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At least 613 records · Page 34

Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor System for Monitoring Smart Composite Aerospace Structures

Lightweight, electromagnetic interference (EMI) immune, fiber-optic, sensor- based structural health monitoring (SHM) will play an increasing role in aerospace structures ranging from aircraft wings to jet engine vanes. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors for SHM include advanced signal processing, system and damage identification, and location and quantification algorithms. Potentially, the solution could be developed into an autonomous onboard system to inspect and perform non-destructive evaluation and SHM. A novel method has been developed to massively multiplex FBG sensors, supported by a parallel processing interrogator, which enables high sampling rates combined with highly distributed sensing (up to 96 sensors per system). The interrogation system comprises several subsystems. A broadband optical source subsystem (BOSS) and routing and interface module (RIM) send light from the interrogation system to a composite embedded FBG sensor matrix, which returns measurand-dependent wavelengths back to the interrogation system for measurement with subpicometer resolution. In particular, the returned wavelengths are channeled by the RIM to a photonic signal processing subsystem based on powerful optical chips, then passed through an optoelectronic interface to an analog post-detection electronics subsystem, digital post-detection electronics subsystem, and finally via a data interface to a computer. A range of composite structures has been fabricated with FBGs embedded. Stress tensile, bending, and dynamic strain tests were performed. The experimental work proved that the FBG sensors have a good level of accuracy in measuring the static response of the tested composite coupons (down to submicrostrain levels), the capability to detect and monitor dynamic loads, and the ability to detect defects in composites by a variety of methods including monitoring the decay time under different dynamic loading conditions. In addition to quasi-static and dynamic load monitoring, the system can capture acoustic emission events that can be a prelude to structural failure, as well as piezoactuator-induced ultrasonic Lamb-waves-based techniques as a basis for damage detection.

Moslehi, Behzad↗

POSTMAN: Point of Sail Tacking for Maritime Autonomous Navigation

Waves apply significant forces to small boats, in particular when such vessels are moving at a high speed in severe sea conditions. In addition, small high-speed boats run the risk of diving with the bow into the next wave crest during operations in the wavelengths and wave speeds that are typical for shallow water. In order to mitigate the issues of autonomous navigation in rough water, a hybrid controller called POSTMAN combines the concept of POS (point of sail) tack planning from the sailing domain with a standard PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller that implements reliable target reaching for the motorized small boat control task. This is an embedded, adaptive software controller that uses look-ahead sensing in a closed loop method to perform path planning for safer navigation in rough waters. State-of-the-art controllers for small boats are based on complex models of the vessel's kinematics and dynamics. They enable the vessel to follow preplanned paths accurately and can theoretically control all of the small boat s six degrees of freedom. However, the problems of bow diving and other undesirable incidents are not addressed, and it is questionable if a six-DOF controller with basically a single actuator is possible at all. POSTMAN builds an adaptive capability into the controller based on sensed wave characteristics. This software will bring a muchneeded capability to unmanned small boats moving at high speeds. Previously, this class of boat was limited to wave heights of less than one meter in the sea states in which it could operate. POSTMAN is a major advance in autonomous safety for small maritime craft.

Huntsberger, Terrance L.↗

Integration of RGB "Dust" Imagery to Operations at the Albuquerque Forecast Office

The NASA/Short‐term Prediction, Research, and Transition (SPoRT) Program has been providing unique Red‐Green‐Blue (RGB) composite imagery to its operational partners since 2005. In the early years of activity these RGB products were related to a True Color RGB, showing what one's own eyes would see if looking down at earth from space, as well as a Snow‐Cloud RGB (i.e. False Color), separating clouds from snow on the ground. More recently SPoRT has used the EUMETSAT Best Practices standards for RGB composites to transition a wide array of imagery for multiple uses. A "Dust" RGB product has had particular use at the Albuquerque, New Mexico WFO. Several cases have occurred where users were able to isolate dust plume locations for mesoscale and microscale events during day and night time conditions. In addition the "Dust" RGB can be used for more than just detection of dust as it is sensitive to the changes in density due to atmospheric moisture content. Hence low‐level dry boundaries can often be discriminated. This type of imagery is a large change from the single channel imagery typically used by operational forecast staff and hence, can be a challenge to interpret. This presentation aims to discuss the integration of such new imagery into operational use as well as the benefits assessed by the Albuquerque WFO over several documented events.

Fuell, Kevin↗

Integration of RGB "Dust" Imagery to Operations at the Albuqueque Forecast Office

The NASA/Short‐term Prediction, Research, and Transition (SPoRT) Program has been providing unique Red‐Green‐Blue (RGB) composite imagery to its operational partners since 2005. In the early years of activity these RGB products were related to a True Color RGB, showing what one's own eyes would see if looking down at earth from space, as well as a Snow‐Cloud RGB (i.e. False Color), separating clouds from snow on the ground. More recently SPoRT has used the EUMETSAT Best Practices standards for RGB composites to transition a wide array of imagery for multiple uses. A "Dust" RGB product has had particular use at the Albuquerque, New Mexico WFO. Several cases have occurred where users were able to isolate dust plume locations for mesoscale and microscale events during day and night time conditions. In addition the "Dust" RGB can be used for more than just detection of dust as it is sensitive to the changes in density due to atmospheric moisture content. Hence low‐level dry boundaries can often be discriminated. This type of imagery is a large change from the single channel imagery typically used by operational forecast staff and hence, can be a challenge to interpret. This presentation aims to discuss the integration of such new imagery into operational use as well as the benefits assessed by the Albuquerque WFO over several documented events.

Fuell, Kevin↗

Design and Development of Aerogel-Based Antennas for Aerospace Applications: A Final Report to the NARI Seedling

As highly porous solids possessing low density and low dielectric permittivity combined with good mechanical properties, polyimide (PI) aerogels offer great promise as an enabling technology for lightweight aircraft antenna systems. While they have been aggressively explored for thermal insulation, barely any effort has been made to leverage these materials for antennas or other applications that take advantage of their aforementioned attributes. In Phase I of the NARI Seedling Project, we fabricated PI aerogels with properties tailored to enable new antenna concepts with performance characteristics (wide bandwidth and high gain) and material properties (low density, environmental stability, and robustness) superior to the state of practice (SOP). We characterized electromagnetic properties, including permittivity, reflectivity, and propagation losses for the aerogels. Simple, prototype planar printed circuit patch antennas from down-selected aerogel formulations were fabricated by molding the aerogels to net shapes and by gold-metalizing the pattern onto the templates via electron beam evaporation in a clean room environment. These aerogel based antennas were benchmarked against current antenna SOP, and exhibited both broader bandwidth and comparable or higher gain performance at appreciably lower mass. Phase II focused on the success of the Phase I results pushing the PI aerogel based antenna technology further by exploring alternative antenna design (i.e., slot coupled antennas) and by examining other techniques for fabricating the antennas including ink jet printing with the goal of optimizing antenna performance and simplifying production. We also examined new aerogel formulations with better moisture and solvent resistance to survive processing conditions. In addition, we investigated more complex antenna designs including passive phased arrays such as 2x4 and 4x8 element arrays to assess the scalability of the aerogel antenna concept. Furthermore, we explored the possibility of developing these arrays in thin, flexible form to make conformable antennas.

insulation↗

Computation of Cosmic Ray Ionization and Dose at Mars: a Comparison of HZETRN and Planetocosmics for Proton and Alpha Particles

The ability to evaluate the cosmic ray environment at Mars is of interest for future manned exploration. To support exploration, tools must be developed to accurately access the radiation environment in both free space and on planetary surfaces. The primary tool NASA uses to quantify radiation exposure behind shielding materials is the space radiation transport code, HZETRN. In order to build confidence in HZETRN, code benchmarking against Monte Carlo radiation transport codes is often used. This work compares the dose calculations at Mars by HZETRN and the Geant4 application Planetocosmics. The dose at ground and the energy deposited in the atmosphere by galactic cosmic ray protons and alpha particles has been calculated for the Curiosity landing conditions. In addition, this work has considered Solar Energetic Particle events, allowing for the comparison of varying input radiation environments. The results for protons and alpha particles show very good agreement between HZETRN and Planetocosmics.

Gronoff, Guillaume↗

Heart Rate Responses to Unaided Orion Side Hatch Egress in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory

NASA is developing the Orion capsule as a vehicle for transporting crewmembers to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and for future human space exploration missions. Orion and other commercial vehicles are designed to splash down in the ocean where nominally support personnel will assist crewmembers in egressing the vehicle. However, off-nominal scenarios will require crewmembers to egress the vehicle unaided, deploy survival equipment, and ingress a life raft. PURPOSE: To determine the heart rate (HR) responses to unaided Orion side hatch egress and raft ingress as a part of the NASA Crew Survival Engineering Team's evaluation of the PORT Orion mockup in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). METHODS: Nineteen test subjects, including four astronauts (N=19, 14 males/5 females, 38.6+/-8.4 y, 174.4+/-9.6 cm, 75.7+/-13.1 kg), completed a graded maximal test on a cycle ergometer to determine VO2peak and HRpeak and were divided into five crews of four members each; one subject served on two crews. Each crew was required to deploy a life raft, egress the Orion vehicle from the side hatch, and ingress the life raft with two 8 kg emergency packs per crew. Each crew performed this activity one to three times; a total of ten full egresses were completed. Subjects wore a suit that was similar in form, mass, and function to the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) including helmet, gloves, boots, supplemental O2 bottles, and a CO2-inflated life preserver (approx.18 kg); subjects began each trial seated supine in the PORT Orion mockup with seat belts and mockup O2 and communication connections and ended each trial with all four crewmembers inside the life raft. RESULTS: VO2peak was 40.8+/-6.8 mL/kg/min (3.1+/-0.7 L/min); HRpeak was 181+/-10 bpm. Total egress time across trials was 5.0+/-1.6 min (range: 2.8-8.0 min); all subjects were able to successfully complete all trials. Average maximum HR at activity start, at the hatch opening, in the water, and in the raft, was 108, 137, 147, and 153 bpm, respectively; these values corresponded to 59+/-10%, 73+/-8%, 82+/-3%, and 84+/-6% of HRpeak, respectively. The highest HRs were seen after raft ingress and ranged from 72-99% HRpeak. Across all trials, cumulative averages of 5.4, 3.0, 1.1, and 0.2 min were spent at HRs >60%, >70%, >80%, and >90% HRpeak, respectively. CONCLUSION: Unaided Orion side hatch egress in the NBL is a relatively short-duration activity that elicits a high HR response for several min. Although all crewmembers successfully completed this activity, additional factors such as high seas, poor visibility, an incapacitated crewmember, neurovestibular perturbation, and neuromuscular deconditioning characteristic of a true operational environment may increase the physiologic demand (or decrease crewmembers' physiologic capacity) of unaided Orion side hatch egress. Additionally, landing conditions may require the crewmembers to egress from the top hatch, which is expected to be even more physiologically demanding; this condition will be evaluated in subsequent collaborative testing with the NASA Crew Survival Engineering Team.

English, Kirk L.↗

Exprimental Results of the First Two Stages of an Advanced Transonic Core Compressor Under Isolated and Multi-Stage Conditions.

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Program calls for investigation of the technology barriers associated with improved fuel efficiency for large gas turbine engines. Under ERA, the highly loaded core compressor technology program attempts to realize the fuel burn reduction goal by increasing overall pressure ratio of the compressor to increase thermal efficiency of the engine. Study engines with overall pressure ratio of 60 to 70 are now being investigated. This means that the high pressure compressor would have to almost double in pressure ratio while keeping a high level of efficiency. NASA and GE teamed to address this challenge by testing the first two stages of an advanced GE compressor designed to meet the requirements of a very high pressure ratio core compressor. Previous test experience of a compressor which included these front two stages indicated a performance deficit relative to design intent. Therefore, the current rig was designed to run in 1-stage and 2-stage configurations in two separate tests to assess whether the bow shock of the second rotor interacting with the upstream stage contributed to the unpredicted performance deficit, or if the culprit was due to interaction of rotor 1 and stator 1. Thus, the goal was to fully understand the stage 1 performance under isolated and multi-stage conditions, and additionally to provide a detailed aerodynamic data set for CFD validation. Full use was made of steady and unsteady measurement methods to understand fluid dynamics loss source mechanisms due to rotor shock interaction and endwall losses. This paper will present the description of the compressor test article and its measured performance and operability, for both the single stage and two stage configurations. We focus the paper on measurements at 97% corrected speed with design intent vane setting angles.

transonic compressors↗

Mineralogy of Mudstone at Gale Crater, Mars: Evidence for Dynamic Lacustrine Environments

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover landed in Gale crater in August 2012 to assess the habitability of sedimentary deposits that show orbital evidence for diverse ancient aqueous environments. Gale crater contains a 5 km high mound of layered sedimentary rocks in its center, informally named Mount Sharp. The lowermost rocks of Mount Sharp contain minerals that are consistent with a dramatic climate change during Mars' early history. During the rover's traverse across the Gale crater plains to the base of Mount Sharp, Curiosity discovered sedimentary rocks consistent with a fluviolacustrine sequence. Curiosity studied ancient lacustrine deposits at Yellowknife Bay on the plains of Gale crater and continues to study ancient lacustrine deposits in the Murray formation, the lowermost unit of Mount Sharp. These investigations include drilling into the mudstone and delivering the sieved less than 150 micrometers fraction to the CheMin XRD/XRF instrument inside the rover. Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns measured by CheMin generates mineral abundances with a detection limit of 1-2 wt.% and refined unit-cell parameters of minerals present in abundances greater than approximately 5 wt.%. FULLPAT analyses of CheMin XRD patterns provide the abundance of X-ray amorphous materials and constrain the identity of these phases (e.g., opal-A vs. opal-CT). At the time of writing, CheMin has analyzed 14 samples, seven of which were drilled from lacustrine deposits. The mineralogy from CheMin, combined with in-situ geochemical measurements and sedimentological observations, suggest an evolution in the lake waters through time, including changes in pH and salinity and transitions between oxic and anoxic conditions. In addition to a geochemically dynamic lake environment, the igneous minerals discovered in the lake sediments indicate changes in source region through time, with input from mafic and silicic igneous sources. The Murray formation is predominantly comprised of lacustrine mudstone and is 150-200 m thick, suggesting long history of lake environments in Gale crater. Curiosity has traversed through the lowermost approximately 30 m of the Murray formation, and each additional sample provides clues about the climate on early Mars.

Rampe, E. B.↗

Integrating Bioregenerative Foods into the Exploration Spaceflight Food System

Food, the nutrition it provides, and the eating experiences surrounding it, are central to performance, health, and psychosocial wellbeing on long duration spaceflight missions. Exploration missions will require a spaceflight food system that is safe, nutritious, and acceptable for up to five years, possibly without cold storage. Many of the processed and packaged spaceflight foods currently used on the International Space Station will not retain acceptable quality or required levels of key nutrients under these conditions. The addition of bioregenerative produce to exploration missions may become an important countermeasure to the nutritional gaps and a resource to support psychosocial health. Bioregenerative produce will be central to establishment of Earth-independence as exploration extends deeper into space. However, bioregenerative foods introduce food safety and scarcity risks that must be eliminated prior to crew reliance on these systems. The pathway to Earth independence will require small-scale integration and validation prior to large scale bioregenerative dependence. Near term exploration missions offer the opportunity to establish small scale supplemental salad crop and fruit systems and validate infrastructure reliability, nutritional potential, and the psychosocial benefits necessary to promote further bioregenerative integration.

Douglas, Grace L.↗

Isolated Rotor Forward Flight Testing from One Atmosphere down to Martian Atmospheric Densities

With the recent interest in Martian exploration using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), an experimental study was conducted to investigate rotor performance at Martian atmospheric conditions. Both simulation and testing of rotors is vital for the evaluation of performance and behavior of a rotor, especially when subjected to a Marian atmosphere. One critical test that has not been performed to date is simulated helicopter forward flight in a Martian atmosphere. To achieve this, the test must be conducted in a facility which can be evacuated to the atmospheric pressure and density of Mars. A unique 40-in diameter rotor, roughly approximating a proposed design for a Mars Helicopter (MH), was tested in forward flight at Mars atmospheric pressure at the NASA Ames Planetary Aeolian Laboratory (PAL). The goal of this experiment was to collect rotor thrust, RPM, power, torque, and acoustics measurements. Subsequently, these results are compared with simulated cases using a mid-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. As expected, rotor thrust and power results are drastically reduced when under low atmospheric conditions. In addition, Reynolds number effects seem to play a vital role that cannot be neglected.

Ament, Geoffrey A.↗

Upset Recovery Human Factors

Accident and incident analyses as well as industry group concerns and recommendations have justified taking a second look at proficiency standards related to upset recovery training and performance. Quite a number of factors and theories have been suggested-- leading the NASA Aviation Safety Program to reconsider manual handling skills in highly automated aircraft particularly in conditions that can potentially lead to Loss of Control events. Our team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) first identified 76 Basic Recovery Skills that were important for effective crew response under five different anomaly conditions. In addition to manual handling skills, the skill set included knowledge and cognitive skills, as well as decision making and management skills. Advanced Recovery Skills were identified by combining skills, integrating with crew resource management skills, and developing heuristics for decision making.Using the Advanced Recovery Skill set, the SMEs then developed a generic process flow starting from the problem discovery phase (e.g., identifying an anomaly) through the decision making and management phase (e.g., assessing response options), through the recovery phase (e.g., controlling the aircraft). The generic process flow was refined by testing it against six additional scenarios. The next part of the project was to develop an approach for assessing and revising a generic training curriculum (we used an operators Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) as a framework). Although many of the Basic and Advanced Recovery Skills could be found in the Job Task Listing, they were not always structured or combined in the most effective way. Recommendations were developed for assessing relevant aspects of the Job Task Listing and Continuing Qualification curriculum so that the more comprehensive set of Upset Recovery skillsincluding Human Factors--could be trained and assessed in the most appropriate and effective context. The existing AQP methodology provides a natural way to insert targeted Upset Recovery skills into its system of proficiency objectives, training devices, training activities, and ultimately, into the event sets of a simulator training scenario.

AQP training↗

Rotorcraft Flight Dynamics and Controls Research at NASA

In recent years, NASA has invested in key activities in the areas of flight controls, handling qualities and operations of rotorcraft for civilian applications. More specifically, the flight dynamics and control discipline has focused on analyzing the unique flight control and handling qualities challenges of large rotary wing vehicles anticipated for future passenger service, and examining the effect of control system augmentation on handling qualities for current civilian helicopters in order to improve safety and reduce accident rates. This paper highlights two recent research efforts in these areas. The first is an examination of flight control and handling qualities aspects of large rotorcraft. A series of experiments were performed in the large-motion Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center to quantify the effects of vehicle size on flight control requirements and piloted handling qualities. These experiments used a large tilt-rotor concept (~100 passengers) to also investigate the control augmentation required to obtain Level 1 handling qualities for a vehicle of this size. The second is an examination of the effect of control system augmentation on handling qualities for current civil rotorcraft, like those currently used for Emergency Medical Service type operations. Many current civilian helicopters have rate response type control systems and little or no control system augmentation, although current technologies allow helicopters to be fitted with stability augmentation systems, either as standard equipment or aftermarket options. A simulation experiment was conducted in the Vertical Motion Simulator to quantify the effects of advanced control modes available with a partial authority stability augmentation system on task performance and handling qualities in both good and degraded visual conditions. In addition to providing an overview of the rotary wing flight dynamics and controls research at NASA, this paper will provide an overview of these two research activities along with key results and conclusions.

Research at NASA↗

Modal Testing of a Flexible Wing on a Dynamically Active Test Fixture Using Fixed Base Correction Method - IFASD 2019

In modal testing and finite element model correlation, analysts desire modal results using free-free or rigid boundary conditions to ease comparisons of test versus analytical data. It is often expensive both in cost and schedule to build and test with boundary conditions that replicate the free-free or rigid boundaries. Static test fixtures for load testing are often large, heavy, and unyielding, but do not provide adequate boundaries for modal tests because they are dynamically too flexible and often contain natural frequencies within the test article frequency range of interest. The dynamic coupling between the test article and test fixture complicates the model updating process because significant effort needs to be spent on modeling the test fixture and boundary conditions in addition to the test article. If the modal results could be corrected for fixture coupling, then setups used for other structural testing could be adequate for modal testing and would allow significant schedule and cost savings by eliminating a unique setup for only modal testing. To simplify future modal tests, this paper reports on a fixed base correction method that was investigated during modal testing of a full-scale, half-span, flexible wing cantilevered from a static test fixture. The results of this fixed base correction approach look very promising. The method aided in producing similar wing modal characteristics for two different physical boundary configurations of a dynamically active test fixture.

modal testing↗

Rotorcraft Flight Dynamics and Controls Research at NASA

In recent years, NASA has invested in key activities in the areas of flight controls, handling qualities and operations of rotorcraft for civilian applications. More specifically, the flight dynamics and control discipline has focused on analyzing the unique flight control and handling qualities challenges of large rotary wing vehicles anticipated for future passenger service, and examining the effect of control system augmentation on handling qualities for current civilian helicopters in order to improve safety and reduce accident rates. This paper highlights two recent research efforts in these areas. The first is an examination of flight control and handling qualities aspects of large rotorcraft. A series of experiments were performed in the large-motion Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center to quantify the effects of vehicle size on flight control requirements and piloted handling qualities. These experiments used a large tilt-rotor concept (~100 passengers) to also investigate the control augmentation required to obtain Level 1 handling qualities for a vehicle of this size. The second is an examination of the effect of control system augmentation on handling qualities for current civil rotorcraft, like those currently used for Emergency Medical Service type operations. Many current civilian helicopters have rate response type control systems and little or no control system augmentation, although current technologies allow helicopters to be fitted with stability augmentation systems, either as standard equipment or aftermarket options. A simulation experiment was conducted in the Vertical Motion Simulator to quantify the effects of advanced control modes available with a partial authority stability augmentation system on task performance and handling qualities in both good and degraded visual conditions. In addition to providing an overview of the rotary wing flight dynamics and controls research at NASA, this paper will provide an overview of these two research activities along with key results and conclusions.

Rotorcraft↗

High Resolution Global Coupled Chemistry-Meteorology Simulations Using the NASA GEOS Composition Forecast System, GEOS-CF

We will give an overview of the NASA Global Earth Observing System Composition Forecast system (GEOS-CF), a high-resolution (0.25 degree) global composition model developed by the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO). This system combines the GEOS weather and aerosol model with the GEOS-Chem chemistry module (version 12) to provide a holistic view of atmospheric composition that captures a wide range of air pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and fine particulate matter. The spatial resolution of 0.25 degrees (approx. 25 km) is fine enough to resolve local features such as nighttime ozone titration previously resolved only by urban or regional models. Furthermore, since there are no boundary conditions for a global model, the GEOS-CF captures large-scale processes such as long-range transport of air pollutants from forest fires. Comparisons against surface observations highlight the model’s overall capability to reproduce the diurnal variability of air pollutants under a variety of meteorological conditions. In addition, we show how machine learning techniques can be used to correct for sub-grid variability, which further improves model estimates at a given surface observation site. The GEOS-CF system offers a new tool for scientists and the public health community alike and is being developed jointly with several government and non-profit partners. As an example, we will show the use of GEOS-CF during the Satellite Coastal and Oceanic Atmospheric Pollution Experiment (SCOAPE). The campaign, conducted in collaboration between NASA and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), aims to investigate the response of onshore air quality to Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas exploration, development and production. Detailed gas-phase chemistry, as provided by GEOS-CF, is critical to understand the formation of air pollution related to hydrocarbon emissions from offshore oil and gas activities. The accuracy of GEOS-CF can be further improved by incorporating detailed offshore emissions compiled by BOEM.

Knowland, K. Emma↗

Passive Aeroelastic Tailored Wing Modal Test Using the Fixed Base Correction Method

In modal testing and finite element model correlation, analysts desire modal results using free-free or rigid boundary conditions to ease comparisons of test versus analytical data. It is often expensive both in cost and schedule to build and test with boundary conditions that replicate the free-free or rigid boundaries. Static test fixtures for load testing are often large, heavy, and unyielding, but do not provide adequate boundaries for modal tests because they are dynamically too flexible and often contain natural frequencies within the frequency range of interest of the test article. Dynamic coupling between the test article and test fixture complicates the model updating process because significant effort is required to model the test fixture and boundary conditions in addition to the test article. If there were a way to correct the modal results for fixture coupling, then setups used for other structural testing could be adequate for modal testing. In the case described in this paper, a partial static loads testing setup was used, which allowed significant schedule and cost savings by eliminating a unique setup for a modal test. A fixed base correction technique was investigated during modal testing of a flexible wing cantilevered from part of a static test fixture. The technique was successfully used to measure the wing modes de-coupled from the dynamically active test fixture. The technique is promising for future aircraft applications, but more research is needed.

structural dynamics↗

Model Design and Pre-Test CFD Analysis for a Supersonic Retropropulsion Wind Tunnel Test

Future Mars human lander missions will require using powered descent beginning at supersonic conditions, something which has never been done before at Mars. Significant aerosciences challenges exist due to interactions between the retrorocket exhaust plumes and the freestream flow that alter the aerodynamic behavior of the powered descent vehicle. Historically, wind tunnel tests have been used to study supersonic retropropulsion with inert gas exhaust simulants. Also, SpaceX has successfully decelerated the Falcon 9 first stage numerous times by using powered flight at supersonic conditions. On the computational side, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes flowfield simulations are regularly completed at full-scale conditions. However, the available ground and flight data do not provide a basis for calibrating the computational uncertainties for aerodynamic interference forces and moments on proposed Mars descent vehicles, either because of insufficient data or dissimilar vehicles geometries and/or conditions. Thus, additional ground testing is needed to continue addressing the aerosciences risks for large-scale human Mars landers. To that end, a retropropulsion wind tunnel test will be conducted in the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel in 2020. The test is designed to improve upon similar past tests, both in terms of model design and measured data. The test campaign will use subscale model geometries derived from the two current NASA powered descent reference vehicles: a blunt low lift-to-drag vehicle and a more slender geometry. This paper covers the reference vehicles, test objectives, model design, scaling parameters, test matrix, and computational analysis to date.

Karl T Edquist↗