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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 1,351 records · Page 75
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Transients and Dayside Magnetospheric Interactions

Observations at and deep within the Earth’s dayside magnetosphere provide considerable evidence indicating that the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction is often unsteady. Bursty reconnection resulting in the formation of flux transfer events and transient auroral brightenings is common. Fluctuations in solar wind parameters may trigger some bursts of reconnection, while other bursts may result from intrinsic magnetopause instabilities. Large amplitude solitons often travel along the dayside magnetopause. Deeper within the dayside magnetosphere, quasi-periodic transient compressions energize radiation belt electrons and ring current ions. Most of these perturbations occur behind the quasi-parallel bow shock, indicating that they are driven by density structures generated by kinetic processes within the foreshock. This presentation compares and contrasts the amplitudes and occurrence patterns of density and dynamic pressure perturbations intrinsic to the solar wind with those generated within the foreshock, specifies how they move across the magnetosphere, examines recent global MHD simulation results for their interaction with the bow shock, magnetosheath, and magnetopause. It then outlines new paths toward quantifying the significance of bursty reconnection to the overall interaction, via new imaging and analysis techniques.

D. G. Sibeck↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aeroelastic Simulation of Wind Tunnel Scale Aspect Ratio 13.5 Common Research Model with Trailing Edge Mini-Flaps

This paper presents a computation study of an aspect ratio 13.5 wind tunnel scale Common Research Model (CRM) with trailing edge mini-flaps using FUN3D. The aeroelastic simulations are conducted under free-air and inside wind tunnel conditions. The NASA Langley Research Center Transonic Dynamic Tunnel (TDT) is a closed circuit and slotted-test-section with a 16 ft ×16 ft test section. The structure mode shapes are extracted from the latest updated NASTRAN Finite-Element Model (FEM) model. A dynamic pressure sweep is performed to determine the control reversal boundary of the trailing edge mini-flaps. The wind tunnel wall interference effects on the mini-flap control derivatives are analyzed based on the simulations.

Aeroelastic↗
NASA NTRS2024

Assessment of Secondary Pitot Probe Locations on a Small UAS

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) have been at the forefront of many aeronautical discussions because of the potential revolutionary improvement to urban transportation. In this study, a representative Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies, Sub-scale Wind Tunnel Flight Test (RAVEN SWFT) nosecone was placed inside the NASA Langley Research Center’s 12-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel with a pitot-static assembly installed. The study aimed to determine a suitable location and orientation of the pitot-static assembly on the nose of the vehicle, which consists of two airspeed sensors: one for the flight controller and one for data collection. The dynamic pressure was varied from 0.5 to 5psf for each test point. Additionally, three different offset distances from the center boom and three different angles for the flight controller pitot tube were tested. The data from both of the pitot tube assemblies were compared to the wind tunnel and the Aeroprobe pitot tube. The results show the flight controller pitot tube performs better when it is placed further away from the nosecone, regardless of the angle. The results also show that the angle does not affect the accuracy of the pitot tube when the vehicle yaws or pitches regardless of the mounting angle and location. The study provides useful insights for the design of the airspeed measurement systems on small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS), which can be applied to other UAM and AAM applications.

AAM↗
NASA NTRS2023

Finding the magnetopause location using soft X-ray observations and a statistical inverse method

Variability in the location and shape of the dayside magnetopause is attributed to magnetic reconnection, a fundamental process that enables the transfer of mass, energy, and momentum from the solar wind into the magnetosphere. The spatial and temporal properties of the magnetopause, under varying solar and magnetospheric conditions, remain largely unknown because empirical studies using in-situ observations are challenging to interpret. Global wide field-of-view (FOV) imaging is the only means to simultaneously observe the spatial distribution of the plasma properties over the vast dayside magnetospheric region and, subsequently, quantify the energy transport from the interplanetary medium into the terrestrial magnetosphere. Two upcoming missions, ESA/CAS SMILE and NASA’s LEXI will provide wide-field imagery of the dayside magnetosheath in soft X-rays, an emission generated by charge exchange interactions between high charge-state heavy ions of solar wind origin and exospheric neutral atoms. High-cadence two-dimensional observations of the magnetosheath will allow the estimation of dynamic properties of its inner boundary, the magnetopause, and enable studies of its response to changes in the solar wind dynamic pressure and interplanetary magnetic field orientation. This work introduces a statistically-based estimation approach based on inverse theory to estimate the spatial distribution of magnetosheath soft X-ray emissivities and, with this, identify the location of the magnetopause over the Sun−Earth line. To do so, we simulate the magnetosheath structure using the MHD-based OpenGGCM model and generate synthetic soft X-ray images using LEXI’s orbit and attitude information. Our results show that 3-D estimations using the described statistically-based technique are robust against Poisson-distributed shot noise inherent to soft X-ray images. Also, our proposed methodology shows that the accuracy of both three-dimensional (3-D) estimation and the magnetopause standoff distance calculation highly depends on the observational point.

Gonzalo Cucho-Padin↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Pterodactyl: Coupled 6-Dof Integration of Guidance and Control Algorithms in Genesis

The NASA-funded Pterodactyl project seeks to advance the current state-of-the-art for entry vehicles by developing novel guidance and control technologies for Deployable Entry Vehicles (DEVs). This paper builds upon the Pterodactyl architecture that employed eight individually articulating flaps with two options for guidance, bank angle modulation with the Fully Numerical Predictor Corrector Entry Guidance technique (FNPEG) and angle of attack and sideslip modulation with FNPEG uncoupled range control (FNPEG URC). These, with a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller, had previously been presented in uncoupled 3-DOF trajectories. This work will show results from fully coupled 6-DOF simulations, leveraging recent advancements in trajectory simulation software, namely the Julia-based Genesis package. Preliminary results show good performance for angle of attack and sideslip modulation when using a controller designed at high dynamic pressure conditions.

range targeting↗
NASA NTRS2024

Candidates for Downstream Jets at Interplanetary Shocks

Localized dynamic pressure enhancements arising from kinetic processes are frequently observed downstream of the Earth’s bow shock. These structures, called jets, modify their plasma surroundings and participate in particle energization. Here, we report the first observations of jet-like structures in a non-planetary shock environment: downstream of interplanetary shocks. We introduce an analysis approach suitable for such conditions and apply it to Wind spacecraft data. We present one event with a Mach number similar to the Earth’s bow shock as a benchmark, as well as two low Mach number, low beta shocks: a parameter range that is difficult to access at planets. The jet-like structures we find are tens of ion inertial lengths in size, and some are observed further away from the shock than in a limited magnetosheath. We find that their properties are similar to those of magnetosheath jets: in the frame of the shock these structures are fast, cold, and most have no strong magnetic field variations. All three interplanetary shocks feature foreshock activity, but no strongly compressive waves. We discuss the implications, these findings have for the proposed jet formation mechanisms.

plasmas↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Guidance Performance of Bank-Angle and Alpha-Beta Steering for A Large Robotic Mars Entry Vehicle

Entry performance using Apollo-based entry guidance is assessed with a future entry system for a large robotic payload. Both a traditional bank-angle steering system and an innovative alpha-beta steering concept are considered to compare flight performance. Results indicate alpha-beta steering provides an order of magnitude improvement in crossrange error and mean altitudes up to 1 km higher than bank-angle steering. Results also show alpha-beta steering provides downrange errors with a spread half of that of bank-angle steering. Lastly, alpha-beta steering is found to provide a narrower spread of terminal altitude, Mach number, and dynamic pressure, indicating safer parachute deploy conditions.

Daniel L Engel↗
NASA NTRS2025

Enhancing Nasa Sounding Rocket Capabilities Through Composite Material Adoption

Sounding rockets are a suborbital research platform employed by NASA for heliophysics, astrophysics, and geospace science investigations, and for technology development. They follow semi-parabolic trajectories and are launched using surplus military, and commercial, solid-propellant rocket motors. NASA sounding rocket payloads are comprised of standard, modular subassemblies, designed to perform specific functions critical to achieving mission success criteria. Since the program’s inception, payload length and mass have trended upwards, limiting the capability of the platform to reach exospheric apogees and decreasing the time above critical altitudes to observe solar and celestial targets. To offset this trend, composite materials may be of use in payload and subsystem design to decrease payload mass. This investigation seeks to understand if there is a practical benefit to introducing composite materials on the NSRP by assessing mission specific impacts to those missions conducted in fiscal year 2024. To accurately estimate the mass of a composites-based payload, a standard subsystem (NIACS) underwent structural reconfiguration. Materials were selected that align with NSRP design, manufacturing, and testing standards. NIACS reconfiguration resulted in a mass reduction of 19.6% which was then applied to the payload system in entirety. Using vehicle performance carpet plots, delta apogee and time above the Kármán line were determined. Performance improvements were then evaluated against that mission’s success criteria to determine if that mission would have benefitted from using composite materials. On average, each mission would have gained 59.8 kilometers apogee and 62.9 seconds above the Kármán line. However, only nine of the seventeen missions would have benefitted from these performance improvements. Two of the missions could have used a lower-impulse launch vehicle to achieve mission success. Upleg stability met programmatic criteria; downleg instability and dynamic pressure improved, showing that ballast would not offset the mass reduction of using composite materials. Cost analysis showed that production costs will increase 39%. For the two missions that could have used a lower-impulse launch vehicle, the cost of the launch vehicle would have offset payload production costs. In summary, composite materials are not recommended for universal use on NASA sounding rocket payloads due to unclear programmatic benefits and added cost. However, they are justified for optical astrophysics and heliophysics missions, high-apogee (exosphere) requirements, or when they reduce payload costs versus higher impulse launch vehicles. Reflown, recoverable subsystems should use composites to enhance apogee and observation time.

Robert Henry Burth↗
DOE OSTI2023

Expandable systems for space

Systems for insulating a space vehicle or space borne container from an external environment as well as cryogens from heat sources. Such systems also protect the vehicle from the high dynamic pressures, the high heat loads encountered in atmospheric flight, and provide storage capability that strongly limits, or effectively eliminates, cryogenic boil-off losses once in space. Such systems include an expandable structure having a plurality of contiguously adjacent expandable layers. The layers are connected by a plurality of tension connectors between successive layers. For launch and flight the layers can be restrained in a collapsed position. Whereupon exiting a free stream environment, the layers are expanded where they can lock into place or otherwise remain in an expanded state. The expansion creates separation between the layers with minimal conduction paths providing near theoretically perfect multi-layer insulation and extremely effective debris protection.

de Jong, Maxim↗
DOE OSTI2025

Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) for Heat Pipes

This Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) report provides an evaluation of key phenomena affecting the performance and operational regimes of heat pipes, particularly in the context of heat pipe microreactors (HPMRs). Heat pipes are advanced passive thermal management devices that utilize phase change and capillary action to achieve efficient heat transfer. However, due to the complexity of the phenomena coupled in the heat pipe, including phase change, turbulent transition, and compressibility effects, among others, there is high uncertainty in identifying and ranking the important phenomena affecting the operation of heat pipes and the current knowledge for their modeling and simulation and experimental measurements and instrumentation. This PIRT exercise, conducted as a collaborative effort involving the Department of Energy (DOE) Microreactor Program (MRP), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and university partners systematically identifies, reviews, and prioritizes critical phenomena affecting the operation of heat pipes based on their importance and knowledge levels. The report analyzes phenomena with high importance and low knowledge, such as wick de-wetting, critical heat flux, contact angles, and pressure dynamics, discussing challenges and future research directions for improving their modeling and simulation and experimental measurements. Additionally, the report addresses phenomena with low knowledge that could impact heat pipe operation during non-normal or transient operation, including frozen startup, laminar to turbulent transition, geysering, wick priming, underfilling conditions, surface roughness of the wick, NCGs trapped in the wick, and the timescales of startup and shutdown. This comprehensive evaluation serves as a valuable resource for guiding future research and development efforts, supporting the successful integration of heat pipes into critical applications such as nuclear reactors, and contributing to the advancement of heat pipe technologies in safety-critical industries.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗
NASA NTRS1976

Results of tests CS4 and CS5 to investigate dynamic loads and pressures on 0.03-scale models (Ax1319-3/4 and 45-0) of mated 747 cam and space shuttle orbiter in the Boeing transonic wind tunnel

A 0.03-scale model of the 747 CAM/Orbiter was tested in an 8 x 12 foot transonic wind tunnel. Dynamic loads, pressure, and empennage flow field data were obtained using pressure transducers, strain gages, and a split film anemometer. The test variables included Mach number, angle of attack, sideslip angle, orbiter tailcone on and off, orbiter partial tailcone, orbiter nozzle air scoops, orbiter body flap angle, and orbiter elevon angle.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ultrafast x-ray diffraction of high-pressure phases in dynamically compressed TiO 2

Here, we investigate the high-pressure polymorphism of Ti⁢O 2 under laser-shock compression from 54(5) to 137(7) GPa using in situ femtosecond x-ray diffraction. Our results provide experimental evidence of the 𝑃⁢𝑐⁢𝑎⁢2 1 -type distorted fluorite structure formed from polycrystalline Ti⁢O 2 dynamically compressed to 54(5) GPa. Upon higher compression, we observe the direct formation of the ninefold coordinated F⁡e 2 ⁢P-type phase at 68(4) and 78(3) GPa in polycrystalline and [001]-oriented Ti⁢O 2 , respectively. This represents an unprecedented 100 GPa reduction in the shock synthesis pressure of the F⁡e 2⁢ P-type structure relative to quasihydrostatic loading conditions. On pressure release, the F⁡e 2⁢ P-type phase transforms to the α-Pb⁢O 2 structure and, at later times, reverts to rutile. Thus, the rutile →F⁡e 2⁢ P and α-Pb⁢O 2 →rutile transformations are both observed to occur on nanosecond timescales. Our results highlight the unique ability of high-strain-rate uniaxial compression to synthesize novel high-pressure phases and also indicate the importance of in situ atomic-level probes in developing pressure-temperature phase diagrams.

Crystal structures↗
NASA NTRS1974

Analysis of oscillatory pressure data including dynamic stall effects

The dynamic stall phenomenon was examined in detail by analyzing an existing set of unsteady pressure data obtained on an airfoil oscillating in pitch. Most of the data were for sinusoidal oscillations which penetrated the stall region in varying degrees, and here the effort was concentrated on the chordwise propagation of pressure waves associated with the dynamic stall. It was found that this phenomenon could be quantified in terms of a pressure wave velocity which is consistently much less than free-stream velocity, and which varies directly with frequency. It was also found that even when the stall region has been deeply penetrated and a substantial dynamic stall occurs during the downstroke, stall recovery near minimum incidence will occur, followed by a potential flow behavior up to stall inception.

Carta, F. O.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Modeling Ullage Dynamics of Tank Pressure Control Experiment during Jet Mixing in Microgravity

A CFD model for simulating the fluid dynamics of the jet induced mixing process is utilized in this paper to model the pressure control portion of the Tank Pressure Control Experiment (TPCE) in microgravity1. The Volume of Fluid (VOF) method is used for modeling the dynamics of the interface during mixing. The simulations were performed at a range of jet Weber numbers from non-penetrating to fully penetrating. Two different initial ullage positions were considered. The computational results for the jet-ullage interaction are compared with still images from the video of the experiment. A qualitative comparison shows that the CFD model was able to capture the main features of the interfacial dynamics, as well as the jet penetration of the ullage.

active control↗
NASA NTRS1974

Lubricant pressure rippling in dynamic Hertzian contacts induced by surface roughness

A numerical analysis of the pressure distribution of a lubricant in contact with a rough surface was conducted. The magnitude of the pressures was determined by their root mean square value for the contact of two dimensional cylinders. The pressure was found to vary in the following manner: (1) the location in the contact, (2) the spectrum or frequency content of the surface roughness, (3) the mean plateau film thickness, and (4) the root mean square value of the surface roughness. Mathematical models are developed to show the relationships of the parameters.

Tallian, T. E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fluid Dynamics of a Pressure Reducing Inlet

Instruments for the monitoring of hazardous gases in and near the space shuttle collect sample gas at pressures on the order of one atmosphere and analyze their properties in an ultra-high vacuum by means of a quadrupole-mass-spectrometer partial pressure transducer. Sampling systems for such devices normally produce the required pressure reduction through combinations of vacuum pumps, fluid Tees and flow restrictors (e.g. orifices, sintered metal frits or capillaries). The present work presents an analytical model of the fluid dynamics of such a pressure reduction system which enables the calculation of the pressure in the receiver vessal in terms of system parameters known from the specifications for a given system (e.g. rated pumping speeds of the pumping hardware and the diameters of two orifices situated in two branches of a fluid Tee). The resulting formulas will expedite the fine tuning of instruments now under development and the design of later generations of such devices.

Russell, John M.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Spectrally filtered ps–ns emission dynamics of atmospheric-pressure nanosecond pulsed plasmas

The temporal dynamics of atmospheric-pressure nanosecond pulsed plasma discharges in a pin-to-pin electrode configuration are studied using streak-camera line imaging of the interelectrode gap with a time resolution as short as ~25 ps. Discharge emission initiates homogeneously throughout the interelectrode gap with no detectable streamer propagation and then temporally decays in two distinct phases. Plasma emission bands attributed to various electronic transitions are tracked for single discharges in air and N 2 . Spectral filtering of the excited molecular states reveals that the N 2 (C–B) and N 2 (B–A) emission bands evolve in distinct early and late phases, respectively, with a time separation of ~15–20 ns. Furthermore, significant differences in the temporal dynamics of plasma discharges in air and N2 are observed. High levels of excited-state atomic oxygen and NO appear after the initial decay of the N 2 (C) state and coincide primarily with the latter phases of plasma evolution in air environments. From temporal traces of discharge emission, the formation and relaxation timescales of the electronically excited states of N 2 are quantified in pure N2 and air environments with sub-nanosecond resolution. The streak-OES (optical emission spectroscopy) technique enables quantitative time-resolved studies of key chemical species for model validation in ultra-short-pulsed plasmas.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics Model for Pressurized Expulsion of Liquid Methane using Non-Condensable Pressurant

An important aspect of cryogenic fluid management is the design of the pressurization systems used to maintain and regulate the tank pressure as propellant is expelled from the tanks. To design these systems efficiently and effectively it is important to be able to predict the amount pressurant gas needed and how the pressurant gas affects the propellant as it is added in the tank. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is a common tool that is used to help with these predictions, so it is crucial to have CFD models that are validated by comparing numerical results to experimental data. In the 1970’s extensive testing was done at NASA Plum Brook K-Site Facility exploring the pressurant gas requirements needed to maintain tank pressure while liquid methane is discharged from a spherical tank. These tests explored using different pressurant gases (methane, helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen) under static and sloshing conditions. The data gathered from the experiments includes the gas and wall temperatures at the end of the expulsion, the gas concentrations, and the total amount of pressurant added. This study presents a CFD model that accurately predicts similar results to the experimental data specifically for the tests in which helium, a non-condensable gas, was used. This comparison anchors the commercial CFD code Flow3D model and gives confidence for future use in design and analysis of pressurization systems for cryogenic propellant tanks

computational fluid dynamics↗