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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 NTRS1993

Software testability and its application to avionic software

Randomly generated black-box testing is an established yet controversial method of estimating software reliability. Unfortunately, as software applications have required higher reliabilities, practical difficulties with black-box testing have become increasingly problematic. These practical problems are particularly acute in life-critical avionics software, where requirements of 10 exp -7 failures per hour of system reliability can translate into a probability of failure (POF) of perhaps 10 exp -9 or less for each individual execution of the software. This paper describes the application of one type of testability analysis called 'sensitivity analysis' to B-737 avionics software; one application of sensitivity analysis is to quantify whether software testing is capable of detecting faults in a particular program and thus whether we can be confident that a tested program is not hiding faults. We so 80 by finding the testabilities of the individual statements of the program, and then use those statement testabilities to find the testabilities of the functions and modules. For the B-737 system we analyzed, we were able to isolate those functions that are more prone to hide errors during system/reliability testing.

Voas, Jeffrey M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

SSME HPOTP impeller backcavity CFD analysis

The ball bearings behind the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) HPOTP preburner pump have a history of premature wear requiring their replacement. Extensive tests have been conducted in an attempt to identify the operating factors that contribute to the wear. It has been conjectured that the coolant inflow velocity swirl pattern can aid bearing operation by matching ball orbit speed and thus affect bearing life. However, control of the velocity distribution up to now could only be achieved by trial and error following hardware testing. Observation of hardware from recent flight and development operation led to the hypothesis that certain assemblies with more extensive grinding patterns on the backwall of the impeller for rotor balancing correlated with improved bearing wear. To analytically evaluate the effect of cavity configuration on the flowfield, 3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses of various geometries was successfully executed using REACT3D. Height of the anti-vortex ribs on the stationary wall was varied, as was the configuration of the rotating wall, from smooth to simulations of various grindout patterns. The results obtained indicate the effects of the various geometries and provide valuable guidelines for cavity modification to optimize bearing cooling.

Hsu, W. W.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Computational Fluid Dynamics Models of the NASA White Sands Test Facility Particle Impact Test Nozzles

The particle impact ignition mechanism is considered to be the most effective means for igniting metals in gaseous oxygen environments and is a concern for every oxygen system. For this reason, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) commits a large amount of resources attempting to understand and defend against this phenomenon. The most practical means of accomplishing this is through extensive of testing. To this end, over the years NASA has developed and built a facility and various apparatuses to test material or component vulnerability to a particle impact ignition. In testing materials, NASA uses sub-sonic and supersonic nozzles to replicate the conditions that a material is expected to experience in service. However, challenges include obtaining an understanding of the gas dynamics and of the particle behavior through and up to the point of impact at the material under test. One means of addressing these challenges is the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). If a CFD model can be built and validated, the model can then be used to confidently interrogate changes to inlet conditions and particle geometries, as well as changes to nozzle geometries to better simulate a material’s in-situ conditions and greatly reduce or eliminate trial-and-error approaches in testing. This paper will show NASA’s approach to and results of using CFD to better understand their particle impact nozzles.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗
NASA NTRS2021

Integration of an Arm Kinematics Hot Patch onboard the Curiosity Rover

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission has updated the Curiosity rover's flight software multiple times since landing on Mars on August 6, 2012. The most common patching method has been a hot patch, in which running flight software is modified after being copied into RAM from its persistent storage. The latest hot patch to be installed on Curiosity fixed an issue in the robotic arm software that computes generalized inverse kinematics. Additional unit testing performed since the start of the surface mission revealed that this software can sometimes produce erroneous solutions.The cause was identified as numerical instability in a quartic root finder. When the inputs to that solver are not well conditioned, floating-point numerical issuescan cause erroneous roots to be reported. In theory, this could result in the robotic arm turret instruments being commanded to unintended positions, for example, below the terrain surface. Out of approximately 3.7 million unit test cases, 97.2\% of the position errors were below 5 mm. However, there were 16 test cases where theposition error was greater than 20 cm, and the maximum position error was 1.2 meters.The patch was uploaded to Curiosity on sol 2642 (January 11, 2020) after the solution was developed, re-implemented as a hot patch, and validated and verified using Earth-based Curiosity testbeds. A checkout test of the patch was performed on Curiosity on sol 2657, and nominal use of the patch began on sol 2658. In this paper, we describe the steps that led to integrating the arm kinematic hot patch into Curiosity's flight software, from the discovery of the bug to the nominal use of the patch in flight.

Maimone, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2024

The Radio Fundamental Catalogue. I. Astrometry

We present the all-sky catalogue of absolute positions and estimates of correlated flux density of 21,942 compact radio sources determined from processing interferometric visibility data of virtually all VLBI observing sessions at 2 to 23~GHz from 72 programs suitable for absolute astrometry collected for 30 years. We used a novel technique of generation of a dataset of fused observables that allowed us to incorporate all available data in our analysis. The catalogue is the most complete and most precise to date. It forms the foundation and reference for positional astronomy, space geodesy, space navigation, population analysis of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and provides calibrators for phase-referencing for differential astrometry and VLBI astrophysical observations. Its accuracy was evaluated through a detailed accounting systematic errors, rigorous decimation tests, comparison of different datasets, and comparison with other catalogues. The catalogue samples preferentially the AGNs with a strong contemporary parsec-scale synchrotron emission. Its milliarcsecond level positional accuracy allows association of these AGNs with detections in a wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum from low-frequency radio to gamma-rays and high energy neutrinos. We describe the innovative data processing and calibration technique in full detail, report the in depth analysis of random and systematic positional errors, and provide the list of associations with large surveys at different wavelengths.

Astronomy↗
NASA NTRS1975

Dynamic testing of the Kearfott 2401 accelerometer

A Kearfott pendulous accelerometer was integrated with a United Aircraft pulse torque servo assembly (PTSA) forced binary loop. The test objective was to measure dynamic errors due to anisoinertia and OA coupling effects. The instrument and its torque loop are described, and the technique for isolating the anisoinertia error from centripetal acceleration effects is discussed in detail. The measured anisoinertia error coefficient was 3.0 cm, and the testing confirmed that no rectified OA coupling error was present.

Katz, B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A detailed description of the uncertainty analysis for High Area Ratio Rocket Nozzle tests at the NASA Lewis Research Center

A preliminary uncertainty analysis has been performed for the High Area Ratio Rocket Nozzle test program which took place at the altitude test capsule of the Rocket Engine Test Facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Results from the study establish the uncertainty of measured and calculated parameters required for the calculation of rocket engine specific impulse. A generalized description of the uncertainty methodology used is provided. Specific equations and a detailed description of the analysis are presented. Verification of the uncertainty analysis model was performed by comparison with results from the experimental program's data reduction code. Final results include an uncertainty for specific impulse of 1.30 percent. The largest contributors to this uncertainty were calibration errors from the test capsule pressure and thrust measurement devices.

Kenneth J. Davidian↗
NASA NTRS1987

A detailed description of the uncertainty analysis for high area ratio rocket nozzle tests at the NASA Lewis Research Center

A preliminary uncertainty analysis was performed for the High Area Ratio Rocket Nozzle test program which took place at the altitude test capsule of the Rocket Engine Test Facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Results from the study establish the uncertainty of measured and calculated parameters required for the calculation of rocket engine specific impulse. A generalized description of the uncertainty methodology used is provided. Specific equations and a detailed description of the analysis is presented. Verification of the uncertainty analysis model was performed by comparison with results from the experimental program's data reduction code. Final results include an uncertainty for specific impulse of 1.30 percent. The largest contributors to this uncertainty were calibration errors from the test capsule pressure and thrust measurement devices.

Davidian, Kenneth J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Power Measurement Errors on a Utility Aircraft

Extensive flight test data obtained from two recent performance tests of a UH 60A aircraft are reviewed. A power difference is calculated from the power balance equation and is used to examine power measurement errors. It is shown that the baseline measurement errors are highly non-Gaussian in their frequency distribution and are therefore influenced by additional, unquantified variables. Linear regression is used to examine the influence of other variables and it is shown that a substantial portion of the variance depends upon measurements of atmospheric parameters. Correcting for temperature dependence, although reducing the variance in the measurement errors, still leaves unquantified effects. Examination of the power difference over individual test runs indicates significant errors from drift, although it is unclear how these may be corrected. In an idealized case, where the drift is correctable, it is shown that the power measurement errors are significantly reduced and the error distribution is Gaussian. A new flight test program is recommended that will quantify the thermal environment for all torque measurements on the UH 60. Subsequently, the torque measurement systems will be recalibrated based on the measured thermal environment and a new power measurement assessment performed.

Bousman, William G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A software simulation study of a (255,223) Reed-Solomon encoder-decoder

A set of software programs which simulates a (255,223) Reed-Solomon encoder/decoder pair is described. The transform decoder algorithm uses a modified Euclid algorithm, and closely follows the pipeline architecture proposed for the hardware decoder. Uncorrectable error patterns are detected by a simple test, and the inverse transform is computed by a finite field FFT. Numerical examples of the decoder operation are given for some test codewords, with and without errors. The use of the software package is briefly described.

Pollara, F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Key results of the mini-dome Fresnel lens concentrator array development program under recently completed NASA and SDIO SBIR projects

Since 1986, ENTECH and the NASA Lewis Research Center have been developing a new photovoltaic concentrator system for space power applications. The unique refractive system uses small, dome shaped Fresnel lenses to focus sunlight onto high efficiency photovoltaic concentrator cells which use prismatic cell covers to further increase their performance. Highlights of the five-year development include near Air Mass Zero (AM0) Lear Jet flight testing of mini-dome lenses (90 pct. net optical efficiency achieved); tests verifying sun-pointing error tolerance with negligible power loss; simulator testing of prism-covered GaAs concentrator cells (24 pct. AM0 efficiency); testing of prism-covered Boeing GaAs/GaSb tandem cells (31 pct. AM0 efficiency); and fabrication and outdoor testing of a 36-lens/cell element panel. These test results have confirmed previous analytical predictions which indicate substantial performance improvements for this technology over current array systems. Based on program results to date, it appears than an array power density of 300 watts/sq m and a specific power of 100 watts/kg can be achieved in the near term. All components of the array appear to be readily manufacturable from space-durable materials at reasonable cost. A concise review is presented of the key results leading to the current array, and further development plans for the future are briefly discussed.

Oneill, Mark J.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Flight Test Results of an Angle of Attack and Angle of Sideslip Calibration Method Using Output-Error Optimization

As part of a joint partnership between the NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) and the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI), research on advanced air data calibration methods has been in progress. This research was initiated to expand a novel pitot-static calibration method that was developed to allow rapid in-flight calibration for the NASA Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) facility. This approach uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology coupled with modern system identification methods that rapidly computes optimal pressure error models over a range of airspeed with defined confidence bounds. Subscale flight tests demonstrated small 2-σ error bounds with significant reduction in test time compared to other methods. Recent UTSI full scale flight tests have shown airspeed calibrations with the same accuracy or better as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted GPS 'four-leg' method in a smaller test area and in less time. The current research was motivated by the desire to extend this method for inflight calibration of angle of attack (AOA) and angle of sideslip (AOS) flow vanes. An instrumented Piper Saratoga research aircraft from the UTSI was used to collect the flight test data and evaluate flight test maneuvers. Results showed that the output-error approach produces good results for flow vane calibration. In addition, maneuvers for pitot-static and flow vane calibration can be integrated to enable simultaneous and efficient testing of each system.

Siu, Marie-Michele↗
NASA NTRS1923

Aeronautic Instruments. Section V : Power Plant Instruments

Part 1 gives a general discussion of the uses, principles, construction, and operation of airplane tachometers. Detailed description of all available instruments, both foreign and domestic, are given. Part 2 describes methods of tests and effect of various conditions encountered in airplane flight such as change of temperature, vibration, tilting, and reduced air pressure. Part 3 describes the principal types of distance reading thermometers for aircraft engines, including an explanation of the physical principles involved in the functioning of the instruments and proper filling of the bulbs. Performance requirements and testing methods are given and a discussion of the source of error and results of tests. Part 4 gives methods of tests and calibration, also requirements of gauges of this type for the pressure measurement of the air pressure in gasoline tanks and the engine oil pressure on airplanes. Part 5 describes two types of gasoline gauges, the float type and the pressure type. Methods of testing and calibrating gasoline depth gauges are given. The Schroeder, R. A. E., and the Mark II flowmeters are described.

Washburn, G E↗
NASA NTRS2014

Creating a Test Validated Structural Dynamic Finite Element Model of the Multi-Utility Technology Test Bed Aircraft

Small modeling errors in the finite element model will eventually induce errors in the structural flexibility and mass, thus propagating into unpredictable errors in the unsteady aerodynamics and the control law design. One of the primary objectives of Multi Utility Technology Test Bed, X-56A, aircraft is the flight demonstration of active flutter suppression, and therefore in this study, the identification of the primary and secondary modes for the structural model tuning based on the flutter analysis of X-56A. The ground vibration test validated structural dynamic finite element model of the X-56A is created in this study. The structural dynamic finite element model of the X-56A is improved using a model tuning tool. In this study, two different weight configurations of the X-56A have been improved in a single optimization run.

structural dynamic model tuning↗
NASA NTRS1971

Experimental techniques for evaluating steady-state jet engine performance in an altitude facility

Jet engine calibration tests were conducted in an altitude facility using a contoured bellmouth inlet duct, four fixed-area water-cooled exhaust nozzles, and an accurately calibrated thrust measuring system. Accurate determination of the airflow measuring station flow coefficient, the flow and thrust coefficients of the exhaust nozzles, and the experimental and theoretical terms in the nozzle gross thrust equation were some of the objectives of the tests. A primary objective was to develop a technique to determine gross thrust for the turbojet engine used in this test that could also be used for future engine and nozzle evaluation tests. The probable error in airflow measurement was found to be approximately 0.6 percent at the bellmouth throat design Mach number of 0.6. The probable error in nozzle gross thrust measurement was approximated 0.6 percent at the load cell full-scale reading.

Smith, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Development of a rotating gravity gradiometer for earth orbit applications (AAFE)

Some preliminary mission studies are described along with the design, fabrication, and test of a breadboard model of an earth orbital, rotating gravity gradiometer with a design goal of 10 to the minus 11th power/sec sq (0.01 EU) in a 35-sec integration time. The proposed mission uses a Scout vehicle to launch one (or two orthogonally oriented) spin-stabilized satellites into a 330-km circular polar orbit some 20 days before an equinox. During the short orbital lifetime, the experiment would obtain two complete maps of the gravity gradient field with a resolution approaching 270 km (degree 75). The breadboard model of the gradiometer demonstrated a combined thermal and electronic noise threshold of 0.015 EU per data channel. The design changes needed to reduce the noise to less than 0.01 EU were identified. Variations of the sensor output signal with temperature were experimentally determined and a suitable method of temperature compensation was developed and tested. Other possible error sources, such as sensor interaction with satellite dynamics and magnetic fields, were studied analytically and shown to be small.

Forward, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Relativistic astrophysics

The design, experimental testing, and calibration (error analysis) of a high resolution Cerenkov-scintillation detector is presented. The detector is capable of detecting iron isotopes and heavy ions of cosmic rays, and of performing direct measurements of individual neighboring isotopes at charge resolution 26. It utilizes Lexan (trademark) sheets, and has been used in flight packages of balloons and on the Skylab. The detector will be able to provide more information on violet astrophysical processes, such as thermonuclear reactions on neutron stars. Ground support and display equipment which are to be used in conjunction with the detector are also discussed.

Price, P. B.↗