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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 NTRS2014

Status of Propulsion Technology Development Under the NASA In-space Propulsion Technology Program

Since 2001, the In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program has been developing and delivering in-space propulsion technologies for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, Flagship and sample return missions currently under consideration. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in three areas that include Propulsion System Technologies, Entry Vehicle Technologies, and Systems Mission Analysis. ISPT's propulsion technologies include: 1) the 0.6-7 kW NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) gridded ion propulsion system; 2) a 0.3-3.9kW Hall-effect electric propulsion (HEP) system for low cost and sample return missions; 3) the Xenon Flow Control Module (XFCM); 4) ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies (ULTT); and 5) propulsion technologies for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The HEP system is composed of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) thruster, a power processing unit (PPU), and the XFCM. NEXT and the HiVHAc are throttle-able electric propulsion systems for planetary science missions. The XFCM and ULTT are two component technologies which being developed with nearer-term flight infusion in mind. Several of the ISPT technologies are related to sample return missions needs like: MAV propulsion and electric propulsion. And finally, one focus of the SystemsMission Analysis area is developing tools that aid the application or operation of these technologies on wide variety of mission concepts. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness.

electric propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Status of Spacecraft Bus and Platform Technology Development Under the NASA ISPT Program

The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program is developing spacecraft bus and platform technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in three areas that include Propulsion System Technologies, Entry Vehicle Technologies, and Systems Mission Analysis. ISPTs propulsion technologies include: 1) NASAs Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system; 2) a Hall-effect electric propulsion (HEP) system for sample return and low cost missions; 3) the Advanced Xenon Flow Control System (AXFS); ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies (ULTT); and propulsion technologies for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The AXFS and ULTT are two component technologies being developed with nearer-term flight infusion in mind, whereas NEXT and the HEP are being developed as EP systems. ISPTs entry vehicle technologies are: 1) Aerocapture technology development with investments in a family of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and structures; guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells; and aerothermal effect models; and 2) Multi-mission technologies for Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV) for sample return missions. The Systems Mission Analysis area is focused on developing tools and assessing the application of propulsion, entry vehicle, and spacecraft bus technologies to a wide variety of mission concepts. Several of the ISPT technologies are related to sample return missions and other spacecraft bus technology needs like: MAV propulsion, MMEEV, and electric propulsion. These technologies, as well as Aerocapture, are more vehicle and mission-focused, and present a different set of technology development challenges. These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, Flagship and sample return missions currently under consideration. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness.

electric propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2014

Status of Propulsion Technology Development Under the NASA In-Space Propulsion Technology Program

Since 2001, the In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program has been developing and delivering in-space propulsion technologies for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, Flagship and sample return missions currently under consideration. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in three areas that include Propulsion System Technologies, Entry Vehicle Technologies, and Systems/Mission Analysis. ISPT's propulsion technologies include: 1) the 0.6-7 kW NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) gridded ion propulsion system; 2) a 0.3-3.9kW Halleffect electric propulsion (HEP) system for low cost and sample return missions; 3) the Xenon Flow Control Module (XFCM); 4) ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies (ULTT); and 5) propulsion technologies for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The NEXT Long Duration Test (LDT) recently exceeded 50,000 hours of operation and 900 kg throughput, corresponding to 34.8 MN-s of total impulse delivered. The HEP system is composed of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HIVHAC) thruster, a power processing unit (PPU), and the XFCM. NEXT and the HIVHAC are throttle-able electric propulsion systems for planetary science missions. The XFCM and ULTT are two component technologies which being developed with nearer-term flight infusion in mind. Several of the ISPT technologies are related to sample return missions needs: MAV propulsion and electric propulsion. And finally, one focus of the Systems/Mission Analysis area is developing tools that aid the application or operation of these technologies on wide variety of mission concepts. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness.

systems analysis↗
NASA NTRS2016

Mars Surface Tunnel Element Concept

When the first human visitors on Mars prepare to return to Earth, they will have to comply with stringent planetary protection requirements. Apollo Program experience warns that opening an EVA hatch directly to the surface will bring dust into the ascent vehicle. To prevent inadvertent return of potential Martian contaminants to Earth, careful consideration must be given to the way in which crew ingress their Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). For architectures involving more than one surface element-such as an ascent vehicle and a pressurized rover or surface habitat-a retractable tunnel that eliminates extravehicular activity (EVA) ingress is an attractive solution. Beyond addressing the immediate MAV access issue, a reusable tunnel may be useful for other surface applications, such as rover to habitat transfer, once its primary mission is complete. A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) team is studying the optimal balance between surface tunnel functionality, mass, and stowed volume as part of the Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC). The study team began by identifying the minimum set of functional requirements needed for the tunnel to perform its primary mission, as this would presumably be the simplest design, with the lowest mass and volume. This Minimum Functional Tunnel then becomes a baseline against which various tunnel design concepts and potential alternatives can be traded, and aids in assessing the mass penalty of increased functionality. Preliminary analysis indicates that the mass of a single-mission tunnel is about 237 kg, not including mass growth allowance.

Rucker, Michelle A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Mars Ascent Vehicle Design for Human Exploration

In NASA's evolvable Mars campaign, transportation architectures for human missions to Mars rely on a combination of solar electric propulsion and chemical propulsion systems. Minimizing the Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) mass is critical in reducing the overall lander mass and also eases the requirements placed on the transportation stages. This paper presents the results of a conceptual design study to obtain a minimal MAV configuration, including subsystem designs and mass summaries.

Polsgrove, Tara↗
NASA NTRS2016

Human Mars Ascent Vehicle Performance Sensitivities

Human Mars mission architecture studies have shown that the ascent vehicle mass drives performance requirements for the descent and in-space transportation elements. Understanding the sensitivity of Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) mass to various mission and vehicle design choices enables overall transportation system optimization. This paper presents the results of a variety of sensitivity trades affecting MAV performance including: landing site latitude, target orbit, initial thrust to weight ratio, staging options, specific impulse, propellant type and engine design.

Polsgrove, Tara P.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Human and Robotic Exploration Missions to Phobos Prior to Crewed Mars Surface Missions

Phobos is a scientifically significant destination that would facilitate the development and operation of the human Mars transportation infrastructure, unmanned cargo delivery systems and other Mars surface systems. In addition to developing systems relevant to Mars surface missions, Phobos offers engineering, operational, and public engagement opportunities that could enhance subsequent Mars surface operations. These opportunities include the use of low latency teleoperations to control Mars surface assets associated with exploration science, human landing-site selection and infrastructure development, which may include in situ resource utilization (ISRU) to provide liquid oxygen for the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). A human mission to Mars' moons would be preceded by a cargo pre-deploy of a surface habitat and a pressurized excursion vehicle (PEV) to Mars orbit. Once in Mars orbit, the habitat and PEV would spiral to Phobos using solar electric propulsion based systems, with the habitat descending to the surface and the PEV remaining in orbit. When a crewed mission is launched to Phobos, it would include the remaining systems to support the crew during the Earth-Mars transit and to reach Phobos after insertion in to Mars orbit. The crew would taxi from Mars orbit to Phobos to join with the predeployed systems in a spacecraft that is based on a MAV, dock with and transfer to the PEV in Phobos orbit, and descend in the PEV to the surface habitat. A static Phobos surface habitat was chosen as a baseline architecture, in combination with the PEV that was used to descend from orbit as the main exploration vehicle. The habitat would, however, have limited capability to relocate on the surface to shorten excursion distances required by the PEV during exploration and to provide rescue capability should the PEV become disabled. To supplement exploration capabilities of the PEV, the surface habitat would utilize deployable EVA support structures that allow astronauts to work from portable foot restraints or body restrain tethers in the vicinity of the habitat. Prototype structures were tested as part of NEEMO 20.

Gernhardt, Michael L.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Returning Geological Samples from Mars

Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Study: Design challenges associated with Mars; Remote; Temperature; Atmosphere; Radiation; Dust. Challenges unique to MAV: No vehicle has ever left the surface of Mars; Completely autonomous; Physical system extremely limited; Martian environment creates a number of issues with traditional propulsion systems.

Yaghoubi, Darius↗
NASA NTRS2019

Guidance and Navigation Design for a Martian Sample Return Ascent Vehicle

This paper focuses on the work being performed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in support of Mars Ascent Vehicles (MAVs). Specifically, the analysis presented is in support of Martian sample return architectures. In or-der to assess vehicle sensitivities, a detailed simulation tool, (MAV Analysis Tool in Simscape) MANTIS, was implemented using the MATLAB/Simulink Sim-scape architecture. High fidelity navigation sensor models and guidance algorithms were included in order to facilitate sensor requirement development and flight algorithm selection. This work focuses on the performance of the integrated system and the coupling of navigation and guidance capabilities. The architecture trades are heavily dependent on the ascent flight profile chosen. This work assesses both open- and closed-loop guidance algorithms to capture their relative performance and the resulting requirements on sensor capability to support preliminary vehicle design. The analysis builds on previous work that focused on navigation performance for initialization and ascent flight of crewed vehicle. The results provide insight into the coupling between sensor requirements and ascent guidance approach. The analysis provides data to support requirements for hard-ware selection and testing. Additional discussion is also included focusing on other system constraints that affect hardware selection and operational constraints.

Anzalone, Evan↗
NASA NTRS2017

Technology Development Plan and Preliminary Results for a Low Temperature Hybrid Mars Ascent Vehicle Concept

A hybrid propulsion system is being considered for a potential Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) based on its low temperature capability, ability to restart and high performance. The hybrid’s ability to survive in low and variable temperatures reduces power requirements and therefore system mass. Its ability to restart enables a Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) design, minimizing system complexity. The hybrid’s high-performance (approximately 314 s Isp (I (sub sp)) (specific impulse in seconds) leads to a low total Gross Lift Off Mass (GLOM). These advantages set the hybrid design above the alternatives in the system studies completed at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory). However, this solution has the lowest Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the propulsion options. Therefore, a technology development effort has been undertaken to raise the TRL of the hybrid option and potentially enable its infusion into a future MAV or other in-space application. The culmination of this technology development is a flight demonstration, which is currently in the planning phases for launch in the early 2020’s.

Karp, Ashley↗
NASA NTRS2017

A Mars Ascent Vehicle for Potential Mars Sample Return

This paper will cover the conceptual design of a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) and efforts underway to raise the TRL at both the component and system levels. A system down select was executed resulting in a Hybrid Propulsion based Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) MAV baseline architecture. This paper covers the Point o f Departure design, as well as results of hardware developments that will be tested in several upcoming flight opportunities.

Shotwell, Robert↗
NASA NTRS2016

Drivers, Developments and Options Under Consideration for Mars Ascent Vehicle

The NASA Mars Exploration Program has invested technology funds over the last couple of years to advance design concepts for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) and technologies that may be enhancing or enabling for various architectures to be pursued. A Mars Ascent Vehicle would fly on a potential future Mars Lander mission to recover and return the samples to be acquired by the Mars 2020 rover, or another future mission, to a retrievable orbit. Resembling a terrestrial Surface to Air Missile (SAM), the propulsion options considered for the MAV concept span the range from two stage solid rocket motors to monoprops, biprops and hybrids. This paper will highlight the driving constraints and performance requirements and the subsequent trades that would ultimately drive the selection of a chosen approach.

Shotwell, Robert↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mars Ascent Vehicle Hybrid PropulsionEffort

A technology development program was undertaken to determine if the benefits of hybrid rocket propulsion could be realized for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) application. Specifically, the goal of this program was to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of a hybrid propulsion system such that it could be considered for a potential Mars Sample Return Campaign. Over the course of approximately five years, a new, wax-based fuel was developed, characterized and tested with Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (from MON-3 to MON-25). Various ignition mechanisms were tested and solid hypergolic additives were evaluated for their potential to ignite the hybrid motor. Several hot-fire test campaigns were completed at both sub- and full-scale. The technology development program was born out of a JPL study documented by Shotwell and Karp that identified the Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) hybrid propulsion system for a potential Mars Ascent Vehicle to be the lowest Gross Lift Off Mass option from the ten configurations evaluated. Benefits of the hybrid option included its predicted favorable low temperature storage and operation behavior, high performance and ability to restart (enabling the SSTO). The main disadvantage of the hybrid option was its low TRL,as it essentially started as a blank sheet design with a new fuel development. Near the end of the technology development program, a Preliminary Architecture Assessment (PAA) was completed to evaluate a single-stage hybrid propulsion system and a two-stage solid propulsion system for a potential MAV. The solid propulsion system was selected for further study in 2019, primarily because of its flight heritage. While the hybrid technology development program made many strides, there was still a list of challenges to overcome. This paper will discuss the substantial progress and remaining challenges from the technology development effort from 2015 through 2019. This includes fuel development and reformulation, sub- and full-scale testing at Space Propulsion Group, full scale testing at Parabilis, full scale testing at Whittinghill Aerospace, hypergolic additive testing at Purdue and Penn State and the evaluation of adding hypergolic additives to a full-scale grain. It also includes a discussion of the design that resulted from the Preliminary Architecture Assessment.

hybrid rocket↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mars Ascent Vehicle Hybrid Propulsion Effort

A technology development program was undertaken to determine if the benefits of hybrid rocket propulsion could be realized for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) application. Specifically, the goal of this program was to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of a hybrid propulsion system such that it could be considered for a potential Mars Sample Return Campaign. Over the course of approximately five years, a new, wax-based fuel was developed, characterized and tested with Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (from MON-3 to MON-25). Various ignition mechanisms were tested and solid hypergolic additives were evaluated for their potential to ignite the hybrid motor. Several hot-fire test campaigns were completed at both sub- and full-scale. The technology development program was born out of a JPL study documented by Shotwell and Karp that identified the Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) hybrid propulsion system for a potential Mars Ascent Vehicle to be the lowest Gross Lift Off Mass option from the ten configurations evaluated. Benefits of the hybrid option included its predicted favorable low temperature storage and operation behavior, high performance and ability to restart (enabling the SSTO). The main disadvantage of the hybrid option was its low TRL, as it essentially started as a blank sheet design with a new fuel development. Near the end of the technology development program, a Preliminary Architecture Assessment (PAA) was completed to evaluate a single-stage hybrid propulsion system and a two-stage solid propulsion system for a potential MAV. The solid propulsion system was selected for further study in 2019, primarily because of its flight heritage. While the hybrid technology development program made many strides, there was still a list of challenges to overcome. This paper will discuss the substantial progress and remaining challenges from the technology development effort from 2015 through 2019. This includes fuel development and reformulation, sub- and full-scale testing at Space Propulsion Group, full scale testing at Parabilis, full scale testing at Whittinghill Aerospace, hypergolic additive testing at Purdue and Penn State and the evaluation of adding hypergolic additives to a fullscale grain. It also includes a discussion of the design that resulted from the Preliminary Architecture Assessment.

hybrid rocket↗
NASA NTRS2017

A Mars Ascent Vehicle for Potential Mars Sample Return

This paper will cover the conceptual design of a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) and efforts underway to raise the TRL at both the component and system levels. A system down select was executed resulting in a Hybrid Propulsion based Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) MAV baseline architecture. This paper covers the Point of Departure design, as well as results of hardware developments that will be tested in several upcoming flight opportunities.

Dankanich, John↗
NASA NTRS2018

Onboard Stereo Vision for Drone Pursuit or Sense and Avoid

Wedescribeanew,on-board,shortrangeperceptionsystem that enables micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) to detect, track, and follow or avoid nearby drones (within 2-20 meters) in GPS-denied environments. Each vehicle is able to sense its neighborhood and adapt its motion accordingly without use of centralized reasoning or inter-vehicle communication. To enable a lightweight, low power solution, on-board stereo cameras are used for detection and tracking with depth images, while a downward-looking camera and an inertial measurement unit are used to estimate the position of the observer without use of GPS. We illustrate the robustness and accuracy of this approach through real-time, outdoor leader-follower experiments with three quadrotors. Our experiments show that state-of-art trackers are far less robust in detection against cluttered background. This demonstrates that stereo vision is a highly effective approach to perception for safe navigation of multiple MAVs in close proximity.

Matthies, Larry↗
NASA NTRS2019

Hybrid propulsion technology development for a potential near-term Mars Ascent Vehicle

A technology development program for a potential hybrid Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) is currently underway to enable its infusion into a potential Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign as early as 2026. A NASA team from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Ames Research Center (ARC) is leading and coordinating this program. A new propellant combination: the wax-based fuel, SP7, and MON-30 were proposed for a hybrid option for the MAV propulsion system several years ago. Since that time, hotfire testing with a similar propellant combination (SP7/MON-3) has been completed and a pathway to achieving high performance with the flight propellant combination is currently being pursued. Highlights of the progress to date and plans for risk reduction and the next steps in hybrid technology will be presented.

Zilliac, Greg↗
NASA NTRS2020

Challenges of Mars Sample Return Lander Entry, Descent, and Landing

The proposed Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign would be perhaps the most ambitious robotic mission ever attempted in space exploration. The notional cam-paign consists of three Flagship-class missions operating in cooperation for over a decade in order to return samples of the Martian surface and atmosphere to Earth for analysis. The Mars 2020 rover, scheduled to launch in July 2020, will cache samples and place them on the surface for possible return. The second mission would be a Sample Return Lander (SRL) that consists of a small Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) to gather the samples, a Sample Transfer Arm (STA) to load the samples into a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), and the MAV itself to launch the samples into orbit around Mars. The third mission would be an Earth Return Or-biter (ERO) designed to rendezvous and capture the Orbiting Sample (OS), return to Earth, and separate the Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV) for Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) at a location to be determined. This paper will focus on the SRL mission concept, specifically the EDL phase. Given the ambitious SRL sample re-trieval baseline surface mission, including a rocket launch of the samples into Mars orbit, it is estimated that the EDL system may be required to deliver as much as 2100 kg of dry mass to the surface. This represents an approximate 20-25% in-crease in mass capability over previous landed Mars missions. Additionally, there is a high probability that SRL would have to land very close to the samples on the surface to expedite retrieval operations; therefore, Pin Point Landing (PPL) accu-racy may be required. To address these challenges, promising EDL configuration augmentations were studied to include larger forebody/higher drag entry capsules, hypersonic/supersonic inflatable/non-inflatable aerodynamic decelerators, hypersonic trim tabs, ballute drag devices, larger parachutes, higher Mach and higher dynamic pressure parachute deployments, lower parachute deployment altitudes having shorter chute timelines necessitating more efficient terrain sensor strategies, and ad-ditional fuel for longer powered descent diverts to the target landing site. Over-arching the entire trade study was an attempt to stay as close to the experience base of past successful missions as possible to reduce implementation cost and risk. This paper will discuss the entire SRL EDL trade study in detail. The information presented about the potential MSR campaign is pre-decisional and is provided for planning and discussion purposes only.

Ivanov, Mark C.↗