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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 NTRSDate not supplied

Autonomous Ocean World Exploration: Advancement of a Software Testbed

The search for life signs and potentially habitable bodies in our solar system and beyond is one of NASA’s top priorities. The prime destinations for such exploration are bodies containing liquid water, such as Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Initial missions to these “ocean worlds” will be robotic, and because of long communication lags and blackouts, harsh environments, and limited battery life, a high degree of onboard autonomy will be required. To this end NASA has developed the Ocean Worlds Autonomy Testbed for Exploration, Research, and Simulation (OceanWATERS), a software testbed for surface mission autonomy. Under grants from NASA’s Autonomous Robotics Research for Ocean Worlds (ARROW) and Concepts for Ocean worlds Life Detection Technology (COLDTech) programs, collectively 6 research teams at universities and companies across the United States have developed autonomy solutions using OceanWATERS, tackling a variety of surface mission challenges and employing state-of-the-art AI-based solutions. This paper provides a self-contained high-level description of OceanWATERS while detailing enhancements made since its 2020 release. It provides a high-level summary of the projects undertaken by participants in the ARROW and COLDTech programs and how these efforts have helped shape OceanWATERS. Finally, potential future work and directions for the testbed are listed.

K Michael Dalal↗
NASA NTRS2006

Modular, Reconfigurable, High-Energy Technology Development

The Modular, Reconfigurable High-Energy (MRHE) Technology Demonstrator project was to have been a series of ground-based demonstrations to mature critical technologies needed for in-space assembly of a highpower high-voltage modular spacecraft in low Earth orbit, enabling the development of future modular solar-powered exploration cargo-transport vehicles and infrastructure. MRHE was a project in the High Energy Space Systems (HESS) Program, within NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology (ESR&T) Program. NASA participants included Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Glenn Research Center (GRC). Contractor participants were the Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville, AL, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA, ENTECH, Inc. in Keller, TX, and the University of AL Huntsville (UAH). MRHE's technical objectives were to mature: (a) lightweight, efficient, high-voltage, radiation-resistant solar power generation (SPG) technologies; (b) innovative, lightweight, efficient thermal management systems; (c) efficient, 100kW-class, high-voltage power delivery systems from an SPG to an electric thruster system; (d) autonomous rendezvous and docking technology for in-space assembly of modular, reconfigurable spacecraft; (e) robotic assembly of modular space systems; and (f) modular, reconfigurable distributed avionics technologies. Maturation of these technologies was to be implemented through a series of increasingly-inclusive laboratory demonstrations that would have integrated and demonstrated two systems-of-systems: (a) the autonomous rendezvous and docking of modular spacecraft with deployable structures, robotic assembly, reconfiguration both during assembly and (b) the development and integration of an advanced thermal heat pipe and a high-voltage power delivery system with a representative lightweight high-voltage SPG array. In addition, an integrated simulation testbed would have been developed containing software models representing the technologies being matured in the laboratory demos. The testbed would have also included models for non-MRHE developed subsystems such as electric propulsion, so that end-to-end performance could have been assessed. This paper presents an overview of the MRHE Phase I activities at MSFC and its contractor partners. One of the major Phase I accomplishments is the assembly demonstration in the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LMATC) Robot-Satellite facility, in which three robot-satellites successfully demonstrated rendezvous & docking, self-assembly, reconfiguration, adaptable GN&C, deployment, and interfaces between modules. Phase I technology maturation results from ENTECH include material recommendations for radiation hardened Stretched Lens Array (SLA) concentrator lenses, and a design concept and test results for a hi-voltage PV receiver. UAH's accomplishments include Supertube heatpipe test results, which support estimates of thermal conductivities at 30,000 times that of an equivalent silver rod. MSFC performed systems trades and developed a preliminary concept design for a 100kW-class modular reconfigurable solar electric propulsion transport vehicle, and Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville performed assembly and rendezvous and docking trades. A concept animation video was produced by SAIC, wllich showed rendezvous and docking and SLA-square-rigger deployment in LEO.

Carrington, Connie↗
NASA NTRS2013

Introduction to Space Resource Mining

There are vast amounts of resources in the solar system that will be useful to humans in space and possibly on Earth. None of these resources can be exploited without the first necessary step of extra-terrestrial mining. The necessary technologies for tele-robotic and autonomous mining have not matured sufficiently yet. The current state of technology was assessed for terrestrial and extraterrestrial mining and a taxonomy of robotic space mining mechanisms was presented which was based on current existing prototypes. Terrestrial and extra-terrestrial mining methods and technologies are on the cusp of massive changes towards automation and autonomy for economic and safety reasons. It is highly likely that these industries will benefit from mutual cooperation and technology transfer.

Mueller, Robert P.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Doman

The Precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance (PL&HA) domain addresses the development, integration, testing, and spaceflight infusion of sensing, processing, and GN&C functions critical to the success and safety of future human and robotic exploration missions. PL&HA sensors also have applications to other mission events, such as rendezvous and docking. Autonomous PL&HA builds upon the core GN&C capabilities developed to enable soft, controlled landings on the Moon, Mars, and other solar system bodies. Through the addition of a Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) function, precision landing within tens of meters of a map-based target is possible. The addition of a 3-D terrain mapping lidar sensor improves the probability of a safe landing via autonomous, real-time Hazard Detection and Avoidance (HDA). PL&HA significantly improves the probability of mission success and enhances access to sites of scientific interest located in challenging terrain. PL&HA can also utilize external navigation aids, such as navigation satellites and surface beacons. Advanced Lidar Sensors High precision ranging, velocimetry, and 3-D terrain mapping Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) TRN compares onboard reconnaissance data with real-time terrain imaging data to update the S/C position estimate Hazard Detection and Avoidance (HDA) Generates a high-resolution, 3-D terrain map in real-time during the approach trajectory to identify safe landing targets Inertial Navigation During Terminal Descent High precision surface relative sensors enable accurate inertial navigation during terminal descent and a tightly controlled touchdown within meters of the selected safe landing target.

Robertson, Edward A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Advanced design for orbital debris removal in support of solar system exploration

The development of an Autonomous Space Processor for Orbital Debris (ASPOD) is the ultimate goal. The craft will process, in situ, orbital debris using resources available in low Earth orbit (LEO). The serious problem of orbital debris is briefly described and the nature of the large debris population is outlined. This year, focus was on development of a versatile robotic manipulator to augment an existing robotic arm; incorporation of remote operation of robotic arms; and formulation of optimal (time and energy) trajectory planning algorithms for coordinating robotic arms. The mechanical design of the new arm is described in detail. The versatile work envelope is explained showing the flexibility of the new design. Several telemetry communication systems are described which will enable the remote operation of the robotic arms. The trajectory planning algorithms are fully developed for both the time-optimal and energy-optimal problem. The optimal problem is solved using phase plane techniques while the energy optimal problem is solved using dynamics programming.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2018

Auto-Gopher-II – A wireline rotary-hammer ultrasonic drill that operates autonomously

An important challenge of exploring the solar system is the ability to penetrate at great depths the subsurface of planetary bodies for sample collection. The requirements of the drilling system are minimal mass, volume and energy consumption. To address this challenge, a deep drill, called the Auto-Gopher II, is currently being developed as a joint effort between JPL’s NDEAA laboratory and Honeybee Robotics Corp. The Auto-Gopher II is a wireline rotaryhammer drill that combines breaking formations by hammering using a piezoelectric actuator and removing the cuttings by rotating a fluted bit. The hammering is produced by the Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corer (USDC) mechanism that has been developed by the JPL team as an adaptable tool for many drilling and coring applications. The USDC uses an intermediate free-flying mass to convert high frequency vibrations of a piezoelectric transducer horn tip into sonic hammering of the drill bit. The USDC concept was used in a previous task to develop an Ultrasonic/Sonic Ice Gopher and then integrated into a rotary hammer device to develop the Auto-Gopher-I. The lessons learned from these developments are being integrated into the development of the Auto-Gopher-II, an autonomous deep wireline drill with integrated cuttings and sample management and drive electronics. In this paper the latest development will be reviewed including the piezoelectric actuator, cuttings removal and retention flutes and drive electronics.

Paulsen, Gale L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Conceptual Ideas for Radio Telescope on the Far Side of the Moon

A radio telescope on the far-side of the Moon has tremendous advantages compared to Earth-based telescopes because it could observe the universe at wavelengths that are hitherto poorly explored by humans so far and the Moon acts as a physical shield that isolates the telescope from the radio interference and noises from Earth. This paper presents a novel concept for building a radio telescope on the far-side of the Moon. The main idea is to shape a suitable existing lunar crater (1 − 50km in diameter) on the far-side of the Moon into a spherical reflecting dish. The proposed Lunar Crater Radio Telescope (LCRT) would be able to observe the universe in the 5 − 100m wavelength band (i.e., 3 − 60MHz radio frequency band). The key innovations of this concept are: (1) LCRT would be the largest filled-aperture radio telescope in the Solar System. (2) LCRT could potentially make tremendous scientific discoveries in fields of cosmology and extrasolar planets by observing the universe in the 5−100m λ band(i.e., 3−60MHz ν band) that has been hitherto poorly explored. (3) It would require only a few robots from Earth and autonomously modify an existing lunar crater to build the LCRT; thereby significantly reducing launch weight and cost compared to all previous lunar surface telescope mission concepts. (4) Furthermore, the Earth based robots are not consumed during construction of LCRT. Therefore, they could create a network of LCRTs to (i) observe different regions of the universe, and (ii) enable lunar Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) astronomy. We envisage that this concept would unlock the potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries in radio astronomy.

Rahmani, Amir↗
NASA NTRS2004

From Present Surveying to Future Prospecting of the Asteroid Belt

We have applied a future mission architecture, the Autonomous Nano-Technology Swarm (ANTS), to a proposed mission for in situ survey, or prospecting, of the asteroid belt, the Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM) as part of a NASA 2003 Revolutionary Aerospace Concept (RASC) study. ANTS architecture builds on and advances recent trends in robotics, artificial intelligence, and materials processing to minimize costs and maximize effectiveness of space operations. PAM and other applications have been proposed for the survey of inaccessible, high surface area populations of great interest from the standpoint of resources and/or solar system origin. The ANTS architecture is inspired by the success of social insect colonies, a success based on the division of labor within the colonies in two key ways: 1) within their specialties, individual specialists generally outperform generalists, and 2) with sufficiently efficient social interaction and coordination, the group of specialists generally outperforms the group of generalists. Thus systems designed as ANTS are built from potentially very large numbers of highly autonomous, yet socially interactive, elements. The architecture is self-similar in that elements and sub-elements of the system may also be recursively structured as ANTS on scales ranging from microscopic to interplanetary distances. Here, we analyze requirements for the mission application at the low gravity target end of the spectrum, the Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM), and for specialized autonomous operations which would support this mission. ANTS as applied to PAM involves the activities of hundreds of individual specialist 'sciencecraft'. Most of them, called Workers, carry and operate eight to nine different scientific instruments, as listed in the table, including spectrometers, ranging and radio science devices, and imagers. The remaining specialists, Messenger/Rulers, provide communication and coordination functions among specialists operating autonomously as individuals, team members, and subswarms.

Clark, P. E.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Predicted Performance of an X-Ray Navigation System for Future Deep Space and Lunar Missions

In November 2017, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) experiment successfully demonstrated the feasibility of X-ray Pulsar Navigation (XNAV) as part of the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission, which is an X-ray Astrophysics Mission of Opportunity currently operating onboard the International Space Station (ISS). XNAV provides a GPS-like absolute autonomous navigation and timing capability available anywhere in the Solar System and beyond. While the most significant benefits of XNAV are expected to come in support of very deep-space missions, the absolute autonomous navigation and timing capability also has utility for inner Solar System missions where increased autonomy or backup navigation and timing services are required, e.g., address loss of communication scenarios.The NASA commitment to develop a Gateway to support exploration of the Moon and eventually Mars, as well as current and future robotic missions such as James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), New Horizons, and much more, certainly will tax the existing ground based infrastructure in terms of availability. There- fore, an extended look at the feasibility and potential performance of XNAV for comparable missions is warranted. In this paper, we briefly review the XNAV concept and present case studies of its utility and performance for a Gateway orbit, Sun-Earth libration orbit, and a deep space transit trajectory.

Getchius, Joel↗
NASA NTRS1992

Autonomous space processor for orbital debris advanced design project in support of solar system exploration

This paper is regarding a project in the Advanced Design Program at the University of Arizona. The project is named the Autonomous Space Processor for Orbital Debris (ASPOD) and is a NASA/Universities Space Research Association (USRA) sponsored design project. The development of ASPOD and the students' abilities in designing and building a prototype spacecraft are the ultimate goals of this project. This year's focus entailed the development of a secondary robotic arm and end-effector to work in tandem with an existent arm in the removal of orbital debris. The new arm features the introduction of composite materials and a linear drive system, thus producing a light-weight and more accurate prototype. The main characteristic of the end-effector design is that it incorporates all of the motors and gearing internally, thus not subjecting them to the harsh space environment. Furthermore, the arm and the end-effector are automated by a control system with positional feedback. This system is composed of magnetic and optical encoders connected to a 486 PC via two servo-motor controller cards. Programming a series of basic routines and sub-routines has allowed the ASPOD prototype to become more autonomous. The new system is expected to perform specified tasks with a positional accuracy of 0.5 cm.

Ramohalli, Kumar↗
NASA NTRS2015

Advancing Lidar Sensors Technologies for Next Generation Landing Missions

Missions to solar systems bodies must meet increasingly ambitious objectives requiring highly reliable "precision landing", and "hazard avoidance" capabilities. Robotic missions to the Moon and Mars demand landing at pre-designated sites of high scientific value near hazardous terrain features, such as escarpments, craters, slopes, and rocks. Missions aimed at paving the path for colonization of the Moon and human landing on Mars need to execute onboard hazard detection and precision maneuvering to ensure safe landing near previously deployed assets. Asteroid missions require precision rendezvous, identification of the landing or sampling site location, and navigation to the highly dynamic object that may be tumbling at a fast rate. To meet these needs, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a set of advanced lidar sensors under the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project. These lidar sensors can provide precision measurement of vehicle relative proximity, velocity, and orientation, and high resolution elevation maps of the surface during the descent to the targeted body. Recent flights onboard Morpheus free-flyer vehicle have demonstrated the viability of ALHAT lidar sensors for future landing missions to solar system bodies.

Amzajerdian, Farzin↗
NASA NTRS2024

Towards Autonomous Surface Missions on Ocean Worlds

Through advanced autonomy testbed programs, NASA is setting the groundwork for one of its top priorities—the search for signs of life and potentially habitable bodies in our solar system and beyond. The prime destinations for such exploration are bodies containing liquid water, such as Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Initial missions to these “ocean worlds” will be robotic and require a high degree of onboard autonomy due to long Earth-communication lags and blackouts, harsh surface environments, and limited battery life.

Khalil Michael Dalal↗
NASA NTRS2004

Assurance Technology Challenges of Advanced Space Systems

The initiative to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system to revisit the moon and Mars post enormous technological challenges to the nation's space agency and aerospace industry. Key areas of technology development needs to enable the endeavor include advanced materials, structures and mechanisms; micro/nano sensors and detectors; power generation, storage and management; advanced thermal and cryogenic control; guidance, navigation and control; command and data handling; advanced propulsion; advanced communication; on-board processing; advanced information technology systems; modular and reconfigurable systems; precision formation flying; solar sails; distributed observing systems; space robotics; and etc. Quality assurance concerns such as functional performance, structural integrity, radiation tolerance, health monitoring, diagnosis, maintenance, calibration, and initialization can affect the performance of systems and subsystems. It is thus imperative to employ innovative nondestructive evaluation methodologies to ensure quality and integrity of advanced space systems. Advancements in integrated multi-functional sensor systems, autonomous inspection approaches, distributed embedded sensors, roaming inspectors, and shape adaptive sensors are sought. Concepts in computational models for signal processing and data interpretation to establish quantitative characterization and event determination are also of interest. Prospective evaluation technologies include ultrasonics, laser ultrasonics, optics and fiber optics, shearography, video optics and metrology, thermography, electromagnetics, acoustic emission, x-ray, data management, biomimetics, and nano-scale sensing approaches for structural health monitoring.

Chern, E. James↗
NASA NTRS1990

Sparse distributed memory overview

The Sparse Distributed Memory (SDM) project is investigating the theory and applications of massively parallel computing architecture, called sparse distributed memory, that will support the storage and retrieval of sensory and motor patterns characteristic of autonomous systems. The immediate objectives of the project are centered in studies of the memory itself and in the use of the memory to solve problems in speech, vision, and robotics. Investigation of methods for encoding sensory data is an important part of the research. Examples of NASA missions that may benefit from this work are Space Station, planetary rovers, and solar exploration. Sparse distributed memory offers promising technology for systems that must learn through experience and be capable of adapting to new circumstances, and for operating any large complex system requiring automatic monitoring and control. Sparse distributed memory is a massively parallel architecture motivated by efforts to understand how the human brain works. Sparse distributed memory is an associative memory, able to retrieve information from cues that only partially match patterns stored in the memory. It is able to store long temporal sequences derived from the behavior of a complex system, such as progressive records of the system's sensory data and correlated records of the system's motor controls.

Raugh, Mike↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Gateway Program as Part of NASA’s Plans for Human Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit

This paper provides an overview and status of Gateway, humanity’s first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the NASA-led Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon as preparation for the first human missions to Mars. Gateway is an aggregation point in deep space for a variety of spacecraft, including the crewed Orion vehicle, the Human Landing System that will ferry astronauts to and from the lunar surface, logistics supply craft, and vehicles transiting further into deep space beyond the Earth-Moon system, such as to Mars. NASA is building on decades of partnership with space agencies on three continents and multiple commercial partners to design, build, and launch Gateway’s core elements to near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon, where it will operate for a minimum of 15 years. Gateway is humanity’s next in-space science utilization platform, and its first in deep space, with three science payloads already selected to study solar and cosmic radiation. This paper will provide an overview of the Gateway space station’s major components in various stages of development, including the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE), Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), the International Habitation (I-Hab) module, ESPRIT Refueling Module (ERM), the planned airlock, advanced external robotics systems, Deep Space Logistics supply craft, and next-generation autonomous Vehicle System Manager software. It will also provide an overview of how Gateway will be utilized for science, and highlight the space station’s multilateral governance structure and international agreements.

Emma Lehnhardt↗
NASA NTRS2018

Auto-Gopher-2 – An Autonomous Wireline Rotary Piezo-Percussive Deep Drilling Mechanism

Drilling deep into the subsurface of planetary bodies in the Solar System for samples acquisition enables critical capabilities for future NASA exploration missions in its quest to understand the origins of the Solar System and potentially the search for life. Such planetary bodies as Mars and Europa are key targets for potential missions that would require reaching great depths. Performing drilling while using minimal mass/volume systems and with low energy consumption are the main requirements that are imposed on such technologies. A wireline deep drill, called Auto-Gopher-2, is currently being developed as a joint effort between JPL and Honeybee Robotics Ltd. The Auto-Gopher II is a wireline rotary piezo-percussive deep drilling mechanism that combines formation breaking by rotating and piezoelectric actuator hammering and cuttings removal by rotating a fluted bit. The hammering mechanism is based on the Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corer (USDC) mechanism that has been developed as an adaptable tool for many drilling and coring applications. The USDC uses an intermediate ball-shape free-mass to transform high frequency vibrations of a piezoelectric transducer horn tip into sonic hammering of the drill bit. The lessons learned from the previous studies are being implemented into the development of the Auto-Gopher-II, an autonomous deep wireline drill with integrated cuttings and sample management and drive electronics. Subsystems of the wireline drill are being developed in parallel at JPL and Honeybee Robotics, Ltd. Issues related to the bit and its ability to retain the cuttings for caching and removal are currently being addressed. This paper presents the development efforts of the piezoelectric actuator, cuttings removal and retention flutes and drive electronics.

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Tall Lunar Towers: Systems Analysis of a Lunar-Surface-Assembled Power, Communication, and Navigation Infrastructure

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) intends to develop and maintain a human-lunar presence, requiring infrastructure on the Lunar South Pole. To keep pace with the continued growth in cislunar activity, there is national interest in developing a global lunar infrastructure network for power and Communication, Position, Navigation, and Timing (CPNT). Demonstrating autonomous construction capabilities is an infrastructure-enabling objective. This study explores several architecture trade studies to assess the feasibility of alternative lunar infrastructure concepts. 50 m towers, for instance, enable solar power generation up to 99% of a lunar year in addition to acting as wide-range communication and navigation surface relays. The infrastructure network considered in this study consisted of tower platforms, utilities hosted on the towers, and both crewed and robotic end users. High-level trades were analyzed, such as tower height, location, and distributed vs centralized power grids. Results indicated that even with minimal permanent surface assets (darkness survival power loads on the order of 5 kW or greater), at any of the five locations considered, taller towers resulted in lower infrastructure mass than shorter towers; up to 24% system mass savings were realized by reducing battery mass. Simultaneously, taller towers increased the range of communication coverage; a 50 m tower on the Connecting Ridge had 5 kg more structure and 76% more line-of-sight coverage to a two-meter-tall end user than a 10 m tower with the same location and user height. Leveraging a grid of tall towers for nominal power and communication would not only save up to 2,800 kg in battery mass but would be more maintainable and allow users to take advantage of generational upgrades.

lunar infrastructure↗
NASA NTRS1992

Proceedings of the 8th Annual Summer Conference: NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program

Papers presented at the 8th Annual Summer Conference are categorized as Space Projects and Aeronautics projects. Topics covered include: Systematic Propulsion Optimization Tools (SPOT), Assured Crew Return Vehicle Post Landing Configuration Design and Test, Autonomous Support for Microorganism Research in Space, Bioregenerative System Components for Microgravity, The Extended Mission Rover (EMR), Planetary Surface Exploration MESUR/Autonomous Lunar Rover, Automation of Closed Environments in Space for Human Comfort and Safety, Walking Robot Design, Extraterrestrial Surface Propulsion Systems, The Design of Four Hypersonic Reconnaissance Aircraft, Design of a Refueling Tanker Delivering Liquid Hydrogen, The Design of a Long-Range Megatransport Aircraft, and Solar Powered Multipurpose Remotely Powered Aircraft.

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