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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Observation model and parameter partials for the JPL VLBI parameter estimation software MODEST/1991

A revision is presented of MASTERFIT-1987, which it supersedes. Changes during 1988 to 1991 included introduction of the octupole component of solid Earth tides, the NUVEL tectonic motion model, partial derivatives for the precession constant and source position rates, the option to correct for source structure, a refined model for antenna offsets, modeling the unique antenna at Richmond, FL, improved nutation series due to Zhu, Groten, and Reigber, and reintroduction of the old (Woolard) nutation series for simulation purposes. Text describing the relativistic transformations and gravitational contributions to the delay model was also revised in order to reflect the computer code more faithfully.

Sovers, O. J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Atmospheric Electron-induced X-Ray Spectrometer (AEXS) Instrument Development

Instrument Development: The membrane properties were investigated in detail due to its critical role. A series of experiments determined that our designed membranes have high electron transmission, yet are capable of isolating high vacuum, are able to withstand differential pressure in excess of one atmosphere, survive vibrational shocks of a magnitude to be expected during a planetary mission. Our initial work has been with a 10 keV source and a 200 nm thick Silicon Nitride (SiN) encapsulation membrane micro-fabricated within a Si support frame (1.5 mm x 1.5 mm window openings. Fig 2 compares the spectra taken with the 10 keV source with spectra taken within SEM. Introduction: This paper describes the progress in the development of the AEXS instrument in our laboratory at JPL. The AEXS is a novel miniature instrument[1-3] based on the excitation of characteristic X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and luminescence spectra using a focused electron beam, for non-destructive evaluation of surfaces of samples in planetary ambient atmosphere. In situ operation is obtained through the use of a thin electron transmissive membrane to isolate the vacuum within the AEXS electron source from the outside ambient atmosphere. The impinging electrons excite XRF spectra from the irradiated spots on samples in external atmosphere with high-to-medium (sub-mm to cm-scale) spatial resolution at Mars atmospheric pressure. The XRF spectra are analyzed using an energy-dispersive detector to determine surface elemental composition, or in the case of electron-induced luminescence to identify unusual formations on surface that cathodo-luminescence (CL). The AEXS system (Fig 1) consists of a high-energy (>10keV) electron gun encapsulated by the isolation membrane, an EDX detection and analyzer system to determine the elemental abundance, an optional CL detection system, and a high voltage power supply. The approach to demonstrating a proof of concept of the AEXS has been through 1) demonstrating the viability of micro-fabricated membranes, 2) assembling AEXS setups with increasingly integrated functional components, and 3) simulating the AEXS observational capabilities. This paper will focus on description of the development of the instrument.

Wilcox, J. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Voyager Briefing: Expectations of the Neptune Encounter

This NASA KSC video release presents a news briefing held Aug. 4, 1989 at NASA Headquarters three weeks after Voyager 2's official "encounter" with Neptune began. The video is comprised of two slide presentations followed by a short question and answer period. The press conference is moderated by Charles Redmond, (NASA Public Affairs), includes an introduction by Dr. Geoffrey A Briggs (Dir., Solar System Exploration Div.), and features Norman R. Haynes (Voyager Project Manager, JPL) and Dr. Edward C. Stone (Voyager Project Scientist, Cal Tech). Mr. Haynes' presentation centers on Voyager's history, engineering changes, and spacecraft trajectories while Dr. Stone presents the scientific aspects of Voyager, including the 11 scientific investigations planned for the mission, instruments used, and imaging techniques.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

Converging voice and data over mission-critical networks

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Deep Space Network ?? DSN - is an international network of antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. The network also supports selected Earth-orbiting missions. This paper describes the ground communications network of the DSN and ways network infrastructure costs are being reduced by the introduction of new technology. Fundamentally, the DSN ground network architecture is a star network, and the hub is at JPL in Pasadena, California. Communications to customer sites are designed to minimize NASA costs and may be either shared IP backbone networks or dedicated circuits. One of the primary features of the network is its ability to support real-time data, voice, and video communications among antenna stations, an automated multi-mission operations systems facility at JPL (AMMOS), and mission operations centers (MOCs) at NASA and non-NASA facilities. Funding for advanced engineering to reduce ground network infrastructure costs was provided by the NASA Office of Space Science.

ground communications networks Internet voice VOIP↗
NASA NTRS2005

Integrated System-Level Optimization for Concurrent Engineering With Parametric Subsystem Modeling

The introduction of concurrent design practices to the aerospace industry has greatly increased the productivity of engineers and teams during design sessions as demonstrated by JPL's Team X. Simultaneously, advances in computing power have given rise to a host of potent numerical optimization methods capable of solving complex multidisciplinary optimization problems containing hundreds of variables, constraints, and governing equations. Unfortunately, such methods are tedious to set up and require significant amounts of time and processor power to execute, thus making them unsuitable for rapid concurrent engineering use. This paper proposes a framework for Integration of System-Level Optimization with Concurrent Engineering (ISLOCE). It uses parametric neural-network approximations of the subsystem models. These approximations are then linked to a system-level optimizer that is capable of reaching a solution quickly due to the reduced complexity of the approximations. The integration structure is described in detail and applied to the multiobjective design of a simplified Space Shuttle external fuel tank model. Further, a comparison is made between the new framework and traditional concurrent engineering (without system optimization) through an experimental trial with two groups of engineers. Each method is evaluated in terms of optimizer accuracy, time to solution, and ease of use. The results suggest that system-level optimization, running as a background process during integrated concurrent engineering sessions, is potentially advantageous as long as it is judiciously implemented.

Schuman, Todd↗
NASA NTRS2013

Commercial Parts Technology Qualification Processes

Many high-reliability systems, including space systems, use selected commercial parts (including Plastic Encapsulated Microelectronics or PEMs) for unique functionality, small size, low weight, high mechanical shock resistance, and other factors. Predominantly this usage is subjected to certain 100% tests (typically called screens) and certain destructive tests usually (but not always) performed on the flight lot (typically called qualification tests). Frequently used approaches include those documented in EEE-INST-002 and JPL DocID62212 (which are sometimes modified by the particular aerospace space systems manufacturer). In this study, approaches from these documents and several space systems manufacturers are compared to approaches from a launch systems manufacturer (SpaceX), an implantable medical electronics manufacturer (Medtronics), and a high-reliability transport system process (automotive systems). In the conclusions section, these processes are outlined for all of these cases and presented in tabular form. Then some simple comparisons are made. In this introduction section, the PEM technology qualification process is described, as documented in EEE-INST-002 (written by the Goddard Space Flight Center, GSFC), as well as the somewhat modified approach employed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Approaches used at several major NASA contractors are also described

Cooper, Mark S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A P-band SAR interference filter

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interference filter is an adaptive filter designed to reduce the effects of interference while minimizing the introduction of undesirable side effects. The author examines the adaptive spectral filter and the improvement in processed SAR imagery using this filter for Jet Propulsion Laboratory Airborne SAR (JPL AIRSAR) data. The quality of these improvements is determined through several data fidelity criteria, such as point-target impulse response, equivalent number of looks, SNR, and polarization signatures. These parameters are used to characterize two data sets, both before and after filtering. The first data set consists of data with the interference present in the original signal, and the second set consists of clean data which has been coherently injected with interference acquired from another scene.

Taylor, Victor B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Expert diagnostics system as a part of analysis software for power mission operations

The operation of interplanetary spacecraft at JPL has become an increasingly complex activity. This complexity is due to advanced spacecraft designs and ambitious mission objectives which lead to operations requirements that are more demanding than those of any previous mission. For this reason, several productivity enhancement measures are underway at JPL within mission operations, particularly in the spacecraft analysis area. These measures aimed at spacecraft analysis include: the development of a multi-mission, multi-subsystem operations environment; the introduction of automated tools into this environment; and the development of an expert diagnostics system. This paper discusses an effort to integrate the above mentioned productivity enhancement measures. A prototype was developed that integrates an expert diagnostics system into a multi-mission, multi-subsystem operations environment using the Galileo Power / Pyro Subsystem as a testbed. This prototype will be discussed in addition to background information associated with it.

Harris, Jennifer A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Clementine Engineering Experiments Program.

Spacecraft must survive and operate reliably in the space environment for long periods of time. Radiation, temperature variations, spacecraft charging, surface contamination, and micrometeoroids/space debris all present environmental challenges to spacecraft missions. The environmental issues associated with these effects require in-situ space experiments to properly quantify the environment and its effects. To obtain data on specific microelectronic and sensor systems in the space environment, several engineering experiments were developed for the Clementine spacecraft and the Clementine lunar transfer booster or Interstage Adapter Satellite (ISAS). These platforms allowed testing of advanced spacecraft microelectronic and sensor devices in a lunar transfer orbit that intersects Earth's radiation belts and debris environment and in interplanetary space where direct exposure to solar flares, Galactic Cosmic Rays, and micrometeoroids was possible. A suite of experiments was developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), the Aerospace Corporation, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to investigate in detail specific radiation and environmental reliability issues. This paper presents an introduction to the issues being investigated, the instruments provided for the mission, and the rationale for the engineering program.

Spacecraft↗
NASA NTRS1990

Introduction to the Personal Access Satellite System Study

A recent study by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has concluded that the 21st century will be the age of information in which the telecommunication infrastructure will be vital to the social and economic well being of society. To meet the challenge of the coming age, JPL has been performing studies on a personal access satellite system (PASS) for the 21st century. The PASS study can be traced back to a study in which the technical feasibility and potential applications of a high frequency, low data rate satellite system were identified using small fixed terminals. Herein, the PASS concept is described along with the strawman design. Then the key challenges are identified along with possible solutions. Finally, the plan for the future is summarized from the key results.

Sue, Miles K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analysis of hyper-spectral AVIRIS image data over a mixed-conifer forest in Maine

An introduction to some of the potential uses of hyperspectral data for ecosystem analysis is presented. The examples given are derived from a digital dataset acquired over a sub-boreal forest in central Maine in 1990 by the NASA-JPL Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) instrument gathers data from 400 to 2500 nm in 224 channels at bandwidths of approximately 10 nm. As a preview to the uses of the hyperspectral data, several products from this dataset were extracted. They range from the traditional false color composite made from simulated Thematic Mapper bands and the well known normalized difference vegetation index to much more exotic products such as fractions of vegetation, soil and shade based on linear spectral mixing models and estimates of the leaf water content at the landscape level derived using spectrum-matching techniques. Our research and that of many others indicates that the hyperspectral datasets carry much important information which is only beginning to be understood. This analysis gives an initial indication of the utility of hyperspectral data. Much work still remains to be done in algorithm development and in understanding the physics behind the complex information signal carried in the hyperspectral datasets. This work must be carried out to provide the fullest science support for high spectral resolution data to be acquired by many of the instruments to be launched as part of the Earth Observing System program in the mid-1990's.

Lawrence, William T.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Autonomy to Enable NASA Missions from Aeronautics to Space

2024 ASCEND Call for Sessions Session Format: Panel Session Topic: Space Exploration and Infrastructure: Exploring, Living, and Working in Space (The panel must map to one of six Session Topics - https://www.ascend.events/presenters/call-for-sessions/#sessiontopics) Title: Autonomy to Enable NASA Missions from Aeronautics to Space Short Session Description: In this panel discussion the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will discuss the role that autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play as humanity moves off-world. Recent advances in general autonomy tools are changing the way NASA and its partners leverage autonomy for its air and space initiatives, including Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) concepts and potential lunar and Martian operations. The panelists will consist of autonomy subject matter experts familiar with the current state of the art for autonomy across both aeronautical and space domains. They will discuss how those technologies could evolve as operations become more complex and which autonomy technologies can be used in both the space and aeronautical domains. For example, perhaps autonomy work originally developed for terrestrial applications, like Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), could be applied to off-world lunar and Martian applications and vice versa. Additionally, the panel will address common misconceptions of these technologies, obstacles to implementation, and possible solutions for overcoming those obstacles. Join NASA in exploring how research activities can align to streamline autonomy development efforts, advancing NASA's goals to expand humanity's reach beyond Earth for the benefit of all. Contact Information: • Dr. Adam Yingling • Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) • Adam.j.yingling@nasa.gov, 703-416-9129 Session Length: 1.25 hours, 75 minutes Extended Description: Moderator: Dr. Adam Yingling, NASA, Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy Panel Speakers: • Autonomy Forum Principals o Dr. Charles Norton, Deputy Chief Technologist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) o Dr. Carolyn Mercer, Chief Technologist, Space Mission Directorate (SMD) o Dr. Parimal Kopardekar (PK), Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Integration Manager o Danette Alan, NASA, Senior Leader for Autonomous Systems, Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) o Duane Armstrong, Intelligent Systems Lead, Autonomous Systems Laboratory (ASL) Panel Format: • Introduction (10 min): The panel moderator will provide a 10-minute session introduction that will include an overview NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture, AAM autonomy research, and an introduction of the principals as panel speakers. • Moderated Session Part 1 (30 min): There will be a 30-minute moderated session among the moderator and the five autonomy principals to discuss the current state of art for autonomy and how work developed in one domain may be applicable to other domains; including the merits and challenges for implementing those technologies. • Moderated Session Part 2 (25 min): The moderator will then ask the principals to consider how technologies developed across all the domains might be able to address the most salient challenges identified in the previous session. • Q&A (10 min): The session will conclude with 10-minutes of audience Q&A. Session Goals and Outcomes: The session goals are 1) to communicate the importance of autonomy for both aeronautical and space mission, 2) Investigate potential synergies across autonomy research efforts that will enable scalable operations, and 3) to receive community feedback as NASA leverages autonomy to evolve aviation on Earth and enable humanity to live and work off-world.

Aerospace↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview and Introduction of the Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXploration (ROAMX) Project

Research in pursuit of rotorcraft flight on Mars has been ongoing since the late 1990s at NASA Ames Research Center. Since then, many other organizations have also begun researching rotary-wing flight on Mars. In 2014, the project that led to the first helicopter to fly on Mars began at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ingenuity was developed as a joint effort between JPL, NASA Ames, NASA Langley, and AeroVironment. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made history in April 2021 as the first vehicle demonstrating controlled, powered flight on another planet and, in doing so, it has opened a new era of planetary aviation. Future, more capable Mars rotorcraft will be able to fly even further and carry significant science payload. At NASA Ames, through NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate funding, the research necessary to help develop the next generation of Mars rotorcraft has begun with the Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXploration (ROAMX) project. The ROAMX project involves computationally and experimentally investigating aerodynamically efficient, compressible, low-Reynolds number airfoils for rotor blades and, further, new high-performance rotor designs. ROAMX is also developing and validating a rotor design methodology to optimize blades given specific mission requirements. The primary experimental effort of the ROAMX project is focused on rotor hover performance, but subsequent airfoil and rotor design advances are anticipated to carry over into improvements in forward flight efficiency. ROAMX is a collaboration between NASA Ames, JPL, the University of Maryland, AeroVironment, and Tohoku University.

Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXp↗
NASA NTRS1991

A systems approach to the commercialization of space communications technology - The NASA/JPL Mobile Satellite Program

This paper discusss the systems approach taken by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the commercialization of land-mobile satellite services (LMSS) in the United States. As the lead center for NASA's Mobile Satellite Program, JPL was involved in identifying and addressing many of the key barriers to commercialization of mobile satellite communications, including technical, economic, regulatory and institutional risks, or uncertainties. The systems engineering approach described here was used to mitigate these risks. The result was the development and implementation of the JPL Mobile Satellite Experiment Project. This Project included not only technology development, but also studies to support NASA in the definition of the regulatory, market, and investment environments within which LMSS would evolve and eventually operate, as well as initiatives to mitigate their associated commercialization risks. The end result of these government-led endeavors was the acceleration of the introduction of commercial mobile satellite services, both nationally and internationally.

Weber, William J., III↗
NASA NTRS2019

Development Concepts for Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Solid and Hybrid Vehicle Systems

Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Study Introduction: Previous Studies -Solid, liquid and hybrid rocket propulsion feasibility studies since 2011 -Focus on hybrid rocket propulsion since 2016; Reassessing Propulsion Systems for Risk Reduction - Liquid propulsion vehicle found to not be feasible; Challenges -An autonomous return mission has never been done -Mars surface environments -Platform packaging limitations -Performance and trajectory requirements; Study Team -MSFC’s Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) -MSFC propulsion and vehicle design engineering expertise -JPL MAV team.

McCollum, Lisa Tunstill↗
NASA NTRS2012

Cognitive Bias in the Verification and Validation of Space Flight Systems

Cognitive bias is generally recognized as playing a significant role in virtually all domains of human decision making. Insight into this role is informally built into many of the system engineering practices employed in the aerospace industry. The review process, for example, typically has features that help to counteract the effect of bias. This paper presents a discussion of how commonly recognized biases may affect the verification and validation process. Verifying and validating a system is arguably more challenging than development, both technically and cognitively. Whereas there may be a relatively limited number of options available for the design of a particular aspect of a system, there is a virtually unlimited number of potential verification scenarios that may be explored. The probability of any particular scenario occurring in operations is typically very difficult to estimate, which increases reliance on judgment that may be affected by bias. Implementing a verification activity often presents technical challenges that, if they can be overcome at all, often result in a departure from actual flight conditions (e.g., 1-g testing, simulation, time compression, artificial fault injection) that may raise additional questions about the meaningfulness of the results, and create opportunities for the introduction of additional biases. In addition to mitigating the biases it can introduce directly, the verification and validation process must also overcome the cumulative effect of biases introduced during all previous stages of development. A variety of cognitive biases will be described, with research results for illustration. A handful of case studies will be presented that show how cognitive bias may have affected the verification and validation process on recent JPL flight projects, identify areas of strength and weakness, and identify potential changes or additions to commonly used techniques that could provide a more robust verification and validation of future systems.

Larson, Steve↗
NASA NTRS2022

Flight Software Dictionary Development for the Mars2020 Rover

The Mars2020 project, developed and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), successfully landed the Perseverance rover and its flying companion Ingenuity on the surface of Mars on February 18th 2021. Perseverance combines heritage and cutting-edge flight software and hardware to accomplish crucial mission requirements related to Martian surface sampling. The design, development, and operation of NASA’s large strategic science missions require the ability to communicate spacecraft capabilities to hundreds of engineers across multiple disciplines. The interaction between flight and ground software development, Verification and Validation (V&V), Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO), and management each demand quick understanding of unique slices of information for each discipline. This information includes the current capabilities of the flight system as well as future capabilities and their status as they are developed and tested. Despite the fundamental and critical nature of this information, the flight software dictionaries used to track it are a stumbling block for many projects. These dictionaries provide the cornerstone for the interpretation of data sent from the spacecraft, allowing for quick comprehension by engineers on the ground. During both spacecraft development and operations, flight software dictionary management includes significant challenges due to the large number of interfacing systems and the subtle yet distinct needs of each.The engineering of flight software dictionaries for Mars2020 had numerous challenges, most-notably: parallel dictionary development to support simultaneous separate flight software build campaigns for each mission phase (cruise and surface), managing requests for operations-enabling information without perturbing the heritage interface with the rover, and the introduction of new tools by the dictionary stakeholders that forced the dictionary team to innovate and redesign the heritage tool chain. These challenges generated guiding principles for the dictionary development effort: emphasize coding best practices and unit testing in the dictionary code development tool chain, use institutionally provided COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) tools whenever possible, and maintain the heritage flight-ground interface all while advancing operations-enabling information via a loosely coupled interface.Throughout development and operations, the Mars2020 dictionary toolchain included IBM DOORS Next Generation, GitHub, Microsoft Excel, Docker, Jenkins, and a significant custom-built Python codebase. Significant interfaces included JPL’s command and control software, heritage flight software team tools and processes, and the many cloud-based ground tools developed for the mission.This paper will discuss the requirements for the Mars2020 dictionary development, the development team’s response to those requirements, lessons learned throughout the process, steps taken towards automated deliveries and continuous integration of stakeholder inputs, potential toolchain improvements for Mars2020, and key takeaways that could be applied to future missions.

Pyrzak, Guy↗