United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

Steven L Rickman

Gary A Bayles

John J Darst

William Q Walker

Clarence J Wesselski

Allen R Parker, Jr

Bruce Lee Drolen

Kornel Nagy

Horacio M De La Fuente

Anthony Piazza

Eric L Christiansen

Timothy E Pelischek

John A Schliesing

Edgar O Castro

W Lance Richards

Reginald B Berka

Donald C Wade

Eric C Dimpault-Darcy

Zoran Bilc

Christiaan Khurana

Natalie N Anderson

Peter J Hughes

Ryan P Brown

Damien T Calderon

David Petrushenko

Richard A Hagen

A system for measuring a heat response of a battery cell includes a cell chamber configured to receive the battery cell therein. The cell chamber is configured to trigger a battery cell into a thermal runaway event while in the cell chamber, which causes the battery cell to eject an electrode winding, particles, and gas. The system also includes an ejecta bore muffler configured to receive the electrode winding, the particles, and the gas. The system also includes an ejecta basket configured to be positioned at least partially within the ejecta bore muffler. The ejecta basket is configured to capture the electrode winding while allowing at least a portion of the particles, the gas, or both to pass therethrough. The system also includes a gas collection system configured to receive at least a portion of the gas that passes through the ejecta basket.

Large format-fractional thermal runaway calorimeter

A system for measuring a heat response of a cell during a thermal runaway event includes a housing. An insulation is positioned within the housing. A calorimeter is positioned within the insulation and the housing. The calorimeter is configured to have the cell positioned therein. The calorimeter is configured to measure a temperature increase of the cell, one or more components of the calorimeter, or a combination thereof during the thermal runaway event of the cell. A total energy yield of the thermal runaway event is configured to be determined based at least partially upon the temperature increase. A ratio is configured to be determined based at least partially upon the temperature increase. The ratio includes energy released through a casing of the cell during the thermal runaway event vs. energy released through ejecta material from the cell during the thermal runaway event.

Systems and methods for measuring a heat response of a battery cell in thermal runaway

Various embodiments may provide a strain-sensing apparatus configured to be attached to a micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding layer and data collection equipment in communication with the strain-sensing apparatus configured to detect an occurrence, a time, a location, and/or a severity of a MMOD strike on the MMOD shielding layer. The various embodiments may enable detection and/or location of potentially harmful MMOD strikes on both human occupied and unmanned spacecraft.

Micrometeoroid and orbital debris impact detection and location using fiber optic strain sensing

Methods and apparatus are provided for a single heavy-lift launch to place a complete, operational space station on-orbit. A payload including the space station takes the place of a Shuttle Orbiter using the launch vehicle of the Shuttle Orbiter. The payload includes a forward shroud, a core module, a propulsion module, and a transition module between the core module and the propulsion module. The essential subsystems are pre-integrated and verified on Earth. The core module provides means for attaching international modules with minimum impact to the overall design. The space station includes six control moment gyros for selectably operating in either LVLH (local-vertical local-horizontal) or SI (solar inertial) flight modes.

Heavy-lift vehicle-launched space station method and apparatus

Growing community of inventors

League City, TX, United States of America

Steven L Rickman