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Acquisition of Long-Duration, Low-Gravity Slosh Data Utilizing Existing ISS Equipment (SPHERES) for Calibration of CFD Models of Coupled Fluid-Vehicle BehaviorAccurate prediction of coupled fluid slosh and launch vehicle or spacecraft dynamics (e.g., nutation/precessional movement about various axes, attitude changes, ect.) requires Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models calibrated with low-gravity, long duration slosh data. Recently completed investigations of reduced gravity slosh behavior have demonstrated the limitations of utilizing parabolic flights on specialized aircraft with respect to the specific objectives of the experiments. Although valuable data was collected, the benefits of longer duration low-gravity environments were clearly established. The proposed research provides the first data set from long duration tests in zero gravity that can be directly used to benchmark CFD models, including the interaction between the sloshing fluid and the tank/vehicle dynamics. To explore the coupling of liquid slosh with the motion of an unconstrained tank in microgravity, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Launch Services Program has teamed up with the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the NASA Game Changing Development Program (GCD) to perform a series of slosh dynamics experiments on the International Space Station using the SPHERES platform. The Synchronized Position Hold Engage Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) testbed provides a unique, free-floating instrumented platform on ISS that can be utilized in a manner that would solve many of the limitations of the current knowledge related to propellant slosh dynamics on launch vehicle and spacecraft fuel tanks. The six degree of freedom (6-DOF) motion of the SPHERES free-flyer is controlled by an array of cold-flow C02 thrusters, supplied from a built-in liquid C02 tank. These SPHERES can independently navigate and re-orient themselves within the ISS. The intent of this project is to design an externally mounted tank to be driven inside the ISS by a set of two SPHERES devices (Figure 1). The tank geometry simulates a launch vehicle upper stage propellant tank and the maneuvers replicate those of real vehicles. The design includes inertial sensors, data acquisition, image capture and data storage interfaces to the SPHERES VERTIGO computer system on board the flight article assembly. The design also includes mechanical and electronic interfaces to the existing SPHERES hardware, which include self-contained packages that can operate in conjunction with the existing SPHERES electronics
Document ID
20130011579
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Schallhorn, Paul
(NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Roth, Jacob
(NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Marsell, Brandon
(QinetiQ North America Kennedy Space Center, FL, United States)
Kirk, Daniel
(Florida Inst. of Tech. Melbourne, FL, United States)
Gutierrez, Hector
(Florida Inst. of Tech. Melbourne, FL, United States)
Saenz-Otero, Alvar
(Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Dorney, Daniel
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Moder, Jeffrey
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2013
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
KSC-2013-025
Meeting Information
Meeting: 2nd Annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference
Location: Denver, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: July 16, 2013
End Date: July 18, 2013
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNK12LA12C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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