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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 973 records · Page 54
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

The flow of the contaminated solar wind at comet P/Grigg-Skjellerup

On July 10, 1992, the Giotto spacecraft encountered a second comet, namely, P/Grigg-Skjellerup. Despite the small production rate of this comet (approximately 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of P/Halley and 1 order of magnitude smaller than that of P/Giacobini-Zinner) the plasma flow showed several distinct flow transitions. We have applied theoretical models, previously developed to explain the existence and location of the flow boundaries at comets P/Giacobini-Zinner and P/Halley to this new data set for comet P/Grigg-Skjellerup. The observed bow shock crossings are used to evaluate the production rate of the cometary neutrals. Using this production rate, the position of the collisionopause and the ionopause are estimated. The observed location of the magnetic pile-up boundary corresponds well to the theoretical calculations. We also find the reason that a magnetic field-free region was not encountered was because the ionopause, while being sharp, was inside the spacecraft trajectory which had an estimated closest approach distance greater than 120 km. Finally we have used the observed spatial profile of the solar wind magnetic field together with a simple one-dimemsional, multispecies chemical model to calculate the radial density profiles of the H2O group ions outside the bow shock. Comparsion of the calculated total H2O group ion density profile with observations indicates a good fit in the inner region where the H2O ion dominates. While the corresponding fit in the outer region, where the O(+) ion dominates, becomes progressively less satisfactory with increasing cometocentric distance, it is noted that the observations themselves are believed to be less reliable at theses large distances.

Flammer, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

COMPASS Final Report: Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) Centaur Orbiter New Frontiers Mission

Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) has been shown in past studies to enable missions to outer planetary bodies including the orbiting of Centaur asteroids. Key to the feasibility for REP missions are long life, low power electric propulsion (EP) devices, low mass Radioisotope Power System (RPS) and light spacecraft (S/C) components. In order to determine the key parameters for EP devices to perform these REP missions a design study was completed to design an REP S/C to orbit a Centaur in a New Frontiers (NF) cost cap. The design shows that an orbiter using several long lived (approx.200 kg xenon (Xe) throughput), low power (approx.700 W) Hall thrusters teamed with six (150 W each) Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generators (ASRG) can deliver 60 kg of science instruments to a Centaur in 10 yr within the NF cost cap. Optimal specific impulses (Isp) for the Hall thrusters were found to be around 2000 s with thruster efficiencies over 40 percent. Not only can the REP S/C enable orbiting a Centaur (when compared to an all chemical mission only capable of flybys) but the additional power from the REP system can be used to enhance science and simplify communications. The mission design detailed in this report is a Radioisotope Power System (RPS) powered EP science orbiter to the Centaur Thereus with arrival 10 yr after launch, ending in a 1 yr science mapping mission. Along the trajectory, approximately 1.5 yr into the mission, the REP S/C does a flyby of the Trojan asteroid Tlepolemus. The total (Delta)V of the trajectory is 8.9 km/s. The REP S/C is delivered to orbit on an Atlas 551 class launch vehicle with a Star 48 B solid rocket stage

Oleson, Steven R.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Measuring Solar Radiation Incident on Earth: Solar Constant-3 (SOLCON-3)

Life on Earth is possible because the climate conditions on Earth are relatively mild. One element of the climate on Earth, the temperature, is determined by the heat exchanges between the Earth and its surroundings, outer space. The heat exchanges take place in the form of electromagnetic radiation. The Earth gains energy because it absorbs solar radiation, and it loses energy because it emits thermal infrared radiation to cold space. The heat exchanges are in balance: the heat gained by the Earth through solar radiation equals the heat lost through thermal radiation. When the balance is perturbed, a temperature change and hence a climate change of the Earth will occur. One possible perturbation of the balance is the CO2 greenhouse effect: when the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increases, this will reduce the loss of thermal infrared radiation to cold space. Earth will gain more heat and hence the temperature will rise. Another perturbation of the balance can occur through variation of the amount of energy emitted by the sun. When the sun emits more energy, this will directly cause a rise of temperature on Earth. For a long time scientists believed that the energy emitted by the sun was constant. The 'solar constant' is defined as the amount of solar energy received per unit surface at a distance of one astronomical unit (the average distance of Earth's orbit) from the sun. Accurate measurements of the variations of the solar constant have been made since 1978. From these we know that the solar constant varies approximately with the 11-year solar cycle observed in other solar phenomena, such as the occurrence of sunspots, dark spots that are sometimes visible on the solar surface. When a sunspot occurs on the sun, since the spot is dark, the radiation (light) emitted by the sun drops instantaneously. Oddly, periods of high solar activity, when a lot of sunspot numbers increase, correspond to periods when the average solar constant is high. This indicates that the background on which the sunspots occur becomes brighter during high solar activity.

Dominique Crommelynck↗
DOE OSTI2021

Unraveling the intrinsic atomic physics behind x-ray absorption line shifts in warm dense silicon plasmas

Here, we present a novel free-energy density functional theory (DFT)-based methodology for optical property calculations of warm dense matter to cover a wide range of thermodynamic conditions and photon energies including the entire x-ray range. It uses Mermin–Kohn–Sham density functional theory with exchange-correlation (XC) thermal effects taken into account via a fully temperature dependent generalized gradient approximation XC functional. The methodology incorporates a combination of the ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) snapshotted Kubo–Greenwood optic data with a single-atom in simulation cell calculations to close the photon energy gap between the L and K edges and extend the K-edge tail toward many-keV photon energies. This gap arises in the standard scheme due to a prohibitively large number of bands required for the Kubo–Greenwood calculations with AIMD snapshots. Kubo–Greenwood data on snapshots provide an accurate description of optic properties at low photon frequencies slightly beyond the L-edge and x-ray absorption near edges structure (XANES) spectra, while data from periodic calculations with single atoms cover the tail regions beyond the edges. To demonstrate its applicability to mid-Z materials where the standard DFT-based approach is not computationally feasible, we have applied it to opacity calculations of warm dense silicon plasmas. These first-principles calculations revealed a very interesting phenomon of red-to-blue shift in K–L (1s → 2p) and K-edge absorptions along both isotherm and isochore, which are absent in most continuum-lowering models of traditional plasma physics. This new physics phenomenon can be attributed to the underlying competition between the screening of deeply bound core electrons and the screening of outer-shell electrons caused by warm-dense-plasma conditions. We further demonstrate that the ratio of 1s → 2p to the K-edge x-ray absorptions can be used to characterize warm-dense-plasma conditions. Eventually, based on our absorption calculations, we have established a first-principles opacity table (FPOT) for silicon in a wide range of material densities and temperatures.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1995

Locations of termination shock and heliopause based on Voyager plasma and magnetic field data

The locations of the termination shock and the heliopause are studied taking into account the effects of pickup protons. The study uses available plasma and magnetic field data from Voyagers over a 14-year period (1978-1991) and Voyager observation of the 1992-93 radio emission event. Outside 30 AU, pickup protons have a significant influence on dynamical structures of the outer heliosphere. The solar wind is treated as a mixture of electrons, solar wind protons, and interstellar pickup protons. If the magnitude of the interstellar magnetic field B(sub int) is given, one can quantitatively study the motion and location of the termination shock. The location is anti-correlated with the sun spot number and the shock has an average speed of approx. 24 km/s. Because B(sub int) is poorly known, additional information is needed in studying the termination shock. Cummings, et al. have used observations of anomalous cosmic rays to estimate the location of the shock. The observations of the 1991 GMIR and GMIR shock and the 1992-93 radio emission event provide another handle for the study of the termination shock and the heliopause. After its penetration through the termination shock, the GMIR shock continued to propagate in the subsonic region of the solar wind and eventually interacted with the heliopause. This interaction produces a transmitted shock propagating outward in the interstellar medium and a reflected shock propagating inward toward the sun in the subsonic solar wind. The plasma frequencies behind the reflected and the transmitted shock can be, respectively, responsible for the 2- and 3-kHz radio emissions. Taking into account the effects of pickup protons we found that the average locations of the termination shock and the heliopause in 1991-92 are at approximately 66 AU and 150 AU, respectively.

Whang, Y. C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Characterization of Meteorites by Focused Ion Beam Sectioning: Recent Applications to CAIs and Primitive Meteorite Matrices

Focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning has revolutionized preparation of meteorite samples for characterization by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and other techniques. Although FIB is not "non-destructive" in the purest sense, each extracted section amounts to no more than nanograms (approximately 500 cubic microns) removed intact from locations precisely controlled by SEM imaging and analysis. Physical alteration of surrounding material by ion damage, fracture or sputter contamination effects is localized to within a few micrometers around the lift-out point. This leaves adjacent material intact for coordinate geochemical analysis by SIMS, microdrill extraction/TIMS and other techniques. After lift out, FIB sections can be quantitatively analyzed by electron microprobe prior to final thinning, synchrotron x-ray techniques, and by the full range of state-of-the-art analytical field-emission scanning transmission electron microscope (FE-STEM) techniques once thinning is complete. Multiple meteorite studies supported by FIB/FE-STEM are currently underway at NASA-JSC, including coordinated analysis of refractory phase assemblages in CAIs and fine-grained matrices in carbonaceous chondrites. FIB sectioning of CAIs has uncovered epitaxial and other overgrowth relations between corundum-hibonite-spinel consistent with hibonite preceding corundum and/or spinel in non-equilibrium condensation sequences at combinations of higher gas pressures, dust-gas enrichments or significant nebular transport. For all of these cases, the ability of FIB to allow for coordination with spatially-associated isotopic data by SIMS provides immense value for constraining the formation scenarios of the particular CAI assemblage. For carbonaceous chondrites matrix material, FIB has allowed us to obtain intact continuous sections of the immediate outer surface of Murchison (CM2) after it has been experimentally ion processed to simulate solar wind space weathering. The surface amorphization and loss of OH produced by the irradiation provides important clues regarding space weathering on primitive asteroids such as the OSIRIS-Rex target 101955 Bennu.

Christoffersen, Roy↗
NASA NTRS1995

A 3D High-Order Unstructured Finite-Volume Algorithm for Solving Maxwell's Equations

A three-dimensional finite-volume algorithm based on arbitrary basis functions for time-dependent problems on general unstructured grids is developed. The method is applied to the time-domain Maxwell equations. Discrete unknowns are volume integrals or cell averages of the electric and magnetic field variables. Spatial terms are converted to surface integrals using the Gauss curl theorem. Polynomial basis functions are introduced in constructing local representations of the fields and evaluating the volume and surface integrals. Electric and magnetic fields are approximated by linear combinations of these basis functions. Unlike other unstructured formulations used in Computational Fluid Dynamics, the new formulation actually does not reconstruct the field variables at each time step. Instead, the spatial terms are calculated in terms of unknowns by precomputing weights at the beginning of the computation as functions of cell geometry and basis functions to retain efficiency. Since no assumption is made for cell geometry, this new formulation is suitable for arbitrarily defined grids, either smooth or unsmooth. However, to facilitate the volume and surface integrations, arbitrary polyhedral cells with polygonal faces are used in constructing grids. Both centered and upwind schemes are formulated. It is shown that conventional schemes (second order in Cartesian grids) are equivalent to the new schemes using first degree polynomials as the basis functions and the midpoint quadrature for the integrations. In the new formulation, higher orders of accuracy are achieved by using higher degree polynomial basis functions. Furthermore, all the surface and volume integrations are carried out exactly. Several model electromagnetic scattering problems are calculated and compared with analytical solutions. Examples are given for cases based on 0th to 3rd degree polynomial basis functions. In all calculations, a centered scheme is applied in the interior, while an upwind matching scheme is employed at material interfaces and the Engquist-Majda non-reflecting boundary condition is implemented at the numerical outer boundaries. The staggered leapfrog scheme and the Runge-Kutta methods are utilized for the time integration. Excellent agreements are found between the numerical and analytical solutions.

Liu, Yen↗
NASA NTRS1961

Experimental Determination of the Recovery Factor and Analytical Solution of the Conical Flow Field for a 20 deg Included Angle Cone at Mach Numbers of 4.6 and 6.0 and Stagnation Temperatures to 2600 degree R

The local recovery factor was determined experimentally along the surface of a thin-walled 20 deg included angle cone for Mach numbers near 6.0 at stagnation temperatures between 1200 deg R and 2600 deg R. In addition, a similar cone configuration was tested at Mach numbers near 4.5 at stagnation temperatures of approximately 612 deg R. The local Reynolds number based on flow properties at the edge of the boundary layer ranged between 0.1 x 10(exp 4) and 3.5 x 10(exp 4) for tests at temperatures above 1200 deg R and between 6 x 10(exp 4) and 25 x 10(exp 4) for tests at temperatures near 612 deg R. The results indicated, generally, that the recovery factor can be predicted satisfactorily using the square root of the Prandtl number. No conclusion could be made as to the necessity of evaluating the Prandtl number at a reference temperature given by an empirical equation, as opposed to evaluating the Prandtl number at the wall temperature or static temperature of the gas at the cone surface. For the tests at temperatures above 1200 deg R (indicated herein as the tests conducted in the slip-flow region), two definite trends in the recovery data were observed - one of increasing recovery factor with decreasing stagnation pressure, which was associated with slip-flow effects and one of decreasing recovery factor with increasing temperature. The true cause of the latter trend could not be ascertained, but it was shown that this trend was not appreciably altered by the sources of error of the magnitude considered herein. The real-gas equations of state were used to determine accurately the local stream properties at the outer edge of the boundary layer of the cone. Included in the report, therefore, is a general solution for the conical flow of a real gas using the Beattie-Bridgeman equation of state. The largest effect of temperature was seen to be in the terms which were dependent upon the internal energy of the gas. The pressure and hence the pressure drag terms were unaffected.

Pfyl, Frank A.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Fabrication and Characterization of Core–Shell Density-Graded 316L Stainless Steel Porous Structure

In the present work, cylindrical shape 316 L cellular structure with different densities in its core and outer layer (shell) is fabricated by using carbamide as a space holder, via powder metallurgy route and layer-by-layer technique. The arrangement of the created pore is the same as face-centered cubic atomic structure, and different densities are created in two regions by using carbamide particles having two different sizes in the range of 1.7-2 and 2-2.4 mm. The effect of creating a structure with higher porosity (64.5%) in the core and lower porosity (53.8%) in the shell and vice versa and also change in the ratio of the core to the cylinder cross-sectional areas, on the mechanical properties and compaction load bearing of the fabricated foam samples were investigated. In leaching process of the carbamide particles, as an important step of porous structure’s fabrication, it is shown that discontinuous leaching process is more favorable than continuous, by which it would be possible to remove more carbamide particles (around 20%) at the same time. Furthermore, the deformation of the density-graded foam shows the parallel mechanism in the core and shell sections, and the contribution of each part depends on its density and thickness. The energy absorption behavior of the fabricated specimens is evaluated optimally in terms of the energy absorption value associated with the ideal adsorption behavior. The maximum ideal energy absorption efficiency for the samples with more porosity in the shell was approximately equal to 0.91, while for the sample includes the lower amount of porosity in the shell, this value was in the range of 0.85 and 0.89.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1993

Large cosmic ray transient decreases observed in the heliosphere at the Earth, Voyagers 1 and 2 and Pioneer 10 from 1987 to 1991

Using the greater than 70-MeV cosmic ray rate data from the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP), Voyager, and Pioneer spacecraft, we have examined the role of large transient decreases in the overall cosmic ray decrease from 1987 to 1990. At least 12 separate transient decreases with magnitudes greater than 5% were observed at Voyager 2, which moved from a heliocentric radius of approximately 23 to 35 AU during the time period. Many, but not all, of these decreases were observed at IMP 8 near the Earth and at the Pioneer 10 between 42 and 54 AU near the ecliptic plane. However, only five of these decreases were observed at Voyager 1 at north heliographic latitude approximately 30 deg and radial distance between 32 and 46 AU. The period of decreasing cosmic ray intensity from 1987 to 1990 can be divided into two phases. During phase 1, between mid-1987 and early 1989, the average heliospheric current sheet tilt rapidly increased from approximately 8 deg to 65 deg as the solar activity was also increasing rapidly and the intensity at the Earth decreased by about 35%. Four large transient decreases were observed at the Earth during this time; however, transient decreases beyond the Earth were observed only near the ecliptic plane. In phase 2, from early 1989 to mid-1990 when the intensity at the Earth decreased by an additional approximately 60%, five large transient decreases were observed at all latitudes. During this time the current sheet tilt was always greater than 60 deg. Using a procedure to separate these large transient decreases from any possible slower long-term variations, we argue that these decreases appear to be responsible for much of the overall intensity decrease of 20 - 35% observed at all spacecraft near the equatorial plane in phase 1 as well as most of the larger intensity decrease of about 45 - 60% observed at all spacecraft during phase 2. The recovery of the cosmic ray intensity that started at the Earth in early 1990 moved outward in the heliosphere reaching the Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft about 6 months later. This is in contrast to what happened as the intensity began to recover was observed to begin almost simultaneously at all radii less than 25 AU. This difference suggests that during the current cycle, the mechanism responsible for the recovery must have propagated outward from the Sun. This could have been related to the reversal of the solar polar magnetic field which occurred in early 1990. The effects of large transients propagating outward in the heliosphere and becoming ineffective when they reach the heliospheric boundary could not have played a major role in the onset of the recovery in 1990, since in this case the recovery should have been observed first in the outer heliosphere.

Webber, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Where's the Beaverhead beef?

Only rare quartz grains with single-set planar (1013) deformation features (PDF's) are present in breccia dikes found in association with uniformly oriented shatter cones that occur over an area 8 x 25 km. This suggests that the Beaverhead shocked rocks come from only the outer part of the central uplift of what must have been a large (greater than 100 km diameter) complex impact structure. An impact event of this magnitude on continental crust (thought to have occurred in late Precambrian or ealy Paleozoic time) could be expected to punctuate local geologic history. Furthermore, although it may now be covered, its scar should remain despite all the considerable subsequent erosion/deposition and tectonism since the impact. The following are three large-scale singularities or anomalies that may reflect the event and mark its source. (1) The Lemhi Arch is a major structural uplift that occurred in late Proterozoic-early Paleozoic time in East Central Idaho and caused the erosion of at least 4 km of sedimentary cover. This may be directly related to the impact. (2) Of the many thrust sheets comprising the Cordilleran belt, the Cabin plate that carries the shocked rocks is unique in that it alone intersected the crystalline basement. It also now marks the apex of the Southwest Montana Recess in the Sevier front. The basement uplift remaining from the impact may have constituted a mechanical obstacle to the advancing thrust sheets in Cretaceous time, causing the recess. (3) What could be interpreted as a roughly circular aeromagnetic anomaly approx. 70 km in diameter can be discerned in the state aeromagnetic map centered about 20 km southeast of Challis, Idaho, in the Lost River range. It is in approximately the right place, and ignoring the possibility that the anomalies have diverse causes and the circular pattern is coincidental, it may mark what remains of the buried central uplift structure.

Hargraves, R. B.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Fully compressible simulations of waves and core convection in main-sequence stars

Context: Recent, nonlinear simulations of wave generation and propagation in full-star models have been carried out in the anelastic approximation using spectral methods. Although it makes long time steps possible, this approach excludes the physics of sound waves completely and requires rather high artificial viscosity and thermal diffusivity for numerical stability. A direct comparison with observations is thus limited. Aims: In this study, we explore the capabilities of our compressible multidimensional Seven-League Hydro (SLH) code to simulate stellar oscillations. Methods: We compare some fundamental properties of internal gravity and pressure waves in 2D SLH simulations to linear wave theory using two test cases: (1) an interval gravity wave packet in the Boussinesq limit and (2) a realistic 3 M ⊙ stellar model with a convective core and a radiative envelope. Oscillation properties of the stellar model are also discussed in the context of observations. Results: Our tests show that specialized low-Mach techniques are necessary when simulating oscillations in stellar interiors. Basic properties of internal gravity and pressure waves in our simulations are in good agreement with linear wave theory. As compared to anelastic simulations of the same stellar model, we can follow internal gravity waves of much lower frequencies. The temporal frequency spectra of velocity and temperature are flat and compatible with the observed spectra of massive stars. Conclusion: The low-Mach compressible approach to hydrodynamical simulations of stellar oscillations is promising. Our simulations are less dissipative and require less luminosity boosting than comparable spectral simulations. The fully-compressible approach allows for the coupling of gravity and pressure waves in the outer convective envelopes of evolved stars to be studied in the future.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cassini atmospheric chemistry mapper. Volume 1. Investigation and technical plan

The Cassini Atmospheric Chemistry Mapper (ACM) enables a broad range of atmospheric science investigations for Saturn and Titan by providing high spectral and spatial resolution mapping and occultation capabilities at 3 and 5 microns. ACM can directly address the major atmospheric science objectives for Saturn and for Titan, as defined by the Announcement of Opportunity, with pivotal diagnostic measurements not accessible to any other proposed Cassini instrument. ACM determines mixing ratios for atmospheric molecules from spectral line profiles for an important and extensive volume of the atmosphere of Saturn (and Jupiter). Spatial and vertical profiles of disequilibrium species abundances define Saturn's deep atmosphere, its chemistry, and its vertical transport phenomena. ACM spectral maps provide a unique means to interpret atmospheric conditions in the deep (approximately 1000 bar) atmosphere of Saturn. Deep chemistry and vertical transport is inferred from the vertical and horizontal distribution of a series of disequilibrium species. Solar occultations provide a method to bridge the altitude range in Saturn's (and Titan's) atmosphere that is not accessible to radio science, thermal infrared, and UV spectroscopy with temperature measurements to plus or minus 2K from the analysis of molecular line ratios and to attain an high sensitivity for low-abundance chemical species in the very large column densities that may be achieved during occultations for Saturn. For Titan, ACM solar occultations yield very well resolved (1/6 scale height) vertical mixing ratios column abundances for atmospheric molecular constituents. Occultations also provide for detecting abundant species very high in the upper atmosphere, while at greater depths, detecting the isotopes of C and O, constraining the production mechanisms, and/or sources for the above species. ACM measures the vertical and horizontal distribution of aerosols via their opacity at 3 microns and, particularly, at 5 microns. ACM recovers spatially-resolved atmospheric temperatures in Titan's troposphere via 3- and 5-microns spectral transitions. Together, the mixing ratio profiles and the aerosol distributions are utilized to investigate the photochemistry of the stratosphere and consequent formation processes for aerosols. Finally, ring opacities, observed during solar occultations and in reflected sunlight, provide a measurement of the particle size and distribution of ring material. ACM will be the first high spectral resolution mapping spectrometer on an outer planet mission for atmospheric studies while retaining a high resolution spatial mapping capability. ACM, thus, opens an entirely new range of orbital scientific studies of the origin, physio-chemical evolution and structure of the Saturn and Titan atmospheres. ACM provides high angular resolution spectral maps, viewing nadir and near-limb thermal radiation and reflected sunlight; sounds planetary limbs, spatially resolving vertical profiles to several atmospheric scale heights; and measures solar occultations, mapping both atmospheres and rings. ACM's high spectral and spatial resolution mapping capability is achieved with a simplified Fourier Transform spectrometer with a no-moving parts, physically compact design. ACM's simplicity guarantees an inherent stability essential for reliable performance throughout the lengthy Cassini Orbiter mission.

Smith, William Hayden↗
NASA NTRS2015

Multi-Shock Shield Performance at 15 MJ for Catalogued Debris

While orbital debris of ten centimeters or more are tracked and catalogued, the difficulty of finding and accurately accounting for forces acting on the objects near the ten centimeter threshold results in both uncertainty of their presence and location. These challenges result in difficult decisions for operators balancing potential costly operational approaches with system loss risk. In this paper, the assessment of the feasibility of protecting a spacecraft from this catalogued debris is described using numerical simulations and a test of a multi-shock shield system against a cylindrical projectile impacting normal to the surface with approximately 15 MJ of kinetic energy. The hypervelocity impact test has been conducted at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) with a 598 g projectile at 6.905 km/s on a NASA supplied multi-shock shield. The projectile used is a hollow aluminum and nylon cylinder with an outside diameter of 8.6 cm and length of 10.3 cm. Figure 1 illustrates the multi-shock shield test article, which consisted of five separate bumpers, four of which are fiberglass fabric and one of steel mesh, and two rear walls, each consisting of Kevlar fabric. The overall length of the test article was 2.65 m. The test article was a 5X scaled-up version of a smaller multi-shock shield previously tested using a 1.4 cm diameter aluminum projectile for an inflatable module project. The distances represented by S1 and S1/2 in the figure are 61 cm and 30.5 cm, respectively. Prior to the impact test, hydrodynamic simulations indicated that some enhancement to the standard multi-shock system is needed to address the effects of the cylindrical shape of the projectile. Based on the simulations, a steel mesh bumper has been added to the shield configuration to enhance the fragmentation of the projectile. The AEDC test occurred as planned, and the modified NASA multi-shock shield successfully stopped 598 g projectile using 85.6 kg/m(exp 2). The fifth bumper layer remained in tact, although it was torn free from its support structure and thrown into the first rear wall. The outer Kevlar layer of the first rear wall tore likely from the impact of the fifth bumper's support structure, but the back of the rear wall was intact. No damage occurred to the second rear wall, or to the witness plate behind the target.

Miller, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Microstructural Observations on Advanced Multilayer Protective Coatings for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

The present research discusses the microstructures of a new multilayered coating concept proposed to solve the “midrange corrosion” problem observed in NbC and ZrC-coated graphite (Gr) nuclear fuels during the NERVA/Rover programs. The concept envisions designing a compliant multilayered coatings architecture to accommodate the thermal expansion mismatch strains between the ZrC outer coating and the Gr/(U,Zr)C fuel matrix along with using a diffusion barrier to minimize carbon and hydrogen diffusion, respectively. Multilayered coatings were deposited on Gr substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Graphite disks, as well as the inner channels of a 19-hole hexagonal rod 152.4 mm long, were coated by CVD in proof-of concept process demonstration studies. Coated disk specimens were thermally-cycled between ambient and 1900 K for as long as 20 cycles with a 1h hold time at the temperature using both stepped and non-interrupted thermal cycling methods. Detailed cross-sectional microstructural analyses were conducted on the thermally-cycled coated disks. These results showed that the coatings were intact after 20 thermal cycles at 1900 K although the bonding of the overlay Mo coating appeared to be influenced by the oxygen content in the layer. Seven transverse sections were cut along the length from the coated hexagonal rod for microstructural studies. All the nineteen channels were observed to have been coated in all the sections. This paper reports the results of detailed microstructural analyses, compositional line scans and x-ray dot maps conducted on three coated channels from a mid-section of the rod. The measured values of carbon (C) were observed to be exceptionally high in all the specimens, which were attributed to hydrocarbon contamination of the specimen surfaces. It was observed that the oxygen (O) levels were high in all the coating layers even after approximately correcting for the observed high values of C. The source of O contamination of the CVD reactor system was attributed to either the presence of oxychloride impurities in the precursor salts or a pin hole leak in the coating system. It is concluded that high values of O result in poor bonding of the Mo overlay to the ZrC layer. These trials have established that it is possible to deposit multilayered coatings by CVD in 19-hole hexagonal rods 152.4 mm long similar to the NERVA fuel rod design although the quality of the coatings and the uniformity of their thicknesses require further improvement.

Nuclear thermal propulsion, multilayer coatings, m↗
NASA NTRS2004

Understanding Columbia's Reentry Problems

Soon after the Space Shuttle Columbia accident occurred last year, a group of CFD analysts from NASA centers and private industry was organized to help determine the cause of the accident. This group was under the direction of the Applied Aeroscience and CFD Branch of the Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division at the Johnson Space Center. For external flow simulations, noncommercial CFD codes that specialize in hypersonic or high Mach number flows were used. These tools were used to determine heating rates, pressures, and temperatures for a large number of vehicle damage scenarios. Lockheed Martin Space Operations was called upon to provide CFD support in the area of internal flows within the shuttle wing cavity, and or these simulations, FLUENT 6.1 was chosen. Two large-scale, simplified models were run to understand the flow patterns once a breach of the internal wing cavity was initiated. The results were primarily used to visualize flow patterns within the wing cavity. The first CFD model included the entire left wing without the wheel. well cavity. The purpose of the first model, which did not include the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) cavity along the wing leading edge, was to visualize the flow field within the wing cavity immediately after the leading edge spar breach, This model assumed that the flow coming into the wing cavity was nom1 to the spar. It included all o f the primary vents that allow for flow between the main cavities of the wing. A six-inch diameter hole was modeled in the spar at the approximate location where the spar breach was judged to have occurred, which was between RCC panels 8 and 9. The results of the modeling showed that at this location, the high temperature, high velocity gas stream entering the wing cavity impinged on the outboard wheel well cavity. Instrumentation in the Shuttle wheel well cavity registered abnormal temperatures during reentry, so the FLUENT results helped support the conclusion of the accident investigation team that the spar breach was in the RCC panel 8-9 area, and that the initial spar breach was likely entering the wing cavity normal to the spar. This model also showed that the flow entering the wing cavity tended to swirl within the cavity just outboard of the wheel well, and did not initially penetrate further into the rear cavities of the wing. The second CFD model was a 2-D simulation of the left wing cavity and the RCC cavity. It was used to visualize the flow through the RCC breach, through the wing spar breach, and into the wing cavity directly outboard of the wheel well. The purpose of this model was to verify whether or not it was possible for the flow to come into the wing cavity normal to the leading edge spar. The results from this 2-D model showed that the internal structure behind the RCC panels probably deflected the flow entering the RCC cavity so that it impinged normal to the spar. As in the 3-D model, this deflected flow stream was found to impinge on the wheel well outer wall. This model again supported the conclusions regarding the location of the spar breach and how the flow behaved inside the wing cavity.

Paul, Thomas H.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Understanding Columbia's Reentry Problems

Soon after the Space Shuttle Columbia accident occurred last year, a group of CFD analysts from NASA centers and private industry was organized to help determine the cause of the accident. This group was under the direction of the Applied Aeroscience and CFD Branch of the Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division at the Johnson Space Center. For external flow simulations, noncommercia2 CFD codes that specialize in hypersonic or high Mach number flows were used. These tools were used to determine heating rates, pressures, and temperatures for a large number of vehicle damage scenarios. Lockheed Martin Space Operations was called upon to provide CFD support in the area of internal flows within the shuttle wing cavity, and for these simulations, FLUENT 6.1 was chosen. Two large-scale, simplified models were m to understand the flow patterns once a breach of the internal wing cavity was initiated. The results were primarily used to visualize flow patterns within the wing cavity. The first CFD model included the entire lee wing without the wheel well cavity. The purpose of the first model, which did not include the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) cavity along the wing leading edge, was to visualize the flow field within the wing cavity immediately after the leading edge spar breach, This model assumed that the flow coming into the wing cavity was normal to the spar. It included all of the primary vents that allow for flow between the main cavities of the wing. A six-inch diameter hole was modeled in the spar at the approximate location where the spar breach was judged to have occurred, which was between RCC panels 8 and 9. The results of the modeling showed that at this location, the high temperature, high velocity gas stream entering the wing cavity impinged on the outboard wheel well cavity. Instrumentation in the Shuttle wheel well cavity registered abnormal temperatures during reentry, so the FLUENT results helped support the conclusion of the accident investigation team that the spar breach was in the RCC panel 8-9 area, and that the initial spar breach was likely entering the wing cavity normal to the spar. This model also showed that the flow entering the wing cavity tended to swirl within the cavity just outboard of the wheel well, and did not initially penetrate further into the rear cavities of the wing. The second CFD model was a 2-D simulation of the left wing cavity and the RCC cavity. It was used to visualize the flow through the RCC breach, through the wing spar breach, and into the wing cavity directly outboard of the wheel well. The purpose of this model was to verify whether or not it was possible for the flow to come into the wing cavity normal to the leading edge spar. The results from this 2-D model showed that the internal structure behind the RCC panels probably deflected the flow entering the RCC cavity so that it impinged normal to the spar. As in the 3-D model, this deflected flow stream was Found to impinge on the wheel well outer wall. This model again supported the conclusions regarding the location of the spar breach and how the flow behaved inside the wing cavity.

Paul, Thomas↗
NASA NTRS1996

Studies using IMP, Voyager and Pioneer cosmic ray data to determine the size of the heliosphere

The purpose of this project was to use the cosmic ray data from the IMP, Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft in the heliosphere out to approximately 65 AU to estimate the size of the heliosphere. We used several techniques to develop a consistent picture of the size of the heliosphere. The first method used a response function approach which determined the intensity as a function of time by scaling the modulation effect as they move outward and eventually reach the boundary of the heliosphere. In this model the effects of transient cosmic ray disturbances is included. A second approach using the perturbation method in which drifts are considered as a perturbation to the standard diffusion-convection modulation models was not fully developed. In a third approach the location of the modulation boundary beyond the termination shock was estimated using observations of the intensity and radial gradients between Voyager 2 and Pioneer 10 along with new estimates of the interstellar intensity of more than 70 MeV galactic cosmic rays. Using this method we found that for 7 years, from 1983 to 1990, the modulation boundary remained constant at 83 +/- 5 AU. We infer from these studies that a modulation boundary can be estimated only by extrapolating the observed radial gradients when the solar magnetic field polarity is such that cosmic-ray particles are drifting in the heliosphere inward toward the Earth along the neutral sheet. The boundary distance is larger than the estimates of the location of the termination shock at 67 +/- 5 AU using the same method. Two other studies partially supported by this grant are attached. The first deals with the recovery period of the greater than 70 MeV cosmic rays in the outer heliosphere from 1992-1995. In the second paper we compare the rigidity dependence of the 11-year cosmic ray variation at the Earth in two cycles of opposite solar magnetic field polarity.

Lockwood, John A.↗