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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
DOE OSTI2025

Akiachak Energy Efficiency Retrofit Project

The goal of the project is to reduce the overall energy use of the Akiachak Native Community (ANC) by implementing energy efficiency measures in five high-use Tribal buildings. This project will have the following outcomes: Projected annual energy savings of $17,369; projected annual reduction in fuel oil #1 of 1,200 gallons and electricity of 17,751 kWh; annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 60,340 pounds/year. ANC will install energy efficiency measures in the Laundry, Tribal Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) Office, Clinic, Daycare, and Police Station. ANC obtained energy audits on these buildings in 2018, and this project will implement high-payback recommendations such as replacing lighting with LEDs, installing setback thermostats and occupancy sensors, replacing furnaces with more efficient models, replacing the circulation pumps with variable speed ones, air tightening, and adding insulation. Buildings will see energy cost reductions from 15% to 40%. These retrofits will help build ANC’s long-term vision for sustainable energy usage and address the first goal of the Tribal IRA Council’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, to “create and maintain functionally appropriate, sustainable, accessible, high quality tribal infrastructure and facilities.” ANC intends to replicate this project by using the resulting energy savings to address audit recommendations in other buildings as well as to demonstrate the value of energy efficiency to community members. Other outcomes will include an increase in community resiliency, reduced dependence on outside shipments of fuel oil, training for maintenance staff, and no-touch control of building appliances to reduce transmission of diseases such as COVID-19.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

Using AI to Reproduce Neutrino Cross Section Analysis - Prototyping the Neutrino Discovery Platform

The Neutrino Discovery Platform (NDP) aims to accelerate DUNE-era science by making the neutrino program's existing datasets analyzable through fast, reproducible, and auditable workflows. We report a working version of two of its layers, data curation and agentic orchestration, built and tested end to end on MINERvA open data. The guiding lesson throughout is that a cross section is a measurement, and not just a plotted shape, only if it carries a defensible systematic-uncertainty budget, a trustworthy unfolding, and a reproducible record. Using a single medium-energy playlist pair from the MINERvA open-data release (about $2.05\times10^{17}$ protons on target of data), we first reproduced the shapes of two published charged-current inclusive $\nu_\mu$ measurements through a complete extraction ladder: selection, background subtraction, D'Agostini unfolding, efficiency correction, and flux normalization. These shape-level reproductions ran and tracked the published results, but they lacked the systematic-uncertainty machinery that defines a MINERvA cross section. To supply it, we vendored and built the MINERvA Analysis Toolkit and developed a many-universe systematic-uncertainty tool that produces a portable covariance artifact, a parallel event-loop runner, and a per-run auditability harness. Validated against a published covariance release, the toolchain reproduces the released statistical, flux, and muon-energy-scale terms and shows that they account for roughly 63\% of the total variance, with the remainder unreleased. Using this same infrastructure, we then performed a measurement of our own design, the hadronic recoil-energy distribution of low-energy ($E_\nu<2.5$~GeV) charged-current inclusive events, and found data/simulation shape agreement of $\chi^2/\mathrm{ndf}=1.26$. Together these results show that the platform supports original physics and not only reproductions.

Breaux, Auto [Tulane U. (main)]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Voltage Service Limits Smart Contract Using Distributed Ledger Technology for Electrical Utility Grid with Customer-Owned Generator

Modern electrical grids face growing stability risks from customer-owned generators, especially at points of common couplings (PCCs). Disruptive behavior from power-electronic sources can cause protective relays to isolate problematic generators, making measurement integrity critical. This article presents a distributed ledger technology (DLT) approach that uses smart contracts to evaluate PCC voltage measurements and trigger backup breaker operations. The approach is framed as a verifiable, multi-organization attestation and audit layer, not as a real-time control security mechanism. In the proposed architecture, voltage measurements from a hardware protective relay are anchored on a DLT through the Cyber Grid Guard (CGG) system for attestation by both the grid utility and customer-owned generator. A Voltage Service Limits (VSLs) smart contract evaluates the on-chain measurements against allowable phase-voltage limits derived from the ANSI C84.1 standard. The framework is validated in a hardware-relay-in-the-loop test bed under sustained-undervoltage, sustained-overvoltage, and transient line-to-line fault scenarios. The results show that the VSL smart contract can process these measurements and issue backup breaker actions consistent with the defined service-limit criteria, demonstrating the DLT potential as a verifiable audit layer at the PCC that complements primary protection.

cyber security↗
DOE OSTI2026

Are Deep Energy Retrofits in Commercial Buildings Including Window Upgrades?

U.S. Commercial buildings account for about 20% of total U.S. energy consumption. Because the thermal performance of windows significantly affects building energy efficiency and HVAC system performance, best practice guidance often includes window and envelope improvements in conjunction with HVAC upgrades to optimize energy use and improve occupant comfort. It is an open question, however, regarding how often these best practices are implemented in the field. This paper aims to address that gap by conducting a literature review and a series of interviews with commercial building auditing and management professionals to explore the factors that drive window retrofits in commercial buildings. The paper explores a range of case studies from deep energy retrofits across the globe, comparing projects with and without window retrofits. The primary goals of this review are to: (1) provide data from real-world case studies illustrating the role of windows in deep energy renovations and HVAC upgrades, (2) conduct retrofit cost analyses for windows and high-performance HVAC systems and (3) offer insights into how window upgrade decisions are made and when they are implemented as part of deep energy retrofits. Most of the retrofit studies focused exclusively on high performance HVAC upgrades without considering how window upgrades might further enhance the overall energy efficiency of commercial buildings. Interviews with building industry experts shed light on the key factors influencing deep energy retrofit decisions and what factors tip the scales in favor of including window measures with more comprehensive retrofit projects.

Cort, Katherine↗
NASA NTRS1980

The 1979 Southeastern Virginia Urban Plume Study (SEV-UPS): Surface and airborne studies

The operation of two surface monitoring stations (one in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, one south of the city near the Great Dismal Swamp) and the collection of 40 hours of airborne measurements is described. Surface site measurements of ozone, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, temperature, dew point, b sub seat, and condensation nuclei were made. Instrument calibrations, quality assurance audits, and preliminary data analysis in support of the Urban Plume Study were also made. The air pollution problems that were addressed are discussed. Data handling procedures followed for the surface stations are presented. The operation of the aircraft sampling platform is described. Aircraft sampling procedures are discussed. A preliminary descriptive analysis of the aircraft data is given along with data or plots for surface sites, airborne studies, hydrocarbon species, and instrument performance audits. Several of the aircraft flights clearly show the presence of an urban ozone plume downwind of Norfolk in the direction of the mean wind flow.

White, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Report by the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel

The process of preparation for the first two shuttle flights was observed and information from both flights was gathered in order to confirm the concept and performance of the major elements of the space transportation system. To achieve truly operational operating safety, regularity, and minimum practical cost, the organization of efforts between the R&D community and any transportation service organization should be clearly separated with the latter organization assuming responsibilities for marketing its services; planning and acquiring prime hardware and spares; maintainance; certification of procedures; training; and creation of requirements for future development. A technical audit of the application of redundancy concepts to shuttle systems is suggested. The state of the art of space transportation hardware suggests that a number of concept changes may improve reliability, costs, and operational safety. For the remaining R&D flights, it is suggested that a redline audit be made of limits that should not be exceeded for ready to launch.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

Evaluation of the HARDMAN comparability methodology for manpower, personnel and training

The methodology evaluation and recommendation are part of an effort to improve Hardware versus Manpower (HARDMAN) methodology for projecting manpower, personnel, and training (MPT) to support new acquisition. Several different validity tests are employed to evaluate the methodology. The methodology conforms fairly well with both the MPT user needs and other accepted manpower modeling techniques. Audits of three completed HARDMAN applications reveal only a small number of potential problem areas compared to the total number of issues investigated. The reliability study results conform well with the problem areas uncovered through the audits. The results of the accuracy studies suggest that the manpower life-cycle cost component is only marginally sensitive to changes in other related cost variables. Even with some minor problems, the methodology seem sound and has good near term utility to the Army. Recommendations are provided to firm up the problem areas revealed through the evaluation.

Zimmerman, W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

First Order Reliability Application and Verification Methods for Semistatic Structures

Escalating risks of aerostructures stimulated by increasing size, complexity, and cost should no longer be ignored by conventional deterministic safety design methods. The deterministic pass-fail concept is incompatible with probability and risk assessments, its stress audits are shown to be arbitrary and incomplete, and it compromises high strength materials performance. A reliability method is proposed which combines first order reliability principles with deterministic design variables and conventional test technique to surmount current deterministic stress design and audit deficiencies. Accumulative and propagation design uncertainty errors are defined and appropriately implemented into the classical safety index expression. The application is reduced to solving for a factor that satisfies the specified reliability and compensates for uncertainty errors, and then using this factor as, and instead of, the conventional safety factor in stress analyses. The resulting method is consistent with current analytical skills and verification practices, the culture of most designers, and with the pace of semistatic structural designs.

Verderaime, Vincent↗
NASA NTRS1998

RSRM Nozzle Anomalous Throat Erosion Investigation Overview

In September, 1996, anomalous pocketing erosion was observed in the aft end of the throat ring of the nozzle of one of the reusable solid rocket motors (RSRM 56B) used on NASA's space transportation system (STS) mission 79. The RSRM throat ring is constructed of bias tape-wrapped carbon cloth/ phenolic (CCP) ablative material. A comprehensive investigation revealed necessary and sufficient conditions for occurrence of the pocketing event and provided rationale that the solid rocket motors for the subsequent mission, STS-80, were safe to fly. The nozzles of both of these motors also exhibited anomalous erosion similar to, but less extensive than that observed on STS-79. Subsequent to this flight, the investigation to identify both the specific causes and the corrective actions for elimination of the necessary and sufficient conditions for the pocketing erosion was intensified. A detailed fault tree approach was utilized to examine potential material and process contributors to the anomalous performance. The investigation involved extensive constituent and component material property testing, pedigree assessments, supplier audits, process audits, full scale processing test article fabrication and evaluation, thermal and thermostructural analyses, nondestructive evaluation, and material performance tests conducted using hot fire simulation in laboratory test beds and subscale and full scale solid rocket motor static test firings. This presentation will provide an over-view of the observed anomalous nozzle erosion and the comprehensive, fault-tree based investigation conducted to resolve this issue.

Clinton, R. G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2000

CM and DM in an ISO R and D Environment

ISO 9000 - a common buzz word in industry is making inroads to government agencies. The National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) achieved ISO 9001 certification at each of its nine (9) Centers and Headquarters in 1998-1999. NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) was recommended for certification in September 1999. Since then, each of the Centers has been going through the semi-annual surveillance audits. Growing out of the manufacturing industry, successful application of the international quality standard to a research and development (R&D) environment has had its challenges. This paper will address how GRC applied Configuration Management (CM) and Data (or Document) Management (DM) to meet challenges to achieve ISO certification. One of the first challenges was to fit the ISO 9001-1994 elements to the GRC environment. Some of the elements fit well-Management Responsibility (4.1), Internal Audits (4.17), Document and Data Control (4.5). Other elements were not suited or applied easily to the R&D environment-Servicing (4.19), Statistical Techniques (4.20). Since GRC "builds" only one or two items at a time, these elements were considered not applicable to the environment.

Crowley, Sandra L.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Extraction and Analysis of Display Data

The Display Audit Suite is an integrated package of software tools that partly automates the detection of Portable Computer System (PCS) Display errors. [PCS is a lap top computer used onboard the International Space Station (ISS).] The need for automation stems from the large quantity of PCS displays (6,000+, with 1,000,000+ lines of command and telemetry data). The Display Audit Suite includes data-extraction tools, automatic error detection tools, and database tools for generating analysis spread sheets. These spread sheets allow engineers to more easily identify many different kinds of possible errors. The Suite supports over 40 independent analyses, 16 NASA Tech Briefs, November 2008 and complements formal testing by being comprehensive (all displays can be checked) and by revealing errors that are difficult to detect via test. In addition, the Suite can be run early in the development cycle to find and correct errors in advance of testing.

Land, Chris↗
NASA NTRS2008

Actions Needed to Ensure Scientific and Technical Information is Adequately Reviewed at Goddard Space Flight Center, Johnson Space Center, Langley Research Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center

This audit was initiated in response to a hotline complaint regarding the review, approval, and release of scientific and technical information (STI) at Johnson Space Center. The complainant alleged that Johnson personnel conducting export control reviews of STI were not fully qualified to conduct those reviews and that the reviews often did not occur until after the STI had been publicly released. NASA guidance requires that STI, defined as the results of basic and applied scientific, technical, and related engineering research and development, undergo certain reviews prior to being released outside of NASA or to audiences that include foreign nationals. The process includes technical, national security, export control, copyright, and trade secret (e.g., proprietary data) reviews. The review process was designed to preclude the inappropriate dissemination of sensitive information while ensuring that NASA complies with a requirement of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (the Space Act)1 to provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information resulting from NASA research activities. We focused our audit on evaluating the STI review process: specifically, determining whether the roles and responsibilities for the review, approval, and release of STI were adequately defined and documented in NASA and Center-level guidance and whether that guidance was effectively implemented at Goddard Space Flight Center, Johnson Space Center, Langley Research Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center. Johnson was included in the review because it was the source of the initial complaint, and Goddard, Langley, and Marshall were included because those Centers consistently produce significant amounts of STI.

Information management↗
NASA NTRS2007

Electrostatic Evaluation of the SRB Velostat(Trademark) Pads

During RSRM Grain inspection, pads constructed of Velostat are grounded and installed in the RSRM bore enabling inspectors to move throughout the bore during the inspection. Velostat pads are installed by grounding the first pad installed and subsequent pads are installed overlapping the previously installed pad maintaining a conductive path to facility ground. Pads are removed upon completion of the inspection in a reverse fashion. As the pads are removed scanning of propellant surfaces is performed per OMRS. During PPICI Audit of B5308.006 (Forward Segment Grain Inspection) in October 07 one audit finding noted that electrostatic scanning of propellant surfaces was being performed during removal of conductive pads following grain inspection. ATK does not perform electrostatic scanning of propellant surfaces during pad removal following final inspection at the plant. The integrated team consisting of NASA SE, USA SE, USA QE, ATK LSS, ATK Systems Safety and ATK DE concurred that electrostatic scanning of propellant surfaces was unnecessary as the conductive pads are grounded. Additional time spent in bore performing scanning presents itself as additional risk. Technicians reported that they have never seen any voltage readings while scanning propellant surfaces during pad removal. USA Systems engineering has written KB 17530 in response to the finding which will delete the requirement (item 2 B47GEN.ll0) to scan propellant surfaces during pad removal. As a result of an E3 panel discussion on December 13, 2007, it was decided that verification of the electrical grounding of the Velostat pads be verified.

Buhler, Charles R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

GSFC Supplier Surveillance

Topics covered include: Develop Program/Project Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans The work activities performed by the developer and/or his suppliers are subject to evaluation and audit by government-designated representatives. CSO supports project by selecting on-site supplier representative s by one of several methods: (1) a Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) person via a Letter Of Delegation (LOD), (2) an independent assurance contractor (IAC) via a contract Audits, Assessments, and Assurance (A3) Contract Code 300 Mission Assurance Support Contract (MASC)

Kelly, Michael P.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Rapid Diagnostics of Onboard Sequences

Keeping track of sequences onboard a spacecraft is challenging. When reviewing Event Verification Records (EVRs) of sequence executions on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER), operators often found themselves wondering which version of a named sequence the EVR corresponded to. The lack of this information drastically impacts the operators diagnostic capabilities as well as their situational awareness with respect to the commands the spacecraft has executed, since the EVRs do not provide argument values or explanatory comments. Having this information immediately available can be instrumental in diagnosing critical events and can significantly enhance the overall safety of the spacecraft. This software provides auditing capability that can eliminate that uncertainty while diagnosing critical conditions. Furthermore, the Restful interface provides a simple way for sequencing tools to automatically retrieve binary compiled sequence SCMFs (Space Command Message Files) on demand. It also enables developers to change the underlying database, while maintaining the same interface to the existing applications. The logging capabilities are also beneficial to operators when they are trying to recall how they solved a similar problem many days ago: this software enables automatic recovery of SCMF and RML (Robot Markup Language) sequence files directly from the command EVRs, eliminating the need for people to find and validate the corresponding sequences. To address the lack of auditing capability for sequences onboard a spacecraft during earlier missions, extensive logging support was added on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) sequencing server. This server is responsible for generating all MSL binary SCMFs from RML input sequences. The sequencing server logs every SCMF it generates into a MySQL database, as well as the high-level RML file and dictionary name inputs used to create the SCMF. The SCMF is then indexed by a hash value that is automatically included in all command EVRs by the onboard flight software. Second, both the binary SCMF result and the RML input file can be retrieved simply by specifying the hash to a Restful web interface. This interface enables command line tools as well as large sophisticated programs to download the SCMF and RMLs on-demand from the database, enabling a vast array of tools to be built on top of it. One such command line tool can retrieve and display RML files, or annotate a list of EVRs by interleaving them with the original sequence commands. This software has been integrated with the MSL sequencing pipeline where it will serve sequences useful in diagnostics, debugging, and situational awareness throughout the mission.

Starbird, Thomas W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program

Recent Findings from Audits, New Technology Data Reviews a) Disabled Chip Burn-ins A recent audit for a QML device discovered that the chip was disabled during the static burn-in, thus it was not drawing any current. Recommendation: For new SMDs add a statement within the burn-in paragraphs stating that the parts shall be kept in their enabled state during the burn-in. b) Class Q 160-hr/125oC Burn-in This is being interpreted as a static burn-in (even for CMOS technology). Recommendation: Provide clarification in MIL-STD-883, Test Method 5004. c) At Frequency (Dynamic) Burn-ins Test equipment limitation is being cited for not doing burn-ins at the application frequency. Recommendation: The burn-in task group to discuss and provide guidance. When the SMD says that the part can be used at 200 MHz, then doing burn-in at 6 MHz (cited as burn-in equipment limitation frequency) is not going to be meaningful! d) Two Static Burn-ins Some manufacturers are doing electrical testing between the two static burn-ins, whereas others do electricals after completing both static burn-ins. Recommendation: Provide clarification in MIL-STD-883, Test Method 5004. e) Thermal Imaging For a device with hot spots, the thermal resistance, junction-to-case, would be much higher than the guidelines given in MIL-STD-1835. One of the suppliers used thermal imaging to find hot spots on the die. Recommendation: Assign a task group to evaluate the effectiveness of thermal imaging at the product development stage.

Class Y↗
NASA NTRS2008

Business Management System Support Analysis

The purpose of this research project was to develop a searchable database compiled with internal and external audit findings/observations. The data will correspond to the findings and observations from the date of Center-wide implementation of the ISO 9001-2000 standard to the present (2003-2008). It was derived and extracted from several sources and was in multiple formats. Once extracted, categorization of the findings/observations would be possible. The final data was mapped to the ISO 9001-2000 standard with the understanding that it will be displayed graphically. The data will be used to verify trends, associate risks, and establish timelines to identify strengths and weaknesses to determine areas of improvement in the Kennedy Space Center Business Management System Internal Audit Program.

Parikh, Jay↗
NASA NTRS2014

MAVEN Information Security Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (GRC): Lessons Learned

As the first interplanetary mission managed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) had three IT security goals for its ground system: COMPLIANCE, (IT) RISK REDUCTION, and COST REDUCTION. In a multiorganizational environment in which government, industry and academia work together in support of the ground system and mission operations, information security governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) becomes a challenge as each component of the ground system has and follows its own set of IT security requirements. These requirements are not necessarily the same or even similar to each other's, making the auditing of the ground system security a challenging feat. A combination of standards-based information security management based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Risk Management Framework (RMF), due diligence by the Mission's leadership, and effective collaboration among all elements of the ground system enabled MAVEN to successfully meet NASA's requirements for IT security, and therefore meet Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) mandate on the Agency. Throughout the implementation of GRC on MAVEN during the early stages of the mission development, the Project faced many challenges some of which have been identified in this paper. The purpose of this paper is to document these challenges, and provide a brief analysis of the lessons MAVEN learned. The historical information documented herein, derived from an internal pre-launch lessons learned analysis, can be used by current and future missions and organizations implementing and auditing GRC.

FISMA↗