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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Survey for Life-related Species During a Planetary Surface Exploration; System Type I - UV Stimulated Fluorescent Sensor

The widely accepted minimum requirements for life on Earth include the presence of water and accessible sources of carbon. We assume that the same criteria must hold for putative life on past or present Mars. The evidence for CO2 and H2O at or near the Martian surface, carbon in Martian meteorites, aqueous alteration, and probable hydrothermal activity suggest that conditions conducive to the origin and evolution of life on Mars may have existed for long periods of time and may still obtain at present. Surface exploration on Mars that enables the direct detection of water in minerals and of organic carbon (including not just organic and biogenic materials but their degradation products such as kerogen-like hydrocarbons and graphitized carbon) that might be products or residues of biologic activity, is crucial. The search for evidence of life, past or present, will nevertheless be difficult. The lack of direct evidence for organic carbon and the low amounts of water found in the soils at the Viking sites demonstrated the difficulties. Recent results of GRS experiment of Odyssey mission indicated the existence of abundant water ice beneath the Mars surface. Mineralogical evidence for the presence of carbonate, sulfates, or clay minerals, products of weathering and aqueous deposition, have not been identified unambiguously on Mars. Rocks such as shales and, more particularly, limestones, which we associate with moist and benign environments on Earth, are evidently not abundant. Presumably, then, neither were the photosynthetic organisms that might have produced them. In addition, the harsh present environment on Mars (e.g., dryness, low temperatures, large temperature cycles, high level of UV light on the surface, frequent dust storms, etc.) can both destroy carbon- and water-bearing materials and hide them. Therefore, directly detecting life-related materials on Mars was likened to seeking and examining proverbial needles in haystacks. We argue that survey type instruments, that can frequently and quickly check a relatively large amount of material at many locations during a mission, are essential.

Wang, Alian↗
NASA NTRS2004

Lunar and Planetary Surface Dynamics and Early History

The research described by this annual research report covers the following subjects: A) Early solar system processes and time scales using I-Xe chronometry; B) I-Xe studies of individual chondrules; C) Additional Ongoing Projects.

Hohenberg, Charles M.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Age of Lunar Meteorite LAP02205 and Implications for Impact-Sampling of Planetary Surfaces

We have measured the age of lunar meteorite LAP02205 by the Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar methods. Sm-Nd analyses are in progress. The Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar ages indicate a crystallization age of approx. 3 Ga. Comparing the ages of LAP02205 and other lunar mare basaltic meteorites to mare surface ages based on the density of impact craters shows no significant bias in impact- sampling of lunar mare surfaces. Comparing the isotopic and geochemical data for LAP02205 to those for other lunar mare basalts suggests that it is a younger variant of the type of volcanism that produced the Apollo 12 basalts. Representative impact-sampling of the lunar surface

Nyquist, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Preliminary Estimates of the Possibilities for Developing a Deployable Greenhouse for a Planetary Surface (Mars)

Two of the main conditions for plant growth and development on the Martian surface are irradiation (optimal range from 80 W/sq m to 180 W/sq m of photosynthetically active radiation) and temperature (optimal range from 20 C to 27 C). The only known natural source of energy on Mars is sunlight, with a general intensity of 589 +/- 142 W/sq m (Martian Solar Constant). Comparisons of plant growth requirements with conditions on the Martian surface are presented in Table 1, while some basic considerations for implementing plant growth in a Martian DG are presented in Table 2. The general scenario and approximate schedule of startup and development of operations in DG are shown in Table 3.

Rygalov, V. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Robotic Planetary Surface Exploration

At the present time several spacecraft are exploring the solar system. Cassini, perhaps the last large JPL spacecraft, is on its way to Saturn and its moon Titan. Galileo spacecraft is finishing its exploration of Jupiter and its moons.

robotics surface exploration Mars Cassini↗
NASA NTRS2005

Humanoids for lunar and planetary surface operations

This paper presents a vision of humanoid robots as human's key partners in future space exploration, in particular for construction, maintenance/repair and operation of lunar/planetary habitats, bases and settlements. It integrates this vision with the recent plans, for human and robotic exploration, aligning a set of milestones for operational capability of humanoids with the schedule for the next decades and development spirals in the Project Constellation. These milestones relate to a set of incremental challenges, for the solving of which new humanoid technologies are needed. A system of systems integrative approach that would lead to readiness of cooperating humanoid crews is sketched. Robot fostering, training/education techniques, and improved cognitive/sensory/motor development techniques are considered essential elements for achieving intelligent humanoids. A pilot project in this direction is outlined.

information fusion↗
NASA NTRS2006

Humanoids for Lunar and Planetary Surface Operations

Human-like shape makes humanoids well suited for being fostered/taught by humans, and for learning from humans, which we consider the best means to develop cognitive and perceptual/motor skills for truly intelligent, cognitive robots.

autonomous behavior↗
NASA NTRS2011

Crew Field Notes: A New Tool for Planetary Surface Exploration

The Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) field tests of 2010 focused on the simultaneous operation of two rovers, a historical first. The complexity and data volume of two rovers operating simultaneously presented significant operational challenges for the on-site Mission Control Center, including the real time science support function. The latter was split into two "tactical" back rooms, one for each rover, that supported the real time traverse activities; in addition, a "strategic" science team convened overnight to synthesize the day's findings, and to conduct the strategic forward planning of the next day or days as detailed in [1, 2]. Current DRATS simulations and operations differ dramatically from those of Apollo, including the most evolved Apollo 15-17 missions, due to the advent of digital technologies. Modern digital still and video cameras, combined with the capability for real time transmission of large volumes of data, including multiple video streams, offer the prospect for the ground based science support room(s) in Mission Control to witness all crew activities in unprecedented detail and in real time. It was not uncommon during DRATS 2010 that each tactical science back room simultaneously received some 4-6 video streams from cameras mounted on the rover or the crews' backpacks. Some of the rover cameras are controllable PZT (pan, zoom, tilt) devices that can be operated by the crews (during extensive drives) or remotely by the back room (during EVAs). Typically, a dedicated "expert" and professional geologist in the tactical back room(s) controls, monitors and analyses a single video stream and provides the findings to the team, commonly supported by screen-saved images. It seems obvious, that the real time comprehension and synthesis of the verbal descriptions, extensive imagery, and other information (e.g. navigation data; time lines etc) flowing into the science support room(s) constitute a fundamental challenge to future mission operations: how can one analyze, comprehend and synthesize -in real time- the enormous data volume coming to the ground? Real time understanding of all data is needed for constructive interaction with the surface crews, and it becomes critical for the strategic forward planning process.

Horz, Friedrich↗
NASA NTRS2011

Proposal for Certifying Expandable Planetary Surface Habitation Structures

A factor-of-safety (FS) of 4.0 is currently used to design habitation structures made from structural soft goods. This approach is inconsistent with using a FS of 2.0 for metallic and polymeric composite pressure vessels as well as soft good structures such as space suits and parachutes. This inconsistency arises by using the FS to improperly account for the unknown effects of a variety of environmental and loading uncertainties. Using a 4.0 FS not only results in additional structural mass, it also makes it difficult to gain insight into the limitations of the material and/or product form and thus, it becomes difficult to make improvements. In order to bring consistency to the design and certification of expandable habitat structures, the approach used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certify polymeric composite aircraft structures is used as a model and point of departure. A draft certification plan for Expandable Habitat Structures is developed in this paper and offered as an option for placing habitats made from soft goods on an equal footing with other structural implementations.

Dorsey, John T.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Laser Infrared Desorption Spectroscopy to Detect Complex Organic Molecules on Icy Planetary Surfaces

Laser Desorption-Infrared Spectroscopy (LD-IR) uses an IR laser pulse to desorb surface materials while a spectrometer measures the emission spectrum of the desorbed materials (Figure 1). In this example, laser desorption operates by having the incident laser energy absorbed by near surface material (~10 microns in depth). This desorption produces a plume that exists in an excited state at elevated temperatures. A natural analog for this phenomenon can be observed when comets approach the sun and become active and individual molecular emission spectra can be observed in the IR [1,2,3,4,5]. When this occurs in comets, the same species that initially emit radiation down to the ground state are free to absorb it, reducing the amount of detectable emission features. The nature of our technique results in absorption not occurring, because the laser pulse could easily be moved away form the initial desorption plume, and still have better spatial resolution then reflectance spectroscopy. In reflectance spectroscopy, trace components have a relatively weak signal when compared to the entire active nature of the surface. With LDIR, the emission spectrum is used to identify and analyze surface materials.

Laser Desorption-Infrared Spectroscopy↗
NASA NTRS2012

High-Resolution and Analytical TEM Investigation of Space Radiation Processing Effects in Primitive Solar System Materials and Airless Planetary Surface Environments

Energetic ions present in the diverse plasma conditions in space play a significant role in the formation and modification of solid phases found in environments ranging from the interstellar medium (ISM) to the surfaces of airless bodies such as asteroids and the Moon. These effects are often referred to as space radiation processing, a term that encompasses changes induced in natural space-exposed materials that may be only structural, such as in radiation-induced amorphization, or may involve ion-induced nanoscale to microscale chemical changes, as occurs in preferential sputtering and ion-beam mixing. Ion sputtering in general may also be responsible for partial or complete erosion of space exposed materials, in some instances possibly bringing about the complete destruction of free-floating solid grains in the ISM or in circumstellar nebular dust clouds. We report here on two examples of the application of high-resolution and analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to problems in space radiation processing. The first problem concerns the role of space radiation processing in controlling the overall fate of Fe sulfides as hosts for sulfur in the ISM. The second problem concerns the known, but as yet poorly quantified, role of space radiation processing in lunar space weathering.

Christoffersen, R.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Science Operations During Planetary Surface Exploration: Desert-RATS Tests 2009-2011

NASA s Research and Technology Studies (RATS) team evaluates technology, human-robotic systems and extravehicular equipment for use in future human space exploration missions. Tests are conducted in simulated space environments, or analog tests, using prototype instruments, vehicles, and systems. NASA engineers, scientists and technicians from across the country gather annually with representatives from industry and academia to perform the tests. Test scenarios include future missions to near-Earth asteroids (NEA), the moon and Mars.. Mission simulations help determine system requirements for exploring distant locations while developing the technical skills required of the next generation of explorers.

Cohen, Barbara↗
NASA NTRS2007

Cratering Soil by Impinging Jets of Gas, with Application to Landing Rockets on Planetary Surfaces

Several physical mechanisms are involved in excavating granular materials beneath a vertical jet of gas. These occur, for example, beneath the exhaust plume of a rocket landing on the soil of the Moon or Mars. A series of experiments and simulations have been performed to provide a detailed view of the complex gas/soil interactions. Measurements have also been taken from the Apollo lunar landing videos and from photographs of the resulting terrain, and these help to demonstrate how the interactions extrapolate into the lunar environment. It is important to understand these processes at a fundamental level to support the ongoing design of higher-fidelity numerical simulations and larger-scale experiments. These are needed to enable future lunar exploration wherein multiple hardware assets will be placed on the Moon within short distances of one another. The high-velocity spray of soil from landing spacecraft must be accurately predicted and controlled lest it erosively damage the surrounding hardware.

Metzger, Philip T.↗