PREPARED STATEMENT OF H. KURT STRASS, DIRECTOR, SAFETY AND OPERATING SYSTEMS OFFICE, OFFICE OF ADVANCED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, safety must be an integral consideration in all phases of NASA activities. To achieve that end, the interests of the Safety and Operating Systems Office are broadly based, and the office participates in several activities as summarized below:

Provide support to NASA Safety Director in the implementation of NASA safety programs and policy in all areas of OART responsibility. Overview of OART safety programs and technical operations.

Safety research.

Nuclear flight systems.

A major objective of the Safety and Operating Systems Office is to advance the state-of-the-art in safety by seeking practical solutions to safety problems in aeronautical and space systems. Towards this end, this office maintains an overview of NASA research and development programs which have the potential of providing effective near-term benefit to the national safety posture and provide support to several activities not otherwise covered by other elements of NASA. By its very nature, research to improve safety is generally an integral part of most research programs. For example; basic work to develop high temperature polymers at the Ames Research Center resulted in the discovery that several of these materials have great potential as fire suppressing and fire resistant materials. Practical application of these promising new developments is fostered by the Technology Applications Office which has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of these materials for application to several areas of technology. As a result, additional effort is under way to adapt these materials to the needs of many areas of our society, typical of which, is the work supported by the Aerodynamic and Vehicles Systems Division to apply some of these materials to improve the fire safety of general aviation aircraft.

Inasmuch as safety research involves all technical disciplines, and it is often of utmost importance to relate new developments in one area to safety needs which may exist in another area, the Safety and Operating Systems Office supports a major activity, the Aerospace Safety Research and Data Institute (ASRDI), which is specifically intended to expedite this flow of technical knowledge from the laboratory and library to the individual with a safety problem. The ASRDI was established in 1968 and is now making contributions towards improved safety. The Institute has a small staff of experienced and well qualified persons representing many technical disciplines. They act as consultants and help insure that the most up-to-date information is made available to aid in the solution of safety problems. In addition, they manage several research programs where special needs exist. The Institute has four major functions:

a. Establish and maintain an Aerospace Safety Technical Data Bank. b. Maintain overview of NASA and industry safety research programs.

c. Identify and seek practical solutions to safety problems by coordination of existing NASA research and development programs and establishment of new programs as required.

d. Provide, on request, technical consultation to NASA, other Government Agencies, and U.S. Industry on safety problems.

Although this activity is centered at the Lewis Research Center, it is a central point within NASA for the collection and dissemination of safety-related information in support of aeronautical and space objectives and to help focus the technical resources of NASA upon the practical solution of major safety problems. The potential for a major improvement in safety is rooted in the fact that NASA activities touch on virtually every facet of modern technology. The pace of modern technology absorbs new developments almost as rapidly as they

are discovered. It is therefore extremely important that more effective means be developed to expedite the flow of information from the laboratory to the user and to take better advantage of the vast amount of technical information which is accumulating in our libraries.

DATA BANK

To accomplish this, the ASRDI has established the Aerospace Safety Technical Data Bank which is taking advantage of the latest developments in the science of information management to assure that relevant, up-to-date technical information is available for application towards the solution of safety problems. This is being accomplished through the development of a much more user-oriented computerized system than previously available, which greatly simplifies the task of identifying, reviewing and collecting information in the user's field of interest. This system makes it practical for a person, untrained in computer techniques, and using simple commands, to obtain information from the Data Bank. This system also permits an individual to establish his own personal reference file and to comment on the accuracy and quality of the data he receives. This latter feature is particularly important inasmuch as each user aids in maintaining and updating the information previously stored. Periodic review of the comments gathered gives valuable guidance as to the relevance and usefulness of the data, and will materially improve the quality and utility of the Data Bank. Maintenance of such sources of information is one of the major problems of operating any data storage system, unless consistently upgraded safety data my decrease in utility with the passage of time, as their value usually depends directly upon the relevance to present day problems.

The Data Bank went into a limited operational mode late in 1970, and even in its initial operation, gave evidence that it represents one of the most flexible and powerful data management capabilities in operation. In accord with previously mentioned plans, several specialized sources of safety-related information are presently being loaded into the system. These include the files of the Nuclear Safety Information Center and National Bureau of Standards Cryogenic Information Center; the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center COMAT (Characteristics of Nonmetallic Materials) test data files, the NASA SCAG file (Status of Contracts and Grants), the IDEP (Interagency Data Exchange Program) and NASA ALERT (equipment safety data of immediate interest). Other sources will be added during the coming year, utilizing contractor assistance to review and process additional information for storage into the system. This is an essential part of the ASRDI effort, and by the middle of 1972, the system will be at full capability. Demands for its services are expected to increase rapidly, as capability increases and users become more familiar with its unique advantages.

Present plans are to provide more efficient service to users in the following

areas:

Refinements to Retrieval System: Usage statistics will provide guidelines for system refinements. Modification will also be performed as required by changes in computer operating system.

Satellite Processor Support: Some additional auxiliary data processing equipment will be acquired in support of information and retrieval of data, machine indexing, and the conversion of large files. This equipment will also allow for the storage and retrieval of mathematical symbols, curves, graphs, etc.

Communications System Support: A very efficient communications capability must be developed to service a wide variety of users throughout the country. This will require acquisition of additional consoles and associated equipment to support a wide variety of computer terminals on dia'-up telephone lines. This must include the ability to switch to other systems (compatible systems elsewhere in the country) in order to provide common access from one terminal.

SAFETY RESEARCH PROGRAMS

As mentioned earlier, ASRDI personnel also play an active role in managing safety research programs in certain specialized areas not otherwise covered by other elements of NASA. Typical activities include the following:

Spacecraft Fire Detection and Protection Systems: An ideal fire protection system for a spacecraft is one which precludes the occurrence of fire. With a view towards this goal, comprehensive studies are underway or planned for the detection of developing fire hazards and the automatic extinguishment of

those fires that do occur. This work is supplemental to and coordinated with other programs relating to aerospace fire safety which is being conducted by other NASA elements.

Fire protection is particularly important to future spacecraft such as the Skylab and Space Shuttle because fires may start in locations which are unmanned or manned only occasionally. If fires do occur, the extinguishant must not create an additional hazard to spacecraft components and materials, must not overpressurize the spacecraft, and must not yield toxic products.

Presently available fire detection systems fall short of meeting spacecraft requirements either because they are too slow to detect the hazard, or require an initial fire size for detection which is too large to be acceptable. While there are several promising approaches to better fire detection schemes, these schemes have a high degree of technical sophistication for which considerable R&D funds are required to develop their potential.

Emphasis is being placed on fire detection by the NASA Spacecraft Fire Hazards Steering Committee because marginally adequate fire extinguishants suited for spacecraft already exist. The ASRDI is actively supporting this area by supporting several promising novel advanced ideas for fire detection. For example, a study is being supported at the Marshall Space Flight Center to determine the feasibility of using the concept of absorption spectroscopy to detect incipient combustion products, toxic gas and vapor, and products of overheating in a spacecraft atmosphere. The USAF is developing a smoke detector which uses pulsating polarized ultraviolet light to illuminate a volume of smoke particles and measures back scattered light. Since there is no assurance that detection devices suitable for spacecraft use will materialize, it appears desirable to be prepared to proceed with another generation of novel detection systems in 1972. Several detection schemes based on the application of lasers are currently being funded for feasibility studies. Those which are found to be attractive are planned for funding in FY 72. A review of ultraviolet and infrared fire detectors indicated their high potential for spacecraft use. Further effort depends on the resu'ts of an on-going evaluation.

Although the problems of developing better fire extinguishants are not receiving as much priority as fire detection, further evaluation and support of promising extinguishant techniques and systems including prototype development will also be carried out within the budget constraints.

Oxygen Handling in Aerospace. Programs: A program for the review of oxygen handling and utilization in aerospace systems (spacecraft, aircraft, and supporting ground equipment) has been organized. A critical review of oxygen technology and its application is in progress. Work is presently underway at the Cryogenics Division, National Bureau of Standards, to identify and select upto-date oxygen literature for input to the Aerospace Safety Data Bank. The National Bureau of Standards will also prepare a summary report on the properties of oxygen (gas and liquid) which will include the chemical, physical, thermodynamic and transport properties. FY 72 funds are required for the preparation of state-of-the-art reports on the physiological effects of oxygen, instrumentation associated with the use of oxygen, and oxygen critical flow studies.

Plans are under way to obtain information on oxygen operations being conducted at several of the major U.S. industrial facilities responsible for the production, shipping, storage and systems handling of oxygen. A review of such experiences will provide considerable guidance as to the safety issues of concern in future NASA operations of oxygen systems.

NUCLEAR SYSTEMS

In addition to the ASRDI activity, the Safety and Operating Systems Office supports an aerospace nuclear systems safety activity which is carried out at the various NASA Centers or, in participation with other government agencies, by contract with industry.

The overall aim of the aerospace nuclear safety activities is to insure the safe application of nuclear energy during the prelaunch and post mission phases and to protect personnel associated with the application as well as the general world population. Extensive analyses and tests are required to insure that adequate safeguards have been designed into the systems.

Although extremely unlikely because of very many design precautions, prelaunch accidents could release the nuclear materials as a result of mechanical damage, chemical corrosion, and after the booster is fueled, a launch pad or early launch abort fire. In space the hazard is generally limited to the astronauts

directly associated with the mission; however, at mission completion if the nuclear material is returned as a result of orbit decay, or through planned deorbit, the potential of injuring people increases. Reentry protection is required and following reentry, a method or methods of locating and recovering the materials is desirable, and for large systems will probably be required.

The design, development and tests of these power systems are accomplished through program offices; however, the responsibility for safety review requires sufficient resources to verify these designs and analyses. The Safety and Operating Systems Office coordinates this review effort and funds appropriate analyses and tests.

A limited effort has been applied to the development of location aids and search capability for nuclear systems. During 1969 and 1970 NASA participated with the Forest Service in the development of an effective infrared (IR) line scanner system primarily for the detection of small forest fires but which is also effective in detecting any heat source operating significantly warmer than local background temperatures. This system has been tested, and when used in connection with available nuclear radiation detectors, can be a significant aid in locating lost heat units.

This concludes our testimony.

Thank you.

PREPARED STATEMENT OF FRED J. DEMERITTE, DIRECTOR OF ENTRY TECHNOLOGY, OFFICE OF ADVANCED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

INTRODUCTION

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

The Entry Technology Program is concerned with solutions to the aerodynamic and heat protection problems of new and advanced spacecraft during entry and flight in the atmospheres of Earth and other planets. The program consists of two major research and technology elements: Lifting-Body Flight Research and the development of spacecraft Aerothermodynamic and Thermal Protection Technology. The research carried out under these elements is directed toward the aerothermodynamic design and operation of spacecraft such as the space shuttle and planetary entry probes. An important part of the program is the long leadtime basic research undertaken to identify and understand potential entry problems and high temperature entry phenomena far in advance of actual mission requirements.1

Figure 1 (RV71-3710) indicates where the major emphasis and thrust of our efforts in FY 1972 will be directed. Manned lifting-body flight research will continue using three test vehicles-the HL-10, M2-F3, and X-24A. Earlier work in this area of research has been reported in previous years. Emphasis will be

1 The Entry Technology Program reflects recent changes brought about by the OART reorganization of last fall. The aerothermodynamic subprogram contained in the previous Space Vehicle Systems Program has been combined with portions of the more basic research on fluid physics carried out under the cognizance of the Research Division of OART. These research and technology elements now form the Entry Technology Program described herein.