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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 NTRS2014

Inverted Outflow Ground Testing of Cryogenic Propellant Liquid Acquisition Devices

NASA is currently developing propulsion system concepts for human exploration. These propulsion concepts will require the vapor free acquisition and delivery of the cryogenic propellants stored in the propulsion tanks during periods of microgravity to the exploration vehicles engines. Propellant management devices (PMD's), such as screen channel capillary liquid acquisition devices (LAD's), vanes and sponges have been used for earth storable propellants in the Space Shuttle Orbiter and other spacecraft propulsion systems, but only very limited propellant management capability currently exists for cryogenic propellants. NASA is developing PMD technology as a part of their cryogenic fluid management (CFM) project. System concept studies have looked at the key factors that dictate the size and shape of PMD devices and established screen channel LADs as an important component of PMD design. Modeling validated by normal gravity experiments is examining the behavior of the flow in the LAD channel assemblies (as opposed to only prior testing of screen samples) at the flow rates representative of actual engine service (similar in size to current launch vehicle upper stage engines). Recently testing of rectangular LAD channels has included inverted outflow in liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. This paper will report the results of liquid oxygen testing compare and contrast them with the recently published hydrogen results; and identify the sensitivity of these results to flow rate and tank internal pressure.

Microgravity↗
NASA NTRS2005

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, Part 18

Topics discussed include: PoDS: A Powder Delivery System for Mars In-Situ Organic, Mineralogic and Isotopic Analysis Instruments Planetary Differentiation of Accreting Planetesimals with 26Al and 60Fe as the Heat Sources Ground-based Observation of Lunar Surface by Lunar VIS/NIR Spectral Imager Mt. Oikeyama Structure: First Impact Structure in Japan? Central Mounds in Martian Impact Craters: Assessment as Possible Perennial Permafrost Mounds (Pingos) A Further Analysis of Potential Photosynthetic Life on Mars New Insight into Valleys-Ocean Boundary on Mars Using 128 Pixels per Degree MOLA Data: Implication for Martian Ocean and Global Climate Change; Recursive Topography Based Surface Age Computations for Mars: New Insight into Surficial Processes That Influenced Craters Distribution as a Step Toward the Formal Proof of Martian Ocean Recession, Timing and Probability; Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A New Method for Stand-Off Quantitative Analysis of Samples on Mars; Milk Spring Channels Provide Further Evidence of Oceanic, >1.7-km-Deep Late Devonian Alamo Crater, Southern Nevada; Exploration of Martian Polar Residual Caps from HEND/ODYSSEY Data; Outflow Channels Influencing Martian Climate: Global Circulation Model Simulations with Emplaced Water; Presence of Nonmethane Hydrocarbons on Pluto; Difference in Degree of Space Weathering on the Newborn Asteroid Karin; Circular Collapsed Features Related to the Chaotic Terrain Formation on Mars; A Search for Live (sup 244)Pu in Deep-Sea Sediments: Preliminary Results of Method Development; Some Peculiarities of Quartz, Biotite and Garnet Transformation in Conditions of Step-like Shock Compression of Crystal Slate; Error Analysis of Remotely-Acquired Mossbauer Spectra; Cloud Activity on Titan During the Cassini Mission; Solar Radiation Pressure and Transient Flows on Asteroid Surfaces; Landing Site Characteristics for Europa 1: Topography; and The Crop Circles of Europa.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Development of a Long-Term, Continually Updated Global Solar Resource at 10 km Resolution: Preliminary Results From Test Processing and Continuing Plans

Background: Considering the likelihood of global climatic weather pattern changes and the global competition for energy resources, there is an increasing need to provide improved and continuously updated global Earth surface solar resource information. Toward this end, a project was funded under the NASA Applied Science program involving the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the State University of New York/Albany (SUNY) and the NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) to provide NREL with a global long-term advanced global solar mapping production system for improved depiction of historical solar resources and variability and to provide a mechanism for continual updates of solar resource information. This new production system is made possible by the efforts of NOAA and NASA to completely reprocess the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data set that provides satellite visible and infrared radiances together with retrieved cloud and surface properties on a 3-hourly basis beginning from July 1983. The old version of the ISCCP data provided this information for all the world TMs available geosynchronous satellite systems and NOAA TMs AVHRR data sets at a 30 km effective resolution. This new version aims to provide a new and improved satellite calibration at an effective 10 km resolution. Thus, working with SUNY, NASA will develop and test an improved production system that will enable NREL to continually update the Earth TM solar resource. Objective and Methods: In this presentation, we provide a general overview of this project together with samples of the new solar irradiance mapped data products and comparisons to surface measurements at various locations across the world. An assessment of the solar resource values relative to calibration uncertainty and assumptions are presented. Errors resulting assumptions in snow cover and background aerosol amount are described. These uncertainties and the statistics of the agreement between the measurements and new satellite estimates are also reviewed and compared to other solar data sets. Findings and Conclusions: Preliminary results show that insolation values show an overall small bias (less than 1%) with a RMS of 25% relative to surface measurements. Exceptions at certain locations were found and will be discussed relative to the uncertainties identified above. Lastly, we will identify the next steps in the development and improvement of this production system including some accuracy goals in preparation for ultimate delivery to NREL.

Stackhouse, P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Extraterrestrial Helium (He@C60) Trapped in Fullerenes in the Sudbury Impact Structure

Fullerenes (C60 and C70) have recently been identified in a shock-produced breccia (Onaping Formation) associated with the 1.85-Ga Sudbury Impact Crater. The presence of parts-per-million levels of fullerenes in this impact structure raises interesting questions about the processes that led to the formation of fullerenes and the potential for delivery of intact organic material to the Earth by a large bolide (e.g., asteroid or comet). Two possible scenarios for the presence of fullerenes in the Sudbury impact deposits are that (1) fullerenes are synthesized within the impact plume from the C contained in the bolide; or (2) fullerenes are already present in the bolide and survived the impact event. The correlation of C and trapped noble gas atoms in meteorites is well established. Primitive meteorites contain several trapped noble gas components that have anomalous isotopic compositions, some of which may have a presolar origin. Several C-bearing phases, including SiC, graphite, and diamond, have been recognized as carriers of trapped noble gases. It has also been suggested that fullerenes (C60 and C70) might be a carrier of noble gas components in carbonaceous chondrites. Recently, fullerenes have been detected in separate samples in the Allende meteorite. Carbon-60 is large enough to enclose the noble gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, but it is too small to contain diatomic gases such as N2 or triatomic gases such as CO2. Recent experimental work has demonstrated that noble gases of a specific isotopic composition can be introduced into synthetic fullerenes at high temperatures and pressures; these encapsulated gases can then be released by the breaking of one or more C bonds during step-heating under vacuum. These thermal-release patterns for He encapsulated within the C60 molecule (He@C60) are similar to the patterns for acid residues of carbonaceous chondrites, suggesting that fullerenes could be an additional carrier of trapped noble gases in acid residues of meteorites. Analysis and Results: In order to characterize the noble gas compositions of the Sudbury fullerenes, we undertook a systematic study of acid-resistant residues throughout the C-rich layer (Black member) of the Onaping Formation. Samples were demineralized and extracted using standard techniques. The Onaping extracts were analyzed using several techniques, including UV-Vis adsorption, electro spray mass spectrometry, and laser desorption (linear and reflectron) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (LDMS). The Sudbury fullerenes were then separated and purified using HPLC coupled with a photo diode array detector. The HPLC extracts containing the purified fullerenes were loaded into a metal tube furnace within a glove box under a N atmosphere in preparation for noble gas analyses. The 3-He and 4-He content of the fullerene extracts was measured using previously reported standard techniques . Discussion: Fullerenes (C60 and C70) in the Sudbury Impact Structure have been found to contain trapped He with a 3-He/4-He ratio greater than 5 x 10(exp -4). The 3-He/4-He ratio exceeds the accepted solar value by more than 30% and is more than 10x higher than the maximum reported mantle value. Terrestrial nuclear reactions or cosmic-my bombardment are not sufficient to generate such a high ratio. The 3-He/4-He ratios in the Sudbury fullerenes are similar to those determined for interplanetary dust particles. The greater-than-solar ratios of 3-He/4-He in the Sudbury fullerenes may indicate a presolar origin, although alternative mechanisms occurring in the ISM to explain these high ratios (e.g., spallation reactions, selective He implantation, etc.) cannot be entirely ruled out. We are currently attempting to isolate enough fullerene material to measure anomalous Ne (or Kr or Xe) contained within the C60 (e.g., the "pure" 22-Ne component) and thus determine whether the Sudbury fullerenes are indeed presolar in origin.

Becker, L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Optical modulator system

The fabrication, test, and delivery of an optical modulator system which will operate with a mode-locked Nd:YAG laser indicating at either 1.06 or 0.53 micrometers is discussed. The delivered hardware operates at data rates up to 400 Mbps and includes a 0.53 micrometer electrooptic modulator, a 1.06 micrometer electrooptic modulator with power supply and signal processing electronics with power supply. The modulators contain solid state drivers which accept digital signals with MECL logic levels, temperature controllers to maintain a stable thermal environment for the modulator crystals, and automatic electronic compensation to maximize the extinction ratio. The modulators use two lithium tantalate crystals cascaded in a double pass configuration. The signal processing electronics include encoding electronics which are capable of digitizing analog signals between the limit of + or - 0.75 volts at a maximum rate of 80 megasamples per second with 5 bit resolution. The digital samples are serialized and made available as a 400 Mbps serial NRZ data source for the modulators. A pseudorandom (PN) generator is also included in the signal processing electronics. This data source generates PN sequences with lengths between 31 bits and 32,767 bits in a serial NRZ format at rates up to 400 Mbps.

Brand, J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extreme Environments Solar Power Project For Use Near Jupiter

The Extreme Environment Solar Power (EESP) Project goal was to develop solar cell and solar array design concept technologies for space power applications in high radiation and low solar intensity, low temperature (LILT) environments. NASA missions focused on outer planets, such as Jupiter, are subjected to intense radiation while experiencing less than ten percent of the solar flux relative to a mission in the general vicinity of Earth. Under these conditions, present solar array technology is not as efficient in converting the sun’s energy, and the solar array performance degrades quickly due to the additional radiation exposure. The EESP Project objectives were accomplished through four competitively selected contracts. These contracts were awarded with a Base and two option periods of performance. The Base requirements included System Design and Component Test & Analysis with a duration of nine and one half (9.5) months. The Option I requirements involved the fabrication of test hardware that NASA would evaluate following its delivery, and this period of performance had a duration of thirteen (13) months. The Option II requirements involved the fabrication of a scalable system prototype that can be integrated into a system level application and be demonstrated in a relevant environment. Option II had a duration of fifteen (15) months. The Transformational Array (TA) is an array concept developed by JHU-APL with Deployable Space Systems (DSS), SolAero Technologies and NewForge Technologies that proceeded through all three contract periods. The TA combines the DSS Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) with Flexible Array Concentrator Technology (FACT) and SolAero’s Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction (IMM) solar cells for operation in the EESP Project environment. To achieve the EESP Project goals, the JHU-APL team conducted several investigations to improve performance of the solar cells and increase their efficiency, reduce outgassing contamination of the concentrators from the solar cell assembly adhesives, and to test the robustness of a sample blanket during deployment and retraction. Additionally, the team performed vibration, thermal cycling, and performance tests at a Standard Power Module (SPM) level. At the end of Option II, the JHU-APL team achieved the following performance metrics: • 39% beginning of life (BOL) cell efficiency at 5 AU and -125 C • 29% end of life (EOL) efficiency at the blanket level at 50 W/m2, -125 C and 4x1015 1 MeV e/cm2 • Increased specific power to 8 W/kg at EOL for the entire array including structure, deployment, and pointing mechanisms • Demonstrated the ability to survive numerous deploy-retract cycles without degradation • Reached a current System-Level Technology Readiness Level, TRL5 This presentation will describe the Transformational Array and component technologies and will discuss future potential uses for the system.

Anna Maria Pal↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Next Generation Thermal Protection System for Outer Planet Probes and Orbiter

Saturn Probe and Ice Giant Orbiter along with in-situ Probe Missions continue to be very high priority mis-sions. A result of the advocacy by OPAG and other Analysis Groups, the 3D Woven, Dual-Layer HEEET thermal protection system, mature at TRL 6, has closed the TPS gap for extreme environment missions. A mid density follow on to DL HEEET, developed to meet earth entry requirements, is a Single Layer vari-ant of the 3D woven TPS, which provides a mass effi-cient single layer 3D Mid-Density TPS (3MDCP) that has been baselined as the heatshield for MSR EEV. Continued development of 3MDCP will elevate it to TRL 6 by 2025. Conformal-PICA (C-PICA) devel-opment was pursued to establish a more efficient and robust alternate to PICA, and it is at TRL 4+. Our rationale for the next generation of TPS de-velopment is based on the on the missions needs of the next decade Outer Planet missions that are unique and more demanding than any other destinations. Taking advantage of the recent planned development of sev-eral materials, the next generation of TPS offers a much more mass efficient option for small, medium, and large class Outer Planet missions. Saturn Probes: While mission designers are gen-erally interested in shallow entry to maintain the g-load during entry around 50g, the heat-load for shallow entry can range between (100 kJ/cm2 – 300 kJ/cm2), two orders of magnitude higher than Venus or Sample Return missions. TPS must not only offer protection but must be mass efficient to perform reasonable sci-ence. TPS mass can quickly become 50% or more of the mass of the entire entry system. Recent analysis performed shows Saturn Probe missions could signifi-cantly benefit from the single layer HEEET (SL-HEEET/3MDCP). A DL-HEEET based heatshield mass could be ~ (40% -50%), SL-HEEET can provide additional (30% - 50%) mass savings. At the same time, C-PICA can provide (30% - 50%) mass savings on the backshell. The combined mass savings can be significant enough to carry an additional probe, if de-sired. Ice Giant Aerocapture Missions: Aerocapture mission architectures can provide significant ad-vantage over traditional propulsive insertion missions in multiple ways. 1) Reduced trip time ~ (4- 6) years (30% -40%), 2) Enables placing the orbiter, probe, and lander, all together and 3) Allows for greater science mass (probes and landers) due to mass efficiency. The delivery of a probe from orbit makes it easier and eliminates mission design constraints by HEEET for direct entry [4] of probes and allows for more targeted in-situ science once the Orbiter is able to collect data. In the past 20 years, progress made in GN&C for lift-guided entry missions (MSL, Orion EFT1, Mars 2020) and the expertise in blunt body aerodynamics at large scale (~ 5m) has led the EDL community to conclude that aerocapture is a “go do” engineering activity. An aerocapture mission that will deplete the excess energy of a fast arrival mission will require a mass efficient TPS that can handle extreme heat-load, ~ (100 kJ/cm2 – 500 kJ/cm2). Hence TPS, feasibility as well as mass efficiency requires assessment. Utilizing the recent developments, a comprehensive, bounding analysis was done to establish the potential for SOA (HEEET) system as well as emerging new TPS such as SL-HEEET and C-PICA. In this proposed poster, we will outline the process by which we establish bounding aerocapture trajecto-ries for hyperbolic excess velocities ranging from 27 km/s to 35 km/s, for low L/D (~ 0.4) configurations and determine conservative/bounding estimate of aer-othermal environment by using a combination of CFD simulations and stagnation point heating estimates [7]. This engineering approach allows us to assess the TPS need vs. TPS capability and determine the applicability of existing TPS. Once an applicable suite of TPS is determined, the TPS thickness and mass are comput-ed. We show that the TPS mass fraction can be as low as 5% to as high as 20%, depending on the use of ad-vanced TPS, while HEEET is sufficient but will require 50% of the entry mass.

E Venkatapathy↗
NASA NTRS1992

Communications and control for electric power systems

A long-term strategy for the integration of new control technologies for power generation and delivery is proposed: the industry would benefit from an evolutionary approach that would adapt to its needs future technologies as well as those that it has so far not heeded. The integrated operation of the entire system, including the distribution system, was proposed as a future goal. The AbNET communication protocols are reviewed, and additions that were made in 1991 are described. In the original network, traffic was controlled by polling at the master station, located at the substation, and routed by a flooding algorithm. In a revised version, the polling and flooding are modified. The question of interfacing low-energy measurement transducers or instrument transformers is considered. There is presently little or no agreement on what the output of optical current transducers (CT's) should be. Appendices deal with the calibration of current transducers; with Delta modulation, a simple means of serially encoding the output of an OCT; and with noise shaping, a method of digital signal processing that trades off the number of bits in a digital sample for a higher number of samples.

Kirkham, H.↗
NASA NTRS2000

CNES-NASA Studies of the Mars Sample Return Orbiter Aerocapture Phase

A Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission has been proposed as a joint CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) and NASA effort in the ongoing Mars Exploration Program. The MSR mission is designed to return the first samples of Martian soil to Earth. The primary elements of the mission are a lander, rover, ascent vehicle, orbiter, and an Earth entry vehicle. The Orbiter has been allocated only 2700 kg on the launch phase to perform its part of the mission. This mass restriction has led to the decision to use an aerocapture maneuver at Mars for the orbiter. Aerocapture replaces the initial propulsive capture maneuver with a single atmospheric pass. This atmospheric pass will result in the proper apoapsis, but a periapsis raise maneuver is required at the first apoapsis. The use of aerocapture reduces the total mass requirement by approx. 45% for the same payload. This mission will be the first to use the aerocapture technique. Because the spacecraft is flying through the atmosphere, guidance algorithms must be developed that will autonomously provide the proper commands to reach the desired orbit while not violating any of the design parameters (e.g. maximum deceleration, maximum heating rate, etc.). The guidance algorithm must be robust enough to account for uncertainties in delivery states, atmospheric conditions, mass properties, control system performance, and aerodynamics. To study this very critical phase of the mission, a joint CNES-NASA technical working group has been formed. This group is composed of atmospheric trajectory specialists from CNES, NASA Langley Research Center and NASA Johnson Space Center. This working group is tasked with developing and testing guidance algorithms, as well as cross-validating CNES and NASA flight simulators for the Mars atmospheric entry phase of this mission. The final result will be a recommendation to CNES on the algorithm to use, and an evaluation of the flight risks associated with the algorithm. This paper will describe the aerocapture phase of the MSR mission, the main principles of the guidance algorithms that are under development, the atmospheric entry simulators developed for the evaluations, the process for the evaluations, and preliminary results from the evaluations.

Fraysse, H.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Trace Element and Isotopic Evidence for Bennu's Primitive Provenance

The delivery of material from asteroid (101955) Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission provides the opportunity to investigate some of the most pristine material from the early Solar System [1]. Our team at Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratory (LLNL) utilized the equivalent of 5.0 mg from Bennu sampleOREX-803015-100 to quantify the major and trace element contents and investigate major element isotopics (Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, and Ni). Our 5.0 mg aliquot ofOREX-803015-100 was a subsample of dissolved homogenized material representing 20.66 mg [2]. A separate 5.0 mg aliquot was sent to ETH Zürich and is discussed in a companion abstract [3]. Before any chemical separation on our 5.0 mg aliquot, the equivalent of 0.5 mg was removed and analyzed for elemental abundances at LLNL using a ThermoScientific Element XR. Our data agree exceptionally well with those reported by[2], showing that Bennu is primitive and compositionally similar to CI chondrites, Ryugu [4], and the solar photosphere [5]. The remaining ~4.5 mg underwent purification procedures to chemically isolate and purify Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, and Ni from one another and the sample matrix. Their isotopic compositions were measured on either the Triton TIMS (Ca) at JohnsonSpace Center in Houston, Neoma MC-ICPMS (Ti, Cr) at LLNL, or the Neptune MC-ICPMS (Fe, Ni) at LLNL. Results from the Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, and Ni isotopic compositions suggest that Bennu is closely related to CI chondrites—consistent with conclusions from elemental composition [2] and oxygen isotopics [6]reported for Bennu. The major element isotope compositions that we will present demonstrate that Bennu likely formed in a similar region of the SolarSystem as CI chondrites and potentially at a similar time of Solar System evolution.

Greg Brennecka↗
NASA NTRS2017

GEER Status Update

History: The Glenn Extreme Environments Rig (GEER) first became operational in the early part of 2015. Since that time GEER has completed a number of scientific tests and has undergone improvements in the chemical delivery system and analytics following a year of operations experience. Recent Updates: In June 2016, the GEER process system was rebuilt to provide a more robust system, higher accuracy and new capabilities. New insulation was installed on the exterior of the pressure vessel and gas lines. The newly revamped GEER plumbing system can provide extremely precise custom gas mixtures using any gas desired by the investigator in any combination. GEER can heat the resulting mixture up to 500 deg C and 1500 psia. The 304 stainless steel vessel walls were polished to reduce corrosion rate and reduce unwanted chemical reactions. The process lines were replaced with high purity Sulfinert coated tubing. The GEER team added the ability to individually boost specialty gases to GEER thus allowing operators to make very precise changes to the gas chemistry inside of GEER during a test while at high temperature and pressure. High accuracy mass flow meters were added to further improve gas mixing accuracy and precision. An in-line, integrated Inficon MicroGC Fusion was added for real time gas analysis along with a high purity gas sampling system, providing fully automated, real time analysis of the gas chemistry inside of GEER in minutes. This complements a co-located mass spectrometer and both are used for regular monitoring of the vessel chemistry. All internal vessel components were replaced with polished 304SS equivalents. Hot vent down capability was increased. Finally, an automated liquid injection system was added and is rated for max vessel operating conditions of (1500 psia, 500 C). Recent Results and Publications: In May 2016, GEER completed a test that exposed high temperature electronics to Venus surface conditions for 21.5 days. This demonstrated the potential for operating robotic spacecraft in the Venus environment without the need for thermal or environmental protection. Results from this test were published in December 2016 and received national media attention. In April 2017 GEER implemented an 80 day test at Venus surface conditions to simulate chemical weathering of expected Venus minerals. This test supported a ROSES award to a team led by Prof. Ralph Harvey of Case Western Reserve University. The test concluded in July 2017 and nearly doubled previous operation record of 42 days at Venus surface conditions. Preliminary results of these and previous experiments were presented at the recent Venus Modeling Workshop. In June 2017, NASA TM2017-219437 "Chemical and Microstructural Changes in Metallic and Ceramic Materials Exposed to Venusian Surface Conditions" was published. This report provides an extensive and valuable resource detailing the behavior of a variety of engineering materials at Venus surface conditions. Community Involvement: An external science advisory panel has been formed.

Kremic, Tibor↗
NASA NTRS2023

Sewage Treatment Plant #1 Area, SWMU 117 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Progress Report

This Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment (SA) Progress Report (SAPR) discusses the investigation activities and findings for the Sewage Treatment Plant #1 (STP1) Area located at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida (Figure 1-1). This site has been designated Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 117 under KSC’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program, as the sewage treatment plant and associated areas were identified as a potential source of PFAS to the environment. This PFAS SAPR was prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc., for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contract 80KSC019D0011-80KSC019F0070. This is the first progress report to document on-going SA activities; supplemental progress reports will be provided as additional data is collected. PFAS SA activities were conducted between April 2020 and March 2022 to collect additional data to supplement the existing datasets to better understand the extent of PFAS impacts to the environment in the STP1 Area. The SA for the STP1 Area covers an approximately 130-acre investigation area with multiple structures and buildings. The focus of the SA is the STP1 Complex and associated structures, including the former Polishing Pond, former Sludge Disposal8 Area, and former Spray Field. The STP1 Complex is located in the KSC Industrial Area, at the southwest corner of 4th Street SE and C Avenue SE. The STP1 Complex is located approximately ¼-mile south and downgradient of the Fire Station #1 site (SWMU 116), which is also currently undergoing a PFAS SA because of potential releases of PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). During the SA, a total of seven soil, 131 groundwater direct push technology (DPT), 24 groundwater monitoring well, and 11 surface water samples were collected between April 2020 and March 2022. Monitoring well samples were analyzed for 18 PFAS compounds, with all other samples analyzed for 28 PFAS compounds. The SA sample results were used along with historical results to evaluate the extent of PFAS impacts to the environment in the STP1 Area. Data generated to date and prior results were screened against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) May 2022 Tap Water Regional Screening Levels (RSL) for groundwater and residential RSLs for soil (hazard quotient of 0.1). Surface water results were screened against the State of Florida Human Health Surface Water Screening Levels (SWSLs). Results from the SA showed exceedances of the applicable screening criteria for groundwater and surface water. Considering the current and historical dataset, PFOS is the prevalent PFAS compound. Based on these results, additional groundwater DPT and surface water sampling should be considered for PFAS analysis, focused on evaluating surface water bodies in the southeast portion of the Industrial Area, which discharge into the Banana River. Additionally, installation of monitoring wells should be considered to evaluate the interaction between the groundwater and surface water at the site. Collection of additional samples for TOC analysis should also be considered from representative groundwater (saturated soils) and surface water locations to further evaluate potential correlations between PFAS and TOC to provide a more comprehensive dataset to assist in fate and transport analyses.

Sewage Treatment Plant↗
NASA NTRS2018

Airborne Trajectory Management for Urban Air Mobility

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) has captured the imagination of the public and the aviation industry for someday soon moving people and goods through and around metropolitan areas using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that are electrically powered, environmentally friendly, and autonomously operated. Significant investment and rapid development of vehicles for this activity is taking place, with package delivery services already beginning in some areas. However, the ability to manage thousands of these vehicles safely in a congested urban area presents a challenge unprecedented in air traffic management. Initial studies of this problem led by NASA under the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) initiative have primarily focused on geo-fencing and centralized reservation of airspace for individual flights. This paper proposes an extension of UTM using a de-centralized approach employing airborne surveillance, self-separation, and a minimized “design separation” approach to permit the optimization and safety of each flight in very high traffic densities and close proximities. The concept employs Airborne Trajectory Management (ABTM) principles and a novel new concept for variable separation criteria to manage the angular velocity of a passing vehicle, thus eliminating the "startle factor" and perceived hazard of very close operations. ABTM also accomplishes most of the services required for safe planning and execution of normal flights and recovery from abnormal or emergency operations while accommodating conventional piloted flights using the current air traffic control paradigm. The environment for UAM operations is described along with the proposed means for autonomous, tactical separation of the vehicles. Sample geometries of traffic conflicts and resolutions are shown and the airspace definitions, rules for flight within them, and additions and exemptions to the rules for these flights are listed and explained.

Cotton, William↗
NASA NTRS2016

Evidence for a Heterogeneous Distribution of Water in the Martian Interior

The abundance and distribution of H2O within the terrestrial planets, as well as its timing of delivery, is a topic of vital importance for understanding the chemical and physical evolution of planets and their potential for hosting habitable environments. Analysis of planetary materials from Mars, the Moon, and the eucrite parent body (i.e., asteroid 4Vesta) have confirmed the presence of H2O within their interiors. Moreover, H and N isotopic data from these planetary materials suggests H2O was delivered to the inner solar system very early from a common source, similar in composition to the carbonaceous chondrites. Despite the ubiquity of H2O in the inner Solar System, the only destination with any prospects for past or present habitable environments at this time, outside of the Earth, is Mars. Although the presence of H2O within the martian interior has been confirmed, very little is known regarding its abundance and distribution within the martian interior and how the martian water inventory has changed over time. By combining new analyses of martian apatites within a large number of martian meteorite types with previously published volatile data and recently determined mineral-melt partition coefficients for apatite, we report new insights into the abundance and distribution of volatiles in the martian crust and mantle. Using the subset of samples that did not exhibit crustal contamination, we determined that the enriched shergottite mantle source has 36-73 ppm H2O and the depleted shergottite mantle source has 14-23 ppm H2O. This result is consistent with other observed geochemical differences between enriched and depleted shergottites and supports the idea that there are at least two geochemically distinct reservoirs in the martian mantle. We also estimated the H2O content of the martian crust using the revised mantle H2O abundances and known crust-mantle distributions of incompatible lithophile elements. We determined that the bulk martian crust has approximately 1400 ppm H2O, which is likely distributed toward the martian surface. This crustal water abundance would equate to a global equivalent layer (GEL) of water at a depth of-229 m, which can account for at least some of the surface features on Mars attributed to flowing water and may be sufficient to support the past presence of a shallow sea on Mars' surface.

McCubbin, Francis↗
NASA NTRS1997

Impact Cratering Calculations

Understanding the physical processes of impact cratering on planetary surfaces and atmospheres as well as collisions of finite-size self-gravitating objects is vitally important to planetary science. The observation has often been made that craters are the most ubiquitous landform on the solid planets and the satellites. The density of craters is used to date surfaces on planets and satellites. For large ringed basin craters (e.g. Chicxulub), the issue of identification of exactly what 'diameter' transient crater is associated with this structure is exemplified by the arguments of Sharpton et al. (1993) versus those of Hildebrand et al. (1995). The size of a transient crater, such as the K/T extinction crater at Yucatan, Mexico, which is thought to be the source of SO,-induced sulfuric acid aerosol that globally acidified surface waters as the result of massive vaporization of CASO, in the target rock, is addressed by our present project. The impact process excavates samples of planetary interiors. The degree to which this occurs (e.g. how deeply does excavation occur for a given crater diameter) has been of interest, both with regard to exposing mantle rocks in crater floors, as well as launching samples into space which become part of the terrestrial meteorite collection (e.g. lunar meteorites, SNC's from Mars). Only in the case of the Earth can we test calculations in the laboratory and field. Previous calculations predict, independent of diameter, that the depth of excavation, normalized by crater diameter, is d(sub ex)/D = 0.085 (O'Keefe and Ahrens, 1993). For Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) fragments impacting Jupiter, predicted excavation depths of different gas-rich layers in the atmosphere, were much larger. The trajectory and fate of highly shocked material from a large impact on the Earth, such as the K/T bolide is of interest. Melosh et al. (1990) proposed that the condensed material from the impact upon reentering the Earth's atmosphere induced. radiative heating, and producing global firestorms. The observed reentry splash of the SL-9 impact-induced plumes that reimpact Jupiter (Boslough et al., 1994) supported Melosh's K/T model. The fate of early primitive planetary atmospheres during the latter stages of planetary accretion, resulting from impactors in the 100 to 103 km diameter require modeling, e.g. Newman et al. (1997). Ahrens (1990; 1993) and Chen and Ahrens (1997) found that upon delivery of most of the impact energy to the solid planet, very large ground motions arise, which couple sufficient kinetic energy to the atmosphere to cause substantial atmospheric escape. The trade-off of this model with that of Cameron (1997) who suggests that atmospheric blow-off occurs as a result of the massive impact-induced heating of the atmosphere and Pepin (1997) who uses this heating event to model differential hydrodynamic loss of lighter atmospheric gases, requires further research.

Ahrens, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Were Ocean Impacts an Important Mechanism to Deliver Meteoritic Organic Matter to the Early Earth? Some Inferences from Eltanin

Several workers have addressed the potential for extraterrestrial delivery of volatles, including water and complex organic compounds, to the early Earth. For example, Chyba and Sagan (1992) argued that since impacts would destroy organic matter, most extraterrestrial organics must be delivered in the fine-fractions of interplanetary dust. More recent computer simulations (Pierazzo and Chyba, 1999), however, have shown that substantial amounts of amino acids may survive the impacts of large (km-sized) comets and that this may exceed the amounts derived from IDPs or Miller-Urey synthesis in the atmosphere. Once an ocean developed on the early Earth, impacts of small ,asteroids and comets into deep-ocean basins were potentially common and may have been the most likely events to deliver large amounts of organics. The deposits of the late Pliocene impact of the Eltanin asteroid into the Bellingshausen Sea provide the only record of a deep-ocean (approx. 5 km) impact that can be used to constrain models of these events. This impact was first discovered in 1981 as an Ir anomaly in sediment cores collected by the USNS Eltanin in 1965 (Kyte et al., 1981). In 1995, Polarstem expedition ANT XII/4 made the first geological survey of the suspected impact region. Three sediment cores sampled around the San Martin seamounts (approx. 57.5S, 91 W) contained well-preserved impact deposits that include disturbed ocean sediments and meteoritic impact ejecta (Gersonde et al., 1997). The latter is composed of shock- melted asteroidal materials and unmelted meteorites. In 2001, the FS Polarstem returned to the impact area during expedition ANT XVIII/5a. At least 16 cores were recovered that contain ejecta deposits. These cores and geophysical data from the expedition can be used to map the effects of the impact over a large region of the ocean floor.

Kyte, Frank T.↗
NASA NTRS2014

NASA Laboratory Analysis for Manned Exploration Missions

The Exploration Laboratory Analysis (ELA) project supports the Exploration Medical Capability Element under the NASA Human Research Program. ELA instrumentation is identified as an essential capability for future exploration missions to diagnose and treat evidence-based medical conditions. However, mission architecture limits the medical equipment, consumables, and procedures that will be available to treat medical conditions during human exploration missions. Allocated resources such as mass, power, volume, and crew time must be used efficiently to optimize the delivery of in-flight medical care. Although commercial instruments can provide the blood and urine based measurements required for exploration missions, these commercial-off-the-shelf devices are prohibitive for deployment in the space environment. The objective of the ELA project is to close the technology gap of current minimally invasive laboratory capabilities and analytical measurements in a manner that the mission architecture constraints impose on exploration missions. Besides micro gravity and radiation tolerances, other principal issues that generally fail to meet NASA requirements include excessive mass, volume, power and consumables, and nominal reagent shelf-life. Though manned exploration missions will not occur for nearly a decade, NASA has already taken strides towards meeting the development of ELA medical diagnostics by developing mission requirements and concepts of operations that are coupled with strategic investments and partnerships towards meeting these challenges. This paper focuses on the remote environment, its challenges, biomedical diagnostics requirements and candidate technologies that may lead to successful blood/urine chemistry and biomolecular measurements in future space exploration missions. SUMMARY The NASA Exploration Laboratory Analysis project seeks to develop capability to diagnose anticipated space exploration medical conditions on future manned missions. To achieve this goal, NASA will leverage existing point-of-care technology to provide clinical laboratory measurements in space. This approach will place the project on a path to minimize sample, reagent consumption, mass, volume and power. For successful use in the space environment, NASA specific conditions such as micro gravity and radiation, for example, will also need to be addressed.

Exploration Medical Capability↗
NASA NTRS2005

Summary of Results from Analyses of Deposits of the Deep-Ocean Impact of the Eltanin Asteroid

Deposits of the late Pliocene (2.5 Ma) Eltanin impact are unique in the known geological record. The only known example of a km-sized asteroid to impact a deep-ocean (5 km) basin, is the most meterorite-rich locality known. This was discovered as an Ir anomaly in sediments from three cores collected in 1965 by the USNS Eltanin. These cores contained mm-sized shock-melted asteroid materials and unmelted meteorite fragments. Mineral chemistry of meteorite fragments, and siderophole concentrations in melt rocks, indicate that the parent asteroid was a low-metal (4\%) mesosiderite. A geological exploration of the impact in 1995 by Polarstern expedition ANT-XIV4 was near the Freeden Seamounts (57.3S, 90.5 W), and successfully collected three cores with impact deposits. Analyses showed that sediments as old as Eocene were eroded by the impact disturbance and redeposited in three distinct units. The lowermost is a chaotic assemblage of sediment fragments up to 50 cm in size. Above this is a laminated sand-rich unit that deposited as a turbulent flow, and this is overlain by a more fine-grained deposit of silts and clays that settled from a cloud of sediment suspended in the water column. Meteoritic ejecta particles were concentrated near the base of the uppermost unit, where coarse ejecta caught up with the disturbed sediment. Here we will present results from a new suite of cores collected on Polarstern expedition ANT-XVIIU5a. In 2001, the Polarstern returned to the impact area and explored a region of 80,000 sq-km., collecting at least 16 sediment cores with meteoritic ejecta. The known strewn field extends over a region 660 by 200 km. The meteoritic ejecta is most concentrated in cores on the Freeden seamounts, and in the basins to the north, where the amount of meteoritic material deposited on the ocean floor was as much as 3 g/sq-cm. These concentrations drop off to the north and the east to levels as low as approximately 0.1 g/sq-cm. We were unable to sample the impact south and west of the seamounts, as the deposit was buried beyond the reach of our 25 m piston corer. We estimate that ground zero was in the region just north, or northwest, of the seamounts. There is no evidence that the impactor penetrated the ocean floor or formed a crater. The composition of the melted ejecta is inconsistent with mixing between projectile and terrestrial materials other than seawater salts. X-ray radiographs of sediments reveal details not seen in earlier cores. The uppermost impact unit is well-preserved in several cores, found as much as 50 km from the seamounts to the east, north, and west of the seamounts, where at least 25 cm of this unit is preserved. At greater distances burrowing organisms have mixed the sediments so if this unit did exist, it was too thin to survive bioturbation. These finegrained sediments are clearly laminated, and show alternating layers of low- and high-density (meteoritic) sediments, consistent with ripple formation in an energetic flow regime. We have extracted 35 g of meteoritic melt rock and 3 g of meteorite fragments from sieved sediments. Additionally a 9 g, 2.2 cm meteorite was recovered during opening of one core. The fact that 9\% of the coarse ejecta is unmelted meteorites may be characteristic of deep-ocean impacts. This may have significance for delivery of organic matter to the early Earth by small impacts into primordial oceans, where actual meteorite fragments can survive in significant amounts. However, a large portion of the meteoritic debris is buried rapidly by the sediments disturbed by the impact.

Kyte, Frank T.↗