Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Energy use model”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

1,000 records · Page 56
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2026

Satellite Optical Remote Sensing of Clouds and Aerosols: From Particle Single-Scattering and Gaseous Absorption Through Radiative Transfer to Retrieval Products

Clouds and aerosols are fundamental regulators of Earth’s radiation budget and climate system, influencing both solar and terrestrial radiation through scattering, absorption, and emission processes. Accurate characterization of their physical and radiative properties from space requires a rigorous understanding of particle single-scattering, gaseous absorption, and radiative transfer in the atmosphere, as well as reliable inversion methods. This review synthesizes the physical foundations and algorithmic implementations of satellite-based passive optical remote sensing of clouds and aerosols, spanning the ultraviolet to thermal infrared spectral range. Beginning with electromagnetic scattering theory and state-of-the-art methods for computing single-scattering by nonspherical particles and computationally efficient methods for accounting for atmospheric absorption, we discuss the radiative transfer framework underpinning cloud and aerosol retrievals. The connection between single-scattering and multiple-scattering is rigorously formulated. We then summarize operational and research-grade retrieval techniques, including cloud masking and thermodynamic phase determination, CO₂ slicing for cloud-top pressure, the Nakajima-King shortwave bi-spectral, and infrared split-window approaches for cloud optical thickness and effective particle size, inversion algorithms for determining aerosol properties from multi-spectral and/or multi-angle radiometric and polarimetric measurements, and active-passive sensing synergy. Examples of the global cloud and aerosol climatologies are illustrated using observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR). Furthermore, the unique strengths of active remote sensing techniques based on spaceborne lidar observations are briefly elaborated in the context of studying ice clouds composed of randomly and horizontally oriented ice crystals, which is a significant challenge for conventional passive remote sensing techniques. By connecting physical theory to practical retrievals, this review highlights both the maturity of current methodologies and the remaining challenges in reducing uncertainties in particle morphology, vertical structure, absorption, and aerosol-cloud interactions. Furthermore, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on atmospheric remote sensing is briefly addressed.

Aerosols↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hellas, Ken and Me: Adventures in Exhumation and Inundation

Hellas is the largest and deepest basin on Mars. A 1993 study by Moore and Edgett (GRL, 20, 1599-1602) noted that Hellas undergoes net dust erosion. Thus, the exposed surface must represent whatever lag or rock surface and could not be removed by the strong winds blowing at these low elevations. The particle size distributions and particularly the rock or boulder population in this lag was thought to be potentially useful for distinguishing between processes that formed the lithologic units that comprise Hellas Planitia. Earlier studies had suggested the Hellas floor might be paved with basalt or glacial deposits. Ken, who at the time was working with Viking Orbiter IRTM data knew that there were late mission observations of the Hellas floor acquired though clear skies. His derived thermal inertia from these observations strongly suggested that the abundance of particles larger than coarse sand was very low. Hence, our study concluded that the floor deposits were, among other possibilities, ancient loess or lacustrine deposits. In 2001 a subsequent study on the Hellas basin by Moore and Wilhelms (Icarus, 54, 258-276) proposed that the basin was once a site of an ice covered sea, based on a series of circum-basin scarps that follow constant elevations as well as other landforms seen my Mars Global Surveyor’s MOC (an instrument that Ken played a major role in daily operations and data analysis) and topography derived from MOLA. Subsequently the best contiguous observations of the Hellas basin have been acquired from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera, which again Ken has been a central player in its operations. Much of what we know about the grain-scale sedimentology of martian lacustrine deposits comes from the Curiosity Rover’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (which Ken was the PI through development and original operations within Gale crater). Under Ken’s watch several members of the Murray Formation were determined to be deposited in a lacustrine environment. A conclusion strongly demonstrated by MHLI imaging. My personal relationship with Hellas isn’t over. The Europa Clipper flew directly over the Hellas basin including its deepest regions. Ther REASON Ice Penetrating Radar system collected data during this flyby ostensibly for calibration, yet the quality of the observations may yet provide new discoveries from Hellas.

Jeffrey M Moore↗
NASA NTRS2026

Molecular Inventory and Comparative Organic Profiling of A Homogenized Aggregate Sample From Asteroid (101955) Bennu

Evaluating the distribution and diversity of solvent-soluble organic molecules in extraterrestrial materials provide information about the physicochemical environments where prebiotic chemistry occurred and is essential for assessing the inventory of prebiotic compounds available to the early Earth. In this work, we conducted a comprehensive molecular characterization of solvent-soluble organic compounds in a homogenized aggregate sample (ID: OREX-800107-128) of unsorted regolith from asteroid (101955) Bennu returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. Using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-HRMS), we identified 87 organic compounds across several molecular classes, including alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-bearing species. Comparison with the organic inventory of CI (Orgueil), C2-ungrouped (Tagish Lake and Tarda), and CM2 (Murchison) carbonaceous chondrites revealed that Bennu sample OREX-800107-128 is most similar to Tagish Lake and Tarda yet compositionally distinct from all of these meteorites. This Bennu sample exhibits a relatively high abundance of low-molecular-weight aromatics (e.g., toluene), pyridine derivatives, and sulfur species such as dimethyl sulfite, consistent with episodic low-temperature aqueous alteration. The presence of these organic compounds suggests that this material experienced chemically diverse processes in the parent body conducive to complex organic synthesis, including aldol condensation reactions responsible for N- and O-bearing compounds. We also compared the molecular distributions of this Bennu sample and previously analyzed samples from (162173) Ryugu to assess potential common origins between these two carbonaceous asteroids. Bennu shows more chemically diverse and nitrogen-rich organic materials than Ryugu. While both asteroids share broadly similar primitive compositions, the observed chemical differences indicate distinct evolutionary histories within a likely common formation environment though whether Bennu and Ryugu derive from a single compositionally heterogeneous parent body or from multiple closely related progenitors remains unresolved. Further detailed comparative analyses of material from Bennu, Ryugu, and specific carbonaceous meteorites (e.g., Tagish Lake and Tarda) will provide new insights into how the N-rich molecular profile observed in Bennu samples was formed and evolved in the outer Solar System.

sample return↗
NASA NTRS2026

Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites Exposed to Cryogenic Conditions and Space Radiation via Simulation and Testing

As NASA missions extend beyond low Earth orbit, increasing reliance is placed on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites for spacecraft structures where mass efficiency, durability, and long-term reliability are critical. In service, these materials are subjected to a combination of ultraviolet radiation, vacuum, ionizing radiation, atomic oxygen, and extreme thermal excursions under sustained mechanical loading. Flight systems such as the Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Dragon employ external composite structures that will experience these environments for extended durations. Although prior spaceflight and ground studies have reported limited changes in bulk mechanical properties, the synergistic effects of these environments on composite microstructure, particularly at the fiber matrix interphase, remain insufficiently characterized and represent a potential qualification and reliability risk. This study investigates the effects of short-term cryogenic exposure on a radiation shielding carbon epoxy composite, SC2020, as a ground-based analog for space relevant thermal extremes. The SC2020 material system has previously flown on the International Space Station under the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) program. Composite specimens were exposed to liquid nitrogen for 6 and 24 hours and evaluated using a multiscale characterization framework that combined ASTM D3039 tensile testing, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) based interphase analysis, and helium gas permeability measurements. Tensile testing showed no statistically significant or permanent degradation in global strength or modulus following cryogenic exposure. In contrast, AFM measurements revealed reductions in interphase modulus, weakened adhesion, and increased nanoscale heterogeneity, indicating localized degradation mechanisms not captured by conventional bulk testing. Gas permeability measurements showed a progressive increase in helium diffusion with exposure duration, consistent with micro-void formation or partial interfacial debonding. The results indicate that cryogenic exposure initiates degradation at the fiber matrix interphase while leaving global mechanical properties largely unchanged over short durations. These findings underscore the importance of multiscale diagnostics for identifying early-stage damage mechanisms that may influence long term performance and qualification margins for spaceflight composite structures. The data presented establish a cryogenic baseline for comparison with forthcoming MISSE flight exposure results and support ongoing NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) efforts aimed at improving composite qualification methodologies, risk assessment, and reliability prediction for space environments.

composite reliability↗
NASA NTRS2026

Investigation of Bipropellant Plume-Induced Contamination Effects on Coverglass Materials

Contamination and degradation of external spacecraft materials by unburned and partially combusted species from bipropellant thruster plumes has long been observed as a key component of the induced space environment. Space shuttle flight experiments and returned flight hardware from the International Space Station (ISS) have both experienced microscopic impact features induced by high-velocity thruster plume droplets. Analytical results have shown that droplet impingement angle relative to a receiving surface plays a key role in the surface damage. Although impacts with normal impingement angles contribute more severely to surface degradation than highly oblique angles, surface effects at higher impingement angles should not be dismissed. Thruster plume-induced materials degradation is a complex phenomenon that depends on a variety of parameters, including but not limited to material type, system temperature and pressure, plume composition, and thruster firing specifications such as number of pulses, pulse duration, and sample distance from the thruster. For space applications, attaining the vacuum pressure and temperature conditions necessary for flight-like plume expansion and exposure conditions is not a trivial task. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR) is a facility uniquely capable of simulating such conditions. Test coupons were exposed to bipropellant thruster firings under high vacuum at the DLR facility. Percent area coverage (PAC) and droplet size distributions were evaluated for the uncoated and coated solar array coverglass materials over a range of impingement angles (0̊ to 75̊). A post-test imaging workflow was developed that aimed to quantify changes in sample surface morphology obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images using the Image Processing and Analysis in Java (ImageJ) tool; an opensource image processing software. The goal was to create a framework through which to evaluate the effect of bipropellant-induced PAC and droplet size distribution on solar array coverglass optical transmission losses. Understanding this relationship is important because optical transmission losses are known to lead to current reduction in solar power generation systems. In addition to the development of surface characterization workflows, valuable lessons learned as they pertain to future investigations and experiments will be discussed. The authors hope that sharing these lessons will facilitate more utilization of DLR’s unique capabilities as well as open the conversation for how best to address experimental characterization of flight-like plume expansion and its impacts on materials surface degradation effects.

Gateway↗
NASA NTRS1964

Copper-Wire-Card Detectors

Card Design - Each copper-wire-card detector consisted of a winding of fine wire mounted to a 1.45- by 7 .00-inch rectangular card. Two wire sizes were used - 2-mil and 3-mil (fourteen 2-mil cards and thirty-two 3-mil cards). The total exposed effective area was about 1.2 square feet (0.11 square meters). A sketch of a detector is shown in figure X-1. These detectors are similar to the detectors flown on previous satellites. Quadrant Design - The 36 cards are arranged in four groups of 12 cards each with four pairs of 3-mil cards in parallel and four single 2-mil cards in parallel. Each group is mounted on a fiber-glass support that can readily be removed from the payload for repairs or replacements with appropriate spares. Individual cards can be replaced readily if necessary. The assembly of the quadrants is shown in figure II-2. Temperature-Balance Experiment - The grids for the temperature-balance experiment were wound with insulated wire. The thermal balance of such a winding has been examined under conditions approximating flight environment. One card of 3-mil wire with a thermistor attached was enclosed in a bell jar and exposed to the sun after evacuation. External radiation was reduced by shading the bell jar except for a window which allowed the sun's rays to strike the winding. The temperature of the thermistor was recorded at intervals. Figure X-2 shows that the temperature does not rise beyond 65° C in 20 minutes of continuous exposure to the sun. Complementary tests made by Dr. Roger E. Gaumer of Lockheed Aircraft Corp. give a ratio of absorptivity to emissivity of 1 for this type of enamel insulated wire. Compensation for Resistance Changes - Temperatures at the wire-card surfaces were expected to extend from -10° C to a maximum of 60° C. Since copper has a thermal coefficient of resistance of 0.33 percent per °C, the resistance of the wire would change 22 percent and a compensator had to be provided. A 100-ohm thermistor with a negative coefficient of -3-9 percent per °C was selected, wired in parallel with a 300-ohm fixed resistor and installed in series with each 2-mil card and with each pair of 3-mil cards. The effective resistance of 2-mil and 3-mil compensated cards is shown in figure X-3 for various temperatures and compared with the resistance of uncompensated copper. The increase in resistance from 20° C to 60° C is 12 ohms or 2.7 percent. Below 20° C the effective resistance also increases and the curve is similar to that obtained for high temperatures.

Detector↗
NASA NTRS2026

Adaptive Curation at NASA Johnson Space Center: Preparing for Artemis Samples by Leveraging Proven Practices and Innovative Solution

The proper curation of returned astromaterial samples is essential to ensure that high-quality scientific investigations can be conducted for decades, enabling future generations to address evolving research questions. The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office at NASA Johnson Space Center (hereafter JSC Curation) is responsible for curating all of NASA’s extraterrestrial samples. Under the governing document, NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) 7100.5 “Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials”, JSC Curation is charged with “The curation of all extraterrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions.” The Directive goes on to define Curation as including “...documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public outreach.” JSC Curation has a long-standing legacy of curating extraterrestrial materials, including but not limited to Apollo and Luna lunar samples, Genesis solar wind samples, Stardust comet samples, asteroid samples (Hayabusa1, Hayabusa2, and OSIRIS-REx), and Antarctic Meteorite samples from a variety of parent bodies. Building on this foundation, the Artemis program introduces new challenges and opportunities for sample curation, requiring both the application of proven practices and the development of innovative solutions. The Artemis Collection will be curated using established protocols refined through decades of experience with Apollo and subsequent sample collections, including but not limited to the utilization of cleanrooms, custom nitrogen gloveboxes, specialized storage containers and tools; all of which have strict material utilization and prohibition requirements. These practices provide a robust framework for contamination control, documentation, and long-term preservation. However, Artemis samples may present unique scientific and operational requirements, including enhanced contamination control measures (relative to Apollo) driven by evolving science objectives. To meet these needs, JSC Curation is actively developing new technologies and protocols that extend beyond traditional approaches, ensuring that the integrity of samples is maintained under increasingly stringent standards. One critical area of innovation is the development of cold sample curation capabilities. Certain Artemis samples, particularly those from Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) and cold environments, are expected to contain ices and volatile components that require preservation and handling at sub-zero or even cryogenic temperatures. JSC Curation is leveraging best practices from the cold and cryogenic sample industries, as well as other government agencies and academic experts, to design facilities and handling procedures that maintain sample integrity while enabling scientific access. The goal is to develop capabilities to allow researchers to investigate volatiles and other temperature-sensitive materials while minimizing chemical and physical alterations from their returned state. In summary, adaptive curation at JSC combines the reliability of proven methodologies with forward-looking innovations to meet the scientific and operational demands of Artemis. Through enhanced contamination control, advanced cold curation capabilities, and an understanding of known and evolving future science priorities, NASA is preparing to maximize the scientific return from Artemis samples and preserve their value for generations of researchers.

Andrea D Harrington↗
NASA NTRS2026

Moon Base Transportation - Deliveries to the Lunar Surface

Development of the Moon Base will enable a home away from home for astronauts who will live and work at humanity’s first lunar outpost. In this effort, NASA’s Moon Transportation Office is responsible for enabling the transformational missions required to deliver habitats, supplies, science payloads, and all other elements needed to cultivate a permanent presence on the Lunar Surface. The Mission Concept (MC) is characterized through evaluation of an end-to-end architecture that can successfully deliver a generalized heavy large-volume payload, in excess of 4000 kg, to a precision landing and touchdown on the lunar surface. The mission architecture utilizes a single launch configuration of a Lunar Lander (LL) with a unique propellant system. The LL has an integral orbital transfer capability and features jettisonable elements. The design circumvents the need for prop transfer on orbit and multiple launch configurations. The launch vehicle (LV) for this work will assume the capability to deliver a payload in excess of 40,000 kg to orbit, affording multiple LV solutions. Considerations for the LL and payload deployment from the fairing are assumed to be handled through compliance with a launch providers’ Interface Requirements Document (IRD). The MC will span from launch at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to terminal descent and touchdown on the lunar surface, requiring a total ΔV on the order of 6 km/s beyond what is required to get the vehicle stack to a 200 km circular Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Major mission phases include: launch and launch vehicle separation, transfer operations, pre-landing navigation, and lunar descent and touchdown. A Concept of Operations (ConOps) is used as the primary design driver for defining architecture of the vehicles necessary to achieve final payload delivery. Numerous ground rules and assumptions will be provided for each phase of the mission. Concept designs for the LL is presented. An emphasis of the design maximizes a feasible path for maturation, manufacturing, and operation. A self-imposed practical consideration for this effort is the incorporation of legacy designed hardware to minimize expensive, time-intensive, and high-risk hardware development cycles. The propulsion system of the LL adopts a conventional storable bipropellant configuration of monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) and mixed oxides of nitrogen (MON3). This effort will showcase a unique propellant delivery system to minimize the reliance on propellant management devices (PMDs) during descent. Numerous key constraints have been considered, across the multiple segments of the mission. These include the unique aspects of center of gravity (CG) management, thruster plume effects including self-impingement, propulsion system hardware limitations, navigation during multiple mission phases, and landing gear geometry for uneven terrain. These constraints shape the trades necessary for precision landing of heavy cargo and ensure compatibility with broader Moon Base Transportation concepts. The resulting insights inform future transportation strategies for the Moon and beyond; directly contributing to the development of cargo‑delivery standards that will support the long‑term buildup of a sustainable, continuously inhabited Moon Base.

Lunar Habitat↗
NASA NTRS2005

Introduction to Flight Test Engineering [Introduction Aux Techniques Des Essais En Vol]

Flight test is at the core of what organizations must do in order to validate the operation and systems on an aircraft. While the AGARDograph series 300 and 160 series deal with aspects of this testing, this volume pulls it all together as an introduction to the process required to do effective flight test engineering. This volume was originally published in 1995. Its utility has been proven in that many flight test organizations and universities have requested copies for their engineers and students. It was felt that re-issuing it in a new format designed for electronic publication would be valuable to the community. This second printing changes none of the text, but rather reformats it. All the original references to AGARD (instead of RTO) are left in place so that none of the flavor of the original publication is lost. This is the Introductory Volume to the Flight Test Techniques Series. It is a general introduction to the various activities and aspects of Flight Test Engineering that must be considered when planning, conducting, and reporting a flight test program. Its main intent is to provide a broad overview to the novice engineer or to other people who have a need to interface with specialists within the flight test community. The first two Sections provide some insight into the question of why flight test and give a short history of flight test engineering. Sections 3 through 10 deal with the preparation for flight testing. They provide guidance on the preliminary factors that must be considered; the composition of the test team; the logistic support requirements; the instrumentation and data processing requirements; the flight test plan; the associated preliminary ground tests; and last, but by no means least, discuss safety aspects. Sections 11 through 27 describe the various types of flight tests that are usually conducted during the development and certification of a new or modified aircraft type. Each Section offers a brief introduction to the topic under consideration, and the nature and the objectives of the tests to be conducted. It lists the test instrumentation (and, where appropriate, other test equipment and facilities) required, describes the test maneuvers to be executed, and indicates the way in which the test data is selected, analyzed, and presented. The various activities that should take place between test flights are presented next. Items that are covered are: who to debrief; what type of reports to send where: types of data analysis required for next flight; review of test data to make a comparison to predicted data and some courses of action if there is not good agreement; and comments on selecting the next test flight. The activities that must take place upon completion of the test program are presented. The types of reports and briefings that should take place and a discussion of some of the uses of the flight test data are covered. A brief forecast is presented of where present trends may be leading.

Test facilities↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Motor Configuration Selection for A New Technical Challenge to Develop A 5 MW Cryogenic Motor and Drive

Due to aviation’s appreciable and growing share of humanity’s impact on our environment and estimates that CO2emissions only account for 34% of aviation’s total effective radiative forcing [1], there is a need to reach beyond climate goals that focus only on CO2emissions, such as the US Aviation Climate Action Plan’s [3] goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.There is motivation to develop technology that pushes toward future large transport aircraft with net zero climate impact that are highly electrified (i.e., have higher power electrical propulsion system components). This paper describes a new, 6-year technical challenge to address this need by developing a 5 MW superconducting motor and cryogenic drive. Section 1 will detail the motivation for this work. Section 2 will describe the technical challenge and the selected specifications for the motor. Section 3 will present the results of a motor configuration trade study and the down selection of one configuration to develop a detailed design for. The technical challenge focuses on the design of a5 MW superconducting motor and cryogenic drive and demonstration of it at a 2+ MW scale to achieve TRL 3. Both fully superconducting (superconducting stator and rotor) and fully cryogenic (superconducting rotor and cryogenic stator) machine configurations will be explored. An emphasis will be placed on addressing the key tall poles for high power superconducting machines. Further details will be included in the full paper. The requirements and goals of the motor will be detailed. The rated speed (2,000 to 3,000 rpm) is defined to be appropriate for directly driving multi-MW fans or propellers. A range of rated speed is permitted because the motor is not designed for a specific aircraft and to provide design flexibility if AC losses in the stator winding are found to be a significant constraint (i.e., a lower speed can be selected to reduce electrical frequency). Relatively conservative requirements for efficiency (99%) and specific power (20 kW/kg) are defined, because TRL advancement and pushing toward flight readiness is emphasized over performance optimization. However, more aggressive efficiency and specific power goals are specified (99.9% and 40 kW/kg). The 3rd section will present the results of a motor configuration trade study. The study started with a qualitative assessment of sixteen motor configurations based on geometric, mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic criteria. This assessment has been completed with three evaluators scoring all nine criteria. A configuration down select was made by prioritizing the sixteen configurations into four tiers based on each configuration’s total score and consideration of manufacturability, complexity, and support hardware (e.g., rotary vacuum seals, bearings). Configurations in priority A and B will be further evaluated through quantitative assessments, whereas those in priority C will only be further evaluated if time permits and priority D will not be further evaluated. Eight of the sixteen configurations were down selected for quantitative assessment, which will include analytical calculations and low-to moderate-fidelity finite element analysis to produce a preliminary Pareto front of efficiency versus specific power for each configuration. This assessment emphasizes the calculation of AC losses in the stator winding and an exploration of thermal management approaches to remove that heat and maintain cryogenic temperature. The final paper will include a description of each motor configuration that was considered. The quantitative assessments are underway, and an assessment of one configuration is complete for multiple stator conductor options. The remaining assessments are scheduled to be completed by late March so that the final down select to one configuration can be included in this paper.

Net Zero↗