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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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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Command and control of unmanned scientific spacecraft

Recent developments in command and control technology for use with the Voyager and the planned Galileo are discussed. These spacecraft each carry more than 10 scientific instruments, many of which are very complex, and these instruments must be able to function with a considerable degree of autonomy because the round-trip light time to the spacecraft in the vicinity of Jupiter and Saturn is too great to permit prompt ground-based management of onboard anomalies or control of some observation programs. Command and control procedures, including data storage procedures, for systems of the two spacecraft are examined.

Gates, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Advanced Simulation Environment for Autonomous Spacecraft

NASA is developing technology to increase spacecraft on-board autonomy, in an effort to reduce overall mission cost and mission operations resources. Achievement of this objective requires the development of a new class of ground-based autonomy testbeds that can enable rapid development, test, and integration of the new autonomous spacecraft flight software.

cost Autonomy Testbed Environment↗
NASA NTRS1986

High-gain backup antenna design for Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft

The development and performance is described of a high-gain antenna designed to serve on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft as a backup to the principal high-gain antenna unit in the unlikely event the mechanically despun antenna mechanism malfunctioned. The final design, a center-fed standing wave array of six sleeve dipoles enclosed in a fiber glass radome, performed successfully, as did all the antennas, on the Pioneer Orbiter spacecraft which was launched on May 20, 1978, as part of the Pioneer Venus mission. Photographs of experimental models giving details of design and construction are included, as well as graphs showing measured pattern and impedance matching characteristics of the subject antenna.

Glaser, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Spacecraft utility and the development of confidence intervals for criticality of anomalies

The concept of spacecraft utility, a measure of its performance in orbit, is discussed and its formulation is described. Performance is defined in terms of the malfunctions that occur and the criticality to the mission of these malfunctions. Different approaches to establishing average or expected values of criticality are discussed and confidence intervals are developed for parameters used in the computation of utility.

Williams, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Radiation Environment Modeling for Spacecraft Design: New Model Developments

A viewgraph presentation on various new space radiation environment models for spacecraft design is described. The topics include: 1) The Space Radiatio Environment; 2) Effects of Space Environments on Systems; 3) Space Radiatio Environment Model Use During Space Mission Development and Operations; 4) Space Radiation Hazards for Humans; 5) "Standard" Space Radiation Environment Models; 6) Concerns about Standard Models; 7) Inadequacies of Current Models; 8) Development of New Models; 9) New Model Developments: Proton Belt Models; 10) Coverage of New Proton Models; 11) Comparison of TPM-1, PSB97, AP-8; 12) New Model Developments: Electron Belt Models; 13) Coverage of New Electron Models; 14) Comparison of "Worst Case" POLE, CRESELE, and FLUMIC Models with the AE-8 Model; 15) New Model Developments: Galactic Cosmic Ray Model; 16) Comparison of NASA, MSU, CIT Models with ACE Instrument Data; 17) New Model Developmemts: Solar Proton Model; 18) Comparison of ESP, JPL91, KIng/Stassinopoulos, and PSYCHIC Models; 19) New Model Developments: Solar Heavy Ion Model; 20) Comparison of CREME96 to CREDO Measurements During 2000 and 2002; 21) PSYCHIC Heavy ion Model; 22) Model Standardization; 23) Working Group Meeting on New Standard Radiation Belt and Space Plasma Models; and 24) Summary.

Barth, Janet↗
NASA NTRS2011

Advanced X-Ray Timing Array Mission: Conceptual Spacecraft Design Study

The Advanced X-Ray Timing Array (AXTAR) is a mission concept for submillisecond timing of bright galactic x-ray sources. The two science instruments are the Large Area Timing Array (LATA) (a collimated instrument with 2-50-keV coverage and over 3 square meters of effective area) and a Sky Monitor (SM), which acts as a trigger for pointed observations of x-ray transients. The spacecraft conceptual design team developed two spacecraft concepts that will enable the AXTAR mission: A minimal configuration to be launched on a Taurus II and a larger configuration to be launched on a Falcon 9 or similar vehicle.

Hopkins, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Kennedy Space Center: Creating a Spaceport Reality from the Dreams of Many

On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright piloted the first powered airplane only 20 feet above the ground near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. Who would have guessed that the bizarre looking contraption developed by brothers in the bicycle business would lay the ground work eventually resulting in over a million passengers moved daily in a sky filled with the contrails of jets flying at over 30,000 feet in elevation and over 500 miles per hour. Similarly, who would have guessed that the destructive nature of V-2 rockets of Germany would spark the genesis of spaceflight to explore our solar system and beyond? Yet the interest in using the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) continues to grow. Potential customers have expressed interest in KSC as a location for testing new rocket engines, servicing the world's largest airborne launching platform for drop-launch rockets, developing multi-use launch platforms that permit diverse customers to use the same launch platform, developing new spacecraft, and implementing advanced modifications for lifting 150 metric ton payloads to low earth orbit. The multitude of customers has grown and with this growth comes a need to provide a command, control, communication, and range infrastructure that maximizes flexibility and reconfigurability to address a much more frequent launch rate of diverse vehicles and spacecraft. The Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program Office at KSC is embarking upon these developments to realize the dream of a robust spaceport. Many unique technical trade studies have been completed or are underway to successfully transition KSC into a multi-user customer focused spaceport. Like the evolution of the airplane, GSDO is working to transform KSC infrastructures that will turn once unthinkable space opportunities into a reality for today.

Gray, James A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Spacecraft Fire Safety Technology Development Plan For Exploration Missions

To date, NASA’s spaceflight operations in the past 5 decades have been limited to a narrow range of conditions from a fire safety perspective. The currently anticipated missions outside of low earth orbit will substantially expand this parameter space to include, extended durations, dormancy intervals, increased oxygen concentrations, partial gravity conditions and the presence of surface dust. All of these changes can have significant impacts on fire safety system design and operations. The overall state of understanding is discussed in this paper along with the identification of the needs for spacecraft fire safety technology development. These needs have been assembled into a roadmap maintained by the Environmental Control and Life Support System Capability Leadership Team that has evolved as the exploration mission concepts have changed. This roadmap continues to communicate the spacecraft fire safety needs for exploration and guide technology development efforts. This paper summarizes the major recent developments in our understanding of spacecraft fire behavior and mitigation. A review of the major technology development needs and discussion of their objectives, status, and future plans is presented. The plan for transitioning knowledge, hardware, and modeling capability resulting from these development efforts to specific exploration vehicle programs and missions is also discussed.

Fire safety↗
NASA NTRS1992

Development of an advanced spacecraft tandem mass spectrometer

The purpose of this research was to apply current advanced technology in electronics and materials to the development of a miniaturized Tandem Mass Spectrometer that would have the potential for future development into a package suitable for spacecraft use. The mass spectrometer to be used as a basis for the tandem instrument would be a magnetic sector instrument, of Nier-Johnson configuration, as used on the Viking Mars Lander mission. This instrument configuration would then be matched with a suitable second stage MS to provide the benefits of tandem MS operation for rapid identification of unknown organic compounds. This tandem instrument is configured with a newly designed GC system to aid in separation of complex mixtures prior to MS analysis. A number of important results were achieved in the course of this project. Among them were the development of a miniaturized GC subsystem, with a unique desorber-injector, fully temperature feedback controlled oven with powered cooling for rapid reset to ambient conditions, a unique combination inlet system to the MS that provides for both membrane sampling and direct capillary column sample transfer, a compact and ruggedized alignment configuration for the MS, an improved ion source design for increased sensitivity, and a simple, rugged tandem MS configuration that is particularly adaptable to spacecraft use because of its low power and low vacuum pumping requirements. The potential applications of this research include use in manned spacecraft like the space station as a real-time detection and warning device for the presence of potentially harmful trace contaminants of the spacecraft atmosphere, use as an analytical device for evaluating samples collected on the Moon or a planetary surface, or even use in connection with monitoring potentially hazardous conditions that may exist in terrestrial locations such as launch pads, environmental test chambers or other sensitive areas. Commercial development of the technology could lead to a new family of environmental test instruments that would be small and portable, yet would give quick analyses of complex samples.

Drew, Russell C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) Program - Recent and Upcoming Technology Demonstrations and Development Efforts

The Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, expands the ability to execute unique missions through rapid development and demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft applicable to exploration, science and the commercial space sector. Through targeted development and frequent in space testing, the program: • Enables execution of missions at much lower cost than previously possible • Substantially reduces the time required for development of spacecraft • Enables new mission architectures through the use of small spacecraft • Expands the reach of small spacecraft to new destinations and challenging new environments • Enables the augmentation of existing assets and future missions with supporting small spacecraft. The program achieves its objectives through: • Identification and investment in the development of new subsystem technologies to enhance or expand the capabilities of small spacecraft • Sponsorship of flight demonstrations of new technologies, capabilities and applications for small spacecraft • Promotion of the use of small spacecraft as platforms for testing and demonstrating technologies and capabilities that might have more general applications in larger-scale spacecraft and systems Technologies funded by the program that are key to advancing the utility and capability of small spacecraft were demonstrated in 2022 and 2023. Notable on-orbit demonstrations include the following. • The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment’s (CAPSTONE) navigation technology that was demonstrated for the first time in 2023 could provide autonomous onboard navigation information for future lunar missions, minimizing or eliminating human-in-the-loop mission operations. • The optical communications technology also demonstrated in 2023 by the TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) payload that launched on Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator-3, achieved 200 gigabit per second (Gbps) throughput on a space-to-ground optical link between a satellite in orbit and Earth, the highest data rate ever achieved by optical communications technology. • The precision laser pointing performance of NASA’s CubeSat Infrared CrossLink A (CLICK) spacecraft’s fine steering mirror control system was successfully demonstrated. This element of the laser communications system will be used to demonstrate two-way crosslink communication in low-Earth orbit by CLICK B/C anticipated to launch in late 2024. Investments in subsystem technology development through funding to university, industry, and other government partners in a number of areas will be discussed. Among others, topic areas include propulsion, autonomous swarm technology, edge computing, and thermal control. Additionally, the status of the CubeSat-alternative platform, DiskSat, strategies for accelerating the demonstration of technology payloads via the Realizing Rapid, Reduced-cost high-Risk Research (R5) project, and the status of recently completed and upcoming on-orbit demonstrations will also be presented.

Roger C Hunter↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) Program - Recent and Upcoming Technology Demonstrations and Development Efforts

The Small Spacecraft Technology program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, expands the ability to execute unique missions through rapid development and demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft applicable to exploration, science, and the commercial space sector. Through targeted development and frequent in space testing, the program: • Enables execution of missions at much lower cost than previously possible • Substantially reduces the time required for development of spacecraft • Enables new mission architectures through the use of small spacecraft • Expands the reach of small spacecraft to new destinations and challenging new environments • Enables the augmentation of existing assets and future missions with supporting small spacecraft. The program achieves its objectives through: • Identification and investment in the development of new subsystem technologies to enhance or expand the capabilities of small spacecraft • Sponsorship of flight demonstrations of new technologies, capabilities and applications for small spacecraft • Promotion of the use of small spacecraft as platforms for testing and demonstrating technologies and capabilities that might have more general applications in larger-scale spacecraft and systems Program-funded projects may be executed at academic institutions, in the private sector, at NASA Centers, as public-private partnerships, or cooperative agreements.

SST↗
NASA NTRS2018

Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSM) Technology Development at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

For the last 5 years, NASA Goddard has been investigating Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSM) system architectures, surveying past, current and potential mission concepts, developing several taxonomies and identifying some key technologies that will enable future DSM mission design, development, operations and management. This paper summarizes this Initiative and the talk will provide details about specific Goddard DSM projects that are currently underway and that are relevant to future Earth Science missions.

Distributed Spacecraft Missions↗
NASA NTRS2002

Space Radiation Transport Methods Development

Improved spacecraft shield design requires early entry of radiation constraints into the design process to maximize performance and minimize costs. As a result, we have been investigating high-speed computational procedures to allow shield analysis from the preliminary design concepts to the final design. In particular, we will discuss the progress towards a full three-dimensional and computationally efficient deterministic code for which the current HZETRN evaluates the lowest order asymptotic term. HZETRN is the first deterministic solution to the Boltzmann equation allowing field mapping within the International Space Station (ISS) in tens of minutes using standard Finite Element Method (FEM) geometry common to engineering design practice enabling development of integrated multidisciplinary design optimization methods. A single ray trace in ISS FEM geometry requires 14 milliseconds and severely limits application of Monte Carlo methods to such engineering models. A potential means of improving the Monte Carlo efficiency in coupling to spacecraft geometry is given in terms of reconfigurable computing and could be utilized in the final design as verification of the deterministic method optimized design.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

A space radiation transport method development

Improved spacecraft shield design requires early entry of radiation constraints into the design process to maximize performance and minimize costs. As a result, we have been investigating high-speed computational procedures to allow shield analysis from the preliminary design concepts to the final design. In particular, we will discuss the progress towards a full three-dimensional and computationally efficient deterministic code for which the current HZETRN evaluates the lowest-order asymptotic term. HZETRN is the first deterministic solution to the Boltzmann equation allowing field mapping within the International Space Station (ISS) in tens of minutes using standard finite element method (FEM) geometry common to engineering design practice enabling development of integrated multidisciplinary design optimization methods. A single ray trace in ISS FEM geometry requires 14 ms and severely limits application of Monte Carlo methods to such engineering models. A potential means of improving the Monte Carlo efficiency in coupling to spacecraft geometry is given in terms of re-configurable computing and could be utilized in the final design as verification of the deterministic method optimized design. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

NASA Center JSC↗
NASA NTRS1966

An Analysis of the Impact of the Federal Budgetary Cycle Upon the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Research and Development Budget Formulation Process

The subsequent dissertation represents an analysis of the impact of the Federal Budgetary Cycle upon the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) Research and Development (R&D) budget formulation process. The author's objectives may therefore be seen as the following: (1) to analyze the Federal Budgetary Cycle; (2) to analyze MSC R&D estimates and growth trends in relation to their implications on the Federal Cycle; (3) to identify relevant problems; and, (4) to-recommend solutions which display promise and feasibility. Any research involving the Federal Budgetary Cycle can well be characterized as of almost infinite scope and enormous complexity. For such reasons one must meticulously delineate all operational parameters and there-afore maintain their integrity. To do otherwise is to invite intellectual dilution and hazard a paltry effort.

Peterson, Ronald Keith↗
NASA NTRS1972

A stochastic bioburden model for spacecraft sterilization.

Development of a stochastic model of the probability distribution for the random variable representing the number of microorganisms on a surface as a function of time. The first basic principle associated with bioburden estimation is that viable particles are removed from surfaces. The second notion important to the analysis is that microorganisms in environments and on surfaces occur in clumps. The last basic principle relating to bioburden modeling is that viable particles are deposited on a surface. The bioburden on a spacecraft is determined by the amount and kind of control exercised on the spacecraft assembly location, the shedding characteristics of the individuals in the vicinity of the spacecraft, its orientation, the geographical location in which the assembly takes place, and the steps in the assembly procedure. The model presented has many of the features which are desirable for its use in the spacecraft sterilization programs currently being planned by NASA.

Roark, A. L.↗