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At least 451 records · Page 25

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NASA NTRS1993

An overview of the radiation component of the NASA TOGA-COARE experiment

During January and February, 1993, the Physical Climate Branch of NASA sponsored an aircraft program in support of the Tropical Ocean - Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE). The NASA program was integrated with and contributed directly to the COARE objectives, but had as its primary foci the measurement of convection and precipitation related to the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) and the measurement of the physical and radiative properties of tropical cirrus related to the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) and the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE). This brief overview will concentrate on the measurements associated with FIRE and ISCCP.

Ackerman, Thomas↗

NASA NTRS2013

Practical Application of PRA as an Integrated Design Tool for Space Systems

This paper presents the application of the first comprehensive Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) during the design phase of a joint NASA/NOAA weather satellite program, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series R (GOES-R). GOES-R is the next generation weather satellite primarily to help understand the weather and help save human lives. PRA has been used at NASA for Human Space Flight for many years. PRA was initially adopted and implemented in the operational phase of manned space flight programs and more recently for the next generation human space systems. Since its first use at NASA, PRA has become recognized throughout the Agency as a method of assessing complex mission risks as part of an overall approach to assuring safety and mission success throughout project lifecycles. PRA is now included as a requirement during the design phase of both NASA next generation manned space vehicles as well as for high priority robotic missions. The influence of PRA on GOES-R design and operation concepts are discussed in detail. The GOES-R PRA is unique at NASA for its early implementation. It also represents a pioneering effort to integrate risks from both Spacecraft (SC) and Ground Segment (GS) to fully assess the probability of achieving mission objectives. PRA analysts were actively involved in system engineering and design engineering to ensure that a comprehensive set of technical risks were correctly identified and properly understood from a design and operations perspective. The analysis included an assessment of SC hardware and software, SC fault management system, GS hardware and software, common cause failures, human error, natural hazards, solar weather and infrastructure (such as network and telecommunications failures, fire). PRA findings directly resulted in design changes to reduce SC risk from micro-meteoroids. PRA results also led to design changes in several SC subsystems, e.g. propulsion, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), communications, mechanisms, and command and data handling (C&DH). The fault tree approach assisted in the development of the fault management system design. Human error analysis, which examined human response to failure, indicated areas where automation could reduce the overall probability of gaps in operation by half. In addition, the PRA brought to light many potential root causes of system disruptions, including earthquakes, inclement weather, solar storms, blackouts and other extreme conditions not considered in the typical reliability and availability analyses. Ultimately the PRA served to identify potential failures that, when mitigated, resulted in a more robust design, as well as to influence the program's concept of operations. The early and active integration of PRA with system and design engineering provided a well-managed approach for risk assessment that increased reliability and availability, optimized lifecyc1e costs, and unified the SC and GS developments.

Kalia, Prince↗

NASA NTRS1997

Emergency Operations Center at Johnson Space Center

In June 1966, at the start of the Gulf Coast hurricane season, the Johnson Space Center (JSC) celebrated the opening of its new 4,000-square foot, state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The new EOC has been upgraded and enhanced to support a wide spectrum of emergencies affecting JSC and neighboring communities. One of the main features of the EOC is its premier computerized dispatch center. The new system unites many of JSC's critical emergency functions into one integrated network. It automatically monitors fire alarms, security entrances, and external cameras. It contains the JSC inventory of hazardous materials, by building and room, and can call up Material Safety Data Sheets for most of the generic hazardous materials used on-site. The EOC is available for community use during area emergencies such as hurricanes and is a welcome addition to the Clear Lake/Galveston Bay Area communities' emergency response resources.

Caylor, Gary C.↗

NASA NTRS2024

Assessing Flash Characteristics in Lightning-Initiated Wildfire Events Between 1995 and 2020 Within the Contiguous United States

Twenty-six years of lightning data were paired with over 68,000 lightning-initiated wildfire (LIW) reports to understand lightning flash characteristics responsible for ignition in between 1995 and 2020. Results indicate that 92% of LIW were started by negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes and 57% were single stroke flashes. Moreover, 62% of LIW reports did not have a positive CG within 10 km of the start location, contrary to the science literature’s suggestion that positive CG flashes are a dominant fire-starting mechanism. Nearly 1/3rd of wildfire events were holdovers, meaning one or more days elapsed between lightning occurrence and fire report. However, fires that were reported less than a day after lightning occurrence statistically burned more acreage. Peak current was not found to be a statistically significant delineator between fire starters and non-fire starters for -CGs but was for positive CGs. Results highlighted the need for reassessing the role of positive CG lightning and subsequently long continuing current in wildfire ignition started by lightning. One potential outcome of this study’s results is the development of real-time tools to identify ignition potential during lightning events to aid in fire mitigation efforts.

Christopher J Schultz↗

NASA NTRS1990

Dynamic Characteristics of Space Station Freedom Mars and Lunar Evolution Reference Configurations

One concept for a manned mission to Mars uses an evolutionary version of Space Station Freedom (SSF) as a transportation node. The station is modified by the addition of dual keels, an upper and lower boom, additional laboratory and habitation modules, increased power and an assembly platform. With these modifications the station is called the Mars Evolution Reference Configuration (MERC). The mass of the station is 65 percent greater than the mass of SSF and its moments of inertia through the mass center are greater by approximately a factor of four. Over a period of months, several flights from Earth to low-Earth-orbit carry the components of a manned Mars piloted vehicle (MPV) to the MERC where the vehicle is constructed on the assembly platform. After each flight the station is reboosted to an appropriate altitude, such that the orbit decay due to atmospheric drag forces lowers the spacecraft to the proper altitude at the appropriate time for rendezvous with the next assembly flight. When the assembly process is completed, the MPV, which has a mass of approximately 200,000 lbm, is situated on the evolutionary station. The mass increase of the MERC with MPV system over SSF is 112 percent and the moments of inertia about axes through the mass center increase by up to a factor of 12. When the MPV is assembled, inspected and verified, the mission is ready to proceed and the MPV is moved from the station to a staging area and mated with fueled trans-Mars injection stages for the flight to Mars. This presentation describes a finite element model of the MERC formulated to investigate the expected low frequency modes and its variation with the addition of a large payload. A basic reboost procedure using near-continuous firing of reaction control system jets is proposed with off-modulation of the jets used to control flight attitude. The reboost procedure is described with the closed-loop attitude control dictating jet on/off cycling based on feedback signals which contain both the rigid body rotation information and the elastic rotations local to the attitude sensor. The presentation contains a description of the dynamic response at critical points of the station during the reboost and concludes with results of a brief study of the dynamic characteristics of a Lunar transportation node configuration.

Ayers, J. Kirk↗

NASA NTRS2003

The Feasibility of Using a Galvanic Cell Array for Corrosion Detection and Solution Monitoring

An initial investigation into the response of the individual galvanic couples was conducted using potentiodynamic polarization measurements of solutions under conditions of varying corrosivity. It is hypothesized that the differing electrodes may provide a means to further investigate the corrosive nature of the analyte through genetic algorithms and pattern recognition techniques. The robust design of the electrochemical sensor makes its utilization in space exploration particularly attractive. Since the electrodes are fired on a ceramic substrate at 900 C, they may be one of the most rugged sensors available for the anticipated usage.

Kolody, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1979

Pyrolysis of polymeric materials. I - Effect of chemical structure, temperature, heating rate, and air flow on char yield and toxicity

Various polymeric materials, including synthetic polymers and cellulosic materials, were evaluated at different temperatures, heating rates and air flow rates for thermophysical and toxicological responses. It is shown that char yields appeared to be a function of air access as much as of the chemical structure of the material. It is stated that the sensitivity of the apparent thermal stability of some materials to air access is so marked that thermogravimetric studies in oxygen-free atmospheres may be a consistently misleading approach to comparing synthetic polymers intended to increase fire safety. Toxicity also appeared to be a function of temperature and air access as much as of the chemical structure of the material. Toxicity of the gases evolved seemed to increase with increasing char yield for some polymers.

Hilado, C. J.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Using NASA LANCE Near Real-Time Earth Observations for Disaster Risk Reduction

The NASA Earth Science Disasters Program handles requests from stakeholders and provides rapid response for Disaster Risk Reduction using Near Real-Time (NRT) products from NASA’s Land, Atmosphere NRT Capability for Earth Observing System (EOS) (LANCE). The combination of all available LANCE NRT satellite products provides global coverage at multiple times per day, which makes it possible to help users in different phases of the disaster’s life cycle. For wildfires and volcano eruption disasters, LANCE NRT fire and atmosphere products have been used to locate fires and high-temperature heat sources, and to assess the extent of air pollutions. Knowledge of the geographical position and direction of smokes, fires, lava flows provided critical information for disaster prediction and prevention. For hurricanes, tropical cyclones and earthquakes, LANCE global flood products and NASA’s Black Marble night-time light products have been used for monitoring land cover and land use change over time in disaster impacted areas. Users can use pre- and post-disaster maps to assess the extent of damage, and to make decisions for activities in reconstruction and recovery in infrastructure and health on the ground. LANCE NRT data are made available through the Earth data website and have been archived and visualized in NASA Disasters Mapping Portal, NASA LANCE Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) and NASA Worldview for the use of stakeholders.

Tian Yao↗

NASA NTRS1987

Cat vestibular neurons that exhibit different responses to active and passive yaw head rotations

Neurons in the vestibular nuclei were recorded in alert cats during voluntary yaw rotations of the head and during the same rotations delivered with a turntable driven from a record of previous voluntary movements. During both voluntary and passive rotations, 35 percent (6/17) of neurons tested responded at higher rates or for a larger part of the movement during voluntary movements than during the same rotations delivered with the turntable. Neck sensory input was evaluated separately in many of these cells and can account qualitatively for the extra firing present during active movement.

Robinson, F. R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Space simulation experiments on reaction control system thruster plumes

A space simulation procedure was developed for studying rocket plume contamination effects using a 5-pound bipropellant reaction control system thruster. Vacuum chamber pressures of 3 x 10 to the minus 5 torr (70 miles altitude) were achieved with the thruster firing in pulse trains consisting of eight pulses (50 msec on, 100 msec off, and seven minutes between pulse trains). The final vacuum was achieved by cooling all vacuum chamber surfaces to liquid helium temperature and by introducing a continuous argon leak of 48 std. cc/sec into the test chamber. An effort was made to simulate propellant system flow dynamics corresponding to actual spacecraft mission use. Fast time response liquid flow rate measurements showed that large variations occurred in the ratio of oxidizer to fuel flow for pulse-on times up to 120 msec. These variations could lead to poor combustion efficiency and the production of contamination.

Cassidy, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Profile of Ambulance Runs at the Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has four onsite ambulances staffed with Paramedics at two fire stations that respond to 911 Emergency Medical System (EMS) medical dispatches. These ambulances serve over 22,000 NASA, military, government, and contractor employees in an area of approximately 520 square miles. Included in this coverage are several public areas such as beaches, a wildlife refuge and a popular Visitor Center. Reports are filled out on each patient encountered. However. the only element tracked has been the ambulance response time. Now that reports are filed electronically, it is possible to enter them into an electronic database for analysis. Data analyses reveal trends and assist in better allocation of resources.

Scarpa, Philip J.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Unique Aeolian Transport Mechanisms on Mars: Respective Roles of Percussive and Repercussive Grain Populations in the Sediment Load

Experiments show that when sand-size grains impact a sediment surface with energy levels commensurate for Mars, small craters are formed by the ejection of several hundred grains from the bed. The experiments were conducted with a modified crossbow in which a sand-impelling sabot replaced the bolt-firing mechanism. Individual grains of sand could be fired at loose sand targets to observe ballistic effects unhindered by aerodynamic mobilization of the bed. Impact trajectories simulated the saltation process on dune surfaces. Impact craters were not elongated despite glancing (15 deg.) bed impact; the craters were very close to being circular. High-speed photography showed them to grow in both diameter and depth after the impactor had ricochetted from the crater site. The delayed response of the bed was "explosive" in nature, and created a miniature ejecta curtain spreading upward and outward for many centimeters for impact of 100-300 um-diameter grains into similar material. This behavior is explained by deposition of elastic energy in the bed by the "percussive" grain. Impact creates a subsurface stress regime or "quasi-Boussinesq" compression field. Elastic recovery of the bed occurs by dilatancy; shear stresses suddenly convert the grains to open packing and they consequently become forcefully ejected from the site. Random jostling of the grains causes radial homogenization of stress vectors and a resulting circular crater. A stress model based on repercussive bed dilatancy and interparticle adhesive forces (for smaller grains) predicts, to first order, the observed crater volumes for various impact conditions. On earth, only a few grains are mobilized by a percussive saltating grain; some grains are "knudged" along the ground, and some are partly expelled on short trajectories. These motions constitute reptation transport. On Mars, saltation and reptation become indistinct: secondary or "repercussive" trajectories have sufficient vertical impulse to create a dense saltation population of many tens or hundreds of grains for each single high-speed saltation percussion of the bed. Impact cascading will lead to near-surface distortion of the boundary layer, and choked flow formed by a dense "slurry" of sand, with the majority of grains mobilized by repercussive forces rather than by aerodynamic lift. This proceeds until a fully-matured transport layer imposes self-limitations as grain-population density constrains the free-path motion of individial grains.

Marshall, John R.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Unique Aeolian Transport Mechanisms on Mars: Respective Roles of Percussive and Repercussive Grain Populations in the Sediment Load

Experiments show that when sand-size grains impact a sediment surface with energy levels commensurate for Mars, small craters are formed by the ejection of several hundred grains from the bed. The experiments were conducted with a modified crossbow in which a sand-impelling sabot replaced the bolt-firing mechanism. Individual grains of sand could be fired at loose sand targets to observe ballistic effects unhindered by aerodynamic mobilization of the bed. Impact trajectories simulated the saltation process on dune surfaces. Impact craters were not elongated despite glancing (15 deg.) bed impact; the craters were very close to being circular. High-speed photography showed them to grow in both diameter and depth after the impactor had ricochetted from the crater site. The delayed response of the bed was "explosive" in nature, and created a miniature ejecta curtain spreading upward and outward for many centimeters for impact of 100-300 micron-diameter grains into similar material. This behavior is explained by deposition of elastic energy in the bed by the "percussive" grain. Impact creates a subsurface stress regime or "quasi-Boussinesq" compression field. Elastic recovery of the bed occurs by dilatancy; shear stresses suddenly convert the grains to open packing and they consequently become forcefully ejected from the site. Random jostling of the grains causes radial homogenization of stress vectors and a resulting circular crater. A stress model based on repercussive bed dilatancy and interparticle adhesive forces (for smaller grains) predicts, to first order, the observed crater volumes for various impact conditions. On earth, only a few grains are mobilized by a percussive saltating grain; some grains are "knudged" along the ground, and some are partly expelled on short trajectories. These motions constitute reptation transport. On Mars, saltation and reptation become indistinct: secondary or "repercussive" trajectories have sufficient vertical impulse to create a dense saltation population of many tens or hundreds of grains for each single high-speed saltation percussion of the bed. Impact cascading will lead to near-surface distortion of the boundary layer, and choked flow formed by a dense "slurry" of sand, with the majority of grains mobilized by repercussive forces rather than by aerodynamic lift. This proceeds until a fully-matured transport layer imposes self- limitations as grain-population density constrains the free-path motion of individual grains.

Marshall, John R.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Pressure Vessel with Impact and Fire Resistant Coating and Method of Making Same

An impact and fire resistant coating laminate is provided which serves as an outer protective coating for a pressure vessel such as a composite overwrapped vessel with a metal lining. The laminate comprises a plurality of fibers (e.g., jute twine or other, stronger fibers) which are wound around the pressure vessel and an epoxy matrix resin for the fibers. The epoxy matrix resin including a plurality of microspheres containing a temperature responsive phase change material which changes phase in response to exposure thereof to a predetermined temperature increase so as to afford increased insulation and hear absorption.

Thomas K DeLay↗

NASA NTRS2005

Pressure vessel with impact and fire resistant coating and method of making same

DeLay, Thomas K.↗

NASA NTRS2005

The Flora Mission for Ecosystem Composition, Disturbance and Productivity

Global land use and climate variability alter ecosystem conditions - including structure, function, and biological diversity - at a pace that requires unambiguous observations from satellite vantage points. Current global measurements are limited to general land cover, some disturbances, vegetation leaf area index, and canopy energy absorption. Flora is a pathfinding mission that provides new measurements of ecosystem structure, function, and diversity to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of human and natural disturbances, and the biogeochemical and physiological responses of ecosystems to disturbance. The mission relies upon high-fidelity imaging spectroscopy to deliver full optical spectrum measurements (400-2500 nm) of the global land surface on a monthly time step at 45 meter spatial resolution for three years. The Flora measurement objectives are: (i) fractional cover of biological materials, (ii) canopy water content, (iii) vegetation pigments and light-use efficiency, (iv) plant functional types, (v) fire fuel load and fuel moisture content, and (vi) disturbance occurrence, type and intensity. These measurements are made using a multi-parameter, spectroscopic analysis approach afforded by observation of the full optical spectrum. Combining these measurements, along with additional observations from multispectral sensors, Flora will far advance global studies and models of ecosystem dynamics and change.

Asner, Gregory P.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

AgMIP Local, National and Global Assessments of Food System Challenges in A Changing Climate

Food systems connect a diverse network of stakeholders around the world, with complex dynamics governing production, processing, transportation, trade and consumption of food products. Extreme conditions can disrupt multiple components of the food system, with systemic connections providing structure that can both buffer and exacerbate risks. Climate change is shifting current practices in agricultural production and the broader food system, encouraging shifts toward more diverse value chains capable of drawing from multiple food producing regions to reduce the chance that an entire value chain be subject to simultaneous impacts. The IPCC Working Group I report assessed that heat waves, fires, floods and severe storms are becoming more pronounced and widespread with each degree of global warming, increasing food system risk. Food system disruptions can also come from outside the climate system, including from viral outbreaks, geopolitical conflict and socioeconomic changes. This presentation will highlight how the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) develops modeling approaches that connect climate, biophysical and socioeconomic models in order to capture complex responses of the food system and potential interventions by diverse stakeholders in the public and private sectors. Models are applied on a range of scales that match decision contexts. These include households in specific agricultural production regions (e.g., within a country), national-level policymakers considering policies, sustainability and development priorities for a country’s agricultural sector, and global food market models that balance production and consumption around the world with competition for land, water, energy and sustainability priorities. Models are capable of capturing many important responses, but further development is needed to represent key systemic risks and the possibility for additional interventions beyond the farm gate. Improved food system models will provide important insights into our society’s ability to cope with climate change, as well as our ability to identify agricultural adaptation and mitigation opportunities to reduce overall risk.

Food systems↗

NASA NTRS2002

Overview of the NASA Systems Approach to Crashworthiness Program

The NASA Aviation Safety Program was developed in response to the federal government's goal to reduce the fatal accident rate for aviation by 80% within 10 years. Accident Mitigation is a primary element of the Aviation Safety Program. The overall Accident Mitigation goal is to provide technology to the air transport industry to enable a decrease in the rate of fatalities and injury from crash loads and from in-flight and post-crash explosion and/or fire. Accident Mitigation is divided into two main elements - Fire Prevention and Systems Approach to Crashworthiness. The Systems Approach to Crashworthiness goal is to develop and promote technology that will increase the human survival rate or reduce the fatality rate in survivable accidents. The technical background and planning, selected technical activities, and summary of future efforts will be presented in this paper.

Jones, Lisa E.↗