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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 sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Lessons learned in deploying software estimation technology and tools

Developing a software product involves estimating various project parameters. This is typically done in the planning stages of the project when there is much uncertainty and very little information. Coming up with accurate estimates of effort, cost, schedule, and reliability is a critical problem faced by all software project managers. The use of estimation models and commercially available tools in conjunction with the best bottom-up estimates of software-development experts enhances the ability of a product development group to derive reasonable estimates of important project parameters. This paper describes the experience of the IBM Software Solutions (SWS) Toronto Laboratory in selecting software estimation models and tools and deploying their use to the laboratory's product development groups. It introduces the SLIM and COSTAR products, the software estimation tools selected for deployment to the product areas, and discusses the rationale for their selection. The paper also describes the mechanisms used for technology injection and tool deployment, and concludes with a discussion of important lessons learned in the technology and tool insertion process.

Panlilio-Yap, Nikki↗
NASA NTRS1997

Controls/CFD Interdisciplinary Research Software Generates Low-Order Linear Models for Control Design From Steady-State CFD Results

The NASA Lewis Research Center is developing analytical methods and software tools to create a bridge between the controls and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) disciplines. Traditionally, control design engineers have used coarse nonlinear simulations to generate information for the design of new propulsion system controls. However, such traditional methods are not adequate for modeling the propulsion systems of complex, high-speed vehicles like the High Speed Civil Transport. To properly model the relevant flow physics of high-speed propulsion systems, one must use simulations based on CFD methods. Such CFD simulations have become useful tools for engineers that are designing propulsion system components. The analysis techniques and software being developed as part of this effort are an attempt to evolve CFD into a useful tool for control design as well. One major aspect of this research is the generation of linear models from steady-state CFD results. CFD simulations, often used during the design of high-speed inlets, yield high resolution operating point data. Under a NASA grant, the University of Akron has developed analytical techniques and software tools that use these data to generate linear models for control design. The resulting linear models have the same number of states as the original CFD simulation, so they are still very large and computationally cumbersome. Model reduction techniques have been successfully applied to reduce these large linear models by several orders of magnitude without significantly changing the dynamic response. The result is an accurate, easy to use, low-order linear model that takes less time to generate than those generated by traditional means. The development of methods for generating low-order linear models from steady-state CFD is most complete at the one-dimensional level, where software is available to generate models with different kinds of input and output variables. One-dimensional methods have been extended somewhat so that linear models can also be generated from two- and three-dimensional steady-state results. Standard techniques are adequate for reducing the order of one-dimensional CFD-based linear models. However, reduction of linear models based on two- and three-dimensional CFD results is complicated by very sparse, ill-conditioned matrices. Some novel approaches are being investigated to solve this problem.

Melcher, Kevin J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development of a prototype commonality analysis tool for use in space programs

A software tool to aid in performing commonality analyses, called Commonality Analysis Problem Solver (CAPS), was designed, and a prototype version (CAPS 1.0) was implemented and tested. The CAPS 1.0 runs in an MS-DOS or IBM PC-DOS environment. The CAPS is designed around a simple input language which provides a natural syntax for the description of feasibility constraints. It provides its users with the ability to load a database representing a set of design items, describe the feasibility constraints on items in that database, and do a comprehensive cost analysis to find the most economical substitution pattern.

Yeager, Dorian P.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Benefits Assessment for Tactical Runway Configuration Management Tool

The Tactical Runway Configuration Management (TRCM) software tool was developed to provide air traffic flow managers and supervisors with recommendations for airport configuration changes and runway usage. The objective for this study is to conduct a benefits assessment at Memphis (MEM), Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) and New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) airports using the TRCM tool. Results from simulations using the TRCM-generated runway configuration schedule are compared with results using historical schedules. For the 12 days of data used in this analysis, the transit time (arrival fix to spot on airport movement area for arrivals, or spot to departure fix for departures) for MEM departures is greater (7%) than for arrivals (3%); for JFK, there is a benefit for arrivals (9%) but not for departures (-2%); for DFW, arrivals show a slight benefit (1%), but this is offset by departures (-2%). Departure queue length benefits show fewer aircraft in queue for JFK (29%) and MEM (11%), but not for DFW (-13%). Fuel savings for surface operations at MEM are seen for both arrivals and departures. At JFK there are fuel savings for arrivals, but these are offset by increased fuel use for departures. In this study, no surface fuel benefits resulted for DFW. Results suggest that the TRCM algorithm requires modifications for complex surface traffic operations that can cause taxi delays. For all three airports, the average number of changes in flow direction (runway configuration) recommended by TRCM was many times greater than the historical data; TRCM would need to be adapted to a particular airport's needs, to limit the number of changes to acceptable levels. The results from this analysis indicate the TRCM tool can provide benefits at some high-capacity airports. The magnitude of these benefits depends on many airport-specific factors and would require adaptation of the TRCM tool; a detailed assessment is needed prior to determining suitability for a particular airport.

Oseguera-Lohr, Rosa↗
NASA NTRS2001

Space Debris Modeling at NASA

Since the Second European Conference on Space Debris in 1997, the Orbital Debris Program Office at the NASA Johnson Space Center has undertaken a major effort to update and improve the principal software tools employed to model the space debris environment and to evaluate mission risks. NASA's orbital debris engineering model, ORDEM, represents the current and near-term Earth orbital debris population from the largest spacecraft to the smallest debris in a manner which permits spacecraft engineers and experimenters to estimate the frequency and velocity with which a satellite may be struck by debris of different sizes. Using expanded databases and a new program design, ORDEM2000 provides a more accurate environment definition combined with a much broader array of output products in comparison with its predecessor, ORDEM96. Studies of the potential long-term space debris environment are now conducted with EVOLVE 4.0, which incorporates significant advances in debris characterization and breakup modeling. An adjunct to EVOLVE 4.0, GEO EVOLVE has been created to examine debris issues near the geosynchronous orbital regime. In support of NASA Safety Standard 1740.14, which establishes debris mitigation guidelines for all NASA space programs, a set of evaluation tools called the Debris Assessment Software (DAS) is specifically designed for program offices to determine whether they are in compliance with NASA debris mitigation guidelines. DAS 1.5 has recently been released with improved WINDOWS compatibility and graphics functions. DAS 2.0 will incorporate guideline changes in a forthcoming revision to NASA Safety Standard 1740.14. Whereas DAS contains a simplified model to calculate possible risks associated with satellite reentries, NASA's higher fidelity Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool (ORSAT) has been upgraded to Version 5.0. With the growing awareness of the potential risks posed by uncontrolled satellite reentries to people and property on Earth, the application of both DAS and ORSAT has increased markedly in the past two years.

Johnson, Nicholas L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Are we ready for the first EASA guidance on the use of ML in Aviation?

NASA has been working for the past 12 years on software tools for the assurance of software in Aviation critical systems. For now two years, NASA has focused more on the use of AI-based techniques in Aviation than the traditional software systems used in the past. The primary focus has been on machine learning (ML), and more specifically, on supervised off-line learning ML systems. NSA’s research has been driven by case studies such as a vision-based centerline tracking system (implemented using deep neural networks) and the new generation of collision avoidance systems developed under the FAA guidance, i.e., the family of ACAS-X products. Since EASA has recently released its first usable guidance for Level 1 machine learning applications, it is opportunity to see how the research done at NASA is mapping to this first guidance for ML. In this talk I will use the EASA guidance document as a guide to present the past, present, and future tools and techniques being developed at NASA. The intent is to not only provide an overview of the research effort at NASA but also to see how this effort is addressing the concerns listed in the EASA first usable guidance for ML.

Guillaume Brat↗
NASA NTRS1992

VOUS Software Facilitates Development Of Other Software

Visual Object Oriented Unification System (VOUS) computer program provides facility for development of other, high-level software. Does not replace, but rather extends, preexisting software tools for development of other software. Provides comprehensive, graphical, interactive medium for all phases in development of computer code from early exploration of concepts, through detailed coding-and-error-checking process, to final reporting of finished code and compilation of instruction manual for its use. Simplifies and partly automates programmer's task.

Oliger, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1992

Reducing the complexity of software systems - A strategic software perspective

The results of a combined management and technical initiative aimed at reducing the size and complexity associated with developing operations planning, scheduling, and resource management software systems are presented. The initiative has produced operations concepts, functional requirements, system architectures, a comprehensive lexicon, and software tools to revolutionize the traditional software technology and development practices for planning, scheduling, and resource management systems used in space operations control centers. Examples of technology and practices to reduce complexity include a method for projecting design consequences from an operations concept, a universal architecture for heuristic algorithms, an object-oriented framework for describing large classes of problems that parametrically adapt to all domain peculiarities, the identification of general approaches which respond to changes with minimum impact on systems implementations, and a management structure for prototyping to minimize the risks of ill-conceived designs.

Hornstein, Rhoda S.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Software Innovation in a Mission Critical Environment

Operating in mission-critical environments requires trusted solutions, and the preference for "tried and true" approaches presents a potential barrier to infusing innovation into mission-critical systems. This presentation explores opportunities to overcome this barrier in the software domain. It outlines specific areas of innovation in software development achieved by the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Engineering Directorate in support of NASA's major human spaceflight programs, including International Space Station, Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (Orion), and Commercial Crew Programs. Software engineering teams at JSC work with hardware developers, mission planners, and system operators to integrate flight vehicles, habitats, robotics, and other spacecraft elements for genuinely mission critical applications. The innovations described, including the use of NASA Core Flight Software and its associated software tool chain, can lead to software that is more affordable, more reliable, better modelled, more flexible, more easily maintained, better tested, and enabling of automation.

Fredrickson, Steven↗
NASA NTRS2011

Software Users Manual (SUM): Extended Testability Analysis (ETA) Tool

This software user manual describes the implementation and use the Extended Testability Analysis (ETA) Tool. The ETA Tool is a software program that augments the analysis and reporting capabilities of a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) testability analysis software package called the Testability Engineering And Maintenance System (TEAMS) Designer. An initial diagnostic assessment is performed by the TEAMS Designer software using a qualitative, directed-graph model of the system being analyzed. The ETA Tool utilizes system design information captured within the diagnostic model and testability analysis output from the TEAMS Designer software to create a series of six reports for various system engineering needs. The ETA Tool allows the user to perform additional studies on the testability analysis results by determining the detection sensitivity to the loss of certain sensors or tests. The ETA Tool was developed to support design and development of the NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle. The diagnostic analysis provided by the ETA Tool was proven to be valuable system engineering output that provided consistency in the verification of system engineering requirements. This software user manual provides a description of each output report generated by the ETA Tool. The manual also describes the example diagnostic model and supporting documentation - also provided with the ETA Tool software release package - that were used to generate the reports presented in the manual

Maul, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Geometric modeling for computer aided design

The goal was the design and implementation of software to be used in the conceptual design of aerospace vehicles. Several packages and design studies were completed, including two software tools currently used in the conceptual level design of aerospace vehicles. These tools are the Solid Modeling Aerospace Research Tool (SMART) and the Environment for Software Integration and Execution (EASIE). SMART provides conceptual designers with a rapid prototyping capability and additionally provides initial mass property analysis. EASIE provides a set of interactive utilities that simplify the task of building and executing computer aided design systems consisting of diverse, stand alone analysis codes that result in the streamlining of the exchange of data between programs, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

Schwing, James L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Performance Evaluation of the NASA/KSC Transmission System

NASA-KSC currently uses three bridged 100-Mbps FDDI segments as its backbone for data traffic. The FDDI Transmission System (FTXS) connects the KSC industrial area, KSC launch complex 39 area, and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The report presents a performance modeling study of the FTXS and the proposed ATM Transmission System (ATXS). The focus of the study is on performance of MPEG video transmission on these networks. Commercial modeling tools - the CACI Predictor and Comnet tools - were used. In addition, custom software tools were developed to characterize conversation pairs in Sniffer trace (capture) files to use as input to these tools. A baseline study of both non-launch and launch day data traffic on the FTXS is presented. MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video traffic was characterized and the shaping of it evaluated. It is shown that the characteristics of a video stream has a direct effect on its performance in a network. It is also shown that shaping of video streams is necessary to prevent overflow losses and resulting poor video quality. The developed models can be used to predict when the existing FTXS will 'run out of room' and for optimizing the parameters of ATM links used for transmission of MPEG video. Future work with these models can provide useful input and validation to set-top box projects within the Advanced Networks Development group in NASA-KSC Development Engineering.

Christensen, Kenneth J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

PLANT: Polarimetric-Interferometric Lab and Analysis Tools for Ecosystem and Land-Cover Science and Applications

PLANT (Polarimetric-interferometric Lab and Analysis Tools) is a new collection of software tools developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to support processing and analysis of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for ecosystem and land-cover/land-use change science and applications. PLANT inherits code components from the Interferometric Scientific Computing Environment (ISCE) to generate highresolution, coregistered polarimetric-interferometric SLC stacks from Level-0/1 data for a variety of airborne and spaceborne sensors. The goal is to provide the ecosystem and land-cover/land-use change communities with rigorous and efficient tools to perform multi-temporal, polarimetric and tomographic analyses in order to generate calibrated, geocoded and mosaicked Level-2 and Level-3 products (e.g.,maps of above-ground biomass and forest disturbance). In this paper we introduce the capabilities of PLANT and report first results obtained with the tools developed up to date.

Lavalle, Marco↗
NASA NTRS2002

Interactive Software Fault Analysis Tool for Operational Anomaly Resolution

Resolving software operational anomalies frequently requires a significant amount of resources for software troubleshooting activities. The time required to identify a root cause of the anomaly in the software may lead to significant timeline impacts and in some cases, may extend to compromise of mission and safety objectives. An integrated tool that supports software fault analysis based on the observed operational effects of an anomaly could significantly reduce the time required to resolve operational anomalies; increase confidence for the proposed solution; identify software paths to be re-verified during regression testing; and, as a secondary product of the analysis, identify safety critical software paths.

Chen, Ken↗
NASA NTRS2013

Space Environments and Effects Program (SEE)

The need to preserve works and NASA documented articles is done via the collection of various Space Environments and Effects (SEE) related articles. (SEE) contains and lists the various projects that are ongoing, or have been conducted with the help of NASA. The goal of the (SEE) program is to make publicly available the environment technologies that are required to design, manufacture and operate reliable, cost-effective spacecraft for the government and commercial sectors. Of the many projects contained within the (SEE) program the Lunar-E Library and Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) have been selected for a more user friendly means to make the tools easily available to the public. This information which is still available required a person or entity to request access from a point of contact at NASA and wait for the requested bundled software DVD via postal service. Redesigning the material presentation and availability has been mapped to a single step process with faster turnaround time via Materials and Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS) database. This process requires users to register and be verified in order to gain access to the information contained within. Aiding in the progression of making the software tools/documents available required a combination of specialized in-house data gathering software tools and software archeology.

Yhisreal-Rivas, David M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

An Aerodynamic Simulation Process for Iced Lifting Surfaces and Associated Issues

This paper discusses technologies and software tools that are being implemented in a software toolkit currently under development at NASA Glenn Research Center. Its purpose is to help study the effects of icing on airfoil performance and assist with the aerodynamic simulation process which consists of characterization and modeling of ice geometry, application of block topology and grid generation, and flow simulation. Tools and technologies for each task have been carefully chosen based on their contribution to the overall process. For the geometry characterization and modeling, we have chosen an interactive rather than automatic process in order to handle numerous ice shapes. An Appendix presents features of a software toolkit developed to support the interactive process. Approaches taken for the generation of block topology and grids, and flow simulation, though not yet implemented in the software, are discussed with reasons for why particular methods are chosen. Some of the issues that need to be addressed and discussed by the icing community are also included.

Choo, Yung K.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Distributed Engine Control Empirical/Analytical Verification Tools

NASA's vision for an intelligent engine will be realized with the development of a truly distributed control system featuring highly reliable, modular, and dependable components capable of both surviving the harsh engine operating environment and decentralized functionality. A set of control system verification tools was developed and applied to a C-MAPSS40K engine model, and metrics were established to assess the stability and performance of these control systems on the same platform. A software tool was developed that allows designers to assemble easily a distributed control system in software and immediately assess the overall impacts of the system on the target (simulated) platform, allowing control system designers to converge rapidly on acceptable architectures with consideration to all required hardware elements. The software developed in this program will be installed on a distributed hardware-in-the-loop (DHIL) simulation tool to assist NASA and the Distributed Engine Control Working Group (DECWG) in integrating DCS (distributed engine control systems) components onto existing and next-generation engines.The distributed engine control simulator blockset for MATLAB/Simulink and hardware simulator provides the capability to simulate virtual subcomponents, as well as swap actual subcomponents for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) analysis. Subcomponents can be the communication network, smart sensor or actuator nodes, or a centralized control system. The distributed engine control blockset for MATLAB/Simulink is a software development tool. The software includes an engine simulation, a communication network simulation, control algorithms, and analysis algorithms set up in a modular environment for rapid simulation of different network architectures; the hardware consists of an embedded device running parts of the CMAPSS engine simulator and controlled through Simulink. The distributed engine control simulation, evaluation, and analysis technology provides unique capabilities to study the effects of a given change to the control system in the context of the distributed paradigm. The simulation tool can support treatment of all components within the control system, both virtual and real; these include communication data network, smart sensor and actuator nodes, centralized control system (FADEC full authority digital engine control), and the aircraft engine itself. The DECsim tool can allow simulation-based prototyping of control laws, control architectures, and decentralization strategies before hardware is integrated into the system. With the configuration specified, the simulator allows a variety of key factors to be systematically assessed. Such factors include control system performance, reliability, weight, and bandwidth utilization.

DeCastro, Jonathan↗
NASA NTRS2018

NOS3: NASA Operational Simulator for Small Satellites

The NASA Operational Simulator for Small Satellites (NOS3) is a suite of open-source software tools to aid in areas such as software development, integration & test (I&T), mission operations/training, verification and validation (V&V), and software systems check-out. NOS3 provides a software development environment, a multi-target build system, operational interface/ground software, dynamics and environment simulations, and software-based hardware models. NOS3 has just recently been open-sourced by NASA and is available for immediate use. It enables the development of flight software (FSW) early in the project life cycle when hardware availability is limited. Small satellite development suffers from extensive lead times on many of the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components as well as limited funding for engineering test units (ETUs). To alleviate the need to provide a hardware test-bed for each developer/tester, NOS3 hardware models are based upon characteristic data or manufacturer's data sheets for each individual component. The NOS3 hardware models' fidelity is such that FSW executes unaware that physical hardware is not present. This allows FSW binaries to be compiled for both the simulation environment and the flight computer without changing the FSW source code. For hardware models that provide data which is dependent upon the environment and spacecraft dynamics, such as a GPS receiver or magnetometer, an open-source tool from NASA GSFC (42 Spacecraft Simulator) is used to provide the necessary data. The underlying infrastructure used to transfer messages between FSW and the hardware models can also be used to monitor, intercept, and inject messages, which has proven to be beneficial for V&V of larger missions such as James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). As hardware is selected and becomes available, drivers can be added to the NOS3 environment to enable hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) testing. When strict time synchronization is not vital, any number of combinations of hardware components and software-based models can be tested. NOS3 was actively used for FSW development and component testing of the Simulation-to-Flight 1 (STF-1) CubeSat and the Lunar IceCube CubeSat. As NOS3 matures, hardware models have been added for common small satellite components such as GPS receivers, electrical power systems and batteries, and antenna systems.

Suder, Mark↗