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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

Effective Utilization of Commercial Wireless Networking Technology in Planetary Environments

The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of commercial, off-the-shelf wireless networking technology in planetary exploration applications involving rovers and sensor webs. The three objectives of this research project are to: 1) simulate the radio frequency environment of proposed landing sites on Mars using actual topographic data, 2) analyze the performance of current wireless networking standards in the simulated radio frequency environment, and 3) propose modifications to the standards for more efficient utilization. In this annual report, we present our results for the second year of research. During this year, the effort has focussed on the second objective of analyzing the performance of the IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 802.1lb wireless networking standards in the simulated radio frequency environment of Mars. The approach builds upon our previous results which deterministically modelled the RF environment at selected sites on Mars using high-resolution topographical data. These results provide critical information regarding antenna coverage patterns, maximum link distances, effects of surface clutter, and multipath effects. Using these previous results, the physical layer of these wireless networking standards has now been simulated and analyzed in the Martian environment. We are looking to extending these results to the and medium access layer next. Our results give us critical information regarding the performance (data rates, packet error rates, link distances, etc.) of IEEE 802.1 la/b wireless networks. This information enables a critical examination of how these wireless networks may be utilized in future Mars missions and how they may be possibly modified for more optimal usage.

Caulev, Michael↗

Wireless Sensing and Communication Capability from In-Core to a Monitoring Center

Significant cost savings can be made if electrical cables can be replaced by wireless technology in current Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) and in advance reactor designs. Wireless technology can also provide in-core opportunities by significantly reducing the number of penetrations in the pressure vessel, cost and complexity of sensor installation and by increasing the efficiency of current and advanced reactors. Unlike other deployment scenarios for an industrial environment, operators need to have centralized control over all the networks. Centralized control will reduce implementation costs, provide single point control and enable monitoring of network devices, improve security, and enhance connectivity. Micro-sensors that can simultaneously monitor temperature and pressure within a fuel rod inside nuclear reactors will enable preventative actions during abnormal operating conditions. This ability could avert accidents and enable the expedient development of accident tolerant fuels. A novel micro-sensor suite (~ mm) to simultaneously measure multiple parameters such as temperature, strain, pressure, and neutron/gamma flux inside a fuel rod is being developed for use in reactors. The necessary communication architecture is also being developed to transmit measurement signals from the core to the plant's data cloud or control room. A three three-tier strategy has been developed to support wireless transmission of in-core measurements to the control room or to a secure cloud platform for control, analytics, and decision-making purposes. 1. In-core: data signal from in-core to outside of the pressure vessel within the containment building 2. Containment building: data signal from inside to the outside of the containment building and into the balance of the plant network 3. Balance of the plant network: information transmitted to the data cloud and control room This plan presents a wireless sensing and communication system for use within a reactor core and elsewhere. The communication technology is advantageous to compensate for network equipment failures and adverse data transmission conditions. Wireless technology will significantly increase the resiliency of the plants network system. The wireless system naturally provides multiple transmission path capability and data redundancy.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Partnership Opportunities with AFRC for Wireless Systems Flight Testing

The presentation will overview the flight test capabilities at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC), to open up partnership collaboration opportunities for Wireless Community to conduct flight testing of aerospace wireless technologies. Also, it will brief the current activities on wireless sensor system at AFRC through SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) proposals, and it will show the current areas of interest on wireless technologies that AFRC would like collaborate with Wireless Community to further and testing.

sensors↗

5G Communications in Nuclear: Potential Use Cases and Security Considerations

As fifth-generation (5G) communications continues to revolutionize the future of wireless technology, there is growing demand to utilize its benefits for critical infrastructures such as nuclear power plants (NPPs). In regard to achieving full automation and control in the operation of existing and future nuclear reactors, the unique capabilities of 5G can bring several potential advantages over other wireless technologies. However, a deep investigation is needed for the availability and security of 5G communications under various NPP operational scenarios. This article examines how 5G security capabilities can be architecturally deployed in nuclear applications so as to replace existing communication infrastructures. We discuss the current use of all wireless technologies in NPPs with their key features. Consequently, we investigated several NPP use cases in which 5G offers potential advantages but entails specific security considerations. The present article covers the characteristics of 5G communications, general challenges to its application in nuclear, and the security gaps that need to be addressed. We also highlight certain 5G security-by-design features that can help addressing current stringent NPP requirements. In addition, we discuss some future research direction that can facilitate the implementation of 5G in a nuclear facility. The findings presented herein can help foster 5G deployment in NPPs, thus enabling secured data transmission, cost savings, and increased operational efficiency with enhanced reliability.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Development of Wireless Power Technology for Use in Electrochromic Window Retrofit Applications

Electrochromic (EC) windows, often referred to as smart windows, have the ability to adjust their tint in response to electrical signals, thereby controlling the amount of sunlight and heat entering a building. This dynamic modulation can lead to significant energy savings by reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and minimizing the load on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. However, the widespread adoption of electrochromic window technology, especially in existing buildings, faces challenges, particularly concerning the installation cost associated with the need for electrical wiring to power and control the EC glass (tinting). In this project, GuRu Wireless demonstrated that it’s mmWave-based wireless power energy transfer technology can provide the necessary power for operation of electrochromic windows, wirelessly, and address the wiring challenges of electrochromic windows in retrofit applications.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

A Benefit Analysis of Infusing Wireless into Aircraft and Fleet Operations - Report to Seedling Project Efficient Reconfigurable Cockpit Design and Fleet Operations Using Software Intensive, Network Enabled, Wireless Architecture (ECON)

We report on an examination of potential benefits of infusing wireless technologies into various areas of aircraft and airspace operations. The analysis is done in support of a NASA seedling project Efficient Reconfigurable Cockpit Design and Fleet Operations Using Software Intensive, Network Enabled Wireless Architecture (ECON). The study has two objectives. First, we investigate one of the main benefit hypotheses of the ECON proposal: that the replacement of wired technologies with wireless would lead to significant weight reductions on an aircraft, among other benefits. Second, we advance a list of wireless technology applications and discuss their system benefits. With regard to the primary hypothesis, we conclude that the promise of weight reduction is premature. Specificity of the system domain and aircraft, criticality of components, reliability of wireless technologies, the weight of replacement or augmentation equipment, and the cost of infusion must all be taken into account among other considerations, to produce a reliable estimate of weight savings or increase.

Alexandrov, Natalia↗

Secure, Mobile, Wireless Network Technology Designed, Developed, and Demonstrated

The inability to seamlessly disseminate data securely over a high-integrity, wireless broadband network has been identified as a primary technical barrier to providing an order-of-magnitude increase in aviation capacity and safety. Secure, autonomous communications to and from aircraft will enable advanced, automated, data-intensive air traffic management concepts, increase National Air Space (NAS) capacity, and potentially reduce the overall cost of air travel operations. For the first time ever, secure, mobile, network technology was designed, developed, and demonstrated with state-ofthe- art protocols and applications by a diverse, cooperative Government-industry team led by the NASA Glenn Research Center. This revolutionary technology solution will make fundamentally new airplane system capabilities possible by enabling secure, seamless network connections from platforms in motion (e.g., cars, ships, aircraft, and satellites) to existing terrestrial systems without the need for manual reconfiguration. Called Mobile Router, the new technology autonomously connects and configures networks as they traverse from one operating theater to another. The Mobile Router demonstration aboard the Neah Bay, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel stationed in Cleveland, Ohio, accomplished secure, seamless interoperability of mobile network systems across multiple domains without manual system reconfiguration. The Neah Bay was chosen because of its low cost and communications mission similarity to low-Earth-orbiting satellite platforms. This technology was successfully advanced from technology readiness level (TRL) 2 (concept and/or application formation) to TRL 6 (system model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment). The secure, seamless interoperability offered by the Mobile Router and encryption device will enable several new, vehicle-specific and systemwide technologies to perform such things as remote, autonomous aircraft performance monitoring and early detection and mitigation of potential equipment malfunctions. As an additional benefit, team advancements were incorporated into open standards, ensuring technology transfer. Low-cost, commercial products incorporating the new technology are already available. Furthermore, these products are fully interoperable with legacy network technology equipment currently being used throughout the world.

Ivancic, William D.↗

A Systematic Study to Determine 5G Baseline Performance for Scientific Computing

The fifth-generation (5G) cellular networks envisions achieving higher data rates, improved connectivity, reduced latency, and better quality of service (QoS) than the fourthgeneration (4G) cellular networks. Such improved performance can be utilized to address the challenges in applications such as electricity generation in power systems. The traditional power grids responsible for electricity generation suffer from drawbacks such as life-threatening blackout crises, and energy storage proliferation as they are not robust to extreme climatic conditions. A recent study proposed the idea of extending the capabilities of advanced wireless technologies such as the current 5G to develop a robust, energy-efficient, and secure smart grids. However there are two main challenges associated with the integration of power systems and wireless technologies. First, it is imperative to understand the architecture and the enabling technologies of 5G to ensure that the performance requirements of the smart grids are met. Second, an end-to-end testbed is required to determine if the performance requirements are met by estimating the 5G characteristics such as latency, and throughput. Our proposed alleviates the aforementioned concerns in the following manner. To begin with, a systematic study of the 5G architecture including both the StandAlone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) operations is presented. Furthermore, a detailed survey of the possible 5G enabling technologies is elicited. In addition to these, an end-toend testbed that can estimate the 5G characteristics is explained in detail with appropriate preliminary results.

5G, 5G Communication↗

Promoting Real-Time Science in the Classroom using Wireless PDA Technology

The year is 2004, NASA has landed and deployed a fleet of rovers on the surface of Mars to continue the exploration of that planet and prepare the way for human visitors. Middle school students at Milton Elementary have been following the mission through the media and Internet as part of Mr. Johnson's Earth and space sciences class. The kids have been working in teams to track the rovers as they move across the surface of Mars on a scale model of the landing site they built from sand and rocks using pictures and video downloaded from the Internet. They also built their own version of a rover that can be driven around the model. The time is 3:36pm. Jim and a couple of his fellow students from class are sitting in the cafeteria waiting for a student council meeting to begin. Mary and several others are on the bus riding home. Kathy is in her father's car waiting to leave the parking lot. On Mars, Rover-3 has just stopped and issued an alert to ground control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Back at Milton Elementary chimes can be heard going off in the cafeteria, on the school bus, and in Kathy's car. The students are familiar with the drill and each brings up the Mars mission status display on their hand-held PDA device. They've been using their PDAs (those Palm devices that seem to be everywhere today) to obtain real-time position information for each of the rovers throughout the mission. The mission status display tells them that Rover-3 has stopped on the edge of a small gully and isn't quite sure what to do. The students begin considering the options amongst themselves. Should the rover just drive through the gully? If it does, what happens if it gets stuck? Maybe it should turnaround and look for away around the gully? Trough questions. Real questions. Real problems. The students know they will need to be prepared to discuss the options and conduct their own simulations using the models they built in Mr. Johnson's class tomorrow. Much the same way engineers and scientists will be working to solve the problem at NASA. It's a couple of days later, NASA has made a decision on what to do and has issued new commands for Rover-3 to execute at 9:15am Milton Elementary time. Interestingly, NASA's solution to the problem differs from the one favored by the students. 9:16am, chimes can be heard going off throughout Milton Elementary.

Matusow, David↗

NASA Fuel Tank Wireless Power and Signal Study

Hydro Technologies has developed a custom electronics and mechanical framework for interfacing with off-the-shelf sensors to achieve through barrier sensing solutions. The core project technology relies on Hydro Technologies Wireless Power and Signal Interface (Wi psi) System for transmitting data and power wirelessly using magnetic fields. To accomplish this, Wi psi uses a multi-frequency local magnetic field to produce magnetic fields capable of carrying data and power through almost any material such as metals, seawater, concrete, and air. It will also work through layers of multiple materials.

Merrill, Garrick↗

Wireless Network Communications Overview for Space Mission Operations

The mission of the On-Board Wireless Working Group (WWG) is to serve as a general CCSDS focus group for intra-vehicle wireless technologies. The WWG investigates and makes recommendations pursuant to standardization of applicable wireless network protocols, ensuring the interoperability of independently developed wireless communication assets. This document presents technical background information concerning uses and applicability of wireless networking technologies for space missions. Agency-relevant driving scenarios, for which wireless network communications will provide a significant return-on-investment benefiting the participating international agencies, are used to focus the scope of the enclosed technical information.

Fink, Patrick W.↗

Wireless Instrumentation Use on Launch Vehicles

This slide presentation reviews the results of a study on the use of wireless instrumentation and sensors on future launch vehicles. The use of wireless technologies would if feasible would allow for fewer wires, and allow for more flexibility. However, it was generally concluded that wireless solutions are not currently ready to replace wired technologies for launch vehicles. The recommendations of the study were to continue to use wired sensors as the primary choice for vehicle instrumentation, and to continue to assess needs and use wireless instrumentation where appropriate. The future work includes support efforts for wireless technologies, and continue to monitor the development of wireless solutions.

Sherman, Aaron↗

Radiation-Hardened GaN-Based Wireless Communications Architectures for Terrestrial Nuclear Reactor Sensing and Instrumentation

Wireless technologies have become increasingly common in applications, ranging from close proximity inductive communication links in medical devices to short-range Bluetooth and WiFi communications and longer-range cellular communications. Nonetheless, these technologies are unsuitable for use in or around nuclear reactors due to the extreme radiation and temperatures inherent in these environments and their associated significant degradative effects on electronics hardware. However, recent work in wide bandgap– based electronics has shown promise for gallium nitride (GaN) as an emerging technology for the realization of practical wireless communications systems for use in harsh environments. This report presents initial progress on the development of wireless communications architectures designed specifically for nuclear reactor application, based on inherently radiation-hardened (rad-hard) GaN technology. Prior work on rad-hard analog communications topologies is reviewed, and several digital modulation and encoding schemes that utilize GaN-based electronics devices are newly proposed for application in reactor environments. Continuous-time and discrete-time system simulations were performed, and results are presented for the preliminary transmitter and receiver designs, respectively. In addition, an overview of a software-defined radio testbed, designed for communications protocol development, is provided. Future work will focus on implementing candidate radiation-resistant wireless architectures using a research AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) integrated circuit process, which is available at the Ohio State University, and irradiation studies will be carried out to assess the true potential of this technology for reactor application.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Graphical Representation of the Effects of Antenna Locations on Path Loss Data

The use of portable wireless technology has increased dramatically over the past few years. This increased use has caused a heightened concern for electromagnetic interference from wireless-enabled technologies, such as laptop computers and cellular phones to aircraft communication and navigation radios. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center, United Airlines and Eagles Wings Incorporated, have tested and collected interference path loss data on a United Airlines out-of-service B737 aircraft near Victorville, CA. This paper summarizes the results found from the measured data sets as well as includes graphical representations of the interference path loss data on a B737 plane with different system antennas.

Jafri, Madiha↗

Wireless Instrumentation Systems for Flight Testing at NASA AFRC

NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center is revolutionizing its traditional wired instrumentation systems with wireless technologies. This effort faces many technical challenges, such as spectrum compliance, time synchronization, power distribution and airworthiness. This presentation summarizes NASA AFRC's flight test capabilities with current conventional instrumentation methodology and highlights the technical challenges of wireless systems used for flight test research applications.

wireless technolog↗