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At least 235 records · Page 13

Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System Repair Flight Experiment Induced Contamination Impacts

NASA s activities to prepare for Flight LF1 (STS-114) included development of a method to repair the Thermal Protection System (TPS) of the Orbiter s leading edge should it be damaged during ascent by impacts from foam, ice, etc . Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) is used for the leading edge TPS. The repair material that was developed is named Non- Oxide Adhesive eXperimental (NOAX). NOAX is an uncured adhesive material that acts as an ablative repair material. NOAX completes curing during the Orbiter s descent. The Thermal Protection System (TPS) Detailed Test Objective 848 (DTO 848) performed on Flight LF1 (STS-114) characterized the working life, porosity void size in a micro-gravity environment, and the on-orbit performance of the repairs to pre-damaged samples. DTO 848 is also scheduled for Flight ULF1.1 (STS-121) for further characterization of NOAX on-orbit performance. Due to the high material outgassing rates of the NOAX material and concerns with contamination impacts to optically sensitive surfaces, ASTM E 1559 outgassing tests were performed to determine NOAX condensable outgassing rates as a function of time and temperature. Sensitive surfaces of concern include the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) visor, cameras, and other sensors in proximity to the experiment during the initial time after application. This paper discusses NOAX outgassing characteristics, how the amount of deposition on optically sensitive surfaces while the NOAX is being manipulated on the pre-damaged RCC samples was determined by analysis, and how flight rules were developed to protect those optically sensitive surfaces from excessive contamination where necessary.

Smith, Kendall A.↗

Net current measurements and secondary electron emission characteristics of the Voyager plasma science experiment and their impact on data interpretation

The Voyager Plasma Science (PLS) instrument is capable of returning integral (DC) current measurements, similar in some respects to measurements made with a Langmuir probe or a retarding potential analyzer, although there are significant differences. The integral measurements were made during a calibration sequence in the solar wind, during Cruise Science Maneuvers, and within the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn by Voyager 1. After the failure of the PLS experiment following the Saturn encounter, that instrument was placed in the DC return mode returning possibly usable data from early 1981 through early 1985. The DC return measurements are difficult to interpret and are above threshold values only for relatively large fluxes; the determination of the measured current level is dependent on the operating temperature of the preamplifiers which further complicates the interpretation. Nevertheless, these measurements can be used to determine the efficiency of the suppressor grid at preventing the loss of secondary electrons off the collector plate. Some DC return measurements have been invaluable in aiding in the interpretation of some electron plasma measurements not previously understood. It is found that electron spectra can be significantly modified by the presence of second generation secondary electrons produced by either first generation secondaries or photoelectrons on the support ring of the negative high voltage modulator grid within the instrument housing.

Mcnutt, Ralph L., Jr.↗

EnKF OSSE Experiments Assessing the Impact of HIRAD Wind Speed and HIWRAP Radial Velocity Data on Analysis of Hurricane Karl (2010)

Previous studies (e.g., Zhang et al. 2009, Weng et al. 2011) have shown that radial velocity data from airborne and ground-based radars can be assimilated into ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) systems to produce accurate analyses of tropical cyclone vortices, which can reduce forecast intensity error. Recently, wind speed data from SFMR technology has also been assimilated into the same types of systems and has been shown to improve the forecast intensity of mature tropical cyclones. Two instruments that measure these properties were present during the NASA Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) field experiment in 2010 which sampled Hurricane Karl, and will next be co-located on the same aircraft for the subsequent NASA HS3 experiment. The High Altitude Wind and Rain Profiling Radar (HIWRAP) is a conically scanning Doppler radar mounted upon NASAs Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, and the usefulness of its radial velocity data for assimilation has not been previously examined. Since the radar scans from above with a fairly large fixed elevation angle, it observes a large component of the vertical wind, which could degrade EnKF analyses compared to analyses with data taken from lesser elevation angles. The NASA Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is a passive microwave radiometer similar to SFMR, and measures emissivity and retrieves hurricane surface wind speeds and rain rates over a much wider swath. Thus, this study examines the impact of assimilating simulated HIWRAP radial velocity data into an EnKF system, simulated HIRAD wind speed, and HIWRAP+HIRAD with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and compares the results to no data assimilation and also to the Truth from which the data was simulated for both instruments.

Albers, Cerese↗

SIMS chemical and isotopic analysis of impact features from LDEF experiments AO187-1 and AO187-2

Previous secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) studies of extended impact features from LDEF capture cell experiment AO187-2 showed that it is possible to distinguish natural and man-made particle impacts based on the chemical composition of projectile residues. The same measurement technique has now been applied to specially prepared gold target impacts from experiment AO187-1 in order to identify the origins of projectiles that left deposits too thin to be analyzed by conventional energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The results indicate that SIMS may be the method of choice for the analysis of impact deposits on a variety of sample surfaces. SIMS was also used to determine the isotopic compositions of impact residues from several natural projectiles. Within the precision of the measurements all analyzed residues show isotopically normal compositions.

Stadermann, Frank J.↗

Study of impact cratering in lunar-like materials

Electrostatically accelerated microparticles are used to perform simulated micrometeoroid impact cratering experiments in oligoclase. Impact craters were obtained using iron, lanthanum hexaboride, and silicon as the projectile materials. Each particle material was impacted at normal incidence and at 30 and 60 deg oblique angles. Tabular data for all impacts are presented and central crater pit diameter normalized to particle diameter and the total spall diameter normalized to particle diameter are plotted vs impact velocity for nine particle/angle combinations and three crystal orientations. Impact crater characteristics are photodocumented as a function of impact velocity for the nine particle/angle combinations and three crystal orientations in oligoclase and at fixed impact velocity for six other minerals.

Roy, N. L.↗

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a large, four-engine, remotely piloted airplane

A controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four engine, remotely piloted transport airplane was conducted. Closed loop primary flight control was performed from a ground based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up/down telemetry link. Uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to a highly modified Bendix PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were generated by the ground pilot. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems. However, manned flight tests were the primary method of verification and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and the systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Kempel, R. W.↗

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a large, four-engine remotely piloted airplane

A controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four engine, remotely piloted transport airplane was conducted. Closed loop primary flight control was performed from a ground based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up/down telemetry link. Uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to a highly modified Bendix PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were generated by the ground pilot. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems. However, manned flight tests were the primary method of verification and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design development, and flight testing of control laws and the systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Kempel, R. W.↗

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a remotely piloted jet transport aircraft

The Dryden Flight Research Center Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and the FAA conducted the controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four-engine, remotely piloted jet transport airplane. Closed-loop primary flight was controlled through the existing onboard PB-20D autopilot which had been modified for the CID program. Uplink commands were sent from a ground-based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up-down telemetry link. These uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to the modified PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were produced by the ground system. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground-based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems; however, piloted flight tests were the primary method and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Horton, Timothy W.↗

Space Station Freedom restructure impacts on technology experiment accommodation

This is a follow up to NASA Technical Memorandum (TM) 102766; it provides an overview of the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) Space Station Freedom (SSF) Technology Development Payload Program, reviews the OAST SSF resource requirements, and contrasts the requirements with the resources that are available to OAST since the restructure of SSF. A discussion of the issues as well as conclusions and recommendations, is provided. It is concluded that, even after adjustments to the OAST traffic model to reflect restructure, some resources will be inadequate even at the 20 percent allocation level. It is also concluded that bartering resources among U.S. users and international partners, and increasing the level of automation may be viable solutions to the resource constraint problem. The final conclusion is that, to facilitate the performance of technology experiments on SSF, OAST should fund SSF experiments and update its traffic model as soon as possible, and should provide technical and programmatic assistance to technology experiment developers.

Avery, Don E.↗

Are some chondrule rims formed by impact processes? - Observations and experiments

The ability of high-speed impacts into a parent body regolith to account for the textures and compositions observed for rims on some chondrules is presently supported by both observational and experimental data. Experimental results obtained with a light-gas gun encompass recovered-grain characteristics ranging from fragmented projectile grains mixed with melted aerogel, demonstrating that rim-like thermal and mechanical alterations of projectiles may be due to a high-velocity encounter with a low density target. Irrespective of conclusions for other types of rims, granular and opaque rim characteristics seem inconsistent with nebular condensation.

Bunch, T. E.↗

Long Duration Exposure Facility experiment M0003: Deintegration/findings and impacts

The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) Experiment M0003 consists of 19 subexperiments from laboratories and contractor organizations and was designed to study the effects of the space environment on a large variety of spacecraft materials and components, both current and developmental. The experiment was housed in four LDEF trays and contained over 1250 specimens, two data systems, and two environment exposure control canisters. Nearly identical pairs of trays were located on the leading and trailing edges of LDEF. The materials in these trays span nearly all generic functions in spacecraft such as optics, thermal control, composites, solar power, and electronics. Effects of the space environment, such as vacuum, ultraviolet, atomic oxygen, meteoroids and debris, thermal cycling, and synergistic effects on various samples, will be described. Summaries of the on-board data will be presented.

Meshishnek, M. J.↗

Distrubtion Tolerant Network Technology Flight Validation Report: DINET

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.

networking↗

Distribution Tolerant Network Technology Flight Validation Report: DINET

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.

networking↗

An analytical and experimental study of the behavior of semi-infinite metal targets under hypervelocity impact

The material strength and strain rate effects associated with the hypervelocity impact problem were considered. A yield criterion involving the second and third invariants of the stress deviator and a strain rate sensitive constitutive equation were developed. The part of total deformation which represents change in shape is attributable to the stress deviator. Constitutive equation is a means for analytically describing the mechanical response of a continuum under study. The accuracy of the yield criterion was verified utilizing the published two and three dimensional experimental data. The constants associated with the constitutive equation were determined from one dimensional quasistatic and dynamic experiments. Hypervelocity impact experiments were conducted on semi-infinite targets of 1100 aluminum, 6061 aluminum alloy, mild steel, and commercially pure lead using spherically shaped and normally incident pyrex projectiles.

Chakrapani, B.↗