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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
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NASA NTRS2000

Interferometry in the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-Ray

We report on demonstration of an x-ray interferometer that uses plane mirrors at grazing incidence to create interference fringes in the extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray portions of the spectrum. X-ray interferometry has historically been implemented through narrow band, diffractive systems that split the wavefront. Our system, by using two separate optical channels to create interference from two areas of the wavefront, has broad band response and much higher efficiency. We discuss some applications of this technique to astronomy and microscopy including the possibility of eventually capturing a micro-arcsecond image of a black hole.

Cash, W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Multichannel Averaging Phasemeter for Picometer Precision Laser Metrology

The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology (MAM) team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has developed a precision phasemeter for the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). The current version of the phasemeter is well-suited for picometer accuracy distance measurements and tracks at speeds up to 50 cm/sec, when coupled to SIM's 1.3 micron wavelength heterodyne laser metrology gauges. Since the phasemeter is implemented with industry standard FPGA chips, other accuracy/speed trade-off points can be programmed for applications such as metrology for earth-based long-baseline astronomical interferometry (planet finding), and industrial applications such as translation stage and machine tool positioning. The phasemeter is a standard VME module, supports 6 metrology gauges, a 128 MHz clock, has programmable hardware averaging, and a maximum range of 232 cycles (2000 meters at 1.3 microns).

Halverson, Peter G.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Stellar Imager (SI): An Ultra-High Angular Resolution UV/Optical Observatory

The Stellar Imager (SI) is envisioned as a space-based, UV-optical interferometer composed of 10 or more one-meter class elements distributed with a maximum baseline of 0.5-km and providing a resolution of 60 micro-arcseconds at 1550 A. It will image stars and binaries with one hundred to one thousand resolution elements on their surface and enable long-term studies of stellar magnetic activity patterns and their evolution with time, for comparison with those on the sun. It will also sound their interiors through asteroseismology to image internal structure, differential rotation, and large-scale circulations. SI will enable us to understand the various effects of magnetic fields of stars, the dynamos that generate these fields, and the internal structure and dynamics of the stars in which these dynamos operate. The ultimate goal of the mission is to achieve the best-possible forecasting of solar activity as a driver of climate and space weather on times scales ranging from months up to decades, and an understanding of the impact of stellar magnetic activity on life in the Universe. The road to that goal will revolutionize our understanding of stars and stellar systems, the building blocks of the Universe. Fitting naturally within the NASA and ESA long-term time lines, SI complements defined missions, and with them will show us entire other solar systems, from the central star to their orbiting planets. In this paper we will describe the scientific goals of the mission, the performance requirements needed to address those goals, and the design concepts now under study.

Carpenter, Kenneth G.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Stellar Imager (SI) Mission Concept: Imaging the Surfaces and Interiors of Other Stars

The Stellar Imager (SI) is envisioned as a space-based, uv-optical interferometer composed of 10 or more one-meter class elements distributed with a maximum. baseline of 0.5-km and providing a resolution of 60 micro-arcseconds at 1550 A. It will image stars and binaries with one hundred to one thousand resolution elements on their surface and enable long-term studies of stellar magnetic activity patterns and their evolution with time, for comparison with those on the sun. It will also sound their interiors through asteroseismology to image internal structure, differential rotation, and large-scale circulations. SI will enable us to understand the various effects of magnetic fields of stars, the dynamos that generate these fields, and the internal structure and dynamic the stars in which these dynamos operate. The ultimate goal of the mission is to achieve the best-possible forecasting of solar activity as a driver of climate and space weather on times scales ranging from months up to decades, and an understanding of the impact of stellar magnetic activity on life in the universe. The road to that goal will revolutionize our understanding of stars and stellar systems, the building blocks of the universe. Fitting naturally within the NASA and ESA long-term time lines, SI complements defined missions, and with them will show us entire other solar systems, from the central star to their orbiting planets. in this paper we describe the scientific goals of the mission, the performance requirements needed to address those goals, and the design concepts now under study.

Carpenter, Kenneth G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Nonlinear, Six-Degree of Freedom Precision Formation Control Algorithm, Based on Restricted Three Body Dynamics

Precision Formation Flying is an enabling technology for a variety of proposed space-based observatories, including the Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM), the associated MAXIM pathfinder mission, and the Stellar Imager. An essential element of the technology is the control algorithm. This paper discusses the development of a nonlinear, six-degree of freedom (6DOF) control algorithm for maintaining the relative position and attitude of a spacecraft within a formation. The translation dynamics are based on the equations of motion for the restricted three body problem. The control law guarantees the tracking error convergences to zero, based on a Lyapunov analysis. The simulation, modelled after the MAXIM Pathfinder mission, maintains the relative position and attitude of a Follower spacecraft with respect to a Leader spacecraft, stationed near the L2 libration point in the Sun-Earth system.

Bauer, Frank↗
NASA NTRS2004

Formation Control for the Maxim Mission.

Over the next twenty years, a wave of change is occurring in the spacebased scientific remote sensing community. While the fundamental limits in the spatial and angular resolution achievable in spacecraft have been reached, based on today's technology, an expansive new technology base has appeared over the past decade in the area of Distributed Space Systems (DSS). A key subset of the DSS technology area is that which covers precision formation flying of space vehicles. Through precision formation flying, the baselines, previously defined by the largest monolithic structure which could fit in the largest launch vehicle fairing, are now virtually unlimited. Several missions including the Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM), and the Stellar Imager will drive the formation flying challenges to achieve unprecedented baselines for high resolution, extended-scene, interferometry in the ultraviolet and X-ray regimes. This paper focuses on establishing the feasibility for the formation control of the MAXIM mission. The Stellar Imager mission requirements are on the same order of those for MAXIM. This paper specifically addresses: (1) high-level science requirements for these missions and how they evolve into engineering requirements; (2) the formation control architecture devised for such missions; (3) the design of the formation control laws to maintain very high precision relative positions; and (4) the levels of fuel usage required in the duration of these missions. Specific preliminary results are presented for two spacecraft within the MAXIM mission.

Luquette, Richard J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Space Technology-7 Disturbance Reduction Systems

The Space Technology 7 Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) is an in-space technology demonstration designed to validate technologies that are required for future missions such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and the Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM). The primary sensors that will be used by DRS are two Gravitational Reference Sensors (GRSs) being developed by Stanford University. DRS will control the spacecraft so that it flies about one of the freely-floating Gravitational Reference Sensor test masses, keeping it centered within its housing. The other GRS serves as a cross-reference for the first as well as being used as a reference for .the spacecraft s attitude control. Colloidal MicroNewton Thrusters being developed by the Busek Co. will be used to control the spacecraft's position and attitude using a six degree-of-freedom Dynamic Control System being developed by Goddard Space Flight Center. A laser interferometer being built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be used to help validate the results of the experiment. The DRS will be launched in 2008 on the European Space Agency (ESA) LISA Pathfinder spacecraft along with a similar ESA experiment, the LISA Test Package.

ODonnell, James R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Linear State-Space Representation of the Dynamics of Relative Motion, Based on Restricted Three Body Dynamics

Precision Formation Flying is an enabling technology for a variety of proposed space- based observatories, including the Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM), Stellar Imager (SI) and the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF). An essential element of the technology is the control algorithm, requiring a clear understanding of the dynamics of relative motion. This paper examines the dynamics of relative motion in the context of the Restricted Three Body Problem (RTBP). The natural dynamics of relative motion are presented in their full nonlinear form. Motivated by the desire to apply linear control methods, the dynamics equations are linearized and presented in state-space form. The stability properties are explored for regions in proximity to each of the libration points in the Earth/Moon - Sun rotating frame. The dynamics of relative motion are presented in both the inertial and rotating coordinate frames.

Luquette, Richard J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

SIM: An end-to-end simulation of the Space Interferometer Mission

We present the basic elements and first results of an end-to-end simulation package whose purpose is to test the validity of the Space Interferometer Mission design. The fundamental simulation time step is one millisecond, with substructure at 118 ms, and the total duration of the simulation is five years. The end product of a given wide-angle astrometry run is an estimated grid star catalog over the entire sky with an accuracy of about 4 micro-arcseconds.

SIM Space Interferometer Mission Space telescopes ↗
NASA NTRS2002

External merology truss technology demonstration (KITE)

To achieve micro-arcsecond astrometry, SIM's external metrology system must track the relative changes of three baseline vectors with a precision of tens of picometers over a one-hour time scale.

metrology interferometry corner cube truss picomet↗
NASA NTRS2003

Phasor algorithms of the SIM fringe estimation

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will provide unprecedented micro-arcsecond (pas) precision to search for extra-solar planets and possible life in the universe. SIM will also revolutionize our understanding of the dynamics and evolutions of the local universe through hundred-fold improvements of inertial astrometry measurements. SIM has two so-called guide interferometers to provide stable inertial orientation knowledge of the baseline, and a science interferometer to measure target fringes. The guide and science measurements are based on the fringe phase measurements using a CCD detector. One of the key issues with SIM is to develop a new algorithm for calculation of fringe parameters. Not only astrometric results need that new algorithm, but also real-time fringe tracking requires a new method to calculate phase and visibility fast and accurately. The formulas for the phasor algorithms for fringe estimation are presented. The signal-noise ratio performances of the fringe quadratures are demonstrated. The advantages of phasor algorithms for application of fast fringe tracking and on-board data compression are discussed.

interferometry↗
NASA NTRS2003

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2003

Topics covered include: Cryogenic Temperature-Gradient Foam/Substrate Tensile Tester; Flight Test of an Intelligent Flight-Control System; Slat Heater Boxes for Thermal Vacuum Testing; System for Testing Thermal Insulation of Pipes; Electrical-Impedance-Based Ice-Thickness Gauges; Simulation System for Training in Laparoscopic Surgery; Flasher Powered by Photovoltaic Cells and Ultracapacitors; Improved Autoassociative Neural Networks; Toroidal-Core Microinductors Biased by Permanent Magnets; Using Correlated Photons to Suppress Background Noise; Atmospheric-Fade-Tolerant Tracking and Pointing in Wireless Optical Communication; Curved Focal-Plane Arrays Using Back-Illuminated High-Purity Photodetectors; Software for Displaying Data from Planetary Rovers; Software for Refining or Coarsening Computational Grids; Software for Diagnosis of Multiple Coordinated Spacecraft; Software Helps Retrieve Information Relevant to the User; Software for Simulating a Complex Robot; Software for Planning Scientific Activities on Mars; Software for Training in Pre-College Mathematics; Switching and Rectification in Carbon-Nanotube Junctions; Scandia-and-Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia for Thermal Barriers; Environmentally Safer, Less Toxic Fire-Extinguishing Agents; Multiaxial Temperature- and Time-Dependent Failure Model; Cloverleaf Vibratory Microgyroscope with Integrated Post; Single-Vector Calibration of Wind-Tunnel Force Balances; Microgyroscope with Vibrating Post as Rotation Transducer; Continuous Tuning and Calibration of Vibratory Gyroscopes; Compact, Pneumatically Actuated Filter Shuttle; Improved Bearingless Switched-Reluctance Motor; Fluorescent Quantum Dots for Biological Labeling; Growing Three-Dimensional Corneal Tissue in a Bioreactor; Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy; The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology Testbed; Detecting Moving Targets by Use of Soliton Resonances; and Finite-Element Methods for Real-Time Simulation of Surgery.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

Space Interferometry Mission (SIM): Overview and current status

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be the first in-space, long-baseline Michelson Stellar Interferometer. SIM will perform precision astrometry at the micro-arcsecond accuracy level, which will be used to characterize planetary systems around stars within about ten parsecs of Earth and address a number of other key astrophysics projects. This paper provides a broad overview of the SIM Mission. Topics covered include: the science objectives, key top level requirements, how the mission will be implemented (technical and programmatic), technology development status, who the key players are in the SIM development, an assessment of where the project is today, and prognosis for the future.

interferometer↗
NASA NTRS2003

Optical path control in the MAM testbed

Future space-based optical interferometers will require control of the optical path delay to accomplish some or all of the three objectives: balancing the optical path in the two arms to within a tolerance corresponding to the coherence length of the star light being observed, modulating the optical path in order to observe the phase of the star light interference fringe, and modulating the path length in order to reduce the effect of cyclic errors in the laser metrology system used to measure the optical path length in the two arms of the interferometer.

optical interferometers optical path MAM testbed M↗