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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

The Cambridge encyclopedia of space (revised edition)

A comprehensive and intensively illustrated development history is presented for spaceflight, ranging over its basic concepts' speculative and fictional origins, the historical roots of rocket-related technologies, and the scientific accomplishments of earth orbit and interplanetary missions to date. Attention is given to propulsion systems, spaceflight launch centers, satellite systems, and solar system exploration by the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Current space-related activities encompass the meteorology, remote sensing, telecommunications and direct broadcasting, and navigation functions of unmanned satellites, as well as such manned spacecraft roles as medical and materials science research. The military uses of space, and increasingly important space industrialization concepts, are discussed as well.

D'Allest, Frederic↗
NASA NTRS1962

Empire. a study of early manned interplanetary missions final report, may 26 - nov. 25, 1962

This report summarizes the investigations and results of the EMPIRE Study Program undertaken by Aeronutronic Division of Ford Motor Company for the Future Projects Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, under Contract NAS8-5025. The dual planet flyby missions of the Crocco and Symmetric trajectory classes are discussed. The Crocco mission with an August 1971 launch window requires an interplanetary injection velocity increment of i0.i km/sec, has a return velocity of 13.5 km/sec, and takes approximately 400 days. The Symmetric mission with a July 1970 launch window has an injection velocity increment of 5.3 km/sec, a return velocity of 15.8 km/sec, and takes approximately 630 days. Additional results of the trajectory studies and abort trajectories are reported. The guidance and navigation subsystem, midcourse corrections, and planetary approach corrections are discussed. A detailed analysis of the reentry phase of EMPIRE includes consideration of an Apollo-type, a Drag Brake, and a lifting-type reentry vehicle to return the six-man crew at mission completion or in an aborted condition. The High L/D reentry vehicle is used in the missions considered. The various technological areas required for design criteria are developed and several spacecraft designs are considered. The all chemical propulsion Crocco system is discarded due to weight, complexity, and cost. The nuclear injected Crocco is treated in a similar manner. The lower energy injection for the Symmetric Mission leads to the feasibility of a nuclear injected vehicle with an Earth orbit weight of about 180,000 kilograms (400,000 pounds) before interplanetary transit. In addition, two chemical symmetric vehicles are treated. Conservative radiation exposures are derived, for the 630 day mission, of less than 200 REM and a polyethelene radiation shelter is designed. Scientific aspects of the missions are discussed. Mission Success Probabilities are presented for the various missions considered and for Saturn C-5, Nova, and Super-Nova Earth launch vehicles in light of possible development. The need for acceleration of nuclear rocket engine developments and auxiliary power developments is indicated. Definition of a larger nuclear engine of the order of 200,000 pounds thrust and about 800 seconds burning time or 50,000 pound thrust and 3600 seconds burning time is indicated for the Symmetric Mission in 1970 (energy requirements are higher in 1972 and for later launch due to the less favorable position of Mars)_ Immediate development of this advanced nuclear propulsion capability is recommended. A Development Plan and Funding Schedule is given for the 1970 launch window pinpointing the critical development areas and indicating a total program cost of $12.6 billion independent of other programmed R&D costs. In conclusion, technological feasibility for an early manned dual planet Mars-Venus flyby is believed to be demonstrated in this study. Several areas of accelerated development and experimental confirmation of theory are pinpointed. The necessary funding and development of Nova or orbital operations capability with Saturn C-5's is required. The 1970 launch window appears to offer the least expensive Symmetric Mission for several years into the 1980's.

F. P. Dixon↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

International Coordination and Cooperation on LunaNet Spectrum

LunaNet is planned to be the network of networks operated by a set of cooperating organizations to provide interoperable Communications, networking, Position, Navigation, and Timing (CPNT) services to users on and around the Moon based on a framework of mutually agreed-upon standards, protocols, frequency bands and interface requirements. LunaNet follows a service-oriented architecture that is agnostic about the types of organizations that provide services, e.g., government, industry, or academia. LunaNet is open, scalable, resilient, secure, and extensible. To achieve these goals, LunaNet Service Providers (LNSP) must coordinate with each other to define and develop the architecture, to plan initial and evolved capabilities, and to operate their networks. One of the central LunaNet tenets is the use of shared spectrum. For example, the Lunar Augmented Navigation Service (LANS) acts like a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) such as the US Global Positioning System (GPS) or European Galileo but the LNSPs’ contributions to LunaNet must use the same frequency band (2483.5 MHz-2500.0 MHz) and transmit the same waveform synchronized by highly accurate clocks so that Users ‘see’ one virtual network and use the same multilateration algorithm to determine their positions. This necessitates a high degree of spectrum coordination. NASA’s Lunar and Human Spaceflight Spectrum Management Team has been actively supporting development of the LunaNet Interoperability Specification (LNIS), soliciting inputs from spectrum policy and planning experts across NASA, ESA and JAXA. Cislunar spectrum use considerations have been studied and adjudicated within the Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG) and inform the ongoing discussion of a lunar communication and navigation architecture within the existing radio regulatory framework of the International Telecommunication Union, leading to the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27). The frequency plan contained in the publicly released draft of the LunaNet Interoperability Specification reflects the initial phase of exploration (roughly to 2030) defining an optimal set of radio frequencies in appropriately allocated services consistent with WRC-23 decisions for use by known or planned CPNT applications, while striving to maximize coexistence and compatibility amongst cislunar systems and other systems within the near-Earth regime (< 2 million km from Earth). Important considerations include: protection of extremely sensitive receive-only radio astronomy systems on the lunar far side, known as the Shielded Zone of the Moon (SZM); compatibility between Direct with Earth (DWE) communications links and links needed to support relay satellites in lunar orbit with their customer systems on orbit or on the lunar surface; compatibility between multiple lunar surface communications systems and capabilities over varied and challenging terrain and distances; as well as ensuring compatibility and interoperability between navigation systems which either leverage Earth-based or in-situ lunar systems. In addition, the lunar CPNT architecture is envisioned to be the basis – with adjustments – of the future Mars CPNT architecture as we expand into the solar system using Interplanetary Networking (IPN). The second phase of lunar spectrum definition will address planned international capabilities for the next decade that will require action at WRC-27 and beyond. This paper will discuss each of these considerations in more depth and how the current LunaNet frequency plan addresses them.

LunaNet↗
NASA NTRS1991

Technologies for unattended network operations

The necessary network management functions for a telecommunications, navigation and information management (TNIM) system in the framework of an extension of the ISO model for communications network management are described. Various technologies that could substantially reduce the need for TNIM network management, automate manpower intensive functions, and deal with synchronization and control at interplanetary distances are presented. Specific technologies addressed include the use of the ISO Common Management Interface Protocol, distributed artificial intelligence for network synchronization and fault management, and fault-tolerant systems engineering.

Jaworski, Allan↗
NASA NTRS2023

Testing the Gravitational Redshift With an Inner Solar System Probe: the Veritas Case

The NASA Discovery-class mission VERITAS, selected in June 2021, will be launched towards Venus after 2027. In addition to the science instrumentation that will build global foundational geophysical datasets, VERITAS proposed to conduct a technology demonstration for the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC-2). A first DSAC successfully operated in low-Earth orbit for more than two years, demonstrated the trapped ion atomic clock technology, and established a new level of performance for clocks in space. DSAC-2 would have further improvements in size, power, and performance. It would host a 1× 10 -13 grade USO to produce a frequency output with short-term stability of less than 2× 10 -13 /√ τ (where τ is the averaging time).However, due to funding shortfalls, DSAC-2, had to be canceled. The initially foreseen presence of an atomic clock on board the probe, however, raised the question whether this kind of instrumentation could be useful not only for navigation and time transfer but also for fundamental physics tests. In this work, we consider the DSAC-2 atomic clock and VERITAS mission as a specific example to measure possible discrepancies in the redshift predicted by General Relativity by using an atomic clock onboard an interplanetary spacecraft. In particular we investigate the possibility of measuring possible violations of the Local Lorentz Invariance and Local Position Invariance principles. We perform accurate simulations of the experiment during the VERITAS cruise phase. We consider different parametrizations of the possible violations of the General Relativity, different operational conditions, and several different assumptions on the expected measurement performance. We show that DSAC-2 onboard VERITAS would provide new and improved constraints with respect to the current knowledge. Our analysis shows the scientific value of atomic clocks like DSAC-2 hosted onboard interplanetary spacecraft.

Fabrizio De Marchi↗
NASA NTRS2017

NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Scout Mission

NASA is developing solar sail propulsion for a near-term Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) reconnaissance mission and laying the groundwork for their future use in deep space science and exploration missions. The NEA Scout mission, funded by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program and managed by NASA MSFC, will use the sail as primary propulsion allowing it to survey and image one or more NEA's of interest for possible future human exploration. NEA Scout uses a 6U cubesat (to be provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory), an 86 m2 solar sail and will weigh less than 14 kilograms. The solar sail for NEA Scout will be based on the technology developed and flown by the NASA NanoSail-D and The Planetary Society's Lightsail-A. Four ~7 m stainless steel booms wrapped on two spools (two overlapping booms per spool) will be motor deployed and pull the sail from its stowed volume. The sail material is an aluminized polyimide approximately 3 microns thick. NEA Scout will launch on the Space Launch System (SLS) first mission in 2018 and deploy from the SLS after the Orion spacecraft is separated from the SLS upper stage. The NEA Scout spacecraft will stabilize its orientation after ejection using an onboard cold-gas thruster system. The same system provides the vehicle Delta-V sufficient for a lunar flyby. After its first encounter with the moon, the 86 m2 sail will deploy, and the sail characterization phase will begin. A mechanical Active Mass Translation (AMT) system, combined with the remaining ACS propellant, will be used for sail momentum management. Once the system is checked out, the spacecraft will perform a series of lunar flybys until it achieves optimum departure trajectory to the target asteroid. The spacecraft will then begin its two year-long cruise. About one month before the asteroid flyby, NEA Scout will pause to search for the target and start its approach phase using a combination of radio tracking and optical navigation. The solar sail will provide continuous low thrust to enable a relatively slow flyby of the target asteroid under lighting conditions favorable to geological imaging. Once complete, NASA will have demonstrated the capability to fly low-cost, high Delta-V cubesats to perform interplanetary missions.

Johnson, Les↗
NASA NTRS2004

Interplanetary Network Directorate

This viewgraph presentation reviews the work of the Interplanetary Network Directorate at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The attributes of the interplanetary network are reviewed, and the expansion of the current Deep Space Network for future mission support is described. Points of interest to the industry are emphasized.

communications↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Performance Analysis of Aerocapture Systems for Uranus Orbiters

A Uranus orbiter and probe mission is the highest priority science mission of the current decade. Aerocapture can be employed to support these missions by enabling shorter interplanetary trajectories and requiring less fuel for orbit insertion. This paper investigates the trajectory design and performance analysis of Uranus aerocapture using an MSL-derived aeroshell design. The trajectory tradespace for Uranus aerocapture is investigated to understand the relationship between interplanetary arrival speed and aeroshell aerodynamics to controllability. A 3 degree-of-freedom simulation framework is developed to assess the performance of bank angle fully numerical predictor-corrector aerocapture guidance. A series of Monte Carlo sensitivity studies are conducted to assess the effects that arrival navigation, arrival speeds, and atmosphere knowledge have on the aerocapture robustness and performance. The results suggest that bank angle modulation is a feasible option for Uranus orbit insertion where aerocapture can reduce transit times by 40% and save 1950 kg in propellant mass.

Rohan G. Deshmukh↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Performance Analysis of Aerocapture Systems for Uranus Orbiters

A Uranus orbiter and probe mission is the highest priority science mission of the current decade. Aerocapture can be employed to support these missions by enabling shorter interplanetary trajectories and requiring less fuel for orbit insertion. This paper investigates the trajectory design and performance analysis of Uranus aerocapture using an MSL-derived aeroshell design. The trajectory tradespace for Uranus aerocapture is investigated to understand the relationship between interplanetary arrival speed and aeroshell aerodynamics to controllability. A 3 degree-of-freedom simulation framework is developed to assess the performance of bank angle fully numerical predictor-corrector aerocapture guidance. A series of Monte Carlo sensitivity studies are conducted to assess the effects that arrival navigation, arrival speeds, and atmosphere knowledge have on the aerocapture robustness and performance. The results suggest that bank angle modulation is a feasible option for Uranus orbit insertion where aerocapture can reduce transit times by 40% and save 1950 kg in propellant mass.

Rohan Deshmukh↗
NASA NTRS2017

Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout

NASA is developing solar sail propulsion for a near-term Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) reconnaissance mission that will lay the groundwork for the future use of solar sails. The NEA Scout mission will use the sail as primary propulsion allowing it to survey and image one NEA's of interest for future human exploration. NEA Scout will launch on the first mission of the Space Launch System (SLS) in 2018. After its first encounter with the Moon, NEA Scout will enter the sail characterization phase by the 86 square meter sail deployment. A mechanical Active Mass Translation (AMT) system, combined with the remaining ACS propellant, will be used for sail momentum management. The spacecraft will perform a series of lunar flybys to achieve optimum departure trajectory before beginning its two year-long cruise. About one month before the asteroid flyby, NEA Scout will start its approach phase using optical navigation on top of radio tracking. The solar sail will provide NEA Scout continuous low thrust to enable a relatively slow flyby of the target asteroid under lighting conditions favorable to geological imaging. Once complete, NASA will have demonstrated the capability to fly low-cost, high delta V CubeSats to perform interplanetary missions.

Johnson, Les↗
NASA NTRS2012

Applications of Nanosats to Planetary Exploration

NanoSat technology has opened Earth orbit to extremely low-cost science missions through a common interface that provides greater launch accessibility. A natural question is the role that CubeSat-derived NanoSats could play to increase the science return of deep space missions. We do not consider single instrument nano-satellites as likely to complete entire Discovery-class missions alone, but believe that nano-satellites could augment larger missions to significantly increase science return. The key advantages offered by these mini-spacecrafts over previous planetary probes is the common availability of advanced subsystems that open the door to a large variety of science experiments, including new guidance, navigation and control capabilities. In this paper, multiple NanoSat science applications are suggested that could take advantage of these features. We also address the significant challenges and questions that remain as obstacles to the use of nano-satellites in deep space missions. Finally, we provide some thoughts on a development roadmap toward interplanetary usage of NanoSpacecraft.

Klesh, Andrew T.↗
NASA NTRS2015

NASA Near Earth Network (NEN), Deep Space Network (DSN) and Space Network (SN) Support of CubeSat Communications

There has been a historical trend to increase capability and drive down the Size, Weight and Power (SWAP) of satellites and that trend continues today. Small satellites, including systems conforming to the CubeSat specification, because of their low launch and development costs, are enabling new concepts and capabilities for science investigations across multiple fields of interest to NASA. NASA scientists and engineers across many of NASAs Mission Directorates and Centers are developing exciting CubeSat concepts and welcome potential partnerships for CubeSat endeavors. From a communications and tracking point of view, small satellites including CubeSats are a challenge to coordinate because of existing small spacecraft constraints, such as limited SWAP and attitude control, low power, and the potential for high numbers of operational spacecraft. The NASA Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Programs Near Earth Network (NEN), Deep Space Network (DSN) and the Space Network (SN) are customer driven organizations that provide comprehensive communications services for space assets including data transport between a missions orbiting satellite and its Mission Operations Center (MOC). The NASA NEN consists of multiple ground antennas. The SN consists of a constellation of geosynchronous (Earth orbiting) relay satellites, named the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The DSN currently makes available 13 antennas at its three tracking stations located around the world for interplanetary communication. The presentation will analyze how well these space communication networks are positioned to support the emerging small satellite and CubeSat market. Recognizing the potential support, the presentation will review the basic capabilities of the NEN, DSN and SN in the context of small satellites and will present information about NEN, DSN and SN-compatible flight radios and antenna development activities at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and across industry. The presentation will review concepts on how the SN multiple access capability could help locate CubeSats and provide a low-latency early warning system. The presentation will also present how the DSN is evolving to maximize use of its assets for interplanetary CubeSats. The critical spectrum-related topics of available and appropriate frequency bands, licensing, and coordination will be reviewed. Other key considerations, such as standardization of radio frequency interfaces and flight and ground communications hardware systems, will be addressed as such standardization may reduce the amount of time and cost required to obtain frequency authorization and perform compatibility and end-to-end testing. Examples of standardization that exist today are the NASA NEN, DSN and SN systems which have published users guides and defined frequency bands for high data rate communication, as well as conformance to CCSDS standards. The workshop session will also seek input from the workshop participants to better understand the needs of small satellite systems and to identify key development activities and operational approaches necessary to enhance communication and navigation support using NASA's NEN, DSN and SN.

Telecommunication↗
NASA NTRS2017

Trajectory Design for a Single-String Impactor Concept

This paper introduces a trajectory design for a secondary spacecraft concept to augment science return in interplanetary missions. The concept consist of a single-string probe with a kinetic impactor on board that generates an artificial plume to perform in-situ sampling. The trajectory design was applied to a particular case study that samples ejecta particles from the Jovian moon Europa. Results were validated using statistical analysis. Details regarding the navigation, targeting and disposal challenges related to this concept are presented herein.

Monte Carlo↗
NASA NTRS2004

Libration Point Navigation Concepts Supporting Exploration Vision

Farquhar described several libration point navigation concepts that would appear to support NASA s current exploration vision. One concept is a Lunar Relay Satellite operating in the vicinity of Earth-Moon L2, providing Earth-to-lunar far-side and long- range surface-to-surface navigation and communications capability. Reference [ 1] lists several advantages of such a system in comparison to a lunar orbiting relay satellite constellation. Among these are one or two vs. many satellites for coverage, simplified acquisition and tracking due to very low relative motion, much longer contact times, and simpler antenna pointing. An obvious additional advantage of such a system is that uninterrupted links to Earth avoid performing critical maneuvers "in the blind." Another concept described is the use of Earth-Moon L1 for lunar orbit rendezvous, rather than low lunar orbit as was done for Apollo. This rendezvous technique would avoid large plane change and high fuel cost associated with high latitude landing sites and long stay times. Earth-Moon L1 also offers unconstrained launch windows from the lunar surface. Farquhar claims this technique requires only slightly higher fuel cost than low lunar orbit rendezvous for short-stay equatorial landings. Farquhar also describes an Interplanetary Transportation System that would use libration points as terminals for an interplanetary shuttle. This approach would offer increased operational flexibility in terms of launch windows, rendezvous, aborts, etc. in comparison to elliptical orbit transfers. More recently, other works including Folta[3] and Howell[4] have shown that patching together unstable trajectories departing Earth-Moon libration points with stable trajectories approaching planetary libration points may also offer lower overall fuel costs than elliptical orbit transfers. Another concept Farquhar described was a Deep Space Relay at Earth-Moon IA and/or L5 that would serve as a high data rate optical navigation and communications relay satellite. The advantages in comparison to a geosynchronous relay are minimal Earth occultation, distance from large noise sources on Earth, easier pointing due to smaller relative velocity, and a large baseline for interferometry if both L4 and L5 are used.

Carpenter, J. Russell↗
NASA NTRS2006

DSMS Services and Capabilities

This viewgraph presentation reviews Interplanetary Network Directorate Deep Space Mission Systems services and support capabilities. The contents include: 1) Organization Chart; 2) IND DSMS Support Facilities; 3) Standard Services; and 4) Support Capabilities including Telemetry, command and tracking.

communications↗
NASA NTRS1974

Ballistic mode Mercury orbiter mission opportunity handbook extension

Interplanetary trajectory characteristics are presented, for Venus swingbys to Mercury, where multiple revolutions about the Sun are permitted. Additional consideration is given to the use of multiple Venus swingbys and/or to midcourse, near perilhelion, propulsive maneuvers to improve the performance of the mission as measured in terms of payload in Mercury orbit. Missions in 1980, 1983, 1985 and 1988 were analyzed with navigation results also developed. An exploratory investigation established the availability of low energy mission opportunities in 1991, 1994, 1996 and 1999.

Hollenbeck, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Entry, Descent, and Landing Operations Analysis for the Stardust Entry Capsule

On the morning of January 15, 2006, the Stardust capsule successfully landed at the Utah Test and Training range in northwest Utah returning cometary samples from the comet Wild-2. An overview of the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) trajectory analysis that was performed for targeting during the mission operations phase upon final approach to Earth is described. The final orbit determination solution produced an inertial entry flight-path angle of -8.21 deg (the desired nominal value) with a 3-sigma uncertainty of +/-0.0017 deg (2% of the requirement). The navigation and EDL operations effort accurately delivered the entry capsule to the desired landing site. The final landing location was 8.1 km from the target, which was well within the allowable landing area. Overall, the Earth approach operation procedures worked well and there were no issues (logistically or performance based) that arose. As a result, the process of targeting a capsule from an interplanetary trajectory and accurately landing it on Earth was successfully demonstrated.

Desai, Prasun N.↗