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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 271 records · Page 15

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NASA NTRS1973

Demonstration of a pulsing liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen thruster

Successful operation of a pulsing liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen attitude control propulsion system thruster (1250 lb sub f) at cryogenic inlet conditions while maintaining high specific impulse and low impulse bit capability was demonstrated. Significant technical advances and departures from conventional injector design practices were necessary in order to achieve an operable thruster. These advancements were achieved through extensive analyses of heat transfer and injector manifold priming that established the baseline feasibility for an actual hardware design. The primary subject of this paper is the result of experimental evaluation of the 45 R hydrogen inlet temperature injector concept. The test matrix consisted of 66 hot firing tests in a heat sink thrust chamber.

Herr, P. N.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Cascaded convolutional codes

Due to the hardware design of Galileo's Command and Data Subsystem (CDS), the channel code usable in an S-band (2290-2300 MHz) mission must include the NASA standard (7,1/2) convolutional code. Galileo's hardware encoder for the (15,1/4) code is not usable in S-band mode. However, the need for higher coding gain dictates the use of long constraint length convolutional codes. Theoretical results show how a large subclass of such codes is realizable by using a software encoder in the CDS cascaded with the hardware encoder for the NASA standard code.

Pollara, F.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Fluid dynamics parallel computer development at NASA Langley Research Center

To accomplish more detailed simulations of highly complex flows, such as the transition to turbulence, fluid dynamics research requires computers much more powerful than any available today. Only parallel processing on multiple-processor computers offers hope for achieving the required effective speeds. Looking ahead to the use of these machines, the fluid dynamicist faces three issues: algorithm development for near-term parallel computers, architecture development for future computer power increases, and assessment of possible advantages of special purpose designs. Two projects at NASA Langley address these issues. Software development and algorithm exploration is being done on the FLEX/32 Parallel Processing Research Computer. New architecture features are being explored in the special purpose hardware design of the Navier-Stokes Computer. These projects are complementary and are producing promising results.

Townsend, James C.↗

NASA NTRS1994

International Neutral Buoyancy Simulation of Space Station Hardware

The International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) Neutral Buoyancy Simulation was conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Neutral Buoyancy Simulator facility during April and May 1992. The purpose of this simulation was to evaluate hardware design and operations for the ISPR and U.S. Lab system racks under simulated conditions of microgravity. The ISPR NBS was conducted by an international simulation team including representatives from Boeing, NASA, NASDA, and ESA. Hardware for the ISPR NBS was provided by Boeing, Alenia, ESA, and MSFC. NASDA and its contractors MEH and IHI provided experienced in-tank participants and technical observers who were present for the duration of the simulation. The ISPR NBS was the first Space Station simulation involving NASA, NASDA and ESA. In addition to bringing together technical representatives from around the world, the ISPR NBS included test subjects who are some of the most experienced U.S. and European astronauts. Eight general areas of investigation were addressed during the ISPR NBS, including: utility panel interfaces, rack tilt down, standoff access, wall access behind the rack, rack removal and installation, rack translation, multiple rack operations, and restraints and mobility aids. This paper focuses on aspects of simulation planning, conduct, and reporting that pertain to specifically to the international involvement of the activity.

Lisa C King↗

NASA NTRS1997

SCARLET Photovoltaic Concentrator Array Selected for Flight Under NASA's New Millennium Program

The NASA Lewis Research Center continues to demonstrate its expertise in the development and implementation of advanced space power systems. For example, during the past year, the NASA New Millennium Program selected the Solar Concentrator Array with Refractive Linear Element Technology (SCARLET) photovoltaic array as the power system for its Deep Space-1 (DS-1) mission. This Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) managed DS-1 mission, which represents the first operational flight of a photovoltaic concentrator array, will provide a baseline for the use of this technology in a variety of future government and commercial applications. SCARLET is a joint NASA Lewis/Ballistic Missile Defense Organization program to develop advanced photovoltaic array technology that uses a unique refractive concentrator design to focus sunlight onto a line of photovoltaic cells located below the optical element. The general concept is based on previous work conducted at Lewis under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AEC-Able Engineering, Inc., for the Multiple Experiments to Earth Orbit and Return (METEOR) spacecraft. The SCARLET II design selected by the New Millennium Program is a direct adaptation of the smaller SCARLET I array built for METEOR. Even though SCARLET I was lost during a launch failure in October 1995, the hardware (designed, built, and flight qualified within 6 months) provided invaluable information and experience that led to the selection of this technology as the primary power source for DS-1.

Piszczor, Michael F., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Forward Contamination of Ocean Worlds: A Stakeholder Conversation

A fundamental requirement for space missions designed to touch “potential habitats” is the single number 10−4, the allowable probability of a single Earth organism contaminating the potential habitat. Many aspects of a mission that affect its complexity and cost – hardware design and manufacture, assembly and test, and mission operations – are driven by this value, so it is important, on the threshold of an era of exploring ocean worlds, to have confidence in it. Yet despite its long pedigree and occasional reviews, we find that the current requirement lacks programmatically defensible justification. At issue are three weaknesses: 1) microbial biology, in particular the science of extremophiles, is a rapidly changing field; 2) forward contamination is both a scientific and an ethical issue, yet no ethics-based conversation is apparent within policy-setting circles; 3) because of these two factors, policy-setting cannot be static. We review the history of the requirement; how the evolving understanding of biology could drive it up or down; how the forward-contamination hazard relates to risk-management practice and to the ethics profession; and how a contemporary stakeholder conversation could adapt lessons already learned by other fields.

Waltemathe, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1977

Solar-cell array design handbook

Twelve-chapter two-volume compilation of solar cell design data is written from industrial, university, and governmental sources. Volumes contain tutorial descriptions of analytical methods, solar-cell characteristics, and cell material properties widely used in specifying solar-cell array performance and hardware design, as well as analysis, fabrication, and test methods.

Rauschenbach, H. S.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Design, fabrication, testing, and delivery of improved beam steering devices

The development, manufacture, and testing of an optical steerer intended for use in spaceborne optical radar systems are described. Included are design principles and design modifications made to harden the device against launch and space environments, the quality program and procedures developed to insure consistent product quality throughout the manufacturing phase, and engineering qualification model testing and evaluation. The delivered hardware design is considered conditionally qualified pending action on further recommended design modifications.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1993

Pollutant emissions from and within a model gas turbine combustor at elevated pressures and temperatures

Conventional and advanced gas turbine engines are coming under increased scrutiny regarding pollutant emissions. This, in turn, has created a need to obtain in-situ experimental data at practical conditions, as well as exhaust data, and to obtain the data in combustors that reflect modern designs. The in-situ data are needed to (1) assess the effects of design modifications on pollutant formation, and (2) develop a detailed data base on combustor performance for the development and verification of computer modeling. This paper reports on a novel high pressure, high temperature facility designed to acquire such data under controlled conditions and with access (optical and extractive) for in-situ measurements. To evaluate the utility of the facility, a model gas turbine combustor was selected which features practical hardware design, two rows of jets (primary and dilution) with four jets in each row, and advanced wall cooling techniques with laser drilled effusive holes. The dome is equipped with a flat-vaned swirler with vane angles of 60 degrees. Data are obtained at combustor pressures ranging from 2 to 10 atmospheres of pressure, levels of air preheat to 427 C, combustor reference velocities from 10.0 to 20.0 m/s, and an overall equivalence ratio of 0.3. Exit plane and in-situ measurements are presented for HC, O2, CO2, CO, and NO(x). The exit plane emissions of NO(x) correspond to levels reported from practical combustors and the in-situ data demonstrate the utility and potential for detailed flow field measurements.

Drennan, S. A.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Coupling of Helmholtz resonators to improve acoustic liners for turbofan engines at low frequency

An analytical and test program was conducted to evaluate means for increasing the effectiveness of low frequency sound absorbing liners for aircraft turbine engines. Three schemes for coupling low frequency absorber elements were considered. These schemes were analytically modeled and their impedance was predicted over a frequency range of 50 to 1,000 Hz. An optimum and two off-optimum designs of the most promising, a parallel coupled scheme, were fabricated and tested in a flow duct facility. Impedance measurements were in good agreement with predicted values and validated the procedure used to transform modeled parameters to hardware designs. Measurements of attenuation for panels of coupled resonators were consistent with predictions based on measured impedance. All coupled resonator panels tested showed an increase in peak attenuation of about 50% and an increase in attenuation bandwidth of one one-third octave band over that measured for an uncoupled panel. These attenuation characteristics equate to about 35% greater reduction in source perceived noise level (PNL), relative to the uncoupled panel, or a reduction in treatment length of about 24% for constant PNL reduction. The increased effectiveness of the coupled resonator concept for attenuation of low frequency broad spectrum noise is demonstrated.

Dean, L. W.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Orbiter utilization as an ACRV

Assuming that a Shuttle Orbiter could be qualified to serve long duration missions attached to Space Station Freedom in the capacity as an Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV), a study was conducted to identify and examine candidate attach locations. Baseline, modified hardware, and new hardware design configurations were considered. Dual simultaneous Orbiter docking accommodation were required. Resulting flight characteristics analyzed included torque equilibrium attitude (TEA), microgravity environment, attitude controllability, and reboost fuel requirements. The baseline Station could not accommodate two Orbiters. Modified hardware configurations analyzed had large TEA's. The utilization of an oblique docking mechanism best accommodated an Orbiter as an ACRV.

Cruz, Jonathan N.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Control structural interaction testbed: A model for multiple flexible body verification

Conventional end-to-end ground tests for verification of control system performance become increasingly complicated with the development of large, multiple flexible body spacecraft structures. The expense of accurately reproducing the on-orbit dynamic environment and the attendant difficulties in reducing and accounting for ground test effects limits the value of these tests. TRW has developed a building block approach whereby a combination of analysis, simulation, and test has replaced end-to-end performance verification by ground test. Tests are performed at the component, subsystem, and system level on engineering testbeds. These tests are aimed at authenticating models to be used in end-to-end performance verification simulations: component and subassembly engineering tests and analyses establish models and critical parameters, unit level engineering and acceptance tests refine models, and subsystem level tests confirm the models' overall behavior. The Precision Control of Agile Spacecraft (PCAS) project has developed a control structural interaction testbed with a multibody flexible structure to investigate new methods of precision control. This testbed is a model for TRW's approach to verifying control system performance. This approach has several advantages: (1) no allocation for test measurement errors is required, increasing flight hardware design allocations; (2) the approach permits greater latitude in investigating off-nominal conditions and parametric sensitivities; and (3) the simulation approach is cost effective, because the investment is in understanding the root behavior of the flight hardware and not in the ground test equipment and environment.

Chory, M. A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The role of mock-ups in the development of Orbital Replaceable Units (ORU)

Orbital Replaceable Units (ORU) is defined as any unit designed for replacement while in orbit. Two types are given. The number of ORU and the ratio of types is given as a function of the particular spacecraft. The purpose of the study is to develop and validate hardware design and operations for on orbit replacement of large modular ORU's. Two types of of testing are outlined; 1-G tests and neutral buoyancy tests.

Johnson, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Overview of Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Environmental Program

This viewgraph presentation is an overview of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) program. The engineering objectives of the program are to create a Mobile Science Laboratory capable of one Mars Year surface operational lifetime (670 Martian sols = 687 Earth days). It will be able to land and operation over wide range of latitudes, altitudes and seasons It must have controlled propulsive landing and demonstrate improved landing precision via guided entry The general science objectives are to perform science that will focus on Mars habitability, perform next generation analytical laboratory science investigations, perform remote sensing/contact investigations and carry a suite of environmental monitoring instruments. Specific scientific objectives of the MSL are: (1) Characterization of geological features, contributing to deciphering geological history and the processes that have modified rocks and regolith, including the role of water. (2) Determination of the mineralogy and chemical composition (including an inventory of elements such as C, H, N, O, P, S, etc. known to be building blocks for life) of surface and near-surface materials. (3) Determination of energy sources that could be used to sustain biological processes. (4) Characterization of organic compounds and potential biomarkers in representative regolith, rocks, and ices. (5) Determination the stable isotopic and noble gas composition of the present-day bulk atmosphere. (6) Identification potential bio-signatures (chemical, textural, isotopic) in rocks and regolith. (7) Characterization of the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic cosmic radiation, solar proton events, and secondary neutrons. (8) Characterization of the local environment, including basic meteorology, the state and cycling of water and C02, and the near-surface distribution of hydrogen. Several views of the planned MSL and the rover are shown. The MSL environmental program is to: (1) Ensure the flight hardware design is capable of surviving all the environments throughout its mission life time, including ground, transportation, launch, cruise, entry decent and landing (EDL) and surface operation environments. (2) Verify environmental testing and analysis have adequately validated the flight hardware's ability to withstand all natural, self-induced, and mission-activity-induced environments. The planned tests to ascertain the capability of the MSL to perform as desired are reviewed.

spacecraft↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel technology of non-contact real-time radiation damage sensors for high power targets.

This report summarizes the contributions of an intern participating in the Community College Internship (CCI) program at Fermilab, focusing on the development of a novel, non-contact, real-time radiation damage sensor technology. The core objective is to create a reliable sensor capable of measuring radiation-induced degradation on high-power targets without physical contact. The experiment involves using a Class 3B supercontinuum laser directed toward a single material sample placed within a vacuum test chamber. The laser beam reflects off the sample's surface, with changes in reflectivity, indicative of radiation damage, measured by a spectrometer positioned at the chamber’s output port. The intern’s primary responsibilities included designing an interlock system to ensure laser operational safety, developing a camera-based monitoring system using Raspberry Pi devices, and creating structural supports using 3D modeling and printing techniques. Components for the interlock and camera systems were successfully designed and ordered, with preliminary 3D models printed and refined through iterative testing. Challenges encountered in the 3D printing process, such as fragile initial prototypes and difficult support removal, were overcome by adjusting printer settings and incorporating design enhancements like chamfered edges. Future activities, pending component delivery, involve installing and configuring the interlock and camera systems, as well as further improving the structural supports. Overall, the internship significantly enhanced the intern’s technical proficiency in hardware design, software integration, and advanced 3D printing, contributing directly to Fermilab’s operational safety standards and experimental effectiveness in high-energy physics research.

Pumarino Meza, Rafael [Unlisted; Fermilab]↗

NASA NTRS2001

Numerical Model of Flame Spread Over Solids in Microgravity: A Supplementary Tool for Designing a Space Experiment

The recently developed numerical model of concurrent-flow flame spread over thin solids has been used as a simulation tool to help the designs of a space experiment. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional, steady form of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with chemical reactions are solved. With the coupled multi-dimensional solver of the radiative heat transfer, the model is capable of answering a number of questions regarding the experiment concept and the hardware designs. In this paper, the capabilities of the numerical model are demonstrated by providing the guidance for several experimental designing issues. The test matrix and operating conditions of the experiment are estimated through the modeling results. The three-dimensional calculations are made to simulate the flame-spreading experiment with realistic hardware configuration. The computed detailed flame structures provide the insight to the data collection. In addition, the heating load and the requirements of the product exhaust cleanup for the flow tunnel are estimated with the model. We anticipate that using this simulation tool will enable a more efficient and successful space experiment to be conducted.

Shih, Hsin-Yi↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evolution of the Next Exploration Toilet through Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Testing

Human waste collection in space is a unique and necessary function that all crewmembers must perform. The variability in how each crewmember uses the toilet to urinate and defecate introduces complexities and challenges with regards to overall hardware design. Because of this variability, it is important to consider crew inputs in all aspects of a toilet design especially with regards to crew interfaces that could impact overall waste collection. Access to crew feedback is essential to the design process and should be considered early and often through the various design phases. In 2020, NASA started a project for the Human Landing System (HLS) program to develop a Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) toilet option. The project is known as the Lavatory On-Orbit (LOO). During the early development of the LOO, the project team conducted several crew evaluations to collect and summarize valuable crew feedback on system design, function, and overall usability to influence the next design iteration. Because every person could use the system differently in space, it was extremely important to collect and analyze the data in a very methodical manner to appropriately influence the design based on the evaluation results. Establishing a standard process ensures consistent data collection from one evaluation to another, helps to maintain privacy for each test subject’s inputs and removes any potential bias from test subject to test subject. To date, the team has completed four crew evaluations on prototypes for the different LOO hardware. This paper will summarize the methodology used to conduct the evaluations as well as how data was collected and analyzed. The paper will also provide details on each of the evaluations and how the design was updated based on the results.

toilet↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evolution of the Next Exploration Toilet Through Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Testing

toilet↗