Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “rigid structures”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Project PARAS: Phased array radio astronomy from space

An orbiting radio telescope is proposed which, when operated in a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) scheme, would allow higher than currently available angular resolution and dynamic range in the maps and the ability to observe rapidly changing astronomical sources. Using passive phased array technology, the proposed design consists of 656 hexagonal modules forming a 150-m diameter antenna dish. Each observatory module is largely autonomous, having its own photovoltaic power supply and low-noise receiver and processor for phase shifting. The signals received by the modules are channeled via fiber optics to the central control computer in the central bus module. After processing and multiplexing, the data are transmitted to telemetry stations on the ground. The truss frame supporting each observatory panel is a novel hybrid structure consisting of a bottom graphite/epoxy tubular triangle and rigidized inflatable Kevlar tubes connecting the top observatory panel and the bottom triangle. Attitude control and station keeping functions will be performed by a system of momentum wheels in the bus and four propulsion modules located at the compass points on the periphery of the observatory dish. Each propulsion module has four monopropellant thrusters and four hydrazine arcjets, the latter supported by either a photovoltaic array or a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. The total mass of the spacecraft is about 20,500 kg.

Nuss, Kenneth↗
NASA NTRS1997

Effects of Compression, Staging, and Braid Angle on Braided Rope Seal Performance

Future turbine engines and industrial systems will be operating at increased temperatures to achieve more demanding efficiency and performance goals. In the highest temperature sections of the engine new material systems such as ceramics and intermetallics are being considered to withstand the harsh thermal environment. Components constructed of these low expansion-rate materials experience thermal strains and a resulting reduction of life when rigidly attached to high expansion-rate, superalloy support structures. Seals are being designed to both seal and to serve as compliant mounts allowing for relative thermal growths between high temperature but brittle primary structures and the surrounding support structures. Previous seal research yielded several braided rope seal designs which demonstrated the ability to both seal and serve as a compliant mount. The hybrid seal was constructed of an all-ceramic (alumina-silica) core overbraided with a superalloy wire sheath (cobalt based superalloy). The all ceramic seal was constructed of an all-ceramic (alumina-silica) core overbraided with multiple ceramic (alumina-silica) sheath layers. Program goals for braided rope seals are to improve flow resistance and/or seal resilience. To that end, the current report studies the test results of: baseline and modified hybrid seals; two stage hybrid and two stage all-ceramic seal configurations; and single stage hybrid and single stage all-ceramic seal configurations for a range of seal crush conditions. Hybrid seal modifications include increasing the sheath braid angle and core coverage. For the same percent seal cross-sectional crush, results show that increasing the hybrid seal braid angle increased seal stiffness and seal unit load, resulting in flows approximately one third of the baseline hybrid seal flows. For both hybrid and all-ceramic seals, two stage seal configurations significantly outperformed single stage configurations. Two stage seal flows were at least 30% less than the single stage seal flows for the same seal crush. Furthermore, test results of single stage seals indicate that for both all-ceramic and hybrid seals, a specific seal crush condition exists at which minimum flows are achieved (i.e. increasing seal crush beyond a certain point does not result in better flow performance). Flow results are presented for a range of pressures and temperatures from ambient to 1300 F, before and after scrubbing. Compression tests results show that for both all-ceramic and hybrid seals, seal preload and stiffness increase with seal crush, but residual seal interference remains constant.

Steinetz, Bruce M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Integrated Approach to the Dynamics and Control of Maneuvering Flexible Aircraft

This work uses a fundamental approach to the problem of simulating the flight of flexible aircraft. To this end, it integrates into a single formulation the pertinent disciplines, namely, analytical dynamics, structural dynamics, aerodynamics, and controls. It considers both the rigid body motions of the aircraft, three translations (forward motion, sideslip and plunge) and three rotations (roll, pitch and yaw), and the elastic deformations of every point of the aircraft, as well as the aerodynamic, propulsion, gravity and control forces. The equations of motion are expressed in a form ideally suited for computer processing. A perturbation approach yields a flight dynamics problem for the motions of a quasi-rigid aircraft and an 'extended aeroelasticity' problem for the elastic deformations and perturbations in the rigid body motions, with the solution of the first problem entering as an input into the second problem. The control forces for the flight dynamics problem are obtained by an 'inverse' process and the feedback controls for the extended aeroservoelasticity problem are determined by the LQG theory. A numerical example presents time simulations of rigid body perturbations and elastic deformations about 1) a steady level flight and 2) a level steady turn maneuver.

Waszak, Martin R.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Development of a Deployable Nonmetallic Boom for Reconfigurable Systems of Small Modular Spacecraft

Launch vehicle payload capacity and the launch environment represent two of the most operationally limiting constraints on space system mass, volume, and configuration. Large-scale space science and power platforms as well as transit vehicles have been proposed that greatly exceed single-launch capabilities. Reconfigurable systems launched as multiple small modular spacecraft with the ability to rendezvous, approach, mate, and conduct coordinated operations have the potential to make these designs feasible. A key characteristic of these proposed systems is their ability to assemble into desired geometric (spatial) configurations. While flexible and sparse formations may be realized by groups of spacecraft flying in close proximity, flyers physically connected by active structural elements could continuously exchange power, fluids, and heat (via fluids). Configurations of small modular spacecraft temporarily linked together could be sustained as long as needed with minimal propellant use and reconfigured as often as needed over extended missions with changing requirements. For example, these vehicles could operate in extremely compact configurations during boost phases of a mission and then redeploy to generate power or communicate while coasting and upon reaching orbit. In 2005, NASA funded Phase 1 of a program called Modular Reconfigurable High-Energy Technology Demonstrator Assembly Testbed (MRHE) to investigate reconfigurable systems of small spacecraft. The MRHE team was led by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and included Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto and its subcontractor, ATK. One of the goals of Phase 1 was to develop an MRHE concept demonstration in a relevant 1-g environment to highlight a number of requisite technologies. In Phase 1 of the MRHE program, Lockheed Martin devised and conducted an automated space system assembly demonstration featuring multipurpose free-floating robots representing Spacecraft in the newly built Controls and Automation Laboratory (CAL) at the ATC. The CAL lab features a 12' x 24' granite air-bearing table and an overhead simulated starfield. Among the technologies needed for the concept demo were mating interfaces allowing the spacecraft to dock and deployable structures allowing for adjustable separation between spacecraft after a rigid connection had been established. The decision to use a nonmetallic deployable boom for this purpose was driven by the MRHE concept demo requirements reproduced in Table 1.

Rehnmark, Fredrik↗
NASA NTRS2007

Space Shuttle Stiffener Ring Foam Failure, a Non-Conventional Approach

The Space Shuttle makes use of the excellent properties of rigid polyurethane foam for cryogenic tank insulation and as structural protection on the solid rocket boosters. When foam applications debond, classical methods of analysis do not always provide root cause of the failure of the foam. Realizing that foam is the ideal media to document and preserve its own mode of failure, thin sectioning was seen as a logical approach for foam failure analysis. Thin sectioning in two directions, both horizontal and vertical to the application, was chosen to observe the three dimensional morphology of the foam cells. The cell foam morphology provided a much greater understanding of the failure modes than previously achieved.

Howard, Philip M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Space Shuttle Stiffener Ring Foam Failure Analysis, a Non-Conventional Approach.

The Space Shuttle Program made use of the excellent properties of rigid polyurethane foam for cryogenic tank insulation and as structural protection on the solid rocket boosters. When foam applications de-bond, classical methods of failure analysis did not provide root cause of the failure of the foam. Realizing that foam is the ideal media to document and preserve its own mode of failure, thin sectioning was seen as a logical approach for foam failure analysis to observe the three dimensional morphology of the foam cells. The cell foam morphology provided a much greater understanding of the failure modes than previously achieved.

Foam↗
NASA NTRS2023

Flying Beyond Flutter with the X-56A Aircraft

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration X-56A Multi-Utility Technology Testbed was successfully flown beyond flutter using active feedback control methods. This report discusses the flight-test methods used during envelope expansion and presents the data collected. The frequency and damping of rigid-body flight dynamic modes and the first two structural modes were estimated from the flight data. The flutter mechanism (body freedom flutter) was found to match predictions with coupling occurring between the short period and the first symmetric wing bending mode. Flights up to the instability threshold and beyond were conducted using active feedback control. Several tests were conducted in flight where the control system was disabled momentarily to observe the unstable flutter mode and then reengaged; thus, demonstrating active suppression.

Jacob Schaefer↗
NASA NTRS2013

Initial Assessment of a Variable-Camber Continuous Trailing-Edge Flap System on a Rigid Wing for Drag Reduction in Subsonic Cruise

In this paper, we describe an initial optimization study of a Variable-Camber Continuous Trailing-Edge Flap (VCCTEF) system. The VCCTEF provides a light-weight control system for aircraft with long flexible wings, providing efficient high-lift capability for takeoff and landing, and greater efficiency with reduced drag at cruising flight by considering the effects of aeroelastic wing deformations in the control law. The VCCTEF system is comprised of a large number of distributed and individually-actuatable control surfaces that are constrained in movement relative to neighboring surfaces, and are non-trivially coupled through structural aeroelastic dynamics. Minimzation of drag results in a constrained, coupled, non-linear optimization over a high-dimension search space. In this paper, we describe the modeling, analysis, and optimization of the VCCTEF system control inputs for minimum drag in cruise. The purpose of this initial study is to quantify the expected benefits of the system concept. The scope of this analysis is limited to consideration of a rigid wing without structural flexibility in a steady-state cruise condition at various fuel weights. For analysis, we developed an optimization engine that couples geometric synthesis with vortex-lattice analysis to automate the optimization procedure. In this paper, we present and describe the VCCTEF system concept, optimization approach and tools, run-time performance, and results of the optimization at 20%, 50%, and 80% fuel load. This initial limited-scope study finds the VCCTEF system can potentially gain nearly 10% reduction in cruise drag, provides greater drag savings at lower operating weight, and efficiency is negatively impacted by the severity of relative constraints between control surfaces.

trailing edge flaps↗
NASA NTRS1987

Tracking and pointing maneuvers with slew-excited deformation shaping

It is shown in this paper how it is possible to shape the slew-excited structural response of a deformable vehicle undergoing agile attitude maneuvers, so that the required fully corrected slew torque profiles can be computed on-line in closed form, and with the same bandwidth as required for the rigid body case. This is accomplished by simultaneously applying maneuver-dependent structural force controls of progressively smaller amplitudes, at the cost of progressively higher signal processing complexity of slew torque and structural force command generation.

Dwyer, Thomas A. W., III↗
NASA NTRS2010

Intelligent Flexible Materials for Space Structures: Expandable Habitat Engineering Development Unit

Expandable habitable elements are an enabling technology for human exploration in space and on planetary surfaces. Large geometries can be deployed from a small launch volume, allowing greater mission capability while reducing mass and improving robustness over traditional rigid shells. This report describes research performed by ILC Dover under the Intelligent Flexible Materials for Space Structures program on the design and manufacture of softgoods for LaRC's Expandable Habitat Engineering Development Unit (EDU). The EDU is a full-scale structural test article of an expandable hybrid habitat, integrating an expandable softgoods center section with two rigid end caps. The design of the bladder, restraint layer and a mock-up Thermal Micrometeoroid Cover is detailed together with the design of the interface hardware used to attach them to the end caps. The integration and design of two windows and a floor are also covered. Analysis was performed to study the effects of the open weave design, and to determine the correct webbing and fabric configuration. Stress analyses were also carried out on the interfaces between the softgoods and the end caps and windows. Testing experimentally determined the strength of the fabric and straps, and component testing was used to proof several critical parts of the design. This program established new manufacturing and design techniques that can be applied to future applications in expandable structures.

Hinkle, Jon↗
NASA NTRS2020

Development of a Compact, Low Cost Test Fixture to Evaluate Creep in High Strength Softgoods Materials under Constant Environmental Control

Space exploration is typically driven by two key factors: cost and payload mass. Therefore creating relatively low cost, low mass space hardware is critical. With the advancement of new high-strength flexible materials, a new chapter is opening in the evolution of pressurized space structures. Space-rated inflatable structures are attractive due to their low mass, compact stowage, and capability of performing as well, or better than, their rigid counterparts for applications such as habitats and airlocks. The lifetime properties of materials used for inflatable structures are not as well characterized as heritage composite and metallic materials; therefore, they require extensive testing to increase the level of confidence in their use. Creep testing is one method of evaluating the expected lifetime of materials that may be under constant load for many years in operational use. Conventional creep testing of high-strength softgoods webbings or cordage requires a large, temperature-controlled facility, with structural frames capable of supporting large dead weights, weighing thousands of pounds on each specimen. This is expensive and takes up a significant amount of volume in a facility for a long time. This paper describes the design and analysis of a low-cost, low-volume creep test stand that can be locally environmentally controlled, so that smaller, cheaper facilities can be used for characterizing the creep life of the softgoods materials used in inflatable space structures.

Softgoods↗
NASA NTRS1991

Low-Frequency Suspension System For Large Space Structures

Simple system enables vibration testing of space structures on ground. Suspension system includes number of suspension stations attached by cables to space structure (such as truss beam) along its length. Suspension stations fixed to ceiling or other rigid support. Disk and cable adjustments lower frequency of oscillatory motion of suspension system to enable accurate measurements of frequencies of vibration of space structure. Designed to alleviate coupling between suspension system and torsional vibrational modes of structure.

Reed, Wilmer H., III↗
NASA NTRS1981

A High Resolution Spectroscopic Study of the Nu2 Band of Hydrogen Sulfide and the 1-0 Band of Hydrogen Iodide

A tunable diode laser spectrometer was constructed and used to study: (1) the effects of centrifugal distortion on the transition frequencies and strengths of the nu sub 2 band of H2S, and (2) nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structure in the 1-0 band of HI. A total of 126 line frequencies and 94 line strengths in the nu sub 2 band of H2S were measured. The average accuracy of the line frequency measurements was + or - 0.0016 cm. The line strengths were measured to an average accuracy of about 3 percent. The effect of the finite spectral width of the diode laser on the measurement of line strengths is discussed. The observed H2S line frequencies were fit to Watson's AS and NS reduced Hamiltonian in both the Ir and IIIr coordinate representations in order to determine the best set of rotation distortion constants for the upper state of the nu sub 2 band. Comparisons of the observed line strengths in this band to rigid rotor line strengths are also presented. Nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structure in the low J lines of the 1-0 band of HI was observed. The upper vibrational state nuclear quadrupole coupling constant, determined from the observed splittings, was -1850 MHz + or - 12 MHz or 1.2 percent + or - 0.7 percent larger than the ground state coupling constant.

Strow, L. L.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Optimization for Load Alleviation of Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft with Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap

This paper focuses on load alleviation optimization for a high aspect ratio truss braced wing (TBW) aircraft. The TBW aircraft model is based on the Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) concept developed by Boeing, with the wing structures of the model modified to include a novel aerodynamic control surface known as the Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap (VCCTEF). The purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of a Performance Adaptive Aeroelastic Wing (PAAW) technology, specifically the VCCTEF, for alleviating load on the TBW wing during flight maneuver. The specific flight maneuver under consideration in this study is a 2.5g pull-up maneuver. Constrained gradient-based optimization is conducted to tailor the deflections of the VC- CTEF such that bending moment along the wing is minimized at the 2.5g pull-up flight condition. Aerodynamic modeling for this study is conducted using a vortex-lattice method code called Vorlax. A non-linear finite element analysis (FEA) method is constructed for analyzing the structural deformation and resulting bending moment along the wing of the aircraft with the inclusion of effects from tension-stiffening due to axial loading in the truss. This study is the first phase of several, and involves optimization of a rigid wing aircraft for preliminary analysis. Future studies will incorporate flexible wing structures with aeroelastic interactions and deformations. The results of this first phase positively demonstrate the potential of utilizing the novel control surface on modern aircraft wing designs for shaping control in order to provide load alleviation during flight maneuver.

Lebofsky, Sonia↗
DOE OSTI2025

Confinement-induced chirality in phase-separated achiral polymer solutions

Self-organization of polymers in constrained geometries largely determines their applications in high-strength materials, photonics, and electronics. Chiral organization under confinement is well established for polymers with intrinsic molecular chirality; however, it has not been observed for achiral polymers. Here, we report the emergence of chirality in spatially confined solutions of achiral rigid-rod polymers. We show that kinetically arrested phase separation of polymer solutions confined to narrow capillaries resulted in alternating segments of isotropic and chiral nematic phases. The chiral structure of the nematic segments originated from the interplay between the constrained geometry, surface anchoring, orientational wetting, and elastic anisotropy of rigid-rod polymers. The catenoidal shape of the chiral structure recapitulated the morphology of biological chiral structures. These findings provide insight into the organization of soft matter under spatial confinement and offer a straightforward way to form chiral structures from achiral synthetic polymers.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
NASA NTRS2006

Aerothermodynamic Analyses of Towed Ballutes

A ballute (balloon-parachute) is an inflatable, aerodynamic drag device for application to planetary entry vehicles. Two challenging aspects of aerothermal simulation of towed ballutes are considered. The first challenge, simulation of a complete system including inflatable tethers and a trailing toroidal ballute, is addressed using the unstructured-grid, Navier-Stokes solver FUN3D. Auxiliary simulations of a semi-infinite cylinder using the rarefied flow, Direct Simulation Monte Carlo solver, DSV2, provide additional insight into limiting behavior of the aerothermal environment around tethers directly exposed to the free stream. Simulations reveal pressures higher than stagnation and corresponding large heating rates on the tether as it emerges from the spacecraft base flow and passes through the spacecraft bow shock. The footprint of the tether shock on the toroidal ballute is also subject to heating amplification. Design options to accommodate or reduce these environments are discussed. The second challenge addresses time-accurate simulation to detect the onset of unsteady flow interactions as a function of geometry and Reynolds number. Video of unsteady interactions measured in the Langley Aerothermodynamic Laboratory 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel and CFD simulations using the structured grid, Navier-Stokes solver LAURA are compared for flow over a rigid spacecraft-sting-toroid system. The experimental data provides qualitative information on the amplitude and onset of unsteady motion which is captured in the numerical simulations. The presence of severe unsteady fluid - structure interactions is undesirable and numerical simulation must be able to predict the onset of such motion.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Equivalent-Continuum Modeling With Application to Carbon Nanotubes

A method has been proposed for developing structure-property relationships of nano-structured materials. This method serves as a link between computational chemistry and solid mechanics by substituting discrete molecular structures with equivalent-continuum models. It has been shown that this substitution may be accomplished by equating the vibrational potential energy of a nano-structured material with the strain energy of representative truss and continuum models. As important examples with direct application to the development and characterization of single-walled carbon nanotubes and the design of nanotube-based devices, the modeling technique has been applied to determine the effective-continuum geometry and bending rigidity of a graphene sheet. A representative volume element of the chemical structure of graphene has been substituted with equivalent-truss and equivalent continuum models. As a result, an effective thickness of the continuum model has been determined. This effective thickness has been shown to be significantly larger than the interatomic spacing of graphite. The effective thickness has been shown to be significantly larger than the inter-planar spacing of graphite. The effective bending rigidity of the equivalent-continuum model of a graphene sheet was determined by equating the vibrational potential energy of the molecular model of a graphene sheet subjected to cylindrical bending with the strain energy of an equivalent continuum plate subjected to cylindrical bending.

Odegard, Gregory M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Modeling of joints for the dynamic analysis of truss structures

An experimentally-based method for determining the stiffness and damping of truss joints is described. The analytical models use springs and both viscous and friction dampers to simulate joint load-deflection behavior. A least-squares algorithm is developed to identify the stiffness and damping coefficients of the analytical joint models from test data. The effects of nonlinear joint stiffness such as joint dead band are also studied. Equations for predicting the sensitivity of beam deformations to changes in joint stiffness are derived and used to show the level of joint stiffness required for nearly rigid joint behavior. Finally, the global frequency sensitivity of a truss structure to random perturbations in joint stiffness is discussed.

Belvin, W. Keith↗