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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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Aerosol Properties over the Indo-Gangetic Plain: A Mesoscale Perspective from the TIGERZ Experiment

High aerosol loading over the northern Indian subcontinent can result in poor air quality leading to human health consequences and climate perturbations. The international 2008 TIGERZ experiment intensive operational period (IOP) was conducted in the Indo \Gangetic Plain (IGP) around the industrial city of Kanpur (26.51degN, 80.23deg E), India, during the premonsoon (April-June). Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Sun photometers performed frequent measurements of aerosol properties at temporary sites distributed within an area covering 50 sq km around Kanpur to characterize pollution and dust in a region where complex aerosol mixtures and semi \bright surface effects complicate satellite retrieval algorithms. TIGERZ IOP Sun photometers quantified aerosol optical depth (AOD) increases up to 0.10 within and downwind of the city, with urban emissions accounting for 10 C20% of the IGP aerosol loading on deployment days. TIGERZ IOP area \averaged volume size distribution and single scattering albedo retrievals indicated spatially homogeneous, uniformly sized, spectrally absorbing pollution and dust particles. Aerosol absorption and size relationships were used to categorize black carbon and dust as dominant absorbers and to identify a third category in which both black carbon and dust dominate absorption.Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) AOD retrievals with the lowest quality assurance (QA > or = 0) flags were biased high with respect to TIGERZ IOP area \averaged measurements. MODIS AOD retrievals with QA 0 had moderate correlation (R(sup 2) = 0.52-69) with the Kanpur AERONET site, whereas retrievals with QA > 0 were limited in number. Mesoscale \distributed Sun photometers quantified temporal and spatial variability of aerosol properties, and these results were used to validate satellite retrievals.

Giles, David M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Solar System Exploration Augmented by Lunar and Outer Planet Resource Utilization: Historical Perspectives and Future Possibilities

Establishing a lunar presence and creating an industrial capability on the Moon may lead to important new discoveries for all of human kind. Historical studies of lunar exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and industrialization all point to the vast resources on the Moon and its links to future human and robotic exploration. In the historical work, a broad range of technological innovations are described and analyzed. These studies depict program planning for future human missions throughout the solar system, lunar launched nuclear rockets, and future human settlements on the Moon, respectively. Updated analyses based on the visions presented are presented. While advanced propulsion systems were proposed in these historical studies, further investigation of nuclear options using high power nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear surface power, as well as advanced chemical propulsion can significantly enhance these scenarios. Robotic and human outer planet exploration options are described in many detailed and extensive studies. Nuclear propulsion options for fast trips to the outer planets are discussed. To refuel such vehicles, atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has also been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as helium 3 (3He) and hydrogen (H2) can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and H2 (deuterium, etc.) were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses have investigated resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. These analyses included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. With these two additional gases, the potential for fueling small and large fleets of additional exploration and exploitation vehicles exists.

Palaszewski, Bryan↗
NASA NTRS2014

Solar System Exploration Augmented by Lunar and Outer Planet Resource Utilization: Historical Perspectives and Future Possibilities

Establishing a lunar presence and creating an industrial capability on the Moon may lead to important new discoveries for all of human kind. Historical studies of lunar exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and industrialization all point to the vast resources on the Moon and its links to future human and robotic exploration. In the historical work, a broad range of technological innovations are described and analyzed. These studies depict program planning for future human missions throughout the solar system, lunar launched nuclear rockets, and future human settlements on the Moon, respectively. Updated analyses based on the visions presented are presented. While advanced propulsion systems were proposed in these historical studies, further investigation of nuclear options using high power nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear surface power, as well as advanced chemical propulsion can significantly enhance these scenarios. Robotic and human outer planet exploration options are described in many detailed and extensive studies. Nuclear propulsion options for fast trips to the outer planets are discussed. To refuel such vehicles, atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has also been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and hydrogen can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and hydrogen (deuterium, etc.) were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses have investigated resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. These analyses included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. With these two additional gases, the potential for fueling small and large fleets of additional exploration and exploitation vehicles exists.

Palaszewski, Bryan↗
NASA NTRS2017

Solar System Exploration Augmented by In-Situ Resource Utilization: Human Planetary Base Issues for Mercury and Saturn

Establishing a lunar presence and creating an industrial capability on the Moon may lead to important new discoveries for all of human kind. Historical studies of lunar exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and industrialization all point to the vast resources on the Moon and its links to future human and robotic exploration. In references 1 through 9, a broad range of technological innovations are described and analyzed. Figures 1 depicts program planning for future human missions throughout the solar system which included lunar launched nuclear rockets, and future human settlements on the Moon. Figures 2 and 3 present the results for human Mercury missions, including LEO departure masses and round trip Mercury lander masses. Using in-situ resources, the missions become less burdensome to the LEO launch infrastructure. In one example using Mercury derived hydrogen, the LEO mass of the human Mercury missions can be reduced from 2,800 MT to 1,140 MT (Ref. 15). Additional analyses of staging options for human Mercury missions will be presented. Figures 4 shows an option for thermal control for long term in-space cryogenic storage and Figure 5 depicts the potentially deleterious elements emanating from Mercury that must be addressed, respectively. Updated analyses based on the visions presented will be presented. While advanced propulsion systems were proposed in these historical studies, further investigation of nuclear options using high power nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion as well as advanced chemical propulsion can significantly enhance these scenarios. Human bases at Mercury may have to be resupplied from resources from regolith and water resources in permanently shadowed craters at its northern pole.

Mercury↗
NASA NTRS2003

Automation and Robotics for Human Mars Exploration (AROMA)

Automation and Robotics (A&R) systems are a key technology for Mars exploration. All over the world initiatives in this field aim at developing new A&R systems and technologies for planetary surface exploration. From December 2000 to February 2002 Kayser-Threde GmbH, Munich, Germany lead a study called AROMA (Automation and Robotics for Human Mars Exploration) under ESA contract in order to define a reference architecture of A&R elements in support of a human Mars exploration program. One of the goals of this effort is to initiate new developments and to maintain the competitiveness of European industry within this field. c2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Space Flight/instrumentation↗
NASA NTRS2016

NASA Glenn Research Center Solar Cell Experiment Onboard the International Space Station

Accurate air mass zero (AM0) measurement is essential for the evaluation of new photovoltaic (PV) technology for space solar cells. The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has flown an experiment designed to measure the electrical performance of several solar cells onboard NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Robotic Refueling Missions (RRM) Task Board 4 (TB4) on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). Four industry and government partners provided advanced PV devices for measurement and orbital environment testing. The experiment was positioned on the exterior of the station for approximately eight months, and was completely self-contained, providing its own power and internal data storage. Several new cell technologies including four-junction (4J) Inverted Metamorphic Multi-junction (IMM) cells were evaluated and the results will be compared to ground-based measurement methods.

Solar Cell Calibration Facility↗
NASA NTRS1989

Graphical programming and the use of simulation for space-based manipulators

Robotic manipulators are difficult to program even without the special requirements of a zero-gravity environment. While attention should be paid to investigating the usefulness of industrial application programming methods to space manipulators, new methods with potential application to both environments need to be invented. These methods should allow various levels of autonomy and human-in-the-loop interaction and simple, rapid switching among them. For all methods simulation must be integrated to provide reliability and safety. Graphical programming of manipulators is a candidate for an effective robot programming method despite current limitations in input devices and displays. A research project in task-level robot programming has built an innovative interface to a state-of-the-art commercial simulation and robot programming platform. The prototype demonstrates simple augmented methods for graphical programming and simulation which may be of particular interest to those concerned with Space Station applications; its development has also raised important issues for the development of more sophisticated robot programming tools. Both aspects of the project are discussed.

Mcgrath, Debra S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Designing the next generation of robotic controllers

The use of scenario-based, object-oriented software engineering methodologies in the next generation of robotic controllers is discussed. The controllers are intended to supplant the decades old technology currently embraced by the manufacturing industry of the United States.

Goldstein, David G.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Further Analyses of the NASA Glenn Research Center Solar Cell and Photovoltaic Materials Experiment Onboard the International Space Station

Accurate air mass zero (AM0) measurement is essential for the evaluation of new photovoltaic (PV) technology for space solar cells. The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has flown an experiment designed to measure the electrical performance of several solar cells onboard NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Robotic Refueling Mission's (RRM) Task Board 4 (TB4) on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). Four industry and government partners provided advanced PV devices for measurement and orbital environment testing. The experiment was positioned on the exterior of the station for approximately eight months, and was completely self-contained, providing its own power and internal data storage. Several new cell technologies including four-junction (4J) Inverted Metamorphic Multi-Junction (IMM) cells were evaluated and the results will be compared to ground-based measurement methods.

multi-junction↗
NASA NTRS1992

US Department of Energy's Efforts in Intelligent Processing Equipment

The Department of Energy (DOE) uses intelligent processing equipment (IPE) technologies to conduct research and development and manufacturing for energy and nuclear weapons programs. This paper highlights several significant IPE efforts underway in DOE. IPE technologies are essential to the accomplishment of DOE's missions, because of the need for small lot production, precision, and accuracy in manufacturing, hazardous waste management, and protection of the environment and the safety and health of the workforce and public. Applications of IPE technologies include environmental remediation and waste handling, advanced manufacturing, and automation of tasks carried out in hazardous areas. DOE laboratories have several key programs that integrate robotics, sensor, and control technologies. These programs embody a considerable technical capability that also may be used to enhance U.S. industrial competitiveness. DOE encourages closer cooperation with U.S. industrial partners based on mutual benefits. This paper briefly describes technology transfer mechanisms available for industrial involvement.

Peavy, Richard D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Enhancement Of Water-Jet Stripping Of Foam

Improved robotic high-pressure-water-jet system strips foam insulation from parts without removing adjacent coating materials like paints, primers, and sealants. Even injects water into crevices and blind holes to clean out foam, without harming adjacent areas. Eliminates both cost of full stripping and recoating and problem of disposing of toxic solutions used in preparation for coating. Developed for postflight refurbishing of aft skirts of booster rockets. System includes six-axis robot provided with special end effector and specially written control software, called Aftfoam. Adaptable to cleaning and stripping in other industrial settings.

Cosby, Steven A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Compact, Low-Force, Low-Noise Linear Actuator

Actuators are critical to all the robotic and manipulation mechanisms that are used in current and future NASA missions, and are also needed for many other industrial, aeronautical, and space activities. There are many types of actuators that were designed to operate as linear or rotary motors, but there is still a need for low-force, low-noise linear actuators for specialized applications, and the disclosed mechanism addresses this need. A simpler implementation of a rotary actuator was developed where the end effector controls the motion of a brush for cleaning a thermal sensor. The mechanism uses a SMA (shape-memory alloy) wire for low force, and low noise. The linear implementation of the actuator incorporates a set of springs and mechanical hard-stops for resetting and fault tolerance to mechanical resistance. The actuator can be designed to work in a pull or push mode, or both. Depending on the volume envelope criteria, the actuator can be configured for scaling its volume down to 4 2 1 cm3. The actuator design has an inherent fault tolerance to mechanical resistance. The actuator has the flexibility of being designed for both linear and rotary motion. A specific configuration was designed and analyzed where fault-tolerant features have been implemented. In this configuration, an externally applied force larger than the design force does not damage the active components of the actuator. The actuator housing can be configured and produced using cost-effective methods such as injection molding, or alternatively, its components can be mounted directly on a small circuit board. The actuator is driven by a SMA -NiTi as a primary active element, and it requires energy on the order of 20 Ws(J) per cycle. Electrical connections to points A and B are used to apply electrical power in the resistive NiTi wire, causing a phase change that contracts the wire on the order of 5%. The actuation period is of the order of a second for generating the stroke, and 4 to 10 seconds for resetting. Thus, this design allows the actuator to work at a frequency of up to 0.1 Hz. The actuator does not make use of the whole range of motion of the SMA material, allowing for large margins on the mechanical parameters of the design. The efficiency of the actuator is of the order of 10%, including the margins. The average dissipated power while driving at full speed is of the order of 1 W, and can be scaled down linearly if the rate of cycling is reduced. This design produces an extremely quiet actuator; it can generate a force greater than 2 N and a stroke greater than 1 cm. The operational duration of SMA materials is of the order of millions of cycles with some reduced stroke over a wide temperature range up to 150 C.

Badescu, Mircea↗
NASA NTRS2012

Compact, Low-Force, Low-Noise Linear Actuator

Actuators are critical to all the robotic and manipulation mechanisms that are used in current and future NASA missions, and are also needed for many other industrial, aeronautical, and space activities. There are many types of actuators that were designed to operate as linear or rotary motors, but there is still a need for low-force, low-noise linear actuators for specialized applications, and the disclosed mechanism addresses this need. A simpler implementation of a rotary actuator was developed where the end effector controls the motion of a brush for cleaning a thermal sensor. The mechanism uses a SMA (shape-memory alloy) wire for low force, and low noise. The linear implementation of the actuator incorporates a set of springs and mechanical hard-stops for resetting and fault tolerance to mechanical resistance. The actuator can be designed to work in a pull or push mode, or both. Depending on the volume envelope criteria, the actuator can be configured for scaling its volume down to 4x2x1 cu cm. The actuator design has an inherent fault tolerance to mechanical resistance. The actuator has the flexibility of being designed for both linear and rotary motion. A specific configuration was designed and analyzed where fault-tolerant features have been implemented. In this configuration, an externally applied force larger than the design force does not damage the active components of the actuator. The actuator housing can be configured and produced using cost-effective methods such as injection molding, or alternatively, its components can be mounted directly on a small circuit board. The actuator is driven by a SMA -NiTi as a primary active element, and it requires energy on the order of 20 Ws(J) per cycle. Electrical connections to points A and B are used to apply electrical power in the resistive NiTi wire, causing a phase change that contracts the wire on the order of 5%. The actuation period is of the order of a second for generating the stroke, and 4 to 10 seconds for resetting. Thus, this design allows the actuator to work at a frequency of up to 0.1 Hz. The actuator does not make use of the whole range of motion of the SMA material, allowing for large margins on the mechanical parameters of the design. The efficiency of the actuator is of the order of 10%, including the margins. The average dissipated power while driving at full speed is of the order of 1 W, and can be scaled down linearly if the rate of cycling is reduced. This design produces an extremely quiet actuator; it can generate a force greater than 2 N and a stroke greater than 1 cm. The operational duration of SMA materials is of the order of millions of cycles with some reduced stroke over a wide temperature range up to 150 C.

Badescu, Mircea↗
NASA NTRS2021

What are Needed Innovations for Space Crop Production That May Also Benefit Vertical Farming?

I am speaking about the space crop production gaps and challenges we face and how we need innovations in the area of plant health monitoring, food safety contamination monitoring, CEA IPM, understanding of and manipulation of the microbiome/ecosystem, sustainability needs, novel sensors needed, automation and robotics, and also new crops that could be developed and ways that our needs parallel those of the vertical farming industry. (Note: This presentation is in video mp4 format is only viewable by download)

Gioia Massa↗
NASA NTRS1994

Seventh Annual Workshop on Space Operations Applications and Research (SOAR 1993), volume 2

This document contains papers presented at the Space Operations, Applications and Research Symposium (SOAR) Symposium hosted by NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) on August 3-5, 1993, and held at JSC Gilruth Recreation Center. The symposium was cosponsored by NASA/JSC and U.S. Air Force Materiel Command. SOAR included NASA and USAF programmatic overviews, plenary session, panel discussions, panel sessions, and exhibits. It invited technical papers in support of U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Department of Energy, NASA, and USAF programs in the following areas: robotics and telepresence, automation and intelligent systems, human factors, life support, and space maintenance and servicing. SOAR was concerned with Government-sponsored research and development relevant to aerospace operations. More than 100 technical papers, 17 exhibits, a plenary session, several panel discussions, and several keynote speeches were included in SOAR '93. These proceedings, along with comments and suggestions made by panelists and keynote speakers, will be used to assess progress made in joint USAF/NASA projects and activities to identify future collaborative/jolnt programs. SOAR '93 was the responsibility of the USAF NASA Space Technology Interdependency Group Operations Committee. Symposium proceedings include papers presented by experts from NASA, the USAF, USA, and USN, U.S. Department of Energy, universities, and industry.

Navigation↗
NASA NTRS2003

Envisioning a 21st Century, National, Spacecraft Servicing and Protection Infrastructure and Demand Potential: A Logical Development of the Earth Orbit Economy

The modern world is extremely dependent on thin strings of several hundred civil, military, and commercial spacecraft/satellites currently stationed in space. They provide a steady stream of commerce, defense, and knowledge data. This dependency will in all likelihood increase significantly during this century. A major disruption of any kind in these essential systems and networks could be socially, economically, and politically catastrophic, on a global scale. The development of a space-based, robotic services economy could be useful in mitigating this growing risk, from an efficiency and security standpoint. This paper attempts to suggest what makes sense to invest in next for the logical, economic development of Earth orbit i.e., after ISS completion. It expands on the results of an advanced market research and analysis study that sampled the opinions of several satellite industry executives and presents these results within a broad policy context. The concept of a spacecraft carrier that serves as the nucleus of a national, space-based or on-orbit, robotic services infrastructure is introduced as the next logical step for United States leadership in space. This is viewed as a reasonable and appropriate followon to the development of ELVs and satellites in the 1950s and 1960s, the Space Shuttle/PRLV in the 1970s and 1980s, and the International Space Station (ISS) in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Large-scale experience in LEO-to-GEO spacecraft/satellite servicing and protection by robotic means is assumed to be an indispensable prerequisite or stepping-stone toward the development and preservation of the large scientific exploration facilities that are envisioned by NASA for operation beyond GEO. A balanced, return on national investment (RONI) strategy for space, focused on the provision of enhanced national/homeland security for increased protection, national economic/industrial expansion for increased revenue, and national scientific exploration for increased knowledge is recommended as the next strong, irrepressible goal toward realizing and achieving the official NASA vision and mission.

Horsham, Gary A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Robot Grasps Rotating Object

Experimental robotic system semiautomatically grasps rotating object, stops rotation, and pulls object to rest in fixture. Based on combination of advanced techniques for sensing and control, constructed to test concepts for robotic recapture of spinning artificial satellites. Potential terrestrial applications for technology developed with help of system includes tracking and grasping of industrial parts on conveyor belts, tracking of vehicles and animals, and soft grasping of moving objects in general.

Wilcox, Brian H.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Strategic Research Partnerships for Exploration

NASA s Space Product Development Program has completed a significant transformation from an industry driven program focused on the commercial use of space, to a NASA space exploration driven program focused on providing research and technologies for space exploration through leveraged research partnerships. Initiated in 1985 under the NASA Office of Commercial Programs, the Space Product Development Program and associated Research Partnership Centers have worked with private industry to fulfill the NASA objective of ". . .enabling io the maximum extent possible the fullest commercial use of space." In 2001, the program began to place greater emphasis on dual use activities. In particular, those activities that enable commercial use of space, while at the Same time fulfill a NASA mission need. With the President s exploration, announcement in January 2004, the transformation of the Space Product Development program further focused on NASA exploration requirements. The Program s experience in successfully assisting industry with technology maturation is now being utilized by the Agency to affordably develop the technologies needed for sustainable human and robotic space exploration.

Nall, Mark↗