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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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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

NASA's Advanced Solar Sail Propulsion System for Low-Cost Deep Space Exploration and Science Missions that Use High Performance Rollable Composite Booms

Several low-cost solar sail technology demonstrator missions are under development in the United States. However, the mass saving derived benefits that composites can offer to such a mass critical spacecraft architecture have not been realized yet. This is due to the lack of suitable composite booms that can fit inside CubeSat platforms and ultimately be readily scalable to much larger sizes, where they can fully optimize their use. With this aim, a new effort focused at developing scalable rollable composite booms for solar sails and other deployable structures has begun. Seven meter booms used to deploy a 90 m2 class solar sail that can fit inside a 6U CubeSat have already been developed. The NASA road map to low-cost solar sail capability demonstration envisioned, consists of increasing the size of these composite booms to enable sailcrafts with a reflective area of up to 2000 m2 housed aboard small satellite platforms. This paper presents a solar sail system initially conceived to serve as a risk reduction alternative to Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout's baseline design but that has recently been slightly redesigned and proposed for follow-on missions. The features of the booms and various deployment mechanisms for the booms and sail, as well as ground support equipment used during testing, are introduced. The results of structural analyses predict the performance of the system under microgravity conditions. Finally, the results of the functional and environmental testing campaign carried out are shown.

Fernandez, Juan M.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Advanced Astrophysics Discovery Technology in the Era of Data Driven Astronomy

Astrophysics is at the threshold of a new epoch in which increasinglycomplex, heterogeneous datasets will challenge our existing information infrastructure and traditional approaches to analysis. The rapid advancement of graphics processing units, compact field programmable gate arrays and dedicated artificial intelligence accelerator chips is now permitting the use of scientific methods, processes and algorithms to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data in ways never before seen. Miniaturization of spacecraft architectures and supporting infrastructure is opening new observing strategies and new discovery spaces for science. The community is just beginning to awaken to these imminent challenges as evidenced by their relative lack of emphasis in the New Worlds, New Horizons ASTRO2010 decadal survey, in the ExoPAG Science Analysis Group 11 report andin the formulation of the WFIRST Data Challenge. We suggest that the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD), which has clearly recognized this new epoch of rapidly evolving information technology, could be more affirmative in its approach. We offer a modest structural solution.

Barry, Richard K.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessment of Crew Time for Maintenance and Repairs Activities for Lunar Surface Missions

NASA is currently evaluating different methods to predict how much time crewmembers will spend conducting repair and maintenance activities on future space missions. As mission scope and spacecraft architectures change, it will be necessary to understand how crew repair and maintenance timelines are impacted by mission operations and technology changes. Past work has been done using historical ISS data to accurately predict crew habitation and operation timelines, resulting in the development of NASA’s Exploration Crew Time Model (ECTM). However, understanding crew maintenance and repair requirements has posed a unique challenge due to the complexity of available datasets, the probabilistic nature of sub-system failures, and the impacts of reliability growth on failure rates. This paper presents a methodology to collect and condition empirical repair and maintenance time data from available data sets, to extrapolate from that data to estimate projected maintenance and repair times for a lunar Surface Habitat, and to assess how uncertainty in repair time could impact utilization time on the lunar surface. NASA International Space Station (ISS) maintenance and crew time data are logged into two central databases, the Maintenance Data Collection (MDC) and the Operations Planning Timeline Integration System (OPTimIS) respectively. Separately, each of these two datasets capture only portions of the complete set of data required to generate an accurate assessment of crew time spent on maintenance activities at a sub-system level. MDC provides a detailed catalog of failure events and an overview of the failure’s required maintenance and OPTimIS provides a description of crew activities and crew time durations dedicated to maintenance. To create a more useful crew time estimate for maintenance timelines, the authors developed a methodology to capture relevant data from each set and combine and utilize that data by linking crew time requirements to specific components. The authors compare the failure logs in the MDC to crew activity logs pulled from OPTimIS and then process the data to estimate required repair times for each failure event. Data is also classified by the outcome of each repair event, whether the failed component was replaced or whether it was repaired in place. The entire maintenance activity dataset is then categorized based on the class of failed component to allow for a statistically significant sample size for each class and to provide accurate crew time estimates for any components lacking relevant data. This resultant component repair time data can be used in the future to generate Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) estimates and confidence intervals for each class of component based on a probabilistic distribution of documented maintenance events. These improved MTTR values can then be applied to candidate element sub-system architectures, along with component Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) data to generate distributions for potential required system crew repair time estimates for a given mission. Repair time distributions can then be used to develop more accurate crew schedules and to assess potential available utilization time.

Crew Time↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessment of Crew Time for Maintenance and Repair Activities for Lunar Surface Missions

NASA is currently evaluating different methods to predict how much time crewmembers will spend conducting repair and maintenance activities on future space missions. As mission scope and spacecraft architectures change, understanding how crew repair and maintenance timelines are impacted by mission operations and technology changes is vital for future mission planning. Past work has been done using historical International Space Station (ISS) data to accurately predict crew habitation and operation timelines, resulting in the development of NASA’s Exploration Crew Time Model (ECTM). However, understanding crew maintenance and repair requirements has posed a unique challenge due to the complexity of available datasets, the probabilistic nature of sub-system failures, and the impacts of reliability growth on failure rates. This paper presents a methodology to collect and condition empirical repair and maintenance time data from available datasets, to extrapolate from that data to estimate projected maintenance and repair times for a lunar Surface Habitat (SH), and to assess how uncertainty in repair time could impact utilization time on the lunar surface. NASA ISS maintenance and crew time data are logged into two central databases: the Maintenance Data Collection (MDC) and the Operations Planning Timeline Integration System (OPTimIS). Separately, each of these two datasets capture only portions of the complete set of data required to generate an accurate assessment of crew time spent on maintenance activities at a sub-system level. To create a more useful crew time estimate for maintenance timelines, the authors developed a methodology to capture relevant data from each set and combine and utilize that data by linking crew time requirements to specific components. The authors compare the failure logs in the MDC to crew activity logs pulled from OPTimIS and then process the data to estimate required repair time for each failure and repair event. The entire maintenance activity dataset is then categorized based on the class of failed component to ensure a significant sample size for each class and accurate crew time estimates for any components lacking relevant data. This resultant component repair time data can be used in the future to generate Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) estimates and confidence intervals for each class of component based on a probabilistic distribution of documented maintenance events. These improved MTTR values can then be applied to candidate element sub-system architectures, along with component Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) data to generate distributions for potential required system crew repair time estimates for a given mission. The authors applied these modeling methods to a case study of a crewed mission to the planned SH and produced expected corrective maintenance crew time distributions. The results produced an expected corrective maintenance crew time at over 24 hours per mission, and a maintenance crew time distribution that reflects the importance of planning for sufficient maintenance requirements each mission. Repair time distributions can then be used to develop more accurate crew schedules and to assess potential available utilization time.

Crew Time↗
NASA NTRS2022

Orbiting Artificial Star for High-Resolution Coronal Imaging from the Ground

This paper establishes the scientific motivation of the Orbiting Artificial Star for High-resolution Coronal Imaging from the Ground (ORCAS-Helio), and presents the Preliminary Science Traceability Matrix (STM), defining the scientific objectives, the expected significance, and the impact of the mission. Furthermore, the paper describes the payload, mission configuration, and spacecraft architecture and shows it could meet its scientific and engineering requirements. By doing so, a viable mission configuration for the ORCAS-Helio mission is established.

Eliad Peretz↗
NASA NTRS2003

HYDRA: High Speed Simulation Architecture for Precision Spacecraft Formation Flying

This viewgraph presentation describes HYDRA, which is architecture to facilitate high-fidelity and real-time simulation of formation flying missions. The contents include: 1) Motivation; 2) Objective; 3) HYDRA-Description and Overview; 4) HYDRA-Hierarchy; 5) Communication in HYDRA; 6) Simulation Specific Concerns in HYDRA; 7) Example application (Formation Acquisition); and 8) Sample Problem Results.

simpulations↗
NASA NTRS2006

Computer Aided Design of Ka-Band Waveguide Power Combining Architectures for Interplanetary Spacecraft

Communication systems for future NASA interplanetary spacecraft require transmitter power ranging from several hundred watts to kilowatts. Several hybrid junctions are considered as elements within a corporate combining architecture for high power Ka-band space traveling-wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs). This report presents the simulated transmission characteristics of several hybrid junctions designed for a low loss, high power waveguide based power combiner.

Vaden, Karl R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Comparative Study of 3-Dimensional Woven Joint Architectures for Composite Spacecraft Structures

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Systems Mission Directorate initiated an Advanced Composite Technology (ACT) Project through the Exploration Technology Development Program in order to support the polymer composite needs for future heavy lift launch architectures. As an example, the large composite structural applications on Ares V inspired the evaluation of advanced joining technologies, specifically 3D woven composite joints, which could be applied to segmented barrel structures needed for autoclave cured barrel segments due to autoclave size constraints. Implementation of these 3D woven joint technologies may offer enhancements in damage tolerance without sacrificing weight. However, baseline mechanical performance data is needed to properly analyze the joint stresses and subsequently design/down-select a preform architecture. Six different configurations were designed and prepared for this study; each consisting of a different combination of warp/fill fiber volume ratio and preform interlocking method (Z-fiber, fully interlocked, or hybrid). Tensile testing was performed for this study with the enhancement of a dual camera Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system which provides the capability to measure full-field strains and three dimensional displacements of objects under load. As expected, the ratio of warp/fill fiber has a direct influence on strength and modulus, with higher values measured in the direction of higher fiber volume bias. When comparing the Z-fiber weave to a fully interlocked weave with comparable fiber bias, the Z-fiber weave demonstrated the best performance in two different comparisons. We report the measured tensile strengths and moduli for test coupons from the 6 different weave configurations under study.

Jones, Justin S.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Comparative Study of 3-Dimensional Woven Joint Architectures for Composite Spacecraft Structures

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Systems Mission Directorate initiated an Advanced Composite Technology (ACT) Project through the Exploration Technology Development Program in order to support the polymer composite needs for future heavy lift launch architectures. As an example, the large composite structural applications on Ares V inspired the evaluation of advanced joining technologies, specifically 3D woven composite joints, which could be applied to traditionally manufactured barrel segments. Implementation of these 3D woven joint technologies may offer enhancements in damage tolerance without sacrificing weight. However, baseline mechanical performance data is needed to properly analyze the joint stresses and subsequently design/down-select a preform architecture. Six different configurations were designed and prepared for this study; each consisting of a different combination of warp/fill fiber volume ratio and preform interlocking method (z-fiber, fully interlocked, or hybrid). Tensile testing was performed for this study with the enhancement of a dual camera Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system which provides the capability to measure full-field strains and three dimensional displacements of objects under load. As expected, the ratio of warp/fill fiber has a direct influence on strength and modulus, with higher values measured in the direction of higher fiber volume bias. When comparing the z-fiber weave to a fully interlocked weave with comparable fiber bias, the z-fiber weave demonstrated the best performance in two different comparisons. We report the measured tensile strengths and moduli for test coupons from the 6 different weave configurations under study.

Jones, Justin S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A study of the selection of microcomputer architectures to automate planetary spacecraft power systems

Performance and reliability models of alternate microcomputer architectures as a methodology for optimizing system design were examined. A methodology for selecting an optimum microcomputer architecture for autonomous operation of planetary spacecraft power systems was developed. Various microcomputer system architectures are analyzed to determine their application to spacecraft power systems. It is suggested that no standardization formula or common set of guidelines exists which provides an optimum configuration for a given set of specifications.

Nauda, A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Augmented Ground Station Architecture for Spacecraft-Initiated Communication Service Requests

Spacecraft performing science and exploration missions have increasingly complex and event-driven objectives, making communication needs difficult to predict in advance. Additional flexibility is required in space communication provider networks to effectively meet time-varying demand. We envision a framework for automated resource allocation in which requests for communications service are initiated by spacecraft based on current mission needs. We propose an augmented ground station configuration featuring a wide field-of-view antenna to receive transmissions from spacecraft requesting high-rate communications. A software suite to automate the service fulfillment process, including interfacing with external scheduling systems such as NASA’s Near Space Network, is described. Experimental results characterizing the physical-layer link between the wide field-of-view antenna and a software-defined radio testbed on the International Space Station are presented. We also discuss long-duration software testing on a ground-based testbed. Taken together, these proof-of-concept results demonstrate the feasibility of the concept to improve the responsiveness of space communications.

user-initiated service↗
NASA NTRS2024

StarNAV: An Architecture for Autonomous Spacecraft Navigation by the Relativistic Perturbation of Starlight

Exploration missions to the outer Solar System (e.g., Neptune, Kuiper belt objects) or to the interstellar medium present several challenges for conventional spacecraft designs. One of the greatest challenges is a means for navigation, as Earth-based tracking with the Deep Space Network (DSN) becomes less desirable due to high cost, decreased performance at long ranges, and long light-time delays. Indeed, light time delays at Neptune are over four hours (one way), making control of spacecraft during critical events nearly impossible—and this problem only becomes worse as we move to the Kuiper belt or to interstellar space. The need for autonomous spacecraft navigation is well established and is prominently featured in the 2015 NASA Technology Roadmap (e.g., TA 5.4.2.6 & 5.4.2.8). This has led to investment in various technologies to accomplish this task, with the majority of recent work focusing on optical navigation (OPNAV; TA 5.4.4.1) [1], X-ray pulsar navigation (XNAV; TA 5.6.1) [2], or DSN one-way ranging with the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC; TA 5.4.1.1) [3]. This NIAC study suggests a new (and completely different) way of autonomously navigating a spacecraft anywhere in the Solar System or beyond. We call this new technique StarNAV.

NIAC Phase I↗
NASA NTRS2003

Standard Spacecraft Interfaces and IP Network Architectures: Prototyping Activities at the GSFC

Advancements in fright semiconductor technology have opened the door for IP-based networking in spacecraft architectures. The GSFC believes the same signlJicant cost savings gained using MIL-STD-1553/1773 as a standard low rate interface for spacecraft busses cun be realized for highspeed network interfaces. To that end, GSFC is developing hardware and software to support a seamless, space mission IP network based on Ethernet and MIL-STD-1553. The Ethernet network shall connect all fright computers and communications systems using interface standards defined by the CCSDS Standard Onboard InterFace (SOIF) Panel. This paper shall discuss the prototyping effort underway at GSFC and expected results.

Schnurr, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2000

Autonomy Architectures for a Constellation of Spacecraft

This paper describes three autonomy architectures for a system that continuously plans to control a fleet of spacecraft using collective mission goals instead of goals of command sequences for each spacecraft. A fleet of self-commanding spacecraft would autonomously coordinate itself to satisfy high level science and engineering goals in a changing partially-understood environment-making feasible the operation of tens of even a hundred spacecraft (such as for interferometer or magnetospheric constellation missions).

Barrett, Anthony↗