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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Launch Pad Closeout Operations for the Mars Science Laboratory's Heat Rejection System

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover was launched on an Atlas V on November 26, 2011. Preparations were carried out prior to launch in order to closeout the spacecraft's complex heat rejection system (HRS), which consists of two mechanically pumped CFC-11 fluid loops. The first HRS loop, onboard the Curiosity rover, was fully integrated, filled with CFC-11, and successfully operated prior to launch pad operations; however, the second thermal loop, called the cruise HRS loop, required final mechanical and thermal integration activities to occur while on the launch pad in order to accommodate the last minute installation of the rover's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) power source. In order to prevent overheating of propellant tanks and critical avionics equipment buried deep within the spacecraft's aeroshell, the MMRTG needed to be pre-cooled using a separate non-flight mechanically pumped fluid loop prior to and during the final closeout and subsequent startup of the flight loop. This paper outlines the various steps that took place to safely install the MMRTG while carefully transitioning from the pre-cooling operation to the final startup and operation of the flight cruise HRS loop. Temperature data of the launch pad thermal transition from the ground support loop activity to the final flight loop operation is presented. Some background development of the ground support loop and lessons learned are also discussed. This successful launch pad integration activity required a close-knit coordination between NASA KSC, JPL, the Department of Energy, Idaho National Labs, Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne Inc., Teledyne Technologies Inc., ULA, and Advanced Thermal Sciences Corp.

thermal↗
NASA NTRS2017

Electrically Heated Testing of the Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY) Experiment Using a Depleted Uranium Core

The Kilopower project aims to develop and demonstrate scalable fission-based power technology for systems capable of delivering 110 kW of electric power with a specific power ranging from 2.5 - 6.5 Wkg. This technology could enable high power science missions or could be used to provide surface power for manned missions to the Moon or Mars. NASA has partnered with the Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos National Labs, and Y-12 National Security Complex to develop and test a prototypic reactor and power system using existing facilities and infrastructure. This technology demonstration, referred to as the Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY), will undergo nuclear ground testing in the summer of 2017 at the Nevada Test Site. The 1 kWe variation of the Kilopower system was chosen for the KRUSTY demonstration. The concept for the 1 kWe flight system consist of a 4 kWt highly enriched Uranium-Molybdenum reactor operating at 800 degrees Celsius coupled to sodium heat pipes. The heat pipes deliver heat to the hot ends of eight 125 W Stirling convertors producing a net electrical output of 1 kW. Waste heat is rejected using titanium-water heat pipes coupled to carbon composite radiator panels. The KRUSTY test, based on this design, uses a prototypic highly enriched uranium-molybdenum core coupled to prototypic sodium heat pipes. The heat pipes transfer heat to two Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASC-E2s) and six thermal simulators, which simulate the thermal draw of full scale power conversion units. Thermal simulators and Stirling engines are gas cooled. The most recent project milestone was the completion of non-nuclear system level testing using an electrically heated depleted uranium (non-fissioning) reactor core simulator. System level testing at the Glenn Research Center (GRC) has validated performance predictions and has demonstrated system level operation and control in a test configuration that replicates the one to be used at the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) at the Nevada National Security Site. Fabrication, assembly, and testing of the depleted uranium core has allowed for higher fidelity system level testing at GRC, and has validated the fabrication methods to be used on the highly enriched uranium core that will supply heat for the DAF KRUSTY demonstration.

Briggs, Maxwell H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Opportunities for research on Space Station Freedom

NASA has allocated research accommodations on Freedom (equipment, utilities, etc.) to the program offices that sponsor space-based research and development as follows: Space Science and Applications (OSSA)--52 percent, Commercial Programs (OCP)--28 percent, Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST)--12 percent, and Space Flight (OSF)--8 percent. Most of OSSA's allocation will be used for microgravity and life science experiments; although OSSA's space physics, astrophysics, earth science and applications, and solar system exploration divisions also will use some of this allocation. Other Federal agencies have expressed an interest in using Space Station Freedom. They include the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Geological Survey, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy. Payload interfaces with space station lab support equipment must be simple, and experiment packages must be highly contained. Freedom's research facilities will feature International Standard Payload Racks (ISPR's), experiment racks that are about twice the size of a Spacelab rack. ESA's Columbus lab will feature 20 racks, the U.S. lab will have 12 racks, and the Japanese lab will have 10. Thus, Freedom will have a total of 42 racks versus 8 for Space lab. NASA is considering outfitting some rack space to accommodate small, self-contained payloads similar to the Get-Away-Special canisters and middeck-locker experiment packages flown on Space Shuttle missions. Crew time allotted to experiments on Freedom at permanently occupied capability will average 25 minutes per rack per day, compared to six hours per rack per day on Spacelab missions. Hence, telescience--the remote operation of space-based experiments by researchers on the ground--will play a very important role in space station research. Plans for supporting life sciences research on Freedom focus on the two basic goals of NASA 's space life sciences program: to ensure the health, safety, and productivity of humans in space and to acquire fundamental knowledge of biological processes. Space-based research has already shown that people and plants respond the same way to the microgravity environment: they lose structure. However, the mechanisms by which they respond are different, and researchers do not yet know much about these mechanisms. Life science research accommodations on Freedom will include facilities for experiments designed to address this and other questions, in fields such as gravitational biology, space physiology, and biomedical monitoring and countermeasures research.

Phillips, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Subscale Validation of the Subsurface Active Filtration of Exhaust (SAFE) Approach to NTP Ground Testing

Brief History of NTP: Project Rover Began in 1950s by Los Alamos Scientific Labs (now Los Alamos National Labs) and ran until 1970s Tested a series of nuclear reactor engines of varying size at Nevada Test Site (now Nevada National Security Site) Ranged in scale from 111 kN (25 klbf) to 1.1 MN (250 klbf) Included Nuclear Furnace-1 tests Demonstrated the viability and capability of a nuclear rocket engine test program One of Kennedys 4 goals during famous moon speech to Congress Nuclear Engines for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA) Atomic Energy Commission and NASA joint venture started in 1964 Parallel effort to Project Rover was focused on technology demonstration Tested XE engine, a 245-kN (55-klbf) engine to demonstrate startup shutdown sequencing. Hot-hydrogen stream is passed directly through fuel elements potential for radioactive material to be eroded into gaseous fuel flow as identified in previous programs NERVA and Project Rover (1950s-70s) were able to test in open atmosphere similar to conventional rocket engine test stands today Nuclear Furance-1 tests employed a full scrubber system Increased government and environmental regulations prohibit the modern testing in open atmosphere. Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing cessation on open air testing of nuclear material Political and national security concerns further compound the regulatory environment

Test Facilities↗
NASA NTRS1988

Commercial objectives, technology transfer, and systems analysis for fusion power development

Fusion is an inexhaustible source of energy that has the potential for economic commercial applications with excellent safety and environmental characteristics. The primary focus for the fusion energy development program is the generation of central station electricity. Fusion has the potential, however, for many other applications. The fact that a large fraction of the energy released in a DT fusion reaction is carried by high energy neutrons suggests potentially unique applications. In addition, fusion R and D will lead to new products and new markets. Each fusion application must meet certain standards of economic and safety and environmental attractiveness. For this reason, economics on the one hand, and safety and environment and licensing on the other, are the two primary criteria for setting long range commercial fusion objectives. A major function of systems analysis is to evaluate the potential of fusion against these objectives and to help guide the fusion R and D program toward practical applications. The transfer of fusion technology and skills from the national labs and universities to industry is the key to achieving the long range objective of commercial fusion applications.

Dean, Stephen O.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Bringing the Future Within Reach: Celebrating 75 Years of the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, has been making the future for 75 years. The center's work with aircraft engines, high-energy fuels, communications technology, electric propulsion, energy conversion and storage, and materials and structures has been, and continues to be, crucial to both the Agency and the region. Glenn has partnered with industry, universities, and other agencies to continually advance technologies that are propelling the nation's aerospace community into the future. Nonetheless these continued accomplishments would not be possible without the legacy of our first three decades of research, which led to over one hundred R&D 100 Awards, three Robert J. Collier Trophies, and an Emmy. Glenn, which is located in Cleveland, Ohio, is 1 of 10 NASA field centers, and 1 of only 3 that stem from an earlier research organization-the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Glenn began operation in 1942 as the NACA Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (AERL). In 1947 the NACA renamed the lab the Flight Propulsion Laboratory to reflect the expansion of the research. In September 1948, following the death of the NACA's Director of Aeronautics, George Lewis, the NACA rededicated the lab as the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. On 1 October 1958, the lab was incorporated into the new NASA space agency and was renamed the NASA Lewis Research Center. Following John Glenn's return to space on the space shuttle, on 1 March 1999 the center name was changed once again, becoming the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center.

Arrighi, Robert S.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Radiation Transport and Shielding for Space Exploration and High Speed Flight Transportation

Transportation of ions and neutrons in matter is of direct interest in several technologically important and scientific areas, including space radiation, cosmic ray propagation studies in galactic medium, nuclear power plants and radiological effects that impact industrial and public health. For the proper assessment of radiation exposure, both reliable transport codes and accurate data are needed. Nuclear cross section data is one of the essential inputs into the transport codes. In order to obtain an accurate parametrization of cross section data, theoretical input is indispensable especially for processes where there is little or no experimental data available. In this grant period work has been done on the studies of the use of relativistic equations and their one-body limits. The results will be useful in choosing appropriate effective one-body equation for reaction calculations. Work has also been done to improve upon the data base needed for the transport codes used in the studies of radiation transport and shielding for space exploration and high speed flight transportation. A phenomenological model was developed for the total absorption cross sections valid for any system of charged and/or uncharged collision pairs for the entire energy range. The success of the model is gratifying. It is being used by other federal agencies, national labs and universities. A list of publications based on the work during the grant period is given below and copies are enclosed with this report.

Maung, Khin Maung↗
NASA NTRS2018

Mission Concept for a Europa Lander

A NASA HQ-directed study team led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with partners including Applied Physics Lab, Marshall Space Flight Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Langley Research Center and Sandia National Laboratory has recently presented a mission concept for a Europa Lander that would search for bio-signatures and signs of life in the near-subsurface of the Jovian moon. The mission would follow the Europa Clipper multiple-flyby mission, planned for launch in June of 2022, which would provide reconnaissance imagery and other data to the Lander for use in selecting a scientifically compelling site and certifying it for engineering safety. The Europa Lander concept accommodates the Model Payload identified by the Europa Lander Science Definition Team (SDT) and documented in the Europa Lander Study 2016 Report released in February of 2017. The currently envisioned Europa Lander would launch on an SLS Block 1B as early as October of 2025 into a VEGA trajectory, arriving in the Jovian system as early as July of 2030. The baseline design of the integrated flight system includes a dedicated Carrier and Relay Stage, a Deorbit Vehicle composed of a Deorbit Stage consisting of a solid rocket motor (SRM), an MSL-like sky-crane Descent Stage, and a Lander which accommodates the instrument suite. The Lander would be powered by primary batteries over a 20-day surface mission. The science goals envisioned by the SDT require five samples taken from a depth of 10cm, a depth chosen to ensure minimal radiation processing of the potential biomarkers. Mission challenges include the large launch mass, unknown terrain topography, surface composition and materials properties, the high radiation environment, and complying with stringent planetary protection requirements. The mission concept uses a strategy of early risk reduction and overlapping requirements to provide robustness to harsh and uncertain environments. Early risk reduction efforts are aimed at maturing technologies associated with the sampling system, the intelligent landing system, high specific energy batteries, low mass and power motor controllers, and a thermal sterilization system.

Dooley, Jennifer↗