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At least 199 records · Page 11

The Intensity Distribution for Gamma-Ray Bursts Observed with BATSE

The intensity distributions of gamma-ray bursts observed by BATSE from 19 April 1991 to 19 September 1994 are presented. For this data set, (V/V(sub max)) is 0.329 +/- 0.011, which is 15.5 sigma away from the value of 0.5 expected for a homogeneous distribution. Standard cosmological model parameters are obtained by fitting the differentially binned peak flux distribution expressed in units of photons cm(exp -2) s(exp -1) in the energy range 50-300 keV. The value of z calculated for a peak flux of 1 photon cm(exp -2) s(exp -1) is 0.8 +/- 0.33. The procedures used to produce the peak flux data and C(sub p)/C(sub lim) data are presented. The differences between the two representations of burst intensity are emphasized so that researchers can determine which type of data is most appropriate for their studies. The sky sensitivity correction as a function of intensity for the peak flux data is also described.

Pendleton, Geoffrey N.↗

Genetic Regulatory Networks in Embryogenesis and Evolution

The article introduces a series of papers that were originally presented at a workshop titled Genetic Regulatory Network in Embryogenesis and Evaluation. Contents include the following: evolution of cleavage programs in relationship to axial specification and body plan evolution, changes in cell lineage specification elucidate evolutionary relations in spiralia, axial patterning in the leech: developmental mechanisms and evolutionary implications, hox genes in arthropod development and evolution, heterochronic genes in development and evolution, a common theme for LIM homeobox gene function across phylogeny, and mechanisms of specification in ascidian embryos.

Source record↗

EOS Interdisciplinary Investigation: Observational and Modeling Studies of Radiative, Chemical, and Dynamical Interactions in the Earth's Atmosphere

A 3-dimensional model of atmospheric dynamics and photochemistry has been developed from the primitive equations in isentropic coordinates. The model extends from the upper troposphere through the middle atmosphere and is driven by observed dynamical and chemical structure in the troposphere. The model's formulation is entirely spectral: Horizontal structure is represented in terms of vector Hough functions, which explicitly partition the motion into its rotational and divergent components. This formulation enables the model's computational performance to be increased dramatically by filtering high-frequency gravity waves, which do not affect PV conservation. Vertical structure is represented in terms of eigenfunctions that follow from the primitive equations in isentropic coordinates. The model's fully spectral formulation enables scale-selective dissipation, necessary for numerical stability, to be applied at 6th order-in all 3 coordinate directions. This feature leaves all but the shortest vertical scales undamped and, consequently, allows potential vorticity and chemical tracers to be conserved quite accurately, distinctly better than in the model's layered counterpart. These dynamical features are complemented by a basic but fairly complete treatment of gas phase photochemistry, which accounts for some 48 chemical species, diurnally-varying SW absorption by O2 and O3, and LW cooling calculated via a detailed band calculation of radiative transfer. Driven by observed tropospheric structure, the 3D model reproduces observed structure in the middle atmosphere, inclusive of transport by the Brewer-Dobson circulation and accompanying chemical variations. Calculated residual motion is consistent with diabatic cooling rates, poleward transport, and descent in the polar night derived from satellite measurements of chemical tracers made from LIMS, SAGE, and UARS. The model also reproduces the observed structure of chemical species like O3, HNO3, and ClO. At the same time, it provides a respectable 3D simulation of the wintertime increase of midlatitude total ozone, as well as its geographical structure observed by Nimbus-7 TOMS. The 3D model has been used to explore the origin of diabatic upwelling in the tropical lower stratosphere, which has been related to planetary wave absorption in the winter- time stratosphere, as well as to influences from tropospheric convection at the tropical tropopause.

Salby, Murry L.↗

Long-term Global Morphology of Gravity Wave Activity Using UARS Data

An extensive body of research this quarter is documented. Further methodical analysis of temperature residuals in Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES) Version 8 level 3AT data show signatures during December 1992 at middle and high northern latitudes that, when compared to Naval Research Laboratory/Mountain Wave Forecast Model (NRL)/(MWFM) mountain wave hindcasts, reveal evidence of long mountain waves in these data over Eurasia, Greenland, Scandinavia and North America. The explicit detection of gravity waves in limb-scanned Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) temperatures is modeled at length, to derive visibility functions. These insights are used to convert CRISTA gravity wave temperature residuals into data that more closely resemble gravity wave fluctuations detected in data from other satellite instruments, such as Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) and Global Positioning System/Meteorology (GPS)/(MET). Finally, newly issued mesospheric temperatures from inversion of CRISTA 15gin emissions are analyzed using a new method that uses separate Kalman fits to the ascending and descending node data. This allows us to study global gravity wave amplitudes at two local times, 12 hours apart. In the equatorial mesosphere, where a large diurnal tidal temperature signal exists, we see modulations of gravity wave activity that are consistent with gravity wave-tidal interactions produced by tidal temperature variability.

Eckermann, Stephen D.↗

The Cytoskeleton and Force Response Mechanisms

The long term aim of this project was to define the mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to the physical forces experienced at 1g and missing in microgravity. Identification and characterization of the elements of the cells force response mechanism could provide pathways and molecules to serve as targets for pharmacological intervention to mitigate the pathologic effects of microgravity. Mechanical forces experienced by the organism can be transmitted to cells through molecules that allow cells to bind to the extracellular matrix and through other types of molecules which bind cells to each other. These molecules are coupled in large complexes of proteins to structural elements such as the actin cytoskeleton that give the cell the ability to sense, resist and respond to force. Application of small forces to tissue culture cells causes local elevation of intracellular calcium through stretch activated ion channels, increased tyrosine phosphorylation and a restructuring of the actin cytoskeleton. Using collagen coated iron oxide beads and strong magnets, we can apply different levels of force to cells in culture. We have found that force application causes the cells to polymerize actin at the site of mechanical deformation and unexpectedly, to depolymerize actin across the rest of the cell. Observations of GFP- actin expressing cells demonstrate that actin accumulates at the site of deformation within the first five minutes of force application and is maintained for many tens of minutes after force is removed. Consistent with the reinforcement of the cytoskeletal structures underlying the integrin-bead interaction, force also alters the motion of bound magnetic beads. This effect is seen following the removal of the magnetic field, and is only partially ablated by actin disruption with cytochalsin B. While actin is polymerizing locally at the site of force application, force also stimulates a global reduction in actin filament content within the cells. We have examined the roles of several actin filament disassembly factors in the global reduction of cellular actin filaments. The calcium regulated actin filament severing protein gelsolin is not necessary for the increased actin turnover, as cells derived from gelsolin null and wildtype mice still show a reduction in total actin filament content. Instead, our work suggests that the actin binding protein cofilin may be important for these changes in actin dynamics. Cofilin binds to and enhances the disassembly of actin filaments. Using immunological methods, we observe transient changes in the phosphorylation state of cofilin upon force application that suggests that cofilin may mediate actin filament turnover. Early after force application, cofilin is transiently dephosphorylated, activating its actin disassembly activity. Subsequently, we find a hyper-phosphorylation of cofilin, rendering it inactive. This reduction in cofilin activity may explain the stability of the force induced actin structuttes. In testing this hypothesis, we aimed to generate cells that express the constituitively active kinase (LIM-kinase) that phosphorylates cofilin. lnidial attempts in the cell lines used for the our previous studies proved unsuccessful. While we prepare this work for pubication, we are continuing to study other cell lines and tissue sources to determine whether they show a reduction in F-actin content after force application.

Allen, Philip Goodwin↗

Flight Investigation using Variable-Stability Airplanes of Minimum Stability Requirements for High-Speed, High-Altitude Vehicles

The pilot opinion of the flying qualities of vehicles covering a wide range of longitudinal dynamic characteristics has been determined by the use of a variable-stability airplane. Particular emphasis has been placed on determining the minimum level of stability and control characteristics that the pilot can cope with. There was considerable pilot learning associated with operation in the regions of poor stability characteristics. In the statically stable region the maximum acceptable value of time to damp to half amplitude of the longitudinal mode for normal operation was about 1 second. For emergency conditions the damping could be reduced to zero over most of the frequency range. The extreme lim it of controllability corresponded to a time to double amplitude of the oscillation of about 1 - 1/2 seconds. In the statically unstable region somewhat shorter times to double amplitude were acceptable to the pilots. The boundary for emergency operation corresponded roughly to time to double amplitude of about 2/3 second and the limit of controllability of about l/3 second.

McFadden, Norman M.↗

The NASA-GES-DISC Satellite Data/Products Access, Distribution, Services and Dissemination to Users

The NASA/GES/DISC/DAAC is a virtual data portal that provides convenient access to Atmospheric, Oceanic and Land datasets and value added products from various current NASA missions and instruments as well as heritage datasets from AIRS/AMSU/HSB, AVHRR, CZCS, LIMS, MODIS, MSU, OCTS, SeaWiFS, SORCE, SSI, TOMS, TOVS, UARS and TRMM. The GES-DISC-DAAC also provided a variety of services that allow users to analyze and visualize gridded data interactively online without having to download any data.

Vicente, Gilberto A.↗

Fan Beam Emission Tomography Demonstrated Successfully in the Reduced-Gravity Environment of Drop Towers

Fires onboard manned spacecraft and launch vehicles are a particularly feared hazard because one cannot jump ship while in orbit 240 nmi above the Earth at 17 000 mph! Understanding the physical properties of fires in free fall and on orbit is, therefore, a very important endeavor for NASA s Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise. However, detailed information concerning the structure of microgravity fires remained elusive until recently since robustness, limited power, limited volume, and limited mass place severe constraints on diagnostic equipment for use in space and in NASA Glenn Research Center s reduced-gravity facilities. Under NASA Research Associate funding since 2001, En'Urga, Inc. (Dr. Sivathanu, principal investigator, and Dr. Lim, co-investigator) in collaboration with Glenn (Dr. Feikema, coinvestigator) have successfully demonstrated a new technology for use in microgravity combustion. A midinfrared scanning spectrometer has been developed by En'Urga and tested at Glenn to measure 30 spectra per second at different spatial locations in a flame from 1.8 to 4.8 microns.

Feikema, Douglas A.↗

High Velocity Linear Induction Launcher with Exit-Edge Compensation for Testing of Aerospace Components

Advances in ultra high speed linear induction electromagnetic launchers over the past decade have focused on magnetic compensation of the exit and entry-edge transient flux wave to produce efficient and compact linear electric machinery. The paper discusses two approaches to edge compensation in long-stator induction catapults with typical end speeds of 150 to 1,500 m/s. In classical linear induction machines, the exit-edge effect is manifest as two auxiliary traveling waves that produce a magnetic drag on the projectile and a loss of magnetic flux over the main surface of the machine. In the new design for the Stator Compensated Induction Machine (SCIM) high velocity launcher, the exit-edge effect is nulled by a dual wavelength machine or alternately the airgap flux is peaked at a location prior to the exit edge. A four (4) stage LIM catapult is presently being constructed for 180 m/s end speed operation using double-sided longitudinal flux machines. Advanced exit and entry edge compensation is being used to maximize system efficiency, and minimize stray heating of the reaction armature. Each stage will output approximately 60 kN of force and produce over 500 G s of acceleration on the armature. The advantage of this design is there is no ablation to the projectile and no sliding contacts, allowing repeated firing of the launcher without maintenance of any sort. The paper shows results of a parametric study for 500 m/s and 1,500 m/s linear induction launchers incorporating two of the latest compensation techniques for an air-core stator primary and an iron-core primary winding. Typical thrust densities for these machines are in the range of 150 kN/sq.m. to 225 kN/sq.m. and these compete favorably with permanent magnet linear synchronous machines. The operational advantages of the high speed SCIM launcher are shown by eliminating the need for pole-angle position sensors as would be required by synchronous systems. The stator power factor is also improved.

Kuznetsov, Stephen↗

Gas in Protoplanetary Disks

Gas makes up the bulk of the mass in a protoplanetary disk, but it is much more difficult to observe than the smaller dust component. The l ifetime of gas in a disk has far-reaching consequences. including lim iting the time available for giant planet formation and controlling t he migration of planetary bodies of all sizes, from Jupiters to meter-sized planetesimals. Here I will discuss what is known about the gas component of protoplanetary disks, highlighting recent results from i nfrared studies with the Spitzer Space Telescope. Exciting upcoming o pportunities for gas studies will also be discussed. In particular, the first large far-IR survey of gas tracers from young disks will be p erformed using the Herschel Space Observatory, as part of the "Gas in Protoplanetary Systems" (GASPS) Open Time Key Project.

Roberge, Aki↗

The GEOS Chemistry Climate Model: Comparisons to Satellite Data

The Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry Climate Model (GEOS CCM) has been developed by combining the atmospheric chemistry and transport modules developed over the years at Goddard and the GEOS general circulation model, also developed at Goddard. We will compare model simulations of ozone, and the minor constituents that affect ozone, for the period around 1980 with newly released revised data from the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) instrument on Nimbus 4. We will also compare model simulations for the period of the early 2000s with the data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and the High Resolution Dynamic Limb Sounder (HRDLS) on the Aura satellite. We will use these comparisons to examine the performance of the model for the present atmosphere and for the change that has occurred during the last 2 decades of ozone loss due to chlorine and bromine compounds released from chlorofluorocarbons and halons.

Stolarski, Richard S.↗

Satellite Observations and Chemistry Climate Models - A Meandering Path Towards Better Predictions

Knowledge of the chemical and dynamical processes that control the stratospheric ozone layer has grown rapidly since the 1970s, when ideas that depletion of the ozone layer due to human activity were put forth. The concept of ozone depletion due to anthropogenic chlorine increase is simple; quantification of the effect is much more difficult. The future of stratospheric ozone is complicated because ozone is expected to increase for two reasons: the slow decrease in anthropogenic chlorine due to the Montreal Protocol and its amendments and stratospheric cooling caused by increases in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Prediction of future ozone levels requires three-dimensional models that represent physical, photochemical and radiative processes, i.e., chemistry climate models (CCMs). While laboratory kinetic and photochemical data are necessary inputs for a CCM, atmospheric measurements are needed both to reveal physical and chemical processes and for comparison with simulations to test the conceptual model that CCMs represent. Global measurements are available from various satellites including but not limited to the LIMS and TOMS instruments on Nimbus 7 (1979 - 1993), and various instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (1991 - 2005), Envisat (2002 - ongoing), Sci-Sat (2003 - ongoing) and Aura (2004 - ongoing). Every successful satellite instrument requires a physical concept for the measurement, knowledge of physical chemical properties of the molecules to be measured, and stellar engineering to design an instrument that will survive launch and operate for years with no opportunity for repair but providing enough information that trend information can be separated from any instrument change. The on-going challenge is to use observations to decrease uncertainty in prediction. This talk will focus on two applications. The first considers transport diagnostics and implications for prediction of the eventual demise of the Antarctic ozone hole. The second focuses on the upper stratosphere, where ozone is predicted to increase both due to chlorine decrease and due to temperature decrease expected as a result of increased concentrations Of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Both applications show how diagnostics developed from global observations are being used to explain why the ozone response varies among CCM predictions for stratospheric ozone in the 21st century.

Douglass, Anne R.↗

Observed Differences in Spectral Microphysical Retrievals from MODIS

The microphysical structure of clouds is of fundamental importance for understanding a variety of cloud radiation and physical processes. With the advent of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on the NASA EOS Terra and Aqua platforms, simultaneous global/daily 1km retrievals of cloud effective particle size are available using the heritage 3.7 an band from AVHRR as well as the 1.6 and 2.1 m shortwave IR bands. The MODIS cloud product (MOD06/MYD06 for MODIS Terra and Aqua, respectively) provides separate effective radii results using each of these spectral bands. It has been found that significant differences can occur between the three size retrievals, mainly for liquid water marine boundary layer clouds and especially in broken (low cloud fraction) regimes. In particular, for such regimes, effective radii derived from the MODIS 2.1 lim band can be substantially larger than retrievals from the Heritage 3.7 lam band. In this paper, we present global and regional results of the differences, including correlations, view angle dependencies, and algorithm sensitivities for the existing MODIS Collection 5 product.

Platnick, Steven E.↗

Maximizing TDRS Command Load Lifetime

The GNC software onboard ISS utilizes TORS command loads, and a simplistic model of TORS orbital motion to generate onboard TORS state vectors. Each TORS command load contains five "invariant" orbital elements which serve as inputs to the onboard propagation algorithm. These elements include semi-major axis, inclination, time of last ascending node crossing, right ascension of ascending node, and mean motion. Running parallel to the onboard software is the TORS Command Builder Tool application, located in the JSC Mission Control Center. The TORS Command Builder Tool is responsible for building the TORS command loads using a ground TORS state vector, mirroring the onboard propagation algorithm, and assessing the fidelity of current TORS command loads onboard ISS. The tool works by extracting a ground state vector at a given time from a current TORS ephemeris, and then calculating the corresponding "onboard" TORS state vector at the same time using the current onboard TORS command load. The tool then performs a comparison between these two vectors and displays the relative differences in the command builder tool GUI. If the RSS position difference between these two vectors exceeds the tolerable lim its, a new command load is built using the ground state vector and uplinked to ISS. A command load's lifetime is therefore defined as the time from when a command load is built to the time the RSS position difference exceeds the tolerable limit. From the outset of TORS command load operations (STS-98), command load lifetime was limited to approximately one week due to the simplicity of both the onboard propagation algorithm, and the algorithm used by the command builder tool to generate the invariant orbital elements. It was soon desired to extend command load lifetime in order to minimize potential risk due to frequent ISS commanding. Initial studies indicated that command load lifetime was most sensitive to changes in mean motion. Finding a suitable value for mean motion was therefore the key to achieving this goal. This goal was eventually realized through development of an Excel spreadsheet tool called EMMIE (Excel Mean Motion Interactive Estimation). EMMIE utilizes ground ephemeris nodal data to perform a least-squares fit to inferred mean anomaly as a function of time, thus generating an initial estimate for mean motion. This mean motion in turn drives a plot of estimated downtrack position difference versus time. The user can then manually iterate the mean motion, and determine an optimal value that will maximize command load lifetime. Once this optimal value is determined, the mean motion initially calculated by the command builder tool is overwritten with the new optimal value, and the command load is built for uplink to ISS. EMMIE also provides the capability for command load lifetime to be tracked through multiple TORS ephemeris updates. Using EMMIE, TORS command load lifetimes of approximately 30 days have been achieved.

Brown, Aaron J.↗

Ozone Temperature Correlations in the Upper Stratosphere as a Measure of Chlorine Content

We use data from the Nimbus-7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) for the 1978-1979 period together with data from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Microwave Limb Sounder (UARS MLS) for the years 1993 to 1999, the Aura MLS for the years 2004 to 2011, and the Aura High Resolution Infrared Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) for the years 2005 to 2007 to examine ozone-temperature correlations in the upper stratosphere. Our model simulations indicate that the sensitivity coefficient of the ozone response to temperature (Delta ln(O3)/Delta.(l/T)) decreases as chlorine has increased in the stratosphere and should increase in the future as chlorine decreases. The data are in agreement with our simulation of the past. We also find that the sensitivity coefficient does not change in a constant-chlorine simulation. Thus the change in the sensitivity coefficient depends on the change in chlorine, but not on the change in greenhouse gases. We suggest that these and future data can be used to track the impact of chlorine added to the stratosphere and also to track the recovery of the stratosphere as chlorine is removed under the provisions of the Montreal Protocol.

Stolarski, Richard S.↗

Towards A Representation of Vertically Resolved Ozone Changes in Reanalyses

The Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Radiometer (SBUV) instruments on NASA and NOAA spacecraft provide a long-term record of total-column ozone and deep-layer partial columns since about 1980. These data have been carefully processed to extract long-term trends and offer a valuable resource for ozone monitoring. Studies assimilating limb-sounding observations in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) data assimilation system (DAS) demonstrate that vertical ozone gradients in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) are much better represented than with the deep-layer SBUV observations. This is exemplified by the use of retrieved ozone from the EOS Microwave Limb Sounder (EOS-MLS) instrument in the MERRA-2 reanalysis, for the period after 2004. This study examines the potential for extending the use of limb-sounding observations at earlier times and into the future, so that future reanalyses may be more applicable to the study of long-term ozone changes.Historical data are available from NASA instruments: the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS: 1978-1979); the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS: 1991-1995); Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER: 2000-onwards). For the post EOS-MLS period, the joint NASA-NOAA Ozone Monitoring and Profiling Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP) instrument was launched on the Suomi-NPP platform in 201x and is planned for future platforms. This study will examine two aspects of these data pertaining to future reanalyses. First, the feasibility of merging the EOS-MLS and OMPS-LP instruments to provide a long-term record that extends beyond the potential lifetime of EOS-MLS. If feasible, this would allow for long-term monitoring of ozone recovery in a three-dimensional reanalysis context. Second, the skill of the GEOS DAS in ingesting historical data types will be investigated. Because these do not overlap with EOS-MLS, use will be made of system statistics and evaluation using independent datasets. Impacts of using a complete ozone chemistry module will also be considered.

ML↗

Performance Improvements for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Gyroless Extended Kalman Filter

In late 2017, the laser intensity monitor (LIM) current began to decline on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) miniature inertial measurement unit (MIMU). The MIMU was powered off in March 2018 and has only been used during extended eclipses, a pre-eclipse orbit phasing maneuver, and critical momentum unloads. Science slews were suspended, and the onboard extended Kalman filter (EKF) was disabled. A coarse rate was estimated through star tracker quaternion differentiation, and attitude was provided directly from a single star tracker. A complementary filter, combining the differentiated quaternions with the integrated acceleration derived from the attitude control torque, was developed, tested, and uploaded to the spacecraft in December 2018. The EKF has been enabled, using the complementary filter rate in place of the MIMU and science slews are now being performed. This paper presents an overview of the complementary filter rate estimation and EKF changes, fault detection updates without the MIMU, and inflight performance improvements.

Halverson, Julie↗

Development of a Cold-Walled Molten Regolith Electrolysis Reactor for Lunar Oxygen Production

On the lunar surface, production of commodi-ties to support human presence, such as water, food and oxygen, and sustain the growth of a per-manent outpostwill likely require the use oflocal resources. The moon is covered almost entirely withfragmented oxide minerals known as regolithhundreds of meter thick.As a resource, it is rich in oxygen (> 42 wt.%) bound in a solid state with a variety of metals. The molten regolith electrolysis (MRE)reactor is a promising technology for the production of gaseous oxygen from the lunar reg-olithin a simple, single-stepreaction that requires minimalconsumable materials, produces oxygen and metals with high electrical efficiency and high yields from any regolithcomposition.This process involvesmelting regolith to~1600°C then electro-lyzing the molten pool to separate metal and oxy-gen ions that are then collected as liquid metal and gaseous oxygen at the respective electrodes. Lab-scale demonstrations of the MRE technology have previously reliedon external heating sources to bring the entirety of the reactor up to the operating temperaturewhich creates corrosive interfaces be-tween the molten regolith and the containment ma-terial in the reactor, limiting the overall lifespan of a reactor[1]. The Gaseous Lunar Oxygen from Regolith Electrolysis (GaLORE) project is focused on the development of a “cold-walled” or “Joule-heated” reactor design in which an internal heating source is used to selectively melt a pool of regolith between the electrodes of the reactor, leaving a shell of solidified regolith between the molten pool and the containment vessel of the reactor. This next generation reactor concept has been under development as molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) by MIT and Boston Metal for the production of iron from pure ores for terrestrial application [2]. The GaLORE project in engaged in early development of the technology for use with varying lunar regolith compositionsin the lunar environment. Thermal modelling of a proposed cold-walledreac-tor design were used as a scaffold to develop pa-rameters for a feasible reactor shape and size as well as target energy consumption[3]. The current development effort for the cold-walled reactor de-sign will be presented as a trade study of the most promising techniques for melting regolithwithin the constraints imposed by the lunar environment.Heater devices are designed to accommodate lim-ited electrical power availabilityon the moon, a wide range of regolith compositions that may be seen on the moon, limited metals available for re-placing consumed parts,and the low thermal con-ductivity of granular regolith in vacuum.Heater de-vices will be down-selectedbased on performance measurements within the above operationalcon-straints,and selected devices will be integrated into a reactor with electrodes to begin producing oxygen. [1]Sibille,L.,Sadoway, D.R.,Sirk, A., Tripathy,P.,Melendez, O., Standish, E., Dominguez, J. A., Stefanescu, D.M.,Curreri, P.A., Poizeau,S.,2009. “Recent Advancesin Scale-up Development of Molten Regolith Electrolysis for Oxygen Production in support of a Lunar Base.”AIAA 2009-659, 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 5 -8 January 2009, Orlando, FL. [2] Boston Metal, https://www.boston-metal.com/moe-technology/#moe-process[3]Schreiner, S.S.,Sibille, L., Dominguez, J.A., Hoffman, J.A., 2016. "A parametric sizing model for Molten Regolith Electrolysis reactors to pro-duce oxygen on the Moon." Advances in Space Research 57.,7,1585-1603.

K D Grossman↗