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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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At least 505 records · Page 28

Characterization of Two-Dimensionally Braided Composites Subject to Static and Fatigue Loading

This paper presents a characterization of damage processes in four different two-dimensionally braided architectures consisting of graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix, subjected to both static and fatigue loading. Both notched and unnotched specimens were tested from each architecture. Damage mechanisms in static compression testing were found to range from matrix cracking in an architecture controlled by shearing characteristics of the matrix to axial fiber bundle kinking and splitting in architectures controlled by unidirectional fiber bundles. In both static tension and tension-tension fatigue testing, it was found that all architectures sustained the same basic damage types and progression sequences. The first types of damage to occur were splits in the braider bundles and cracks in the resin rich areas. Once a sufficient density of this type of damage had occurred, the axial bundles began to disbond from the surrounding constituents, and continued to do so until ultimate failure. One architecture sustained an additional mode of failure, which involved splitting of the axial bundles along their length. Varied degrees of notch sensitivity were found among the different architectures. In one architecture, this was attributed to differences found in the stacking of the individual plys of the braided architecture. As the density of axial bundles adjacent to the notch increased, the rate of stiffness loss increased and the life decreased.

Burr, Scott T.↗

Space Launch System Implementation of Adaptive Augmenting Control

Given the complex structural dynamics, challenging ascent performance requirements, and rigorous flight certification constraints owing to its manned capability, the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle requires a proven thrust vector control algorithm design with highly optimized parameters to robustly demonstrate stable and high performance flight. On its development path to preliminary design review (PDR), the stability of the SLS flight control system has been challenged by significant vehicle flexibility, aerodynamics, and sloshing propellant dynamics. While the design has been able to meet all robust stability criteria, it has done so with little excess margin. Through significant development work, an adaptive augmenting control (AAC) algorithm previously presented by Orr and VanZwieten, has been shown to extend the envelope of failures and flight anomalies for which the SLS control system can accommodate while maintaining a direct link to flight control stability criteria (e.g. gain & phase margin). In this paper, the work performed to mature the AAC algorithm as a baseline component of the SLS flight control system is presented. The progress to date has brought the algorithm design to the PDR level of maturity. The algorithm has been extended to augment the SLS digital 3-axis autopilot, including existing load-relief elements, and necessary steps for integration with the production flight software prototype have been implemented. Several updates to the adaptive algorithm to increase its performance, decrease its sensitivity to expected external commands, and safeguard against limitations in the digital implementation are discussed with illustrating results. Monte Carlo simulations and selected stressing case results are shown to demonstrate the algorithm's ability to increase the robustness of the integrated SLS flight control system.

VanZwieten, Tannen S.↗

Creep, Fatigue and Fracture Behavior of Environmental Barrier Coating and SiC-SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Systems: The Role of Environment Effects

Advanced environmental barrier coating (EBC) systems for low emission SiCSiC CMC combustors and turbine airfoils have been developed to meet next generation engine emission and performance goals. This presentation will highlight the developments of NASAs current EBC system technologies for SiC-SiC ceramic matrix composite combustors and turbine airfoils, their performance evaluation and modeling progress towards improving the engine SiCSiC component temperature capability and long-term durability. Our emphasis has also been placed on the fundamental aspects of the EBC-CMC creep and fatigue behaviors, and their interactions with turbine engine oxidizing and moisture environments. The EBC-CMC environmental degradation and failure modes, under various simulated engine testing environments, in particular involving high heat flux, high pressure, high velocity combustion conditions, will be discussed aiming at quantifying the protective coating functions, performance and durability, and in conjunction with damage mechanics and fracture mechanics approaches.

Environmental Barrier Coatings↗

3D Progressive Damage Modeling for Laminated Composite Based on Crack Band Theory and Continuum Damage Mechanics

A simple continuum damage mechanics (CDM) based 3D progressive damage analysis (PDA) tool for laminated composites was developed and implemented as a user defined material subroutine to link with a commercially available explicit finite element code. This PDA tool uses linear lamina properties from standard tests, predicts damage initiation with an easy-to-implement Hashin-Rotem failure criteria, and in the damage evolution phase, evaluates the degradation of material properties based on the crack band theory and traction-separation cohesive laws. It follows Matzenmiller et al.'s formulation to incorporate the degrading material properties into the damaged stiffness matrix. Since nonlinear shear and matrix stress-strain relations are not implemented, correction factors are used for slowing the reduction of the damaged shear stiffness terms to reflect the effect of these nonlinearities on the laminate strength predictions. This CDM based PDA tool is implemented as a user defined material (VUMAT) to link with the Abaqus/Explicit code. Strength predictions obtained, using this VUMAT, are correlated with test data for a set of notched specimens under tension and compression loads.

Wang, John T.↗

Progress of a Cross-Correlation Based Optical Strain Measurement Technique for Detecting Radial Growth on a Rotating Disk

The modern turbine engine operates in a harsh environment at high speeds and is repeatedly exposed to combined high mechanical and thermal loads. The cumulative effects of these external forces lead to high stresses and strains on the engine components, such as the rotating turbine disks, which may eventually lead to a catastrophic failure if left undetected. The operating environment makes it difficult to use conventional strain gauges, therefore, non-contact strain measurement techniques is of interest to NASA and the turbine engine community. This presentation describes one such approach; the use of cross correlation analysis to measure strain experienced by the engine turbine disk with the goal of assessing potential faults and damage.

cross-correlation↗

Space Launch System Implementation of Adaptive Augmenting Control

Given the complex structural dynamics, challenging ascent performance requirements, and rigorous flight certification constraints owing to its manned capability, the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle requires a proven thrust vector control algorithm design with highly optimized parameters to provide stable and high-performance flight. On its development path to Preliminary Design Review (PDR), the SLS flight control system has been challenged by significant vehicle flexibility, aerodynamics, and sloshing propellant. While the design has been able to meet all robust stability criteria, it has done so with little excess margin. Through significant development work, an Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) algorithm has been shown to extend the envelope of failures and flight anomalies the SLS control system can accommodate while maintaining a direct link to flight control stability criteria such as classical gain and phase margin. In this paper, the work performed to mature the AAC algorithm as a baseline component of the SLS flight control system is presented. The progress to date has brought the algorithm design to the PDR level of maturity. The algorithm has been extended to augment the full SLS digital 3-axis autopilot, including existing load-relief elements, and the necessary steps for integration with the production flight software prototype have been implemented. Several updates which have been made to the adaptive algorithm to increase its performance, decrease its sensitivity to expected external commands, and safeguard against limitations in the digital implementation are discussed with illustrating results. Monte Carlo simulations and selected stressing case results are also shown to demonstrate the algorithm's ability to increase the robustness of the integrated SLS flight control system.

Wall, John H.↗

Coordinated NASA nickel-cadmium battery technology program

This paper describes the NASA nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery technology program which is being coordinated by JPL to provide NASA and other users with lighter and/or longer-lived Ni-Cd cells for low-earth-orbit, geosynchronous-orbit, and planetary spacecraft missions in the 1980s. The goal is to double the energy density and/or life of the system. Failure modes and mechanisms are differentiated and discussed to point out the critical design variables which affect Ni-Cd cell life. Cell component weights are listed, approaches for reducing weight are discussed, and program tasks and schedules are presented. The nine major tasks being worked on by various organizations are described. Progress has been made in weight reduction, understanding of life reliability mechanisms, and development of a process for manufacturing more stable electrodes. An accelerated and predictive life test program is approximately 30% complete. It appears feasible to double the life and/or usable energy density of the Ni-Cd cell.

Bogner, R. S.↗

Going South: Warnings from the Largest Project Engineering Failure in Modern History

NASA’s successful conduct of the Apollo Program greatly enhanced the prestige of the United States and remains broadly accepted as America’s gift “for all Mankind.” NASA’s Artemis Program to return humanity to the Moon promises to again reveal America’s leadership in this field. In preparation for the initiation of Artemis and its predecessor project Constellation, NASA thoroughly examined space program precedents. There remains, however, another relevant precedent which has not been examined in this context. Though this project involved technology radically different from that managed by NASA, its scope and environment in many ways parallel NASA’s large programs. This project was initiated by a private sector team that had, ten years before, successfully completed an effort that, at a cost of $275 billion (in 2021 USD), had stimulated new technology, had brought economic growth, had established their country as the world leader in engineering innovation, and, though it was a commercial success, had been broadly accepted as their nation’s gift “to all Mankind.” The new project was inspired by popular belief that private capital could again be marshalled to enhance national prestige and make yet another major contribution to the progress of Humanity. This new effort was predicted to require eight years and $258 billion. However, after the passage of nine years, achievement of only 45% complete on the baseline design, and expenditures 96% beyond the baseline cost, the project collapsed amid bankruptcy, political scandal, and criminal prosecution. While the private sector team that carried out this project was exceptionally well educated and experienced in the field, their efforts resulted in what remains (in terms of the money wasted) the largest project engineering failure in modern history. This paper examines what went wrong.

Project Management↗

Application of Laser Based Ultrasound for NDE of Damage in Thick Stitched Composites

As design engineers implement new composite systems such as thick, load bearing composite structures, they must have certifiable confidence in structure s durability and worthiness. This confidence builds from understanding the structural response and failure characteristics of simple components loaded in testing machines to tests on full scale sections. Nondestructive evaluation is an important element which can provide quantitative information on the damage initiation, propagation, and final failure modes for the composite structural components. Although ultrasound is generally accepted as a test method, the use of conventional ultrasound for in-situ monitoring of damage during tests of large structures is not practical. The use of lasers to both generate and detect ultrasound extends the application of ultrasound to in- situ sensing of damage in a deformed structure remotely and in a non-contact manner. The goal of the present research is to utilize this technology to monitor damage progression during testing. The present paper describes the application of laser based ultrasound to quantify damage in thick stitched composite structural elements to demonstrate the method. This method involves using a Q-switched laser to generate a rapid, local linear thermal strain on the surface of the structure. This local strain causes the generation of ultrasonic waves into the material. A second laser used with a Fabry-Perot interferometer detects the surface deflections. The use of fiber optics provides for eye safety and a convenient method of delivering the laser over long distances to the specimens. The material for these structural elements is composed of several stacks of composite material assembled together by stitching through the laminate thickness that ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 inches. The specimens used for these nondestructive evaluation studies had either impact damage or skin/stiffener interlaminar failure. Although little or no visible surface damage existed, internal damage was detected by laser based ultrasound.

Anastasi, Robert F.↗

Analysis of progressive damage in thin circular laminates due to static-equivalent impact loads

Clamped circular graphite/epoxy plates (25.4, 38.1, and 50.8 mm radii) with an 8-ply quasi-isotropic layup were analyzed for static-equivalent impact loads using the minimum-total-potential-energy method and the von Karman strain-displacement equations. A step-by-step incremental transverse displacement procedure was used to calculate plate load and ply stresses. The ply failure region was calculated using the Tsai-Wu criterion. The corresponding failure modes (splitting and fiber failure) were determined using the maximum stress criteria. The first-failure mode was splitting and initiated first in the bottom ply. The splitting-failure thresholds were relatively low and tended to be lower for larger plates than for small plates. The splitting-damage region in each ply was elongated in its fiber direction; the bottom ply had the largest damage region. The calculated damage region for the 25.4-mm-radius plate agreed with limited static test results from the literature.

Shivakumar, K. N.↗

Status of Aquarius and Salinity Continuity

Aquarius is an L-band radar/radiometer instrument combination that has been designed to measure ocean salinity. It was launched on 10 June 2011 as part of the Aquarius/SAC-D observatory. The observatory is a partnership between the United States National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA), which provided Aquarius, and the Argentinian space agency, Comisin Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), which provided the spacecraft bus, Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas (SAC-D). The observatory was lost four years later on 7 June 2015 when a failure in the power distribution network resulted in the loss of control of the spacecraft. The Aquarius Mission formally ended on 31 December 2017. The last major milestone was the release of the final version of the salinity retrieval (Version 5). Version 5 meets the mission requirements for accuracy, and reflects the continuing progress and understanding developed by the science team over the lifetime of the mission. Further progress is possible, and several issues remained unresolved at the end of the mission that are relevant to future salinity retrievals. The understanding developed with Aquarius is being transferred to radiometer observations over the ocean from NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, and salinity from SMAP with accuracy approaching that of Aquarius are already being produced.

microwave remote sensing↗

Analysis of Open Hole Compression Specimens Using the CompDam Continuum Damage Mechanics Model

This report documents a validation study on the standard Open Hole Compression (OHC) laminate test specimen conducted as part of the NASA Advanced Composites Project (ACP). Tests were conducted on OHC specimens with hard, quasi-isotropic, and soft layups using digital image correlation and X-Ray computed tomography to capture the structural response and damage evolution. Progressive damage models were constructed for use with the CompDam continuum damage mechanics code following the best practices established during the ACP. Detailed interrogation of the analysis results and comparison with experimental measurements provide a basis for assessing the capability of the modeling approach for OHC. The structural response is found to be captured well, with strengths predicted within 3\% of the experimental values for hard and quasi-isotropic laminates. In the soft laminate, the model predicts failure to be more brittle than the nonlinear, ductile response that was measured. Damage states extracted from the models at the same load level as test measurements are overlaid to show directly the similarities and differences between test and analysis results. Studying the damage evolution predicted by the analysis reveals that the failure process is a competition between fiber damage and delamination/sub-laminate buckling, with fiber damage dominating the collapse in the hard laminate and sub-laminate buckling governing in the soft laminate. Finally, a series of parametric studies varying numerical solution parameters (mesh size, mass scaling) and physical properties (fiber direction compressive strength and toughness) reveal sensitivities and deficiencies of the model. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first for OHC specimens to include detailed evaluation of damage mode interactions, direct overlay of predicted and measured damage states, and sensitivity of the predicted results to difficult-to-measure fiber direction material properties.

Continuum damage mechanics↗

Recent technology advances in the NASA-Lewis Research Center Brayton program

A review of the progress and milestones passed in the Brayton program is presented. The 2-to-15 kWe power system was successfully operated in a vacuum with a space-type radiator. Gas loop and electrical subsystem endurance tests have continued to demonstrate long-term operation with one rotating unit surpassing 10,000 hours of failure-free operation. Simplified gas-bearing designs for the rotating unit are being evaluated. Fabrication of an improved design of heat exchanger is nearing completion, and a study of more advanced heat exchanger technology is being conducted. A study was completed to investigate the applicability of Brayton technology applied to a lower power level (0.5 to 2.5 kWe) and showed potentially very attractive performance, simplicity, and low cost for a system in this power range.

Vernon, R.↗

Evaluation of aerosolized medications during parabolic flight maneuvers

The goal was to visually evaluate the effect gravity has on delivery of medications by the use of various aerosol devices. During parabolic flight the same four aerosols were retested as performed in studio ground tests. It appears that the Cetacaine spray and the Ventolin inhaler function without failure during all test. The pump spray (Nostril) appeared to function normally when the container was full, however it appeared to begin to fail to deliver a full mist with larger droplet size when the container was nearly empty. The simple hand spray bottle appeared to work when the container was full and performed progressively worse as the container was emptied. During Apollo flights, it was reported that standard spray bottles did not work well, however, they did not indicate why. It appears that we would also conclude that standard spray bottles do not function as well in zero gravity by failing to produce a normal mist spray. The standard spray bottle allowed the fluid to come out in a narrow fluid stream when held with the nozzle either level or slightly tilted upward.

Lloyd, Charles W.↗

Microstructural design of fiber composites

The optimum performance design of composite microstructures is discussed. The forces driving progress in fiber composites are examined, and recent developments in the mechanics of laminated composites are surveyed, emphasizing thick laminates, hygrothermal effects, and thermal transient effects. The strength of continuous-fiber composites is discussed, presenting analyses of local load redistribution due to fiber breakages and treatments of statistical tensile strength theories. Modes of failure of laminated composites are examined. Elastic, physical, and viscoelastic properties as well as the strength and fracture behavior of short-fiber composites are studied, and it is shown how the performance of composites can be controlled by selecting material systems and their geometric distributions. 2D textile structural composites based on woven, knitted, and braided preforms are considered, and techniques for analyzing and modeling the thermomechanical behavior of 2D textile composites are presented. Recent developments in the processing of 3D textile preforms are introduced and the processing-microstructure relationship is demonstrated. Finite elastic deformation of flexible composites is addressed.

Chou, Tsu-Wei↗

Probabilistic simulation of uncertainties in thermal structures

Development of probabilistic structural analysis methods for hot structures is a major activity at Lewis Research Center. It consists of five program elements: (1) probabilistic loads; (2) probabilistic finite element analysis; (3) probabilistic material behavior; (4) assessment of reliability and risk; and (5) probabilistic structural performance evaluation. Recent progress includes: (1) quantification of the effects of uncertainties for several variables on high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFT) blade temperature, pressure, and torque of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME); (2) the evaluation of the cumulative distribution function for various structural response variables based on assumed uncertainties in primitive structural variables; (3) evaluation of the failure probability; (4) reliability and risk-cost assessment, and (5) an outline of an emerging approach for eventual hot structures certification. Collectively, the results demonstrate that the structural durability/reliability of hot structural components can be effectively evaluated in a formal probabilistic framework. In addition, the approach can be readily extended to computationally simulate certification of hot structures for aerospace environments.

Chamis, Christos C.↗

IOPS advisor: Research in progress on knowledge-intensive methods for irregular operations airline scheduling

Our research focuses on the problem of recovering from perturbations in large-scale schedules, specifically on the ability of a human-machine partnership to dynamically modify an airline schedule in response to unanticipated disruptions. This task is characterized by massive interdependencies and a large space of possible actions. Our approach is to apply the following: qualitative, knowledge-intensive techniques relying on a memory of stereotypical failures and appropriate recoveries; and quantitative techniques drawn from the Operations Research community's work on scheduling. Our main scientific challenge is to represent schedules, failures, and repairs so as to make both sets of techniques applicable to the same data. This paper outlines ongoing research in which we are cooperating with United Airlines to develop our understanding of the scientific issues underlying the practicalities of dynamic, real-time schedule repair.

Borse, John E.↗

NASA's Habitation Development Status: Current Concepts and ISRU Opportunities

Introduction: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is embarking on a bold journey to return humankind to the Moon and onward to Mars with innovative commercial, international, and academic partnerships. Under the Artemis series of missions, NASA seeks to establish sustained human exploration of deep space through an objectives-based approach. This approach drives the identification of needed system functionality and the current and future capabilities which will eventually allow humanity to sustainably live beyond Earth. Providing evolvable and scalable habitation is a cornerstone function that calls for the collection and integration of current, developmental, and future technologies that can meet near-term exploration needs while growing into long-term sustained presence. NASA is advancing in-space habitation through its Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) model while designing lunar, Mars transit, and Mars surface habitat government reference concepts for Artemis missions. These efforts have unveiled possible near-term opportunities for the in-space resource utilization community if human habitation is considered a future customer of space resources. NextSTEP Habitation Development: NASA is closely working with commercial partners under its NextSTEP Appendix A model to advance habitation systems in the arena of inflatable and composite habitation structures. Such efforts promise efficiencies in volumetric packaging and overall spacecraft mass respectively. Recent testing by commercial partners have helped to quantify possible failure mechanisms for inflatable structures while advancing their technology towards eventual flight certification. The advancement of such Class II habitation structures, in which the habitat is only fully deployed once in-space or on a planetary surface, is critical to providing increased habitable volume for long-duration missions with no additional mass penalties. The progression of such technology is infused into NASA’s government reference concepts for notional deep space habitation concepts. Current Government Reference Concepts: To best inform the formulation of future collaborative solicitations, NASA employs the practice of internally developing reference concepts for future exploration elements. These concepts aid in identifying the functions and capabilities needed to complete NASA missions as well as feasible solutions within the timeframe needed. Government reference concepts for a lunar Surface Habitat, Mars Transit Habitat, and Mars Sur-face Habitat are continuously being developed and updated to better guide the Agency’s overall exploration architecture. Lunar Surface Habitat. As NASA returns to the Moon, it is evaluating possible lunar surface habitation concepts. The Surface Habitat (SH) reference concept entails a hybrid metallic-inflatable structure capable of initially housing two crew for surface stays of up to 30 days in duration. While initial missions may span ~7 days in duration, consideration is being given to expanding SH’s capability to support a crew of four for up to 60 days over its 15-year design life. Functionally, the SH serves as a ‘hub’ for all Artemis crewed surface operations, providing internal volume for maintenance, medical, logistics, science utilization, and extravehicular activity (EVA) support in addition to core habitation functionality such as environmental control and life support (ECLS) and power generation and distribution among many others. Additionally, NASA has entered a study agreement with the Italian Space Agency (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana – ASI) to investigation a possible Multi-Purpose Habitat (MPH) as an additional or augmenting habit-able element for the lunar surface. Mars Transit Habitat. NASA’s current architectural concept for initial human missions to Mars entails the utilization of a transit habitat (TH) to transport a four-person crew to and from Mars orbit, departing from and returning to a lunar near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO), over the course of a ~1,200-day mission. While holding a similar 15-year design lifetime, TH will also support a series of analog mission activities in NRHO to gradually test the systems and interaction with lunar surface elements, some of which may be adapted for Mars surface exploration. Holding similar functional capabilities as SH, TH is sized to support much longer durations in space and greater logistical independence. Mars Surface Habitat. NASA is still exploring the concept of operations for initial crewed missions to Mars. As such, the Mars Surface Habitat (MSH) concept is still in its infancy as options for mobile, pressurized habitation and stationary habitats are being explored. It is expected MSH will leverage heavily from the lunar SH and possible lunar pressurized rover, however the very different Martian environment will likely necessitate modifications. ISRU Opportunities: Despite the advancements under NASA’s NextSTEP habitation work and continually optimized reference concepts, NASA is facing near-term mass and power challenges that may create opportunities to the ISRU community by providing yet another possible customer for space resources. While NASA desires to use regenerative ECLS systems (ECLSS) for all habitation concepts, their operation comes with initial mass penalties and maintenance overheads when compared to simpler open-loop architectures. Because of this, NASA is currently pro-posing an open-loop, consumables-based architecture for its surface habitats to achieve initial launch and delivery lander mass targets while scarring for the in-corporation of regenerative ECLSS to meet longer mission durations and sustained presence. With such an architecture, oxygen and potable water are needed consumables, which initial ISRU systems may be able to provide in a pilot capacity. Although the TH is expecting to utilize regenerative ECLSS, advancements in lunar surface-based ISRU and possible re-supply of spacecraft in lunar or Mars orbit could significantly reduce the logistical need for ECLSS related spares on TH and possibly allow a similar open-loop and consumables-based architecture. In addition to ECLSS mass concerns, the SH is facing challenges with energy storage to support operations over periods of darkness exceeding 100 hours. Both battery and fuel cell-based power architectures are being traded, opening options for external power generation and energy storage. One possibility is ISRU-produced H2 and O2 feeding external primary fuel cell systems which could supplement habitation power generation while reducing initial mass and volume until much more powerful fission power systems might be deployed. Conclusion: Significant advancements are being made in evolvable habitation concepts that span from near-term technologies, such as inflatable structures under NextSTEP, to potentially revolutionary capabilities like the lunar surface construction as funded through the Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technologies (MMPACT) project. As NASA investigates both heritage capabilities and rap-idly advancing, disruptive technologies, there are likely many near-term opportunities for initial ISRU capabilities to significantly aid human habitation and increase self-sufficiency beyond Earth.

habitation↗