Gears are machine components that allow speed and torque to be scaled. In spacecraft, roving vehicles, and aircraft, they are commonly used to connect a small, efficient motor to a load that requires slower speed and higher torque (e.g. a propeller, wheel, or drill). Contact between mating gear teeth causes several problems, including energy loss, noise generation, tooth wear, and tooth cracking. Lubricant is also required to reduce friction, but it tends to evaporate in low atmosphere or solidify at low temperature. This poses engineering challenges for Space systems, where gearing often needs to be protected in an atmospheric chamber. It was recognized over 100 years ago that magnets could be used to prevent gear tooth contact, thereby eliminating all of the aforementioned issues. Magnetic gearing technology evolved slowly, because magnets were relatively weak and their magnetic energy was not efficiently utilized. In the last 10 years, however, this technology has advanced exponentially. Although wind turbines have been the primary application, the lightest weight designs have been developed for automotive and robotic applications. The overarching goal for this project is to establish competency in magnetic gearing technology for US aerospace applications.
","benefits":"In aeronautics, one of the first applications for magnetic gearing could be in propulsion systems for on-demand-mobility (ODM) aircrafts. Currently most ODM aircraft designs use direct drive electric motors to turn their propellers. Geared motors could provide efficiency and weight benefits over direct drive motors as they allow the motor to operate at higher speed. However, geared motors are avoided in current designs due to mechanical gearing's added maintenance costs and potential noise. Unlike mechanical gearing, magnetic gearing has neither of these disadvantages and could be the enabling technology for geared motor's use in electric aircraft.
In Space, magnetic gearing could be an enabling technology for missions in harsh environments. Lubricating traditional gearing in the vacuum of Space and other harsh planetary environments can be a difficult or impossible problem to solve. Magnetic gearing requires no lubrication and in theory can operate indefinitely without wear.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","viewCount":891,"destinationType":["Earth","Moon_and_Cislunar","Mars"],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":3,"trlEnd":4,"lastUpdated":"12/02/25","favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"projectContacts":[{"contactId":257421,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Justin","lastName":"Scheidler","fullName":"Justin J Scheidler","fullNameInverted":"Scheidler, Justin J","middleInitial":"J","email":"justin.j.scheidler@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Project_Manager","projectContactId":244777,"projectId":93848,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Project Manager"},{"contactId":257421,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Justin","lastName":"Scheidler","fullName":"Justin J Scheidler","fullNameInverted":"Scheidler, Justin J","middleInitial":"J","email":"justin.j.scheidler@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Principal_Investigator","projectContactId":244778,"projectId":93848,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Principal Investigator"},{"contactId":485123,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Vivake","lastName":"Asnani","fullName":"Vivake M Asnani","fullNameInverted":"Asnani, Vivake M","middleInitial":"M","email":"vivake.m.asnani@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Principal_Investigator","projectContactId":244779,"projectId":93848,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Principal Investigator"},{"contactId":466326,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Thomas","lastName":"Tallerico","fullName":"Thomas F Tallerico","fullNameInverted":"Tallerico, Thomas F","middleInitial":"F","email":"thomas.tallerico@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Co_Investigator","projectContactId":244776,"projectId":93848,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Co-Investigator"}],"programContacts":[{"contactId":159449,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Gary","lastName":"Horsham","fullName":"Gary A Horsham","fullNameInverted":"Horsham, Gary A","middleInitial":"A","email":"gary.a.horsham@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":23,"programId":151,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""}],"leadOrganization":{"organizationId":4860,"organizationName":"Glenn Research Center","acronym":"GRC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Cleveland","stateTerritoryId":23,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"OH","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Ohio","stateTerritoryId":23,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"44135","projectId":93848,"projectOrganizationId":358455,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},"otherOrganizations":[{"organizationId":4860,"organizationName":"Glenn Research Center","acronym":"GRC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Cleveland","stateTerritoryId":23,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"OH","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Ohio","stateTerritoryId":23,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"44135","projectId":93848,"projectOrganizationId":358455,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},{"organizationId":4946,"organizationName":"Jet Propulsion Laboratory","acronym":"JPL","organizationType":"FFRDC_2fUARC","city":"Pasadena","stateTerritoryId":59,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"CA","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"California","stateTerritoryId":59,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"91109","projectId":93848,"projectOrganizationId":358454,"organizationRole":"Supporting_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Supporting Organization","organizationTypePretty":"FFRDC/UARC"},{"organizationId":3996,"organizationName":"Ohio State University-Main Campus","acronym":"OSU","organizationType":"Academia","city":"Columbus","stateTerritoryId":23,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"OH","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Ohio","stateTerritoryId":23,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"43210","murepUnitId":204796,"academicDegreeType":"Public_4_year","projectId":93848,"projectOrganizationId":358453,"organizationRole":"Supporting_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Supporting Organization","organizationTypePretty":"Academia"}],"primaryTx":{"taxonomyNodeId":11421,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11418,"code":"TX14.1.3","title":"Thermal Conditioning for Sensors, Instruments, Samples, and High-Efficiency Electric Motors","description":"This area includes cost-effective, high-efficiency, low-weight, and low-vibration cryocoolers and advanced sub-Kelvin cooling technology; technologies for thermal management for cryogenic applications to unique flight science sensors, instrumentation, and samples; and technologies to integrate cryocoolers into super conduction machines and power electronics for electrified aircraft. This area also includes technologies relevant to NASA's unique wide-ranging science mission and research activities.","exampleTechnologies":"Integrated thermal control/parasitics; cryocooler refrigeration below 10 K; cryocooler refrigeration above 10 K; magnetic refrigeration, dilution coolers, multi-stage mechanical coolers, multi-stage passive coolers and Turbo-Brayton cryocoolers; Joule-Thomson effect; solid cryogens heat sink; liquid hydrogen spacecraft dewars; vapor cooling for instruments and storage hardware; solar shields/baffles for spacecraft cryogenic systems; coatings to limit thermal load on spacecraft cryogenic systems; heat rejection; thermal switches; thermal parasitics for cryogenic fluids/ cryocooler systems; emerging applications for cryogenic environments such as low-temperature mechanisms (e.g. planetary exploration); integrated cryocoolers for superconducting motors","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":false,"isPrimary":true,"hasInteriorContent":true},"primaryTxTree":[[{"taxonomyNodeId":11417,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"code":"TX14","title":"Thermal Management Systems","level":1,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11418,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11417,"code":"TX14.1","title":"Cryogenic Systems","description":"Cryogenics is the art of, science of, and engineering involved in achieving below 150°C and involves research, technology development, design, analysis, characterization, and testing of components through ground and flight evaluations that support the qualification and use of cryogenic fluids and temperatures for flight. Cryogenics employs unique skills, facilities, and expertise because the thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, material behaviors, and component and system responses vary significantly at low temperatures. Applications include all aspects of propulsion, science, ground operations, other unique applications, supporting analysis, safety, and testing.","level":2,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11421,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11418,"code":"TX14.1.3","title":"Thermal Conditioning for Sensors, Instruments, Samples, and High-Efficiency Electric Motors","description":"This area includes cost-effective, high-efficiency, low-weight, and low-vibration cryocoolers and advanced sub-Kelvin cooling technology; technologies for thermal management for cryogenic applications to unique flight science sensors, instrumentation, and samples; and technologies to integrate cryocoolers into super conduction machines and power electronics for electrified aircraft. This area also includes technologies relevant to NASA's unique wide-ranging science mission and research activities.","exampleTechnologies":"Integrated thermal control/parasitics; cryocooler refrigeration below 10 K; cryocooler refrigeration above 10 K; magnetic refrigeration, dilution coolers, multi-stage mechanical coolers, multi-stage passive coolers and Turbo-Brayton cryocoolers; Joule-Thomson effect; solid cryogens heat sink; liquid hydrogen spacecraft dewars; vapor cooling for instruments and storage hardware; solar shields/baffles for spacecraft cryogenic systems; coatings to limit thermal load on spacecraft cryogenic systems; heat rejection; thermal switches; thermal parasitics for cryogenic fluids/ cryocooler systems; emerging applications for cryogenic environments such as low-temperature mechanisms (e.g. planetary exploration); integrated cryocoolers for superconducting motors","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":true,"hasInteriorContent":true}]],"technologyOutcomes":[{"technologyOutcomeId":54615,"projectId":93848,"project":{"projectId":93848,"title":"FY17 GRC: Magnetic Gearing - Establishing Core Competency","startDate":"2017-05-01","startYear":2017,"startMonth":5,"endDate":"2018-12-31","endYear":2018,"endMonth":12,"programId":151,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GRC IRAD","isActive":true,"parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"IRAD","isActive":true,"programId":87,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Center Independent Research & Development","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"IRAD"},"parentProgramId":87,"programId":151,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4910,"organizationName":"Mission Support Directorate","acronym":"MSD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4910,"title":"Center Independent Research & Development: GRC IRAD","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GRC IRAD"},"acronym":"","description":"Gears are machine components that allow speed and torque to be scaled. In spacecraft, roving vehicles, and aircraft, they are commonly used to connect a small, efficient motor to a load that requires slower speed and higher torque (e.g. a propeller, wheel, or drill). Contact between mating gear teeth causes several problems, including energy loss, noise generation, tooth wear, and tooth cracking. Lubricant is also required to reduce friction, but it tends to evaporate in low atmosphere or solidify at low temperature. This poses engineering challenges for Space systems, where gearing often needs to be protected in an atmospheric chamber. It was recognized over 100 years ago that magnets could be used to prevent gear tooth contact, thereby eliminating all of the aforementioned issues. Magnetic gearing technology evolved slowly, because magnets were relatively weak and their magnetic energy was not efficiently utilized. In the last 10 years, however, this technology has advanced exponentially. Although wind turbines have been the primary application, the lightest weight designs have been developed for automotive and robotic applications. The overarching goal for this project is to establish competency in magnetic gearing technology for US aerospace applications.
","benefits":"In aeronautics, one of the first applications for magnetic gearing could be in propulsion systems for on-demand-mobility (ODM) aircrafts. Currently most ODM aircraft designs use direct drive electric motors to turn their propellers. Geared motors could provide efficiency and weight benefits over direct drive motors as they allow the motor to operate at higher speed. However, geared motors are avoided in current designs due to mechanical gearing's added maintenance costs and potential noise. Unlike mechanical gearing, magnetic gearing has neither of these disadvantages and could be the enabling technology for geared motor's use in electric aircraft.
In Space, magnetic gearing could be an enabling technology for missions in harsh environments. Lubricating traditional gearing in the vacuum of Space and other harsh planetary environments can be a difficult or impossible problem to solve. Magnetic gearing requires no lubrication and in theory can operate indefinitely without wear.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":["Earth","Moon_and_Cislunar","Mars"],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":3,"trlEnd":4,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[{"contactId":159449,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Gary","lastName":"Horsham","fullName":"Gary A Horsham","fullNameInverted":"Horsham, Gary A","middleInitial":"A","email":"gary.a.horsham@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":23,"programId":151,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""}],"endDateString":"Dec 2018","startDateString":"May 2017"},"technologyOutcomeDate":"2018-12-01","technologyOutcomePath":"Closed_Out","details":"This project was adopted at the end of Phase II by the Aeronautics RLTV project office.
","closeoutLinkUrl":"","files":[{"title":"Magnetic Gearing Research at NASA","file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":267624,"fileName":"Magnetic Gearing Research at NASA - 93848","fileSize":1383436,"objectId":54615,"objectType":"technologyOutcomeFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"1.3 MB"},"technologyOutcomeId":54615,"fileId":267624}],"infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"Project closed out","isIndirect":false,"infusionPretty":"","isBiDirectional":false,"technologyOutcomeDateString":"Dec 2018","technologyOutcomeDateFullString":"December 2018","technologyOutcomePartnerPretty":"","technologyOutcomePathPretty":"Closed Out","technologyOutcomeRationalePretty":""}],"libraryItems":[],"states":[{"abbreviation":"OH","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Ohio","stateTerritoryId":23,"isTerritory":false}],"endDateString":"Dec 2018","startDateString":"May 2017"}}