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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

Deep Space Networking Experiments on the EPOXI Spacecraft

NASA's Space Communications & Navigation Program within the Space Operations Directorate is operating a program to develop and deploy Disruption Tolerant Networking [DTN] technology for a wide variety of mission types by the end of 2011. DTN is an enabling element of the Interplanetary Internet where terrestrial networking protocols are generally unsuitable because they rely on timely and continuous end-to-end delivery of data and acknowledgments. In fall of 2008 and 2009 and 2011 the Jet Propulsion Laboratory installed and tested essential elements of DTN technology on the Deep Impact spacecraft. These experiments, called Deep Impact Network Experiment (DINET 1) were performed in close cooperation with the EPOXI project which has responsibility for the spacecraft. The DINET 1 software was installed on the backup software partition on the backup flight computer for DINET 1. For DINET 1, the spacecraft was at a distance of about 15 million miles (24 million kilometers) from Earth. During DINET 1 300 images were transmitted from the JPL nodes to the spacecraft. Then, they were automatically forwarded from the spacecraft back to the JPL nodes, exercising DTN's bundle origination, transmission, acquisition, dynamic route computation, congestion control, prioritization, custody transfer, and automatic retransmission procedures, both on the spacecraft and on the ground, over a period of 27 days. The first DINET 1 experiment successfully validated many of the essential elements of the DTN protocols. DINET 2 demonstrated: 1) additional DTN functionality, 2) automated certain tasks which were manually implemented in DINET 1 and 3) installed the ION SW on nodes outside of JPL. DINET 3 plans to: 1) upgrade the LTP convergence-layer adapter to conform to the international LTP CL specification, 2) add convergence-layer "stewardship" procedures and 3) add the BSP security elements [PIB & PCB]. This paper describes the planning and execution of the flight experiment and the validation results.

automated data communication↗

Near earth asteroid scout CubeSat science data retrieval optimization using onboard data analysis

We present a collection of techniques designed for mitigating limited pointing stability for target acquisition, onboard image calibration and decision making, in a low bandwidth environment. These technologies will fly on the Near Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) interplanetary CubeSat mission in 2019. To support verification and validation, the flight software implementations of these algorithms have been run on New Horizons, Rosetta and terrestrially acquired data sets. These experiments validate the capability to detect the target, through noise and target location uncertainty.

Basset, Christophe↗

Directional radiance measurements: Challenges in the sampling of landscapes

Most earth surfaces, particularly those supporting natural vegetation ecosystems, constitute structurally and spectrally complex surfaces that are distinctly non-Lambertian reflectors. Obtaining meaningful measurements of the directional radiances of landscapes and obtaining estimates of the complete bidirectional reflectance distribution functions of ground targets with complex and variable landscape and radiometric features are challenging tasks. Reasons for the increased interest in directional radiance measurements are presented, and the issues that must be addressed when trying to acquire directional radiances for vegetated land surfaces from different types of remote sensing platforms are discussed. Priority research emphases are suggested, concerning field measurements of directional surface radiances and reflectances for future research. Primarily, emphasis must be given to the acquisition of more complete and directly associated radiometric and biometric parameter data sets that will empower the exploitation of the 'angular dimension' in remote sensing of vegetation through enabling the further development and rigorous validation of state of the art plant canopy models.

Deering, D. W.↗

SSIM: NASA Mars rover robotics flight software simulation

The focus of SSim on MSL was the robotic flight software, including rover mobility and navigation, robotic arm manipulation, and sample acquisition, processing, and delivery. It can execute behaviors in simulation a thousand times faster than they execute in real time on the flight compute element. SSim is used by rover drivers to develop and validate command sequences throughout the planning cycle. SSim has been used to plan all of the Curiosity robotic operations since landing and is expected to continue to be used for the remaining life of the rover.

Leger, Chris↗

Obtaining Real Production Data Through On-Component Printed SIR Patterns

Cleanliness validation of printed circuit assemblies has become increasingly important as electronic assemblies become smaller, denser, and more challenging to clean, prompting an increase in reliance in custom solutions. With increasingly fast paced development cycles, long lead times and costs of quality custom surrogate test boards become prohibitive in obtaining cleanliness data that is a true representative of the final product. In this study, aerosol jet printing, an additive manufacturing technology for electronics, was used to manufacture surface insulation resistance (SIR) test structures that were evaluated on their ability to detect cleanliness defects and remain stable when clean, as well as their survivability to standard electronics wash processes. Additionally, in an effort to further increase the agility of true product testing, SIR test structures were printed directly onto ball-grid-arrays (BGAs) and tested the survivability of conformally printed leads for data acquisition. SIR test structures displayed good wash survivability on standard FR4 and BGAs, including wraparounds for on-component prints, and high sensitivity to cleanliness defects. The presented results demonstrate the feasibility of printed SIR structures as a quick-turn, highly customizable solution for wash validation with potential for increased fidelity cleanliness testing.

SIR, Additive Manufacturing, Printed Electronics, ↗

Helical Face Gear Development Under the Enhanced Rotorcraft Drive System Program

U.S. Army goals for the Enhanced Rotorcraft Drive System Program are to achieve a 40 percent increase in horsepower to weight ratio, a 15 dB reduction in drive system generated noise, 30 percent reduction in drive system operating, support, and acquisition cost, and 75 percent automatic detection of critical mechanical component failures. Boeing s technology transition goals are that the operational endurance level of the helical face gearing and related split-torque designs be validated to a TRL 6, and that analytical and manufacturing tools be validated. Helical face gear technology is being developed in this project to augment, and transition into, a Boeing AH-64 Block III split-torque face gear main transmission stage, to yield increased power density and reduced noise. To date, helical face gear grinding development on Northstar s new face gear grinding machine and pattern-development tests at the NASA Glenn/U.S. Army Research Laboratory have been completed and are described.

Heath, Gregory F.↗

Experimenting Galileo on Board the International Space Station

The SCaN Testbed is an advanced integrated communications system and laboratory facility installed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2012. The testbed incorporates a set of new generation of Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies intended to allow researchers to develop, test, and demonstrate new communications, networking, and navigation capabilities in the actual environment of space. Qascom, in cooperation with ESA and NASA, is designing a Software Defined Radio GalileoGPS Receiver capable to provide accurate positioning and timing to be installed on the ISS SCaN Testbed. The GalileoGPS waveform will be operated in the JPL SDR that is constituted by several hardware components that can be used for experimentations in L-Band and S-Band. The JPL SDR includes an L-Band Dorne Margolin antenna mounted onto a choke ring. The antenna is connected to a radio front end capable to provide one bit samples for the three GNSS frequencies (L1, L2 and L5) at 38 MHz, exploiting the subharmonic sampling. The baseband processing is then performed by an ATMEL AT697 processor (100 MIPS) and two Virtex 2 FPGAs. The JPL SDR supports the STRS (Space Telecommunications Radio System) that provides common waveform software interfaces, methods of instantiation, operation, and testing among different compliant hardware and software products. The standard foresees the development of applications that are modular, portable, reconfigurable, and reusable. The developed waveform uses the STRS infrastructure-provided application program interfaces (APIs) and services to load, verify, execute, change parameters, terminate, or unload an application. The project is divided in three main phases. 1)Design and Development of the GalileoGPS waveform for the SCaN Testbed starting from Qascom existing GNSS SDR receiver. The baseline design is limited to the implementation of the single frequency Galileo and GPS L1E1 receiver even if as part of the activity it will be to assess the feasibility of a dual frequency implementation (L1E1+L5E5a) in the same SDR platform.2)Qualification and test the GalileoGPS waveform using ground systems available at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Experimenters can have access to two SCaN Testbed ground based systems for development and verification: the Experimenter Development System (EDS) that is intended to provide initial opportunity for software testing and basic functional validation and the Ground Integration Unit (GIU) that is a high fidelity version of the SCaN Testbed flight system and is therefore used for more controlled final development testing and verification testing.3)Perform in-orbit validation and experimentation: The experimentation phase will consists on the collection of raw measurements (pseudorange, Carrier phase, CN0) in space, assessment on the quality of the measurements and the receiver performances in terms of signal acquisition, tracking, etc. Finally computation of positioning in space (Position, Velocity and time) and assessment of its performance.(Complete abstract in attached document).

GPS↗

Experimenting Galileo on Board the International Space Station

The SCaN Testbed is an advanced integrated communications system and laboratory facility installed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2012. The testbed incorporates a set of new generation of Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies intended to allow researchers to develop, test, and demonstrate new communications, networking, and navigation capabilities in the actual environment of space. Qascom, in cooperation with ESA and NASA, is designing a Software Defined Radio GalileoGPS Receiver capable to provide accurate positioning and timing to be installed on the ISS SCaN Testbed. The GalileoGPS waveform will be operated in the JPL SDR that is constituted by several hardware components that can be used for experimentations in L-Band and S-Band. The JPL SDR includes an L-Band Dorne Margolin antenna mounted onto a choke ring. The antenna is connected to a radio front end capable to provide one bit samples for the three GNSS frequencies (L1, L2 and L5) at 38 MHz, exploiting the subharmonic sampling. The baseband processing is then performed by an ATMEL AT697 processor (100 MIPS) and two Virtex 2 FPGAs. The JPL SDR supports the STRS (Space Telecommunications Radio System) that provides common waveform software interfaces, methods of instantiation, operation, and testing among different compliant hardware and software products. The standard foresees the development of applications that are modular, portable, reconfigurable, and reusable. The developed waveform uses the STRS infrastructure-provided application program interfaces (APIs) and services to load, verify, execute, change parameters, terminate, or unload an application. The project is divided in three main phases. 1)Design and Development of the GalileoGPS waveform for the SCaN Testbed starting from Qascom existing GNSS SDR receiver. The baseline design is limited to the implementation of the single frequency Galileo and GPS L1E1 receiver even if as part of the activity it will be to assess the feasibility of a dual frequency implementation (L1E1+L5E5a) in the same SDR platform.2)Qualification and test the GalileoGPS waveform using ground systems available at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Experimenters can have access to two SCaN Testbed ground based systems for development and verification: the Experimenter Development System (EDS) that is intended to provide initial opportunity for software testing and basic functional validation and the Ground Integration Unit (GIU) that is a high fidelity version of the SCaN Testbed flight system and is therefore used for more controlled final development testing and verification testing.3)Perform in-orbit validation and experimentation: The experimentation phase will consists on the collection of raw measurements (pseudorange, Carrier phase, CN0) in space, assessment on the quality of the measurements and the receiver performances in terms of signal acquisition, tracking, etc. Finally computation of positioning in space (Position, Velocity and time) and assessment of its performance.(Complete abstract in attached document).

Galileo↗

Field Test Report Neutron Scintillator Array Dry Storage Cask Scanner FY2024

During two weeks of Field Testing at the Idaho National Laboratory INTEC Cask Farm in July and August 2024, the LLNL Dry Storage Cask Scanner Array was lifted on top of an MC-10 dry storage fuel cask and operated to acquire neutron and gamma-ray data from the 24 fuel bundle positions. Neutron and gamma-ray data acquisition scans across the top of the cask of varying dwell times were performed July 15-18, 2024 and August 19-22, 2024 to evaluate the ability of the scanner data to reveal asymmetries in the fuel positions that reflect asymmetries in the MC-10 cask fuel bundle loading. The MC-10 cask 24 position fuel bundle loading at the INTEC Cask Farm is well documented, including the locations of six empty fuel bundle positions. This loading presents an opportunity to test the ability of the scanner system to detect diversion of spent fuel bundles as well as to validate the MC-10 cask MCNP modeling. The cask scanner array consists of six Stilbene crystal scintillator detectors and a linear actuator frame that moves the six detectors across the MC-10 dry storage cask to obtain data above each of the 24 fuel bundle positions. The detectors are connected to a pulse-shape discrimination data acquisition system capable of generating separate neutron and gamma-ray spectra for each detector and for each scan position. From the prior single detector Field Test in 2021 and iteration with MCNP modeling, the neutron and gamma-ray data were analyzed in multiple energy regions to identify an analysis method that would provide the strongest and most consistent signature of the asymmetric MC-10 cask fuel loading1 . From both the 2021 Field Test and the current Field Test results, the neutron capture gamma-ray count rate around 2.2 MeV provides the strongest signature of the asymmetric MC-10 cask fuel loading and has qualitative agreement with MCNP calculations. Counting all gamma-rays produces a similar signature. Neutrons emerging from the cask top are moderated and captured by the hydrogen in the polyethylene moderator and scintillator detector, producing a 2.2 MeV gamma ray which is seen in the scintillator gamma-ray spectrum. The count rate in the 2.2 MeV gamma-ray region is ~50 c/s, which is ~1000x higher than the ~0.05 n/s rate in the > 4MeV neutron region, and ~50x greater than the ~1 n/s rate in the neutrons > 500 keV region. Analysis of the 2.2 MeV neutron-capture Compton-scattered gamma-rays produces a statistically significant signature of the INTEC Cask Farm MC-10 asymmetric fuel loading. MCNP simulations indicate that the average neutron energy spectrum offers the potential to detect a large asymmetry from several missing bundles as well as individual missing fuel bundles. Testing this feature will require measurements on a cask with single missing elements.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Disruption Tolerant Networking Flight Validation Experiment on NASA's EPOXI Mission

In October and November of 2008, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory installed and tested essential elements of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) technology on the Deep Impact spacecraft. This experiment, called Deep Impact Network Experiment (DINET), was performed in close cooperation with the EPOXI project which has responsibility for the spacecraft. During DINET some 300 images were transmitted from the JPL nodes to the spacecraft. Then they were automatically forwarded from the spacecraft back to the JPL nodes, exercising DTN's bundle origination, transmission, acquisition, dynamic route computation, congestion control, prioritization, custody transfer, and automatic retransmission procedures, both on the spacecraft and on the ground, over a period of 27 days. All transmitted bundles were successfully received, without corruption. The DINET experiment demonstrated DTN readiness for operational use in space missions. This activity was part of a larger NASA space DTN development program to mature DTN to flight readiness for a wide variety of mission types by the end of 2011. This paper describes the DTN protocols, the flight demo implementation, validation metrics which were created for the experiment, and validation results.

DTN↗

Regional program for acquisition of medical experiments

A U.S. company was contracted to cover different regions of the country. A moderately detailed description of the highlights of the company activities along with some conclusions and recommendations are reported. In summary, the regional program effectively: (1) informed segments of the medical community of research opportunities; (2) validated formats for regional workshops; (3) assisted potential investigators with follow-up consultations and proposal preparations; and (4) identified a latent intersect requiring continual dialog at the scientist/engineer interface for successful cultivation and integration.

Vannordstrand, P. C.↗

Modeling and Simulation Verification, Validation and Accreditation (VV&A): A New Undertaking for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate

and Accreditation (VV&A) session audience, a snapshot review of the Exploration Space Mission Directorate s (ESMD) investigation into implementation of a modeling and simulation (M&S) VV&A program. The presentation provides some legacy ESMD reference material, including information on the then-current organizational structure, and M&S (Simulation Based Acquisition (SBA)) focus contained therein, to provide a context for the proposed M&S VV&A approach. This reference material briefly highlights the SBA goals and objectives, and outlines FY05 M&S development and implementation consistent with the Subjective Assessment, Constructive Assessment, Operator-in-the-Loop Assessment, Hardware-in-the-Loop Assessment, and In Service Operations Assessment M&S construct, the NASA Exploration Information Ontology Model (NExIOM) data model, and integration with the Windchill-based Integrated Collaborative Environment (ICE). The presentation then addresses the ESMD team s initial conclusions regarding an M&S VV&A program, summarizes the general VV&A implementation approach anticipated, and outlines some of the recognized VV&A program challenges, all within a broader context of the overarching Integrated Modeling and Simulation (IM&S) environment at both the ESMD and Agency (NASA) levels. The presentation concludes with a status on the current M&S organization s progress to date relative to the recommended IM&S implementation activity. The overall presentation was focused to provide, for the Verification, Validation,

Prill, Mark E.↗

Characterization of slow and fast phase nystagmus

A current literature review of the analog and digital process of vestibular and optical kinetic nystagmus reveals little agreement in the methods used by various labs. The strategies for detection of saccade (fast phase velocity component of nystagmus) vary between labs, and most of the process have not been evaluated and validated with a standard database. A survey was made of major vestibular labs in the U.S. that perform computer analyses of vestibular and optokinetic reflexes to stimuli, and a baseline was established from which to standardize data acquisition and analysis programs. The concept of an Error Index was employed as the criterium for evaluating the performance of the vestibular analysis software programs. The performance criterium is based on the detection of saccades and is the average of the percentages of missed detections and false detections. Evaluation of the programs produced results for lateral gaze with saccadic amplitude of one, two, three, five, and ten degrees with various signal-to-noise ratios. In addition, results were obtained for sinusoidal pursuit of 0.05, 0.10, and 0.50 Hz with saccades from one to ten degrees at various signal-to-noise ratios. Selection of the best program was made from the performance in the lateral gaze with three degrees of saccadic amplitude and in the 0.10 Hz sinusoid with three degrees of saccadic amplitude.

Lessard, Charles S.↗

Applied high-speed imaging for the icing research program at NASA Lewis Research Center

The Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Lewis Research Center provides scientists a scaled, controlled environment to simulate natural icing events. The closed-loop, low speed, refrigerated wind tunnel offers the experimental capability to test for icing certification requirements, analytical model validation and calibration techniques, cloud physics instrumentation refinement, advanced ice protection systems, and rotorcraft icing methodology development. The test procedures for these objectives all require a high degree of visual documentation, both in real-time data acquisition and post-test image processing. Information is provided to scientific, technical, and industrial imaging specialists as well as to research personnel about the high-speed and conventional imaging systems will be on the recent ice protection technology program. Various imaging examples for some of the tests are presented. Additional imaging examples are available from the NASA Lewis Research Center's Photographic and Printing Branch.

Slater, Howard↗

CSI computer system/remote interface unit acceptance test results

The validation tests conducted on the Control/Structures Interaction (CSI) Computer System (CCS)/Remote Interface Unit (RIU) is discussed. The CCS/RIU consists of a commercially available, Langley Research Center (LaRC) programmed, space flight qualified computer and a flight data acquisition and filtering computer, developed at LaRC. The tests were performed in the Space Structures Research Laboratory (SSRL) and included open loop excitation, closed loop control, safing, RIU digital filtering, and RIU stand alone testing with the CSI Evolutionary Model (CEM) Phase-0 testbed. The test results indicated that the CCS/RIU system is comparable to ground based systems in performing real-time control-structure experiments.

Sparks, Dean W., Jr.↗

Applied high-speed imaging for the icing research program at NASA Lewis Research Center

The Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Lewis Research Center provides scientists a scaled, controlled environment to simulate natural icing events. The closed-loop, low speed, refrigerated wind tunnel offers the experimental capability to test for icing certification requirements, analytical model validation and calibration techniques, cloud physics instrumentation refinement, advanced ice protection systems, and rotorcraft icing methodology development. The test procedures for these objectives all require a high degree of visual documentation, both in real-time data acquisition and post-test image processing. Information is provided to scientific, technical, and industrial imaging specialists as well as to research personnel about the high-speed and conventional imaging systems will be on the recent ice protection technology program. Various imaging examples for some of the tests are presented. Additional imaging examples are available from the NASA Lewis Research Center's Photographic and Printing Branch.

Slater, Howard↗

NASA's Orbital Space Plane Risk Reduction Strategy

This paper documents the transformation of NASA s Space Launch Initiative (SLI) Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Program under the revised Integrated Space Transportation Plan, announced November 2002. Outlining the technology development approach followed by the original SLI, this paper gives insight into the current risk-reduction strategy that will enable confident development of the Nation s first orbital space plane (OSP). The OSP will perform an astronaut and contingency cargo transportation function, with an early crew rescue capability, thus enabling increased crew size and enhanced science operations aboard the International Space Station. The OSP design chosen for full-scale development will take advantage of the latest innovations American industry has to offer. The OSP Program identifies critical technologies that must be advanced to field a safe, reliable, affordable space transportation system for U.S. access to the Station and low-Earth orbit. OSP flight demonstrators will test crew safety features, validate autonomous operations, and mature thermal protection systems. Additional enabling technologies may be identified during the OSP design process as part of an overall risk-management strategy. The OSP Program uses a comprehensive and evolutionary systems acquisition approach, while applying appropriate lessons learned.

Dumbacher, Dan↗