Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “precision ranging”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

A geopotential model from satellite tracking, altimeter, and surface gravity data: GEM-T3

An improved model of Earth's gravitational field, Goddard Earth Model T-3 (GEM-T3), has been developed from a combination of satellite tracking, satellite altimeter, and surface gravimetric data. GEM-T3 provides a significant improvement in the modeling of the gravity field at half wavelengths of 400 km and longer. This model, complete to degree and order 50, yields more accurate satellite orbits and an improved geoid representation than previous Goddard Earth Models. GEM-T3 uses altimeter data from GEOS 3 (1975-1976), Seasat (1978) and Geosat (1986-1987). Tracking information used in the solution includes more than 1300 arcs of data encompassing 31 different satellites. The recovery of the long-wavelength components of the solution relies mostly on highly precise satellite laser ranging (SLR) data, but also includes Tracking Network (TRANET) Doppler, optical, and satellite-to-satellite tracking acquired between the ATS 6 and GEOS 3 satellites. The main advances over GEM-T2 (beyond the inclusion of altimeter and surface gravity information which is essential for the resolution of the shorter wavelength geoid) are some improved tracking data analysis approaches and additional SLR data. Although the use of altimeter data has greatly enhanced the modeling of the ocean geoid between 65 deg N and 60 deg S latitudes in GEM-T3, the lack of accurate detailed surface gravimetry leaves poor geoid resolution over many continental regions of great tectonic interest (e.g., Himalayas, Andes). Estimates of polar motion, tracking station coordinates, and long-wavelength ocean tidal terms were also made (accounting for 6330 parameters). GEM-T3 has undergone error calibration using a technique based on subset solutions to produce reliable error estimates. The calibration is based on the condition that the expected mean square deviation of a subset gravity solution from the full set values is predicted by the solutions' error covariances. Data weights are iteratively adjusted until this condition for the error calibration is satisfied. In addition, gravity field tests were performed on strong satellite data sets withheld from the solution (thereby ensuring their independence). In these tests, the performance of the subset models on the withheld observations is compared to error projections based on their calibrated error covariances. These results demonstrate that orbit accuracy projections are reliable for new satellites which were not included in GEM-T3.

Lerch, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Lorentz Force Accelerator Technology Investigated

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing Lorenz force accelerators (LFAs) for a wide variety of space applications. These range from the precision control of formation-flying spacecraft to the primary propulsion system for very high power interplanetary spacecraft. The specific thruster technologies being addressed are pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT) and magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters.

Pencil, Eric J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

NASA Airborne Science Program: NASA Stratospheric Platforms

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducts a wide variety of remote sensing projects using several unique aircraft platforms. These vehicles have been selected and modified to provide capabilities that are particularly important for geophysical research, in particular, routine access to very high altitudes, long range, long endurance, precise trajectory control, and the payload capacity to operate multiple, diverse instruments concurrently. While the NASA program has been in operation for over 30 years, new aircraft and technological advances that will expand the capabilities for airborne observation are continually being assessed and implemented. This presentation will review the current state of NASA's science platforms, recent improvements and new missions concepts as well as provide a survey of emerging technologies unmanned aerial vehicles for long duration observations (Global Hawk and Predator). Applications of information technology that allow more efficient use of flight time and the ability to rapidly reconfigure systems for different mission objectives are addressed.

Curry, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Space Qualification of the Optical Filter Assemblies for the ICESat-2/ATLAS Instrument

The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) will be the only instrument on the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite -2 (ICESat-2). ICESat-2 is the 2nd-generation of the orbiting laser altimeter ICESat, which will continue polar ice topography measurements with improved precision laser-ranging techniques. In contrast to the original ICESat design, ICESat-2 will use a micro-pulse, multi-beam approach that provides dense cross-track sampling to help scientists determine a surface's slope with each pass of the satellite. The ATLAS laser will emit visible, green laser pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm and a rate of 10 kHz and will be split into 6 beams. A set of six identical, thermally tuned optical filter assemblies (OFA) will be used to remove background solar radiation from the collected signal while transmitting the laser light to the detectors. A seventh assembly will be used to monitor the laser center wavelength during the mission. In this paper, we present the design and optical performance measurements of the ATLAS OFA in air and in vacuum prior to their integration on the ATLAS instrument.

Etalons↗
NASA NTRS2015

Space Qualification of the Optical Filter Assemblies for the ICESat-2/ATLAS Instrument

The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) will be the only instrument on the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite -2 (ICESat-2). ICESat-2 is the 2nd-generation of the orbiting laser altimeter ICESat, which will continue polar ice topography measurements with improved precision laser-ranging techniques. In contrast to the original ICESat design, ICESat-2 will use a micro-pulse, multi-beam approach that provides dense cross-track sampling to help scientists determine a surface's slope with each pass of the satellite. The ATLAS laser will emit visible, green laser pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm and a rate of 10 kHz and will be split into 6 beams. A set of six identical, thermally-tuned etalon filter assemblies will be used to remove background solar radiation from the collected signal while transmitting the laser light to the detectors. A seventh etalon assembly will be used to monitor the laser center wavelength during the mission. In this paper, we present the design and optical performance measurements of the ATLAS optical filter assemblies (OFA) in air and in vacuum before integration on the ATLAS instrument.

Etalons↗
NASA NTRS2017

Robust Targeting for the Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor

The Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor (SVGS) is a miniature, self-contained autonomous rendezvous and docking sensor developed using a commercial off the shelf Android-based smartphone. It aims to provide a miniaturized solution for rendezvous and docking, enabling small satellites to conduct proximity operations and formation flying while minimizing interference with a primary payload. Previously, the sensor was limited by a slow (2 Hz) refresh rate and its use of retro-reflectors, both of which contributed to a limited operating environment. To advance the technology readiness level, a modified approach was developed, combining a multi-colored LED target with a focused target-detection algorithm. Alone, the use of an LED system was determined to be much more reliable, though slower, than the retro-reflector system. The focused target-detection system was developed in response to this problem to mitigate the speed reduction of using color. However it also improved the reliability. In combination these two methods have been demonstrated to dramatically increase sensor speed and allow the sensor to select the target even with significant noise interfering with the sensor, providing millimeter level precision at a range of two meters with a 1U target.

Carter, C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Optical and Detector Design of the Ocean Color Instrument for the NASA Pace Mission

The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission is a hyperspectral imager with high SNR, precision and dynamic range, and with a very low striping artifact level in the 342-887 nm wavelength range with a spectral resolution of 5 nm in 2.5 nm steps, providing a significant technological advancement over previous ocean imagers. To achieve this, OCI is designed with specialized optical imaging and opto-electronic detection systems that push the boundaries of several state-of-the-art technologies. This paper provides an overview of these systems together with their achieved performances and discussions of their key design challenges.

Remote sensing↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Optical and Detector Design of the Ocean Color Instrument for the NASA Pace Mission

The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission is a hyperspectral imager with high SNR, precision and dynamic range, and with a very low striping artifact level in the 342-887 nm wavelength range with a spectral resolution of 5 nm in 2.5 nm steps, providing a significant technological advancement over previous ocean imagers. To achieve this, OCI is designed with specialized optical imaging and opto-electronic detection systems that push the boundaries of several state-of-the-art technologies. This paper provides an overview of these systems together with their achieved performances and discussions of their key design challenges.

Remote sensing↗
NASA NTRS2015

Nominal SARAL Transfer Function

This paper gives a calculation of the range correction and cross section of the SARAL (Satellite with Argos and ALtiKa) Indian/French ocean radar satellite retroreflector array assuming the cube corners are coated and have a dihedral angle offset of about 1.5 arcseconds to account for velocity aberration. The cubes are assumed to all have the same orientation within the mounting. The derived range correction may be applied in precise orbit determination analyses that use Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) data to SARAL.

Precise orbit determination↗
NASA NTRS2000

An Overview of the Topography of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA)

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft has now completed more than half of its one-Mars-year mission to globally map Mars. During the MGS elliptical and circular orbit mapping phases, the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), an instrument on the MGS payload, has collected over 300 million precise elevation measurements. MOLA measures the range from the MGS spacecraft to the Martian surface and to atmospheric reflections. Range is converted to topography through knowledge of the MGS spacecraft orbit. Ranges from MOLA have resulted in a precise global topographic map of Mars. The instrument has also provided measurements of the width of the backscattered optical pulse and of the 1064 nm reflectivity of the Martian surface and atmosphere. The range resolution of the MOLA instrument is 37.5 cm and the along-track resolution of MOLA ground shots is approx. 300 m; the across-track spacing depends on latitude and time in the mapping orbit. The best current topographic grid has a spatial resolution of approx. 1/16 deg and vertical accuracy of approx. one meter. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Smith, David E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Moire interferometry for thermal expansion of composites

Moire interferometry by reflection is described and demonstrated for the case of a real reference grating of 1200 lines/mm. Extraneous beams can be displaced and stopped by using a wedge-shaped air gap between reference and specimen gratings. Double-order dominance, the use of diffraction sequences for reflection, the isolation of preferred sequences, and the use of two-beam interference are discussed. Experimental accuracy is enhanced significantly by using several data points to establish displacements along a line, and random errors characterized by one standard deviation can be as small as one microstrain. The method is well adapted to thermal environments, coefficients of thermal expansion of selected graphite-epoxy laminates being determined in the temperature range of 297-422 K. Very good precision was achieved for a wide range of thermal expansion coefficients, from approximately zero to 27 microstrains/K.

Bowles, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Monitoring Atmospheric CO2 From Space: Challenge & Approach

Atmospheric CO2 is the key radiative forcing for the Earth's climate and may contribute a major part of the Earth's warming during the past 150 years. Advanced knowledge on the CO2 distributions and changes can lead considerable model improvements in predictions of the Earth's future climate. Large uncertainties in the predictions have been found for decades owing to limited CO2 observations. To obtain precise measurements of atmospheric CO2, certain challenges have to be overcome. For an example, global annual means of the CO2 are rather stable, but, have a very small increasing trend that is significant for multi-decadal long-term climate. At short time scales (a second to a few hours), regional and subcontinental gradients in the CO2 concentration are very small and only in an order of a few parts per million (ppm) compared to the mean atmospheric CO2 concentration of about 400 ppm, which requires atmospheric CO2 space monitoring systems with extremely high accuracy and precision (about 0.5 ppm or 0.125%) in spatiotemporal scales around 75 km and 10-s. It also requires a decadal-scale system stability. Furthermore, rapid changes in high latitude environments such as melting ice, snow and frozen soil, persistent thin cirrus clouds in Amazon and other tropical areas, and harsh weather conditions over Southern Ocean all increase difficulties in satellite atmospheric CO2 observations. Space lidar approaches using Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) technique are considered to be capable of obtaining precise CO2 measurements and, thus, have been proposed by various studies including the 2007 Decadal Survey (DS) of the U.S. National Research Council. This study considers to use the Intensity-Modulated Continuous-Wave (IM-CW) lidar to monitor global atmospheric CO2 distribution and variability from space. Development and demonstration of space lidar for atmospheric CO2 measurements have been made through joint adventure of NASA Langley Research Center and Exelis, Inc. As prototype space IPDA lidars, airborne laser absorption lidar systems operating in 1.57 CO2 absorption band have been developed and tested through lab, ground-based range, and flight campaigns. Very encouraging results have been obtained. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for clear sky IPDA measurements of CO2 differential absorption optical depth (DAOD) for a 10-s integration over vegetated areas with about 10 km range was found to be as high as 1300, resulting in an error 0.077% or equivalent CO2 mixing ratio (XCO2) column precision of ~0.3 ppm. Precise range measurements using the IM-CW lidar approach were also achieved, and the uncertainties have been shown to be at sub meter level. Based on the airborne lidar development, space lidar and atmospheric CO2 observations are simulated. It shows that with the IM-CW approach, accurate atmospheric CO2 measurements can be achieved from space, and a space mission such as that proposed by the DS will meet science goals of atmospheric CO2 monitoring.

Lin, Bing↗
NASA NTRS2019

Transitioning the NASA SLR Network to Event Timing Mode for Reduced Systematics, Improved Stability and Data Precision

NASA's legacy Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) network produces about one-third of the global SLR data to support spacegeodesy. This network of globally distributed stations has been using Time Interval Units (TIU) for range measurements for thelast 25 + years. To improve the reliability of the SLR network and satisfy the need for stable millimeter precision data, a phasedreplacement of the TIUs in the network with picosecond-precise Event Timer Modules was initiated in 2015. This schemeallowed the time of flight and laser transmit epoch measurement to one picosecond resolution. For a network with globalscientific impact, transitioning to a new data generation metrological scheme requires significant data scrutiny and long-termscience data validation. Any long-term testing/measurement has the potential to interrupt the station's daily operational dataflow to the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) as the station under test will have to put its test data into quarantine.We have demonstrated a very effective way to test and implement the new device without removing the old hardware andwithout the need for the orbit analysis. This operationally noninvasive scheme performed concurrent test measurements enablinguninterrupted operational data flow to the users, while allowing simultaneous test data capture for short- and long-termsystematics and stability analysis. Extensive analysis of the test data was performed by the NASA SLR engineering team andthe ILRS Analysis Standing Committee, to uncover biases and any dependencies on the satellite ranges (for nonlinear scaleissues). Multi-ETM comparison was also performed at two of the SLR stations through the interchange of hardware to establishthe inter-device range biases and stability. Such benchmarked hardware was subsequently sent to the remaining stationsto allow traceability and normalize the network performance. The range bias intercomparison performed using the multiyearSLR data analysis agreed well with the engineering changes, thus validating the approach to flush out station-specific rangingsystematics affecting precise orbit determination. Such an improvement and rebalancing of the current network will allowan orderly transition of the current NASA SLR network operating at a maximum rate of 10 Hz to the NASA next generationSpace Geodesy Satellite Laser Ranging (SGSLR) network operating at 2 kHz (McGarry et al. in J Geod, 2018. https ://doi.org/10.1007/s0019 0-018-1191-6; Merkowitz et al. in J Geod, 2018. https ://doi.org/10.1007/s0019 0-018-1204-5).

Varghese, Thomas↗
NASA NTRS2015

Imaging Flash Lidar for Safe Landing on Solar System Bodies and Spacecraft Rendezvous and Docking

NASA has been pursuing flash lidar technology for autonomous, safe landing on solar system bodies and for automated rendezvous and docking. During the final stages of the landing from about 1 kilometer to 500 meters above the ground, the flash lidar can generate 3-Dimensional images of the terrain to identify hazardous features such as craters, rocks, and steep slopes. The onboard flight computer can then use the 3-D map of terrain to guide the vehicle to a safe location. As an automated rendezvous and docking sensor, the flash lidar can provide relative range, velocity, and bearing from an approaching spacecraft to another spacecraft or a space station. NASA Langley Research Center has developed and demonstrated a flash lidar sensor system capable of generating 16,000 pixels range images with 7 centimeters precision, at 20 Hertz frame rate, from a maximum slant range of 1800 m from the target area. This paper describes the lidar instrument and presents the results of recent flight tests onboard a rocket-propelled free-flyer vehicle (Morpheus) built by NASA Johnson Space Center. The flights were conducted at a simulated lunar terrain site, consisting of realistic hazard features and designated landing areas, built at NASA Kennedy Space Center specifically for this demonstration test. This paper also provides an overview of the plan for continued advancement of the flash lidar technology aimed at enhancing its performance to meet both landing and automated rendezvous and docking applications.

Amzajerdian, Farzin↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analysis of TOPEX laser retroreflector array characteristics

The joint U.S./French TOPEX/POSEIDON mission was successfully launched on August 10, 1992 for the study of ocean height variation using microwave altimetry. Accurate determination of the satellite orbit is paramount to the determination of the above phenomenon. To accomplish this, using laser ranging, the satellite is equipped with a laser retroreflector array (LRA) around the altimeter antennae. The goal of laser ranging is to obtain precision orbits with a radial accuracy of 13 cm to the center of mass of the satellite. This requires the laser range correction to the LRA reference be known at the sub-cm level and is quite a challenge considering the geometry of the LRA. Detailed studies were initiated by the TOPEX project office (Christensen) under the auspices of the CDP/DOSE project (Degnan) at Goddard Space Flight Center.

Varghese, Thomas K.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Performance of Airborne Precision Spacing Under Realistic Wind Conditions and Limited Surveillance Range

With the expected worldwide increase of air traffic during the coming decade, both the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), as well as Eurocontrol's Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program have, as part of their plans, air traffic management (ATM) solutions that can increase performance without requiring time-consuming and expensive infrastructure changes. One such solution involves the ability of both controllers and flight crews to deliver aircraft to the runway with greater accuracy than they can today. Previous research has shown that time-based spacing techniques, wherein the controller assigns a time spacing to each pair of arriving aircraft, can achieve this goal by providing greater runway delivery accuracy and producing a concomitant increase in system-wide performance. The research described herein focuses on one specific application of time-based spacing, called Airborne Precision Spacing (APS), which has evolved over the past ten years. This research furthers APS understanding by studying its performance with realistic wind conditions obtained from atmospheric sounding data and with realistic wind forecasts obtained from the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) short-range weather forecast. In addition, this study investigates APS performance with limited surveillance range, as provided by the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system, and with an algorithm designed to improve APS performance when ADS-B surveillance data is unavailable. The results presented herein quantify the runway threshold delivery accuracy of APS under these conditions, and also quantify resulting workload metrics such as the number of speed changes required to maintain spacing.

Wieland, Frederick↗
NASA NTRS2011

Optical Fiber Array Assemblies for Space Flight on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Custom fiber optic bundle array assemblies developed by the Photonics Group at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center were an enabling technology for both the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) and the Laser Ranging (LR) Investigation on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) currently in operation. The unique assembly array designs provided considerable decrease in size and weight and met stringent system level requirements. This is the first time optical fiber array bundle assemblies were used in a high performance space flight application. This innovation was achieved using customized Diamond Switzerland AVIM optical connectors. For LOLA, a five fiber array was developed for the receiver telescope to maintain precise alignment for each of the 200/220 micron optical fibers collecting 1,064 nm wavelength light being reflected back from the moon. The array splits to five separate detectors replacing the need for multiple telescopes. An image illustration of the LOLA instrument can be found at the top of the figure. For the laser ranging, a seven-optical-fiber array of 400/440 micron fibers was developed to transmit light from behind the LR receiver telescope located on the end of the high gain antenna system (HGAS). The bundle was routed across two moving gimbals, down the HGAS boom arm, over a deployable mandrel and across the spacecraft to a detector on the LOLA instrument. The routing of the optical fiber bundle and its end locations is identified in the figure. The Laser Ranging array and bundle is currently accepting light at a wavelength of 532 nm sent to the moon from laser stations at Greenbelt MD and other stations around the world to gather precision ranging information from the Earth to the LRO spacecraft. The LR bundle assembly is capable of withstanding temperatures down to -55 C at the connectors, and 20,000 mechanical gimbal cycles at temperatures as cold as -20 C along the length of the seven-fiber bundle (that is packaged into the gimbals). The total bundle assembly is 10 meters long with two interconnections requiring precise clocking of the seven-fiber array pattern.

Ott, Jelanie↗
NASA NTRS2002

Gravity Fields from CHAMP Mission Data

The CHAMP mission, launched in July 2000, is the first in a series of missions that will revolutionize our ability to model the Earth s geopotential. The CHAMP spacecraft is equipped for precision tracking by the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) along with a precision accelerometer to provide measurements of the surface forces. Preliminary satellite-only geopotential solutions with only 30 days of CHAMP data are, by some criteria, as strong as solutions made from tracking data collected over the previous 30 years of the space age. Compared to EGM96, CHAMP makes notable contributions in regions where the terrestrial data (surface gravimetry and altimetry) were weak, for example in the polar regions, in the Amazon and the Himalayas. The CHAMP data allow us to separate the geoid from the dynamic ocean topography (DOT) up to at least degree 25 rather than just under degree 20 as in EGM96. We report on satellite-only and combination models that incorporate up to 100 days of CHAMP data as well as other satellite data. We report on our updated processing of the CHAMP tracking and accelerometer data and evaluate the performance of the geopotential models using a variety of tests.

Lemoine, Frank G.↗