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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

Aerothermal modeling. Executive summary

One of the significant ways in which the performance level of aircraft turbine engines has been improved is by the use of advanced materials and cooling concepts that allow a significant increase in turbine inlet temperature level, with attendant thermodynamic cycle benefits. Further cycle improvements have been achieved with higher pressure ratio compressors. The higher turbine inlet temperatures and compressor pressure ratios with corresponding higher temperature cooling air has created a very hostile environment for the hot section components. To provide the technology needed to reduce the hot section maintenance costs, NASA has initiated the Hot Section Technology (HOST) program. One key element of this overall program is the Aerothermal Modeling Program. The overall objective of his program is to evolve and validate improved analysis methods for use in the design of aircraft turbine engine combustors. The use of such combustor analysis capabilities can be expected to provide significant improvement in the life and durability characteristics of both combustor and turbine components.

Kenworthy, M. K.↗

Technology for libraries and information centers: A seminar in Greece, Portugal, and Turkey

Information technologies are evolving at a rapid pace in today's world. But the electronic technologies needed to transform today's libraries and information centers into electronic 'libraries without walls', where an end-user has instantaneous access to all the information needed from a desktop workstation, have not yet arrived. Even so, there are many technologies available today that can be applied in the library/information center environment to yield increased productivity. However, not all technologies are right for or successful in every environment. Mission, budget, infrastructure, client profiles, and staff skills are a few of the 'environmental' issues that must be considered when selecting and introducing new technologies into a particular information center. Key technologies used in libraries today are reviewed; it can be used as background for targeting technologies that could be successfully implemented in your own environment to further service goals. Before focusing on a selection of technologies, you must first focus on the strategic goal of your organization. The same technology is not right for every library/information center. An overview of technologies that are readily available and can be applied today is presented.

Cotter, Gladys A.↗

NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development for Exploration: 2020 to 2021 Overview

This paper provides an overview of NASA supported activities developing Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) technologies in the following capability areas: life support, environmental monitoring, fire safety, and logistics. NASA has been refining technology needs for deep space missions including Gateway, lunar surface, Mars transit, and Mars surface missions. Validating technologies in relevant environments, both in low earth orbit (LEO) and ground tests is critical in understanding technology performance and long duration performance. On-orbit and ground tests inform NASA’s technology decisions to fill exploration gaps. NASA has multiple technology projects across the technology readiness spectrum with potential to fill or partially fill exploration gaps. For each capability area, this paper will describe select capability gaps, NASA technology project maturation over the past year, and key performance parameters (KPPs). KPPs are evolving but they still provide a useful measure in communicating progress and identifying development needs to fill exploration gaps. The intent is to provide a very high-level overview describing the projects that are supporting gap closure and provide references to additional technical details, progress, and KPPs.

James Lee Broyan↗

NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development for Exploration: 2020 to 2021 Overview

This PowerPoint presentation supports the following paper submission's abstract (STRIVES 20210015025). This paper provides an overview of NASA supported activities developing Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) technologies in the following capability areas: life support, environmental monitoring, fire safety, and logistics. NASA has been refining technology needs for deep space missions including Gateway, lunar surface, Mars transit, and Mars surface missions. Validating technologies in relevant environments, both in low earth orbit (LEO) and ground tests is critical in understanding technology performance and long duration performance. On-orbit and ground tests inform NASA’s technology decisions to fill exploration gaps. NASA has multiple technology projects across the technology readiness spectrum with potential to fill or partially fill exploration gaps. For each capability area, this paper will describe select capability gaps, NASA technology project maturation over the past year, and key performance parameters (KPPs). KPPs are evolving but they still provide a useful measure in communicating progress and identifying development needs to fill exploration gaps. The intent is to provide a very high-level overview describing the projects that are supporting gap closure and provide references to additional technical details, progress, and KPPs.

Life Support↗

From LEO, to the Moon and then Mars: Developing a Global Strategy for Exploration Risk Reduction

Most nations currently involved in human spaceflight, or with such ambitions, believe that space exploration will capture the imagination of our youth resulting in future engineers and scientists, advance technologies which will improve life on earth, increase the knowledge of our solar system, and strengthen bonds and relationships across the globe. The Global Exploration Strategy, published in 2007 by 14 space agencies, eloquently makes this case and presents a vision for space exploration. It argues that in order for space exploration to be sustainable, nations must work together to address the challenges and share the burden of costs. This paper will examine Mars mission scenarios developed by NASA, ESA and other agencies and show resulting conclusions regarding key challenges, needed technologies and associated mission risks. It will discuss the importance of using the International Space Station as a platform for exploration risk reduction and how the global exploration community will develop lunar exploration elements and architectures that enable the long term goal of human missions to Mars. The International Space Station (ISS) is a critical first step both from a technology and capability demonstration point of view, but also from a partnership point of view. There is much work that can be done in low earth orbit for exploration risk reduction. As the current "outpost at the edge of the frontier", the ISS is a place where we can demonstrate certain technologies and capabilities that will substantially reduce the risk of deploying an outpost on the lunar surface and Mars mission scenarios. The ISS partnership is strong and has fulfilled mission needs. Likewise, the partnerships we build on the moon will provide a strong foundation for establishing partnerships for the human Mars missions. On the moon, we build a permanently manned outpost and deploy technologies and capabilities to allow humans to stay for long periods of time. The moon is interesting from a scientific point of view, but it is extremely important for development and demonstration the technologies and capabilities needed for human missions to Mars. This paper will show the logic and strategy for addressing technological, operational and programmatic challenges by using low earth orbit and lunar missions to enable the long term goal of exploration of our solar system.

Laurini, Kathleen C.↗

An Active Flow Circulation Controlled Flap Concept for General Aviation Aircraft Applications

A recent focus on revolutionary aerodynamic concepts has highlighted the technology needs of general aviation and personal aircraft. New and stringent restrictions on these types of aircraft have placed high demands on aerodynamic performance, noise, and environmental issues. Improved high lift performance of these aircraft can lead to slower takeoff and landing speeds that can be related to reduced noise and crash survivability issues. Circulation Control technologies have been around for 65 years, yet have been avoided due to trade offs of mass flow, pitching moment, perceived noise etc. The need to improve the circulation control technology for general aviation and personal air-vehicle applications is the focus of this paper. This report will describe the development of a 2-D General Aviation Circulation Control (GACC) wing concept that utilizes a pulsed pneumatic flap.

Jones, Gregory S.↗

Preliminary Jitter Stability Results for the Large UV/Optical/Infrared (LUVOIR) Surveyor Concept Using a Non-Contact Vibration Isolation and Precision Pointing System

The need for high payload dynamic stability and ultra-stable mechanical systems is an overarching technology need for large space telescopes such as the Large Ultraviolet / Optical / Infrared (LUVOIR) Surveyor concept. The LUVOIR concept includes a 15-meter-diameter segmented-aperture telescope with a suite of serviceable instruments operating over a range of wavelengths between 100nm to 2.5 um. Wavefront error (WFE) stability of less than 10 picometers RMS of uncorrected system WFE per wavefront control step represents a drastic performance improvement over current space-based telescopes being fielded. Through the utilization of an isolation architecture that involves no mechanical contact between the telescope and the host spacecraft structure, a system design is realized that maximizes the telescope dynamic stability performance without driving stringent technology requirements on spacecraft structure, sensors or actuators. Through analysis of the LUVOIR finite element model and linear optical model, the wavefront error and Line-Of-Sight (LOS) jitter performance is discussed in this paper when using the Vibration Isolation and Precision Pointing System (VIPPS) being developed cooperatively with Lockheed Martin in addition to a multi-loop control architecture. The multi-loop control architecture consists of the spacecraft Attitude Control System (ACS), VIPPS, and a Fast Steering Mirror on the instrument. While the baseline attitude control device for LUVOIR is a set of Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs), Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA) disturbance contribution to wavefront error stability and LOS stability are presented to give preliminary results in this paper. CMG disturbance will be explored in further work to be completed.

Sacks, Lia W.↗

NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development for Exploration: 2020 to 2021 Overview

This paper provides an overview of NASA supported activities developing Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) technologies in the following capability areas: life support, environmental monitoring, fire safety, and logistics. NASA has been refining technology needs for deep space missions including Gateway, lunar surface, Mars transit, and Mars surface missions. Validating technologies in relevant environments, both in low earth orbit (LEO) and ground tests is critical in understanding technology performance and long duration performance. On-orbit and ground tests inform NASA’s technology decisions to fill exploration gaps. NASA has multiple technology projects across the technology readiness spectrum with potential to fill or partially fill exploration gaps. For each capability area, this paper will describe select capability gaps, NASA technology project maturation over the past year, and how key performance parameters (KPPs) are being used to measure the degree of capability gap closure. KPPs are evolving but they still provide a useful measure in communicating progress and identifying development needs to fill exploration gaps. The intent is to provide a very high-level overview describing the strategic approach to gap closure and provide references to additional technical details, progress, and KPPs.

Life Support↗

Sensor technology for advanced space missions

The capability and applications of two sensors, Spatial, High-Accuracy, Position-Encoding Sensor (SHAPES) and Fiber Optics Rotation Sensor (FORS), for advanced missions are discussed. The multiple target, 3-D position sensing capability of SHAPES meets a critical technology need for many developing applications. A major milestone of the SHAPES task was completed on schedule on May 30, 1986, by demonstrating simultaneous ranging to eight moving targets at a rate of 10 measurements per second. The range resolution to static target was shown to be 25 microns. SHAPES scheduled technology readiness will support the sensor needs of a number of early users. The next phase in the development of SHAPES is to incorporate an angular measurement CCD to provide the full 3-dimensional sensing. A flight unit design and fabrication can be complete by FY89. FORS, with its significant improvement over present technology in lifetime, performance, weight, power, and recurrent cost, will be an important technology for future space systems. Technology readiness will be demonstrated with a FORS brassboard with fully integrated IO chips by FY88. The unique capability of miniature remote sensing heads, connected to a central system, will open up new areas in control and stability of large space structures. This application requires additional study.

Nerheim, N. M.↗

Automated space processing payloads study. Volume 3: Equipment development resource requirements

Facilities are described on which detailed preliminary design was undertaken and which may be used on early space shuttle missions in the 1979-1982 time-frame. The major hardware components making up each facility are identified, and development schedules for the major hardware items and the payload buildup are included. Cost data for the facilities, and the assumptions and ground rules supporting these data are given along with a recommended listing of supporting research and technology needed to ensure confidence in the ability to achieve successful development of the equipment and technology.

Source record↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-10746-DND

This paper presents the design, development, and field testing of a high sensitivity ground-based Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system that was developed under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program. The investigation presents a significant advancement towards the development of future CO2 profiling capability as it incorporates key elements of technologies needed for a future development of global CO2 measuring systems including: (1) 2-μm laser technologies that have been developed under a number of NASA programs including the Laser Risk Reduction Program (LRRP) (2) A novel high quantum efficiency (QE), high gain (without excess noise factor), and low noise phototransistor, and (3) Direct detection DIAL system using a large collection area receiver that is insensitive to speckle and coherence length effects from atmospheric turbulence that influences heterodyne detection systems. The objective of the project was a system TRL of 4, and the goal was TRL 5. Development and testing of the laser, new detector, and receiver systems during the project, integration into a complete lidar system into a trailer, field testing of system at West Branch, IA and comparison of the lidar CO2 measurements with in situ sensors advanced the system to a TRL of 5. The system demonstrated high vertical resolution CO2 profiling capability within the boundary layer and column measurements to long ranges. This is the first direct detection demonstration of a 2-micron CO2 DIAL high vertical resolution capability from instrument concept to field demonstration.

Syed Ismail↗

Flight mask designs of the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Instrument

Over the past two decades, thousands of con?rmed exoplanets have been detected; the next major challenge is to characterize these other worlds and their stellar systems. Much information on the composition and formation of exoplanets and circumstellar debris disks can only be achieved via direct imaging. Direct imaging is challenging because of the small angular separations (< 1 arcsec) and high star-to-planet ux ratios (?109 for a Jupiter analog or ?1010 for an Earth analog in the visible). Atmospheric turbulence prohibits reaching such high ux ratios on the ground, so observations must be made above the Earth's atmosphere. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman), set to launch in the mid-2020s, will be the ?rst space-based observatory to demonstrate high-contrast imaging with active wavefront control using its Coronagraph Instrument. The instrument's main purpose is to mature the various technologies needed for a future agship mission to image and characterize Earth-like exoplanets. These technologies include two high-actuator-count deformable mirrors, photon-counting detectors, two complementary wavefront sensing and control loops, and two di?erent coronagraph types. In this paper, we describe the complete set of ight coronagraph mask designs and their intended combinations in the Roman Coronagraph Instrument. There are three types of mask con?gurations included: a primary one designed to meet the instrument's top-level requirement, three that are supported on a best-e?ort basis, and several unsupported ones contributed by the NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program. The unsupported mask con?gurations could be commissioned and used if the instrument is approved for operations after its initial technology demonstration phase.

Zimmerman, Neil T.↗

Vibration isolation technology: An executive summary of systems development and demonstration

A program was organized to develop the enabling technologies needed for the use of Space Station Freedom as a viable microgravity experimental platform. One of these development programs was the Vibration Isolation Technology (VIT). This technology development program grew because of increased awareness that the acceleration disturbances present on the Space Transportation System (STS) orbiter can and are detrimental to many microgravity experiments proposed for STS, and in the future, Space Station Freedom (SSF). Overall technological organization are covered of the VIT program. Emphasis is given to the results from development and demonstration of enabling technologies to achieve the acceleration requirements perceived as those most likely needed for a variety of microgravity science experiments. In so doing, a brief summary of general theoretical approaches to controlling the acceleration environment of an isolated space based payload and the design and/or performance of two prototype six degree of freedom active magnetic isolation systems is presented.

Grodsinsky, Carlos M.↗

Vibration isolation technology - An executive summary of systems development and demonstration

A program was organized to develop the enabling technologies needed for the use of Space Station Freedom as a viable microgravity experimental platform. One of these development programs was the Vibration Isolation Technology (VIT). This technology development program grew because of increased awareness that the acceleration disturbances present on the Space Transportation System (STS) orbiter can and are detrimental to many microgravity experiments proposed for STS, and in the future, Space Station Freedom (SSF). Overall technological organization are covered of the VIT program. Emphasis is given to the results from development and demonstration of enabling technologies to achieve the acceleration requirements perceived as those most likely needed for a variety of microgravity science experiments. In so doing, a brief summary of general theoretical approaches to controlling the acceleration environment of an isolated space based payload and the design and/or performance of two prototype six degree of freedom active magnetic isolation systems is presented.

Grodsinsky, C. M.↗

HSCT Exhaust System Anticipated Seal Needs

The overview for HSR seals includes defining objectives, summarizing sealing and material requirements, presenting relevant seal cross-sections, and identifying technology needs. Overview presentations are given for the inlet, turbomachinery, combustor and nozzle. The HSCT and HSR seal issues center on durability and efficiency of rotating equipment seals, structural seals and high speed bearing and sump seals. Tighter clearances, propulsion system size and thermal requirements challenge component designers.

Vacek, Larry↗

Alternative jet aircraft fuels

Potential changes in jet aircraft fuel specifications due to shifts in supply and quality of refinery feedstocks are discussed with emphasis on the effects these changes would have on the performance and durability of aircraft engines and fuel systems. Combustion characteristics, fuel thermal stability, and fuel pumpability at low temperature are among the factors considered. Combustor and fuel system technology needs for broad specification fuels are reviewed including prevention of fuel system fouling and fuel system technology for fuels with higher freezing points.

Grobman, J.↗

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 19: Computer and information technology and aerospace knowledge diffusion

To remain a world leader in aerospace, the US must improve and maintain the professional competency of its engineers and scientists, increase the research and development (R&D) knowledge base, improve productivity, and maximize the integration of recent technological developments into the R&D process. How well these objectives are met, and at what cost, depends on a variety of factors, but largely on the ability of US aerospace engineers and scientists to acquire and process the results of federally funded R&D. The Federal Government's commitment to high speed computing and networking systems presupposes that computer and information technology will play a major role in the aerospace knowledge diffusion process. However, we know little about information technology needs, uses, and problems within the aerospace knowledge diffusion process. The use of computer and information technology by US aerospace engineers and scientists in academia, government, and industry is reported.

Pinelli, Thomas E.↗

The LUVOIR Mission Concept: Update and Technology Overview

We present an overview of the Large Ultra Violet Optical Infrared (LUVOIR) decadal mission concept study. We provide updates from recent activities of the Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) and the Technology Working Group (TWG). We review the technology prioritization and discuss specific technology needs to enable the LUVOIR mission.

spaceborne telescopes↗