Results for “programmatic” — Page 64

NASA NTRS2021

Operability on the Europa Clipper Mission: Challenges and Opportunities

Flight and ground system operability has been a focus area on the Europa Clipper Project since early in its formulation phase. This has given the operations team the opportunity to influence the design, with a goal of increasing overall system operability. This paper presents example operability challenges, opportunities, and solutions arising from the Critical Design Review (CDR) system design. The integrated wing assembly design directly couples a scientific instrument (the REASON sounding radar) to the spacecraft’s power source (solar array wing panels). Impacts to mission operations of this design include: increased slew durations; solar array pointing constraints during inner cruise, Europa flybys, and orbit trim maneuvers; and stray light intrusions into the stellar reference units’ keep out zones. The use of CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP) Class-2 for reliable downlink of the large volume of Europa Clipper science data is described, along with nominal and off-nominal use cases. The effort to improve post-launch spacecraft visibility by adding a third low-gain antenna to the spacecraft is detailed. The design of the bulk data store has necessitated the implementation of accountable data products (ADPs), accountability identifiers (AIDs), and metadata packets to provide end-to-end science data accountability. To streamline and automate the flight rules generation and checking process, a first order and temporal logic-based solution of expressing flight rules without ambiguity, and whose programmatic implementation can be automated, is proposed. The focus on operability has had a positive influence on Europa Clipper design decisions, although cost, schedule, budget, heritage, and other technical concerns have many times outweighed operability concerns. However, experience to date demonstrates that this approach to operability results in more thorough, balanced consideration of the effect of early design trades and decisions on the operations phase of a mission than seen in many previous missions, and provides operations development insight into prioritizing work to go.

Kumar, Meghana↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Progress Toward Commercial Space Communications—SATCOM Demonstrations and Wideband Multilingual Terminal Development

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program is continuing to forge a path toward programmatic and operational transformation enabling commercialization of communications and navigation services to the greatest extent possible for near Earth users. National Space Policy is driving government agencies to incorporate commercial offerings and services to the maximum extent possible. As such, NASA has no plans to build or deploy Tracking and Data Relay Satellites, but will seek to fill NASA mission space-relay capability needs using commercial satellite communications (SATCOM) providers and services. The goal is to support an approach that is both flexible to commercial service constructs and provides continuity of support with current assets as long as required. Progress toward commercialization is advancing in two key areas: (1) awards have been made for demonstrations of SATCOM services, and (2) development of wideband and multilingual user terminals has advanced to the flight demonstration phase. The Communications Services Project (CSP) at Glenn Research Center (GRC), has awarded Funded Space Act Agreements (FSAA) to six industry vendors. Inmarsat Government Inc., Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC, SES Government Solutions, Space Exploration Technologies, Telesat U.S. Services LLC, and Viasat Incorporated received a combined $278.5 million to complete technology development and in-space demonstrations over the next several years. The end-to-end service capabilities being targeted are based on existing NASA mission operational needs. Accordingly, each company has proposed a technical approach to lower costs, increase flexibility, and improve performance for a broad range of missions. In the current market, industry vendors operate at a range of different frequencies and use variable, sometime proprietary, coding and modulations schemes. As NASA strives for a network comprised of services provided by multiple distinct suppliers, interoperability is a fitting solution to unify the network. Wideband and multi-lingual user terminals are being developed to bridge differences in industry services. Building on ground demonstrations completed in 2021, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) will be flight testing a multi-lingual wideband terminal (payload) and demonstrating connectivity to both government and commercial relay services. This paper provides a discussion of the progress toward NASA’s commercial space communications goals and consideration of key challenges and next steps.

space communications↗

NASA NTRS2021

NASA Deep Space Network Commitments for Human Missions to the Moon and Beyond

NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) serves as a critical element in the exploration of deep space, typically supporting 30-40 operational missions at any given time, each with unique characteristics and telecommunications requirements. In order to meet the needs of its diverse customer base, DSN relies on the Mission Support Definition and Commitments Office to interface with its customers and to develop, negotiate, and document the appropriate service commitments to meet each mission’s needs. Members of this office provide the needed support throughout each mission’s lifetime. While DSN’s primary focus in recent years has been supporting scientific missions by robotic spacecraft deployed across the solar system, the network is ramping-up to provide support for human spaceflight (HSF) endeavours to the moon and beyond, starting with the Artemis missions which aim to land humans on the lunar surface in the 2020’s. These HSF missions pose unique challenges for the DSN, including technical, operational, and programmatic concerns. Examples of challenges in each of these areas are provided, along with descriptions of how they are being addressed and open issues remaining.

Turcios, Ricky↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Learning from Past Missions for Today’s Case Studies

As the small spacecraft industry continues to grow, the extensive selection of subsystem parts and service providers can present unique challenges in mission implementation. These challenges include inadequate trade studies, missing lessons learned, and unknown solutions to common pitfalls. Trade studies frequently fall short because products and services ultimately do not meet customer expectations; the actual outcomes of a particular service or technology are not always shared with others seeking similar practices. It is difficult to: quantify the viability and robustness of the desired products and services, truly understand what solutions exist, and account for unique failures from previous smallsat missions. One reason for the lack of information as input for trade studies is that it is problematic to capture and disseminate the relevant lessons learned, experienced anomalies, and programmatic issues in both the laboratory and on-orbit setting as these types of information can be extremely sensitive and are specific to each unique mission. Therefore, they are not always made publicly available. The utilization and sharing of existing tools, databases, and literature can help distribute useful information for future smallsat missions to hopefully avoid these common pitfalls. This paper will provide the required framework for current and future smallsat mission implementation by providing best practices and identifying helpful resources to assist with subsystem parts and services trade study selection.

Small Spacecraft↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Revised Planetary Protection Policy and Implementation

NASA has updated its planetary protection policy and implementation approach in response to advances in scientific understanding of solar system targets, upcoming mission opportunities for exploration and sample return, and the private sector’s emerging capability to plan missions to Earth’s Moon and Mars. In September 2021, the NASA Procedural Requirements NPR 8715.24, entitled “Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions” was released which repositions planetary protection in existing NASA mission and program management structures, introduces risk-informed decision making, expands on key roles and responsibilities for both programmatic and the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, updates the categorization process and streamlines the planetary protection documentation approval and schedule. NASA is working on a more detailed technical standard to accompany NPR 8715.24 which will include the detailed technical requirements to address organic contamination, inadvertent impact avoidance, biological control and management, end of mission disposal and restricted Earth-Return sample safety and assurance. This report to the COSPAR community will describe the current NASA planetary protection policy and its alignment with the revised COSPAR planetary protection policy. NASA’s plans for updating the supporting “Handbook for Implementing Planetary Protection Technical Requirements” and future policies for addressing planetary protection of crewed missions will also be presented.

Planetary Protection↗

NASA NTRS2022

Certification Guidelines For Crewed Inflatable Softgoods Structures

To help guide NASA and industry in the development and certification of crewed softgoods structures, this document details the fundamental testing, data, and documents recommended for the evaluation of a softgoods inflatable designed for crewed occupation in a space environment. This is not a requirements document but supports NASA-imposed standards used for certification. This document is intended to support and guide the development of programmatic requirements to demonstrate a design has followed a systematic and comprehensive design, fabrication, and test program.

softgoods↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Integral Channel Nozzles and Heat Exchangers using Additive Manufacturing Directed Energy Deposition NASA HR-1 Alloy

Heat exchangers for use in propulsion applications are very critical components because they must be efficient, compact and light and often operate with working fluids at extreme temperatures or pressures or both. Various components and systems use heat exchangers such as combustion chambers of gas turbines and internal combustion engines, fuel cells (air supply and thermal management), electric batteries (thermal management), evaporators and recuperators of waste-heat-to-power systems, and rocket engines. Even if the results are more generally applicable, the heat exchangers applications to which this study is more closely related are regeneratively cooled rocket nozzles and chambers, and repressurization systems for the launch vehicles. These components are often thin-walled and contain pressurized fluids, like propellants at cryogenic or elevated temperatures. Given that the environments that these propulsion components must endure are challenging, the manufacturing to meet these specifications often require long lead times due to specialty processes and unique tooling associated with the combined thin-wall integral channel and large-scale structures. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers programmatic advantages for reduction in processing time and cost in addition to various technical advantages, including the possibility to achieve enhanced hardware complexity targeted to superior performance, part consolidation, and the capability of processing of novel alloys. While AM is already being utilized for heat exchanger components in propulsion applications, almost all these AM components are made by means of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). L-PBF allows for fine features but is rather limited with respect to the overall size of the components that can be manufactured. Recent developments are maturing the Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) process which may be used, for example, to make integral channel thin-wall regeneratively-cooled rocket nozzles with diameters greater than 1 m. This paper highlights some integral channel heat exchanger demonstrator hardware applications of LP-DED, as well as the characterization of this process in combination with the use of the NASA HR-1 alloy. To properly utilize LP-DED for heat exchanger manufacturing, various aspects are being characterized such as geometry limitations, measurement of surface texture and geometric angled surfaces, surface enhancements for internal channels, and material evaluation. NASA HR-1 (FeNi-Cr) is a high strength hydrogen resistant superalloy developed for use in aerospace applications, such as heat exchangers. Some aspects and considerations about the design of heat exchangers are summarized together with data relevant to LP-DED manufacturing in combination with the NASA HR-1 alloy. Microchannels were successful deposited down to 2.54 mm and 1 mm wall thickness, wall angles of 30°, both with high reproducibility. It was also found that the areal surface roughness is highly dependent on the size of the powder feedstock used for deposition. The characterization of these LP-DED features is critical for fluid flow and heat transfer predictions as it can be exploited to enhance heat transfer at the cost of increased pressure drop.

Additive Manufacturing↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA's Progress Toward Commercial Space Communications — SATCOM Demonstrations and Wideband Multilingual Terminal Development

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program is continuing to forge a path toward programmatic and operational transformation enabling commercialization of communications and navigation services to the greatest extent possible for near Earth users. U.S. National Space Policy is driving government agencies to incorporate commercial offerings and services to the maximum extent possible. As such, NASA has no plans to build or deploy additional Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), but will seek to fill NASA mission space-relay capability needs using commercial satellite communications (SATCOM) providers and services. The goal is to support an approach that is both flexible to commercial service constructs and provides continuity of support with current assets as long as required. Progress toward commercial services is advancing in two key areas: (1) awards have been made for demonstrations of SATCOM services, and (2) development of wideband and multilingual user terminals has advanced to the flight demonstration phase. The Communications Services Project (CSP) at Glenn Research Center (GRC), has awarded Funded Space Act Agreements (FSAA) to six industry vendors. Inmarsat Government Inc., Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC, SES Government Solutions, Space Exploration Technologies, Telesat U.S. Services LLC, and Viasat Incorporated will receive a combined $278.5 million to complete technology development and in-space demonstrations over the next several years. The end-to-end service capabilities being targeted are based on existing NASA mission operational needs. Accordingly, each company has proposed a technical approach to lower costs, increase flexibility, and improve performance for a broad range of missions. In the current market, industry vendors operate at a range of different frequencies and use variable, sometimes proprietary, coding and modulations schemes. As NASA strives for a network comprised of services provided by multiple distinct suppliers, interoperability is a fitting solution to unify the network. Wideband and multi-lingual user terminals are being developed to bridge differences in industry services. Building on ground demonstrations completed in 2021, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) will be flight testing a multi-lingual wideband terminal (payload) and demonstrating connectivity to both government and commercial relay services. This paper provides a discussion of the progress toward NASA’s commercial space communications goals and consideration of key challenges and next steps.

commercialization↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Integral Channel Nozzles and Heat Exchangers using Additive Manufacturing Directed Energy Deposition NASA HR-1 Alloy

Heat exchangers for use in propulsion applications are very critical components because they must be efficient, compact and light and often operate with working fluids at extreme temperatures or pressures or both. Various components and systems use heat exchangers such as combustion chambers of gas turbines and internal combustion engines, fuel cells (air supply and thermal management), electric batteries (thermal management), evaporators and recuperators of waste-heat-to-power systems, and rocket engines. Even if the results are more generally applicable, the heat exchangers applications to which this study is more closely related are regeneratively cooled rocket nozzles and chambers, and repressurization systems for the launch vehicles. These components are often thin-walled and contain pressurized fluids, like propellants at cryogenic or elevated temperatures. Given that the environments that these propulsion components must endure are challenging, the manufacturing to meet these specifications often require long lead times due to specialty processes and unique tooling associated with the combined thin-wall integral channel and large-scale structures. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers programmatic advantages for reduction in processing time and cost in addition to various technical advantages, including the possibility to achieve enhanced hardware complexity targeted to superior performance, part consolidation, and the capability of processing of novel alloys. While AM is already being utilized for heat exchanger components in propulsion applications, almost all these AM components are made by means of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). L-PBF allows for fine features but is rather limited with respect to the overall size of the components that can be manufactured. Recent developments are maturing the Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) process which may be used, for example, to make integral channel thin-wall regeneratively-cooled rocket nozzles with diameters greater than 1 m. This paper highlights some integral channel heat exchanger demonstrator hardware applications of LP-DED, as well as the characterization of this process in combination with the use of the NASA HR-1 alloy. To properly utilize LP-DED for heat exchanger manufacturing, various aspects are being characterized such as geometry limitations, measurement of surface texture and geometric angled surfaces, surface enhancements for internal channels, and material evaluation. NASA HR-1 (FeNi-Cr) is a high strength hydrogen resistant superalloy developed for use in aerospace applications, such as heat exchangers. Some aspects and considerations about the design of heat exchangers are summarized together with data relevant to LP-DED manufacturing in combination with the NASA HR-1 alloy. Microchannels were successful deposited down to 2.54 mm and 1 mm wall thickness, wall angles of 30°, both with high reproducibility. It was also found that the areal surface roughness is highly dependent on the size of the powder feedstock used for deposition. The characterization of these LP-DED features is critical for fluid flow and heat transfer predictions as it can be exploited to enhance heat transfer at the cost of increased pressure drop.

additive manufacturing↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Having a Come-Apart: Lessons Learned from Additively Manufactured Hardware Failures

NASA has been engaged with additively manufactured (AM) process and component development since the 2000’s. AM offers various technical advantages, such as enhanced hardware design complexity, part consolidation, and processing of novel alloys in addition to programmatic advantages for reduction in processing time and cost. The focus of much of the AM development at NASA has been to mature the various processes, characterize material properties, develop standards, produce demonstrator parts, and integrate AM hardware in liquid rocket engines. These aspects have been demonstrated through process and design iterations using a methodical characterization, test-fail-fix cycles, as well as application and dissemination of lessons learned. In addition to these fundamental demonstrations of the AM process and hardware development, alloys that provide performance advantages in the high temperature and high-pressure environments have been matured for use in rocket engines. These environments are challenging for any alloy and any design, and the AM process is required to fully meet the intended design requirements. The importance of proper AM process was made evident in the failure of a Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) copper-alloy combustion chamber during a hot-fire test due to a degraded material quality resulted from an AM process issue. The hot-fire test aimed to demonstrate high duty cycle under a risk-tolerant development project, where consequences of component failure would be minimal. However, the unintentional component failure emphasized the necessity of robust material characterization and rigorous process control procedures for the safe use of AM components in critical applications. In part, such concerns motivate the AM certification approach that NASA has recently adopted in NASA-STD-6030 “Additive Manufacturing Requirements for Spaceflight Systems”. This presentation provides an overview of the previously mentioned failure, a discussion on the evaluation of the failed chamber and supplemental chambers produced at the same time, a representative material samples that included intentional build witness lines, and a summary of the key results and recommendations from the evaluations. NASA continues to approach AM processes and designs with a level of risk and acceptance of failures that is appropriate for the project objectives, with the overall goal of safe implementation of AM technology and transferring AM technology into commercial space applications. The objective of this presentation is to provide awareness to the community working critical and non-critical AM components and the lessons learned on proper implementation of AM.

Additive Manufacturing↗

NASA NTRS2022

NASA’s Revised Planetary Protection Policy and Implementation

NASA has updated its planetary protection policy and implementation approach in response to advances in scientific understanding of solar system targets, upcoming mission opportunities for exploration and sample return, and the private sector’s emerging capability to plan missions to Earth’s Moon and Mars. In September 2021, the NASA Procedural Requirements NPR 8715.24, entitled “Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions” was released which repositions planetary protection in existing NASA mission and program management structures, introduces risk-informed decision making, expands on key roles and responsibilities for both programmatic and the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, updates the categorization process and streamlines the planetary protection documentation approval and schedule. NASA is working on a more detailed technical standard to accompany NPR 8715.24 which will include the detailed technical requirements to address organic contamination, inadvertent impact avoidance, biological control and management, end of mission disposal and restricted Earth-Return sample safety and assurance. This report to the COSPAR community will describe the current NASA planetary protection policy and its alignment with the revised COSPAR planetary protection policy. NASA’s plans for updating the supporting “Handbook for Implementing Planetary Protection Technical Requirements” and future policies for addressing planetary protection of crewed missions will also be presented.

Elaine Seasly↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory: Hypersonic Testing Capabilities

A description of the NASA Langley Research Center’s Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory (LAL) will be presented in the paper, along with descriptions and details of the facility test techniques and recent upgrades. The LAL consists of three hypersonic blow-down wind tunnels covering Mach numbers of 6 and 10 and unit Reynolds number ranges of 0.5 to 8.3 million per foot as well as a 60-ft Vacuum Sphere Test Chamber. LAL facilities are used to study and define the aerodynamic performance and aeroheating characteristics of flight vehicle concepts. Data collected in the facilities have been used for design and optimization, anchoring computational predictions, generation of aerodynamic databases and design of Thermal Protection Systems. Over the years modifications and enhancements have been made to the facility hardware and instrumentation to increase efficiency, data quality, capabilities and reliability to better meet the programmatic requirements. Recent utilization information illustrates the need for the capabilities associated with these facilities. Recent test programs include the Space Shuttle Program, Crew Exploration Vehicle/Orion/Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE), Mars Science Laboratory, Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator System (HIADS) and X-51 among others and usage has been split between NASA, Commercial Crew, Department of Defense and private company programs. Plans for future improvements to the facility infrastructure and instrumentation will also be presented.

Karen Berger↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Utilizing Gaps and Key Performance Parameters to Inform NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Capability Technology Decisions

Human spaceflight is a complex endeavor requiring multiple capabilities for transportation, crew health, scientific goals, and safe return to Earth. The difference between spaceflight proven capabilities and those needed for future exploration architectures is defined as a capability gap. Capability gaps are not technology specific. Each capability gap may be closed with a wide array of technologies that have unique benefits and challenges. Determining what a capability’s relevant and distinguishing key performance parameters (KPPs) are for a mission is critical. Mass, power, and volume are always constrained and important, but defining these in a way normalized by performance is very important. KPP definition for reliability, dormancy, and integration needs are hard to define but critical. Outside of technical considerations, the programmatic factors of the estimated time to develop the technology vs when a mission element is also a strong consideration in which technologies should be pursued. The Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) capability areas include: life support, environmental monitoring, fire safety, and logistics. These capability areas are decomposed to high level gaps. While KPPs should be technology agnostic, they can be used to both compare technologies and measure progress of technology development over time. KPPs help define when the gap is closed, and the core mission objectives can be accomplished. Proposed technology improvements to enhance a capability should balance improved KPPs and against investments in other capabilities that are not yet closed. A selection of ECLSS gaps and KPPs and their formulation, current state, and how they inform capability roadmap planning are discussed.

Life Support↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Parametric Study of the Forward Attachment Geometry for the Space Launch System Next Generation Booster

Launch vehicle transonic buffet environments can generate large dynamic structural loads and vibratory responses. For the Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle, the highest transonic buffet environments have been observed in the multibody region between the core and solid rocket boosters, particularly downstream of the booster forward attachment. The buffet environment is particularly sensitive to the outer mold line (OML) of the forward attachment, and even relatively minor geometry changes can have large impacts on buffet and other aerodynamic environments. The SLS program is redesigning the booster for the Block 2 vehicle to support updated mission goals. This redesign necessitated changes in the forward attachment geometry, which raised concerns about the buffet and vibroacoustic environments. A preliminary study was conducted that developed multiple forward attachment geometries that satisfied the programmatic requirements, but the aerodynamic environment impacts were unclear. In March 2022, a wind-tunnel test was conducted at the NASA Ames 11- by 11-foot Transonic Wind Tunnel to study these environments generated from each of the configurations in order to select the most viable candidate. This paper will discuss this test campaign, the results from the parametric study, as well as general observations regarding OML features that impact the buffet environment. Buffet environments will be presented and compared for each configuration and comparisons presented where applicable.

buffet↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Student Airborne Science Activation for Minority Serving Institutions: Inaugural Program, Educational Outcomes, and Lessons Learned

The NASA Student Airborne Science Activation (SaSa) for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) held its inaugural summer research program for early career undergraduates interested in the Geosciences. SaSa is a NASA Science Activation funded 8-week summer internship program. Twenty-four first- and second-year undergraduates from MSIs across the U.S. participated in the summer program - June 6 to July 29, 2022. Students had the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience in all components of an airborne science campaign including flying on-board a NASA research aircraft to collect atmospheric measurements. Students conducted independent research projects related to the atmosphere, ocean, and geosciences that feed into NASA’s broader Earth Science Division’s and Decadal Survey goals using air quality, meteorological, and oceanic measurements from surface, airborne, and satellite-based observations. The program split its time between partner institution, University of Maryland Baltimore County and NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Students also made site visits at partner institutions, including: Hampton University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Howard University, and Coppin State University and attended lectures from visiting faculty and NASA Subject Matter Experts. Students were guided on their research projects by near-peer graduate mentors, SaSa program leadership, co-Is at partner institutions, and NASA scientists to address two major research themes: 1) how human-caused air pollution has human and environmental implications, and 2) how large-scale meteorological factors influence local weather conditions. Students sorted into research groups, based on sub-discipline areas in the Geosciences, including: “Clouds, Aerosols and Radiation”, “Meteorology and Planetary Boundary Layer”, “Air Quality: Particle Pollution and Trace Gases”, and “Air-Water-Land Interface”. Their research was presented as 3-minute lightning talks and in-person poster presentations at a close-out event at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The students’ inter- and trans-disciplinary research experiences centered in the use of multiple ground, airborne, and satellite remote sensing NASA Earth Science Division assets. Providing a unique experience aligned to recognize the societal benefits that NASA contributes in the areas of resource management, air quality monitoring and policy decisions, energy and weather predictions, and research on the Earth’s climate. The SaSa program aims to increase the number of students from MSIs that identify as underrepresented or underserved individuals in the Geosciences discipline, Earth System Science graduate programs, and the NASA workforce. A summary of the summer research program, educational, scientific, and programmatic outcomes, as well as lessons learned will be presented.

NASA↗

NASA NTRS2022

The Importance of Policies: It’s Not Just A Pipeline Problem

For decades, a leaky pipeline analogy has been used when discussing diversity issues in STEM fields. However, this imagery is overly simplistic and does not capture critical issues that contribute to people leaving the field. It puts distance between structural issues, our actions, and why people leave the field. When we view our research structure as something more complex, we can start taking ownership and frame more impactful solutions instead of misidentifying important issues and providing ineffective short-term solutions. Many of the issues discussed in the "Cultivating a culture of inclusivity in Heliophysics" position paper have counterparts within our policies and our institutions. To fully address and mitigate the current issues within our field, we have identified a need to cultivate a positive, safe, inclusive, and effective environment. However, we need both cultural and programmatic changes. We will try to identify systemic issues that inhibit many from fully participating and potential solutions, as well as groups and fields producing best practices for creating and enabling effective environments where innovation can occur.

A.J. Halford↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Parametric Study of the Forward Attachment Geometry for the Space Launch System Next Generation Booster

Launch vehicle transonic buffet environments can generate large dynamic structural loads and vibratory responses. For the Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle, the highest transonic buffet environments have been observed in the multibody region between the core and solid rocket boosters, particularly downstream of the booster forward attachment. The buffet environment is particularly sensitive to the outer mold line (OML) of the forward attachment, and even relatively minor geometry changes can have large impacts on buffet and other aerodynamic environments. The SLS program is redesigning the booster for the Block 2 vehicle to support updated mission goals. This redesign necessitated changes in the forward attachment geometry, which raised concerns about the buffet and vibroacoustic environments. A preliminary study was conducted that developed multiple forward attachment geometries that satisfied the programmatic requirements, but the aerodynamic environment impacts were unclear. In March 2022, a wind-tunnel test was conducted at the NASA Ames 11- by 11-foot Transonic Wind Tunnel to study these environments generated from each of the configurations in order to select the most viable candidate. This paper will discuss this test campaign, the results from the parametric study, as well as general observations regarding OML features that impact the buffet environment. Buffet environments will be presented and compared for each configuration and comparisons presented where applicable.

buffet↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Introduction to Additive Manufacturing for Propulsion Systems

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has become a prominent technology of interest for manufacturing propulsion components and gaining attention across the aerospace industry. AM is maturing at a rapid pace and providing new design opportunities, novel materials, new industries and supply chains resulting in programmatic and technical performance improvements. The successful use of AM requires a methodical and intentional approach to understanding the concept to utilization lifecycle for AM. This course will provide an overview of the various steps in AM process trades, design, build process, post-processing, certification and infusion of AM. This will provide various lessons learned and experiences that were captured in a recent AIAA textbook titled "Metal Additive Manufactuging for Propulsion Applications" by the session chairs and industry colleagues. This course will include specific liquid rocket engine component examples and that went through the AM lifecycle including hot-fire testing.

Paul R. Gradl↗