Starter/generator employing resonant-converter-fed induction machine. II. Hardware prototype

The feasibility of operation of a new procedure to start a jet engine (JE) and to generate power by means of a single induction machine (IM) directly coupled to the turbine has been shown by means of a hardware prototype. An introduction, background, operation principle of this type of a system and software simulation portion was presented in Part I. Both in software simulation and in the experimental phase of the studies the JE is replaced by a DC machine. The DC machine is brought to an initial speed by the motoring operation of the IM. Later, the IM is taken into generating mode and the DC machine is into motoring mode of operation. This mode would correspond to the turbine catch-up initiation phase and initiate driving phase of the induction generator in the actual world. The generated power is then converted to a three-phase, 400 Hz (in software), 60 Hz (in hardware), 115 V voltage-regulated bus via a double stage power conversion utilizing a 20 kHz parallel resonant high frequency AC link and pulse density modulated converter technology. Independent of the coupled machine speed, a constant amplitude and constant frequency three-phase voltage-regulated AC bus is formed and maintained by the proper control of the power converters.     

A space exploration strategy that promotes international and commercial participation

NASA has created a plan to implement the Flexible Path strategy, which utilizes a heavy lift launch vehicle to deliver crew and cargo to orbit. In this plan, NASA would develop much of the transportation architecture (launch vehicle, crew capsule, and in-space propulsion), leaving the other in-space elements open to commercial and international partnerships. This paper presents a space exploration strategy that reverses that philosophy, where commercial and international launch vehicles provide launch services. Utilizing a propellant depot to aggregate propellant on orbit, smaller launch vehicles are capable of delivering all of the mass necessary for space exploration. This strategy has benefits to the architecture in terms of cost, schedule, and reliability.