Lab to collaborate with NASA Ames Research Center

Robert H Hirschfeld, LLNL, (925) 422-2379, hirschfeld2@llnl.gov

Laboratory director Parney Albright (left) and NASA Ames Research Center director Pete Worden sign a formal agreement calling for collaboration on matters of national interest, including space missions, energy and advanced computing.

Photos by Jacqueline McBride/LLNL

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Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and NASA's Ames Research Center (ARC) in Mountain View, Calif., have agreed to collaborate by sharing technology and resources on technical areas of national interest, including space missions, energy and advanced computing.

LLNL director Parney Albright and ARC director Pete Worden signed the agreement Thursday in Livermore, and were briefed by several researchers whose work could immediately benefit from such collaboration.

One joint project already underway is a very small and inexpensive satellite, only about 16 inches tall, known as STARE, or Space-Based Telescopes for Actionable Refinement of Ephemeris. It is designed to accurately track space debris and give ground controllers a chance to move delicate satellites away from potential collisions. Experts believe that more than 100,000 potentially lethal objects may be orbiting Earth. LLNL physicist Scot Olivier said the first such tracking satellite is scheduled to be launched in early August, with two more advanced models ready for deployment over the next 12 months.

Lab physicist Scot Olivier (left) holds a full-size model of a nanosatellite for tracking space debris, during a briefing for NASA Ames Research Center director Pete Worden, LLNL director Parney Albright and other Lab managers.

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Another area of collaboration may be LightForce, a relatively low-power ground-based laser that can be aimed into space, to nudge satellites that lack maneuvering thrusters, into a slightly different orbit and thus avoid being struck by an oncoming object. About 25-percent of active U.S. satellites do not have ground-controlled maneuvering capabilities.

Nalu Kaahaaina, deputy project director for Energy and Environmental Security in the Global Security Principal Directorate, briefed Albright and Worden on three areas of potential collaboration in the field of wind energy. These include: advanced wind modeling, complex loads on larger turbines that can produce about 3 megawatts, and eventually, studying turbines with a potential output of ten megawatts each.

The two directors discussed the possibility of setting up offices in each other's facilities. ARC could be housed at the LLNL's Livermore Valley Open Campus (LVOC) area. LVOC's Camille Bibeau provided an overview of how the facility's computational capabilities and access to Lab expertise provide an incubator environment for industry partners.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

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Lab to collaborate with NASA Ames Research Center

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