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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

NASA Research Announcement Phase 2 Final Report for the Development of a Power Assisted Space Suit Glove

The main goal of this program was to develop an unobtrusive power-assisted EVA glove metacarpalphalangeal (MCP) joint that could provide the crew member with as close to nude body performance as possible, and to demonstrate the technology feasibility of power assisted space suit components in general. The MCP joint was selected due to its being representative of other space suit joints, such as the shoulder, hip and carpometacarpal joint, that would also greatly benefit from this technology. In order to meet this objective, a development team of highly skilled and experienced personnel was assembled. The team consisted of two main entities. The first was comprised of ILC's experienced EVA space suit glove designers, who had the responsibility of designing and fabricating a low torque MCP joint which would be compatible with power assisted technology. The second part of the team consisted of space robotics experts from the University of Maryland's Space Systems Laboratory. This team took on the responsibility of designing and building the robotics aspects of the power-assist system. Both parties addressed final system integration responsibilities.

Lingo, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1994

A linguistic geometry for space applications

We develop a formal theory, the so-called Linguistic Geometry, in order to discover the inner properties of human expert heuristics, which were successful in a certain class of complex control systems, and apply them to different systems. This research relies on the formalization of search heuristics of high-skilled human experts which allow for the decomposition of complex system into the hierarchy of subsystems, and thus solve intractable problems reducing the search. The hierarchy of subsystems is represented as a hierarchy of formal attribute languages. This paper includes a formal survey of the Linguistic Geometry, and new example of a solution of optimization problem for the space robotic vehicles. This example includes actual generation of the hierarchy of languages, some details of trajectory generation and demonstrates the drastic reduction of search in comparison with conventional search algorithms.

Stilman, Boris↗
NASA NTRS1988

Robotic and automatic welding development at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Welding automation is the key to two major development programs to improve quality and reduce the cost of manufacturing space hardware currently undertaken by the Materials and Processes Laboratory of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Variable polarity plasma arc welding has demonstrated its effectiveness on class 1 aluminum welding in external tank production. More than three miles of welds were completed without an internal defect. Much of this success can be credited to automation developments which stabilize the process. Robotic manipulation technology is under development for automation of welds on the Space Shuttle's main engines utilizing pathfinder systems in development of tooling and sensors for the production applications. The overall approach to welding automation development undertaken is outlined. Advanced sensors and control systems methodologies are described that combine to make aerospace quality welds with a minimum of dependence on operator skill.

Jones, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Work Term Assignment Spring 2017

My tour in the Engineering Robotics directorate exceeded my expectations. I learned lessons about Creo, manufacturing and assembly, collaboration, and troubleshooting. During my first tour, last spring, I used Creo on a smaller project, but had limited experience with it before starting in the Dynamic Systems Test branch this spring. I gained valuable experience learning assembly design, sheet metal design and designing with intent for manufacturing and assembly. These skills came from working both on the hatch and the floor. I also learned to understand the intent of other designers on models I worked with. While redesigning the floor, I was modifying an existing part and worked to understand what the previous designer had done to make it fit with the new model. Through working with the machine shop and in the mock-up, I learned much more about manufacturing and assembly. I used a Dremel, rivet gun, belt sander, and countersink for the first time. Through taking multiple safety training for different machine shops, I learned new machine shop safety skills specific to each one. This semester also gave me new collaborative opportunities. I collaborated with engineers within my branch as well as with Human Factors and the building 10 machine shop. This experience helped me learn how to design for functionality and assembly, not only for what would be easiest in my designs. In addition to these experiences, I learned many lessons in troubleshooting. I was the first person in my office to use a Windows 10 computer. This caused unexpected issues with NASA services and programs, such as the Digital Data Management Server (DDMS). Because of this, I gained experience finding solutions to lockout and freeze issues as well as Creo specific settings. These will be useful skills to have in the future and will be implemented in future rotations. This co-op tour has motivated me more to finish my degree and pursue my academic goals. I intend to take a machining Career Gateway Elective in the Fall to improve my skills in building as well as designing with manufacturing intent. I am also inspired to take more mechatronics CGE courses before I graduate to learn more about the crossover between mechanical and electrical engineering. This semester, I worked on multiple projects and had the opportunity to learn from engineers of different disciplines. I became proficient in Creo 2.0, a program I had not used significantly before. I finished modifying the hatch for 3D print and made sizeable modifications to the nose floor support design. I also gained hands-on experience that will be useful in my engineering career in the future. I would consider all of these major achievements from this spring semester. Lastly, I learned to ask more questions and to search for the right people to find answers which I know will be a valuable skill in the future. This summer, I will be completing my last rotation in the Flight Operations Directorate at Ellington Air Field. After this last tour, I will be returning to school for the Fall, Spring and Summer. I will graduate in August of 2018. I am looking forward to learning more about the different jobs available to engineers. This division works directly with many different types of aircrafts and I am excited to learn more about this focus of engineering. The Aircraft Operations Division values team work greatly and I intend to improve my interpersonal skills by working with them this summer.

Sico, Mallory↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) 2022 Quicklook Report

This report summarizes the Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) 2022 analog tests. BACKGROUND - Artemis Challenges – NASA’s concept of operations (ConOps) for the Artemis mission architecture brings new challenges for human exploration of the lunar surface, including: (1) Low-angle, natural lighting at lunar poles; and (2) Exploration sites that challenge communication with Earth. - International Partner Involvement – NASA is working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to scope mission & functional requirements for an Artemis Pressurized Rover (PR), which JAXA may provide. - Charter – HQ Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) Moon to Mars Architecture Development Office (M2MADO) Strategy and Architectures (SA) chartered the Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) test team to investigate Artemis architectural questions related to pressurized rover ConOps. - Rationale – to inform the NASA/JAXA pressurized rover study-agreement. PLAN - Objectives – Analog tests conducted in October 2022 by the D-RATS team addressed three high-level objectives: 1. Investigate pressurized rover (PR) ConOps and capabilities for Artemis exploration 2. Integrate with JAXA engineers & astronauts and incorporate JAXA PR design elements into testing. 3. Re-establish analog field-testing skills & capabilities with rovers to investigate Artemis architecture ConOps. - Secondary Objectives – Work with other groups to leverage D-RATS field test for additional objectives. 4. Work with the Public Affairs Office (PAO) to perform D-RATS public outreach activities. 5. Coordinate with the Human Physiology Performance Protection & Operations (H-3PO) team to facilitate in-field evaluation of human health and performance (HHP) objectives. 6. Share D-RATS field-site and assets with Lunar LTE Studies (Lunar LiTES) team, to aid their study of the use of 4G/LTE communication protocols and devices for astronauts and robotic nodes on the lunar surface. - Team – Fully integrated test team comprised of members from 5 NASA centers, JAXA, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) - Location – Black Point Lava Flow, ~40 miles north of Flagstaff, AZ HIGH-LEVEL OBJECTIVES ACCOMPLISHED - Investigated Pressurized Rover ConOps & Capabilities for Artemis Exploration (Objective 1) - Completed testing with 4 crew pairs, each spending 3 days and 2 nights in the rover conducting Artemis PR dayin-the-life activities (2 JAXA astronauts, 2 JAXA engineers, 1 NASA astronaut, 3 NASA engineers). - Collected detailed objective & subjective data supporting 10 strategic questions related to Artemis PR operations. - Field geologists present in field observed rover operations & EVAs. - Science team in Houston MCC communicated directly with crew. - Demonstrated crew-led and MCC-led PR teleoperation use cases during EVAs. - Integrated with JAXA Engineers & Astronauts and Incorporated JAXA PR Design Elements into Testing (Objective 2) - NASA & JAXA engineers, flight controllers, scientists, roboticists, and astronauts directly participated in and/or observed testing both in field and in MCC-Houston. - Incorporated JAXA PR design elements into both integrated and standalone testing at JSC and in the field. - Re-established Analog Field-Testing Skills & Capabilities with Rovers to Investigate Artemis Architecture ConOps (Objective 3) - Multiple teams successfully worked to establish and manage field-test base camp, monitor and maintain the rover, and plan and execute 2 weeks of consecutive field-testing with little to no breaks between crews. TEST OUTCOMES - Results will inform Artemis architecture ConOps & capabilities related to pressurized rover operations (see sections 2 for more details) - Summary and team detailed reports will be posted on the D-RATS 2022 wiki

Analog↗
NASA NTRS2006

Robonaut Mobile Autonomy: Initial Experiments

A mobile version of the NASA/DARPA Robonaut humanoid recently completed initial autonomy trials working directly with humans in cluttered environments. This compact robot combines the upper body of the Robonaut system with a Segway Robotic Mobility Platform yielding a dexterous, maneuverable humanoid ideal for interacting with human co-workers in a range of environments. This system uses stereovision to locate human teammates and tools and a navigation system that uses laser range and vision data to follow humans while avoiding obstacles. Tactile sensors provide information to grasping algorithms for efficient tool exchanges. The autonomous architecture utilizes these pre-programmed skills to form complex behaviors. The initial behavior demonstrates a robust capability to assist a human by acquiring a tool from a remotely located individual and then following the human in a cluttered environment with the tool for future use.

Diftler, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Mobile Autonomous Humanoid Assistant

A mobile autonomous humanoid robot is assisting human co-workers at the Johnson Space Center with tool handling tasks. This robot combines the upper body of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robonaut system with a Segway(TradeMark) Robotic Mobility Platform yielding a dexterous, maneuverable humanoid perfect for aiding human co-workers in a range of environments. This system uses stereo vision to locate human team mates and tools and a navigation system that uses laser range and vision data to follow humans while avoiding obstacles. Tactile sensors provide information to grasping algorithms for efficient tool exchanges. The autonomous architecture utilizes these pre-programmed skills to form human assistant behaviors. The initial behavior demonstrates a robust capability to assist a human by acquiring a tool from a remotely located individual and then following the human in a cluttered environment with the tool for future use.

Diftler, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Space Exploration: Oh, the Materials You'll Need!

Space exploration has many challenges and materials are critical for many of the systems required to enable robotic or human space exploration. This talk will highlight challenges for materials with an emphasis on thermal protection materials and systems. Solving the materials issues will require thinking about materials in the systems and environments where are they to be used. In many cases the materials must be designed for the application, and the system needs to be designed with the materials in mind. The talk will conclude with some thoughts on the skills needed for materials scientists and engineers working on materials for space.

Exploration↗
NASA NTRS2016

Space Exploration: Oh, the Materials You'll Need!

Space exploration has many challenges and materials are critical for many of the systems required to enable robotic or human space exploration. This talk will highlight challenges for materials with an emphasis on thermal protection materials and systems. Solving the materials issues will require thinking about materials in the systems and environments where are they to be used. In many cases the materials must be designed for the application, and the system needs to be designed with the materials in mind. The talk will conclude with some thoughts on the skills needed for materials scientists and engineers working on materials for space.

materials↗
NASA NTRS2004

Research and Technology 2003

The NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, in partnership with U.S. industries, universities, and other Government institutions, is responsible for developing critical technologies that address national priorities in aeropropulsion and space applications. Our work is focused on research for new aeropropulsion technologies, aerospace power, microgravity science (fluids and combustion), electric propulsion, and communications technologies for aeronautics, space, and aerospace applications. As NASA s premier center for aeropropulsion, aerospace power, and turbomachinery, our role is to conduct world-class research and to develop key technologies. We contribute to economic growth and national security through safe, superior, and environmentally compatible U.S. civil and military aircraft propulsion systems. Our Aerospace Power Program supports all NASA Enterprises and major programs, including the International Space Station, Advanced Space Transportation, and new initiatives in human and robotic exploration. Glenn Research Center leads NASA s research in the microgravity science disciplines of fluid physics, combustion science, and acceleration measurement. Almost every space shuttle science mission has had an experiment managed by NASA Glenn, and we have conducted a wide array of similar experiments on the International Space Station. The Glenn staff consists of over 3200 civil service employees and support service contractor personnel. Scientists and engineers comprise more than half of our workforce, with technical specialists, skilled workers, and an administrative staff supporting them. We aggressively strive for technical excellence through continuing education, increased diversity in our workforce, and continuous improvement in our management and business practices so that we can expand the boundaries of aeronautics, space, and aerospace technology. Glenn Research Center is a unique facility located in northeast Ohio. Situated on 350 acres of land adjacent to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Glenn comprises more than 140 buildings, including 24 major facilities and over 500 specialized research and test facilities. Additional facilities are located at Plum Brook Station, which is about 50 miles west of Cleveland. Plum Brook Station has four large, major, world-class facilities for space research available for Government and industry programs. Knowledge is the end product of our activities. The R&T reports help make this knowledge fully available to potential users the aircraft engine industry, the space industry, the energy industry, the automotive industry, the aerospace industry, and others. It is organized so that a broad cross section of the community can readily use it. Each article begins with a short introductory paragraph that should prove valuable for the layperson. These articles summarize the progress made during the year in various technical areas and portray the technical and administrative support associated with Glenn s technology programs. We hope that this information is useful to all. If additional information is desired, readers are encouraged to contact the researchers identified at the end of each article and to visit Glenn on the World Wide Web at http://www.grc.nasa.gov.

Julian Earls↗
NASA NTRS2022

Optimal Estimation Framework for Ocean Color Atmospheric Correction and Pixel-level Uncertainty Quantification

Ocean color remote sensing requires compensation for atmospheric scattering and absorption (aerosol, Rayleigh, and trace gases), referred to as atmospheric correction (AC). AC allows inference of parameters such as spectrally resolved remote sensing reflectance ( R rs )(λ) ; sr 1 ) at the ocean surface from the top-of-atmosphere reflectance. Often, the uncertainty of this process is not fully explored. Bayesian inference techniques provide a simultaneous AC and uncertainty assessment via a full posterior distribution of the relevant variables, given the prior distribution of those variables and the radiative transfer (RT) likelihood function. Given uncertainties in the algorithm inputs, the Bayesian framework enables better constraints on the AC process by using the complete spectral information compared to traditional approaches that use only a subset of bands for AC. This paper investigates a Bayesian inference research method (Optimal Estimation, OE) for ocean color AC by simultaneously retrieving atmospheric and ocean properties using all visible and near-infrared spectral bands. The OE algorithm analytically approximates the posterior distribution of parameters based on normality assumptions and provides a potentially viable operational algorithm with a reduced computational expense. We developed a Neural Network (NN) RT forward model look-up-table-based emulator to increase algorithm efficiency further and thus speed up the likelihood computations. We then applied the OE algorithm to synthetic data and observations from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua spacecraft. We compared the R rs )(λ) retrieval and its uncertainty estimates from the OE method with in-situ validation data from the SeaWiFS Bio-optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS) and Aerosol Robotic Network Ocean Color (AERONET-OC) datasets. The OE algorithm improved R rs )(λ) estimates relative to the NASA standard operational algorithm by improving all statistical metrics at 443, 555, and 667 nm. Unphysical negative R rs )(λ) , which often appear in complex water conditions, was reduced by a factor of 3. The OE-derived pixel-level R rs )(λ) uncertainty estimates were also assessed relative to in-situ data and were shown to have skill.

Atmospheric correction↗
NASA NTRS2012

Science Operations During Planetary Surface Exploration: Desert-RATS Tests 2009-2011

NASA s Research and Technology Studies (RATS) team evaluates technology, human-robotic systems and extravehicular equipment for use in future human space exploration missions. Tests are conducted in simulated space environments, or analog tests, using prototype instruments, vehicles, and systems. NASA engineers, scientists and technicians from across the country gather annually with representatives from industry and academia to perform the tests. Test scenarios include future missions to near-Earth asteroids (NEA), the moon and Mars.. Mission simulations help determine system requirements for exploring distant locations while developing the technical skills required of the next generation of explorers.

Cohen, Barbara↗
NASA NTRS1977

Spinoff 1977

The National Aeronautics & Space Administration has many missions but they can all be reduced to a common denominator: to explore Earth and its surroundings, conduct aeronautical research, and put the results to work for the benefit of mankind. At times the benefit may be dimly perceived. Take, for instance, last year's monumental triumph of exploration, the landing of robot spacecraft on Mars. How, some ask, does probing a neighbor planet improve the lot of Earth's people? In two ways: scientific gain and technological advancement. Though perhaps little understood, they are concrete benefits, assets as tangible as sunshine, more valuable than gold. Technological advancement, on the other hand, offers equally important but more immediate returns. Technology is science applied. It is the ability of a society to make things that improve the quality of human existence. It is compounded of intellect and skill, which draw upon the scientific base to bring forth new ideas, inventions, materials and processes. It is, in a word, knowledge. It builds like an inverted pyramid, each level broader than the one . before as successive generations contribute to the cumulative lore. Knowledge is readily transferable. If you build a better mousetrap, you may acquire experience in the course of the project that can be applied to a need totally unrelated to mouse-traping. This transfer process has been going on since the dawn of technology. In the last two decades it has accelerated enormously, spurred by the immense flow of aerospace-stimulated technology. There have been literally thousands of spinoffs, new products and processes that owe their origins to aerospace research. Collectively, they add up to significant gain in terms of personal convenience, human welfare, industrial efficiency, and economic value.

Haggerty, James J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Evaluation of a telerobotic system to assist surgeons in microsurgery

A tool was developed that assists surgeons in manipulating surgical instruments more precisely than is possible manually. The tool is a telemanipulator that scales down the surgeon's hand motion and filters tremor in the motion. The signals measured from the surgeon's hand are transformed and used to drive a six-degrees-of-freedom robot to position the surgical instrument mounted on its tip. A pilot study comparing the performance of the telemanipulator system against manual instrument positioning was conducted at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. The results show that a telerobotic tool can improve the performance of a microsurgeon by increasing the precision with which he can position surgical instruments, but this is achieved at the cost of increased time in performing the task. We believe that this technology will extend the capabilities of microsurgeons and allow more surgeons to perform highly skilled procedures currently performed only by the best surgeons. It will also enable performance of new surgical procedures that are beyond the capabilities of even the most skilled surgeons. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Microsurgery/instrumentation/methods↗
NASA NTRS2003

The TERESA project: from space research to ground tele-echography

Ultrasound examinations represent one of the major diagnostic modalities of future healthcare. They are currently used to support medical space research but require a high skilled operator for both probe positioning on the patient's skin and image interpretation. TERESA is a tele-echography project that proposes a solution to bring astronauts and remotely located patients on ground quality ultrasound examinations despite the lack of a specialist at the location of the wanted medical act.

Space Flight/instrumentation↗
NASA NTRS1992

Future scientific exploration of Taurus-Littrow

The Apollo 17 site was surveyed with great skill and the collected samples have been studied thoroughly (but not completely) in the 20 years since. Ironically, the success of the field and sample studies makes the site an excellent candidate for a return mission. Rather than solving all the problems, the Apollo 17 mission provided a set of sophisticated questions that can be answered only by returning to the site and exploring further. This paper addresses the major unsolved problems in lunar science and points out the units at the Apollo 17 site that are most suitable for addressing each problem. It then discusses how crucial data can be obtained by robotic rovers and human field work. I conclude that, in general, the most important information can be obtained only by human exploration. The paper ends with some guesses about what we could have learned at the Apollo 17 site from a fairly sophisticated rover capable of in situ analyses, instead of sending people.

Taylor, G. Jeffrey↗
NASA NTRS2011

Software Certification - Coding, Code, and Coders

We describe a certification approach for software development that has been adopted at our organization. JPL develops robotic spacecraft for the exploration of the solar system. The flight software that controls these spacecraft is considered to be mission critical. We argue that the goal of a software certification process cannot be the development of "perfect" software, i.e., software that can be formally proven to be correct under all imaginable and unimaginable circumstances. More realistically, the goal is to guarantee a software development process that is conducted by knowledgeable engineers, who follow generally accepted procedures to control known risks, while meeting agreed upon standards of workmanship. We target three specific issues that must be addressed in such a certification procedure: the coding process, the code that is developed, and the skills of the coders. The coding process is driven by standards (e.g., a coding standard) and tools. The code is mechanically checked against the standard with the help of state-of-the-art static source code analyzers. The coders, finally, are certified in on-site training courses that include formal exams.

training↗
NASA NTRS2015

Human Systems Integration (HSI) Practitioner's Guide

The NASA/SP-2015-3709, Human Systems Integration (HSI) Practitioner's Guide, also known as the "HSIPG," provides a tool for implementing HSI activities within the NASA systems engineering framework. The HSIPG is written to aid the HSI practitioner engaged in a program or project (P/P), and serves as a knowledge base to allow the practitioner to step into an HSI lead or team member role for NASA missions. Additionally, this HSIPG is written to address the role of HSI in the P/P management and systems engineering communities and aid their understanding of the value added by incorporating good HSI practices into their programs and projects. Through helping to build a community of knowledgeable HSI practitioners, this document also hopes to build advocacy across the Agency for establishing strong, consistent HSI policies and practices. Human Systems Integration (HSI) has been successfully adopted (and adapted) by several federal agencies-most notably the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-as a methodology for reducing system life cycle costs (LCCs). These cost savings manifest themselves due to reductions in required numbers of personnel, the practice of human-centered design, decreased reliance on specialized skills for operations, shortened training time, efficient logistics and maintenance, and fewer safety-related risks and mishaps due to unintended human/system interactions. The HSI process for NASA establishes how cost savings and mission success can be realized through systems engineering. Every program or project has unique attributes. This HSIPG is not intended to provide one-size-fits-all recommendations for HSI implementation. Rather, HSI processes should be tailored to the size, scope, and goals of individual situations. The instructions and processes identified here are best used as a starting point for implementing human-centered system concepts and designs across programs and projects of varying types, including manned and unmanned, human spaceflight, aviation, robotics, and environmental science missions. The practitioner using this guide should have expertise in Systems Engineering or other disciplines involved in producing systems with anticipated human interactions. (See section 1.6 of this guide for further discussion on HSI discipline domains.) The HSIPG provides an "HSI layer" to the NASA Systems Engineering Engine (SEE), detailed in NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) 7123.1B, NASA Systems Engineering Processes and Requirements, and further explained in NASA/SP-2007-6105, Systems Engineering Handbook (see HSIPG Table 2.2-1, NASA Documents with HSI Content, for specific references and document versions).

Zumbado, Jennifer Rochlis↗