Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Pointing Performance Analysis”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 361 records · Page 20

MERIT-Plus Dataset: Delineation of endorheic basins in 5 and 15 min upscaled river networks

Endorheic drainage basins, those inland basins not connected directly to ocean, are essential for hydrological modeling of global and regional water balances, land surface water storage, gravity anomalies, sea level rise, etc. Within many hydrological model frameworks, river basins are defined by digital river networks through their flow direction and connectivity datasets. Here we present an improvement to gridded flow direction data and its derivatives produced from upscaled global 5 and 15 arc minute MERIT networks. We explicitly label endorheic and exorheic drainage basins and alter the delineation of endorheic basins by merging small inland watersheds to the adjacent host basins. The resulting datasets have a significantly reduced number of endorheic basins while preserving the total land portion of those basins since most of the merged catchments were inside other larger endorheic areas. We developed and present here the endorheic basin delineation method. This method performs an analysis of the contributing river and basin geometry relative to the location of the flow end point (i.e. potential endorheic lake), proximity of the latter to the drainage basin boundary and the elevation difference between the basin's lowest point and potential spillover location at the basin boundary. The new digital river network was validated using the University of New Hampshire Water Balance Model by comparing the water balance of endorheic inland depressions with modeled accumulation of water in their inland lakes based on the observed historical climate drivers used by WBM.

Earth Systems↗

MERIT-Plus Dataset: Delineation of endorheic basins in 5 and 15 min upscaled river networks

Endorheic drainage basins, those inland basins not connected directly to ocean, are essential for hydrological modeling of global and regional water balances, land surface water storage, gravity anomalies, sea level rise, etc. Within many hydrological model frameworks, river basins are defined by digital river networks through their flow direction and connectivity datasets. Here we present an improvement to gridded flow direction data and its derivatives produced from upscaled global 5 and 15 arc minute MERIT networks. We explicitly label endorheic and exorheic drainage basins and alter the delineation of endorheic basins by merging small inland watersheds to the adjacent host basins. The resulting datasets have a significantly reduced number of endorheic basins while preserving the total land portion of those basins since most of the merged catchments were inside other larger endorheic areas. We developed and present here the endorheic basin delineation method. This method performs an analysis of the contributing river and basin geometry relative to the location of the flow end point (i.e. potential endorheic lake), proximity of the latter to the drainage basin boundary and the elevation difference between the basin's lowest point and potential spillover location at the basin boundary. The new digital river network was validated using the University of New Hampshire Water Balance Model by comparing the water balance of endorheic inland depressions with modeled accumulation of water in their inland lakes based on the observed historical climate drivers used by WBM.

Earth Systems↗

MERIT-Plus Dataset: Delineation of endorheic basins in 5 and 15 min upscaled river networks

Endorheic drainage basins, those inland basins not connected directly to ocean, are essential for hydrological modeling of global and regional water balances, land surface water storage, gravity anomalies, sea level rise, etc. Within many hydrological model frameworks, river basins are defined by digital river networks through their flow direction and connectivity datasets. Here we present an improvement to gridded flow direction data and its derivatives produced from upscaled global 5 and 15 arc minute MERIT networks. We explicitly label endorheic and exorheic drainage basins and alter the delineation of endorheic basins by merging small inland watersheds to the adjacent host basins. The resulting datasets have a significantly reduced number of endorheic basins while preserving the total land portion of those basins since most of the merged catchments were inside other larger endorheic areas. We developed and present here the endorheic basin delineation method. This method performs an analysis of the contributing river and basin geometry relative to the location of the flow end point (i.e. potential endorheic lake), proximity of the latter to the drainage basin boundary and the elevation difference between the basin's lowest point and potential spillover location at the basin boundary. The new digital river network was validated using the University of New Hampshire Water Balance Model by comparing the water balance of endorheic inland depressions with modeled accumulation of water in their inland lakes based on the observed historical climate drivers used by WBM.

Earth Systems↗

MERIT-Plus Dataset: Delineation of endorheic basins in 5 and 15 min upscaled river networks

Endorheic drainage basins, those inland basins not connected directly to ocean, are essential for hydrological modeling of global and regional water balances, land surface water storage, gravity anomalies, sea level rise, etc. Within many hydrological model frameworks, river basins are defined by digital river networks through their flow direction and connectivity datasets. Here we present an improvement to gridded flow direction data and its derivatives produced from upscaled global 5 and 15 arc minute MERIT networks. We explicitly label endorheic and exorheic drainage basins and alter the delineation of endorheic basins by merging small inland watersheds to the adjacent host basins. The resulting datasets have a significantly reduced number of endorheic basins while preserving the total land portion of those basins since most of the merged catchments were inside other larger endorheic areas. We developed and present here the endorheic basin delineation method. This method performs an analysis of the contributing river and basin geometry relative to the location of the flow end point (i.e. potential endorheic lake), proximity of the latter to the drainage basin boundary and the elevation difference between the basin's lowest point and potential spillover location at the basin boundary. The new digital river network was validated using the University of New Hampshire Water Balance Model by comparing the water balance of endorheic inland depressions with modeled accumulation of water in their inland lakes based on the observed historical climate drivers used by WBM.

Earth Systems↗

Palus Somni - Anomalies in the correlation of Al/Si X-ray fluorescence intensity ratios and broad-spectrum visible albedos

The positive correlation between Al/Si X-ray fluorescence intensity ratios determined during the Apollo 15 lunar mission and a broad-spectrum visible albedo of the moon is quantitatively established. Linear regression analysis performed on 246 1 degree geographic cells of X-ray fluorescence intensity and visible albedo data points produced a statistically significant correlation coefficient of .78. Three distinct distributions of data were identified as (1) within one standard deviation of the regression line, (2) greater than one standard deviation below the line, and (3) greater than one standard deviation above the line. The latter two distributions of data were found to occupy distinct geographic areas in the Palus Somni region.

Clark, P. E.↗

Modified NASA-Lewis chemical equilibrium code for MHD applications

A substantially modified version of the NASA-Lewis Chemical Equilibrium Code was recently developed. The modifications were designed to extend the power and convenience of the Code as a tool for performing combustor analysis for MHD systems studies. The effect of the programming details is described from a user point of view.

Sacks, R. A.↗

A comparison of ISCCP and FIRE satellite cloud parameters

One of the goals of the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) is the quantification of the uncertainties in the cloud parameter products derived by the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP). This validation effort has many facets including sensitivity analyses and comparisons to similar data or theoretical results with known accuracies. The FIRE provides cloud-truth data at particular points or along particular lines from surface and aircraft measurement systems. Relating these data to the larger, area-averaged ISCCP results requires intermediate steps using higher resolution satellite data analyses. Errors in the cloud products derived with a particular method can be determined by performing analyses of high resolution satellite data over the area surrounding the point or line measurement. This same analysis technique may then be used to derive cloud parameters over a larger area containing similar cloud fields. It is assumed that the uncertainties found for the small scale analyses are the same for the large scale so that the method has been calibrated for the particular cloud type; i.e., its accuracy is known. Differences between the large scale results using the ISCCP technique and the calibrated method can be computed and used to determine if any significant biases or rms errors occur in the ISCCP results. Selected ISCCP results are compared to cloud parameters derived using the hybrid bispectral threshold method over the FIRE IFO and extended observation areas.

Gibson, Gary G.↗

Rain gauge calibration and testing

Prior to the Tropical Oceans Global Atmosphere-Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA-COARE), 42 Model 100 series optical gauges were tested in the rain simulator facility at Wallops Island before shipment to the field. Baseline measurements at several rain rates were made simultaneously with collector cans, tipping bucket, and a precision weighing gauge and held for post-COARE evaluation with a repeat set of measurements that were to be recorded after the instruments were returned. This was done as a means of detecting any calibration changes that might have occurred while deployed. Although it was known that the artificial rain in the simulator did not contain the required exponential distribution for accurate optical rain gauge rate measurements, use of the facility was necessary because it was the only means available for taking controlled observations with instruments that were received, tested, and shipped out in groups over a period of months. At that point, it was believed that these measurements would be adequately precise for detecting performance changes over time. However, analysis of the data by STI now indicates that this may not be true. Further study of the data will be undertaken to resolve this.

Wilkerson, John↗

Impact of Utilizing Photos and Deimos as Waypoints for Mars Human Surface Missions

Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars, are interesting exploration destinations that offer extensibility of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) technologies. Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP), asteroid rendezvous and docking, and surface operations can be used to land on and explore the moons of Mars. The close Mars vicinity of Phobos and Deimos warrant examining them as waypoints, or intermediate staging orbits, for Mars surface missions. This paper outlines the analysis performed to determine the mass impact of using the moons of Mars both as an intermediate staging point for exploration as well as for in-situ recourse utilization, namely propellant, to determine if the moons are viable options to include in the broader Mars surface exploration architecture.

Cianciolo, Alicia D.↗

Lightning Strike Distance Distribution Beyond a Preexisting Lightning Area

The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) asked the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to review the 30-year-old, lightning stand-off distances of 5 nautical miles (nmi) for applicability to today's operations. This was based on the realization that previous lightning strike distance studies did not match how 45 WS issues lightning warnings (Roeder, 2008). The previous lightning distance studies were from the point of origin of the lightning or the average starting location that would tend to be in the core of the thunderstorm. However, the 45 WS issues lightning warnings based on the edge of a preexisting lightning area. Before beginning the AMU project, it took several years to develop a method to calculate a distance distribution beyond a preexisting area (Roeder, 2015). The AMU pulled Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) sensor data from 1/1/2013 to 12/31/2013. This dataset consisted of 37 million individual source data points from the LDAR sensors. Only sources within 50 km north, south, east or west of the LDAR grid center were included in the dataset. This limited the use of LDAR data to that with the greatest accuracy of source detection and increased data processing. Points were grouped into flashes based on spatial and temporal criteria. Based on the sensitivity analysis the AMU performed on the flash clustering algorithm, a time value of 0.3 seconds was found to model flashes adequately. Distance parameters were tested from 1,500 to 7,500 meters (m) in 500 m increments. Distance parameters of both 3,000 m and 4,000 m produced results in the plotting tool that were most representative of the physical behavior of lightning. Thus statistics were gathered for the most representative of these spatial and temporal criteria on the flash size and the polygon expansion distance in order to find the correct data distributions. The best fit curves for the LDAR polygon expansion frequency vs. distances for both the 3 kilometer (km) and 4 km distance threshold values were exponential decay functions and had R2 values of > 0.998, indicating good model fits. The equations of the best fit curves were then used to calculate a desired safety radius of 4 nmi for either 3 km or 4 km distance threshold criteria. The AMU analysis concludes the safe reduction of the 5 nmi lightning warning circles to 4 nmi should improve the operational impact by 36% if based on distance from the center of the property area being protected. If based on the edge of the property being protected, then the reduction is 4.5 nmi to 4 nmi and the operational impact is decreased by 21%. For the 6 nmi lightning warning circles, the recommended 4 nmi stand-off distance will result in a safe reduction of operational impact of 31% if based on the center of the area being protected, or 16% if based on the edge of the property.

Flash clustering algorithm↗

NASA Reference Motor Designs for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Vehicles

Electric and hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles require high performance and high reliability electric motor drivetrains. Failure analysis of NASA’s Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technologies’ reference vehicles pointed to current electric motor drivetrain reliability being below what is needed to meet the expected stringent reliability requirements for Urban Air Mobility vehicles. In this paper, design studies are carried out for UAM vehicle electric motors to produce reference designs. The primary intent of these reference motor designs is to provide guidance for UAM motor reliability model development and technology advancement. They additionally provide high fidelity motor sizing information for vehicle designers and references for different technologies or motor topologies to be traded against.

Electric Motor Urban Air Mobility↗

NASA Reference Motor Designs for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Vehicles

Electric and hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles require high performance and high reliability electric motor drivetrains. Failure analysis of NASA’s Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technologies’ reference vehicles pointed to current electric motor drivetrain reliability being below what is needed to meet the expected stringent reliability requirements for Urban Air Mobility vehicles [1]. In this paper, design studies are carried out for UAM vehicle electric motors to produce reference designs. The primary intent of these reference motor designs is to provide guidance for UAM motor reliability model development and technology advancement. They additionally provide high fidelity motor sizing information for vehicle designers and references for different technologies or motor topologies to be traded against.

Thomas Tallerico↗

The Role of Margin in Link Design and Optimization

Link analysis is a system engineering process in the design, development, and operation of communication systems and networks. Link models that are mathematical abstractions representing the useful signal power and the undesirable noise and attenuation effects (including weather effects if the signal path transverses through the atmosphere) that are integrated into the link budget calculation that provides the estimates of signal power and noise power at the receiver. Then the link margin is applied which attempts to counteract the fluctuations of the signal and noise power to ensure reliable data delivery from transmitter to receiver. (Link margin is dictated by the link margin policy or requirements.) A simple link budgeting approach assumes link parameters to be deterministic values typically adopted a rule-of-thumb policy of 3 dB link margin. This policy works for most S- and X-band links due to their insensitivity to weather effects. But for higher frequency links like Ka-band, Ku-band, and optical communication links, it is unclear if a 3 dB link margin would guarantee link closure. Statistical link analysis that adopted the 2-sigma or 3-sigma link margin incorporates link uncertainties in the sigma calculation. (The Deep Space Network (DSN) link margin policies are 2-sigma for downlink and 3-sigma for uplink.) The link reliability can therefore be quantified statistically even for higher frequency links. However in the current statistical link analysis approach, link reliability is only expressed as the likelihood of exceeding the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold that corresponds to a given bit-error-rate (BER) or frame-error-rate (FER) requirement. The method does not provide the true BER or FER estimate of the link with margin, or the required signalto-noise ratio (SNR) that would meet the BER or FER requirement in the statistical sense. In this paper, we perform in-depth analysis on the relationship between BER/FER requirement, operating SNR, and coding performance curve, in the case when the channel coherence time of link fluctuation is comparable or larger than the time duration of a codeword. We compute the "true" SNR design point that would meet the BER/FER requirement by taking into account the fluctuation of signal power and noise power at the receiver, and the shape of the coding performance curve. This analysis yields a number of valuable insights on the design choices of coding scheme and link margin for the reliable data delivery of a communication system - space and ground. We illustrate the aforementioned analysis using a number of standard NASA error-correcting codes.

Cheung, K.↗

A Framework for Performing Multiscale Stochastic Progressive Failure Analysis of Composite Structures

A framework is presented that enables coupled multiscale analysis of composite structures. The recently developed, free, Finite Element Analysis - Micromechanics Analysis Code (FEAMAC) software couples the Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) with ABAQUS to perform micromechanics based FEA such that the nonlinear composite material response at each integration point is modeled at each increment by MAC/GMC. As a result, the stochastic nature of fiber breakage in composites can be simulated through incorporation of an appropriate damage and failure model that operates within MAC/GMC on the level of the fiber. Results are presented for the progressive failure analysis of a titanium matrix composite tensile specimen that illustrate the power and utility of the framework and address the techniques needed to model the statistical nature of the problem properly. In particular, it is shown that incorporating fiber strength randomness on multiple scales improves the quality of the simulation by enabling failure at locations other than those associated with structural level stress risers.

Bednarcyk, Brett A.↗

A Framework for Performing Multiscale Stochastic Progressive Failure Analysis of Composite Structures

A framework is presented that enables coupled multiscale analysis of composite structures. The recently developed, free, Finite Element Analysis-Micromechanics Analysis Code (FEAMAC) software couples the Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) with ABAQUS to perform micromechanics based FEA such that the nonlinear composite material response at each integration point is modeled at each increment by MAC/GMC. As a result, the stochastic nature of fiber breakage in composites can be simulated through incorporation of an appropriate damage and failure model that operates within MAC/GMC on the level of the fiber. Results are presented for the progressive failure analysis of a titanium matrix composite tensile specimen that illustrate the power and utility of the framework and address the techniques needed to model the statistical nature of the problem properly. In particular, it is shown that incorporating fiber strength randomness on multiple scales improves the quality of the simulation by enabling failure at locations other than those associated with structural level stress risers.

Bednarcyk, Brett A.↗

Liquid-liquid phase transition of hydrogen and its critical point: Analysis from ab initio simulation and a machine-learned potential

We simulate high-pressure hydrogen in its liquid phase close to molecular dissociation using a machine-learned interatomic potential. The model is trained with density functional theory (DFT) forces and energies, with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) exchange-correlation functional. We show that an accurate NequIP model, an E(3)-equivariant neural network potential, accurately reproduces the phase transition present in PBE. Moreover, the computational efficiency of this model allows for substantially longer molecular dynamics trajectories, enabling us to perform a finite-size scaling (FSS) analysis to distinguish between a crossover and a true first-order phase transition. Here, we locate the critical point of this transition, the liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT), at 1200-1300 K and 155-160 GPa, a temperature lower than most previous estimates and close to the melting transition.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Long-Term Health Risk Quantification

Astronauts face hazards during spaceflight, including space radiation exposure, isolation and confinement, traveling far distances from Earth, reduced gravity levels, and closed and hostile environments. These hazards drive the definition of human health and performance risks associated with spaceflight. NASA’s Human System Risk Board maintains the human spaceflight risk posture for in-mission risks, as well as post-flight, Long-Term Health (LTH)risks potentially occurring later in the astronaut’s life. LTH risk encompasses the timeframe from immediately post-flight, through the rest of an astronaut’s career, through retirement, and until death. Possible LTH risk outcomes include the time and interventions needed for the astronaut to return to preflight physiological states after experiencing spaceflight hazards and recovery from any in-mission medical events that persist into the post-flight timeframe. It includes chronic complications that may arise due to experiencing in-flight medical conditions or injuries and medical conditions that occur later in life with a higher probability of occurrence or with more severity because of their spaceflight exposure. Finally, LTH risk outcomes can also include a reduction in life expectancy due to spaceflight exposures. There have been 144 medical conditions identified by NASA’s Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health team to be associated with LTH risk. Epidemiological studies have been performed for some of these conditions to determine if astronauts suffer from an increased prevalence or severity of the condition due to their spaceflight experience compared to a comparable cohort .Differences in astronaut mortality or morbidity due to spaceflight experience were not detected in several of these studies. There were two cases where a modest increase in the incidence rate of astronaut LTH outcomes was detected. The first suggested an increase in the incidence of melanoma cases in astronauts, where the number of cases in astronauts were similar to the elevated number of cases observed in airplane pilots. The second provided some evidence of elevated numbers of cardiovascular disease events in astronauts compared to an appropriate healthy comparator cohort, which may warrant additional investigation. The lack of detection of LTH risk outcomes should not ease concerns about astronaut LTH. The studies highlighted here constitute only a small portion of the potential LTH conditions that could occur. Once epidemiological studies are performed on all conditions, significant findings may be detected. The analysis of astronaut LTH also suffers from limited numbers of data points because of the limited numbers of astronauts overall and the even fewer who have reached an age where LTH outcomes may begin to manifest. As shuttle and ISS astronauts begin to age and increase the feasibility of analysis, LTH outcomes may be detected. An application of risk quantification is the use of risk metrics within trade studies for resource prioritization and decision making. Trade studies regarding countermeasures to LTH risk outcomes would benefit from a quantification of LTH risk. NASA has ground-based processes in place such as astronaut screening and access to continuous medical monitoring and care during and after their astronaut career which are the main methods for mitigating LTH risk. In-mission countermeasures, such as acceptable levels of medical care and available countermeasures to counter spaceflight related physiological decrements, can mitigate a poor health and performance status immediately post-flight. Identifying appropriate risk metrics, obtaining valid quantities for them, and tying them to LTH countermeasures are necessary steps for realizing their use in trade studies. This presentation will highlight the challenges associated with the identification, quantification, and utilization of LTH risk metrics

Beth Lewandowski↗

Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) advanced expander cycle engine point design study

Progress in the development of a performance optimized engine system design for an advanced LOX/hydrogen expander cycle engine is reported. Analysis of the components and engine and the resulting drawings is discussed. The status of the orbit transfer vehicle liquid engine transient simulation computer model is given.

Mellish, J. A.↗