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Dust Mitigation for the VIPER Mobility System
No full textEmily McBryan, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), United StatesParker Francis,NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), United StatesAlexander Sobey, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), United StatesICES510: Planetary and Spacecraft Dust Properties and
Mitigation TechnologiesThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover
(VIPER) is built to prospect, provide ground truth
measurements, and build regional maps of the volatiles at
the lunar South Pole that were previously detected by Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), Lunar Crater Observation and
Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), and Chandrayaan-1. The rover’s
mobility system, responsible for navigating the moon’s
partially defined terrain, is the part of VIPER that is
most exposed to the lunar surface environment. To ensure it
can survive the thermal extremes and lunar regolith, the
VIPER project utilized resources across NASA centers to
create and evaluate a multi-functional environmental
protection strategy. The project’s approach combined
thermal insulation with dust protection in a flexible
barrier across dynamic actuated joints to serve as the
first defense between the hardware and the environment.
Additionally, the VIPER project integrated a selection of
seals (labyrinth, Nomex felt, and spring-energized PTFE)
with individual mechanisms to further mitigate dust
infiltration and abrasion risk to the bearings, motors, and
sensors. In stages, the project performed extensive testing
through a matrix of simulated environmental parameters to
evaluate performance margins from the component level to
the integrated mobility system. This paper addresses the
project’s lessons learned, with an emphasis on systems
integration and how this work can affect future
long-duration lunar surface systems, such as crewed
unpressurized rovers and in-situ resource utilization
robotics
Box 2, Folder 3, MGN La Vida en México
Get PDFThe Boyd Carter Papers represent a significant archival collection housed in the Hispanic Studies Collection in Texas Tech University's CMLL building. Dr. Boyd Carter was a distinguished scholar of Latin American literature who was active from the 1940s to his death in 1980. He held professorships at the University of Nebraska, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Missouri before concluding his career at Texas Tech University (1978-1980). Upon joining TTU, Carter donated his extensive archive to the university, including rare books, microfilm collections, bibliographical notes, and periodicals focusing on Latin American literature from 1850-1950, with particular emphasis on the famed Mexican writer Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera
Box 3, Folder 1, MGN Transcriptions with source copies
Get PDFThe Boyd Carter Papers represent a significant archival collection housed in the Hispanic Studies Collection in Texas Tech University's CMLL building. Dr. Boyd Carter was a distinguished scholar of Latin American literature who was active from the 1940s to his death in 1980. He held professorships at the University of Nebraska, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Missouri before concluding his career at Texas Tech University (1978-1980). Upon joining TTU, Carter donated his extensive archive to the university, including rare books, microfilm collections, bibliographical notes, and periodicals focusing on Latin American literature from 1850-1950, with particular emphasis on the famed Mexican writer Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera
Enhancing Future Commercial Space Stations: Applying ISS Insights to Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) Development on Emergency Response
Get PDFLeon Chen, The Aerospace Corporation / NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), United StatesStephanie Walker, Space Walkers-42 / NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), United StatesDavid E. Williams, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), United StatesICES305: Environmental Control of Commercial and
Exploration SpacecraftThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.The expansion of space exploration to commercial space
stations represents a significant shift from traditional
government-led endeavors to a new, competitive era driven
by private companies and innovative forces. This
transition, while promising, brings its own set of
challenges, particularly in the intricate development of
Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS).
Establishing effective ECLSS within commercial space
stations is critical, as it ensures the safety and
sustainability of long-term human presence in space. By
applying the lessons learned from the International Space
Station (ISS), particularly during the initial conceptual
design phase, there is an opportunity to mitigate
early-stage issues and optimize the development process for
these commercial habitats.
One aspect that has not been discussed often, and with
limited literature on the subject, is emergency operations
aboard the ISS. Emergency operations requires a
multidisciplinary approach, which is essential for
completing its primary objective. Due to the nature of
this, the main three categories of emergency operations can
be classified as fire hazards, toxic spills, and rapid
depress. This paper focuses on the specifics of ECLSS based
emergency operations, with an in-depth focus on emergency
hardware and operations within the specified categories. By
drawing on operational experiences from the ISS, this paper
aims to provide valuable insight for the considerations,
design, and operational readiness of future commercial
space station, ensuring enhanced safety protocols and
preparedness for emergency scenarios
Space Rider LHP development. Design, qualification and first results
Get PDFPedro Argente Hernández, Arquimea, SpainSergio de Vera, Arquimea Space, SpainIván González, Arquimea Space, SpainJavier González Vilar, Arquimea, SpainGianni Pippia, Thales Alenia Space - Turin, ItalyCorrado Guglielmo, Thales Alenia Space - Turin, ItalyFederica Negri, Thales Alenia Space - Turin, ItalyEgidio Collavo, ESA, ItalyGiovanni Chirulli, ESA, ItalyICES201: Two-Phase Thermal Control TechnologyThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Space Rider is a reusable uncrewed orbital spaceplane from
European Space Agency (ESA), designed and developed by
Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor. The system design
for the reusable Re-entry Module (RM) requires a set of 2
pairs of Loop Heat Pipes (LHP) to remove heat load from the
Payloads contained in the Multi Purpose Cargo Bay (MPCB)
via a double deployable radiator door enabling a power
dissipation up to 600 W. Considering the RM need of
performing multiple flights, the LHPs will see a variety of
environments (multiple launches, deployments, stowage and
re-entry phases) which differ from a common Space LHP
product. This development comes from a previous
collaboration between Thales Alenia Space and Arquimea
Space, the deployable radiator from European Horizon 2020
Pegasus program. However, due to the special requirements
of Space Rider, this project introduces a new evaporator
and condenser design, as well as a dedicated design of
flexible lines, making the LHP a reliable system able to
withstand multiple dynamic vibration phases and the thermal
environments.
The design with its key driving requirements, the
development plan and the first results of the qualification
model are presented
Fuzzy-Ball Fluids: Fundamentals, Mechanisms, and Prospects for Clean Energy and Oilfield Applications
Get PDFFuzzy-ball fluids have emerged as a novel class of chemical sealaplugging materials with significant potential for enhancing both traditional oilfield operations and clean energy technologies. They are characterized by unique viscoelastic properties, plugging, self-adapting capabilities, and the ability to regulate multi-phase fluid flow under extreme subsurface conditions. In oilfield applications, fuzzy-ball fluids offer solutions for drilling, hydraulic fracturing, workover operations, and enhanced oil recovery in shallow, deep, and offshore reservoirs. In clean energy fields such as hydrogen storage, carbon capture, utilization, and storage, and geothermal energy, they show promise in improving energy efficiency, storage security, and environmental sustainability. This review explores the fundamental principles and mechanisms behind fuzzy-ball fluids, examines their field applications in the oil and gas industry, and investigates their potential in emerging clean energy technologies. This study also identifies key challenges, including material stability, economic viability, and environmental impact, which must be addressed to ensure the successful deployment of fuzzy-ball fluids. Furthermore, we outline future research directions, emphasizing material optimization, large-scale field trials, environmental impact assessments, and interdisciplinary collaboration to accelerate the commercialization of fuzzy-ball fluid technologies. By addressing these challenges, fuzzy-ball fluids could play a transformative role in both conventional and clean energy fields, contributing to sustainable and efficient energy solutions
Experimental Investigation of Field Emission from Insulators
No full textAnode initiated flashover of the vacuum insulator stacks of large pulsed power machines limits the scalability of such designs. One hypothesized theory of the process by which anode initiated flashover occurs requires electron emission from the insulator; while this phenomena has been reported anecdotally, concrete observation of such electrons remains elusive. In order to evaluate the validity of this theory, an experiment has been constructed in which any electron emission from an insulator may be isolated from electrons arising from other means. Upon applying pulsed excitation to create macroscopic surface fields of up to 1 MV/cm amplitude, high sensitivity electron detectors are able to record any emission which may occur. Using this equipment, various insulating materials, primarily the cross linked polystyrene found in large pulsed power machines, but also other insulating plastics, are examined. The observations taken from these experiments are used to qualitatively describe emission phenomena from the insulator, with particular emphasis on surface alterations which may reasonably be encountered in a vacuum insulator stack
The Impact of Soil Type and Cohort Size on Pupation Depths for the Forensically Important Blow Fly, Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
No full textForensic entomology is the study and use of insect evidence in a legal investigation. The collection, processing, and analysis of insect evidence in court cases often falls upon law enforcement or medical examiner personnel on scene. Given many times the individuals collecting entomological evidence on scene are not trained in entomology, guidelines for collection of this type of evidence are crucial. A newly established standard for the collection of entomological evidence proposed by the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) states a collection depth of 10 cm for the collection of pupal evidence found in the ground. This standard largely lacks empirical data supporting this value, in this thesis, the depth of pupation was tested using a custom-built apparatus that limits the distance the larvae travel horizontally before vertical burial. Two soil substrates, one locally sourced and another commercially available, were used to analyze burials depths for the forensically important blow fly, Phormia regina. The soil samples were analyzed to better understand the different properties present (moisture, soil compaction, temperature, and pH) in the soil during these testing phases. Beyond the testing of two soil substrates, cohort size (groups of 30, 60, and 120 larvae) and larval weight were investigated as factors to see if changes would have an impact on the depth of pupation. The soil type was the factor that mostly impacted burial depth, as cohort and weight had little influence. With the expanse range of P. regina understanding how the different soils changed the depth at which the larvae pupated indicates that in locations where the soil is less compacted the depth of pupation is impacted. This result suggests that collection at only 10 cm depth could inadvertently exclude insect evidence that otherwise could be useful thus hindering more accurate postmortem interval estimations
Economic Analyses of Soil Carbon Management and Regenerative Agricultural Practices in Semi-Arid Ecoregions
No full textEach of the three chapters in this dissertation focus on the economic implications of regenerative agricultural practices in the Texas High Plains (THP). The first chapter is a review that examines the potential for agricultural carbon sequestration in the THP, producer incentives for engaging in carbon related initiatives, key attributes of soil carbon contracts, and the relationship between climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and water conservation. The review highlights the importance of considering regional climatic and economic conditions in advancing CSA and recognizes the current state of carbon contracts as a barrier to producer participation in carbon sequestration initiatives. The review underscores the importance of regionally tailored strategies when developing both CSA and carbon sequestration initiatives to address unique environmental concerns while supporting long-term economic feasibility and agricultural sustainability.
The second chapter evaluates producers’ willingness to accept values for adopting cover crops in the Southern Great Plains. The purpose of this study is to analyze agricultural producers’ willingness to adopt regenerative cover crop practices in their operation and the effects of producer and farm characteristics on willingness to accept (WTA) values. The paper utilizes the double-bounded contingent valuation method to analyze survey responses submitted by producers and non-operating landowners in the Texas and Oklahoma portions of the Southern Great Plains. Results showed that programs aimed at increasing adoption rates may require more substantial investment compared to those focused on continuity with current adopters.
This third chapter explores the factors influencing soil organic carbon (SOC) levels across different soil depths in the THP using a hierarchical Bayesian (HB) modeling approach. The analysis evaluates the effects of agricultural practices, soil textures, and environmental conditions on SOC accumulation and estimates potential SOC stocks and associated economic benefits. Results indicate that management practices, particularly no-till, are linked to greater SOC levels, while soil texture and environmental conditions contribute to significant variability. These findings provide valuable insights for designing effective carbon sequestration strategies and informing agricultural policy in semi-arid regions