AN ORBITAL LAUNCH FACILITY /OLF/
Design of orbital-launch facility /olf/ capable of repair, checkout and launching of space vehicles
ORBITAL LAUNCH↗
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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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Regional Equity and the Geographic Distribution of Federal R and D Funds
Geographical distribution of federal research and development funds, and regional scientific capabilities and facilities
Brazzel, J. M.↗
EOD Facilities Manual. Camera Calibration Laboratory Capabilities
The tests and equipment are described for measuring the exact performance characteristics of camera systems for earth resources, space, and other applications. The tests discussed include: modulation transfer function, field irradiance, veiling glare, T-number tests, shutter speed, spectral transmission, and focal length.
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Navy participation in the development of airframe parameter identification techniques
The Navy is currently involved in the development of advanced parameter identification techniques for use in aircraft flight testing and refinement of aircraft dynamic systems modeling. An overview is presented of the Navy's research programs, capabilities, and facilities. The use of parameter identification techniques are related to the flight testing, development, and simulation of aircraft and aircraft systems in the areas of flying qualities, automatic flight controls, flight dynamics, and advanced landing systems. Preliminary analytical and flight test results are presented. The impact that new parameter identification technology has on Navy flight test philosophy is discussed. Future plans are outlined.
Burton, R. A.↗
Electromagnetic containerless melting and solidification in the weightless environment
General facility concepts capable of processing the widest range of possible important containerless processing experiments within reasonable technology constraints are indicated. An important part of the work has been to make an up-to-date summary of these experiment possibilities. An attempt has been made to consider materials based on importance in terms of new scientific data or possible future commercial applications.
Frost, R. T.↗
Manned Orbital Systems Concepts Study. Book 1: Executive Summary
Requirements for and definitions of a cost effective orbital facility concept, capable of supporting extended manned operations in earth orbit beyond those visualized for the 7 to 30 day shuttle/spacelab system, were studied. Data are given on requirements derivation, concepts identification, systems analysis and definition, and programmatics.
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A preliminary systems-engineering study of an advanced nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen-production facility
An advanced nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen-production facility concept was synthesized at a conceptual level with the objective of minimizing estimated hydrogen-production costs. The concept is a closely-integrated, fully-dedicated (only hydrogen energy is produced) system whose components and subsystems are predicted on ''1985 technology.'' The principal components are: (1) a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) operating a helium-Brayton/ammonia-Rankine binary cycle with a helium reactor-core exit temperature of 980 C, (2) acyclic d-c generators, (3) high-pressure, high-current-density electrolyzers based on solid-polymer electrolyte technology. Based on an assumed 3,000 MWt HTGR the facility is capable of producing 8.7 million std cu m/day of hydrogen at pipeline conditions, 6,900 kPa. Coproduct oxygen is also available at pipeline conditions at one-half this volume. It has further been shown that the incorporation of advanced technology provides an overall efficiency of about 43 percent, as compared with 25 percent for a contemporary nuclear-electric plant powering close-coupled contemporary industrial electrolyzers.
Escher, W. J. D.↗
The Deep Space Network, volume 39
The functions, facilities, and capabilities of the Deep Space Network and its support of the Pioneer, Helios, and Viking missions are described. Progress in tracking and data acquisition research and technology, network engineering and modifications, as well as hardware and software implementation and operations are reported.
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Review of industry interest in space processing
The interest on the part of selected U.S. corporation in using the research facilities and capabilities for materials processing in space utilizing the Space Shuttle was assessed. The effectiveness of the interview techniques as a method for gaining insight into the complex array of issues related to materials processing in space was evaluated. The survey, conducted was intended as a random sample of individuals, representing industry, who were currently involved in materials processing in space.
Mcdowell, J. R.↗
Hypersonic airframe structures: Technology needs and flight test requirements
Hypersonic vehicles, that may be produced by the year 2000, were identified. Candidate thermal/structural concepts that merit consideration for these vehicles were described. The current status of analytical methods, materials, manufacturing techniques, and conceptual developments pertaining to these concepts were reviewed. Guidelines establishing meaningful technology goals were defined and twenty-eight specific technology needs were identified. The extent to which these technology needs can be satisfied, using existing capabilities and facilities without the benefit of a hypersonic research aircraft, was assessed. The role that a research aircraft can fill in advancing this technology was discussed and a flight test program was outlined. Research aircraft thermal/structural design philosophy was also discussed. Programs, integrating technology advancements with the projected vehicle needs, were presented. Program options were provided to reflect various scheduling and cost possibilities.
Stone, J. E.↗
Low-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layers
A test facility operating at substantially reduced pressures is described and shown to be suitable when used with an open-circuit turbulent boundary layer wind tunnel. The facility is capable of producing flows with momentum Reynolds number in the range 200-10,000 by varying the ambient pressure. At low-Reynolds-number flows the pressure is low enough to allow the tunnel to operate with large values of freestream speed. The tunnel's reliability is verified by examining flows where momentum Reynolds number is greater than 1200. The results skin friction coefficients, wake parameters, and basic velocity profiles - consistently agreed with well-established data. For momentum Reynolds number from 600 through 1200 the resulting data indicate that the 'universal velocity profile' is accurate and correctly describes the mean flow properties. For Reynolds number from 425 through 600, the viscous sublayer in this range can no longer maintain its characteristic size.
White, B. R.↗
Thermal energy storage testing facility
The thermal performance of resistance storage heaters in respect to current standards is determined. The design and construction of a storage heater test facility with capability for measuring the performance of electric resistance heated storage units is described. The performance of commercial units are compared based on existing standards. Additional performance standards are proposed.
Schoenhals, R. J.↗
Energy overview
The experience, capabilities, and facilities being utilized at NASA Lewis in support of energy programs conducted by the Department of Energy and other agencies are discussed. Background information is given regarding NASA's involvement in solving energy problems.
Slone, H. O.↗
Fuels research studies at NASA Lewis
Fuels research studies carried out in a variety of areas related to aviation propulsion, ground transportation, and stationary power generation systems are discussed. The major efforts are directed to studies on fuels for jet aircraft. These studies involve fuels preparation, fuels analysis, and fuel quality evaluations. The scope and direction of research activities in these areas is discussed, descriptions of Lewis capabilities and facilities given, and results of recent research efforts reported.
Antoine, A. C.↗
Artificial gravity studies and design considerations for Space Station centrifuges
The requirements to and capabilities of a Space Station biological facility centrifuge are discussed on the basis of an assessment of the objectives and subjects of future microgravity biological experiments. It is argued that the facility should be capable of both acute and extended chronic exposure of test subjects and biological materials to altered-g loading. In addition, the experimental approaches and equipment for microgravity studies on a Space Station are outlined. Finally, the engineering requirements of such a centrifuge are examined, with consideration of radial gravity gradients, size, and physical access to animals.
Halstead, T. W.↗
The Deep Space Network
The Deep Space Network (DSN) is the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications and radio navigation network in the world. Its principal responsibilities are to support unmanned interplanetary spacecraft missions and to support radio and radar astronomy observations in the exploration of the solar system and the universe. The DSN facilities and capabilities as of January 1988 are described.
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Experience with advanced instrumentation in a hot section cascade
The Lewis Research Center gas turbine Hot Section Test Facility was developed to provide a real engine environment with known boundary conditions for the aerothermal performance evaluation and verification of computer design codes. This verification process requires experimental measurements in a hostile environment. The research instruments used in this facility are presented, and their characteristics and how they perform in this environment are discussed. The research instrumentation consisted of conventional pressure and temperature sensors, as well as thin-film thermocouples and heat flux gages. The hot gas temperature was measured by an aspirated temperature probe and by a dual-element, fast-response temperature probe. The data acquisition mode was both steady state and time dependent. These experiments were conducted over a wide range of gas Reynolds numbers, exit gas Mach numbers, and heat flux levels. This facility was capable of testing at temperatures up to 1600 K, and at pressures up to 18 atm. These corresponded to an airfoil exit Reynolds number range of 0.5 x 10(6) to 2.5 x 10(6) based on the airfoil chord of 5.55 cm. The results characterize the performance capability and the durability of the instrumentation. The challenge of making measurements in hostile environments is also discussed. The instruments exhibited more than adequate durability to achieve the measurement profile. About 70 percent of the thin-film thermocouples and the dual-element temperature probe survived several hundred thermal cycles and more than 35 hr at gas temperatures up to 1600 K. Within the experimental uncertainty, the steady-state and transient heat flux measurements were comparable and consistent over the range of Reynolds numbers tested.
Yeh, Frederick C.↗
A tandem mirror hybrid plume plasma propulsion facility
This paper discusses a novel concept in electrodeless plasma propulsion, in which the materials problems are ameliorated by an electrodeless magnetic confinement scheme borrowed from the tandem mirror approach to controlled thermonuclear fusion. The concept also features a two-stage magnetic nozzle with an annular hypersonic coaxial gas injector near the throat. The nozzle produces hybrid plume by the coaxial injection of hypersonic neutral gas, and the gas layer thus formed protects the material walls from the hot plasma and, through increased collisions, helps detach it from the diverging magnetic field. The tandem mirror plasma propulsion facility is capable of delivering a variable I(sp). The results of numerical simulation of this concept are presented together with those from an experimental tandem-mirror plasma propulsion device.
Yang, T. F.↗