Products from NASA's in-space propulsion technology program applicable to low-cost planetary missions

Abstract

Abstract. Since September 2001 NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program has been developing technologies for lowering the cost of planetary science missions. Recently completed is the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance for lower cost. Two other cost saving technologies nearing completion are the NEXT ion thruster and the Aerocapture technology project. Also under development are several technologies for low cost sample return missions. These include a low cost Hall effect thruster (HIVHAC) which will be completed in 2011, light weight propellant tanks, and a Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle (MMEEV). This paper will discuss the status of the technology development, the cost savings or performance benefits, and applicability of these in-space propulsion technologies to NASA's future Discovery, and New Frontiers missions, as well as their relevance for sample return missions.

The State of the Art of Information Integration in Space Applications

“…The recent effort of NASA since 2001 was to develop technologies to reduce the cost of planetary science missions. For examples, the developments of high-temperature advanced materials bipropellant rocket (AMBR) engines, the NASA's EvolutionaryXenonThruster ion thruster, and the aerocapture technology were carried out to reduce the cost of propulsions [48]. Cornell [49] discussed the development of American space industry in 1990s and 2000s, and observed that there were five moments in two years that the space industry has been reshaped significantly: [50] discussed some remarkable space activities and identified three trends of global space explorations as 1) geopolitical and 2) increasing of commercial space activities in comparison to traditional governmental efforts, and 3) ensuring sustainable and security space use in international collaborations.…”

“…Carvajal-Godinez et al [144] proposed agent-based faulty detection and recovery of gyroscopes used in measuring and controlling the attitude of a satellite, the developed algorithm was able to address the linear drift bias of gyroscope. The challenges for a spacecraft design should focus on the reliability of components, subsystems, and the integration of all accessible space components as whole [48].…”