Technology Demonstration Missions Project Manager(s)/Lead(s) (7) Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD): Demo new supersonic inflatable decelerator and parachute John McDougal/FP50 Beth Adams-Fogle/FP50 technologies to enable Mars landings of larger payloads (256) 961–7481 (256) 961–7330 with greater precision at a wider range of altitudes. (8) Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Entry Descent & Raymond French/FP50 Karen Stephens/FP50 Landing Instrumentation (MEDLI): Demo of embed- (256) 961–7642 (256) 961–7421 ded sensors embedded in the MSL heat shield, designed to record the heat and atmospheric pressure experi- Sponsoring Program(s) enced during the spacecraft’s high-speed, hot entry in the Martian atmosphere. Space Technology Missions Directorate (9) Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP): 50-kW class space- Technology Demonstration Missions craft that uses flexible blanket solar arrays for power generation and an electric propulsion system that deliv- Project Description ers payload from low-Earth orbit to higher orbits. (10) Solar Sail Demonstration (SSD): Demo to validate Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) is in its sail deployment techniques for solar sails that are pro- third year of execution, being initiated in 2010 and pelled by the pressure of sunlight. baselined in January of 2012. There are 11 projects that (11) Terrestrial HIAD Orbit Reentry (THOR): Demo of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has con- a 3.7-m Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelera- tributed to or led: tor (HIAD) entry vehicle to test second generation aero- thermal performance and modeling. (1) Evolvable Cryogenics (eCryo): Cyrogenic Propel- lant Storage and Transfer Engineering Development Unit (EDU), a proof of manufacturability effort, used to enhance knowledge and technology related to handling cryogenic propellants, specifically liquid hydrogen. (2) Composites for Exploration Upper Stage (CEUS): Design, build, test, and address flight certification of a large composite shell suitable for the second stage of (a) (b) the Space Launch System (SLS). Human Exploration Telerobotics (a) and Green Propellant (3) Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC): Spaceflight to Infusion Mission (b) demo small, low-mass atomic clock that can provide unprecedented stability for deep space navigation. (4) Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM): Demo of high-performance, green propellant propulsion sys- tem suitable for Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA)-class spacecraft. (a) (b) (5) Human Exploration Telerobotics (HET): Demon- strating how telerobotics, remote control of a variety of robotic systems, can take routine, highly repetitive, dangerous or long-duration tasks out of human hands. (6) Laser Communication Relay Demo (LCRD): Demo to advance optical communications technology toward (c) infusion into deep space and near Earth operational sys- tems, while growing the capabilities of industry sources. Solar Electric Propulsion (a) and (b) and Laser Communication Relay Decelerator Demo (c) 68 LDSD technologies and test capabilities. Anticipated Benefits thruster was completed which exceeded the 10,000 cycles for the L-1 requirement. Fabrication and inte- TDM bridges the gap between advanced technolo- gration of a 22 N engineering model thruster was com- gies and flight-qualified systems. Demonstrated tech- pleted and the integration of the BCP-100 spacecraft nologies can be used in scheduled and future missions. bus has started. Demonstrations give a wide range of data to be used (5) HET: R2 climbing legs and torso upgrade parts to improve future technologies and define the ability of for the International Space Station (ISS) were deliv- the hardware for future uses, making human spaceflight T ered, which launched April 2014. A new Smartphone D safer and flights more successful. was delivered to the ISS for integration into the Smart M SPHERES, launched July 2014. Potential Applications (6) LCRD: A successful Preliminary Design Review was conducted in 2014, with 95% of Flight Modem TDM technologies can enable new missions or enhance EEE parts ordered. existing ones. (7) LDSD: A Systems Integration Review was con- ducted. A successful supersonic test flight was con- Notable Accomplishments ducted, and a parachute and supersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerators development tests were con- 2014 was an extremely successful year for TDM proj- ducted at China Lake. ects. There were 11 projects that had accomplishments (8) MEDLI: Turbulent flow duct arcjet testing was com- involving MSFC: pleted at NASA Ames Research Center and the draft of (1) CEUS: A successful key design point-A (KDP-A) a NASA Technical Memorandum was delivered. was completed for this project. (9) SEP: Ambient and hot/cold thermal vacuum deploy- (2) DSAC: A successful KDP-C was completed. ment testing of MegaFlex and ROSA (Roll Our Solar Repeatable manufacturing of the ion trap tube was dem- Array) solar arrays was completed. The fabrication and onstrated and multiple ion trap tubes in a closed loop integration of a 12.5-kW class Hall Thruster and inte- configuration was operated successfully. Also, a com- gration and test of a 300 V power processing unit was pleted Surrey Flight Services agreement was accom- completed. plished for this project. (10) SSD: Manual deployment of a full-size sail quad- (3) eCryo: A successful CPST KDP-B was completed rant was completed for this project. as well as a successful eCryo KDP-A. The LOX Zero (11) THOR: This project was initiated in 2014 and TIG Boil-off test was successfully completed and a Zero has conducted a review of proposed L1 requirements. Boil-off Industry Workshop was conducted. The proj- ect also completed testing of the EDU tank at MSFC. (4) GPIM: This project had a very successful Critical Design Review. Testing of a 1 N engineering model 69