Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Checkout”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Miniature Exercise Device-2 (MED-2): Preliminary ISS Evaluation Results for a Compact Motorized Resistive and Aerobic Rowing Exercise Device

Future human missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) will require onboard equipment to provide exercise capabilities for the crew to counter the adverse physiological effects of long-duration microgravity. To accomplish this within the physical constraints of a space vehicle or transit module, a single miniature device that provides both resistive and aerobic exercise modalities is required. To meet this need, Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Software, Robotics, and Simulation Division (ER) developed the Miniature Exercise Device-2 (MED-2). MED-2 integrates a torque-controlled servomotor and a series-elastic actuator to provide highly-controllable load profiles and a large magnitude output performance in a very small package. This innovative technology is derived from years of JSC/ER design, development and operational experience with cutting-edge robotics, motor controllers, software and actuator/sensor miniaturization, including Robonaut 2 and MED-1. MED-2 was presented at the 2016 ISS R&D Conference. This is an update now that the last of six crewmembers will have completed planned MED-2 sessions on the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2018.Current state-of-the-art ISS exercise equipment consists of two treadmills, a resistive exercise device and two cycle ergometers with a total mass of several thousand pounds and a total volume of several cubic yards. This equipment has proven vital to mitigate the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular degradation effects of microgravity. However, due to the large operational volume and mass of these ISS devices, tailoring them for smaller vehicles, such as Orion, is not possible. In addition, each of the current ISS devices targets a single specific modality. Compared to the existing spaceflight (and even terrestrial) exercise equipment, MED-2 is a new archetype altogether. The combined features of compact size, multi-modality and high-performance is attributable to its innovative series elastic actuator and motor controller. Following its arrival on ISS in 2016, MED-2 was evaluated in two parts. The first and shorter evaluation was an engineering functional checkout of the hardware. As this was a novel exercise device previously never used on ISS, the initial checkout assessed the operation of the hardware and ensured the motion and dynamic range of the crew did not present any collision or other hazards. The second portion of the study collected the heart rates, kinematics and utilized operational volumes of six astronauts to determine the quality of both the resistive and aerobic exercise modalities as delivered by MED-2. Investigators from JSC Biomedical Research and Environmental Science Division (SK) and Glenn Research Center are currently evaluating the data and preparing preliminary results. For the resistive exercise modality, MED-2 demonstrated a range of constant resistive loads from 10-150 lbf. With a displacement range of 84 inches, the MED-2 accommodates users from 5th percentile Japanese female through 95th percentile American male for all of its certified exercises. The displacement measurement accuracy has also been verified within 2.5 percent full range. The crew was able to successfully perform all prescribed resistive exercises, except Goblet Squats which were not feasible with a constant load profile. For the aerobic exercise modality, MED-2 simulated a rowing motion with prescribed and user-selected resistance levels. It has demonstrated rates up to 60 strokes per minute on the ground. MED-2 loads and displacements performance are the same as those cited for the resistive modality. Although each of the crew was able to perform the prescribed aerobic rowing sets, there was considerable variability in the rowing motion among different crewmembers. Also, as expected, the crew was unable to get the full benefits of a typical terrestrial rowing stroke because the current configuration does not allow the user to reach past their feet. These observations have already informed the requirements for other microgravity rowing devices currently in development. One of the unique features of the MED-2 device is the intuitive touch-screen control system. This One Portal graphical user interface (GUI) was developed based on JSC/ER’s heritage knowledge and experience of developing and sustaining the current ISS exercise equipment. Through this interface, the crew easily performed prepared prescriptions as well as had the ability to adjust exercise modality, load and other exercise details such as number of repetitions and number of sets. This touch-screen and GUI fulfilled the MED-2 project goal to simplify the interaction between the user and the device. Furthermore, the extent to which MED-2 utilizes a touchscreen and GUI to control exercise equipment is unmatched among the existing ISS exercise devices. As a motorized device, MED-2 technology can provide a customizable force profile that can be varied as a function of strap displacement, strap velocity or a combination of these and other variables. During 2017, JSC/ER developed and flight-certified a resistive exercise algorithm that mimics the 1-G inertial effects of free-weights and enables adjustable eccentric-to-concentric loading ratios. Subsequent development will explore varying the load profiles and incorporating additional exercises beyond the current list of certified movements.

Exercise↗
NASA NTRS2018

Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program

This paper describes how the Orion program is utilizing the Thermal Protection System (TPS) experience from the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs to reduce program risk and improve affordability to meet NASA's future manned exploration missions. The Orion program successfully completed the Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) mission in 2014 and is currently assembling, integrating, and testing the next spacecraft for the Exploration Mission (EM-1) to meet the flight test objectives of an unmanned orbital mission to the moon and return to earth in 2019. The Orion spacecraft production operations are located in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout (O&C) facility at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) providing an affordable and seamless delivery approach of vehicles directly to the launch site eliminating spacecraft transportation and additional checkout testing. Innovative vehicle design, manufacturing and test operations approaches are maturing and evolving with each Orion vehicle build to support the challenging NASA exploration mission requirements beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) while reducing program cost and schedule impacts. An example of Orion's evolution is the incorporation of an improved heat shield design, assembly and testing approach to meet the higher re-entry velocities for a lunar return for the EM-1 mission. The EFT- 1 heat shield was based on the Apollo heat shield manufacturing processes and was assembled at a supplier location and then transported to KSC for final integration. The EM-1 heat shield is now manufactured, assembled, tested, and installed into the spacecraft at the O&C facility reducing program cost and production schedules. The transition of the Space Shuttle TPS capabilities has enabled Orion to provide a human rated capsule design using proven materials and processes established over years of orbiter re-entry missions. The Orion Crew Module (CM) TPS configuration is derived from the Apollo CM approach utilizing improved materials and processes developed from the Space Shuttle program. The Orion EFT-1 heat shield utilized the Avcoat ablative material from Apollo which was injected into a honeycomb substrate and has been updated for EM-1 incorporating a block configuration bonded to a composite shell structure. This approach utilizes the proven Avcoat material for the heat shield ablator and is utilizing derived bonding and inspection methods and techniques from the Space Shuttle tile experience. The Orion back shell TPS configuration is based on Space Shuttle tile designs using proven tile materials and coatings. The Orion forward bay cover utilizes the high temperature tiles similar to the back shell tiles and low temperature blankets derived from the Space Shuttle program reducing weight impacts. Space Shuttle Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) is installed in the Orion capsule to control the interior temperature environment providing a light weight design. These TPS design approaches have performed successfully on the Orion first flight test on EFT-1 and are incorporated in the configuration for the next flight test for EM-1. Completion of these two flight tests will certify the TPS for the Orion program for human rated exploration missions and has reduced the development cost to the Orion program. In addition to transitioning the Space Shuttle TPS design configurations to Orion, the supporting manufacturing infrastructure, manufacturing processes, and inspection methods are also incorporated into the Orion assembly operations at KSC. This has avoided significant startup schedule and costs impacts of new capabilities and development of support operations necessary to fabricate, install, inspect, and validate the TPS installations for the Orion spacecraft. The Thermal Protection System Facility (TPSF) which supported the Space Shuttle program provides the heat shield Avcoat blocks and the back shell AETB-8 tiles for Orion program. Extending the existing Space Shuttle TPS operations at KSC provides onsite support to the Orion spacecraft assembly operations. A significant benefit to the Orion program is the transition of the Space Shuttle technician work force at KSC. This highly skilled workforce was able to transition to the Orion program and immediately support the TPS installation operations. They brought with them the human rated manufacturing and assembly operations culture that was critical to the Space Shuttle success avoiding the retraining cost and schedule impacts of a new workforce to Orion. The technician skills certification program from the Space Shuttle was found to be compatible with the Lockheed Martin technician certification programs enabling a seamless training process utilizing process similarity avoiding the cost of retraining the work force to Orion standards. The existing workforce is certificated for multiple processes enabling reassignment of technicians to other tasks in the Orion AI&P operations reducing the overall touch labor manpower requirements. Additional benefits of using the Space Shuttle workforce is the incorporation of the lessons learned from Space Shuttle processes to improve the Orion TPS processes. This has resulted in a continuous evolution of TPS processes to improve the producibility and reduce the program cost for the TPS for the Orion program. Transitioning the Apollo and Space Shuttle TPS designs, processes, and technician workforce has been instrumental in enabling Orion to successfully meet the program challenges for NASA's exploration missions of the future.

Stewart, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2018

Ion Velocity in the Discharge Channel and Near-Field of the HERMeS Hall Thruster

NASA is continuing the development of a 12.5-kW Hall thruster system, which is baselined in a phased exploration concept to expand human presence to cis-lunar space and eventually to Mars. The development team is transitioning knowledge gained from the testing of the government-built Technology Development Unit (TDU) to the contractor-built Engineering Development Unit (EDU). A new laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic that is compatible with the testing of engineering hardware was developed to obtain data for thruster model validation in the lowest background pressure achievable. Prior to performing the test on the EDU, the team performed a functional checkout test of this new diagnostic using the TDU. In addition to providing a checkout of the diagnostic, this test provided data that can be correlated to electron mobility for comparison to the EDU at a later date. A number of technical challenges related to large test facilities and interfacing with engineering hardware were overcome while implementing the new laser diagnostic system. The initial data set was in good agreement with prior optical and non-optical diagnostics data collected on the TDU thrusters. This data set also revealed the spatial origin of high angle ions that have been of concern for spacecraft integration.

Huang, Wensheng↗
NASA NTRS2019

GOES-16 Magnetometers Anomaly Solar-Angle Based Characterization and Correction

GOES-R launched aboard an Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on November 19, 2016. The first satellite in the series, GOES-R, was renamed GOES-16 upon reaching geostationary orbit GOES-16 at GOES-Checkout location (89.5 degrees West Longitude) during PLT (Post-Launch Testing). The GOES-16 magnetometer boom was deployed on December 7, 2016 and magnetometer checkout began. GOES-16 replaced GOES-13 as NOAA's operational GOES-East satellite on December 18, 2017. The GOES-16 satellite operational location (GOES-East) is at 75.2 degrees West Longitude.

Magnetometers↗
NASA NTRS2018

Modal Test and Analysis of the NASA Tiltrotor Test Rig

The Tiltrotor Test Rig (TTR) is being developed at the NASA Ames Research Center for testing full-scaleproprotors in the National Full-scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) wind tunnel. The TTR is currentlyundergoing checkout testing to ensure its proper functionality. Part of the checkout process is a groundvibration test, or shake test, to characterize the modal characteristics of the test rig once it is installed in the wind tunnel. This paper presents a summary of the shake test procedure and an overview of the test results. The results include frequency response functions for a number of different test configurations as well as visualizations of the major mode shapes. Excitation methods included random and swept sine shaking as well as hammer impacts. At the conclusion of this paper, some recommendations are given for future shake tests.

Tiltrotor Test Rig↗
NASA NTRS2020

Cold-Flow Model Tests to Determine Static Performance of a NASA One-Sided Ejector Nozzle System

This report presents the results of cold-flow model tests to determine the static performance of multiple configurations of a NASA one-sided ejector nozzle system. The existing ejector nozzle system hardware was provided by NASA and was previously used for acoustic tests. A new facility adapter duct and ejector box support brackets were designed and fabricated by the FluiDyne Aerotest Laboratory of Aero Systems Engineering, Inc. The tests were performed in the Channel 8 static thrust stand at ASE’s FluiDyne Aerotest Laboratory in Plymouth, Minnesota. Facility checkout tests were made using a standard American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) long-radius metering nozzle. These tests demonstrated facility data accuracy at flow conditions similar to the model tests. Channel 8 static tests included 40 ASME nozzle facility checkout tests and 24 model tests (plus an additional 1 at no charge). The model nozzle pressure ratio varied from 1.4 to 3.0. Test results include: thrust coefficients, thrust vector angles and location, nozzle discharge coefficients, charging station total and static pressures, and model static pressure distributions (in the Data Appendix).

McDonald, Timothy J.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Dawn: an ion-propelled journey to the beginning of the Solar System

The Dawn mission is designed to perform a scientific investigation of the two heaviest mainbelt asteroids Vesta and Ceres. These bodies are believed to preserve records of the physical and chemical conditions present during the formation of the solar system. The mission uses an ion propulsion system to enable the single Dawn spacecraft and its complement of scientific instruments to orbit both of these asteroids. Dawn’s three science instruments – the gamma ray and neutron detector, the visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and the primary framing camera – were successfully tested after launch and are functioning normally. The ion propulsion system includes three ion thrusters of the type flown previously on NASA’s Deep Space 1 mission. A minimum of two ion thrusters is necessary to accomplish the Dawn mission. Checkout of two of the ion thrusters was completed as planned within 30 days after launch. This activity confirmed that the spacecraft has two healthy ion thrusters. While further checkout activities are still in progress, the activities completed as of the end of October indicate that the spacecraft is well on its way toward being ready for the start of the thrusting-cruise phase of the mission beginning December 15th.

Pavri, Betina↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Universal Waste Management System and Toilet Integration Hardware Operations on ISS – Issues, Modifications and Accomplishments

The Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), which has the ISS operational nomenclature “Toilet”, was initially installed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020with final installation completed in 2021. Although technical issues were encountered that delayed installation and operations, progress was made towards the objectives of the project. Technical issue work arounds resulted in operation of the Toilet with use by male and female crew members in a controlled extended checkout and a longer nominal use. This paper will summarize operations of the Toilet and Toilet Integration Hardware in both of those configurations, problems encountered during installation and checkout, the modifications made to allow further usage on ISS, and the future modifications planned for nominal use. It will also describe the portions of the technology demonstration that were completed and the benefits from that work and how that knowledge informs the Orion-installed UWMS unit and future manifesting of consumables for both Orion and ISS.

life support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Universal Waste Management System and Toilet Integration Hardware Operations on ISS – Issues, Modifications and Accomplishments

The Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), which has the ISS operational nomenclature “Toilet”, was initially installed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020 with final installation completed in 2021. Although technical issues were encountered that delayed installation and operations, progress was made towards the objectives of the project. Technical issue work-arounds resulted in operation of the Toilet with use by male and female crew members in a controlled extended checkout. This paper will summarize operations of the Toilet and Toilet Integration Hardware in this limited configuration, problems encountered during installation and checkout, the modifications made to allow further usage on ISS, and the future modifications planned for nominal use. It will also describe the portions of the technology demonstration that were completed and the benefits from that work and how that knowledge informs the Orion-installed UWMS unit and future manifesting of consumables for both Orion and ISS.

Toilet↗
NASA NTRS1964

Saturn flight instrumentation.

Flight monitoring and analysis instrumentation for Saturn I, IB and V, discussing automatic preflight checkout

CHECKOUT EQUIPMENT↗
NASA NTRS1965

Saturn v system philosophies.

Saturn V launch control and checkout system discussing interconnected computer complexes, digital and video displays and programming methods

COMPUTER PROGRAM↗