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At least 235 records · Page 13

The Semiannual and 4.4-Year Modulations of Extreme High Tides

In most places extreme high tides undergo a clear seasonal variation. It is well known that semidiurnal tides tend to peak during equinox seasons, and diurnals during solstice seasons. This is a consequence of the solar and lunar declinations, which when large maximize diurnal tides at the expense of semidiurnals. The semiannual range modulation of tidal extremes for a pure semidiurnal tide is determined mainly by the amplitude of the K2 constituent; a pure diurnal is determined mainly by P1. Mixed tidal regimes tend to experience maxima very roughly around the times of solstice, but not always, with the semiannual modulation generally a complicated function of constituent amplitudes and phases. These modulations are here mapped worldwide by analyzing tidal extremes predicted with a global tide model. The known 4.4-year modulation in extreme tides is a consequence of declinational and perigean effects coming in and out of phase. The phase of the 4.4-year modulation is controlled by the phase of the semiannual modulation, irrespective of whether the tide is diurnal, semidiurnal, or mixed.

Ray, R. D.

Rapid Assessment of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module

Johnson Space Center is piloting an innovation team known as the Forge to perform rapid turnaround, concurrent engineering studies. The Forge is intended to be able to pull together a team of strategically selected domain experts to innovatively solve a specified problem within a short period of time. The Forge’s inaugural project being the development of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module concept. The lab module is intended as an option for the Artemis program’s Lunar Architecture Team. The lab module may allow for increased science productivity and return on investment than a surface architecture with only the habitat. This paper will discuss the configuration of the Lunar Laboratory module, including the pressure vessel, its placement relative to the Surface Habitat and Pressurized Rover, and internal architecture. In order to determine the suitability of such a design, a human factors evaluation is conducted. Historically, a human factors evaluation of a habitable volume could require a month or longer, including time needed to prepare a test plan, conduct the evaluation, compile the data, and produce a report. The entire Forge effort will only last for five weeks, forcing the creation of a rapid assessment process. This rapid assessment includes three evaluation studies, all conducted and processed in the space of a single day, to determine the acceptability of the resulting design. The first evaluation is a card sort evaluation of the laboratory instruments. A brief discussion of the card sort evaluation is provided. This card sort is focused on the relative positioning of the laboratory instruments, determining whether a given instrument should be adjacent to, or separated from, another. It will use human factors personnel and both life and physical scientists as subject matter experts. The second evaluation is a science productivity tabletop evaluation. This evaluation focuses on the selection of instruments and the number of instruments, attempting to assess the amount of work the crew will be able to use the facility to do. It uses life and physical science personnel as subject matter experts. The third evaluation is a CAD or Virtual Reality human factors walkthrough evaluation. This evaluation focuses on the layout of the lab module and its connectivity to the basecamp’s pressurized elements. If possible, astronauts will be used as subject matter experts. Each of these evaluations will focus primarily on objective data with limited subjective comments, reducing the time required for processing responses. The results of each evaluation and their implications will be discussed. Based on the evaluation data, an overall acceptability of the Lunar Surface Laboratory Module produced by the Forge study can be determined. Lessons learned and recommendations for future use of the human factors rapid assessment process in early design trades will also be provided.

Lunar Laboratory

Progress on the Organic and Inorganic Modules of the Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a Next Generation Complete Water Analysis System for Crewed Vehicles

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) is a joint collaboration to develop an instrument platform that will perform in-flight measurements and deliver a more complete picture of water quality to decision makers. For exploration missions, returned water samples will not be an option, so spacecraft and habitats will need to be equipped with advanced water monitoring capabilities. Eventually, missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond should be equipped with analytical capabilities roughly analogous to those found in terrestrial labs. Based on what we know about current and future spacecraft environments, SWIM will seek to provide enhanced analytical capability that enables NASA to confidently send astronauts on distant missions without the possibility of returned water samples. The SWIM architecture can be broken down in an Organic Water Module (OWM) and an Inorganic Water Module (IWM), independent of each other but can be flown together if desired; an integrated system may share some commonality, e.g., single sample injection, sampling consumables, waste, etc. Each of these main modules can be broken down further into separation (if required) and detection modules. And, each separation module can be paired with one or more detection module depending on mission, spacecraft, customer needs, and size/mass/power constraints. This paper discusses the research and development progress toward the goal of a total water analysis system. For OWM, one of the analysis technologies that the SWIM team have been developing is a liquid-injection gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system; these systems are the workhorses of analytical chemistry laboratories world-wide. For IWM, the team is exploring a number of technologies ranging from traditional liquid chromatography technologies (e.g. ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) to flight-heritage technology such as ion-specific electrodes.

Stuart J Pensinger

Progress on the Organic and Inorganic Modules of the Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a Next Generation Complete Water Analysis System for Crewed Vehicles

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) is a joint collaboration to develop an instrument platform that will perform in-flight measurements and deliver a more complete picture of water quality to decision makers. For exploration missions, returned water samples will not be an option, so spacecraft and habitats will need to be equipped with advanced water monitoring capabilities. Eventually, missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond should be equipped with analytical capabilities roughly analogous to those found in terrestrial labs. Based on what we know about current and future spacecraft environments, SWIM will seek to provide enhanced analytical capability that enables NASA to confidently send astronauts on distant missions without the possibility of returned water samples. The SWIM architecture can be broken down in an Organic Water Module (OWM) and an Inorganic Water Module (IWM), independent of each other but can be flown together if desired; an integrated system may share some commonality, e.g., single sample injection, sampling consumables, waste, etc. Each of these main modules can be broken down further into separation (if required) and detection modules. And, each separation module can be paired with one or more detection module depending on mission, spacecraft, customer needs, and size/mass/power constraints. This paper discusses the research and development progress toward the goal of a total water analysis system. For OWM, one of the analysis technologies that the SWIM team have been developing is a liquid-injection gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system; these systems are the workhorses of analytical chemistry laboratories world-wide. For IWM, the team is exploring a number of technologies ranging from traditional liquid chromatography technologies (e.g. ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) to flight-heritage technology such as ion-specific electrodes.

Stuart J. Pensinger

Progress on the Organic and Inorganic Modules of the Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a Next Generation Complete Water Analysis System for Crewed Vehicles

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) is a joint collaboration to develop an instrument platform that will perform in-flight measurements and deliver a more complete picture of water quality to decision makers. For exploration missions, returned water samples will not be an option, so spacecraft and habitats will need to be equipped with advanced water monitoring capabilities. Eventually, missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond should be equipped with analytical capabilities roughly analogous to those found in terrestrial labs. Based on what we know about current and future spacecraft environments, SWIM will seek to provide enhanced analytical capability that enables NASA to confidently send astronauts on distant missions without the possibility of returned water samples. The SWIM architecture can be broken down in an Organic Water Module (OWM) and an Inorganic Water Module (IWM), independent of each other but can be flown together if desired; an integrated system may share some commonality, e.g., single sample injection, sampling consumables, waste, etc. Each of these main modules can be broken down further into separation (if required) and detection modules. And, each separation module can be paired with one or more detection module depending on mission, spacecraft, customer needs, and size/mass/power constraints. This paper discusses the research and development progress toward the goal of a total water analysis system. For OWM, one of the analysis technologies that the SWIM team have been developing is a liquid-injection gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system; these systems are the workhorses of analytical chemistry laboratories world-wide. For IWM, the team is exploring a number of technologies ranging from traditional liquid chromatography technologies (e.g. ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) to flight-heritage technology such as ion-specific electrodes.

Stuart J Pensinger

Progress on the Organic and Inorganic Modules of the Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a Next Generation Complete Water Analysis System for Crewed Vehicles

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) is a joint collaboration to develop an instrument platform that will perform in-flight measurements and deliver a more complete picture of water quality to decision makers. For exploration missions, returned water samples will not be an option, so spacecraft and habitats will need to be equipped with advanced water monitoring capabilities. Eventually, missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond should be equipped with analytical capabilities roughly analogous to those found in terrestrial labs. Based on what we know about current and future spacecraft environments, SWIM will seek to provide enhanced analytical capability that enables NASA to confidently send astronauts on distant missions without the possibility of returned water samples. The SWIM architecture can be broken down in an Organic Water Module (OWM) and an Inorganic Water Module (IWM), independent of each other but can be flown together if desired; an integrated system may share some commonality, e.g., single sample injection, sampling consumables, waste, etc. Each of these main modules can be broken down further into separation (if required) and detection modules. And, each separation module can be paired with one or more detection module depending on mission, spacecraft, customer needs, and size/mass/power constraints. This paper discusses the research and development progress toward the goal of a total water analysis system. For OWM, one of the analysis technologies that the SWIM team have been developing is a liquid-injection gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system; these systems are the workhorses of analytical chemistry laboratories world-wide. For IWM, the team is exploring a number of technologies ranging from traditional liquid chromatography technologies (e.g. ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) to flight-heritage technology such as ion-specific electrodes.

Stuart Pensinger

Thermal Analysis of the Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) Power Electronic Modules

In an effort to transform future space power system architectures and operations, the Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) project is currently developing an interface standard for power electronic modules to enable modular architectures for space power systems. Each architecture would consist of one or more modular electronic units (MEU) that would comprise of a tailored combination of modules. The standard currently comprises modules enabling switchgear, power conversion, and data interfacing. The objective of the AMPS project is to enable the modularity and interchangeability of different architectures using these standardized modules in hopes of reducing complexity and cost, increasing inherent redundancy and reliability, and minimizing power system redesign for future programs. A key enabler to these future modular architectures will be the thermal management system, which has to contend with acquiring heat from the electronics modules at the card level and then transporting that heat to the radiator of the larger system. The focus of this paper, therefore, will be the thermal design and analysis of multiple AMPS power electronics modules and the development of their thermal-vacuum test.

Modular Power Electronics

Thermal-Fluid Analysis of a Liquid-Cooled Battery Module for Electrified Aircraft

The development of safe, energy-dense batteries is critical to advancing hybrid electric and fully electrified aircraft propulsion. Achieving this capability requires a thermal management system that can maintain battery performance and safety under demanding operational conditions. The objective of this project is to support the maturation of next-generation lithium-ion batteries for electrified aircraft by conducting performance testing on integrated battery modules, specifically a 2-cell series configuration module housed within an aluminum enclosure. Designed to operate at a nominal 7.2 V with discharge rates up to 2.5C, the module will eventually be used to power an electric motor and DC-DC converter, generating substantial thermal loads that must be effectively managed to increase the usable energy and power density of electrified aircraft. To address these thermal challenges, this study presents the development and thermal-fluid analysis of a liquid-cooled thermal management system. While the full aircraft architecture utilizes an eight-string configuration, the present work evaluates a representative single-string water coolant loop to characterize baseline performance. The active cooling loop circulates water through a reservoir, pump, the battery module, and a variable area flow meter. Key performance metrics including component-level temperatures, mass flow rates, and pressure drops are quantified across the loop. Across discharge rates ranging from 0.5C to 2.5C, the active thermal loop consistently and effectively removed heat from the module, validating the design approach and confirming readiness for further development. The validated thermal performance indicates a path toward scalable battery modules that could enable energy and power dense systems for hybrid electric aircraft.

Electrified Aircraft

Accumulate Repeat Accumulate Coded Modulation

In this paper we propose an innovative coded modulation scheme called 'Accumulate Repeat Accumulate Coded Modulation' (ARA coded modulation). This class of codes can be viewed as serial turbo-like codes, or as a subclass of Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes that are combined with high level modulation. Thus at the decoder belief propagation can be used for iterative decoding of ARA coded modulation on a graph, provided a demapper transforms the received in-phase and quadrature samples to reliability of the bits.

coded modulation

Electro-optic crystals and their use for light modulation

Several methods of modulating a beam of light, which have been described in the literature, utilizing the influence of an electrical signal on the birefringence of certain crystals, will be reviewed. These employ optics which respond to the state of polarization of a light beam, and include intensity modulation, position modulation, and the possibility of an electrically tuned optical filter. The influence of the piezo-optic, or strain contribution to the total electro-optic response in the design of an optoelectronic device will be discussed. Current experimental work in our laboratory in which the strain contribution is separated from the direct effect will be described. The strain-free effect is measured by applying a step voltage to the crystal, and observing the initial response. The electro-optical transient response can be observed with nanosecond time resolution. An electronic sampling technique is used to extract the desired response from photon noise. The stress-free or low-frequency effect is measured similarly but at low audio frequencies. Single crystal tetragonal BaT10 3 has been investigated in detail with the result that the strain-optic contribution to the low frequency effect r_(c) = r_(33)—r_(13) is about 80% of the total, where it is only 10% in KDP and 45% in ADP. The magnitudes of the electro-optic effect, dielectric constant, and other related properties are compared for several materials potentially useful as electro-optic modulators, and some comments are made about the practical problems of building a modulator.

ELECTRO-OPTICS

The Design and Implementation of NASA's Advanced Flight Computing Module

This paper describes a working flight computer Multichip Module developed jointly by JPL and TRW under their respective research programs in a collaborative fashion. The MCM is fabricated by nCHIP and is packaged within a 2 by 4 inch Al package from Coors. This flight computer module is one of three modules under development by NASA's Advanced Flight Computer (AFC) program. Further development of the Mass Memory and the programmable I/O MCM modules will follow. The three building block modules will then be stacked into a 3D MCM configuration. The mass and volume of the flight computer MCM achieved at 89 grams and 1.5 cubic inches respectively, represent a major enabling technology for future deep space as well as commercial remote sensing applications.

computer design space applications multichip modul

T/R module development for large aperture L-band phased array

This paper describes a transmit / receive (T/R) module for a large L-band space based radar active phased array being developed at JPL. Electrical performance and construction techniques are described, with emphasis on the former. The T/R modules have a bandwidth of more than 80 MHz centered at 1260MHz and support dual, switched polarizations. Phase and amplitude are controlled by a 6-bit phase shifter and a 6-bit attenuator, respectively. The transmitter power amplifier generates 2.4 W into a nominal 50 ohm load with 36% overall efficiency. The receiver noise figure is 4.4 dB including all front-end losses. The module weighs 32 g and has a footprint of 8 cm x 4.5 cm. Fourteen of these T/R modules were fabricated at the JPL Pick-and-Place Facility and were tested using a computer-controlled measurement facility developed at JPL. Calibrated performance of this set of T/R modules is presented and shows good agreement with design predictions.

transmit / receive (T/R) module

High-Reliability Pump Module for Non-Planar Ring Oscillator Laser

We propose and have demonstrated a prototype high-reliability pump module for pumping a Non-Planar Ring Oscillator (NPRO) laser suitable for space missions. The pump module consists of multiple fiber-coupled single-mode laser diodes and a fiber array micro-lens array based fiber combiner. The reported Single-Mode laser diode combiner laser pump module (LPM) provides a higher normalized brightness at the combined beam than multimode laser diode based LPMs. A higher brightness from the pump source is essential for efficient NPRO laser pumping and leads to higher reliability because higher efficiency requires a lower operating power for the laser diodes, which in turn increases the reliability and lifetime of the laser diodes. Single-mode laser diodes with Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) stabilized wavelength permit the pump module to be operated without a thermal electric cooler (TEC) and this further improves the overall reliability of the pump module. The single-mode laser diode LPM is scalable in terms of the number of pump diodes and is capable of combining hundreds of fiber-coupled laser diodes. In the proof-of-concept demonstration, an e-beam written diffractive micro lens array, a custom fiber array, commercial 808nm single mode laser diodes, and a custom NPRO laser head are used. The reliability of the proposed LPM is discussed.

micro lens array

The Multi-purpose Crew Vehicle European Service Module: a European Contribution to Human Exploration

This paper provides an overview of the system and subsystem configuration of the MPCV European Service Module (ESM) at Preliminary Design Review (PDR) stage as well as its perspectives of utilisation within the global space exploration endeavour. The MPCV ESM is a cylindrical module with a diameter of 4500 mm and a total length - main engine excluded - of 2700 mm. It is fitted with four solar array wings with a span of 18.8 m. Its dry mass is 3.5 metric tons and it can carry 8.6 tons of propellant. The main functions of the European Service Module are to bring the structural continuity between the launcher and the crew module, to provide propulsion to the MPCV, to ensure its thermal control as well as electrical power and to store water, oxygen and nitrogen for the mission. The current agreement foresees the development and production by Europe of one flight model, with an option for a second one. This module will be assembled in Europe and delivered to NASA in 2016. It will be used for a flight of the MPCV Orion in December 2017.

Design

The Multi-purpose Crew Vehicle European Service Module: a European Contribution to Human Exploration

This paper provides an overview of the system and subsystem configuration of the MPCV European Service Module (ESM) at Preliminary Design Review (PDR) stage as well as its perspectives of utilisation within the global space exploration endeavour. The MPCV ESM is a cylindrical module with a diameter of 4500 mm and a total length – main engine excluded – of 2700 mm. It is fitted with four solar array wings with a span of 18.8 m. Its dry mass is 3.5 metric tons and it can carry 8.6 tons of propellant. The main functions of the European Service Module are to bring the structural continuity between the launcher and the crew module, to provide propulsion to the MPCV, to ensure its thermal control as well as electrical power and to store water, oxygen and nitrogen for the mission. The current agreement foresees the development and production by Europe of one flight model, with an option for a second one. This module will be assembled in Europe and delivered to NASA in 2016. It will be used for a flight of the MPCV Orion in December 2017.

European Service Module

In-Line Electromagnetic Actuator for Fuel Modulation

An in-line electromagnetic actuator with normally-open configuration has been developed for the purpose of exploring its application as a fuel modulator for the active control of combustor thermo-acoustic instabilities. The actuator is based on the spring-coil-plunger mechanism with the plunger designed to be suspended by crossed cantilever beam springs. Operational specification was set for a 1000 psi maximum inlet fuel pressure and modulation for a broad frequency bandwidth that encompasses frequencies that are typically associated with combustor thermo-acoustic instabilities. Various test results demonstrated fuel modulation up to 1200 Hz for coil excitation voltage between 2.3 and 4.6 V and current between 16 and 48 mA, respectively. The initial goal of this work was to demonstrate fuel modulation based on the concept of a normally-open fuel modulator with tethered plunger displacement.

Actuator

Radiation Effects in Photonic Modulator Structures

%T Radiation Effects in Photonic Modulator Structures%A Charles Barnes%A Roger Greenwell%J SPIE, Photonics for Space Environments%C Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.%D April 18-20, 1995%K Radiation%K Photonic Modulator Structures%U http://techreports.jpl.nasa.gov/1995/95-1057.pdfA review is given of the effects of radiation on various photonic modulator materials and devices including polymer-based structures, insulator-based devices, semiconductor-based devices and spatial light modulators. We conclude by providing recommendations for further work in the area of radiation effects in photonic modulators.!

Photonic

Delta Modulation

An optimum adaptive delta modulator-demodulator configuration is derived. This device utilizes two past samples to obtain a step size which minimizes the mean square error for a Markov Gaussian source. The optimum system is compared using computer simulations with the linear delta modulator and an enhanced Abate delta modulator. In addition the performance is compared to the rate distortion bound for a Markov source. It is shown that the optimum delta modulator is neither quantization nor slope-overload limited. The results show that the output signal-to-noise ratio is independent of the input signal power and is subject only to the limitations of the hardware employed. In addition, voice was recorded using these systems. The demodulated voice indicates negligible degradation is caused by the optimum system and by the enhanced Abate system while the linear delta modulator suffers significant degradation at a sampling frequency of 56 kilobits/sec.

Schilling, D. L.