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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Mars Atmosphere Effects on Arc Welds: Phase 1

NASA has been unprecedented in achieving its goals related to space exploration and furthering the understanding of our solar system. In keeping with this trend, NASA's current mission is to land a team of astronauts on Mars and return them safely to Earth. In addition to comprising much of the structure and life support systems that will be brought to Mars for the habitat and vehicle, titanium and aluminum can be found and mined on Mars and may be used when building structures.Where metals are present, there will be a need for welding capabilities. For welds that need to be made quickly and are located far from heavy resistance or solid state welding machinery, there will be a need for basic arc welding. Arc welding has been a major cornerstone of manufacturing throughout the 20th century, and the portability and capability of gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) will be necessary for repair, manufacturing, and survival on Mars. The two primary concerns for welding on Mars are that the Martian atmosphere contains high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), and the atmospheric pressure is much lower than it is on Earth. The high levels of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere may dissociate and produce oxygen in the arc and therefore increase the risk of oxidation. For simplification, atmospheric pressure will not be taken into account for this experiment. For survival on Mars during this mission, the life support and water filtration systems must be kept operational at all times. In order to ensure that water filtration systems can be repaired in the event of an emergency, it is very important to have the capability to weld. The Orion capsule and Mars lander must also remain operational throughout the duration of the mission to ensure the safe return of the astronauts on the mission to Mars. A better understanding of welding in a Mars environment is important to ensure that repair welds are possible if the Orion capsule/Mars lander or water filtration system is damaged at any point while on the surface of Mars. The Orion capsule is made primarily of AA2219-T87, and the water filtration system is primarily Ti-6Al-4V, so the effect of the Mars environment on welding those materials must be known to reduce potential mission risk. GTAW is a portable process that can weld a versatile group of metals, so it has many potential applications for welding on Mars. Thus, missions to colonize Mars will depend on the capability to weld a strong, leak-tight joint. Metals are also likely to be used in support structures made of a lightweight and durable material. For this reason, it is important to understand the implications of welding in a Mars environment. A comparison of the Martian and terrestrial atmospheres are provided in table 1. Based on the elemental compositions, simulation of the Martian atmosphere can be made using primarily CO2 gas.

Courtright, Z. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lunar material resources: An overview

The analysis of returned lunar samples and a comparison of the physical and chemical processes operating on the Moon and on the Earth provide a basis for predicting both the possible types of material resources (especially minerals and rocks) and the physical characteristics of ore deposits potentially available on the Moon. The lack of free water on the Moon eliminates the classes of ore deposits that are most exploitable on Earth; namely, (1) hydrothermal, (2) secondary mobilization and enrichment, (3) precipitation from a body of water, and (4) placer. The types of lunar materials available for exploitation are whole rocks and their contained minerals, regolith, fumarolic and vapor deposits, and nonlunar materials, including solar wind implantations. Early exploitation of lunar material resources will be primarily the use of regolith materials for bulk shielding; the extraction from regolith fines of igneous minerals such as plagioclase feldspars and ilmenite for the production of oxygen, structural metals, and water; and possibly the separation from regolith fines of solar-wind-implanted volatiles. The only element, compound, or mineral, that by itself has been identified as having the economic potential for mining, processing, and return to Earth is helium-3.

Carter, James L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Assessment of Technoeconomic Opportunities in Automation for Nuclear Microreactors

Achieving full decarbonization of all economic sectors remains a challenge, especially in niche markets. For example, remote communities and industrial or mining activities detached from the main electric grid heavily rely on fossil fuels, similar to urban and industrial microgrids with combined heat and power needs. A combination of renewables and energy storage is often not suitable due to cost, reliability, intermittency, and large storage requirements. Small nuclear reactors with a flexible purpose could serve these applications. Microreactors (MR) are a class of reactors that are compact, factory manufactured, transportable, and self-regulating. Typically, they generate much less power than their large reactor counterparts. The main advantages of microreactors include the versatile nature of the energy produced, the reliability of supply, and freedom from having to transport and store large quantities of fuels on-site, coupled with the absence of dependence on an electrical grid. A strong business case is needed to move from the microreactor prototype to the commercialization phase. In fact, fossil fuels are still relatively inexpensive, and in the near term, carbon credits will be available to virtually compensate for emissions. For microreactors, one of the main costs in operation and maintenance (O&M) is their staffing levels. In this study, we investigate how to optimize the number (and thus the cost) of workers, moving from a traditional, fully manned, on-site personnel approach to an unmanned, remote personnel approach. We examine four different staffing models that can be implemented as the technology matures and evolves. We estimate the staffing needs of each model and build a business case to justify the substitution of on-site personnel with adequate technologies. To do so, we propose a cost model to quantify potential cost reductions from automating O&M activities. The model accounts for both the reduction in cost derived from the reduced number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) employees and the increase in cost derived from the need to buy new control hardware as needed. Applying the cost model that we created to different scenarios, an on-site O&M cost reduction exceeding 80% can be expected. Additionally, we found that it is more impactful to focus on automating routine O&M tasks rather than attempting to automate transient management (shutdowns, restarts, monitoring condition deviations). In fact, transients typically account for less than 1% of the total FTE time spent on the reactors.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

An Innovative Zero-Liquid Discharge Intermediate-Cold-Liquid Eutectic-Freeze Desalination System

A novel freeze desalination technology is presented for purification of water produced from various industrial processes, including oil and gas extraction. The main innovative idea is introducing a water-immiscible intermediate-cold-liquid (ICL) medium which absorbs the cold from a refrigeration cycle and transfers it to a freezing chamber where it is mixed with brine. The cold ICL enters the freezing chamber at temperatures between -10°C to -30°C. Precooled brine in injected into the freezing chamber and pure water freezes out of the brine upon mixing with the ICL. The rate of freezing inside the chamber is controlled by adjusting the flow rate of the cold ICL relative to the inlet brine. Both eutectic freeze and non-eutectic freezing are possible by controlling the temperature of the freezing chamber. The solid-liquid slurry created in the freezing chamber flows to a filter separation unit after passing through a separation column. The ice crystals are separated from the liquid by a rotary filter device. The collected ice is rinsed by a centrifugal unit. The rinsed ice is melted to produce fresh water. The developed technology resolves the issues common to current freeze-desalination systems while offering superior heat transfer performance ascribed to direct-contact between the cooling medium and the brine in addition to producing solid salt and pure water. The system operates under atmospheric pressure. The low operation temperature minimizes the corrosion issues common in systems exposed to brine. Also, due to the low operating temperature, there are no concerns about evaporation of volatile organics from the produced water during the treatment. The developed technology effectively eliminates the use of chemicals for pretreatment of brine. The system can be constructed from commercially available components. Extensive testing using a lab-scale prototype by using synthetic brine and actual produced water with TDS values from 50,000 ppm to 300,000 ppm showed that freshwater could be achieved with relatively small dependency on the quality of the input brine. The quality of the treated water was found to be mainly a function of the duration of the centrifugal process. Treated water with TDS as low as 200 ppm could be achieved in the tests. Thermo-economic modeling coupled with system level thermochemical process model were developed for prediction of the LCOW. The LCOW was predicted to be $\$$0.50 to $\$$0.90 per barrel of produced water. The potential markets for deployment of the technology are the oil and gas, in-land thermoelectric powerplants, RO desalination plants, and mining industry.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Asi Nuclear Energy Sensors Data Portal Chatbot And Data Structuring Tool

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is advancing the development of an AI-powered chatbot and data structuring tool specifically designed to accelerate data mining processes for sensor-related information and seamlessly integrate the results into the ASI Sensors Data Portal (https://nes.energy.gov/). By doing so, the software aims to enhance the accessibility, usability, and organization of sensor data for nuclear energy applications. The software initial phase focuses on retrieving comprehensive datasets, prioritizing the past five years of publicly available information from the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI). These datasets will be meticulously processed to ensure compatibility, employing cleaning and preprocessing steps to eliminate irrelevant, incomplete, or corrupted information, thus establishing a robust foundation for subsequent AI use. The data will serve as the backbone for training an AI model and chatbot, which will act as an interactive tool enabling users to ask complex, context-specific questions and receive accurate, validated answers derived from constrained literature. In parallel, the project incorporates a data structuring process supported by AI to organize sensor information from multiple sources into a standardized format. This structured data will include detailed sensor specifications, such as measurement range, applications, accuracy, and operating conditions, generated and documented with AI. These specifications will be systematically integrated into the sensor portal. To maintain the highest levels of accuracy and relevance, all AI-generated outputs will be reviewed and validated by subject matter experts (SMEs), with additional fields or parameters added as needed. Future stages of the project aim to expand the dataset beyond OSTI to include other sources and potentially incorporate unclassified controlled information (UCI) with restricted access protocols to address security and confidentiality requirements.

Mapes, NormanJ. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), ↗
NASA NTRS2016

Analyzing Double Delays at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

When weather or congestion impacts the National Airspace System, multiple different Traffic Management Initiatives can be implemented, sometimes with unintended consequences. One particular perceived inequity that is commonly identified is in the interaction between Ground Delay Programs (GDPs) and time based scheduling of internal departures by the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) (now operationally superseded by the FAA's the Time-Based Flow Management system). Internal departures under TMA scheduling can take large GDP delays, followed by large TMA scheduling delays, because they cannot easily fit into the arrival flow at the runway. In this paper we examine the causes of these double delays through an analysis of arrival operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) from June to August 2010. TMA scheduling delays are found to be generally higher than TMA airborne metering delays, regardless of prior GDP delays. Depending on how the double delay is defined, between 42 and 62 of all internal departures in GDP and TMA scheduling experienced double delays in this period. A deep dive into the data reveals that contributors to double delays include upstream flights departing before their Expect Departure Clearance Times (EDCTs); differences in the rates used for setting EDCTs and TMA Scheduled Times of Arrival; differences in the arrival demand expected based on EDCTs and the arrival demand entering TMA; and shorter en route times between takeoff and entry into TMA than assumed in the calculation of flight EDCTs, all of which undermine the sequencing and spacing underlying flight EDCTs. Double delays are also found to coincide with periods in which the virtual runway arrival queue being served by a TMA is large, there are periods of high demand relative to capacity, and there are high airborne metering delays. Data mining techniques are used to confirm that each of these factors contribute to the occurrence of double delay andor high internal departure scheduling delay across three months of data from June to August 2010. Predictors of the occurrence of double delay and high TMA scheduling delay are built using logistic regression, providing prediction accuracies of 69 and 73, respectively.

traffic flow management↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assumption Generation for the Verification of Learning-Enabled Autonomous Systems

Providing safety guarantees for autonomous systems is difficultas these systems operate in complex environments that require the use of learning-enabled components, such as deep neural networks (DNNs) for visual perception. DNNs are hard to analyze due to their size (they can have thousands or millions of parameters), lack of formal specifications (DNNs are typically learnt from labeled data, in the absence of any formal or informal requirements), and sensitivity to small changes in the environment. We present an assume-guarantee style compositional approach for the formal verification of system-level safety properties of such autonomous systems. Our insight is that we can analyze the system in the absence of the DNN perception components by automatically synthesizing assumptions on the DNN behaviour that guarantee the satisfaction of the required safety properties. The synthesized assumptions are the weakest in the sense that they characterize the output sequences of all the possible DNNs that, plugged into the autonomous system, guarantee the required safety properties. The assumptions can be leveraged as run-time monitors over a deployed DNN to guarantee the safety of the overall system; they can also be mined to extract local specifications for use during training and testing of DNNs. We illustrate our approach on a case study taken from the autonomous airplanes domain that uses a complex DNN for perception

Autonomous systems↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of the Energy, Hygrothermal, and Thermal Capacity Performance of Cross-Laminated Timber

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction is gaining momentum in the US because it offers multiple advantages over traditional construction methods. Benefits that have received the most attention focus on constructability, the environment, and protection (e.g., blast resistance), although CLT construction is likely to offer other benefits, as well. Still, these have not been studied at length because such evaluations are costly, requiring long-term assessments in an actual building and specialized technical knowledge. Among the possible benefits, CLT construction likely provides a higher-performing building envelope. Using CLT panels to enclose a building means fewer joints in the opaque envelope than what is required in traditional stick-framed construction. Fewer joints mean fewer locations where the air- and water-resistive barrier (WRB) could be compromised; thus, a CLT building enclosure may require less maintenance and have a longer lifespan than a traditionally built structure because of fewer air and water leaks. In addition, CLT’s thermal mass moderates indoor temperatures, allowing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to operate more efficiently during peak hours, reducing operational energy consumption throughout the lifetime of the CLT building (Salonvaara et al., 2022). Furthermore, more stable indoor temperatures can increase occupant comfort. The CLT’s thermal mass can also reduce energy costs by adjusting to utility time-of-use pricing without affecting occupant comfort. The ability of CLT buildings to bridge periods without HVAC operation prepares them for future grid interaction and provides a certain level of resilience against power outages. Researchers have attempted to quantify these benefits; however, their work is based on simplified simulations with numerous assumptions. To correctly understand the benefits, an actual building must be monitored. Therefore, information needs to be gathered on indoor and outdoor temperatures, HVAC energy consumption, thermostat setpoints, temperatures, and thermal transport in CLT components to comprehend how these parameters are affected by the CLT’s thermal mass. These data are needed to reduce the number of assumptions and calibrate simulation models to optimize HVAC controls to minimize overall energy consumption, reduce energy use and higher fees during peak demand, and maintain occupant comfort. Additionally, the calibrated simulation model allows the optimization exercise to be repeated in various US climates. Potential benefits can be tailored to buildings in various locations, and decisions can be made on where CLT construction could be most advantageous. Furthermore, monitoring and simulation results are needed to evaluate the durability of the CLT structures in different climates. This project’s researchers gathered information to help understand and quantify the benefits of CLT buildings concerning operational energy, moderated indoor temperatures, and comfort; the dynamic operation to provide grid services; and resilience in times of power outage. Through the corroboration of simulation models with real-world measurements, this study paves the way for extrapolating findings to other climatic zones and building typologies, thereby broadening the understanding of CLT’s multifaceted benefits and reinforcing its position as a material of choice in sustainable construction.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

Impact of transportation network companies on urban congestion: Evidence from large-scale trajectory data

We collect vehicle trajectory data from major transportation network companies (TNCs) in New York City (NYC) in 2017 and 2019, and we use the trajectory data to understand how the growth of TNCs has impacted traffic congestion and emission in urban areas. By mining the large-scale trajectory data and conduct the case study in NYC, we confirm that the rise of TNC is the major contributing factor that makes urban traffic congestion worse. From 2017 to 2019, the number of for-hire vehicles (FHV) has increased by over 48% and served 90% more daily trips. These resulted in an average citywide speed reduction of 22.5% on weekdays, and the average speed in Manhattan decreased from 11.76 km/h in April 2017 to 9.56 km/h in March 2019. The heavier traffic congestion may have led to 136% more NOx, 152% more CO and 157% more HC emission per kilometer traveled by the FHV sector. Our results show that the traffic condition is consistently worse across different times of the day and at different locations in NYC. And we build the connection between the number of available FHVs and the reduction in travel speed between the two years of data and explain how the rise of TNC may impact traffic congestion in terms of moving speed and congestion time. Our findings provide valuable insights for different stakeholders and decision-makers in framing regulation and operation policies towards more effective and sustainable urban mobility.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Towards a Deeper Fundamental Understanding of (Al,Sc)N Ferroelectric Nitrides

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, within the virtual crystal alloy approximation, are performed, along with the development of a Landau-type model employing a symmetry-allowed analytical expression of the internal energy and having parameters determined from first principles, to investigate properties and energetics of Al1-xScxN ferroelectric nitrides in their hexagonal forms. These DFT computations and this model predict the existence of two different types of minima, namely, the fourfold-coordinated wurtzite (WZ) polar structure and a five-fold coordinated paraelectric hexagonal phase (denoted as H5), for any Sc composition up to 40%. The H5 minimum progressively becomes the lowest-energy state within hexagonal symmetry as the Sc concentration increases from 0 to 0.4. Furthermore, the model points to several key findings. Examples include the crucial role of the coupling between polarization and strains to create the WZ minimum, in addition to polar and elastic energies, and that the origin of the H5 state overcoming the WZ phase as the global minimum within hexagonal symmetry when increasing the Sc composition mostly lies in the compositional dependency of only two parameters-one linked to the polarization and another one being purely elastic in nature. Other examples are that forcing Al1-xScxN systems to have no or a weak change in lattice parameters when heating them allows us to reproduce their finite-temperature polar properties well and that a value of the axial ratio close to that of the ideal WZ structure implies a large polarization at low temperatures but not necessarily at high temperatures because of the ordered-disordered character of the temperature-induced formation of the WZ state. Such findings should allow for a better fundamental understanding of (Al,Sc)N ferroelectric nitrides, which may be used to design efficient devices having, e.g., low operating voltages.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2006

NASA Stennis Space Center Integrated System Health Management Test Bed and Development Capabilities

Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) is a capability that focuses on determining the condition (health) of every element in a complex System (detect anomalies, diagnose causes, prognosis of future anomalies), and provide data, information, and knowledge (DIaK)-not just data-to control systems for safe and effective operation. This capability is currently done by large teams of people, primarily from ground, but needs to be embedded on-board systems to a higher degree to enable NASA's new Exploration Mission (long term travel and stay in space), while increasing safety and decreasing life cycle costs of spacecraft (vehicles; platforms; bases or outposts; and ground test, launch, and processing operations). The topics related to this capability include: 1) ISHM Related News Articles; 2) ISHM Vision For Exploration; 3) Layers Representing How ISHM is Currently Performed; 4) ISHM Testbeds & Prototypes at NASA SSC; 5) ISHM Functional Capability Level (FCL); 6) ISHM Functional Capability Level (FCL) and Technology Readiness Level (TRL); 7) Core Elements: Capabilities Needed; 8) Core Elements; 9) Open Systems Architecture for Condition-Based Maintenance (OSA-CBM); 10) Core Elements: Architecture, taxonomy, and ontology (ATO) for DIaK management; 11) Core Elements: ATO for DIaK Management; 12) ISHM Architecture Physical Implementation; 13) Core Elements: Standards; 14) Systematic Implementation; 15) Sketch of Work Phasing; 16) Interrelationship Between Traditional Avionics Systems, Time Critical ISHM and Advanced ISHM; 17) Testbeds and On-Board ISHM; 18) Testbed Requirements: RETS AND ISS; 19) Sustainable Development and Validation Process; 20) Development of on-board ISHM; 21) Taxonomy/Ontology of Object Oriented Implementation; 22) ISHM Capability on the E1 Test Stand Hydraulic System; 23) Define Relationships to Embed Intelligence; 24) Intelligent Elements Physical and Virtual; 25) ISHM Testbeds and Prototypes at SSC Current Implementations; 26) Trailer-Mounted RETS; 27) Modeling and Simulation; 28) Summary ISHM Testbed Environments; 29) Data Mining - ARC; 30) Transitioning ISHM to Support NASA Missions; 31) Feature Detection Routines; 32) Sample Features Detected in SSC Test Stand Data; and 33) Health Assessment Database (DIaK Repository).

Figueroa, Fernando↗
DOE OSTI2025

Underground Hydrogen Storage: Transforming Subsurface Science into Sustainable Energy Solutions

As the global economy moves toward net-zero carbon emissions, large-scale energy storage becomes essential to tackle the seasonal nature of renewable sources. Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) offers a feasible solution by allowing surplus renewable energy to be transformed into hydrogen and stored in deep geological formations such as aquifers, salt caverns, or depleted reservoirs, making it available for use on demand. This study thoroughly evaluates UHS concepts, procedures, and challenges. This paper analyzes the most recent breakthroughs in UHS technology and identifies special conditions needed for its successful application, including site selection guidelines, technical and geological factors, and the significance of storage characteristics. The integrity of wells and caprock, which is important for safe and efficient storage, can be affected by the operating dynamics of the hydrogen cycle, notably the fluctuations in pressure and stress within storage formations. To evaluate its potential for broader adoption, we also examined economic elements such as cost-effectiveness and the technical practicality of large-scale storage. We also reviewed current UHS efforts and identified key knowledge gaps, primarily in the areas of hydrogen–rock interactions, geochemistry, gas migration control, microbial activities, and geomechanical stability. Resolving these technological challenges, regulatory frameworks, and environmental sustainability are essential to UHS’s long-term and extensive integration into the energy industry. This article provides a roadmap for UHS research and development, emphasizing the need for further research to fully realize the technology’s promise as a pillar of the hydrogen economy.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2005

Space Resource Utilization and Extending Human Presence Across the Solar System

The Presidents Vision for Exploration is not a single mission, but an open ended journey that seeks to answer "How can we live on other worlds?" Using space resources is the only known approach for affordable, sustained, flexible, and self sufficient, human occupation beyond Earth orbit. Earth is a large planet. A simple analysis using the rocket equation shows that if Earth were a bit larger, chemical propulsion as a mechanism to access space would become impractical. Thus, even with the most efficient chemical rocket launch capability, the cost of lifting massive payloads into space will remain very steep (currently about $l00k/lb to the Moon and greater than $500k/lb to Mars). Space resource utilization should begin with an aggressive broad based demonstration program as afforded by the precursor missions implementation of the President's Vision of Exploration. Ion engine upper stages, for example, were studied for over 30 years, but only implemented in design after the Deep Space 1 in space demonstration. These demonstrations should include: extraction of elements from lunar regolith, and Martian soil and atmosphere, demonstration of power break even and growth from lunar or Mars moons derived photovoltaics, oxygen extraction for life support and propellant, and metals and alloys for in space repair and the production of habits and radiation shielding. Space resource utilization yields operational dividends through the subsequent programs including: propellant from lunar oxygen which could cut transportation costs from Earth in half, mega watts per year of power grown from lunar photovoltaics at decreasing cost per kW, decreased cost for human Mars missions by a factor of 10 by using propellant derived from Mars atmosphere for return, and in space manufacturing and food production with space resources yielding safe sustained and eventually self sufficient human presence in space. After the demonstration and implementation, the space resource utilization investment enables commercial and private viability beyond Earth orbit. For example, analysis has shown the lunar oxygen production for propellant becomes commercially viable after the exploration program completes the R&D, and power from lunar derived photovoltaics could, according to past NASA sponsored studies, pay for themselves while supplying most of Earth's electrical energy after about 17 years. Besides the Moon and Mars the resources of the near Earth asteroids enable the building of large space structures and science payloads. Analysis has shown that one of the thousands of these objects (some as easily accessible in space as the Moon and Mars), 2 km dia, the size of a typical open pit mine, would cost the total global financial product of Earth for 30,000 years if we were to launch it from Earth. Beyond Mars, the belt asteroids have been calculated to contain enough materials for habitat and life to support 10 quadrillion people. Thus, the development and use of space resources enables the extension of human life through the solar system allowing humanity to move from a planetary to a solar system society.

Curreri, Peter A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rare Earth Element Detection and Quantification in Coal and Rock Mineral Matrices

As global demand for rare earth elements (REEs) increases, maintaining the production and supply chain is critical. Technologies capable of being used in the field and in situ in the subsurface for rapid REE detection and quantification facilitates the efficient mining of known resources and exploration of new and unconventional resources. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a promising technique for rapid elemental analysis both in the laboratory and in the field. Multiple articles have been published evaluating LIBS for detection and quantification of REEs; however, REEs in their natural deposits have not been adequately studied. In this work, detection and quantification of two REEs, La and Nd, have been studied in both synthetic and natural mineral matrices at concentrations relevant to REE extraction. Measurements were performed on REE-containing rock and coal samples (natural and synthetic) utilizing different LIBS instruments and techniques, specifically a commercial benchtop instrument, a custom benchtop instrument (single- and double-pulse modes), and a custom LIBS probe currently being developed for in situ, subsurface, borehole wall detection and quantification of REEs. Plasma expansion, emission intensity, detection limits, and double-pulse signal enhancement were studied. The limits of detection (LOD) were found to be 10/14 ppm for La and 15/25 ppm for Nd in simulated coal/rock matrices in single-pulse mode. Signal enhancement of 3.5 to 6-fold was obtained with double-pulse mode as compared to single-pulse operation.

La detection↗
NASA NTRS2004

Robotic Subsurface Analyzer and Sample Handler for Resource Reconnaissance and Preliminary Site Assessment for ISRU Activities at the Lunar Cold Traps

Since the 1960s, claims have been made that water ice deposits should exist in permanently shadowed craters near both lunar poles. Recent interpretations of data from the Lunar Prospector-Neutron Spectrometer (LP- NS) confirm that significant concentrations of hydrogen exist, probably in the form of water ice, in the permanently shadowed polar cold traps. Yet, due to the large spatial resolution (45-60 Ian) of the LP-NS measurements relative to these shadowed craters (approx.5-25 km), these data offer little certainty regarding the precise location, form or distribution of these deposits. Even less is known about how such deposits of water ice might effect lunar regolith physical properties relevant to mining, excavation, water extraction and construction. These uncertainties will need to be addressed in order to validate fundamental lunar In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) precepts by 2011. Given the importance of the in situ utilization of water and other resources to the future of space exploration a need arises for the advanced deployment of a robotic and reconfigurable system for physical properties and resource reconnaissance. Based on a collection of high-TRL. designs, the Subsurface Analyzer and Sample Handler (SASH) addresses these needs, particularly determining the location and form of water ice and the physical properties of regolith. SASH would be capable of: (1) subsurface access via drilling, on the order of 3-10 meters into both competent targets (ice, rock) and regolith, (2) down-hole analysis through drill string embedded instrumentation and sensors (Neutron Spectrometer and Microscopic Imager), enabling water ice identification and physical properties measurements; (3) core and unconsolidated sample acquisition from rock and regolith; (4) sample handling and processing, with minimized contamination, sample containerization and delivery to a modular instrument payload. This system would be designed with three mission enabling goals, including: (1) a self-contained, low power, low mass, "black box'' configuration for operations from a lander, various classes of rovers or a surface-based platform with human assistance or robotic anchoring mechanisms; (2) reconfigurable and scalable sample handling for delivery to various types of instrumentation, depending on mission requirements; and (3) the use of advanced automation control and diagnostic techniques that will afford local human deployed, remote teleoperation and fully autonomous intelligent operations. Though a great deal of technology has been advanced toward these objectives, the SASH system faces significant design challenges, including the low gravity environment, various levels of autonomy in operations, radiation exposure, dust contamination, and temperature extremes and deltas. Significant input from the scientific and engineering communities, as well as a significant environmental testing program, will be required to guide the design process.

Gorevan, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Stereoscopic Machine-Vision System Using Projected Circles

A machine-vision system capable of detecting obstacles large enough to damage or trap a robotic vehicle is undergoing development. The system includes (1) a pattern generator that projects concentric circles of laser light forward onto the terrain, (2) a stereoscopic pair of cameras that are aimed forward to acquire images of the circles, (3) a frame grabber and digitizer for acquiring image data from the cameras, and (4) a single-board computer that processes the data. The system is being developed as a prototype of machine- vision systems to enable robotic vehicles ( rovers ) on remote planets to avoid craters, large rocks, and other terrain features that could capture or damage the vehicles. Potential terrestrial applications of systems like this one could include terrain mapping, collision avoidance, navigation of robotic vehicles, mining, and robotic rescue. This system is based partly on the same principles as those of a prior stereoscopic machine-vision system in which the cameras acquire images of a single stripe of laser light that is swept forward across the terrain. However, this system is designed to afford improvements over some of the undesirable features of the prior system, including the need for a pan-and-tilt mechanism to aim the laser to generate the swept stripe, ambiguities in interpretation of the single-stripe image, the time needed to sweep the stripe across the terrain and process the data from many images acquired during that time, and difficulty of calibration because of the narrowness of the stripe. In this system, the pattern generator does not contain any moving parts and need not be mounted on a pan-and-tilt mechanism: the pattern of concentric circles is projected steadily in the forward direction. The system calibrates itself by use of data acquired during projection of the concentric-circle pattern onto a known target representing flat ground. The calibration- target image data are stored in the computer memory for use as a template in processing terrain images. During operation on terrain, the images acquired by the left and right cameras are analyzed. The analysis includes (1) computation of the horizontal and vertical dimensions and the aspect ratios of rectangles that bound the circle images and (2) comparison of these aspect ratios with those of the template. Coordinates of distortions of the circles are used to identify and locate objects. If the analysis leads to identification of an object of significant size, then stereoscopicvision algorithms are used to estimate the distance to the object. The time taken in performing this analysis on a single pair of images acquired by the left and right cameras in this system is a fraction of the time taken in processing the many pairs of images acquired in a sweep of the laser stripe across the field of view in the prior system. The results of the analysis include data on sizes and shapes of, and distances and directions to, objects. Coordinates of objects are updated as the vehicle moves so that intelligent decisions regarding speed and direction can be made. The results of the analysis are utilized in a computational decision-making process that generates obstacle-avoidance data and feeds those data to the control system of the robotic vehicle.

Mackey, Jeffrey R.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Aurora Detection From Nighttime Lights for Earth and Space Science Applications

This research leverages data from the Day/Night Band (DNB) of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer (VIIRS) instrument onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. We demonstrate the value of mining the VIIRS DNB for aurora and describe our use of unsupervised machine learning to create a binary mask for aurora occurrence. This mask can be used to flag aurora-contaminated observations for NASA's nighttime lights products for Earth science applications. The identification of auroral regions can also be used for Space Weather applications, for example, for comparison with aurora forecast model and with other satellite- or ground-based aurora observations. The DNB is a broadband channel that is sensitive to wavelengths from 500 to 900 nm, which covers most of the visible light spectrum, and as the name implies, captures light even at night with a sensitivity at the nanowatt level. This band is suitable for aurora observations since the light emitted by the aurora tends to be dominated by emissions from atomic oxygen, resulting in a greenish glow at a wavelength of 557.7 nm, especially at an altitude of 110 km. This study compares the global nighttime derived aurora regions for 17 and 18 March with the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center's (SWPC) probability product for the St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm in 2015. VIIRS sensors are slated to be added to the next generation of polar-orbiting operational satellites. Our novel automated approach to aurora identification opens up an efficient way to leverage this unique data source.

Aurora↗
DOE OSTI2026

Analysis of Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage Tank Sizing and Preheating

Molten Salt Thermal energy storage (TES) is essential for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, enhancing their capacity factor and dispatchability to ultimately reduce electricity costs. This technology is becoming more important for other technologies including nuclear power, thermal-electrical storage, and concentrating solar thermal (CST). While molten salt TES tanks have been successfully deployed in lower-temperature parabolic-trough plants, the current state-of-the-art central receiver systems operating at temperatures up to 565 degrees Celsius have experienced costly and frequent failures. These failures are associated with the immaturity of the technology and problems in tank design, fabrication, commissioning and, sometimes, aggressive operation. A primary contributing factor is the absence of a dedicated technical standard for high-temperature molten nitrate TES tanks; designers must currently rely on existing codes like API 650 and ASME Section II, which are insufficient because they fail to account for the unique demands of high temperatures, thermal cycling, and transient conditions.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗