NASA, Industry Leaders Discuss New Booster Development for Space Launch System

On Dec. 15, more than 120 aerospace industry leaders from more than 70 companies attended the Space Launch System's Advanced Booster Industry Day held at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The event focused on a NASA Research Announcement for the Space Launch System's (SLS) advanced booster.

Marshall is leading the design and development of the SLS on behalf of the agency. The new heavy-lift launch vehicle will expand human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and enable new missions of exploration across the solar system. For explorations beyond the first two test flights, the SLS vehicle will require an advanced booster with a significant increase in thrust over existing U.S. liquid or solid boosters.

"As we are forging ahead with Space Launch System development, we are pleased to have such a strong response from industry and look forward to their ideas and hardware demonstrations for advance boosters concepts," said Todd May, SLS program manager. "Together, our expertise will enable an entirely new U.S. booster capability -- the largest and highest performing booster system ever produced -- to begin the journey to deep space safely and affordably."

NASA Dryden’s INSPIRE Interns Learn Flight Testing First-hand

Eight high school students who participated in the INSPIRE internship program at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center this summer learned first hand about the start-to-finish process of flight testing experimental aircraft. NASA Dryden controls and dynamics engineer Brian Taylor, who served as mentor to the INSPIRE interns, said the students modeled, tested, and analyzed the aerodynamic and mass properties of a large model aircraft called the Dryden Remotely Operated Integrated Drone or DROID while going through the Dryden flight-approval process. The process included a series of technical reviews, safety analyses, development of mission rules and flight operations before conducting actual data-collection flights.

They then completed two days of flight tests in late July totaling nearly two hours of flight time on the DROID aircraft. All planned test points were completed during 13 short flights at the Muroc Model Masters model aircraft flight operations area on the north side of Rosamond Dry Lake. The students then analyzed the data transmitted from sensors on the aircraft, comparing the results to their models.While one group of students flight tested the aircraft to determine the takeoff distance, best rate of climb, thrust required for level flight, and lift to drag ratios, the other group performed inertia swings on the aircraft in order to determine its mass properties.

NASA Dryden operations engineer Leslie Monforton of Tybrin Corp., who flew the aircraft for the students’ flight-test project, found the experience rewarding. “It was a privilege working with these gifted students, both in coaching and flying the DROID for them,” she said. “They all will have a great future.” INSPIRE an acronym for Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience is a multi-tiered year-round program designed for students in ninth to 12th grades who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and careers.

NASA Picks 18 Small Business Tech Transfer Projects For Continued Development

NASA has selected 18 innovative technology proposals for negotiation of Phase 2 contract awards in the Small Business Technology Transfer program, or "STTR." The selected projects have a total value of approximately $11 million. The contracts will be awarded to 18 high technology firms that are partnering with 15 universities in 12 states.As an investment opportunity, STTR innovations address specific technology gaps in mission programs, provide a foundation for future technology needs, and are complementary to other NASA research investments.

Examples of some STTR technologies being pursued in current selected proposals include:An autonomous health monitoring system for improved stability, safety, and performance of advanced aerospace vehicles under adverse conditions. Advanced components for direct-detection LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) that can be used on new unmanned aircraft systems or aircraft platforms. LIDAR instruments will be required for remote sensing measurements from future Earth science missions.

Development of novel fabrication techniques for high efficiency thermo-electric devices. More efficient thermo-electric devices which convert heat directly into electricity are of interest to NASA for extracting power from "wasted heat" - heat energy from turbine engines, the hot side of spacecraft, or even the body heat of astronauts.