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NASA NTRS2012

Dark Material at the Surface of Polar Crater Deposits on Mercury

Earth-based radar measurements [1-3] have yielded images of radar-bright material at the poles of Mercury postulated to be near-surface water ice residing in cold traps on the permanently shadowed floors of polar impact craters. The Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) on board the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft has now mapped much of the north polar region of Mercury [4] (Fig. 1). Radar-bright zones lie within polar craters or along poleward-facing scarps lying mainly in shadow. Calculations of illumination with respect to solid-body motion [5] show that at least 0.5% of the surface area north of 75deg N lies in permanent shadow, and that most such permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) coincide with radar-bright regions. MLA transmits a 1064-nm-wavelength laser pulse at 8 Hz, timing the leading and trailing edges of the return pulse. MLA can in some cases infer energy and thereby surface reflectance at the laser wavelength from the returned pulses. Surficial exposures of water ice would be optically brighter than the surroundings, but persistent surface water ice would require temperatures over all seasons to remain extremely low (<110 K). Thermal models [6,7] incorporating direct and scattered radiation, Mercury s eccentric orbit, 3:2 spin-orbit resonance, and near-zero obliquity generally do not support such conditions in all permanently shadowed craters but suggest that water ice buried near the surface (<0.5 m depth) could survive for > 1 Gy. We describe measurements of reflectivity derived from MLA pulse returns. These reflectivity data show that surface materials in the shadowed regions are darker than their surroundings, enough to strongly attenuate or extinguish laser returns. Such measurements appear to rule out widespread surface exposures of water ice. We consider explanations for the apparent low reflectivity of these regions involving other types of volatile deposit.

Neumann, Gregory A.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement among National Energy Technology Laboratory, Advanced Manufacturing LLC, and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology [Abstract]

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Advanced Manufacturing LLC (AMLLC) and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) will collaborate to develop and manufacture cost-effective, oxide dispersion-strengthened, NiCrFeCo-rich high entropy alloys that are superior to Nickel-based superalloys (e.g. IN740) for repair or replacement service in extreme environments. The new alloys can result in higher efficiency and reduced cost of advanced power systems such as advanced ultra-supercritical (AUSC) boilers and gas turbines. High throughput, multiscale computational modeling will be performed to accelerate alloy discovery by interrogating the intrinsic properties of the alloys including thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical properties. Validation and evaluation will be performed, including additive manufacturing, microstructure characterization, and mechanical properties tests.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1991

Method and apparatus for producing microshells

A method is described for forming hollow particles, or shells, of extremely small size. The shell material is heated to a molten temperature in the presence of a gas that is at least moderately soluble in the shell material, to form a solution of the molten shell material and the soluble gas. The solution is atomized to form a multiplicity of separate droplets that are cooled while in free fall. Cooling of a droplet from the outside traps the desolved gas and forces it to form a gas bubble at the center of the droplet which now forms a gas filled shell. The shell is reheated and then cooled in free fall, in an environment having a lower pressure than the gas pressure in the shell. This causes expansion of the shell and the formation of a shell having a small wall thickness compared to its diameter.

Lee, Mark C.↗

DOE OSTI2025

RD53 pixel readout integrated circuits for ATLAS and CMS HL-LHC upgrades

The RD53 collaboration has since 2013 developed new hybrid pixel detector chips with 50 × 50 μm2 pixels for the HL-LHC upgrades of the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN. A common architecture, design and verification framework has been developed to enable final pixel chips of different sizes to be designed, verified and tested to handle extreme hit rates of 3 GHz/cm2 (up to 12 GHz per chip) together with an increased trigger rate of 1 MHz and efficient readout of up to 5.12 Gbits/s per pixel chip. Tolerance to an extremely hostile radiation environment with 1 Grad over 10 years and induced SEU (Single Event Upset) rates of up to 100 upsets per second per chip have been major challenges to make reliable pixel chips. Three generations of pixel chips, and many specific mixed signal building blocks and radiation test chips, have been submitted and extensively tested to get to final production chips. The large, complex and high rate pixel chips have been developed with a strong emphasis on low power consumption together with a concurrent development and qualification of novel serial powering at chip, module and system level, to minimize detector material budget.

Alimonti, G↗

NASA NTRS2007

NTREES Testing and Operations Status

Nuclear Thermal Rockets or NTR's have been suggested as a propulsion system option for vehicles traveling to the moon or Mars. These engines are capable of providing high thrust at specific impulses at least twice that of today's best chemical engines. The performance constraints on these engines are mainly the result of temperature limitations on the fuel coupled with a limited ability to withstand chemical attack by the hot hydrogen propellant. To operate at maximum efficiency, fuel forms are desired which can withstand the extremely hot, hostile environment characteristic of NTR operation for at least several hours. The simulation of such an environment would require an experimental device which could simultaneously approximate the power, flow, and temperature conditions which a nuclear fuel element (or partial element) would encounter during NTR operation. Such a simulation would allow detailed studies of the fuel behavior and hydrogen flow characteristics under reactor like conditions to be performed. Currently, the construction of such a simulator has been completed at the Marshall Space Flight Center, and will be used in the future to evaluate a wide variety of fuel element designs and the materials of which they are fabricated. This present work addresses the operational status of the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator or NTREES and some of the design considerations which were considered prior to and during its construction.

Emrich, Bill↗

NASA NTRS2020

Design and Test of an Electromechanical Rover Tether for the Exploration of Vertical Lunar Pit

Moon Diver is a proposed mission to land and deploy an extreme-terrain, tethered rover for the exploration of Tranquillitatis Pit, a large vertical cave entrance into the subsurface of Earth’s Moon. By leveraging a supportive tether, the Axel rover, developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, would perform a controlled descent into the pit and deploy instruments along the pit wall. The purpose of this mission concept is to study a volcanic secondary crust as a function of depth in order to determine formation processes and chemical makeup. The lifeline of the mission would be the tether, which provides power from, and communication to the top-side lander. Critically, the tether also serves as mechanical support between the suspended rover and the lander, which acts as an anchor. While space tethers have been deployed both in orbit and terrestrially, the use of the proposed tether is unlike any known in the literature; the tether must come into contact with the terrain while under load. With respect to the environment, the tether must also survive abrasion from glassy regolith and volcanic rocks, bending around sharp edges, thermal extremes, and exposure to full spectrum ultra-violet (UV) radiation, all while reliably transferring up to 100 W of power and 1 Mbps of data. Furthermore, since the Axel rover pays out tether from an internal spool, the tether’s diameter must be minimized to increase spool capacity, allowing for up to a 300-m traverse while also meeting static and dynamic strength requirements. This paper covers several phases of the tether’s initial development, including i) a trade study of structure and materials with consideration for space heritage, ii) selected design justification, and iii) results from tests on prototype tethers looking into mechanical, electrical, and environmental properties, including exposure to rock regolith abrasion, load profiles at temperature, and degradation due to UV exposure while exposed to vacuum. Finally, we provide insights and lessons learned from lab and field tests, which inform our continued effort to design a tether capable of surviving rugged, lunar conditions.

Nensas, Issa↗

NASA NTRS2020

Comparison of Extreme Value Distributions for Electrostatic Discharge Magnitudes in Spacecraft Charging Tests

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) induced by the accumulation of charge in the space environment is known to cause spacecraft anomalies and failures. While it is critical to estimate the worst-case expected ESD, sensitive radar instruments can be impacted by high rates of occurrence of very small ESD. To estimate the correct extreme behavior, it is important to select the correct extreme value distribution for extrapolation of test results limited in time and sensitivity. Quantile-quantile (Q-Q) analysis is used to compare electron beam-induced ESD test data to several statistical distributions used in the published literature. The best-fit distribution is shown to vary from between tests on different materials; however, it is clear that power law distributions are not good approximations for low amplitude events. Q-Q analysis is a convenient graphical method for evaluating multiple theoretical extreme-value distributions simultaneously.

Kim, Wousik↗

NASA NTRS2013

Acoustic Mechanical Feedthroughs

Electromagnetic motors can have problems when operating in extreme environments. In addition, if one needs to do mechanical work outside a structure, electrical feedthroughs are required to transport the electric power to drive the motor. In this paper, we present designs for driving rotary and linear motors by pumping stress waves across a structure or barrier. We accomplish this by designing a piezoelectric actuator on one side of the structure and a resonance structure that is matched to the piezoelectric resonance of the actuator on the other side. Typically, piezoelectric motors can be designed with high torques and lower speeds without the need for gears. One can also use other actuation materials such as electrostrictive, or magnetostrictive materials in a benign environment and transmit the power in acoustic form as a stress wave and actuate mechanisms that are external to the benign environment. This technology removes the need to perforate a structure and allows work to be done directly on the other side of a structure without the use of electrical feedthroughs, which can weaken the structure, pipe, or vessel. Acoustic energy is pumped as a stress wave at a set frequency or range of frequencies to produce rotary or linear motion in a structure. This method of transferring useful mechanical work across solid barriers by pumping acoustic energy through a resonant structure features the ability to transfer work (rotary or linear motion) across pressure or thermal barriers, or in a sterile environment, without generating contaminants. Reflectors in the wall of barriers can be designed to enhance the efficiency of the energy/power transmission. The method features the ability to produce a bi-directional driving mechanism using higher-mode resonances. There are a variety of applications where the presence of a motor is complicated by thermal or chemical environments that would be hostile to the motor components and reduce life and, in some instances, not be feasible. A variety of designs that have been designed, fabricated and tested will be presented

piezoelectric devices↗

DOE OSTI2026

Charged Defects in UO 2 Bulk and Surface: A First-Principles Study

Uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) is the primary fuel used in nuclear reactors. Under the extreme heat and radiation inside a reactor, this material inevitably develops defects in its crystal structure. To investigate the nature and behavior of these defects, DFT+U calculations were employed to investigate charged point defects in both bulk UO 2 and its most stable surface, the (111) plane. The formation of defects and their impact on the electronic structure were systematically examined. The results reveal that these defects introduce localized electronic states, alter magnetic behavior, and modify the structural properties. In general, such defects act as deep traps capable of capturing and retaining charge carriers. The stability of these defects depends strongly on the chemical environment and the position of the Fermi level. Surface defect calculations reveal that oxygen vacancies form more readily at the surface than in the bulk over a wide range of electron chemical potential, with subsurface oxygen vacancies being more stable than those in the top layer. Overall, the findings demonstrate how charged defects influence magnetism, transport, and stability in UO 2 , providing insights that may guide improvements in the safety and efficiency of nuclear fuel.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Self-consistent integrated modeling of combined hybrid discharge-laser produced plasma devices for extreme ultraviolet metrology

Discharge- and laser-produced plasma (DLPP) devices are being used as light sources for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) generation. A key challenge for both, DPP and LPP, is achieving sufficient brightness to support the throughput requirements of nanometrology tools. To simulate the environment of a hybrid DLPP device and optimize the EUV output, we have developed an integrated HEIGHTS-DLPP computer simulation package. The package integrates simulation of two evolving plasmas (DPP and LPP) and includes modeling of a set of integrated self-consistent processes: external power source and plasma energy balance, plasma resistive magnetohydrodynamics, plasma heat conduction, detailed radiation transport (RT), and laser absorption and refraction. We simulated and optimized DLPP devices using Xe gas as a target material. We synchronized the external circuit parameters, chamber gas parameters, and laser beam temporal and spatial profiles to achieve maximum EUV output. The full 3D Monte Carlo scheme was integrated for detailed RT and EUV output calculations in Xe using more than 3600 spectral groups. The modeling results are in good agreement with Julich Forschungszentrum experimental data. Theoretical models, developed and integrated into the HEIGHTS package, showed wide capabilities and flexibility. In conclusion, the models and package can be used for optimization of the experimental parameters and settings, investigation of DLPP devices with complex design, analyzing the impact of integrated spatial effects and working timeline arrangement on the final EUV output, and EUV source size, shape, and angular distribution.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS2020

Mars 2020 Rover Adaptive Caching Assembly: Caching Martian Samples for Potential Earth Return

The Adaptive Caching Assembly, part of the Sampling and Caching System on the Mars 2020 Rover, consists of multiple stations that together process sample tubes containing collected Martian material, either rock cores or soil samples, and prepares hermetically-sealed sample tubes for caching on the surface of Mars. There are 7 active degrees-of-freedom, as well as a large number of passive mechanisms within the Adaptive Caching Assembly that must operate in extreme Mars conditions (i.e., temperature and pressure). Hardware cleanliness requirements significantly drove design, assembly, and test operations of the Adaptive Caching Assembly, and were found to adversely affect hardware in some cases such that late design changes and revised cleanliness operations had to be implemented. While Adaptive Caching Assembly hardware was designed to accommodate dust, testing in a representative environment is important to validate functionality is not compromised.

Silverman, Milo↗

DOE OSTI2020

Local lattice distortions and dynamics in extremely overdoped superconducting YSr 2 Cu 2.75 Mo 0.25 O 7.54

A common characteristic of many “overdoped” cuprates prepared with high-pressure oxygen is T c values ≥ 50 K that often exceed that of optimally doped parent compounds, despite O stoichiometries that place the materials at the edge or outside of the conventional boundary between superconducting and normal Fermi liquid states. X-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) measurements at 52 K on samples of high-pressure oxygen (HPO) YSr 2 Cu 2.75 Mo 0.25 O 7.54 , T c = 84 K show that the Mo is in the (VI) valence in an unusually undistorted octahedral geometry with predominantly Mo neighbors that is consistent with its assigned substitution for Cu in the chain sites of the structure. Perturbations of the Cu environments are minimal, although the Cu X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) differs from that in other cuprates. The primary deviation from the crystal structure is therefore nanophase separation into Mo- and Cu-enriched domains. There are, however, indications that the dynamical attributes of the structure are altered relative to YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 , including a shift of the Cu-apical O two-site distribution from the chain to the plane Cu sites. Another effect that would influence T c is the possibility of multiple bands at the Fermi surface caused by the presence of the second phase and the lowering of the Fermi level.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

NASA NTRS2010

Overview of the Orion Thermal Protection System

The Orion spacecraft is being developed as part of the Constellation Exploration Program and will serve as the United States crewed transportation system to the International Space Station after the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2010 and as the eventual means to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon. Therefore, Orion is being designed for reentry missions from both low Earth orbit and from Lunar-return trajectories. This presentation will provide an overview of the development of the Orion TPS, a critical component in the development of the spacecraft. The thermal protection system (TPS) that protects the crew module from the extreme environments associated with Earth atmospheric reentry consists of a forward heatshield and an aft backshell. The requirements that drive the design of the TPS will be discussed, including several key requirements that establish a precedent for U.S. human-rated spacecraft. For the first time in U.S. human spaceflight, a vehicle s TPS is being designed with a specific, derived requirement for reliability. Also, due to the increased presence of spacecraft in Earth s orbit in recent decades, requirements for micro-meteoroid/orbital debris damage tolerance are also a driving requirement that has affected the selection of portions of the TPS. The efforts to select materials and to define a preliminary design for both the heatshield and the backshell will be described. This will include a discussion of the design challenges presented by the numerous penetrations on both the backshell and the heatshield. Finally, the verification and validation plan which is currently under development to certify the TPS for human-rated missions will be outlined. To support the execution of this plan, a ground test campaign for both thermal and structural performance is being designed. This test campaign will directly support thermal and thermal/structural analyses that also are fundamental to the certification effort.

Kowal, T. John↗

NASA NTRS2016

The Formation of Charon's Red Poles from Seasonally Cold-Trapped Volatiles

A unique feature of Plutos large satellite Charon is its dark red northern polar cap. Similar colours on Plutos surface have been attributed to tholin-like organic macromolecules produced by energetic radiation processing of hydrocarbons. The polar location on Charon implicates the temperature extremes that result from Charons high obliquity and long seasons in the production of this material. The escape of Pluto's atmosphere provides a potential feedstock for a complex chemistry. Gas from Pluto that is transiently cold-trapped and processed at Charon's winter pole was proposed as an explanation for the dark coloration on the basis of an image of Charon's northern hemisphere, but not modelled quantitatively. Here we report images of the southern hemisphere illuminated by Pluto-shine and also images taken during the approach phase that show the northern polar cap over a range of longitudes. We model the surface thermal environment on Charon and the supply and temporary cold-trapping of material escaping from Pluto, as well as the photolytic processing of this material into more complex and less volatile molecules while cold-trapped. The model results are consistent with the proposed mechanism for producing the observed colour pattern on Charon.

Grundy, W. M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Metallic Environmentally Resistant Coating Rapid Innovation Initiative

Lightweight alloys such as aluminum (Al) and titanium (Ti) are often specified for space systems to minimize mass while maintaining structural integrity [1,2]. Such alloys however, have poor tribological response (high friction and wear), especially in extreme space environments, which becomes worse with the additional presence of lunar regolith. This leads to short lifetimes and premature failures that will ultimately limit long term operations on the lunar surface [2]. This project is addressing this technology gap by developing advanced wear- and radiation-resistant coatings for lightweight parts to extend the life-time and sustainability of both lunar and Martian assets. Ceramics were considered for their high wear resistance, but were rejected because of their low fracture toughness, which would be especially problematic for structural components. The novel and existing coating technologies and deposition methods are being tested in this project. The coating materials are Boron Nitride-Aluminum (BN-Al), Nickle Titanium (NiTi), Aluminum Oxide (AlO3), Ti64 with hBN at 2 and 10 vol percent (Ti-2vol%hBN and Ti-10vol%hBN), and the deposition techniques are high pressure cold-spray (CS) and ambient and vacuum plasma-spray (APS and VPS) [3,4,5]. BN-Al, NiTi, Ti-2vol%hBN, and Ti-10vol%hBN were applied with all three deposition techniques, and AlO3 was applied only using the APS deposition technique. A tungstenite (WS2) film was applied to the NiTi VPS coating. The coating and deposition technique configurations are being tested against several key end-use performance parameters. The parameters include the capabilities of the coatings under wear environments such as regolith simulant, thermal cycling from high (120°C) to cryogenic (-173°C), high vacuum (~10-7 torr), and pre- and post-exposure to ionizing particle radiation. Wear tests include pin on disk, three-body abrasion, and surface erosion by high velocity regolith impacts. The initial down selection is being performed using on virgin and environmental exposure samples using pin on disk and three body abrasion wear tests. From preliminary assessment of this testing, a few configurations were eliminated. Ti-10vol%hBN could not be applied using CS application and NiTi could not be applied using APS or CS application so these configurations did not get tested. Early pin on disk wear tests showed poor wear performance of BN-Al so this coating was eliminated early in the testing process. AlO3 on Al substrate did not survive thermal cycling, but wear testing is continuing for AlO3 on Ti substrate. A more detailed analysis is being con-ducted to further reduce the number of configuration for phase II and III. Phase II testing will include conventionally and additively manufactured substrates with surface erosion testing. In phase III, the coatings will be applied to three mechanism types: channel and slot, ball and socket, and a hinge joint. Each will demonstrate a different type of wear incidence. The mechanisms and their base materials are of direct interest to the end users and infusion points: the Human Landing System (HLS) and the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (sustained lunar surface operations). The technology development project is based out of Marshall Space Flight Center, has partnered with Florida International University (Miami, FL) and Plasma Processes (Huntsville, Al), and is supported by a group of NASA mentors from different centers.

dust mitigation↗

NASA NTRS1999

Characterization of Regolith Volatile Transport and Storage Properties by The MECA MSP 2001 Lander Payload

The diffusive and adsorptive properties of the Martian regolith influence the exchange of volatiles between the atmosphere and subsurface. Our quantitative knowledge of these properties is extremely poor -introducing substantial uncertainties in efforts to model long-term evolution of ground ice and diurnal, seasonal, and climatic cycles of CO2 and H20. This situation should significantly improve upon arrival of the 2001 Mars Surveyor Lander in 2002. In support of the Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise, the 2001 mission will include a suite of instruments to characterize the nature of the Martian environment and assess whether it contains hazards that may threaten future human exploration. A major element of this effort is the Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment (MECA) payload, which consists an optical microscopy system incorporating electrostatic, magnetic, and scratch-hardness materials testing palets, an atomic force microscope with imaging capabilities comparable to an SEM, a wet chemistry laboratory with four independent test cells, an electrometer on the robotic arm, material test patches, a camera also mounted on the arm, and a soil scoop for excavating down to about 50 cm into the soil. Although conceived to address the needs of HEDS, MECA payload is a sophisticated soil science laboratory that should provide a wealth of new data relevant to the volatile transport and storage properties of the regolith. Additional information os contained in the original.

Clifford, S. M.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Computational Chemistry and Lubrication

Members of NASA Lewis Research Center's Tribology and Surface Science Branch are applying high-level computational chemistry techniques to the development of new lubrication systems for space applications and for future advanced aircraft engines. The next generation of gas turbine engines will require a liquid lubricant to function at temperatures in excess of 350 C in oxidizing environments. Conventional hydrocarbon-based lubricants are incapable of operating in these extreme environments, but a class of compounds known as the perfluoropolyether (PFAE) liquids (see the preceding illustration) shows promise for such applications. These commercially available products are already being used as lubricants in conditions where low vapor pressure and chemical stability are crucial, such as in satellite bearings and composite disk platters. At higher temperatures, however, these compounds undergo a decomposition process that is assisted (catalyzed) by metal and metal oxide bearing surfaces. This decomposition process severely limits the applicability of PFAE's at higher temperatures. A great deal of laboratory experimentation has revealed that the extent of fluid degradation depends on the chemical properties of the bearing surface materials. Lubrication engineers would like to understand the chemical breakdown mechanism to design a less vulnerable PFAE or to develop a chemical additive to block this degradation.

Zehe, Michael J.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Testing Instrument Extremes in the TREAT Facility

TREAT is a transient power-shaping reactor whose primary mission is to enhance safety performance by testing nuclear fuels and materials under thermodynamic and neutronic conditions ranging from off-normal to extreme. Transient testing of nuclear fuels is analogous to car crash testing, in that the dramatic changes commonly seen when comparing the test specimens' initial and final state points necessitate in-situ measuring in order to interpret and understand the evolution of the experiment. TREAT’s experiment design strategy utilizes a highly reconfigurable and accessible reactor core that affords flexibility when installing experiment devices, thanks to the lack of a primary coolant boundary and the inclusion of multiple access points in the reactor bioshield. Within the experiment devices, the test specimens (which are integrated with their test environments), desired instrumentation diagnostics, and safety considerations are all contained in a single engineered package. The experiments encompass various types of environments (e.g., water, sodium, and gas at temperature and pressure), as well as a range of control options (e.g., static or flowing coolants). The experimental conditions are uniquely representative of advanced reactors, providing challenges to sensor performance but also affording a unique opportunity for development and qualification of sensors suited to these environments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗