The heat sterilizable battery.
Sealed heat sterilizable high impact resistant battery for space missions, grafting acrylic acid and polyethylene by irradiation for separator
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLY↗
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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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Concept to Reality: Contributions of the Langley Research Center to US Civil Aircraft of the 1990s
This document is intended to be a companion to NASA/SP-2000-4519, Partners in Freedom: Contributions of the Langley Research Center to U.S. Military Aircraft of the 1990s . Material included in the combined set of volumes provides informative and significant examples of the impact of Langley's research on U.S. civil and military aircraft of the 1990s. This volume, 'Concept to Reality: Contributions of the NASA Langley Research Center to U.S. Civil Aircraft of the 1990s', highlights significant Langley contributions to safety, cruise performance, takeoff and landing capabilities, structural integrity, crashworthiness, flight deck technologies, pilot-vehicle interfaces, flight characteristics, stall and spin behavior, computational design methods, and other challenging technical areas for civil aviation. The contents of this volume include descriptions of some of the more important applications of Langley research to current civil fixed-wing aircraft (rotary-wing aircraft are not included), including commercial airliners, business aircraft, and small personal-owner aircraft. In addition to discussions of specific aircraft applications, the document also covers contributions of Langley research to the operation of civil aircraft, which includes operating problems. This document is organized according to disciplinary technologies, for example, aerodynamics, structures, materials, and flight systems. Within each discussion, examples are cited where industry applied Langley technologies to specific aircraft that were in operational service during the 1990s and the early years of the new millennium. This document is intended to serve as a key reference for national policy makers, internal NASA policy makers, Congressional committees, the media, and the general public. Therefore, it has been written for a broad general audience and does not presume any significant technical expertise. An extensive bibliography is provided for technical specialists and others who desire a more in-depth discussion of the contributions.
NASA History Series↗
Analysis of LDEF micrometeoroid/debris data and damage to composite laminates
A nomogram based on the number/distribution of micrometeoroid/debris hits recorded on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) is presented. The nomogram permits the user to estimate the total number of impacts that a space structure would encounter as a function of time in orbit, exposed area, and angular location associated with the LDEF. Examples are presented on the application of the nomogram to satellites and space structures of different cross-sections to that of the LDEF. The effects of altitude and orbit inclination are also discussed. To further demonstrate the usefulness of this nomogram, results are compared to impact data measured on the UTIAS polymer matrix composite experiment (AO180). The impact damage occurring on these composite materials is examined, and data on hole size, penetration depth, and delamination area are presented.
R. C. Tennyson↗
NASA's RPS Program Status Update and Future Outlook
Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) have been safely providing the United States with the power to explore space for almost 65 years. NASA established the RPS Program in 2010 to support specialized science missions and potential future opportunities more effectively and efficiently. The RPS Program ensures the availability of RPS for the exploration of the solar system in environments where conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible. NASA missions have utilized space nuclear power to explore planets, moons, and interstellar space, enabling missions to some of the deepest, darkest, and dustiest regions in the solar system and beyond. This scientific exploration has deepened our understanding of the solar system and our role within. The RPS Program, in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy continues to operate as an interagency partnership to provide robust radioisotope power system solutions to spacecraft that conduct missions to extreme environments for science and exploration. This Program invests in systems and technologies to ensure that NASA maintains this capability well into the future and it manages processes that ensure the safe use and launch of these systems. This paper provides a synopsis of current activities of the RPS Program, and it introduces a focus on the commercialization of RPS to enable a variety of future mission applications.
radioisotope power systems↗
Crystal Growth of Selected II-VI Semiconducting Alloys By Directional Solidification
A Hg 0.84 Zn 0.16 Te alloy crystal was back-melted and partially resolidified during the first United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) mission in the Marshall Space Flight Center's Crystal Growth Furnace. The experiment was inadvertently terminated at about 30% of planned completion. Nonetheless, it was successfully demonstrated that HgZnTe alloy ingots partially grown and quenched on the ground can be back-melted and regrown in space under nearly steady state growth conditions. An identical 'ground-truth' experiment was performed following the mission. Preliminary results are presented for both crystals, as well as for a series of other crystals grown prior to the mission for the purposes of optimizing in-flight growth conditions.
S L Lehoczky↗
NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program: An Update
The major objective of the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program is to provide NASA with the policy and posture to increase and ensure the safety, performance, and reliability of batteries for space power systems. The program was initiated in 1985 to address battery problems experienced by NASA and other space battery users over the previous ten years. The original program plan was approved in May 1986 and modified in 1990 to reflect changes in the agency's approach to battery related problems that are affecting flight programs. The NASA Battery Workshop is supported by the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program. The main objective of the discussions is to aid in defining the direction which the agency should head with respect to aerospace battery issues. Presently, primary attention in the Battery Program is being devoted to issues revolving around the future availability of nickel-cadmium batteries as a result of the proposed OSHA standards with respect to allowable cadmium levels in the workplace. The decision of whether or not to pursue the development of an advanced nickel-cadmium cell design and the qualification of vendors to produce cells for flight programs hinges on the impact of the OSHA ruling. As part of a unified Battery Program, the evaluation of a nickel-hydrogen cell design options and primary cell issues are also being pursued to provide high performance NASA Standards and space qualified state-of-the-art cells. The resolution of issues is being addressed with the full participation of the aerospace battery community.
Manzo, Michelle A.↗
Fuel injector design for high temperature aircraft engine
The objective of the Innovative High Temperature Aircraft Engine Fuel Nozzle Program was to design and evaluate a nozzle capable of operating at a combustor inlet air temperature of 1600 F (1144 K) and a fuel temperature of 350 F (450 K). The nozzle was designed to meet the same performance requirements and fit within the size envelope of a current production dual orifice fuel nozzle. The design approach was to use improved thermal protection and fuel passage geometry in combination with fuel passage surface treatment to minimize coking at these extreme fuel and air temperatures. Heat transfer models of several fuel injector concepts were used to optimize the thermal protection, while sample tube coking tests were run to evaluate the effect of surface finish, coatings and tube material on the coking rate. Based on heat transfer analysis, additional air gaps, reduced fuel passage flow area and use of ceramic tip components reduced local fuel wetted wall temperatures by more than 200 F (100 K) when compared to a current production fuel nozzle. Sample tube coking test results showed the importance of surface finish on the fuel coking rate. Therefore, a one micro-inch (0.025 micron) roughness was specified for all fuel passage surfaces. A novel flow divider valve in the tip was also employed to reduce weight, allow room for additional thermal protection, and provide back pressure to reduce the risk of fuel vaporization. The fuel nozzle was fabricated and evaluated in a series of high temperature coking tests. Initial results of these tests indicate that thermal protection and surface treatments were partially successful in preventing nozzle fouling, but additional refinement of the internal flowpath is needed to prevent buildup of coke particles that partially blocked the spin slots which meter the nozzle fuel flow.
R. W. Stickles↗
Why Perovskite Thermal Stress is Unaffected by Thin Contact Layers
Metal halide perovskite photovoltaics have emerged as a high efficiency, low-cost alternative that can potentially rival or enhance conventional silicon technology. Despite exceptional initial power conversion efficiencies, achieving compliance with international standards and widespread adoption requires further enhancements to their operational stability. Notably, addressing mechanical strain and stress in brittle perovskites has emerged as a pivotal approach to mitigate chemical degradation and improve reliability during thermal cycling. Here, in this study, a popularized strain engineering strategy is investigated in which a high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) hole transport layer (i.e., PDCBT) is cast onto inorganic perovskite (CsPbI 2 Br) at 100 °C. Contrary to previously published results, the X-ray diffraction (XRD):Sin 2 ψ and substrate curvature measurement techniques show that the hole transport layer has no discernible impact on perovskite strain. The accuracy of the XRD:Sin 2 ψ method for measuring strain is highlighted in contrast to an analysis based on shifts of single XRD peaks which can be influenced by multiple artifacts. The findings in this study are in accordance with mechanics theory: thin layers are unable to induce significant strain changes in perovskite thin films as the force they apply is negligible compared to that applied by a thick and stiff substrate.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Global Characterization of Polygonally Fractured Terrain on Venus and Implications for a Climate Change Origin
On Earth, polygonal fractures with spacings of 1-100 cm form in lava flows that cool slowly under isotropic stress conditions. On Venus, polygonal fractures are observed with typical fracture spacings of 1-2 km, covering regions 10s to 100s of km across. These features have been proposed to form via cooling of lava flows or above subsurface intrusions, or due to surface cooling caused by climate change. A watershed algorithm was modified to search the entire Magellan image database autonomously for terrains with polygonal fractures. Here we characterize the 204 polygon terrains found using this method (including over 170 newly identified regions) with respect to size, morphology, stratigraphy, and geologic setting. These results are used to examine different models of origin.
S. E. Smrekar↗
Prototype Demonstration of Solar-Carbothermal System to Extract Oxygen From Regolith
The Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project was an effort to develop a prototype system to demonstrate the extraction of oxygen from simulated lunar regolith using concentrated solar energy and a carbothermal reaction. The prototype consisted of a deployable solar concentrator capable of tracking the sun, carbothermal reactor, fluid system, gas analysis, and a solar concentrator control system consisting of avionics and software. These subsystems were developed by multiple NASA centers and a private industry partner, Sierra Space. The various teams worked together to define requirements and interfaces to successfully assemble the complex system and demonstrate an integrated solar carbothermal process. The solar concentrator developed at Glenn Research Center (GRC) was designed to be stowed for a launch environment then deployed on the lunar surface. It utilized a crossed dragone configuration of composite mirrors to direct horizontal sunlight onto a target 90° from the incoming sunlight. The key performance parameters for the solar concentrator were efficiency and power density. The carbothermal reactor was developed by Sierra Space through a separate project called the Carbothermal Oxygen Production Reactor (COPR) where it successfully demonstrated a fully automated process in a thermal vacuum environment [1]. The fluid system needed for the carbothermal reaction was also developed by Sierra Space and successfully demonstrated in the same thermal vacuum test. The gas analysis system was developed at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and was required to determine the amount of oxygen extracted during each test. The gas analysis system was based on the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) instrument. Avionics and software for the CaRD prototype were also developed at KSC and based on experience with MSOLO avionics and software. The control system was designed to stow, deploy, track the sun, and perform beam alignment of the concentrated light. The prototype subsystems were integrated and tested at Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Energy Systems Test Area. A heliostat was used to direct sunlight toward the prototype in a way that is representative of the sunlight conditions at the south pole of the Moon. When concentrated sunlight was focused on simulated lunar regolith within the reactor, the gas analysis team confirmed the presence of carbon monoxide gas, which confirmed that a solar carbothermal reaction took place. The key performance parameter for the integrated prototype was grams of oxygen extracted per kilowatt hour of energy arriving at the concentrator primary mirror. The prototype design successfully demonstrated end-to-end capability and further steps to achieve a flight capable system have been defined. With lunar data, engineers would be able to design a scaled-up system capable of extracting oxygen from regolith at useful quantities for crew life support and rocket propellant. On the long term, this method of In-Situ Resource Utilization could be used to drastically reduce the cost and risk of a sustained human presence on the Moon by reducing the amount of oxygen that would have to be delivered.
Koorosh R Araghi↗
Fluid-Thermal-Structural Interactions Induced by an Asymmetric Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interaction in a Mach-6 Compression Corner
An experimental study is conducted of the fluid-thermal-structural interaction of a clamped compliant panel exposed to a three dimensional shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction (SWBLI) induced by a Mach-6 compression ramp with a spanwise nonuniform incoming boundary layer. The nonuniform boundary layer was produced by placing trips on one side of the upstream flat plate, resulting in largely turbulent flow on the tripped side and transitional flow on the untripped side. Measurements of the flowfield confirmed that the tripped boundary layer contained elevated levels of unsteadiness, and the SWBLI was observed to vary from attached to fully separated as the ramp angle was increased from 10◦ to 38◦; the separation region on the tripped side of the panel was noticeably smaller, showing the elevated turbulence levels of the tripped-side flow to remain relatively localized rather than diffusing across the whole model. Full-field, time-resolved panel deformations were measured using high-speed photogrammetry and the vibrational response at each compression angle was characterized. Although the measured modes conformed largely to those from classical clamped-plate theory, some skewing of the mode shapes was observed. IR thermography highlighted regions of the compliant region where elevated temperatures were likely to promote thermal softening effects to the transient panel response. The quasi-static deformation and stress field was used to characterize the internal stress factor of each mode and showed a meaningful relationship between transient panel response and stress contained within each mode: modes with antinodes lying in high-stress areas of the plate tended to exhibit increases in vibrational frequency and decreases in vibrational power, whereas the opposite was true for modes with antinodes in low-stress areas.
Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition↗
Prototype Demonstration of Solar Carbothermal System to Extract Oxygen from Regolith
The Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project was an effort to develop a prototype system to demonstrate the extraction of oxygen from simulated lunar regolith using concentrated solar energy and a carbothermal reaction. The prototype consisted of a deployable solar concentrator capable of tracking the sun, carbothermal reactor, fluid system, gas analysis, and a solar concentrator control system consisting of avionics and software. These subsystems were developed by multiple NASA centers and a private industry partner, Sierra Space. The various teams worked together to define requirements and interfaces to successfully assemble the complex system and demonstrate an integrated solar carbothermal process. The solar concentrator developed at Glenn Research Center (GRC) was designed to be stowed for a launch environment then deployed on the lunar surface. It utilized a crossed dragone configuration of composite mirrors to direct horizontal sunlight onto a target 90° from the incoming sunlight. The key performance parameters for the solar concentrator were efficiency and power density. The carbothermal reactor was developed by Sierra Space through a separate project called the Carbothermal Oxygen Production Reactor (COPR) where it successfully demonstrated a fully automated process in a thermal vacuum environment. The fluid system needed for the carbothermal reaction was also developed by Sierra Space and successfully demonstrated in the same thermal vacuum test. The gas analysis system was developed at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and was required to determine the amount of oxygen extracted during each test. The gas analysis system was based on the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) instrument. Avionics and software for the CaRD prototype were also developed at KSC and based on experience with MSOLO avionics and software. The control system was designed to stow, deploy, track the sun, and perform beam alignment of the concentrated light. The prototype subsystems were integrated and tested at Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Energy Systems Test Area. A heliostat was used to direct sunlight toward the prototype in a way that is representative of the sunlight conditions at the south pole of the Moon. When concentrated sunlight was focused on simulated lunar regolith within the reactor, the gas analysis team confirmed the presence of carbon monoxide gas, which confirmed that a solar carbothermal reaction took place. The key performance parameter for the integrated prototype was grams of oxygen extracted per kilowatt hour of energy arriving at the concentrator primary mirror. The prototype design successfully demonstrated end-to-end capability and further steps to achieve a flight capable system have been defined. With lunar data, engineers would be able to design a scaled-up system capable of extracting oxygen from regolith at useful quantities for crew life support and rocket propellant. On the long term, this method of In-Situ Resource Utilization could be used to drastically reduce the cost and risk of a sustained human presence on the Moon by reducing the amount of oxygen that would have to be delivered.
Aaron Paz↗
NASA aerospace flight battery systems program
The major objective of the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program is to provide NASA with the policy and posture to increase and ensure the safety, performance and reliability of batteries for space power systems. The program plan has been modified in the past year to reflect changes in the agency's approach to battery related problems that are affecting flight programs. Primary attention in the Battery Program is being devoted to the development of an advanced nickel-cadmium cell design and the qualification of vendors to produce cells for flight programs. As part of a unified Battery Program, the development of a nickel-hydrogen standard and primary cell issues are also being pursued to provide high performance NASA Standards and space qualified state-of-the-art primary cells. The resolution of issues is being addressed with the full participation of the aerospace battery community.
Manzo, Michelle A.↗
NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program
The major objective of the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program is to provide NASA with the policy and posture to increase and ensure the safety, performance and reliability of batteries for space power systems. The program plan has been modified in the past year to reflect changes in the agency's approach to battery related problems that are affecting flight programs. Primary attention in the Battery Program is being devoted to the development of an advanced nickel-cadmium cell design and the qualification of vendors to produce cells for flight programs. As part of a unified Battery Program, the development of a nickel-hydrogen standard and primary cell issues are also being pursued to provide high-performance NASA Standards and space qualified state-of-the-art primary cells. The resolution of issues is being addressed with the full participation of the aerospace battery community.
Manzo, Michelle A.↗
Prototype Demonstration of an Integrated Solar Concentrator System and Carbothermal Reactor Using Solar Energy to Extract Oxygen from Regolith
The Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project was an effort to develop a prototype system to demonstrate the extraction of oxygen from simulated lunar regolith using concentrated solar energy and a carbothermal reaction. The prototype consisted of a deployable solar concentrator capable of tracking the sun, carbothermal reactor, fluid system, gas analysis, and a solar concentrator control system consisting of avionics and software. These subsystems were developed by multiple NASA centers and a private industry partner, Sierra Space. The various teams worked together to define requirements and interfaces to successfully assemble the complex system and demonstrate an integrated solar carbothermal process. The solar concentrator developed at Glenn Research Center (GRC) was designed to be stowed for a launch environment then deployed on the lunar surface. It utilized a crossed dragone configuration of composite mirrors to direct horizontal sunlight onto a target 90° from the incoming sunlight. The key performance parameters for the solar concentrator were efficiency and power density. The carbothermal reactor was developed by Sierra Space through a separate project called the Carbothermal Oxygen Production Reactor (COPR) where it successfully demonstrated a fully automated process in a thermal vacuum environment. The fluid system needed for the carbothermal reaction was also developed by Sierra Space and successfully demonstrated in the same thermal vacuum test. The gas analysis system was developed at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and was required to determine the amount of oxygen extracted during each test. The gas analysis system was based on the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) instrument. Avionics and software for the CaRD prototype were also developed at KSC and based on experience with MSOLO avionics and software. The control system was designed to stow, deploy, track the sun, and perform beam alignment of the concentrated light. The prototype subsystems were integrated and tested at Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Energy Systems Test Area. A heliostat was used to direct sunlight toward the prototype in a way that is representative of the sunlight conditions at the south pole of the Moon. When concentrated sunlight was focused on simulated lunar regolith within the reactor, the gas analysis team confirmed the presence of carbon monoxide gas, which confirmed that a solar carbothermal reaction took place. The key performance parameter for the integrated prototype was grams of oxygen extracted per kilowatt hour of energy arriving at the concentrator primary mirror. The prototype design successfully demonstrated end-to-end capability and further steps to achieve a flight capable system have been defined. With lunar data, engineers would be able to design a scaled-up system capable of extracting oxygen from regolith at useful quantities for crew life support and rocket propellant. On the long term, this method of In-Situ Resource Utilization could be used to drastically reduce the cost and risk of a sustained human presence on the Moon by reducing the amount of oxygen that would have to be delivered.
Oxygen from Regolith↗
Artemis CubeSats Help Advance Exploration of the Moon, Mars, and Beyond
On April 1, NASA launched the Artemis II mission – the first crewed mission of the Artemis campaign. The nine-day lunar flyby launched on the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and had four astronauts test the Orion spacecraft in high Earth orbit and in deep space. Four 12U CubeSats also launched on the mission, housed within the SLS’s Orion stage adapter (OSA). The spacecraft were deployed approximately five-and-a-half hours into the flight, following Orion separation and departure from SLS, as the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) and the attached OSA were in a high Earth orbit on an atmospheric disposal trajectory. All four CubeSats were successfully deployed from the launch vehicle. Deployment statuses of the spacecraft, along with updates about the SLS rocket and Artemis missions, are reported in this paper. The paper will also discuss opportunities for CubeSat payloads on future Artemis missions.
David Hitt↗
Development of an Additively Manufactured Subscale Secondary Sealed Container for the NASA FROSTE Project
This presentation details the development of an additively manufactured (AM) subscale test article for the secondary sealed container (SSC) as part of the NASA FROSTE project. FROSTE is focused on the collection of regolith samples from shadowed regions of the Moon and the preservation of those samples at cryogenic temperatures for return to Earth. Our team was integrated into the FROSTE program to leverage innovative design approaches and additive manufacturing capabilities in support of a scalable development strategy, where the subscale configuration serves as the development path toward a full-scale SSC. Scalmalloy was selected as the primary material for all AM components due to its favorable strength-to-weight ratio, thermal conductivity, and demonstrated performance in aerospace applications. Its aluminum-based composition supports robust mechanical behavior at cryogenic temperatures while enabling efficient heat transfer and control of thermal gradients within the containment system. The SSC architecture consists of an outer container assembly that houses a phase change material (PCM) tank, which in turn contains primary containers holding the regolith. Thermal management relies on controlled conductive and radiative heat transfer, including a thermal connection assembly that interfaces the PCM tank to an external cryocooler via a thermal strap, and IMLI surrounding the PCM tank to inhibit radiative heat transfer. The outer container assembly incorporates sealing interfaces, thermal connection ports, and I/O feedthroughs, with PTFE spring seals used at critical interfaces to maintain containment integrity. The PCM tank is manufactured as a single monolithic Scalmalloy component and incorporates an integral lattice structure to minimize thermal gradients, internal channels for thermocouple routing, and interface features for thermal connection assembly integration. The tank is centrally suspended within the outer container using support rings, with G10 insulating components employed to inhibit thermal leaks. This work describes the design methodology, AM approach, and key considerations used to inform the design.
regolith↗
Artemis CubeSats Help Advance Exploration of the Moon, Mars, and Beyond
On April 1, NASA launched the Artemis II mission – the first crewed mission of the Artemis campaign. The nine-day lunar flyby launched on the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and had four astronauts test the Orion spacecraft in high Earth orbit and in deep space. Four 12U CubeSats also launched on the mission, housed within the SLS’s Orion stage adapter (OSA). The spacecraft were deployed approximately five-and-a-half hours into the flight, following Orion separation and departure from SLS, as the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) and the attached OSA were in a high Earth orbit on an atmospheric disposal trajectory. All four CubeSats were successfully deployed from the launch vehicle. Deployment statuses of the spacecraft, along with updates about the SLS rocket and Artemis missions, are reported in this paper. The paper will also discuss opportunities for CubeSat payloads on future Artemis missions.
Russell Lane↗