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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2006

Airborne Precision Spacing: A Trajectory-based Approach to Improve Terminal Area Operations

Airborne Precision Spacing has been developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) over the past seven years as an attempt to benefit from the capabilities of the flight deck to precisely space their aircraft relative to another aircraft. This development has leveraged decades of work on improving terminal area operations, especially the arrival phase. With APS operations, the air traffic controller instructs the participating aircraft to achieve an assigned inter-arrival spacing interval at the runway threshold, relative to another aircraft. The flight crew then uses airborne automation to manage the aircraft s speed to achieve the goal. The spacing tool is designed to keep the speed within acceptable operational limits, promote system-wide stability, and meet the assigned goal. This reallocation of tasks with the controller issuing strategic goals and the flight crew managing the tactical achievement of those goals has been shown to be feasible through simulation and flight test. A precision of plus or minus 2-3 seconds is generally achievable. Simulations of long strings of arriving traffic show no signs of instabilities or compression waves. Subject pilots have rated the workload to be similar to current-day operations and eye-tracking data substantiate this result. This paper will present a high-level review of research results over the past seven years from a variety of tests and experiments. The results will focus on the precision and accuracy achievable, flow stability and some major sources of uncertainty. The paper also includes a summary of the flight crew s procedures and interface and a brief concept overview.

Barmore, Bryan↗
NASA NTRS1996

Challenger Anniversary Resource Tape

This commemorative video marks the tenth anniversary, January 28, 1986, of the ninth Challenger flight and the seven astronauts onboard who died when the Challenger exploded 73 seconds into flight. The flight crew was comprised of Cmdr. Francis R. Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, and Mission Specialists Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka, Ronald E. McNair, Gregory Jarvis (Hughes Aircraft representative), and S. Christie McAuliffe (teacher). The flight crew is shown performing preflight training, physiological tests, environmental tests, press conferences, prelaunch activities, and launch activities. The Challenger explosion is shown from both the launch site and from the control center. Various rescue operations, news coverage, and shots of the wreckage after salvage are also presented. President Ronald Reagan is shown giving a tribute at the memorial service for the flight crew. The video ends with a flyby salute and pictures of each of the members of the Challenger.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

Air Ground Integration Study

A simulation was conducted to examine the effect of shared air/ground authority when each is equipped with enhanced traffic- and conflict-alerting systems. The potential benefits of an advanced air traffic management (ATM) concept referred to as "free flight" include improved safety through enhanced conflict detection and resolution capabilities, increased flight-operations management, and better decision-making tools for air traffic controllers and flight crews. One element of the free-flight concept suggests shifting aircraft separation responsibility from air traffic controllers to flight crews, thereby creating an environment with "shared-separation" authority. During FY00. NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center completed the first integrated, high-fidelity, real-time, human-in-the-loop simulation.

Lozito, Sandy↗
NASA NTRS1990

STS-33 Crew Post Flight Film

This video contains footage selected by the Commander and crew of the STS-33 DoD mission, including launch, limited onboard activities, and landing.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2018

Pairwise Trajectory Management (PTM): Concept Description and Documentation

Pairwise Trajectory Management (PTM) is an Interval Management (IM) concept that utilizes airborne and ground-based capabilities to enable the implementation of airborne pairwise spacing capabilities in oceanic regions. The goal of PTM is to use airborne surveillance and tools to manage an "at or greater than" inter-aircraft spacing. Due to the accuracy of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) information and the use of airborne spacing guidance, the minimum PTM spacing distance will be less than distances a controller can support with current automation systems that support oceanic operations. Ground tools assist the controller in evaluating the traffic picture and determining appropriate PTM clearances to be issued. Avionics systems provide guidance information that allows the flight crew to conform to the PTM clearance issued by the controller. The combination of a reduced minimum distance and airborne spacing management will increase the capacity and efficiency of aircraft operations at a given altitude or volume of airspace. This document provides an overview of the proposed application, a description of several key scenarios, a high level discussion of expected air and ground equipment and procedure changes, a description of a NASA human-machine interface (HMI) prototype for the flight crew that would support PTM operations, and initial benefits analysis results. Additionally, included as appendices, are the following documents: the PTM Operational Services and Environment Definition (OSED) document and a companion "Future Considerations for the Pairwise Trajectory Management (PTM) Concept: Potential Future Updates for the PTM OSED" paper, a detailed description of the PTM algorithm and PTM Limit Mach rules, initial PTM safety requirements and safety assessment documents, a detailed description of the design, development, and initial evaluations of the proposed flight crew HMI, an overview of the methodology and results of PTM pilot training requirements focus group and human-in-the-loop testing activities, and the PTM Pilot Guide.

Jones, Kenneth M.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Technology-enabled Airborne Spacing and Merging

Over the last several decades, advances in airborne and groundside technologies have allowed the Air Traffic Service Provider (ATSP) to give safer and more efficient service, reduce workload and frequency congestion, and help accommodate a critically escalating traffic volume. These new technologies have included advanced radar displays, and data and communication automation to name a few. In step with such advances, NASA Langley is developing a precision spacing concept designed to increase runway throughput by enabling the flight crews to manage their inter-arrival spacing from TRACON entry to the runway threshold. This concept is being developed as part of NASA s Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM) project under the Advanced Air Transportation Technologies Program. Precision spacing is enabled by Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), which provides air-to-air data exchange including position and velocity reports; real-time wind information and other necessary data. On the flight deck, a research prototype system called Airborne Merging and Spacing for Terminal Arrivals (AMSTAR) processes this information and provides speed guidance to the flight crew to achieve the desired inter-arrival spacing. AMSTAR is designed to support current ATC operations, provide operationally acceptable system-wide increases in approach spacing performance and increase runway throughput through system stability, predictability and precision spacing. This paper describes problems and costs associated with an imprecise arrival flow. It also discusses methods by which Air Traffic Controllers achieve and maintain an optimum interarrival interval, and explores means by which AMSTAR can assist in this pursuit. AMSTAR is an extension of NASA s previous work on in-trail spacing that was successfully demonstrated in a flight evaluation at Chicago O Hare International Airport in September 2002. In addition to providing for precision inter-arrival spacing, AMSTAR provides speed guidance for aircraft on converging routes to safely and smoothly merge onto a common approach. Much consideration has been given to working with operational conditions such as imperfect ADS-B data, wind prediction errors, changing winds, differing aircraft types and wake vortex separation requirements. A series of Monte Carlo simulations are planned for the spring and summer of 2004 at NASA Langley to further study the system behavior and performance under more operationally extreme and varying conditions. This will coincide with a human-in-the-loop study to investigate the flight crew interface, workload and acceptability.

Hull, James↗
NASA NTRS2013

An Investigation of Flight Deck Data Link in the Terminal Area

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and Europe's Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) concepts require an increased use of trajectory-based operations, including extensive strategic air traffic control clearances. The clearances are lengthy and complex, which necessitate data link communications to allow for message permanence and integration into the autoflight systems (i.e., autoload capability). This paper examines the use of flight deck data link communications for strategic and tactical clearance usage in the terminal area. A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted using a high-fidelity flight deck simulator, with ten commercial flight crews as participants. Data were collected from six flight scenarios in the San Francisco terminal airspace. The variables of interest were ATC message modality (voice v. data link), temporal quality of the message (tactical v. strategic) and message length. Dependent variables were message response times, communication clarifications, communication-related errors, and pilot workload. Response time results were longer in data link compared to voice, a finding that has been consistently revealed in a number of other simulations [1]. In addition, strategic clearances and longer messages resulted in a greater number of clarifications and errors, suggesting an increase in uncertainty of message interpretation for the flight crews when compared to tactical clearances. The implications for strategic and compound clearance usage in NextGen and SESAR are discussed

data link communication↗
NASA NTRS1980

Aviation accidents and the theory of the situation

Social-psychological factors effecting the performance of flight crews are examined. In particular, a crew member's perceptual-psychological constructs of the flight situation (theories of the situation) are discussed. The skills and willingness of a flight crew to be alert to possible errors in the theory become critical to their effectiveness and their ability to ensure a safe flight. Several major factors that determine the likelihood that a faulty theory will be detected and revised are identified.

Bolman, L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Pilots' use of a traffic alert and collision-avoidance system (TCAS 2) in simulated air carrier operations. Volume 1: Methodology, summary and conclusions

Pilots' use of and responses to a traffic alert and collision-avoidance system (TCAS 2) in simulated air carrier line operations are described in Volume 1. TCAS 2 monitors the positions of nearby aircraft by means of transponder interrogation, and it commands a climb or descent when conflicting aircraft are projected to reach an unsafe closest point-of-approach within 20 to 25 seconds. A different level of information about the location of other air traffic was presented to each of three groups of flight crews during their execution of eight simulated air carrier flights. A fourth group of pilots flew the same segments without TCAS 2 equipment. Traffic conflicts were generated at intervals during the flights; many of the conflict aircraft were visible to the flight crews. The TCAS equipment successfully ameliorated the seriousness of all conflicts; three of four non-TCAS crews had hazardous encounters. Response times to TCAS maneuver commands did not differ as a function of the amount of information provided, nor did response accuracy. Differences in flight experience did not appear to contribute to the small performance differences observed. Pilots used the displays of conflicting traffic to maneuver to avoid unseen traffic before maneuver advisories were issued by the TCAS equipment. The results indicate: (1) that pilots utilize TCAS effectively within the response times allocated by the TCAS logic, and (2) that TCAS 2 is an effective collision avoidance device. Volume II contains the appendices referenced in Volume I, providing details of the experiment and the results, and the text of two reports written in support of the program.

Chappell, Sheryl L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Pilots' use of a traffic alert and collision-avoidance system (TCAS 2) in simulated air carrier operations. Volume 2: Appendices

Pilots' use of and responses to a traffic alert and collision-avoidance system (TCAS 2) in simulated air carrier line operations are discribed in Volume 1. TCAS 2 monitors the positions of nearby aircraft by means of transponder interrogation, and it commands a climb or descent which conflicting aircraft are projected to reach an unsafe closest point-of-approach within 20 to 25 seconds. A different level of information about the location of other air traffic was presented to each of three groups of flight crews during their execution of eight simulated air carrier flights. A fourth group of pilots flew the same segments without TCAS 2 equipment. Traffic conflicts were generated at intervals during the flights; many of the conflict aircraft were visible to the flight crews. The TCAS equipment successfully ameliorated the seriousness of all conflicts; three of four non-TCAS crews had hazardous encounters. Response times to TCAS maneuver commands did not differ as a function of the amount of information provided, nor did response accuracy. Differences in flight experience did not appear to contribute to the small performance differences observed. Pilots used the displays of conflicting traffic to maneuver to avoid unseen traffic before maneuver advisories were issued by the TCAS equipment. The results indicate: (1) that pilots utilize TCAS effectively within the response times allocated by the TCAS logic, and (2) that TCAS 2 is an effective collision avoidance device. Volume 2 contains the appendices referenced in Volume 1, providing details of the experiment and the results, and the text of two reports written in support of the program.

Chappell, Sheryl L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Spacelab flight operations

The paper covers the primary activities involved in Spacelab flight operations. These operations are characterized by a partnership between the operators of the Space Transportation System (STS) and the mission management organization which involves the activities of flight control personnel and the flight crew, and must exist as an integrated team to complete a Spacelab flight. An overview of this partnership is presented from the initial planning phase through the actual flight operation, noting the responsibilities and functions of the flight crew members and the makeup of the flight control team. A typical flight scenario describing the basic operation of the Spacelab and a description of the Mission Control Center and Payload Operations Control Center are given.

Harlan, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Flight Deck Weather Avoidance Decision Support: Implementation and Evaluation

Weather related disruptions account for seventy percent of the delays in the National Airspace System (NAS). A key component in the weather plan of the Next Generation of Air Transportation System (NextGen) is to assimilate observed weather information and probabilistic forecasts into the decision process of flight crews and air traffic controllers. In this research we explore supporting flight crew weather decision making through the development of a flight deck predicted weather display system that utilizes weather predictions generated by ground-based radar. This system integrates and presents this weather information, together with in-flight trajectory modification tools, within a cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) prototype. that the CDTI features 2D and perspective 3D visualization models of weather. The weather forecast products that we implemented were the Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS) and the Convective Weather Avoidance Model (CWAM), both developed by MIT Lincoln Lab. We evaluated the use of CIWS and CWAM for flight deck weather avoidance in two part-task experiments. Experiment 1 compared pilots' en route weather avoidance performance in four weather information conditions that differed in the type and amount of predicted forecast (CIWS current weather only, CIWS current and historical weather, CIWS current and forecast weather, CIWS current and forecast weather and CWAM predictions). Experiment 2 compared the use of perspective 3D and 21/2D presentations of weather for flight deck weather avoidance. Results showed that pilots could take advantage of longer range predicted weather forecasts in performing en route weather avoidance but more research will be needed to determine what combinations of information are optimal and how best to present them.

CWAM↗
NASA NTRS1992

Crew decision making under stress

Flight crews must make decisions and take action when systems fail or emergencies arise during flight. These situations may involve high stress. Full-missiion flight simulation studies have shown that crews differ in how effectively they cope in these circumstances, judged by operational errors and crew coordination. The present study analyzed the problem solving and decision making strategies used by crews led by captains fitting three different personality profiles. Our goal was to identify more and less effective strategies that could serve as the basis for crew selection or training. Methods: Twelve 3-member B-727 crews flew a 5-leg mission simulated flight over 1 1/2 days. Two legs included 4 abnormal events that required decisions during high workload periods. Transcripts of videotapes were analyzed to describe decision making strategies. Crew performance (errors and coordination) was judged on-line and from videotapes by check airmen. Results: Based on a median split of crew performance errors, analyses to date indicate a difference in general strategy between crews who make more or less errors. Higher performance crews showed greater situational awareness - they responded quickly to cues and interpreted them appropriately. They requested more decision relevant information and took into account more constraints. Lower performing crews showed poorer situational awareness, planning, constraint sensitivity, and coordination. The major difference between higher and lower performing crews was that poorer crews made quick decisions and then collected information to confirm their decision. Conclusion: Differences in overall crew performance were associated with differences in situational awareness, information management, and decision strategy. Captain personality profiles were associated with these differences, a finding with implications for crew selection and training.

Orasanu, J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

STS-46 Special Events Resource Tape, Part 2 of 2

A continuation of 'STS-46 Special Events Resource Tape, Part 1 of 2', the STS-46 Atlantis in-flight crew interviews proceed. Claude Nicollier is interviewed (in French) during a European Space Agency (ESA) VIP call and ESA press conference. The entire crew answers questions (in English) in an in-flight crew press conference about the mission.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2016

Emerging Technologies for Airplane State Awareness and Prediction

Loss of control in flight (LOC-I) is consistently the leading cause of fatal aircraft accidents. A study of LOC accidents and incidents, commissioned by the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) identified a growing trend in loss of Airplane State Awareness (ASA) by the flight crew. This has led to recommended safety enhancements that include flight deck technologies with the potential of enhancing flight crew awareness of airplane energy state. The goal of this research is to develop and evaluate technologies that predict and assess the future aircraft energy state and auto-flight configuration, and provide appropriate alerting to anticipated problematic auto-flight inputs, with the aim of enhancing pilots situational awareness.

Aircraft Safety↗
NASA NTRS2019

Capability Considerations for Enhancing Safety on Long Duration Crewed Missions: Insights from a Technical Interchange Meeting on Autonomous Crew Operations

As future flight crews on long duration deep space missions are expected to operate more autonomously, considerations must be given to onboard capabilities and human-computer teaming that will fortify the safety net traditionally provided by the Mission Control Center. In August 2018, the Human Factors and Behavioral Performance Element of NASA's Human Research Program convened a Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) on Autonomous Crew Operations at NASA Ames Research Center to address how intelligent technologies can be utilized to augment crew capabilities to support real-time anomaly response. In this paper, we highlight three topic areas discussed at the TIM that have direct implications for future crew anomaly response capabilities: smart structures, cognitive assistants, and manpower.

autonomous crew operations↗
NASA NTRS2018

Design Optimisation and Mass Saving of the Structure of the Orion-MPCV European Service Module

This paper presents an overview of the design optimisation measures that have been proposed and analysed in order to reduce the mass of the structure, including the MMOD (Micro-Meteoroid and Orbital Debris) protection system, of the ESM (European Service Module) for the “Orion” MPCV (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle). Under an agreement between NASA and ESA, the NASA Orion MPCV for human space exploration missions will be powered by a European Service Module, based on the design and experience of the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle). The development and qualification of the European Service Module is managed and implemented by ESA. The ESM prime contractor and system design responsible is Airbus Defence and Space. Thales Alenia Space Italia is responsible for the design and integration of the ESM Structure and MMOD protection system in addition to the Thermal Control System and the Consumable Storage System. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle is a pressurized, crewed spacecraft that transports up to four crew members from the Earth’s surface to a nearby destination or staging point. Orion then brings the crew members safely back to the Earth’s surface at the end of the mission. Orion provides all services necessary to support the crew members while on-board for short duration missions (up to 21 days) or until they are transferred to another orbiting habitat. The ESM supports the crew module from launch through separation prior to re-entry by providing: in-space propulsion capability for orbital transfer, attitude control, and high altitude ascent aborts; water and oxygen/nitrogen needed for a habitable environment; and electrical power generation. In addition, it maintains the temperature of the vehicle's systems and components and offers space for unpressurized cargo and scientific payloads. The ESM has been designed for the first 2 Lunar orbit missions, EM-1 (Exploration mission 1) is an un-crewed flight planned around mid-2020, and EM-2, the first crewed flight, is planned in 2022. At the time where the first ESM is about to be weighted, the predicted mass lies slightly above the initial requirement. For future builds, mass reduction of the Service Module has been considered necessary. This is being investigated, together with other design improvements, in order to consolidate the ESM design and increase possible future missions beyond the first two Orion MPCV missions. The mass saving study has introduced new optimised structural concepts, optimisation of the MMOD protection shields, and optimised redesign of parts for manufacturing through AM (Additive Manufacturing).

Micro-Meteroids and Orbital Debris Protection Syst↗
NASA NTRS1991

An exploration of function analysis and function allocation in the commercial flight domain

The applicability is explored of functional analysis methods to support cockpit design. Specifically, alternative techniques are studied for ensuring an effective division of responsibility between the flight crew and automation. A functional decomposition is performed of the commercial flight domain to provide the information necessary to support allocation decisions and demonstrate methodology for allocating functions to flight crew or to automation. The function analysis employed 'bottom up' and 'top down' analyses and demonstrated the comparability of identified functions, using the 'lift off' segment of the 'take off' phase as a test case. The normal flight mission and selected contingencies were addressed. Two alternative methods for using the functional description in the allocation of functions between man and machine were investigated. The two methods were compared in order to ascertain their relative strengths and weaknesses. Finally, conclusions were drawn regarding the practical utility of function analysis methods.

Mcguire, James C.↗