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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 775 records · Page 43

Dynamics of the McDonnell-Douglas Large Scale Dynamic Rig and dynamic calibration of the rotor balance

A shake test was performed on the Large Scale Dynamic Rig in the 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel in support of the McDonnell Douglas Advanced Rotor Technology (MDART) Test Program. The shake test identifies the hub modes and the dynamic calibration matrix of the rotor balance. For hub mode identification, three configurations were tested: wind tunnel scale unlocked with dampers engaged and disengaged, and wind tunnel scale locked. Test data were analyzed with a multi-degree-of-freedom time domain algorithm to identify the modal properties of the hub modes. The damping of the low frequency hub modes (ground resonance modes) increases significantly with the wind tunnel dampers engaged. For dynamic calibration of the rotor balance, the shake test was performed only with the wind tunnel dampers engaged. The dynamic calibration matrix, computed from the shake test data using a least squares error method, is used to correct the five-per-rev vibratory balance readings. The corrections are large for the side force, moderate for the axial force and inplane hub moments, and small for the normal force.

Nguyen, Khanh↗

Vortex Wake Turbulence: Flight Tests Conducted During 1970

A flight test program designed to obtain data on the characteristics of wing-tip vortices generated by large jet aircraft was initiated on 12 February 1970. The objective was to update the interim air traffic separation standards issued on 21 January 1970 restricting the airspace behind the B-747 and C-5A aircraft 60 deg either side and 2,000 feet below to a distance of 10 miles. The program involved flight tests at three different locations, which were conducted simultaneously. (1) At the Edwards Air Force Base test range, a NASA CV-990 and F-104 probed the vortices of a C-5A. This supplemented previous flight tests in U-3A and F-104 behind a B-52 and C-5A. (2) At Seattle, the Boeing Company probed the vortices of a B-747 and a B-707-300 with a B-737 and F-86. In addition, approach, landing, takeoff, and crossing runway tests were conducted with a B-737 trailing a B-747. Immediately following the Edwards tests, the NASA CV-990 proceeded to Seattle and engaged in probing flights behind the same B-747 and B-707-300. (3) At Idaho Falls, Idaho, FAA personnel, utilizing the Atomic Energy Commission and Environmental Science Services Administration facilities and a 200 ft, instrumented tower, conducted 114 flights past the tower. The aircraft were positioned to permit their vortices to descend into the air flow sensors and smoke generated from various levels on the tower. This permitted obtaining measurements and photography of the vortex core diameters, tangential velocities and related characteristics. Immediately following this test phase, analysis of the interrelated data was completed by the project managers representing NASA, Boeing and FAA and a Compilation of Work Papers was issued on 30 April 1970. These data were the basis of a revised General Notice issued on 26 February 1970 which, in essence, modified the restricted airspace to five miles behind heavy jets in the 300,000 lb. gross takeoff weight category.

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Confidence Testing of Shell 405 and S-405 Catalysts in a Monopropellant Hydrazine Thruster

As part of the transfer of catalyst manufacturing technology from Shell Chemical Company (Shell 405 catalyst manufactured in Houston, Texas) to Aerojet (S-405 manufactured in Redmond, Washington), Aerojet demonstrated the equivalence of S-405 and Shell 405 at beginning of life. Some US aerospace users expressed a desire to conduct a preliminary confidence test to assess end-of-life characteristics for S-405. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Aerojet entered a contractual agreement in 2004 to conduct a confidence test using a pair of 0.2-lbf MR-103G monopropellant hydrazine thrusters, comparing S-405 and Shell 405 side by side. This paper summarizes the formulation of this test program, explains the test matrix, describes the progress of the test, and analyzes the test results. This paper also includes a discussion of the limitations of this test and the ramifications of the test results for assessing the need for future qualification testing in particular hydrazine thruster applications.

McRight, Patrick↗

Aerodynamic Performance of Supersonic Parachutes Behind Slender Bodies

NASA's ASPIRE (Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation Research Experiments) project was launched to investigate the supersonic deployment, inflation and aerodynamics of full-scale disk-gap-band (DGB) parachutes. Three flight tests (October 2017, March 2018 and July 2018) deployed and examined parachutes meant for the upcoming "Mars 2020" mission. Mars-relevant conditions were achieved by performing the tests at high altitudes over Earth on a sounding rocket platform, with the parachute deploying behind a slender body (roughly 1/6-th the diameter of the capsule that will use this parachute for descent at Mars). All three tests were successful and delivered valuable data and imagery on parachute deployment and performance. CFD simulations were used in designing the flight test, interpreting the flight data, and extrapolating the results obtained during the flight test to predict parachute behavior at Mars behind a blunt capsule. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the test program and flight test data, with emphasis on differences in parachute performance due to the leading body geometry.

Muppidi, Suman↗

STS-26 Preflight Press Briefing: Crew Escape/Crew Equipment

This NASA KSC video release presents part of a press conference held prior to Discovery flight STS-26, the first shuttle mission flown following the 51-L Challenger accident. The five member panel present individual viewgraph discussions followed by a question and answer period for the benefit of scientific journalists. William A. Chandler (Asst. to the Dir. of Engineering and the NSTS program) gives a brief overview of the crew escape system followed by Steven Nagel's (Astronaut) presentation on crew equipment. Robert Rice (Crew Escape System Manager) describes the flight test program and the innovative pyrotechnics system test program. Tim Pelischek (Pole Design Team) gives an assessment of the critical design review and Ricardo Machin reviews aerodynamic flight tests performed at Texas A&M and California. The second part of the video includes Robert Crippen's (Deputy Dir. of Operations, Kennedy Space Center) overview of NASA Management, the organizational changes and actions taken to meet the Roger's Commission recommendations.

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Wind tunnel tests of rotor blade sections with replications of ice formations accreted in hover

Full scale reproductions of ice accretions molded during the documentation of a hover test program were fabricated by means of epoxy castings and used for a wind tunnel test program. Surface static pressure distributions were recorded and used to evaluate lift and pitching moment increments while drag was determined by wake surveys. Through the range of the tests, corresponding to those conditions encountered in hover and in flat pitch, integration of the pressure distributions showed negligible changes in lift and in pitching moment, but the drag was significantly increased.

Lee, J. D.↗

RS-88 Pad Abort Demonstrator Thrust Chamber Assembly Testing at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

This paper documents the effort conducted to collect hot-tire dynamic and acoustics environments data during 50,000-lb thrust lox-ethanol hot-fire rocket testing at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in November-December 2003. This test program was conducted during development testing of the Boeing Rocketdyne RS-88 development engine thrust chamber assembly (TCA) in support of the Orbital Space Plane (OSP) Crew Escape System Propulsion (CESP) Program Pad Abort Demonstrator (PAD). In addition to numerous internal TCA and nozzle measurements, induced acoustics environments data were also collected. Provided here is an overview of test parameters, a discussion of the measurements, test facility systems and test operations, and a quality assessment of the data collected during this test program.

Farr, Rebecca A.↗

JWST Telescope Integration and Test Progress

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a 6.5m, segmented, IR telescope that will explore the first light of the universe after the big bang. The JWST Optical Telescope Element (Telescope) integration and test program is well underway. The telescope was completed in the spring of 2016 and the cryogenic test equipment has been through two optical test programs leading up to the final flight verification program. The details of the telescope mirror integration will be provided along with the current status of the flight observatory. In addition, the results of the two optical ground support equipment cryo tests will be shown and how these plans fold into the flight verification program.

Matthews, Gary W.↗

Vibration and thermal vacuum qualification test results for a low-voltage tungsten-halogen light

The results of a space flight qualification test program for a low-voltage, quartz tungsten-halogen light are presented. The test program was designed to qualify a halogen light for use in the Pool Boiling Experiment, a Get Away Special (GAS) payload that will be flown in the space shuttle payload bay. Vibration and thermal vacuum tests were performed. The test results indicated that the halogen light will survive the launch and ascent loads, and that the convection-free environment associated with the GAS payload system will not detrimentally affect the operation of the halogen light.

Sexton, J. Andrew↗

Annual report to the NASA Administrator by the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel on the space shuttle program. Part 1: Observations and conclusions

The panel reviewed the following areas of major significance for the Approach and Landing Test program: mission planning and crew training, flight-readiness of the Carrier Aircraft and the Orbiter, including its flight control and avionics system, facilities, and communications and ground support equipment. The management system for risk assessment was investigated. The Orbital Flight Test Program was also reviewed. Observations and recommendations are presented.

Source record↗

Space Shuttle Orbiter ECLSS.

The Orbiter Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) provides the functions of atmosphere revitalization, crew life support, active thermal conditioning, and airlock support for EVA and docking activities. The ECLSS must satisfy the requirements of orbital missions with four to ten crewmembers and mission duration of a few hours to 30 days and the requirements associated with an atmospheric horizontal flight test program and ferry flight missions. The ECLSS development plan utilizes an ECLSS ground test article and thermal/vacuum testing to support the first horizontal flight test at the end of 1976. The ground testing and horizontal flight test program certify the Orbiter ECLSS for the first orbital flight in early 1978.

Stoll, O. T.↗

C-5A/orbiter wind tunnel testing and analysis: Piggyback ferry

Wind tunnel testing and analytical studies of the feasibility of ferrying the NASA Shuttle Orbiter on the C-5A in a piggyback mode have been accomplished. Testing was conducted in the 8x12 foot low speed wind tunnel using an existing 0.0399 scale C-5A model in conjunction with a NASA 0.0405 scale Orbiter model. Six component force and moment data were measured over a range of pitch and yaw angles to determine lift and drag characteristics, lateral/directional stability characteristics and longitudinal and directional control powers. A description of the wind tunnel test program with a run schedule and the complete plotted data for all the test runs are presented. Initial emphasis was given to determining the effects of the Orbiter above the C-5A and the optimum location for minimum interference on C-5A characteristics. A comprehensive series of cruise configurations were tested including a range of Orbiter longitudinal and vertical locations, incidences, and afterbody fairings. Subsequently, a series of configurations were devised during the test program to determine means of recovering directional stability degradation due to Orbiter interference.

Tomlin, K. H.↗

Influence of precracked specimen configuration and starting stress intensity on the stress corrosion cracking of 4340 steel

Since the pioneer work of Brown (1966), precracked specimens and related fracture mechanics analyses have been extensively used to study stress corrosion cracking. Certain questions arose in connection with initial attempts to prepare standardized recommended practices by ASTM Committee G-1 on Corrosion of Metals. These questions were related to adequacy of test control as it pertains to acceptable limits of variability, and to validity of expressions for stress intensity and crack-surface displacements for both specimen configurations. An interlaboratory test program, was, therefore, planned with the objective to examine the validity of KIscc testing for selected specimen configurations, materials,and environmental systems. The results reported in the present paper include details of a single laboratory test program. The program was conducted to determine if the threshold value of stress intensity for onset and arrest of stress corrosion cracking was independent for the two specimen configurations examined.

Lisagor, W. B.↗

Replacement of Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) -225 Solvent for Cleaning and Verification Sampling of NASA Propulsion Oxygen Systems Hardware, Ground Support Equipment, and Associated Test Systems

Since the 1990's, when the Class I Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) chlorofluorocarbon-113 (CFC-113) was banned, NASA's rocket propulsion test facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Stennis Space Center (SSC) have relied upon hydrochlorofluorocarbon-225 (HCFC-225) to safely clean and verify the cleanliness of large scale propulsion oxygen systems. Effective January 1, 2015, the production, import, export, and new use of HCFC-225, a Class II ODS, was prohibited by the Clean Air Act. In 2012 through 2014, leveraging resources from both the NASA Rocket Propulsion Test Program and the Defense Logistics Agency - Aviation Hazardous Minimization and Green Products Branch, test labs at MSFC, SSC, and Johnson Space Center's White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) collaborated to seek out, test, and qualify a replacement for HCFC-225 that is both an effective cleaner and safe for use with oxygen systems. Candidate solvents were selected and a test plan was developed following the guidelines of ASTM G127, Standard Guide for the Selection of Cleaning Agents for Oxygen Systems. Solvents were evaluated for materials compatibility, oxygen compatibility, cleaning effectiveness, and suitability for use in cleanliness verification and field cleaning operations. Two solvents were determined to be acceptable for cleaning oxygen systems and one was chosen for implementation at NASA's rocket propulsion test facilities. The test program and results are summarized. This project also demonstrated the benefits of cross-agency collaboration in a time of limited resources.

Mitchell, Mark A.↗

Replacement of HCFC-225 Solvent for Cleaning NASA Propulsion Oxygen Systems

Since the 1990's, when the Class I Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) chlorofluorocarbon‐113 (CFC‐113) was banned, NASA's rocket propulsion test facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Stennis Space Center (SSC) have relied upon hydrochlorofluorocarbon‐225 (HCFC‐225) to safely clean and verify the cleanliness of large scale propulsion oxygen systems. Effective January 1, 2015, the production, import, export, and new use of HCFC‐225, a Class II ODS, was prohibited by the Clean Air Act. In 2012 through 2014, leveraging resources from both the NASA Rocket Propulsion Test Program and the Defense Logistics Agency ‐ Aviation Hazardous Minimization and Green Products Branch, test labs at MSFC, SSC, and Johnson Space Center's White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) collaborated to seek out, test, and qualify a replacement for HCFC‐225 that is both an effective cleaner and safe for use with oxygen systems. Candidate solvents were selected and a test plan was developed following the guidelines of ASTM G127, Standard Guide for the Selection of Cleaning Agents for Oxygen Systems. Solvents were evaluated for materials compatibility, oxygen compatibility, cleaning effectiveness, and suitability for use in cleanliness verification and field cleaning operations. Two solvents were determined to be acceptable for cleaning oxygen systems and one was chosen for implementation at NASA's rocket propulsion test facilities. The test program and results are summarized. This project also demonstrated the benefits of cross‐agency collaboration in a time of limited resources.

Mitchell, Mark A.↗

Hot gas ingestion test results of a two-poster vectored thrust concept with flow visualization in the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-foot low speed wind tunnel

A 9.2 percent scale STOVL hot gas ingestion model was tested in the NASA Lewis 9 x 15-foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. Flow visualization from the Phase 1 test program, which evaluated the hot ingestion phenomena and control techniques, is covered. The Phase 2 test program evaluated the hot gas ingestion phenomena at higher temperatures and used a laser sheet to investigate the flow field. Hot gas ingestion levels were measured for the several forward nozzle splay configurations and with flow control/life improvement devices (LIDs) which reduced the hot gas ingestion. The test was conducted at full scale nozzle pressure ratios and inlet Mach numbers. Results are presented over a range of nozzle pressure ratios at a 10 kn headwind velocity. The Phase 2 program was conducted at exhaust nozzle temperatures up to 1460 R and utilized a sheet laser system for flow visualization of the model flow field in and out of ground effects. The results reported are for nozzle exhaust temperatures up to 1160 R and contain the compressor face pressure and temperature distortions, the total pressure recovery, the inlet temperature rise, and the environmental effects of the hot gas. The environmental effects include the ground plane contours, the model airframe heating, and the location of the ground flow separation.

Johns, Albert L.↗

Hypervelocity impact damage tolerance of fused silica glass

A test program was conducted at the NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) concerning hypervelocity impact damage in fused silica glass. The objectives of this test program were: to expand the penetration equation data base in the velocity range between 2 and 8 km/s; to determine how much strength remains in a glass pane that has sustained known impact damage; and to develop a relationship between crater measurements and residual strength predictions that can be utilized in the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs. The results and conclusions of the residual strength testing are discussed below. Detailed discussion of the penetration equation studies will follow in future presentations.

Edelstein, K. S.↗