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Constellation X-Ray Mission and Support

This Fourth Annual Report summarizes work performed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) under Cooperative Agreement NCC5-368. The Agreement is entitled Constellation X-ray Mission Study and SAO continues to perform work under the overall direction of Dr. Harvey Tananbaum, the SAO Principal Investigator for the program. Mr. Robert Rasche is the SAO Program Manager and is responsible for day-to-day program management at SAO and coordination with GSFC. The report summarizes the main areas of SAO activity. Most of the work has been done jointly with personnel from GSFC and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). We describe SAO participation in these efforts. As is appropriate to a Cooperative Agreement, SAO continued to work with GSFC in an integrated team mode. SAO was involved in the overall mission management, technology development, scientific direction, and mission definition. While formal overall management responsibility resides with GSFC, scientific lead and subordinate responsibilities continue to be shared by GSFC and SAO. The work performed by SAO is consistent with the SAO proposal 'Constellation X-ray Mission Study and Optics Development' dated September 1997, which was the basis for establishing the Cooperative Agreement under which SAO is currently funded. Over time, the scope of the effort has expanded somewhat to accommodate the needs of the project. Work, except for meeting support and high priority program tasks, has been at a level of effort. Priorities and work progress have been closely coordinated with the Constellation-X Project Formulation Manager at GSFC. Funding limitations constrained the work accomplished during this period. Nonetheless, a significant amount of work was accomplished. Under the Agreement, SAO performed work in seven major areas of activity. These areas related to: Constellation X-ray Mission Facility Definition Team and Study Management; Science Support; Spectroscopy X-ray Telescope (SXT); Systems Engineering; Travel in Support of the Work Effort; In-house Management and Coordination.

Grady, Jean↗

NASA's X-Plane Database and Parametric Cost Model v 2.0

The NASA Armstrong Cost Engineering Team with technical assistance from NASA HQ (SID)has gone through the full process in developing new CERs from Version #1 to Version #2 CERs. We took a step backward and reexamined all of the data collected, such as dependent and independent variables, cost, dry weight, length, wingspan, manned versus unmanned, altitude, Mach number, thrust, and skin. We used a well- known statistical analysis tool called CO$TAT instead of using "R" multiple linear or the "Regression" tool found in Microsoft Excel(TradeMark). We setup an "array of data" by adding 21" dummy variables;" we analyzed the standard error (SE) and then determined the "best fit." We have parametrically priced-out several future X-planes and compared our results to those of other resources. More work needs to be done in getting "accurate and traceable cost data" from historical X-plane records!

life cycle cost↗

SACD's Support of the Hyper-X Program

NASA s highly successful Hyper-X program demonstrated numerous hypersonic air-breathing vehicle related technologies including scramjet performance, advanced materials and hot structures, GN&C, and integrated vehicle performance resulting in, for the first time ever, acceleration of a vehicle powered by a scramjet engine. The Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate (SACD) at NASA s Langley Research Center played a major role in the integrated team providing critical support, analysis, and leadership to the Hyper-X Program throughout the program s entire life and were key to its ultimate success. Engineers in SACD s Vehicle Analysis Branch (VAB) were involved in all stages and aspects of the program, from conceptual design prior to contract award, through preliminary design and hardware development, and in to, during, and after each of the three flights. Working closely with other engineers at Langley and Dryden, as well as industry partners, roughly 20 members of SACD were involved throughout the evolution of the Hyper-X program in nearly all disciplines, including lead roles in several areas. Engineers from VAB led the aerodynamic database development, the propulsion database development, and the stage separation analysis and database development effort. Others played major roles in structures, aerothermal, GN&C, trajectory analysis and flight simulation, as well as providing CFD support for aerodynamic, propulsion, and aerothermal analysis.

Robinson, Jeffrey S.↗

Multi-Channel Correlator Array-Fed Microwave Radiometer

New antenna feed technology is needed for microwave radiometers as aperture sizes continue to increase. Capability for contiguous coverage and spatial Nyquist sampling can be achieved using a multi-beam array-fed reflector architecture adapted from radio astronomy. In this ACT (Advanced Component Technology), a wideband feed array for use in a multi-channel (X-W bands) scanning microwave radiometer is in development. The team, including array provider Nuvotronics Inc., is also developing a laboratory instrument to demonstrate the performance of the array-fed architecture at 36.5 gigahertz using an 80-centimeter projected aperture. The feed array is an 11-element line array based on a microfabricated 8-40 gigahertz feed. Multiple beams are generated by exciting overlapping groups of elements with each group shifted by one element spacing within the array. The modeled antenna patterns reveal six beams with 0.8-degree beamwidth and 0.3-degree spacing. This configuration is also a 1:26 electromagnetic scale model of a 1.41 gigahertz radiometer with a 21-meter aperture. The array-fed architecture for microwave radiometers has the potential to solve the developing need for high-spatial resolution, large aperture instruments. The objective relevancy scenario is a 6-meter aperture X-W band scanning radiometer purposed for high-resolution all-weather imaging of Earth's atmosphere and land, ice and ocean surfaces.

Microwave Radiometer↗

X-29A advanced technology demonstrator program overview

The present discussion of the X-29A forward-swept wing experimental aircraft's functional flight program and concept evaluation program gives attention to the program management structure for a test team that encompasses NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the prime contractor for the X-29A. The preflight, flight-functional, envelope-expansion and flight research test objectives of the program are also noted, together with the qualitative characterizations obtained to date for both a limited envelope flight control system and one for an expanded envelope.

Sefic, W. J.↗

The Next Giant Leap: NASA's Ares Launch Vehicles Overview

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Constellation Program is developing new launch vehicles (Ares) and spacecraft (Orion) to send astronauts to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This paper presents plans, projections, and progress toward fielding the Ares I and Ares V vehicles, and the Ares I-X test flight in 2009. NASA is building on both new research and aeronautical capabilities, as well as lessons learned from almost 50 years of aerospace experience. The Ares Projects Office (APO) completed the Ares I System Requirements Review (SRR) in 2006 and the System Definition Review in autumn 2007; and will focus on the Preliminary Design Review in 2008. Ares I is currently being refined to meet safety, operability, reliability, and affordability goals. The Ares team is simultaneously testing Ares I elements and building hardware for Ares I-X, while the Ares V is in the early design stage, with the team validating requirements and ensuring commonality with Ares I. Ares I and V are key to opening the space frontier for peaceful endeavors.

Cook, Stephen A.↗

Advances in space technology: the NSBRI Technology Development Team

As evidenced from Mir and other long-duration space missions, the space environment can cause significant alterations in the human physiology that could prove dangerous for astronauts. The NASA programme to develop countermeasures for these deleterious human health effects is being carried out by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI). The NSBRI has 12 research teams, ten of which are primarily physiology based, one addresses on-board medical care, and the twelfth focuses on technology development in support of the other research teams. This Technology Development (TD) Team initially supported four instrumentation developments: (1) an advanced, multiple projection, dual energy X ray absorptiometry (AMPDXA) scanning system: (2) a portable neutron spectrometer; (3) a miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer: and (4) a cardiovascular identification system. Technical highlights of the original projects are presented along with an introduction to the five new TD Team projects being funded by the NSBRI.

Non-NASA Center↗

The Nature of the Enigmatic 10-Minute Accreting Binary System ES CET

ES Cet is one of the most compact binary systems known with an orbital period of only 10.3 minutes. Our allocated observations with the XMM-Newton X-ray satellite were performed in January and July 2004, with the data being delivered to the PI in August 2004. Preliminary results were presented by the PI in September 2004 and January 2005. We have also secured supporting optical observations of ES Ceti using the Magellan telescopes (November 2004). The team is currently performing a thorough and final analysis of the X-ray, UV and optical data sets with the latest XMM pipeline software and our own analysis packages.

Steeghs, Daniel↗

An Experimental Study of Characteristic Combustion-Driven Flow for CFD Validation

A series of uni-element rocket injector studies were completed to provide benchmark quality data needed to validate computational fluid dynamic models. A shear coaxial injector geometry was selected as the primary injector for study using gaseous hydrogen/oxygen and gaseous hydrogen/liquid oxygen propellants. Emphasis was placed on the use of nonintrusive diagnostic techniques to characterize the flowfields inside an optically-accessible rocket chamber. Measurements of the velocity and species fields were obtained using laser velocimetry and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Qualitative flame shape information was also obtained using laser-induced fluorescence excited from OH radicals and laser light scattering studies of aluminum oxide particle seeded combusting flows. The gaseous hydrogen/liquid oxygen propellant studies for the shear coaxial injector focused on breakup mechanisms associated with the liquid oxygen jet under subcritical pressure conditions. Laser sheet illumination techniques were used to visualize the core region of the jet and a Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer was utilized for drop velocity, size and size distribution characterization. The results of these studies indicated that the shear coaxial geometry configuration was a relatively poor injector in terms of mixing. The oxygen core was observed to extend well downstream of the injector and a significant fraction of the mixing occurred in the near nozzle region where measurements were not possible to obtain. Detailed velocity and species measurements were obtained to allow CFD model validation and this set of benchmark data represents the most comprehensive data set available to date. As an extension of the investigation, a series of gas/gas injector studies were conducted in support of the X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle program. A Gas/Gas Injector Technology team was formed consisting of the Marshall Space Flight Center, the NASA Lewis Research Center, Rocketdyne and Penn State. Injector geometries studied under this task included shear and swirl coaxial configurations as well as an impinging jet injector.

Santoro, Robert J.↗

An Experimental Study of Characteristic Combustion-Driven Flow for CFD Validation

A series of uni-element rocket injector studies were completed to provide benchmark quality data needed to validate computational fluid dynamic models. A shear coaxial injector geometry was selected as the primary injector for study using gaseous hydrogen/oxygen and gaseous hydrogen/liquid oxygen propellants. Emphasis was placed on the use of non-intrusive diagnostic techniques to characterize the flowfields inside an optically-accessible rocket chamber. Measurements of the velocity and species fields were obtained using laser velocimetry and Raman spectroscopy, respectively Qualitative flame shape information was also obtained using laser-induced fluorescence excited from OH radicals and laser light scattering studies of aluminum oxide particle seeded combusting flows. The gaseous hydrogen/liquid oxygen propellant studies for the shear coaxial injector focused on breakup mechanisms associated with the liquid oxygen jet under sub-critical pressure conditions. Laser sheet illumination techniques were used to visualize the core region of the jet and a Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer was utilized for drop velocity, size and size distribution characterization. The results of these studies indicated that the shear coaxial geometry configuration was a relatively poor injector in terms of mixing. The oxygen core was observed to extend well downstream of the injector and a significant fraction of the mixing occurred in the near nozzle region where measurements were not possible to obtain Detailed velocity and species measurements were obtained to allow CFD model validation and this set of benchmark data represents the most comprehensive data set available to date As an extension of the investigation, a series of gas/gas injector studies were conducted in support of the X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle program. A Gas/Gas Injector Technology team was formed consisting of the Marshall Space Flight Center, the NASA Lewis Research Center, Rocketdyne and Penn State. Injector geometries studied under this task included shear and swirl coaxial configurations as well as an impinging jet injector.

Santoro, Robert J.↗

Subscale Composite Liquid Oxygen Tank Testing

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company recently completed a two-year fabrication and test program on subscale composite liquid oxygen (LO2) tanks. The goals of this program included the development of fabrication and inspection techniques, cryogenic acceptance testing of composite articles, and demonstrating oxygen compatibility under launch vibration loads. Two subscale diameter test bottles were fabricated using a proprietary Lockheed Martin material, known as LM21C03. The bottles were then inspected using an array of NDE techniques and then put through a cryogenic acceptance test program at Lockheed Martin. A NASA/Lockheed Martin test team then subjected a composite bottle to testing at an X-33 vibration profile for 15 minutes at use pressure. The tests were run at various LO2 fill levels, with and without intentionally added debris. All tests were successful in that the composite bottle showed no signs of ignition or combustion as a result of the vibration testing. This test program is an important bridge between coupon-level and subcomponent LO2 compatibility tests and full-scale composite LO2 tank use.

Graf, Neil A.↗

Constellation Overview: Ares V Solar System Science Workshop

Presentation topics include: what is NASA's mission, why the Moon next, options for Moon landings, NASA's exploration roadmap, building on a foundation of proven technologies - launch vehicle comparisons, Ares nationwide team, Ares I elements, vehicle integration accomplishments, Aires I-X test flight, Ares I-X accomplishments, Orion crew exploration vehicle, Altair lunar lander, and Ares V elements.

Horack, John M.↗

Standards and Specifications for Ground Processing of Space Vehicles: From an Aviation-Based Shuttle Project to Global Application

Proprietary or unique designs and operations are expected early in any industry's development, and often provide a competitive early market advantage. However, there comes a time when a product or industry requires standardization for the whole industry to advance...or survive. For the space industry, that time has come. Here, we will focus on standardization of ground processing for space vehicles and their ground systems. With the retirement of the Space Shuttle, and emergence of a new global space race, affordability and sustainability are more important now than ever. The growing commercialization of the space industry and current global economic environment are driving greater need for efficiencies to save time and money. More RLV's (Reusable Launch Vehicles) are being developed for the gains of reusability not achievable with traditional ELV's (Expendable Launch Vehicles). More crew/passenger vehicles are also being developed. All of this calls for more attention needed for ground processing-repeatedly before launch and after landing/recovery. RLV's should provide more efficiencies than ELV's, as long as MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) is well-planned-even for the unplanned problems. NASA's Space Shuttle is a primary example of an RLV which was supposed to thrive on reusability savings with efficient ground operations, but lessons learned show that costs were (and still are) much greater than expected. International standards and specifications can provide the commonality needed to simplify design and manufacturing as well as to improve safety, quality, maintenance, and operability. There are standards organizations engaged in the space industry, but ground processing is one of the areas least addressed. Challenges are encountered due to various factors often not considered during development. Multiple vehicle elements, sites, customers, and contractors pose various functional and integration difficulties. Resulting technical publication structures and methods are incongruent. Some processing products are still done on paper, some electronic, and many being converted in between. Business systems then are not fully compatible, and paper as well as electronic conversions are time-consuming and costly. NASA and its Shuttle contractors setup rules and systems to handle what has produced over 130 RLV launches, but they have had many challenges. Attempts have been made to apply aviation industry specifications to make the Shuttle more efficient with its ground processing. One efficiency project example was to make a Shuttle Maintenance Manual (SMM) based on the commercial ATA (Air Transport Association of America) Spec 100 for technical publications. This industry standard, along with others, has been a foundation for efficient global MRO of commercial airlines for years. A modified version was also made for some military aircraft. The SMM project found many similarities in Spec 100 which apply to the Shuttle, and room for expansion for space systems/structures not in aircraft. The SMM project team met with the ATA and representatives from NASA's X-33 and X-34 programs to discuss collaboration on a national space standard based on Spec 100. A pilot project was enabled for a subset of Shuttle systems. Full implementation was not yet achieved, X-33 and X-34 were cancelled, and the Shuttles were then designated for retirement. Nonetheless, we can learn from this project how to expand this concept to all space vehicle products. Since then, ATA has joined with ASD (AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe) and AIA (Aerospace Industries Association) to form a much-enhanced and expanded international specification: Sl000D, International Specification for Technical Publications. It includes air, land, and sea vehicles, missiles, support equipment, ordnance, and communications. It is used by a growing number of countries for commercial and government products. Its modular design is supported by a Common Source Dabase (CSDB), and COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) software is available for production of IETP's (Interactive Electronic Technical Publications). A few space industry products in Europe have begun to apply Sl000D already. Also, there are other related standards/specifications which have global implications. We have an opportunity to adapt Sl000D and possibly other standards for use with space vehicles and ground systems. Sl000D has plenty of flexibility to apply to any product needed. To successfully grow the viability of the space industry, all members, commercial and government, will need to engage cooperatively in developing and applying standards to move toward interoperability. If we leverage and combine the best existing space standards and specifications, develop new ones to address known gaps, and adapt the best applicable features from other industries, we can establish an infrastructure to not only accelerate current development, but also build longevity for a more cohesive international space community.

Ingalls, John↗

The Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR): Decadal Mission Concept Study Update

In preparation for the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics, NASA commissioned the study of four large mission concepts: the Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR), the Habitable Exoplanet Imager (HabEx), the far-infrared surveyor Origins Space Telescope (OST), and the X-ray surveyor Lynx. The LUVOIR Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) has identified a broad range of science objectives for LUVOIR that include the direct imaging and spectral characterization of habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars, the study of galaxy formation and evolution, the exchange of matter between galaxies, star and planet formation, and the remote sensing of Solar System objects. The LUVOIR Study Office, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), is developing two mission concepts to achieve the science objectives. LUVOIR-A is a 15-meter segmented-aperture observatory that would be launched in an 8.4-m extended fairing on the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 2 configuration. LUVOIR-B is an 8-meter unobscured segmented aperture telescope that fits in a smaller, conventional 5-meter fairing, but still requires the lift capacity of the SLS Block 1B Cargo vehicle. Both concepts include a suite of serviceable instruments: the Extreme Coronagraph for Living Planetary Systems (ECLIPS), an optical/near-infrared coronagraph capable of delivering 10 (sup minus10) contrast at inner working angles as small as 2 lambda divided by D; the LUVOIR UV Multi-object Spectrograph (LUMOS), which will provide low- and medium-resolution UV (100-400 nanometer) multi-object imaging spectroscopy in addition to far-UV imaging; the High Definition Imager (HDI), a high-resolution wide-field-of-view NUV-Optical-NIR imager. LUVOIR-A also has a fourth instrument, Pollux, a high-resolution UV spectro-polarimeter being contributed by Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). This paper provides an overview of the LUVIOR science objectives, design drivers, and mission concepts.

Decadal Study↗

The Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR): Decadal Mission Concept Study Update

In preparation for the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics, NASA commissioned the study of four large mission concepts: the Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR), the Habitable Exoplanet Imager (HabEx), the far-infrared surveyor Origins Space Telescope (OST), and the X-ray surveyor Lynx. The LUVOIR Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) has identified a broad range of science objectives for LUVOIR that include the direct imaging and spectral characterization of habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars, the study of galaxy formation and evolution, the exchange of matter between galaxies, star and planet formation, and the remote sensing of Solar System objects. The LUVOIR Study Office, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), is developing two mission concepts to achieve the science objectives. LUVOIR-A is a 15-meter segmented-aperture observatory that would be launched in an 8.4-meter extended fairing on the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 2 configuration. LUVOIR-B is an 8-meter unobscured segmented aperture telescope that fits in a smaller, conventional 5-meter fairing, but still requires the lift capacity of the SLS Block 1B Cargo vehicle. Both concepts include a suite of serviceable instruments: the Extreme Coronagraph for Living Planetary Systems (ECLIPS), an optical/near-infrared coronagraph capable of delivering 10 (sup minus 10) contrast at inner working angles as small as 2 lambda divided by D; the LUVOIR UV Multi-object Spectrograph (LUMOS), which will provide low- and medium-resolution UV (100-400 nanometer) multi-object imaging spectroscopy in addition to far-UV imaging; the High Definition Imager (HDI), a high-resolution wide-field-of-view NUV-Optical-NIR imager. LUVOIR-A also has a fourth instrument, Pollux, a high-resolution UV spectro-polarimeter being contributed by Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). This paper provides an overview of the LUVIOR science objectives, design drivers, and mission concepts.

Decadal Study↗

A Laser Heterodyne Radiometer for Sampling Plumes of Icy Moons

We propose to develop an instrument capable of passively sampling plumes in icy moon environments for the components needed for life and habitability. The compact, low-mass and power, orbital instrument would be an occultation-viewing laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) that collects sunlight passing through the plumes of icy moons to measure abundancies of key trace gases such as water vapor, methane, ethane, carbon dioxide, and their isotopes. Laser heterodyne radiometers are based on radio receiver technology and have been applied to measurements of trace gases in Earth and planetary atmospheres since the 1960s. Our team has recently adapted this technology into a 4U (20cm x 20cm x 10cm) CubeSat instrument to measure carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere (launching on Virgin Orbit in 2019) and have the experience to develop this into a compact science payload to monitor gases emerging from icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter.

laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR)↗

Structure from Motion Photogrammetry and Micro X-Ray Computed Tomography 3-D Reconstruction Data Fusion for Non-Destructive Conservation Documentation of Lunar Samples

Our team is developing a modern, cross-disciplinary approach to documentation and preservation of astromaterials, specifically lunar and meteorite samples stored at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility. Apollo Lunar Sample 60639, collected as part of rake sample 60610 during the 3rd Extra-Vehicular Activity of the Apollo 16 mission in 1972, served as the first NASA-preserved lunar sample to be examined by our team in the development of a novel approach to internal and external sample visualization. Apollo Sample 60639 is classified as a breccia with a glass-coated side and pristine mare basalt and anorthosite clasts. The aim was to accurately register a 3-dimensional Micro X-Ray Computed Tomography (XCT)-derived internal composition data set and a Structure-From-Motion (SFM) Photogrammetry-derived high-fidelity, textured external polygonal model of Apollo Sample 60639. The developed process provided the means for accurate, comprehensive, non-destructive visualization of NASA's heritage lunar samples. The data products, to be ultimately served via an end-user web interface, will allow researchers and the public to interact with the unique heritage samples, providing a platform to "slice through" a photo-realistic rendering of a sample to analyze both its external visual and internal composition simultaneously.

Beaulieu, K. R.↗

Solar Flare Physics

During the past year we have been working with the HESSI (High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager) team in preparation for launch in early 2001. HESSI has as its primary scientific goal photometric imaging and spectroscopy of solar flares in hard X-rays and gamma-rays with an approx. 2 sec angular resolution, approx. keV energy resolution and approx. 2 s time resolution over the 6 keV to 15 MeV energy range. We have performed tests of the imager using a specially designed experiment which exploits the second-harmonic response of HESSI's sub-collimators to an artificial X-ray source at a distance of 1550 cm from its front grids. Figures show the response to X-rays at energies in the range where HESSI is expected to image solar flares. To prepare the team and the solar user community for imaging flares with HESSI, we have written a description of the major imaging concepts. This paper will be submitted for publication in a referred journal.

Schmahl, Edward J.↗