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At least 1,333 records · Page 74

Empowering Lineworkers: The Case for Active Exoskeletons in Utility Work

Exoskeletons have evolved from early medical prototypes to advanced systems capable of addressing physical demands in various industries. This report explores the potential of active exoskeleton technology within the utility sector, focusing on its application for linemen who face significant risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). By analyzing existing literature on exoskeletons across industries such as construction, manufacturing, and military, the study identifies a gap in utility-specific applications. Task-specific design features like gravity compensation, limb support, and advanced safety measures, improve exoskeletons’ potential to alleviate physical strain, reduce workplace injuries, and enhance productivity. This review emphasizes the need for targeted research and development to optimize exoskeleton designs for the utility sector to provide benefits for workers, companies, and the broader community.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Towards the applications of mechanophore incorporated feedstocks for additive manufacturing

The ability to additively-manufacture mechanically responsive molecules, known as mechanophores (MPs), that are incorporated into polymer feedstocks provides opportunities for self-healing, real-time damage detection, and improvements in quality assurance and control capabilities to several industries (wind energy technology, building and construction, etc.) who are adopting additive manufacturing (AM). However, before the applications are realized and industrially adopted, further research and development regarding MP-incorporated AM feedstock availability, production scale-up, and processability and printability is needed. Here, the goal of this review is to bridge the gap between the bench top and real world applications of AM of MPs by identifying high impact application spaces and highlighting the challenges that need to be overcome for widespread adoption. The state-of-the-art of AM of MP-incorporated feedstocks is reviewed, followed by a discussion of potential future applications, current challenges, and research areas that work toward commercialization of AM of MP-incorporated feedstocks.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Periodic subsystem density-functional theory

By partitioning the electron density into subsystem contributions, the Frozen Density Embedding (FDE) formulation of subsystem Density Functional Theory (DFT) has recently emerged as a powerful tool for reducing the computational scaling of Kohn–Sham DFT. To date, however, FDE has been employed to molecular systems only. Periodic systems, such as metals, semiconductors, and other crystalline solids have been outside the applicability of FDE, mostly because of the lack of a periodic FDE implementation. To fill this gap, in this work we aim at extending FDE to treat subsystems of molecular and periodic character. This goal is achieved by a dual approach. On one side, the development of a theoretical framework for periodic subsystem DFT. On the other, the realization of the method into a parallel computer code. We find that periodic FDE is capable of reproducing total electron densities and (to a lesser extent) also interaction energies of molecular systems weakly interacting with metallic surfaces. In the pilot calculations considered, we find that FDE fails in those cases where there is appreciable density overlap between the subsystems. Conversely, we find FDE to be in semiquantitative agreement with Kohn–Sham DFT when the inter-subsystem density overlap is low. We also conclude that to make FDE a suitable method for describing molecular adsorption at surfaces, kinetic energy density functionals that go beyond the GGA level must be employed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Strategies, Protections and Mitigations for Electric Grid from Electromagnetic Pulse Effects

The mission of DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) is to lead national efforts to modernize the electricity delivery system, enhance the security and reliability of America’s energy infrastructure and facilitate recovery from disruptions to the energy supply. One of the threats OE is concerned about is a high-altitude electro-magnetic pulse (HEMP) from a nuclear explosion and eletro-magnetic pulse (EMP) or E1 pulse can be generated by EMP weapons. DOE-OE provides federal leadership and technical guidance in addressing electric grid issues. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) was chosen to conduct the EMP study for DOE-OE due to its capabilities and experience in setting up EMP experiments on the electric grid and conducting vulnerability assessments and developing innovative technology to increase infrastructure resiliency. This report identifies known impacts to EMP threats, known mitigations and effectiveness of mitigations, potential cost of mitigation, areas for government and private partnerships in protecting the electric grid to EMP, and identifying gaps in our knowledge and protection strategies.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Integrated Pre-Feasibility Assessment for a Northern Michigan Basin CarbonSAFE CO 2 Storage Complex

One of the key gaps in the critical path toward carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment is the development of commercial-scale (50+ million metric tons carbon dioxide [CO2]) geologic storage sites for CO 2 from industrial sources. There has been relatively little effort by the private sector to identify and certify (i.e., regulatory permit) geologic storage sites that are capable of storing commercial-scale volumes of CO 2 , primarily because of the lack of immediate economic incentives. As a result, commercial-scale CO 2 sources that want to develop CCS projects face the risk of not finding a suitable saline storage site for their captured CO 2 . Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored effort to develop an integrated CCS storage complex constructed and permitted for operation in the 2025 timeframe over a series of sequential phases of development: Integrated CCS Pre-Feasibility, Storage Complex Feasibility, Site Characterization, and Permitting and Construction. Subject to availability of funds, a series of funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) are planned to accomplish this mission. This document describes a project that addresses DOE FOA-1584 Phase I: Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Pre-Feasibility. The objective of this project was to take the first step in developing an integrated commercial geologic CO 2 storage complex in the Northern Michigan Basin, herein referred to as the CarbonSAFE – Northern Michigan Basin (CS-NMB) storage complex. This includes demonstrating that the storage sites within the complex have the potential to store more than 50 million metric tons (MMT) of industrially-sourced CO 2 emissions safely, permanently and economically. To achieve the overall objective of the Phase I pre-feasibility study, FOA-1584 required three activities: • Perform a high-level technical sub-basinal evaluation to identify a potential storage complex with storage site(s), including a description of the geology and risks associated with the potential storage site; identify and evaluate potential CO 2 sources. • Develop a plan for the storage complex and storage site(s) including a strategy that would enable an integrated capture and storage project to be economically feasible and publicly acceptable. • Form a CCS coordination team capable of addressing regulatory, legislative, technical, public policy, commercial, financial, etc. challenges specific to commercial-scale deployment of the CO 2 storage project.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Orbiter entry aerothermodynamics

The challenge in the definition of the entry aerothermodynamic environment arising from the challenge of a reliable and reusable Orbiter is reviewed in light of the existing technology. Select problems pertinent to the orbiter development are discussed with reference to comprehensive treatments. These problems include boundary layer transition, leeward-side heating, shock/shock interaction scaling, tile gap heating, and nonequilibrium effects such as surface catalysis. Sample measurements obtained from test flights of the Orbiter are presented with comparison to preflight expectations. Numerical and wind tunnel simulations gave efficient information for defining the entry environment and an adequate level of preflight confidence. The high quality flight data provide an opportunity to refine the operational capability of the orbiter and serve as a benchmark both for the development of aerothermodynamic technology and for use in meeting future entry heating challenges.

Ried, R. C.↗

An Airborne Communications Roadmap for the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service: Overview and Status

Following the events of September 11, 2001, the responsibilities, operations and numbers of the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) wer e greatly expanded. With this expansion, new critical research and te chnology needs were identified, including the need for air to ground telecommunications capabilities. To address this need, the FAMS has cr eated a working group to develop, deploy and enhance aviation communi cations with respect to security and law enforcement. This paper presents the working group's progress to date in generating a FAMS air-gro und communications roadmap identifying expected communications servic es, technology maturity, and technology gaps over a timeline. The paper includes a communications preliminary requirements summary and syst em performance characteristics needed to meet identified operational needs. The system engineering process utilized is presented beginning with the identification of users, their operational needs and relevant constraints. The operational needs are translated to desired airbor ne communications services. System technical performance requirements associated with the identified services are summarized. In addition, notional communications architectures addressing the requirements are presented. Finally, future plans to identify and assess potential ca ndidate systems and their associated technical architectures, gaps and barriers to implementation are discussed. The paper addresses the cu rrent, near term (within 5 years) and far term (10 years) timeframes for such an airborne communications system.

Martzaklis, Konstantinos S.↗

Launch Vehicle Demonstrator Using Shuttle Assets

The Marshall Space Flight Center Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) has the leading role for NASA s preliminary conceptual launch vehicle design and performance analysis. Over the past several years the ACO Earth-to-Orbit Team has evaluated thousands of launch vehicle concept variations for a multitude of studies including agency-wide efforts such as the Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), Constellation, Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLLV), Heavy Lift Propulsion Technology (HLPT), Human Exploration Framework Team (HEFT), and Space Launch System (SLS). NASA plans to continue human space exploration and space station utilization. Launch vehicles used for heavy lift cargo and crew will be needed. One of the current leading concepts for future heavy lift capability is an inline one and a half stage concept using solid rocket boosters (SRB) and based on current Shuttle technology and elements. Potentially, the quickest and most cost-effective path towards an operational vehicle of this configuration is to make use of a demonstrator vehicle fabricated from existing shuttle assets and relying upon the existing STS launch infrastructure. Such a demonstrator would yield valuable proof-of-concept data and would provide a working test platform allowing for validated systems integration. Using shuttle hardware such as existing RS-25D engines and partial MPS, propellant tanks derived from the External Tank (ET) design and tooling, and four-segment SRB s could reduce the associated upfront development costs and schedule when compared to a concept that would rely on new propulsion technology and engine designs. There are potentially several other additional benefits to this demonstrator concept. Since a concept of this type would be based on man-rated flight proven hardware components, this demonstrator has the potential to evolve into the first iteration of heavy lift crew or cargo and serve as a baseline for block upgrades. This vehicle could also serve as a demonstration and test platform for the Orion Program. Critical spacecraft systems, re-entry and recovery systems, and launch abort systems of Orion could also be demonstrated in early test flights of the launch vehicle demo. Furthermore, an early demonstrator of this type would provide a stop-gap for retaining critical human capital and infrastructure while affording the current emerging generation of young engineers opportunity to work with and capture lessons learned from existing STS program offices and personnel, who were integral in the design and development of the Space Shuttle before these resources are no longer available. The objective of this study is to define candidate launch vehicle demonstration concepts that are based on Space Shuttle assets and determine their performance capabilities and how these demonstration vehicles could evolve to a heavy lift capability to low earth orbit.

Threet, Grady E., Jr.↗

ATF Transient Prescription Tests in TREAT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Transient Reactor Test facility (TREAT) was constructed in the late 1950’s and provided thousands of transient irradiations before being placed in standby mode in 1994. In 2017, it resumed operation in order to reclaim its crucial role in nuclear-heated safety research. TREAT is a transient reactor where inherently-safe core physics, a nimble transient rod drive system, and a philosophy of continual facility improvement work together to enable flexible power maneuvers for fuel safety research. While the facility’s flexible design and multi-mission nature saw historic experiments for numerous transient types, TREAT was not specifically adapted to optimize or demonstrate its full performance capability for Light Water Reactor (LWR) postulated accidents including Hot Zero Power Reactivity Initiated Accidents (HZP-RIA) and Loss of Coolant Accidents (LOCA). The physics of HZP-RIA drive very brief pulses with fairly large energy excursions. TREAT is currently capable of approaching HZP-RIA pulse widths through transients initiated on a large step insertion of reactivity and terminated shortly thereafter by rapid re-insertion of the transient rods (“clipping”). LOCAs are postulated to occur quite differently, starting from normal power operations followed by a long period of lower power decay heat. TREAT is able to simulate LOCA events with an initial flattop transient for tens of seconds, followed by a sizeable power reduction, to a longer segment where specimen fission heating represents internal decay heat generation. Two reactor physics testing campaigns were undertaken to address the HZP-RIA type transients, neither of which had been performed in any great measure historically to address data gaps in the timing, repeatability of clipping and effect of dynamic transient rod motions on core-to-specimen fission power coupling. The first campaign, referred to as the Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) transient prescription tests, employed dosimeters in the core to characterize the effect of rod motions on specimen power coupling for clipped, unclipped, and low-level steady state operations each with approximately the same moderate core energy release. This campaign was accompanied by efforts to measure dosimetry and compare results to analytic predictions. The other HZP-RIA campaign, referred to as Narrow Pulse Width (NPW) transient prescriptions, employed higher step insertions with increased core energy release to demonstrate TREAT’s capability in achieving the narrowest-possible pulse width. Additionally, a series of LOCA transient prescriptions were also performed to demonstrate how well TREAT could perform long-duration shaped transients. Both NPW and LOCA transient prescriptions did not include dosimeters but used existing plant power instrumentation to produce transient power data. All three transient prescription campaigns were successfully carried out in TREAT. The ATF-3 transient prescriptions showed that TREAT can perform clipped transients with remarkable repeatability. Measurement and modeling both showed that the power coupling in small, fissile dosimeters does not change by more than 8% between clipped, unclipped, and steady state runs while uncertainty sources in both the modeling and measurement methods were identified and found to be on the order of 20% in total. Overall, the ATF-3 transient prescription tests were successful in determining repeatability and consistency of dosimeter power coupling, developing processes for modeling and measuring this crucial parameter, and demonstrating the need for continued efforts in transient prescription work at TREAT in support of future experiment design and post test data interpretation. The NPW and LOCA transient prescriptions were also successfully performed to exhibit TREAT’s capability for these important LWR accident categories. The NPW transients showed pulse widths of ~90 ms, which were the narrowest ever achieved in TREAT to date and relevant for the upper end range of HZP-RIA simulation. This effort provided crucial data for calibrating kinetic models to be used in enhanced pulse-narrowing strategies in upcoming irradiations. Similarly, The LOCA transient prescriptions showed that TREAT can simulate the needed nuclear heating and event time scales for LOCA fuel safety research and provided essential data for future experiment design.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

A new approach to three-dimensional neutron transport solution based on the method of characteristics and linear axial approximation

A new approach based on the method of characteristics (MOC) is proposed to solve the neutron transport equation. A new three-dimensional (3D) spatial discretization is applied to avoid the instability issue of the transverse leakage iteration of the traditional 2D/1D approach. In this new approach, the axial and radial variables are discretized in two different ways: the linear expansion is performed in the axial direction, then, the 3D solution of the angular flux is transformed to be the planar solution of 2D angular expansion moments, which are solved by the planar MOC sweeping. Based on the boundary and interface continuity conditions, the 2D expansion moment solution is equivalently transformed to be the solution of the axially averaged angular flux. Using the piecewise averaged angular flux at the top and bottom surfaces of 3D meshes, the planes are coupled to give the 3D angular flux distribution. The 3D CMFD linear system is established from the surface net current of every 3D pin-mesh to accelerate the convergence of power iteration. The STREAM code is extended to be capable of handling 3D problems based on the new approach. Several benchmarks are tested to verify its feasibility and accuracy, including the 3D homogeneous benchmarks and heterogeneous benchmarks. The computational sensitivity is discussed. The results show good accuracy in all tests. With the CMFD acceleration, the convergence is stable. In addition, a pin-cell problem with void gap is calculated. This shows the advantage compared to the traditional 2D/1D MOC methods.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Remarkable charge-trapping efficiency of the memory device with (TiO{sub 2}){sub 0.8}(Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.1} composite charge-storage dielectric

A memory device p-Si/SiO{sub 2}/(TiO{sub 2}){sub 0.8}(Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.1}(TAO-81)/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Pt was fabricated, in which a composite of two high-k dielectrics with a thickness of 1 nm was employed as the charge-trapping layer to enhance the charge-trapping efficiency of the memory device. At an applied gate voltage of ±9 V, TAO-81 memory device shows a memory window of 8.83 V in its C-V curve. It also shows a fast response to a short voltage pulse of 10{sup −5} s. The charge-trapping capability, the endurance, and retention characteristics of TAO-81 memory device can be improved by introducing double TAO-81 charge-trapping layers intercalated by an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer. The charge-trapping mechanism in the memory device is mainly ascribed to the generation of the electron-occupied defect level in the band gap of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} induced by the inter-diffusion between TiO{sub 2} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Substituent effects on the geometric and electronic properties of tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ): A theoretical study.

Electron acceptors are classes of molecules that are important in organic devices as they help to improve the conductivity of organic semiconducting molecules by forming p-type complexes or anion radical complexes. These molecules can be doped into hole transporting materials to provide good ohmic contact with the anode and to improve the carrier density of the hole transport layer. This results in organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) with low driving voltages and high power efficiencies. In this study we investigate a series of TCNQ derivatives with substituents expected to facilitate the electron acceptor capabilities of the quinones using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). As expected, the cyano substitution stabilizes both HOMO and LUMO energy levels, and increases the adiabatic electron affinity of the dopants. The stabilization effect on the LUMO levels is greater and as a result the narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO gap is seen. This fact was further confirmed by TD-DFT studies, energy of the computed S1 ← S0 transition red shifted upon CN substitution. However, perturbation to the ground state geometry is negligible and all anionic structures exhibits aromatization independent of substitution. Our study suggests that the substituted derivatives reported herein show promise as conductivity dopants

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

ULTRAFAST HIGH-VOLTAGE KICKER SYSTEM HARDWARE FOR ION CLEARING GAPS

Ionization scattering of electron beams with residual gas molecules causes ion trapping in electron rings, both in a collider and electron cooling system. These trapped ions may cause emittance growth, tune shift, halo formation, and coherent coupled bunch instabilities. To clear the ions and prevent them from accumulating turn after turn, the gaps in a temporal structure of the beam are used. Typi- cally, the gap in the bunch train has a length of a few per- cent of the ring circumference. In those regions, the extrac- tion electrodes with high pulsed voltages are introduced. In this paper, we present the design consideration and initial test results of the high-voltage pulsed kicker hardware that includes vacuum device and pulsed voltage driver, capable of achieving over 3 kV of deflecting voltage amplitude, rise and fall times of less than 10 ns, 100 ns flat-top duration at 1.4 MHz repetition rate.

Smirnov, A.↗

Low cost, high concentration ratio solar cell array for space applications

A miniaturized Cassegrainian-type concentrator solar array concept for space applications is described. In-orbit cell operating temperatures near 80 C are achieved with purely passive cell cooling and a net concentration ratio of 100. A multiplicity of miniaturized, rigid solar cell concentrator subassemblies are electrically interconnected in conventional fashion and mounted into rigid frames to form concentrator solar panel assemblies approximately 14-mm thick. A plurality of such interconnected panels forms a stowable and deployable solar cell blanket. It is projected that for 20% efficient silicon cells an array of 500 kW beginning-of-life output capability, including orbiter cradle structures, can be transported by a single shuttle orbiter flight into low earth orbit. In-orbit array specific performance is calculated to be approximately 100 W/sq m and 20 W/kg, including all stowage, deployment and array figure control equipment designed for a 30-year orbital life. Higher efficiency gallium arsenide and multiple band gap solar cells will improve these performance factors correspondingly.

Patterson, R. E.↗

Computations of unsteady multistage compressor flows in a workstation environment

High-end graphics workstations are becoming a necessary tool in the computational fluid dynamics environment. In addition to their graphic capabilities, workstations of the latest generation have powerful floating-point-operation capabilities. As workstations become common, they could provide valuable computing time for such applications as turbomachinery flow calculations. This report discusses the issues involved in implementing an unsteady, viscous multistage-turbomachinery code (STAGE-2) on workstations. It then describes work in which the workstation version of STAGE-2 was used to study the effects of axial-gap spacing on the time-averaged and unsteady flow within a 2 1/2-stage compressor. The results included time-averaged surface pressures, time-averaged pressure contours, standard deviation of pressure contours, pressure amplitudes, and force polar plots.

Gundy-Burlet, Karen L.↗

NEXT Long-Duration Test Plume and Wear Characteristics after 16,550 h of Operation and 337 kg of Xenon Processed

The NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) program is developing the next-generation ion propulsion system with significant enhancements beyond the state-of-the-art. The NEXT ion propulsion system provides improved mission capabilities for future NASA science missions to enhance and enable Discovery, New Frontiers, and Flagship-type NASA missions. As part of a comprehensive thruster service life assessment utilizing both testing and analyses, a Long-Duration Test (LDT) was initiated to validate and qualify the NEXT propellant throughput capability to a qualification-level of 450 kg, 1.5 times the mission-derived throughput requirement of 300 kg. This wear test is being conducted with a modified, flight-representative NEXT engineering model ion thruster, designated EM3. As of June 25, 2008, the thruster has accumulated 16,550 h of operation: the first 13,042 h at the thruster full-input-power of 6.9 kW with 3.52 A beam current and 1800 V beam power supply voltage. Operation since 13,042 h, i.e., the most recent 3,508 h, has been at an input power of 4.7 kW with 3.52 A beam current and 1180 V beam power supply voltage. The thruster has processed 337 kg of xenon (Xe) surpassing the NSTAR propellant throughput demonstrated during the extended life testing of the Deep Space 1 flight spare. The NEXT LDT has demonstrated a total impulse of 13.3 106 N s; the highest total impulse ever demonstrated by an ion thruster. Thruster plume diagnostics and erosion measurements are obtained periodically over the entire NEXT throttle table with input power ranging 0.5 to 6.9 kW. Observed thruster component erosion rates are consistent with predictions and the thruster service life assessment. There have not been any observed anomalous erosion and all erosion estimates indicate a thruster throughput capability that exceeds ~750 kg of Xe, an equivalent of 36,500 h of continuous operation at the full-power operating condition. This paper presents the erosion measurements and plume diagnostic results for the NEXT LDT to date with emphasis on the change in thruster operating condition and resulting impact on wear characteristics. Ion optics grid-gap data, both cold and operating, are presented. Performance and wear predictions for the LDT throttle profile are presented.

Herman, Daniel A.↗

Automated Software for Manned Spacecraft - Bridging the Gap from Sci Fi to Reality

With a voice command or a few taps on the console, the spacecraft pivots on a dime at high velocity and gently docks to an orbiting space platform. This is the image most people have of the complex software computations and integrated hardware performance necessary for a spacecraft to successfully perform an automated launch, rendezvous, and docking. Today’s reality is that while computer operations are advancing rapidly, science fiction over-simplifies and over-sells current capabilities. This paper discusses the integration of spacecraft computer automation into the operation of one of the United States’ new Commercial Crew vehicles - the Boeing CST-100 Starliner. Lessons learned by the Boeing Mission Operations team, a private-public partnership with NASA, from conceptual design through real-time operation of the first test flight will be discussed. Focus will center on how operations has learned to use the automated software to their advantage while also knowing how to adjust the automation in response to spacecraft or mission anomalies. One goal of advanced spacecraft automation is the ability to reduce both the crew workload and the ground control footprint while at the same time increasing spacecraft and mission flexibility. Historically, crewed spacecraft required a large number of operators on the ground to use a plethora of tools to compute nominal and contingency mission trajectories. Moving those sophisticated software tools to being onboard the vehicle can reduce the need for such complex ground support. Given that today’s spacecraft software is not yet as capable or as flexible in all circumstances as the computers depicted in movies, there is usually a trade-off between software automation cost and the flexibility of that software resulting in a trade-off between what is performed on the spacecraft and what is left to onboard crew or ground control. For missions that go beyond the Moon, software that autonomously controls nearly every aspect of a crewed mission will become a necessity given the long time delays between the spacecraft and Earth’s ground control teams. The lessons learned by Boeing and its Mission Operations team, through the design and implementation of Starliner’s hardware and software automation, will be able to inform future public and private spacecraft design. As the technologies and capabilities evolve, incorporating lessons learned in successful low Earth orbit commercial crew vehicle missions, spacecraft designs will continue to improve and be able to better enable safe execution of human missions to the Moon and beyond.

Robert C Dempsey↗

Automated Software for Manned Spacecraft - Bridging the Gap from Sci Fi to Reality

With a voice command or a few taps on the console, the spacecraft pivots on a dime at high velocity and gently docks to an orbiting space platform. This is the image most people have of the complex software computations and integrated hardware performance necessary for a spacecraft to successfully perform an automated launch, rendezvous, and docking. Today’s reality is that while computer operations are advancing rapidly, science fiction over-simplifies and over-sells current capabilities. This paper discusses the integration of spacecraft computer automation into the operation of one of the United States’ new Commercial Crew vehicles - the Boeing CST-100 Starliner. Lessons learned by the Boeing Mission Operations team, a private-public partnership with NASA, from conceptual design through real-time operation of the first test flight will be discussed. Focus will center on how operations has learned to use the automated software to their advantage while also knowing how to adjust the automation in response to spacecraft or mission anomalies. One goal of advanced spacecraft automation is the ability to reduce both the crew workload and the ground control footprint while at the same time increasing spacecraft and mission flexibility. Historically, crewed spacecraft required a large number of operators on the ground to use a plethora of tools to compute nominal and contingency mission trajectories. Moving those sophisticated software tools to being onboard the vehicle can reduce the need for such complex ground support. Given that today’s spacecraft software is not yet as capable or as flexible in all circumstances as the computers depicted in movies, there is usually a trade-off between software automation cost and the flexibility of that software resulting in a trade-off between what is performed on the spacecraft and what is left to onboard crew or ground control. For missions that go beyond the Moon, software that autonomously controls nearly every aspect of a crewed mission will become a necessity given the long time delays between the spacecraft and Earth’s ground control teams. The lessons learned by Boeing and its Mission Operations team, through the design and implementation of Starliner’s hardware and software automation, will be able to inform future public and private spacecraft design. As the technologies and capabilities evolve, incorporating lessons learned in successful low Earth orbit commercial crew vehicle missions, spacecraft designs will continue to improve and be able to better enable safe execution of human missions to the Moon and beyond.

Robert C. Dempsey↗