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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

General-Purpose Driver For Arrays Of Photodetectors

Electronic system containing both digital and analog circuits supplies clock waveforms at frequencies up to 12 MHz and/or bias voltages in 16 output channels. Designed to provide low-noise driving signals for any of variety of arrays of photodetectors. Clock waveform and/or bias in each channel adjusted independently of others to suit requirements of specific array of detectors. System offers primary advantage (adjustability) of prior laboratory systems, but at cost, power, and size like those of prior dedicated, field-deployed systems.

Shu, Peter K.↗
NASA NTRS2000

ProSEDS Telemetry System Utilization of GPS Position Data for Transmitter Cycling

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center will launch the Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment in late 2000. ProSEDS will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system and will utilize a conducting wire tether to generate limited spacecraft power. This paper will provide an overview of the ProSEDS mission and will discuss the design, development and test of the spacecraft telemetry system which utilizes a custom designed GPS subsystem to determine spacecraft position relative to ground station location and to control transmitter on/off cycling based on spacecraft state vector and ground station visibility.

Kennedy, Paul↗
NASA NTRS1998

Highly Autonomous Systems Workshop

It is our aim by launching a series of workshops on the topic of highly autonomous systems to reach out to the larger community interested in technology development for remotely deployed systems, particularly those for exploration.

robots solar system autonomous systems↗
NASA NTRS1989

Payload deployment method and system

A method and apparatus for deploying the payload of space shuttle craft or the like. The payload rotated about an axis outside of the payload but approximately longitudinally of the cargo bay of the shuttle craft. The payload may thus be rotated, through ninety degrees. In this case, that is in its rotated position, the payload may or may not have a small portion located within the cargo bay. Alternatively, the payload may be located completely outside of the bay. According to the apparatus two separable hinge-like devices connect at one longitudinal side or edge of the payload to respective ones of the payload trunnions at different longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the payload. Separation of the payload from the cargo bay is made unlatching a latch and by the use of a repulsion spring at the position of each hinge-like device. Two four-link mechanisms allow movement between payload and bay. Such accoommodative movement is required especially during launch when considerable vibration is encountered.

Barnett, Clifford J.↗
NASA NTRS2022

NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Mission: A Pioneering Small Satellite for Lunar Water and Lunar Geology

Selected in 2019 as a NASA SIMPLEx mission, Lunar Trailblazer is in implementation for flight system delivery at the end of 2022. The mission’s goal is to understand the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon and the lunar water cycle. Lunar Trailblazer also collects data of candidate landing sites to inform planning for future human and robotic exploration of the Moon and evaluate the potential for in situ resource utilization. Lunar Trailblazer’s two science instruments, the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) and the Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) provide simultaneous high-resolution spectral imaging data to map OH/water, crustal composition, and thermophysical properties from a 100±30 km lunar polar orbit. The ~210-kg flight system deploys from an ESPA Grande and utilizes a ~1000 m/s ΔV hydrazine chemical propulsion system, similar to that employed by GRAIL. Trailblazing elements include the novel state-of-the-art dataset collected at substantially reduced price point, fully geographically co-registered data products delivered to the Planetary Data System, planetary mission team demographics, Caltech campus mission operations, and student staffing of select mission ops roles. Lunar Trailblazer’s pioneering development is providing key lessons learned for future planetary small spacecraft.

Zareh, Shannon↗
NASA NTRS1986

Space station structures development

A study of three interrelated tasks focusing on deployable Space Station truss structures is discussed. Task 1, the development of an alternate deployment system for linear truss, resulted in the preliminary design of an in-space reloadable linear motor deployer. Task 2, advanced composites deployable truss development, resulted in the testing and evaluation of composite materials for struts used in a deployable linear truss. Task 3, assembly of structures in space/erectable structures, resulted in the preliminary design of Space Station pressurized module support structures. An independent, redundant support system was developed for the common United States modules.

Teller, V. B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The flight demonstration program and selection process

The Orbital Refueling System (ORS); force torque sensor; Plasma Motor/Generator (PMG) proof of function; voice controlled system; infrared intercommunications; superfluid helium on orbit transfer; laser docking sensor; and the Small Expendable Deployment System (SEDS) are summarized.

Levin, G. M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Bootstrapping Multi-Agent Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) System Integration Using Ground-Based Assets: Lessons Learned

In support of the Autonomy Teaming and TRAjectories for Complex Trusted Operational Reliability (ATTRACTOR) project, a fleet of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) was developed as a test and evaluation (T\&E) platform to reduce system integration gaps between simulation and live flight hardware. While simulation and hardware-in-the-loop bench testing provide adequate environments for preliminary validation, differences in system deployment architecture, software interfaces, and hardware infrastructure increase the risks to safety, property, and the project. Given ATTRACTOR’s goal of establishing a basis of certification of trust and trustworthiness in multi-agent autonomous systems, bridging these gaps was critical to successful project execution and feasibility assessment. In this paper we present the UGV fleet and its role in speeding up system integration, smoothing the transition from simulation to flight, and providing researchers an easy-to-use hardware test bed. An overview of the hardware and software on-board the vehicles is provided along with supporting infrastructure. The system integration process is documented including results in supporting both the overarching design reference mission (DRM) of ATTRACTOR and individual research efforts conducted since the creation of the fleet. Finally, we discuss the practical lessons learned regarding the testing, deployment, and operation of multi-agent autonomous systems.

Matthew P. Vaughan↗
NASA NTRS2006

A Comparison of Fission Power System Options for Lunar and Mars Surface Applications

This paper presents a comparison of reactor and power conversion design options for 50 kWe class lunar and Mars surface power applications with scaling from 25 to 200 kWe. Design concepts and integration approaches are provided for three reactor-converter combinations: gas-cooled Brayton, liquid-metal Stirling, and liquid-metal thermoelectric. The study examines the mass and performance of low temperature, stainless steel based reactors and higher temperature refractory reactors. The preferred system implementation approach uses crew-assisted assembly and in-situ radiation shielding via installation of the reactor in an excavated hole. As an alternative, self-deployable system concepts that use earth-delivered, on-board radiation shielding are evaluated. The analyses indicate that among the 50 kWe stainless steel reactor options, the liquid-metal Stirling system provides the lowest mass at about 5300 kg followed by the gas-cooled Brayton at 5700 kg and the liquid-metal thermoelectric at 8400 kg. The use of a higher temperature, refractory reactor favors the gas-cooled Brayton option with a system mass of about 4200 kg as compared to the Stirling and thermoelectric options at 4700 and 5600 kg, respectively. The self-deployed concepts with on-board shielding result in a factor of two system mass increase as compared to the in-situ shielded concepts.

Mason, Lee S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 3: Environmental issues and evaluation criteria for photovoltaic applications

The environmental issues and evaluation criteria relating to the suitability of sites proposed for photovoltaic (PV) system deployment are identified. The important issues are defined, briefly discussed and then developed into evaluation criteria. System designers are provided with information on the environmental sensitivity of PV systems in realistic applications, background material which indicates the applicability of the siting issues identified, and evaluation criteria are defined to facilitate the selection of sites that maximize PV system operation.

Koenig, John C.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Damper Spring Unit of the Sentinel 1 Solar Array

The Damper Spring Unit (DSU, see Figure 1) has been designed to provide the damping required to control the deployment speed of the spring driven solar array deployment in an ARA Mk3 or FRED based Solar Array in situations where the standard application of a damper at the root-hinge is not feasible. The unit consists of four major parts: a main bracket, an eddy current damper, a spring unit, an actuation pulley which is coupled via Kevlar cables to a synchro-pulley of a hinge. The damper slows down the deployment speed and prevents deployment shocks at deployment completion. The spring unit includes 4 springs which overcome the resistances of the damper and the specific DSU control cable loop. This means it can be added to any spring driven deployment system without major modifications of that system. Engineering models of the Sentinel 1 solar array wing have been built to identify the deployment behavior, and to help to determine the optimal pulley ratios of the solar array and to finalize the DSU design. During the functional tests, the behavior proved to be very sensitive for the alignment of the DSU. This was therefore monitored carefully during the qualification program, especially prior to the TV cold testing. During TV "Cold" testing the measured retarding torque exceeded the max. required value: 284 N-mm versus the required 247 N-mm. Although this requirement was not met, the torque balance analysis shows that the 284 N-mm can be accepted, because the spring unit can provide 1.5 times more torque than required. Some functional tests of the DSU have been performed without the eddy current damper attached. It provided input data for the ADAMS solar array wing model. Simulation of the Sentinel-1 deployment (including DSU) in ADAMS allowed the actual wing deployment tests to be limited in both complexity and number of tests. The DSU for the Sentinel-1 solar array was successfully qualified and the flight models are in production.

Doejaaren, Frans↗
NASA NTRS2013

Rapidly Deployed Modular Telemetry System

The present invention is a telemetry system, and more specifically is a rapidly deployed modular telemetry apparatus which utilizes of SDR technology and the FPGA programming capability to reduce the number of hardware components and programming required to deploy a telemetry system.

Varnavas, Kosta A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Static Shape Control of Inflatable Structures

Inflatable structural concepts have been proposed for numerous applications such as antennas for microwave remote sensing, space-based interferometry, solar concentrators, and for dual purposes (e.g. concentrator for power/antenna for communication). In comparison to other mechanically deployable systems, inflatable structures have significant advantages of a much lower cost, weight, and packaging volume, but higher deployment reliability and damping properties.

Inflatable structures↗
NASA NTRS2016

Variable Coding and Modulation Experiment Using NASA's Space Communication and Navigation Testbed

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Space Communication and Navigation Testbed on the International Space Station provides a unique opportunity to evaluate advanced communication techniques in an operational system. The experimental nature of the Testbed allows for rapid demonstrations while using flight hardware in a deployed system within NASA's networks. One example is variable coding and modulation, which is a method to increase data-throughput in a communication link. This paper describes recent flight testing with variable coding and modulation over S-band using a direct-to-earth link between the SCaN Testbed and the Glenn Research Center. The testing leverages the established Digital Video Broadcasting Second Generation (DVB-S2) standard to provide various modulation and coding options. The experiment was conducted in a challenging environment due to the multipath and shadowing caused by the International Space Station structure. Performance of the variable coding and modulation system is evaluated and compared to the capacity of the link, as well as standard NASA waveforms.

waveforms↗
NASA NTRS2014

Expanding CubeSat Capabilities with a Low Cost Transceiver

CubeSats have developed rapidly over the past decade with the advent of a containerized deployer system and ever increasing launch opportunities. These satellites have moved from an educational tool to teach students about engineering challenges associated with satellite design, to systems that are conducting cutting edge earth, space and solar science. Early variants of the CubeSat had limited functionality and lacked sophisticated attitude control, deployable solar arrays and propulsion. This is no longer the case and as CubeSats mature, such systems are becoming commercially available. The result is a small satellite with sufficient power and pointing capabilities to support a high rate communication system. Communications systems have matured along with other CubeSat subsystems. Originally developed from amateur radio systems, CubeSats have generally operated in the VHF and UHF bands at data rates below 10 kbps (kilobits per second). More recently higher rate UHF systems have been developed, however these systems require a large collecting area on the ground to close the communications link at 3 Mbps (megabits per second). Efforts to develop systems that operate with similar throughput at S-Band (2-4 GHz (gigaherz)) and C-Band (4-8 GHz (gigaherz)) have also recently evolved. In this paper we outline an effort to develop a high rate CubeSat communication system that is compatible with the NASA Near Earth Network and can be accommodated by a CubeSat. The system will include a 200 kbps (kilobits per second) S-Band receiver and a 12.5 Mbps (megabits per second).X-Band transmitter. This paper will focus on our design approach and initial results associated with the 12.5 Mbps (megabits per second) X-band transmitter.

Avionics↗
NASA NTRS1979

Photovoltaic power systems for rural areas of developing countries

Photovoltaic (PV) applications for rural areas of underdeveloped countries are discussed in relation to PV system technology, reliability, and present and projected cost. The information presented is derived mainly from NASA, Lewis Research Center experience with PV systems deployed with a variety of users for applications relevant to LDCs. A detailed description of two village power systems is included. Energy cost comparisons are presented for PV systems versus alternative energy sources. It is concluded, based on present PV system technology, reliability and cost that photovoltaics provides a realistic energy option for LDCs in both the near- and far-term.

Rosenblum, L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Adaptive Deployable Entry Placement Technology (ADEPT) Development for Small Sat Class Venus Missions

The Adaptable, Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT) is a novel approach for entry vehicle design. Similar to an umbrella, it is stowed during launch and deployed prior to entry. ADEPT employs a high performance, 3-D woven, carbon fabric to serve as the primary surface of the mechanically deployed system. The successful ADEPT sounding rocket flight test matured the 1-meter Class ADEPT in the areas of deployment and structural integrity, and provided aerodynamic flight characteristics of the ADEPT open-back configuration from Mach 3 to Mach 0.3. Aerocapture uses the aerodynamic drag from a single hyperbolic atmospheric pass to provide the delta-V needed for orbit insertion. Studies suggest that, compared to propulsive orbit insertion, aerocapture could increase delivered payload by 70 percent at Venus. Drag modulation aerocapture, which shows promise of being simpler and more cost-effective than the more-often studied lift modulation methods, uses in-flight transformations of an entry vehicle's drag area to control the amount of deceleration produced during an atmospheric pass. In single-event drag modulation, a drag device is jettisoned after the appropriate deceleration. ADEPT, due to its unique ability to fold and unfold, is being considered for this SmallSat class payload mission applications.

Cassell, Alan M.↗