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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 253 records · Page 14

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NASA NTRS1990

Decomposition technique and optimal trajectories for the aeroassisted flight experiment

An actual geosynchronous Earth orbit-to-low Earth orbit (GEO-to-LEO) transfer is considered with reference to the aeroassisted flight experiment (AFE) spacecraft, and optimal trajectories are determined by minimizing the total characteristic velocity. The optimization is performed with respect to the time history of the controls (angle of attack and angle of bank), the entry path inclination and the flight time being free. Two transfer maneuvers are considered: direct ascent (DA) to LEO and indirect ascent (IA) to LEO via parking Earth orbit (PEO). By taking into account certain assumptions, the complete system can be decoupled into two subsystems: one describing the longitudinal motion and one describing the lateral motion. The angle of attack history, the entry path inclination, and the flight time are determined via the longitudinal motion subsystem. In this subsystem, the difference between the instantaneous bank angle and a constant bank angle is minimized in the least square sense subject to the specified orbital inclination requirement. Both the angles of attack and the angle of bank are shown to be constant. This result has considerable importance in the design of nominal trajectories to be used in the guidance of AFE and aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) vehicles.

Miele, A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Decomposition technique and optimal trajectories for the aeroassisted flight experiment

An actual geosynchronous earth orbit-to-low earth orbit (GEO-to-LEO) transfer is considered with reference to the aeroassisted flight experiment (AFE) spacecraft, and optimal trajectories are determined by minimizing the total characteristic velocity. The optimization is performed with respect to the time history of the controls (angle of attack and angle of bank), the entry path inclination and the flight time being free. Two transfer maneuvers are considered: direct ascent (DA) to LEO and indirect ascent (IA) to LEO via parking earth orbit (PEO). By taking into account certain assumptions, the complete system can be decoupled into two subsystems: one describing the longitudinal motion and one describing the lateral motion. The angle of attack history, the entry path inclination, and the flight time are determined via the longitudinal motion subsystem. In this subsystem, the difference between the instantaneous bank angle and a constant bank angle is minimized in the least square sense subject to the specified orbital inclination requirement. Both the angles of attack and the angle of bank are shown to be constant. This result has considerable importance in the design of nominal trajectories to be used in the guidance of AFE and aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) vehicles.

Miele, A.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Control Algorithms for Flap-Based Mars Entry Systems

All guided entries of blunt-body entry vehicles have utilized bank-angle steering for hypersonic trajectory control. While bank-angle steering has been suc- cessful on Mars entry missions thus far, such as the Mars Science Laboratory and Mars 2020 missions, this control scheme involves a high degree of coupling over the longitudinal and lateral motion. To simultaneously control these two directions of flight, bank-angle steering vehicles typically select the bank angle magnitude to control the longitudinal motion and perform periodic bank reversals to limit the error in the lateral direction. These bank reversals are undesirable as they are performed open loop and can inject error into the trajectory. An alternative hypersonic control scheme modules the vehicle’s angle of attack (α) and sideslip angle (β) to steer the vehicle, i.e. α − β steering. Also called direct force control (DFC), α − β steering has been recently studied in the literature for both entry and aerocapture missions at several planetary bodies including Mars, Venus, Titan, and the ice giants. α − β steering provides more decoupled control over the trajectory than bank-angle steering by mostly using α to control the longitudinal motion and mostly using β to control the lateral motion. Using α − β steering avoids the bank reversals associated with bank-angle steering, and studies have shown that α − β steering may provide increased robustness to atmospheric dispersions, higher precision in landing accuracy, a lower propellant usage for powered descent, and a larger payload mass, relative to bank-angle steering. Several different actuation concepts have been studied for α − β steering, including moving mass systems, a morphing vehicle structure, and aerodynamic flaps.

Daniel L Engel↗

NASA NTRS1984

Space Shuttle development update

The development efforts, since the STS-4 flight, in the Space Shuttle (SS) program are presented. The SS improvements introduced in the last two years include lower-weight loads, communication through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, expanded extravehicular activity capability, a maneuvering backpack and the manipulator foot restraint, the improvements in thermal projection system, the 'optional terminal area management targeting' guidance software, a rendezvous system with radar and star tracker sensors, and improved on-orbit living conditions. The flight demonstrations include advanced launch techniques (e.g., night launch and direct insertion to orbit); the on-orbit demonstrations; and added entry and launching capabilities. The entry aerodynamic analysis and entry flight control fine tuning are described. Reusability, improved ascent performance, intact abort and landing flexibility, rollout control, and 'smart speedbrakes' are among the many improvements planned for the future.

Brand, V.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Analysis of the rudder/speed brake subsystem

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to determine failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The independent analysis results for the Orbiter Rudder/Speedbrake Actuation Mechanism is documented. The function of the Rudder/Speedbrake (RSB) is to provide directional control and to provide a means of energy control during entry. The system consists of two panels on a vertical hinge mounted on the aft part of the vertical stabilizer. These two panels move together to form a rudder but split apart to make a speedbrake. The Rudder/Speedbrake Actuation Mechanism consists of the following elements: (1) Power Drive Unit (PDU) which is composed of hydraulic valve module and a hydraulic motor-powered gearbox which contains differentials and mixer gears to provide PDU torque output; (2) four geared rotary actuators which apply the PDU generated torque to the rudder/speedbrake panels; and (3) ten torque shafts which join the PDU to the rotary actuators and interconnect the four rotary actuators. Each level of hardware was evaluated and analyzed for possible failures and causes. Criticality was assigned based upon the severity of the effect for each failure mode. Critical RSB failures which result in potential loss of vehicle control were mainly due to loss of hydraulic fluid, fluid contaminators, and mechanical failures in gears and shafts.

Wilson, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Impact contribution of prebiotic reactants to Earth

It is proposed that the AIB amino acid at the K/T boundary were synthesized during entry of a comet. However, whether they were synthesized or supplied directly from space, the concentration of amino acids in the shallow K/T sea would have been about 10(exp -7) M. It is probable that clays were the dominant sinks for the amino acids in the K/T sea and in the primordial ocean. Because clay removed amino acids from sea water quickly, the amino acid contribution must be studied from individual comets in order to evaluate the effectiveness of comets for chemical evolution. Such an evaluation shows that comets would have produced amino acid concentration higher than equilibrium concentrations of amino acid from corona discharge at all times preceding the age of the oldest fossils. The perferred sites for chemical evolution of cometary amino acids are in cloud drops and tide pools where the concentration of amino acids would have been the highest. Life could have originated at the surface even during periods of intense bombardment of the earth before 3.8 billion years ago.

Aggarwal, Hans R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Impact contribution of prebiotic reactants to Earth

It is proposed that the AIB amino acids at the K/T boundary were synthesized during entry of a comet. However, whether they were synthesized or supplied directly from space, the concentration of amino acids in the shallow K/T sea would have been about 10(exp -7) M. It is probable that clays were the dominant sinks for the amino acids in the K/T sea and in the primordial ocean. Because clay removed amino from the sea so quickly, we must study the amino acid contribution from individual comets in order to evaluate the effectiveness of comets for chemical evolution. Such an evaluation shows that comets would have produced amino acid concentrations higher than equilibrium concentrations of amino acids from corona discharge at all times preceding the age of the oldest fossils. The preferred sites for chemical evolution of cometary amino acids are in cloud drops and tide pools where the concentration of amino acids would have been the highest. Life could have originated at the surface even during periods of intense bombardment of the earth before 3.8 billion years ago.

Aggarwal, Hans R.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Overview of the Galileo Probe Mission to Jupiter

Young, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Overview of the Galileo Probe Mission to Jupiter

The Galileo Probe entered the atmosphere of Jupiter on December 7, 1995, for the first time directly sampling the atmosphere of one of the outer planets. The entry was the most difficult ever attempted in terms of heat and deceleration loads. The probe and all scientific instruments functioned successfully, and returned data on composition, clouds, thermal structure, winds, energy balance, lightning, and inner radiation belts. A probe mission overview is presented, highlighting the key mission events and major science objectives. The purpose of the overview is to set the stage for the following papers which describe findings from the probe scientific investigations and discuss implications of the probe results.

Young, Richard E.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Plasma Sheet Circulation Pathways

Global simulations of Earth's magnetosphere in the solar wind compute the pathways of plasma circulation through the plasma sheet. We address the pathways that supply and drain the plasma sheet, by coupling single fluid simulations with Global Ion Kinetic simulations of the outer magnetosphere and the Comprehensive Ring Current Model of the inner magnetosphere, including plasmaspheric plasmas. We find that the plasma sheet is supplied with solar wind plasmas via the magnetospheric flanks, and that this supply is most effective for northward IMF. For southward IMF, the innermost plasma sheet and ring current region are directly supplied from the flanks, with an asymmetry of single particle entry favoring the dawn flank. The central plasma sheet (near midnight) is supplied, as expected, from the lobes and polar cusps, but the near-Earth supply consists mainly of slowly moving ionospheric outflows for typical conditions. Work with the recently developed multi-fluid LFM simulation shows transport via plasma "fingers" extending Earthward from the flanks, suggestive of an interchange instability. We investigate this with solar wind ion trajectories, seeking to understand the fingering mechanisms and effects on transport rates.

Moore, Thomas E.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Oxygen Ion Heat Rate within Alfvenic Turbulence in the Cusp

The role that the cleft/cusp has in ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling makes it a dynamic and important region. It is directly exposed to the solar wind, making it possible for the entry of electromagnetic energy and precipitating electrons and ions from dayside reconnection and other dayside events. It is also a significant source of ionospheric plasma, contributing largely to the mass loading of the magnetosphere with large fluxes of outflowing ions. Crossing the cusp/cleft near 5100 km, the Polar instruments observe the common correlation of downward Poynting flux, ion energization, soft electron precipitation, broadband extremely low-frequency (BB-ELF) emissions, and density depletions. The dominant power in the BB-ELF emissions is now identified to be from spatially broad, low frequency Alfv nic structures. For a cusp crossing, we determine using the Electric Field Investigation (EFI), that the electric and magnetic field fluctuations are Alfv nic and the electric field gradients satisfy the inequality for stochastic acceleration. With all the Polar 1996 horizontal crossings of the cusp, we determine the O+ heating rate using the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) and Plasma Wave Investigation (PWI). We then compare this heating rate to other heating rates assuming the electric field gradient criteria exceeds the limit for stochastic acceleration for the remaining crossings. The comparison suggests that a stochastic acceleration mechanism is operational and the heating is controlled by the transverse spatial scale of the Alfvenic waves.

Coffey, Victoria N.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Interfacing with USSTRATCOM and UTTR during Stardust Earth Return

The Stardust Sample Return Capsule separated from the main spacecraft four hours prior to atmospheric entry. Between this time and the time at which the SRC touched down at the Utah Test and Training Range, two organizations external to JPL were involved in tracking the Sample Return Capsule. Orbit determination for the Stardust spacecraft during deep space cruise, the encounters of asteroid Annefrank and comet Wild 2, and the final approach to Earth used X-band radio metric Doppler and range data obtained through the Deep Space Network. The SRC lacked the electronics needed for coherently transponded radio metric tracking, so the DSN was not able to track the SRC after it separated from the main spacecraft. Although the expected delivery accuracy at atmospheric entry was well within the capability needed to target the SRC to the desired ground location, it was still desirable to obtain direct knowledge of the SRC trajectory in case of anomalies. For this reason U.S. Strategic Command was engaged to track the SRC between separation and atmospheric entry. Once the SRC entered the atmosphere, ground sensors at UTTR were tasked to acquire the descending SRC and maintain track during the descent in order to determine the landing location, to which the ground recovery team was then directed. This paper discusses organizational interfaces, data products, and delivery schedules, and the actual tracking operations are described.

Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR)↗

NASA NTRS1958

Investigation of Incipient Spin Characteristics of a 1/35-Scale Model of the Convair F-102A Airplane, Coord. No. AF-AM-79

Incipient spin characteristics have been investigated on a l/35-scale dynamic model of the Convair F-10% airplane. The model was launched by a catapult apparatus into free flight with various control settings, and the motions obtained were photographed. The model was ballasted for the combat loading. All tests were made with the speed brakes and landing gear retracted, and engine effects were not simulated. The results of the investigation indicated that the model would enter motions apparently simulating entry phases of spins when the elevators were deflected full up. Deflecting the rudder had little effect on the direction of the motion obtained, but when ailerons were deflected the model always rotated in a direction opposite to the aileron setting (that is, the model entered a right spin with the stick to the left). The ailerons were very influential in initiating spin entry, and the pilot should avoid, as far as possible, the use of ailerons in low-speed flight.

Healy, Frederick M.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Communications Blackout Predictions for Atmospheric Entry of Mars Science Laboratory

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is expected to be a long-range, long-duration science laboratory rover on the Martian surface. MSL will provide a significant milestone that paves the way for future landed missions to Mars. NASA is studying options to launch MSL as early as 2009. There are three elements to the spacecraft; carrier (cruise stage), entry vehicle, and rover. The rover will have a UHF proximity link as the primary path for EDL communications and may have an X-band direct-to-Earth link as a back-up. Given the importance of collecting critical event telemetry data during atmospheric entry, it is important to understand the ability of a signal link to be maintained, especially during the period near peak convective heating. The received telemetry during entry (or played back later) will allow for the performance of the Entry-Descent-Landing technologies to be assessed. These technologies include guided entry for precision landing, a new sky-crane landing system and powered descent. MSL will undergo an entry profile that may result in a potential communications blackout caused by ionized particles for short periods near peak heating. The vehicle will use UHF and possibly X-band during the entry phase. The purpose of this rep0rt is to quantify or bound the likelihood of any such blackout at UHF frequencies (401 MHz) and X-band frequencies (8.4 GHz). Two entry trajectory scenarios were evaluated: a stressful entry trajectory to quantify an upper-bound for any possible blackout period, and a nominal trajectory to quantify likelihood of blackout for such cases.

communications↗

NASA NTRS2010

Modelling the Future Hydroclimatology of the Lower Fraser River and its Impacts on the Spawning Migration Survival of Sockeye Salmon

Short episodic high temperature events can be lethal for migrating adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). We downscaled temperatures for the Fraser River, British Columbia to evaluate the impact of climate warming on the frequency of exceeding thermal thresholds associated with salmon migratory success. Alarmingly, a modest 1.0 C increase in average summer water temperature over 100 years (1981-2000 to 2081-2100) tripled the number of days per year exceeding critical salmonid thermal thresholds (i.e. 19.0 C). Refined thresholds for two populations (Gates Creek and Weaver Creek) of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) were defined using physiological constraint models based on aerobic scope. While extreme temperatures leading to complete aerobic collapse remained unlikely under our warming scenario, both populations were increasingly forced to migrate upriver at reduced levels of aerobic performance (e.g. in 80% of future simulations, => 90% of salmon encountered temperatures exceeding population specific thermal optima for maximum aerobic scope; T(sub opt)) = 16.3 C for Gates Creek and T(sub sopt)=14.5 C for Weaver Creek). Assuming recent changes to river entry timing persist, we also predicted dramatic increases in the probability of freshwater mortality for Weaver Creek salmon due to reductions in aerobic, and general physiological, performance (e.g. in 42% of future simulations =>50% of Weaver Creek fish exceeded temperature thresholds associated with 0 - 60% of maximum aerobic scope). Potential for adaptation via directional selection on run-timing was more evident for the Weaver Creek population. Early entry Weaver Creek fish experienced 25% (range: 15 - 31%) more suboptimal temperatures than late entrants, compared with an 8% difference (range: 0 - 17%) between early and late Gates Creek fish. Our results emphasize the need to consider daily temperature variability in association with population-specific differences in behaviour and physiological constraints when forecasting impacts of climate change on migratory survival of aquatic species.

Hague, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Imp 6 measurements in the distant polar cusp during substorms

High time-resolution data from the magnetic field, plasma, energetic particle, and VLF wave experiments performed aboard Imp 6 in a study of the distant dayside cusp during substorms are described. The cusp was studied when its location was slightly equatorward of its normal location and the geomagnetic dipole was tilted in the appropriate direction. The data support both reconnection and diffusion as methods of particle entry to the magnetosphere. The evidence (1) indicates an acceleration process to explain enhancements of 400 to 600-km/sec protons above their magnetosheath intensities, and (2) suggests convection of field lines over the polar cap as a means of explaining the lack of low-energy protons near the low-latitude boundary of the cusp. Magnetic field fluctuations, a perturbation vector, ion cyclotron waves, and an abrupt change in the intensity of both whistler waves and electrostatic waves are characterized.

Fairfield, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Doppler radiation sensing of Shuttle angle of attack and TAS during entry

Space Shuttle true airspeed, angle of attack, and sideslip angle are currently derived from inertial guidance information. A new method is proposed which offers a potential improvement in Shuttle safety during entry. Angle of attack, sideslip angle and true airspeed could be measured directly at heights from 120 km down to 20 km by Doppler sensing three independent true airspeeds along the Shuttle body axes. Two types of Doppler measurement sensors, employing either passive detection of atmospheric radiation or coherent detection of scattered laser light are discussed. The proposed technique is essentially solid-state and robust, and is well suited for use in future small hypersonic vehicles that require flight control in the Upper Atmosphere of the earth or in probes destined for the other planets.

Foale, C. M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Calibration Of Oxygen Monitors

Readings corrected for temperature, pressure, and humidity of air. Program for handheld computer developed to ensure accuracy of oxygen monitors in National Transonic Facility, where liquid nitrogen stored. Calibration values, determined daily, based on entries of data on barometric pressure, temperature, and relative humidity. Output provided directly in millivolts.

Zalenski, M. A.↗