Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Endeavors”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13

Rationale and constituencies for the Space Exploration Initiative

In order to maximize the benefits from prospective space-exploration endeavors, and to enlist the support of as many constituencies as possible, NASA is either conducting or developing programs which emphasize different aspects of the Space Exploration Initiative. Attention is presently given to the cases of education using space exploration themes as teaching tools and technology transfer from government to private industry. Only on the basis of the establishment of such constituencies, will it be possible to sustain funding over the three decades foreseen as required for a Mars exploration effort.

Johnson, Kristine A.↗

NASA's commercial space program

This paper will review the goals, status and progress of NASA's commercial space development program administered by the Office of Commercial Programs (OCP). The technologies and flight programs underway by NASA's Centers for Commercial Development (CCDS), NASA's field centers, and the NASA/Industry Joint Endeavor Programs will be summarized. A summary of completed and upcoming commercial payload activities on Shuttle, suborbital rockets, and orbital ELV's will be provided. The new commercial infrastructure and transportation initiatives will be discussed including the Wake Shield Facility, Consort and Joust suborbital rocket programs, the COMET orbital and recovery program, and the Commercial Middeck Accommodation Module Program with Spacehab Inc. Finally, the Commercial Space Station Freedom Program planned by OCP will be reviewed.

Ott, Richard H.↗

Overview and evolution of the LeRC PMAD DC test bed

Since the beginning of the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP), the Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has been developed electrical power system test beds to support the overall design effort. Through this time, the SSFP has changed the design baseline numerous times, however, the test bed effort has endeavored to track these changes. Beginning in August 1989 with the baseline and an all DC system, a test bed was developed to support the design baseline. The LeRC power measurement and distribution (PMAD) DC test bed and the changes in the restructure are described. The changes included the size reduction of primary power channel and various power processing elements. A substantial reduction was also made in the amount of flight software with the subsequent migration of these functions to ground control centers. The impact of these changes on the design of the power hardware, the controller algorithms, the control software, and a description of their current status is presented. An overview of the testing using the test bed is described, which includes investigation of stability and source impedance, primary and secondary fault protection, and performance of a rotary utility transfer device. Finally, information is presented on the evolution of the test bed to support the verification and operational phases of the SSFP in light of these restructure scrubs.

Soeder, James F.↗

Atmospheric Visibility Monitoring for planetary optical communications

The Atmospheric Visibility Monitoring project endeavors to improve current atmospheric models and generate visibility statistics relevant to prospective earth-satellite optical communications systems. Three autonomous observatories are being used to measure atmospheric conditions on the basis of observed starlight; these data will yield clear-sky and transmission statistics for three sites with high clear-sky probabilities. Ground-based data will be compared with satellite imagery to determine the correlation between satellite data and ground-based observations.

Cowles, Kelly↗

NASA's telerobotics research program

In 1985, NASA instituted a research program in telerobotics to develop and provide the technology for applications of telerobotics to the United States space program. The authors describe the goals, organizing framework, and content of that endeavor. They review the actual tasks which comprise the content of the program which has evolved significantly in terms of its content, goals, and approach. The lessons learned in that time comprise the organizing framework of the current program. This organizing framework is described.

Weisbin, C. R.↗

Materials and structure synergistic with in-space materials utilization

The significant advances made recently toward actual hardware realizations of various concepts for the application of in-space materials utilization (ISMU) are demonstrated. The overall plan for taking innovative concepts through technical feasibility, small-scale tests, scale-up, computer modeling, and larger-scale execution is outlined. Two specific fields of endeavor are surveyed: one has direct applications to construction on the moon, while the other has more basic implications, in addition to the practical aspects of lunar colonies. Several fundamental scientific advances made in the characterization of the physical and chemical processes that need to be elucidated for any intelligent application of the ISMU concepts in future space missions are described. A rigorous quantitative technique for the unambiguous evaluation of various components and component technology that form any space (or terrestrial mission) is also described.

Ramohalli, Kumar↗

Opportunities in the commercial uses of remote sensing and GIS technologies - An overview of NASA's Visiting Investigator Program at Stennis Space Center

The Visiting Investigator Program (VIP) developed at NASA-Stennis' Science and Technology Laboratory (STL) allows U.S. industry to use the specialized resources of STL in the fields of remote sensing and GIS, with a view to the development of new commercial processes and improved services. Attention is given to the novel agreement mechanisms developed by NASA to implement VIP. These agreements encompass a memorandum of understanding, a technical exchange agreement, a sponsored-transfer agreement, a proprietary work agreement, and a joint endeavor agreement.

Davis, Bruce A.↗

Virtual reality and planetary exploration

NASA-Ames is intensively developing virtual-reality (VR) capabilities that can extend and augment computer-generated and remote spatial environments. VR is envisioned not only as a basis for improving human/machine interactions involved in planetary exploration, but also as a medium for the more widespread sharing of the experience of exploration, thereby broadening the support-base for the lunar and planetary-exploration endeavors. Imagery representative of Mars are being gathered for VR presentation at such terrestrial sites as Antarctica and Death Valley.

Mcgreevy, Michael W.↗

The eighth NASA total quality management accomplishments report, 1990

The eighth annual accomplishments report provides numerous examples of quality strategies that have proven effective and efficient in a time when cost reduction is critical. NASA's continuous improvement efforts can provide insight for others to succeed in their own endeavors. The report covers: top management leadership and support, strategic planning, focus on the customer, employee training and recognition, employee empowerment and teamwork, measurement and analysis, and quality assurance.

Source record↗

Participating in commercial space ventures: Introduction to NASA Centers for the Commercial Development of Space and the Cooperative Agreements Programs

In response to a Presidential directive, NASA has implemented a space policy which actively supports and encourages U.S. industry investment and participation in commercial space ventures. NASA's Office of Commercial Programs (OCP) has played a significant role in stimulating the growth of commercial space activity. Through a variety of programs, OCP encourages commercial interest and involvement in space endeavors by providing access to NASA resources and opportunities for the emerging space industry to reduce the technical, financial, and business risks associated with space-related activities. This manual describes NASA's Commercial Uses of Space Program and introduces participants to four major OCP Commercial programs: Technology Utilization (TU), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Centers for the Commercial Development of Space Flight Agreement (CCDSFA), and Cooperative Agreements Programs. The objective of this manual is to assist U.S. industry identify and pursue the appropriate agreement for participation in a commercial space venture.

Source record↗

NASA/USRA University Advanced Design Program Fourth Annual Summer Conference

The study topics cover a broad range of potential space and aeronautics projects which could be undertaken during a 20-30 year period beginning with the Space Station Initial Operating Configuration scheduled for the mid 1990's. Both manned and unmanned endeavors are embraced, and the systems approach to the design problem is emphasized. The student teams pursue the chosen problem during their senior year in a one or two semester capstone design course and submit a comprehensive written report at the conclusion of the project. Finally, student representatives from each of the universities summarize their work in oral presentations at the annual Summer Conference, held at one of the NASA centers and attended by the university faculty, NASA and USRA personnel, and aerospace industry representatives.

John Alred↗

Fire safety design considerations for advanced space vehicles

The desire to understand and explore space has driven man to overcome the confines of the Earth's atmosphere and accept the challenge of spaceflight. With our increasing ability to travel, work, and explore in space comes a need for a better understanding of the hazards in this relatively new endeavor. One of the most important and immediate needs is to be able to predict the ignition, spread, and growth of fire on board spacecraft. Fire safety aboard spacecraft has always been a concern; however, with the increasing number and duration of proposed missions, it is imperative that the spacecraft be designed with a solid understanding of fire hazards, insuring that all risks have been minimized and extinguishment systems are available.

Source record↗

Vortices and the related principles of hydrodynamics

Here, conceptions concerning vortices are illustrated by the simplest possible examples. Mathematical formulas and similar means of presentation, which, for the most part, do not help the understanding of persons not versed therein, have been avoided as much as possible. Instead, the author has endeavored to demonstrate the phenomena by means of simple geometrical and mechanical illustrations. For the sake of clarity, the author chiefly considers currents in one plane only, a situation that can be readily represented by diagrams. Some of the peculiarities of vortices in three dimensional flow are briefly discussed.

Betz, A↗

Problem of glider models

Any one endeavoring to solve the problem of soaring flight is confronted not only by structural difficulties, but also by the often far more difficult aerodynamic problem of flight properties and efficiency, which can only be determined by experimenting with the finished glider.

GLIDERS↗

Influence of design on cost of operating airplanes

The author discusses cost of operating commercial airplanes and endeavors to clear up prevalent misunderstandings. Curves of operating cost for varying duration, speed, reserve horsepower, etc. are developed.

Black, Archibald↗

The "limiting line" in mixed subsonic and supersonic flow of compressible fluids

It is well known that the vorticity for any fluid element is constant if the fluid is non-viscous and the change of state of the fluid is isentropic. When a solid body is placed in a uniform stream, the flow far ahead of the body is irrotational. Then if the flow is further assumed to be isentropic, the vorticity will be zero over the whole filed of flow. In other words, the flow is irrotational. For such flow over a solid body, it is shown by Theodorsen that the solid body experiences no resistance. If the fluid has a small viscosity, its effect will be limited in the boundary layer over the solid body and the body will have a drag due to the skin friction. This type of essentially isentropic irrotational flow is generally observed for a streamlined body placed in a uniform stream, if the velocity of the stream is kept below the so-called "critical speed." At the critical speed or rather at a certain value of the ratio of the velocity of the undisturbed flow and the corresponding velocity of sound, shock waves appear. This phenomenon is called the "compressibility bubble." Along a shock wave, the change of state of the fluid is no longer isentropic, although still adiabatic. This results in an increase in entropy of the fluid and generally introduces vorticity in an originally irrotational flow. The increase in entropy of the fluid is, of course, the consequence of changing part of the mechanical energy into heat energy. In other words, the part of fluid affected by the shock wave has a reduced mechanical energy. Therefore, with the appearance of shock waves, the wake of the streamline body is very much widened, and the drag increases drastically. Furthermore, the accompanying change in the pressure distribution over the body changes the aerodynamic moment acting on it and in the case of an airfoil decreases the lift force. All these consequences of the breakdown of isentropic irrotational flow are generally undesirable in applied aerodynamics. Its occurrence should be delayed as much as possible by modifying the shape or contour of the body. However, such endeavor will be very much facilitated if the cause or the criterion for the breakdown can be found first.

MACH NUMBER↗

Development of light and small airplanes

The author has endeavored to select only the most important lines of development and has limited the description of individual airplanes to a few typical examples. Comparisons are presented between German and foreign accomplishments.

Lachmann, G↗