Low Gravity Issues of Deep Space Refueling

Chato, David J.

doi:10.2514/6.2005-1148

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…4-How should the fuel be transferred to the depot, or from the depot to a "customer" vehicle? While the transfer of cryogenic fluids in microgravity has been studied, it has never been performed in space in any significant quantity (Chato, 2005). This gives rise to the notion of bypassing the fluid transfer altogether by exchanging the fuel tanks themselvesswap an empty tank for a full tankmuch the same as is done with gas grills on the Earth.…”

Section: Parameters Chosenmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Architecture Study for a Fuel Depot Supplied From Lunar Resources

Perrin

Casler

2016

Aiaa Space 2016

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I express my sincere appreciation to the members of my advisory committee for their guidance and support during my time in the master's program at the University of North Dakota. I also want to express my appreciation for my wife, Diana, and my daughter, Sarah, who kept the home fires burning while Dad spent many nights and weekends at the office working on "his space stuff". I want to thank Mr. Charles L. (Les) Johnson, Deputy Manager of the Advanced Concepts Office at Marshall Space Flight Center. Mr. Johnson was keenly interested in the work and assisted me in locating subject matter experts when needed. I also want to thank Mr. Patrick S. McRight, Manager of the Propulsion Systems Design & Integration Division at Marshall Space Flight Center. Mr. McRight tutored me on the complexities of cryogenic propellant storage and transfer, and frequently made himself available as a sounding board for my ideas. Mr. Steven G. Sutherlin, a Propulsion Systems Engineer in the Marshall Space Flight Center Advanced Concepts Office, also contributed enormously to my effort. We discussed spacecraft design and its influence on propellant boiloff. Mr. Sutherlin also helped me wrestle with characterizing the thermal environment at different points in space, and checked my boiloff calculations with in-house tools he uses in his work. I am deeply grateful. Mr. Larry Kos, a mission designer in the Marshall Space Flight Center Advanced Concepts Office, contributed his expertise regarding the thrust-to-weight ratio for lunar vehicles. xiii Mr. Robert Werka, a Senior Aerospace Flight Systems Engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center, contributed his expertise regarding rocket engine oxidizer-to-fuel ratios, as well as his friendship. Lastly, I want to thank Dr. Alan Wilhite, Distinguished Langley Professor of Advanced Aerospace Systems Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. While we only corresponded by email, Dr. Wilhite introduced me to the Modified Lockheed Model, and responded to my many questions as if I were one of his own students. Dr. Wilhite retired in December, 2014. xiv ABSTRACT Heretofore, discussions of space fuel depots assumed the depots would be supplied from Earth. However, the confirmation of deposits of water ice at the lunar poles in 2009 suggests the possibility of supplying a space depot with liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen produced from lunar ice. This architecture study sought to determine the optimum architecture for a fuel depot supplied from lunar resources. Three factorsthe location of propellant processing (on the Moon or on the depot), the location of the depot (on the Moon or in cislunar space), and if in cislunar space, where (LEO, GEO, or Earth-Moon L1), and the method of propellant transfer (bulk fuel or canister exchange) were combined to identify 18 potential architectures. Two design reference missions (DRMs)a commercial satellite servicing mission and a Government cargo mission to Marswere used to create demand for propellants, while a third DRMa propellant delivery missionwas used to exa...

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Section: Parameters Chosenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One motivation for considering the exchange of canister propellant tanks rather than transferring bulk cryogens in microgravity is that transferring bulk cryogens in microgravity has not yet been demonstrated (Chato, 2005). Exchanging canister tanks would be a way to bypass that task.…”

Section: Chilldown Lossesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Architecture Study for a Fuel Depot Supplied From Lunar Resources

Perrin

Casler

2016

Aiaa Space 2016

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“…Thermal management technology for a cryogenic propellant storage tank is an important component of future activity planning to achieve long-term space exploration [1][2][3] . The cryogenic propellant storage tank suffers loss of propellant due to boil-off, which is induced by heat leakage into the tank from the surrounding environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

One-dimensional Droplet Model for Prediction of Jet-tip Height of Subcooling Mixing Jet for Cryogenic Propellant Storage Tank

Kawanami

Takeda

Matsushima

et al. 2021

Preprint

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This study proposes a one-dimensional droplet model to predict the jet-tip height of a subcooling mixing jet issuing from the bottom of a cryogenic propellant storage tank. Cryogenic liquids, such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, are used as propellants and oxidants in spacecraft propulsion systems that require long-term storage in a closed tank. However, thermal stratification forms near the gas-liquid interface during long-term storage of cryogens due to heat flowing into the tank from the surrounding environment. In addition, boil-off gas (BOG) is generated from the interface, which causes increased pressure in the tank. To reduce the BOG, it is effective to destroy the thermal stratification by mixing in the cold jet issuing from the bottom of the tank. Ground experiments using FC-72 and water as test fluids are conducted to investigate the behavior of the jet using the proposed one-dimensional spherical droplet model as the tip of the jet. The jet behavior is visualized using the Shadowgraph system and the height of the jet-tip is investigated under various experimental conditions. The proposed model is also verified by comparison with experimental data available in the literature. The results show that the proposed model aligns well with the experimental data.

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“…Several of the new and novel concept white papers have been expanded into full length papers these include Salka (ref. 15) and Kutter (ref. 16).…”

Section: B Experimentation For the Maturation Of Deep Space Cryogenimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It proposed a small cryogenic experiment tank attached to the aft end of an existing launch vehicle upper stage (ref. 15). The Cryogenic Propellant Operations Demonstrator (CPOD) payload was developed from CTB to respond the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate's Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP) Secondary Payload Mission call for proposals.…”

Section: Cryogenic Propellant Operations Demonstratormentioning

confidence: 99%