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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

Basic Requirements for Systems Software Research and Development

Our success over the past ten years evaluating and developing advanced computing technologies has been due to a simple research and development (R/D) model. Our model has three phases: (a) evaluating the state-of-the-art, (b) identifying problems and creating innovations, and (c) developing solutions, improving the state- of-the-art. This cycle has four basic requirements: a large production testbed with real users, a diverse collection of state-of-the-art hardware, facilities for evalua- tion of emerging technologies and development of innovations, and control over system management on these testbeds. Future research will be irrelevant and future products will not work if any of these requirements is eliminated. In order to retain our effectiveness, the numerical aerospace simulator (NAS) must replace out-of-date production testbeds in as timely a fashion as possible, and cannot afford to ignore innovative designs such as new distributed shared memory machines, clustered commodity-based computers, and multi-threaded architectures.

Kuszmaul, Chris↗

Proposed upgrade of the Deep Space Network research and development station

Continued exploration of the solar system will require continued evolution of capabilities to support deep space communication and navigation. That evolution will rely, as it has in the past, on the development, demonstration, and field testing of communication and navigation technologies. The existing Deep Space Network (DSN) research and development station, DSS 13, at the Venus site, Goldstone, California was instrumental in those prior developments. However, the present antenna is no longer able to provide the necessary support for technology. The 26 meter antenna has good performance at S-band, fair performance at X-band, but is unusable at the anticipated Ka-band. It is not suitable for conversion to beam waveguides, and is not usable as a test bed for demonstrating high efficiency because of structural pliancy. Additionally, its size and age are increasingly a liability in demonstrations. A 34 meter beam waveguide version of the existing DSN high efficiency (HEF) antennas was proposed for FY-88 Construction of Facilities budget. The antenna is to be built at the Venus site, adjacent to the old antenna, and serve as the DSN research and development antenna through the end of the century.

Smith, Joel G.↗

McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company independent research and development: Preparing for the future

During the 1970's and 80's, research has produced the technology that is seen in aircraft such as the LHX and future models. The technology is discussed that is reaching maturity and moving into the application stage of future programs. Technology is discussed in six major areas: advanced concepts, analysis techniques, structures, systems, simulation, and research and development facilities. The partnership of McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co. and the government in developing these technologies is illustrated in several programs.

Haggerty, Allen C.↗

Intelligent Processing Equipment Research and Development Programs of the Department of Commerce

The intelligence processing equipment (IPE) research and development (R&D) programs of the Department of Commerce are carried out within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This institute has had work in support of industrial productivity as part of its mission since its founding in 1901. With the advent of factory automation these efforts have increasingly turned to R&D in IPE. The Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL) of NIST devotes a major fraction of its efforts to this end while other elements within the organization, notably the Material Science and Engineering Laboratory, have smaller but significant programs. An inventory of all such programs at NIST and a representative selection of projects that at least demonstrate the scope of the efforts are presented.

Simpson, J. A.↗

Process Demonstration For Lunar In Situ Resource Utilization-Molten Oxide Electrolysis (MSFC Independent Research and Development Project No. 5-81)

The purpose of this Focus Area Independent Research and Development project was to conduct, at Marshall Space Flight Center, an experimental demonstration of the processing of simulated lunar resources by the molten oxide electrolysis process to produce oxygen and metal. In essence, the vision was to develop two key technologies, the first to produce materials (oxygen, metals, and silicon) from lunar resources and the second to produce energy by photocell production on the Moon using these materials. Together, these two technologies have the potential to greatly reduce the costs and risks of NASA s human exploration program. Further, it is believed that these technologies are the key first step toward harvesting abundant materials and energy independent of Earth s resources.

Curreri, P. A.↗

Research And Development Contributions to Aviation Progress (RADCAP): Executive summary

Positive contributions of military aeronautical research and development programs to civil aviation are reviewed and some possible future contributions of those military programs are assessed. A summary is presented of detailed results concerned with: (1) review of the progress that has been made in aviation since 1925 and the significant technological advances that have been made; (2) an examination of current and planned military aeronautical research and technology programs and an assessment of their relevancy to the aeronautical R and D needs of civil aviation; (3) the relationship of the development base generated by military programs to the needs of civil airliner design, development, and production; (4) information on aeronautical R and D funding; and (5) the findings and observations of the RADCAP study.

Source record↗

Controlled Ecological Life Support System: Research and Development Guidelines

Results of a workshop designed to provide a base for initiating a program of research and development of controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS) are summarized. Included are an evaluation of a ground based manned demonstration as a milestone in CELSS development, and a discussion of development requirements for a successful ground based CELSS demonstration. Research recommendations are presented concerning the following topics: nutrition and food processing, food production, waste processing, systems engineering and modelling, and ecology-systems safety.

Mason, R. M.↗

Overview of NASA's Space Solar Power Technology Advanced Research and Development Program

Large solar power satellite (SPS) systems that might provide base load power into terrestrial markets were examined extensively in the 1970s by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Following a hiatus of about 15 years, the subject of space solar power (SSP) was reexamined by NASA from 1995-1997 in the 'fresh look' study, and during 1998 in an SSP 'concept definition study', and during 1999-2000 in the SSP Exploratory Research and Technology (SERT) program. As a result of these efforts, during 2001, NASA has initiated the SSP Technology Advanced Research and Development (STAR-Dev) program based on informed decisions. The goal of the STAR-Dev program is to conduct preliminary strategic technology research and development to enable large, multi-megawatt to gigawatt-class space solar power (SSP) systems and wireless power transmission (WPT) for government missions and commercial markets (in-space and terrestrial). Specific objectives include: (1) Release a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) for SSP Projects; (2) Conduct systems studies; (3) Develop Component Technologies; (4) Develop Ground and Flight demonstration systems; and (5) Assess and/or Initiate Partnerships. Accomplishing these objectives will allow informed future decisions regarding further SSP and related research and development investments by both NASA management and prospective external partners. In particular, accomplishing these objectives will also guide further definition of SSP and related technology roadmaps including performance objectives, resources and schedules; including 'multi-purpose' applications (commercial, science, and other government).

Howell, Joe↗

Aeronautical Communications Research and Development Needs for Future Air Traffic Management Applications

Continuing growth in regional and global air travel has resulted in increasing traffic congestion in the air and on the ground. In spite of occasional temporary downturns due to economic recessions and catastrophic events, average growth rates of air travel have remained high since the 1960s. The resulting congestion, which constrains expansion of the air transportation industry, inflicts schedule delays and decreases overall system efficiency, creating a pressing need to develop more efficient methods of air traffic management (ATM). New ATM techniques, procedures, air space automation methods, and decision support tools are being researched and developed for deployment in time frames stretching from the next few years to the year 2020 and beyond. As these methods become more advanced and increase in complexity, the requirements for information generation, sharing and transfer among the relevant entities in the ATM system increase dramatically. However, current aeronautical communications systems will be inadequate to meet the future information transfer demands created by these advanced ATM systems. Therefore, the NASA Glenn Research Center is undertaking research programs to develop communication, methods and key technologies that can meet these future requirements. As part of this process, studies, workshops, testing and experimentation, and research and analysis have established a number of research and technology development needs. The purpose of this paper is to outline the critical research and technology needs that have been identified in these activities, and explain how these needs have been determined.

Kerczewski, Robert J.↗

Remote sensing applications in water resources - An opportunity for research in developing countries

A review is presented of first-hand experience with remote sensing research in developing countries to illustrate the inherent semiempirical basis of remote sensing applications. This task is accomplished by means of examples drawn from actual research work. Results of case studies in different farming systems and countries are summarized to exemplify the relative, application-dependent, weight of satellite versus ground information.

Menenti, M.↗

Methodology for urban rail and construction technology research and development planning

A series of transit system visits, organized by the American Public Transit Association (APTA), was conducted in which the system operators identified the most pressing development needs. These varied by property and were reformulated into a series of potential projects. To assist in the evaluation, a data base useful for estimating the present capital and operating costs of various transit system elements was generated from published data. An evaluation model was developed which considered the rate of deployment of the research and development project, potential benefits, development time and cost. An outline of an evaluation methodology that considered benefits other than capital and operating cost savings was also presented. During the course of the study, five candidate projects were selected for detailed investigation; (1) air comfort systems; (2) solid state auxiliary power conditioners; (3) door systems; (4) escalators; and (5) fare collection systems. Application of the evaluation model to these five examples showed the usefulness of modeling deployment rates and indicated a need to increase the scope of the model to quantitatively consider reliability impacts.

Rubenstein, L. D.↗

Space Station Freedom Integrated Research and Development Growth

Space Station Freedom is designed to be an Earth-orbiting, multidiscipline research and development (R&D) facility capable of evolution to accomodate a variety of potential uses. One evolution scenario is growth to an enhanced R&D facility. In support of the Space Station Freedom Program Preliminary Design Review (PDR), the NASA Langley Research Center Space Station Office is analyzing growth requirements and evaluating configurations for this R&D utilization. This paper presents a summary of FY1989 study results including time-phased growth plans, R&D growth issues and configurations, and recommendations for the program baseline design which will facilitate evolutionary R&D growth. This study consisted of three major areas of concentration: mission requirements analysis; Space Station Freedom systems growth analysis; and growth accomodations and trades. Mission requirements analysis was performed to develop a realistic mission model of post-Phase 1 R&D missions. A systems-level analysis was performed to project incremental growth requirements of Space Station Freedom needed to support these R&D missions. Identification of growth requirements and specific growth elements led to the need for special accomodations analyses and trades. These studies included identification of hooks and scars on the baseline design, determination of an optimal module growth pattern, analysis of the dual keel length, and determination of an optimal locaton for the customer servicing facility. Results of this study show that Space Station Freedom must be capable of evolving to a dual keel, eight pressurized module configuration (two growth habs and two growth labs); providing 275 kW power (for experimenters and station housekeeping); accomodating a crew of 24; and supporting other growth structures and special facilities to meet projected R&D mission requirements.

Meredith, Barry D.↗