Briefs: Propulsion
Testing Aircraft Electric Propulsion Systems on NASA’s Modular Stand
As powered flight expands to include electric propulsion technologies, aeronautics designers need to understand the electrical, aerodynamic, and structural...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Iodine-Compatible Hall Effect Thruster
The Hall effect thruster (HET) was designed for long-duration operation with gaseous iodine as the propellant. Iodine is an alternative to the state-of-the-art propellant xenon. Compared to xenon,...
Briefs: Propulsion
Burnable-Poison-Operated Reactor Using Gadolinium Loaded Alloy
The problem to be resolved in this work was the use of radial control drums as the sole active reactivity control system for nuclear thermal propulsion, which results in significant rocket performance changes during full-power operation. This can result in large inefficiencies in...
INSIDER: Propulsion
NASA Tests 3D-Printed Rocket Fuel Pump
NASA tested a 3D printed rocket engine turbopump with liquid methane – an ideal propellant for engines needed to power many types of spacecraft for NASA’s journey to Mars. During the full-power...
INSIDER: Aerospace
NASA Tests Revolutionary E-Sail Propulsion Technology
Testing has started at NASA on a concept called the Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS), a propellant-less propulsion system that would harness solar wind to travel...
Briefs: Propulsion
An On-Demand Gas Generator for CubeSat or Low-Mass Propulsion Systems
There are difficulties related to storing enough gas to propel a CubeSat within an onboard tank. Currently, a CubeSat requiring a large volume of gas for extended...
Briefs: Propulsion
Suppression of Unwanted Noise and Howl in a Test Configuration Where Jet Exhaust is Discharged Into a Duct
This technology is based on a model-scale experiment simulating a test facility where an engine exhaust is discharged into a duct....
Who's Who: Aerospace
Jim Heidmann, Project Manager for NASA’s Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, and Jason Welstead, Aerospace Engineer
Jim Heidmann of Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, OH) and Jason Welstead of Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA) have led NASA efforts to develop all-electric and hybrid-electric designs for large passenger aircraft....
R&D: Aerospace
Researchers Use Rust to Improve 3D-Printing Process
A team of Northwestern researchers has created a new way to print three-dimensional metallic objects using rust and metal powders.
Briefs: Propulsion
Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Integration for Shock Noise (RISN)
Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) Integration for Shock- Noise (RISN) is a computer program that evaluates acoustic analogies to predict jet noise. Jet noise is due to turbulence from the chaotic flow within the exhaust of a rocket or air-breathing jet engine. The source of...
Briefs: Propulsion
Regeneratively Cooled Porous Media Jacket
A non-toxic nitrous oxide fuel blend (NOFB) monopropellant with a high adiabatic flame temperature reaching and probably exceeding 3,450 K and a very high thermal decomposition limit (>390 °C) is under development. To design an optimal rocket engine that can handle the high adiabatic temperature...
Briefs: Propulsion
Multi-Pulse Motor (MPM) Designed for Use with Electric Solid Propellants
The multi-pulse motor is a solid-propellant rocket motor that is able to produce a number of pulses for various thrust levels (5 to 30 pulses and thrusts between 0.25 and 1.5 N, depending on electric power delivery system) and can be turned on and off through the...
Briefs: Propulsion
Adaptive Augmenting Control
Adaptive augmenting control (AAC) is a forward gain, multiplicative adaptive algorithm for launch vehicle flight control that meets three summary-level design objectives: Do no harm — return to baseline control design when not needed; respond to errors in the ability of the vehicle to track commands to increase...
INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control
NASA’s Green Propellant Spacecraft Moves Toward Launch
The propulsion subsystem for NASA's Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) has been integrated onto the spacecraft, moving the mission another major step toward scheduled launch in...
INSIDER: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Researchers Help NASA Eliminate Vibration in Space System Joints
Researchers at the University of Georgia are helping NASA determine if a key rocket component can withstand the rigors of the next generation of spaceflight. The bellows...
Briefs: Nanotechnology
Pyramid Micro-Electrofluidic-Spray Propulsion Thruster with Integrated Attitude and Thrust Vector Control
A micro-electrofluidic-spray propulsion (MEP) system was built on a micro scale, in which arrays of hundreds of nano-thrusters are etched on silicon wafers like ICs, only a centimeter on a side. Many dozens of these thruster chips can be...
Briefs: Propulsion
Evaluation of Rail Gun Technology for Launch Assist of Air-Breathing Rockets
A prototype horizontal electromagnetic rail launcher has been demonstrated along with a corresponding theory. This system builds out of published work in augmented rail guns, but modifies this technology so that the motor can operate for seconds rather than...
Briefs: Motion Control
Using Harmonics to Control Flutter in Wings with Electrical Motors
As aeronautics engineers develop innovative distributed electric propulsion systems, they face new challenges in ensuring that these innovative aircraft are safe as well as fuel efficient. In particular, these systems involve a large number of electrically driven fan motors...
Briefs: Propulsion
Micropulse Detonation Rocket Engine for Nano-Satellite Propulsion
An efficient propulsion system would use a micropulse detonation rocket engine (–PDRE) for nano-satellite maneuverability in space. Technical objectives are to design, build, and conduct a small detonation tube experiment in order to explore the feasibility of using –PDRE for...
Briefs: Motion Control
Experimental Testbed for 1-MW Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion Aircraft
Researchers at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center are developing a concept aircraft for testing turbo-electric distributed propulsion (TeDP) experiments. TeDP generally involves providing thrust to an aircraft via wing-mounted ducted electric fans, which consist...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Propellant Loading Visualization Software
Complex pressure systems are utilized during testing in the propulsion branch as well as during the propellant loading stage of a mission. Keeping track of the state of such a system becomes more...
Application Briefs: Propulsion
Solar Sail Will Demonstrate “Propellant-less Propulsion”
The Sunjammer Mission team — including NASA, lead contractor L’Garde, Space Services Holdings (SSHI), and Micro Aerospace Solutions — is preparing to launch Sunjammer, the...
Application Briefs: Propulsion
Cryogenic Turbines Aid NASA’s Morpheus Lander
Turbines, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of turbine flow metering technology, has assisted NASA with its Morpheus Lander project. Project Morpheus, a vertical testbed, demonstrates new...
Articles: Propulsion
High-Pressure Systems Suppress Fires in Seconds
Orbital Technologies Corp. (ORBITEC) of Madison, WI, has been a longtime NASA partner, working with the Agency on numerous projects, many through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)...
Application Briefs: Motion Control
Simulated Models Test Design of Space Shuttles and Rocket Engines
Dynamic Concepts
Huntsville, AL
256-922-9888
www.dynamic-concepts.com
NASA tasked Dynamic Concepts (DCI) with assessing the structural dynamics of the rollout process, whereby the space shuttle orbiter, external tank,...
Who's Who: Propulsion
Anthony Kelley, Lead Flow Research Engineer, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
As petroleum prices spiral higher, new technologies are being developed to help keep prices down. The balanced flow meter, technology originally developed by NASA for the space shuttle, promises to ease pain at the pump by being more precise and consuming...
Application Briefs: Propulsion
Electromechanical System Provides Satellite Propulsion
Marotta Controls
Montville, NJ
973-334-7800
www.marotta.com
Briefs: Propulsion
Hybrid Propulsion System for Returning a Sample From Mars
A paper suggests the development of a hybrid rocket engine and associated equipment for returning a sample of material from Mars at relatively low cost. In a hybrid rocket engine, a solid fuel is burned by use of a liquid or gaseous oxidizer, the flow of which can be throttled to control...
Top Stories
Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

A Spiraling Robotic Gripper 'Twines' Like a Plant
Videos: Automotive
New Lithium Metal Batteries ‘Build Themselves’
Blog: Unmanned Systems

Experts Weigh In: How Will a Robotic Future Impact Nature?
INSIDER: Imaging

Orbiting Instrument Hints That Stored Magnetic Energy Heats Solar...
Videos: Test & Measurement

Test System Could Enable Reduced Helicopter Vibration
Blog: RF & Microwave Electronics

Webcasts
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
Reducing the Cost of Quality in Automotive BiW
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
Electric-Vehicle Transmission Development Priorities
Upcoming Webinars: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The Critical Role of Fiber Optic Temperature Sensors in Medical...
Upcoming Webinars: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Zinc Die Casting Concepts to Achieve Precision, Performance, and...
Upcoming Webinars: Test & Measurement
Radar Measurements: Triggering, Analysis, and Generation
Upcoming Webinars: Materials
Trending Stories
NASA Spinoff: Energy

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars
Briefs: Materials

Aluminum Electroplating Using Bromide Salts
Briefs: Materials
Thermogravimetric Analysis of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes
NASA Spinoff: Propulsion

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars
Application Briefs: Motion Control

Custom Gimbal for JHU-APL Shows Promise for Others
Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition
