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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 55 records · Page 3

The Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST Center)

The following is a technical report of the progress made under Cooperative Agreement NCC5494, the Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST). The period covered by this report is October 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001. GEST is a consortium of scientists and engineers, led by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), to conduct scientific research in Earth and information sciences and related technologies in collaboration with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). GEST was established through a cooperative agreement signed May 11, 2000, following a competitive procurement process initiated by GSFC.

Source record↗

New Cryogenic Optical Test Capability at Marshall Space Flight Center's Space Optics Manufacturing Technology Center

A new cryogenic optical testing capability exists at Marshall Space Flight Center's Space Optics Manufacturing Technology Center (SOMTC). SOMTC has been performing optical wavefront testing at cryogenic temperatures since 1999 in the X-ray Cryogenic Test Facility's (XRCF's) large vacuum chamber. Recently the cryogenic optical testing capability has been extended to a smaller vacuum chamber. This smaller horizontal cylindrical vacuum chamber has been outfitted with a helium-cooled liner that can be connected to the facility's helium refrigeration system bringing the existing kilowatt of refrigeration capacity to bear on a 1 meter diameter x 2 meter long test envelope. Cryogenic environments to less than 20 Kelvin are now possible in only a few hours. SOMTC's existing instruments (the Instantaneous Phase-shifting Interferometer (IPI) from ADE Phase-Shift Technologies and the PhaseCam from 4D Vision Technologies) view the optic under test through a 150 mm clear aperture BK-7 window. Since activation and chamber characterization tests in September 2001, the new chamber has been used to perform a cryogenic (less than 30 Kelvin) optical test of a 22.5 cm diameter x 127 cm radius of curvature Si02 mirror, a cryogenic survival (less than 30 Kelvin) test of an adhesive, and a cryogenic cycle (less than 20 Kelvin) test of a ULE mirror. A vibration survey has also been performed on the test chamber. Chamber specifications and performance data, vibration environment data, and limited test results will be presented.

Kegley, Jeff↗

Propulsion Research at the Propulsion Research Center of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

The Propulsion Research Center of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is engaged in research activities aimed at providing the bases for fundamental advancement of a range of space propulsion technologies. There are four broad research themes. Advanced chemical propulsion studies focus on the detailed chemistry and transport processes for high-pressure combustion, and on the understanding and control of combustion stability. New high-energy propellant research ranges from theoretical prediction of new propellant properties through experimental characterization propellant performance, material interactions, aging properties, and ignition behavior. Another research area involves advanced nuclear electric propulsion with new robust and lightweight materials and with designs for advanced fuels. Nuclear electric propulsion systems are characterized using simulated nuclear systems, where the non-nuclear power source has the form and power input of a nuclear reactor. This permits detailed testing of nuclear propulsion systems in a non-nuclear environment. In-space propulsion research is focused primarily on high power plasma thruster work. New methods for achieving higher thrust in these devices are being studied theoretically and experimentally. Solar thermal propulsion research is also underway for in-space applications. The fourth of these research areas is advanced energetics. Specific research here includes the containment of ion clouds for extended periods. This is aimed at proving the concept of antimatter trapping and storage for use ultimately in propulsion applications. Another activity in this involves research into lightweight magnetic technology for space propulsion applications.

Blevins, John↗

Re-Engineering the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Satellite Utilizing Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Mission Services Center (GMSEC) Middleware Based Technology to Enable Lights Out Operations and Autonomous Re-Dump of Lost Telemetry Data

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft was launched in November of 1996 in order to obtain unique three dimensional radar cross sectional observations of cloud structures with particular interest in hurricanes. The TRMM mission life was recently extended with current estimates that operations will continue through the 2012-2013 timeframe. Faced with this extended mission profile, the project has embarked on a technology refresh and re-engineering effort. TRMM has recently implemented a re-engineering effort to expand a middleware based messaging architecture to enable fully redundant lights-out of flight operations activities. The middleware approach is based on the Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) architecture, tools and associated open-source Applications Programming Interface (API). Middleware based messaging systems are useful in spacecraft operations and automation systems because private node based knowledge (such as that within a telemetry and command system) can be broadcast on the middleware messaging bus and hence enable collaborative decisions to be made by multiple subsystems. In this fashion, private data is made public and distributed within the local area network and multiple nodes can remain synchronized with other nodes. This concept is useful in a fully redundant architecture whereby one node is monitoring the processing of the 'prime' node so that in the event of a failure the backup node can assume operations of the prime, without loss of state knowledge. This paper will review and present the experiences, architecture, approach and lessons learned of the TRMM re-engineering effort centered on the GMSEC middleware architecture and tool suite. Relevant information will be presented that relates to the dual redundant parallel nature of the Telemetry and Command (T and C) and Front-End systems and how these systems can interact over a middleware bus to achieve autonomous operations including autonomous commanding to recover missing science data during the same spacecraft contact.

Marius, Julio L.↗

Initial Assessment of Acoustic Source Visibility with a 24-Element Microphone Array in the Arnold Engineering Development Center 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center

Measurements of background noise were recently obtained with a 24-element phased microphone array in the test section of the Arnold Engineering Development Center 80- by120-Foot Wind Tunnel at speeds of 50 to 100 knots (27.5 to 51.4 m/s). The array was mounted in an aerodynamic fairing positioned with array center 1.2m from the floor and 16 m from the tunnel centerline, The array plate was mounted flush with the fairing surface as well as recessed in. (1.27 cm) behind a porous Kevlar screen. Wind-off speaker measurements were also acquired every 15 on a 10 m semicircular arc to assess directional resolution of the array with various processing algorithms, and to estimate minimum detectable source strengths for future wind tunnel aeroacoustic studies. The dominant background noise of the facility is from the six drive fans downstream of the test section and first set of turning vanes. Directional array response and processing methods such as background-noise cross-spectral-matrix subtraction suggest that sources 10-15 dB weaker than the background can be detected.

Horne, William C.↗

Analysis of Convective Weather Impact on Pre-Departure Routing of Flights from Fort Worth Center to New York Center

In response to severe weather conditions, Traffic Managers specify flow constraints and reroutes to route air traffic around affected regions of airspace. Providing analysis and recommendations of available reroute options and associated airspace capacities would assist Traffic Managers in making more efficient decisions in response to convective weather. These recommendations can be developed by examining historical data to determine which previous reroute options were used in similar weather and traffic conditions. This paper describes the initial steps and methodology used towards this goal. The focus of this work is flights departing from Fort Worth Center destined for New York Center. Dominant routing structures used in the absence of convective weather are identified. A method to extract relevant features from the large volume of weather data available to quantify the impact of convective weather on this routing structure over a given time range is presented. Finally, a method of estimating flow rate capacity along commonly used routes during convective weather events is described. Results show that the flow rates drop exponentially as a function of the values of the proposed feature and that convective weather on the final third of the route was found to have a greater impact on the flow rate restriction than other portions of the route.

traffic flow management↗

Phase II Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) Assessment Work Plan Center Wide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Potential Release Location (PRL) 237 Kennedy Space Center, Florida

This document presents a description of solid waste management unit (SWMU) assessment activities that will be used to identify additional locations where per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may have been used at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The activities described herein will also be used to identify potential off-Center sources of PFAS and potential background locations for PFAS within KSC.

Krista D Sommerfeldt↗

Center for Isotope Cosmochemistry and Geochronology at NASA Johnson Space Center

Ten years in the making the Center for Isotope Cosmochemistry and Geochronology (CICG) at NASA Johnson Space Center is designed to be a cooperative analytical facility where novel techniques are developed and performed. Our team works collaboratively to operate this integrated lab suite comprising sample preparation, metal-free clean chemistry, and mass spectrometers to measure a wide variety of elements and isotopes in astromaterials. Contamination control is enacted throughout by a positive pressure cascade of HEPA filtered air, weekly surface cleaning and particle counting. Astromaterials processing is performed with application-specific mortar and pestles, heavy liquid separation, a Frantz magnetic separator, as well as hand-picking using optical microscopes in laminar flow boxes. Microsampling is also carried out using a New Wave MicroMill. Elements for isotopic analysis are isolated from acid-digested samples using ion-exchange chromatography. Cross-contamination is minimized with dedicated laminar flow boxes and labware for different purification protocols. Instrumentation includes a ThermoFisher Element XR inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for quantification of elemental concentrations in dissolved sample solutions. For in situ analysis, a Teledyne Photon Machines Analyte Excite+ laser ablation system is coupled to the Element XR. The ThermoFisher Triton thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS) is used to measure the isotopic composition of elements such as CA, K, Cr, Rb, Sr, Sm, Nd at high precision in processed samples. For a more diverse range of isotopic analyses, CICG houses a Nu Sapphire 1700 multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS), which is a large geometry instrument with a multi-pole collision cell for interference removal. An Applied Spectra Instruments J200 femto-second laser is planned for install this Fall and will be coupled to the Nu Sapphire 1700. NASA’s Internal Scientist Funding Model (ISFM)supports this facility. Advanced analytical geochemistry techniques are applied to targeted astromaterials to address important problems in planetary sciences, with a longer-term goal of preparing for samples collected and returned by space missions. CICG is open to collaborations on projects that utilize the facility’s unique capabilities and are within its research scope. We are particularly eager to support and share expertise with the next generation of planetary scientists.

Justin I Simon↗

The Mars Climate Modeling Center at NASA Ames Research Center: Overview of Recent Science, Model Development, and Progress Making Tools Publicly Available and Accessible

In addition to conducting science investigations on the atmosphere and climate of Mars, a main function of the Mars Climate Modeling Center at NASA Ames Research Center is to develop, maintain, and make available to the community state-of-the-art Mars Global Climate Models (MGCMs). Our goal here is to present the status of the Ames MGCM, an overview of our ongoing science projects, the tools we have recently made publicly available, and our plans for releases and continued community engagement.

M A Kahre↗

A Chemist’s Guide to Solid-State Qubits: Diamond Color Centers as Embedded Vacancy-Centered Molecules

Diamond point defects or color centers are at the crux of solid-state quantum technology applications, from computing to sensing. Modeling molecular qubits has advanced by leaps and bounds mainly due to the advanced quantum mechanical (QM) tools in the arsenal of quantum chemists for modeling (isolated) molecular systems, which should be easily translatable for analogous systems in the solid state. Here, we simulate a series of diamond defects: a carbon vacancy (V C ) and second row substitutions that are adjacent to a V C or D C V C , with D = B, N, and O, to evaluate their magnetic and optical properties. We applied molecular orbital principles, an embedded cluster method, and a multiconfigurational QM theory to computationally characterize the above-mentioned defects for a multitude of spin, charge, and excited states. Our computational approach delivered high-quality QM insights that compare well with experiments. Furthermore, with this framework, we confirm the spin-triplets B C V C – and O C V C 0 to be analogous to N C V C – , with calculated bright transitions that respectively correspond to UV (3.80 eV) and blue (2.65 eV) light absorption and emission lifetimes (τ) of 2.3 and 5.6 ns, which are higher in energy and more short-lived (and thus brighter) than that for N C V C – : green (2.26 eV), τ = 9.5 ns.

Martirez, John Mark P. [Princeton Plasma Physics L↗

Collaborative Research: Louis Stokes Regional Center of Excellence: Louis Stokes Midwest Regional Center of Excellence (LSMRCE) for Broadening Participation in STEM

The Louis Stokes Midwest Regional Center of Excellence (LSMRCE) for Broadening Participation in STEM, a partnership of Chicago State University (CSU), aimed to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) students graduating with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees and matriculating into graduate STEM programs. As a member institution of the LSMRCE, Fermi Research Alliance, LLC, (Fermilab) looked to support its continued mission of increasing URM student participation in its Summer Internship in Science and Technology (SIST) internship program. The program provided URMs with access to research skills development, mentoring and professionalization activities via paid, summer research internships at Fermilab. Students received instruction and mentoring while gaining exposure to a global laboratory workforce and community with diverse academic and professional expertise. In addition, students established professional relationships and networked with senior researchers, early career scientists, technical professionals, post-docs and other undergraduate interns to help forge collaboration, innovation and mentoring opportunities at Fermilab and LSMRCE partner institutions

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Three-dimensional determination of the center of the Watts datum relative to the lunar center of mass

The location of the origin of the Watts datum for the marginal zone of the moon is determined using results of 2770 photoelectric occultation observations obtained over an 18-yr period in combination with 1787 laser time-delay measurements carried out over a five-year period. The lunar ephemeris employed is an experimental one developed from a much shorter span of laser observations. The final solution is obtained by adopting LURE2 parameters and correcting 19 lunar orbital, solar orbital, and coordinate-system parameters. The offsets for the center of the Watts datum are found to be approximately +6.8 km for x1, -2.5 km for x2, and +0.06 km for x3 with respect to the lunar principal axes of inertia.

Mulholland, J. D.↗

Space Operations Center System Analysis: Requirements for a Space Operations Center, revision A

The system and program requirements for a space operations center as defined by systems analysis studies are presented as a guide for future study and systems definition. Topics covered include general requirements for safety, maintainability, and reliability, service and habitat modules, the health maintenance facility; logistics modules; the docking tunnel; and subsystem requirements (structures, electrical power, environmental control/life support; extravehicular activity; data management; communications and tracking; docking/berthing; flight control/propulsion; and crew support). Facilities for flight support, construction, satellite and mission servicing, and fluid storage are included as well as general purpose support equipment.

Woodcock, G. R.↗