Cryogenic Propellant Insulation System Design Tools for Mass Optimization of Space Vehicles

A suite of design tools for cryogenic fluid storage thermal insulation systems have been developed between Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Preliminary design tools for both passive and active cryogenic fluid storage systems were developed. The initial use for these tools is in designing cryogen storage systems for inspace vehicles for the Lunar campaign; however, they can also be applied to other flight and storage vessels. Due to the high specific impulses associated with cryogenic propellant systems, they are in high demand from space vehicle designers. However, without proper knowledge of how to design cryogenic propellant storage tanks, erroneously huge losses due to unoptimized sizing and insulation may be calculated. The goal of creating these tools was to establish a NASA in-house design tool that could be used to assist future vehicle designs. Both tools were successfully used in the Long Duration Earth Departure Stage Study as well as the initial planning stages for the cryogenic fluids options for Altair and in many studies supporting the Constellation Lunar Architecture Team as well as the Constellation Mars Architecture Team's Mars Design Reference Architecture Study. The use of these tools in the above studies helped to establish the feasibility of using cryogenic propellants for long term space flight without enduring the large mass penalties previously seen in cryogenic space flight.