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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 577 records · Page 32

LES Simulation of Cooling Airflow of High-Pressure Turbine Using the Source Term Approach

In this study, the Open National Combustion code (OpenNCC) is applied to simulate the airflow inside the high-pressure turbine (HPT) of the energy efficient engine (EEE). The main objective of this study is to validate the proposed methodology of a three-dimensional unsteady calculation (LES) of the HPT with a moving mesh capability to capture a relative motion at the stator and rotor interface. In our previous study, the adiabatic wall assumption was made at all the solid surfaces of HPT (i.e., the cooling airflows were not included.) To relax this assumption, we implement the surface source team approach, in which we impose the source term at a specific area of a cooling airflow exit at the solid surfaces by specifying an injection angle, temperature, turbulent intensity, and mass flowrate of each cooling airflow. The beneficial feature of this approach is that it does not require a mesh for each hole. For the validation of the model, the data for EEE model is obtained from the General Electric (GE) test campaign, and the full scale warm-air rig test condition representing a test point close to the integrated core/low spool design condition is considered.

CFD Hot-streaks↗

Active Swarm Resiliency in the HelioSwarm Mission

Designed to observe plasma turbulence dynamics in solar wind over a distributed volume of space, the HelioSwarm mission comprises a primary chief spacecraft and eight smaller deputy satellites in uniquely assigned “loops” of periodic relative motion in a P/2 lunar resonant orbit. If one or more deputies fail, this multi-satellite architecture facilitates resiliency for science goals through repositioning of satellites to contingency loops. This strategy of Active Swarm Resiliency mitigates risk by modeling quantitative results ahead of time for mission operators to make informed decisions. Responsive actions meet minimum science objectives based on past and predicted system performance, an approach with applications to future missions with similar architecture and requirements.

Fault Management↗

Dynamic Stability Finite Element Analysis of Multiple Potential Large Space Telescope Structural Designs

One of the driving structural requirements of the Habitable Exo-Planet telescope is to maintain line of sight stability between the primary and secondary mirror of ≤ 5 milli-arc seconds. Dynamic analyses of two configurations of a proposed Habitable Exo-Planet 4 meter off-axis telescope structure were performed to predict effects of a vibration input on primary/secondary mirror alignment. The dynamic disturbance used as the forcing function was the James Webb Space Telescope reaction wheel assembly vibration emission specification level. The objective of these analyses was to predict order-of-magnitude performance for various structural configurations which contribute to efforts in defining the Habitable Exo-Planet structural design’s global architecture. Two variations of the basic architectural design were analyzed. Relative motion between the PM and the SM for each design configuration are reported.

jitter↗

Guidance and Control for Laser-Based Non-Cooperative Target Detumbling

Large pieces of orbital debris form a significant risk of fragmentation in case of collision. Such fragmentation would greatly increase the number of trackable and untrackable debris on orbit. This makes them attractive targets for future rendezvous and disposal missions. However, these non-cooperative targets tend to be tumbling and rendezvous with them is a dangerous prospect. To avoid this danger, contactless detumbling through laser ablation has been proposed prior to rendezvous. Existing proposals for contactless laser-based detumbling have yet to include an in-depth study of the problem's guidance, navigation, and control requirements. In this work we develop an attitude and relative motion control scheme for a chaser satellite detumbling a non-cooperative target via laser. We show that detumbling can be achieved with reasonable time and dV budgets. With Monte Carlo methods we explore the impact of laser force on the detumbling operation and reveal some non-intuitive relationships.

Guidance↗

Guidance and Control for Laser-Based Non-Cooperative Target Detumbling

Large pieces of orbital debris form a significant risk of fragmentation in case of collision. Such fragmentation would greatly increase the number of trackable and untrackable debris on orbit. This makes them attractive targets for future rendezvous and disposal missions. However, these non-cooperative targets tend to be tumbling and rendezvous with them is a dangerous prospect. To avoid this danger, contactless detumbling through laser ablation has been proposed prior to rendezvous. Existing proposals for contactless laser-based detumbling have yet to include an in-depth study of the problem's guidance, navigation, and control requirements. In this work we develop an attitude and relative motion control scheme for a chaser satellite detumbling a non-cooperative target via laser. We show that detumbling can be achieved with reasonable time and dV budgets. With Monte Carlo methods we explore the impact of laser force on the detumbling operation and reveal some non-intuitive relationships.

Guidance↗

Statistical tests of additional plate boundaries from plate motion inversions

The application of the F-ratio test, a standard statistical technique, to the results of relative plate motion inversions has been investigated. The method tests whether the improvement in fit of the model to the data resulting from the addition of another plate to the model is greater than that expected purely by chance. This approach appears to be useful in determining whether additional plate boundaries are justified. Previous results have been confirmed favoring separate North American and South American plates with a boundary located beween 30 N and the equator. Using Chase's global relative motion data, it is shown that in addition to separate West African and Somalian plates, separate West Indian and Australian plates, with a best-fitting boundary between 70 E and 90 E, can be resolved. These results are generally consistent with the observation that the Indian plate's internal deformation extends somewhat westward of the Ninetyeast Ridge. The relative motion pole is similar to Minster and Jordan's and predicts the NW-SE compression observed in earthquake mechanisms near the Ninetyeast Ridge.

Stein, S.↗

Operating Small Sat Swarms as a Single Entity: Introducing SODA

Swarm concepts are a growing topic of interest in the small satellite community. Compared to a small satellite constellation, a swarm has the distinction of being multiple spacecraft in close proximity, in approximately the same orbit. Furthermore, we envision swarms to have capabilities for cross-link communication and station-keeping. Of particular interest is a means to maintain operator-specified geometry, alignment, and/or separation.From NASA's decadal survey, it is clear that simultaneous measurements from a 3D volume of space are desired for a variety of Earth scientific studies. As this mission concept is ultimately extended to deep space, some degree of local control for the swarm to self-correct its configuration is required. We claim that the practicality of ground commanding each individual satellite in the swarm is simply not a feasible concept of operations. In other words, the current state-of-practice does not scale to very large swarms (e.g. 100 spacecraft or more) without becoming cost prohibitive. To contain the operations costs and complexity, a new approach is required: the swarm must be operated as a unit, responding to high-level specifications for relative position and velocity.The Mission Design Division at NASA Ames Research Center is looking to the near future for opportunities to develop satellite swarm technology. As part of this effort, we are developing SODA (Swarm Orbital Dynamics Advisor), a tool that provides the orbital maneuvers required to achieve a desired type of relative swarm motion. The purpose of SODA is two-fold. First, it encompasses the algorithms and orbital dynamics model to enable the desired relative motion of the swarm satellites. The process starts with the user specifying the properties of a swarm configuration. This could be as simple as varying in-track spacing of the swarm in one orbit, or as complex as maintaining a specified 3D geometrical orientation. We presume that science objectives will drive this choice. Given these inputs, the tool provides the most efficient maneuver(s) to achieve the objective.Second, SODA provides a variety of visualization tools. We acknowledge that the relationship between a desired relative motion amongst the swarm, and the corresponding orbital parameters for each individual satellite may not be immediately apparent for ground controllers and mission planners. The purpose of SODA's visualization tools is to illustrate this concept clearly with a variety of graphics and animations. After computing the optimal orbital maneuvers to modify the swarm, these results are simulated to demonstrate successful swarm control.Our emphasis in this paper is on the importance of relating the desired motion of the swarm satellites relative to one another with the required orbital element changes. One cannot joystick a drifting swarm satellite back into position; the underlying orbital mechanics dictate the most efficient recovery maneuvers. To illustrate this point, results from several case study simulations are presented. We conclude with our forward work for ongoing SODA development and potential science applications.

small satellites↗

Motion sickness susceptibility related to ACTH, ADH and TSH

The hypothesis that endogenous levels of certain hormones might be indicative of an individual's susceptibility to stressful motion is tested in a comparison of subjects classified as less prone to motion sickness with those of higher susceptibility. The levels of ACTH and vasopressin measured before exposure to stressful motion were twice as high in the less-suceptible group. No significant differences were noted in the levels of angiotensin, aldosterone, or TSH. The differences between the two groups were greater for a given hormone than for any of the changes induced by exposure to stressful motion.

Kohl, R. L.↗

Analysis of accelerated motion in the theory of relativity

Conventional treatments of accelerated motion in the theory of relativity have led to certain difficulties of interpretation. Certain reversals in the apparent gravitational field of an accelerated body may be avoided by simpler analysis based on the use of restricted conformal transformations. In the conformal theory the velocity of light remains constant even for experimenters in accelerated motion. The problem considered is that of rectilinear motion with a variable velocity. The motion takes place along the x or x' axis of two coordinate systems.

Jones, R. T.↗

The rate of collisions due to Brownian or gravitational motion of small drops

Quantitative predictions of the collision rate of two spherical drops undergoing Brownian diffusion or gravitational sedimentation are presented. The diffusion equation for relative Brownian motion of two drops is derived, and the relative motion of pairs of drops in gravitational sedimentation is traced via a trajectory analysis in order to develop theoretical models to determine the collision efficiencies, both with and without interparticle forces applied between the drops. It is concluded that finite collision rates between nondeforming fluid drops are possible for Brownian diffusion or gravitational sedimentation in the absence of attractive forces, in stark contrast to the prediction that lubrication forces prevent rigid spheres from contacting each other unless an attractive force that becomes infinite as the separation approaches zero is applied. Collision rates are shown to increase as the viscosity of the drop-phase decreases. In general, hydrodynamic interactions reduce the collision rates more for gravitational collisions than for Brownian collisions.

Zhang, Xiaoguang↗

Substorm-related plasma sheet motions as determined from differential timing of plasma changes at the ISEE satellites

From an ISEE survey of substorm dropouts and recoveries during the period February 5 to May 25, 1978, 66 timing events observed by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory/Max-Planck-Institut Fast Plasma Experiments were studied in detail. Near substorm onset, both the average timing velocity and the bulk flow velocity at the edge of the plasma sheet are inward, toward the center. Measured normal to the surface of the plasma sheet, the timing velocity is 23 + or - 18 km/s and the proton flow velocity is 20 + or - 8 km/s. During substorm recovery, the plasma sheet reappears moving outward with an average timing velocity of 133 + or - 31 km/s; however, the corresponding proton flow velocity is only 3 + or - 7 km/s in the same direction. It is suggested that the difference between the average timing velocity for the expansion of the plasma sheet and the plasma bulk flow perpendicular to the surface of the sheet during substorm recovery is most likely the result of surface waves moving past the position of the satellites.

Forbes, T. G.↗

Globally optimal maneuver of distributed systems

This paper examines the globally optimal maneuver of distributed systems undergoing large overall rigid-body motion and small relative elastic motion. Using floating coordinates the rigid-body motion and the elastic motion are decoupled thereby allowing the globally optimal maneuver problem to be separated into components associated with the rigid-body and elastic motions. The maneuvers are performed using distributed maneuvering forces based on modal measurements. The modal measurements are extracted from the physical measurements using modal filters. Rest-to-rest maneuvers of a uniform beam illustrate the decentralized nature of the globally optimal solutions.

Silverberg, Larry↗

Torsional vestibulo-ocular reflex measurements for identifying otolith asymmetries possibly related to space motion sickness susceptibility

Recent studies have identified significant correlations between space motion sickness susceptibility and measures of disconjugate torsional eye movements recorded during parabolic flights. These results support an earlier proposal which hypothesized that an asymmetry of otolith function between the two ears is the cause of space motion sickness. It may be possible to devise experiments that can be performed in the 1 g environment on earth that could identify and quantify the presence of asymmetric otolith function. This paper summarizes the known physiological and anatomical properties of the otolith organs and the properties of the torsional vestibulo-ocular reflex which are relevant to the design of a stimulus to identify otolith asymmetries. A specific stimulus which takes advantage of these properties is proposed.

Peterka, Robert J.↗

Implicit Approaches for Moving Boundaries in a 3-D Cartesian Method

This work considers numerical simulation of three-dimensional flows with time-evolving boundaries. Such problems pose a variety of challenges for numerical schemes, and have received a substantial amount of attention in the recent literature. Since such simulations are unsteady, time-accurate solution of the governing equations is required. In special cases, the body motion can be treated by a uniform rigid motion of the computational domain. For the more general situation of relative-body motion, however, this simplification is unavailable and the simulations require a mechanism for ensuring that the mesh evolves with the moving boundaries. This involves a "remeshing" of the computational domain (either localized or global) at each physical timestep, and places a premium on both the speed and robustness of the remeshing algorithms. This work presents a method which includes unsteady flow simulation, rigid domain motion, and relative body motion using a time-evolving Cartesian grid system in three dimensions.

Murman, Scott M.↗

Torsional vestibulo-ocular reflex measurements for identifying otolith asymmetries possibly related to space motion sickness susceptibility

Recent studies by Diamond and Markham have identified significant correlations between space motion sickness susceptibility and measures of disconjugate torsional eye movements recorded during parabolic flights. These results support an earlier proposal by von Baumgarten and Thumler which hypothesized that an asymmetry of otolith function between the two ears is the cause of space motion sickness. It may be possible to devise experiments that can be performed in the 1 g environment on earth that could identify and quantify the presence of asymmetric otolith function. This paper summarizes the known physiological and anatomical properties of the otolith organs and the properties of the torsional vestibulo-ocular reflex which are relevant to the design of a stimulus to identify otolith asymmetries. A specific stimulus which takes advantage of these properties is proposed.

Non-NASA Center↗