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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 NTRS2006

Current ISS Exercise Countermeasures: Where are we now?

Current International Space Station (ISS) crew schedules include 1.5 h/d for completion of resistive exercise and 1 h/d of aerobic exercise , 6 d/wk. While ISS post flight decrements in muscle strength, bone m ineral density, and aerobic capacity improved in some crewmembers, de conditioning was still evident even with this volume of exercise. Res ults from early ISS expeditions show maximum loss in bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and pelvis in excess of 1.5% per month, with all crewmembers demonstrating significant bone loss in one or more re gions. Similarly, post flight muscle strength losses in the hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups exceeded 30% in the immediate post miss ion period in some crewmembers. Measures of aerobic capacity early in the mission show average decrements of 15%, but with onboard aerobic exercise capability, the crew has been able to "train up" over the co urse of the mission. These findings are highly variable among crewmem bers and appear to be correlated with availability and reliability of the inflight resistive exercise device (RED), cycle ergometer, and t readmill. This suite of hardware was installed on ISS with limited op erational evaluation in groundbased test beds. As a result, onorbit hardware constraints have resulted in inadequate physical stimulus, d econditioning, and increased risk for compromised performance during intra and extravehicular activities. These issues indicate that the c urrent ISS Countermeasures System reliability or validity are not ade quate for extendedduration exploration missions. Learning Objective: A better understanding of the status of ISS exercise countermeasures , their ability to protect physiologic systems, and recommendations for exploration exercise countermeasures.

Hayes, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Metal band drives in spacecraft mechanisms

Transmitting and changing the characteristics of force and stroke is a requirement in nearly all mechanisms. Examples include changing linear to rotary motion, providing a 90 deg change in direction, and amplifying stroke or force. Requirements for size, weight, efficiency and reliability create unique problems in spacecraft mechanisms. Flexible metal band and cam drive systems provide powerful solutions to these problems. Band drives, rack and pinion gears, and bell cranks are compared for effectiveness. Band drive issues are discussed including materials, bend radius, fabrication, attachment and reliability. Numerous mechanisms are shown which illustrate practical applications of band drives.

Maus, Daryl↗

NASA NTRS2015

Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment - How They Play Together

Since the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986, NASA has extensively used probabilistic analysis methods to assess, understand, and communicate the risk of space launch vehicles. Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA), used in the nuclear industry, is one of the probabilistic analysis methods NASA utilizes to assess Loss of Mission (LOM) and Loss of Crew (LOC) risk for launch vehicles. PRA is a system scenario based risk assessment that uses a combination of fault trees, event trees, event sequence diagrams, and probability distributions to analyze the risk of a system, a process, or an activity. It is a process designed to answer three basic questions: 1) what can go wrong that would lead to loss or degraded performance (i.e., scenarios involving undesired consequences of interest), 2) how likely is it (probabilities), and 3) what is the severity of the degradation (consequences). Since the Challenger accident, PRA has been used in supporting decisions regarding safety upgrades for launch vehicles. Another area that was given a lot of emphasis at NASA after the Challenger accident is reliability engineering. Reliability engineering has been a critical design function at NASA since the early Apollo days. However, after the Challenger accident, quantitative reliability analysis and reliability predictions were given more scrutiny because of their importance in understanding failure mechanism and quantifying the probability of failure, which are key elements in resolving technical issues, performing design trades, and implementing design improvements. Although PRA and reliability are both probabilistic in nature and, in some cases, use the same tools, they are two different activities. Specifically, reliability engineering is a broad design discipline that deals with loss of function and helps understand failure mechanism and improve component and system design. PRA is a system scenario based risk assessment process intended to assess the risk scenarios that could lead to a major/top undesirable system event, and to identify those scenarios that are high-risk drivers. PRA output is critical to support risk informed decisions concerning system design. This paper describes the PRA process and the reliability engineering discipline in detail. It discusses their differences and similarities and how they work together as complementary analyses to support the design and risk assessment processes. Lessons learned, applications, and case studies in both areas are also discussed in the paper to demonstrate and explain these differences and similarities.

Safie, Fayssal↗

NASA NTRS1985

Outdoor performance testing of thin-film devices

The Advanced Systems Research Group supports the photovoltaic advanced R&D (PV AR&D) project by providing outdoor (global) testing of PV cells, submodules, modules, and arrays. The group also provides in house engineering and analysis to identify and determine how technical issues such as cell/module/system adaptations, long term stability, reliability, economics, materials availability, safety, and environmental impacts affect the development and ultimate use of advanced PV thin film, innovative cell, and material technologies. A major thrust of the research effort is to develop and utilize instrumentation and procedures for monitoring and analyzing PV cells and submodules including outdoor performance and stability testing and life cycle accelerated stress testing. To accomplish the above, the solar energy research institute (SERI) outdoor PV test facility was established in 1982. The group has designed testing systems and analysis procedures for, and has tested, numerous amorphous silicon thin film submodules provided by SERI subcontractors and has performed long term outdoor stability tests on CdS/CuIr Se sub 2 and hydrogen passivated silicon solar cells. A significant contribution from this facility over the past year was the testing of large area amorphous silicon submodules.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1987

Arcjet starting reliability: A multistart test on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures

An arcjet starting reliability test was performed to investigate one feasibility issue in the use of arcjets onboard a satellite for north-south stationkeeping. A 1 kW arcjet was run on hydrogen/nitrogen gas mixtures simulating decomposed hydrazine. A pulse width modulated power supply with an integral high voltage starting pulser was used for arc ignition and steady-state operation. The test was performed in four phases in order to determine if starting characteristics changed as a result of long term thruster operation. More than 300 successful starts were accumulated over an operating time of 18 hrs. Overall results indicate that there is a link between starting characteristics and long term thruster operation; however, the large number of starts had no effect on steady-state performance.

Haag, Thomas W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Determinants of individual and group performance

A broad exploration of individual and group/organizational factors that influence performance in demanding environments such as space and air transport was undertaken. Primary efforts were directed toward defining critical issues, developing new methodologies for the assessment of performance in such environments, and developing new measures of personality and attitudes as predictors of performance. Substantial clarification of relevant issues for research and validation was achieved. A reliable instrument to assess crewmembers' attitudes regarding crew coordination and flightdeck management was validated. Major efforts in data collection to validate concepts were initiated. The results suggest that substantial improvements can be made in the prediction of performance and in the selection of crewmembers for aviation and space.

Helmreich, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Arcjet starting reliability - A multistart test on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures

An arcjet starting reliability test was performed to investigate one feasibility issue in the use of arcjets on board a satellite for north-south stationkeeping. A 1 kW arcjet was run on hydrogen/nitrogen gas mixtures simulating decomposed hydrazine. A pulse width modulated power supply with an integral high voltage starting pulser was used for arc ignition and steady-state operation. The test was performed in four phases in order to determine if starting characteristics changed as a result of long term thruster operation. More than 300 successful starts were accumulated over an operating time of 18 hr. Overall results indicate that there is a link between starting characteristics and long term thruster operation; however, the large number of starts had no effect on steady-state performance.

Haag, Thomas W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Terrestrial reference systems related to the TOPEX/Poseidon project

In the TOPEX/POSEIDON project, several satellite positioning systems, such as Laser, Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS), and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) (on an experimental basis), will be used to track the satellite and to provide accurate orbits. Unfortunately, these systems will provide their dedicated tracking-station coordinates and the satellite orbits in different reference frames. Each technique will use, de facto, a different reference frame. In fact, even for the same technique, each group, depending on the hypothesis used in its computation, will use a different reference frame. This problem is not new for geodesists and can be overcome, in large part, but could create trouble for other scientists when they compare or combine different coordinate data sets. The main purpose of this investigation is to determine a consistent terrestrial system for TOPEX/POSEIDON in which all the tracking-station coordinates, all the orbit ephemerides, and all the other station coordinates of specific interest (such as tide gauges) could be expressed. Another issue of this investigation is the provision of reliable information concerning the relationships between all the possible reference frames of interest for th TOPEX/POSEIDON project. To be more explicit, we plan to provide the possible transformation formula between the TOPEX/POSEIDON terrestrial reference frame and the Laser, DORIS, GPS, and other internationally recognized frames such as the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF).

Boucher, Claude↗

NASA NTRS2002

Lattice Boltzmann Method for 3-D Flows with Curved Boundary

In this work, we investigate two issues that are important to computational efficiency and reliability in fluid dynamics applications of the lattice, Boltzmann equation (LBE): (1) Computational stability and accuracy of different lattice Boltzmann models and (2) the treatment of the boundary conditions on curved solid boundaries and their 3-D implementations. Three athermal 3-D LBE models (D3QI5, D3Ql9, and D3Q27) are studied and compared in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and robustness. The boundary treatment recently developed by Filippova and Hanel and Met et al. in 2-D is extended to and implemented for 3-D. The convergence, stability, and computational efficiency of the 3-D LBE models with the boundary treatment for curved boundaries were tested in simulations of four 3-D flows: (1) Fully developed flows in a square duct, (2) flow in a 3-D lid-driven cavity, (3) fully developed flows in a circular pipe, and (4) a uniform flow over a sphere. We found that while the fifteen-velocity 3-D (D3Ql5) model is more prone to numerical instability and the D3Q27 is more computationally intensive, the 63Q19 model provides a balance between computational reliability and efficiency. Through numerical simulations, we demonstrated that the boundary treatment for 3-D arbitrary curved geometry has second-order accuracy and possesses satisfactory stability characteristics.

Mei, Renwei↗

NASA NTRS2002

Computational Approach for Developing Blood Pump

This viewgraph presentation provides an overview of the computational approach to developing a ventricular assist device (VAD) which utilizes NASA aerospace technology. The VAD is used as a temporary support to sick ventricles for those who suffer from late stage congestive heart failure (CHF). The need for donor hearts is much greater than their availability, and the VAD is seen as a bridge-to-transplant. The computational issues confronting the design of a more advanced, reliable VAD include the modelling of viscous incompressible flow. A computational approach provides the possibility of quantifying the flow characteristics, which is especially valuable for analyzing compact design with highly sensitive operating conditions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and rocket engine technology has been applied to modify the design of a VAD which enabled human transplantation. The computing requirement for this project is still large, however, and the unsteady analysis of the entire system from natural heart to aorta involves several hundred revolutions of the impeller. Further study is needed to assess the impact of mechanical VADs on the human body

Kwak, Dochan↗

NASA NTRS2002

Investigation of low glass transition temperature on COTS PEMs reliability

Many factors influence PEM component reliability.One of the factors that can affect PEM performance and reliability is the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the encapsulant or underfill. JPL/NASA is investigating how the Tg and CTE for PEMs affect device reliability under different temperature and aging conditions. Other issues with Tg are also being investigated. Some preliminary data will be presented on glass transition temperature test results conducted at JPL.

Glass transition temperature PEMs↗

NASA NTRS2006

An Integrated Approach to Life Cycle Analysis

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is the evaluation of the impacts that design decisions have on a system and provides a framework for identifying and evaluating design benefits and burdens associated with the life cycles of space transportation systems from a "cradle-to-grave" approach. Sometimes called life cycle assessment, life cycle approach, or "cradle to grave analysis", it represents a rapidly emerging family of tools and techniques designed to be a decision support methodology and aid in the development of sustainable systems. The implementation of a Life Cycle Analysis can vary and may take many forms; from global system-level uncertainty-centered analysis to the assessment of individualized discriminatory metrics. This paper will focus on a proven LCA methodology developed by the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate (SACD) at NASA Langley Research Center to quantify and assess key LCA discriminatory metrics, in particular affordability, reliability, maintainability, and operability. This paper will address issues inherent in Life Cycle Analysis including direct impacts, such as system development cost and crew safety, as well as indirect impacts, which often take the form of coupled metrics (i.e., the cost of system unreliability). Since LCA deals with the analysis of space vehicle system conceptual designs, it is imperative to stress that the goal of LCA is not to arrive at the answer but, rather, to provide important inputs to a broader strategic planning process, allowing the managers to make risk-informed decisions, and increase the likelihood of meeting mission success criteria.

Chytka, T. M.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Coil-On-Plug Ignition for Oxygen/Methane Liquid Rocket Engines in Thermal-Vacuum Environments

A coil-on-plug ignition system has been developed and tested for Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/liquid methane (LCH4) rocket engines operating in thermal vacuum conditions. The igniters were developed and tested as part of the Integrated Cryogenic Propulsion Test Article (ICPTA), previously tested as part of the Project Morpheus test vehicle. The ICPTA uses an integrated, pressure-fed, cryogenic LOX/LCH4 propulsion system including a reaction control system (RCS) and a main engine. The ICPTA was tested at NASA Glenn Research Center's Plum Brook Station in the Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility (B-2) under vacuum and thermal vacuum conditions. A coil-on-plug ignition system has been developed to successfully demonstrate ignition reliability at these conditions while preventing corona discharge issues. The ICPTA uses spark plug ignition for both the main engine igniter and the RCS. The coil-on-plug configuration eliminates the conventional high-voltage spark plug cable by combining the coil and the spark plug into a single component. Prior to ICPTA testing at Plum Brook, component-level reaction control engine (RCE) and main engine igniter testing was conducted at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), which demonstrated successful hot-fire ignition using the coil-on-plug from sea-level ambient conditions down to 10(exp -2) torr. Integrated vehicle hot-fire testing at JSC demonstrated electrical and command/data system performance. Lastly, hot-fire testing at Plum Brook demonstrated successful ignitions at simulated altitude conditions at 30 torr and cold thermal-vacuum conditions at 6 torr. The test campaign successfully proved that coil-on-plug technology will enable integrated LOX/LCH4 propulsion systems in future spacecraft.

Melcher, John C.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Fabricating Solid-State Batteries for Electric Aviation

All-solid-state lithium batteries are widely reputed as the next major step in energy storage technology on account their drastically improved safety over wet cells, as solid electrolytes lack the volatile compounds in wet electrolytes that make them combustible. This enhanced safety enables a far wider range of products and vehicles to go fully electric and aligns with future NASA missions that require high performing, reliable, and safe batteries. However, they currently face issues with implementation in consumer products due to the often-poor mechanical properties of the solid electrolyte and relative difficulty to manufacture. Typical solid-state electrolyte challenges were bypassed by incorporating a range of polymeric binders into a solid electrolyte suspension and cast onto a composite carbon-sulfide cathode to create a single bilayer film. The resulting films display superior flexibility and durability compared to solid-electrolyte films typically discussed in literature without compromising the thinness of the films. The bilayer film was then punched into 12.7 cm diameter discs and 4 cm by 5 cm sheets, pressed, and assembled into coin cells and pouch cells respectively.

Batteries↗

NASA NTRS2014

Spacecraft Charging Issues for Launch Vehicles

Spacecraft charging is well known threat to successful long term spacecraft operations and instrument reliability in orbits that spend significant time in hot electron environments. In recent years, spacecraft charging has increasingly been recognized as a potentially significant engineering issue for launch vehicles used to deploy spacecraft using (a) low Earth orbit (LEO), high inclination flight trajectories that pass through the auroral zone, (b) geostationary transfer orbits that require exposures to the hot electron environments in the Earths outer radiation belts, and (c) LEO escape trajectories using multiple phasing orbits through the Earths radiation belts while raising apogee towards a final Earth escape geometry. Charging becomes an issue when significant areas of exposed insulating materials or ungrounded conductors are used in the launch vehicle design or the payload is designed for use in a benign charging region beyond the Earths magnetosphere but must survive passage through the strong charging regimes of the Earths radiation belts. This presentation will first outline the charging risks encountered on typical launch trajectories used to deploy spacecraft into Earth orbit and Earth escape trajectories. We then describe the process used by NASAs Launch Services Program to evaluate when surface and internal charging is a potential risk to a NASA mission. Finally, we describe the options for mitigating charging risks including modification of the launch vehicle andor payload design and controlling the risk through operational launch constraints to avoid significant charging environments.

Electrostatics↗

NASA NTRS2014

Spacecraft Charging Issues for Launch Vehicles

Spacecraft charging is well known threat to successful long term spacecraft operations and instrument reliability in orbits that spend significant time in hot electron environments. In recent years, spacecraft charging has increasingly been recognized as a potentially significant engineering issue for launch vehicles used to deploy spacecraft using (a) low Earth orbit (LEO), high inclination flight trajectories that pass through the auroral zone, (b) geostationary transfer orbits that require exposures to the hot electron environments in the Earths outer radiation belts, and (c) LEO escape trajectories using multiple phasing orbits through the Earths radiation belts while raising apogee towards a final Earth escape geometry. Charging becomes an issue when significant areas of exposed insulating materials or ungrounded conductors are used in the launch vehicle design or the payload is designed for use in a benign charging region beyond the Earths magnetosphere but must survive passage through the strong charging regimes of the Earths radiation belts. This presentation will first outline the charging risks encountered on typical launch trajectories used to deploy spacecraft into Earth orbit and Earth escape trajectories. We then describe the process used by NASAs Launch Services Program to evaluate when surface and internal charging is a potential risk to a NASA mission. Finally, we describe the options for mitigating charging risks including modification of the launch vehicle and/or payload design and controlling the risk through operational launch constraints to avoid significant charging environments

electrostatics↗

NASA NTRS2006

Qualification and Issues with Space Flight Laser Systems and Components

The art of flight quality solid-state laser development is still relatively young, and much is still unknown regarding the best procedures, components, and packaging required for achieving the maximum possible lifetime and reliability when deployed in the harsh space environment. One of the most important issues is the limited and unstable supply of quality, high power diode arrays with significant technological heritage and market lifetime. Since Spectra Diode Labs Inc. ended their involvement in the pulsed array business in the late 1990's, there has been a flurry of activity from other manufacturers, but little effort focused on flight quality production. This forces NASA, inevitably, to examine the use of commercial parts to enable space flight laser designs. System-level issues such as power cycling, operational derating, duty cycle, and contamination risks to other laser components are some of the more significant unknown, if unquantifiable, parameters that directly effect transmitter reliability. Designs and processes can be formulated for the system and the components (including thorough modeling) to mitigate risk based on the known failures modes as well as lessons learned that GSFC has collected over the past ten years of space flight operation of lasers. In addition, knowledge of the potential failure modes related to the system and the components themselves can allow the qualification testing to be done in an efficient yet, effective manner. Careful test plan development coupled with physics of failure knowledge will enable cost effect qualification of commercial technology. Presented here will be lessons learned from space flight experience, brief synopsis of known potential failure modes, mitigation techniques, and options for testing from the system level to the component level.

Ott, Melanie N.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Qualification and Issues with Space Flight Laser Systems and Components

The art of flight quality solid-state laser development is still relatively young, and much is still unknown regarding the best procedures, components, and packaging required for achieving the maximum possible lifetime and reliability when deployed in the harsh space environment. One of the most important issues is the limited and unstable supply of quality, high power diode arrays with significant technological heritage and market lifetime. Since Spectra Diode Labs Inc. ended their involvement in the pulsed array business in the late 199O's, there has been a flurry of activity from other manufacturers, but little effort focused on flight quality production. This forces NASA, inevitably, to examine the use of commercial parts to enable space flight laser designs. System-level issues such as power cycling, operational derating, duty cycle, and contamination risks to other laser components are some of the more significant unknown, if unquantifiable, parameters that directly effect transmitter reliability. Designs and processes can be formulated for the system and the components (including thorough modeling) to mitigate risk based on the known failures modes as well as lessons learned that GSFC has collected over the past ten years of space flight operation of lasers. In addition, knowledge of the potential failure modes related to the system and the components themselves can allow the qualification testing to be done in an efficient yet, effective manner. Careful test plan development coupled with physics of failure knowledge will enable cost effect qualification of commercial technology. Presented here will be lessons learned from space flight experience, brief synopsis of known potential failure modes, mitigation techniques, and options for testing from the system level to the component level.

Ott, Melanie N.↗