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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 NTRS1982

Control system design for the large space systems technology reference platform

Structural models and classical frequency domain control system designs were developed for the large space systems technology (LSST) reference platform which consists of a central bus structure, solar panels, and platform arms on which a variety of experiments may be mounted. It is shown that operation of multiple independently articulated payloads on a single platform presents major problems when subarc second pointing stability is required. Experiment compatibility will be an important operational consideration for systems of this type.

Edmunds, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Orbiter based construction equipment

Many orbiter based activities need equipment to hold a payload steady while it is being worked on. This work may be construction, updating, repair, services, check out, or refueling operations in preparation for return to Earth. The Handling and Positioning Aid (HPA) is intended for use as general purpose equipment. The HPA provides a wide choice of work station positions, both immediately above the orbiter cargo bay and beyond. It can act in a primary docking role and, if required, can assist actively in the berthing process. From an analysis of ten reference missions, it was determined that two types of HPA mobility are needed; a tilt table, which simply swings out of the cargo bay, pivoting about an athwartships y axis, and an articulated arm. Illustration of the aid are provided.

Goodwin, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Active control of space structures: Proof of concept experiment

Modern control theory easily works with multiple input/multiple output systems. Two types of systems which fall into this category are flexible systems, where many measurements and several actuators are necessary to provide control over bending behavior, and articulated systems which consist of several rigid bodies connected together by pivoting connections. In this latter case, multiple controls are implemented as torquers at the joints.

Breakwell, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Cooled variable-area radial turbine technology program

The objective of this study was a conceptual evaluation and design analyses of a cooled variable-area radial turbine capable of maintaining nearly constant high efficiency when operated at a constant speed and pressure ratio over a range of flows corresponding to 50- to 100-percent maximum engine power. The results showed that a 1589K (2400 F) turbine was feasible that would satisfy a 4000-hour duty cycle life goal. The final design feasibility is based on 1988 material technology goals. A peak aerodynamic stage total efficiency of 0.88 was predicted at 100 percent power. Two candidate stators were identified: an articulated trailing-edge and a locally movable sidewall. Both concepts must be experimentally evaluated to determine the optimum configuration. A follow-on test program is proposed for this evaluation.

Large, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

LSST (Hoop/Column) Maypole Antenna Development Program, phase 1, part 1

The first of a two-phase program was performed to develop the technology necessary to evaluate, design, manufacture, package, transport and deploy the hoop/column deployable antenna reflector by means of a ground based program. The hoop/column concept consists of a cable stiffened large diameter hoop and central column structure that supports and contours a radio frequency reflective mesh surface. Mission scenarios for communications, radiometer and radio astronomy, were studied. The data to establish technology drivers that resulted in a specification of a point design was provided. The point design is a multiple beam quadaperture offset antenna system wich provides four separate offset areas of illumination on a 100 meter diameter symmetrical parent reflector. The periphery of the reflector is a hoop having 48 segments that articulate into a small stowed volume around a center extendable column. The hoop and column are structurally connected by graphite and quartz cables. The prominence of cables in the design resulted in the development of advanced cable technology. Design verification models were built of the hoop, column, and surface stowage subassemblies. Model designs were generated for a half scale sector of the surface and a 1/6 scale of the complete deployable reflector.

Sullivan, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Aeroelastic Stability of Rotor Blades Using Finite Element Analysis

The flutter stability of flap bending, lead-lag bending, and torsion of helicopter rotor blades in hover is investigated using a finite element formulation based on Hamilton's principle. The blade is divided into a number of finite elements. Quasi-steady strip theory is used to evaluate the aerodynamic loads. The nonlinear equations of motion are solved for steady-state blade deflections through an iterative procedure. The equations of motion are linearized assuming blade motion to be a small perturbation about the steady deflected shape. The normal mode method based on the coupled rotating natural modes is used to reduce the number of equations in the flutter analysis. First the formulation is applied to single-load-path blades (articulated and hingeless blades). Numerical results show very good agreement with existing results obtained using the modal approach. The second part of the application concerns multiple-load-path blades, i.e. bearingless blades. Numerical results are presented for several analytical models of the bearingless blade. Results are also obtained using an equivalent beam approach wherein a bearingless blade is modelled as a single beam with equivalent properties. Results show the equivalent beam model.

Chopra, I.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Spacecraft computer resource margin management

The conduction of the Project Galileo Orbiter, with 18 microcomputers and the equivalent of 360K 8-bit bytes of memory contained within two major engineering subsystems and eight science instruments, requires that the key onboard computer system resources be managed in a very rigorous manner. Attention is given to the rationale behind the project policy, the development stage, the preliminary design stage, the design/implementation stage, and the optimization or 'scrubbing' stage. The implementation of the policy is discussed, taking into account the development of the Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) and the Command and Data Subsystem (CDS), the reporting of margin status, and the response to allocation oversubscription.

Larman, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Finite element analysis for bearingless rotor blade aeroelasticity

A conventional articulated rotor blade has mechanical flap and lag hinges, a lag damper, and a pitch bearing. In connection with an interest in designs of greater mechanical simplicity and increased maintainability, hingeless and bearingless rotors have been developed. A hingeless blade lacks the hinges and is cantilevered at the hub. It does have a pitch bearing for pitch control. A bearingless design eliminates the hinges and the pitch bearing as well. In the present investigation of bearingless rotor blade characteristics, finite element analysis has been successfully applied to determine the solutions of the nonlinear trim equations and the linearized flutter equations of multiple-load-path blades. The employed formulation is based on Hamilton's principle. The spatial dependence of the equations of motion is discretized by dividing the flexbeams, the torque tube, and the outboard into a number of elements.

Sivaneri, N. T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Characteristics of the handling and positioning aid

The handling and positioning aid which (HPA) provides a wide range of adjustable work stations both inboard and outboard of the cargo bay is discussed. It can assist with berthing and docking, it is robust, stiff, has a simple control system, and is modular. An articulated arm version of HPA employed in a typical servicing mission is shown. Mounted on a base frame that spans the Orbiter cargo bay, the 6 m arm is long enough to hold the satellite being serviced and keep its solar array clear of the Orbiter radiators. By adjusting the length and angle of the support platform mast, and rotating the tip of the HPA arm, almost every item on the satellite can be reached. Spares and change-out units can be brought to and from the work site by the RMS, which is controlled from the aft flight deck. The fore and aft position of the base frame can be changed between Orbiter flights and this, together with the 5 degrees of freedom (DOF) of the long arm, allows work sites to be chosen that meet the clearance, reach and vision requirements of many missions. Flight article activities are shown are shown above the dashed horizontal line and Development Test Article (DTA) work below. Flight article requirements and concepts and the design of the DTA are developed.

Goodwin, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Design concepts for large reflector antenna structures

Practical approaches for establishing large, precise antenna reflectors in space are described. Reflector surfaces consisting of either solid panels or knitted mesh are considered. The approach using a deep articulated truss structure to support a mesh reflector is selected for detailed investigations. A new sequential deployment concept for the tetrahedral truss is explained. Good joint design is discussed, and examples are described both analytically and by means of demonstration models. The influence of curvature on the design and its vibration characteristics are investigated.

Hedgepeth, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Efficient structures for geosynchronous spacecraft solar arrays, phase 4

Efficient structures for geosynchronous spacecraft solar arrays were investigated. The STACBEAM (stacking triangular articulated compact beam) concept was selected. The primary component, the solar array blanket, is stored in a folded configuration and is deployed by controlled linear extension. Blanket stiffness is attained by axially tensioning the blanket and by providing periodic lateral ribs and standoffs which attach the blanket to the beam at several places along its length. The STACBEAM deploys sequentially (one bay at a time) using a deployer of sufficient rigidity so that beam stiffness is not degraded during deployment. The beam does not rotate during deployment, thus making blanket beam attachment possible in the packaged condition. In addition to high bending stiffness, the STACBEAM possesses high torsional rigidity due to nonflexible diagonals. The concept is adaptable to various size and loading requirements by changing member diameter and baylength, thus affecting the ratio of packaged and deployed length.

Adams, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Control - Demands mushroom as station grows

The NASA space station, which is presently in the planning stage, is to be composed of both rigid and nonrigid modules, rotating elements, and flexible appendages subjected to environmental disturbances from the earth's atmospheric gravity gradient, and magnetic field, as well as solar radiation and self-generated disturbances. Control functions, which will originally include attitude control, docking and berthing control, and system monitoring and management, will with evolving mission objectives come to encompass such control functions as articulation control, autonomous navigation, space traffic control, and large space structure control. Attention is given to the advancements in modular, distributed, and adaptive control methods, as well as system identification and hardware fault tolerance techniques, which will be required.

Szirmay, S. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Stacbeam - An efficient, low-mass, sequentially deployable structure

Design features of the stacking triangular articulated compact beam (Stacbeam) as a candidate truss structure for GEOS spacecraft solar power arrays are explored. Solar arrays of increasing size require folding, noninterfering structures, minimal thermal effects, slow and controlled deployment, and a high aspect ratio. The Stacbeam consists of a triangular batten frame perpendicular to the beam axis, three longerons attached at the corners of the batten frame and mounted parallel to the beam axis, and three diagonals to provide shear and torsional stiffness. Locking hinges are installed at the midpoint and ends of each longeron and at the midpoint and ends of each diagonal. The material is graphite/epoxy composite with a 120 GPa modulus and a 1500 kg/sq m density. Successful vertical deployment on the ground has been effected with a prototype deployer, together with horizontal cantilever in a fully deployed configuration.

Adams, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The Voyager 2 scan platform anomaly

The two Voyager spacecraft were launched in the summer of 1977, flew past Jupiter in 1979, and reached Saturn in 1980 and 1981. The Voyager Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) controls the positioning of a scan platform on which scientific instruments are mounted. On August 26, 1981, it was discovered that the azimuth axis of the scan platform of Voyager 2 had not completed the commanded slew. The profile of the failed slew command resembled a similar scan failure on Voyager 1 on February 23, 1979. In that case, contamination of the output gear mesh in the azimuth actuator was identified as the most probable cause of the failure. The problem was solved by cycling the azimuth actuator until the contaminant broke down and smooth operation was restored. A similar treatment applied to the Voyager 2 problem failed. Details of the Voyager 2 anomaly investigation are discussed.

Marchetto, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Application of an adaptive blade control algorithm to a gust alleviation system

The feasibility of an adaptive control system designed to alleviate helicopter gust induced vibration was analytically investigated for an articulated rotor system. This control system is based on discrete optimal control theory, and is composed of a set of measurements (oscillatory hub forces and moments), an identification system using a Kalman filter, a control system based on the minimization of the quadratic performance function, and a simulation system of the helicopter rotor. The gust models are step and sinusoidal vertical gusts. Control inputs are selected at the gust frequency, subharmonic frequency, and superharmonic frequency, and are superimposed on the basic collective and cyclic control inputs. The response to be reduced is selected to be that at the gust frequency because this is the dominant response compared with sub- and superharmonics. Numerical calculations show that the adaptive blade pitch control algorithm satisfactorily alleviates the hub gust response. Almost 100% reduction of the perturbation thrust response to a step gust and more than 50% reduction to a sinusoidal gust are achieved in the numerical simulations.

Saito, S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Parametric tip effects for conformable rotor applications

A research study was initiated to systematically determine the impact of selected blade tip geometric parameters on aeroelasticity conformable rotor performance and loads characteristics. The model articulated rotors included baseline and torsionally soft blades with interchangeable tips. Seven blade tip designs were evaluated on the baseline rotor and three tip designs were tested on the torsionally soft blades. The designs incorporated a systematic variation in three geometric parameters: sweep, taper, and anhedral. The rotors were evaluated in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at several advance ratios, lift and propulsive force values, and tip Mach numbers. Based on the test results, tip parameter variations generated significant rotor performance and loads difference for both baseline and torsionally soft blades. Azimuthal variation of elastic twist generated by the tip parameters strongly correlated with rotor performance and loads, but the magnitude of advancing blade elastic twist did not correlate.

Mantay, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Theory of hydromagnetic turbulence

The present state of MHD turbulence theory as a possible solar wind research tool is surveyed. The theory is statistical, and does not make statements about individual events. The ensembles considered typically have individual realizations which differ qualitatively, unlike equilibrium statistical mechanics. Most of the theory deals with highly symmetric situations; most of these symmetries have yet to be tested in the solar wind. The applicability of MHD itself to solar wind parameters is highly questionable; yet it has no competitors, as a potentially comprehensive dynamical description. The purpose of solar wind research require sharper articulation. If they are to understand radial turbulent plasma flows from spheres, laboratory experiments and numerical solution of equations of motion may be cheap alternative to spacecraft. If "real life" information is demanded, multiple spacecraft with variable separation may be necessary to go further. The principal emphasis in the theory so far has been on spectral behavior for spatial covariances in wave number space. There is no respectable theory of these for highly anisotropic situations. A rather slow development of theory acts as a brake on justifiable measurement, at this point.

Montgomery, D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The STEP/STACBEAM experiment technology development for very large solar array deployers

The Stacking Triangular Articulated Compact Beam (STACBEAM) is discussed with reference to structural testing experiments afforded by ground simulation and the Space Technology Experiments Platform (STEP). The STACBEAM lends itself to a deployment technique which offers a radical improvement in flexible blanket solar array technology. A system for deployment and support of a solar array blanket is described which consists of the blanket, its containment structure, the support structure and its deployer, the blanket stiffening battens, and the deployable boom standoffs. In operation, the blanket is pulled out and supported by the STACBEAM which packages next to the folded blanket. Since the STACBEAM does not rotate during extension, complete control of the blanket is maintained during extension. Deployment of this system occurs one bay at a time in a sequential manner. The deployer provides sufficient rigidity so that beam stiffness is not degraded during the deployment process.

Samuels, R.↗