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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Integration of Launch Vehicle Simulation/Analysis Tools and Lunar Cargo Lander Design

Simulation and analysis of vehicle performance is essential for design of a new launch vehicle system. It is more and more demand to have an integrated, highly efficient, robust simulation tool with graphical user interface (GUI) for vehicle performance and simulations. The objectives of this project are to integrate and develop launch vehicle simulation and analysis tools in MATLAB/Simulink under PC Platform, to develop a vehicle capable of being launched on a Delta-IV Heavy Launch Vehicle which can land on the moon with the goal of pre-implanting cargo for a new lunar mission, also with the capability of selecting other launch vehicles that are capable of inserting a payload into Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI). The vehicle flight simulation software, MAVERIC-II (Marshall Aerospace VEhicle Representation In 'C'), developed by Marshall Space Flight Center was selected as a starting point for integration of simulation/analysis tools. The goals are to convert MAVERIC-II from UNIX to PC platform and build input/output GUI s in the MATLAB environment, and then integrate them under MATLAB/Simulink with other modules. Currently, MAVERIC-II has been successfully converted from UNIX to PC using Microsoft Services for UNIX subsystem on PC. Input/Output GUI's have been done for some key input/output files. Calling MAVERIC-II from Simulink has been tested. Details regarding Lunar Cargo Lander Design are described in Part 2/2 of the paper on page X-1.

Shiue, Yeu-Sheng Paul↗
DOE OSTI2026

2025 InterPACK: Thermal Management and Reliability Aspects

The presentation will provide an overview of automotive power electronics and electric machines thermal management systems that are typical for light-duty vehicles. Unique thermal and environmental aspects related to medium and heavy-duty vehicle applications will then be discussed. Finally, advanced thermal management and packaging technologies that could be evaluated and used in this project will be described.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS2009

Main Propulsion for the Ares Projects

The goal of this slide presentation is to provide an update on the status of the Ares propulsion systems. The Ares I is the vehicle to launch the crew and the Ares V is a heavy lift vehicle that is being designed to launch cargo into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and transfer cargo and crews to the moon. The Ares propulsion systems are based on the heritage hardware and experiences from the Apollo project to the Space Shuttle and also to current expendable launch vehicles (ELVs). The presentation compares the various launch vehicles from the Saturn V to the space shuttle, including the planned details of the Ares I and V. There are slides detailing the elements of the Ares I and the Ares V, including views of the J2X upper stage engine that is to serve both the Ares I and V. The extent of the progress is reviewed.

Sumrall, Phil↗
NASA NTRS1980

Vehicle testing of Cummins turbocompound diesel engine

Two turbocompound diesel engines were installed in Class VIII heavy-duty vehicles to determine the fuel consumption potential and performance characteristics. One turbocompound powered vehicle was evaluated at the Cummins Pilot Center where driveability, fuel consumption, torsional vibration, and noise were evaluated. Fuel consumption testing showed a 14.8% benefit for the turbocompound engine in comparison to a production NTC-400 used as a baseline. The turbocompound engine also achieved lower noise levels, improved driveability, improved gradeability, and marginally superior engine retardation. The second turbocompound engine was placed in commercial service and accumulated 50,000 miles on a cross-country route without malfunction. Tank mileage revealed a 15.92% improvement over a production NTCC-400 which was operating on the same route.

Brands, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Report of the Committee on the Space Station of the National Research Council

The Space Station Program will be the most ambitious space project the nation has ever undertaken; will require tens of billions of dollars; and will entwine for many years the space program with those of international partners. It must have enduring stable support across administrations, and the support must be generous. The current Space Shuttle is barely adequate for the limited purpose of deploying the Space Station, and it is inadequate to meet broader national needs in space. The Committee recommends in the strongest terms that the Shuttle be upgraded with new improved solid rocket motors, that it be supplemented with expendable launch vehicles, and that a heavy lift launch vehicle be developed for use in the latter half of the 1990s. The Committee strongly recommends that NASA prepare a new Space Station Program cost estimate in conjunction with the Program Requirements Review scheduled for early next year by NASA. The exercise should address the full range of uncertainties in the current Program, some of which are discussed in the report.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1991

Next generation solid boosters

Space transportation solid rocket motor systems; Shuttle derived heavy lift launch vehicles; advanced launch system (ALS) derived heavy lift launch vehicles; large launch solid booster vehicles are outlined. Performance capabilities and concept objectives are presented. Small launch vehicle concepts; enabling technologies; reusable flyback booster system; and high-performance solid motors for space are briefly described. This presentation is represented by viewgraphs.

Lund, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

NLS cycle 1 and NLS 2 base heating technical notes. Appendix 3: Preliminary cycle 1 NLS base heating environments. Cycle 1 NLS base heating environments. NLS 2 650K STME base heating environments

A preliminary analysis of National Launch System ascent plume induced base heating environments has been completed to support the Induced Environments Panel's objective to assist in maturing the NLS vehicle (1.5 stage and heavy launch lift vehicle) design. Environments during ascent have been determined from this analysis for a few selected locations on the engine nozzles and base heat shield for both vehicles. The environments reflect early summer 1991 configurations and performance data and conservative methodology. A more complete and thorough analysis is under way to update these environments for the cycle 1 review in January 1992.

Bender, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

A VTOL Small Unmanned Aircraft System to Expand Payload Capabilities

One of the goals of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is to increase the capabilities of flight vehicles while maintaining small airframes that are also lightweight. Private package delivery companies and government agencies have an interest in vehicles that have large payload to weight ratios; thus allowing to deliver heavy payloads. Currently, UAS configurations suffer from propulsive and aerodynamic limitations that decrease the payload weight and/or mission range. In order to decrease these limitations, the Kinetic and Potential Energy Alternation for Greater Lift Enhancement (KP EAGLE) concept provides a novel way to transport payloads that may be too heavy for vehicles in a similar weight class. The concept vehicle takes off vertically without the payload. It then performs a dive maneuver that transfers the gained potential energy into kinetic energy to pick up the payload. This concept does not require special equipment during takeoff or landing and provides a better payload to weight ratio than other conventional vehicles in the same weight class.

Geuther, Steven↗
NASA NTRS2010

Progress on Enabling Unprecedented Payloads for Space in the 21st Century

The NASA Ares Projects Office is developing the launch vehicles to move the United States and humanity beyond low earth orbit. Ares V is a heavy lift vehicle being designed to launch cargo into LEO and transfer cargo and crews to the Moon. Heavy Lift is a national asset with applications to science, business, and national defense. This is a snapshot of development. Ares V is early in the requirements formulation stage of development pending White House and Congressional deliberations. Work date will be useful to any future heavy lift development.

Creech, Steve↗
DOE OSTI2025

EV Charging Infrastructure Energization: An Overview of Approaches for Simplifying Processes and Accelerating Timelines to Processing EV Charging Load Service Requests

The United States has seen significant growth in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, leading to increased demand for EV charging infrastructure and electricity. Growth in electricity demand from EV charging, coupled with growth in other sectors like data centers and electrification of other sectors, is impacting electricity infrastructure and load service request processes after two decades of relatively flat electricity demand. While most electric vehicle charging occurs at home, enroute and depot charging for medium and heavy-duty vehicles, both using high-powered EV charging, are critical to meet electric vehicle operational needs. Over the past decade, EV charging infrastructure site developers, site hosts, and electric distribution utilities have navigated the process to integrate chargers onto the electric grid. Site developers and site hosts have expressed distress that the integration process for high-powered EV charging projects does not meet the needs of the EV market for timeliness or cost. High-powered charging stations typically require a load service request or an agreement with the local utility to connect to the grid. The process of energizing a new high-powered charging site can be complex and time consuming, often taking up to 2 years. This timeline is the result of current utility energization processes having been designed for construction projects that take longer to build (i.e., buildings). The specific challenges stem from various factors, including compartmentalization in application processes, the integration of EV charging process approvals with other distributed energy resources (DERs), and the need to ensure grid reliability. The energization process needs to evolve to meet the growing demand for high-powered EV charging. This white paper compiles information gathered through various conversations with key stakeholders, including utilities, utility regulators, EV charging operators, site developers, and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) as well as through an extensive literature review. This document identifies the challenges and provides potential solutions to streamline the process of connecting EV charging infrastructure to the power grid in the United States, serving as a starting point for future conversations around these solutions.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS1990

Rotary-wing aeroelasticity with application to VTOL vehicles

This survey presents an assessment of the state of the art in rotary-wing aeroelasticity as applied to conventional helicopters as well as other VTOL vehicles such as tilting prop-rotors, the X-wing and a hybrid heavy lift vehicle. The objective is to enable the reader to develop an awareness of what has been accomplished, what remains to be done, and where to find more comprehensive treatments of the various topics discussed. The main topics discussed are: (1) structural modeling; (2) unsteady aerodynamic modeling; (3) formulation of the equations of motion and their solutions; (4) illustrative results for isolated blades in hover and forward flight; (5) illustrative results for coupled rotor/fuselage problems; (6) active control of aeromechanical and aeroelastic problems; (7) active controls for vibration reduction; (8) structural optimization with aeroelastic constraints; (9) gust response analysis of rotors; and (10) aeroelastic problems in special VTOL vehicles. These topics are reviewed with different levels of detail and some useful observation on potentially rewarding areas of future research are made.

Friedmann, Peretz P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Requesting an Exemption from Standard Compliance: EPAct State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleet Program Guidance Document

The U.S. Department of Energy established the Alternative Fuel Transportation Program (Program) and associated regulatory requirements pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The Program, otherwise known as the State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleet Program, requires covered state government and alternative fuel provider fleets operating under Standard Compliance to acquire alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) as a specific percentage of their annual non-excluded light-duty vehicle acquisitions. The opportunity for covered fleets operating under Standard Compliance to request exemptions from their AFV-acquisition requirements serves as administrative relief in the unlikely event a fleet is unable to satisfy its requirements through the normally available compliance alternatives. These alternatives include the acquisition of light-duty AFVs, the acquisition of other, creditable vehicles (e.g., gasoline-fueled hybrid electric vehicles), making certain investments, the purchase of biodiesel for use in medium- or heavy-duty vehicles to the maximum extent allowed, and purchasing or trading for banked AFV credits. This document addresses requests for exemptions from the AFV-acquisition requirements to help covered fleets better understand: How to file a request for an exemption, information and documentation DOE needs to process an exemption request, and important policies relevant for filing exemption requests.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,ENERGY PLANNING, POLIC↗
NASA NTRS1985

Hybrid and Electric Advanced Vehicle Systems Simulation

Predefined components connected to represent wide variety of propulsion systems. Hybrid and Electric Advanced Vehicle System (HEAVY) computer program is flexible tool for evaluating performance and cost of electric and hybrid vehicle propulsion systems. Allows designer to quickly, conveniently, and economically predict performance of proposed drive train.

Beach, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Modular Approach to Launch Vehicle Design Based on a Common Core Element

With a heavy lift launch vehicle as the centerpiece of our nation's next exploration architecture's infrastructure, the Advanced Concepts Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center initiated a study to examine the utilization of elements derived from a heavy lift launch vehicle for other potential launch vehicle applications. The premise of this study is to take a vehicle concept, which has been optimized for Lunar Exploration, and utilize the core stage with other existing or near existing stages and boosters to determine lift capabilities for alternative missions. This approach not only yields a vehicle matrix with a wide array of capabilities, but also produces an evolutionary pathway to a vehicle family based on a minimum development and production cost approach to a launch vehicle system architecture, instead of a purely performance driven approach. The upper stages and solid rocket booster selected for this study were chosen to reflect a cross-section of: modified existing assets in the form of a modified Delta IV upper stage and Castor-type boosters; potential near term launch vehicle component designs including an Ares I upper stage and 5-segment boosters; and longer lead vehicle components such as a Shuttle External Tank diameter upper stage. The results of this approach to a modular launch system are given in this paper.

Creech, Dennis M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Launch Vehicle Demonstrator Using Shuttle Assets

The Marshall Space Flight Center Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) has the leading role for NASA s preliminary conceptual launch vehicle design and performance analysis. Over the past several years the ACO Earth-to-Orbit Team has evaluated thousands of launch vehicle concept variations for a multitude of studies including agency-wide efforts such as the Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), Constellation, Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLLV), Heavy Lift Propulsion Technology (HLPT), Human Exploration Framework Team (HEFT), and Space Launch System (SLS). NASA plans to continue human space exploration and space station utilization. Launch vehicles used for heavy lift cargo and crew will be needed. One of the current leading concepts for future heavy lift capability is an inline one and a half stage concept using solid rocket boosters (SRB) and based on current Shuttle technology and elements. Potentially, the quickest and most cost-effective path towards an operational vehicle of this configuration is to make use of a demonstrator vehicle fabricated from existing shuttle assets and relying upon the existing STS launch infrastructure. Such a demonstrator would yield valuable proof-of-concept data and would provide a working test platform allowing for validated systems integration. Using shuttle hardware such as existing RS-25D engines and partial MPS, propellant tanks derived from the External Tank (ET) design and tooling, and four-segment SRB s could reduce the associated upfront development costs and schedule when compared to a concept that would rely on new propulsion technology and engine designs. There are potentially several other additional benefits to this demonstrator concept. Since a concept of this type would be based on man-rated flight proven hardware components, this demonstrator has the potential to evolve into the first iteration of heavy lift crew or cargo and serve as a baseline for block upgrades. This vehicle could also serve as a demonstration and test platform for the Orion Program. Critical spacecraft systems, re-entry and recovery systems, and launch abort systems of Orion could also be demonstrated in early test flights of the launch vehicle demo. Furthermore, an early demonstrator of this type would provide a stop-gap for retaining critical human capital and infrastructure while affording the current emerging generation of young engineers opportunity to work with and capture lessons learned from existing STS program offices and personnel, who were integral in the design and development of the Space Shuttle before these resources are no longer available. The objective of this study is to define candidate launch vehicle demonstration concepts that are based on Space Shuttle assets and determine their performance capabilities and how these demonstration vehicles could evolve to a heavy lift capability to low earth orbit.

Threet, Grady E., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Creating Favorable Pt/Co Interfaces via a Two‐Step Approach for Constructing Highly Durable PtCo Intermetallic Fuel Cell Catalysts

Structurally ordered PtCo intermetallics are one of the most promising oxygen-reduction catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) due to their intrinsically improved catalytic activity and stability relative to PtCo solid-solution alloys. However, increasing the heating temperature to achieve a desirable high degree of ordering results in severe particle agglomeration and low mass activity and stability. Herein, a two-step synthesis approach is developed to create an L1 2 -Pt 3 Co intermetallic structure with an increased ordering degree and well-dispersed ultrafine particles. The first step of the synthesis yields ultrafine Pt nanoparticles that are well-dispersed on the ZIF-8-derived carbon support. The second adsorption step enables us to fine-tune the Pt and Co interfaces, assisted by optimal amino acids, to establish a favorable Co-rich environment around fine Pt nanoparticles, facilitating Co diffusion into the Pt crystalline under mild thermal conditions (<800 °C). In conclusion, this two-step ordered L1 2 -Pt 3 Co catalyst is systematically evaluated using membrane electrode assemblies under heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) conditions and demonstrated exceptional performance and durability, retaining 1.35 A cm -2 only a 7% loss in current density at 0.7 V after an extensive accelerated stress test of 150,000 voltage cycles.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enabling Secure and Resilient XFC: A Software/Hardware-Security Co-Design Approach

Extremely fast charging (XFC) has the potential to reduce the charging time of battery electric vehicles (BEV) to be equivalent to the filling time of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV), thus eliminating one of the few advantages ICEV still poses for light- and heavy-duty vehicles. Enabling XFC will, however, require coordination and cooperation between the grid, charging stations, and the vehicles themselves, which leads to an inevitable increase in the attack surface for all systems combined. In securing the overall system, we must not only embrace traditional cybersecurity, which is chiefly concerned with communications and the operation of digital systems, but also cyber-physical systems security as the proper operation of XFC is critically dependent on systems’ abilities to know about (sense) and interact with (actuate) the physical world. The project team consists of academic and industry researchers with backgrounds in cybersecurity, cyber-physical systems security, learning in adversarial environments, transportation security, grid security and resilience, wireless power transfer, converter design, and battery management systems.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

OR-AGENT framework – Architecting electrified heavy-duty drayage applications

The widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles in heavy-duty (HD) commercial freight transportation faces considerable technoeconomic challenges. For heavy-duty trucks, ensuring high uptime, cost parity with diesel, and safety standards is especially critical as these vehicles operate over long distances with heavy loads, where any downtime or off-nominal behaviors significantly impacts logistics, productivity, and the total cost of ownership. Unlike traditional diesel refueling, BEV charging infrastructure must be co-optimized with vehicle deployment, operational demands, and grid capacity to ensure cost-effective and reliable freight operations. However, the lack of a standardized ownership and service model has led to a fragmented approach—where commercial vehicle operators may invest in, own, and maintain both vehicle/batteries and charging/energy infrastructure. This disconnect may exclude energy service providers from the equation, forcing fleet operators to explore ‘behind-the-fence’ energy solutions that increase capital investment, operational downtime, overhead costs, and, in some cases, net carbon emissions. To address these issues, this study introduces OR-AGENT (Optimal Regional Architecture Generation for Efficient National Transport), a comprehensive modeling framework that integrates powertrain architectures, charging infrastructures, and energy backbone systems into a cohesive strategy. In this paper, OR-AGENT is applied to develop an interconnected systems architecture for energy efficiency and resiliency enhancement of heavy-duty drayage vehicles at the Port of Savannah, GA. This framework showcases an interconnected systems approach to electrifying heavy-duty drayage vehicles at the Port of Savannah, GA. The study assessed BEVs with 400–1200 kWh battery capacities, accounting for seasonal variations in weather and freight routing. A diverse charging mix (150 kW–1250 kW) was evaluated alongside grid capacity constraints, cost, and carbon intensity analysis, leading to the development of a strategic microgrid/Distributed Energy Resources (DER) deployment architecture to ensure a reliable and sustainable transition. However, the findings also highlight the need for alternative zero-emission solutions for remaining trips, such as larger batteries, electrified roadways, hydrogen powertrains, or net-zero emission fuels. In conclusion, the findings are incorporated into a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model to identify optimal architectures for an interconnected electrified ecosystem.

Commercial vehicles↗