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NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins Technology Development Programs

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices, established in 2011, reside at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The offices serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the programs' technology development activities and technology investment portfolio, funded by NASA's Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program. We currently fund 19 technology advancements to enable future PCOS and COR missions to help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The programs' goal is to promote and support technology development needed to enable missions envisioned by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) Decadal Survey report [1] and the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2]. These include technology development for dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and a 4m-class UV/optical telescope to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies, as a post-Hubble observatory with significantly improved sensitivity and capability.

Technology Management Board (TMB)

Kodak AMSD Mirror Development Program

The Advanced Mirror System Demonstration Program is developing minor technology for the next generation optical systems. Many of these systems will require extremely lightweight and stable optics due to the overall size of the primary mirror. These segmented, deployable systems require new technology that AMSD is developing. The on-going AMSD program is a critical enabler for Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) which will start in 2002. The status of Kodak's AMSD mirror and future plans will be discussed with respect to the NGST program.

Matthews, Gary

LED pumped Nd:YAG laser development program

The results of a development program for light emitting diode (LED) pumped Nd:YAG lasers are described. An index matching method to increase the coupling efficiency of the laser is described. A solid glass half-cylinder of 5.0 by 5.6 centimeters was used for index matching and also as a pumping cavity reflector. The laser rods were 1.5 by 56 millimeters with dielectric coatings on both end surfaces. The interfaces between the diode array, glass cylinder, and laser rod were filled with viscous fluid of refractive index n = 1.55. Experiments performed with both the glass cylinder and a gold coated stainless steel reflector of the same dimensions under the same operating conditions indicate that the index matching cylinder gave 159 to 200 percent improvement of coupling efficiency over the metal reflector at various operating temperatures.

Farmer, G. I.

Advanced Development Program, Books 4 and 5

The technology and advanced development programs required to support the Space Station are outlined. The technology program identifies the key technology options that have the potential for enhancing the desired operational Space Station. The advanced development program provides the means of advancing selected technologies and demonstrating feasibility and performance before implementing into the Space Station design. The program is designed to support the initial Space Station and the evolutionary growth capability.

Source record

Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program

Progress is reported in the following: the Stirling reference engine system design; components and subsystems; F-40 baseline Stirling engine installation and test; the first automotive engine to be built on the program; computer development activities; and technical assistance to the Government. The overall program philosophy is outlined, and data and results are given.

Allen, M.

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins Technology Development Programs

The strategic astrophysics missions of the coming decades will help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" Enabling these missions requires advances in key technologies far beyond the current state of the art. NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices manage technology maturation projects funded through the Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program to accomplish such advances. The PCOS and COR Program Offices, residing at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), were established in 2011, and serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the Programs' technology development activities and the current technology investment portfolio of 23 technology advancements. We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The Programs' priorities are driven by strategic direction from the Astrophysics Division, which is informed by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) 2010 Decadal Survey report [1], the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2] as updated, and the Astrophysics Roadmap "Enduring Quests, Daring Visions" [3]. These priorities include technology development for missions to study dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and large far-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV)/optical/IR telescopes to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies. The SAT program is the Astrophysics Division's main investment method to mature technologies that will be identified by study teams set up to inform the 2020 Decadal Survey process on several large astrophysics mission concepts.

SPIE paper

NASA'S Simulant Development Program Evolution and Overview

Since its origination under NASA's previous Human System Research and Technology program, the Lunar Simulant Development Program has undergone several changes. NASA recognized as early as the Apollo Program, and even more so as a result of the Apollo missions, that a viable dust and lunar simulant program is critical to the success of its space exploration goals. Unfortunately, this program has suffered the same problems that all programs share from time to time including uncertain budgets, shifting of priorities, and schedule fluctuations. To compound the problem, the process for developing simulants is being redefined and is not a trivial pursuit. Before now, NASA had not attempted to develop a suitable standard simulant since the 1990s when JSC-1 was produced. Although several other simulants have been developed by various groups both before and after the production of JSC-1, JSC-1 had become the de facto standard even though it has some limitations. The development and production of new simulants will address some of these limitations by starting with an assessment of NASA's needs and understanding the required processing in order to make these simulants.

McLemore, Carole

A digital fly-by-wire technology development program using an F-8C test aircraft

A digital fly-by-wire flight control system has been installed in an F-8C test airplane and has undergone extensive ground and flight testing as part of an overall program to develop digital fly-by-wire technology. This is the first airplane to fly with a digital fly-by-wire system as its primary means of control and with no mechanical reversion capability. Forty-two test flights were made for a total flight time of 57 hours. Six pilots participated in the evaluation. This paper presents an overview of the digital fly-by-wire program and discusses some of the flight-test results.

Jarvis, C. R.

SNAP-8 electrical generating system development program

The SNAP-8 program has developed the technology base for one class of multikilowatt dynamic space power systems. Electrical power is generated by a turbine-alternator in a mercury Rankine-cycle loop to which heat is transferred and removed by means of sodium-potassium eutectic alloy subsystems. Final system overall criteria include a five-year operating life, restartability, man rating, and deliverable power in the 90 kWe range. The basic technology was demonstrated by more than 400,000 hours of major component endurance testing and numerous startup and shutdown cycles. A test system, comprised of developed components, delivered up to 35 kWe for a period exceeding 12,000 hours. The SNAP-8 system baseline is considered to have achieved a level of technology suitable for final application development for long-term multikilowatt space missions.

Source record

SNAP-8 electrical generating system development program

The SNAP-8 program has developed the technology base for one class of multikilowatt dynamic space power systems. Electrical power is generated by a turbine-alternator in a mercury Rankine-cycle loop to which heat is transferred and removed by means of sodium-potassium eutectic alloy subsystems. Final system overall criteria include a five-year operating life, restartability, man rating, and deliverable power in the 90 kWe range. The basic technology has been demonstrated by more than 400,000 hours of major component endurance testing and numerous startup and shutdown cycles. A test system, comprised of developed components, delivered up to 35 kWe for a period exceeding 12,000 hours. The SNAP-8 system baseline is considered to have achieved a level of technology suitable for final application development for long-term multikilowatt space missions.

Source record

The 100 ampere-hour nickel cadmium battery development program, volume 1

A program to develop a long-life, reliable and safe 100 ampere-hour sealed nickel-cadmium cell and battery module with ancillary charge control and automated test equipment to fulfill the requirements of a large Manned Orbital Space Station which uses Solar Arrays as its prime source for 25 kW of electrical power was conducted. A sealed 100 ampere-hour cell with long life potential and a replaceable, space maintainable battery module has been developed for Manned Space Station applications. The 100 ampere-hour cell has been characterized for initial (early life) anticipated conditions.

Gaston, S.

Large rotorcraft transmission technology development program

Testing of a U.S. Army XCH-62 HLH aft rotor transmission under NASA Contract NAS 3-22143 was successfully completed. This test establishes the feasibility of large, high power rotorcraft transmissions as well as demonstrating the resolution of deficiencies identified during the HLH advanced technology programs and reported by USAAMRDLTR-77-38. Over 100 hours of testing was conducted. At the 100% design power rating of 10,620 horsepower, the power transferred through a single spiral bevel gear mesh is more than twice that of current helicopter bevel gearing. In the original design of these gears, industry-wide design methods were employed and failures were experienced which identified problem areas unique to gear size. To remedy this technology shortfall, a program was developed to predict gear stresses using finite element analysis for complete and accurate representation of the gear tooth and supporting structure. To validate the finite element methodology gear strain data from the existing U.S. Army HLH aft transmission was acquired, and existing data from smaller gears were made available.

Mack, J. C.

Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program Mod I Stirling engine development

The development of the Mod I 4-cylinder automotive Stirling engine is discussed and illustrated with drawings, block diagrams, photographs, and graphs and tables of preliminary test data. The engine and its drive, cold-engine, hot-engine, external-heat, air/fuel, power-control, electronic-control, and auxiliary systems are characterized. Performance results from a total of 1900 h of tests on 4 prototype engines include average maximum efficiency (at 2000 rpm) 34.5 percent and maximum output power 54.4 kW. The modifications introduced in an upgraded version of the Mod I are explained; this engine has maximum efficiency 40.4 percent and maximum power output 69.2 kW.

Simetkosky, M. A.

Sharp-B01: An Important Element of NASA's Launch Vehicle Development Program

Sharp body designs for future reusable launch vehicles offer a number of attractive features including allowing zero staging, enabling airbreathing and lofting ascents, and potentially providing global cross range re-entries with continuous communications. The Slender Hypersonic Aerothermodynamic Research Program (SHARP) was initiated by NASA Ames to demonstrate sharp, passive leading edge designs for hypersonic vehicles, incorporating new ultra-high temperature ceramics. This paper will discuss how SHARP will provide an important technology base for making sharp body hypersonic vehicle designs a reality, and how this activity fits into NASA's overall program for developing next generation reusable launch vehicles.

Rasky, Daniel J.

The NASA High Accuracy Fuel Flowmeter (HAFF) Development Program

The high accuracy fuel flowmeter development program is described. A flightworthy meter that measures mass flowrate of aircraft fuels to within + or - 0.25% of reading over a 50:1 range of flow is developed. A study of measurement techniques to achieve this goal yielded three candidates: (1) a dual turbine flowmeter with density and viscosity compensation; (2) an angular momentum flowmeter with a motor-driven, spring-restrained turbine and viscosity shroud; and (3) a vortex precission flowmeter with density and viscosity compensation. An experimental study of each technique was completed and the first two candidates were selected for prototype development.

Hobart, H. F.

Advanced Launch Development Program status

The Advanced Launch System is a joint NASA - Air Force program originally directed to define the concept for a modular family of launch vehicles, to continue development programs and preliminary design activities focused primarily on low cost to orbit, and to offer maturing technologies to existing systems. The program was restructed in the spring of 1990 as a result of funding reductions and renamed the Advanced Launch Development Program. This paper addresses the program's status following that restructuring and as NASA and the Air Force commence a period of deliberation over future space launch needs and the budgetary resources available to meet those needs. The program is currently poised to protect a full-scale development decision in the mid-1990's through the appropriate application of program resources. These resources are concentrated upon maintaining the phase II system contractor teams, continuing the Space Transportation Engine development activity, and refocusing the Advanced Development Program demonstrated activities.

Colgrove, Roger