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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

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NASA NTRS1987

High power ion thruster performance

The ion thruster is one of several forms of space electric propulsion being considered for use on future SP-100-based missions. One possible major mission ground rule is the use of a single Space Shuttle launch. Thus, the mass in orbit at the reactor activation altitude would be limited by the Shuttle mass constraints. When the spacecraft subsystem masses are subtracted from this available mass limit, a maximum propellant mass may be calculated. Knowing the characteristics of each type of electric thruster allows maximum values of total impulse, mission velocity increment, and thrusting time to be calculated. Because ion thrusters easily operate at high values of efficiency (60 to 70%) and specific impulse (3000 to 5000 sec), they can impart large values of total impulse to a spacecraft. They also can be operated with separate control of the propellant flow rate and exhaust velocity. This paper presents values of demonstrated and projected performance of high power ion thrusters used in an analysis of electric propulsion for an SP-100 based mission.

Rawlin, Vincent K.↗

NASA NTRS1987

High power ion thruster performance

The ion thruster is one of several forms of space electric propulsion being considered for use on future SP-100 based missions. One possible major mission ground rule is the use of single Space Shuttle launch. Thus, the mass in orbit at the reactor activation altitude would be limited by the Shuttle mass constraints. When the spacecraft subsystem masses are subtracted from this available mass limit, a maximum propellant mass may be calculated. Knowing the characteristics of each type of electric thruster allow maximum values of total impulse, mission velocity increment, and thrusting time to be calculated. Because ion thrusters easily operate at high values of efficiency (60 to 70 percent) and specific impulse (3000 to 5000 sec), they can impart large values of total impulse to a spacecraft. They also can be operated with separate control of the propellant flow rate and exhaust velocity. Values are presented of demonstrated and projected performance of high power ion thrusters used in an analysis of electric propulsion for an SP-100 based mission.

Rawlin, Vincent K.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Redundant, Confined-Explosive Severance Device

Noncontaminating, long, explosive joint with highly reliable separation capability invented for such applications as separation of rocket-motor stages of spacecraft from rockets or Space Shuttle. Two explosive cords housed in tubes held in place by two notched doublers and commercially available fasteners. When either cord fired, its tube expands, bending doublers and causing fracture at adjacent notch.

Bement, Laurence J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Spacecraft observations of the interaction of active comets with the solar wind

Six spacecraft encountered two comets during 1985 and 1986, obtaining a wealth of data relative to the plasma processes at work in the interaction of an active comet with the solar wind. A review of what space plasma scientists have learned from these data and of their interpretations is presented. The interaction process begins millions of kilometers from the nucleus where the solar wind first picks up cometary ions that slow down the wind and causes the interplanetary magnetic field to pile up and drape around the comet's ionosphere. Thus the geometry of a comet's plasma tail is defined by this draped field. At Halley the Giotto spacecraft noted a well-defined boundary separating the mixture of solar wind and cometary plasmas and the interplanetary magnetic field from the free-field, almost pure cometary plasma in the inner coma. Additional unexpected features in the inner coma were a flux of fast 'granddaughter' ions and high densities of negative ions. Further details covering pickup ions and plasma waves, mass loading, bow shock, energetic particles, the cometosheath, the ionopause, the plasma tail, and the field-free region are provided.

Neugebauer, M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Dual technique magnetometer experiment for the Cassini Orbiter spacecraft

The dual technique magnetometer to fly on the Cassini Saturn Orbiter Spacecraft is described. The instrument combines two separate techniques of measuring the magnetic field in space using both fluxgate and vector helium devices. In addition, the instrument can be operated in a special scalar mode which is to be used near the planet for highly accurate determination of the interior field of the planet. As well as the planetary field, the instrument will make large contributions to the scientific measurements of the planetary magnetosphere, the highly electrically conducting region of space surrounding Saturn permeated by the Saturnian field, the interaction of Saturn and the interplanetary medium and the interaction of Titan with its space environment.

Southwood, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Planetary missions using microspacecraft technology

Some of the planetary missions using microspacecraft of mass on the order of 10 kg which are presently being considered at JPL are discussed. The primary benefits offered by this type of spacecraft is the small and relatively inexpensive launch vehicles and short program development schedules. A mission presently considered by the Asteroid Investigation with Microspacecraft (AIM) study is described with special attention given to the spacecraft configuration; the AIM mission will launch three spacecraft from a single Pegasus vehicle, achieving separate flybys for three near-earth asteroids. Attention is also given to the salient features of the Mars Rover Sample Return mission, the Venus Atmospheric Sounder, and the Comet Nucleus Mission, for which the application of microspacecraft technology is considered.

Short, Kendra L.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Induced activation study of LDEF

Analysis of the induced radioactivity of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) is continuing with extraction of specific activities for various spacecraft materials. Data and results of activation measurements from eight facilities are being collected for interpretation at Eastern Kentucky University and NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center. The major activation mechanism in LDEF components is the proton flux in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). This flux is highly anisotropic, and could be sampled by taking advantage of the gravity-gradient stabilization of the LDEF. The directionally-dependent activation due to these protons was clearly observed in the data from aluminum experiment tray clamps (reaction product Na-22), steel trunnions (reaction product Mn-54 and others) and is also indicated by the presence of a variety of nuclides in other materials. A secondary production mechanism, thermal neutron capture, was observed in cobalt, indium, and tantalum, which are known to have large capture cross sections. Experiments containing samples of these metals and significant amounts of thermalizing low atomic number (Z) material showed clear evidence of enhanced activation of Co-60, In-114m, and Ta-182. Other mechanisms which activate spacecraft material that are not as easily separable from SAA proton activation, such as galactic proton bombardment and secondary production by fast neutrons, are being investigated by comparison to radiation environmental calculations. Deviations from one-dimensional radiation models indicate that these mechanisms are more important at greater shielding depths. The current status of the induced radioactivity measurements as of mid-year 1992 are reviewed. Specific activities for a number of materials which show SAA effects and thermal neutron capture are presented. The results for consistency by combining data from the participating institutions is also examined.

Harmon, B. A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Small Portable PEM Fuel Cell Systems for NASA Exploration Missions

Oxygen-Hydrogen PEM-based fuel cell systems are being examined as a portable power source alternative in addition to advanced battery technology. Fuel cell power systems have been used by the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. These systems have not been portable, but have been integral parts of their spacecraft, and have used reactants from a separate cryogenic supply. These systems typically have been higher in power. They also have had significant ancillary equipment sections that perform the pumping of reactants and coolant through the fuel cell stack and the separation of the product water from the unused reactant streams. The design of small portable fuel cell systems will be a significant departure from these previous designs. These smaller designs will have very limited ancillary equipment, relying on passive techniques for reactant and thermal management, and the reactant storage will be an integral part of the fuel cell system. An analysis of the mass and volume for small portable fuel cell systems was done to evaluate and quantify areas of technological improvement. A review of current fuel cell technology as well as reactant storage and management technology was completed to validate the analysis and to identify technology challenges

Burke, Kenneth A.↗

NASA NTRS2010

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2010

Topics covered include: Instrument for Analysis of Greenland's Glacier Mills Cryogenic Moisture Apparatus; A Transportable Gravity Gradiometer Based on Atom Interferometry; Three Methods of Detection of Hydrazines; Crossed, Small-Deflection Energy Analyzer for Wind/Temperature Spectrometer; Wavefront Correction for Large, Flexible Antenna Reflector; Novel Micro Strip-to-Waveguide Feed Employing a Double-Y Junction; Thin-Film Ferro Electric-Coupled Microstripline Phase Shifters With Reduced Device Hysteresis; Two-Stage, 90-GHz, Low-Noise Amplifier; A 311-GHz Fundamental Oscillator Using InP HBT Technology; FPGA Coprocessor Design for an Onboard Multi-Angle Spectro-Polarimetric Imager; Serrating Nozzle Surfaces for Complete Transfer of Droplets; Turbomolecular Pumps for Holding Gases in Open Containers; Triaxial Swirl Injector Element for Liquid-Fueled Engines; Integrated Budget Office Toolbox; PLOT3D Export Tool for Tecplot; Math Description Engine Software Development Kit; Astronaut Office Scheduling System Software; ISS Solar Array Management; Probabilistic Structural Analysis Program; SPOT Program; Integrated Hybrid System Architecture for Risk Analysis; System for Packaging Planetary Samples for Return to Earth; Offset Compound Gear Drive; Low-Dead-Volume Inlet for Vacuum Chamber; Simple Check Valves for Microfluidic Devices; A Capillary-Based Static Phase Separator for Highly Variable Wetting Conditions; Gimballing Spacecraft Thruster; Finned Carbon-Carbon Heat Pipe with Potassium Working Fluid; Lightweight Heat Pipes Made from Magnesium; Ceramic Rail-Race Ball Bearings; Improved OTEC System for a Submarine Robot; Reflector Surface Error Compensation in Dual-Reflector Antennas; Enriched Storable Oxidizers for Rocket Engines; Planar Submillimeter-Wave Mixer Technology with Integrated Antenna; Widely Tunable Mode-Hop-Free External-Cavity Quantum Cascade Laser; Non-Geiger-Mode Single-Photon Avalanche Detector with Low Excess Noise; Using Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators for Refractometry; RF Device for Acquiring Images of the Human Body; Reactive Collision Avoidance Algorithm; Fast Solution in Sparse LDA for Binary Classification; Modeling Common-Sense Decisions in Artificial Intelligence; Graph-Based Path-Planning for Titan Balloons; Nanolaminate Membranes as Cylindrical Telescope Reflectors; Air-Sea Spray Airborne Radar Profiler Characterizes Energy Fluxes in Hurricanes; Large Telescope Segmented Primary Mirror Alignment; and Simplified Night Sky Display System.

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NASA NTRS2012

An Altair Overview: Designing a Lunar Lander for 21st Century Human Space Exploration

Altair, the lunar lander element of NASA's Constellation program, was conducted in a different design environment than many other NASA projects of similar scope. Because of this relatively unique approach, there are a number of significant success stories that should be considered during the development of any future lunar landers or human spacecraft. This paper is divided into two separate themes; the first is the approach used during the conceptual design studies, including the systematic analysis cycles and the decision making process associated with each: and the second is a summary of the resulting lessons learned that were compiled after looking back at the lifetime of the Project. Altair was terminated before entering Phase B of its design, and was often criticized for being a very heavy and very large vehicle. While there was specific rationale for all of the decisions that led up to that configuration, future design cycles were specifically planned to re-address the mass challenge. Had the project continued, the deliberate, stepwise design process would have converged on an optimized lander design that balanced mass, risk, cost and capabilities. Some of the specific items that will be addressed in this paper include project development strategy, organizational approach and team dynamics, risk-informed design process, mission architecture constraints, mission key driving requirements, model-based systems engineering process, configuration studies, contingency considerations, subsystem overviews and key trade studies. The paper will conclude with a summary of the lessons identified during the Altair project and make suggestions for application to future studies.

Brown, Kendall K.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Unibody Composite Pressurized Structure (UCPS) for In-Space Propulsion

Microcosm, Inc., in conjunction with the Scorpius Space Launch Company, is developing a UCPS (Unibody Composite Pressurized Structure )for in-space propulsion. This innovative approach constitutes a clean break from traditional spacecraft design by combining what were traditionally separate primary and secondary support structures and metal propellant tanks into a single unit.

Rufer, Markus↗

NASA NTRS2016

A Robust, Gravity-Insensitive, High-Temperature Condenser for Water Recovery

Regenerative life support systems are vital for NASA's future long-duration human space exploration missions. A Heat Melt Compactor (HMC) system is being developed by NASA to dry and compress trash generated during space missions. The resulting water vapor is recovered and separated from the process gas flow by a gravity-insensitive condenser. Creare is developing a high-temperature condenser for this application. The entire condenser is constructed from metals that have excellent resistance to chemical attack from contaminants and is suitable for high-temperature operation. The metal construction and design configuration also offer greatest flexibility for potential coating and regeneration processes to reduce biofilm growth and thus enhancing the reliability of the condenser. The proposed condenser builds on the gravity-insensitive phase separator technology Creare developed for aircraft and spacecraft applications. This paper will first discuss the design requirements for the condenser in an HMC system that will be demonstrated on the International Space Station (ISS). Then, it will present the overall design of the condenser and the preliminary thermal test results of a subscale condenser. Finally, this paper will discuss the predicted performance of the full-size condenser and the development plan to mature the technology and enhance its long-term reliability for a flight system.

Chen, Weibo↗

NASA NTRS2009

Arm Locking for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a planned gravitational wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in heliocentric orbit. Laser interferometry is used to measure distance fluctuations between test masses aboard each spacecraft to the picometer level over a 5 million kilometer separation. Laser frequency fluctuations must be suppressed in order to meet the measurement requirements. Arm-locking, a technique that uses the constellation of spacecraft as a frequency reference, is a proposed method for stabilizing the laser frequency. We consider the problem of arm-locking using classical optimal control theory and find that our designs satisfy the LISA requirements.

Maghami, P. G.↗

NASA NTRS2007

A New Source of Space Weather Data

The twin STEREO spacecraft were launched on October 26,2006 and, after spending several weeks in alignment orbits, became operational in heliocentric orbits on January 2 1,2007. The spacecraft are now in orbits similar to Earth's and are separating from each other at a rate of about 45 degrees per year as viewed from the sun. The STEREO spacecraft are each equipped with a complement of EUV, and white light imagers as well as particles and fields in situ instruments and a radio burst tracker. In addition to full resolution data downloaded once per day, each spacecraft broadcasts a real time telemetry 'beacon' stream containing compressed images and typically one minute averages of solar wind measurements and radio intensities. These real time data streams are received by a mix of NOAA and NASA-managed tracking stations and the data is transmitted by these stations to the STEREO Science Center at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center where they are processed into useable parameters with a latency of less than five minutes from receipt. As the two spacecraft recede from the sun-Earth line, triangulation of the imaging and radio measurements should allow better estimate of the speed and direction of coronal mass ejections, allowing a more precise estimate of their arrival at Earth. In situ particles and fields measurements, particularly for the spacecraft (Behind) trailing Earth in its orbit, will sample the solar wind that will eventually co-rotate around to the sun-Earth line. Late in the prime mission when the spacecraft are very far (>90 degrees) from the sun-Earth line, observations from the Behind spacecraft, will be particularly valuable for providing a preview of active regions well beyond the sun's East limb (as seen from Earth). Continually updated STEREO space weather data can be viewed and downloaded at http:/lstereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.govldata/beacon/.

Kaiser, Michael L.↗

NASA NTRS2004

LISA Propulsion Module Separation Study

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a space-borne gravitational wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in heliocentric orbit. Each spacecraft is delivered to it operational orbit by a propulsion module. Because of the strict thermal and mass balancing requirements of LISA, the baseline mission concept requires that the propulsion module separate from the sciencecraft after delivery. The only propulsion system currently baselined for the sciencecraft are micronewton level thrusters, such as FEEP or colloid thrusters, that are used to balance the 30-40 microN of solar radiation pressure and provide the drag-free and attitude control of the spacecraft. Due to these thrusters limited authority, the separation of the propulsion module from the sciencecraft must be well controlled to not induce a large tip-off rotation of the sciencecraft. We present here the results of a design study of the propulsion module separation system that is shown to safely deliver the LISA sciencecraft to its final operational orbit.

Merkowitz, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS1980

SPS attitude control and stationkeeping: Requirements and tradeoffs

The dominant control requirements of solar power satellites change appreciably relative to small contemporary spacecraft. Trade studies and analyses illustrated preferred control approaches. It was found that the geosynchronous equatorial orbit is preferred over the alternative orbits considered, that the solar pressure orbit perturbation dominates stationkeeping propulsion requirements and that a combined AC and SK system using ion electric propulsion can satisfy the attitude control requirements. It was also found that control system/structural dynamic interaction stability can be obtained through frequency separation with reasonable structural dynamic requirements and simplify spacecraft design.

Oglevie, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Neutron measurements in near-Earth orbit with COMPTEL

The fast neutron flux in near-Earth orbit has been measured with the COMPTEL instrument on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). For this measurement one of COMPTEL's seven liquid scintillator modules was used as an uncollimated neutron detector with threshold of 12.8 MeV. The measurements cover a range of 4.8 to 15.5 GV in vertical cutoff rigidity and 3 deg to 177 deg in spacecraft geocenter zenith angle. One of the measurements occurred near the minimum of the deepest Forbush decrease ever observed by ground-level neutron monitors. After correction for solar modulation, the total flux is well fitted by separable functions in rigidity and zenith angle. With the spacecraft pointed near the nadir the flux is consistent with balloon measurements of the atmospheric neutron albedo. The flux varies by about a factor of 4 between the extremes of rigidity and a factor of 2 between the extremes of zenith angle. The effect of the spacecraft mass in shielding the detector from the atmospheric neutron albedo is much more important than its role as a source of additional secondary neutrons. The neutron spectral hardness varies little with rigidity or zenith angle and lies in the range spanned by earlier atmospheric neutron albedo measurements.

Morris, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Can He-3 - He-4 dilution refrigerators operate aboard spacecraft

The possibility of using an He-3 - He-4 dilution refrigerator to provide cooling down to millikelvin-range temperatures for high sensitivity and low noise instruments employed in future space missions is considered. Calculations are presented which demonstrate that electrostriction can be substituted for gravity as a practical means of achieving phase separation, with well defined interfaces in mixing chambers of spacecraft dilution refrigerators. An electric field of the required strength may be created by a potential difference of about 5000 V, across a gap of 0.5 mm.

Jackson, H. W.↗