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Results for “Beam control”

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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Quantitative analysis of bidirectional electron fluxes within coronal mass ejections at 1 AU

The solar wind electron heat flux is carried primarily by suprathermal electrons beamed antisunward along the interplanetary magnetic field. However, analysis of electron observations at 1 AU has shown that counterstreaming electron beams, suggesting closed magnetic structures, prevail within coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These structures might be magnetic 'tongues', magnetically detached plasmoids, or complex flux ropes. Here we show results of analysis of ISEE-3 observations within 39 CMEs, including the asymmetry between the two beams, its control by magnetic field orientation, and the variation of the electron distributions as CMEs convect past the spacecraft. We find that some CMEs are strongly asymmetric, with the antisunward beam generally dominant, while others contain nearly symmetric beams. The beam asymmetries, and the magnetic field orientations, exhibit characteristic trends as CMEs pass over the spacecraft. We present an example of a distinctive 'strahl-on-strahl' distribution, suggesting continued magnetic connection to the corona, in which a narrow antisunward beam is superimposed on a broader beam. Our results favor continuing magnetic connection to the Sun in a tongue or flux rope geometry rather than a fully detached plasmoid.

Phillips, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Optical Phased Array Using Guided Resonance with Backside Reflectors

Methods and systems for controlling the phase of electromagnetic waves are disclosed. A device can consist of a guided resonance grating layer, a spacer, and a reflector. A plurality of devices, arranged in a grid pattern, can control the phase of reflected electromagnetic phase, through refractive index control. Carrier injection, temperature control, and optical beams can be applied to control the refractive index.

Horie, Yu↗
NASA NTRS2018

Optical Phased Array Using Guided Resonance with Backside Reflectors

Methods and systems for controlling the phase of electromagnetic waves are disclosed. A device can consist of a guided resonance grating layer, a spacer, and a reflector. A plurality of devices, arranged in a grid pattern, can control the phase of reflected electromagnetic phase, through refractive index control. Carrier injection, temperature control, and optical beams can be applied to control the refractive index.

Horie, Yu↗
NASA NTRS1968

Power Matching of an Ion Thruster to Solar Cell Power Output

A 20-cm-diam thruster was operated over a 2:1 range of output power, allowing for continuous matching of thruster power to a varying solar cell output level. The technique of matching power by varying either the ion beam current or the net accelerating voltage is described. Ion beam current control, implemented in thruster control loops, utilized existing laboratory hardware. Stable thruster operation was achieved over a range of 1000 to 2000 W. Bistable values of mercury propellant flow at the same discharge chamber and ion beam conditions were also observed.

Pawlik, Eugene V.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Diode laser power module for beamed power transmission

Recent progress with powerful, efficient, and coherent monolithic diode master-oscillator/power-amplifier (M-MOPA) systems is promising for the development of a space-based diode laser power station. A conceptual design of a 50-kW diode laser power module was made for space-based power stations capable of beaming coherent power to the moon, Martian rovers, or other satellites. The laser diode power module consists of a solar photovoltaic array or nuclear power source, diode laser arrays (LDAs), a phase controller, beam-steering optics, a thermal management unit, and a radiator. Thermal load management and other relevant aspects of the system (such as power requirements and system mass) are considered. The 50-kW power module described includes the highest available efficiency of LD M-MOPA system to date. However, the overall efficiency of three amplifier stages, including the coupling efficiency, turns out to be 55.5 percent. Though a chain of PA stages generates a high-power coherent beam, there is a penalty due to the coupling loss between stages. The specific power of the 50-kW module using solar power is 6.58 W/kg.

Choi, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A mathematical problem and a Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE) used to evaluate control laws for flexible spacecraft. NASA/IEEE design challenge

The problen of controlling large, flexible space systems has been evaluated using computer simulation. In several cases, ground experiments have also been used to validate system performance under more realistic conditions. There remains a need, however, to test additional control laws for flexible spacecraft and to directly compare competing design techniques. A program is discussed which has been initiated to make direct comparisons of control laws for, first, a mathematical problem, then and experimental test article being assembled under the cognizance of the Spacecraft Control Branch at the NASA Langley Research Center with the advice and counsel of the IEEE Subcommittee on Large Space Structures. The physical apparatus will consist of a softly supported dynamic model of an antenna attached to the Shuttle by a flexible beam. The control objective will include the task of directing the line-of-sight of the Shuttle antenna configuration toward a fixed target, under conditions of noisy data, control authority and random disturbances.

Taylor, Lawrence W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Software for continuum modeling of controls-structures interactions

It is clear that computer software is needed to assist in the generation of the equations of motion for complex, flexible spacecraft. Daniel Poelaert of ESTEC has developed the software DISTEL with which he has modeled the structural dynamics for different satellites. He is interested in expanding the capabilities of DISTEL to include structural damping and control systems. Unfortunately, the software has not been released. The author has developed similar software, PDEMOD, which has been used to model the Spacecraft control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE), the Solar Array Flight Experiment (SAFE), the Mini-MAST truss, and the LACE satellite. PDEMOD has been used also for optimal parameter estimation and integrated control-structures design. PDEMOD is also being extended to include structural damping and control systems which are imbedded into the same equations for the structural dynamics. This paper will address the formulation of the equations for the structural dynamics of spacecraft structures which are constructed of a 3-dimensional arrangement of rigid bodies and flexible beam elements. Control system dynamics are imbedded into the same equations so that model order reduction approximations are not necessary. The input data consists of the physical data of the elements and the topological information describing how the elements are connected. PDEMOD accomplishes the following: (1) automatically assembles the equations of motion for the entire structural model; (2) calculates the modal frequencies; (3) calculates the mode shapes; (4) generates perspective views of the mode shapes; and (5) forms selected transfer functions. The software PDEMOD continues to be developed to provide additional features to assist in analyzing and synthesizing control and structural systems for flexible spacecraft.

Taylor, Lawrence W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Vibration Control of Deployable Astromast Boom: Preliminary Experiments

This paper deals with the dynamic characterization of a flexible aerospace solar boom. The modeling issues and sine dwell vibration testing to determine natural frequencies and mode shapes of a continuous-longer on deployable ASTROMAST lattice boom are discussed. The details of the proof-of-concept piezoelectric active vibration experiments on a simple cantilever beam to control its vibrations are presented. The control parameters like voltage to the controller crystal and its location are investigated, to determine the effectiveness of control element to suppress selected resonant vibrations of the test specimen. Details of this experiment and plans for its future adaptation to the prototype structure are also discussed.

Swaminadham, M.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Simplified Lasercom System Architecture Using a Disturbance-Free Platform

A simplified laser communications (lasercom) system architecture, primarily for a deep-space flight transceivers, can be realized by decoupling the lasercom optical components from the host spacecraft using a disturbance-free platform (DFP) developed by Lockheed Martin Space System Company. Unlike conventional lasercom system architectures where a high bandwidth control loop is used to stabilize the optical line-of-sight in the presence of platform disturbance, the DFP package isolates the optical train from the high frequency platform jitter produced by the host. By preventing the vibration from coupling into the optics train, the need for a high bandwidth beam stabilization control loop (including fast steering mirror, detectors, controls and the associated relay optics) is eliminated with possible mass savings.

deep space↗
NASA NTRS1986

Multiple beam phased array for Space Station Control Zone Communications

The Space Station Communications Control Zone is a disk shaped region 40 nautical miles in diameter and 10 nautical miles thick centered about the Space Station. It is estimated that 6 simultaneous Multiple Access (MA) channels will be required to satisfy the projected communications needs within this zone. These channels will be used to communicate with MA users located anywhere within the Control Zone. This paper details the tradeoffs and design implementation of a multiple beam integrated phased array to provide antenna coverage of the Control Zone. The array is a compact, modular assembly using Gallium Arsenide circuits, microstrip elements, and advanced packaging techniques. This results in a small, reliable antenna system capable of meeting the projected Space Station requirements and flexible enough to grow and evolve as the Space Station communications needs develop.

Halsema, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Magnetic bearings-state of the art

Magnetic bearings have existed for many years, at least in theory. Earnshaw's theorem, formulated in 1842, concerns stability of magnetic suspensions, and states that not all axes of a bearing can be stable without some means of active control. In Beam's widely referenced experiments, a tiny (1/64 in diameter) rotor was rotated to the astonishing speed of 800,000 rps while it was suspended in a magnetic field. Despite a long history, magnetic bearings have only begun to see practical application since about 1980. The development that finally made magnetic bearings practical was solid state electronics, enabling power supplies and controls to be reduced in size to where they are now comparable in volume to the bearings themselves. An attempt is made to document the current (1991) state of the art of magnetic bearings. The referenced papers are large drawn from two conferences publications published in 1988 and 1990 respectively.

Fleming, David P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Magnetic bearings - State of the art

Magnetic bearings have existed for many years, at least in theory. Earnshaw's theorem, formulated in 1842, concerns stability of magnetic suspensions, and states that not all axes of a bearing can be stable without some means of active control. In Beam's widely referenced experiments, a tiny (1/64 in diameter) rotor was rotated to the astonishing speed of 800,000 rps while it was suspended in a magnetic field. Despite a long history, magnetic bearings have only begun to see practical application since about 1980. The development that finally made magnetic bearings practical was solid state electronics, enabling power supplies and controls to be reduced in size to where they are now comparable in volume to the bearings themselves. An attempt is made to document the current (1991) state of the art of magnetic bearings. The referenced papers are large drawn from two conferences publications published in 1988 and 1990 respectively.

Fleming, David P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Exploring electron-beam induced modifications of materials with machine-learning assisted high temporal resolution electron microscopy

Directed atomic fabrication using an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) opens new pathways for atomic engineering of functional materials. In this approach, the electron beam is used to actively alter the atomic structure through electron beam induced irradiation processes. One of the impediments that has limited widespread use thus far has been the ability to understand the fundamental mechanisms of atomic transformation pathways at high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we develop a workflow for obtaining and analyzing high-speed spiral scan STEM data, up to 100 fps, to track the atomic fabrication process during nanopore milling in monolayer MoS 2 . An automated feedback-controlled electron beam positioning system combined with deep convolution neural network (DCNN) was used to decipher fast but low signal-to-noise datasets and classify time-resolved atom positions and nature of their evolving atomic defect configurations. Through this automated decoding, the initial atomic disordering and reordering processes leading to nanopore formation was able to be studied across various timescales. Using these experimental workflows a greater degree of speed and information can be extracted from small datasets without compromising spatial resolution. This approach can be adapted to other 2D materials systems to gain further insights into the defect formation necessary to inform future automated fabrication techniques utilizing the STEM electron beam.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1975

A coherent light scanner for optical processing of large format transparencies

A laser scanner is discussed in which the scanning beam is random-access addressable and perpendicular to the image input plane and the irradiance of the scanned beam is controlled so that a constant average irradiance is maintained after passage through the image plane. The scanner's optical system and design are described, and its performance is evaluated. It is noted that with this scanner, data in the form of large-format transparencies can be processed without the expense, space, maintenance, and precautions attendant to the operation of a high-power laser with large-aperture collimating optics. It is shown that the scanned format as well as the diameter of the scanning beam may be increased by simple design modifications and that higher scan rates can be achieved at the expense of resolution by employing acousto-optic deflectors with different relay optics.

Callen, W. R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scalable phononic metamaterials: Tunable bandgap design and multi-scale experimental validation

Phononic metamaterials offer unprecedented control over wave propagation, making them essential for applications such as vibration isolation, waveguiding, and acoustic filtering. However, achieving scalable and precisely tunable bandgap properties across different length scales remains challenging. This study presents a user-friendly design framework for phononic metamaterials, enabling ultra-wide bandgap tunability (B/ω c ratios up to 172 %) across multiple frequency ranges and scales. Using finite element simulations of a Yablonovite-inspired unit cell, we establish a comprehensive parametric design space that illustrates how geometric parameters, such as sphere size and beam diameter, controls bandgap width and frequency. The scalability and robustness of the framework are validated through experimental testing on additively manufactured structures at both macro (10 mm) and micro (80 µm) scales, fabricated using Stereolithography and Two-Photon Polymerization. Transmission loss measurements, conducted with piezoelectric transducers and laser vibrometry, closely match simulations in the kHz and MHz frequency ranges, confirming the reliability and consistency of the bandgap behavior across scales. This work bridges theory and experiments at multiple scales, offering a practical methodology for the rapid design of phononic metamaterials and expanding their potential for diverse applications across a broad range of frequencies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Compensating slice emittance growth in high brightness photoinjectors using sacrificial charge

Achieving maximum electron beam brightness in photoinjectors requires detailed control of the 3D bunch shape and precise tuning of the beam focusing. Even in state-of-the-art designs, slice emittance growth due to nonlinear space charge forces and partial nonlaminarity often remains non-negligible. In this work, we introduce a new means to linearize the transverse slice phase space: a sacrificial portion of the bunch’s own charge distribution, formed into a wavebroken shock front by highly nonlinear space charge forces within the gun, whose downstream purpose is to dynamically linearize the desired bunch core. We show that linearization of an appropriately prepared bunch can be achieved via strongly nonlaminar focusing of the sacrificial shock front, while the inner core focuses laminarly. This leads to a natural spatial separation of the two distributions: a dense core surrounded by a diffuse halo of sacrificial charge that can be collimated. Multiobjective genetic algorithm optimizations of the ultracompact x-ray free electron laser injector employ this concept, and we interpret it with an analytic model that agrees well with the simulations. In simulation, we demonstrate a final bunch charge of 100 pC, peak current ∼ 30 A, and a sacrificial charge of 150 pC (250 pC total emitted from cathode) with normalized emittance growth of < 20 nm rad due to space charge. This implies a maximum achievable brightness approximately an order of magnitude greater than existing free electron laser injector designs. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dynamic beam shaping—Improving laser materials processing via feature synchronous energy coupling

Today, tailored laser beams are rarely used and thus an opportunity to optimize existing or introduce new processes is missed. New methods of dynamic beam shaping have the potential to change that in future. This keynote paper deals with methods allowing a transient energy input into the workpiece at such time scales that the underlying interaction processes are guided towards the desired result. It shows principles, categorizes necessary system technology, and gives application examples to familiarize the reader with the topic. It postulates that time-scale-dependent coupling between transient energy input and addressed process features is key for achieving the optimum.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗