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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 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Rapid Response Risk Assessment in New Project Development

A capability for rapidly performing quantitative risk assessments has been developed by JSC Safety and Mission Assurance for use on project design trade studies early in the project life cycle, i.e., concept development through preliminary design phases. A risk assessment tool set has been developed consisting of interactive and integrated software modules that allow a user/project designer to assess the impact of alternative design or programmatic options on the probability of mission success or other risk metrics. The risk and design trade space includes interactive options for selecting parameters and/or metrics for numerous design characteristics including component reliability characteristics, functional redundancy levels, item or system technology readiness levels, and mission event characteristics. This capability is intended for use on any project or system development with a defined mission, and an example project will used for demonstration and descriptive purposes, e.g., landing a robot on the moon. The effects of various alternative design considerations and their impact of these decisions on mission success (or failure) can be measured in real time on a personal computer. This capability provides a high degree of efficiency for quickly providing information in NASA s evolving risk-based decision environment

Graber, Robert R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Fission Surface Power Systems (FSPS) Project Final Report for the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP): Fission Surface Power, Transition Face to Face

The Fission Surface Power Systems Project became part of the ETDP on October 1, 2008. Its goal was to demonstrate fission power system technology readiness in an operationally relevant environment, while providing data on fission system characteristics pertinent to the use of a fission power system on planetary surfaces. During fiscal years 08 to 10, the FSPS project activities were dominated by hardware demonstrations of component technologies, to verify their readiness for inclusion in the fission surface power system. These Pathfinders demonstrated multi-kWe Stirling power conversion operating with heat delivered via liquid metal NaK, composite Ti/H2O heat pipe radiator panel operations at 400 K input water temperature, no-moving-part electromagnetic liquid metal pump operation with NaK at flight-like temperatures, and subscale performance of an electric resistance reactor simulator capable of reproducing characteristics of a nuclear reactor for the purpose of system-level testing, and a longer list of component technologies included in the attached report. Based on the successful conclusion of Pathfinder testing, work began in 2010 on design and development of the Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU), a full-scale 1/4 power system-level non-nuclear assembly of a reactor simulator, power conversion, heat rejection, instrumentation and controls, and power management and distribution. The TDU will be developed and fabricated during fiscal years 11 and 12, culminating in initial testing with water cooling replacing the heat rejection system in 2012, and complete testing of the full TDU by the end of 2014. Due to its importance for Mars exploration, potential applicability to missions preceding Mars missions, and readiness for an early system-level demonstration, the Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration program is currently planning to continue the project as the Fission Power Systems project, including emphasis on the TDU completion and testing.

Palac, Donald T.↗
NASA NTRS2009

NASA TEERM Hexavalent Chrome Alternatives Projects

This slide presentation reviews the NASA/DOD projects to select an alternative to hexavalent chrome in the aerospace industry. The Phase I process of the project performed: (1) Evaluation and testing of non-chromated coating systems as replacements for hexavalent chrome coatings in aircraft and aerospace applications. (2) Testing of coating systems to DoD and NASA specifications for corrosion resistance and adhesion. (3) Bare corrosion resistance and atmospheric exposure will be focus areas of Phase II Testing. The description includes a chart that summarizes the 3000 hour salt fog test results. The second phase of the project includes (1) Evaluation and testing of coating systems that do not contain hexavalent chrome as replacements for aerospace applications. (2) Evaluation of coatings at Beach Test Site and Launch Complex 39B (3) Evaluation of non-chrome coatings for electronic housings (bare corrosion resistance and electrical impedance) is a part of this round of testing. This project was performed for the Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM)

Rothgeb, Matt↗
NASA NTRS2011

NASA TEERM Hexavalent Chrome Alternatives Projects

This slide presentation reviews the NASA project to select an alternative to hexavalent chrome in the aerospace industry. Included is a recent historic testing and research that the Agency has performed on (1) the external tank, (2) the shuttle orbiter, (3) the Shuttle Rocket Booster, and (4) the Space Shuttle Main Engine. Other related Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM) projects are reviewed. The Phase I process of the project performed testing of alternatives the results are shown in a chart for different coating systems. International collaboration was also reviewed. Phase II involves further testing of pretreatment and primers for 6 and 12 months of exposure to conditions at Launch Pad and the beach. Further test were performed to characterize the life cycle corrosion of the space vehicles. A new task is described as a joint project with the Department of Defense to identify a Hex Chrome Free Coatings for Electronics.

Kessel, Kurt↗
NASA NTRS2010

The Radio Jove Project

The Radio love Project is a hands-on education and outreach project in which students, or any other interested individuals or groups build a radio telescope from a kit, operate the radio telescope, transmit the resulting signals through the internet if desired, analyze the results, and share the results with others through archives or general discussions among the observers. Radio love is intended to provide an introduction to radio astronomy for the observer. The equipment allows the user to observe radio signals from Jupiter, the Sun, the galaxy, and Earth-based radiation both natural and man-made. The project was started through a NASA Director's Discretionary Fund grant more than ten years ago. it has continued to be carried out through the dedicated efforts of a group of mainly volunteers. Dearly 1500 kits have been distributed throughout the world. Participation can also be done without building a kit. Pre-built kits are available. Users can also monitor remote radio telescopes through the internet using free downloadable software available through the radiosky.com website. There have been many stories of prize-winning projects, inspirational results, collaborative efforts, etc. We continue to build the community of observers and are always open to new thoughts about how to inspire the observers to still greater involvement in the science and technology associated with Radio Jove.

Thieman, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Project H - A Complete Spaceport Hydrogen Solution

This slide presentation reviews Project H, and its importance in the development of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as a Spaceport capable of multiple launches. It is known that current KSC cryogenic technology results in only approximately 55 % of purchased hydrogen being used. The rest is lost at various points in the process: transfer from transporting vehicle to tank, storage tank boil off, and from the tank to the intended propulsion tanks. Project H's goals would be to have local hydrogen production and liquifaction capability, and to increase the efficiency of hydrogen operations to greater than 80 %. The project envisions two phases: Phase 1 will build a smaller scale demonstration system, and phase 2 will build a full scale spaceport system. This initial project has proposed ideas for local hydrogen production, gaseous distribution, integrated refrigeration and storage, and high efficiency transfer lines that merit further investigation.

Notardonato, William↗
NASA NTRS2011

Virginia Demonstration Project Encouraging Middle School Students in Pursuing STEM Careers

Encouraging students at all grade levels to consider pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields i s a national focus. In 2005, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), a Department of Defense laboratory located in Da hlgren, Virginia, began work on the Virginia Demonstration Project (VDP) with the goal of increasing more student interest in STEM educatio n and pursuing STEM careers. This goal continues as the program enters its sixth year. This project has been successful through the partici pation of NSWCDD's scientists and engineers who are trained as mentor s to work in local middle school classrooms throughout the school year, As an extension of the in-class activities, several STEM summer aca demies have been conducted at NSWCDD, These academies are supported by the Navy through the VDP and the STEM Learning Module Project. These projects are part of more extensive outreach efforts offered by the National Defense Education Program (NDEP), sponsored by the Director, Defense Research and Engineering. The focus of this paper is on the types of activities conducted at the summer academy, an overview of the academy planning process, and recommendations to help support a nati onal plan of integrating modeling and simulation-based engineering and science into all grade levels. based upon the lessons learned

Bachman, Jane T.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Agent-Based Simulations for Project Management

Currently, the most common approach used in project planning tools is the Critical Path Method (CPM). While this method was a great improvement over the basic Gantt chart technique being used at the time, it now suffers from three primary flaws: (1) task duration is an input, (2) productivity impacts are not considered , and (3) management corrective actions are not included. Today, computers have exceptional computational power to handle complex simulations of task e)(eculion and project management activities (e.g ., dynamically changing the number of resources assigned to a task when it is behind schedule). Through research under a Department of Defense contract, the author and the ViaSim team have developed a project simulation tool that enables more realistic cost and schedule estimates by using a resource-based model that literally turns the current duration-based CPM approach "on its head." The approach represents a fundamental paradigm shift in estimating projects, managing schedules, and reducing risk through innovative predictive techniques.

White, J. Chris↗
NASA NTRS2011

Statistical Projection of Solar Cycle 24 for the Exposure Estimates

A solar cycle statistical model has been developed based on the accumulating cycle sunspot data to estimate future levels of the solar cycle activity. Since the current solar cycle 24 has progressed about three years, the cycle activity levels are estimated with an accurately defined solar minimum 24. Then, solar cycle 24 is projected with the cycle activity levels using the statistical model. The projection of solar cycle 24 is then coupled to space related quantities of interest to radiation protection, because the interplanetary plasma and radiation fields are modulated by the degree of disturbance in the solar surface and the radiation doses received by astronauts in interplanetary space are likewise influenced. The resultant projection of solar cycle 24 provides a basis for estimating exposure in future space missions, and projection errors can be corrected as the cycle progresses and observations become available because this model is shown to be self-correcting.

Kim, Myung-Hee↗
NASA NTRS2011

Materials and Structures Research for Gas Turbine Applications Within the NASA Subsonic Fixed Wing Project

A brief overview is presented of the current materials and structures research geared toward propulsion applications for NASA s Subsonic Fixed Wing Project one of four projects within the Fundamental Aeronautics Program of the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. The Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) Project has selected challenging goals which anticipate an increasing emphasis on aviation s impact upon the global issue of environmental responsibility. These goals are greatly reduced noise, reduced emissions and reduced fuel consumption and address 25 to 30 years of technology development. Successful implementation of these demanding goals will require development of new materials and structural approaches within gas turbine propulsion technology. The Materials and Structures discipline, within the SFW project, comprise cross-cutting technologies ranging from basic investigations to component validation in laboratory environments. Material advances are teamed with innovative designs in a multidisciplinary approach with the resulting technology advances directed to promote the goals of reduced noise and emissions along with improved performance.

Hurst, Janet↗
NASA NTRS2012

Performance Assessment of Baseline Cells for the High Efficiency Space Power Systems Project

The Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration (ETDD) Program High Efficiency Space Power Systems (HESPS) Project, formerly the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Energy Storage Project is tasked with developing advanced lithium-ion cells for future NASA Exploration missions. Under this project, components under development via various in-house and contracted efforts are delivered to Saft America for scale-up and integration into cells. Progress toward meeting project goals will be measured by comparing the performance to these cells with cells of a similar format with Saft s state-of-the-art aerospace chemistry. This report discusses the results of testing performed on the first set of baseline cells delivered by Saft to the NASA Glenn Research Center. This build is a cylindrical "DD" geometry with a 10 Ah nameplate capacity. Testing is being performed to establish baseline cell performance at conditions relevant to ETDD HESPS Battery Key Performance Parameter (KPP) goals including various temperatures, rates, and cycle life conditions. Data obtained from these cells will serve as a performance baseline for future cell builds containing optimized ETDD HESPSdeveloped materials. A test plan for these cells was developed to measure cell performance against the high energy cell KPP goals. The goal for cell-level specific energy of the high energy technology is 180 Wh/kg at a C/10 discharge rate and 0 C. The cells should operate for at least 2000 cycles at 100 percent DOD with 80 percent capacity retention. Baseline DD cells delivered 152 Wh/kg at 20 C. This number decreased to 143.9 Wh/kg with a 0 C discharge. This report provides performance data and summarizes results of the testing performed on the DD cells.

Schneidegger, Brianne T.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Jet engine nozzle exit configurations, including projections oriented relative to pylons, and associated systems and methods

Nozzle exit configurations and associated systems and methods are disclosed. An aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment includes a jet engine exhaust nozzle having an internal flow surface and an exit aperture, with the exit aperture having a perimeter that includes multiple projections extending in an aft direction. Aft portions of individual neighboring projections are spaced apart from each other by a gap, and a geometric feature of the multiple can change in a monotonic manner along at least a portion of the perimeter. Projections near a support pylon and/or associated heat shield can have particular configurations, including greater flow immersion than other projections.

Mengle, Vinod G.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Integrating Engineering Data Systems for NASA Spaceflight Projects

NASA has a large range of custom-built and commercial data systems to support spaceflight programs. Some of the systems are re-used by many programs and projects over time. Management and systems engineering processes require integration of data across many of these systems, a difficult problem given the widely diverse nature of system interfaces and data models. This paper describes an ongoing project to use a central data model with a web services architecture to support the integration and access of linked data across engineering functions for multiple NASA programs. The work involves the implementation of a web service-based middleware system called Data Aggregator to bring together data from a variety of systems to support space exploration. Data Aggregator includes a central data model registry for storing and managing links between the data in disparate systems. Initially developed for NASA's Constellation Program needs, Data Aggregator is currently being repurposed to support the International Space Station Program and new NASA projects with processes that involve significant aggregating and linking of data. This change in user needs led to development of a more streamlined data model registry for Data Aggregator in order to simplify adding new project application data as well as standardization of the Data Aggregator query syntax to facilitate cross-application querying by client applications. This paper documents the approach from a set of stand-alone engineering systems from which data are manually retrieved and integrated, to a web of engineering data systems from which the latest data are automatically retrieved and more quickly and accurately integrated. This paper includes the lessons learned through these efforts, including the design and development of a service-oriented architecture and the evolution of the data model registry approaches as the effort continues to evolve and adapt to support multiple NASA programs and priorities.

Carvalho, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Status and Mission Applicability of NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology Project

The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) project develops propulsion technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. Since 2001, the ISPT project developed and delivered products to assist technology infusion and quantify mission applicability and benefits through mission analysis and tools. These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for flagship destinations currently under evaluation, as well as having broad applicability to future Discovery and New Frontiers mission solicitations. This paper provides status of the technology development, near-term mission benefits, applicability, and availability of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of advanced chemical thrusters, electric propulsion, aerocapture, and systems analysis tools. The current chemical propulsion investment is on the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance for lower cost. Investments in electric propulsion technologies focused on completing NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system, and the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAC) thruster, which is a mid-term product specifically designed for a low-cost electric propulsion option. Aerocapture investments developed a family of thermal protections system materials and structures; guidance, navigation, and control models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells; atmospheric models for Earth, Titan, Mars and Venus; and models for aerothermal effects. In 2009 ISPT started the development of propulsion technologies that would enable future sample return missions. The paper describes the ISPT project's future focus on propulsion for sample return missions. The future technology development areas for ISPT is: Planetary Ascent Vehicles (PAV), with a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) being the initial development focus; multi-mission technologies for Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV) needed for sample return missions from many different destinations; propulsion for Earth Return Vehicles (ERV), transfer stages to the destination, and Electric Propulsion for sample return and low cost missions; and Systems/Mission Analysis focused on sample return propulsion. The ISPT project is funded by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD).

Anderson, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Next Generation Life Support Project Status

Next Generation Life Support (NGLS) is one of several technology development projects sponsored by NASA s Game Changing Development Program. The NGLS Project is developing life support technologies (including water recovery and space suit life support technologies) needed for humans to live and work productively in space. NGLS has three project tasks: Variable Oxygen Regulator (VOR), Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) swing bed, and Alternative Water Processor (AWP). The RCA swing bed and VOR tasks are directed at key technology needs for the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) for an Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit, with focus on test article development and integrated testing in an Advanced PLSS in cooperation with the Advanced Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Project. An RCA swing-bed provides integrated carbon dioxide removal and humidity control that can be regenerated in real time during an EVA. The VOR technology will significantly increase the number of pressure settings available to the space suit. Current space suit pressure regulators are limited to only two settings whereas the adjustability of the advanced regulator will be nearly continuous. The AWP effort, based on natural biological processes and membrane-based secondary treatment, will result in the development of a system capable of recycling wastewater from sources expected in future exploration missions, including hygiene and laundry water. This paper will provide a status of technology development activities and future plans.

Barta, Daniel J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

NASA-DoD Lead-Free Electronics Project

In response to concerns about risks from lead-free induced faults to high reliability products, NASA has initiated a multi-year project to provide manufacturers and users with data to clarify the risks of lead-free materials in their products. The project will also be of interest to component manufacturers supplying to high reliability markets. The project was launched in November 2006. The primary technical objective of the project is to undertake comprehensive testing to generate information on failure modes/criteria to better understand the reliability of: - Packages (e.g., TSOP, BGA, PDIP) assembled and reworked with solder interconnects consisting of lead-free alloys - Packages (e.g., TSOP, BGA, PDIP) assembled and reworked with solder interconnects consisting of mixed alloys, lead component finish/lead-free solder and lead-free component finish/SnPb solder.

Kessel, Kurt R.↗
NASA NTRS2009

NASA-DoD Lead-Free Electronics Project

In response to concerns about risks from lead-free induced faults to high reliability products, NASA has initiated a multi-year project to provide manufacturers and users with data to clarify the risks of lead-free materials in their products. The project will also be of interest to component manufacturers supplying to high reliability markets. The project was launched in November 2006. The primary technical objective of the project is to undertake comprehensive testing to generate information on failure modes/criteria to better understand the reliability of: (1) Packages (e.g., Thin Small Outline Package [TSOP], Ball Grid Array [BGA], Plastic Dual In-line Package [PDIP]) assembled and reworked with solder interconnects consisting of lead-free alloys (2) Packages (e.g., TSOP, BGA, PDIP) assembled and reworked with solder interconnects consisting of mixed alloys, lead component finish/lead-free solder and lead-free component finish/SnPb solder

Kessel, Kurt↗
NASA NTRS2009

NASA-DoD Lead-Free Electronics Project

In response to concerns about risks from lead-free induced faults to high reliability products, NASA has initiated a multi-year project to provide manufacturers and users with data to clarify the risks of lead-free materials in their products. The project will also be of interest to component manufacturers supplying to high reliability markets. The project was launched in November 2006. The primary technical objective of the project is to undertake comprehensive testing to generate information on failure modes/criteria to better understand the reliability of: - Packages (e.g., TSOP, BOA, PDIP) assembled and reworked with solder interconnects consisting of lead-free alloys - Packages (e.g., TSOP, BOA, PDIP) assembled and reworked with solder interconnects consisting of mixed alloys, lead component finish/lead-free solder and lead-free component finish/SnPb solder.

Kessel, Kurt R.↗