. Open hole tension tests showed that PEEK resin is more notch sensitive than RTM epoxy. Of greater significance, it was found that the 3D is less notch sensitive than the 2D. Unnotched compression tests indicated, as did the tension tests, that the 2D is stronger, stiffer, and has higher elongation at failure than the RTM epoxy. The most encouraging results were from compression after impact. The 3D braided composite showed a compression after impact failure stress equal to 92 percent of the unimpacted specimen. The 2D braided composite failed at about 67 percent of the unimpacted specimen. Higher damage tolerance is observed in textiles over conventional composite materials. This is observed in the results, especially in the 3D braided materials.

Norman, Timothy L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

SiC/SiC Leading Edge Turbine Airfoil Tested Under Simulated Gas Turbine Conditions

Silicon-based ceramics have been proposed as component materials for use in gas turbine engine hot-sections. A high pressure burner rig was used to expose both a baseline metal airfoil and ceramic matrix composite leading edge airfoil to typical gas turbine conditions to comparatively evaluate the material response at high temperatures. To eliminate many of the concerns related to an entirely ceramic, rotating airfoil, this study has focused on equipping a stationary metal airfoil with a ceramic leading edge insert to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of such a configuration. Here, the idea was to allow the SiC/SiC composite to be integrated as the airfoil's leading edge, operating in a "free-floating" or unrestrained manner. and provide temperature relief to the metal blade underneath. The test included cycling the airfoils between simulated idle, lift, and cruise flight conditions. In addition, the airfoils were air-cooled, uniquely instrumented, and exposed to the same internal and external conditions, which included gas temperatures in excess of 1370 C (2500 F). Results show the leading edge insert remained structurally intact after 200 simulated flight cycles with only a slightly oxidized surface. The instrumentation clearly suggested a significant reduction (approximately 600 F) in internal metal temperatures as a result of the ceramic leading edge. The object of this testing was to validate the design and analysis done by Materials Research and Design of Rosemont, PA and to determine the feasibility of this design for the intended application.

Robinson, R. Craig↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

3D Woven Composite End Ring Structure: Design Development and Verification Testing

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Technology and Mission Directorate (STMD) is advancing composite technologies for exploration missions. The Composite Technology for Exploration (CTE) project goal is to advance lightweight joint concepts for Space Launch System (SLS) class structures. To this end CTE is developing and demonstrating a 3D woven carbon /epoxy composite joint design co-bonded in a circumferential end ring configuration, applied to a SLS sized conceptual payload attachment structure. This joint is a lightweight alternative to heavy and costly metallic joints. The 3D woven joint development advances lightweight joint technologies through material and structural design, material and joint analyses, and fabrication, as well as demonstration through building block testing. Prior limited building block tests are mentioned. In this paper, new sub-element-scale test results are described that demonstrate the structural capability well beyond design limit load. Then, results for a sub-component test article with a 889 mm joint subjected to combined loads are presented.

Kenneth N Segal↗

NASA NTRS2018

Zero Launch Mass Three Dimensional Print Head

NASA's strategic goal is to put humans on Mars in the 2030's. The NASA Human Spaceflight Architecture Team (HAT) and NASA Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0 has determined that in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is an essential technology to accomplish this mission. Additive construction technology using in-situ materials from planetary surfaces will reduce launch mass, allow structures to be three dimensionally (3D) printed on demand, and will allow building designs to be transmitted digitally from Earth and printed in space. This will ultimately lead to elimination of reliance on structural materials launched from Earth (zero launch mass of construction consumables). The zero launch mass (ZLM) 3D print head project addressed this need by developing a system that 3D prints using a mixture of in-situ regolith and polymer as feedstock, determining the optimum mixture ratio and regolith particle size distribution, developing software to convert g-code into motion instructions for a FANUC robotic arm, printing test samples, performing materials testing, and printing a reduced scale habitable structure concept. This paper will focus on the ZLM 3D Print Head design, materials selection, software development, and lessons learned from operating the system in the NASA KSC Swamp Works Granular Mechanics & Regolith Operations (GMRO) Laboratory.

3D print↗

NASA NTRS2018

Zero Launch Mass Three Dimensional Print Head

NASA's strategic goal is to put humans on Mars in the 2030s. The NASA Human Spaceflight Architecture Team (HAT) and NASA Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0 has determined that in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is an essential technology to accomplish this mission. Additive construction technology using in-situ materials from planetary surfaces will reduce launch mass, allow structures to be three dimensionally (3D) printed on demand, and will allow building designs to be transmitted digitally from Earth and printed in space. This will ultimately lead to elimination of reliance on structural materials launched from Earth (zero launch mass of construction consumables). The zero launch mass (ZLM) 3D print head project addressed this need by developing a system that 3D prints using a mixture of in-situ regolith and polymer as feedstock, determining the optimum mixture ratio and regolith particle size distribution, developing software to convert g-code into motion instructions for a FANUC robotic arm, printing test samples, performing materials testing, and printing a reduced scale habitable structure concept. This paper will focus on the ZLM 3D Print Head design, materials selection, software development, and lessons learned from operating the system in the NASA KSC Swamp Works Granular Mechanics & Regolith Operations (GMRO) Laboratory.

Regolith↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Origami-based Composite Space Structures

The main objective of my internship was working on developing a new type of deployable composite for space structures and new method of deployment via use of origami, composites, UV curing resins, and shape memory polymers. My role in the project was to collect an initial literature survey on the subject including origami, the history of deployable space structures, previous issues and problems faced in the field, previous and current research being done on the structural aspect as well as the materials aspect of the subject. I presented this information to our team, where we discussed and determined our research focus and project design specs. We have been making or will make decisions on the project’s purpose, material, origami type, manufacturing method, and testing methods. I am now in charge of the protype design as we enter the design stage of our research. I am using PTC Creo software to design the structural aspects of the first protype so that we can begin small scale testing. I will perform data analysis in order to review the results with our team, so we can make the next design decisions regarding changes or iterations of the design. We hope to renew this project in the next fiscal year in order to increase the TRL of the project so that it can eventually be used in multiple functions in space such as the construction of lunar habitats. In just my brief time with NASA, I have gained so much personally and professionally. I developed my ability to search through and narrow down information when doing research. In the weekly meetings I practiced presenting information to my peers and superiors, and, just as importantly, discussing and adapting to what we were learning. I acquired experience in using technology to my advantage including remote work, new software like PTC Creo, NASA archives, and connecting with others beyond my team to gain help. I enjoyed the immense resource of knowledge that my mentors had to offer, and that they gave me a large amount of responsibility in this research. I truly felt like I was contributing to something bigger than myself and understood how directly I was involved in NASA’s work. This internship has further cemented my love for space and desire to continue in the field. I have a better understanding of the research and development process and am now considering joining a research lab with my university next year.

Composite↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Engineering the Interface: Advanced Surface Technologies for Lunar Dust Management and Equipment Longevity

Through the Artemis program, NASA intends to develop a sustainable human foothold on the Moon, ultimately paving the way for crewed exploration of Mars. The Moon's hostile environment poses numerous obstacles, including exposure to radiation, temperature extremes, micrometeoroid threats, and particularly the persistent problem of lunar dust. Lunar dust impacts nearly every aspect of surface operations through adhesion and abrasion mechanisms, with contamination from anthropogenic activities (landing, rovers) far outweighing natural phenomena. Multiple adhesion pathways contribute to surface contamination in the lunar environment, including van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, chemical reaction, and magnetic forces from elemental iron deposits. Sharp asperities from micrometeoroid bombardment and atmospheric absence increase interaction potential and enable mechanical interlocking. Low cohesion between dust particles exacerbates these challenges, as minimal interaction potential between dust and nearby surfaces overcomes particle cohesion, causing contamination. Lunar dust adhesion mitigation technologies can be categorized as either active, requiring external energy, or passive, relying on intrinsic material properties. Ultrasonic and electrodynamic technologies have been developed to the highest technology readiness level for active approaches. Passive strategies primarily focus on surface chemistry and topography modifications. At NASA Langley Research Center, approaches include surface migration agents to reduce surface energy, topographical modification using laser ablation patterning, and tailored surface conductivity to reduce intrinsic adhesion force. Performance has been evaluated using custom-built ultrasonic and centrifuge instruments. Plume-surface interactions from lunar landers can propel micrometer-sized particles at velocities up to 1000 m s-1.8 These particles pose risks to landers, habitats and infrastructure, leading to erosion, degradation, and reduced component lifespan. A panel recovered from Surveyor III was determined to have been severely abraded because of lunar dust displaced from the Apollo 12 lunar module that landed 160 m away. The performance of metallic surfaces has been evaluated via high velocity single particle impact using the laser-induced project impact test (LIPIT) facility at the University of Utah. Peridynamics modeling, a form of continuum mechanics that uses a nonlocal approach enabling greater simulation capabilities of crack initiation and fracture, has also been utilized to gain greater insight into material response during impact events. Lunar dust contamination challenges extend to power generation systems and moving equipment. Cables, rotation stages, and other mechanisms may experience limited range of motion and reduced lifetime due to dust infiltration. NASA Langley Research Center has evaluated traditional aerospace alloys, softgoods, wear resistant ceramics, and several polymer and polymer composite materials. Test methods have included traditional techniques like Taber abrasion testing, as well as designed test configurations developed in the DUSTE (dust, ultraviolet radiation, and space thermal environmental) chamber that reproduce mechanism functions in operational environment. Beyond laboratory experiments, several flight experiments have been conducted. Materials were exposed to the low Earth orbit environment on the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) and to the lunar surface environment through the Aegis Aerospace Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC) payload and the Honeybee Robotics PlanetVac payload. Determining lunar dust's impact on surface exploration and habitation requires comprehensive experimental and computational capabilities combined with lessons learned from initial lunar activities. Identifying the greatest environmental challenges and developing mitigation technologies provides the clearest path toward successfully, expeditiously, and efficaciously completing NASA's mission. This presentation will discuss ongoing efforts at NASA Langley Research Center and collaborator contributions to these critical objectives.

Surface Engineering↗

NASA NTRS2008

Flow Components in a NaK Test Loop Designed to Simulate Conditions in a Nuclear Surface Power Reactor

A test loop using NaK as the working fluid is presently in use to study material compatibility effects on various components that comprise a possible nuclear reactor design for use on the lunar surface. A DC electromagnetic (EM) pump has been designed and implemented as a means of actively controlling the NaK flow rate through the system and an EM flow sensor is employed to monitor the developed flow rate. These components allow for the matching of the flow rate conditions in test loops with those that would be found in a full-scale surface-power reactor. The design and operating characteristics of the EM pump and flow sensor are presented. In the EM pump, current is applied to a set of electrodes to produce a Lorentz body force in the fluid. A measurement of the induced voltage (back-EMF) in the flow sensor provides the means of monitoring flow rate. Both components are compact, employing high magnetic field strength neodymium magnets thermally coupled to a water-cooled housing. A vacuum gap limits the heat transferred from the high temperature NaK tube to the magnets and a magnetically-permeable material completes the magnetic circuit. The pump is designed to produce a pressure rise of 5 psi, and the flow sensor's predicted output is roughly 20 mV at the loop's nominal flow rate of 0.5 GPM.

Polzin, Kurt A.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Methodology for designing accelerated aging tests for predicting life of photovoltaic arrays

A methodology for designing aging tests in which life prediction was paramount was developed. The methodology builds upon experience with regard to aging behavior in those material classes which are expected to be utilized as encapsulant elements, viz., glasses and polymers, and upon experience with the design of aging tests. The experiences were reviewed, and results are discussed in detail.

Gaines, G. B.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Structural design of space telescope

Problematic areas are discussed relative to the design of the NASA Large Space Telescope with a view toward showing how these areas are currently being treated so that the primary goals of the program can be met. The discussion covers basic mission, design parameters, metering structural material, and measurements of thermal expansion coefficient and scale testing. Since the test program has not been completed, there are so far no data available to show comparison between the baseline metering structure design and test. However, graphite-epoxy appears very favorable for structural uses, where precise alignment is necessary and a high degree of thermal stability is desired. It is anticipated that there will be a convergence on a straightforward method of arranging the basic structure for the ease of manufacturing and cost savings.

Arnts, G. W., Jr.↗