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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
DOE OSTI2021

Non-Adiabatic Excited State Molecular Dynamics Methodologies: comparison and convergence

Direct atomistic simulation of nonadiabatic molecular dynamics is a challenging goal that allows important insights into fundamental physical phenomena. A variety of frameworks, ranging from fully quantum treatment of nuclei to semiclassical and mixed quantum–classical approaches, were developed. These algorithms are then coupled to specific electronic structure techniques. Such diversity and lack of standardized implementation make it difficult to compare the performance of different methodologies when treating realistic systems. Here, we compare three popular methods for large chromophores: Ehrenfest, surface hopping, and multiconfigurational Ehrenfest with ab initio multiple cloning (MCE-AIMC). These approaches are implemented in the NEXMD software, which features a common computational chemistry model. The resulting comparisons reveal the method performance for population relaxation and coherent vibronic dynamics. Finally, we study the numerical convergence of MCE-AIMC algorithms by considering the number of trajectories, cloning thresholds, and Gaussian wavepacket width. Our results provide helpful reference data for selecting an optimal methodology for simulating excited-state molecular dynamics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1975

Continuous performance measurement in flight systems

The desired response of many man machine control systems can be formulated as a solution to an optimal control synthesis problem where the cost index is given and the resulting optimal trajectories correspond to the desired trajectories of the man machine system. Optimal control synthesis provides the reference criteria and the significance of error information required for performance measurement. The synthesis procedure described provides a continuous performance measure (CPM) which is independent of the mechanism generating the control action. Therefore, the technique provides a meaningful method for online evaluation of man's control capability in terms of total man machine performance.

Connelly, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Optimal trajectories for the Aeroassisted Flight Experiment. Part 1: Equations of motion in an Earth-fixed system

The determination of optimal trajectories for the aeroassisted flight experiment (AFE) is discussed. The AFE refers to the study of the free flight of an autonomous spacecraft, shuttle-launched and shuttle-recovered. Its purpose is to gather atmospheric entry environmental data for use in designing aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTV). It is assumed that: (1) the spacecraft is a particle of constant mass; (2) the Earth is rotating with constant angular velocity; (3) the Earth is an oblate planet, and the gravitational potential depends on both the radial distance and the latitude (harmonics of order higher than four are ignored); and (4) the atmosphere is at rest with respect to the Earth. Under these assumptions, the equations of motion for hypervelocity atmospheric flight (which can be used not only for AFE problems, but also for AOT problems and space shuttle problems) are derived in an Earth-fixed system. Transformation relations are supplied which allow one to pass from quantities computed in an Earth-fixed system to quantities computed in an inertial system, and vice versa.

Miele, A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Optimal trajectories for the Aeroassisted Flight Experiment. Part 2: Equations of motion in an inertial system

The determination of optimal trajectories for the aeroassisted flight experiment (AFE) is discussed. The AFE refers to the study of the free flight of an autonomous spacecraft, shuttle-launched and shuttle-recovered. Its purpose is to gather atmospheric entry environmental data for use in designing aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTV). It is assumed that: (1) the spacecraft is a particle of constant mass; (2) the Earth is rotating with constant angular velocity; (3) the Earth is an oblate planet, and the gravitational potential depends on both the radial distance and the latitude (harmonics of order higher than four are ignored); and (4) the atmosphere is at rest with respect to the Earth. Under these assumptions, the equations of motion for hypervelocity atmospheric flight (which can be used not only for AFE problems, but also for AOT problems and space shuttle problems) are derived in an inertial system. Transformation relations are supplied which allow one to pass from quantities computed in an inertial system to quantities computed in an Earth-fixed system and vice versa.

Miele, A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Position control of redundant manipulators using an adaptive error-based control scheme

A Cartesian-space control scheme is developed to control the motion of kinematically redundant manipulators with 7 degrees of freedom (DOF). The control scheme consists mainly of proportional derivative (PD) controllers whose gains are adjusted by an adaptation law driven by the errors between the desired and actual trajectories. The adaptation law is derived using the concept of model reference adaptive control (MRAC) and Lyapunov direct method under the assumption that the manipulator performs non-compliant and slowly-varying motions. The developed control scheme is computationally efficient because its implementation does not require the computation of the manipulator dynamics. Computer simulation performed to evaluate the control scheme performance is presented and discussed.

Nguyen, Charles C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A computationally efficient error-based adaptive control scheme for kinematically redundant manipulators

A Cartesian-space control scheme is developed to control the motion of kinematically redundant manipulators with 7 degrees of freedom (DOF). The control scheme consists mainly of proportional-derivative (PD) controllers whose gains are adjusted by an adaptation law driven by the errors between the desired and actual trajectories. The adaptation law is derived using the concept of model reference adaptive control (MRAC) and Liapunov direct method under the assumption that the manipulator performs noncompliant and slowly-varying motions. The developed control scheme is computationally efficient because its implementation does not require the computation of the manipulator dynamics. Computer simulation performed to evaluate the control scheme performance is presented and discussed.

Nguyen, Charles C.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Power System Overview for the Small RPS Centaur Flyby and the Mars Polar Hard Lander NASA COMPASS Studies

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) Radioisotope Power System Program Office (RPSPO) sponsored two studies lead by their mission analysis team. The studies were performed by NASA GRCs Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team. Typically a complete toplevel design reference mission (DRM) is performed assessing conceptual spacecraft design, launch mass, trajectory, science strategy and sub-system design such as, power, propulsion, structure and thermal.

Space Missions↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Uranus Probe Entry and Descent Mission Concept

Introduction: Uranus was identified as the third highest priority flagship mission in the 2012-2022 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. This latest concept study was requested by the Decadal Survey panel to determine NASA’s planetary science priorities from 2022-2032. This study focused on the probe’s entry and descent aspects and associated trades for viable trajectory options. Uranus Mission and Descent Probe: The proposed Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP) Flagship mission will investigate Uranus and its surrounding moons using an orbiting spacecraft with a Uranus descent probe. Unlike previous studies the probe release will occur after orbit insertion allowing sufficient separation of critical events during the orbit insertion burn. The probe will be released at an altitude that allows one hour of in situ atmospheric readings that will be relayed to the orbiter. Afterwards the orbiter will transition to the moon tour phase of the mission. The configuration chosen for the entry aeroshell was a 45° sphere-cone. This shape has been used in the past in the Pioneer Venus Galileo missions. However, the nose radius considered in the present study differed from the values used in either of the previous configurations, primarily to reduce the heat flux at the stagnation point. A two-step approach was used in the development of flight trajectories for the chosen configuration. In the first step, the trajectory code POST2 was used to screen the thousands of entry states provided by interplanetary trajectory simulations, which were terminated at an altitude of 2000 km from the reference surface (1 bar) of Uranus. The screening criteria were: (i) optimization of the communication geometry between the entry probe and orbiter to ensure at least 1 hour of science measurements, (ii) peak stagnation point pressures to be less than six bar, (iii) peak heat fluxes to be less than 5 kW/cm2; the latter two constraints being the limits of ground-test capabilities of the arc jets at NASA Ames Research Center. The entry team investigated two trajectories that met the criteria above, a shallow entry (high heat load ~44 kJ/cm2) and a steeper entry (high heat rate ~1950 W/cm2). In the second step, the two bounding candidate entry states from the POST2 screening process were used in developing flight trajectories using TRAJ coupled with FIAT (a materials thermal response and sizing code) and a margins policy to determine a margined uniform thickness (hence mass) of the forward heatshield material based on the aerothermal environments at the stagnation point. Since the combination of TRAJ and FIAT size the TPS based on stagnation point environments only, flow field computations using DPLR were necessary to determine turbulent aerothermal environments on the conical flank, and the augmentation of these environments due to surface roughness. The environments at select locations on the forward heatshield were then used to size the thermal protection material, with the largest thickness value then used to estimate the mass. The newly developed woven thermal protection material –HEEET (Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environments Technology) –was considered for the forward heatshield and PICA (Phenolic-Impregnated Carbon Ablator) was considered for the backshell. These NASA-developed materials are at TRL 6 and TRL 9, respectively. Furthermore, two options were considered for the HEEET material: (i) a dual-layer option with a denser recession layer on top and an insulative layer underneath it, and (ii) a single layer option consisting of the insulative layer alone. Results: It is clear that probe entry states are feasible and the selected TPS options are able to perform in the predicted aerothermal environments thus enabling the mission to meet of the descent probe portion of this flagship mission

Entry Descent and Landing↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simultaneous 10 kHz three-dimensional CH 2 O and tomographic PIV measurements in a lifted partially-premixed jet flame

High-speed, three-dimensional (3D) scalar-velocity field measurements are demonstrated in a lifted partially-premixed dimethyl-ether/air jet flame using simultaneous laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of formaldehyde (CH 2 O) and tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV). The 3D LIF measurements are performed by raster scanning the laser beam from a 100 kHz pulse-burst laser across the probe volume using an acousto-optic deflector. The volumetric reconstruction of the LIF signal from ten parallel planes provides quasi-instantaneous 3D LIF measurements that are synchronized with 10 kHz TPIV measurements. Here, the temporally resolved CH 2 O-LIF and velocity field data are used to analyze Lagrangian particle trajectories and displacement speeds at the base of the lifted flame. The particle trajectories reveal flow structures that are difficult to observe in an Eulerian reference frame. Positive and negative displacement speeds are observed at the CH 2 O-LIF surfaces at the inner and outer regions of the jet flame with a maximum displacement speed of approximately eight times the laminar flame speed of a stoichiometric dimethyl-ether/air mixture. The observations in present study support formation of lean premixed flames near the flame base whose role in flame stabilization should be investigated in more detail.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Automated Classification of Vehicle Movements at Signalized Intersections Using Vehicle Trajectories

Accurate vehicle movement classification through signalized intersections is of paramount importance to the analysis of intersection performance and the optimization of traffic control strategies. Conventional techniques for tracking vehicle turning movements depend on infrastructure-based strategies like human counts, loop detectors, and video analytics, all of which are costly, prone to errors, and spatially constrained. High-frequency trajectory data can be utilized to determine vehicle movement patterns in a scalable and infrastructure-independent method due to the adoption of connected vehicles (CVs). In recent years, several studies have utilized connected vehicle data to generate performance measures. Most of the trajectory-based performance measures approaches, however, require map matching-i.e., extracting geospatial references from maps to identify the movements that individual vehicles make at a signalized intersection. These approaches are often time-consuming and hinder scalability since geographic features need to be provided for an analysis to be conducted. Map matching methods are prone to errors as different map versions change these geographic features. This research presents a novel automatic classification pipeline that uses CV trajectory data to classify vehicle movements at signalized crossings, specifically pass-through left-turn and right-turn maneuvers. The process starts by filtering trips that cross a spatial bounding box that has been defined at the target intersection. Approach and departure headings for each trajectory crossing the boundary are computed and are clustered together to identify dominant movements. The proposed algorithm is used to classify the movement of vehicles at 10 intersections in the state of California, and the results indicate that the algorithm can classify movements at these intersections with varying traffic volumes and road network configurations, all in a map-less framework with no need for conflation of vehicle trajectories to a digital base map.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Robust Uniform Control Approach for VTOL Aircraft

We present a uniform control approach for transitioning vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The approach combines several well-understood linear techniques, including robust servomechanism linear quadratic regulation, control allocation, and gain scheduling, to provide a practical control framework that can be used to unify the control design process in all flight regimes. The choice of command variables provides a pilot/operator with a uniform set of intuitive control inputs through all phases of flight while also being easily integrated into autonomous trajectory tracking operations. The control method is applied to the NASA LA-8 aircraft, a tandem tiltwing distributed electric propulsion research vehicle designed at NASA Langley Research Center. The trim envelope of the aircraft is explored and the aircraft control authority analyzed throughout the transition corridor. The uniform control approach is then used to develop reference command tracking controllers for both the longitudinal and lateral-directional dynamics. An example trajectory is simulated to demonstrate how the controller effectively transitions the aircraft from hover to forward flight and vice versa while tracking a desired trajectory.

VTOL↗
DOE OSTI2025

Pedestal formation via different trajectories in the stability space in response to the timing scan of neutral beam heating in DIII-D

The frequency of type-I ELMs decreases as the initiation of the neutral beam injection (NBI) heating is delayed with respect to the time when plasma current (I p ) reaches flat-top in the ITER Baseline Scenario discharges in DIII-D. Henceforth, the time gap between the NBI initiation and I p flat-top will be referred to as “heating delay.” As the heating delay is modified, pedestal formation follows different trajectories in the edge current density–pedestal pressure gradient (j edge -∇p e ped ) space from the L-H transition toward the first ELM event. During the stationary phase after the first ELM, the ELM frequency (f ELM ) decreases by a factor of ~2 as the heating delay is increased. A longer pedestal recovery time in the inter-ELM period is observed for the low f ELM discharges as compared to the high f ELM discharges. Both low and high f ELM discharges show nearly identical profiles of electron density and temperature and have a similar MHD stability just before an ELM crash. However, a marked difference is observed in the magnetic spectrogram of the high and low f ELM discharges in response to the variation in the heating delay. The main difference is in the 200–400 kHz range of the magnetic spectra. A quasi-coherent mode (QCM) at 220 kHz and weaker broadband fluctuations are observed in the high f ELM discharges, while only strong broadband fluctuations are prevalent in the low f ELM discharges. ELM-synchronized analysis shows that the time evolution of these modes is different for the high and low f ELM discharges. The localization of both these modes is confirmed at the maximum gradient region of the pedestal. We hypothesize that these modes cause important pedestal transport and that the difference in the pedestal recovery of the high and low f ELM discharges is a result of the difference in transport driven by these modes, as they change with changes in the heating delay. It is demonstrated experimentally for the first time that discharges with similar pedestal parameters can carry the history of the heating delay into the stationary phase and that changes in turbulent-driven transport are a likely cause of changes in f ELM observed with variations of heating delay.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2015

An Overview of a Trajectory-Based Solution for En Route and Terminal Area Self-Spacing: Fifth Edition

This paper presents an overview of the fifth revision to an algorithm specifically designed to support NASA's Airborne Precision Spacing concept. This algorithm is referred to as the Airborne Spacing for Terminal Arrival Routes version 12 (ASTAR12). This airborne self-spacing concept is trajectory-based, allowing for spacing operations prior to the aircraft being on a common path. Because this algorithm is trajectory-based, it also has the inherent ability to support required-time-of- arrival (RTA) operations. This algorithm was also designed specifically to support a standalone, non-integrated implementation in the spacing aircraft. This current revision to the algorithm includes a ground speed feedback term to compensate for slower than expected traffic aircraft speeds based on the accepted air traffic control tendency to slow aircraft below the nominal arrival speeds when they are farther from the airport.

Abbott, Terence S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Architecture Options for Navigation in Cislunar Space for Human Landing System Vehicles

As part of architecture studies and insight analysis focused on requirements development into Human Landing System lunar architecture designs, multiple studies are underway to understand the sensitivities and options for achieving high precision landing on the lunar surface. The baseline approach utilizes a combination of multiple sensors to capture autonomous state observations of the lander with respect to the lunar surface. These systems are typically constrained in terms of operational altitudes by parameters such as onboard map size, camera focus, or sensor transmitted power (for altimeter observations). While these sensor suites do enable high precision landing, they are typically very complex and expensive. For a human-rated vehicle, fault detection algorithms are needed in addition to redundant sensors drive additional design complexity. Conversely, for these early missions, mass performance is key, so extended analysis is required to identify numbers of sensors, their ideal placement, and integration algorithms. A key part of this analysis is to help identify key sensor suites and options to help alleviate this design tension. An alternate approach is to take advantage and build out in-situ assets to allow for GPS-like navigation within the lunar regime through the use of navigation references or beacons. This can be achieved through the integration of navigation services into potential relays and pre-placed lunar surface assets. This research focuses on the capability of this infrastructure to support navigation in all areas of cislunar space such as: approach to the moon, in orbit around the moon, and ascent/descent operations to the surface. An augmented state linear covariance analysis (LinCov) and navigation state covariance analysis (NavCov) tools were used to assess a variety of navigation reference locations and how they can support vehicle operations through both understanding of state uncertainties and trajectory dispersions. This research helps to supplement existing studies focused on communication link analysis by providing additional insight into specific vehicle operational scenarios that are tied closely to potential Human Landing System scenarios. Key aspect of this analysis focus on the sensitivity to state knowledge of the references, the accuracy of inter-asset measurements, and placement in support of the various scenarios.

Evan J Anzalone↗
DOE OSTI2024

Utah FORGE: 2024 Discrete Fracture Network Model Data

The Utah FORGE 2024 Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) Model dataset provides a set of files representing discrete fracture network modeling for the FORGE site near Milford, Utah. The dataset includes four distinct DFN model file sets, each corresponding to different time frames and modeling approaches in 2024. These models characterize both natural and induced fractures in the geothermal reservoir, which consists of crystalline granitic and metamorphic rock approximately 8,000 feet below the ground surface. The dataset includes a reference DFN model from February 2024 that incorporates planar fractures and well trajectories, as well as upscaled permeability, porosity, compressibility, and storage values on specified grids. Additionally, there are models based on new microseismic (MEQ) data from May and July 2024, including fracture planes fitted to the latest MEQ catalog datasets, tensile fractures from hydraulic stimulation, and an alternative connected DFN for modeling purposes. Coordinate data is provided in both global and local frames, with detailed instructions on the transformations used to align with principal stress orientations. The dataset also includes notes and calculation files for estimating fracture sizes and differences between various fracture sets. There are subfolders for Global Coordinates and Local Coordinates. To move from the global to the local coordinate frame, fractures and wells were a) rotated 20 degrees counterclockwise looking down about the global point (335376.400482041, 4263189.99998761, 250.093546450195) to better align with the principal stresses; and b) translated by (-335408.68, -4263010.9, 1150). Upscaled permeability values using the _XYZ suffix show directions with respect to the global XYZ coordinate frame, while those using the _IJK suffix are aligned with local coordinate frame.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Systematic Framework for Projecting the Future Cost of Offshore Wind Energy

Offshore wind costs are expected to decline rapidly in the short and medium term future as the industry grows and gains experience in manufacturing, installing, and operating commercial scale projects. Estimating the future costs of offshore wind energy is critical for evaluating the technology's economic performance, how it can fit into a broader clean energy economy, and how R&D investment can be allocated to advance the technology. We present a newly developed approach for forecasting these costs which focuses on an empirically-derived learning rate for capital costs and prescribed cost and performance improvements for operational costs and capacity factor. We establish baseline costs for a series of reference fixed-bottom and floating projects in 2021 and project cost trajectories to 2035, presenting both an average cost trajectory as well as describing the range of potential future costs associated with site-specific cost variations and uncertainty in the estimate of the learning rate. We also conduct sensitivity analyses showing the impact of different global deployments by 2035 and variations in the prescribed operational costs and capacity factors. The results show that fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind capital costs could decrease to around $\$$2,400/kW and $\$$3,300/kW by 2035, respectively, with ranges of $\$$2,100/kW - $\$$2,750/kW for fixed-bottom projects and $\$$2,850/kW - $\$$5,500/kW for floating projects. The levelized cost of energy of fixed-bottom and floating wind projects could decrease to $\$$53.1/MWh and $\$$63.9/MWh by 2035, with ranges of $\$$48.4/MWh - $\$$59.7/MWh for fixed-bottom projects and $\$$46.5/MWh - $\$$99.9/MWh for floating projects. By presenting the uncertainty associated with the forecast we provide a transparent description of the spectrum of potential cost trajectories for offshore wind.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1972

Earth orbit navigation study. Volume 2: System evaluation

An overall systems evaluation was made of five candidate navigation systems in support of earth orbit missions. The five systems were horizon sensor system, unkown landmark tracking system, ground transponder system, manned space flight network, and tracking and data relay satellite system. Two reference missions were chosen: a low earth orbit mission and a transfer trajectory mission from low earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit. The specific areas addressed in the evaluation were performance, multifunction utilization, system mechanization, and cost.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

The Jupiter orbiter satellite tour mission

Consideration of the problem of exploring the Jupiter-Galilean satellite system by a spacecraft in orbit about the planet. A simple patched conic algorithm is developed which identifies Jupiter orbiter trajectories that utilize gravity assist flybys of the Galilean satellites. A detailed reference mission is designed against specific science criteria for satellite exploration to demonstrate the possible science return of utilizing close satellite encounters. A navigation strategy is developed, including both planet and satellite relative orbit determination and a maneuver analysis; spacecraft delivery statistics are determined in the barycentric Jupiter-Galilean satellite coordinate system and mapped to the satellite target planes to determine feasibility. A simple maneuver sequence is employed which yields acceptable velocity requirements.

Beckman, J. C.↗