Browse Topic: Reusable launch vehicles and shuttles

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TitleSAE-PP-004189/13/2021
Abstract
Jackson, Alyssa, Jackson, Alyssa, SintzUSER, Jeneane, SintzUSER, Jeneane, Jackson, Alyssa, Jackson, Alyssa, SintzUSER, Jeneane, SintzUSER, Jeneane
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Bosch USA: Driving Vehicle Software Into the Future131578/6/2021
Think about the computing software required to run your car. Your vehicle likely runs on about 100 million lines of code - 100 times more than the Space Shuttle, 4 times more than a commercial aircraft, and the equivalent of nearly 18,000 printed pages. In the near future, the tech installed in automated vehicles will contain between 300 and 500 million lines of code - and there's surely more to come. Tim Frasier, Regional President of North America for Bosch USA's new Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division, discussed how his new team combines software, electrical, and electronics engineers to create a consistent IT architecture throughout the vehicle. These bright minds and brilliant engineers came together at Bosch's Hackathon to create a new product idea that scored highest in its category at the 2020 CES Best of Innovation Awards.
Hineman, Marcie
7.0.119 - Development of Combustion Solution Meeting CPCB II Emission Norms for Medium Duty Diesel Engines with Mechanical Fuel Injection SystemSAE-PP-002952/4/2021
Indian emission norms for stationary Gensets are upgraded from CPCB I to CPCB II. These new emission norms call for a significant change in emission limits. CPCB II emission norms call for 62% reduction in NOx+HC and 33% reduction in particulates for engines above 75 kW up to 800 kW power range compared to existing CPCB I norms. CPCB II norms are more stringent as compared to European Stage IIIA and CEV BS III. To meet equivalent emission norms in US and Europe most of the engine manufacturers have used Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) or electronic unit injection as the fuel injection technology. This paper describes mechanical fuel injection solution for meeting CPCB II emission norms on engines between 93 kW up to 552 kW with acceptable fuel consumption values. The paper presents simulation and experimentation work carried out to achieve the norms for the said power ratings. It describes the optimization strategy for controlling combustion related parameters viz. fuel injection
Lname, Fname
6.0.115 - Legal and Consumer Requirements in ASEAN CountriesSAE-PP-002702/4/2021
South East Asia is one of the regions with highest traffic-related fatality rates worldwide −18.5 fatalities per 100.000 inhabitants-. In response to that, governments of ASEAN countries are currently introducing new regulations, which will help to improve the road safety standards in the region. This paper reviews new safety regulations in force of following ASEAN countries: Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. General safety trends promote the approach to international standards as well as the adoption of UNECE regulations. In fact, the 1958 agreement was signed by Thailand and Malaysia in 2006. Besides, Malaysia has gradually adopted fifty-three UNECE regulations so far and is currently considering the inclusion of twenty-four more. After the success of other NCAP organizations, the ASEAN NCAP assessment program was established in 2011. This program is powered by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the Global New Car
Mutagaana, Festo
Vertical Take-Off & Landing Aircraft, VTOL Ground EffectsSAE-PP-002412/3/2021
The ground-effect problems of loss of thrust and fountain-effect instabilities are quantified. Experiments to control and augment ground-effect lift and stability are presented, including jet momentum-reflection and fountain re-direction using various types of internal and external underbody ventral strakes. By strategically designing the VTOL ventral surface, reflection of the impinging fountain momentum is possible, so that instead of losing 10% thrust while in ground-effect, remarkably, thrust is augmented 10% or more, to a considerable height above the ground, in addition to stabilizing random pitch and roll moments caused by fountain instability.
Anthony, Lindsay, Jackson, Alyssa
062 - An Investigation on the Auto-Ignition of Fuel-Air Mixture Induced by Release of Oil-Fuel Droplets from Cylinder-Liner Using Multi-Zone ModelSAE-PP-002011/30/2021
This study investigated effects of gas inhomogeneity induced by droplets of fuels and oils on the auto ignition timing and temperature in the direct-injection spark ignition (DISI) engine by means of detailed numerical calculation using multi zone model. Recent researchers pointed out that droplets are made of fuels and oils which mix on the cylinder liner and released from the cylinder liner [1]. During the compression stroke released droplets reach the auto ignition temperature before flame propagation induced by spark ignition. It is called Pre-ignition. In combustion chamber, there is inhomogeneity caused by temperature and mixture distribution. In this study, the effects of gas inhomogeneity produced by droplet on the auto ignition timing and temperature have been investigated using Multi-Zone model of CHEMKIN-PRO by changing initial temperature and initial equivalence ratio. Especially, the volume of first ignition zone is focused on. As for fuels, this study used n-heptane to
Mutagaana, Festo
Facility Focus: NASA John C. Stennis Space CenterTBMG-376359/1/2020
In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy issued his challenge for the United States to send humans to the Moon and back by the end of that decade, a site was needed to test the powerful rocket engines and stages that would propel them on the historic journey. For NASA officials, the rough terrain of Hancock County, Mississippi provided five essentials for testing the large Apollo Program engines and stages: isolation from large population centers, water and road access for transportation, available public utilities, supporting local communities, and a climate conducive to year-round testing.
Thrust in Space - The Nuances of Thruster Valve DesignTBMG-373808/1/2020
Applications for thruster valves are growing daily. More and more companies are designing rockets, satellites, and reusable space vehicles that require thruster valves to position, maintain, or change vehicle orbit in space. In particular, launch systems designed to place small, micro, and nano satellites into orbit are proliferating. This new generation of satellites is designed to provide everything from communications, imaging, GPS, weather forecasting, climate change monitoring, and even monitoring of farmland irrigation and fertilization needs. The demand for space-based images especially drives the need for more imaging satellites.
Thrust in Space The Nuances of Thruster Valve Design20AERP08_038/1/2020
Applications for thruster valves are growing daily. More and more companies are designing rockets, satellites, and reusable space vehicles that require thruster valves to position, maintain, or change vehicle orbit in space. In particular, launch systems designed to place small, micro, and nano satellites into orbit are proliferating. This new generation of satellites is designed to provide everything from communications, imaging, GPS, weather forecasting, climate change monitoring, and even monitoring of farmland irrigation and fertilization needs. The demand for space-based images especially drives the need for more imaging satellites. The thruster valve plays a crucial role in the guidance and positioning of space vehicles, rockets and satellites. The thruster valve must reliably respond to commands from the vehicle guidance system to fire when, and for as long as needed, to move the spacecraft to a different position. When needed, thrusters do not normally fire for long periods of
Wool Mask Used to Fight Fires in Space Improves Fire Equipment on EarthTBMG-370276/1/2020
Spinoff is NASA’s annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Facility Focus: NASA Ames Research CenterTBMG-368675/1/2020
Established in December 1939 as part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), Ames Aeronautical Laboratory was named for Joseph Sweetman Ames, founding chairman of the NACA and the architect of aeronautical research in the United States. In 1958, the lab was absorbed into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
EDITORIAL: EVs and the retail-price reset20AUTP04_054/1/2020
Before the coronavirus uprooted and replanted our collective focus, American politics dominated the news cycle. One night on TV I heard a presidential candidate talking about the need for “affordable” vehicles. They had to be electric, of course, and offer all the comfort, convenience and safety features the buying public expects and that regulators demand is a good place to start, the forward-thinking politico suggested. And cost? Around…$18,000. Eighteen grand for a new car! Dream on. The average transaction price for a light vehicle in the U.S. today is nearing $40,000. Creating any new vehicle that can slash sticker prices by 54% would be a monumental feat, requiring a total reboot of vehicle design, engineering, manufacturing and sales. For the past 35 years I've listened to company leaders, engineers and researchers promise “game changers” and and “right-around-the-corner” technologies. At automotive scale, these would enable cheaper autos. Potentially. If only.
Brooke, Lindsay
Celebrating Women in Engineering & Science: Dr. Lynda Kennedy, Vice President of Education & Evaluation, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space MuseumTBMG-361643/1/2020
Dr. Kennedy was the first Director of Teaching & Learning, Literacy and Outreach for the New York Public Library system. She has served as adjunct faculty in the Masters of Education programs of Hunter College, CUNY, and Metropolitan College of New York and in the Exhibition Design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She has served as Chair of the New York City Museum Educators Roundtable and as National Associate for the Education Committee of the American Alliance of Museums. Dr. Kennedy received her Ph.D. in Urban Education from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and her Master’s in Education from the Bank Street College of Education.
Modified Fittings Enhance Industrial SafetyTBMG-360002/1/2020
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is home to one of the largest buildings in the world — the massive Vehicle Assembly Building — and also hosts a number of one-of-a-kind facilities. The more than 30-mile-long campus has witnessed every launch from the Space Shuttle Launch Pad as well as many homecomings at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Just as important, the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) has seen each element of the International Space Station (ISS) that passes through Kennedy before it goes into orbit.
Docking System Enables Safe Rendezvous in SpaceTBMG-3561412/1/2019
Even though it has been done many times before, the docking maneuver between two objects in space is always a delicate and potentially dangerous procedure. The speed is extremely high (about 28,000 km/h in the case of the International Space Station, or ISS), and corrections are difficult. When the two objects are about to meet, maneuvering thrusters can no longer be used since their exhaust plumes can cause damage. To prevent harm, cargo transporters are caught by a robotic arm installed in the ISS and berthed manually. Manned spacecraft, on the other hand, dock directly in a computer-controlled process.
MMOD Impact Detection and LocationTBMG-3568612/1/2019
Determination of micrometeoroid/ orbital debris (MMOD) impact on orbiting spacecraft currently requires visual inspection. For human-rated spacecraft such as the International Space Station (ISS) and previously, the Space Shuttle Orbiter, this has required crew time as well as vehicle assets to identify damage due to MMOD strikes. For unmanned spacecraft, there are no human assets present to conduct detailed surveys to ascertain potential damage.
Understanding Fiber Optic Transceiver Design and Test RulesTBMG-351199/1/2019
The design of avionics systems must balance several factors. First, engineers want to increase the performance of the systems installed in aircraft or spacecraft. Second, they want to reduce the size and weight of the equipment that must be carried. Third, they want to maximize the safety of the in-flight systems and maintain communication between the aircraft or spacecraft and other flight vessels and the command center, regardless of the circumstances.
Understanding Fiber Optic Transceiver Design and Test Rules19AERP09_039/1/2019
The design of avionics systems must balance several factors. First, engineers want to increase the performance of the systems installed in aircraft or spacecraft. Second, they want to reduce the size and weight of the equipment that must be carried. Third, they want to maximize the safety of the in-flight systems and maintain communication between the aircraft or spacecraft and other flight vessels and the command center, regardless of the circumstances.
Image-Analysis Software Sees Cancer in 3DTBMG-349288/1/2019
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space CenterTBMG-347437/1/2019
On September 1, 1961, NASA requested appropriations for initial land purchases on Merritt Island on Florida’s east coast to support the Apollo Lunar Landing Program. Designers quickly began developing plans for Launch Complex 39 facilities, which include the Launch Control Center, Pads A & B, and the huge hangar now known as the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
Apollo 11 History Archive Helps Virtual Reality Program Come to LifeTBMG-347417/1/2019
Spinoff is NASA’s annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11: Exploring Apollo's Impact Beyond 'One Small Step'TBMG-347637/1/2019
On July 20, 1969, humans walked on another world for the first time in history. After a landing that included dodging a lunar crater and boulder field and almost running out of fuel just before touchdown, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin explored the area around their lunar landing site for 21 hours and 36 minutes while Michael Collins piloted the Command Module around the Moon. They collected soil and rock samples, set up experiments, planted an American flag, and left behind medallions honoring the Apollo 1 crew and a plaque saying, “We came in peace for all mankind.”
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11: An Astronaut's ViewTBMG-347477/1/2019
Before becoming an astronaut candidate in 1996, Mike Massimino was busy earning degrees — an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and four additional degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), including a doctorate in mechanical engineering.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11: Getting There, To a New Era of Space ExplorationTBMG-347457/1/2019
For the first time in a generation, NASA is building a human spacecraft for deep-space missions that will usher in a new era of space exploration. A series of increasingly challenging missions awaits, and this new spacecraft will take astronauts farther than they’ve gone before, including to the Moon and Mars.
NASA Marshall Space Flight CenterTBMG-343945/1/2019
Founded on July 1, 1960, Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL is one of NASA’s largest field centers. Marshall engineers designed, built, tested, and helped launch the Saturn V rocket that carried Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Marshall developed new rocket engines and tanks for the fleet of space shuttles, built sections of the International Space Station (ISS), and now manages all the science work of the astronauts aboard the ISS from a 24/7 Payload Operations Integration Center. Marshall also manages NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans — the agency’s premier site for the manufacture and assembly of large-scale space structures and systems.
Aircraft Nosewheel Steering/Centering SystemsAIR1752A (Current)4/17/2019
The intent of this AIR is twofold: (1) to present descriptive summary of aircraft nosewheel steering and centering systems, and (2) to provide a discussion of problems encountered and “lessons learned” by various airplane manufacturers and users. This document covers both military aircraft (land-based and ship-based) and commercial aircraft. It is intended that the document be continually updated as new aircraft and/or new “lessons learned” become available.
A-5B Gears, Struts and Couplings Committee
Powering back to the FUTURE19AUTP04_044/1/2019
Rotaries, gas turbines, hybrids-even nukes! Propulsion tech from the past, present, and beyond the horizon is revealed at the SAE Mobility History display at WCX'19. Credit Leonardo DaVinci for creating what many historians believe was the first depiction of a self-powered vehicle. It was powered by springs. And in the centuries since then, engineers have found increasingly complex and interesting solutions for vehicle propulsion. Steam came first. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot's 1769 steam tractor is generally believed to be the first self-propelled road vehicle. By the 1830s, steam carriages carried passengers on roadways in Britain. During this period another technology was emerging: in the 1830s, American blacksmith Thomas Davenport's experiments with electricity and electromagnetism led him to patent an electric motor. When battery technology finally caught up with this vision in the 1880s, the recipe for the first electric cars was born.
Brooke, Lindsay, Anden, Erika
Offshore Oil Workers Learn Survival Skills in Astronaut Training PoolTBMG-336912/1/2019
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Facility Focus: NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space CenterTBMG-336251/1/2019
NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) has been a leader in human space exploration for more than half a century. Established in 1961 in Houston, TX as the Manned Spacecraft Center, the center was renamed in 1973 to honor the late president Lyndon B. Johnson. From the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs, to the International Space Station (ISS) and Orion, the center has been at the forefront of America's human spaceflight programs.
Design Software Transforms How Commercial Jetliners are BuiltTBMG-336121/1/2019
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Inductive Non-Contact Position SensorTBMG-3340012/1/2018
The Inductive Non-Contact Position Sensor is a highly accurate sensor for motion control applications. The sensor was designed to monitor the precise movements of an optical inspection system that measured defects in space shuttle windows.
Aerogel Insulation Makes Thinner, Warmer OuterwearTBMG-3320611/1/2018
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
NASA at 60: Celebrating SuccessTBMG-3310910/1/2018
Over the past 60 years, NASA scientists and engineers have developed many advanced technologies and processes. But NASA has also partnered with industry, using commercially available products to complete its missions. Here, some of those companies join NASA in celebrating these collaborative successes.
NASA at 60: 1958-2018 Decades of DiscoveryTBMG-3309910/1/2018
For six decades, NASA has led the peaceful exploration of space, making discoveries about our planet, our solar system, and our universe. At home, NASA research has made great advances in aviation, helped to develop a commercial space industry, enrich our economy, create jobs, and strengthen national security. Here is just some of what NASA has achieved in its first 60 years.
NASA at 60: From Space to EarthTBMG-3311010/1/2018
The benefits of NASA's space exploration efforts are not limited to the cosmos. NASA technologies provide innovative solutions for people around the world. NASA missions have generated thousands of spinoffs — commercialized products we use every day. On the following pages, we highight just some of the many innovations that had their origins in NASA programs.
NIST/NASA Study Shows One Detector Doesn't Fit All for Smoke in SpacecraftTBMG-328729/1/2018
What had been a peaceful and productive mission for the six men aboard the Russian space station Mir, including U.S. astronaut Jerry Linenger, nearly became a tragic nightmare during the evening of Feb. 24, 1997. A lithium-perchlorate canister, designed to generate oxygen via a chemical reaction, suddenly burst into flames when activated. Although the fire was quickly subdued, a dense, life-threatening smoke — different in form and movement from its gravity-bound counterpart on Earth — rapidly filled the station. Being confined in a limited area 360 kilometers (224 miles) above the nearest fire brigade made the situation even more precarious.
Modification of SURFICE CodeTBMG-324938/1/2018
As part of the continued thermal support for the Space Launch System (SLS) program, MSFC is constantly developing or modifying software tools to aid in analytical efforts to solve thermal issues and problems posed by the project. In some cases, existing software used by previous heritage programs provides an excellent template for the engineer to develop a tool perfectly suited for the current task without starting from scratch.
Paired Sleep Tracker and Light Therapy Tools Retrain Circadian RhythmsTBMG-290186/1/2018
Spinoff is NASA’s annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Rockets re-engineered-a step further into the cosmos17MEIP12_0112/1/2017
The 20th-Century nuclear arms race led to pioneering efforts in space technology, primarily driven by nations' desire to surpass one another for supremacy in spaceflight capability. Despite the largely deplorable motivations that drove the so-called “space race,” it resulted in a massive surge in aerospace engineering efforts that eventually led to the development of artificial satellites orbiting the earth, space probes that have explored the moon and other planets and the most challenging accomplishment: human spaceflight. After the first human spaceflight in 1961 by Yuri Gagarin of the USSR, and later the U.S.'s Alan Shepard, respectively the first-ever “cosmonaut” and “astronaut,” engineering efforts were dedicated mainly towards landing a man on the moon.
Technical and Economic Feasibility Analysis of a Two Stage Reusable Satellite Launcher Using RISCRAM™ Jet Engines2017-36-015011/7/2017
This study analyzes the design of a two-stage reusable satellite launch vehicle. This launcher was designed to orbit payloads of up to 500 kg to low orbits (LEO). Two RISCRAM™ jet engines (Rocket Ignited Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) power the first stage that is fully reusable. They aspirate atmospheric air and allows speeds of up to Mach 6, below 30 km, and Mach 15 above 40 km of altitude. The second stage is powered by a solid rocket motor that carries the payload at the orbital speed of Mach 24. In this work are presented details of the concept of the vehicle and an economic feasibility analysis of system operation. Launch cost estimative are made and compared to the values of the current satellite launchers that are not reusable. The conclusion of the article is that the proposed system would be able to reduce by an order of magnitude the cost of placing the kilogram of payload in low orbit.
Gabaldo, Marco, Barros, Otávio Rodrigues, Barros, Jose Eduardo Mautone
Connectors Link Data Networks for Orion and IndustryTBMG-2767510/1/2017
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Customizable Recyclable Launch PackagingTBMG-2767910/1/2017
NASA is developing a sustainable in-space manufacturing ecosystem by providing both the capability to create 3D printer filament from currently used packaging material as well as the development of new, high-performance packaging architectures created with materials that are well suited for use in 3D printing. NASA’s in-space manufacturing program supports Earth-based technology development to enable technologies and research on the International Space Station (ISS) and for deep space missions. In 2014, a 3D printer was installed and used successfully on the ISS, creating the first additively manufactured part in space. While additive manufacturing is a game-changing technology for in-space repairs and part formation, it still requires a plastic feedstock material to fabricate the printed parts. Without a recycling capability, long-duration and long-distance missions would require a large supply of feedstock that would either need to be stored onboard, taking up both mass and cargo
The Future of Wearable TechnologyTBMG-271937/1/2017
The limiter to real-time physiological status monitoring (RT-PSM) has not been engineering technology. More than 50 years ago, John Glenn blasted off from Cape Canaveral while his medical team monitored a modest heart rate increase to 110 beats per minute. This ability to remotely monitor physiological signals has improved in terms of size, weight, comfort, cost, and power. Today, for example, recreational athletes commonly monitor their heart rate with commercial body-worn systems.
ELECTRIC ROCKETS AND THE FUTURE OF SATELLITE PROPULSION17MEIP06_046/1/2017
Humans have been using rocket propulsion for almost a millennium, starting with Chinese rockets and “fire arrows” in the 13th century and continuing to the modern era's powerful Space Shuttle and Falcon rockets. For most of that history, rockets have been chemically fueled, but in the past century scientists and engineers have also experimented with electric rockets, also known as ion engines or ion propulsion systems. Rather than using chemical reactions to create heat and accelerate a propellant, electric rockets use electromagnetic or electrostatic fields acting on charged ions of propellant, speeding them up and shooting them out, away from the vehicle, producing thrust. The electrical energy to generate these fields comes from the sun, from batteries, or both.
Novel Threading Enables New Approach to Golf ClubsTBMG-268775/1/2017
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Electric Rockets and the Future of Satellite PropulsionTBMG-266794/1/2017
Humans have been using rocket propulsion for almost a millennium, starting with Chinese rockets and “fire arrows” in the 13th century and continuing to the modern era's powerful Space Shuttle and Falcon rockets. For most of that history, rockets have been chemically fueled, but in the past century scientists and engineers have also experimented with electric rockets, also known as ion engines or ion propulsion systems.
Electric Rockets and the Future of Satellite Propulsion17AERP04_034/1/2017
Humans have been using rocket propulsion for almost a millennium, starting with Chinese rockets and “fire arrows” in the 13th century and continuing to the modern era's powerful Space Shuttle and Falcon rockets. For most of that history, rockets have been chemically fueled, but in the past century scientists and engineers have also experimented with electric rockets, also known as ion engines or ion propulsion systems. Rather than using chemical reactions to create heat and accelerate a propellant, electric rockets use electromagnetic or electrostatic fields acting on charged ions of propellant, speeding them up and shooting them out, away from the vehicle, producing thrust. The electrical energy to generate these fields comes from the sun, from batteries, or both.
Eddy Current System and Method for Crack DetectionTBMG-263402/1/2017
NASA's Langley Research Center has developed a new eddy current inspection device that probes for cracks in parts of metal structures that are often inaccessible without extensive disassembly. The probe is specially designed for insertion into the cavity of a part to inspect the surrounding structure in an outward direction. For example, the probe may be held inside a large, thick tube and pointed outward to inspect the outer diameter of the tube. NASA used the probe to test for stress corrosion cracking in the relief radius of Space Shuttle thrusters without having to dismantle the hardware, reducing inspection time while ensuring the health of the structure. NASA Langley is seeking organizations that would like to license the probe to test for cracks in rocket thrusters and other metallic structures with hard-to-reach inspection areas.
Dynamically Variable Spot Size Laser SystemTBMG-2570811/1/2016
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center developed the handheld laser torch, designed for welding and brazing metals, to repair hard-to-reach Space Shuttle engine nozzles. It incorporates various manual controls and changing lenses to allow the operator to adjust the laser’s power output in real time. The controls and lenses are designed to increase precision, portability, and maneuverability as compared to existing automated lasers and traditional welding techniques such as tungsten inert gas (TIG), metal inert gas (MIG), or gas-tungsten arc welding (GTAW) systems. Proximity sensors with automated shut-off switches also ensure a high level of safety for the user.
In-Situ Formation of Reinforcement Phases in Ultra-High- Temperature Ceramic CompositesTBMG-2549910/1/2016
Future-generation materials for use on space transportation vehicles require substantial improvements in material properties leading to increased reliability and safety, as well as intelligent design to allow for current materials to meet future needs. Ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTC), composed primarily of metal diborides, are candidate materials for sharp leading edges on hypersonic re-entry vehicles. NASA has demonstrated that it is possible to form high-aspect-ratio reinforcement phases in-situ during the processing step for both ceramic composites and UHTCs. Initial characterization of these systems has demonstrated that crack deflection along the matrix-reinforcement interface is observed yielding a system of improved toughness over the baseline system, leading to improved mechanical performance. The reinforced composites should therefore reduce the risk of catastrophic failure over current UHTC systems.
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