SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “racking”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 415 records · Page 23

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1990

Evaluation of composite components on the Bell 206L and Sikorsky S-76 helicopters

Progress on two programs to evaluate structural composite components in flight service on Bell 206L and Sikorsky S-76 commercial helicopters is described. Forty ship sets of composite components that include the litter door, baggage door, forward fairing, and vertical fin have been installed on Bell Model 206L helicopters that are operating in widely different climates. Component installation started in 1981 and selected components were removed and tested at prescribed intervals over a ten year evaluation. Four horizontal stabilizers and eleven tail rotor spars that are production components on the S-76 helicopter were tested after prescribed periods of service to determine the effects of the operating environment on their performance. Concurrent with the flight evaluation, materials used to fabricate the components were exposed in ground racks and tested at specified intervals to determine the effects of outdoor environments. Results achieved from 123,000 hours of accumulated service on the Bell 206L components and 53,000 hours on the Sikorsky S-76 components are reported. Seventy-eight Bell 206L components were removed and tested statically. Results of seven years of ground exposure of materials used to fabricate the Bell 206L components are presented. Results of tests on four Sikorsky S-76 horizontal stabilizers and eleven tail rotor spars are also presented. Panels of material used to fabricate the Sikorsky S-76 components that were exposed for six years were tested and results are presented.

Baker, Donald J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A proposal to demonstrate production of salad crops in the Space Station Mockup facility with particular attention to space, energy, and labor constraints

This research has continued along two lines, one at Marshall Space Flight Center with Salad Machine Rack development and the design and construction of a mockup for placement in the Huntsville Space Station Freedom mockup. The second avenue of research has addressed issues of relevance to the operation of the Salad Machine and Bioregenerative systems. These issues include plant species compatibility when grown on shared hydroponic systems and microbial populations of mixed species hydroponic systems. Significant progress is reported.

Brooks, Carolyn↗

NASA NTRS1991

Space Station Freedom - An overview

NASA's Space Station Freedom has been designed with a built-in upgrading capability. Permanently manned status is scheduled for fiscal year 2000; it will at that point be able to offer its users fully 30 kW of electrical power, by means of which either numerous experiments can be run simultaneously, or a single piece of unique hardware with high power requirements can be supplied the power. During this permanently manned phase, NASA will contribute, in addition to the three power modules furnishing 30 kW, a 27-ft long laboratory module with 12 user racks, and equally long habitation module for a crew of 4, and design features allowing growth to accommodate a crew of 8 and power supplies of 75 kW.

Kohrs, Richard H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Space Station Freedom capabilities for users

Space Station Freedom's major objectives are to prepare for human space exploration by providing a long-duration, continuously habitable spacecraft in low earth orbit for physiology studies and for development of systems to support human presence in space and to enable laboratory and observational research in space. As a result of restructuring and the preliminary design review, designs of Space Station Freedom architecture and systems have progressed to the point where the accommodations for users can be well described. These capabilities are enumerated, covering such important resources as power and cooling, rack volume and external accommodations, crew time, data and command rates, and acceleration environment. Related items such as total energy, data management systems, and interfaces, station attitude, payload transportation, and on board and ground facilities are considered.

Taylor, William W. L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Flight equipment supporting metabolic experiments on SLS-1

Five experiments in different aspects of human metabolism will be performed on Spacelab Life Sciences-1. Nine items of equipment from the Life Sciences Laboratory Equipment inventory will be used: the rack-mounted centrifuge, the hematocrit centrifuge, the low-gravity centrifuge, a body-mass measurement device, a urine monitoring system, the Spacelab refrigerator/freezer, the Orbiter refrigerator, an in-flight blood collection system, and a pocket voice recorder. In addition, each experiment will require some specialized equipment such as incubators and culture blocks for an immunology experiment, and tracers for a fluid and electrolyte experiment and a hematology experiment. The equipment for these experiments has been developed over many years, in some cases since the Skylab program in the early 1970s, and has been certified for use on the Space Shuttle.

Leach, Carolyn S.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Utilization of common pressurized modules on the Space Station Freedom

During the preliminary design review of Space Station Freedom elements and subsystems, it was shown that reductions of cost, weight, and on-orbit integration and verification would be necessary in order to meet program constraints, particularly nominal Orbiter payload launch capability. At that time, the Baseline station consisted of four resource nodes and two 44 ft modules. In this study, the viability of a common module which maintains crew and payload accommodation is assessed. The size, transportation, and orientation of modules and the accommodation of system racks and user experiments are considered and compared to baseline. Based on available weight estimates, a module pattern consisting of six 28 ft common elements with three radial and two end ports is shown to be nearly optimal. Advantageous characteristics include a reduction in assembly flights, dual egress from all elements, logical functional allocation, no adverse impacts to international partners, favorable airlock, cupola, ACRV (Assured Crew Return Vehicle), and logistics module accommodation, and desirable flight attitude and control characteristics.

Mazanek, Daniel D.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Space Station Freedom thermal control and life support system design

The Space Station Freedom thermal control system (TCS) and environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) are reviewed. Differences in the TCS and ECLSS are discussed between the early man-tended configuration (MTC) compared to the eventual evolutions to the permanently manned configuration (PMC). Concurrent analytical and developmental testing programs are included in the systems discussions as well as a description of an early 1993 flight test program on elements of the PMC water recovery system. Recent TCS design changes to the air cooling of rack mounted equipment are discussed. An overview of all TCS and ECLSS subsystems is included.

Wegrich, R. D.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Reusable ultralight personnel carrier (RUPC)

Attention is given to a personnel-carrying space vehicle concept developed to minimize the cost of access to LEO. The RUPC could provide alternate access to Space Station Freedom (SSF) for six passengers per flight. It can also bring and return small amounts of cargo, up to and including one SSF double rack. These capabilities are ideal for utilization flights during man-tended operations at SSF and for crew rotation during permanently manned periods. The RUPC is a reusable conical reentry vehicle and disposable adapter with propulsion and power subsystems. Avionics subsystem benefit from advanced low-power high-performance microelectronics developed for both the civilian and military space sectors. The RUPC core cabin concept has growth potential for other applications, including assured crew return, ground-launched crew rescue, delivery and retrieval of SSF cargo, and crew cabin for flights to the moon.

Clark, B. C., III↗

NASA NTRS1992

The Gas-Grain Simulation Facility (GGSF) for Space Station Freedom - Design concept

The GGSF is specifically designed to accommodate micro-g experiments that investigate long-term effects and interactions between submicron to centimeter size particles. The paper introduces the science disciplines and the type of experiments that are currently envisioned for the GGSF. The broad range of science and technology requirements are discussed, and the Space Station Freedom (SSF) accommodations, and available utilities are reviewed. Based on the requirements and the available accommodations, a facility conceptual design is outlined. The required subsystems are listed, and the rationale and considerations that lead to the selected approach, delineated. The present GGSF concept is that of a modular facility system comprising a flight rack and an array of fully compatible and interchangeable subsystems that are designed to meet a diverse set of science requirements. The modularity allows for future upgrade of various subsystems as technology evolves and for introduction of new modules to accommodate new or different experiments. These features are essential for a facility that is expected to be in service on board the SSF for 10 years or more.

Gat, N.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Test Of Protective Coatings On Carbon Steel

Report describes results of tests in which carbon-steel panels coated with one-or two-component solvent-based inorganic zinc primers and top-coated with inorganic topcoat or any of various organic topcoats, placed on outdoor racks at beach at Kennedy Space Center for 5 years. From time to time, slurry of Al(2)O(3) in 10-percent HCI solution applied to some of panels to simulate corrosive effect of effluent from solid-fuel rocket booster engines. Panels coated with inorganic topcoat performed much better than organic-topcoated panels.

Macdowell, Louis↗

NASA NTRS1993

Airborne Laboratory Apparatus Draws Glass Fibers

Glass-fiber-drawing apparatus designed for studies of effect of gravitation on drawing process. Clear plastic housing surrounds fiber-drawing equipment and some of associated electronic instrumentation. External rack holds video monitor, personal computer, keyboard, videotape recorder, and power switch panel. Mounted in research aircraft, apparatus makes continuous video recordings of formation of fiber at effective gravitational accelerations ranging from 0.001 to 2 times normal Earth gravitational acceleration as aircraft dives, then pulls out of dives. Also records pertinent process data on video image.

Tucker, Dennis S.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Test equipment data package for the KC-135 fiber pulling apparatus

The Fiber Pulling Apparatus (FPA) is a device designed to produce continuous glass fibers from simulated lunar soil, and to determine the effects of reduced gravity, specifically 1/6 g on fiber formation and resultant properties. Briefly, pre-melt simulated lunar soil will be placed in a pint crucible and heated to 1200 C or higher, up to a maximum temperature of 1400 C. At a given temperature, a quartz fiber will be immersed into the melt and then pulled through a chill block and wound onto a cylindrical bobbin using a servo motor control. A high resolution video camera will record the fiber as it is being pulled. This assembly wil be enclosed in Plexiglas. Before fiber pulling commences, the apparatus will be backfilled with dry nitrogen. A separate data acquisition system will support this apparatus. This system will contain a personal computer, video recorder, and monitor. Temperature, acceleration, winding speed, and video images will be controlled and recorded using the data acquisition system. Thus, the FPA will consist of two hardware packages, the fiber production assembly and the data acquisition rack. The primary objective of this test is to determine the effects of 1/6 g on the formation of continuous glass fiber made from simulated lunar soil. Baseline studies using the FPA on the ground will provide a reference for the 1/6 g studies. Of particular interest will be the effect of 1/6 g on the free fluid zone where the fiber exits the crucible. In the fiber spinning parlance this zone is known as the upper jet region, where the boundary slope is greater than one tenth. The properties of the resulting glass fiber will depend on the jet shape as well as distributions of velocity, temperature and tension within the jet. It is unknown at this time how 1/6 g will effect these parameters.

Kosten, Sue↗

NASA NTRS1993

On the performance of Trellis coded modulation with octal phase shift keying over the TDRSS channel

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration moves into the 21st century with programs like Space Station Freedom, a manned mission to Mars, and the new Landsat mission, transmission demands on the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) will very likely exceed the available bandwidth. The Manual Lujan, Jr. Center for Space Telemetering and Telecommunications Systems (CSTTS) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) is studying techniques for increasing the data rate capabilities of TDRSS. These techniques include the use of advanced bandwidth efficient modulation formats to increase the data rate that can be sustained in a TDRSS transponder and the use of lossless bandwidth compression of the data to be transmitted to lower the data rate required from the user spacecraft. Based upon current technology the most promising bandwidth efficient modulation technique is Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) operating with Octal Phase shift Keying (8PSK). Trellis Coded Modulation coding with 8PSK carrier modulation has the capability to increase the data rate which can be transmitted through the TDRSS spacecraft by a factor of 2 to 2.5 times that available with todays coded QPSK systems with only a small penalty in link performance relative to the existing systems. However, before NASA can safely employ TCM coding it is necessary to prove that this complex format can perform on the real TDRSS link as it does in labs and simulation studies. This proof-of-concept test over a live satellite channel was the objective of the construction and testing performed under this task of the NMSU NASA grant referenced above. In conjunction with NASA, NMSU's CSTTS has constructed a system to test a new candidate TDRSS modulation scheme, TCM 8PSK, that can enhance the information throughput of the TDRSS spacecraft. The test system for this project which was constructed over a period of 18 months by NMSU consisted of two racks of commercial and univeristy-designed and -built equipment. This project has included modifications of an existing White Sands Ground Terminal (WSGT) High Rate QPSK Demodulator to demodulate 8PSK as well as the construction of other support hardware. Also, two TCM codecs (coder/decoders) have been constructed to implement two levels of bandwidth efficiency. One was designed and built by the research team at NMSU while the other was created by the University of Notre Dame with the University of South Australia. The NMSU codec achieves a 2-to-1 increase in data rate per unit bandwidth with a coding gain relative to QPSK of about 3dB. The Notre Dame/South Australia codec achieves a 2.5-to-1 increase in data rate per unit of occupied bandwidth and a coding gain of about 2dB.

Osborne, William P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Laser docking sensor engineering model

NASA JSC has been involved in the development of Laser sensors for the past ten years in order to support future rendezvous and docking missions, both manned and unmanned. Although many candidate technologies have been breadboarded and evaluated, no sensor hardware designed specifically for rendezvous and docking applications has been demonstrated on-orbit. It has become apparent that representative sensors need to be flown and demonstrated as soon as possible, with minimal cost, to provide the capability of the technology in meeting NASA's future AR&C applications. Technology and commercial component reliability have progressed to where it is now feasible to fly hardware as a detailed test objective minimizing the overall cost and development time. This presentation will discuss the ongoing effort to convert an existing in-house developed breadboard to an engineering model configuration suitable for flight. The modifications include improving the ranger resolution and stability with an in-house design, replacing the rack mounted galvanometric scanner drivers with STD-bus cards, replacing the system controlling personal computer with a microcontroller, and repackaging the subsystems as appropriate. The sensor will use the performance parameters defined in previous JSC requirements working groups as design goals and be built to withstand the space environment where fiscally feasible. Testing of the in-house ranger design is expected to be completed in October. The results will be included in the presentation. Preliminary testing of the ranging circuitry indicates a range resolution of 4mm is possible. The sensor will be mounted in the payload bay on a shelf bracket and have command, control, and display capabilities using the payload general support computer via an RS422 data line.

Dekome, Kent↗

NASA NTRS1992

Space Station Furnace Facility Preliminary Project Implementation Plan (PIP). Volume 2, Appendix 2

The Space Station Furnace Facility (SSFF) is an advanced facility for materials research in the microgravity environment of the Space Station Freedom and will consist of Core equipment and various sets of Furnace Module (FM) equipment in a three-rack configuration. This Project Implementation Plan (PIP) document was developed to satisfy the requirements of Data Requirement Number 4 for the SSFF study (Phase B). This PIP shall address the planning of the activities required to perform the detailed design and development of the SSFF for the Phase C/D portion of this contract.

Perkey, John K.↗

NASA NTRS1992

NASA's commercial research plans and opportunities

One of the primary goals of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) commercial space development plan is to encourage the development of space-based products and markets, along with the infrastructure and transportation that will support those products and markets. A three phased program has been instituted to carry out this program. The first phase utilizes government grants through the Centers for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS) for space-related, industry driven research; the development of a technology data base; and the development of commercial space transportation and infrastructure. The second phase includes the development of these technologies by industry for new commercial markets, and features unique industry/government collaborations such as Joint Endeavor Agreements. The final phase will feature technical applications actually brought to the marketplace. The government's role will be to support industry required infrastructure to encourage start-up markets and industries through follow-on development agreements such as the Space Systems Development Agreement. The Office of Commercial Programs has an aggressive flight program underway on the Space Shuttle, suborbital rockets, orbital expendable launch vehicles, and the Commercial Middeck Accommodation Module with SPACEHAB Inc. The Office of Commercial Program's has been allocated 35 percent of the U.S. share of the Space Station Freedom resources for 1997 utilization. A utilization plan has been developed with the Centers for the Commercial Development of Space and has identified eleven materials processing and biotechnology payloads occupying 5 double racks in the pressurized module as well as two payloads external to the module in materials exposure and environment monitoring. The Office of Commercial Programs will rely on the Space Station Freedom to provide the long duration laboratory component for space-based commercial research.

Arnold, Ray J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Closed Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) Test Facility

The CELSS Test Facility (CTF) is being developed for installation on Space Station Freedom (SSF) in August 1999. It is designed to conduct experiments that will determine the effects of microgravity on the productivity of higher (crop) plants. The CTF will occupy two standard SSF racks and will accommodate approximately one square meter of growing area and a canopy height of 80 cm. The growth volume will be isolated from the external environment, allowing stringent control of environmental conditions. Temperature, humidity, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and light levels will all be closely controlled to prescribed set points and monitored. This level of environmental control is needed to prevent stress and allow accurate assessment of microgravity effect (10-3 to 10-6 x g). Photosynthetic rates and respiration rates, calculated through continuous recording of gas concentrations, transpiration, and total and edible biomass produced will be measured. Toxic byproducts will be monitored and scrubbed. Transpiration water will be collected within the chamber and recycled into the nutrient solution. A wide variety of crop plants, e.g., wheat, soy beans, lettuce, potatoes, can be accommodated and various nutrient delivery systems and light delivery systems will be available. In the course of its development, the CTF will exploit fully, and contribute importantly, to the state-of-art in closed system technology and plant physiology.

Macelroy, Robert D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Space biology initiative program definition review. Trade study 1: Automation costs versus crew utilization

A significant emphasis upon automation within the Space Biology Initiative hardware appears justified in order to conserve crew labor and crew training effort. Two generic forms of automation were identified: automation of data and information handling and decision making, and the automation of material handling, transfer, and processing. The use of automatic data acquisition, expert systems, robots, and machine vision will increase the volume of experiments and quality of results. The automation described may also influence efforts to miniaturize and modularize the large array of SBI hardware identified to date. The cost and benefit model developed appears to be a useful guideline for SBI equipment specifiers and designers. Additional refinements would enhance the validity of the model. Two NASA automation pilot programs, 'The Principal Investigator in a Box' and 'Rack Mounted Robots' were investigated and found to be quite appropriate for adaptation to the SBI program. There are other in-house NASA efforts that provide technology that may be appropriate for the SBI program. Important data is believed to exist in advanced medical labs throughout the U.S., Japan, and Europe. The information and data processing in medical analysis equipment is highly automated and future trends reveal continued progress in this area. However, automation of material handling and processing has progressed in a limited manner because the medical labs are not affected by the power and space constraints that Space Station medical equipment is faced with. Therefore, NASA's major emphasis in automation will require a lead effort in the automation of material handling to achieve optimal crew utilization.

Jackson, L. Neal↗