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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 325 records · Page 18

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2010

Reinventing User Applications for Mission Control

In 2006, NASA Ames Research Center's (ARC) Intelligent Systems Division, and NASA Johnson Space Centers (JSC) Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) began a collaboration to move user applications for JSC's mission control center to a new software architecture, intended to replace the existing user applications being used for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. It must also carry NASA/JSC mission operations forward to the future, meeting the needs for NASA's exploration programs beyond low Earth orbit. Key requirements for the new architecture, called Mission Control Technologies (MCT) are that end users must be able to compose and build their own software displays without the need for programming, or direct support and approval from a platform services organization. Developers must be able to build MCT components using industry standard languages and tools. Each component of MCT must be interoperable with other components, regardless of what organization develops them. For platform service providers and MOD management, MCT must be cost effective, maintainable and evolvable. MCT software is built from components that are presented to users as composable user objects. A user object is an entity that represents a domain object such as a telemetry point, a command, a timeline, an activity, or a step in a procedure. User objects may be composed and reused, for example a telemetry point may be used in a traditional monitoring display, and that same telemetry user object may be composed into a procedure step. In either display, that same telemetry point may be shown in different views, such as a plot, an alpha numeric, or a meta-data view and those views may be changed live and in place. MCT presents users with a single unified user environment that contains all the objects required to perform applicable flight controller tasks, thus users do not have to use multiple applications, the traditional boundaries that exist between multiple heterogeneous applications disappear, leaving open the possibility of new operations concepts that are not constrained by the traditional applications paradigm.

Trimble, Jay Phillip↗

NASA NTRS2006

Mission Control Technologies: A New Way of Designing and Evolving Mission Systems

Current mission operations systems are built as a collection of monolithic software applications. Each application serves the needs of a specific user base associated with a discipline or functional role. Built to accomplish specific tasks, each application embodies specialized functional knowledge and has its own data storage, data models, programmatic interfaces, user interfaces, and customized business logic. In effect, each application creates its own walled-off environment. While individual applications are sometimes reused across multiple missions, it is expensive and time consuming to maintain these systems, and both costly and risky to upgrade them in the light of new requirements or modify them for new purposes. It is even more expensive to achieve new integrated activities across a set of monolithic applications. These problems impact the lifecycle cost (especially design, development, testing, training, maintenance, and integration) of each new mission operations system. They also inhibit system innovation and evolution. This in turn hinders NASA's ability to adopt new operations paradigms, including increasingly automated space systems, such as autonomous rovers, autonomous onboard crew systems, and integrated control of human and robotic missions. Hence, in order to achieve NASA's vision affordably and reliably, we need to consider and mature new ways to build mission control systems that overcome the problems inherent in systems of monolithic applications. The keys to the solution are modularity and interoperability. Modularity will increase extensibility (evolution), reusability, and maintainability. Interoperability will enable composition of larger systems out of smaller parts, and enable the construction of new integrated activities that tie together, at a deep level, the capabilities of many of the components. Modularity and interoperability together contribute to flexibility. The Mission Control Technologies (MCT) Project, a collaboration of multiple NASA Centers, led by NASA Ames Research Center, is building a framework to enable software to be assembled from flexible collections of components and services.

Trimble, Jay↗

NASA NTRS1993

Fusing modeling techniques to support domain analysis for reuse opportunities identification

Functional modeling techniques or object-oriented graphical representations, which are more useful to someone trying to understand the general design or high level requirements of a system? For a recent domain analysis effort, the answer was a fusion of popular modeling techniques of both types. By using both functional and object-oriented techniques, the analysts involved were able to lean on their experience in function oriented software development, while taking advantage of the descriptive power available in object oriented models. In addition, a base of familiar modeling methods permitted the group of mostly new domain analysts to learn the details of the domain analysis process while producing a quality product. This paper describes the background of this project and then provides a high level definition of domain analysis. The majority of this paper focuses on the modeling method developed and utilized during this analysis effort.

Hall, Susan Main↗

DOE OSTI2025

Clean Water Production in Cooling Towers

This project developed and demonstrated a novel technology that produces clean water from cooling tower recirculating water by using the natural evaporation and condensation cycle inside cooling towers. The system captures the escaping plume and converts blowdown quality water into high purity water suitable for on-site reuse such as boiler feed. The technology uses electric fields to ionize exhaust plumes, charge the entrained droplets, and direct them toward collection electrodes where they coalesce and flow downward. This allows water recovery at a low energy cost while reducing visible plume emissions. In addition, we developed a complementary software platform that improves overall cooling tower performance. The system uses wireless sensors and physics-based machine learning algorithms to optimize key parameters of the cooling process. For power generation facilities, this increases the thermal efficiency of the cooling loop and condenser, resulting in measurable cycle efficiency gains. Improvements of one percent or more can deliver significant increases in electricity production for the same fuel input.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2025

Applying the FAIR Principles to computational workflows

Recent trends within computational and data sciences show an increasing recognition and adoption of computational workflows as tools for productivity and reproducibility that also democratize access to platforms and processing know-how. As digital objects to be shared, discovered, and reused, computational workflows benefit from the FAIR principles, which stand for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. The Workflows Community Initiative’s FAIR Workflows Working Group (WCI-FW), a global and open community of researchers and developers working with computational workflows across disciplines and domains, has systematically addressed the application of both FAIR data and software principles to computational workflows. We present recommendations with commentary that reflects our discussions and justifies our choices and adaptations. These are offered to workflow users and authors, workflow management system developers, and providers of workflow services as guidelines for adoption and fodder for discussion. The FAIR recommendations for workflows that we propose in this paper will maximize their value as research assets and facilitate their adoption by the wider community.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

NASA NTRS2003

A Design for Composing and Extending Vehicle Models

The Systems Development Branch (SDB) at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) creates simulation software products for research. Each product consists of an aircraft model with experiment extensions. SDB treats its aircraft models as reusable components, upon which experiments can be built. SDB has evolved aircraft model design with the following goals: 1. Avoid polluting the aircraft model with experiment code. 2. Discourage the copy and tailor method of reuse. The current evolution of that architecture accomplishes these goals by reducing experiment creation to extend and compose. The architecture mechanizes the operational concerns of the model's subsystems and encapsulates them in an interface inherited by all subsystems. Generic operational code exercises the subsystems through the shared interface. An experiment is thus defined by the collection of subsystems that it creates ("compose"). Teams can modify the aircraft subsystems for the experiment using inheritance and polymorphism to create variants ("extend").

Madden, Michael M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Using Generative Representations to Evolve Robots

Recent research has demonstrated the ability of evolutionary algorithms to automatically design both the physical structure and software controller of real physical robots. One of the challenges for these automated design systems is to improve their ability to scale to the high complexities found in real-world problems. Here we claim that for automated design systems to scale in complexity they must use a representation which allows for the hierarchical creation and reuse of modules, which we call a generative representation. Not only is the ability to reuse modules necessary for functional scalability, but it is also valuable for improving efficiency in testing and construction. We then describe an evolutionary design system with a generative representation capable of hierarchical modularity and demonstrate it for the design of locomoting robots in simulation. Finally, results from our experiments show that evolution with our generative representation produces better robots than those evolved with a non-generative representation.

Hornby, Gregory S.↗

DOE OSTI2024

MemFriend: Understanding Memory Performance with Spatial-Temporal Affinity

In HPC applications, memory access behavior is one of the main factors affecting performance. Improving an application’s memory access behavior involves optimizing data layout and/or restructuring code, and requires studying spatial-temporal data locality. Existing data locality analyses focus on single-location metrics and are restricted to evaluating temporal locality. We introduce spatial-temporal affinity metrics that quantify temporal access proximity, forward access correlation, and nearby access correlation between pairs of memory locations. We describe methods for distinguishing between potential vs. realized affinity and for reasoning about affinity at multiple resolutions (3D, 2D, 1D). Finally, we construct spatial-temporal affinity signatures that classify memory behavior and that be used to reason about changes in software (data relayout, code refactoring) or hardware (caching, prefetching). We describe methods for signature visualization, interpretation, and quantitative comparison of signatures. We evaluate our methodology using applications with variants that contrast data structures, data layouts and algorithms. We show that spatial-temporal affinity analysis provides novel insights and enables predictive reasoning about application performance when contrasted with reuse distance analysis.

Suriyakumar, Yasodhadevi↗

NASA NTRS1995

C-Language Integrated Production System, Version 6.0

C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) computer programs are specifically intended to model human expertise or other knowledge. CLIPS is designed to enable research on, and development and delivery of, artificial intelligence on conventional computers. CLIPS 6.0 provides cohesive software tool for handling wide variety of knowledge with support for three different programming paradigms: rule-based, object-oriented, and procedural. Rule-based programming: representation of knowledge as heuristics - essentially, rules of thumb that specify set of actions performed in given situation. Object-oriented programming: modeling of complex systems comprised of modular components easily reused to model other systems or create new components. Procedural-programming: representation of knowledge in ways similar to those of such languages as C, Pascal, Ada, and LISP. Version of CLIPS 6.0 for IBM PC-compatible computers requires DOS v3.3 or later and/or Windows 3.1 or later.

Riley, Gary↗

NASA NTRS1989

CONFIG - Adapting qualitative modeling and discrete event simulation for design of fault management systems

CONFIG is a modeling and simulation tool prototype for analyzing the normal and faulty qualitative behaviors of engineered systems. Qualitative modeling and discrete-event simulation have been adapted and integrated, to support early development, during system design, of software and procedures for management of failures, especially in diagnostic expert systems. Qualitative component models are defined in terms of normal and faulty modes and processes, which are defined by invocation statements and effect statements with time delays. System models are constructed graphically by using instances of components and relations from object-oriented hierarchical model libraries. Extension and reuse of CONFIG models and analysis capabilities in hybrid rule- and model-based expert fault-management support systems are discussed.

Malin, Jane T.↗

NASA NTRS2026

PROTECT: Production and Reuse of Thermally Efficient Ceramic Thermal Protection Systems

PROTECT (Production and Reuse Of Thermally Efficient Ceramic TPS) is a NASA Early Career Initiative focused on developing the next generation of reusable ceramic thermal protection systems (TPS). This project addresses key challenges in TPS design, including temperature capability, thermal stability, and refurbishment time, by integrating novel material development with predictive modeling. Leveraging enhanced capabilities in NASA’s Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) software, PROTECT introduces new modeling tools to predict the thermal and mechanical behavior of fibrous ceramic materials. These tools enable accurate prediction of performance metrics such as thermal conductivity and structural integrity, reducing reliance on costly physical testing. Preliminary advances in these areas will be presented. To support model validation, PROTECT is building a comprehensive database of raw material properties using advanced characterization techniques, including micro computed tomography (CT) scanning in collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The presentation will detail the sampling workflows and analysis methods used to generate this detailed microstructural data and how it is used to develop improved models in PuMA. This multi-center collaboration, spanning NASA (JSC, ARC, KSC, GRC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UIUC, and SpaceX, is developing tailored TPS solutions for LEO, lunar, and Martian missions. By bridging heritage systems with the demands of modern spaceflight, PROTECT contributes to the advancement of reusable TPS technologies for future exploration missions.

Propulsion, Refractory, and Coating Materials↗

NASA NTRS2026

PROTECT: Production and Reuse of Thermally Efficient Ceramic Thermal Protection Systems

Propulsion, Refractory, and Coating Materials↗

NASA NTRS1994

Software agents for the dissemination of remote terrestrial sensing data

Remote terrestrial sensing (RTS) data is constantly being collected from a variety of space-based and earth-based sensors. The collected data, and especially 'value-added' analyses of the data, are finding growing application for commercial, government, and scientific purposes. The scale of this data collection and analysis is truly enormous; e.g., by 1995, the amount of data available in just one sector, NASA space science, will reach 5 petabytes. Moreover, the amount of data, and the value of analyzing the data, are expected to increase dramatically as new satellites and sensors become available (e.g., NASA's Earth Observing System satellites). Lockheed and other companies are beginning to provide data and analysis commercially. A critical issue for the exploitation of collected data is the dissemination of data and value-added analyses to a diverse and widely distributed customer base. Customers must be able to use their computational environment (eventually the National Information Infrastructure) to obtain timely and complete information, without having to know the details of where the relevant data resides and how it is accessed. Customers must be able to routinely use standard, widely available (and, therefore, low cost) analyses, while also being able to readily create on demand highly customized analyses to make crucial decisions. The diversity of user needs creates a difficult software problem: how can users easily state their needs, while the computational environment assumes the responsibility of finding (or creating) relevant information, and then delivering the results in a form that users understand? A software agent is a self-contained, active software module that contains an explicit representation of its operational knowledge. This explicit representation allows agents to examine their own capabilities in order to modify their goals to meet changing needs and to take advantage of dynamic opportunities. In addition, the explicit representation allows agents to advertize their capabilities and results to other agents, thereby allowing the collection of agents to reuse each others work.

Toomey, Christopher N.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Open-Source Numerical Model for Mitigating Refractory Alloy Hot Cracking Susceptibility

Refractory alloys are susceptible to solidification cracking during welding and 3D printing. Composition control is an effective method of controlling solidification cracking. This work evaluates the effect of compositional variation in refractory metal systems on a computed solidification cracking susceptibility. A numerical model has been developed using Python code and open-source CALPHAD software to calculate Kou’s crack susceptibility index. The model is validated against past weldability studies performed on several refractory alloy systems. The approach is extended towards the development of new alloys with improved 3D printability and weldability and is shown to have utility in defining compositional limits for existing alloys and feedstocks. Furthermore, the model will aid in determining process controls for powder reuse and recycling.

pycalphad↗

NASA NTRS2014

Anticipated Changes in Conducting Scientific Data-Analysis Research in the Big-Data Era

A Big-Data environment is one that is capable of orchestrating quick-turnaround analyses involving large volumes of data for numerous simultaneous users. Based on our experiences with a prototype Big-Data analysis environment, we anticipate some important changes in research behaviors and processes while conducting scientific data-analysis research in the near future as such Big-Data environments become the mainstream. The first anticipated change will be the reduced effort and difficulty in most parts of the data management process. A Big-Data analysis environment is likely to house most of the data required for a particular research discipline along with appropriate analysis capabilities. This will reduce the need for researchers to download local copies of data. In turn, this also reduces the need for compute and storage procurement by individual researchers or groups, as well as associated maintenance and management afterwards. It is almost certain that Big-Data environments will require a different "programming language" to fully exploit the latent potential. In addition, the process of extending the environment to provide new analysis capabilities will likely be more involved than, say, compiling a piece of new or revised code.We thus anticipate that researchers will require support from dedicated organizations associated with the environment that are composed of professional software engineers and data scientists. A major benefit will likely be that such extensions are of higherquality and broader applicability than ad hoc changes by physical scientists. Another anticipated significant change is improved collaboration among the researchers using the same environment. Since the environment is homogeneous within itself, many barriers to collaboration are minimized or eliminated. For example, data and analysis algorithms can be seamlessly shared, reused and re-purposed. In conclusion, we will be able to achieve a new level of scientific productivity in the Big-Data analysis environments.

Kuo, Kwo-Sen↗

NASA NTRS1991

Formal specification and verification of Ada software

The use of formal methods in software development achieves levels of quality assurance unobtainable by other means. The Larch approach to specification is described, and the specification of avionics software designed to implement the logic of a flight control system is given as an example. Penelope is described which is an Ada-verification environment. The Penelope user inputs mathematical definitions, Larch-style specifications and Ada code and performs machine-assisted proofs that the code obeys its specifications. As an example, the verification of a binary search function is considered. Emphasis is given to techniques assisting the reuse of a verification effort on modified code.

Hird, Geoffrey R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Compressing Aviation Data in XML Format

Design, operations and maintenance activities in aviation involve analysis of variety of aviation data. This data is typically in disparate formats making it difficult to use with different software packages. Use of a self-describing and extensible standard called XML provides a solution to this interoperability problem. XML provides a standardized language for describing the contents of an information stream, performing the same kind of definitional role for Web content as a database schema performs for relational databases. XML data can be easily customized for display using Extensible Style Sheets (XSL). While self-describing nature of XML makes it easy to reuse, it also increases the size of data significantly. Therefore, transfemng a dataset in XML form can decrease throughput and increase data transfer time significantly. It also increases storage requirements significantly. A natural solution to the problem is to compress the data using suitable algorithm and transfer it in the compressed form. We found that XML-specific compressors such as Xmill and XMLPPM generally outperform traditional compressors. However, optimal use of Xmill requires of discovery of optimal options to use while running Xmill. This, in turn, depends on the nature of data used. Manual disc0ver.y of optimal setting can require an engineer to experiment for weeks. We have devised an XML compression advisory tool that can analyze sample data files and recommend what compression tool would work the best for this data and what are the optimal settings to be used with a XML compression tool.

Patel, Hemil↗

NASA NTRS2004

Generative Representations for Computer-Automated Design Systems

With the increasing computational power of Computers, software design systems are progressing from being tools for architects and designers to express their ideas to tools capable of creating designs under human guidance. One of the main limitations for these computer-automated design programs is the representation with which they encode designs. If the representation cannot encode a certain design, then the design program cannot produce it. Similarly, a poor representation makes some types of designs extremely unlikely to be created. Here we define generative representations as those representations which can create and reuse organizational units within a design and argue that reuse is necessary for design systems to scale to more complex and interesting designs. To support our argument we describe GENRE, an evolutionary design program that uses both a generative and a non-generative representation, and compare the results of evolving designs with both types of representations.

Hornby, Gregory S.↗