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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS2011

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) Laser Transmitter

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument on board the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission has been in operation since it was launched in 18 June 2009. Thus far the laser transmitter system, which consists of two individual lasers, has accumulated over 1.3 Billion shots and provided an unprecedented view of the lunar surface.[ I] In this paper we present the final configuration of the space flight laser transmitter as delivered to the LOLA instrument along with some in-space operation performance data.

Yu, Anthony W.↗
NASA NTRS2001

STS-104 Flight Day 6 Highlights

Expedition 2 Flight Engineer Jim Voss is seen opening the hatch between the Unity Module and the Quest Airlock. An on-orbit interview with Expedition 2 Commander Yuriy Usachev and STS-104 Commander Steve Lindsey and Mission Specialist Charlie Hobaugh is shown as they answer questions about some problems with a previous spacewalk. As exterior shots of the International Space Station are seen, the air leak in the Unity Modules node pressure valve is described.

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NASA NTRS2007

Requirements and Technology Advances for Global Wind Measurement with a Coherent Lidar: A Shrinking Gap

Early concepts to globally measure vertical profiles of vector horizontal wind from space planned on an orbit height of 525 km, a single pulsed coherent Doppler lidar system to cover the full troposphere, and a continuously rotating telescope/scanner that mandated a vertical line of sight wind profile from each laser shot. Under these conditions system studies found that laser pulse energies of approximately 20 J at 10 Hz pulse repetition rate with a rotating telescope diameter of approximately 1.5 m was required. Further requirements to use solid state laser technology and an eyesafe wavelength led to the relatively new 2-micron solid state laser. With demonstrated pulse energies near 20 mJ at 5 Hz, and no demonstration of a rotating telescope maintaining diffraction limited performance in space, the technology gap between requirements and demonstration was formidable. Fortunately the involved scientists and engineers set out to reduce the gap, and through a combination of clever ideas and technology advances over the last 15 years, they have succeeded. This paper will detail the gap reducing factors and will present the current status.

Kavaya, Michael J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

On-Orbit Operation of the Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator on the Astro-H/Hitomi Soft X-ray Spectrometer Instrument

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer instrument on the Astro-H observatory contains a 6x6 array of x-ray microcalorimeters, which is cooled to 50 mK by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The ADR consists of three stages in order to provide stable detector cooling using either a 1.2 K superfluid helium bath or a 4.5 K Joule-Thomson (JT) cryocooler as its heat sink. When liquid helium is present, two of the ADRs stages are used to single-shot cool the detectors while rejecting heat to the helium. After the helium is depleted, all three stages are used to cool both the helium tank (to about 1.5 K) and the detectors (to 50 mK) using the JT cryocooler as its heat sink. The Astro-H observatory, renamed Hitomi after its successful launch in February 2016, carried approximately 36 liters of helium into orbit. On day 5, the helium had cooled sufficiently (1.4 K) to allow operation of the ADR. This paper describes the design, operation and on-orbit performance of the ADR.

sub-kelvin refrigeration↗
NASA NTRS1998

Laser pointing determination for the geoscience laser altimeter system

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) is a space-based lidar being developed to monitor changes in the mass balance of the Earth's polar ice sheets (Thomas et al. 1985). GLAS is part of NASA's Earth Observing System (Schutz 1995), and is being designed to launch into a 600 km circular polar orbit in the year 2001, for continuous operation over 3 to 5 years. The orbit's 94 degree inclination has been selected to allow good coverage and profile patterns over the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. The GLAS mission uses a small dedicated spacecraft provided by Ball Aerospace, which is required to have a very stable nadir and zenith pointing platform which points to within approximately 100 urad (20 arcseconds) of Nadir. Accurate knowledge of the laser beam's pointing angle (in the far field) is critical since pointing the laser beam away from nadir biases the altimetry measurements (Gardner 1992, Bufton et al. 1991). This error is a function of the distance of the laser centroid off nadir multiplied by the orbit altitude and the tangent of the slope angle of the terrain. Most of the ice sheet surface slopes are less than 1? resulting in pointing knowledge bias of only 7.6 cm with 7.3 urad accuracy, and overall single shot height accuracy of approximately 15 cm. However, over a 3 deg surface slope pointing knowledge to approximately 7.3 urad is the largest error source (23 cm) in achieving 26 cm height accuracy. The GLAS design incorporates a stellar reference system (SRS) to relate the laser beam pointing angle to the star field to an accuracy of 7.3 urad. The stellar reference system combines an attitude determination system (ADS) operating from 4 to 10 Hz coupled to a 40 Hz laser reference system (LRS) to perform this task.

Miller, Pamela S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Galileo Probe: Spacecraft Mission to Jupiter Press Release

This video is a compilation of three short videos related to the Galileo mission. The first section shows animation of the descent of the Galileo probe into the atmosphere of Jupiter. It includes cutaway views of the atmosphere showing the different layers. This descent will represent the first entry into the atmosphere of an outer planet in our solar system. A second section shows some live shots of the development and drop chute tests of the Galileo spacecraft. A third section is an animation that shows the Probe mission. It shows visualizations from the launch, including the Venus flyby, the separation of the probe and the orbiter, and the trajectory of the planetary arrival. It also shows the descent of the probe into the atmosphere.

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NASA NTRS2003

STS-107 Flight Day 10 Highlights

This video shows the activities of the STS-107 crew (Rick Husband, Commander; William McCool, Pilot; Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Mission Specialists; Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist) during flight day 10 of the Columbia orbiter's final mission. Flight day 10 includes an interview by Mission Control of astronauts Brown, McCool, and Anderson, who answer questions on the mission's spaceborne experiments, as well as biographical and other questions. Much of the video is shot and narrated by Payload Specialist Ramon, who shows the crew members at work on experiments in the SpaceHab RDM (Research Double Module), and performing other tasks. Experiments featured in the video include SOFBALL (Structure of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-Number), the STARS (Space Technology and Research Students) experiments, and experiments on cancer and osteoporosis. Crew activities shown include making a video of Earth, and preparing for sleep. Earth views shown in the video include the Gulf of Aden, Ghana, Lake Chad, and the coast of North Carolina.

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NASA NTRS2008

Part Marking and Identification Materials on MISSE

Many different spacecraft materials were flown as part of the Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE), including several materials used in part marking and identification. The experiment contained Data Matrix symbols applied using laser bonding, vacuum arc vapor deposition, gas assisted laser etch, chemical etch, mechanical dot peening, laser shot peening, and laser induced surface improvement. The effects of ultraviolet radiation on nickel acetate seal versus hot water seal on sulfuric acid anodized aluminum are discussed. These samples were exposed on the International Space Station to the low Earth orbital environment of atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, thermal cycling, and hard vacuum, though atomic oxygen exposure was very limited for some samples. Results from the one-year exposure on MISSE-3 and MISSE-4 are compared to those from MISSE-1 and MISSE-2, which were exposed for four years. Part marking and identification materials on the current MISSE -6 experiment are also discussed.

Finckenor, Miria M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

STS-97 Mission Highlights Resource Tape

A continuation of 'STS-97 Mission Highlights Resource Tape, Part 1 of 3' (document ID 20010020281) and 'STS-97 Mission Highlights Resource Tape, Part 2 of 3' (document ID 20010020282), the activities of flight days seven through eleven are seen. Footage includes the crew discussing repair procedures for the Solar Array Wing (SAW) with mission managers, shots of the shuttle's payload bay, the International Space Station (ISS) with Earth in the background, the Node Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris Shield removal, the spacewalks performed by Mission Specialists Joseph Tanner and Carlos Noriega, the undocking of Endeavour and ISS, the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) firing, the payload bay doors closing, and the landing sequence of Endeavour. The Aurora Borealis and a night view of the French Rivera are seen from space.

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NASA NTRS2011

Performance of the GLAS Space Lidar Receiver Through Its Seven-Year Space Mission

NASA s Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) mission [1,2] carrying the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) Instrument, was launched on January 12, 2003. The three lasers on ICESat have made a total of 1.98 billion laser shot measurements of the Earth s surface and atmosphere during its 17 science data collection campaigns over its seven year operating lifetime. ICESat completed its science mission after the last laser stopped operating in October 2009. The spacecraft was de-orbited on August 30, 2010. The GLAS instrument carried 3 diode-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, which emitted 6-nsec wide pulses at 1064 and 532 nm at a 40-Hz rate. There are three lidar receiver channels, a 1064 nm surface altimetry channel, a 1064 nm cloud backscattering lidar channel, and a 532 nm cloud and aerosol backscattering lidar channel. The altimetry and cloud backscatter channels used Si avalanche photodiode (APD) operated in analog mode as in the Mars Global Surveyor s Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter [3,4]. GLAS also utilized a number of new technologies and techniques for space lidar, including passively Q-switched diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers, a 1-m diameter telescope, a temperature tuned etalon optical bandpass filter, Si APD single photon counting detectors, 1 Gsample/sec waveform digitizers, ultra stable clock oscillators, and digital signal processing and detection algorithms [5]. A global position system (GPS) receiver was used to provide the spacecraft position and epoch times. The ICESat mission provided a unique opportunity to monitor the lidar component performance in the space environment over a multi-year time period. We performed a number of engineering tests periodically to monitor the lidar receiver performance, including receiver sensitivity, timing precision, detector dark noise, etc. A series of engineering tests were also performed after the end of the science mission to evaluate the performance of the spare detector, oscillator, waveform digitizer, and GPS receiver. An experiment was conducted which pointed GLAS to Venus to test the receiver sensitivity to star light and to verify GLAS bore sight with respect to the spacecraft coordinate system. These tests provided unique data to assess the degradation and the rate of change of these key lidar components due to space radiation and aging. They also helped to validate new techniques to operate and calibrate future space lidars.

Sun, Xiaoli↗
NASA NTRS1996

STS-75 Flight Day 9

On this ninth day of the STS-75 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Andrew Allen, Pilot Scott Horowitz, Payload Cmdr. Franklin Chang-Diaz, Payload Specialist Umberto Guidoni (Italy), and Mission Specialists Jeffrey Hoffman, Maurizio Cheli (ESA) and Claude Nicollier (ESA), are shown tracking the free-orbiting tethered satellite and performing various experiments from the United States Microgravity Payload-3 (USMP-3). An in-orbit interview with Allen, Cheli, and Guidoni by the Italian news media is shown. The astronauts answer a variety of questions concerning the loss of the tethered satellite, and the progress of the other mission experiments. Earth views include a sunset and horizon shots.

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NASA NTRS1991

[STS-48 Mission Highlights Resource Tape. Part 1 of 2]

In this first part of a two part video mission-highlights set, the flight of the STS-48 Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery is reviewed. The flight crew consisted of: J. O. Creighton (Commander); Ken Reightler (Pilot); Charles 'Sam' Gemar (Mission Specialist); James 'Jim' Buchli (MS); and Mark Brown (MS). Step-by-step pre-launch and sunset launch sequences are shown with accompanying shots inside the Mission Control Center. The primary goal of this mission was the deployment of Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). Other (secondary) payloads included: the MidDeck Zero Gravity Experiment (MODE); the Sam/Cream device; the Shuttle Activation Monitor/Cosmic Ray Effects and Activation Monitor Experiment; and the Physiology and Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE). Crew activities were shown, along with Earth views (Aurora Borealis (B/W), light from the Kuwait oil fires, lightning over Italy and other areas, polar regions and ice caps, and the United States at night (B/W)). This was the thirteenth flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery. A night landing is shown.

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NASA NTRS1985

Multiscale modeling to evaluate proposed space-based Doppler lidar sampling strategies

A proposal has been made to place a pulsed Doppler lidar on a space platform (Huffaker, et al., 1980; Emmitt, 1982) in a low earth orbit (200 to 800 km) to measure the atmospheric winds with a spatial resolution commensurate with the current continental rawinsonde network density - i.e., 300 to 500 km resolution. In the case of the space-based doppler lidar, the full range of space scales applies. Single shot pulses with dimensions of 10 x 1000 meters are used to sample areas 100,000 x 100,000 meters to resolved mass flow structure with wavelength of 1 million meters. Simulation studies, therefore, require an equally broad range of atmospheric models. A general circulation model is appropriate to answer questions regarding the impact of a global wind measuring system upon synoptic forecasts. Since the nominal resolution of the spacebased system is expected to be a few 100's of kilometers, then a numerical model with mesoscale dynamics is required. The meaning of an average Doppler shift within a laser pulse volume must be evaluated with models of turbulent/convective scale motions and aerosol gradients. Examples of how models on all these scales have been applied in an ongoing simulation study are presented. In particular, the uncertainties in a mesoscale wind estimate are separated into those arising from pulse scale variances and those due to sample distribution within a prescribed resolution volume. Trade-offs between accuracy and representativeness are discussed in terms of the model results.

Emmitt, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1959

1958 NASA/USAF Space Probes (Able-1): Summary - Volume 1

Early in calendar year 1958 Space Technology Laboratories, Inc. (STL) (then Space Technology Laboratories, a division of the Ramo-Wooldridge Corp.) developed for the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division (AFBMD) an Advanced Re-entry Test Vehicle (ARTV) for the purpose of testing ballistic missile nose cones at the full range of 5500 nautical miles. The two-stage ARTV utilized the Thor ballistic missile and the second stage propulsion system developed for the Vanguard program. In late 1957 and early 1958, STL/AFBMD prepared studies of various missile combinations which could be utilized for space testing. The Thor, in combination with the Vanguard second and third stages, was one of the vehicles considered which offered a very early capability of placing a reasonable payload in a lunar orbit. These STL/AFBMD studies were presented to various appropriate groups including the Killian, Millikan, H. J . Stewart Committees; Headquarters, Air Research and Development Command, and ARDC Centers. Subsequently the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) contacted STL relative to the availability of hardware for an early lunar shot. By utilizing existing spares already purchased for the ARTV, and by making use of the ARTV contractors already in being, it appeared feasible to launch by the third quarter of calendar year 1958 a payload which would be captured by the moon's gravitational force. On 27 March 1958, ARPA directed STL to proceed with a program of three lunar shots. As much as possible, these shots were to utilize existing ARTV spare hardware and impose no interference with the ballistic missile programs. In September this program was transferred to the direction of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). On 17 August 1958 the first launching of the Able-1 vehicle was attempted, but the flight was terminated by a propulsion failure of the first stage. Subsequent launchings were attempted on 13 October and 8 November 1958. Of these launchirigs the October attempt was the most successful. Although the payload did not reach the vicinity of the moon, a maximum altitude of 71,700 was attained, and useful scientific data was obtained from the instrumentation.

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NASA NTRS2003

STS-107 Flight Day 11 Highlights

This video shows the activities of the STS-107 crew (Rick Husband, Commander; William McCool, Pilot; Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Mission Specialists; Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist) during flight day 11 of the Columbia orbiter's final mission. In the video, crew members from the Blue Team (McCool, Brown, Anderson) and the Red Team (Husband, Chawla, Clark, Ramon) are shown at work on experiments in the SpaceHab RDM (Research Double Module), and performing other tasks. Much of the video is shot and narrated by Commander Husband. Mission Specialist Brown is shown operating the MEIDEX (Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment). Crew activities shown include making breakfast, entering sleep stations, and programming shuttle maneuvers necessary for the spaceborne experiments onboard. Earth views shown in the video include one of Egypt, Israel and Jerusalem.

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NASA NTRS2010

Micrometeoroid Impacts and Optical Surface Scatter in Space Environment

This presentation will discuss the results of an attempt to use laboratory test data and empirically derived models to quantify the degree of surface damage and associated light scattering that might be expected from hypervelocity particle impacts in space environment. Micrometeoroid sizes are predicted to be predominantly in the mass range 10(exp -5) g or less, with most having diameters near 1 micrometer, but some larger than 120 micrometers, with velocities near 20 km/s. In a laboratory test, latex (p = 1.1 g/cu cm) and iron (7.9 g/cu cm) particles with sizes ranging from 0.75 micrometer to 1.60 micrometer and with velocities ranging from 2.0 km/s to 18.5 km/s, were shot at a dielectric coated gold mirror. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy were used to measure crater dimensions that were then associated with particle impact energies. These data were then fitted to empirical models derived from solar cell and other spacecraft surface components returned from orbit, as well as studies of impact craters studied on glassy materials returned from the lunar surface, to establish a link between particle energy and impact crater dimension. Published estimates of the Martian and Saturnian meteoroid environments were used as the sources of particle flux estimates. From these data, an estimate of total expected damaged area was computed and this result produced an estimate of expected surface scatter from the modeled environment.

Heaney, James B.↗
NASA NTRS2002

STS-112 Flight Day 10 Highlights

On Flight Day 10 of the STS-112 mission, its crew (Jeffrey Ashby, Commander; Pamela Melroy, Pilot; David Wolf, Mission Specialist; Piers Sellers, Mission Specialist; Sandra Magnus, Mission Specialist; Fyodor Yurchikhin, Mission Specialist) on the Atlantis and the Expedition 5 crew on the International Space Station (ISS) (Valery Korzun, Commander; Peggy Whitson, Flight Engineer; Sergei Treschev, Flight Engineer) are shown exchanging farewells in the ISS's Destiny Laboratory Module following the completion of a week-long period of docked operations. The Expedition 5 crew is nearing the end of five and a half continuous months aboard the space station. Following the closing of the hatches, the Atlantis Orbiter undocks from the station, and Melroy pilots the shuttle slowly away from the ISS, and engages in a radial fly-around of the station. During the fly-around cameras aboard Atlantis shows ISS from a number of angles. ISS cameras also show Atlantis. There are several shots of each craft with a variety of background settings including the Earth, its limb, and open space. The video concludes with a live interview of Ashby, Melroy and Yurchikhin, still aboard Atlantis, conducted by a reporter on the ground. Questions range from feelings on the conclusion of the mission to the experience of being in space. The primary goal of the mission was the installation of the Integrated Truss Structure S1 on the ISS.

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NASA NTRS1991

[STS-48 Post Flight Press Conference]

The flight crew of the STS-48 Space Shuttle Discovery's 13th Flight (Cmdr. J. O. Creighton, Pilot Ken Reightler, MS Charles Gemar, MS James Buchli, and MS Mark Brown) review their mission and discuss their in-flight activities and experiments in this video. The primary goal of this mission was the deployment of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). Secondary payloads included: the Mid-Deck Zero Gravity Experiment (MODE) that showed how fluids in microgravity and in in-orbit conditions respond to different influences (dynamics and harmonic analysis) and the Extended Duration Orbiter physiological tests of astronaut heat and lung functions. Through these experiments, information useful in the construction and design of the proposed Space Station is hoped to be gained. Earth views included: the Aurora Borealis (B/W); polar region ice packs and caps; the Nile River (at night); the Galapagos Islands, and Earth lightning shots. A night landing is shown.

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