Development Path for Cryogenic Insulation Systems Supporting NASA Exploration

Abstract

The currently stated exploration plan for NASA includes the possibilities ranging from short (several hour duration) upper stage missions sending astronauts towards the vicinity of the moon to multiyear missions to Mars and even making and liquefying propellant on the surface of Mars. As such, NASA has developed a plan to develop multilayer insulation (MLI) at a level it can be engineered for large space craft and upper stage mission durations between several hours to several days. The Evolvable Cryogenics project has been investigating design details related to the design of large MLI blankets for in-space application. Basic MLI performance for large upper stages is scheduled to be demonstrated in 2018 on the Evolvable Cryogenics projects Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER). Different paths are being pursued for Mars Surface applications and these concepts are much less defined and still being traded