Nanotechnology and Aerospace

Image: Spiral Galaxy M74 Source: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration

• Spacesuits • Food

• Space Travel • Spacecraft

• Energy

By Angela Jones, Ph.D., Jeanne Nye and Andrew Greenberg, Ph.D.

From comets to asteroids, planets to moons, stars to galaxies, and nebula to black holes, the universe is a vast and

undiscovered place larger than humans can truly imagine.

How can small science help us explore such a big universe?

What is nanotechnology?

A description - • Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at

dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, or nanoscale.

• Unusual physical, chemical, and biological properties can emerge in materials at the nanoscale. These properties may differ in important ways from the properties of bulk materials and single atoms or molecules.

• Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.

Resource: www.nano.gov

Note: This slide and the next 9 slides are the same for all research areas.

Created in 2008 by Sciencenter, Ithaca, NY, www.sciencenter.orgAccompanying book available for purchase at www.lulu.com

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Agreement No. ESI-0532536. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Macrosizemeters, decimeters, centimeters, millimeters

Microsizemicrometers

Nanosizenanometers

Child

A child is about 1 meter tall1 meter = 1,000,000,000 nm

(1 billion nanometers)

Hand

A hand is about 1 decimeter wide1 decimeter = 100,000,000 nm

(100 million nanometers)

Pink y Finger

A pinky finger is about 1 centimeter wide

1 centimeter = 10,000,000 nm(10 million nanometers)

Freck le

A freckle is about 1 millimeter wide1 millimeter = 1,000,000 nm

(1 million nanometers)

St rand o f Hai r

A hair is about one tenth of a millimeter wide

0.1 millimeter = 100,000 nm(100 thousand nanometers)

Red Blood Cell

A red blood cell is about 10 micrometers wide

10 micrometers = 10,000 nm(10 thousand nanometers)

Bac ter ia

A bacterium is about 1 micrometer wide

1 micrometer = 1,000 nm(1 thousand nanometers)

Virus

A viron is about one tenth of a micrometer wide

0.1 micrometer = 100 nm(1 hundred nanometers)

Cell Membrane

A cell membrane is about 10 nanometers wide

10 nanometers = 10 nm

Sugar Molecule

A sugar molecule is about 1 nanometer wide

1 nanometer = 1 nm

Atom

An atom is about one tenth of a nanometer wide

0.1 nanometer = 0.1 nm

100 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4

10-5 10-6 10-7 10-8 10-9 10-10

How BIG is nano?

Nanoscale

1 nanometer = 1 billionth (10-9) of a

meter

D 109 D

a marble

Why do we care?

• Quantum mechanics plays a much more important role

• For example, – A brick of gold is shiny and

“gold”-colored. – A vial of gold nanoparticles in

solution can be a range of colors depending on the size of the nanoparticles.

– This is because of a phenomenon know as quantum confinement. Suspensions of discrete (separated)

gold nanoparticles in clear solution vary in color from pink to purple as the nanoparticle size gets bigger. Image source: “Causes of Color”, WebExhibits, http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/9.html

Things behave differently at this scale

Why else do we care?

• Human cells and bacteria have diameters around 1-10 micrometers

BUT • Cellular machinery is on the

nanoscale – Diameter of DNA is ~2

nanometers – Hemoglobin, the protein that

carries oxygen through the body, is 5.5 nanometers in diameter

This is the scale of biological processes

Structure of hemoglobin PDB ID: 1BUW

Structure of DNA PDB ID: 1BNA

One more reason: surface area Another reason nanomaterials behave differently from bulk materials of the same chemical is because of surface area – or the area of an object

that is an exposed surface.

Volume (in cubic meters):

Surface Area (in square meters):

For this cube, each edge is 1 meter in length.

1 m

For these cubes, each edge is 0.1 meters in length, but there are 1000 cubes.

1 m

1 m

1m X 1m X 1m = 1 m3 (0.1m X 0.1m X 0.1m) X 1000 cubes = 1 m3

(1m X 1m) X 6 sides = 6 m2 (0.1m X 0.1m) X 6 sides X 1000 cubes = 60 m2

Surface Area and Reactions • This increased surface area allows chemical reactions to

go much faster. • Think about it this way: Which dissolves faster in your coffee or tea, a sugar

cube or a teaspoon of granulated sugar?

Answer: Granulated sugar

Nano-enabled Consumer Products

As of the March 10, 2011, there are over 1300 consumer products around the world that are manufacturer-identified as nanotechnology-based. These products are here, ready to buy today!

• Touch screens (iPhone) • Sunscreens • Cosmetics • Tennis rackets

• Bicycles • Fabric • Computer memory • Many more…

Resources: The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies website: http://www.nanotechproject.org/

Activity Description

• You have been assigned an area of nanotechnology research to support.

• Go through this presentation and any other credible sources to identify three benefits of research in nanotechnology toward your area of interest and up to three potential risks you perceive in your area of interest.

• As a group, we will weigh the risks and benefits of each area to decide how much of our federal nanotechnology budget should go to each research area.

Disclaimer: this is a contrived scenario

• There are no federal nanotechnology budget cuts – $1.7 billion estimated for FY2012 (fiscal year 2012) – Increased investment proposed for FY2013 (nearly $1.8 billion)

• Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET) subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on Technology is an actual government entity – Composed of representatives from 25 federal agencies (NIH, DOE, DOD, etc.) – Purpose is to coordinate planning, budgeting, and implementation of the

National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) – These representatives work together to create an integrated federal program.

• Actual nano “budget” is different from what is proposed in this activity – Actual “budget” is given as a supplement to the President’s 2013 Budget

Request submitted to Congress – It represents the sum of the investment in nanotechnology and nanoscience

planned for 2013 by federal agencies – The agencies submit how much they are planning to spend on nanoscience – In the activity scenario, we’re doing the opposite of what the actual NNI

Budget represents in that we’re distributing a pre-determined amount amongst these research areas.

Resources: NNI Budget website: http://www.nano.gov/about-nni/what/funding

Space and Aeronautics

In this presentation, you will learn about some of the developments in nanotechnology in the

research areas of space and aeronautics.

Consider the following when learning about these developments:

1. Might these nanotechnology developments infringe on human rights to privacy and freedom?

2. Is it safe for me? Is it safe for others?

3. Could the use of this nanotechnology development have unwanted and negative environmental effects?

4. What economic impact could the use of this nanotechnology development have on producers, consumers, and other industries? Might they be negative or positive?

What About Your Rights?

If so, are these developments more important than

• Your privacy? • Your rights as a citizen? • Your rights as a human

being?

Are the answers somewhere in between?

Image source: http://www.info4security.com/Pictures/web/w/v/m/iStock_Law.jpg

Links to outside sources

• Within this presentation will be many underlined words. If you click on the underlined text, your browser will take you to other websites, videos, or other resources to learn more about what is on the slide.

• These links are chosen to give you additional information, but these presentations can stand alone. It is unnecessary to go to the links for the purpose of this activity.

• We try to make sure the links are active, but given the ever-changing nature of the internet, you might find a few that take you to a location that is no longer active. Please let the facilitator know if you find an inactive link.

President Obama’s policy on space exploration

Excerpts from President Obama’s Remarks April 15, 2010, JFK Space Center

Regarding his reasons for increasing funding to NASA by $6 billion over the next five years:

• “By doing that we will ramp up robotic exploration of the solar system, including a probe of the Sun’s atmosphere; new scouting missions to Mars and other destinations; and an advanced telescope to follow Hubble, allowing us to peer deeper into the universe than ever before.

• We will increase Earth-based observation to improve our understanding of our climate and our world -- science that will garner tangible benefits, helping us to protect our environment for future generations.…

• Next, we will invest more than $3 billion to conduct research on an advanced “heavy lift rocket” -- a vehicle to efficiently send into orbit the crew capsules, propulsion systems, and large quantities of supplies needed to reach deep space. In developing this new vehicle, we will not only look at revising or modifying older models; we want to look at new designs, new materials, new technologies that will transform not just where we can go but what we can do when we get there. And we will finalize a rocket design no later than 2015 and then begin to build it.”

Resources: [1] REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENTON SPACE EXPLORATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY (April 15, 2010): http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/trans/obama_ksc_trans.html

NASA Budget for Space Technology Program FY 2011

• Funds advancements in next-generation technologies, to help improve the Nation’s leadership in key research areas, enable far-term capabilities, and spawn game-changing innovations to make NASA, other government and commercial space activities more capable and affordable.

• Involves a broad array of participants including academic, commercial and international partnerships and incorporates the current Innovative Partnerships Program (including the Small Business Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Research programs.)

• Focuses on key areas, such as communications, sensors, robotics, materials, and propulsion.

• Uses prizes and other innovative research funding mechanisms, in addition to grants and other more traditional funding mechanisms.

Resources: [1] From the NASA Budget Estimate for FY2011: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/420990main_FY_201_%20Budget_Overview_1_Feb_2010.pdf

NASA’s Nanotechnology Goals

Resources: [1] Meador, M.A., et al. “DRAFT Nanotechnology Roadmap: Technology Area 10” http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/501325main_TA10-Nanotech-DRAFT-Nov2010-A.pdf

New Spacecrafts and Spacesuits Using Nanotechnology

NASA’s anticipated advances in space travel thanks to nanotechnology [1, 2]: • Ultra-small sensors, power sources, as well as communication, navigation, and

propulsion systems with very low mass, volume and power consumption could be developed using nanotechnology.

• Developments in electronics at the nanoscale are leading to autonomous, “thinking” spacecraft.

• Networks of ultra-small probes can investigate planetary surfaces. • Micro-rovers should be able to drive, hop, fly, and burrow. • Micro-spacecraft will be able to make a variety of measurements.

Resource: [1] http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov/nanotechnology.html [2] http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov/Graphics/nanotech_nasamissions.ppt

New materials, nanosensors and miniaturized robots could improve the performance of spaceships.

Engineered Materials and Structures: Lightweight structures

• It is estimated that substituting conventional aerospace materials (like composites and metals) with advanced composites derived from lightweight, high strength and durable nanomaterials can reduce the weight of air and spacecraft by 30%! [1]

Resources: [1] Meador, M.A., et al. “DRAFT Nanotechnology Roadmap: Technology Area 10” http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/501325main_TA10-Nanotech-DRAFT-Nov2010-A.pdf

Conventional aerospace materials

Derived from

nanomaterials

Lightweight materials Carbon nanotubes

• A carbon nanotube is a cylindrical structure made entirely of carbon atoms that form bonds in a hexagonal pattern.

• They are very strong, especially relative to their weight, and efficient conductors of electricity and heat.

• These properties make them an exciting candidate for spacecraft construction.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons created by Michael Ströck

In January 2011, PBS Nova released a series called “Making Stuff” that describes the advances in material science. During the “Making Stuff Stronger” episode, the host, David Pogue, goes to the laboratory of Dr. Ray Baughman at the University of Texas at Dallas to learn about carbon nanotubes. Follow this link and select Chapter 5 (Carbon Nanotubes) at time 25:47 to learn more.

Carbon nanotube yarn and sheets • Commercial manufacturing of nanotubes

has produced short nanotubes that are generally only available in powder form.

• Nanocomp Technologies, Inc. has developed a patent pending process to continuously produce very long carbon nanotubes.

• They use this process to create strong, lightweight, electro-thermally conductive spun yarns and sheets [1].

• Nanocomp’s sheets are used in NASA’s Juno spacecraft for electrostatic discharge protection [2]. Juno launches in August 2011 and arrives at Jupiter in 2016 [3]. A sheet of carbon nanotubes

Image source: Nanocomp Technologies Inc. http://www.nanocomptech.com/html/nanocomp-technology.html

Resources: [1] Nanocomp Technologies, Inc. website: http://www.nanocomptech.com ` [2] Aviation Week & Space Technology, November 8, 2010: http://www.nanocomptech.com/downloads/AviationWeek_11-2-10.PDF [3] NASA’s mission page for Juno: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.html

Engineered Materials and Structures: Damage tolerant systems

• In the laboratory of MIT Professor Brian L. Wardle, they are trying to make more durable materials through a technique called nanostitching.

• “The advanced materials currently used for many aerospace applications are composed of layers, or plies, of carbon fibers that in turn are held together with a polymer glue. But that glue can crack and otherwise result in the carbon-fiber plies coming apart.” [1]

• To combat this problem, the Wardle group reinforces the glue with multi-walled carbon nanotubes that are grown parallel to each other. These nanotubes “bridge the crack” between layers of carbon fibers which results in composites that are 2.5-3 times tougher. [2, 3]

Resources: [1] Thomson, E. “'Nanostitching' could lead to much stronger airplane skins,” http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/nanostitching-0305.html [2] Garcia, E. J., B. L. Wardle, and A. J. Hart. "Joining Prepreg Composite Interfaces with Aligned Carbon Nanotubes." Composites Part a-Applied Science and

Manufacturing 39.6 (2008): 1065-70. [3] Yamamot, N., et al. “Nanostitching and Fuzzy Fibers: Practical Fabrication of Hybrid Nano-engineered Composites with Enhanced Multifunctional

Properties,” NECST poster.

Schematic of nanostitching from the Wardle laboratory. Image source: http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/news/magazine/aeroastro5/wardle.html

Engineered Materials and Structures: Coatings and Adhesives

Lotus Coating • Lotus leaves contain micro- and nano-scaled

structures that prevent dirt and water from adhering. [1]

• Researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are working to create a coating that will keep surfaces of “spacesuits, scientific instruments, robotic rovers, solar array panels and other hardware used to gather scientific data or carry out exploratory activities on other objects in the solar system” free from dirt and dust. [2]

• Click on the link to see a video of the coating originally developed by nGimat Co., a nanomaterials company based out of Georgia.

Lotus effect. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Resources: [1] “Lotus Coating: Mimicking Natures Self-Cleaning Properties to Control Lunar dust,” http://gsfctechnology.gsfc.nasa.gov/TechSheets/Lotus_Goddard_final.pdf

[2] “Lotus Plant-Inspired Dust-Busting Shield to Protect Space Gear” http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2009/lotus_coating.html

Engineered Materials and Structures: Thermal protection and control

Aerogel • The technology has been around for over 80 years, but

large scale manufacturing was challenging. [1] • Aspen Aerogel developed manufacturing methods that

overcame those challenges. [1] • Aerogels are “lightweight silica solids derived from a gel

in which the liquid component has been replaced with gas… 97% of the volume is composed of air in extremely small nanopores… making aerogel the world’s lowest density solid and most effective thermal insulator.” [2]

• Aspen Aerogel products have been used by NASA in Space Shuttle launch applications, interplanetary propulsion, life support equipment, and as a precursor to space gloves for Mars exploration.

• To learn more about Aspen Aerogel and NASA, click on this video.

Resources: [1] “Aerogel--From Aerospace to Apparel” http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff2001/ch5.html [2] Industrial applications brochure from Aspen Aerogel. http://www.aerogel.com/Aspen_Aerogels_Industrial_Insulation.pdf

Aerogel. Image source: NASA

Jacket with aerogel incorporated into it, which was

tested during an Antarctic expedition. Image source: NASA

Energy Generation and Storage

• There are currently many nanotechnology based projects in the area of energy generation and storage. – Affordable solar cells – Better rechargeable batteries – Hydrogen storage for hydrogen fuel cells – More durable gas turbines – Cost effective and sustainable biofuel production – Many, many more…

• For more, go to the Energy presentation on this website.

Propulsion: Nanopropellants • A collaborative effort between NASA,

the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Purdue University and the Pennsylvania State University led to the development of environmentally friendly, and safe propellant made of nanoscale ALuminum powder and ICE (ALICE). [1]

• Because of their high surface area, the nanoparticles combust rapidly producing only hydrogen gas and aluminum oxide as opposed to the tons of hydrochloric acid found in the exhaust of space shuttles. [2] Resources: [1] NASA Press release, “NASA, AFOSR Test Environmentally-Friendly Rocket Propellant”, August 21, 2009,

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/aug/HQ_09-194_ALICE.html [2] Emil Venere, “New aluminum-water rocket propellant promising for future space missions”, October 7, 2009.

http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2009b/091007SonRocket.html

Purdue team holding their rocket propelled using ALICE propellant. Image source: Purdue University

photo/Andrew Hancock

Click here to watch a video of the rocket

The Future of Space Travel? • One idea on the future of space

travel hinges on the successes of nanotechnology. That idea is the space elevator – an elevator connecting Earth to outer space.

• Estimates say this technology won’t be ready for another 30-50 years, but researchers are tackling this idea in small steps.

This link takes you to a video clip from a 2007 Discovery Channel three-part program predicting what the world will be like in 2057 based on current trends. It includes a description of the proposed technology that would make a space elevator work

Image source: http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2000/09/07/ast07sep_1_resources/seg.jpg

Why a Space Elevator?

Cost • Dr. Peter Swan of Teaching Science and Technology, Inc. and Vice President of the

board of directors of the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) estimates the cost of using chemical rockets for getting a satellite payload to space in ref. 1:

• “[Chemical rockets require] roughly 94% of the launch mass on the pad to raise the altitude of the payload satellite to 300 km and raise the velocity to 7.9 km/s.”

• “80% of the mass at the [launch] pad is chemical fuel to be consumed.” • “The other 20% is for ‘motors, propellant tanks, propellant pumps, support

structures, guidance and control systems, recovery systems, and finally, payload.’” • “The infrastructure does not remain for the next launch. A space elevator will

change the equation with an infrastructure that is maintained and re-used over the lifetime of the project. Just imagine an infrastructure to deliver objects into space for $100/kg!”

• The comparative cost to use a rocket: $25,000/kg

Resources: [1] C.W. Swan, P.A. Swan , “Why we need a space elevator,” Space Policy, 2006, 22, 86–91

Carbon Nanotube Tether • The success of the space elevator relies a lot on the ability to create a tether that is

strong enough and light enough. • The hope is that with improvements in nanotechnology this dream will become a

reality. • The tether will need to be 100,000 km (~ 62,000 mi) long. [1] • It also has to be very strong and very light, with an estimated strength-to-weight

ratio of 40-50 GPa/(g/cm3) though there is no hard minimum requirement because if this value is low, other attributes of the tether could be changed to compensate. [1, 2]

• Currently, the strongest commercially available materials are Spectra 2000 by Honeywell and Zylon by Toyobo, Inc., with a strength-to-weight ratio of 3.5 and 3.74 GPa/(g/cm3), respectively. [2]

• For reference, steel wire has a strength-to-weight ratio of 0.5 GPa/(g/cm3). [2] • Carbon nanotubes have shown to have a strength-to-weight ratio greater than 60

GPa/(g/cm3) but in samples only a few MICROmeters in length. [3]

Resources: [1] The Spaceward Foundation Website, “The Space Elevator Feasibility Condition,” http://www.spaceward.org/elevator-feasibility [2] The Spaceward Foundation Website, “How close is the Space Elevator? How expensive will it be?,” http://www.spaceward.org/elevator-when [3] Brambilla, G., “An updated review of nanotechnologies for the space elevator tether,” 2010 Space Elevator Conference, Microsoft Conference Center,

Redmond, Washington, USA Aug 13-15 2010. [Abstract]

NASA Centennial Challenges • One way to distribute the money budgeted for Space

Technology was by creating Centennial Challenges and awarding prize money to those that meet the challenges!

• “The Centennial Challenges program seeks innovative solutions to technical problems that can drive progress in aerospace technology of value to NASA's missions in space operations, science, exploration and aeronautics.” [1]

• One of the first challenges was the Tether Challenge, and no one has met the challenge yet!

Resources: [1] From the NASA Budget Estimate for FY2011 on Space Technology. http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/428439main_Space_technology.pdf

This link takes you to a video aired on NOVA in January of 2007. It gives you information about the Space Elevator, but it also has a really good description of how carbon nanotubes are made, and it also shows you one of the other Centennial Challenges associated with the Space Elevator: the Power Beaming Challenge. LaserMotive LLC actually won $900,000 in 2009 for meeting the level 1 challenge of attaining a speed of 2 m/s. The level 2 challenge of 5 m/s still wasn’t met, and each year they make the challenge rules harder.

The Tether Challenge: August 2010 • The purse: $2 million dollars (in four prize levels) • The objective: newly developed materials were subjected to a pull test, and to win

they had to be at least 50% stronger than commercially available materials. • The contestants: three teams from all over the country, two with carbon nanotube

material, and one with a glass fiber combined with carbon nanotubes. • The bad: Unfortunately, no one even came close to winning. • The good: There’s still a chance for the next nano-scientist to win the money!

Resource: NASA Office of the Chief Technologist, "Three Teams Test New Materials in Strong Tether Challenge”: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/early_stage_innovation/centennial_challenges/tether/index.html

Space and the future

• Of course, the space elevator is still very far away from becoming a reality, but NASA holds these competitions because the prize money creates new businesses and new partners for NASA. The prizes also get the public attention on NASA as well as science and engineering. [1]

• Also, these inventions can be used in areas other than just the space elevator. For example, Honeywell points out that Spectra® fiber, the bar that is set in the Tether Challenge, “is used in numerous high-performance applications, including police and military ballistic-resistant vests, helmets and armored vehicles, as well as sailcloth, fishing lines, marine cordage, lifting slings, and cut-resistant gloves and apparel.” [2]

Resource: [1] From the NASA Budget Estimate for FY2011 on Space Technology. http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/428439main_Space_technology.pdf [2] Honeywell, “Honeywell Advanced Fibers and Composites: Spectra Fiber”: http://www51.honeywell.com/sm/afc/products-details/fiber.html

Health in Space • Manned spacecraft will have

biological nanosensors to monitor the conditions within the spacecraft.

• In fact, the nanosensors and nanorobots on manned expeditions will monitor the life support system as well as the propulsion system to increase the overall success of future missions.

• What other uses might we find for this technology here on planet Earth?

For more information about health in space, visit Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Explore! Health in Space.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/space_health/

Image Source: NASA

Sensors: Electronic Nose • From Dec. 9, 2008 to June 24, 2009, a NASA device

called an electronic nose, or Enose, was used to sample the breathable air in the International Space Station in order to “smell” dangerous chemicals in the air. [1, 2]

• The sensors rely on different polymers that swell depending on what vapors they encounter. When the polymers swell, the conduction through carbon particles mixed with polymers is disrupted which produces a measurable signal. [3]

• The vapors give an array of responses from the different polymers. Like the human-nose, the electronic nose determines what the chemical is based on the array. [3]

Resources: [1] http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/nov/HQ_08-299_ENose_STS-126.html [2] http://enose.jpl.nasa.gov/flightmission.html [3] Ryan, M.A., Shevade, A.V., Zhou, H., and M.L. Homer. “Polymer-carbon black composite sensors in an electronic nose for air-quality monitoring" MRS

Bulletin (2004): 714-719.

ENose banner. Image Source: NASA.

NASA Nanosensors for Earth use • Jing Li, a physical scientist at NASA's Ames Research

Center working under the Cell-All program in the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate developed an iPhone chemical sensor [1]

• With 64 nanosensors, it can detect airborne chemicals including ammonia, methane, and chlorine gas. [1]

• “Cell phone owners could use their phone's GPS to provide sensor location information to emergency operation centers.” [2]

• One goal of the Cell-All program is to “crowd-source” human safety – anywhere a threat breaks out, authorities are notified, and if more people have the sensors, it makes it easier for first responders to distinguish false positives from true threats. [3]

Resources: [1] http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/features/2009/cell_phone_sensors.html [2] http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2009/M09-136.html [3] http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1268073038372.shtm

Photo credit: Dominic Hart/NASA

Healthy Spacesuits

Spacesuits will not only monitor the health of the astronauts. Comfortable,

lightweight, thin and flexible fabrics can be designed to

protect them from diseases. Image source: NASA

Click here for a “clickable” spacesuit

Smart Fabrics • Professor Joseph Wang at the University

of California at San Diego has developed method for screen printing sensors on the waistband of underwear [1, 2].

• On the waistband, the sensor is in close contact to the skin where it can monitor biomarkers in the sweat of the person wearing the underwear [1, 2].

• Undergraduate student, Jimmy Chou, describes the work in this video found at this link.

Example of sensor on a waistband. Image

source: UC San Diego / Daniel Kane from ref. 1

Resources: [1] “NanoEngineers Print and Test Chemical Sensors on Elastic Waistbands of Underwear,” June 16, 2010, http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_releases/release.sfe?id=958

[2] Yang, Y. L.; Chuang, M. C.; Lou, S. L.; Wang, J., Thick-film textile-based amperometric sensors and biosensors. Analyst 2010, 135 (6), 1230-1234.

Electronics

• There are currently many nanotechnology based projects in the area of electronics and information technology. – Smaller chips – Lighter computers and cell phones – Flexible displays – Faster rechargeable batteries – Miniature instrumentation and devices – Much more…

• For more, go to the Electronics and Computing presentation on this website.

• Also check out two NASA webpages: – Nanoelectronics for logic and memory – Nanoelectronics for space

More Links on the Space Program and Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology in other areas of NASA research • NASA – Ames Research Center http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/ • NASA - Ames Research Center’s Center for

Nanotechnology Website http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov/ • NASA Centennial Challenges:

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/early_stage_innovation/centennial_challenges/index.html

Aerospace Websites • These are websites which are a good place to start in looking for more information

on nanotechnology in aerospace. Then use the general website page linked at the bottom of this page. It is full of nanotechnology sites related to multiple areas including yours. After exhausting these resources you may also wish to use your search engine and appropriate key words and phrases to find more information.

• http://www.nano.gov/nni_space_exploration_rpt.pdf • http://www.understandingnano.com/space.html • http://www.nanotech-now.com/space.htm • http://snl.mit.edu/ • http://www.nss.org/community/roadmap/Aapdfs/Reynolds.pdf • http://www.thespacesite.com/space_nanotechology_applications_in_space.html • Interactive flash website created by NOVA dedicated to the Space Elevator:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/edwards-elevator-in.html

General websites link

Nano-enabled consumer products To learn more about nano-enabled consumer products in all areas of research visit the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies • Established in April 2005 as a partnership between the Woodrow

Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Pew Charitable Trusts

• “The Project is dedicated to helping ensure that as nanotechnologies advance, possible risks are minimized, public and consumer engagement remains strong, and the potential benefits of these new technologies are realized.”

• Their website includes news and publications about issues with nanotechnology.

• It also includes inventories of consumer products that are manufacturer-identified as nanotechnology based, and as of the March 10, 2011 update, there are over 1300 products around the world.

Resources: The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies website: http://www.nanotechproject.org/

More on the website

If time allows, return to the main website and watch some of the videos that provide “expert testimony” in the area of nanotechnology in

aerospace research. Click here