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At least 181 records · Page 10

Proton irradiation on materials

A computer code is developed by utilizing a radiation transport code developed at NASA Langley Research Center to study the proton radiation effects on materials which have potential application in NASA's future space missions. The code covers the proton energy from 0.01 Mev to 100 Gev and is sufficient for energetic protons encountered in both low earth and geosynchronous orbits. With some modification, the code can be extended for particles heavier than proton as the radiation source. The code is capable of calculating the range, stopping power, exit energy, energy deposition coefficients, dose, and cumulative dose along the path of the proton in a target material. The target material can be any combination of the elements with atomic number ranging from 1 to 92, or any compound with known chemical composition. The generated cross section for a material is stored and is reused in future to save computer time. This information can be utilized to calculate the proton dose a material would receive in an orbit when the radiation environment is known. It can also be used to determine, in the laboratory, the parameters such as beam current of proton and irradiation time to attain the desired dosage for accelerated ground testing of any material. It is hoped that the present work be extended to include polymeric and composite materials which are prime candidates for use as coating, electronic components, and structure building. It is also desirable to determine, for ground testing these materials, the laboratory parameters in order to simulate the dose they would receive in space environments. A sample print-out for water subject to 1.5 Mev proton is included as a reference.

Chang, C. Ken↗

Demonstration plan for real time receiving and processing of flight data from the space transportation system

This report presents a detailed demonstration test plan for receiving and processing data from experiments being conducted on the Space Transportation System near real time at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). This task can readily be achieved using the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE). The Space Shuttle data flow is described including both the payload and the mission data. A description is presented of the OARE instrument which is used to measure low frequency Space Shuttle accelerations in nano-gs. Procedures are shown for obtaining the required mission data and OARE payload data at LaRC. The demonstration test plan schedule and costs are presented. It is recommended that both the OARE data and the pertinent Space Shuttle mission data be received at LaRC over the NASA Communication System (NASCOM) on a near real time basis.

Russell, James W.↗

Global Positioning System Simulator Field Operational Procedures

Global Positioning System (GPS) simulation is an important activity in the development or qualification of GPS signal receivers for space flight. Because a GPS simulator is a critical resource it is highly desirable to develop a set of field operational procedures to supplement the basic procedures provided by most simulator vendors. Validated field procedures allow better utilization of the GPS simulator in the development of new test scenarios and simulation operations. These procedures expedite simulation scenario development while resulting in scenarios that are more representative of the true design, as well as enabling construction of more complex simulations than previously possible, for example, spacecraft maneuvers. One difficulty in the development of a simulation scenario is specifying various modes of test vehicle motion and associated maneuvers requiring that a user specify some (but not all) of a few closely related simulation parameters. Currently this can only be done by trial and error. A stand-alone procedure that implements the simulator maneuver motion equations and solves for the motion profile transient times, jerk and acceleration would be of considerable value. Another procedure would permit the specification of some configuration parameters that would determine the simulated GPS signal composition. The resulting signal navigation message, for example, would force the receiver under test to use only the intended C-code component of the simulated GPS signal. A representative class of GPS simulation-related field operational procedures is described in this paper. These procedures were developed and used in support of GPS integration and testing for many successful spacecraft missions such as SAC-A, EO-1, AMSAT, VCL, SeaStar, sounding rockets, and by using the industry standard Spirent Global Simulation Systems Incorporated (GSSI) STR series simulators.

Kizhner, Semion↗

Considerations for the Next Revision of STRS

Development of NASAs Software Defined Radio architecture, the Space Telecommunication Radio System (STRS), was initiated in 2004 with a goal of reducing the cost, risk and schedule when implementing Software Defined Radios (SDR) for NASA space missions. Since STRS was first flown in 2012 on three Software Defined Radios on the Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed, only minor changes have been made to the architecture. Multiple entities have since implemented the architecture and have provided significant feedback for consideration for the next revision of the standard. The focus for the first set of updates to the architecture is items that enhance application portability. Items that require modifications to existing applications before migrating to the updated architecture will only be considered if there is compelling reasons to make the change. The significant suggestions that were further evaluated for consideration include expanding and clarifying the timing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), improving handle name and identification (ID) definitions and use, and multiple items related to implementation of STRS Devices. In addition to ideas suggested while implementing STRS, SDR technology has evolved significantly and this impact to the architecture needs to be considered. These include incorporating cognitive concepts - learning from past decisions and making new decisions that the radio can act upon. SDRs are also being developed that do not contain a General Purpose Module which is currently required for the platform to be STRS compliant. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the comments received, provide a summary of the evaluation considerations, and examine planned dispositions

waveforms↗

Scalable free-space photonic antennas in foundry SOI silicon photonic platforms

We present a flexible, scalable, and low-noise design scheme for coupling free-space light into a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) electronic-photonic integrated circuit. The proposed scheme utilizes arrays of grating couplers with compact, inverse-designed power combining networks to couple a distributed optical collection area to a single output waveguide, forming a photonic antenna. Fabrication density compliance is maintained regardless of the antenna size, and the collection area can be scaled while maintaining a fixed noise floor. Using experimental grating array antennas fabricated in the GF45CLO platform, we demonstrate up to a 6.7× increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a lens-less monolithic free-space photonic receiver using a 4×4 grating array.

Rollinson, John (ORCID:0000000157130832)↗

Probes for measuring noise current in an electronic cable

Electromagnetic interference in deep-space network receiver is often caused by stray coupling from power lines. These stray signals create potential differences between ground terminals, which leads to excessive noise in receiver circuits. Pair of probes detect and measure noise currents in conductors.

Lundy, C. C.↗

A 15.3 GHz satellite-to-ground diversity experiment utilizing the ATS-5 satellite

During 1970 and 1971 the characteristics of a diversity satellite-to-ground communication link were measured using the ATS-5 15.3 GHz downlink. These data were gathered at two ground receiving terminals spaced 4 km apart during 1970 and 8 km apart during 1971 in the vicinity of Columbus, Ohio. These data have been subsequently analyzed to determine the improvement in link performance resulting from the use of space diversity. The results of this analysis have shown that substantial improvements in link performance may be gained through the use of space diversity on satellite-to-ground paths. For example, the durations of fades having depths exceeding 10 dB were reduced by more than two orders of magnitude for both the 4 and 8 km site separation distances.

Hodge, D. B.↗

A 15.3 GHz satellite-to-ground path-diversity experiment utilizing the ATS-5 satellite

During several months in 1970 and 1971, the characteristics of a diversity satellite-to-ground communication link were measured using the ATS-5 15.3 GHz downlink. These data were gathered at two ground receiving terminals spaced 4 km apart during 1970 and 8 km apart during 1971 in the vicinity of Columbus, Ohio. These data have subsequently been analyzed to determine the improvement in link performance resulting from the use of space diversity. The results of this analysis have shown that substantial improvements in link performance may be gained through the use of space diversity on satellite-to-ground paths. For example, the durations of fades having depths exceeding 10 dB were reduced by more than two order of magnitude for both the 4 and 8 km site separation distances.

Hodge, D. B.↗

Propeller modulation effects on a scanning-beam microwave landing system

The results of a systems study and ground test of the effects of propeller modulation on a time-multiplexed, scanning-beam microwave landing system (MLS) are presented. Propeller modulation effects are analyzed in terms of spacing between receiving antenna and propeller, propeller blade width, and propeller speed. Principal study conclusions: (1) scanning beam MLS is susceptible to errors due to synchronous propeller modulation; (2) the number of synchronous interference multiples increases as the number of propeller blades increases and as the data rate decreases; (3) the probability of synchronous interference decreases at higher data rates; and (4) MLS receiver susceptibility to propeller modulation depends upon the dynamic response of the receiver automatic gain control and the respective tracking loops.

Pope, J. M.↗

Pioneer Venus entry simulator

To assure successful tracking of the four Pioneer Venus probes, it is necessary for the deep space station receiver operators to be familiar with the characteristics of the received signals. As an aid for training the operators for this mission, signal simulators have been developed which completely duplicate the probe signals. This article describes the method used for generating these test signals.

Johns, C. E.↗

Mount for continuously orienting a collector dish in a system adapted to perform both diurnal and seasonal solar tracking

A collector dish is continuously oriented toward the sun in a system adapted to perform both diurnal and seasonal solar tracking. The mount is characterized by a rigid, angulated axle having a linear midportion supporting a collector dish, and oppositely extended end portions normally related to the midportion of the axle and received in spaced journals. The longitudinal axis of symmetry for the midportion of the axle is coincident with a seasonal axis while the axes of the journals are coincident with a diurnal axis paralleling the earth's polar axis. Drive means are provided for periodically displacing the axle about the diurnal axis at a substantially constant rate, while other drive means are provided for periodically indexing the dish through 1 deg about the seasonal axis whereby the position of the dish relative to the axle is varied for accommodating seasonal tracking as changes in the angle of inclination of the polar axis occurs.

Brantley, L. W., Jr.↗

Input signal conditioner for the multimegasymbol telemetry system feasibility model

The input signal conditioner portion of the multimegasymbol telemetry demodulator and detector feasibility model is described. The input signal conditioner accepts the 55 MHz wideband IF signal of a Block 4 Deep Space Network receiver and provides selectable bandpass filtering, total power automatic gain control, and frequency translation providing inphase and quadrature outputs at baseband.

Stevens, G. L.↗

Deep-space optical channel. 1: Noise mechanisms

The noise due to various sources in the deep space optical channel with a space based receiver is analyzed. It is found that the worst case conditions occur during the encounter phase with planets.

Katz, J.↗

Carrier tracking loop performance in the presence of strong CW interference

The analyses of Bruno (1973) and Blanchard (1974, 1975) of the effects of strong radio-frequency interference on the behavior of a phase-locked loop are examined in detail. The lock constraints derived directly from a steady-state trial solution by Bruno and those derived with simplifying assumptions from the same trial solution by Blanchard are compared, and circumstances which may be accommodated by the results of Bruno but not those of Blanchard are pointed out. An explicit approximation is then derived which extends the closed-form approximation of Bruno for the loop phase error to the entire lock region. Results are illustrated for a loop filter representative of a phase-locked loop in a deep space network receiver.

Levitt, B. K.↗

Gain Stability Measurements at S-band and X-band

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) requires low noise broadband total power radiometers of high gain stability. Preliminary results of SETI field tests for a variety of receiver configurations at Deep Space Station 13 are discussed. The power spectra of Deep Space Network low noise receiving systems exhibit I/F noise whose spectral index is significantly smaller than unity. The gain stability of the S-band systems tested is almost 0.0001. An appendix presents a derivation of the power spectrum of the output of a square law detector.

Gulkis, S.↗