Propulsion Options and Issues When Incorporating Biomimicry · rocket propulsion system masses,...

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Propulsion Options and Issues When

Incorporating Biomimicry

Presented to the

NASA / OAI Biomimicry Summit

Cleveland, OH

Bryan Palaszewski

NASA Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, OH

October 2017

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Introduction

• Locales in the solar system.

• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).

• Biomimicry options.

• Propulsion issues.

• Concluding remarks.

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Locales in the Solar System

• Mercury.

• Moon.

• Mars.

• Outer planet moons of Jupiter to Neptune.

• Permanently shadowed regions.

• Underground ices.

• Ice and regolith mix.

• Need methods for cryogenic ice and regolith

operations.

• Biomimicry may lead to energy efficient mining

methods.

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Permanently Shadowed Craters

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Permanently Shadowed Craters

MESSENGER / JHU / Lawrence, APL.,11-2012

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Rocket Propulsion

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Mission Analyses: Human Mercury

Missions – Mercury ISRU: B = 0.33

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Mercury Crater Base,

Using Lunar Base Example

• Mercury crater base.

• Layout, construction.

• Improved sketches, location of buried habitation,

water processing plant(s).

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Mining Out There:

In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

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Metabolic EngineeringWhitney Hollinshead, Lian He and, Yinjie J. Tang*. “Biofuel Production: An

Odyssey from Metabolic Engineering to Fermentation Scale-up,” Frontiers of

Microbiology, Mini Review Article, doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00344, published: 09

July 2014.

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Bio-mining

• Iron extraction.

• Bonnie P. Dalton, NASA (retired) and Frank F. Roberto,

“Lunar Regolith Biomining Workshop Report,” Report of a

workshop, NASA Ames, May 5-6, 2007.

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Paul Todd, “Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed,” Space

Hardware Optimization Technology, Inc., NASA Institute

for Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Phase II Final Progress

Report, July 6, 2006.

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Space Exploration Initiative (SEI)

Lunar Missions Mass Comparison

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Mercury Lander Mass

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Thomas W. Vaneck, “A SYSTEM OF MESOSCALE BIOMIMETIC

ROBOSWIMMERS FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORATION AND

SEARCH OF LIFE ON EUROPA,” Physical Sciences Inc.,

November 2000.

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Thomas W. Vaneck, “A SYSTEM OF MESOSCALE BIOMIMETIC

ROBOSWIMMERS FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORATION AND

SEARCH OF LIFE ON EUROPA,” Physical Sciences Inc.,

November 2000.

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Thomas W. Vaneck, “A SYSTEM OF MESOSCALE BIOMIMETIC

ROBOSWIMMERS FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORATION AND SEARCH OF

LIFE ON EUROPA,” Physical Sciences Inc., November 2000.

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Europa Transportation

• Flight to Jupiter and

entering high orbit.

• Transfer to low Jupiter

orbit.

• Emplace lander for

Europa survey.

• Radiation levels are

extremely high.

• Spacecraft lifetimes

are short.

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Bio-inspired flightAnthony Colozza, “Planetary Exploration Using Biomimetics,

NIAC, 2002, http://www.niac.usra.edu/studies/studies.html

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STEVEN DUBOWSKY, “Self-Transforming Robotic Planetary

Explorers,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for NASA

Institute for Advanced Concept (NIAC), 2002

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Issues for long term space flight

• Exposure to microgravity.

• Development of artificial gravity.

• Exposure to space radiation.

• Protection against radiation.

• Spacecraft and tool operations for long term

missions away from Earth based repair options.

– Breakdown of systems.

• Human capacity for long term separation from

Earth, other beings, family.

– Isolation.

– Boredom.

– Need for natural Earth-like environments.

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Concluding Remarks

• Biomimicry and biomimetics can open many

avenues of planetary exploration.

• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) can reduce

rocket propulsion system masses, enabling more

and higher energy missions.

• Biomimicry can assist in ISRU propellant

production and vehicle refueling, assembly, and

repair.

• Working together, humans and biomimetic robots

can reveal the past, create new knowledge, and

create a spectacular future.

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Lunar City

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Neptune, Go ISRU

JPL

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