Shuvo Mustafi

"Opening up planetary mission possibilities using the Cryogenic Hydrogen Oxygen Propulsion System (CHOPS)"

ABSTRACT -- The cryogenic hydrogen oxygen propulsion system (CHOPS) is new type of propulsion system that is being designed for planetary science applications. Despite the considerable advantages of cryogenic hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines over other chemical propulsion systems, this type of propulsion system has mostly been used for the launch phase of missions due to the perceived challenges of long-duration in space storage of cryogenic propellants. New developments in passive cryogen storage technology can solve this problem, which now renders CHOPS viable for in-space propulsion. CHOPS engines offer a significant specific impulse (Isp) advantage over traditional hypergolic engines, thereby reducing the launched mass of planetary science spacecraft. CHOPS also offers several additional advantages over traditional hypergolic engines that are especially significant for planetary science missions, and in particular for landers at sites of astrobiological interest. These include "clean" burning exhaust, which produces only water; the possibility to use the propellant to generate electricity using a fuel cell, allowing for longer missions when it is challenging to recharge a primary battery; and the possibility to use the fuel as a radiation shield. CHOPS is being considered for a variety of missions, from orbiters and landers for outer planetary moons to reusable hoppers on the surface of the Moon and Mars.

SPEAKER -- Shuvo Mustafi started his career in the Cryogenics and Fluids Branch at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) as an undergraduate Cooperative Education student in 1997. He graduated with his Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University in 2000 and subsequently became a full time GSFC employee. While working at GSFC, he earned his Master's degree in Applied Physics from Johns Hopkins in 2005 and his Doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland in 2014. His recent work involves leading the engineering team for the failure review board (FRB) for the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA). He has been concurrently supporting two other projects: as the Cryogenics lead on the Lunar Any Site Sampler Orbiter (LASSO) and as a cryogenic consultant on the Future-oriented Research platform for Orbital cryogen Storage Technologies (FROST). He has led multiple cryogenic efforts at GSFC including as the product design lead (PDL) for the Robotic Refuel Mission 3 (RRM 3) receiver dewar, the principal investigator (PI) for a design study of a cryogenic hydrogen-oxygen propelled Titan Orbiter Polar Surveyor (TOPS), the GSFC cryogenics lead for the Constellation program's Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), GSFC's liaison for multiple NASA cryogenic propellant storage efforts including the Cryogenics Propellant Storage and Transfer (CPST) program, the Evolvable Cryogenics (eCryo) program, the Space Launch System (SLS), as well as led studies to help United Launch Alliance (ULA) design future generations of cryogenic upper stages. He has developed concepts for long-term in-space passive cryogen storage and subcooling, and a cryogenic hydrogen radiation shield (CHRS) to protect astronauts and hardware. Other NASA projects he has worked on include the James Web Space Telescope (JWST), the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 2 (AMS2), the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) , the Infrared Multiobject Spectrograph (IRMOS), Astro E, and Astro E2. He has also shepherded many promising technologies as a Contracting Officers Representative (COR) for NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) programs. Some notable products resulting from his guidance include Integrated Multi-Layer Insulation (IMLI) and Load Responsive MLI (LRMLI), subcooling hydrogen compressors and the 20W@20K cryocooler.

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