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At least 649 records · Page 36

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1998

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) Space Demonstration

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system. The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. ProSEDS which is planned to fly in 2000, will use the flight proven Small Expendable C, Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5 km bare wire plus 15 km spectra) from a Delta II upper stage to achieve approximately 0.4N drag thrust, thus deorbiting the stage. The experiment will use a predominantly 'bare' tether for current collection in lieu of endmass collector and insulated tether approach used on previous missions. ProSEDS will utilize tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer of payloads and upper stages from LEO to higher orbits it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere.

Johnson, Les↗

NASA NTRS1998

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) Space Experiment

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system. The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. ProSEDS which is planned to fly in 2000, will use the flight proven Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5km bare wire plus 15 km spectra) from a Delta II upper stage to achieve approximately 0.4N drag thrust, thus demonstrating deorbit thrust. The experiment will use a predominantly 'bare' tether for current collection in lieu of endmass collector and insulated tether approach used on previous missions. ProSEDS will utilize tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer of payloads and upper stages from LEO to higher orbits it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere.

Johnson, Les↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System Experiment

Relatively short electrodynamic tethers can extract orbital energy to 'push' against a planetary magnetic field to achieve propulsion without the expenditure of propellant. The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System experiment will use the flight-proven Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a 5 km bare copper tether from a Delta II upper stage to achieve approximately 0.4 N drag thrust, thus lowering the altitude of the stage. The experiment will use a predominantly 'bare' tether for current collection in lieu of the endmass collector and insulated tether approach used on previous missions. The flight experiment is a precursor to a more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes - all using electrodynamic thrust. The expected performance of the tether propulsion system during the experiment is described.

Johnson, Les↗

NASA NTRS2000

The ProSEDS Mission

Relatively short electrodynamic tethers can extract orbital energy to "push" against a planetary magnetic field and achieve propulsion without the expenditure of propellant. The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System experiment will use the flight-proven Small Expendable Deployer System to deploy a 5-km bare aluminum tether from a Delta II upper stage to achieve approximately equal 0.4-N drag thrust, thus lowering the altitude of the stage. The experiment will use a predominantly "bare" tether for current collection in lieu of the endmass collector and insulated tether approach used on previous missions. The flight experiment is a precursor to a more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering, and inclination changes--all using electrodynamic thrust. An overview of the mission and the expected performance of the tether propulsion system during the experiment are described.

Johnson, Charles L.↗

NASA NTRS2000

STEP Tether Dynamics Preliminary Analysis

The General Tethered Object Simulation System (GTOSS) has been successfully converted to the PC environment. GTOSS has been run under Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and NT4.0 with no problems noted. Adaptation to the PC environment and definition of the 3 three body configuration required resizing some of the GTOSS internal data arrays. To allow studies of the tether dynamics accompanying electrodynamic thrust, a tether current flow model has also been developed for GTOSS. This model includes effects due to the earth's magnetic field and ionosphere, tether conductivity, temperature, motion, shape and available power. Sample cases have been defined for a proposed STEP-AIRSEDS (Space Transfer using Electrodynamic Propulsion-The Michigan Technic Corporation proposed tether missions for commercial applications) three body configuration. This required definition of a 6th power scenario for GTOSS. This power scenario allows a user to specify whether orbit raising or orbit lowering is to be performed by selecting the number of the tether. Orbit raising and orbit lowering sample cases have been run successfully. Results from these runs have been included in this report. Results have only been generated so far for a three body configuration. Only point end masses have been represented. No attitude dynamics have been included. Initial results suggest that tether current can have significant and detrimental effects on tether dynamics and provisions will have to be made for control of it. This control will have to be considered in connection with desired target orbits for electrodynamic thrusting, as well as end body attitude control, momentum management of proposed control moment gyros, solar array pointing. All of these items will interact and thus, any system simulation will have to have each of these effects modeled in sufficient detail to display these interactions.

Glaese, John R.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS)

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system to generate thrust in space by decreasing the orbital altitude of a Delta II Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) second stage. ProSEDS, which is planned to fly in 2001, will use the flight proven Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5km bare wire plus 10 km spectra or dyneema) from a Delta II second stage to achieve approximately 0.4N drag thrust. ProSEDS will utilize the tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. The ProSEDs instrumentation includes a Langmuir probe and Differential Ion Flux Probe, which will determine the characteristics of the ambient ionospheric plasma. Two Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers will be used (one on the Delta and one on the endmass) to help determine tether dynamics and to limit transmitter operations to occasions when the spacecraft is over selected ground stations, The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission, which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. An immediate application of ProSEDS technology is for the deorbit of spent satellites for orbital debris mitigation. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer and debris mitigation it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere.

Ballance, Judy↗

NASA NTRS1996

Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1R)-Post Flight (STS-75) Engineering Performance Report

The first mission of the Tethered Satellite deployer was flown onboard Atlantis in 1992 during the Space Transportation System (STS) flight STS-46. Due to a mechanical interference with the level wind mechanism the satellite was only Deployed to 256 m rather than the planned 20,000 m. Other problems were also experienced during the STS-46 flight and several modifications were made to the Deployer and Satellite. STS-75 was a reflight of the Tethered Satellite System 1 (TSS-1) designated as Tethered Satellite System 1 Reflight (TSS-1 R) onboard Columbia. As on STS-46, the TSS payload consisted of the Deployer, the Satellite, 3 cargo bay mounted experiments: Shuttle Electrodynamic Tether System (SETS), Shuttle Potential and Return Electron Experiment (SPREE), Deployer Core Equipment (DCORE) 4 Satellite mounted experiments: Research on Electrodynamics Tether Effects (RETE), Research on Orbital Plasma Electrodynamics (ROPE), Satellite Core Instruments (SCORE), Tether Magnetic Field Experiment (TEMAG) and an aft flight deck camera: Tether Optical Phenomena Experiment (TOP). Following successful pre-launch, launch and pre-deployment orbital operations, the Deployer deployed the Tethered Satellite to 19,695 m at which point the tether broke within the Satellite Deployment Boom (SDB). The planned length for On-Station I (OST1) was 20,700 m The Satellite flew away from the Orbiter with the tether attached. The satellite was "safed" and placed in a limited power mode via the RF link. The Satellite was contacted periodically during overflights of ground stations. Cargo bay science activities continued for the period of time allocated to TSS-1 R operations.

Lavoie, Anthony R.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS)

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system to generate thrust in space by decreasing the orbital altitude of a Delta 11 Expendable Launch Vehicle second stage. ProSEDS, which is planned on an Air Force GPS Satellite replacement mission in June 2002, will use the flight proven Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5 km bare wire plus 10 km non-conducting Dyneema) from a Delta 11 second stage to achieve approx. 0.4N drag thrust. ProSEDS will utilize the tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. The ProSEDS instrumentation includes Langmuir probes and Differential Ion Flux Probes, which will determine the characteristics of the ambient ionospheric plasma. Two Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers will be used (one on the Delta and one on the endmass) to help determine tether dynamics and to limit transmitter operations to occasions when the spacecraft is over selected ground stations. The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission, which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. An immediate application of ProSEDS technology is for the removal of spent satellites for orbital debris mitigation. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer and debris mitigation it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere.

Curtis, Leslie↗

NASA NTRS2003

Visualization of Space-Time Ambiguities to be Explored by NASA GEC Mission with a Critique of Synthesized Measurements for Different GEC Mission Scenarios

The Grant supported research addressing the question of how the NASA Solar Terrestrial Probes (STP) Mission called Geospace electrodynamics Connections (GEC) will resolve space-time structures as well as collect sufficient information to solve the coupled thermosphere-ionosphere- magnetosphere dynamics and electrodynamics. The approach adopted was to develop a high resolution in both space and time model of the ionosphere-thermosphere (I-T) over altitudes relevant to GEC, especially the deep-dipping phase. This I-T model was driven by a high- resolution model of magnetospheric-ionospheric (M-I) coupling electrodynamics. Such a model contains all the key parameters to be measured by GEC instrumentation, which in turn are the required parameters to resolve present-day problems in describing the energy and momentum coupling between the ionosphere-magnetosphere and ionosphere-thermosphere. This model database has been successfully created for one geophysical condition; winter, solar maximum with disturbed geophysical conditions, specifically a substorm. Using this data set, visualizations (movies) were created to contrast dynamics of the different measurable parameters. Specifically, the rapidly varying magnetospheric E and auroral electron precipitation versus the slower varying ionospheric F-region electron density, but rapidly responding E-region density.

Sojka, Jan J.↗

NASA NTRS2005

TESSX: A Mission for Space Exploration with Tethers

Tethers offer significant potential for substantially increasing payload mass fraction, increasing spacecraft lifetime, enhancing long-term space travel, and enabling the understanding and development of gravity-dependent technologies required for Moon and Mars exploration. The development of the Tether Electrodynamic Spin-up and Survivability Experiment (TESSX) will support applications relevant to NASA's new exploration initiative, including: artificial gravity generation, formation flying, electrodynamic propulsion, momentum exchange, and multi-amp current collection and emission. Under the broad term TESSX, we are currently evaluating several different tether system configurations and operational modes. The initial results of this work are presented, including hardware development, orbital dynamics simulations, and electrodynamics design and analysis.

Cosmo, Mario L.↗

NASA NTRS2006

MXER Simulation Study (Appendix A)

In this study, we consider the dynamics of a spinning tether system in an elliptical orbit in application to the Momentum Exchange Electrodynamic Reboost system. Momentum exchange tether systems have been studied in a variety of applications since Hans Moravec's early publication. It has recently been suggested that momentum exchange systems can be enhanced with electrodynamic reboost between payload transfers. The Momentum Exchange Electrodynamic Reboost system (MXER) has a projected tether span of up to 100 km, and spins rapidly with a period of 6-7 min. It is placed in an orbit with a low perigee of about 400 km and a high apogee of about 8000 km. To capture a payload at a perigee rendezvous, within a window of a few seconds, the motion of the system has to be predicted with very high precision, having acceptable position errors on the order of 1 m. While this level of precision is routinely achieved today for conventional (non-tethered) satellites, it is much more difficult to achieve for a 100 km long flexible tether system. It is the goal of this study to investigate theoretical aspects of the dynamics and offer a practical approach to high precision dynamic modeling of a typical momentum exchange tether system.

Levin, E. M.↗

NASA NTRS2009

T-Rex: A Japanese Space Tether Experiment

Electrodynamic tether (EDT) thrusters work by virtue of the force a magnetic field exerts on a wire carrying an electrical current. The force, which acts on any charged particle moving through a magnetic field (including the electrons moving in a current-carrying wire), were concisely expressed by Lorentz in 1895 in an equation that now bears his name. The force acts in a direction perpendicular to both the direction of current flow and the magnetic field vector. Electric motors make use of this force: a wire loop in a magnetic field is made to rotate by the torque the Lorentz Force exerts on it due to an alternating current in the loop times so as to keep the torque acting in the same sense. The motion of the loop is transmitted to a shaft, thus providing work. Although the working principle of EDT thrusters is not new, its application to space transportation may be significant. In essence, an EDT thruster is just a clever way of getting an electrical current to flow in a long orbiting wire (the tether) so that the Earth s magnetic field will accelerate the wire and, consequently the payload attached to the wire. The direction of current flow in the tether, either toward or away from the Earth along the local vertical, determines whether the magnetic force will raise or lower the orbit. The bias voltage of a vertically deployed metal tether, which results just from its orbital motion (assumed eastward) through Earth s magnetic field, is positive with respect to the ambient plasma at the top and negative at the bottom. This polarization is due to the action of the Lorentz force on the electrons in the tether. Thus, the natural current flow is the result of negative electrons being attracted to the upper end and then returned to the plasma at the lower end. The magnetic force in this case has a component opposite to the direction of motion, and thus leads to a lowering of the orbit and eventually to re-entry. In this generator mode of operation the Lorentz Force serves both to drive the current and then to act on the current to decelerate the system. One of the most important features of tether thrusters is that they use renewable energy sources to drive the electrical current flow in either the orbit-raising or orbit-lowering modes. Sources inherent to Earth orbit are used. To raise the orbit, sunlight can be converted to the electrical energy required to drive the tether current. To lower the orbit, the orbital energy itself (supplied by the Earth-to-orbit launcher when it raises the system into orbit) is the energy source of the tether current via the action of the Lorentz Force. Electrodynamic tethers can be directly applied to a wide spectrum of uses in space. As a propulsion system, they include satellite de-orbit, transfer of a satellite from one orbit to another, altitude maintenance for large spacecraft such as the International Space Station, and since it works wherever there is a magnetic field and an ionosphere planetary exploration missions. An electrodynamic tether upper stage could be used as an Orbit Transfer Vehicle (OTV) to move payloads within low earth orbit. The OTV would rendezvous with the payload and launch vehicle, grapple the payload and maneuver it to a new orbital altitude or inclination without the use of boost propellant. The tug could then lower its orbit to rendezvous with the next payload and repeat the process. Conceivably, such a system could perform several orbital maneuvering assignments without resupply, making it relatively inexpensive to operate.

Johnson, Les↗

NASA NTRS2011

GEM-CEDAR Challenge: Comparing Ionospheric Models with Poynting Flux from DMSP Observations

As part to the GEM-CEDAR challenge we are extending the model-data comparisons to electrodynamic in-situ measurements in low-Earth orbit. We use DMSP observations of electric and magnetic fields to compute Poynting Flux values along the satellite track in high latitudes including the auroral zones and the polar cap. Models of the ionosphere that include electrodynamic parameters have been run for five events selected for the GEM-CEDAR modeling challenge for which DMSP data are available for comparison. Combined with a magnetic field model we use the modeled electric fields to compute Poynting Flux and Joule Dissipation values from outputs of CTIPe, TIE-GCM, the ionospheric electrodynamics solvers of the SWMF, LFM and OpenGGCM magnetosphere-ionosphere coupled models, and the Weimer electric field model. The online metrics analysis tool at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) has been updated to handle the analysis of separate short segments of available data (high-latitude sections of the satellite orbit) with model outputs to analyze how well auroral patterns are being reproduced by the models. We present initial results from the new analysis tool in terms of model yields (ratio of the difference between maximum and minimum values of model results to the observation), timing/location errors of local maxima in the inbound and outbound auroral crossings as well as cross-correlations for individual passes. We collect the information for many DMSP passes and present an analysis for model performance during quiet and geomagnetically disturbed time periods using half-orbit integrated values as well.

Rastaetter, Lutz↗

DOE OSTI2019

Radiation reaction of classical hyperbolic oscillator: Experimental signatures

When accelerated by a constant force in the lab frame, a classical charge experiences no self force. In this case, the particle radiates without dissipating its kinetic and potential energy. But what happens when the particle enters another region with equal and opposite acceleration? Does the oscillating charge lose its mechanical energy similar to a radiating dipole, even though it seems to lose no mechanical energy within each region of constant acceleration? In this paper, I will show how mechanical energy is transferred to radiation energy via the Schott energy when the particle crosses the boundary between the two regions. In particular, I will show how preacceleration, which is usually regarded as an unphysical effect of the Lorentz–Abraham–Dirac self force, is essential for the energy transfer. Moreover, I will show that the commonly adopted Landau–Lifshitz approximation, which removes preacceleration, introduces second-order secular energy error. On a more fundamental level, the validity of classical electrodynamics is in fact questionable because quantum effects are likely important. The classical prediction can be tested experimentally by observing frequency chirping of radiation, whereby micro physics leaves signatures on macroscopic scales. The required experimental accuracy is estimated. Trap experiments of this type is complementary to collider experiments that endeavor to observe radiation reaction for elementary particles.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2021

Spatial profiles of photon chemical potential in near-field thermophotovoltaic cells

Emitted photons stemming from the radiative recombination of electron–hole pairs carry chemical potential in radiative energy converters. This luminescent effect can substantially alter the local net photogeneration in near-field thermophotovoltaic cells. Several assumptions involving the luminescent effect are commonly made in modeling photovoltaic devices; in particular, the photon chemical potential is assumed to be zero or a constant prescribed by the bias voltage. The significance of photon chemical potential depends upon the emitter temperature, the semiconductor properties, and the injection level. Hence, these assumptions are questionable in near-field thermophotovoltaic devices with nanoscale separation distances between the emitter and the cell. In the present work, an iterative solver that combines fluctuational electrodynamics with the drift-diffusion model is developed to tackle the coupled photon and charge transport problem, enabling the determination of the spatial profile of photon chemical potential beyond the detailed balance approach. Here, the difference between the results obtained by allowing the photon chemical potential to vary spatially and by assuming a constant value demonstrates the limitations of the conventional approaches. This study is critically important for performance evaluation of near-field thermophotovoltaic systems with nanoscale vacuum gaps.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

DOE OSTI2014

Effective dynamics of a classical point charge

The effective Lagrangian of a point charge is derived by eliminating the electromagnetic field within the framework of the classical closed time path formalism. The short distance singularity of the electromagnetic field is regulated by an UV cutoff. The Abraham–Lorentz force is recovered and its similarity to quantum anomalies is underlined. The full cutoff-dependent linearized equation of motion is obtained, no runaway trajectories are found but the effective dynamics shows acausality if the cutoff is beyond the classical charge radius. The strength of the radiation reaction force displays a pole in its cutoff-dependence in a manner reminiscent of the Landau-pole of perturbative QED. Similarity between the dynamical breakdown of the time reversal invariance and dynamical symmetry breaking is pointed out. -- Highlights: •Extension of the classical action principle for dissipative systems. •New derivation of the Abraham–Lorentz force for a point charge. •Absence of a runaway solution of the Abraham–Lorentz force. •Acausality in classical electrodynamics. •Renormalization of classical electrodynamics of point charges.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2020

Octopus, a computational framework for exploring light-driven phenomena and quantum dynamics in extended and finite systems

Over the last few years, extraordinary advances in experimental and theoretical tools have allowed us to monitor and control matter at short time and atomic scales with a high degree of precision. An appealing and challenging route toward engineering materials with tailored properties is to find ways to design or selectively manipulate materials, especially at the quantum level. To this end, having a state-of-the-art ab initio computer simulation tool that enables a reliable and accurate simulation of light-induced changes in the physical and chemical properties of complex systems is of utmost importance. The first principles real-space-based Octopus project was born with that idea in mind, i.e., to provide a unique framework that allows us to describe non-equilibrium phenomena in molecular complexes, low dimensional materials, and extended systems by accounting for electronic, ionic, and photon quantum mechanical effects within a generalized time-dependent density functional theory. This article aims to present the new features that have been implemented over the last few years, including technical developments related to performance and massive parallelism. We also describe the major theoretical developments to address ultrafast light-driven processes, such as the new theoretical framework of quantum electrodynamics density-functional formalism for the description of novel light–matter hybrid states. Those advances, and others being released soon as part of the Octopus package, will allow the scientific community to simulate and characterize spatial and time-resolved spectroscopies, ultrafast phenomena in molecules and materials, and new emergent states of matter (quantum electrodynamical-materials).

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

On measuring stimulated photon–photon scattering using multiple ultraintense lasers

Stimulated photon–photon scattering is a predicted consequence of quantum electrodynamics that has yet to be measured directly. Measuring the cross section for stimulated photon–photon scattering is the aim of a flagship experiment for NSF OPAL, a proposed laser user facility with two, 25-PW beamlines. We present optimized experimental designs for achieving this challenging and canonical measurement. A family of experimental geometries is identified that satisfies the momentum- and energy-matching conditions for two selected laser frequency options. Numerical models predict a maximum signal exceeding 1000 scattered photons per shot at the experimental conditions envisaged at NSF OPAL. Experimental requirements on collision geometry, polarization, cotiming and copointing, background suppression, and diagnostic technologies are investigated numerically. These results confirm that a beam cotiming shorter than the pulse duration and control of the copointing on a scale smaller than the shortest laser wavelength are needed to robustly scatter photons on a per-shot basis. Finally, we assess the bounds that a successful execution of this experiment may place on the mass scale of Born–Infeld nonlinear electrodynamics beyond the standard model of physics.

Beyond the Standard Model↗