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NASA NTRS1995

The Federal Role in Bringing Education into the National Information Infrastructure

One of the most important issues facing Congress is to work with business, education, and the states to enable the nation's shools to better prepare students for a technological work force and to ensure that education has a place on the National Information Infrastructure (NII). This document provides background and important information for national leaders concerned about education, the information infrastructure, and related issues for the Federal government.

Cradler, John↗
NASA NTRS1997

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1986-1990: A Chronology

This chronology of events in aeronautics, aviation, space science, and space exploration was prepared by the Federal Research Division of the LibrarY of Congress for the History Division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It covers the years 1996-1990 and continues the series of annual chronologies published by NASA. The present volume returns to the format used in the Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1979-1984: A Chronology volume. It also integrates in a single table the information presented in two or three previous publications.

Gawdiak, Ihor Y.↗
NASA NTRS1997

A Summary of Ambient Air at John F. Kennedy Space Center with a Comparison to Data from the Florida Statewide Monitoring Network (1983-1992)

The EPA criteria air pollutants were monitored at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) since 1983 to comply the prevention of significant deterioration requirements under the Clean Air Act amendments passed by Congress in 1977 and 1990. Monitoring results show that monthly maximum 24-hour total suspended particulates decreased from 144.6 micograms/cu m in 1988 to 73.0 micrograms/cu m in 1991 and increased to 149.3 micrograms/cu m in 1992. Inhalable particulates increased from 56.1 gg/M3 in 1983 to 131.4 micrograms/cu m in 1988, and then decreased to 38.5 micrograms/cu m in 1992. Sulfur dioxide monthly maximum 24-hour average concentrations decreased each year from 135.2 micrograms/cu m in 1983 to 33.8 micrograms/cu m in 1992. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations increased from 5.1 micrograms/cu m in 1983 to 5.9 micrograms/cu m in 1988, then decreased to 4.5 micrograms/cu m in 1992. Carbon monoxide annual average concentrations decreased from 6.2 micrograms/cu m in 1983 to 1.1 micrograms/cu m in 1988, and increased to 1.2 micrograms/cu m in 1992. Ozone maximum 1-hour concentrations increased from 98 parts per billion (ppb) in 1983 to 134 ppb in 1989, and then decreased to 80 ppb in 1992. Total annual rainfall ranged from 37.47 inches to 57.47 inches and shows a 6.6 percent increase over this same ten year period.

Drese, John H.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Report of the Cost Assessment and Validation Task Force on the International Space Station

The Cost Assessment and Validation (CAV) Task Force was established for independent review and assessment of cost, schedule and partnership performance on the International Space Station (ISS) Program. The CAV Task Force has made the following key findings: The International Space Station Program has made notable and reasonable progress over the past four years in defining and executing a very challenging and technically complex effort. The Program size, complexity, and ambitious schedule goals were beyond that which could be reasonably achieved within the $2.1 billion annual cap or $17.4 billion total cap. A number of critical risk elements are likely to have an adverse impact on the International Space Station cost and schedule. The schedule uncertainty associated with Russian implementation of joint Partnership agreements is the major threat to the ISS Program. The Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 budget submission to Congress is not adequate to execute the baseline ISS Program, cover normal program growth, and address the known critical risks. Additional annual funding of between $130 million and $250 million will be required. Completion of ISS assembly is likely to be delayed from one to three years beyond December 2003.

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NASA NTRS1998

The Road from the NASA Access to Space Study to a Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA is cooperating with the aerospace industry to develop a space transportation system that provides reliable access-to-space at a much lower cost than is possible with today's launch vehicles. While this quest has been on-going for many years it received a major impetus when the U.S. Congress mandated as part of the 1993 NASA appropriations bill that: "In view of budget difficulties, present and future..., the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall ... recommend improvements in space transportation." NASA, working with other organizations, including the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Defense identified three major transportation architecture options that were to be evaluated in the areas of reliability, operability and cost. These architectural options were: (1) retain and upgrade the Space Shuttle and the current expendable launch vehicles; (2) develop new expendable launch vehicles using conventional technologies and transition to these new vehicles beginning in 2005; and (3) develop new reusable vehicles using advanced technology, and transition to these vehicles beginning in 2008. The launch needs mission model was based on 1993 projections of civil, defense, and commercial payload requirements. This "Access to Space" study concluded that the option that provided the greatest potential for meeting the cost, operability, and reliability goals was a rocket-powered single-stage-to-orbit fully reusable launch vehicle (RLV) fleet designed with advanced technologies.

Powell, Richard W.↗
NASA NTRS1998

High End Computer Network Testbedding at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The Earth & Space Data Computing (ESDC) Division, at the Goddard Space Flight Center, is involved in development and demonstrating various high end computer networking capabilities. The ESDC has several high end super computers. These are used to run: (1) computer simulation of the climate systems; (2) to support the Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) project; (3) to support the Grand Challenge (GC) Science, which is aimed at understanding the turbulent convection and dynamos in stars. GC research occurs in many sites throughout the country, and this research is enabled by, in part, the multiple high performance network interconnections. The application drivers for High End Computer Networking use distributed supercomputing to support virtual reality applications, such as TerraVision, (i.e., three dimensional browser of remotely accessed data), and Cave Automatic Virtual Environments (CAVE). Workstations can access and display data from multiple CAVE's with video servers, which allows for group/project collaborations using a combination of video, data, voice and shared white boarding. The ESDC is also developing and demonstrating the high degree of interoperability between satellite and terrestrial-based networks. To this end, the ESDC is conducting research and evaluations of new computer networking protocols and related technologies which improve the interoperability of satellite and terrestrial networks. The ESDC is also involved in the Security Proof of Concept Keystone (SPOCK) program sponsored by National Security Agency (NSA). The SPOCK activity provides a forum for government users and security technology providers to share information on security requirements, emerging technologies and new product developments. Also, the ESDC is involved in the Trans-Pacific Digital Library Experiment, which aims to demonstrate and evaluate the use of high performance satellite communications and advanced data communications protocols to enable interactive digital library data access between the U. S. Library of Congress, the National Library of Japan and other digital library sites at 155 MegaBytes Per Second. The ESDC participation in this program is the Trans-Pacific access to GLOBE visualizations in real time. ESDC is participating in the Department of Defense's ATDNet with Multiwavelength Optical Network (MONET) a fully switched Wavelength Division Networking testbed. This presentation is in viewgraph format.

Gary, James Patrick↗
NASA NTRS1997

NASA Accountability Report

NASA is piloting fiscal year (FY) 1997 Accountability Reports, which streamline and upgrade reporting to Congress and the public. The document presents statements by the NASA administrator, and the Chief Financial Officer, followed by an overview of NASA's organizational structure and the planning and budgeting process. The performance of NASA in four strategic enterprises is reviewed: (1) Space Science, (2) Mission to Planet Earth, (3) Human Exploration and Development of Space, and (4) Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology. Those areas which support the strategic enterprises are also reviewed in a section called Crosscutting Processes. For each of the four enterprises, there is discussion about the long term goals, the short term objectives and the accomplishments during FY 1997. The Crosscutting Processes section reviews issues and accomplishments relating to human resources, procurement, information technology, physical resources, financial management, small and disadvantaged businesses, and policy and plans. Following the discussion about the individual areas is Management's Discussion and Analysis, about NASA's financial statements. This is followed by a report by an independent commercial auditor and the financial statements.

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NASA NTRS1998

The Road from the NASA Access-to-Space Study to a Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA has established a goal of providing low-cost reliable access to space. While this goal has been around for many years, it received a major impetus when the U.S Congress mandated the Access-to-Space study in 1993. This study concluded that a rocket powered single-stage-to-orbit vehicle offered the best opportunity for low-cost reliable space transportation by the first decade of the new millennium. This required a focused technology development program before such a vehicle could be built. NASA recognized that no commercial entity would commit to the development of a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle without the U.S. Government's participation. To this end, NASA entered into a cooperative agreement with industry to mature the required technologies. This effort includes the development of an experimental subscale-vehicle known as the X-33, an extensive ground-based program to provide the required additional technology development, and conceptual through preliminary design of an operational reusable launch vehicle. Following this effort, a decision will be made whether or not to proceed with the detailed design and fabrication of an operational vehicle.

Powell, Richard W.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Aeronautics Learning Laboratory for Science, Technology, and Research (ALLSTAR)

We finished the material development of Level 1, Level 2 and most of Level 3. We created three new galleries, one of streaming videos enabling the user to select his/her appropriate speed of Internet connectivity for better performance. The second gallery on NASA's X-series aircraft and the third is on F-series aircraft. We also completed the placement and activation of all thirteen kiosks. We added one more kiosk over the number suggested in the proposal at Baker Aviation High School - a Dade County Public School for special aviation programs. We felt that the goals of this school matched ALLSTAR's goals and that the placement of the kiosk would better help the local students become interested in the Aviation and Aeronautics field. We continue to work on the development of our "Teacher Resource Guide to ALLSTAR material" in which we tied our material into the national and Florida State standards. We finished the Florida Sunshine State standards, getting positive feedback from local and other educators who use the material on a regular basis. We had another successful workshop on October 29 th, 1997. We introduced the ALLSTAR website and kiosk to about twenty science and history teachers from Dade County Public Schools (DCPS). Most teachers were from middle schools, although we had some from elementary schools also. We provided several demonstrations of the ALLSTAR material to local schools in the Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) system. We used the ALLSTAR material with FIU's summer immersion program for FLAME students. This program includes a high number of minority students interested in science and engineering. We also presented the material at National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and National Congress on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) conferences and will be presenting the material at the Southeast Florida Aviation Consortium (SEFAC). We provided two on-site workshops in the NSTA conference with total attended of about 70 teachers. The BBS was converted to an on-line discussion forum with a unique section on Blacks in Aviation, Prime Technologies coordinated with NASA LaRC and the Teacher Resource Centers (TRCs) for scale-up of ALLSTAR and performed live demonstrations of the software in schools and at conventions.

Levy, Cesar↗
NASA NTRS1998

This New Ocean: A History of Project Mercury

When Congress created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958, it charged NASA with the responsibility "to contribute materially to . . . the expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere and space" and "provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof." NASA wisely interpreted this mandate to include responsibility for documenting the epochal progress of which it is the focus. The result has been the development of a historical program by NASA as unprecedented as the task of extending man's mobility beyond his planet. This volume is not only NASA's accounting of its obligation to disseminate information to our current generation of Americans. It also fulfills, as do all of NASA's future-oriented scientific-technological activities, the further obligation to document the present as the heritage of the future. The wide-ranging NASA history program includes chronicles of day-to-day space activities; specialized studies of particular fields within space science and technology; accounts of NASA's efforts in organization and management, where its innovations, while less known to the public than its more spectacular space shots, have also been of great significance; narratives of the growth and expansion of the space centers throughout the country, which represent in microcosm many aspects of NASA's total effort; program histories, tracing the successes- and failures- of the various projects that mark man's progress into the Space Age; and a history of NASA itself, incorporating in general terms the major problems and challenges, and the responses thereto, of our entire civilian space effort. The volume presented here is a program history, the first in a series telling of NASA's pioneering steps into the Space Age. It deals with the first American manned-spaceflight program: Project Mercury. Although some academicians might protest that this is "official" history, it is official only in the fact that it has been prepared and published with the support and cooperation of NASA. It is not "official" history in the sense of presenting a point of view supposedly that of NASA officialdom-if anyone could determine what the "point of view" of such a complex organism might be. Certainly, the authors were allowed to pursue their task with the fullest freedom and in accordance with the highest scholarly standards of the history profession.

Swenson, Loyd S., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1999

National Aeronautics and Space Administration: 1998 Accountability Report

This Accountability Report summarizes NASA's program accomplishments and its stewardship over budget and financial resources. The report is the culmination of NASA's management process, which begins with mission definition and program planning, continues with formulation and justification of NASA's budgets for the President and Congress, and ends with NASA scientific and engineering program accomplishments. This report covers NASA's activities from October 1, 1997, through September 30, 1998, with discussion of some subsequent events.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Road from the NASA Access-to-Space Study to a Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA has established a goal of providing low-cost reliable access to space. While this goal has been around for many years, it received a major impetus when the U.S. Congress mandated the Access-to-Space study in 1993. This study concluded that a rocket powered single-state-to-orbit vehicle offered the best opportunity for low-cost reliable space transportation by the first decade of the new millennium. This required a focused technology development program before such a vehicle could be built. NASA recognized that no commercial entity would commit to the development of a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle without the U.S. Government's participation. To this end, NASA entered into a cooperative agreement with industry to mature the required technologies. This effort includes the development of an experimental subscale-vehicle known as the X-33, an extensive ground-based program to provide the required additional technology development, and conceptual through preliminary design of an operational reusable launch vehicle. Following this effort, a decision will be made whether or not to proceed with the detailed design and fabrication of an operational vehicle.

Powell, Richard W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

X-33, Leading the Way to VentureStar(trademark)) in the Next Millennium

The X-33, NASA's flagship for reusable space plane technology demonstration, is on course to begin the flights of the X-33 that will permit industry and government decisions that can lead to VentureStar(trademark) by the end of 2000. Lockheed Martin, NASA's partner in this effort, took the bold step in January 1999 to announce formation of VentureStar(trademark) LLC. This move provides the focus for firm business planning needed to enable the decision by the time X-33 flies in mid 2000. The X-33 program began by accepting the mandate that included two unprecedented and highly challenging goals: 1) demonstrate single stage to orbit technologies in flight and ground by the end of 2000 and 2) demonstrate a new government and industry management relationship working together with industry in the lead. Since the IAF 49th Congress in Melbourne, the major hardware elements of X-33 have been through their assembly and test. The flight liquid oxygen tank was the first major element to complete final assembly. The liquid hydrogen tanks are currently in final assembly and testing. The first flight tank has been delivered to vehicle assembly, the second tank and the flight engines are expected this month. The aerospike engine is an engine concept that has never been flown, but has been extensively ground tested. It will be flown for the first time on the X-33. Major X-33 flight hardware has been tested, delivered, and assembly of the vehicle is nearly complete. Construction of the prototype spaceport was completed in November 1998. The flight test program commencing in the summer of 2000. The decision to proceed with a Single Stage To Orbit as a commercial venture is expected in the fall of 2000.

Austin, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Space Shuttle Decision: NASA's Search for a Reusable Space Vehicle

This significant new study of the decision to build the Space Shuttle explains the Shuttle's origins and early development. In addition to internal NASA discussions, this work details the debates in the late 1960s and early 1970s among policymakers in Congress, the Air Force, and the Office of Management and Budget over the roles and technical designs of the Shuttle. Examining the interplay of these organizations with sometimes conflicting goals, the author not only explains how the world's premier space launch vehicle came into being, but also how politics can interact with science, technology, national security, and economics in national government. The weighty policy decision to build the Shuttle represents the first component of the broader story: future NASA volumes will cover the Shuttle's development and operational histories.

Heppenheimer, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Mars Sample Return Mission Design

The impetus for this Workshop comes from NASA and the Administration's request of funds from Congress for an ambitious, long-term Mars exploration program that includes the return of samples from Mars. This paper will describe that program, the science strategy behind it, and key aspects relevant to this Workshop.

Adler, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Status of the Advanced Space Transportation Program from Planning to Action

A Technology Plan for Enabling Commercial Space Business was presented at the 48th International Astronautical Congress in Turin, Italy. This paper presents a status of the program's accomplishments. Technology demonstrations have progressed in each of the four elements of the program; (1) Low Cost Technology, (2) Advanced Reusable Technology, (3) Space Transfer Technology and (4) Space Transportation Research. The Low Cost Technology program element is primarily focused at reducing development and acquisition costs of aerospace hardware using a "design to cost" philosophy with robust margins, adapting commercial manufacturing processes and commercial off-the-shelf hardware. The attributes of this philosophy for small payload launch are being demonstrated at the component, sub-system, and system level. The X-34 "Fastrac" engine has progressed through major component and subsystem demonstrations. A propulsion system test bed has been implemented for system-level demonstration of component and subsystem technologies; including propellant tankage and feedlines, controls, pressurization, and engine systems. Low cost turbopump designs, commercial valves and a controller are demonstrating the potential for a ten-fold reduction in engine and propulsion system costs. The Advanced Reusable Technology program element is focused on increasing life through high strength-to-weight structures and propulsion components, highly integrated propellant tanks, automated checkout and health management and increased propulsion system performance. The validation of rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) propulsion is pro,-,ressing through component and subsystem testing. RBCC propulsion has the potential to provide performance margin over an all rocket system that could result in lower gross liftoff weight, a lower propellant mass fraction or a higher payload mass fraction. The Space Transfer Technology element of the program is pursuing technology that can improve performance and dramatically reduce the propellant and structural mass of orbit transfer and deep space systems. Flight demonstration of ion propulsion is progressing towards launch. Ion propulsion is the primary propulsion for Deep Space 1; a flyby of comet West-kohoutek-lkemura and asteroid 3352 McAuliffe. Testing of critical solar-thermal propulsion subsystems have been accomplished and planning is continuing for the flight demonstration of an electrodynamic tether orbit transfer system. The forth and final element of the program, Space Transportation Research, has progressed in several areas of propulsion research. This element of the program is focused at long-term (25 years) breakthrough concepts that could bring launch costs to a factor of one hundred below today's cost or dramatically expand planetary travel and enable interstellar travel.

Lyles, Garry↗
NASA NTRS1999

Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Mission Overview

The Mars Surveyor 2001 mission to Mars was initially a key element in the Mars sample return sequence of missions. A capable rover, carrying the Cornell Athena instruments would be placed on Mars to roam over several kilometers, select samples, and place them in a cache for return by a subsequent mission. Inevitably, budget constraints forced descopes. At one critical point, the landed payload consisted only of the HEDS (Human Exploration and Development of Space) payloads selected for testing environmental properties of the surface for future human exploration. Then Congress intervened and put back some of the funding that had been deleted. NASA next redefined the payload to include as many of the Athena instruments as possible, to be distributed between the lander deck and a Sojourner class rover. This payload would then be placed on a modified version of the Mars Polar Lander rather than on the much larger, and more expensive, lander that had been originally designed for the mission. With this functionality restored the '01 mission remains an important and pivotal element of the Mars Surveyor program. It completes the Mars Observer objectives with the gamma ray spectrometer mapping. This mission will largely complete the global characterization phase of Mars exploration and mark the beginning of focused surface exploration leading to return of the first samples and the search for evidence of past Martian life. MSP'01 also is the first mission in the combined Mars exploration strategy of the HEDS and Space Science Enterprises of NASA. This mission, and those to follow, will demonstrate technologies and collect environmental data that will provide the basis for a decision to send humans to Mars. The NASA exploration strategy for Mars includes orbiters, landers and rovers launched in 2001 and 2003 and a sample return mission to be launched in 2005, returning a sample by 2008. The purpose of the rovers is to explore and characterize sites on Mars. The 2003 and 2005 missions will select rocks, soil, and atmosphere for return to earth.

Saunders, R. Stephen↗
NASA NTRS2000

Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Annual Report for 1999

This report covers the activities of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) for the calendar year 1999.This was a year of notable achievements and significant frustrations. Both the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) programs were delayed.The Space Shuttle prudently postponed launches after the occurrence of a wiring short during ascent of the STS-93 mission. The ISS construction schedule slipped as a result of the Space Shuttle delays and problems the Russians experienced in readying the Service Module and its launch vehicle. Each of these setbacks was dealt with in a constructive way. The STS-93 short circuit led to detailed wiring inspections and repairs on all four orbiters as well as analysis of other key subsystems for similar types of hidden damage. The ISS launch delays afforded time for further testing, training, development, and contingency planning. The safety consciousness of the NASA and contractor workforces, from hands-on labor to top management, continues high. Nevertheless, workforce issues remain among the most serious safety concerns of the Panel. Cutbacks and reorganizations over the past several years have resulted in problems related to workforce size, critical skills, and the extent of on-the-job experience. These problems have the potential to impact safety as the Space Shuttle launch rate increases to meet the demands of the ISS and its other customers. As with last year's report, these work- force-related issues were considered of sufficient import to place them first in the material that follows. Some of the same issues of concern for the Space Shuttle and ISS arose in a review of the launch vehicle for the Terra mission that the Panel was asked by NASA to undertake. Other areas the Panel was requested to assess included the readiness of the Inertial Upper Stage for the deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the possible safety impact of electromagnetic effects on the Space Shuttle. The findings and recommendations in this report do not highlight any major, immediate issues that might compromise the safe pursuit of the various NASA programs. They do, however, cover concerns that the Panel believes should be addressed in the interest of maintaining NASA's excellent safety record.The Panel is pleased to note that remedial efforts for some of the findings raised are underway. Given appropriate funding and cooperative efforts among the Administration, the Congress and the various contractors, the Panel is convinced that safety problems can be avoided or solved resulting in lower risk for NASA's human space and aeronautics programs. Section II of this report contains specific findings and recommendations generated by Panel activities during the calendar year 1999. Section III presents more detailed information in support of these findings and recommendations. A current roster of Panel members, consultants, and staff is included as Appendix A. Appendix B contains NASA's response to the findings and recommendations from the 1998 annual report. It has been augmented this year to include brief explanations of why the Panel classified the NASA response as " open,""continuing," or "closed." Appendix C lists the fact-finding activities of the Panel in 1999.

Blomberg, Richard D.↗