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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 685 records · Page 38

The development of the DAST I remotely piloted research vehicle for flight testing an active flutter suppression control system

The development of the DAST I (drones for aerodynamic and structural testing) remotely piloted research vehicle is described. The DAST I is a highly modified BQM-34E/F Firebee II Supersonic Aerial Target incorporating a swept supercritical wing designed to flutter within the vehicle's flight envelope. The predicted flutter and rigid body characteristics are presented. A description of the analysis and design of an active flutter suppression control system (FSS) designed to increase the flutter boundary of the DAST wing (ARW-1) by a factor of 20% is given. The design and development of the digital remotely augmented primary flight control system and on-board analog backup control system is presented. An evaluation of the near real-time flight flutter testing methods is made by comparing results of five flutter testing techniques on simulated DAST I flutter data. The development of the DAST ARW-1 state variable model used to generate time histories of simulated accelerometer responses is presented. This model uses control surface commands and a Dryden model gust as inputs. The feasibility of the concept of extracting open loop flutter characteristics from closed loop FSS responses was examined. It was shown that open loop characteristics can be determined very well from closed loop subcritical responses.

Grose, D. L.↗

Adaptive coding of MSS imagery

A number of adaptive data compression techniques are considered for reducing the bandwidth of multispectral data. They include adaptive transform coding, adaptive DPCM, adaptive cluster coding, and a hybrid method. The techniques are simulated and their performance in compressing the bandwidth of Landsat multispectral images is evaluated and compared using signal-to-noise ratio and classification consistency as fidelity criteria.

Habibi, A.↗

Statistical sampling analysis for stratospheric measurements from satellite missions

Earth orbiting satellite experiments can be designed to measure stratospheric constituents such as ozone by utilizing remote sensing techniques. Statistical analysis techniques, mission simulation and model development have been utilized to develop a method for analyzing various mission/sensor combinations. Existing and planned NASA satellite missions such as Nimbus-4 and G, and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment-Application Explorer Mission (SAGE-AEM) have been analyzed to determine the ability of the missions to adequately sample the global field.

Drewry, J. W.↗

Synthetic Aperture Radar Technology Conference, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N. Mex., March 8-10, 1978, Proceedings

The following aspects of SAR development are discussed: calibration techniques, image simulation and interpretability, antennas, data processing, and system design. Papers are presented on such topics as a postlaunch calibration experiment for the Seasat-A SAR, computer simulation of an orbital SAR system, definition study of the Shuttle Imaging Radar, custom LSI circuits for spaceborne SAR processors, and random sampling adaptively focusing SAR.

Source record↗

LeRC reduced gravity fluid management technology program

A survey of the reduced gravity fluid management technology program is presented. Information on reduced gravity fluid behavior, techniques for thermal control of cryogenic tankage, and design for fluid management systems are discussed. The development of Spacelab experiments, propellant management systems for orbit transfer vehicles, and computer techniques for simulating reduced gravity fluid dynamic processes is reported.

Aydelott, J. C.↗

LeRC reduced gravity fluid management technology program

The program reviewed in the present paper has provided information of the reduced-gravity behavior of fluids, thermal control of cryogenic tankage, and fluid management system design. The studies are currently shifting from the utilization of in-house experimental facilities to the development of Spacelab experiments. The cryogenic fluid management experiment, currently undergoing detailed design, is expected to provide an orbital evaluation of a subcritical liquid hydrogen storage and supply system, as part of the Shuttle/Spacelab program. Efforts are continuing to develop computer techniques for simulating reduced-gravity fluid dynamic processes.

Aydelott, J. C.↗

Topological analysis of computed three-dimensional viscous flow fields

Computed solutions of the time-dependent, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for three dimensional flows having thin shear layers are analyzed using topological concepts. Specific examples include the transonic flow over a body of revolution with conical afterbody at moderate angles of incidence to the free stream. Experimental flow-visualization techniques are simulated graphically to visualize the computed flow. Scalar and vector fluid dynamics properties such as pressure, shear stress, and vorticity on the body surface are presented as topological maps, and their relationship to one another in terms of orientation and singular points is discussed. The extrapolation from these surface topologies toward the understanding of external flow-field behavior is and demonstrated.

Deiwert, G. S.↗

The engineering investigation of aircraft accidents

The organization and plan for an investigation, procedures used at the scene of the accident, engineering aspects covered in the main investigation, use of special analytical techniques and simulation tools, and use of flight recorder data are discussed. Examples of investigations are used to illustrate the processes used.

Anderson, S. B.↗

Preliminary results of the comparison of the electrochemical behavior of a thioether and biphenyl

An electrochemical cell was constructed to explore the feasibility of using electrochemical techniques to simulate the tribochemistry of various substances. The electrochemical cell was used to study and compare the behavior of a thioether 1,3-bis(phenylthio) benzene and biphenyl. It is found that under controlled conditions biphenyl undergoes a reversible reduction to a radical anion whereas the thioether undergoes an irreversible reduction yielding several products. The results are discussed in relationship to boundary lubrication.

Morales, W.↗

Topological analysis of computed three-dimensional viscous flow fields

Computed solutions of the time-dependent, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for three-dimensional flows having thin shear layers are analyzed, using topological concepts. Specific examples include the transonic flow over a body of revolution with conical afterbody at moderate angles of incidence to the free stream. Experimental flow-visualization techniques are simulated graphically to visualize the computed flow. Scalar and vector fluid dynamic properties, such as pressure, shear stress, and vorticity on the body surface, are presented as topological maps, and their relationship to one another in terms of orientation and singular points is discussed. The extrapolation from these surface topologies toward the understanding of external flow-field behavior is discussed and demonstrated.

Deiwert, G. S.↗

Structural considerations for a software life cycle dynamic simulation model

This paper presents the results of a preliminary study into the prospects for simulating the software implementation and maintenance life cycle process, with the aim of producing a computerized tool for use by management and software engineering personnel in project planning, tradeoff studies involving product, environmental, situational, and technological factors, and training. The approach taken is the modular application of a 'flow of resource' concept to the systems dynamics simulation modeling technique. The software life cycle process is represented as a number of stochastic, time-varying, interacting work tasks that each achieves one of the project milestones. Each task is characterized by the item produced, the personnel applied, and the budgetary profile.

Tausworthe, R. C.↗

An elastic-plastic finite element analysis of crack initiation, stable crack growth, and instability

Studies have been conducted to develop efficient techniques to simulate crack extension and to examine various local and global fracture criteria. Of the considered criteria, the crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) or displacement (CTOD) at a specified distance from the crack tip was shown to be most suited for modeling stable crack growth and instability during the fracture process. The results obtained in a number of studies show the necessity for studying different crack configurations when assessing the validity of any fracture criteria. One of the objectives of the present investigation is related to a critical evaluation of the CTOD growth criterion using an elastic-plastic finite element analysis under monotonic loading to failure. The analysis was found to predict three stages of crack growth behavior under monotonic loading to failure. Calculated CTOD values agreed well with experimental values for crack growth initiation.

Newman, J. C., Jr.↗

Regulation of hematopoiesis in rats exposed to antiorthostatic, hypokinetic/hypodynamia. I - Model description

The effect of a 7-day suspension in a jacket and harness with 20-deg head-down tilt on body weight, food and water consumption, and hematological parameters is investigated experimentally in male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-175 g. The results are presented in graphs and compared with those for unsuspended controls and with published data on rats and humans exposed to microgravity in space flight. Suspended rats are found to have reduced red-blood-cell mass, erythropoiesis, plasma volume (leading to temporarily increased hematocrit), body weight, and food and water consumption; rightward-shifted oxyhemoglobin-dissociation curves; and unchanged platelet count, leucocyte count or PHA reactivity, and red-blood-cell shape distribution. Since many of these effects are also seen in space flight, the present experimental model is considered a promising technique for simulating the hematopoietic effects of microgravity at 1 g.

Dunn, C. D. R.↗

Preliminary study: Moisture-polymer interaction. Stuby objectives

The problems associated with mathematically modeling water-module interaction phenomena, including sorption and desorption, diffusion, and permeation are discussed. With reliable analytical models, an extensive materials data base, and solar radiation surface meteorological observations (SOLMET) weather data, predicting module lifetimes in realistic environments can become a practical reality. The status of the present techniques of simulating the various transport mechanisms was reported. The Dent model (a modified Brunauer-Emmet-Teller) approach represented polyvinyl butyral (PVB) sorption data. A 100-layer material model and Fick's diffusion model gave diffusivity values exhibiting adequate agreement with those measured for PVB. Diffusivity of PVB is concentration dependent, decreasing as the water content in PVB increases. The temperature dependence of diffusion in PVB is well modeled by the Arrhenius rate equation. Equilibrium conductivity and leakage current data are well represented by Hearle's model for bulk ionic conductivity. A nodal network analysis using the Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer (SINDA) Thermal Analyzer gave reasonable correlation with measurable data. It is concluded that realistic lifetime predictions seem to be feasible.

Wen, L. C.↗

AOTV bluff body flow - Relaxation algorithm

Preliminary investigations have led to the consideration of two classes of energy efficient aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicle (AOTV) concepts, with high and low L/D. The AOTV represent reentry space vehicles which are to fly hypersonically in the continuum upper reaches of the atmosphere. Problems arise in connection with convective and nonequilibrium radiative heating. As the possibilities for obtaining needed information by experimentation are limited, reliance must be placed on computational techniques to simulate testing of design concepts. A new relaxation algorithm for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations has been developed in the context of recent work with a conservative flux difference eigenvector split implicit upwind scheme CSCM (conservative supracharacteristics method). Attention is given to the CSCM implicit method, and early results for axisymmetric bluff body flow including complete forebody and base flow for a free flight range model drag brake AOTV.

Lombard, C. K.↗

Equations for the vibration of a slewing flexible spacecraft

The derivation of the equations describing the vibration of a flexible spacecraft is presented in the context of a perturbation method permitting a maneuver strategy independent of the vibration control. A straightforward open-loop minimum-time rotational maneuver strategy is developed for the spacecraft regarded as a rigid body. Actuator dynamics are considered in the formulation. A maneuver force distribution is developed which excites the least amount of elastic deformation of the flexible parts of the spacecraft. An efficient technique for simulating structural vibrations during a maneuver is presented. Numerical results demonstrate the maneuver strategy and highlight the vibration caused by rotational maneuvers.

Quinn, R. D.↗

Development and demonstration of an on-board mission planner for helicopters

Mission management tasks can be distributed within a planning hierarchy, where each level of the hierarchy addresses a scope of action, and associated time scale or planning horizon, and requirements for plan generation response time. The current work is focused on the far-field planning subproblem, with a scope and planning horizon encompassing the entire mission and with a response time required to be about two minutes. The far-feld planning problem is posed as a constrained optimization problem and algorithms and structural organizations are proposed for the solution. Algorithms are implemented in a developmental environment, and performance is assessed with respect to optimality and feasibility for the intended application and in comparison with alternative algorithms. This is done for the three major components of far-field planning: goal planning, waypoint path planning, and timeline management. It appears feasible to meet performance requirements on a 10 Mips flyable processor (dedicated to far-field planning) using a heuristically-guided simulated annealing technique for the goal planner, a modified A* search for the waypoint path planner, and a speed scheduling technique developed for this project.

Deutsch, Owen L.↗

Optimal use of human and machine resources for Space Station assembly operations

This paper investigates the issues involved in determining the best mix of human and machine resources for assembly of the Space Station. It presents the current Station assembly sequence, along with descriptions of the available assembly resources. A number of methodologies for optimizing the human/machine tradeoff problem have been developed, but the Space Station assembly offers some unique issues that have not yet been addressed. These include a strong constraint on available EVA time for early flights and a phased deployment of assembly resources over time. A methodology for incorporating the previously developed decision methods to the special case of the Space Station is presented. This methodology emphasizes an application of multiple qualitative and quantitative techniques, including simulation and decision analysis, for producing an objective, robust solution to the tradeoff problem.

Parrish, Joseph C.↗