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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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59 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2020

REACCH - Reactive Electro-Adhesive Capture ClotH Mechanism to Enable Safe Grapple of Cooperative/Non-Cooperative Space Debris

USC’s Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have created a unique “octopus” tentacle end effector for robotic systems that uses formable electro-adhesion (EA) and Gecko adhesion capture cloth material. REACCH, or Reactive Electro-Adhesive Capture ClotH, supports soft capture of objects of any size, shape, surface finish or material on-orbit. To-date SERC/JPL have developed initial tentacles and backing spines that can control the EA/G material. Prototypes with two tentacles have been demonstrated and tested on a 3-DOF air bearing device in 1g in one plane of grip. The results show promise to further develop this new type of grappling mechanism able to make first soft contact with an object, with a technology that merges compliance and control elements for future on-orbit servicing and assembly missions. This paper presents the initial design and test results on this type of system.

Narayanan, Sriram↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Influence of Feed Rate on Microstructure and Hardness of Conventionally Spun-formed Al 6061-O Plate

The effect of feed rate on the hardness and microstructure of a 7.35-mm-thick section from a spin-formed Al 6061 cylinder is investigated via microhardness mapping and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. The through-thickness hardness and microtexture profiles, corresponding to a true thickness strain of ≈ 0.3, are utilized to evaluate microstructural variations that could influence mechanical anisotropy and spin formability. The microhardness data reveal distinct gradients from the outer to the inner mold line that vary with feed rate and may be a function of the level of forming strain in the material. The microtextural mapping data expose a minor influence from feed rate, but contain trends through the material cross-section that suggest variations in the location-dependent stress states. The results demonstrate for the first time that the relationship between spin forming deformation and hardness or texture variations can be exploited to optimize processing parameters and mechanical response.

Spin forming↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Influence of Feed Rate on Microstructure and Hardness of Conventionally Spun-formed Al 6061-O Plate

The effect of feed rate on the mechanical properties and microstructure of a 7.35-mm-thick section from a spin-formed Al 6061 cylinder is investigated via microhardness mapping and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. The through-thickness hardness and microtexture profiles, corresponding to a true thickness strain of ≈ 0.3, are utilized to evaluate microstructural variations that could influence mechanical anisotropy and spin formability. The microhardness data reveal distinct gradients from the outer to the inner mold line that vary with feed rate and may be a function of the level of forming strain in the material. The microtextural mapping data expose a minor influence from feed rate, but contain trends through the material cross-section that suggest variations in the location-dependent stress states. The results demonstrate for the first time that the relationship between spin forming deformation and hardness or texture variations can be exploited to optimize processing parameters and mechanical response.

Spin forming↗
NASA NTRS2026

List of Commercial and Advanced Developmental Niobium-Based Alloys of the Space Age

This report compiles a list of commercial and developmental niobium-based alloys developed during the Space Age (late 1950s through mid-1970s) for extreme-temperature applications, including rocket engine thrust chambers, hypersonic re-entry thermal protection systems, and space fission reactor loops. Niobium (Nb) was widely pursued because it provided the lowest density (~8.6 g/cc) among the primary refractory metals, a high melting temperature (~2470°C), exceptional low-temperature ductility, good formability, and compatibility with liquid alkali metals. An evaluation of physical metallurgy mechanisms, focusing on solid-solution strengthening via heavy refractory solutes (W, Mo, Ta), dual-purpose reactive solutes (Hf, Zr, Ti), and dispersion strengthening using carbides, nitrides, and oxides is presented. Additionally, the report compares Western and Soviet Union metallurgical approaches, explaining how supply chain factors and manufacturing infrastructure influenced element selection, interstitial chemistry, and alloy identification/naming conventions. Cataloging these historical alloy chemical compositions serves as a foundational reference for modern alloy additive manufacturing, thermodynamic CALPHAD modeling, and machine-learning discovery pipelines for next-generation extreme-environment niobium-based alloys.

Physical Metallurgy↗