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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 NTRS2013

Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis (IDEA) Environment - Propulsion Related Module Development and Vehicle Integration

This report documents the work performed during the period from May 2011 - October 2012 on the Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis (IDEA) environment. IDEA is a collaborative environment based on an object-oriented, multidisciplinary, distributed framework using the Adaptive Modeling Language (AML). This report will focus on describing the work done in the areas of: (1) Integrating propulsion data (turbines, rockets, and scramjets) in the system, and using the data to perform trajectory analysis; (2) Developing a parametric packaging strategy for a hypersonic air breathing vehicles allowing for tank resizing when multiple fuels and/or oxidizer are part of the configuration; and (3) Vehicle scaling and closure strategies.

Kamhawi, Hilmi N.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Biomass Burning Influences on the Composition of the Remote South Pacific Troposphere: Analysis Based on Observations from PEM Tropics-A

Airborne, in-situ measurements from PEM-Tropics-A (September/October 1996) are analyzed to show the presence of distinct pollution plumes in the middle-tropical troposphere of the remote South Pacific (10-30degS). These elevated plumes cause a relative maximum at about 5-7km attitude in the vertical distribution of primary and secondary species characteristic of fuel combustion and biomass burning (CO, C2H2, C2H6, CH3Cl, PAN, O3). Similar plumes were also observed at mid-latitudes in the middle troposphere during three flights east of New Zealand (40-45degS). In all, pollution plumes with CO larger than 100 ppb were observed 24 times on 7 separate flight days south of the equator. The observed plumes were generally embedded in very dry air. Ten-day back trajectory analysis supports the view that these originated from the biomass burning regions of South Africa (and South America) and were transported to the South Pacific along long-distance subsiding trajectories. The chemical composition of the southern Pacific troposphere analyzed from the PEM-Tropics-A data is compared with data from the tropical regions of the northern Pacific (PEM-West-A) and southern Atlantic (TRACE-A) during the same Sept/Oct time period. Sizable perturbations in the abundance of ozone and its key precursors, resulting from the transport of pollution originating from biomass burning sources, are observed in much of the Southern Hemispheric troposphere.

Singh, H. B.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sea-Ice Effects on the Alaskan Wave Climate

This study investigates the uncertainty of wave resource assessments due to sea ice in the nearshore region of Alaska using an innovative approach of combining remotely sensed data and a third-generation phase-averaged wave model. Modeling analysis focused on winter months, when high wave energy is present along with sea ice. This study includes recommendations to improve the accuracy of wave resource assessments and optimize marine and hydrokinetic device siting with consideration of sea-ice effects. Additional recommendations, based on preliminary sea-ice information in Cook Inlet, Alaska, are provided for a trajectory analysis of drifting sea ice and a collision risk assessment of sea ice and tidal turbines. The outcome of this project will provide valuable information about the level of sea-ice impact on the accuracy of wave resource assessments in the Alaska nearshore region, and of sea-ice collision risk with MHK devices and ocean observation systems during winter months when sea ice is present.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhanced Resistance Pines for Improved Renewable Biofuel and Chemical Production (Technical Report)

We completed phenotyping constitutive and inducible oleoresin flow across two seasons, constitutive resin canal number and density and wood terpene content in our ADEPT2 and CCLONES populations. We completed genetic association between 19 oleoresin phenotypes and a total of 523,192 SNP markers from ADEPT2 and 13,883 SNP markers in CCLONES using four mixed linear models. A total of 293 significant SNPs (FDR = 0.20) were identified. We used the MENTOR tool to mine mechanistic connections from a multiplex network constructed from poplar multi-omic data to construct a conceptual model for a subset of these significant SNPs. Our model contains 6 transcriptional regulators in addition to 3 monoterpene synthases. To generate more lines of evidence for these significant SNPs, we completed a time course RNAseq experiment after inducing vascular zone cells to differentiate into new resin canals with a methyl jasmonate treatment, a single nuclei RNAseq that identified differentiating resin canal epithelial cells and are completing analysis for a QTL study in a hybrid pine population. The time course identified 4634 significantly down and 1890 significantly up regulated transcripts after treatment with methyl jasmonate, an inducer of new resin canal formation in the vascular cambial meristem. To analyze this large set of differentially regulated genes, we created a predictive expression network and analyzed it with random walk restart using 6 seed genes coding for transcription factors regulating xylem differentiation in poplar. Of the top ranked 200 transcripts, 119 transcripts were significant differentially expressed supporting these transcripts as potential candidates regulating resin canal formation. Analysis of single nuclei sequencing of shoot tips that contain differentiating resin canals, identified 10 clusters. One cluster was highly enriched in transcripts coding for 9 of the enzymes in the MEP pathway 3 prenyl synthetases, and 3 monoterpene synthases strongly suggesting that this cluster represents resin canal epithelial cells. We are mining the additional transcripts to create a trajectory analysis. In summary, we have identified > 10 novel genes that are strongly supported candidates for further analysis in breeding lines and for genetic engineering over- and under- expressing lines to increase wood terpene content to improve resistance to insect and fungal pathogens while simultaneously increasing terpene supplies for renewable chemicals and biofuels.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1974

Optimal payload ascent trajectories of winged vehicles

A trajectory analysis is presented which shows the advantage of lifting ascent and the penalties associated with increased wing mass due to increases in aerodynamic loading. The vehicle analyzed is made up of an orbiter, an expendable liquid fuel tank, and two solid rocket motors. Results of the tradeoff are illustrated in a graph of the total vehicle mass plotted against the trajectory constraint. Results indicate that even when structural mass penalties are considered lifting ascent provides a payload delivery.

Martin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Human Mars Mission: SEP Architecture Crew Taxi Propulsion Stage Study and Design and Technology for Reaction and Control System

The Mars exploration is a candidate pathway to expand human presence and useful activities in the solar system. There are several propulsion system options being considered to place the Mars payload on its inter-planetary transfer trajectory. One propulsion option is the use of Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) to spiral out with the Mars payload from an initial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to an elliptical High Earth Orbit (HEO). This report, presented in annotated facing page format, describes the work completed on the design of a crew taxi propulsion stage used in conjunction with the SEP. Transportation system/mission analysis topics covered in this report include sub-system analysis, trajectory profile description, mass performance and crew taxi stage sizing, stage configuration, stage cost, and Trans-Mars Injection (TMI) launch window. The high efficiency of SEP is used to provide the major part of the TMI propulsion maneuver. Orbital energy is continuously added over a period of approximately twelve months. The SEP and Mars payload follow a spiral trajectory from an initial LEO to a final elliptical HEO. A small chemical stage is then used to provide the final part of the TMI. The now unloaded SEP returns to LEO to repeat another spiral trajectory with payload to HEO. The spiral phase of the SEP's trajectory takes several months to reach HEO, thus significantly increasing the exposure time of the crew to zero-gravity. In order to minimize the long zero-gravity effects, a high thrust chemical stage delivers the crew to the SEP's HEO. The crew rendezvous with the Mars payload in HEO. After a checkout period the Mars payload with the crew is injected onto a Trans-Mars Trajectory by a small chemical stage.

Young, Archie↗
NASA NTRS1999

Human Mars Mission: SEP Architecture, Crew Taxi Propulsion Stage Study and Design and Technology for Reaction and Control System

The Mars exploration is a candidate pathway to expand human presence and useful activities in the solar system. There are several propulsion system options being considered to place the Mars payload on its interplanetary transfer trajectory. One propulsion option is the use of Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) to spiral out with the Mars payload from an initial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to an elliptical High Earth Orbit (HEO). This report, presented in annotated facing page format, describes the work completed on the design of a crew taxi propulsion stage used in conjunction with the SEP. Transportation system/mission analysis topics covered in this report include sub-system analysis, trajectory profile description, mass performance and crew taxi stage sizing, stage configuration, stage cost, and Trans-Mars Injection (TMI) launch window. The high efficiency of SEP is used to provide the major part of the TMI propulsion maneuver. Orbital energy is continuously added over a period of approximately twelve months. The SEP and Mars payload follow a spiral trajectory from an initial LEO to a final elliptical HEO. A small chemical stage is then used to provide the final part of the TMI. The now unloaded SEP returns to LEO to repeat another spiral trajectory with payload to HEO. The spiral phase of the SEP's trajectory takes several months to reach HEO, thus significantly increasing the exposure time of the crew to zero-gravity. In order to minimize the long zero-gravity effects, a high thrust chemical stage delivers the crew to the SEP's HEO. The crew rendezvous with the Mars payload in HEO. After a checkout period the Mars payload with the crew is injected onto a Trans-Mars Trajectory by a small chemical stage.

Young, Archie↗
NASA NTRS2019

The Weather Analysis Display (WAND) Tool: Developing a Meteorological Data Display Tool for Situational Awareness During Day-Of-Launch of Space Launch Vehicles Using Python

Atmospheric conditions are an important driver in the design and operation of space launch vehicles. The Profile Envision and Splicing Tool (PRESTO) was developed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Natural Environments Branch (NE) to generate vertically complete atmospheric profiles from various data sources at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), co-located on the United States Air Force (USAF) Eastern Range (ER), for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) day-of-launch (DOL) loads and trajectory analysis. PRESTO was designed solely to generate a vertically complete atmospheric profile (Orcutt et al., 2017). However, NE has also been tasked to provide a quality assessment of meteorological data examined on DOL, which goes beyond PRESTO’s utility. Thus, NE developed the Weather Analysis Display (WAND) to visualize data from all available observation systems in conjunction with climatological databases. WAND can display data from various sources in multiple ways, including Skew-T Log-P plots, time-height cross sections, and time series. WAND was developed in Python 3 taking advantage of common packages, such as NumPy for data handling, SciPy for mathematical functions, Matplotlib for data visualization, and Tkinter for the execution of the Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Orcutt, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The Apollo Lightcraft Project

The overall goal for this NASA/USRA-sponsored 'Apollo Lightcraft Project' is to develop a revolutionary launch vehicle technology that can reduce payload transport costs by a factor of 1000 below the Space Shuttle Orbiter. The RPI design team proposes to utilize advanced, highly energetic, beamed-energy sources (laser, microwave) and innovative combined-cycle (airbreathing/rocket) engines to accomplish this goal. This second year focused on systems integration and analysis of the 'Apollo Lightcraft'. This beam-powered, single-stage-to-orbit vehicle is envisioned as the globe-trotting family shuttlecraft of the 21st century. Detailed investigations of the Apollo Lightcraft Project during the second year of study helped evolve the propulsion system design, while focusing on the following areas: (1) man/machine interface; (2) flight control systems; (3) power beaming system architecture; (4) reentry aerodynamics; (5) shroud structural dynamics; and (6) optimal trajectory analysis.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

An analytical procedure for evaluating shuttle abort staging aerodynamic characteristics

An engineering analysis and computer code (AERSEP) for predicting Space Shuttle Orbiter - HO Tank longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics during abort separation has been developed. Computed results are applicable at Mach numbers above 2 for angle-of-attack between plus or minus 10 degrees. No practical restrictions on orbiter-tank relative positioning are indicated for tank-under-orbiter configurations. Input data requirements and computer running times are minimal facilitating program use for parametric studies, test planning, and trajectory analysis. In a majority of cases AERSEP Orbiter-Tank interference predictions are as accurate as state-of-the-art estimates for interference-free or isolated-vehicle configurations. AERSEP isolated-orbiter predictions also show excellent correlation with data.

Meyer, R.↗
NASA NTRS1962

MARINER 2 FLIGHT TO VENUS

The trajectory analysis behind this spacecraft's history-making flight to Venus, which reaches the high point of flyby on December 14, will become a fundamental operation for future deep-space flights.

TRACKING↗
NASA NTRS1975

An analysis of space environment effects on performance and missions of a Solar Electric Propulsion Stage (SEPS)

The development of an analysis which addresses the problems of degrading space environmental effects on the performance and missions of a Solar Electric Propulsion Stage (SEPS) is reported. A detailed study concerning the degrading effects of the Van Allen Belt charged-particle radiation on specific spacecraft subsystems is included, along with some of the thermal problems caused by electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The analytical methods used require the integration of two distinct analyses. The first, is a low-thrust trajectory analysis which uses analytical approximations to optimum steering for orbit raising, including three-dimensional plane change cases. The second is the conversion of the Vette time-averaged differential energy spectra for protons and electrons into a 1-MeV electron equivalent environment as a function of spatial position and thickness of various shielding materials and solar-cell cover slides.

Mcglathery, D. M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Chemical identification of new particle formation and growth precursors through positive matrix factorization of ambient ion measurements

Abstract. In the lower troposphere, rapid collisions between ions and trace gases result in the transfer of positive charge to the highest proton affinity species and negative charge to the lowest proton affinity species. Measurements of the chemical composition of ambient ions thus provide direct insight into the most acidic and basic trace gases and their ion–molecule clusters – compounds thought to be important for new particle formation and growth. We deployed an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-ToF) to measure ambient ion chemical composition during the 2016 Holistic Interactions of Shallow Clouds, Aerosols, and Land Ecosystems (HI-SCALE) campaign at the United States Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement facility in the Southern Great Plains (SGP), an agricultural region. Cations and anions were measured for alternating periods of ∼ 24 h over 1 month. We use binned positive matrix factorization (binPMF) and generalized Kendrick analysis (GKA) to obtain information about the chemical formulas and temporal variation in ionic composition without the need for averaging over a long timescale or a priori high-resolution peak fitting. Negative ions consist of strong acids including sulfuric and nitric acid, organosulfates, and clusters of NO3- with highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) derived from monoterpene (MT) and sesquiterpene (SQT) oxidation. Organonitrates derived from SQTs account for most of the HOM signal. Combined with the diel profiles and back trajectory analysis, these results suggest that NO3 radical chemistry is active at this site. SQT oxidation products likely contribute to particle growth at the SGP site. The positive ions consist of bases including alkyl pyridines and amines and a series of high-mass species. Nearly all the positive ions contained only one nitrogen atom and in general support ammonia and amines as being the dominant bases that could participate in new particle formation. Overall, this work demonstrates how APi-ToF measurements combined with binPMF analysis can provide insight into the temporal evolution of compounds important for new particle formation and growth.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1992

Structural and loads analysis of a two-stage fully reusable Advanced Manned Launch System

The conceptual design of a rocket-powered, two-stage fully reusable launch vehicle has been performed as a part of NASA's Advanced Manned Launch System (AMLS) study. This paper summarizes the structural design and loads analysis of this two-stage fully reusable launch vehicle. The method used to determine the structural weights consists of generating a finite-element model for each vehicle, selecting a set of critical loading conditions, determining the loads on the model caused by those conditions, determining the model response and changing the sizes of individual elements to obtain a safe structure. The integrated loads on the two-stage vehicle were obtained from a three-degrees-of-freedom trajectory analysis.

Robinson, James C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Ares I-X Separation and Reentry Trajectory Analyses

The Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle was launched on October 28, 2009 and was the first and only test flight of NASA s two-stage Ares I launch vehicle design. The launch was successful and the flight test met all of its primary and secondary objectives. This paper discusses the stage separation and reentry trajectory analysis that was performed in support of the Ares I-X test flight. Pre-flight analyses were conducted to assess the risk of stage recontact during separation, to evaluate the first stage flight dynamics during reentry, and to define the range safety impact ellipses of both stages. The results of these pre-flight analyses were compared with available flight data. On-board video taken during flight showed that the flight test vehicle successfully separated without any recontact. Reconstructed trajectory data also showed that first stage flight dynamics were well characterized by pre-flight Monte Carlo results. In addition, comparisons with flight data indicated that the complex interference aerodynamic models employed in the reentry simulation were effective in capturing the flight dynamics during separation. Finally, the splash-down locations of both stages were well within predicted impact ellipses.

Tartabini, Paul V.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Computationally guided synthesis of carbon coated mesoporous silica materials

Mesoporous silica materials (MSMs) are well-suited for biomedical applications due to their unique features, including a large surface area and tunable pore size. To enhance their durability, the small pores in MSMs are filled with carbon precursors and then carbonized to prevent them from interacting with unreacted silicic acid. Here, in this study, we synthesized and healed MSMs using a combination of non-reactive and reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The non-reactive MD simulation revealed that the self-assembly of Pluronic® L64 polymers in water resulted in nearly 80 % hydrogen bonds between the hydrophilic sections of the micelle and water. In the bond-boosted ReaxFF MD simulations, silicic acid precursors were condensed on the micelle surface, with over 60 % of them leading to the creation of periodic mesoporous silica within the system. Condensation of silicic acid precursors at 300 K with bond-boosting and at 1500 K without it both significantly promoted the polymerization of Si(OH) 4 , with the latter doubling the rate compared to the former. Subsequently, we healed the MSM surface by carbonizing carbon precursors inside an MSM pore. Polyethylene (PE) and high-rank lignite were identified as the most suitable precursors due to their ability to form turbostratic graphene structures. High-rank lignite exhibited the highest carbon conversion ratio to 6-membered rings, closely followed by PE, in the carbon ring formation analysis. Additionally, the production of gases, such as H 2 , increased significantly for PE at both 2200 K and 2600 K, indicating the conversion of a considerable portion of carbon into graphitic or turbostratic structures. The carbonization of PE primarily led to the formation of planar (sp 2 ) structures, while sucrose yielded the least planar structures. Finally, we studied the protective blocking of unreacted silicic acid precursor by considering a PET turbostratic graphene structure in a silica mesopore formed at 2600 K. The trajectory analysis showed that the surface of the silica was effectively coated with PET tar, preventing unreacted silicic acid from interacting with the inner silica pore surface. These findings offer valuable insights into the synthesis and carbonization-based healing processes of MSMs, enhancing their potential for various biomedical applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Identification of new marker genes from plant single‐cell RNA‐seq data using interpretable machine learning methods

Summary An essential step in the analysis of single‐cell RNA sequencing data is to classify cells into specific cell types using marker genes. In this study, we have developed a machine learning pipeline called single‐cell predictive marker (SPmarker) to identify novel cell‐type marker genes in the Arabidopsis root. Unlike traditional approaches, our method uses interpretable machine learning models to select marker genes. We have demonstrated that our method can: assign cell types based on cells that were labelled using published methods; project cell types identified by trajectory analysis from one data set to other data sets; and assign cell types based on internal GFP markers. Using SPmarker, we have identified hundreds of new marker genes that were not identified before. As compared to known marker genes, the new marker genes have more orthologous genes identifiable in the corresponding rice single‐cell clusters. The new root hair marker genes also include 172 genes with orthologs expressed in root hair cells in five non‐ Arabidopsis species, which expands the number of marker genes for this cell type by 35–154%. Our results represent a new approach to identifying cell‐type marker genes from scRNA‐seq data and pave the way for cross‐species mapping of scRNA‐seq data in plants.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗