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Heller, J. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Heller, J. A..

14 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

A feasibility assessment of nuclear reactor power system concepts for the NASA Growth Space Station

A preliminary feasibility assessment of the integration of reactor power system concepts with a projected growth Space Station architecture was conducted to address a variety of installation, operational, disposition and safety issues. A previous NASA sponsored study, which showed the advantages of Space Station - attached concepts, served as the basis for this study. A study methodology was defined and implemented to assess compatible combinations of reactor power installation concepts, disposal destinations, and propulsion methods. Three installation concepts that met a set of integration criteria were characterized from a configuration and operational viewpoint, with end-of-life disposal mass identified. Disposal destinations that met current aerospace nuclear safety criteria were identified and characterized from an operational and energy requirements viewpoint, with delta-V energy requirement as a key parameter. Chemical propulsion methods that met current and near-term application criteria were identified and payload mass and delta-V capabilities were characterized. These capabilities were matched against concept disposal mass and destination delta-V requirements to provide a feasibility of each combination.

Bloomfield, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Apparatus and method for reducing thermal stress in a turbine rotor

A gas turbine is described wherein the thermal stresses in the turbine rotor are reduced. The rotor includes a central disc with a peripheral rim, and a plurality of blades extending radially outward from the rim. To reduce thermal stresses, a duct arrangement is provided which selectively directs hot gases from the turbine combustor to the rim during the turbine start up. The hot gases from the combustor serve to heat the rim, and decrease the start up period necessary to bring the temperature profile of the rotor into the operating temperature range. After the start up period, the duct arrangement is then used to direct cool gases from the turbine compressor to the rim of the rotor in order to maintain a lower rotor equilibrium temperature.

Heller, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Coded spread spectrum digital transmission system design study

Results are presented of a comprehensive study of the performance of Viterbi-decoded convolutional codes in the presence of nonideal carrier tracking and bit synchronization. A constraint length 7, rate 1/3 convolutional code and parameters suitable for the space shuttle coded communications links are used. Mathematical models are developed and theoretical and simulation results are obtained to determine the tracking and acquisition performance of the system. Pseudorandom sequence spread spectrum techniques are also considered to minimize potential degradation caused by multipath.

Heller, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Study of information transfer optimization for communication satellites

The results are presented of a study of source coding, modulation/channel coding, and systems techniques for application to teleconferencing over high data rate digital communication satellite links. Simultaneous transmission of video, voice, data, and/or graphics is possible in various teleconferencing modes and one-way, two-way, and broadcast modes are considered. A satellite channel model including filters, limiter, a TWT, detectors, and an optimized equalizer is treated in detail. A complete analysis is presented for one set of system assumptions which exclude nonlinear gain and phase distortion in the TWT. Modulation, demodulation, and channel coding are considered, based on an additive white Gaussian noise channel model which is an idealization of an equalized channel. Source coding with emphasis on video data compression is reviewed, and the experimental facility utilized to test promising techniques is fully described.

Odenwalder, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Hybrid coding systems study

The state of efficiency improvement available with high speed decoders presently in operation or under development is summarized. The required ratio of bit-energy-to-noise-density is given in each case for bit error probabilities.

Odenwalder, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Viterbi decoding for satellite and space communication.

Convolutional coding and Viterbi decoding, along with binary phase-shift keyed modulation, is presented as an efficient system for reliable communication on power limited satellite and space channels. Performance results, obtained theoretically and through computer simulation, are given for optimum short constraint length codes for a range of code constraint lengths and code rates. System efficiency is compared for hard receiver quantization and 4 and 8 level soft quantization. The effects on performance of varying of certain parameters relevant to decoder complexity and cost are examined. Quantitative performance degradation due to imperfect carrier phase coherence is evaluated and compared to that of an uncoded system. As an example of decoder performance versus complexity, a recently implemented 2-Mbit/sec constraint length 7 Viterbi decoder is discussed. Finally a comparison is made between Viterbi and sequential decoding in terms of suitability to various system requirements.

Heller, J. A.↗