{"id":105098,"date":"2019-12-05T12:10:55","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T17:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=105098"},"modified":"2024-04-16T16:52:39","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T20:52:39","slug":"nasa-funds-ucf-research-for-new-power-systems-on-space-missions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/nasa-funds-ucf-research-for-new-power-systems-on-space-missions\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA Funds UCF Research for New Power Systems on Space Missions"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA has turned to UCF to develop a new way of powering and heating spacecraft when they are far from the sun and solar energy isn\u2019t practical.<\/p>\n

UCF was one of 14 universities awarded grants under NASA’s Space Technology Research Grants<\/a>\u2019 Early-Stage Innovations program, a prestigious funding competition that aims to accelerate the development of groundbreaking, high-risk\/high-payoff space technologies to support the future space science and exploration needs of NASA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mechanical and aerospace engineering Associate Professor Subith Vasu leads the team that will use the three-year $550,000 award to develop storable chemical heat sources that can be controlled to provide heat and electrical energy, even in the very hot or very cold conditions found on some planetary destinations. Vasu, who is also affiliated with the Florida Space Institute, has expertise in rocket propulsion, hypergolic propellants and hybrid propulsion.<\/p>\n

According to NASA, objects in space easily reached by our current technology and power systems \u2013 mostly solar or radioisotope \u2013 have been achieved. But to go farther, a better power system is needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur proposed approach is to use stored chemical-energy sources,\u201d Vasu says. \u201cA thermal source with high specific combustion enthalpy could provide thermal energy necessary for some longer missions.\u201d<\/p>\n