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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

Advanced Automation for Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry-New Opportunities for Real-Time Autonomous Analysis

The utility of MS/MS for both target compound analysis and the structure elucidation of unknowns has been described in a number of references. A broader acceptance of this technique has not yet been realized as it requires large, complex, and costly instrumentation which has not been competitive with more conventional techniques. Recent advancements in ion trap mass spectrometry promise to change this situation. Although the ion trap's small size, sensitivity, and ability to perform multiple stages of mass spectrometry have made it eminently suitable for on-line, real-time monitoring applications, advance automation techniques are required to make these capabilities more accessible to non-experts. Towards this end we have developed custom software for the design and implementation of MS/MS experiments. This software allows the user to take full advantage of the ion trap's versatility with respect to ionization techniques, scan proxies, and ion accumulation/ejection methods. Additionally, expert system software has been developed for autonomous target compound analysis. This software has been linked to ion trap control software and a commercial data system to bring all of the steps in the analysis cycle under control of the expert system. These software development efforts and their utilization for a number of trace analysis applications will be described.

Palmer, Peter T.↗

Constraint, Intelligence, and Control Hierarchy in Virtual Environments

This paper seeks to deal directly with the question of what makes virtual actors and objects that are experienced in virtual environments seem real. (The term virtual reality, while more common in public usage, is an oxymoron; therefore virtual environment is the preferred term in this paper). Reality is difficult topic, treated for centuries in those sub-fields of philosophy called ontology- "of or relating to being or existence" and epistemology- "the study of the method and grounds of knowledge, especially with reference to its limits and validity" (both from Webster s, 1965). Advances in recent decades in the technologies of computers, sensors and graphics software have permitted human users to feel present or experience immersion in computer-generated virtual environments. This has motivated a keen interest in probing this phenomenon of presence and immersion not only philosophically but also psychologically and physiologically in terms of the parameters of the senses and sensory stimulation that correlate with the experience (Ellis, 1991). The pages of the journal Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments have seen much discussion of what makes virtual environments seem real (see, e.g., Slater, 1999; Slater et al. 1994; Sheridan, 1992, 2000). Stephen Ellis, when organizing the meeting that motivated this paper, suggested to invited authors that "We may adopt as an organizing principle for the meeting that the genesis of apparently intelligent interaction arises from an upwelling of constraints determined by a hierarchy of lower levels of behavioral interaction. "My first reaction was "huh?" and my second was "yeah, that seems to make sense." Accordingly the paper seeks to explain from the author s viewpoint, why Ellis s hypothesis makes sense. What is the connection of "presence" or "immersion" of an observer in a virtual environment, to "constraints" and what types of constraints. What of "intelligent interaction," and is it the intelligence of the observer or the intelligence of the environment (whatever the latter may mean) that is salient? And finally, what might be relevant about "upwelling" of constraints as determined by a hierarchy of levels of interaction?

Sheridan, Thomas B.↗

Development of Standards for Nondestructive Evaluation of COPVs Used in Aerospace Applications

Composite OverWrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) are currently accepted by NASA based on design and qualification requirements and generally not verified by NDE for the following reasons: (1) Manufactures and end users generally do not have experience and validated quantitative methods of detecting flaws and defects of concern (1-a) If detected, the flaws are not adequately quantified and it is unclear how they may contribute to degradation in mechanical response (1-b) Carbon-epoxy COPVs also extremely sensitive to impact damage and impacts may be below the visible detection threshold (2) If damage is detected, this generally results in rejection since the effect on mechanical response is generally not known (3) NDE response has not generally been fully characterized, probability of detection (POD) established, and processes validated for evaluation of vessel condition as manufactured and delivered.

Waller, Jess M.↗

Incorporating ISO Metadata Using HDF Product Designer

The need to store in HDF5 files increasing amounts of metadata of various complexity is greatly overcoming the capabilities of the Earth science metadata conventions currently in use. Data producers until now did not have much choice but to come up with ad hoc solutions to this challenge. Such solutions, in turn, pose a wide range of issues for data managers, distributors, and, ultimately, data users. The HDF Group is experimenting on a novel approach of using ISO 19115 metadata objects as a catch-all container for all the metadata that cannot be fitted into the current Earth science data conventions. This presentation will showcase how the HDF Product Designer software can be utilized to help data producers include various ISO metadata objects in their products.

metadata↗

Magik Animation of Robotic Operations for Flight SpaceX-29 to ISS

The MAGIK Robotic analysis team provides kinematic feasibility assessments for the ISS and has produced an animation to evaluate Extravehicular Robotics (EVR) activities for the SpaceX (SpX)-29 flight. The animation also displays the current ISS configuration at the time of the flight. Flight SpX-29 includes a SpaceX Cargo Dragon vehicle docked to Node 2 Forward (N2F) International Docking Adapter (IDA) and consists of the delivery of AWE (Atmospheric Waves Experiment) and Integrated LCRD LEO User Modem Amplifier optical communications Terminal (ILLUMA-T). Robotic operations shown include the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Trunk extraction of ILLUMA-T and maneuvering to the JEM RMS Handoff position, the SPDM Trunk extraction of AWE, maneuvering to Express Logistics Carrier (ELC) 1 Site 3 to remove Space Test Program - Houston 5 (STP-H5), and the installation of AWE to ELC-1 Site 3. There is no disposal payload for this flight.

EVR↗

User's instructions for the GE cardiovascular model to simulate LBNP and tilt experiments, with graphic capabilities

The present form of this cardiovascular model simulates both 1-g and zero-g LBNP (lower body negative pressure) experiments and tilt experiments. In addition, the model simulates LBNP experiments at any body angle. The model is currently accessible on the Univac 1110 Time-Shared System in an interactive operational mode. Model output may be in tabular form and/or graphic form. The graphic capabilities are programmed for the Tektronix 4010 graphics terminal and the Univac 1110.

Source record↗

On-line access to weather satellite imagery and image manipulation software

Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite imagery, received by antennas located at the University of Colorado, are made available to the Internet users through an on-line data access system. Created as a 'test bed' system for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's future Earth Observing System Data and Information System, this test bed provides an opportunity to test both the technical requirements of an on-line data system and the different ways in which the general user community would employ such a system. Initiated in December 1991, the basic data system experiment four major evolutionary changes in response to user requests and requirements. Features added with these changes were the addition of on-line browse, user subsetting, and dynamic image processing/navigation. Over its lifetime the system has grown to a maximum of over 2500 registered users, and after losing many of these users due to hardware changes, the system is once again growing with its own independent mass storage system.

Emery, W.↗

Performance assessment of the TDRSS Onboard Navigation System (TONS) experiment on EP/EUVE

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently developing an operational Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System (TDRSS) Onboard Navigation System (TONS) to provide onboard knowledge of high-accuracy navigation products autonomously to users of TDRSS and its successor, TDRS-2. A TONS experiment has been implemented on the Explorer Platform/Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EP/EUVE) spacecraft, launched June 7, 1992, to flight qualify the TONS operational system using TDRSS forward-link communications services. This paper assesses the performance of the TONS flight hardware, an ultrastable oscillator (USO) and Doppler extractor (DE) card in one of the TDRSS user transponders, and the protoype flight software, based on the TONS experiment results. An overview of onboard navigation via TDRSS is also presented for both the EP/EUVE experiment and for future users of TONS. USO and DE short-term and long-term stability performance has been excellent. TONS Flight Software analysis indicates that position accuracies of better than 25 meters root-mean-square are achievable with tracking every one to two orbits, for the EP/EUVE 525-kilometer altitudes, 28.5-degree inclination orbit. The success of the TONS experiment demonstrates the flight readiness of TONS, which is scheduled to provide autonomous navigation for the Earth Observing System (EOS)-AM mission.

Gramling, C. J.↗

The Seasat algorithm development facility at JPL

The Seasat-A spacecraft, scheduled for launch in May 1978, will produce a global ocean data set covering a one-year nominal mission. Because this is a proof-of-concept mission, data processing algorithms are expected to evolve as the data base grows. To support the evolution and evaluation of algorithms, and to experiment with various techniques for processing the data, an algorithm development facility (ADF) is being developing. The ADF will provide access to the data base and to highly modularized processing programs. The processing programs will be subject to easy and frequent modification by a remote user community of sensor managers and experiment teams, who will use this capability to evaluate the overall performance of the sensors and the algorithms using surface truth data. The ADF concepts of software standardization and interface control are expected to have general applicability for adaptive data processing systems.

Brown, J. W.↗

NASA uses Eclipse RCP Applications for Experiments on the International Space Station

Eclipse is going to space for the first time in 2013! The International Space Station (ISS) is used as a site for experiments any software developed as part of these experiments has to comply with extensive and strict user interface guidelines. NASA Ames Research Center's Intelligent Robotics Group is doing 2 sets of experiments, both with astronauts using Eclipse RCP applications to remotely control robots. One experiment will control SPHERES with an Android Smartphone on the ISS the other experiment will control a K10 rover on Earth.

Cohen, Tamar↗

Training Software in Artificial-Intelligence Computing Techniques

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Toolkit is a computer program for training scientists, engineers, and university students in three soft-computing techniques (fuzzy logic, neural networks, and genetic algorithms) used in artificial-intelligence applications. The program promotes an easily understandable tutorial interface, including an interactive graphical component through which the user can gain hands-on experience in soft-computing techniques applied to realistic example problems. The tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on the workings of soft-computing technology, whereas the hands-on examples allow interaction and reinforcement of the techniques explained throughout the tutorial. In the fuzzy-logic example, a user can interact with a robot and an obstacle course to verify how fuzzy logic is used to command a rover traverse from an arbitrary start to the goal location. For the genetic algorithm example, the problem is to determine the minimum-length path for visiting a user-chosen set of planets in the solar system. For the neural-network example, the problem is to decide, on the basis of input data on physical characteristics, whether a person is a man, woman, or child. The AI Toolkit is compatible with the Windows 95,98, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, and XP operating systems. A computer having a processor speed of at least 300 MHz, and random-access memory of at least 56MB is recommended for optimal performance. The program can be run on a slower computer having less memory, but some functions may not be executed properly.

Howard, Ayanna↗

Using Common Graphics Paradigms Implemented in a Java Applet to Represent Complex Scheduling Requirements

The experiments planned for the International Space Station promise to be complex, lengthy and diverse. The scarcity of the space station resources will cause significant competition for resources between experiments. The scheduling job facing the Space Station mission planning software requires a concise and comprehensive description of the experiments' requirements (to ensure a valid schedule) and a good description of the experiments' flexibility (to effectively utilize available resources). In addition, the continuous operation of the station, the wide geographic dispersion of station users, and the budgetary pressure to reduce operations manpower make a low-cost solution mandatory. A graphical representation of the scheduling requirements for station payloads implemented via an Internet-based application promises to be an elegant solution that addresses all of these issues. The graphical representation of experiment requirements permits a station user to describe his experiment by defining "activities" and "sequences of activities". Activities define the resource requirements (with alternatives) and other quantitative constraints of tasks to be performed. Activities definitions use an "outline" graphics paradigm. Sequences define the time relationships between activities. Sequences may also define time relationships with activities of other payloads or space station systems. Sequences of activities are described by a "network" graphics paradigm. The bulk of this paper will describe the graphical approach to representing requirements and provide examples that show the ease and clarity with which complex requirements can be represented. A Java applet, to run in a web browser, is being developed to support the graphical representation of payload scheduling requirements. Implementing the entry and editing of requirements via the web solves the problems introduced by the geographic dispersion of users. Reducing manpower is accomplished by developing a concise representation which eliminates the misunderstanding possible with verbose representations and which captures the complete requirements and flexibility of the experiments.

Jaap, John↗

Marshall system for aerospace simulation (MARSYAS)

System is simple flexible language which can be coded by users unfamiliar with computer programming. It is designed for engineers with little experience in simulation, who desire to simulate large physical systems. User has ability to mix differential equations with diagrams in his model. With few exceptions, there is no rigid statement-operator structure within given module.

Tranboth, H. H.↗

Accurate orbit determination strategies for the tracking and data relay satellites

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System (TDRSS) for tracking and communications support of low Earth-orbiting satellites. TDRSS has the operational capability of providing 85% coverage for TDRSS-user spacecraft. TDRSS currently consists of five geosynchronous spacecraft and the White Sands Complex (WSC) at White Sands, New Mexico. The Bilateration Ranging Transponder System (BRTS) provides range and Doppler measurements for each TDRS. The ground-based BRTS transponders are tracked as if they were TDRSS-user spacecraft. Since the positions of the BRTS transponders are known, their radiometric tracking measurements can be used to provide a well-determined ephemeris for the TDRS spacecraft. For high-accuracy orbit determination of a TDRSS user, such as the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon spacecraft, high-accuracy TDRS orbits are required. This paper reports on successive refinements in improved techniques and procedures leading to more accurate TDRS orbit determination strategies using the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS). These strategies range from the standard operational solution using only the BRTS tracking measurements to a sophisticated iterative process involving several successive simultaneous solutions for multiple TDRSs and a TDRSS-user spacecraft. Results are presented for GTDS-generated TDRS ephemerides produced in simultaneous solutions with the TOPEX/Poseidon spacecraft. Strategies with different user spacecraft, as well as schemes for recovering accurate TDRS orbits following a TDRS maneuver, are also presented. In addition, a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of alternative strategies for TDRS orbit determination, excluding BRTS tracking measurements, are presented.

Oza, D. H.↗

ISSLIVE! Bringing the Space Station to Every Generation

Just 200 miles above us, the International Space Station (ISS) is orbiting. Each day, the astronauts on board perform a variety of activities from exercise, science experiments, and maintenance. Yet, many on the ground don?t know about these daily activities. ISSLive! - an education project - is working to bridge this knowledge gap with traditional education channels such as schools, but also non-traditional channels with the non-technical everyday public. ISSLive! provides a website that seamlessly integrates planning and telemetry data, video feeds, 3D models, and iOS and android applications. Through the site, users are able to view astronauts? daily schedules, in plain English alongside the original data. As an example, when an astronaut is working with a science experiment, a user will be able to read about the activity and for more detailed activities follow provided links to view more information -- all integrated into the same site. Live telemetry data from a predefined set can also be provided alongside the activities. For users to learn more, 3D models of the external and internal parts of the ISS are available, allowing users to explore the station and even select sensors, such as temperature, and view a real-time chart of the data. Even ground operations are modelled with a 3D mission control center, providing users information on the various flight control disciplines and showing live data that they would be monitoring. Some unique activities are also highlighted, and have dedicated spaces to explore in more detail. Education is the focus of ISSLive!, even from the beginning when university students participated in the development process as part of their master?s projects. Focus groups at a Houston school showed interest in the project, and excitement towards including ISSLive! in their classroom. Through this inclusion, student?s knowledge can be assessed with projects, oral presentations, and other assignments. For the public citizens outside of the traditional education system, ISSLive! provides a single, interactive, and engaging experience to learn about the ISS and its role in space exploration, international collaboration, and science. While traditional students are using ISSLive! in the classroom, their parents, grandparents, and friends are using it at home. ISSLive! truly brings the daily operations of the ISS into the daily lives of the public from every generation.

Harris, Philip D.↗

Surface Tension Containment Experiment (STCE) - Increasing Science Throughput on ISS

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on the International Space Station (ISS) is used for fluid transfer in many types of experiments. Reagents are handled in the MSG to prevent their accidental release into the cabin. However, the MSG is currently over-subscribed, creating a backlog of users in flight. As a recourse, current experiments are underway to assess the possibility of moving certain science operations from the MSG into the open cabin of the ISS. The experiments are designed to assess the efficacy of exploiting surface tension as a control to prevent the unwanted release of liquids. Dyed water currently serves as an ersatz for potentially more hazardous liquids. Common wet-lab operations such as de/mating wetted Luer-Lok fittings, liquid-bearing container lid removal, and pipetting between well plates are performed illustrating the facility and challenges imposed by the microgravity environment. Concerning the latter, various pipette cannula sizes are deployed at various injection, withdrawal, and translations rates to map the existence, size, velocity, and trajectory of satellite droplets expected to form when breaking contact between the water surface and the pipette tip. Though such drops frequently form in terrestrial operations, they are nearly imperceptible and inconsequential—due in part to their speed and because gravity quickly returns them to the well plate from which they came. The use of airflow to capture and collect such satellite droplets is demonstrated. The dynamic stability of the liquid-filled well plates is quantified in response to a variety of crew-imparted disturbances. From a safety perspective, the results from the STCE are of immediate practical value. If such routine low-gravity capillary fluidic operations can be established as mundane, their performance may be moved out of the MSG and into the cabin, significantly increasing the efficiency of experiments performed on ISS.

Ungar, Eugene K.↗

Remote sensing data management from a user's viewpoint

The author has identified the following significant results. An experimental data bank in conjunction with the National Marine Fisheries Service's Fisheries Engineering Laboratory's (FEL) participation in the ERTS-1 program was established. The data management system was demonstrated to be effective in the performance of the NMFS-FEL ERTS-1 experiment involving several input sources and varying user requirements. The system is to be further evaluated under similar conditions during FEL participation in the Skylab and ERTS-B experiments.

Stevenson, W. H.↗