GEER is a world-class facility designed to simulate extreme environments.
The Surface of Venus – Here on Earth
The Glenn Extreme Environments Rig (GEER) is a high-tech pressure vessel capable of simulating the temperature, pressure, and atmospheric gas mix of many extreme environments in the solar system and beyond.
These capabilities enable unique science investigations, provide the ability to conduct risk-reduction tests on proposed planetary equipment, and allow breakthroughs in a multitude of disciplines.
GEER is located at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and is currently configured to simulate the atmospheric and surface conditions of Venus.
Achievements
In its short operational history, GEER has successfully supported many projects, scientists, and technologists.
- Contributed to several peer-reviewed papers and numerous conference presentations
- Produced over 42 publications, abstracts, news articles,
and more - Logged over 6,600 hours simulating Venus’s surface for various tests and experiments
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GEER has supported multiple science investigations and studies including:
- Technology demonstrations and Venus’s lander mission capability
- Venus’s weathering and geologic science
- Exposure of various minerals, basalts, and glasses for various time scales
- Near-surface chemical reactions
- Venus atmospheric physics
- Simulations of ascent
- Testing of different gas mixtures to better understand climate modeling
Capabilities
GEER
NASA’s GEER test chamber can be customized for specific conditions or requirements. The facility has been upgraded to allow the transfer of power and data from a test article while under Venus’s surface conditions. The standard capabilities include:
- Dimensions: 3’ ID x 4’ L (internal) – volume: 811 L
- Pressure (operating): vacuum – 1365 psia (94 bar)
- Temperature (operating): ambient – 1000 °F (538 °C)
- Gases: 8 specialty gases + 1 liquid
- Level of accuracy: ppm
- Power: now supported by a backup power system
The GEER chamber can achieve pressures from ambient to 1365 PSI, reach temperatures over 500C, and precisely control gas composition for continuous periods of time, exceeding several months.
- The End Cap weighs as much as a standard-size SUV.
- There is over 2 million pounds of force on the End Cap at our typical operating conditions.
- It takes 330 bolts to hold the End Cap on
- Has operated at Venus conditions for a total of 298.5 Earth Days as of Summer 2019
- GEER grows ½” longer and increases its volume by more than 19 L at typical test conditions.
- We report our emissions to the EPA every year – our total yearly emissions fall under our daily emissions limit!!
Mini GEER
NASA Glenn also has a smaller test vessel that can simulate many of the same conditions as the larger GEER test facility – but allows a quicker turnaround and lower operating costs.
The capabilities of Mini GEER include:
- Dimensions: 5” ID x 12” L (internal) – initial volume: 4 L
- Pressure (operating): vacuum (rough) – 2706 psia (186 bar)
- Temperature (operating): ambient – 950 °F (510 °C)
- Gases: tri-gas (customizable pre-mix)
- Currently only pre-mix, but is designed to tie into gas mixing infrastructure.
- Advantageous for science experiments and material sample experiments – its size makes it more sensitive for analytics.
- MiniGEER shares analytics infrastructure with GEER – GC & Mass Spec
- Shares Trained Personnel with GEER
Team Approach: Integrated, Multi-Disciplinary, & Experienced
GEER Test Ops Team Capabilities Highlights
- Custom test article support hardware design and fabrication
- Custom test process system design and fabrication
- Operational history with extreme environments – The GEER Team has accumulated over a Venus year simulating Venus Surface Conditions inside of GEER.
Integrated, Multi-Disciplinary Expertise
- Local access to:
- Materials expertise
- Surface Science Analysis
- Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) imaging
- X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) imaging
- Electron Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis
- Mass Spectrometry gas analysis expertise
We Seek to Serve: Supporting Missions & Multiple Communities
Test Article Categories
- Active: test articles that have data and/or power needs while testing inside of the GEER Vessel
- Passive: test articles that have material and/or component samples that are not powered and do not need data
Research Categories
- Fundamental Science (e.g., gas dynamics & property studies)
- Material Exposure (e.g., geology samples, basic materials, advanced materials, electronics, etc.)
- Technology Development (e.g., component and/or sub-system testing)
- Mission Risk Reduction (e.g., system testing)
Initiating Projects
- Contact the GEER PM or GEER FM
Versatility
Technology Development
- Feedthroughs – developed at GRC, data & power.
- Extreme Environments Electronics – developed at GRC.
- Chemical Sensors – industry partnership enabling in-situ chemical species measurements.
Science Testing
- Ongoing materials studies (man-made and geologic)
Has enabled both the understanding of how geology may behave on Venus and which materials/designs may be best for a future lander.
- Stratification Test
Objective was to determine whether CO2 and N2 may stratify in the lower Venusian atmosphere.
Taught us a lot about the behavior of that mixture, and also about GEER operations.
Mission Support
- Juno – active mission support
Ready & Up for Challenges
- Ready & Up for the Challenges – Our systems continue to mature and we’re always up for a challenge.
What do the missions need?
What does the community need?
- Extensibility – GEER is constantly evolving to meet the needs of customers now and in the future through constant adaptation and upgrades:
Recent enhancements
- Passive sample prep station
- New Fume hood for sample preparations
- New Photo booth for documentation
- 4-Column GC
Planned enhancements (currently in progress)
- Automated GC sampling
- Upgraded Mass Spectrometer
- Increased Operations Training