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Thesis Chapters by Norbert Frischauf

Technology Transfer has a long tradition in the areas of space commercialisation and high-tech pr... more Technology Transfer has a long tradition in the areas of space commercialisation and high-tech products/materials. Micro-chips, alloys, solar cells and high-temperature materials are a few representative examples for the extensive knowledge transfer in these areas, which has driven a significant number of the recent technology paradigm shifts worldwide. If a company can establish itself in both the space and the commercial high-tech area, it can benefit from significant synergies,
thus allowing for an unrivalled competitive advantage, coming along with substantial financial profits.
Given the importance of technological progress and innovation for the functioning of our western industrial society and the growing implications of technological progress being made in space, this dissertation is bound to discuss the potential applications, the underlying trade-offs and the possible technology transfers between space and ground. Owing to the complexity of the topic it will not be possible to draw a full picture; by looking at the subject matter from three different angles however,
such as:
 the domains in which technology transfer takes place (communication, exploration and navigation);
 the players that conduct technology transfer, all engaging a specific set of rules in their repective domain (CERN, ESA and the European Joint Research Centre); and
 the examples for successful technology transfers (spin-in vs. spin-off – aerospace and automotive);
it will be possible to identify the most important ‘rules of the game' that govern the technology transfer process between space and ground. Acknowledging that there is an exception to every rule, this thesis will conclude with a close look at an innovation, which has the potential to exactly change these rules of the game – MOA², the Magnetic field Oscillating Amplified Accelerator, a paradigm buster within the high-tech area, which will, as the final missing technology transfer building block,
be able to close the gap in the propulsion area between aerospace and the terrestrial industrial area, thereby finally interlinking the two sectors.

Papers by Norbert Frischauf

Technology Transfer has a long tradition in the areas of space commercialisation and high-tech pr... more Technology Transfer has a long tradition in the areas of space commercialisation and high-tech products/materials. Micro-chips, alloys, solar cells and high-temperature materials are a few representative examples for the extensive knowledge transfer in these areas, which has driven a significant number of the recent technology paradigm shifts worldwide. If a company can establish itself in both the space and the commercial high-tech area, it can benefit from significant synergies, thus allowing for an unrivalled competitive advantage, coming along with substantial financial profits. Given the importance of technological progress and innovation for the functioning of our western industrial society and the growing implications of technological progress being made in space, this dissertation is bound to discuss the potential applications, the underlying trade-offs and the possible technology transfers between space and ground. Owing to the complexity of the topic it will not be possible to draw a full picture; by looking at the subject matter from three different angles however, such as:  the domains in which technology transfer takes place (communication, exploration and navigation);  the players that conduct technology transfer, all engaging a specific set of rules in their repective domain (CERN, ESA and the European Joint Research Centre); and  the examples for successful technology transfers (spin-in vs. spin-off – aerospace and automotive); it will be possible to identify the most important ‘rules of the game' that govern the technology transfer process between space and ground. Acknowledging that there is an exception to every rule, this thesis will conclude with a close look at an innovation, which has the potential to exactly change these rules of the game – MOA², the Magnetic field Oscillating Amplified Accelerator, a paradigm buster within the high-tech area, which will, as the final missing technology transfer building block, be able to close the gap in the propulsion area between aerospace and the terrestrial industrial area, thereby finally interlinking the two sectors.

Introduction: OffWorld is building millions of smart robots working on the human supervision on e... more Introduction: OffWorld is building millions of smart robots working on the human supervision on earth and in space, turning the solar system into a habitable place for life and civilization. Enabling human expansion off our home planet is the most important objective of our civilization, for three reasons:  species level life insurance policy,  sustainable development on earth,  opening up the new frontier. What we absolutely require in space is a robotic workforce for tough jobs. We need to be able to excavate underground habitats and extract water ice and materials. From the collective volatile’s we need to make drinkable water, breathable air and rocket propellant. In order to sustain expansion we need to be able to manufacture basic structures and solar cells so that we can produce unlimited power. Ultimately, these systems will need to replicate themselves for rapid and economic expansion. In order to do this, we need to emulate the entire infrastructure value chain from min...

Astrobiology, 2014

We report on the MARS2013 mission, a 4-week Mars analog field test in the northern Sahara. Ninete... more We report on the MARS2013 mission, a 4-week Mars analog field test in the northern Sahara. Nineteen experiments were conducted by a field crew in Morocco under simulated martian surface exploration conditions, supervised by a Mission Support Center in Innsbruck, Austria. A Remote Science Support team analyzed field data in near real time, providing planning input for the management of a complex system of field assets; two advanced space suit simulators, four robotic vehicles, an emergency shelter, and a stationary sensor platform in a realistic work flow were coordinated by a Flight Control Team. A dedicated flight planning group, external control centers for rover tele-operations, and a biomedical monitoring team supported the field operations. A 10 min satellite communication delay and other limitations pertinent to human planetary surface activities were introduced. The fields of research for the experiments were geology, human factors, astrobiology, robotics, tele-science, explo...

Astrobiology, 2014

We have developed a portable dual-wavelength laser fluorescence spectrometer as part of a multi-i... more We have developed a portable dual-wavelength laser fluorescence spectrometer as part of a multi-instrument optical probe to characterize mineral, organic, and microbial species in extreme environments. Operating at 405 and 532 nm, the instrument was originally designed for use by human explorers to produce a laser-induced fluorescence emission (L.I.F.E.) spectral database of the mineral and organic molecules found in the microbial communities of Earth's cryosphere. Recently, our team had the opportunity to explore the strengths and limitations of the instrument when it was deployed on a remote-controlled Mars analog rover. In February 2013, the instrument was deployed on board the Magma White rover platform during the MARS2013 Mars analog field mission in the Kess Kess formation near Erfoud, Morocco. During these tests, we followed tele-science work flows pertinent to Mars surface missions in a simulated spaceflight environment. We report on the L.I.F.E. instrument setup, data p...

Astrobiology, 2014

Martian caves are regarded as one of the most interesting locations in which to search for life o... more Martian caves are regarded as one of the most interesting locations in which to search for life on the planet. Data obtained during the MARS2013 expedition at Hamar Laghdad Ridge in the Tafilalt region of Morocco indicate that even small cavities can display thermal behavior that is characteristic for caves. For example, temperature in a cavity equaled 14°C±0.1°C before sunrise, which was higher than the temperature of the ambient air (10°C±0.1°C) and proximate rocks (9°C±0.1°C) at the same time. Within 30 min after sunrise, when the temperature of surrounding rocks corresponded to 15°C, this thermal relationship reversed. Measurements were conducted under simulated spaceflight conditions, including near-real-time interpretation of data that were acquired in a complex flight planning environment. We conclude that using ground-based thermal contrast measurements, in 7-14 μm band before and after sunset, is an effective method for Mars astronauts to identify caves, possibly superior t...

September 11, 2001 marks the date when the power of Earth imagery became obvious to the general p... more September 11, 2001 marks the date when the power of Earth imagery became obvious to the general public for the first time. Due to the terror attacks on the World Trade Centers and other sites, all airplanes were banned from the US skies for several days. Consequently it was up to Earth Observation satellites like IKONOS and others to provide exclusive images of “Ground Zero”. These images made but one thing clear to everyone: space is not only a place for science and exploration, but enables also an important security dimension. To the space expert this was clear right from the beginning, when science and reconnaissance were the main drivers behind the first missions into space. At the beginning, spy satellites were already an important tool to observe the enemy, but when the USSR shot down F. Gary Powers’ U-2 in 1960, spy satellites became the primary utility of choice. Consequently spy satellite activities increased, cumulating into several generations of reconnaissance satellites...

More than 60 years after the later Nobel laureate Hannes Alfven had published a letter stating th... more More than 60 years after the later Nobel laureate Hannes Alfven had published a letter stating that oscillating magnetic fields can accelerate ionised matter via magneto-hydrodynamic interactions in a wave like fashion, the technical implementation of Alfven waves for propulsive purposes has been proposed, patented and examined for the first time by a group of inventors. The name of the concept, utilising Alfven waves to accelerate ionised matter for propulsive purposes, is MOA - Magnetic field Oscillating Amplified thruster. Alfven waves are generated by making use of two coils, one being permanently powered and serving also as magnetic nozzle, the other one being switched on and off in a cyclic way, deforming the field lines of the overall system. It is this deformation that generates Alfven waves, which are in the next step used to transport and compress the propulsive medium, in theory leading to a propulsion system with a much higher performance than any other electric propulsi...

Microgravity Science and Technology, 2017

Technology Transfer has a long tradition in the areas of space commercialisation and high-tech pr... more Technology Transfer has a long tradition in the areas of space commercialisation and high-tech products/materials. Micro-chips, alloys, solar cells and high-temperature materials are a few representative examples for the extensive knowledge transfer in these areas, which has driven a significant number of the recent technology paradigm shifts worldwide. If a company can establish itself in both the space and the commercial high-tech area, it can benefit from significant synergies, thus allowing for an unrivalled competitive advantage, coming along with substantial financial profits. Given the importance of technological progress and innovation for the functioning of our western industrial society and the growing implications of technological progress being made in space, this dissertation is bound to discuss the potential applications, the underlying trade-offs and the possible technology transfers between space and ground. Owing to the complexity of the topic it will not be possible to draw a full picture; by looking at the subject matter from three different angles however, such as:  the domains in which technology transfer takes place (communication, exploration and navigation);  the players that conduct technology transfer, all engaging a specific set of rules in their repective domain (CERN, ESA and the European Joint Research Centre); and  the examples for successful technology transfers (spin-in vs. spin-off – aerospace and automotive); it will be possible to identify the most important ‘rules of the game' that govern the technology transfer process between space and ground. Acknowledging that there is an exception to every rule, this thesis will conclude with a close look at an innovation, which has the potential to exactly change these rules of the game – MOA², the Magnetic field Oscillating Amplified Accelerator, a paradigm buster within the high-tech area, which will, as the final missing technology transfer building block, be able to close the gap in the propulsion area between aerospace and the terrestrial industrial area, thereby finally interlinking the two sectors.

Astrobiology, 2014

Microgravity Science and Technology, 2017