overview of nasa jsc white sands test facility (wstf)

Economic Impact of WSTF - Fiscal Year 2011

NASA Vision

To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown, so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind.

WSTF Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the expertise and infrastructure to test and evaluate spacecraft materials, components, and propulsion systems to enable the safe exploration and use of space.

WSTF Location

• Constructed 1962-64 to Support Apollo Project

• Component Facility of NASA Johnson Space Center

• Occupies 28 square miles of the SW Corner of White Sands Missile Range (WSMR)

• Annual Budget ~$79 Million (FY10)

• ~60 NASA and ~660 Contractor Personnel (FY10)

WSTF Background

• Large Buffer Zone and Controlled Remote Property for Hazardous Testing

• Moderate Desert Climate Ideal for Year-round Testing

• Environmental Permits in Place for Hazardous Testing

WSTF Background (Con’t)

Organization Chart

RDPropulsion Test Office

Robert R. KowalskiChief

RFMaterials and Components

Laboratories OfficeChief, Harold D. Beeson

RCFacility Engineering Office

Chief, John J. VillegasDeputy – J. Todd Kaufman

RHTechnical Services Office

Mary A. BurkeChief

Administrative OfficerPatsy A. Segura

NS3Safety & Mission Assurance

Alton B. LuperChief

Office of Procurement (BA)Jesse Brennan – Lead

Financial Management (LA)Heather M. Moncrief – Lead

Information Technology (IT)James M. Krupovage

WSTF ManagerJohn P. McManamen

Deputy ManagerRobert M. Cort

Associate Manager-TechnicalDavid L. Baker

REEnvironmental Office

Radel L. Bunker-FarrahChief

High Energy Blast Facility

• Rocket Propulsion Testing and Evaluation

• Oxygen Systems Testing and Analysis

• Propellants and Aerospace Fluids Testing and Analysis

• Hypervelocity Impact Testing

• Composite Pressure Systems Testing and Analysis

Capabilities

Titanium Alloy Burning in 8 psia Oxygen Propellant Testing

Space Environment Simulation Testing

STS-35 Space Shuttle window pit from orbital debris impact

Hypervelocity Impact Test Laboratory

Composite Pressure Systems Testing and Analysis

WSTF Training Courses

Customer Base• Johnson Space Center -

International Space Station, Payloads, Crew Training, and Special Projects

• NASA Headquarters and Other Field Centers

– MPCV, SLS

• Other US Government Agencies - ADF-SW, Army, EPA, DOD, DOE,DOT (National Highway Traffic Safety & Federal Aviation Administrations), Navy Research Lab, USAF, VAFB

Customer Base (Con’t)

• Commercial Industry -

Aerojet, Armadillo Aerospace, ASTM G4 Community, Blue Origin, Boeing, Cobham, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Center for Manufacturing, Orbital Sciences Corp, Pratt & Whitney, Scaled Composites, Inc., SpaceX, and Wendell Hull & Associates

Space Shuttle Test and EvaluationAcronyms

• APU – Auxiliary Power Unit

• ARCS – Aft Reaction Control System

• COPV – Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels

• FRCS – Forward Reaction Control System

• OMS – Orbital Maneuvering System

International Space Station (ISS)

Flight Components

Hydrazine Detector(Gold Salt)

Materials Compatibility

NORS(Nitrogen/OxygenRecharge System)

Orbital Debris ImpactPropulsion Systems

Oxygen Monitors

ORCA(Oxygen Recharge

Compressor Assembly)

Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

Crew Cabin Materialsand Experiment

Payloads

Propulsion ThrusterMaintenance and Repair

Engine Testing

Hypervelocity Impact Testing(Orbital Debris Impact)

Materials Compatibility

Offgassing

Composite OverwrappedPressure Vessels

Space Launch Systems

Payloads

Engine Testing

Materials Compatibility

OffgassingComposite Overwrapped

Pressure Vessels

Facilities• Rocket Engine System Test Stands with

Vacuum

• Long-duration Large-altitude Simulation System

• Full-scale Hypergolic and Cryogenic Propulsion Test Systems

• Chemistry and Metallurgical Laboratories

• Flight Component Repair, Refurbishment, and Test Facilities

• High Energy Blast Facility

• Oxygen-enriched Atmosphere Test Facilities

• Hypergolic Materials and Components Test Facilities

• Hypervelocity and Low Velocity Impact Test Facilities

• White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH)

Materials and Components Laboratories Office

• Micrometeoroid/Debris Hypervelocity Impact Testing

• Propellant and Explosion Hazards Assessment

• Research on Flammability of Materials including Metals in Oxygen-enriched Atmospheres

Materials and Components Laboratories Office

Components Failure Test and Analysis

Molecular Analysis of Surface Effects using X-ray Photoelectron

Spectroscopy

Flammability Testing

Materials and Components Laboratories Office

Technical Services Office

Flight Critical System Components Refurbishment

Critical Flight Hardware Assembly

Flight Hardware Production

Technical Services Office

Industrial and Scientific Imaging and Documentation

Measurement Standards and Calibration Lab

Precision Cleaning of Flight Critical Items

Technical Services Office

Valve Repair FacilityMachine and Weld

Propulsion Test Office

Cassini – Saturn Orbit Insertion Engine Test Minuteman Qualification Firing

Shuttle PRCS Thruster Hot-fire Testing

LOX Methane Engine Test

Propulsion Test Office

Night Firing of Shuttle Forward RCS Primary and Vernier Thrusters

Propulsion Test Office

Static Firing of DC-X with Four LOX/Hydrogen RL10-A5 Engines Test Firing R4D Engine

Propulsion Test Office

Educational and Community Outreach• NASA Explorer Schools in New Mexico • Design Competitions• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of

Science and Technology) Robotics Program • New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering,

Science Achievement (MESA) and MESA USA• Schools & Regional Science and Engineering

Fairs • Science Education Alliance and the Science

Advisor (SCIAD) Program• Educational Tours of WSTF

• DC-9 Microgravity Fly High Program• X PRIZE and International Symposium for

Personal & Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS)• Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Military

Affairs Committee• Doña Ana County Spaceport Educational

Initiative• Hydrogen Technology Partnership (HyTeP) • Oxygen and Hydrogen Safe System

Operations Training to New Mexico State University (NMSU) and area hospitals

Educational Outreach