SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “technological innovation systems”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2022

Technical Characterization and Benefit Evaluation of 5G-Enabled Grid Data Transport and Applications

This report summarizes the Year 1 work of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) 5G Fabricated Resource and Asset Management Encompassment for energy infrastructure (Energy FRAME) project funded by the Department of Energy Office of Science’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program. 5G is a breakthrough technology that enables a fully mobile and connected society, and a 5G-enabled digital continuum will be one of the critical foundations for a clean energy economy and grid modernization. In collaboration with PNNL’s Advanced Wireless Communication team and Center for Advanced Technology Evaluation team, the project team has been evaluating the system performance of 5G testbeds in the PNNL 5G Innovation Studio, and has formulated a co-simulation test case of power system transmission, distribution, and communication (T&D&C) networks considering 5G technology and high penetration of distributed energy resources. The methodology developed in the 5G Energy FRAME project can be customized to fit different future grid scenarios to evaluate multiple (dynamic) configurations (computing, sensing, communication, environment) for different stakeholders. In summary, our main technical highlights in project Year 1 are as follows: 1) Technical characterization of 5G standalone architectures, 2) Formulation of co-simulation test case of T&D&C networks embedded with 5G, 3) Initial benefit evaluation of 5G communication platform for grid use cases, and 4) Additional extended discussions on edge computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and high-performance computing and cloud computing adoptions. In addition, a collection of system performance data is shared through the publicly available weblink, https://www.pnnl.gov/projects/5g-energy-frame/publications

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS1991

Concepts, requirements, and design approaches for building successful planning and scheduling systems

Traditional practice of systems engineering management assumes requirements can be precisely determined and unambiguously defined prior to system design and implementation; practice further assumes requirements are held static during implementation. Human-computer decision support systems for service planning and scheduling applications do not conform well to these assumptions. Adaptation to the traditional practice of systems engineering management are required. Basic technology exists to support these adaptations. Additional innovations must be encouraged and nutured. Continued partnership between the programmatic and technical perspective assures proper balance of the impossible with the possible. Past problems have the following origins: not recognizing the unusual and perverse nature of the requirements for planning and scheduling; not recognizing the best starting point assumptions for the design; not understanding the type of system that being built; and not understanding the design consequences of the operations concept selected.

Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller↗

NASA NTRS2016

NIAC Phase I Study Final Report on Large Ultra-Lightweight Photonic Muscle Space Structures

The research goal is to develop new tools support NASA's mission of understanding of the Cosmos by developing cost effective solutions that yield a leap in performance and science data. 'Maikalani' in Hawaiian translates to, "knowledge we gain from the cosmos." Missions like Hubble have fundamentally changed humanity's view of the cosmos. Last year's Nobel prize in physics was a result of astronomical discoveries. $9B class JWST size (6.5 meter diameter) space telescopes, when launched are anticipated to rewrite our knowledge of physics. Here we report on a neoteric meta-material telescope mirror technology designed to enable a factor of 100 or more reduction in areal density, a factor of 100 reduction in telescope production and launch costs as well as other advantages; a leap to enable missions to image the cosmos in unprecedented detail, with the associated gain in knowledge. Whether terahertz, visible or X-ray, reflectors used for high quality electromagnetic imaging require shape accuracy (surface figure) to far better than 1 wavelength (lambda) of the incident photons, more typically lambda/10 or better. Imaging visible light therefore requires mirror surfaces that approximate a desired curve (e.g. a sphere or paraboloid) with smooth shape deviation of th less than approximately 1/1000 the diameter of a human hair. This requires either thick high modulus material like glass or metal, or actuators to control mirror shape. During Phase I our team studied a novel solution to this systems level design mass/shape tradespace requirement both to advance the innovative space technology concept and also to help NASA and other agencies meet current operational and future mission requirements. Extreme and revolutionary NASA imaging missions such as Terrestrial Planet Imager (TPI) require lightweight mirrors with minimum diameters of 20 to 40 meters. For reference, NASA's great achievement; the Hubble space telescope, is only 2.4 meters in diameter. What is required is a way to make large inexpensive deployable mirrors where the cost is measured in millions, not billions like current efforts. For example we seek an interim goal within 10 years of a Hubble size (2.4m) primary mirror weighing 1 pound at a cost of 10K in materials. Described here is a technology using thin ultra lightweight materials where shape can be controlled simply with a beam of light, allowing imaging with incredibly low mass yet precisely shaped mirrors. These " Photonic Muscle" substrates will eventually make precision control of giant s p a c e apertures (mirrors) possible. OCCAM substrates make precision control of giant ultra light-weight mirror apertures possible. This technology is posed to create a revolution in remote sensing by making large ultra lightweight space telescopes a fiscal and material reality over the next decade.

Cosmos↗

DOE OSTI2021

Modeling the Fundamental Radiation Chemistry of the Organic Diluent, and the Effect of Metal Ion Complexation on the Radiochemical Behavior of Active Compounds

All used nuclear fuel (UNF) reprocessing technologies must operate efficiently in the presence of an intense, multi-component (predominantly alpha, beta, and gamma) radiation field. Consequently, radiation-induced degradation of reprocessing systems is of concern, as it negatively impacts process performance over time due to the destruction of both active compounds (ligands, phase modifiers, holdback agents, etc.) and the formation of degradation products. Reprocessing solvent system radiolysis has been linked to changes in separation efficiency and physical properties of solvent mixtures, solvent-recycle longevity, crud formation, and other unexpected outcomes that impact the efficient recovery of valuable materials (e.g., the actinides) and the volume of hazardous radioactive waste for final disposal, i.e., in a geological repository. Consequently, a fundamental understanding of radiolytic processes and their effects on reprocessing solvent system performance is critical for: (i) the cost-effective development and innovation of separation technologies; (ii) the design and implementation of predictive radiation chemical models for process monitoring and lifetimes; and (iii) potentially the ability to exploit radiolytic phenomenon to our benefit, e.g., strategic radiolysis of active molecules to liberate specific degradation products that aid subsequent process stages. Despite extensive investigation into the radiolytic behavior of active solvent system compounds, little attention has been given to understanding (i) the radiation chemical behavior and modification of the organic diluent and (ii) the effect of metal ion complexation on the radiochemical behavior of active compounds.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2023

Silicon Carbide Inverter for Off-Road Heavy-Duty Applications: The Importance of Thermal and Thermomechanical Design in Power Electronics Packaging

Electrification of drivetrain systems is now seen as a major opportunity by the transportation industry across the globe to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and revolutionize the travel patterns of millions of people. The cumulative number of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (EVs) sold in the United States has now surpassed 2 million in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency. The introduction of EVs in different classes of passenger vehicles and the continued drop in prices spurred by government incentives have attracted the attention of consumers despite certain barriers, such as higher initial cost and range anxiety. In the United States, the EV market share is now growing at an exponential pace, with the domestic automakers allocating a lion's share of new and future car sales to EVs. Additionally, different market studies project decreasing cost and rising sales of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks. Although electrification initiatives are strongly pursued in the on-road passenger vehicle market, off-highway sectors, such as construction, mining, and agriculture, are also gradually implementing electric drivetrain technologies in their machineries. As EVs grow in popularity on a global scale, innovative drivetrain technologies must meet the increasing energy demand by significantly increasing system efficiency.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

NASA NTRS1989

Strategies for automatic planning: A collection of ideas

The main goal of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is to obtain science return from interplanetary probes. The uplink process is concerned with communicating commands to a spacecraft in order to achieve science objectives. There are two main parts to the development of the command file which is sent to a spacecraft. First, the activity planning process integrates the science requests for utilization of spacecraft time into a feasible sequence. Then the command generation process converts the sequence into a set of commands. The development of a feasible sequence plan is an expensive and labor intensive process requiring many months of effort. In order to save time and manpower in the uplink process, automation of parts of this process is desired. There is an ongoing effort to develop automatic planning systems. This has met with some success, but has also been informative about the nature of this effort. It is now clear that innovative techniques and state-of-the-art technology will be required in order to produce a system which can provide automatic sequence planning. As part of this effort to develop automatic planning systems, a survey of the literature, looking for known techniques which may be applicable to our work was conducted. Descriptions of and references for these methods are given, together with ideas for applying the techniques to automatic planning.

Collins, Carol↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Concept of Operations (ConOps) of an In-time Aviation Safety Management System (IASMS) for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

The growth of new emerging operations involving Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) necessitates developing a perspective for an In-time Aviation Safety Management System (IASMS). This perspective advances from the National Academies report on IASMS and its recommendation for developing a Concept of Operations (ConOps) for IASMS. A ConOps has been developed for In-time System-Wide Safety Assurance (ISSA) from which the IASMS ConOps pivots to provide a robust scope commensurate with the broad vision defined by the National Academies. The IASMS ConOps focuses on emerging operations and spans innovations in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and an increasingly complex ecosystem comprised of a widening mix of vehicles and technologies, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) with industry-federated services, traditional operations, as well as new supersonic aircraft and space launch systems.The challenge for the IASMS ConOps is to be broad to encompass innovations in the coming years and decades while agile to ensure levels of safety compatible with operational and certification requirements of the National Airspace System (NAS). The IASMS ConOps interweaves increasing complexity of operational safety capabilities and unlocking UAS Maturity Levels (UMLs). The relationships between increased complexity of automation and automated systems, fewer operators who are not as traditionally higher skilled, more complex operational environments, and aviation operations management with mixed aircraft and equipage pose a multi-dimensional space for IASMS capabilities essential for safety assurance and risk management. Instantiating IASMS capabilities and how they would be integral to AAM operations and increasing maturity of UAM could be accomplished through a series of Safety Demonstrators. These Safety Demonstrators could provide increased understanding and insight into use of controls for risk mitigation, means of compliance for certification, and operational experience with safety services such as in relation to contingency management. The IASMS capabilities can be viewed as initially residing with the vehicle, airspace, and Supplemental Data Service Provider (SDSP). For example, vehicle capabilities include communications including the command and control link, Remote Identification (ID), conflict advisory/alerting, and UAS system monitoring. These capabilities monitor and assess data such as battery health, aircraft state, and human performance. Complexity of ISAMS capabilities depends on a number of factors. These factors are intendedonly as a notional categorization with the purpose being to reflect the complexity of the AAM ecosystem that would drive up the complexity of ISSA capabilities including systems, sensors, models, standards, and controls. Factors could include the Vehicle Flight Management, Environment, Airspace, and Contingency Management. Each of these factors can be comprised of multiple sub-factors that contribute to increasing complexity. For example, Airspace at a lower level of complexity could be dedicated to UTM operations that are unmonitored, and at a higher level of complexity could involve mixed UTM and ATM operations. The IASMS concept includes safety services that provide data and information to different participants in AAM. The roles and responsibilities of participants can be defined using the Responsible-Accountable-Consulted-Informed (RACI) analysis. For example, for the safety service involving the Remote ID, the Operator would be accountable for providing the data, the Vehicle would be responsible for transmitting it, and the USS, SDSP, Vertiports, FIMS (FAA), and Public Entities such as safety services would be informed by receiving the data. The IASMS ConOps identifies the capabilities needed for risk mitigation and safety assurance in the increasingly complex national airspace. The ConOps serves as a pathway for engaging with industry to gain operational experience including through the Safety Demonstrator series, the RACI analysis, and operational complexity factors. The ConOps serves to integrate these different perspectives to build a cohesive and cogent approach to an AAM safety management system.

In-Time Aviation Safety Management System↗

DOE OSTI2020

Innovation in Radiological Security, Part 2 of 2 – Insights into Developing a Cloud-hosted Security Technology

A Sentry Remote Monitoring System (Sentry-RMS) is a stand-alone security system that provides detection, assessment, and communication of priority alarms as an additional means of thwarting internal and external threats to sites that maintain radiological material. The SEntry-RMS CommUnications and REsponse (Sentry-SECURE) platform is an optional feature of the Sentry-RMS that relays priority alarm information to the identified response stakeholders. Sentry-SECURE is hosted in a cloud environment that abstracts the data owner’s and data consumer’s platforms to allow for greater information sharing. This promotes situational awareness amongst authorized users and enables future innovation among modern response platforms. When securely architecting a cloud solution such as this, the use of design paradigms can be an effective tool to increase the accuracy and reliability of cyber- and information-security-related decisions made throughout the development process. This approach also supports the categorization of design considerations into three levels: industry concepts, project approaches, and data protections for digital processes. Industry concepts consist of the notional underpinnings that guide or motivate a security process, system, or design but often lack any tangible attributes. Project approaches represent decisions made during the design and development process to prioritize a solution, method, or practice above another that may provide a comparable functional output but lacks a desired security benefit. Data protections for digital processes represent the selection, integration, and implementation of specific controls for a given asset. This paper will explore specific examples of how Sentry-SECURE has been designed to account for considerations at each of these three levels, while balancing the operational intent of the platform with the security enhancements necessary to maintain data integrity, availability, and confidentiality.

assessment, RMS, security, physical, cloud, Cyber ↗

DOE OSTI2022

Versatile Heat Transfer Module

Development of micro-reactors that can be easily transported to remote areas for civilian or military applications is an immediate focus of U.S. nuclear industry and therefore is being pursued by multiple reactor vendors (e.g. HolosGen LLC, Westinghouse, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, URENCO, etc.) and actively supported by DOE-NE, DOE-ARPA-E and by the Department Of Defense (DoD). Very-high-temperature gas-cooled (VHTR) and heat pipe cooled reactor technologies are regarded as promising concepts for microreactors applications since they enable compact power conversion systems and display beneficial inherent safety features. Development of microreactors with enhanced performance must be supported by innovations in nuclear technologies. Several technologies being developed by the microreactor industry are being revisited with material technologies developed at the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Innovative high-temperature compatible solutions are developed to enable advanced thermal-spectrum microreactor designs featuring improved neutronics performance at high-temperature operating conditions to enable high thermal efficiency and economic competitiveness. This report focuses on the Versatile Heat Transfer Module (VHTM) technology that is developed at ANL for heat-transfer in thermal-spectrum microreactors. This technology is built on a liquid alkali metal heat pipe concept while leveraging advanced nuclear material technologies for high-temperature applications at reduced neutronic penalty with potential improvement in inherent safety behavior. The VHTM can be applied to design high-temperature thermal-spectrum microreactor systems with reduced size, weight, uranium enrichment, or increased lifetime. The INFINIT technology deriving from the VHTM enables design of a highly compact long-life microreactor concept for fission surface power (FSP). Demonstration of multiphysics modeling capability was also completed to showcase the added inherent safety benefits obtained with this concept. The VHTM technology remain at an early development stage with low Technology Readiness Level and Manufacturing Readiness Level. The current demonstration of these technologies has focused on manufacturing capability, on performance of the hydrogen diffusion barrier under thermal cycling, while radiation tolerance demonstration is planned. The next step of the demonstration plan will be the assembly of miniature VHTM for high-temperature testing, which can be used as a prototype for future pilot scale demonstration. Such research is critical to pursue development of these technologies that have the clear potential to significantly improve the performance of currently investigated micro-reactors systems.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS2016

Exploration Laboratory Analysis

The Exploration Laboratory Analysis (ELA) project supports the Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) risk to minimize or reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes and decrements in performance due to in-flight medical capabilities on human exploration missions. To mitigate this risk, the availability of inflight laboratory analysis instrumentation has been identified as an essential capability for manned exploration missions. Since a single, compact space-ready laboratory analysis capability to perform all exploration clinical measurements is not commercially available, the ELA project objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of emerging operational and analytical capability as a biomedical diagnostics precursor to long duration manned exploration missions. The initial step towards ground and flight demonstrations in fiscal year (FY) 2015 was the downselection of platform technologies for demonstrations in the space environment. The technologies selected included two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) performers: DNA Medicine Institute's rHEALTH X and Intelligent Optical System's lateral flow assays combined with Holomic's smartphone analyzer. The selection of these technologies were based on their compact size, breadth of analytical capability and favorable ability to process fluids in a space environment, among several factors. These two technologies will be advanced to meet ground and flight demonstration success criteria and requirements. The technology demonstrations and metrics for success will be finalized in FY16. Also, the downselected performers will continue the technology development phase towards meeting prototype deliverables in either late 2016 or 2017.

In-Flight laboratory↗

DOE OSTI2025

Membrane-based Ionic Liquid Absorption System for Ultra-Efficient Dehumidification and Heating

The project team – comprising the University of Florida (UF), GTI Energy, and Modine Manufacturing – sought to develop a highly efficient heat-powered absorption cycle with combined dehumidification and heat pumping. This DOE-supported project advanced the technology from a TRL of 3 to 6, culminating in the development of a 1,000 CFM system. Key innovations implemented in the system addressed the low efficiency, size, cost, and reliability challenges of conventional absorption cycles. Specifically, the system was enabled by: (1) a semi-open cycle that allowed simultaneous dehumidification and heat recovery, (2) non-crystallizing ionic liquids (ILs) that enabled “double-effect” operation at elevated temperatures without the need for costly control equipment, (3) a compact membrane-based absorber that confined the IL and directly cooled it to achieve low dew points, and (4) a novel, highly integrated desorber–condenser assembly that reduced size, weight, and cost. The technology was developed with commercial HVAC applications in mind, particularly for separate sensible and latent cooling (SSLC), an innovation aimed at achieving independent and more efficient humidity control.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Perspectives on Potential Advanced Construction Technologies for Nuclear Energy

Advanced reactor technologies have attracted considerable financial support, catalyzing innovation in the nuclear energy landscape. These next generation reactors are designed with enhanced passive safety systems and the potential for cost reductions. As these advanced reactors approach technological maturity, their commercial success also requires focused examination and essential support. Economic assessments in the nuclear energy sector often emphasize construction costs and the risk of scheduling delays as primary contributors to deployment expenditures. Traditionally, vital elements of nuclear energy deployment including civil/structural engineering, design sophistication and automation have been either undervalued or postponed in the development cycles. Additionally, the nuclear industry’s collective experience in nuclear project execution has diminished over the past several decades due to the infrequency of new plant constructions. Hence, the National Reactor Innovation Center’s (NRIC) Advanced Construction Technology Initiative (ACTI) aims to reduce cost overruns and schedule slippages that have plagued the construction of nuclear power plant projects. With this initiative, NRIC is facilitating the development of advanced nuclear plant construction technologies and approaches through partnerships that would provide game-changing benefits to the construction of advanced nuclear power plants.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (ACTI)

Advanced reactor technologies have attracted considerable financial support, catalyzing innovation in the nuclear energy landscape. These next generation reactors are designed with enhanced passive safety systems and the potential for cost reductions. As these advanced reactors approach technological maturity, their commercial success also requires focused examination and essential support. Economic assessments in the nuclear energy sector often emphasize construction costs and the risk of scheduling delays as primary contributors to deployment expenditures. Traditionally, vital elements of nuclear energy deployment including civil/structural engineering, design sophistication and automation have been either undervalued or postponed in the development cycles. Additionally, the nuclear industry’s collective experience in nuclear project execution has diminished over the past several decades due to the infrequency of new plant constructions. Hence, The National Reactor Innovation Center’s (NRIC) Advanced Construction Technology Initiative (ACTI) program aims to reduce cost overruns and schedule slippages that have plagued the construction of nuclear power plant projects. With this initiative, NRIC is facilitating the development of advanced nuclear plant construction technologies and approaches through partnerships that would provide game-changing benefits to the construction of advanced nuclear power plants.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Results of Application Demonstration of Autonomous Offshore Power System Supporting Multiple Mobile and Static Assets

Over the last decade, several technology trends have dominated the innovation cycle within the terrestrial economy. Electrification, cloud computing, decarbonization, digitization, and autonomy are representative examples of macro trends that have had a rapid and fundamental impact; an impact felt not only in user-facing technologies, such as electric vehicles and software-as-a-service, but also in the infrastructure required to deliver those technologies. However, the scale of the impact and rollout has not been felt equally between the terrestrial and ocean economies. Here, the innovation cycle in the ocean economy is significantly slower. What accounts for the difference and are there solutions to this issue?

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

NASA NTRS2004

A 100 kW-Class Technology Demonstrator for Space Solar Power

A first step in the development of solar power from space is the flight demonstration of critical technologies. These fundamental technologies include efficient solar power collection and generation, power management and distribution, and thermal management. In addition, the integration and utilization of these technologies into a viable satellite bus could provide an energy-rich platform for a portfolio of payload experiments such as wireless power transmission (WPT). This paper presents the preliminary design of a concept for a 100 kW-class free-flying platform suitable for flight demonstration of technology experiments. Recent space solar power (SSP) studies by NASA have taken a stepping stones approach that lead to the gigawatt systems necessary to cost-effectively deliver power from space. These steps start with a 100 kW-class satellite, leading to a 500 kW and then a 1 MW-class platform. Later steps develop a 100 MW bus that could eventually lead to a 1-2 GW pilot plant for SSP. Our studies have shown that a modular approach is cost effective. Modular designs include individual laser-power-beaming satellites that fly in constellations or that are autonomously assembled into larger structures at geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Microwave power-beamed approaches are also modularized into large numbers of identical units of solar arrays, power converters, or supporting structures for arrays and microwave transmitting antennas. A cost-effective approach to launching these modular units is to use existing Earth-to-orbit (ETO) launch systems, in which the modules are dropped into low Earth orbit (LEO) and then the modules perform their own orbit transfer to GEO using expendable solar arrays to power solar electric thrusters. At GEO, the modules either rendezvous and are assembled robotically into larger platforms, or are deployed into constellations of identical laser power-beaming satellites. Since solar electric propulsion by the modules is cost-effective for both self-transport of the modules from LEO to GEO, and for on-orbit stationkeeping and repositioning capability during the satellite’s lifetime, this technology is also critical in technology development for SSP. The 100 kW-class technology demonstrator will utilize advanced solar power collection and generation technologies, power management and distribution, advanced thermal management, and solar electric propulsion. State-of-the-art solar concentrators, highly efficient multi-junction solar cells, integrated thermal management on the arrays, and innovative deployable structure design and packaging make the 100 kW satellite feasible for launch on one existing launch vehicle. Early SSP studies showed that a major percentage of the on-orbit mass for power-beaming satellites was from massive power converters at the solar arrays, at the bus, at the power transmitter, or at combinations of these locations. Higher voltage mays and power management and distribution (PMAD) systems reduce or eliminate the need for many of these massive power converters, and could enable direct-drive of high-voltage solar electric thrusters. Lightweight, highly efficient thermal management systems are a critical technology that must be developed and flown for SSP feasibility. Large amounts of power on satellites imply that large amounts of waste heat will need to be managed. In addition, several of the more innovative lightweight configurations proposed for SSP satellites take advantage of solar concentrators that are intractable without advanced thermal management technologies for the solar arrays. These thermal management systems include efficient interfaces with the WPT systems or other high-power technology experiments, lightweight deployable radiators that can be easily integrated into satellite buses, and efficient reliable thermal distribution systems that can pipe heat from the technology experiments to the radiators. In addition to demonstrating the integration and use of these mission-critical technologies, the 100 kw-class satellite will provide a large experiment deck for a portfolio of technology experiments. Current plans for this technology demonstrator allow 2000 kg of payload capability and up to 100 kW of power. The technology experiments could include one or more wireless power transmission demonstrations, either to the Earth’s surface or to a suitable space-based receiver. Technology experiments to quantify the on-orbit performance of critical technologies for SSP or space exploration are welcomed. In addition, the technology experiments provide an opportunity for international cooperation, to advance technology readiness levels of SSP technologies that require flight demonstration. This paper will present the preliminary design for a 100 kW solar-powered satellite and a variety of technology experiments that may be suitable for flight demonstration. In addition, a space-to-Earth-surface WPT experiment will be discussed.

Connie Carrington↗

DOE OSTI2024

Direct Air Capture and Utilization System (DACUS): FEED Study of CarbonCapture Inc. DAC and CarbonCure Utilization Technologies Using United States Steel’s Gary Works Plant Waste Heat

The effects of climate change are drastically perceived through the alarming rates of severe events such as flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, global temperature rise, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification etc., which has prompted the nations across the globe to control & reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, by massive adoption of electric vehicles, switching to renewal energy sources and promoting sustainable green products. However, recent climate studies have shown that such efforts will not be enough to keep the global temperature rising under 1.5° Celsius by the year 2050, which lead to the development of multiple Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies. A DAC system extracts CO2 directly from the atmosphere, which is either stored underground for long term or utilized in other processes. The DACUS proposed at U.S. Steel Corporation’s Gary Works Plant in Gary, Indiana, will include an innovative DAC technology from CarbonCapture Inc. (CCI), which will be collocated and powered by waste heat from the steel plant to capture CO2 from ambient air, and CarbonCure CO2 utilization technology- which is a commercial technology that is already installed and in use by early adopters in more than 150 concrete mixing plants across North America and Asia. The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign spearheaded this Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study project, which was funded by US Department of Energy (DOE), aimed at designing a state-of-the art DACU system that can remove minimum of 5,000 tonne/year net CO2 from air (based on cradle-to-gate LCA) and converting the captured CO2 into low carbon intensity products. The off takers of the low Carbon product produced by the DACUS have also been identified near the steel plant in the Indiana, Illinois & Wisconsin Region. This creates a full CO2 value chain and provides a means to assess the impact of this holistic approach on job creation, regional economic impact, and environmental justice. DACUS is a promising new technology for reducing greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Operation costs are minimized by locating CCI’s innovative DAC collector at United States Steel's Gary Works site where waste heat is utilized. Carbon emissions are minimized in CO2 transportation. The captured CO2 will be permanently sequestered in concrete used as construction material. This DOE funded FEED study demonstrates a full CO2 value chain for a DACU system, supported by an industrial facility. If this project were constructed, it would have a very positive and lasting impact on both the environment and the community.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2026

Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (Bilingual)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) helps coastal, remote, and island communities increase the affordability, reliability, and security of their energy systems through energy planning and deep-dive technical assistance. This is a English and Spanish translation.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

NASA NTRS2017

Current Safety Nets Within the U.S. National Airspace System

There are over 70,000 flights managed per day in the National Airspace System, with approximately 7,000 aircraft in the air over the United States at any given time. Operators of each of these flights would prefer to fly a user-defined “4D” trajectory (4DT), which includes arrival and departure times; preferred gates and runways at the airport; efficient, wind-optimal routes for departure, cruise and arrival phase of flight; and fuel efficient altitude profiles. To demonstrate the magnitude of this achievement a single flight from Los Angeles to Baltimore, accesses over 35 shared or “constrained” resources that are managed by roughly 30 air traffic controllers (at towers, approach control and en route sectors); along with traffic managers at 12 facilities, using over 22 different, independent automation system (including TBFM, ERAM, STARS, ASDE-X, FSM, TSD, GPWS, TCAS, etc.). In addition, dispatchers, ramp controllers and others utilize even more systems to manage each flight’s access to operator-managed resources. Flying an ideal 4DT requires successful coordination of all flight constraints among all flights, facilities, operators, pilots and controllers. Additionally, when conditions in the NAS change, the trajectories of one or more aircraft may need to be revised to avoid loss of flight efficiency, predictability, separation or system throughput. The Aviation Safety Network has released the 2016 airliner accident statistics showing a very low total of 19 fatal airliner accidents, resulting in 325 fatalities1. Despite several high profile accidents, the year 2016 turned out to be a very safe year for commercial aviation, Aviation Safety Network data show. Over the year 2016 the Aviation Safety Network recorded a total of 19 fatal airliner accidents [1], resulting in 325 fatalities. This makes 2016 the second safest year ever, both by number of fatal accidents as well as in terms of fatalities. In 2015 ASN recorded 16 accidents while in 2013 a total of 265 lives were lost. How can we keep it that way and not upset the apple cart by premature insertion of innovative technologies, functions, and procedures? In aviation, safety nets function as the last system defense against incidents and accidents. Current ground-based and airborne safety nets are well established and development to make them more efficient and reliable continues. Additionally, future air traffic control safety nets may emerge from new operational concepts.

Smith, Brian E.↗