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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicles, Volume 1

The design, performance, and programmatic definition of shuttle derived launch vehicles (SDLV) established by two different contractors were assessed and the relative life cycle costs of space transportation systems using the shuttle alone were compared with costs for a mix of shuttles and SDLV's. The ground rules and assumptions used in the evaluation are summarized and the work breakdown structure is included. Approaches used in deriving SDLV costs, including calibration factors and historical data are described. Both SDLV cost estimates and SDLV/STS cost comparisons are summarized. Standard formats are used to report comprehensive SDLV life cycle estimates. Hardware cost estimates (below subsystem level) obtained using the RCA PRICE 84 cost model are included along with other supporting data.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

Natural Gas LCA

This presentation was provided via a pre-recorded presentation at the 2025 Coordinating Research Council Life Cycle Analysis of Transportation Workshop at Argonne National Laboratory on October 9, 2025. The presentation provides an overview of the methods and data sources used in the report, Life Cycle Analysis of Natural Gas Extraction and Power Generation: U.S. 2020 Emissions Profile and briefly discusses discrepancies between top-down and bottom-up inventory methods and how those might be overcome.

LCA↗
NASA NTRS2008

Constellation Program Life-cycle Cost Analysis Model (LCAM)

The Constellation Program (CxP) is NASA's effort to replace the Space Shuttle, return humans to the moon, and prepare for a human mission to Mars. The major elements of the Constellation Lunar sortie design reference mission architecture are shown. Unlike the Apollo Program of the 1960's, affordability is a major concern of United States policy makers and NASA management. To measure Constellation affordability, a total ownership cost life-cycle parametric cost estimating capability is required. This capability is being developed by the Constellation Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Directorate, and is called the Lifecycle Cost Analysis Model (LCAM). The requirements for LCAM are based on the need to have a parametric estimating capability in order to do top-level program analysis, evaluate design alternatives, and explore options for future systems. By estimating the total cost of ownership within the context of the planned Constellation budget, LCAM can provide Program and NASA management with the cost data necessary to identify the most affordable alternatives. LCAM is also a key component of the Integrated Program Model (IPM), an SE&I developed capability that combines parametric sizing tools with cost, schedule, and risk models to perform program analysis. LCAM is used in the generation of cost estimates for system level trades and analyses. It draws upon the legacy of previous architecture level cost models, such as the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Architecture Cost Model (ARCOM) developed for Simulation Based Acquisition (SBA), and ATLAS. LCAM is used to support requirements and design trade studies by calculating changes in cost relative to a baseline option cost. Estimated costs are generally low fidelity to accommodate available input data and available cost estimating relationships (CERs). LCAM is capable of interfacing with the Integrated Program Model to provide the cost estimating capability for that suite of tools.

Prince, Andy↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technoeconomic and life cycle energy analysis of carbon fiber manufactured from coal via a novel solvent extraction process

Coal is a versatile energy resource and was a driver of the industrial revolution that transformed the economies of Europe and North America and the trajectory of civilization. In this work, a technoeconomic analysis was performed for a coal-to-carbon-fiber manufacture process developed at the University of Kentucky’s Center for Applied Energy Research. According to this process, coal, with decant oil as the solvent, was converted to mesophase pitch via solvent extraction, and the mesophase pitch was subsequently converted to carbon fiber. The total cost to produce carbon fibers from coal and decant oil via the solvent extraction process was estimated to be $\$$11.50/kg for 50,000-tow pitch carbon fiber with a production volume of 3750 MT/year. The estimated carbon fiber cost was significantly lower than the current commercially available PAN-based carbon fiber price ($\$$20–$\$$30/kg). With decant oil recycling rates of 50% and 70% in the solvent extraction process, the manufacturing cost of carbon fiber was estimated to be $\$$9.90/kg and $\$$9.50/kg of carbon fiber, respectively. A cradle-to-gate energy assessment revealed that carbon fiber derived from coal exhibited an embodied energy of 510 MJ/kg, significantly lower than that of conventionally produced carbon fiber from PAN. This notable difference is primarily attributed to the substantially higher conversion rate of coal-based mesophase pitch fibers into carbon fiber, surpassing PAN fibers by 1.6 times. These findings indicate that using coal for carbon fiber production through solvent extraction methods could offer a more energy-efficient and cost-competitive alternative to the traditional PAN based approach.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS2010

Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project Status as of May 2010

This paper includes the current status of NASA s Autonomous precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project. The ALHAT team has completed several flight tests and two major design analysis cycles. These tests and analyses examine terrain relative navigation sensors, hazard detection and avoidance sensors and algorithms, and hazard relative navigation algorithms, and the guidance and navigation system using these ALHAT functions. The next flight test is scheduled for July 2010. The paper contains results from completed flight tests and analysis cycles. ALHAT system status, upcoming tests and analyses is also addressed. The current ALHAT plans as of May 2010 are discussed. Application of the ALHAT system to landing on bodies other than the Moon is included

Striepe, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Thermal Analysis of Iodine Satellite (iSAT)

This paper presents the progress of the thermal analysis and design of the Iodine Satellite (iSAT). The purpose of the iSAT spacecraft (SC) is to demonstrate the ability of the iodine Hall Thruster propulsion system throughout a one year mission in an effort to mature the system for use on future satellites. The benefit of this propulsion system is that it uses a propellant, iodine, that is easy to store and provides a high thrust-to-mass ratio. The spacecraft will also act as a bus for an earth observation payload, the Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) Camera. Four phases of the mission, determined to either be critical to achieving requirements or phases of thermal concern, are modeled. The phases are the Right Ascension of the Ascending Node (RAAN) Change, Altitude Reduction, De-Orbit, and Science Phases. Each phase was modeled in a worst case hot environment and the coldest phase, the Science Phase, was also modeled in a worst case cold environment. The thermal environments of the spacecraft are especially important to model because iSAT has a very high power density. The satellite is the size of a 12 unit cubesat, and dissipates slightly more than 75 Watts of power as heat at times. The maximum temperatures for several components are above their maximum operational limit for one or more cases. The analysis done for the first Design and Analysis Cycle (DAC1) showed that many components were above or within 5 degrees Centigrade of their maximum operation limit. The battery is a component of concern because although it is not over its operational temperature limit, efficiency greatly decreases if it operates at the currently predicted temperatures. In the second Design and Analysis Cycle (DAC2), many steps were taken to mitigate the overheating of components, including isolating several high temperature components, removal of components, and rearrangement of systems. These changes have greatly increased the thermal margin available.

Mauro, Stephanie↗
NASA NTRS2010

Altair Descent and Ascent Reference Trajectory Design and Initial Dispersion Analyses

The Altair Lunar Lander is the linchpin in the Constellation Program (CxP) for human return to the Moon. Altair is delivered to low Earth orbit (LEO) by the Ares V heavy lift launch vehicle, and after subsequent docking with Orion in LEO, the Altair/Orion stack is delivered through translunar injection (TLI). The Altair/Orion stack separating from the Earth departure stage (EDS) shortly after TLI and continues the flight to the Moon as a single stack. Altair performs the lunar orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver, targeting a 100-km circular orbit. This orbit will be a polar orbit for missions landing near the lunar South Pole. After spending nearly 24 hours in low lunar orbit (LLO), the lander undocks from Orion and performs a series of small maneuvers to set up for descending to the lunar surface. This descent begins with a small deorbit insertion (DOI) maneuver, putting the lander on an orbit that has a perilune of 15.24 km (50,000 ft), the altitude where the actual powered descent initiation (PDI) commences. At liftoff from Earth, Altair has a mass of 45 metric tons (mt). However after LOI (without Orion attached), the lander mass is slightly less than 33 mt at PDI. The lander currently has a single descent module main engine, with TBD lb(sub f) thrust (TBD N), providing a thrust-to-weight ratio of approximately TBD Earth g's at PDI. LDAC-3 (Lander design and analysis cycle #3) is the most recently closed design sizing and mass properties iteration. Upgrades for loss of crew (LDAC-2) and loss of mission (LDAC-3) have been incorporated into the lander baseline design (and its Master Equipment List). Also, recently, Altair has been working requirements analyses (LRAC-1). All nominal data here are from the LDAC-3 analysis cycle. All dispersions results here are from LRAC-1 analyses.

Kos, Larry D.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Supersonic Free-Jet Combustion in a Ramjet Burner

A new dual-mode ramjet combustor concept intended for operation over a wide flight Mach number range is described. Subsonic combustion mode is similar to that of a traditional ram combustor which allows operation at higher efficiency, and to lower flight Mach numbers than current dual-mode scramjets. High speed mode is characterized by supersonic combustion in a free-jet that traverses the subsonic combustion chamber to a variable nozzle. The maximum flight Mach number of this scheme is governed largely by the same physics as its classical counterpart. Although a variable combustor exit aperture is required, the need for fuel staging to accommodate the combustion process is eliminated. Local heating from shock-boundary-layer interactions on combustor walls is also eliminated. Given the parallel nature of the present scheme, overall flowpath length is less than that of present dual-mode configurations. Cycle analysis was done to define the flowpath geometry for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and then to determine performance based on the CFD results. CFD results for Mach 5, 8, and 12 flight conditions indicate stable supersonic free-jet formation and nozzle reattachment, thereby establishing the basic feasibility of the concept. These results also reveal the structure of, and interactions between the free-jet and recirculating combustion chamber flows. Performance based on these CFD results is slightly less than that of the constant-pressure-combustion cycle analysis primarily due to these interactions. These differences are quantified and discussed. Additional CFD results at the Mach 8 flight condition show the effects of nozzle throat area variation on combustion chamber pressure, flow structure, and performance. Calculations with constant temperature walls were also done to evaluate heat flux and overall heat loads. Aspects of the concept that warrant further study are outlined. These include diffuser design, ramjet operation, mode transition, loss mechanisms, and the effects of secondary flow for wall cooling and combustion chamber pressurization. Also recommended is an examination of system-level aspects such as weight, thermal management and rocket integration as well as alternate geometries and variable geometry schemes.

Trefny, Charles J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Thermal control systems for low-temperature heat rejection on a lunar base

In this report, Rankine-cycle heat pumps and absorption heat pumps (ammonia-water and lithium bromide-water) have been analyzed and optimized for a lunar base cooling load of 100 kW. For the Rankine cycle, a search of several commonly used commercial refrigerants provided R11 and R717 as possible working fluids. Hence, the Rankine-cycle analysis has been performed for both R11 and R717. Two different configurations were considered for the system--one in which the heat pump is directly connected to the rejection loop and another in which a heat exchanger connects the heat pump to the rejection loop. For a marginal increase in mass, the decoupling of the rejection loop and the radiator from the heat pump provides greater reliability of the system and better control. Hence, the decoupled system is the configuration of choice. The optimal TCS mass for a 100 kW cooling load at 270 K was 5940 kg at a radiator temperature of 362 K. R11 was the working fluid in the heat pump, and R717 was the transport fluid in the rejection loop. Two TCS's based on an absorption-cycle heat pump were considered, one with an ammonia-water mixture and the other with a lithium bromide-water mixture as the working fluid. A complete cycle analysis was performed for these systems. The system components were approximated as heat exchangers with no internal pressure drop for the mass estimate. This simple approach underpredicts the mass of the systems, but is a good 'optimistic' first approximation to the TCS mass in the absence of reliable component mass data. The mass estimates of the two systems reveal that, in spite of this optimistic estimate, the absorption heat pumps are not competitive with the Rankine-cycle heat pumps. Future work at the systems level will involve similar analyses for the Brayton- and Stirling-cycle heat pumps. The analyses will also consider the operation of the pump under partial-load conditions. On the component level, a capillary evaporator will be designed, built, and tested in order to investigate its suitability in lunar base TCS and microgravity two-phase applications.

Sridhar, K. R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Future Homes in Space: Development of Concepts for Exploration Space Habitats

NASA’s Artemis campaign seeks to return humans to the moon and establish a sustained presence on the lunar surface. This session will emphasize how habitation capabilities on the moon and in cislunar space can potentially contribute to the sustainability objectives of Artemis. Habitable elements represent opportunities to enable longer duration stays, increase the number of crew members present, enhance science and utilization activities, drive technology development for future Mars exploration, perform analog missions, and fuel economic opportunities for US industry. Panelists include Paul Kessler (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, deputy lead for lunar surface habitation); Andrew Choate (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Mars habitation lead); Krystofer Dudzinski (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, a space architect within the MSFC Advanced Concepts Office); and Larry Toups (retired from NASA Johnson Space Center, currently an adjunct professor at University of Houston in space architecture). The panel is moderated by Tracie Prater (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Habitation Systems Development Office). The panel will begin with an overview of the history of habitation concepts and an academic perspective on general considerations in space habitat design (Larry Toups). Paul Kessler and Andrew Choate will introduce NASA’s principle of “architecting from the right” to help define objectives for Artemis missions, needs/characteristics, use cases, and functions (as published in the agency’s Architecture Definition Document) and provide perspective on how this principle informs habitation concept development work. NASA panelists will discuss key engineering challenges identified for developing, deploying, and operating habitable assets on the lunar surface and/or in deep space. These may include dust mitigation, outfitting of inflatable softgoods (for concepts which may use softgoods as a primary structural material), survival in lunar darkness, human health and performance considerations, maintenance/repair/sparing, and autonomy. These identified challenges represent risks for habitation systems development and relate closely to capability gaps identified by the agency. While the work of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s habitation development office is primarily focused on habitats which are launched from earth pre-integrated (referred to as Class I in the framework previously developed by NASA space architects Kennedy/Cohen) or launched from earth and deployed at the point of use (Class II), there is also extensive work in NASA, academia, and companies on constructed habitats, which would be built on a planetary surface using indigenous resources (Class III habitats). Panelist Krystopher Dudzinski will discuss potential evolutionary pathways from Class I and Class II habitats to Class III habitats, unique and common architectural challenges within each habitat class, and key gaps in implementing Class III habitats from an architectural perspective. NASA panelists and the moderator will also provide an overview of partnership opportunities and avenues for further engagement to advance habitation systems for the SpaceCom audience. NASA is currently developing notional concepts for a lunar surface habitat and Mars transit habitat, which will be discussed during this panel session and used as examples. These concepts represent options for habitation system design and are a point of departure. They do not represent a final plan or formal recommendation on the part of the agency. Based on the most recent analysis cycle, NASA’s lunar surface habitat (SH) concept nominally supports two crew members for 30 days, with the capacity to support four crew during a surge period where crew will swap between the SH and another surface asset, such as a pressurized rover. This example design has a metallic airlock for ingress/egress and the upper portion is an inflatable material system which serves as the habitation module. The notional interior of the habitat is a three-deck layout/configuration which supports all crew mission functions, including exercise, stowage, extravehicular activity (EVA), sleep, hygiene waste collection, maintenance and repair, and meal preparation. Under analysis assumptions for habitation, the Mars Transit Habitat (TH) concept would support four crew on an up to 1,200 day Mars mission. One option for the concept is to initially dock Transit Habitat at Gateway, where it can be used to increase the duration of crew stays in cislunar space and perform shakedown and analog missions prior to a Mars departure. One challenge in longer duration missions which involve both surface exploration and transit is understanding crew adaptation when transitioning between partial gravity and microgravity environments. TH at Gateway offers an opportunity to study this transition and in doing so reduce risks associated with future Mars exploration. Like lunar SH, the most recent analysis cycle concept of a Mars TH is a hybrid structure design, with a metallic section supporting EVAs, axial/radial docking, and Safe Haven capabilities, and an inflatable softgoods structure for the primary habitation function. Interior layouts to optimize crew usability and livability are currently under trade. The panel will include presentation material, but also seeks to engage the audience in a highly interactive conversation regarding the potential role for habitation in future exploration initiatives. Potential topics for discussion include the influence of the crew experience on habitation systems design and livability/usability considerations, the benefits of space habitation development in terrestrial applications, and challenges and opportunities in “feeding forward” lunar surface habitation systems development to Mars exploration.

space habitats↗
DOE OSTI2026

Data for Protoplast Fusion as a Strategy to Increase Ploidy in Rhodotorula toruloides for Strain Development

Rhodotorula toruloides is a red oleaginous yeast with growing commercial interest because of its hardiness and exceptional lipid production capacity. Because it is a basidiomycete yeast with a complex life cycle, many of the classical breeding methods used with ascomycetes are unavailable for strain improvement. However, we have been able to construct polyploid yeast by fusing protoplasts of parents with the same mating type. Fusing of Y-6985 (A2) and Y-48190 (A2), which had been transformed with complementary antibiotic markers, led to the recovery of two diploids and one triploid. The stability of the fusion yeasts was tested by plating them on non-selective medium after several growth cycles under antibiotics and then testing five colonies per strain for nuclear DNA contents using flow cytometry and standard cell cycle analysis: the triploid and one diploid were stable. Fusants inherited their mitochondria from a single parent, which was demonstrated using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of mitochondrial DNA. The phenotypic properties of the parents and fusants were compared in glucose fed-batch bioreactor studies and cellulosic sugar batch cultures. The final lipid titers for the fed-batch cultures were 24.9–39.7 g/L with Y-6985 and the diploid and triploid performing the best and worst, respectively. The fusants demonstrated intermediate hardiness for growth on hydrolysate prepared with dilute-acid pretreated switchgrass and were outperformed by Y-48190. Unlike one of the haploid parents, the fusants grew in 70% v/v concentrated hydrolysate. However, they did not grow as fast as the other haploid. In this study, a modernized protoplast fusion method is resurrected a useful tool for strain development in this yeast, which is complementary with other available methods.

FOS: Biological sciences↗
NASA NTRS2012

System-of-Systems Technology-Portfolio-Analysis Tool

Advanced Technology Life-cycle Analysis System (ATLAS) is a system-of-systems technology-portfolio-analysis software tool. ATLAS affords capabilities to (1) compare estimates of the mass and cost of an engineering system based on competing technological concepts; (2) estimate life-cycle costs of an outer-space-exploration architecture for a specified technology portfolio; (3) collect data on state-of-the-art and forecasted technology performance, and on operations and programs; and (4) calculate an index of the relative programmatic value of a technology portfolio. ATLAS facilitates analysis by providing a library of analytical spreadsheet models for a variety of systems. A single analyst can assemble a representation of a system of systems from the models and build a technology portfolio. Each system model estimates mass, and life-cycle costs are estimated by a common set of cost models. Other components of ATLAS include graphical-user-interface (GUI) software, algorithms for calculating the aforementioned index, a technology database, a report generator, and a form generator for creating the GUI for the system models. At the time of this reporting, ATLAS is a prototype, embodied in Microsoft Excel and several thousand lines of Visual Basic for Applications that run on both Windows and Macintosh computers.

O'Neil, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS1979

Computerized systems analysis and optimization of aircraft engine performance, weight, and life cycle costs

The computational techniques utilized to determine the optimum propulsion systems for future aircraft applications and to identify system tradeoffs and technology requirements are described. The characteristics and use of the following computer codes are discussed: (1) NNEP - a very general cycle analysis code that can assemble an arbitrary matrix fans, turbines, ducts, shafts, etc., into a complete gas turbine engine and compute on- and off-design thermodynamic performance; (2) WATE - a preliminary design procedure for calculating engine weight using the component characteristics determined by NNEP; (3) POD DRG - a table look-up program to calculate wave and friction drag of nacelles; (4) LIFCYC - a computer code developed to calculate life cycle costs of engines based on the output from WATE; and (5) INSTAL - a computer code developed to calculate installation effects, inlet performance and inlet weight. Examples are given to illustrate how these computer techniques can be applied to analyze and optimize propulsion system fuel consumption, weight, and cost for representative types of aircraft and missions.

Fishbach, L. H.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scaleup and Site-Specific Engineering Design for Global Thermostat Direct Air Capture Technology

The overall goal of the project is completion of an initial design of a commercial-scale, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Direct Air Capture (CCUS-DAC) plant design at three different sites that captures a net of at least 100,000 tonnes per year (TPY) carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the atmosphere and considers compression and conditioning of the captured CO 2 for purpose of pipeline transportation to different geological formation sites for deep well injection and underground storage. In addition to the leading system consisting of a scaled-up Global Thermostat DAC unit, overall plant design includes a combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit integrated with a conventional liquid amine-based carbon capture system (90% capture) and compression facilities. These are considered balance of plant (BOP) systems and are required to provide low carbon-intensity steam and power to the DAC process. A second approach involving provision of DAC units modified to directly capture emissions from the CHP unit was initially assessed as an alternative and it was determined to be less mature than considered approach and not included in the scaled-up plant design efforts. Three geographically diverse continental United States locations were selected to better understand the effect of local/regional ambient conditions on scaled-up DAC system performance and project costs: Bucks, Alabama (hot wet climate), Odessa, Texas (dry hot climate), and Goose Creek, Illinois (mid continental climate). The team focused on initial engineering design activities, including the development of project design criteria, initiation of site-specific studies and investigations, completion of DAC system process and equipment design, and definition of balance of plant (BOP) engineering. The purpose of the activities were to develop Technoeconomic Analysis (TEA), Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA), and Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) analysis, and Business Case Analysis (BCA) to validate that the project engineering and scale-up plans of the DAC systems, at each of the three distinct case studies considered, are technically, economically, and environmentally feasible for commercial-scale operation.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ammonium Looping with Membrane Absorber and Distributed Stripper for Enhanced Algae Growth

The objective of this project is to conduct a comprehensive investigation to develop and demonstrate a practical, reliable, and cost-effective integrated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture and biofixation process for algae production. This process utilizes a chemical hindered ammonium solution (NH 4 OH) as both a capture reagent and an algae nutrient. The membrane absorber employed in the system ensured minimal ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions in the treated flue gas. Additionally, distributed solar-energy powered strippers located near the bioreactor modules facilitate solvent regeneration and enable just-in-time delivery of CO 2 and NH 3 to the algae, thereby minimizing the pH swing for enhanced productivity. The proposed membrane CO 2 absorber and solar-powered stripper is designed and seamlessly integrated with the existing 0.1 MWth bench-scale CO 2 capture system (CCS) and open raceway ponds (ORPs) at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (UK CAER) campus. The entire integrated process has undergone construction, operation, testing, and analysis. Furthermore, technology has been evaluated with a techno-economic analysis (TEA), technology gap analysis (TGA), life-cycle analysis (LCA), and a technology maturation plan (TMP). This project was performed within two budget periods, 54 months in duration. There are fourteen Project Tasks, twelve Milestones and four Success Criteria.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗