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Advancements in Crosscutting Capabilities to Enable Science & Exploration
As NASA looks beyond Human Lunar Return and towards Foundational Exploration, there are several crosscutting capabilities necessary to achieve these goals. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) has worked with internal and external stakeholders to make advancements in the areas of dust mitigation, extreme environments, extreme access, interoperability, and lunar simulants.
NASA Johnson Space Center Astromaterials Research Exploration Science Image Science and Analysis Group (ISAG) ISAG Support to the ISS Program
- Primary focus is on maintaining the safety of the crew and vehicle. - ISAG personnel request and screen imagery to: - Monitor changes in the ISS external condition - Anomalous indications - Hardware out of configuration - Detect Micro-Meteoroid or Orbital Debris (MMOD) impacts leading to: - Hardware failure - EVA sharp edges - ISAG personnel derive engineering data from imagery for: - Anomaly investigations - Structural dynamics measurements - Clearance assessments - Verifying ISS configuration against models and requirements - Jettison trajectory calculation - Provide Real-Time Support to the ISS and Anomalies
Advancements in Crosscutting Capabilities to Enable Science & Exploration
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Optical Communications to Enhance Science & Exploration
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IWS Directors Report: Science Enables Exploration Exploration Enables Science
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The Extended Disc Galaxy Exploration Science Survey: description and surface brightness profile properties
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An Efficient and Versatile Means for Assembling and Manufacturing Systems in Space
Within NASA Space Science, Exploration and the Office of Chief Technologist, there are Grand Challenges and advanced future exploration, science and commercial mission applications that could benefit significantly from large-span and large-area structural systems. Of particular and persistent interest to the Space Science community is the desire for large (in the 10- 50 meter range for main aperture diameter) space telescopes that would revolutionize space astronomy. Achieving these systems will likely require on-orbit assembly, but previous approaches for assembling large-scale telescope truss structures and systems in space have been perceived as very costly because they require high precision and custom components. These components rely on a large number of mechanical connections and supporting infrastructure that are unique to each application. In this paper, a new assembly paradigm that mitigates these concerns is proposed and described. A new assembly approach, developed to implement the paradigm, is developed incorporating: Intelligent Precision Jigging Robots, Electron-Beam welding, robotic handling/manipulation, operations assembly sequence and path planning, and low precision weldable structural elements. Key advantages of the new assembly paradigm, as well as concept descriptions and ongoing research and technology development efforts for each of the major elements are summarized.
NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute: Merging Science and Exploration
NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) represents a close collaboration between science, technology and exploration, and was created to enable a deeper understanding of the Moon and other airless bodies. SSERVI is supported jointly by NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The institute currently focuses on the scientific aspects of exploration as they pertain to the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) and the moons of Mars, but the institute goals may expand, depending on NASA's needs, in the future. The 9 initial teams, selected in late 2013 and funded from 2014-2019, have expertise across the broad spectrum of lunar, NEA, and Martian moon sciences. Their research includes various aspects of the surface, interior, exosphere, near-space environments, and dynamics of these bodies. NASA anticipates a small number of additional teams to be selected within the next two years, with a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) likely to be released in 2016. Calls for proposals are issued every 2-3 years to allow overlap between generations of institute teams, but the intent for each team is to provide a stable base of funding for a five year period. SSERVI's mission includes acting as a bridge between several groups, joining together researchers from: 1) scientific and exploration communities, 2) multiple disciplines across a wide range of planetary sciences, and 3) domestic and international communities and partnerships. The SSERVI central office is located at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. The administrative staff at the central office forms the organizational hub for the domestic and international teams and enables the virtual collaborative environment. Interactions with geographically dispersed teams across the U.S., and global partners, occur easily and frequently in a collaborative virtual environment. This poster will provide an overview of the 9 current US teams and international partners, as well as information about outreach efforts and future opportunities to participate in SSERVI.
Science on the Moon: The Wailing Wall of Space Exploration
Science on and from the Moon has important implications for expanding human knowledge and understanding, a prospect for the 21st Century that has been under discussion for at least the past 25 years. That having been said, however, there remain many issues of international versus national priorities, strategy, economy, and politics that come into play. The result is a very complex form of human behavior where science and exploration take center stage, but many other important human options are sacrificed. To renew this dialogue about the Moon, it seems we are already rushing pell-mell into it as has been done in the past. The U.S., Japan, China, India, and Russia either have sent or plan to send satellites and robotic landers there at this time. What does a return to the Moon mean, why are we doing this now, who should pay for it, and how? The only semblance of such a human enterprise seems to be the LHC currently coming online at CERN. Can it be used as a model of international collaboration rather than a sports or military event focused on national competition? Who decides and what is the human sacrifice? There are compelling arguments for establishing science on the Moon as one of the primary goals for returning to the Moon and venturing beyond. A number of science endeavors will be summarized, beyond lunar and planetary science per se. These include fundamental physics experiments that are background-limited by the Earth's magnetic dipole moment and noise produced by its atmosphere and seismic interior. The Moon is an excellent platform for some forms of astronomy. Other candidate Moon-based experiments vary from neutrino and gravitational wave astronomy, particle astrophysics, and cosmic-ray calorimeters, to space physics and fundamental physics such as proton decay. The list goes on and includes placing humans in a hostile environment to study the long-term effects of space weather. The list is long, and even newer ideas will come from this COSPAR conference. However, whatever the list the issue of cooperation and binding collaboration remains. As observers of Moon and other space enterprises, we all know that a room full of 60 scientists will not agree on much of anything and there will probably be 60! please for more funding. People have special interests and little common sense (e.g., conflict between NSF- and NASA-funding roadmaps). Scientists are no exception. Nevertheless, CERN has done it on Earth! Can we do the same on the Moon? Some of the present generation of proposals for science from and on the Moon, plus new ones, will witness a place in space exploration's future. It is clear, however, that the world has not thought this through adequately, except for talk about an international space federation whatever that is. An outpost on the Moon with humans permanently living there much like Antarctica on Earth may be in our future. However, such planning is our collective international responsibility and not that of special-interest investigators from individual nations unless they intend to pay for it.
The influence of space exploration on science education.
Space exploration influence on science education, showing NASA instructional materials for teachers in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, industrial arts, etc
Progress report on nuclear propulsion for space exploration and science
NASA is continuing its work in cooperation with the Department of Energy (DOE) on nuclear propulsion - both nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) and nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). The focus of the NTP studies remains on piloted and cargo missions to Mars (with precursor missions to the moon) although studies are under way to examine the potential uses of NTP for science missions. The focus of the NEP studies has shifted to space science missions with consideration of combining a science mission with an earlier demonstration of NEP using the SP-100 space nuclear reactor power system. Both NTP and NEP efforts are continuing in 1993 to provide a good foundation for science and exploration planners. Both NTP and NEP provide a very important transportation resource and in a number of cases enable missions that could not otherwise be accomplished.
Fiber lasers and amplifiers for science and exploration at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
We discuss present and near-term uses for high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers for NASA- specific applications including planetary topography and atmospheric spectroscopy. Fiber lasers and amplifiers offer numerous advantages for both near-term and future deployment of instruments on exploration and science remote sensing orbiting satellites. Ground-based and airborne systems provide an evolutionary path to space and a means for calibration and verification of space-borne systems. We present experimental progress on both the fiber transmitters and instrument prototypes for ongoing development efforts. These near-infrared instruments are laser sounders and lidars for measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide, oxygen, water vapor and methane and a pseudo-noise (PN) code laser ranging system. The associated fiber transmitters include high-power erbium, ytterbium, neodymium and Raman fiber amplifiers. In addition, we will discuss near-term fiber laser and amplifier requirements and programs for NASA free space optical communications, planetary topography and atmospheric spectroscopy.
FINESSE: Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration
The FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) team is focused on a science and exploration field-based research program aimed at generating strategic knowledge in preparation for the human and robotic exploration of the Moon, near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and Phobos and Deimos. We follow the philosophy that "science enables exploration and exploration enables science." 1) FINESSE Science: Understand the effects of volcanism and impacts as dominant planetary processes on the Moon, NEAs, and Phobos & Deimos. 2) FINESSE Exploration: Understand which exploration concepts of operations (ConOps) and capabilities enable and enhance scientific return. To accomplish these objectives, we are conducting an integrated research program focused on scientifically-driven field exploration at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho and at the West Clearwater Lake Impact Structure in northern Canada. Field deployments aimed at reconnaissance geology and data acquisition were conducted in 2014 at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Targets for data acquisition included selected sites at Kings Bowl eruptive fissure, lava field and blowout crater, Inferno Chasm vent and outflow channel, North Crater lava flow and Highway lava flow. Field investigation included (1) differential GPS (dGPS) measurements of lava flows, channels (and ejecta block at Kings Bowl); (2) LiDAR imaging of lava flow margins, surfaces and other selected features; (3) digital photographic documentation; (4) sampling for geochemical and petrographic analysis; (5) UAV aerial imagery of Kings Bowl and Inferno Chasm features; and (6) geologic assessment of targets and potential new targets. Over the course of the 5-week field FINESSE campaign to the West Clearwater Impact Structure (WCIS) in 2014, the team focused on several WCIS research topics, including impactites, central uplift formation, the impact-generated hydrothermal system, multichronometer dating of impact products, and using WCIS as an analog test site for crew studies of sampling protocols. The FINESSE team visited and mapped all of the major islands within West Clearwater Lake. Excellent cliff exposures around the coasts of many of the islands allowed a general stratigraphy of impactites to be defined. Notable differences to previous work includes the discovery of a monomict lithic breccia and a medium to coarse grained impact melt rock. In addition, ample rock samples were returned from West Clearwater for geochronology study. Geochronology work centers around laboratory analyses of these samples (and samples collected in the future or obtained from archives housed at the Canadian Geological Survey). Samples returned from the FINESSE field season have been evaluated for suitability for geochronologic analysis, and selected samples have been crushed for mineral separation and/or sawed for the preparation of polished petrologic thin sections. Heavy minerals (e.g., zircon, titanite, and apatite) will be separated from the crushed material for (U-Th)/He geochronology. The sections will be used for laser ablation 40Ar/39Ar research after neutron irradiation. This presentation will highlight the exciting science and exploration work conducted by FINESSE, as well as future plans for continued research.
FINESSE Spaceward Bound - Teacher Engagement in NASA Science and Exploration Field Research
The FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) team of NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is focused on a science and exploration field-based research program aimed at generating strategic knowledge in preparation for the human and robotic exploration of the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, and the moons of Mars. The FINESSE science program is infused with leading edge exploration concepts since "science enables exploration and exploration enables science." The FINESSE education and public outreach program leverages the team's field investigations and educational partnerships to share the excitement of lunar, Near Earth Asteroid, and martian moon science and exploration locally, nationally, and internationally. The FINESSE education plan is in line with all of NASA's Science Mission Directorate science education objectives, particularly to enable STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and leverage efforts through partnerships.
Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Mars Polar Science and Exploration
The session, "Mars Polar Science and Exploration" included the following reports: Evidence for Possible Exposed Water Ice Deposits in Martian Low Latitude Chasms and Chaos; Stability and Exchange of Subsurface Ice on Mars; Evaporation Rates for Liquid Water and Ice Under Current Martian Conditions; Seasonal Cycle of Carbon Dioxide and Atmospheric Circulation in Mars Southern Hemisphere as Observed by Neutron Spectroscopy; Imaging Polarimetry of Mars with Hubble Space Telescope in 2003 Opposition; GCM Simulations of Tropical Ice Accumulations: Implications for Cold-based Glaciers; Numerical Modeling of Glaciers in Martian Paleoclimates; Valley Glaciers on Mars: Calculation of Flow Rate and Thickness; Internal Structure of the Southern Polar Cap of Mars and Formation Implications; Sublimation at the Base of a Seasonal CO2 Slab on Mars; Impact Crater Abundance of the Martian South Polar Layered Deposits from THEMIS Visible Imaging; Recent Changes in South-Polar-Polygonal Terrain During One Martian Year: Implications for Subsurface Ice-Wedges; and An Historical Search for Unfrozen Water at the Phoenix Landing Site.