Science
Nuclear Propulsion Could Help Get Humans to Mars Faster
This is from a NASA press release dated February 12, 2021…
As NASA’s Perseverance rover homes in on the Red Planet, engineers on the ground are furthering potential propulsion technologies for the first human missions to Mars. NASA is looking at two types of nuclear propulsion systems – nuclear electric and nuclear thermal propulsion.
Nuclear electric propulsion systems use propellants much more efficiently than chemical rockets but provide a low amount of thrust. They use a reactor to generate electricity that positively charges gas propellants like xenon or krypton, pushing the ions out through a thruster, which drives the spacecraft forward. Using low thrust efficiently, nuclear electric propulsion systems accelerate spacecraft for extended periods and can propel a Mars mission for a fraction of the propellant of high thrust systems.
Credits: NASA
Nuclear thermal propulsion technology provides high thrust and twice the propellant efficiency of chemical rockets. The system works by transferring heat from the reactor to a liquid propellant. That heat converts the liquid into a gas, which expands through a nozzle to provide thrust and propel a spacecraft.
NASA, in coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE), is asking industry for preliminary reactor design concepts for a nuclear thermal propulsion system. The agencies plan to fund several efforts to explore different approaches. Future follow-on contracts will generate more detailed reactor designs and build preliminary testing hardware.
“While NASA’s immediate priority is returning humans to the Moon with the Artemis program, we are also investing in ‘tall pole’ technologies that could enable crewed missions to Mars,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). “We look forward to seeing what innovations industry offer in nuclear propulsion as well as fission surface power via a forthcoming request for proposals for that technology.”
Human Missions to Mars
To date, only robotic explorers have traveled to Mars, without the need for returning to Earth. Waiting for optimal planetary alignment for the return trip would require astronauts to loiter at Mars for more than a year, stretching the round-trip mission to more than three years.
NASA’s goal is to minimize the time the crew travels between Earth and Mars to as close to two years as is practical. Space nuclear propulsion systems could enable shorter total mission times and provide enhanced flexibility and efficiency for mission designers.
To keep the round-trip crewed mission duration to about two years, at a minimum, NASA is looking at nuclear-enabled transportation systems to facilitate shorter-stay surface missions. The systems would take advantage of optimal planetary alignment for a low-energy transit for one leg of the trip and the new technology’s enhanced performance to make the higher-energy transit for the other leg.
It’s too soon to say what propulsion system will take the first astronauts to Mars, as there remains significant development required for each approach.
Illustration of a spacecraft with a nuclear-enabled propulsion system. Credits: NASA
Technology Readiness
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, leads the agency’s space nuclear propulsion project in partnership with a DOE team that includes scientists and engineers from Idaho National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. STMD’s Technology Demonstration Missions program funds the technology development.
Nuclear electric propulsion builds on NASA’s work maturing solar electric propulsion thrusters and systems for Artemis, as well as the development of fission power for the lunar surface. Significant investment has also been made in relevant fuel and reactor technologies for small, terrestrial reactors that could be adapted to space reactors to power electric propulsion. The U.S. government’s aim to establish a fuel fabrication capability has a range of applications, including nuclear propulsion and fission surface power.
Credits: NASA/Mick Speer
Nuclear thermal propulsion has been on NASA’s radar for more than 60 years. The new hardware design and development phase pursued through a request for proposals released Feb. 12, 2021, builds on existing efforts to mature crucial elements of a nuclear thermal propulsion system.
NASA, in partnership with DOE, is developing and testing new fuels that use low-enriched uranium for space applications to see how they perform under the extreme thermal and radiation environments needed for nuclear thermal propulsion. NASA is working closely with DOE, industry, and universities to put fuel samples in research reactors at Idaho National Laboratory’s Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nuclear Reactor Laboratory for nuclear testing. The team is also performing non-nuclear testing in simulated reactors at Marshall test facilities.
“The reactor underpinning a nuclear thermal propulsion system is a significant technical challenge due to the very high operating temperatures needed to meet the propulsion performance goals,” explained Anthony Calomino, NASA’s nuclear technology portfolio lead within STMD.
While most of the engine operates at modest temperatures, materials in direct contact with the reactor fuel must be able to survive temperatures above 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA and DOE have been working with industry on a viable approach, and industry will now develop preliminary designs to meet this challenge.
Technology Infusion
“We’re exploring both nuclear electric and nuclear thermal propulsion options for crewed Mars missions,” Calomino said. “Each technology has its unique advantages and challenges that need to be carefully considered when determining the final preference.”
Whichever propulsion system is ultimately chosen, the fundamentals of nuclear propulsion can enable robust and efficient exploration beyond the Moon. NASA will continue to develop, test, and mature various propulsion technologies to reduce risk and inform the Mars transport architecture.
Source: NASA
News
Media Invited to NASA’s 30th Anniversary of International Rover Competition
Join NASA in celebrating 30 years of rover competition! Media invited to witness the incredible innovation and engineering prowess of student teams from around the world. #NASA #RoverCompetition
Calling all space enthusiasts! Get ready to witness an incredible display of innovation and engineering prowess as NASA celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Human Exploration Rover Challenge. This prestigious rover competition will be held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge Course in Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20. The best part? It’s free and open to the public!
Imagine more than 600 students from around the world, representing 42 colleges and universities and 30 high schools, utilizing their knowledge and skills to navigate a complex obstacle course. These brilliant young minds will be piloting their very own human-powered vehicles, designed and produced as part of NASA’s engineering design challenge. It’s an event you won’t want to miss!
Media personnel are cordially invited to attend this awe-inspiring event and witness firsthand the ingenuity and determination radiating from these talented students. Whether you’re a journalist looking to cover the competition or an interviewer eager to sit down with the participants, this is an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up. Contact Taylor Goodwin in the Marshall Office of Communications at 938-210-2891 no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, April 18, to secure your spot.
The International Rover Competition has always been a platform for aspiring engineers to showcase their skills, and this year’s event promises to be a milestone celebration. Participants from not only 24 states across the United States but also the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 13 other countries will gather to demonstrate their enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge and their passion for space exploration.
As a testament to their hard work, dedication, and creativity, NASA will host an in-person awards ceremony on Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m. inside the Space Camp Operations Center at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. This grand finale will honor the remarkable achievements of the teams throughout the eight-month-long engineering design project. Awards will be presented for categories such as best rover design, best pit crew, and even best social media presence.
So mark your calendars and get ready for an exhilarating experience! Witness the future of space exploration unfold before your eyes. Join NASA in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the International Rover Competition and support these incredible young minds as they inspire a new generation of engineers and explorers.
Don’t forget to contact Taylor Goodwin in the Marshall Office of Communications at 938-210-2891 no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, April 18, to secure your media access and set up interviews. Remember, you don’t want to miss out on this out-of-this-world opportunity!
See you at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for an incredible showcase of innovation and human ingenuity!
About the Challenge
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge tasks high school, college, and university students around the world to design, build, and test their lightweight, human-powered rovers on a course simulating lunar and Martian terrain, all while completing mission-focused science tasks. Eligible teams compete to be among the top three finishers in their divisions, and to win multiple awards including best vehicle design, best rookie team, and more.
The challenge annually draws hundreds of students from around the world and reflects the goals of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.
The event was launched in 1994 as the NASA Great Moonbuggy Race – a collegiate competition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. It expanded in 1996 to include high school teams, evolving again in 2014 into the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. Since its inception, more than 15,000 students have participated – with many former students now working in the aerospace industry, including with NASA.
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge is managed by NASA’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement at Marshall and is one of eight Artemis Student Challenges. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement uses challenges and competitions to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
To learn more about the challenge, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/home/index.html
https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ — Students from Syracuse City School District and Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, will have an opportunity this week to hear from alumna and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps aboard the International Space Station.
The space to Earth call will stream live at 10 a.m. EDT April 18, on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.
Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, to Amanda Hull from Syracuse City Schools at ahull@scsd.us, 973-975-9712, or Joe Della Pasta from Le Moyne College at dellapjb@lemoyne.edu, 315-445-4564.
In preparation for the event, Syracuse City School District highlighted Epps’ contributions to aerospace and the local community in a collaborative effort between their social studies and STEM classrooms. Epps is an alumnae of Syracuse City schools and Le Moyne College.
Le Moyne hosted an eclipse viewing event on April 8 with astronomy and science talks by faculty and local science clubs. On April 12, Grant Farrokh, a space station trajectory operations and planning officer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and also a former Le Moyne student, gave a presentation to students. On April 18 student clubs and organizations at Le Moyne will participate in the streaming event, and the college career advising and development office will discuss career opportunities for students.
For more than 23 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts living in space aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the International Space Station benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.
See videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the space station at:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
SOURCE NASA
WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ — To address a rapidly changing space operating environment and ensure its preservation for generations to come, NASA released the first part of its integrated Space Sustainability Strategy, on Tuesday advancing the agency’s role as a global leader on this crucial issue.
“The release of this strategy marks true progress for NASA on space sustainability,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “Space is busy – and only getting busier. If we want to make sure that critical parts of space are preserved so that our children and grandchildren can continue to use them for the benefit of humanity, the time to act is now. NASA is making sure that we’re aligning our resources to support sustainable activity for us and for all.”
For decades, NASA has served as a proactive leader for responsible and sustainable space operations. Entities across the agency develop best practices, analytic tools, and technologies widely adopted by operators around the world. The new strategy seeks to integrate those efforts through a whole-of-agency approach – allowing NASA to focus its resources on the most pressing issues. To facilitate that integration, NASA will appoint a new director of space sustainability to coordinate activities across the agency.
Key aspects of our approach include providing global leadership in space sustainability, supporting equitable access to space, and ensuring NASA’s missions and operations enhance space sustainability.
Space environments currently are seeing the rapid emergence of commercial capabilities, many of them championed by NASA. These capabilities include increased low Earth orbit satellite activity and plans for the use of satellite constellations, autonomous spacecraft, and commercial space destinations. However, this increased activity also has generated challenges, such as an operating environment more crowded with spacecraft and increased debris. Understanding the risks and benefits associated with this growth is crucial for space sustainability.
Developed under the leadership of a crossagency advisory board, the space sustainability strategy focuses on advancements NASA can make toward measuring and assessing space sustainability in Earth orbit, identifying cost-effective ways to meet sustainability targets, incentivizing the adoption of sustainable practices through technology and policy development, and increasing efforts to share and receive information with the rest of the global space community.
NASA’s approach to space sustainability recognizes four operational domains: Earth, Earth orbit, the orbital area near and around the Moon known as cislunar space, and deep space, including other celestial bodies. The first volume of the strategy focuses on sustainability in Earth orbit. NASA plans to produce additional volumes focusing on the other domains.
Learn more about the Space Sustainability Strategy at:
https://www.nasa.gov/spacesustainability
SOURCE NASA
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