National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Volume 62 Number 11 November 2020

Water on the Moon

NASA/Daniel Rutter

This illustration highlights the Moon’s Clavius Crater with an illustration depicting water trapped in the lunar soil there, along with an image of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) that found sunlit lunar water. See story on page 2. The background image accompanying the story shows the tail of SOFIA and the Moon (ED08-0067-35 by Tom Tschida).

www.nasa.gov/ X-Press November 2020 SOFIA finds water on the Moon By Felicia Chou how it persists on the harsh, airless looking at the Moon. Flying at lunar soil and sheltered from the NASA Headquarters and lunar surface. altitudes of up to 45,000 feet, this sunlight – potentially making it Alison Hawkes Water is a precious resource in modified Boeing 747SP jetliner a bit more accessible than water NASA Ames Research Center deep space and a key ingredient with a 106-inch diameter telescope trapped in beadlike structures. NASA’s Stratospheric of life as we know it. Whether reaches above 99% of the water For a mission designed to look at Observatory for Infrared the water SOFIA found is easily vapor in Earth’s atmosphere to distant, dim objects such as black Astronomy (SOFIA) has accessible for use as a resource get a clearer view of the infrared holes, star clusters, and galaxies, confirmed, for the first time, remains to be determined. Under universe. Using its Faint Object SOFIA’s spotlight on Earth’s water on the sunlit surface of the NASA’s Artemis program, the infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA nearest and brightest neighbor Moon. This discovery indicates agency is eager to learn all it can Telescope (FORCAST), SOFIA was a departure from business as that water may be distributed about the presence of water on was able to pick up the specific usual. The telescope operators across the lunar surface, and not the Moon in advance of sending wavelength unique to water typically use a guide camera to limited to cold, shadowed places. the first woman and next man molecules, at 6.1 microns, and track stars, keeping the telescope SOFIA has detected water to the lunar surface in 2024 and discovered a relatively surprising locked steadily on its observing molecules (H2O) in Clavius establishing a sustainable human concentration in sunny Clavius target. But the Moon is so close Crater, one of the largest craters presence there by the end of the Crater. and bright that it fills the guide visible from Earth, located in the decade. “Without a thick atmosphere, camera’s entire field of view. With Moon’s southern hemisphere. SOFIA’s results build on years water on the sunlit lunar no stars visible, it was unclear if Previous observations of the of previous research examining the surface should just be lost to the telescope could reliably track Moon’s surface detected some presence of water on the Moon. space,” said Honniball, who is the Moon. To determine this, form of hydrogen, but were When the Apollo astronauts first now a postdoctoral fellow at in August 2018, the operators unable to distinguish between returned from the Moon in 1969, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight decided to try a test observation. water and its close chemical it was thought to be completely Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It was, in fact, the first time relative, hydroxyl (OH). Data dry. Orbital and impactor missions “Yet somehow we’re seeing it. SOFIA has looked at the Moon, from this location reveal water over the past 20 years, such as Something is generating the water, and we weren’t even completely in concentrations of 100 to NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and something must be trapping it sure if we would get reliable data, 412 parts per million – roughly and Sensing Satellite, confirmed there.” but questions about the Moon’s equivalent to a 12-ounce bottle ice in permanently shadowed Several forces could be at play water compelled us to try,” said of water – trapped in a cubic craters around the Moon’s poles. in the delivery or creation of this Naseem Rangwala, SOFIA’s meter of soil spread across the Meanwhile, several spacecraft – water. Micrometeorites raining project scientist at NASA’s Ames lunar surface. The results are including the Cassini mission down on the lunar surface, Research Center in California’s published in the latest issue of and Deep Impact comet carrying small amounts of water, Silicon Valley. “It’s incredible that Nature Astronomy. mission, as well as the Indian could deposit the water on the this discovery came out of what “We had indications that Space Research Organization lunar surface upon impact. was essentially a test, and now H2O – the familiar water we Chandrayaan-1 mission – and Another possibility is there could that we know we can do this, we’re know – might be present on NASA’s ground-based Infrared be a two-step process whereby the planning more flights to do more the sunlit side of the Moon,” Telescope Facility, looked broadly Sun’s solar wind delivers hydrogen observations.” said Paul Hertz, director of the across the lunar surface and found to the lunar surface and causes a SOFIA’s follow-up flights will Astrophysics Division in the evidence of hydration in sunnier chemical reaction with oxygen- look for water in additional sunlit Science Mission Directorate regions. Yet those missions were bearing minerals in the soil to locations and during different at NASA Headquarters in unable to definitively distinguish create hydroxyl. Meanwhile, lunar phases to learn more about Washington. “Now we know the form in which it was present – radiation from the bombardment how the water is produced, stored, it is there. This discoveryeither H2O or OH. of micrometeorites could be and moved across the Moon. challenges our understanding “Prior to the SOFIA observations, transforming that hydroxyl into The data will add to the work of of the lunar surface and raises we knew there was some kind of water. future Moon missions, such as intriguing questions about hydration,” said Casey Honniball, How the water then gets NASA’s Volatiles Investigating resources relevant for deep space the lead author who published the stored – making it possible to Polar Exploration Rover(VIPER), exploration.” results from her graduate thesis accumulate – also raises some to create the first water resource As a comparison, the Sahara work at the University of Hawaii intriguing questions. The water maps of the Moon for future desert has 100 times the amount at Mānoa in Honolulu. “But we could be trapped into tiny beadlike human space exploration. of water than what SOFIA didn’t know how much, if any, was structures in the soil that form In the same issue of Nature detected in the lunar soil. actually water molecules – like we out of the high heat created by Astronomy, scientists have Despite the small amounts, the drink every day – or something micrometeorite impacts. Another published a paper using theoretical discovery raises new questions more like drain cleaner.” possibility is that the water could about how water is created and SOFIA offered a new means of be hidden between grains of SOFIA, page 8 X-Press November 2020 X-59 vertical tail unpacked News at NASA Crew-1 is a success An international crew of astronauts headed to the International Space Station following a successful launch on the first NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission lifted off Nov. 15 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Crew Dragon spacecraft with NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along Lockheed Martin with Soichi Noguchi of the The vertical tail of NASA’s X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology airplane is unpacked from its shipping crate after Japan Aerospace Exploration delivery to Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale. Assembly is taking shape there in anticipation of the Agency, into orbit to begin X-59’s first flight sometime in mid-2022. Made of an aluminum alloy, the vertical tail’s pale green color comes from a six-month science mission a corrosion-protecting coating applied to the bare metal. The structure will be placed atop the single F414-GE-100 aboard the space station. jet engine to form the X-59’s tail and contribute to the aircraft’s overall height of 14 feet. Designed to produce quiet The Crew Dragon spacecraft, sonic “thumps” when flying supersonic, the X-59 will be flown over select communities to measure public perception named Resilience, docked of the sound. Results will be given to regulators to use in determining new rules that could allow commercial faster- autonomously to the station than-sound air travel over land. Nov. 16. The Crew-1 mission is the first of six crewed missions NASA and SpaceX will fly as part of X-57 prop design tested in wind tunnel the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. This mission has Advanced designs that will propel several firsts including: NASA’s first all-electric X-plane, • The first flight of the NASA- the X-57 Maxwell, to flight recently certified commercial system underwent wind tunnel testing at designed for crew transportation, Langley Research Center. These tests, which moves the system from which took place in the Langley development into regular flights; Low-Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tun- • The first international crew nel, were conducted to gather valu- of four to launch on an American able operational and performance commercial spacecraft; data for flight conditions, using two • The first time the space of the full-scale propeller assemblies, station’s long duration expedition provided by Empirical Systems crew size increased from six to Aerospace, or ESAero, of San Luis seven crew members, which will Obispo. NASA will install 12 of add to crew time for research; and these electric high-lift motors and • The first time the Federal propellers into the final configura- Aviation Administration has tion of X-57, called Modification licensed a human orbital NASA IV, or Mod IV. spaceflight launch. X-Press November 2020

Derek Abramson and Robert Jensen install one of two wings on the Hybrid Quadrotor 90C (HQ-90) at NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Lab Oct. 1. This vertical lift and transition remotely piloted aircraft arrived in pieces packed in crates for the Resilient Autonomy project to test software in flight

AFRC2020-0108-24 NASA/Ken Ulbrich Autonomous systems Project aims to avoid aircraft collisions, save lives By Teresa Whiting the maturity of technology Armstrong Public Affairs and inform airworthiness Autonomous aircraft systems requirements to enable future have the potential to save autonomy, such as link-less lives, and NASA Armstrong’s operations in an unpiloted Resilient Autonomy project is aircraft, while at the same time at the forefront of development. providing enhanced automatic These advanced software systems safety to modern piloted aircraft. are preventing air-to-ground The system that spans this collisions in piloted aircraft, and wide range of autonomy is the the project is now focusing on Expandable Variable Autonomy developments to prevent aircraft Architecture (EVAA). from colliding with other aircraft Mark Skoog, NASA Armstrong in the air. principal investigator for The project is a joint autonomy, is leading the project collaboration with the Federal along with project manager Kia NASA/Mark Skoog Aviation Administration (FAA) Miller and project chief engineer and the Office of the Secretary This screenshot is from the Common Integration Tool (CIT) simulator show- Nelson Brown. Skoog comes from of Defense with numerous ing the Expandable Variable Autonomy Architecture (EVAA) system. EVAA more than 35 years of experience Department of Defense services has the potential to be retrofitted for use on general aviation aircraft, or for with autonomous systems and commands to create new future autonomous aircraft. The screen shows a Cirrus SR22 in the Sierra Ne- including the F-16 Automatic autonomous technology and vada mountains evaluating the ground collision avoidance system. The display Ground Collision Avoidance inform FAA certificationin the upper left indicates that the terrain cannot be cleared to the right or System (Auto GCAS), which has guidelines. The task is to test straight ahead, but turning to the left will clear the terrain. saved the lives of 10 F-16 pilots, X-Press November 2020 and one more pending review. is allowed to control the aircraft The Auto GCAS system takes by activating autopilot maneuvers control of an aircraft from the within the aircraft’s flight control pilot at the last possible moment system. In this phase, the pilot or to avoid an imminent ground ground control operator throws a collision. For this project, the switch to tell EVAA to initiate one team improved the algorithms of the many avoidance maneuvers of the F-16 GCAS and ACAS EVAA can use. This is called the systems and rebranded to indicate pilot activated recovery system an improved functionality. (PARS) phase. At the beginning The EVAA software prioritizes of May, EVAA began successfully human safety over preventing flying the PARS maneuvers in the damage to property, and simulator. preventing damage is prioritized “PARS testing is when we gain over the completion of the an accurate understanding of the mission by following a set of aircraft and autopilot dynamics. AFRC2020-0108-03 NASA/Ken Ulbrich programed rules of behavior. This is used to build models to These rules of behavior allow predict how much space the various Derek Abramson and Robert Jensen assemble pieces of the Hybrid EVAA to better manage the avoidance maneuvers will require mission intent of the flight while Quadrotor 90C (HQ-90) at NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale to avoid the ground and other Flight Research Lab. always maneuvering within the aircraft.” Brown said. “iGCAS and acceptable performance limits iACAS will use these models to of the aircraft, much like how understand which maneuvers will a pilot manages a safe flight. work best and when they need to HQ-90 arrives EVAA is primarily intended to begin an avoidance.” be used on unpiloted vehicles, Build three brings iACAS and By Teresa Whiting and in some circumstances, may iGCAS into EVAA and the system Armstrong Public Affairs allow damage or destruction will begin to show its true potential. The L3Harris built Hybrid Quadrotor 90C (HQ-90) arrived at of the UAS to avoid piloted EVAA will react to other aircraft NASA Armstrong on Sept. 30 and was transferred to the center’s aircraft. The process involves and the ground and the safety it Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Lab on Oct. 1. Engineers having separate computerized provides becomes tangible. The Derek Abramson and Robert Jensen assembled the aircraft for monitors, each focused on one final build, build four, will bring the Resilient Autonomy project. aspect of safety. on many additional monitors and When the aircraft is ready to fly the team will perform flight tests “GCAS and ACAS are each sensors such as the forced landing in a variety of scenarios using the Expandable Variable Autonomy separate monitors within EVAA system, well clear, geo-bounding, Architecture (EVAA) software. and we had to refashion each of in-flight route replanning and a The project will test the software and inform airworthiness these algorithms so they would host of health monitors. be applicable to aircraft other HQ-90, page 6 than the F-16,” Skoog said. X-plane Simulator “We channel these monitors Demonstration through a central function we When California instituted the call the Moral Compass, which stay-at-home order for COVID-19, gives control of the aircraft to the project was preparing to begin the highest consequence task. the PARS phase flight test. Unable Consequence is dictated by a set to conduct flight testing, the of rules of behavior, which dictate team made an immediate pivot when safety should outweigh to in-home simulation to allow the mission and when vehicle progress to continue on software safety should be compromised to development. Instead of hosting protect human life.” in-person, the DOD and FAA EVAA is developing in stages, X-plane iGCAS sim demo for where the software will fly in EVAA was displayed through various maneuvers in the aircraft Microsoft Teams. The project simulator. The process began software lead Ethan Williams with the read-only phase, or flew the demo for the group from AFRC2020-0108-25 NASA/Ken Ulbrich build one, where the sensors his computer at home to show Abramson and Jensen install a wing on the Hybrid Quadrotor 90C required for EVAA’s situational maneuvers and capabilities. Full awareness were wired into (HQ-90) at NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research EVAA. Build two is where EVAA Systems, page 6 Lab. X-Press November 2020

Systems... from page 4 EVAA hardware was coupled to the X-plane sim to exercise the algorithms of EVAA and to demonstrate EVAA running on the flight hardware. The pilot in this case used a joystick to fly and EVAA interrupted when it saw safety issues. The X-plane sim creates all the signals that would normally come from sensors off the aircraft and go into EVAA. EVAA is sending commands out to an autopilot in X-plane and then the system controls the aircraft. “Under this telework environment, there is one person at the controls, which would not be our normal mode,” Skoog said. “They are having to not only fly the aircraft like a pilot, but they are having to exercise all the flight test support functions that would normally AFRC2020-0108-27 NASA/Ken Ulbrich be distributed among a number of people on the ground.” The Hybrid Quadrotor 90C (HQ-90) is displayed outside the NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Re- search Lab. The Resilient Autonomy project will use this vertical lift and transition remotely piloted aircraft for Flight Testing with the HQ-90 software testing. Aircraft When flying is re-opened, the team will perform flight tests in a 12 to 22 hours, depending on the common framework of the EVAA harmonized and bring forward variety of scenarios using EVAA. payload. system that can be potentially data artifacts for community Research pilots at Armstrong used on aircraft ranging from review (primarily the FAA) will train for these missions Future Framework general aviation retrofit to future and document the results,” and collect data. Flight tests In parallel with flight-testing, autonomous aircraft. Skoog said. “We are leading the will use the L3Harris Hybrid an airworthiness approach “Our method is to lead industry by building a widget Quadrotor 90C (HQ-90), to certification, design, and by building a reference that is a working system capable which is a 120-pound vertical airworthiness approval is being implementation of a highly of the levels of the autonomy lift and transition remotely conceptualized with the FAA, autonomous aircraft, imbed envisioned to exist in the future, piloted aircraft featuring an 8-to recognizing the limitations of within that aircraft decision and hope to show how we think 22-pound payload capacity with data being collected in simulation. making algorithms, show how that vehicle could operate safely a long endurance flight time of The approach hopes to leverage a that decision making should be without a human in the loop.”

HQ-90... from page 5 requirements to enable future autonomy, such as link-less operations 22-pound payload capacity. The aircraft has a long-endurance flight in an unpiloted aircraft, while also providing enhanced automated time of 12 to 22 hours, depending on the payload. The HQ-90 is safety to modern piloted aircraft. 120 pounds, 98 inches long and has a 185-inch wingspan. In parallel with data collection from flight-testing and simulation, A second HQ-90 named “Clark” is set to arrive at Armstrong in the Federal Aviation Administration is developing a certification late 2020. This second aircraft will have integrated acoustic sensors approach that could leverage a common framework of the EVAA in the custom-made wings to help detect air traffic. Also included system for potential use on aircraft ranging from general aviation in the shipment will be a second set of these wings to replace the retrofit to future autonomous aircraft. wings on the first aircraft. One vehicle will remain at the center and This HQ-90 named “Lewis” is a hybrid vertical takeoff and landing the second vehicle will be transferred to the U.S. Department of (VTOL) fixed-wing remotely piloted aircraft featuring an 8-to Defense. X-Press November 2020

Jeanette Le is Cindy Jeffers hard at work shows off her as a super flamingo, swabber in which was her costume judged to be judged to be the funniest the best in costume. the 2020 in a Costume category.

Skylar Antoniewicz Shannon Jeffers Halloween high jinks The Annual Armstrong Chili Cookoff and From left Costume Contest went virtual this season and of- Avalon, Lila fered a howling good time. and Tom Jones The costume contest winners included: recreate Pad- • Funniest costume was awarded to Cindy Jeffers dington Bear and her flamingo. and friends. • Kate McMurtry won for most creative costume At right is as a blessing in disguise. another look at • Tom and Avalon Jones and daughter Lila, who Lila’s costume. were dressed as Paddington and friends, were The family won the Mini- Halloween, page 8 Me category. Tom Jones

Kate Mc- Murtry took Phyllis Fogg a unique and Charlie approach to “Rocket Dog” her costume, Boogaard which the won the contest judges Judge’s Choice identified award. as the most creative.

Personal photo Kirsten Boogaard X-Press November 2020

SOFIA... from page 2 models and NASA’s Lunar “Water is a valuable resource, then we can carry less water and the Universities Space Research Reconnaissance Orbiter data, for both scientific purposes and more equipment to help enable Association, headquartered pointing out that water could for use by our explorers,” said new scientific discoveries.” in Columbia, Maryland, and be trapped in small shadows, Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration SOFIA is a joint project of the German SOFIA Institute where temperatures stay below scientist for NASA’s Human NASA and the German Aerospace at the University of Stuttgart. freezing, across more of the Exploration and Operations Center. Ames manages the SOFIA The aircraft is maintained and Moon than currently expected. Mission Directorate. “If we can program, science, and mission operated by NASA Armstrong The results can be found here. use the resources at the Moon, operations in cooperation with Building 703 in Palmdale.

Halloween... from page 7 judged to be the best in the Mini-Me category. • Jeanette Le and her super swabber costume was a hit in the 2020 in a Costume category. • The Judge’s Choice went to Kirstin Boogaard’s concept of a pilot (her mom Phyllis Fogg) and spaceship (Charlie “Rocket Dog” Boogaard). In the chili contest, Nic Heersema captured the People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice categories with the Fall Winds Comfort Vegetarian Chili. Because the contest wasn’t live, the winner had to give a descrip- tion to entice the judges. The winning description Heersema wrote: When the fall winds blow cold and whisper that winter is coming and you are just craving Nic Heersema comfort food, this is the chili you want to eat. This hearty chili warms Here’s a heaping portion of Fall Winds Comfort Vegetarian Chili. your belly without setting your mouth on fire, perfect for the cold nights and warm days of autumn. Packed with sweet potatoes and three kinds of beans, I started making this for chili cook-offs so my what chili would be complete without some cheese and cornbread?” vegetarian friend wouldn’t feel left out. These days I make it for myself Special thanks to Robbin Kessler and the participants for their contributions because it is just that delicious (and really simple to make). Of course, to this feature.

Juan Santos, 35-year contractor, dies at 66 Juan Santos, a contractor at Martin contractor in 1985. His & Associates Oct. 1, 2011, also enthusiastic about his job, NASA Armstrong for 35 years, started his career at the center as as an aircraft battery technician. great to work with, loyal died Nov. 2. He was 65. a communications specialist and He later added lifting device and a dedicated family man, Santos started working was promoted to aircraft battery tester to his duties. according to people who knew at the center as a Lockheed technician. Santos joined Kay He was a diligent and him.

The X-Press is published the first Friday of National Aeronautics and each month for civil servants, contractors Space Administration and retirees of the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Address: P.O. Box 273, P.O. Box 273 Building 4800, MS 1422 Edwards, California, 93523-0273 Edwards, California, 93523-0273 Phone: 661-276-3449 Official Business FAX: 661-276-3167 Penalty for Private Use, $300 Editor: Jay Levine, Logical Innovations, ext. 3459

Managing Editor: Steve Lighthill, NASA

Chief, Strategic Communications: Kevin Rohrer, NASA