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NASA NTRS1977

Earth-to-orbit transportation for advanced space facilities

Stages in the development of lift vehicles and related facilities for near-earth space transportation, starting with the Space Shuttle, are reviewed. Data and expected missions for the Lunar Lander, Heavy Lift Vehicle, Orbital Transport Vehicle, Lunar Transport Vehicle, Shuttle plus Intermediate Upper Stage or Shuttle plus FCT are tabulated. Objectives and summary data are tabulated for some programs (low earth orbit space stations, geosynchronous operations, lunar surface sorties, planetary exploration, nuclear waste disposal, satellite energy systems).

Davis, H. P.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Simulator for training remote-manipulator operators

Six-degree-of-freedom simulator uses economical components. Reduction in complexity makes this or similar system cost-effective for training manipulator operators, such as those in industries handling nuclear wastes and hazardous chemicals.

Orr, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Analysis of the Gas Core Actinide Transmutation Reactor (GCATR)

Design power plant studies were carried out for two applications of the plasma core reactor: (1) As a breeder reactor, (2) As a reactor able to transmute actinides effectively. In addition to the above applications the reactor produced electrical power with a high efficiency. A reactor subsystem was designed for each of the two applications. For the breeder reactor, neutronics calculations were carried out for a U-233 plasma core with a molten salt breeding blanket. A reactor was designed with a low critical mass (less than a few hundred kilograms U-233) and a breeding ratio of 1.01. The plasma core actinide transmutation reactor was designed to transmute the nuclear waste from conventional LWR's. The spent fuel is reprocessed during which 100% of Np, Am, Cm, and higher actinides are separated from the other components. These actinides are then manufactured as oxides into zirconium clad fuel rods and charged as fuel assemblies in the reflector region of the plasma core actinide transmutation reactor. In the equilibrium cycle, about 7% of the actinides are directly fissioned away, while about 31% are removed by reprocessing.

Clement, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1978

A review of NASA-sponsored technology assessment projects

Recent technology assessment studies sponsored by NASA are reviewed, and a summary of the technical results as well as a critique of the methodologies are presented. The reviews include Assessment of Lighter-Than-Air Technology, Technology Assessment of Portable Energy RDT&P, Technology Assessment of Future Intercity Passenger Transportation Systems, and Technology Assessment of Space Disposal of Radioactive Nuclear Waste. The use of workshops has been introduced as a unique element of some of these assessments. Also included in this report is a brief synopsis of a method of quantifying opinions obtained through such group interactions. Representative of the current technology assessments, these studies cover a broad range of socio-political factors and issues in greater depth than previously considered in NASA sponsored studies. In addition to the lessons learned through the conduct of these studies, a few suggestions for improving the effectiveness of future technology assessments are provided.

Mascy, A. C.↗

NASA NTRS1976

UF6 breeder reactor power plants for electric power generation

The reactor concept analyzed is a U-233F6 core surrounded by a molten salt (Li(7)F, BeF2, ThF4) blanket. Nuclear survey calculations were carried out for both spherical and cylindrical geometries. Thermodynamic cycle calculations were performed for a variety of Rankine cycles. A conceptual design is presented along with a system layout for a 1000 MW stationary power plant. Advantages of the gas core breeder reactor (GCBR) are as follows: (1) high efficiency; (2) simplified on-line reprocessing; (3) inherent safety considerations; (4) high breeding ratio; (5) possibility of burning all or most of the long-lived nuclear waste actinides; and (6) possibility of extrapolating the technology to higher temperatures and MHD direct conversion.

Rust, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Electromagnetic propulsion alternatives

Mass drivers can serve to propel massive objects by expelling any available material as reaction mass, however, mass driver engines have several limitations such as relatively large payload size and dynamic stability problems. A number of alternative acceleration mechanisms exist which offer advantages for certain applications, such as higher acceleration at a sacrifice in efficiency, smaller possible size and decreased complexity at a sacrifice in service life, etc. The alternative concepts include several variants of the railgun, a family of superconducting slingshot oscillators, a momentum transformer, an impulse induction motor, and a family of hybrid synchronous accelerators. A potential application of considerable interest is the earth-based launching of space cargo or nuclear waste by using off-peak generating capacity to accelerate one ton cargo cylinders at intervals of several minutes.

Kolm, H.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Solution of naturally-ocurring glasses in the geological environment

As part of a study to investigate the feasibility of putting nuclear wastes in glass containers and burying them on land or dumping them in the ocean, the amount of solution experience by naturally occurring glasses from two land sites and thirty-four deep sea sites was studied. The glasses are microtektites from three strewn fields and from the Zhamanshin impact crater. The microtektites range in age from 0.7 to 35 m.y. and have a wide range in composition. The weight percent SiO2, for example, ranges from 44.8 to 81.7. Although several criteria for determining the amount of solution were considered, most of the conclusions are based on two criteria: (1) width of cracks, and (2) elevation of silica rich inclusions above the adjacent microtektite surface. All the measurements were made on scanning electron microscope photomicrographs of the microtektites.

Glass, B. P.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Space safety and rescue 1979-1981: Worldwide disaster response, rescue and safety employing space-borne systems

Selected papers from the 1979, 1980, and 1981 IAA symposia on space safety and rescue and on worldwide disaster response, safety, and rescue employing spaceborne systems are presented. Available papers published elsewhere and those presented at the 1976, 1977, and 1978 symposia are presented in abstract form. Subjects discussed include man-made space debris, nuclear-waste disposal in space, space-station safety design, psychological training, the introduction of female crewmembers, analysis of the November 23, 1980 earthquake as a design basis for satellite emergency communication, disaster warning using the GOES satellite, and satellite communications for disaster relief operations. Three reviews of the application of space technology to emergency and disaster relief and prevention, given at other symposia in 1981, are presented in an appendix. No individual items are abstracted in this volume

Brown, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Aerospace technology and commercial nuclear power; Proceedings of the Workshop Conference, Williamsburg, VA, November 18-20, 1981

An attempt has been made to compare the technologies, institutions and procedures of the aerospace and commercial nuclear power industries, in order to characterize similarities and contrasts as well as to identify the most fruitful means by which to transfer information, technology, and procedures between the two industries. The seven working groups involved in this study took as their topics powerplant design formulation and effectiveness, plant safety and operations, powerplant control technology and integration, economic and financial analyses, public relations, and the management of nuclear waste and spent fuel. Consequential differences are noted between the two industries in matters of certification and licencing procedures, assignment of responsibility for both safety and financial performance, and public viewpoint. Areas for beneficial interaction include systems management and control and safety system technology. No individual items are abstracted in this volume

Grey, J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Alpha-decay-induced fracturing in zircon - The transition from the crystalline to the metamict state

Zonation due to alpha-decay damage in a natural single crystal of zircon from Sri Lanka is discussed. The zones vary in thickness on a scale from one to hundreds of microns. The uranium and thorium concentrations vary from zone to zone such that the alpha decay dose is between 0.2 x 10 to the 16th and 0.8 x 10 to the 16th alpha-events per milligram. The transition from the crystalline to the aperiodic metamict state occurs over this dose range. At doses greater than 0.8 x 10 to the 16th alpha events/mg there is no evidence for long-range order. This type of damage will accumulate in actinide-bearing, ceramic nuclear waste forms. The systematic pattern of fractures would occur in crystalline phases that are zoned with respect to actinide radionuclides.

Chakoumakos, Bryan C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Interactions of silicate glasses with aqueous environments under conditions of prolonged contact and flow

This paper discusses mechanisms involving saturation and reactions that lead to the formation of altered phases in silicate glasses considered for use in geologic repositories for nuclear waste. It is shown that the rate of dissolution of silicate glasses exposed to a broad range of contact times, leachant compositions, and surface-to-volume ratios is strongly affected by the presence of reactive species such as Al, Mg, and Fe. The reactive materials may originate in the leachant or, under conditions of high surface-to-volume ratio, in the glass itself. The effects of glass composition on the course of the corrosion process can be viewed in terms of the formation of a surface layer on the leached glass; the type, composition, and structure of this layer control the dissolution behavior of the glass.

Barkatt, Aaron↗

NASA NTRS1990

Ground-to-orbit laser propulsion: Advanced applications

Laser propulsion uses a large fixed laser to supply energy to heat an inert propellant in a rocket thruster. Such a system has two potential advantages: extreme simplicity of the thruster, and potentially high performance, particularly high exhaust velocity. By taking advantage of the simplicity of the thruster, it should be possible to launch small (10 to 1000 kg) payloads to orbit using roughly 1 MW of average laser power per kg of payload. The incremental cost of such launches would be of an order of $200/kg for the smallest systems, decreasing to essentially the cost of electricity to run the laser (a few times $10/kg) for larger systems. Although the individual payload size would be smaller, a laser launch system would be inherently high-volume, with the capacity to launch tens of thousands of payloads per year. Also, with high exhaust velocity, a laser launch system could launch payloads to high velocities - geosynchronous transfer, Earth escape, or beyond - at a relatively small premium over launches to LEO. The status of pulsed laser propulsion is briefly reviewed including proposals for advanced vehicles. Several applications appropriate to the early part of the next century and perhaps valuable well into the next millennium are discussed qualitatively: space habitat supply, deep space mission supply, nuclear waste disposal, and manned vehicle launching.

Kare, Jordin T.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Advanced Computed Tomography Inspection System (ACTIS): An overview of the technology and its application

The Advanced Computed Tomography Inspection System (ACTIS) was developed by NASA Marshall to support solid propulsion test programs. ACTIS represents a significant advance in state-of-the-art inspection systems. Its flexibility and superior technical performance have made ACTIS very popular, both within and outside the aerospace community. Through technology utilization efforts, ACTIS has been applied to inspection problems in commercial aerospace, lumber, automotive, and nuclear waste disposal industries. ACTIS has been used to inspect items of historical interest. ACTIS has consistently produced valuable results, providing information which was unattainable through conventional inspection methods. Although many successes have already been shown, the full potential of ACTIS has not yet been realized. It is currently being applied in the commercial aerospace industry by Boeing. Smaller systems, based on ACTIS technology, are becoming increasingly available. This technology has much to offer the small business and industry, especially in identifying design and process problems early in the product development cycle to prevent defects. Several options are available to businesses interested in this technology.

Hediger, Lisa H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Applications of the Strategic Defense Initiative's compact accelerators

The Strategic Defense Initiative's (SDI) investment in particle accelerator technology for its directed energy weapons program has produced breakthroughs in the size and power of new accelerators. These accelerators, in turn, have produced spinoffs in several areas: the radio frequency quadrupole linear accelerator (RFQ linac) was recently incorporated into the design of a cancer therapy unit at the Loma Linda University Medical Center, an SDI-sponsored compact induction linear accelerator may replace Cobalt-60 radiation and hazardous ethylene-oxide as a method for sterilizing medical products, and other SDIO-funded accelerators may be used to produce the radioactive isotopes oxygen-15, nitrogen-13, carbon-11, and fluorine-18 for positron emission tomography (PET). Other applications of these accelerators include bomb detection, non-destructive inspection, decomposing toxic substances in contaminated ground water, and eliminating nuclear waste.

Montanarelli, Nick↗

NASA NTRS1991

Lunar hydrogen extraction

This paper examines the power and mass requirements of a lunar hydrogen extraction plant producing five metric tons of hydrogen per year. These power and mass requirements are based upon experimental work that determined gaseous hydrogen release rates from lunar samples at various heating rates and temperatures. An optimum heating temperature and rate can be selected to minimize the processing plant's power and mass requirements. The impact of thermal recovery on the power and mass requirements is studied, as is the use of nuclear waste heat for processing the regolith. In addition, the potential of using the extracted hydrogen in the form of methane as a propellant for a Lunar Excursion Vehicle is examined.

Snaufer, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Microelectronic Chips For Radiation-Dose Tests

Custom-made single-chip complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit designed to reveal effects of ionizing radiation on itself and similar integrated circuits. Potential terrestrial use: safety-oriented monitoring of ionizing radiation at nuclear powerplants, nuclear-waste sites, and the like.

Buehler, Martin G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Chemical transport during formation and alteration of Martian impact and volcanic deposits

Much of the surface of Mars, including volcanic and cratered terrains, probably experienced alteration and degassing processes. These processes may have depleted or enriched many important elements in surface materials, including bedrock, dust, and soils. The composition of the martian soil may represent the best estimate, for some elements, of the average composition of the martian crust, similar to the composition of loess created by glacial action on the Earth. The martian soil may represent the only convenient, globally or regionally averaged sample of the martian crust. In order to understand the composition of the source material for the soil, however, we need to understand the contributions of volcanic vs. impact sources for this material and the chemical fractionations involved in its production. The processes to be addressed include degassing of volcanic deposits, as observed in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes at Katmai, Alaska, and degassing of meltbearing impact ejecta as inferred for suevite ejecta sheets at the Ries Crater, and alteration or palagonitization of volcanic deposits, as documented for volcanos in British Columbia and many other volcanic terrains, and impact crater deposits. The process of palagonitization has been the subject of several studies with reference to Mars, and palagonite is a good analogue for the spectroscopic properties of the martian dust. The role of impact in cratering has not been as well studied, although other researchers have established that both degassing and alteration are common features of impact crater deposits. Other relevant sources of experimental data include the extensive literature on the corrosion of nuclear waste glass and leaching of shocked materials.

Newsom, H. E.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Advanced teleoperation: Technology innovations and applications

The capability to remotely, robotically perform space assembly, inspection, servicing, and science functions would rapidly expand our presence in space, and the cost efficiency of being there. There is considerable interest in developing 'telerobotic' technologies, which also have comparably important terrestrial applications to health care, underwater salvage, nuclear waste remediation and other. Such tasks, both space and terrestrial, require both a robot and operator interface that is highly flexible and adaptive, i.e., capable of efficiently working in changing and often casually structured environments. One systems approach to this requirement is to augment traditional teleoperation with computer assists -- advanced teleoperation. We have spent a number of years pursuing this approach, and highlight some key technology developments and their potential commercial impact. This paper is an illustrative summary rather than self-contained presentation; for completeness, we include representative technical references to our work which will allow the reader to follow up items of particular interest.

Schenker, Paul S.↗