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At least 181 records · Page 10

Evolution of International Space Station Program Safety Review Processes and Tools

The International Space Station Program at NASA is constantly seeking to improve the processes and systems that support safe space operations. To that end, the ISS Program decided to upgrade their Safety and Hazard data systems with 3 goals: make safety and hazard data more accessible; better support the interconnection of different types of safety data; and increase the efficiency (and compliance) of safety-related processes. These goals are accomplished by moving data into a web-based structured data system that includes strong process support and supports integration with other information systems. Along with the data systems, ISS is evolving its submission requirements and safety process requirements to support the improved model. In contrast to existing operations (where paper processes and electronic file repositories are used for safety data management) the web-based solution provides the program with dramatically faster access to records, the ability to search for and reference specific data within records, reduced workload for hazard updates and approval, and process support including digital signatures and controlled record workflow. In addition, integration with other key data systems provides assistance with assessments of flight readiness, more efficient review and approval of operational controls and better tracking of international safety certifications. This approach will also provide new opportunities to streamline the sharing of data with ISS international partners while maintaining compliance with applicable laws and respecting restrictions on proprietary data. One goal of this paper is to outline the approach taken by the ISS Progrm to determine requirements for the new system and to devise a practical and efficient implementation strategy. From conception through implementation, ISS and NASA partners utilized a user-centered software development approach focused on user research and iterative design methods. The user-centered approach used on the new ISS hazard system utilized focused user research and iterative design methods employed by the Human Computer Interaction Group at NASA Ames Research Center. Particularly, the approach emphasized the reduction of workload associated with document and data management activities so more resources can be allocated to the operational use of data in problem solving, safety analysis, and recurrence control. The methods and techniques used to understand existing processes and systems, to recognize opportunities for improvement, and to design and review improvements are described with the intent that similar techniques can be employed elsewhere in safety operations. A second goal of this paper is to provide and overview of the web-based data system implemented by ISS. The software selected for the ISS hazard systemMission Assurance System (MAS)is a NASA-customized vairant of the open source software project Bugzilla. The origin and history of MAS as a NASA software project and the rationale for (and advantages of) using open-source software are documented elsewhere (Green, et al., 2009).

Ratterman, Christian D.↗

Electrical characterization of a Space Station Freedom alpha utility transfer assembly

Electrical testing of a utility transfer assembly (UTA) developmental unit performed from January 22 through February 25, 1992 at the NASA Lewis Research Center using the power management and distribution dc test bed. The dc resistance and steady state temperatures recorded are evidence of the UTA's high electrical transfer efficiency. The impedance test results suggest the total inductance of a UTA crossing pair is substantially higher than originally specified in the Space Station Electrical Power System Architectural Control Document.

Yenni, Edward J.↗

Medicine on Mars: Remote medical care and the space exploration initiative

Mars exploration missions as described in the Synthesis Group report will involve extended exposures of crew members to remote, hazardous environments for up to 100 days. Maintenance of crew health and performance will be critical to ensure mission success. Because of the great distances between the Earth and Mars, round trip telecommunication will take from seven to forty minutes and immediate return to Earth will not be feasible: an autonomous medical care system that integrates preventive, occupational, and environmental aspects of health care and provides diagnostic and treatment capabilities will be necessary. Providing medical care for Mars explorers will pose some unique technical and engineering challenges. Medical care equipment will need to be designed to be modular and portable to ensure that it is interchangeable between vehicle and planetary surface elements. Miniaturization will be necessary to reduce mass and volume. Computerized systems that automatically acquire and manage medical information and provide medical references (literature), decision support, and automated medical record keeping will be a crucial part of a Martian medical care system. Medical care will also rely on remote consultation with Earth-based specialists. This presentation will provide an overview of the health and medical concerns associated with Mars exploration missions and will describe some specific concepts for Mars medical care systems.

Simmons, S. C.↗

Advanced mid-IR Solid-State Laser Developments

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art 2-micron solid-state laser developments. A world record one-Joule-per-pulse energy laser system and an advanced thermal management with fully conductive cooled laser technique are discussed

Yu, Jirong↗

Growing Impact of Wildfire on Western US Water Supply

Streamflow often increases after fire, but the persistence of this effect and its importance to present and future regional water resources are unclear. This paper addresses these knowledge gaps for the western United States (WUS), where annual forest fire area increased by more than 1,100% during 1984 to 2020. Among 72 forested basins across the WUS that burned between 1984 and 2019, the multibasin mean streamflow was significantly elevated by 0.19 SDs ( P < 0.01) for an average of 6 water years postfire, compared to the range of results expected from climate alone. Significance is assessed by comparing prefire and postfire streamflow responses to climate and also to streamflow among 107 control basins that experienced little to no wildfire during the study period. The streamflow response scales with fire extent: among the 29 basins where >20% of forest area burned in a year, streamflow over the first 6 water years postfire increased by a multibasin average of 0.38 SDs, or 30%. Postfire streamflow increases were significant in all four seasons. Historical fire–climate relationships combined with climate model projections suggest that 2021 to 2050 will see repeated years when climate is more fire-conducive than in 2020, the year currently holding the modern record for WUS forest area burned. These findings center on relatively small, minimally managed basins, but our results suggest that burned areas will grow enough over the next 3 decades to enhance streamflow at regional scales. Wildfire is an emerging driver of runoff change that will increasingly alter climate impacts on water supplies and runoff-related risks.

wildfire↗

Force/torque display for space teleoperation control experiments and evaluation

Experiments were performed at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Manipulator Development Facility using the full scale Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) to evaluate the effect of visual presentation through perspective display of the orthogonal forces and torques sensed at the manipulator end effector. The experiments investigated the effect of the display information on the management of forces and torques generated during payload berthing and deployment, as well as simulated satellite module change-out operations. The evaluation also addressed (1) issues of display format, including: force/torque scaling, point of resolution, and display mixing with video generated imagery, and (20) task related variables of payload size, alternative sources of guidance information, and control mode. The results are presented of a first-pass informal anlaysis of the analog, strip chart-recorded data from these evaluation tests. The results provide a relative measure of improvement in force management through the use of such a display, as well as information regarding the impact of display variables and task demands on operator performance.

Corker, K.↗

Benchmark Tracking System for Performance Monitoring

Benchmarking is essential for high-performance software development, particularly for monitoring performance across code iterations. This project focused on enhancing the benchmarking process for Lamellar, an asynchronous runtime for High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Prior to this work, benchmark results were difficult to track and compare across code versions, presenting significant challenges in identifying performance regressions and long-term trends. The primary objective was to establish a systematic, reproducible approach for measuring performance and detecting regressions following code commits. Our methodology involved three key components: standardizing benchmark outputs, implementing data versioning, and developing analysis tools. We standardized the benchmark output format to JSON Line records containing specific fields (execution time, hardware specifications, and environmental variables). To address data management challenges, we evaluated several options and eventually chose a git repository dedicated to benchmark data. We developed a suite of Python tools that processed benchmark results, enriched them with metadata, and facilitated search in the repository. The resulting system enables more efficient filtering and comparison of performance metrics across commit histories, hardware configurations, and benchmark variants through a unified query interface. Our implementation reduces computational overhead by first checking for existing results through configuration matching before initiating new benchmark runs, thereby conserving resources. The system has been validated by Lamellar developers. It organizes results by benchmark type and build configurations for efficient retrieval. Future developments include a planned Large Language Model interface for predicting benchmark performance, incorporating the criterion package for statistical analysis, which will enable automated detection of statistically significant performance changes, and integration with continuous integration pipelines. Despite these enhancements being reserved for future work, this project has successfully provided the Lamellar development team with a framework for maintaining consistent performance standards and identifying optimization opportunities across workloads and hardware environments.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Modernizing GlideinWMS Factory Monitoring with Prometheus & Grafana

Large-scale scientific experiments like CMS and DUNE rely on the distributed workload management system GlideinWMS to efficiently utilize computing resources across heterogeneous computing environments. GlideinWMS currently records Factory statistics using Round Robin Databases (RRDBs), XML, and JSON files, and these statistics are displayed via custom monitoring Web pages, thereby limiting integration with modern observability platforms. This project investigates the use of Prometheus-based instrumentation to expose Factory metrics using OpenTelemetry principles. Factory statistics related to Glidein submission and job execution are exported as Prometheus metrics through the Prometheus Python Client Library and are served via an HTTP metrics endpoint. The collected metrics are inspected using the Prometheus web-based interface and are visualized through Grafana dashboards within the Landscape monitoring infrastructure at Fermilab. This project significantly streamlines the integration of modern monitoring technologies into GlideinWMS and establishes a framework for extending observability across additional system components.

Appiah, Gideon [Grambling State U.]↗

Medical Information Management System

On-line interactive information processing system easily and rapidly handles all aspects of data management related to patient care. General purpose system is flexible enough to be applied to other data management situations found in areas such as occupational safety data, judicial information, or personnel records.

Alterescu, S.↗

The engineering of the Voyager 2 mission to Uranus

The engineers of the Voyager 2 mission to Uranus had to deal with dwindling consumables, navigational challenges unique to the Uranian system, low light-level imaging, increasing communications problems, and failed equipment onboard the spacecraft, each of which could affect the success of the mission. The techniques for coping with each of these factors are discussed in detail. For instance, steadying of the spacecraft, achieved by cancelling the momentum change imparted to it by high-rate operations of the digital tape recorder, enhanced the data quality from several instruments, particularly the cameras. A careful power management scheme made it possible to conduct a successful radio occultation experiment which yielded detailed information on the Uranian atmospheric structure, including temperature and composition. A unique picture of the back-lit ring system was obtained.

Laeser, Richard P.↗

College Bound with the Office of Educational Programs

The Educational Programs Office at NASA Glenn Research Center hosts a variety of programs that takes on the hard task of getting students of all ages interested in pursuing careers in science, mathematics, and engineering. To help assist students along the way there are many programs to participate in such as: the explorers, shadowing opportunities, and paid internships. The Educational Programs Office not only creates learning opportunities for students, they also host workshops to help educators enhance their knowledge these fields. This summer I assisted Marie Borowski in the Educational Programs Office with the Tennessee State University College Bound Program. The Tennessee state University College Bound Program is an intensive two-week summer academic workshop designed to introduce minority students to the profession of engineering. NASA Glenn Research Center sent forty dedicated students on a bus to Nashville, Tennessee to experience college life as a whole. At the college the students day consisted of a math class, aeronautics, ACT/SAT preparation, writing and research, African American Culture, computer science, and study sessions. The students also went on educational field trips to the Fisk Museum, the Space and Rocket Center, and the Parthenon Museum. On the last day of the program the students competed in an oratorical contest where the students made a Powerpoint presentation on the class that they enjoyed the most. There were many processes that had to be put into action for the college bound program to run smoothly. The process started in early January with the preparation of applications. Once prepared, the applications were then sent to schools and past participants in hopes of receiving a well-qualified pool of applicants. Once the applications were received, a prescreening is done which ensures all of the information is complete. Then, they are reviewed by a panel, using a rubric to evaluate them, and the semifinalists are then selected. Interviews are held with the students and their parents had to be interviewed by a panel of judges and graded on a rubric. The scores were added up and the forty students were selected. My job this summer was getting the students ready to leave for Tennessee. My job consisted of working very closely with my mentor, Marie Borowski, compile the student data to provide it to the chaperones, TSU records, and NASA records. I learned about the vital communication between the NASA and the TSU program managers. After all the planning was done and the program had begun I had a chance to fly to Tennessee for six days to observe the students daily activities. The students had adjusted very well to the intense schedule, and seemed very enthusiastic about the activities to follow. The whole group was very attentive and enthusiastic program be longer. My goals for the summer were all met. I wanted to learn and retain all the information I possibly could on the job I was given. I was very happy with the end result.

Neal, Brittany D.↗

Command and Control Software Development

The future of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) depends on its innovation and efficiency in the coming years. With ambitious goals to reach Mars and explore the vast universe, correct steps must be taken to ensure our space program reaches its destination safely. The interns in the Exploration Systems and Operations Division at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) have been tasked with building command line tools to ease the process of managing and testing the data being produced by the ground control systems while its recording system is not in use. While working alongside full-time engineers, we were able to create multiple programs that reduce the cost and time it takes to test the subsystems that launch rockets to outer space.

Wallace, Michael↗

Electromagnetic Pain Relief/Blocking: Feasibility Assessment

Context/Background: Astronauts use pharmaceuticals during spaceflight to manage acute and chronic pain, but use of analgesics will have drawbacks for exploration-class missions because the shelf life of these medications is limited, resupply will be curtailed, astronauts may develop tolerance and/or addiction to these medications, and side effects can include impairment of cognitive abilities. Electromagnetic devices have been developed that treat pain terrestrially by affecting neuromodulation–dubbed “electroceuticals”, these devices have varied mechanisms of action that either stimulate or suppress neural activity in the central nervous system or peripheral nerves. Objective/Purpose: The available literature was reviewed and FDA-approved pain treatments (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological), as well as those currently under development, were assessed for their suitability for use in exploration class spaceflight missions. Data Sources: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting closure of libraries, data sources were restricted to those available digitally. Online database searches included PubMed, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, federal grant award databases (National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DoD), National Institutes of Health (NIH)), and general internet searches. More than 1,600 records were reviewed in this effort. Study Selection/Eligibility Criteria: Targeted searches included different aspects of pain management. Priority was given to review studies, to cover as much of the available literature as possible in this limited effort. Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods/Data Extraction and Data Synthesis: The titles of the studies and the awards that were obtained by searching online databases were reviewed and further information was sought for the relevant titles. Abstracts or award summaries were generally available online; for journal abstracts, full text articles were either available online or were requested via interlibrary loan. Results: An overwhelming majority of the literature focuses on the treatment of chronic rather than acute pain because it is assumed that acute pain only rarely fails to resolve and instead transitions into chronic pain when the central nervous system becomes hypersensitized. The available electromagnetic devices marketed for pain treatment have varying levels of invasiveness, use different mechanisms of action, and have demonstrated varying efficacy when evaluated scientifically. A truly noninvasive, highly efficient device is desired for use during spaceflight. One portable, self-contained, FDA-approved device was identified that, from preliminarily assessment, best met these criteria; the device noninvasively applies pulsed shortwave therapy (PSWT) to modify pain signals from peripheral nerves, however, the device has limited battery life and the effects are relatively non-selective in type of neural signal modified. Limitations: This current effort, although extensive, did not identify a comprehensive list of all alternatives for pain treatment. Once the pandemic limitations are lifted, a longer, more thorough effort may find additional options. Conclusions/Implications: The ideal electromagnetic pain treatment device for use on exploration-class spaceflight missions does not yet exist, but it may be available soon. It is not feasible for NASA to develop medical devices due to the schedule constraints for pending exploration-class missions, but adapting a promising device that is already FDA-approved might be an option. Monitoring research that is ongoing at other federal agencies is recommended, and further review of the candidate PSWT device identified in this current effort may be warranted.

Carol Mullenax↗

Electromagnetic Pain Relief/Blocking: Feasibility Assessment

CONTEXT/BACKGROUND Astronauts use pharmaceuticals during spaceflight to manage acute and chronic pain, but use of analgesics will have drawbacks for exploration-class missions because the shelf life of these medications is limited, resupply will be curtailed, astronauts may develop tolerance and/or addiction to these medications, and side effects can include impairment of cognitive abilities. Electromagnetic devices have been developed that treat pain terrestrially by affecting neuromodulation–dubbed “electroceuticals”, these devices have varied mechanisms of action that either stimulate or suppress neural activity in the central nervous system or peripheral nerves. OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE The available literature was reviewed and FDA-approved pain treatments (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological), as well as those currently under development, were assessed for their suitability for use in exploration class spaceflight missions. DATA SOURCES Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting closure of libraries, data sources were restricted to those available digitally. Online database searches included PubMed, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, federal grant award databases (National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DoD), National Institutes of Health (NIH)), and general internet searches. More than 1,600 records were reviewed in this effort. STUDY SELECTION/ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Targeted searches included different aspects of pain management. Priority was given to review studies, to cover as much of the available literature as possible in this limited effort. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS/DATA EXTRACTION AND DATA SYNTHESIS The titles of the studies and the awards that were obtained by searching online databases were reviewed and further information was sought for the relevant titles. Abstracts or award summaries were generally available online; for journal abstracts, full text articles were either available online or were requested via interlibrary loan. RESULTS An overwhelming majority of the literature focuses on the treatment of chronic rather than acute pain because it is assumed that acute pain only rarely fails to resolve and instead transitions into chronic pain when the central nervous system becomes hypersensitized. The available electromagnetic devices marketed for pain treatment have varying levels of invasiveness, use different mechanisms of action, and have demonstrated varying efficacy when evaluated scientifically. A truly noninvasive, highly efficient device is desired for use during spaceflight. One portable, self-contained, FDA-approved device was identified that, from preliminarily assessment, best met these criteria; the device noninvasively applies pulsed shortwave therapy (PSWT) to modify pain signals from peripheral nerves, however, the device has limited battery life and the effects are relatively non-selective in type of neural signal modified. LIMITATIONS This current effort, although extensive, did not identify a comprehensive list of all alternatives for pain treatment. Once the pandemic limitations are lifted, a longer, more thorough effort may find additional options. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS The ideal electromagnetic pain treatment device for use on exploration-class spaceflight missions does not yet exist, but it may be available soon. It is not feasible for NASA to develop medical devices due to the schedule constraints for pending exploration-class missions, but adapting a promising device that is already FDA-approved might be an option. Monitoring research that is ongoing at other federal agencies is recommended, and further review of the candidate PSWT device identified in this current effort may be warranted.

C A Mullenax↗

Estimating irrigation water use from remotely sensed evapotranspiration data: Accuracy and uncertainties at field, water right, and regional scales

Irrigated agriculture is the dominant user of water globally, but most water withdrawals are not monitored or reported. As a result, it is largely unknown when, where, and how much water is used for irrigation. Here, we evaluated the ability of remotely sensed evapotranspiration (ET) data, integrated with other datasets, to calculate irrigation water withdrawals and applications in an intensively irrigated portion of the United States. We compared irrigation calculations based on an ensemble of satellite-driven ET models from OpenET with reported groundwater withdrawals from hundreds of farmer irrigation application records and a statewide flowmeter database at three spatial scales (field, water right group, and management area). At the field scale, we found that ET-based calculations of irrigation agreed best with reported irrigation when the OpenET ensemble mean was aggregated to the growing season timescale (bias = 1.6–4.9%, R 2 = 0.53–0.74), and agreement between calculated and reported irrigation was better for multi-year averages than for individual years. At the water right group scale, linking pumping wells to specific irrigated fields was the primary source of uncertainty. At the management area scale, calculated irrigation exhibited similar temporal patterns as flowmeter data but tended to be positively biased with more interannual variability. Disagreement between calculated and reported irrigation was strongly correlated with annual precipitation, and calculated and reported irrigation agreed more closely after statistically adjusting for annual precipitation. The selection of an ET model was also an important consideration, as variability across ET models was larger than the potential impacts of conservation measures employed in the region. From these results, we suggest key practices for working with ET-based irrigation data that include accurately accounting for changes in soil moisture, deep percolation, and runoff; careful verification of irrigated area and well-field linkages; and conducting application-specific evaluations of uncertainty.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Safety management of complex research operators

Complex research and technology operations present varied potential hazards which are addressed in a disciplined, independent safety review and approval process. Potential hazards vary from high energy fuels to hydrocarbon fuels, high pressure systems to high voltage systems, toxic chemicals to radioactive materials and high speed rotating machinery to high powered lasers. A Safety Permit System presently covers about 600 potentially hazardous operations. The Safety Management Program described is believed to be a major factor in maintaining an excellent safety record.

Brown, W. J.↗

NASA Data Acquisition System Software Development for Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities

Current NASA propulsion test facilities include Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, Plum Brook Station in Ohio, and White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. Within and across these centers, a diverse set of data acquisition systems exist with different hardware and software platforms. The NASA Data Acquisition System (NDAS) is a software suite designed to operate and control many critical aspects of rocket engine testing. The software suite combines real-time data visualization, data recording to a variety formats, short-term and long-term acquisition system calibration capabilities, test stand configuration control, and a variety of data post-processing capabilities. Additionally, data stream conversion functions exist to translate test facility data streams to and from downstream systems, including engine customer systems. The primary design goals for NDAS are flexibility, extensibility, and modularity. Providing a common user interface for a variety of hardware platforms helps drive consistency and error reduction during testing. In addition, with an understanding that test facilities have different requirements and setups, the software is designed to be modular. One engine program may require real-time displays and data recording; others may require more complex data stream conversion, measurement filtering, or test stand configuration management. The NDAS suite allows test facilities to choose which components to use based on their specific needs. The NDAS code is primarily written in LabVIEW, a graphical, data-flow driven language. Although LabVIEW is a general-purpose programming language; large-scale software development in the language is relatively rare compared to more commonly used languages. The NDAS software suite also makes extensive use of a new, advanced development framework called the Actor Framework. The Actor Framework provides a level of code reuse and extensibility that has previously been difficult to achieve using LabVIEW. The

Herbert, Phillip W., Sr.↗

Testing Enabling Technologies for Safe UAS Urban Operations

A set of more than 100 flight operations were conducted at NASA Langley Research Center using small UAS (sUAS) to demonstrate, test, and evaluate a set of technologies and an overarching air-ground system concept aimed at enabling safety. The research vehicle was tracked continuously during nominal traversal of planned flight paths while autonomously operating over moderately populated land. For selected flights, off-nominal risks were introduced, including vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) encounters. Three contingency maneuvers were demonstrated that provide safe responses. These maneuvers made use of an integrated air/ground platform and two on-board autonomous capabilities. Flight data was monitored and recorded with multiple ground systems and was forwarded in real time to a UAS traffic management (UTM) server for airspace coordination and supervision.

Moore, Andrew J.↗