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NASA NTRS2002

The Relative Humidity of the Atmosphere in the Encasements Containing the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution (Pages 1 and 4), and the Bill of Rights

In 1951, the four pages of the US Constitution, the Letter of Transmittal, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, collectively called the 'Charters of Freedom,' were hermetically sealed individually in glass encasements. The atmosphere in the encasements consisted of a mixture of helium with water vapor at a relative humidity between 25 and 35% at room temperature. In 1998, Margaret Kelly of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), contacted Dr. Joel S. Levine at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to request assistance in determining the chemical composition of the atmosphere inside the encasements. Several different Langley learns were assembled to address that request. each using a different measurement technique. This report describes the method and results of one team's relative humidity measurements on encasements containing pages 1 and 4 of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence performed at NARA, College Park. Maryland, on July 23, 2001.

West, James W.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Germination and elongation of flax in microgravity

This experiment was conducted as part of a risk mitigation payload aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-101. The objectives were to test a newly developed water delivery system, and to determine the optimal combination of water volume and substrate for the imbibition and germination of flax (Linum usitatissimum) seeds in space. Two different combinations of germination paper were tested for their ability to absorb, distribute, and retain water in microgravity. A single layer of thick germination paper was compared with one layer of thin germination paper under a layer of thick paper. Paper strips were cut to fit snugly into seed cassettes, and seeds were glued to them with the micropyle ends pointing outward. Water was delivered in small increments that traveled through the paper via capillary action. Three water delivery volumes were tested, with the largest (480 microliters) outperforming the 400 microliters and 320 microliters volumes for percent germination (90.6%) and root growth (mean=4.1 mm) during the 34-hour spaceflight experiment. The ground control experiment yielded similar results, but with lower rates of germination (84.4%) and shorter root lengths (mean=2.8 mm). It is not clear if the roots emerged more quickly in microgravity and/or grew faster than the ground controls. The single layer of thick germination paper generally exhibited better overall growth than the two layered option. Significant seed position effects were observed in both the flight and ground control experiments. Overall, the design of the water delivery system, seed cassettes and the germination paper strip concept was validated as an effective method for promoting seed germination and root growth under microgravity conditions. c2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1986

Mechanism for negative water balance during weightlessness An hypothesis

The mechanism for the apparent decrease in body fluid volume in astronauts during spaceflight remains obscure. The widespread postulate that the hypohydration is the result of the Henry-Gauer reflex, a diuresis caused by inhibition of vasopressin secretion resulting from increased left and perhaps right atrial (central) venous pressure, has not been established with direct measurements on astronauts. An hypothesis is proposed to account for fluid-electrolyte shifts during weightlessness. A moderate but transient increase in central venous pressure occurs when orbit is entered that is insufficient to activate the Henry-Gauer reflex but sufficient to stimulate the release of atrial natriuretic peptides. Increased sodium excretion would facilitate some increased urinary water loss. The resulting relatively dilute plasma and interstitial fluids would cause fluid to shift into the cellular space, resulting in edema in the head and trunk and inhibition of thirst and drinking. Thus, the negative water balance in astronauts would be caused by a gradual natriuresis and diuresis coupled with reduced fluid intake.

Greenleaf, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Flow visualization study of a two-dimensional representation of the Space Shuttle launch pad configuration

The loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger was caused by the failure of the aft joint O-ring seals in its right solid rocket booster. It has been suggested by several sources that wind conditions through a reduction in temperature of the right solid rocket booster caused by the wind blowing across the cold external tank, played a role in the O-ring failure. To check the plausibility of the wind theory, an experiment was carried out in a water towing tank to visualize the flow past a two-dimensional model representing a cross section of the Space Shuttle launch configuration. The periodic formation of vortices was found to characterize the wake generated by the model. It is suggested that this organized motion in the flow is the dominant mechanism that accomplishes heat transfer from the external tank to the right solid rocket booster. Flow visualization results consisting of photographs that show instantaneous streamline patterns of the flow are presented.

Mclachland, B. G.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Using Hough harmonics to validate and assess nonlinear shallow-water models

The implementation of a technique for locating programming errors in shallow-water codes, establishing the correctness of the code, and assessing the performance of the numerical model under various flow conditions is described. The right-hand side of the differential equations is modified in such a way that the exact solution of the nonlinear initial-value problem is known, so that the truncation errors of the numerical scheme can be studied in detail. The exact solution is prescribed to be any linear combination of Hough harmonics which propagate in time according to their natural frequencies.

Dee, Dick P.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Removal of organic contaminants by RO and NF membranes

Rejection characteristics of organic and inorganic compounds were examined for six reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and two nanofiltration (NF) membranes that are commercially available. A batch stirred-cell was employed to determine the membrane flux and the solute rejection for solutions at various concentrations and different pH conditions. The results show that for ionic solutes the degree of separation is influenced mainly by electrostatic exclusion, while for organic solutes the removal depends mainly upon the solute radius and molecular structure. In order to provide a better understanding of rejection mechanisms for the RO and NF membranes, the ratio of solute radius (r(i,s)) to effective membrane pore radius (r(p)) was employed to compare rejections. An empirical relation for the dependence of the rejection of organic compounds on the ratio r(i,s)/r(p) is presented. The rejection for organic compounds is over 75% when r(i,s)/r(p) is greater than 0.8. In addition, the rejection of organic compounds is examined using the extended Nernst-Planck equation coupled with a steric hindrance model. The transport of organic solutes is controlled mainly by diffusion for the compounds that have a high r(i,s)/r(p) ratio, while convection is dominant for compounds that have a small r(i,s)/r(p) ratio. c2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA Discipline Life Sciences Technologies↗

NASA NTRS1983

Hematopoiesis in antiorthostatic, hypokinesic rats

Rats exposed to antiorthostatic, hypokinesia showed the following effects which are comparable to those seen in man during or after space flight: weight loss, reduced food and water consumption, transient increases in peripheral hematocrit and RBC count, decreasing MCV and reduced reticulocyte count. In addition, the hemoglobin P50 was shifted to the right. A significant shortening of RBC t1/2 was only seen after suspension. Changes in leukocyte and platelet numbers in suspended rats were also comparable to those in man during space flight, but leukocyte PHA sensitivity in rats showed no consistent alteration. The results demonstrate that this model reproduces many of the hematological effects of space flight and has potential as a tool in understanding the hematopoietic response to zero gravity.

Dunn, C. D. R.↗

NASA NTRS2001

The Challenges in the Development of a Long Duration Space Mission Food System

The Advanced Food System at Johnson Space Center/NASA will be responsible for supplying food to the crew for long duration exploratory missions. These missions require development of both a Transit Food System and of a Planetary Food System. The Transit Food System will consist of pre-packaged food of extended shelf life. It will be supplemented with salad crops that will be consumed fresh. The challenge is to develop a food system with a shelf life of 3 - 5 years that will use minimal power and create minimal waste from the food packaging. The Planetary Food System will allow for food processing of crops grown on the planetary surface due to the presence of some gravitational force. Crops will be processed to final products to provide a nutritious and acceptable diet for the crew. The food system must be flexible due to crop variation, availability, and shelf life. Crew meals, based on thesc: crops, must be nutritious, high quality, safe, and contain variety. The Advanced Food System becomes a fulcrum creating the right connection from crops to crew meals while dealing with issues of integration within a closed self-regenerative system (e.g., safety, waste production, volumes, water usage, etc.).

Perchonok, Michele H.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Orion MPCV Touchdown Detection Threshold Development and Testing

A robust method of detecting Orion Multi ]Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) splashdown is necessary to ensure crew and hardware safety during descent and after touchdown. The proposed method uses a triple redundant system to inhibit Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster firings, detach parachute risers from the vehicle, and transition to the post ]landing segment of the Flight Software (FSW). The vehicle crew is the prime input for touchdown detection, followed by an autonomous FSW algorithm, and finally a strictly time based backup timer. RCS thrusters must be inhibited before submersion in water to protect against possible damage due to firing these jets under water. In addition, neglecting to declare touchdown will not allow the vehicle to transition to post ]landing activities such as activating the Crew Module Up ]righting System (CMUS), resulting in possible loss of communication and difficult recovery. A previous AIAA paper gAssessment of an Automated Touchdown Detection Algorithm for the Orion Crew Module h concluded that a strictly Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) based detection method using an acceleration spike algorithm had the highest safety margins and shortest detection times of other methods considered. That study utilized finite element simulations of vehicle splashdown, generated by LS ]DYNA, which were expanded to a larger set of results using a Kriging surface fit. The study also used the Decelerator Systems Simulation (DSS) to generate flight dynamics during vehicle descent under parachutes. Proto ]type IMU and FSW MATLAB models provided the basis for initial algorithm development and testing. This paper documents an in ]depth trade study, using the same dynamics data and MATLAB simulations as the earlier work, to further develop the acceleration detection method. By studying the combined effects of data rate, filtering on the rotational acceleration correction, data persistence limits and values of acceleration thresholds, an optimal configuration was determined. The lever arm calculation, which removes the centripetal acceleration caused by vehicle rotation, requires that the vehicle angular acceleration be derived from vehicle body rates, necessitating the addition of a 2nd order filter to smooth the data. It was determined that using 200 Hz data directly from the vehicle IMU outperforms the 40 Hz FSW data rate. Data persistence counter values and acceleration thresholds were balanced in order to meet desired safety and performance. The algorithm proved to exhibit ample safety margin against early detection while under parachutes, and adequate performance upon vehicle splashdown. Fall times from algorithm initiation were also studied, and a backup timer length was chosen to provide a large safety margin, yet still trigger detection before CMUS inflation. This timer serves as a backup to the primary acceleration detection method. Additionally, these parameters were tested for safety on actual flight test data, demonstrating expected safety margins.

Daum, Jared↗

NASA NTRS2019

When There are Different Types of Smoke in the Sky It Changes How the Sun Light Goes Through the Sky

When the sky gets smoke in it, it can be more or less bright (white) than before. This is because the small smoke bits can change whether sun light gets through the sky to the ground, can change how much white sky water there is, and can change how the sky air moves around. If the smoke is blacker, it can make the sky warmer and if the smoke is whiter, it can make the sky (and the ground) cooler because the sun light doesn't get through. So we wanted to know whether the smoke is blacker or whiter over the big water far away from here, near where there are a lot of fires on the land.We went to the big water place and watched the sky, the air, the sky smoke, and the white sky water. We did this by flying in the sky with our computers. We watched the smoke in a lot of different ways: we can look at the smoke from near the water and see what sun light gets through the sky, or from above and see how the sun light comes back up to space, or go right in the smoke with our flying computer eyes. Then we looked at whether the different ways of seeing showed that the same smoke was different (blacker or whiter) or the same. A lot of time they said it was the same, at least in some ways, but sometimes the smoke looked different and it changed a lot in different places over the big water.We hope other people can put these answers into their computer studies, or into their computers that fly REALLY high, and then we can better understand how the sky gets warmer or cooler from smoke.

Pistone, Kristina↗

NASA NTRS1980

How many theories for the origin of /proto/life

The sequence of primordial chemical events leading to contemporary metabolism is considered, taking into account primordial reactants, amino acids, proteinoid, protocells, ATP, polynucleotides, and protein. The right kind of matter, thermal copolyamino acids, can organize itself into cell-like structures, in the absence of discrete lipid, when triggered to do so by water. Another unpredicted result of examination of the microsystems formed was the step-by-step realization that the component processes of a primitive form of replication were latent in the proteinoid microsystems. At the present time, four modes of primitive replication of proteinoid microsystems have been identified, plus one that has the appearance of protosexual reproduction. Two main conceptual pathways have received attention. One is the proteinoid theory, derived from experiments. The other is the DNA-first theory, for which attempts at conceptual construction and experimental support continue to be sought.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Reanalysis of Clementine Bistatic Radar Data from the Lunar South Pole

On 9 April 1994 the Clementine spacecraft high-gain antenna was aimed toward the Moon's surface and the resulting 13-cm wavelength radio echoes were received on Earth. Using these data, we have found that the lunar surface generally follows a Lambertian bistatic scattering function sigma(sub 0) = K(sub D)cos(theta(sub i) with K(sub D) approx. 0.003 for the opposite (expected) sense of circular polarization and K(sub D) approx. 0.001 for the same (unexpected) sense. But there are important deviations-of up to 50% in some parts of the echo spectrum-from this simple form. Based on an earlier analysis of these same data, Nozette et al. claimed detection of an enhancement in echoes with right circular polarization from regions near the South Pole in a near-backscatter geometry. Such behavior would be consistent with presence of perhaps large quantities of water ice near the Pole. We have been unable to reproduce that result. Although we find weak suggestions of enhanced echoes at the time of South Pole backscatter, similar features are present at earlier and later times, adjacent frequencies, and in left circular polarization. If enhanced backscatter is present, it is not unique to the South Pole; if not unique to the Pole, then ice is less likely as an explanation for the enhancement.

Simpson, Richard A.↗

NASA NTRS2004

High-Performance Monopropellants and Catalysts Evaluated

The NASA Glenn Research Center is sponsoring efforts to develop advanced monopropellant technology. The focus has been on monopropellant formulations composed of an aqueous solution of hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) and a fuel component. HAN-based monopropellants do not have a toxic vapor and do not need the extraordinary procedures for storage, handling, and disposal required of hydrazine (N2H4). Generically, HAN-based monopropellants are denser and have lower freezing points than N2H4. The performance of HAN-based monopropellants depends on the selection of fuel, the HAN-to-fuel ratio, and the amount of water in the formulation. HAN-based monopropellants are not seen as a replacement for N2H4 per se, but rather as a propulsion option in their own right. For example, HAN-based monopropellants would prove beneficial to the orbit insertion of small, power-limited satellites because of this propellant's high performance (reduced system mass), high density (reduced system volume), and low freezing point (elimination of tank and line heaters). Under a Glenn-contracted effort, Aerojet Redmond Rocket Center conducted testing to provide the foundation for the development of monopropellant thrusters with an I(sub sp) goal of 250 sec. A modular, workhorse reactor (representative of a 1-lbf thruster) was used to evaluate HAN formulations with catalyst materials. Stoichiometric, oxygen-rich, and fuelrich formulations of HAN-methanol and HAN-tris(aminoethyl)amine trinitrate were tested to investigate the effects of stoichiometry on combustion behavior. Aerojet found that fuelrich formulations degrade the catalyst and reactor faster than oxygen-rich and stoichiometric formulations do. A HAN-methanol formulation with a theoretical Isp of 269 sec (designated HAN269MEO) was selected as the baseline. With a combustion efficiency of at least 93 percent demonstrated for HAN-based monopropellants, HAN269MEO will meet the I(sub sp) 250 sec goal.

Reed, Brian D.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Validation of Long Bone Mechanical Properties from Densitometry

The objective of this study was to assess whether cross-sectional areal properties, calculated from densitometry, correlate to the true flexural properties. Right and left male embalmed tibiae were used in the study. Prior to scanning, the proximal end of each tibia was potted in a fixture with registration pins, flushed thoroughly with water under pressure to remove trapped air, and then placed in a constant thickness water bath attached to a precision indexer. Two sets of three scans of the entire tibia were taken with an Hologic QDR 1000/W densitometer at rotations of 0, 45, and 90 degrees about the tibia long axis. An aluminum step phantom and a bone step phantom, machined from bovine cortical bone, were also in the bath and scanned separately. Pixel attenuation data from the two sets of scans were averaged to reduce noise. Pixel data from the high energy beam were then converted to equivalent thicknesses using calibration equations. Cross-sectional areal properties (centroid, principal area moments and principal angle) along the length were computed from the three registered scans using methods developed in our laboratory. Flexural rigidities. Four strain gages were bonded around the circumference of each of 5 cross-sections encompassing the entire diaphysis. A known transverse load was then applied to the distal end and the bone was rotated 360 degrees in eight increments of 45 degrees each. Strains from the eight orientations were analyzed along with the known applied bending moments at each section to compute section centroids, curvatures, principal flexural rigidities and principal angle. Reference axes between the two methods were maintained within +/- 0.5 degrees using an electronic inclinometer. Principal angles (flexural - areal) differed by -2.0 +/- 4.0 degrees, and 1.0 +/- 2.5 degrees for the right and left tibia, respectively. Section principal flexural rigidities were highly correlated to principal areal moments (right: r(sup 2)= 0.997; left: r(sup 2)= 0.978) indicating a nearly constant effective flexural modulus. Right and left tibia exhibited a very high degree of symmetry when comparing either flexural or areal properties. To our knowledge this is the first study to validate the use of densitometry (DXA) to predict three dimensional structural properties of long bones. Our initial results support the conclusion that bone mineral and its distribution are the primary determinants of flexural modulus and rigidity.

Whalen, R.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Bioregenerative Life Support Systems Test Complex (Bio-Plex) Food Processing System: A Dual System

A Bioregenerative Life Support Test Complex, BIO-Plex, is currently being constructed at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX. This facility will attempt to answer the questions involved in developing a lunar or planetary base. The Food Processing System (FPS) of the BIO-Plex is responsible for supplying food to the crew in coordination with the chosen mission scenario. Long duration space missions require development of both a Transit Food System and of a Lunar or Planetary Food System. These two systems are intrinsically different since the first one will be utilized in the transit vehicle in microgravity conditions with mostly resupplied foods, while the second will be used in conditions of partial gravity (hypogravity) to process foods from crops grown in the facility. The Transit Food System will consist of prepackaged food of extended shelf life. It will be supplemented with salad crops that will be consumed fresh. Microgravity imposes significant limitation on the ability to handle food and allows only for minimal processing. The challenge is to develop food systems similar to the International Space Station or Shuttle Food Systems but with a shelf life of 3 - 5 years. The Lunar or Planetary Food System will allow for food processing of crops due to the presence of some gravitational force (1/6 to 1/3 that of Earth). Crops such as wheat, soybean, rice, potato, peanut, and salad crops, will be processed to final products to provide a nutritious and acceptable diet for the crew. Not only are constraints imposed on the FPS from the crops (e.g., crop variation, availability, storage and shelf-life) but also significant requirements are present for the crew meals (e.g., RDA, high quality, safety, variety). The FPS becomes a fulcrum creating the right connection from crops to crew meals while dealing with issues of integration within a closed self-regenerative system (e.g., safe processing, waste production, volumes, air contaminations, water usage, etc.). Options for the first test, for duration of 120 days, currently scheduled for late 2003 are outlined.

Perchonok, Michele↗

NASA NTRS1981

Solar energy

The book opens with a review of the patterns of energy use and resources in the United States, and an exploration of the potential of solar energy to supply some of this energy in the future. This is followed by background material on solar geometry, solar intensities, flat plate collectors, and economics. Detailed attention is then given to a variety of solar units and systems, including domestic hot water systems, space heating systems, solar-assisted heat pumps, intermediate temperature collectors, space heating/cooling systems, concentrating collectors for high temperatures, storage systems, and solar total energy systems. Finally, rights to solar access are discussed.

Rapp, D.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Design parameters for rotating cylindrical filtration

Rotating cylindrical filtration displays significantly reduced plugging of filter pores and build-up of a cake layer, but the number and range of parameters that can be adjusted complicates the design of these devices. Twelve individual parameters were investigated experimentally by measuring the build-up of particles on the rotating cylindrical filter after a fixed time of operation. The build-up of particles on the filter depends on the rotational speed, the radial filtrate flow, the particle size and the gap width. Other parameters, such as suspension concentration and total flow rate are less important. Of the four mechanisms present in rotating filters to reduce pore plugging and cake build-up, axial shear, rotational shear, centrifugal sedimentation and vortical motion, the evidence suggests rotational shear is the dominant mechanism, although the other mechanisms still play minor roles. The ratio of the shear force acting parallel to the filter surface on a particle to the Stokes drag acting normal to the filter surface on the particle due to the difference between particle motion and filtrate flow can be used as a non-dimensional parameter that predicts the degree of particle build-up on the filter surface for a wide variety of filtration conditions. c2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1986

Coupled ice-ocean dynamics in the marginal ice zones Upwelling/downwelling and eddy generation

This study is aimed at modeling mesoscale processes such as upwelling/downwelling and ice edge eddies in the marginal ice zones. A two-dimensional coupled ice-ocean model is used for the study. The ice model is coupled to the reduced gravity ocean model through interfacial stresses. The parameters of the ocean model were chosen so that the dynamics would be nonlinear. The model was tested by studying the dynamics of upwelling. Wings parallel to the ice edge with the ice on the right produce upwelling because the air-ice momentum flux is much greater than air-ocean momentum flux; thus the Ekman transport is greater than the ice than in the open water. The stability of the upwelling and downwelling jets is discussed. The downwelling jet is found to be far more unstable than the upwelling jet because the upwelling jet is stabilized by the divergence. The constant wind field exerted on a varying ice cover will generate vorticity leading to enhanced upwelling/downwelling regions, i.e., wind-forced vortices. Steepening and strengthening of vortices are provided by the nonlinear terms. When forcing is time-varying, the advection terms will also redistribute the vorticity. The wind reversals will separate the vortices from the ice edge, so that the upwelling enhancements are pushed to the open ocean and the downwelling enhancements are pushed underneath the ice.

Hakkinen, S.↗