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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 NTRS1983

Galileo spacecraft integration - International cooperation on a planetary mission in the Shuttle era

The Galileo mission is designed to greatly expand scientific knowledge of Jupiter and its system. The retropropulsion module (RPM) as a major functional element of the Galileo spacecraft is described. The major mission and spacecraft requirements on the RPM are presented. Complexities of the integration process due to the international interface are identified. Challenges associated with integration with new launch vehicles, the Shuttle and upper stage, and their relationships to the RPM are discussed. The results of the integration process involving mission and propulsion performance, reliability, mechanical and thermal interfaces, and safety are described. Finally, considerations and recommendations for future missions involving international cooperation are given.

Spehalski, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Advanced Solar Cell and Array Technology for NASA Deep Space Missions

A recent study by the NASA Glenn Research Center assessed the feasibility of using photovoltaics (PV) to power spacecraft for outer planetary, deep space missions. While the majority of spacecraft have relied on photovoltaics for primary power, the drastic reduction in solar intensity as the spacecraft moves farther from the sun has either limited the power available (severely curtailing scientific operations) or necessitated the use of nuclear systems. A desire by NASA and the scientific community to explore various bodies in the outer solar system and conduct "long-term" operations using using smaller, "lower-cost" spacecraft has renewed interest in exploring the feasibility of using photovoltaics for to Jupiter, Saturn and beyond. With recent advances in solar cell performance and continuing development in lightweight, high power solar array technology, the study determined that photovoltaics is indeed a viable option for many of these missions.

Piszczor, Michael↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Planetary Protection Compliance of NASA Missions Past, Present and Future

NASA monitors its spacecraft from a planetary protection (PP) perspective, to ensure contin-ued compliance with planetary protection requirements. This report to COSPAR on previous, ongoing and future missions will describe the issues and considerations regarding the PP im-plementation and compliance status of each mission, with changes noted as appropriate from previous reports. Missions not described in other presentations will be covered, including (but not limited to): Mars Odyssey, Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE), Juno, New Horizons, Parker Solar Probe, Artemis I and its secondary payloads, and NASA partnered missions.

James Benardini↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Planetary Protection Compliance Of NASA Missions Past, Present and Future

NASA monitors its spacecraft from a planetary protection (PP) perspective, to ensure continued compliance with planetary protection requirements. This report to COSPAR on previous, ongoing and future missions will describe the issues and considerations regarding the PP implementation and compliance status of each mission, with changes noted as appropriate from previous reports. Missions not described in other presentations will be covered, including (but not limited to): Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE), Juno, New Horizons, Parker Solar Probe, Dragonfly, Artemis I and its secondary payloads, and NASA partnered missions.

NASA↗
NASA NTRS1983

Electromagnetically-tracked free-mass gravitational wave antennas

The response to a gravitational wave of two free masses whose relative motion is monitored with an electromagnetic tracking signal is derived. The results indicate a two-feature signature in one-way data and a three-feature signature in two-way data. The effect is applied to gravitational wave experiments using laser interferometers, spacecraft Doppler tracking, planetary ranging, and pulsar timing analysis. Actual results are presented from spacecraft Doppler experiments and from pulsar timing data analysis, with new upper limits being set on a possible cosmic gravitational wave background via the pulsar data.

Hellings, R. W.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Medical Lessons Learned from the Exploration Atmospheres Study

Background: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Exploration Atmospheres study (EA) was done to evaluate alternative cabin atmospheres for future spacecraft designs and planetary surface exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond. Deep space exploration involves creating habitats and environments safe for human occupancy and means to explore the outside environment (extravehicular activities, EVA). In order to validate alternative atmospheres and pre-spacewalk procedures, the EA study was conducted to evaluate factors such as hypoxia risks, denitrogenation protocols, food limitations, medications, and the impact of other factors on human performance. Overview: Space travel is constrained by mass, volume, power and the cost of vehicle development, which creates tradeoffs in various capabilities, including breathing gasses. Higher atmospheric pressure in a vehicle means more gas, and a stronger containment vessel/habitat; while lower pressure requires higher oxygen partial pressure, which may increase fire risk. NASA’s EA study evaluated a proposed alternative cabin environment (8.2 psia, 34% Oxygen), for future spacecraft habitat, and planetary EVAs. EA included both a 3-day and a 11-day trial. These trials included a depressurization and saturation to 8.2psi at 34% O2 with additional depresses to 4.3 psia at 85% O2 for simulated EVAs, (1 EVA during the 3-day and 5 during the 11-day trials). Discussion: Planning for and executing the medical monitoring and response plan for a trial of this scope was a huge undertaking with no prior practice to fall back on. Food obstacles, sleeping issues, medications, joint injury, equipment limitations, medical privacy, multiple cases of decompression sickness, and even a COVID outbreak among the support team proved challenging. Conclusion: Testing of this nature is an essential part NASA’s preparation for the upcoming Lunar Artemis missions. As spaceflight transitions beyond low earth orbit, to planetary, even more trials of this nature will be required to learn what are the optimal atmospheric and associated operational constraints to maintain the optimal health of the crew and achieve mission objectives.

R Sanders↗
NASA NTRS1972

Temperature control of the Mariner Mars 1971 spacecraft

The Mariner Mars 1971 orbiter mission was a part of the ongoing program of unmanned planetary exploration. The spacecraft design was based on that of Mariner Mars 1969, with changes as necessary to achieve mission objectives. The thermal design for Mariner Mars 1971 is described herein, with emphasis on those areas in which significant changes were implemented. Developmental tasks are summarized and discussed, and initial flight data are presented.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2001

Development of a Neutron Spectrometer to Assess Biological Radiation Damage Behind Spacecraft Materials

Astronauts who spend months and years traveling long distances in spacecraft and working on other planets will be subjected to high energy radiation of galactic and solar origin without the protection of the Earth's thick (one writer has called it buff) atmosphere and magnetic field. The lack of natural protection will allow high energy cosmic ray particles and solar protons to crash directly into relatively thin spacecraft walls and planetary atmospheres producing energetic secondary particles in these collisions. A substantial fraction of these secondaries will be neutrons that carry no electric charge and, consequently, are difficult to detect. At sea level on Earth the remaining neutrons are the result of many generations (approximately 10) of collisions, have very low energies (scientists call them thermal neutrons), and do not penetrate deeply into the human body. They do contribute to the natural background radiation seen by humans on Earth, but much of the dose is only at the surface or skin of the body. In the International Space Station or on the surface of Mars, the secondary neutrons will be the result of only one or two generations of interaction due to the thinner (about a factor of 20 compared to the Earth's atmosphere) walls or atmosphere, have considerably more energy and penetrate deeply into the human body. In addition, neutrons are substantially moderated by hydrogenous material such as water. A significant fraction of the water exists in the astronaut's body. Therefore, the neutron can not only penetrate more deeply into the body, but also be stopped there and deposit all or most of its radiation dose in organs such as the liver, spleen, kidney, etc. We hypothesize that the risk of serious cancers will be increased for the exposed humans. The portable, real time neutron spectrometer being developed by our team will monitor the environment inside spacecraft structures and on planetary surfaces. Activities supported by this grant will evaluate the neutron environment inside several candidate spacecraft materials at accelerator facilities. These experiments will enable engineers to choose the structure materials that minimize the production of secondary neutrons. With the information that the neutron energy spectrometer produces, scientists and doctors will be able to assess the increased risk of cancer and develop countermeasures. The instrument itself will include an alarm system to warn astronauts when high radiation fluxes are occurring so that they can seek shelter immediately.

Maurer, R. H.↗