Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “STABLE OSCILLATION”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

Application of Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) Differenced One-Way Doppler (DOWD) Tracking Data for Orbit Determination and Station Acquisition Support of User Spacecraft Without TDRS Compatible Transponders

Many spacecraft are launched today with only an omni-directional (omni) antenna and do not have an onboard Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) transponder that is capable of coherently returning a carrier signal through TDRS. Therefore, other means of tracking need to be explored and used to adequately acquire the spacecraft. Differenced One-Way Doppler (DOWD) tracking data are very useful in eliminating the problems associated with the instability of the onboard oscillators when using strictly one-way Doppler data. This paper investigates the TDRS DOWD tracking data received by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF) during the launch and early orbit phases for the the Interplanetary Physics Laboratory (WIND) and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-J missions. In particular FDF personnel performed an investigation of the data residuals and made an assessment of the acquisition capabilities of DOWD-based solutions. Comparisons of DOWD solutions with existing data types were performed and analyzed in this study. The evaluation also includes atmospheric editing of the DOWD data and a study of the feasibility of solving for Doppler biases in an attempt to minimize error. Furthermore, by comparing the results from WIND and NOAA-J, an attempt is made to show the limitations involved in using DOWD data for the two different mission profiles. The techniques discussed in this paper benefit the launches of spacecraft that do not have TDRS transponders on board, particularly those launched into a low Earth orbit. The use of DOWD data is a valuable asset to missions which do not have a stable local oscillator to enable high-quality solutions from the one-way/return-link Doppler tracking data.

Olszewski, A. D., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1965

Coherent radar FM noise limitations

Coherent radar FM noise limitations - clutter rejection and subclutter visibility parameters used to describe performance of stable master oscillators

COHERENT RADAR↗
NASA NTRS1969

Bias circuit oscillations in Gunn devices.

Bias circuit LF oscillations in short Gunn devices, analyzing sinusoidal and relaxation oscillations and stable bias in terms of terminal I-V characteristics

Rosenbaum, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Operation of the SUPARAMP at 33GHz

A 9mm degenerate parametric amplifier was constructed using a linear, series array of unbiased Josephson junctions as the active, nonlinear element. A balanced diode mixer was used as a synchronous detector, with a single source serving both as the pump and as the mixer local oscillator. A stable, net gain of 15 dB in an instantaneous bandwith (FWHM) of 3.4 GHz was achieved. A system noise temperature of 220 K + or - 5 K (DSB) was measured with a SUPARAMP contribution of only 20 K x or - 10 K. Output saturation was observed and complicates the interpretation of the noise temperature measurements and may render them upper limits. A comparison was made with the results of an earlier 3 cm suparamp. The data is in substantial agreement with theoretical predictions.

Chiao, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Operation of the SUPARAMP at 33 GHz

A 9-mm degenerate parametric amplifier has been constructed using a linear series array of unbiased Josephson junctions as the active nonlinear element. A balanced diode mixer was used as a synchronous detector, with a single source serving both as the pump and as the mixer local oscillator. A stable net gain of 15 dB in an instantaneous bandwidth (FWHM) of 3.4 GHz has been achieved. A system noise temperature of 220 plus or minus 5 K (DSB) was measured with a SUPARAMP contribution of only 20 plus or minus 10 K. Output saturation has been observed. This complicates the interpretation of noise-temperature measurements and may render them upper limits. Comparison is made with the results of an earlier 3-cm SUPARAMP.

Chiao, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A SEASAT-A synthetic aperture imaging radar system

The SEASAT, a synthetic aperture imaging radar system is the first radar system of its kind designed for the study of ocean wave patterns from orbit. The basic requirement of this system is to generate continuous radar imagery with a 100 km swath with 25m resolution from an orbital altitude of 800 km. These requirements impose unique system design problems. The end to end data system described including interactions of the spacecraft, antenna, sensor, telemetry link, and data processor. The synthetic aperture radar system generates a large quantity of data requiring the use of an analog link with stable local oscillator encoding. The problems associated in telemetering the radar information with sufficient fidelity to synthesize an image on the ground is described as well as the selected solutions to the problems.

Jordan, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A Seasat-A Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radar System

The Seasat-A Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radar System is the first radar system of its kind designed for the study of ocean wave patterns from orbit. The basic requirement of this system is to generate continuous radar imagery with a 100-km swath with 25 m resolution from an orbital altitude of 800 km. These requirements impose unique system design problems and their solutions will be stated. The end to end data system will be described including interactions of the spacecraft, antenna, sensor, telemetry link, and data processor. The synthetic aperture radar system generates a large quantity of data (110 megabits per second) requiring the use of a dedicated data link. The data link selected for use with the synthetic aperture radar is an analog link with stable local oscillator encoding. The problems associated in telemetering the radar information with sufficient fidelity to synthesize an image on the ground will be described as well as the selected solutions to the problems.

Jordan, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The Seasat-A Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radar System

The Seasat-A Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radar System is the first radar system of its kind designed for orbital use. The requirement of this system is to generate continuous radar imagery with a 100-km swath with 25 m resolution from an orbital altitude of 800 km. These requirements impose unique system design problems and a description of the implementation will be given. The end to end data system will be described including interactions of the spacecraft, antenna, sensor, telemetry link, and data processor. The synthetic aperture radar system generates a large quantity of data (110 megabits per second) requiring the use of a dedicated data link. The data link selected for use with the synthetic aperture radar is an analog link with stable local oscillator encoding. The problems associated in telemetering the radar information with sufficient fidelity to synthesize an image on the ground will be described as well as the selected solutions to the problems. The interactions between the antenna attitude control system, rotation of the earth and the data processor will be described as well as proposed solutions, both optical and digital, to generate final imagery with the required 25 m resolution.

Jordan, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Acoustics-turbulence interaction

An investigation of the instability frequency was undertaken. Measurements revealed that the hot wire probe induces and sustains stable upstream oscillation of the free shear layer. The characteristics of the free shear layer tone are found to be different from the slit jet wedge edgetone phenomenon. The shear tone induced by a plane wedge in a plane free shear layer was then examined in order to further document the phenomenon. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the tone fundamental show agreement with the spatial stability theory. A comprehensive summary of the results is also included.

Hussain, A. K. M. F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The free shear layer tone phenomenon and probe interference

The reported investigation shows that the hot-wire probe induces stable upstream oscillations in a free shear layer, similar to the jet edge tone mechanism. This effect can be significant also in measurements involving large-scale organized structure, conditional sampling, space-time correlation, and convection velocity, when a reference or indicator probe may be used near the origin of the free shear layer. It appears that even in a free shear layer without any wedge, an object in the flow sufficiently downstream can also provide feedback to the flow upstream. A description is given of the edge-tone phenomenon which is observed when a thin slit jet impinges on a plane wedge. Attention is given to the free shear layer tone induced by a hot-wire probe, the free shear layer tone phenomenon, and shear layer tone eigenvalues and eigenfunctions.

Hussain, A. K. M. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Microwave tunable laser source: A stable, precision tunable heterodyne local oscillator

The development and capabilities of a tunable laser source utilizing a wideband electro-optic modulator and a CO2 laser are described. The precision tunability and high stability of the device are demonstrated with examples of laboratory spectroscopy. Heterodyne measurements are also presented to demonstrate the performance of the laser source as a heterodyne local oscillator. With the use of five CO2 isotope lasers and the 8 to 18 GHz sideband offset tunability of the modulator, calculations indicate that 50 percent spectral coverage in the 9 to 12 micron region is achievable. The wavelength accuracy and stability of this laser source is limited by the CO2 laser and is more than adequate for the measurement of narrow Doppler-broadened line profiles. The room-temperature operating capability and the programmability of the microwave tunable laser source are attractive features for its in-the-field implementation. Although heterodyne measurements indicated some S/N degradation when using the device as a local oscillator, there does not appear to be any fundamental limitation to the heterodyne efficiency of this laser source. Through the use of a lower noise-figure traveling wave tube amplifier and optical matching of the output beam with the photomixer, a substantial increase in the heterodyne S/N is expected.

Sachse, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A simplified CARS measurement system for rapid determination of temperature and oxygen concentration

A new spectroscopic concept for the rapid determination of temperature and oxygen concentration by CARS (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy) was described. The ratio of two spectral regions in the broadband Q-branch spectrum was detected by photomultipliers in a monochromator, which ratio depends on temperature and species concentration. The comparison of the measured data with theory was made using a flat flame burner and an electric furnace, with reasonable results. Various optical techniques for alignment were introduced including a highly efficient, stable dye oscillator. The combination of the spectroscopic concept and the optical techniques will make the CARS measurement system rapid in data processing and simple in optical parts.

Fujii, Shoichi↗
NASA NTRS1992

Dynamics and stability of a tethered centrifuge in low earth orbit

The three-dimensional attitude dynamics of a spaceborne tethered centrifuge for artificial gravity experiments in low earth orbit is analyzed using two different methods. First, the tethered centrifuge is modeled as a dumbbell with a straight viscoelastic tether, point tip-masses, and sophisticated environmental models such as nonspherical gravity, thermal perturbations, and a dynamic atmospheric model. The motion of the centrifuge during spin-up, de-spin, and steady-rotation is then simulated. Second, a continuum model of the tether is developed for analyzing the stability of lateral tether oscillations. Results indicate that the maximum fluctuation about the 1-g radial acceleration level is less than 0.001 g; the time required for spin-up and de-spin is less than one orbit; and lateral oscillations are stable for any practical values of the system parameters.

Quadrelli, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Support of User Spacecraft without TDRSS Transponders

NASA GSFC VNS TSG personnel have proposed the use of TDRSS to obtain telemetry and/or S-band one-way return Doppler tracking data for spacecraft which do not have TDRSS-compatible transponders and therefore were never considered candidates for TDRSS support. For spacecraft with less stable local oscillators (LO), one-way return Doppler tracking data is typically of poor quality. It has been demonstrated using UARS, WIND, and NOAA-J tracking data that the simultaneous use of two TDRSS spacecraft can yield differenced one-way return Doppler data of high quality which is usable for orbit determination by differencing away the effects of oscillator instability.

Jackson, James A.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Miniaturized Mercury Ion Clock for Ultrastable Deep Space Applications

We have recently completed a prototype ion-clock physics package based on Hg ions shuttled between a quadrupole and a 16-pole rf trap. With this architecture we have demonstrated short-term stability ~2-3x10-13 at 1 second, averaging to 10-15 at 1 day. This development shows that H-maser quality stabilities can be produced in a small clock package, comparable in size to an ultra-stable quartz oscillator required for holding 1-2x10-13 at 1 second. This performance was obtained in a sealed vacuum configuration where only a getter pump was used to maintain vacuum. The vacuum tube containing the traps has now been under sealed vacuum conditions for nearly 1.5 years with no measurable degradation of ion trapping lifetimes or clock short-term performance. Because the tube is sealed, the Hg source and Neon buffer gas are held indefinitely, for the life of the tube. There is no consumption of Hg in this system unlike in a Cs beam tube where lifetime is often limited by Cs depletion.

mercury ion clocks↗
NASA NTRS1997

Detector power linearity requirements and verification techniques for TMI direct detection receivers

A system (36, 98) for determining the linearity of an RF detector (46, 106). A first technique involves combining two RF signals from two stable local oscillators (38, 40) to form a modulated RF signal having a beat frequency, and applying the modulated RF signal to a detector (46) being tested. The output of the detector (46) is applied to a low frequency spectrum analyzer (48) such that a relationship between the power levels of the first and second harmonics generated by the detector (46) of the beat frequency of the modulated RF signal are measured by the spectrum analyzer (48) to determine the linearity of the detector (46). In a second technique, an RF signal from a local oscillator (100) is applied to a detector (106) being tested through a first attenuator (102) and a second attenuator (104). The output voltage of the detector (106) is measured when the first attenuator (102) is set to a particular attenuation value and the second attenuator (104) is switched between first and second attenuation values. Further, the output voltage of the detector (106) is measured when the first attenuator (102) is set to another attenuation value, and the second attenuator (104) is again switched between the first and second attenuation values. A relationship between the voltage outputs determines the linearity of the detector (106).

Reinhardt, Victor S.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Compact Microwave Mercury Ion Clock for Deep-Space Applications

We have recently completed a breadboard ion-dock physics package based on Kg ions shuttled between a quadrupole and a 16-pole rf trap. With this architecture we have demonstrated short-term stability -1-2xl0-13 at 1 second, averaging to 10-15 at 1 day. This development shows that 8- maser quality stabilities can be produced in a small clock package, comparable in size to an oItra-stable quartz oscillator required for holding 1-2xl0-13 at 1 second. This performance was obtained in a sealed vacuum configuration where only agetter pump was used to maintain vacuum. The vacuum tube containing the traps has now been onder sealed vacuum conditions for nearly two years with no measurable degradation of ion trapping lifetimes or clock short-term performance. We have fabricated the vacuum tube, ion trap and UV windows from materials that will allow a - 400 C tube bake-out to prepare for tube sealoff. This approach to the vacuum follows the methods used in mght vacuum tube electronics, such as flight TWTA's where tube operation lifetime and shelf life of up to 15 years is achieved. We use neon as a buffer gas with 2-3 times less pressure induced frequency pulling than helium and, being heavier, negligable diffusion losses will occur over the operation lifetime.

space clock↗