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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 NTRS2003

Commercial Research Results from the International Space Station

As part of NASA's mission of enabling commercial opportunities in space, the Space Product Development Office has sponsored the flight of twelve commercial payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) during calendar year 2002. These twelve follow seven commercial payloads flown to the ISS during 2001. Many of these payloads, which were among the first users of this new laboratory, built upon successful commercial investigations that previously were restricted to the limited flight duration of the Space Shuttle. While the majority of early commercial use of the ISS is in the area of biotechnology, there is a significant shift towards commercial materials research over the next two years. New commercial payloads such as Space-DRUMS and Vulcan will advance commercial materials research on the ISS. Commercial flight hardware is available to the broader NASA community in order to provide benefit to the entire NASA microgravity program, and the scientific community on a space available basis and at very low cost. The first commercial operations on the ISS provides not only a needed capability to the commercial development of space program, it will also augment the science program as well.

Nall, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2003

Manipulation of Micro Scale Particles in Optical Traps Using Programmable Spatial Light Modulation

1064 nm light, from an Nd:YAG laser, was polarized and incident upon a programmable parallel aligned liquid crystal spatial light modulator (PAL-SLM), where it was phase modulated according to the program controlling the PAL-SLM. Light reflected from the PAL-SLM was injected into a microscope and focused. At the focus, multiple optical traps were formed in which 9.975 m spheres were captured. The traps and the spheres were moved by changing the program of the PAL-SLM. The motion of ordered groups of micro particles was clearly demonstrated.

Seibel, Robin E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Implementation of Advanced Solar Array Technology in Future NASA Missions

Advanced solar array technology is expected to be critical in achieving the mission goals on many future NASA space flight programs. Current PV cell development programs offer significant potential and performance improvements. However, in order to achieve the performance improvements promised by these devices, new solar array structures must be designed and developed to accommodate these new PV cell technologies. This paper will address the use of advanced solar array technology in future NASA space missions and specifically look at how newer solar cell technologies impact solar array designs and overall power system performance.

Piszczor, Michael F.↗
NASA NTRS2006

JSC Materials Laboratory Reproduction and Failure Analysis of Cracked Orbiter Reaction Control System Niobium Thruster Injectors

In April 2004 a Space Shuttle Orbiter Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster was found to be cracked while undergoing a nozzle (niobium/C103 alloy) retrofit. As a failure resulting from an in-flight RCS thruster burn-through (initiated from a crack) could be catastrophic, an official Space Shuttle Program flight constraint was issued until flight safety could be adequately demonstrated. This paper describes the laboratory test program which was undertaken to reproduce the cracking in order to fully understand and bound the driving environments. The associated rationale developed to justify continued safe flight of the Orbiter RCS system is also described. The laboratory testing successfully reproduced the niobium cracking, and established specific bounding conditions necessary to cause cracking in the C103 thruster injectors. Each of the following conditions is necessary in combination together: 1) a mechanically disturbed / cold-worked free surface, 2) an externally applied sustained tensile stress near yield strength, 3) presence of fluorine-containing fluids on exposed tensile / cold-worked free surfaces, and 4) sustained exposure to temperatures greater than 400 F. As a result of this work, it was concluded that fluorine-containing materials (e.g. HF acid, Krytox , Brayco etc.) should be carefully controlled or altogether eliminated during processing of niobium and its alloys.

Castner, Willard L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Orion Parachute Riser Cutter Development

This paper presents the tests and analytical approach used on the development of a steel riser cutter for the CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) used on the Orion crew module. Figure 1 shows the riser cutter and the steel riser bundle which consists of six individual cables. Due to the highly compressed schedule, initial unavailability of the riser material and the Orion Forward Bay mechanical constraints, JSC primarily relied on a combination of internal ballistics analysis and LS-DYNA simulation for this project. Various one dimensional internal ballistics codes that use standard equation of state and conservation of energy have commonly used in the development of CAD devices for initial first order estimates and as an enhancement to the test program. While these codes are very accurate for propellant performance prediction, they usually lack a fully defined kinematic model for dynamic predictions. A simple piston device can easily and accurately be modeled using an equation of motion. However, the accuracy of analytical models is greatly reduced on more complicated devices with complex external loads, nonlinear trajectories or unique unlocking features. A 3D finite element model of CAD device with all critical features included can vastly improve the analytical ballistic predictions when it is used as a supplement to the ballistic code. During this project, LS-DYNA structural 3D model was used to predict the riser resisting load that was needed for the ballistic code. A Lagrangian model with eroding elements shown in Figure 2 was used for the blade, steel riser and the anvil. The riser material failure strain was fine tuned by matching the dent depth on the anvil with the actual test data. LS-DYNA model was also utilized to optimize the blade tip design for the most efficient cut. In parallel, the propellant type and the amount were determined by using CADPROG internal ballistics code. Initial test results showed a good match with LS-DYNA and CADPROG simulations. Final paper will present a detailed roadmap from initial ballistic modeling and LS-DYNA simulation to the performance testing. Blade shape optimization study will also be presented.

Oguz, Sirri↗
NASA NTRS2012

Human Settlements in the South-Central U.S., Viewed at Night from the International Space Station

A recent innovation of astronauts observing Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) is documenting human footprints by photographing city lights at night time. One of the earliest night-time images from the ISS was the US-Mexico border at El Paso-Ciudad Juarez. The colors, patterns and density of city lights document the differences in the cultural settlement patterns across the border region, as well as within the urban areas themselves. City lights help outline the most populated areas in settlements around the world, and can be used to explore relative population densities, changing patterns of urban/suburban development, transportation networks, spatial relationship to geographic features, and more. The data also provides insight into parameters such as surface roughness for input into local and regional climate modeling and studies of light pollution. The ground resolution of night-time astronaut photography from the ISS is typically an order of magnitude greater than current Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data, and therefore can serve as a "zoom lens" for selected urban areas. Current handheld digital cameras in use on the ISS, optimized for greater light sensitivity, provide opportunities to obtain new detailed imagery of atmospheric phenomena such as airglow, aurora, and noctilucent clouds in addition to documenting urban patterns. ISS astronauts have taken advantage of increasingly sensitive digital cameras to document the world at night in unprecedented detail. In addition, the capability to obtain time-lapse imagery from fixed cameras has been exploited to produce dynamic videos of both changing surface patterns around the world and atmospheric phenomena. We will profile some spectacular images of human settlements over the South-Central U.S., and contrast with other images from around the world. More data can be viewed at http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/Videos/CrewEarthObservationsVideos/. US-Mexico border is obvious by the different lighting pattern. Not surprisingly, the densely illuminated city of Juarez indicates a higher population; El Paso's smaller population is spread out over a larger area.

Dawson, Melissa↗
NASA NTRS2011

Searching for Soft Relativistic Jets in Core-Collapse Supernovae with the IceCube Optical Follow-up Program

Context. Transient neutrino sources such as Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) and Supernovae (SNe) are hypothesized to emit bursts of high-energy neutrinos on a time-scale of < or approx.100 s. While GRB neutrinos would be produced in high relativistic jets, core-collapse SNe might host soft-relativistic jets, which become stalled in the outer layers of the progenitor star leading to an efficient production of high-energy neutrinos. Aims. To increase the sensitivity to these neutrinos and identify their sources, a low-threshold optical follow-up program for neutrino multiplets detected with the IceCube observatory has been implemented. Methods. If a neutrino multiplet, i.e. two or more neutrinos from the same direction within 100 s, is found by IceCube a trigger is sent to the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment, ROTSE. The 4 ROTSE telescopes immediately start an observation program of the corresponding region of the sky in order to detect an optical counterpart to the neutrino events. Results. No statistically significant excess in the rate of neutrino multiplets has been observed and furthermore no coincidence with an optical counterpart was found. Conclusions. The search allows, for the first time, to set stringent limits on current models predicting a high-energy neutrino flux from soft relativistic hadronic jets in core-collapse SNe. We conclude that a sub-population of SNe with typical Lorentz boost factor and jet energy of 10 and 3 x 10(exp 51) erg, respectively, does not exceed 4:2% at 90% confidence.

Abbasi, R.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Measurement of Visual Reaction Times Using Hand-held Mobile Devices

Modern mobile devices provide a convenient platform for collecting research data in the field. But,because the working of these devices is often cloaked behind multiple layers of proprietary system software, it can bedifficult to assess the accuracy of the data they produce, particularly in the case of timing. We have been collecting datain a simple visual reaction time experiment, as part of a fatigue testing protocol known as the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). In this protocol, subjects run a 5-minute block consisting of a sequence of trials in which a visual stimulus appears after an unpredictable variable delay. The subject is required to tap the screen as soon as possible after the appearance of the stimulus. In order to validate the reaction times reported by our program, we had subjects perform the task while a high-speed video camera recorded both the display screen, and a side view of the finger (observed in a mirror). Simple image-processing methods were applied to determine the frames in which the stimulus appeared and disappeared, and in which the finger made and broke contact with the screen. The results demonstrate a systematic delay between the initial contact by the finger and the detection of the touch by the software, having a value of 80 +- 20 milliseconds.

reaction time↗
NASA NTRS2017

Quantifying Uncertainties in Navigation and Orbit Propagation Analyses

A tool used to calculate dilution of precision (DOP) was created in order to assist the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program to analyze current and future user missions. The SCaN Center for Engineering, Networks, Integration, and Communication (SCENIC) is developing a new user interface (UI) to augment and replace the capabilities of currently used commercial software, such as Systems Tool Kit (STK). The DOP tool will be integrated in the SCENIC UI and will be used to analyze the accuracy of navigation solutions. This tool was developed using MATLAB and free and open-source tools to save cost and to use already existing orbital software libraries. GPS DOP data was collected and used for validation purposes. The similarities between the DOP tool results and GPS data show that the DOP tool is performing correctly. Additional improvements can be made in the DOP tool to improve its accuracy and performance in analyzing navigation solutions.

dilution of precision↗
NASA NTRS2019

Potential Improvements to the Nuclear Safety and Launch Approval Process for Nuclear Reactors Utilized for Space Power and Propulsion Applications

This study examines potential improvements that could be made to the nuclear safety and launch approval process for fission reactors to reduce the associated uncertainties in cost and schedule while continuing to ensure public safety and environmental protection. It concentrates on the launch approval and mission safety of fission power and propulsion applications of nuclear energy. Improvements to the launch approval process for radioisotope power systems (RPSs) are being considered elsewhere but are acknowledged throughout the report. The study considered technical, process, and organizational improvements to the launch approval processes. The study exclusively evaluated reactors that would not be started up prior to achieving a “sufficiently high orbit,” per United Nations (UN) Resolution 47/68.Potential criticality accidents were considered that could occur during a launch failure or abort or during reentry. Numerous scenarios were examined that might involve one or more Earth flybys as well as potential transportation missions that could intentionally return an active, or previously active fission reactor to Earth orbit. The Study Group was guided in its deliberations according to a number of fundamental principles. These included the paramount importance of adequate and appropriate levels of public safety and environmental protection as well as the importance of the inclusion of independent scientific, engineering, and safety reviews of the applications and proposals as a critical part of the process. Also considered was the need for the development of launch approval processes that might be different, depending upon the source of the application for launch approval, whether it be derived as a governmental launch, a commercial launch, or a hybrid/combination of the two. It is clear that all launches of nuclear reactors into space should have similar safety requirements; however, the safety review effort and the details of the analysis that are required should be commensurate with the potential hazards and the actual risk, which may differ based on the reactor design and its intended purpose. Finally, the study aimed at ensuring that whatever processes and procedures are developed should maximize the sufficiency, simplicity, and transparency of the processes. The Study Group reached five Conclusions and makes thirteen Recommendations. The Conclusions and Recommendations presented here are extensions of those presented previously in other studies. This report attempts to add specificity to the actions that need to be taken in order to move forward with successful space fission reactor programs. Without action to address the perceived and real problems in the launch approval process, designers and mission managers will be reluctant to commit the resources necessary to make space fission reactors a reality.

Camp, Allen↗
NASA NTRS1999

Technologies for Mars Exploration and Sample Return

A comprehensive program of robotic Mars exploration is being undertaken in order to address important scientific questions, to investigate whether or not life exists or ever existed on Mars, and to pave the way for eventual human prescence.

Robotics↗
NASA NTRS2004

Wave Propagation in 2-D Granular Matrix and Dust Mitigation of Fabrics for Space Exploration Mission

Wave Propagation study is essential to exploring the soil on Mars or Moon and Dust Mitigation is a necessity in terms of crew's health in exploration missions. The study of Dust Mitigation has a significant impact on the crew s health when astronauts track dust back into their living space after exploration trips. We are trying to use piezoelectric fiber to create waves and vibrations at certain critical frequencies and amplitudes so that we can shake the particles off from the astronaut s fabrics. By shaking off the dust and removing it, the astronauts no longer have to worry about breathing in small and possibly hazardous materials, when they are back in their living quarters. The Wave Propagation in 2-D Granular Matrix studies how the individual particles interact with each other when a pressure wave travels through the matrix. This experiment allows us to understand how wave propagates through soils and other materials. By knowing the details about the interactions of particles when they act as a medium for waves, we can better understand how wave propagates through soils and other materials. With this experiment, we can study how less gravity effects the wave propagation and hence device a way to study soils in space and on Moon or Mars. Some scientists treat the medium that waves travel through as a "black box", they did not pay much attention to how individual particles act as wave travels through them. With this data, I believe that we can use it to model ways to measure the properties of different materials such as density and composition. In order to study how the particles interact with each other, I have continued Juan Agui's experiment of the effects of impacts on a 2-D matrix. By controlling the inputs and measuring the outputs of the system, I will be able to study now the particles in that system interact with each other. I will also try to model this with the software called PFC2D in order to obtain theoretical data to compare with the experiment. PFC2D is a program that allows the user to control the number of particle's characteristic, and the environment of the particle. With this I can run simulations that mimic the impulse test. This software uses a language called FISH, probably created by the creator of the software. This means that in order to model anything, one must use the command terminal instead of GUI's. I will also use this program to simulate the Moon/Mars simulate adhering to the fabric for the Dust Mitigation project. My goals for this summer are just to complete preliminary studies of the feasibility of the Shaking Fabric, learn the PFC-2D program, and to complete building and testing the wave propagation experiment.

Thanh, Phi Hung X.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A compressor designed for the energy research and development agency automotive gas turbine program

A centrifugal compressor was designed for a gas turbine powered automobile as part of the Energy Research and Development Agency program to demonstrate emissions characteristics that meet 1978 standards with fuel economy and acceleration which are competitive with conventionally powered vehicles. A backswept impeller was designed for the compressor in order to attain the efficiency goal range required for the objectives of this program. Details of the design and method of flow analysis of the compressor are presented.

Galvas, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Infusing Stretch Goal Requirements into the Constellation Program

In 2004, the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) was announced by the United States President's Administration in an effort to explore space and to extend a human presence across our solar system. Subsequently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) established the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) to develop a constellation of new capabilities, supporting technologies, and foundational research that allows for the sustained and affordable exploration of space. Then, ESMD specified the primary mission for the Constellation Program to carry out a series of human expeditions, ranging from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to the surface of Moon, Mars, and beyond for the purposes of conducting human exploration of space. Thus, the Constellation Program was established at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) to manage the development of the flight and ground infrastructure and systems that can enable continued and extended human access to space. Constellation Program's "Design Objectives" call for an early attention to the program's life cycle costs management through the Program's Need, Goals, and Objectives (NGO) document, which provides the vision, scope, and key areas of focus for the Program. One general policy of the Constellation Program, found in the Constellation Architecture Requirements Document (CARD), states: "A sustainable program hinges on how effectively total life cycle costs are managed. Developmental costs are a key consideration, but total life cycle costs related to the production, processing, and operation of the entire architecture must be accounted for in design decisions sufficiently to ensure future resources are available for ever more ambitious missions into the solar system....It is the intent of the Constellation Program to aggressively manage this aspect of the program using the design policies and simplicity." To respond to the Program's strong desire to manage the program life cycle costs, special efforts were established to identify operability requirements to influence flight vehicle and ground infrastructure design in order to impact the life cycle operations costs, and stretch goal requirements were introduced to the Program. This paper will describe how these stretch goal requirements were identified, developed, refined, matured, approved, and infused into the CARD. The paper will also document several challenges encountered when infusing the stretch goal requirements into the Constellation Program.

Operability↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ames National Laboratory Annual Site Environmental Report for CY2021

The primary purpose of this report is to summarize the performance of Ames National Laboratory’s environmental programs, present highlights of significant environmental activities, and confirm compliance with environmental regulations and requirements for calendar year 2021. This report is a working requirement of Department of Energy Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting. It includes descriptions of the Laboratory’s site, mission, the status of its compliance with applicable environmental regulations, its planning and activities to maintain compliance, and a comprehensive review of its environmental protection, surveillance and monitoring activities. Ames National Laboratory is located on the campus of Iowa State University (ISU) and occupies 13 buildings owned by the Department of Energy (DOE). See the Laboratory’s Web page for location and Laboratory overview. The Laboratory also leases space in ISU owned buildings. In 2021, the Laboratory accumulated and disposed of hazardous waste under a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued generator number. All waste was handled according to applicable EPA, State, and local regulations and DOE Orders. The Laboratory operates as a Small Quantity Generator (SQG) of hazardous waste. There were no radiological air emissions or exposures to the general public due to Laboratory activities in 2021 (See U.S. Department of Energy Air Emissions Annual Report in Appendix A.) The Laboratory has an established Environmental Radiological Protection Program (Plan 10200.041) per DOE Order 458.1 requirements. Plans, policies, and procedures are in place to protect the public and the environment against undue risk from radiation associated with DOE radiological activities. As indicated in prior Site Environmental Reports, formal pollution prevention awareness, waste minimization and recycling programs have been in practice since 1990, with improvements implemented most recently in 2017 with Iowa State University’s shift toward single-stream recycling. Included in recycling efforts are items such as batteries, monitors, corrugated cardboard, lamps, miscellaneous electronic office equipment, mixed paper, newsprint, food/beverage containers, and laboratory glassware. Ames National Laboratory also recycles/reuses salvageable metal, used oil, and foamed polystyrene peanuts, and encourages chemical redistribution and sharing among research groups. Ames National Laboratory reported its contractual performance to DOE-Ames Site Office (AMSO) through the Laboratory’s Performance Evaluation Measurement Plan (PEMP), and a performance level of “B+” was achieved in 2021 for Sustain Excellence and Enhance Effectiveness of Integrated Safety, Health, and Environmental Protection As reported in Site Environmental Reports for prior years, the Laboratory’s Environmental Management System (EMS) has been integrated into the Laboratory’s Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS) since 2005. The integration of EMS into Laboratory business practices allows the Laboratory to systematically review, address and respond to environmental impacts. In addition to DOE-identified objectives and targets, the EMS Steering Committee recommends annual environmental goals for the Laboratory. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and limited onsite work staff, goals of reducing water usage and travel/commuting to promote the reduction of scope 3 greenhouse gases were achieved. All contract deliverables and environmental compliance activities were still met during this time.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1975

Remote-sensing applications as utilized in Florida's coastal zone management program

Land use maps were developed from photomaps obtained by remote sensing in order to develop a comprehensive state plan for the protection, development, and zoning of coastal regions. Only photographic remote sensors have been used in support of the coastal council's planning/management methodology. Standard photointerpretation and cartographic application procedures for map compilation were used in preparing base maps.

Worley, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Analysis of the Skylab flight crew health stabilization program

Isolation periods were established prior to launch as well as postflight in order to reduce the number of infectious illness contacts between crewmen. The most frequently reported illness contacts were upper respiratory infections. Enteric illnesses represented the next most common illness, but these were relatively rare compared to upper respiratory infections.

Ferguson, J. K.↗