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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 NTRS2015

The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a companion human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion system must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned-exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system being co-developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS0 thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, the status of the NASA in-house thruster and power processing activity, and an update on flight hardware.

Electric Propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a subsequent human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion subsystem must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as an enabling element of an affordable beyond low-earth orbit human-crewed exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, a status on the NASA in-house thruster and power processing is provided, and an update on acquisition for flight provided.

Ion Propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2016

Asteroid Redirect Mission Proximity Operations for Reference Target Asteroid 2008 EV5

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is composed of two segments, the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), and the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM). In March of 2015, NASA selected the Robotic Boulder Capture Option1 as the baseline for the ARRM. This option will capture a multi-ton boulder, (typically 2-4 meters in size) from the surface of a large (greater than approx.100 m diameter) Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) and return it to cis-lunar space for subsequent human exploration during the ARCM. Further human and robotic missions to the asteroidal material would also be facilitated by its return to cis-lunar space. In addition, prior to departing the asteroid, the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) will perform a demonstration of the Enhanced Gravity Tractor (EGT) planetary defense technique2. This paper will discuss the proximity operations which have been broken into three phases: Approach and Characterization, Boulder Capture, and Planetary Defense Demonstration. Each of these phases has been analyzed for the ARRM reference target, 2008 EV5, and a detailed baseline operations concept has been developed.

Reeves, David M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Advanced Solar Electric Propulsion for Planetary Defense

Once the current survey to identify all near-Earth objects larger than 140-m diameter is complete, the major hazard from asteroid impacts may be from asteroids in the 50- to 100-m diameter size range. High-power solar electric propulsion systems employed in “slow-push” techniques may be the best way to deflect asteroids in this size range if deflection is warranted. The relative performance of three slow-push techniques—gravity tractor (GT), enhanced gravity tractor (EGT), and ion beam deflection (IBD)—are compared, assuming solar electric propulsion vehicles derived from NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission concept vehicle. Both the enhanced gravity tractor and ion beam deflection concepts are shown to be significantly better than the standard gravity tractor concept. The Hall-thruster based enhanced gravity tractor systems and ion beam deflection systems (based on the use of high-power gridded ion thrusters) are shown to provide comparable performance, i.e., similar deflection times and propellant required. Enhanced gravity tractor systems require the acquisition of material from the surface of the hazardous object in order to achieve the required “enhancement” of the gravitational coupling force. This makes EGT systems sensitive to the rotational state and surface properties of the unknown object, and potentially severely limits its applicability. Ion beam deflection is completely independent of the characteristics of the threat object. In fact, it is the only asteroid deflection technique, slow-push or otherwise, that can make this claim, thus potentially greatly increasing its applicability relative to other deflection techniques. Finally, high-power IBD systems are shown to be capable of deflecting the fictitious asteroid 2015 PDC used in the hypothetical asteroid impact exercise conducted at the 2015 Planetary Defense Conference.

Brophy, John↗
NASA NTRS2013

Overview of Mission Design for NASA Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Concept

Part of NASA's new asteroid initiative would be a robotic mission to capture a roughly four to ten meter asteroid and redirect its orbit to place it in translunar space. Once in a stable storage orbit at the Moon, astronauts would then visit the asteroid for science investigations, to test in space resource extraction, and to develop experience with human deep space missions. This paper discusses the mission design techniques that would enable the redirection of a 100-1000 metric ton asteroid into lunar orbit with a 40-50 kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system.

Asteroid Redirect Robotic Vehicle (ARRV)↗
NASA NTRS2017

Overview of the Mission Design Reference Trajectory for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) recently cancelled Asteroid Redirect Mission was proposed to rendezvous with and characterize a 100 m plus class near-Earth asteroid and provide the capability to capture and retrieve a boulder off of the surface of the asteroid and bring the asteroidal material back to cislunar space. Leveraging the best of NASA's science, technology, and human exploration efforts, this mission was originally conceived to support observation campaigns, advanced solar electric propulsion, and NASA's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket and Orion crew vehicle. The asteroid characterization and capture portion of ARM was referred to as the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) and was focused on the robotic capture and then redirection of an asteroidal boulder mass from the reference target, asteroid 2008 EV5, into an orbit near the Moon, referred to as a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit where astronauts would visit and study it. The purpose of this paper is to document the final reference trajectory of ARRM and the challenges and unique methods employed in the trajectory design of the mission.

low thrust↗
NASA NTRS2013

Ion Beam Deflection (AKA Push-Me/Pull-You)

The Ion Beam Deflection provides the following potential advantages over other asteroid deflection systems. Like the gravity tractor, it doesn't require despinning of the asteroid. Unlike the gravity tractor, it provides a significantly higher coupling force that is independent of the asteroid size. The concept could be tested as part of the baseline Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission. The thrust and total impulse are entirely within the design of the SEP vehicle. The total impulse is potentially competitive with kinetic impactors and eliminates the need for a second rendezvous spacecraft.Gridded ion thrusters provide beam divergence angles of a few degrees enabling long stand-off distances from the asteroid. Mitigating control issues. Minimizing back-sputter contamination risks

high-power, low-beam-divergence ion thruster (NEXI↗
NASA NTRS2014

Human Health/Human Factors Considerations in Trans-Lunar Space

The human factors insights of how they are incorporated into the vehicle are crucial towards designing and planning the internal designs necessary for future spacecraft and missions. The adjusted mission concept of supporting the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission will drive some human factors changes on how the Orion will be used and will be reassessed so as to best contribute to missions success. Recognizing what the human factors and health functional needs are early in the design process and how to integrate them will improve this and future generations of space vehicles to achieve mission success and continue to minimize risks.

Moore, E. Cherice↗
NASA NTRS2014

Asteroid Crewed Segment Mission Lean Development

The next generation of human spaceflight missions presents numerous challenges to designers that must be addressed to produce a feasible concept. The specific challenges of designing an exploration mission utilizing the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft to carry astronauts beyond earth orbit to explore an asteroid stored in a distant retrograde orbit around the moon will be addressed. Mission designers must carefully balance competing constraints including cost, schedule, risk, and numerous spacecraft performance metrics including launch mass, nominal landed mass, abort landed mass, mission duration, consumable limits and many others. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission will be described along with results from the concurrent mission design trades that led to its formulation. While the trades presented are specific to this mission, the integrated process is applicable to any potential future mission. The following trades were critical in the mission formulation and will be described in detail: 1) crew size, 2) mission duration, 3) trajectory design, 4) docking vs grapple, 5) extravehicular activity tasks, 6) launch mass and integrated vehicle performance, 7) contingency performance, 8) crew consumables including food, clothing, oxygen, nitrogen and water, and 9) mission risk. The additional Orion functionality required to perform the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission and how it is incorporated while minimizing cost, schedule and mass impacts will be identified. Existing investments in the NASA technology portfolio were leveraged to provide the added functionality that will be beneficial to future exploration missions. Mission kits are utilized to augment Orion with the necessary functionality without introducing costly new requirements to the mature Orion spacecraft design effort. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission provides an exciting early mission for the Orion and SLS while providing a stepping stone to even more ambitious missions in the future.

Gard, Joe↗
NASA NTRS2014

Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission Nominal Design and Performance

In 2010, the President announced that, in 2025, the U.S. intended to launch a human mission to an asteroid [1]. This announcement was followed by the idea of a Capability Driven Framework (CDF) [2], which is based on the idea of evolving capabilities from less demanding to more demanding missions to multiple possible destinations and with increased flexibility, cost effectiveness and sustainability. Focused missions, such as a NASA inter-Center study that examined the viability and implications of sending a crew to a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) [3], provided a way to better understand and evaluate the utility of these CDF capabilities when applied to an actual mission. The long duration of the NEA missions were contrasted with a concept described in a study prepared for the Keck Institute of Space Studies (KISS) [4] where a robotic spacecraft would redirect an asteroid to the Earth-Moon vicinity, where a relatively short duration crewed mission could be conducted to the captured asteroid. This mission concept was included in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) fiscal year 2014 budget request, as submitted by the NASA Administrator [5]. NASA studies continued to examine the idea of a crewed mission to a captured asteroid in the Earth-Moon vicinity. During this time was an announcement of NASA's Asteroid Grand Challenge [6]. Key goals for the Asteroid Grand Challenge are to locate, redirect, and explore an asteroid, as well as find and plan for asteroid threats. An Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) study was being conducted, which supports this Grand Challenge by providing understanding in how to execute an asteroid rendezvous, capture it, and redirect it to Earth-Moon space, and, in particular, to a distant retrograde orbit (DRO). Subsequent to the returning of the asteroid to a DRO, would be the launch of a crewed mission to rendezvous with the redirected asteroid. This report examines that crewed mission by assessing the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) nominal design and performance costs associated with an Orion based crewed rendezvous mission to a captured asteroid in an Earth-Moon DRO. The ARM study includes two fundamental mission phases: 1) The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) and 2) the ARCM. The ARRM includes a solar electric propulsion based robotic asteroid return vehicle (ARV) sent to rendezvous with a selected near Earth asteroid, capture it, and return it to a DRO in the Earth-Moon vicinity. The DRO is selected over other possible asteroid parking orbits due to its achievability (by both the robotic and crewed vehicles) and by its stability (e.g., no orbit maintenance is required). After the return of the asteroid to the Earth-Moon vicinity, the ARCM is executed and carries a crew of two astronauts to a DRO to rendezvous with the awaiting ARV with the asteroid. The outbound and inbound transfers employ lunar gravity assist (LGA) flybys to reduce the Orion propellant requirement for the overall nominal mission, which provides a nominal mission with some reserve propellant for possible abort situations. The nominal mission described in this report provides a better understanding of the mission considerations as well as the feasibility of such a crewed mission, particularly with regard to spacecraft currently undergoing development, such as the Orion vehicle and the Space Launch System (SLS).

Condon, Gerald↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-21010-DND

The primary objective of this work is the dynamic analyses of the Tendon-Actuated Lightweight In-Space Manipulator (TALISMAN) which entails structural dynamics, multi-body dynamics and flexible multi-body dynamics modeling and simulation of robotic systems, associated space vehicles and operations. The dynamic analysis is in the critical path of TALISMAN technology development for utilization in the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and for potential application to Satellite Servicing Missions (SSM). In addition, modeling work supports control design, and the testing of space operations.

Cornelia Altenbuchner↗
NASA NTRS2016

Structural Design Considerations for a 50 kW-Class Solar Array for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA is planning an Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) to take place in the 2020s. To enable this multi-year mission, a 40 kW class solar electric propulsion (SEP) system powered by an advanced 50 kW class solar array will be required. Powered by the SEP module (SEPM), the ARM vehicle will travel to a large near-Earth asteroid, descend to its surface, capture a multi-metric ton (t) asteroid boulder, ascend from the surface and return to the Earth-moon system to ultimately place the ARM vehicle and its captured asteroid boulder into a stable distant orbit. During the years that follow, astronauts flying in the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle (MPCV) will dock with the ARM vehicle and conduct extra-vehicular activity (EVA) operations to explore and sample the asteroid boulder. This paper will review the top structural design considerations to successfully implement this 50 kW class solar array that must meet unprecedented performance levels. These considerations include beyond state-of-the-art metrics for specific mass, specific volume, deployed area, deployed solar array wing (SAW) keep in zone (KIZ), deployed strength and deployed frequency. Analytical and design results are presented that support definition of stowed KIZ and launch restraint interface definition. An offset boom is defined to meet the deployed SAW KIZ. The resulting parametric impact of the offset boom length on spacecraft moment of inertias and deployed SAW quasistatic and dynamic load cases are also presented. Load cases include ARM spacecraft thruster plume impingement, asteroid surface operations and Orion docking operations which drive the required SAW deployed strength and damping. The authors conclude that to support NASA's ARM power needs, an advanced SAW is required with mass performance better than 125 W/kg, stowed volume better than 40 kW/cu m, a deployed area of 200 sq m (100 sq m for each of two SAWs), a deployed SAW offset distance of nominally 3-4 m, a deployed SAW quasistatic strength of nominally 0.1 g in any direction, a deployed loading displacement under 2 m, a deployed fundamental frequency above 0.1 Hz and deployed damping of at least 1%. These parameters must be met on top of challenging mission environments and ground testing requirements unique to the ARM project.

solar arrays↗
NASA NTRS2017

Legacy of the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM)

NASA’s proposed Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) began with the recognition in a 2010 NASA study that emerging high-power solar electric propulsion technology could be used to rendezvous with, capture, and return an entire, very small (~10,000 kg), near Earth asteroids to the International Space Station. A 2011 workshop by the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) extended the earlier NASA study to asteroid masses of order 500,000 kg by returning them to cislunar space. Subsequent detailed NASA studies in 2013-2014 confirmed the feasibility of this concept. This led to the establishment of the Asteroid Redirect Mission program that consisted of a robotic mission to return multiple tons of asteroid material to cislunar space and a crewed mission to rendezvous with the robotic vehicle, perform two extra vehicular activities (EVAs), collect samples of the asteroid material, and return this material to Earth. Implementation of ARRM got midway through Phase B before being cancelled in April 2017. Although ARRM was cancelled, it has left a near-term legacy of positive impacts to the human spaceflight community, the planetary defense community, the deep space science community, and asteroid mining interests.

Brophy, John R.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Overview of Electric Propulsion Projects at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is currently leading the development of multiple electric propulsion systems to flight readiness. The Advanced Electric Propulsion System is a 12.5 kW Hall thruster system that is being developed by the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP TDM) project, under the sponsorship of the Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial (NEXT-C) is 7 kW class gridded ion thruster system that being developed under the sponsorship of the Science Mission Directorate. NASA GRC is also providing electric propulsion discipline support to the Power and Propulsion Element and the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) missions, which will be the first applications for these technologies, respectively. Lower technology readiness level (TRL) projects are underway for applications including CubeSats, small spacecraft and Mars exploration vehicles. Under the sponsorship of the Small Spacecraft Technology Program, NASA GRC has performed numerous independent verification and validation tests of CubeSat class electric propulsion systems in support of a growing number of small US businesses that are developing these systems. Lastly, three technology development efforts focused on 100 kW EP strings led by Aerojet Rocketdyne, Ad Astra and MSNW were recently completed.

Smith, Bryan K.↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM): Exploration of a Former Binary NEA?

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) as a capability demonstration for future human exploration, including use of high-power solar electric propulsion, which allows for the efficient movement of large masses through deep space. The ARM will also demonstrate the capability to conduct proximity operations with natural space objects and crewed operations beyond the security of quick Earth return. The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), currently in formulation, will visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, conduct a demonstration of a slow push planetary defense technique, and redirect the multi-ton boulder into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will dock with the robotic vehicle to explore the boulder and return samples to Earth. The ARM is part of NASA's plan to advance technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. The ARM and subsequent availability of the asteroidal material in cis-lunar space, provide significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The current reference target for the ARM is NEA (341843) 2008 EV5, which may have been the primary body of a former binary system (Busch et al., 2011; Tardivel et al., 2016). The ARRM will perform several close proximity operations to investigate the NEA and map its surface. A detailed investigation of this object may allow a better understanding of binary NEA physical characteristics and the possible outcomes for their evolution. An overview of the ARM robotic and crewed segments, including mission operations, and a discussion of potential opportunities for participation with the ARM will be provided in this presentation.

Abell, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS2016

An Overview of NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Concept

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) as a capability demonstration for future human exploration, including use of high-power solar electric propulsion, which allows for the efficient movement of large masses through deep space. The ARM will also demonstrate the capability to conduct proximity operations with natural space objects and crewed operations beyond the security of quick Earth return. The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), currently in formulation, will visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, conduct a demonstration of a slow push planetary defense technique, and redirect the multi-ton boulder into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will dock with the robotic vehicle to explore the boulder and return samples to Earth. The ARM is part of NASA's plan to advance technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. The ARM and subsequent availability of the asteroidal material in cis-lunar space, provide significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). NASA established the Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST), comprised of scientists, engineers, and technologists, which supported ARRM mission requirements formulation, answered specific questions concerning potential target asteroid physical properties, and produced a publically available report. The ARM Investigation Team is being organized to support ARM implementation and execution. NASA is also open to collaboration with its international partners and welcomes further discussions. An overview of the ARM robotic and crewed segments, including mission requirements, NEA targets, and mission operations, and a discussion of potential opportunities for participation with the ARM will be provided.

Abell, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Rendezvous and Docking Strategy for Crewed Segment of the Asteroid Redirect Mission

This paper will describe the overall rendezvous, proximity operations and docking (RPOD) strategy in support of the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), as part of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). The focus of the paper is on the crewed mission phase of ARM, starting with the establishment of Orion in the Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) and ending with docking to the Asteroid Redirect Vechicle (ARV). The paper will detail the sequence of maneuvers required to execute the rendezvous and proximity operations mission phases along with the on-board navigation strategies, including the final approach phase. The trajectories to be considered will include target vehicles in a DRO. The paper will also discuss the sensor requirements for rendezvous and docking and the various trade studies associated with the final sensor selection. Building on the sensor requirements and trade studies, the paper will include a candidate sensor concept of operations, which will drive the selection of the sensor suite; concurrently, it will be driven by higher level requirements on the system, such as crew timeline constraints and vehicle consummables. This paper will address how many of the seemingly competing requirements will have to be addressed to create a complete system and system design. The objective is to determine a sensor suite and trajectories that enable Orion to successfully rendezvous and dock with a target vehicle in trans lunar space. Finally, the paper will report on the status of a NASA action to look for synergy within RPOD, across the crewed and robotic asteroid missions.

Hinkel, Heather D.↗