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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

The Shortwave Spectral Radiometer for Atmospheric Science: Capabilities and Applications from the ARM User Facility

Industry advances have greatly reduced the cost and size of ground-based shortwave (SW) sensors for the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectral ranges that make up the solar spectrum, while simultaneously increasing their ruggedness, reliability, and calibration accuracy needed for outdoor operation. These sensors and collocated meteorological equipment are an important part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility, which has supported parallel integrated measurements of atmospheric and surface properties for more than two decades at fixed and mobile sites around the world. The versatile capability of these ground-based measurements includes 1) rich spectral information required for retrieving cloud and aerosol microphysical properties, such as cloud phase, cloud particle size, and aerosol size distributions, and 2) high temporal resolution needed for capturing fast evolution of cloud microphysical properties in response to rapid changes in meteorological conditions. Here we describe examples of how ARM's spectral radiation measurements are being used to improve understanding of the complex processes governing microphysical, optical, and radiative properties of clouds and aerosol.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2016

NASA's Space Launch System: An Evolving Capability for Exploration An Evolving Capability for Exploration

A foundational capability for international human deep-space exploration, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle represents a new spaceflight infrastructure asset, creating opportunities for mission profiles and space systems that cannot currently be executed. While the primary purpose of SLS, which is making rapid progress towards initial launch readiness in two years, will be to support NASA's Journey to Mars, discussions are already well underway regarding other potential utilization of the vehicle's unique capabilities. In its initial Block 1 configuration, capable of launching 70 metric tons (t) to low Earth orbit (LEO), SLS is capable of propelling the Orion crew vehicle to cislunar space, while also delivering small CubeSat-class spacecraft to deep-space destinations. With the addition of a more powerful upper stage, the Block 1B configuration of SLS will be able to deliver 105 t to LEO and enable more ambitious human missions into the proving ground of space. This configuration offers opportunities for launching co-manifested payloads with the Orion crew vehicle, and a class of secondary payloads, larger than today's CubeSats. Further upgrades to the vehicle, including advanced boosters, will evolve its performance to 130 t in its Block 2 configuration. Both Block 1B and Block 2 also offer the capability to carry 8.4- or 10-m payload fairings, larger than any contemporary launch vehicle. With unmatched mass-lift capability, payload volume, and C3, SLS not only enables spacecraft or mission designs currently impossible with contemporary EELVs, it also offers enhancing benefits, such as reduced risk, operational costs and/or complexity, shorter transit time to destination or launching large systems either monolithically or in fewer components. This paper will discuss both the performance and capabilities of Space Launch System as it evolves, and the current state of SLS utilization planning.

Creech, Stephen D.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Kinetic Plasma Simulation in the MOOSE Framework: Verification of Electrostatic Particle In Cell Capabilities

In magnetic confinement nuclear fusion reactors, the interaction between the plasma edge and plasma facing components is extremely important. At the plasma edge, a kinetic representation such as particle-in-cell (rather than a fluid representation) is required to accurately capture the plasma behavior. General purpose particle-in-cell plasma simulation capabilities have been developed in the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework. This new capability is a part of the development of a new MOOSE-based framework for modeling plasma facing components, the Fusion ENergy Integrated multiphys-X (FENIX) framework. In this work, the verification of foundational particle-in-cell capabilities in FENIX is presented. This new plasma simulation capability has three main components: moving particles in discrete steps on the finite element mesh, mapping charge density from the particle's location to the finite element mesh, and solving for the electrostatic potential based on the charge density mapped from particles to the mesh. In this paper, simple verification problems demonstrating each of these new capabilities are presented, and future work includes electromagnetic capabilities and Monte Carlo collisions with neutral gas particles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2019

GOES-R Series GEO Side-Lobe Capable GPSR Post-Launch Refinements and Operational Capabilities

This paper addresses three topics: 1) EOPP (EOP (Earth Orientation Prediction) Parameters) file modification, 2) Kalman filter parameter tuning regarding maneuvers and 3) off-pointing GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking capability. GOES-R (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series) is the first in a 4-part series of new weather satellites set to replace and upgrade the older GOES constellation. Two GOES-R series have been launched to date, GOES-S and GOES-R. GOES-R is operational over the Eastern United States and GOES-S over the West. The Global Positioning System Receiver (GPSR) on board this geostationary weather satellite is a mission critical enabling technology which has been both tested on the ground and evaluated on-orbit to verify its effectivity. Since becoming operational in November 2016, the GPSR onboard has performed extremely well under nominal circumstances. Further refinements regarding a variety of facets have taken place since the launch of GOES-R. One such refinement was the implementation of a modified EOP (Earth Orientation Prediction) parameter set to improve ECEF (Earth Centered Earth Fixed) to ECI (Earth Centered Inertial) transformation by restoring zonal tides removed from the EOP parameter fit per tech note 36. Another relevant refinement combined thermal consideration with Kalman filter tuning to improve orbit determination performance during maneuvers. Now with two years of data and two vehicles in orbit many capabilities of the GPSR have been identified and defined to a higher degree. For example, metrics on side-lobe tracking and off-Nadir tracking capabilities have been quantified to a high degree. This paper will seek to supplement the ESA (European Space Agency) GNC 2017 GOES-R GPSR performance paper as a deeper dive on specific tracking capabilities and performance improvements now implemented on the GOES-R and GOES-S vehicles.

GPS Receiver↗
DOE OSTI2020

Detection and classification capabilities of two multibeam sonars

Multibeam sonars can be used to detect and classify marine fauna under conditions when optical sensors are ineffective. In this work, we compare the detection and classification capabilities of two multibeam sonars with different operating frequencies, the Tritech Gemini 720is (720 kHz) and the Teledyne BlueView M900-2250 (2250 kHz). The two sonars were deployed with overlapping swaths in a narrow tidal channel with peak currents of approximately 2 m/s where seals, schools of fish, and diving birds were intermittently present. In comparing data concurrently acquired by both sonars, we observe differences in the appearance of detected targets and detection capabilities. The detected target tracks are classified using a random forest model as either individual biological targets (flora and fauna, including fish, diving birds, seals, and plant matter), fish schools, or nonbiological targets (including entrained air and sonar artifacts). Despite the observed differences in detection capabilities for the two sonars, automatic classification distinguishes between target classes with precision and recall above 0.7 and 0.9, respectively. Furthermore, these results suggest that while similar methodologies can be used for data analysis, some outcomes from environmental studies using multibeam sonars may be instrument-specific.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
NASA NTRS2005

National Research Council Dialogue to Assess Progress on NASA's Advanced Modeling, Simulation and Analysis Capability and Systems Engineering Capability Roadmap Development

Contents include the following: General Background and Introduction of Capability Roadmaps. Agency Objective. Strategic Planning Transformation. Advanced Planning Organizational Roles. Public Involvement in Strategic Planning. Strategic Roadmaps and Schedule. Capability Roadmaps and Schedule. Purpose of NRC Review. Capability Roadmap Development (Progress to Date).

Aikins, Jan↗
NASA NTRS2011

Capabilities, Design, Construction and Commissioning of New Vibration, Acoustic, and Electromagnetic Capabilities Added to the World's Largest Thermal Vacuum Chamber at NASA's Space Power Facility

NASA s human space exploration plans developed under the Exploration System Architecture Studies in 2005 included a Crew Exploration Vehicle launched on an Ares I launch vehicle. The mass of the Crew Exploration Vehicle and trajectory of the Ares I coupled with the need to be able to abort across a large percentage of the trajectory generated unprecedented testing requirements. A future lunar lander added to projected test requirements. In 2006, the basic test plan for Orion was developed. It included several types of environment tests typical of spacecraft development programs. These included thermal-vacuum, electromagnetic interference, mechanical vibration, and acoustic tests. Because of the size of the vehicle and unprecedented acoustics, NASA conducted an extensive assessment of options for testing, and as result, chose to augment the Space Power Facility at NASA Plum Brook Station, of the John H. Glenn Research Center to provide the needed test capabilities. The augmentation included designing and building the World s highest mass capable vibration table, the highest power large acoustic chamber, and adaptation of the existing World s largest thermal vacuum chamber as a reverberant electromagnetic interference test chamber. These augmentations were accomplished from 2007 through early 2011. Acceptance testing began in Spring 2011 and will be completed in the Fall of 2011. This paper provides an overview of the capabilities, design, construction and acceptance of this extraordinary facility.

Motil, Susan M.↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Low-Cost Durable Na-FeCl2 Battery with Ultrahigh Rate Capability

Na-based batteries have long been regarded as an inexpensive, sustainable candidate for large-scale stationary energy storage applications. Unfortunately, the market penetration of conventional Na-NiCl2 batteries is approaching its limit for several reasons, including limited rate capability and high Ni cost. Herein, a Na-FeCl2 battery operating at 190 °C is reported that allows a capacity output of 116 mAh g-1 at an extremely high current density of 33.3 mA cm-2 (˜0.6C). The superior rate performance is rooted in the intrinsically fast kinetics of the Fe/Fe2+ redox reaction. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a small amount of Ni additive (10 mol%) effectively mitigates capacity fading of the Fe/NaCl cathode caused by Fe particle pulverization during long-term cycling. The modified Fe/Ni cathode exhibits excellent cycling stability, maintaining a discharge energy density of over 295 Wh kg-1 for 200 cycles at 10 mA cm-2 (˜C/5).

Zhan, Xiaowen↗
DOE OSTI2020

Perspectives on the FESAC transformative enabling capabilities: Priorities, plans, and Status

In early 2017, the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC), an advisory committee to the United States Department of Energy, was charged with identifying transformative enabling capabilities (TECs) “that could promote efficient advance toward fusion energy, building on burning plasma science and technology.” A subcommittee with broad expertise was formed and sought feedback from scientific experts, including experts from outside the fusion community. Three workshops were conducted, and a report was approved by FESAC in 2018 that identified four of the “most promising” TECs: advanced algorithms, high-critical-temperature superconductors, advanced materials and manufacturing, and novel technologies for tritium fuel cycle control. In addition, one “promising” TEC was identified: fast flowing liquid metal plasma-facing components. This paper will give details on the promising TECs and an overview on considerations of these TECs in the United States since the publication of the report.

Lumsdaine, Arnold↗
DOE OSTI2021

Superconducting RF Gun with High Current and the Capability to Generate Polarized Electron Beams

High-current low-emittance CW electron beams are indispensable for nuclear and high-energy physics fixed target and collider experiments, cooling high energy hadron beams, generating CW beams of monoenergetic X-rays (in FELs) and gamma-rays (in Compton sources). Polarization of electrons in these beams provides extra value by opening a new set of observables and frequently improving the data quality. We report on the upgrade of the unique and fully functional CW SRF 1.25 MeV SRF gun, built as part of the Coherent electron Cooling (CeC) project, which has demonstrated sustained CW operation with CsK2Sb photocathodes generating electron bunches with record-low transverse emittances and record-high bunch charge exceeding 10 nC. We propose to extend the capabilities of this system to high average current of 100 milliampere in two steps: increasing the current 30-fold at each step with the goal to demonstrate reliable long-term operation of the high-current low-emittance CW SRF guns. We also propose to test polarized GaAs photocathodes in the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment of the SRF gun, which has never been successfully demonstrated in RF accelerators.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1983

Excess science accommodation capabilities and excess performance capabilities assessment for Mars Geoscience and Climatology Orbiter: Extended study

The excess science accommodation and excess performance capabilities of a candidate spacecraft bus for the Mars Geoscience and Climatology Orbiter MGCO mission are assessed. The appendices are included to support the conclusions obtained during this contract extension. The appendices address the mission analysis, the attitude determination and control, the propulsion subsystem, and the spacecraft configuration.

Clark, K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Evaluation of the carbon dioxide removal assembly requirements for the Space Station Freedom in the Manned Tended Capability through Permanently Manned Capability configurations

Analyses have been conducted to assess the capability of the Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem to control ambient CO2 levels of the Space Station Freedom (SSF). The adequacy of the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) performance to meet design requirements has been evaluated. Analyses considered transient effects of crew location and metabolic loading on SSF Restructure configurations. The analyses consisted of computer simulations of on-orbit conditions using both supplier-provided and adjusted CO2 removal performance approximations along with derived crew metabolic activities and locations. Results show that while the current performance of the CDRA will maintain CO2 levels within specifications for Man-Tended Operations, it cannot maintain the SSF atmosphere below specifications during Permanently Manned Operations. Potential design options are discussed and other relevant analyses are summarized.

Knox, J. C.↗