NASA Armstrong Contributions Propel Artemis, Deep Space Innovation
NASA Armstrong Contributions Propel Artemis, Deep Space Innovation
As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, its Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is playing a crucial role in the Artemis campaign and deep space innovation. With its expertise in atmospheric flight research and test, the center is helping to make the Artemis mission safer, more reliable, and efficient.
Collecting Heat Shield Data with the Gulfstream G-III
One of the key challenges facing the Artemis mission is the heat shield, which will protect the Orion spacecraft and its astronauts during reentry through Earth's atmosphere. To gather data on the heat shield's performance, NASA modified a Gulfstream G-III aircraft to collect heat shield data during Orion's reentry. The aircraft will join other planes flying at different altitudes to capture a complete view of the heat shield.
"Before the Artemis II mission begins, the aircraft will complete a dress rehearsal over the Pacific Ocean to verify the airborne system performance," said Robert Navarro, NASA Armstrong support aircraft fleet project manager. The technicians at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston installed sensors and special windows for the imagery mission with assistance from NASA Armstrong technicians.
Measuring Orion's Reentry Heat
The heat shield is one of the most critical elements of the Orion spacecraft, and NASA Armstrong is assisting with the Orion heat shield spectrometer system for Artemis II. The system is designed to collect shock layer radiation data from the heat shield during atmospheric entry, data that will be used to enhance astronaut safety.
Testing Orion's Launch Abort System
In the event of an emergency on the ground or during the boost phase of the Orion spacecraft, the launch abort system will be activated to ensure the astronauts' safety. NASA Armstrong demonstrated this system's effectiveness when it tested a system to enable Artemis astronauts to escape harm in the event of an emergency.
"We proved the system could get the astronauts to safety," said Cathy Bahm, project manager for NASA's Low Boom Flight Demonstrator. Earlier in her career, she played key roles in engineering, integration, and management for Pad Abort-1 and Ascent Abort-2 that validated the Orion spacecraft's launch abort system.
Flight Opportunities Program Advances Space Tech
The Flight Opportunities program is another contributor to future space travel, maturing capabilities needed for NASA missions and commercial applications while strategically investing in the growth of the U.S. commercial spaceflight industry. NASA Armstrong manages the program, which supports flight testing of promising technologies, instruments, and experiments aboard commercial vehicles.
Flight Opportunities advanced precision landing and optical communications technologies for future lunar missions. "Landing safely in shadowed lunar regions is critical," said Greg Peters, Flight Opportunities program manager. Another deep space technology Flight Opportunities supported was a vibration isolation platform that helped provide extremely precise pointing for the Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration.
Contributions to Artemis, Deep Space Exploration
NASA Armstrong's work supporting Artemis and future deep space exploration missions also includes testing an autopilot for the SLS (Space Launch System) that proved sensors would work at the trajectory needed for landing on Mars. NASA Armstrong researchers advanced a Fiber Optic Sensing System that flew in space for the first time on the Low Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator mission.
NASA Armstrong researchers developed a cryogenic FOSS, called CryoFOSS, to support future deep space missions. CryoFOSS was used during testing of a system designed to liquefy oxygen – as it would on the Moon or Mars – for use as return-trip fuel. By producing fuel on-site, missions could avoid carrying return fuel from Earth, significantly reducing launch weight and overall mission cost.
Conclusion
The Artemis campaign and deep space innovation are crucial steps in NASA's mission to return humans to the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to Mars. NASA Armstrong's contributions to the Artemis mission, including its expertise in atmospheric flight research and test, are helping to make the mission safer, more reliable, and efficient. The center's work on the heat shield, launch abort system, and Flight Opportunities program are just a few examples of its dedication to advancing space technology and exploration.
As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, its Armstrong Flight Research Center will remain a crucial partner in the Artemis campaign and deep space innovation. With its expertise and dedication, the center will help ensure that the Artemis mission is a success and that the United States remains at the forefront of space exploration.
