{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":91756,"title":"Variable Geometry Radiators Using Shape Memory Alloys","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10932,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10929,"level":3,"code":"TX14.2.3","title":"Heat Rejection and Storage","definition":"This area includes technologies to more effectively reject heat on a flight. Technologies are needed to make these methods more reliable and standardized and increase the capability for effective ground testing. This area includes technologies that manage system heat primarily through the use of the thermal and/or optical properties of a given material. This area includes in-space and ground applications.","exampleTechnologies":"Radiators, radiator turn-down devices (e.g. louvers, heat switches, variable conductance heat pipes), phase change materials, transpiration cooling, heat sinks, optical coatings, variable coatings, sunshades, molten salts, cryogens, evaporation, boiling, condensation, autonomous radiator maintenance, dust tolerant radiators, high heat load 500 - 500 kW rejection","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":2,"currentTrl":3,"endTrl":3,"benefits":"In its Thermal Management Systems Roadmap, NASA emphasizes the importance of innovative radiator technology, citing it as \"perhaps the most critical thermal technology development for future spacecraft and space-based systems (TA-14-17).\" Indeed, such technology is critical for the future of space missions, as long-term crewed missions are difficult or impossible without it. The morphing SMA radiator concept in this application is truly revolutionary because it has the potential to improve several performance metrics simultaneously: mass, system complexity, reliability, and versatility. ","description":"This application proposes groundbreaking research performed under the NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship (NSTRF) Program. The proposed effort concerns the development of an innovative radiator concept that uses shape memory alloys (SMAs) to actuate passively in response to changes in its ambient thermal environment. In doing so, the radiator is capable of reconfiguring automatically to accommodate different thermal rejection requirements over the course of a mission. For example, during interplanetary travel, the radiator will be configured for minimal heat loss. When the spacecraft reaches a planetary surface, the radiator will automatically reconfigure itself to accommodate higher heat loads. In its Thermal Management Systems Roadmap, NASA emphasizes the importance of innovative radiator technology, citing it as \"perhaps the most critical thermal technology development for future spacecraft and space-based systems (TA-14-17).\" Indeed, such technology is critical for the future of space missions, as long-term crewed missions are difficult or impossible without it. The morphing SMA radiator concept in this application is truly revolutionary because it has the potential to improve several performance metrics simultaneously: mass, system complexity, reliability, and versatility. The details of the project proposal will be discussed further in the supporting documents of this application.","startYear":2014,"startMonth":8,"endYear":2016,"endMonth":8,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":102297,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Darren","lastName":"Hartl","fullName":"Darren Hartl","fullNameInverted":"Hartl, Darren","publicEmail":false,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":84634,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Claudia","lastName":"Meyer","fullName":"Claudia M Meyer","fullNameInverted":"Meyer, Claudia M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"claudia.m.meyer@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":84634,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Claudia","lastName":"Meyer","fullName":"Claudia M Meyer","fullNameInverted":"Meyer, Claudia M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"claudia.m.meyer@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":183514,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Hung","lastName":"Nguyen","fullName":"Hung D Nguyen","fullNameInverted":"Nguyen, Hung D","middleInitial":"D","primaryEmail":"hung.d.nguyen@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":1530744,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Eugene","lastName":"Ungar","fullName":"Eugene K Ungar","fullNameInverted":"Ungar, Eugene K","middleInitial":"K","primaryEmail":"eugene.k.ungar@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"coInvestigators":[{"contactId":77533,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Christopher","lastName":"Bertagne","fullName":"Christopher L Bertagne","fullNameInverted":"Bertagne, Christopher L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"christopher.l.bertagne@jpl.nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/home/index.html","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":75800,"projectId":91756,"partner":"Other","transitionDate":"2014-08-01","path":"Advanced From","relatedProjectId":91411,"relatedProject":{"acronym":"","projectId":91411,"title":"A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) -based, Radiation Tolerant, Reconfigurable Computer System with Real Time Fault Detection, Avoidance and Repair Testing","startTrl":5,"currentTrl":7,"endTrl":7,"benefits":"This novel computer system uses a variety of fault mitigation techniques to provide increased reliability in harsh radiation environments and will benefit the commercial space industry and future NASA missions.","description":"The goal of this project is to mature the technology readiness level of a radiation tolerant, reconfigurable computer system that has been developed at Montana State University (MSU). The improved radiation tolerance delivered by our approach makes reconfigurable computing using commercial FPGA fabrics a reality.
Next on the Pad: RadSat - A Radiation Tolerant Computer System
Feb 2018: ISS Database entry on 3U RadSat-g
Nov 2017: Research Overview video
Sep 2017: MSU team receives NASA grant to launch satellite from space station
Jan 2017: Two MSU projects receive NASA grants to fund student flight research opportunities
Jan 2017: MSU researchers test computer technology on International Space Station
Dec 2016: Video of installation onboard the ISS
Dec 2016: ISS Database entry on Radiation Tolerant Computer Mission on the ISS (RTcMISS)
Sep 2016: 2015 Annual Report story on Radiation Tolerant Computer System","startYear":2013,"startMonth":12,"endYear":2017,"endMonth":8,"statusDescription":"Completed","website":"https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/home/index.html","program":{"acronym":"FO","active":true,"description":"
The President’s 2010 National Space Policy:
“A robust and competitive commercial space sector is vital to continued progress in space. The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of a U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship.”
Flight Opportunities directly answers the call of the President’s policy through the acquisition of suborbital launch services on commercial suborbital launch vehicles. By purchasing flight opportunities on U.S. commercial vehicles the Flight Opportunities program is encouraging and facilitating the growth of this market while simultaneously providing pathways to advance the technology readiness of a wide range of new launch vehicle and space technologies.
One of the greatest challenges NASA faces in incorporating advanced technologies into future missions is bridging the mid-technology readiness level (TRL) (4-7) gap (or “valley of death”), between component or prototype testing in a lab or ground facility setting, and the final infusion of a new technology into critical path exploration or science mission development. To cross this gap, the proposed new technology must pass system level testing in a relevant operational environment. Maturing a space technology to flight readiness status through relevant environment testing is a significant challenge from cost, schedule, and technical risk perspectives.
FO has its lineage from the former Innovative Partnership Program (IPP) of FY09, specifically the Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology (FAST) project and the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) project. The FAST and CRuSR activities are continued within the FO Program, as the parabolic and suborbital, flight campaigns, respectively. The flights will provide opportunities to expose new technologies to low-g environments and/or high altitude environments. The intent is to demonstrate and mature various technologies for future applications. These emerging technologies will come from the nine other programs within the Space Technology Mission Directorate, from the other Mission Directorates and external sources (other Government Agencies, Academia, and Commercial Industries.
The NASA Flight Opportunities (FO) Program has been established as a part of the Space Technologies Mission Directorate (STMD) to rapidly develop, demonstrate and infuse revolutionary, high-payoff technologies through transparent, collaborative partnerships, expanding the boundaries of the aerospace enterprise by providing the nation’s investments in space technologies to make a difference in the world around us. FO focuses on maturation of technologies that are of benefit to multiple customers, to flight readiness status with an outcome of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher. These crosscutting capabilities are those that advance multiple future aerospace missions, including flight projects where near-space or in-space demonstration is needed before the capability can transition to direct mission application. Maturing technologies to a higher TRL status through relevant flight opportunities testing is a significant challenge from both a cost and risk perspective.
","programId":72,"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"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36656,"title":"Flight Opportunities"},"lastUpdated":"2024-2-6","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":108,"endDateString":"Aug 2017","startDateString":"Dec 2013"},"infoText":"Advanced from another project within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) -based, Radiation Tolerant, Reconfigurable Computer System with Real Time Fault Detection, Avoidance and Repair Testing)","dateText":"August 2014"},{"transitionId":75801,"projectId":91756,"transitionDate":"2016-08-01","path":"Closed Out","details":"The primary goal of this research investigation was to advance a novel and innovative radiator technology known as a variable geometry or morphing radiator. Such a device would employ the temperature-dependent phase change of shape memory alloy (SMA) materials in order to passively reconfigure radiator shape and thus adapt the rate of heat rejection to evolving vehicle requirements. Preliminary analytical studies have shown that morphing radiators have the potential to achieve system-level turndown ratios of at least 12:1, which far exceeds the 3:1 turndown ratio of current state of the art radiator technology and enables a single-loop thermal control system (TCS) to be used in lieu of the traditional two-loop system; adopting a single-loop TCS with a morphing radiator system could reduce TCS mass by as much as 25%. Thus, the SMA morphing radiator concept is truly revolutionary in its potential to improve several performance metrics simultaneously, including increases in system versatility and reliability as well as decreases in system mass and complexity. The research investigation was divided into two phases. Phase I focused on developing new analysis and design tools to support future design, development, and deployment of morphing radiator systems. Morphing radiators that use thermally activated smart materials (e.g. SMAs) for actuation exhibit a complex coupling between geometry and temperature which has not been widely addressed in the archival literature. Further, existing simulation tools are generally unable to model this type of coupling. A number of new analysis tools were developed during Phase I, including mathematical and finite element models at various levels of fidelity as well a custom analysis framework which can be used to simulate general problems involving morphing radiators. The resulting tools were demonstrated through several realistic example problems, including component- and system-level simulations of various morphing radiator conceptual designs. Phase II involved the design, fabrication, and testing of a morphing radiator prototype, subsequent experimental validation of the analysis tools developed during Phase I, and design studies to explore the effects of various design parameters (e.g. geometry, material selection) on the thermal and structural response of a representative morphing radiator system. The morphing radiator prototype, known as Prototype A, successfully demonstrated the desired temperatureinduced morphing behavior in a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA JSC, which represents the first known experimental testing of an SMA-actuated morphing component in a purely radiative environment. Following these experiments, two finite element models of Prototype A were developed: a thermal model capable of predicting its thermal response and a fully coupled thermomechanical model capable of predicting both its thermal and structural response. The thermal model was used to validate the implementation of radiation boundary conditions in Abaqus and to predict the turndown ratio of Prototype A: 6.4:1. The fully coupled model was used to validate the analysis framework developed during Phase I, giving additional confidence in the approach taken. In addition, parallel development of a high-conductivity composite morphing radiator panel via a NASA JSC IR&D grant enabled three additional prototypes (Prototypes B, C, and D) to be designed, fabricated, and tested in a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA JSC and also successfully demonstrated the desired morphing behavior and variable heat rejection. These tests represent an additional milestone: namely, the first successful experimental demonstration of a flexible yet highly conductive radiator panel.","infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"August 2016"}],"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":"STRG","active":true,"description":"\tThe Space Technology Research Grants Program will accelerate the development of "push" technologies to support the future space science and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies and the commercial space sector. Innovative efforts with high risk and high payoff will be encouraged. The program is composed of two competitively awarded components.
","programId":69,"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"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36658,"title":"Space Technology Research Grants"},"leadOrganization":{"acronym":"Texas A&M","canUserEdit":false,"city":"College Station","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":true,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":3185,"organizationName":"Texas A & M University-College Station","organizationType":"Academia","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29},"stateTerritoryId":29,"msiData":{"2017":["Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)"],"2023":["Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)"]},"setAsideData":[],"murepUnitId":228723,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"Academia"},"supportingOrganizations":[{"acronym":"JSC","canUserEdit":false,"city":"Houston","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4853,"organizationName":"Johnson Space Center","organizationType":"NASA_Center","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29},"stateTerritoryId":29,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"}],"statesWithWork":[{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29}],"lastUpdated":"2024-2-6","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":394,"endDateString":"Aug 2016","startDateString":"Aug 2014"}}