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At least 505 records · Page 28

An Overview of Space Exploration Simulation (Basis of Confidence) Documentation

Models and simulations (M&S) are critical resources in the exploration of space. They support program management, systems engineering, integration, analysis, test, and operations by providing critical information that supports key analyses and decisions (technical, cost and schedule). Consequently, there is a clear need to establish a solid understanding of M&S strengths and weaknesses, and the bounds within which they can credibly support decision making. In this presentation we will describe how development of simulation capability documentation will be used to form a Basis of Confidence (Basis of Confidence) for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) M&S. The process by which BOC documentation is developed will be addressed, as well as the structure and critical concepts that are essential for establishing credibility of NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) legacy M&S. We will illustrate the significance of BOC documentation in supporting decision makers and Accreditation Authorities in M&S risk management.

Bray, Alleen↗

Space radiator simulation system analysis

A transient heat transfer analysis was carried out on a space radiator heat rejection system exposed to an arbitrarily prescribed combination of aerodynamic heating, solar, albedo, and planetary radiation. A rigorous analysis was carried out for the radiation panel and tubes lying in one plane and an approximate analysis was used to extend the rigorous analysis to the case of a curved panel. The analysis permits the consideration of both gaseous and liquid coolant fluids, including liquid metals, under prescribed, time dependent inlet conditions. The analysis provided a method for predicting: (1) transient and steady-state, two dimensional temperature profiles, (2) local and total heat rejection rates, (3) coolant flow pressure in the flow channel, and (4) total system weight and protection layer thickness.

Black, W. Z.↗

Verification, Validation, and Accreditation Challenges of Distributed Simulation for Space Exploration Technology

Throughout its rich history, NASA has invested heavily in sophisticated simulation capabilities. These capabilities reside in NASA facilities across the country - and with partners around the world. NASA s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) has the opportunity to leverage these considerable investments to resolve technical questions relating to its missions. The distributed nature of the assets, both in terms of geography and organization, present challenges to their combined and coordinated use, but precedents of geographically distributed real-time simulations exist. This paper will show how technological advances in simulation can be employed to address the issues associated with netting NASA simulation assets.

Thomas, Danny↗

The role of simulation in Space Shuttle training

The content and the scope of the flight crew training program for the Space Shuttle are discussed with emphasis on the role of simulation in such training. The training flow chart is presented and requirements in hours are given for each of the subject areas.

Bilodeau, J. W.↗

Concept verification of three dimensional free motion simulator for space robot

In the development of automatic assembling technologies for space structures, it is an indispensable matter to investigate and simulate the movements of robot satellites concerned with mission operation. The movement investigation and simulation on the ground will be effectively realized by a free motion simulator. Various types of ground systems for simulating free motion have been proposed and utilized. Some of these methods are a neutral buoyancy system, an air or magnetic suspension system, a passive suspension balance system, and a free flying aircraft or drop tower system. In addition, systems can be simulated by computers using an analytical model. Each free motion simulation method has limitations and well known problems, specifically, disturbance by water viscosity, limited number of degrees-of-freedom, complex dynamics induced by the attachment of the simulation system, short experiment time, and the lack of high speed super-computer simulation systems, respectively. The basic idea presented here is to realize 3-dimensional free motion. This is achieved by combining a spherical air bearing, a cylindrical air bearing, and a flat air bearing. A conventional air bearing system has difficulty realizing free vertical motion suspension. The idea of free vertical suspension is that a cylindrical air bearing and counter balance weight realize vertical free motion. This paper presents a design concept, configuration, and basic performance characteristics of an innovative free motion simulator. A prototype simulator verifies the feasibility of 3-dimensional free motion simulation.

Okamoto, Osamu↗

Issues in visual support to real-time space system simulation solved in the Systems Engineering Simulator

The Systems Engineering Simulator has addressed the major issues in providing visual data to its real-time man-in-the-loop simulations. Out-the-window views and CCTV views are provided by three scene systems to give the astronauts their real-world views. To expand the window coverage for the Space Station Freedom workstation a rotating optics system is used to provide the widest field of view possible. To provide video signals to as many viewpoints as possible, windows and CCTVs, with a limited amount of hardware, a video distribution system has been developed to time-share the video channels among viewpoints at the selection of the simulation users. These solutions have provided the visual simulation facility for real-time man-in-the-loop simulations for the NASA space program.

Yuen, Vincent K.↗

Space shuttle staging simulation

The overall capability is described and delineated of a new digital computer program for simulation of space shuttle vehicle staging maneuvers. The important distinctive feature of the program is that it enables simulation of linkage-type separation devices (as well as all the more usual types) and includes the effects of interference aerodynamics and thrust impingement. A general flow description and a moderately detailed description of the major simulation components are presented. Some typical simulation results are shown, and the flexibility and growth potential of the basic simulation are discussed.

Hall, C. E.↗

A generic multi-flex-body dynamics, controls simulation tool for space station

An order (n) multiflex body Space Station simulation tool is introduced. The flex multibody modeling is generic enough to model all phases of Space Station from build up through to Assembly Complete configuration and beyond. Multibody subsystems such as the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) undergoing a prescribed translation and rotation are also allowed. The software includes aerodynamic, gravity gradient, and magnetic field models. User defined controllers can be discrete or continuous. Extensive preprocessing of 'body by body' NASTRAN flex data is built in. A significant aspect, too, is the integrated controls design capability which includes model reduction and analytic linearization.

London, Ken W.↗

Selection of Solar Simulator for Solar Dynamic Ground Test

The 2 kWe Solar Dynamic (SD) Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) experiment will be conducted in 1995 at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). This solar dynamic power system test will be conducted in a simulated space environment and will require an artificial sun. To address the solar simulator requirements for the GTD, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) was hired under contract to review and visit four existing solar simulator facilities. The four facilities included, AEDC's Mark 1 Chamber, NASA-JSC Chamber A, AEDC's 12V Chamber, and NASA-JPL Space Simulator Chamber. Two design concepts were considered following several months of evaluating existing solar simulator facilities throughout the United States. To satisfy system requirements for the SD GTD experiment the solar simulator needs to provide a uniform light flux to the SD concentrator, provide the light within a subtense angle of one degree, and provide an intensity of one solar constant (1.37 kW/sq m) at airmass zero. Most solar simulators are designed for supplying heat loads to spacecraft where a cone angle as large as 3 degrees is acceptable. It was also concluded that a solar simulator, such like these considered in the AEDC study, would require major facility modifications for NASA LeRC and result in significant impacts to the program. The advanced solar simulator concept developed by NASA LeRC will meet the system requirements for the SD GTD experiment Since SD GTD solar simulator requirements could not be addressed by existing simulator, an advanced concept was considered.

Tolbert, Carol M.↗

Acute physiological responses of squirrel monkeys exposed to hyperdynamic environments

Physiological and behavioral responses to a hyperdynamic environment were examined in four adult male squirrel monkeys. After baseline monitoring at 1 G, monkeys were exposed to one of three conditions: (1) +2 Gz for 60 minutes, (2) +2.9 Gz max for 8 minutes (simulating Space Shuttle launch), or (3) +1.7 Gz max for 19 minutes (simulating Space Shuttle reentry). During all experimental conditions, heart rate rose, and colonic temperature began to decline within the first ten minutes of centrifugation and decreased by as much as 2 C in some instances. Behaviorally, during centrifugation, the monkeys seemed to exhibit drowsiness and fall asleep, an observation not made during the control period. It is concluded that primates are susceptible to acute hyperdynamic field exposure.

Fuller, C. A.↗

Modelling and simulation of Space Station Freedom berthing dynamics and control

A large-angle, flexible, multibody, dynamic modeling capability has been developed to help validate numerical simulations of the dynamic motion and control forces which occur during berthing of Space Station Freedom to the Shuttle Orbiter in the early assembly flights. This paper outlines the dynamics and control of the station, the attached Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, and the orbiter. The simulation tool developed for the analysis is described and the results of two simulations are presented. The first is a simulated maneuver from a gravity-gradient attitude to a torque equilibrium attitude using the station reaction control jets. The second simulation is the berthing of the station to the orbiter with the station control moment gyros actively maintaining an estimated torque equilibrium attitude. The influence of the elastic dynamic behavior of the station and of the Remote Manipulator System on the attitude control of the station/orbiter system during each maneuver was investigated. The flexibility of the station and the arm were found to have only a minor influence on the attitude control of the system during the maneuvers.

Cooper, Paul A.↗

Integrated dynamic analysis simulation of space stations with controllable solar arrays (supplemental data and analyses)

Space station and solar array data and the analyses which were performed in support of the integrated dynamic analysis study. The analysis methods and the formulated digital simulation were developed. Control systems for space station altitude control and solar array orientation control include generic type control systems. These systems have been digitally coded and included in the simulation.

Heinrichs, J. A.↗

Large-Scale Space Network Simulator for Performance-Optimized DTNs

High-rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) is a performance-optimized Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) implementation that can provide multigigabit per second data rates in disruptive and high-latency space networks. Routing, especially in large-scale space networks, remains challenging due to network topologies that evolve over time. This paper presents a simulation tool that enables HDTN implementation testing at accelerated speeds, which is key for routing in large-scale space networks.

High data-rate Delay Tolerant Networking↗

Optimized space shuttle trajectory simulation

A computer program for simulating optimized space shuttle trajectories is presented. The program considers the ascent, return, and synergetic maneuvers of lifting boosters and spacecraft. Other constraints on optimum trajectory such as maximum heating, acceleration, angle of attack, and excluded or included overflight or impact regions are examined. Mathematical models are included to support the theoretical aspects of the discussion.

Tramonti, L.↗

Visual motor response of crewmen during a simulated 90 day space mission as measured by the critical task battery

In order to test various components of a regenerative life support system and to obtain data on the physiological and psychological effects of long-duration exposure to confinement in a space station atmosphere, four carefully screened young men were sealed in space station simulator for 90 days. A tracking test battery was administered during the above experiment. The battery included a clinical test (critical instability task) related to the subject's dynamic time delay, and a conventional steady tracking task, during which dynamic response (describing functions) and performance measures were obtained. Good correlation was noted between the clinical critical instability scores and more detailed tracking parameters such as dynamic time delay and gain-crossover frequency. The comprehensive data base on human operator tracking behavior obtained in this study demonstrate that sophisticated visual-motor response properties can be efficiently and reliably measured over extended periods of time.

Allen, R. W.↗