NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities Restoring NASA's Technological Edge and Paving the Way for a New Era in Space (2012) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix F: TA03 Space Power and Energy Storage
Appendix F: TA03 Space Power and Energy Storage
Pages 131-146
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From page 131... ...
Advanced power and energy storage systems would directly improve the performance of EVA suits, rovers, surface habitats, and spacecraft. The ability of space power and energy storage technologies to enable and enhance NASA's ability to learn about Earth and the solar system is illustrated by the following quotes from a recently completed decadal survey on planetary science (NRC, 2011)
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From page 132... ...
Electric and Magnetic Field Storage • 3.2.5. Thermal Storage TABLE F.1 Technology Area Breakdown Structure for TA03, Space Power and Energy Storage NASA Draft Roadmap (Revision 10)
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From page 133... ...
solar cells are being developed to deliver 40 percent efficiency with very little mass due to removing the thick substrate used to grow the multi-layer photovoltaic semiconductor materials. New light weight structures also greatly reduce the mass of solar arrays and enable higher power outputs.
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From page 134... ...
Regenerative Fuel Cells 1 1 1 1 3 -1 -3 64 L 3.2.4. Electric and Magnetic Field Storage 1 3 3 1 3 -3 -1 118 M 3.2.5.
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From page 135... ...
Photovoltaic space power systems have been the workhorse of NASA science missions as well as the foundation for commercial and military space systems. Solar cells directly convert sunlight into electricity.
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From page 136... ...
Reduced Mass: Eliminate the constraint high power electric Reduce the mass and power system options to of power availability in propulsion for large stowed launch volume survive the wide range planning and executing payloads and planetary of space power of environments unique Priority TA 03 Technologies, Listed by Priority NASA missions. surface operations.
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From page 137... ...
Photovoltaic power technology is a high priority because of the game-changing impact that higher power, lighter weight solar arrays would have on future NASA missions. Solar power generation applies to virtually all NASA mission areas plus DOD, commercial, and civil space enterprises.
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From page 138... ...
The alignment of this technology with NASA's needs is high because of the game-changing impact it would make on both robotic science and human exploration capabilities. Alignment with other aerospace and national needs is considered to be low because space power reactors will be designed as fast neutron reactors, and there are no significant terrestrial applications for fast neutron reactor technology.
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From page 139... ...
Technology 3.3.5, Conversion and Regulation The voltage and current of electrical power available on any particular spacecraft will be dictated by the power source and the power management and distribution architecture. Various payloads will then most likely require the power in a different form, such as higher voltage for electric propulsion.
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From page 140... ...
These benefits are especially important at the higher power levels needed for electric propulsion systems or high-bandwidth communications. Increasing the efficiency of power conversion could potentially reduce the size of solar arrays, batteries, and thermal control systems by more than 10 percent on lower power systems, with a bigger impact for higher power systems.
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From page 141... ...
Because the energy conversion efficiency of the Stirling engine under development is about 5 times that of thermoelectric converters, Stirling engines require significantly smaller quantities of Pu-238 to achieve similar power levels. Given the scarcity of Pu-238 (which will persist for years even after Pu-238 production is approved and funded)
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From page 142... ...
Seven of the eight technologies that were assessed to be low priority were judged to have marginal benefits to NASA missions within the next 20 to 30 years. These technologies included energy harvesting, flywheels, regenerative fuel cells, electric and magnetic field storage, green energy impact, alternative fuel storage, and wireless power transmissions.
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From page 143... ...
Thermal storage applications include heat engine power systems and ISRU, as described above. Chemical power generation, including fuel cells and heat engines, may be valuable in human exploration missions where large quantities of hydrogen and oxygen are being used for propulsion.
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From page 144... ...
He then reviewed the solar power array chal lenges that are specific to NASA missions, such as very low or very high environmental temperatures. He endorsed NASA investment in IMM photovoltaic cell technology, but added that support for advanced array technologies is also needed.
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From page 145... ...
arrays are capable of generating very high power and employ highly efficient IMM solar cell technology and advanced deployment structural concepts to provide significant improvements in the specific power over the current state of the art. The FAST array uses linear solar concentra tors and is less expensive as it uses fewer solar cells.
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From page 146... ...
He said that NASA should acknowledge the high cost and complexity of fission space power systems, and he cautioned against chasing new fission power concepts that are unrealistic and unproven, with no technological foundation.
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