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At least 127 records · Page 7

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NASA NTRS2001

Risk analysis simulation of rover operations for Mars surface exploration

Risk management advocates have long sought to directly influence the early stages of the systems engineering process through a more effective role in system design trade studies. The principal obstacle to this has been the lack of credible ways to represent and quantify mission risk—that is, a combination of the probability of mission success (“system safety”) and science value—for the project manager and the rest of the design team. If it were possible to quantify mission risk, then the effects of proposed mission and system design changes could be calculated, and along with life-cycle costs, could be used to explore the design space more extensively and select better designs. JPL has been working to build the capability to quantify the probability of mission success using a federation of diverse simulations and models, each of which contributes some vital piece of the puzzle. The initial institutional focus has been on Mars surface operations. This ensemble computing framework enables the diverse models and simulations to work together seamlessly. Recent work at JPL has demonstrated the capability to exercise this ensemble from end-to-end using an Oracle-based database to automatically move results from one model/simulation to the next stage in the analysis.

Shishko, Robert↗

NASA NTRS2006

Navigation and EDL for the Mars Exploration Rovers

A viewgraph presentation on Deep Space Navigation, and Entry, Decent, and Landing (EDL) for Mars Exploration Rovers is shown. The contents include: 1) JPL Spacecraft Operating across the Solar System; 2) 2003 - 2004: The Busiest Period in JPL's History; 3) Deep Space Navigation Will Enable Many of the New NASA Missions; 4) What Exactly is Navigation vs. GNC for Deep Space?; 5) Cruise and Approach: Why is Deep Space Navigation So Difficult?; 6) Project Importance of GNC: Landing Site Selection; 7) Planetary Communications and Tracking; 8) Tracking Data Types; 9) Delta Differential One-Way Range (deltaDOR); 10) All Solutions Leading up to TCM-4 Design; 11) Entry Flight Path Sensitivities; 12) MER Navigation Results; 13) Atmospheric Entry Targeting and Delivery; 14) Landing Ellipse Orientation; 15) MER Landing Site Trade Example; 16) Entry, Descent and Landing: Entry Guidance or What Things Do We NOT do for MER Landings (but we will later...); 17) Entering Martian Space 8:29 p.m. PST (ERT); 18) Entry, Descent and Landing; 19) Entry, Descent and Landing: Terminal Guidance; 20) The Challenge Going from 12,000 mph to Zero in Less Than Six Minutes; 21) Spirit Landing Location; 22) Entry, Descent and Landing: The Future; 23) Powered Descent Time-Line; and 24) Updated Sky Crane Maneuver Description. A short summary is also given on planetary guidance, navigation and control as it pertains to EDL systems

Mars Exploration Rover (MER)↗

NASA NTRS2012

Electrolytes with Improved Safety Characteristics for High Voltage, High Specific Energy Li-ion Cells

(1) NASA is actively pursuing the development of advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices for future lunar and Mars missions; (2) The Exploration Technology Development Program, Energy Storage Project is sponsoring the development of advanced Li-ion batteries and PEM fuel cell and regenerative fuel cell systems for the Altair Lunar Lander, Extravehicular Activities (EVA), and rovers and as the primary energy storage system for Lunar Surface Systems; (3) At JPL, in collaboration with NASA-GRC, NASA-JSC and industry, we are actively developing advanced Li-ion batteries with improved specific energy, energy density and safety. One effort is focused upon developing Li-ion battery electrolyte with enhanced safety characteristics (i.e., low flammability); and (4) A number of commercial applications also require Li-ion batteries with enhanced safety, especially for automotive applications.

improved safety↗

NASA NTRS2009

Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) Test Results

NASA has undertaken the In-Situ Resource Utilization (lSRU) project called RESOLVE (Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction). This project is an Earth-based lunar precursor demonstration of a system that could be sent to explore permanently shadowed polar lunar craters, where it would drill into regolith, quantify the volatiles that are present, and extract oxygen by hydrogen reduction of iron oxides. The RESOLVE chemical processing system was mounted within the CMU rover "Scarab" and successfully demonstrated on Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano in November 2008. This technology could be used on Mars as well. As described at the 2008 Mars Society Convention, the Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) supports the objectives of the RESOLVE project by capturing and quantifying water and hydrogen released by regolith upon heating. Field test results for the quantification of water using LWRD showed that the volcanic ash (tephra) samples contained 0.15-0.41% water, in agreement with GC water measurements. Reduction of the RH in the surge tank to near zero during recirculation show that the water is captured by the water beds as desired. The water can be recovered by heating the Water Beds to 230 C or higher. Test results for the capture and quantification of pure hydrogen have shown that over 90% of the hydrogen can be captured and 98% of the absorbed hydrogen can be recovered upon heating the hydride to 400 C and desorbing the hydrogen several times into the evacuated surge tank. Thus, the essential requirement of capturing hydrogen and recovering it has been demonstrated. ,

Muscatello, Anthony C.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Lunar Limb Observatory: An Incremental Plan for the Utilization, Exploration, and Settlement of the Moon

This paper proposes a comprehensive incremental program, Lunar Limb Observatory (LLO), for a return to the Moon, beginning with robotic missions and ending with a permanent lunar settlement. Several recent technological developments make such a program both affordable and scientifically valuable: robotic telescopes, the Internet, light-weight telescopes, shared- autonomy/predictive graphics telerobotic devices, and optical interferometry systems. Reasons for focussing new NASA programs on the Moon include public interest, Moon-based astronomy, renewed lunar exploration, lunar resources (especially helium-3), technological stimulus, accessibility of the Moon (compared to any planet), and dispersal of the human species to counter predictable natural catastrophes, asteroidal or cometary impacts in particular. The proposed Lunar Limb Observatory would be located in the crater Riccioli, with auxiliary robotic telescopes in M. Smythii and at the North and South Poles. The first phase of the program, after site certification, would be a series of 5 Delta-launched telerobotic missions to Riccioli (or Grimaldi if Riccioli proves unsuitable), emplacing robotic telescopes and carrying out surface exploration. The next phase would be 7 Delta-launched telerobotic missions to M. Smythii (2 missions), the South Pole (3 missions), and the North Pole (2 missions), emplacing robotic telescopes to provide continuous all-sky coverage. Lunar base establishment would begin with two unmanned Shuttle/Fitan-Centaur missions to Riccioli, for shelter emplacement, followed by the first manned return, also using the Shuttle/Fitan-Centaur mode. The main LLO at Riccioli would then be permanently or periodically inhabited, for surface exploration, telerobotic rover and telescope operation and maintenance, and support of Earth-based student projects. The LLO would evolve into a permanent human settlement, serving, among other functions, as a test area and staging base for the exploration, settlement, and terraforming of Mars.

Lowman, Paul. D., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Summary of JPL Activities

A viewgraph presentation outlines the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) flight programs, including past, present and future missions targeting Solar System exploration. Details, including launch dates and batteries used, are given for Deep Space 1 (Asteroid Rendezvous), Deep Space 2 (Mars Penetrator), Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Surveyor '98, Stardust, Europa Orbiter, Mars Surveyor 2001, Mars 2003 Lander and Rover, and Genesis (Solar Dust Return). Earth science projects are also outlined: Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ARIMSAT), Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX/Poseidon), Jason-1 (TOPEX follow-on), and QuikScat/Seawinds (Ocean Winds Tracking). The status, background, and plans are given for several batteries: (1) 2.5 inch common pressure vessel (CPV), (2) 3.5 inch CPV, (3) Ni-H2, and (4) Li-Ion.

Timmerman, Paul J.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Asymptotic Parachute Performance Sensitivity

In 2010, the Mars Science Laboratory mission will pioneer the next generation of robotic Entry, Descent, and Landing systems by delivering the largest and most capable rover to date to the surface of Mars. In addition to landing more mass than any other mission to Mars, Mars Science Laboratory will also provide scientists with unprecedented access to regions of Mars that have been previously unreachable. By providing an Entry, Descent, and Landing system capable of landing at altitudes as high as 2 km above the reference gravitational equipotential surface, or areoid, as defined by the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter program, Mars Science Laboratory will demonstrate sufficient performance to land on 83% of the planet s surface. By contrast, the highest altitude landing to date on Mars has been the Mars Exploration Rover at 1.3 km below the areoid. The coupling of this improved altitude performance with latitude limits as large as 60 degrees off of the equator and a precise delivery to within 10 km of a surface target, will allow the science community to select the Mars Science Laboratory landing site from thousands of scientifically interesting possibilities. In meeting these requirements, Mars Science Laboratory is extending the limits of the Entry, Descent, and Landing technologies qualified by the Mars Viking, Mars Pathfinder, and Mars Exploration Rover missions. Specifically, the drag deceleration provided by a Viking-heritage 16.15 m supersonic Disk-Gap-Band parachute in the thin atmosphere of Mars is insufficient, at the altitudes and ballistic coefficients under consideration by the Mars Science Laboratory project, to maintain necessary altitude performance and timeline margin. This paper defines and discusses the asymptotic parachute performance observed in Monte Carlo simulation and performance analysis and its effect on the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing architecture.

Way, David W.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Mars 2020 Mission Design and Navigation Overview

Following the exceptionally successful Mars Science Laboratory mission which placed the Curiosity rover in the interior of Gale Crater in August 2012, NASA will launch the next rover in the 2020 Earth to Mars opportunity arriving to the Red Planet in February 2021 to explore areas suspected of former habitability and look for evidence of past life. This paper details the mission and navigation requirements set by the Project and how the final mission design and navigation plan satisfies those requirements.

Abilleira, Fernando↗

NASA NTRS2019

Mars 2020 mission design and navigation overview

Wong, Mau↗

NASA NTRS2018

Integrated Planning and Execution for a Self-Reliant Mars Rover

Planetary rovers exploring the surface of Mars face a challenging operational environment that requires close cooperation between deliberative planning and behavioral execution in order to most efﬁciently leverage the robot’s capabilities into science value returned to earth. The Self-Reliant Rovers project envisions future rover missions that require only occasional high-level direction from human controllers to successfully conduct detailed in-situ studies of its Martian environs. To achieve this high degree of autonomy, this work leverages a spectrum of planning and execution techniques that allow the rover to respond appropriately to both opportunity and adversity it encounters. Small perturbations are accommodated at ﬁrst by behavioral adaptation, with more and more extensive disruptions handled in turn by executive administration of plan ﬂexibility, heuristic-guided plan repair strategies, and ﬁnally comprehensive replanning from science campaign goals. The integrated system has been deployed and tested on a terrestrial rover in an environment and under scenarios that anticipate those faced by future Mars rovers. This paper recounts complexities of planning and execution coordination faced in the rover domain and the practical solutions employed to address them. Particular emphasis is given to lessons from the ﬁeld and foibles ripe for remedy by future advances in planning and execution research.

Gaines, Daniel↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Field Tests With Trident Drill in Bishop Tuff Help Prepare for Future Missions to Moon and Mars

We performed drilling in volcanic deposits near Bishop California using an engineering model of the Honeybee Robotics TRIDENT (The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploration of New Terrains) drill [1] a rotary percussive 1-meter class drill that is carried on the PRIME1and VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover)[2] missions that launch in 2024. A similar drilling system was planned for the proposed Icebreaker Discovery class mission to Mars [3] and the Mars Life Explorer mission recommended by the 2020 Decadal Survey of planetary science [4]. The objectives of the project were (1) to use data collected by the drill for operational purposes as a probe of subsurface material properties in formations that are analogous to those that may be encountered on planetary surfaces; (2) correlate subsurface structures with those deduced from Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); and (3) inspect the boreholes after they were drilled to test PERISCOPE (Probe for Exploring Regolith and Ice by Subsurface Classification of Organics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and Elements), a newly developed downhole UV fluorescence spectrometer [5].

Carol R. Stoker↗

NASA NTRS2009

Performance Testing of Yardney Li-Ion Cells and Batteries in Support of Future NASA Missions

NASA requires lightweight rechargeable batteries for future missions to Mars and the outer planets that are capable of operating over a wide range of temperatures, with high specific energy and energy densities. Due to the attractive performance characteristics, Li-ion batteries have been identified as the battery chemistry of choice for a number of future applications. For example, JPL is planning to launch another unmanned rover mission to the planet Mars. This mission, referred to as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), will involve the use of a rover that is much larger than the previously developed Spirit and Opportunity Rovers for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission, that are currently still in operation on the surface of the planet after more than five years. Part of the reason that the MER rovers have operated so successfully, far exceeding the required mission duration of 90 sols, is that they possess robust Li-ion batteries, manufactured by Yardney Technical Products, which have demonstrated excellent life characteristics. Given the excellent performance characteristics displayed, similar Li-ion batteries have been projected to successfully meet the mission requirements of the up-coming MSL mission. In addition to future missions to Mars, Li-ion technology is attractive for a number of other future NASA applications which require high specific energy, rechargeable batteries. To ascertain the viability of using Li-ion batteries for these applications, a number of performance validation tests have been performed on both Yardney cells and batteries of various sizes. These tests include mission simulation tests, charge and discharge rate characterization testing, cycle life testing under various conditions, and storage testing.

Smart, M. C.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Ground testing of the Li-ion batteries in support of JPL's 2003 Mars Exploration Rover Mission

In early 2004, JPL successfully landed two Rovers, named Spirit and Opportunity, on the surface of Mars after traveling > 300 million miles over a 6-7 month period. In order to operate for extended duration on the surface of Mars, both Rovers are equipped with rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries, which were designed to aid in the launch, correct anomalies during cruise, and support surface operations in conjunction with a triple-junction deployable solar arrays. The requirements of the Lithium-ion battery include the ability to provide power at least 90 sols on the surface of Mars, operate over a wide temperature range (-20(deg)C to +4O(deg)C), withstand long storage periods (e.g., cruise period), operate in an inverted position, and support high currents (e.g., firing pyro events). In order to determine the viability of meeting these requirements, ground testing was performed on a Rover Battery Assembly Unit (RBAU), consisting of two 8-cell 8 Ah lithium-ion batteries connected in parallel. The RBAU upon which the performance testing was performed is nearly identical to the batteries incorporated into the two Rovers currently on Mars. The testing performed includes, (a) performing initial characterization tests (discharge capacity at different temperatures), (b) simulating the launch conditions, (c) simulating the cruise phase conditions (including trajectory corrections), (d) simulating the entry, decent, and landing pulse load profile (if required to support the pyros) (e) simulating the Mars surface operation mission simulation conditions, as well as, (f) assessing performance capacity loss and impedance characteristics as a function of temperature and life. As will be discussed, the lithium-ion batteries (fabricated by LithiodYardney, Inc.) were demonstrated to far exceed the requirements defined by the mission, and are projected to support an extended mission (> 2 years) with margin to spare.

Li-ion batteries↗

NASA NTRS2000

2005 Earth-Mars Round Trip

This paper presents, in viewgraph form, the 2005 Earth-Mars Round Trip. The contents include: 1) Lander; 2) Mars Sample Return Project; 3) Rover; 4) Rover Size Comparison; 5) Mars Ascent Vehicle; 6) Return Orbiter; 7) A New Mars Surveyor Program Architecture; 8) Definition Study Summary Result; 9) Mars Surveyor Proposed Architecture 2003, 2005 Opportunities; 10) Mars Micromissions Using Ariane 5; 11) Potential International Partnerships; 12) Proposed Integrated Architecture; and 13) Mars Exploration Program Report of the Architecture Team.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2013

Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Life Certification Plan

An Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) power supply is being developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with NASA for potential future deep space science missions. Unlike previous radioisotope power supplies for space exploration, such as the passive MMRTG used recently on the Mars Curiosity rover, the ASRG is an active dynamic power supply with moving Stirling engine mechanical components. Due to the long life requirement of 17 years and the dynamic nature of the Stirling engine, the ASRG project faced some unique challenges trying to establish full confidence that the power supply will function reliably over the mission life. These unique challenges resulted in the development of an overall life certification plan that emphasizes long-term Stirling engine test and inspection when analysis is not practical. The ASRG life certification plan developed is described.

Rusick, Jeffrey J.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Life Certification Plan

Rusick, Jeffrey J.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Venus Landsailer Zephyr

Imagine sailing across the hot plains of Venus! A design for a craft to do just this was completed by the COncurrent Multidisciplinary Preliminary Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) Team for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) project. The robotic craft could explore over 30 kilometers of the surface of Venus, driven by the power of the wind. The Zephyr Venus Landsailer is a science mission concept for exploring the surface of Venus with a mobility and science capability roughly comparable to the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission, but using the winds of the thick atmosphere of Venus for propulsion. It would explore the plains of Venus in the year 2025, near the Venera 10 landing site, where wind velocities in the range of 80 to 120 centimeters per second (cm/s) were measured by earlier Soviet landing missions. These winds are harnessed by a large wing/sail which would also carry the solar cells to generate power. At around 250 kilograms (kg), Zephyr would carry an 8 meter tall airfoil sail (12 square meters area), 25 kg of science equipment (mineralogy, grinder, and weather instruments) and return 2 gigabytes of science over a 30 day mission. Due to the extreme temperatures (450 degrees Centigrade) and pressures (90 bar) on Venus, Zephyr would have only basic control systems (based on high temperature silicon carbide (SiC)electronics) and actuators. Control would come from an orbiter which is in turn controlled from Earth. Due to the time delay from the Earth a robust control system would need to exist on the orbiter to keep Zephyr on course. Data return and control would be made using a 250 megahertz link with the orbiter with a maximum data rate of 2 kilobits per second. At the minimal wind speed required for mobility of 35 cm/s, the vehicle move at a slow but steady 4 cm/s by positioning the airfoil and use of one wheel that is steered for pointing control. Navigation commands from the orbiter will be based upon navigation cameras, simple accelerometers and stability sensors; Zephyr's stability is robust, using a wide wheel base along with controls to "feather" or "luff" the airfoil and apply brakes to stop the vehicle in the case of unexpected conditions. This would be the science gathering configuration. The vehicle itself would need to be made from titanium (Ti) as the structural material, with a corrosion-barrier overcoating due to extreme temperatures on the surface.

Wind Sailing↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

LASSIE: Legged Autonomous Surface Science In Analogue Environments

Roving planetary surface exploration missions operate using a pre-programmed plan that can limit the capability to effectively detect unexpected changes in terrain properties, adjust locomotion or sampling strategies, and autonomously identify scientifically valuable observations and adjust exploration strategies. In particular, the inability to measure and react to unexpected changes in regolith properties can negatively impact mission operations. The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and InSight lander both experienced challenges related to understanding the geotechnical properties of regolith. The advancements in legged robotic platforms hold potential to address these challenges through greater sensitivity to changing surface properties. The Legged Autonomous Surface Science In Analogue Environments (LASSIE) project explores how legged roving platforms can use the leg motors to measure geotechnical properties of crusted and icy surface regolith and utilize those measurements to autonomously update the science operations plans. These tests will be performed in martian and lunar analog environments and also within lab settings.

K. R. Fisher↗