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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 NTRS2017

POEMMA: Probe of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics

The Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA) mission is being designed to establish charged-particle astronomy with ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) and to observe cosmogenic tau neutrinos (CTNs). The study of UHECRs and CTNs from space will yield orders-of-magnitude increase in statistics of observed UHECRs at the highest energies, and the observation of the cosmogenic flux of neutrinos for a range of UHECR models. These observations should solve the long-standing puzzle of the origin of the highest energy particles ever observed, providing a new window onto the most energetic environments and events in the Universe, while studying particle interactions well beyond accelerator energies. The discovery of CTNs will help solve the puzzle of the origin of UHECRs and begin a new field of Astroparticle Physics with the study of neutrino properties at ultra-high energies.

Olinto, Angela V.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Orbital Observatory GLAST - New Step in the Study of Cosmic Gamma Radiation: Mission Overview

This viewgraph presentation is a overview of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), now named Fermi Space Telescope. The new telescope is scheduled for launch in the middle of 2008. It contains the high energy gamma-ray telescope LAT (Large Area Telescope) and the GMB (GLAST Burst Monitor). The science objectives of GLAST cover almost every area of high energy astrophysics, including Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), including Extragalactic background light (EBL), Gamma-ray bursts (GRB), Pulsars, Diffuse gamma-radiation, EGRET unidentified sources, Solar physics, Origin of Cosmic Rays and, Dark Matter and New Physics. Also included in this overview is a discussion of the preparation to the analysis of the science data.

Moiseev, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS2009

The Orbiting Astrophysical Spectrometer In Space (OASIS)

The Orbiting Astrophysical Spectrometer In Space (OASIS) is an Advanced Concept currently understudy at NASA as a mission for the next decade. The goal of the OASIS mission is to identify a local site or sites where galactic cosmic rays (GCR) originate and are accelerated. The mission will allow GCR data to be used to investigate how elements are made and distributed in the galaxy and to improve our understanding of supernovae and the nucleosynthesis of the heavy elements needed for life. OASIS consists of two instruments that provide complementary data on the location and nature of the source(s) through investigating the composition of ultraheavy nuclei and the energy spectrum of electrons. OASIS will measure the relative abundances in the actinide group to determine the age of the r-process material in GCRs. The presence of young r-process material would indicate that GCRs are a sample of the interstellar medium in OB associations. OASIS will follow the electron spectrum to its high-energy end. The energy where this spectrum ends will tell us the distance to the nearest GCR source(s). OASIS will look for spectral features and anisotropy in the high energy electron spectrum that are expected to appear when only a few of the nearest sources can contribute the electron flux. Possibly these measurements will lead to the identification of the nearest cosmic ray electron source.

Christl, Mark J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The space shuttle payload planning working groups. Volume 3: High energy astrophysics

The findings of the High Energy Astrophysics working group of the space shuttle payload planning activity are presented. The objectives to be accomplished during space shuttle missions are defined as: (1) X-ray astronomy, (2) hard X-ray and gamma ray astronomy, and (3) cosmic ray astronomy. The instruments and test equipment required to accomplish the mission are identified. Recommendations for managing the installation of the equipment and conducting the missions are included.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

Exploring the Extreme Universe! (2nd Edition)

A large array of web sites devoted to the science that the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics (LHEA) studies have been frozen in time and included on this CD. Featured are five of our 'Understanding the Extreme Universe' sites, which offer explanations about cosmic ray, gamma ray, and X-ray science and satellites, as well as cosmic distances. They also include images and engaging activities that are great for helping both children and adults to learn more about science and basic physical principles. The 'Missions That Take Us There' section contains web sites on the satellite, balloon-borne, International Space Station, and rocket missions in our Laboratory that study X-rays, gamma rays, and cosmic rays. There are also two multi-mission sites and an experiment that measures Earth's UV light in preparation for a future cosmic ray mission. Most of the sites on this CD contain high-resolution images that are great for scientific presentations, study, or just your own enjoyment. This CD shows our web sites as they existed in April of 2001. We have made sure to include the WWW address for every site, so you will know where to go to access the most current versions of them.

White, Nicholas E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Predictions of induced background radiations at gamma/X-ray experiment envelopes in NASA spacecraft

This work seeks to predict secondary radiation levels induced in spacecraft structures by space protons. The radiations analyzed are secondary neutrons from spallation and evaporation reactions and gamma and beta rays from the decay of induced radioactivity, as sources of interfering background to spaceborne measurements of galactic and planetary gamma rays below 10 MeV. The spacecraft considered are the Multi-Mission Spacecraft (MMS) and the Space Shuttle, modeled as spherical shells. The proton environment is that of the South Atlantic Anomaly, as well as cosmic ray protons. The induced radioactivity is analyzed in terms of its interference with various gamma-ray lines of astrophysical interest, as well as its contribution to several spectral regions of the gamma-ray continuum. The buildup of the line and continuum radioactivity background is predicted for a period of nearly 9 months in orbit (approximately 4100 orbits). In addition, background contributions from cosmic ray electron bremsstrahlung and earth gamma-ray albedo are estimated.

Fischbein, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS2019

CALET Results After Three Years on Orbit on the International Space Station

The CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) is an astroparticle physics experiment installed on the International Space Station since August 2015. The CALET mission was conceived to address several outstanding questions of high-energy astroparticle physics, like indirect detection of dark matter, the origin of cosmic rays (CRs), their mechanisms of acceleration and galactic propagation, the presence of possible nearby astrophysical CR sources. That can be achieved by precise measurements of the fluxes of CR electrons and gamma-rays up to the unexplored region above 1 TeV, and the energy spectra and composition of CR nuclei from a few tens of GeV to hundreds of TeV. In order to perform these observations, the instrument combines a thick total absorption PWO crystal calorimeter for energy measurement, a scintillator hodoscope for charge identi cation and thin imaging tungsten-scintillating fiber calorimeter providing accurate particle tracking and complementary charge measurement. In this paper, we will present an overview of the main CALET results based on the data collected in the first three years of the mission.

P Maestro↗
NASA NTRS2019

POEMMA's Target of Opportunity Sensitivity to Cosmic Neutrino Transient Sources

We calculate the sensitivity of space-based cosmic neutrino detection from transient sources in the context of the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA) mission using Target- of-Opportunity (ToO) observations. POEMMA uses two spacecraft each with a large Schmidt telescope to simultaneously view the optical signals generated by extensive air showers (EASs). POEMMA is designed for both ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and very-high-energy neutrino measurements. POEMMA has significant neutrino sensitivity starting in the 10 PeV decade via measurements of Cherenkov signals from upward-moving EASs initiated by tau neutrinos interacting in the Earth. For ToO observations, POEMMA uses the ability to quickly repoint (90° in 500 seconds) each of the two spacecraft to the direction of the transient source. POEMMA EAS measurements are performed during astronomical night, leading to different observational constraints for short- and long-duration bursts. For short-bursts of order 10(exp 3) s, POEMMA will increase the sensitivity of existing experiments (e.g., IceCube and the Pierre Auger Observatory) by up to two orders of magnitude. For long-duration bursts on the scale of 10(exp 5−6) s, the full celestial sky is available and the average neutrino sensitivity will be increased by up to a factor of 50, reaching the desired level to probe model predictions of transient neutrino sources (e.g., of blazer flares as well as both black hole-black hole and neutron star-neutron star mergers). POEMMA’s neutrino sensitivity to various models of transient neutrino sources are detailed. Altogether, our results demonstrate better sensitivity to ToO neutrino sources from the space-based POEMMA experiment compared to current ground-based experiments, and more importantly, demonstrate unique full-sky coverage for ToO neutrino sources.

Venters, Tonia M.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Roadmap on cosmic EUV and x-ray spectroscopy

Cosmic EUV/x-ray spectroscopists, including both solar and astrophysical analysts, have a wide range of high-resolution and high-sensitivity tools in use and a number of new facilities in development for launch. As this bandpass requires placing the spectrometer beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, each mission represents a major investment by a national space agency such as NASA, ESA, or JAXA, and more typically a collaboration between two or three. In general justifying new mission requires an improvement in capabilities of at least an order of magnitude, but the sensitivity of these existing missions are already taxing existing atomic data quantity and accuracy. This roadmap reviews the existing missions, showing how in a number of areas atomic data limits the science that can be performed. The missions that will be launched in the coming Decade will without doubt require both more and improved measurements of wavelengths and rates, along with theoretical calculations of collisional and radiative cross sections for a wide range of processes.

Randall Smith↗
NASA NTRS2014

Wide Field X-Ray Telescope Mission Concept Study Results

The Wide Field X-Ray Telescope (WFXT) is an astrophysics mission concept for detecting and studying extra-galactic x-ray sources, including active galactic nuclei and clusters of galaxies, in an effort to further understand cosmic evolution and structure. This Technical Memorandum details the results of a mission concept study completed by the Advanced Concepts Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in 2012. The design team analyzed the mission and instrument requirements, and designed a spacecraft that enables the WFXT mission while using high heritage components. Design work included selecting components and sizing subsystems for power, avionics, guidance, navigation and control, propulsion, structures, command and data handling, communications, and thermal control.

Hopkins, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A multiwire proportional counter system for high energy astrophysics

Resolution tests of multiwire proportional counter delay line readout systems are reported. The system is being developed at NASA/JSC for use in a large balloon borne magnet spectrometer. The system is ultimately intended for use in Space Shuttle missions. Tests of two different types of delay line and associated electronics carried out in minimum ionizing particle beams (accelerator and sea level cosmic ray) are reported. Resolution performance is shown to be strongly dependent on type of gas mixture and in the case of inclined events upon the propagation velocity of the delay line. The resolution performance achieved for magic gas chamber filling (100 um at normal incidence) is far superior to any other state of the art technique capable of being applied to large geometry factor systems.

Lacy, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Nuclear Physics in Space: What We Can Learn From Cosmic Rays

Studies and discoveries in cosmic-ray physics and generally in Astrophysics provide a fertile ground for research in many areas of Particle Physics and Cosmology, such as the search for dark matter, antimatter, new particles, and exotic physics, studies of the nucleosynthesis, origin of Galactic and extragalactic gamma-ray diffuse emission, formation of the large scale structure of the universe etc. In several years new missions are planned for cosmic-ray experiments, which will tremendously increase the quality and accuracy of cosmic-ray data. On the other hand, direct measurements of cosmic rays are possible in only one location on the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy and present only a snapshot of very dynamic processes. It has been recently realized that direct information about the fluxes and spectra of cosmic rays in distant locations is provided by the Galactic diffuse gamma-rays, therefore, complementing the local cosmic-ray studies. A wealth of information is also contained in the isotopic abundances of cosmic rays, therefore, accurate evaluation of the isotopic production cross sections is of primary importance for Astrophysics of cosmic rays, studies of the galactic chemical evolution, and Cosmology. In this talk, I will show new results obtained with GALPROP, the most advanced numerical model for cosmic-ray propagation, which includes in a self-consistent way all cosmic-ray species (stable and long-lived radioactive isotopes from H to Ni, antiprotons, positrons and electrons, gamma rays and synchrotron radiation), and all relevant processes and reactions.

Moskalenko, Igor V.↗
NASA NTRS1986

First results from Spacelab 2

Preliminary results of physical experiments carried out during the Spacelab 2 Shuttle mission are summarized. Attention is given to experiments in the fields of plasma dynamics; solar physics; high-energy astrophysics; and astronomy. Plasma experiments included an ejectable plasma diagnosics package and measurements of the passive charging of the Shuttle vehicle in the surrounding space plasma. The solar physics instrument package consisted of a solar spectral irradiance monitor; a solar optical universal polarimeter (SOUP); and a solar helium abundance high-resolution telescope and spectrograph (HRTS). Astronomical observations were performed using a scanning infrared telescope (IRT) which consisted of a highly baffled herschelian telescope and 10 detectors covering wavelengths from 2 to 120 microns. Cosmic-ray nuclei were detected and analyzed using gas Cerenkov counters and a transition radiation detector. Addition experiments included a thin film fluid dynamics payload and analysis of blood samples taken from the mission specialists. Complete data records from the experiments have now been distributed for an analysis period which will take at least a year. A table listing the Spacelab 2 experiments and their principal investigators is provided.

Urban, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Lunar L2-Farside Exploration and Science Mission Concept with the ORion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and a Teleoperated Lander/Rover

A novel concept is presented in this paper for a human mission to the lunar L2 (Lagrange) point that would be a proving ground for future exploration missions to deep space while also overseeing scientifically important investigations. In an L2 halo orbit above the lunar farside, the astronauts would travel 15% farther from Earth than did the Apollo astronauts and spend almost three times longer in deep space. Such missions would validate the Orion MPCV's life support systems, would demonstrate the high-speed re-entry capability needed for return from deep space, and would measure astronauts' radiation dose from cosmic rays and solar flares to verify that Orion would provide sufficient protection, as it is designed to do. On this proposed mission, the astronauts would teleoperate landers and rovers on the unexplored lunar farside, which would obtain samples from the geologically interesting farside and deploy a low radio frequency telescope. Sampling the South Pole-Aitkin basin (one of the oldest impact basins in the solar system) is a key science objective of the 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Observations of the Universe's first stars/galaxies at low radio frequencies are a priority of the 2010 Astronomy & Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Such telerobotic oversight would also demonstrate capability for human and robotic cooperation on future, more complex deep space missions.

Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV)↗
NASA NTRS2014

Transforming Our Understanding of the X-ray Universe: The Imaging X-ray Polarimeter Explorer (IXPE)

Accurate X-ray polarimetry can provide unique information on high-energy-astrophysical processes and sources. As there have been no meaningful X-ray polarization measurements of cosmic sources since our pioneering work in the 1970's, the time is ripe to explore this new parameter space in X-ray astronomy. To accomplish this requires a well-calibrated and well understood system that-particularly for an Explorer mission-has technical, cost, and schedule credibility. The system that we shall present satisfies these conditions, being based upon completely calibrated imaging- and polarization-sensitive detectors and proven X-ray-telescope technology.

Weisskopf, Martin C.↗
NASA NTRS2016

X-ray Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) Handbook

The X-ray & Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) Handbook is a guide for planning operations at the facility. A summary of the capabilities, policies, and procedures is provided to enhance project coordination between the facility user and XRCF personnel. This handbook includes basic information that will enable the XRCF to effectively plan and support test activities. In addition, this handbook describes the facilities and systems available at the XRCF for supporting test operations. 1.2 General Facility Description The XRCF was built in 1989 to meet the stringent requirements associated with calibration of X-ray optics, instruments, and telescopes and was subsequently modified in 1999 & 2005 to perform the challenging cryogenic verification of Ultraviolet, Optical, and Infrared mirrors. These unique and premier specialty capabilities, coupled with its ability to meet multiple generic thermal vacuum test requirements for large payloads, make the XRCF the most versatile and adaptable space environmental test facility in the Agency. XRCF is also recognized as the newest, most cost effective, most highly utilized facility in the portfolio and as one of only five NASA facilities having unique capabilities. The XRCF is capable of supporting and has supported missions during all phases from technology development to flight verification. Programs/projects that have benefited from XRCF include Chandra, Solar X-ray Imager, Hinode, and James Webb Space Telescope. All test programs have been completed on-schedule and within budget and have experienced no delays due to facility readiness or failures. XRCF is currently supporting Strategic Astrophysics Technology Development for Cosmic Origins. Throughout the years, XRCF has partnered with and continues to maintain positive working relationships with organizations such as ATK, Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman Aerospace, Excelis (formerly Kodak/ITT), Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Alabama Huntsville, and more.

XRCF↗
NASA NTRS2002

Cosmic-Ray Background Flux Model Baed on a Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope Baloon Flight Engineering

Cosmic-ray background fluxes were modeled based on existing measurements and theories and are presented here. The model, originally developed for the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) Balloon Experiment, covers the entire solid angle (4(pi) sr), the sensitive energy range of the instrument ((approx) 10 MeV to 100 GeV) and abundant components (proton, alpha, e(sup -), e(sup +), (mu)(sup -), (mu)(sup +) and gamma). It is expressed in analytic functions in which modulations due to the solar activity and the Earth geomagnetism are parameterized. Although the model is intended to be used primarily for the GLAST Balloon Experiment, model functions in low-Earth orbit are also presented and can be used for other high energy astrophysical missions. The model has been validated via comparison with the data of the GLAST Balloon Experiment.

COSMIC RADIATION↗
NASA NTRS1995

Post-launch data analysis for the cosmic ray isotope experiment ONR-604 in the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES)

Research was continued on the origins, acceleration mechanisms, and the propagation modes of the hierarchy of energetic charged particles found in a wide range of astrophysical settings, extending from the cosmic rays arriving from the depth of the galaxy to the energetic particles in the heliosphere and in the near earth environment. In particular this grant has been a vital support in the investigation of the particle radiations in the earth's magnetosphere. The ONR-604 instrument was launched in July 1990 aboard the CRRES spacecraft. The CRRES mission has been a joint program of NASA and the U.S. Air Force Space Test Program which has provided launch support and telemetry coverage. The spacecraft was placed into a low-inclination eccentric orbit with a period of approximately 10 hours, and thus measured charged particle fluxes in both interplanetary space and in the earth's trapped radiation. ONR-604 performed extremely well, both in interplanetary space and in the intense radiation belt environment. We were able to make detailed measurements of interplanetary fluxes and composition into L=4, or for more than 50% of the orbital period. Thus the experiment produced two valuable datasets, one set outside of L=4 for interplanetary studies, and one set inside of L=4 for radiation belt studies. The data returned by the University of Chicago ONR-604 instrument has been the base for 10 papers on magnetospheric and galactic energetic-particle research.

Simpson, John A.↗