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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Kalman filtering applied to real-time monitoring of apogee maneuvers

Part of the Space Mathematics Division in CNES, the Flight Dynamics Center provides attitude and orbit determinations and maneuvers during the Launch and Early Operation Phase (LEOP) of geostationary satellites. Orbit determination is based on a Kalman filter method; when the 2 GHz CNES/NASA network is used, Doppler measurements are available and allow orbit determination during the apogee maneuvers. This method was used for TELE-X and TDF 2 LEOP (3-axis controlled satellites) and also for TELECOM 2 and HISPASAT (spun satellites): it enables us to follow the evolution of the maneuver and gives out a quite accurate estimation of the reached orbit. In this paper, we briefly describe the dynamic models of the orbit evolution in both cases, '3-axis' and 'inertial' thrust. Then, we present the results obtained for each case. Afterwards, we present some cases to show the robustness of the filter.

Deboer, Frederic↗
NASA NTRS1994

Maneuvering and control of flexible space robots

This paper is concerned with a flexible space robot capable of maneuvering payloads. The robot is assumed to consist of two hinge-connected flexible arms and a rigid end-effector holding a payload; the robot is mounted on a rigid platform floating in space. The equations of motion are nonlinear and of high order. Based on the assumption that the maneuvering motions are one order of magnitude larger than the elastic vibrations, a perturbation approach permits design of controls for the two types of motion separately. The rigid-body maneuvering is carried out open loop, but the elastic motions are controlled closed loop, by means of discrete-time linear quadratic regulator theory with prescribed degree of stability. A numerical example demonstrates the approach. In the example, the controls derived by the perturbation approach are applied to the original nonlinear system and errors are found to be relatively small.

Meirovitch, Leonard↗
NASA NTRS1994

Orbital maneuvering and reaction control systems

Orbital maneuvering systems (OMS) and reaction control systems (RCS) provide capabilities to spacecraft that include orbit circularization, rendezvous maneuvers, attitude control, and re-entry delta velocity. The mission and vehicle requirements can place severe demands on the orbital maneuvering and reaction control systems. In order to perform proper trade studies and to design these systems, the mission and vehicle configuration must be well defined. In the absence of a clearly defined mission and vehicle configuration, the research and development of basic technologies must support future design efforts by providing a range of options and data from which to select. This paper describes the key OMS and RCS requirements and technology.

Hurlbert, Eric↗
NASA NTRS1994

Active load control during rolling maneuvers

A rolling maneuver load alleviation (RMLA) system has been demonstrated on the active flexible wing (AFW) wind tunnel model in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The objective was to develop a systematic approach for designing active control laws to alleviate wing loads during rolling maneuvers. Two RMLA control laws were developed that utilized outboard control-surface pairs (leading and trailing edge) to counteract the loads and that used inboard trailing-edge control-surface pairs to maintain roll performance. Rolling maneuver load tests were performed in the TDT at several dynamic pressures that included two below and one 11 percent above open-loop flutter dynamic pressure. The RMLA system was operated simultaneously with an active flutter suppression system above open-loop flutter dynamic pressure. At all dynamic pressures for which baseline results were obtained, torsion-moment loads were reduced for both RMLA control laws. Results for bending-moment load reductions were mixed; however, design equations developed in this study provided conservative estimates of load reduction in all cases.

Woods-Vedeler, Jessica A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Evaluation of High-Angle-of-Attack Handling Qualities for the X-31A Using Standard Evaluation Maneuvers

The X-31A aircraft gross-acquisition and fine-tracking handling qualities have been evaluated using standard evaluation maneuvers developed by Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The emphasis of the testing is in the angle-of-attack range between 30 deg and 70 deg. Longitudinal gross-acquisition handling qualities results show borderline Level 1/Level 2 performance. Lateral gross-acquisition testing results in Level 1/Level 2 ratings below 45 deg angle of attack, degrading into Level 3 as angle of attack increases. The fine-tracking performance in both longitudinal and lateral axes also receives Level 1 ratings near 30 deg angle of attack, with the ratings tending towards Level 3 at angles of attack greater than 50 deg. These ratings do not match the expectations from the extensive close-in combat testing where the X-31A aircraft demonstrated fair to good handling qualities maneuvering for high angles of attack. This paper presents the results of the high-angle-of-attack handling qualities flight testing of the X-31A aircraft. Discussion of the preparation for the maneuvers, the pilot ratings, and selected pilot comments are included. Evaluation of the results is made in conjunction with existing Neal-Smith, bandwidth, Smith-Geddes, and military specifications.

Stoliker, Patrick C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Severe Turbulence and Maneuvering from Airline Flight Records

Digital flight records from reported clear-air turbulence incidents are used to determine winds and turbulence, to determine maneuver g loads, and to analyze control problems. Many cases of severe turbulence are found downwind of mountains and thunderstorms where sharp, sudden jolts are associated with vortices in atmospheric waves. Other cases of severe turbulence are round in strong updrafts above thunderstorm buildups that may be undetected by onboard weather radar. An important finding is that there are large maneuvering loads in over half of the reported clear-air turbulence incidents. Maneuvering loads are determined through an analysis of the short-term variations in elevator deflection and aircraft pitch angle. For altitude control in mountain waves the results indicate that small pitch angle changes with proper timing are sufficient to counter variations in vertical wind. For airspeed control in strong mountain waves, however, there is neither the available thrust nor the quickness in engine response necessary to counter the large variations in winds.

Wingrove, Rodney C.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Evaluation of High-Angle-of-Attack Handling Qualities for the X-31A Using Standard Evaluation Maneuvers

The X-31A aircraft gross-acquisition and fine-tracking handling qualities have been evaluated using standard evaluation maneuvers developed by Wright Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The emphasis of the testing is in the angle-of-attack range between 30 deg. and 70 deg. Longitudinal gross-acquisition handling qualities results show borderline Level l/Level 2 performance. Lateral gross-acquisition testing results in Level l/Level 2 ratings below 45 deg. angle of attack, degrading into Level 3 as angle of attack increases. The fine tracking performance in both longitudinal and lateral axes also receives Level 1 ratings near 30 deg. angle of attack, with the ratings tending towards Level 3 at angles of attack greater than 50 deg. These ratings do not match the expectations from the extensive close-in combat testing where the X-31A aircraft demonstrated fair to good handling qualities maneuvering for high angles of attack. This paper presents the results of the high-angle-of-attack handling qualities flight testing of the X-31A aircraft. Discussion of the preparation for the maneuvers, the pilot ratings, and selected pilot comments are included. Evaluation of the results is made in conjunction with existing Neal Smith, bandwidth, Smith-Geddes, and military specifications.

Stoliker, Patrick C.↗
NASA NTRS1997

PM Science Working Group Meeting on Spacecraft Maneuvers

The EOS PM Science Working Group met on May 6, 1997, to examine the issue of spacecraft maneuvers. The meeting was held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and was attended by the Team Leaders of all four instrument science teams with instruments on the PM-1 spacecraft, additional representatives from each of the four teams, the PM Project management, and random others. The meeting was chaired by the PM Project Scientist and open to all. The meeting was called in order to untangle some of the concerns raised over the past several months regarding whether or not the PM-1 spacecraft should undergo spacecraft maneuvers to allow the instruments to obtain deep-space views. Two of the Science Teams, those for the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), had strongly expressed the need for deep-space views in order to calibrate their instruments properly and conveniently. The other two teams, those for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB), had expressed concerns that the maneuvers involve risks to the instruments and undesired gaps in the data sets.

Parkinson, Claire L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Flight Training Simulator for Instructing the Helicopter Autorotation Maneuver (Enhanced Version)

Autorotation is a maneuver that permits a safe helicopter landing when the engine loses power. A catastrophe may occur if the pilot's control inputs are incorrect, insufficient, excessive, or poorly timed. Due to the danger involved, full-touchdown autorotations are very rarely practiced. Because in-flight autorotation training is risky, time-consuming, and expensive, the objective of the project was to develop the first helicopter flight simulator expressly designed to train students in this critical maneuver. A central feature of the project was the inclusion of an enhanced version of the Pilot-Rotorcraft Intelligent Symbology Management Simulator (PRISMS), a virtual-reality system developed by Anacapa Sciences and Thought Wave. A task analysis was performed to identify the procedural steps in the autorotation, to inventory the information needed to support student task performance, to identify typical errors, and to structure the simulator's practice environment. The system provides immediate knowledge of results, extensive practice of perceptual-motor skills, part-task training, and augmented cueing in a realistic cockpit environment. Additional work, described in this report, extended the capabilities of the simulator in three areas: 1. Incorporation of visual training aids to assist the student in learning the proper appearance of the visual scene when the maneuver is being properly performed; 2. Introduction of the requirement to land at a particular spot, as opposed to the wide, flat open field initially used, and development of appropriate metrics of success; and 3. Inclusion of wind speed and wind direction settings (and random variability settings) to add a more realistic challenge in "hitting the spot."

Rogers, Steven P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Maneuver Performance Enhancement for an Advanced Fighter/Attack Aircraft

A small scale wind tunnel test of a realistic fighter configuration has been completed in NASA Ames' 7'x10' wind tunnel. This test was part of the Fighter Lift and Control (FLAC) program, a joint NASA - USAF research program, involving small and large-scale wind-tunnel tests and computational analysis of unique lift augmentation and control devices. The goal of this program is to enhance the maneuver and control capability of next-generation Air Force multi-role fighter aircraft with low-observables geometries. The principal objective of this test was to determine the effectiveness of passive boundary layer control devices at increasing L/D at sustained maneuver lift coefficients. Vortex generators (VGs) were used to energize the boundary layer to prevent or delay separation. Corotating vanes, counter-rotating vanes, and Wheeler Wishbone VGs were used in the vicinity of the leading and trailing edge flap hinge lines. Principle test parameters were leading and trailing edge flap deflections, and location, size, spacing, and orientation for each VG type. Gurney flaps were also tested. Data gathered include balance force and moment data, surface pressures, and flow visualization for characterizing flow behavior and locating separation lines. Results were quite different for the two best flap configurations tested. All VG types tested showed improvement (up to 5%) in maneuver L/D with flaps at LE=20 degrees, TE=0 degrees. The same VGs degraded performance, in all but a few cases, with flaps at LE=15 degrees, TE=10 degrees.

Samuels, Jeff↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Maneuver Planning Process for the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) Mission

The Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) mission utilized a strategy combining highly eccentric phasing loops with a lunar gravity assist to provide a zero-cost insertion into a Lissajous orbit about the Sun-Earth/Moon L2 point. Maneuvers were executed at the phasing loop perigees to correct for launch vehicle errors and to target the lunar gravity assist so that a suitable orbit at L2 was achieved. This paper will discuss the maneuver planning process for designing, verifying, and executing MAP's maneuvers. This paper will also describe how commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tools were used to execute these tasks and produce a command sequence ready for upload to the spacecraft. These COTS tools included Satellite Tool Kit, MATLAB, and Matrix-X.

Mesarch, Michael A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Orbit Design and Autonomous Maneuvers

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission must meet the challenge of measuring worldwide precipitation every three hours. The GPM core spacecraft, part of a constellation, will be required to maintain a circular orbit in a high drag environment at a near-critical inclination. Analysis shows that a mean orbit altitude of 407 km is necessary to prevent ground track repeating. Combined with goals to minimize maneuver operation impacts to science data collection and to enable reasonable long-term orbit predictions, the GPM project has decided to fly the GSFC autonomous maneuver system, AutoCon(TM). This system is a follow-up version of the highly successful New Millennium Program technology flown onboard the Earth Observing-1 formation flying mission. This paper presents the driving science requirements and goals of the GPM mission and shows how they will be met. Selection of the mean semi-major axis, eccentricity, and the AV budget for several ballistic properties are presented. The architecture of the autonomous maneuvering system to meet the goals and requirements is presented along with simulations using GPM parameters. Additionally, the use of the GPM autonomous system to mitigate possible collision avoidance and to aid other spacecraft systems during navigation outages is explored.

Folta, David↗
NASA NTRS2003

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Orbit Design and Autonomous Maneuvers

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission will meet a challenge of measuring worldwide precipitation every three hours. The GPM spacecraft, part of a constellation, will be required to maintain a circular orbit in a high drag environment to accomplish this challenge. Analysis by the Flight Dynamics Analysis Branch has shown that the prime orbit altitude of 40% is necessary to prevent ground track repeating. Combined with goals to minimize maneuver impacts to science data collection and enabling reasonable long-term orbit predictions, the GPM project has decided to fly an autonomous maneuver system. This system is a derivative of the successful New Millennium Program technology flown onboard the Earth Observing-1 mission. This paper presents the driving science requirements and goals of the mission and shows how they will be met. Analysis of the orbit optimization and the AV requirements for several ballistic properties are presented. The architecture of the autonomous maneuvering system to meet the goals and requirements is presented along with simulations using a GPM prototype. Additionally, the use of the GPM autonomous system to mitigate possible collision avoidance and to aid other spacecraft systems during navigation outages is explored.

Folta, David↗
NASA NTRS2003

Maneuver and Trajectory Design for the ST5 Constellation

This paper outlines the trajectory and maneuver design of the Space Technology 5 (ST5) mission constellation. Design challenges for the release and deployment of the three ST5 spacecraft into a highly elliptic orbit include collision avoidance, limited delta-v budget, and coupled attitude and orbit maneuver dynamics. The derived requirements levied on STSs subsystems and the launch vehicle for the successful release and deployment of the constellation are outlined. A maneuver strategy for deployment is given, as well as a delta-v budget showing appropriate margin for contingency.

Concha, Marco A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Trial Maneuver Generation and Selection in the Paladin Tactical Decision Generation System

To date, increased levels of maneuverability and controllability in aircraft have been postulated as tactically advantageous, but little research has studied maneuvers or tactics that make use of these capabilities. In order to help fill this void, a real time tactical decision generation system for air combat engagements, Paladin, has been developed. Paladin models an air combat engagement as a series of discrete decisions. A detailed description of Paladin's decision making process is presented. This includes the sources of data used, methods of generating reasonable maneuvers for the Paladin aircraft, and selection criteria for choosing the "best" maneuver. Simulation results are presented that show Paladin to be relatively insensitive to errors introduced into the decision process by estimation of future positional and geometric data.

Chappell, Alan R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Mechanisms of blood pressure alterations in response to the Valsalva maneuver in postural tachycardia syndrome

The postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is characterized clinically by orthostatic lightheadedness and tachycardia. When these patients perform a Valsalva maneuver, there is an excessive blood pressure increment after cessation of the maneuver (phase IV) that is sometimes associated with headaches. It is not known whether excessive phase IV is due to excessive peripheral vascular tone (an alpha-adrenergic mechanism) or is a manifestation of increased beta-adrenergic tone (hyperadrenergic state). The authors undertook a pharmacologic study evaluating the effect of intravenous phentolamine (alpha-adrenergic antagonist) and propranolol (beta-adrenergic antagonist) on the different phases of the Valsalva maneuver in a group of patients with POTS and age-matched normal control subjects. Patients with POTS had mean phases, when compared with controls, that were characterized by more negative II_E (p = 0.07), smaller II_L (p = 0.04), and significantly larger phase IV (p = 0.001). The effect of phentolamine was qualitatively and quantitatively different in POTS when compared with controls. Ten mg phentolamine in controls resulted in a significant accentuation of phase II_E (p = 0.001), attenuation of phase II_L (p = 0.002), and increase of phase IV (57.6 vs 30.7 mm Hg; p = 0.025). These changes resembled those of patients with POTS at baseline. In patients with POTS, the phase II abnormalities, already present, were further accentuated (p <0.001), and phase IV became smaller (50.6 vs 73.8 mm Hg; p = 0.09). Propranolol had no significant effect on phases II_E and II_L, but significantly reduced phase IV in both controls (p <0.05) and in patients with POTS (p <0.001) and improved the headache symptoms, when present, during and after phase IV. The authors conclude that phase IV is mainly under beta-adrenergic regulation and that the exaggerated phase IV in POTS is a result of a hyperadrenergic state.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2004

A Direct Approach for Minimum Fuel Maneuvers of Distributed Spacecraft in Multiple Flight Regimes

In this work we present a method to solve the impulsive minimum fuel maneuver problem for a distributed set of spacecraft. We develop the method assuming a fully non-linear dynamics model and parameterize the problem to allow the method to be applicable to any flight regime. Furthermore, the approach is not limited by the inter-spacecraft separation distances and is applicable to both small formations as well as constellations. We assume that the desired relative motion is driven by mission requirements and has been determined a-priori. The goal of this work is to develop a technique to achieve the desired relative motion in a minimum fuel manner. To permit applicability to multiple flight regimes, we have chosen to parameterize the cost function in terms of the maneuver times expressed in a useful time system and the maneuver locations expressed in their Cartesian vector representations. We also include as an independent variable the initial reference orbit to solve for the optimal injection orbit to minimize and equalize the fuel expenditure of distributed sets of spacecraft with large inter-spacecraft separations. In this work we derive the derivatives of the cost and constraints with respect to all of the independent variables.

Hughes, Steven P↗
NASA NTRS1953

Time-History Data of Maneuvers Performed by a Republic F84G Airplane During Squadron Operational Training

Preliminary results of one phase of a control-motion study program involving several jet fighter-type airplanes are presented in time-history form and are summarized as maximum measured quantities plotted against indicated airspeed. The results pertain to approximately 1,000 maneuvers performed by a Republic F-84G jet-fighter airplane during squadron operational training. The data include most tactical maneuvers of which the F-84G airplane is capable. Maneuvers were performed at pressure altitudes of 0 to 30,000 feet with indicated airspeeds ranging from the stalling speed to approximately 515 knots.

Hamer, Harold A.↗