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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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NASA NTRS1993

Construction and testing of a space ready rectenna

In Feb. 1993, the Solar Power Satellite (SPS) Working Group from ISAS, Japan will launch a sounding rocket into low earth orbit to perform two activities: collect scientific information on the high power microwave-ionosphere interaction, and demonstrate microwave power transmission in space at 2.45 GHz. The SPS Working Group announced an open invitation to international agencies willing to collaborate with the Microwave Energy Transmission in Space (METS) experiment in a number of categories. Under the sponsorship of the NASA's Lewis Research Center, the Center for Space Power located at Texas A&M University joined the experiment by producing a microwave rectifying receiving antenna (rectenna). The rectenna is a special type of receiving antenna with unique properties and characteristics. The rectenna's main purpose is to efficiently convert microwave power into DC power. The rectenna is an advanced component in microwave power beaming technology developed for 2.45 GHz. The state-of-the-art rectenna for this frequency consists of dipole antennas, filter circuits, and transmission lines etched on a thin layer of Kapton film. The format of the thin film rectenna is ideally suited for space applications. Thin film rectennas have a low specific mass of approximately 1 kg/kW. The main component of the rectenna is the rectifying diode. High conversion efficiencies (90 percent) in microwave to DC power are capable with special Schottky barrier diodes correctly located in the rectenna circuitry. The theory of operation of the 2.45 GHz rectenna is explained. Experimental test results on the METS rectenna are presented. The packaging of the rectenna is also discussed to meet space qualifications.

Brown, Alan M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Zephyr: A Landsailing Rover for Venus

With an average temperature of 450C and a corrosive atmosphere at a pressure of 90 bars, the surface of Venus is the most hostile environment of any planetary surface in the solar system. Exploring the surface of Venus would be an exciting goal, since Venus is a planet with significant scientific mysteries, and interesting geology and geophysics. Technology to operate at the environmental conditions of Venus is under development. A rover on the surface of Venus with capability comparable to the rovers that have been sent to Mars would push the limits of technology in high-temperature electronics, robotics, and robust systems. Such a rover would require the ability to traverse the landscape on extremely low power levels. We have analyzed an innovative concept for a planetary rover: a sail-propelled rover to explore the surface of Venus. Such a rover can be implemented with only two moving parts; the sail, and the steering. Although the surface wind speeds are low (under 1 m/s), at Venus atmospheric density even low wind speeds develop significant force. Under funding by the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts office, a conceptual design for such a rover has been done. Total landed mass of the system is 265 kg, somewhat less than that of the MER rovers, with a 12 square meter rigid sail. The rover folds into a 3.6 meter aeroshell for entry into the Venus atmosphere and subsequent parachute landing on the surface. Conceptual designs for a set of hightemperature scientific instruments and a UHF communication system were done. The mission design lifetime is 50 days, allowing operation during the sunlit portion of one Venus day. Although some technology development is needed to bring the high-temperature electronics to operational readiness, the study showed that such a mobility approach is feasible, and no major difficulties are seen.

rover↗
NASA NTRS2015

Antenna Design Considerations for the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit

NASA is designing an Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU)to support future manned missions beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO). A key component of the AEMU is the communications assembly that allows for the wireless transfer of voice, video, and suit telemetry. The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) currently used on the International Space Station (ISS) contains a radio system with a single omni-directional resonant cavity antenna operating slightly above 400 MHz capable of transmitting and receiving data at a rate of about 125 kbps. Recent wireless communications architectures are calling for the inclusion of commercial wireless standards such as 802.11 that operate in higher frequency bands at much higher data rates. The current AEMU radio design supports a 400 MHz band for low-rate mission-critical data and a high-rate band based on commercial wireless local area network (WLAN) technology to support video, communication with non-extravehicular activity (EVA) assets such as wireless sensors and robotic assistants, and a redundant path for mission-critical EVA data. This paper recommends the replacement of the existing EMU antenna with a new antenna that maintains the performance characteristics of the current antenna but with lower weight and volume footprints. NASA has funded several firms to develop such an antenna over the past few years, and the most promising designs are variations on the basic patch antenna. This antenna technology at UHF is considered by the authors to be mature and ready for infusion into NASA AEMU technology development programs.

antenna design↗
NASA NTRS2012

Deep Space Habitat ECLSS Design Concept

Life support is vital to human spaceflight, and most current life support systems employ single-use hardware or regenerable technologies that throw away the waste products, relying on resupply to make up the consumables lost in the process. Because the long-term goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is to expand human presence beyond low-earth orbit, life support systems must become self-sustaining for missions where resupply is not practical. From May through October 2011, the life support team at the Johnson Space Center was challenged to define requirements, develop a system concept, and create a preliminary life support system design for a non-planetary Deep Space Habitat that could sustain a crew of four in near earth orbit for a duration of 388 days. Some of the preferred technology choices to support this architecture were passed over because the mission definition has an unmanned portion lasting 825 days. The main portion of the architecture was derived from technologies currently integrated on the International Space Station as well as upcoming technologies with moderate Technology Readiness Levels. The final architecture concept contains only partially-closed air and water systems, as the breakeven point for some of the closure technologies was not achieved with the mission duration.

Curley, Su↗
NASA NTRS1992

NASA's nuclear electric propulsion technology project

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has initiated a program to establish the readiness of nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) technology for relatively near-term applications to outer planet robotic science missions with potential future evolution to system for piloted Mars vehicles. This program was initiated in 1991 with a very modest effort identified with nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP); however, NEP is also an integral part of this program and builds upon NASA's Base Research and Technology Program in power and electric propulsion as well as the SP-100 space nuclear power program. The NEP Program will establish the feasibility and practicality of electric propulsion for robotic and piloted solar system exploration. The performance objectives are high specific impulse (200 greater than I(sub sp) greater than 10000 s), high efficiency (over 0.50), and low specific mass. The planning for this program was initially focussed on piloted Mars missions, but has since been redirected to first focus on 100-kW class systems for relatively near-term robotic missions, with possible future evolution to megawatt- and multi-megawatt-class systems applicable to cargo vehicles supporting human missions as well as to the piloted vehicles. This paper reviews current plans and recent progress for the overall nuclear electric propulsion project and closely related activities.

Stone, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

NASA's nuclear electric propulsion technology project

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has initiated a program to establish the readiness of nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) technology for relatively near-term applications to outer planet robotic science missions with potential future evolution to system for piloted Mars vehicles. This program was initiated in 1991 with a very modest effort identified with nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP); however, NEP is also an integral part of this program and builds upon NASA's Base Research and Technology Program in power and electric propulsion as well as the SP-100 space nuclear power program. The NEP Program will establish the feasibility and practicality of electric propulsion for robotic and piloted solar system exploration. The performance objectives are high specific impulse (200 greater than I(sub sp) greater than 10000 s), high efficiency (over 0.50), and low specific mass. The planning for this program was initially focussed on piloted Mars missions, but has since been redirected to first focus on 100-kW class systems for relatively near-term robotic missions, with possible future evolution to megawatt-and multi-megawatt-class systems applicable to cargo vehicles supporting human missions as well as to the piloted vehicles. This paper reviews current plans and recent progress for the overall nuclear electric propulsion project and closely related activities.

Stone, James R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Deep Space Habitat ECLS Design Concept

Life support is vital to human spaceflight, and most current life support systems employ single-use hardware or regenerable technologies that throw away the waste products, relying on resupply to make up the consumables lost in the process. Because the long-term goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is to expand human presence beyond low-earth orbit, life support systems must become self-sustaining for missions where resupply is not practical. From May through October 2011, the life support team at the Johnson Space Center was challenged to define requirements, develop a system concept, and create a preliminary life support system design for a non-planetary Deep Space Habitat that could sustain a crew of four in near earth orbit for a duration of 388 days. Some of the preferred technology choices to support this architecture were passed over as the mission definition also has an unmanned portion lasting 825 days. The main portion of the architecture was derived from technologies currently integrated on the International Space Station as well as upcoming technologies with moderate Technology Readiness Levels. The final architecture concept contains only partially-closed air and water systems, as the breakeven point for some of the closure technologies was not achieved with the mission duration.

Curley, Su↗
NASA NTRS2018

Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) Program Technology Development 2018

We present a final report on our program to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of enhanced charge‐coupled‐device (CCD) detectors capable of meeting the requirements of X‐ray grating spectrometers (XGS) and wide‐field X‐ray imaging instruments for small, medium, and large missions. Because they are made of silicon, all X‐ray CCDs require blocking filters to prevent corruption of the Xray signal by out‐of‐band, mainly optical and near‐infrared (near‐IR) radiation. Our primary objective is to demonstrate technology that can replace the fragile, extremely thin, free‐standing blocking filter that has been standard practice with a much more robust filter deposited directly on the detector surface. High‐performance, back‐illuminated CCDs have flown with free‐standing filters (e.g., one of our detectors on Suzaku), and other relatively low‐performance CCDs with directly deposited filters have flown (e.g., on the X‐ray Multi‐mirror Mission‐Newton, XMM‐Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer, RGS). At the inception of our program, a high‐performance, back‐illuminated CCD with a directly deposited filter has not been demonstrated. Our effort will be the first to show such a filter can be deposited on an X‐ray CCD that meets the requirements of a variety of contemplated future instruments. Our principal results are as follows: i) we have demonstrated a process for direct deposition of aluminum optical blocking filters on back‐illuminated MIT Lincoln Laboratory CCDs. Filters ranging in thickness from 70 nm to 220 nm exhibit expected bulk visible‐band and X‐ray transmission properties except in a small number (affecting ≲ 1% of detector area) of isolated detector pixels ("pinholes"), which show higher‐than‐expected visible‐band transmission; ii) these filters produce no measurable degradation in soft‐X‐ray spectral resolution, demonstrating that direct filter deposition is compatible with the MIT Lincoln Laboratory back‐illumination process; iii) we have shown that under sufficiently intense visible and near‐IR illumination, out‐of‐band light can enter the detector through its sidewalls and mounting surfaces, compromising detector performance. This 'sidewall leakage' has been observed, for example, by a previous experiment on the International Space Station during its orbit‐day operations. We have developed effective countermeasures for this sidewall leakage; iv) we developed an exceptionally productive collaboration with the Regolith X‐ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) team. REXIS is a student instrument now flying on the Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS‐REx) mission. REXIS students participated in our filter development program, adopted our technology for their flight instrument, and raised the TRL of this technology beyond our initial goals. This Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) project, a collaboration between the MKI and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, began July 1, 2012, and ended on June 30, 2018.

PCOS↗
NASA NTRS2010

Ensuring US National Aeronautics Test Capabilities

U.S. leadership in aeronautics depends on ready access to technologically advanced, efficient, and affordable aeronautics test capabilities. These systems include major wind tunnels and propulsion test facilities and flight test capabilities. The federal government owns the majority of the major aeronautics test capabilities in the United States, primarily through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Defense (DoD). However, changes in the Aerospace landscape, primarily the decrease in demand for testing over the last 20 years required an overarching strategy for management of these national assets. Therefore, NASA established the Aeronautics Test Program (ATP) as a two-pronged strategic initiative to: (1) retain and invest in NASA aeronautics test capabilities considered strategically important to the agency and the nation, and (2) establish a strong, high level partnership with the DoD. Test facility utilization is a critical factor for ATP because it relies on user occupancy fees to recover a substantial part of the operations costs for its facilities. Decreasing utilization is an indicator of excess capacity and in some cases low-risk redundancy (i.e., several facilities with basically the same capability and overall low utilization). However, low utilization does not necessarily translate to lack of strategic importance. Some facilities with relatively low utilization are nonetheless vitally important because of the unique nature of the capability and the foreseeable aeronautics testing needs. Unfortunately, since its inception, the customer base for ATP has continued to shrink. Utilization of ATP wind tunnels has declined by more than 50% from the FY 2006 levels. This significant decrease in customer usage is attributable to several factors, including the overall decline in new programs and projects in the aerospace sector; the impact of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on the design, development, and research process; and the reductions in wind tunnel testing requirements within the largest consumer of ATP wind tunnel test time, the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). Retirement of the Space Shuttle Program and recent perturbations of NASA's Constellation Program will exacerbate this downward trend. Therefore it is crucial that ATP periodically revisit and determine which of its test capabilities are strategically important, which qualify as low-risk redundancies that could be put in an inactive status or closed, and address the challenges associated with both sustainment and improvements to the test capabilities that must remain active. This presentation will provide an overview of the ATP vision, mission, and goals as well as the challenges and opportunities the program is facing both today and in the future. We will discuss the strategy ATP is taking over the next five years to address the National aeronautics test capability challenges and what the program will do to capitalize on its opportunities to ensure a ready, robust and relevant portfolio of National aeronautics test capabilities.

Marshall, Timothy J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Passive Dust Mitigation Technologies Being Developed for Demonstration Under Patch Plate Materials Compatibility Analysis Task

With the Artemis program, we are planning longer stays on the surface, with more activities that have the potential to put the astronauts and equipment in contact with greater quantities of lunar dust. The success of these missions will depend on our understanding of material interactions with lunar dust and the development of ways to mitigate dust effects in cases where exposure to dust will lead to failure of components, unacceptable loss of power or thermal control, unacceptable loss of visibility, or health issues. Passive dust mitigation by coating or surface alteration is one method that is being developed and demonstrated under the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Technology, Dust Mitigation Program as part of the Patch Plate Materials Compatibility Assessment Task. The goal of the task is to alter the surfaces of materials in order to passively reduce the adhesion of dust, demonstrate their performance in relevant ground-based tests using lunar simulants, and prepare them for demonstration through experiment on the lunar surface. Optically transparent, sputter deposited, work function matching coatings are being developed to reduce adhesion of dust to windows, lenses and display panels by matching the minimum energy to remove an electron from the surface to that of lunar dust in order to reduce adhesion due to charge transfer. Low surface energy coatings and surfaces for thermal control are also being developed to reduce the bonding of dust with the surface enabling it to be removed more easily. Conductive coatings with the ability to shed dust more easily are being developed for use with the active Electrodynamic Dust Shield technology to help reduce the power needed to remove dust from the surface. Passive dust mitigation surfaces for metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium are being developed that reduce the area of dust contact with the surfaces through topographical modification using laser ablation patterning to impart hierarchical topographies with nanometer to micrometer length scales in a single step. Topographically modified polymeric materials, both those with extensive space heritage and those with lower technology readiness levels, are also being evaluated. Space suit fabric surfaces that can reduce dust penetration into and through the fabric are also being investigated as well as pristine and topographically modified ceramic materials that exhibit high wear resilience. An overview of the passive dust mitigation surfaces and coatings being developed under this task, ground testing being conducted using lunar simulants, characterization techniques, and materials preparation for flight sample delivery for integration into the Alpha Space Regolith Adherence Characterization experiment going to the lunar surface on a Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) lander in 2023 will be discussed.

Lunar dust, passive mitigation, lunar simulant, co↗
NASA NTRS2012

Microbial Monitoring of Pathogens by Comparing Multiple Real-Time PCR Platforms for Potential Space Applications

The International Space Station (ISS) is a closed environment wi~h rotations of crew and equipment each introducing their own microbial flora making it necessary to monitor the air, surfaces, and water for microbial contamination. Current microbial monitoring includes labor and time intensive methods to enumerate total bacterial and fungal cells with limited characterization during in-flight testing. Although this culture-based method has been sufficient for monitoring the ISS, future long duration missions will need to perform more comprehensive characterization in-flight, since sample return and ground characterization may not be available. A workshop was held in 2011 at the Johnson Space Center to discuss alternative methodologies and technologies suitable for microbial monitoring for these longterm exploration missions where molecular-based methodologies, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), were recommended. In response, a multi-center (Marshall Space Flight Center, Johnson Space Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Kennedy Space Center) collaborative research effort was initiated to explore novel commercial-off-the-shelf hardware options for spaceflight environmental monitoring. The goal was to evaluate quantitative/semi-quantitative PCR approaches to space applications for low cost in-flight rapid identification of microorganisms affecting crew safety. The initial phase of this project identified commercially available platforms that could be minimally modified to perform nominally in microgravity followed by proof-of-concept testing on the highest qualifying candidates with a universally available test organism, Salmonella enterica. The platforms evaluated during proof-of-concept testing included the iCubate 2.0(TradeMark) (iCubate, Huntsville, AL), RAZOR EX (BioFire Diagnostics; Salt Lake City, Utah) and SmartCycler(TradeMark) (Cepheid; Sunnyvale, CA). The analysis identified two potential technologies (iCubate 2.0 and RAZOR EX) that were able to perform sample-to-answer testing with cell sample concentrations between SO to 400 cells. In addition, the commercial systems were evaluated for initial flight safety and readiness, sample concentration needs were reviewed, and a competitive procurement of commercially available platforms was initiated.

Birmele, Michele↗
NASA NTRS2016

Design and Development Comparison of Rapid Cycle Amine 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0

The development of the Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) swing-bed technology for carbon dioxide (CO2) removal has been in progress since favorable results were published in 1996. Shortly thereafter, a prototype was designed, developed, and tested successfully and delivered to Johnson Space Center in 1999. An improved prototype was delivered to NASA in 2006 and was notated as RCA 1.0 and sized for the extravehicular activity (EVA). The new RCA swing-bed technology is a regenerative system which employs two alternating solid-amine sorbent beds to remove CO2 and water. The two- bed design employs a chemisorption process whereby the beds alternate between adsorbtion and desorbsion. This process provides for an efficient operation of the RCA so that while one bed is in adsorb (uptake) mode, the other is in the desorb (regeneration) mode. The RCA has now progressed through several iterations of technology readiness levels. Test articles have now been designed, developed, and tested for the advanced space suit portable life support system (PLSS) including RCA 1.0, RCA 2.0, and RCA 3.0. The RCA 3.0 was the most recent RCA fabrication and was delivered to NASA-JSC in June 2015. The RCA 1.0 test article was designed with a pneumatically actuated linear motion spool valve. The RCA 2.0 and 3.0 test articles were designed with a valve assembly which allows for switching between uptake and regeneration modes while minimizing gas volume losses to the vacuum source. RCA 2.0 and 3.0 also include an embedded controller design to control RCA operation and provide the capability of interfacing with various sensors and other ventilation loop components. The RCA technology is low power, small, and has fulfilled all test requirements levied upon the technology during development testing thus far. This paper will provide an overreview of the design and development of RCA 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 including detail differences between the design specifications of each.

Chullen, Cinda↗
NASA NTRS2016

Design and Development Comparison of Rapid Cycle Amine 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0

The development of the Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) swing-bed technology for carbon dioxide (CO2) removal has been in progress since favorable results were published in 1996. Shortly thereafter, a prototype was designed, developed, and tested successfully and delivered to Johnson Space Center in 1999. An improved prototype (RCA 1.0) was delivered to NASA in 2006 and sized for the extravehicular activity (EVA). The RCA swing-bed technology is a regenerative system which employs two alternating solid-amine sorbent beds to remove CO2 and water. The two-bed design employs a chemisorption process whereby the beds alternate between adsorption and desorption. This process provides for an efficient RCA operation that enables one bed to be in adsorb (uptake) mode, while the other is in the desorb (regeneration) mode. The RCA has progressed through several iterations of technology readiness levels. Test articles have now been designed, developed, and tested for the advanced space suit portable life support system (PLSS) including RCA 1.0, RCA 2.0, and RCA 3.0. The RCA 3.0 was the most recent RCA fabrication and was delivered to NASA-JSC in June 2015. The RCA 1.0 test article was designed with a pneumatically actuated linear motion spool valve. The RCA 2.0 and 3.0 test articles were designed with a valve assembly which allows for switching between uptake and regeneration modes while minimizing gas volume losses to the vacuum source. RCA 2.0 and 3.0 also include an embedded controller design to control RCA operation and provide the capability of interfacing with various sensors and other ventilation loop components. The RCA technology is low power, small, and has fulfilled all test requirements levied upon the technology during development testing thus far. This paper will provide an overview of the design and development of RCA 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 including detail differences between the design specifications of each. Nomenclature.

Chullen, Cinda↗
NASA NTRS1976

Electrochemical deposition of silver crystals aboard Skylab 4

Silver crystals were grown aboard Skylab 4 by an electro-chemical reaction and subsequently returned to earth for comparison with crystals grown at 1- and 5-g. Both the Skylab and earth-grown crystals show a variety of structures. Certain tendencies in structure dependency on gravity level, however, can be discerned. In addition, downward growing dendrite streamers; upward growing chunky crystal streamers; growth along an air/liquid interface; and ribbon, film, and fiber crystal habits were observed in experiments conducted on the ground with solutions of varying concentrations. It was also observed that the crystal structures of space and ground electro-deposited silver crystals were very similar to the structures of germanium selenide and germanium telluride crystals grown in space and on the ground by a vapor transport technique. Consideration of the data leads to the conclusions that: (1) the rate of electrochemical displacement of silver ions from a 5 percent aqueous solution by copper is predominantly diffussion controlled in space and kinetically controlled in 1- and higher-g because of augmentation of mass transport by convection; (2) downward and upward crystal streamers are the result of gravity-driven convection, the flow patterns of which can be delineated. Lateral growths along an air/liquid interface are the result of surface-tension-driven convection, the pattern of which also can be delineated; (3) electrolysis in space or low-g environments can produce either dendritic crystals with more perfect microcrystalline structures or massive, single crystals with fewer defects than those grown on ground or at higher g-levels. Ribbons or films of space-grown silicon crystals would find a ready market for electronic substrate and photocell applications. Space-grown dendritic, metal crystals present the possibility of unique catalysts. Large perfect crystals of various materials are desired for a number of electronic and optical applications; and (4) vapor transport growth of germanium selenide and germanium telluride is affected by convection mechanisms similar to the mechanisms hypothesized for the electrochemical deposition of silver crystals. Evidence and considerations leading to the preceding summaries and conclusions are presented. The implications of the findings and conclusions for technological applications are discussed, and recommendations for further experiments are presented.

Grodzka, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS2016

NASA's Hydrogen Outpost: The Rocket Systems Area at Plum Brook Station

"There was pretty much a general knowledge about hydrogen and its capabilities," recalled former researcher Robert Graham. "The question was, could you use it in a rocket engine? Do we have the technology to handle it? How will it cool? Will it produce so much heat release that we can't cool the engine? These were the questions that we had to address." The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Glenn Research Center, referred to historically as the Lewis Research Center, made a concerted effort to answer these and related questions in the 1950s and 1960s. The center played a critical role transforming hydrogen's theoretical potential into a flight-ready propellant. Since then NASA has utilized liquid hydrogen to send humans and robots to the Moon, propel dozens of spacecraft across the universe, orbit scores of satellite systems, and power 135 space shuttle flights. Rocket pioneers had recognized hydrogen's potential early on, but its extremely low boiling temperature and low density made it impracticable as a fuel. The Lewis laboratory first demonstrated that liquid hydrogen could be safely utilized in rocket and aircraft propulsion systems, then perfected techniques to store, pump, and cleanly burn the fuel, as well as use it to cool the engine. The Rocket Systems Area at Lewis's remote testing area, Plum Brook Station, played a little known, but important role in the center's hydrogen research efforts. This publication focuses on the activities at the Rocket Systems Area, but it also discusses hydrogen's role in NASA's space program and Lewis's overall hydrogen work. The Rocket Systems Area included nine physically modest test sites and three test stands dedicated to liquid-hydrogen-related research. In 1962 Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Karl Abram claimed, "The rocket facility looks more like a petroleum refinery. Its test rigs sprout pipes, valves and tanks. During the night test runs, excess hydrogen is burned from special stacks in the best Oklahoma oil field tradition." Besides the Rocket Systems Area, Plum Brook Station also included a nuclear test reactor, a large vacuum tank, a hypersonic wind tunnel, and a full-scale upper-stage rocket stand. The Rocket Systems Area operated from 1961 until NASA shut down all of Plum Brook in 1974. The center reopened Plum Brook in the late 1980s and continues to use several test facilities. The Rocket Systems Area, however, was not restored. Today Plum Brook resembles a nature preserve more than an oil refinery. Lush fields and forests separate the large test facilities. Until recently, the abandoned Rocket Systems Area structures and equipment were visible amongst the greenery. These space-age ruins, particularly the three towers, stood as silent sentinels over the sparsely populated reservation. Few knew the story of these mysterious facilities when NASA removed them in the late 2000s.

Rocket Systems↗
NASA NTRS2016

Status of NASA's Space Launch System

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) continued to make significant progress in 2015 and 2016, completing hardware and testing that brings NASA closer to a new era of deep space exploration. Programmatically, SLS completed Critical Design Review (CDR) in 2015. A team of independent reviewers concluded that the vehicle design is technically and programmatically ready to move to Design Certification Review (DCR) and launch readiness in 2018. Just five years after program start, every major element has amassed development and flight hardware and completed key tests that will lead to an accelerated pace of manufacturing and testing in 2016 and 2017. Key to SLS' rapid progress has been the use of existing technologies adapted to the new launch vehicle. The existing fleet of RS-25 engines is undergoing adaptation tests to prove it can meet SLS requirements and environments with minimal change. The four-segment shuttle-era booster has been modified and updated with a fifth propellant segment, new insulation, and new avionics. The Interim Cryogenic Upper Stage is a modified version of an existing upper stage. The first Block I SLS configuration will launch a minimum of 70 metric tons (t) of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO). The vehicle architecture has a clear evolutionary path to more than 100t and, ultimately, to 130t. Among the program's major 2015-2016 accomplishments were two booster qualification hotfire tests, a series of RS-25 adaptation hotfire tests, manufacturing of most of the major components for both core stage test articles and first flight tank, delivery of the Pegasus core stage barge, and the upper stage simulator. Renovations to the B-2 test stand for stage green run testing was completed at NASA Stennis Space Center. This year will see the completion of welding for all qualification and flight EM-1 core stage components and testing of flight avionics, completion of core stage structural test stands, casting of the EM-1 solid rocket motors, additional testing of RS-25 engines and flight engine controllers This paper will discuss these and other technical and programmatic successes and challenges over the past year and provide a preview of work ahead before the first flight of this new capability.

Honeycutt, John↗
NASA NTRS2016

Status of NASA's Space Launch System

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) continued to make significant progress in 2015, completing hardware and testing that brings NASA closer to a new era of deep space exploration. The most significant program milestone of the year was completion of Critical Design Review (CDR). A team of independent reviewers concluded that the vehicle design is technically and programmatically ready to move to Design Certification Review (DCR) and launch readiness in 2018. Just four years after program start, every major element has amassed development and flight hardware and completed key tests that will set the stage for a growing schedule of manufacturing and testing in 2016. Key to SLS' rapid progress has been the use of existing technologies adapted to the new launch vehicle. The space shuttle-heritage RS-25 engine is undergoing adaptation tests to prove it can meet SLS requirements and environments with minimal change. The four-segment shuttle-era booster has been modified and updated with an additional propellant segment, new insulation, and new avionics. The Interim Cryogenic Upper Stage is a modified version of an existing upper stage. The first Block I SLS configuration will launch a minimum of 70 metric tons of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO). The vehicle architecture has a clear evolutionary path to more than 100 metric tons and, ultimately, to 130 metric tons. Among the program's major accomplishments in 2015 were the first booster qualification hotfire test, a series of seven RS-25 adaptation hotfire tests, manufacturing of most of the major components for both core stage test articles and first flight tank, delivery of the Pegasus core stage barge, and the upper stage simulator. Renovations to the B-2 test stand for stage green run testing was completed at NASA Stennis Space Center. This year will see the second booster qualification motor hotfire, flight and additional development RS-25 engine tests, and completion of core stage test articles and test stands and several flight article sections. This paper will discuss these and other technical and programmatic successes and challenges over the past year and provide a preview of work ahead before the first flight of this new capability.

Honeycutt, John↗
NASA NTRS2016

Status of NASA's Space Launch System

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) continued to make significant progress in 2015, completing hardware and testing that brings NASA closer to a new era of deep space exploration. The most significant program milestone of the year was completion of Critical Design Review (CDR). A team of independent reviewers concluded that the vehicle design is technically and programmatically ready to move to Design Certification Review (DCR) and launch readiness in 2018. Just four years after program start, every major element has amassed development and flight hardware and completed key tests that will set the stage for a growing schedule of manufacturing and testing in 2016. Key to SLS' rapid progress has been the use of existing technologies adapted to the new launch vehicle. The space shuttle-heritage RS-25 engine is undergoing adaptation tests to prove it can meet SLS requirements and environments with minimal change. The four-segment shuttle-era booster has been modified and updated with an additional propellant segment, new insulation, and new avionics. The Interim Cryogenic Upper Stage is a modified version of an existing upper stage. The first Block I SLS configuration will launch a minimum of 70 metric tons (t) of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO). The vehicle architecture has a clear evolutionary path to more than 100t and, ultimately, to 130t. Among the program's major accomplishments in 2015 were the first booster qualification hotfire test, a series of seven RS-25 adaptation hotfire tests, manufacturing of most of the major components for both core stage test articles and first flight tank, delivery of the Pegasus core stage barge, and the upper stage simulator. Renovations to the B-2 test stand for stage green run testing was completed at NASA Stennis Space Center. This year will see the second booster qualification motor hotfire, flight and additional development RS-25 engine tests, and completion of core stage test articles and test stands and several flight article sections. This paper will discuss these and other technical and programmatic successes and challenges over the past year and provide a preview of work ahead before the first flight of this new capability.

Lyles, Garry↗