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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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At least 1,009 records · Page 56
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2015

The Integrated Medical Model: A Probabilistic Simulation Model for Predicting In-Flight Medical Risks

The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) is a probabilistic model that uses simulation to predict mission medical risk. Given a specific mission and crew scenario, medical events are simulated using Monte Carlo methodology to provide estimates of resource utilization, probability of evacuation, probability of loss of crew, and the amount of mission time lost due to illness. Mission and crew scenarios are defined by mission length, extravehicular activity (EVA) schedule, and crew characteristics including: sex, coronary artery calcium score, contacts, dental crowns, history of abdominal surgery, and EVA eligibility. The Integrated Medical Evidence Database (iMED) houses the model inputs for one hundred medical conditions using in-flight, analog, and terrestrial medical data. Inputs include incidence, event durations, resource utilization, and crew functional impairment. Severity of conditions is addressed by defining statistical distributions on the dichotomized best and worst-case scenarios for each condition. The outcome distributions for conditions are bounded by the treatment extremes of the fully treated scenario in which all required resources are available and the untreated scenario in which no required resources are available. Upon occurrence of a simulated medical event, treatment availability is assessed, and outcomes are generated depending on the status of the affected crewmember at the time of onset, including any pre-existing functional impairments or ongoing treatment of concurrent conditions. The main IMM outcomes, including probability of evacuation and loss of crew life, time lost due to medical events, and resource utilization, are useful in informing mission planning decisions. To date, the IMM has been used to assess mission-specific risks with and without certain crewmember characteristics, to determine the impact of eliminating certain resources from the mission medical kit, and to design medical kits that maximally benefit crew health while meeting mass and volume constraints.

Risk Analysis↗
NASA NTRS2016

Cradle Enhanced UI Development

This summer I have been working in the EDI (Exploration, Development, and Integration) office. The primary goal of my office is to facilitate the integration, cooperation, and communication between programs, projects and departments throughout the agency. The majority of my efforts has been focused on Cradle, a requirements management and systems engineering tool. This tool is utilized by teams throughout NASA to plan and track the development of a variety of ongoing projects.

Jentsch, Samuel↗
NASA NTRS2019

A Qualitative Investigation of Selected Infrared Flow Visualization Image Processing Techniques

The deployment and integration of high-sensitivity infrared cameras in a transonic wind tunnel testenvironment has resulted in a unique capability to image aerodynamic phenomena in real-time. Multi-camera infrared flow visualization data systems are now routinely utilized at the NASA Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The small flow-induced temperature gradients on the surface of the wind tunnel test article coupled with the high bit-depth of the infrared camera sensor makes the processing of the image data critically important. An image processing routine must enhance features of interest with minimal artifacts. Additionally, the production wind tunnel test environment demands that these processed images are made available in a real-time, automatic fashion. Therefore, any image processing routine must be computationally economical and enhance the image data with minimal input from a human operator. The following seeks to qualitatively explore selected image processing techniques by assessing their effectiveness to resolve flow features on a wind tunnel test article. A multi-scale contrast enhancement technique is discussed as well as a new implementation of a multi-scale, non-interpolated adaptive histogram equalization. Finally, a novel method is introduced that demonstrates the ability to resolve flow features imaged on bare-steel test articles possessing low emissivity.This method makes use of dynamic mode decomposition and discrete-time filtering to separate the background reflections that dominate low emissivity surfaces from the aerodynamic driven surface temperature gradients.This process will be shown to resolve the onset of boundary layer transition on a bare metal wing as well as identify and resolve hidden features in the image data. While the implementation of this technique is very preliminary it demonstrates the potential to extend the application of infrared flow-visualization within the wind tunnel test environment.

Image Processeing↗
NASA NTRS2018

Dynamic Radioisotope Power Systems

NASA's dynamic power convertor development in support of high-efficiency RPS is progressing as planned, and shows promise. Ongoing research utilizing existing hardware supports viability of dynamic power conversion for Radioisotope Power Systems.

Oriti, Salvatore↗
NASA NTRS2019

A Qualitative Review of Selected Infrared Flow Visualization Processing Techniques: Contrast Enhancement and Frequency Domain Analysis

The deployment and integration of high-sensitivity infrared cameras in a transonic wind tunnel test environment has resulted in a unique capability to image aerodynamic phenomena in real-time. Multi-camera infrared flow visualization data systems are now routinely utilized at the NASA Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The small flow-induced temperature gradients on the surface of the wind tunnel test article coupled with the high bit-depth of the infrared camera sensor makes the processing of the image data critically important. An image processing routine must enhance features of interest with minimal artifacts. Additionally, the production wind tunnel test environment demands that these processed images are made available in a real-time, automatic fashion. Therefore, any image processing routine must be computationally economical and enhance the image data with minimal input from a human operator. The following seeks to qualitatively explore selected image processing techniques by assessing their effectiveness to resolve flow features on a wind tunnel test article. A multi-scale contrast enhancement technique is introduced as well as a new implementation of a multi-scale, non-interpolated adaptive histogram equalization. Finally, a novel method is introduced that demonstrates the ability to resolve flow features imaged on bare-steel test articles possessing low emissivity. This method merges frequency domain analysis with contrast enhancement and has the potential to extend the application of infrared flow-visualization within the wind tunnel test environment.

Infrared Imaging↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA Lunar ISRU Strategy

The presentation is for general audiences to provide insight and understanding on NASA's lunar exploration plans, objectives for in situ resource utilization, and currently funded instruments and orbital/surface missions.

Sanders, Gerald↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA's Space Launch System: Payload Opportunities for Lunar Exploration, Science Missions

Nearing its first launch, the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s new super heavy-lift launch vehicle, offers highly energetic launches that deliver more mass and provide more volume in 8.4 m-diameter and potentially larger fairings to make a new generation of deep space missions possible. An evolvable launcher available in crew, crew with a co-manifested payload (CPL) and cargo-only configurations, SLS is a crucial capability to enable astronauts to return to the Moon, but it also offers key benefits for science missions. NASA’s 21st-century return to the Moon recently received a formal name: the Artemis program. In addition to the core enabling capabilities of SLS and the Orion crew spacecraft, NASA will also enlist international and commercial partnerships for Artemis. The Agency intends to build a scientific outpost in lunar orbit, the Gateway, from which human and robotic missions to and from the surface can rendezvous. SLS will launch Orion on a series of missions leading to landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon as part of Artemis. SLS uses proven propulsion systems: two solid rocket boosters and four RS-25s engines that have been upgraded to provide more thrust and operate in the SLS environment. SLS Block 1 uses a modified Delta IV Heavy upper stage, called the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) and lifts at least 26 metric tons (t) to trans-lunar injection (TLI). The Block 1 vehicle can also be outfitted with a 5 m-diameter fairing. Block 1B, the next major variant, also uses solid rocket boosters and RS-25 engines to achieve Earth escape velocity, but replaces the single-engine liquid hydrogen (LH2)/liquid oxygen (LOX) ICPS with a four-engine LH2/LOX Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) to increase mass to TLI to 34-37 t, depending on crew or cargo configuration. In the Block 1B crew configuration, a 10 m-tall Universal Stage Adapter (USA) connects the vehicle to Orion and can carry a CPL up to 10 t. The USA provides 286 m3 of unpressurized volume for payloads. For large payloads, 8.4 m- and 10 m-diameter cargo fairings in 19.1 m and 27.4 m lengths are possible. The ultimate SLS vehicle, Block 2, incorporates evolved boosters to reach a lift capacity of more than 45 t to TLI. The capabilities of SLS not only make new missions to the Moon possible, but also game-changing science missions, such as deployment of large-aperture space telescopes, spacecraft to the ice giants or even probes to the interstellar medium. This paper will discuss the capabilities of SLS, the vehicle’s planned evolution, missions that can effectively utilize the vehicle and manufacturing status of the vehicle.

Creech, Stephen D.↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA's Space Launch System: Payload Opportunities for Lunar Exploration, Science Missions

Nearing its first launch, the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s new super heavy-lift launch vehicle, offers highly energetic launches that deliver more mass and provide more volume in 8.4 m-diameter and potentially larger fairings to make a new generation of deep space missions possible. An evolvable launcher available in crew, crew with a co-manifested payload (CPL) and cargo-only configurations, SLS is a crucial capability to enable astronauts to return to the Moon, but it also offers key benefits for science missions. NASA’s 21st-century return to the Moon recently received a formal name: the Artemis program. In addition to the core enabling capabilities of SLS and the Orion crew spacecraft, NASA will also enlist international and commercial partnerships for Artemis. The Agency intends to build a scientific outpost in lunar orbit, the Gateway, from which human and robotic missions to and from the surface can rendezvous. SLS will launch Orion on a series of missions leading to landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon as part of Artemis. SLS uses proven propulsion systems: two solid rocket boosters and four RS-25s engines that have been upgraded to provide more thrust and operate in the SLS environment. SLS Block 1 uses a modified Delta IV Heavy upper stage, called the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) and lifts at least 26 metric tons (t) to trans-lunar injection (TLI). The Block 1 vehicle can also be outfitted with a 5 m-diameter fairing. Block 1B, the next major variant, also uses solid rocket boosters and RS-25 engines to achieve Earth escape velocity, but replaces the single-engine liquid hydrogen (LH2)/liquid oxygen (LOX) ICPS with a four-engine LH2/LOX Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) to increase mass to TLI to 34-37 t, depending on crew or cargo configuration. In the Block 1B crew configuration, a 10 m-tall Universal Stage Adapter (USA) connects the vehicle to Orion and can carry a CPL up to 10 t. The USA provides 286 m3 of unpressurized volume for payloads. For large payloads, 8.4 m- and 10 m-diameter cargo fairings in 19.1 m and 27.4 m lengths are possible. The ultimate SLS vehicle, Block 2, incorporates evolved boosters to reach a lift capacity of more than 45 t to TLI. The capabilities of SLS not only make new missions to the Moon possible, but also game-changing science missions, such as deployment of large-aperture space telescopes, spacecraft to the ice giants or even probes to the interstellar medium. This paper will discuss the capabilities of SLS, the vehicle’s planned evolution, missions that can effectively utilize the vehicle and manufacturing status of the vehicle.

Creech, Steve↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessing Environmental and Socioeconomic Factors of Urban Flood Vulnerability in Kansas City, Kansas

Pluvial flooding, over-saturated ground, and drainage systems disproportionately impact historically marginalized urban neighborhoods during extreme rainfall events. These communities are impacted by physical and socioeconomic factors that make them vulnerable to flooding events, such as high concentrations of impervious landcover, high precipitation rates, and a combined sewer system framework. Despite known vulnerability to environmental hazards, understanding potential pluvial street-level flooding events are largely unknown. Using the open-source National Capital Project’s Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) Urban Flood Risk Mitigation model, NASA DEVELOP examined neighborhood scale runoff retention and potential economic damages for risk mapping throughout Kansas City, Kansas. The generated outputs aid in identifying vulnerable neighborhoods susceptible to flooding and in need of future intervention. Previous studies have applied this model framework to understand urban flood vulnerability regarding ecosystem services, urban planning, and flood mitigation strategies. We utilized the InVEST outputs to develop indices pertaining to environmental justice factors of race, socioeconomic status, social vulnerability, and health. The findings indicate that historically redlined neighborhoods in Kansas City, Kansas face disproportional impacts from flood events and are subject to greater environmental stressors. This research provides an approach to utilizing an open-source flood vulnerability model to empower neighborhood-scale environmental justice analysis, enhancing the local communities' understanding of present-day impacts of historical environmental injustices.

Hadwynne Gross↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Shielding Considerations for CubeSat Structures During Solar Maximum

The purpose of this lessons learned is to communicate the utility of shielding in small spacecraft planning for the support of mission assurance and reliability. Numerous SmallSats have been flying in polar low earth orbit for scientific, communications, technology demonstrations, and imaging with academic, commercial, and government interests. Shielding has been part of mission assurance and reliability from the advent of long duration spacecraft missions. The Shields-1 CubeSat has been operating in polar low earth orbit since 16 December 2018 with atomic number (Z)-grade radiation shielding and demonstrates shielding effectiveness. Shields-1 has collected a representative example of solar minimum data in 2019 with 8 Teledyne dosimeters over varying shielding effectiveness. It serves as current experimental data and has been compared with NOVICE Shielding estimates using the AP8 –AE8 trapped radiation model with the Shields-1 CAD and generic CubeSat 3 unit (U) models. Using NOVICE model radiation analysis coding, the shielding effectiveness's, based on a generic CubeSat 3U structure with 4 electronic boards, were estimated for aluminum wall thicknesses ranging from 0.204 cmto4.44 cm (0.550 g/cm2–12.0 g/cm2) thick aluminum. For modeled polar orbiting spacecraft, solar maximum total ionizing dose (TID)increases by nearly a magnitude for thin-walled aluminum 0.550g/cm2-0.686 g/cm2(0.204 cm –0.254 cm) typical CubeSat structures. The shielding effectiveness by NOVICE Sigma estimates, which is a shielding sphere approximation around a detector, showed a linear relationship with wall thickness, which increased over the wall thickness by a ratio of 1.43 determined by linear regression analysis. Using NOVICE Adjoint Monte-Carlo Modeling of solar minimum and solar maximum with the inclusion of a worst-case solar particle event over a one year mission without geomagnetic shielding, the TID for minimum and maximum conditions for a generic 3U with a wall thickness of 0.254 cm is 158 RAD and 1540 RAD, respectively. The modeled total solar maximum TID is over estimated, because at low orbital latitudes a spacecraft will have shielding from Earth's magnetic field. However, TID will still be significant at high latitudes over the poles, where a spacecraft is exposed in a solar particle event. In contrast, to a thin walled generic 3U CubeSat, Shields-1 electronics enclosure has a shielding effectiveness of 21.3 g/cm2from NOVICE Sigma modeling and is expected to show reduced total ionizing dose increases during the present active Solar Cycle 25 period. Because solar particle events during solar maximum increase TID on electronic parts with thin-walled shielding in short periods of time, it is a mission assurance and reliability consideration on the spacecraft’s mission value versus adding shielding for risk reduction of premature spacecraft or instrument payload loss. Since the volumes of many instruments and system electronics have reduced with small spacecraft, shielding material costs and weight penalties have diminished. A small spacecraft project budget and schedule may limit traditional radiation-hardened part use and radiation testing requirements, where shielding can contribute to mission assurance and reliability with reduced costs.

Shields-1↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Shielding Considerations for CubeSat Structures During Solar Maximum

The purpose of this lessons learned paper is to communicate the utility of shielding in small spacecraft planning for the support of mission assurance and reliability. Numerous SmallSats have been flying in polar low Earth orbit for science, communications, technology demonstrations, and imaging with academic, commercial, and government interests. Shielding has been part of mission assurance and reliability from the advent of long duration spacecraft missions. The Shields-1 CubeSat has been operating in polar low Earth orbit since 16 December 2018 with atomic number (Z)-grade radiation shielding and demonstrates shielding effectiveness. Shields-1 has collected a representative example of solar minimum data in 2019 with eight Teledyne µDosimeters over varying shielding effectivenesses. It serves as current experimental data and has been compared with NOVICE Shielding estimates using the AP8 – AE8 trapped radiation model with the Shields-1 CAD and generic CubeSat three unit (3U) models. Using NOVICE model radiation analysis coding, the shielding effectivenesses, based on a generic CubeSat 3U structure with four electronic boards, were estimated for aluminum wall thicknesses ranging from 0.204 cm to 4.44 cm (0.550 g/cm 2 to 12.0 g/cm 2 ). For modeled polar orbiting spacecraft, solar maximum total ionizing dose (TID) increases by nearly a magnitude for thin-walled aluminum 0.550-g/cm 2 - 0.686-g/cm 2 (0.204-cm – 0.254-cm) typical CubeSat structures. The shielding effectiveness estimated by NOVICE Sigma, which is a shielding sphere approximation around a detector, showed a linear relationship with wall thickness, which increased over the wall thickness by a ratio of 1.43 determined by linear regression analysis. Using NOVICE Adjoint Monte-Carlo Modeling of solar minimum and solar maximum with the inclusion of a worst-case solar particle event over a one-year mission without geomagnetic shielding, the TID for minimum and maximum conditions for a generic 3U with a wall thickness of 0.254 cm is 158 RAD and 1540 RAD, respectively. The modeled total solar maximum TID is over estimated, because at low orbital latitudes a spacecraft will have shielding from the Earth’s magnetic field. However, TID will still be significant at high latitudes over the poles, where a spacecraft is exposed in a solar particle event. In contrast to a thin-walled generic 3U CubeSat, the Shields-1 electronics enclosure has a shielding effectiveness of 21.3 g/cm 2 from NOVICE Sigma modeling and is expected to show reduced total ionizing dose increases during the present active Solar Cycle 25 period. Because solar particle events during solar maximum increase TID on electronic parts with thin-walled shielding in short periods of time, it is a mission assurance and reliability consideration on the mission value of the spacecraft versus adding shielding for risk reduction of premature spacecraft or instrument payload loss. Since the volumes of many instruments and system electronics have reduced with small spacecraft, shielding material costs and weight penalties have diminished. A small spacecraft project budget and schedule may limit traditional radiation-hardened part use and radiation testing requirements, where shielding can contribute to mission assurance and reliability with reduced costs.

Shields-1↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Using Thermal Desktop to Determine Equivalent Solar Hours on Spacecraft Surfaces

Equivalent solar hours (ESH) are the duration of exposure of a surface to solar radiation, particularly ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Since UV light causes degradation to optical properties of thermal control surfaces, the determination of ESH is important to calculate end of life (EOL) optical properties for spacecraft external surfaces. A higher ESH value generally correlates to greater UV degradation experienced by the surface, resulting in an increase in solar absorptivity. This paper details a novel approach for calculating ESH using Thermal Desktop. Since the ESH value is useful for thermal analysts, this technique is beneficial to quickly perform the analysis internally with tools readily available without relying on external support and funding. The example presented in this paper shows how this method was developed and used for NASA's lunar Gateway spacecraft. This method of analysis is used to calculate ESH for the transit, assembly in orbit, and operational phases for Gateway, utilizing each of the program’s planned configurations throughout its 15-year lifetime. ESH values were calculated using the Monte-Carlo ray tracing capability of Thermal Desktop using both direct solar heating and indirect solar heating due to reflections from other surfaces. The output of this analysis includes an ESH gradient map across the spacecraft. Post-processing of these results enabled identification of the average and maximum ESH on critical surfaces such as radiators. The final ESH values for each surface are then used for determination of EOL optical properties.

Thermal Control↗
DOE OSTI2019

Identification of Critical Airports from the Perspective of Delay and Disruption Propagation in Air Travel Networks

It is well-known that delays and disruptions that originate at certain airports end up spreading spread on the network to other airports, sometimes straining a large fraction of the system. Hence data-driven modeling of this phenomenon is important from the standpoint of planning and strategy. In this work, utilizing the publicly available data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), we employ the well-known influence maximization paradigm, to mine for the top airports in the US airport network, from the perspective of delay spread. In the process, we develop a diffusion simulator and implement a greedy algorithm to aid our task. We then explore the temporal trends by considering one winter month and one summer month in our analysis. Finally, we characterize the clusters in the US airport network and investigate the patterns of delay spread when airports in each of the clusters are affected.

Visweswara Sathanur, Arun↗
DOE OSTI2019

Introduction to Life Cycle Analysis

Presented by NETL at Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission - 2019 Integrated Resource Planning Contemporary Issues Technical Conference, 04/19

Jamieson, Matthew↗
DOE OSTI2021

BETO 2021 Peer Review - Electrocatalytic CO2 Utilization

The goal of the ChemCatBio DataHub project is to accelerate the catalyst and process development cycle by developing transformational tools for prediction and collaboration in catalyst R&D. The project is currently focused on the development of the Catalyst Property Database (CPD), a free and public resource released in September 2020. The CPD was designed to advance the state of the art for application of computational data. When computational data, such as computed reaction energetics, is used in catalyst design, it is almost always generated by the researchers seeking to use it, even if similar data has been published previously. One barrier to data reuse that results in this duplication of effort is the difficult process of finding and applying published data, which can be slow, error-prone, and manual. The CPD seeks to overcome these challenges by creating a centralized, searchable database of quality catalyst property data. At present, the CPD contains computed adsorption energies for intermediates along catalytic pathways. During FY21 and FY22, development of the CPD continues with a focus on external users and meeting their requirements. A batch upload capability, training and curation procedures, user interviews, and a demonstration of the CPD's utility in accelerating catalyst research are planned. Overall, the Data Hub project and CPD aim to reduce the time and cost of catalyst research by harnessing the power of data in catalyst discovery.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

BETO 2021 Peer Review - ChemCatBio Data Hub 2.6.2.500

The goal of the ChemCatBio DataHub project is to accelerate the catalyst and process development cycle by developing transformational tools for prediction and collaboration in catalyst R&D. The project is currently focused on the development of the Catalyst Property Database (CPD), a free and public resource released in September 2020. The CPD was designed in response to the observation that when data, such as computed reaction energetics, is used in catalyst design, it is almost always generated by the researchers seeking to use it, even if similar data has been published previously. One barrier to data reuse that results in this duplication of effort is the difficult process of finding and applying published data, which can be slow, error-prone, and manual. The CPD seeks to overcome these challenges by creating a centralized, searchable database of quality catalyst property data. At present, the CPD contains computed adsorption energies for intermediates along catalytic pathways. During FY21 and FY22, development of the CPD continues with a focus on external users and meeting their requirements. A batch upload capability, training and curation procedures, user interviews, and a demonstration of the CPD's utility in accelerating catalyst research are planned. Overall, the Data Hub project and CPD aim to reduce the time and cost of catalyst research by harnessing the power of data in catalyst discovery.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗