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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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NASA NTRS1992

TOPEX/POSEIDON joint verification plan

TOPEX/POSEIDON is a satellite mission that will use altimetry to make precise measurements of sea level with the primary goal of studying global ocean circulation. The mission is jointly conducted by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the French space agency, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The current plans call for a launch of the satellite in August 1992. The primary mission will last 3 years, and provisions were made to extend the mission for an additional 2 years. The mission was coordinated with a number of international oceanographic and meteorological programs, including the World Ocean Circulation Experiment and the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Program, both of which are sponsored by the World Climate Research Program. The observations of TOPEX/POSEIDON are timed to provide a global perspective for interpreting the in situ measurements collected by these programs and in turn will be combined with observations of other satellites to achieve a global, four-dimensional description of the circulation of the world's oceans. In the autumn of 1987, an international team of 38 Principal Investigators was selected to participate in the mission. These scientists have been working closely with the TOPEX/POSEIDON Project to refine the mission design and science plans. During the first 6 months after launch, a number of these investigators will join with the project to conduct a wide range of oceanographic and geophysical investigations using the TOPEX/POSEIDON data. The purpose of these investigations is to demonstrate the scientific utility of the mission to the international scientific community.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

The atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft

This document presents a second report from the Atmospheric Effects of Stratospheric Aircraft (AESA) component of NASA's High-Speed Research Program (HSRP). This document presents a second report from the Atmospheric Effects of Stratospheric Aircraft (AESA) component of NASA's High Speed Research Program (HSRP). Market and technology considerations continue to provide an impetus for high-speed civil transport research. A recent United Nations Environment Program scientific assessment has shown that considerable uncertainty still exists about the possible impact of aircraft on the atmosphere. The AESA was designed to develop the body of scientific knowledge necessary for the evaluation of the impact of stratospheric aircraft on the atmosphere. The first Program report presented the basic objectives and plans for AESA. This second report presents the status of the ongoing research as reported by the principal investigators at the second annual AESA Program meeting in May 1992: Laboratory studies are probing the mechanism responsible for many of the heterogeneous reactions that occur on stratospheric particles. Understanding how the atmosphere redistributes aircraft exhaust is critical to our knowing where the perturbed air will go and for how long it will remain in the stratosphere. The assessment of fleet effects is dependent on the ability to develop scenarios which correctly simulate fleet operations.

Stolarski, Richard S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Space biology initiative program definition review. Trade study 1: Automation costs versus crew utilization

A significant emphasis upon automation within the Space Biology Initiative hardware appears justified in order to conserve crew labor and crew training effort. Two generic forms of automation were identified: automation of data and information handling and decision making, and the automation of material handling, transfer, and processing. The use of automatic data acquisition, expert systems, robots, and machine vision will increase the volume of experiments and quality of results. The automation described may also influence efforts to miniaturize and modularize the large array of SBI hardware identified to date. The cost and benefit model developed appears to be a useful guideline for SBI equipment specifiers and designers. Additional refinements would enhance the validity of the model. Two NASA automation pilot programs, 'The Principal Investigator in a Box' and 'Rack Mounted Robots' were investigated and found to be quite appropriate for adaptation to the SBI program. There are other in-house NASA efforts that provide technology that may be appropriate for the SBI program. Important data is believed to exist in advanced medical labs throughout the U.S., Japan, and Europe. The information and data processing in medical analysis equipment is highly automated and future trends reveal continued progress in this area. However, automation of material handling and processing has progressed in a limited manner because the medical labs are not affected by the power and space constraints that Space Station medical equipment is faced with. Therefore, NASA's major emphasis in automation will require a lead effort in the automation of material handling to achieve optimal crew utilization.

Jackson, L. Neal↗
NASA NTRS1993

A study of video frame rate on the perception of moving imagery detail

The rate at which each frame of color moving video imagery is displayed was varied in small steps to determine what is the minimal acceptable frame rate for life scientists viewing white rats within a small enclosure. Two, twenty five second-long scenes (slow and fast animal motions) were evaluated by nine NASA principal investigators and animal care technicians. The mean minimum acceptable frame rate across these subjects was 3.9 fps both for the slow and fast moving animal scenes. The highest single trial frame rate averaged across all subjects for the slow and the fast scene was 6.2 and 4.8, respectively. Further research is called for in which frame rate, image size, and color/gray scale depth are covaried during the same observation period.

Haines, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Robust controls with structured perturbations

This final report summarizes the recent results obtained by the principal investigator and his coworkers on the robust stability and control of systems containing parametric uncertainty. The starting point is a generalization of Kharitonov's theorem obtained in 1989, and its generalization to the multilinear case, the singling out of extremal stability subsets, and other ramifications now constitutes an extensive and coherent theory of robust parametric stability that is summarized in the results contained here.

Keel, Leehyun↗
NASA NTRS1992

Wrap-up session

Listening to the case studies that were presented it became quite evident that the best data management systems were the ones where data managers and research scientists worked as a team developed in the early stages of project planning. Examples that were given included WOCE Data Assembly Centres e.g., Drifters, the Global Temperature Salinity Pilot Project (GTSPP) collaboration with Joint Analyses Centres in the U.S. and Australia, and JGOFS/BOFS development of Topical Centres. While each of these has some elements unique to the project, each had brought together 'teams' of Principal Investigators (PI's) and data management experts at an early stage of project development. Conversely, projects which had considered data management as a totally separate activity with lower priority often failed to provide the service required to meet scientific objectives. Therefore, the following actions should be brought to the attention of relevant groups within the IOC and other international organizations: (1) Publicize, at the national and international level, underway data/scientist collaborations that may be used as models in planning for the future. (2) Reduce adversarial situations where data managers and scientists appear to be in competition. (3) Colocation and other forms of collaboration often results in very high quality data sets and more timely data submission. Improved timeliness of data submissions was a common theme throughout the workshop and must be considered an important element in all future plans. Improvements in timely submission of data were noted. In order to continue this trend the advantages of timely submission of data must be stressed to those planning new ocean science projects.

Holland, Geoffrey↗
NASA NTRS1993

JSC research and technology

The primary roles and missions of JSC incorporate all aspects of human presence in space. Therefore, the Center is involved in the development of technology that will allow humans to stay longer in Earth orbit, allow safe flight in space, and provide capabilities to explore the Moon and Mars. The Center's technology emphasis areas include human spacecraft development, human support systems and infrastructure, and human spacecraft operations. Safety and reliability are critical requirements for the technologies that JSC pursues for long-duration use in space. One of the objectives of technology development at the Center is to give employees the opportunity to enhance their technological expertise and project management skills by defining, designing, and developing projects that are vital to the Center's strategy for the future. This report is intended to communicate within and outside the Agency our research and technology (R&T) accomplishments, as well as inform Headquarters program managers and their constituents of the significant accomplishments that have promise for future Agency programs. While not inclusive of all R&T efforts, the report presents a comprehensive summary of JSC projects in which substantial progress was made in the 1992 fiscal year. At the beginning of each project description, names of the Principal Investigator (PI) and the Technical Monitor (TM) are given, followed by their JSC mail codes or their company or university affiliations. The funding sources and technology focal points are identified in the index.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

Space biology research development

The purpose of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute is to conduct and promote research related activities regarding the search for extraterrestrial life, particularly intelligent life. Such research encompasses the broad discipline of 'Life in the Universe', including all scientific and technological aspects of astronomy and the planetary sciences, chemical evolution, the origin of life, biological evolution, and cultural evolution. The primary purpose was to provide funding for the Principal Investigator to collaborate with the personnel of the SETI Institute and the NASA-Ames Research center in order to plan and develop space biology research on and in connection with Space Station Freedom; to promote cooperation with the international partners in the space station; to conduct a study on the use of biosensors in space biology research and life support system operation; and to promote space biology research through the initiation of an annual publication 'Advances in Space Biology and Medicine'.

Bonting, Sjoerd L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

MAC to VAX Connectivity: Heartrate Spectral Analysis System

The heart rate Spectral Analysis System (SAS) acquires and analyzes, in real-time, the Space Shuttle onboard electrocardiograph (EKG) experiment signals, calculates the heartrate, and applies a Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) to the heart rate. The system also calculates other statistical parameters such as the 'mean heart rate' over specific time period and heart rate histogram. This SAS is used by NASA Principal Investigators as a research tool to determine the effects of weightlessness on the human cardiovascular system. This is also used to determine if Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) is an effective countermeasure to the orthostatic intolerance experienced by astronauts upon return to normal gravity. In microgravity, astronauts perform the LBNP experiment in the mid deck of the Space Shuttle. The experiment data are downlinked by the orbiter telemetry system, then processed and analyzed in real-time by the integrated Life Sciences Data Acquisition (LSDS) - Spectral Analysis System. The data system is integrated within the framework of two different computer systems, VAX and Macintosh (Mac), using the networking infrastructure to assist the investigators in further understanding the most complex machine on Earth--the human body.

Rahman, Hasan H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The effects of video compression on acceptability of images for monitoring life sciences' experiments

Current plans indicate that there will be a large number of life science experiments carried out during the thirty year-long mission of the Biological Flight Research Laboratory (BFRL) on board Space Station Freedom (SSF). Non-human life science experiments will be performed in the BFRL. Two distinct types of activities have already been identified for this facility: (1) collect, store, distribute, analyze and manage engineering and science data from the Habitats, Glovebox and Centrifuge, (2) perform a broad range of remote science activities in the Glovebox and Habitat chambers in conjunction with the remotely located principal investigator (PI). These activities require extensive video coverage, viewing and/or recording and distribution to video displays on board SSF and to the ground. This paper concentrates mainly on the second type of activity. Each of the two BFRL habitat racks are designed to be configurable for either six rodent habitats per rack, four plant habitats per rack, or a combination of the above. Two video cameras will be installed in each habitat with a spare attachment for a third camera when needed. Therefore, a video system that can accommodate up to 12-18 camera inputs per habitat rack must be considered.

Haines, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS1992

NASA SBIR abstracts of 1991 phase 1 projects

The objectives of 301 projects placed under contract by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are described. These projects were selected competitively from among proposals submitted to NASA in response to the 1991 SBIR Program Solicitation. The basic document consists of edited, non-proprietary abstracts of the winning proposals submitted by small businesses. The abstracts are presented under the 15 technical topics within which Phase 1 proposals were solicited. Each project was assigned a sequential identifying number from 001 to 301, in order of its appearance in the body of the report. Appendixes to provide additional information about the SBIR program and permit cross-reference of the 1991 Phase 1 projects by company name, location by state, principal investigator, NASA Field Center responsible for management of each project, and NASA contract number are included.

Schwenk, F. Carl↗
NASA NTRS1990

PI-in-a-box: An expert system to advise astronauts during experiments

Perhaps the scarcest resource for manned flight experiments - on Spacelab or on Space Station Freedom - will continue to be crew time. To maximize the efficiency of the crew, and to make use of their abilities to work as scientist collaborators as well as equipment operators, normally requires more training in a wide variety of disciplines than is practical. The successful application of on-board expert systems, as envisioned by the 'Principal Investigator (PI)-in-a-Box' program, should alleviate the training bottleneck and provide the astronaut with the guidance and coaching needed to permit him or her to operate an experiment according to the desires and knowledge of the PI, despite changes in conditions. In addition to the functions of providing expert devise concerning scheduling and repair, the program should bring the astronaut into the scientific evaluation phase of an experiment by sharing with him the guidance and observations regarding the relevance and importance of data as it is being generated. Initial reaction from the astronaut community has been positive.

Young, Laurence R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Monitoring cognitive function and need with the automated neuropsychological assessment metrics in Decompression Sickness (DCS) research

Hypobaric decompression sickness (DCS) research presents the medical monitor with the difficult task of assessing the onset and progression of DCS largely on the basis of subjective symptoms. Even with the introduction of precordial Doppler ultrasound techniques for the detection of venous gas emboli (VGE), correct prediction of DCS can be made only about 65 percent of the time according to data from the Armstrong Laboratory's (AL's) hypobaric DCS database. An AL research protocol concerned with exercise and its effects on denitrogenation efficiency includes implementation of a performance assessment test battery to evaluate cognitive functioning during a 4-h simulated 30,000 ft (9144 m) exposure. Information gained from such a test battery may assist the medical monitor in identifying early signs of DCS and subtle neurologic dysfunction related to cases of asymptomatic, but advanced, DCS. This presentation concerns the selection and integration of a test battery and the timely graphic display of subject test results for the principal investigator and medical monitor. A subset of the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) developed through the Office of Military Performance Assessment Technology (OMPAT) was selected. The ANAM software provides a library of simple tests designed for precise measurement of processing efficiency in a variety of cognitive domains. For our application and time constraints, two tests requiring high levels of cognitive processing and memory were chosen along with one test requiring fine psychomotor performance. Accuracy, speed, and processing throughout variables as well as RMS error were collected. An automated mood survey provided 'state' information on six scales including anger, happiness, fear, depression, activity, and fatigue. An integrated and interactive LOTUS 1-2-3 macro was developed to import and display past and present task performance and mood-change information.

Nesthus, Thomas E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Chemical release and radiation effects (CRRES) data directory

The following tasks were completed under this contract: a revision and update of the Chemical Release and Radiation Effects (CRRES) data directory was performed taking into account the corrections and suggests for improvements obtained from the participants at the final CRRES IWG meeting held at SAIC on 14-16 Dec. 1992. A draft copy of the report was then circulated to as many as possible of the relevant CRRES Principal Investigators, co-Investigators, and technicians with a request for a final check on accuracy and completion. A copy of the mailing list is given in Appendix A. All corrections and updates received were implemented. A hard copy together with a floppy disk version was forwarded to Richard Howard, NASA Headquarters, who is arranging for the archiving of the CRRES Data Summary at NSSDC. Final copies were sent where possible.

Miller, George P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Search for extraterrestrial intelligence/high resolution microwave survey team member

This semiannual status report describes activities conducted by the Principal Investigator during the first half of this third year of the NASA High Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS) Investigator Working Group (IWG). As a (HRMS) Team Member with primary interest in the Sky Survey activity, this investigator attended IWG meetings at NASA/Ames and U.C.-Santa Cruz in Apr. and Aug. 1992, and has traveled independently to NRAO/Kitt Peak, Arizona (April 1993) and Woodbury, Georgia (July 1993). During the July 1993 visit to the Georgia Tech Research Corporation/Woodbury Research Facility, an experiment was conducted to study the effects of interference from C-band (3.7 - 4.2 GHz) geostationary spacecraft on the Sky Survey operation in that band. At the first IWG meeting in April of this year, results of a SETI observation conducted at the 203 GHz positronium hyperfine resonance using the NRAO facility at Kitt Peak, AZ, were presented, as well as updates on the development of the spaceborne RFI data bases developed for the project. At the second meeting, results of the study of interference from C-band geostationary spacecraft were presented. Likewise, a presentation was made at the accompanying 1993 Bioastronomy Symposium describing the SETI observation at the positronium hyperfine resonance.

Steffes, Paul G.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of a quiet supersonic wind tunnel with a cryogenic adaptive nozzle

The main objective of this work is to develop an interim Quiet (low-disturbance) supersonic wind tunnel for the NASA-Ames Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (FML). The main emphasis is to bring on-line a full-scale Mach 1.6 tunnel as rapidly as possible to impact the NASA High Speed Research Program (HSRP). The development of a cryogenic adaptive nozzle and other sophisticated features of the tunnel will now happen later, after the full scale wind tunnel is in operation. The work under this contract for the period of this report can be summarized as follows: provide aerodynamic design requirements for the NASA-Ames Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (FML) Laminar Flow Supersonic Wind Tunnel (LFSWT); research design parameters for a unique Mach 1.6 drive system for the LFSWT using an 1/8th-scale Proof-of-Concept (PoC) supersonic wind tunnel; carry out boundary layer transition studies in PoC to aid the design of critical components of the LFSWT; appraise the State of the Art in quiet supersonic wind tunnel design; and help develop a supersonic research capability within the FML particularly in the areas of high speed transition measurements and schlieren techniques. The body of this annual report summarizes the work of the Principal Investigator.

Wolf, Stephen W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Application of hard coatings to substrates at low temperatures

BIRL, the industrial research laboratory of Northwestern University, has conducted unique and innovative research, under sponsorship from the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), in the application of hard, wear resistant coatings to bearing steels using the high-rate reactive sputtering (HRRS) process that was pioneered by Dr. William Sproul, the principal investigator on this program. Prior to this program, Dr. Sproul had demonstrated that it is possible to apply hard coatings such as titanium nitride (TiN) to alloy steels at low temperatures via the HRRS process without changing the metallurgical properties of the steel. The NASA MSFC program at BIRL had the specific objectives to: apply TiN to 440C stainless steel without changing the metallurgical properties of the steel; prepare rolling contact fatigue (RCF) test samples coated with binary hard coatings of TiN, zirconium nitride (ZrN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), and molybdenum nitride (MoN), and metal coatings of copper (Cu) and gold (Au); and develop new alloyed hard coatings of titanium aluminum nitride (Ti(0.5)Al(0.5)N), titanium zirconium nitride (Ti(0.5)Zr(0.5)N), and titanium aluminum vanadium nitride.

Sproul, William D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

FITS data conversion efforts at the Compton Observatory Science Support Center

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) is an active, earth orbiting satellite consisting of four gamma-ray telescopes. Each telescope is maintained by an independent principal investigator (PI) team, and each PI team has devised separate data formats to handle the needs of their particular instrument. As mandated by NASA, the Compton Observatory Science Support Center (COSSC) intends to archive and distribute PI data to the public in FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) format. To accomplish this task, we at COSSC have been developing a set of general purpose software tools that facilitate the transformation of non-FITS formatted data into FITS format. These tools, known as ToFU (To FITS Utilities), serve as the kernel of our CGRO data conversion software. This presentation describes the problems encountered in transcribing large amounts of data into a standard FITS form and the capabilities of the COSSC-built conversion software designed to perform the transformations.

Jennings, D. G.↗