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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

Restore-L Satellite Servicing Internship Final Report

This paper reviews the Restore-L mission purpose and the necessary research and simulations to meet mission specification for the Propellant Transfer Subsystem (PTS). It is essential the PTS undergoes functionality testing, environmental testing, and calculations to understand the capabilities of the system. For the testing of components from PTS, a proper test setup is required. It is vital for test hardware, such as hoses and valves, to stay in place while the test is being performed. For the test hardware to operate correctly, positioning, orientation, and alignment are critical as well. In addition to the testing, calculations for pressure drop were explored. To meet requirements for test setups, designs for test hardware mounts were sketched, 3D modeled, and manufactured. Using fluid mechanics for calculations, a pressure drop equation was applied with known variables from mission specification. With the test hardware mounts designed and manufactured, the test setup was assembled with mounts installed. Test hardware mounts met all design requirements. Calculation for pressure drop were concluded and an answer was achieved. Meeting design requirement, mission specification, and calculating correct results allow the Restore-L mission to make further progress and help understand the effectiveness of the Propellant Transfer Subsystem.

PTS↗
NASA NTRS2024

Manifold Integrated Pyrovalve

The Manifold Integrated Pyrovalve (MI-PV) provides a state-of-the-art, low mass, low volume, normally-closed (NC) pyrotechnic isolation valve configuration which is optimized for small free-flier applications. Small scale free-flier (e.g. CubeSat) applications require high pressure fluid isolation valves with leak rates low enough to endure long pad stays, and often have severe mass and volume limitations. The MI-PV utilizes a unique configuration where the shear section and the pyrotechnic ram assembly (PRA) are installed directly into a ported gas manifold, allowing elimination of heavy fluid fittings and connections. This configuration can be readily scaled and adapted to the needs of other long duration missions.

valve pyrovalve pyrotechnic↗
NASA NTRS2011

International Space Station Water Balance Operations

In November 2008, the Water Regenerative System racks were launched aboard Space Shuttle flight, STS-126 (ULF2) and installed and activated on the International Space Station (ISS). These racks, consisting of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), completed the installation of the Regenerative (Regen) Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), which includes the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) that was launched 2 years prior. With the onset of active water management on the US segment of the ISS, a new operational concept was required, that of water balance . In November of 2010, the Sabatier system, which converts H2 and CO2 into water and methane, was brought on line. The Regen ECLSS systems accept condensation from the atmosphere, urine from crew, and processes that fluid via various means into potable water, which is used for crew drinking, building up skip-cycle water inventory, and water for electrolysis to produce oxygen. Specification (spec) rates of crew urine output, condensate output, O2 requirements, toilet flush water, and drinking needs are well documented and used as the best guess planning rates when Regen ECLSS came online. Spec rates are useful in long term planning, however, daily or weekly rates are dependent upon a number of variables. The constantly changing rates created a new challenge for the ECLSS flight controllers, who are responsible for operating the ECLSS systems onboard ISS from Mission Control in Houston. This paper reviews the various inputs to water planning, rate changes, and dynamic events, including but not limited to: crew personnel makeup, Regen ECLSS system operability, vehicle traffic, water storage availability, and Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA), Sabatier, and OGA capability. Along with the inputs that change the various rates, the paper will review the different systems, their constraints, and finally the operational challenges and means by which flight controllers manage this new concept of "water balance."

Tobias, Barry↗
NASA NTRS1972

Manufacturing and quality control of interconnecting wire harnesses, Volume 4

The document covers interconnecting wire harnesses defined in the design standard, including type 8, flat conductor cable. Volume breadth covers installations of groups of harnesses in a major assembly and the associated post installation inspections and electrical tests. Knowledge gained through experience on the Saturn 5 program coupled with recent advances in techniques, materials, and processes was incorporated into this document.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Exploration and In-Space Services (NExIS) Division OSAM-1 Propellant Transfer Subsystem Progress through FY 2024

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration and In-Space Services (NExIS) Division of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been developing technology to robotically refuel both heritage and recently developed satellites on-orbit funded through NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). The On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission, formerly known as Restore-L, developed a system to refuel a satellite in space and assemble a communications antenna. By demonstrating these capabilities, the mission would advance never-before tested technologies for use in future missions (by NASA, other government organizations, and private industries). The purpose of this paper is to capture the lessons learned from the hardware development of the OSAM-1 Propellant Transfer System (PTS) that are highly relevant for the ISAM community. This paper covers a review of in-space servicing extensibility and critical technologies that were being developed within NExIS, focusing on the fluid transfer refueling technology within the framework of the OSAM-1 PTS. An overview of the technology demonstration servicing mission via the OSAM-1 Space Vehicle is provided as an extension of the technology development progress reported in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The general objectives, challenges, and key technologies are presented as an introduction to the context of the OSAM-1 mission, and a precursor to the OSAM-1 PTS specific development status. Final assembly, qualification, and functional tests along with installation and acceptance testing of the Hose Management Assembly (HMA) and Propellant Transfer Assembly (PTA) are discussed. Technology development, challenges, lessons learned, along with installation and testing results are discussed, with particular focus on the OSAM-1 assemblies including the PTA and HMA. In addition, testing utilizing the integrated flight simulator test setups will be summarized. The OSAM-1 PTS made great strides in advancing in-space refueling technology; however, there are unfinished development efforts remaining. This paper concludes with a brief summary of the technology shortfalls (gaps) that remain in the key areas of in-space fluid transfer.

ISAM↗
NASA NTRS2002

STS-112 Crew Interviews: Yurchikhin

A preflight interview with mission specialist Fyodor Yurchikhin is presented. He worked for a long time in Energia in the Russian Mission Control Center (MCC). Yurchikhin discusses the main goal of the STS-112 flight, which is to install the Integrated Truss Assembly S1 (Starboard Side Thermal Radiator Truss) on the International Space Station. He also talks about the three space walks required to install the S1. After the installation of S1, work with the bolts and cameras are performed. Yurchikhin is involved in working with nitrogen and ammonia jumpers. He expresses the complexity of his work, but says that he and the other crew members are ready for the challenge.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1988

Results of EVA/mobile transporter space station truss assembly tests

Underwater neutral buoyance tests were conducted to evaluate the use of a Mobile Transporter concept in conjunction with EVA astronauts to construct the Space Station Freedom truss structure. A three-bay orthogonal tetrahedral truss configuration with a 15 foot square cross section was repeatedly assembled by a single pair of pressure suited test subjects working from the Mobile Transporter astronaut positioning devices (mobile foot restraints). The average unit assembly time (which included integrated installation of utility trays) was 27.6 s/strut, or 6 min/bay. The results of these tests indicate that EVA assembly of space station size structures can be significantly enhanced when using a Mobile Transporter equipped with astronaut positioning devices. Rapid assembly time can be expected and are dependent primarily on the rate of translation permissible for on-orbit operations. The concept used to demonstate integrated installation of utility trays requires minimal EVA handling and consequentially, as the results show, has little impact on overall assembly time.

Watson, Judith J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Design and development of pressure and repressurization purge system for reusable space shuttle multilayer insulation system

The manufacturing tasks for the program included the fabrication and assembly of an epoxy fiberglass purge bag to encapsulate an insulated cryogenic propellant tank. Purge, repressurization and venting hardware were procured and installed on the purge bag assembly in preparation for performance testing. The fabrication and installation of the superfloc multilayer insulation (MLI) on the cryogenic tank was accomplished as part of a continuing program. An abstraction of the results of the MLI fabrication task is included to describe the complete fabrication requirements for a reusable cryogenic propellant space storage system.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1980

Installation and checkout of the DOE/NASA Mod-1 2000-kW wind turbine generator

The paper describes the DOE/NASA Mod-1 wind turbine generator, its assembly and testing, and its installation at Boone, North Carolina. The paper concludes with performance data taken during the initial tests conducted on the machine. The successful installation and initial operation of the Mod-1 wind turbine generator has had the following results: (1) megawatt-size wind turbines can be operated satisfactorily on utility grids; (2) the structural loads can be predicted by existing codes; (3) assembly of the machine on top of the tower presents no major problem; (4) large blades 100 ft long can be transported long distances and over mountain roads; and (5) operating experience and performance data will contribute substantially to the design of future low-cost wind turbines.

Puthoff, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Mars Ecopoiesis Testbed

Mars surface conditions where liquid water is absent were simulated for the purposes of laboratory research. A pressure-temperature (P-T) profile was maintained in which no combination of pressure or temperature corresponds to the liquid region of the water phase diagram. The triple point of pure water occurs at T = 0.1oC and P(H2O) = 6.01 mbar; therefore all temperatures and pressures must be kept below these values, respectively. A 35-day test was performed in a commercial planetary simulation system (Techshot, Inc., Greenville, IN) in which the minimum night-time temperature was -80oC, the maximum daytime temperature was +26oC, the simulated day-night light cycle in earth hours was 12-on and 12-off, and the total pressure of the pure CO2 atmosphere was maintained below 11 mbar. Any water present was allowed to equilibrate with the changing temperature and pressure. The gas phase was sampled into a CR1-A condensation-mirror low-pressure hygrometer, which uses liquid nitrogen (down to 77oK) to determine the dew point (Buck Technologies, Boulder, CO). Dew point was measured once every hour and recorded on a data logger, along with the varying temperature in the chamber, from which the partial pressure of water was calculated. The resulting calculated daily cycles were tracked on the water P-T diagram, and no points were found to fall within the liquid-phase region of the diagram. It is concluded that there was no liquid water present throughout the test except during the initial pump-down period when aqueous specimens were introduced on the first day (less than 1 hour). Mars regolith simulant was present during this test, and further investigation is needed to determine whether liquid water could have been present or absent in the regolith in the form of brine. Biological samples consisting of Cyanobacteria: Anabena sp., Chroococcidiopsis CCMEE171, Plectonema boryanum; Eubacteria: Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Eukaryota: Chlorella ellipsoidia were maintained in the simulator under the above-described conditions. The exposed specimens were tested for intracellular esterase activity, chlorophyll content (where appropriate) and reproductive survival. All tests yielded low-level positive results in all cases. In parallel to these terrestrial studies a planned design study was undertaken for the proposed test bed. Design requirements include compact assembly for transport and installation on the planetary surface (multiple units per mission would be expected), protective internal package for the release of organisms, a means of atmosphere exchange, access to sunlight, a means of penetrating the planetary surface, and most importantly a means of acquiring regolith while meeting the requirements of planetary protection. In consultation with advisers a design was created, and a large-scale mock-up of this design was fabricated by additive manufacturing at Techshot, Inc. with moving parts that simulated the components of the design. The mock-up assembly has been demonstrated to interested parties. A means of detecting live metabolism will also be included in the test bed. Several options were reviewed, and it is concluded that, by the time the ecopoiesis test bed is ready for testing the optimum instrument will be the equivalent of a hand-held mass spectrometer for metabolic gas analysis. This will maximize versatility and reveal much more information than could a detector of a single product (such as molecular oxygen), and the

Ecopoiesis↗
NASA NTRS2005

Itegrated Test and Evaluation of a 4-Bed Molecular Sieve (4BMS) Carbon Dioxide Removtal System (CDRA), Mechanical Compressor Engineering Development Unit (EDU), and Sabitier Engineering Development Unit (EDU)

Currently on the International Space Station s (ISS) U.S. Segment, carbon dioxide (CO2) scrubbed from the cabin by a 4-Bed Molecular Sieve (4BMS) Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) is vented overboard as a waste product. Likewise, the product hydrogen (H2) that will be generated by the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) planned for installation will also be vented. A flight experiment has been proposed that will take the waste CO2 removed from the cabin, and via the catalytic Sabatier process, reduce it with waste H2 to generate water and methane. The water produced may provide cost and logistics savings for ISS by reducing the amount of water periodically re-supplied to orbit. To make this concept viable, a mechanical piston compressor and accumulator were developed for collecting and storing the CO2 from the CDRA. The compressor, accumulator and Sabatier system would be packaged together as one unit and referred to as the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA). Testing was required to evaluate the performance of a 4BMS CDRA, compressor, accumulator, and Sabatier performance along with their operating rules when integrated together. This had been numerically modeled and simulated; however, testing was necessary to verify the results from the engineering analyses. Testing also allowed a better understanding of the practical inefficiencies and control issues involved in a fully integrated system versus the theoretical ideals in the model. This paper presents and discusses the results of an integrated engineering development unit test.

Knox, James C.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Hypersonic research engine project. Phase 2: Structures and cooling development

The structures assembly model (SAM) was installed, and wind tunnel systems were checked out. The first run, with hydrogen cooling and SAM inserted in the wind tunnel stream (M = 7.7, P sub TOTAL = 900 psia, T sub TOTAL = 2500 deg R), was accomplished. The condition of the SAM after the run was satisfactory, with no visible signs or data indications of overheating or overloading.

Jilly, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Interfacing modules for integrating discipline specific structural mechanics codes

An outline of the organization and capabilities of the Engine Structures Computational Simulator (Simulator) at NASA Lewis Research Center is given. One of the goals of the research at Lewis is to integrate various discipline specific structural mechanics codes into a software system which can be brought to bear effectively on a wide range of engineering problems. This system must possess the qualities of being effective and efficient while still remaining user friendly. The simulator was initially designed for the finite element simulation of gas jet engine components. Currently, the simulator has been restricted to only the analysis of high pressure turbine blades and the accompanying rotor assembly, although the current installation can be expanded for other applications. The simulator presently assists the user throughout its procedures by performing information management tasks, executing external support tasks, organizing analysis modules and executing these modules in the user defined order while maintaining processing continuity.

Endres, Ned M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Comprehensive helicopter rotor instrumentation - A retrofit approach using miniature transducers

This paper reports an approach used to retrofit a set of full-scale main rotor blades with 290 miniature pressure transducers, 46 strain gages, and 24 miniature accelerometers. Normally, in order to avoid disturbing the aerodynamics of the rotor flow field, the pressure instrumentation must be integrally built into the body of the rotor blades. However, using a method developed with NASA, miniature pressure transducers are mounted to the blade exterior surface without degrading the quality of the blade aerodynamics. Moreover, it is estimated that this approach reduced costs by more than 50 percent over building a set of pressure instrumented blades. The aerodynamic measurement objectives are presented as are instrumentation design considerations, type of instrumentation used, assembly process, and the installed instrumentation characteristics.

Jacklin, Stephen A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Large-Scale Liquid Hydrogen Testing of Variable Density Multilayer Insulation with a Foam Substrate

The multipurpose hydrogen test bed (MHTB), with an 18-cu m liquid hydrogen tank, was used to evaluate a combination foam/multilayer combination insulation (MLI) concept. The foam element (Isofoam SS-1171) insulates during ground hold/ascent flight, and allowed a dry nitrogen purge as opposed to the more complex/heavy helium purge subsystem normally required. The 45-layer MLI was designed for an on-orbit storage period of 45 days. Unique WI features include a variable layer density, larger but fewer double-aluminized Mylar perforations for ascent to orbit venting, and a commercially established roll-wrap installation process that reduced assembly man-hours and resulted in a roust, virtually seamless MLI. Insulation performance was measured during three test series. The spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) successfully prevented purge gas liquefaction within the MLI and resulted in the expected ground hold heat leak of 63 W/sq m. The orbit hold tests resulted in heat leaks of 0.085 and 0.22 W/sq m with warm boundary temperatures of 164 and 305 K, respectively. Compared to the best previously measured performance with a traditional MLI system, a 41-percent heat leak reduction with 25 fewer MLI layers was achieved. The MHTB MLI heat leak is half that calculated for a constant layer density MLI.

Martin, J. J.↗