PROJECTS
The TEERM welcomes participation in many of the following projects. Please click on the project manager's name to request more information
| Active Projects | Objective |
|---|---|
| Alternative to Nitric Acid Passivation Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program Pattie Lewis Kai Ross |
Qualify citric acid as a non-hazardous alternative to nitric acid passivation for corrosion protection of stainless steel substrates for military and aerospace operations. |
| Concentrated Solar Air Conditioning for Buildings Project Number: NT-4201 Rusty McLaughlin Al Sorkin |
Demonstrate that micro concentrated solar power collectors can be integrated with absorption chillers to provide a renewable energy based source of air conditioning.) |
| Energy and Water Management Matt Rothgeb Susan Valek |
Provide the Environmental Management Division with support to meet its requirements in the fields of Agency energy/water management and to help implement its role as Agency representative to the interagency Task Force on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells. Assist the Government in meeting its requirements under the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, Executive Order (EO) 13423, EO13514 and other Federal requirements. |
| Environmentally Preferable Launch Coatings Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program Pattie Lewis Wade Olsen |
Determine the feasibility of environmentally friendly corrosion resistant coatings. The focus of the project is corrosion resistance and survivability with the goal to reduce the amount of maintenance required to maintain and preserve the performance of launch facilities and ground support equipment. |
| Evaluation and Transition of Non-Chromated Primers (ESTCP) Matt Rothgeb Kurt Kessel |
Demonstration and Validation of Mature Alternatives. Processes and coatings products for which there is already sufficient supporting data will be selected for field demonstration and validation. Newer products qualified to MIL-PRF-23377 Class N and MIL-PRF-85582 Class N fall into this category. Products may require additional coating system tests relevant to the potential application as discussed in the problem statement. Weapon system demonstrations will be led by service representatives and targeted toward high-payoff needs |
| Hexavalent Chrome Free Coatings for Electronics Applications Project Number: NT-1312 Matt Rothgeb Kurt Kessel |
Test hexavalent chrome free coatings for use on military and aerospace electronics housings, fixtures, chassis and attachments. Testing will encompass a coatings ability to resist corrosion as well as determine EMI/RFI properties. Beach site corrosion testing will be incorporated as well as launch site testing if applicable. |
| Hexavalent Chrome Alternatives Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program Kurt Kessel Matt Rothgeb |
The TEERM Ground Support Development and Operations (GSDO) Program Hexavalent Chrome Alternatives Project will evaluate and test non-chromated coating systems (pretreatment, primer ,and topcoat) as replacements for hexavalent chrome coatings currently for use on Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE). |
| NASA Evaluation of Corn Based Alternative to Plastic Media Blasting for Aerospace Applications Jahn Dussich Wade Olsen |
Leveraging research from a successful prior DoD JG-PP evaluation, evaluate corn based blasting media and determine if it meets stakeholder requirements to remove coatings from select delicate substrates used within the Agency in current and future activities. |
| NASA Evaluation of Spent Blast Media as an Alternative Aggregate in Concrete Applications Jahn Dussich Kai Ross |
Demonstrate and evaluate the applicability and viability of diverting non-hazardous spent blast media as an alternative aggregate in concrete applications to help meet the waste diversion requirements of Executive Order 13514 Sections 2(e) (ii) (iii) and (h). Additionally, EO 13513 Section (h) requires the advancement of sustainable acquisition to ensure that 95 percent of new contract actions including task and delivery orders, for products and services, contain recycled content. This is a joint pilot-project with KSC Environmental Management Office and KSC Construction of Facilities. |
| NASA/ESA Verification of Hexavalent Chromium Free Coatings Project Number: NT-1313 Matt Rothgeb Kurt Kessel |
Evaluate and test individual coatings and coating systems as replacements for hexavalent chrome coatings in aerospace applications, primarily for rockets and spacecraft. This objective will be accomplished by testing promising coatings identified from Phase II of the TEERM Hex-Chrome Free Coating Systems Project as well as several other coating systems that have shown acceptable performance in previous DoD laboratory and atmospheric testing. Several newly developed and lower TRL materials will also be evaluated during the test program. |
Precision Cleaning & Contamination Control Group (PC3) |
To maintain a peer-driven network of individuals, engaged in precision cleaning and contamination control issues, who come together to share their collective knowledge and learn from one another. Members will work together to identify common problems and explore solutions, to develop and implement best practices, and seek to advance the technology |
| Remediation Technology Collaboration Development Wade Olsen Jim Romeo |
The purpose of this project is to establish the capability to target reductions in the long-term liability associated with NASA’s most challenging remediation sites primarily by:
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| Developing Projects | Proposed Objective |
|---|---|
GRC-KSC Biofuels as an Alternative Fuel Source for Aerospace Applications |
Facilitate the expansion of the successful biofuels research project from NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio. This project grows and cultivates various plants and halophytes for processing into aerospace-grade biofuels and is looking to expand in order to prove its viability to Kennedy Space Center and potentially other NASA Centers. This project serves to help the Agency meet the requirements of Executive Order 13514 Sec. 2. (a) (ii): increasing agency use of renewable energy and implementing renewable energy generation projects on agency property. |
| In order to reduce failures associated with pad cratering, it is being proposed that Pb-free solders with lower process temperatures be used during assembly. A 10°C reduction in process temperature would allow for the use of alternative board laminates, laminates capable of withstanding harsh thermal and mechanical stresses, potentially preventing pad cratering failures. The reduced process temperature would also reduce the risk of damaging temperature sensitive components and potentially reduce energy consumption associated with Pb-free manufacturing operations. | |
| NASA Evaluation of Spent Blast Media as an Alternative Aggregate In Concrete Applications Jahn Dussich |
Evaluate and demonstrate the applicability and viability of diverting NASA generated non-hazardous spent blast media as an alternative aggregate in concrete applications to help meet the non-hazardous waste diversion requirements of Executive Order 13514 Sections 2 (e) (ii) (iii) and (h). Additionally EO 13514 Section (h) requires the advancement of sustainable acquisition to ensure that 95 percent of new contract actions including task and delivery orders, for products and services that contain recycled content. This is a joint pilot-project with KSC Environmental Management Branch and KSC Construction of Facilities. |
* Specific technologies being sought *Evaluate novel technologies for treating contaminants in place using high heat. Destruction of VOCs in fractured bedrock is an application of high interest for NASA. At least one novel technology being explored is radio frequency heating. |
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| Solutions for Increased Operational Security for Critical Infrastructure Matt Rothgeb Al Sorkin |
* Partners and specific applications being sought *The global environment and natural disasters can have profound impacts due to loss of energy supplies. Various methods exist to protect critical systems from grid power quantity and quality failures through the use of on-site alternative energy generation and management. Technologies include fuel cells, microturbines, solar and other renewable energy sources, energy storage, CHP operations as well as energy management. |
| Completed Projects | Objective |
|---|---|
| Alternatives to High-VOC Chrome Coatings Project Number: NT-1303 (C3P Project) (2004-2007) Matt Rothgeb |
C3P led project to test and implement chrome free low VOC coating systems in aircraft painting operations at TAP Portugal and OGMA – Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal. |
| Coatings Dem/Val at VAFB (UDRI) Project Number: NT-1311 Pattie Lewis Wade Olsen |
Demonstrate/validate environmentally preferable (low-VOC, non-hazardous) coatings technologies for ambient and high temperature applications. Successful completion of this project will result in one or more materials/processes being qualified for use on support equipment, launch structures, test stands, and any other carbon steel structures at Vandenberg Air Force Base servicing DoD, NASA, and commercial launches. |
| Corn Hybrid Polymer Coating Removal (JG-PP Project) (2005-2007) Matt Rothgeb |
Evaluate corn based blasting media and determine if it meets stakeholder requirements to remove coatings from select delicate substrates. |
| Depainting Pollution Prevention Opportunity Assessment Project Number: NT-1102 (AFSPC) Pattie Lewis |
Conduct an environmental opportunity assessment of the current depainting activities at CCAFS Space Launch Complex 17 and make recommendations for alternative depainting technologies to help limit particulate emissions, reduce waste, and increase worker efficiency. |
| Development of a Sediment Treating System for PCB Removal Using Green Technology Project Number: NT-1301 Jacqueline Quinn |
Utilize impacted sediments/soils in the lab to evaluate a PCB-treating formulation. |
| Eastern Range Coating Support (UDRI) Project Number: NT-1310 (2009 - 2011) Pattie Lewis Wade Olsen |
Demonstrate/validate environmentally preferable (low-VOC, non-hazardous) coatings technologies for corrosion protection. Successful completion of this project will result in one or more materials/processes being qualified for use on support equipment, launch structures, test stands, and any other carbon steel structures at Eastern Range locations servicing DoD, NASA, and commercial launches. |
| Gas Dynamic Spray Technology Demonstration Project Number: NT-1306 (2008 - 2011) Pattie Lewis Wade Olsen |
Demonstrate/validate Gas Dynamic Spray technology for use as a coating and means of repair for thermal spray coatings across NASA and Air Force Space Command facilities and installations. |
| Hexavalent Chrome Free Coating Systems for Aerospace Project Number: NT-1307 Matt Rothgeb Rusty McLaughlin |
Test promising coatings identified from TEERM Non-Chrome Coating System Project and several new materials to additional stakeholder identified specifications. Overall objective of the TEERM Non-Chrome effort is to evaluate and test a fully non-chromated coating system (pretreatment, primer and topcoat) as replacements for hexavalent chrome coatings in aircraft and aerospace applications. |
| Hypergol Fuel Waste Generation Review (AFSPC) Kurt Kessel Jahn Dussich |
NASA and AFSPC are evaluating current processes and procedures in place for handling hydrazine(s). The evaluation is investigating the handling of hydrazine(s) from receiving to hazardous waste disposal. |
| Isocyanate Urethane Replacements on Structural Steel Project Number: NT-1302 (2003-2007) Pattie Lewis |
Validate environmentally preferable alternatives to isocyanate urethane coatings for corrosion protection of structural steel. |
| KSC Hydrogen Fuel Cell Mobile Lighting Project Number: NT-4202 Rusty McLaughlin Al Sorkin |
Demonstrate a hydrogen fuel cell mobile lighting tower with auxiliary power side-by-side with a diesel powered unit in a hot, humid, and corrosive environment as part of a larger Sandia National Laboratory led Program. |
| Laser Coating Removal for Ground Support Equipment Project Number: NT-1203 (2005-2009) Matt Rothgeb Rusty McLaughlin |
Demonstrate one or more portable laser technologies for use on Ground Support Equipment (GSE) within NASA. |
| Laser Coating Removal for Shuttle Project Number: NT-1202 (2005-2008) Matt Rothgeb Rusty McLaughlin |
Demonstrate one or more portable laser technologies for use in Shuttle processing operations, most notably, Orbiter processing. |
| Launch Coatings Demonstration/Validation Phase 3 Project Number: NT-1308 (2008-2009) Pattie Lewis Wade Olsen |
Determine the feasibility of environmentally friendly heat resistant coatings. The alternatives must also be commercially available. The focus of the project is high temperature resistance and survivability with the goal to reduce the amount of maintenance required to maintain and preserve the performance of the launch. |
| Launch Vehicle Processing Pollution Prevention Opportunity Assessment at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (2006-2008) Rusty McLaughlin |
Identify new or alternative technologies that may benefit the launch vehicle processing operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with side benefit to NASA Kennedy Space Center. |
| Lead-Free Solder Body of Knowledge (NASA) Project Number: NT-1503 (2005) Kurt Kessel Matt Rothgeb |
Summarize lead-free test data (relative to space environments), analyze risks to NASA, and recommend mitigation strategies. |
| Lead-Free Solder Testing for High Reliability (Project 1) Project Number: NT-1501 (2001-2006) Kurt Kessel |
Conduct solder-joint reliability (laboratory) testing of three LFS alloys on newly manufactured and reworked circuit cards to generate performance data for high-reliability (IPC Class 3) applications. |
| Life-Cycle Corrosion of Space Vehicles (Lab Testing) Project Number: NT-1309 Matt Rothgeb Rusty McLaughlin |
Characterize the life-cycle environment of the various Constellation program elements as they move from production locations to integration locations to launch. Understanding the harshness of the environments, the combined lifecycles of the elements, and what the assembled launch vehicle will be exposed to could lead to a better understanding of the true requirements for the protection from corrosion. |
| Low VOC Coatings and Depainting Technologies Field Testing Phase 2 Project Number: NT-1305 (2006 - 2009) Pattie Lewis Wade Olsen |
Conduct field demonstrations of environmentally preferable depainting technologies and coatings for corrosion protection of structural steel across NASA and Air Force Space Command. |
| Low/No-VOC and Nonchromate Coating System for Support Equipment (JG-PP Project) (1999-2003) Kurt Kessel |
Identify and qualify environmentally acceptable alternatives to conventional primers and topcoats used for coating support equipment at Department of Defense and NASA facilities that reduce or eliminate the use of hexavalent chromium, lead, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) (such as MEK and toluene). |
| Low-Emission Depainting on Steel Project Number: NT-1201 (2003-2006) Pattie Lewis |
Validate low-emission surface preparation/depainting technologies for structural steel. |
| Low-VOC ID Marking (ESTCP/JGPP Project) (1998-2003) Brian Greene |
Reduce or eliminating the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (specifically methyl ethyl ketone [MEK] and toluene). Identification marking methods addressed include stenciling, silk screening, and stamping. |
| Membrane Removal of VOCs Phase 2 Project Number: NT-2202 (2006-2009) Matt Rothgeb Jahn Dussich |
Demonstrate and validate a novel hollow-fiber membrane technology for removing VOCs entrained in process air streams. |
NASA and C3P Collaboration on Sustainable Construction Practices (ECOS) |
NASA and C3P are leveraging information from the ECOS 1 Project in Portugal to document and assess energy and sustainable construction technologies and best practices of mutual interest for reducing the environmental impact of a building over its entire lifetime, while optimizing its economic viability and the comfort and safety of its occupants. Also see the AssECOS Association. |
| NASA-DoD Lead-Free Electronics Project (Project 2) Project Number: NT-1504 Kurt Kessel |
Undertake comprehensive testing to generate reliability data for circuit cards manufactured and reworked with SnPb, lead-free and mixed (lead/lead-free) solder alloys and subjected to rigorous environmental exposure conditions. This project will provide baseline data for aerospace and defense (high-performance) applications. |
| Non-Chrome Primers for Aircraft Exteriors (JG-PP Project) (1995-2003) Kurt Kessel |
Reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and the resulting control measures by identifying and validating nonchromate primers for use on aircraft exterior surfaces that meet performance requirements. |
| Non-Chrome Coating Systems for Aerospace Project Number: NT-1304 Matt Rothgeb |
Evaluate and test several fully non-chromated coating systems (pretreatment, primer and topcoat) as replacements for hexavalent chrome coatings for use in aircraft and aerospace applications. |
| Oxygen Cleaning Products (2007-2008) Rusty McLaughlin |
Develop alternatives for Class II ozone depleting substances currently qualified as cleaning agents for oxygen systems and components. |
| Oxygen Cleaning Products Preliminary Testing Project Number: NT-1403 (2008-2009) Rusty McLaughlin Wade Olsen |
Engage academia’s green engineering and environmentally benign design capabilities to overcome existing barriers of using Class II ozone depleting substances as qualified cleaning agents for oxygen systems and related components. |
| Oxygen Systems Cleaning (JG-PP Project) (1999-2003) Matt Rothgeb |
Validate one or more technologies using non-ozone depleting substances to clean oxygen lines on DoD and NASA aerospace vehicles and at NASA research centers for building maintenance cost avoidance. |
| Parts Washers Project Number: NT-1401 (2004-2005) Matt Rothgeb |
Facilitate NASA Centers’ conversion to environmentally friendly alternative parts washers, wherever possible and to develop a Consumer Guide for alternative cleaners, degreasers and parts washing systems. |
| Portable Laser Coating Removal (JG-PP Project) (2001-2005) Matt Rothgeb |
Demonstrate the feasibility of using a compact, portable, low-powered, handheld laser system for small-area paint removal. |
| Remediation of trichloroethylene in groundwater by In Situ Chemical Oxidation (2012) James Romeo Wade Olsen |
TEERM demonstrated that ISCO can be used to augment currently-deployed pump and treat technology to reduce the cost and time required to achieve groundwater remedial goals. |
| Solder Assessment Study (NASA) Project Number: NT-1502 (2002-2003) Matt Rothgeb |
Quantify the risk NASA faces as the international electronics market continues to move away from lead-bearing solder alloys for electronics. |