National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research & Technology Transfer 2003 Program Solicitations
TOPIC F7 Space Transportation
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F7.01 High Power Electric Propulsion For Human Missions
F7.02 Propulsion Systems Ground Test Operations
F7.03 Energy Conversion, Electromagnetic Launch Assist and Energy Storage
The goal of the Space Transportation topic is to identify and develop specific new space transportation technologies that can significantly increase the safety and reliability of ambitious future human exploration missions and campaigns beyond Earth orbit, while dramatically reducing the transportation-related cost of human exploration initial missions and sustained campaigns. This includes both systems and infrastructures associated with Earth-to-orbit transportation, in-space transport, and excursions from space to and from targets in space (including the Moon, Mars and asteroids). The objectives under this topic include 1) developing and demonstrating selected, highly innovative technologies needed to assure that future human exploration space transportation systems and infrastructures are safe and "robustly" reliable, 2) developing and validating technologies for the affordable transportation to - and from - targets in space beyond low Earth orbit, 3) enabling reliable and affordable transportation to all points of interest globally on the Moon or Mars, 4) establishing a foundation for profitable commercial development of space applications of these technologies in the mid- to far-term, 5) revolutionary propulsion systems and advanced space transfer technologies with application to mid- and far-term space exploration missions. Propulsion technologies that push the state-of-the-art in electric, electromagnetic, thermal and chemical systems, and 6) fission propulsion systems technologies that enable rapid and affordable in-space transportation, potentially leading to ambitious exploration of the solar system and beyond.
F7.01 High Power Electric Propulsion For Human Missions
Lead Center: GRC
Participating Center(s): JSC, MSFC
High power electric propulsion (e.g., ion, Hall, MPD, pulsed inductive, VASIMR and other plasma thrusters) is an essential technology for orbit insertion and planetary transfers of future nuclear and non-nuclear human exploration spacecraft. This subtopic solicits innovative component technologies related to high power electric propulsion systems for these applications. Innovations may increase system efficiency, increase system and/or component life, increase system and/or component durability, reduce system and/or component mass, reduce system complexity, reduce development issues, or provide other definable benefits. For this subtopic high power electric propulsion is defined as systems with power levels of 100-kW to several megawatts and higher. Desired specific impulses range from a value of 2000 s for Earth-orbit transfers to over 6000 s for planetary missions. System efficiencies in excess of 50% are desired. System lifetimes commensurate with mission requirements (typically 10,000+ hours of operation) are desired. Component technologies for high power applications of particular interest are those that can be commercially spun-off or can also be applied to lower power electric propulsion devices/applications. Proposed high power electric thruster component technologies must have near-term applications that can be pursued in a Phase-II effort. Examples of component technologies of interest include but are not limited to:
- High voltage propellant isolators
- Long-life, high current cathodes
- Innovative plasma neutralization concepts
- Metal propellant management systems/components
- Cathodes for metal propellants
- Low mass, high efficiency power electronics for RF discharges
- Low voltage, high temperature wire for electromagnets
- High temperature permanent magnets and/or electromagnets
- Application of advanced materials for electrodes and wiring
- Highly accurate propellant control devices/schemes
- Miniature propellant flow meters
- Lightweight, long-life storage systems for krypton and/or hydrogen
- Fast acting, very long life valves and switches for pulsed inductive thrusters
- Superconducting magnets
- Lifetime models for hollow cathodes (ion, hall) and/or refractory metal cathodes (MPD)
- Lightweight thrust vector control for high power thrusters
- High fidelity methods of determining the thrust of ion, Hall, MPD, VASIMR engines without using conventional thrust-stands.
- Heat transfer and rejection components for high temperature and cryogenic regimes (applications of advanced materials, heat pipes, etc.)
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F7.02 Propulsion Systems Ground Test Operations
Lead Center: SSC
Participating Center(s): JSC, MSFC
Proposals are solicited for innovative technologies applicable to ground testing of rocket engines. The goal is to reduce overall propulsion test operations costs (recurring costs) and/or increase reliability and performance of ground test facilities.
Specific areas of required technology innovation include the following:
- Improved cryogenic high-pressure/high-flow rate instrumentation. Temperature sensors that are exposed to the high pressure (up to 15,000 psi) and high flow rates (up to 2000 lb/sec, 300 ft/sec) required in cryogenic (down to 34R) rocket engine testing must be built with significant mass to survive the testing environment. Such robust sensors tend to have slower response rates. There is a need for temperature sensors with millisecond response times that can withstand the afore-mentioned rocket engine testing environment.
- Improved low-cost cryogenic insulation. A requirement exists for more durable insulation materials for cryogenic (liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen) tanks, pipes, and valves. This insulation must be resistant to deterioration in an environment of intense sunlight, high humidity, and frequent, heavy rainfall. It must also be resistant to detachment during thermal contraction and expansion cycles of the insulated components.
- Improved cryogenic propellant conditioning methods. New propulsion systems using cryogenic fueled rocket engines are tested using low and high pressure propellant feed systems.
- Economical techniques to maintain the lowest possible liquid propellant feed temperatures (LN, LOX, LH) are sought, including techniques to subcool the propellant.
- Model development and validation of flare stacks, flare stack flame geometry, and flare stack atmospheric effects. When using hydrogen as a rocket engine propellant, hydrogen from boil-off, or hydrogen exhaust from testing components cannot be vented to the atmosphere. Flare stacks are used to burn off this excess hydrogen during both standby and testing operations. New techniques for modeling and designing flare stacks are needed to develop flare systems having improved operational ranges, reduced cost for supplemental purge gas usage, and low environmental impact. These flare systems must operate over a wide range of hydrogen flow rates, which span the range of a few cubic feet per minute to hundreds of pounds per second.
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F7.03 Energy Conversion, Electromagnetic Launch Assist and Energy Storage
Lead Center: MSFC
Today’s conventional launch systems employ world-class, state-of-the-art materials and propulsion technologies. However, the cost of launch services remains prohibitive for many commercial enterprises and safe, reliable, cost-effective alternatives remain unavailable.
The most reliable, thus cost effective launch vehicles, obtain the necessary performance by incorporating multiple-stage propulsion systems. A fully Expendable Launch Vehicle or ELV, characteristically offers a lower priced launch service than NASA’s Space Shuttle. However, common to both systems is the vertical trajectory, or initial flight path. This approach to orbit requires the vehicle’s propulsion system to maintain a thrust greater than it’s own opposing weight until it escapes the influence of earth’s gravity.
While ELV’s offer reduced launch costs, the savings resulting from higher launch rates (economy of numbers) eventually approach a limit. This limit arises as the result of replacing major launcher elements after each launch, or more likely, the entire launch vehicle. In spite of advances in automated manufacturing and common launcher elements, the costs associated with delivering payloads to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), or Geo-synchronous orbit (GEO), are at best in the $600-$1000 per lb. range. Consequently, prospective users resort to alternatives such as building land lines instead of launching satellites, or postpone launch plans altogether until costs become more favorable.
Future launch systems demonstrating the best mission success or safety record will also have the lowest Total Life Cycle Cost (TLCC).
An electromagnetic accelerator (EMA or EM catapult) can be employed to substantially reduce the landing gear and wing weights of vehicles designed to be launched horizontally. An EMA is essentially a linear motor scaled to accelerate the launch vehicle to a safe release velocity. Launch vehicles weighing 100 M tons or more GLOW (Gross Lift Off Weight), can be reliably accelerated to velocities beyond 130 m/s. In addition, the accelerator may be designed to provide a refused take off mode or abort, effectively recovering much of the energy expended during the aborted launch.
In order to meet NASA’s desired goals of reducing payload costs and increasing launch vehicle safety, proposals for the following technology areas are needed:
- Linear motor technologies that enable reliable operations under harsh use conditions.
- Technologies enabling safe and efficient accelerations of heavy loads at high velocities.
- Technologies improving reliability and efficiency of energy storage and transfer processes.
- Technologies providing safe, reliable and environmentally benign electrical energy generation.
- System methodologies integrating command, control and communication functions that support autonomous systems operation.
- Diagnostic methods incorporating algorithms of critical hardware and software parameters for detection of off-nominal system performance and reconfiguration provisions to provide fail-safe systems operation.
- Methods for assimilating health-monitoring information within subsystems or across subsystems to enable integrated system health management and self-correcting systems.
- Methods that enable the coordination of diagnostic activities between automated systems and humans for rapid detection of anomalies, troubleshooting, and recovery of critical system functions.
- Component technologies providing evolvable and adaptable features for maintaining state-of-the-art performance and capabilities.
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