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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Wizard Staff: A Mobile Tool Supporting Human Exploration on The Lunar Surface

The Wizard Staff is a rechargeable, battery powered mobile tool with multiple uses for lunar surface exploration. It supports human activity as a surface survey tool, provides external illumination to enhance safety, delivers networking, communications, and navigation features to remote sites, and assists crew rescue with an emergency beacon and rigid splint structure. As a survey tool, it assists crewed geologic field site exploration with external lights, cameras, and LiDAR to illuminate, map, and record the sample collection process. As a relay station, it provides a surface intranet communications and navigation node for extended exploration far from the lander or habitation module. A separately developed Search-and-Rescue (SAR) handheld device can broadcast a signal to the Gandalf Staff containing crew position and biometric data. The staff then formats the message and sends it orbiting satellite(s) for emergency response via the LunaNET on a dedicated frequency similar to terrestrial applications using an Emergency Position-Indicating Radiobeacon (EPIRB). The staff is designed with an upper and lower segment. Components in the upper segment are the LiDAR, external lighting arrays, cameras, communications equipment, intelligence devices, and user interface for crew operations. The lower segment is a set of FeLiPO4 battery cells packed into the 2” diameter carbon fiber tube. When the battery pack is discharged, a spring connector (designed for the dusty lunar environment) easily disconnects the two segments for replacement with another fully charged battery pack. The lower segment can be used for Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR) as a rigid splint. As a stand-alone science platform, the Wizard Staff provides infrastructure for instruments and sensors to record the lunar environment over long periods of time. After a crew installs the components on the lunar surface, the platform delivers data to the lunar lander or base station for analysis. The stand-alone mode requires an auxiliary power source (e.g. solar array) and energy storage system (e.g. battery), so it could also be used as an electrical recharging station. A working prototype of Wizard Staff has been developed with collaboration between NASA (JSC, MSFC, and GSFC), Texas Space Technology Applications and Research (T STAR), and Texas A&M University (TAMU) using $300k of innovation funding in FY’21 and FY’22. The functional staff weights 36# on Earth (6# on the Moon), stands 2.1m tall and delivers external lighting with an array of 40 LED bulbs generating 1460 Lux at 2m range (near field), or 2 Lux at 50m (far field).

Gandalf Staff↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Wizard Staff Mobile Tool for Human Exploration on the Lunar Surface

The Wizard Staff is a rechargeable, battery powered mobile tool with multiple uses for lunar surface exploration. It supports human activity as a surface survey tool, provides external illumination to enhance safety, delivers networking, communications, and navigation functions to remote sites, and assists crew rescue with an emergency beacon and rigid splint structure.

Wizard Staff↗
NASA NTRS2015

Yet Another Lunar Surface Geologic Exploration Architecture Concept (What, Again?): A Senior Field Geologist's Integrated View

Lunar surface geological exploration should be founded on a number of key elements that are seemingly disparate, but which can form an integrated operational concept when properly conceived and deployed. If lunar surface geological exploration is to be useful, this integration of key elements needs to be undertaken throughout the development of both mission hardware, training and operational concepts. These elements include the concept of mission class, crew makeup and training, surface mobility assets that are matched with mission class, and field tools and IT assets that make data collection, sharing and archiving transparent to the surface crew.

Eppler, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Conducting Planetary Field Geology on EVA: Lessons from the 2010 DRATS Geologist Crewmembers

In order to prepare for the next phase of planetary surface exploration, the Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) field program seeks to test the next generation of technology needed to explore other surfaces. The 2010 DRATS 14-day field campaign focused on the simultaneous operation of two habitatable rovers, or Space Exploration Vehicles (SEVs). Each rover was crewed by one astronaut/commander and one geologist, with a change in crews on day seven of the mission. This shift change allowed for eight crew members to test the DRATS technology and operational protocols [1,2]. The insights presented in this abstract represent the crew s thoughts on lessons learned from this field season, as well as potential future testing concepts.

Young, Kelsey E.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hardware Demonstration and Improvements of the Stellar Positioning System

As the number of Lunar and Martian surface-exploration missions increases, precise surface navigation is becoming critical. Of most interest is navigation techniques that can generate an absolute state without reliance on Earth-based tracking. One such navigation technique is the Stellar Positioning System. Based on the practice of celestial navigation, this approach combines measurements of the body, star field orientation, and time, to calculate an absolute position on the surface of any planetary body with a known gravity field and known orientation in celestial space. A hardware prototype consisting of an inertial measurement unit, star tracker, and accurate time keeping was developed to demonstrate this concept. The stellar positioning system model was refined to fit this hardware, and was demonstrated by conducting live-sky tests in multiple locations around Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. This effort discusses the preliminary testing results, improvements of the stellar positioning system, feasibility for surface exploration missions, and planned further refinements that will improve the performance.

Joel Amert↗
NASA NTRS2005

Exploration Rover Concepts and Development Challenges

This paper presents an overview of exploration rover concepts and the various development challenges associated with each as they are applied to exploration objectives and requirements for missions on the Moon and Mars. A variety of concepts for surface exploration vehicles have been proposed since the initial development of the Apollo-era lunar rover. This paper provides a brief description of the rover concepts, along with a comparison of their relative benefits and limitations. In addition, this paper outlines, and investigates a number of critical development challenges that surface exploration vehicles must address in order to successfully meet the exploration mission vision. These include: mission and environmental challenges, design challenges, and production and delivery challenges. Mission and environmental challenges include effects of terrain, extreme temperature differentials, dust issues, and radiation protection. Design methods are discussed that focus on optimum methods for developing highly reliable, long-life and efficient systems. In addition, challenges associated with delivering a surface exploration system is explored and discussed. Based on all the information presented, modularity will be the single most important factor in the development of a truly viable surface mobility vehicle. To meet mission, reliability, and affordability requirements, surface exploration vehicles, especially pressurized rovers, will need to be modularly designed and deployed across all projected Moon and Mars exploration missions.

Zakrajsek, James J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Figure of merit studies of beam power concepts for advanced space exploration

Surface to surface, millimeter wavelength beam power systems for power transmission on the lunar base were investigated. Qualitative/quantitative analyses and technology assessment of 35, 110 and 140 GHz beam power systems were conducted. System characteristics including mass, stowage volume, cost and efficiency as a function of range and power level were calculated. A simple figure of merit analysis indicates that the 35 GHz system would be the preferred choice for lunar base applications, followed closely by the 110 GHz system. System parameters of a 35 GHz beam power system appropriate for power transmission on a recent lunar base concept studied by NASA-Johnson and the necessary deployment sequence are suggested.

Miller, Gabriel↗
NASA NTRS2010

A Dual Launch Robotic and Human Lunar Mission Architecture

This paper describes a comprehensive lunar exploration architecture developed by Marshall Space Flight Center's Advanced Concepts Office that features a science-based surface exploration strategy and a transportation architecture that uses two launches of a heavy lift launch vehicle to deliver human and robotic mission systems to the moon. The principal advantage of the dual launch lunar mission strategy is the reduced cost and risk resulting from the development of just one launch vehicle system. The dual launch lunar mission architecture may also enhance opportunities for commercial and international partnerships by using expendable launch vehicle services for robotic missions or development of surface exploration elements. Furthermore, this architecture is particularly suited to the integration of robotic and human exploration to maximize science return. For surface operations, an innovative dual-mode rover is presented that is capable of performing robotic science exploration as well as transporting human crew conducting surface exploration. The dual-mode rover can be deployed to the lunar surface to perform precursor science activities, collect samples, scout potential crew landing sites, and meet the crew at a designated landing site. With this approach, the crew is able to evaluate the robotically collected samples to select the best samples for return to Earth to maximize the scientific value. The rovers can continue robotic exploration after the crew leaves the lunar surface. The transportation system for the dual launch mission architecture uses a lunar-orbit-rendezvous strategy. Two heavy lift launch vehicles depart from Earth within a six hour period to transport the lunar lander and crew elements separately to lunar orbit. In lunar orbit, the crew transfer vehicle docks with the lander and the crew boards the lander for descent to the surface. After the surface mission, the crew returns to the orbiting transfer vehicle for the return to the Earth. This paper describes a complete transportation architecture including the analysis of transportation element options and sensitivities including: transportation element mass to surface landed mass; lander propellant options; and mission crew size. Based on this analysis, initial design concepts for the launch vehicle, crew module and lunar lander are presented. The paper also describes how the dual launch lunar mission architecture would fit into a more general overarching human space exploration philosophy that would allow expanded application of mission transportation elements for missions beyond the Earth-moon realm.

Jones, David L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

HERA in the Artemis ERA

As NASA shifts its mission objectives to the lunar surface and the return of humans to the moon in the next few years, analogs that simulate lunar transit or surface exploration are in a unique position to support spaceflight research that is aligned with future Artemis missions, especially a sustained lunar presence. NASA’s spaceflight analogs have historically focused on mission scenarios and operations for Mars exploration, including recent campaigns staged at the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog at Johnson Space Center. However, beginning in Campaign 8, future HERA missions are planned to mimic lunar operations and support research objectives that directly address knowledge gaps for lunar exploration and habitation. The Research Operations and Integration (ROI) HERA team will present a look-back over HERA mission scenarios and operations supporting NASA’s Human Research Program and international partners’ spaceflight research. An overview of critical capabilities in HERA and other similar analogs will also be presented, such as methods of simulating EVAs. Presenters will then discuss the transition to a high-fidelity lunar surface exploration mission scenario envisioned for Campaign 8, slated to begin in 2026. Operations changes that will be discussed will include simulated lunar surface exploration using a two-person simulated pressurized rover in combination with virtual reality, lunar-relevant communication delays, changes to concepts of how crew communicate with Earth-based mission supports, increased access to family & friends’ communication compared to prior campaigns, and a new mission scenario referencing Artemis mission objectives and tasks. ROI analog mission designs are driven by science objectives. The ROI HERA team will describe how the changes for Campaign 8 support ongoing spaceflight research interests and provide opportunities for investigators to design experiments more closely aligned to lunar missions. A questions and answers session will follow with attendees encouraged to ask questions.

B J Caldwell↗
NASA NTRS1990

Mini-rovers for Mars explorations

Rovers are desirable for surface exploration because they allow sampling, and sample returns from several diverse locations on a planet's surface. Unfortunately, the rovers currently being examined for Mars exploration have several undesirable features. These rovers are quite massive (500 kg to one ton), have very complicated operations, and are very expensive. A possible alternative is described to using large rovers for exploring the surface of Mars. The idea of mini-rovers is proposed. Mini-rovers weigh less than 5 kg, are trivial to control from the ground, and can do a more thorough survey of the terrain (per kilogram of mass) than can be obtained by large rovers. By redesigning the Mars sample return mission to accommodate the idea of mini-rovers and small spacecraft, considerable mass and cost savings can be achieved.

Miller, David P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Overview of Long-Lived Venus Lander Technologies

The extreme surface conditions of Venus, including high temperature/pressure and reactive chemistry, have previously limited the lifetime of surface missions to ~2 hours. However, recent advances in high temperature technologies suggest the possibility of extended duration missions on the Venus surface. This presentation gives a brief overview on a range of high temperature technologies to enable a possible extended duration Venus surface mission, as well as an overview of the motivation and challenges of Venus surface exploration. The technology development under the Long-Lived In Situ Solar System Explorer (LLISSE) project and related technologies will be emphasized. The LLISSE project aimed towards developing a full lander system operational for 60 days on the Venus surface and included a power source, electronics, communications, sensors, and the structure, each at a different level of maturity. This presentation briefly describes these and other lander system technologies, their relative level of maturity, and planned future development for Venus surface exploration.

Venus surface exploration high temperature technol↗
DOE OSTI2020

eFESTA: Ensemble Feature Exploration with Surface Density Estimates

We propose surface density estimate (SDE) to model the spatial distribution of surface features-isosurfaces, ridge surfaces, and streamsurfaces-in 3D ensemble simulation data. The inputs of SDE computation are surface features represented as polygon meshes, and no field datasets are required (e.g., scalar fields or vector fields). The SDE is defined as the kernel density estimate of the infinite set of points on the input surfaces and is approximated by accumulating the surface densities of triangular patches. We also propose an algorithm to guide the selection of a proper kernel bandwidth for SDE computation. An ensemble Feature Exploration method based on Surface densiTy EstimAtes (eFESTA) is then proposed to extract and visualize the major trends of ensemble surface features. For an ensemble of surface features, each surface is first transformed into a density field based on its contribution to the SDE, and the resulting density fields are organized into a hierarchical representation based on the pairwise distances between them. The hierarchical representation is then used to guide visual exploration of the density fields as well as the underlying surface features. We demonstrate the application of our method using isosurface in ensemble scalar fields, Lagrangian coherent structures in uncertain unsteady flows, and streamsurfaces in ensemble fluid flows.

Computational modeling↗
NASA NTRS2006

Mars Exploration Rover Surface Mission: Thermal Performance for More Than an Entire Martian Year

This viewgraph presentation reviews the thermal performance of the Mars Exploration Rovers. The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project landed two identical roving science vehicles on Mars in January 2004; they have continued to perform geological science data collection well beyond their surface design lifetime of 90 sols. The design of the thermal system is described. Pictures from the rovers are also included,

flight performance↗
NASA NTRS1990

Application of automation and robotics to lunar surface human exploration operations

Major results of a study applying automation and robotics to lunar surface base buildup and operations concepts are reported. The study developed a reference base scenario with specific goals, equipment concepts, robot concepts, activity schedules and buildup manifests. It examined crew roles, contingency cases and system reliability, and proposed a set of technologies appropriate and necessary for effective lunar operations. This paper refers readers to four companion papers for quantitative details where appropriate.

Woodcock, Gordon R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Enzyme activity in terrestrial soil in relation to exploration of the Martian surface

An exploration was made of enzyme activities in soil, including abundance, persistence and localization of these activities. An attempt was made to develop procedures for the detection and assaying of enzymes in soils suitable for presumptive tests for life in planetary soils. A suitable extraction procedure for soil enzymes was developed and measurements were made of activities in extracts in order to study how urease is complexed in soil organic matter. Mathematical models were developed, based on enzyme action and microbial growth in soil, for rates of oxidation of nitrogen as nitrogen compounds are moved downward in soil by water flow. These biogeochemical models should be applicable to any percolating system, with suitable modification for special features, such as oxygen concetrations, and types of hydrodynamic flow.

Ardakani, M. S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Machine‐Learning‐Driven Exploration of Surface Reconstructions of Reduced Rutile TiO 2

Abstract Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is widely used as a catalyst support due to its stability, tunable electronic properties, and surface oxygen vacancies, which are crucial for catalytic processes such as the reverse water‐gas shift (RWGS) reaction. Reduced TiO 2 surfaces undergo complex surface reconstructions that endow unique properties but are computationally challenging to describe. In this study, we utilize machine‐learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) integrated with an active‐learning workflow to efficiently explore reduced rutile TiO 2 surfaces. This approach enabled the prediction of a phase diagram as a function of oxygen chemical potential, revealing a variety of reconstructed phases, including a previously unreported subsurface shear plane structure. We further investigate the electronic properties of these surfaces and validate our results by comparing experimental and theoretical high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Our findings provide new insights into how extreme surface reductions influence the structural and electronic properties of TiO 2 , with potential implications for catalyst design.

Lee, Yonghyuk [Chemistry and Biochemistry Universi↗