CC20 Lunar Deep Freeze Challenge

Completed TRL 3 (started at 1, targeting 3)

Description

Develop a novel solution to return lunar samples to Earth from the Permanent Shadowed Regions (PSR) at cryogenic temperatures using very low mass, volume, and power. The cold stowage containment equipment will proportionally reduce the mass of the samples that be returned. A primary objective of the Artemis missions is to understand lunar volatiles cycles, which can be addressed by returning frozen volatiles from the coldest locations on the lunar surface. The analysis of those samples will lead to new developments in science, exploration, and in situ resources that could be utilized during long-term exploration of the Moon.
NASA has a mission critical need for novel small-footprint, lightweight, and low-/no-power cryogenic (less than -150°C) containment solutions that will enable long-term storage and transportation of lunar material samples back to Earth. The objective of this Challenge is to conceptualize and describe a novel approach to cryogenic containment that will allow lunar sample transport from the Moon to Earth. NASA is open to any and all innovative approaches that can deliver or enable long-term cryogenic storage in a small footprint, lightweight, efficient approach. A universal single-system cryogenic solution that could be used continuously from HLS to NASA facilities on earth would be ideal, however all innovative combinations of approaches, processes and systems that can deliver an actionable solution to this challenge are of significant interest. Develop a novel solution to return lunar samples to Earth from the Permanent Shadowed Regions (PSR) at cryogenic temperatures using very low mass, volume, and power. The cold stowage containment equipment will proportionally reduce the mass of the samples that be returned. A primary objective of the Artemis missions is to understand lunar volatiles cycles, which can be addressed by returning frozen volatiles from the coldest locations on the lunar surface. The analysis of those samples will lead to new developments in science, exploration, and in situ resources that could be utilized during long-term exploration of the Moon.

Benefits

The Lunar Deep Freeze Challenge delivered a novel solution concept which utilizes a hybrid cooling approach through a combination of active and passive cooling to achieve NASA’s stated goals for transportation of lunar samples from the lunar surface to Earth at continuous cryogenic temperatures. When under sufficient power (75 watts), system input power will be used to run cryocoolers, allowing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks thermally coupled to the lunar samples to be operated in zero boil-off mode. Because the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen are used to passively cool the lunar sample, the lunar sample will be maintained at a steady temperature at or below the boiling point of the liquids. When power is removed, the liquids heat up due to imperfect insulation between the liquids and the environment, causing a rise in temperature until they reach their boiling point where their temperature will remain constant as heat rises. Because the boiling points of these two liquids will be kept at sufficiently low pressures for their boiling point to be less than or equal to -150°C, the sample, being passively cooled by the two liquids through a high-efficiency conductor, will remain at or below -150°C. The key innovation of the delivered solution involves the use of an internal hydrogen fuel cell with a non-flow-through design coupled with a small battery to smooth and maintain power requirements while eliminating venting. The boil-off of the liquid oxygen will be led through tubes into the fuel cell, which will generate power used to run the cryocooler, lowering boil-off of and extending the duration of cooling. Fully realized, the proposed solution could enable indefinite storage at cryogenic temperatures.
No Significant Value Was Provided
Not going to be used/implemented
Technical Solution

Details

Technology area	Thermal Management Systems > Thermal Control Components and Systems > Heat Rejection and Storage
Program	Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing (PCC)
Lead organization	Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Start date	2020-08-01
End date	2021-02-28

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Robert J Hanley — robert.j.hanley@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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.

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