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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Satellite communications for disaster relief operations

The use of existing and planned communication satellite systems to provide assistance in the implementation of disaster relief operations on a global basis was discussed along with satellite communications system implications and their potential impact on field operations in disaster situations. Consideration are given to the utilization of both INTELSAT and MARISAT systems operating at frequencies ranging from 1.5 to 4 GHz and to the size and type of ground terminals necessary for satellite access. Estimates of communication requirements for a global system are given. Some discussion of cost estimates for satellite services to support operations are included. Studies of communication satellites for both pre and post disaster applications conducted for NOAA are included as well as recent experiments conducted in conjunction with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the Agency for International Development.

Sivo, J. N.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Historical Overview of the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office’s Laboratory Optical Measurements

The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) has used laboratory measurements to help bring ground-based measurements together with models to ascertain Earth-orbiting target parameters of interest to support various orbital debris models. In 2005, the Optical Measurement Center (OMC) was established to simulate space-based illumination conditions using equipment and techniques that recreate telescopic observations, particularly source-target-sensor orientations. The intent was to recreate light curves using known aspect angles of known targets and phase angles (angle is defined by the vertex between illumination source-object-detector) to complement telescopic observations that could be used to update the current optical size estimation model (OSEM) – a model that converts object brightness into size for orbital debris models. To support the above goals, the laboratory has undergone several equipment upgrades to increase capabilities over almost 20 years of operation. The primary instrumentation acquires reflectance measurements and includes a solar-like light source, CCD camera with astrometric filters, and robotic arm. A rotary arm was added approximately five years after full operation to allow acquisition through a full 360° range of phase angles. Another part of the OMC instrumentation is a field spectrometer, predominately used for field operations to acquire pre- and post-flight spacecraft material spectral measurements. Additionally, reflectance spectroscopy of various materials is also of interest resulting from hypervelocity impact tests, pristine spacecraft materials, or samples of materials that are used in spacecraft design. These measurements are stored in NASA’s Spectral Material Database, a resource that is still being populated today. The study of spectral measurements also enabled the development of spectral unmixing routines to support the identification of spacecraft materials from spectral data gathered by ground based telescopes. Preliminary OMC investigations focused on feasibility studies to acquire 360° rotation light curves of simple shapes at a single-phase angle and extended to measurements of representative fragments from ground-based explosion tests. To correlate the light curves with ground-based optical measurements, a focused study on high area to mass materials was conducted in support of a newly identified population (at the time) in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) consisting of multi-layered insulation. To further characterize orbital debris, a larger selection of materials was analyzed using laboratory photometric measurements that included representative targets from pristine spacecraft materials and ground-based impact tests. Around 2012, an initiative was requested to understand the feasibility of active debris removal (ADR) of larger targets using grappling methods for spent rocket bodies. Using a priori information on selected targets, scaled-down versions of rocket bodies were generated thanks to improvements in 3D printing technology and machining. These targets were studied in the OMC to understand rotation characteristics. These were compared with telescopic data to determine if the tumble and rotation angles would allow ADR. In 2013, the OMC focused on combining spectral measurements with photometric data to characterize GEO orbital debris. Several years later, NASA acquired a Titan III Transtage test article from “The Boneyard” with a high-resemblance to on-orbit Titan III Transtage rocket bodies, allowing physical access to a representative rocket body that suffered fragmentations in GEO. This prompted the creation of 3D models using lidar technology and spectral measurements of the materials. Focused research also transitioned to specific materials (i.e., solar cells) when telescopic surveys requested characterization of specific GEO targets. In the different research products presented, the focus has been to understand the various parameters that influence optical size estimation, including albedo, phase functions, and brightness variations. Work in this area continues with newer sources of data, including DebriSat, a high-fidelity 56-kg spacecraft replica representative of a modern low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite subjected to a laboratory hypervelocity impact test to understand fragmentation events and to support updates to satellite breakup models and size estimation models. Utilizing the vast population of fragments from DebriSat and prior laboratory impact experiments, the ODPO has focused on acquiring bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data to characterize targets in the laboratory, thus removing aspect angle dependencies. Additionally, the DebriSat project has provided improved processes for measuring size via image acquisition, such that a true fragment size can be directly compared to the derived size using the OSEM. The team continues to assess BRDFs and use spectral measurement data to investigate the parameters used in the OSEM, specifically magnitudes, albedo, and phase functions.

Heather Cowardin↗
NASA NTRS2012

Science Traverses in the Canadian High Arctic

The presentation is divided into three parts. Part I is an overview of early expeditions to the High Arctic, and their political consequences at the time. The focus then shifts to the Geological Survey of Canada s mapping program in the North (Operation Franklin), and to the Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP), a unique organization that resides within the Government of Canada s Department of Natural Resources, and supports mapping projects and science investigations. PCSP is highlighted throughout the presentation so a description of mandate, budgets, and support infrastructure is warranted. In Part II, the presenter describes the planning required in advance of scientific deployments carried out in the Canadian High Arctic from the perspective of government and university investigators. Field operations and challenges encountered while leading arctic field teams in fly camps are also described in this part of the presentation, with particular emphasis on the 2008 field season. Part III is a summary of preliminary results obtained from a Polar Survey questionnaire sent out to members of the Arctic research community in anticipation of the workshop. The last part of the talk is an update on the analog program at the Canadian Space Agency, specifically, the Canadian Analog Research Network (CARN) and current activities related to Analog missions, 2009-2010.

Williamson, Marie-Claude↗
NASA NTRS1993

Intercomparison of remote and balloon-borne sensors operated at JAPE-91

In recent years, there has been an increased availability of different types of remote sensors for measuring atmospheric parameters. With the introduction of remote sensors into field operation, questions have arisen as to their accuracy and precision. An attempt was made to address this issue by analyzing and intercomparing sets of wind and temperature data obtained during the Joint Acoustic Propagation Experiment (JAPE-9l) conducted at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, in Jul. and Aug. 1991. The remote sensing systems that were deployed included a 924 MHz wind profiler, two Doppler acoustic sodars, and a Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS). In situ measurements of wind, temperature, and humidity were also obtained from radiosondes. Individual system characteristics and the results of intercomparing the derived wind and temperature data from each of the systems are presented.

Okrasinski, Richard J.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Understanding and Counteracting Fatigue in Flight Crews

The materials included in the collection of documents describe the research of the NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Group (FCG), which examines the extent to which fatigue, sleep loss, and circadian disruption affect flight-crew performance. The group was formed in 1980 in response to a Congressional request to examine a possible safety problem of uncertain magnitude due to transmeridian flying and a potential problem due to fatigue in association with various factors found in air-transport operations and was originally called the Fatigue/Jet Lag Program. The goals of the FCG are: (1) the development and evaluation of strategies for mitigating the effects of sleepiness and circadian disruption on pilot performance levels; (2) the identification and evaluation of objective approaches for the prediction of alertness changes in flight crews; and (3) the transfer and application of research results to the operational field via classes, workshops, and safety briefings. Some of the countermeasure approaches that have been identified to be scientifically valid and operationally relevant are brief naps (less than 40 min) in the cockpit seat and 7-min activity breaks, which include postural changes and ambulation. Although a video-based alertness monitor based on slow eyelid closure shows promise in other operational environments, research by the FCG has demonstrated that in its current form at the time of this reporting, it is not feasible to implement it in the cockpit. Efforts also focus on documenting the impact of untreated fatigue on various types of flight operations. For example, the FCG recently completed a major investigation into the effects of ultra-long-range flights (20 continuous hours in duration) on the alertness and performance of pilots in order to establish a baseline set of parameters against which the effectiveness of new ultra-long-range fatigue remedies can be judged.

Mallis, Melissa↗
NASA NTRS1983

Structural qualification testing and operational loading on a fiberglass rotor blade for the Mod-OA wind turbine

Fatigue tests were performed on full- and half-scale root end sections, first to qualify the root retention design, and second to induce failure. Test methodology and results are presented. Two operational blades were proof tested to design limit load to ascertain buckling resistance. Measurements of natural frequency, damping ratio, and deflection under load made on the operational blades are documented. The tests showed that all structural design requirements were met or exceeded. Blade loads measured during 3000 hr of field operation were close to those expected. The measured loads validated the loads used in the fatigue tests and gave high confidence in the ability of the blades to achieve design life.

Sullivan, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The calculation of electromagnetic fields in the Fresnel and Fraunhofer regions using numerical integration methods

Some results obtained with a digital computer program written at Goddard Space Flight Center to obtain electromagnetic fields scattered by perfectly reflecting surfaces are presented. For purposes of illustration a paraboloidal reflector was illuminated at radio frequencies in the simulation for both receiving and transmitting modes of operation. Fields were computed in the Fresnel and Fraunhofer regions. A dual-reflector system (Cassegrain) was also simulated for the transmitting case, and fields were computed in the Fraunhofer region. Appended results include derivations which show that the vector Kirchhoff-Kottler formulation has an equivalent form requiring only incident magnetic fields as a driving function. Satisfaction of the radiation conditions at infinity by the equivalent form is demonstrated by a conversion from Cartesian to spherical vector operators. A subsequent development presents the formulation by which Fresnel or Fraunhofer patterns are obtainable for dual-reflector systems. A discussion of the time-average Poynting vector is also appended.

Schmidt, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Temporal Activation of Extravehicular Activity Science and Operations Data: How Rise2's Enablement of a Novel Data Management Prototype Influenced ISS and Artemis Advancements

SSERVI's RIS4E and Rise2 nodes provided early and repeated opportunities to prototype the organization and visualization of science and field operations data together via temporal vs. type-indexing. This data management approach was first explored in our Apollo in Real Time initiative through its meticulous reconciliation and integration of Apollo 11, 13, and 17 mission data, providing an unparalleled temporal and contextual understanding of these historic missions. The positive results from these prototypes served as pre-cursor examples of what eventually became the Collaborative Operations Data Activation (CODA) application at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC).

B Feist↗
NASA NTRS2017

Geoscience Training for NASA Astronaut Candidates

After being selected to the astronaut office, crewmembers go through an initial two year training flow, astronaut candidacy, where they learn the basic skills necessary for spaceflight. While the bulk of astronaut candidate training currently centers on the multiple subjects required for ISS operations (EVA skills, Russian language, ISS systems, etc.), training also includes geoscience training designed to train crewmembers in Earth observations, teach astronauts about other planetary systems, and provide field training designed to investigate field operations and boost team skills. This training goes back to Apollo training and has evolved to support ISS operations and future exploration missions.

Young, K. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS): Recent Improvements to the Sensor and Data Facility

AVIRIS operations at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory consist primarily of a sensor task and a data facility task. The sensor task is responsible for AVIRIS sensor meaintenance, laboratory calibration, and field operations. The AVIRIS data facility is responsible for data archiving, data calibration, quality monitoring and distribution. In this paper we describe recent improvements in these two primary AVIRIS tasks.

Airborne↗
NASA NTRS1990

The relationship of marine stratus to synoptic conditions

The marine stratus which persistently covered most of the eastern Pacific Ocean, had large clear areas during the FIRE Intensive Field Operations (IFO) in 1987. Clear zones formed inside the large oceanic cloud mass on almost every day during the IFO. The location and size of the clear zones varied from day to day implying that they were related to dynamic weather conditions and not to oceanic conditions. Forecasting of cloud cover for aircraft operations during the IFO was directed towards predicting when and where the clear and broken zones would form inside the large marine stratus cloud mass. The clear zones often formed to the northwest of the operations area and moved towards it. However, on some days the clear zones appeared to form during the day in the operations area as part of the diurnal cloud burn off. The movement of the clear zones from day to day were hard to follow because of the large diurnal changes in cloud cover. Clear and broken cloud zones formed during the day only to distort in shape and fill during the following night. The field forecasters exhibited some skill in predicting when the clear and broken cloud patterns would form in the operations area. They based their predictions on the analysis and simulations of the models run by NOAA's Numeric Meteorological Center. How the atmospheric conditions analyzed by one NOAA/NMC model related to the cloud cover is discussed.

Wylie, Donald P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Flow field analysis

The average mean wind speed integrated over a disk is shown to be extremely close to the mean value of wind speed which would be measured at the center of a disk for most geometries in which a WECS (Wind Energy Conversion System) would operate. Field test results are presented which compare instantaneous records of wind speed integrated over a disk with the wind speed measured at the center of the disk. The wind field that a rotating element would experience is presented which was synthesized from the outputs of an array of anemometers.

Cliff, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Operational radio interferometry observation network (ORION) mobile VLBI station

The design and current status of the ORION mobile VLBI station is described. The station consists of a five-meter antenna, a receiving and recording system installed in a mobile antenna transporter, and an electronics transporter. The station is designed for field operation by a two-person crew at the rate of two sites per week. The various subsystems are described in detail, including the antenna, housing facilities for electronics and crew, microwave equipment, receiver, data acquisition subsystem, frequency and timing subsystem, phase calibration, monitoring and control, water vapor radiometer, and communications.

Renzetti, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

The Transition of NASA EOS Datasets to WFO Operations: A Model for Future Technology Transfer

The collocation of a National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office with atmospheric scientists from NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama has afforded a unique opportunity for science sharing and technology transfer. Specifically, the NWS office in Huntsville has interacted closely with research scientists within the SPORT (Short-term Prediction and Research and Transition) Center at MSFC. One significant technology transfer that has reaped dividends is the transition of unique NASA EOS polar orbiting datasets into NWS field operations. NWS forecasters primarily rely on the AWIPS (Advanced Weather Information and Processing System) decision support system for their day to day forecast and warning decision making. Unfortunately, the transition of data from operational polar orbiters or low inclination orbiting satellites into AWIPS has been relatively slow due to a variety of reasons. The ability to integrate these high resolution NASA datasets into operations has yielded several benefits. The MODIS (MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer ) instrument flying on the Aqua and Terra satellites provides a broad spectrum of multispectral observations at resolutions as fine as 250m. Forecasters routinely utilize these datasets to locate fine lines, boundaries, smoke plumes, locations of fog or haze fields, and other mesoscale features. In addition, these important datasets have been transitioned to other WFOs for a variety of local uses. For instance, WFO Great Falls Montana utilizes the MODIS snow cover product for hydrologic planning purposes while several coastal offices utilize the output from the MODIS and AMSR-E instruments to supplement observations in the data sparse regions of the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic. In the short term, these datasets have benefited local WFOs in a variety of ways. In the longer term, the process by which these unique datasets were successfully transitioned to operations will benefit the planning and implementation of products and datasets derived from both NPP and NPOESS. This presentation will provide a brief overview of current WFO usage of satellite data, the transition of datasets between SPORT and the N W S , and lessons learned for future transition efforts.

Darden, C.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Time series comparisons in Deep Space Network

The Deep Space Network (DSN) is NASA’s international array of antennas that support interplanetary spacecraft missions. DSN provides radar and radio astronomy observations that enhance our understanding of the solar system and the larger universe. A track is a block of continuous multi-dimensional time series from the beginning to end of DSN communication with the target spacecraft, containing 129 monitor data items lasting several hours at a frequency of 0.2-1Hz. Monitor data on each track reports on the performance of specific spacecraft operations and the DSN itself. DSN is receiving signals from 32 spacecraft across the solar system. DSN has pressure to reduce costs while maintaining the quality of support for DSN mission users. DSN operators need to simultaneously monitor multiple tracks and identify anomalies in real time. DSN has seen that as the number of missions increases, the data that needs to be processed increases over time. In this project, we look at the last 8 years of data for analysis. Any anomaly in the track indicates a problem with either the spacecraft, DSN equipment, or weather conditions. DSN operators typically write “discrepancy reports” for further analysis. It is recognized that it would be quite helpful to identify 10 similar historical tracks out of the huge database to quickly find/match anomalies. This tool has three functions: (1) identification of the top 10 similar historical tracks, (2) detection of anomalies compared to the reference normal track, and (3) comparison of statistical differences between two given tracks. The requirements for these features were confirmed by survey responses from 21 DSN operators and engineers. The preliminary machine learning model has shown promising performance (AUC=0.92). We plan to increase the number of data sets and perform additional testing to improve performance further before its planned integration into the Track Visualizer to assist DSN field operators and engineers.

Rebbapragada, Umaa↗