Opening the Solar System to a Broad Community at Lower Cost
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The Solar Cruiser Mission: Demonstrating Large Solar Sails for Deep Space Missions
The Solar Cruiser Mission: Demonstrating Large Solar Sails for Deep Space Missions Les Johnson*, Frank M. Curran**, Richard W. Dissly***, and Andrew F. Heaton* * NASA Marshall Space Flight Center ** MZBlue Aerospace NASA Image *** Ball Aerospace Solar Sails Derive Propulsion By Reflecting Photons Solar sails use photon “pressure” or force on thin, lightweight, reflective sheets to produce thrust. NASA Image 2 Solar Sail Missions Flown (as of October 2019) NanoSail-D (2010) IKAROS (2010) LightSail-1 (2015) CanX-7 (2016) InflateSail (2017) NASA JAXA The Planetary Society Canada EU/Univ. of Surrey Earth Orbit Interplanetary Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Deployment Only Full Flight Deployment Only Deployment Only Deployment Only 3U CubeSat 315 kg Smallsat 3U CubeSat 3U CubeSat 3U CubeSat 10 m2 196 m2 32 m2 <10 m2 10 m2 3 Current and Planned Solar Sail Missions CU Aerospace (2018) LightSail-2 (2019) Near Earth Asteroid Solar Cruiser (2024) Univ. Illinois / NASA The Planetary Society Scout (2020) NASA NASA Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Interplanetary L-1 Full Flight Full Flight Full Flight Full Flight In Orbit; Not yet In Orbit; Successful deployed 6U CubeSat 90 Kg Spacecraft 3U CubeSat 86 m2 >1200 m2 3U CubeSat 32 m2 20 m2 4 Near Earth Asteroid Scout The Near Earth Asteroid Scout Will • Image/characterize a NEA during a slow flyby • Demonstrate a low cost asteroid reconnaissance capability Key Spacecraft & Mission Parameters • 6U cubesat (20cm X 10cm X 30 cm) • ~86 m2 solar sail propulsion system • Manifested for launch on the Space Launch System (Artemis 1 / 2020) • 1 AU maximum distance from Earth Leverages: combined experiences of MSFC and JPL Close Proximity Imaging Local scale morphology, with support from GSFC, JSC, & LaRC terrain properties, landing site survey Target Reconnaissance with medium field imaging Shape, spin, and local environment NEA Scout Full Scale EDU Sail Deployment 6 Solar Cruiser Mission Concept Mission Profile Solar Cruiser may launch as a secondary payload on the NASA IMAP mission in October, 2024. -
Bolden Testimony
HOLD FOR RELEASE UNTIL PRESENTED BY WITNESS November 17, 2011 Statement of The Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr. Administrator National Aeronautics and Space Administration before the Subcommittee on Science and Space Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation U. S. Senate Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the outlook for NASA’s human space flight program. This has been a remarkable year, as we have completed assembling and outfitting of the U.S. On-orbit Segment (USOS) of the International Space Station (ISS), allowing us to focus on full utilization of the Station’s research capabilities; taken key steps in moving forward into the future of exploration beyond Low-Earth Orbit (LEO); celebrated the 50 th anniversary of human spaceflight; and witnessed the successful conclusion of the historic Space Shuttle Program. We are also pleased with the progress our industry partners have made in developing an American capability to transport cargo and eventually astronauts to the ISS, and end the outsourcing of this work to foreign governments. More importantly, this will add a critical level of redundancy for transporting cargo and crew to the ISS. A robust transportation architecture is important to ensuring full utilization of this amazing research facility. Enabling commercial crew and cargo transportation systems in LEO allows NASA to focus on developing its own systems for sending astronauts on missions of exploration beyond LEO. This split between commercial and Government systems allows for a cost effective approach to promote a broad base for human exploration by the United States. -
Materials Challenges for the Starshot Lightsail
PERSPECTIVE https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0075-8 Materials challenges for the Starshot lightsail Harry A. Atwater 1*, Artur R. Davoyan1, Ognjen Ilic1, Deep Jariwala1, Michelle C. Sherrott 1, Cora M. Went2, William S. Whitney2 and Joeson Wong 1 The Starshot Breakthrough Initiative established in 2016 sets an audacious goal of sending a spacecraft beyond our Solar System to a neighbouring star within the next half-century. Its vision for an ultralight spacecraft that can be accelerated by laser radiation pressure from an Earth-based source to ~20% of the speed of light demands the use of materials with extreme properties. Here we examine stringent criteria for the lightsail design and discuss fundamental materials challenges. We pre- dict that major research advances in photonic design and materials science will enable us to define the pathways needed to realize laser-driven lightsails. he Starshot Breakthrough Initiative has challenged a broad nanocraft, we reveal a balance between the high reflectivity of the and interdisciplinary community of scientists and engineers sail, required for efficient photon momentum transfer; large band- Tto design an ultralight spacecraft or ‘nanocraft’ that can reach width, accounting for the Doppler shift; and the low mass necessary Proxima Centauri b — an exoplanet within the habitable zone of for the spacecraft to accelerate to near-relativistic speeds. We show Proxima Centauri and 4.2 light years away from Earth — in approxi- that nanophotonic structures may be well-suited to meeting such mately -
Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Program Updates NAC Technology, Innovation and Engineering Committee Meeting | March 19, 2020
Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Program Updates NAC Technology, Innovation and Engineering Committee Meeting | March 19, 2020 Christopher Baker NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Program Executive National Aeronautics and Space Administration 1 CHANGING THE PACE OF SPACE Through Small Spacecraft Technology and Flight Opportunities, Space Tech is pursuing the rapid identification, development, and testing of capabilities that exploit agile spacecraft platforms and responsive launch capabilities to increase the pace of space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2 THROUGH SUBORBITAL FLIGHT The Flight Opportunities program facilitates rapid demonstration of promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers LEARN MORE: WWW.NASA.GOV/TECHNOLOGY Photo Credit: Blue Origin National Aeronautics and Space Administration 3 FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES BY THE NUMBERS Between 2011 and today… In 2019 alone… Supported 195 successful fights Supported 15 successful fights Enabled 676 tests of payloads Enabled 47 tests of payloads 254 technologies in the portfolio 86 technologies in the portfolio 13 active commercial providers 9 active commercial providers National Aeronautics and Space Administration Numbers current as of March 1, 2020 4 TECHNOLOGY TESTED IN SUBORBITAL Lunar Payloads ISS SPACE IS GOING TO EARTH ORBIT, THE MOON, MARS, AND BEYOND Mars 2020 Commercial Critical Space Lunar Payload Exploration Services Solutions National Aeronautics and Space Administration 5 SUBORBITAL INFUSION HIGHLIGHT Commercial Lunar Payload Services Four companies selected as Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CPLS) providers leveraged Flight Opportunities-supported suborbital flights to test technologies that are incorporated into their landers and/or are testing lunar landing technologies under Flight Opportunities for others. -
Project Selene: AIAA Lunar Base Camp
Project Selene: AIAA Lunar Base Camp AIAA Space Mission System 2019-2020 Virginia Tech Aerospace Engineering Faculty Advisor : Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh Team Members : Olivia Arthur, Bobby Aselford, Michel Becker, Patrick Crandall, Heidi Engebreth, Maedini Jayaprakash, Logan Lark, Nico Ortiz, Matthew Pieczynski, Brendan Ventura Member AIAA Number Member AIAA Number And Signature And Signature Faculty Advisor 25807 Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh Brendan Ventura 1109196 Matthew Pieczynski 936900 Team Lead/Operations Logan Lark 902106 Heidi Engebreth 1109232 Structures & Environment Patrick Crandall 1109193 Olivia Arthur 999589 Power & Thermal Maedini Jayaprakash 1085663 Robert Aselford 1109195 CCDH/Operations Michel Becker 1109194 Nico Ortiz 1109533 Attitude, Trajectory, Orbits and Launch Vehicles Contents 1 Symbols and Acronyms 8 2 Executive Summary 9 3 Preface and Introduction 13 3.1 Project Management . 13 3.2 Problem Definition . 14 3.2.1 Background and Motivation . 14 3.2.2 RFP and Description . 14 3.2.3 Project Scope . 15 3.2.4 Disciplines . 15 3.2.5 Societal Sectors . 15 3.2.6 Assumptions . 16 3.2.7 Relevant Capital and Resources . 16 4 Value System Design 17 4.1 Introduction . 17 4.2 Analytical Hierarchical Process . 17 4.2.1 Longevity . 18 4.2.2 Expandability . 19 4.2.3 Scientific Return . 19 4.2.4 Risk . 20 4.2.5 Cost . 21 5 Initial Concept of Operations 21 5.1 Orbital Analysis . 22 5.2 Launch Vehicles . 22 6 Habitat Location 25 6.1 Introduction . 25 6.2 Region Selection . 25 6.3 Locations of Interest . 26 6.4 Eliminated Locations . 26 6.5 Remaining Locations . 27 6.6 Chosen Location . -
Sensitron Space Diodes
AS9100 Registered ISO 9001:2000 Registered Your Power Solutions Provider MIL-PRF-19500 JANS Qualified MIL-PRF-38534 Class H Qualified Sensitron Space Diodes: The Sensitron Advantage Sensitron is a major supplier of discrete diodes to the worldwide hi-reliability market, with over 45 years heritage in diode manufacturing. Sensitron has received JANTXV/JANS qualification per MIL-PRF-19500 on 19 slash sheets, encompassing over 250 JANS part numbers. Sensitron manufactures their standard JANS qualified diodes to our “JANS PLUS” flow, which exceeds the already stringent MIL-PRF-19500 requirements while offering our customers a significant cost savings. SENSITRON DIODES SENSITRON SPACE HERITAGE__________________________________________________________________________ . Sensitron has supplied Axial and MELF diodes to the space market for over 15 years . Sensitron has shipped over 3 million JANS and JANS-equivalent diodes to space applications . Sensitron is the second largest supplier of Space Level Diodes with the second largest portfolio of Space Level Rectifiers, Zener Diodes, Transient Voltage Suppressors, and Switching Diodes in the world . Sensitron is JANTXV / JANS qualified on 19 individual MIL-PRF-19500 slash sheets, encompassing over 250 JANS part numbers, with more coming every quarter! VALUE PROPOSITION_______________________________________________________________________ . Sensitron offers the 2nd Largest QPL portfolio of JANS discrete diode semiconductors in the world, and offers highly competitive pricing . While continuing to add more JAN/JANTX/JANTXV and JANS products, we are now adding at “No Charge “ our JANS PLUS Program to all of our JANS product lines . Additional cost savings for our customer comes from our standard process flow: . All parts are Hot Solder Dipped, therefore there is no need to send Sensitron diodes to a third party plating house or to pay a manufacturer for “special plating services” . -
Download Paper
Feasibility study for a near term demonstration of laser-sail propulsion from the ground to Low Earth Orbit Edward E. Montgomery IV Nexolve/Jacobs ESSSA Group Les Johnson NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Herbert D. Thomas NASA Marshall Space Flight Center ABSTRACT This paper adds to the body of research related to the concept of propellant-less in-space propulsion utilizing an external high energy laser (HEL) to provide momentum to an ultra-lightweight (gossamer) spacecraft. It has been suggested that the capabilities of Space Situational Awareness assets and the advanced analytical tools available for fine resolution orbit determination make it possible to investigate the practicalities of a ground to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) demonstration at delivered power levels that only illuminate a spacecraft without causing damage to it. The degree to which this can be expected to produce a measurable change in the orbit of a low ballistic coefficient spacecraft is investigated. Key system characteristics and estimated performance are derived for a near term mission opportunity involving the LightSail 2 spacecraft and laser power levels modest in comparison to those proposed previously by Forward, Landis, or Marx. [1,2,3] A more detailed investigation of accessing LightSail 2 from Santa Rosa Island on Eglin Air Force Base on the United States coast of the Gulf of Mexico is provided to show expected results in a specific case. 1. BACKGROUND The design and construction of the Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 solar sail demonstration spacecraft has captured, in space flight hardware, the concept of small, yet capable spacecraft. The results of recent achievements in high power solid state lasers, adaptive optics, and precision tracking have also made it possible to access the effectiveness and reduced cost of an entry level laser power source. -
Lightsail 2 Set to Launch in June “We Are Go for Launch!” Said Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye
Lightsail 2 set to launch in June “We are go for launch!” said Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye. Funded by space enthusiasts, LightSail 2 aims to accomplish the 1st-ever, controlled solar sail flight in Earth orbit next month. Writing at the Planetary Society’s blog, Jason Davis this week (May 13, 2019) described the upcoming challenge of the launch of LightSail 2, a little spacecraft literally powered by sunbeams and dear to the hearts of many. He wrote: Weighing just 5 kilograms, the loaf-of-bread-sized spacecraft, known as a CubeSat, is scheduled to lift A one-unit CubeSat measures 10 centimeters per side. off on June 22, 2019, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy LightSail is a three-unit CubeSat measuring 10 by 10 by 30 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Once in centimetres. Here, an early LightSail model sits next to a space, LightSail 2 will deploy a boxing ring-sized solar loaf of bread for size comparison. sail and attempt to raise its orbit using the gentle push from solar photons. It’s the culmination of a 10-year project with an origin story linked to the three scientist-engineers who founded The Planetary Society in 1980. Indeed, although the Lightsail 2 project itself is 10 years old, the idea for lightsail or solar sail spacecraft goes back decades, at least. Carl Sagan – who was one of those Planetary Society founders -- popularized the idea for our time. Now the mantle for popularizing lightsails, and helping to bring the dream many steps closer to reality, has been passed to Bill Nye, the current CEO of the Planetary Society. -
Cloud Download
NASA Technical Memorandum 106110 Comparisons of Selected Laser Beam Power Missions to Conventionally Powered Missions John M. Bozek National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Ohio and Steven R. Oleson, Geoffrey A. Landis, and Mark W. Stavnes Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Lewis Research Center Group Brook Park, Ohio Prepared for the First Annual Wireless Power Transmission Conference sponsored by the Center for Space Power, Texas A&M University San Antonio, Texas, February 23-25, 1993 NASA COMPARISONS OF SELECTED LASER BEAM POWER MISSIONS TO CONVENTIONALLY POWERED MISSIONS John M. Bozek National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Ohio 44135 and Steven R. Oleson, Geoffrey A. Landis, and Mark W. Stavnes Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Lewis Research Center Group Brook Park, Ohio 44142 SUMMARY Earth-based laser sites beaming laser power to space assets have shown benefits over competing power system concepts for specific missions. Missions analyzed in this report that show benefits of laser beam power are low-Earth-orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous-Earth-orbit (GEO) transfer, LEO to low-lunar-orbit (LLO) cargo missions, and lunar-base power. Both laser- and solar-powered orbit transfer vehicles (OTV's) make a "tug" concept viable, which substantially reduces cumulative initial mass to LEO in comparison to chemical propulsion concepts. In addition, electric propulsion OTV's powered by a laser beam have shorter trip times to and from GEO than do competing OTV's powered solely by the Sun. A round-trip savings of 3 months was calculated for the use of a laser OTV tug instead of a solar OTV tug. -
Mission Design for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
AAS 07-057 Mission Design for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mark Beckman Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 595 29th ANNUAL AAS GUIDANCE AND CONTROL CONFERENCE February 4-8, 2006 Sponsored by Breckenridge, Colorado Rocky Mountain Section AAS Publications Office, P.O. Box 28130 - San Diego, California 92198 AAS-07-057 MISSION DESIGN FOR THE LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER † Mark Beckman The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will be the first mission under NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration. LRO will fly in a low 50 km mean altitude lunar polar orbit. LRO will utilize a direct minimum energy lunar transfer and have a launch window of three days every two weeks. The launch window is defined by lunar orbit beta angle at times of extreme lighting conditions. This paper will define the LRO launch window and the science and engineering constraints that drive it. After lunar orbit insertion, LRO will be placed into a commissioning orbit for up to 60 days. This commissioning orbit will be a low altitude quasi-frozen orbit that minimizes stationkeeping costs during commissioning phase. LRO will use a repeating stationkeeping cycle with a pair of maneuvers every lunar sidereal period. The stationkeeping algorithm will bound LRO altitude, maintain ground station contact during maneuvers, and equally distribute periselene between northern and southern hemispheres. Orbit determination for LRO will be at the 50 m level with updated lunar gravity models. This paper will address the quasi-frozen orbit design, stationkeeping algorithms and low lunar orbit determination. INTRODUCTION The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is the first of the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program’s (LPRP) missions to the moon. -
Cislunar Tether Transport System
FINAL REPORT on NIAC Phase I Contract 07600-011 with NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, Universities Space Research Association CISLUNAR TETHER TRANSPORT SYSTEM Report submitted by: TETHERS UNLIMITED, INC. 8114 Pebble Ct., Clinton WA 98236-9240 Phone: (206) 306-0400 Fax: -0537 email: [email protected] www.tethers.com Report dated: May 30, 1999 Period of Performance: November 1, 1998 to April 30, 1999 PROJECT SUMMARY PHASE I CONTRACT NUMBER NIAC-07600-011 TITLE OF PROJECT CISLUNAR TETHER TRANSPORT SYSTEM NAME AND ADDRESS OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip Tethers Unlimited, Inc. 8114 Pebble Ct., Clinton WA 98236-9240 [email protected] PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR Robert P. Hoyt, Ph.D. ABSTRACT The Phase I effort developed a design for a space systems architecture for repeatedly transporting payloads between low Earth orbit and the surface of the moon without significant use of propellant. This architecture consists of one rotating tether in elliptical, equatorial Earth orbit and a second rotating tether in a circular low lunar orbit. The Earth-orbit tether picks up a payload from a circular low Earth orbit and tosses it into a minimal-energy lunar transfer orbit. When the payload arrives at the Moon, the lunar tether catches it and deposits it on the surface of the Moon. Simultaneously, the lunar tether picks up a lunar payload to be sent down to the Earth orbit tether. By transporting equal masses to and from the Moon, the orbital energy and momentum of the system can be conserved, eliminating the need for transfer propellant. Using currently available high-strength tether materials, this system could be built with a total mass of less than 28 times the mass of the payloads it can transport. -
S New Satellite, THOR 5, Successfully Launched
Telenor’s new satellite, THOR 5, successfully launched Telenor Satellite Broadcasting is pleased to announce the successful launch of its new geo stationary satellite, THOR 5. The satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12.34 (CET), on 11 February and the launch was declared a success after the satellite separated as planned from the Proton Breeze M launch vehicle at 21.56 (CET) the same day. "I was delighted to see THOR 5 successfully being launched", said Cato Halsaa, CEO of Telenor Satellite Broadcasting. "I would like to thank our partners, Orbital, for carrying out the entire THOR 5 mission programme and ILS, for performing a successful launch. Additional broadcasting services in Europe The THOR 5 satellite will now go through extensive in-orbit testing before it is brought into its final geo- stationary position at 1 degree West and commence operating commercial services. From the1 degree West position, THOR 5 will carry all broadcasting services which currently reside on Thor II and provide additional capacity to allow growth in the Nordic region and expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. First satellite in the replacement and expansion programme THOR 5 is the first new satellite to be launched in Telenor Satellite Broadcasting's replacement and expansion programme for satellites, which has a total investment frame of 2.5 billion NOK (close to 470 million USD). With the completion of the programme, Telenor will have doubled its satellite capacity on 1 degree west, facilitating both organic growth and expansion for Telenor. Increasing need for high powered capacity "The satellite replacement and expansion programme demonstrates Telenor's commitment to the satellite industry and our firm belief that satellites will continue to play an important role as a distribution platform for TV entertainment", says Cato Halsaa, CEO of Telenor Satellite Broadcasting.