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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 55 records · Page 3

Lessons learned about spaceflight and cell biology experiments

Conducting cell biology experiments in microgravity can be among the most technically challenging events in a biologist's life. Conflicting events of spaceflight include waiting to get manifested, delays in manifest schedules, training astronauts to not shake your cultures and to add reagents slowly, as shaking or quick injection can activate signaling cascades and give you erroneous results. It is important to select good hardware that is reliable. Possible conflicting environments in flight include g-force and vibration of launch, exposure of cells to microgravity for extended periods until hardware is turned on, changes in cabin gases and cosmic radiation. One should have an on-board 1-g control centrifuge in order to eliminate environmental differences. Other obstacles include getting your funding in a timely manner (it is not uncommon for two to three years to pass between notification of grant approval for funding and actually getting funded). That said, it is important to note that microgravity research is worthwhile since all terrestrial life evolved in a gravity field and secrets of biological function may only be answered by removing the constant of gravity. Finally, spaceflight experiments are rewarding and worth your effort and patience.

manned↗

Thermoplastics for aircraft interiors

The goal for this contract is the development of processes and techniques for molding thermally stable, fire retardant, low smoke emitting polymeric materials. Outlined in this presentation are: (1) the typical molding types; (2) a program schedule; (3) physical properties of molding types with the test methods to be used; (4) general properties of injection molding materials; and (5) preliminary materials selection.

Silverman, B.↗

ISTAR: Project Status and Ground Test Engine Design

Review of the current technical and programmatic status of the Integrated System Test of an Airbreathing Rocket (ISTAR) project. November 2002 completed Phase 1 of this project: which worked the conceptual design of the X-43B demonstrator vehicle and Flight Test Engine (FTE) order to develop realistic requirements for the Ground Test Engine (GTE). The latest conceptual FTE and X-43B configuration is briefly reviewed. The project plan is to reduce risk to the GTE and FTE concepts through several tests: thruster, fuel endothermic characterization, engine structure/heat exchanger, injection characterization rig, and full scale direct connect combustion rig. Each of these will be discussed along with the project schedule. This discussion is limited due to ITAR restrictions on open literature papers.

Quinn, Jason Eugene↗

HIFiRE Direct-Connect Rig (HDCR) Phase I Ground Test Results from the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility

The initial phase of hydrocarbon-fueled ground tests supporting Flight 2 of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experiment (HIFiRE) Program has been conducted in the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF). The HIFiRE Program, an Air Force-lead international cooperative program includes eight different flight test experiments designed to target specific challenges of hypersonic flight. The second of the eight planned flight experiments is a hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet flight test intended to demonstrate dual-mode to scramjet-mode operation and verify the scramjet performance prediction and design tools. A performance goal is the achievement of a combusted fuel equivalence ratio greater than 0.7 while in scramjet mode. The ground test rig, designated the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR), is a full-scale, heat sink, direct-connect ground test article that duplicates both the flowpath lines and the instrumentation layout of the isolator and combustor portion of the flight test hardware. The primary objectives of the HDCR Phase I tests are to verify the operability of the HIFiRE isolator/combustor across the Mach 6.0-8.0 flight regime and to establish a fuel distribution schedule to ensure a successful mode transition prior to the HiFIRE payload Critical Design Review. Although the phase I test plans include testing over the Mach 6 to 8 flight simulation range, only Mach 6 testing will be reported in this paper. Experimental results presented here include flowpath surface pressure, temperature, and heat flux distributions that demonstrate the operation of the flowpath over a small range of test conditions around the nominal Mach 6 simulation, as well as a range of fuel equivalence ratios and fuel injection distributions. Both ethylene and a mixture of ethylene and methane (planned for flight) were tested. Maximum back pressure and flameholding limits, as well as a baseline fuel schedule, that covers the Mach 5.84-6.5 test space have been identified.

Hass, Neal E.↗

In-flight Testing of the Injection of the LISA Pathfinder Test Mass into a Geodesic

LISA Pathfinder is a technology demonstrator space mission, aimed at testing key technologies for detecting gravitational waves in space. The mission is the precursor of LISA, the first space gravitational waves observatory, whose launch is scheduled for 2034. The LISA Pathfinder scientific payload includes two gravitational reference sensors (GRSs), each one containing a test mass (TM), which is the sensing body of the experiment. A mission critical task is to set each TM into a pure geodesic motion, i.e. guaranteeing an extremely low acceleration noise in the sub-Hertz frequency bandwidth. The grabbing positioning and release mechanism (GPRM), responsible for the injection of the TM into a geodesic trajectory, was widely tested on ground, with the limitations imposed by the 1-g environment. The experiments showed that the mechanism, working in its nominal conditions, is capable of releasing the TM into free-fall fulfilling the very strict constraint imposed on the TM residual velocity, in order to allow its capture on behalf of the electrostatic actuation. However, the first in-flight releases produced unexpected residual velocity components, for both the TMs. Moreover, all the residual velocity components were greater than maximum value set by the requirements. The main suspect is that unexpected contacts took place between the TM and the surroundings bodies. As a consequence, ad hoc manual release procedures had to be adopted for the few following injections performed during the nominal mission. These procedures still resulted in non compliant TM states which were captured only after impacts. However, such procedures seem not practicable for LISA, both for the limited repeatability of the system and for the unmanageable time lag of the telemetry/telecommand signals (about 4400 s). For this reason, at the end of the mission, the GPRM was deeply tested in-flight, performing a large number of releases, according to different strategies. The tests were carried out in order to understand the unexpected dynamics and limit its effects on the final injection. Some risk mitigation maneuvers have been tested aimed at minimizing the vibration of the system at the release and improving the alignment between the mechanism and the TM. However, no overall optimal release strategy to be implemented in LISA could be found, because the two GPRMs behaved differently.

LISA↗

Utah FORGE: Well 16A(78)-32 Drilling Data

This dataset includes survey data, drilling data, daily reports, summaries of daily operations, and rig photos from the drilling of Utah FORGE well 16A(78)-32, which is a highly deviated deep well. It was completed 60 days ahead of schedule. Rig move in began 10/22/2020 and drilling commenced on 10/30/2020, and total depth was reached on 12/18/2020. Drilling was followed by a diagnostic fracture injection test (DFIT), logging, and circulating casing. The rig was released on 1/12/2021. The upper part of the well was drilled vertically through approximately 4,700 feet of sediments before penetrating into high strength, crystalline granite. The well was deviated at a 65 degree angle from vertical after reaching a depth of 6,000 ft. This angle was maintained for the remainder of the well's trajectory. The well ultimately reached a true vertical depth of 8,559 feet, and a total measured depth of 10,987 feet. Preliminary measurements indicate temperatures at the "toe" of the well will exceed 442 degrees F (228 degrees C). Approximately 74 ft of core of the granitic and metamorphic rocks that will form the FORGE reservoir was also recovered.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Design of Plant Gas Exchange Experiments in a Variable Pressure Growth Chamber

Sustainable human presence in extreme environments such as lunar and martian bases will require bioregenerative components to human life support systems where plants are used for generation of oxygen, food, and water. Reduced atmospheric pressures will be used to minimize mass and engineering requirements. Few studies have assessed the metabolic and developmental responses of plants to reduced pressure and varied oxygen atmospheres. The first tests of hypobaric pressures on plant gas exchange and biomass production at the Johnson Space Center will be initiated in January 1996 in the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber (VPGC), a large, closed plant growth chamber rated for 10.2 psi. Experiments were designed and protocols detailed for two complete growouts each of lettuce and wheat to generate a general database for human life support requirements and to answer questions about plant growth processes in reduced pressure and varied oxygen environments. The central objective of crop growth studies in the VPGC is to determine the influence of reduced pressure and reduced oxygen on the rates of photosynthesis, dark respiration, evapotranspiration and biomass production of lettuce and wheat. Due to the constraint of one experimental unit, internal controls, called pressure transients, will be used to evaluate rates of CO2 uptake, O2 evolution, and H2O generation. Pressure transients will give interpretive power to the results of repeated growouts at both reduced and ambient pressures. Other experiments involve the generation of response functions to partial pressures of O2 and CO2 and to light intensity. Protocol for determining and calculating rates of gas exchange have been detailed. In order to build these databases and implement the necessary treatment combinations in short time periods, specific requirements for gas injections and removals have been defined. A set of system capability checks will include determination of leakage rates conducted prior to the actual crop growouts. Schedules of experimental events for lettuce and wheat are outlined and include replications in time of diurnal routines, pressure transients, variable pO2, pO2/pCO2 ratio, and light intensity responses.

Corey, Kenneth A.↗

Research requirements for emergency power to permit hover-one-engine-inoperative helicopter operation

The research and technology demonstration requirements to achieve emergency-power capability for a civil helicopter are documented. The goal for emergency power is the ability to hover with one engine inoperative, transition to minimum-power forward flight, and continue to a safe landing where emergency power may or may not be required. The best method to obtain emergency power is to augment the basic engine power by increasing the engine's speed and turbine-inlet temperature, combined with water-alcohol injection at the engine inlet. Other methods, including turbine boost power and flywheel energy, offer potential for obtaining emergency power for minimum time durations. Costs and schedules are estimated for a research and development program to bring emergency power through a hardware-demonstration test. Interaction of engine emergency-power capability with other helicopter systems is examined.

Yost, J. H.↗

Evaluating the demand response potential of ammonia plants

Demand-side management/demand response (DSM/DR) are key strategies for mitigating the inherent variability in electricity generation rates by renewable sources. This article represents—to our knowledge—the first foray into assessing the DR potential of ammonia plants. Ammonia plants are interesting candidates for DR initiatives because of their significant electricity use (for operating compressors driving the synthesis loop) and the ability to store the ammonia product relatively easily and safely. Our approach is based on formulating and solving an optimal DR scheduling problem for an ammonia plant while accounting for the process dynamics. To this end, we introduce a new Hammerstein–Wiener-inspired modeling framework based on injecting linear dynamics in a first-principles static nonlinear model of the process. The results are encouraging; for the cases considered, peak-time power consumption decreases between 3.57% and 7.40%, coupled with 1.39% to 3.70% reductions in operating cost.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Probabilistic Zonal Reserve Requirements for Improved Energy Deliverability with Wind Power

In power systems with high penetration of renewable energy resources, uncertainty and variability of these stochastic resources introduce additional challenges for the operation of power systems. To improve the power system's reliability in the face of uncertainty, reserves are required as additional generation capacity to rebalance the power system following random disturbances. However, reserve deliverability is not guaranteed, because it may encounter potential transmission line congestion. Zonal reserve requirements can address this issue, but operators lack efficient ways to allocate reserves to zones while accounting for wind power forecast uncertainty. Herein we propose a methodology for probabilistic zonal reserve requirements to address wind power forecast uncertainties. This method estimates the probability distribution of line flows based on the system generation margin and injection shift factor. This estimate is then used to construct pre-defined and post-zonal reserve requirements. Case studies demonstrate that the proposed method efficiently schedules energy and reserves to balance energy and manage deliverability with wind power forecast uncertainty.We also discuss operational implications of the proposed method.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

A Hierarchical Control Architecture: Utilization of Behind-the-Meter Appliances with Increased Visibility and Controllability

Optimal operations of distribution systems to enhance reliability and resiliency can be achieved if information with higher fidelity can be accessed from grid premise devices. This paper discusses a hierarchical control architecture that can introduce higher visibility and controllability by utilizing the estimated injection and absorption of different behind-the-meter controllable loads, and DERs, including EVs, within a premise. The acquired information is used to make control decisions for scheduling the premise appliances to reduce energy consumptions. The premise controller can also optimize the consumptions on a day-to-day basis in addition to taking input signals from the utility operators to support grid-service events (e.g., peak shaving). The entire control architecture is designed in a modular and scalable fashion that provides benefits to the utility from the reuse of existing infrastructure while creating opportunities for various grid services to be enabled by the operation of premise controllers.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Apollo 16 Press Kit

The Apollo 16 spacecraft is scheduled for launch on Apr. 16, 1972 from Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida by the Saturn V launch vehicle. Crewmen are mission commander John W. Young, command module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II and lunar module pilot Charles M. Duke Jr. Objectives of the mission, to last up to 12 days, as outlined by NASA: to perform selenological inspection, survey and sampling of materials in a preselected region of Descartes using a lunar roving' vehicle; deploy and activate Apollo surface experiments; develop man's capability to work in the lunar environment; obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites; and toconduct inflight experiments and photographic tasks in lunar orbit. Following launch, the spacecraft will reach Earth Parking Orbit and remain in orbit for about two and one-half revolutions prior to Translunar Injection. Next, the Command and Service Module docks with the Lunar Module and the spacecraft "coasts" to the moon. In orbit around the moon, the Command and Service Module/Lunar Module combination will descend to within 50,000 feet of the lunar surface before undocking. The Lunar Module will continue to descend while the Command and Service Module returns to an orbit approximately 60 miles high. Stay time on the lunar surface is scheduled for approximately 73 hours. The ascent stage of the Lunar Module then lifts the astronauts back into lunar orbit where they will dock with the Command/Service Module. The Lunar Module is jettisoned and Transearth Injection follows. Just prior to reentry into the earth's atmosphere, the Service Module is jettisoned, and the astronauts in the Command Module splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The target point for end-of-mission splashdown is at 05 degrees 0 minutes north latitude and 158 degrees 40 minutes west longitude or approximately 985 nautical miles south of Honolulu, Hawaii. Splashdown is scheduled for Apr. 28, 1972 at 10:30 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (2:30 p.m. CST). Recovery forces for Apollo 16, stationed in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, will consist of three ships, nine aircraft and nearly 1,700 personnel. CTF-130 (Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force, Pacific) forces will be stationed south of Hawaii. Three ships, eight helicopters and three Air Force HC-130H aircraft, and nearly 1,100 personnel, will take part. Task Force 140 (Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force, Atlantic), comprising one ship, six HC-130H aircraft, three helicopters and approximately 300 personnel, will be positioned for possible launch abort operations. Two ships in the Atlantic will also be used for acoustical testing. Other forces, primarily aircraft and personnel of the Air Force Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service will be on alert around the world for contingency recovery support.

Source record↗

Design, Development, and Testing of a UAV Hardware-in-the-Loop Testbed for Aviation and Airspace Prognostics Research

The airspace is becoming more and more complicated, and will continue to do so in the future with the integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), autonomy, spacecraft, other forms of aviation technology into the airspace. The new technology and complexity increases the importance and difficulty of safety assurance. Additionally, testing new technologies on complex aviation systems & systems of systems can be very difficult, expensive, and sometimes unsafe in real life scenarios. Prognostic methodology provides an estimate of the health and risks of a component, vehicle, or airspace and knowledge of how that will change over time. That measure is especially useful in safety determination, mission planning, and maintenance scheduling. The developed testbed will be used to validate prediction algorithms for the real-time safety monitoring of the National Airspace System (NAS) and the prediction of unsafe events. The framework injects flight related anomalies related to ground systems, routing, airport congestion, etc. to test and verify algorithms for NAS safety. In our research work, we develop a live, distributed, hardware-in-the-loop testbed for aviation and airspace prognostics along with exploring further research possibilities to verify and validate future algorithms for NAS safety. The testbed integrates virtual aircraft using the X-Plane simulator and X-PlaneConnect toolbox, UAVs using onboard sensors and cellular communications, and hardware in the loop components. In addition, the testbed includes an additional research framework to support and simplify future research activities. It enables safe, accurate, and inexpensive experimentation and research into airspace and vehicle prognosis that would not have been possible otherwise. This paper describes the design, development, and testing of this system. Software reliability, safety and latency are some of the critical design considerations in development of the testbed. Integration of HITL elements in the development phases and veri cation/ validation are key elements to this report.

HITL↗

Theoretical analysis of a refrigerant injection-enhanced air source heat pump with thermal energy storage for extended cold-climate and defrosting operations

This study investigates a conceptual refrigerant injection-enhanced air source heat pump with integrated thermal energy storage (ITES-ASHP) that combines two-phase flash tank injection with phase change material (PCM) thermal energy storage (TES) to extend cold-climate operation and maintain indoor heating during defrost. A steady-state, mode-based thermodynamic cycle model is developed to evaluate heating and defrosting modes with and without refrigerant injection and TES integration over an outdoor temperature range of 8 to −25 °C. The framework is applied to refrigerants R-290, R-454B, R-410 A, and R-32. A parametric study is conducted for an 18-kW system rated for an outdoor temperature of 8 °C, with the compressor frequency scheduled to 150 Hz. The optimal PCM phase-change temperature is identified as 20 °C for R-290, R-454B, and R-410 A, and 15 °C for R-32. At the design condition of −25 °C outdoor temperature, the proposed concept achieves a combined COP of 2.22 for R-290, corresponding to a 60% increase relative to the theoretical single-stage baseline for combined heating and defrosting operation. Safety screening based on compressor discharge temperature (≤ 120 °C) and injection quality (≥ 0.65), together with performance evaluation, indicates that R-290 is the most suitable candidate, followed by R-410 A and R-454B. Under the assumptions and constraints used here, R-32 is found to be less suitable due to excessive discharge temperatures and a higher risk of wet compression.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Coping with space motion sickness in Spacelab missions

Lessons learned from Skylab are applied to methods of dealing with space sickness among crewmembers in their first orbital flight. Early experiences on Skylab 3 led to regularly scheduled scopalamine/dexedrine tablets ingestion. Subsequent experiences on the next Skylab mission established a 75% incidence of the sickness among first-time-in-orbit crewmembers, notably in periods of inactivity rather than work periods. Intramuscular injections are recommended to treat acute space sickness. Preflight transdermal scopalamine plus three or four doses of 5 mg amphetamine are chosen preventive measures, giving 12 hours of efficacy.

Graybiel, A.↗

Intelligent process development of foam molding for the Thermal Protection System (TPS) of the space shuttle external tank

A knowledge based system to assist process engineers in evaluating the processability and moldability of poly-isocyanurate (PIR) formulations for the thermal protection system of the Space Shuttle external tank (ET) is discussed. The Reaction Injection Molding- Process Development Advisor (RIM-PDA) is a coupled system which takes advantage of both symbolic and numeric processing techniques. This system will aid the process engineer in identifying a startup set of mold schedules and in refining the mold schedules to remedy specific process problems diagnosed by the system.

Bharwani, S. S.↗

Monte Carlo Analysis of the Commissioning Phase Maneuvers of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission will perform soil moisture content and freeze/thaw state observations from a low-Earth orbit. The observatory is scheduled to launch in October 2014 and will perform observations from a near-polar, frozen, and sun-synchronous Science Orbit for a 3-year data collection mission. At launch, the observatory is delivered to an Injection Orbit that is biased below the Science Orbit; the spacecraft will maneuver to the Science Orbit during the mission Commissioning Phase. The delta V needed to maneuver from the Injection Orbit to the Science Orbit is computed statistically via a Monte Carlo simulation; the 99th percentile delta V (delta V99) is carried as a line item in the mission delta V budget. This paper details the simulation and analysis performed to compute this figure and the delta V99 computed per current mission parameters.

Monte Carlo simulations↗