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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 NTRS2011

High Voltage EEE Parts for EMA/EHA Applications on Manned Launch Vehicles

The objective of this paper is an assessment of high voltage electronic components required for high horsepower electric thrust vector control (TVC) systems for human spaceflight launch critical application. The scope consists of creating of a database of available Grade 1 electrical, electronic and electromechanical (EEE) parts suited to this application, a qualification path for potential non-Grade 1 EEE parts that could be used in these designs, and pathfinder testing to validate aspects of the proposed qualification plan. Advances in the state of the art in high power electric power systems enable high horsepower electric actuators, such as the electromechnical actuator (EMA) and the electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), to be used in launch vehicle TVC systems, dramaticly reducing weight, complexity and operating costs. Designs typically use high voltage insulated gate bipolar transistors (HV-IGBT). However, no Grade 1 HV-IGBT exists and it is unlikely that market factors alone will produce such high quality parts. Furthermore, the perception of risk, the lack of qualification methodoloy, the absence of manned space flight heritage and other barriers impede the adoption of commercial grade parts onto the critical path. The method of approach is to identify high voltage electronic component types and key parameters for parts currently used in high horsepower EMA/EHA applications, to search for higher quality substitutes and custom manufacturers, to create a database for these parts, and then to explore ways to qualify these parts for use in human spaceflight launch critical application, including grossly derating and possibly treating hybrid parts as modules. This effort is ongoing, but results thus far include identification of over 60 HV-IGBT from four manufacturers, including some with a high reliability process flow. Voltage ranges for HV-IGBT have been identified, as has screening tests used to characterize HV-IGBT. BSI BS ISO 21350 Space systems Off-the-shelf item utilization, developed from Marshall Work Instruction MWI8060.1 OFF-THE-SHELF HARDWARE UTILIZATION IN FLIGHT HARDWARE DEVELOPMENTwas found to provide guidance for including commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware for use in critical applications.

Griffin, Trent↗
NASA NTRS1970

Guidance and control

Wind effects on rigid launch vehicle guidance and control system design, using model incorporating structural bending and fuel sloshing

Blair, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1966

Velocity package Patent

High velocity guidance and spin stabilization gyro controlled jet reaction system for launch vehicle payloads

Wilkey, J. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Autonomous spacecraft attitude control using magnetic torquing only

Magnetic torquing of spacecraft has been an important mechanism for attitude control since the earliest satellites were launched. Typically a magnetic control system has been used for precession/nutation damping for gravity-gradient stabilized satellites, momentum dumping for systems equipped with reaction wheels, or momentum-axis pointing for spinning and momentum-biased spacecraft. Although within the small satellite community there has always been interest in expensive, light-weight, and low-power attitude control systems, completely magnetic control systems have not been used for autonomous three-axis stabilized spacecraft due to the large computational requirements involved. As increasingly more powerful microprocessors have become available, this has become less of an impediment. These facts have motivated consideration of the all-magnetic attitude control system presented here. The problem of controlling spacecraft attitude using only magnetic torquing is cast into the form of the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), resulting in a linear feedback control law. Since the geomagnetic field along a satellite trajectory is not constant, the system equations are time varying. As a result, the optimal feedback gains are time-varying. Orbit geometry is exploited to treat feedback gains as a function of position rather than time, making feasible the onboard solution of the optimal control problem. In simulations performed to date, the control laws have shown themselves to be fairly robust and a good candidate for an onboard attitude control system.

Musser, Keith L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

ALS engine controller system

This report summarizes analysis and design done on the controller system for the Advanced Launch System (ALS) main engine.

Payne, Roger↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Compendium of Wind Statistics and Models for the NASA Space Shuttle and Other Aerospace Vehicle Programs

The wind profile with all of its variations with respect to altitude has been, is now, and will continue to be important for aerospace vehicle design and operations. Wind profile databases and models are used for the vehicle ascent flight design for structural wind loading, flight control systems, performance analysis, and launch operations. This report presents the evolution of wind statistics and wind models from the empirical scalar wind profile model established for the Saturn Program through the development of the vector wind profile model used for the Space Shuttle design to the variations of this wind modeling concept for the X-33 program. Because wind is a vector quantity, the vector wind models use the rigorous mathematical probability properties of the multivariate normal probability distribution. When the vehicle ascent steering commands (ascent guidance) are wind biased to the wind profile measured on the day-of-launch, ascent structural wind loads are reduced and launch probability is increased. This wind load alleviation technique is recommended in the initial phase of vehicle development. The vehicle must fly through the largest load allowable versus altitude to achieve its mission. The Gumbel extreme value probability distribution is used to obtain the probability of exceeding (or not exceeding) the load allowable. The time conditional probability function is derived from the Gumbel bivariate extreme value distribution. This time conditional function is used for calculation of wind loads persistence increments using 3.5-hour Jimsphere wind pairs. These increments are used to protect the commit-to-launch decision. Other topics presented include the Shuttle Shuttle load-response to smoothed wind profiles, a new gust model, and advancements in wind profile measuring systems. From the lessons learned and knowledge gained from past vehicle programs, the development of future launch vehicles can be accelerated. However, new vehicle programs by their very nature will require specialized support for new databases and analyses for wind, atmospheric parameters (pressure, temperature, and density versus altitude), and weather. It is for this reason that project managers are encouraged to collaborate with natural environment specialists early in the conceptual design phase. Such action will give the lead time necessary to meet the natural environment design and operational requirements, and thus, reduce development costs.

Smith, O. E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Reusable Launch Vehicle Control in Multiple Time Scale Sliding Modes

A reusable launch vehicle control problem during ascent is addressed via multiple-time scaled continuous sliding mode control. The proposed sliding mode controller utilizes a two-loop structure and provides robust, de-coupled tracking of both orientation angle command profiles and angular rate command profiles in the presence of bounded external disturbances and plant uncertainties. Sliding mode control causes the angular rate and orientation angle tracking error dynamics to be constrained to linear, de-coupled, homogeneous, and vector valued differential equations with desired eigenvalues placement. The dual-time scale sliding mode controller was designed for the X-33 technology demonstration sub-orbital launch vehicle in the launch mode. 6DOF simulation results show that the designed controller provides robust, accurate, de-coupled tracking of the orientation angle command profiles in presence of external disturbances and vehicle inertia uncertainties. It creates possibility to operate the X-33 vehicle in an aircraft-like mode with reduced pre-launch adjustment of the control system.

Shtessel, Yuri↗
NASA NTRS2010

Internal Acoustics of a Pintle Valve with Supercritical Helium Flow

Large amplitude flow unsteadiness is a common phenomenon within the high flow rate ducts and valves associated with propulsion systems. Boundary layer noise, shear layers and vortex shedding are a few of the many sources of flow oscillations. The presence of lightly damped acoustic modes can organize and amplify these sources of flow perturbation, causing undesirable loading of internal parts. The present study investigates the self-induced acoustic environment within a pintle valve subject to high Reynolds Number flow of helium gas. Experiments were conducted to measure the internal pressure oscillations of the Ares I Launch Abort System (LAS) Attitude Control Motor (ACM) valve. The AGM consists of a solid propellant gas generator with eight pintle valves attached to the aft end. The pintle valve is designed to deliver variable upstream conditions to an attache( converging diverging nozzle. In order to investigate the full range of operating conditions 28 separate tests were conducted with varying pintle position and upstream pressure. Helium gas was utilized in order to closely mimic the speed of sound of the gas generator exhaust, minimizing required scaling during data analysis. The recordec pressure measurements were interrogated to multiple ends. The development of root mean square (RMS) value! versus Reynolds Number and Pintle position are important to creating bounding unsteady load curves for valve internal parts. Spectral analysis was also performed, helping to identify power spectral densities (PSD) of acoustic natural frequencies and boundary layer noise. An interesting and unexpected result was the identification of an acoustic mode within the valve which does not respond until the valve was over 60% open. Further, the response amplitude around this mode can be as large or larger than those associated with lower frequency modes.

Fishbach, Sean R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Pitch Guidance Optimization for the Orion Abort Flight Tests

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration created the Constellation program to develop the next generation of manned space vehicles and launch vehicles. The Orion abort system is initiated in the event of an unsafe condition during launch. The system has a controller gains schedule that can be tuned to reduce the attitude errors between the simulated Orion abort trajectories and the guidance trajectory. A program was created that uses the method of steepest descent to tune the pitch gains schedule by an automated procedure. The gains schedule optimization was applied to three potential abort scenarios; each scenario tested using the optimized gains schedule resulted in reduced attitude errors when compared to the Orion production gains schedule.

Stillwater, Ryan Allanque↗
NASA NTRS2013

Cu-Cr-Nb-Zr Alloy for Rocket Engines and Other High-Heat- Flux Applications

Rocket-engine main combustion chamber liners are used to contain the burning of fuel and oxidizer and provide a stream of high-velocity gas for propulsion. The liners in engines such as the Space Shuttle Main Engine are regeneratively cooled by flowing fuel, e.g., cryogenic hydrogen, through cooling channels in the back side of the liner. The heat gained by the liner from the flame and compression of the gas in the throat section is transferred to the fuel by the liner. As a result, the liner must either have a very high thermal conductivity or a very high operating temperature. In addition to the large heat flux (>10 MW/sq m), the liners experience a very large thermal gradient, typically more than 500 C over 1 mm. The gradient produces thermally induced stresses and strains that cause low cycle fatigue (LCF). Typically, a liner will experience a strain differential in excess of 1% between the cooling channel and the hot wall. Each time the engine is fired, the liner undergoes an LCF cycle. The number of cycles can be as few as one for an expendable booster engine, to as many as several thousand for a reusable launch vehicle or reaction control system. Finally, the liners undergo creep and a form of mechanical degradation called thermal ratcheting that results in the bowing out of the cooling channel into the combustion chamber, and eventual failure of the liner. GRCop-84, a Cu-Cr-Nb alloy, is generally recognized as the best liner material available at the time of this reporting. The alloy consists of 14% Cr2Nb precipitates in a pure copper matrix. Through experimental work, it has been established that the Zr will not participate in the formation of Laves phase precipitates with Cr and Nb, but will instead react with Cu to form the desired Cu-Zr compounds. It is believed that significant improvements in the mechanical properties of GRCop-84 will be realized by adding Zr. The innovation is a Cu-Cr-Nb-Zr alloy covering the composition range of 0.8 to 8.1 weight percent Cr, 0.7 to 7.2 weight percent Nb, 0.1 to 1.5 weight percent Zr, and balance Cu. The alloy combines two known strengthening mechanisms - dispersion strengthening by Cr2Nb precipitates (GRCop-84), and precipitation strengthening by CuxZr (AMZIRC) - to produce a synergistic increase in the capabilities of the alloy with the goal of achieving properties greater than either of the methods could achieve alone. The anticipated advantages of the alloy are higher strength at temperatures up to 700 C, improved creep strength, and significantly higher LCF lives relative to GRCop-84. The thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, and processing of the alloy are anticipated to remain largely unchanged relative to GRCop-84.

Ellis, David L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Cryogenic Propellant Tank Filling using Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

The Fluid Dynamics Branch at MSFC has positioned itself to support a wide range of customers in need of Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) analysis. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool used for all manner of internal and external propulsion applications has been extended and refined to better model cryogenic propellant storage and tanking operations. Through the CFM Portfolio project, several validation activities were initiated. Validation of propellant tank self-pressurization, autogenous pressurization, slosh-induced ullage collapse, and jet-induced mixing all aid in defining model accuracy. The on-going validation effort has enabled confident application of the tool to in-line design and evaluation of CFM hardware and operations. Recent project support included defining the impact of in-space slosh dynamics on reaction control system mass for Space Launch System (SLS) upper stages. Propellant mixing strategies were defined to improve performance of a thermal vent system for a Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) partner. Design support of in-space maneuvers, tank hardware, and autogenous pressurization operations was also provided through Human Landing System (HLS) collaboration work. The branch has engaged the CFM community to share recent findings and capabilities through several forums including conferences, technical interchange meetings, and workshops. Development and demonstration of CFM modeling capabilities continues in this work on the no-vent fill of propellant tank in micro-gravity to meet the needs of NASA and its industry partners in the endeavor to sustainably reach the Moon and beyond.

CFD↗
NASA NTRS1977

Analytic investigation of the AEM-A/HCMM attitude control system performance

The Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM), scheduled for launch in 1978, will be three-axis stabilized relative to the earth in a 600-kilometer altitude, polar orbit. The autonomous attitude control system consists of three torquing coils and a momentum wheel driven in response to error signals computed from data received from an infrared horizon sensor and a magnetometer. This paper presents a simple model of the attitude dynamics and derives the equations that determine the stability of the system during both attitude acquisition (acquisition-mode) and mission operations (mission-mode). Modifications to the proposed mission-mode control laws which speed the system's response to transient attitude errors and reduce the steady-state attitude errors are suggested. Numerical simulations are performed to validate the results obtained with the simple model.

Lerner, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

STRAP IV - High accuracy, low drift attitude control system.

The STRAP IV attitude control system was designed, tested, and successfully launched to provide stable high accuracy pointing at nontrackable X-ray sources. On its initial flight (May 19, 1972), the STRAP IV control system updated its high accuracy, rate integrating gyros on two successive stellar targets and then maneuvered the rocket body to point the experimental payload at two separate X-ray sources and an X-ray-free background location. The third axis, which remained under the control of a coarse free gyro, was updated by a technique of successive star-target coordinate transformation to ensure the correct fine-axis azimuth alignment for the high accuracy inertial maneuvers. Pointing accuracies of 4 arc min with limit cycle stability of less than 20 arc sec peak to peak were obtained on all targets.

Shrewsberry, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Rockwell Automation PLC-5 Lands Stennis Space Center with a Reliable, Flexible Control System

Ever since the first rocket was launched, people have been infatuated with the vast and unchartered frontier of space. Whether it's visiting a space center or watching a shuttle launch, people are waiting to see what will be discovered next. And even though orbiting the Earth or taking soil samples form the Moon now seems effortless, decades worth of behind-the-scenes work have helped the U.S. space program get to this point. Even today, NASA must take every precaution to ensure equipment is up to the endeavor of setting foot on the moon. As part of the initial push to put the first man on the moon, NASA established the John C. Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, Mississippi in 1961 for space engine propulsion system development. Today, Stennis has three major test complexes where engine and component testing is carried out and integrated into full motion systems for space shuttles and vehicles as well as secondary testing facilities. With different products being tested throughout the facilities, Stennis was in need of an automation system that could link the operations. By integrating a control system based on a Rockwell Automation's flexible and reliable PLC-5 controller, Stennis was able to implement projects more efficiently and focus its efforts on getting the next generation of products ready for space.

Epperson, Dave↗
NASA NTRS1993

Vehicle health management for guidance, navigation and control systems

The objective of the program was to architect a vehicle health management (VHM) system for space systems avionics that assures system readiness for launch vehicles and for space-based dormant vehicles. The platforms which were studied and considered for application of VHM for guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) included the Advanced Manned Launch System (AMLS), the Horizontal Landing-20/Personnel Launch System (HL-20/PLS), the Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) and the Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO). This set was selected because dormancy and/or availability requirements are driving the designs of these future systems.

Radke, Kathleen↗
NASA NTRS2017

Time and Frequency-Domain Cross-Verification of SLS 6DOF Trajectory Simulations

The Space Launch System (SLS) Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) team and its partners have developed several time- and frequency-based simulations for development and analysis of the proposed SLS launch vehicle. The simulations differ in fidelity and some have unique functionality that allows them to perform specific analyses. Some examples of the purposes of the various models are: trajectory simulation, multi-body separation, Monte Carlo, hardware in the loop, loads, and frequency domain stability analyses. While no two simulations are identical, many of the models are essentially six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) representations of the SLS plant dynamics, hardware implementation, and flight software. Thus at a high level all of those models should be in agreement. Comparison of outputs from several SLS trajectory and stability analysis tools are ongoing as part of the program's current verification effort. The purpose of these comparisons is to highlight modeling and analysis differences, verify simulation data sources, identify inconsistencies and minor errors, and ultimately to verify output data as being a good representation of the vehicle and subsystem dynamics. This paper will show selected verification work in both the time and frequency domain from the current design analysis cycle of the SLS for several of the design and analysis simulations. In the time domain, the tools that will be compared are MAVERIC, CLVTOPS, SAVANT, STARS, ARTEMIS, and POST 2. For the frequency domain analysis, the tools to be compared are FRACTAL, SAVANT, and STARS. The paper will include discussion of these tools including their capabilities, configurations, and the uses to which they are put in the SLS program. Determination of the criteria by which the simulations are compared (matching criteria) requires thoughtful consideration, and there are several pitfalls that may occur that can severely punish a simulation if not considered carefully. The paper will discuss these considerations and will present a framework for responding to these issues when they arise. For example, small event timing differences can lead to large differences in mass properties if the criteria are to measure those properties at the same time, or large differences in altitude if the criteria are to measure those properties when the simulation experiences a staging event. Similarly, a tiny difference in phase can lead to large gain margin differences for frequency-domain comparisons of gain margins.

Johnson, Matthew↗