NASA

On Oct. 16, 1983, NASA’s newest space shuttle, Discovery, made its public debut during a rollout ceremony at its manufacturing plant in Palmdale, California. Under construction for three years, Discovery joined NASA’s other two space-worthy orbiters, Columbia and Challenger, and atmospheric test vehicle Enterprise. The rollout ceremony, attended by NASA and other officials, also featured the astronauts assigned to Discovery’s first mission, STS-41D, then planned for launch in June 1984. By the time NASA retired Discovery in 2011, it had flown 39 missions, more than any other orbiter, in a career spanning 26 years and flying every type of mission envisioned for the space shuttle. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum has Discovery on display at its Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Space shuttle Discovery under construction at Rockwell International’s Palmdale, California, plant in August 1982, left, September 1982, and April 1983. On Jan. 25, 1979, NASA announced the names of the first four space-worthy orbiters – Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, and Atlantis. Like the other vehicles, NASA named Discovery after historical vessels of exploration – Captain James Cook’s HMS Discovery used during his third and final voyage (1776-1779) and Henry Hudson’s Discovery used during his 1610-1611 search for the Northwest Passage. On Jan. 29, NASA signed the contract with Rockwell International of Downey, California, to build and deliver Discovery. Construction began in June 1980 and finished in February 1983. The newest orbiter included several upgrades from the two earlier vehicles, and through more extensive use of blankets instead of tiles in the thermal protection system, weighed 6,870 pounds less than Columbia. After completion of systems testing, workers prepared Discovery for its first public appearance. Left: Overhead view of space shuttle Discovery during the rollout ceremony at Rockwell International’s Palmdale, California, plant. Middle: The astronauts assigned to Discovery’s first mission, STS-41D, speak to the assembled crowd. Right: Five of the six STS-41D crew members, Richard M. “Mike” Mullane, kneeling left, Steven A. Hawley, Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield, standing left, Judith A. Resnik, and Michael L. Coats, pose with Discovery as a backdrop. The rollout ceremony for Discovery took place on Oct. 16, 1983, at Rockwell International’s Palmdale facility, attended by hundreds of employees and visitors. In addition to NASA and other dignitaries, five of the six the astronauts assigned to Discovery’s first mission also participated, thanking the assembled employees for their hard work in building their spacecraft. They included STS-41D Commander Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield, Pilot Michael L. Coats, and Mission Specialists Richard M. “Mike” Mullane, Steven A. Hawley, and Judith A. Resnik. Payload Specialist Charles D. Walker could not attend. Workers tow Discovery the 36 miles from Palmdale to NASA’s Dryden, now Armstrong, Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert. Left: Space shuttle Discovery atop its Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies over Vandenberg Air Force Base. Middle: Workers at Vandenberg use Discovery and its SCA to test the Orbiter Lifting Fixture. Right: Discovery atop the SCA arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following the ceremony, workers trucked Discovery 36 miles overland to NASA’s Dryden, now Armstrong, Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California’s Mojave Desert, the trip taking about 10 hours. In the Mate-Demate Device (MMD), workers placed Discovery atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a modified Boeing 747, to begin the ferry flight. The first leg of the journey started on Nov. 6 with a stop at Vandenberg AFB on the California coast, where workers used Discovery and the SCA to test the Orbiter Lifting Fixture, a scaled down version of the MDD planned for use exclusively at Vandenberg. At the time, NASA and the Department of Defense planned to fly space shuttles, with Discovery as the designated orbiter, from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex-6 on military polar orbital missions, beginning with STS-62A in 1986. The agencies mothballed those plans following the Challenger accident. From Vandenberg, on Nov. 8 the SCA carried Discovery to Carswell AFB near Ft. Worth for an overnight refueling stop, before continuing to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 9. The following day, workers towed Discovery to the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) for initial receiving inspections. After a move to the nearby Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Dec. 9 for temporary storage, workers returned Discovery to the OPF on Jan. 10, 1984, to begin processing it for its first flight. Left: In the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida workers prepare to lift Discovery for mating with its External Tank and twin Solid Rocket Boosters. Middle: The completed stack is ready for its rollout to Launch Pad 39A. Right: Space shuttle Discovery begins its rollout from the VAB to Launch Pad 39A. Left: The Flight Readiness Firing of Discovery’s three main engines. Middle left: With Discovery as a back drop, STS-41D astronauts Michael L. Coats, left, Charles D. Walker, Steven A. Hawley, Judith A. Resnik, Richard M. “Mike” Mullane, and Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield pose for photographers following the countdown demonstration test. Middle right: The launch abort. Right: Discovery finally takes to the skies! Four months later, on May 12, workers towed Discovery from the OPF to the VAB and mated it to an External Tank and twin Solid Rocket Boosters. The entire stack rolled out to Launch Pad 39A on May 19 in preparation for the planned June 25 launch of the STS-41D mission. As with any new orbiter, on June 2 NASA conducted a 20-second Flight Readiness Firing of Discovery’s three main engines. On June 14, the six-person crew participated in a countdown demonstration test. They boarded Discovery on June 25 for a launch attempt that aborted at the T minus nine-minute mark due to a failure of Discovery’s back-up General Purpose Computer. Technicians replaced the failed unit with one from Challenger for another launch attempt the next day. This time Discovery’s onboard computer aborted the launch four seconds before liftoff but after two of the three main engines had already ignited, resulting in some anxious moments in the crew compartment. To ease the tension, Hawley is reported to have said something along the lines of, “Gee, I thought we’d be a little higher when the engines shut off.” To make matters worse, a hydrogen fire at the base of the launch pad activated the fire suppression system, forcing the crew to evacuate the spacecraft under a deluge of water. The problem with the center engine required a replacement that engineers completed at the pad between July 3 and 5. But the delay caused NASA managers to shuffle payloads and launch schedules, and that required Discovery’s return to the VAB on July 14. Workers destacked the orbiter to return it to the OPF for the payload changes. That completed, and after restacking in the VAB, Discovery returned to Launch Pad 39A on Aug. 9 for a launch attempt 20 days later. A hardware problem resulted in a one-day delay, and finally on Aug. 30 Discovery lifted off on its first mission to space. Space shuttle Discovery in the Smithsonian Institution’s Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. Image credit: courtesy National Air and Space Museum. In the course of its 39 missions spanning more than 26 years, Discovery flew virtually every type of mission envisioned for the space shuttle, including government and commercial satellite deployments and retrievals, launching and servicing scientific observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope, resupplying the Russian Mir space station, and assembling and maintaining the International Space Station. Discovery also flew the return to flight missions after both the Challenger and Columbia accidents. Discovery flew its final mission, STS-133, in February 2011. The following year, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum placed space shuttle Discovery on display at its Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Explore More 21 min read 65 Years Ago: First Factory Rollout of the X-15 Hypersonic Rocket Plane Article 3 days ago 23 min read NASA Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 Article 5 days ago 6 min read 65 Years Ago: NASA Begins Operations Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

From the Apollo rocket engine testing of the 1960s to the spacecraft propulsion systems of today, our site has developed unique facilities to meet the testing needs for testing rocket propulsion systems. Offering numerous ambient and altitude simulation test stands, we can test propulsion systems as well as single engines in multiple configurations and conditions. View the full article

1 min read Dr. Guy Bluford Reflects on 40th Anniversary of Historic Shuttle Flight Dr. Guy Bluford talks about his historic flight at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger’s STS-8 mission, former astronaut Dr. Guion “Guy” Bluford, the first African American to fly in space, discussed his historic flight at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Aug. 28. NASA Chief Historian Brian Odom moderated a panel discussion about Bluford’s experience and how his career has helped open doors for other astronauts, including those that will fly on NASA’s Artemis missions. Panelists included Bluford and award-winning film directors Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza. NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, who flew with Bluford on STS-53, gave introductory remarks. A free screening of the National Geographic documentary “The Space Race” followed the panel discussion. Interviews with Bluford for the documentary were filmed at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in the Zero Gravity Research Facility. Explore More 3 min read Glenn in the Community Article 7 mins ago 2 min read Glenn “Stars” Showcase Research and Technology Article 12 mins ago 1 min read October Retirements Article 16 mins ago View the full article

3 Min Read Glenn in the Community AirVenture guests enjoyed a variety of hands-on, informational activities within the NASA pavilion. Credits: NASA/Christopher Hartenstine NASA Visits Ohio State Fair An estimated one million people attended the Ohio State Fair in Columbus this year. NASA’s Glenn Research Center flanked the fairgrounds with a presence that proved you can never have enough space. Subject matter experts such as Michael Belair, who works on the Orion spacecraft’s European Service Module, staffed an information booth inside the Rocket and Space Zone to talk about Artemis I and build excitement for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Anchoring the other end was the Journey to Tomorrow exhibit trailer, where visitors found a moon rock, videos highlighting innovations in aeronautics, and hands-on activities demonstrating how gravity differs across the solar system. Michael Belair staffs an information booth inside the Rocket and Space Zone to talk about Artemis. Credit: NASA/Heather Brown Glenn Connects at Air Shows AirVenture guests enjoy a variety of hands-on, informational activities within the NASA pavilion. Credit: NASA/Christopher Hartenstine NASA’s Glenn Research Center connected with thousands of aviation enthusiasts this summer during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the Cleveland National Air Show. NASA’s AirVenture presence in July included a pavilion of exhibits, numerous speakers at forums, and a program featuring senior leaders discussing X-plane development and traffic management for drones. Mark Frances from Glenn’s Graphics and Visualization Lab, helps Cleveland Air Show visitors experience interactive technology. Credit: NASA/Heather Brown Over the Labor Day weekend, Glenn led the NASA presence at the Cleveland show at Burke Lakefront Airport. Staff demonstrated data visualizations and interactive technology. Subject matter experts explained Glenn’s aeronautics research and work on advanced air mobility and sustainable aviation. Government Staffers Learn More About Glenn NASA’s Glenn Research Center held its annual Ohio Elected Officials Staffer’s Day on Aug. 30, which included visits to NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky and Lewis Field in Cleveland. The day – featuring facility tours, technology briefings, and a ribbon- cutting ceremony for a new mission-focused facility – centered on educating staffers on the importance of NASA Glenn to Ohio and the nation. Participants included 31 staffers from 11 House of Representatives offices, Senator Sherrod Brown’s and Senator J.D. Vance’s offices, Governor Mike DeWine’s office, and Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt’s office.  While on tour at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility, staffers look down into the In-Space Propulsion (ISP) Facility’s huge vacuum chamber. ISP is the world’s only high-altitude test facility capable of full-scale rocket engine and launch vehicle system- level tests.  Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna Glenn Hosts Public Aviation Day NASA’s Glenn Research Center showcased the agency’s efforts to revolutionize air travel during NASA Aviation Day at the I-X Center in Cleveland on Sept. 13. This free event featured a variety of aviation projects underway at Glenn and other NASA centers, including the Quesst mission with the X-59, electrified aircraft propulsion and other sustainable aviation technologies, and new ways to move people and cargo using advanced aircraft systems. Experts shared how the center is partnering with industry to accomplish the aviation community’s climate change agenda to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. NASA’s Greg Gatlin, left, explains the concept behind the extra-long, thin wings on an aircraft model to attendees of NASA Aviation Day. The concept will be part of the X-66A, the first X-plane specifically focused on helping the United States achieve the goal of net-zero aviation greenhouse gas emissions.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-HannaView the full article

2 min read Glenn “Stars” Showcase Research and Technology Presenters highlight Glenn’s technology and missions during the annual Evening With the Stars event.Credit: NASA/Jef Janis NASA’s Glenn Research Center’s “An Evening With the Stars,” held Aug. 29 at Windows on the River near Cleveland’s historic waterfront, showcased research and technology innovations that addressed this year’s theme, “NASA Glenn Now – NASA Glenn Forever.”    The event, which attracted sponsors and guests from more than 50 companies, universities, and organizations, featured opening remarks by NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon, and Ohio Aerospace Institute President John Sankovic. Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon introduces the speakers. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis Kenyon then introduced the presenters – NASA’s stars of the evening – and their topics.  Carlos Flores, chief of the Strategic Planning Branch for Facilities and Infrastructure, shared details on Glenn’s Facilities Master Plan. This plan ensures the center possesses the facilities and capabilities to meet future mission requirements while maintaining the agency’s critical infrastructure.   Carlos Flores details Glenn’s Facilities Master Plan.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna Dr.  Rickey Shyne, director of Research and Engineering, highlighted some of Glenn’s current and future technologies. Shyne leads and manages all research and development competencies in propulsion, communications, power, and materials and structures for extreme environments in support of NASA’s aeronautics and space missions.   Dr. Rickey Shyne highlights some of Glenn’s current and future technologies.Credit: NASA/Jef Janis Three early – career employees shared their personal journeys to NASA and how they’re contributing to the agency’s current and future missions. Dr. Jamesa Stokes explained how she’s using materials science and engineering to protect human life and flight vehicles on Earth and in space.   Dr. Jamesa Stokes explains how materials science and engineering can protect human life and flight vehicles. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis Gretchen Morales-Valles highlighted the history of Glenn’s Icing Research Tunnel and how its research will pave the way for the future of flight.   Gretchen Morales-Valles highlights the history of Glenn’s Icing Research Tunnel. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis Darcy DeAngelis outlined how – through system safety – NASA controls and mitigates risks to ensure astronauts return home safely.  Darcy DeAngelis outlines how NASA controls and mitigates risks for astronauts. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis In closing, Kenyon affirmed NASA’s readiness in returning to the Moon with Artemis, our commitment to changing the way we fly here on Earth, and how Ohio is making our exciting missions possible. Explore More 1 min read Dr. Guy Bluford Reflects on 40th Anniversary of Historic Shuttle Flight Article 4 mins ago 3 min read Glenn in the Community Article 7 mins ago 1 min read October Retirements Article 16 mins ago View the full article

Webb Detects Tiny Quartz Crystals in the Clouds of a Hot Gas Giant Researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have detected evidence for quartz nanocrystals in the high-altitude clouds of WASP-17 b, a hot Jupiter exoplanet 1,300 light-years from Earth. The detection, which was uniquely possible with MIRI (Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument), marks the first time that silica (SiO2) particles have been spotted in an exoplanet atmosphere. This artist concept shows what the exoplanet WASP-17 b could look like. Graphics: NASA, ESA, CSA, and R. Crawfor, d (STScI)Science: Nikole Lewis (Cornell University), David Grant (University of Bristol), Hannah Wakeford (University of Bristol) Crawford (STScI) “We were thrilled!” said David Grant, a researcher at the University of Bristol in the UK and first author on a paper being published today in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. “We knew from Hubble observations that there must be aerosols—tiny particles making up clouds or haze—in WASP-17 b’s atmosphere, but we didn’t expect them to be made of quartz.” Silicates (minerals rich in silicon and oxygen) make up the bulk of Earth and the Moon as well as other rocky objects in our solar system, and are extremely common across the galaxy. But the silicate grains previously detected in the atmospheres of exoplanets and brown dwarfs appear to be made of magnesium-rich silicates like olivine and pyroxene, not quartz alone – which is pure SiO2. The result from this team, which also includes researchers from NASA’s Ames Research Center and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, puts a new spin on our understanding of how exoplanet clouds form and evolve. “We fully expected to see magnesium silicates,” said co-author Hannah Wakeford, also from the University of Bristol. “But what we’re seeing instead are likely the building blocks of those, the tiny ‘seed’ particles needed to form the larger silicate grains we detect in cooler exoplanets and brown dwarfs.” Detecting Subtle Variations With a volume more than seven times that of Jupiter and a mass less than one-half Jupiter, WASP-17 b is one of the largest and puffiest known exoplanets. This, along with its short orbital period of just 3.7 Earth-days, makes the planet ideal for transmission spectroscopy : a technique that involves measuring the filtering and scattering effects of a planet’s atmosphere on starlight. Webb observed the WASP-17 system for nearly 10 hours, collecting more than 1,275 brightness measurements of 5- to 12-micron mid-infrared light as the planet crossed its star. By subtracting the brightness of individual wavelengths of light that reached the telescope when the planet was in front of the star from those of the star on its own, the team was able to calculate the amount of each wavelength blocked by the planet’s atmosphere. What emerged was an unexpected “bump” at 8.6 microns, a feature that would not be expected if the clouds were made of magnesium silicates or other possible high temperature aerosols like aluminum oxide, but which makes perfect sense if they are made of quartz. A transmission spectrum of the hot gas giant exoplanet WASP-17 b captured by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on March 12-13, 2023, reveals the first evidence for quartz (crystalline silica, SiO2) in the clouds of an exoplanet. The spectrum was made by measuring the change in brightness of 28 wavelength-bands of mid-infrared light as the planet transited the star. Webb observed the WASP-17 system using MIRI’s low-resolution spectrograph for nearly 10 hours, collecting more than 1,275 measurements before, during, and after the transit. For each wavelength, the amount of light blocked by the planet’s atmosphere (white circles) was calculated by subtracting the amount that made it through the atmosphere from the amount originally emitted by the star. The solid purple line is a best-fit model to the Webb (MIRI), Hubble, and Spitzer data. (The Hubble and Spitzer data cover wavelengths from 0.34 to 4.5 microns and are not shown on the graph.) The spectrum shows a clear feature around 8.6 microns, which astronomers think is caused by silica particles absorbing some of the starlight passing through the atmosphere. The dashed yellow line shows what that part of the transmission spectrum would look like if the clouds in WASP-17 b’s atmosphere did not contain SiO2. This marks the first time that SiO2 has been identified in an exoplanet, and the first time any specific cloud species has been identified in a transiting exoplanet. Graphics: NASA, ESA, CSA, and R. Crawfor, d (STScI)Science: Nikole Lewis (Cornell University), David Grant (University of Bristol), Hannah Wakeford (University of Bristol) Crawford (STScI) Download full resolution images for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) Crystals, Clouds, and Winds While these crystals are probably similar in shape to the pointy hexagonal prisms found in geodes and gem shops on Earth, each one is only about 10 nanometers across—one-millionth of one centimeter. “Hubble data actually played a key role in constraining the size of these particles,” explained co-author Nikole Lewis of Cornell University, who leads the Webb Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) program designed to help build a three-dimensional view of a hot Jupiter atmosphere. “We know there is silica from Webb’s MIRI data alone, but we needed the visible and near-infrared observations from Hubble for context, to figure out how large the crystals are.” Unlike mineral particles found in clouds on Earth, the quartz crystals detected in the clouds of WASP-17 b are not swept up from a rocky surface. Instead, they originate in the atmosphere itself. “WASP-17 b is extremely hot—around 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,700°F)—and the pressure where they form high in the atmosphere is only about one-thousandth of what we experience on Earth’s surface,” explained Grant. “In these conditions, solid crystals can form directly from gas, without going through a liquid phase first.” Understanding what the clouds are made of is crucial for understanding the planet as a whole. Hot Jupiters like WASP-17 b are made primarily of hydrogen and helium, with small amounts of other gases like water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). “If we only consider the oxygen that is in these gases, and neglect to include all of the oxygen locked up in minerals like quartz (SiO2), we will significantly underestimate the total abundance,” explained Wakeford. “These beautiful silica crystals tell us about the inventory of different materials and how they all come together to shape the environment of this planet.” Exactly how much quartz there is, and how pervasive the clouds are, is hard to determine. “The clouds are likely present along the day/night transition (the terminator), which is the region that our observations probe,” said Grant. Given that the planet is tidally locked with a very hot day side and cooler night side, it is likely that the clouds circulate around the planet, but vaporize when they reach the hotter day side. “The winds could be moving these tiny glassy particles around at thousands of miles per hour.” WASP-17 b is one of three planets targeted by the JWST-Telescope Scientist Team’s Deep Reconnaissance of Exoplanet Atmospheres using Multi-instrument Spectroscopy (DREAMS) investigations, which are designed to gather a comprehensive set of observations of one representative from each key class of exoplanets: a hot Jupiter, a warm Neptune, and a temperate rocky planet. The MIRI observations of hot Jupiter WASP-17 b were made as part of GTO program 1353. The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Media Contacts: Laura Betz NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. laura.e.betz@nasa.gov Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. cpulliam@stsci.edu View the full article

1 min read October Retirements Mark Hyatt Flight System Assurance Office, retired Sept. 30, 2023, with 38 years of NASA service. Credit: NASA Mark David KanKam Office of STEM Engagement, retired Sept. 22, 2023, with 33 years of NASA service. Credit: NASA Explore More 1 min read Dr. Guy Bluford Reflects on 40th Anniversary of Historic Shuttle Flight Article 4 mins ago 3 min read Glenn in the Community Article 7 mins ago 2 min read Glenn “Stars” Showcase Research and Technology Article 12 mins ago View the full article

Our COPV team evaluates new emerging technologies for custom applications.Credits: NASA WSTF Through collaboration with other government agencies, U.S. national consensus organizations, and international governments, our engineers have developed nondestructive evaluation (NDE) standards for composites through ASTM International. Along with being lead supporters of NDE standards development through the NASA NDE Development Program, our team has pioneered many pressure vessel testing methods accepted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) as standard practice and we continue to work closely with AIAA to maintain several standards of COPV design, testing, and certification. In addition to our facilities’ contribution to standards development, our engineers have extensive experience with applicable NASA and ISO standards that apply to COPVs. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Space Systems—Metallic Pressure Vessels, Pressurized Structures, and Pressure Components (ANSI/AIAA S-080A-2018) This standard lays the foundational requirements for design, analysis, fabrication, and operation of various pressurized components. Additionally, the standard outlines requirements for maintaining several types of pressure vessels and pressurized structures and components (AIAA 2018)…Learn more Space Systems—Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (ANSI/AIAA S-081B-2018) This standard covers foundational requirements for composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) fabricated with metal liners and carbon fiber/polymer overwrap. The standard includes requirements for COPV design, analysis, fabrication, test, inspection, operation, and maintenance (AIAA 2018)…Learn more Space Systems—Non-Metallic Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (In-Development) ASTM International Standard Practice for Shearography of Polymer Matrix Composites, Sandwich Core Materials and Filament-Wound Pressure Vessels in Aerospace Applications (ASTM E2581) This ASTM standard (E2581) provides practices for shearography, which is used to measure strain, shearing, Poisson, bending, and torsional strains. Shearography proves useful during process design and optimization, and process control. Additionally, it can be used after manufacture and in-service inspections (ASTM 2019)…Learn more. Acoustic Emissions Standard Standard Practice for Examination of Gas-Filled Filament-Wound Composite Pressure Vessels Using Acoustic Emission (ASTM E2191) With safety in mind, guidelines have been composed by Compressed Gas Association (CGA) and others to focus on inspections for natural gas vehicle (NGV) fuel containers. Acoustic Emission (AE) testing of Gas-Filled Filament-Wound Composite Pressure Vessels is an alternative method to the three-year visual examination which requires removal of the container from the vehicle (ASTM 2016)… Learn more. Standard Practice for Acoustic Emission Examination of Plate-like and Flat Panel Composite Structures Used in Aerospace Applications (ASTM E2661) Acoustic Emission (AE) examination of plate-like and flat panel composite structures proves useful in detecting micro-damage generation, new or existing flaws, and accumulation. Furthermore, AE examination assists in locating damage such as matrix cracking, fiber splitting, fiber breakage, fiber pull-out, debonding, and delamination (ASTM 2020)… Learn more. Standard Practice for Acousto-Ultrasonic Assessment of Filament-Wound Pressure Vessels (ASTM E1736) The Acousto-Ultrasonic (AU) method should be carefully considered for vessels that show no major defects and weaknesses. It is key to use other methods like immersion pulse-echo ultrasonics (Practice E1001) and AE (Practice E1067) to determine the existence of major flaws before starting with AU (ASTM 2015)… Learn more. Eddy Current Standard Standard Guide for Eddy Current Testing of Electrically Conducting Materials Using Conformable Sensor Arrays (ASTM E2884) Using eddy current techniques are a nondestructive way to find and identify discontinuities in magnetic or nonmagnetic electrically conducting materials. Planar and non-planar material examination is possible with conformable eddy current sensor arrays, but requires appropriate fixtures like a sturdy support frame and foam to hold the sensor array close to the surface of the material being examined (ASTM 2017)… Learn more. Strand Testing Standard Standard Terminology for Composite Materials (ASTM D3878) The standard defines general composite terminology appearing in other standards about composites, containing high‑modulus fibers (greater than 20 GPa (3 × 10 6 psi)) (ASTM 2020a)… Learn more. Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Glass Fiber Strands, Yarns, and Rovings Used in Reinforced Plastics (ASTM D2343) This test method not only aids in providing research and developmental data, but also provides value for determining tensile properties while providing a means for identifying and delineating materials for control and specification. The intended use of this method is to test resin-compatible sized glass fiber materials designed especially for use with plastics in general (ASTM 2017)…learn more. NASA Standards Structural Design and Test Factors of Safety for Space Flight Hardware (NASA-STD-5001) This NASA Technical Standard establishes factors for structural design and test and service life factors used for spaceflight hardware development and verification. These factors help to ensure safe and quality structural designs and aid to reduce project costs and schedules by improving shared flight project design. These standards are considered minimum acceptable values (NASA 2014)…Learn more (NASA and contractor personnel only). ISO Standards Space Systems — Fracture and Damage Control (ISO 21347) A fracture control policy is being implemented on space systems to prevent premature structural failure as a result of crack or crack-like flaws for civil and military space vehicles, launch systems, and ground support equipment. Most procurement organizations consider fracture control a requisite safety-related requirement regarding human space flight systems. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) require fracture control for all payloads using the NASA Space Shuttle and all instruments and equipment used on the International Space Station (ISS) (ISO 2005)…Learn more. Last Updated: Jan 13, 2021 Editor: Judy Corbett National Aeronautics and Space Administration View the full article

Next Generation Science Standards Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (MS-PS4) Grades 5-8. Students strengthen their understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum, specifically lasers and their applications, through a series of math, writing, and graphing challenges. This series of activities can be completed together or in parts. Download Laser Activity Board Oct 15, 2023 PDF (2.90 MB) View the full article

Common Core State Standards Ratios & Proportional Relations and Data Grades 7-8. Students review their knowledge of mathematics and unit conversion by occupying the role of a NASA resource analyst. Download Money Mass-ematics Oct 15, 2023 PDF (642.50 KB) Answer Key Oct 15, 2023 PDF (407.91 KB) View the full article

Next Generation Science Standards Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (MS-PS4) Grades 5-8. Students strengthen their understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum, specifically lasers and their applications, through a series of math, writing, and graphing challenges. This series of activities can be completed together or in parts. Download Lazer Maze Activity Oct 15, 2023 PDF (2.67 MB) View the full article

Failure analysis determines what, why and how things went wrong when a component, system, or structure fails and is a valuable tool in the development of new products and the improvement of existing ones. Our multi-disciplined team has the expertise and in-house capabilities to determine the root cause of failures on a wide range of materials including paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, composites, rubbers, plastics, elastomers, and metals. We routinely apply our expert knowledge of oxygen systems, composite pressure systems, propellants and aerospace fluids, and propulsion systems to root cause analysis and offer expert recommendations for improvements and corrective action. WSTF StaffView the full article

To assure items function as designed, piece parts are verified to manufacturer’s tolerance.Credits: NASA WSTF Holding the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) Certificate of Authorization and “VR” Symbol Stamp for the repair of pressure relief valves, our Valve Repair Facility ensures pressure relief valves are operating within the manufacturer’s specifications and to the customer’s expectations. Using gaseous nitrogen, we are capable of verifying flow capabilities of pressure relief valves up to 1000 scfm, and pressures up to 2800 psig. We also ensures replacement parts operate per the original manufacturer’s specifications and maintain traceability for parts and testing on code and non-code applications. Assembly and testing of the components is performed in a ISO Class 5 (Federal Standard Class 100) clean room making us the only known clean flow test facility for relief valves in North America. All inspection measurement and test equipment used to support our Valve Repair Facility is calibrated in-house and is traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or other internationally agreeable intrinsic standards. Last Updated: Aug 6, 2017 Editor: Judy Corbett View the full article

Repair, Refurbishment, and Modification WSTF Staff Components can be refurbished as a cost effective alternative to the cost of new equipment. Credits: NASA WSTF Our engineers refurbish, repair, and redesign fluid components such as check valves, relief valves, solenoid valves, and manual valves ensuring relief valves and other components are operating within manufacturer’s specifications and comply with the requirements of American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/NB 23, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code, Section VIII, Div. 1, and the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC). Facilities and Certifications Component Services is an approved “VR” certified facility holding the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) Certificate of Authorization and “VR” Symbol Stamp for the repair of pressure relief valves. Our team is also certified to manufacture flight hardware by NASA and the International Space Station (ISS) Program. Repair and Refurbishment Repair and refurbishment is a cost effective alternative to replacement and our highly skilled team disassembles, inspects, and precision cleans each item received. We ensure the parts being used for repair and replacement are from the original manufacturer, or from a vendor approved by the National Board verifying replacement parts meet original manufacturer specifications. Spares and replacements can be manufactured by our in-house NASA certified Machining and Fabrication workforce to replace parts that are no longer commercially available. Modification Equipment can be modified to work safely in your pressure system or in specific media such as oxidizer, oxygen service, fuels, and propellants. Guided by the knowledge gained from 40 years or research and testing by our Oxygen System and Propellants and Aerospace Fluids engineers, our team can modify equipment with recommended parts to operated safely and avoid costly mistakes created by using the wrong components. Last Updated: Aug 6, 2017 Editor: Judy Corbett View the full article

Heliophysics Big Year (Official NASA Trailer)

We take an active role in limiting our impacts on the environment and being responsible for the environmental quality of our community. Management support and grassroots efforts have helped to educate employees about environmental concerns, encourage our site’s involvement in sustainability activities, and embrace and implement employee ideas. This support has led to a facility-wide culture of environmental awareness and sustainability that reaches across our site. Waste minimization projects, innovative technologies, sustainable acquisition, recycling activities, and other “green” initiatives have become routine site procedures. View the full article

Since the first rocket engine test in 1964, our facility has performed development and certification testing of space propulsion systems for manned and unmanned spacecraft. Along with our half century of propulsion system testing and analysis, our ISO 9001 certified processes provide rigorous but flexible testing ensuring quality data for our customer. Our site also houses on-site propulsion related expertise in composite pressure systems, oxygen systems, and propellants and aerospace fluids for further testing support. In addition to this expertise, we work closely with our Environmental Management and Safety and Mission Assurance teams to provide all environmental permitting, and ensure the safety of our personnel, environment, and site. View the full article

Specializing in the study of oxygen compatibility in space, aircraft, medical, and industrial applications, we investigate the effects of increased oxygen concentration on the ignition and burning of materials and components to help ensure the safety of personnel and equipment. In systems or environments with higher oxygen content and/or pressure, materials that normally do not burn have a lower ignition temperature, are more vigorously combustible, and have a higher flame temperature if they do burn. In response to the reactivity of oxygen, vigorous testing and requirements for the selection, combination, and cleanliness of material and components used in oxygen service have been developed with our world renowned experts often leading the way. View the full article

WSTF Staff White Sands Test Facility’s Machining and Fabrication craftsmen specialize in the prototype and production of parts used on the International Space Station, ground support equipment, and facility and test hardware. We combine high-end Computer Numerical Control (CNC) precision machining and welding with experienced personnel and advanced inspection techniques and equipment to deliver the highest quality components to aerospace, defense and other commercial industries. Our fabrication team is skilled in working with many ferrous and non-ferrous metals including stainless steel, aluminum, and brass. We have expertise working with exotic metals like Monel®, Inconel®, Kovar®, titanium, carbon, and alloy steels. View the full article

Our calibration team supports mission critical testing for the International Space Station and other NASA space exploration efforts, and helps to safeguard the lives and equipment used in these high risk endeavors. Calibration is a critical step for all instrumentation used in our testing and ensures that the data received from calibrated instruments is converted into meaningful and accurate measurements. To minimize measurement uncertainty, our calibration processes are performed in an environmentally-controlled laboratory with regulated temperature and humidity when needed and our standards are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. View the full article

WSTF Staff Our Materials flight acceptance workforce performs NASA Technical Standard “Flammability, Offgassing, and Compatibility Requirements and Test Procedures”, NASA-STD-6001 and related customized testing designed to verify space flight materials and system performance with a focus on ensuring safety during manned space flights. We always work with our customers to identify their root concern, making sure they get the data they want and the tests they need. View the full article

Since the inception of the technology in the 1970s, White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) has been at the forefront of NASA’s testing and evaluation of composite pressure components, building on unique strengths in Oxygen Systems, Propellants and Aerospace Fluids, Hypervelocity Impact Testing, and Materials Flight Acceptance testing. Our team of experts continues to lead the way by studying damage tolerance and stress rupture while developing life extension protocols for NASA, industry partners, the Air Force, and government agencies. WSTF technical advancements in composites are shared through dozens of test standards distributed by ANSI/AIAA, ASTM International, and research reports published for the NASA Engineering and Safety Center and NASA NDE Development Program. View the full article

What We Found in Some Historic Asteroid Samples on This Week @NASA – October 13, 2023

The safety and performance of hazardous propellant systems is a main focus at White Sands Test Facility. Our workforce conducts laboratory micro-analysis to full-scale field explosion tests. With the expertise we have developed, we provide training to the aerospace industry in the safe handling of various propellants. We also provide analysis of systems and operational safety, propellant spec analysis, personal protective equipment assessment, and detection technologies for both industrial and flight applications for our propulsion testing team and end users in aerospace and industry. View the full article

All four RS-25 engines have been installed onto the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage for NASA’s Artemis II mission. The installation of the engines signals the core stage is nearly finished with assembly and will soon be ready for shipment to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During launch, the rocket’s engines provide more than two million pounds of combined thrust.Credits: NASA By Megan Carter NASA and its partners have fully secured the four RS-25 engines onto the core stage of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for the Artemis II flight test. The core stage, and its engines, is the backbone of the SLS mega rocket that will power the flight test, the first crewed mission to the Moon under Artemis. Engineers have begun final integration testing at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, in preparation for acceptance ahead of shipment of the stage to Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the coming months. “NASA integrated many lessons learned from the first-time build and assembly of the SLS core stage for Artemis I to increase efficiencies during manufacturing and cross-team collaboration with our partners for Artemis II. NASA teams in New Orleans remain focused on assembling and preparing the SLS rocket’s liquid-fueled stage to support the flight.” Julie Bassler Manager of the Stages Office for the SLS Program “NASA integrated many lessons learned from the first-time build and assembly of the SLS core stage for Artemis I to increase efficiencies during manufacturing and cross-team collaboration with our partners for Artemis II,” said Julie Bassler, manager of the Stages Office for the SLS Program at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where the program is managed. “NASA teams in New Orleans remain focused on assembling and preparing the SLS rocket’s liquid-fueled stage to support the flight.” The 212-foot-tall core stage includes two massive liquid propellant tanks and four RS-25 engines at its base. For Artemis II, the core stage and its engines act as the powerhouse of the rocket, providing more than two million pounds of thrust for the first eight minutes of flight to send the crew of four astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon. NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company and the RS-25 engines lead contractor, along with Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, secured the engines to the maze of propulsion and avionics systems within the core stage Oct. 6. In the coming weeks, engineers will perform testing on the entire stage and its avionics and electrical systems, which act as the “brains” of the rocket to help control it during flight. Once testing of the stage is complete and the hardware passes its acceptance review, the core stage will be readied for shipping to Kennedy via the agency’s Pegasus barge, based at Michoud. The Artemis II RS-25 engines installed on the core stage at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Each engine is the size of a compact car and, together, will create more than two million pounds of thrust during launch. The RS-25 engines create immense pressure that controls the flow of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen from the two propellant tanks into each engine’s combustion chamber.Credits: NASA The Artemis II RS-25 engines installed on the core stage at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Each engine is the size of a compact car and, together, will create more than two million pounds of thrust during launch. The RS-25 engines create immense pressure that controls the flow of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen from the two propellant tanks into each engine’s combustion chamber.Credits: NASA As teams prepare the core stage for Artemis II, rocket hardware is also under construction on our factory floor for Artemis III, IV, and V that will help send the future Artemis astronauts to the lunar South Pole. The engines were first soft mated one by one onto the stage beginning in early September. The last RS-25 engine was structurally installed onto the stage Sept. 20. Installing the four engines is a multi-step, collaborative process for NASA, Boeing, and Aerojet Rocketdyne. Following the initial structural connections of the individual engines, securing and outfitting all four engines to the stage is the lengthiest part of the engine assembly process and includes securing the thrust vector control actuators, ancillary interfaces, and remaining bolts before multiple tests and checkouts. All major hardware elements for the SLS rocket that will launch Artemis II are either complete or in progress. The major components for the rocket’s two solid rocket boosters are at Kennedy. The rocket’s two adapters, produced at Marshall, along with the rocket’s upper stage, currently at lead contractor United Launch Alliance’s facility in Florida near Kennedy, will be prepared for shipment in the spring. NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission. Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034 corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov View the full article