Scope

• Understand physical phenomena and mechanisms in design tradeoff studies, and an integrated vehicle environment, including root causes of system failure as well as risk identification, assessment and mitigation
• In an interdisciplinary way, combine laboratory and field experimental tests, physics-based modeling and analysis, technologies for data analysis and statistical model and state inference
• Investigate physics-based technologies in system health management, diagnostics and prognostics

Mission statement

Physics Based Methods Mission Statement

Technical Directions

Physics Modeling and Analysis

• Support for Office of the Chief Technologist
• Physics of cryogenic propellant loading
• Physics modeling in deep-space habitats
• Structural health monitoring of nano-composites

Support for Space Launch System

• Physics of thermal & structural environment in cryogenic tanks
• Base heating
• Analysis of nanomaterials properties for thermal isolation

Support for Aviation Safety Program

• Physics of wire diagnostics using microwave reflectometry

Support for National Institute for Rocket Propulsion Systems

• Participation in technical planning discussions and the Technology teams

Previous support for Constellation and ETDP

• Physics of solid rocket motor fault modes
• Stage separation problems
• Physics of cryogenic mixture explosions
• Mathematical modeling of debris fragmentation

Engineering Physics Laboratory

• Physics of material degradation
• Physics of structural health monitoring (acoustical, optical, etc.)
• Electromagnetic diagnostics
• Thermal processes in cryogenic environment, nucleate and film boiling
• Cryogenic explosion tests

Information Physics

• Quantum Computing algorithms
• Quantum annealing for combinatorial optimization, including machine learning, planning and scheduling, V&V, diagnosis, anomaly detection and fault graph analysis
• Quantum computing hardware
• Understanding the role of noise and decoherence in quantum computing devices
• Physics-inspired Bayesian statistical analysis
• Methods for stochastic nonlinear model identification from data

Group projects

• Physics analysis of pressurization risks in Main Propulsion Test article (SLS)
• Base Heating Anomalies in Ares IX
• Physics-based analysis of solid rocket motor igniter seal failure and nozzle burn-through
• Physics modeling of stage-separation recontact and its detection via GN&C system
• Physics modeling and health management of a ground propellant loading system
• Fault detection and diagnostics in advanced composites with acoustic waves
• Impact engineering problems
• Wiring fault diagnostics with microwave reflectometry
• Nonlinear, stochastic dynamical system identification
• Physics modeling and analysis of cryogenic explosions
• Physical modeling and analysis of flame spread in LOX feed-lines
• Mathematical modeling of debris fragmentation problem in space vehicle breakup
• Solid state quantum computing
• Quantum computing algorithms