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NASA NTRS2007

High-Performance, Radiation-Hardened Electronics for Space Environments

The Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Environments (RHESE) project endeavors to advance the current state-of-the-art in high-performance, radiation-hardened electronics and processors, ensuring successful performance of space systems required to operate within extreme radiation and temperature environments. Because RHESE is a project within the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP), RHESE's primary customers will be the human and robotic missions being developed by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) in partial fulfillment of the Vision for Space Exploration. Benefits are also anticipated for NASA's science missions to planetary and deep-space destinations. As a technology development effort, RHESE provides a broad-scoped, full spectrum of approaches to environmentally harden space electronics, including new materials, advanced design processes, reconfigurable hardware techniques, and software modeling of the radiation environment. The RHESE sub-project tasks are: SelfReconfigurable Electronics for Extreme Environments, Radiation Effects Predictive Modeling, Radiation Hardened Memory, Single Event Effects (SEE) Immune Reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) (SIRF), Radiation Hardening by Software, Radiation Hardened High Performance Processors (HPP), Reconfigurable Computing, Low Temperature Tolerant MEMS by Design, and Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) Integrated Electronics for Extreme Environments. These nine sub-project tasks are managed by technical leads as located across five different NASA field centers, including Ames Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Langley Research Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center. The overall RHESE integrated project management responsibility resides with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Initial technology development emphasis within RHESE focuses on the hardening of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA)s and Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA)s for use in reconfigurable architectures. As these component/chip level technologies mature, the RHESE project emphasis shifts to focus on efforts encompassing total processor hardening techniques and board-level electronic reconfiguration techniques featuring spare and interface modularity. This phased approach to distributing emphasis between technology developments provides hardened FPGA/FPAAs for early mission infusion, then migrates to hardened, board-level, high speed processors with associated memory elements and high density storage for the longer duration missions encountered for Lunar Outpost and Mars Exploration occurring later in the Constellation schedule.

Keys, Andrew S.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Propulsion Airframe Aeroacoustic Integration Effects for a Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft Configuration

An extensive experimental investigation was performed to study the propulsion airframe aeroacoustic effects of a high bypass ratio engine for a hybrid wing body aircraft configuration where the engine is installed above the wing. The objective was to provide an understanding of the jet noise shielding effectiveness as a function of engine gas condition and location as well as nozzle configuration. A 4.7% scale nozzle of a bypass ratio seven engine was run at characteristic cycle points under static and forward flight conditions. The effect of the pylon and its orientation on jet noise was also studied as a function of bypass ratio and cycle condition. The addition of a pylon yielded significant spectral changes lowering jet noise by up to 4dB at high polar angles and increasing it by 2 to 3dB at forward angles. In order to assess jet noise shielding, a planform representation of the airframe model, also at 4.7% scale was traversed relative to the jet nozzle from downstream to several diameters upstream of the wing trailing edge. Installations at two fan diameters upstream of the wing trailing edge provided only limited shielding in the forward arc at high frequencies for both the axisymmetric and a conventional round nozzle with pylon. This was consistent with phased array measurements suggesting that the high frequency sources are predominantly located near the nozzle exit and, consequently, are amenable to shielding. The mid to low frequencies sources were observed further downstream and shielding was insignificant. Chevrons were designed and used to impact the distribution of sources with the more aggressive design showing a significant upstream migration of the sources in the mid frequency range. Furthermore, the chevrons reduced the low frequency source levels and the typical high frequency increase due to the application of chevron nozzles was successfully shielded. The pylon was further modified with a technology that injects air through the shelf of the pylon which was effective in reducing low frequency noise and moving jet noise sources closer to the nozzle exit. In general, shielding effectiveness varied as a function of cycle condition with the cutback condition producing higher shielding compared to sideline power. The configuration with a more strongly immersed chevron and a pylon oriented opposite to the microphones produced the largest reduction in jet noise. In addition to the jet noise source, the shielding of a broadband point noise source was documented with up to 20 dB of noise reduction at directivity angles directly under the shielding surface.

Czech, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Propulsion Airframe Aeroacoustic Integration Effects for a Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft Configuration

An extensive experimental investigation was performed to study the propulsion airframe aeroacoustic effects of a high bypass ratio engine for a hybrid wing body aircraft configuration where the engine is installed above the wing. The objective was to provide an understanding of the jet noise shielding effectiveness as a function of engine gas condition and location as well as nozzle configuration. A 4.7% scale nozzle of a bypass ratio seven engine was run at characteristic cycle points under static and forward flight conditions. The effect of the pylon and its orientation on jet noise was also studied as a function of bypass ratio and cycle condition. The addition of a pylon yielded significant spectral changes lowering jet noise by up to 4 dB at high polar angles and increasing it by 2 to 3 dB at forward angles. In order to assess jet noise shielding, a planform representation of the airframe model, also at 4.7% scale was traversed such that the jet nozzle was positioned from downstream of to several diameters upstream of the airframe model trailing edge. Installations at two fan diameters upstream of the wing trailing edge provided only limited shielding in the forward arc at high frequencies for both the axisymmetric and a conventional round nozzle with pylon. This was consistent with phased array measurements suggesting that the high frequency sources are predominantly located near the nozzle exit and, consequently, are amenable to shielding. The mid to low frequency sources were observed further downstream and shielding was insignificant. Chevrons were designed and used to impact the distribution of sources with the more aggressive design showing a significant upstream migration of the sources in the mid frequency range. Furthermore, the chevrons reduced the low frequency source levels and the typical high frequency increase due to the application of chevron nozzles was successfully shielded. The pylon was further modified with a technology that injects air through the shelf of the pylon which was effective in reducing low frequency noise and moving jet noise sources closer to the nozzle exit. In general, shielding effectiveness varied as a function of cycle condition with the cutback condition producing higher shielding compared to sideline power. The configuration with a more strongly immersed chevron and a pylon oriented opposite to the microphones produced the largest reduction in jet noise. In addition to the jet noise source, the shielding of a broadband point noise source was documented with up to 20 dB of noise reduction at directivity angles directly under the shielding surface.

Czech, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS1980

SPS phase control studies

To properly point and form the SPS microwave power beam, the outputs of the power amplifiers in the transmitting array must be phased in a specific and coherent fashion. The purpose of the SPB phase control system is to bring this about reliably. A number of different phase control schemes were studied. The one selected for the SPS baseline system is a retrodirective CW phase that is distributed via fiber optics. The basis of this selection is relative technical simplicity and requisite assurance of success.

Lund, W. W.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Miniature L-Band Radar Transceiver

A miniature L-band transceiver that operates at a carrier frequency of 1.25 GHz has been developed as part of a generic radar electronics module (REM) that would constitute one unit in an array of many identical units in a very-large-aperture phased-array antenna. NASA and the Department of Defense are considering the deployment of such antennas in outer space; the underlying principles of operation, and some of those of design, also are applicable on Earth. The large dimensions of the antennas make it advantageous to distribute radio-frequency electronic circuitry into elements of the arrays. The design of the REM is intended to implement the distribution. The design also reflects a requirement to minimize the size and weight of the circuitry in order to minimize the weight of any such antenna. Other requirements include making the transceiver robust and radiation-hard and minimizing power demand. Figure 1 depicts the functional blocks of the REM, including the L-band transceiver. The key functions of the REM include signal generation, frequency translation, amplification, detection, handling of data, and radar control and timing. An arbitrary-waveform generator that includes logic circuitry and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) generates a linear-frequency-modulation chirp waveform. A frequency synthesizer produces local-oscillator signals used for frequency conversion and clock signals for the arbitrary-waveform generator, for a digitizer [that is, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC)], and for a control and timing unit. Digital functions include command, timing, telemetry, filtering, and high-rate framing and serialization of data for a high-speed scientific-data interface. The aforementioned digital implementation of filtering is a key feature of the REM architecture. Digital filters, in contradistinction to analog ones, provide consistent and temperature-independent performance, which is particularly important when REMs are distributed throughout a large array. Digital filtering also enables selection among multiple filter parameters as required for different radar operating modes. After digital filtering, data are decimated appropriately in order to minimize the data rate out of an antenna panel. The L-band transceiver (see Figure 2) includes a radio-frequency (RF)-to-baseband down-converter chain and an intermediate- frequency (IF)-to-RF up-converter chain. Transmit/receive (T/R) switches enable the use of a single feed to the antenna for both transmission and reception. The T/R switches also afford a built-in test capability by enabling injection of a calibration signal into the receiver chain. In order of decreasing priority, components of the transceiver were selected according to requirements of radiation hardness, then compactness, then low power. All of the RF components are radiation-hard. The noise figure (NF) was optimized to the extent that (1) a low-noise amplifier (LNA) (characterized by NF < 2 dB) was selected but (2) the receiver front-end T/R switches were selected for a high degree of isolation and acceptably low loss, regardless of the requirement to minimize noise.

McWatters, Dalia↗

NASA NTRS2000

Feasibility Activities Completed for the Direct Data Distribution (D(sup )3) Experiment

The Direct Data Distribution (D(sup 3)) project being designed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field will demonstrate a high-performance communications system that transmits information at up to 1.2 gigabits per second (Gbps) from an advanced technology payload carried by the space shuttles in low Earth orbit to small (0.9-m) autonomously tracking terminals on the Earth. The flight communications package features a solid-state, phased-array antenna operating in the commercial K-band frequency that electronically steers two independently controlled downlink beams toward low-cost tracking ground terminals. The array enables agile, vibration-free beam steering at reduced size and weight with increased reliability over traditional mechanically steered reflectors. The flight experiment will also demonstrate efficient digital modulation technology that allows transmission of substantially increased amounts of latency-tolerant data (up to 72 Gb of data per minute of contact time) with very high quality (10(exp -11) bit error rate). D(sup 3) enables transmission from low-Earth-orbit science spacecraft, the shuttles, or the International Space Station directly to NASA field centers and principle investigator sites, or directly into the commercial terrestrial telecommunications network for remote distribution and archive. The ground terminal features a cryocooled receiver for ultralow noise and a reduced antenna aperture as well as open-loop tracking for unattended operations. The D(sup 3) technology validation and service demonstration will help to facilitate NASA's transition from using Government-owned communications assets to using commercially provided services.

Wald, Lawrence W.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Numerical Modeling and In-Situ Observations of the Dynamics of the Solid/Liquid Interface Morphology During Directional Solidification of Alloys

The departure from interface planarity and the subsequent evolution to a periodic array of cells or dendrites is a fundamental process that characterizes most microstructures in solidified alloys. The growing demand for high quality alloys and semiconductor crystals requires a precise methodology to predict and subsequently control both the interface morphology and the distribution of impurities, additives, and phases in the grown crystal. Apart from its practical significance, the study of morphological evolution has also been viewed as a means to unearth a general paradigm for pattern formation in nature. A previously developed 2D numerical model for the solid/liquid interface tracking has been further refined and used to simulate the time-evolution of the perturbations on the interface. The dynamics of the local growth velocity, interface undercooling and solute concentration at the interface has been theoretically predicted by means of the numerical model for Al-Cu and Pb-Sn alloys. The model shows that perturbations with a wavelengths, lambda greater than a critical wavelength lambda(sub c) continue to grow in time whereas perturbations with lambda < lambda(sub c) cease to propagate. The model further predicts that under certain conditions perturbation can also propagate along the interface. Comparison of these predictions with existing theories of pattern formation and experimental results will be discussed.

Catalina, Adrian V.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Microwave monolithic integrated circuit development for future spaceborne phased array antennas

The development of fully monolithic gallium arsenide (GaAs) receive and transmit modules suitable for phased array antenna applications in the 30/20 gigahertz bands is presented. Specifications and various design approaches to achieve the design goals are described. Initial design and performance of submodules and associated active and passive components are presented. A tradeoff study summary is presented highlighting the advantages of distributed amplifier approach compared to the conventional single power source designs.

Anzic, G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Ka-band active MMIC subarray development

A 4 x 8 array consisting of two adjacent 4 x 4 MMIC subarray modules under development as part of a MMIC insertion program for the ACTS communication experiments is presented. The subarray features a high-density 'tile' configuration integrating 16 MMIC power amplifiers and 16 MMIC phase shifters. The radiating elements are cavity-backed, aperture coupled, linearly polarized microstrip patches arranged on a 4 x 4 square grid. Each module also incorporates a MMIC controller to set the phase shifts and to turn individual amplifiers 'on' or 'off'. The novel module construction technique is expected to establish a benchmark in Ka-band and higher-frequency array architectures. The hybrid integration approach used for the module can be replaced by multifunctional chips and multilayer distribution boards. The higher level of integration is to permit the dense grid spacing required for wide-angle scanning and reduced size, weight, and cost for the array.

Lee, Richard↗

NASA NTRS2011

Imaging the Moon's Core with Seismology

Constraining the structure of the lunar core is necessary to improve our understanding of the present-day thermal structure of the interior and the history of a lunar dynamo, as well as the origin and thermal and compositional evolution of the Moon. We analyze Apollo deep moonquake seismograms using terrestrial array processing methods to search for the presence of reflected and converted energy from the lunar core. Although moonquake fault parameters are not constrained, we first explore a suite of theoretical focal spheres to verify that fault planes exist that can produce favorable core reflection amplitudes relative to direct up-going energy at the Apollo stations. Beginning with stacks of event seismograms from the known distribution of deep moonquake clusters, we apply a polarization filter to account for the effects of seismic scattering that (a) partitions energy away from expected components of ground motion, and (b) obscures all but the main P- and S-wave arrivals. The filtered traces are then shifted to the predicted arrival time of a core phase (e.g. PcP) and stacked to enhance subtle arrivals associated with the Moon s core. This combination of filtering and array processing is well suited for detecting deep lunar seismic reflections, since we do not expect scattered wave energy from near surface (or deeper) structure recorded at varying epicentral distances and stations from varying moonquakes at varying depths to stack coherently. Our results indicate the presence of a solid inner and fluid outer core, overlain by a partial-melt-containing boundary layer (Table 1). These layers are consistently observed among stacks from four classes of reflections: P-to-P, S-to-P, P-to-S, and S-to-S, and are consistent with current indirect geophysical estimates of core and deep mantle properties, including mass, moment of inertia, lunar laser ranging, and electromagnetic induction. Future refinements are expected following the successful launch of the GRAIL lunar orbiter and SELENE 2 lunar lander missions.

Weber, Renee C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Microwave monolithic integrated circuit development for future spaceborne phased array antennas

The development of fully monolithic gallium arsenide (GaAs) receive and transmit modules suitable for phased array antenna applications in the 30/20 gigahertz bands is presented. Specifications and various design approaches to achieve the design goals are described. Initial design and performance of submodules and associated active and passive components are presented. A tradeoff study summary is presented, highlighting the advantages of a distributed amplifier approach compared to the conventional single power source designs. Previously announced in STAR as N84-13399

Anzic, G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Parallel arrays of Josephson junctions for submillimeter local oscillators

In this paper we discuss the influence of the DC biasing circuit on operation of parallel biased quasioptical Josephson junction oscillator arrays. Because of nonuniform distribution of the DC biasing current along the length of the bias lines, there is a nonuniform distribution of magnetic flux in superconducting loops connecting every two junctions of the array. These DC self-field effects determine the state of the array. We present analysis and time-domain numerical simulations of these states for four biasing configurations. We find conditions for the in-phase states with maximum power output. We compare arrays with small and large inductances and determine the low inductance limit for nearly-in-phase array operation. We show how arrays can be steered in H-plane using the externally applied DC magnetic field.

Pance, Aleksandar↗

NASA NTRS2011

Response of Human Prostate Cancer Cells to Mitoxantrone Treatment in Simulated Microgravity Environment

This study explores the changes in growth of human prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) and their response to the treatment of antineoplastic agent, mitoxantrone, under the simulated microgravity condition. In comparison to static 1g, microgravity and simulated microgravity have been shown to alter global gene expression patterns and protein levels in various cultured cell models or animals. However, very little is known about the effect of altered gravity on the responses of cells to drugs, especially chemotherapy drugs. To test the hypothesis that zero gravity would result in altered regulation of cells in response to antineoplastic agents, we cultured LNCaP cells for 96 hr either in a High Aspect Ratio Vessel (HARV) bioreactor at the rotating condition to model microgravity in space or in the static condition as a control. 24 hr after the culture started, mitoxantrone was introduced to the cells at a final concentration of 1 M. The mitoxantrone treatment lasted 72 hr and then the cells were collected for various measurements. Compared to static 1g controls, the cells cultured in the simulated microgravity environment did not show significant differences in cell viability, growth rate, or cell cycle distribution. However, in response to mitoxantrone (1uM), a significant proportion of bioreactor cultured cells (30%) was arrested at G2 phase and a significant number of these cells were apoptotic in comparison to their static controls. The expressions of 84 oxidative stress related genes were analyzed using Qiagen PCR array to identify the possible mechanism underlying the altered responses of bioreactor culture cells to mitoxantrone. Nine out of 84 genes showed higher expression at four hour post mitoxantrone treatment in cells cultured at rotating condition compared to those at static. Taken together, the results reported here indicate that simulated microgravity may alter the responses of LNCaP cells to mitoxantrone treatment. The alteration of oxidative stress pathways in cells cultured under simulated microgravity conditions may be one of the mechanisms to cause such changes of sensitivity of LNCaP cells to mitoxantrone treatment.

Zhang, Ye↗

DOE OSTI2022

Detecting cosmic strings with lensed fast radio bursts

Correlated red noise recently reported from pulsar timing observations may be an indication of stochastic gravitational waves emitted by cosmic strings that formed during a primordial phase transition near the grand unification energy scale. Unfortunately, known probes of cosmic strings, namely the cosmic microwave background anisotropies and string lensing of extragalactic galaxies, are not sensitive enough for low dimensionless string tensions of Gμc -2 = 10 -10 – 10 -7 (where the tension μ is the string energy per unit length) that are needed to explain this putative signal. We show that strong gravitational lensing of fast radio bursts (FRBs) by cosmic strings is a potentially unambiguous avenue to probe that range of string tension values. The image pair of string lensing are expected to have identical magnification factor and parity, and have a typical time delay of ~10 2 (Gμc -2 /10 -8 ) 2 s. Here, the unique spectral fingerprint of each FRB, as well as the possibility to detect correlations in the time series of the electric field of the radio waves, will enable verification of the string lensing interpretation. Very-long-baseline interferometry observations can spatially resolve the image pair and provide a lower bound on the string tension based on the image separation. We calculate the FRB lensing rate as a function of the FRB detection number for several different models of the FRB redshift distribution. We find that a survey detecting ~10 5 FRBs, in line with estimates for the detection rate of the forthcoming survey CHORD, can uncover a strong lensing event for a string tension of Gμc -2 ≃ 10 -7 . Larger FRB surveys, such as Phase 2 of the Square Kilometre Array, have the potential to significantly improve the sensitivity on the string tension to Gμc -2 ≃ 10 -9 .

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1979

Solar power satellite system definition study, phase 2.

A program plan for the Solar Power Satellite Program is presented. The plan includes research, development, and evaluation phase, engineering and development and cost verification phase, prototype construction, and commercialization. Cost estimates and task requirements are given for the following technology areas: (1) solar arrays; (2) thermal engines and thermal systems; (3) power transmission (to earth); (4) large space structures; (5) materials technology; (6) system control; (7) space construction; (8) space transportation; (9) power distribution, and space environment effects.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2003

Parallel Information Processing (Image Transmission Via Fiber Bundle and Multimode Fiber

Growing demand for visual, user-friendly representation of information inspires search for the new methods of image transmission. Currently used in-series (sequential) methods of information processing are inherently slow and are designed mainly for transmission of one or two dimensional arrays of data. Conventional transmission of data by fibers requires many fibers with array of laser diodes and photodetectors. In practice, fiber bundles are also used for transmission of images. Image is formed on the fiber-optic bundle entrance surface and each fiber transmits the incident image to the exit surface. Since the fibers do not preserve phase, only 2D intensity distribution can be transmitted in this way. Each single mode fiber transmit only one pixel of an image. Multimode fibers may be also used, so that each mode represent different pixel element. Direct transmission of image through multimode fiber is hindered by the mode scrambling and phase randomization. To overcome these obstacles wavelength and time-division multiplexing have been used, with each pixel transmitted on a separate wavelength or time interval. Phase-conjugate techniques also was tested in, but only in the unpractical scheme when reconstructed image return back to the fiber input end. Another method of three-dimensional imaging over single mode fibers was demonstrated in, using laser light of reduced spatial coherence. Coherence encoding, needed for a transmission of images by this methods, was realized with grating interferometer or with the help of an acousto-optic deflector. We suggest simple practical holographic method of image transmission over single multimode fiber or over fiber bundle with coherent light using filtering by holographic optical elements. Originally this method was successfully tested for the single multimode fiber. In this research we have modified holographic method for transmission of laser illuminated images over commercially available fiber bundle (fiber endoscope, or fiberscope).

Kukhtarev, Nicholai↗

NASA NTRS2004

A Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) Determined from Phased Microphone Arrays

Current processing of acoustic array data is burdened with considerable uncertainty. This study reports an original methodology that serves to demystify array results, reduce misinterpretation, and accurately quantify position and strength of acoustic sources. Traditional array results represent noise sources that are convolved with array beamform response functions, which depend on array geometry, size (with respect to source position and distributions), and frequency. The Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) method removes beamforming characteristics from output presentations. A unique linear system of equations accounts for reciprocal influence at different locations over the array survey region. It makes no assumption beyond the traditional processing assumption of statistically independent noise sources. The full rank equations are solved with a new robust iterative method. DAMAS is quantitatively validated using archival data from a variety of prior high-lift airframe component noise studies, including flap edge/cove, trailing edge, leading edge, slat, and calibration sources. Presentations are explicit and straightforward, as the noise radiated from a region of interest is determined by simply summing the mean-squared values over that region. DAMAS can fully replace existing array processing and presentations methodology in most applications. It appears to dramatically increase the value of arrays to the field of experimental acoustics.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2006

A Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) Determined from Phased Microphone Arrays

Brooks, Thomas F.↗