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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 NTRS1996

Experiences in Interagency and International Interfaces for Mission Support

The Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GFSC) provides extensive support and products for Space Shuttle missions, expendable launch vehicle launches, and routine on-orbit operations for a variety of spacecraft. A major challenge in providing support for these missions is defining and generating the products required for mission support and developing the method by which these products are exchanged between supporting agencies. As interagency and international cooperation has increased in the space community, the FDD customer base has grown and with it the number and variety of external interfaces and product definitions. Currently, the FDD has working interfaces with the NASA Space and Ground Networks, the Johnson Space Center, the White Sands Complex, the Jet propulsion Laboratory (including the Deep Space Network), the United States Air Force, the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, the German Spaceflight Operations Center, the European Space Agency, and the National Space Development Agency of Japan. With the increasing spectrum of possible data product definitions and delivery methods, the FDD is using its extensive interagency experience to improve its support of established customers and to provide leadership in adapting/developing new interfaces. This paper describes the evolution of the interfaces between the FDD and its customers, discusses many of the joint activities ith these customers, and summarizes key lessons learned that can be applied to current and future support.

Dell, G. T.↗
NASA NTRS2013

An Overview of the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Facility and the Research Performed in the MSG on the International Space Station (ISS)

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) is a rack facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS) designed for investigation handling. The MSG was built by the European Space Agency (ESA) which also provides sustaining engineering support for the facility. The MSG has been operating on the ISS since July 2002 and is currently located in the US Laboratory Module. The unique design of the facility allows it to accommodate science and technology investigations in a "workbench" type environment. The facility has an enclosed working volume that is held at a negative pressure with respect to the crew living area. This allows the facility to provide two levels of containment for small parts, particulates, fluids, and gases. This containment approach protects the crew from possible hazardous operations that take place inside the MSG work volume. Research investigations operating inside the MSG are provided a large 255 liter enclosed work space, 1000 watts of dc power via a versatile supply interface (120, 28, +/- 12, and 5 Vdc), 1000 watts of cooling capability, video and data recording and real time downlink, ground commanding capabilities, access to ISS Vacuum Exhaust and Vacuum Resource Systems, and gaseous nitrogen supply. These capabilities make the MSG one of the most utilized facilities on ISS. The MSG has been used for over 14500 hours of scientific payload operations. MSG investigations involve research in cryogenic fluid management, fluid physics, spacecraft fire safety, materials science, combustion, plant growth, and life support technology. The MSG facility is operated by the Payloads Operations Integration Center at Marshall Space flight Center. Payloads may also operate remotely from different telescience centers located in the United States and Europe. The investigative Payload Integration Manager (iPIM) is the focal to assist organizations that have payloads operating in the MSG facility. NASA provides an MSG engineering unit for payload developers to verify that their hardware is operating properly before actual operation on the ISS. This paper will provide an overview of the MSG facility, a synopsis of the research that has already been accomplished in the MSG, and an overview of video and biological upgrades.

Jordan, Lee P.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Overview of the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Facility and the Research Performed in the MSG

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) is a rack facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS) designed for investigation handling. The MSG was built by the European Space Agency (ESA) which also provides sustaining engineering support for the facility. The MSG has been operating on the ISS since July 2002 and is currently located in the US Laboratory Module. The unique design of the facility allows it to accommodate science and technology investigations in a "workbench" type environment. The facility has an enclosed working volume that is held at a negative pressure with respect to the crew living area. This allows the facility to provide two levels of containment for small parts, particulates, fluids, and gases. This containment approach protects the crew from possible hazardous operations that take place inside the MSG work volume. Research investigations operating inside the MSG are provided a large 255 liter enclosed work space, 1000 watts of direct current power via a versatile supply interface (120, 28, plus or minus 12, and 5 volts direct current), 1000 watts of cooling capability, video and data recording and real time downlink, ground commanding capabilities, access to ISS Vacuum Exhaust and Vacuum Resource Systems, and gaseous nitrogen supply. These capabilities make the MSG one of the most utilized facilities on ISS. The MSG has been used for over 27,000 hours of scientific payload operations. MSG investigations involve research in cryogenic fluid management, fluid physics, spacecraft fire safety, materials science, combustion, plant growth, biological studies and life support technology. The MSG facility is operated by the Payloads Operations Integration Center at Marshall Space Flight Center. Payloads may also operate remotely from different telescience centers located in the United States and Europe. The Investigative Payload Integration Manager (IPIM) is the focal to assist organizations that have payloads operating in the MSG facility. NASA provides an MSG engineering unit for payload developers to verify that their hardware is operating properly before actual operation on the ISS. This poster will provide an overview of the MSG facility, a synopsis of the research that has already been accomplished in the MSG, and an overview of video and biological upgrades. The author would like to acknowledge Teledyne Brown Engineering and the entire MSG Team for their inputs into this poster.

Jordan, Lee↗
NASA NTRS2018

Innovative Development of a Cross-Center Timeline Planning Tool

The Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is the United States focal point to support operations controllers and payload developers conducting payload science operations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Some of the key functions are planning, coordination and scheduling of science activities. This effort occurs in coordination with other NASA centers, international partners, and payload developers. The ability to efficiently plan and re-plan in response to change is critical to the flight planning teams. Additionally, in Fall 2017, NASA will increase its ability to perform payload science operations aboard the ISS with a fourth crew member. In order to support this, there will be an increasing need to quickly plan and schedule more activities. In the past, it was cumbersome and time-consuming to consolidate copious amounts of planning and change request data from various sources. Planners would summarize information from the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Operations Planning Timeline Integration System (OPTIMIS) and manually integrate it with other data in order to produce a Timeline Planning Summary (TPS). This lengthy process of updating static documents while planning and re-planning was cumbersome, introduced human error, and was inflexible to last minute changes. There was a need for a dynamic, more efficient, less erroneous, and more concise way of building a report that could be readily updated as fast as payload science plans change.

Pedoto, Ramon W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Ground operations and concepts for future space activities

The Kennedy Space Center Shuttle launch site operations concept involves launch site facilities, operations, and crews being organized for maximum flexibility and minimum impact in support of future programs. The goal is to reduce program costs by having optimum utilization of facilities resulting in a greater return on the investment for these facilities. The present paper develops the notion that the cost and lead times associated with a program such as Space Industrialization can be significantly influenced by early planning for the transition of launch site operations concepts developed for the Space Transportation System.

Mccoy, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space Shuttle interactive meteorological data system study

Although focused toward the operational meteorological support review and definition of an operational meteorological interactive data display systems (MIDDS) requirements for the Space Meteorology Support Group at NASA/Johnson Space Center, the total operational meteorological support requirements and a systems concept for the MIDDS network integration of NASA and Air Force elements to support the National Space Transportation System are also addressed.

Young, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Human Centered Autonomous and Assistant Systems Testbed for Exploration Operations

The Engineering and Mission Operations Directorates at NASA Johnson Space Center are combining laboratories and expertise to establish the Human Centered Autonomous and Assistant Systems Testbed for Exploration Operations. This is a testbed for human centered design, development and evaluation of intelligent autonomous and assistant systems that will be needed for human exploration and development of space. This project will improve human-centered analysis, design and evaluation methods for developing intelligent software. This software will support human-machine cognitive and collaborative activities in future interplanetary work environments where distributed computer and human agents cooperate. We are developing and evaluating prototype intelligent systems for distributed multi-agent mixed-initiative operations. The primary target domain is control of life support systems in a planetary base. Technical approaches will be evaluated for use during extended manned tests in the target domain, the Bioregenerative Advanced Life Support Systems Test Complex (BIO-Plex). A spinoff target domain is the International Space Station (ISS) Mission Control Center (MCC). Prodl}cts of this project include human-centered intelligent software technology, innovative human interface designs, and human-centered software development processes, methods and products. The testbed uses adjustable autonomy software and life support systems simulation models from the Adjustable Autonomy Testbed, to represent operations on the remote planet. Ground operations prototypes and concepts will be evaluated in the Exploration Planning and Operations Center (ExPOC) and Jupiter Facility.

Malin, Jane T.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Technology Transfer Challenges: A Case Study of User-Centered Design in NASA's Systems Engineering Culture

The Upper Stage (US) section of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ares I rocket will require internal access platforms for maintenance tasks performed by humans inside the vehicle. Tasks will occur during expensive critical path operations at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) including vehicle stacking and launch preparation activities. Platforms must be translated through a small human access hatch, installed in an enclosed worksite environment, support the weight of ground operators and be removed before flight - and their design must minimize additional vehicle mass at attachment points. This paper describes the application of a user-centered conceptual design process and the unique challenges encountered within NASA's systems engineering culture focused on requirements and "heritage hardware". The NASA design team at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) initiated the user-centered design process by studying heritage internal access kits and proposing new design concepts during brainstorming sessions. Simultaneously, they partnered with the Technology Transfer/Innovative Partnerships Program to research inflatable structures and dynamic scaffolding solutions that could enable ground operator access. While this creative, technology-oriented exploration was encouraged by upper management, some design stakeholders consistently opposed ideas utilizing novel, untested equipment. Subsequent collaboration with an engineering consulting firm improved the technical credibility of several options, however, there was continued resistance from team members focused on meeting system requirements with pre-certified hardware. After a six-month idea-generating phase, an intensive six-week effort produced viable design concepts that justified additional vehicle mass while optimizing the human factors of platform installation and use. Although these selected final concepts closely resemble heritage internal access platforms, challenges from the application of the user-centered process provided valuable lessons for improving future collaborative conceptual design efforts.

Quick, Jason↗
NASA NTRS1990

Implementation of a virtual link between power system testbeds at Marshall Spaceflight Center and Lewis Research Center

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) owns and operates a space station module power management and distribution (SSM-PMAD) testbed. This system, managed by expert systems, is used to analyze and develop power system automation techniques for Space Station Freedom. The Lewis Research Center (LeRC), Cleveland, Ohio, has developed and implemented a space station electrical power system (EPS) testbed. This system and its power management controller are representative of the overall Space Station Freedom power system. A virtual link is being implemented between the testbeds at MSFC and LeRC. This link would enable configuration of SSM-PMAD as a load center for the EPS testbed at LeRC. This connection will add to the versatility of both systems, and provide an environment of enhanced realism for operation of both testbeds.

Doreswamy, Rajiv↗
NASA NTRS1989

Center for the development of commercial crystal growth in space

The second year of operation of the Center for Commercial Crystal Growth in Space is described. This center is a consortium of businesses, universities and national laboratories. The primary goal of the Center's research is the development of commercial crystal growth in space. A secondary goal is to develop scientific understanding and technology which will improve commercial crystal growth on earth. In order to achieve these goals the Center's research is organized into teams by growth technique; melt growth, solution growth, and vapor growth. The melt growth team is working on solidification and characterization of bulk crystals of gallium arsenide and cadmium telluride. They used high resolution X-ray topography performed at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Streak-like features were found in the diffraction images of semi-insulating undoped LEC GaAs. These were shown to be (110) antiphase boundaries, which have not been reported before but appear to be pervasive and responsible for features seen via less-sensitive characterization methods. The results on CdTe were not as definitive, but indicate that antiphase boundaries may also be responsible for the double peaks often seen in X-ray rocking curves of this material. A liquid encapsulated melt zone system for GaAs has been assembled and techniques for casting feed rods developed. It was found that scratching the inside of the quartz ampoules with silicon carbide abrasive minimized sticking of the GaAs to the quartz. Twelve floating zone experiments were done.

Wilcox, William R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An intelligent position-specific training system for mission operations

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) payload ground controller training program provides very good generic training; however, ground controller position-specific training can be improved by including position-specific training systems in the training program. This report explains why MSFC needs to improve payload ground controller position-specific training. The report describes a generic syllabus for position-specific training systems, a range of system designs for position-specific training systems, and a generic development process for developing position-specific training systems. The report also describes a position-specific training system prototype that was developed for the crew interface coordinator payload operations control center ground controller position. The report concludes that MSFC can improve the payload ground controller training program by incorporating position-specific training systems for each ground controller position; however, MSFC should not develop position-specific training systems unless payload ground controller position experts will be available to participate in the development process.

Schneider, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Future Vision for NASA Ground Systems

The NASA Space Operations System (NSOS) is defined as the people (organization), processes, services, tools, amd physical elements that do space operations for NASA Missions.

network control center low earth orbit network dee↗
NASA NTRS1983

Space Shuttle operational logistics plan

The Kennedy Space Center plan for logistics to support Space Shuttle Operations and to establish the related policies, requirements, and responsibilities are described. The Directorate of Shuttle Management and Operations logistics responsibilities required by the Kennedy Organizational Manual, and the self-sufficiency contracting concept are implemented. The Space Shuttle Program Level 1 and Level 2 logistics policies and requirements applicable to KSC that are presented in HQ NASA and Johnson Space Center directives are also implemented.

Botts, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Programs Automate Complex Operations Monitoring

Kennedy Space Center, just off the east coast of Florida on Merritt Island, has been the starting place of every human space flight in NASA s history. It is where the first Americans left Earth during Project Mercury, the terrestrial departure point of the lunar-bound Apollo astronauts, as well as the last solid ground many astronauts step foot on before beginning their long stays aboard the International Space Station. It will also be the starting point for future NASA missions to the Moon and Mars and temporary host of the new Ares series rockets designed to take us there. Since the first days of the early NASA missions, in order to keep up with the demands of the intricate and critical Space Program, the launch complex - host to the large Vehicle Assembly Building, two launch pads, and myriad support facilities - has grown increasingly complex to accommodate the sophisticated technologies needed to manage today s space missions. To handle the complicated launch coordination safely, NASA found ways to automate mission-critical applications, resulting in streamlined decision-making. One of these methods, management software called the Control Monitor Unit (CMU), created in conjunction with McDonnell Douglas Space & Defense Systems, has since left NASA, and is finding its way into additional applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2016

In-Space Manufacturing Baseline Property Development

The In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) project at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center currently operates a 3D FDM (fused deposition modeling) printer onboard the International Space Station. In order to enable utilization of this capability by designer, the project needs to establish characteristic material properties for materials produced using the process. This is difficult for additive manufacturing since standards and specifications do not yet exist for these technologies. Due to availability of crew time, there are limitations to the sample size which in turn limits the application of the traditional design allowables approaches to develop a materials property database for designers. In this study, various approaches to development of material databases were evaluated for use by designers of space systems who wish to leverage in-space manufacturing capabilities. This study focuses on alternative statistical techniques for baseline property development to support in-space manufacturing.

Stockman, Tom↗
NASA NTRS2003

Standards-and Component-Based Mission Operations Architecture at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) manages many of NASA s earth and space science satellite missions. A wide variety of commercial products and GSFC-developed software components are typically integrated into a unique system configuration for each mission. Independent development of the many mission operations center systems has led to systems that are expensive to integrate, difficult to infuse with new capabilities developed for other programs, and cumbersome to maintain. This traditional approach becomes even more problematic as NASA moves towards satellite constellations, new operations concepts, and even further budgets reductions. The GSFC Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) is creating a new architecture for future missions at GSFC. Instead of selecting the best-in-class components and creating a standard control center system, GMSEC is developing component interface standards so that multiple products can plug-and-play into the configuration. Missions can then select the best components based on the merits of the product and not simply based on recent integration history at NASA. The GMSEC system utilizes a publish/subscribe information bus and standard XML-based key message interfaces. Functional components can either match directly to the interface standard, or adapters can be developed to match the product's interface to the GMSEC standard with out impacting the source product. Applications Program Interfaces (API's) are being developed to isolate the underlying middleware from the applications software and to allow the middleware product to be switched if necessary. Interface Control Documents (ICDs) between each pair of communicating components is replaced by a single message/API specification document. New applications must simply match to the information bus standards and need not worry about all of the other applications in the system. For legacy software, adapters can be developed to facilitate communications between the application and the information bus. As the approach has matured, it has become apparent that it can provide innovative solutions to some of the multi-satellite challenges facing GSFC.

Smith, Danford↗