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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 NTRS1988

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the main propulsion subsystem FMEA/CIL, volume 3

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Main Propulsion System (MPS) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to available data from the Rockwell Downey/NASA JSC FMEA/CIL review. Volume 3 continues the presentation of IOA worksheets and includes the potential critical items list.

Holden, K. A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the main propulsion subsystem FMEA/CIL, volume 4

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Main Propulsion System (MPS) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were than compared to available data from the Rockwell Downey/NASA JSC FMEA/CIL review. Volume 4 contains the IOA analysis worksheets and the NASA FMEA to IOA worksheet cross reference and recommendations.

Slaughter, B. C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Marshall Space Flight Center CFD overview

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) activities at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been focused on hardware specific and research applications with strong emphasis upon benchmark validation. The purpose here is to provide insight into the MSFC CFD related goals, objectives, current hardware related CFD activities, propulsion CFD research efforts and validation program, future near-term CFD hardware related programs, and CFD expectations. The current hardware programs where CFD has been successfully applied are the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME), Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD), and Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE). For the future near-term CFD hardware related activities, plans are being developed that address the implementation of CFD into the early design stages of the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME), Space Transportation Booster Engine (STBE), and the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) for the Space Station. Finally, CFD expectations in the design environment will be delineated.

Schutzenhofer, Luke A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Dual-purpose self-deliverable lunar surface PV electrical power system

A safe haven and work supported PV power systems on the lunar surface will likely be required by NASA in support of the manned outpost scheduled for the post-2000 lunar/Mars exploration and colonization initiative. Initial system modeling and computer analysis shows that the concept is workable and contains no major high risk technology issues which cannot be resolved in the circa 2000 to 2025 timeframe. A specific selection of the best suited type of electric thruster has not been done; the initial modeling was done using an ion thruster, but Rocketdyne must also evaluate arc and resisto-jets before a final design can be formulated. As a general observation, it appears that such a system can deliver itself to the Moon using many system elements that must be transported as dead payload mass in more conventional delivery modes. It further appears that a larger power system providing a much higher safe haven power level is feasible if this delivery system is implemented, perhaps even sufficient to permit resource prospecting and/or lab experimentation. The concept permits growth and can be expanded to include cargo transport such as habitat and working modules. In short, the combined payload could be manned soon after landing and checkout. NASA has expended substantial resources in the development of electric propulsion concepts and hardware that can be applied to a lunar transport system such as described herein. In short, the paper may represent a viable mission on which previous investments play an invaluable role. A more comprehensive technical paper which embodies second generation analysis and system size will be prepared for near-term presentation.

Arnold, Jack H.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Aerodynamics of the advanced launch system (ALS) propulsion and avionics (P/A) module

This paper discusses the design and testing of candidate Advanced Launch System (ALS) Propulsion and Avionics (P/A) Module configurations. The P/A Module is a key element of future launch systems because it is essential to the recovery and reuse of high-value propulsion and avionics hardware. The ALS approach involves landing of first stage (booster) and/or second stage (core) P/A modules near the launch site to minimize logistics and refurbishment cost. The key issue addressed herein is the aerodynamic design of the P/A module, including the stability characteristics and the lift-to-drag (L/D) performance required to achieve the necessary landing guidance accuracy. The reference P/A module configuration was found to be statically stable for the desired flight regime, to provide adequate L/D for targeting, and to have effective modulation of the L/D performance using a body flap. The hypersonic aerodynamic trends for nose corner radius, boattail angle and body flap deflections were consistent with pretest predictions. However, the levels for the L/D and axial force for hypersonic Mach numbers were overpredicted by impact theories.

Ferguson, Stan↗

NASA NTRS1997

Experimental Analysis of a Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Engine in a Direct-Connect Test Facility

The object of this study is to investigate the operation of a RBCC at ramjet and scramjet flight conditions using a direct-connect test facility. The apparatus being tested is a single strut-rocket within a dual-mode ram/scramjet combustor. The gaseous hydrogen/oxygen, linear strut-rocket was supplied by Aerojet Propulsion Company. The hardware is being tested in the Direct Connect Supersonic Combustion Test Facility at NASA Langley Research Center. The test facilities hydrogen/oxygen vitiated heater is capable of flight total enthalpies to Mach 8. A Mach 2.5 facility nozzle mates the heater to the combustor duct. The rocket ejector will ordinarily operate in a fuel-rich mode. Additional fuel injection is provided by a pair of parallel injectors located at the base of the strut body. Instrumentation on the test apparatus includes a unique, direct thrust measurement system. Performance predictions for the anticipated test conditions have been made using a one-dimensional, thermodynamic analysis code. Results from the code show the dependence of overall thrust and specific impulse on rocket chamber pressure, rocket fuel equivalence ratio, and overall fuel equivalence ratio. Once the experimental test series begins, the inferred combustion efficiency as a function of axial location and the thermal choke region (where applicable) can also be determined using this code. Upon completion of the experimental test series, measurements will be used to calculate thrust, specific impulse, etc. Measured and calculated values will be compared to those found analytically. If appropriate, the code will be tailored to better predict hardware operation. Conclusions will be drawn as to the fuel-rich rocket's overall effect on ramjet and scramjet performance. Also, comparisons will be made between the integrated thrust calculated from the static pressure taps located along the duct and the thrust measured by the direct thrust measurement system.

K. Nelson↗

NASA NTRS2002

Operation of a Thin-Film Inflatable Concentrator System Demonstrated in a Solar Thermal Vacuum Environment

Thin-film inflatable solar concentrators offer significant advantages in comparison to stateof- the-art rigid panel concentrators, including low weight, low stowage volume, and simple gas deployment. From June 10 to 22, 2001, the ElectroMagnetic Radiation Control Experiment (EMRCE) Team used simulated solar energy to demonstrate the operation of an inflatable concentrator system at NASA Glenn Research Center's Tank 6 thermal vacuum facility. The joint Government/industry test team was composed of engineers and technicians from Glenn, the Air Force Research Laboratory, SRS Technologies, and ATK Thiokol Propulsion. The research hardware consisted of the following: 1) A thin-film inflatable concentrator; 2) The hexapod pointing and focus control system; 3) Two rigidized support struts using two candidate technologies - ultraviolet-rigidized glass and radiation-cured isographite.

Wong, Wayne A.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Environmental Program

NASA's White Sands Test Facility has six core environmental compliance capabilities: remote hazardous testing of reactive, explosive and toxic materials and fluids; hypergolic fluids materials and systems testing; oxygen materials and system testing; hypervelocity impact testing; flight hardware processing; and, propulsion testing. The facility's permit status and challenges are reviewed. Historic operations and practices dating from the 1960s through the early 1980s resulted in contamination of the facility's groundwater. An environmental restoration effort has been employed to protect public health and the health of the workforce. The restoration seeks to properly handle hazardous materials and waste processes; determine the nature and extent of the contamination; stop the migration of contaminated groundwater; stabilize the plume front which has been assessed as the greatest risk to public health; and, clean-up the environment to restore it to preexisting conditions. The Plume Front Treatment System is operational and seeks to stop the westward movement of the plume to protect drinking water and irrigation well. Specifically, the treatment system will extract contaminated water from the aquifer, remove chemical using the best available technology, and return (inject) the treated water back to the aquifer. The Mid-Plume Interception Treatment System also seeks to stop the migration of containment, as well as to evaluate new technologies to accelerate cleanup, such as bioremediation.

Fischer, Holger↗

NASA NTRS2017

Solvent Replacement for Hydrochlorofluorocarbon-225 for Cleaning Oxygen System Components

This Technical Memorandum is the result of a 2-year project funded by the Defense Logistics Agency-Aviation, Hazardous Minimization and Green Products Branch, to identify and test two candidate solvents to replace hydrochlorofluorocarbon-225 (HCFC-225) for cleaning oxygen systems. The solvents were also compared to a second solvent composed predominantly of perfluorobutyl iodide (PFBI), which had received limited approval by the United States Air Force (USAF) for hand wipe cleaning of components for aviators’ breathing oxygen systems. The tests performed for this study were based on those reported in AFRL-ML-WP-TR-2003-4040, “The Wipe Solvent Program,” the test program used to qualify Ikon® Solvent P for USAF applications.The study was completed in August 2014, prior to the completion of a more extensive study funded by the NASA Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) program. The results of the RPT project are reported in NASA/TP-2015-18207, “Replacement of Hydrochlorofluorocarbon–225 Solvent for Cleaning and Verification Sampling of NASA Propulsion Oxygen Systems Hardware, Ground Support Equipment, and Associated Test Systems.” The test methods used in this study for nonvolatile residue (NVR) background, materials compatibility, and cleaning effectiveness were different than those used for the RPT project; a smaller set of materials and contaminants were tested. The tests for this study were complementary to and provided supplementary information for the down-selection process during the course of the test program reported in NASA/TP-2015-218207.

Mitchell, M. A.↗

NASA NTRS2020

RH1021BMH-10 Precision 10 V Reference Total Ionizing Dose Test Report

The purpose of this test was to validate the Analog Devices (ADI) RH1021BMH-10 flight lot for use in the fabrication of Europa Clipper Propulsion subsystem flight hardware. This test shall serve as the radiation lot acceptance test (RLAT) for this flight lot with wafer lot number 769658.1 and lot date code (LDC) 1430A. Low dose rate (LDR) irradiations were performed in this test so that the device susceptibility to enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS) could be determined.

Casey, Megan↗

NASA NTRS2020

HSYE-117RH Voltage Linear Regulator Total Ionizing Dose Test Report

The purpose of this test was to validate the Intersil HSYE-117RH-Q flight lot for use in the fabrication of Europa Clipper Propulsion subsystem flight hardware. This test shall serve as the radiation lot acceptance test (RLAT) for the flight lot date with wafer lot number G3X3CQC and lot date code (LDC) 1830. Low dose rate (LDR) irradiations have been performed by the manufacturer, but only to 100 krad(Si). This test determined the enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS) of the device up to the mission specific dose of 125 krad(Si).

Total Ionizing Dose (TID)↗

NASA NTRS2020

HSYE-117RH Voltage Linear Regulator Total Ionizing Dose Test Report

The purpose of this test was to validate the Intersil HSYE-117RH-Q flight lot for use in the fabrication of Europa Clipper Propulsion subsystem flight hardware. This test shall serve as the radiation lot acceptance test (RLAT) for the flight lot date with wafer lot number G3X3CQC and lot date code (LDC) 1830. Low dose rate (LDR) irradiations have been performed by the manufacturer, but only to 100 krad(Si). This test was a follow-on to the original Radiation Lot-Specific Acceptance Testing (RLAT) performed on this LDC. Application-specific load currents were used for the line regulation and load regulation measurements. All other parameters were measured with standard bias conditions as specified in the datasheet.

Total Ionizing Dose (TID)↗

NASA NTRS2016

Design and Development of a 200-kW Turbo-Electric Distributed Propulsion Testbed

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) (Edwards, California) is developing a Hybrid-Electric Integrated Systems Testbed (HEIST) Testbed as part of the HEIST Project, to study power management and transition complexities, modular architectures, and flight control laws for turbo-electric distributed propulsion technologies using representative hardware and piloted simulations. Capabilities are being developed to assess the flight readiness of hybrid electric and distributed electric vehicle architectures. Additionally, NASA will leverage experience gained and assets developed from HEIST to assist in flight-test proposal development, flight-test vehicle design, and evaluation of hybrid electric and distributed electric concept vehicles for flight safety. The HEIST test equipment will include three trailers supporting a distributed electric propulsion wing, a battery system and turbogenerator, dynamometers, and supporting power and communication infrastructure, all connected to the AFRC Core simulation. Plans call for 18 high performance electric motors that will be powered by batteries and the turbogenerator, and commanded by a piloted simulation. Flight control algorithms will be developed on the turbo-electric distributed propulsion system.

distributed↗

NASA NTRS2023

Control and Scaling Approach for the Emulation of Dynamic Subscale Torque Loads

Research and development of electrified aircraft propulsion powertrains are relying on the use of electromechanical systems to emulate turbomachinery/rotor loads. Replacing a physical turbomachinery/rotor with a model driving a subscale electromechanical system capable of emulating subscale torque loads and responses is a lower risk, lower cost alternative to using the full-scale turbomachinery/rotor for initial control system verification. This paper outlines a novel control and scaling approach for emulating dynamic subscale torque loads using electric machine (EM) hardware for electrified aircraft propulsion research and development purposes. The approach, known as the Sliding Mode Impedance Controller with Scaling (SMICS), drives a mechanically coupled, two-EM system to behave like a subscale hardware representation of a hybrid-electric turbomachinery shaft. One EM reflects the inertial dynamics and torque load of the subscale turbomachinery under steady-state and transient operation while the second EM represents a motor/generator connected to the shaft, which is intended to hybridize the turbomachinery. This closed loop control and scaling algorithm applies impedance and sliding mode control schemes, along with parameter scaling, to match subscale, desired dynamics in real-time and to allow this system to be driven by a full-scale hybrid-electric turbomachinery model and control. The paper elaborates on the concept of the closed loop control and scaling approach and explains the significance of using impedance and sliding mode control. It shows a derivation of the closed loop control and scaling algorithm, its implementation, and presents a comparison of theoretical and actual simulation results acquired during hardware-in-the-loop testing of a partial turboelectric propulsion concept aircraft at the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT).The results show that the intended dynamic responses of the hardware and the aircraft model are achieved in both the time and frequency domain. Full scale propulsion control systems can be tested using this hardware and software approach.

Emulation↗

NASA NTRS1997

An Application of the "Virtual Spacecraft" Concept in Evaluation of the Mars Pathfinder Lander Low Gain Antenna

The virtual spacecraft concept is embodied in a set of subsystems, either in the form of hardware or computational models, which together represent all, or a portion of, a spacecraft. For example, the telecommunications transponder may be a hardware prototype while the propulsion system may exist only as a simulation. As the various subsystems are realized in hardware, the spacecraft becomes progressively less virtual. This concept is enabled by JPL's Mission System Testbed which is a set of networked workstations running a message passing operating system called "TRAMEL" which stands for Task Remote Asynchronous Message Exchange Layer. Each simulation on the workstations, which may in fact be hardware controlled by the workstation, "publishes" its operating parameters on TRAMEL and other simulations requiring those parameters as input may "subscribe" to them. In this manner, the whole simulation operates as a single virtual system. This paper describes a simulation designed to evaluate a communications link between the earth and the Mars Pathfinder Lander module as it descends under a parachute through the Martian atmosphere toward the planet's surface. This link includes a transmitter and a low gain antenna on the spacecraft and a receiving antenna and receiver on the earth as well as a simulation of the dynamics of the spacecraft. The transmitter, the ground station antenna, the receiver and the dynamics are all simulated computationally while the spacecraft antenna is implemented in hardware on a very simple spacecraft mockup. The dynamics simulation is a record of one output of the ensemble of outputs of a Monte Carlo simulation of the descent. Additionally, the antenna/spacecraft mock-up system was simulated using APATCH, a shooting and bouncing ray code developed by Demaco, Inc. The antenna simulation, the antenna hardware, and the link simulation are all physically located in different facilities at JPL separated by several hundred meters and are linked via the local area network (LAN).

Pogorzelski, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Space station integrated propulsion and fluid systems study

This Databook addresses the integration of fluid systems of the Space Station program. It includes a catalog of components required for the Space Station elements fluid systems and information on potential hardware commonality. The components catalog is in four parts. The first part lists the components defined for all the fluid systems identified in EP 2.1, Space Station Program Fluid Systems Configuration Databook. The components are cross-referenced in three sections. Section 2.1 lists the components by the fluid system in which they are used. Section 2.2 lists the components by type. Section 2.3 lists by the type of fluid media handled by the component. The next part of the catalog provides a description of the individual component. This section (2.4) is made up of data retrieved from Martin Marietta Denver Aerospace component data base. The third part is an assessment of propulsion hardware technology requirements. Section 2.5 lists components identified during the study as requiring development prior to flight qualification. Finally, Section 2.6 presents the results of the evaluation of commonality between components. The specific requirements of each component have been reviewed and duplication eliminated.

Rose, L.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Summary of NASA Progress on the Development and Qualification of a 12-kW Hall-Effect, Solar Electric Propulsion Thruster

Beginning in 2014, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) began a project to increase the state of the art for the Hall-Effect Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technology. The Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) Program Office provides programmatic oversight of SEP with the project being led by Glenn Research Center, supported by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and development, qualification & flight hardware all provided by Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR). This technology was pursued as the propulsion system for the Asteroid Redirect and Robotic Mission (ARRM). While the concept was originally slated for ARRM, it was realigned to Gateway to support future Moon to Mars objectives. The Gateway lunar station was established and will play a key role in NASA’s Artemis Program which utilizes collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). The 12-kW hardware will be the primary propulsion for the Gateway element, Power & Propulsion Element (PPE), from Low Earth Orbit to a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit around the Moon. Initial efforts began with utilizing Technology Development Units (TDU) built by NASA as the predecessor to the contract activity with AR. Over the past few years, AR has built Engineering Test Units (ETU), Engineering Development Units (EDU) and qualification & flight models (QM and FM, respectively). With requirement changes from the AARM mission to PPE, the joint team has modified the design and has started qualification activities for environment testing (shock, vibe) at multiple facilities in the US leading to eventual life testing. This paper will explore the various design changes, system modeling and the latest status for qualification testing.

Joel Robinson↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Summary of NASA Progress on the Development and Qualification of a 12 kW Hall Effect, Solar Electric Propulsion Thruster

Joel W Robinson↗