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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

An Evolved Antenna for Deployment on NASA's Space Technology 5 Mission

We present an evolved X - band antenna design and flight prototype currently on schedule to be deployed on NASA's Space Technology 5(ST5) spacecraft. Current methods of designing and optimizing antennas by hand are time and labor intensive, limit complexity and require significant expertise and experience. Evolutionary design techniques can overcome these limitations by searching the design space and automatically finding effective solutions that would ordinarily not be found. The ST5 antenna was evolved to meet a challenging set of mission requirements, most notably the combination of wide beamwidth for a circularly-polarized wave and wide bandwidth.Two evolutionary algorithms were used: one used a genetic algorithm style representation that did not allow branching in the antenna arms: the second used a genetic programming style tree-structured representation that allowed branching in the antenna arms. The highest performance antennas from both algorithms were fabricated and tested and both yielded similar performance. Both were comparable in performance to a hand-designed antenna produced by a contractor for the mission, and so we consider them examples of human-competitive performance by evolutionary algorithms. One of the evolved antenna prototypes is undergoing flight qualification testing.

Lohn, Jason D.↗

Leadership and Community Engagement in Chile: Deploying Net-Zero Technologies and Solutions

The report presents the 2023 Net Zero World Chile program results from activities of the the four program workstreams: 1) energy-system wide modeling LEAP modeling and analysis results including accelerated Net Zero scenarios with aggressive energy efficiency improvements, fuel switching, and electrification across demand sector; 2) district energy chapter provides thermal district energy systems modeling results of the Recoleta-Independencia pilot project and comparative analysis of district energy systems' potential versus competing technologies in Chile; 3) just transition action steps for the creation of a sister city relationship between Tocopilla and a US counterpart city; and 4) power decarbonization capacity building activities focused on the selection and adoption of grid-enhancing technologies.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Transrapid (the first high-speed Maglev train system certified ready for application): Development status and prospects for deployment

The Transrapid maglev technology is at the threshold of commercial deployment and technologically all prerequisites for the successful operation of the system in public service are given. In post unification Germany the domestic maglev technology is envisioned to be applied in the Berlin-Hamburg project. At present, a public-private funding concept is being prepared and the lengthy planning process is about to be initiated. In the USA the AMG has presented a program to Americanize the technology and to make it available for commercial use in the U.S. in the very near future. The paramount features of this program are to generate economic development, provide a basis for transportation technology development, create opportunities for U.S. industry, improve the U.S. transportation infrastructure, and improve the environment and traveler safety. Maglev is ready for the U.S.; is the U.S. ready for maglev?

Luerken, Reinhard F.↗

Deploying Object Oriented Data Technology to the Planetary Data System

How do you provide more than 350 scientists and researchers access to data from every instrument in Odyssey when the data is curated across half a dozen institutions and in different formats and is too big to mail on a CD-ROM anymore? The Planetary Data System (PDS) faced this exact question. The solution was to use a metadata-based middleware framework developed by the Object Oriented Data Technology task at NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Using OODT, PDS provided - for the first time ever - data from all mission instruments through a single system immediately upon data delivery.

Kelly, S.↗

A Neptune Orbiter Concept Using Drag Modulated Aerocaptue (DMA) and the Adaptable, Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT)

Conceptual Neptune orbiter was designed for the purpose of assessing mission feasibilityBuilt off of the 2017 Pre-Decadal Study, but adapted for drag modulation aerocapture.Science payload includes: Narrow Angle camera, Doppler Imager, Magnetometer, Atmospheric Probe (w/ ASI, Nephelometer, Mass Spectrometer). Baseline concept of operations releases probe prior to orbit insertion, but investigations are ongoing to assess the feasibility of bringing the probe to orbit before release.

Wercinski, P.↗

Reducing Data Center Peak Cooling Demand and Energy Costs with Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES)

By recent estimates, data center energy demands are projected to consume between 6.7% and 12% of U.S. annual electricity generation by the year 2028, driven primarily by expanded demands from cloud services, big data analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Shehabi et al., 2024). As much as 40% of data center total energy consumption are loads associated with the site infrastructure cooling systems, and these are often highly water consumptive (Aljbour et al., 2024). For energy system planners, this presents significant challenges to meeting and managing the anticipated loads, and especially the peak loads of projected data center deployments. Geothermal technologies offer two unique solutions to these challenges: 1) by serving loads through the deployment of new conventional and/or next-generation geothermal power technologies such as EGS and 2) through an often-overlooked opportunity to reduce data center peak cooling loads. The latter is the focus of this paper which explores Cold Underground Thermal Energy Storage ("Cold UTES") as an emerging industrial-scale geothermal cooling solution. This cooling solution is energy efficient, non-water-consumptive, and utilizes long duration energy storage (LDES) on both diurnal and seasonal time scales. Cold UTES has the potential to also function as a virtual power plant (VPP). The US Department of Energy's Geothermal Technologies Office is supporting R&D to understand the grid and system-wide value, costs, and impacts of deploying this emergent cooling solution at scale.

AI↗

Nontraditional Sensors for Aqueous Separation Research & Workforce Development

Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) nuclear fuel cycle capabilities enable the deployment of technologies that sustain the current reactor fleet, support demonstration and deployment of new advanced reactors, and facilitate management and disposition of existing and future radiological waste materials. INL focuses on deploying nuclear energy systems with confidence by decreasing proliferation risk through research that demonstrates process transparency and supports safeguards and security by design. An example of these capabilities is the Beartooth test bed, set to begin operations toward the end of fiscal year 2026. Beartooth will include a cascade of centrifugal contactors, glove box lines, and solidification and dissolution equipment to aid in the progression of novel separation techniques and to provide hands-on experience to cultivate and maintain a robust workforce of experts. To support Beartooth’s enhanced instrumentation and monitoring equipment needs, several nontraditional sensors are being considered for future deployment. The non-traditional sensors include accelerometers, acoustic microphones, and infrared cameras. These nontraditional sensors have the potential to not only help monitor the process but also enhance nuclear safeguards.

98 - NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL↗

NASA technology for large space antennas

Technology developed by NASA in conjunction with industry for potential large, deployable space antennas with applications in communication, radio astronomy and earth observation is reviewed. Concepts for deployable antennas that have been developed to the point of detail design are summarized, including the advanced sunflower precision antenna, the radial rib antenna, the maypole (hoop/column) antenna and the parabolic erectable truss antenna. The assessment of state-of-the-art deployable antenna technology is discussed, and the approach taken by the NASA Large Space Systems Technology (LSST) Program to the development of technology for large space antenna systems is outlined. Finally, the further development of the wrap-rib antenna and the maypole (hoop/column) concept, which meet mission model requirements, to satisfy LSST size and frequency requirements is discussed.

Russell, R. A.↗

SOSAT: Geohazard Risk Assessment in Carbon Sequestration Operations

Like all operations in which fluids are injected into the subsurface, geologic carbon storage (GCS) presents inherit risks that must be assessed and mitigated to successfully deploy such technology in the field. For example, alterations to pore pressure and the stress state due to fluid injection may trigger certain geohazards, such as potential fault activation and induced seismicity or unintentional hydraulic fracturing. Here we present capabilities for assessing these potential risks using the State of Stress Analysis Tool (SOSAT): a Python library and web-based application capable of probabilistically estimating the subsurface state of stress informed by various field observations. Using posterior distributions of principal stress components, SOSAT can assess the risk of fault activation within the injection formation for either a critically oriented fault or a fault with a user-prescribed orientation. Additionally, SOSAT can estimate the probability of unintentional hydraulic fracturing of the intact reservoir rock. Here, we demonstrate these SOSAT capabilities using a hypothetical GCS site. This type of risk assessment can assist with the effective deployment of GCS technology in the field by informing safe design and management practices.

Haagenson, Ryan J.↗

A technology program for the development of the large deployable reflector for space based astronomy

Technologies for the development of the Large Deployable Reflector (LDR), a NASA project for the 1990's, for infrared and submillimeter astronomy are presented. The proposed LDR is a 10-30 diameter spaceborne observatory operating in the spectral region from 30 microns to one millimeter, where ground observations are nearly impossible. Scientific rationales for such a system include the study of ancient signals from galaxies at the edge of the universe, the study of star formation, and the observation of fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation. System requirements include the ability to observe faint objects at large distances and to map molecular clouds and H II regions. From these requirements, mass, photon noise, and tolerance budgets are developed. A strawman concept is established, and some alternate concepts are considered, but research is still necessary in the areas of segment, optical control, and instrument technologies.

Kiya, M. K.↗

FeatherSail - The Next Generation Nano-Class Sail Vehicle

Solar sail propulsion is a concept, which will soon become a reality. Solar sailing is a method of space flight propulsion, which utilizes the light photons to propel spacecrafts through the vacuum of space. Solar sail vehicles have generally been designed to have a very large area. This requires significant time and expenditures to develop, test and launch such a vehicle. Several notable solar propulsion missions and experiments have been performed and more are still in the development stage. This concept will be tested in the near future with the launch of the NanoSail-D satellite. NanoSail-D is a nano-class satellite, less than 10kg, which will deploy a thin lightweight sheet of reflective material used to propel the satellite in its low earth orbit. The NanoSail-D solar sail design is used for the basic design concept for the next generation of nanoclass solar sail vehicles. The FeatherSail project was started to develop a solar sail vehicle with the capability to perform attitude control via rotating or feathering the solar sails. In addition to using the robust deployment method of the NanoSail-D system, the FeatherSail design incorporates other novel technologies. These technologies include deployable thin film solar arrays and low power, low temperature Silicon-Germanium electronics. Together, these three technological advancements provide a starting point for smaller class sail vehicles. These smaller solar sail vehicles provide a capability for inexpensive missions to explore beyond the realms of low earth orbit.

Alhom, Dave C.↗

Space Technology Mission Directorate - Game Changing Development Program - Vertical Solar Array Technology Project

The Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) project is focused on the development of solar array technologies necessary for sustained presence on the lunar surface circa 2028. Existing solar array structures and deployment system technologies are designed for either zero-g or horizontal surface deployment. VSAT will explore vertical array deployment on extension masts of up to 10m in length in order to capture near continuous sun light at the lunar south pole.

GCD↗

ADEPT Spiderweave Thermal Testing ACO Task

The Adaptable, Deployable, Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT) mechanically deployable aeroshell uses a multi-layer carbon fabric as the primary drag surface during hypersonic entry. The Spiderweave was produced as part of an SBIR Phase II contract by Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM). The Spiderweave technique addresses challenges of simplified manufacturing and potentially stronger joints between gores with continuous fill fibers connecting each gore in a spiderweave pattern.

Paul Wercinski↗

Pterodactyl: Effects of 3D Thermal Analysis on Thermal Protection System Design for a Flap Control System

NASA’s Pterodactyl project has investigated the use of a novel multi-flap control system to facilitate precision targeting of Deployable Entry Vehicles (DEVs) during atmospheric re-entry [1]. DEVs can be folded to fit within the limiting cross-sectional area of current launch systems. Once deployed, the vehicle expands and settles into a pre-determined blunt body shape. While DEVs provide a more efficient solution to increased payload sizes, the absence of a back shell does not allow for easy integration of reaction control systems, which have historically been used for guidance and control (G&C) of rigid aeroshells during entry. One DEV solution, called the Adaptable, Deployable Entry Placement Technology (ADEPT), employs mechanically deployed gores. This provided the Pterodactyl project with the opportunity to incorporate a rib-mounted, 8-flap control system for G&C. Each flap can deflect independently in and out of the hypersonic flow, requiring TPS for the flaps. Previous work within the Pterodactyl project utilized 1D thermal analysis to design the TPS. However, the Pterodactyl project was concerned that the base level tools for 1D thermal analysis were not accounting for the 3D effects of the large heating gradients along and across the flaps, the in-depth in-plane conductivity of the TPS and internal structure, and the effects of the small edge radii at the neck of the flaps. This paper discusses the methodology and results of a 3D thermal analysis of the flap control system. Additionally, the results from the 1D and 3D thermal analyses are compared. It is found that elements of the original design that resulted from the 1D analysis may be overly conservative, and implementation of a 3D thermal analysis indicated a reduction in TPS thickness is feasible. This result helps to reduce the mechanical integration complexity of the flap at the rib tip and realizes potential mass savings.

Sarah N D'Souza↗