DARPA/NASA Joint Efforts

DARPA / NASA Joint Efforts

Mr. David L. Neyland

Director, Tactical Technology Office

Briefing prepared for the American Astronautical Society

48th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium

Greenbelt, MD

March 31, 2011

Distribution Statement “A” (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited).

SPUTNIK

► Create and deny surprise

► Lean, agile organization with a risk-taking culture

► Idea-driven and outcome-oriented

► Demonstrate solution concepts

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 20101950

DARPAARPA

DARPA organizational culture

DARPA/NASA pairing

GPS

DARPA

Orbital Expresstransit Have BlueARPAnet

04/10/2023 2Distribution Statement “A” (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited). DISTAR Case 16938

04/10/2023 3

Fortunate consequences of high risk / high pay-off investment

Apollo launch

Original F1 engine too

complicated for early launch

requirements.

Four years later developed for

heavy-lift manned missions.

1955-1959

1963

Original ARPAnet for sharing

large volumes of lab data.

1969

Unplanned innovation turned it

into

the world wide web.

1990

The ‘Internet’

GPS

Navstar Global Positioning System

(GPS) satellite Image: USAF

Research Lab

Transit 2A satellite pioneered

doppler navigation for specific

military missions.

Became global precision navigation

technology for military and civilian

use.

1999

1967

Distribution Statement “A” (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited). DISTAR Case 16938

04/10/2023 4

ART 1969 DARPA 1969 Real life 2010

Interactive tablet

communication

DARPA 1980s Real life 1996ART 1966

Portable

phone

Jules Verne

ART 1865DARPA 1958 Real life 1969

Spaceflight

Art becomes life

2001: A Space Odyssey (MGM)

Star Trek (Paramount)


04/10/2023 5

Fortunate consequences of spaceflight investment

• Water purification equipment

• Enriched baby food

• Scratch-resistant lenses

• Athletic shoes

• Shock-absorbing helmets

• Home security systems

• Smoke detectors

• Flat panel televisions

• Food packaging

• Freeze-dried technology

• Fogless ski goggles

• Self-adjusting sunglasses

• Hang gliders

• Art preservation

• Quartz crystal timing equipment

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/apollo.htm


04/10/2023 6

How can we lower barriers of entry into space?

How can increased participation increase safety?

How can we generate invention, investment and increased opportunity in space?

How can we decrease costs by re-using mass on orbit?

Challenges ► Successes ► Opportunity


04/10/2023 7


Small satellites have decreased barriers of entry into space.


04/10/2023 8

• 1995 NASA: First comprehensive set of orbital debris mitigation guidelines.

• 1997 U.S. Government: Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices.

• 1998-2002 Japan, France, Russia, European Space Agency (ESA): Orbital debris mitigation guidelines.

• 2002 Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC): Guidelines to mitigate the growth of the orbital debris.

Increased participation may improve safety.

…Even when total launch mass increased 80%

in the same time period.

Stabilized debris period

due to voluntary mitigation…

1960 201020001970 1980 1990 200920001990


NASA Orbital Debris Quarterly News, vol. 14 issue 1, p 12, January 2010.FAA COMSTAC 2009 Commercial Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO) Launch Demand Forecast


04/10/2023 9

100 Year Starship Study

Horizontal Launch Study Manned Servicing at GEO Study

Beamed Energy Propulsion Study



04/10/2023 10

• Near-term technology demonstration with first stage conventional aircraft.

• Technologies for an improved upper stage(s) for reusability or higher performance.

• Improved first stage options, including supersonic and hypersonic.

Improving the cost, availability and safety of space launch

by leveraging a broader industrial base and existing aviation infrastructure.

Opportunity ► Horizontal Launch Study

DARPA Interest


Reasonable timeframes for innovative launch options.

<500 lbs 500-10,000 lbs 10,000+ lbs

0-3 years

• Supersonic Carrier + Expendable Solid Rocket(s).

• Subsonic Carrier + Expendable Solid Upper Stage(s).

• Subsonic Carrier + Liquid Propellant Upper Stage.

• Sled + Multistage Rocket.• “Monster” Subsonic Carrier + Rocket

Upper Stage.

4-9 years

• Enhanced Supersonic Carrier + Enhanced Upper Stage.

• Subsonic Carrier + Enhanced Upper Stage.

• New Carrier w/ACES + Rocket Upper Stage.

• New Supersonic Carrier + Rocket Upper Stage.

• Sled + ERJ.• RTA + Rocket.• Turbo-ramjet + Rocket.

10+ years

• Subsonic Carrier + Reusable TBCC + Expendable Rocket.

• TSTO TBCC + Rocket.• TSTO RBCC + Rocket.• TSTO LACE / DMSJ + Rocket.• TSTO RTA+ RBCC.• Skylon-like Air-breathing Rocket + Rocket.

Opportunity ► Horizontal Launch Study (cont.)


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Study objectives:

• Assess GEO-based human satellite servicing.

• Identify activities which mitigate risk to human exploration.

• Recommend areas for possible technology investment .

• Provide context for recommended areas of technology investment.

Scope of study includes:

• Hardware transportation from LEO/GTO to GEO.

• Crew transportation to GEO and return.

• Near-GEO human presence considerations.

• Robotic, EVA, and element infrastructure.

Opportunity ► Manned GEO Servicing Study

Assess GEO-based human satellite servicing.


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Teleoperated from ground Teleoperated on site Autonomous

Relocation(space tug)

Stable contact dynamics through time delay; Predictive models for S/C motion

External equipment attachment

Attachment mechanisms for existing S/C hardpoints;Space adhesives



Electrical port interface

tile feedback; Adaptable connector interfaces

Tactile feedback; Adaptable connector interfaces

Adaptable connector interfaces;machine vision

RefuelingMachine vision;Planning / scheduling

Pre/Post EVA site prep

Tactile feedback; Stable contact dynamics through time delay; Attachment mechanisms

EVA crew support

Situational awareness; FDIR; Dexterous manipulation through time delay

Situational awareness; Control of high DOF systems

Autonomous scene understanding; FDIR; planning/ scheduling; Human-robot interfaces

Internal component replacement

Situational awareness; Dexterous manipulation through time delay; Miniature space mechanisms

Situational awareness; control of high DOF systems; Miniature space mechanisms

Opportunity ► Manned GEO Servicing Study (cont.)

Research needs by servicing type.

Technologies available for orbital demo

Fundamental techniques developed;significant development needed

Significant fundamental research needed


04/10/2023 14

Opportunity ► Beamed Energy Propulsion Study (BEP)

Low-cost, rapid access to space by:

• High-specific impulse power source.

• Removing the power-generation mass from the

spacecraft.

Advancements in high-energy beamed power systems and

optics over the past 20 years warrant a fresh look.

BEP could help meet NASA or DoD needs by providing low-cost,

rapid access to space for:

• Launch to Earth orbit of small payloads.

• Continuous presence at VLEO.

• LEO to GEO transportation system.

• Extreme deep space exploration. NASA artwork by Pat Rawlings


04/10/2023 15

Engine Types

• Heat Exchanger

• Optical Cavity

• Lightcraft

• MET, Hall, Ion

Hybrids

• Bimodal

• Afterburner

• AblativePropellants

• Water

• Hydrogen

• Nitrogen

• Methane

• Hydrazine

Power Systems

• Solar

• Nuclear

• Flywheel

Beam Types

• mm Wave

• µ Wave

• Laser (Continuous)

• Laser Pulsed

Vehicle Types

• Reusable

• Staged

• Drop Tank

• Sail

Beamed Energy Power Concept

System Implementation

• Launch Assist

• Relay Mirrors

• Ground Site

• Shipboard

• Launch Availability

Opportunity ► Beamed Energy Propulsion Study (cont.)


04/10/2023 16

Goal: Develop a viable and sustainable model for persistent, long-term, private-sector

investment into the myriad of disciplines needed to make long-distance space

travel viable; with the agility to respond to the accelerating pace of

technological change.

• How do organizations evolve and maintain focus and momentum for 100 years or more?

• What models have supported long term technology development?

• What resources and financial structures have initiated and sustained prior settlements of “new

worlds”?

Opportunity ► 100 Year Starship Study


04/10/2023 17

Opportunity ► 100 Year Starship Study (cont.)

1/11/11

100YSS Strategic Planning Workshop: A gathering of visionaries addressed the opportunities and challenges involved in the development of the 100YSS organizational construct needed to effect the long-term goal.

Critical to the success of 100YSS:

Why?

Why go? Why

humans? Why now?

What?

What is the scope?

What are the milestones? What are the domains of interest?

How?

How is the entity structured for self-

sustainability and long-term investment?

How is money made from this activity(profit vs. not-for-

profit)?Distribution Statement “A” (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited). DISTAR Case 16938

04/10/2023 18

Opportunity ► 100 Year Starship Study (cont.)

Next Steps

April 2011

DARPA and NASA Request for Information (RFI) Respondent must focus on flexible yet robust mechanisms by which:

• An endowment can be created and sustained, wholly devoid of government or subsidy control.

• Funding for worthwhile undertakings—in the sciences, engineering, humanities, or the arts—may be awarded in pursuit of the vision of interstellar flight.

Summer 2011

100YSS Public Conference to be held at NASA Ames Research Center. Purpose: • To begin to define the initial research scope across multiple

domains• To connect to the researchers who must be engaged in this

activity in order for it to be successful.

FY12 Establishment of the 100YSS business entity.


DARPA, NASA and Spaceflight … great opportunities ahead


DARPA/NASA Joint Efforts

Technology

distribution unlimited

public release

distar case

safety of space launch

innovative launch options

total launch mass

possible technology

technology demonstration