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An Overview of the Thermal Challenges of Designing Microgravity Furnaces

In the last few years, Marshall Space Flight Center has become heavily involved in a wide variety of microgravity projects that require furnaces, with hot zone temperatures ranging from 300 C to 2300 C, requirements for isothermal and gradient processing, and both semi-conductor and metal materials. On these types of projects, the thermal engineer is a key player in the design process. These furnaces present unique challenges to the thermal designer. One challenge is designing a sample containment system that achieves dual containment, yet allows a high radial heat flux. Another challenge is providing a high axial gradient but a very low radial gradient. These furnaces also present unique challenges to the thermal analyst. First, there are several orders of magnitude difference in the size of the thermal "conductors" between various parts of the model. A second challenge is providing high fidelity in the sample model, and connecting the sample with the rest of the furnace model, yet maintaining some sanity in the number of total nodes in the model. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the challenges involved in designing and analyzing microgravity furnaces and how some of these challenges have been overcome. The thermal analysis tools presently used to analyze microgravity furnaces and how they have been applied will be explained. Challenges for the future and a description of future analysis tools will be given.

Westra, Douglas G.↗

Overview of the NASA AMES-Dryden Integrated Test Facility

The Integrated Test Facility (ITF), being built at the NASA Ames Research Center's Dryden Flight Research Facility (ADFRF), will provide new real-time test capabilities for emerging research aircraft. An overview of the ITF and the real-time systems being developed to operate this unique facility are outlined in this paper. The ITF will reduce flight test risk by minimizing the difference between the flight- and ground-test environments. The ground-test environment is provided by combining real-time flight simulation with the actual aircraft. The generic capabilities of the ITF real-time systems, the real-time data recording, and the remotely augmented vehicle (RAV) monitoring system will be discussed. The benefits of applying simulation to aircraft-in-the-loop testing and RAV monitoring system capabilities to the X-29A flight research program will also be discussed.

Mackall, Dale↗

Overview of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Testing At MSFC

Previously, almost all water used by the crew during space flight has been transported from earth or generated in-flight as a by-product of fuel cells. Additionally, this water has been stored and used for relatively short periods. To achieve the United States' commitment to a permanent manned presence in space, more innovative techniques are demanded. Over 20,000 pounds of water and large quantities of air would have to be transported to the International Space Station (ISS) every 90 days with a corresponding amount of waste returned to earth, for an 8-person crew. This approach results in prohibitive logistics costs, and necessitates near complete recovery and recycling of water. The potential hazards associated with long-term reuse of reclaimed water and revitalized air resulted in the recognition that additional characterization of closed-loop systems and products is essential. Integrated physical/chemical systems have been designed, assembled, and operated to provide air and potable water meeting ISS quality specifications. The purpose of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) test program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is to conduct research related to the performance of the ISS and its Environmental Control components. The ECLSS Test Program encompasses the Water Recovery Test (WRT), the Integrated Air Revitalization Test (IART), and Life Testing, which permits ECLSS design evaluation. These subsystems revitalize air and reclaim waste waters representative of those to be generated on-orbit. This paper provides an overview of MSFC's 1997 ECLSS testing. Specific tests include: the Stage 10 Water Recovery Test; the Contaminant Injection Test; the Performance Enhancement Test and Life Testing of the Four Bed Molecular Sieve; the Oxygen Generator Assembly Life Test; and the ISS Water Distribution Biofilm Life Test.

Traweek, Mary S.↗

NASA's Reusable Launch Vehicle Technologies: A Composite Materials Overview

A materials overview of the NASA's Earth-to-Orbit Space Transportation Program is presented. The topics discussed are: Earth-to-Orbit Goals and Challenges; Space Transportation Program Structure; Generations of Reusable Launch Vehicles; Space Transportation Derived Requirements; X 34 Demonstrator; Fastrac Engine System; Airframe Systems; Propulsion Systems; Cryotank Structures; Advanced Materials, Fabrication, Manufacturing, & Assembly; Hot and Cooled Airframe Structures; Ceramic Matrix Composites; Ultra-High Temp Polymer Matrix Composites; Metal Matrix Composites; and PMC Lines Ducts and Valves.

Clinton, R. G., Jr.↗

HST Briefing: HST Science Overview

Hubble Space Telescope upgrades are discussed during this overview. Among those discussed are the Space Telescope Imaging Spectograph, the New Infrared Camera, upgrading of instruments with 90's technology, new CCD detectors, corrective optics, reconfiguration of mirrors, reduction in overall exposure time. A question and answer period with Johnson Spaceflight Center, Goddard Spaceflight Center and the press focuses primarily on these upgrades to the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Pioneer Venus Overview

A Pioneer Venus Overview is discussed. Pioneer Venus consists of two basic spacecraft: Orbiter and Multiprobe. The latter was separated into five separate vehicles near Venus. These were the probe transporter (called the Bus), a large atmospheric entry probe (dubbed Sounder) and three identical smaller probes (called North , Day, and Night in accordance with their entry locations). At Venus all six spacecraft communicated directly back to the Earth-based Deep Space Network (DSN) and, in the case of the Multiprobe mission, to two special receiving sites near Guam and Santiago (Chile). At the time this Special Issue was submitted for publication the nominal mission was complete and the Orbiter was continuing into an extended mission phase. It appears so that sufficient fuel remains to permit full operation through calendar year 1980, at least. The scientific payload, Principle Investigator, and his affiliation are listed for each Pioneer Venus spacecraft. This special issue is primarily devoted to short descriptions of the instruments listed with the exception of the Orbitor Cloud Photopolarimeter. Detailed instrument descriptions for this experiment have been published. Before proceeding with descriptions of the individual instruments, four special archival-type reports are included. The first deals with spacecraft design and operation. The Pioneer Venus spacecraft were unique and very special design features and operational modes needed to be incorporated. These are summarized therein. It should be noted that neither the scientific objectives nor the scientific results of the Pioneer Venus program are described or discussed in detail. The objectives have been published elsewhere.

Colin, Lawrence↗

SPARCLE: A Mission Overview

The SPAce Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE) is a NASA mission to demonstrate for the first time the measurement of tropospheric winds from a space platform using coherent Doppler Wind Lidar (DWL). SPARCLE is scheduled for launch in early 2001 on board one of the shuttle orbiters. While primarily a demonstration of the technology's performance at ranges of 300-350 km, the mission will also address sampling issues critical to the design and operation of follow-on missions. In this paper we provide a brief overview of the SPARCLE instrument and the experiments being planned.

Emmitt, G. D.↗

Hubble Space Telescope Briefing: HST Science Overview

This NASA Kennedy Space Center video release presents a broad overview of the science that is now possible as a result of the servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Dr. Ed Weiler (HST Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters), Dr. Dave Leckrone (HST, Senior Project Scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)), Dr. John Trauger (Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) Principal Investigator, Jet Propulsion Lab. (JPL)), Dr. Chris Burrows (WFPC2 Co-Investigator, Space Telescope Science Inst.(STSci)-European Space Agency (ESA), Jim Crocker ((Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement) COSTAR Team Leader, STSci), Dr. Holland Ford (COSTAR Project Scientist, Johns Hopkins Univ., STSci), and Dr. Duccio Machetto (European Space Agency (ESA)) give brief presentations, which feature images of stars and galaxies taken from the ground, from WFPC1 (prior to the servicing mission), and from WFPC2 (after the servicing mission). The main theme of the discussions center around the spherical aberration that was found in the images prior to servicing and the corrected images seen without the aberration following servicing. A question and answer period rounds out the press conference, with questions posed from scientific journalists at GSFC and other NASA centers.

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JSC, NASA Lead Center: Overview of Human Space Life Sciences Programs Office (HSLSPO)

An overview of the Human Space Life Sciences Programs Office (HSLSPO) presents the following topics in viewgraph form: Agency structure, objectives of the HSLSPO lead center implementation plan, HSLSPO relationship to Johnson Space Center (JSC) as lead center, HSLSPO programs and projects, biomedical research and countermeasures, HSLSPO relationship to the International Space Station (ISS), and BR&C ISS flight research content.

Stegemoeller, Charles↗

Overview of the HSR Propulsion Program

This paper presents a general overview of the High Speed Research Propulsion Program in viewgraph form. The goals of the program are: 1) To reduce the travel time to the Far East and Europe by 50 percent within 20 years, and do so at today's subsonic ticket prices; 2) Invigorate the general aviation industry, delivering 10,000 aircraft annually within 10 years, and 20,000 aircraft annually within 20 years; and 3) Provide next-generation design tools and experimental aircraft to increase design confidence, and cut the development cycle time for aircraft in half.

Peddie, Catherine↗

The US/USSR Biological Satellite Program: COSMOS 936 Mission Overview

On August 3, 1977, the Soviet Union launched Cosmos 936, an unmanned spacecraft carrying biology and physics experiments from 9 countries, including both the Soviet Union and U.S. The launch marked the second time the Soviet Union has flown U.S. experiments aboard one of its spacecraft, the first being Cosmos 782 launched Nov. 25, 1975, which remained in orbit 19.5 days. Aboard Cosmos 936 were: 30 young male Wistar SPF rats, 20 of which was exposed to hypogravity during flight while the remainder were subjected to a l x g acceleration by continuous configuration; 2) experiments with plants and fruit flies; 3) radiation physics experiments; and 4) a heat convection experiment. After 18.5 days in orbit, the spacecraft landed in central Asia where a Soviet recovery team began experiment operations, including animal autopsies, within 4.5 hr of landing. Half of the animals were autopsied at the recovery site and the remainder returned to Moscow and allowed to readapt to terrestrial gravity for 25 days after which they, too, were autopsied. Specimens for U.S. were initially prepared at the recovery site or Soviet laboratories and transferred to U.S. laboratories for complete analyses. An overview of the mission focusing on preflight, on-orbit, and postflight activities pertinent to the seven U.S. experiments aboard Cosmos 936 will be presented.

Souza, K. A.↗

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory: Overview

The Chandra X-ray Observatory, formerly, the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), has now joined the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, as the third of NASA's "Great Observatories". Chandra provides unprecedented arcsecond imaging and spectrometric imaging and high-resolution dispersive spectroscopy, to address a large range of topics in x-ray astronomy and astrophysics. Here we provide an overview of the Observatory, its operation, and initial results.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗

STS-99 / Endeavour Mission Overview

The primary objective of the STS-99 mission was to complete high resolution mapping of large sections of the Earth's surface using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). This radar system will produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's Surface. This videotape presents a mission overview press briefing. The panel members are Dr. Ghassem Asrar, NASA Associate Administrator Earth Sciences; General James C. King, Director National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA); Professor Achim Bachem, Member of the Executive Board, Deutschen Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the German National Aerospace Research Center; and Professor Sergio Deiulio, President of the Italian Space Agency. Dr. Asrar opened with a summary of the history of Earth Observations from space, relating the SRTM to this history. This mission, due to cost and complexity, required partnership with other agencies and nations, and the active participation of the astronauts. General King spoke to the expectations of NIMA, and the use of the Synthetic Aperture Radar to produce the high resolution topographic images. Dr. Achim Bachem spoke about the international cooperation that this mission required, and some of the commercial applications and companies that will use this data. Dr Deiulio spoke of future plans to improve knowledge of the Earth using satellites. Questions from the press concerned use of the information for military actions, the reason for the restriction on access to the higher resolution data, the mechanism to acquire that data for scientific research, and the cost sharing from the mission's partners. There was also discussion about the mission's length.

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NASA Procedures and Guidance 7120.5A: An Overview

The 1998 NASA Strategic Plan states that we are to deliver world-class programs and cutting-edge technology through a revolutionized NASA. Process and requirements must change to insure success in delivering those world-class programs. The 1996 Strategic Management Handbook defines the Agency's crosscutting processes: "Manage Strategically," "Provide Aerospace Products and Capabilities," "Generate Knowledge" and "Communicate Knowledge." The focus of this overview, and for the development of programs and projects, is the "Provide Aerospace Products and Capabilities" process. NASA Policy Document 7120.4A specifies the management system policy for the development and operation of programs and projects. NPG 7120.5A describes the next tier of requirements, integrating those crosscutting processes and process-focused requirements, making sure we can be flexible and efficient, providing the right kind of product delivery that meets user requirements.

Griner, Carolyn S.↗

The NASA Aviation Safety Program: Overview

In 1997, the United States set a national goal to reduce the fatal accident rate for aviation by 80% within ten years based on the recommendations by the Presidential Commission on Aviation Safety and Security. Achieving this goal will require the combined efforts of government, industry, and academia in the areas of technology research and development, implementation, and operations. To respond to the national goal, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed a program that will focus resources over a five year period on performing research and developing technologies that will enable improvements in many areas of aviation safety. The NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) is organized into six research areas: Aviation System Modeling and Monitoring, System Wide Accident Prevention, Single Aircraft Accident Prevention, Weather Accident Prevention, Accident Mitigation, and Synthetic Vision. Specific project areas include Turbulence Detection and Mitigation, Aviation Weather Information, Weather Information Communications, Propulsion Systems Health Management, Control Upset Management, Human Error Modeling, Maintenance Human Factors, Fire Prevention, and Synthetic Vision Systems for Commercial, Business, and General Aviation aircraft. Research will be performed at all four NASA aeronautics centers and will be closely coordinated with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other government agencies, industry, academia, as well as the aviation user community. This paper provides an overview of the NASA Aviation Safety Program goals, structure, and integration with the rest of the aviation community.

Shin, Jaiwon↗

Landsat 7 Science Data Processing: A System's Overview

The Landsat Science Data Processing System, developed by NASA for the Landsat 7 Project provides science data handling infrastructure used at the EROS Data Center Landsat 7 Data Handling Facility of the USGS Department of Interior. This paper presents an overview the designs, architectures, and details of the various systems used in the processing of the Landsat 7 Science Data.

Schweiss, Robert↗

An Overview of the NCC Spray/Monte-Carlo-PDF Computations

This paper advances the state-of-the-art in spray computations with some of our recent contributions involving scalar Monte Carlo PDF (Probability Density Function), unstructured grids and parallel computing. It provides a complete overview of the scalar Monte Carlo PDF and Lagrangian spray computer codes developed for application with unstructured grids and parallel computing. Detailed comparisons for the case of a reacting non-swirling spray clearly highlight the important role that chemistry/turbulence interactions play in the modeling of reacting sprays. The results from the PDF and non-PDF methods were found to be markedly different and the PDF solution is closer to the reported experimental data. The PDF computations predict that some of the combustion occurs in a predominantly premixed-flame environment and the rest in a predominantly diffusion-flame environment. However, the non-PDF solution predicts wrongly for the combustion to occur in a vaporization-controlled regime. Near the premixed flame, the Monte Carlo particle temperature distribution shows two distinct peaks: one centered around the flame temperature and the other around the surrounding-gas temperature. Near the diffusion flame, the Monte Carlo particle temperature distribution shows a single peak. In both cases, the computed PDF's shape and strength are found to vary substantially depending upon the proximity to the flame surface. The results bring to the fore some of the deficiencies associated with the use of assumed-shape PDF methods in spray computations. Finally, we end the paper by demonstrating the computational viability of the present solution procedure for its use in 3D combustor calculations by summarizing the results of a 3D test case with periodic boundary conditions. For the 3D case, the parallel performance of all the three solvers (CFD, PDF, and spray) has been found to be good when the computations were performed on a 24-processor SGI Origin work-station.

Raju, M. S.↗

Landsat 7 Science Data Processing: An Overview

The Landsat 7 Science Data Processing System, developed by NASA for the Landsat 7 Project, provides the science data handling infrastructure used at the Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center (EDC) Landsat Data Handling Facility (DHF) of the United States Department of Interior, United States Geological Survey (USGS) located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This paper presents an overview of the Landsat 7 Science Data Processing System and details of the design, architecture, concept of operation, and management aspects of systems used in the processing of the Landsat 7 Science Data.

Schweiss, Robert J.↗