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Completed TRL 4 (started at 3, targeting 6)
The Cryogenic Fluid In-Situ Liquefaction for Landers (CryoFILL) was set up with the main objectives to demonstrate the cryogenic capabilities on the Lunar and Martian surface to enable the integration between the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) plant and Lunar and Martian landers currently in development. These capabilities are mainly focused on the liquefaction of cryogenic propellants (oxygen initially) in a manner that is prototypical of how a system would be set up on the Moon or Mars. With the demonstration of these capabilities it is also important to demonstrate that the physics can be appropriately modeled in a manner such that future system performance can be predicted. In addition to liquefaction capabilities, one other gap for cryogenic propellants on the Martian surface was identified: soft-vacuum insulation to minimize the heat load into the cryogenic propellant tanks caused by the atmosphere on the Martian surface.
The targeted performance is approximately half the ISRU system target liquefaction rate of 2.2 kg/hr of oxygen that would refill a lander system at a rate of one per year. The CryoFILL team is collaborating with STMD programs that are developing flight weight cryocoolers that will be integrated with the final system to better understand integrated system performance.
An initial test with liquid nitrogen was completed in late 2019. This demonstration explored the effect of liquefaction at different fill levels, at initial transient conditions, with different gas insertion methods, and with non-condensible gasses in the vapor space. The final report was published as NASA TM 2021-0010564. This testing will be followed on by demonstration with liquid oxygen in the FY23. The liquid oxygen test hardware developed will then be integrated with flight like cryocoolers for a higher fidelity hardware demonstration. During the oxygen testing, a Fiber Optic Sensing System (FOSS) temperature fiber will be used to greatly increase the amount of vapor temperature measurements for better verification and validation of numerical models.
Additionally, CryoFILL has explored the trade space for soft vacuum insulation systems for the Martian surface. The Mars Vacuum Annulus Cryogenic System (MarVACS) is looking at multiple different light-weight vacuum jacketed insulation designs that are specifically designed for the 5 Torr atmosphere on the Mars surface. Several designs are being matured.
CryoFILL will demonstrate the capability to liquefy oxygen in a manner that is appropriate for initial production plants and landers on the Lunar or Martian surface. Oxygen is 75% - 85% of the mass required to be liquefied for the application of an ISRU system to produce propellant. Additionally, several NASA studies have indicated that oxygen only production is a feasible solution for early ISRU plants. CryoFILL will also demonstrate the capability to model the liquefaction process using standard industry modeling software.
In support of the liquefaction testing an in pursuit of better data within the fluid space during liquefaction, the CryoFILL team has partnered with the Fiber Optic Sensing System (FOSS) team at AFRC to improve the sensitivity and therefor the sensor uncertainty for the temperature FOSS. As the FOSS uncertainty improves it will provide useful measurement capabilities for multiple cryogenic industry applications.
MarVACS will demonstrate the operational feasibility of a lightweight vacuum jacketed system that saves several hundred kilograms for a notional minimal cryogenic Mars Ascent vehicle.
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