{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":10429,"title":"Advanced Particle-in-Cell (PIC) Tools for Simulation of Electrodynamic Tether Plasma Interactions","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10562,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10560,"level":3,"code":"TX01.4.2","title":"Electromagnetic Tethers","definition":"Electromagnetic tethers are long, lightweight cables that produce thrust through the Lorentz force by carrying electrical current and interacting with a planetary magnetosphere.","exampleTechnologies":"Electromagnetic Tethers","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":4,"currentTrl":5,"endTrl":5,"benefits":"Tether satellite is important to other government agencies including the DoD/Air Force. Air Force considers tether powered satellite system for space operations. Our tools will support this effort while it can also be considered for Hall thruster and other advanced electric thruster concept programs at Air Force. Multi-billion dollar military and commercial satellite and aerospace industries such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, L-3 Communications, Northrop-Grumman, space research companies around the world have shown interest in using computational models to study the plasma characteristics around the tether structure. Also our tools are applicable to ion sources and plasma processing industries where increased performances are desired in terms of ion beam extraction and improved discharge efficiency via the effective predictions of plasma sheath structures.
ED tether plasma simulation tools will allow NASA researchers to determine the optimum tether design for space operations. The easy-to-use and user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) plasma software from Tech-X is a viable high performance modeling tool for NASA to analyze the ED tether operation in LEO. Our validated numerical tool can significantly cut-down the expenses involved in running ground-based tether experiments. Similar tools are being already used for electric propulsion systems like NEXT ion thruster and Hall thrusters at NASA GRC. The fully electromagnetic capabilities in these codes make them ideal for modeling other advanced electric propulsion concepts like cathode less radio frequency (RF) ionization, micro size, nano size field emission and laser ablative propulsion.","description":"Electrodynamic tethers are optimally suited for use in Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) to generate thrust or drag maneuver satellites. LEO region is polluted with space debris from the left over of rockets and abandoned satellites. It becomes important to clean them, i.e., de-orbit and ED tethers are promising for such applications. ED tethers are operating without propellants, so less polluting in our space and also cost-efficient. Tether powered satellites can operate in dual mode (thrust or power generation). Advanced PIC tools can perform self-consistent 2-D and 3-D tether simulations to study the plasma interactions and will improve the understanding of the self-induced magnetic field effects on the current collection ability of these ED tethers. These tools once validated using tether ribbon tape experiments can help NASA researchers to analyze various tether geometries in efforts to optimize tether design for space missions on a wide range of operating conditions.","startYear":2011,"startMonth":2,"endYear":2012,"endMonth":2,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":450999,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Sudhakar","lastName":"Mahalingam","fullName":"Sudhakar Mahalingam","fullNameInverted":"Mahalingam, Sudhakar","primaryEmail":"sudhakar@txcorp.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":236514,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"John","lastName":"Yim","fullName":"John T Yim","fullNameInverted":"Yim, John T","middleInitial":"T","primaryEmail":"john.t.yim@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":461333,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Theresa","lastName":"Stanley","fullName":"Theresa M Stanley","fullNameInverted":"Stanley, Theresa M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"theresa.m.stanley@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":64957,"projectId":10429,"transitionDate":"2012-02-01","path":"Closed Out","closeoutDocuments":[{"title":"Final Summary Chart","file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":305219,"fileName":"STTR_2010_1_FSC_T3.01-9915","fileSize":227036,"objectId":64957,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":1841,"code":"TRANSITION_FILES","description":"Transition Files","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"fileSizeString":"221.7 KB"},"transitionId":64957,"fileId":305219}],"infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"February 2012"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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