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At least 199 records · Page 11

Autonomous Satellite Command and Control Through the World Wide Web

The Automated Space System Experimental Testbed (ASSET) system is a simple yet comprehensive real-world operations network being developed. Phase 3 of the ASSET Project was January-December 1997 and is the subject of this report. This phase permitted SSDL and its project partners to expand the ASSET system in a variety of ways. These added capabilities included the advancement of ground station capabilities, the adaptation of spacecraft on-board software, and the expansion of capabilities of the ASSET management algorithms. Specific goals of Phase 3 were: (1) Extend Web-based goal-level commanding for both the payload PI and the spacecraft engineer. (2) Support prioritized handling of multiple (PIs) Principle Investigators as well as associated payload experimenters. (3) Expand the number and types of experiments supported by the ASSET system and its associated spacecraft. (4) Implement more advanced resource management, modeling and fault management capabilities that integrate the space and ground segments of the space system hardware. (5) Implement a beacon monitoring test. (6) Implement an experimental blackboard controller for space system management. (7) Further define typical ground station developments required for Internet-based remote control and for full system automation of the PI-to-spacecraft link. Each of those goals are examined. Significant sections of this report were also published as a conference paper. Several publications produced in support of this grant are included as attachments. Titles include: 1) Experimental Initiatives in Space System Operations; 2) The ASSET Client Interface: Balancing High Level Specification with Low Level Control; 3) Specifying Spacecraft Operations At The Product/Service Level; 4) The Design of a Highly Configurable, Reusable Operating System for Testbed Satellites; 5) Automated Health Operations For The Sapphire Spacecraft; 6) Engineering Data Summaries for Space Missions; and 7) Experiments In Automated Health Assessment And Notification For The Sapphire Microsatellite.

Cantwell, Brian↗

Development of A Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) Testbed for Cyber-Physical Security in Smart Buildings

As smart buildings move towards open communication technologies, providing access to the Building Automation System (BAS) through the building's intranet, or even remotely through the Internet, has become a common practice. However, BAS was historically developed as a closed environment and designed with limited cyber-security considerations. Thus, smart buildings are vulnerable to cyber-attacks with the increased accessibility. This study introduces the development and capability of a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIT) testbed for testing and evaluating the cyber-physical security of typical BASs in smart buildings. The testbed consists of three subsystems: (1) a real-time HIL emulator simulating the behavior of a virtual building as well as the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment via a dynamic simulation in Modelica; (2) a set of real HVAC controllers monitoring the virtual building operation and providing local control signals to control HVAC equipment in the HIL emulator; and (3) a BAS server along with a web-based service for users to fully access the schedule, setpoints, trends, alarms, and other control functions of the HVAC controllers remotely through the BACnet network. The server generates rule-based setpoints to local HVAC controllers. Based on these three subsystems, the HIL testbed supports attack/fault-free and attack/fault-injection experiments at various levels of the building system. The resulting test data can be used to inform the building community and support the cyber-physical security technology transfer to the building industry.

Li, Guowen↗

Reliability-Based Design Optimization of a Composite Airframe Component

A stochastic design optimization methodology (SDO) has been developed to design components of an airframe structure that can be made of metallic and composite materials. The design is obtained as a function of the risk level, or reliability, p. The design method treats uncertainties in load, strength, and material properties as distribution functions, which are defined with mean values and standard deviations. A design constraint or a failure mode is specified as a function of reliability p. Solution to stochastic optimization yields the weight of a structure as a function of reliability p. Optimum weight versus reliability p traced out an inverted-S-shaped graph. The center of the inverted-S graph corresponded to 50 percent (p = 0.5) probability of success. A heavy design with weight approaching infinity could be produced for a near-zero rate of failure that corresponds to unity for reliability p (or p = 1). Weight can be reduced to a small value for the most failure-prone design with a reliability that approaches zero (p = 0). Reliability can be changed for different components of an airframe structure. For example, the landing gear can be designed for a very high reliability, whereas it can be reduced to a small extent for a raked wingtip. The SDO capability is obtained by combining three codes: (1) The MSC/Nastran code was the deterministic analysis tool, (2) The fast probabilistic integrator, or the FPI module of the NESSUS software, was the probabilistic calculator, and (3) NASA Glenn Research Center s optimization testbed CometBoards became the optimizer. The SDO capability requires a finite element structural model, a material model, a load model, and a design model. The stochastic optimization concept is illustrated considering an academic example and a real-life raked wingtip structure of the Boeing 767-400 extended range airliner made of metallic and composite materials.

Patnaik, Surya N.↗

Asteroid Return Mission Feasibility Study

This paper describes an investigation into the technological feasibility of finding, characterizing, robotically capturing, and returning an entire Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) to the International Space Station (ISS) for scientific investigation, evaluation of its resource potential, determination of its internal structure and other aspects important for planetary defense activities, and to serve as a testbed for human operations in the vicinity of an asteroid. Reasonable projections suggest that several dozen candidates NEAs in the size range of interest (approximately 2-m diameter) will be known before the end of the decade from which a suitable target could be selected. The conceptual mission objective is to return an approximately 10,000-kg asteroid to the ISS in a total flight time of approximately 5 years using a single Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. Preliminary calculations indicate that this could be accomplished using a solar electric propulsion (SEP) system with high-power Hall thrusters and a maximum power into the propulsion system of approximately 40 kW. The SEP system would be used to provide all of the post-launch delta V. The asteroid would have an unrestricted Earth return Planetary Protection categorization, and would be curated at the ISS where numerous scientific and resource utilization experiments would be conducted. Asteroid material brought to the ground would be curated at the NASA Johnson Space Center. This preliminary study identified several areas where additional work is required, but no show stoppers were identified for the approach that would return an entire 10,000-kg asteroid to the ISS in a mission that could be launched by the end of this decade.

near Earth asteriods (NEA)↗

MARVEL Utilization Plan

This report provides a high-level overview of the operational plan for the MARVEL microreactor. The main focus is on discussing testing and application demonstration opportunities that leverage the reactor. With the reactor rapidly progressing towards demonstration, along with the short operational window (2 years), it was deemed critical to start establishing a basis for how stakeholders can engage with the program and leverage the reactor as a testbed. The report discusses potential opportunities for using MARVEL leveraging from data/design access, novel controls testing, novel nuclear-electric applications, to novel nuclear-heat applications. It also provides guidance for interested stakeholders on potential funding opportunities that can be pursued to support tests during the operational lifetime of the reactor. The report also discusses the recommended strategy for outreach and the organization structure to review and down select project. It is important to emphasize that this is intended to be a living document with revisions issued as the MARVEL demonstration timeline evolves. Similarly, the framework for engagement is subject to change as the project nears construction. As such, this first revision to the original test plan highlights the new Microreactor Program-sponsored pathway for engaging with stakeholders via an Expression of Interest and Notice of Opportunity.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Aerospace Engineering Systems and the Advanced Design Technologies Testbed Experience

Continuous improvement of aerospace product development processes is a driving requirement across much of the aerospace community. As up to 90% of the cost of an aerospace product is committed during the first 10% of the development cycle, there is a strong emphasis on capturing, creating, and communicating better information (both requirements and performance) early in the product development process. The community has responded by pursuing the development of computer-based systems designed to enhance the decision-making capabilities of product development individuals and teams. Recently, the historical foci on sharing the geometrical representation and on configuration management are being augmented: 1) Physics-based analysis tools for filling the design space database; 2) Distributed computational resources to reduce response time and cost; 3) Web-based technologies to relieve machine-dependence; and 4) Artificial intelligence technologies to accelerate processes and reduce process variability. The Advanced Design Technologies Testbed (ADTT) activity at NASA Ames Research Center was initiated to study the strengths and weaknesses of the technologies supporting each of these trends, as well as the overall impact of the combination of these trends on a product development event. Lessons learned and recommendations for future activities are reported.

VanDalsem, William R.↗

The International Space Station: Unique In-Space Testbed as Exploration Analog

Final assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) was completed in 2011. As articulated in the 2011 NASA Strategic Plan, the Agency's first goal is to extend and sustain human activities across the solar system. Thus, the emerging NASA vision is to launch a bold and ambitious new space initiative to enable human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to Lagrange points, the moon, near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), and Mars and its environs. To accomplish this vision, it is necessary to develop and validate innovative exploration technologies and operational concepts. With the extended life of the ISS to 2020 and possibly 2028, NASA has a mandate to maximize the potential of the Nation's newest National Laboratory. Exploration and ISS teams within NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) have initiated a cooperative effort: the ISS Testbed for Analog Research (ISTAR), a high-fidelity operational analog that complements existing NASA terrestrial laboratory and field testing. To maximize use of the ISS platform to evaluate new exploration technologies, capabilities, and operational concepts to better comprehend and mitigate human spaceflight risks, ISTAR seeks out and encourages investigations dubbed "exploration detailed test objectives" (xDTOs). These xDTOs, building blocks of ISTAR missions, develop and optimize the operations concepts and the use of new technologies that should reduce risks and challenges facing astronauts on long exploration spaceflight voyages. In this paper, we describe (1) the rationale behind ISTAR, (2) a five-year strategic plan, (3) the approach for mission formulation, development, integration, and execution, (4) concepts for near-term missions that implement a phased approach for using ISS as an exploration testbed, and (5) the planned Mars mission simulation using the ISS. This paper will also document several challenges ISTAR must address to execute its missions.

Analog Mission↗

MARVEL Utilization Plan

This report provides a high-level overview of the utilization plan for the MARVEL microreactor. The main focus is on discussing testing and application-demonstration opportunities that leverage the reactor. With the reactor rapidly progressing towards demonstration, along with the short (2- year) operational window, it was deemed critical to establish a basis for how stakeholders can engage with the program and leverage the reactor as a testbed. This report discusses potential opportunities to use MARVEL, leveraging from data and design access to testing novel controls, and novel nuclear-electric and nuclear-heat applications. It provides guidance for interested stakeholders on potential funding opportunities that can be pursued to support tests during the operational lifetime of the reactor. The report discusses the recommended strategy for outreach and the organizational structure to review and select projects for participation. Interested stakeholders are encouraged to fill out a questionnaire on how they could leverage MAVEL at this link: https://qfreeaccountssjc1.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_72InKjSEz54Q2j4 It is important to emphasize that this is intended to be a living document (updated annually or as needed) with revisions issued as the MARVEL demonstration timeline evolves. Similarly, the framework for engagement is subject to change as the project progresses.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

A new piston control strategy for segmented mirrors

One approach to the adaptive control of large segmented mirrors involves sending tilt commands to each segment and allowing each segment to minimize the distance between its edges and those of (all or some of) its neighbors. This approach has been adopted in the Phased Array Mirror, Extendible Large Aperture (PAMELA) testbed now located at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. This approach minimizes (1) the communication between the sensors and the segment actuators and (2) computations required by the central controlling computer. This report discusses issues that large segmented mirrors built around the PAMELA concept (such as SELENE) will face when they migrate to integrated, and presumably to digital, on-segment computational ability and high bandwidth response.

Olivier, Philip D.↗

Robots in Space -Psychological Aspects

A viewgraph presentation on the psychological aspects of developing robots to perform routine operations associated with monitoring, inspection, maintenance and repair in space is shown. The topics include: 1) Purpose; 2) Vision; 3) Current Robots in Space; 4) Ground Based Robots; 5) AERCam; 6) Rotating Bladder Robot (ROBLR); 7) DART; 8) Robonaut; 9) Full Immersion Telepresence Testbed; 10) ERA; and 11) Psychological Aspects

Sipes, Walter E.↗

NASA Langley's AirSTAR Testbed: A Subscale Flight Test Capability for Flight Dynamics and Control System Experiments

As part of the Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) project, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a subscaled flying testbed in order to conduct research experiments in support of the goals of NASA s Aviation Safety Program. This research capability consists of three distinct components. The first of these is the research aircraft, of which there are several in the AirSTAR stable. These aircraft range from a dynamically-scaled, twin turbine vehicle to a propeller driven, off-the-shelf airframe. Each of these airframes carves out its own niche in the research test program. All of the airplanes have sophisticated on-board data acquisition and actuation systems, recording, telemetering, processing, and/or receiving data from research control systems. The second piece of the testbed is the ground facilities, which encompass the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to provide comprehensive support services for conducting flight research using the subscale aircraft, including: subsystem development, integrated testing, remote piloting of the subscale aircraft, telemetry processing, experimental flight control law implementation and evaluation, flight simulation, data recording/archiving, and communications. The ground facilities are comprised of two major components: (1) The Base Research Station (BRS), a LaRC laboratory facility for system development, testing and data analysis, and (2) The Mobile Operations Station (MOS), a self-contained, motorized vehicle serving as a mobile research command/operations center, functionally equivalent to the BRS, capable of deployment to remote sites for supporting flight tests. The third piece of the testbed is the test facility itself. Research flights carried out by the AirSTAR team are conducted at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The UAV Island runway is a 50 x 1500 paved runway that lies within restricted airspace at Wallops Flight Facility. The facility provides all the necessary infrastructure to conduct the research flights in a safe and efficient manner. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of the development of the AirSTAR testbed.

Jordan, Thomas L.↗

Green Applications for Space Power Project

Spacecraft propulsion and power for many decades has relied on Hydrazine monopropellant technology for auxiliary power units (APU), orbital circularization, orbit raising/lowering and attitude control. However, Hydrazine is toxic and therefore requires special ground handling procedures to ensure launch crew safety. The Swedish Company ECAPS has developed a technology based upon the propellant Ammonium Dinitramide (ADN) that offers higher performance, higher density and reduced ground handling support than Hydrazine. This blended propellant is called LMP-103S. Currently, the United States Air Force (USAF) is pursuing a technology based on Hydroxyl Ammonium Nitrate (HAN, otherwise known as AF-M315E) with industry partners Aerojet and Moog. Based on the advantages offered by these propellants, MSFC should explore powering APU's with these propellants. Due to the availability of space hardware, the principal investigator has found a collection of USAF hardware, that will act as a surrogate, which operates on a Hydrazine derivative. The F-16 fighter jet uses H-70 or 30% diluted Hydrazine for an Emergency Power Unit (EPU) which supplies power to the plane. The PI has acquired two EPU's from planes slated for destruction at the Davis Monthan AFB. This CIF will include a partnership with 2 other NASA Centers who are individually seeking seed funds from their respective organizations: Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC). KSC is preparing for future flights from their launch pads that will utilize green propellants and desire a low-cost testbed in which to test and calibrate new leak detection sensors. DFRC has access to F-16's which can be used by MSFC & KSC to perform a ground test that demonstrates emergency power supplied to the jet. Neither of the green propellant alternatives have been considered nor evaluated for an APU application. Work has already been accomplished to characterize and obtain the properties of these 2 propellants. However, the spacecraft are using existing leak detection sensors that are typically used for Hydrazine. Using these green propellants for the APU application requires decrementing their TRL down to 3. This task would aim to establish a TRL of 4 at conclusion by showing a proof of concept with a KSC-instrumented EPU asset at the MSFC Component Development Area (CDA). The task to accomplish this is called Green Application for Space Power or GRASP.

Robinson, Joel↗

In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): Surface systems program area of the exploration technology program

The topics presented are covered in viewgraph form and include the following: (1) utilization of Lunar and Mars resources; (2) oxygen - an example of cost savings; (3) In Space Resource Utilization (ISRU); (4) basic resource processing methods; (5) planetary mining; (6) raw materials preparation; (7) validation, testbeds, and flight experiments; (8) mission readiness schedule; and (9) ISRU budget guideline.

Mckay, David S.↗

Space Station Module Power Management and Distribution System (SSM/PMAD)

This report provides an overview of the Space Station Module Power Management and Distribution (SSM/PMAD) testbed system and describes recent enhancements to that system. Four tasks made up the original contract: (1) common module power management and distribution system automation plan definition; (2) definition of hardware and software elements of automation; (3) design, implementation and delivery of the hardware and software making up the SSM/PMAD system; and (4) definition and development of the host breadboard computer environment. Additions and/or enhancements to the SSM/PMAD test bed that have occurred since July 1990 are reported. These include: (1) rehosting the MAESTRO scheduler; (2) reorganization of the automation software internals; (3) a more robust communications package; (4) the activity editor to the MAESTRO scheduler; (5) rehosting the LPLMS to execute under KNOMAD; implementation of intermediate levels of autonomy; (6) completion of the KNOMAD knowledge management facility; (7) significant improvement of the user interface; (8) soft and incipient fault handling design; (9) intermediate levels of autonomy, and (10) switch maintenance.

Miller, William↗

Calibration and Sequence Development Status for the Sample Analysis at Mars Investigation on the Mars Science Laboratory

The measurement goals of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the "Curiosity" Rover of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) include chemical and isotopic analysis of organic and inorganic volatiles for both atmospheric and solid samples [1,2]. SAM directly supports the ambitious goals of the MSL mission to provide a quantitative assessment of habitability and preservation in Gale crater by means of a range of chemical and geological measurements [3]. The SAM FM combined calibration and environmental testing took place primarily in 2010 with a limited set of tests implemented after integration into the rover in January 2011. The scope of SAM FM testing was limited both to preserve SAM consumables such as life time of its electromechanical elements and to minimize the level of terrestrial contamination in the SAM instrument. A more comprehensive calibration of a SAM-like suite of instruments will be implemented in 2012 with calibration runs planned for the SAM testbed. The SAM Testbed is nearly identical to the SAM FM and operates in a ambient pressure chamber. The SAM Instrument Suite: SAM's instruments are a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QMS), a 6-column Gas Chromatograph (GC), and a 2-channel Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS). Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry is designed for identification of even trace organic compounds. The TLS [5] secures the C, H, and O isotopic composition in carbon dioxide, water, and methane. Sieved materials are delivered from the MSL sample acquisition and processing system to one of68 cups of the Sample Manipulation System (SMS). 59 of these cups are fabricated from inert quartz. After sample delivery, a cup is inserted into one of 2 ovens for evolved gas analysis (EGA ambient to >9500C) by the QMS and TLS. A portion of the gas released can be trapped and subsequently analyzed by GCMS. Nine sealed cups contain liquid solvents and chemical derivatization or thermochemolysis agents to extract and transform polar molecules such as amino acids, nucleobases, and carboxylic acids into compounds that are sufficiently volatile to transmit through the GC columns. The remaining 6 cups contain calibrants. SAM FM Calibration Overview: The SAM FM calibration in the Mars chamber employed a variety of pure gases, gas mixtures, and solid materials. Isotope calibration runs for the TLS utilized 13C enriched C02 standards and 0 enriched CH4. A variety of fluorocarbon compounds that spanned the entire mass range of the QMS as well as C3-C6 hydrocarbons were utilized for calibration of the GCMS. Solid samples consisting of a mixture of calcite, melanterite, and inert silica glass either doped or not with fluorocarbons were introduced into the SAM FM cups through the SAM inlet funnel/tube system.

Mahaffy, Paul R.↗

High Frequency, Long Time Series Measurements from the Bermuda Testbed Mooring in Support of SIMBIOS

It has been recognized that optical moorings are important platforms for the validation of Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS). It was recommended that optical moorings be maintained in order to: (1) provide long-term time series comparisons between in situ and SeaWIFS measurements of normalized water-leaving radiance; (2) develop and test algorithms for pigment biomass and phytoplankton primary productivity; and (3) provide long-term, virtually continuous in situ observations which can be used to determine and optimize the accuracy of derived satellite products. These applications require the use of in situ radiometers for long periods of time to evaluate and correct for inherent satellite undersampling (aliasing and biasing) and degradation of satellite color sensors (e.g., drifts as experienced by the Coastal Zone Color Scanner). The Bermuda Testbed Mooring (BTM) program was initiated in 1994 at a site located about 80km southeast of Bermuda in waters of about 4530 m depth. In August 1997, with NASA's support, we started to provide the Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) program with large volumes of high frequency, long-term time-series bio-optical data from the BTM for SeaWiFS satellite ocean color groundtruthing and algorithm development. This NASA supported portion of the BTM activity spanned three years and covered five BTM deployments. During these three years, the quality of radiometric data has improved dramatically. Excellent agreement between BTM moored data and both SeaWiFS and nearby ship profile radiometric data demonstrate that technical advances in the moored optical observations have reduced the major difficulties that moored platforms face: biofouling and less frequent calibration.

Dickey, Tommy↗

Space Station EVA test bed overview

Current testing activities, testbed design goals, and future plans to support extravehicular activities (EVAs) of the Space Station are discussed. Developments include: (1) regenerative systems for carbon dioxide provision and removal; (2) increased space suit pressure to minimize prebreathe time; and (3) improved operational efficiencies for the extravehicular mobility units. Much novel technology will undergo integration to constitute the Space Station EVA System.

Stinson, Richard G.↗

Minimum time slew of the SCOLE configuration

The motivation was to develop a control design and analysis methodology directly applicable to design concepts of flexible spacecraft of interest the the U.S. Navy and to provide a testbed for the evaluation of large space structure control techniques developed at the Naval Research Laboratory. The topics covered include the following: (1) a list of key concepts; (2) evaluation of the Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE) model with DISCOS; (3) baseline results, line of sight error vs. time; (4) general formulation of optimization; (5) geometric interpretation, projected eigenaxis; (6) closed loop control law; and (7) future directions.

Fisher, S.↗