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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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Areas investigated include: (1) load analysis; (2) power distribution, conversion techniques and generation; (3) design criteria and performance capabilities of hydraulic and pneumatic systems; (4) system control and protection methods; (5) component and heat transfer systems cooling; and (6) electrical system reliability.
Electric field normally incident onto warm semiinfinite plasma obtained by Wiener-Hopf technique and Vlasov equation
The noise characteristics of thermistor bolometers immersed in layers of arsenic/selenium glass uniform in composition were examined. Using a controlled deposition technique, layers of glass were deposited, thermistor bolometers immersed, and their electrical characteristics measured after various thermal treatments. Markedly improved stability of the detector noise was observed using this new technique.
The combination of a de-embedding technique and a direct on-substrate measurement technique has been devised to enable measurement of the electrical characteristics (impedances, scattering parameters, and gains) of microwave printed antennas that may be formed integrally with feed networks that include slot lines, coplanar striplines, and/or coplanar waveguides. The combination of techniques eliminates the need for custom test fixtures, including transitions between (1) coaxial or waveguide feed lines in typical test equipment and (2) the planar waveguide structures of the printed circuits under test. The combination of techniques can be expected to be especially useful for rapid, inexpensive, and accurate characterization of antennas for miniature wireless communication units that operate at frequencies from a few to tens of gigahertz.
The report surveys the current state-of-the-art of fluid amplifiers including both theoretical and practical aspects of devices having no mechanically moving parts. It is based on a complete review of the published literature (with an extensive bibliography), information obtained from 20 organizations involved in fluid amplifier development, and work performed by the General Electric Company. Specific areas covered are design techniques, both analytical and experimental; typical elements and assemblies; applications, both now in use and contemplated; fabrication techniques; and instrumentation. The report concludes that, although simple applications are now being made, the fluid amplifier field is still in the early development stage. There continues to be a basis for optimism for space applications requiring extreme environmental tolerance, long life, or the elimination of fluid system interfaces. Specialized military, and commercial applications also look promising. Work now under way should provide a better understanding of the design of devices and increase the number of useful applications.
Electric field meter, using electron beam deflection techniques, for ionospheric measurements
Exploding wire heating technique using combination of focused laser beam electric field intensity and pulsed power electric current
Electronic materials nondestructive evaluation techniques, describing analytic tests for chemical, structural, electrical and optical characteristics determination
VLF Poynting flux measurement technique on Injun 5 satellite using one electric and one magnetic antenna, discussing magnetic orientation errors effects
Components and techniques which may be useful in the electronics industry are described. Topics discussed include transducer technology, printed-circuit technology, solid state devices, MOS transistors, Gunn device, microwave antennas, and position indicators.
Unit may be used in systems requiring milliwatt power for bias voltage functions and can be used as control mechanism for large electric power systems. Logic and energy storage techniques yield processing efficiencies of 1000 to 1 over conventional designs.
In technique, voice circuits connecting crew's cabin to launch station through umbilical connector disconnect automatically unused, or deadened portion of circuits immediately after vehicle is launched, eliminating possibility that unused wiring interferes with voice communications inside vehicle or need for manual cutoff switch and its associated wiring. Technique is applied to other types of electrical actuation circuits, also launch of mapped vehicles, such as balloons, submarines, test sleds, and test chambers-all requiring assistance of ground crew.
Environmental parameters important to, and necessary for, an environment impact assessment in terms of site selection for an electric power plant are defined. Remote sensing techniques and/or instrumentation applicable to site evaluation are described. Problem areas are discussed and recommendations given.
Faults in plated wire memories are identified and located from outside of system by applying electrical impulses and analyzing their reflectance in technique of Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR). Intermittent faults are easier to find because memory system is not disturbed by probing or disassembly.
A modular multiple-output Standard Load Center Converter (SLCC), developed for a wide range of space applications, is discussed, including its specifications, characteristics, electrical and mechanical designs, advanced heat removal techniques, and unique packaging concept. The converter can be tailored to meet specific requirements by simple selection of the proper transformer and feedback resistor networks.
Bulk samples of Te-doped n-type GaAs were irradiated using 10 MeV to 24 MeV protons to fluences between 2 x 10 to the 11th power protons/sq cm and 2 x 10 to the 14th power protons/sq cm. Majority carrier electrical effects were measured using the vanderPauw techniques and it was observed that radiation damage was minimal at the 10 to the 11th power proton/sq cm fluence. For the higher fluences, carrier removal was proportional to Delta E/Delta x for the protons indicating ionization interactions between the protons and atoms. Thermal annealing was observed at 155 C.
The feasibility of modeling magnetic fields due to certain electrical currents flowing in the Earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere was investigated. A method was devised to carry out forward modeling of the magnetic perturbations that arise from space currents. The procedure utilizes a linear current element representation of the distributed electrical currents. The finite thickness elements are combined into loops which are in turn combined into cells having their base in the ionosphere. In addition to the extensive field modeling, additional software was developed for the reduction and analysis of the MAGSAT data in terms of the external current effects. Direct comparisons between the models and the MAGSAT data are possible.
This paper introduces the application of the magnetized plasma deflagration process to space propulsion. The deflagration process has the unique capability of efficiently converting input energy into kinetic energy in the accelerating direction. To illustrate the totally divergent characters of 'snowplow' detonation and deflagration discharges, examples of the differences between deflagration and detonation 'snowplow' discharges are expressed in terms of current densities, temperature, and particle velocities. Magnetic field profiles of the deflagration mode of discharges are measured. Typical attainable plasma characteristics are described in terms of velocity, electron temperature, and density, as well as measurement techniques. Specific impulses measured by piezo-electric probe and pendulum methods are presented. The influence of the transmission line in the discharge circuits on plasma velocity is measured by means of a microwave time-of-flight method. The results for the deflagration thruster are compared with other space thrusters. Further research areas are identified.