Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Laser Facilities”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Shuttle Laser Technology Experiment Facility (LTEF)-to-airplane lasercom experiment: Airplane considerations

NASA is considering the use of various airplanes for a Shuttle Laser Technology Experiment Facility (LTEF)-to-Airplane laser communications experiment. As supporting documentation, pertinent technical details are included about the potential use of airplanes located at Ames Research Center and Wallops Flight Facility. The effects and application of orbital mechanics considerations are also presented, including slant range, azimuth, elevation, and time. The pros and cons of an airplane equipped with a side port with a bubble window versus a top port with a dome are discussed.

Kalil, Ford↗
NASA NTRS2001

Laser Solutions for Reducing the Environmental Risks Associated with Orbital Debris and Near Earth Objects

Increasing activity in space is gradually increasing the amount of orbital debris in low earth orbit. As the debris increases, the environmental risk (hypervelocity collisions) associated with spaceflight also increases. Debris larger than 10 cm can typically be detected and tracked sufficiently to allow risk avoidance to be achieved by maneuvering to safe distances. Risk reduction for objects smaller than I cm may be accomplished through shielding. However, intermediate sized debris remains a problem. A convenient risk reduction solution has been identified using modem laser technology. In this approach, a relatively low energy laser facility operating near e equator may significantly reduce the amount of intermediate sized debris (1 - 10 cm) in a few years of operation. A sufficiently intense laser pulse arriving at a debris objects surface will ablate a micro-thin layer of material. As this hot gas rapidly expands away from the object, a small change in momentum is imparted. The momentum change for one pulse is insignificant. However, since the laser can provide 10-1000 pulses per second over several minutes, the cumulative effect is substantive. The object's perigee may be lowered in this manner into atmosphere where it will be vaporized. This same technique may be employed on a larger scale for risk reduction in asteroids, meteoroids, and comets colliding with the Earth at hypervelocities.

Campbell, Jonathan W.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Instantaneous Doppler Global Velocimetry Measurements of a Rotor Wake: Lessons Learned

A combined Doppler Global Velocimetry (DGV) and Projection Moir Interferometry (PMI) investigation of a helicopter rotor wake flow field and rotor blade deformation is presented. The three-component DGV system uses a single-frequency, frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser to obtain instantaneous velocity measurements in the flow. The PMI system uses a pulsed laser-diode bar to obtain blade bending and twist measurements at the same instant that DGV measured the flow. The application of pulse lasers to DGV and PMI in large-scale wind tunnel applications represents a major step forward in the development of these technologies. As such, a great deal was learned about the difficulties of using these instruments to obtain instantaneous measurements in large facilities. Laser speckle and other image noise in the DGV data images were found to be traceable to the Nd:YAG laser. Although image processing techniques were used to virtually eliminate laser speckle noise, the source of low-frequency image noise is still under investigation. The PMI results agreed well with theoretical predictions of blade bending and twist.

Meyers, James↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Impact Imperative: A Space Infrastructure Enabling a Multi-Tiered Earth Defense

Impacting at hypervelocity, an asteroid struck the Earth approximately 65 million years ago in the Yucatan Peninsula a m . This triggered the extinction of almost 70% of the species of life on Earth including the dinosaurs. Other impacts prior to this one have caused even greater extinctions. Preventing collisions with the Earth by hypervelocity asteroids, meteoroids, and comets is the most important immediate space challenge facing human civilization. This is the Impact Imperative. We now believe that while there are about 2000 earth orbit crossing rocks greater than 1 kilometer in diameter, there may be as many as 200,000 or more objects in the 100 m size range. Can anything be done about this fundamental existence question facing our civilization? The answer is a resounding yes! By using an intelligent combination of Earth and space based sensors coupled with an infrastructure of high-energy laser stations and other secondary mitigation options, we can deflect inbound asteroids, meteoroids, and comets and prevent them &om striking the Earth. This can be accomplished by irradiating the surface of an inbound rock with sufficiently intense pulses so that ablation occurs. This ablation acts as a small rocket incrementally changing the shape of the rock's orbit around the Sun. One-kilometer size rocks can be moved sufficiently in about a month while smaller rocks may be moved in a shorter time span. We recommend that space objectives be immediately reprioritized to start us moving quickly towards an infrastructure that will support a multiple option defense capability. Planning and development for a lunar laser facility should be initiated immediately in parallel with other options. All mitigation options are greatly enhanced by robust early warning, detection, and tracking resources to find objects sufficiently prior to Earth orbit passage in time to allow significant intervention. Infrastructure options should include ground, LEO, GEO, Lunar, and libration point laser and sensor stations for providing early warning, tracking, and deflection. Other options should include space interceptors that will carry both laser and nuclear ablators for close range work. Response options must be developed to deal with the consequences of an impact should we move too slowly.

Campbell, Jonathan W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Spectra and energy levels of Cu XXII, Cu XXIII, Cu XXIV, and Cu XXV

Transitions in highly ionized copper in the wavelength range 65-121 A have been identified in spectra recorded at the University of Rochester's 24-beam Omega laser facility. Wavelengths and energy levels are presented for oxygenlike Cu XXII, nitrogenlike Cu XXII, carbonlike Cu XXIV, and boronlike Cu XXV. The wavelengths of magnetic dipole transitions within the ground configurations are predicted from the energy levels.

Ekberg, J. O.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Free electron lasers driven by linear induction accelerators: High power radiation sources

The technology of Free Electron Lasers (FELs) and linear induction accelerators (LIAs) is addressed by outlining the following topics: fundamentals of FELs; basic concepts of linear induction accelerators; the Electron Laser Facility (a microwave FEL); PALADIN (an infrared FEL); magnetic switching; IMP; and future directions (relativistic klystrons). This presentation is represented by viewgraphs only.

Orzechowski, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Monitoring Delamination of Thermal Barrier Coatings During Interrupted High-Heat-Flux Laser Testing using Luminescence Imaging

This presentation showed progress made in extending luminescence-base delamination monitoring to TBCs exposed to high heat fluxes, which is an environment that much better simulates actual turbine engine conditions. This was done by performing upconversion luminescence imaging during interruptions in laser testing, where a high-power CO2 laser was employed to create the desired heat flux. Upconverison luminescence refers to luminescence where the emission is at a higher energy (shorter wavelength) than the excitation. Since there will be negligible background emission at higher energies than the excitation, this methods produces superb contrast. Delamination contrast is produced because both the excitation and emission wavelengths are reflected at delamination cracks so that substantially higher luminescence intensity is observed in regions containing delamination cracks. Erbium was selected as the dopant for luminescence specifically because it exhibits upconversion luminescence. The high power CO2 10.6 micron wavelength laser facility at NASA GRC was used to produce the heat flux in combination with forced air backside cooling. Testing was performed at a lower (95 W/sq cm) and higher (125 W/sq cm) heat flux as well as furnace cycling at 1163C for comparison. The lower heat flux showed the same general behavior as furnace cycling, a gradual, "spotty" increase in luminescence associated with debond progression; however, a significant difference was a pronounced incubation period followed by acceleration delamination progression. These results indicate that extrapolating behavior from furnace cycling measurements will grossly overestimate remaining life under high heat flux conditions. The higher heat flux results were not only accelerated, but much different in character. Extreme bond coat rumpling occurred, and delamination propagation extended over much larger areas before precipitating macroscopic TBC failure. This indicates that under the higher heat flux (and surface & interface temperatures), the TBC was more tolerant of damage. The main conclusions were that high heat flux conditions can not only accelerate TBC debond progression but can also grossly alter the pathway of delamination.

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Thermal Testing of the Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET) TPS

The testing of a thermal protection system (TPS) in multiple arc jets and laser facilities is critical not only to determine the ability of a material to withstand the harsh aerothermal environments but is also required to collect relevant data that allows construction of a thermal response model of the TPS for flight design. The present talk provides an overview of recent arcjet testing of the HEEET material, one of the families of materials from the 3D Woven TPS program, being developed under NASAs Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET) project.

Gasch, M,↗
NASA NTRS2014

Thermal Testing of Thermal Protection System (TPS) Materials

High temperature testing of thermal protection system (TPS) materials is a critical aspect of heat-shield materials development, as it determines the suitability and performance envelope of the materials. The present talk provides an overview of different high temperature test facilities that are available for conducting thermal tests for TPS materials. The facilities include arcjet testing, solar tower testing facilities and laser test facility. The facilities are selected based on the requirements and objectives of the tests and each have their benefits and limitations. The paper also describes the process of determining the test environments based on mission profiles and requirements. Some of the recent thermal tests of TPS materials are discussed in this paper. These tests have helped improve the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) level of novel TPS materials and make them viable TPS material candidates for future missions.

Thermal Protection Materials↗
NASA NTRS2019

Temperature Mapping at the Thermal Barrier Coating/Bond Coat Interface by Luminescence Lifetime Imaging Using Integrated Erbium-Doped Sublayers

Full-field temperature mapping of thermal barrier coated components by either infrared thermography or phosphor thermometry has been limited to surface temperature mapping even though temperature mapping at the thermal barrier coating (TBC)/bond coat interface is more relevant for evaluating the TBC thermal protection performance. For the first time, 2D temperature mapping at the TBC/bond coat interface has now been achieved by full-field luminescence lifetime imaging measurements of emission from a thin erbium-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) sensing layer integrated into the TBC below the overlying undoped YSZ. This new capability was applied to map temperatures at the TBC/bond coat interface for TBC-coated specimens subjected to a heat flux produced by the NASA Glenn high heat flux laser facility. In particular, thermal gradients at the TBC/bond coat interface were mapped in regions where the TBC was subjected to erosion or to mechanically induced delamination crack propagation. Finally, temperature mapping of the TBC/bond coat interface was used to evaluate the effectiveness of surface air film cooling at the TBC/bond coat interface.

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Absolute throughput calibration of multiple spherical crystals for the Orion High-REsolution X-ray spectrometer (OHREX)

We present absolute throughput analysis of several crystals for the Orion High-REsolution X-ray (OHREX) imaging crystal spectrometer using ray tracing and experimental measurements. The OHREX spectrometer is a high-resolution x-ray spectrometer designed to measure spectral line shapes at the Orion laser facility. The spectrometer is fielded with up to two spherical crystals simultaneously covering two independent spectral ranges. Each crystal has a nominal radius of curvature of R = 67.2 cm and is fielded at a nominal Bragg angle of 51.3°. To cover different bands of interest, several different crystals are available, including Ge (111), KAP, and several cuts of quartz, whose resolving power λ/Δλ exceeds 10 000. The calibrated response of the available crystals has previously been reported from measurements at the EBIT-I electron beam ion trap at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Here, we model the absolute throughput of each crystal using ray tracing and verify the results using experimental data for the quartz (10¯11) crystal.

M. J. MacDonald↗
NASA NTRS1974

Laser Doppler velocimeter measurements in a turbine stator cascade facility

A laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) developed for mapping the flow velocity downstream from a 32-inch diameter annular cascade of turbine stator vanes in described. The LDV measurements were taken in a plane located approximately 0.5 inch downstream of the trailing edges of the vanes. Two components of the mean velocity (axial and circumferential) were measured. The flow velocities were in the high subsonic range. The LDV optics are of the dual scatter type with off-axis collection of the scattered light. The electronics system is based on the measurement of the time interval corresponding to eight periods of the Doppler signal and has a range of 10 to 80 MHz. The LDV measurements are compared with previous measurements made with a pressure probe.

Seasholtz, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Laser Doppler velocimeter measurements in a turbine stator cascade facility

A laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) developed for mapping the flow velocity downstream from a 32-inch diameter annular cascade of turbine stator vanes is described. The LDV measurements were taken in a plane located approximately 0.5 inch downstream of the trailing edges of the vanes. Two components of the mean velocity (axial and circumferential) were measured. The flow velocities were in the high subsonic range. The LDV optics are of the dual scatter type with off-axis collection of the scattered light. The electronics system is based on the measurement of the time interval corresponding to eight periods of the Doppler signal and has a range of 10 to 80 MHz. The LDV measurements are compared with previous measurements made with a pressure probe.

Seasholtz, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Brief, Why the Launch Equipment Test Facility Needs a Laser Tracker

The NASA Kennedy Space Center Launch Equipment Test Facility (LETF) supports a wide spectrum of testing and development activities. This capability was originally established in the 1970's to allow full-scale qualification of Space Shuttle umbilicals and T-O release mechanisms. The LETF has leveraged these unique test capabilities to evolve into a versatile test and development area that supports the entire spectrum of operational programs at KSC. These capabilities are historically Aerospace related, but can certainly can be adapted for other industries. One of the more unique test fixtures is the Vehicle Motion Simulator or the VMS. The VMS simulates all of the motions that a launch vehicle will experience from the time of its roll-out to the launch pad, through roughly the first X second of launch. The VMS enables the development and qualification testing of umbilical systems in both pre-launch and launch environments. The VMS can be used to verify operations procedures, clearances, disconnect systems performance &margins, and vehicle loads through processing flow motion excursions.

Yue, Shiu H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Laser absorption measurements of OH concentration and temperature in pulsed facilities

A laser absorption flow diagnostic application has been developed at the NASA Ames 16-inch Shock Tunnel for purposes of measuring the thermochemical state of OH in flow environments of interest. Research objectives include the investigation of high temperature, low pressure chemistry pertinent to scramjet combustors and high altitude flight. The system can be operated in either the fixed frequency mode or in the rapid wavelength scanning mode to measure species mole fraction and temperature. Emission diagnostics have been employed to determine shock tunnel flow quality and assist in the proper application of the diagnostic and its data interpretation. Rotational lines in the OH system were probed in the expanding facility nozzle flow, and time-resolved measurements of temperature and mole fraction are provided.

Cavolowsky, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Combined fringe and Fabry-Perot laser anemometer for three component velocity measurements in turbine stator cascade facility

A laser anemometer is described that was developed for use in a 508 mm diameter annular turbine stator cascade facility. All three velocity components are measured through a single restricted optical port, both within the stator vane row and downstream of the vanes. The measurements are made through a cylindrical window in the casing that matches the tip radius of the cascade. The stator tested has a contoured hub endwall that results in a large radial flow near the hub. The anemometer uses a standard fringe configuration (LFA) with a fluorescent aerosol seed to measure the axial and circumferential velocity components. The radial component is measured with a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. The two configurations are combined in a single optical system and can operate simultaneously. Data are presented to illustrate the capabilities of the system.

Seasholtz, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Combined fringe and Fabry-Perot laser anemometer for 3 component velocity measurements in turbine stator cascade facility

A laser anemometer is described that was developed for use in a 508 mm diameter annular turbine stator cascade facility. All three velocity components are measured through a single restricted optical port, both within the stator vane row and downstream of the vanes. The measurements are made through a cylindrical window in the casing that matches the tip radius of the cascade. The stator tested has a contoured hub endwall that results in a large radial flow near the hub. The anemometer uses a standard fringe configuration (LFA) with a fluorescent aerosol seed to measure the axial and circumferential velocity components. The radial component is measured with a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. The two configurations are combined in a single optical system and can operate simultaneously. Data are presented to illustrate the capabilities of the system.

Seasholtz, Richard G.↗