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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

Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Aerospace Vehicle During a Subsonic Pitch-Over Maneuver

Time-dependent CFD has been used to predict aerospace vehicle aerodynamics during a subsonic rotation maneuver. The inviscid 3D3U code is employed to solve the 3-D unsteady flow field using an unstructured grid of tetrahedra. As this application represents a challenge to time-dependent CFD, observations concerning spatial and temporal resolution are included. It is shown that even for a benign rotation rate, unsteady aerodynamic effects are significant during the maneuver. Possibly more significant, however, the rotation maneuver creates ow asymmetries leading to yawing moment, rolling moment, and side force which are not present in the quasi-steady case. A series of steady solutions at discrete points in the maneuver are also computed for comparison with wind tunnel measurements and as a means of quantifying unsteady effects.

Kleb, William L.↗

Conflict Resolution Performance in an Experimental Study of En Route Free Maneuvering Operations

NASA has developed a far-term air traffic management concept, termed Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM). One component of DAG-TM, En Route Free Maneuvering, allows properly trained flight crews of equipped autonomous aircraft to assume responsibility for separation from other autonomous aircraft and from Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft. Ground-based air traffic controllers continue to separate IFR traffic and issue flow management constraints to all aircraft. To examine En Route Free Maneuvering operations, a joint human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted in summer 2004 at the NASA Ames and Langley Research Centers. Test subject pilots used desktop flight simulators to resolve traffic conflicts and adhere to air traffic flow constraints issued by subject controllers. The experimental airspace integrated both autonomous and IFR aircraft at varying traffic densities. This paper presents a subset of the En Route Free Maneuvering experimental results, focusing on airborne and ground-based conflict resolution, and the effects of increased traffic levels on the ability of pilots and air traffic controllers to perform this task. The results show that, in general, increases in autonomous traffic do not significantly impact conflict resolution performance. In addition, pilot acceptability of autonomous operations remains high throughout the range of traffic densities studied. Together with previously reported findings, these results continue to support the feasibility of the En Route Free Maneuvering component of DAG-TM.

Doble, Nathan A.↗

Enhanced Pseudo-Waypoint Guidance for Spacecraft Maneuvers

An enhanced version of the scheme reported in "Pseudo-Waypoint Guidance for Proximity Spacecraft Maneuvers" (NPO-42753), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 31, No. 6 (June 2007), page 73 was developed. To recapitulate: the scheme provides algorithms for guidance and control (G&C) of a spacecraft maneuvering near a small astronomical body. The open-loop guidance problem is solved in advance or in real time by use of the pseudo-waypoint generation (PWG) method. Feedback control is implemented to track PWG trajectories, in a manner that enables updating of G&C in a model-predictive manner. The scheme includes silent periods following each thruster firing. The original version of the scheme provides for a fire-first, followed-by-silence sequence, which is disadvantageous in that the silence after final firing precludes reduction of any remaining velocity error -- an unacceptable result in the case of a maneuver for which a specific final velocity is required. In the enhanced version, the scheme is augmented with a fire-second technique, so that the final velocity can be established with a much higher precision because both the guidance and feedback firing can be performed and ceased at the final maneuver time.

Carson, John↗

A New Maneuver for Escape Trajectories

This presentation put forth a new maneuver for escape trajectories and specifically sought to find an analytical approximation for medium thrust trajectories. In most low thrust derivations the idea is that escape velocity is best achieved by accelerating along the velocity vector. The reason for this is that change in specific orbital energy is a function of velocity and acceleration. However, Levin (1952) suggested that while this is a locally optimal solution it might not be a globally optimal one. Turning acceleration inward would drop periapse giving a higher velocity later in the trajectory. Acceleration at that point would be dotted against a higher magnitude V giving a greater rate of change of mechanical energy. The author then hypothesized that decelerating from the initial orbit and then accelerating at periapse would not lead to a gain in greater specific orbital energy--however, the hypothesis was incorrect. After considerable derivation it was determined that this new maneuver outperforms a direct burn when the overall DeltaV budget exceeds the initial orbital velocity (the author has termed this the Heinlein maneuver). The author provides a physical explanation for this maneuver and presents optimization analyses.

Adams, Robert B.↗

A Computer Simulation of the System-Wide Effects of Parallel-Offset Route Maneuvers

Most aircraft managed by air-traffic controllers in the National Airspace System are capable of flying parallel-offset routes. This paper presents the results of two related studies on the effects of increased use of offset routes as a conflict resolution maneuver. The first study analyzes offset routes in the context of all standard resolution types which air-traffic controllers currently use. This study shows that by utilizing parallel-offset route maneuvers, significant system-wide savings in delay due to conflict resolution of up to 30% are possible. It also shows that most offset resolutions replace horizontal-vectoring resolutions. The second study builds on the results of the first and directly compares offset resolutions and standard horizontal-vectoring maneuvers to determine that in-trail conflicts are often more efficiently resolved by offset maneuvers.

Lauderdale, Todd A.↗

Cardiac and Vascular Responses to Thigh Cuffs and Respiratory Maneuvers on Crewmembers of the International Space Station

The transition to microgravity eliminates the hydrostatic gradients in the vascular system. The resulting fluid redistribution commonly manifests as facial edema, engorgement of the external neck veins, and a decrease in leg diameter. This experiment examined the responses to modified Valsalva and Mueller maneuvers measured by cardiac and vascular ultrasound (ECHO) in a baseline steady state and during preload reduction introduced with thigh occlusion cuffs used as a counter-measure device (Braslet cuffs) measured by cardiac and vascular ultrasound examinations. Methods: Nine International Space Station crewmember subjects (Expeditions 16 - 20) were examined in 15 experiment sessions 101 +/- 46.days after launch (mean +/- SD; 33 - 185). Twenty Seven cardiac and vascular parameters were obtained with/without respiratory maneuvers before and after tightening of the Braslet cuffs. Results: Non-physicians performed diagnostic-quality cardiac and vascular ultrasound examinations using remote guidance. Three of 27 combinations of maneuvers and Braslet or Braslet alone were identified as being significant changed when compared to baseline. Eleven of 81 differences between combinations of Mueller, Valsalva or baseline were significant and related to cardiac preload reduction or increase in lower extremity venous volume. Conclusions: Acute application of Braslet occlusion cuffs causes lower extremity fluid sequestration and exerts commensurate measurable effects on cardiac performance in microgravity. Ultrasound techniques to measure the hemodynamic effects of thigh cuffs in combination with respiratory maneuvers may serve as an invaluable tool in determining the volume status of the cardiac patient at the 'microgravity bedside'.

Hamilton, Douglas↗

Assessment of the NPP VIIRS RVS for the Thermal Emissive Bands Using the First Pitch Maneuver Observations

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a key sensor carried on Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) satellite (http://npp.gsfc.nasa.gov/viirs.html) (launched in October 2011). VIIRS sensor design draws on heritage instruments including AVHRR, OLS, SeaWiFS and MODIS. It has on-board calibration components including a solar diffuser (SD) and a solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM) for the reflective solar bands (RSB), a V-groove blackbody for the thermal emissive bands (TEB), and a space view (SV) port for background subtraction. These on-board calibrators are located at fixed scan angles. The VIIRS response versus scan angle (RVS) was characterized prelaunch in lab ambient conditions and is currently used to characterize the on-orbit response for all scan angles relative to the calibrator scan angle (SD for RSB and blackbody for TEB). Since the RVS is vitally important to the quality of calibrated radiance products, several independent studies were performed to analyze the prelaunch RVS measurement data. A spacecraft level pitch maneuver was scheduled during the first three months of intensive Cal/Val. The NPP pitch maneuver provided a rare opportunity for VIIRS to make observations of deep space over the entire range of scan angles, which can be used to characterize the TEB RVS. This study will provide our analysis of the pitch maneuver data and assessment of the derived TEB RVS. A comparison between the RVS determined by the pitch maneuver observations and prelaunch lab tests will be conducted for each band, detector, and half angle mirror (HAM) side

Wu, A.↗

Preparing GMAT for Operational Maneuver Planning of the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)

The General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) is an open-source space mission design, analysis and trajectory optimization tool. GMAT is developed by a team of NASA, private industry, public and private contributors. GMAT is designed to model, optimize and estimate spacecraft trajectories in flight regimes ranging from low Earth orbit to lunar applications, interplanetary trajectories and other deep space missions. GMAT has also been flight qualified to support operational maneuver planning for the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) mission. ACE was launched in August, 1997 and is orbiting the Sun-Earth L1 libration point. The primary science objective of ACE is to study the composition of both the solar wind and the galactic cosmic rays. Operational orbit determination, maneuver operations and product generation for ACE are conducted by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF). This paper discusses the entire engineering lifecycle and major operational certification milestones that GMAT successfully completed to obtain operational certification for the ACE mission. Operational certification milestones such as gathering of the requirements for ACE operational maneuver planning, gap analysis, test plans and procedures development, system design, pre-shadow operations, training to FDF ACE maneuver planners, shadow operations, Test Readiness Review (TRR) and finally Operational Readiness Review (ORR) are discussed. These efforts have demonstrated that GMAT is flight quality software ready to support ACE mission operations in the FDF.

Trajectory analysis↗

Global Optimization of N-Maneuver, High-Thrust Trajectories Using Direct Multiple Shooting

The performance of impulsive, gravity-assist trajectories often improves with the inclusion of one or more maneuvers between flybys. However, grid-based scans over the entire design space can become computationally intractable for even one deep-space maneuver, and few global search routines are capable of an arbitrary number of maneuvers. To address this difficulty a trajectory transcription allowing for any number of maneuvers is developed within a multi-objective, global optimization framework for constrained, multiple gravity-assist trajectories. The formulation exploits a robust shooting scheme and analytic derivatives for computational efficiency. The approach is applied to several complex, interplanetary problems, achieving notable performance without a user-supplied initial guess.

optimization↗

Global Optimization of N-Maneuver, High-Thrust Trajectories Using Direct Multiple Shooting

The performance of impulsive, gravity-assist trajectories often improves with the inclusion of one or more maneuvers between flybys. However, grid-based scans over the entire design space can become computationally intractable for even one deep-space maneuver, and few global search routines are capable of an arbitrary number of maneuvers. To address this difficulty a trajectory transcription allow-ing for any number of maneuvers is developed within a multi-objective, global optimization framework for constrained, multiple gravity-assist trajectories. The formulation exploits a robust shooting scheme and analytic derivatives for com-putational efficiency. The approach is applied to several complex, interplanetary problems, achieving notable performance without a user-supplied initial guess.

trajectory design↗

Determination of the SNPP VIIRS SDSM Screen Relative Transmittance From Both Yaw Maneuver and Regular On-Orbit Data

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suiteaboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite performs radiometric calibration of its reflective solar bands primarily through observing a sunlit onboard solar diffuser (SD). The SD bidirectional reflectance distribution function(BRDF) degradation factor is determined by an onboard SD stability monitor (SDSM), which observes the Sun through a pinhole screen and the sunlit SD. The transmittance of the SDSM pinhole screen over a range of solar angles was determined prelaunch and used initially to determine the BRDF degradation factor.The degradation-factor-versus-time curves were found to have a number of very large unphysical undulations likely due to the inaccuracy in the prelaunch determined SDSM screen transmittance.To refine the SDSM screen transmittance, satellite yaw maneuvers were carried out. With the SDSM screen relative transmittance determined from the yaw maneuver data, the computed BRDFdegradation factor curves still have large unphysical ripples, indicating that the projected solar horizontal angular step size in the yaw maneuver data is too large to resolve the transmittance at a fine angular scale. We develop a methodology to use both the yaw maneuver and a small portion of regular on-orbit data to determine the SDSM screen relative transmittance at a fine angular scale. We determine that the error standard deviation of the calculated relative transmittance ranges from 0.00030 (672 nm) to 0.00092 (926 nm). With the newly determined SDSM screen relative transmittance, the computed BRDF degradation factor behaves much more smoothly over time.

Lei, Ning↗

Cassini Maneuver Performance Assessment and Execution-Error Modeling Through 2015

In its twelfth year touring Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft continues to gather valuable scientific data about the planet and its moons. Cassini has executed a total of 331 propulsive maneuvers through January 23, 2016. With more than 30 maneuvers planned through July 2017 before the mission ends in September 2017, a dwindling propellant supply has become a chief concern. This manuscript will report on the analysis of Cassini maneuvers performed through December 30, 2015 and recommend execution-error models for the remainder of the mission. Maneuver performance assessment techniques and execution-error model development methods will also be outlined.

Wagner, Sean V.↗

Cassini Maneuver Performance Assessment and Execution-Error Modeling Through 2015

In its twelfth year touring Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft continues to gather valuable scientific data about the planet and its moons. Cassini has executed a total of 331 propulsive maneuvers through January 23, 2016. With more than 30 maneuvers planned through July 2017 before the mission ends in September 2017, a dwindling propellant supply has become a chief concern. This manuscript will report on the analysis of Cassini maneuvers performed through December 30, 2015 and recommend execution-error models for the remainder of the mission. Maneuver performance assessment techniques and execution-error model development methods will also be outlined.

Wagner, Sean V.↗

What Goes up Must Come Down: Cassini Maneuver Experience During the Inclination-Raising Phase Prior to End of Mission

The Cassini spacecraft is kept on its planned reference trajectory using maneuvers designed by the Cassini Maneuver Team. The experiences of the team are documented for 2016—a span of the mission during which the orbit inclination is steadily increasing. This period contains 33 planned maneuvers and 11 Titan flybys leading up to the final orbits before Cassini’s plunge into Saturn. Information about each maneuver is provided along with discussion of situations where operations deviated from the normal routine.

Laipert, Frank E.↗

Refining Lucy Mission Delta-V During Spacecraft Design Using Trajectory Optimization Within High-Fidelity Monte Carlo Maneuver Analysis

Recent advances linking medium-fidelity trajectory optimization and high-fidelity trajectory propagation/maneuver design software with Monte Carlo maneuver analysis and parallel processing enabled realistic statistical delta-V estimation well before launch. Completing this high-confidence, refined statistical maneuver analysis early enabled release of excess delta-V margin for increased dry mass margin for the Lucy Jupiter Trojan flyby mission. By 3.3 years before launch, 16 of 34 TCMs had 1000 re-optimized trajectory design samples, yielding tens of m/s lower 99%-probability delta-V versus targeting maneuvers to one optimal trajectory. One year later, 1000 re-optimized samples of all deterministic maneuvers and subsequent flybys further lowered estimated delta-V.

Trojan↗

Preparing General Mission Analysis Tool for Operational Maneuver Planning of the Advanced Composition Explorer Mission

The General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) is an open-source space mission design, analysis and trajectory optimization tool. GMAT is developed by a team of NASA, private industry, public and private contributors. GMAT is designed to model, optimize and estimate spacecraft trajectories in flight regimes ranging from low Earth orbit to lunar applications, interplanetary trajectories and other deep space missions. GMAT has also been flight qualified to support operational maneuver planning for the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) mission. ACE was launched in August, 1997 and is orbiting the Sun-Earth L1 libration point. The primary science objective of ACE is to study the composition of both the solar wind and the galactic cosmic rays. Operational orbit determination, maneuver operations and product generation for ACE are conducted by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF). This paper discusses the entire engineering lifecycle and major operational certification milestones that GMAT successfully completed to obtain operational certification for the ACE mission. Operational certification milestones such as gathering of the requirements for ACE operational maneuver planning, gap analysis, test plans and procedures development, system design, pre-shadow operations, training to FDF ACE maneuver planners, shadow operations, Test Readiness Review (TRR) and finally Operational Readiness Review (ORR) are discussed. These efforts have demonstrated that GMAT is flight quality software ready to support ACE mission operations in the FDF.

mission design↗

Determination of Response Versus Scan Angle for the NOAA-20 Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Thermal Emissive Bands from Emissive Radiation Measurements During the Pitch Maneuver

The visible infrared imaging radiometer suite (VIIRS) is a key sensor onboard the newly launched (November 18, 2017) NOAA-20 satellite and the early launched Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite. The two VIIRS sensors are nearly identical in design. Its onboard calibration components include a solar diffuser (SD) and a SD stability monitor for the reflective solar bands, a V-grooved blackbody for the thermal emissive bands (TEBs),and a space view port for background subtraction. These onboard calibrators are located at fixed scan angles. The response versus scan angle (RVS) of the VIIRS scan mirror was characterized prelaunch in lab-ambient conditions and is currently used to calibrate the on-orbit response for all scan angles relative to the calibrator's scan angle. A spacecraft-level pitch maneuver was scheduled during the initial intensive calibration and validation testing for both the NOAA-20 and SNPP. The pitch maneuver provided a rare opportunity for VIIRS to make observations of deep space over the entire range of the scan angle, which can be used to characterize the TEBRVS. We analyze the NOAA-20 pitch maneuver data and assess the derived TEB RVS. A comparison between the RVS determined by the pitch maneuver observations and prelaunch lab measurements is conducted for each band, detector, and mirror side of the half-angle mirror.

Wu, Aisheng↗

Goes-16 On-Station Custom Maneuver Generation with Focussuite

This paper discusses the process of the NOAA GOES Mission Operations Support Team (MOST) in mitigating the effects of inconsistently performing ArcJet Thrusters (AJTs) aboard the GOES-16 spacecraft in geostationary orbit. These AJTs are hot-gas thrusters which augment the gas flow using an electric arc to increase the exit velocity of the gases. Fuel flow problems have led to GOES-16 being unable to safely use its AJTs for maneuvers at times. This primarily affects North/South Station-Keeping (NSSK) maneuvers, which control inclination and use a majority of the station-keeping fuel budget. As a result, GOES-16 has had to occasionally resort to using non-AJT hot-gas thrusters. These thrusters are not placed as close to GOES-16's centerline, have lower thrust, and have lower specific impulse when compared to AJTs. In addition, MOST’s ground systems do not officially support using these non-AJT thrusters for NSSK maneuvers. MOST had to quickly develop workaround solutions using the FocusSuite Autofocus programming environment to compute the maneuvers. This paper outlines the mixture of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and MOST-developed products which have allowed GOES-16 to continue station-keeping even with inconsistently-per-forming AJTs, showing that script-based automation systems like Autofocus can simplify complex solutions to a few scripted user inputs.

Henry Heim↗