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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
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NASA NTRS1947

Performance Possibilities of the Turbojet System as a Power Plant for Supersonic Airplanes

The performance of hypothetical turbojet systems, without thrust augmentation, as power plants for supersonic airplanes has been calculated. The thrust, thrust power, air-fuel ratio, 1 specific fuel consumption, cross-sectional area, and thrust coefficient are shown for free-stream Mach numbers from 1.2 to 3. For comparison, the performance of ram-jet systems over the same Mach number range has also been calculated. For Mach numbers between 1.2 and 2 the calculated thrust coefficient of the turbojet system was found to be larger than the estimated drag coefficient, and the specific fuel consumption was calculated to be considerably less than the specific fuel consumption of the ram-jet system. The turbojet system therefore appears to merit consideration as a propulsion method for free-stream Mach numbers between approximately 1.2 and 2.

Wood, George P↗
NASA NTRS1994

Evaluation of semiempirical atmospheric density models for orbit determination applications

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the orbit determination performance of the Jacchia-Roberts (JR), mass spectrometer incoherent scatter 1986 (MSIS-86), and drag temperature model (DTM) atmospheric density models. Evaluation of the models was performed to assess the modeling of the total atmospheric density. This study was made generic by using six spacecraft and selecting time periods of study representative of all portions of the 11-year cycle. Performance of the models was measured for multiple spacecraft, representing a selection of orbit geometries from near-equatorial to polar inclinations and altitudes from 400 kilometers to 900 kilometers. The orbit geometries represent typical low earth-orbiting spacecraft supported by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division (FDD). The best available modeling and orbit determination techniques using the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS) were employed to minimize the effects of modeling errors. The latest geopotential model available during the analysis, the Goddard earth model-T3 (GEM-T3), was employed to minimize geopotential model error effects on the drag estimation. Improved-accuracy techniques identified for TOPEX/Poseidon orbit determination analysis were used to improve the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS)-based orbit determination used for most of the spacecraft chosen for this analysis. This paper shows that during periods of relatively quiet solar flux and geomagnetic activity near the solar minimum, the choice of atmospheric density model used for orbit determination is relatively inconsequential. During typical solar flux conditions near the solar maximum, the differences between the JR, DTM, and MSIS-86 models begin to become apparent. Time periods of extreme solar activity, those in which the daily and 81-day mean solar flux are high and change rapidly, result in significant differences between the models. During periods of high geomagnetic activity, the standard JR model was outperformed by DTM. Modification of the JR model to use a geomagnetic heating delay of 3 hours, as used in DTM, instead of the 6.7-hour delay produced results comparable to or better than the DTM performance, reducing definitive orbit solution ephermeris overlap differences by 30 to 50 percent. The reduction in the overlap differences would be useful for mitigating the impact of geomagnetic storms on orbit prediction.

Cox, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

An Analysis of CFD and Flat Plate Predictions of Friction Drag for the TCA W/B at Supersonic Cruise

This paper presents results of a study which attempted to provide some understanding of the relationship between skin friction drag estimates produced by flat plate methods and those produced by Navier-Stokes computations. A brief introduction is followed by analysis, including a flat plate grid study, analysis of the wing flow, an analysis of the fuselage flow. Other results of interest are then presented, including turbulence model sensitivities, and brief analysis of other configurations.

Lawrence, Scott L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

NRLMSISE-00 Empirical Model of the Atmosphere: Statistical Comparisons and Scientific Issues

The new NRLMSISE-00 model and the associated NRLMSIS database now include the following data: (1) total mass density from satellite accelerometers and from orbit determination, including the Jacchia and Barlier data; (2) temperature from incoherent scatter radar, and; (3) molecular oxygen number density, [O2], from solar ultraviolet occultation aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM). A new component, 'anomalous oxygen,' allows for appreciable O(+) and hot atomic oxygen contributions to the total mass density at high altitudes and applies primarily to drag estimation above 500 km. Extensive tables compare our entire database to the NRLMSISE-00, MSISE-90, and Jacchia-70 models for different altitude bands and levels of geomagnetic activity. We also investigate scientific issues related to the new data sets in the NRLMSIS database. Especially noteworthy is the solar activity dependence of the Jacchia data, with which we investigate a large O(+) contribution to the total mass density under the combination of summer, low solar activity, high latitudes, and high altitudes. Under these conditions, except at very low solar activity, the Jacchia data and the Jacchia-70 model indeed show a significantly higher total mass density than does MSISE-90. However, under the corresponding winter conditions, the MSIS-class models represent a noticeable improvement relative to Jacchia-70 over a wide range of F(sub 10.7). Considering the two regimes together, NRLMSISE-00 achieves an improvement over both MSISE-90 and Jacchia-70 by incorporating advantages of each.

Aikin, A. C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Flight Performance Maneuver Planning for NASA’s X-57 “Maxwell” Flight Demonstrator – Part 2: Power-On Effects

Distributed Electric Propulsion technology as envisioned for NASA’s X-57 “Maxwell” flight demonstrator concept was designed to increase high-speed cruise efficiency compared to a combustion-powered general aviation baseline. A portion of this increased efficiency was due to beneficial aero-propulsive interaction inherent to the distributed propulsion architecture. The measure of the increase in efficiency between a conventional and distributed propulsion wing was to be determined by comparing flight test data from the electrically powered, conventional wing X-57 Mod II configuration to data obtained from the electrically powered, distributed propulsion wing X-57 Mod III/IV configuration. Flight test maneuvers that accommodate errors in instrumentation and the flight test environment were previously developed to establish the power-off drag characteristics for all X-57 configurations. In this paper, test points and maneuvers are evaluated to establish the installed and gross thrust that build upon the power-off drag estimates. Analysis of the proposed power-on maneuvers shows that the selected test points and measurement techniques could generate installed thrust estimates within 3-7% (at the 50% confidence level) of the actual values if each maneuver is conducted over a time period of 40 seconds.

Nicholas K Borer↗
NASA NTRS1976

Estimated lift-drag ratios at supersonic speed

Recent developments in supersonic flow theory are applied to obtain estimates of the lift-drag ratios that may be achieved by aircraft employing sweptback wings. Lift-drag ratios greater than 10 to 1 can be maintained up to a Mach number of 1.4by the use of large angles of sweep and high aspect ratios. As the speed increases in the supersonic range the attainable lift-drag ratios decrease and the gain due to sweepback also appears to diminish. An efficient configuration for M = 1.4 would require about 60 deg sweepback, an aspect ratio of 4 and a wing loading of one third the atmospheric pressure. For a wing loading of 50 pounds per square foot the cruising altitude would be 60,000 feet and the indicated airspeed 290 miles per hour.

Jones, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Semiempirical Procedure for Estimating Lift and Drag Characteristics of Propeller-Wing-Flap Configurations for Vertical-and Short-Take-Off-and-Landing Airplanes

The analysis presented uses the momentum theory as a starting point in developing semiempirical expressions for calculating the effect of propeller thrust and slipstream on the lift and drag characteristics of wing-flap configurations that would be suitable for vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) and short-take-off-and-landing (STOL) airplanes. The method uses power-off forward-speed information and measured slipstream deflection data at zero forward speed to provide a basis for estimating the lift and drag at combined forward speed and power-on conditions. A correlation of slipstream deflection data is also included. The procedure is applicable only in the unstalled flight regime; nevertheless, it should be useful in preliminary design estimates of the performance that may be expected of VTOL and STOL airplanes.

Kuhn, Richard E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Real-Time Method for Estimating Viscous Forebody Drag Coefficients

This paper develops a real-time method based on the law of the wake for estimating forebody skin-friction coefficients. The incompressible law-of-the-wake equations are numerically integrated across the boundary layer depth to develop an engineering model that relates longitudinally averaged skin-friction coefficients to local boundary layer thickness. Solutions applicable to smooth surfaces with pressure gradients and rough surfaces with negligible pressure gradients are presented. Model accuracy is evaluated by comparing model predictions with previously measured flight data. This integral law procedure is beneficial in that skin-friction coefficients can be indirectly evaluated in real-time using a single boundary layer height measurement. In this concept a reference pitot probe is inserted into the flow, well above the anticipated maximum thickness of the local boundary layer. Another probe is servomechanism-driven and floats within the boundary layer. A controller regulates the position of the floating probe. The measured servomechanism position of this second probe provides an indirect measurement of both local and longitudinally averaged skin friction. Simulation results showing the performance of the control law for a noisy boundary layer are then presented.

Whitmore, Stephen A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Maximum likelihood estimates of lift and drag characteristics obtained from dynamic aircraft maneuvers

A maximum likelihood estimation method for obtaining lift and drag characteristics from dynamic flight maneuvers was investigated. This paper describes the method and compares the estimates of lift and drag obtained by using the method with estimates obtained from wind-tunnel tests and from established methods for obtaining estimates from flight data. In general, the lift and drag coefficients extracted from dynamic flight maneuvers by the maximum likelihood estimation technique are in good agreement with the estimates obtained from the wind-tunnel tests and the other methods. When maneuvers that met the requirements of both flight methods were analyzed, the results of each method were nearly the same. The maximum likelihood estimation technique showed promise in terms of estimating lift and drag characteristics from dynamic flight maneuvers. Further studies should be made to assess the best mathematical model and the most desirable type of dynamic maneuver to get the highest quality results from this technique.

Iliff, K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A diagnostic model to estimate winds and small-scale drag from Mars Observer PMIRR data

Theoretical and modeling studies indicate that small-scale drag due to breaking gravity waves is likely to be of considerable importance for the circulation in the middle atmospheric region (approximately 40-100 km altitude) on Mars. Recent earth-based spectroscopic observations have provided evidence for the existence of circulation features, in particular, a warm winter polar region, associated with gravity wave drag. Since the Mars Observer PMIRR experiment will obtain temperature profiles extending from the surface up to about 80 km altitude, it will be extensively sampling middle atmospheric regions in which gravity wave drag may play a dominant role. Estimating the drag then becomes crucial to the estimation of the atmospheric winds from the PMIRR-observed temperatures. An interative diagnostic model based upon one previously developed and tested with earth satellite temperature data will be applied to the PMIRR measurements to produce estimates of the small-scale zonal drag and three-dimensional wind fields in the Mars middle atmosphere. This model is based on the primitive equations, and can allow for time dependence (the time tendencies used may be based upon those computed in a Fast Fourier Mapping procedure). The small-scale zonal drag is estimated as the residual in the zonal momentum equation; the horizontal winds having first been estimated from the meridional momentum equation and the continuity equation. The scheme estimates the vertical motions from the thermodynamic equation, and thus needs estimates of the diabatic heating based upon the observed temperatures. The latter will be generated using a radiative model. It is hoped that the diagnostic scheme will be able to produce good estimates of the zonal gravity wave drag in the Mars middle atmosphere, estimates that can then be used in other diagnostic or assimilation efforts, as well as more theoretical studies.

Barnes, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Mass center estimation of a drag-free satellite

The mass center location of a spinning drag-free satellite can be estimated because there is control required to accelerate the mass center along the axis of spin as long as there is some nutation in the spinning motion. Linear and nonlinear models are compared and observability discussed. Online estimation fails when nutation is damped so an offline mechanization is proposed. A new sensor has been designed to permit greater relative motion than was possible on the drag-free satellite flown in 1972 (JH-1). Experimental laboratory results using a spinning vehicle with the new sensor mounted 30 cm from a spherical air bearing support are presented which confirm earlier simulation results.

Sanz Fernandez De Cordova, S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Orbit determination and prediction study for Dynamic Explorer 2

Definitive orbit determination accuracy and orbit prediction accuracy for the Dynamic Explorer-2 (DE-2) are studied using the trajectory determination system for the period within six weeks of spacecraft reentry. Baseline accuracies using standard orbit determination models and methods are established. A promising general technique for improving the orbit determination accuracy of high drag orbits, estimation of random drag variations at perigee passages, is investigated. This technique improved the fit to the tracking data by a factor of five and improved the solution overlap consistency by a factor of two during a period in which the spacecraft perigee altitude was below 200 kilometers. The results of the DE-2 orbit predictions showed that improvement in short term prediction accuracy reduces to the problem of predicting future drag scale factors: the smoothness of the solar 10.7 centimeter flux density suggests that this may be feasible.

Smith, R. L.↗