2009 ESMD Space Grant Faculty Project

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ObjectivesTrain and develop the highly skilled

scientific, engineering and technical workforce of the future needed to implement space exploration missions:In support of the ESMD Space Grant Student

Project Support NASA’s Educational Framework

Outcome 1: Contribute to the development of the STEM workforce

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NASA Centers

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ESMD Project AreasSpacecraft Propulsion

Lunar & Planetary Surface Systems

Ground Operations

Guidance, navigation, and control; Thermal; Electrical; Avionics; Power systems; High-speed reentry; Interoperability/Commonality; Advanced spacecraft materials; Crew/Vehicle health monitoring; Life-support systems; Command/Communication software; Modeling and simulation

Precision landing software; In-situ resource utilization; Navigation systems; Extended surface operations; Robotics; Environmental sensors and analysis; Radiation protection; Life-support systems; Electrical power and efficient power management systems

Pre-launch; Launch; Mission operations; Command, control, and communications; Landing and recovery operations

Methods that utilize materials found on the Moon and Mars; On-orbit propellant storage; Methods for soft-landing

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Faculty Assignments

• Dr. Alak Bandyopadhyay, Alabama A&M University (MSFC)• Dr. James Conrad, Univ. of North Carolina - Charlotte (JSC)• Dr. William M. Cross, South Dakota School of Mines and

Technology (MSFC)• Dr. Jiang Guo, California State University Los Angeles (JPL)• Dr. Ghanashyam Joshi, Southern University and A&M

College (ARC)

Project ImplementationGloria Murphy, ESMD SG Faculty Project Manager (KSC)

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Senior Design Projects for ESMDAllow students the practical design experience of developing technologies and systems for space exploration under the advice, guidance, and mentorship of university faculty, and NASA engineers and scientists.

The projects are aligned with a clear vision for exploration and serve to stretch one’s imagination for developing revolutionary technologies needed to explore our solar system and beyond. 6

ESMD Faculty Fellowship Projects

Dr. Bandyopadhyay – Simulation of Propellant Loading using Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program

Dr. Conrad – Reusable Avionics Dr. Cross - Mineral Separation Technology for Lunar

Regolith Simulant Production Dr. Guo - Mission Assurance Management Environment Dr. Joshi - Prognostics of Complex Systems

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Purpose of ESMD Faculty Project (I)• KSC Understand NASA scientists’ concern about senior projects and

address them in this project.

• Bridge the gap between NASA and students• NASA scientists knows students’ limitation,• But they do not have time• Students need to know NASA areas• But they do not have advisors

• Make students ready for ESMD• Train and Enable students to work for NASA’s ESMD senior projects.

• Verify and confirm all the project requirements and research approach• Using system engineering approach

Purpose of ESMD Faculty Project (II)

NASA scientists’ concern on senior projects Difficult to communicate due to less background Less onsite or face to face communication Less advisors’ supervising Out of control

Schedule Quality

Solutions: Faculty training Senior design courses

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of Propellant Loading using GFSSP

Dr. AlAlabama A & M University

• Optimization of the Propellant Loading Simulation for Efficient Ground Operations by using Parametric Study.

• To Evaluate the Optimal Time line for Pre-chill, Slow fill, Fast fill, Topping and Replenishment.

• Reduction of Computational Time substantially. • Implementation of Modified Solution Algorithm

into GFSSP to aid the Optimization Method.

Simulation of Propellant Loading using Generalized Fluid System Simulation

Program (Bandyopadhyay)

Reusable Avionics (Conrad)• One concept for future space flights is to construct

building blocks for a wide variety of avionics systems. • Once a unit has served its original purpose, it can be

removed from the original vehicle and reused in a similar or dissimilarfunction, dependingon the function blocks the unit contains.

• This project will be tovalidate the concept.

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• Simulant development– Duplicate moon to a sufficient degree and to the

extent practical– Cost is high ($40,000/ton)– No single site on Earth has mineral composition

fitting known lunar composition– Many unknown properties

• In situ resource utilization– Lunar materials sources for long term base– Performance of beneficiation operations

Mineral Separation Technology for Lunar Regolith Simulant Production (Cross)

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Mission Assurance Management Environment (Guo)

To increase the efficiency in MAM’s work performance this

project aims at:• Providing an environment to support MAM’s work

Devise solutions to help JPL meet the mission assurance management needs:

• Identify risks and increase probability of mission success via proper mitigation

• Help ensure that flight hardware and software systems safe, reliable, robust and error free

• Ensures development and integration have the necessary traceability and verifiability to requirements

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Prognostics of Complex Systems (Joshi)• Prognostics cover very early detection of incipient faults and

progression to eventual system or component failure states.• Must provide low false positives and no false negatives. • PHM serves the Operation and Sustainment stage of

Systems Engineering. • NASA AMES Research Projects and Resources:

• Prognostics Center of Excellence , Technical Lead Dr. Kai Goebel.

• More information: http://prognostics.nasa.gov• Senior Design Project Ideas

• Composite materials (or corrosion) prognostics testing and modeling project. Possible application to the rocket shell casing.

• Battery prognostics testing and modeling project. Possible application to lunar/mars rover batteries.

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Conclusions Bridges the gap between academia and the NASA

vision and mission. Students connect to real world space-related work.

Exposes students to new and novel approaches to space exploration that better prepare them for future space-related careers.

Creates greater awareness of current NASA research to new faculty who have never been previously associated with or exposed to the NASA vision and mission.

Motivates incorporation of Systems Engineering curriculum to enrich the experience and increase the knowledge base of participants.

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