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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Machine Tool Software

A NASA-developed software package has played a part in technical education of students who major in Mechanical Engineering Technology at William Rainey Harper College. Professor Hack has been using (APT) Automatically Programmed Tool Software since 1969 in his CAD/CAM Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing curriculum. Professor Hack teaches the use of APT programming languages for control of metal cutting machines. Machine tool instructions are geometry definitions written in APT Language to constitute a "part program." The part program is processed by the machine tool. CAD/CAM students go from writing a program to cutting steel in the course of a semester.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2004

Improved Nuclear Reactor and Shield Mass Model for Space Applications

New technologies are being developed to explore the distant reaches of the solar system. Beyond Mars, solar energy is inadequate to power advanced scientific instruments. One technology that can meet the energy requirements is the space nuclear reactor. The nuclear reactor is used as a heat source for which a heat-to-electricity conversion system is needed. Examples of such conversion systems are the Brayton, Rankine, and Stirling cycles. Since launch cost is proportional to the amount of mass to lift, mass is always a concern in designing spacecraft. Estimations of system masses are an important part in determining the feasibility of a design. I worked under Michael Barrett in the Thermal Energy Conversion Branch of the Power & Electric Propulsion Division. An in-house Closed Cycle Engine Program (CCEP) is used for the design and performance analysis of closed-Brayton-cycle energy conversion systems for space applications. This program also calculates the system mass including the heat source. CCEP uses the subroutine RSMASS, which has been updated to RSMASS-D, to estimate the mass of the reactor. RSMASS was developed in 1986 at Sandia National Laboratories to quickly estimate the mass of multi-megawatt nuclear reactors for space applications. In response to an emphasis for lower power reactors, RSMASS-D was developed in 1997 and is based off of the SP-100 liquid metal cooled reactor. The subroutine calculates the mass of reactor components such as the safety systems, instrumentation and control, radiation shield, structure, reflector, and core. The major improvements in RSMASS-D are that it uses higher fidelity calculations, is easier to use, and automatically optimizes the systems mass. RSMASS-D is accurate within 15% of actual data while RSMASS is only accurate within 50%. My goal this summer was to learn FORTRAN 77 programming language and update the CCEP program with the RSMASS-D model.

Robb, Kevin↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Expanded Role for Python in Expediting System Simulation Development

The Python programming language has traditionally been used as a “scripting” language and is not generally recognized as a language for building system simulations, where C++, Java, and other compiled languages are typically used. While very powerful and gaining favor for a large set of programming tasks, Python is generally regarded as not having the speed to directly do the extensive numeric computations required in large-scale simulation. This paper aims to present an approach, supported by case studies, to re-think this assertion. Directly using Python in this new role has the potential to expedite an agile, spiral cycle of development of design-test-modify for systems simulation.

programming language↗
NASA NTRS2008

PyPele Rewritten To Use MPI

A computer program known as PyPele, originally written as a Pythonlanguage extension module of a C++ language program, has been rewritten in pure Python language. The original version of PyPele dispatches and coordinates parallel-processing tasks on cluster computers and provides a conceptual framework for spacecraft-mission- design and -analysis software tools to run in an embarrassingly parallel mode. The original version of PyPele uses SSH (Secure Shell a set of standards and an associated network protocol for establishing a secure channel between a local and a remote computer) to coordinate parallel processing. Instead of SSH, the present Python version of PyPele uses Message Passing Interface (MPI) [an unofficial de-facto standard language-independent application programming interface for message- passing on a parallel computer] while keeping the same user interface. The use of MPI instead of SSH and the preservation of the original PyPele user interface make it possible for parallel application programs written previously for the original version of PyPele to run on MPI-based cluster computers. As a result, engineers using the previously written application programs can take advantage of embarrassing parallelism without need to rewrite those programs.

Hockney, George↗
DOE OSTI2020

QCOR; A Language Extension Specification for the Heterogeneous Quantum-Classical Model of Computation

Quantum computing (QC) is an emerging computational paradigm that leverages the laws of quantum mechanics to perform elementary logic operations. Existing programming models for QC were designed with fault-tolerant hardware in mind, envisioning stand-alone applications. However, the susceptibility of near-term quantum computers to noise limits their stand-alone utility. To better leverage limited computational strengths of noisy quantum devices, hybrid algorithms have been suggested whereby quantum computers are used in tandem with their classical counterparts in a heterogeneous fashion. This modus operandi calls out for a programming model and a high-level programming language that natively and seamlessly supports heterogeneous quantum-classical hardware architectures in a single-source-code paradigm. Motivated by the lack of such a model, we introduce a language extension specification, called QCOR, which enables single-source quantum-classical programming. Programs written using the QCOR library–based language extensions can be compiled to produce functional hybrid binary executables. After defining QCOR’s programming model, memory model, and execution model, we discuss how QCOR enables variational, iterative, and feed-forward QC. Additionally, QCOR approaches quantum-classical computation in a hardware-agnostic heterogeneous fashion and strives to build on best practices of high-performance computing. The high level of abstraction in the language extension is intended to accelerate the adoption of QC by researchers familiar with classical high-performance computing.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1984

PASCAL/48 reference manual

PASCAL/48 is a programming language for the Intel MCS-48 series of microcomputers. In particular, it can be used with the Intel 8748. It is designed to allow the programmer to control most of the instructions being generated and the allocation of storage. The language can be used instead of ASSEMBLY language in most applications while allowing the user the necessary degree of control over hardware resources. Although it is called PASCAL/48, the language differs in many ways from PASCAL. The program structure and statements of the two languages are similar, but the expression mechanism and data types are different. The PASCAL/48 cross-compiler is written in PASCAL and runs on the CDC CYBER NOS system. It generates object code in Intel hexadecimal format that can be used to program the MCS-48 series of microcomputers. This reference manual defines the language, describes the predeclared procedures, lists error messages, illustrates use, and includes language syntax diagrams.

Knight, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Task Description Language

Task Description Language (TDL) is an extension of the C++ programming language that enables programmers to quickly and easily write complex, concurrent computer programs for controlling real-time autonomous systems, including robots and spacecraft. TDL is based on earlier work (circa 1984 through 1989) on the Task Control Architecture (TCA). TDL provides syntactic support for hierarchical task-level control functions, including task decomposition, synchronization, execution monitoring, and exception handling. A Java-language-based compiler transforms TDL programs into pure C++ code that includes calls to a platform-independent task-control-management (TCM) library. TDL has been used to control and coordinate multiple heterogeneous robots in projects sponsored by NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It has also been used in Brazil to control an autonomous airship and in Canada to control a robotic manipulator.

Simmons, Reid↗
DOE OSTI2020

Library for Evolutionary Algorithms in Python (LEAP)

There are generally three types of scientific software users: users that solve problems using existing science software tools, researchers that explore new approaches by extending existing code, and educators that teach students scientific concepts. Python is a general-purpose programming language that is accessible to beginners, such as students, but also as a language that has a rich scientific programming ecosystem that facilitates writing research software. Additionally, as high-performance computing (HPC) resources become more readily available, software support for parallel processing becomes more relevant to scientific software.There currently are no Python-based evolutionary computation frameworks that support all three types of scientific software users. Moreover, some support synchronous concurrent fitness evaluation that do not efficiently use HPC resources. We pose here a new Python-based EC framework that uses an established generalized unified approach to EA concepts to provide an easy to use toolkit for users wishing to use an EA to solve a problem, for researchers to implement novel approaches, and for providing a low-bar to entry to EA concepts for students. Additionally, this toolkit provides a scalable asynchronous fitness evaluation implementation friendly to HPC that has been vetted on hardware ranging from laptops to the world’s fastest supercomputer, Summit.

Coletti, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1978

Guide to a condensed form of NASTRAN

A limited capability form of NASTRAN level 16 is presented to meet the needs of universities and small consulting firms. The input cards, the programming language of the direct matrix abstraction program, the plotting, the problem definition, and the modules' diagnostic messages are described. Sample problems relating to the analysis of linear static, vibration, and buckling are included. This guide can serve as a handbook for instructional courses in the use of NASTRAN or for users who need only the capability provided by the condensed form.

Rogers, J. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

NASA LARC RAFTOR documentation version 1.0

The use of a preprocessor of the LaRC computer center that converts RAFTOR source into FORTRAN source code is described. The purpose of RAFTOR is to make FORTRAN a better programming language for both writing and structuring programs. It is concluded that RAFTOR can generate a well structured program with a source code that is easy to follow.

Dunn, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Directions in parallel programming: HPF, shared virtual memory and object parallelism in pC++

Fortran and C++ are the dominant programming languages used in scientific computation. Consequently, extensions to these languages are the most popular for programming massively parallel computers. We discuss two such approaches to parallel Fortran and one approach to C++. The High Performance Fortran Forum has designed HPF with the intent of supporting data parallelism on Fortran 90 applications. HPF works by asking the user to help the compiler distribute and align the data structures with the distributed memory modules in the system. Fortran-S takes a different approach in which the data distribution is managed by the operating system and the user provides annotations to indicate parallel control regions. In the case of C++, we look at pC++ which is based on a concurrent aggregate parallel model.

Bodin, Francois↗
NASA NTRS2004

Bolt Analysis Program

In designing and testing bolted joints there are multiple parameters to be considered and calculations that must be performed to predict the joint behavior. Each different set of parameters may call for a different set of equations. Determining every parameter in each bolted joint is impractical and in many cases impossible. On the other hand, it is much easier to reduce these calculations to a universal set that can be used for all bolted joints. This is the purpose of the Bolt Analysis Program. My project under the Mechanical and Rotating Systems branch of the Engineering Development and Analysis Division was to take the Bolt Analysis Program Version 2.0 and update the program to a modem and user-friendly format. Version 2.0 of the Bolt Analysis Program is a useful program, but lacks the dynamic capabilities that are needed for current applications. Version 2.0 of the Bolt Analysis Program was written in 1993 using the Pascal programming language in a DOS format. This program allows you to input data in a step-by-step format, calculates the data, and then on a final screen displays the input and the output fiom the calculations. Version 2.0 is still applicable for all bolted joint anaiysis, but has updates that are desired. First, the program runs in DOS format. With the applications available today, my mentor decided it would be best to update the program into Excel using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). This would allow the program to have multiple Graphical User Interfaces (GUI s) while retaining all functions of the previous program. Version 2.0 only allows you to input data in a step-by-step process. If you make a mistake and need to go back, you must run through the entire program before you can return to fix your error. This becomes tedious when needing to change one parameter or test multiple sets of data. In Version 3.0, the program allows you to enter and change data at any time while displaying real-time output data. If you realize an error, it is as simple as scrolling back to your mistake and changing the data. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Travis, Brandon E.↗
NASA NTRS2009

From Verified Models to Verifiable Code

Declarative specifications of digital systems often contain parts that can be automatically translated into executable code. Automated code generation may reduce or eliminate the kinds of errors typically introduced through manual code writing. For this approach to be effective, the generated code should be reasonably efficient and, more importantly, verifiable. This paper presents a prototype code generator for the Prototype Verification System (PVS) that translates a subset of PVS functional specifications into an intermediate language and subsequently to multiple target programming languages. Several case studies are presented to illustrate the tool's functionality. The generated code can be analyzed by software verification tools such as verification condition generators, static analyzers, and software model-checkers to increase the confidence that the generated code is correct.

Lensink, Leonard↗
NASA NTRS2007

Application-Program-Installer Builder

A computer program builds application programming interfaces (APIs) and related software components for installing and uninstalling application programs in any of a variety of computers and operating systems that support the Java programming language in its binary form. This program is partly similar in function to commercial (e.g., Install-Shield) software. This program is intended to enable satisfaction of a quasi-industry-standard set of requirements for a set of APIs that would enable such installation and uninstallation and that would avoid the pitfalls that are commonly encountered during installation of software. The requirements include the following: 1) Properly detecting prerequisites to an application program before performing the installation; 2) Properly registering component requirements; 3) Correctly measuring the required hard-disk space, including accounting for prerequisite components that have already been installed; and 4) Correctly uninstalling an application program. Correct uninstallation includes (1) detecting whether any component of the program to be removed is required by another program, (2) not removing that component, and (3) deleting references to requirements of the to-be-removed program for components of other programs so that those components can be properly removed at a later time.

Wolgast, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2016

ROS Hexapod

As an intern project for NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), my job was to familiarize myself and operate a Robotics Operating System (ROS). The project outcome converted existing software assets into ROS using nodes, enabling a robotic Hexapod to communicate to be functional and controlled by an existing PlayStation 3 (PS3) controller. Existing control algorithms and current libraries have no ROS capabilities within the Hexapod C++ source code when the internship started, but that has changed throughout my internship. Conversion of C++ codes to ROS enabled existing code to be compatible with ROS, and is now controlled using an existing PS3 controller. Furthermore, my job description was to design ROS messages and script programs that enabled assets to participate in the ROS ecosystem by subscribing and publishing messages. Software programming source code is written in directories using C++. Testing of software assets included compiling code within the Linux environment using a terminal. The terminal ran the code from a directory. Several problems occurred while compiling code and the code would not compile. So modifying code to where C++ can read the source code were made. Once the code was compiled and ran, the code was uploaded to Hexapod and then controlled by a PS3 controller. The project outcome has the Hexapod fully functional and compatible with ROS and operates using the PlayStation 3 controller. In addition, an open source software (IDE) Arduino board will be integrated into the ecosystem with designing circuitry on a breadboard to add additional behavior with push buttons, potentiometers and other simple elements in the electrical circuitry. Other projects with the Arduino will be a GPS module, digital clock that will run off 22 satellites to show accurate real time using a GPS signal and an internal patch antenna to communicate with satellites. In addition, this internship experience has led me to pursue myself to learn coding more efficiently and effectively to write, subscribe and publish my own source code in different programming languages. With some familiarity with software programming, it will enhance my skills in the electrical engineering field. In contrast, my experience here at JSC with the Simulation and Graphics Branch (ER7) has led me to take my coding skill to be more proficient to increase my knowledge in software programming, and also enhancing my skills in ROS. This knowledge will be taken back to my university to implement coding in a school project that will use source coding and ROS to work on the PR2 robot which is controlled by ROS software. My skills learned here will be used to integrate messages to subscribe and publish ROS messages to a PR2 robot. The PR2 robot will be controlled by an existing PS3 controller by changing C++ coding to subscribe and publish messages to ROS. Overall the skills that were obtained here will not be lost, but increased.

Davis, Kirsch↗