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NASA is partnering with six U.S. companies to develop 10 “tipping point” technologies that have the potential to significantly benefit the commercial space economy and future NASA missions, including lunar lander and deep space rocket engine technologies. 

Selections are based on the agency’s third competitive Tipping Point solicitation, and have a combined total award value of approximately $44 million – a significant investment in the U.S. space industry. 

A technology is considered at a “tipping point” if investment in a ground or flight demonstration will result in significantly maturing the technology and improving the company’s ability to bring it to market. 

"These awards focus on technology collaborations with the commercial space sector that leverage emerging markets and capabilities to meet NASA's exploration goals," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "While these key technologies will support NASA's science and human exploration missions in the future, these awards are yet another example of NASA’s commitment to our nation's growing commercial space industry today."

This solicitation targeted three Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) strategic technology focus areas: Expand Utilization of Space, Enable Efficient and Safe Transportation Into and Through Space, and Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces.

The selected proposals, organized by strategic technology focus areas, are: 

A team of researchers at the European Space Agency (ESA) has begun a study on the impact of lunar dust on human health.

The team will use simulated Moon dust mined from a volcanic region in Germany to test equipment and the behaviour of lunar dust.

The ESA noted that after Apollo astronauts encountered abrasive particles mixed in the lunar dust during their moonwalk their throats became sore and eyes watery.

The dust even ate away layers of spacesuit boots and damaged the vacuum seals of Apollo sample containers.

Scientists do not currently know how toxic the dust is for humans. However, a previous study showed that lunar soil simulants can destroy lung and brain cells following long-term exposure.

NASA has selected 20 new research and technology proposals to provide a total of $15m in funding to promote the agency’s future deep space missions and benefit the US economy.

Forming part of NASA’s Phase ll Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programme, the proposals were selected from 19 small businesses based in the US following a competitive process.

Each of the selected business will work together with various research institutions from different parts of the US, including New Jersey, Alabama, Indiana, Illinois and California, to develop technologies in the fields of aeronautics, science, human exploration and operations, and space technology.

NASA Washington Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) acting associate administrator Jim Reuter said: “Our STTR programme focuses both entrepreneurs and leading research institutions on Nasa’s long-term goals, bringing the latest in aerospace research to our programmes.”

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) has launched NASA’s Parker Solar Probe into space from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US.

Launched onboard ULA’s Delta IV Heavy rocket, this mission intends to study the solar atmosphere, known as the Sun’s corona.

Part of NASA’s Living with a Star programme to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society, the Parker Solar Probe is equipped with four instruments to study magnetic fields, plasma and energetic particles, as well as capture images of the solar wind.

In addition to designing and building the Parker Solar Probe, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) will operate the instrument.

APL project scientist Nicola Fox said: “Exploring the Sun’s corona with a spacecraft has been one of the hardest challenges for space exploration.

“We’re finally going to be able to answer questions about the corona and solar wind raised by Gene Parker in 1958, using a spacecraft that bears his name, and I can’t wait to find out what discoveries we make.”

Lockheed Martin has started the final assembly of NASA’s Orion spaceship, after completing the construction on the spacecraft’s capsule structure.

The structure, which is designed to carry astronauts to the Moon as part of NASA’s Orion Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2), has already reached the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US, for final assembly.

Welded together by a team from Lockheed Martin over a period of seven months at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, the structure will serve as a pressure vessel for the EM-2 spacecraft.

The vessel features seven large, machined aluminum alloy pieces that form a lightweight, air-tight capsule.

Air transport company Ana Holdings, together with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has launched a new programme, AVATAR X, to boost space exploration using real-world Avatars.

A real-world Avatar is a human-controlled robot that enables a person to see, hear, feel and interact freely in a remote environment in real-time.

It consists of an operator apparatus, a pilot, and remote apparatus, an Avatar, which are in sync with each other.

The AVATAR X programme has been designed to allow humans to remotely build camps on the Moon, promote long-term space missions.

The programme aims to launch new space businesses, which include remote construction on the Moon and Mars; operation and maintenance of space stations and facilities from Earth, and space-based entertainment and travel for the general publi

Solvay celebrated the ground-breaking of its Greenville, Texas manufacturing footprint expansion that increases the site’s resin mixing capacity to meet the growing needs of commercial and military aerospace composite customers.

Local officials joined the site and project management team for the ceremony.

“Greenville TX is a strategic site for Solvay where in recent years we have invested several million dollars in capacity and modernisation resulting in a double-digit employment growth. This new expansion will enable us to further meet growing customer demand for Solvay’s market leading out of autoclave technologies,” said Tracy Price, executive vice-president global operations, Solvay Composite Materials.

Solvay’s Greenville Texas site currently has over 300 full-time employees and recruiting efforts are ongoing.

www.solvay.com

A University of Manchester PhD student has developed a prototype flexible heat shield for spacecraft that could reduce the cost of space travel and even aid future space missions to Mars.

Heat shields are essentially used as the brakes to stop spacecraft burning up and crashing on entry and re-entry into a planet’s atmosphere. This design is the first in the world to utilise centrifugal forces that stiffen lightweight materials to prevent burnup.

Current spacecraft heat shield methods include huge inflatables and mechanically deployed structures that are often heavy and complicated to use.

Rui Wu, from Manchester’s School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, says as well as being lightweight in design is prototype is also “self-regulating”. This means there is no need for any additional machinery, reducing the weight of spacecraft even further and allowing for low-cost scientific research and recovery of rocket parts.

On October 25, leading aerospace manufacturers, airlines, training providers and technical experts will gather at this unique conference and networking event.

“Our involvement with eQualified has given Abaris the opportunity to enhance the content of our aerospace training courses and build lasting relationships with aerospace industry stakeholders. Our membership is invaluable because it gives us the opportunity to work alongside our customers (and potential customers).” – Mike Hoke, president, Abaris Training

This is a free event taking place on October 25, 2018 at The Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania, 337 Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, USA.

Bob Richards remembers watching the gray, ghostly figures bounce across his family’s black-and-white TV screen nearly a half-century ago: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first humans walking on the moon.

Enthralled by the success of Apollo 11, which touched down 49 years ago on July 20, and by the future portrayed in pop culture by “Star Trek” and “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Richards was certain that routine flights to the moon and space stations were inevitable within a few decades.

It never happened: The United States canceled its big-budget moon program just a few years after an epic Space Race victory over Russia, and astronauts haven’t left orbits near Earth since.

But Richards, the CEO of Cape Canaveral-based Moon Express and a self-described “orphan of Apollo,” now is confident that Americans are within a decade or so of returning to the lunar surface — this time to stay.

Media will have the opportunity June 4-5 for tours, interviews and photographs of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) as it prepares to leave Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for a scheduled mid-June launchfrom Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

ICON team members will be available to answer questions about Orbital ATK’s Pegasus XL rocket, which is attached to the company’s L-1011 “Stargazer” aircraft and will carry ICON into orbit. There also will be opportunities to tour the aircraft and witness itstakeoff on its ferry flight to the island.The observatory will leave Vandenberg June 5 for ascheduled launch on June 15 from Kwajalein (June 14 in the continental United States).

ICON will study the frontier of space: the dynamic zone high in Earth’s atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above. This area at times can be filled with such beauty as the aurora, and at other times experience increases in radiation that can interfere with radio communications, satellites and even astronauts. ICON will help determine the physical process at play in this space environment and pave the way for mitigating their effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

This event is open only to U.S. citizens who possess a government-issued photo identification. One form of government-issued photo identification is required and must be a driver’s license or passport.

To apply for media credentials, go to https://media.ksc.nasa.gov. Media interested in attending this event must also RSVP via email at ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. In your RSVP, please include your driver’s license number and its state of issuance. The deadline for submitting credentials and to RSVP is no later than noon EDT Tuesday, May 22.

Solvay is launching its FusePly composite bonding technology at SAMPE 2018 in Long Beach, California, US, on 22-23 May 2018.

Solvay developed FusePly to enable the build of reliable, bonded composite parts using conventional manufacturing processes through the creation of covalently bonded structures, thus potentially removing the need for abundant rivets and fasteners. It addresses the manufacturing challenges faced by aircraft builders looking for improved performance, build rates and lightweighting.

According to Solvay, FusePly offers clear step-change bonding performance and benefits to users:

• Improved reliability: Through the creation of chemical bonds, FusePly enables part manufacturers to have increased confidence in bonded structures;
• Higher part performance: Compared to mechanical fasteners, FusePly offers higher performance since drilling holes into fibre-reinforced structures introduces structural damage and creates stress concentrations that ultimately reduce the load capacity of the part;
• Lightweighting: The reduction and replacement of fasteners with FusePly bonding will substantially reduce the overall weight of the aircraft;
• Design freedom: Adhesives offer much greater design flexibility during manufacture and assembly at lower cost. FusePly can easily be integrated into existing manufacturing processes as an upgrade for traditional surface preparation methods.

Solvay will be introducing FusePly at SAMPE 2018 by exhibiting samples on its stand and presenting in the conference programme.

With the go-ahead from NASA for a first mission to the International Space Station (ISS), the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Dream Chaser spacecraft team is now reviewing flight performance data and refining the vehicle’s design adaptations to meet mission requirements and changing payloads, using Collier Research's HyperSizer software.

The HyperSizer tool provides insights into the strength, weight and manufacturability of designs for both composite and metal structures. Typically able to reduce the weight of existing designs by 20-40%, the software plays an important role in margin-of-safety certification for aerospace projects and is also valuable for wind, marine and other fields that demand performance with durability.

Solvay (Brussels, Belgium)  and MultiMechanics (Omaha, NE, US) announced May 17 they have partnered to develop a material simulation software platform that could reduce the time and cost of developing and certifying new materials by 40%. Currently, the time and cost to a material supplier to develop and certify a new structural aerospace material can take five years and up to $50M, while the cost to the OEM to certify the material can be even higher.

Scientists at Solvay were looking for a simulation tool that could:

• Process inputs such as fiber volume fraction, fiber orientation, interface effects, resin ductility, material variability
• Handle the amount of explicit inputs required in order to properly define and test new materials
• Quickly provide insight into how changes at the constituent material level affect overall mechanical performance at the composite level
• Shorten the feedback loop from new constituent synthesis to composite property determination

MultiMechanics partnered with Solvay to address these challenges, and in 2017, Solvay Ventures co-invested $1.9 million to speed up the development of the MultiMechanics solution. Since then, MultiMechanics has enabled the Solvay team to understand their materials on a deeper level, expedite the material development process, and enter into new markets. The team can now send new material designs to be physically tested with greater confidence that their new design will pass testing. They also have insight into exactly how, when, and where damage will occur, and how they can mitigate it. 

“We are confident this software can accelerate innovation in complex materials and the penetration of composites in the automotive and aerospace industries,” says Nicolas Cudré Mauroux, chief technology officer at Solvay. “The accuracy and speed afforded by MultiMechanics, and its efficient integration with commonly used commercial finite element software packages, is changing the way we develop new materials and interact with our customers.”

New carbon fiber composite manufacturing process exhibits improved fabric formability characteristics compared to traditional woven materials.

The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, Knoxville, TN, US), a public/private consortium designed to accelerate composite materials and process development in the US, announced May 15 the Phase I completion of a project led by DuPont (Wilmington, DE, US), with project partnership from Fibrtec (Atlanta, TX, US) and Purdue University. The conclusion of Phase I validates the creation of a new carbon fiber composite manufacturing process that exhibits improved fabric formability characteristics compared to traditional woven materials. The implications of the Phase I results are driving Phase II of the project, and can lead to a decrease in cost for carbon fiber composite structures, making them more amenable for adoption in the automotive and other high volume industries.

The new material created through this IACMI project combines Fibrtec’s flexible coated tow, Fibrflex, with DuPont’s Rapid Fabric Formation (RFF) technology, and a proprietary DuPont polyamide resin, all supported by Purdue University’s modeling and characterization capabilities. The coated tow material is a partially impregnated carbon fiber/polyamide composite tow where the carbon fiber is not fully wetted with the polyamide, yielding a more flexible tow material than one that is fully impregnated. The RFF process is a way of manufacturing fabrics with tows in varying orientations without the need to lift the tow during processing. Experiments, modeling and simulations, have reportedly shown that this process/materials combination is a potential method for producing lower cost continuous fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) thermoplastic materials that conform well during molding.

Nasa is set to launch its first set of two CubeSats, which will be operating in deepspace.

MarCO-A and MarCO-B satellites have been built by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, US. The spacecraft are collectively called Mars Cube One (MarCO).

MarCO is scheduled to be launched on a rocket with Nasa’s InSight robotic lander for Mars early next month.

They are designed to follow InSight on its journey through space. If they survive the journey, they will relay data about InSight as it enters the Martian atmosphere and lands.

“The satellites are designed to demonstrate the first test of CubeSat technology beyond Earth’s orbit.” 

Nasa and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a statement of intent to study mission concepts to bring samples of Martian soil back to Earth.

Collected samples will be thoroughly analysed in advanced laboratories.

The newly signed agreement features the possible roles that could be played by ESA and Nasa, as well as areas of potential cooperation between the agencies.

ESA Human and Robotic Exploration director David Parker said: “A Mars sample return mission is a tantalising but achievable vision that lies at the intersection of many good reasons to explore space.

“There is no question that for a planetary scientist, the chance to bring pristine, carefully chosen samples of the red planet back to Earth for examination using the best facilities is a mouth-watering prospect.

“According to ESA, bringing samples from Mars to Earth will require at least three missions from Earth, as well as the first rocket to be launched from Mars.”

Blue Origin has successfully launched and then landed its New Shepard rocket from the west Texas desert in the US as part of a new round of the rocket’s test flight programme.

This represents the eighth test flight of the New Shepard rocket.

During the test, the reusable rocket carried a crew capsule featuring a dummy named ‘Mannequin Skywalker’, to reach an altitude of 350,000ft, around 5% higher than previous test flights, reported cnet.com.

The flight has enabled New Shepard to reach the globally accepted boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space known as Karman Line.

The test also marks New Shephard’s highest flight and the first to test a crew capsule equipped with acrylic windows.

In order to reach the space, New Shephard flew at a maximum speed of 2,200mph during the latest test, reported businessinsider.in. After flying for several minutes, the rocket landed safely back on earth at a nearby pad.

The Australian Space Agency is set to receive A$41m ($30m) of initial funding from the country’s federal government.

The fund has been allocated in the new 2018-19 federal budget. It includes A$26m ($19m) for the establishment of a national space agency, as well as A$15m ($11m) for strategic space projects that will generate employment and business opportunities for Australian citizens.

Australian Space Agency is responsible for developing the country’s space industry, with operations scheduled to begin in July this year.

Researchers from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Center of Composite Materials have developed soft magnetic circuits that provide a non-contact method of measuring the internal stresses of composite materials used in aerospace and aircraft engineering.

The team’s findings, published in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds, describes amorphous soft magnetic circuits measuring 10-60 microns in diameter, which are wired into the layers of carbon fibre in materials during the manufacturing stage to form a grid of stress-sensitive points.

“It is now possible to more effectively assess the degree of internal damages during the operation of aircraft parts, oil pipelines, ship hulls, and other industrial and transport facilities,” said NUST scientist Alevtina Chernikova.