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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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Optimal temperature control design using IBM 7094 digital computer program for thermal environment simulation of stabilized multisurfaced earth- orbiting spacecraft structure
Cryogenic radiation tests on structural alloys for NERVA Program, discussing test environment effects
Gear materials evaluation program for space environment application with unlubricated or solid film lubricated operation mode
Gear materials evaluation program for space environment application with unlubricated or solid film lubricated operation mode
This catalog is divided into three sections: data description contains descriptions of data available at or through NSSDC as well as descriptions of the experiments and spacecraft from which the data originated; and supporting data contains brief descriptions of space environment models and programs distributed by NSSDC. Section 3 is a series of indexes that contain: (1) a listing of all spacecraft, experiment, and data descriptions presented in Section 1 plus tables indicating the period for which each spacecraft was operational; (2) an index of all spacecraft described here, identified by common names and alternate names; (3) a listing of the original experiment institutions for all experiments described; (4) a listing of the investigators associated with the experiments and their current affiliations; and (5) an index of all experiments sorted by phenomenon measured.
A survey is presented of shock and vibration technology for electrical systems developed by the aerospace programs. The shock environment is surveyed along with new techniques for modeling, computer simulation, damping, and response analysis. Design techniques based on the use of analog computers, shock spectra, optimization, and nonlinear isolation are discussed. Shock mounting of rotors for performance and survival, and vibration isolation techniques are reviewed.
The development, manufacture, and testing of an optical steerer intended for use in spaceborne optical radar systems are described. Included are design principles and design modifications made to harden the device against launch and space environments, the quality program and procedures developed to insure consistent product quality throughout the manufacturing phase, and engineering qualification model testing and evaluation. The delivered hardware design is considered conditionally qualified pending action on further recommended design modifications.
In the sortie mode the Shuttle bay becomes a laboratory for a wide variety of space experiments and observations. Scientists and engineers can man this laboratory for investigations conducted in a space environment. A special program, called ASSESS (Airborne Science/Shuttle Experiment System Simulation) has been instituted to conduct exhaustive studies of the airborne-science concept as it may apply to Shuttle planning. The ASSESS program is described in detail together with the airborne-science operation pertinent to the Shuttle. Similarities of airborne science aircraft to the Shuttle are considered along with the results of a simulation mission, flown in October 1972.
Tests performed on the TRW precision star tracker are described. The unit tested was a two-axis gimballed star tracker designed to provide star LOS data to an accuracy of 1 to 2 sec. The tracker features a unique bearing system and utilizes thermal and mechanical symmetry techniques to achieve high precision which can be demonstrated in a one g environment. The test program included a laboratory evaluation of tracker functional operation, sensitivity, repeatibility, and thermal stability.
The Liner Environment Effects Study Program is aimed at establishing a broad heat transfer data base under controlled experimental conditions by quantifying the effects of the combustion system conditions on the combustor liner thermal loading and on the flame radiation characteristics. Five liner concepts spanning the spectrum of liner design technology from the very simple to the most advanced concepts are investigated. These concepts comprise an uncooled liner, a conventional film cooled liner, an impingement/film cooled liner, a laser drilled liner approaching the concept of a porous wall, and a siliconized silicon carbide ceramic liner. Effect of fuel type is covered by using fuels containing 11.8, 12.8, and 14% hydrogen. Tests at 100, 200, and 300 psia provide a basis for evaluating the effect of pressure on the heat transfer. The effects of the atomization quality and spray characteristics are examined by varying the fuel spray Sauter mean diameter and the spray angle. Additional varied parameters include reference velocity, a wide range of equivalence ratio, cooling flow rate, coolant temperature and the velocity of the coolant stream on the backside of the liner.
An experiment plan was formulated to support an investigation of the precipitation processes associated with mesoscale systems and the interaction of rain producing cloud complexes with the meso and macro-scale environment. The field program necessary to accomplish the scientific goals is designed to incorporate satellite information (VIS and IR as well as VAS data), special radiosonde and surface observing capabilities, radar observations of storms development, special observations from aircraft and ground based lightning measurements. The observing network comprises rawinsonde stations located in northern Alabama and eastern Tennessee. A high density raingauge network and the MSFC lightning location network also cover the area. Coordination with NASA U2 and ER2 aircraft programs and with the operational requirements of the microburst severe thunderstorm program can assure the most efficient utilization of the observing resources.
An experimental, personal computer image processing system has been developed which provides a variety of processing functions in an environment that connects programs by means of a 'menu' for both casual and experienced users. The system is implemented by a compiled BASIC program that is coupled to assembly language subroutines. Image processing functions encompass subimage extraction, image coloring, area classification, histogramming, contrast enhancement, filtering, and pixel extraction.
The solution of a block tridiagonal matrix using parallel processing is demonstrated. The multiprocessor system on which results were obtained and the software environment used to program that system are described. Theoretical partitioning and resource allocation for the Gaussian elimination method used to solve the matrix are discussed. The results obtained from running 1, 2 and 3 processor versions of the block tridiagonal solver are presented. The PASCAL source code for these solvers is given in the appendix, and may be transportable to other shared memory parallel processors provided that the synchronization outlines are reproduced on the target system.
Robotics has become a key technology consideration for the Space Station project to enable enhanced crew productivity and to maximize safety. There are many robotic functions currently being studied, including Space Station assembly, repair, and maintenance as well as satellite refurbishment, repair, and retrieval. Another area of concern is that of providing ground based experimenters with a natural interface that they might directly interact with their hardware onboard the Space Station or ancillary spacecraft. The state of the technology is such that the above functions are feasible; however, considerable development work is required for operation in this gravity-free vacuum environment. Furthermore, a program plan is evolving within NASA that will capitalize on recent government, university, and industrial robotics research and development (R and D) accomplishments. A brief summary is presented of the primary technology issues and physical examples are provided of the state of the technology for the initial operational capability (IOC) system as well as for the eventual final operational capability (FOC) Space Station.
The control of manipulators is seen here as a two-level process. A method is described to convert information available at the programming level into trajectories suitable to be tracked by a servo control system. The goal of the servo is to absorb the unmodeled dynamics. Tracking accuracy will depend mainly on the acceleration demand of the nominal trajectory setpoint, in particular, the actuator output demand must remain bounded. Our scheme adaptively takes into consideration at the trajectory computation level the dynamics of the underlying system, dynamically available information acquired through sensors, various types of constraints, such as path accuracy, and manipulator optimization. This scheme is meant to be implemented on-line, to drive mechanical systems such as manipulators. It is developed in the context of a multi-manipulator programming and control environment for space applications developed as part of a collaborative effort between McGill University and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) Program is directed toward modeling the coupled solar wind/magnetosphere/ionosphere system. The inter-calibration of ground-based observations of the ionosphere and satellite observations has been identified as an essential step in tying together the data to produce a global picture of geospace. On October 10, 1988 the DMSP-F9 satellite passed through the Southern Hemisphere cusp while a coheret scatter HF-radar was observing 10-m scale irregularities present in the ionosphere. The combined data indicate that these irregularities were being generated in the cusp, and that the cusp was a region of greater than normal electric field turbulence. The radar data indicate that the cusp was colocated with the region where the ionospheric convection rotated from sunward to anti-sunward with increasing latitude. These observations provide an unambiguous case where simultaneous satellite and ground-based observations of the cusp can be compared.
Hypercluster computer system includes multiple digital processors, operation of which coordinated through specialized software. Configurable according to various parallel-computing architectures of shared-memory or distributed-memory class, including scalar computer, vector computer, reduced-instruction-set computer, and complex-instruction-set computer. Designed as flexible, relatively inexpensive system that provides single programming and operating environment within which one can investigate effects of various parallel-computing architectures and combinations on performance in solution of complicated problems like those of three-dimensional flows in turbomachines. Hypercluster software and architectural concepts are in public domain.
The output of this task will be a program plan which will delineate how MSFC will support and implement its portion of the Inter-Center Computational Controls Program Plan. Another output will be the results of looking at various multibody/multidegree of freedom computer programs in various environments.