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Methane lunar surface thermal control test
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Feller, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Wesley L. Sutherlin, Steven G. Plachta, David W. Jurns, John M. |
| Copyright Year | 2012 |
| Description | NASA is considering propulsion system concepts for future missions including human return to the lunar surface. Studies have identified cryogenic methane (LCH4) and oxygen (LO2) as a desirable propellant combination for the lunar surface ascent propulsion system, and they point to a surface stay requirement of 180 days. To meet this requirement, a test article was prepared with state-of-the-art insulation and tested in simulated lunar mission environments at NASA GRC. The primary goals were to validate design and models of the key thermal control technologies to store unvented methane for long durations, with a low-density high-performing Multi-layer Insulation (MLI) system to protect the propellant tanks from the environmental heat of low Earth orbit (LEO), Earth to Moon transit, lunar surface, and with the LCH4 initially densified. The data and accompanying analysis shows this storage design would have fallen well short of the unvented 180 day storage requirement, due to the MLI density being much higher than intended, its substructure collapse, and blanket separation during depressurization. Despite the performance issue, insight into analytical models and MLI construction was gained. Such modeling is important for the effective design of flight vehicle concepts, such as in-space cryogenic depots or in-space cryogenic propulsion stages. |
| File Size | 774175 |
| Page Count | 15 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20120003915 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t7hq8xt2j |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2012-03-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration Propellant Storage Methane Test Facilities Liquid Rocket Propellants Pressure Reduction Cryogenic Fluids Manned Space Flight Pressurizing Long Duration Space Flight Low Earth Orbits Ascent Propulsion Systems Liquid Oxygen Temperature Control Lunar Surface Multilayer Insulation Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |
