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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

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NASA NTRS1973

Steady state analysis of Energy Transfer Control (ETC) and compressor bleed concepts of remote lift fan control

Two new concepts of control for VTOL aircraft remote lift fans are analyzed and discussed. Both concepts employ flow transfer among lift fans located in separate parts of the aircraft in order to obtain attitude control moments in hover and low-speed flight. The results presented are from a digital computer analysis of the YJ97/LF460 remote drive turbofan, although qualitative conclusions should apply to any remote fan system. The basic operating principles of the two systems are described, and their steady-state moment generating capabilities are discussed. Lift-recovery strategies for component failures are also analyzed.

Sellers, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Skylab IMSS checklist application study for emergency medical care

A manual is presented that provides basic technical documentation to support the operation and utilization of the Portable Ambulance Module (PAM) in the field. The PAM is designed to be used for emergency resuscitation and victim monitoring. The functions of all the controls, displays, and stowed equipment of the unit are defined. Supportive medical and physiological data in those areas directly related to the uses of the PAM unit are presented.

Carl, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1980

F100 multivariable control synthesis program: A review of full scale engine altitude tests

The benefits of linear quadratic regulator synthesis methods in designing a multivariable engine control capable of operating an engine throughout its flight envelope were demonstrated. The entire multivariable control synthesis program is reviewed with particular emphasis on engine tests conducted in the NASA Lewis propulsion systems laboratory altitude facility. The multivariable control has basically a proportional plus integral, model following structure with gains scheduled as functions of flight condition. The multivariable control logic design is described, along with control computer implementation aspects. Altitude tests demonstrated that the multivariable control logic could control an engine over a wide range of test conditions. Representative transient responses are presented to demonstrate engine behavior and the functioning of the control logic.

Lehtinen, B.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Teleoperator maneuvering system

The Teleoperator Maneuvering System (TMS) is a Shuttle launched, free-flying, remotely controlled reusable propulsive stage capable of performing spacecraft and payload placement services, retrieval functions, assembly/servicing support for large space systems, dexterous manipulator operations for planned or contingency satellite servicing, satellite viewing, and subsatellite science support. The basic TMS segments, subsystems and performance are described, beginning with the criteria and requirements derived from mission models. Examples of TMS benefits to the STS and user communities are demonstrated. TMS applications such as support and servicing of Space Station, materials processing and subsatellite missions are presented.

Turner, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1998

The Control System for the X-33 Linear Aerospike Engine

The linear aerospike engine is being developed for single-stage -to-orbit (SSTO) applications. The primary advantages of a linear aerospike engine over a conventional bell nozzle engine include altitude compensation, which provides enhanced performance, and lower vehicle weight resulting from the integration of the engine into the vehicle structure. A feature of this integration is the ability to provide thrust vector control (TVC) by differential throttling of the engine combustion elements, rather than the more conventional approach of gimballing the entire engine. An analysis of the X-33 flight trajectories has shown that it is necessary to provide +/- 15% roll, pitch and yaw TVC authority with an optional capability of +/- 30% pitch at select times during the mission. The TVC performance requirements for X-33 engine became a major driver in the design of the engine control system. The thrust level of the X-33 engine as well as the amount of TVC are managed by a control system which consists of electronic, instrumentation, propellant valves, electro-mechanical actuators, spark igniters, and harnesses. The engine control system is responsible for the thrust control, mixture ratio control, thrust vector control, engine health monitoring, and communication to the vehicle during all operational modes of the engine (checkout, pre-start, start, main-stage, shutdown and post shutdown). The methodology for thrust vector control, the health monitoring approach which includes failure detection, isolation, and response, and the basic control system design are the topic of this paper. As an additional point of interest a brief description of the X-33 engine system will be included in this paper.

Jackson, Jerry E.↗

NASA NTRS2011

A Panchromatic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer for the NASA Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events Mission

This paper summarizes the design and development of the Panchromatic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (PanFTS) for the NASA Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) Mission. The PanFTS instrument will advance the understanding of the global climate and atmospheric chemistry by measuring spectrally resolved outgoing thermal and reflected solar radiation. With continuous spectral coverage from the near-ultraviolet through the thermal infrared, this instrument is designed to measure pollutants, greenhouse gases, and aerosols as called for by the U.S. National Research Council Decadal Survey; Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond1. The PanFTS instrument is a hybrid instrument based on spectrometers like the Tropospheric Emissions Spectrometer (TES) that measures thermal emission, and those like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) that measure scattered solar radiation. Simultaneous measurements over the broad spectral range from IR to UV is accomplished by a two sided interferometer with separate optical trains and detectors for the ultraviolet-visible and infrared spectral domains. This allows each side of the instrument to be independently optimized for its respective spectral domain. The overall interferometer design is compact because the two sides share a single high precision cryogenic optical path difference mechanism (OPDM) and metrology laser as well as a number of other instrument systems including the line-of-sight pointing mirror, the data management system, thermal control system, electrical system, and the mechanical structure. The PanFTS breadboard instrument has been tested in the laboratory and demonstrated the basic functionality for simultaneous measurements in the visible and infrared. It is set to begin operations in the field at the California Laboratory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (CLARS) observatory on Mt. Wilson measuring the atmospheric chemistry across the Los Angeles basin. Development has begun on a flight size PanFTS engineering model (EM) that addresses all critical scaling issues and demonstrates operation over the full spectral range of the flight instrument which will show the PanFTS instrument design is mature.

Imaging spectrometer(↗

NASA NTRS1994

Visually guided grasping to study teleprogrammation within the BAROCO testbed

This paper describes vision functionalities required in future orbital laboratories; in such systems, robots will be needed in order to execute the on-board scientific experiments or servicing and maintenance tasks under the remote control of ground operators. For this sake, ESA has proposed a robotic configuration called EMATS; a testbed has been developed by ESTEC in order to evaluate the potentialities of EMATS-like robot to execute scientific tasks in automatic mode. For the same context, CNES develops the BAROCO testbed to investigate remote control and teleprogrammation, in which high level primitives like 'Pick Object A' are provided as basic primitives. In nominal situations, the system has an a priori knowledge about the position of all objects. These positions are not very accurate, but this knowledge is sufficient in order to predict the position of the object which must be grasped, with respect to the manipulator frame. Vision is required in order to insure a correct grasping and to guarantee a good accuracy for the following operations. We describe our results about a visually guided grasping of static objects. It seems to be a very classical problem, and a lot of results are available. But, in many cases, it lacks a realistic evaluation of the accuracy, because such an evaluation requires tedious experiments. We propose several results about calibration of the experimental testbed, recognition algorithms required to locate a 3D polyhedral object, and the grasping itself.

Devy, M.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Spacecraft Charging: Hazard Causes, Hazard Effects, Hazard Controls

Spacecraft flight environments are characterized both by a wide range of space plasma conditions and by ionizing radiation (IR), solar ultraviolet and X-rays, magnetic fields, micrometeoroids, orbital debris, and other environmental factors, all of which can affect spacecraft performance. Dr. Steven Koontz's lecture will provide a solid foundation in the basic engineering physics of spacecraft charging and charging effects that can be applied to solving practical spacecraft and spacesuit engineering design, verification, and operations problems, with an emphasis on spacecraft operations in low-Earth orbit, Earth's magnetosphere, and cis-Lunar space.

cis-lunar space↗

NASA NTRS2014

Upset Recovery Human Factors

Accident and incident analyses as well as industry group concerns and recommendations have justified taking a second look at proficiency standards related to upset recovery training and performance. Quite a number of factors and theories have been suggested-- leading the NASA Aviation Safety Program to reconsider manual handling skills in highly automated aircraft particularly in conditions that can potentially lead to Loss of Control events. Our team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) first identified 76 Basic Recovery Skills that were important for effective crew response under five different anomaly conditions. In addition to manual handling skills, the skill set included knowledge and cognitive skills, as well as decision making and management skills. Advanced Recovery Skills were identified by combining skills, integrating with crew resource management skills, and developing heuristics for decision making.Using the Advanced Recovery Skill set, the SMEs then developed a generic process flow starting from the problem discovery phase (e.g., identifying an anomaly) through the decision making and management phase (e.g., assessing response options), through the recovery phase (e.g., controlling the aircraft). The generic process flow was refined by testing it against six additional scenarios. The next part of the project was to develop an approach for assessing and revising a generic training curriculum (we used an operators Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) as a framework). Although many of the Basic and Advanced Recovery Skills could be found in the Job Task Listing, they were not always structured or combined in the most effective way. Recommendations were developed for assessing relevant aspects of the Job Task Listing and Continuing Qualification curriculum so that the more comprehensive set of Upset Recovery skillsincluding Human Factors--could be trained and assessed in the most appropriate and effective context. The existing AQP methodology provides a natural way to insert targeted Upset Recovery skills into its system of proficiency objectives, training devices, training activities, and ultimately, into the event sets of a simulator training scenario.

AQP training↗

NASA NTRS1999

Constrained Vapor Bubble

The nonisothermal Constrained Vapor Bubble, CVB, is being studied to enhance the understanding of passive systems controlled by interfacial phenomena. The study is multifaceted: 1) it is a basic scientific study in interfacial phenomena, fluid physics and thermodynamics; 2) it is a basic study in thermal transport; and 3) it is a study of a heat exchanger. The research is synergistic in that CVB research requires a microgravity environment and the space program needs thermal control systems like the CVB. Ground based studies are being done as a precursor to flight experiment. The results demonstrate that experimental techniques for the direct measurement of the fundamental operating parameters (temperature, pressure, and interfacial curvature fields) have been developed. Fluid flow and change-of-phase heat transfer are a function of the temperature field and the vapor bubble shape, which can be measured using an Image Analyzing Interferometer. The CVB for a microgravity environment, has various thin film regions that are of both basic and applied interest. Generically, a CVB is formed by underfilling an evacuated enclosure with a liquid. Classification depends on shape and Bond number. The specific CVB discussed herein was formed in a fused silica cell with inside dimensions of 3x3x40 mm and, therefore, can be viewed as a large version of a micro heat pipe. Since the dimensions are relatively large for a passive system, most of the liquid flow occurs under a small capillary pressure difference. Therefore, we can classify the discussed system as a low capillary pressure system. The studies discussed herein were done in a 1-g environment (Bond Number = 3.6) to obtain experience to design a microgravity experiment for a future NASA flight where low capillary pressure systems should prove more useful. The flight experiment is tentatively scheduled for the year 2000. The SCR was passed on September 16, 1997. The RDR is tentatively scheduled for October, 1998.

Huang, J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Advanced ISDN satellite designs and experiments

The research performed by GTE Government Systems and the University of Colorado in support of the NASA Satellite Communications Applications Research (SCAR) Program is summarized. Two levels of research were undertaken. The first dealt with providing interim services Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) satellite (ISIS) capabilities that accented basic rate ISDN with a ground control similar to that of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). The ISIS Network Model development represents satellite systems like the ACTS orbiting switch. The ultimate aim is to move these ACTS ground control functions on-board the next generation of ISDN communications satellite to provide full-service ISDN satellite (FSIS) capabilities. The technical and operational parameters for the advanced ISDN communications satellite design are obtainable from the simulation of ISIS and FSIS engineering software models of the major subsystems of the ISDN communications satellite architecture. Discrete event simulation experiments would generate data for analysis against NASA SCAR performance measure and the data obtained from the ISDN satellite terminal adapter hardware (ISTA) experiments, also developed in the program. The Basic and Option 1 phases of the program are also described and include the following: literature search, traffic mode, network model, scenario specifications, performance measures definitions, hardware experiment design, hardware experiment development, simulator design, and simulator development.

Pepin, Gerard R.↗

NASA NTRS1968

Development of detonation reaction engine

Reaction engine operates on the principle of a controlled condensed detonation. In this engine the gas products that are expelled from the engine to produce thrust are generated by the condensed detonation reaction. The engine is constructed of two basic sections consisting of a detonation wave generator section and a condensed detonation reaction section.

Lange, O. H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Shuttle avionics system

The avionics system of the Space Shuttle is designed in a fail operational/fail safe architecture. The guidance, navigation and control system is implemented, through the onboard Orbiter digital computers. Guidance, navigation and control sensors are triplex, while the flight control effectors are mechanized either in load sharing or quad structure. Two sets of basic flight instruments and controls are provided along with electronic interfaces to allow for multiple selection of input destination and display source selection. Communications, tracking and instrumentation subsystems are mechanized as a dual hardware design for key operational elements. The data processing system allows for quad, triplex, dual or single computer operation. The power distribution subsystem provides a triple bus system with appropriate tie elements. A functional description is given of the computer system, the data bus, the mass memory unit, the multiplexer/demultiplexer and the CRT display system.

Gardiner, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

MIL-H-8501B: Application to shipboard terminal operations

The philosophy and structure of the proposed U.S. Military Specification for Handling Qualities Requirements for Military Rotorcraft, MIL-H-8501B, are presented with emphasis on shipboard terminal operations. The impact of current and future naval operational requirements on the selection of appropriate combinations of basic vehicle dynamics and usable cue environments are identified. An example 'walk through' of MIL-H-8501B is conducted from task identification to determination of stability and control requirements. For selected basic vehicle dynamics, criteria as a function of input/response magnitude are presented. Additionally, rotorcraft design development implications are discussed.

Cappetta, A. N.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Moving-Base Simulation Evaluation of Control/Display Integration Issues for ASTOVL Aircraft

A moving-base simulation has been conducted on the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames Research Center using a model of an advanced, short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) lift fan fighter aircraft. This experiment expanded on investigations during previous simulations with this STOVL configuration with the objective of evaluating (1) control law modifications over the low speed flight envelope, (2) integration of the throttle inceptor with flight control laws that provide direct thrust command for conventional flight, vertical and short takeoff, and flightpath or vertical velocity command for transition, hover, and vertical landing, (3) control mode blending for pitch, roll, yaw, and flightpath control during transition from wing-borne to jet-borne flight, and (4) effects of conformal versus nonconformal presentation of flightpath and pursuit guidance symbology on the out-the-window display for low speed STOVL operations. Assessments were made for takeoff, transition, hover, and landing, including precision hover and landing aboard an LPH-type amphibious assault ship in the presence of winds and rough seas. Results yielded Level 1 pilot ratings for the flightpath and vertical velocity command modes for a range of land-based and shipboard operation and were consistent with previous experience with earlier control laws and displays for this STOVL concept. Control mode blending was performed over speed ranges in accord with the pilot's tasks and with the change of the basic aircraft's characteristics between wing-borne and hover flight. Blending of yaw control from heading command in hover to sideslip command in wing-borne flight performed over a broad speed range helped reduce yaw transients during acceleration through the low speed regime. Although the pilots appreciated conformality of flightpath and guidance symbols with the external scene during the approach, increased sensitivity of the symbols for lateral path tracking elevated the pilots' control activity in the presence of turbulence. The pilots preferred the choice of scaling that was originally established during the display development and in-flight evaluations.

Franklin, James A.↗

NASA NTRS2018

An Implementation Analysis of Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) Technologies for Unmanned Air Systems (UAS)

The aviation industry and government agencies face a rapidly-emerging need for integrating large-scale populations of Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) into the worldwide controlled and uncontrolled airspace. Critical components for integration include the Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) technologies necessary for ensuring safe UAS operations. Under NASA program NNA16BD84C, our work on CNS architectural concepts for the safe operation of UAS in controlled and uncontrolled airspace has introduced CNS architectures which must be analyzed in terms of implementation readiness.Controlled airspace operations for UAS are consistent with the needs for manned aviation in the worldwide Air Traffic Management (ATM) service. Uncontrolled airspace operations are consistent with the NASA Unmanned (air) Traffic Management (UTM) concept of operations. Implementation readiness is based on the NASA concept of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) ranging from TRL1 (basic principles observed and reported) to TRL9 (actual system flight proven through successful mission operations). In the architecture concepts, we have introduced a number of new CNS architectural elements which need to be correlated with TRL levels.In this paper, we present our implementation analysis for communications networks, communications data links, navigation, and surveillance. Each area has been under active research and development during the course of the current NASA program which has produced studies on UAS CNS Requirements, UAS CNS Architecture for Controlled Airspace and UAS CNS Architecture for Uncontrolled Airspace. We have published our architecture concepts in major UAS-related conferences (including iCNS2017, IEEE Aerospace 2018, and iCNS2018) and will continue to seek additional publication opportunities. We look forward to continuing our work to realize a full integration testing scenario for both controlled and uncontrolled airspace operation.

Ponchak, Denise↗

NASA NTRS2016

Detector Control and Data Acquisition for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) with a Custom ASIC

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will have the largest near-IR focal plane ever flown by NASA, a total of 18 4K x 4K devices. The project has adopted a system-level approach to detector control and data acquisition where 1) control and processing intelligence is pushed into components closer to the detector to maximize signal integrity, 2) functions are performed at the highest allowable temperatures, and 3) the electronics are designed to ensure that the intrinsic detector noise is the limiting factor for system performance. For WFIRST, the detector arrays operate at 90 to 100 K, the detector control and data acquisition functions are performed by a custom ASIC at 150 to 180 K, and the main data processing electronics are at the ambient temperature of the spacecraft, notionally approx.300 K. The new ASIC is the main interface between the cryogenic detectors and the warm instrument electronics. Its single-chip design provides basic clocking for most types of hybrid detectors with CMOS ROICs. It includes a flexible but simple-to-program sequencer, with the option of microprocessor control for more elaborate readout schemes that may be data-dependent. All analog biases, digital clocks, and analog-to-digital conversion functions are incorporated and are connected to the nearby detectors with a short cable that can provide thermal isolation. The interface to the warm electronics is simple and robust through multiple LVDS channels. It also includes features that support parallel operation of multiple ASICs to control detectors that may have more capability or requirements than can be supported by a single chip.

data acquisition↗

NASA NTRS2003

Improved Multiple-DOF SAW Piezoelectric Motors

Surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) piezoelectric motors of a proposed type would be capable of operating in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) simultaneously and would be amenable to integration into diverse structures and mechanisms. These motors would be compact and structurally simple and would not contain bearings or lead screws. One example of a particularly useful motor of this type would be a two-dimensional- translation stage. Another such example would be a self-actuated spherical joint that could be made to undergo controlled, simultaneous rotations about two orthogonal axes: Such a motor could serve as a mechanism for aiming an "eyeball" camera or as a compact transducer in, and an integral part of, a joint in a robot arm. The multiple-DOF SAW piezoelectric motors as now proposed would be successors to the ones reported in "Multiple-DOF Surface-Acoustic-Wave Piezoelectric Motors" (NPO-20735), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 24, No. 12 (December 2000), page 5b. The basic principle of operation of a multiple-DOF SAW piezoelectric motor is a straightforward extension of that of single-DOF SAW piezoelectric motors, which have been reported in several previous NASA Tech Briefs articles: For example, in the case of a linear SAW piezoelectric motor, piezoelectric transducers at opposite ends of a stator excite surface acoustic waves that travel along the surface of the stator. An object (denoted the slider) is pressed against the stator with sufficient pressure (in practice .300 MPa) that it remains in frictional contact with the stator at all times. The slider rides the crests of the waves and is thereby made to move along the surface of the stator. The direction of motion (forward or backward) is controlled by selecting the relative phase of waves generated by the two piezoelectric transducers. The speed increases with the amplitude of the waves and thus with the magnitude of the voltage applied to the transducers.

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph↗