TFAWSMSFC ∙ 2017

Presented By

Ron Creel

Retired Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle

Team Member

Interactive LUROVA™ Thermal Model

for the STEM Simulation Game

Thermal & Fluids Analysis Workshop

TFAWS 2017

August 21-25, 2017

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, AL

TFAWS Interdisciplinary Paper Session

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 2

Outline

• Apollo Lunar Rover Thermal Modeling for Mission Support

• LUROVA™ Thermal Modeling for TFAWS

• LUROVA™ Simulation Game for STEM

• Interactive LUROVA™ Simulation Game Thermal Model

• Verification / Correlation of the LUROVA™ Sim Game Model

• Future Plans for the LUROVA™ Simulation Game

• LUROVA™ Poster and Demonstration for Attendees

• Test Correlated Thermal Models Were Vital for Rover Success

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 3

Apollo Lunar Rover Thermal Testing / Modeling

Clean αS= 0.07

Qualification and Flight Units TVAC

Ron Creel with Rover Mobility TVAC Test Unit

181 Node SINDA Thermal Model for Apollo 15

Folded Rover Modeled, but not Tested

Transportation Phase

3 Rev/Hour Rotation

19 Node Forward Chassis Thermal Model for Apollo 16 and 17

Astronaut

Silver Snoopy

Awarded for

Thermal Modeling

after Apollo 16

in July, 1972

2590 Conductors

128 Heating Arrays

• LUnar ROVing Adventures - LUROVA™ for Apollo 15, 16, 17

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 4

LUROVA™ Simulation for Apollo Mission Support

19 Node Thermal Model Input

(Replaced Cumbersome and Slow

181 Node Model)

Astronauts Appreciated Timely and Accurate

Thermal Modeling

20 Meter Resolution Terrain DataRon at LUROVA™ Thermal Model Control Console

Dust Coverage Degradation Effects Modeled

• 2006 – Presented Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle mission performance and lessons

learned, and introduced Rover mission support thermal models

– Thermal models originally planned for CD to accompany retrospective book

– 19 Node model then used for NASA Nightrover Power Storage Challenge

• 2014 – 181 node SINDA thermal model updated with render engine provided

external surfaces for radiation conductors and solar heating

– Conductors and solar heating needed to add to

historical SINDA model nodes listing

– 911,509 poster polygons reduced to 7805 polygons

for TRASYS surface modeling

• 2017 – LUROVA™ thermal model incorporated in a

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) simulation

game for interactive student challenge and Moon exploration experience

– Trademark purchased for LUROVA™ Simulation Game

– Initial game structure contributed by Computer Science associate professor and

students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH)

– Exploration realism is improved by interactive use of actual lunar terrain data

collected since 2009 by NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 5

LUROVA™ Thermal Modeling for TFAWS

• “Simulation Game = Attempt to copy various activities from real life in

the form of a game for education, training, analysis, or prediction.”

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 6

LUROVA™ Simulation Game for STEM

LUROVA™ STEM Simulation Game Provides Apollo Mission Support Thermal Model with

High Resolution Surface Model and LRO Terrain Data

Variable Planning and Preparation for MissionTiming, Location, and Rover ConfigurationHand Controller for Driving and Steering Battery Power Usage and Solar Heating

Component Failures and Cooldown Dust Effects

LRO

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Collecting

0.5 Meter Resolution Terrain Data Since 2009

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 7

Interactive LUROVA™ Simulation Game Play

Adventurer Deploys Rover

from Lunar Module (LM)

and Loads Equipment

Adventurer Drives Rover

to Pre-planned Station

Stops for Exploration

and Sample Collections

• Adventurer Plans and Executes Exploration Traverses, and Views:

- Computed Position, Heading, Speed, Slope, Power, and Temperature Results

Adventurer Activates Rover

Switches and Uses Hand

Controller for DrivingAdventurer Views Heading, Speed, and Temperatures

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 8

Interactive LUROVA™ Sim Game Thermal Model

• Simulation Game Thermal Model Increases STEM Exploration Realism – SINDA Provides Responsive Thermal Programming

SINDA Model - 181 Nodes

“Operations” Logic,

Solar Heating Calls in

“Variables 0”, and

Subroutines for Sun Angles,

Moon Temp,

Internal/External Heating,

Wax Melt Status

[ALP = Radiator Solar Absorptance for Separate COOLDOWN.EXE]

• Simulated Operation During Driving & Cooldown Periods Verified

Verification of the LUROVA™ Sim Game ModelTe

mp

erat

ure

–D

eg. F

Driving10 kph,

2 deg Slope

Driving10 kph,

4 deg Slope

Driving10 kph,

2 deg Slope

StoppedCovers Closed

StoppedCovers

Opened

StoppedCovers

Opened

BatterySurvival Limit

BatteryOperating Limit

Battery 1

Battery 1

Battery 2

SPU Wax Melting

DCE Wax Melting

DCE

SPU

DGU SPU + Wax

Battery 2 DCE + Wax

LUROVA™ Thermal Model - Driving and Cooldown Verification

Tem

per

atu

re –

Deg

. F

Time – Hours

Radiator Solar Absorptance = 0.35

Apollo 16 EVA 1Forward Chassis Electronics

Tem

per

atu

re –

Deg

. F

Time – Hours

Time – Hours

Front Mobility

Rear Mobility

Lunar Rover Batteries Supplying Navigation and LCRU Power

Right SideLeft Side

Right SideLeft Side

Heading = 0.0 Deg

Heading = 0.0 Deg

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017

2 3

4

51

1

2

3 5

4 6

4 6

Driving

Cooldown

9

Apollo Dust Brush

• LUROVA™ Simulation Game Correlates Well With Last Rover Sortie

– Lunar Dust Degradation Effects on Radiators Studied

Correlation of the LUROVA™ Sim Game Model

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017

Tem

per

atu

re –

Deg

. F

Astronaut Brushing

Dust from Radiator

Tem

per

atu

re –

Deg

. F

Time – Hours

Right Battery No. 2

Left Battery No. 1

Clean αS = 0.07

αS = 0.15

αS

X

XX

X

Cooldown after Apollo 16 EVA 2

Best Match

Dust Degradation of Radiator Solar Absorptance -

X

X

X

10

• Finish Interactive LUROVA™ STEM Simulation Game Development– Opportunities for Student “Beta Testing” and Expansion for VR, “MAROVA”

11

Future Plans for the LUROVA™ Simulation Game

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017

TFAWS 2017 – August 21-25, 2017 12

LUROVA™ Poster and Demonstration for Attendees