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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Small payloads for the Shuttle

The Goddard Space Flight Center, Special Payloads Division (sounding rockets) experience in applying rocket mechanical experience and technology to the Shuttle is presented. While the mechanical design loads are similar, new considerations for thermal extremes, material control and attachment structures must be included. These additional requirements have been successfully introduced in the free flyer class of payloads, Shuttle Pointed Automonous Research Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN), and a motorized door for the Get Away Special (GAS) payloads.

Nygaard, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Kennedy Space Center processing of Shuttle small payloads

There are many steps involved in preparing a payload for a mission into space on the Space Shuttle. Operations at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) are the last of those steps for the hardware before the payload is launched. To assure a successful and efficient KSC processing flow, a great deal of planning between the Robert H. Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and KSC personnel is required before the payload arrives at KSC. After arrival, pre-flight operations occur between payload personnel, GSFC personnel, and KSC personnel for integration of the payload into its carrier (if required), in preparation for installation into a Orbiter. Once installed into an Orbiter, final test(s), checkout, and close-out of the payload is performed by GSFC and KSC personnel before launch. Mission support varies depending on the payload flying, but once the mission is complete and the Orbiter has returned to KSC, post-flight operations begin. This usually involves a reverse flow of the pre-flight operations. KSC operations conclude when the payload, its ground support equipment (GSE), and personnel depart KSC. A list of lessons learned is generated at the end of each payload flow, to avoid repeating the same mistakes (if any) for the next payload or for multiple repeat flights of the same payload. Always monitored are planned changes that may affect the payloads, GSE, KSC facilities, payload personnel, GSFC personnel, and/or KSC personnel.

Haddad, Michael E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

ISOBUS: A new versatile spacecraft platform using Shuttle small payloads

The new NASA credo of 'faster, better, cheaper' calls for a new generation of smaller and less complex spacecraft. In response to this challenge, many new spacecraft concepts have been generated within NASA, industry, and academia. The JPL, Rockwell International Space Systems Division, and The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL)/Utah State University (USU) are jointly examining one such new spacecraft concept, hereafter termed ISOBUS, which is derived from recent research and development work in isogrid structures based on a six-sided hexagon shaped structure. Two prototypical products from SDL/USU's work are ISOSPACEPACK and ISOSAT. These hexagon shaped elements serve as building blocks for the ISOBUS spacecraft concept. Various aspects of the ISOBUS concept are discussed.

Tamir, David↗
NASA NTRS1993

Radiation hardened microprocessor for small payloads

The RH-3000 program is developing a rad-hard space qualified 32-bit MIPS R-3000 RISC processor under the Naval Research Lab sponsorship. In addition, under IR&D Harris is developing RHC-3000 for embedded control applications where low cost and radiation tolerance are primary concerns. The development program leverages heavily from commercial development of the MIPS R-3000. The commercial R-3000 has a large installed user base and several foundry partners are currently producing a wide variety of R-3000 derivative products. One of the MIPS derivative products, the LR33000 from LSI Logic, was used as the basis for the design of the RH-3000 chipset. The RH-3000 chipset consists of three core chips and two support chips. The core chips include the CPU, which is the R-3000 integer unit and the FPA/MD chip pair, which performs the R-3010 floating point functions. The two support whips contain all the support functions required for fault tolerance support, real-time support, memory management, timers, and other functions. The Harris development effort had first passed silicon success in June, 1992 with the first rad-hard 32-bit RH-3000 CPU chip. The CPU device is 30 kgates, has a 508 mil by 503 mil die size and is fabricated at Harris Semiconductor on the rad-hard CMOS Silicon on Sapphire (SOS) process. The CPU device successfully passed tesing against 600,000 test vectors derived directly on the LSI/MIPS test suite and has been operational as a single board computer running C code for the past year. In addition, the RH-3000 program has developed the methodology for converting commercially developed designs utilizing logic synthesis techniques based on a combination of VHDK and schematic data bases.

Shah, Ravi↗
NASA NTRS1999

Space Shuttle Program Manifest Process & Flight Opportunities for Small Payloads

The Space Shuttle Program has, since the early flights, exerted great effort to maximize the cargo complement for each individual mission. Historically, because of the capabilities of the Space Shuttle, there have almost always been opportunities to fly what are termed secondary payloads on every mission. However, with the challenges associated with assembling the International Space Station, accommodations for secondary payloads are significantly limited. In an attempt to deal with this situation, the Space Shuttle Program has developed techniques that will identify and utilize flight opportunities, as well as policies that may create opportunities.

Swalin, Richard M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Integration and Test for Small Shuttle Payloads

Recommended approaches for shuttle small payload integration and test (I&T) are presented. The paper is intended for consideration by developers of small shuttle payloads, including I&T managers, project managers, and system engineers. Examples and lessons learned are presented based on the extensive history of the NASA's Hitchhiker project. All aspects of I&T are presented, including: (1) I&T team responsibilities, coordination, and communication; (2) Flight hardware handling practices; (3) Documentation and configuration management; (4) I&T considerations for payload development; (5) I&T at the development facility; (6) Prelaunch operations, transfer, orbiter integration, and interface testing; and (7) Postflight operations. This paper is of special interest to those payload projects which have small budgets and few resources: That is, the truly 'faster, cheaper, better' projects. All shuttle small payload developers are strongly encouraged to apply these guidelines during I&T planning and ground operations to take full advantage of today's limited resources and to help ensure mission success.

Wright, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The Pegasus air-launched space booster payload interfaces and processing procedures for small optical payloads

Pegasus and the PegaStar integrated spacecraft bus are described, and an overview of integration and launch operations is provided. Payload design issues include payload volume and mass capability, payload interfaces, and design loads. Vehicle and payload processing issues include integration and handling methods, facilities, contamination control, and launch operations. It is noted that Pegasus provides small satellite users with a cost-effective means for delivering payloads into the specific orbits at the optimal time to meet the most demanding mission requirements. PegaStar provides a flexible cost-effective means for providing long-term on-orbit support while minimizing total program risk and cost.

Mosier, Marty↗
NASA NTRS1993

Express Payload Project - A new method for rapid access to Space Station Freedom

The deployment and permanent operation of Space Station Freedom will enable researchers to enter a new era in the 21st century, in which continuous on-orbit experimentation and observation become routine. In support of this objective, the Space Station Freedom Program Office has initiated the Express Payload Project. The fundamental project goal is to reduce the marginal cost associated with small payload development, integration, and operation. This is to be accomplished by developing small payload accommodations hardware and a new streamlined small payload integration process. Standardization of small payload interfaces, certification of small payload containers, and increased payload developer responsibility for mission success are key aspects of the Express Payload Project. As the project progresses, the principles will be applied to both pressurized payloads flown inside the station laboratories and unpressurized payloads attached to the station external structures. The increased access to space afforded by Space Station Freedom and the Express Payload Project has the potential to significantly expand the scope, magnitude, and success of future research in the microgravity environment.

Uhran, Mark L.↗
NASA NTRS2002

SRM-Assisted Trajectory for the GTX Reference Vehicle

A goal of the GTX effort has been to demonstrate the feasibility of a single stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle that delivers a small payload to low earth orbit. The small payload class was chosen in order to minimize the risk and cost of development of this revolutionary system. A preliminary design study by the GTX team has resulted in the current configuration that offers considerable promise for meeting the stated goal. The size and gross lift-off weight resulting from scaling the current design to closure however may be considered impractical for the small payload. In lieu of evolving the project' reference vehicle to a large-payload class, this paper offers the alternative of using solid-rocket motors in order to close the vehicle at a practical scale. This approach offers a near-term, quasi-reusable system that easily evolves to reusable SSTO following subsequent development and optimization. This paper presents an overview of the impact of the addition of SRM's to the GTX reference vehicle#s performance and trajectory. The overall methods of vehicle modeling and trajectory optimization will also be presented. A key element in the trajectory optimization is the use of the program OTIS 3.10 that provides rapid convergence and a great deal of flexibility to the user. This paper will also present the methods used to implement GTX requirements into OTIS modeling.

Riehl, John↗
NASA NTRS2002

SRM-Assisted Trajectory for the GTX Reference Vehicle

A goal of the GTX effort has been to demonstrate the feasibility of a single stage- to- orbit (SSTO) vehicle that delivers a small payload to low earth orbit. The small payload class was chosen in order to minimize the risk and cost of development of this revolutionary system. A preliminary design study by the GTX team has resulted in the current configuration that offers considerable promise for meeting the stated goal. The size and gross lift-off weight resulting from scaling the current design to closure however may be considered impractical for the small payload. In lieu of evolving the project's reference vehicle to a large-payload class, this paper offers the alternative of using solid-rocket motors in order to close the vehicle at a practical scale. This approach offers a near-term, quasi-reusable system that easily evolves to reusable SSTO following subsequent development and optimization. This paper presents an overview of the impact of the addition of SRM's to the GTX reference vehicle's performance and trajectory. The overall methods of vehicle modeling and trajectory optimization will also be presented. A key element in the trajectory optimization is the use of the program OTIS 3.10 that provides rapid convergence and a great deal of flexibility to the user. This paper will also present the methods used to implement GTX requirements into OTIS modeling.

Riehl, John↗
NASA NTRS1989

Power from the Space Shuttle

The use of the Space Shuttle to provide avionics and electrical power accommodations to a large dedicated payload and/or to multiple smaller payloads throughout the flight is studied. The payload equipment can be mounted in the Shuttle Orbiter aft flight deck and middeck portions of the crew cabins and in the Orbiter cargo bay. The Orbiter provides avionics services to the following major payload classes: the single-section payload, the small payload, the middeck payload, and the Get-Away Special payload.

Speier, William M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

ADEPT for Secondary Payloads

Deployable entry vehicles provide an enabling capability for large payloads at destinations across the solar system. The primary advantage of such systems derives from the fundamental limitation of available launch vehicle shroads preventing tried-and-true rigid aeroshell technology from being applied. However, little mission-pull exists for deployable entry vehicle technology for missions where the entry vehicle is the primary payload and can fit within available shrouds. The propensity toward applying rigid aeroshell technology is logical given that deployable concepts are higher risk and provide no marginal scientific benefit for missions where a rigid aeroshell is an option. A movement toward flying smaller spacecraft has emerged in recent years and is revealing novel applications for deployable entry vehicles as secondary payloads. Secondary payloads must minimize interference with the primary payload in order to ease accomodation. Advancements in small spacecraft technology have caught the attention of government entities who are now recognizing the high value proposition of small spacecraft for frequent, incremental technology development and science return rather than the traditional high cost and infrequent big-bang approaches. Worldwide, well over 200 small satellites (mass < 180 kg) have launched in recent years for such purposes as eduation, technology development, science, commerce, and defense. The Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT), a mechanically-deployable entry vehicle technology, has been under development at NASA since 2011. An Ames Center Innovation Fund (CIF) proposal was recently awarded to study ADEPT for EDL of small payloads. The unique capability of ADEPT for small science payloads comes from its ability to stow within a slender volume and deploy passively to achieve a mass-efficient drag surface with a high heat rate capability. The low ballistic coefficient results in entry heating and mechanical loads that can be met by a revolutionary three-dimensionally woven carbon fabric supported with rib structures. This carbon fabric has test-proven capability as both primary structure and payload thermal protection. This presentation will inform the EDL community of the capability of ADEPT for delivery of small secondary payloads as well as provide status of on-going technology development activities. Results of a mission applications study for secondary payloads to Mars and Venus will be presented. A primary goal of these mission design activities is to integrate high-value verification approaches wherever possible. For example, for some mission applications it is possible to test in NASA arc jet facilities at full-scale. This enables endto- end thermostructural requirement verification with a single test. Another important challenge that needs to be solved is the reliability of the decelerator to achieve the desired shape using simple passive mechanical actuators (such as springs) that do not require power from the primary payload for deployment. A configuration of ADEPT is being prototyped and used to evaluate the functionality and reliability of the deployment mechanism through bench-top testing. The prototype will then be tested in a low speed wind tunnel in late 2014 to evaluate aerodynamic load-carrying capability and deflected shape. Results of the deployment testing and status of wind tunnel test plans will be discussed.

Smith, B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Space Experiment Module: A new low-cost capability for education payloads

The Space Experiment Module (SEM) concept is one of a number of education initiatives being pursued by the NASA Shuttle Small Payloads Project (SSPP) in an effort to increase educational access to space by means of Space Shuttle Small Payloads and associated activities. In the SEM concept, NASA will provide small containers ('modules') which can accommodate small zero-gravity experiments designed and constructed by students. A number, (nominally ten), of the modules will then be flown in an existing Get Away Special (GAS) carrier on the Shuttle for a flight of 5 to 10 days. In addition to the module container, the NASA carrier system will provide small amounts of electrical power and a computer system for controlling the operation of the experiments and recording experiment data. This paper describes the proposed SEM carrier system and program approach.

Goldsmith, Theodore C.↗