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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 217 records · Page 12
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NASA NTRS2003

Development and Demonstration of a Prototype Free Flight Cockpit Display of Traffic Information

Two versions of a prototype Free Flight cockpit situational display (Basic and Enhanced) were examined in a simulation at the NASA Ames Research Center. Both displays presented a display of traffic out to a range of 120 NM, and an alert when the automation detected a substantial danger of losing separation with another aircraft. The task for the crews was to detect and resolve threats to separation posed by intruder aircraft. An Enhanced version of the display was also examined. It incorporated two additional conflict alerting levels and tools to aid in trajectory prediction and path planning. Ten crews from a major airline participated in the study. Performance analyses and pilot debriefings showed that the Enhanced display was preferred, and that minimal separation between the intruder and the ownship was larger with the Enhanced display. In addition, the additional information on the Enhanced display did not lead crews to engage in more maneuvering. Instead an opposite trend was indicated. Finally, crews using the Enhanced display responded more proactively, tending to resolve alerts earlier.

Johnson, Walter W.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Design and Performance Evaluation of a UWB Communication and Tracking System for Mini-AERCam

NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is developing a low-volume, low-mass, robotic free-flying camera known as Mini-AERCam (Autonomous Extra-vehicular Robotic Camera) to assist the International Space Station (ISS) operations. Mini-AERCam is designed to provide astronauts and ground control real-time video for camera views of ISS. The system will assist ISS crewmembers and ground personnel to monitor ongoing operations and perform visual inspections of exterior ISS components without requiring extravehicular activity (EAV). Mini-AERCam consists of a great number of subsystems. Many institutions and companies have been involved in the R&D for this project. A Mini-AERCam ground control system has been studied at Texas A&M University [3]. The path planning and control algorithms that direct the motions of Mini-AERCam have been developed through the joint effort of Carnegie Mellon University and the Texas Robotics and Automation Center [5]. NASA JSC has designed a layered control architecture that integrates all functions of Mini-AERCam [8]. The research described in this report is part of a larger effort focused on the communication and tracking subsystem that is designed to perform three major tasks: 1. To transmit commands from ISS to Mini-AERCam for control of robotic camera motions (downlink); 2. To transmit real-time video from Mini-AERCam to ISS for inspections (uplink); 3. To track the position of Mini-AERCam for precise motion control. The ISS propagation environment is unique due to the nature of the ISS structure and multiple RF interference sources [9]. The ISS is composed of various truss segments, solar panels, thermal radiator panels, and modules for laboratories and crew accommodations. A tracking system supplemental to GPS is desirable both to improve accuracy and to eliminate the structural blockage due to the close proximity of the ISS which could at times limit the number of GPS satellites accessible to the Mini-AERCam. Ideally, the tracking system will be a passive component of the communication system which will need to operate in a time-varying multipath environment created as the robot camera moves over the ISS structure. In addition, due to many interference sources located on the ISS, SSO, LEO satellites and ground-based transmitters, selecting a frequency for the ISS and Mini-AERCam link which will coexist with all interferers poses a major design challenge. To meet all of these challenges, ultrawideband (UWB) radio technology is being studied for use in the Mini-AERCam communication and tracking subsystem. The research described in this report is focused on design and evaluation of passive tracking system algorithms based on UWB radio transmissions from mini-AERCam.

Barton, Richard J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Adaptive Inner-Loop Rover Control

Adaptive control technology is developed for the inner-loop speed and steering control of the MAX Rover. MAX, a CMU developed rover, is a compact low-cost 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steer (double Ackerman), high-clearance agile durable chassis, outfitted with sensors and electronics that make it ideally suited for supporting research relevant to intelligent teleoperation and as a low-cost autonomous robotic test bed and appliance. The design consists of a feedback linearization based controller with a proportional - integral (PI) feedback that is augmented by an online adaptive neural network. The adaptation law has guaranteed stability properties for safe operation. The control design is retrofit in nature so that it fits inside the outer-loop path planning algorithms. Successful hardware implementation of the controller is illustrated for several scenarios consisting of actuator failures and modeling errors in the nominal design.

Kulkarni, Nilesh↗
NASA NTRS2000

Autonomous navigation ability: FIDO test results

The FIDO platform of the JPL has been used to evaluate the ability of autonomous obstacle avoidance developed by JPL and CNES autonomous long range path planning. The test results show that only a very small amount of energy and computing time is used to implement autonomy and that the capabilities of the rover are fully used, allowing a much longer daily traverse than purely ground-planned strategies.

rover stereovision autonomous navigation planetary↗
NASA NTRS2002

On the validity of the double integrator approximation in deep space formation flying

Free-flying models are commonly used f o r path planning and open loop control design (i. e., guidance design) and translational feedback control design (i. e., control design) for deep space precision formation flying. The free flying model, essentially a double integrator, results from discarding small terms in the relative spacecraft equations of motion. While the magnitude of these discarded terms may be small, one must show that their dynamic effects are small as compared to the precision performance requirements. We do so by deriving a theoretical method for bounding the difference between the solution of a nonlinear truth model of the relative translational spacecraft dynamics and a Simplified linear time-invariant model. Presently, the method incorporates feedforward and static output feedback control. The method is applied to a Terrestrial Planet Finder- based example. Using only feedforward control (guidance) the free-flying model and a Hill- Clohessy- Wiltshire Equations-based model are shown to be accurate to 1 c m for up to 4 and 30 hours, respectively. Also shown is that the simplest free-flying model may not be sufficient for low-gain feedback control design-closed-loop tracking errors can be as large as 8 meters.

formation flying free flying model double integrat↗
NASA NTRS2007

Control of Space-Based Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication

Engineering a closed-loop control system for an electron beam welder for space-based additive manufacturing is challenging. For earth and space based applications, components must work in a vacuum and optical components become occluded with metal vapor deposition. For extraterrestrial applications added components increase launch weight, increase complexity, and increase space flight certification efforts. Here we present a software tool that closely couples path planning and E-beam parameter controls into the build process to increase flexibility. In an environment where data collection hinders real-time control, another approach is considered that will still yield a high quality build.

Seifzer. W. J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Rover Slip Validation and Prediction Algorithm

A physical-based simulation has been developed for the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission that applies a slope-induced wheel-slippage to the rover location estimator. Using the digital elevation map from the stereo images, the computational method resolves the quasi-dynamic equations of motion that incorporate the actual wheel-terrain speed to estimate the gross velocity of the vehicle. Based on the empirical slippage measured by the Visual Odometry software of the rover, this algorithm computes two factors for the slip model by minimizing the distance of the predicted and actual vehicle location, and then uses the model to predict the next drives. This technique, which has been deployed to operate the MER rovers in the extended mission periods, can accurately predict the rover position and attitude, mitigating the risk and uncertainties in the path planning on high-slope areas.

Yen, Jeng↗
NASA NTRS2007

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2007

Topics covered include; Rapid Fabrication of Carbide Matrix/Carbon Fiber Composites; Coating Thermoelectric Devices To Suppress Sublimation; Ultrahigh-Temperature Ceramics; Improved C/SiC Ceramic Composites Made Using PIP; Coating Carbon Fibers With Platinum; Two-Band, Low-Loss Microwave Window; MCM Polarimetric Radiometers for Planar Arrays; Aperture-Coupled Thin-Membrane L-Band Antenna; WGM-Based Photonic Local Oscillators and Modulators; Focal-Plane Arrays of Quantum-Dot Infrared Photodetectors; Laser Range and Bearing Finder With No Moving Parts; Microrectenna: A Terahertz Antenna and Rectifier on a Chip; Miniature L-Band Radar Transceiver; Robotic Vision-Based Localization in an Urban Environment; Programs for Testing an SSME-Monitoring System; Cathodoluminescent Source of Intense White Light; Displaying and Analyzing Antenna Radiation Patterns; Payload Operations Support Team Tools; Space-Shuttle Emulator Software; Soft Real-Time PID Control on a VME Computer; Analyzing Radio-Frequency Coverage for the ISS; Nanorod-Based Fast-Response Pressure-Sensitive Paints; Capacitors Would Help Protect Against Hypervelocity Impacts; Diaphragm Pump With Resonant Piezoelectric Drive; Improved Quick-Release Pin Mechanism; Designing Rolling-Element Bearings; Reverse-Tangent Injection in a Centrifugal Compressor; Inertial Measurements for Aero-assisted Navigation (IMAN); Analysis of Complex Valve and Feed Systems; Improved Path Planning Onboard the Mars Exploration Rovers; Robust, Flexible Motion Control for the Mars Explorer Rovers; Solar Sail Spaceflight Simulation; Fluorine-Based DRIE of Fused Silica; Mechanical Alloying for Making Thermoelectric Compounds; Process for High-Rate Fabrication of Alumina Nanotemplates; Electroform/Plasma-Spray Laminates for X-Ray Optics; An Automated Flying-Insect Detection System; Calligraphic Poling of Ferroelectric Material; Blackbody Cavity for Calibrations at 200 to 273 K; KML Super Overlay to WMS Translator; High-Performance Tiled WMS and KML Web Server; Modeling of Radiative Transfer in Protostellar Disks; Composite Pulse Tube; Photometric Calibration of Consumer Video Cameras; Criterion for Identifying Vortices in High- Pressure Flows; Amplified Thermionic Cooling Using Arrays of Nanowires; Delamination-Indicating Thermal Barrier Coatings; Preventing Raman Lasing in High-Q WGM Resonators; Procedures for Tuning a Multiresonator Photonic Filter; Robust Mapping of Incoherent Fiber-Optic Bundles; Extended-Range Ultrarefractive 1D Photonic Crystal Prisms; Rapid Analysis of Mass Distribution of Radiation Shielding; Modeling Magnetic Properties in EZTB; Deep Space Network Antenna Logic Controller; Modeling Carbon and Hydrocarbon Molecular Structures in EZTB; BigView Image Viewing on Tiled Displays; and Imaging Sensor Flight and Test Equipment Software.

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NASA NTRS2010

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2010

Topics covered include: Instrument for Analysis of Greenland's Glacier Mills Cryogenic Moisture Apparatus; A Transportable Gravity Gradiometer Based on Atom Interferometry; Three Methods of Detection of Hydrazines; Crossed, Small-Deflection Energy Analyzer for Wind/Temperature Spectrometer; Wavefront Correction for Large, Flexible Antenna Reflector; Novel Micro Strip-to-Waveguide Feed Employing a Double-Y Junction; Thin-Film Ferro Electric-Coupled Microstripline Phase Shifters With Reduced Device Hysteresis; Two-Stage, 90-GHz, Low-Noise Amplifier; A 311-GHz Fundamental Oscillator Using InP HBT Technology; FPGA Coprocessor Design for an Onboard Multi-Angle Spectro-Polarimetric Imager; Serrating Nozzle Surfaces for Complete Transfer of Droplets; Turbomolecular Pumps for Holding Gases in Open Containers; Triaxial Swirl Injector Element for Liquid-Fueled Engines; Integrated Budget Office Toolbox; PLOT3D Export Tool for Tecplot; Math Description Engine Software Development Kit; Astronaut Office Scheduling System Software; ISS Solar Array Management; Probabilistic Structural Analysis Program; SPOT Program; Integrated Hybrid System Architecture for Risk Analysis; System for Packaging Planetary Samples for Return to Earth; Offset Compound Gear Drive; Low-Dead-Volume Inlet for Vacuum Chamber; Simple Check Valves for Microfluidic Devices; A Capillary-Based Static Phase Separator for Highly Variable Wetting Conditions; Gimballing Spacecraft Thruster; Finned Carbon-Carbon Heat Pipe with Potassium Working Fluid; Lightweight Heat Pipes Made from Magnesium; Ceramic Rail-Race Ball Bearings; Improved OTEC System for a Submarine Robot; Reflector Surface Error Compensation in Dual-Reflector Antennas; Enriched Storable Oxidizers for Rocket Engines; Planar Submillimeter-Wave Mixer Technology with Integrated Antenna; Widely Tunable Mode-Hop-Free External-Cavity Quantum Cascade Laser; Non-Geiger-Mode Single-Photon Avalanche Detector with Low Excess Noise; Using Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators for Refractometry; RF Device for Acquiring Images of the Human Body; Reactive Collision Avoidance Algorithm; Fast Solution in Sparse LDA for Binary Classification; Modeling Common-Sense Decisions in Artificial Intelligence; Graph-Based Path-Planning for Titan Balloons; Nanolaminate Membranes as Cylindrical Telescope Reflectors; Air-Sea Spray Airborne Radar Profiler Characterizes Energy Fluxes in Hurricanes; Large Telescope Segmented Primary Mirror Alignment; and Simplified Night Sky Display System.

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NASA NTRS2006

Integrating Terrain Maps Into a Reactive Navigation Strategy

An improved method of processing information for autonomous navigation of a robotic vehicle across rough terrain involves the integration of terrain maps into a reactive navigation strategy. Somewhat more precisely, the method involves the incorporation, into navigation logic, of data equivalent to regional traversability maps. The terrain characteristic is mapped using a fuzzy-logic representation of the difficulty of traversing the terrain. The method is robust in that it integrates a global path-planning strategy with sensor-based regional and local navigation strategies to ensure a high probability of success in reaching a destination and avoiding obstacles along the way. The sensor-based strategies use cameras aboard the vehicle to observe the regional terrain, defined as the area of the terrain that covers the immediate vicinity near the vehicle to a specified distance a few meters away.

Howard, Ayanna↗
NASA NTRS2009

NASA Subsonic Rotary Wing Project

This slide presentation will outline the rationale for, and the initial results of, a contractor study being performed by a SAIC-led team of Bell Helicopter Textron, Sensis, and Optimal Synthesis. Together, this team represents an extensive body of subject matter expertise as related to rotorcraft technologies and design, airspace demand modeling simulation, and terminal area operations and flight path planning. The initial conceptual design results of a fleet of civil tiltrotor aircraft ranging in size from 10 to 120 passengers is a key highlight of the work to be presented. The intent of this presentation is to begin to provide the general community of rotorcraft researchers, manufacturers, and end-users an appreciation of the criticality of interjecting rotorcraft-specific technology and concepts of operation issues into Next Gen airspace requirements

Young, Larry A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Cooperative Lander-Surface/Aerial Microflyer Missions for Mars Exploration

Concepts are being investigated for exploratory missions to Mars based on Bioinspired Engineering of Exploration Systems (BEES), which is a guiding principle of this effort to develop biomorphic explorers. The novelty lies in the use of a robust telecom architecture for mission data return, utilizing multiple local relays (including the lander itself as a local relay and the explorers in the dual role of a local relay) to enable ranges ~10 to 1,000 km and downlink of color imagery. As illustrated in Figure 1, multiple microflyers that can be both surface or aerially launched are envisioned in shepherding, metamorphic, and imaging roles. These microflyers imbibe key bio-inspired principles in their flight control, navigation, and visual search operations. Honey-bee inspired algorithms utilizing visual cues to perform autonomous navigation operations such as terrain following will be utilized. The instrument suite will consist of a panoramic imager and polarization imager specifically optimized to detect ice and water. For microflyers, particularly at small sizes, bio-inspired solutions appear to offer better alternate solutions than conventional engineered approaches. This investigation addresses a wide range of interrelated issues, including desired scientific data, sizes, rates, and communication ranges that can be accomplished in alternative mission scenarios. The mission illustrated in Figure 1 offers the most robust telecom architecture and the longest range for exploration with two landers being available as main local relays in addition to an ephemeral aerial probe local relay. The shepherding or metamorphic plane are in their dual role as local relays and image data collection/storage nodes. Appropriate placement of the landing site for the scout lander with respect to the main mission lander can allow coverage of extremely large ranges and enable exhaustive survey of the area of interest. In particular, this mission could help with the path planning and risk mitigation in the traverse of the long-distance surface explorer/rover. The basic requirements of design and operation of BEES to implement the scenarios are discussed. Terrestrial applications of such concepts include distributed aerial/surface measurements of meteorological events, i.e., storm watch, seismic monitoring, reconnaissance, biological chemical sensing, search and rescue, surveillance, autonomous security/ protection agents, and/or delivery and lateral distribution of agents (sensors, surface/subsurface crawlers, clean-up agents). Figure 2 illustrates an Earth demonstration that is in development, and its implementation will illustrate the value of these biomorphic mission concepts.

Thakoor, Sarita↗
NASA NTRS2003

Algorithms for Haptic Rendering of 3D Objects

Algorithms have been developed to provide haptic rendering of three-dimensional (3D) objects in virtual (that is, computationally simulated) environments. The goal of haptic rendering is to generate tactual displays of the shapes, hardnesses, surface textures, and frictional properties of 3D objects in real time. Haptic rendering is a major element of the emerging field of computer haptics, which invites comparison with computer graphics. We have already seen various applications of computer haptics in the areas of medicine (surgical simulation, telemedicine, haptic user interfaces for blind people, and rehabilitation of patients with neurological disorders), entertainment (3D painting, character animation, morphing, and sculpting), mechanical design (path planning and assembly sequencing), and scientific visualization (geophysical data analysis and molecular manipulation).

Basdogan, Cagatay↗
NASA NTRS2011

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2011

Topics covered include: Miniature, Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyroscope; NBL Pistol Grip Tool for Underwater Training of Astronauts; HEXPANDO Expanding Head for Fastener-Retention Hexagonal Wrench; Diagonal-Axes Stage for Pointing an Optical Communications Transceiver; Improvements in Speed and Functionality of a 670-GHz Imaging Radar; IONAC-Lite; Large Ka-Band Slot Array for Digital Beam-Forming Applications; Development of a 150-GHz MMIC Module Prototype for Large-Scale CMB Radiation; Coupling Between Waveguide-Fed Slot Arrays; PCB-Based Break-Out Box; Multiple-Beam Detection of Fast Transient Radio Sources; Router Agent Technology for Policy-Based Network Management; Remote Asynchronous Message Service Gateway; Automatic Tie Pointer for In-Situ Pointing Correction; Jitter Correction; MSLICE Sequencing; EOS MLS Level 2 Data Processing Software Version 3; DspaceOgre 3D Graphics Visualization Tool; Metallization for Yb14MnSb11-Based Thermoelectric Materials; Solvent/Non-Solvent Sintering To Make Microsphere Scaffolds; Enhanced Fuel-Optimal Trajectory-Generation Algorithm for Planetary Pinpoint Landing; Self-Cleaning Coatings and Materials for Decontaminating Field-Deployable Land and Water-Based Optical Systems; Separation of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with DEP-FFF; Li Anode Technology for Improved Performance; Post-Fragmentation Whole Genome Amplification-Based Method; Microwave Tissue Soldering for Immediate Wound Closure; Principles, Techniques, and Applications of Tissue Microfluidics; Robotic Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Organ Growth; Stress-Driven Selection of Novel Phenotypes; Method for Accurately Calibrating a Spectrometer Using Broadband Light; Catalytic Microtube Rocket Igniter; Stage Cylindrical Immersive Display; Vacuum Camera Cooler; Atomic Oxygen Fluence Monitor; Thermal Management Tools for Propulsion System Trade Studies and Analysis; Introduction to Physical Intelligence; Technique for Solving Electrically Small to Large Structures for Broadband Applications; Accelerated Adaptive MGS Phase Retrieval; Large Eddy Simulation Study for Fluid Disintegration and Mixing; Tropospheric Correction for InSAR Using Interpolated ECMWF Data and GPS Zenith Total Delay; Technique for Calculating Solution Derivatives With Respect to Geometry Parameters in a CFD Code; Acute Radiation Risk and BRYNTRN Organ Dose Projection Graphical User Interface; Probabilistic Path Planning of Montgolfier Balloons in Strong, Uncertain Wind Fields; Flight Simulation of ARES in the Mars Environment; Low-Outgassing Photogrammetry Targets for Use in Outer Space; Planning the FUSE Mission Using the SOVA Algorithm; Monitoring Spacecraft Telemetry Via Optical or RF Link; and Robust Thermal Control of Propulsion Lines for Space Missions.

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NASA NTRS2012

An Efficient and Versatile Means for Assembling and Manufacturing Systems in Space

Within NASA Space Science, Exploration and the Office of Chief Technologist, there are Grand Challenges and advanced future exploration, science and commercial mission applications that could benefit significantly from large-span and large-area structural systems. Of particular and persistent interest to the Space Science community is the desire for large (in the 10- 50 meter range for main aperture diameter) space telescopes that would revolutionize space astronomy. Achieving these systems will likely require on-orbit assembly, but previous approaches for assembling large-scale telescope truss structures and systems in space have been perceived as very costly because they require high precision and custom components. These components rely on a large number of mechanical connections and supporting infrastructure that are unique to each application. In this paper, a new assembly paradigm that mitigates these concerns is proposed and described. A new assembly approach, developed to implement the paradigm, is developed incorporating: Intelligent Precision Jigging Robots, Electron-Beam welding, robotic handling/manipulation, operations assembly sequence and path planning, and low precision weldable structural elements. Key advantages of the new assembly paradigm, as well as concept descriptions and ongoing research and technology development efforts for each of the major elements are summarized.

Dorsey, John T.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Automated Purgatoid Identification: Final Report

Driving on Mars is hazardous: technical problems and unforeseen natural hazards can end a mission quickly at the worst, or result in long delays at best. This project is focused on helping to mitigate hazards posed to rovers by purgatoids: small (less than 1 m high, less than 10 m wide), ripple-like eolian bedforms commonly found scattered across the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. Due to the poorly consolidated nature of purgatoids and multiple past episodes of rovers getting stuck in them, identification and avoidance of these eolian bedforms is an important feature of rover path planning (NASA, 2011).

MatLab↗
NASA NTRS2009

Head Pose Estimation Using Multilinear Subspace Analysis for Robot Human Awareness

Mobile robots, operating in unconstrained indoor and outdoor environments, would benefit in many ways from perception of the human awareness around them. Knowledge of people's head pose and gaze directions would enable the robot to deduce which people are aware of the its presence, and to predict future motions of the people for better path planning. To make such inferences, requires estimating head pose on facial images that are combination of multiple varying factors, such as identity, appearance, head pose, and illumination. By applying multilinear algebra, the algebra of higher-order tensors, we can separate these factors and estimate head pose regardless of subject's identity or image conditions. Furthermore, we can automatically handle uncertainty in the size of the face and its location. We demonstrate a pipeline of on-the-move detection of pedestrians with a robot stereo vision system, segmentation of the head, and head pose estimation in cluttered urban street scenes.

Ivanov, Tonislav↗