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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Establishing a Lunar Surface Power Grid

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking to develop a lunar surface power system for its Artemis missions as well as for planned future commercial lunar surface activities. This power system is composed of a number of assets which contain electrical loads and many of these contain energy resources. These assets can be connected to form a grid, which allows power to be shared between the system’s distributed energy resources. This grid can provide backup power to existing assets as well as primary power to future assets. A trade study was conducted for an Artemis scale grid, which has identified 3 kV AC as an ideal transmission voltage. Development work has also begun for a universal modular interface converter (UMIC) which connects assets and microgrids operating at 120 V DC space power to the grid. Products from this grid definition and UMIC development work will enable highly reliable and available power for Artemis and future planetary surface missions, which is key to achieving NASA’s long term vision of space exploration.

Planetary surface power↗
NASA NTRS2011

Microwave Processing of Planetary Surfaces for the Extraction of Volatiles

In-Situ Resource Utilization will be necessary for sustained exploration of space. Volatiles are present in planetary soils, but water by far has the most potential for effective utilization. The presence of water at the lunar poles, Mars, and possibly on Phobos opens the possibility of producing LOX for propellant. Water is also a useful radiation shielding material , and valuable to replenish expendables (water and oxygen) required for habitation in space. Because of the strong function of water vapor pressure with temperature, heating soil effectively liberates water vapor by sublimation. Microwave energy will penetrate soil and heat from within much more efficiently than heating from the surface with radiant heat. This is especially true under vacuum conditions since the heat transfer rate is very low. The depth of microwave penetration is a strong function of the microwave frequency and to a lesser extent on soil dielectric properties. Methods for complex electric permittivity and magnetic permeability measurement are being developed and used for measurements of lunar soil simulants. A new method for delivery of microwaves deep into a planetary surface is being prototyped with laboratory experiments and modeled with COMSOL MultiPhysics. We are planning to set up a planetary testbed in a large vacuum chamber in the coming year. Recent results are discussed.

Ethridge, Edwin C.↗
NASA NTRS2006

From Prime to Extended Mission: Evolution of the MER Tactical Uplink Process

To support a 90-day surface mission for two robotic rovers, the Mars Exploration Rover mission designed and implemented an intensive tactical operations process, enabling daily commanding of each rover. Using a combination of new processes, custom software tools, a Mars-time staffing schedule, and seven-day-a-week operations, the MER team was able to compress the traditional weeks-long command-turnaround for a deep space robotic mission to about 18 hours. However, there was never an intention of maintaining the pace of this process indefinitely. Even before the end of the three-month prime mission, MER operations began evolving towards greater sustainability. A combination of continued software tool development, increasing team experience, and availability of reusable sequences first reduced the mean process duration to approximately 11 hours. The number of workshifts required to perform the process dropped, and the team returned to a modified 'Earth-time' schedule. Additional process and tool adaptation eventually provided the option of planning multiple Martian days of activity within a single workshift, making 5- day-a-week operations possible. The vast majority of the science team returned to their home institutions, continuing to participate fully in the tactical operations process remotely. MER has continued to operate for over two Earth-years as many of its key personnel have moved on to other projects, the operations team and budget have shrunk, and the rovers have begun to exhibit symptoms of aging.

Mars exploration↗
NASA NTRS1996

Mars pathfinder Rover egress deployable ramp assembly

The Mars Pathfinder Program is a NASA Discovery Mission, led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to launch and place a small planetary Rover for exploration on the Martian surface. To enable safe and successful egress of the Rover vehicle from the spacecraft, a pair of flight-qualified, deployable ramp assemblies have been developed. This paper focuses on the unique, lightweight deployable ramp assemblies. A brief mission overview and key design requirements are discussed. Design and development activities leading to qualification and flight systems are presented.

Spence, Brian R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Vision and "Hand-Eye" Coordination for the Fujitsu HOAP-2 Humanoid Robot

Software was developed for a Fujitsu HOAP-2 humanoid robot to demonstrate that such "human form" robots can be used to perform useful tasks in an unknown environment; specifically, that they can operate with or in the place of humans to carry out construction operations necessary for space exploration, such as building or maintaining planetary surface habitats for humans. This paper describes the autonomous vision and hand-eye coordination software that enables the HOAP-2 to locate and manipulate objects. Simple vision and pattern detection algorithms including color filtering, noise filtering, image segmentation, orientation filters, and a feedback controlled tracking system enable the robot to locate marked building materials in the workspace. Experimentally determined spatial mappings associate locations in the visual field with the arm joint angles and trajectories necessary to reach these locations, allowing the robot to reach for and manipulate the building materials. These capabilities, when combined with locomotion capabilities, enable the robot to operate autonomously in an unknown workspace.

Moore, Jeffrey D.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Human Exploration of Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0

This document reviews the Design Reference Architecture (DRA) for human exploration of Mars. The DRA represents the current best strategy for human missions. The DRA is not a formal plan, but provides a vision and context to tie current systems and technology developments to potential missions to Mars, and it also serves as a benchmark against which alternative architectures can be measured. The document also reviews the objectives and products of the 2007 study that was to update NASA's human Mars mission reference architecture, assess strategic linkages between lunar and Mars strategies, develop an understanding of methods for reducing cost/risk of human missions through investment in research, technology development and synergy with other exploration plans. There is also a review of the process by which the DRA will continue to be refined. The unique capacities of human exploration is reviewed. The possible goals and objectives of the first three human missions are presented, along with the recommendation that the mission involve a long stay visiting multiple sites.The deployment strategy is outlined and diagrammed including the pre-deployment of the many of the material requirements, and a six crew travel to Mars on a six month trajectory. The predeployment and the Orion crew vehicle are shown. The ground operations requirements are also explained. Also the use of resources found on the surface of Mars is postulated. The Mars surface exploration strategy is reviewed, including the planetary protection processes that are planned. Finally a listing of the key decisions and tenets is posed.

Drake, Bret G.↗
NASA NTRS2009

The Applications of NASA Mission Technologies to the Greening of Human Impact

I will give an overview talk about flight software systems, robotics technologies and modeling for energy minimization as applied to vehicles and buildings infrastructures. A dominant issue in both design and operations of robotic spacecraft is the minimization of energy use. In the design and building of spacecraft increased power is acquired only at the cost of additional mass and volumes and ultimately cost. Consequently, interplanetary spacecrafts are designed to have the minimum essential power and those designs often incorporate careful timing of all power use. Operationally, the availability of power is the most influential constraint for the use of planetary surface robots, such as the Mars Exploration Rovers. The amount of driving done, the amount of science accomplished and indeed the survivability of the spacecraft itself is determined by the power available for use. For the Mars Exploration Rovers there are four tools which are used: (1) models of the rover and it s thermal and power use (2) predictive environmental models of power input and thermal environment (3) fine grained manipulation of power use (4) optimization modeling and planning tools. In this talk I will discuss possible applications of this methodology to minimizing power use on Earth, especially in buildings.

Sims, Michael H.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Surface Telerobotics: Development and Testing of a Crew Controlled Planetary Rover System

In planning for future exploration missions, architecture and study teams have made numerous assumptions about how crew can be telepresent on a planetary surface by remotely operating surface robots from space (i.e. from a flight vehicle or deep space habitat). These assumptions include estimates of technology maturity, existing technology gaps, and operational risks. These assumptions, however, have not been grounded by experimental data. Moreover, to date, no crew-controlled surface telerobot has been fully tested in a high-fidelity manner. To address these issues, we developed the "Surface Telerobotics" tests to do three things: 1) Demonstrate interactive crew control of a mobile surface telerobot in the presence of short communications delay. 2) Characterize a concept of operations for a single astronaut remotely operating a planetary rover with limited support from ground control. 3) Characterize system utilization and operator work-load for a single astronaut remotely operating a planetary rover with limited support from ground control.

Bualat, Maria G.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Decomposition of Electron Ionization Mass Spectra for Space Application Using a Monte-Carlo approach

Rationale: Quadrupole mass spectrometers equipped with an electron ionization (EI) sources have been widely used in space exploration to investigate the composition of planetary surfaces and atmospheres. However, the complexity of the samples and the minimal calibration for the fragmentation of molecules in the ionization chambers have prevented the deconvolution of the majority of the mass spectra obtained at different targets, thus limiting the determination of the exact composition of the samples analyzed. We propose a Monte‐Carlo approach to solve this issue mathematically. Methods: We decomposed simulated mass spectra of mixtures acquired with unit resolving power mass spectrometers and EI sources into the sum of the single components fragmentation patterns weighted by their relative concentration using interior‐point least‐square fitting. To fit compounds with poorly known fragmentation patterns, we used a Monte‐Carlo method to vary the intensity of individual fragment ions. We then decomposed the spectrum thousands of times to obtain a statistical distribution. Results: By performing the deconvolution on a mixture of seven different molecules with interfering fragmentation patterns (H2O, O2, CH4, Ar, N2, C2H4, and C2H6) we show that this approach retrieves the mixing ratio of the individual components more accurately than regular mass spectra decomposition methods that rely on fragmentation patterns from general databases. It also provides the probability density function for each species's mixing ratio. Conclusions: By removing the solution degeneracy in the decomposition of mass spectra, the method described herein could significantly increase the scientific retrieval from archived space flight mass spectrometry data, where calibration of the ionization source is no longer an option.

Thomas Gautier↗
NASA NTRS2021

Sputtering of Surfaces by Ion Irradiation: A Comparison of Molecular Dynamics and Binary Collision Approximation Models to Laboratory Measurements

We compare various sputtering simulation methods to experimental results in both the low energy (<1 keV) and high energy (≥1 keV) impact regimes for argon ions impacting a pure copper substrate at normal incidence. Our results indicate that for high energy impacts, both binary collision approximation (BCA) and molecular dynamics methods can be used to generate reasonable predictions for the yield and energy distribution of the sputtered atoms. We also find reasonable agreement between the theoretical and experimental results down to impact energies of 600 eV. However, at 200 eV impact energies, significant discrepancies appear between the experimental and theoretical ejecta energy distributions in the peak position, the width of the energy distribution, and the magnitude of the high energy tail. These discrepancies appear to arise from the experimental results being only for atoms sputtered normal to the substrate surface, whereas the theoretical results are integrated over all 2π solid angles above the surface. Using the BCA code SDTrimSP and limiting the results to only atoms emitted within ±15° of the surface normal brings theory and experiment into reasonable agreement. These results suggest that for low energy impacts, the energy distribution of sputtered atoms is highly dependent on the emission angle of the ejecta.

Solar wind↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Planetary Surface Operations and Utilization: How ISS and Artemis Missions Can Be Used to Model Human Exploration of Mars

As NASA moves forward with plans to send astronauts to the Moon under Artemis missions and prepare for human exploration of Mars, the Agency is developing a set of high-level objectives for human spaceflight, identifying 50 points falling into four overarching categories of exploration. An element in NASA’s overall process of achieving these objectives is to leverage its assets and missions – such as the many crew increments sent to the International Space Station and future Artemis expeditions sent to the Moon – to develop more robust spaceflight systems and build a culture of interplanetary human exploration. This paper describes several examples of how NASA is exercising a process to achieve these objectives for future human Mars surface missions; both (a) building on lessons learned from ISS missions and maturing plans for Artemis missions, and (b) using human Mars mission planning to inform the plans for future ISS and Artemis missions so that the knowledge gained will reduce uncertainty and risk for Mars. One focal point for this two-way interaction between ISS and Artemis with future human Mars missions is a document titled “Reference Surface Activities for Crewed Mars Mission Systems and Utilization” (HEOMD-415), which describes the systems and operations of the crew thought necessary for the first human Mars surface mission. The details described in this paper will address three specific aspects of HEOMD-415 that have been influenced by ISS and where HEOMD-415 is influencing plans in ISS, Artemis, research and technology development, and other related aspects: (1) crew (activity planning and medical), (2) Mars surface infrastructure, and (3) communication and navigation support. The paper will close by describing near-term opportunities for tests and analogs relevant to these aspects of HEOMD-415.

Mars↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

PLANETARY SURFACE OPERATIONS AND UTILIZATION: HOW ISS AND ARTEMIS MISSIONS CAN BE USED TO MODEL HUMAN EXPLORATION OF MARS

As NASA moves forward with plans to send astronauts to the Moon under Artemis missions and prepare for human exploration of Mars, the Agency is developing a set of high-level objectives for human spaceflight, identifying 50 points falling into four overarching categories of exploration. An element in NASA’s overall process of achieving these objectives is to leverage its assets and missions – such as the many crew increments sent to the International Space Station and future Artemis expeditions sent to the Moon – to develop more robust spaceflight systems and build a culture of interplanetary human exploration. This paper describes several examples of how NASA is exercising a process to achieve these objectives for future human Mars surface missions; both (a) building on lessons learned from ISS missions and maturing plans for Artemis missions, and (b) using human Mars mission planning to inform the plans for future ISS and Artemis missions so that the knowledge gained will reduce uncertainty and risk for Mars. One focal point for this two-way interaction between ISS and Artemis with future human Mars missions is a document titled “Reference Surface Activities for Crewed Mars Mission Systems and Utilization” (HEOMD-415), which describes the systems and operations of the crew thought necessary for the first human Mars surface mission. The details described in this paper will address three specific aspects of HEOMD-415 that have been influenced by ISS and where HEOMD-415 is influencing plans in ISS, Artemis, research and technology development, and other related aspects: (1) crew (activity planning and medical), (2) Mars surface infrastructure, and (3) communication and navigation support. The paper will close by describing near-term opportunities for tests and analogs relevant to these aspects of HEOMD-415.

Mars↗
NASA NTRS1992

Composite materials for structures on planetary surfaces

The physical and mechanical properties of advanced composite materials as related to their use in structures on planetary surfaces are reviewed. Polymer matrix composites are recommended as the best materials in the first exploration stages. Achievement of mechanical properties, physical properties, improved processability, and ease of assembly required on planetary surfaces depends on the tailorability of composites.

Radford, Donald W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Measurements from an Aerial Vehicle: A New Tool for Planetary Exploration

Aerial vehicles fill a unique planetary science measurement gap, that of regional-scale, near-surface observation, while providing a fresh perspective for potential discovery. Aerial vehicles used in planetary exploration bridge the scale and resolution measurement gaps between orbiters (global perspective with limited spatial resolution) and landers (local perspective with high spatial resolution) thus complementing and extending orbital and landed measurements. Planetary aerial vehicles can also survey scientifically interesting terrain that is inaccessible or hazardous to landed missions. The use of aerial assets for performing observations on Mars, Titan, or Venus will enable direct measurements and direct follow-ons to recent discoveries. Aerial vehicles can be used for remote sensing of the interior, surface and atmosphere of Mars, Venus and Titan. Types of aerial vehicles considered are airplane "heavier than air" and airships and balloons "lighter than air". Interdependencies between the science measurements, science goals and objectives, and platform implementation illustrate how the proper balance of science, engineering, and cost, can be achieved to allow for a successful mission. Classification of measurement types along with how those measurements resolve science questions and how these instruments are accommodated within the mission context are discussed.

Wright, Henry S.↗