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Propulsion Options and Issues When
Incorporating Biomimicry
Presented to the
NASA / OAI Biomimicry Summit
Cleveland, OH
Bryan Palaszewski
NASA Glenn Research Center
Cleveland, OH
October 2017
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Introduction
• Locales in the solar system.
• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).
• Biomimicry options.
• Propulsion issues.
• Concluding remarks.
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Locales in the Solar System
• Mercury.
• Moon.
• Mars.
• Outer planet moons of Jupiter to Neptune.
• Permanently shadowed regions.
• Underground ices.
• Ice and regolith mix.
• Need methods for cryogenic ice and regolith
operations.
• Biomimicry may lead to energy efficient mining
methods.
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Permanently Shadowed Craters
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Permanently Shadowed Craters
MESSENGER / JHU / Lawrence, APL.,11-2012
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Rocket Propulsion
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Mission Analyses: Human Mercury
Missions – Mercury ISRU: B = 0.33
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Mercury Crater Base,
Using Lunar Base Example
• Mercury crater base.
• Layout, construction.
• Improved sketches, location of buried habitation,
water processing plant(s).
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Mining Out There:
In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)
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Metabolic EngineeringWhitney Hollinshead, Lian He and, Yinjie J. Tang*. “Biofuel Production: An
Odyssey from Metabolic Engineering to Fermentation Scale-up,” Frontiers of
Microbiology, Mini Review Article, doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00344, published: 09
July 2014.
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Bio-mining
• Iron extraction.
• Bonnie P. Dalton, NASA (retired) and Frank F. Roberto,
“Lunar Regolith Biomining Workshop Report,” Report of a
workshop, NASA Ames, May 5-6, 2007.
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Paul Todd, “Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed,” Space
Hardware Optimization Technology, Inc., NASA Institute
for Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Phase II Final Progress
Report, July 6, 2006.
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Space Exploration Initiative (SEI)
Lunar Missions Mass Comparison
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Mercury Lander Mass
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Thomas W. Vaneck, “A SYSTEM OF MESOSCALE BIOMIMETIC
ROBOSWIMMERS FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORATION AND
SEARCH OF LIFE ON EUROPA,” Physical Sciences Inc.,
November 2000.
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Thomas W. Vaneck, “A SYSTEM OF MESOSCALE BIOMIMETIC
ROBOSWIMMERS FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORATION AND
SEARCH OF LIFE ON EUROPA,” Physical Sciences Inc.,
November 2000.
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Thomas W. Vaneck, “A SYSTEM OF MESOSCALE BIOMIMETIC
ROBOSWIMMERS FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORATION AND SEARCH OF
LIFE ON EUROPA,” Physical Sciences Inc., November 2000.
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Europa Transportation
• Flight to Jupiter and
entering high orbit.
• Transfer to low Jupiter
orbit.
• Emplace lander for
Europa survey.
• Radiation levels are
extremely high.
• Spacecraft lifetimes
are short.
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Bio-inspired flightAnthony Colozza, “Planetary Exploration Using Biomimetics,
NIAC, 2002, http://www.niac.usra.edu/studies/studies.html
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STEVEN DUBOWSKY, “Self-Transforming Robotic Planetary
Explorers,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for NASA
Institute for Advanced Concept (NIAC), 2002
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Issues for long term space flight
• Exposure to microgravity.
• Development of artificial gravity.
• Exposure to space radiation.
• Protection against radiation.
• Spacecraft and tool operations for long term
missions away from Earth based repair options.
– Breakdown of systems.
• Human capacity for long term separation from
Earth, other beings, family.
– Isolation.
– Boredom.
– Need for natural Earth-like environments.
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Concluding Remarks
• Biomimicry and biomimetics can open many
avenues of planetary exploration.
• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) can reduce
rocket propulsion system masses, enabling more
and higher energy missions.
• Biomimicry can assist in ISRU propellant
production and vehicle refueling, assembly, and
repair.
• Working together, humans and biomimetic robots
can reveal the past, create new knowledge, and
create a spectacular future.
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Lunar City
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Neptune, Go ISRU
JPL
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