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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Thermal Modeling and Correlation of the Space Environments Complex Vacuum Chamber and Cryoshroud

From Presentation: Formerly known as the Space Power Facility (SPF) Located at Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, OH -- Houses large-scale test facilities including the Space Simulation Vacuum Chamber -- Largest vacuum chamber in the world -- 100 ft diameter, 122 ft tall -- Cryoshroud operates between -250 °F and +140 °F -- To be used for Orion EM-1 thermal vacuum test -- Thermal Desktop model of vacuum chamber, cryoshroud, mechanical ground support equipment (MGSE) including fluid model of GN2 -- Primary uses: Predict MGSE temperatures; Predict heat load on GN2 system -- Includes 96 TD Temperature Measures that represent test thermocouples -- Steady state correlation with 3 tests: 2 hot; 1 cold -- Two ISTs performed with no MGSE inside the cryoshroud: Insulated test: operated at 170 °F for 37 hours; Uninsulated test: operated at 170 °F for 14 days -- Only cryoshroud thermocouples were installed

Thermal modeling↗
NASA NTRS1973

The V-3 contamination test of the chamber A facility and a subsequent cryogenic/vacuum study of the V-3 test quartz crystal microbalance

The areas of orbital and ground contamination of flight experiment hardware have been well established. This report relates directly to results of vacuum chamber testing for the ground evaluation of flight experiment hardware performance. First, the data obtained during the V-3 contamination testing in the Johnson Space Center's Chamber A space simulation test facility are presented. Second, during the V-3 contamination tests, the MSFC Space Sciences Laboratory's quartz crystal microbalance exhibited two periods of anomalous readings. Therefore, a subsequent small chamber tests was conducted in a controlled cryogenic/vacuum environment. The objective was to reproduce with known parameters the anomalous behavior patterns of the V-3 test data. Analyses of the anomalous readings are made on the basis of these tests. Additionally, as a by-product of the small chamber tests, calibration curves then existing for the quartz crystal microbalance were empirically extended, and certain data-formatting aids were documented.

Moore, W. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Popping a Hole in High-Speed Pursuits

NASA s Plum Brook Station, a 6,400-acre, remote test installation site for Glenn Research Center, houses unique, world-class test facilities, including the world s largest space environment simulation chamber and the world s only laboratory capable of full-scale rocket engine firings and launch vehicle system level tests at high-altitude conditions. Plum Brook Station performs complex and innovative ground tests for the U.S. Government (civilian and military), the international aerospace community, as well as the private sector. Popping a Hole in High-Speed Pursuits Recently, Plum Brook Station s test facilities and NASA s engineering experience were combined to improve a family of tire deflating devices (TDDs) that helps law enforcement agents safely, simply, and successfully stop fleeing vehicles in high-speed pursuit

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2011

Cryogenic Thermal Distortion Performance Characterization for the JWST ISIM Structure

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) Structure is a precision optical metering structure for the JWST science instruments. Optomechanical performance requirements place stringent limits on the allowable thermal distortion of the metering structure between ambient and cryogenic operating temperature (~35 K). This paper focuses on thermal distortion testing and successful verification of performance requirements for the flight ISIM Structure. The ISIM Structure Cryoset Test was completed in Spring 2010 at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the Space Environment Simulator Chamber. During the test, the ISIM Structure was thermal cycled twice between ambient and cryogenic (~35 K) temperatures. Photogrammetry was used to measure the Structure in the ambient and cryogenic states for each cycle to assess both cooldown thermal distortion and repeatability. This paper will provide details on the post-processing of the metrology datasets completed to compare measurements with performance requirements.

Johnston, John D.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Cryogenic Boil-Off Reduction System Testing

The Cryogenic Boil-Off Reduction System was tested with LH2 and LOX in a vacuum chamber to simulate space vacuum and the temperatures of low Earth orbit. Testing was successful and results validated the scaling study model that predicts active cooling reduces upper stage cryogenic propulsion mass for loiter periods greater than 2 weeks.

Zero Boil-Off↗
NASA NTRS2018

Transient Heater Analysis for Orion Thermal Vacuum Testing

The Space Environments Complex (SEC) at NASA's Plum Brook Station is currently being prepared to perform thermal vacuum testing of the Orion spacecraft. This thermal vacuum, or T-VAC test will be run for a period of 60 days, which will be the longest such test ever conducted at SEC. The Orion Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM) will undergo T-VAC testing in SEC's Space Simulation Vacuum Chamber to ensure the functionality of these systems in a high vacuum environment at extremely cold temperatures. The T-VAC test setup in SEC was modeled and simulated in Thermal Desktop. The initial results from thermal analysis showed areas on the chamber floor to reach very low temperatures, which were below the minimum operating range of certain hardware located on or near the chamber floor. These hardware including elastomeric seals on the GN2 piping, bearing pads and O-rings are essential to both test and the operation of the SEC facility, and must be kept well above -20°F throughout the duration of the T-VAC test. Thus, further analysis was conducted to include the placement of patch heaters on the chamber floor in an effort to increase the temperature near colder areas on the floor. The results and findings from this analysis showed that using these heaters will result in a favorable temperature distribution on the chamber floor. This paper will discuss the methods used in the analysis, and the results obtained to determine the optimal configuration of these heaters on the chamber floor.

Wilhite, Jarred↗
NASA NTRS2018

Transient Heater Analysis for Orion Thermal Vacuum Testing

The Space Environments Complex (SEC) at NASA’s Plum Brook Station is currently being prepared to perform thermal vacuum testing of the Orion spacecraft. This thermal vacuum, or T-VAC test will be run for a period of 60 days, which will be the longest such test ever conducted at SEC. The Orion Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM) will undergo T-VAC testing in SEC’s Space Simulation Vacuum Chamber to ensure the functionality of these systems in a high vacuum environment at extremely cold temperatures. The T-VAC test setup in SEC was modeled and simulated in Thermal Desktop. The initial results from thermal analysis showed areas on the chamber floor to reach very low temperatures, which were below the minimum operating range of certain hardware located on or near the chamber floor. These hardware including elastomeric seals on the GN2 piping, bearing pads and O-rings are essential to both test and the operation of the SEC facility, and must be kept well above -20°F throughout the duration of the T-VAC test. Thus, further analysis was conducted to include the placement of patch heaters on the chamber floor in an effort to increase the temperature near colder areas on the floor. The results and findings from this analysis showed that using these heaters will result in a favorable temperature distribution on the chamber floor. This paper will discuss the methods used in the analysis, and the results obtained to determine the optimal configuration of these heaters on the chamber floor.

Wilhite, Jarred↗
NASA NTRS1999

Reactivation of Latent Viruses in Space

Reactivation of latent viruses is an important health risk for people working and living in physically isolated extreme environments such as Antarctica and space. Preflight quarantine does not significantly reduce the risk associated with latent viruses, however, pharmaceutical countermeasures are available for some viruses. The molecular basis of latency is not fully understood, but physical and psychosocial stresses are known to initiate the reactivation of latent viruses. Presumably, stress induced changes in selected hormones lead to alterations in the cell- mediated immune (CMI) response resulting in increased shedding of latent viruses. Limited access to space makes the use of ground-based analogs essential. The Australian Antarctic stations serve as a good stress model and simulate many aspects of space flight. Closed environmental chambers have been used to simulate space flight since the Skylab missions and have also proven to be a valuable analog of selected aspects of space flight.

Pierson, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Creating the Thermal Environment for Safely Testing the James Webb Space Telescope at the Johnson Space Center's Chamber A

Chamber A is the largest thermal vacuum chamber at the Johnson Space Center and is one of the largest space environment chambers in the world. The chamber is 19.8 m (65 ft) in diameter and 36.6 m (120 ft) tall and is equipped with cryogenic liquid nitrogen panels (shrouds) and gaseous helium shrouds to create a simulated space environment. The chamber was originally built to support testing of the Apollo Service and Command Module for lunar missions, but underwent major modifications to be able to test the James Webb Space Telescope in a simulated deep space environment. To date seven tests have been performed in preparation of testing the flight optics for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Each test has had a uniquie thermal profile and set of thermal requirements for cooling down and warming up, controlling contamination, and releasing condensed air. These range from temperatures from 335K to 15K, with tight uniformity and controllability for maintining thermal stability and pressure control. One unique requirement for two test was structurally proof loading hardware by creating thermal gradients at specific temperatures. This paper will discuss the thermal requirements and goals of the tests, the original requirements of the chamber thermal systems for planned operation, and how the new requirements were met by the team using the hardware, system flexiblilty, and engineering creativity. It will also discuss the mistakes and successes to meet the unique goals, especially when meeting the thermal proof load.

Homan, Jonathan L.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Simulated space environment tests on cadmium sulfide solar cells

Cadmium sulfide (Cu2s - CdS) solar cells were tested under simulated space environmental conditions. Some cells were thermally cycled with illumination from a Xenon-arc solar simulator. A cycle was one hour of illumination followed immediately with one-half hour of darkness. In the light, the cells reached an equilibrium temperature of 60 C (333 K) and in the dark the cell temperature dropped to -120 C (153 K). Other cells were constantly illuminated with a Xenon-arc solar simulator. The equilibrium temperature of these cells was 55 C (328 K). The black vacuum chamber walls were cooled with liquid nitrogen to simulate a space heat sink. Chamber pressure was maintained at 0.000001 torr or less. Almost all of the solar cells tested degraded in power when exposed to a simulated space environment of either thermal cycling or constant illumination. The cells tested the longest were exposed to 10.050 thermal cycles.

Clarke, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Thermoelastic analysis of solar window of a vacuum chamber

It has been noted during space simulation test programs that the chamber penetration window becomes the limiting factor as the solar intensity increases. The temperature at the center of the window normally attains a level of 550 C, while the edge temperature remains at about 35 C. The stresses produced by this thermal gradient combined with the atmospheric pressure are studied within the framework of classical theory of elasticity. The solution for the problem is obtained by solving the static uncoupled thermoelastic equations for a circular blank, subjected to nonuniform heat on one face, by introduction of two auxiliary variables. The displacements are expressed in terms of Bessel functions and parameters of interest are computed at various mesh points of the window. The maximum principal stresses thus obtained show that even with steep temperature gradient, the safety factor is acceptable.

Amba-Rao, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Lewis Research Center R and D Facilities

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) defines and develops advanced technology for high priority national needs. The work of the Center is directed toward new propulsion, power, and communications technologies for application to aeronautics and space, so that U.S. leadership in these areas is ensured. The end product is knowledge, usually in a report, that is made fully available to potential users--the aircraft engine industry, the energy industry, the automotive industry, the space industry, and other NASA centers. In addition to offices and laboratories for almost every kind of physical research in such fields as fluid mechanics, physics, materials, fuels, combustion, thermodynamics, lubrication, heat transfer, and electronics, LeRC has a variety of engineering test cells for experiments with components such as compressors, pumps, conductors, turbines, nozzles, and controls. A number of large facilities can simulate the operating environment for a complete system: altitude chambers for aircraft engines; large supersonic wind tunnels for advanced airframes and propulsion systems; space simulation chambers for electric rockets or spacecraft; and a 420-foot-deep zero-gravity facility for microgravity experiments. Some problems are amenable to detection and solution only in the complete system and at essentially full scale. By combining basic research in pertinent disciplines and generic technologies with applied research on components and complete systems, LeRC has become one of the most productive centers in its field in the world. This brochure describes a number of the facilities that provide LeRC with its exceptional capabilities.

Source record↗