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At least 235 records · Page 13

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NASA NTRS1983

The effects of cuing in time-shared tasks

The results of two divided-attention experiments involving the editing of route-way-point displays on an avionics computer unit are reported. Two side tasks were required of the subjects, and either no cue, verbal cues appearing on the CRT, or symbolic cues (lights on the keyboard adjacent to keys to be used) were given to facilitate the primary editing task. Forty female and 30 male undergraduates were trained in the separate and combined tasks and divided randomly into groups of 25 for the cuing tests. A second test with three 10-subject groups was conducted at least one month later to investigate the efficacy of cuing for infrequently used procedures. It is found that only symbolic cuing significantly improved primary-task performance, increasing editing accuracy in the repetitive tests and reducing editing time in the delayed tests. Verbal cuing, probably because it requires additional cognitive effort, has no significant beneficial effect. These results are considered important for designing instruments for work environments requiring the performance of concurrent tasks, and as aircraft cockpits.

Chechile, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A new method for mapping multidimensional data to lower dimensions

A multispectral mapping method is proposed which is based on the new concept of BEND (Bidimensional Effective Normalised Difference). The method, which involves taking one sample point at a time and finding the interrelationships between its features, is found very economical from the point of view of storage and processing time. It has good dimensionality reduction and clustering properties, and is highly suitable for computer analysis of large amounts of data. The transformed values obtained by this procedure are suitable for either a planar 2-space mapping of geological sample points or for making grayscale and color images of geo-terrains. A few examples are given to justify the efficacy of the proposed procedure.

Gowda, K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Earth orbiter into planetary orbiter - What's the problem?

A recent series of competitive design studies appears to have yielded positive results about the efficacy of adapting earth-orbiting spacecraft to perform planetary missions. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to show the intrinsic attributes required to adapt an earth orbiter into a Martian orbiter compatible with the scientific requirements, and (2) to show the minimum requisite changes needed to make the adaptation. It is shown that major deficiencies of such conversion for earth-orbiting satellites lie in the not-unexpected inability of its telecommunications system to operate at Martian distances and its lack of an autonomous recovery system from anomalous performance. Since these deficiencies can be overcome without too great a financial or schedule penalty, the study shows that the adaptation can be made cost effectively.

Brodsky, R. F.↗

NASA NTRS1984

On initial orbit determination

The classical methods of initial orbit determination are brought together within a larger viewpoint. This new synthesis stresses that all such techniques follow one of three approaches. Either they seek to compute the orbital element set, or its equivalent, by attacking the differential equations of motion (Laplace), the first integrals of the equations of motion (Taff), or the solution itself (Gauss). The particular technique pursued within a given type of approach should depend upon the nature of the observational data, the amount of a priori information one is willing to presume, and the object of the exercise. This might be a binary star system, a moon, a minor planet, or an artificial satellite. The efficacy of some algorithms for each approach is discussed briefly. Unfortunately, none of them work very well. Extensions of these techniques to radars or laser radars are trivial and have provided no new insights into the overall problem.

Taff, L. G.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Evaluation of the Malcolm horizon in a moving-base flight simulator

The efficacy of the Malcolm Horizon (MH) in a controlled, simulated, instrument flight environment was examined. Eight flight parameters were used to compare performance under experimental and control conditions. The parameters studied were pitch attitude, roll attitude, turn rate, airspeed, vertical velocity, heading, altitude, and course deviation. Testing of a commercial realization of the MH concept in a flight simulator revealed strengths and weaknesses of the currently available MH hardware.

Gillingham, K. K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Space adaptation syndrome: Incidence and operational implications for the space transportation system program

Better methods for the prediction, prevention, and treatment of the space adaptation syndome (SAS) were developed. A systematic, long range program of operationally oriented data collection on all individuals flying space shuttle missions was initiated. Preflight activities include the use of a motion experience questionnaire, laboratory tests of susceptibility to motion sickness induced by Coriolis stimuli and determinations of antimotion sickness drug efficacy and side effects. During flight, each crewmember is required to provide a daily report of symptom status, use of medications, and other vestibular related sensations. Additional data are obtained postflight. During the first nine shuttle missions, the reported incidence of SAS has been48%. Self-induced head motions and unusual visual orientation attitudes appear to be the principal triggering stimuli. Antimotion sickness medication, was of limited therapeutic value. Complete recovery from symptoms occurred by mission day three or four. Also of relevance is the lack of a statistically significant correlation between the ground based Coriolis test and SAS. The episodes of SAS have resulted in no impact to shuttle mission objectives and, no significant impact to mission timelines.

Homick, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Occultations of stars and radio sources by comets: Predictions and observing prospects

The results that might stem from observations of occultations of stars and radio sources by cometary comae and ion tails are outlined. Taking account of the current orbital accuracy of P/Halley, specific predictions of stellar appulses with that comet, including preliminary topocentric circumstances, are presented. A crude model of the absorption of starlight by grains in a dusty comet supports the notion that stellar extinction may be observable in practice. Some thoughts on observing techniques are set down, discussing the merits of a two-dimensional detector (a CCD camera) and a conventional aperture photometer. The need for accurate photometric observations with time resolution approx. 1 sec is stressed because the interval of greatest extinction will usually be brief. Finally, the efficacy of undertaking accurate relative astrometry of comets during predicted approaches to stars is explored.

Bowell, E.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Damping seal verification setup

The heart of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is a set of turbopumps that propel cryogenic fluids at very high pressures and flow rates, at rotor speeds up to 37,000 rpm. Bushing seals that cause the flow in the fluid film to become turbulent, by means of a multiplicity of pockets, were shown theoretically not only to inhibit subsynchronous whirl, but to reduce leakage as well. However, experimental data that relate these two desirable characteristics to such parameters as pocket depth, Reynolds number (based on clearance and axial flow rate), and rotating speed are limited. To obtain the required data, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) commissioned Wyle Laboratories to design, build and operate a test rig in which the damping efficacy and leakage reduction of typical candidate seals are to be evaluated.

Cappel, K. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The superconducting cavity stability ruby maser oscillator

Analysis of an application of the rudy maser to a superconducting Cavity Stabilized oscillator shows many attractive features. These derive from the mechancial stability inherent in an all-cryogenic design and from the properties of the ruby maser itself. A multiple-cavity design has been developed to allow physical separation of the high-Q superconducting cavity and the ruby element with its requried applied magnetic field. Mode selection is accomplished in this design by tuning the ruby by means of the applied field. We conclude that such an oscillator would perform well, even with cavity Q's as low as 10 to the 8th power allowing the use of a superconductor-on-sapphire resonator with its greater rigidity and lower thermal expansion. A first test of the Superconducting Cavity Stabilized Maser Oscillator (SCSMO) confirms the efficacy of the multiple-cavity design and the applicability of the ruby maser. Frequency variation less than 4x10 to the minus 11th power was measured in the stabilized mode and is attributed to the reference oscillator and to instabilities in the pump source. Variation of 10 to the minus 10th power was observed in the low-Q unstabilized mode, again attributable to pump fluctuations. Even so, direct scaling to a Q of 10 the 9th power predicts a stability better than 10 to the minus 15th power. Together with results showing the lowest losses to date in sapphire at microwave frequencies, and preliminary experiments on superconductor-on-sapphire resonators, frequency stability, levels as low as 10 to the minus 17th power are indicated.

Dick, G. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The interpretation of flying qualities requirements for flight control system design

An experimental flight test program was designed for the Total In Flight Simulator (TIFS) directed toward the interface between flying qualities requirements and flight control system design criteria. The eventual goal is to provide an interpretation or translation of flying qualities requirements for use by the flight control system designer. Specifically, an angle of attack and pitch rate command system matrix involving both short term and long term dynamics are specified for evaluation. Flying qualities criteria and flight control system configuration or architecture can be independent was demonstrated. Finally, additional configurations are proposed to evaluate the efficacy of dynamic decoupling.

Rynaski, E. G.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Spectrum management considerations of adaptive power control in satellite networks

Adaptive power control concepts for the compensation of rain attenuation are considered for uplinks and downlinks. The performance of example power-controlled and fixed-EIRP uplinks is compared in terms of C/Ns and C/Is. Provisional conclusions are drawn with regard to the efficacy of uplink and downlink power control orbit/spectrum utilization efficiency.

Sawitz, P.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Overcoming time-integration errors in SINDA's FWDBCK solution routine

The FWDBCK time step, which is usually chosen intuitively to achieve adequate accuracy at reasonable computational costs, can in fact lead to large errors. NASA observed such errors in solving cryogenic problems on the COBE spacecraft, but a similar error is also demonstrated for a single node radiating to space. An algorithm has been developed for selecting the time step during the course of the simulation. The error incurred when the time derivative is replaced by the FWDBCK time difference can be estimated from the Taylor-Series expression for the temperature. The algorithm selects the time step to keep this error small. The efficacy of the method is demonstrated on the COBE and single-node problems.

Skladany, J. T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The construction and use of divergence free vector expansions for incompressible fluid flow calculations

For incompressible fluids the law of mass conservation reduces to a constraint on the velocity vector, namely that it be divergence free. This constraint has long been a source of great difficulty to the numericist seeking to discretize the Navier-Stokes and Euler equations. A spectral method is discussed which overcomes this difficulty. Its efficacy is demonstrated on some simple problems. The velocity is approximated by a finite sum of divergence free vectors, each of which satisfies the same boundary conditions as the velocity. Projecting the governing equation onto the space of inviscid vector fields eliminates the pressure term and produces a set of ordinary differential equations that must be solved for the coefficents in the velocity. The pressure can then be recovered if it is needed.

Mhuiris, N. M. G.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The UCLA Design Diversity Experiment (DEDIX) system: A distributed testbed for multiple-version software

To establish a long-term research facility for experimental investigations of design diversity as a means of achieving fault-tolerant systems, a distributed testbed for multiple-version software was designed. It is part of a local network, which utilizes the Locus distributed operating system to operate a set of 20 VAX 11/750 computers. It is used in experiments to measure the efficacy of design diversity and to investigate reliability increases under large-scale, controlled experimental conditions.

Avizienis, A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Iterative and function-continuation Fourier deconvolution methods for enhancing mass spectrometer resolution

Mass spectrometer data in the form of ion current versus mass-to-charge ratio often include overlapping mass peaks, especially in low- and medium-resolution instruments. Numerical deconvolution of such data effectively enhances the resolution by decreasing the overlap of mass peaks. In this paper two approaches to deconvolution are presented: a function-domain iterative technique and a Fourier transform method which uses transform-domain function-continuation. Both techniques include data smoothing to reduce the sensitivity of the deconvolution to noise. The efficacy of these methods is demonstrated through application to representative mass spectrometer data and the deconvolved results are discussed and compared to data obtained from a spectrometer with sufficient resolution to achieve separation of the mass peaks studied. A case for which the deconvolution is seriously affected by Gibbs oscillations is analyzed.

Ioup, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Arousal and stability - The effects of five new sympathomimetic drugs suggest a new principle for the prevention of space motion sickness

Sympathomimetic agents are frequent components in antimotion-sickness drug combinations because of their usefulness in counteracting the sedation caused by stressful motion or resulting from the administration of other antimotion-sickness drugs. The noradrenergic neurochemistry of the brain's arousal-attentional systems prompted us to evaluate the efficacy of five new sympathomimetic drugs and to further define the role of arousal in susceptibility to motion. Subjects were orally administered methamphetamine (20 mg), phenmetrazine (25 mg), phentermine (37.5 mg), methylphenidate (20 mg), or pemoline (75 mg) 2 h prior to taking a Staircase Profile Test. All of the drugs increased resistance to stressful coriolis stimulation by 80-120 percent. Methylphenidate and pemoline showed fewer side effects. These findings, interpreted in conjunction with the documented inefficacy of most anticholinergic and antihistaminergic drugs tested to date, suggest that sympathomimetic drugs or a generalized state of arosusal can inhibit the development of motion sickness.

Kohl, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A second generation experiment in fault-tolerant software

Information was collected on the efficacy of fault-tolerant software by conducting two large-scale controlled experiments. In the first, an empirical study of multi-version software (MVS) was conducted. The second experiment is an empirical evaluation of self testing as a method of error detection (STED). The purpose ot the MVS experiment was to obtain empirical measurement of the performance of multi-version systems. Twenty versions of a program were prepared at four different sites under reasonably realistic development conditions from the same specifications. The purpose of the STED experiment was to obtain empirical measurements of the performance of assertions in error detection. Eight versions of a program were modified to include assertions at two different sites under controlled conditions. The overall structure of the testing environment for the MVS experiment and its status are described. Work to date in the STED experiment is also presented.

Knight, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Proceedings of the Second Airborne Imaging Spectrometer Data Analysis Workshop

The Second Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) Data Analysis Workshop was held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on May 6, 7, and 8, 1986. It was attended by 100 people from seven countries. Papers were presented by 24 attendees; summaries of 19 of the papers are published in these Workshop Proceedings. The Second Workshop was divided into three sessions: Calibration, the Atmosphere, and Data Techniques; Geological Research; and Botanical and Geobotanical Research. Because many of the AIS researchers have had an additional year to work with their data, a general advance was seen in the utilization of the data for solving earth science problems. The major conclusions that can be drawn from the Workshop are: (1) Almost everyone now working with AIS data is attempting to take into account in data analysis the effects of the atmosphere and sensor calibration and performance. As a result, information extraction techniques are becoming more sophisticated and effective. (2) The emphasis on work in the geological disciplines is beginning to shift to the application of AIS data for solving geological problems now that the efficacy of the data for mineral identification has been demonstrated. (3) In the botanical sciences, interpretation of AIS data is becoming more quantitative. Several statistical techniques are under development for extracting the subtle differences in plant spectra in the region of the near infrared and short wavelength infrared. In summary, an overall advance was seen in the ability to effectively utilize the fundamentally new class of data acquired with imaging spectrometers. There was also a general feeling at the Workshop however, that much work remains to be done in remote sensing research before the maximum potential of these data for solving earth science problems is realized.

Gregg Vane↗