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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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At least 37 records · Page 2

System analysis for the Huntsville Operational Support Center distributed computer system

The Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) is a distributed computer system used to provide real time data acquisition, analysis and display during NASA space missions and to perform simulation and study activities during non-mission times. The primary purpose is to provide a HOSC system simulation model that is used to investigate the effects of various HOSC system configurations. Such a model would be valuable in planning the future growth of HOSC and in ascertaining the effects of data rate variations, update table broadcasting and smart display terminal data requirements on the HOSC HYPERchannel network system. A simulation model was developed in PASCAL and results of the simulation model for various system configuraions were obtained. A tutorial of the model is presented and the results of simulation runs are presented. Some very high data rate situations were simulated to observe the effects of the HYPERchannel switch over from contention to priority mode under high channel loading.

Ingels, F. M.↗

Designing a configuration control mechanism for a flight software validation facility

Embedded computer systems and supporting operating systems have recently enabled the automation of many time-critical flight functions. This automation requires the integration of computer hardware and software, aircraft hardware, and the flight application. To properly integrate and control these critical functions requires a real-time environment that is provided by the onboard flight computer, a real-time operating system, and a real-time flight application that supplies the input commands to the aircraft and responds to the resulting actions. The increased complexity of developing and testing such real-time applications can best be supported by a separate test facility that provides the processing visibility and control which is virtually impossible in the actual real-time operating environment. Such a flight software validation facility has been developed at the NASA Langley Research Center to support applications using the Shuttle real-time language HAL/S. The development and control of this facility are described. Some of the management techniques used were project schedules, status monitoring, code walk-throughs, configuration control, phased releases, validation suites, and modern programming techniques.

Smith-Taylor, R.↗

Space transportation system biomedical operations support study

The shift of the Space Transportation System (STS) flight tests of the orbiter vehicle to the preparation and flight of the payloads is discussed. Part of this change is the transition of the medical and life sciences aspects of the STS flight operations to reflect the new state. The medical operations, the life sciences flight experiments support requirements and the intramural research program expected to be at KSC during the operational flight period of the STS and a future space station are analyzed. The adequacy of available facilities, plans, and resources against these future needs are compared; revisions and/or alternatives where appropriate are proposed.

White, S. C.↗

A support architecture for reliable distributed computing systems

The Clouds project is well underway to its goal of building a unified distributed operating system supporting the object model. The operating system design uses the object concept of structuring software at all levels of the system. The basic operating system was developed and work is under progress to build a usable system.

Dasgupta, Partha↗

EXODUS: Integrating intelligent systems for launch operations support

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is developing knowledge-based systems to automate critical operations functions for the space shuttle fleet. Intelligent systems will monitor vehicle and ground support subsystems for anomalies, assist in isolating and managing faults, and plan and schedule shuttle operations activities. These applications are being developed independently of one another, using different representation schemes, reasoning and control models, and hardware platforms. KSC has recently initiated the EXODUS project to integrate these stand alone applications into a unified, coordinated intelligent operations support system. EXODUS will be constructed using SOCIAL, a tool for developing distributed intelligent systems. EXODUS, SOCIAL, and initial prototyping efforts using SOCIAL to integrate and coordinate selected EXODUS applications are described.

Adler, Richard M.↗

Electronic Performance Support for Operational Systems: A Case Study of the Link Monitor and Control Operator Assistant

For complex operational systems, help needs to come from the inside out. It is often not realistic to call a help desk for problems that need immediate attention, especially for tasks that put a heavy cognitive load on the system operator. This session addresses the issues associated with providing electronic performance support for operational systems, including situations where the system is already fielded and can only change through evolution rather than revolution. We present a case study based on our experiences in developing the Link Monitor and Control Operator Assistant for NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN). The goals of the Operator Assistant are to improve the operability of the system and increase the efficiency of mission operations.

Hill, Randall W., Jr.↗

NASA Balloon Technology Developments

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Balloon Program has been, and will continue to be, committed to improving the capabilities of balloons to support science missions. Fundamental to vehicle improvement is a program of technology development that will enable improved flight performance throughout the next decade. The program s technology thrust areas include: materials, vehicle design & development, structural analysis, operations & support systems, performance modeling and planetary balloons. Building on the foundations of the 18-year research and development program, a technology roadmap has been generated which identifies specific areas of interest to NASA and the vision of future developments. The major components of the roadmap are: vehicle systems, balloon-craft systems, operational and safety support systems, and planetary vehicles. Current technology activities include nanocomposite balloon films, a new balloon designed to lift 3600 kgs to 36 km, a balloon rotation rate study and Mars pumpkin balloon investigations. The technology roadmap, as well as specific projects and recent advancements, will be presented.

Fairbrother, D. A.↗

Space system operations and support cost analysis using Markov chains

This paper evaluates the use of Markov chain process in probabilistic life cycle cost analysis and suggests further uses of the process as a design aid tool. A methodology is developed for estimating operations and support cost and expected life for reusable space transportation systems. Application of the methodology is demonstrated for the case of a hypothetical space transportation vehicle. A sensitivity analysis is carried out to explore the effects of uncertainty in key model inputs.

Unal, Resit↗

Space shuttle engineering and operations support. Avionics system engineering

The shuttle avionics integration laboratory (SAIL) requirements for supporting the Spacelab/orbiter avionics verification process are defined. The principal topics are a Spacelab avionics hardware assessment, test operations center/electronic systems test laboratory (TOC/ESL) data processing requirements definition, SAIL (Building 16) payload accommodations study, and projected funding and test scheduling. Because of the complex nature of the Spacelab/orbiter computer systems, the PCM data link, and the high rate digital data system hardware/software relationships, early avionics interface verification is required. The SAIL is a prime candidate test location to accomplish this early avionics verification.

Broome, P. A.↗

System analysis for the Huntsville Operation Support Center distributed computer system

A simulation model of the NASA Huntsville Operational Support Center (HOSC) was developed. This simulation model emulates the HYPERchannel Local Area Network (LAN) that ties together the various computers of HOSC. The HOSC system is a large installation of mainframe computers such as the Perkin Elmer 3200 series and the Dec VAX series. A series of six simulation exercises of the HOSC model is described using data sets provided by NASA. The analytical analysis of the ETHERNET LAN and the video terminals (VTs) distribution system are presented. An interface analysis of the smart terminal network model which allows the data flow requirements due to VTs on the ETHERNET LAN to be estimated, is presented.

Ingels, F. M.↗

Program operational summary: Operational 90 day manned test of a regenerative life support system

An operational 90-day manned test of a regenerative life support system was successfully completed. This test was performed with a crew of four carefully selected and trained men in a space station simulator (SSS) which had a two gas atmosphere maintained at a total pressure of 68.9, 10 psia, and composed of oxygen at a partial pressure of 3.05 psia with nitrogen as the diluent. The test was planned to provide data on regenerative life support subsystems and on integrated system operations in a closed ecology, similar to that of a space station. All crew equipment and expendables were stored onboard at the start of the mission to eliminate the need for pass-in operations. The significant accomplishments of the test, some of the pertinent test results, some of the problem areas, and conclusions are presented.

Jackson, J. K.↗

A data distribution strategy for the 1990s (files are not enough)

Virtually all of the data distribution strategies being contemplated for the EOSDIS era revolve around the use of files. Most, if not all, mass storage technologies are based around the file model. However, files may be the wrong primary abstraction for supporting scientific users in the 1990s and beyond. Other abstractions more closely matching the respective scientific discipline of the end user may be more appropriate. JPL has built a unique multimission data distribution system based on a strategy of telemetry stream emulation to match the responsibilities of spacecraft team and ground data system operators supporting our nations suite of planetary probes. The current system, operational since 1989 and the launch of the Magellan spacecraft, is supporting over 200 users at 15 remote sites. This stream-oriented data distribution model can provide important lessons learned to builders of future data systems.

Tankenson, Mike↗

Sonic boom results for a nominal mission 3B. Space Shuttle engineering and operations support, engineering systems analysis

The results obtained in the analysis of the effects of sonic boom overpressures at ground level for a nominal Mission 3B with the current baseline guidance are reported. These results are in the form of ground level overpressures generated along the groundtrack out to lateral cutoff from Mach 3.0-1.10 at 0.10 (tenth) Mach intervals. Preliminary trajectory constraints which will reduce excess sonic boom overpressures to approximately 2.0 PSF are included.

Source record↗

Preliminary Entry Trajectory for 1st Orbital Flight Test (OFT). Space Shuttle Engineering and Operations Support, Engineering Systems Analysis

A preliminary trajectory from entry interface to terminal area energy management interface for the first orbital flight test is presented based on information in the Strawman master flight test assignments document Reference A. The enclosed point-mass trajectory may be utilized for preliminary purposes, meeting the requirements of this document. The trajectory was derived utilizing the January 1975 analytic drag control guidance, the latest thermal protection subsystem model information from NASA ES and December 1974 Aerodynamics for a mid center-of-gravity location.

Frohme, K. R.↗

Apu/hydraulic/actuator Subsystem Computer Simulation. Space Shuttle Engineering and Operation Support, Engineering Systems Analysis

Major developments are examined which have taken place to date in the analysis of the power and energy demands on the APU/Hydraulic/Actuator Subsystem for space shuttle during the entry-to-touchdown (not including rollout) flight regime. These developments are given in the form of two subroutines which were written for use with the Space Shuttle Functional Simulator. The first subroutine calculates the power and energy demand on each of the three hydraulic systems due to control surface (inboard/outboard elevons, rudder, speedbrake, and body flap) activity. The second subroutine incorporates the R. I. priority rate limiting logic which limits control surface deflection rates as a function of the number of failed hydraulic. Typical results of this analysis are included, and listings of the subroutines are presented in appendicies.

Source record↗

The embedded operating system project

This progress report describes research towards the design and construction of embedded operating systems for real-time advanced aerospace applications. The applications concerned require reliable operating system support that must accommodate networks of computers. The report addresses the problems of constructing such operating systems, the communications media, reconfiguration, consistency and recovery in a distributed system, and the issues of realtime processing. A discussion is included on suitable theoretical foundations for the use of atomic actions to support fault tolerance and data consistency in real-time object-based systems. In particular, this report addresses: atomic actions, fault tolerance, operating system structure, program development, reliability and availability, and networking issues. This document reports the status of various experiments designed and conducted to investigate embedded operating system design issues.

Campbell, R. H.↗

System Analysis for the Huntsville Operation Support Center, Distributed Computer System

HOSC as a distributed computing system, is responsible for data acquisition and analysis during Space Shuttle operations. HOSC also provides computing services for Marshall Space Flight Center's nonmission activities. As mission and nonmission activities change, so do the support functions of HOSC change, demonstrating the need for some method of simulating activity at HOSC in various configurations. The simulation developed in this work primarily models the HYPERchannel network. The model simulates the activity of a steady state network, reporting statistics such as, transmitted bits, collision statistics, frame sequences transmitted, and average message delay. These statistics are used to evaluate such performance indicators as throughout, utilization, and delay. Thus the overall performance of the network is evaluated, as well as predicting possible overload conditions.

Ingels, F. M.↗