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At least 343 records · Page 19

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NASA NTRS1983

Distributed asynchronous microprocessor architectures in fault tolerant integrated flight systems

The paper discusses the implementation of fault tolerant digital flight control and navigation systems for rotorcraft application. It is shown that in implementing fault tolerance at the systems level using advanced LSI/VLSI technology, aircraft physical layout and flight systems requirements tend to define a system architecture of distributed, asynchronous microprocessors in which fault tolerance can be achieved locally through hardware redundancy and/or globally through application of analytical redundancy. The effects of asynchronism on the execution of dynamic flight software is discussed. It is shown that if the asynchronous microprocessors have knowledge of time, these errors can be significantly reduced through appropiate modifications of the flight software. Finally, the papear extends previous work to show that through the combined use of time referencing and stable flight algorithms, individual microprocessors can be configured to autonomously tolerate intermittent faults.

Dunn, W. R.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Exploring Life Support Architectures for Evolution of Deep Space Human Exploration

Life support system architectures for long duration space missions are often explored analytically in the human spaceflight community to find optimum solutions for mass, performance, and reliability. But in reality, many other constraints can guide the design when the life support system is examined within the context of an overall vehicle, as well as specific programmatic goals and needs. Between the end of the Constellation program and the development of the "Evolvable Mars Campaign", NASA explored a broad range of mission possibilities. Most of these missions will never be implemented but the lessons learned during these concept development phases may color and guide future analytical studies and eventual life support system architectures. This paper discusses several iterations of design studies from the life support system perspective to examine which requirements and assumptions, programmatic needs, or interfaces drive design. When doing early concept studies, many assumptions have to be made about technology and operations. Data can be pulled from a variety of sources depending on the study needs, including parametric models, historical data, new technologies, and even predictive analysis. In the end, assumptions must be made in the face of uncertainty. Some of these may introduce more risk as to whether the solution for the conceptual design study will still work when designs mature and data becomes available.

Anderson, Molly↗

NASA NTRS2015

Exploring Life Support Architectures for Evolution of Deep Space Human Exploration

Anderson, Molly S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Architectural development of an advanced EVA Electronic System

An advanced electronic system for future EVA missions (including zero gravity, the lunar surface, and the surface of Mars) is under research and development within the Advanced Life Support Division at NASA Ames Research Center. As a first step in the development, an optimum system architecture has been derived from an analysis of the projected requirements for these missions. The open, modular architecture centers around a distributed multiprocessing concept where the major subsystems independently process their own I/O functions and communicate over a common bus. Supervision and coordination of the subsystems is handled by an embedded real-time operating system kernel employing multitasking software techniques. A discussion of how the architecture most efficiently meets the electronic system functional requirements, maximizes flexibility for future development and mission applications, and enhances the reliability and serviceability of the system in these remote, hostile environments is included.

Lavelle, Joseph↗

NASA NTRS1998

Open Architecture Data System for NASA Langley Combined Loads Test System

The Combined Loads Test System (COLTS) is a new structures test complex that is being developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to test large curved panels and cylindrical shell structures. These structural components are representative of aircraft fuselage sections of subsonic and supersonic transport aircraft and cryogenic tank structures of reusable launch vehicles. Test structures are subjected to combined loading conditions that simulate realistic flight load conditions. The facility consists of two pressure-box test machines and one combined loads test machine. Each test machine possesses a unique set of requirements or research data acquisition and real-time data display. Given the complex nature of the mechanical and thermal loads to be applied to the various research test articles, each data system has been designed with connectivity attributes that support both data acquisition and data management functions. This paper addresses the research driven data acquisition requirements for each test machine and demonstrates how an open architecture data system design not only meets those needs but provides robust data sharing between data systems including the various control systems which apply spectra of mechanical and thermal loading profiles.

Lightfoot, Michael C.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

On-orbit/On-surface Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM) Architecture Simulation System (OASiS)

On-orbit/on-surface servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (OSAM) –recently renamed“in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing”(ISAM) –will aid in the development of vital research-enabling structuresin space, such as the In-space Assembled Telescope, the Lunar Gateway, and the Lunar Safe Haven. As these structures become larger and more complex, developers will need new methods for verifying and validating their OSAM mission architectures at full-scale prior to launch, without paying for extensive facility upgrades or additional hardware prototypes. Under the OSAM Architecture Simulation System (OASiS) project, modular OSAM modeling and simulation capabilities were developed to help rapidly prototype and evaluate OSAM technologies and operational concepts.Theywerethenusedto demonstrate and evaluate data from the simulation of a simpleOSAM operation against ananaloghardware setup. Using collected test data, the teamevaluatedthe accuracy of the simulation environment against the behavior of real hardwareandgainedinsight on how to further improve OSAM modeling and simulation. With thesenewcapabilities and many more to come, developers will be able to test complex OSAM operations on multiple scales, iterate on technology designs faster, achieve higher operational accuracy, and ultimately reduce mission development costs. A comprehensive, high-fidelity simulation environment will ensure the successful servicing, assembly, and manufacturing of structures that help us study and explore our universe.

isam↗

NASA NTRS1993

A high-speed lossless data compression system for space applications

This paper reports on the integration of a lossless data compression/decompression chipset into a space data system architecture. For its compression engine, the data system incorporates the Universal Source Encoder (USE) designed for the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Currently, the data compression testbed generates video frames consisting of 512 lines of 512 pixels having 8-bit resolution. Each image is passed through the USE where the lines are internally partitioned into 16-word blocks. These blocks are adaptively encoded across widely varying entropy levels using a Rice 12-option set coding algorithm. The current system operates at an Input/Output rate of 10 Msamples/s or 80 Mbits/s for each buffered input line. Frame and line synchronization for each image are maintained through the use of uniquely decodable command words. Length information of each variable length compressed image line is also included in the output stream. The data and command information are passed to the next stage of the system architecture through a serial fiber-optic transmitter. The initial segment of this stage consists of packetizer hardware which adds an appropriate CCSDS header to the received source data. An uncompressed mode is optionally available to pass image lines directly to the packetizer hardware. A data decompression testbed has also been developed to confirm the data compression operation.

Miko, Joe↗

NASA NTRS2010

Model-Driven Development of Reliable Avionics Architectures for Lunar Surface Systems

This paper discusses a method used for the systematic improvement of NASA s Lunar Surface Systems avionics architectures in the area of reliability and fault-tolerance. This approach utilizes an integrated system model to determine the effects of component failure on the system s ability to provide critical functions. A Markov model of the potential degraded system modes is created to characterize the probability of these degraded modes, and the system model is run for each Markov state to determine its status (operational or system loss). The probabilistic results from the Markov model are first produced from state transition rates based on NASA data for heritage failure rate data of similar components. An additional set of probabilistic results are created from a representative set of failure rates developed for this study, for a variety of component quality grades (space-rated, mil-spec, ruggedized, and commercial). The results show that careful application of redundancy and selected component improvement should result in Lunar Surface Systems architectures that exhibit an appropriate degree of fault-tolerance, reliability, performance, and affordability.

Borer, Nicholas↗

NASA NTRS2017

Creative Analytics of Mission Ops Event Messages

Historically, tremendous effort has been put into processing and displaying mission health and safety telemetry data; and relatively little attention has been paid to extracting information from missions time-tagged event log messages. Todays missions may log tens of thousands of messages per day and the numbers are expected to dramatically increase as satellite fleets and constellations are launched, as security monitoring continues to evolve, and as the overall complexity of ground system operations increases. The logs may contain information about orbital events, scheduled and actual observations, device status and anomalies, when operators were logged on, when commands were resent, when there were data drop outs or system failures, and much much more. When dealing with distributed space missions or operational fleets, it becomes even more important to systematically analyze this data. Several advanced information systems technologies make it appropriate to now develop analytic capabilities which can increase mission situational awareness, reduce mission risk, enable better event-driven automation and cross-mission collaborations, and lead to improved operations strategies: Industry Standard for Log Messages. The Object Management Group (OMG) Space Domain Task Force (SDTF) standards organization is in the process of creating a formal standard for industry for event log messages. The format is based on work at NASA GSFC. Open System Architectures. The DoD, NASA, and others are moving towards common open system architectures for mission ground data systems based on work at NASA GSFC with the full support of the commercial product industry and major integration contractors. Text Analytics. A specific area of data analytics which applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources. This presentation describes work now underway at NASA to increase situational awareness through the collection of non-telemetry mission operations information into a common log format and then providing display and analytics tools to provide in-depth assessment of the log contents. The work includes: Common interface formats for acquiring time-tagged text messages Conversion of common files for schedules, orbital events, and stored commands to the common log format Innovative displays to depict thousands of messages on a single display Structured English text queries against the log message data store, extensible to a more mature natural language query capability Goal of speech-to-text and text-to-speech additions to create a personal mission operations assistant to aid on-console operations. A wide variety of planned uses identified by the mission operations teams will be discussed.

events↗

NASA NTRS2020

Feasibility of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Applied to Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft

NASA’s vision for the future of flight includes highly energy efficient aircraft that are environmentally friendly and have positive national economic impact. Although battery-powered electric aircraft are a viable alternative to reduce environmental impact, purely electric aircraft have drawbacks such as the low specific energy of batteries, which translates to an unfavorable weight scaling. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems also have promise in providing environmentally friendly electrical power for new aircraft configurations at a higher efficiency than current methods, such as electrical generators. This study explores the use of the Fostering Ultra-Efficient, Low Emitting Aviation Power (FUELEAP) power system architecture for hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The FUELEAP power system utilizes a SOFC as part of a hybrid-electric power system architecture, enabling higher efficiency and specific power with a reduction in carbon and NOx emissions compared to state-of-the-art hybrid-electric SOFC architectures. The study includes comparisons of hybrid-electric power architectures and integration of the FUELEAP power system for two regional-sized passenger aircraft concepts. Results suggest that use of the FUELEAP power system as a replacement for onboard batteries may provide up to a 50% reduction in the weight of the electric d energy system for a typical regional aircraft mission.

Geuther, Steven↗

NASA NTRS1981

Integrated command, control, communications and computation system functional architecture

The functional architecture for an integrated command, control, communications, and computation system applicable to the command and control portion of the NASA End-to-End Data. System is described including the downlink data processing and analysis functions required to support the uplink processes. The functional architecture is composed of four elements: (1) the functional hierarchy which provides the decomposition and allocation of the command and control functions to the system elements; (2) the key system features which summarize the major system capabilities; (3) the operational activity threads which illustrate the interrelationahip between the system elements; and (4) the interfaces which illustrate those elements that originate or generate data and those elements that use the data. The interfaces also provide a description of the data and the data utilization and access techniques.

Cooley, C. G.↗

NASA NTRS2011

A Model-Based Study of On-Board Data Processing Architecture for Balloon-Borne Aurora Observation

This paper discusses an application of ISAAC design methodology to a balloon-borne payload electronic system for aurora observation. The methodology is composed of two phases, high level design and low level implementation, the focus of this paper is on the high level design. This paper puts the system architecture in the context of a balloon based application but it can be generalized to any airborne/space-borne application. The system architecture includes a front-end detector, its corresponding data processing unit, and a controller. VisualSim has been used to perform modeling and simulations to explore the entire design space, finding optimal solutions that meet system requirements.

modeling↗

NASA NTRS2009

Benefits of Using a Mars Forward Strategy for Lunar Surface Systems

This paper identifies potential risk reduction, cost savings and programmatic procurement benefits of a Mars Forward Lunar Surface System architecture that provides commonality or evolutionary development paths for lunar surface system elements applicable to Mars surface systems. The objective of this paper is to identify the potential benefits for incorporating a Mars Forward development strategy into the planned Project Constellation Lunar Surface System Architecture. The benefits include cost savings, technology readiness, and design validation of systems that would be applicable to lunar and Mars surface systems. The paper presents a survey of previous lunar and Mars surface systems design concepts and provides an assessment of previous conclusions concerning those systems in light of the current Project Constellation Exploration Architectures. The operational requirements for current Project Constellation lunar and Mars surface system elements are compared and evaluated to identify the potential risk reduction strategies that build on lunar surface systems to reduce the technical and programmatic risks for Mars exploration. Risk reduction for rapidly evolving technologies is achieved through systematic evolution of technologies and components based on Moore's Law superimposed on the typical NASA systems engineering project development "V-cycle" described in NASA NPR 7120.5. Risk reduction for established or slowly evolving technologies is achieved through a process called the Mars-Ready Platform strategy in which incremental improvements lead from the initial lunar surface system components to Mars-Ready technologies. The potential programmatic benefits of the Mars Forward strategy are provided in terms of the transition from the lunar exploration campaign to the Mars exploration campaign. By utilizing a sequential combined procurement strategy for lunar and Mars exploration surface systems, the overall budget wedges for exploration systems are reduced and the costly technological development gap between the lunar and Mars programs can be eliminated. This provides a sustained level of technological competitiveness as well as maintaining a stable engineering and manufacturing capability throughout the entire duration of Project Constellation.

Mulqueen, Jack↗

NASA NTRS1987

Advanced space communications architecture study. Volume 2: Technical report

The technical feasibility and economic viability of satellite system architectures that are suitable for customer premise service (CPS) communications are investigated. System evaluation is performed at 30/20 GHz (Ka-band); however, the system architectures examined are equally applicable to 14/11 GHz (Ku-band). Emphasis is placed on systems that permit low-cost user terminals. Frequency division multiple access (FDMA) is used on the uplink, with typically 10,000 simultaneous accesses per satellite, each of 64 kbps. Bulk demodulators onboard the satellite, in combination with a baseband multiplexer, convert the many narrowband uplink signals into a small number of wideband data streams for downlink transmission. Single-hop network interconnectivity is accomplished via downlink scanning beams. Each satellite is estimated to weigh 5600 lb and consume 6850W of power; the corresponding payload totals are 1000 lb and 5000 W. Nonrecurring satellite cost is estimated at $110 million, with the first-unit cost at $113 million. In large quantities, the user terminal cost estimate is $25,000. For an assumed traffic profile, the required system revenue has been computed as a function of the internal rate of return (IRR) on invested capital. The equivalent user charge per-minute of 64-kbps channel service has also been determined.

Horstein, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1987

Advanced space communications architecture study. Volume 1: Executive summary

The technical feasibility and economic viability of satellite system architectures that are suitable for Customer Premise Service (CPS) communications is investigated. System evaluation is performed at 30/20 GHz (Ka-band); however, the system architectures examined are equally applicable to 14/11 GHz (Ku-band). Emphasis is placed on system that permit low cost user terminals. Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) is used on the uplink, with typically 10,000 simultaneous accesses per satellite, each of 64 kbps. Bulk demodulators onboard the satellite, in combination with a baseband multiplexer, convert the many narrowband uplink signals into a small number of wideband data streams for downlink transmission. Single hop network interconnectivity is accomplished through use of downlink scanning beams. Each satellite is estimated to weigh 5600 lb and consume 6850W of power; the corresponding payload totals are 1000 lb and 5000W. Nonrecurring satellite cost is estimated at $110 million, with the first unit cost at $113 million. In large quantities, the user terminal cost estimate is $25,000.

Horstein, Michael↗

NASA NTRS2011

C-Band Airport Surface Communications System Standards Development. Phase II Final Report. Volume 1: Concepts of Use, Initial System Requirements, Architecture, and AeroMACS Design Considerations

This report is provided as part of ITT s NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract NNC05CA85C, Task 7: New ATM Requirements-Future Communications, C-Band and L-Band Communications Standard Development and was based on direction provided by FAA project-level agreements for New ATM Requirements-Future Communications. Task 7 included two subtasks. Subtask 7-1 addressed C-band (5091- to 5150-MHz) airport surface data communications standards development, systems engineering, test bed and prototype development, and tests and demonstrations to establish operational capability for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS). Subtask 7-2 focused on systems engineering and development support of the L-band digital aeronautical communications system (L-DACS). Subtask 7-1 consisted of two phases. Phase I included development of AeroMACS concepts of use, requirements, architecture, and initial high-level safety risk assessment. Phase II builds on Phase I results and is presented in two volumes. Volume I (this document) is devoted to concepts of use, system requirements, and architecture, including AeroMACS design considerations. Volume II describes an AeroMACS prototype evaluation and presents final AeroMACS recommendations. This report also describes airport categorization and channelization methodologies. The purposes of the airport categorization task were (1) to facilitate initial AeroMACS architecture designs and enable budgetary projections by creating a set of airport categories based on common airport characteristics and design objectives, and (2) to offer high-level guidance to potential AeroMACS technology and policy development sponsors and service providers. A channelization plan methodology was developed because a common global methodology is needed to assure seamless interoperability among diverse AeroMACS services potentially supplied by multiple service providers.

Hall, Edward↗

NASA NTRS1983

Space station needs, attributes, and architectural options study

The top level, time-phased total space program support system architecture is described including progress from the use of ground-based space shuttle, teleoperator system, extended duration orbiter, and multimission spacecraft, to an initial 4-man crew station at 29 deg inclination in 1991, to a growth station with an 8-man crew with capabilities for OTV high energy orbit payload placement and servicing, assembly, and construction of mission payloads in 1994. System Z, proposed for Earth observation missions in high inclination orbit, can be accommodated in 1993 using a space station derivative platform. Mission definition, system architecture, and benefits are discussed.

Source record↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Human Capabilities Assessments for Autonomous Missions: A Multi-Team Research Effort to Reduce Risk in the Human-System Integration Architecture for Future Deep-Space Missions

In future exploration missions beyond low earth-orbit, crew will have to execute complex operations and respond to off-nominal events, without real-time support from Mission Control. It is anticipated that increased reliance on automated systems, including human-centric vehicle and information architecture, will need to be designed to support the crew; increased risk to performance, health, and safety may occur if these are not implemented appropriately. The Human Factors and Behavioral Performance Element (HFBP) in the NASA Human Research Program supports research to characterize and mitigate such human health and performance risks, including the Risk of Adverse Outcome Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture (HSIA). The HSIA risk addresses the integration of onboard capability and the crew roles and responsibilities necessary to enable the crew to respond effectively and efficiently in the increasingly autonomous mission operations environment. In 2017, HFBP released the “Human Capabilities Assessments for Autonomous Missions” (HCAAM) research topic to address HSIA related questions. HCAAM is a major NASA research effort that has assembled a multidisciplinary team from seven institutions to work closely with design and engineering efforts on research towards developing and refining human performance standards, guidelines and automation tools. The scientific focus is on quantitative assessment of human capabilities relevant to future deep-space missions during which earth/spacecraft communication is so delayed and intermittent that the crew must be able to function autonomously. The integrated strategy of the HCAAM project characterizes human capabilities and limitations related to potential performance decrements during long duration exploration mission spaceflight as relevant to both routine and complex task performance; defines system characteristics that reduce the likelihood or impact of potential decrements in human performance capabilities; performs integrated assessment of intelligent system responses within the context of an operational environment with relevant NASA tools, systems, and data structures in order to determine positive or negative interactions and validate recommended approaches; and proposes specific updates to existing standards and guidelines for inclusion in NASA handbooks for the design of future spacecraft intelligent systems that provide crew performance assessment/feedback, and to also serve as decision-support aids for the onboard crew (i.e., NASA-STD-3001, and NASA/SP-Human Integration Design Handbook (HIDH)). The scientific research vectors being addressed by the seven HCAAM teams include: - crew task performance (accuracy, efficiency) (crew + automation) - crew performance (accuracy, efficiency) - crew Situation Awareness - procedure design and multi-modal enhancement - concurrent tasking (mixed manual + some level of autonomy) - task handover - crew self-planning and time-lining - task design - trust in automation, real-time calibration - human multi-sensory feedback and guidance - human trust in on-board software-based intelligent assistants - virtual assistants The presentation will highlight plans and progress made in each of these research areas as well as the methods by which surrogate astronaut crews in the NASA JSC HERA spaceflight analog facility will function as human test subjects for all of the HCAAM research projects.

HCAAM VNSCOR↗