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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 NTRS2013

Master Console System Monitoring and Control Development

The Master Console internship during the summer of 2013 involved the development of firing room displays and support applications at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This position was with the Master Console Product Group (MCPG) on the Launch Control System (LCS) project. This project is responsible for the System Monitoring and Control (SMC) and Record and Retrieval (R&R) of launch operations data. The Master Console is responsible for: loading the correct software into each of the remaining consoles in the firing room, connecting the proper data paths to and from the launch vehicle and all ground support equipment, and initializing the entire firing room system to begin processing. During my internship, I created control scripts using the Application Control Language (ACL) to analyze the health and status of Kennedy Ground Control System (KGCS) programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This application provides a system health and status display I created with summarized data for use by Master Console Operators (MCO) to monitor and verify the integrity of KGCS subsystems.

Brooks, Russell A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Environmental effects of Shuttle launch and landing

The areas of concern were the toxic exhaust cloud produced by Shuttle launch, the effect of launch operations on the total ecology, and the sonic boom produced by Orbiter re-entry. Wet acidic dust fell from the exhaust cloud for about ten minutes after launch. The fallout was not entirely unexpected, but the intensity and duration was larger than anticipated. The fallout material is not considered a significant health hazard. Previously announced in STAR as N82-15729

Potter, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Syncom 4 deploy, LDEF retrieval highlight 10-day Columbia flight

The objectives of Space Shuttle Mission STS-32 are described along with major flight activities, prelaunch and launch operations, trajectory sequence of events, and landing and post-landing operations. The primary objectives of STS-32 are the deployment of a Navy synchronous communications satellite (Syncom 4) and the retrieval of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) launched from the Challenger in April 1984. Secondary STS-32 payloads include a protein crystal growth experiment, the Fluids Experiment Apparatus (FEA) for the investigation of microgravity materials processing, the Mesoscale Lighting Experiment, the Latitude-Longitude Locator Experiment, the Americal Flight Echocardiograph, and an experiment to investigate neurospora circadian rhythms in a microgravity environment.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2011

Fractional Consumption of Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen During the Space Shuttle Program

The Space Shuttle uses the propellants, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, to meet part of the propulsion requirements from ground to orbit. The Kennedy Space Center procured over 25 million kilograms of liquid hydrogen and over 250 million kilograms of liquid oxygen during the 3D-year Space Shuttle Program. Because of the cryogenic nature of the propellants, approximately 55% of the total purchased liquid hydrogen and 30% of the total purchased liquid oxygen were used in the Space Shuttle Main Engines. The balance of the propellants were vaporized during operations for various purposes. This paper dissects the total consumption of liqUid hydrogen and liqUid oxygen and determines the fraction attributable to each of the various processing and launch operations that occurred during the entire Space Shuttle Program at the Kennedy Space Center.

Partridge, Jonathan K.↗
NASA NTRS2007

An Analysis of Peak Wind Speed Data from Collocated Mechanical and Ultrasonic Anemometers

This study compared peak wind speeds reported by mechanical and ultrasonic anemometers at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center (CCAFS/KSC) on the east central coast of Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) on the central coast of California. Launch Weather Officers, forecasters, and Range Safety analysts need to understand the performance of wind sensors at CCAFS/KSC and VAFB for weather warnings, watches, advisories, special ground processing operations, launch pad exposure forecasts, user Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) forecasts and evaluations, and toxic dispersion support. The legacy CCAFS/KSC and VAFB weather tower wind instruments are being changed from propeller-and-vane (CCAFS/KSC) and cup-and-vane (VAFB) sensors to ultrasonic sensors under the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program. Mechanical and ultrasonic wind measuring techniques are known to cause differences in the statistics of peak wind speed as shown in previous studies. The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and the 30th Weather Squadron (30 WS) requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to compare data between the RSA ultrasonic and legacy mechanical sensors to determine if there are significant differences. Note that the instruments were sited outdoors under naturally varying conditions and that this comparison was not designed to verify either technology. Approximately 3 weeks of mechanical and ultrasonic wind data from each range from May and June 2005 were used in this study. The CCAFS/KSC data spanned the full diurnal cycle, while the VAFB data were confined to 1000-1600 local time. The sample of 1-minute data from numerous levels on five different towers on each range totaled more than 500,000 minutes of data (482,979 minutes of data after quality control). The ten towers were instrumented at several levels, ranging from 12 ft to 492 ft above ground level. The ultrasonic sensors were collocated at the same vertical levels as the mechanical sensors and typically within 15 ft horizontally of each another. Data from a total of 53 RSA ultrasonic sensors, collocated with mechanical sensors were compared. The 1- minute average wind speed/direction and the 1-second peak wind speed/direction were compared.

Short, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Folding Elastic Thermal Surface - FETS

The FETS is a light and compact thermal surface (sun shade, IR thermal shield, cover, and/or deployable radiator) that is mounted on a set of offset tape-spring hinges. The thermal surface is constrained during launch and activated in space by a thermomechanical latch such as a wax actuator. An application-specific embodiment of this technology developed for the MATMOS (Mars Atmospheric Trace Molecule Occultation Spectrometer) project serves as a deployable cover and thermal shield for its passive cooler. The FETS fits compactly against the instrument within the constrained launch envelope, and then unfolds into a larger area once in space. In this application, the FETS protects the passive cooler from thermal damage and contamination during ground operations, launch, and during orbit insertion. Once unfolded or deployed, the FETS serves as a heat shield, intercepting parasitic heat loads by blocking the passive cooler s view of the warm spacecraft. The technology significantly enhances the capabilities of instruments requiring either active or passive cooling of optical detectors. This can be particularly important for instruments where performance is limited by the available radiator area. Examples would be IR optical instruments on CubeSATs or those launched as hosted payloads because radiator area is limited and views are often undesirable. As a deployable radiator, the panels making up the FETS are linked thermally by thermal straps and heat pipes; the structural support and deployment energy is provided using tape-spring hinges. The FETS is a novel combination of existing technologies. Prior art for deployable heat shields uses rotating hinges that typically must be lubricated to avoid cold welding or static friction. By using tape-spring hinges, the FETS avoids the need for lubricants by avoiding friction altogether. This also eliminates the potential for contamination of nearby cooled optics by outgassing lubricants. Furthermore, the tape-spring design of the FETS is also self-locking so the panels stay in a rigid and extended configuration after deployment. This unexpected benefit makes the tape-spring hinge design of the FETS a light, simple, reliable, compact, non-outgassing hinge, spring, and latch. While tape-spring hinges are not novel, they have never been used to deploy passive unfolding thermal surfaces (radiator panels, covers, sun shades, or IR thermal shields). Furthermore, because this technology is compact, it has minimal impact on the launch envelope and mass specifications. FETS enhances the performance of hosted payload instruments where the science data is limited by dark noise. Incorporating FETS into a thermal control system increases radiator area, which lowers the optical detector temperature. This results in higher SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) and improved science data.

Urquiza, Eugenio↗
NASA NTRS2006

A Comparison of Wind Speed Data from Mechanical and Ultrasonic Anemometers

This study compared the performance of mechanical and ultrasonic anemometers at the Eastern Range (ER; Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Florida's Atlantic coast) and the Western Range (WR; Vandenberg Air Force Base on California's Pacific coast). Launch Weather Officers, forecasters, and Range Safety analysts need to understand the performance of wind sensors at the ER and WR for weather warnings, watches, advisories, special ground processing operations, launch pad exposure forecasts, user Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) forecasts and evaluations, and toxic dispersion support. The current ER and WR weather tower wind instruments are being changed from the current propeller-and-vane (ER) and cup-and-vane (WR) sensors to ultrasonic sensors through the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program. The differences between mechanical and ultrasonic techniques have been found to cause differences in the statistics of peak wind speed in previous studies. The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and the 30th Weather Squadron (30 WS) requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to compare data between RSA and current sensors to determine if there are significant differences. Approximately 3 weeks of Legacy and RSA wind data from each range were used in the study, archived during May and June 2005. The ER data spanned the full diurnal cycle, while the WR data was confined to 1000-1600 local time. The sample of 1-minute data from numerous levels on 5 different towers on each range totaled more than 500,000 minutes of data (482,979 minutes of data after quality control). The 10 towers were instrumented at several levels, ranging from 12 ft to 492 ft above ground level. The RSA sensors were collocated at the same vertical levels as the present sensors and typically within 15 ft horizontally of each another. Data from a total of 53 RSA ultrasonic sensors, collocated with present sensors were compared. The 1-minute average wind speed/direction and the 1-second peak wind speed/direction were compared.

Short, D.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Corrosion Protection for Space and Beyond

Florida is home to NASA's Launch Operations Center. Since its establishment in July 1962, the spaceport has served as the departure gate for every American manned mission and hundreds of advanced scientific spacecraft under the Launch Services Program. The center was renamed the John F. Kennedy Space Center in late 1963 to honor the president who put America on the path to the moon. Today, NASA is on the edge of a bold new chaIlenge: the ConsteIlation Program. ConsteIlation is a NASA program to create a new generation of spacecraft for human spaceflight, consisting primarily of the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, the Orion crew capsule, the Earth Departure stage and the Lunar access module. These spacecraft will be capable of performing a variety of missions, from Space Station resupply to lunar landings. The ambitious new endeavor caIls for NASA to return human explorers to the moon and then venture even farther, to Mars and beyond. As the nation's premier spaceport, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) will playa critical role in this new chapter in exploration, particularly in the conversion of the launch facilities to accommodate the new launch vehicles. To prepare for this endeavor, the launch site and facilities for the next generation of crew and cargo vehicles must be redesigned, assembled and tested. One critical factor that is being carefuIly considered during the renovation is protecting the new facilities and structures from corrosion and deterioration.

Calle, Luz Marina↗
NASA NTRS1973

The Delta Launch Vehicle Model 2914 Series

The newest Delta launch vehicle configuration, Model 2914 is described for potential users together with recent flight results. A functional description of the vehicle, its performance, flight profile, flight environment, injection accuracy, spacecraft integration requirements, user organizational interfaces, launch operations, costs and reimbursable users payment plan are provided. The versatile, relatively low cost Delta has a flight demonstrated reliability record of 92 percent that has been established in 96 launches over twelve years while concurrently undergoing ten major upratings to keep pace with the ever increasing performance and reliability requirements of its users. At least 40 more launches are scheduled over the next three years from the Eastern and Western Test Ranges.

Gunn, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Unit Testing and Remote Display Development

The Kennedy Space Center is currently undergoing an extremely interesting transitional phase. The final Space Shuttle mission, STS-135, was completed in July of 2011. NASA is now approaching a new era of space exploration. The development of the Orion Multi- Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle that will launch the Orion are currently in progress. An important part of this transition involves replacing the Launch Processing System (LPS) which was previously used to process and launch Space Shuttles and their associated hardware. NASA is creating the Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) to replace the LPS. The SCCS will be much simpler to maintain and improve during the lifetime of the spaceflight program that it will support. The Launch Control System (LCS) is a portion of the SCCS that will be responsible for launching the rockets and spacecraft. The Integrated Launch Operations Applications (ILOA) group of SCCS is responsible for creating displays and scripts, both remote and local, that will be used to monitor and control hardware and systems needed to launch a spacecraft. It is crucial that the software contained within be thoroughly tested to ensure that it functions as intended. Unit tests must be written in Application Control Language (ACL), the scripting language used by LCS. These unit tests must ensure complete code coverage to safely guarantee there are no bugs or any kind of issue with the software.

LCS↗
NASA NTRS2012

Ground Systems Development and Operations: Exploration Begins Here

Hunger Hydraulik of Lohr, Germany has been selected as the vendor to build replacement Jacking, Leveling and Equalization cylinders for one Crawler Transporter. A site visit has been scheduled and a overview of how the Crawler Transporter fits into KSC launch operations will be presented as information. The presentation will be presented on July 11, 2012 by Pepper Phillips, the Program Manager for GSDO.

Hanna, Mary↗
NASA NTRS2019

Analyzing Error in Balloon-Based Wind Measurements Due to Spatial Separation Using the North American Regional Reanalysis

Weather balloons have been a longstanding asset to NASA and Aerospace meteorology. Balloons are used from launch vehicle design to day-of-launch operations. One of the most valuable assets from these balloons is wind data from the surface up to 30 kilometers. Due to aloft winds, the balloons may drift downrange of the launch site and vehicle flight path. A 2017 study found balloons at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) can drift as far as 200 kilometers from the launch site (Decker 2017). To obtain robust launch vehicle wind assessments, it is highly desirable to characterize the wind environment along the flight path. This study looks into the errors associated with spatial separation of wind measurements using the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR).

Curtis, Nathan↗
NASA NTRS2011

Ares I-X Range Safety Analyses Overview

Ares I-X was the first test flight of NASA's Constellation Program's Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle designed to provide manned access to low Earth orbit. As a one-time test flight, the Air Force's 45th Space Wing required a series of Range Safety analysis data products to be developed for the specified launch date and mission trajectory prior to granting flight approval on the Eastern Range. The range safety data package is required to ensure that the public, launch area, and launch complex personnel and resources are provided with an acceptable level of safety and that all aspects of prelaunch and launch operations adhere to applicable public laws. The analysis data products, defined in the Air Force Space Command Manual 91-710, Volume 2, consisted of a nominal trajectory, three sigma trajectory envelopes, stage impact footprints, acoustic intensity contours, trajectory turn angles resulting from potential vehicle malfunctions (including flight software failures), characterization of potential debris, and debris impact footprints. These data products were developed under the auspices of the Constellation's Program Launch Constellation Range Safety Panel and its Range Safety Trajectory Working Group with the intent of beginning the framework for the operational vehicle data products and providing programmatic review and oversight. A multi-center NASA team in conjunction with the 45th Space Wing, collaborated within the Trajectory Working Group forum to define the data product development processes, performed the analyses necessary to generate the data products, and performed independent verification and validation of the data products. This paper outlines the Range Safety data requirements and provides an overview of the processes established to develop both the data products and the individual analyses used to develop the data products, and it summarizes the results of the analyses required for the Ares I-X launch.

Starr, Brett R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Ares I-X Range Safety Flight Envelope Analysis

Ares I-X was the first test flight of NASA's Constellation Program's Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle designed to provide manned access to low Earth orbit. As a one-time test flight, the Air Force's 45th Space Wing required a series of Range Safety analysis data products to be developed for the specified launch date and mission trajectory prior to granting flight approval on the Eastern Range. The range safety data package is required to ensure that the public, launch area, and launch complex personnel and resources are provided with an acceptable level of safety and that all aspects of prelaunch and launch operations adhere to applicable public laws. The analysis data products, defined in the Air Force Space Command Manual 91-710, Volume 2, consisted of a nominal trajectory, three sigma trajectory envelopes, stage impact footprints, acoustic intensity contours, trajectory turn angles resulting from potential vehicle malfunctions (including flight software failures), characterization of potential debris, and debris impact footprints. These data products were developed under the auspices of the Constellation's Program Launch Constellation Range Safety Panel and its Range Safety Trajectory Working Group with the intent of beginning the framework for the operational vehicle data products and providing programmatic review and oversight. A multi-center NASA team in conjunction with the 45th Space Wing, collaborated within the Trajectory Working Group forum to define the data product development processes, performed the analyses necessary to generate the data products, and performed independent verification and validation of the data products. This paper outlines the Range Safety data requirements and provides an overview of the processes established to develop both the data products and the individual analyses used to develop the data products, and it summarizes the results of the analyses required for the Ares I-X launch.

Starr, Brett R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

An Analysis of Peak Wind Speed Data from Collocated Mechanical and Ultrasonic Anemometers

This study focuses on a comparison of peak wind speeds reported by mechanical and ultrasonic anemometers at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center (CCAFS/KSC) on the east central coast of Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) on the central coast of California. The legacy mechanical wind instruments on CCAFS/KSC and VAFB weather towers are being changed from propeller-and-vane (CCAFS/KSC) and cup-and-vane (VAFB) sensors to ultrasonic sensors under the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program. The wind tower networks on KSC/CCAFS and VAFB have 41 and 27 towers, respectively. Launch Weather Officers, forecasters, and Range Safety analysts at both locations need to understand the performance of the new wind sensors for a myriad of reasons that include weather warnings, watches, advisories, special ground processing operations, launch pad exposure forecasts, user Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) forecasts and evaluations, and toxic dispersion support. The Legacy sensors measure wind speed and direction mechanically. The ultrasonic RSA sensors have no moving parts. Ultrasonic sensors were originally developed to measure very light winds (Lewis and Dover 2004). The technology has evolved and now ultrasonic sensors provide reliable wind data over a broad range of wind speeds. However, because ultrasonic sensors respond more quickly than mechanical sensors to rapid fluctuations in speed, characteristic of gusty wind conditions, comparisons of data from the two sensor types have shown differences in the statistics of peak wind speeds (Lewis and Dover 2004). The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and the 30 WS requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to compare data from RSA and Legacy sensors to determine if there are significant differences in peak wind speed information from the two systems.

Short, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The small astronomy satellite-3 - A general description

Program objectives, components and subsystems operations of the Small Astronomy Satellite-3 are briefly described. A control system description is given covering the attitude control, the attitude detection system, the telemetry system, the command system, the power system and thermal control. Launch operations and in-orbit operations are also touched upon.

Riblet, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Energy impact assessment of NASA's past, present, and future space launch vehicles

An approach to analyze the total energy required for overall support of space launch vehicles is outlined along with some of the basic data required for such analyses. Selected results obtained by using this approach are presented for various past (some are already phased out), present, and future NASA launch vehicles, including an estimate of the total annual energy required to support one projected NASA launch vehicle traffic model. The material presented is expected to give a better insight into the details of an energy impact analysis. Major conclusions are that: (1) for expendable launch vehicle systems, the energy required to manufacture hardware and support launch operations is most significant; (2) for totally reusable systems, the energy required to process/manufacture propellants and fluids is by far the most significant contributor; and (3) up to 1991, the projected highest annual energy requirement for the NASA launch vehicles does not constitute a significant energy impact relative to the nation's total energy needs.

Rice, E. E.↗