System for Flight Control of Extremely Fast (Hypersonic) Aircraft

NASA’s MHD patch technology is composed of two electrodes positioned a prescribed distance apart recessed into angled channels on the surface of the TPS of an aircraft or spacecraft and an electromagnetic coil placed directly below the electrodes with the magnetic field protruding out of the surface. Note that the recessed/angled MHD patch described here is a special version of the original MHD patch described in LAR-TOPS-363. During hypersonic flight, the conductive ionizing atmospheric flow over the surface permits current to flow between the two electrodes. This current is harnessed to power the electromagnet which in turn generates strong Lorentz forces that augment lift and drag forces for guidance, navigation, and control of the craft. Alternatively, the current can be used to charge a battery. Changing the size of the MHD patch (e.g., the length or distance between the electrodes), the strength of the electromagnet, or the direction of the magnetic field enables tuning of generated forces for a given craft design. Multiple MHD patches can be leveraged on a single craft. In-silico evaluation of the non-recessed, non-angled MHD patch technology on select aeroshell designs for mock entry into planetary atmospheres has been performed. A single 1m2 MHD patch exerts forces up to 200 kN under simulated Neptune atmosphere entry that can be used to control a craft.

The advantages displayed by Glenn's AIE stem from a number of novel design concepts, centered on an annular discharge chamber with a set of annular ion optics. The annular discharge chamber increases the effective anode surface area for electron collection as compared to a conventional cylindrically shaped ion thruster of equivalent beam area. With this increased surface area, the AIE can operate at higher discharge currents and therefore high beam currents, thereby yielding a significantly increased (3x) thrust density. An annular-geometry flat electrode can be added to enable higher-perveance designs with even higher thrust densities, with improved F/P and efficiencies compared to more conventional, spherically domed electrodes. In addition, Glenn's design allows the neutralizer cathode assembly (NCA) to be placed in a central position within the annulus, which not only eliminates the cantilevered-outboard NCA used in most conventional ion thrusters but also enables a shared gimbal platform. These benefits make manufacturing the AIE simpler as well as allowing more compact engine designs. All of these advantages add up to an electric propulsion machine that yields superior performance over the entire Isp range, making the AIE attractive for next-generation SEP vehicles. Glenn's technological advance enables spacecraft to travel farther, faster, and more cheaply than with any other propulsion technology - with clear benefits for NASA and commercial space applications.

The new transparent EDS technology is lighter, easier to manufacture, and operates at a lower voltage than current transparent EDS technologies. The coating combines an optimized electrode pattern with a vapor deposited protective coating of SiO2 on top of the electrodes, which replaces either polymer layers or manually adhered cover glass (see figure on the right). The new technology has been shown to achieve similar performances (i.e., over 90% dust clearing efficiency) to previous technologies while being operated at half the voltage. The key improvement of the new EDS coating comes from an innovative method to successfully deposit a protective layer of SiO2 that is much thinner than typical cover glass. Using vapor deposition enables the new EDS to scale more successfully than other technologies that may require more manual manufacturing methods. The EDS here has been proven to reduce dust buildup well under vacuum and may be adapted for terrestrial uses where cleaning is done manually. The coatings could provide a significant improvement for dust removal of solar cells in regions (e.g., deserts) where dust buildup is inevitable, but water access is limited. The EDS may also be applicable for any transparent surface that must remain transparent in a harsh or dirty environment. The related patent is now available to license. Please note that NASA does not manufacturer products itself for commercial sale.

The invention uses the superconducting "proximity effect" and/or the "inverse proximity effect" to form a spatially varying order parameter. When designed to expel magnetic flux from a region of space, the proximity effect(s) are used in concert to make the superconducting order parameter strongly superconducting in the center and more weakly superconducting toward the perimeter. The shield is then passively cooled through the superconducting transition temperature. The superconductivity first nucleates in the center of the shielding body and expels the field from that small central region by the Meissner effect. As the sample is further cooled the region of superconducting order grows, and as it grows it sweeps the magnetic flux lines outward.

Efficient thermal management has long been an issue in both commercial systems and in the extreme environments of space. In space exploration and habitation, significant challenges are experienced in providing fluid support systems such as cryogenic storage, life support, and habitats; or thermal control systems for launch vehicle protection, environmental heat management, or electronic instruments. Furthermore, these systems operate in dynamic, transient modes and often under extremes of temperature or pressure. The current technical requirements associated with the thermal management of these systems result in control issues as well as significant life-cycle costs. To combat these issues, the Adaptive Thermal Management System (ATMS) was developed to help provide the capability for tanks, structural walls, or composite substrate materials to switch functionality (conductive or insulative) depending on environmental conditions or applied stimuli. As a result, the ATMS provides the ability to adapt between both heating and cooling modes within a single system. For example, shape memory alloy (SMA) elements are used to actuate at certain design temperatures to create a conductive bridge between two metal plates allowing broad-area heat rejection from the hotter surface. Upon cooling to the lower design set-point, the SMA elements return to their original shapes, thereby breaking the conductive path and returning the system to its overall insulative state. This technology has the potential to be applied to any system that would have the need for a self-regulating thermal management system that allows for heat transfer from one side to another.