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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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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Software Tools for the Analysis of Electrified Aircraft

The Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) project is addressing the challenges involving the electrification of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft. Electrification of aircraft has the potential to reduce fuel consumption, emissions, take-off field length, and noise. This presentation provides insight into the work being conducted by the NASA Glenn Research Center Electric Propulsion (EP) Team in the area of EP software tools, power quality analysis, hardware evaluation, and standards development.

Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP)↗
NASA NTRS2019

CHANGO: A Software Tool for Boost Stage Guidance of the Space Launch System Exploration Mission 1

The Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight will use open-loop guidance for Boost Stage (BS) flight. A table of attitude commands as a function of altitude, called the chi table, will be loaded onto the flight computers. The chi table will be generated using the measured winds on launch day by the Chi Angle Optimizer (CHANGO) software tool. Details of CHANGO’s design are given, including a Three Degrees-of-Freedom (3-DOF) simulation and a numerical minimization routine. CHANGO’s use in launch day operations is also described.

Ahmad, Naeem↗
NASA NTRS2019

CHANGO: A Software Tool for Boost Stage Guidance of the Space Launch System Exploration Mission 1

The Day of Launch Initiation Load Update (DOLILU) System is the means by which the Space Launch System (SLS) Vehicle trajectory is designed, verified, and uploaded on the Day of Launch (DOL) in order to ensure a safe flight. Launch vehicles are designed to fly down a narrow angle of attack and sideslip angle corridor in order to keep them within structural load limits. The angle of attack and sideslip angle response to the launch vehicle experiences can vary significantly based upon the winds experienced on the DOL. SLS Boost Stage flight employs an open-loop guidance scheme through Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation. In the SLS open-loop scheme, the vehicle will fly a prescribed set of attitudes as a function of the change in altitude since launch. This set of reference attitude values and corresponding altitude reference independent values are designed with ground software using winds measured on the DOL with the goal of minimizing angle of attack and sideslip angle, thereby minimizing related ascent integrated vehicle structural loads. The table of Boost Stage attitude commands as a function of altitude gained since launch is called the chi table. A software tool called CHANGO (Chi Angle Optimizer) designs the Boost Stage chi table which is uploaded to the vehicle’s flight computer and used during ascent by the flight software (FSW). The wind and atmospheric conditions are measured prior to launch and pre-processed to become input to the CHANGO software along with a set of parameters developed in advance of the DOL. CHANGO’s target set consists of the heading and altitude rate at SRB separation determined well before launch by the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST). CHANGO consists of a simplified three degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) simulation representing the SLS launch configuration. In general, the launch azimuth is strongly correlated with the heading at SRB separation, and the initial pitchover rate is strongly correlated with the altitude rate at SRB separation. CHANGO uses an adaptation of Powell’s method to vary the initial pitchover rate and launch azimuth to solve a 2-dimentional minimization problem. CHANGO’s trajectory simulation is phase-based, with flight events separating the phases. Each flight phase has different attitude alignment logic. CHANGO’s 3-DOF simulation starts when the vehicle’s thrust-to-weight ratio equals one, and ends at a pre-calculated SRB separation time.

Ahmad, Naeem↗
NASA NTRS1990

SHAPA: An interactive software tool for protocol analysis applied to aircrew communications and workload

As modern transport environments become increasingly complex, issues such as crew communication, interaction with automation, and workload management have become crucial. Much research is being focused on holistic aspects of social and cognitive behavior, such as the strategies used to handle workload, the flow of information, the scheduling of tasks, the verbal and non-verbal interactions between crew members. Traditional laboratory performance measures no longer sufficiently meet the needs of researchers addressing these issues. However observational techniques are better equipped to capture the type of data needed and to build models of the requisite level of sophistication. Presented here is SHAPA, an interactive software tool for performing both verbal and non-verbal protocol analysis. It has been developed with the idea of affording the researchers the closest possible degree of engagement with protocol data. The researcher can configure SHAPA to encode protocols using any theoretical framework or encoding vocabulary that is desired. SHAPA allows protocol analysis to be performed at any level of analysis, and it supplies a wide variety of tools for data aggregation, manipulation. The output generated by SHAPA can be used alone or in combination with other performance variables to get a rich picture of the influences on sequences of verbal or nonverbal behavior.

James, Jeffrey M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Comparisons of Kinematics and Dynamics Simulation Software Tools

Kinematic and dynamic analyses for moving bodies are essential to system engineers and designers in the process of design and validations. 3D visualization and motion simulation plus finite element analysis (FEA) give engineers a better way to present ideas and results. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) system engineering researchers are currently using IGRIP from DELMIA Inc. as a kinematic simulation tool for discrete bodies motion simulations. Although IGRIP is an excellent tool for kinematic simulation with some dynamic analysis capabilities in robotic control, explorations of other alternatives with more powerful dynamic analysis and FEA capabilities are necessary. Kinematics analysis will only examine the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the mechanism without considering effects from masses of components. With dynamic analysis and FEA, effects such as the forces or torques at the joint due to mass and inertia of components can be identified. With keen market competition, ALGOR Mechanical Event Simulation (MES), MSC visualNastran 4D, Unigraphics Motion+, and Pro/MECHANICA were chosen for explorations. In this study, comparisons between software tools were presented in terms of following categories: graphical user interface (GUI), import capability, tutorial availability, ease of use, kinematic simulation capability, dynamic simulation capability, FEA capability, graphical output, technical support, and cost. Propulsion Test Article (PTA) with Fastrac engine model exported from IGRIP and an office chair mechanism were used as examples for simulations.

Yeu-Sheng Paul Shiue↗
DOE OSTI2025

srlife : A software tool for estimating the life of high temperature concentrating solar receivers. Part II – Ceramic receivers

As Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies aim for higher operating temperatures to enhance efficiency and meet industrial process heat demands, high-temperature metallic materials, including nickel-based superalloys, face challenges in maintaining structural integrity. Advanced ceramics offer a promising alternative due to their superior high-temperature strength. However, accurately assessing the performance of ceramic components requires a fundamentally different approach from that used for metallic components. This Part II of a two-part paper describes the integration of ceramic statistical failure models within srlife – an open-source tool for predicting the life of high-temperature CSP receivers. These models account for the inherent variability in ceramic strength, as well as the effects of subcritical crack growth (SCG) under high temperature cyclic loads. Here, the paper includes an example problem that demonstrate the process of evaluating ceramic receivers using srlife. Part I details the life estimation process for metallic receivers (i.e. creep-fatigue life) along with input and output data structure, thermohydraulic analysis, and structural analysis. The complete tool is available as open-source software at https://github.com/srlife-project/srlife and can be installed via the PyPi package manager (https://pypi.org). By supporting both ceramic and metallic receiver analyses, srlife facilitates fair comparisons between competing metallic and ceramic designs, enabling accurate evaluations of plant efficiency and the economic benefits of ceramic solar receivers and other components.

High temperature ceramic receivers↗
NASA NTRS1985

Pvarray: A software tool for photovoltaic array design

The application of PVARRAY, a software program for design of photovoltaic arrays are described. Results of sample parametric studies on array configurations are presented. It is concluded that PVARRAY could simulate a variety of configurations.

Burger, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Real time software tools and methodologies

Real time systems are characterized by high speed processing and throughput as well as asynchronous event processing requirements. These requirements give rise to particular implementations of parallel or pipeline multitasking structures, of intertask or interprocess communications mechanisms, and finally of message (buffer) routing or switching mechanisms. These mechanisms or structures, along with the data structue, describe the essential character of the system. These common structural elements and mechanisms are identified, their implementation in the form of routines, tasks or macros - in other words, tools are formalized. The tools developed support or make available the following: reentrant task creation, generalized message routing techniques, generalized task structures/task families, standardized intertask communications mechanisms, and pipeline and parallel processing architectures in a multitasking environment. Tools development raise some interesting prospects in the areas of software instrumentation and software portability. These issues are discussed following the description of the tools themselves.

Christofferson, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS2020

DHMx (Digital Holographic Microscope Experience) Software Tool

The DHMx (Digital Holographic Microscope Experience) is an open-source software suite designed to perform reconstructions from off-axis holograms obtained from either a real-time stream or from disk with a graphical interface for commanding and display

Fregoso, S. Felipe↗
NASA NTRS1988

Software tools for the integration and execution of multidisciplinary analysis programs

The Environment for Application Software Integration and Execution (EASIE) software furnishes a methodology and a set of utility routines for design teams to use in building, maintaining, and applying CAD systems consituted by a large number of diverse, stand-alone analysis codes. EASIE uses a central data base that contains all variables required as inputs to the analysis programs that will make up the integrated system. Attention is given to the illustrative cases of three operational design systems based on EASIE.

Rowell, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Advances in Software Tools for Pre-processing and Post-processing of Overset Grid Computations

Recent developments in three pieces of software for performing pre-processing and post-processing work on numerical computations using overset grids are presented. The first is the OVERGRID graphical interface which provides a unified environment for the visualization, manipulation, generation and diagnostics of geometry and grids. Modules are also available for automatic boundary conditions detection, flow solver input preparation, multiple component dynamics input preparation and dynamics animation, simple solution viewing for moving components, and debris trajectory analysis input preparation. The second is a grid generation script library that enables rapid creation of grid generation scripts. A sample of recent applications will be described. The third is the OVERPLOT graphical interface for displaying and analyzing history files generated by the flow solver. Data displayed include residuals, component forces and moments, number of supersonic and reverse flow points, and various dynamics parameters.

Chan, William M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Numerical arc segmentation algorithm for a radio conference - A software tool for communication satellite systems planning

A detailed description of a Numerical Arc Segmentation Algorithm for a Radio Conference (NASARC) software package for communication satellite systems planning is presented. This software provides a method of generating predetermined arc segments for use in the development of an allotment planning procedure to be carried out at the 1988 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC - 88) on the use of the GEO and the planning of space services utilizing GEO. The features of the NASARC software package are described, and detailed information is given about the function of each of the four NASARC program modules. The results of a sample world scenario are presented and discussed.

Whyte, W. A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

srlife : a software tool for estimating the life of high temperature concentrating solar receivers. Part I – metallic receivers

Here, this paper introduces srlife, a tool for estimating the structural service life of concentrating solar power (CSP) receivers operating at high temperatures. Supporting both metallic and ceramic receiver designs, srlife is available as open-source software at https://github.com/applied-material-modeling/srlife and can be installed via the PyPi package manager (https://pypi.org). Given basic receiver geometry and incident heat flux, the tool performs thermohydraulic and structural analysis and estimates the life of a receiver. Designed for easy integration into a software stack, including solar field and levelized cost analysis, the tool can be utilized for optimizing receiver designs to meet service life and economic targets. This paper is Part I in a two-part series. Part I discusses the analysis process used to estimate the life of metallic receivers, along with a description of the required input data. Additionally, several heuristics applied within srlife can reduce analysis time significantly while maintaining accurate life estimations for metallic receivers when compared to full analyses. Several examples demonstrating the utility of srlife in receiver design are also discussed. Part II focuses on the life estimation of ceramic receivers, using time-dependent reliability analysis and various ceramic failure models implemented in srlife.

Creep-fatigue analysis↗
NASA NTRS2014

Innovative Software Tools Measure Behavioral Alertness

To monitor astronaut behavioral alertness in space, Johnson Space Center awarded Philadelphia-based Pulsar Informatics Inc. SBIR funding to develop software to be used onboard the International Space Station. Now used by the government and private companies, the technology has increased revenues for the firm by an average of 75 percent every year.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Updates on the Predictive Materials Modeling Software Tools

Updates on NASA‘s efforts to build a Predictive Material Modeling (PMM) framework from the micro-scale to the macro-scale are presented in this abstract. The PMM effort is part of the Entry Systems Modeling (ESM) project under NASA’s Game Changing Development (GCD) program. To reduce the need for extensive testing and accelerate the design cycle process, ESM is developing simulation and modeling tools that enable the characterization of the properties of thermal protection materials and their response to extremely hot plasma. The Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) software has been developed to compute effective material properties and perform material response simulations on digitized microstructures of porous media. PuMA is able to import three-dimensional digital images obtained from X-ray microtomography or to generate artificial microstructures that mimic real materials. PuMA also provides a module for interactive 3D visualizations. Version 3, which was recently released as open-source, includes modules to compute simple morphological properties such as porosity, volume fractions, pore diameter, and specific surface area. Additional capabilities include the determination of effective thermal and electrical conductivity (both radiative and solid conduction - including the ability to simulate local anisotropy for the latter); effective diffusivity and tortuosity from the continuum to the rarefied regime; techniques to determine the local material orientation, as well as mechanical properties (elasticity coefficients), and permeability. Computed properties are then used to inform a macro-scale material response model, such as those implemented in the Porous material Analysis Toolbox based on OpenFOAM (PATO) software developed within ESM. The computational model in PATO is a generic heat and mass transfer model for porous reactive materials containing several solid phases and a single gas phase. The detailed chemical interactions occurring between the solid phases and the gas phase are modeled at the pore scale, assuming Local Thermal Equilibrium. Recent efforts include the development of a mechanical erosion model as well as a unified model allowing an intrinsic coupling between fluid and material. Comparison to flight data (Mars Science Laboratory [MSL] Entry Descent and Landing Instrument [MEDLI] and Mars 2020 MEDLI2) is critical in order to validate these computational tools. Examples of ablative material response using the code will be presented, including 3D simulations of the full-scale heatshield of the MSL capsule. The simulations demonstrated the ability of the modern material response code, PATO, to handle the material response of geometrically complex and large domains through the use of massively parallel computations.

material modeling↗
NASA NTRS1994

Data Analysis with Graphical Models: Software Tools

Probabilistic graphical models (directed and undirected Markov fields, and combined in chain graphs) are used widely in expert systems, image processing and other areas as a framework for representing and reasoning with probabilities. They come with corresponding algorithms for performing probabilistic inference. This paper discusses an extension to these models by Spiegelhalter and Gilks, plates, used to graphically model the notion of a sample. This offers a graphical specification language for representing data analysis problems. When combined with general methods for statistical inference, this also offers a unifying framework for prototyping and/or generating data analysis algorithms from graphical specifications. This paper outlines the framework and then presents some basic tools for the task: a graphical version of the Pitman-Koopman Theorem for the exponential family, problem decomposition, and the calculation of exact Bayes factors. Other tools already developed, such as automatic differentiation, Gibbs sampling, and use of the EM algorithm, make this a broad basis for the generation of data analysis software.

Buntine, Wray L.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Development of a User Interface for a Regression Analysis Software Tool

An easy-to -use user interface was implemented in a highly automated regression analysis tool. The user interface was developed from the start to run on computers that use the Windows, Macintosh, Linux, or UNIX operating system. Many user interface features were specifically designed such that a novice or inexperienced user can apply the regression analysis tool with confidence. Therefore, the user interface s design minimizes interactive input from the user. In addition, reasonable default combinations are assigned to those analysis settings that influence the outcome of the regression analysis. These default combinations will lead to a successful regression analysis result for most experimental data sets. The user interface comes in two versions. The text user interface version is used for the ongoing development of the regression analysis tool. The official release of the regression analysis tool, on the other hand, has a graphical user interface that is more efficient to use. This graphical user interface displays all input file names, output file names, and analysis settings for a specific software application mode on a single screen which makes it easier to generate reliable analysis results and to perform input parameter studies. An object-oriented approach was used for the development of the graphical user interface. This choice keeps future software maintenance costs to a reasonable limit. Examples of both the text user interface and graphical user interface are discussed in order to illustrate the user interface s overall design approach.

Ulbrich, Norbert Manfred↗