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NASA NTRS2003

Intercomparison of Atmospheric Radiation Schemes for the Lower Martian Atmosphere

Interpretation of the vast data flow from the recent and ongoing Mars missions requires extensive modeling activity to support the investigations and conclusions drawn from the observations. We have initiated a campaign to compare atmospheric radiation schemes for the lower Martian atmosphere with leastcompromise reference line-by-line calculations (Meadows and Crisp 1996, Crisp 1986). By using fixed reference conditions we are introducing an intercomparison framework to enable atmospheric modeling teams to compare their modeling results with the reference line-by-line calculations, and to improve their models. The atmosphere of Mars is thin and therefore its response to local radiative forcing is strong when compared to that of the Earth s troposphere. Airborne dust and also the water vapor give significant contributions to the radiative fluxes. Thus models of the Martian atmosphere should have fairly accurate radiative transfer (RT) algorithms. This is specifically important for the net radiative flux at the surface, which is the main driver for the surface temperature evolution, since the surface turbulent fluxes are small due to the thin atmosphere (e.g. Haberle et al. 1993, Savij arvi 1991a, Savij arvi 1991b, Savij arvi 1999). However, the accuracy of the RT schemes has not been rigorously tested in many cases as reference calculations have been rare. We introduce a set of reference cases for Martian atmospheric conditions with profiles for temperature, pressure, dust optical depth (Conrath 1975, Clancy et al. 1995, OckertBell et al. 1997, Smith et al. 2000), water, CO2,O3,CO and O2 (Table 1). The reference atmosphere uses a diurnally and globally averaged thermal structure derived from Mariner 9 IRIS observations acquired during late southern summer. Thermal structures for nighttime and daytime conditions will be included shortly. Computationally expensive reference simulations were performed by applying a spectrum resolving (line-by-line multiple scattering) model, SRM, to give the least-compromise base for comparisons. We call for other groups to join in future comparisons. This resembles the International Comparison of Radiation Codes for Climate Models (ICRCCM; e.g. Ellingson and Fouquart 1991, Ellingson et al. 1991). The ICRCCM led to many improvements in the Earth GCM radiation codes. The intercomparison framework presented in this paper is a step toward that direction for Mars. We have already five modeling teams participating in this intercomparison exercice. Additional teams investigating the Martian atmosphere are cordially invited to join this effort of comparing the radiation schemes in fixed conditions. The results achieved will be reported and some additional features to be included in the intercomparison will be discussed.

A-M Harri↗

DOE OSTI2024

Results from a multi-laboratory ocean metaproteomic intercomparison: effects of LC-MS acquisition and data analysis procedures

Metaproteomics is an increasingly popular methodology that provides information regarding the metabolic functions of specific microbial taxa and has potential for contributing to ocean ecology and biogeochemical studies. A blinded multi-laboratory intercomparison was conducted to assess comparability and reproducibility of taxonomic and functional results and their sensitivity to methodological variables. Euphotic zone samples from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) in the North Atlantic Ocean collected by in situ pumps and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Clio were distributed with a paired metagenome, and one-dimensional (1D) liquid chromatographic data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry analysis was stipulated. Analysis of mass spectra from seven laboratories through a common bioinformatic pipeline identified a shared set of 1056 proteins from 1395 shared peptide constituents. Quantitative analyses showed good reproducibility: pairwise regressions of spectral counts between laboratories yielded R 2 values averaged 0.62±0.11, and a Sørensen similarity analysis of the top 1000 proteins revealed 70 %–80 % similarity between laboratory groups. Taxonomic and functional assignments showed good coherence between technical replicates and different laboratories. A bioinformatic intercomparison study, involving 10 laboratories using eight software packages, successfully identified thousands of peptides within the complex metaproteomic datasets, demonstrating the utility of these software tools for ocean metaproteomic research. Lessons learned and potential improvements in methods were described. Future efforts could examine reproducibility in deeper metaproteomes, examine accuracy in targeted absolute quantitation analyses, and develop standards for data output formats to improve data interoperability. Together, these results demonstrate the reproducibility of metaproteomic analyses and their suitability for microbial oceanography research, including integration into global-scale ocean surveys and ocean biogeochemical models.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2017

Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) Surrogate Models for Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Performance Assessment

The primary purpose of the multiPOST tool is to enable the execution of much larger sets of vehicle cases to allow for broader trade space exploration. However, this exploration is not achieved solely with the increased case throughput. The multiPOST tool is applied to carry out a Design of Experiments (DOE), which is a set of cases that have been structured to capture a maximum amount of information about the design space with minimal computational effort. The results of the DOE are then used to fit a surrogate model, ultimately enabling parametric design space exploration. The approach used for the MAV study includes both DOE and surrogate modeling. First, the primary design considerations for the vehicle were used to develop the variables and ranges for the multiPOST DOE. The final set of DOE variables were carefully selected in order to capture the desired vehicle trades and take into account any special considerations for surrogate modeling. Next, the DOE sets were executed through multiPOST. Following successful completion of the DOE cases, a manual verification trial was performed. The trial involved randomly selecting cases from the DOE set and running them by hand. The results from the human analyst's run and multiPOST were then compared to ensure that the automated runs were being executed properly. Completion of the verification trials was then followed by surrogate model fitting. After fits to the multiPOST data were successfully created, the surrogate models were used as a stand-in for POST2 to carry out the desired MAV trades. Using the surrogate models in lieu of POST2 allowed for visualization of vehicle sensitivities to the input variables as well as rapid evaluation of vehicle performance. Although the models introduce some error into the output of the trade study, they were very effective at identifying areas of interest within the trade space for further refinement by human analysts. The next section will cover all of the ground rules and assumptions associated with DOE setup and multiPOST execution. Section 3.1 gives the final DOE variables and ranges, while section 3.2 addresses the POST2 specific assumptions. The results of the verification trials are given in section 4. Section 5 gives the surrogate model fitting results, including the goodness-of-fit metrics for each fit. Finally, the MAV specific results are discussed in section 6.

Zwack, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Utilizing Testing Frameworks for Launch Control Systems Continuous Integration

Command and control software is an integral part of the launch procedure. The most important part of this type of software is its ability to communicate well with the user and relay information in a correctly formatted way such that the user can understand the data. There is a tool that aides the communication between the different parts of the system, and effectively, the user. This instrument is capable of taking several complex values and ensuring that they are correctly sorted into their distinctive message values and distributed properly among the different facets of the system. This tool will easily translate and publish the data inside of messages in the system to something that is readable and understandable. The tool also allows for transmission of the recorded data to the user, effectively ensuring the communication between different components of the system. As well as keeping track of messages and ensuring that the information contained within each of them reaches the correct location, this tool has the ability to keep track of its own statistics and determine how many messages passed in were erroneous and how many were successfully transmitted. It is able to check and see what the total message failure count is when an invalid message is given, as well as the number of different messages and their respective types passed into the tool. This tool is of great value to the new Space Launch System (SLS). As such, the tool must be thoroughly tested with test cases that, although improbable, are possible, where the tool may not function properly. Testing an interface this complex is necessary to ensure mission safety and create unlikely scenarios where the tool would work as intended, and stretch its limits to test that even under the most uncommon conditions it would still continue to function. This software will be an important part of the control system for the newest spacecraft which will fly deeper into space than humans have ever travelled. It will fly beyond the moon, into deep space to Mars and perhaps set the groundwork for a manned mission even further to create more opportunities for interplanetary and even interstellar travel by humans. This mission relies heavily on software and hardware to ensure the safety of the humans that will be on board and therefore must be checked, exhausting each and every different situation, such that there is not a doubt surrounding the well-being of the humans aboard the rocket. That is why testing is such an important part of the mission. It provides evidence that the systems aboard the rocket and on the launch pad are safe.

Unit Testing↗

NASA NTRS2020

Preservation of Organic Carbon in Dolomitized Cambrian Stromatolites and Implications for Microbial Biosignatures in Diagenetically Replaced Carbonate Rock

Stromatolites have been a major focus in the search for ancient microbial life, however, the organic carbon biosignatures of dolomitized stromatolites have not yet been fully characterized or correlated with their dolomitizing conditions. Although dolomitization rarely preserves microbial morphology, the presence of organic carbon can provide valuable information for characterization of fossils’ biogenicity, syngenicity, and indigeneity to their host rock. The Cambrian Allentown Formation in New Jersey, USA, is an excellent example of dolomitized stromatolites and thrombolites containing diagenetically modified microbial biosignatures. Based on XRD and EPMA data, the dolomite composition is typically stoichiometric, with varying degrees of cationic ordering. The outcrop underwent early dolomitization in a marginal-marine setting and later burial diagenesis resulting in multi-generational dolomite formation: (1) 2 microspar dolomite formed by early diagenetic replacement at or near the surface, (2) zoned dolomite formed penecontemporaneously with the microspar phase as rhombohedral crystals by infilling primary pore spaces within the microspar matrix. The rhombic crystals continued to grow outward in alternating stages of Fe-enriched and -depleted fluids, which were preserved in zoned rims and revealed by cathodoluminescence, and (3) saddle dolomite formed during late stage deep burial with Fe- and Mn-rich fluids, and occurs as a void-filling, high-temperature phase. Organic carbon, characterized using confocal Raman microscopy, has an exclusive distribution within the microspar dolomite, and the D and G bands’ characteristics reveal similar thermal alteration to the host rock, indicating that the mapped organic carbon is indigenous and syngenetic with the Cambrian carbonates. The findings presented in this study reveal organic matter found within microspar of various dolomitized facies deriving from different source pools of organic carbon. This study sheds light on biosignatures in secondary dolostones and may aid biosignature detection in older carbonate rocks on Earth and Mars.

Dolomitization↗

NASA NTRS2018

Field Camp for Astronauts: NASA's Geoscience Training Program for Planetary Exploration

Fifty years ago Apollo astronauts walked on the Moon to explore the geology and collect samples for Earth return. Several authors have discussed the strategic planning and training that enabled the Apollo successes, and assembled recommendations regarding today’s lunar science objectives and astronaut training required to achieve those science goals. Since the 1980s, geoscience training for astronauts focused on observing the Earth from orbit. Today, we are building a geoscience training program to support informed Earth observations as well as the exploration culture for future human missions to the Moon and Mars. Our team partnered with JSC’s crew training and astronaut offices to develop our 4-week geoscience program for the 2017 astronaut class. Because the astronauts have a variety of professional backgrounds, we provide a broad introduction to Earth and planetary sciences. But our prime focus is 2 weeks of intensive field work, a methodology introduced with the 2013 astronaut class. We completed the first half of the training – a field trip to observe hurricane deposits along Galveston Bay; keynotes by Apollo colleagues highlighting Apollo experiences; a tightly-integrated week of introductory geology in the classroom followed by a week of fieldwork in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The classroom included interactive map exercises that allowed the students to progressively build a base map of the field area that they used as a starting point for their week-long mapping exercise. We divided the class into small mapping groups to conduct their observations, mapping and interpretation of the geology. In addition to learning geological field work, our field training provided the platform for practicing expeditionary leadership, a key skill set valued by NASA for astronaut crews. Next summer the capstone fieldwork for the 2017 astronauts will include both mapping and rock sampling. Throughout the mapping, the class will collect additional data to help inform field and sampling decisions using diagnostic field instruments that are being tested in analog settings for their operational efficacy for future planetary exploration.

Evans, Cynthia A.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigating the Applications of In-Situ Resource Utilization for Future Crewed Mars Missions

There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the water ice on Mars and future preparation for human missions. So far, six rovers have traversed Mars’ rocky surface, aiming to understand the planet’s composition and search for signs of life. A rover mission set to explore the high northern latitudes of Mars with the goal of analyzing ice cores could greatly advance scientific knowledge to better understand Mars’s ancient climate and geochemistry. As of now, little has been accomplished in the exploration of colder regions and the extraction of water ice apart from the Phoenix lander and the Viking 2 mission; however, the science potential of the Phoenix and Viking landers was limited due to their inability to explore terrain like rovers. The exploration of the near-polar region Arcadia Planitia and its water ice deposits could reveal signs of past microbial life through preserved biosignatures. Additionally, to prepare for permanent human habitation on Mars, this proposed rover could continue the characterization of Mars’s current land and mineral composition, and search for materials that future humans may need on Mars (such as water for habitation, basalt for construction, and olivine for manufacturing purposes). This would increase understanding of the potential for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on Mars. The use of ISRU will reduce the amount of material needed on the initial flight, and similarly will reduce fuel costs. The mission to Arcadia Planitia incorporates the use of various mineral-extracting and imaging instruments (Martian Ice Core Analyzer, ground-penetrating radar, NavCam, Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer, SuperCam, etc.) to collect data from water ice and geologic samples. A near-polar rover mission to Mars would illuminate Mars’ past and present, while learning more about martian resources to benefit human explorers in the future.

Annika Sachdeva↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Flow Visualization for Plume-Surface Interaction Testing Within Large-Scale Vacuum Environments at Conditions Relevant to Lunar and Martian Landers

Interactions between rocket exhaust plumes and the landing surface during powered spacecraft descent on the Moon and Mars pose significant risks to the landing vehicle, landing site, and nearby infrastructure. Understanding the underlying plume-surface interaction phenomena through ground test data can provide critical insights on the sensitivities of parameters such as the spacecraft altitude and thrust. In the present work, we summarize a scaled ground test recently conducted within a 20-ft vacuum chamber environment located in the historical East Test Area at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The ground test featured a Mach 5.3 inert gas plume impinging upon an instrumented flat plate. Planar laser-induced fluorescence, which is a 2D laser-based flow field measurement technique, was performed at this test area for the first time to visualize salient flow features such as the barrel shock, stagnation shock, and wall jet. Measurements were obtained at discrete lander altitudes, made dimensionless using the nozzle exit diameter, corresponding to h/D = 10, 8, 5, 4, 3, and 2. The stagnation pressures of the plume were varied from approximately 0.04 to 1 MPa, providing sensitivity to the engine thrust of a powered spacecraft. The unique test facility allowed for near-lunar conditions to be obtained at initial vacuum chamber pressures less than 0.1 Pa. Martian-relevant measurements were also performed at ambient pressures near 600 Pa. Furthermore, a third set of measurements were obtained at so called lunar-relevant conditions near 3 Pa chamber pressure

Plume Surface Interaction↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Flow Visualization for Plume-Surface Interaction Testing Within Large-Scale Vacuum Environments at Conditions Relevant to Lunar and Martian Landers

Plume Surface Interaction↗

NASA NTRS2010

Multivariate Methods for Prediction of Geologic Sample Composition with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) uses pulses of laser light to ablate a material from the surface of a sample and produce an expanding plasma. The optical emission from the plasma produces a spectrum which can be used to classify target materials and estimate their composition. The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission will use LIBS to rapidly analyze targets remotely, allowing more resource- and time-intensive in-situ analyses to be reserved for targets of particular interest. ChemCam will also be used to analyze samples that are not reachable by the rover's in-situ instruments. Due to these tactical and scientific roles, it is important that ChemCam-derived sample compositions are as accurate as possible. We have compared the results of partial least squares (PLS), multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural networks (ANNs), and cascade correlation (CC) ANNs to determine which technique yields better estimates of quantitative element abundances in rock and mineral samples. The number of hidden nodes in the MLP ANNs was optimized using a genetic algorithm. The influence of two data preprocessing techniques were also investigated: genetic algorithm feature selection and averaging the spectra for each training sample prior to training the PLS and ANN algorithms. We used a ChemCam-like laboratory stand-off LIBS system to collect spectra of 30 pressed powder geostandards and a diverse suite of 196 geologic slab samples of known bulk composition. We tested the performance of PLS and ANNs on a subset of these samples, choosing to focus on silicate rocks and minerals with a loss on ignition of less than 2 percent. This resulted in a set of 22 pressed powder geostandards and 80 geologic samples. Four of the geostandards were used as a validation set and 18 were used as the training set for the algorithms. We found that PLS typically resulted in the lowest average absolute error in its predictions, but that the optimized MLP ANN and the CC ANN often gave results comparable to PLS. Averaging the spectra for each training sample and/or using feature selection to choose a small subset of wavelengths to use for predictions gave mixed results, with degraded performance in some cases and similar or slightly improved performance in other cases. However, training time was significantly reduced for both PLS and ANN methods by implementing feature selection, making this a potentially appealing method for initial, rapid-turn-around analyses necessary for Chemcam's tactical role on MSL. Choice of training samples has a strong influence on the accuracy of predictions. We are currently investigating the use of clustering algorithms (e.g. k-means, neural gas, etc.) to identify training sets that are spectrally similar to the unknown samples that are being predicted, and therefore result in improved predictions

Morris, Richard↗

NASA NTRS2016

A Year in Space: Early Results and Lessons Learned from the First Year-Long Expedition Aboard the International Space Station

Two ISS crewmembers recently completed the first year-long orbital stay in two decades. International cooperation was central to the success of Mikhail Kornienko from Russia and Scott Kelly from the United States. Their expedition leveraged current mission experience and capitalized on recent advances in health monitoring technology. This unique effort began in 2012 when the program managers of the ISS partner nations adopted two separate goals: greater multilateral cooperation to increase efficiency of inflight research and a year-long expedition to gain familiarity with in-flight durations approaching that required for a Mars mission. These goals were unified when a set of bilateral Russian and American human research investigations was assigned to the year-long mission, augmented by additional investigations from Europe and Japan. For example, Kelly was assigned 18 investigations (twice the complement on standard six-month missions) including two joint U.S.-Russian studies, and two Russian and two Japanese studies. The core set of American investigations was a repetition of six studies Kelly had done on his previous six-month ISS mission, to allow a direct comparison of physiological and behavioral responses of the longer and shorter durations in this single individual. The remainder of his assignments plus those of Kornienko were drawn from currently active national investigations documenting human adaptation to long-duration spaceflight factors or effectiveness of countermeasures against known deleterious adaptations. The two joint U.S.-Russian investigations were the flagship biomedical studies of the year-long expedition. The "Fluid Shifts" study collocated American research equipment alongside a Russian operational stressor device to document the pattern and impacts of the headward fluid shift long known to occur in weightlessness, including its role in ocular changes recently observed in some astronauts. The "Field Test" study investigated the ability of the astronaut and cosmonaut to perform rudimentary tasks requiring sensorimotor coordination immediately after landing to define human capabilities soon after landing on Mars after an extended transit. Both investigations were highly successful in large part to the thorough integration of the implementation processes of the two partners. Kelly's assignment as the one-year crewmember also provided a serendipitous opportunity for the "Twins Study" comparing changes in his body at the genetic level with those occurring on Earth in his identical twin brother Mark Kelly. Data analysis from this expedition will commence in earnest after frozen in-flight samples are delivered to Earth in May aboard a commercial cargo spacecraft. Detailed results are expected in early 2017. Preliminary results and implementation improvements will be reviewed in this presentation.

Charles, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Evidence for a Hematite Ore Body on Mars

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft was launched from Cape Kennedy in November 1996. MGS was put into orbit around Mars in September of 1997 and has since been sending back data from a suite of instruments, including the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES). The TES instrument is an interferometric spectrometer designed to map the surface mineralogy of Mars by measuring the midinfrared emitted radiation over the spectral region of about 1600 to 200 cm(exp -1) (about 6 to 50 microns). This mineralogically sensitive technique utilizes the characteristic intra- and inter-molecular vibrations of minerals that are manifested in the midinfrared spectra. These spectral "fingerprints" are unique because they are dependent upon chemical composition, crystal structure, crystal orientation, and other factors. Midinfrared spectral data received from the MGS-TES instrument have indicated the presence of a large deposit of hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) in Sinus Meridiani, Mars. This hematite ore body, that is accompanied by basalt, is really extensive, encompassing an area about 350 by 500 km. To better understand the geologic context of this large deposit, a detailed laboratory spectroscopic investigation was conducted using more than 20 hematite samples so that their spectra could be compared to the martian spectra. The samples included red and gray polycrystaline hand samples, gray single-crystal hand samples, and red and gray fine- and coarse-grained particulates. The laboratory analyses provided thermal emissivity spectra that, when compared to the hematite emissivity spectra from Mars, suggest the Sinus Meridiani hematite is possibly an exposure of oriented hematite grains. These grains are likely coarser that 10 microns (and may be much larger) and gray in color. The characteristic of oriented grains is suggested by the apparent crystal axis-dependence of the energy emitted from the surface of Mars. The strong degree of crystal alignment exhibited in the emissivity spectra of Mars suggests that these oriented hematite crystals most likely occur as bedrock of aligned specular hematite grains (possibly schistose in texture) or as a secondary coating on bedrock, rather than as discrete particles. We are investigating the nature of this vast hematite deposit in order to understand better the geologic setting and infer past conditions and geological evolution on Mars.

Morris, Richard V.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Evidence for a Hematite Ore Body on Mars

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft was launched from Cape Kennedy in November 1996. MGS was put into orbit around Mars in September of 1997 and has since been sending back data from a suite of instruments, including the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES). The TES instrument is an interferometric spectrometer designed to map the surface mineralogy of Mars by measuring the midinfrared emitted radiation over the spectral region of approximately 1600 to 200 per centimeter (appjroximately 6 to 50 microns). This mineralogically sensitive technique utilizes the characteristic intra- and inter-molecular vibrations of minerals that are manifested in the midinfrared spectra. These spectral "fingerprints" are unique because they are dependent upon chemical composition, crystal structure, crystal orientation, and other factors. Midinfrared spectral data received from the MGS-TES instrument have indicated the presence of a large deposit of hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) in Sinus Meridiani, Mars. This hematite ore body, that is accompanied by basalt, is areally extensive, encompassing and area approximately 350 by 500 km. To better understand the geologic context of this large deposit, a detailed laboratory spectroscopic investigation was conducted using more than 20 hematite samples so that their spectra could be compared to the martian spectra. The samples included red and gray polycrystaline hand samples, gray single-crystal hand samples, and red and gray fine- and coarse-grained particulates. The laboratory analyses provided thermal emissivity spectra that, when compared to the hematite emissivity spectra from Mars, suggest the Sinus Meridiani hematite is possibly an exposure of oriented hematite grains. These grains are likely coarser that 10 microns (and may be much larger) and gray in color The characteristic of oriented grains is suggested by the apparent crystal axis-dependence of the energy emitted from the surface of Mars. The strong degree of crystal alignment exhibited in the emissivity spectra of Mars suggests that these oriented hematite crystals most likely occur as bedrock of aligned specular hematite grains (possibly schistose in texture) or as a secondary coating on bedrock, rather than as discrete particles. We are investigating the nature of this vast hematite deposit in order to understand better the geologic setting and infer past conditions and geological evolution on Mars.

Lane, M. D.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Prototype Software for Future Spaceflight Tested at Mars Desert Research Station

NASA scientists in MDRS Crew 49 (April 23-May 7, 2006) field tested and significantly extended a prototype monitoring and advising system that integrates power system telemetry with a voice commanding interface. A distributed, wireless network of functionally specialized agents interacted with the crew to provide alerts (e.g., impending shut-down of inverter due to low battery voltage), access md interpret historical data, and display troubleshooting procedures. In practical application during two weeks, the system generated speech over loudspeakers and headsets lo alert the crew about the need to investigate power system problems. The prototype system adapts the Brahms/Mobile Agents toolkit to receive data from the OneMeter (Brand Electronics) electric metering system deployed by Crew 47. A computer on the upper deck was connected to loudspeakers, four others were paired with wireless (Bluetooth) headsets that enabled crew members to interact with their personal agents from anywhere in the hab. Voice commands and inquiries included: 1. What is the {battery | generator} {volts | amps | volts and amps}? 2. What is the status of the {generator | inverter | battery | solar panel}? 3. What is the hab{itat} {power usage | volts | voltage | amps | volts and amps}? 4. What was the average hab{itat} {amps | volts | voltage} since <#> {AM | PM)? 5. When did the {generator | batteries} change status? 6. Tell {me I | everyone} when{ ever} the generator goes offline. 7. Tell {me | | everyone} when the hab{itat} {amps | volts | voltage} {exceeds | drops brelow} <#>. 8. {Send | Take | Record} {a} voice note {(for | to} } {at }. This research demonstrates the principles of design in the context of use, investigating requirements through experimental use of prototype systems in an analog setting, and use of MDRS as a research facility for designing and implementing new systems.

Clancey, William J.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Automated Identification and Differentiation of Spectrally Similar Hydrothermal Minerals on Mars

Early telescopic observations corroborated hydration related absorptions on Mars in the infrared. Images from the Viking missions led to speculation of hydrothermal alteration and were followed by two missions which mapped the spatial variability of the ~ 3 μm hydration feature. Since then, the Compact Reconnaissance Imager for Mars (CRISM) has provided high spatial resolution (up to 18m) spectral identification of a suite of hydrothermal and diagenetic minerals which have illuminated a range of formation mechanisms. Presence/absence and spatial segregation or mixing of minerals like prehnite, epidote, chlorite amphiboles, and mixed-layer Fe/Mg smectite-chlorite provide valuable evidence for the geologic setting of deposits on Earth, and these phases are often used as temperature and aqueous chemistry indicators in terrestrial systems. Mapping the distribution of these phases will help to answer whether Mars had widespread conditions favorable for low-grade metamorphism and diagenesis, or only focused hydrothermal systems in areas of high heat flow. Further characterizing the chemistry and structure of these phases will then help to answer how most of the widespread Fe/Mg phyllosilicates formed, further defining early geochemical cycling and climate. A fully automated approach for accurate mapping of important hydrothermal mineral phases on Mars has been a challenge. Due to overlapping features in the M-OH region (~2.2-2.4 μm), the strongest absorption features of chlorite, prehnite, and epidote in the short-wave infrared are difficult to distinguish from one another and from the most commonly occurring hydrated silicates on Mars, Fe/Mg smectites. Weaker absorptions are present in both prehnite and epidote which help to distinguish them from chlorite and smectites, but their relative strength in the presence of noise and spatial mixing is often too low to confidently identify them without the noise suppression and feature enhancement methods described here. The spectral signatures of mixed-layer Fe/Mg smectite-chlorite and partially chloritized Fe/Mg smectites have not yet been adequately assessed. Here we evaluate the effectiveness of two empirical and statistical methods for identifying and differentiating these phases using CRISM data.

Rasmussen, B. P.↗

NASA NTRS2021

Overview of Dragonfly Entry Aerosciences Measurements (DrEAM)

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) leads the Dragonfly Entry Aerosciences Measurements (DrEAM) project, which is an aeroshell instrumentation suite on the Dragonfly mission that fulfills the Engineering Science Investigation requirement for the New Frontiers mission. NASA ARC is partnering with NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to provide a comprehensive sensor suite, including a DLR-provided Data Acquisition System (DAS). DrEAM will provide key aerothermodynamic data and performance analysis for Dragonfly’s forebody and backshell Thermal Protection System (TPS). Titan’s atmosphere predominantly consists of ni-trogen (~98% by mole) with small amounts of me-thane (~2% by mole) and other trace gases. CN is a strong radiator, and is found in nonequilibrium con-centrations for Titan entry. The accurate modeling of nonequilibrium CN radiation has proven to be a diffi-cult task. Prompted by the Huygens mission, many experimental campaigns and analyses were performed to better understand the aerothermal environments experienced by the probe during Titan entry [1]. How-ever, the Huygens probe carried no heatshield instru-mentation. Therefore, the DrEAM sensor suite will sig-nificantly advance the state-of-the-art not only by documenting the environment and performance of Dragonfly’s entry system but also by making key in situ measurements in Titan’s atmosphere for the first time. Aerothermal environments and TPS response will be measured using sensors whose flight heritage is tak-en from the Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing In-strumentation 2 (MEDLI2) thermocouple plugs and the COMbined Aerothermal and Radiometer Sensor (COMARS) suite [2], with the latter supplied by DLR. The MEDLI2 project used embedded thermocouples to directly measure the in-depth TPS temperature-time history at several locations on the heat shield and backshell of the Mars 2020 entry vehicle. These tem-perature measurements, in turn, can be used to infer surface environments via an inverse analysis proce-dure analogous to that used for MEDLI. For DrEAM, the thermocouple plug subsystem will be known as Dragonfly Sensors for Aero-Thermal Reconstruction (DragSTR). On Schiaparelli, the COMARS suite in-cluded three total surface-mounted heat flux sensors, three pressure sensors, and one radiometer. For DrEAM, the COMARS package will be known as the COmbined Sensor System for Titan Atmosphere (COSSTA). Since the methane concentration in the Titan atmos-phere is directly proportional to the radiative heat flux, the COSSTA measurements will be used to reduce the current uncertainty in the methane volume fraction. Atmospheric density measurements and capsule aero-dynamic data will be obtained through the onboard Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), supplemented by pressure transducers similar to those used by the MEDLI and MEDLI2 projects. The DrEAM pressure sensors will be known as the Dragonfly Atmospheric Flight Transducers. (DrAFT). The pressure measure-ments, when combined with data from the on-board IMU, will allow for reconstruction of such quantities as vehicle Mach number, freestream density, and atmos-pheric winds. DrAFT measurements will enhance Dragonfly trajectory reconstruction and enable a sepa-ration of the aerodynamics from the atmosphere, as was done for MEDLI [3] and is currently in process for the MEDLI2 flight data set.

EDL↗

DOE OSTI2024

Safety Basis Compliant Flexible Operations [Capstone Project]

Compliant nuclear operations must be weighed against the radiological risk to the worker, public, and the environment. This project set out to look at one facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) and compare the risk with the operational restrictions associated with the Technical Safety Requirements (TSRs). The hope was to identify controls that could be reduced or simplified while maintaining compliance with 10 CFR 830, Nuclear Safety Management. This would result in increasing facility operational flexibility and efficiency. Controls were identified to be simplified or eliminated based on risk. This identification was initially envisioned from the perspective of reanalysis of the accident and hazard analysis consequences. Additionally, it was envisioned that fire testing could show that the consequences of a fire are not as dramatic as analyzed. Specific facility controls were identified that cause operational inefficiencies. Based on data collection, two controls were identified for further evaluation. The first control was combustible loading within the waste storage buildings, and the second control is related to the seismic power cutoff switch. In evaluating the combustible loading control, the thought is that the fire suppression system (FSS) provides adequate protection and the combustible loading controls do not need elevation to a TSR control. The FSS, along with the Fire Protection Program, would provide protection to prevent a fire from impacting large amounts of stored waste material. The seismic switch was more of a challenge. When reviewing the facility operation, it was determined that the facility does not operate anywhere near the established material-at-risk (MAR – radioactive material) limits. By adjusting these limits, a reduced consequence could be achieved and hence, a significant risk reduction achieved. A new operating mode would be used to achieve this reduction. A reduced MAR limit was successfully used as a test case for snow removal during this project. This project expands on that trial case as related to combustible loading and the seismic power cutoff switch TSRs. This will increase the efficiency of operations with reduced TSR controls while reducing overall facility risk. This is a win-win situation for Triad National Security, LLC (Triad) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Due to schedule and budgetary constraints, not all envisioned work scope was accomplished. However, it is maintained in this report for future efforts.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Supportability Concepts for Crewed Deep Space Exploration

Supportability—defined as the set of system characteristics that influence the logistics and support required to enable safe and effective operations—will be a much larger driver of mass, risk, and crew time for future human space exploration due to the more challenging mission context. For Mars, systems must operate in a logistically isolated environment for much longer durations than previous missions, which results in a higher probability of system failure and therefore an increased need for maintenance or contingency options. Mars missions also lack access to quick aborts, which increases the consequences of an unrecoverable system failure. Together, this higher likelihood and consequence of failure results in an increase in supportability-related risk. Supportability analysis is an important part of systems development that helps designers better understand the impacts of system and mission decisions on risk, mass, and crew time. The real-world processes that drive maintenance requirements and other supportability-related characteristics are probabilistic, and therefore they require different conceptual approaches and models than are used for more deterministic aspects of space systems. This paper provides an overview of supportability analysis, addresses key concepts, and provides examples of how supportability analysis can be incorporated into system development. Specifically, system supportability involves stochastic processes, and therefore must be evaluated using probabilistic models. These models can be used to perform sensitivity analysis even if system characteristics are not yet fully defined. Failure rates cannot be measured directly, but tests provide valuable data that can help refine those estimates. Human spaceflight architectures are complex, and exhibit coupled behavior that should be examined with integrated systems analysis that includes an assessment of supportability.

Supportability↗