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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 1,153 records · Page 64
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Orbital debris removal and salvage system

Four Texas A&M University projects are discussed. The first project is a design to eliminate a majority of orbital debris. The Orbital Debris and Salvage System will push the smaller particles into lower orbits where their orbits will decay at a higher rate. This will be done by momentum transfer via laser. The salvageable satellites will be delivered to the Space Station by an Orbital Transfer Vehicle. The rest of the debris will be collected by Salvage I. The second project is the design of a space based satellite system to prevent the depletion of atmospheric ozone. The focus is on ozone depletion in the Antarctic. The plan is to use an orbiting solar array system designed to transmit microwaves at a frequency of 22 GHz over the region in order to dissipate polar stratospheric clouds that form during the months beginning in August and ending in October. The third project, Project Poseidon, involves a conceptual design of a space based hurricane control system consisting of a network of 21 low-orbiting laser platforms arranged in three rings designed to heat the upper atmosphere of a developing tropical depression. Fusion power plants are proposed to provide power for the lasers. The fourth project, Project Donatello, involves a proposed Mars exploration initiative for the year 2050. The project is a conceptual design for a futuristic superfreighter that will transport large numbers of people and supplies to Mars for the construction of a full scale scientific and manufacturing complex.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1996

Cooling of the Interstellar Medium

This talk will review the various heating and cooling processes in the interstellar medium. The most important heating processes include the photoelectric effect on dust grains and PAH molecules. Cooling of the gas in the interstellar medium is dominated by emission in the far infrared fine-structure lines of OI, CII, SiII, and CI, and the rotational transitions of CO. Which of these heating and cooling processes dominates in a given region depends on its physical and especially chemical conditions, which in turn depend themselves on the interstellar UV radiation field. As a result of the interplay of these processes, the interstellar medium is organized in various structures with distinctly different physical conditions (i.e., temperature, density, and degree of ionization). The dominant cooling lines of the neutral interstellar medium have been studied using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, balloon-borne instruments, and recently space-based missions (IRTS, ISO). These observations have concentrated on dense regions illuminated by strong UV fields from nearby stars, so-called PhotoDissociation Regions (PDRs). These observations allow us to study in detail the interaction of UV photons observations allow us to study in detail the interaction of UV photons and the interstellar gas and dust. Detailed theoretical models have been developed for PDRs. These will be reviewed and compared to the observations. Recent space based missions have measured the dominant cooling line of the galaxy, the [CII] 158 micron line. These observations and their implications will be reviewed.

Tielens, A. G. G. M.↗
NASA NTRS2012

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Recent Studies and Technology Developments in the Area of SSA/Orbital Debris

NASA/MSFC has been investigating the various aspects of the growing orbital debris problem since early 2009. Data shows that debris ranging in size from 5 mm to 10 cm presents the greatest threat to operational spacecraft today. Therefore, MSFC has focused its efforts on small orbital debris. Using off-the-shelf analysis packages, like the ESA MASTER software, analysts at MSFC have begun to characterize the small debris environment in LEO to support several spacecraft concept studies and hardware test programs addressing the characterization, mitigation, and ultimate removal, if necessary, of small debris. The Small Orbital Debris Active Removal (SODAR) architectural study investigated the overall effectiveness of removing small orbital debris from LEO using a low power, space-based laser. The Small Orbital Debris Detection, Acquisition, and Tracking (SODDAT) conceptual technology demonstration spacecraft was developed to address the challenges of in-situ small orbital debris environment classification including debris observability and instrument requirements for small debris observation. Work is underway at MSFC in the areas of hardware and testing. By combining off the shelf digital video technology, telescope lenses, and advanced video image FPGA processing, MSFC is building a breadboard of a space based, passive orbital tracking camera that can detect and track faint objects (including small debris, satellites, rocket bodies, and NEOs) at ranges of tens to hundreds of kilometers and speeds in excess of 15 km/sec,. MSFC is also sponsoring the development of a one-of-a-kind Dynamic Star Field Simulator with a high resolution large monochrome display and a custom collimator capable of projecting realistic star images with simple orbital debris spots (down to star magnitude 11-12) into a passive orbital detection and tracking system with simulated real-time angular motions of the vehicle mounted sensor. The dynamic star field simulator can be expanded for multiple sensors (including advanced star trackers), real-time vehicle pointing inputs, and more complex orbital debris images. This system is also adaptable to other sensor optics, missions, and installed sensor testing.

Wiegmann, Bruce M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Transferring Knowledge from Observations and Models to Decision Makers: An Overview and Challenges

Over the last 25 years, a tremendous progress has been made in the Earth science space-based remote sensing observations, technologies and algorithms. Such advancements have improved the predictability by providing lead-time and accuracy of forecast in weather, climate, natural hazards, and natural resources. It has further reduced or bounded the overall uncertainties by partially improving our understanding of planet Earth as an integrated system that is governed by non-linear and chaotic behavior. Many countries such US, European Community, Japan, China and others have invested billions of dollars in developing and launching space-based assets in the low earth (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) orbits. However, the wealth of this scientific knowledge that has potential of extracting monumental socio-economic benefits from such large investments have been slow in reaching to public and decision makers. For instance, there are a number of areas such as energy forecasting, aviation safety, agricultural competitiveness, disaster management, security, air quality and public health can directly take advantage. Nevertheless, we all live in a global economy that depends on access to the best available Earth Science information for all inhabitants of this planet. This paper surveys and examines a number such applications in terms of their architecture, maturity and economic applicability as they apply to the societal needs. A detailed analysis is also presented of various challenges and issues that pertain to a number of areas such as: (1) difficulties in making a speedy transition of data and information from observations and models to relevant Decision Support Systems (DSS) or tools, (2) data and models inter-operability issues, (3) limitations of spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, (4) communication limitations as dictated by the availability of image processing and data compression techniques. Additionally, the most critical element amongst all is the organizational and management boundaries that must be resolved at local, state, national and international levels to implement and realize free flow of such vital information. This paper also makes attempts to address this topic and discuss possible approaches to deal with this quandary.

Habib, Shahid↗
DOE OSTI2022

Gravitational wave timing array

We describe the design of a gravitational wave timing array, a novel scheme that can be used to search for low-frequency gravitational waves by monitoring continuous gravitational waves at higher frequencies. We show that observations of gravitational waves produced by Galactic binaries using a space-based detector like LISA provide sensitivity in the nanohertz to microhertz band. While the expected sensitivity is several magnitudes worse than what can be achieved by pulsar timing arrays, it supplements other recent proposals for gravitational wave searches in the microhertz regime. This regime is below the frequencies to which LISA is directly sensitive, and above the frequency range generally targeted by pulsar timing array searches. Here, the low-frequency extension of sensitivity does not require any experimental design change to space-based gravitational wave detectors, and can be achieved with the data products that would already be collected by them.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS2002

Range Information Systems Management (RISM) Phase 1 Report

RISM investigated alternative approaches, technologies, and communication network architectures to facilitate building the Spaceports and Ranges of the future. RISM started by document most existing US ranges and their capabilities. In parallel, RISM obtained inputs from the following: 1) NASA and NASA-contractor engineers and managers, and; 2) Aerospace leaders from Government, Academia, and Industry, participating through the Space Based Range Distributed System Working Group (SBRDSWG), many of whom are also; 3) Members of the Advanced Range Technology Working Group (ARTWG) subgroups, and; 4) Members of the Advanced Spaceport Technology Working Group (ASTWG). These diverse inputs helped to envision advanced technologies for implementing future Ranges and Range systems that builds on today s cabled and wireless legacy infrastructures while seamlessly integrating both today s emerging and tomorrow s building-block communication techniques. The fundamental key is to envision a transition to a Space Based Range Distributed Subsystem. The enabling concept is to identify the specific needs of Range users that can be solved through applying emerging communication tech

Bastin, Gary L.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Laser Amplifier Development for the Remote Sensing of CO2 from Space

Accurate global measurements of tropospheric CO2 mixing ratios are needed to study CO2 emissions and CO2 exchange with the land and oceans. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is developing a pulsed lidar approach for an integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar to allow global measurements of atmospheric CO2 column densities from space. Our group has developed, and successfully flown, an airborne pulsed lidar instrument that uses two tunable pulsed laser transmitters allowing simultaneous measurement of a single CO2 absorption line in the 1570 nm band, absorption of an O2 line pair in the oxygen A-band (765 nm), range, and atmospheric backscatter profiles in the same path. Both lasers are pulsed at 10 kHz, and the two absorption line regions are sampled at typically a 300 Hz rate. A space-based version of this lidar must have a much larger lidar power-area product due to the approximately x40 longer range and faster along track velocity compared to airborne instrument. Initial link budget analysis indicated that for a 400 km orbit, a 1.5 m diameter telescope and a 10 second integration time, a approximately 2 mJ laser energy is required to attain the precision needed for each measurement. To meet this energy requirement, we have pursued parallel power scaling efforts to enable space-based lidar measurement of CO2 concentrations. These included a multiple aperture approach consists of multi-element large mode area fiber amplifiers and a single-aperture approach consists of a multi-pass Er:Yb:Phosphate glass based planar waveguide amplifier (PWA). In this paper we will present our laser amplifier design approaches and preliminary results.

Solid-State Laser Amplifier↗
NASA NTRS1999

High-Energy Space Propulsion Based on Magnetized Target Fusion

Magnetized target fusion is an approach in which a magnetized target plasma is compressed inertially by an imploding material wall. A high energy plasma liner may be used to produce the required implosion. The plasma liner is formed by the merging of a number of high momentum plasma jets converging towards the center of a sphere where two compact toroids have been introduced. Preliminary 3-D hydrodynamics modeling results using the SPHINX code of Los Alamos National Laboratory have been very encouraging and confirm earlier theoretical expectations. The concept appears ready for experimental exploration and plans for doing so are being pursued. In this talk, we explore conceptually how this innovative fusion approach could be packaged for space propulsion for interplanetary travel. We discuss the generally generic components of a baseline propulsion concept including the fusion engine, high velocity plasma accelerators, generators of compact toroids using conical theta pinches, magnetic nozzle, neutron absorption blanket, tritium reprocessing system, shock absorber, magnetohydrodynamic generator, capacitor pulsed power system, thermal management system, and micrometeorite shields.

Thio, Y. C. F.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Oddities in Lightning Measurements from Space Reveal Extreme Flashes and Thunderstorms [Slides]

Space-based sensors are well-suited for detecting intracloud (IC) and Cloud to Ground (CG) lightning over large swaths of the Earth. Current sensors also measure the signals generated by lightning that contain information about the physical discharge process and the radiative transfer effects they experience on their path to orbit. Long records of orbital lightning data reveal rare and exceptional lightning signals push the boundaries of what the sensors are designed to measure and our understanding of what lightning and thunderstorms are capable of. Space-based sensors have revealed long-horizontal “megaflashes,” highly radiant “superbolts,” extremely high flash rate thunderstorms, and more.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Historical Bolide Infrasound Dataset (1960–1972)

We present the first fully curated, publicly accessible archive of infrasonic records from ten large bolide events documented by the U.S. Air Force Technical Applications Center’s global microbarometer network between 1960 and 1972. Captured on analog strip-chart paper, these waveforms predate modern digital arrays and space-based sensors, making them a unique window on meteoroid activity in the mid-twentieth century. Prior studies drew important scientific conclusions from the records but released only limited artifacts, chiefly period–amplitude tables and unprocessed scans, leaving the underlying data inaccessible for independent study. The present release transforms those limited excerpts into a research-ready resource. By capturing ten large events in the mid-20th century, the dataset constitutes a critical reference point for assessing bolide activity before the advent of modern space-based and digital ground-based monitoring. The multi-year coverage and worldwide distribution of events provide a valuable reference for comparing past and more recent detections, facilitating assessments of long-term flux and the dynamics of acoustic wave propagation in Earth’s atmosphere. The dataset’s availability in a consolidated format ensures straightforward access to waveforms and derived measurements, supporting a wide range of scientific inquiries into bolide physics and infrasound monitoring. By preserving these historical acoustic observations, the collection maintains a significant record of mid-20th-century meteoroid entries. It thereby establishes a basis for further refinement of impact hazard evaluations, contributes to historical continuity in atmospheric observation, and enriches the study of meteoroid-generated infrasound signals on a global scale.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2010

Utilizing Earth Observations for Societal Issues

Over the last four decades a tremendous progress has been made in the Earth science space-based remote sensing observations, technologies and algorithms. Such advancements have improved the predictability by providing lead-time and accuracy of forecast in weather, climate, natural hazards, and natural resources. It has further reduced or bounded the overall uncertainties by partially improving our understanding of planet Earth as an integrated system that is governed by non-linear and chaotic behavior. Many countries such as the US, European Community, Japan, China, Russia, India has and others have invested billions of dollars in developing and launching space-based assets in the low earth (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) orbits. However, the wealth of this scientific knowledge that has potential of extracting monumental socio-economic benefits from such large investments have been slow in reaching the public and decision makers. For instance, there are a number of areas such as water resources and availability, energy forecasting, aviation safety, agricultural competitiveness, disaster management, air quality and public health, which can directly take advantage. Nevertheless, we all live in a global economy that depends on access to the best available Earth Science information for all inhabitants of this planet. This presentation discusses a process to transition Earth science data and products for societal needs including NASA's experience in achieving such objectives. It is important to mention that there are many challenges and issues that pertain to a number of areas such as: (1) difficulties in making a speedy transition of data and information from observations and models to relevant Decision Support Systems (DSS) or tools, (2) data and models inter-operability issues, (3) limitations of spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, (4) communication limitations as dictated by the availability of image processing and data compression techniques. Additionally, the most critical element amongst all is the organizational and management boundaries that must be resolved at local, state, national and international levels to implement and realize free flow of such vital information.

Habib, Shahid↗
NASA NTRS2001

Status of the Direct Data Distribution (D(exp 3)) Experiment

NASA Glenn Research Center's Direct Data Distribution (D3) project will demonstrate an advanced, high-performance communications system that transmits information from an advanced technology payload carried by a NASA spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) to a small receiving terminal on Earth. The space-based communications package will utilize a solid-state, K-band phased-array antenna that electronically steers the radiated energy beam toward a low-cost, tracking ground terminal, thereby providing agile, vibration-free, electronic steering at reduced size and weight with increased reliability. The array-based link will also demonstrate new digital processing technology that will allow the transmission of substantially increased amounts of latency-tolerant data collected from the LEO spacecraft directly to NASA field centers, principal investigators, or into the commercial terrestrial communications network. The technologies demonstrated by D3 will facilitate NASA's transition from using Government-owned communication assets to using commercial communication services. The hardware for D3 will incorporate advanced technology components developed under the High Rate Data Delivery (HRDD) Thrust Area of NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology Space Base Program at Glenn's Communications Technology Division. The flight segment components will include the electrically steerable phased-array antenna, which is being built by the Raytheon System Corporation and utilizes monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology operating at 19.05 GHz; and the digital encoder/modulator chipset, which uses four-channel orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). The encoder/modulator will use a chipset developed by SICOM, Inc., which is both bandwidth and power efficient. The ground segment components will include a low-cost, open-loop tracking ground terminal incorporating a cryoreceiver to minimize terminal size without compromising receiver capability. The project is planning to hold a critical design review in the second quarter of fiscal year 2002.

Wald, Lawrence↗
NASA NTRS1991

Adaptive strategies of remote systems operators exposed to perturbed camera-viewing conditions

This report describes a preliminary investigation of the use of perturbed visual feedback during the performance of simulated space-based remote manipulation tasks. The primary objective of this NASA evaluation was to determine to what extent operators exhibit adaptive strategies which allow them to perform these specific types of remote manipulation tasks more efficiently while exposed to perturbed visual feedback. A secondary objective of this evaluation was to establish a set of preliminary guidelines for enhancing remote manipulation performance and reducing the adverse effects. These objectives were accomplished by studying the remote manipulator performance of test subjects exposed to various perturbed camera-viewing conditions while performing a simulated space-based remote manipulation task. Statistical analysis of performance and subjective data revealed that remote manipulation performance was adversely affected by the use of perturbed visual feedback and performance tended to improve with successive trials in most perturbed viewing conditions.

Stuart, Mark A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Three-Dimensional Electromagnetic Monte Carlo Particle-in-Cell Simulations of Critical Ionization Velocity Experiments in Space

Although the existence of the critical ionization velocity (CIV) is known from laboratory experiments, no agreement has been reached as to whether CIV exists in the natural space environment. In this paper we move towards more realistic models of CIV and present the first fully three-dimensional, electromagnetic particle-in-cell Monte-Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) simulations of typical space-based CIV experiments. In our model, the released neutral gas is taken to be a spherical cloud traveling across a magnetized ambient plasma. Simulations are performed for neutral clouds with various sizes and densities. The effects of the cloud parameters on ionization yield, wave energy growth, electron heating, momentum coupling, and the three-dimensional structure of the newly ionized plasma are discussed. The simulations suggest that the quantitative characteristics of momentum transfers among the ion beam, neutral cloud, and plasma waves is the key indicator of whether CIV can occur in space. The missing factors in space-based CIV experiments may be the conditions necessary for a continuous enhancement of the beam ion momentum. For a typical shaped charge release experiment, favorable CIV conditions may exist only in a very narrow, intermediate spatial region some distance from the release point due to the effects of the cloud density and size. When CIV does occur, the newly ionized plasma from the cloud forms a very complex structure due to the combined forces from the geomagnetic field, the motion induced emf, and the polarization. Hence the detection of CIV also critically depends on the sensor location.

Wang, J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

End-to-end Coronagraphic Modeling Including a Low-order Wavefront Sensor

To evaluate space-based coronagraphic techniques, end-to-end modeling is necessary to simulate realistic fields containing speckles caused by wavefront errors. Real systems will suffer from pointing errors and thermal and motioninduced mechanical stresses that introduce time-variable wavefront aberrations that can reduce the field contrast. A loworder wavefront sensor (LOWFS) is needed to measure these changes at a sufficiently high rate to maintain the contrast level during observations. We implement here a LOWFS and corresponding low-order wavefront control subsystem (LOWFCS) in end-to-end models of a space-based coronagraph. Our goal is to be able to accurately duplicate the effect of the LOWFS+LOWFCS without explicitly evaluating the end-to-end model at numerous time steps.

coronagraphs↗
NASA NTRS2003

Dynamics and Origin of Extra-solar Planetary Systems and Microlensing Detection of Extra-solar Planets

We compare a space-based microlensing search for planets, with a ground based microlensing search originally proposed by D. Tytler (Beichman, et al. 1996). Perturbations of microlensing light curves when the lens star has a planetary companion are sought by one wide angle survey telescope and an array of three or four followup narrow angle telescopes distributed in longitude that follow events with high precision, high time resolution photometry. Alternative ground based programs are considered briefly. With the four 2 meter telescopes distributed in longitude in the southern hemisphere in the Tytler proposal, observational constraints on a ground-based search for planets during microlensing events toward the center of the galaxy are severe. Probably less than 100 events could be monitored per year with high precision, high time resolution photometry with only about 42% coverage on the average regardless of how many events were discovered by the survey telescope. Statistics for the occurrence and properties for Jupiter-mass planets would be meaningful but relatively meager four years after the program was started, and meaningful statistics for Earth-mass planets would be non existent. In contrast, the 14,500 events in a proposed 4 year space based program (GEST = Galactic Exoplanet Survey Telescope) would yield very sound statistics on the occurrence, masses and separations of Jupiter-mass planets, and significant constraints on similar properties for Earth-mass planets. The significance of the Jupiter statistics would be to establish the frequency of planetary systems like our own, where terrestrial planets could exist inside the orbits of the giants.

Peale, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Swift Observations of Supernovae during and after Shock Breakout

Over the past few years, space-based observatories have allowed detailed studies of energetic supernova explosions in previously unexplored time domains and wavelength regimes. NASA's Swift observatory is playing an important role in probing the early emission of SNe during and after shock breakout due to its fast response, flexible scheduling capabilities, and large wavelength band coverage, ranging from the optical, W, and X-ray to the Gamma-ray bands. By studying the outgoing SN shocks with material in its surroundings, the explosion physics and nature of progenitor stars can be studied. Furthermore, monitoring the X-ray emission of SNe with space-based X-ray observatories is being used to map the density structure in SN environments out to large radii from the sites of the explosions (>E20 cm), the transition of a SN into an old supernova remnant can be studied, and the mass-loss rates of the progenitor stars are being probed over significant timescales (>E4 years) in the stellar wind history. In combination, these observations give unprecedented insights into the nature of energetic explosions and their environments. During this talk, I will present highlights from recent observations, among them the first observation of a SN DURING the actual explosion with Swift, and I will discuss the "naked eye" burst at a redshift of -1, which was the most distant object humans could ever see with their own eyes.

Immler, Stefan↗
NASA NTRS2004

Global Lightning Activity

Our knowledge of the global distribution of lightning has improved dramatically since the advent of spacebased lightning observations. Of major importance was the 1995 launch of the Optical Transient Detector (OTD), followed in 1997 by the launch of the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS). Together, these instruments have generated a continuous eight-year record of global lightning activity. These lightning observations have provided a new global perspective on total lightning activity. For the first time, total lightning activity (cloud-to-ground and intra-cloud) has been observed over large regions with high detection efficiency and accurate geographic location. This has produced new insights into lightning distributions, times of occurrence and variability. It has produced a revised global flash rate estimate (44 flashes per second) and has lead to a new realization of the significance of total lightning activity in severe weather. Accurate flash rate estimates are now available over large areas of the earth (+/- 72 deg. latitude). Ocean-land contrasts as a function of season are clearly reveled, as are orographic effects and seasonal and interannual variability. The space-based observations indicate that air mass thunderstorms, not large storm system dominate global activity. The ability of LIS and OTD to detect total lightning has lead to improved insight into the correlation between lightning and storm development. The relationship between updraft development and lightning activity is now well established and presents an opportunity for providing a new mechanism for remotely monitoring storm development. In this concept, lightning would serve as a surrogate for updraft velocity. It is anticipated that this capability could lead to significantly improved severe weather warning times and reduced false warning rates. This talk will summarize our space-based lightning measurements, will discuss how lightning observations can be used to monitor severe weather, and present a concept for continuous geostationary-based lightning observations.

Christian, Hugh J.↗