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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 NTRSDate not supplied

Recent Mineralogical Discoveries in Gale Crater, Mars from the CheMin XRD Instrument

Curiosity landed in Gale crater in August 2012 and has traversed ~27 km through sedimentary rocks that comprise the lower slopes of a ~5 km-high mound, informally known as Mount Sharp, to investigate depositional/diagenetic environments and potential habitability. Orbital visible/short-wave infrared spectra revealed some strata on lower Mount Sharp contain mineral assemblages that are indicative of water-rock interactions (1-3), with sulfate-bearing units overlying phyllosilicate-bearing units. This mineralogical succession may mark the beginning of the transition from a relatively wet/warm to a very dry/cold Mars (e.g., 1, 4). Curiosity began studying the strata that show mineralogical signatures from orbit in 2018, with the investigation of Vera Rubin ridge. Here, we describe the mineralogical diversity in these strata using X-ray diffraction data collected by the CheMin instrument. We report on the mineral assemblages from the hematite-rich Vera Rubin ridge, the smectite-rich Glen Torridon region, and the transition from the smectite-bearing rocks to the sulfate-bearing unit. We will present hypotheses explaining the changes in mineralogy throughout the strata, including changes in depositional environment, diagenetic reactions with saline groundwater, and groundwater-lake water interactions (e.g., 5-7).

V. M. Tu↗
NASA NTRS2017

Development Path for Cryogenic Insulation Systems Supporting NASA Exploration

The currently stated exploration plan for NASA includes the possibilities ranging from short (several hour duration) upper stage missions sending astronauts towards the vicinity of the moon to multiyear missions to Mars and even making and liquefying propellant on the surface of Mars. As such, NASA has developed a plan to develop multilayer insulation (MLI) at a level it can be engineered for large space craft and upper stage mission durations between several hours to several days. The Evolvable Cryogenics project has been investigating design details related to the design of large MLI blankets for in-space application. Basic MLI performance for large upper stages is scheduled to be demonstrated in 2018 on the Evolvable Cryogenics projects Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER). Different paths are being pursued for Mars Surface applications and these concepts are much less defined and still being traded.

Insulation systems↗
NASA NTRS2011

Mars Sample Return: Launch and Detection Strategies for Orbital Rendezvous

This study sets forth conceptual mission design strategies for the ascent and rendezvous phase of the proposed NASA/ESA joint Mars Sample Return Campaign. The current notional mission architecture calls for the launch of an acquisition/ caching rover in 2018, an Earth return orbiter in 2022, and a fetch rover with ascent vehicle in 2024. Strategies are presented to launch the sample into a nearly coplanar orbit with the Orbiter which would facilitate robust optical detection, orbit determination, and rendezvous. Repeating ground track orbits existat 457 and 572 km which would provide multiple launch opportunities with similar geometries for detection and rendezvous.

transfer scenario↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

In Situ Small Spacecraft Missions Utilizing Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environments Technology

There is considerable interest in utilizing Small Spacecraft beyond low Earth orbit. In November of 2018, successful data relay operations of the MarCO CubeSats during the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) of the Mars InSight mission showed the viability of using CubeSats for interplanetary missions. Additional testament to the promise of Small Spacecraft class rideshare missions is the upcoming Artemis-1 flight test that will launch thirteen 6U CubeSats, as well as the establishment of NASA’s SIMPLEx program which will conduct stand-alone planetary science missions that launch with a primary payload. It is anticipated that continued innovations in Small Spacecraft capabilities combined with small EDL systems will expand the range of potential missions to allow for in situ investigations. Recently, NASA invested in the development of a new, efficient and capable ablative thermal protection system (TPS), utilizing 3-D Weaving. The new dual layer TPS, Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET), is tailorable, scalable, robust, mass efficient and capable of supporting in situ missions across the solar system. Combining the HEEET entry system with innovative Small Spacecraft technology will substantially expand the range of Small Spacecraft mission applications by offering the capability for high speed entry or aerocapture at destinations with atmospheres. This paper will describe the HEEET aeroshell system and highlight various mission concepts including a dual technology demonstration mission that is under development and other concepts to deliver instruments for planetary science.

Small Spacecraft↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

In Situ Small Spacecraft Missions Utilizing Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environments Technology

There is considerable interest in utilizing Small Spacecraft beyond low Earth orbit. In November of 2018, successful data relay operations of the MarCO CubeSats during the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) of the Mars InSight mission showed the viability of using CubeSats for interplanetary missions. Additional testament to the promise of Small Spacecraft class rideshare missions is the upcoming Artemis-1 flight test that will launch thirteen 6U CubeSats, as well as the establishment of NASA’s SIMPLEx program which will conduct stand-alone planetary science missions that launch with a primary payload. It is anticipated that continued innovations in Small Spacecraft capabilities combined with small EDL systems will expand the range of potential missions to allow for in situ investigations. Recently, NASA invested in the development of a new, efficient and capable ablative thermal protection system (TPS), utilizing 3-D Weaving. The new dual layer TPS, Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET), is tailorable, scalable, robust, mass efficient and capable of supporting in situ missions across the solar system. Combining the HEEET entry system with innovative Small Spacecraft technology will substantially expand the range of Small Spacecraft mission applications by offering the capability for high speed entry or aerocapture at destinations with atmospheres. This paper will describe the HEEET aeroshell system and highlight various mission concepts including a dual technology demonstration mission that is under development and other concepts to deliver instruments for planetary science.

Heatshield↗
NASA NTRS2019

A Single Stage to Orbit Design for a Hybrid Mars Ascent

A Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) hybrid propulsion system has been previously studied as an option for a conceptual Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The hybrid motor uses a wax-based fuel developed specifically for this application, so it can take advantage of a single port design. The oxidizer is Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (MON-25). Higher Nitric Oxide concentrations have been discussed in the past, however, the lower temperature capability is no longer needed. The MAV Payload Assembly (MPA), which would house the Orbiting Sample (OS) has changed substantially from previous iterations and has become more compact. Benefits of the hybrid option include its predicted low temperature behavior, high performance and ability to restart (enabling the SSTO). However, the hybrid technology remained at a relatively low Technology Readiness Level (TRL). In an attempt to increase the TRL, a technology development program has been underway for the past four years. The results of the technology development program are now being incorporated to an updated concept for a hybrid Mars Ascent Vehicle, with the eventual goal of informing a hybrid propulsion design that closes under the guidelines currently envisioned for a potential Mars Sample Return campaign. This paper focuses on the hybrid propulsion system design and the preliminary results from the first part of the FY19 technology development program (October 2018 to July 2019) and includes some results from a Preliminary Architecture Assessment (PAA) study. In the PAA, experts from all relevant subsystems (propulsion, avionics, GN&C, structures, thermal, etc.) are brought together to determine an updated vehicle design. The PAA is being run out of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in coordination with the Mars Sample Return study lead by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Currently, it is thought that the Mars Ascent Vehicle would be housed in a Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL), along with a fetch rover. The SRL would be responsible for several crucial functions on the MAV including heating, erection and providing the ignition signal. This paper will also outline the future testing and path forward through the rest of the fiscal year. This includes full scale testing at Whittinghill Aerospace, hypergolic additive testing at Purdue, evaluation of adding hypergolic additives to a full-scale grain. A hybrid fuel formulation has been updated with a reduced regression rate, which again was developed by Space Propulsion Group. This design will be used to determine the benefits of a hybrid versus solid propulsion system for a MAV, as they fit into the larger vision for a potential Mars Sample Return campaign.

Story, George↗
NASA NTRS2020

InSight Entry, Descent and Landing Pre-Flight Performance Predictions

On November 26, 2018, the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) lander successfully touched down on the surface of Mars. Over its seven-plus year development, NASA Langley Research Center’s (LaRC) Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) was used to assess the mission’s Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) vehicle system performance against related requirements across the full range of possible environmental and spacecraft conditions. Much of the simulation code was derived from the Phoenix mission, for which this vehicle is very similar. The InSight six degree-of-freedom simulation included models for Mars atmosphere, gravity and digital elevation maps of the landing location. Additionally, vehicle specific aerodynamic, parachute, engine, navigation sensor, flight software and landing radar models were also included. A set of dispersions for each model, as well as for additional simulation input parameters, were also included in order to provide a statistical, Monte Carlo prediction of the EDL system performance. An overview of the pre-flight performance assessments completed, including the various simulation campaigns used, will be provided. Ultimately, this work was critical in the assessment of readiness for InSight launch. A brief description of the use of this simulation in support of flight operations is also discussed.

Robert W Maddock↗
NASA NTRS2020

InSight Entry, Descent and Landing Post-Flight Performance Assessment

On November 26, 2018, the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) lander successfully touched down on the surface of Mars. NASA Langley Research Center’s (LaRC) Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) was used during both project development and flight operations to assess the Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) vehicle performance against related requirements across the expected range of possible environmental and spacecraft conditions. During flight operations, these analyses were used to evaluate the need for updating flight software EDL parameters and the effects of executing a trajectory correction maneuver (TCM). Therefore, the NASA LaRC POST2 simulation had a critical role during the cruise, approach and ultimately EDL phases of the mission. This paper presents results of the final pre- and post- EDL flight performance assessments. A summary of the reconstructed “as-flown” trajectory with a comparison of key EDL metrics to the nominal and three-sigma bound pre-EDL predictions is also provided. Emphasis on the trajectory between entry interface and parachute deploy is provided as this is the period during which deviations from the pre-EDL prediction occurred. The post-flight assessment provides important verification of the POST2 models and analysis techniques used for InSight, providing critical feed-forward information to future lander missions.

Robert W Maddock↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation Research Experiment 2 (ASPIRE2) Flight Mechanics and Parachute Performance

The Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation Re-search Experiment-2 (ASPIRE2) program consists of a sounding rocket flight test to be launched at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in 2025. This effort seeks to qualify the supersonic parachute for the Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) under the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, building off the successes of its predecessor program, ASPIRE, which launched in both 2017 and 2018. The conops for the ASPIRE2 mission are shown in Figure 1 relative to its predecessor. While the ASPIRE pro-gram qualified a 21.5 m diameter disk-gap band parachute deployed at Mach 1.7, the SRL parachute will be increased to 24 m in diameter and target a Mach 2.1 parachute deployment condition, the largest diameter supersonic parachute deployed at the highest Mach number to date. These requirements are driven by the increased landing mass of the sample retrieval lander, which is roughly a 50% increase over that of the Mars2020 entry vehicle. These changes necessitate ASPIRE2 to certify the parachute performance under similar deployment conditions. This work will cover the 6-DoF para-chute model implementation and flight mechanics performance for the ASPIRE2 campaign and discuss how these results will impact the design of the test article. The ASPIRE2 trajectory is simulated using a multi-body flight dynamics tool, Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2). This work will summarize both the flight mechanics and parachute modeling (from payload separation until splashdown) and performance for this mission. Various design trades will be assessed such as para-chute tuning parameters as well as vehicle center of gravity location.

Evan Roelke↗
NASA NTRS2019

Mars Ascent Vehicle Hybrid Propulsion Development

Mars Ascent Vehicle Study Agenda: Potential Mars Sample Return (MSR); Potential Hybrid Design; 2019 Preliminary Architecture Assessment; Propellant Combination - Fuel; Propellant Combination - Oxidizer; Full Scale Testing thru 2018; Hypergolic Ignition; TEA/TEB (triethylaluminum/triethylborane) Ignition; Solid Hypergolic Additives; 2018 test - longest duration test; 2019 test; Liquid Injection Thrust Vector Control; White Sands Test Facility; FY19 and Future Work; Summary.

Story, George↗
NASA NTRS2020

Similarities and Differences of Global Dust Storms in MY 25, 28, and 34

To better understand the dust cycle on Mars during years with planet‐encircling dust storms, we analyze the last three events that took place in Mars Year (MY) 25, MY 28, and MY 34. Global dust storms that occurred in MY 25 and MY 34 (June 2018) were taking place during equinox, while the MY 28 storm had an onset after perihelion. Before the expansion phase of the MY 25 and MY 34 storms, we find similar regions (northern rim of Hellas, Arabia Terra, and Utopia Planitia) where dust is present. Possible precursor dust storms over Hellas and the southern polar cap edges were observed during MY 28 as a component of background dust activity. These features are not found in equinoctial dust storms on this scale. Dust during the MY 25 and MY 34 storms encircled the entire planet by the similar season (L(s) = 193°). The MY 34 storm is characterized by a shorter decay phase compared to the events in MY 25 and MY 28. Dust opacity is correlated with atmospheric temperatures at 0.5 mbar and nighttime surface temperatures, while daytime surface temperatures are anticorrelated with dust opacity.

P. Wolkenberg↗
NASA NTRS2019

Aerobracking the ExoMars TGO: the JPL Navigation Experience

In October 2016, ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter entered into orbit around Mars. The transfer from its initial 24-hour elliptical orbit into the final 2-hour science orbit was helped by means of 952 aerobraking passes between March 2017 and February 2018. For this first aerobraking operation by European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), a dedicated partnership was organized between ESOC and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to allow for JPL navigation team’s support during the TGO aerobraking operations. The Mission Design and Navigation section at JPL supported the mission by providing consulting in aerobraking navigation operations and independent orbit determination solutions during TGO’s aerobraking. This paper discusses the JPL Navigation team’s experience, challenges faced, and lessons learned during TGO’s aerobraking at Mars. Topics include the collaboration between the two navigation teams, configuration of orbit determination for aero drag passes, arrangement of automated orbit determination, and reporting processes.

Young, Brian↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mars Sample Return Science Planning Group Phase 2 (MSPG2): Overview & Interim Report

Mars Sample Return (MSR) has been a high priority of the international planetary science community for decades. In recent years, significant programmatic advances have brought MSR closer to becoming a reality. In 2018, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a joint Statement of Intent to continue defining respective roles and responsibilities in the flight missions required to realize MSR. In October 2020, NASA and ESA formalized this partnership with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding for the MSR flight elements. The MSR campaign consists of M2020, two MSR flight elements and the ground-based infrastructure to receive, handle and curate the samples from Mars. In an engineering sense, MSR consists of a linked set of missions, and a concluding set of ground-based activities, that we refer to as the MSR Campaign.

G. Kminek↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Performance Risk Model (PRisM) Proof-of-Concept: An Operational Decision Support Tool to Predict Crew Performance in Space from Available Performance Tests

The Crew Health and Performance-Probabilistic Risk Assessment (CHP-PRA) team at NASA Glenn Research Center has developed a range of tools to evaluate astronaut health during spaceflight and to optimize the medical set required for missions. Among these, the Performance Risk Model (PRisM) represents a novel advancement, extending CHP-PRA’s focus beyond medical systems into the domain of human performance. Such tool could be pivotal in optimizing astronaut capabilities during space travel, thereby enhancing overall mission success. PRisM leverages data from well-established performance assessments conducted during previous crewed space missions and Earth analogs to strategically predict outcomes for planned tasks, even when direct performance testing has not been conducted for those specific tasks. To evaluate performance, PRisM references the various metrics outlined in NASA-STD-3001 and employs a methodology to integrate different performance scales. This framework analyzes the contribution of various human system task categories (HSTCs) to task execution and compares these contributions to the HSTCs’ involvement in other known tests. The model further employs a Monte Carlo simulation to sample performance scores from their distribution in operationally relevant tests such as those in Mulavara et al. (2018) and, by leveraging similarities in HSTC involvement, transfers this knowledge to actual mission tasks, such as those outlined in the "Human Exploration of Mars: Preliminary List of Crew Tasks”. The current PRisM proof-of-concept includes analyses of the impact of exercise and specific medications on astronauts’ performance, with provisions to incorporate additional countermeasures as data becomes available. Furthermore, the tool is customizable to include any system necessary to fully encompass the domain of human systems and can be adapted to evaluate performance for any spaceflight activities as requested by operational stakeholders. PRisM has the potential to assist the Human Research Program in exploring the capabilities trade space for optimized crew performance.

performance modeling↗
NASA NTRS2022

CME Evolution in the Structured Heliosphere and Effects at Earth and Mars During Solar Minimum

The activity of the Sun alternates between a solar minimum and a solar maximum, the former corresponding to a period of “quieter” status of the heliosphere. During solar minimum, it is in principle more straightforward to follow eruptive events and solar wind structures from their birth at the Sun throughout their interplanetary journey. In this paper, we report analysis of the origin, evolution, and heliospheric impact of a series of solar transient events that took place during the second half of August 2018, that is, in the midst of the late declining phase of Solar Cycle 24. In particular, we focus on two successive coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and a following high-speed stream (HSS) on their way toward Earth and Mars. We find that the first CME impacted both planets, whilst the second caused a strong magnetic storm at Earth and went on to miss Mars, which nevertheless experienced space weather effects from the stream interacting region preceding the HSS. Analysis of remote-sensing and in-situ data supported by heliospheric modeling suggests that CME–HSS interaction resulted in the second CME rotating and deflecting in interplanetary space, highlighting that accurately reproducing the ambient solar wind is crucial even during “simpler” solar minimum periods. Lastly, we discuss the upstream solar wind conditions and transient structures responsible for driving space weather effects at Earth and Mars.

Space weather↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Current Status of NASA's Fission Surface Power Project

Small nuclear fission systems are powerful and could enable robust space operations for planetary habitation and exploration. On Earth, unless disrupted by storms or grid problems, electrical power for most people is no further than an outlet away. However, the solar system does not provide such easy access to electricity as we know it. Astronauts could take advantage of a reliable power supply to explore both the Moon and Mars. The system will need to be lightweight and capable of running regardless of its location, the weather, or available sunlight and other natural resources. NASA’s Fission Surface Power (FSP) project expands on the efforts of the agency’s Kilopower project, which ended in 2018. Currently, NASA is working with the US Department of Energy and industry to design a fission power system that would provide at least 40 kilowatts of power – enough to continuously run 30 households for ten years. A future lunar demonstration will pave the way for sustainable operations and even base camps on the Moon and Mars. This manuscript will showcase the current state of the FSP project, technical goals and accomplishments, future plans, and how this technology paves the way for exciting future applications.

Nuclear↗
NASA NTRS2019

No detection of methane on Mars from early ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter observations

The detection of methane on Mars has been interpreted as indicating that geochemical or biotic activities could persist on Mars today. A number of different measurements of methane show evidence of transient, locally elevated methane concentrations and seasonal variations in background methane concentrations. These measurements, however, are difficult to reconcile with our current understanding of the chemistry and physics of the Martian atmosphere, which—given methane’s lifetime of several centuries—predicts an even, well mixed distribution of methane. Here we report highly sensitive measurements of the atmosphere of Mars in an attempt to detect methane, using the ACS and NOMAD instruments onboard the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter from April to August 2018. We did not detect any methane over a range of latitudes in both hemispheres, obtaining an upper limit for methane of about 0.05 parts per billion by volume, which is 10 to 100 times lower than previously reported positive detections. We suggest that reconciliation between the present findings and the background methane concentrations found in the Gale crater would require an unknown process that can rapidly remove or sequester methane from the lower atmosphere before it spreads globally.

Michael Doyle Smith↗
NASA NTRS2006

The Mars Express - NASA Project at JPL

This viewgraph presentation gives a general overview of the Mars Express NASA Project at JPL. The contents include: 1) Mars Express/NASA Project Overview; 2) Experiment-Investigator Matrix; 3) Mars Express Support of NASA's Mars Exploration Objectives; 4) U.S./NASA Support of Mars Express; 5) Mars Express Schedule (2003-2007); 6) Mars Express Data Rates; 7) MARSIS Overview Results; 8) MARSIS with Antennas Deployed; 9) MARSIS Science Objectives; 10) Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) Experiment Overview; 11) Mars Express Orbit Evolution; 12) MARSIS Science - Subsurface Sounding; 13) MARSIS-North Polar Ice Cap; 14) MARSIS Data-Buried Basin; 15) MARSIS over a Crater Basin; 16) MARSIS-Buried Basin; 17) Ionogram - Orbit 2032 (example from Science paper); 18) Ionogram-Orbit 2018 (example from Science paper); and 19) Recent MARSIS Results ESA Press Releases.

Mars Express Mission↗