Transcript Nanotechnology & Space Exploration

Nanotechnology
&
Space Exploration
Minoo N. Dastoor
NASA/NSF
How Nanotechnology Impacts Properties of Materials
Nanotechnology enables discrete control of desired
materials properties:


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
Mechanical
— Dictated by particle size (Griffith criteria), morphology and strength of
interfaces (chemistry and roughness)
Thermal
— Emissivity influenced by particle size and enhanced surface
area/roughness
— Thermal conductivity controlled by particle size (phonon coupling and
quantum effects) and nano-scale voids
Electrical
— Nano structure and defects influence conductivity and bandgap energy
(conductivity, current density, thermoelectric effects)
— High aspect ratios enhance field emission and percolation threshold
Optical
— Transparency and color dominated by size effects
— Photonic bandcap controlled by size (/10) and nanostructure
Nanotechnology
 Working at the atomic, molecular and supramolecular levels, in the
length scale of approximately 1 – 100 nm range, in order to understand,
create and use materials, devices and systems with fundamentally new
properties and functions because of their small structure
 NNI definition encourages new contributions that were not possible
before.
– novel phenomena, properties and functions at nanoscale,
which are nonscalable outside of the nm domain
– the ability to measure / control / manipulate matter at the nanoscale
in order to change those properties and functions
– integration along length scales, and fields of application
NNI Goals
• Maintain a world-class research and
development program aimed at
realizing the full potential of
nanotechnology
• Facilitate transfer of new
technologies into products for
economic growth, jobs, and other
public benefit
• Develop educational resources, a
skilled workforce, and the supporting
infrastructure and tools to advance
nanotechnology
• Support responsible development of
nanotechnology
Global Forecast
Source: October 2004 Lux Research Report: “Sizing Nanotechnology’s Value Chain”
Industrial Prototyping and Nanotechnology Commercialization
FOUR
GENERATIONS
1st: Passive nanostructures (1st generation products)
Example: coatings, nanoparticles, nanostructured metals,
polymers, ceramics
2nd: Active nanostructures
Example: 3D transistors, amplifiers, targeted drugs,
actuators, adaptive structures
~ 2005
CMU
~ 2010
3rd: Systems of nanosystems
Example: guided assembling; 3D networking
and new hierarchical architectures, robotics,
evolutionary
4th: Molecular nanosystems
Example: molecular devices ‘by design’,
atomic design, emerging functions
New R&D Challenges
~ 2000
~ 2015-2020
AIChE Journal, 2004, Vol. 50 (5), M. Roco
Mission Statement
Exploration
Systems
Aeronautics
Aeronautics
Research
Research
Exploration
Systems
NASA
To pioneer in:
• Space Exploration
• Scientific Discovery
• Aeronautics Research
Space
Operations
Space
Operations
Science
Science
Future Challenges
Many of NASA’s challenges are not achievable by extensions of current technology
Size per Mass
Ultra-large apertures
 Solar sails
 Gossamer spacecraft

Strength per Mass
Air/launch/space vehicles
 Human habitats in space
 Self-sensing systems

Diameters > 25-50 m
are not achievable by
extension of current
materials
technologies
Capability per Mass & Power
Microspacecraft
 Quantum-limited sensors
 Biochem lab-on-a-chip

Conventional device
technologies cannot
be pushed much
farther
Factors of 10 - 100
are not achievable by
current materials
options
Intelligence per Mass & Power
Medical autonomy
 AI partners in space
 Evolvable space systems

Current information processing
technologies are approaching
their limit, and cannot support
truly autonomous space
systems
Overarching Constraints
 Performance in Extreme Environments
(Radiation, Temperature, Zero Gravity, Vacuum)
 Frugal Power Availability
 High Degree of Autonomy and Reliability
 Human “Agents” and “Amplifiers”
Impact of Nanotechnology on NASA Missions
• New and Powerful computing technologies
• Onboard computing systems for future autonomous intelligent
vehicles; powerful, compact, low power consumption, radiation hard
• High performance computing (Tera- and Peta-flops)
- processing satellite data
- integrated space vehicle design tools
- climate modeling
• Smart, compact devices and sensors
• Ultimate sensitivity to analytes
• Discrimination against varying and unknown backgrounds
• Ultrasmall probes for harsh environments
• Advanced miniaturization of all systems
• Microspacecraft/Micro-Nanorovers
• “Thinking” Spacecraft with nanoelectronics/nanosensors
• Size reduction through multifunctional, smart
nanomaterials
Ten Most Significant Benefits
• Reduce vehicle structural
weight by a factor of 3
• On-Board Human Health
Management
• Application Tailored Multifunctional Materials
• 30% lighter EVA Suit
• Thermal Protection and
Management
• Reliable Reconfigurable
Radiation/Fault Tolerant
Nano-electronics
• On-board Life Support
Systems
• Micro-craft (< 1 kg) with
functionality of current 100 kg
spacecraft for science and
inspection
• Ultra-Sensitive and Selective
Sensing
• Modeling Fabrication Processes
for Nano-to-Micro Interfaces
Multi-Scale Simulation Hierarchy
• An essential
ingredient in the
future of
nanotechnology is
the design of new
nanoscale devices
and test of their
performance
before experimental
prototyping and
manufacturing
• This requires that we
base simulations of
nanoscale systems
on First Principles
• This requires a
multiscale strategy in
which the
information from
quantum mechanics
is captured in
coarser levels to
define the essential
parameters
Time
Electrons => Atoms => Segments => Grids
years
Engineering
Design
Unit Process
Design
Finite Element
Analysis
hours
minutes
Process
Simulation
seconds
Mesoscale
Dynamics
microsec
nanosec
Molecular
Dynamics
picosec
Quantum
Mechanics
Nanotechnology
femtosec
1A
1 nm
10 nm
micron
mm
yards
W. A. Goddard: Caltech
Context
• “Nanotechnology” is broad term encompassing the manipulation
and control of matter on the scale of 1 nm to 100 nm to achieve
desired properties and behavior
• The significance of nano-scale technology is in the unique and
exceptional properties that are present at that scale
• Nano-scale technology is pervasive and affects essentially all
areas of technology important to NASA
• New skills, talents, and research and development methodology
are required to fully benefit from the capabilities arising from
technology at the nano-scale
• It is strategically important for NASA to exploit and benefit from
rapidly emerging discoveries at the nano-scale
Planetary Environments
+470 ºC
TID ~7 krad
0.1-0.3 krad
50 ºC
0 ºC
LEO: 1-3 yrs
(500-1500 cycles)
TID
Lifetime: ~1 hr
(on surface)
10-15 krad
Earth Orbiter
Venus
GEO: 10-15 yrs
(3500-5500 cycles)
TID ~7 Mrad
+25 ºC
–125 ºC
Lifetime: min/hrs
(on surface)
Mars Rover
5 krad/yr
–145 ºC
Europa
Lifetime: 90 days
Microcraft & Constellations
Goals
Hard Problems
• Reduce mass of microcraft by factor of ~100 in
10 years and ~1000 in 20 years, while
maintaining full functional capability at no increase
in cost/kg
• Fly "Constellations" of 100s-1000s microcraft and
enable them to managed by a few (maybe only
one) human operators
• Systems-level design and integration of
nanotechnology into single microcraft and
constellations for ≥ 10X performance over SOA:
power, propulsion, communications, computing,
sensing, thermal control, guidance/navigation, etc.
• Assuring durability and endurance, especially in
harsh environments
• Increase on-board computational performance by
~100X for self-directed, intelligent operations
Value to Space Systems
State of the Art
• Much greater capability at much lower cost
• Distributed robust monitoring and inspection for
safer operations
• Simultaneous dense sampling of phenomena for
exploration and accurate modeling of Earth,
planetary, and space environments
• Commercial satellites (e.g. Orbcom) @ 40Kg
• Sojourner Mars Rover @ 11.5 kg
• "Picosats" (some MEMS) 0.27 to 1 Kg flown on
expendable and STS vehicles
• Variety of lab prototype vehicles at 10-100 g, all
with sensing, computation, communications, and
actuation
Nano-sensors and Instrumentations
Goals
Hard Problems
Enable missions with nano-sensors:
• Remote sensing
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•
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• Viewing there
• Vehicle health and performance
• Getting there
• Geochemical and astrobiological research
• Being there
• Manned space flight
• Living there
Value to Space Systems
• 10X to 100X smaller, lower power & cost
• Tailorable for very high quantum efficiency
• Tailorable for space durability in harsh
environments
• Improved capabilities at comparable or
reduced cost
• Mission enabling technology
Band-gap engineered materials
Control Atomic layers of substrates
Template pattern controls
Dark current reductions
Readout electronics
Assembly of large arrays
Modeling, simulation and testing
Upward integration into macro-systems
State of the Art (all ground based)
• Designer bio/chemical sensors
• Characteristic Properties of Molecules
• Functionalized structures (CNTs, etc.)
• Assembly of nano-structures
• Template development
• Electro-static control
• Nano-fluidics/separation tools
Nanomaterials
Goals
Hard Problems
Reliable, consistent, on-demand production of
durable nanomaterials to support Space Missions:
• Control of morphology and structure over all
length scales (nm to m’s)
• Scalability to practical quantities
• Ability to produce materials with resources on
other planets
• Long-term (years) durability in severe
environments
• Ability to reliably and consistently control
functional material synthesis and assembly from
nano to macro scales
• Understand and counteract effects of long term
exposure in complex/extreme environments on
materials durability and properties
• Understand/model/predict nanoscale phenomena
Value to Aeronautic and Space Systems
State of the Art
• 5-fold increase in specific strength and stiffness over
conventional composites
• Integral power generation, storage and self-actuation with
a total aerial weight of 0.8Kg/m2 & 1.0 kw/kg power
generation
• Material with near zero H2 permeability
• Electrode materials for reversible fuel cells
• Life Support: catalysts /absorptive materials for efficient,
low volume environmental revitalization
• 50% lighter TPS and radiation shielding
• 10X higher thermal conductors (EVA suits, habitats, etc)
• Self assembly & biomimetic processes enable micron
scale structure control – need control over 100’s of meters
• Single wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) production at 100
gram/day – need precise control of length and chirality
• CNT doped polymers and fibers have been produced with
high strength and electrical conductivity – need to scale to
>100m
• Polymer cross-linked aerogels produced with 300X the
strength of conventional aerogels – need to scale to
>10m2
Nanorobotics
Goals
• Millimeter and sub-millimeter size robots
• 3D nanoassembly and nanomanufacturing
• Self-reconfigurable miniature robots
• Controlling biosystems
• Hybrid (biotic/abiotic) robots
• Cooperative networks of micro-robots
• Atomic and molecular scale manufacturing
• Design and simulation tools for nano-robots
Value to Space Systems
• In-space (CEV, space station, Hubble telescope,
& satellites) and planetary inspection,
maintenance, and repair
• Searching for life on planets (retrieving and
analyzing samples)
• Astronaut health monitoring
• Assembly and construction
• Manufacturing on-demand
• Microcraft
Hard Problems
• Mobility: Surface climbing, walking, hopping,
flying, swimming; Smart nanomaterials for
adhesion, multi-functionality, …
• Power: Harvesting; Novel miniature power
systems (e.g. chemical energy); Wireless
• Actuation: CNT, polymer, electrostatic, thermal,
SMA, and piezo actuators
• Complexity: New programming methods for
controlling massive numbers of robots
State of the Art
• Miniature Micro/Nano-Robots: Centimeter
scale autonomous robots; Chemically powered
bio-motor actuation; Endoscopic micro-capsules;
MEMS solar cells powered micro-robots;
Reconfigurable mini-robots
• Micro/Nano-Manipulation: Scanning Probe
Microscope based nanomanipulation; 3D microassembly; Optical tweezers and
dielectrophoretic bio-manipulation; Virtual
Reality human-machine user interfaces
Mission Needs/Opportunity Timeline for Nanotechnology
2005
2015
2025
1st Generation:
Radiation Protection, Advanced TPS
Power Generation/Storage
Life Support
Astronaut Health Mgt
Humans to the Moon
Thermal Mgt.
High Strength, Lt. Wt./Multifunctional Structures
Lightweight Fuel Tanks, Radiators (Nuclear Prop.)
Mars robotic missions (every 2 years)
Greatly miniaturized robotic systems:1 kgsats/robots with the capability of today’s 100 kg
systems (Mars and other planetary bodies: in
orbit, atmospheres. surfaces, sub-surfaces)
Sun-Earth Observing
Constellations
Large, lightweight highly stable
optical and RF apertures and
metering structures (~10m)
10 X lighter
Robotic Systems
2035
Humans to Mars
2nd Generation
Power Generation/Storage
Life Support
Astronaut Health Mgt
Thermal Mgt.
High Strength/Multifunctional Structures
Robotic Missions to Extreme Environments After Mars
(Outer Solar System, Venus …)
Deep Space Constellations
(X-Ray Telescope, Earth’s Magnetosphere,..)
Extremely large, lightweight,
10m class Vis/IR/Submm highly stable optical and RF
50m class Vis/IR/Submm
aperture
apertures and metering
aperture
structures (~10-100 m)
Large Scale Interferometry
(Planetary Finding)
Very Long Baseline Interferometry
(Planetary Imaging)
Thermal control; lightweight, low power radiation hard/tolerant electronics and avionics; advanced active/detection;
lightweight high efficiency power systems; high strength-to-weight structures and thermal protection systems
High Altitude Long Endurance
Aircraft
Lt. Weight High Strength Structures
Low Power Avionics
1st Generation Zero
“Planetary Aircraft”
Lightweight, High
Emissions Aircraft
(e.g. Mars)
Efficiency
Electrical Power Systems
(Regenerative Fuel Cells)
DISCOVERY
Towards Convergence
Climate
History
Sample
Selection
Ancient Water
Validate
Paleo-Life
Resources
Extant Life?
ROBOTICS ROBOTICS ROBOTICS HUMANS ROBOTICS & HUMANS
Field Studies
Deep Drilling
Return Sample
Site
Selection
Reconnaissance
Sample
Selection
Exploring Mars