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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 1,477 records · Page 82
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Design Protocols and Analytical Strategies that Incorporate Structural Reliability Models

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and intermetallic materials (e.g., single crystal nickel aluminide) are high performance materials that exhibit attractive mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. These materials are critically important in advancing certain performance aspects of gas turbine engines. From an aerospace engineers perspective the new generation of ceramic composites and intermetallics offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NO(sub x) emissions of gas turbine engines. These aspects have increased interest in utilizing these materials in the hot sections of turbine engines. However, as these materials evolve and their performance characteristics improve a persistent need exists for state-of-the-art analytical methods that predict the response of components fabricated from CMC and intermetallic material systems. This need provided the motivation for the technology developed under this research effort. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for 'graceful' rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Thus modeling efforts supported under this research effort have focused on predicting this sort of behavior. For single crystal intermetallics the issues that motivated the technology development involved questions relating to material behavior and component design. Thus the research effort supported by this grant had to determine the statistical nature and source of fracture in a high strength, NiAl single crystal turbine blade material; map a simplistic future strength envelope of the material; develop a statistically based reliability computer algorithm; verify the reliability model and computer algorithm-, and model stator vanes for rig tests. Thus establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict the mechanical behavior of ceramic composites and intermetallics would mitigate the prototype (trial and error) approach currently used by the engineering community. The primary objective of the research effort supported by this short term grant is the continued creation of enabling technologies for the macro-analysis of components fabricated from ceramic composites and intermetallic material systems. The creation of enabling technologies aids in shortening the product development cycle of components fabricated from the new high technology materials.

Duffy, Stephen F.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Design Protocols and Analytical Strategies that Incorporate Structural Reliability Models

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and intermetallic materials (e.g., single crystal nickel aluminide) are high performance materials that exhibit attractive mechanical, thermal and chemical properties. These materials are critically important in advancing certain performance aspects of gas turbine engines. From an aerospace engineer's perspective the new generation of ceramic composites and intermetallics offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NO(x) emissions of gas turbine engines. These aspects have increased interest in utilizing these materials in the hot sections of turbine engines. However, as these materials evolve and their performance characteristics improve a persistent need exists for state-of-the-art analytical methods that predict the response of components fabricated from CMC and intermetallic material systems. This need provided the motivation for the technology developed under this research effort. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for "graceful" rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction, these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Thus modeling efforts supported under this research effort have focused on predicting this sort of behavior. For single crystal intermetallics the issues that motivated the technology development involved questions relating to material behavior and component design. Thus the research effort supported by this grant had to determine the statistical nature and source of fracture in a high strength, NiAl single crystal turbine blade material; map a simplistic failure strength envelope of the material; develop a statistically based reliability computer algorithm, verify the reliability model and computer algorithm, and model stator vanes for rig tests. Thus establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict the mechanical behavior of ceramic composites and intermetallics would mitigate the prototype (trial and error) approach currently used by the engineering community. The primary objective of the research effort supported by this short term grant is the continued creation of enabling technologies for the macroanalysis of components fabricated from ceramic composites and intermetallic material systems. The creation of enabling technologies aids in shortening the product development cycle of components fabricated from the new high technology materials.

Duffy, Stephen F.↗
DOE OSTI2025

PMDT: AI-Enabled Predictive Maintenance Digital Twins for Advanced Nuclear Reactors

Our team made substantial technical progress on various fronts during the course of the program. Multiple milestones were geared towards demonstrating the feasibility of machine learning based predictive maintenance digital twins towards reducing O&M costs, whereas some other milestones actually focused on identifying technical gaps and developing technologies such as humble AI to provide necessary robustness to the ML-based models. We were able to demonstrate in many cases that Machine learning-based methods can be successfully adapted for Nuclear plant environments especially for remote monitoring applications. Detailed analyses were carried out with plant and full scope simulation data along with capabilities of enhanced analytics to assess and set realistic expectations on cost reductions in O&M. These assessments are paving the way for investments towards reactor design improvements as well project planning for SMR projects as they develop and mature in the next few years. Technology developed under this program got direct visibility to GE Hitachi and their utility customers and resulted in positive intents to deploy some of the elements from design phase. The project additionally resulted in several reports, publications, software and data generation that will be useful in deployment and O&M services for BWRX300 fleets.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Bioregenerative life support: not a picnic

If humans are to live permanently in space, regenerative life support systems are an enabling technology and must replace the picnic approach of taking all supplies required for each mission. These systems are classified by technologies as either physical/chemical or bioregenerative. Both of these system-types can recycle water, remove carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and recover essential elements from waste products. Bioregenerative can also produce food, thus, making it essential if humans are to exist in space independent of earth. A solely bioregenerative life support system includes plants as a biomass production module and microbial organisms in bioreactors as a resource recovery module. In the Advanced Life Support Program, bioregenerative life support systems are being investigated through a research and technology development project which includes large scale testing as part of the Breadboard Project and human tests conducted in the soon to be constructed BioPlex facility. Research and technology development efforts are directed toward optimizing biomass productivity in controlled chambers by developing light weight, energy efficient, and automated systems; recycling liquid and solid wastes; baselining the operation of bioreactors; determining system microbial stability; assessing chemical contamination; and building models required for long term system operations. The program will include space flight studies in the near future to determine if these life support technologies will function in microgravity. When a bioregenerative system is finally incorporated into a mission, the conversion from a picnic and resupply mentality to permanent recycling and independence from earth will be complete.

NASA Center KSC↗
NASA NTRS1993

Nuclear Propulsion Technical Interchange Meeting, volume 2

The purpose of the meeting was to review the work performed in fiscal year 1992 in the areas of nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion technology development. These proceedings are an accumulation of the presentations provided at the meeting along with annotations provided by authors. The proceedings cover system concepts, technology development, and system modeling for nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) and nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). The test facilities required for the development of the nuclear propulsion systems are also discussed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2015

Development of Additive Construction Technologies for Application to Development of Lunar/Martian Surface Structures Using In-Situ Materials

For long-duration missions on other planetary bodies, the use of in situ materials will become increasingly critical. As human presence on these bodies expands, so must the breadth of the structures required to accommodate them including habitats, laboratories, berms, radiation shielding for natural radiation and surface reactors, garages, solar storm shelters, greenhouses, etc. Planetary surface structure manufacturing and assembly technologies that incorporate in situ resources provide options for autonomous, affordable, pre-positioned environments with radiation shielding features and protection from micrometeorites, exhaust plume debris, and other hazards. The ability to use in-situ materials to construct these structures will provide a benefit in the reduction of up-mass that would otherwise make long-term Moon or Mars structures cost prohibitive. The ability to fabricate structures in situ brings with it the ability to repair these structures, which allows for the self-sufficiency and sustainability necessary for long-duration habitation. Previously, under the auspices of the MSFC In-Situ Fabrication and Repair (ISFR) project and more recently, under the jointly-managed MSFC/KSC Additive Construction with Mobile Emplacement (ACME) project, the MSFC Surface Structures Group has been developing materials and construction technologies to support future planetary habitats with in-situ resources. One such additive construction technology is known as Contour Crafting. This paper presents the results to date of these efforts, including development of novel nozzle concepts for advanced layer deposition using this process. Conceived initially for rapid development of cementitious structures on Earth, it also lends itself exceptionally well to the automated fabrication of planetary surface structures using minimally processed regolith as aggregate, and binders developed from in situ materials as well. This process has been used successfully in the fabrication of construction elements using lunar regolith simulant and Mars regolith simulant, both with various binder materials. Future planned activities will be discussed as well.

Werkheiser, Niki J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Exploration Life Support Critical Questions for Future Human Space Missions

Exploration Life Support (ELS) is a project under NASA s Exploration Technology Development Program. The ELS Project plans, coordinates and implements the development of advanced life support technologies for human exploration missions in space. Recent work has focused on closed loop atmosphere and water systems for a lunar outpost, including habitats and pressurized rovers. But, what are the critical questions facing life support system developers for these and other future human missions? This paper explores those questions and discusses how progress in the development of ELS technologies can help answer them. The ELS Project includes Atmosphere Revitalization Systems (ARS), Water Recovery Systems (WRS), Waste Management Systems (WMS), Habitation Engineering, Systems Integration, Modeling and Analysis (SIMA), and Validation and Testing, which includes the sub-elements Flight Experiments and Integrated Testing. Systems engineering analysis by ELS seeks to optimize the overall mission architecture by considering all the internal and external interfaces of the life support system and the potential for reduction or reuse of commodities. In particular, various sources and sinks of water and oxygen are considered along with the implications on loop closure and the resulting launch mass requirements.

Ewert, Michael K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The 30/20 GHz experimental communications satellite system

NASA is continuing to pursue an agressive satellite communications technology development program focused on the 30/20 GHz frequency band. A review of the program progress to date is presented. Included is a discussion of the technology program status as well as a description of the experimental system concept under study. Expected system performance characteristics together with spacecraft and payload configuration details including weight and power budget is presented. Overall program schedules of both the technology development and the flight system development are included.

Sivo, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1992

NLS propulsion - Government view

The paper discusses the technology development for the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME). The STME is a liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen engine with 650,000 pounds of thrust, which may be flown in single-engine or multiple-engine configurations, depending upon the payload and mission requirements. The technological developments completed so far include a vacuum plasma spray process, the liquid interface diffusion bonding, and a thin membrane platelet technology for the combustion chamber fabrication; baseline designs for the hydrogen turbopump and the oxygen pump; and the engine control system. The family of spacecraft for which this engine is being developed includes a 20,000 pound payload to LEO and a 150,000 pound to LEO vehicle.

Smelser, Jerry W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Advanced 30/20 GHz multiple-beam antennas for communications satellites

Design concepts under development utilize two separate spacecraft antenna systems, one uplink at 30 GHz and the other a downlink at 20 GHz, where each antenna provides multiple fixed and scanning beams. Two contractors completed configuration trade-off studies and breadboarding of critical technology components, and are fabricating and testing proof-of-concept (POC) models to demonstrate the technology feasibility. Technology developments required for the proposed systems are presented, along with each contractor's progress to date. The technology development areas discussed include: (1) offset Cassegrain and shaped reflector systems for narrow beams with low sidelobes and wideangle off-axis scan; (2) diplexed beam-forming networks for dual polarization, low sidelobes, and fixed and scan-beam operation; (3) fast switching networks for scanning beams; and (4) fabrication of precision feed components and large offset reflectors.

Myhre, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Advanced 30/20 GHz multiple-beam antennas for communications satellites

Design concepts under development utilize two separate spacecraft antenna systems, one uplink at 30 GHz and the other a downlink at 20 GHz, where each antenna provides multiple fixed and scanning beams. Two contractors completed configuration trade-off studies and breadboarding of critical technology components, and are fabricating and testing proof-of-concept (POC) models to demonstrate the technology feasibility. Technology developments required for the proposed systems are presented, along with each contractor's progress to date. The technology development areas discussed include: (1) offset Cassegrain and shaped reflector systems for narrow beams with low sidelobes and wideangle off-axis scan; (2) diplexed beam-forming networks for dual polarization, low sidelobes, and fixed and scan-beam operation; (3) fast switching networks for scanning beams; and (4) fabrication of precision feed components and large offset reflectors.

Myhre, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The development of infrared detectors and mechanisms for use in future infrared space missions

The environment above earth's atmosphere offers significant advantages in sensitivity and wavelength coverage in infrared astronomy over ground-based observatories. In support of future infrared space missions, technology development efforts were undertaken to develop detectors sensitive to radiation between 2.5 micron and 200 micron. Additionally, work was undertaken to develop mechanisms supporting the imaging and spectroscopy requirements of infrared space missions. Arsenic-doped-Silicon and Antimony-doped-Silicon Blocked Impurity Band detectors, responsive to radiation between 4 micron and 45 micron, were produced in 128x128 picture element arrays with the low noise, high sensitivity performance needed for space environments. Technology development continued on Gallium-doped-Germanium detectors (for use between 80 micron and 200 micron), but were hampered by contamination during manufacture. Antimony-doped-Indium detectors (for use between 2.5 micron and 5 micron) were developed in a 256x256 pixel format with high responsive quantum efficiency and low dark current. Work began on adapting an existing cryogenic mechanism design for space-based missions; then was redirected towards an all-fixed optical design to improve reliability and lower projected mission costs.

Houck, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The NASA technology push towards future space mission systems

As a result of the new Space Policy, the NASA technology program has been called upon to a provide a solid base of national capabilities and talent to serve NASA's civil space program, commercial, and other space sector interests. This paper describes the new technology program structure and its characteristics, traces its origin and evolution, and projects the likely near- and far-term strategic steps. It addresses the alternative 'push-pull' approaches to technology development, the readiness levels to which the technology needs to be developed for effective technology transfer, and the focused technology programs currently being implemented to satisfy the needs of future space systems.

Sadin, Stanley R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Graphite/Polyimide Composites

Technology developed under the Composites for Advanced Space Transportation System Project is reported. Specific topics covered include fabrication, adhesives, test methods, structural integrity, design and analysis, advanced technology developments, high temperature polymer research, and the state of the art of graphite/polyimide composites.

Dexter, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Status and outlook for NASA's Land Remote Sensing Program

Both LANDSAT 2 and LANDSAT 3 are currently in operational status following recovery from technical problems. The LANDSAT D program continues NASA's R&D with the dual objectives of assessing the capabilities of the thematic mapper sensor and evaluating the requirements for an operational land observing system. LANDSAT D' will not be launched until LANDSAT D ceases operation, to provide data continuity through 1988. Future NASA remote sensing programs will continue to emphasize research, technology development, cooperative projects with end users of data and cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on transition to an operational land observing system. Technology development should extend the results of research to practical applications through improved ground data processing and information extraction techniques and development of new sensors such as the solid state multi-spectral linear array.

Weinstein, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Developing Tools and Technologies to Meet MSR Planetary Protection Requirements

This paper describes the tools and technologies that need to be developed for a Caching Rover mission in order to meet the overall Planetary Protection requirements for future Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign. This is the result of an eight-month study sponsored by the Mars Exploration Program Office. The goal of this study is to provide a future MSR project with a focused technology development plan for achieving the necessary planetary protection and sample integrity capabilities for a Mars Caching Rover mission.

fetch rover↗
NASA NTRS1999

Integrated Space Transportation Plan: Defining Technology Requirements and Next Generation Launch Systems to Meet Commercial and Government Needs

NASA continues to focus on improving safety and reliability while reducing the annual cost of meeting human space flight and unique ISS and exploration needs. NASA's Space Transportation Architecture Study (STAS) Phase 2 in early 1998 focused on space transportation options. Subsequently, NASA directed parallel industry and government teams to conduct the Integrated Space Transportation Plan effort (STAS Phase 3). The objective of ISTP was to develop technology requirements, roadmaps, and risk reduction portfolio that considered expanded definition of "clean-sheet" and Shuttle-derived second generation ETO transportation systems in support of a 2005 RLV competition for NASA missions beginning 2010. NASA provided top-level requirements for improvements in safety, reliability, and cost and a set of design reference missions representing NASA ISS, human exploration, commercial, and other civil and government needs. This paper addresses the challenges of meeting NASA's objectives while servicing the varied market segments represented in the ISTP design reference missions and provides a summary of technology development needs and candidate system concepts. A comparison of driving requirements, architectures and technology needs is discussed and descriptions of viable Shuttle-derived and next generation systems to meet the market needs are presented.

Davidoff, Larry D.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Earth orbital experiment program and requirements study, volume 1, sections 1 - 6

A reference manual for planners of manned earth-orbital research activity is presented. The manual serves as a systems approach to experiment and mission planning based on an integrated consideration of candidate research programs and the appropriate vehicle, mission, and technology development requirements. Long range goals and objectives for NASA activities during the 1970 to 1980 time period are analyzed. The useful and proper roles of manned and automated spacecraft for implementing NASA experiments are described. An integrated consideration of NASA long range goals and objectives, the system and mission requirements, and the alternative implementation plans are developed. Specific areas of investigation are: (1) manned space flight requirements, (2) space biology, (3) spaceborne astronomy, (4) space communications and navigation, (5) earth observation, (6) supporting technology development requirements, (7) data management system matrices, (8) instrumentation matrices, and (9) biotechnology laboratory experiments.

Source record↗