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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

Bar-Code System Tracks Test Equipment

Administration of complicated system speeded and simplified. Computer system uses bar codes to keep track of more than 2,200 items of test equipment. BETUS (Barcode Equipment Tracking and Utilization System), maintains data base on what items borrowed, who is using them and where, and when calibrated. Keeps records on tools and small electronic components. Saves on equipment purchases and recovers missing equipment more quickly. Cuts check-in and checkout time by 90 percent.

Rogers, Jacob R.↗

The new Section 23 of DO160C/ED14C lightning testing of externally mounted electrical equipment

The new Section 23 is introduced which has only very recently been fully approved by the RTCA for incorporation into the first revision of DO160C/ED14C. Full threat lightning direct effects testing of equipment is entirely new to DO160, the only existing lightning testing is transient testing for LRU's (Line Replaceable Units) by pin or cable bundle injection methods, for equipment entirely contained within the airframe and assumed to be unaffected by direct effects. This testing required transients of very low amplitude compared with lightning itself, whereas the tests now to be described involve full threat lightning testing, that is using the previously established severe parameters of lightning appropriate to the Zone, such as 200 kA for Zone 1A as in AC20-136. Direct effects (i.e., damage) testing involves normally the lightning current arc attaching to the object under test (or very near to it) so submitting it to full potential for the electric, mechanical, thermal and shock damage which is caused by high current arcing. Since equipment for any part of the airframe require qualification, tests to demonstrate safety of equipment in fuel vapor regions of the airframe are also included.

Burrows, B. J. C.↗

Flight equipment supporting metabolic experiments on SLS-1

Five experiments in different aspects of human metabolism will be performed on Spacelab Life Sciences-1. Nine items of equipment from the Life Sciences Laboratory Equipment inventory will be used: the rack-mounted centrifuge, the hematocrit centrifuge, the low-gravity centrifuge, a body-mass measurement device, a urine monitoring system, the Spacelab refrigerator/freezer, the Orbiter refrigerator, an in-flight blood collection system, and a pocket voice recorder. In addition, each experiment will require some specialized equipment such as incubators and culture blocks for an immunology experiment, and tracers for a fluid and electrolyte experiment and a hematology experiment. The equipment for these experiments has been developed over many years, in some cases since the Skylab program in the early 1970s, and has been certified for use on the Space Shuttle.

Leach, Carolyn S.↗

The placement of equipment in the Space Station Freedom using constraint based reasoning

This paper describes the Rack Equipment Placement and Optimization System. The primary objective of this system is to assist engineers with the placement of equipment into the racks of the modules of Space Station Freedom. It accomplishes this by showing a user where equipment placement is possible and by generating potential layouts. The system uses an explicit representation of integration constraints to search for potential solutions for individual rack equipment items. A simulated annealing process is being evaluated for total solution generation as well. Versions of this system are in use now and are assisting with the development of the Space Station Freedom at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Tanner, Steve↗

Office of Space Flight standard spaceborne Global Positioning System user equipment project

The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides users autonomous, real-time navigation capability. A vehicle equipped with GPS user equipment can receive and process signals transmitted by a constellation of GPS satellites and derive from the resulting measurements the vehicle's position and velocity. Specified accuracies range from 16 to 76 meters and 0.1 to 1.0 meters/second for position and velocity, respectively. In a rendezvous and docking scenario, the use of a technique called relative GPS can provide range and range rate accuracies on the order of 1 meter and 0.01 meters/second, respectively. Relative GPS requires both vehicles to be equipped with GPS user equipment and a data communication link for transmission of GPS data and GPS satellite selection coordination information. Through coordinated satellite selection, GPS measurement errors common to both users are cancelled and improved relative position and velocity accuracies are achieved. The background, the design approach, the expected performance and capabilities, the development plan, and the project status are described. In addition, a description of relative GPS, the possible GPS hardware and software configurations, and its application to automated rendezvous and capture are presented.

Saunders, Penny E.↗

Ground equipment for the support of packet telemetry and telecommand

This paper describes ground equipment for packet telemetry and telecommand which has been recently developed by industry for the European Space Agency. The architectural concept for this type of equipment is outlined and the actual implementation is presented. Focus is put on issues related to cross support and telescience as far as they affect the design of the interfaces to the users of the services provided by the equipment and to the management entities in charge of equipment control and monitoring.

Hell, Wolfgang↗

Dairy Equipment Lubrication

Lake To Lake Dairy Cooperative, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, operates four plants in Wisconsin for processing milk, butter and cheese products from its 1,300 member farms. The large co-op was able to realize substantial savings by using NASA information for improved efficiency in plant maintenance. Under contract to Marshall Space Flight Center, Midwest Research Institute compiled a handbook consolidating information about commercially available lubricants. The handbook details chemical and physical properties, applications, specifications, test procedures and test data for liquid and solid lubricants. Lake To Lake's plant engineer used the handbook to effect savings in maintenance labor and materials costs by reducing the number of lubricants used on certain equipment. Strict U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration regulations preclude lubrication changes n production equipment, but the co-op's maintenance chief was able to eliminate seven types of lubricants for ancillary equipment, such as compressors and high pressure pumps. Handbook data enabled him to select comparable but les expensive lubricants in the materials consolidation process, and simplified lubrication schedules and procedures. The handbook is in continuing use as a reference source when a new item of equipment is purchased.

Source record↗

Human Factors and ISS Medical Systems: Highlights of Procedures and Equipment Findings

As part of the Space Human Factors Engineering Critical Questions Roadmap, a three year Technology Development Project (TDP) was funded by NASA Headquarters to examine emergency medical procedures on ISS. The overall aim of the emergency medical procedures project was to determine the human factors issues in the procedures, training, communications and equipment, and to recommend solutions that will improve the survival rate of crewmembers in the event of a medical emergency. Currently, each ISS crew remains on orbit for six month intervals. As there is not standing requirement for a physician crewmember, during such time, the maintenance of crew health is dependant on individual crewmembers. Further, in the event of an emergency, crew will need to provide prolonged maintenance care, as well as emergency treatment, to an injured crewmember while awaiting transport to Earth. In addition to the isolation of the crew, medical procedures must be carried out within the further limitations imposed by the physical environment of the space station. For example, in order to administer care on ISS without the benefit of gravity, the Crew Medical Officers (CMOs) must restrain the equipment required to perform the task, restrain the injured crewmember, and finally, restrain themselves. Both the physical environment and the physical space available further limit the technology that can be used onboard. Equipment must be compact, yet able to withstand high levels of radiation and function without gravity. The focus here is to highlight the human factors impacts from our three year project involving the procedures and equipment areas that have been investigated and provided valuable to ISS and provide groundwork for human factors requirements for medical applications for exploration missions.

Byrne, V. E.↗

Lithium-ion Battery Charge Methodologies Observed with Portable Electronic Equipment

Commercial lithium-ion batteries in portable electronic equipment has been used by NASA for space applications since 1999. First battery that was certified for flight and flown for Shuttle use was the Canon BP 927 (2.7 Ah) battery pack. Since then, numerous portable equipment with li-ion batteries have been certified and flown and remain on-orbit for crew usage. Laptops (two generations with third one being worked on now) Camcorder Camera PDA 2 versions (second one being li-ion polymer cells) Satellite Phone Due to expense and time, certified batteries are used with different equipment with the help of adapters or by working with the manufacturer of the equipment to build the appropriate battery compartment and connector. Certified and dedicated chargers are available on Shuttle and on the ISS for safe charging.

Jeevarajan, Judith↗

Exercise Equipment: Neutral Buoyancy

Load Bearing Equipment for Neutral Buoyancy (LBE-NB) is an exercise frame that holds two exercising subjects in position as they apply counter forces to each other for lower extremity and spine loading resistance exercises. Resistance exercise prevents bone loss on ISS, but the ISS equipment is too massive for use in exploration craft. Integrating the human into the load directing, load generating, and motion control functions of the exercise equipment generates safe exercise loads with less equipment mass and volume.

Shackelford, Linda↗

NASA’s Efficient Quiet Integrated Propulsors (Equip) Technical Challenge

Advances in aircraft propulsor technology - ducted and unducted - are key elements to developing a sustainable aviation future. Increasing propulsive efficiency comes with significant challenges. The long-term trend in aircraft engine design has been towards higher bypass ratios to increase efficiency and decrease noise. Current designs are pushing against limits on engine size; the engine must fit under the wing and overcome the nacelle weight, aerodynamic drag, and airframe integration penalties associated with an ultra-high bypass ratio. The next-generation ducted engines will have shorter inlets and smaller rotor-stator spacing to minimize nacelle area. This increases the potential for non-uniform flow at the fan face and less area for acoustic liners. Unducted engines eliminate the nacelle penalty while presenting challenges to noise and operability in distorted flow environments. The overall diameter in both cases raises questions about engine-airframe integration to maximize efficiency gains and minimize installation penalties. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP) approved the Efficient Quiet Integrated Propulsor (EQuIP) Technical Challenge (TC) under the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project to work on next-generation propulsor technologies in collaboration with NASA’s government and industry partners in the Sustainable Flight National Partnership. The EQuIP TC leverages NASA resources with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry investments under the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program to address technical challenges on the propulsor subject to the flow field imposed by the engine-airframe-flight environment. The EQuIP TC complements NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s (ARMD) existing investments in sustainable aviation for the next-generation of commercial aircraft and contributes to meeting the noise and efficiency goals set by the Sustainable Flight National Partnership and U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan. This paper introduces the EQuIP TC, describes key parts of its development, and presents the background research used to scope its impact.

Propulsion↗

Proceedings of the Second Workshop on Voltage Breakdown in Electronic Equipment at Low Air Pressure

The Second Workshop on Voltage Breakdown in Electronic Equipment at Low Air Pressure was sponsored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. It has been three and one-half years since the convening of the first workshop on voltage breakdown. In this interval, gains are evidenced in the progress and sophistication in solving voltage breakdown problems affecting electronic equip­ment operating at high altitudes or other low air pressure environments. Although space applications predominate the area of concern, other projects such as the SST are becoming increasingly involved with voltage breakdown. High-voltage breakdown in spacecraft continues; however, the incidences of occurrence appear to have decreased in spite of an increase in the number of missions flown. This, it is felt, is due to many project managers now requiring all equipment with voltage in excess of 270-V peak to be designed to operate in the critical pressure region without damage, even though its normal functional environment is sea level pressure and the hard vacuum of space. In addition, designers are becoming more aware of the principle of good high-voltage design by selecting void-free components, proper spacing of conductors, isolating high-­voltage circuitry from lower voltage areas, etc. The consensus seems to be that the slight increase in cost to achieve a provable corona-free design is more than offset by the increase in confidence that the equipment will survive accidental loss of vacuum during high-vacuum tests, inadvertent turn on while passing through the critical air-pressure region of earth after launch or outgassing in flight pressurizing the enclosure into the critical pressure region.

E. R. Bunker, Jr.↗

Mariner Mars 1971 science operational support equipment

The Mariner Mars 1971 science operational support equipment (SOSE) was developed to support the checkout of the proof test model and flight spacecraft. The test objectives of the SOSE and how these objectives were implemented are discussed. Attention is focused on the computer portion of the SOSE, since incorporation of a computer in ground checkout equipment represents a major departure from the support equipment concepts previously used. A functional description of the major hardware elements contained in the SOSE is also included, along with the operational performance of the SOSE during spacecraft testing.

Source record↗

Apollo experience report: Crew provisions and equipment subsystem

A description of the construction and use of crew provisions and equipment subsystem items for the Apollo Program is presented. The subsystem is composed principally of survival equipment, bioinstrumentation devices, medical components and accessories, water- and waste-management equipment, personal-hygiene articles, docking aids, flight garments (excluding the pressure garment assembly), and various other crew-related accessories. Particular attention is given to items and assemblies that presented design, development, or performance problems: the crew optical alinement sight system, the metering water dispenser, and the waste-management system. Changes made in design and materials to improve the fire safety of the hardware are discussed.

Mcallister, F.↗

Maintainability design criteria for packaging of spacecraft replaceable electronic equipment.

Maintainability must be designed into long-duration spacecraft and equipment to provide the required high probability of mission success with the least cost and weight. The ability to perform repairs quickly and easily in a space environment can be achieved by imposing specific maintainability design criteria on spacecraft equipment design and installation. A study was funded to investigate and define design criteria for electronic equipment that would permit rapid removal and replacement in a space environment. The results of the study are discussed together with subsequent simulated zero-g demonstration tests of a mockup with new concepts for packaging.

Kappler, J. R.↗

The history and development of NASA survival equipment.

A research and development program on survival equipment was begun in early 1960 with the Mercury Program. The Mercury survival kit is discussed together with Gemini survival equipment, and Apollo I survival equipment. A study program is conducted to assess potential survival problems that may be associated with future space flights landing in polar waters. Survival kit requirements for applications on the Skylab program are also considered. Other investigations are concerned with the design of a global survival kit in connection with Space Shuttle missions.

Radnofsky, M. I.↗