TOPIC 04 Space Transportation

04.01 Launch Vehicle Technologies

Lead Center: MSFC

Advanced launch vehicle systems will require high mass fraction, reliable system performance, and extended reusability in order to achieve cost goals. This subtopic emphasizes innovative hardware concepts, subsystems, and design and analysis tools to support development of launch vehicles (not including propulsion systems) while lowering operations cost. Methods, approaches, design and analysis tools, and hardware developed under this subtopic should address technical issues related to tanks, thermal protection systems, structures, guidance, navigation and control (GN&C), supporting discipline analysis, and system integration issues. Specific areas of interest for advanced technologies and innovations include the following:

• Low-cost designs, concepts, and manufacturing processes for tanks and vehicle structures; and innovative approaches and techniques to reduce range costs of small launchers such as Bantam.
• Control and health management of vehicle structural systems by using sensors and effectors that have little influence on the structural system parameters with the exception of the structural damping parameters. Continuous estimation of center of mass and inertial properties. Real-time retuning of control algorithms to reflect known changes in vehicle response or sensor performance, and accurate, continuous estimation of fuel remaining on-board.
• Thermal-protection system concepts, instrumentation analysis tools, and testing techniques for reusable vehicles, cryo-tanks, and vehicle base regions.
• Innovative system level models that support the design and analysis of integration of vehicle subsystems and propulsion systems into the vehicle (such as the ability to assess operability of the systems and to model the impacts of design changes on vehicle cost, operations, vehicle aerodynamics, and controllability).
• Integrated CAD, solid-model, structural, dynamic, thermal, and fluid-flow analysis methods for multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization of launch vehicles, and vehicle subsystems; and improved vehicle analysis tools in the areas of stress, thermal, structural, and fluid dynamics.
• Automated propellant management systems; and technologies and innovative engineering capabilities to produce propulsion storage, feed, pressurization, fill and drain, vent, and support/restraint systems that are robust, lighter, or require less volume.
• Optimal fault detection and redundancy management strategies, on-board autonomous mission planning/abort mode determination, execution software and advanced navigation hardware/software architectures, and adaptive GN&C utilizing data from sensors such as the GPS.
• Analysis and testing techniques for prediction and measurement of damage and stress including life prediction and dynamic response in structures containing ceramic-matrix, metal-matrix composites, or other composite materials; and nondestructive evaluation of structural integrity of vehicle materials and subsystems. Methods for efficient characterization of frequency response functions of large structures, and analysis and testing techniques for passive and active vibration isolation devices for launch vehicles and payloads.

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04.02 Advanced/Exotic Propulsion System Technologies

Lead Center: MSFC

Innovative, non-traditional propulsion technologies, devices and systems that could contribute to dramatic reductions in launch costs and in-space transportation time are solicited. Development of such technologies are sought to enable ambitious commercial, robotic, and human exploration missions in the future. Concepts that can be applied to high-payoff commercial applications are of particular interest. Important aspects that should be addressed in the proposal include analyses addressing feasibility and mission suitability, and plans for demonstrating concept feasibility via test/experiment. Areas of interest include the following:

• "Breakthrough" technologies and concepts based on the results of "leading edge" physics research. Of special interest are techniques for manipulation of relativistic phenomena, exploitation of vacuum zero-point fields and/or hyper-fast transportation
• Technology developments in antimatter production, storage, transportation, and utilization for application as a propulsion energy source.
• Propulsion applications of technology innovations in fission or fusion energy production.
• Technology innovations for offboard, beamed power-driven propulsion. Of special interest is research leading to economical launch of small payloads.
• Development of propulsion systems based on solar, laser or magnetically propelled sails or current loops. Of special interest are concepts that could be used for interstellar exploration.
• Components and subsystems for advanced airbreathing/rocket combined cycle engines, deeply cooled turbojets and liquid air cycle engine concepts.
• Advanced high-energy-density propellants and propellant storage/transfer techniques.

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04.03 Space Transfer Technologies

Lead Center: MSFC

Advanced, innovative, technologies and system concepts that will achieve reductions in in-space transportation costs are sought. Technologies which offer significant mass or specific impulse improvements over current chemical systems are sought. Other technologies or system concepts that offer improved durability, reduced cost, and reusability over current systems are also of interest. Development of such systems and related technologies are sought to enable ambitious commercial, robotic, and human exploration missions in the future. Concepts that can be applied to high-payoff commercial applications are of particular interest. Proposals should emphasize the potential for reduction in cost, and improvements in performance, reliability, operability or maufacturability over existing systems. Areas of specific interest shall include:

• Chemical propulsion and fluid systems for engines that are used for orbit transfer, in-space transfer and ascent/descent missions are of interest. Other mission applications may include small chemical propulsion for reusable launch vehicles (in-space maneuvering and attitude control systems). Systems that use non-toxic (oxygen based) bipropelllants are of primary interest, but advances in conventional hypergolic propellants are also sought. One type of propellant combination of specific interest for missions to the Moon, Mars, or other planetary bodies include those that can be made from indigenous materials. Figures of merit include lower weight, reduced cost, longer life, improved maintainability, and higher reliability. System/component technologies include: materials compatible with high-temperature, oxidizing and reactive environments; components for fluid isolation, pressure/mass flow regulation, relief quick disconnect, and flow control; techniques for metering, injection, and ignition of fluids in combustion devices; gaseous storage and pressurization systems; non-intrusive component and system diagnostics; systems for liquid-free gas venting, gas free liquid propellant delivery, and mass quantity gauging in reduced gravity environments and systems/components for actuation of aero-surfaces and valves using hydraulic, electro-hydraulic or electromechanical power drives.

• Enhancements to or development of new propulsion systems that use energy sources that do not have to be launched. These may be sources that are available in space such as solar interactions, electromagnetic fields, or atmospheres for capture. Or these sources may be the exchange of momentum between two bodies. Technologies may be in the following areas:
  • Components or system level technologies for solar thermal propulsion. These may include: solar collectors or concentrators, lightweight concentrator support structure, engine/thruster for solar energy conversion, controls and pointing technologies, and system level technologies.
  • Electrodynamic tether propulsion systems or component level technologies. These may include: tether materials or coatings for improved performance and lifetime, designs and analysis for tether behavior and dynamics, testing and characterization techniques for tethers, and system level technologies.
  • Momentum transfer tether propulsion systems or component level technologies. These may include: tether materials or coatings for improved performance and lifetime, designs and analysis for tether behavior and dynamics, testing and characterization techniques for tethers, and system level technologies.
  • Technologies for aerocapture or aeroassisted propulsion systems. These may include materials and thermal protection system technologies, modeling and analysis tools, and system integration issues.

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04.04 Lightweight Engine Components

Lead Center: MSFC

Next generation space propulsion systems must address the significant challenge of achieving lower life-cycle cost, increased performance, higher reliability and increased payload or vehicle mass fraction relative to current propulsion systems. Recent emphasis in the performance area has been placed on development of components having increased operational temperature capability, reduced weight, and reusability. Innovative designs and processing methodologies offer potential for cost reduction. NASA, through this subtopic, is seeking research proposals which emphasize justification for selection of material constituents, (e.g. fibers, interface coatings, and fabric architecture), control of processing parameters to ensure successful scale-up and reproducibility, process verification with microscopic analysis (e.g. SEM, XRD, BET, etc.) and macroscopic analysis (e.g. tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength, thermal and physical properties, etc.), application specific verification by testing for permeability, thermal shock, etc., and nondestructive evaluation of components and/or stock material. Phase I & II plans should include delivery of components, test data, and analysis as appropriate. Specific areas of interest include the following:

• Development of lightweight turbomachinery components [e.g. integrally bladed disks (blisks), rotors, stators, housings, seals, etc.] having capability to operate in hot ( 1000° C) hydrogen rich steam and oxygen rich environments.
• Development of fabrication techniques capable of producing uniform densities in CMC blisks for thicknesses ranging from one to three inches, and diameters up to eighteen inches.
• Innovative technologies providing lower cost, lightweight combustion components (e.g. cooled and uncooled thrust chambers and nozzles, high load capacity nozzle structural components, injector faceplates, minimal erosion throats, etc.) for LOX/H2 and LOX/RP environments.
• Attachment methodology development for joining polymer matrix composites (PMC), CMC and ceramic components to metallic and nonmetallic components (e.g. cooling channel manifolds to nozzles, transmission of high torque loads from metallic rotors to CMC blisks, flanging or connection of ducts to metallics, brazing, diffusion bonding, etc.)
• Ultrahigh temperature (greater than 2000 degrees Celsius) propulsion and plasma confinement development for solar thermal absorbers and nuclear thermal applications.
• Innovative, low cost (with metrics), fabrication methodology development for preceding lightweight component applications.
• Development of functionally gradient materials for preceding applications.
• Innovative, lightweight composite feedlines, ducts, and housings for applications ranging from cryogenic temperatures to 300° C.
• Advancements in the non-destructive evaluation of light weight engine components, including the use of embedded or surface mount smart sensors for real time monitoring of engine components.
• Design of inducers with a suction performance capability of over 85,000 suction specific speed with a inducer tip flow coefficient of over .10.

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04.05 Rocket Engine Test Operations

Lead Center: SSC

Proposals are solicited for innovative concepts in the area of test operations. Proposals should support the reduction of overall propulsion test operations costs (recurring costs) and/or increase reliability and performance of propulsion ground test facilities and operations methodologies. Specific areas of interest in this subtopic include the following:

• Non-intrusive sensors for measuring flow rate, temperature, pressure, rocket engine plume constituents, effluent gas detection, hydrogen leak detection, and hydrogen fires.
• Automated leak detection and/or visualization system for facility and test article propellant systems.
• On-line particulate and quality sampling for facility propellant (liquid oxygen and hydrogen) and support gas systems (helium, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and missile-grade air).

• Smart system components (control valves, regulators, and relief valves) which provide real-time closed-loop, control, component configuration, automated operation, and component health.
• Cryogenic propellant transfer system operation technologies which include automated propellant transfer, automated propellant-line (liquid hydrogen) purge systems, and automated and/or manual propellant-line quick-disconnect systems.
• Liquid hydrogen boil-off recovery or utilization systems.
• Innovative designs and/or operational techniques for self-pumping, supersonic diffusers for altitude testing of rocket motors.
• Long-life, liquid-oxygen-compatible seal technology.
• Cryogenic storage tank lifetime monitor systems for temperature cycles, stress, acoustics, pressure and shock.

• Digital simulations techniques to support decision making processes to address reliability, availability, and return on investment and training of environment for test conductors.
• Techniques to improve high speed data acquisition and high speed video systems for test area data and video transmissions.
• Techniques to reduce required sample size to maintain acceptable levels of confidence in cost data.
• Risk management techniques.