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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 NTRS1999

Spaceliner Class Operability Gains Via Combined Airbreathing/ Rocket Propulsion: Summarizing an Operational Assessment of Highly Reusable Space Transports

In discussing a new NASA initiative in advanced space transportation systems and technologies, the Director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Arthur G. Stephenson, noted that, "It would use new propulsion technology, air-breathing engine so you don't have to carry liquid oxygen, at least while your flying through the atmosphere. We are calling it Spaceliner 100 because it would be 100 times cheaper, costing $ 100 dollars a pound to orbit." While airbreathing propulsion is directly named, rocket propulsion is also implied by, "... while you are flying through the atmosphere." In-space final acceleration to orbital speed mandates rocket capabilities. Thus, in this informed view, Spaceliner 100 will be predicated on combined airbreathing/rocket propulsion, the technical subject of this paper. Interestingly, NASA's recently concluded Highly Reusable Space Transportation (HRST) study focused on the same affordability goal as that of the Spaceliner 100 initiative and reflected the decisive contribution of combined propulsion as a way of expanding operability and increasing the design robustness of future space transports, toward "aircraft like" capabilities. The HRST study built on the Access to Space Study and the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) development activities to identify and characterize space transportation concepts, infrastructure and technologies that have the greatest potential for reducing delivery cost by another order of magnitude, from $1,000 to $100-$200 per pound for 20,000 lb. - 40.000 lb. payloads to low earth orbit (LEO). The HRST study investigated a number of near-term, far-term, and very far-term launch vehicle concepts including all-rocket single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) concepts, two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) concepts, concepts with launch assist, rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) concepts, advanced expendable vehicles, and more far term ground-based laser powered launchers. The HRST study consisted of preliminary concept studies, assessments and analysis tool development for advanced space transportation systems, followed by end-to-end system concept definitions and trade analyses, specific system concept definition and analysis, specific key technology and topic analysis, system, operational and economics model development, analysis, and integrated assessments. The HRST Integration Task Force (HITF) was formed to synthesize study results in several specific topic areas and support the development of conclusions from the study: Systems Concepts Definitions, Technology Assessment, Operations Assessment, and Cost Assessment. This paper summarizes the work of the Operations Assessment Team: the six approaches used, the analytical tools and methodologies developed and employed, the issues and concerns, and the results of the assessment. The approaches were deliberately varied in measures of merit and procedure to compensate for the uncertainty inherent in operations data in this early phase of concept exploration. In general, rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) concepts appear to have significantly greater potential than all-rocket concepts for reducing operations costs.

Nix, Michael B.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Damage Tolerance and Reliability of Turbine Engine Components

A formal method is described to quantify structural damage tolerance and reliability in the presence of multitude of uncertainties in turbine engine components. The method is based at the materials behavior level where primitive variables with their respective scatters are used to describe that behavior. Computational simulation is then used to propagate those uncertainties to the structural scale where damage tolerance and reliability are usually specified. Several sample cases are described to illustrate the effectiveness, versatility, and maturity of the method. Typical results from these methods demonstrate that the methods are mature and that they can be used for future strategic projections and planning to assure better, cheaper, faster products for competitive advantages in world markets. These results also indicate that the methods are suitable for predicting remaining life in aging or deteriorating structures.

Chamis, Christos C.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Damage Tolerance and Reliability of Turbine Engine Components

A formal method is described to quantify structural damage tolerance and reliability in the presence of multitude of uncertainties in turbine engine components. The method is based at the materials behaviour level where primitive variables with their respective scatters are used to describe the behavior. Computational simulation is then used to propagate those uncertainties to the structural scale where damage tolerance and reliability are usually specified. Several sample cases are described to illustrate the effectiveness, versatility, and maturity of the method. Typical results from these methods demonstrate that the methods are mature and that they can be used for future strategic projections and planning to assure better, cheaper, faster, products for competitive advantages in world markets. These results also indicate that the methods are suitable for predicting remaining life in aging or deteriorating structures.

Chamis, Christos C.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Successful Transfer of Space Derived Convergent Spray Technology(TM): An Application for Industrial Roof Coatings and Interstate Bridge Repair

Although the levels of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from industrial roof coatings and paint operations have been reduced in recent years, the roof coating partnership was an effort to further reduce VOC emission levels and to also demonstrate the use of reclaimed automobile tire rubber as a filler material in roof coating systems. Different materials and coatings were evaluated and tested before the final selection was used to coat the roofs of two small buildings at NASA's MSFC (Marshall Space Flight Center) during fiscal year 1997. The primary objective of the Bridge repair partnership was to strategically leverage public and private sector funds for the purpose of developing a bridge repair process that was cheaper, better, and faster than conventional methods. It was also, imperative that this process be environmentally friendly and capable of performing under extreme conditions for a period of not less than 2 years.

McMillan, Vernotto↗
NASA NTRS1999

International Space Station ECLSS Technical Task Agreement Summary Report

This Technical Memorandum provides a summary of current work accomplished under Technical Task Agreement (TTA) by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) regarding the International Space Station (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). Current activities include ECLSS component design and development, computer model development, subsystem/integrated system testing, life testing, and general test support provided to the ISS program. Under ECLSS design, MSFC was responsible for the six major ECLSS functions, specifications and standard, component design and development, and was the architectural control agent for the ISS ECLSS. MSFC was responsible for ECLSS analytical model development. In-house subsystem and system level analysis and testing were conducted in support of the design process, including testing air revitalization, water reclamation and management hardware, and certain nonregenerative systems. The activities described herein were approved in task agreements between MSFC and NASA Headquarters Space Station Program Management Office and their prime contractor for the ISS, Boeing. These MSFC activities are in line to the designing, development, testing, and flight of ECLSS equipment planned by Boeing. MSFC's unique capabilities for performing integrated systems testing and analyses, and its ability to perform some tasks cheaper and faster to support ISS program needs, are the basis for the TTA activities.

Ray, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Bantam: A Systematic Approach to Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Development

The Bantam technology project is focused on providing a low cost launch capability for very small (100 kilogram) NASA and University science payloads. The cost goal has been set at one million dollars per launch. The Bantam project, however, represents much more than a small payload launch capability. Bantam represents a unique, systematic approach to reusable launch vehicle technology development. This technology maturation approach will enable future highly reusable launch concepts in any payload class. These launch vehicle concepts of the future could deliver payloads for hundreds of dollars per pound, enabling dramatic growth in civil and commercial space enterprise. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has demonstrated a better, faster, and cheaper approach to science discovery in recent years. This approach is exemplified by the successful Mars Exploration Program lead by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the NASA Space Science Enterprise. The Bantam project represents an approach to space transportation technology maturation that is very similar to the Mars Exploration Program. The NASA Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP) and Future X Pathfinder Program will combine to systematically mature reusable space transportation technology from low technology readiness to system level flight demonstration. New reusable space transportation capability will be demonstrated at a small (Bantam) scale approximately every two years. Each flight demonstration will build on the knowledge derived from the previous flight tests. The Bantam scale flight demonstrations will begin with the flights of the X-34. The X-34 will demonstrate reusable launch vehicle technologies including; flight regimes up to Mach 8 and 250,000 feet, autonomous flight operations, all weather operations, twenty-five flights in one year with a surge capability of two flights in less than twenty-four hours and safe abort. The Bantam project will build on this initial capability to expand the capability of a reusable first stage, including ground launch, powered return to the launch site, and a fully reusable rocket propulsion system. A Bantam technology goal is to demonstrate twenty-five flights with no unplanned rocket engine maintenance and only minor planned maintenance or inspections. The design goal of the propulsion system is a mission life of one hundred.

Griner, Carolyn↗
NASA NTRS1998

Next Generation Space Telescope Ultra-Lightweight Mirror Program

The Next Generation Space Telescope is currently envisioned as a eight meter diameter cryogenic deployable telescope that will operate at the earth sun libration point L2. A number of different designs are being examined within NASA and under industry studies by Ball Aerospace, Lockheed-Martin and TRW. Although these designs differ in many respects, they all require significant advancements in the state-of-the-art with respect to large diameter, ultra-lightweight, mirrors. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the current status of the mirror development program NGST is a tremendously ambitious undertaking that sets the mark for new NASA missions. In order to achieve the weight, cost and performance requirements of NGST, the primary mirror must be made lighter, cheaper and better than anything that has ever been done. In order to accomplish this an aggressive technology program has been put in place. The scope of the program was determined by examining historically what has been accomplished; assessing recent technological advances in fabrication and testing; and evaluating the effect of these advances relative to enabling the manufacture of lightweight mirrors that meet NGST requirements. As it is currently envisioned, the primary mirror for NGST is on the order of eight meters in diameter, it is to be diffraction limited at a wave length of 2 microns and has an overall weight requirement of 15 kilograms per square meter. Two large scale demonstration projects are under way along with a number of smaller scale demonstrations on a variety of mirror materials and concepts. The University of Arizona (UA) mirror concept is based around a 2mm thick Borosilicate glass face sheet mounted to a composite backplane structure via actuators for mirror figure correction. The Composite Optics Inc.(COI) concept consists of a 3.2mm thick Zerodur face sheet bonded to a composite support structure which in turn is mounted to a composite backplane structure via actuators for mirror phasing. These mirrors are due to be performance tested in ambient conditions in the fall of '98, and cryogenically tested in the spring of '99. The smaller scale efforts include the following: Beryllium is being investigated at Ball Aerospace, Electroform nickel is being investigated in-house at MSFC, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Silicon Carbide (SiC) is being investigated at Morton International Silicon mirrors are being investigated at Schafer, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Silicon Carbide (CSIC) is being investigated at IABG. SiC at SSG, Composite mirrors at COI, pyrolyzed graphite mirrors at Ultramet, reaction bonded SiC mirrors at Xinetics, along with techniques for lightweighting using waterjets at Waterjet Technology Inc. are all being investigated under the Small Business innovative Research Program SBIR program. A procurement for a third large scale demonstration (nominally 1.5m in diameter) is being planned for release this fall.

Bilbro, James W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Damage Tolerance and Reliability of Turbine Engine Components

This report describes a formal method to quantify structural damage tolerance and reliability in the presence of a multitude of uncertainties in turbine engine components. The method is based at the material behavior level where primitive variables with their respective scatter ranges are used to describe behavior. Computational simulation is then used to propagate the uncertainties to the structural scale where damage tolerance and reliability are usually specified. Several sample cases are described to illustrate the effectiveness, versatility, and maturity of the method. Typical results from this method demonstrate that it is mature and that it can be used to probabilistically evaluate turbine engine structural components. It may be inferred from the results that the method is suitable for probabilistically predicting the remaining life in aging or deteriorating structures, for making strategic projections and plans, and for achieving better, cheaper, faster products that give competitive advantages in world markets.

Chamis, Christos C.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Parametric Study of Variable Emissivity Radiator Surfaces

The goal of spacecraft thermal design is to accommodate a high function satellite in a low weight and real estate package. The extreme environments that the satellite is exposed during its orbit are handled using passive and active control techniques. Heritage passive heat rejection designs are sized for the hot conditions and augmented for the cold end with heaters. The active heat rejection designs to date are heavy, expensive and/or complex. Incorporating an active radiator into the design that is lighter, cheaper and more simplistic will allow designers to meet the previously stated goal of thermal spacecraft design Varying the radiator's surface properties without changing the radiating area (as with VCHP), or changing the radiators' views (traditional louvers) is the objective of the variable emissivity (vary-e) radiator technologies. A parametric evaluation of the thermal performance of three such technologies is documented in this paper. Comparisons of the Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS), Electrochromics, and Electrophoretics radiators to conventional radiators, both passive and active are quantified herein. With some noted limitations, the vary-e radiator surfaces provide significant advantages over traditional radiators and a promising alternative design technique for future spacecraft thermal systems.

Grob, Lisa M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

NASA's Space Environments and Effects Program: Technology for the New Millennium

Current trends in spacecraft development include the use of advanced technologies while maintaining the "faster, better, cheaper" philosophy. Spacecraft designers are continually designing with smaller and faster electronics as well as lighter and thinner materials providing better performance, lower weight, and ultimately lower costs. Given this technology trend, spacecraft will become increasingly susceptible to the harsh space environments, causing damaging or even disabling effects on space systems. NASA's Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program defines the space environments and provides advanced technology development to support the design, development, and operation of spacecraft systems that will accommodate or mitigate effects due to the harsh space environments. This Program provides a comprehensive and focused approach to understanding the space environment, to define the best techniques for both flight and ground-based experimentation, to update the models which predict both the environments and the environmental effects on spacecraft, and finally to ensure that this multitudinous information is properly maintained and inserted into spacecraft design programs. A description of the SEE Program, its accomplishments, and future activities is provided.

Hardage, Donna M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Touchdown: The Development of Propulsion Controlled Aircraft at NASA Dryden

This monograph relates the important history of the Propulsion Controlled Aircraft project at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. Spurred by a number of airplane crashes caused by the loss of hydraulic flight controls, a NASA-industry team lead by Frank W. Burcham and C. Gordon Fullerton developed a way to land an aircraft safely using only engine thrust to control the airplane. In spite of initial skepticism, the team discovered that, by manually manipulating an airplane's thrust, there was adequate control for extended up-and-away flight. However, there was not adequate control precision for safe runway landings because of the small control forces, slow response, and difficulty in damping the airplane phugoid and Dutch roll oscillations. The team therefore conceived, developed, and tested the first computerized Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) system. The PCA system takes pilot commands, uses feedback from airplane measurements, and computes commands for the thrust of each engine, yielding much more precise control. Pitch rate and velocity feedback damp the phugoid oscillation, while yaw rate feedback damps the Dutch roll motion. The team tested the PCA system in simulators and conducted flight research in F-15 and MD-11 airplanes. Later, they developed less sophisticated variants of PCA called PCA Lite and PCA Ultralite to make the system cheaper and therefore more attractive to industry. This monograph tells the PCA story in a non- technical way with emphasis on the human aspects of the engineering and flic,ht-research effort. It thereby supplements the extensive technical literature on PCA and makes the development of this technology accessible to a wide audience.

Tucker, Tom↗
NASA NTRS1997

On the Use of Statistics in Design and the Implications for Deterministic Computer Experiments

Perhaps the most prevalent use of statistics in engineering design is through Taguchi's parameter and robust design -- using orthogonal arrays to compute signal-to-noise ratios in a process of design improvement. In our view, however, there is an equally exciting use of statistics in design that could become just as prevalent: it is the concept of metamodeling whereby statistical models are built to approximate detailed computer analysis codes. Although computers continue to get faster, analysis codes always seem to keep pace so that their computational time remains non-trivial. Through metamodeling, approximations of these codes are built that are orders of magnitude cheaper to run. These metamodels can then be linked to optimization routines for fast analysis, or they can serve as a bridge for integrating analysis codes across different domains. In this paper we first review metamodeling techniques that encompass design of experiments, response surface methodology, Taguchi methods, neural networks, inductive learning, and kriging. We discuss their existing applications in engineering design and then address the dangers of applying traditional statistical techniques to approximate deterministic computer analysis codes. We conclude with recommendations for the appropriate use of metamodeling techniques in given situations and how common pitfalls can be avoided.

Simpson, Timothy W.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Logic Design Pathology and Space Flight Electronics

Logic design errors have been observed in space flight missions and the final stages of ground test. The technologies used by designers and their design/analysis methodologies will be analyzed. This will give insight to the root causes of the failures. These technologies include discrete integrated circuit based systems, systems based on field and mask programmable logic, and the use computer aided engineering (CAE) systems. State-of-the-art (SOTA) design tools and methodologies will be analyzed with respect to high-reliability spacecraft design and potential pitfalls are discussed. Case studies of faults from large expensive programs to "smaller, faster, cheaper" missions will be used to explore the fundamental reasons for logic design problems.

Katz, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2000

The SeaWinds Scatterometer Antenna Subsystem on the QuikScat Spacecraft

In today's environment of "Better, Faster, Cheaper", the ability to produce reliable, flight-proven mechanisms for mission critical applications is more important than ever. Such a mechanism was produced for the QuikScat satellite. The Scatterometer Antenna Subsystem (SAS) is a spin mechanism that continuously rotates a scatterometer antenna, and includes the necessary features (rotary interfaces, drives, launch locks, etc) to allow collection of the scatterometry data that will insure mission success. This paper will discuss the evolution of the SAS from its design heritage on the GGS Polar mission to qualification on the ADEOS II satellite to being a key enabler for the rapid development of the QuikScat Satellite.

Workman, Brian J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Transition from Spacecraft Development Ot Flight Operation: Human Factor Considerations

In the field of aeronautics and astronautics, a paradigm shift has been witnessed by those in academia, research and development, and private industry. Long development life cycles and the budgets to support such programs and projects has given way to aggressive task schedules and leaner resources to draw from all the while challenging assigned individuals to create and produce improved products of processes. however, this "faster, better, cheaper" concept cannot merely be applied to the design, development, and test of complex systems such as earth-orbiting of interplanetary robotic spacecraft. Full advantage is not possible without due consideration and application to mission operations planning and flight operations, Equally as important as the flight system, the mission operations system consisting of qualified personnel, ground hardware and software tools, and verified and validated operational processes, should also be regarded as a complex system requiring personnel to draw upon formal education, training, related experiences, and heuristic reasoning in engineering an effective and efficient system. Unquestionably, qualified personnel are the most important elements of a mission operations system. This paper examines the experiences of the Deep Space I Project, the first in a series of new technology in-flight validation missions sponsored by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), specifically, in developing a subsystems analysis and technology validation team comprised of former spacecraft development personnel. Human factor considerations are investigated from initial concept/vision formulation; through operational process development; personnel test and training; to initial uplink product development and test support. Emphasis has been placed on challenges and applied or recommended solutions, so as to provide opportunities for future programs and projects to address and disposition potential issues and concerns as early as possible to reap the benefits associated with learning from other's past experiences.

Basilio, Ralph R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Low-Cost Approaches to Deep Space Missions

The past decade has brought about a radical transformation in NASA's planetary exploration program. At the beginning of this decade, NASA was focused on the Cassini mission to Saturn. Following on the heels of the successful Voyager and Galileo missions, Cassini represents the culmination of an evolution towards successively larger, more complex, and more expensive spacecraft. The Cassini spacecraft weighs in at over 5 metric tons, and carries an entry probe and a sophisticated suite of sensors supporting 27 different science investigations enabling a comprehensive scientific investigation of Saturn with a single spacecraft. The cost of this spacecraft exceeded $2B, including the cost of the large Titan IV launch vehicle. During Cassini development, NASA realized that it could no longer afford these "flagship" missions, and the agency moved aggressively towards a "faster, better, cheaper" design philosophy of focused science goals and simpler, rapidly-developed spacecraft, allowing much more frequent launches of smaller, lower-cost missions. The Mars Global Surveyor, launched in November 1996, is an example of this new paradigm. Developed in less than 3-years, MGS is only one-fifth the mass of Cassini, and only cost on the order of $220M. The reduced spacecraft mass allows use of the smaller, lower cost Delta launch vehicle. Currently in orbit about Mars, MGS carries a focused suite of six science instruments that are currently returning high-resolution remote sensing of the Martian surface. The future calls for continued even more aggressive mass and cost targets. Examples of these next-generation goals are embodied in the Mars Micromission spacecraft concept, targeted for launch in 2003. With a mass of only 200kg, this lightweight bus can be tailored to carry a variety of payloads to Mars or other inner-planet destinations. The design of the Micromission spacecraft enable them to be launched at extremely low cost as a secondary "piggyback" payload.

Squibb, G. F.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The MEMS Knudsen Compressor as a Vacuum Pump for Space Exploration Applications

Several lander, probe and rover missions currently under study at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and especially in the Microdevices Laboratory (MDL) Center for Space Microelectronics Technology, focus on utilizing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based instruments for science data gathering. These small instruments and NASA's commitment to "faster, better, cheaper" type missions has brought about the need for novel approaches to satisfying mission requirements. Existing in-situ instrument systems clearly lack novel and integrated methods for satisfying their vacuum needs. One attractive candidate for a MEMS vacuum pump is the Knudsen Compressor, which operates based on thermal transpiration. Thermal transpiration describes gas flows induced by temperature differences maintained across orifices, porous membranes or capillary tubes under rarefied conditions. This device has two overwhelmingly attractive features as a MEMS vacuum pump - no moving parts and no fluids. An initial estimate of a Knudsen Compressor's pumping power requirements for a surface atmospheric sampling task on Mars is less than 80 mW, significantly below than alternative pumps. Due to the relatively low energy use for this task and the applicability of the Knudsen Compressor to other applications, the development of a Knudsen Compressor utilizing MEMS fabrication techniques has been initiated. This paper discusses the initial fabrication of a single-stage MEMS Knudsen Compressor vacuum pump, provides performance criteria such as pumping speed, size, energy use and ultimate pressure and details vacuum pump applications in several MDL related in-situ instruments.

Vargo, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Deep Space Systems Technology Program (DSST-X2000) Future Deliveries

The number of deep space missions is increasing as we embark on a new era of exploration. New missions are "faster-better-cheaper" and cannot afford large individual investments in technology. A new process is needed fo allow these missions to take advantage of the technological breakthroughs that are critical to getting the cost down while increasing the science. The key is multimission technology development. NASA will make institutional investments in technology to benefit sets of missions. Continuous investment will provide a series of revolutions in technology to address common challenges in mission design and execution.

Salvo, Christopher G.↗