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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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The paper discusses the concept of the Space Operations Center, a Shuttle-serviced permanent manned LEO space station. The SOC has the mission-oriented role of construction, assembly, and servicing of space systems and spacecraft. Previous space-station concepts are reviewed; future space goals are compared; and objectives for the future Space Operations Center and its initial analysis are described.
ESA’s third large class mission is a space-based gravitational wave observatory with NASA as a partner. This talk will describe the current plans for this mission, including the expected science, the instrument design, and a schedule for the development and launch. The noise floor of the system will be described and opportunities for improvement, including possible applications os quantum sensing and measurement techniques.
Manned extravehicular activity (EVA) operations will be major mission elements of planned future U.S. space operations. Whether designed for orbital operations or planetary surface exploration, the EVA system must be safe and reliable, and must provide a high degree of performance capabilities. An extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) consisting of a space suit, EVA gloves, and a portable life support system (PLSS) is central to the EVA system. A rugged, highly reliable, mobile, reusable, and easily maintained EVA suit and compact PLSS must meet the specific requirements of the intended mission. Additional requirements imposed by exposure to surface and gravitational environments are the need for lightweight, high-strength materials for fabricating EMUs to prevent astronaut fatigue and the need for dust protection measures and removal techniques to prevent contamination. Also, operational pressure for habitats should be chosen so as to maintain zero-prebreathe conditions while allowing for lower EMU operating pressure.
Future space power systems will largely be nuclear-driven or solar-driven Brayton cycle or thermionic converter systems. This paper presents some of the limited data available on the long-time properties of the superalloys and refractory metals that will have to be used in large parts of these systems. These data include vaporization rates of pure metals as a function of temperature, extrapolated stress for 1 percent creep in 10 years for selected superalloys, vacuum creep behavior of Mar M-509 at 900 C and 110 MN/sq m, extrapolated stress for 1 percent creep in 10 years for refractory alloys, and approximate useful temperature ranges for superalloys and refractory metals.
Future space missions researchers envision using large nuclear reactors with either a single or a two-phase alkali-metal working fluid. The design and analysis of such reactors require state-of-the-art computer codes that can properly treat alkali-metal flow and heat transfer in a reduced-gravity environment. New flow regime maps, models, and correlations are required if the codes are to be successfully applied to reduced-gravity flow and heat transfer. General plans are put forth for the reduced-gravity experiments which will have to be performed, at NASA facilities, with benign fluids. Data from the reduced-gravity experiments with innocuous fluids are to be combined with normal gravity data from two-phase alkali-metal experiments. Because these reduced-gravity experiments will be very basic, and will employ small test loops of simple geometry, a large measure of commonality exists between them and experiments planned by other organizations. It is recommended that a committee be formed to coordinate all ongoing and planned reduced gravity flow experiments.
Current and future Space exploration missions and extended human presence in space aboard the ISS will expose crew to risks that differ both quantitatively and qualitatively from those encountered before by space travelers and will impose an unknown risk of safety and crew health. The technology development challenges for optimizing therapeutics in space must include the development of pharmaceuticals with extended stability, optimal efficacy and bioavailability with minimal toxicity and side effects. Innovative technology development goals may include sustained/chronic delivery preventive health care products and vaccines, low-cost high‐efficiency noninvasive, non‐oral dosage forms with radio‐protective formulation matrices and dispensing technologies coupled with self‐reliant tracking technologies for quality assurance and quality control assessment. These revolutionary advances in pharmaceutical technology will assure human presence in space and healthy living on Earth. Additionally, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations advocates the use of health information technologies to effectively execute all aspects of medication management (prescribing, dispensing, and administration). The advent of personalized medicine and highly streamlined treatment regimens stimulated interest in new technologies for medication management. Intelligent monitoring devices enhance medication accountability compliance, enable effective drug use, and offer appropriate storage and security conditions for dangerous drug and controlled substance medications in remote sites where traditional pharmacies are unavailable. These features are ideal for Exploration Medical Capabilities. This presentation will highlight current novel commercial off‐the‐shelf (COTS) intelligent medication management devices for the unique dispensing, therapeutic drug monitoring, medication tracking, and drug delivery demands of exploration space medical operations.
In 2000 and 2001 studies were conducted at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center on the technical requirements and commercial potential for propellant production depots in low Earth orbit (LEO) to support future commercial, NASA, and other Agency missions. Results indicate that propellant production depots appear to be technically feasible given continued technology development, and there is a substantial growing market that depots could support. Systems studies showed that the most expensive part of transferring payloads to geosynchronous orbit (GEO) is the fuel. A cryogenic propellant production and storage depot stationed in LEO could lower the cost of missions to GEO and beyond. Propellant production separates water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. This process utilizes large amounts of power, therefore a depot derived from advanced space solar power technology was defined. Results indicate that in the coming decades there could be a significant demand for water-based propellants from Earth, moon, or asteroid resources if in-space transfer vehicles (upper stages) transitioned to reusable systems using water based propellants. This type of strategic planning move could create a substantial commercial market for space resources development, and ultimately lead toward significant commercial infrastructure development within the Earth-Moon system.
Pathfinder is a research and technology initiative by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) intended to strengthen the technology base of the United States civil space program in preparation for future space exploration missions. Pathfinder begins in FY-89. One of the four major thrusts of Pathfinder is Space Transfer technology. A key element of this thrust is the Chemical Transfer Propulsion program which will provide the propulsion technology for high performance, liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen expander cycle engines which are expected to be operated and maintained in space. These advanced engines will enhance or enable a variety of future space exploration missions. This paper describes the goals and objectives, management, technical plan, and technology transfer for the Chemical Transfer Propulsion element of Pathfinder.
Pathfinder is a research and technology initiative by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) intended to strengthen the technology base of the United States civil space program in preparation for future space exploration missions. Pathfinder begins in FY-89. One of the four major thrusts is the Chemical Transfer Propulsion program which will provide the propulsion technology for high performance, liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen expander cycle engines which are expected to be operated and maintained in space. These advanced engines will enhance or enable a variety of future space exploration missions. The goals and objectives, management, technical plan, and technology transfer for the Chemical Transfer Propulsion element of Pathfinder are described.
Mobility and restraint device concepts for future manned space systems
It is pointed out that future space missions, such as those involving spacecraft and structural assemblies to be used in geosynchronous orbits, will require ultralightweight composite structures to achieve maximum payloads. Of equal importance is the requirement to provide designs that are cost-competitive with metal designs. For space structures that must resist buckling, graphite-epoxy materials offer an attractive potential for providing lightweight, low-cost structural components that will meet future space mission requirements. A description is presented of a program which was conducted to evaluate the merits of graphite-epoxy cylindrical shells and to continue the development of a design data base for ultralightweight structures. An objective of the program was to design, fabricate, and test a corrugated graphite-epoxy cylinder 10 ft in diameter and 10 ft long.
The history of the NASA space program is traced, and future plans are outlined. Projects discussed include Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, science-applications spacecraft (Ranger, Surveyor, Mariner, Pioneer, and Voyager), the Space Shuttle, the planned Space Station, orbital maneuvering vehicles, lunar bases, and planetary exploration. Numerous photographs and drawings are provided.
A model is suggested for making long range planning cost estimates for Deep Space Network (DSN) support of future space missions. The model is a function of major mission cost drivers, such as maintenance and operations, downlink frequency upgrade, uplink frequency upgrade, telemetry upgrade, antenna gain/noise temperature, radiometric accuracy upgrade, radio science upgrade, and very long baseline interferometry. The model is derived from actual cost data from three space missions: Voyager (Uranus), Voyager (Neptune), and Magellan. The model allows one to estimate the total cost and the cost over time of a similar future space mission. The model was back tested against the three projects and gave cost estimates that range from 17 pct. below to 19 pct. above actual mission preparation costs. The model was also compared with two other independent projects: Mariner Jupiter/Saturn (MJS later became Voyager) and Viking. The model gave total preparation cost estimates that range from 15 pct. above to 4 pct. below actual total preparation costs for MJS and Viking, respectively.
The ventilation subsystem in future space suits will require a dedicated ventilation fan. The unique requirements for the ventilation fan, including stringent safety requirements and the ability to increase output to operate in buddy mode, combine to make a regenerative blower an attractive technology choice. This paper describes progress in the design, development, and testing of a regenerative blower designed to meet requirements for a ventilation subsystem for future space suit life support. Analysis methods were developed for the blower s complex internal flows and impeller geometries were identified that enable significant improvements in blower efficiency. Performance predictions were verified by test, measuring aerodynamic efficiencies of 45% at operating conditions that correspond to the ventilation fan s design point. A compact motor/controller was developed to drive the blower efficiently at low rotating speed (4500 rpm). Finally, a low-pressure oxygen test loop was assembled to demonstrate the blower s reliability under prototypical conditions.
Future missions, both station keeping and primary electric propulsion, will require multiple thrust restarts after periods of inactivity from a few hours to over one year. Although not a part of the original SERT 2 (Space Electric Rocket Test) flight objective, the opportunity to demonstrate multiple cathode restarts in space became available following completion of thruster running. Both neutralizer and main cathodes of each flight thruster were restarted repeatedly following storage periods up to 490 days. No deterioration of cathode heaters was noted nor was any change required in starting voltages or currents.
Future missions, both station keeping and primary electric propulsion, will require multiple thruster restarts after periods of inactivity from a few hours to over one year. Although not a part of the original SERT II (Space Electric Rocket Test) flight objective, the opportunity to demonstrate multiple cathode restarts in space became available following completion of thruster running. Both neutralizer and main cathodes of each flight thruster have been restarted repeatedly following storage periods up to 490 days. No deterioration of cathode heaters has been noted nor has any change been required in starting voltages or currents.
Computer graphics is being employed at the NASA Johnson Space Center as a tool to perform rapid, efficient and economical analyses for man-machine integration, flight operations development and systems engineering. The Operator Station Design System (OSDS), a computer-based facility featuring a highly flexible and versatile interactive software package, PLAID, is described. This unique evaluation tool, with its expanding data base of Space Shuttle elements, various payloads, experiments, crew equipment and man models, supports a multitude of technical evaluations, including spacecraft and workstation layout, definition of astronaut visual access, flight techniques development, cargo integration and crew training. As OSDS is being applied to the Space Shuttle, Orbiter payloads (including the European Space Agency's Spacelab) and future space vehicles and stations, astronaut and systems safety are being enhanced. Typical OSDS examples are presented. By performing physical and operational evaluations during early conceptual phases. supporting systems verification for flight readiness, and applying its capabilities to real-time mission support, the OSDS provides the wherewithal to satisfy a growing need of the current and future space programs for efficient, economical analyses.