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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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NASA NTRS2004

The New Approach to Self-Achievement (N.A.S.A.) Project 2004

The New Approach to Self-Achievement Program is designed to target rising seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students who require assistance in refining their mathematical skills, science awareness and knowledge, and test taking strategies. During the six week duration of the program, students are challenged in these areas through the application of robotic and aeronautic projects which encourage the students to practically apply their mathematical and science awareness accordingly. The first three weeks of my tenure were designated to assisting Mrs. Tammy Allen in the preparation of the 2004 NASA Project. As her assistant, I was held accountable for organizing, filing, preparing, analyzing, and completing the applications for the NASA Project. Additionally, I constructed the apposite databases which contained imperative information which aided in the selection of our participants. During the latter portion of those three weeks, Mrs. Allen, various staff members, and I, interviewed the numerous first-time applicants of the NASA Project. Furthermore, I was assigned to contact the accepted applicants of the program and provide all necessary information for the initiation of the child into the NASA Project. During the six week duration of the program, I will be working as a Project Leader at the Lorain Middle School site located in Lorain, Oh, with Mr. Fondriest Fountain. Mr. Fountain and I Will work with the eighth and ninth grade students in constructing robots, in which the students are told are made for NASA research which is being conducted on the surface of planet Mars. The robots, which are built from LEGOS and programmed through RoboLab computer software, are prepared to complete assigned Missions such as running obstacle courses; plowing and retrieving LEGOS; and scanning surfaces for intense regions of light.

Thomas, Candace J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Chemistry of Rocks and Soils in Gusev Crater from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer

The alpha particle x-ray spectrometer on the Spirit rover determined major and minor elements of soils and rocks in Gusev crater in order to unravel the crustal evolution of planet Mars. The composition of soils is similar to those at previous landing sites, as a result of global mixing and distribution by dust storms. Rocks (fresh surfaces exposed by the rock abrasion tool) resemble volcanic rocks of primitive basaltic composition with low intrinsic potassium contents. High abundance of bromine (up to 170 parts per million) in rocks may indicate the alteration of surfaces formed during a past period of aqueous activity in Gusev crater.

Gellert, R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Developing Advanced Support Technologies for Planetary Exploration Missions

The United States Vision for Space Exploration calls for sending robots and humans to explore the Earth s moon, the planet Mars, and beyond. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a set of design reference missions that will provide further detail to these plans. Lunar missions are expected to provide a stepping stone, through operational research and evaluation, in developing the knowledge base necessary to send crews on long duration missions to Mars and other distant destinations. The NASA Exploration Systems Directorate (ExSD), in its program of bioastronautics research, manages the development of technologies that maintain human life, health, and performance in space. Using a systems engineering process and risk management methods, ExSD s Human Support Systems (HSS) Program selects and performs research and technology development in several critical areas and transfers the results of its efforts to NASA exploration mission/systems development programs in the form of developed technologies and new knowledge about the capabilities and constraints of systems required to support human existence beyond Low Earth Orbit. HSS efforts include the areas of advanced environmental monitoring and control, extravehicular activity, food technologies, life support systems, space human factors engineering, and systems integration of all these elements. The HSS Program provides a structured set of deliverable products to meet the needs of exploration programs. these products reduce the gaps that exist in our knowledge of and capabilities for human support for long duration, remote space missions. They also reduce the performance gap between the efficiency of current space systems and the greater efficiency that must be achieved to make human planetary exploration missions economically and logistically feasible. In conducting this research and technology development program, it is necessary for HSS technologists and program managers to develop a common currency for decision making and the allocation of funding. A high level assessment is made of both the knowledge gaps and the system performance gaps across the program s technical project portfolio. This allows decision making that assures proper emphasis areas and provides a key measure of annual technological progress, as exploration mission plans continue to mature.

Berdich, Debra P.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Developing Advanced Human Support Technologies for Planetary Exploration Missions

The United States Vision for Space Exploration calls for sending robots and humans to explore the Earth's moon, the planet Mars, and beyond. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a set of design reference missions that will provide further detail to these plans. Lunar missions are expected to provide a stepping stone, through operational research and evaluation, in developing the knowledge base necessary to send crews on long duration missions to Mars and other distant destinations. The NASA Exploration Systems Directorate (ExSD), in its program of bioastronautics research, manages the development of technologies that maintain human life, health, and performance in space. Using a system engineering process and risk management methods, ExSD's Human Support Systems (HSS) Program selects and performs research and technology development in several critical areas and transfers the results of its efforts to NASA exploration mission/systems development programs in the form of developed technologies and new knowledge about the capabilities and constraints of systems required to support human existence beyond Low Earth Orbit. HSS efforts include the areas of advanced environmental monitoring and control, extravehicular activity, food technologies, life support systems, space human factors engineering, and systems integration of all these elements. The HSS Program provides a structured set of deliverable products to meet the needs of exploration programs. These products reduce the gaps that exist in our knowledge of and capabilities for human support for long duration, remote space missions. They also reduce the performance gap between the efficiency of current space systems and the greater efficiency that must be achieved to make human planetary exploration missions economically and logistically feasible. In conducting this research and technology development program, it is necessary for HSS technologists and program managers to develop a common currency for decision making and the allocation of funding. A high level assessment is made of both the knowledge gaps and the system performance gaps across the program s technical project portfolio. This allows decision making that assures proper emphasis areas and provides a key measure of annual technological progress, as exploration mission plans continue to mature.

Berdich, Debra P.↗
NASA NTRS2002

In-flight testing of onboard UHF equipment

This paper proposes a plan to allow future flight projects to accomplish in-flight testing of on-board UHF equipment which the spacecraft carries for local relay link use at planet Mars only. This plan relies on onboard self-testing to verify receiver functional capabilities at various data rates, and on RF testing with narrow band CW signals transmitted at selected frequencies from an Earth station, non-interfering to existing UHF users, to verify the RF performance of antenna and microwave equipment. The Mars mission planners at JPL have accepted this concept as reasonable. The plan will be practical to implement with a frequency agile local link transceiver, like the next generation UHF transceiver being developed at JPL. The user can test it at one frequency and operate it at a different frequency within the operating range. Possible frequencies for uplink testing are identified. Further effort is needed to select specific test frequencies that will be agreeable to the users to which these bands are allocated.

UHF in-flight testing↗
NASA NTRS1999

Introduction to Monograph

-Remote sensing- is already an essential tool for many Earth and planetary scientists, whether they are studying the atmosphere, the land, the ocean floor, or the surface of the planet Mars.

remote sensing volcanism↗
NASA NTRS2007

Digital Learning Network Education Events of NASA's Extreme Environments Mission Operations

NASA's Digital Learning Network (DLN) reaches out to thousands of students each year through video conferencing and web casting. The DLN has created a series of live education videoconferences connecting NASA s Extreme Environment Missions Operations (NEEMO) team to students across the United States. The programs are also extended to students around the world live web casting. The primary focus of the events is the vision for space exploration. During the programs, NEEMO Crewmembers including NASA astronauts, engineers and scientists inform and inspire students about the importance of exploration and share the impact of the project as it correlates with plans to return to the moon and explore the planet Mars. These events highlight interactivity. Students talk live with the aquanauts in Aquarius, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration s underwater laboratory. With this program, NASA continues the Agency s tradition of investing in the nation's education programs. It is directly tied to the Agency's major education goal of attracting and retaining students in science, technology, and engineering disciplines. Before connecting with the aquanauts, the students conduct experiments of their own designed to coincide with mission objectives. This paper describes the events that took place in September 2006.

Paul, Heather↗
NASA NTRS2007

Flight Mechanics of the Entry, Descent and Landing of the ExoMars Mission

ExoMars is ESA's current mission to planet Mars. A high mobility rover and a fixed station will be deployed on the surface of Mars. This paper regards the flight mechanics of the Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) phases used for the mission analysis and design of the Baseline and back-up scenarios of the mission. The EDL concept is based on a ballistic entry, followed by a descent under parachutes and inflatable devices (airbags) for landing. The mission analysis and design is driven by the flexibility in terms of landing site, arrival dates and the very stringent requirement in terms of landing accuracy. The challenging requirements currently imposed to the mission need innovative analysis and design techniques to support system design trade-offs to cope with the variability in entry conditions. The concept of the Global Entry Corridor has been conceived, designed, implemented and successfully validated as a key tool to provide a global picture of the mission capabilities in terms of landing site reachability.

HayaRamos, Rodrigo↗
NASA NTRS2007

ExoMars Mission Analysis and Design - Launch, Cruise and Arrival Analyses

ExoMars is ESA s next mission to planet Mars. The probe is aimed for launch either in 2013 or in 2016. The project is currently undergoing Phase B1 studies under ESA management and Thales Alenia Space Italia project leadership. In that context, DEIMOS Space is responsible for the Mission Analysis and Design for the interplanetary and the entry, descent and landing (EDL) activities. The present mission baseline is based on an Ariane 5 or Proton M launch in 2013 of a spacecraft Composite bearing a Carrier Module (CM) and a Descent Module (DM). A back-up option is proposed in 2016. This paper presents the current status of the interplanetary mission design from launch up to the start of the EDL phase.

Cano, Juan L.↗
NASA NTRS1964

Unmanned Spacecraft of the United States

In 1957 the first earth satellite ushered in the age of space flight. Since that historic event, space exploration has become a major national objective of both the United States and the Soviet Union. These two nations have attempted a total of well over 200 space flight missions. Other nations are also participating in various degrees in what will continue to grow as a cooperative world effort. In the years since 1957, man has successfully flown in earth orbit. He has initiated programs to land on the moon and return. He has made dramatic applications of earth satellites in meteorology, communications, navigation, and geodesy. A host of scientific satellites.continue to advance understanding of the earth's environment, the sun, and the stars. Automated spacecraft are being flown to the moon, deep into interplanetary space, and to the near planets, Mars and Venus. One of the most exciting technological aspects of space exploration has been the development of automated spacecraft. Most of the scientific exploration of space and the useful applications of space flight thus far have been made possible by automated spacecraft. Development of these spacecraft and their many complex subsystems is setting the pace today for many branches of science and technology. Guidance, computer, attitude control, power, telecommunication, instrumentation, and structural subsystems are being subjected to new standards of light weight, high efficiency, extreme accuracy, and unsurpassed reliability and quality. This publication reviews the automated spacecraft which have been developed and flown, or which are under active development in the United States by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. From the facts and statistics contained herein, certain observations can be made and certain conclusions drawn.

Cortright, Edgar M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Classification Table for Achondrites

Classifying chondrites is relatively easy and the criteria are well documented. It is based on mineral compositions, textural characteristics and more recently, magnetic susceptibility. It can be more difficult to classify achondrites, especially those that are very similar to terrestrial igneous rocks, because mineralogical, textural and compositional properties can be quite variable. Achondrites contain essentially olivine, pyroxenes, plagioclases, oxides, sulphides and accessory minerals. Their origin is attributed to differentiated parents bodies: large asteroids (Vesta); planets (Mars); a satellite (the Moon); and numerous asteroids of unknown size. In most cases, achondrites are not eye witnessed falls and some do not have fusion crust. Because of the mineralogical and magnetic susceptibility similarity with terrestrial igneous rocks for some achondrites, it can be difficult for classifiers to confirm their extra-terrestrial origin. We -as classifiers of meteorites- are confronted with this problem with every suspected achondrite we receive for identification. We are developing a "grid" of classification to provide an easier approach for initial classification. We use simple but reproducible criteria based on mineralogical, petrological and geochemical studies. We presented the classes: acapulcoites, lodranites, winonaites and Martian meteorites (shergottite, chassignites, nakhlites). In this work we are completing the classification table by including the groups: angrites, aubrites, brachinites, ureilites, HED (howardites, eucrites, and diogenites), lunar meteorites, pallasites and mesosiderites. Iron meteorites are not presented in this abstract.

Chennaoui-Aoudjehane, H.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office (KT) Overview

The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office has the unique responsibility to curate NASA's extraterrestrial samples - from past and forthcoming missions - into the indefinite future. Currently, curation includes documentation, preservation, physical security, preparation, and distribution of samples from the Moon, asteroids, comets, the solar wind, and the planet Mars. Each of these sample sets has a unique history and comes from a unique environment. The curation laboratories and procedures developed over 40 years have proven both necessary and sufficient to serve the evolving needs of a worldwide research community. A new generation of sample return missions to destinations across the solar system is being planned and proposed. The curators are developing the tools and techniques to meet the challenges of these new samples. Extraterrestrial samples pose unique curation requirements. These samples were formed and exist under conditions strikingly different from those on the Earth's surface. Terrestrial contamination would destroy much of the scientific significance of extraterrestrial materials. To preserve the research value of these precious samples, contamination must be minimized, understood, and documented. In addition, the samples must be preserved - as far as possible - from physical and chemical alteration. The elaborate curation facilities at JSC were designed and constructed, and have been operated for many years, to keep sample contamination and alteration to a minimum. Currently, JSC curates seven collections of extraterrestrial samples: (a)) Lunar rocks and soils collected by the Apollo astronauts, (b) Meteorites collected on dedicated expeditions to Antarctica, (c) Cosmic dust collected by high-altitude NASA aircraft,t (d) Solar wind atoms collected by the Genesis spacecraft, (e) Comet particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft, (f) Interstellar dust particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft, and (g) Asteroid soil particles collected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa spacecraft Each of these sample sets has a unique history and comes from a unique environment. We have developed specialized laboratories and practices over many years to preserve and protect the samples, not only for current research but for studies that may be carried out in the indefinite future.

Allen, Carlton↗
NASA NTRS2017

Aerial Vehicles to Detect Maximum Volume of Plume Material Associated with Habitable Areas in Extreme Environments

Current technologies of exploring habitable areas of icy moons are limited to flybys of space probes. This research project addresses long-term navigation of icy moons by developing a MATLAB adjustable trajectory based on the volume of plume material observed. Plumes expose materials from the sub-surface without accessing the subsurface. Aerial vehicles capable of scouting vapor plumes and detecting maximum plume material volumes, which are considered potentially habitable in inhospitable environments, would enable future deep-space missions to search for extraterrestrial organisms on the surface of icy moons. Although this platform is still a prototype, it demonstrates the potential aerial vehicles can have in improving the capabilities of long-term space navigation and enabling technology for detecting life in extreme environments. Additionally, this work is developing the capabilities that could be utilized as a platform for space biology research. For example, aerial vehicles that are sent to map extreme environments of icy moons or the planet Mars, could also carry small payloads with automated cell-biology experiments, designed to probe the biological response of low-gravity and high-radiation planetary environments, serving as a pathfinder for future human missions.

Vehicles Extreme Environment↗
NASA NTRS1999

Nozomi Cis-Lunar Phase Orbit Determination

Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) launched Nozomi, its first mission to the planet Mars using the newly developed M-V launch vehicle on July 3, 1998.

orbit↗
NASA NTRS2006

Raised Relief Mars Globe Brings the Red Planet Closer

The Mars Globe 20x is the first digitally produced raised relief globe to be sold at retail establishments. The rises and dips of the Martian landscape have been multiplied by 20 to make the shapes more noticeable to human touch and sight. They make this globe, with its over 1 million elevation points, a visually stunning introduction to the planet. Spectrum 3D used the NASA digital land elevation data to aim lasers that then shaped and defined the master globe s surface. Subsequent copies were then made by creating a master globe mold. The molded copies are hand finished by workers who remove errant edges or lines that may appear on the raw globes and then paint the surfaces. The result is a globe that measures in at 18 inches in diameter, roughly 1:15,729,473 scale of the actual planet. The exaggerated raised relief is like having a 3-D digital microscope for planetary shapes. This makes the landmarks easier to learn and understand, as it provides easy visuals for orientation. People have a natural propensity for understanding 3-D shapes more easily than numbers or words. The 3-D globes appeal to both the kinetic and visual learning aspects of the brain, making it easy for people to readily memorize the landmarks and to make a mental model that they will remember for a long time.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1992

Magnitudes of selected stellar occultation candidates for Pluto and other planets, with new predictions for Mars and Jupiter

Occultation predictions for the planets Mars and Jupiter are presented along with BVRI magnitudes of 45 occultation candidates for Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto. Observers can use these magnitudes to plan observations of occultation events. The optical depth of the Jovian ring can be probed by a nearly central occultation on 1992 July 8. Mars occults an unusually red star in early 1993, and the occultations for Pluto involving the brightest candidates would possibly occur in the spring of 1992 and the fall of 1993.

Sybert, C. B.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Windy Mars: A Dynamic Planet as Seen by the HiRISE Camera

With a dynamic atmosphere and a large supply of particulate material, the surface of Mars is heavily influenced by wind-driven, or aeolian, processes. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provides a new view of Martian geology, with the ability to see decimeter-size features. Current sand movement, and evidence for recent bedform development, is observed. Dunes and ripples generally exhibit complex surfaces down to the limits of resolution. Yardangs have diverse textures, with some being massive at HiRISE scale, others having horizontal and cross-cutting layers of variable character, and some exhibiting blocky and polygonal morphologies. 'Reticulate' (fine polygonal texture) bedforms are ubiquitous in the thick mantle at the highest elevations.

Mars↗