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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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NASA NTRS1996

Space Power Requirements for Future NASA Missions

The key technology issues for the power requirements of future NASA space missions are: reduction in mass to enable smaller launch vehicles, faster trip time and lower cost; simpler more autonomous operations to reduce life cycle cost; reduce design, development , and qualification time to enable frequent low-cost missions; increase payload fraction and science return; enable next generation missions; stimulate U.S. industry to promote strong world leadership capability; and incorporate dual-use strategy into technology development.

Mulville, Daniel R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Optical Measurements for Intelligent Aerospace Propulsion

There is growing interest in applying intelligent technologies to aerospace propulsion systems to reap expected benefits in cost, performance, and environmental compliance. Cost benefits span the engine life cycle from development, operations, and maintenance. Performance gains are anticipated in reduced fuel consumption, increased thrust-toweight ratios, and operability. Environmental benefits include generating fewer pollutants and less noise. Critical enabling technologies to realize these potential benefits include sensors, actuators, logic, electronics, materials, and structures. For propulsion applications, the challenge is to increase the robustness of these technologies so that they can withstand harsh temperatures, vibrations, and grime while providing extremely reliable performance. This paper addresses the role that optical metrology is playing in providing solutions to these challenges. Optics for ground-based testing (development cycle), flight sensing (operations), and inspection (maintenance) are described. Opportunities for future work are presented.

Mercer, Carolyn R.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Prototype Lithium-Ion Battery Developed for Mars 2001 Lander

In fiscal year 1997, NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the U.S. Air Force established a joint program to competitively develop high-power, rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology for aerospace applications. The goal was to address Department of Defense and NASA requirements not met by commercial battery developments. Under this program, contracts have been awarded to Yardney Technical Products, Eagle- Picher Technologies, LLC, BlueStar Advanced Technology Corporation, and SAFT America, Inc., to develop cylindrical and prismatic cell and battery systems for a variety of NASA and U.S. Air Force applications. The battery systems being developed range from low-capacity (7 to 20 A-hr) and low-voltage (14 to 28 V) systems for planetary landers and rovers to systems for aircraft that require up to 270 V and for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that require capacities up to 200 A-hr. Low-Earth-orbit and geosynchronousorbit spacecraft pose additional challenges to system operation with long cycle life (>30,000 cycles) and long calendar life (>10 years), respectively.

Manzo, Michelle A.↗

NASA NTRS2006

NASA Crew and Cargo Launch Vehicle Development Approach Builds on Lessons from Past and Present Missions

The United States (US) Vision for Space Exploration, announced in January 2004, outlines the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) strategic goals and objectives, including retiring the Space Shuttle and replacing it with new space transportation systems for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) that the new human-rated Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) lofts into space early next decade will initially ferry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) Toward the end of the next decade, a heavy-lift Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV) will deliver the Earth Departure Stage (EDS) carrying the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) to low-Earth orbit (LEO), where it will rendezvous with the CEV launched on the CLV and return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in over 30 years. This paper outlines how NASA is building these new space transportation systems on a foundation of legacy technical and management knowledge, using extensive experience gained from past and ongoing launch vehicle programs to maximize its design and development approach, with the objective of reducing total life cycle costs through operational efficiencies such as hardware commonality. For example, the CLV in-line configuration is composed of a 5-segment Reusable Solid Rocket Booster (RSRB), which is an upgrade of the current Space Shuttle 4- segment RSRB, and a new upper stage powered by the liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen (LOX/LH2) J-2X engine, which is an evolution of the J-2 engine that powered the Apollo Program s Saturn V second and third stages in the 1960s and 1970s. The CaLV configuration consists of a propulsion system composed of two 5-segment RSRBs and a 33- foot core stage that will provide the LOX/LED needed for five commercially available RS-68 main engines. The J-2X also will power the EDS. The Exploration Launch Projects, managed by the Exploration Launch Office located at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, is leading the design, development, testing, and operations planning for these new space transportation systems. Utilizing a foundation of heritage hardware and management lessons learned mitigates both technical and programmatic risk. Project engineers and managers work closely with the Space Shuttle Program to transition hardware, infrastructure, and workforce assets to the new launch systems, leveraging a wealth of knowledge from Shuffle operations. In addition, NASA and its industry partners have tapped into valuable Apollo databases and are applying corporate wisdom conveyed firsthand by Apollo-era veterans of America s original Moon missions. Learning from its successes and failures, NASA employs rigorous systems engineering and systems management processes and principles in a disciplined, integrated fashion to further improve the probability of mission success.

Dumbacher, Daniel L.↗

NASA NTRS2021

Vertically Aligned Graphene/Metal Oxide Based Lightweight Super Strong, Energy Storage Carbon Fiber Composites

In this era of budding smart technologies, flexible and smart wearable textiles are a long awaited product which are anticipated to reach a $10 B market in few years.1 Supercapacitors are an excellent power source for these smart textiles, because they are light in weight, safe in operation, provide longer life cycle, high flexibility, and faster charge discharge capabilities.

Energy storage↗

NASA NTRS1978

Plug cluster module demonstration

The low pressure, film cooled rocket engine design concept developed during two previous ALRC programs was re-evaluated for application as a module for a plug cluster engine capable of performing space shuttle OTV missions. The nominal engine mixture ratio was 5.5 and the engine life requirements were 1200 thermal cycles and 10 hours total operating life. The program consisted of pretest analysis; engine tests, performed using residual components; and posttest analysis. The pretest analysis indicated that operation of the operation of the film cooled engine at O/F = 5.5 was feasible. During the engine tests, steady state wall temperature and performance measurement were obtained over a range of film cooling flow rates, and the durability of the engine was demonstrated by firing the test engine 1220 times at a nominal performance ranging from 430 - 432 seconds. The performance of the test engine was limited by film coolant sleeve damage which had occurred during previous testing. The post-test analyses indicated that the nominal performance level can be increased to 436 seconds.

Rousar, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Digital electronic engine control history

Full authority digital electronic engine controls (DEECs) were studied, developed, and ground tested because of projected benefits in operability, improved performance, reduced maintenance, improved reliability, and lower life cycle costs. The issues of operability and improved performance, however, are assessed in a flight test program. The DEEC on a F100 engine in an F-15 aircraft was demonstrated and evaluated. The events leading to the flight test program are chronicled and important management and technical results are identified.

Putnam, T. W.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Workstation-Based Real-Time Mesoscale Modeling Designed for Weather Support to Operations at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station

This paper describes the capabilities and operational utility of a version of the Mesoscale Atmospheric Simulation System (MASS) that has been developed to support operational weather forecasting at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS). The implementation of local, mesoscale modeling systems at KSC/CCAS is designed to provide detailed short-range (less than 24 h) forecasts of winds, clouds, and hazardous weather such as thunderstorms. Short-range forecasting is a challenge for daily operations, and manned and unmanned launches since KSC/CCAS is located in central Florida where the weather during the warm season is dominated by mesoscale circulations like the sea breeze. For this application, MASS has been modified to run on a Stardent 3000 workstation. Workstation-based, real-time numerical modeling requires a compromise between the requirement to run the system fast enough so that the output can be used before expiration balanced against the desire to improve the simulations by increasing resolution and using more detailed physical parameterizations. It is now feasible to run high-resolution mesoscale models such as MASS on local workstations to provide timely forecasts at a fraction of the cost required to run these models on mainframe supercomputers. MASS has been running in the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) at KSC/CCAS since January 1994 for the purpose of system evaluation. In March 1995, the AMU began sending real-time MASS output to the forecasters and meteorologists at CCAS, Spaceflight Meteorology Group (Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas), and the National Weather Service (Melbourne, Florida). However, MASS is not yet an operational system. The final decision whether to transition MASS for operational use will depend on a combination of forecaster feedback, the AMU's final evaluation results, and the life-cycle costs of the operational system.

Manobianco, John↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) Pressure Garment System (PGS) Cycle Testing Overview and Results

With the development of NASA’s next generation spacesuit, the hardware life expectations for the new spacesuit required evaluation. The xPGS team designed and performed a test series to assess the new hardware against the life requirements. The EMU on the International Space Station (ISS) today tests the life of the suit and new components by performing isometric individual joint cycle motions with the requirements based on previously performed Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVAs). The xPGS includes new designs for suit components to provide increased mobility for performance of lunar operations, thus the requirements for the life cycle of the suit had to be developed and tested with these new operations in mind. Cycle requirements shifted to cycles of functional tasks in lieu of isometric cycles to better understand the life of the suit. Manned cycle testing of the xPGS was conducted by performing repetitions of a series of tasks that reflect predicted Lunar EVA operations. The test series utilized a gravity offload system to simulate Lunar gravity environment. Cycle testing concluded after 30 test days in October of 2022 with lessons learned that will be critical for future spacesuit design. Specific lessons learned with regards to suit performance and test methodology will be provided.

spacesuit↗

NASA NTRS1991

The HL-20 lifting-body personnel launch system

The HL-20 early lifting-body personnel launch system (PSL) research, expected PSL mission requirements, the HL-20 concept design status, and those features which enhance aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic performance, operation, efficiency, maintainability, reliability, and crew safety are described. Results of the HL-20 PLS research to date show that the concept has definite advantages for efficiently satisfying future needs for assured manned access to space. The vehicle is designed with operational efficiency, low life-cycle costs, reliability, and safety as the primary criteria. It is shown that the HL-20 PLS can be developed and put into operation in the same timeframe that the Space Station Freedom is deployed.

Stone, Howard W.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Performance characterization tests of three 0.44-N (0.1 lbf) hydrazine catalytic thrusters

The 0.44-N (0.1-lbf) class of hydrazine catalytic thruster has been evaluated to assess its capability for spacecraft limit-cycle attitude control with thruster pulse durations on the order of 10 milliseconds. Dynamic-environment and limit-cycle simulation tests were performed on three commercially available thruster/valve assemblies, purchased from three different manufacturers. The results indicate that this class of thruster can sustain a launch environment and, when properly temperature-conditioned, can perform limit-cycle operations over the anticipated life span of a multi-year mission. The minimum operating temperature for very short pulse durations was determined for each thruster. Pulsing life tests were then conducted on each thruster under a thermally controlled condition which maintained the catalyst bed at both a nominal 93 C (200 F) and 205 C (400 F). These were the temperatures believed to be slightly below and very near the minimum recommended operating temperature, respectively. The ensuing life tests ranged from 100,000 to 250,000 pulses at these temperatures, as would be required for spacecraft limit-cycle attitude control applications.

Moynihan, P. I.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Effects of leakage through clearance seals on the performance of a 10 K Stirling-cycle refrigerator

The use of clearance seals is essential to achieve long life, wear free operation of Stirling cycle cryogenic refrigerators. The effect of leakage through clearance seals on the performance of such a refrigerator operating at temperatures ranging from 20 K down to 10 K was determined. The ability of a Stirling cycle refrigerator to achieve 10 K with clearance seals was successfully demonstrated. It is indicated that the leakage flow undergoes gap regeneration before reaching the cold expansion volume. A simple model of gap regeneration was used to estimate the regeneration loss due to the leakage flow. This regeneration process minimizes the loss in refrigerator performance caused by the clearance seal leakage. It is found that clearance seals remain effective down to a refrigeration temperature of 10 K.

Keung, C. S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Lunar power system summary of studies for the lunar enterprise task force NASA-office of exploration

The capacity of global power systems must be increased by a factor of ten to provide the predicted power needs of electric power by the year 2050. The Lunar Power System (LPS) would collect solar energy at power bases located on opposing limbs of the moon as seen from Earth. LPS can provide dependable, economic, renewable, and environmentally benign solar energy to Earth. A preliminary engineering and cash flow model of the LPS was developed. Results are shown for a system scaled to a peak capacity of 355 GWe on Earth and to provide 13,600 GWe-Yrs of energy over a 70 year life cycle of construction and full operation. The growth in capacity of the reference system from start of installation on the moon in 2005 to completion of its nominal life cycle in the year 2070 is shown. World needs for power could be accommodated by expansion in capacity of the reference LPS beyond 344 GWe. This would be done by steadily incorporating newer technology during full operation and by establishing additional bases. The results presented encourage consideration of a faster paced program than is assumed herein.

Criswell, David R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Operations and support cost modeling using Markov chains

Systems for future missions will be selected with life cycle costs (LCC) as a primary evaluation criterion. This reflects the current realization that only systems which are considered affordable will be built in the future due to the national budget constaints. Such an environment calls for innovative cost modeling techniques which address all of the phases a space system goes through during its life cycle, namely: design and development, fabrication, operations and support; and retirement. A significant portion of the LCC for reusable systems are generated during the operations and support phase (OS). Typically, OS costs can account for 60 to 80 percent of the total LCC. Clearly, OS costs are wholly determined or at least strongly influenced by decisions made during the design and development phases of the project. As a result OS costs need to be considered and estimated early in the conceptual phase. To be effective, an OS cost estimating model needs to account for actual instead of ideal processes by associating cost elements with probabilities. One approach that may be suitable for OS cost modeling is the use of the Markov Chain Process. Markov chains are an important method of probabilistic analysis for operations research analysts but they are rarely used for life cycle cost analysis. This research effort evaluates the use of Markov Chains in LCC analysis by developing OS cost model for a hypothetical reusable space transportation vehicle (HSTV) and suggests further uses of the Markov Chain process as a design-aid tool.

Unal, Resit↗

NASA NTRS1991

The propulsion system is the key to airline-like operation of ETO vehicles

The topics covered include the following: (1) Advanced Launch System (ALS); (2) life cycle cost/lb payload; (3) current operational cost; (4) major cost driver; (5) fully automated operations; (6) technology impacts on vehicle dry mass efficiency; (7) single stage to orbit (SSTO) approach; and (8) efficient SSTO propulsion system operations.

Obrien, Charles J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Research requirements to reduce civil helicopter life cycle cost

The problem of the high cost of helicopter development, production, operation, and maintenance is defined and the cost drivers are identified. Helicopter life cycle costs would decrease by about 17 percent if currently available technology were applied. With advanced technology, a reduction of about 30 percent in helicopter life cycle costs is projected. Technological and managerial deficiencies which contribute to high costs are examined, basic research and development projects which can reduce costs include methods for reduced fuel consumption; improved turbine engines; airframe and engine production methods; safety; rotor systems; and advanced transmission systems.

Blewitt, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Advanced manned launch systems

Advanced Manned Launch Systems (AMLS) studies underway at the NASA Langley Research Center are described. The AMLS studies have focused on investigating mission needs and identifying technologies, operational requirements, and life-cycle costs. Two-stage vertical take off rocket vehicles with significant levels of reusability are shown to be cost effective for moderate to high flight rates. All-hydrogen fuel vehicles are preferred over methane boosted systems for both operational and cost considerations. Drawings of possible AMLS design solutions are presented. Fully reusable, partially resusable, expendable stage and horizontal take off airbreather/rocket solutions are compared.

Talay, Theodore A.↗

NASA NTRS1995

The Telestation: A product for distributed data gathering and operations

Advances in computer, navigation and wireless telecommunication technologies are enabling better electronic devices at reduced costs. Individually, these devices have been applied to increase the performance of many common systems, such as desktop computers, surveying equipment, and modems. However, we believe the convergence of these three technologies will create a product that simultaneously lowers life cycle costs while increasing operational effectiveness. Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) is developing portions of this product, known as the Telestation, for both terrestrial and orbital applications. The Telestation consists of an advanced microprocessor for command and data handling; a GPS receiver for position, time, and attitude information; and a Globalstar Transceiver for two-way digital communications. The Telestation provides the user with real-time command and control of globally distributed hardware elements. This capability can be applied terrestrially for gathering information (e.g., science, environmental, etc.) in remote or inhospitable locations, or where logistical support is inadequate. An in-orbit version can be used for spacecraft or payload operations, allowing principal investigators instant access to their payloads during all phases of a mission. This paper describes some cost effectiveness metrics of the Telestation, its development status, and its utility in both terrestrial and orbital applications.

Cleave, Robert R.↗