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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 613 records · Page 34

Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) Pathfinder for Artemis Gateway

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) mission was developed by NASA in collaboration with Advanced Space, LLC of Westminster, Colorado. This technology demonstration mission serves as a pathfinder for near rectilinear halo orbit (NHRO) operations around the Moon. The NHRO, (Perilune = 3,200 km; Apolune = 70,000 km) is the intended orbit for NASA’s Artemis Gateway, a small, human-tended space station planned for lunar orbit. The CAPSTONE mission will validate simulations and confirm operational planning for Gateway while also validating performance of navigation and station-keeping requirements for Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element. Thus, this mission will provide operational experience to NASA, commercial, and international missions for operations in a demanding orbital regime. The CAPSTONE mission consists of a 12-unit (U) CubeSat developed, integrated, and tested by the Terran Orbital Corporation that carries a payload communications system capable of cross-link ranging with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). CAPSTONE contains a chip scale atomic clock (CSAC) for a one-way ranging experiment with NASA’s Deep Space Network, a dedicated payload flight computer for software demonstration, and a camera. The launch, coordinated by NASA’s Launch Services Program, was provided by Rocket Lab on its Electron launch vehicle utilizing their Photon upper stage to deploy the CAPSTONE spacecraft into lunar orbit. The mission launched June 28, 2022. The CAPSTONE spacecraft deployed from Rocket Lab’s Photon stage and traversed an approximately 4 month highly efficient transfer phase entering the NRHO Novermber 13, 2022 for a six-month primary mission phase. The mission is currently in a twelve-month technology enhancement operations phase. The CAPSTONE technology demonstration mission is lead by Advanced Space, LLC. Spacecraft development and mission operations is conducted by Terran Orbital Corporation of Irvine, California. Noted accomplishments for the CAPSTONE mission include demonstration of the accessibility of NHROs, validation of key operational concepts in the NHRO environment, laying the foundation for commercial support of future lunar operations, and accelerating the availability of peer-to-peer navigation capabilities provided by the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System (CAPS). The CAPSTONE mission is funded through NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program, which is one of several programs within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. The program is chartered to develop and demonstrate technologies to enhance and expand the capabilities of small spacecraft with a particular focus on enabling new mission architectures through the use of small spacecraft, expanding the reach of small spacecraft to new destinations, and augmenting future missions with supporting small spacecraft. The CAPSTONE mission launch was provided by NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Missions Directorate’s Advanced Exploration Systems Division. Coordination and acquisition of the launch was managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program. The CAPSTONE mission and project status will be presented.

Elwood Agasid↗

Accelerating Hydraulic Fracture Imaging by Deep Transfer Learning

Deep transfer learning has a great success story in computer vision (CV), natural language processing, and many other fields. In this communication, we are going to push forward the deep transfer learning to the hydraulic fracture imaging problem by proposing a two-step approach: 1) train a convolutional neural network (CNN) to reconstruct target geometries by a relatively large amount of approximated field patterns generated from a simplified model and 2) fine-tune the top layers of transferred CNN by a small amount of true field patterns generated through a full model. The advantages include the rapid generation of large amount of data through the simplified model and the high reconstruction accuracy through a careful design of the deep transfer learning. Here, the CNN trained through the deep transfer learning can accurately reconstruct the lateral extent and direction of fractures with unseen conductivity and white Gaussian noise, showing a notable acceleration/accuracy enhancement over the previous CNN trained by mixing a small number of true data into the approximated data as data augmentation.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Land mobile satellite system requirements

A Land Mobile Satellite System (LMSS) provides voice, data and related communications services to moving vehicles and persons. Communications between the mobiles and satellite are in the 806-890 MHz band. The satellite translates these signals to a ""fixed services band'' such as 14/12 GHz band (Ku-band), and communicates in this band with fixed terminals called gateways. The gateways are located at convenient places such as telephone switches (which provide entry into the national telephone system), dispatcher headquarters, computer centers, etc. Communications are therefore principally mobile to fixed. A third communications link, also at Ku-band, is needed between the satellite and a single fixed ground station. This link provides satellite command, telemetry and ranging and also provides a network control function. The latter, through a common signalling system, receives requests and assigns channel slots, and otherwise controls, monitors and polices the network and collects billing information.

Kiesling, J. D.↗

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 17: A comparison of the technical communication practices of Dutch and US aerospace engineers and scientists

As part of Phase 4 of the NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project, two studies were conducted that investigated the technical communications practices of Dutch and U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists. Both studies have the same seven objectives: first, to solicit the opinions of aerospace engineers and scientists regarding the importance of technical communications to their profession; second, to determine the use and production of technical communications by aerospace engineers and scientists; third, to seek their views about the appropriate content of an undergraduate course in technical communications; fourth, to determine aerospace engineers' and scientists' use of libraries, technical information centers, and on-line data bases; fifth, to determine the use and importance of computer and information technology to them; sixth, to determine their use of electronic networks; and seventh, to determine their use of foreign and domestically produced technical reports. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to aerospace engineers and scientists at the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), and NASA Ames Research Center, and the NASA Langley Research Center. The completion rates for the Dutch and U.S. surveys were 55 and 61 percent, respectively. Responses of the Dutch and U.S. participants to selected questions are presented.

Barclay, Rebecca O.↗

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 18: A comparison of the technical communication practices of aerospace engineers and scientists in India and the United States

As part of Phase 4 of the NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project, two studies were conducted that investigated the technical communications practices of India and U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists. Both studies have the same seven objectives: first, to solicit the opinions of aerospace engineers and scientists regarding the importance of technical communications to their profession; second, to determine the use and production of technical communications by aerospace engineers and scientists; third, to seek their views about the appropriate content of an undergraduate course in technical communications; fourth, to determine aerospace engineers' and scientists' use of libraries, technical information centers, and on-line data bases; fifth, to determine the use and importance of computer and information technology to them; sixth, to determine their use of electronic networks; and seventh, to determine their use of foreign and domestically produced technical reports. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to aerospace engineers and scientists at the Indian Institute of Science and the NASA Langley Research Center. The completion rates for the India and U.S. surveys were 48 and 53 percent, respectively. Responses of the India and U.S. participants to selected questions are presented in this report.

Pinelli, Thomas E.↗

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 29: A comparison of the technical communications practices of Japanese and US aerospace engineers and scientists

As part of Phase 4 of the NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project, two studies were conducted that investigated the technical communications practices of Japanese and U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists. Both studies have the same seven objectives: first, to solicit the opinions of aerospace engineers and scientists regarding the importance of technical communications to their profession; second, to determine the use and production of technical communications by aerospace engineers and scientists; third; to seek their views about the appropriate content of an undergraduate course in technical communications; fourth, to determine aerospace engineers' and scientists' use of libraries, technical information centers, and on-line data bases; fifth, to determine the use and importance of computer and information technology to them; sixth, to determine their use of electronic networks; and seventh, to determine their use of foreign and domestically produced technical reports. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to aerospace engineers and scientists in Japan and at the NASA Ames Research Center and the NASA Langley Research Center. The completion rates for the Japanese and U.S. surveys were 85 and 61 percent, respectively. Responses of the Japanese and U.S. participants to selected questions are presented in this report.

Pinelli, Thomas E.↗

The NIST Real-Time Control System (RCS): A Reference Model Architecture for Computational Intelligence

The Real-time Control System (RCS) developed at NIST and elsewhere over the past two decades defines a reference model architecture for design and analysis of complex intelligent control systems. The RCS architecture consists of a hierarchically layered set of functional processing modules connected by a network of communication pathways. The primary distinguishing feature of the layers is the bandwidth of the control loops. The characteristic bandwidth of each level is determined by the spatial and temporal integration window of filters, the temporal frequency of signals and events, the spatial frequency of patterns, and the planning horizon and granularity of the planners that operate at each level. At each level, tasks are decomposed into sequential subtasks, to be performed by cooperating sets of subordinate agents. At each level, signals from sensors are filtered and correlated with spatial and temporal features that are relevant to the control function being implemented at that level.

Albus, James S.↗

Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop Testbed to Evaluate FLISR Implemented with OpenFMB

With the increasing complexity of the distribution smart grid architecture, algorithms such as the fault location, isolation, and service restoration (FLISR) scheme rely on robust communications that are resilient to natural and man-made adverse conditions and exhibit robustness. Existing communications infrastructure for information exchange are centralized at the distribution management system, with very little autonomy or intelligence at the grid-edge. As a first step towards achieving grid-edge self-healing, this paper aims to bridge this shortcoming by implementing a centrally coordinated rules-based FLISR scheme and integrating it with Open Field Message Bus (OpenFMB), which is a flexible publish-subscribe architecture with the potential to enable point-to-multipoint communications and is more robust and resilient to natural and man-made adverse conditions. A proof of concept is developed to validate the centrally coordinated FLISR and OpenFMB mounted on an SEL-3360 computer that interacts with a simple feeder network of five SEL-651R relays, an SEL-3530 RTAC, and a hardware-in-the-loop testbed. Results demonstrate the efficacy of this approach in enabling direct, low-latency information exchange. OpenFMB's publish-subscribe data model also opens new ways to enable grid-edge interoperability among devices of different vendors interacting with different protocols.

Sundararajan, Aditya↗

Internet of things and operational technology detection and visualization platform

A computer-implemented method of monitoring activity of devices in a network is provided. The method comprises passively collecting data regarding how the devices access the network, and for each device on the network, identifying all other devices on the network with which the device communicates. All communication traffic from the devices to outside the network is identified. A determination is made if there are any required updates and if patches for the devices execute in a fashion defined as safe. A number of risk indicators for privacy risks are determined according to device communication within the network, device communication to outside the network, and update and patch execution. A visualization of any identified risk factors is displayed to a user through a user interface.

Urias, Vincent↗

Analysis of 100Mb/s Ethernet for the Whitney Commodity Computing Testbed

We evaluate the performance of a Fast Ethernet network configured with a single large switch, a single hub, and a 4x4 2D torus topology in a testbed cluster of "commodity" Pentium Pro PCs. We also evaluated a mixed network composed of ethernet hubs and switches. An MPI collective communication benchmark, and the NAS Parallel Benchmarks version 2.2 (NPB2) show that the torus network performs best for all sizes that we were able to test (up to 16 nodes). For larger networks the ethernet switch outperforms the hub, though its performance is far less than peak. The hub/switch combination tests indicate that the NAS parallel benchmarks are relatively insensitive to hub densities of less than 7 nodes per hub.

Fineberg, Samuel A.↗

Mission Control Center (MCC) system specification for the shuttle Orbital Flight Test (OFT) timeframe

The Mission Control Center Shuttle (MCC) Shuttle Orbital Flight Test (OFT) Data System (OFTDS) provides facilities for flight control and data systems personnel to monitor and control the Shuttle flights from launch (tower clear) to rollout (wheels stopped on runway). It also supports the preparation for flight (flight planning, flight controller and crew training, and integrated vehicle and network testing activities). The MCC Shuttle OFTDS is described in detail. Three major support systems of the OFTDS and the data types and sources of data entering or exiting the MCC were illustrated. These systems are the communication interface system, the data computation complex, and the display and control system.

Source record↗

A real-time dynamic spacecraft simulator for the LANDSAT-D mission

A real time dynamic simulator for LANDSAT D was developed and has played an integral role in the development and validation of both the ground control system and of the on-board flight software. The simulator utilized an electronic replica of the spacecraft on-board computer and data handling hardware interfaced to a VAX 11/780 computer and simulation software. Key features of the simulator design are a modular software architecture tailored to the VAX/VMS real time capabilities, a microprocessor controlled interface between the VAX and the flight hardware replica, complete simulation of the spacecraft and NASA network communication links, and a flexible and powerful scenario structuring and operator control capability. The design goals and trade-offs, software, and hardware design are summarized. The application of the simulator to the validation of both the ground systems and on-board software is reviewed in detail.

Coffin, A. R.↗

A large-scale computer facility for computational aerodynamics

As a result of advances related to the combination of computer system technology and numerical modeling, computational aerodynamics has emerged as an essential element in aerospace vehicle design methodology. NASA has, therefore, initiated the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program with the objective to provide a basis for further advances in the modeling of aerodynamic flowfields. The Program is concerned with the development of a leading-edge, large-scale computer facility. This facility is to be made available to Government agencies, industry, and universities as a necessary element in ensuring continuing leadership in computational aerodynamics and related disciplines. Attention is given to the requirements for computational aerodynamics, the principal specific goals of the NAS Program, the high-speed processor subsystem, the workstation subsystem, the support processing subsystem, the graphics subsystem, the mass storage subsystem, the long-haul communication subsystem, the high-speed data-network subsystem, and software.

Bailey, F. R.↗

The Space Station Data Management System - Avionics that integrate

The Space Station Data Management System (DMS) comprises the networked computers, mass storage, workstations, and instrumentation interfaces required to support onboard systems and payload operations. This paper gives an overview of the current DMS architecture and discusses its role as onboard integrator in four of its major functional areas: (1) data communication; (2) data processing; (3) data administration, storage and retrieval; and (4) data presentation at the human-computer interface.

Whitelaw, Virginia↗

DAI-CLIPS: Distributed, Asynchronous, Interacting CLIPS

DAI-CLIPS is a distributed computational environment within which each CLIPS is an active independent computational entity with the ability to communicate freely with other CLIPS. Furthermore, new CLIPS can be created, others can be deleted or modify their expertise, all dynamically in an asynchronous and independent fashion during execution. The participating CLIPS are distributed over a network of heterogeneous processors taking full advantage of the available processing power. We present the general framework encompassing DAI-CLIPS and discuss some of its advantages and potential applications.

Gagne, Denis↗

Modeling, Simulation and Analysis of Public Key Infrastructure

Security is an essential part of network communication. The advances in cryptography have provided solutions to many of the network security requirements. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is the foundation of the cryptography applications. The main objective of this research is to design a model to simulate a reliable, scalable, manageable, and high-performance public key infrastructure. We build a model to simulate the NASA public key infrastructure by using SimProcess and MatLab Software. The simulation is from top level all the way down to the computation needed for encryption, decryption, digital signature, and secure web server. The application of secure web server could be utilized in wireless communications. The results of the simulation are analyzed and confirmed by using queueing theory.

Liu, Yuan-Kwei↗

Automated Instrumentation, Monitoring and Visualization of PVM Programs Using AIMS

We present views and analysis of the execution of several PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) codes for Computational Fluid Dynamics on a networks of Sparcstations, including: (1) NAS Parallel Benchmarks CG and MG; (2) a multi-partitioning algorithm for NAS Parallel Benchmark SP; and (3) an overset grid flowsolver. These views and analysis were obtained using our Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) version 3.0, a toolkit for debugging the performance of PVM programs. We will describe the architecture, operation and application of AIMS. The AIMS toolkit contains: (1) Xinstrument, which can automatically instrument various computational and communication constructs in message-passing parallel programs; (2) Monitor, a library of runtime trace-collection routines; (3) VK (Visual Kernel), an execution-animation tool with source-code clickback; and (4) Tally, a tool for statistical analysis of execution profiles. Currently, Xinstrument can handle C and Fortran 77 programs using PVM 3.2.x; Monitor has been implemented and tested on Sun 4 systems running SunOS 4.1.2; and VK uses XIIR5 and Motif 1.2. Data and views obtained using AIMS clearly illustrate several characteristic features of executing parallel programs on networked workstations: (1) the impact of long message latencies; (2) the impact of multiprogramming overheads and associated load imbalance; (3) cache and virtual-memory effects; and (4) significant skews between workstation clocks. Interestingly, AIMS can compensate for constant skew (zero drift) by calibrating the skew between a parent and its spawned children. In addition, AIMS' skew-compensation algorithm can adjust timestamps in a way that eliminates physically impossible communications (e.g., messages going backwards in time). Our current efforts are directed toward creating new views to explain the observed performance of PVM programs. Some of the features planned for the near future include: (1) ConfigView, showing the physical topology of the virtual machine, inferred using specially formatted IP (Internet Protocol) packets: and (2) LoadView, synchronous animation of PVM-program execution and resource-utilization patterns.

Mehra, Pankaj↗

Managing Multi-Instrument Data Streams in Secure Environments

The capture and curation of all primary instrument data is a potentially valuable source of added insight into experiments or diagnostics in laboratory experiments. The data can, when properly curated, enable analysis beyond the current practice that uses just a subset of the as-measured data. Complete curated data can also be input for machine learning and other data exploration tools. Conveniently storing and accessing instrument data requires that the instruments are connected to databases and users through a networking infrastructure. This infrastructure needs to accommodate a wide array of instruments which can range from single laboratory mounted probes for environment monitoring to computers managing multiple instruments. These resources may also include mobile devices on which researchers record instrument and experiment state related notes. These varied data sources bring with them the challenges of different communications capabilities and protocols as well as the primary data typically being produced in proprietary formats. These challenges are further compounded when the instruments need to operate in secure environments such as required in national laboratories. We will discuss the SmartLab, an ongoing effort to set up a system for instrument and simulation data curation at NASA Langley Research Center. We will outline the challenges faced in managing the data sources required for ongoing research activities and the solutions that are being considered and implemented to address those challenges.

instrument data management↗