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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 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Analyzing human errors in flight mission operations

A long-term program is in progress at JPL to reduce cost and risk of flight mission operations through a defect prevention/error management program. The main thrust of this program is to create an environment in which the performance of the total system, both the human operator and the computer system, is optimized. To this end, 1580 Incident Surprise Anomaly reports (ISA's) from 1977-1991 were analyzed from the Voyager and Magellan projects. A Pareto analysis revealed that 38 percent of the errors were classified as human errors. A preliminary cluster analysis based on the Magellan human errors (204 ISA's) is presented here. The resulting clusters described the underlying relationships among the ISA's. Initial models of human error in flight mission operations are presented. Next, the Voyager ISA's will be scored and included in the analysis. Eventually, these relationships will be used to derive a theoretically motivated and empirically validated model of human error in flight mission operations. Ultimately, this analysis will be used to make continuous process improvements continuous process improvements to end-user applications and training requirements. This Total Quality Management approach will enable the management and prevention of errors in the future.

Bruno, Kristin J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Development of Multi-Vehicle (m:N) Operations with NASA Langley’s Remote Vehicle Operations Center

To achieve the vision of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), a transition from localized operations of aircraft to remote operations is being pursued across many use cases. This transition will allow fewer human operators to manage more increasingly autonomous aircraft (i.e., m operators managing N vehicles, or m:N). To study this operational concept, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a prototype remote vehicle operations center and ground control station (GCS) software to conduct research with simulated and real flight operations. To date, flight operations at LaRC have been limited to one vehicle per operator. However, the current paper describes initial development and considerations for enabling m:N flight operations at LaRC. Further, the research described in this paper provides the foundation for a concept of operations (ConOps) that will be developed to support remote operators managing multiple increasingly autonomous vehicles, with the goal of exploring human-autonomy teaming (HAT) concepts that enable more advanced m:N operations. Two key enablers have been identified to facilitate successful m:N operations: GCS software updates for multi-vehicle management and procedural updates for vehicle handoffs during off-nominal events. Additionally, specific modifications were identified across five key areas: technology and software, team structure, inter-team communication, contingency plans, and operator decision flows. Next steps in forming the LaRC m:N ConOps will include working with subject-matter experts to identify off-nominal scenarios, implementing the recommended GCS functionality for m:N operations, and performing integration testing of facility capabilities and new operational procedures. Although the future m:N ConOps will be tailored to the NASA LaRC remote operations facility and flight range, it is intended to be a transparent, accessible, and reality-based exemplar for external organizations seeking to create or evaluate their own m:N operational concepts.

m:N↗
NASA NTRS1977

Formulation of consumables management models: Mission planning processor payload interface definition

Consumables models required for the mission planning and scheduling function are formulated. The relation of the models to prelaunch, onboard, ground support, and postmission functions for the space transportation systems is established. Analytical models consisting of an orbiter planning processor with consumables data base is developed. A method of recognizing potential constraint violations in both the planning and flight operations functions, and a flight data file storage/retrieval of information over an extended period which interfaces with a flight operations processor for monitoring of the actual flights is presented.

Torian, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1976

STS payloads mission control study phase A-1, volume 1, phases A and A-1

The Space Transportation System (STS) Payloads Mission Control Phase A-1 Study results are summarized. The composite resources required to accomplish Joint STS-Payload preflight preparation for joint flight operations, including flight planning, training, and simulations are presented. The Standard Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) concept was developed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2004

X-37 Flight Demonstrator: X-40A Flight Test Approach

The flight test objectives are: Evaluate calculated air data system (CADS) experiment. Evaluate Honeywell SIGI (GPS/INS) under flight conditions. Flight operation control center (FOCC) site integration and flight test operations. Flight test and tune GN&C algorithms. Conduct PID maneuvers to improve the X-37 aero database. Develop computer air date system (CADS) flight data to support X-37 system design.

Mitchell, Dan↗
NASA NTRS2011

DBD Plasma Actuators for Flow Control in Air Vehicles and Jet Engines - Simulation of Flight Conditions in Test Chambers by Density Matching

Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Plasma actuators for active flow control in aircraft and jet engines need to be tested in the laboratory to characterize their performance at flight operating conditions. DBD plasma actuators generate a wall-jet electronically by creating weakly ionized plasma, therefore their performance is affected by gas discharge properties, which, in turn, depend on the pressure and temperature at the actuator placement location. Characterization of actuators is initially performed in a laboratory chamber without external flow. The pressure and temperature at the actuator flight operation conditions need to be simultaneously set in the chamber. A simplified approach is desired. It is assumed that the plasma discharge depends only on the gas density, while other temperature effects are assumed to be negligible. Therefore, tests can be performed at room temperature with chamber pressure set to yield the same density as in operating flight conditions. The needed chamber pressures are shown for altitude flight of an air vehicle and for jet engines at sea-level takeoff and altitude cruise conditions. Atmospheric flight conditions are calculated from standard atmosphere with and without shock waves. The engine data was obtained from four generic engine models; 300-, 150-, and 50-passenger (PAX) aircraft engines, and a military jet-fighter engine. The static and total pressure, temperature, and density distributions along the engine were calculated for sea-level takeoff and for altitude cruise conditions. The corresponding chamber pressures needed to test the actuators were calculated. The results show that, to simulate engine component flows at in-flight conditions, plasma actuator should be tested over a wide range of pressures. For the four model engines the range is from 12.4 to 0.03 atm, depending on the placement of the actuator in the engine. For example, if a DBD plasma actuator is to be placed at the compressor exit of a 300 PAX engine, it has to be tested at 12.4 atm for takeoff, and 6 atm for cruise conditions. If it is to be placed at the low-pressure turbine, it has to be tested at 0.5 and 0.2 atm, respectively. These results have implications for the feasibility and design of DBD plasma actuators for jet engine flow control applications. In addition, the distributions of unit Reynolds number, Mach number, and velocity along the engine are provided. The engine models are non-proprietary and this information can be used for evaluation of other types of actuators and for other purposes.

Ashpis, David E.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Evaluating Fatigue in Operational Settings: The NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program

In response to a 1980 Congressional request, NASA Ames initiated a program to examine fatigue in flight operations. The Program objectives are to examine fatigue, sleep loss, and circadian disruption in flight operations, determine the effects of these factors on flight crew performance, and the development of fatigue countermeasures. The NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program conducts controlled laboratory experiments, full-mission flight simulations, and field studies. A range of subjective, behavioral, performance, physiological, and environmental measures are used depending on study objectives. The Program has developed substantial expertise in gathering data during actual flight operations and in other work settings. This has required the development of ambulatory and other measures that can be carried throughout the world and used at 41,000 feet in aircraft cockpits. The NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program has examined fatigue in shorthaul, longhaul, overnight cargo, and helicopter operations. A recent study of planned cockpit rest periods demonstrated the effectiveness of a brief inflight nap to improve pilot performance and alertness. This study involved inflight reaction time/vigilance performance testing and EEG/EOG measures of physiological alertness. The NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program has applied scientific findings to the development of education and training materials on fatigue countermeasures, input to federal regulatory activities on pilot flight, duty, and rest requirements, and support of National Transportation Safety Board accident investigations. Current activities are examining fatigue in nonaugmented longhaul flights, regional/commuter flight operations, corporate/business aviation, and psychophysiological variables related to performance.

Rosekind, Mark R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

TPSAS-NF1676L-11132-DND

The Orion Pad Abort 1 Flight Test occurred on May 6th, 2010 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The test was the first for the Orion vehicle and was primarily a test of the Orion Launch Abort System’s ability to execute an abort from the launch pad. The test was successful, and, in most cases, results were well within predicted outcomes. For this test, the thermal control subsystem was an inherent part of the flight operations team. The thermal team provided pre-launch predictions of component temperatures, set component temperature limits, and monitored those limits during the flight operations process as part of the primary flight operations team. The thermal team was also responsible for day-of-flight predictions of the main abort motor’s propellant mean bulk temperature, a key launch constraint for the test. After the test, thermal data was collected, reviewed, and compared against pre-launch predictions showing very good agreement in most areas. Based on the pre-test and flight operations experience, a detailed list of lessons learned has been developed and will be reviewed prior to potential future Orion or other such flight tests.

Joseph F Gasbarre↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-11021-DND

The Orion Pad Abort 1 Flight Test occurred on May 6th, 2010 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The test was the first for the Orion vehicle and was primarily a test of the Orion Launch Abort System’s ability to execute an abort from the launch pad. The test was successful and in most cases results were well within predicted outcomes. For this test, the thermal control subsystem was an inherent part of the flight operations team. The thermal team provided pre-launch predictions of component temperatures, set component temperature limits, and monitored those limits during the flight operations process as part of the primary flight operations team. The thermal team was also responsible for day-of-flight predictions of the main abort motor’s propellant mean bulk temperature, a key launch constraint for the test. After the test, thermal data was collected, reviewed, and compared against pre-launch predictions showing very good agreement in most areas. Based on the pre-test and flight operations experience, a detailed list of lessons learned has been developed and will be reviewed prior to potential future Orion or other such flight tests.

Joseph F Gasbarre↗
NASA NTRS2013

Damage Detection Response Characteristics of Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensors

The capability to assess the current or future state of the health of an aircraft to improve safety, availability, and reliability while reducing maintenance costs has been a continuous goal for decades. Many companies, commercial entities, and academic institutions have become interested in Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) and a growing effort of research into "smart" vehicle sensing systems has emerged. Methods to detect damage to aircraft materials and structures have historically relied on visual inspection during pre-flight or post-flight operations by flight and ground crews. More quantitative non-destructive investigations with various instruments and sensors have traditionally been performed when the aircraft is out of operational service during major scheduled maintenance. Through the use of reliable sensors coupled with data monitoring, data mining, and data analysis techniques, the health state of a vehicle can be detected in-situ. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is developing a composite aircraft skin damage detection method and system based on open circuit SansEC (Sans Electric Connection) sensor technology. Composite materials are increasingly used in modern aircraft for reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing the overall design, performance, and manufacturability of airborne vehicles. Materials such as fiberglass reinforced composites (FRC) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are being used to great advantage in airframes, wings, engine nacelles, turbine blades, fairings, fuselage structures, empennage structures, control surfaces and aircraft skins. SansEC sensor technology is a new technical framework for designing, powering, and interrogating sensors to detect various types of damage in composite materials. The source cause of the in-service damage (lightning strike, impact damage, material fatigue, etc.) to the aircraft composite is not relevant. The sensor will detect damage independent of the cause. Damage in composite material is generally associated with a localized change in material permittivity and/or conductivity. These changes are sensed using SansEC. The unique electrical signatures (amplitude, frequency, bandwidth, and phase) are used for damage detection and diagnosis. An operational system and method would incorporate a SansEC sensor array on select areas of the aircraft exterior surfaces to form a "Smart skin" sensing surface. In this paper a new method and system for aircraft in-situ damage detection and diagnosis is presented. Experimental test results on seeded fault damage coupons and computational modeling simulation results are presented. NASA LaRC has demonstrated with individual sensors that SansEC sensors can be effectively used for in-situ composite damage detection of delamination, voids, fractures, and rips. Keywords: Damage Detection, Composites, Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring (IVHM), Aviation Safety, SansEC Sensors

Dudley, Kenneth L.↗
NASA NTRS2015

LDSD POST2 Simulation and SFDT-1 Pre-Flight Launch Operations Analyses

The Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) Project's first Supersonic Flight Dynamics Test (SFDT-1) occurred June 28, 2014. Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) was utilized to develop trajectory simulations characterizing all SFDT-1 flight phases from drop to splashdown. These POST2 simulations were used to validate the targeting parameters developed for SFDT- 1, predict performance and understand the sensitivity of the vehicle and nominal mission designs, and to support flight test operations with trajectory performance and splashdown location predictions for vehicle recovery. This paper provides an overview of the POST2 simulations developed for LDSD and presents the POST2 simulation flight dynamics support during the SFDT-1 launch, operations, and recovery.

Bowes, Angela L.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Historical Overview of V/STOL Aircraft Technology

For over 25 years a concerted effort has been made to derive aircraft that combine the vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of the helicopter and the high cruise speeds of conventional aircraft. During this time, over 60 V/STOL types have been studied and flown with varying degrees of success. The requirements for satisfactory characteristics in several key technology areas are discussed and a review is made of various V/STOL aircraft for the purpose of assessing the success or failure of each design in meeting design requirements. This survey shows that in spite of many problems revealed, special operating techniques were developed to help circumvent deficiencies. For the most part performance and handling qualities limitations restricted operational evaluations. Flight operations emphasized the need for good STOL performance, good handling qualities, and stability and control augmentation. The majority of aircraft suffered adverse ground effects. There is a continued need to update and improve flight test techniques and facilities to ensure satisfactory performance and control before and during flight testing.

Anderson, Seth B.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Multi-User Space Link Extension (SLE) System

The Multi-User Space (MUS) Link Extension system, a software and data system, provides Space Link Extension (SLE) users with three space data transfer services in timely, complete, and offline modes as applicable according to standards defined by the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS). MUS radically reduces the schedule, cost, and risk of implementing a new SLE user system, minimizes operating costs with a lights-out approach to SLE, and is designed to require no sustaining engineering expense during its lifetime unless changes in the CCSDS SLE standards, combined with new provider implementations, force changes. No software modification to MUS needs to be made to support a new mission. Any systems engineer with Linux experience can begin testing SLE user service instances with MUS starting from a personal computer (PC) within five days. For flight operators, MUS provides a familiar-looking Web page for entering SLE configuration data received from SLE. Operators can also use the Web page to back up a space mission's entire set of up to approximately 500 SLE service instances in less than five seconds, or to restore or transfer from another system the same amount of data from a MUS backup file in about the same amount of time. Missions operate each MUS SLE service instance independently by sending it MUS directives, which are legible, plain ASCII strings. MUS directives are usually (but not necessarily) sent through a TCP-IP (Transmission Control Protocol Internet Protocol) socket from a MOC (Mission Operations Center) or POCC (Payload Operations Control Center) system, under scripted control, during "lights-out" spacecraft operation. MUS permits the flight operations team to configure independently each of its data interfaces; not only commands and telemetry, but also MUS status messages to the MOC. Interfaces can use single- or multiple-client TCP/IP server sockets, TCP/IP client sockets, temporary disk files, the system log, or standard in, standard out, or standard error as applicable. By defining MUS templates in ASCII, the flight operations team can include any MUS system variable in telemetry or command headers or footers, and/or in status messages. Data fields can be arranged within messages in different sequences, according to the mission s needs. The only constraints imposed are on the format of MUS directive strings, and some bare minimum logical requirements that must be met in order for MUS to read the mission control center's spacecraft command inputs. The MUS system imposes no limits or constraints on the numbers and combinations of missions and SLE service instances that it will support simultaneously. At any time, flight operators may add, change, delete, bind, connect, or disconnect.

Perkins, Toby↗
NASA NTRS1981

Historical overview of V/STOL aircraft technology

The requirements for satisfactory characteristics in several key technology areas are discussed and a review is made of various V/STOL aircraft for the purpose of assessing the success or failure of each design in meeting design requirements. Special operating techniques were developed to help circumvent deficiencies. For the most part performance and handling qualities limitations restricted operational evaluations. Flight operations emphasized the need for good STOL performance, good handling qualities, and stability and control augmentation. The majority of aircraft suffered adverse ground effects.

Anderson, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Space Shuttle redesign status

NASA has conducted an extensive redesign effort for the Space Shutle in the aftermath of the STS 51-L Challenger accident, encompassing not only Shuttle vehicle and booster design but also such system-wide factors as organizational structure, management procedures, flight safety, flight operations, sustainable flight rate, and maintenance safeguards. Attention is presently given to Solid Rocket Booster redesign features, the Shuttle Main Engine's redesigned high pressure fuel and oxidizer turbopumps, the Shuttle Orbiter's braking and rollout (landing gear) system, the entry control mode of the flight control system, a 'split-S' abort maneuver for the Orbiter, and crew escape capsule proposals.

Brand, Vance D.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Cryogenic On-Orbit Liquid Depot-Storage, Acquisition and Transfer (COLD-SAT) Experiment Conceptual Design and Feasibility Study

The cryogenic fluid management technologies required for the exploration of the solar system can only be fully developed via space-based experiments. A dedicated spacecraft is the most efficient way to perform these experiments. This report documents the extended conceptual design of the COLD-SAT spacecraft, capable of meeting these experimental requirements. All elements, including the spacecraft, ground segment, launch site modifications and launch vehicle operations, and flight operations are included. Greatly expanded coverage is provided for those areas unique to this cryogenic spacecraft, such as the experiment system, attitude control system, and spacecraft operations. Supporting analyses are included as are testing requirements, facilities surveys, and proposed project timelines.

Kramer, Edward↗
NASA NTRS2000

Crew/Automation Interaction in Space Transportation Systems: Lessons Learned from the Glass Cockpit

The progressive integration of automation technologies in commercial transport aircraft flight decks - the 'glass cockpit' - has had a major, and generally positive, impact on flight crew operations. Flight deck automation has provided significant benefits, such as economic efficiency, increased precision and safety, and enhanced functionality within the crew interface. These enhancements, however, may have been accrued at a price, such as complexity added to crew/automation interaction that has been implicated in a number of aircraft incidents and accidents. This report briefly describes 'glass cockpit' evolution. Some relevant aircraft accidents and incidents are described, followed by a more detailed description of human/automation issues and problems (e.g., crew error, monitoring, modes, command authority, crew coordination, workload, and training). This paper concludes with example principles and guidelines for considering 'glass cockpit' human/automation integration within space transportation systems.

Rudisill, Marianne↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Muli-Mission Operations Strategy for Sequencing and Commanding

The Telecommunications and Mission Operations Directorate (TMOD) of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is responsible for development, maintenance and operation of flight operations systems for several classes of science missions planned for the next several years.

sequencing commanding operations↗