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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 NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems: Recent and Upcoming Technology Demonstrations and Development Efforts

NASA’s Small Spacecraft & Distributed Systems (SSDS) program strengthens U.S. ability to conduct unique missions by rapidly developing and demonstrating capabilities for SmallSat exploration, science, and commercial space. In collaboration with NASA Centers, other government agencies, commercial industry, and academia, SSDS advances next generation SmallSat technologies like power, processing, propulsion, communications, autonomous navigation, architectures (swarms), and applications (AI/ML/Edge Computing)—to extend missions beyond LEO into cislunar and planetary space. Various investment mechanisms exist for SSDS to select and fund projects that will ultimately advance NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture. Presented here are the latest achievements and findings from recently completed SSDS projects, along with updates from ongoing efforts and planned future work. Successful missions like Starling and CAPSTONE continue to demonstrate their capability after several years on-orbit. Advancements in next generation swarm configurations are being implemented by Starling for space traffic monitoring and management applications. Findings from recent SSDS flight projects are discussed: DiskSat, a unique SmallSat platform alternative to canisterized nanosatellites, launched December 2025 and is gathering data; the PTD series of missions concluded in December 2025. Current SSDS efforts are focused on addressing NASA Shortfalls relating to rendezvous and proximity operations, neuromorphic computing, and space situational awareness.

Roger Hunter↗
NASA NTRS1993

Data Analysis for GOPEX Image Frames

This article describes the data analysis based on the image frames received at the Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera of the Galileo Optical Experiment (GOPEX) demonstration conducted between December 9 and 16, 1992. Laser uplink was successfully established between the ground and the Galileo spacecraft during its second Earth-gravity-assist phase in December 1992. SSI camera frames were acquired which contained images of detected laser pulses transmitted from the Table Mountain Facility (TMF), Wrightwood, California, and the Starfire Optical Range (SOR), Albuquerque, New Mex/co. Laser pulse data were processed using standard image-processing techniques at the Multimission Image Processing Laboratory (MIPL) for preliminary pulse identification and to produce public re/ease images. Subsequent image analysis corrected for background noise to measure received pulse intensities. Data were plotted to obtain histograms on a dmly basis and were then compared with theoretical results derived from applicable weak-turbulence and strong-turbulence considerations. This article describes processing steps and compares the theories with the experimented results. Quantitative agreement was found in both turbulence regimes, and better agreement would have been found, given more received laser pulses. Future experiments should consider methods to reliably measure low-intensity pulses, and through experimented planning to geometrically locate pulse positions with greater certainty.

B M Levine↗
NASA NTRS2022

Test Data Analysis of the Thermodynamic Vent System-Augmented Top Spray Injector Liquid Nitrogen Transfer Experiments

Traditionally, a cryogenic tank must be pre-chilled to some “target” temperature before the main vent valve can be closed to attempt a non-vented fill (NVF) of cryogenic liquid propellant. This methodology is particularly attractive for performing in-space transfer of cryogens due to the unknown location of the liquid/vapor interface in microgravity and the high likelihood of venting liquid if the vent valve is opened during transfer. This paper presents in-depth test data analysis of a Thermodynamic Vent System (TVS) augmented injector used for cryogenic tank chilldown and fill experiments of a thin-walled Titanium tank. Eight tests were conducted using liquid nitrogen across a range of inlet conditions and boundary conditions, and three different chilldown/fill methods. For four of the tests, the injector sprays liquid into the tank as normal, but also uses a TVS heat exchanger to cool the metallic injector itself as well as the main incoming liquid stream. Results show that using the TVS augmented injector simplifies transfer operation via enhanced condensation at the injector surface at the cost of sacrificing only a small amount of propellant.

Thermodynamic Vent System↗
NASA NTRS2026

NASA JSC’s Simulant Development Lab Capabilities and Artemis Testing

The Simulant Development Lab (SDL) is a multifunctional collaborative workspace that supports the development, curation, analysis, testing, and distribution of planetary regolith simulants – including lunar, Martian, asteroidal, and other granular materials. The lab provides a multidisciplinary setting for scientific characterization of simulant physical properties and for engineering evaluations conducted with simulant test beds. To enable this work, the SDL curates and maintains a stock of more than 35 metric tons of simulant material. To evaluate these materials and support testing goals, the lab is equipped with a comprehensive suite of processing tools and analytical instruments. These capabilities enable the SDL’s mission at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to distribute, develop, process, characterize, and test regolith simulants for mission relevant applications. Through controlled and repeatable testing environments that replicate the physical and compositional properties of lunar regolith, the SDL supports Artemis hardware maturation, providing safe, Earth‑based analogs for evaluating systems that must withstand regolith dust interactions, physical wear and abrasion, and operational loads. The facility’s extensive simulant inventory and integrated geological and engineering test infrastructure accelerate technology readiness for Artemis and future exploration campaigns (e.g., future crewed or robotic missions to Mars).

Simulant Development Lab↗
NASA NTRS1992

Materials And Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS) LDEF materials database

The Materials and Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS) is a collection of materials data which was computerized and is available to engineers in the aerospace community involved in the design and development of spacecraft and related hardware. Consisting of various database segments, MAPTIS provides the user with information such as material properties, test data derived from tests specifically conducted for qualification of materials for use in space, verification and control, project management, material information, and various administrative requirements. A recent addition to the project management segment consists of materials data derived from the LDEF flight. This tremendous quantity of data consists of both pre-flight and post-flight data in such diverse areas as optical/thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, atomic concentration surface analysis data, as well as general data such as sample placement on the satellite, A-O flux, equivalent sun hours, etc. Each data point is referenced to the primary investigator(s) and the published paper from which the data was taken. The MAPTIS system is envisioned to become the central location for all LDEF materials data. This paper consists of multiple parts, comprising a general overview of the MAPTIS System and the types of data contained within, and the specific LDEF data element and the data contained in that segment.

John M. Davis↗
NASA NTRS2023

CFD Modeling of Bi-Directional PMD inside Cryogenic Propellant Tanks Onboard Parabolic Flights

Future cryogenic propulsion systems will require efficient methods with which to transfer cryogenic propellants from a depot storage tank to a customer receiver tank to minimize cost and maximize reusability. The Reduced Gravity Cryogenic Transfer project is currently developing advanced cryogenic fluid management technology and developing and validating new numerical models for three phases of transfer: line chilldown, tank chilldown, and tank fill. Additionally, multiple liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) parabolic flight transfer rigs are being designed by universities and NASA to investigate the gravitational sensitivities that exist in these three technologies. In order to maximize the collection of low-g data during flights, it is required to extract as much (LN 2 as possible from the supply tank, despite variable gravity levels. The purpose of this paper is to present computational fluid dynamics (CFD) volume of fluid simulations of (LN 2 behavior in the supply tank onboard parabolic flights to validate the optimal design of a bi-directional propellant management device (PMD) using the commercial software FLOW-3D. A parametric study is conducted on the effects of gravity level, fill level, pore size, open area, thickness, and type of baffle on PMD performance. Based on results, the PMD as designed exceeds the targeted expulsion efficiency.

Jason Hartwig↗
NASA NTRS2006

Progress on Shape Memory Alloy Actuator Development for Active Clearance Control

Results of a numerical analysis evaluating the feasibility of high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMA) for active clearance control actuation in the high-pressure turbine section of a modern turbofan engine has been conducted. The prototype actuator concept considered here consists of parallel HTSMA wires attached to the shroud that is located on the exterior of the turbine case. A transient model of an HTSMA actuator was used to evaluate active clearance control at various operating points in a test bed aircraft engine simulation. For the engine under consideration, each actuator must be designed to counteract loads from 380 to 2000 lbf and displace at least 0.033 in. Design results show that an actuator comprised of 10 wires 2 in. in length is adequate for control at critical engine operating points and still exhibit acceptable failsafe operability and cycle life. A proportional-integral- derivative (PID) controller with integrator windup protection was implemented to control clearance amidst engine transients during a normal mission. Simulation results show that the control system exhibits minimal variability in clearance control performance across the operating envelope. The final actuator design is sufficiently small to fit within the limited space outside the high-pressure turbine case and is shown to consume only small amounts of bleed air to adequately regulate temperature.

Jonathan DeCastro↗
NASA NTRS2026

X-Ray Polarization From the Atoll 4U 1735−44 Suggests a Low Inclination

X-ray polarimetry is a new tool capable of probing the geometry of accretion onto weakly magnetized neutron stars. Here we present the first X-ray spectro-polarimetric results from coordinated observations of the atoll source 4U 1735−44, conducted with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), NICER, and NuSTAR . Over the 2–8 keV energy range, we obtained a marginal detection of polarization with the polarization degree of 1.4% ± 0.7% and polarization angle of −29◦ ± 14◦, corresponding to a 3σ upper limit on the polarization degree of 3.5%. The best-fit model to describe the spectrum comprises a thermal component associated with the accretion disk, a Comptonized black body component, and a relativistic reflection component. From the reflection model, we infer a disk inclination of ∼40◦. The spectroscopic and polarimetric properties of 4U 1735−44 are consistent with those observed in other atoll sources studied by IXPE, with its low polarization likely due to its low inclination

X-rays: binaries↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Study of Dopant Segregation Behavior During the Growth of GaAs in Microgravity

An investigation into the segregation behavior of selenium doped gallium arsenide during directional solidification in the microgravity environment was conducted using the Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF) aboard the first United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1). The two crystals grown were 1.5 cm in diameter and 16.5 cm in length with an initial melt length of 14 cm. Two translation periods were executed, the first at 2.5 microns/s and after a specified time, which was different between the two experiments, the translation rate was doubled to 5.0 microns/s. The translation was then stopped and the remaining sample melt was solidified using a gradient freeze technique in the first sample and a rapid solidification in the second experiment. Measurement of the selenium dopant distribution, using quantitative infrared transmission imaging, indicates that the first sample initially achieved diffusion controlled growth as desired. However, after about 1 cm of growth, the segregation behavior was driven from a diffusion controlled growth regime to a complete mixing regime. Measurements in the second flight sample indicated that the growth was always in a complete mixing regime. In both experiments, voids in the center line of the crystal, indicative of bubble entrapment, were found to correlate with the position in the crystal when the translation rates were doubled.

D H Matthiesen↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Thermomechanical Modeling of Woven Materials With Particle-Based, Explicit-Fiber Simulations

Fiber-based materials are extensively used to protect spacecraft during entry. Insulative fibers, often in a fiber network or woven, provide rigidity, strength, and control of material anisotropy and density. Woven thermal protection materials, such as ADEPT (Adaptable, Deployable Entry and Placement Technology), 3D-MAT (3-Dimensional Multifunctional Ablative Thermal Protection), and 3MDCP (3D Woven Mid-Density Carbon Phenolic), enable missions with stronger and denser materials for entry profiles with high shear and heat flux. Vulnerabilities to woven thermal protection materials include manufacturing-induced material property variation, and impact from micrometeoroids. Simulating woven materials under these conditions require models that can resolve hierarchal structures, thermomechanical behavior, and failure. To address this, we simulate weave thermal conduction and mechanical deformation. We simulate the full weave with a coarse-grained yarn model is presented. The model combines a validated, high-resolution single 3MDCP yarn model and phenolic resin model. Instead of modeling every fiber, each yarn ply with order 10, instead of order 1000, fibers. The discrete element bonded particle model (DEM-BPM) of fibers captures the thermal and mechanical behavior within and between fibers. We study the proportion of heat transfer and stress via the contact network, fiber bonds, and overall weave geometry.

bonded particle↗
NASA NTRS1993

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report

This quarterly publication provides archival reports on developments in programs managed by JPL's Office of Telecommunications and Data Acquisition (TDA). In space communications, radio navigation, radio science, and ground-based radio and radar astronomy, it reports on activities of the Deep Space Network (DSN) in planning, supporting research and technology, implementation, and operations. Also included are standards activity at JPL for space data and information systems and reimbursable DSN work performed for other space agencies through NASA. The preceding work is all performed for NASA's Office of Space Communications (OSC). The TDA Office also performs work funded by another NASA program office through and with the cooperation of OSC. This is the Orbital Debris Radar Program with tile Office of Space Systems Development. The TDA Office is directly involved in several tasks that directly support the Office of Space Science (OSS), with OSC funding DSN operational support. In radio science, The TDA Progress Report describes the spacecraft radio science program conducted using tile DSN. For the High-Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS), the report covers implementation and operations for searching the microwave spectrum. In solar system radar, it reports on the uses of the Goldstone Solar System Radar for scientific exploration of the planets, their rings and satellites, asteroids, and comets. In radio astronomy, the areas off support include spectroscopy, very long baseline interferometry, and astrometry.

Edward C Posner↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Polymer Composite Material Screening for a Cryotank Application

Composite cryotanks will play a key role in enabling the next generation of efficient aircraft. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have the benefits of reduced weight and potentially higher structural strength compared to traditional metallic fuel tanks. A material screening study was conducted to inform material selection for liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel storage. Three composite materials were considered because of their aerospace grade toughness, strength, and existing data to compare against. These materials were a thermoplastic low-melt polyaryletherketone (LM-PAEK)/carbon fiber (CF), thermoset/CF, and hybrid thermoset/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) veil/CF composite. Mechanical screening tests included tension, compression, in-plane shear (IPS), and tensile-tensile fatigue (TTF). Each material was tested at both a baseline (no liquid nitrogen/LN2 cycling) and 100 LN2-cycled conditions to determine the knockdown factor, if any, of each material when exposed to environmental loading effects in a cryotank. Results show minimal effects of the LN2-cycling compared against baseline values. The three materials behaved similarly in tension; however, the thermoplastic/CF had the highest IPS toughness. The hybrid thermoset/TPU/CF composite had the lowest IPS strength, compressive strength, and toughness. LN2-cycling had minimal effects on tensile-tensile fatigue performance of the thermoplastic/CF material. Mechanical data was captured to guide material down selection for future commercially viable hydrogen aircraft design.

Composites↗
NASA NTRS2026

Helicopter and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Laboratory Comparison (HULC) Psychoacoustic Test

The Helicopter and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Laboratory Comparison (HULC) psychoacoustic test was conducted in July 2025 to compare human annoyance responses to noise from UAM vehicles and helicopters. This document provides a literature review, describes the HULC test methodology including stimuli selection and test administration procedures, and presents results from an initial analysis using multilevel statistical modeling. The test utilized 123 sound stimuli from four helicopters and six UAM vehicles across three flight phases (departure, cruise, and approach), presented to 40 subjects in the Exterior Effects Room (EER) at NASA's Langley Research Center. Subjects rated their annoyance on a 0 to 10 scale while imagining hearing these sounds multiple times daily near their homes. Key findings revealed that, at the same A-weighted sound exposure levels, UAM vehicles and helicopters produced similar annoyance responses across all flight phases, with mean differences of only approximately 1 dB and overlapping confidence intervals. However, at equivalent observer distances, UAM vehicles had inherently quieter operations and lower mean annoyance ratings. These results suggest that UAM vehicles and helicopters may be assessed in a similar manner for community noise impact. The quieter noise characteristics of UAM vehicles may provide advantages for operating in communities and integrating into urban environments.

psychoacoustics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems Program - Recent and Upcoming Technology Demonstrations and Development Efforts

NASA’s Small Spacecraft & Distributed Systems (SSDS) program strengthens U.S. ability to conduct unique missions by rapidly developing and demonstrating capabilities for SmallSat exploration, science, and commercial space. In collaboration with NASA Centers, other government agencies, commercial industry, and academia, SSDS advances next generation SmallSat technologies like power, processing, propulsion, communications, autonomous navigation, architectures (swarms), and applications (AI/ML/Edge Computing)—to extend missions beyond LEO into cislunar and planetary space. Various investment mechanisms exist for SSDS to select and fund projects that will ultimately advance NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture. Presented here are the latest achievements and findings from recently completed SSDS projects, along with updates from ongoing efforts and planned future work. Successful missions like Starling and CAPSTONE continue to demonstrate their capability after several years on-orbit. Advancements in next generation swarm configurations are being implemented by Starling for space traffic monitoring and management applications. Findings from recent SSDS flight projects are discussed: DiskSat, a unique SmallSat platform alternative to canisterized nanosatellites, launched December 2025 and is gathering data; the PTD series of missions concluded in December 2025. Current SSDS efforts are focused on addressing NASA Shortfalls relating to rendezvous and proximity operations, neuromorphic computing, and space situational awareness.

Roger C Hunter↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulated Lunar Gravity Testing of VIPER Loop Heat Pipe

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission consists of a rover designed to explore the lunar south pole. One of the main challenges faced by the rover during the lunar polar exploration is the adverse thermal environment. Temperatures can fluctuate more than a 100°C between day and night; potentially dropping to −246°C in permanent shadow regions. To maintain the rover components within temperature limits, VIPER’s Thermal Management System (TMS) relies heavily on Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs). To assist the design of the thermal management system, an Engineering Design Unit (EDU) LHP has been tested in several opportunities under thermal vacuum (TVAC) environment. Of particular interest was the LHP performance in lunar gravity. To that end, the EDU LHP was tested at the nominal orientation within the rover assembly, vertical, and inclined such that the gravitational component acting on the LHP evaporator and condenser was 1/6g (lunar gravity is 1/6 of Earth gravity) when compared to the vertical configuration. This paper will examine the LHP conductance as one the key parameters to assess the effect of the gravity on the LHP performance.

Loop Heat Pipe↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Design and Analysis of Battery Thermal Management Systems

Thermal management of battery cell packs is a critically needed technology. The purpose of this work is to design new and improved Battery Thermal Management Systems (BTMS) for use in electric airplanes. The BTMS should be 3D printable and hold twelve to sixteen 18650 batteries. To minimize aircraft’s weight, an actively air-cooled battery pack was chosen to avoid the excess weight of water-cooled and phase change material (PCM) cooled packs. As a result, significant changes were made to remove all metal in the pack and replace it with lower density polymer matrix composites (PMCs) which can be additively manufactured. Two air cooled battery pack configurations (traditional propeller fans & bladeless fans) were designed, modeled, and compared. These packs were first modeled in SolidWorks 2021 3D CAD, then imported into COMSOL MultiPhysics to be studied using the “Heat Transfer in Solids and Fluids” module. The design with the bladeless fans eliminated the need to use high conductivity heavy metal to remove unwanted thermal energy. These bladeless fans were designed entirely out of PMCs. This thermal pack design weighs 0.04 kg less than that of the traditional propeller fans design and has increased the battery pack energy density by 8.25 Wh/kg.

Thermal Management System for Battery Packs↗
NASA NTRS1995

Space Shuttle Main Engine Propellant Path Leak Detection Using Sequential Image Processing

Initial research in this study using theoretical radiation transport models established that the occurrence of a leak is accompanies by a sudden but sustained change in intensity in a given region of an image. In this phase, temporal processing of video images on a frame-by-frame basis was used to detect leaks within a given field of view. The leak detection algorithm developed in this study consists of a digital highpass filter cascaded with a moving average filter. The absolute value of the resulting discrete sequence is then taken and compared to a threshold value to produce the binary leak/no leak decision at each point in the image. Alternatively, averaging over the full frame of the output image produces a single time-varying mean value estimate that is indicative of the intensity and extent of a leak. Laboratory experiments were conducted in which artificially created leaks on a simulated SSME background were produced and recorded from a visible wavelength video camera. This data was processed frame-by-frame over the time interval of interest using an image processor implementation of the leak detection algorithm. In addition, a 20 second video sequence of an actual SSME failure was analyzed using this technique. The resulting output image sequences and plots of the full frame mean value versus time verify the effectiveness of the system.

L Montgomery Smith↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Thermostructural Testing of PICA-D for NASA Planetary Science Missions

Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator–Domestic (PICA‑D) has been selected as the heatshield thermal protection system (TPS) material for two upcoming NASA planetary science missions: the Dragonfly mission to Titan and the Mars Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL). Early testing revealed differences between PICA‑D and heritage PICA, particularly in in‑plane (IP) tensile stiffness and thermal expansion. Thermostructural analyses using Finite Element Method (FEM) tools subsequently predicted the potential for IP compressive failure in the near‑surface layers of PICA‑D under both Dragonfly and SRL flight environments. Over the past three years, the Dragonfly and SRL teams have carried out an extensive thermostructural qualification campaign to address these concerns and validate PICA‑D for flight. This effort began with a comprehensive mechanical property characterization program at Kratos test laboratories, which significantly improved understanding of PICA‑D mechanical behavior and increased the fidelity of FEM predictions. The teams also conducted six large‑scale test entries at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF) solar tower, exposing PICA‑D articles—including gap fillers and representative design features or flaws—to combined thermal and mechanical loads. The talk will summarize key findings from these mechanical and thermostructural test campaigns and present the current status of PICA‑D qualification for NASA’s planetary science missions.

TPS↗