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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 NTRS2001

Code Sharing and Collaboration: Experiences from the Scientist's Expert Assistant Project and their Relevance to the Virtual Observatory

In the Virtual Observatory (VO), software tools will perform the functions that have traditionally been performed by physical observatories and their instruments. These tools will not be adjuncts to VO functionality but will make up the very core of the VO. Consequently, the tradition of observatory and system independent tools serving a small user base is not valid for the VO. For the VO to succeed, we must improve software collaboration and code sharing between projects and groups. A significant goal of the Scientist's Expert Assistant (SEA) project has been promoting effective collaboration and code sharing between groups. During the past three years, the SEA project has been developing prototypes for new observation planning software tools and strategies. Initially funded by the Next Generation Space Telescope, parts of the SEA code have since been adopted by the Space Telescope Science Institute. SEA has also supplied code for SOFIA, the SIRTF planning tools, and the JSky Open Source Java library. The potential benefits of sharing code are clear. The recipient gains functionality for considerably less cost. The provider gains additional developers working with their code. If enough users groups adopt a set of common code and tools, defacto standards can emerge (as demonstrated by the success of the FITS standard). Code sharing also raises a number of challenges related to the management of the code. In this talk, we will review our experiences with SEA - both successes and failures - and offer some lessons learned that may promote further successes in collaboration and re-use.

Jones, Jeremy↗
NASA NTRS2001

Advanced Communication and Networking Technologies for Mars Exploration

Next-generation Mars communications networks will provide communications and navigation services to a wide variety of Mars science vehicles including: spacecraft that are arriving at Mars, spacecraft that are entering and descending in the Mars atmosphere, scientific orbiter spacecraft, spacecraft that return Mars samples to Earth, landers, rovers, aerobots, airplanes, and sensing pods. In the current architecture plans, the communication services will be provided using capabilities deployed on the science vehicles as well as dedicated communication satellites that will together make up the Mars network. This network will evolve as additional vehicles arrive, depart or end their useful missions. Cost savings and increased reliability will result from the ability to share communication services between missions. This paper discusses the basic architecture that is needed to support the Mars Communications Network part of NASA's Space Science Enterprise (SSE) communications architecture. The network may use various networking technologies such as those employed in the terrestrial Internet, as well as special purpose deep-space protocols to move data and commands autonomously between vehicles, at disparate Mars vicinity sites (on the surface or in near-Mars space) and between Mars vehicles and earthbound users. The architecture of the spacecraft on-board local communications is being reconsidered in light of these new networking requirements. The trend towards increasingly autonomous operation of the spacecraft is aimed at reducing the dependence on resource scheduling provided by Earth-based operators and increasing system fault tolerance. However, these benefits will result in increased communication and software development requirements. As a result, the envisioned Mars communications infrastructure requires both hardware and protocol technology advancements. This paper will describe a number of the critical technology needs and some of the ongoing research activities.

Bhasin, Kul↗
NASA NTRS2001

Code Sharing and Collaboration: Experiences From the Scientist's Expert Assistant Project and Their Relevance to the Virtual Observatory

In the Virtual Observatory (VO), software tools will perform the functions that have traditionally been performed by physical observatories and their instruments. These tools will not be adjuncts to VO functionality but will make up the very core of the VO. Consequently, the tradition of observatory and system independent tools serving a small user base is not valid for the VO. For the VO to succeed, we must improve software collaboration and code sharing between projects and groups. A significant goal of the Scientist's Expert Assistant (SEA) project has been promoting effective collaboration and code sharing among groups. During the past three years, the SEA project has been developing prototypes for new observation planning software tools and strategies. Initially funded by the Next Generation Space Telescope, parts of the SEA code have since been adopted by the Space Telescope Science Institute. SEA has also supplied code for the SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility) planning tools, and the JSky Open Source Java library. The potential benefits of sharing code are clear. The recipient gains functionality for considerably less cost. The provider gains additional developers working with their code. If enough users groups adopt a set of common code and tools, de facto standards can emerge (as demonstrated by the success of the FITS standard). Code sharing also raises a number of challenges related to the management of the code. In this talk, we will review our experiences with SEA--both successes and failures, and offer some lessons learned that might promote further successes in collaboration and re-use.

Korathkar, Anuradha↗
NASA NTRS2003

Heterodyne Receiver Requirements for the Single Aperture Far-Infrared (SAFIR) Observatory

In the next few years, work will commence in earnest on the development of technology for the next generation large cryogenic far-infrared telescope: the Single Aperture Far- Infrared (SAFIR) Observatory. SAFIR's science goals are driven by the fact that youngest stages of almost all phenomena in the universe are shrouded in absorption by cool dust, resulting in the energy being emitted primarily in the far-infrared. The earliest stages of star formation, when gas and dust clouds are collapsing and planets forming, can only be observed in the far-infrared. Spectral diagnostics in the far-infrared are typically quite narrow (approx. 1 km/s) and require high sensitivity to detect them. SAFIR is a 10 m-class telescope designed for cryogenic operation at L2, removing all sources of thermal emission from the telescope and atmosphere. Despite its limited collecting area and angular resolution as compared to the ALMA interferometer, its potential for covering the entire far-infrared band cannot be matched by any ground-based or airborne observatory. This places a new challenge on heterodyne receivers: broad frequency coverage. The ideal mixer would be able to detect frequencies over several octaves (e.g., 0.6 THz - 12 THz) with near quantum-limited performance at all frequencies. In contrast to ground-based observatories, it may not be necessary to strive for high instantaneous bandwidth, as direct detection spectroscopy is preferable for bandwidths of Delta v/ v greater than or equal to 10(exp -4) (e.g., 1 GHz at 10 THz). We consider likely directions for technology development for heterodyne receivers for SAFIR.

Benford, Dominic J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Overview of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Program

NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance sponsors an Agency-wide NDE Program that supports Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology, Human Exploration and Development of Space, Earth Science, and Space Science Enterprises. For each of these Enterprises, safety is the number one priority. Development of the next generation aero-space launch and transportation vehicles, satellites, and deep space probes have highlighted the enabling role that NDE plays in these advanced technology systems. Specific areas of advanced component development, component integrity, and structural heath management are critically supported by NDE technologies. The simultaneous goals of assuring safety, maintaining overall operational efficiency, and developing and utilizing revolutionary technologies to expand human activity and space-based commerce in the frontiers of air and space places increasing demands on the Agencies NDE infrastructure and resources. In this presentation, an overview of NASA's NDE Program will be presented, that includes a background and status of current Enterprise NDE issues, and the NDE investment areas being developed to meet Enterprise safety and mission assurance needs through the year 2009 and beyond.

Generazio, Edward R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Contributions of TRMM and GPM to GEOSS

Two international satellite missions have a major role in the development of global precipitation data under the auspices of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to meet the needs of several Societal Benefit Areas set forth by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). One is the joint U.S.-Japan Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), launched in 1997, which provides combined radar/radiometer measurements to serve as a benchmark for tropical precipitation measurements by passive microwave radiometers and has played a key role in the development of the current generation of multi-satellite global rainfall products. The other is the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission, an international satellite mission to be launched in 2013 to deliver the next-generation global precipitation observations from a constellation of dedicated and operational microwave sensors. GPM is a science mission with integrated applications goals aimed at (1) advancing the knowledge of the global water/energy cycle variability and freshwater availability and (2) improving weather, climate, and hydrological prediction capabilities through more accurate and frequent measurements of global precipitation. The GPM Mission is currently a partnership between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), with additional partners in satellite constellation and ground validation under discussion. With NASA and JAXA science team activities providing the framework and infrastructures for international collaboration on satellite inter-calibration, retrieval algorithm development, and ground validation, GPM has been identified as the cornerstone for the development of the Precipitation Constellation for the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). An overview of current accomplishments by TRMM and anticipated contributions by GPM to GEOSS activities will be presented.

Hou, Arthur Y.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Wavefront sensing for a future HabEx space telescope.

HabEx is a concept study for a next generation space telescope having a 4 to 6.5 m primary mirror diameter. Primarily designed for exoplanet science, but also carrying general astrophysics instruments, it will have stability requirements orders of magnitude more stringent than any previously flown space-based observatory. Wavefront control, including active sensing/control of wavefront jitter and drift, will be essential to achieving and maintaining coronagraph performance. There are currently two complementary techniques that can be used to sense the wavefront drift. An attractive method is to use starlight rejected from the coronagraph to sense changes in the wavefront incident on the coronagraph mask. This method suffers from photon noise especially when imaging dim stars. It is also unavailable during slews between target stars. Laser metrology is a complementary system in which a laser “truss” enables rigid body displacements of the optics to be measured from changes in the separation of pairs of optical fiducials which can be separated by many meters. In closed loop with actuated optics, laser metrology actively maintains rigid body alignment of the front-end optics, thereby eliminating the dominant source of wavefront drift. This method can maintain rigid body stability of the telescope optics and thereby wavefront control, even during slews between targets.

Martin, Stefan↗
DOE OSTI2026

Illuminating the Material World: Autonomous Microscopy to Understand Order, Disorder, and Everything In Between

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense promise for revolutionizing microscopy, yet its widespread adoption has been hindered by challenges ranging from user inexperience to limited model transferability and difficulties in operationalizing machine learning. This presentation showcases our approach to developing practical autonomy for materials discovery, aiming to accelerate the integration of AI into everyday microscopy workflows. As shown in Fig. 1, I will focus on three key areas: understanding order-disorder transitions, quantifying point defects, and achieving truly device-scale microscopy. First, I will demonstrate the power of multi-modal knowledge graphs for integrating diverse microscopy data. By combining imaging, spectroscopy, and diffraction data, these graphs provide a holistic view of material behavior, capturing the intricate relationships between different modalities [1,2]. I will present a case study on how these models illuminate the structural and chemical changes associated with irradiation in oxide thin films, revealing critical insights for designing materials for extreme environments like spaceflight and nuclear energy. Specifically, I will show how multi-modal analysis clarifies the evolution of order-disorder transitions under irradiation, a key factor influencing material performance in these applications. Next, I will address the challenge of quantifying point defects in 2D materials. We demonstrate the application of computer vision and transfer learning to accurately identify and classify various defect types, such as vacancies and substitutional atoms, and to quantify their concentrations. This information is crucial for understanding and tailoring the properties of 2D materials for applications in electronics, optoelectronics, and catalysis. For example, I will show how our models can characterize the topological distribution of point defects in MXene transition metal carbides, providing valuable insights for optimizing their performance in energy storage and separation science. Finally, I will discuss our progress toward autonomous device-scale microscopy [3,4]. We are fundamentally redesigning electron microscopes around the principles of machine reasoning, enabling automation beyond basic tasks like sample navigation and data acquisition to include sophisticated experimental design. This approach paves the way for truly reproducible and massively scaled analysis campaigns. I will emphasize the importance of autonomous microscopy platforms for high-throughput materials discovery and characterization, facilitating the rapid screening of materials for a broad range of applications and accelerating the development of next-generation technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Pan-Arctic Vegetation Cover (PAVC) database v1.1

The Pan-Arctic Vegetation Cover (PAVC) database contains synthesized field-data observations of vegetation cover from 978 Arctic Alaska plots with observations from 2010 to 2021. The cover datasets contain plot data at both the plant functional type (PFT) and species-level resolution, with standardized PFT definitions and species names. We synthesized publicly available point-intercept and visual estimate plots from the Arctic Vegetation Archive of Alaska, the Alaska Vegetation Plots Database, the North Slope Science Catalog, and the National Ecological Observatory Network; as well as previously unpublished data from the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic).Users will find four synthesized datasets, 4 associated data descriptor (dd) files, and 1 metadata file in the PAVC database:synthesized_species_fcover.csv contains fractional cover (fcover) for unique accepted species names, where names include vegetation identified at the family, genus, species, subspecies, and variety levels, as well as general functional types across all 5 data sources. The synthesized_species_fcover_dd.csv accompanies this dataset with header information.synthesized_pft_fcover.csv contains fcover for the following PFTs: non-vascular plants with lichen and bryophyte subcategories, trees with deciduous and evergreen subcategories, shrubs with deciduous and evergreen subcategories, graminoids (grasses), and forbs (herbaceous flowering plants) measured as total cover. Litter and “other” cover are also included as total cover. Additional “types” include water and bare ground, which were measured as top cover. The synthesized_pft_fcover_dd.csv accompanies this dataset with header information.species_pft_checklist.csv is a lookup table containing the translation from a dataset species name to an accepted species name and to a PFT. This table can be used to clarify our species to PFT adjudications, and to aid users in assigning their own PFTs. Any issues found in this checklist should be reported in the Issues tab of our github.survey_unit_information.csv contains auxiliary information about the plots synthesized in this database. It contains useful information for filtering plots of interest based on temporal, geospatial, and contextual information about the plot surveys.flmd.csv contains metadata information about each file in the database.This research was performed as a part of the NGEE Arctic project. The NGEE Arctic project was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2020

Leveraging Partnerships, Science Content, Special Events, and NASA Assets to Help Girl Scouts Earn Space Science Badges

Throughout 2019, NASA celebrated historic anniversaries and announced bold new programs generating excitement about earth and space exploration. One of the most notable events was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 historic first steps on the Moon. Complementing this anniversary event were the additional activities and events conducted across the agency that highlighted the many science achievements that were attained across all of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Divisions (earth, planetary, heliophysics, and astrophysics). Further excitement was generated through NASA’s Artemis program which plans to send the first woman and next man to the surface of the Moon. NASA continues to inspire the public including learners of all ages around the world. Building on this momentum, in October 2019, the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Science Engagement team partnered with the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto to host an event that enabled Girl Scouts to earn recently released space science badges developed by the Reach for the Stars: NASA Science for Girls Scouts Program. The event celebrated SMD science and highlighted Earth’s Moon and International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) while facilitating the earning of the NASA inspired space science badges. This event was coordinated and led by the ARES Science Engagement team as part of their collaborative work and involvement in NASA’s SMD Science Activation Program.

Graff, P. V.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Spacecraft Induced Molecular Return Flux Considerations for Icy Moon Missions Targeting Detection of Organics with Mass Spectrometers

Science missions targeting the detection of organics from jet plumes originating from icy moons (i.e. Europa and Enceladus) will employ next-generation, state-of-the-art mass spectrometers to measure the composition of icy moon plume effluents and exospheres. During fly-bys, as mass spectrometers make their scientific measurements, molecular emissions from the spacecraft can interact with the local exosphere and associated jet plumes from the sub-surface oceans of the icy moons. Spacecraft-induced molecular effluents collide with molecules from the ambient exosphere, and a fraction of the spacecraft emissions are returned to the spacecraft and its complement of science instruments. The rate at which emitted molecules are returned to the spacecraft by collisions with other molecules (e.g. in Europa’s exosphere) is the return flux. The return flux of molecular emission from spacecraft sources is a major contributor to contaminant deposition onto the complement of contamination-sensitive instruments. Characterization of return flux is critical to the definition of requirements for materials outgassing for the spacecraft and its instruments, and for the definition of thruster operations.

Soares, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Role of High-End Computing in Meeting NASA's Science and Engineering Challenges

Two years ago, NASA was on the verge of dramatically increasing its HEC capability and capacity. With the 10,240-processor supercomputer, Columbia, now in production for 18 months, HEC has an even greater impact within the Agency and extending to partner institutions. Advanced science and engineering simulations in space exploration, shuttle operations, Earth sciences, and fundamental aeronautics research are occurring on Columbia, demonstrating its ability to accelerate NASA s exploration vision. This talk describes how the integrated production environment fostered at the NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) facility at Ames Research Center is accelerating scientific discovery, achieving parametric analyses of multiple scenarios, and enhancing safety for NASA missions. We focus on Columbia s impact on two key engineering and science disciplines: Aerospace, and Climate. We also discuss future mission challenges and plans for NASA s next-generation HEC environment.

Biswas, Rupak↗
NASA NTRS2010

Failure Analysis at the Kennedy Space Center

History has shown that failures occur in every engineering endeavor, and what we learn from those failures contributes to the knowledge base to safely complete future missions. The necessity of failure analysis is at its apex at the end of one aged program and at the beginning of a new and untested program. The information that we gain through failure analysis corrects the deficiencies in the current vehicle to make the next generation of vehicles more efficient and safe. The Failure Analysis and Materials Evaluation Branch in the Materials Science Division at the Kennedy Space Center performs metallurgical, mechanical, electrical, and non-metallic materials failure analyses and accident investigations on both flight hardware and ground support equipment for the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Constellation, and Launch Services Programs. This paper will explore a variety of failure case studies at the Kennedy Space Center and the lessons learned that can be applied in future programs.

Salazar, Victoria L.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Failure Analysis at the Kennedy Space Center

History has shown that failures occur in every engineering endeavor, and what we learn from those failures contributes to the knowledge base to safely complete future missions. The necessity of failure analysis is at its apex at the end of one aged program (i.e. Shuttle) and at the beginning of a new and untested program (i.e. Constellation). The information that we gain through failure analysis corrects the deficiencies in the current vehicle to make the next generation of vehicles more efficient and safe. The Failure Analysis and Materials Evaluation section in the Materials Science Division at the Kennedy Space Center performs metallurgical, mechanical, electrical, and non-metallic failure analysis and accident investigations on both flight hardware and ground support equipment (GSE) for the Shuttle, International Space Station, Constellation, and Launch Services Programs. This presentation will explore a variety of failure case studies at KSC and the lessons learned that can be applied in future programs.

Salazar, Victoria L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Investigation of Insulation Materials for Future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS)

NASA's Radioisotope Power System (RPS) Technology Advancement Project is developing next generation high temperature insulation materials that directly benefit thermal management and improve performance of RPS for future science missions. Preliminary studies on the use of multilayer insulation (MLI) for Stirling convertors used on the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) have shown the potential benefits of MLI for space vacuum applications in reducing generator size and increasing specific power (W/kg) as compared to the baseline Microtherm HT (Microtherm, Inc.) insulation. Further studies are currently being conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) on candidate MLI foils and aerogel composite spacers. This paper presents the method of testing of foils and spacers and experimental results to date.

Cornell, Peggy A.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Advancing Theory and Modeling Efforts in Heliophysics

Heliophysics theory and modeling build understanding from fundamental principles to motivate, interpret, and predict observations. Together with observational analysis, they constitute a comprehensive scientific program in heliophysics. As observations and data analysis become increasingly detailed, it is critical that theory and modeling develop more quantitative predictions and iterate with observations. Advanced theory and modeling can inspire and greatly improve the design of new instruments and increase their chance of success. In addition, in order to build physics based space weather forecast models, it is important to keep developing and testing new theories, and maintaining constant communications with theory and modeling. Maintaining a sustainable effort in theory and modeling is critically important to heliophysics. We recommend that all funding agencies join forces and consider expanding current and creating new theory and modeling programs–especially, 1. NASA should restore the HTMS program to its original support level to meet the critical needs of heliophysics science; 2. a Strategic Research Model program needs to be created to support model development for next-generation basic research codes; 3. new programs must be created for addressing mission-critical theory and modeling needs; and 4. enhanced programs are urgently required for training the next generation of theorists and modelers.

Fan Guo↗
NASA NTRS2026

The Relevance of the VIPER Mission to NASA’s Artemis Human Exploration of the Moon

NASA has ambitious plans to send astronaut crews to the south polar region of the Moon and explore this lunar terrain with humans for the first time through a series of Artemis missions. Artemis will provide economic benefits, drive technological advancement, and inspire the next generation of explorers. Simultaneously, Artemis presents a unique opportunity for humans to conduct high-priority planetary science in situ in the south polar region of the Moon. Prior to human exploration, landed robotic precursor investigations can provide valuable information to reduce risk and maximize discovery and productivity of subsequent crewed missions. NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is a robotic mission designed to explore and characterize the lunar south polar region prior to crewed Artemis landed missions. VIPER is designed to explore multiple thermal regimes to characterize the lunar polar environment and regolith properties, and to explore for surface and subsurface ices. Each of these objectives are key for both scientific investigation and to detect and assess volatile deposits to support in situ resource utilization (ISRU) and a sustained human presence on the Moon. VIPER would also operate with a real-time mission operations architecture with relevance and feed-forward to Artemis crewed operations on the lunar surface. VIPER would provide key information regarding the lunar environment, scientific exploration, technologies, and real-time operations to optimize the valuable surface exploration time of Artemis crew members while simultaneously reducing risk to crew and increasing health and human safety on the lunar surface.

Jennifer L Heldmann↗