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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Development of the Continuous-Fill Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) System

The existing water recovery system on the International Space Station (ISS) is limited to 70 percent reclamation; consequently, long duration space missions are currently unfeasible due to the large quantity of water necessary to sustain the crew. The Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) is a proposed system to supplement the existing water recovery system aboard the ISS and future deep space missions that can increase water recovery to 99 percent. The BEB project previously focused on the development of only the bag portion of the system. This paper focuses on the development of the BEB Evaporator. It will discuss the work to understand, optimize, and improve the entire BEB system while implementing a continuous-fill process. The results of that development and the advantages and limitations of the continuous-fill process will be presented.

Water Recovery↗
NASA NTRS2016

Development of the Auto-Fill Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) System

The existing water recovery system on the International Space Station (ISS) is limited to 70 percent reclamation; consequently, long duration space missions are currently unfeasible due to the large quantity of water necessary to sustain the crew. The Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) is a proposed system to supplement the existing water recovery system aboard the ISS and future deep space missions that can increase water recovery to 99 percent. The BEB project previously focused on the development of only the bag portion of the system. This paper focuses on the development of the BEB Evaporator. It will discuss the work to understand, optimize, and improve the entire BEB system while implementing a continuous-fill process. The results of that development and the advantages and limitations of the continuous-fill process will be presented.

Delzeit, Lance↗
NASA NTRS2012

Water Treatment Systems for Long Spaceflights

Space exploration will require new life support systems to support the crew on journeys lasting from a few days to several weeks, or longer. These systems should also be designed to reduce the mass required to keep humans alive in space. Water accounts for about 80 percent of the daily mass intake required to keep a person alive. As a result, recycling water offers a high return on investment for space life support. Water recycling can also increase mission safety by providing an emergency supply of drinking water, where another supply is exhausted or contaminated. These technologies also increase safety by providing a lightweight backup to stored supplies, and they allow astronauts to meet daily drinking water requirements by recycling the water contained in their own urine. They also convert urine into concentrated brine that is biologically stable and nonthreatening, and can be safely stored onboard. This approach eliminates the need to have a dedicated vent to dump urine overboard. These needs are met by a system that provides a contaminant treatment pouch, referred to as a urine cell or contaminant cell, that converts urine or another liquid containing contaminants into a fortified drink, engineered to meet human hydration, electrolyte, and caloric requirements, using a variant of forward osmosis (FO) to draw water from a urine container into the concentrated fortified drink as part of a recycling stage. An activated carbon pretreatment removes most organic molecules. Salinity of the initial liquid mix (urine plus other) is synergistically used to enhance the precipitation of organic molecules so that activated carbon can remove most of the organics. A functional osmotic bag is then used to remove inorganic contaminants. If a contaminant is processed for which the saline content is different than optimal for precipitating organic molecules, the saline content of the liquid should be adjusted toward the optimal value for that contaminant. A first urine treatment method converts urine into a fortified sports drink, resembling Gatorade, using a first urine cell.

FLynn, Michael T.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Spaceflight Autonomous Multigenerational Microbial Sequencer in Support of Plant-Growth Systems

The CubeSat platform has proven successful in obtaining meaningful life science information when biological payloads are incorporated. Examples include: 1) the first-ever CubeSat with a biological payload, GeneSat-1, which demonstrated decreased growth rates for flight samples of Escherichia coli in low Earth orbit (Parra et al. 2008); 2) PharmaSat, demonstrated that Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the microgravity environment exhibits a significant level of metabolic activity even at high doses of applied antifungal (Ricco et al. 2011); 3) O/OREOS, which used Bacillus subtilis(bacteria) to demonstrate for the first time that microorganisms can be loaded in a dried, dormant form and then rehydrated and grown in orbit months after launch (Nicholson et al. 2011; Ehrenfreund et al. 2014; 4) the SporeSat payload, which investigated Ceratopteris richardii(fern spores) using lab-on-a-chip devices (BioCDs) and minicentrifuges to produce artificial gravitational forces in ground studies (Park et al. 2017), with demonstration of the BioCD and minicentrifuge in space; 5) EcAMSat, the first CubeSat to be directly deployed from the ISS for an experiment assessing antibiotic resistance of E. coli in the microgravity environment (Padgen et al. 2020); 6) BioSentinel, exposed a culture of yeast to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and solar particle events while in heliocentric orbit to measure the rate of double-strand-break repair using DNA-repair-deficient mutants. This effort measures the metabolic parameters of yeast in a deep-space environment compared to Earth ambient conditions using a 3-color LED detection system (Ricco et al. 2020; Padgen et al. 2021). We aim to expand this list to include a Spaceflight Autonomous Multigenerational Microbial Sequencer (SAMMS). SAMMS will allow for the genome level understanding of changes in growth and metabolic activity for any organism. While microbes are suitable for early studies in our proposed platform because of their small size, small and relatively less-complicated genomes, fast generation times, and relevance to life support systems; multicellular organisms can similarly be evaluated for their genetic response to the spaceflight environment. The Spaceflight Autonomous Multigenerational Microbial Sequencer (SAMMS) will enable autonomous sequencing of biological samples in plant production units, cislunar orbit and on the lunar surface to examine spaceflight effects (ie. radiation, altered gravity, reduced pressures) on plant and microbial genomes.On this team a Kennedy Space Center (KSC) space crop production and water systems microbiologist/molecular biologist works with a Johnson Space Center (JSC) International Space Station (ISS) microbial sequencing expert and an Ames Research Center (ARC) CubeSat Engineering team to convert an automated Oxford Nanopore librarypreparation and sequencing method to a fluidic CubeSat payload system. The Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing platform has proven successful in the spaceflight environment onboard the ISS (Stahl-Rommel et al. 2021). Further long-duration spaceflight and exposure to high levels of radiation will cause genotypic effects in biological organisms that may affect their function. Monitoring the adaption of a population to the spaceflight environment and any subsequent beneficial mutations will allow for the harnessing of organisms best suited for use in life support systems. This will ensure that the selected life support-essential microorganisms maintain their intended specified function over generations of culturing in the relevant spaceflight environment without becoming hazardous to crew or spacecraft systems.

Aubrie E Orourke↗
NASA NTRS2011

International Space Station Water Balance Operations

In November 2008, the Water Regenerative System racks were launched aboard Space Shuttle flight, STS-126 (ULF2) and installed and activated on the International Space Station (ISS). These racks, consisting of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), completed the installation of the Regenerative (Regen) Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), which includes the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) that was launched 2 years prior. With the onset of active water management on the US segment of the ISS, a new operational concept was required, that of water balance . In November of 2010, the Sabatier system, which converts H2 and CO2 into water and methane, was brought on line. The Regen ECLSS systems accept condensation from the atmosphere, urine from crew, and processes that fluid via various means into potable water, which is used for crew drinking, building up skip-cycle water inventory, and water for electrolysis to produce oxygen. Specification (spec) rates of crew urine output, condensate output, O2 requirements, toilet flush water, and drinking needs are well documented and used as the best guess planning rates when Regen ECLSS came online. Spec rates are useful in long term planning, however, daily or weekly rates are dependent upon a number of variables. The constantly changing rates created a new challenge for the ECLSS flight controllers, who are responsible for operating the ECLSS systems onboard ISS from Mission Control in Houston. This paper reviews the various inputs to water planning, rate changes, and dynamic events, including but not limited to: crew personnel makeup, Regen ECLSS system operability, vehicle traffic, water storage availability, and Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA), Sabatier, and OGA capability. Along with the inputs that change the various rates, the paper will review the different systems, their constraints, and finally the operational challenges and means by which flight controllers manage this new concept of "water balance."

Tobias, Barry↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space Station Freedom environmental database system (FEDS) for MSFC testing

The Water Recovery Test (WRT) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is the first demonstration of integrated water recovery systems for potable and hygiene water reuse as envisioned for Space Station Freedom (SSF). In order to satisfy the safety and health requirements placed on the SSF program and facilitate test data assessment, an extensive laboratory analysis database was established to provide a central archive and data retrieval function. The database is required to store analysis results for physical, chemical, and microbial parameters measured from water, air and surface samples collected at various locations throughout the test facility. The Oracle Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) was utilized to implement a secured on-line information system with the ECLSS WRT program as the foundation for this system. The database is supported on a VAX/VMS 8810 series mainframe and is accessible from the Marshall Information Network System (MINS). This paper summarizes the database requirements, system design, interfaces, and future enhancements.

Story, Gail S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Impact of Biofilms on the Design and Operation of ISS Life Support Systems

Biofilm growth has been an ongoing issue for US and Russian water systems on the International Space Station, and is a critical issue for exploration missions in which water systems must be designed to accommodate dormant periods of up to one year. On ISS, Russian condensate plumbing has previously clogged with biomass, requiring condensate plumbing to now be regularly replaced. In the US Segment, the release of biofilm from the Water Processor waste tank has clogged a solenoid valve downstream of the tank, resulting in the costly replacement of the inlet separator and process pump. Subsequent management of the biofilm in the waste tank involves restrictions on tank cycles to limit the release of biomass and an additional filter to protect downstream components. Engineering personnel are now evaluating concepts to better manage the biomass, including the use of microbial inhibitors and UV LEDs. Though current ISS operations could likely be sustained for the duration of ISS, a more effective method must be developed for managing the growth and release of biomass in future exploration vehicles. Biofilm management for future missions is complicated by the requirement to accommodate extended periods of dormancy during which time the water system will be stagnant. The current approach under consideration is to flush the waste water with product water to reduce the organic content followed by use of microbial inhibitors or UV. However, other concepts may also be developed based on ongoing research.

Carter, Donald Layne↗
NASA NTRS2000

Sensor Needs for Advanced Life Support

Sensors and feedback systems are critical to life support flight systems and life support systems research. New sensor capabilities can allow for new system architectures to be considered, and can facilitate dramatic improvements in system performance. This paper will describe three opportunities for biosensor researchers to develop sensors that will enable life support system improvements. The first opportunity relates to measuring physical, chemical, and biological parameters in the Space Station Water Processing System. Measuring pH, iodine, total organic carbon, microbiological activity, total dissolved solids, or conductivity with a safe, effective, stable, reliable microsensor could benefit the water processing system considerably. Of special interest is a sensor which can monitor biological contamination rapidly. The second opportunity relates to sensing microbiological contamination and water condensation on the surface of large inflatable structures. It is the goal of large inflatable structures used for habitation to take advantage of the large surface area of the structure and reject waste heat passively through the walls of the structure. Too much heat rejection leads to a cold spot with water condensation, and eventually microbiological contamination. A distributed sensor system that can measure temperature, humidity, and microbiological contamination across a large surface would benefit designers of large inflatable habitable structures. The third opportunity relates to sensing microbial bioreactors used for waste water processing and reuse. Microbiological bioreactors offer considerable advantages in weight and power compared to adsorption bed based systems when used for long periods of time. Managing and controlling bioreactors is greatly helped if distributed microsensors measured the biological populations continuously in many locations within the bioreactor. Nitrifying bacteria are of special interest to bioreactor designers, and any sensors that could measure the populations of these types of bacteria would help the control and operation of bioreactors. J

Graf, John C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The effect of simulated microgravity on bacteria from the Mir space station

The effects of simulated microgravity on two bacterial isolates, Sphingobacterium thalpophilium and Ralstonia pickettii (formerly Burkholderia pickettii), originally recovered from water systems aboard the Mir space station were examined. These bacteria were inoculated into water, high and low concentrations of nutrient broth and subjected to simulated microgravity conditions. S. thalpophilium (which was motile and had flagella) showed no significant differences between simulated microgravity and the normal gravity control regardless of the method of enumeration and medium. In contrast, for R. pickettii (that was non-motile and lacked flagella), there were significantly higher numbers in high nutrient broth under simulated microgravity compared to normal gravity. Conversely, when R. pikkettii was inoculated into water (i.e., starvation conditions) significantly lower numbers were found under simulated microgravity compared to normal gravity. Responses to microgravity depended on the strain used (e.g., the motile strain exhibited no response to microgravity, while the non-motile strain did), the method of enumeration, and the nutrient concentration of the medium. Under oligotrophic conditions, non-motile cells may remain in geostationary orbit and deplete nutrients in their vicinity, while in high nutrient medium, resources surrounding the cell may be sufficient so that high growth is observed until nutrients becoming limiting.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2009

Human System Risk Management - Tools of our Trade

The risk of infectious disease to select individuals has historically been difficult to predict in either spaceflight or on Earth with health care efforts relying on broad-based prevention and post-infection treatment. Over the past 10 years, quantitative microbial risk assessment evaluations have evolved to formalize the assessment process and quantify the risk. This process of hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment, and risk characterization has been applied by the water and food safety industries to address the public health impacts associated with the occurrence of and human exposure to pathogens in water and food for the development of preventive strategies for microbial disease. NASA is currently investigating the feasibility of using these techniques to better understand the risks to astronauts and refine their microbiological requirements. To assess these techniques, NASA began an evaluation of the potable water system on the International Space Station to determine how the microbial risk from water consumption during flight differed from terrestrial sources, such as municipal water systems. The ultimate goal of this work is to optimize microbial requirements which would minimize unnecessary cargo and use of crew time, while still protecting the health of the crew. Successful demonstration of this risk assessment framework with the water system holds the potential to maximize the use of available resources during spaceflight missions and facilitate investigations into the evaluation of other routes of infection, such as through the spaceflight foods system.

Ott, C. Mark↗
NASA NTRS1977

Solafern solar system design brochure

A complete residential solar space heating and hot water system is described. Low maintenance, durable, and efficient air heating collectors are used. The collectors have a selective absorber and a tempered glass cover nearly one-quarter of an inch thick with an aluminum frame. The solar energy can be delivered directly to the living area when there is a demand; otherwise, it is stored in the form of hot water. Hot water storage is accomplished through the use of an air-to-water exchanger. The hot water storage is used simultaneously to preheat the domestic hot water, as well as to store energy for space heating.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1992

Safer Weightlessness Simulator

System described in report simulates weightlessness of space for training of astronauts, without adverse effects of rapid decompression. As in previous simulators, trainee wearing space-suit performs training exercises while immersed in water. In new system, space-suit interior is not above atmospheric pressure. No need for trainee to undergo gradual decompression to prevent bends after lengthy exercise; nor is there need for medical team to be present.

Vykukal, Hubert C.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Beating Back Bacteria

Under a NASA-Johnson Space Center contract, Umpqua Research developed the MCV (Trademark) (Microbial Check Valve) which uses iodinated ion exchange resin used for water purification systems aboard space missions. Using this resin, MRLB International, Inc., developed and commercialized the Dentapure purification cartridge used by dentists nationwide.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

Solar-heating system

Report describes solar modular domestic-hot-water and space-heating system intended for use in small single family dwelling where roof-mounted collectors are not feasible. Contents include design, performance, and hardware specifications for assembly, installation, operation, and maintenance of system.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

Thermoelectric integrated membrane evaporation subsystem testing

An advanced preprototype Thermoelectric Integrated Membrane Evaporation Subsystem (TIMES) has been developed to provide high quality water recovery from various types of wastewater on extended duration space flights. The subsystem has undergone extensive wastewater processing testing, in order to evaluate its potential as an essential part of the Space Station Water Reclamation System. A discussion of the operating performance of the TIMES is presented in this paper, with special attention given to the water quality attained for a number of simulated Space Station wastewater feedstocks.

Dehner, Gerard F.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Initial Trade Study for In-line Silver Sensor for Spacecraft Potable Water Systems

Ionic silver is currently baselined as the biocide for microbial control in potable water systems for future space exploration missions. In-line monitoring of silver ion concentration is desired for system feedback control to introduce and maintain sufficient and safe levels of biocide in the water. To date, NASA testing of silver biocide system prototypes has made use of an Ion-Selective Electrode (ISE) for in-line silver concentration measurements. However, known issues with ISE technology have continued to motivate a search for alternate sensor systems. Although devices capable of detecting silver are available for terrestrial applications, these systems are generally not well-suited for the unique demands of spaceflight. Desired attributes include: low weight, volume, and power consumption; stable, autonomous, and in-line measurement capability; long calibration lifetime; and limited maintenance requirements. This paper provides the results from a preliminary trade study conducted on three candidate silver sensor technologies: ISEs, Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV), and Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors (FOCS). The review of these technologies includes the rationale for their selection, an overview of the principles of their operation, and a detailed assessment of their strengths and weaknesses relative to the anticipated requirements of future spacecraft applications. The study concluded that none of the currently-available versions of these technologies is suitable for immediate application to spacecraft systems; further technology development should be considered. To that end, recommendations for forward development work have been proposed and provided herein.

Potable Water↗