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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Incipient Failure Detection (IFD) of antifriction ball bearings

Two methods were investigated for retrieving the ball bearing signals buried by the overall signature of an operating large engine such as the main space shuttle engine. The signal averaging method averages n** signals over a time duration equaling the known period of the ball bearing defect frequency. With this method, the desired ball bearing defect signal will be enhanced over the noise by a factor of the square root of n. A second method is to perform a further frequency analysis on the logarithmic spectrum in order to detect and separate different families of harmonics and sidebands, thereby giving information about modulating frequencies. These two alternate IFD methods were carried out with a Norland 3001 waveform and data system. The obtained results are then compared with the power spectral density (PSD) of the overall machine signals and conclusions are made accordingly.

Wang, D. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Flow visualization in the Space Shuttle's main engine

The analysis and design of the Space Shuttle's main engine (SSME) power head involved extended finite difference computations conducted on a supercomputer. Certain problems arise, however, in connection with such a computer, and it is pointed out that the massive output from such analyses can actually inhibit insight into physical behavior. It is, therefore, also important to develop effective techniques for computer-user data transfer which match the computer's computational speed. In order to satisfy such requirements, powerful engineering workstations and three-dimensional color computer graphics codes were employed in the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses of the Shuttle's engine. Consequently, the complex physical characteristics of the SSME's hot-gas manifold could be quickly visualized, interpreted, and compared with alternative designs.

Belie, G.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric Injections

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric Injections (MAUI) will observe the Space Shuttle engine exhaust plumes from the Maui Space Surveillance Site in Hawaii. The observations will occur when the Space Shuttle fires its engines at night or twilight. A telescope and all-sky imagers will take images and data while the Space Shuttle flies over the Maui site. The images will be analyzed to better understand the interaction between the spacecraft plume and the upper atmosphere of Earth.

Dressler, Rainer A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Space Shuttle bipropellant RCS engine.

The requirements of the Space Shuttle bipropellant reaction control system engine technology contract and the scheduled contract effort are presented herein. The requirements included an engine concept scalable from 400 to 1100 lbf, with a 100 mission life employing N2O4/MMH propellants. Emphasis is placed on reusability and minimum post-flight servicing. The engine components are reviewed and their selection is supported by tradeoff analyses, thrust chamber firing test data, materials test data, and metallurgical evaluations. The materials test data indicate that the proposed silicide coated columbium chamber and uncoated columbium injector have the potential of meeting the mission life requirements. The engine valve trade studies resulted in the selection of a torque motor operated bipropellant valve configuration. Fuel vortex film cooling of the insulated chamber is described together with the fuel vortex film cooling scaling parameter and its verification by test data to a thrust level of 5500 lbf.

Sanscrainte, W.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Rocket Science: The Shuttle's Main Engines, though Old, Are not Forgotten in the New Exploration Initiative

The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), developed 30 years ago, remains a strong candidate for use in the new Exploration Initiative as part of a shuttle-derived heavy-lift expendable booster. This is because the Boeing-Rocket- dyne man-rated SSME remains the most highly efficient liquid rocket engine ever developed. There are only enough parts for 12-15 existing SSMEs, however, so one NASA option is to reinitiate SSME production to use it as a throw-away, as opposed to a reusable, powerplant for NASA s new heavy-lift booster.

Covault, Craig↗
NASA NTRS1975

Space shuttle orbit maneuvering engine reusable thrust chamber. Task 10: Data dump comparison of 8- and 10- inch diameter thrust chambers

An analytical and design study was conducted to compare the high and low contraction ratio thrust chambers for regenratively cooled orbit maneuvering engines for the space shuttle was conducted. The design concepts were evaluated on the basis of weight, pressure drop, and performance. Only the basic thrust chamber assembly was considered. The assembly consists of the injector, the regeneratively cooled thrust chamber, and the radiation cooled nozzle. A two dimensional thermal analysis of the channel section is provided.

Pauckert, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development of a shuttle plume radiation heating indicator

The primary objectives were to develop a Base Heating Indicator Code and a new plume radiation code for the Space Shuttle. Additional work included: revision of the Space Shuttle plume radiation environment for changes in configuration and correction of errors, evaluation of radiation measurements to establish a plume radiation model for the SRB High Performance Motor (HPM) plume, radiation predictions for preliminary designs, and participation in hydrogen disposal analysis and testing for the VAFB Shuttle launch site. The two most significant accomplishments were the development of the Base Heating Indicator Code and the Shuttle Engine Plume Radiation (SEPRAD) Code. The major efforts in revising the current Shuttle plume radiation environment were for the Orbiter base heat shield and the ET components in the Orbiter-ET interface region. The work performed is summarized in the technical discussion section with references to the documents containing detailed results. The technical discussion is followed by a summary of conclusions and recommendations for future work.

Reardon, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An analysis of return flux from the Space Shuttle Orbiter RCS engines

The return flux from the Space Shuttle Orbiter reaction control system (RCS) engines to sensors in the open payload bay has been analyzed on the basis of Shuttle/Payload Contamination Evaluation (SPACE II) model predictions and orbital flight measurements. Model data are presented showing the variations of molecular return flux values with Orbiter orientation and instrument direction. The effects of multiple molecular collisions within RCS engine plumes and in their vicinity are discussed. These collisions significantly influence the amount of plume molecules returning to payload instruments and, therefore, the amount of contaminants received.

Ehlers, H. K. F.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Program Promotion Can Distort Space Systems Engineering and Deny Risk

NASA's spectacular success in the Apollo moon landings was achieved against the odds by an obsessive dedication to reducing the great risk. But risk analysis predicted so many astronaut fatalities that it was thought to be unreasonably pessimistic and potentially damaging to the Apollo program. Risk analysis was discontinued, risk was neglected in space shuttle engineering, and so the space shuttle design was unnecessarily dangerous. Since the Apollo era it has been understood that long human space missions would recycle oxygen and water to avoid the very high launch cost of directly supplying them. The development of recycling systems was justified by the need to increase material closure and reduce launch mass. When it was recognized that increasing closure leads to rapidly diminishing returns, the program goal was changed to reducing launch mass and reliability, cost, and risk were considered irrelevant. Systems engineering and especially the discouraging problems of risk and cost have been deliberately ignored because they detract from program promotion, with unfortunate results. Current human launch system design does account for risk and the result strongly resembles Apollo. Current life support design continues to assume recycling, even though the recent great reduction in launch cost now allows direct supply of oxygen and water with significantly better quality, reliability, cost, and risk.

Advocacy↗
NASA NTRS1971

Preliminary vibration design and test criteria considerations for the space shuttle

This paper presents some Marshall Space Flight Center preliminary vibration design and test criteria considerations for the space shuttle. The discussion is primarily concerned with the formulation of vibration criteria for the design and testing of the equipment installations on the shuttle. A recommended criteria format is presented with a discussion of when the vibration environment has to be considered in design and testing. A semiempirical method of predicting the vibration criteria for the shuttle from vibroacoustic structural data banks is presented. Some preliminary vibration criteria predictions are presented for the orbiter and booster equipment bays and for the main shuttle engine. A research testing program to determine the vibroacoustic transfer through a typical shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) panel configuration is described.

Harry J. Bandgren↗
NASA NTRS1989

Variable-mixture-ratio and other rocket engines for advanced shuttles

Previous computer models of rocket engines and single-stage-to-orbit vehicles have been extended to include variable-mixture-ratio engines. The model has been applied to study a vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing, winged, manned, fully-reusable vehicle with a payload of 13.6 Mg and which is launched to low-earth orbit. Both single-stage and two-stage vehicles are considered, with special attention given to hydrogen, methane, and propane engines with staged-combustion cycles. Results are presented for the optimum nozzle exit pressure, thrust split between the booster and orbiter, chamber pressure, and mixture ratio.

Martin, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space shuttle with common fuel tank for liquid rocket booster and main engines (supertanker space shuttle)

An operation and schedule enhancement is shown that replaces the four-body cluster (Space Shuttle Orbiter (SSO), external tank, and two solid rocket boosters) with a simpler two-body cluster (SSO and liquid rocket booster/external tank). At staging velocity, the booster unit (liquid-fueled booster engines and vehicle support structure) is jettisoned while the remaining SSO and supertank continues on to orbit. The simpler two-bodied cluster reduces the processing and stack time until SSO mate from 57 days (for the solid rocket booster) to 20 days (for the liquid rocket booster). The areas in which liquid booster systems are superior to solid rocket boosters are discussed. Alternative and future generation vehicles are reviewed to reveal greater performance and operations enhancements with more modifications to the current methods of propulsion design philosophy, e.g., combined cycle engines, and concentric propellant tanks.

Thorpe, Douglas G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Shuttle Systems 3-D Applications: Application of 3-D Graphics in Engineering Training for Shuttle Ground Processing

This project illustrates an animation of the orbiter mate to the external tank, an animation of the OMS POD installation to the orbiter, and a simulation of the landing gear mechanism at the Kennedy Space Center. A detailed storyboard was created to reflect each animation or simulation. Solid models were collected and translated into Pro/Engineer's prt and asm formats. These solid models included computer files of the: orbiter, external tank, solid rocket booster, mobile launch platform, transporter, vehicle assembly building, OMS POD fixture, and landing gear. A depository of the above solid models was established. These solid models were translated into several formats. This depository contained the following files: stl for sterolithography, stp for neutral file work, shrinkwrap for compression, tiff for photoshop work, jpeg for Internet use, and prt and asm for Pro/Engineer use. Solid models were created of the material handling sling, bay 3 platforms, and orbiter contact points. Animations were developed using mechanisms to reflect each storyboard. Every effort was made to build all models technically correct for engineering use. The result was an animated routine that could be used by NASA for training material handlers and uncovering engineering safety issues.

Godfrey, Gary S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Exodus - Distributed artificial intelligence for Shuttle firing rooms

This paper describes the Expert System for Operations Distributed Users (EXODUS), a knowledge-based artificial intelligence system developed for the four Firing Rooms at the Kennedy Space Center. EXODUS is used by the Shuttle engineers and test conductors to monitor and control the sequence of tasks required for processing and launching Shuttle vehicles. In this paper, attention is given to the goals and the design of EXODUS, the operational requirements, and the extensibility of the technology.

Heard, Astrid E.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Modeling and Testing of Non-Nuclear, Highpower Simulated Nuclear Thermal Rocket Reactor Elements

When the President offered his new vision for space exploration in January of 2004, he said, "Our third goal is to return to the moon by 2020, as the launching point for missions beyond," and, "With the experience and knowledge gained on the moon, we will then be ready to take the next steps of space exploration: human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond." A human mission to Mars implies the need to move large payloads as rapidly as possible, in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Furthermore, with the scientific advancements possible with Project Prometheus and its Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO), (these use electric propulsion), there is a renewed interest in deep space exploration propulsion systems. According to many mission analyses, nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), with its relatively high thrust and high specific impulse, is a serious candidate for such missions. Nuclear rockets utilize fission energy to heat a reactor core to very high temperatures. Hydrogen gas flowing through the core then becomes superheated and exits the engine at very high exhaust velocities. The combination of temperature and low molecular weight results in an engine with specific impulses above 900 seconds. This is almost twice the performance of the LOX/LH2 space shuttle engines, and the impact of this performance would be to reduce the trip time of a manned Mars mission from the 2.5 years, possible with chemical engines, to about 12-14 months.

Kirk, Daniel R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A simulated annealing approach to schedule optimization for the SES facility

The Shuttle Engineering Simulator (SES) is a facility which houses the software and hardware for a variety of simulation systems. The simulators include the Autonomous Remote Manipulator, the Manned Maneuvering Unit, Orbiter/Space Station docking, and shuttle entry and landing. The SES simulators are used by various groups throughout NASA. For example, astronauts use the SES to practice maneuvers with the shuttle equipment; programmers use the SES to test flight software; and engineers use the SES for design and analysis studies. Due to its high demand, the SES is busy twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. Scheduling the facility is a problem that is constantly growing and changing with the addition of new equipment. Currently a number of small independent programs have been developed to help solve the problem, but the long-term answer lies in finding a flexible, integrated system that provides the user with the ability to create, optimize, and edit the schedule. COMPASS is an interactive and highly flexible scheduling system. However, until recently COMPASS did not provide any optimization features. This paper describes the simulated annealing extension to COMPASS. It now allows the user to interweave schedule creation, revision, and optimization. This practical approach was necessary in order to satisfy the operational requirements of the SES.

Mcmahon, Mary Beth↗
NASA NTRS1972

Space shuttle orbit maneuvering engine reusable thrust chamber

A data dump is presented containing space shuttle orbiter maneuvering engine performance, weight, envelope, and interface pressure requirements for candidate propellant combinations (NTO/MMH, NTO50-50, LOX/MMH, LOX/50-50, LOX/N2H4, LOX/C3H8, and LOX/RP-1) and cooling concepts (regenerative and dump/film). These data are presented parametrically for the thrust, chamber pressure, nozzle expansion ratio, and engine mixture ratio ranges of interest. Also included is information describing sensitivity to system changes; reliability, maintainability and safety; development programs and associated critical technology areas; engine cost comparisons during development and operation; and ecological effects.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1975

Space shuttle three main engine return to launch site abort

A Return-to-Launch-Site (RTLS) abort with three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) operational was examined. The results are trajectories and main engine cutoff conditions that are approximately the same as for a two SSME case. Requiring the three SSME solution to match the two SSME abort eliminates additional crew training and is accomplished with negligible software impact.

Carter, J. F.↗