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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 487 records · Page 27

NASA Balloon Technology Developments

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Balloon Program has been, and will continue to be, committed to improving the capabilities of balloons to support science missions. Fundamental to vehicle improvement is a program of technology development that will enable improved flight performance throughout the next decade. The program s technology thrust areas include: materials, vehicle design & development, structural analysis, operations & support systems, performance modeling and planetary balloons. Building on the foundations of the 18-year research and development program, a technology roadmap has been generated which identifies specific areas of interest to NASA and the vision of future developments. The major components of the roadmap are: vehicle systems, balloon-craft systems, operational and safety support systems, and planetary vehicles. Current technology activities include nanocomposite balloon films, a new balloon designed to lift 3600 kgs to 36 km, a balloon rotation rate study and Mars pumpkin balloon investigations. The technology roadmap, as well as specific projects and recent advancements, will be presented.

Fairbrother, D. A.↗

Design and evaluation of a sensor fail-operational control system for a digitally controlled turbofan engine

A self-learning, sensor fail-operational, control system for the TF30-P-3 afterburning turbofan engine was designed and evaluated. The sensor fail-operational control system includes a digital computer program designed to operate in conjunction with the standard TF30-P-3 bill-of-materials control. Four engine measurements and two compressor face measurements are tested. If any engine measurements are found to have failed, they are replaced by values synthesized from computer-stored information. The control system was evaluated by using a realtime, nonlinear, hybrid computer engine simulation at sea level static condition, at a typical cruise condition, and at several extreme flight conditions. Results indicate that the addition of such a system can improve the reliability of an engine digital control system.

Hrach, F. J.↗

A nonlinear trajectory command generator for a digital flight-control system

Operational application of the command generator (CG) was examined in detail in a simulation of a flight control system with the augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft. The basic repertoire of single axis maneuvers and operational constraints are discussed, and the system behavior is tested on a rigorous STOL approach path and as affected by various approximations in the CG synthesis and types of disturbances found in the operational environment. The simulation results indicate that a satisfactory nonlinear system with general maneuvering capabilities throughout the flight envelope was developed which satisfies the basic design objectives while maintaining a practicable degree of simplicity.

Cicolani, L. S.↗

Risk reduction methodologies and technologies for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Operations Center (EOC)

This paper will discuss proposed Flight Operations methodologies and technologies for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Operations Center (EOC), to reduce risks associated with the operation of complex multi-instrument spacecraft in a multi-spacecraft environment. The EOC goals are to obtain 100 percent science data capture and maintain 100 percent spacecraft health, for each EOS spacecraft. Operations risks to the spacecraft and data loss due to operator command error, mission degradation due to mis-identification of an anomalous trend in component performance or mis-management of resources, and total mission loss due to improper subsystem configuration or mis-identification of an anomalous condition. This paper discusses automation of routine Flight Operations Team (FOT) responsibilities, Expert systems for real-time non-nominal condition decision support, and Telemetry analysis systems for in-depth playback data analysis and trending.

Hudson, Richard K.↗

Discontinuous solutions to hyperbolic systems under operator splitting

Two-dimensional systems of linear hyperbolic equations are studied with regard to their behavior under a solution strategy that in alternate time-steps solves exactly the component one-dimensional operators. The initial data is a step function across an oblique discontinuity. The manner in which this discontinuity breaks up under repeated applications of the split operator is analyzed, and it is shown that the split solution will fail to match the true solution in any case where the two operators do not share all their eigenvectors. The special case of the fluid flow equations is analyzed in more detail, and it is shown that arbitrary initial data gives rise to pseudo acoustic waves and a non-physical stationary wave. The implications of these findings for the design of high-resolution computing schemes are discussed.

Roe, P. L.↗

Preliminary operational results from the Willard solar power system

The solar powered system located near Willard, New Mexico, generates mechanical or electrical power at a capacity of 19 kW (25 HP). The solar collection system incorporates east/west tracking parabolic trough collectors with a total aperture area of 1275 sq m (13,720 sq ft). The hot oil type thermal energy storage is sufficient for approximately 20 hours of power system operation. The system utilizes a reaction type turbine in conjunction with an organic Rankine cycle engine. Total collector field efficiency reaches a maximum of 20 percent near the winter solstice and about 50 percent during the summer. During the month of July, 1979, the system pumped 60 percent of the 35,300 cu m (28.6 acre-feet) of water delivered. Operating efficiencies for the turbine component, organic Rankine cycle engine and the complete power system are respectively 65 to 75 percent, 12 to 15 percent and 5 to 6 percent. Significant maintenance time was expended on both the collector and power systems throughout the operational period.

Fenton, D. L.↗

Pilot's manual for automated 4D guidance system

Operational procedures and modes of an experimental 4D guidance system are described from the pilot's point of view. The system consists of the experimental avionics equipment referred to as STOLAND and a specially developed software package for the STOLAND digital computer. A capture mode of the system provides arrival time control and automatic tracking of the 4D flight path from any feasible initial aircraft state to any waypoint. Precise arrival time at a waypoint is achieved by means of speed control or, if large delays are required, by path stretching. Continuous recomputation and display of the capture flight path prior to engaging the system permits the pilot to determine the exact moment for terminating a holding or path stretching maneuver in order to achieve a specified arrival time.

Erzberger, H.↗

Source Contaminant Control System Design, Operation, and Testing for the Trash Compaction and Processing System

The Trash Compaction and Processing System (TCPS) aims to reduce volume, biologically safen, physically stabilize, manage effluents, and recover resources from astronaut trash in the International Space Station (ISS). This process involves heating the trash to high temperatures, which in turn releases gaseous contaminants. Effluent management scenarios involve releasing these gases back to the ISS cabin after processing and/or directly venting these gases out to space via the Vacuum Exhaust System (VES). Concerns for recovering the gases back to cabin are crew health, safety, and spacecraft environmental impact. The Heat Melt Compactor (HMC) at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) serves as a test system that supports TCPS development by conducting risk reduction activities associated with an ISS flight demonstration. Previous gas effluent studies were conducted on the HMC. The results consisted of contaminants from the trash exhaust to exceed Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMAC), which are selected airborne contaminants that can elicit toxicity symptoms to crewmembers via exposure. The Source Contaminant Control System (SCCS) aims to reduce that risk by converting the contaminants into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) vapor. The SCCS is composed of a carbon adsorbent bed, to avoid catalyst poisoning, and a catalytic oxidizer (CatOx), which promotes oxidation of the contaminants to CO2and H2O. In turn, the gases coming out of the SCCS should be compatible to the ISS cabin and systems such as the Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS). Preparation for SCCS testing alongside the HMC Gen 3 are currently underway at ARC. The main objectives are to evaluate CatOx efficiency by CO2conversion and characterize effectiveness of removal by comparing contaminant results before and after CatOx. This paper will report on the SCCS design, operation, and testing with results.

TCPS↗

Orbital flight simulation utility software unit specifications, revision 1

The HP PASCAL source code defines the specifications for a Utility Software Unit (USU) designed to support orbital flight simulators such as MANHANDLE and GREAS (General Research and Engineering Analysis Simulator). Besides providing basic input/output, mathematical, matrix, quaternion, and statistical routines for such simulators, one of the primary functions of the USU is to isolate all system-dependent codes in one well-defined compartment, thereby facilitating transportation of the simulations from one computer to another. Directives are given for the PASCAL compilers of the HP-9000 Series 200 Pascal 3.0 and the HP-9000 Series 500 HP-UX 5.0 operating systems that produce a single file of relocatable code from four separate files of source code. Three of the source code files are common to both operating systems. The fourth source code file (utilspif.I) contains all of the system-dependent PASCAL code for the USU. A fifth file of source code written in C is required to interface utilspif.I with the HP-UX I/O package. The Pascal 3.0 compiler directives and the driver source code for a unit rest program and counterparts for the HP-UX 5.0 operating system are given. The major portion of the unit test program source code is common to both operating systems. Unit test results from the Pascal 3.0 operating system and results from the HP-UX operating system are given.

Wilson, S. W.↗

The Value of Forecasters‐in‐the‐Loop in Real‐Time Flood Forecasting in the Age of Machine Learning

Machine learning (ML) applications in hydrological forecasting are increasingly prevalent and show great potential. However, many previous studies have only evaluated performance through reanalysis or retrospective simulations compared to simplified baselines. This study provides the first assessment of ML performance against actual operational forecasting systems operated by the California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC), which combines the Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS) with forecasters-in-the-loop. Results demonstrate that forecasters-in-the-loop systems consistently outperform ML models in both general forecasts and flood alerting across lead times up to 96 hr, even when ML models use observed forcings, while CNRFC operational process relies on biased weather forecasts. Our analysis reveals that forecaster expertise maintains forecast reliability despite inaccurate precipitation inputs, with human-guided systems showing superior performance degradation characteristics at extended lead times. These findings highlight the irreplaceable value of human expertise in operational forecasting and caution against overstating current ML capabilities in real-world applications.

Tran, Vinh Ngoc [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI ↗

Space Operations Center system analysis study extension. Volume 4, book 1: SOC system analysis report

The Space Operations Center (SOC) orbital space station missions are analyzed. Telecommunications missions, space science, Earth sensing, and space testing missions, research and applications missions, defense missions, and satellite servicing missions are modeled and mission needs discussed. The satellite servicing missions are analyzed in detail, including construction and servicing equipment requirements, mission needs and benefits, differential drag characteristics of co-orbiting satellites, and satellite servicing transportation requirements.

Source record↗

A support architecture for reliable distributed computing systems

The Clouds project is well underway to its goal of building a unified distributed operating system supporting the object model. The operating system design uses the object concept of structuring software at all levels of the system. The basic operating system was developed and work is under progress to build a usable system.

Dasgupta, Partha↗

Source Contaminant Control System Design, Operation, and Testing for the Trash Compaction and Processing System

The Trash Compaction and Processing System (TCPS) aims to reduce volume, biologically safen, physically stabilize, manage effluents, and recover resources from astronaut trash in the International Space Station (ISS). This process involves heating the trash to high temperatures, which in turn releases gaseous contaminants. Effluent management scenarios involve releasing these gases back to the ISS cabin after processing and/or directly venting these gases out to space via the Vacuum Exhaust System (VES). Concerns for recovering the gases back to cabin are crew health, safety, and spacecraft environmental impact. The Heat Melt Compactor (HMC) at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) serves as a test system that supports TCPS development by conducting risk reduction activities associated with an ISS flight demonstration. Previous gas effluent studies were conducted on the HMC. The results consisted of contaminants from the trash exhaust to exceed Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMAC), which are selected airborne contaminants that can elicit toxicity symptoms to crewmembers via exposure. The Source Contaminant Control System (SCCS) aims to reduce that risk by converting the contaminants into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) vapor. The SCCS is composed of a carbon adsorbent bed, to avoid catalyst poisoning, and a catalytic oxidizer (CatOx), which promotes oxidation of the contaminants to CO2 and H2O. In turn, the gases coming out of the SCCS should be compatible to the ISS cabin and systems such as the Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS). Preparation for SCCS testing alongside the HMC Gen 3 are currently underway at ARC. The main objectives are to evaluate CatOx efficiency by CO2 conversion and characterize effectiveness of removal by comparing contaminant results before and after CatOx. This paper will report on the SCCS design, operation, and testing with results.

Janine Young↗

Safety-Critical Partitioned Software Architecture: A Partitioned Software Architecture for Robotic

The flight software on virtually every mission currently managed by JPL has several major flaws that make it vulnerable to potentially fatal software defects. Many of these problems can be addressed by recently developed partitioned operating systems (OS). JPL has avoided adopting a partitioned operating system on its flight missions, primarily because doing so would require significant changes in flight software design, and the risks associated with changes of that magnitude cannot be accepted by an active flight project. The choice of a partitioned OS can have a dramatic effect on the overall system and software architecture, allowing for realization of benefits far beyond the concerns typically associated with the choice of OS. Specifically, we believe that a partitioned operating system, when coupled with an appropriate architecture, can provide a strong infrastructure for developing systems for which reusability, modifiability, testability, and reliability are essential qualities. By adopting a partitioned OS, projects can gain benefits throughout the entire development lifecycle, from requirements and design, all the way to implementation, testing, and operations.

(Avionics Application Standard Software Interface ↗