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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 NTRS1985

Mathematical analysis study for radar data processing and enhancement. Part 1: Radar data analysis

A study is performed under NASA contract to evaluate data from an AN/FPS-16 radar installed for support of flight programs at Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center. The purpose of this study is to provide information necessary for improving post-flight data reduction and knowledge of accuracy of derived radar quantities. Tracking data from six flights are analyzed. Noise and bias errors in raw tracking data are determined for each of the flights. A discussion of an altiude bias error during all of the tracking missions is included. This bias error is defined by utilizing pressure altitude measurements made during survey flights. Four separate filtering methods, representative of the most widely used optimal estimation techniques for enhancement of radar tracking data, are analyzed for suitability in processing both real-time and post-mission data. Additional information regarding the radar and its measurements, including typical noise and bias errors in the range and angle measurements, is also presented. This is in two parts. This is part 1, an analysis of radar data.

James, R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Mathematical analysis study for radar data processing and enchancement. Part 2: Modeling of propagation path errors

A study is performed under NASA contract to evaluate data from an AN/FPS-16 radar installed for support of flight programs at Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center. The purpose of this study is to provide information necessary for improving post-flight data reduction and knowledge of accuracy of derived radar quantities. Tracking data from six flights are analyzed. Noise and bias errors in raw tracking data are determined for each of the flights. A discussion of an altitude bias error during all of the tracking missions is included. This bias error is defined by utilizing pressure altitude measurements made during survey flights. Four separate filtering methods, representative of the most widely used optimal estimation techniques for enhancement of radar tracking data, are analyzed for suitability in processing both real-time and post-mission data. Additional information regarding the radar and its measurements, including typical noise and bias errors in the range and angle measurements, is also presented. This report is in two parts. This is part 2, a discussion of the modeling of propagation path errors.

James, R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Acoustic tracking of woodhead seabed drifters

An investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of tracking Woodhead seabed drifters that were instrumented with miniature acoustic transmitters having a range in water in excess of 1.0 n.mi. A trial cruise at the entrance of Delaware Bay, with the R.V. Annandale as the sonar-tracking vessel, verified acoustic communications and positioning of the bottom drifters. A demonstration cruise with the R.V. Annandale was also performed in the New York Bight to attempt to collect information on bottom water movement near the sewage-sluge dump site. Results from the tracking mission in the New York Bight suggested that bottom water currents were negligible near the dump site during the time interval from November 7-12, 1975, and that shipboard sonar tracking of acoustic Woodhead seabed drifters could provide useful Lagragian information on bottom water movement caused by tidal and other nonstorm effects.

Mayhue, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Dynamics Explorer-1 (DE-1)

The Dynamics Explorer (DE) mission is designed to study the Earth's electromagnetic fields at varying heights up to 4 Earth radii. The DE-1 was launched on a Delta 3913 launch vehicle from the Western Test Range and was placed in a 561 x 23279 km orbit with a 90 degree inclination. The Deep Space Network (DSN) began to support this extended mission on February 1, 1985. Coverage consists of five passes per day that last for 45 minutes each. Information is given in tabular form for DSN support, frequency assignments, telemetry, command, and tracking mission responsibility.

Gordon, F.↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Planetary Defense System For Responsive Space Missions

As King et al succinctly write, “Collision between the Earth and small objects in the solar system are known to occur regularly, and can result in extinction-level events at their most energetic or more commonly widespread loss of life or economic destruction even for relatively low-energy impacts.” Currently, the JPL Sentry System and the NASA NEO Surveyor mission track, identify, and monitor potential asteroid threats. The JPL Sentry System4 is an automated collision monitoring system which scans the current asteroid catalog for potential impact trajectories with Earth. A 2017 study led by P. Tricarico titled “The near-Earth asteroid population from two decades of observations” analyzes the combined observations of nine leading asteroid surveys. The NASA NEO Surveyor mission seeks to identify 90% of near-Earth objects (NEO) with diameters greater than 140 meters (460 feet) within 10 years. The NEO Surveyor combines data from two infrared imaging detectors to measure NEO size, composition, shape, rotational state, and orbits. Recently, the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully altered the orbit of asteroid moon Dimorphos in 2022. This demonstrated that orbit alteration is possible. Thus, collisions between the Earth and asteroids are both likely and demonstrate potential for great harm. There is ongoing work to identify, catalog, and track potential threats. However, when a threat is identified there is not yet a system in place to target the threatening asteroid and defend the planet from potentially existential threats. Building on the DART Mission, we explore a planetary defense system to mitigate asteroid threats.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1973

Tracking and data system support for the Mariner Mars 1971 mission. Volume 3: Orbit insertion through end of primary mission

The Tracking and Data System (TDS) Support for the Mariner Mars 1971 Mission final report contains the deep space tracking and data acquisition activities in support of orbital operations. During this period a major NASA objective was accomplished: completion of the 180th revolution and 90th day of data gathering with the spacecraft about the planet Mars. Included are presentations of the TDS flight support pass chronology data for each of the Deep Space Stations used, and performance evaluation for the Deep Space Network Telemetry, Tracking, Command, and Monitor Systems. With the loss of Mariner 8 at launch, Mariner 9 assumed the mission plan of Mariner 8, which included the TV mapping cycles and a 12-hr orbital period. The mission plan was modified as a result of a severe dust storm on the surface of Mars, which delayed the start of the TV mapping cycles. Thus, the end of primary mission date was extended to complete the TV mapping cycles.

Barnum, P. W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A scientific assessment of a new technology orbital telescope

As part of a program designed to test the Alpha chemical laser weapons system in space, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) developed components of an agile, lightweight, 4-meter telescope, equipped with an advanced active-optics system. BMDO had proposed to make space available in the telescope's focal plane for instrumentation optimized for scientific applications in astrophysics and planetary astronomy for a potential flight mission. Such a flight mission could be undertaken if new or additional sponsorship can be found. Despite this uncertainty, BMDO requested assistance in defining the instrumentation and other design aspects necessary to enhance the scientific value of a pointing and tracking mission. In response to this request, the Space Studies Board established the Task Group on BMDO New Technology Orbital Observatory (TGBNTOO) and charged it to: (1) provide instrumentation, data management, and science-operations advice to BMDO to optimize the scientific value of a 4-meter mission; and (2) support a space studies board assessment of the relative scientific merit of the program. This report deals with the first of these tasks, assisting the Advanced Technology Demonstrator's (ATD's) program scientific potential. Given the potential scientific aspects of the 4-meter telescope, this project is referred to as the New Technology Orbital Telescope (NTOT), or as the ATD/NTOT, to emphasize its dual-use character. The task group's basic conclusion is that the ATD/NTOT mission does have the potential for contributing in a major way to astronomical goals.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1975

Twinsat earth gravity field mapping

Results of a sensitivity study on the proposed Lo-Lo (Twinsat) satellite-to-satellite tracking mission are described. The relative range-rate signal due to a local gravitational anomaly is investigated as a function of height and satellite separation. It is shown that the signal strength is weak and that an optimal combination of signal strength and resolution is achieved when the satellites are separated by 3 deg along-track. The signal does not resolve point masses closer than 5 deg apart when the satellites are at 300 km altitude. The influence of other factors on the system is evaluated, including the low frequency gravitation field effect on the orbit and the dependence of the noise of the data type on (electronic) integration time.

Lowrey, B. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Applications of satellite technology to gravity field determination

Various techniques for using satellite technology to determine the earth's gravity field are analyzed and compared. A high-low configuration satellite to satellite tracking mission is recommended for the determination of the long wavelength portion of the gravity field. Satellite altimetry and satellite gradiometry experiments are recommended for determination of the short wavelength portion of the gravity field. The recently developed least squares collocation method for estimating the gravity field from satellite derived data is analyzed and its equivalence to conventional methods is demonstrated.

Argentiero, P.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A comparison of satellite systems for gravity field measurements

A detailed and accurate earth gravity field model is important to the understanding of the structure and composition of the earth's crust and upper mantle. Various satellite-based techniques for providing more accurate models of the gravity field are analyzed and compared. A high-low configuration satellite-to-satellite tracking mission is recommended for the determination of both the long wavelength and short wavelength portions of the field. Satellite altimetry and satellite gradiometry missions are recommended for determination of the short wavelength portion of the field.

Argentiero, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

JPL 2-to-the-20th-power channel 300 MHz bandwidth digital spectrum analyzer

A million (two to the 20th power) channel, 300 MHz bandwidth, digital spectrum analyzer was considered. The design, fabrication, and maintenance philosophy of the modular, pipelined, fast fourier transform (FFT) hardware are described. The spectrum analyzer will be used to examine the region from 1.4 GHz to 26 GHz for radio frequency interference which may be harmful to present and future tracking missions of the Deep Space Network. The design has application to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence signals and radio science phenomena.

Morris, G. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A comparison of satellite systems for gravity field measurements

A detailed and accurate earth gravity field model is important both to geophysical progress and to the precise tracking necessary for interpretation of geophysical experiments. Various satellite techniques which may be used to determine the earth's gravity field are compared and their ability to recover the long wavelength and short wavelength features of the field are described. A high-low configuration satellite-to-satellite tracking mission is recommended for the determination of the long wavelength portion of the gravity field. Satellite altimetry and satellite gradiometry experiments are recommended for determination of the short wavelength portion of the gravity field.

Argentiero, P.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Determination of the geopotential from satellite-to-satellite tracking data

Ground-based observation of the deviation of artificial satellite trajectories from a reference path is the classical means for determining the parameters of the global geopotential. However, for the short wavelengths (less than 10 deg), tracking coverage from ground stations of sufficient density is impossible to obtain. But one or more satellites can observe another satellite and obtain the needed global data coverage. Results are presented of error analyses of possible satellite-to-satellite tracking missions to determine the geopotential at a resolution of 1 x 1 deg. To achieve an accuracy of a few milligals at this resolution requires a satellite altitude at or near 150 km and measurements of intersatellite speed to 10 to the -6th m/s.

Douglas, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Networks consolidation program: Maintenance and Operations (M&O) staffing estimates

The Mark IV-A consolidate deep space and high elliptical Earth orbiter (HEEO) missions tracking and implements centralized control and monitoring at the deep space communications complexes (DSCC). One of the objectives of the network design is to reduce maintenance and operations (M&O) costs. To determine if the system design meets this objective an M&O staffing model for Goldstone was developed which was used to estimate the staffing levels required to support the Mark IV-A configuration. The study was performed for the Goldstone complex and the program office translated these estimates for the overseas complexes to derive the network estimates.

Goodwin, J. P.↗