Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Technology Management”

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

Fluid management systems technology summaries

A summarization and categorization of the pertinent literature associated with fluid management systems technology having potential application to in-orbit fluid transfer and/or associated storage are presented. A literature search was conducted to obtain pertinent documents for review. Reports determined to be of primary significance were summarized in the following manner: (1) report identification, (2) objective(s) of the work, (3) description of pertinent work performed, (4) major results, and (5) comments of the reviewer. Pertinent figures are presented on a single facing page separate from the text. Specific areas covered are: fluid line dynamics and thermodynamics, low-g mass gauging, other instrumentation, stratification/pressurization, low-g vent systems, fluid mixing refrigeration and reliquefaction, and low-g interface control and liquid acquisition systems. Reports which were reviewed and not summarized, along with reasons for not summarizing, are also listed.

Stark, J. A.↗

An Overview of SBIR Phase 2 In-Space Propulsion and Cryogenic Fluids Management

Technological innovation is the overall focus of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The program invests in the development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA's mission directorates address critical research and development needs for agency projects. This report highlights innovative SBIR Phase II projects from 2007-2012 specifically addressing Areas in In-Space Propulsion and Cryogenic Fluids Management which is one of six core competencies at NASA Glenn Research Center. There are nineteen technologies featured with emphasis on a wide spectrum of applications such as high-performance Hall thruster support system, thruster discharge power converter, high-performance combustion chamber, ion thruster design tool, green liquid monopropellant thruster, and much more. Each article in this booklet describes an innovation, technical objective, and highlights NASA commercial and industrial applications. This report serves as an opportunity for NASA personnel including engineers, researchers, and program managers to learn of NASA SBIR's capabilities that might be crosscutting into this technology area. As the result, it would cause collaborations and partnerships between the small companies and NASA Programs and Projects resulting in benefit to both SBIR companies and NASA.

hall thruster power converter combustion chamber p↗

Thermal management system technology development for space station applications

A short discussion of the history to date of the NASA thermal management system technology development program is presented, and the current status of several ongoing studies and hardware demonstration tasks is reported. One element of technology that is required for long-life, high-power orbital platforms/stations that is being developed is heat rejection and a space-constructable radiator system. Aspects of this project include high-efficiency fin concepts, a heat pipe quick-disconnect device, high-capacity heat pipes, and an alternate interface heat exchanger design. In the area of heat acquisition and transport, developments in a pumped two-phase transport loop, a capillary pumped transport loop using the concept of thermal utility are reported. An example of a thermal management system concept is provided.

Rankin, J. G.↗

Managing Space Technology Development at NASA

NASA uses a structured process for managing projects that develop advanced space technologies and transition them into the designs of flight systems. The four-part process consists of formulation, approval, implementation, and transition. In the formulation phase, technology needs are derived from mission concept studies, various technical approaches for meeting the technology needs are identified, technical performance goals called Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) are established, and a project plan is developed. Prior to project approval, an Independent Formulation Review is conducted to ensure that the project objectives are aligned with the mission needs, and that the project is well planned to meet the objectives. In the implementation phase, the technology development project matures the technology, and progress towards the KPPs is evaluated in periodic status reviews. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) are used throughout the project lifecycle to assess the progress of technology maturation. In the transition phase, technologies that are successful in achieving the required level of maturity are transitioned to a customer for further development, are used in system designs, or are thoroughly documented for resumption of development at a later date. The customer or end-user of the technology is involved in all phases of the technology development process.

Moore, Christopher L.↗

Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) Technology Demonstration Project Final Report

Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) is an essential capability that will be required to enable upcoming explorations mission systems such as the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), as well as NASA aeronautics missions. However, the lack of flight experience and available test platforms have held back the infusion by NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of ISHM technologies into future space and aeronautical missions. To address this problem, a pioneer project was conceived to use a high-performance aircraft as a low-cost proxy to develop, mature, and verify the effectiveness of candidate ISHM technologies. Given the similarities between spacecraft and aircraft, an F/A-18 currently stationed at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) was chosen as a suitable host platform for the test bed. This report describes how the test bed was conceived, how the technologies were integrated on to the aircraft, and how these technologies were matured during the project. It also describes the lessons learned during the project and a forward path for continued work.

Mackey, Ryan↗

FY 2025 Multidimensional Data Correlation Platform: Unified Software Architecture for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Data Management and Processing

The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program continues to advance a data-driven approach to demonstrate the utility of additive manufacturing for fabricating components for nuclear applications. A key scientific goal is to leverage data to better understand manufacturing outcomes and thereby improve the performance, reliability, and lifespan of nuclear components. Ultimately, this effort supports the development of standards for certification and qualification of additively manufactured components, enabling broader industry adoption. In support of this objective, the AMMT program is building and deploying a data management platform to record, index, analyze, and make available the manufacturing data generated across the AMMT program. In FY 2023, the team conceptualized the architecture of the platform and, in FY 2024, deployed the first functional version at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF). In FY 2025, the platform was officially opened to all AMMT members. To enable this expansion, core modifications and enhancements were developed, including improvements to the user interface and workflows for data entry and retrieval. Most notably, robust security and access control mechanisms were implemented to protect data and manage information sharing. This effort featured a logging system, protected views, and controlled access mechanisms. This report documents these enhancements and the transition of the platform into program-wide use.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The management of technology assessment

The total problem concept of technology assessment, involving a comprehensive information management activity with an objective orientation to the assessment function is discussed. A brief overview of the technology assessment function and some past experiences are given. Fragmentation of assessment systems, optimum social subsystem for examination in particular assessments, and adequacy of assessments are studied. The magnitude of the technology assessment function and the level of support required for the effective performance of this function are also discussed. One type of institutional arrangement which might produce a close approximation to the total problem assessment approach is suggested.

Mayo, L. H.↗

Router Agent Technology for Policy-Based Network Management

This innovation can be run as a standalone network application on any computer in a networked environment. This design can be configured to control one or more routers (one instance per router), and can also be configured to listen to a policy server over the network to receive new policies based on the policy- based network management technology. The Router Agent Technology transforms the received policies into suitable Access Control List syntax for the routers it is configured to control. It commits the newly generated access control lists to the routers and provides feedback regarding any errors that were faced. The innovation also automatically generates a time-stamped log file regarding all updates to the router it is configured to control. This technology, once installed on a local network computer and started, is autonomous because it has the capability to keep listening to new policies from the policy server, transforming those policies to router-compliant access lists, and committing those access lists to a specified interface on the specified router on the network with any error feedback regarding commitment process. The stand-alone application is named RouterAgent and is currently realized as a fully functional (version 1) implementation for the Windows operating system and for CISCO routers.

Chow, Edward T.↗

Characterizing Agricultural Impacts of Recent Large-Scale US Droughts and Changing Technology and Management

Process-based agricultural models, applied in novel ways, can reproduce historical crop yield anomalies in the US, with median absolute deviation from observations of 6.7% at national-level and 11% at state-level. In seasons for which drought is the overriding factor, performance is further improved. Historical counterfactual scenarios for the 1988 and 2012 droughts show that changes in agricultural technologies and management have reduced system-level drought sensitivity in US maize production by about 25% in the intervening years. Finally, we estimate the economic costs of the two droughts in terms of insured and uninsured crop losses in each US county (for a total, adjusted for inflation, of $9 billion in 1988 and $21.6 billion in 2012). We compare these with cost estimates from the counterfactual scenarios and with crop indemnity data where available. Model based measures are capable of accurately reproducing the direct agro-economic losses associated with extreme drought and can be used to characterize and compare events that occurred under very different conditions. This work suggests new approaches to modeling, monitoring, forecasting, and evaluating drought impacts on agriculture, as well as evaluating technological changes to inform adaptation strategies for future climate change and extreme events.

Climate extremes; Drought impacts; Agriculture; Se↗

Keeping Track Every Step of the Way

Knowledge Sharing Systems, Inc., a producer of intellectual assets management software systems for the federal government, universities, non-profit laboratories, and private companies, constructed and presently manages the NASA Technology Tracking System, also known as TechTracS. Under contract to Langley Research Center, TechTracS identifies and captures all NASA technologies, manages the patent prosecution process, and then tracks their progress en route to commercialization. The system supports all steps involved in various technology transfer activities, and is considered the premier intellectual asset management system used in the federal government today. NASA TechTracS consists of multiple relational databases and web servers, located at each of the 10 field centers, as well as NASA Headquarters. The system is capable of supporting the following functions: planning commercial technologies; commercialization activities; reporting new technologies and inventions; and processing and tracking intellectual property rights, licensing, partnerships, awards, and success stories. NASA TechTracS is critical to the Agency's ongoing mission to commercialize its revolutionary technologies in a variety of sectors within private industry, both aerospace and non- aerospace.

Source record↗

Demonstration of a Novel Technology to Manage Electricity Demand in Grid-Independent Military Microgrids

This research was conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in collaboration with the S&C Electric Inc. through funding provided by the ESTCP. The project demonstrates use of cybersecure Automated Demand Response (ADR) technology to effectively manage microgrid loads during grid-independent, also known as "islanded," operation. When military microgrids become isolated from the main electrical grid, they are required to balance electricity supply and demand locally. Given that local generation may be constrained, the prevailing strategy involves shedding all but the most critical loads by tripping smart circuit breakers, which then necessitate manual resetting. This approach is generally implemented at the building level, which means that the buildings with mission-critical activities are exempt from load management and remain fully powered, whereas those deemed non-critical can experience a complete loss of service. In this research we developed a method that allows building automation systems to selectively control their assets in response to load shedding request from a microgrid controller, avoiding total loss of service in contrast to the conventional control approach. A commercial OpenADR client server by GridFabric is used for communication between the microgrid controller and the building management system (BMS). The microgrid controller monitors both generation capacity and various assets within the microgrid and issues a demand reduction request when necessary. This request is communicated to the OpenADR server via Modbus. Upon receiving the request, the OpenADR server forwards it to the BMS utilizing the OpenADR protocol. The BMS is pre-configured with various levels of load reduction strategies based on the controllable assets available, allowing for a nuanced approach to demand reduction. Both lab and field tests were performed that considered load shedding needed to achieve closed transition into island mode and to accommodate changing loads and power source availability while islanded. A commercial microgrid controller was used for these tests with normal programming within the expected constraints of the system capabilities. That is, the solution did not require any specialized modification to the code base of the controller. Given the latency of the round-trip communication path between the microgrid controller and the various devices involved with the load shed processes, there are certain scenarios for which the demonstrated solution are appropriate and some which are not. The methods described in this report can be used for load shedding/restoration during transitions between islanded and grid-tied modes of operation, as well as accommodating normal variations in load and the need to remove a power source from operation for maintenance. These methods should not be used for scenarios that require load shedding within a second or two such as sudden and unanticipated significant load increases or loss of power sources through equipment faults.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Applications of space technology to water resources management

Space technology transfer is discussed in terms of applying visible and infrared remote sensing measurement to water resources management. Mapping and monitoring of snowcovered areas, hydrologic land use, and surface water areas are discussed, using information acquired from LANDSAT and NOAA satellite systems.

Salomonson, V. V.↗

Cryogenic Fluid Management Flight Experiment (CFMFE)

Since its foundation, NASA has excelled in the study and development of microgravity fluid management technology. With the advent of space-based vehicles and systems, the use of and the ability to efficiently manage subcritical cryogens in the space environment has become necessary to our growing space program. The NASA Lewis Research Center is responsible for the planning and execution of a program which will provide advanced in-space cryogenic fluid management technology. A number of future space missions have been identified that will require or could benefit from this technology. These technology needs have been prioritized and the Cryogenic Fluid Management Flight Experiment (CFMFE) is being designed to provide the experimental data necessary for the technological development effort.

Defelice, David M.↗

Propulsion System Modeling and Simulation

The Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory at the School of Aerospace Engineering in Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a core competency that enables propulsion technology managers to make technology investment decisions substantiated by propulsion and airframe technology system studies. This method assists the designer/manager in selecting appropriate technology concepts while accounting for the presence of risk and uncertainty as well as interactions between disciplines. This capability is incorporated into a single design simulation system that is described in this paper. This propulsion system design environment is created with a commercially available software called iSIGHT, which is a generic computational framework, and with analysis programs for engine cycle, engine flowpath, mission, and economic analyses. iSIGHT is used to integrate these analysis tools within a single computer platform and facilitate information transfer amongst the various codes. The resulting modeling and simulation (M&S) environment in conjunction with the response surface method provides the designer/decision-maker an analytical means to examine the entire design space from either a subsystem and/or system perspective. The results of this paper will enable managers to analytically play what-if games to gain insight in to the benefits (and/or degradation) of changing engine cycle design parameters. Furthermore, the propulsion design space will be explored probabilistically to show the feasibility and viability of the propulsion system integrated with a vehicle.

Tai, Jimmy C. M.↗

Evaluation of cryogenic system test options for the OTV on-orbit propellant depot

Future space missions to geosynchronous, lunar, and planetary orbits will require an orbital depot for stockpiling propellants. This depot will provide long-term storage of cryogens, requiring new technologies for fluid management in microgravity and further development of thermal management technologies for minimization of cryogen boiloff. Preliminary evaluations have been made to define a test program approach for reducing technical risk through verifying performance models and building a base of engineering data for depot design. A number of testing options were defined and evaluated, leading to selection of ground testing combined with an orbital systems test. Ground testing is inadequate because of critical microgravity concerns; extending testing aboard the Space Station was eliminated because the data would not be available soon enough to benefit the propellant depot design. The orbital test would either be a short-term test carried out in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter using a nonhazardous cryogen or a longer term test carried out with hydrogen aboard a free-flying experiment orbited with an expendable launch vehicle.

Schuster, John R.↗

Computer-assisted engineering data base

General capabilities of data base management technology are described. Information requirements posed by the space station life cycle are discussed, and it is asserted that data base management technology supporting engineering/manufacturing in a heterogeneous hardware/data base management system environment should be applied to meeting these requirements. Today's commercial systems do not satisfy all of these requirements. The features of an R&D data base management system being developed to investigate data base management in the engineering/manufacturing environment are discussed. Features of this system represent only a partial solution to space station requirements. Areas where this system should be extended to meet full space station information management requirements are discussed.

Dube, R. P.↗

Flight-Deck Interval Management in Near-Term Arrival Operations

A simulation investigated NASA Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration 1 (ATD-1) procedures and prototype technologies, including the Traffic Management Advisor for Terminal Metering, Controller-Managed Spacing tools, and Flight Deck Interval Management (FIM) equipment. The ATD-1 procedures and technologies comprise an integrated solution for managing high-density arrivals that NASA is developing and transferring to government and industry stakeholders for NextGen. During each of eighteen simulation trials, experienced controllers managed approximately two hundred departures and over-flights together with seventy-five arrivals to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in a realistic near-term environment. Eight of the arrivals were desktop-based flight simulators flown by airline pilots, which were equipped with prototype FIM equipment in two-thirds of the trials. The simulation provided system-level measures of performance of the ATD-1 integrated arrival solution, demonstrating high conformance with Performance-Based Navigation procedures and a low rate of FIM interruptions. FIM operations provided benefits under specific conditions when FIM aircraft flew connected routes to the runway. This paper focuses on the integration of FIM with the ATD-1 ground-based technologies, discusses outstanding issues, and describes avenues for further research.

Callantine, Todd J.↗

Avionics and controls in review

The article surveys the changes which will occur in avionics and controls due to microprocessor technology. Attention is given to five broadly applicable technologies: (1) flight path management technology, (2) automatic control systems, (3) crew station technology, (4) integration and interfacing technology, and (5) fundamental technologies. Areas discussed include inertial navigation, guidance, weather avoidance, propulsion control systems, display technology, flight-system management, functional integration of avionics, and airborne information processing.

Smyth, R. K.↗