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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

A cause of the non-solderability of ceramic capacitor terminations

The results of an analysis into the cause of the non-solderability of multiple defective part lots from two capacitor manufacturers are described. This analysis consisted of visual, scanning electron microscopic, surface, and metalographic examinations and analyses. The results indicated that non-solderability results from areas of excess porosity in the termination which are caused by segregation of ink constituents during manufacturing. This segregation can be minimized by proper monitoring and control of process variables; where excess porosity does occur, solderability can be improved by proper precleaning of parts.

Cozzolino, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Teleoperation and Visualization Interfaces for Remote Intervention in Space

Approaches to robotic manufacturing, assembly, and servicing of in-space assets range from autonomous operation to direct teleoperation, with many forms of semi-autonomous teleoperation in between. Because most approaches require one or more human operators at some level, it is important to explore the control and visualization interfaces available to those operators, taking into account the challenges due to significant telemetry time delay. We consider one motivating application of remote teleoperation, which is ground-based control of a robot on-orbit for satellite servicing. This paper presents a model-based architecture that: 1) improves visualization and situation awareness, 2) enables more effective human/robot interaction and control, and 3) detects task failures based on anomalous sensor feedback. We illustrate elements of the architecture by drawing on 10 years of our research in this area. The paper further reports the results of several multi-user experiments to evaluate the model-based architecture, on ground-based test platforms, for satellite servicing tasks subject to round-trip communication latencies of several seconds. The most significant performance gains were obtained by enhancing the operators’ situation awareness via improved visualization and by enabling them to precisely specify intended motion. In contrast, changes to the control interface, including model-mediated control or an immersive 3D environment, often reduced the reported task load but did not significantly improve task performance. Considering the challenges of fully autonomous intervention, we expect that some form of teleoperation will continue to be necessary for robotic in-situ servicing, assembly, and manufacturing tasks for the foreseeable future. We propose that effective teleoperation can be enabled by modeling the remote environment, providing operators with a fused view of the real environment and virtual model, and incorporating interfaces and control strategies that enable interactive planning, precise operation, and prompt detection of errors.

space robotics↗
NASA NTRS1986

Laminar Flow Aircraft Certification

Various topics telative to laminar flow aircraft certification are discussed. Boundary layer stability, flaps for laminar flow airfoils, computational wing design studies, manufacturing requirements, windtunnel tests, and flow visualization are among the topics covered.

Williams, Louis J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Cost - The challenge for advanced materials and structures

Information is presented on the cost of various aircraft structures, together with methods for predicting and reducing cost. The need for the development of cost models, and of a comparative cost algorithm which could function as an engineering design tool to evaluate different design concepts, is emphasized. Efforts are underway to develop cost models that establish building-block unit cell elements that represent different material forms, geometric shapes, fabrication processes, and methods of assembly, with the purpose of expressing cost per pound or labor per pound data, with physical design and manufacture variables that a designer can visualize.

Davis, John G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Visual Alert System

A visual alert system resulted from circuitry developed by Applied Cybernetics Systems for Langley as part of a space related telemetry system. James Campman, Applied Cybernetics president, left the company and founded Grace Industries, Inc. to manufacture security devices based on the Langley technology. His visual alert system combines visual and audible alerts for hearing impaired people. The company also manufactures an arson detection device called the electronic nose, and is currently researching additional applications of the NASA technology.

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NASA NTRS1991

Computer interfaces for the visually impaired

Information access via computer terminals extends to blind and low vision persons employed in many technical and nontechnical disciplines. Two aspects are detailed of providing computer technology for persons with a vision related handicap. First, research into the most effective means of integrating existing adaptive technologies into information systems was made. This was conducted to integrate off the shelf products with adaptive equipment for cohesive integrated information processing systems. Details are included that describe the type of functionality required in software to facilitate its incorporation into a speech and/or braille system. The second aspect is research into providing audible and tactile interfaces to graphics based interfaces. Parameters are included for the design and development of the Mercator Project. The project will develop a prototype system for audible access to graphics based interfaces. The system is being built within the public domain architecture of X windows to show that it is possible to provide access to text based applications within a graphical environment. This information will be valuable to suppliers to ADP equipment since new legislation requires manufacturers to provide electronic access to the visually impaired.

Higgins, Gerry↗
NASA NTRS1975

Techniques of Final Preseal Visual Inspection

A dissertation is given on the final preseal visual inspection of microcircuit devices to detect manufacturing defects and reduce failure rates in service. The processes employed in fabricating monolithic integrated circuits and hybrid microcircuits, various failure mechanisms resulting from deficiencies in those processes, and the rudiments of performing final inspection are outlined.

Anstead, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Evaluation of Synthetic Vision Display Concepts for Improved Awareness in Unusual Attitude Recovery Scenarios

A recent study conducted by the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) determined 40 percent of all fixed-wing fatal accidents, between 2001 and 2011, were caused by Loss-of-Control (LOC) in flight (National Transportation Safety Board, 2015). Based on their findings, CAST recommended manufacturers develop and implement virtual day-visual meteorological conditions (VMC) display systems, such as synthetic vision or equivalent systems (CAST, 2016). In a 2015 simulation study conducted at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), researchers gathered to test and evaluate virtual day-VMC displays under realistic flight operation scenarios capable of inducing reduced attention states in pilots. Each display concept was evaluated to determine its efficacy to improve attitude awareness. During the experiment, Evaluation Pilots (EPs) were shown the following three display concepts on the Primary Flight Display (PFD): Baseline, Synthetic Vision (SV) with color gradient, and SV with texture. The baseline configuration was a standard, conventional 'blue over brown' display. Experiment scenarios were simulated over water to evaluate Unusual Attitude (UA) recovery over 'featureless terrain' environments. Thus, the SV with color gradient configuration presented a 'blue over blue' display with a linear blue color progression, to differentiate attitude changes between sky and ocean. The SV with texture configuration presented a 'blue over blue' display with a black checkerboard texture atop a synthetic ocean. These displays were paired with a Background Attitude Indicator (BAI) concept. The BAI was presented across all four Head-Down Displays (HDDs), displaying a wide field-of-view blue-over-blue attitude indicator. The BAI aligned with the PFD and showed through the background of the navigation displays with opaque transparency. Each EP participated in a two-part experiment series with a total seventy-five trial runs: Part I included a set of twenty-five Unusual Attitude Recovery (UAR) scenarios; Part II included a set of fifty Attitude Memory Recall Tasks (AMRT). At the conclusion of each trial, EPs were asked to complete a set post-run questionnaires. Quantitative results showed that there were no significant statistical effects on UA recovery times when utilizing SV with or without the presence of a BAI. Qualitative results show the SV displays (color, texture) with BAI On are most preferred for both UA recognition and recovery when compared with the baseline display. When only comparing SV display concepts, EPs performed better when using the SV with texture, BAI On, than any other display configuration. This is an interesting find considering most EPs noted their preference towards the SV with color gradient when the BAI was on.

Nicholas, Stephanie↗
NASA NTRS1991

Quantitative simulation of extraterrestrial engineering devices

This is a multicomponent, multidisciplinary project whose overall objective is to build an integrated database, simulation, visualization, and optimization system for the proposed oxygen manufacturing plant on Mars. Specifically, the system allows users to enter physical description, engineering, and connectivity data through a uniform, user-friendly interface and stores the data in formats compatible with other software also developed as part of this project. These latter components include: (1) programs to simulate the behavior of various parts of the plant in Martian conditions; (2) an animation program which, in different modes, provides visual feedback to designers and researchers about the location of and temperature distribution among components as well as heat, mass, and data flow through the plant as it operates in different scenarios; (3) a control program to investigate the stability and response of the system under different disturbance conditions; and (4) an optimization program to maximize or minimize various criteria as the system evolves into its final design. All components of the system are interconnected so that changes entered through one component are reflected in the others.

Arabyan, A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Comparing a Fischer-Tropsch Alternate Fuel to JP-8 and Their 50-50 Blend: Flow and Flame Visualization Results

Combustion performance of a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) jet fuel manufactured by Sasol was compared to JP-8 and a 50-50 blend of the two fuels, using the NASA/Woodward 9 point Lean Direct Injector (LDI) in its baseline configuration. The baseline LDI configuration uses 60deg axial air-swirlers, whose vanes generate clockwise swirl, in the streamwise sense. For all cases, the fuel-air equivalence ratio was 0.455, and the combustor inlet pressure and pressure drop were 10-bar and 4 percent. The three inlet temperatures used were 828, 728, and 617 K. The objectives of this experiment were to visually compare JP-8 flames with FT flames for gross features. Specifically, we sought to ascertain in a simple way visible luminosity, sooting, and primary flame length of the FT compared to a standard JP grade fuel. We used color video imaging and high-speed imaging to achieve these goals. The flame color provided a way to qualitatively compare soot formation. The length of the luminous signal measured using the high speed camera allowed an assessment of primary flame length. It was determined that the shortest flames resulted from the FT fuel.

Hicks, Yolanda R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The use of interactive computer vision and robot hand controllers for enhancing manufacturing safety

Current available robotic systems provide limited support for CAD-based model-driven visualization, sensing algorithm development and integration, and automated graphical planning systems. This paper describes ongoing work which provides the functionality necessary to apply advanced robotics to automated manufacturing and assembly operations. An interface has been built which incorporates 6-DOF tactile manipulation, displays for three dimensional graphical models, and automated tracking functions which depend on automated machine vision. A set of tools for single and multiple focal plane sensor image processing and understanding has been demonstrated which utilizes object recognition models. The resulting tool will enable sensing and planning from computationally simple graphical objects. A synergistic interplay between human and operator vision is created from programmable feedback received from the controller. This approach can be used as the basis for implementing enhanced safety in automated robotics manufacturing, assembly, repair and inspection tasks in both ground and space applications. Thus, an interactive capability has been developed to match the modeled environment to the real task environment for safe and predictable task execution.

Marzwell, Neville I.↗
NASA NTRS1980

JANTX/N1202A switching diode

General Electric and International Rectifier switching diodes were tested. Group 2 testing proved to be most damaging to both lots. In group 2 testing many visual failures were seen in samples from both manufacturers.

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NASA NTRS2000

A Comparison of Quasi-Static Indentation and Drop-Weight Impact Testing on Carbon/Epoxy Laminates

This project was initiated to investigate the damage tolerance of polymer matrix composites (PMC). After a low velocity impact-such as the ones that can occur during manufacturing or service there is usually very little visual damage. There are two possible methods to simulate foreign object impact on PMC: static indentation and drop weight impact. A static method for modeling low velocity foreign object impact events for composites can prove to be very beneficial to researchers since much more data can be obtained from a static test than from an impact test. In order to examine if this is feasible, a series of static indentation and low velocity impact tests were performed and compared. Square specimens of different sizes and thicknesses were tested to cover a wide array of low velocity impact events. Laminates with a 45 degree stacking sequence were used since this is a common type of engineering laminate. Three distinct flexural rigidities under two different boundary conditions were tested in order to obtain damage due to large deflections. Comparisons between static indentation and low velocity impact tests were based on the maximum applied transverse load. The dependent parameters examined were dent depth, back surface crack length, delamination area, and load-deflection behavior. Results showed that no distinct differences could be seen between the static indentation tests and the low velocity impact tests, indicating that static indentation tests can be used to simulate low velocity impact events.

Prabhakaran, R.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Testing of Full Scale Flight Qualified Kevlar Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels

Many decades ago NASA identified a need for low-mass pressure vessels for carrying various fluids aboard rockets, spacecraft, and satellites. A pressure vessel design known as the composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) was identified to provide a weight savings over traditional single-material pressure vessels typically made of metal and this technology has been in use for space flight applications since the 1970's. A typical vessel design consisted of a thin liner material, typically a metal, overwrapped with a continuous fiber yarn impregnated with epoxy. Most designs were such that the overwrapped fiber would carry a majority of load at normal operating pressures. The weight advantage for a COPV versus a traditional singlematerial pressure vessel contributed to widespread use of COPVs by NASA, the military, and industry. This technology is currently used for personal breathing supply storage, fuel storage for auto and mass transport vehicles and for various space flight and aircraft applications. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) was recently asked to review the operation of Kevlar 2 and carbon COPVs to ensure they are safely operated on NASA space flight vehicles. A request was made to evaluate the life remaining on the Kevlar COPVs used on the Space Shuttle for helium and nitrogen storage. This paper provides a review of Kevlar COPV testing relevant to the NESC assessment. Also discussed are some key findings, observations, and recommendations that may be applicable to the COPV user community. Questions raised during the investigations have revealed the need for testing to better understand the stress rupture life and age life of COPVs. The focus of this paper is to describe burst testing of Kevlar COPVs that has been completed as a part of an the effort to evaluate the effects of ageing and shelf life on full scale COPVs. The test articles evaluated in this discussion had a diameter of 22 inches for S/N 014 and 40 inches for S/N 011. The time between manufacture and burst was 28 and 22 years. Visual inspection, shearography, heat soak thermography and borescope inspection were performed on vessel S/N 011 and all but shearography was performed on S/N 014 before they were tested and details of this work can be found in a companion paper titled, "Nondestructive Methods and Special Test Instrumentation Supporting NASA Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel Assessments." The vessels were instrumented so that measurements could be made to aid in the understanding of vessel response. Measurements made on the test articles included girth, boss displacement, internal volume, multiple point strain, full field strain, eddy current, acoustic emission (AE) pressure and temperature. The test article before and during burst is shown with the pattern used for digital image correlation full field strain measurement blurring as the vessel fails.

Greene, Nathanael↗
NASA NTRS2008

Concept of Operations Visualization for Ares I Production

Establishing Computer Aided Design models of the Ares I production facility, tooling and vehicle components and integrating them into manufacturing visualizations/simulations allows Boeing and NASA to collaborate real time early in the design/development cycle. This collaboration identifies cost effective and lean solutions that can be easily shared with Ares stakeholders (e.g., other NASA Centers and potential science users). These Ares I production visualizations and analyses by their nature serve as early manufacturing improvement precursors for other Constellation elements to be built at the Michoud Assembly Facility such as Ares V and the Altair Lander. Key to this Boeing and Marshall Space Flight Center collaboration has been the use of advanced virtual manufacturing tools to understand the existing Shuttle era infrastructure and trade potential modifications to support Ares I production. These approaches are then used to determine an optimal manufacturing configuration in terms of labor efficiency, safety and facility enhancements. These same models and tools can be used in an interactive simulation of Ares I and V flight to the Space Station or moon to educate the human space constituency (e.g., government, academia, media and the public) in order to increase national and international understanding of Constellation goals and benefits.

Chilton, Jim↗
NASA NTRS2019

Evaluation of a Head-Worn Display with Ambient Vision Cues for Unusual Attitude Recovery

A Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) study of 18 loss-of-control events determined that a lack of external visual references was a contributing factor in 17 of these events. CAST recommended that manufacturers should develop and implement virtual day-VMC display systems, such as synthetic vision (SV) or equivalent systems (CAST Safety Enhancement, SE-200). In support of this recommended action, CAST has requested studies to define minimum requirements for virtual day-visual meteorological conditions (VMC) displays to improve flight crew awareness of airplane attitude. NASA’s research in Virtual day-VMC displays, known as synthetic vision systems, are intended to support intuitive flight crew attitude awareness similar to a day-VMC-like environment, especially if they could be designed to create visual dominance. A study was conducted to evaluate the utility of ambient vision (AV) cues paired with virtual Head-Up Display (HUD) symbology on a prototype head-worn display (HWD) during recovery from unusual attitudes in a simulated environment. The virtual-HUD component meets the requirement that the HWD may be used as an equivalent display to the HUD. The presence of AV cueing leverages the potential that a HWD has over the HUD for spatial disorientation prevention. The simulation study was conducted as a single-pilot operation, under realistic flight scenarios, with off-nominal events occurring that were capable of inducing unusual attitudes. Independent variables of the experiment included: 1) AV capability (on vs off) 2) AV display opaqueness (transparent vs opaque) and display location (HWD vs traditional head- down displays); AV cues were only present when the HWD was being worn by the subject pilot.

Nicholas, Stephanie N.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Disc resonator gyroscope fabrication process requiring no bonding alignment

A method of fabricating a resonant vibratory sensor, such as a disc resonator gyro. A silicon baseplate wafer for a disc resonator gyro is provided with one or more locating marks. The disc resonator gyro is fabricated by bonding a blank resonator wafer, such as an SOI wafer, to the fabricated baseplate, and fabricating the resonator structure according to a pattern based at least in part upon the location of the at least one locating mark of the fabricated baseplate. MEMS-based processing is used for the fabrication processing. In some embodiments, the locating mark is visualized using optical and/or infrared viewing methods. A disc resonator gyroscope manufactured according to these methods is described.

Shcheglov, Kirill V.↗
NASA NTRS2004

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2004

Topics covered include: Brazing SiC/SiC Composites to Metals; Composite-Material Tanks with Chemically Resistant Liners; Thermally Conductive Metal-Tube/Carbon-Composite Joints; Improved BN Coatings on SiC Fibers in SiC Matrices; Iterative Demodulation and Decoding of Non-Square QAM; Measuring Radiation Patterns of Reconfigurable Patch Antennas on Wafers; Low-Cutoff, High-Pass Digital Filtering of Neural Signals; Further Improvement in 3DGRAPE; Ground Support Software for Spaceborne Instrumentation; MER SPICE Interface; Simulating Operation of a Planetary Rover; Analyzing Contents of a Computer Cache; Discrepancy Reporting Management System; Silicone-Rubber Microvalves Actuated by Paraffin; Hydraulic Apparatus for Mechanical Testing of Nuts; Heat Control via Torque Control in Friction Stir Welding; Manufacturing High-Quality Carbon Nanotubes at Lower Cost; Setup for Visual Observation of Carbon-Nanotube Arc Process; Solution Preserves Nucleic Acids in Body-Fluid Specimens; Oligodeoxynucleotide Probes for Detecting Intact Cells; Microwave-Spectral Signatures Would Reveal Concealed Objects; Digital Averaging Phasemeter for Heterodyne Interferometry; Optoelectronic Instrument Monitors pH in a Culture Medium; Imaging of gamma-Irradiated Regions of a Crystal; Photodiode-Based, Passive Ultraviolet Dosimeters; Discrete Wavelength-Locked External Cavity Laser; Flexible Shields for Protecting Spacecraft Against Debris; Part 2 of a Computational Study of a Drop-Laden Mixing Layer; Controllable Curved Mirrors Made from Single-Layer EAP Films; and Demonstration of a Pyrotechnic Bolt-Retractor System.

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