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At least 469 records · Page 26

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NASA NTRS1990

True covariance simulation of the EUVE (extreme ultra violet explorer) update filter

This paper presents a covariance analysis of the performance and sensitivity of the attitude determination Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) used by the onboard computer (OBC) of the Extreme Ultra Violet Explorer (EUVE) spacecraft. The linearized dynamics and measurement equations of the error states are used in formulating the 'truth model' describing the order of the systems involved. The 'design model' used by the OBC EKF is then obtained by reducing the order of the truth model. The covariance matrix of the EKF which uses the reduced order model is not the correct covariance of the EKF estimation error. A 'true covariance analysis' has to be carried out in order to evaluate the correct accuracy of the OBC generated estimates. The results of such analysis are presented which indicate both the performance and the sensitivity of the OBC EKF.

Bar-Itzhack, I. Y.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Integrated design of the CSI evolutionary structure: A verification of the design methodology

One of the main objectives of the Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI) program is to develop and evaluate integrated controls-structures design methodology for flexible space structures. Thus far, integrated design methodologies for a class of flexible spacecraft, which require fine attitude pointing and vibration suppression with no payload articulation, have been extensively investigated. Various integrated design optimization approaches, such as single-objective optimization, and multi-objective optimization, have been implemented with an array of different objectives and constraints involving performance and cost measures such as total mass, actuator mass, steady-state pointing performance, transient performance, control power, and many more. These studies have been performed using an integrated design software tool (CSI-DESIGN CODE) which is under development by the CSI-ADM team at the NASA Langley Research Center. To date, all of these studies, irrespective of the type of integrated optimization posed or objectives and constraints used, have indicated that integrated controls-structures design results in an overall spacecraft design which is considerably superior to designs obtained through a conventional sequential approach. Consequently, it is believed that validation of some of these results through fabrication and testing of a structure which is designed through an integrated design approach is warranted. The objective of this paper is to present and discuss the efforts that have been taken thus far for the validation of the integrated design methodology.

Maghami, Peiman G.↗

NASA NTRS1986

ICE navigation support

The International Cometary Explorer (ICE) encounter with Comet Giacobini-Zinner took place 7 years after the spacecraft's original launch on 12 August 1978 as the International Sun Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3), part of a three-spacecraft project to study the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. Transfer to an interplanetary trajectory was performed via a 119-km-altitute, gravity-assist, lunar swingby on December 1983. Navigation support during interplanetary cruise and comet encounter was provided by orbit determination utilizing radio metric data from the DSN 64-meter antennas in Goldstone, California and Madrid, Spain. Orbit solutions yielding predictions of 50-km geocentric delivery accuracy in the target aim plane were achieved during interplanetary cruise and at comet encounter using 6-to-12-week data arcs between periodic attitude-change maneuvers. One-sigma two-way range and range rate residuals were consistently 40 meters and 0.2 mm/s or better, respectively. Non-gravitational forces affected the comet's motion during late August and early September 1985 and caused a 2300-km shift in the orbit of the comet relative to the spacecraft. This necessitated a final ICE orbit trim maneuver 3 days prior to encounter. Near-real-time assessment of two-way 2-GHz (S-band) Doppler pseudo-residuals during the June and July 1985 trajectory change maneuvers aided in calibration of the spacecraft's thrusters in preparation for this final critical maneuver. Post-flight analysis indicates tail centerline passage was achieved within 10 seconds of the predicted time and geocentric position uncertainty at encounter was less than 40 km.

Efron, L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

True covariance simulation of the EUVE update filter

This paper presents a covariance analysis of the performance and sensitivity of the attitude determination Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) used by the On Board Computer (OBC) of the Extreme Ultra Violet Explorer (EUVE) spacecraft. The linearized dynamics and measurement equations of the error states are used in formulating the 'truth model' describing the real behavior of the systems involved. The 'design model' used by the OBC EKF is then obtained by reducing the order of the truth model. The covariance matrix of the EKF which uses the reduced order model is not the correct covariance of the EKF estimation error. A 'true covariance analysis' has to be carried out in order to evaluate the correct accuracy of the OBC generated estimates. The results of such analysis are presented which indicate both the performance and the sensitivity of the OBC EKF.

Bar-Itzhack, I. Y.↗

NASA NTRS1993

An improved calibration technique for wind tunnel model attitude sensors

Aerodynamic wind tunnel tests at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) require accurate measurement of model attitude. Inertial accelerometer packages have been the primary sensor used to measure model attitude to an accuracy of +/- 0.01 deg as required for aerodynamic research. The calibration parameters of the accelerometer package are currently obtained from a seven-point tumble test using a simplified empirical approximation. The inaccuracy due to the approximation exceeds the accuracy requirement as the misalignment angle between the package axis and the model body axis increases beyond 1.4 deg. This paper presents the exact solution derived from the coordinate transformation to eliminate inaccuracy caused by the approximation. In addition, a new calibration procedure is developed in which the data taken from the seven-point tumble test is fit to the exact solution by means of a least-squares estimation procedure. Validation tests indicate that the new calibration procedure provides +/- 0.005-deg accuracy over large package misalignments, which is not possible with the current procedure.

Tripp, John S.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Real-Time Attitude Independent Three Axis Magnetometer Calibration

In this paper new real-time approaches for three-axis magnetometer sensor calibration are derived. These approaches rely on a conversion of the magnetometer-body and geomagnetic-reference vectors into an attitude independent observation by using scalar checking. The goal of the full calibration problem involves the determination of the magnetometer bias vector, scale factors and non-orthogonality corrections. Although the actual solution to this full calibration problem involves the minimization of a quartic loss function, the problem can be converted into a quadratic loss function by a centering approximation. This leads to a simple batch linear least squares solution. In this paper we develop alternative real-time algorithms based on both the extended Kalman filter and Unscented filter. With these real-time algorithms, a full magnetometer calibration can now be performed on-orbit during typical spacecraft mission-mode operations. Simulation results indicate that both algorithms provide accurate integer resolution in real time, but the Unscented filter is more robust to large initial condition errors than the extended Kalman filter. The algorithms are also tested using actual data from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE).

Crassidis, John L.↗

NASA NTRS1993

The Role of Anomalous Satellite-Fixed Accelerations in TOPEX/Poseidon Orbit Maintenance

Shortly after the launch of TOPEX/Poseidon on 10 August 1992 orbit determination indicated orbital decay levels approximately 60 times larger than could be explained by atmospheric drag. Outgassing, a complex process of molecular releases from satellite non-metallic parts, was the most likely source of these early decay rates. The high decay levels steadily declined during the first six weeks while a planned sequence of six orbit adjust maneuvers placed the satellite in the operational orbit to precisely overfly a predetermined repeat ground track. At the same time, on-going orbit trend analysis revealed the presence of residual along-track forces comparable to atmospheric drag which clearly exhibited a body-fixed origin. These anomalous forces cause either orbital decay or boost, depending on the satellite attitude and solar array articulation mode. As such, these along-track forces can either add to, or oppose, the resident orbital decay due to drag...

Bhat, R.S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

True covariance simulation of the EUVE update filter

A covariance analysis of the performance and sensitivity of the attitude determination Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) used by the On Board Computer (OBC) of the Extreme Ultra Violet Explorer (EUVE) spacecraft is presented. The linearized dynamics and measurement equations of the error states are derived which constitute the truth model describing the real behavior of the systems involved. The design model used by the OBC EKF is then obtained by reducing the order of the truth model. The covariance matrix of the EKF which uses the reduced order model is not the correct covariance of the EKF estimation error. A true covariance analysis has to be carried out in order to evaluate the correct accuracy of the OBC generated estimates. The results of such analysis are presented which indicate both the performance and the sensitivity of the OBC EKF.

Bar-Itzhack, Itzhack Y.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials 3: Mission and induced environments

The Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials 3 (EOIM-3) flight experiment was developed to obtain benchmark atomic oxygen/material reactivity data. The experiment was conducted during Space Shuttle mission 46 (STS-46), which flew July 31 to August 7, 1992. Quantitative interpretation of the materials reactivity measurements requires a complete and accurate definition of the space environment exposure, including the thermal history of the payload, the solar ultraviolet exposure, the atomic oxygen fluence, and any spacecraft outgassing contamination effects. The thermal history of the payload was measured using twelve thermocouple sensors placed behind selected samples and on the EOIM-3 payload structure. The solar ultraviolet exposure history of the EOIM-3 payload was determined by analysis of the as-flown orbit and vehicle attitude combined with daily average solar ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet (UV/VUV) fluxes. The atomic oxygen fluence was assessed in three different ways. First, the O-atom fluence was calculated using a program that incorporates the MSIS-86 atmospheric model, the as-flown Space Shuttle trajectory, and solar activity parameters. Second, the oxygen atom fluence was estimated directly from Kapton film erosion. Third, ambient oxygen atom measurements were made using the quadrupole mass spectrometer on the EOIM-3 payload. Our best estimate of the oxygen atom fluence as of this writing is 2.3 +/- 0.3 x 10(exp 20) atoms/sq cm. Finally, results of post-flight X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) surface analyses of selected samples indicate low levels of contamination on the payload surface.

Koontz, Steven L.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Altitude Registration of Limb-Scattered Radiation

One of the largest constraints to the retrieval of accurate ozone profiles from UV backscatter limb sounding sensors is altitude registration. Two methods, the Rayleigh scattering attitude sensing (RSAS) and absolute radiance residual method (ARRM), are able to determine altitude registration to the accuracy necessary for long-term ozone monitoring. The methods compare model calculations of radiances to measured radiances and are independent of onboard tracking devices. RSAS determines absolute altitude errors, but, because the method is susceptible to aerosol interference, it is limited to latitudes and time periods with minimal aerosol contamination. ARRM, a new technique introduced in this paper, can be applied across all seasons and altitudes. However, it is only appropriate for relative altitude error estimates. The application of RSAS to Limb Profiler (LP) measurements from the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) on board the Suomi NPP (SNPP) satellite indicates tangent height (TH) errors greater than 1 km with an absolute accuracy of +/-200 m. Results using ARRM indicate a approx. 300 to 400m intra-orbital TH change varying seasonally +/-100 m, likely due to either errors in the spacecraft pointing or in the geopotential height (GPH) data that we use in our analysis. ARRM shows a change of approx. 200m over 5 years with a relative accuracy (a long-term accuracy) of 100m outside the polar regions.

Ozone profiles↗

NASA NTRS1975

Adaptive spacecraft attitude control utilizing eigenaxis rotations

Conventional and adaptive attitude control of spacecraft which use control moment gyros (CMG's) as torque sources are discussed. Control laws predicated on the assumption of a linear system are used since the spacecraft equations of motion are formulated in an 'eigenaxis system' so that they are essentially linear during 'slow' maneuvers even if large angles are involved. The overall control schemes are 'optimal' in several senses. Eigenaxis rotations and a weighted pseudo-inverse CMG steering law are used and, in the adaptive case, a Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS) controller based on Liapunov's Second Method is adopted. To substantiate the theory, digital simulation results obtained using physical parameters of a Large Space Telescope type spacecraft are presented. These results indicate that an adaptive control law is often desirable.

Cochran, J. E., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2003

SpaceDock: A Performance Task Platform for Spaceflight Operations

Preliminary evidence during both short- and long-duration spaceflight indicates that perceptual-motor coordination changes occur and persist in-flight. However, there is presently no in-flight method for evaluating astronaut performance on mission-critical tasks such as docking. We present a portable platform we have developed for attempting and evaluating docking, and describe the results of a pilot study wherein flight novices learned the docking task. Methods: A dual-joystick, six degrees of freedom platform-called SpaceDock-was developed to enable portable, adaptable performance testing in a spaceflight operations setting. Upon this platform, a simplified docking task was created, involving a constant rate of approach towards a docking target and requiring the user to correct translation in two dimensions and attitude orientation along one dimension (either pitch or roll). Ten flight naive subjects performed the task over a 45 min period and all joystick inputs and timings were collected, from which we could successfully reconstruct travel paths, input profiles and relative target displacements. Results: Subjects exhibited significant improvements in docking over the course of the experiment. Learning to compensate for roll-alterations was robust, whereas compensation for pitch-alterations was not in evidence in this population and relatively short training period. Conclusion: The SpaceDock platform can provide a novel method for training and testing subjects, on a spaceflight-relevant task, and can be used to examine behavioral learning, strategy use, and has been adapted for use in brain imaging experiments.

Marshburn, Thomas H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Stability and control characteristics at Mach numbers from 0.20 to 4.63 of a cruciform air-to-air missile with triangular canard controls and a trapezoidal wing

Investigations have been conducted in the Langley 8-foot transonic pressure tunnel and the Langley Unitary Plan wind tunnel at Mach numbers from 0.20 to 4.63 to determine the stability and control characteristics of a cruciform air-to-air missile with triangular canard controls and a trapezoidal wing. The results indicate that canards are effective in producing pitching moment throughout most of the test angle-of-attack and Mach number range and that the variations of pitching moment with lift for trim conditions are relatively linear. There is a decrease in canard effectiveness with an increase in angle of attack up to about Mach 2.50 as evidenced by the beginning of coalescence of the pitching-moment curves. At a Mach number above 2.50, there is an increase in effectiveness at moderate to high angles of attack. Simulated launch straps have little effect on the lift and pitch characteristics but do cause an increase in drag, and this increase in drag induces a rolling moment at a zero roll attitude where the straps cause an asymmetric geometric shape. The canards are not suitable devices for roll control and, at some Mach numbers and roll attitudes, are not effective in producing pure yawing moments.

Graves, E. B.↗

NASA NTRS1947

Landing Characteristics in Waves of Three Dynamic Models of Flying Boats

Powered models of three different flying boats were landed in oncoming wave of various heights and lengths. The resulting motions and acceleration were recorded to survey the effects of varying the trim at landing, the deceleration after landing, and the size of the waves. One of the models had an unusually long afterbody. The data for landing with normal rates of deceleration indicated that the most severe motions and accelerations were likely to occur at some period of the landing run subsequent to the initial impact. Landings made at abnormally low trims led to unusually severe bounces during the runout. The least severe landing occurred after a small lending when the model was rapidly decelerated at about 0.4 g in a simulation of the proposed use of braking devices. The severity of the landings increased with wave height and was at a maximum when the wave length was of the order of from one and one-half to twice the over-all length of the model. The models with afterbodies of moderate length frequently bounced clear of the water into a stalled attitude at speeds below flying speed. The model with the long afterbody had less tendency to bounce from the waves and consequently showed less severe accelerations during the landing run than the models with moderate lengths of afterbody.

Benson, James M.↗

NASA NTRS1972

The SAS-D nutation control system

A control law is developed for the SAS-D nutation control system. Nutation is removed in a sub-optimal manner with respect to fuel consumed, but attitude errors are minimized. The research performed consist of an investigation of nutation theory and nutation due to energy dissipation, nutation detection analysis, nutation control analysis, and error analysis. The resulting nutation control system uses an accelerometer or rate gyro to sense the nutation angle theta which varies sinusoidally at the nutation frequency omega. The sensed nutation angle is compared with a threshold theta sub tau. If the sensed nutation is greater, a thrust pulse of duration equal to the period of one spin cycle is initiated. Since the threshold theta sub tau is set equal to the amount of nutation that can be removed by one thrust pulse of duration equal to one spin cycle, the spacecraft nutation is reduced to near zero. Error analysis indicates that the nutation sensed, the threshold, the amount of nutation that can be removed during one thrust pulse, and the time duration of one thrust pulse are all sensitive to the spacecraft spin frequency imparted by the Delta rocket. Thus, the nutation control system was designed to be adaptive to the possible variations in imparted spin frequency.

Taylor, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Design and piloted simulation evaluation of integrated flight/propulsion controls for STOVL aircraft

Integrated flight/propulsion control systems have been designed for operation of STOVL aircraft over the low speed powered-lift flight envelope. The control system employs command modes for attitude, flightpath angle and flightpath acceleration during transition, and translational velocity command for hover and vertical landing. The command modes and feedback control are implemented in the form of a state-rate feedback implicit model follower to achieve the desired flying qualities and to suppress the effects of external disturbances and variations in the aircraft characteristics over the low speed envelope. A nonlinear inverse system was used to translate the output from these commands and feedback control into commands for the various aerodynamic and propulsion control effectors that are employed in powered-lift flight. Piloted evaluations of these STOVL integrated control designs have been conducted on Ames Research Center's Vertical Motion Simulator to assess flying qualities over the low-speed flight envelope. Results indicate that Level 1 flying qualities are achieved with this control system concept for each of these low-speed operations over a wide range of wind, atmospheric turbulence, and visibility conditions.

Franklin, James A.↗

NASA NTRS1946

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Stability of the Jettisonable Nose Section of the X-3 Airplane

Because previous work has indicated that jettisonable nose sections of airplanes may be inherently unstable, and thus may cause dangerous centripetal accelerations on a pilot after jettisoning during high-speed flight, an investigation has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel to determine the behavior in descent of a model of the jettisonable nose section of the Douglas X-3 airplane. The effects of varying the center-of-gravity position, of attaching fins of various sizes, and of installing a stabilizing parachute were investigated. In the investigation the model descended with its front and trimmed 36 deg above the horizontal and rotated about a vertical wind axis while rolling about its longitudinal body axis. The nose section was made to descend in a stable front-down attitude when stabilizing fins were installed in conjunction with movement of the center of gravity forward or when a stable parachute was attached to the model.

Scher, Stanley H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Dynamic dissipative compensator design for large space structures

Control system design is considered for attitude control and vibration suppression of flexible space structures. The problem addressed is that of controlling both the zero-frequency rigid-body modes and the elastic modes. Model-based compensators, which employ observers tuned to the plant parameters, are first investigated. Such compensators are shown to generally exhibit high sensitivity to the knowledge of the parameters, especially the elastic mode frequencies. To overcome this problem a class of dynamic dissipative compensators is next proposed, which robustly stabilize the plant in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and parametric uncertainties. An analytical proof of robust stability is given, and a method of implementing the controller as a strictly proper compensator is given. Methods of designing such controllers to obtain optimal performance and robust stability are presented. Numerical and experimental results of application of the methods are presented, which indicate that dynamic dissipative controllers can simultaneously provide excellent performance and robustness.

Joshi, S. M.↗