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At least 379 records · Page 21

The Advanced Integration Matrix Project and Analog Sites: Difference or Duplication?

Several project teams have conducted Mars and Lunar mission simulations at analog sites and facilities over the past decade. These projects have a range of scope, participants, and objectives. NASA has provided many of these projects with funding, equipment, and personnel. Despite their variety, a consistent aim of these sites is advancing our capability to return to the Moon or to go to Mars. The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) Project was begun in 2002 with a corollary aim: that of advancing the technology needed for long duration human exploration of space. As a new project, it is prudent to ask and answer the question: "What does AIM offer to NASA that is distinct from what current and past analog sites offer?" The price tag for human spaceflight is high enough without needless duplication of efforts. The AIM Project concept is distinct from currently operating terrestrial analogs in three important ways. First, AIM is not strictly an analog site or facility; second, AIM is primarily focused on systems and integration issues; and finally, AIM is organizationally related to NASA s advanced development groups and subject to the rigors of the JSC Engineering Directorate s development process. The successful development of destination-independent, cost-effective, safe, and reliable long duration human exploration systems requires that NASA use both the analog sites and ground-based systems integration efforts. The Advanced Integration Matrix Project will not simply duplicate the former, but will give the agency the capability for the latter.

Wells, Kevin M.↗

Classification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. UAS Classification/Categorization for Certification

Category, class, and type designations are primary means to identify appropriate aircraft certification basis, operating rules/limitations, and pilot qualifications to operate in the National Airspace System (NAS). The question is whether UAS fit into existing aircraft categories or classes, or are unique enough to justify the creation of a new category/class. In addition, the characteristics or capabilities, which define when an UAS becomes a regulated aircraft, must also be decided. This issue focuses on UAS classification for certification purposes. Several approaches have been considered for classifying UAS. They basically group into either using a weight/mass basis, or a safety risk basis, factoring in the performance of the UAS, including where the UAS would operate. Under existing standards, aircraft must have a Type Certificate and Certificate of Airworthiness, in order to be used for "compensation or hire", a major difference from model aircraft. Newer technologies may make it possible for very small UAS to conduct commercial services, but that is left for a future discussion to extend the regulated aircraft to a lower level. The Access 5 position is that UAS are aircraft and should be regulated above the weight threshold differentiating them from model airplanes. The recommended classification grouping is summarized in a chart.

Source record↗

Performance Data Errors in Air Carrier Operations: Causes and Countermeasures

Several airline accidents have occurred in recent years as the result of erroneous weight or performance data used to calculate V-speeds, flap/trim settings, required runway lengths, and/or required climb gradients. In this report we consider 4 recent studies of performance data error, report our own study of ASRS-reported incidents, and provide countermeasures that can reduce vulnerability to accidents caused by performance data errors. Performance data are generated through a lengthy process involving several employee groups and computer and/or paper-based systems. Although much of the airline indUStry 's concern has focused on errors pilots make in entering FMS data, we determined that errors occur at every stage of the process and that errors by ground personnel are probably at least as frequent and certainly as consequential as errors by pilots. Most of the errors we examined could in principle have been trapped by effective use of existing procedures or technology; however, the fact that they were not trapped anywhere indicates the need for better countermeasures. Existing procedures are often inadequately designed to mesh with the ways humans process information. Because procedures often do not take into account the ways in which information flows in actual flight ops and time pressures and interruptions experienced by pilots and ground personnel, vulnerability to error is greater. Some aspects of NextGen operations may exacerbate this vulnerability. We identify measures to reduce the number of errors and to help catch the errors that occur.

countermeasures↗

The Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute (S3VI) and NASA's Small Spacecraft Enterprise

The mission of the Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute (S3VI) is to advance the field of small spacecraft systems and allied sciences by promoting innovation, exploring new concepts, identifying emerging technology opportunities, and establishing effective conduits for the collaboration and the dissemination of research results relevant to small spacecraft systems. The S3VI is the common portal for NASA related small spacecraft activities. The portal hosts the Small Spacecraft Body of Knowledge as an online resource for the Small Spacecraft Technology State of the Art report, and reliability processes and practices, among other small spacecraft-focused content. The S3VI's first year activities focused on development of the web portal and investment in collaborative tools to host and support working groups formed to concentrate on a variety of small spacecraft topics such as reliability and access to space. The S3VI serves as the front door for other governmental and non-governmental organizations that wish to collaborate or interact with NASA small spacecraft organizations. NASA presently has a growing number of small spacecraft related programs, projects, and efforts underway to advance the state of the art of small spacecraft instruments, technologies, and missions in order for NASA to achieve its science and exploration goals.

Small spacecraft↗

March 2011 Physical Indicators Workshop Summary Report

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) convened a workshop on Physical Climate Indicators from 29-30 March 2011, as part of a series on Monitoring Climate Change and its Impacts . The overarching goal of this workshop was to identify a few broad categories of potential physical climate indicators using a set of priorities developed by the NCA, and to provide a clear justification for how they would inform the Nation about climate change. Additional goals included providing input on the overall NCA framework for selecting the indicators and suggesting methodologies to construct indicators. Although one of the workshop goals was to address the status of current observational networks to support indicators, this was not a main focus of any single discussion. However, participants agreed with the NCA indicator vision that high quality data were needed to develop indicators, and generally focused on identifying indicator categories that current observation systems could support. The nearly 60 participants, primarily from Federal agencies, received a white paper in advance of the workshop that detailed the NCA vision for a coordinated suite of climate-related physical, ecological, and societal indicators. The intent of these national indicators of change is to develop a way to evaluate and communicate over time both the rate of change in impacts and the capacity to respond to climate drivers. These indicators will be tracked as a part of ongoing, long-term assessment activities, with adjustments as necessary to adapt to changing conditions and understanding. An initial framework was provided to workshop participants to ensure that everyone understood the audience, scope, and purpose of the indicators. A common lexicon was defined since indicator terminology varies widely. In addition, several potential approaches to grouping or categorizing the indicators were presented. Participants spent most of their time in small breakout groups with facilitators, working to address a common set of questions. The workshop was structured to start with the broadest issue and then focus down as the workshop progressed. The first breakout therefore solicited comments on the NCA indicator framework, followed by discussion of the potential approaches to organizing the physical climate indicators. Once several approaches were identified, the groups then worked to define specific measurements, or types of measurements, that could be used to create the indicators.

Roberts, Brent↗

Rocketdyne - Lunar Ascent Engine

The ascent engine was the last one from the moon, and I want to focus on the idea of redundancy and teams in regard to the engine. By teams, I mean teamwork - not just within Rocketdyne. It was teamwork within Rocketdyne; it was teamwork within Grumman; it was teamwork within NASA. These were all important elements leading to the successful development of the lunar excursion module (LEM) engine. Communication, rapid response, and cooperation were all important. Another aspect that went into the development of the ascent engine was the integration of technology and of lessons learned. We pushed all the above, plus technology and lessons learned, into a program, and that led to a successful result. One of the things that I like to think about - again in retrospect - is how it is very "in" now to have integrated product and process teams. These are buzzwords for teamwork in all program phases. That s where you combine a lot of groups into a single organization to get a job done. The ascent engine program epitomized that kind of integration and focus, and because this was the mid- to late-1960s; this was new ground for Rocketdyne, Grumman, and NASA. Redundancy was really a major hallmark of the Apollo Program. Everything was redundant. Once you got the rocket going, you could even lose one of the big F-1 engines, and it would still make it to orbit. And once the first stage separated from the rest of the vehicle, the second stage could do without an engine and still make a mission. This redundancy was demonstrated when an early Apollo launch shut down a J-2 second-stage engine. Actually, they shut down two J-2 engines on that flight. Even the third stage, with its single J-2 engine, was backed up because the first two stages could toss it into a recoverable orbit. If the third stage didn't work, you were circling the earth, and you had time to recover the command module and crew. Remember how on the Apollo 13 flight, there was sufficient system redundancy even when we lost the service module. That was a magnificent effort. TRW Inc. really ought to be proud of their engine for that. (See Slide 2, Appendix I) We had planned for redundancy; we had landed on the moon. However, weight restrictions in the architecture said, "You can t have redundancy for ascent from the moon. You've got one engine. It s got to work. There is no second chance. If that ascent engine doesn't work, you re stuck there." It would not have looked good for NASA. It wouldn't have looked good for the country. There was a letter written that President Richard Nixon would read if the astronauts got stuck on the moon, expressing how sorry we were and so forth. It was a scary letter, really. The ascent engine was an engine that had to work. (See Slide 3, Appendix I).

Harmon, Tim↗

Automating Test Procedures Using Robot Software

This paper will discuss the project I was assigned during the 2018 Spring semester NIFS internship, what the project does for NASA, and what I contributed to the project. It will begin with a broad analysis of the types of software I worked on and how they were used to complete the project. Then, it will narrow in scope to concentrate on the group and parts of NASA assigned the project. Next, it will pay attention to the project itself and how it worked. After that, it will focus on my direct contributions to the project. Lastly, a few personal experiences I encountered to make my internship relatable. The initial points discussed will be an introduction to the basics of automated testing and the types of software used. Next, I will briefly discuss why these tools were chosen and whether or not they can be improved. Then, a look at where my group fits into the hierarchy of NASA, what the group working on my project did for NASA, and who were the entities working together for this project. Afterwards, a review of my involvement in the program, my development as an individual, and my new skills and abilities. Finally, a sense of involvement with the community through personal development will be demonstrated using unique experiences only available to me through this internship..

SikuliX↗

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 34: Users and uses of DOD technical reports: A report from the field

The NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project attempts to understand the information environment in which U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists work, the information-seeking behavior of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists, and the factors that influence the use of scientific and technical information (STI) (Pinelli, Barclay, and Kennedy, 1991). Such an understanding could (1) lead to the development of practical theory, (2) contribute to the design and development of aerospace information systems, and (3) have practical implications for transferring the results of federally funded aerospace research and development (R&D) to the U.S. aerospace community. This paper presents data from two information-seeking behavior studies involving U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists that were undertaken as Phase 1 activities of the NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Responses from three groups of respondents - DoD, other government, and industry - are presented for two sets of selected questions. One set focuses on DoD technical reports: their use and importance, reasons for non-use, the factors affecting their use, the sources used to find out about them and the sources used to physically obtain them, and the quality of DoD technical reports. The second set focuses on information sources used in problem solving: the use of U.S. government technical reports in problem solving and the information sources used to find out about U.S. government technical reports.

Pinelli, Thomas E.↗

CRYSTAL-FACE: A Field Experiment and Modeling Program Focused on Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers

The Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) is a measurement campaign designed to investigate tropical Cirrus cloud physical properties and formation processes. Understanding the production of upper tropospheric cirrus clouds is essential for the successful modeling of 'he Earth's climate. The deployment phase will occur in July, 2002 in southern Florida, USA. Several aircraft will be used, including the ER-2 and Proteus for cloud remote sensing, the WB-57 and Citation for in situ cloud measurements, the P-3 with a Doppler radar for characterization of convective systems, and the Twin otter for sampling of inflow airmasses. In addition, numerous ground-based and satellite remote sensing measurements will be contributing. A central focus of the mission is improvement of our ability to model cirrus clouds with numerical models. Several research groups with a variety of model types (cloud-resolving models, mesoscale models, weather-prediction models, and general circulation models) will be participating. Our hope is to fully characterize several mulonimbus/cirrus anvil systems that can be used as case studies for testing and improvement of the models. The models will be used for investigating cirrus generation and dissipation processes and the sensitivity of tropical cirrus to convective intensity and aerosol properties. Ultimately, we expect this effort to improve our ability to represent tropical cirrus in GCMs. A general description of the CRYSTAL-FACE program will be presented, with an emphasis on the cloud modeling approach.

Jenson, Eric↗

Geologic Evolution of the Martian Highlands: MTMs -20002, -20007, -25002, and -25007

As part of a continuing study to understand the relationship between valleys and highland resurfacing through geologic mapping, the authors are continuing to map seven 1:500,000-scale MTM quads in portions of the Margaritifer, Arabia, and Noachis Terrae. Results from this mapping will also help constrain the role and extent of past water in the region. The MTMs are grouped in two different areas within the region and compliment previous mapping in adjacent areas. Three western quads focus on Jones crater and the Himera, Samara, and Loire Valles systems. This abstract focuses on the four eastern quads wherein a large, ancient impact structure, Noachis basin, is flanked on its south and east by a series of valley networks. A solitary valley drains this basin and stretches north-northeast for approximately 450 km, transporting materials into Arabia Terra. Pertinent raster and vector data have been imported and registered using ESRI's ArcMap GIS software. To inspect and quantify stratigraphic relations, crater counts are being compiled in ESRI's ArcView GIS software to make use of crater counting tools specifically developed for planetary mappers. New datasets from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter including 4 CTX images, 31 CRISM multi-spectral pushbroom images, and 4 HiRISE images were incorporated into the project during the third year. The CRISM dataset uses summary parameters with thresholds to select targets for the high-resolution datasets. The befit for mappers is the extensive coverage and general compositional information. Results of a cursory analysis show strong mafic absorptions on the floors of Peta crater and Noachis basin. LCP absorptions occur more often than olivine, however, olivine tends to be denser than both pyroxenes. Olivine and HCP mat indicate relatively younger rocks, which is supported by the occurrence of wrinkle ridges associated with high olivine and HCP absorptions in the Peta crater and Noachis basin floors.

Fortezzo, C. M.↗

Robotic Technology Development at Ames: The Intelligent Robotics Group and Surface Telerobotics

Future human missions to the Moon, Mars, and other destinations offer many new opportunities for exploration. But, astronaut time will always be limited and some work will not be feasible for humans to do manually. Robots, however, can complement human explorers, performing work autonomously or under remote supervision from Earth. Since 2004, the Intelligent Robotics Group has been working to make human-robot interaction efficient and effective for space exploration. A central focus of our research has been to develop and field test robots that benefit human exploration. Our approach is inspired by lessons learned from the Mars Exploration Rovers, as well as human spaceflight programs, including Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station. We conduct applied research in computer vision, geospatial data systems, human-robot interaction, planetary mapping and robot software. In planning for future exploration missions, architecture and study teams have made numerous assumptions about how crew can be telepresent on a planetary surface by remotely operating surface robots from space (i.e. from a flight vehicle or deep space habitat). These assumptions include estimates of technology maturity, existing technology gaps, and likely operational and functional risks. These assumptions, however, are not grounded by actual experimental data. Moreover, no crew-controlled surface telerobotic system has yet been fully tested, or rigorously validated, through flight testing. During Summer 2013, we conducted a series of tests to examine how astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) can remotely operate a planetary rover across short time delays. The tests simulated portions of a proposed human-robotic Lunar Waypoint mission, in which astronauts in lunar orbit remotely operate a planetary rover on the lunar Farside to deploy a radio telescope array. We used these tests to obtain baseline-engineering data.

robotics↗

Applying Standard Independent Verification and Validation (IVV) Techniques Within an Agile Framework: Is There a Compatibility Issue?

Agile methods have gained wide acceptance over the past several years, to the point that they are now a standard management and execution approach for small-scale software development projects. While conventional Agile methods are not generally applicable to large multi-year and mission-critical systems, Agile hybrids are now being developed (such as SAFe) to exploit the productivity improvements of Agile while retaining the necessary process rigor and coordination needs of these projects. From the perspective of Independent Verification and Validation (IVV), however, the adoption of these hybrid Agile frameworks is becoming somewhat problematic. Hence, we find it prudent to question the compatibility of conventional IVV techniques with (hybrid) Agile practices.This paper documents our investigation of (a) relevant literature, (b) the modification and adoption of Agile frameworks to accommodate the development of large scale, mission critical systems, and (c) the compatibility of standard IVV techniques within hybrid Agile development frameworks. Specific to the latter, we found that the IVV methods employed within a hybrid Agile process can be divided into three groups: (1) early lifecycle IVV techniques that are fully compatible with the hybrid lifecycles, (2) IVV techniques that focus on tracing requirements, test objectives, etc. are somewhat incompatible, but can be tailored with a modest effort, and (3) IVV techniques involving an assessment requiring artifact completeness that are simply not compatible with hybrid Agile processes, e.g., those that assume complete requirement specification early in the development lifecycle.

Agile↗

The Visual Survey Group: A Decade of Hunting Exoplanets and Unusual Stellar Events with Space-based Telescopes

This article presents the history of the Visual Survey Group (VSG)—a Professional-Amateur (Pro-Am) collaboration within the field of astronomy working on data from several space missions (Kepler, K2 and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). This paper covers the formation of the VSG, its survey-methods including the most common tools used and its discoveries made over the past decade. So far, the group has visually surveyed nearly 10 million light curves and authored 69 peer-reviewed papers which mainly focus on exoplanets and discoveries involving multistellar systems. The preferred manual search-method carried out by the VSG has revealed its strength by detecting numerous objects which were overlooked or discarded by automated search programs, uncovering some of the most rare stars in our galaxy, and leading to several serendipitous discoveries of unprecedented astrophysical phenomena. The main purpose of the VSG is to assist in the exploration of our local universe, and we therefore advocate continued crowd-sourced examination of time-domain data sets, and invite other research teams to reach out in order to establish collaborating projects.

Martti H Kristiansen↗

Satellite-Assisted Particulate Matter (SAPM) for the Models, In situ, and Remote sensing of Aerosols (MIRA) Working Group

Models, In situ, and Remote sensing of Aerosols (MIRA) is an international working group that aims to foster collaborations amongst these three major aerosol specialties. It consists of a collection of interdisciplinary and independently funded projects/topics with clearly-defined goals. Currently there are four MIRA topic areas, including Satellite-Assisted Particulate Matter (SAPM), which is focused specifically on fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The study of PM2.5 is important due to its significant contribution to air pollution and resultant, adverse human health effects. The goal of the SAPM topic group is to conduct and provide intercomparisons of various methods and techniques to obtain surface PM2.5 estimates assisted by satellite remote sensors, global aerosol models, and in situ aerosol measurements. Some benefits of space-based/model-assisted PM2.5 retrievals include providing PM2.5 approximations in regions with poor in situ ground station coverage and a means for assessing spatial/temporal PM2.5 variations on regional and/or global scales. Furthermore, benefits of spaceborne lidar/model-assisted PM2.5 retrievals include providing nighttime PM2.5 estimates and characterization of near-surface aerosol vertical structure. SAPM is seeking international datasets of mass scattering/absorption coefficient and aerosol hygroscopic properties for different aerosol species, as well as ground-based in situ PM2.5 measurements. In this poster presentation, we give an overview of SAPM, and show results from three recent/ongoing PM2.5 studies. These efforts involve deriving surface PM2.5 concentrations from two spaceborne lidars, the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) and Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS), and investigating key variables that impact the estimation of PM2.5 from model simulated aerosol optical depth (AOD) using the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model.

Travis D. Toth↗

Space Station Workstation Technology Workshop Report

This report describes the results of a workshop conducted at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to identify current and anticipated trends in human-computer interface technology that may influence the design or operation of a space station workstation. The workshop was attended by approximately 40 persons from government and academia who were selected for their expertise in some aspect of human-machine interaction research. The focus of the workshop was a 1 1/2 brainstorming/forecasting session in which the attendees were assigned to interdisciplinary working groups and instructed to develop predictions for each of the following technology areas: (1) user interface, (2) resource management, (3) control language, (4) data base systems, (5) automatic software development, (6) communications, (7) training, and (8) simulation. This report is significant in that it provides a unique perspective on workstation design for the space station. This perspective, which is characterized by a major emphasis on user requirements, should be most valuable to Phase B contractors involved in design development of the space station workstation. One of the more compelling results of the workshop is the recognition that no major technological breakthroughs are required to implement the current workstation concept. What is required is the creative application of existing knowledge and technology.

Moe, K. L.↗

Feasibility of Conducting J-2X Engine Testing at the Glenn Research Center Plum Brook Station B-2 Facility

A trade study of the feasibility of conducting J-2X testing in the Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station (PBS) B-2 facility was initiated in May 2006 with results available in October 2006. The Propulsion Test Integration Group (PTIG) led the study with support from Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Jacobs Sverdrup Engineering. The primary focus of the trade study was on facility design concepts and their capability to satisfy the J-2X altitude simulation test requirements. The propulsion systems tested in the B-2 facility were in the 30,000-pound (30K) thrust class. The J-2X thrust is approximately 10 times larger. Therefore, concepts significantly different from the current configuration are necessary for the diffuser, spray chamber subsystems, and cooling water. Steam exhaust condensation in the spray chamber is judged to be the key risk consideration relative to acceptable spray chamber pressure. Further assessment via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and other simulation capabilities (e.g. methodology for anchoring predictions with actual test data and subscale testing to support investigation.

Schafer, Charles F.↗

Opaque Assemblages in CK and CV Carbonaceous Chondrites

CK carbonaceous chondrites are the only group of carbonaceous chondrites that exhibit thermal metamorphism. As a result, CKs display features of metamorphism such as silicate darkening, recrystallization and shock veins. Calcium Aluminum Inclusions and Fe-Ni metal are rare. CV carbonaceous chondrites are unequilibrated and have two subgroups; oxidized and reduced. The CV and CK carbonaceous chondrite groups have been compared to each other often because of petrographic similarities, such as overlapping oxygen isotopic ratios. Scientists have suggested the two groups of carbonaceous chondrites formed from the same parent body and CKs are equilibrated CV chondrites [1, 2]. The oxidized CV group has been most closely related to CKs. This study examines the petrology and mineralogy of CKs and CVs focusing on opaque minerals found in the meteorites. Using the oxide, metal and sulfide assemblages, constraints can be placed on the temperature and oxygen fugacity at which the meteorites equilibrated. The temperature and oxygen fugacity of the CK and CV chondrites can be compared in order to help define their formation history.

Neff, K. E.↗

GHRC: NASAs Hazardous Weather Distributed Active Archive Center

The Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC; ghrc.nsstc.nasa.gov) is one of NASA's twelve Distributed Active Archive Centers responsible for providing access to NASA's Earth science data to users worldwide. Each of NASA's twelve DAACs focuses on a specific science discipline within Earth science, provides data stewardship services and supports its research community's needs. Established in 1991 as the Marshall Space Flight Center DAAC and renamed GHRC in 1997, the data center's original mission focused on the global hydrologic cycle. However, over the years, data holdings, tools and expertise of GHRC have gradually shifted. In 2014, a User Working Group (UWG) was established to review GHRC capabilities and provide recommendations to make GHRC more responsive to the research community's evolving needs. The UWG recommended an update to the GHRC mission, as well as a strategic plan to move in the new direction. After a careful and detailed analysis of GHRC's capabilities, research community needs and the existing data landscape, a new mission statement for GHRC has been crafted: to provide a comprehensive active archive of both data and knowledge augmentation services with a focus on hazardous weather, its governing dynamical and physical processes, and associated applications. Within this broad mandate, GHRC will focus on lightning, tropical cyclones and storm-induced hazards through integrated collections of satellite, airborne, and in-situ data sets. The new mission was adopted at the recent 2015 UWG meeting. GHRC will retain its current name until such time as it has built substantial data holdings aligned with the new mission.

Data Archive↗