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The Berkeley EUV airglow rocket spectrometer (BEARS) instrument is described. The instrument was designed in particular to measure the dominant lines of atomic oxygen in the FUV and EUV dayglow at 1356, 1304, 1027, and 989 A, which is the ultimate source of airglow emissions. The optical and mechanical design of the instrument, the detector, electronics, calibration, flight operations, and results are examined.
This catalog is a partial list of products of NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) projects that have advanced to some degree into Phase 3. While most of the products evolved from work conducted during SBIR Phase 1 and 2, a few advanced to commercial status solely from Phase 1 activities. The catalog presents information provided to NASA by SBIR contractors who wished to have their products exhibited at Technology 2001, a NASA-sponsored technology transfer conference held in San Jose, California, on December 4, 5, and 6, 1991. The catalog presents the product information in the following technology areas: computer and communication systems; information processing and AI; robotics and automation; signal and image processing; microelectronics; electronic devices and equipment; microwave electronic devices; optical devices and lasers; advanced materials; materials processing; materials testing and NDE; materials instrumentation; aerodynamics and aircraft; fluid mechanics and measurement; heat transfer devices; refrigeration and cryogenics; energy conversion devices; oceanographic instruments; atmosphere monitoring devices; water management; life science instruments; and spacecraft electromechanical systems.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is currently designing and building a number of instruments that operate in the microwave and millimeter-wave bands. These include MIRO (Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta Orbiter), MLS (Microwave Limb Sounder), and IMAS (Integrated Multispectral Atmospheric Sounder). These instruments must be designed and built to meet key design criteria (e.g., beamwidth, gain, pointing) obtained from the scientific goals for the instrument. These criteria are frequently functions of the operating environment (both thermal and mechanical). To design and build instruments which meet these criteria, it is essential to be able to model the instrument in its environments. Currently, a number of modeling tools exist. Commonly used tools at JPL include: FEMAP (meshing), NASTRAN (structural modeling), TRASYS and SINDA (thermal modeling), MACOS/IMOS (optical modeling), and POPO (physical optics modeling). Each of these tools is used by an analyst, who models the instrument in one discipline. The analyst then provides the results of this modeling to another analyst, who continues the overall modeling in another discipline. There is a large reengineering task in place at JPL to automate and speed-up the structural and thermal modeling disciplines, which does not include MOD Tool. The focus of MOD Tool (and of this paper) is in the fields unique to microwave and millimeter-wave instrument design. These include initial design and analysis of the instrument without thermal or structural loads, the automation of the transfer of this design to a high-end CAD tool, and the analysis of the structurally deformed instrument (due to structural and/or thermal loads). MOD Tool is a distributed tool, with a database of design information residing on a server, physical optics analysis being performed on a variety of supercomputer platforms, and a graphical user interface (GUI) residing on the user's desktop computer. The MOD Tool client is being developed using Tcl/Tk, which allows the user to work on a choice of platforms (PC, Mac, or Unix) after downloading the Tcl/Tk binary, which is readily available on the web. The MOD Tool server is written using Expect, and it resides on a Sun workstation. Client/server communications are performed over a socket, where upon a connection from a client to the server, the server spawns a child which is be dedicated to communicating with that client. The server communicates with other machines, such as supercomputers using Expect with the username and password being provided by the user on the client.
OSIRIS-REx is an acronym that captures the scientific objectives: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer. OSIRIS-REx will thoroughly characterize near-Earth asteroid Bennu (Previously known as 1019551999 RQ36). The OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission delivers its science using five instruments and radio science along with the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM). All of the instruments and data analysis techniques have direct heritage from flown planetary missions. The OSIRIS-REx mission employs a methodical, phased approach to ensure success in meeting the mission's science requirements. OSIRIS-REx launches in September 2016, with a backup launch period occurring one year later. Sampling occurs in 2019. The departure burn from Bennu occurs in March 2021. On September 24, 2023, the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) lands at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). Stardust heritage procedures are followed to transport the SRC to Johnson Space Center, where the samples are removed and delivered to the OSIRIS-REx curation facility. After a six-month preliminary examination period the mission will produce a catalog of the returned sample, allowing the worldwide community to request samples for detailed analysis. Traveling and returning a sample from an Asteroid that has not been explored before requires unique operations consideration. The Design Reference Mission (DRM) ties together spacecraft, instrument and operations scenarios. Asteroid Touch and Go (TAG) has various options varying from ground only to fully automated (natural feature tracking). Spacecraft constraints such as thermo and high gain antenna pointing impact the timeline. The mission is sensitive to navigation errors, so a late command update has been implemented. The project implemented lessons learned from other "small body" missions. The key lesson learned was 'expect the unexpected' and implement planning tools early in the lifecycle. This paper summarizes the ground and spacecraft design as presented at OSIRIS-REx Critical Design Review(CDR) held April 2014.
High-strain composite deployable space structures are used for space infrastructure and science applications such as solar array supports, antennae, camera masts, and lightweight structures supporting solar sailing propulsion ele-ments. Triangular, Rollable, and Collapsible (TRAC) deployable composite booms are one example of a high-strain composite deployable structure and were studied using novel experimental test and characterization methods developed under the Gravity Offloading and Analysis of Long Imperfection-sensitive Ele-ments (GOALIE) project. In the present work, a subscale 7-m-long TRAC boom was suspended vertically to orient gravity along the length of the boom. By ori-enting vertically, highly nonlinear and unstable behavior often encountered dur-ing horizontally oriented gravity offload testing of similar structures was reduced. Pretest analytical predictions of TRAC booms indicated three unique failure modes, loads, and locations for three unique loading cases of in-plane bending, out-of-plane bending, and axial compression. To investigate the predicted behav-ior, an experimental test was set up to impart mechanical loads to a subscale TRAC boom. The experimental setup, loading cases, and instrumentation used to characterize the mechanical response of a subscale TRAC boom are described in this paper.
High-strain composite deployable space structures are used for space infrastructure and science applications such as solar array supports, antennae, camera masts, and lightweight structures supporting solar sailing propulsion elements. Triangular, Rollable, and Collapsible (TRAC) deployable composite booms are one example of a high-strain composite deployable structure and were studied using novel experimental test and characterization methods developed under the Gravity Offloading and Analysis of Long Imperfection-sensitive Elements (GOALIE) project. In the present work, a subscale 7-m-long TRAC boom was suspended vertically to orient gravity along the length of the boom. By orienting vertically, highly nonlinear and unstable behavior often encountered during horizontally oriented gravity offload testing of similar structures was reduced. Pretest analytical predictions of TRAC booms indicated three unique failure modes, loads, and locations for three unique loading cases of in-plane bending, out-of-plane bending, and axial compression. To investigate the predicted behavior, an experimental test was set up to impart mechanical loads to a subscale TRAC boom. The experimental setup, loading cases, and instrumentation used to characterize the mechanical response of a subscale TRAC boom are described in this paper.
Efficient production of a wide range of commercial products based on submicron colloidal dispersions would benefit from instrumentation for online particle sizing, permitting real time monitoring and control of the particle size distribution. Recent advances in the technology of dynamic light scattering (DLS), especially improvements in algorithms for inversion of the intensity autocorrelation function, have made it ideally suited to the measurement of simple particle size distributions in the difficult submicron region. Crucial to the success of an online DSL based instrument is a simple mechanism for automatically sampling and diluting the starting concentrated sample suspension, yielding a final concentration which is optimal for the light scattering measurement. A proprietary method and apparatus was developed for performing this function, designed to be used with a DLS based particle sizing instrument. A PC/AT computer is used as a smart controller for the valves in the sampler diluter, as well as an input-output communicator, video display and data storage device. Quantitative results are presented for a latex suspension and an oil-in-water emulsion.
This final project report covers the design, development, construction, testing and qualification of the NIMBUS D BUV (Backscatter Ultraviolet) instrument. The instrument was designed and constructed in accordance with GSFC specification S-623-P-l and amendments. The design phase consisted of activity in three areas of technology: (1) Optical, (2) Mechanical, and (3) Electrical. Beckman Instruments, Inc. performed the tasks concerned with optical and mechanical design while Analog Technology Corporation was the electronics subcontractor. Initial studies resulted in the development of a breadboard model of the BUV instrument. Following extensive testing, additional mathematical analyses, and required modifications, preliminary and critical design reviews were performed. The results of these activities were the construction of an engineering model, used for extensive testing and demonstration of the final design features. Final design data resulted in the construction of two flight-rated instruments, serial numbers P103 and Fl04. On April 8, 1970, the P103 instrument was successfully launched into orbit on NIMBUS D and is presently fully operational.
The Aquarius Instrument s large radar reflector dish needed to be stowed for launch, and then deployed on-orbit. The Deployment Subsystem consisted of a cantilevered boom structure and two single-axis hinge mechanisms to accurately deploy and position the reflector dish relative to the radar feed horns. The cantilevered design demanded high stiffness and accuracy from the deployment mechanism at the root of the boom. A preload-generating end-of-travel latch was also required. To largely eliminate the need for control systems, each deployment mechanism was actuated by a passive spring motor with viscous-fluid damping. Tough requirements and adaptation of a heritage actuator to the new application resulted in numerous challenges. Fabrication, assembly, and testing encountered additional problems, though ultimately the system was demonstrated very successfully. This paper revisits the development to highlight which design concepts worked and the many important lessons learned.
The Large Ultraviolet/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) is a space telescope being submitted for review to the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Its science objectives include both direct imaging and spectral characterization of habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars, the study of planet, star, and galaxy formation, the transfer of matter between different galaxies, and the remote sensing of objects within the Solar System. Two architectures have been designed: a 15 m diameter on-axis telescope (LUVOIR-A) and an 8 m off-axis telescope (LUVOIR-B). This paper discusses the opto-mechanical design of the three LUVOIR instruments: the High Definition Imager (HDI), the LUVOIR UV Multi-object Spectrograph (LUMOS), and the Extreme Coronagraph for Living Planetary Systems (ECLIPS). For both the LUVOIR-A and LUVOIR-B variants of each instrument, optical design specifications are presented including first-order constraints, packaging requirements, and optical performance metrics. These factors are used to illustrate the final design of each instrument and LUVOIR as a whole. In addition to the optical designs, mechanical models are presented for each instrument showing the optical mounts, mechanisms, support structure, etc.
The improved single shank high pressure turbine design was evaluated in component tests consisting of performance, heat transfer and mechanical tests, and in core engine tests. The instrumented core engine test verified the thermal, mechanical, and aeromechanical characteristics of the improved turbine design. An endurance test subjected the improved single shank turbine to 1000 simulated flight cycles, the equivalent of approximately 3000 hours of typical airline service. Initial back-to-back engine tests demonstrated an improvement in cruise sfc of 1.3% and a reduction in exhaust gas temperature of 10 C. An additional improvement of 0.3% in cruise sfc and 6 C in EGT is projected for long service engines.
This viewgraph presentation provides an overview of current mechanical testing performed on spacecraft materials and instruments at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Specific mechanical testing procedures discussed include: force measurements limiting for sine, random vibration and acoustic tests, base driven model surveys, hydraulic shakers, new sine burst method and non contact sensors.
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A polychrometer-type motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostic technique, originally developed for the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, has been extended and applied to the Korea Superconducting Advanced Tokamak Research (KSTAR) device, the long-pulse superconducting tokamak, for the first time. It demonstrates a successful in situ subtraction of the polarized reflections off the vacuum vessel wall, sometimes up to half the total signal in some sightlines. To avoid the secondary neutral beam emission that may contaminate conventional beam-into-gas calibrations, a new approach, where the beam-into-gas measurements are made at various torus pressures with fixed vacuum fields, has been devised, which is possible with the stable superconducting coil systems of KSTAR. The validity of this new calibration scheme has been checked via plasma jog experiments. The experimental evidence of the polarized background light and the necessity of its correction in the MSE measurements made in KSTAR are presented as well.
We present planar, laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) measurements of the velocity-resolved distribution function of ions in a plasma using a modulated, narrow linewidth, continuous-wave laser. Plasma emission is acquired with a high frame rate camera, and the laser light is spread into a thin sheet so that an entire plane of the plasma is imaged at each interrogation wavelength. Fourier analysis is conducted on each pixel of the images to separate the modulated fluorescent emission from the background light. Argon ion temperatures and bulk flow maps are reported in a helicon plasma source, and standard single-point LIF measurements provide validation of the PLIF measurement.
Aims. The Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrument is a high-resolution imaging spectrometer operating at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. In this paper, we present the concept, design, and pre-launch performance of this facility instrument on the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter mission. Methods. The goal of this paper is to give prospective users a better understanding of the possible types of observations, the data acquisition, and the sources that contribute to the instrument’s signal. Results. The paper discusses the science objectives, with a focus on the SPICE-specific aspects, before presenting the instrument’s design, including optical, mechanical, thermal, and electronics aspects. This is followed by a characterisation and calibration of the instrument’s performance. The paper concludes with descriptions of the operations concept and data processing. Conclusions. The performance measurements of the various instrument parameters meet the requirements derived from the mission’s science objectives. The SPICE instrument is ready to perform measurements that will provide vital contributions to the scientific success of the Solar Orbiter mission.
Friction stir welding (FSW) can be used for joining weld lands that vary in thickness along the length of the weld. An adjustable pin tool mechanism can be used to accomplish this in a single-pass, full-penetration weld by providing for precise changes in the pin length relative to the shoulder face during the weld process. The difficulty with this approach is in accurately adjusting the pin length to provide a consistent penetration ligament throughout the weld. The weld technique, control system, and instrumentation must account for mechanical and thermal compliances of the tooling system to conduct tapered welds successfully. In this study, a combination of static and in-situ measurements, as well as active control, is used to locate the pin accurately and maintain the desired penetration ligament. Frictional forces at the pin/shoulder interface were a source of error that affected accurate pin position. A traditional FSW pin tool design that requires a lead angle was used to join butt weld configurations that included both constant thickness and tapered sections. The pitch axis of the tooling was fixed throughout the weld; therefore, the effective lead angle in the tapered sections was restricted to within the tolerances allowed by the pin tool design. The sensitivity of the FSW process to factors such as thickness offset, joint gap, centerline offset, and taper transition offset were also studied. The joint gap and the thickness offset demonstrated the most adverse affects on the weld quality. Two separate tooling configurations were used to conduct tapered thickness welds successfully. The weld configurations included sections in which the thickness decreased along the weld, as well as sections in which the thickness increased along the weld. The data presented here include weld metallography, strength data, and process load data.
Optical astrometry of quasars and active galaxies can provide key information on the spatial distribution and variability of emission in compact nuclei. The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM PlanetQuest) will have the sensitivity to measure a significant number of quasar positions at the microarcsecond level. SIM will be very sensitive to astrometric shifts for objects as faint as V = 19. A variety of AGN phenomena are expected to be visible to SIM on these scales, including time and spectral dependence in position offsets between accretion disk and jet emission. These represent unique data on the spatial distribution and time dependence of quasar emission. It will also probe the use of quasar nuclei as fundamental astrometric references. Comparisons between the time-dependent optical photocenter position and VLBI radio images will provide further insight into the jet emission mechanism. Observations will be tailored to each specific target and science question. SIM will be able to distinguish spatially between jet and accretion disk emission; and it can observe the cores of galaxies potentially harboring binary supermassive black holes resulting from mergers.