Space Habitation and Life Support Commons^™

Polyelectrolyte Functionalized Forward Osmosis For Water Reclamation From Synthetic Spacecraft Wastewater, Alina Ripp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study investigated the application of a polyelectrolyte (PE)-assisted metallic iron nanoparticle-integrated forward osmosis (FO) membrane to treat synthetic spacecraft wastewater comprising urea, ammonium carbonate, and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). The draw solution (MgSO4) diluted via the FO operation was further treated using a nanofiltration (NF) membrane aimed at producing potable quality water by the FO-NF hybrid process. A cellulose triacetate FO membrane was functionalized by layer-by-layer deposition of polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) followed by incorporating zero valent iron nanoparticles (ZVINP) within the "bilayers". It required 14 bilayers to ensure a uniform coating as demonstrated via scanning …

Ci Asteroid Regolith As An In Situ Plant Growth Medium For Space Crop Production, Steven J. Russell, Sherry Fieber-Beyer, Kathryn A. Yurkonis

Biology Faculty Publications

Human expansion into the solar system is currently at the forefront of space research. For our astronauts to survive, they will need to be fed a healthy and nutritious diet on a consistent basis. Right now, our current method of feeding astronauts consists of resupplied prepackaged food from Earth, which is unsustainable for long-term missions. Using planetary resources via in situ resource utilization to grow crops is the next step toward sustainability in space. Asteroids are an abundant space resource and should not be overlooked when considering crewed missions. In particular, the primordial CI carbonaceous asteroids are of interest because …

Honor Capstone Lunar Logistics Study, Owen Bradley Cox

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Humanity’S Journey To The Red Planet, Robinson Raphael

Student Works

Being the fourth planet in our solar system, Mars is half the size of Earth and constitutes a gravity near 0.38 g. Like its fellow terrestrial planets, it has a central core, rocky mantle, and solid crust. Coupled with a thin atmosphere, its surface features are reminiscent of both the Earth and Moon. Given adequate accessibility, Mars has been a hub for scientific exploration. With past and present robotic missions, they have gradually provided information about the Martian environment to help aid future human exploration. For humanity’s first manned mission to the Martian crater, Aram Chaos, a crew of six …

Design And Analysis Of A Foldable Propeller Blade, Annan Mashin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Deployable structures have made an immense impact in the engineering world. The concept of the deployable structure has been able to reduce costs and sizing limits across a variety of use cases. However, sizing and cost reduction are not the only reasons that deployable structures are prominent. There are unique propeller blades that have entered into the world of deployable structures, where the ability to be stowed away and deployed to a much larger diameter can increase launch flexibility, and the engine efficiencies of aircraft. Although, most of the deployable propeller blades that have been designed in studies have the …

A Study Of Microgravity On Fluid Transport Through Porous Structures In Microfluidic Devices, Sylvain Le Henaff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The objective of this study is to refine the understanding of micro-fluidics subject to micro-gravity in an attempt to support future space exploration efforts. A combination of experimental and numerical approaches were utilized to build a validated assessment approach. A quasi-pore geometry, inspired by CT scans of rat bones, was used in lieu of human bone structures. A quasi-1D assessment of the conservation of momentum was used to identify the dominant forces acting on the fluid at the operating length-scales. The dominant forces were surface tension, gravity, and shear stress. Experiments were conducted to visualize the flow moving through the …

Interactions Of Aerosol Droplets With Ventilated Airflows In The Context Of Airborne Pathogen Transmission, Steven Schroeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This multidisciplinary study provides a comprehensive visualization of airborne aerosols and droplets coming into contact with a crossflow of moving air utilizing both experimental particle measuring methods and multiphase computational fluids dynamics (CFD). The aim of this research is to provide a Eulerian visualization of how ventilation can alter the position and density of an aerosol cloud, with the goal of applying this information to our understanding of social distancing ranges within outdoor settings and ventilated rooms. The results indicate that even minor perpendicular crossflows across the trajectory of an aerosol cloud can greatly reduce both the linear displacement and …

Sensitivity Of Combustion Liner Contour To Sand Ingestion Clogging, Nelson Padilla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This currently presented work is an evaluation of the characteristics of different cooling hole geometries to particulate ingestion clogging. Experimentation was conducted using a premixed bluff body flame combustor facility to generate high temperature combustor flow conditions. Sand ingestion along the cooling path of the combustion liner was reproduced using an air-assisted seeder providing consistent sand ingestion. Mass flow rate of cooling air was controlled using a sonic orifice downstream of a pressure regulator so that the mass flow rate of the air and sand mixture is independent of the clogging state. Pressure data upstream of a small section of …

Design And Mechanical Characterization Of Functionally Graded Sandwich Beams Fabricated Via Additive Manufacturing, Timothy Grondin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Lightweight aerospace structures have been sought after since humans took flight in 1903, making major strides in NASA's pursuit of the moon with the development of sandwich panel composites. Sandwich structures typically consist of two stiff phases (i.e., face sheets) separated by a lightweight phase (i.e., core), which are stacked together through adhesive layers. Such a structural arrangement provides a high stiffness-to-weight ratio and is often used in applications where weight saving is critical. Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs), refer to multifunctional materials, which contain a spatial variation of composition and/or microstructure for the specific purpose of altering thermal and structural …

Quantification Of The Aerodynamic Drivers Of A Deployable Propeller, David Malyszek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

With the use deployable drones becoming more common research into their improvement is necessary. Deployable drones that are launched from tubes have size limits on the diameter of the propeller during launch and storage. The purpose of this research is to develop deployable propeller blades for practical uses, such as tube launched propeller driven drones and easier to transport wind turbine blades. A deployable propeller will allow for the utilization of larger propellers when a large non-deployable blade isn't an option. Because deployable propellers need to fold, the deployable propeller blades were designed to be hollow and with a slit …

Aerodynamic Characterization Of An Elliptical Fairing In The Wake Of A Bluff Body, Luis Amaya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Aerodynamic optimization is a key step in designing planes, cars, and even buildings. Numerical modeling is used to automate the optimization process and can use different methods to iterate through designs. In this process, consideration of the starting design is paramount as a poor choice can use up computational time and effort. Often, these designs are made with the intention of being out in the open, for which studies on shape variations in freestream situations abound. However, for the case where an object must be placed in the wake of another, there is little research. The study presented here aims …

Wireless Power Transfer In Autonomous Mobile Microgrids, Carl Greene

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The ability to autonomously dock unmanned ground vehicles plays a key role in mobile micro-grids, where efficient power transfer is paramount. The approach utilized in this work allows for near-field wireless power transfer in remote locations with minimal support. Establishing a micro-grid power system connection autonomously using wireless power eliminates the arduous task of designing a complex, multiple degrees of freedom (MDOF) robotic arm. The work presented in this thesis focuses on both the hardware and software within the micro-grid system. This particular near-field wireless system consists of a primary and secondary set of modules, comprised of Litz wire coils, …

Self-Acquisition Of Liquid Propellant Versatile Arsenal Of Resources Endeavour (S.A.L.V.A.R.E.), Vittorio Baraldi, Nikki Smith-Cielo, Sotirios Zormpas

Student Works

Unlocking the mysteries of Mars’s past and future habitability is just within humanity’s grasp. With a multitude of inherent similarities to Earth, Mars is one of the most promising locations to extend humankind’s reach in manned space exploration. As humanity is at the summit of taking the next leap for mankind by preparing the first crewed missions to Mars, a need that must be met is to significantly reduce the mass necessary to deliver to the surface.

The Self-Acquisition of Liquid propellant Versatile Arsenal of Resources Endeavour (SALVARE) project details a mission for creating the first Mars water-based In-Situ Resources …

Calorimetric Measurements Of Lunar Regolith Simulant And Water. An Experimental Study Correlating Weight Percent Water And Temperature Change Through Periods Of Phase Change., George B. Johnson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Permanently Shaded Regions (PSRs) are cold traps located around the lunar south pole that have been confirmed to contain possible interesting quantities or volatiles such as H2O, CO2, SO2, CH4, and others. [1] The identification of these volatiles on the lunar surface was a critical step in the development of NASA’s strategic goals for scientific discoveries, sustained space travel and exploration, and re-establishing a human presence on the moon. These volatiles are vital to the future of operating in and exploring space. The LCROSS impact revealed the existence of these resources in PSRs but more information is needed about the …