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NASA NTRS2006

Ares 1 First Stage Design, Development, Test, and Evaluation

The Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) is an integral part of NASA s exploration architecture that will provide crew and cargo access to the International Space Station as well as low earth orbit support for lunar missions. Currently in the system definition phase, the CLV is planned to replace the Space Shuttle for crew transport in the post 2010 time frame. It is comprised of a solid rocket booster (SRB) first stage derived from the current Space Shuttle SRB, a liquid oxygen/hydrogen fueled second stage utilizing a derivative of the Apollo upper stage engine for propulsion, and a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) composed of command and service modules. This paper deals with current design, development, test, and evaluation planning for the CLV first stage SRB. Described are the current overall point-of-departure design and booster subsystems, systems engineering approach, and milestone schedule requirements.

Williams, Tom↗
NASA NTRS2014

James Webb Space Telescope: The First Light Machine

NASA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will search for the first luminous objects of the Universe to help answer fundamental questions about how the Universe came to look like it does today. At 6.5 meters in diameter, JWST will be the world's largest space telescope. Its architecture, e.g. aperture, wavelength range and operating temperature, is driven by JWST's science objectives. Introduction: Scheduled to start its 5 year mission after 2018, JWST will study the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars and planetary systems. Its science mission is to: Identify the first bright objects that formed in the early Universe, and follow the ionization history. Determine how galaxies form. Determine how galaxies and dark matter, including gas, stars, metals, overall morphology and active nuclei evolved to the present day. Observe the birth and early development of stars and the formation of planets. And, study the physical and chemical properties of solar systems for the building blocks of Life. Principle: To accomplish the JWST science objectives requires a larger aperture infrared cryogenic space telescope. A large aperture is required because the objects are very faint. The infrared spectral range is required because the objects are so far away that their ultraviolet and visible wavelength spectral lines are red-shifted into the infrared. Because the telescope is infrared, it needs to be cryogenic. And, because of the telescope is infrared, it must operate above the Earth's atmosphere, i.e. in space. JWST is probably the single most complicated mission that humanity has attempted. It is certainly the most difficult optical fabrication and testing challenge of our generation. The JWST 6.5 m diameter primary mirror is nearly a parabola with a conic constant of -0.9967 and radius of curvature at 30K of 15.880 m. The primary mirror is divided into 18 segments with 3 different prescriptions; each with its own off-axis distance and aspheric departure. The radius of curvature for all 18 segments must match to +/- 0.150 mm at 30K. JWST is diffraction limited at 2 micrometers which translates into a transmitted wavefront specification of 156 nm rms. Of that amount, 50 nm rms is allocated to the primary mirror. Each segment is allocated 22 nm rms surface error. At the start of the JWST program, the capability to make such a mirror did not exist. In 1996, NASA began a systematic and comprehensive mirror technology development effort which resulted in JWST. This program resulted in a qualified mirror fabrication process being approved in 2006. Today, all JWST primary mirror segments meet their requirements and are on schedule for a 2018 launch. The next step is system level assembly, integration and test. Ambient tests will be conducted at Goddard Space Flight Center and cryogenic system level testing will be performed in Chamber A at the Johnson Space Center.

Stahl, H. Philip↗
NASA NTRS1990

Calculation of infrared limb emission by ozone in the terrestrial middle atmosphere. I - Source functions. II - Emission calculations

The departure from LTE in the vibration-rotation bands of ozone in the middle atmosphere is analyzed using two statistical equilibrium models: the energy gap model and the simplified single model. The diurnal variations in the fundamental band source functions nu(1) and nu(3) is determined by the diurnal change in the rate of ozone photolysis by the solar radiation. Source functions are presented for the vibration-rotation bands of ozone that emit in the 9-11-micron spectral interval, over an altitude range of 1-110 km. Results are also reported of the evaluation of the radiative transfer equation incorporating these source functions and energy level populations. Using the results of the two statistical equilibrium models, calculations are carried out of the spectrally integrated limb radiance for the limb viewing geometry for daytime conditions. Results indicate that the interpretation of the measurements of spectrally integrated limb radiance from ozone will be greatly complicated by the breakdown of LTE in the vibration-rotational bands of ozone.

Mlynczak, Martin G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of Initial and Mid-Term Air Traffic Procedures for Urban Air Mobility Operations

Urban air mobility (UAM) operations are expected to expand in scale over the next several years as novel aircraft types, including electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, are certified and begin operations. These new aircraft may increase safety, decrease noise, and lower operating costs compared with helicopters, allowing them to operate in ways existing aircraft do not. It is vital that these expanded operations are compatible with and do not disrupt existing operations or the air traffic management system. To study the ways in which scaled UAM operations can best integrate in the national airspace system, NASA and Joby Aviation partnered to conduct a high-fidelity air traffic controller-in-the-loop study. Building on air traffic procedures used to manage high tempo operations in other parts of the airspace, new procedures, routes, and communications protocols were developed and tested by retired controllers in NASA’s Future Flight Central tower simulation facility. In addition, new cooperative airspace constructs in the form of corridors were developed to understand their potential contributions to even greater scales of operation. The controllers managed traffic scenarios in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Dallas Love Field airports consisting of fleets of up to 100 UAM aircraft operating alongside traditional traffic . Metrics for air traffic controller workload, duration of communications, departure delays, and other measures of allowable aircraft throughput were collected. The analysis indicates that using today’s procedures for initial UAM operations under nominal conditions could enable up to 40 operations per hour to an airport’s central terminal area if that involved crossing a runway and up to 55operations per hour if reaching the central terminal did not involve crossing a runway. Operations at these tempos did not delay or otherwise interfere with simulated runway traffic and were rated acceptable by the air traffic controllers. The new corridor constructs dramatically lowered controller workload in certain circumstances, suggesting they may be effective in further increasing the allowable scale of operations.

Urban Air Mobility↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of Initial and Mid-Term Air Traffic Procedures for Urban Air Mobility

Urban air mobility (UAM) operations are expected to expand in scale over the next several years as novel aircraft types, including electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, are certified and begin operations. These new aircraft may increase safety, decrease noise, and lower operating costs compared with helicopters, allowing them to operate in ways existing aircraft do not. It is vital that these expanded operations are compatible with and do not disrupt existing operations or the air traffic management system. To study the ways in which scaled UAM operations can best integrate in the national airspace system, NASA and Joby Aviation partnered to conduct a high-fidelity air traffic controller-in-the-loop study. Building on air traffic procedures used to manage high tempo operations in other parts of the airspace, new procedures, routes, and communications protocols were developed and tested by retired controllers in NASA’s Future Flight Central tower simulation facility. In addition, new cooperative airspace constructs in the form of corridors were developed to understand their potential contributions to even greater scales of operation. The controllers managed traffic scenarios in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Dallas Love Field airports consisting of fleets of up to 100 UAM aircraft operating alongside traditional traffic. Metrics for air traffic controller workload, duration of communications, departure delays, and other measures of allowable aircraft throughput were collected. The analysis indicates that using today’s procedures for initial UAM operations under nominal conditions could enable up to 40 operations per hour to an airport’s central terminal area if that involved crossing a runway and up to 55 operations per hour if reaching the central terminal did not involve crossing a runway. Operations at these tempos did not delay or otherwise interfere with simulated runway traffic and were rated acceptable by the air traffic controllers. The new corridor constructs dramatically lowered controller workload in certain circumstances, suggesting they may be effective in further increasing the allowable scale of operations.

Advanced Air Mobility↗
NASA NTRS2026

Helicopter and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Laboratory Comparison (HULC) Psychoacoustic Test

The Helicopter and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Laboratory Comparison (HULC) psychoacoustic test was conducted in July 2025 to compare human annoyance responses to noise from UAM vehicles and helicopters. This document provides a literature review, describes the HULC test methodology including stimuli selection and test administration procedures, and presents results from an initial analysis using multilevel statistical modeling. The test utilized 123 sound stimuli from four helicopters and six UAM vehicles across three flight phases (departure, cruise, and approach), presented to 40 subjects in the Exterior Effects Room (EER) at NASA's Langley Research Center. Subjects rated their annoyance on a 0 to 10 scale while imagining hearing these sounds multiple times daily near their homes. Key findings revealed that, at the same A-weighted sound exposure levels, UAM vehicles and helicopters produced similar annoyance responses across all flight phases, with mean differences of only approximately 1 dB and overlapping confidence intervals. However, at equivalent observer distances, UAM vehicles had inherently quieter operations and lower mean annoyance ratings. These results suggest that UAM vehicles and helicopters may be assessed in a similar manner for community noise impact. The quieter noise characteristics of UAM vehicles may provide advantages for operating in communities and integrating into urban environments.

psychoacoustics↗
NASA NTRS2015

Mars Conjunction Crewed Missions With a Reusable Hybrid Architecture

A new crew Mars architecture has been developed that provides many potential benefits for NASA-led human Mars moons and surface missions beginning in the 2030s or 2040s. By using both chemical and electric propulsion systems where they are most beneficial and maintaining as much orbital energy as possible, the Hybrid spaceship that carries crew round trip to Mars is pre-integrated before launch and can be delivered to orbit by a single launch. After check-out on the way to cis-lunar space, it is refueled and can travel round trip to Mars in less than 1100 days, with a minimum of 300 days in Mars vicinity (opportunity dependent). The entire spaceship is recaptured into cis-lunar space and can be reused. The spaceship consists of a habitat for 4 crew attached to the Hybrid propulsion stage which uses long duration electric and chemical in-space propulsion technologies that are in use today. The hybrid architecture's con-ops has no in-space assembly of the crew transfer vehicle and requires only rendezvous of crew in a highly elliptical Earth orbit for arrival at and departure from the spaceship. The crew transfer vehicle does not travel to Mars so it only needs be able to last in space for weeks and re-enter at lunar velocities. The spaceship can be refueled and resupplied for multiple trips to Mars (every other opportunity). The hybrid propulsion stage for crewed transits can also be utilized for cargo delivery to Mars every other opportunity in a reusable manner to pre-deploy infrastructure required for Mars vicinity operations. Finally, the Hybrid architecture provides evolution options for mitigating key long-duration space exploration risks, including crew microgravity and radiation exposure.

Merrill, Raymond G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An evaluation and comparison of vertical profile data from the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS)

A statistical evaluation is used to compared vertical profiles of temperature and moisture derived from VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) with three different algorithms to that of corresponding rawinsonde measurements for a clear cold environment. To account for time and space discrepancies between the data sets, rawinsonde data were adjusted to be representative of the satellite sounding times. Both rawinsonde and satellite sounding data were objectively analyzed onto a mesoscale grid. These grid point values were compared at 50 mb pressure increments from the surface up to 100 mb. The data were analyed for horizontal and vertical structure, representatives of derived parameters, and significant departure (improvement) from the apriori (first guess) information. Results indicate some rather strong temperature and moisture biases exist in the satellite soundings. Temperature biases of 1 to 4 C and dewpoint biases of 2 to 6 C generally occur in layers where strong inversions are present and vary with time as these atmospheric features evolve. The biases also changes as a function retrieval scheme suggesting limitations and restrictions on the applications of the various techniques. Standard temperature deviations range from 1 to 2 C for each retrieval scheme with maximum values around 800 and 400 mb. Derived parameters (precipitable water and thickness) suffer from similar biases, though to a somewhat lesser extent. Gradients of basic and derived parameters are generally weaker but have good horizontal structure where magnitudes of the parameters are relatively strong. Integrated thermal (temperature) and moisture (precipitable water) parameters show mixed results.

Jedlovec, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An evaluation and comparison of vertical profile data from the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS)

A statistical evaluation is used to compared vertical profiles of temperature and moisture derived from VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) with three different algorithms to that of corresponding rawinsonde measurements for a clear cold environment. To account for time and space discrepancies between the data sets, rawinsonde data were adjusted to be representative of the satellite sounding times. Both rawinsonde and satellite sounding data were objectively analyzed onto a mesoscale grid. These grid point values were compared at 50 mb pressure increments from the surface up to 100 mb. The data were analyzed for horizontal and vertical structure, representatives of derived parameters, and significant departure (improvement) from the apriori (first guess) information. Results indicate some rather strong temperature and moisture biases exist in the satellite soundings. Temperature biases of 1 to 4 C and dewpoint biases of 2 to 6 C generally occur in layers where strong inversions are present and vary with time as these atmospheric features evolve. The biases also changes as a function retrieval scheme suggesting limitations and restrictions on the applications of the various techniques. Standard temperature deviations range from 1 to 2 C for each retrieval scheme with maximum values around 800 and 400 mb. Derived parameters (precipitable water and thickness) suffer from similar biases, though to a somewhat lesser extent. Gradients of basic and derived parameters are generally weaker but have good horizontal structure where magnitudes of the parameters are relatively strong. Integrated thermal (temperature) and moisture (precipitable water) parameters show mixed results.

Jedlovec, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Energetic charged-particle phenomena in the Jovian magnetosphere - First results from the Ulysses COSPIN collaboration

The Ulysses spacecraft made the first exploration of the region of Jupiter's magnetosphere at high Jovigraphic latitudes on the dusk side and reached higher magnetic latitudes on the day side than any previous mission to Jupiter. The cosmic and solar particle investigations (COSPIN) instrumentation achieved a remarkably well integrated set of observations of energetic charged particles in the energy ranges of about 1 to 170 megaelectron volts for electrons and 0.3 to 20 megaelectron volts for protons and heavier nuclei. The new findings include an apparent polar cap region in the northern hemisphere in which energetic charged particles following Jovian magnetic field lines may have direct access to the interplanetary medium; high-energy electron bursts on the dusk side that are apparently associated with field-aligned currents and radio burst emissions; persistence of the global 10-hour relativistic electron 'clock' phenomenon throughout Jupiter's magnetosphere; on the basis of charged-particle measurements, apparent dragging of magnetic field lines at large radii in the dusk sector toward the tail; and consistent outflow of megaelectron volt electrons and large-scale departures from corotation for nucleons.

Simpson, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Validation of Aircraft Noise Models at Lower Levels of Exposure

Noise levels around airports and airbases in the United States arc computed via the FAA's Integrated Noise Model (INM) or the Air Force's NOISEMAP (NMAP) program. These models were originally developed for use in the vicinity of airports, at distances which encompass a day night average sound level in decibels (Ldn) of 65 dB or higher. There is increasing interest in aircraft noise at larger distances from the airport. including en-route noise. To evaluate the applicability of INM and NMAP at larger distances, a measurement program was conducted at a major air carrier airport with monitoring sites located in areas exposed to an Ldn of 55 dB and higher. Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS) radar tracking data were obtained to provide actual flight parameters and positive identification of aircraft. Flight operations were grouped according to aircraft type. stage length, straight versus curved flight tracks, and arrival versus departure. Sound exposure levels (SEL) were computed at monitoring locations, using the INM, and compared with measured values. While individual overflight SEL data was characterized by a high variance, analysis performed on an energy-averaging basis indicates that INM and similar models can be applied to regions exposed to an Ldn of 55 dB with no loss of reliability.

Page, Juliet A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

An Overview of Current Capabilities and Research Activities in the Airspace Operations Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center

The Airspace Operations Laboratory at NASA Ames conducts research to provide a better understanding of roles, responsibilities, and requirements for human operators and automation in future air traffic management (ATM) systems. The research encompasses developing, evaluating, and integrating operational concepts and technologies for near-, mid-, and far-term air traffic operations. Current research threads include efficient arrival operations, function allocation in separation assurance and efficient airspace and trajectory management. The AOL has developed powerful air traffic simulation capabilities, most notably the Multi Aircraft Control System (MACS) that is used for many air traffic control simulations at NASA and its partners in government, academia and industry. Several additional NASA technologies have been integrated with the AOL's primary simulation capabilities where appropriate. Using this environment, large and small-scale system-level evaluations can be conducted to help make near-term improvements and transition NASA technologies to the FAA, such as the technologies developed under NASA's Air Traffic Management Demonstration-1 (ATD-1). The AOL's rapid prototyping and flexible simulation capabilities have proven a highly effective environment to progress the initiation of trajectory-based operations and support the mid-term implementation of NextGen. Fundamental questions about accuracy requirements have been investigated as well as realworld problems on how to improve operations in some of the most complex airspaces in the US. This includes using advanced trajectory-based operations and prototype tools for coordinating arrivals to converging runways at Newark airport and coordinating departures and arrivals in the San Francisco and the New York metro areas. Looking beyond NextGen, the AOL has started exploring hybrid human/automation control strategies as well as highly autonomous operations in the air traffic control domain. Initial results indicate improved capacity, low operator workload, good situation awareness and acceptability for controllers teaming with autonomous air traffic systems. While much research and development needs to be conducted to make such concepts a reality, these approaches have the potential to truly transform the airspace system towards increased mobility, safe and efficient growth in global operations and enabling many of the new vehicles and operations that are expected over the next decades. This paper describes how the AOL currently contributes to the ongoing air transportation transformation.

simulation↗
NASA NTRS2014

NuSTAR Study of Hard X-ray Morphology and Spectroscopy G21.5-0.9

We present NuSTAR high-energy X-ray observations of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN)/supernova remnant G21.5−0.9. We detect integrated emission from the nebula up to approx. 40 keV, and resolve individual spatial features over a broad X-ray band for the first time. The morphology seen by NuSTAR agrees well with that seen by XMM-Newton and Chandra below 10 keV. At high energies, NuSTAR clearly detects non-thermal emission up to approx. 20 keV that extends along the eastern and northern rim of the supernova shell. The broadband images clearly demonstrate that X-ray emission from the North Spur and Eastern Limb results predominantly from non-thermal processes. We detect a break in the spatially integrated X-ray spectrum at approx. 9 keV that cannot be reproduced by current spectral energy distribution models, implying either a more complex electron injection spectrum or an additional process such as diffusion compared to what has been considered in previous work. We use spatially resolved maps to derive an energy-dependent cooling length scale, E(sup m) is directly proportional to L(E) with m = −0.21 plus or minus 0.01. We find this to be inconsistent with the model for the morphological evolution with energy described by Kennel & Coroniti. This value, along with the observed steepening in power-law index between radio and X-ray, can be quantitatively explained as an energy-loss spectral break in the simple scaling model of Reynolds, assuming particle advection dominates over diffusion. This interpretation requires a substantial departure from spherical magnetohydrodynamic, magnetic-flux-conserving outflow, most plausibly in the form of turbulent magnetic-field amplification.

radiation mechanisms↗
NASA NTRS2007

The Ares I-1 Flight Test--Paving the Road for the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle

In accordance with the U.S. Vision for Space Exploration and the nation's desire to again send humans to explore beyond Earth orbit, NASA has been tasked to send human beings to the moon, Mars, and beyond. It has been 30 years since the United States last designed and built a human-rated launch vehicle. NASA is now building the Ares I crew launch vehicle, which will loft the Orion crew exploration vehicle into orbit, and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle, which will launch the Lunar Surface Access Module and Earth departure stage to rendezvous Orion for missions to the moon. NASA has marshaled unique resources from the government and private sectors to perform the technically and programmatically complex work of delivering astronauts to orbit early next decade, followed by heavy cargo late next decade. Our experiences with Saturn and the Shuttle have taught us the value of adhering to sound systems engineering, such as the "test as you fly" principle, while applying aerospace best practices and lessons learned. If we are to fly humans safely aboard a launch vehicle, we must employ a variety of methodologies to reduce the technical, schedule, and cost risks inherent in the complex business of space transportation. During the Saturn development effort, NASA conducted multiple demonstration and verification flight tests to prove technology in its operating environment before relying upon it for human spaceflight. Less testing on the integrated Shuttle system did not reduce cost or schedule. NASA plans a progressive series of demonstration (ascent), verification (orbital), and mission flight tests to supplement ground research and high-altitude subsystem testing with real-world data, factoring the results of each test into the next one. In this way, sophisticated analytical models and tools, many of which were not available during Saturn and Shuttle, will be calibrated and we will gain confidence in their predictions, as we gain hands-on experience in operating the first of two new launch vehicle systems. The Ares I-1 flight test vehicle (FTV) will incorporate a mix of flight and mockup hardware, reflecting a configuration similar in mass, weight, and shape (outer mold line or OML) to the operational vehicle. It will be powered by a four-segment reusable solid rocket booster (RSRB), which is currently in Shuttle inventory, and will be modified to include a fifth, inert segment that makes it approximately the same size and weight as the five segment RSRB, which will be available for the second flight test in 2012. The Ares I-1 vehicle configuration is shown. Each test flight has specific objectives appropriate to the design analysis cycle in progress. The Ares I-1 demonstration test, slated for April 2009, gives NASA its first opportunity to gather critical data about the flight dynamics of the integrated launch vehicle stack, understand how to control its roll during flight, and other characterize the severe stage separation environment that the upper stage will experience during future operational flights. NASA also will begin the process of modifying the launch infrastructure and fine-tuning ground and mission operational scenarios, as NASA transitions from the Shuttle to the Ares/Orion system.

Davis, Stephan R.↗
NASA NTRS2018

NASA's Space Launch System: Unprecedented Payload Capabilities

As part of a renewed focus on deep space exploration, NASA and its private sector and international partners are building a new super heavy-lift launch vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS), as well as the new Orion crew vehicle, and upgrading launch facilities at Kennedy Space Center. Progress made on the Block 1 vehicle, as well as its expected performance metrics and fiscal support from the U.S. administration and Congress, have opened up additional manifest possibilities that the Agency continues to evaluate. Offering a combination of power, payload capacity and departure energy unmatched in contemporary boosters, the SLS family of launch vehicles features the world's most-proven propulsion system: solid rocket boosters and RS-25 main engines with a modified existing cryogenic in-space stage. The initial SLS configuration, Block 1, will deliver at least 26 metric tons (t) of payload to trans-lunar injection (TLI). The vehicle's flexible architecture will enable the rocket to evolve over the next decade to meet the most demanding deep space mission requirements. The second configuration, Block 1B, will deliver at least 34 to 40 t to TLI, depending on whether the crewed or cargo variant is selected. Although designed to facilitate human exploration of deep space, the vehicle also provides game-changing benefits for large science payloads and even harnesses excess capacity to provide small satellites with affordable access to deep space. For the first integrated mission of SLS and Orion, launching from Kennedy Space Center in fiscal year 2020, SLS Block 1 will send Orion on a 25.5-day mission to a distant retrograde lunar orbit with the primary objective to test and validate new systems and procedures. That first mission, called Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), also has 13 6U-class CubeSat payloads manifested. Those payloads, which will carry out a variety of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, will deploy in several locations along the trajectory after Orion has separated from SLS. Contractors and suppliers have made significant progress since last year manufacturing the Block 1 vehicle for EM-1. The upper stage and adapters are complete as are the four RS-25 engines. All other major components are constructed and being outfitted for flight. In fact, hardware for the second flight is currently being manufactured at locations across the United States. This paper will outline hardware, avionics and testing progress toward the first and second flights of SLS. Manifest opportunities for primary, co-manifested and secondary payloads will be discussed. An in-depth look at payload utilization and integration will be provided, as well as lessons learned from installing a secondary payload deployment system for EM-1.

Creech, Steve↗
NASA NTRS2017

Fusion-Enabled Pluto Orbiter and Lander

The Pluto orbiter mission proposed here is credible and exciting. The benefits to this and all outer-planet and interstellar-probe missions are difficult to overstate. The enabling technology, Direct Fusion Drive, is a unique fusion engine concept based on the Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC) fusion reactor under development at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The truly game-changing levels of thrust and power in a modestly sized package could integrate with our current launch infrastructure while radically expanding the science capability of these missions. During this Phase I effort, we made great strides in modeling the engine efficiency, thrust, and specific impulse and analyzing feasible trajectories. Based on 2D fluid modeling of the fusion reactors outer stratum, its scrape-off-layer (SOL), we estimate achieving 2.5 to 5 N of thrust for each megawatt of fusion power, reaching a specific impulse, Isp, of about 10,000 s. Supporting this model are particle-in-cell calculations of energy transfer from the fusion products to the SOL electrons. Subsequently, this energy is transferred to the ions as they expand through the magnetic nozzle and beyond. Our point solution for the Pluto mission now delivers 1000 kg of payload to Pluto orbit in 3.75 years using 7.5 N constant thrust. This could potentially be achieved with a single 1 MW engine. The departure spiral from Earth orbit and insertion spiral to Pluto orbit require only a small portion of the total delta-V. Departing from low Earth orbit reduces mission cost while increasing available mission mass. The payload includes a lander, which utilizes a standard green propellant engine for the landing sequence. The lander has about 4 square meters of solar panels mounted on a gimbal that allows it to track the orbiter, which beams 30 to 50 kW of power using a 1080 nm laser. Optical communication provides dramatically high data rates back to Earth. Our mass modeling investigations revealed that if current high-temperature superconductors are utilized at liquid nitrogen temperatures, they drive the mass of the engine, partly because of the shielding required to maintain their critical temperature. Second generation materials are thinner but the superconductor is a very thin layer deposited on a substrate with additional layers of metallic classing. Tremendous research is being performed on a variety of these superconducting materials, and new irradiation data is now available. This raises the possibility of operating nearfuture high-temperature superconductors at a moderately low temperature to dramatically reduce the amount of shielding required. At the same time, a first generation space engine may require low-temperature superconductors, which are higher TRL and have been designed for space coils before (AMS-02 experiment for the ISS). We performed detailed analysis of the startup system and thermal conversion system components. The ideal working fluid was determined to be a blend of Helium and Xenon. No significant problems were identified with these subsystems. For the RF system, we conceived of a new, more efficient design using state-of-the-art switch amplifiers, which have the potential for 100% efficiency. This report presents details of our engine and trajectory analyses, mass modeling efforts, and updated vehicle designs.

temperature↗
NASA NTRS2012

Upset Simulation and Training Initiatives for U.S. Navy Commercial Derived Aircraft

Militarized versions of commercial platforms are growing in popularity due to many logistical benefits in the form of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts, established production methods, and commonality for different certifications. Commercial data and best practices are often leveraged to reduce procurement and engineering development costs. While the developmental and cost reduction benefits are clear, these militarized aircraft are routinely operated in flight at significantly different conditions and in significantly different manners than for routine commercial flight. Therefore they are at a higher risk of flight envelope exceedance. This risk may lead to departure from controlled flight and/or aircraft loss1. Historically, the risk of departure from controlled flight for military aircraft has been mitigated by piloted simulation training and engineering analysis of typical aircraft response. High-agility military aircraft simulation databases are typically developed to include high angles of attack (AoA) and sideslip due to the dynamic nature of their missions and have been developed for many tactical configurations over the previous decades. These aircraft simulations allow for a more thorough understanding of the vehicle flight dynamics characteristics at high AoA and sideslip. In recent years, government sponsored research on transport airplane aerodynamic characteristics at high angles of attack has produced a growing understanding of stall/post-stall behavior. This research along with recent commercial airline training initiatives has resulted in improved understanding of simulator-based training requirements and simulator model fidelity.2-5 In addition, inflight training research over the past decade has produced a database of pilot performance and recurrency metrics6. Innovative solutions to aerodynamically model large commercial aircraft for upset conditions such as high AoA, high sideslip, and ballistic damage, as well as capability to accurately account for scaling factors, is necessary to develop realistic engineering and training simulations. Such simulations should significantly reduce the risk of departure from controlled flight, loss of aircraft, and ease the airworthiness certification process. The characteristics of commercial derivative aircraft are exemplified by the P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) aircraft, and the largest benefits of initial investigation are likely to be yielded from this platform. The database produced would also be utilized by flight dynamics engineers as a means to further develop and investigate vehicle flight characteristics as mission tactics evolve through the years ahead. This paper will describe ongoing efforts by the U.S. Navy to develop a methodology for simulation and training for large commercial-derived transport aircraft at unusual attitudes, typically experienced during an aircraft upset. This methodology will be applied to a representative Navy aircraft (P-8A) and utilized to develop a robust simulation that should accurately represent aircraft response in these extremes. Simulation capabilities would then extend to flight dynamics analysis and simulation, as well as potential training applications. Recent evaluations of integrated academic, ground-based simulation, and in-flight upset training will be described along with important lessons learned, specific to military requirements.

Donaldson, Steven↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Future Homes in Space: Development of Concepts for Exploration Space Habitats

NASA’s Artemis campaign seeks to return humans to the moon and establish a sustained presence on the lunar surface. This session will emphasize how habitation capabilities on the moon and in cislunar space can potentially contribute to the sustainability objectives of Artemis. Habitable elements represent opportunities to enable longer duration stays, increase the number of crew members present, enhance science and utilization activities, drive technology development for future Mars exploration, perform analog missions, and fuel economic opportunities for US industry. Panelists include Paul Kessler (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, deputy lead for lunar surface habitation); Andrew Choate (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Mars habitation lead); Krystofer Dudzinski (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, a space architect within the MSFC Advanced Concepts Office); and Larry Toups (retired from NASA Johnson Space Center, currently an adjunct professor at University of Houston in space architecture). The panel is moderated by Tracie Prater (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Habitation Systems Development Office). The panel will begin with an overview of the history of habitation concepts and an academic perspective on general considerations in space habitat design (Larry Toups). Paul Kessler and Andrew Choate will introduce NASA’s principle of “architecting from the right” to help define objectives for Artemis missions, needs/characteristics, use cases, and functions (as published in the agency’s Architecture Definition Document) and provide perspective on how this principle informs habitation concept development work. NASA panelists will discuss key engineering challenges identified for developing, deploying, and operating habitable assets on the lunar surface and/or in deep space. These may include dust mitigation, outfitting of inflatable softgoods (for concepts which may use softgoods as a primary structural material), survival in lunar darkness, human health and performance considerations, maintenance/repair/sparing, and autonomy. These identified challenges represent risks for habitation systems development and relate closely to capability gaps identified by the agency. While the work of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s habitation development office is primarily focused on habitats which are launched from earth pre-integrated (referred to as Class I in the framework previously developed by NASA space architects Kennedy/Cohen) or launched from earth and deployed at the point of use (Class II), there is also extensive work in NASA, academia, and companies on constructed habitats, which would be built on a planetary surface using indigenous resources (Class III habitats). Panelist Krystopher Dudzinski will discuss potential evolutionary pathways from Class I and Class II habitats to Class III habitats, unique and common architectural challenges within each habitat class, and key gaps in implementing Class III habitats from an architectural perspective. NASA panelists and the moderator will also provide an overview of partnership opportunities and avenues for further engagement to advance habitation systems for the SpaceCom audience. NASA is currently developing notional concepts for a lunar surface habitat and Mars transit habitat, which will be discussed during this panel session and used as examples. These concepts represent options for habitation system design and are a point of departure. They do not represent a final plan or formal recommendation on the part of the agency. Based on the most recent analysis cycle, NASA’s lunar surface habitat (SH) concept nominally supports two crew members for 30 days, with the capacity to support four crew during a surge period where crew will swap between the SH and another surface asset, such as a pressurized rover. This example design has a metallic airlock for ingress/egress and the upper portion is an inflatable material system which serves as the habitation module. The notional interior of the habitat is a three-deck layout/configuration which supports all crew mission functions, including exercise, stowage, extravehicular activity (EVA), sleep, hygiene waste collection, maintenance and repair, and meal preparation. Under analysis assumptions for habitation, the Mars Transit Habitat (TH) concept would support four crew on an up to 1,200 day Mars mission. One option for the concept is to initially dock Transit Habitat at Gateway, where it can be used to increase the duration of crew stays in cislunar space and perform shakedown and analog missions prior to a Mars departure. One challenge in longer duration missions which involve both surface exploration and transit is understanding crew adaptation when transitioning between partial gravity and microgravity environments. TH at Gateway offers an opportunity to study this transition and in doing so reduce risks associated with future Mars exploration. Like lunar SH, the most recent analysis cycle concept of a Mars TH is a hybrid structure design, with a metallic section supporting EVAs, axial/radial docking, and Safe Haven capabilities, and an inflatable softgoods structure for the primary habitation function. Interior layouts to optimize crew usability and livability are currently under trade. The panel will include presentation material, but also seeks to engage the audience in a highly interactive conversation regarding the potential role for habitation in future exploration initiatives. Potential topics for discussion include the influence of the crew experience on habitation systems design and livability/usability considerations, the benefits of space habitation development in terrestrial applications, and challenges and opportunities in “feeding forward” lunar surface habitation systems development to Mars exploration.

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