In-space nuclear power as an enabling technology for deep space exploration

AbstractThe extension of human space exploration from a low earth orbit to a high earth orbit, then to Moon, Mars, and possibly asteroids is NASA’s biggest challenge for the new millennium. Integral to this mission is the effective, sufficient, and reliable supply of cryogenic propellant fluids. Therefore, highly energy-efficient thermal-fluid management breakthrough concepts to conserve and minimize the cryogen consumption have become the focus of research and development, especially for the deep space mission to mars. Here we introduce such a concept and demonstrate its feasibility in parabolic flights under a simulated space microgravity condition. We show that by coating the inner surface of a cryogenic propellant transfer pipe with low-thermal conductivity microfilms, the quenching efficiency can be increased up to 176% over that of the traditional bare-surface pipe for the thermal management process of chilling down the transfer pipe. To put this into proper perspective, the much higher efficiency translates into a 65% savings in propellant consumption.

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Adaption-Based Analytics for Assessment of Human Deconditioning during Deep Space Exploration

2021 IEEE Aerospace Conference (50100) ◽

10.1109/aero50100.2021.9438367 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anastasiia Prysyazhnyuk ◽

Carolyn McGregor

Keyword(s):

Space Exploration ◽

Deep Space ◽

Deep Space Exploration

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Zero gravity induced by parabolic flight enhances automatic capture and weakens voluntary maintenance of visuospatial attention

npj Microgravity ◽

10.1038/s41526-021-00159-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Adriana Salatino ◽

Claudio Iacono ◽

Roberto Gammeri ◽

Stefano T. Chiadò ◽

Julien Lambert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Space Exploration ◽

Parabolic Flight ◽

Vestibular Function ◽

Visuospatial Attention ◽

Covert Attention ◽

Zero Gravity ◽

Deep Space ◽

Otolith Organ ◽

Deep Space Exploration ◽

Automatic Capture

AbstractOrienting attention in the space around us is a fundamental prerequisite for willed actions. On Earth, at 1 g, orienting attention requires the integration of vestibular signals and vision, although the specific vestibular contribution to voluntary and automatic components of visuospatial attention remains largely unknown. Here, we show that unweighting of the otolith organ in zero gravity during parabolic flight, selectively enhances stimulus-driven capture of automatic visuospatial attention, while weakening voluntary maintenance of covert attention. These findings, besides advancing our comprehension of the basic influence of the vestibular function on voluntary and automatic components of visuospatial attention, may have operational implications for the identification of effective countermeasures to be applied in forthcoming human deep space exploration and habitation, and on Earth, for patients’ rehabilitation.

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