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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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NASA NTRS1986

Sounding rocket and balloon flight safety philosophy and methodologies

NASA's sounding rocket and balloon goal is to successfully and safely perform scientific research. This is reflected in the design, planning, and conduct of sounding rocket and balloon operations. The purpose of this paper is to acquaint the sounding rocket and balloon scientific community with flight safety philosophy and methodologies, and how range safety affects their programs. This paper presents the flight safety philosophy for protecting the public against the risk created by the conduct of sounding rocket and balloon operations. The flight safety criteria used to implement this philosophy are defined and the methodologies used to calculate mission risk are described.

Beyma, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Large space observatories of the 21st century

Early in the 21st century, advanced space telescopes will be readied to continue the astronomical observations of the Great Observatories currently under development. This paper describes representative concepts from the very large UV/optical and gamma-ray telescopes under study by NASA, the scientific community, and industry. These studies demonstrate that historical approaches to improving the resolution and sensitivity of space telescopes have reached technology barriers which can only be overcome by innovative solutions to the telescope design. Some of the key technology issues which are guiding the approaches for advanced space telescopes are discussed, and arguments are presented that enabling technology development for these future systems must commence now.

Nein, M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Theoretical Problems in High Resolution Solar Physics, 2

The Science Working Group for the High Resolution Solar Observatory (HRSO) laid plans beginning in 1984 for a series of workshops designed to stimulate a broadbased input from the scientific community to the HRSO mission. These workshops have the dual objectives of encouraging an early start on the difficult theoretical problems in radiative transfer, magnetohydrodynamics, and plasma physics that will be posed by the HRSO data, and maintaining current discussions of results in high resolution solar studies. This workshop was the second in the series. The workshop format presented invited review papers during the formal sessions and contributed poster papers for discussions during open periods. Both are presented.

Athay, G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Satellite data management for effective data access

The management of data generated from satellite missions has not always led to effective access of that data by the scientific community. NASA has tried to alleviate this problem for ocean scientists, by initiating a program, the NASA Ocean Data System (NODS). The menu-based user interface that NODS employs allows a user to make request and receive answers within a short time of accessing the system. A catalog system, which holds information about oceanographic data sets may be queried to determine the suitability of a particular data set. Once a candidate data set is found, the user is directed to the person or place which actually holds the data. NODS also has an archive system that holds data from ocean-observing satellites. The archive may be queried to obtain a manageable data subset that can be delivered in a useful form.

Hogan, Patrick D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

MODIS Information, Data, and Control System (MIDACS) system specifications and conceptual design

The MODIS Information, Data, and Control System (MIDACS) Specifications and Conceptual Design Document discusses system level requirements, the overall operating environment in which requirements must be met, and a breakdown of MIDACS into component subsystems, which include the Instrument Support Terminal, the Instrument Control Center, the Team Member Computing Facility, the Central Data Handling Facility, and the Data Archive and Distribution System. The specifications include sizing estimates for the processing and storage capacities of each data system element, as well as traffic analyses of data flows between the elements internally, and also externally across the data system interfaces. The specifications for the data system, as well as for the individual planning and scheduling, control and monitoring, data acquisition and processing, calibration and validation, and data archive and distribution components, do not yet fully specify the data system in the complete manner needed to achieve the scientific objectives of the MODIS instruments and science teams. The teams have not yet been formed; however, it was possible to develop the specifications and conceptual design based on the present concept of EosDIS, the Level-1 and Level-2 Functional Requirements Documents, the Operations Concept, and through interviews and meetings with key members of the scientific community.

Han, D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

MODIS information, data and control system (MIDACS) level 2 functional requirements

The MODIS Information, Data and Control System (MIDACS) Level 2 Functional Requirements Document establishes the functional requirements for MIDACS and provides a basis for the mutual understanding between the users and the designers of the EosDIS, including the requirements, operating environment, external interfaces, and development plan. In defining the requirements and scope of the system, this document describes how MIDACS will operate as an element of the EOS within the EosDIS environment. This version of the Level 2 Requirements Document follows an earlier release of a preliminary draft version. The sections on functional and performance requirements do not yet fully represent the requirements of the data system needed to achieve the scientific objectives of the MODIS instruments and science teams. Indeed, the team members have not yet been selected and the team has not yet been formed; however, it has been possible to identify many relevant requirements based on the present concept of EosDIS and through interviews and meetings with key members of the scientific community. These requirements have been grouped by functional component of the data system, and by function within each component. These requirements have been merged with the complete set of Level 1 and Level 2 context diagrams, data flow diagrams, and data dictionary.

Han, D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

MODIS information, data and control system (MIDACS) operations concepts

The MODIS Information, Data, and Control System (MIDACS) Operations Concepts Document provides a basis for the mutual understanding between the users and the designers of the MIDACS, including the requirements, operating environment, external interfaces, and development plan. In defining the concepts and scope of the system, how the MIDACS will operate as an element of the Earth Observing System (EOS) within the EosDIS environment is described. This version follows an earlier release of a preliminary draft version. The individual operations concepts for planning and scheduling, control and monitoring, data acquisition and processing, calibration and validation, data archive and distribution, and user access do not yet fully represent the requirements of the data system needed to achieve the scientific objectives of the MODIS instruments and science teams. The teams are not yet formed; however, it is possible to develop the operations concepts based on the present concept of EosDIS, the level 1 and level 2 Functional Requirements Documents, and through interviews and meetings with key members of the scientific community. The operations concepts were exercised through the application of representative scenarios.

Han, D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission): A satellite mission to measure tropical rainfall

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is presented. TRMM is a satellite program being studied jointly by the United States and Japan which would carry out the systematic study of tropical rainfall required for major strides in weather and climate research. The scientific justification for TRMM is discussed. The implementation process for the scientific community, NASA management, and the other decision-makers and advisory personnel who are expected to evaluate the priority of the project is outlined.

Simpson, Joanne↗
NASA NTRS1989

Space data management at the NSSDC (National Space Sciences Data Center): Applications for data compression

The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC), established in 1966, is the largest archive for processed data from NASA's space and Earth science missions. The NSSDC manages over 120,000 data tapes with over 4,000 data sets. The size of the digital archive is approximately 6,000 gigabytes with all of this data in its original uncompressed form. By 1995 the NSSDC digital archive is expected to more than quadruple in size reaching over 28,000 gigabytes. The NSSDC digital archive is expected to more than quadruple in size reaching over 28,000 gigabytes. The NSSDC is beginning several thrusts allowing it to better serve the scientific community and keep up with managing the ever increasing volumes of data. These thrusts involve managing larger and larger amounts of information and data online, employing mass storage techniques, and the use of low rate communications networks to move requested data to remote sites in the United States, Europe and Canada. The success of these thrusts, combined with the tremendous volume of data expected to be archived at the NSSDC, clearly indicates that innovative storage and data management solutions must be sought and implemented. Although not presently used, data compression techniques may be a very important tool for managing a large fraction or all of the NSSDC archive in the future. Some future applications would consist of compressing online data in order to have more data readily available, compress requested data that must be moved over low rate ground networks, and compress all the digital data in the NSSDC archive for a cost effective backup that would be used only in the event of a disaster.

Green, James L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Eos mission design utilizing the Space Station platforms

NASA is formulating a program that will encompass many scientific disciplines and involve a large share of the international scientific community in the study of planet earth. The mission is planned for the 1990s and will involve at least four spacecraft: two provided by the NASA and one each provided by European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan. The NASA platforms will utilize elements of the Space Station Freedom program to provide the basic spacecraft engineering subsystems. These subsystems are intended to serve as the basis for future earth orbiting United States spacecraft.

Scolese, Christopher J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition - Prologue

This paper presents an introduction to the initial scientific results of the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE), as well as data from other atmospheric experiments and analyses carried out during the Arctic polar winter of 1989. Mission objectives of the AASE were to study the mechanisms of ozone depletion and redistribution in the northern polar stratosphere, including the influences of Arctic meteorology, and polar stratospheric clouds formed at low temperatures. Some major aspects of the AASE are described including: logistics and operations, meteorology, polar stratospheric clouds, trace composition and chemistry, and ozone depletion. It is concluded that the Arctic-89 experiments have provided the scientific community with a wealth of new information that will contribute to a better understanding of the polar winter stratosphere and the critical problem of global ozone depletion.

Turco, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1990

Yes, there was a moon race

Examination of newly disclosed evidence confirms that the Soviets were indeed striving to reach the moon before the U.S. in 1969. It is noted that a Soviet unmanned lunar probe crashed on the moon's surface only hours before the U.S. Apollo landing. Now confirmed openly are moon-exploration schedules that were competitive with Apollo plans, the names and histories of Soviet lunar boosters and landers, identities of the lunar cosmonauts; and even photos of manned lunar craft are available. Additional details on the troubled moon-probe program are presented: technical problems, continuous changes in goals, schedules, and planning, vehicle and personnel disasters, transfer of authority between ministries, and political power struggles in the scientific community.

Oberg, James E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An Alternative Derivation of the Nimbus 7 Total Solar Irradiance Variations

Nimbus 7 solar irradiance values have been made available to the scientific community through the open literature (e.g., Hickey et al., 1988) and through NASA data centers. A comparison of these measurements to the Solar Maximum Mission/Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (SSM/ACRIM) time series indicated differences which might be caused in part by the method of converting the Nimbus 7 raw data counts to solar irradiance values. In an effort to see if the derivation of the solar irradiance could be improved, the raw counts were extracted from the tapes and analyzed to see how a new algorithm could be constructed. The basic form of the calibration remains the same as in the previous solar irradiance derivations. However, the input values to the equation differ from what was used before. In particular, improved values of the Earth-sun distance are incorporated and new temperature sensitivities were derived. Several problems with the instrument were uncovered which previously had not been noticed. The sun did not appear to cross the center of field of the radiometer but was systematically off by 1.5 to 2.5 degrees. The analog to digital convertor changed its properties in July 1980. The gain of the electronics apparently increased by 0.03 percent in September 1987. Applying these and other changes in the processing, the day to day variations appear much more like the SMM observations. In fact, the Nimbus 7 observations are sufficiently stable that a problem with the SSM observations in the spin mode period of 1981 to 1984 can be detected when the two time series are compared.

Hoyt, Douglas V.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Distribution of gas in the inner comae of comets

In order to understand the physical and chemical processes which produce the observed spatial morphology of the cometary coma, it is necessary to analyze observational data with physically meaningful models. Thus, a coupled program of theoretical modeling and complementary observational data analysis was undertaken regarding the spatial distributions of neutral gases in the coma. More, specifically, the particular topics of interest are: (1) the theoretical modeling of the nonequilibrium dynamics of the inner coma with emphasis on the region of the coma from the transition from collisional fluid flow out to the free-flow region and on observable conditions in the coma (i.e., density, outflow speed, and temperature); and (2) the model analysis of an important set of long-slit CCD spectra of comets. The side-by-side development of models along with the observation and analysis of data is an important and integral part of this project. The scientific community has in hand valuable observational and in situ data regarding one comet, Halley. It is important to use Halley as the benchmark by which other remotely observed comet data can be understood. Therefore, the self-consistant analysis of data with appropriate models is of the utmost importance. The data analysis work includes the analysis of the spatial profiles of (OI), NH2, CN, and C2.

Combi, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1989

Minutes of the CD-ROM Workshop

The workshop described in this document had two goals: (1) to establish guidelines for the CD-ROM as a tool to distribute datasets; and (2) to evaluate current scientific CD-ROM projects as an archive. Workshop attendees were urged to coordinate with European groups to develop CD-ROM, which is already available at low cost in the U.S., as a distribution medium for astronomical datasets. It was noted that NASA has made the CD Publisher at the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) available to the scientific community when the Publisher is not needed for NASA work. NSSDC's goal is to provide the Publisher's user with the hardware and software tools needed to design a user's dataset for distribution. This includes producing a master CD and copies. The prerequisite premastering process is described, as well as guidelines for CD-ROM construction. The production of discs was evaluated. CD-ROM projects, guidelines, and problems of the technology were discussed.

King, Joseph H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility - Extending man's vision into the X-ray universe

The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility will open a clear window into the X-ray universe. This paper presents an overview of the history, objectives, and status of the program and its projected impact on man's knowledge of the cosmos. The program is shown to be a total system composed of subsystems and their interfaces, verification activities, operations considerations, and a comprehensive interface with the scientific community.

Miller, Lee A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

International programs - A growing trend

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has collaborated successfully in space science missions with a multiplicity of partners, including the European Space Agency, Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Japan, and the Soviet Union, among others. These collaborations generally arise out of common scientific goals and in the interest of economizing to take advantage of skills and capabilities among the partners. A trend towards increased cooperation in space is expected to continue as the global scientific community works together to plan future space science missions and the missions become more sophisticated.

Bunner, A. N.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Temperature and thermal emissivity of the surface of Neptune's satellite Triton

Analysis of the preliminary results from the Voyager mission to the Neptune system has provided the scientific community with several methods by which the temperature of Neptune's satellite Triton may be determined. If the 37.5 K surface temperature reported by several Voyager investigations is correct, then the photometry reported by the imaging experiment on Voyager requires that Triton's surface have a remarkably low emissivity. Such a low emissivity is not required in order to explain the photometry from the photopolarimeter experiment on Voyager. A low emissivity would be inconsistent with Triton having a rough surface at the about 100-micron scale as might be expected given the active renewal processes which appear to dominate Triton's surface.

Nelson, Robert M.↗