Los Angeles, April 11, 2016
NRIpress.club/Gary Singh, MS/CNC

Dr. Ratnakumar Bugga, Ph.D.in  Electrochemistry from Indian Institute fo Science, Bangalore, India, now is working as Senior Member Technical Staff, Electrochemical Technologies Group NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California USA, selected  for NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) programme.

NIAC  (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) Program nurtures visionary ideas that could transform future NASA missions with the creation of breakthroughs — radically better or entirely new aerospace concepts — while engaging America's innovators and entrepreneurs as partners in the journey.

The program seeks innovations from diverse and non-traditional sources and NIAC projects study innovative, technically credible, advanced concepts that could one day “change the possible” in aerospace.

At NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Metal Hydride-Air Battery- Safe, High Energy and Robust Aqueous Batteries for EVs program, Dr. Ratnakumar Bugga is highly involved. Innovative approaches to EV battery technologies and manufacturing present the opportunity to maximize stored energy relative to the weight of EVs, allowing for up to three times the driving range. These new battery chemistries and designs prevent overheating, are immune to catastrophic failure, and can be incorporated into the structure of a vehicle to improve strength in some cases. Much of this can be accomplished at a 30% lower cost compared to conventional batteries, thus bolstering widespread adoption of EVs.

To run the programs, Dr. Ratnakumar Bugga's team got awards $250,000 for Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery Operation Model  in 2011, $749,000 in 2010 and $100,000 for  Modeling and Verification of Li-Ion Cells Under Accelerated Life Testing. If successful, JPL's battery would enable the widespread adoption of EVs by offering a safe, low-cost alternative to existing technologies.

Primary batteries  survive  only for 1-2 hours.  VIP-INSPR will  refill hydrogen on one end and provide power on the other side continuously, thus enabling sustained exploration of the Venus atmosphere. The Venus Interior Probe could lead to new methods of power generation for planetary missions to Venus or for Earth applications
The mass adoption of EVs would diminish the demand for petroleum, dramatically reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Greater use of EVs would reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, 28% of which come from the transportation sector.

Mr. Bugga  got B.S. in Math, Physics and Chemistry from Silver Jubille College, Kurnool, A.P. , Masters, M.S. in Chemistry from S.V. University, Ananthapur, A.P., and  Ph.D. in Electrochemistry  from Indian Institute fo Science, Bangalore, India

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Indian-origin scientist selected for NASA's pioneering programme

New York, April 9, 2016,  (IANS) An Indian-origin scientist's proposal has been selected for NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) programme -- an initiative that invests in transformative architectures through the development of pioneering technologies.

Ratnakumar Bugga from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is among 13 other researchers who will be awarded nearly $100,000 for nine months to support the initial definition and analysis of their concepts, the US space agency said in a statement on Saturday.

If the basic feasibility studies are successful, awardees can apply for phase-two awards, valued up to $500,000 for two additional years of concept development.

Bugga's concept is titled "Venus Interior Probe Using In-situ Power and Propulsion."

The India-born scientist who has PhD in electrochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, is currently involved in the development of low temperature lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and in the ultra-low temperature Li primary batteries for Mars probes.

He leads a task force responsible for demonstrating the technology readiness of lithium-ion batteries for Mars missions.

Bugga was the task manager for the Mars Exploration Rover Thermal, Rover and Lander batteries.

Other selected concepts include a proposal for reprogramming micro-organisms that could use the Martian environment to recycle and print electronics and a two-dimensional spacecraft with ultra-thin subsystems that may wrap around space debris to enable de-orbiting.

• Dr. Ratnakumar Bugga is highly involved in Metal Hydride-Air Battery- Safe. Innovative approaches to EV battery technologies and manufacturing present the opportunity to maximize stored energy relative to the weight of EVs, allowing for up to three times the driving range.

• NRIScientists