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At least 865 records · Page 48
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NASA NTRS2023

Progress on the Organic and Inorganic Modules of the Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a Next Generation Complete Water Analysis System for Crewed Vehicles

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) is a joint collaboration to develop an instrument platform that will perform in-flight measurements and deliver a more complete picture of water quality to decision makers. For exploration missions, returned water samples will not be an option, so spacecraft and habitats will need to be equipped with advanced water monitoring capabilities. Eventually, missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond should be equipped with analytical capabilities roughly analogous to those found in terrestrial labs. Based on what we know about current and future spacecraft environments, SWIM will seek to provide enhanced analytical capability that enables NASA to confidently send astronauts on distant missions without the possibility of returned water samples. The SWIM architecture can be broken down in an Organic Water Module (OWM) and an Inorganic Water Module (IWM), independent of each other but can be flown together if desired; an integrated system may share some commonality, e.g., single sample injection, sampling consumables, waste, etc. Each of these main modules can be broken down further into separation (if required) and detection modules. And, each separation module can be paired with one or more detection module depending on mission, spacecraft, customer needs, and size/mass/power constraints. This paper discusses the research and development progress toward the goal of a total water analysis system. For OWM, one of the analysis technologies that the SWIM team have been developing is a liquid-injection gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system; these systems are the workhorses of analytical chemistry laboratories world-wide. For IWM, the team is exploring a number of technologies ranging from traditional liquid chromatography technologies (e.g. ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) to flight-heritage technology such as ion-specific electrodes.

Stuart Pensinger↗
NASA NTRS1986

Integrated development facility for the calibration of low-energy charged particle flight instrumentation

The design of a low-energy ion facility for development and calibration of thermal ion instrumentation is examined. A directly heated cathode provides the electrons used to produce ions by impact ionization and an applied magnetic field increases the path length followed by the electrons. The electrostatic and variable geometry magnetic mirror configuration in the ion source is studied. The procedures for the charge neutralization of the beam and the configuration and function of the 1.4-m drift tube are analyzed. A microcomputer is utilized to control and monitor the beam energy and composition, and the mass- and angle-dependent response of the instrument under testing. The facility produces a high-quality ion beam with an adjustable range of energies up to 150 eV; the angular divergence and uniformity of the beam is obtained from two independent retarding potential analyzers. The procedures for calibrating the instrument being developed are described.

Biddle, A. P.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Wind Tunnel Model Design for the Study of Plume Effects on Sonic Boom for Isolated Exhaust Nozzles

A low cost test capability was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center 1- by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT), with a goal to reduce the disturbance caused by supersonic aircraft flight over populated areas. This work focused on the shock wave structure caused by the exhaust nozzle plume. Analysis and design was performed on a new rig to test exhaust nozzle plume effects on sonic boom signature. Test capability included a baseline nozzle test article and a wind tunnel model consisting of a strut, a nosecone and an upper plenum. Analysis was performed on the external and internal aerodynamic configuration, including the shock reflections from the wind tunnel walls caused by the presence of the model nosecone. This wind tunnel model was designed to operate from Mach 1.4 to Mach 3.0 with nozzle pressure ratios from 6 to 12 and altitudes from 30,000 ft (4.36 psia) to 50,000 ft (1.68 psia). The model design was based on a 1 in. outer diameter, was 9 in. in overall length, and was mounted in the wind tunnel on a 3/8 in. wide support strut. For test conditions at 50,000 ft the strut was built to supply 90 psia of pressure, and to achieve 20 psia at the nozzle inlet with a maximum nozzle pressure of 52 psia. Instrumentation was developed to measure nozzle pressure ratio, and an external static pressure probe was designed to survey near field static pressure profiles at one nozzle diameter above the rig centerline. Model layout placed test nozzles between two transparent sidewalls in the 1 1 SWT for Schlieren photography and comparison to CFD analysis.

Castner, Raynold S.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Wind Tunnel Model Design for the Study of Plume Effects on Sonic Boom for Isolated Exhaust Nozzles

A low cost test capability was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center 1- by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT), with a goal to reduce the disturbance caused by supersonic aircraft flight over populated areas. This work focused on the shock wave structure caused by the exhaust nozzle plume. Analysis and design was performed on a new rig to test exhaust nozzle plume effects on sonic boom signature. Test capability included a baseline nozzle test article and a wind tunnel model consisting of a strut, a nose cone and an upper plenum. Analysis was performed on the external and internal aerodynamic configuration, including the shock reflections from the wind tunnel walls caused by the presence of the model nosecone. This wind tunnel model was designed to operate from Mach 1.4 to Mach 3.0 with nozzle pressure ratios from 6 to 12 and altitudes from 30,000 ft (4.36 psia) to 50,000 ft (1.68 psia). The model design was based on a 1 in. outer diameter, was 9 in. in overall length, and was mounted in the wind tunnel on a 3/8 in. wide support strut. For test conditions at 50,000 ft the strut was built to supply 90 psia of pressure, and to achieve 20 psia at the nozzle inlet with a maximum nozzle pressure of 52 psia. Instrumentation was developed to measure nozzle pressure ratio, and an external static pressure probe was designed to survey near field static pressure profiles at one nozzle diameter above the rig centerline. Model layout placed test nozzles between two transparent sidewalls in the 1x1 SWT for Schlieren photography and comparison to CFD analysis.

Castner, Raymond S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A broad-band microseismometer for planetary operations

There has recently been renewed interest in the development of instrumentation for making measurements on the surface of Mars. This is due to the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission, for which approximately 16 small, long-lived (2-10 years), relatively inexpensive surface stations will be deployed in a planet-wide network. This will allow the investigation of processes (such as seismology and meteorology) which require the simultaneous measurement of phenomena at many widely spaced locations on the surface over a considerable length of time. Due to the large number of vehicles involved, the mass, power, and cost of the payload will be severely constrained. A seismometer has been identified as one of the highest priority instruments in the MESUR straw-man payload. The requirements for an effective seismic experiment on Mars place a number of constraints on any viable sensor design. First, a large number of sensors must be deployed in a long-lived global network in order to be able to locate many events reliably, provide good spatial sampling of the interior, and increase the probability of seismic detection in the event of localized seismicity and/or high attenuation. From a practical standpoint, this means that individual surface stations will necessarily be constrained in terms of cost, mass, and power. Landing and thermal control systems will probably be simple, in order to minimize cost, resulting in large impact accelerations and wide daily and seasonal thermal swings. The level of seismic noise will determine the maximum usable sensitivity for seismometer. Unfortunately, the ambient seismic noise level for Mars is not well known. However lunar seismic noise levels are several orders of magnitude below that of the Earth. Sensitivities on the order of 10(exp -11)g over a bandwidth of .04 to 20 Hz are thought to be necessary to fulfill the science objectives for a seimometer placed on the Martian surface. Silicon micromachined sensor technology offers techniques for the fabrication of monolithic, robust, compact, lower power and mass accelerometers. Conventional micro-machined accelerometers have been developed and are commercially available for high frequency and large acceleration measurements. The new seismometer we are developing incorporates certain principles of conventional silicon micromachined accelerometer technology. However, currently available silicon micromachined sensors offer inadequate sensitivity and bandwidth for the Mars seismometer application. Our implementation of an advanced silicon micromachined seismometer is based on principles recently developed at JPL for high-sensitivity position sensor technology.

Banerdt, W. B.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Caves as Terrestrial Analogs for Mapping and Exploration in Planetary Surface and Subsurface Environments.

The Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack (KNaCK) team is developing tools that will enable ultra-high resolution terrain mapping and navigation at the lunar surface. KNaCK uses mobile light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms to operate in fully GPS-denied and unilluminated environments. Testing in relevant analogs is key to perfecting this technology for planetary applications. After utilizing desert and volcanic environments for multiple tests, the team is now using caves as an additional proving ground. Tests in terrestrial caves have demonstrated the potential of mobile SLAM LiDAR for use in challenging surface environments such as steep walled craters and permanently shadowed regions as well as for lunar, planetary, and terrestrial cave exploration, study, and utilization.

LiDAR↗
NASA NTRS2014

Field Results from Three Campaigns to Validate the Performance of the Miniaturized Laser Heterodyne Radiometer (Mini‐LHR) for Measuring Carbon Dioxide and Methane in the Atmospheric Column

In a collaboration between NASA GSFC and GWU, a low-cost, surface instrument is being developed that can continuously monitor key carbon cycle gases in the atmospheric column: carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). The instrument is based on a miniaturized, laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) using near infrared (NIR) telecom lasers. Despite relatively weak absorption line strengths in this spectral region, spectrallyresolved atmospheric column absorptions for these two molecules fall in the range of 60-80% and thus sensitive and precise measurements of column concentrations are possible. In the last year, the instrument was deployed for field measurements at Park Falls, Wisconsin; Castle Airport near Atwater, California; and at the NOAA Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. For each subsequent campaign, improvement in the figures of merit for the instrument has been observed. In the latest work the absorbance noise is approaching 0.002 optical density (OD) noise on a 1.8 OD signal. An overview of the measurement campaigns and the data retrieval algorithm for the calculation of column concentrations will be presented. For light transmission through the atmosphere, it is necessary to account for variation of pressure, temperature, composition, and refractive index through the atmosphere that are all functions of latitude, longitude, time of day, altitude, etc. For temperature, pressure, and humidity profiles with altitude we use the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) data. Spectral simulation is accomplished by integrating short-path segments along the trajectory using the SpecSyn spectral simulation suite developed at GW. Column concentrations are extracted by minimizing residuals between observed and modeled spectrum using the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm. We will also present an assessment of uncertainty in the reported concentrations from assumptions made in the meteorological data, LHR instrument and tracker noise, and radio frequency bandwidth and describe additional future goals in instrument development and deployment target

meteorological data↗
NASA NTRS1971

Development of a wideband wattmeter as a laboratory instrument

A portable, solid state, wideband wattmeter has been developed as a general purpose type of laboratory instrument. Its circuit and component investigations and evaluation data are presented. A prototype unit was used extensively, and served as the basis for a second instrument incorporating refined circuitry and improved packaging. The wattmeter provides true four quadrant operation which permits instantaneous indication of real power as an oscilloscope display. Major performance factors are: frequency bandwidth DC to 1 MHz plus or minus 1 db; current range 10 mA to 100 amperes peak; voltage range 1 volt to 1000 volts peak; accuracy plus or minus 2% of full scale reading. Oscilloscope data for typical switching transients in a transistor inverter circuit are included.

Landes, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1963

Tiros IV Radiation Data Catalog and Users' Manual

The TIROS IV Meteorological Satellite contains a medium resolution scanning radiometer. Two of the channels of this instrument are sensitive to reflected solar radiation and the remaining two respond to emitted thermal radiation from the earth and its atmosphere. The two thermal channels are calibrated in terms of equivalent blackbody temperatures, and the reflected solar radiation channels in terms of effective radiant emittances. The calibration data, along with orbital and attitude data and the radiation data from the satellite, were incorporated in a computer program for an IBM 7090 which was used to produce, in binary form, the "Final Meteorological Radiation Tape" which is the basic repository of all radiation data. After launch, the radiometer displaye d the same degradation of response characteristics as did its predecessors in TIROS II and TIROS III. The onset of degradation results in a departure of the data from the prelaunch laboratory calibration. The cause of degradation has not been determined, and the matter is still being studied at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Before work with the TIROS IV radiation data is attempted, an understanding of the radiometer, its calibration, and the problems encountered in the experiment, especially from response degradation, is essential. The instrumentation design, development work, and the calibrations herein described were performed by the Goddard Space Flight Center Staff, whereas the computer and programming efforts were carried out jointly by the staffs of the National Weather Satellite Center, U. S. Weather Bureau, and the Goddard Space Flight Center. In this Catalog-Manual, the radiometer an d its calibration, data processing, the "Final Meteorological Radiation Tape", the observed degradation patterns, and possible corrections for degradation are discussed. The Catalog-Manual also includes, in two forms, documentation of each orbit of successfully reduced radiation data acquired by TIROS IV. One method of presentation is the Index of Final Meteorological Radiation Tapes and the other is a Subpoint Track, Summary of Available Radiation Data in diagrammatic form.

TIROS IV SATELLITE↗
NASA NTRS1969

Experimental design for research on shock-turbulence interaction

Report investigates the production of acoustic waves in the interaction of a supersonic shock and a turbulence environment. The five stages of the investigation are apparatus design, development of instrumentation, preliminary experiment, turbulence generator selection, and main experiments.

Radcliffe, S. W.↗