Electrical Capacitance to High-Resolution Observation
Faculty Mentor Name
Siwei Fan, Ron Madler
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
As NASA prepares to embark on extended missions to the Moon and Mars, the development of accurate microgravity propellant gauging techniques will be imperative to mission success. Current mass gauging techniques are unable to reliably track the quantity of remaining cryogenic propellant or the boil-off with high accuracy during long-duration missions. Measurements of the current propellant mass are important for tracking the propellant that has been used in burns and how much propellant has boiled off and become unusable. Future propellant mass gauges require a way to continuously and accurately determine the propellant quantity, especially for long-duration missions.
The Electrical Capacitance to High-resolution Observation (ECHO) system was developed as part of the NASA 2025 Human Lander Challenge. ECHO aimed to tackle mass gauging using Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT), which has been adapted from its typical use of tracking fluid flow in pipes. ECHO utilizes ECT technology that has been modified for use inside cryogenic propellant tanks. Typical ECT systems also rely on extensive computations to extrapolate fluid flow, while ECHO implements a custom machine learning algorithm for faster, more accurate reconstructions. After a year of design and testing of a prototype ECHO system, ECHO won first place at the NASA 2025 Human Lander Challenge forum and is continuing development.
Electrical Capacitance to High-Resolution Observation
As NASA prepares to embark on extended missions to the Moon and Mars, the development of accurate microgravity propellant gauging techniques will be imperative to mission success. Current mass gauging techniques are unable to reliably track the quantity of remaining cryogenic propellant or the boil-off with high accuracy during long-duration missions. Measurements of the current propellant mass are important for tracking the propellant that has been used in burns and how much propellant has boiled off and become unusable. Future propellant mass gauges require a way to continuously and accurately determine the propellant quantity, especially for long-duration missions.
The Electrical Capacitance to High-resolution Observation (ECHO) system was developed as part of the NASA 2025 Human Lander Challenge. ECHO aimed to tackle mass gauging using Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT), which has been adapted from its typical use of tracking fluid flow in pipes. ECHO utilizes ECT technology that has been modified for use inside cryogenic propellant tanks. Typical ECT systems also rely on extensive computations to extrapolate fluid flow, while ECHO implements a custom machine learning algorithm for faster, more accurate reconstructions. After a year of design and testing of a prototype ECHO system, ECHO won first place at the NASA 2025 Human Lander Challenge forum and is continuing development.