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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 235 records · Page 13

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1973

A variable-data-rate, multimode quadriphase modem.

This paper describes the design and performance of a highly versatile modulator and demodulator recently developed to facilitate the evaluation of various digital communications links. The modem is capable of either PSK or QPSK operation and can accommodate a very wide range of continuously tunable data rates (1 kbps to 30 Mbps in each of two channels). In the QPSK mode, operation is possible using either a single serial data stream (single channel operation) or using two mutually independent, unrelated, and asynchronous data streams (dual-channel operation). Integrate and dump detectors are used at the demodulator for regeneration of the data stream(s). Measurements indicate that the performance of the overall system (including the bit detectors) is within 2 dB of the theoretically optimum performance of either PSK or QPSK at any rate within the range of rates provided by the modem, and is within 1 dB of theoretical over most of the range of rates.

Allen, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Evolutionary lunar transportation family

The development of an evolutionary lunar transportation family (LTF) that can accommodate evolving human exploration goals is discussed. An evolutionary system is aimed at minimizing program costs while preserving programmatic versatility. Technical requirements that affect the design strategy for LTF include aerobraking technology and packaging constraints; mixed, unsymmetrical payload manifests; crew and payload exchange operations; crew and cargo off-loading on the lunar surface; and cryogenic lunar transfer and storage. It is concluded that the LTF is capable of meeting exploration goals, which include the provision for a significant early manned lunar surface science and exploration capability, the avoidance or reduction of some major operational and infrastructure requirements, and the incorporation of common vehicle designs and existing/near-term technology.

Capps, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS2003

Electrodeposition of High Quality Nickel Phosphorous Alloys for Pollution Reduction and Energy Conservation

NASA and the University of Alabama in Huntsville have developed ecologically friendly, versatile nickel and nickel cobalt phosphorous electroplating processes. Solutions show excellent performance with high efficiency for vastly extended throughput. Properties include, clean, low temperature operation (40 - 60 C), high Faradaic efficiency, low stress and high hardness. A variety of alloy and plating speed options are easily achieved from the same chemistry using soluble anodes for metal replacement with only 25% of the phosphorous additions required for electroless nickel. Thick deposits are easily achieved unattended, for electroforming freestanding shapes without buildup of excess orthophosphate or stripping of equipment.

Engelhaupt, Darell↗

NASA NTRS2004

Electrodeposition of High Quality Nickel Phosphorous Alloys for Pollution Reduction and Energy Conservation

Engelhaupt, Darell↗

NASA NTRS2015

Summary of LOX/CH4 Thruster Technology Development at NASA/MSFC

In recent years, a variety of injectors for liquid oxygen (LOX) and methane (CH4) propellant systems have been designed, fabricated, and demonstrated with hot-fire testing at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Successful designs for liquid methane (LCH4) and gaseous methane (GCH4) have been developed. A variety of chambers, including a transpiration cooled design, along with uncooled ablatives and refractory metals, have also been hot-fire tested by MSFC for use with LOX/LCH4 injectors. Hot-fire testing has also demonstrated multiple ignition source options. Heat flux data for selected injectors has been gathered by testing with a calorimeter chamber. High performance and stable combustion have been demonstrated, along with designs for thrust levels ranging from 500 to 7,000 lbf. The newest LOX/CH4 injector and chamber developed by MSFC have been fabricated with additive manufacturing techniques and include unique design features to investigate regenerative cooling with methane. This low cost and versatile hardware offers a design for 4,000 lbf thrust and will be hot-fire tested at MSFC in 2015. Its design and operation can easily be scaled for use in systems with thrust levels up to 25,000 lbf.

Greene, Sandra Elam↗

DOE OSTI2026

Beam-beam backgrounds for the Cool Copper Collider

In this paper, we present a comprehensive characterization of beam-beam backgrounds for the Cool Copper Collider (C 3 ), a proposed linear e + e - collider designed for precision Higgs studies at center-of-mass energies of 250 and 550 GeV. Using a simulation pipeline based on the Key4hep framework, we evaluate incoherent pair production and hadron photoproduction backgrounds through the SiD detector for baseline, power-efficiency, and high-luminosity C 3 operating scenarios. The occupancy induced by the beam-beam background is evaluated for each scenario, validating the compatibility of the existing SiD detector design with operations at C 3 without substantial modifications. Furthermore, at the same time, the modular simulation framework and analysis methodology presented in this paper offer a versatile toolkit for background studies in future collider proposals, contributing to a common platform for different machine designs.

Analysis and statistical methods↗

DOE OSTI2025

Microtron Data Log

The Microtron at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a versatile electron accelerator originally designed for medical therapy. Since 2001, it has been used for non-destructive radiographic imaging and research and development applications. Operating at four different energy levels—6, 10, 15, and 20 MeV—the Microtron produces dose rates of approximately 780, 1800, 2700, and 2800 R/min at a distance of one meter from the source, respectively. This high-energy X-ray source enables detailed internal examination of dense and thick objects without causing damage, making it invaluable for various scientific and industrial applications. For instance, LANL’s Microtron has been utilized to study the performance of large-panel cerium-doped lutetium yttrium silicon oxide (LYSO) scintillators, which are essential components in advanced imaging systems.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Optimization of Nb 3 Sn sputtering on SRF structures

Superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities are the key technology to compact, high-efficiency, and cost-effective CW SRF accelerators. Further improvements in the efficiency can be realized by using novel materials such as Nb 3 Sn coated on the inner surface of SRF cavities. The Nb 3 Sn coatings enable cavity operation at 4 K, where the Nb 3 Sn coated cavities are already very efficient and have high intrinsic quality factors. Advances in Nb3Sn coatings on the inner surface of SRF cavities showed the potential for this material to significantly cut the capital and operating costs of SRF accelerators. Several approaches have been and are being investigated for coating SRF cavities with Nb 3 Sn. Magnetron sputtering is a versatile technique in that it has been shown to produce Nb 3 Sn films on flat Nb target in a single phase and a precisely controlled thickness, low defect levels, and a favorable morphology. Deposition of Nb 3 Sn films on SRF cavities have also shown promising RF superconducting properties. However, sputter coating of Nb 3 Sn on SRF cavities requires further development to be used in accelerators.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1989

Programmable Positioner For Spot Welding

Welding station mechanized by installing preset indexing system and gear drive. Mechanism includes a low-cost, versatile, single-axis motion control and motor drive to provide fully-automatic weld sequencing and spot-to-spot spacing. Welding station relieves operator of some difficult, tedious tasks and increases both productivity and quality of welds. Results in welds of higher quality and greater accuracy, fewer weld defects, and faster welding operation.

Roden, William A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

A transportable 50 kA dual mode lightning simulator

A transportable lightning simulator was designed, built and tested, which is capable of delivering more than 50 kA to an 8 micro-H test object. The simulator was designed to be a versatile device in the lightning laboratory while meeting the requirements of MIL-STD-1757A for component E current waveforms. The system is capable of operating in either a ringing mode with a Q greater than 5 and a nominal frequency of 160 kHz, or a unipolar mode with no hardware configuration changes. The ringing mode is obtained by the LCR series circuit formed by the pulse generator and test object. The unipolar mode is obtained by closing an electrically triggered crowbar switch at peak current. The simulator exceeds the peak current requirement and rate of rise requirements for MIL-STD-1757A in both the ringing and unipolar modes. The pulse half width in the unipolar mode is in excess of 50 microsec and the action is in excess of 10(exp 5) A(exp 2)s. The design, component values, and test results are presented.

Salisbury, K.↗

NASA NTRS2009

MEMS switches having non-metallic crossbeams

A RF MEMS switch comprising a crossbeam of SiC, supported by at least one leg above a substrate and above a plurality of transmission lines forming a CPW. Bias is provided by at least one layer of metal disposed on a top surface of the SiC crossbeam, such as a layer of chromium followed by a layer of gold, and extending beyond the switch to a biasing pad on the substrate. The switch utilizes stress and conductivity-controlled non-metallic thin cantilevers or bridges, thereby improving the RF characteristics and operational reliability of the switch. The switch can be fabricated with conventional silicon integrated circuit (IC) processing techniques. The design of the switch is very versatile and can be implemented in many transmission line mediums.

Scardelletti, Maximillian C↗

NASA NTRS1991

The AXAF/XRS test dewar - A versatile design

The X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) to be flown on the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) consists of an array of microcalorimeters and an Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator (ADR). The ADR provides an operating temperature of 0.065 to 0.100 K. To support extensive development testing of the ADR and the detector array, a test dewar has been designed and built that surpasses specification requirements. Pumping on the liquid helium bath with a 47 l/s pump, we have achieved temperatures lower than 1.5 K with a hold time in excess of 72 hrs. The dewar can be operated without liquid nitrogen with a hold time of 36 hrs. This feature was incorporated in the design because boiling nitrogen may introduce microphonic noise to the detectors. To further reduce the susceptibility to microphonic vibration a unique suspension system utilizing Kevlar fibers was devised which provides both translational and rotational rigidity to the detector mount. Finally, the dewar is very manageable and may be rotated by only one person.

Weintz, Karl F.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Apollo 15 and 16 ground-commanded television assembly.

During the Apollo 15 and 16 missions, a special camera provided the scientific community and the home viewer with real-time coverage of the lunar exploration. The lunar blast-off of the Apollo 16 ascent module was tracked by the mission controller at NASA's Manned Space Center and watched 250,000 miles away on earth. The operation of this television camera and the remote control unit are described and block diagrams given. Ground-command capability from the Mission Control Center permitted versatility and optimization of the TV coverage, without diverting the astronauts from their primary role of lunar exploration.

Soltoff, B. M.↗

NASA NTRS1976

A methodology for producing small scale rural land use maps in semi-arid developing countries using orbital imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. Results have shown that it is feasible to design a methodology that can provide suitable guidelines for operational production of small scale rural land use maps of semiarid developing regions from LANDSAT MSS imagery, using inexpensive and unsophisticated visual techniques. The suggested methodology provides immediate practical benefits to map makers attempting to produce land use maps in countries with limited budgets and equipment. Many preprocessing and interpretation techniques were considered, but rejected on the grounds that they were inappropriate mainly due to the high cost of imagery and/or equipment, or due to their inadequacy for use in operational projects in the developing countries. Suggested imagery and interpretation techniques, consisting of color composites and monocular magnification proved to be the simplest, fastest, and most versatile methods.

Vangenderen, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

NASA DC-8 airborne research laboratory

Since the summer of 1987, NASA Ames Research Center has been operating a DC-8 equipped with CFM 56 engines as a flying research laboratory. In this relatively short time, the DC-8, with its tremendous capabilities, has made significant contributions to numerous scientific fields. Capable of staying aloft for over 12 hours, the DC-8 has flown directly over both the North and South Poles, gathering data relating to the ozone hole. Operating from a few thousand feet to over 40,000 feet above sea level the interchangeable payload capability of the DC-8 has made it a versatile scientific tool. The DC-8 also plays a vital role in the development of new satellite-borne sensors as very often those sensors are test-flown on the DC-8 before they are launched into space. The tremendous range and instrument carrying capability make the DC-8 an ideal flying laboratory. A few of the programs the DC-8 has participated in as well as a sampling of the instruments carried are outlined.

Degreef, Leo H.↗

NASA NTRS1997

The on-orbit optical performance of STIS

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) is a versatile, general purpose instrument installed aboard the Hubble Space Telescope in February, 1997. During the following Servicing Mission Orbital Verification (SMOV) period, STIS has been made operational and aligned, and initial checkout and calibration completed. The overall optical performance goals have largely been achieved and a summary of these results is presented.

Bowers, Charles W.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Continuous Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator for Use with Mechanical Coolers

We have begun developing an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) which can produce continuous cooling at temperatures of 50 mK or lower, with high cooling power (goal of 10 PW). The design uses multiple stages to cascade heat from a continuously-cooled stage up to a heat sink. The serial arrangement makes it possible to add stages to extend the operating range to lower temperature, or to raise the heat rejection temperature. Compared to conventional single-shot ADRS, this system achieves higher cooling power per unit mass and is able to reject its heat at a more uniform rate. For operation with a mechanical cryocooler, this latter feature stabilizes the heat sink temperature and allows both the ADR and cryocooler to operate more efficiently. The ADR is being designed to operate with a heat sink as warm as 10-12 K to make it compatible with a wide variety of mechanical coolers as part of a versatile, cryogen-free low temperature cooling system. A two-stage system has been constructed and a proof-of-principle demonstration was conducted at 100 mK. Details of the design and test results, as well as the direction of future work, are discussed.

Shirron, P.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Overview of Primitive Object Volatile Explorer (PrOVE) CubeSat or Smallsat Concept

Here we describe the Primitive Object Volatile Explorer (PrOVE), a smallsat mission concept to study the surface structure and volatile inventory of comets in their perihelion passage phase when volatile activity is near peak. CubeSat infrastructure imposes limits on propulsion systems, which are compounded by sensitivity to the spacecraft disposal state from the launch platform and potential launch delays. We propose circumventing launch platform complications by using waypoints in space to park a deep space SmallSat or CubeSat while awaiting the opportunity to enter a trajectory to flyby a suitable target. In our Planetary Science Deep Space SmallSat Studies (PSDS3) project, we investigated scientific goals, waypoint options, potential concept of operations (ConOps) for periodic and new comets, spacecraft bus infrastructure requirements, launch platforms, and mission operations and phases. Our payload would include two low-risk instruments: a visible image (VisCAM) for 5-10 m resolution surface maps; and a highly versatile multispectral Comet CAMera (ComCAM) will measure 1) H2O, CO2, CO, and organics non-thermal fluorescence signatures in the 2-5 μm MWIR, and 2) 7-10 and 8-14 μm thermal (LWIR) emission. This payload would return unique data not obtainable from ground-based telescopes and complement data from Earth-orbiting observatories. Thus, the PrOVE mission would (1) acquire visible surface maps, (2) investigate chemical heterogeneity of a comet nucleus by quantifying volatile species abundance and changes with solar insolation, (3) map the spatial distribution of volatiles and determine any variations, and (4) determine the frequency and distribution of outbursts.

Clark, Pamela S.↗