Marshall Space Flight Center Research and Technology Report 2017

This report features over 60 technology development and scientific research efforts that collectively aim to enable new capabilities in spaceflight, expand the reach of human exploration, and reveal new knowledge about the universe in which we live. These efforts include a wide array of strategic developments: launch propulsion technologies that facilitate more reliable, routine, and cost effective access to space; in-space propulsion developments that provide new solutions to space transportation requirements; autonomous systems designed to increase our utilization of robotics to accomplish critical missions; life support technologies that target our ability to implement closed-loop environmental resource utilization; science instruments that enable terrestrial, solar, planetary and deep space observations and discovery; and manufacturing technologies that will change the way we fabricate everything from rocket engines to in situ generated fuel and consumables

Spacelab Science Results Study

Beginning with OSTA-1 in November 1981 and ending with Neurolab in March 1998, a total of 36 Shuttle missions carried various Spacelab components such as the Spacelab module, pallet, instrument pointing system, or mission peculiar experiment support structure. The experiments carried out during these flights included astrophysics, solar physics, plasma physics, atmospheric science, Earth observations, and a wide range of microgravity experiments in life sciences, biotechnology, materials science, and fluid physics which includes combustion and critical point phenomena. In all, some 764 experiments were conducted by investigators from the U.S., Europe, and Japan. The purpose of this Spacelab Science Results Study is to document the contributions made in each of the major research areas by giving a brief synopsis of the more significant experiments and an extensive list of the publications that were produced. We have also endeavored to show how these results impacted the existing body of knowledge, where they have spawned new fields, and if appropriate, where the knowledge they produced has been applied

Large space structures and systems in the space station era: A bibliography with indexes

Bibliographies and abstracts are listed for 1219 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between July 1, 1990 and December 31, 1990. The purpose is to provide helpful information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design according to system, interactive analysis and design, structural and thermal analysis and design, structural concepts and control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, and solar power satellite systems

Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration

Abstracts describe missions, mission elements or experiments for consideration in the 2005-2020 time frame. Also the technologies and the support necessary to achieve the results are discussed.NASA Headquarters; Lunar and Planetary Institutehosted by Lunar and Planetary Institute ; sponsored by NASA Headquarters, Lunar and Planetary Institute ; convener Scott Hubbard

Research and technology operating plan summary: Fiscal year 1975 research and technology program

Summaries are presented of Research and Technology Operating Plans currently in progress throughout NASA. Citations and abstracts of the operating plans are presented along with a subject index, technical monitor index, and responsible NASA organization index. Research programs presented include those carried out in the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, Office of Energy Programs, Office of Applications, Office of Space Sciences, Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition, and the Office of Manned Space Flight

Deep Space Gateway Concept Science Workshop : February 27–March 1, 2018, Denver, Colorado

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss what science could be leveraged from a deep space gateway, as well as first-order determination of what instruments are required to acquire the scientific data.Institutional Support, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association ; Executive Committee, Ben Bussey, HEOMD Chief Scientist, NASA Headquarters, Jim Garvin, Goddard Space Flight Center Chief Scientist, Michael New, NASA Headquarters, Deputy AA for Research, SMD, Paul Niles, Executive Secretary, NASA Johnson Space Center, Jim Spann, MSFC Chief Scientist, Eileen Stansbery, Johnson Space CenterPARTIAL CONTENTS: Deep Space Gateway as a Deployment Staging Platform and Communication Hub of Lunar Heat Flow Experiment--Lunar Seismology Enabled by a Deep Space Gateway--In-Situ Measurements of Electrostatic Dust Transport on the Lunar Surface--Science Investigations Enabled by Magnetic Field Measurements on the Lunar Surface--Enhancing Return from Lunar Surface Missions via the Deep Space Gateway--Deep Space Gateway Support of Lunar Surface Ops and Tele-Operational Transfer of Surface Assets to the Next Landing Site--Development of a Lunar Surface Architecture Using the Deep Space Gateway--The Deep Space Gateway: The Next Stepping Stone to Mar

Planetary Science Vision 2050 Workshop : February 27–28 and March 1, 2017, Washington, DC

This workshop is meant to provide NASA’s Planetary Science Division with a very long-range vision of what planetary science may look like in the future.Organizer, Lunar and Planetary Institute ; Conveners, James Green, NASA Planetary Science Division, Doris Daou, NASA Planetary Science Division ; Science Organizing Committee, Stephen Mackwell, Universities Space Research Association [and 14 others]PARTIAL CONTENTS: Exploration Missions to the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud--Future Mercury Exploration: Unique Science Opportunities from Our Solar System’s Innermost Planet--A Vision for Ice Giant Exploration--BAOBAB (Big and Outrageously Bold Asteroid Belt) Project--Asteroid Studies: A 35-Year Forecast--Sampling the Solar System: The Next Level of Understanding--A Ground Truth-Based Approach to Future Solar System Origins Research--Isotope Geochemistry for Comparative Planetology of Exoplanets--The Moon as a Laboratory for Biological Contamination Research--“Be Careful What You Wish For:” The Scientific, Practical, and Cultural Implications of Discovering Life in Our Solar System--The Importance of Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) Analysis and Imaging to the Search for Life on the Ocean Worlds--Follow the (Outer Solar System) Water: Program Options to Explore Ocean Worlds--Analogies Among Current and Future Life Detection Missions and the Pharmaceutical/ Biomedical Industries--On Neuromorphic Architectures for Efficient, Robust, and Adaptable Autonomy in Life Detection and Other Deep Space Missions

Airglow emissions : fundamentals of theory and experiment

In this article, discovery of airglow and ionosphere has been discussed briefly in the historical and scientific perspectives. Mentioning about all significant atmospheric parameters, different areas of research in airglow and different ionospheric layers of importance have been briefly described. Different types of airglow emissions, related chemical kinetics, different excitation mechanisms of the involved atomic, molecular or ionic species have been discussed giving stress specially to four main airglow emissions. Different layers of ionosphere, their characteristic material content and specific ranges of responses to different kinds of interacting fields etc. have also been briefly discussesd. The Sun has been described as the main source of all kinds of energetic interactions with the terrestrial ionosphere. Specific solar parameters, that are representatives of various solar activity, have been discussed briefly in relation with the corresponding covariation of various ionospheric parameters involved in the calculations of airglow intensity. Different solar activity periodicities that have been discovered upto date are mentioned. Relations of different airglow emissions with ionospheric activities and specific ionospheric parameters have been briefly described. The important role of ozone in the stratosphere and lower thermosphere in the production of some airglow emissions has been discussed with exemplary works. Different wellknown features of airglow intensity variations such as altitudinal variation, latitudinal variation etc have also been mentioned. Different atmospheric models have been briefly described along with their usefulness. Descriptions of different missions and campaigns with which a number of airglow experiment sets are involved , have been presented in a tabular form. Discovery of some new airglow lines, some newly proposed excitation mechanisms and related kinetics, and some remeasured or reevaluated constants and coefficients have been reported too. Effect of different types of solar activity, of different kinds of lunar influences and of various terrestrial atmospheric features, such as, geomagnetic field alignment, geomagnetic storm, lightning, earthquake, dynamical coupling between layers of thermosphere, E x B drift and ring current etc on terrestrial airglow emissions have also been briefly discussed. Some interesting airglow related features which have been discovered in recent past are discussed. Applications of different airglow features have been reported. Lastly, facts and speculation about ionospheric compositions, activities and possible airglow emission features of other inner and outer planets, satellites, comets and meteors have been discussed very briefly.Author Affiliation: R Chattopadhyay and S K Midya 1.Haripal G.D. Institution, Khamarchandi, Hooghly-712 405, West Bengal, India 2.Department of Physics, Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly-712 201, West Bengal, India 3.Centre for Space Physics, 43 Chalantika, Garia Station Road, Kolkata-700 084, India E-mail : [email protected] G.D. Institution, Khamarchandi, Hooghly-712 405, West Bengal, India 2Department of Physics, Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly-712 201, West Bengal, India 3Centre for Space Physics, 43 Chalantika, Garia Station Road, Kolkata-700 084, Indi

Marshall Space Flight Center Faculty Fellowship Program

The 2017 Marshall Faculty Fellowship Program involved 21 faculty in the laboratories and departments at Marshall Space Flight Center. These faculty engineers and scientists worked with NASA collaborators on NASA projects, bringing new perspectives and solutions to bear. This Technical Memorandum is a compilation of the research reports of the 2017 Marshall Faculty Fellowship program, along with the Program Announcement (Appendix A) and the Program Description (Appendix B). The research affected the following six areas: (1) Materials (2) Propulsion (3) Instrumentation (4) Spacecraft systems (5) Vehicle systems (6) Space science The materials investigations included composite structures, printing electronic circuits, degradation of materials by energetic particles, friction stir welding, Martian and Lunar regolith for in-situ construction, and polymers for additive manufacturing. Propulsion studies were completed on electric sails and low-power arcjets for use with green propellants. Instrumentation research involved heat pipes, neutrino detectors, and remote sensing. Spacecraft systems research was conducted on wireless technologies, layered pressure vessels, and two-phase flow. Vehicle systems studies were performed on life support-biofilm buildup and landing systems. In the space science area, the excitation of electromagnetic ion-cyclotron waves observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission provided insight regarding the propagation of these waves. Our goal is to continue the Marshall Faculty Fellowship Program funded by Center internal project offices. Faculty Fellows in this 2017 program represented the following minority-serving institutions: Alabama A&M University and Oglala Lakota College

Geobase Information System Impacts on Space Image Formats

As Geobase Information Systems increase in number, size and complexity, the format compatability of satellite remote sensing data becomes increasingly more important. Because of the vast and continually increasing quantity of data available from remote sensing systems the utility of these data is increasingly dependent on the degree to which their formats facilitate, or hinder, their incorporation into Geobase Information Systems. To merge satellite data into a geobase system requires that they both have a compatible geographic referencing system. Greater acceptance of satellite data by the user community will be facilitated if the data are in a form which most readily corresponds to existing geobase data structures. The conference addressed a number of specific topics and made recommendations