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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 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Development of an integrated set of research facilities for the support of research flight test

The Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF) serves as the site for high-risk flight research on many one-of-a-kind test vehicles like the X-29A advanced technology demonstrator, F-16 advanced fighter technology integration (AFTI), AFTI F-111 mission adaptive wing, and F-18 high-alpha research vehicle (HARV). Ames-Dryden is on a section of the historic Muroc Range. The facility is oriented toward the testing of high-performance aircraft, as shown by its part in the development of the X-series aircraft. Given the cost of research flight tests and the complexity of today's systems-driven aircraft, an integrated set of ground support experimental facilities is a necessity. In support of the research flight test of highly advanced test beds, the DFRF is developing a network of facilities to expedite the acquisition and distribution of flight research data to the researcher. The network consists of an array of experimental ground-based facilities and systems as nodes and the necessary telecommunications paths to pass research data and information between these facilities. This paper presents the status of the current network, an overview of current developments, and a prospectus on future major enhancements.

Moore, Archie L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development of an integrated set of research facilities for the support of research flight test

The Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF) serves as the site for the conduct of high-risk flight research on many one-of-a-kind test vehicles like the X-29A advanced technology demonstrator, F-16 advanced fighter technology integration (AFTI), AFTI F-111 mission adaptive wing, and F-18 high-alpha research vehicle (HARV). Ames-Dryden is on a section of the historic Muroc Range. The facility is oriented toward the testing of high-performance aircraft, as shown by its part in the development of the X-series aircraft. Given the cost of research flight test and the complexity of today's systems-driven aircraft, an integrated set of ground support experimental facilities is a necessity. In support of the research flight test of highly advanced test beds, the DFRF is developing a network of facilities to expedite the acquisition and distribution of flight research data to the researcher. This network consists of an array of experimental ground-based facilities and systems as nodes and the necessary telecommunications paths to pass research data and information between these facilities. This paper presents a status of the current network, an overview of current developments, and a prospectus on future major enhancements.

Moore, Archie L.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Subscale Flight Testing for Aircraft Loss of Control: Accomplishments and Future Directions

Subscale flight-testing provides a means to validate both dynamic models and mitigation technologies in the high-risk flight conditions associated with aircraft loss of control. The Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) facility was designed to be a flexible and efficient research facility to address this type of flight-testing. Over the last several years (2009-2011) it has been used to perform 58 research flights with an unmanned, remotely-piloted, dynamically-scaled airplane. This paper will present an overview of the facility and its architecture and summarize the experimental data collected. All flights to date have been conducted within visual range of a safety observer. Current plans for the facility include expanding the test volume to altitudes and distances well beyond visual range. The architecture and instrumentation changes associated with this upgrade will also be presented.

Cox, David E.↗
NASA NTRS2018

UAS-NAS NASA 870 Ikhana UAS No Chase COA (NCC) Flights, Flight Test Report

This document is a flight test report from the operational perspective for the No Chase Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) flights, or NCC flights, a major milestone of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) project. Discussions of a demonstration event began as early as 2014 and the actual flight of the Ikhana UAS into the NAS without a safety chase vehicle in Class A, E, and D airspace was accomplished on 12 June, 2018. The major goal of this flight was to demonstrate an alternate means of compliance to the see and avoid regulations for a UAS using Detect and Avoid (DAA) technology. Participants in this flight activity and planning included the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center, NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), Honeywell International, Inc., and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Marston, Mike↗
NASA NTRS2006

Flight Test Results of VDL-3, 1090ES, and UAT Datalinks for Weather Information Communication

This presentation describes final test results for the Weather Information Communications (WINCOMM) program at the NASA Glenn Research Center on flight testing of the 1090 Extended Squitter (1090ES), VDL Mode 3, and Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) data links as a medium for weather data exchange. It presents an architectural description of the use of 1090ES to meet the program objectives of sending turbulence information, the use of VDL Mode 3 to send graphical weather images, and the use of UAT for transmitting weather sensor data. This presentation provides a high level definition of the changes made to both avionics and ground-based receivers as well as the ground infrastructure used to support flight testing and future implementation. Summary of results from flight tests of these datalinks will also be presented.

Griner, James↗
NASA NTRS1999

Future X Pathfinder: Quick, Low Cost Flight Testing for Tomorrow's Launch Vehicles

The DC-X and DC-XA Single Stage Technology flight program demonstrated the value of low cost rapid prototyping and flight testing of launch vehicle technology testbeds. NASA is continuing this important legacy through a program referred to as Future-X Pathfinder. This program is designed to field flight vehicle projects that cost around $100M each, with a new vehicle flying about every two years. Each vehicle project will develop and extensively flight test a launch vehicle technology testbed that will advance the state of the art in technologies directly relevant to future space transportation systems. There are currently two experimental, or "X" vehicle projects in the Pathfinder program, with additional projects expected to follow in the near future. The first Pathfinder project is X-34. X-34 is a suborbital rocket plane capable of flights to Mach 8 and 75 kilometers altitude. There are a number of reusable launch vehicle technologies embedded in the X-34 vehicle design, such as composite structures and propellant tanks, and advanced reusable thermal protection systems. In addition, X-34 is designed to carry experiments applicable to both the launch vehicle and hypersonic aeronautics community. X-34 is scheduled to fly later this year. The second Pathfinder project is the X-37. X-37 is an orbital space plane that is carried into orbit either by the Space Shuttle or by an expendable launch vehicle. X-37 provides NASA access to the orbital and orbital reentry flight regimes with an experimental testbed vehicle. The vehicle will expose embedded and carry-on advanced space transportation technologies to the extreme environments of orbit and reentry. Early atmospheric approach and landing tests of an unpowered version of the X-37 will begin next year, with orbital flights beginning in late 2001. Future-X Pathfinder is charting a course for the future with its growing fleet of low-cost X- vehicles. X-34 and X-37 are leading the assault on high launch costs and enabling the flight testing of technologies that will lead to affordable access to space.

London, John, III↗
NASA NTRS1978

Planned flight test of a mercury ion auxiliary propulsion system. II - Integration with host spacecraft

This is part II of a three-part paper describing the approved flight test of a mercury ion auxiliary propulsion system. The objectives of the flight test are summarized with reference to user application. The approach to accomplishment is presented as it applies to integrating the propulsion system with the host spacecraft, USAF's STP P80-1. A number of known interface design considerations which affect the propulsion system and the spacecraft are discussed. Finally, analogies are drawn comparing the relationship of the organizations involved with this flight test with those anticipated for future operational missions. Attention is given to the viewpoint of the project office

Knight, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Aerodynamic and Acoustic Flight Test Results for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

As part of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) program, a 747SP airplane was modified to carry a 2.5 meter telescope in the aft section of the fuselage. The resulting airborne observatory allows for observations above 99 percent of the water vapor in the atmosphere. The open cavity created by the modifications had the potential to significantly affect the airplane in the areas of aerodynamics and acoustics. Several series of flight tests were conducted to clear the airplanes operating envelope for astronomical observations, planned to be performed between the altitudes of 39,000 feet and 45,000 feet. The flight tests were successfully completed. Cavity acoustics were below design limits, and the overall acoustic characteristics of the cavity were better than expected. The modification did have some effects on the stability and control of the airplane, but these effects were not significant. Airplane air data systems were not affected by the modifications. This paper describes the methods used to examine the aerodynamics and acoustic data from the flight tests and provides a discussion of the flight test results in the areas of cavity acoustics, stability and control, and air data.

SOFIA↗
NASA NTRS2015

Flight Testing ALHAT Precision Landing Technologies Integrated Onboard the Morpheus Rocket Vehicle

A suite of prototype sensors, software, and avionics developed within the NASA Autonomous precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project were terrestrially demonstrated onboard the NASA Morpheus rocket-propelled Vertical Testbed (VTB) in 2014. The sensors included a LIDAR-based Hazard Detection System (HDS), a Navigation Doppler LIDAR (NDL) velocimeter, and a long-range Laser Altimeter (LAlt) that enable autonomous and safe precision landing of robotic or human vehicles on solid solar system bodies under varying terrain lighting conditions. The flight test campaign with the Morpheus vehicle involved a detailed integration and functional verification process, followed by tether testing and six successful free flights, including one night flight. The ALHAT sensor measurements were integrated into a common navigation solution through a specialized ALHAT Navigation filter that was employed in closed-loop flight testing within the Morpheus Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) subsystem. Flight testing on Morpheus utilized ALHAT for safe landing site identification and ranking, followed by precise surface-relative navigation to the selected landing site. The successful autonomous, closed-loop flight demonstrations of the prototype ALHAT system have laid the foundation for the infusion of safe, precision landing capabilities into future planetary exploration missions.

Carson, John M. III↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Flight Test of an Automatic Spin Prevention System

The paper describes the flight testing of the Spin Prevention and Incidence Limiting System (SPILS) now fitted to the Tornado aircraft. The trial was carried out in parallel with the conventional stalling and spinning trial and the special aircraft equipment and test procedures were common to both trials for much of the time. The use of telemetry was of particular importance to the conduct of the trial and is considered in some detail. The paper then describes the SPILS flight testing, with and without stores, and describes the reasons for the control law modifications required to "fine tune" the performance of the system. In conclusion, consideration is given to the lessons learned from the flight trial.

P S Butcher↗
NASA NTRS1985

Planning fuel-conservative descents in an airline environmental using a small programmable calculator: Algorithm development and flight test results

A simple, airborne, flight-management descent algorithm was developed and programmed into a small programmable calculator. The algorithm may be operated in either a time mode or speed mode. The time mode was designed to aid the pilot in planning and executing a fuel-conservative descent to arrive at a metering fix at a time designated by the air traffic control system. The speed model was designed for planning fuel-conservative descents when time is not a consideration. The descent path for both modes was calculated for a constant with considerations given for the descent Mach/airspeed schedule, gross weight, wind, wind gradient, and nonstandard temperature effects. Flight tests, using the algorithm on the programmable calculator, showed that the open-loop guidance could be useful to airline flight crews for planning and executing fuel-conservative descents.

Knox, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Measurement and analysis of acoustic flight test data for two advanced design high speed propeller models

The recent test program, in which the SR-2 and SR-3 Prop-Fan models were acoustically tested in flight, is described and the results of analysis of noise data acquired are discussed. The trends of noise levels with flight operating parameters are shown. The acoustic benefits of the SR-3 design with swept blades relative to the SR-2 design with straight blades are shown. Noise data measured on the surface of a small-diameter microphone boom mounted above the fuselage and on the surface of the airplane fuselage are compared to show the effects of acoustic propagation through a boundary layer. Noise level estimates made using a theoretically based prediction methodology are compared with measurements.

Brooks, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Flight test configuration for verifying inertial sensor redundancy management techniques

The Redundant Strapdown Inertial Measurement Unit presently tested in flight configuration consists of a semioctahedral array of four dynamically tuned, two-degree-of-freedom (TDOF) gyros and four TDOF accelerometers which can provide dual, fail-operational performance for integrated avionics systems. Attention is given to the multilevel algorithm used for the detection and isolation of three ranges of sensor failure in an integrated avionics context. A technique for the generation of accelerometer and gyro error thresholds which is sensitive to dynamic sensor errors and separation effects is presented, together with simulation results. Emphasis is placed on the ensuring of highly reliable data for flight control/navigation functions, while minimizing false or missed alarms.

Bryant, W. H.↗