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NASA NTRS1996

The Design, Planning and Control of Robotic Systems in Space

In the future, robotic systems will be expected to perform important tasks in space, in orbit and in planetary exploration. In orbit, current technology requires that tasks such as the repair, construction and maintenance of space stations and satellites be performed by astronaut Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). Eliminating, the need for astronaut EVA through the use of space manipulators would greatly reduce both mission costs and hazards to astronauts. In planetary exploration, cost and logistical considerations clearly make the use of autonomous and telerobotic systems also very attractive, even in cases where an astronaut explorer might be in the area. However, such applications introduce a number of technical problems not found in conventional earth-bound industrial robots. To design useful and practical systems to meet the needs of future space missions, substantial technical development is required, including in the areas of the design, control and planning. The objectives of this research program were to develop such design paradigms and control and planning algorithms to enable future space robotic systems to meet their proposed mission objectives. The underlying intellectual focus of the program is to construct a set of integrated design, planning and control techniques based on an understanding of the fundamental mechanics of space robotic systems. This work was to build upon the results obtained in our previous research in this area supported by NASA Langley Research Center in which we have made important contributions to the area of space robotics. This program was proposed and accepted as a three year research program, a period of time necessary to make the type of fundamental developments to make a significant contributions to space robotics. Unfortunately, less than a year into the program it became clear that the NASA Langley Research Center would be forced by budgetary constraints to essentially leave this area of research. As a result, the total funding we received under this grant represented approximately one year of the original, proposed and approved, funding. For some time, there was substantial uncertainty that even this very reduced level of funding would be provided. The spending of the reduced available funds was spread just over two years to provide the support to permit the MS students who had joined the program to receive their master's degree and terminate their studies in this area.

Dubowsky, Steven↗
NASA NTRS1997

Efficient GO2/GH2 Injector Design: A NASA, Industry and University Cooperative Effort

Developing new propulsion components in the face of shrinking budgets presents a significant challenge. The technical, schedule and funding issues common to any design/development program are complicated by the ramifications of the continuing decrease in funding for the aerospace industry. As a result, new working arrangements are evolving in the rocket industry. This paper documents a successful NASA, industry, and university cooperative effort to design efficient high performance GO2/GH2 rocket injector elements in the current budget environment. The NASA Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program initially consisted of three vehicle/engine concepts targeted at achieving single stage to orbit. One of the Rocketdyne propulsion concepts, the RS 2100 engine, used a full-flow staged-combustion cycle. Therefore, the RS 2100 main injector would combust GO2/GH 2 propellants. Early in the design phase, but after budget levels and contractual arrangements had been set the limitations of the current gas/gas injector database were identified. Most of the relevant information was at least twenty years old. Designing high performance injectors to meet the RS 2100 requirements would require the database to be updated and significantly enhanced. However, there was no funding available to address the need for more data. NASA proposed a teaming arrangement to acquire the updated information without additional funds from the RLV Program. A determination of the types and amounts of data needed was made along with test facilities with capabilities to meet the data requirements, budget constraints, and schedule. After several iterations a program was finalized and a team established to satisfy the program goals. The Gas/Gas Injector Technology (GGIT) Program had the overall goal of increasing the ability of the rocket engine community to design efficient high-performance, durable gas/gas injectors relevant to RLV requirements. First, the program would provide Rocketdyne with data on preliminary gas/gas injector designs which would enable discrimination among candidate injector designs. Secondly, the program would enhance the national gas/gas database by obtaining high-quality data that increases the understanding of gas/gas injector physics and is suitable for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code validation. The third program objective was to validate CFD codes for future gas/gas injector design in the RLV program.

Tucker, P. K.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Development of Numerical Extended Hydrodynamics for Transition-Regime Non-Equilibrium Flows Encountered in Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes

Six months of funding was received for the proposed three year research program (funding for the period from March 1, 1997 to August 31, 1997). Although the official starting date for the project was March 1, 1997, no funding for the project was received until July 1997. In the funded research period, considerable progress was made on Phase I of the proposed research program. The initial research efforts concentrated on applying the 10-, 20-, and 35-moment Gaussian-based closures to a series of standard two-dimensional non-reacting single species test flow problems, such as the flat plate, couette, channel, and rearward facing step flows, and to some other two-dimensional flows having geometries similar to those encountered in chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) reactors. Eigensystem analyses for these systems for the case of two spatial dimensions was carried out and efficient formulations of approximate Riemann solvers have been formulated using these eigenstructures. Formulations to include rotational non-equilibrium effects into the moment closure models for the treatment of polyatomic gases were explored, as the original formulations of the closure models were developed strictly for gases composed of monatomic molecules. The development of a software library and computer code for solving relaxing hyperbolic systems in two spatial dimensions of the type arising from the closure models was also initiated. The software makes use of high-resolution upwind finite-volumes schemes, multi-stage point implicit time stepping, and automatic adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) to solve the governing conservation equations for the moment closures. The initial phase of the code development was completed and a numerical investigation of the solutions of the 10-moment closure model for the simple two-dimensional test cases mentioned above was initiated. Predictions of the 10-moment model were compared to available theoretical solutions and the results of direct-simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) calculations. The first results of this study were presented at a meeting last year.

Groth, Clinton P. T.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Proceedings of the First Biennial Space Biomedical Investigators' Workshop

The First Biennial Space Biomedical Investigators' Workshop, held January 11-13, 1999, was unique in that it assembled, for the first time, a broad cross section of NASA-funded biomedical researchers to present the current status of their projects and their plans for future investigations. All principal investigators with active, or recently-completed ground-based projects in NASA's Biomedical Research and Countermeasures Program that were funded through NASA's Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications were invited. Included were individual investigators funded through NASA Research Announcements, investigators with NASA Specialized Centers of Research and Training, investigators with the recently established National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), and NASA civil servant investigators. Seventy-seven percent of all eligible projects were presented at the workshop. Thus, these Proceedings should provide a useful snapshot of the status of NASA-funded space biomedical research as of January 1999. An important workshop objective was to achieve free and open communication among the presenting investigators. Therefore, presentation of new and incomplete results, as well as hypotheses and ideas for future research, was encouraged. Comments and constructive criticisms from the presenters' colleagues were also encouraged. These ground rules resulted in many lively and useful discussions, during both the presentation sessions and informal evening gatherings and breaks.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

MPL-Net Measurements of Aerosol and Cloud Vertical Distributions at Co-Located AERONET Sites

In the early 1990s, the first small, eye-safe, and autonomous lidar system was developed, the Micropulse Lidar (MPL). The MPL acquires signal profiles of backscattered laser light from aerosols and clouds. The signals are analyzed to yield multiple layer heights, optical depths of each layer, average extinction-to-backscatter ratios for each layer, and profiles of extinction in each layer. In 2000, several MPL sites were organized into a coordinated network, called MPL-Net, by the Cloud and Aerosol Lidar Group at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) using funding provided by the NASA Earth Observing System. tn addition to the funding provided by NASA EOS, the NASA CERES Ground Validation Group supplied four MPL systems to the project, and the NASA TOMS group contributed their MPL for work at GSFC. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) also agreed to make their data available to the MPL-Net project for processing. In addition to the initial NASA and ARM operated sites, several other independent research groups have also expressed interest in joining the network using their own instruments. Finally, a limited amount of EOS funding was set aside to participate in various field experiments each year. The NASA Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) project also provides funds to deploy their MPL during ocean research cruises. All together, the MPL-Net project has participated in four major field experiments since 2000. Most MPL-Net sites and field experiment locations are also co-located with sunphotometers in the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network. (AERONET). Therefore, at these locations data is collected on both aerosol and cloud vertical structure as well as column optical depth and sky radiance. Real-time data products are now available from most MPL-Net sites. Our real-time products are generated at times of AERONET aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements. The AERONET AOD is used as input to our processing routines, which calculate the aerosol layer top height and extinction profile, and our MPL calibration value. A variety of other data products are available or under development. We present an overview of the MPL-Net project and discuss data products useful to the AERONET community. Results from several sites and field experiments will be presented.

Welton, Ellsworth J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Studies of Accreting Neutron Stars with RXTE Cycle 4 Observations: II: Too Observations of Transient LMXBs

NASA Grant NAG 5-9045 provided funds for the research project 'TOO Observations of Transient LMxBs' approved under the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Guest Observer Program Cycle 4 and funded under the 1999 NASA Astrophysics Data Program. The principal investigator of the observing time proposal was Dr. M. Mendez (U. of Amsterdam). The grant was funded for one year beginning 3/1/2000. The original proposal was submitted by Prof. Jan van Paradijs, who passed away in 1999 before the funds were distributed. Prof. William S. Pauesas administered the grant during the period of performance. In spite of a wealth of observational data on the kHz QPO in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), the interpretation of this phenomenon is currently uncertain because the pairs of kHz QPO peaks and the oscillations seen in some Type I X-ray bursts are almost, but not quite, connected by a simple beat frequency relation. The proposal was intended to contribute to a solution to this confusion by making RXTE target-of-opportunity observations of two transient LMXBs, Aql X-1 and 4U 1608-52, if the sources became sufficiently bright.

Paciesas, William S.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Studies of Accreting Neutron Stars with RXTE Cycle 4 Observations: III: TOO Observations of Atoll Sources

NASA Grant NAG 5-9244 provided funds for the research projects 'ASM-Triggered TOO Observations of Kilohertz Oscillations in Five Atoll Sources' and 'Further Measurements of the Kilohertz Oscillations in 4U 1705-44' approved under the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Guest Observer Program Cycle 4 and funded under the 1999 NASA Astrophysics Data Program. The principal investigator of the observing time proposals was Dr. E. C. Ford (U. of Amsterdam). The grant was funded for one year beginning 3/15/2000. The original ADP proposal was submitted by Prof. Jan van Paradijs, who passed away in 1999 before the funds were distributed. Prof. Wilham S. Padesas administered the grant during the period of performance. In spite of a wealth of observational data on the kHz QPO in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), the interpretation of this phenomenon is currently uncertain because the pairs of kHz QPO peaks and the oscillations seen in some Type I X-ray bursts are almost, but not quite, connected by a simple beat frequency relation. Further systematic studies of systems with known QPOs are required in order to better understand the phenomenon. The proposals were intended to contribute to a solution to this confusion by observing the sources as they vary over a wide range of X-ray flux. RXTE target-of-opportunity observations of six transient atoll sources, 4U 0614+09, KS 1732-260, Ser X-1, 4U 1702-42, 4U 1820-30 and 4U 1705-44 were to be performed at various flux levels based on ASM measurements.

Paciesas, William S.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Microbeam Investigations of Presolar and Early Solar System Materials

This grant provided three years of funding to initiate an independent research program in Cosmochemistry at Arizona State University. Because the new equipment that was installed at ASU took longer than expected to get running, the project was extended for a fourth year with no additional funding. By the time the funds were expended, we had set up an entirely new ion microprobe laboratory at ASU, and we have been fully operational for over two years. This laboratory was funded in almost equal parts by NASA, NSF, and ASU. Papers describing the first results from this new laboratory are being published now, and the results have been making an impact on the Cosmochemistry community. While this laboratory was being built, I continued my research program in collaboration with G. J. Wasserburg at Caltech. As equipment became available, I gradually shifted my research to ASU. Over the lifetime of this grant, my research program resulted in 12 papers and 13 abstracts on topics ranging from presolar grains (2 papers, 3 abstracts), short-lived radionuclides (6 papers, 6 abstracts), chemical compositions of chondritic materials (3 papers, 3 abstracts), silicon isotopic fractionation (1 abstract), and the oxygen composition of the Sun (1 paper). The most important results of this period were the discovery of presolar hibonite in a meteorite residue, the measurement of 26A1 in CAIs from enstatite chondrites, and the measurements of 10Be in type A CAIs from CV chondrites. All of these results have had a significant impact on research in Cosmochemstry.

Huss, Gary R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Spatial Information Technology Center at Fulton-Montgomery Community College

The Spatial Information Technology Center (SITC) at Fulton-Montgomery Community College (FMCC) continued to fulfill its mission and charter by successfully completing its third year of operations under Congressional funding and NASA sponsorship. Third year operations (01 Oct 02 - 30 Sep 03) have been funded and conducted utilizing two authorized Research Grants NAG 13-00043 (via a one-year no-cost extension expiring Sep 03) and NAG 13-02053 (one-year no-cost extension expiring Sep 04). Drawdowns and reporting of fiscal activities for SlTC operations continues to pass through the Institute for the Application of Geo-spatial Technology (IAGT) at Cayuga Community College in Auburn, New York. Fiscal activity of the Center is reported quarterly via SF 272 to IAGT, thus this report contains only a budgetary overview and forecast of future expenditures for the remaining funds of NAG 13 - 02053. Funds from NAG 13 - 00043 were exhausted during the fourth quarter of fiscal year FY02 - 03, which necessitated initial draw down of NAG 13 - 02053. The IAGT receives no compensation for administrative costs as authorized and approved by NASA in each award budget. This report also includes the necessary addendums for each NAG award, as required by federal guidelines, though no reportable activities took place within this report period. Attached are the signed Report of New Technology/lnventions and a Final Property Report identifying qualifying equipment purchased by the Center. As an academic, economic and workforce development oriented program, the Center has made significant strides in bringing the technology, knowledge and applications of the spatial information technology field to the region it serves. Through the mission of the Center, the region's educational, economic development and work force communities have become increasingly educated to the benefits of spatial (Geospatial) technology, particularly in the region's K-12 arena. SlTC continues to positively affect the region's education, employment and economic development, while expanding its services and operations designed to be customer driven, growing infrastructure and affecting systemic change.

Flinton, Michael E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Overview: Small Aircraft Transportation System Airborne Remote Sensing Fuel Droplet Evaporation

The NASA Nebraska Preparation Grant was designed to solidify relationships, intensify communication, and launch collaborative initiatives among Nebraska researchers and key contacts at NASA research centers and enterprises. In doing so, Nebraska was successful in laying the groundwork for the foundation for numerous long-term, mutually beneficial collaborations that were subsequently proposed and awarded in the NASA EPSCoR 2000 competition. The NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Preparation Grant was managed by the same administrative team that oversees Nebraska's NASA Space Grant and EPSCoR programs. An advisory board (later Technical Advisory Committee) made up of voting representatives from all affiliate and partner organizations regularly reviewed grant progress and direction. The University of Nebraska at Omaha's Aviation Institute, the host institution for all three programs, provided additional administrative oversight and program evaluation through established review mechanisms. This structure has served NASA well and has been cited as a model program. The second year of preparation grant funding served as a significant opportunity for Nebraska to lay the groundwork for the continued elevation and success of its NASA EPSCoR program. In anticipation of the NASA EPSCoR 2000 grant competition, Year 2 funding enabled funded researchers to further broaden and enhance the quality and quantity of collaborations with NASA Field Centers, Codes, and Enterprises. The plan set the stage for long-term research and outreach endeavors that have contributed significantly to the achievement of NASA's strategic objectives; the state of Nebraska's economic and aerospace development efforts; and have advanced Nebraska s aeronautics research efforts to a national leadership level. The overarching goal of the NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Preparation grant was met by facilitating research endeavors among Nebraska faculty that addressed research and technology priorities of the NASA Field Centers, Codes, and Strategic Enterprises. During the first year of funding, Nebraska established open and frequent lines of communication with university affairs officers and other key personnel at all NASA Centers and Enterprises, and facilitated the development of collaborations between and among junior faculty in the state and NASA researchers. As a result, Nebraska initiated a major research cluster, the Small Aircraft Transportation System Nebraska Implementation Template.

Bowen, Brent↗
NASA NTRS2004

Global Land Ice Measurements from Space

The NSIDC at the University of Colorado has successfully completed the tasks outlined in its proposal 0999.08.1216B, the 'Global Land Ice Measurements from Space' grant funded by NASA under NAG5-9722. The Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) grant reported on here is one of the first completed elements of the overall GLIMS project that continues with separate funding from NASA, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and internationally by many national agencies and universities. The primary goals of GLIMS are to survey significant numbers of the world's 160,000 glaciers with data collected by the ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and reflection Radiometer) instrument aboard the EOS Terra spacecraft, and Landsat ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) and to make these data available to users in a common and easily usable format. GLIMS participants include: NSIDC as developer of the GLIMS database, USGS Flagstaff as the GLIMS Coordination Center, USGS EROS Data Center (EDC) as the archive for satellite imagery used in GLIMS analyses (NASA funding for GLIMS also includes the Flagstaff group and EDC through the related ASTER Science Team and Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center [LP DAAC] activities), and approximately twenty two Regional Centers (RCs). RCs are funded by the national agencies of participating countries to analyze satellite imagery for a specified set of glaciological parameters and provide the results to NSIDC for archive and distribution to the public.

Scharfen, Gregory R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Spatial Information Technology Center at Fulton-Montgomery Community College

The Spatial Information Technology Center (SITC) at Fulton-Montgomery Community College (FMCC) continued to fulfill its mission and charter by successfully completing its fourth year of operations under Congressional funding and NASA sponsorship. Fourth year operations (01 Oct 03 - 30 Sep 04) have been funded and conducted utilizing an authorized Research Grant NAG 13-02053 (via a one-year no-cost extension expiring Sep 04). Drawdown and reporting of fiscal activities for SITC operations passes through the Institute for the Application of Geo-spatial Technology (IAGT) at Cayuga Community College in Auburn, New York. Fiscal activity of the Center is reported quarterly via SF 272 to IAGT, this report contains an overview and expenditures for the remaining funds of NAG 13-02053. NAG 13-02053, slated for operating costs for the fiscal year FY02-03, received a one-year no-cost extension. SITC also received permission to use remaining funds for salaries and benefits through December 31,2004. The IAGT receives no compensation for administrative costs. This report includes addendums for the NAG award as required by federal guidelines. Attached are the signed Report of New Technology/Inventions and a Final Property Report. As an academic, economic, and workforce development program, the Center has made significant strides in bringing the technology, knowledge and applications of the spatial information technology field to the region it serves. Through the mission of the Center, the region's communities have become increasingly aware of the benefits of Geospatial technology, particularly in the region s K-12 arena. SITC continues to positively affect the region's education, employment and economic development, while expanding its services and operations.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2007

Implementing an Applied Science Program

The work implied in the NASA Applied Science Program requires a delicate balancing act for the those doing it. At the implementation level there are multiple tensions intrinsic to the program. For example each application of an existing product to a decision support process requires deep knowledge about the data and deep knowledge about the decision making process. It is highly probable no one person has this range of knowledge. Otherwise the decision making process would already be using the data. Therefore, a team is required. But building a team usually requires time, especially across agencies. Yet the program mandates efforts of relatively short duration. Further, those who know the data are scientists, which makes them essential to the program. But scientists are evaluated on their publication record. Anything which diverts a scientist from the research for his next publication is an anathema to him and potential death to their career. Trying to get another agency to use NASA data does not strike most scientists as material inherently suitable for publication. Also, NASA wishes to rapidly implement often substantial changes to another agency's process. For many reasons, such as budget and program constraints, speed is important. But the owner of a decision making process is tightly constrained, usually by law, regulation, organization and custom. Changes when made are slow, cautious, even hesitant, and always done according a process specific to the situation. To manage this work MSFC must balance these and other tensions. Some things we have relatively little control over, such as budget. These we try to handle by structural techniques. For example by insisting all of our people work on multiple projects simultaneously we inherently have diversification of funding for all of our people. In many cases we explicitly use some elements of tension to be productive. For example the need for the scientists to constantly publish is motivation to keep tasks short and to the immediate point. As another example, the DSS agency and it personnel are treated as integral to the effort at every step. Thus, their ways of doing things, their problems and their assets become part of the solution. MSFC also manages the Applied Science work' within a strategic framework.' First, the scientists are necessarily at the core of all of this work as well as all of the work within the larger' organization. We therefore strive to keep a roughly 50-50 balance between the work done on tasks funded directly by the research side of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and funding from the applied side. Done at both the organization level and the level of the individual, this keeps the scientist both happy and productive over the long term. We also try diligently to remove as much burden from the scientist as practical by employing people such as the authors and others to do tasks not requiring; scientific knowledge. We also have designed our effort to take full use of external partners. We actively seek and support, including fund, people from multiple organizations to join us as committed collaborators. In this we use today's money and today's problem to help us diversify and strengthen for tomorrow. MSFC also considers the Applied Science work holistically. Each element is viewed as a step in a larger process. At a management level we can chose to emphasize or encourage certain areas which service long term goals. Thus, if we think work in a particular area should be developed, we can start with the smaller, less costly elements and grow.

Rickman, Doug↗
NASA NTRS2012

Overview of NASA's Microgravity Materials Program

The NASA Microgravity Materials Program currently funds 19 grants involving the development of experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station (ISS). These experiments are designed to utilize facilities built by partner agencies, primarily the European Space Agency. These facilities include furnace inserts to the Materials Science Research Rack, the Electro-Magnetic Levitator, and the Device for the study of Critical Liquids and Crystallization (DECLIC) facility. Projects are funded either through proposals responding to NASA announcements or unsolicited proposals associated with an international collaboration that is partially funded by a partner agency. An overview of the research content of the program, how potential investigations are solicited, reviewed and funded, and the operations of the ISS facilities is provided.

Downey, James Patton↗
NASA NTRS2011

Advancing Aeronautics: A Decision Framework for Selecting Research Agendas

Publicly funded research has long played a role in the development of aeronautics, ranging from foundational research on airfoils to development of the air-traffic control system. Yet more than a century after the research and development of successful controlled, sustained, heavier-than-air flight vehicles, there are questions over the future of aeronautics research. The field of aeronautics is relatively mature, technological developments within it have become more evolutionary, and funding decisions are sometimes motivated by the continued pursuit of these evolutionary research tracks rather than by larger factors. These developments raise questions over whether public funding of aeronautics research continues to be appropriate or necessary and at what levels. Tightened federal budgets and increasing calls to address other public demands make these questions sharper still. To help it address the questions of appropriate directions for publicly funded aeronautics research, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) asked the RAND Corporation to assess the elements required to develop a strategic view of aeronautics research opportunities; identify candidate aeronautic grand challenges, paradigms, and concepts; outline a framework for evaluating them; and exercise the framework as an example of how to use it. Accordingly, this research seeks to address these questions: What aeronautics research should be supported by the U.S. government? What compelling and desirable benefits drive government-supported research? How should the government--especially NASA--make decisions about which research to support? Advancing aeronautics involves broad policy and decisionmaking challenges. Decisions involve tradeoffs among competing perspectives, uncertainties, and informed judgment.

AERONAUTICS↗
NASA NTRS2009

The Need for Technology Maturity of Any Advanced Capability to Achieve Better Life Cycle Cost (LCC)

Programs such as space transportation systems are developed and deployed only rarely, and they have long development schedules and large development and life cycle costs (LCC). They have not historically had their LCC predicted well and have only had an effort to control the DDT&E phase of the programs. One of the factors driving the predictability, and thus control, of the LCC of a program is the maturity of the technologies incorporated in the program. If the technologies incorporated are less mature (as measured by their Technology Readiness Level - TRL), then the LCC not only increases but the degree of increase is difficult to predict. Consequently, new programs avoid incorporating technologies unless they are quite mature, generally TRL greater than or equal to 7 (system prototype demonstrated in a space environment) to allow better predictability of the DDT&E phase costs unless there is no alternative. On the other hand, technology development programs rarely develop technologies beyond TRL 6 (system/subsystem model or prototype demonstrated in a relevant environment). Currently the lack of development funds beyond TRL 6 and the major funding required for full scale development leave little or no funding available to prototype TRL 6 concepts so that hardware would be in the ready mode for safe, reliable and cost effective incorporation. The net effect is that each new program either incorporates little new technology or has longer development schedules and costs, and higher LCC, than planned. This paper presents methods to ensure that advanced technologies are incorporated into future programs while providing a greater accuracy of predicting their LCC. One method is having a dedicated organization to develop X-series vehicles or separate prototypes carried on other vehicles. The question of whether such an organization should be independent of NASA and/or have an independent funding source is discussed. Other methods are also discussed. How to make the choice of which technologies to pursue to the prototype level is also discussed since, to achieve better LCC, first the selection of the appropriate technologies.

Robinson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2014

United States Nuclear Rocket Company (USNRC)

Historically, the development of advanced space technology has been accomplished by the federal government providing funding to commercial companies through the standard contracting process. Although recently, commercial space ventures, such as Space X, have begun to develop enhanced commercial space launch capabilities, and many companies provide space related services - including satellite development and operations, advanced technology development still requires (and should require) participation by the federal agency assigned this role - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). However, this standard funding model may not be the most efficient and stable means of developing the advanced technology systems. And while the federal government does not need to be involved in areas where private industry can reasonably operate, it should remain the leader in supporting the development of new and advanced space technologies to further increase our national capability. And as these technologies mature, then private industry can begin the commercialization process, freeing up resources and funds for NASA to develop the next generations of advanced space technology. In fact, simply examining the last decades of space technology development shows that there is room for improvement. Part of the problem is that there are realistically two space frontiers. There is the commercialization frontier (the realm of Space X and others) and the exploratory frontier (the realm of NASA.). Often technologies that can support the exploratory frontier can also immediately support the commercialization frontier. Yet, these technologies are still developed under the standard model of federal funding and contracting. Is that really the best way to proceed? In this paper, the argument is put forward that a new process is required, a new paradigm. A consortium of federal agencies as well as commercial companies is needed - in a collaborative rather than a contractual relationship.

Hardin, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Community Extreme Tonnage User Service (CETUS): A 5000 Ton Open Research Facility in the United States

Large sample volume 5000 ton multi-anvil presses have contributed to the exploration of deep Earth and planetary interiors, synthesis of ultra-hard and other novel materials, and serve as a sample complement to pressure and temperature regimes already attainable by diamond anvil cell experiments. However, no such facility exists on the North American continent. We propose the establishment of an open user facility for COMPRES members and the entire research community, with the unique capability of a 5000 ton (or more) press, supported by a host of extant co-located experimental and analytical laboratories and research staff. We offer wide range of complementary and/or preparatory experimental options. Any required synthesis of materials or follow up experiments can be carried out controlled atmosphere furnaces, piston cylinders, multi-anvil, or experimental impact apparatus. Additionally, our division houses two machine shops that would facilitate any modification or custom work necessary for development of CETUS, one for general fabrication and one located specifically within our experimental facilities. We also have a general sample preparation laboratory, specifically for experimental samples, that allows users to quickly and easily prepare samples for ebeam analyses and more. A service we can offer to COMPRES community members in general, and CETUS visiting users specifically, is a multitude of analytical instrumentation literally steps away from the experimental laboratories. This year we will be pursuing site funding of our laboratories through NASA's Planetary Science Directorate, which should result in substantial cost savings to all visiting users, and supports our mission of interagency cooperation for the enhancement of science for all (see companion PSAMS abstract). The PI is in a unique position as an employee of Jacobs Technology to draw funding from multiple sources, including those from industry and commerce. We submitted a Planetary Major Equipment proposal to the NASA Emerging Worlds solicitation for the full cost of a press, with competitive bids submitted from Sumitomo, Rockland Research, and Voggenreiter. Additional funding is currently being sought from industry sources through the Strategic Partnerships Office at NASA JSC, External Pursuits Program Office on the JETS contract, and Jacobs corporate in the United States. Internal funding is available for JETS contract personnel to travel to large press locations worldwide to study set-up and operations. We also anticipate a fortuitous cost savings in installation of the large press because plans are already underway for major renovations to the entire experimental petrology suite within the next 2 years in order to accommodate our growing user base. Our focus as contract staff is on serving the scientific needs of our users and collaborators. We are seeking community expert input on multiple aspects of this proposed facility, such as the press type and design, access management, immediate projects, and future innovation initiatives.

Danielson, L.↗