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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Effects of resonant tesseral gravity coefficients on Viking-type orbits.

A special perturbation technique has been developed for the long-period and secular motion of a Viking-type orbiter. The technique uses a method of singly averaging the perturbations over the mean anomaly to determine changes in orbital elements due to atmospheric drag, solar radiation pressure, solar gravity, and the asymmetrical Mars gravitational field. The technique has been specialized to treat resonant tesseral gravity effects resulting from the commensurability of the satellite orbit period with the rotational period of the primary. Results are presented which indicate that orbiter lifetimes can be significantly reduced by resonant tesserals for orbits near the critical inclination. Conversely, it is shown that lifetimes can be extended via capture in resonant orbits which are stable against small drag forces.

Compton, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS2015

How to Enter, Fly In, and Exit the A-Train Constellation

The collaborative science obtained from the satellites in the A-Train is an unparalleled success. The constellation framework that has evolved is well-formulated and documented by its international members. Communication between teams is enhanced by a web-based Constellation Coordination System. Safety and correlated observations are ensured by defining independent control boxes with buffers in between. Each mission stays within its control box by regular drag makeup maneuvers. Annual inclination adjustments are coordinated by all missions to maintain their absolute and relative Mean Local Time of Ascending Node (MLTAN). Since the satellites are in different orbit planes their separation involves a three-dimensional triad made up of the along track separations, reference groundtracks and MLTAN's. For further safety, a Constellation Envelope has been defined to determine safe entry and exit orbits.

MLTAN↗
NASA NTRS1980

Atmospheric perturbation and control of a shuttle/tethered satellite

A simplified model of the strong atmospheric perturbation of a small satellite attached to the orbiter by a long, rigid tether predicts undesirable uncontrolled libration motions similar to those from sophisticated models. The simplified model is used to compare performance limitations of two simple control systems that rely only on tether tension for three-dimensional control. Because the effects on libration of both the changing kinematic and atmospheric drag torques caused by changing length are largely predictable, the controller that models these changes has substantially better performance. In particular, the altitude variation of the tethered satellite above an oblate earth can be controlled substantially better with a controller that uses a length command adapted to these predictable changes than one that only reacts to tension changes. Also, small amplitude out-of-plane librations, that are coupled only to second-order with changing length, can be damped substantially faster by the controller that periodically commands properly phased length changes than by the controller that only reacts to the second-order changes in tension.

Spencer, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Bulk Surface Momentum Parameters for Satellite-Derived Vegetation Fields

The bulk aerodynamic parameters associated with the absorption of surface momentum by vegetated landscapes are theoretically estimated within the context of Raupach's roughness sublayer formulation. The parameters include the bulk plant drag coefficient, maximum u*/U(sub h), sheltering coefficient, and canopy area density at onset of sheltering. Parameters are estimated for the four principal IGBP land cover classes within the U.S. Southern Great Plains: evergreen needleleaf forests, grasslands, croplands, and open shrublands. The estimation approach applies the Method of Moments to roughness data from several international field experiments and other published sources. The results provide the necessary land surface parameters for satellite-based estimation of momentum aerodynamic roughness length and zero-plane displacement height for seasonally variable vegetation fields employed in most terrestrial and atmospheric simulation models used today. Construction of sample displacement and roughness maps over the Southern United States using MODIS land products demonstrates the potential of this approach for regional to global applications.

Jasinski, Michael F.↗
NASA NTRS1993

State-of-the-art satellite laser range modeling for geodetic and oceanographic applications

Significant improvements have been made in the modeling and accuracy of Satellite Laser Range (SLR) data since the launch of LAGEOS in 1976. Some of these include: improved models of the static geopotential, solid-Earth and ocean tides, more advanced atmospheric drag models, and the adoption of the J2000 reference system with improved nutation and precession. Site positioning using SLR systems currently yield approximately 2 cm static and 5 mm/y kinematic descriptions of the geocentric location of these sites. Incorporation of a large set of observations from advanced Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) tracking systems have directly made major contributions to the gravitational fields and in advancing the state-of-the-art in precision orbit determination. SLR is the baseline tracking system for the altimeter bearing TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-1 satellites and thus, will play an important role in providing the Conventional Terrestrial Reference Frame for instantaneously locating the geocentric position of the ocean surface over time, in providing an unchanging range standard for altimeter range calibration, and for improving the geoid models to separate gravitational from ocean circulation signals seen in the sea surface. Nevertheless, despite the unprecedented improvements in the accuracy of the models used to support orbit reduction of laser observations, there still remain systematic unmodeled effects which limit the full exploitation of modern SLR data.

Klosko, Steve M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Orbit Perturbations Due to Solar Radiation Pressure

This disturbing force will be important for satellites with a large area to mass ratio and also for those whose orbits are high enough that atmospheric drag is not the more dominate force. The procedure for the analysis is to represent the radiation force as the gradient of a scalar function to be compatible with existing procedures for studying perturbations due to earth's oblateness. From this analysis, solar radiation pressure appears not to be responsible for any secular or long-periodic variations in the semi-major axis of the orbit nor does it provide any secular changes in the eccentricity of the orbit or the angle of inclination of the osculating plane. Solar radiation pressure does produce secular effects in the other orbital elements, but these are in the opposite sense of secularities caused by the gravitational attraction of the sun and tend to reduce the total secularity.

Sawyer, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Mars - Satellite origin and angular momentum

The origin of Phobos and Deimos is considered with a view to accounting for the existence of very small satellites with circular orbits in the Martian equatorial plane, and simultaneously for the suspected angular momentum deficiency of the Mars system. All models considered failed to satisfy at least one requirement, and the problem is considered more puzzling than is at first apparent. The Martian angular momentum deficiency, if physically significant, may be unrelated to the present satellites' origin, but might relate to a large ancient satellite, long ago destroyed. Accretion onto Mars of large amounts of asteroidal dust brought in by Poynting-Robertson drag may have some bearing on the angular momentum problem.

Hartmann, W. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Orbital-Lifetime Program

Orbital Lifetime Program (OL) analyzes long-term motion of Earthorbiting spacecraft at altitudes of up to 2,500 km. Models perturbations to orbit caused by solar-radiation pressure, atmospheric drag, and gravitational effects of Sun, Moon, and oblate Earth. Used to predict orbital lifetime and decay rate of satellites. OL written in FORTRAN 77.

Orr, L. H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Flight Mechanics/Estimation Theory Symposium, 1989

Numerous topics in flight mechanics and estimation were discussed. Satellite attitude control, quaternion estimation, orbit and attitude determination, spacecraft maneuvers, spacecraft navigation, gyroscope calibration, spacecraft rendevous, and atmospheric drag model calculations for spacecraft lifetime prediction are among the topics covered.

Stengle, Thomas↗
NASA NTRS1994

Particle kinetic simulation of high altitude hypervelocity flight

Rarefied flows about hypersonic vehicles entering the upper atmosphere or through nozzles expanding into a near vacuum may only be simulated accurately with a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. Under this grant, researchers enhanced the models employed in the DSMC method and performed simulations in support of existing NASA projects or missions. DSMC models were developed and validated for simulating rotational, vibrational, and chemical relaxation in high-temperature flows, including effects of quantized anharmonic oscillators and temperature-dependent relaxation rates. State-of-the-art advancements were made in simulating coupled vibration-dissociation recombination for post-shock flows. Models were also developed to compute vehicle surface temperatures directly in the code rather than requiring isothermal estimates. These codes were instrumental in simulating aerobraking of NASA's Magellan spacecraft during orbital maneuvers to assess heat transfer and aerodynamic properties of the delicate satellite. NASA also depended upon simulations of entry of the Galileo probe into the atmosphere of Jupiter to provide drag and flow field information essential for accurate interpretation of an onboard experiment. Finally, the codes have been used extensively to simulate expanding nozzle flows in low-power thrusters in support of propulsion activities at NASA-Lewis. Detailed comparisons between continuum calculations and DSMC results helped to quantify the limitations of continuum CFD codes in rarefied applications.

Boyd, Iain↗
NASA NTRS1994

Particle kinetic simulation of high altitude hypervelocity flight

Rarefied flows about hypersonic vehicles entering the upper atmosphere or through nozzles expanding into a near vacuum may only be simulated accurately with a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. Under this grant, researchers enhanced the models employed in the DSMC method and performed simulations in support of existing NASA projects or missions. DSMC models were developed and validated for simulating rotational, vibrational, and chemical relaxation in high-temperature flows, including effects of quantized anharmonic oscillators and temperature-dependent relaxation rates. State-of-the-art advancements were made in simulating coupled vibration - dissociation - recombination for post-shock flows. Models were also developed to compute vehicle surface temperatures directly in the code rather than requiring isothermal estimates. These codes were instrumental in simulating aerobraking of NASA's Magellan spacecraft during orbital maneuvers to assess heat transfer and aerodynamic properties of the delicate satellite. NASA also depended upon simulations of entry of the Galileo probe into the atmosphere of Jupiter to provide drag and flow field information essential for accurate interpretation of an onboard experiment. Finally, the codes have been used extensively to simulate expanding nozzle flows in low-power thrusters in support of propulsion activities at NASA-Lewis. Detailed comparisons between continuum calculations and DSMC results helped to quantify the limitations of continuum CFD codes in rarefied applications.

Boyd, Iain↗
NASA NTRS1993

Modeling non-gravitational forces acting on TOPEX/POSEIDON: The early days

TOPEX/POSEIDON is a satellite mission that will use altimetry to make precise measurements of sea-level. The principal goal is to measure sea-level with unprecedented accuracy such that small-amplitude, basin wide sea-level changes caused by large-scale ocean circulation can be detected. To reach this goal, the sensor system and orbit must measure sea-level with decimeter accuracy. This requires that the radial component of the orbit be known to the decimeter level. Orbital errors are dominated by mismodelled gravitational and non-gravitational forces. This paper presents our analysis of non-gravitational forces acting on the satellite during the early days of the mission. Studies were conducted by comparing direct estimates of these forces with observed perturbations in the mean orbital elements. The results show that the satellite is experiencing an unexpected along-track acceleration. Hypotheses range from out-gassing to thruster leaks and drag forces to radiative force. Currently, these issues have not been resolved; however, the evidence suggests that out-gassing was dominant during the first weeks of the mission and that thermal imbalances persist.

Christensen, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Measurements of the dynamics of the high-latitude thermosphere

The study of the dynamics and thermodynamics of the earth's upper atmosphere has made significant progress over the past few years owing to the availability of new global-scale data sets from the Dynamics Explorer satellites. The thermospheric wind and temperature fields at high altitude have been observed to depend strongly on forcing processes of magnetospheric origin. A key momentum source is due to the drag effect of ions convecting in response to electric fields mapped down on the ionosphere from magnetospheric boundary regions. Likewise, an important heat source derives from Joule or frictional dissipation due to ion/neutral difference velocities governed by magnetospheric forcing. In this paper the progress made over the last 2-3 years initiated by the new satellite measurements is discussed, and published data on ion and neutral motions are reviewed in the context of the energy and momentum coupling between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere/neutral upper atmosphere.

Killeen, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Forecasting the Impact of an 1859-calibre Superstorm on Satellite Resources

We have assembled a database of operational satellites in orbit as of 2004, and have developed a series of simple models to assess the economic impacts to this resource caused by various scenarios of superstorm events possible during the next sunspot cycle between 2010 and 2014. Despite the apparent robustness of our satellite assets against the kinds of storms we have encountered during the satellite era, our models suggest a potential economic loss exceeding $10(exp 11) for satellite replacement and lost profitability caused by a once a century single storm similar to the 1859 superstorm. From a combination of power system and attitude control system (the most vulnerable) failures, we estimate that 80 satellites (LEO, MEO, GEO) may be disabled as a consequence of a superstorm event. Additional consequences may include the failure of many of the GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite systems in MEO. Approximately 98 LEO satellites that normally would not have re-entered for many decades, may prematurely de-orbit in ca 2021 as a result of the temporarily increased atmospheric drag caused by the superstorm event occurring in 2012. The $10(exp 11) International Space Station may lose at least 15 kilometers of altitude, placing it in critical need for re-boosting by an amount that is potentially outside the range of typical Space Shuttle operations during the previous solar maximum in ca 2000, and at a time when NASA plans to decommission the Space Shuttle. Several LEO satellites will unexpectedly be placed on orbits that enter the ISS zone of avoidance, requiring some action by ground personnel and ISS astronauts to avoid close encounters. Radiation effects on astronauts have also been considered and could include a range of possibilities from acute radiation sickness for astronauts inside spacecraft, to near-lethal doses during EVAs. The specifics depends very sensitively on the spectral hardness of the accompanying SPE event. Currently, the ability to forecast extreme particle events and coronal mass ejections, or predict their fluences and geo-severity in the 24-hrs prior to the event, appears to be no better than 50/50. If the events of the 1859 superstorm serve as a guide, the scope of a contemporary superstorm will most certainly be an awesome event, but one that the vast majority of our other satellite resources may reasonably be expected to survive.

Odenwald, Sten↗
NASA NTRS1972

A global empirical model of thermospheric composition based on OGO-6 mass spectrometer measurements

The analysis of composition measurements made with the neutral mass spectrometer aboard the OGO-6 satellite leads to the following conclusions. The measured atomic oxygen densities are generally in good agreement with those deduced from drag. The molecular nitrogen densities in the annual and semiannual variations depart significantly from those predicted by drag models and suggest similar departures for exospheric temperatures. The helium densities generally tend to vary in an inverse manner to the nitrogen densities. These composition changes are consistent with dynamical processes associated with the global circulation in the thermosphere.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Interpolation schemes for orbit determination with the global positioning system

This paper demonstrates that the Global Positioning System (GPS) and simple interpolation schemes can be utilized to satisfy typical orbit determination demands of applications satellites. The complete GPS consists of 24 satellites and permits a position fix of a user satellite at any arbitrary instant. The interpolation formulae used in this report fit generalized Keplerian orbits through a number of position fixes. For a given accuracy level the telemetry requirements as measured by the time intervals between position fixes and the computational load of an interpolation as measured by the number of points through which a generalized Keplerian orbit is fitted vary inversely. A set of possible compromises between these two factors is presented. The Phase I GPS consists of 6 satellites and permits a position fix of a user satellite just 36% of the time. It is shown that with this system more sophisticated interpolation schemes which model atmospheric drag and higher degree terms of the earth's gravity field must be employed to obtain accurate orbits.

Argentiero, P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Aerocapture - Guidance, navigation, and control

Aerocapture is a concept for inserting a spacecraft into orbit about a target planet. The energy required for orbit insertion is obtained from natural resources present at or near the target body, thereby reducing the amount of propellant which must be carried onboard. Specifically, the transfer from a hyperbolic flyby trajectory to a desired bound orbit is effected by aerodynamic lift and drag forces acting on the spacecraft during controlled flight through the atmosphere of either the target planet or a nearby satellite. A survey is provided of the trajectory guidance, navigation, and control aspects of aerocapture, and a summary is given of the results of a number of preliminary studies concerning certain of these aspects. The investigation has additional significance in connection with the current interest in aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles, which may be used in conjunction with the Space Shuttle.

Mease, K. D.↗
NASA NTRS1996

The design, development and qualification of a lightweight antenna pointing mechanism

This paper describes the design, development, and qualification of a new lightweight and compact Antenna Pointing Mechanism (APM). The APM was specially designed to meet the stringent mass, envelope, and environmental requirements of OFFEQ experimental satellite. During the development phase, some problems were encountered with the brushless DC motors, slip ring contact resistance, and bearing drag torque. All of these problems were resolved, and two APM units have been operating successfully in orbit since April, 1995.

Shmulevitz, M.↗