The Safety and Mission Assurance Directors from all NASA centers came together July 26-28, 2016 at Goddard Space Flight Center for their quarterly meeting. As part of the event, the attendees received a tour of the facilities and a briefing from the Goddard's Solar System Exploration Division Director Dr. Paul Mahaffy.

A Co-inventor of the Shape Memory Alloy, Spring Tire, shows the NASA Chief Technologist the first SMA Spring Tire Prototype during a tour of the Glenn Research Center, Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory (SLOPE).

Safety and Mission Assurance, SMA Directors' Meeting

The Advanced Electrical Bus (ALBus) mission is a technology demonstration of resettable Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) mechanisms for deployable solar arrays and a pathfinder for high power density CubeSats. The mission has two primary objectives. The first is to demonstrate the functionality of the novel SMA activated solar array mechanisms in the on-orbit environment. The second objective is to assess the system level ability to charge a high capacity battery, distribute 100 W of electrical power and thermally control the 3-U CubeSat system. Performance from the mission will be used to mature the SMA mechanism designs for CubeSat applications and plan for future high power density CubeSat missions.

The Advanced Electrical Bus (ALBus) mission is a technology demonstration of resettable Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) mechanisms for deployable solar arrays and a pathfinder for high power density CubeSats. The mission has two primary objectives. The first is to demonstrate the functionality of the novel SMA activated solar array mechanisms in the on-orbit environment. The second objective is to assess the system level ability to charge a high capacity battery, distribute 100 W of electrical power and thermally control the 3-U CubeSat system. Performance from the mission will be used to mature the SMA mechanism designs for CubeSat applications and plan for future high power density CubeSat missions.

Shape Memory Alloy - SMA wire Alloy: W6 Size: 0.20mm (as drawn 36% cold work, 0.0079") Manufacture date: 01/08/2009 Quantity: 36mm (120 ft) NiTi 16pt wire Shape Memory Alloy - SMA wire Alloy: W6 Size: 0.20mm (as drawn 36% cold work, 0.0079") Manufacture date: 01/08/2009 Quantity: 36mm (120 ft) NiTi 16pt wire

Ronnie Rodriguez, deputy director of Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, poses with the SMA “I Love Safety” poster during the Florida spaceport’s annual Safety and Health Days on March 4, 2020. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.

Jennifer Kunz, director of Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, poses with the SMA “I Love Safety” poster during the Florida spaceport’s annual Safety and Health Days on March 2, 2020. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.

From left to right, Kennedy Space Center Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) employees Sean Nichols, Tom Dwyer, Gary Hendricks, Larrin Moody, Michele Richtmeyer, Heidi Harden and Jeff Silva pose with SMA “I Love Safety” posters inside the Training Auditorium on March 2, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.

Advanced eLectrical Bus (ALBus) CubeSat: From Build to Flight A new CubeSat, launched Sunday, December 16, will test high power electric systems and the use of unique shape memory alloy (SMA) components for the first time. CubeSats are very small, lightweight satellites, about the size of a loaf of bread, and typically operate within a power range of 5-20 watts. Lower power systems are typically used in CubeSats because of size and weight limits, while higher power systems and components cause excessive heat. Completely designed and led by a team of 12 early career scientists and engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, the Advanced Electrical Bus, or ALBus, will be the first CubeSat to demonstrate power management and distribution of a 100-watt electrical system. The CubeSat will also employ a custom-built SMA release mechanism and hinges to deploy solar arrays and conduct electricity.

Office of the Chief Technologist, OCT Innovation Workshop, and Facility Tours

This image composite shows a warped and magnified view of a galaxy discovered by the Herschel Space Observatory, one of five such galaxies uncovered by the infrared telescope. The galaxy, referred to as SDP 81 is the yellow dot in the left image.