Spacecraft Pointing Control and Zero-gravity Slosh – Knowledge Payload

Earth, Moon, and Mars imaging satellites depend on rapid and accurate pointing maneuvers, which can be affected by fluid behavior. In particular, vehicles using liquid propellants require accurate prediction of loads on the propellant tank (from liquid pressure and viscous shear) and the rate of damping of liquid motion. To better understand fluid behavior and its effect on spacecraft pointing, researchers have developed a Spacecraft Pointing Control and Zero-Gravity Slosh Knowledge payload, the data from which will provide unique comparison cases and may help enable highly fuel-efficient designs.

Problem Statement Expansion of space commerce requires optimal satellite performance for pointing rapidly and repeatedly for imaging as well as for achieving high fuel efficiency enabled by precise guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) models of the liquid response. The objectives of this experiment are to gather design parameter data for technology development and then to enter it into the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System.

Technology Maturation This technology is currently at TRL 4 and is expected to advance to TRL 5 via testing that aims to acquire damping data in zero-gravity spaceflight. 

This work is a continuation of previous flight testing under T0216.

Summary of Flight Test
2024-06-08 Flight of Purdue’s NASA-sponsored “Rotational Slosh” experiment on Virgin Galactic’s Galactic-07 mission was successful, producing unique new measurements of the sloshing of liquids, such as rocket propellants in propellant tanks, in the weightlessness of spaceflight. Specifally, the slosh created by rotations of spacecraft, such as required for docking maneuvers. This type of measurement is impossible on Earth because capillary effects (wetting of surfaces and surface tension) often dominate liquid positioning and motion in spaceflight.

This technology is designed to gather data that may lead to precise GNC models of liquid response and deliver zero-gravity measurements to update existing models, which may enable improved fuel efficiency. This would benefit NASA missions, other government agencies, and the commercial space industry.

Future Customers
• Large and small satellites
• Commercial Earth imaging
• Docking and pointing 

 

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.