Planetary rover developments supporting Mars science, sample return and future human-robotic colonization
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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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We overview our recent research on planetary mobility.
Outer solar system exploration and missions to comets and planets with severe environmental conditions require long-term survivability of space systems. This challenge has recently been approached with new ideas, such as using mechanisms for hardware adaptation inspired from biology.
This paper introduces a third approach to Evolvable Hardware (EHW) called mixtrinsic EHW (MEHW).
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This paper discusses the use of Evolvable Hardware (EHW) in automatic synthesis of electronic circuits for computational intelligence (CI) hardware.
We describe a rather general model used to predict the dynamics and control performance of formations of spacecraft connected by tethers in heliocentric orbit and in low Earth orbit.
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Object discrimination and patttern recognition are computationally intensive and for many defense and commercial applications, speed is of the essence.
In recent times, improvements in imaging technology have made available an incredible array of information in image format.
The paper introduces an approach to automated synthesis of CMOS circuits, based on evolution on a Programmable Transistor Array (PTA).
Motivation for the study is: (1) Lunar Radio Array for low frequency, high redshift Dark Ages/Epoch of Reionization observations (z =6-50, f=30-200 MHz) (2) High precision cosmological measurements of 21 cm H I line fluctuations (3) Probe universe before first star formation and provide information about the Intergalactic Medium and evolution of large scale structures (5) Does the current cosmological model accurately describe the Universe before reionization? Lunar Radio Array is for (1) Radio interferometer based on the far side of the moon (1a) Necessary for precision measurements, (1b) Shielding from earth-based and solar RFI (12) No permanent ionosphere, (2) Minimum collecting area of approximately 1 square km and brightness sensitivity 10 mK (3)Several technologies must be developed before deployment The power needed to process signals from a large array of nonsteerable elements is not prohibitive, even for the Moon, and even in current technology. Two different concepts have been proposed: (1) Dark Ages Radio Interferometer (DALI) (2)( Lunar Array for Radio Cosmology (LARC)
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CubeSats have developed rapidly over the past decade with the advent of a containerized deployer system and ever increasing launch opportunities. These satellites have moved from an educational tool to teach students about engineering challenges associated with satellite design, to systems that are conducting cutting edge earth, space and solar science. Early variants of the CubeSat had limited functionality and lacked sophisticated attitude control, deployable solar arrays and propulsion. This is no longer the case and as CubeSats mature, such systems are becoming commercially available. The result is a small satellite with sufficient power and pointing capabilities to support a high rate communication system. Communications systems have matured along with other CubeSat subsystems. Originally developed from amateur radio systems, CubeSats have generally operated in the VHF and UHF bands at data rates below 10 kbps (kilobits per second). More recently higher rate UHF systems have been developed, however these systems require a large collecting area on the ground to close the communications link at 3 Mbps (megabits per second). Efforts to develop systems that operate with similar throughput at S-Band (2-4 GHz (gigaherz)) and C-Band (4-8 GHz (gigaherz)) have also recently evolved. In this paper we outline an effort to develop a high rate CubeSat communication system that is compatible with the NASA Near Earth Network and can be accommodated by a CubeSat. The system will include a 200 kbps (kilobits per second) S-Band receiver and a 12.5 Mbps (megabits per second).X-Band transmitter. This paper will focus on our design approach and initial results associated with the 12.5 Mbps (megabits per second) X-band transmitter.
The Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) instrument is a pod-based Lband polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR), specifically designed to acquire airborne repeat track SAR data for differential interferometric measurements. This instrument is currently installed on the NASA Gulfstream- III (G-III) aircraft with precision real-time Global Positioning System (GPS) and a sensor-controlled flight management system for precision repeat-pass data acquisitions. UAVSAR has conducted engineering and preliminary science data flights since October 2007 on the G-III. We are porting the radar to the Global Hawk Unmanned Airborne Vehicle (UAV) to enable long duration/long range data campaigns. We plan to install two radar pods (each with its own active array antenna) under the wings of the Global Hawk to enable the generation of precision topographic maps and single pass polarimetric-interferometry (SPI) providing vertical structure of ice and vegetation. Global Hawk's range of ~ 8000 nm will enable regional surveys with far fewer sorties as well as measurements of remote locations without the need for long and complicated deployments. We are also developing P-band polarimetry and Ka-band single-pass interferometry capabilities on UAVSAR by replacing the radar antenna and front-end electronics to operate at these
The intent of this presentation is to give status to multiple audience types on the SpaceCube data processing technology at GSFC. SpaceCube has grown to support multiple missions inside and outside of NASA, and we are being requested to give technology overviews in various forums.
NASA has been commissioned to investigate the feasibility of an orbiting Space Solar Power system that is capable of generating power from space and transmitting the power to earth based rectennas.
Autonomous space systems will need to adapt to new environments and perform new functions, in addition to those specified at launch.