Ceramics at Hypersonic Limits
This presentation outlines the regimes of hypersonic flight and the application of ceramic materials.
hypersonic flight↗
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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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OverFlight: Graphical Flight Operations Planning
OverFlight is an in-development graphical user interface (GUI) that implements a state-of-the-art rotorcraft maneuvering noise model using a source noise hemisphere approach coupled with the Aircraft NOise Prediction Program 2 (ANOPP2). This GUI stems from a demand for easy-to-use mission planning and community impact acoustic tools that can model the maneuvering flight of a rotary-wing vehicle. This paper covers the models used for the development of OverFlight and model validation efforts. Data from a joint NASA/Army flight test of an MD530F aircraft are used both for source noise hemispheres as well as maneuvering flight data. Analysis of the predicted maneuvering noise shows better agreement that traditional methods currently employed, while also demonstrating maneuvers where the underlying assumptions fail to hold.
rotorcraft↗
Characterizing the subglacial environment of lower Thwaites Glacier using radar modeling
Understanding the spatial heterogeneity beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, is vital to projecting its impact on future sea levels. Radar-echo sounding (RES) is commonly used to infer subglacial conditions, but these data can be challenging to interpret. We assess basal heterogeneity across Thwaites Glacier by comparing RES returns to a radar backscattering simulator for over 400 km of RES data. The modeled variations in bed returned power exhibited a strong correlation with actual RES data in 40% of our simulated flight segments, which we consider evidence for a relatively homogeneous glacier bed. Other sites (40%) demonstrated improved fit quality when hydrology or substrate transitions were introduced in the bed material model. The remaining simulated segments (20%) were diagnosed as having more complex basal heterogeneity. The spatial distribution of complex heterogeneity appears to coincide with asymmetric patterns in the RES specularity content, which has been interpreted in previous studies as a signature for channelized hydrology. Conversely, the homogeneous substrate locations coincide with areas of fast-moving ice in western Thwaites. Our simulation method can isolate power variations induced by material heterogeneity vs topography, which is an important limitation of existing RES analysis methods.
Antarctic glaciology↗
Hermes Environment Risk Mitigation Executive System (HERMES): Applications for Safe Autonomous Aircraft Operations
This presentation discusses use of Core Flight Systems in NASA Langley Research Center's drone flight test environment for autonomy algorithms research.
Battery Prognostics↗
Spacecraft thermal control coatings: Comparison between flight results obtained on LDEF and MIR
The COMES experiment was installed outside of the MIR space station during an extravehicular activity. The experiment was exposed to vacuum, atomic oxygen, and ultraviolet radiation (UV) for 1.1 years. Due to a lack of knowledge about the spacecrafts actual attitude, there is a large uncertainty in the atomic oxygen fluence and the UV dose that was experienced by COMES. Additionally, contaminants of many different origins were observed on the COMES samples.
Jean-Claude Guillaumon↗
Mariner Mars 1971 battery design, test, and flight performance
The design, integration, fabrication, test results, and flight performance of the battery system for the Mariner Mars spacecraft launched in May 1971 are presented. The battery consists of 26 20-Ah hermetically sealed nickel-cadmium cells housed in a machined magnesium chassis. The battery package weighs 29.5 kg and is unique in that the chassis also serves as part of the spacecraft structure. Active thermal control is accomplished by louvers mounted to the battery baseplate. Battery charge is accomplished by C/10 and C/30 constant current chargers. The switch from the high-rate to low-rate charge is automatic, based on terminal voltage. Additional control is possible by ground command or onboard computer. The performance data from the flight battery is compared to the data from various battery tests in the laboratory. Flight battery data was predictable based on ground test data.
Bogner, R. S.↗
IBPSA Project 2 BOPTEST: An update on the test cases available in the framework for testing advanced control strategies in buildings
Project 2 develops software infrastructure, test cases, and extensions for the Building Optimization Testing Framework (BOPTEST) to address the expanding needs of building and urban energy system controls through open international collaboration. This paper provides an overview of the new test cases available as of BOPTEST version 0.7.1. Each test case is developed using open-source Modelica libraries and Spawn of EnergyPlus, enabling the creation of high-fidelity building models that incorporate envelope dynamics, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, and explicit control representations. Currently, eight test cases are available, with five additional cases under development. These test cases cover a wide range of climates, building types, and HVAC systems. This paper compiles and summarizes test case descriptions, cites original manuscripts that developed them for a more detailed description, and reports baseline control performance metrics. Furthermore, two example applications are presented: one illustrating different levels of control, from supervisory to low-level, and another demonstrating how Model Predictive Control (MPC) solutions must be adapted from continuous to integer to control some building actuators.
Zanetti, Ettore↗
NASA aerospace flight battery systems program
The major objective of the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program is to provide NASA with the policy and posture to increase and ensure the safety, performance and reliability of batteries for space power systems. The program plan has been modified in the past year to reflect changes in the agency's approach to battery related problems that are affecting flight programs. Primary attention in the Battery Program is being devoted to the development of an advanced nickel-cadmium cell design and the qualification of vendors to produce cells for flight programs. As part of a unified Battery Program, the development of a nickel-hydrogen standard and primary cell issues are also being pursued to provide high performance NASA Standards and space qualified state-of-the-art primary cells. The resolution of issues is being addressed with the full participation of the aerospace battery community.
Manzo, Michelle A.↗
NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program
The major objective of the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program is to provide NASA with the policy and posture to increase and ensure the safety, performance and reliability of batteries for space power systems. The program plan has been modified in the past year to reflect changes in the agency's approach to battery related problems that are affecting flight programs. Primary attention in the Battery Program is being devoted to the development of an advanced nickel-cadmium cell design and the qualification of vendors to produce cells for flight programs. As part of a unified Battery Program, the development of a nickel-hydrogen standard and primary cell issues are also being pursued to provide high-performance NASA Standards and space qualified state-of-the-art primary cells. The resolution of issues is being addressed with the full participation of the aerospace battery community.
Manzo, Michelle A.↗
System Identification for Integrated Aircraft Development and Flight Testing [l'Identification Des Systemes Pour le Developpement Integre des Aeronefs et les Essais en Vol]
Over the last decades flight vehicles such as aircraft and helicopters entering service and requiring increased operational effectiveness have with few exceptions experienced prolonged flight test development to achieve full certification. In many cases the original requirements had later to be reduced to enable release to service. The impact on the customer, and manufacturer has been considerable leading to increased costs and or reduced operational capabilities. These costly experiences are largely a result of the flight vehicle not behaving as modelled and designed. The evaluation of flight test data can be used as a tool for validating windtunnel results and mathematical models describing the flight dynamical behaviour. In this sense the uncertainty of important aerodynamic stability and control parameters can be reduced and the confidence of aircraft mathematical models improved. An additional important factor comes from the implementation of active control systems offering the promise of significantly increased flight vehicle performance and operational capability. This approach extends the traditional trade-offs between aerodynamics, structures and propulsion systems to include full- time, full-authority fly-by-wire/light systems. It is imperative that the aerodynamic stability and control parameters of such integrated flight and propulsion control systems have to turn out inflight as predicted, since inherent stability margins will be lower and the flight control system must correct these deficiencies to provide flight critical redundancy and safety. With the methodology of system identification from flight tests it is possible to sense the control inputs and the flight vehicle reactions Such as accelerations, rates and attitudes. The mathematical model, e.g. the model structure and parameters, has to be determined from the relationship of the measured control inputs and the system's responses. The aim of this symposium was to review the present state of the art of flight vehicle system and parameter identification techniques, and to provide a critical appraisal of current methods developed and applied to flight test data in a number of NATO nations. Particular emphasis was placed on practical aspects and lessons learned in order to generate information useful to the flight test community in industry and government agencies. The technical papers share invaluable experience and emphasize the advances of flight vehicle system identification over the last years to the point where confidence and robustness level is now reasonably high. The symposium covered overviews of identification methodologies, flight test techniques, recent aircraft and helicopter application programs, and a session of short papers covering up-to-the-minute flight test results. A final discussion included prepared comments from experts and concluded with key issues learned in the application of system identification and future research needs. The essential benefits to NATO nations can be condensed as follows: More accurate mathematical models for high bandwidth flight control systems, Improved assessment and evaluation of flying qualities, High fidelity mathematical models for flight vehicle development and mission training simulators, and generally, Reduced flight test time and costs.
Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Developm↗
Flight Service Environmental Effects on Composite Materials and Structures
NASA Langley and the U.S. Army have jointly sponsored programs to assess the effects of realistic flight environments and ground-based exposure on advanced composite materials and structures. Composite secondary structural components were initially installed on commercial transport aircraft in 1973; secondary and primary structural components were installed on commercial helicopters in 1979; and primary structural components were installed on commercial aircraft in the mid-to-late 1980's. Service performance, maintenance characteristics, and residual strength of numerous components are reported. In addition to data on flight components, 10 year ground exposure test results on material coupons are reported. Comparison between ground and flight environmental effects for several composite material systems are also presented. Test results indicate excellent in-service performance with the composite components during the 15 year period. Good correlation between ground-based material performance and operational structural performance has been achieved.
H Benson Dexter↗
Marshall Space Flight Center CFD Overview
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) activities at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been focused on hardware specific and research applications with strong emphasis upon benchmark validation. The purpose here is to provide insight into the MSFC CFD related goals, objectives, current hardware related CFD activities, propulsion CFD research efforts and validation program, future near-term CFD hardware related programs, and CFD expectations. The current hardware programs where CFD has been successfully applied are the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME), Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD), and Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE). For the future near-term CFD hardware related activities, plans are being developed that address the implementation of CFD into the early design stages of the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME), Space Transportation Booster Engine (STBE), and the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) for the Space Station. Finally, CFD expectations in the design environment will be delineated.
L A Schutzenhofer↗
NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Program: Recommendations for Technical Requirements for Inclusion in Aerospace Battery Procurements
This NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Working Group was chartered within the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). The Battery Working Group was tasked to complete tasks and to propose proactive work to address battery related, agency-wide issues on an annual basis. In its first year of operation, this proactive program addressed various aspects of the validation and verification of aerospace battery systems for NASA missions. Studies were performed, issues were discussed and in many cases, test programs were executed to generate recommendations and guidelines to reduce risk associated with various aspects of implementing battery technology in the aerospace industry. This document contains Part 2 - Volume II Appendix A to Part 2 - Volume I.
Jung, David S.↗
Recent Developments in Safe Lithium Ion Battery Design for Human Space Flight
This presentation provides an overview of EVA batteries and introduces the concept of designing lithium ion batteries that resist the propagation of a single cell catastrophic failure. Thermal runaway initiation methods are briefly discussed, and the safe performance of the resulting designs is summarized. Approached in an incremental fashion, each subsequent battery design is introduced, ending with a current development for the Exploration EVA spacesuit. Challenges in achieving safe design performance with limited internal volume are briefly discussed and forward work is identified. Video examples of both propagating and non-propagating designs are included.
lithium ion↗
Assembly and Integration Status of a High Fidelity Ground Test Bed for the Water Processor Assembly
The Water Recovery System (WRS) is a critical component of life support aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and will play an essential role in future missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Its primary functional units – the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), Brine Processor Assembly (BPA), and Water Processor Assembly (WPA) – must be evaluated for extended operation, dormancy resilience, material obsolescence, and reliability under exploration-driven constraints. Ground testing is vital for developing these technologies and generating statistically relevant reliability assessments, which requires extended runtime under integrated, Flight-like conditions. Currently, no high-fidelity, fully integrated WPA ground test bed exists to support these objectives. To address this gap, NASA is developing a WPA test bed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) that combines downgraded ISS flight hardware with functionally flight-like components in a cost-effective configuration while maintaining priority hardware investigations. This paper describes the current status of hardware assembly and integration, outlines key challenges such as simulating microgravity effects and mitigating obsolescence, and presents future test objectives including software development, reliability assessments, dormancy studies, and exploration-oriented upgrades.
Water Processor Assembly↗
NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Program: Recommendations for Technical Requirements for Inclusion in Aerospace Battery Procurements
This NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Working Group was chartered within the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). The Battery Working Group was tasked to complete tasks and to propose proactive work to address battery related, agency-wide issues on an annual basis. In its first year of operation, this proactive program addressed various aspects of the validation and verification of aerospace battery systems for NASA missions. Studies were performed, issues were discussed and in many cases, test programs were executed to generate recommendations and guidelines to reduce risk associated with various aspects of implementing battery technology in the aerospace industry. This document contains Part 2 - Volume I: Recommendations for Technical Requirements for Inclusion in Aerospace Battery Procurements of the program's operations.
Jung, David S.↗
Design Criteria for Integrated Flight/Propulsion Control Systems for STOVL Fighter Aircraft
As part of NASA's program to develop technology for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft, control system designs have been developed for a conceptual STOVL aircraft. This aircraft is representative of the class of mixed-flow remote-lift concepts that was identified as the preferred design approach by the US/UK STOVL Joint Assessment and Ranking Team. The control system designs have been evaluated throughout the powered-lift flight envelope on Ames Research Center's Vertical Motion Simulator. Items assessed in the control system evaluation were: maximum control power used in transition and vertical flight, control system dynamic response associated with thrust transfer for attitude control, thrust margin in the presence of ground effect and hot gas ingestion, and dynamic thrust response for the engine core. Effects of wind, turbulence, and ship airwake disturbances are incorporated in the evaluation. Results provide the basis for a reassessment of existing flying qualities design criteria applied to STOVL aircraft.
James A Franklin↗
Chapter 12A - Rotorcraft Flight Envelope Unique Considerations
As noted in Section 12, the term flight envelope is used to refer to the boundaries of aircraft loading and flight conditions within which operation of the aircraft is satisfactory, and beyond which some aspect becomes unacceptable. Each aircraft has its own peculiar set of operating conditions and limitations, and this is particularly true of rotorcraft. In addition to the concerns of the fixed wing aircraft test engineer, the helicopter test engineer has to be concerned with dynamic components such as main and tail rotors and their associated control components, transmissions, noise, vibrations, and environmental factors such as swirling particulates which can cause visual obscuration and/or aircraft erosion when operating in unprepared areas like desert, snow, or over salt water. Operation in the hover/low speed regime is a unique capability and is therefore the forte of the helicopter. This "new" regime has its own envelope concerns. This Section provides a brief overview of some of the considerations when establishing/expanding the flight envelope of a rotorcraft. Types of tests and maneuvers, instrumentation, and special considerations will be discussed. However, the reader must be aware that this Section is far from a complete description of all the factors which must be considered in establishing a rotorcraft flight envelope. Much of the material presented in Section 12 is pertinent to rotorcraft envelope definition.
Michael W Mosher↗