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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 1,153 records · Page 64
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Dispersion analysis and linear error analysis capabilities of the space vehicle dynamics simulation program

Previous error analyses conducted by the Guidance and Dynamics Branch of NASA have used the Guidance Analysis Program (GAP) as the trajectory simulation tool. Plans are made to conduct all future error analyses using the Space Vehicle Dynamics Simulation (SVDS) program. A study was conducted to compare the inertial measurement unit (IMU) error simulations of the two programs. Results of the GAP/SVDS comparison are presented and problem areas encountered while attempting to simulate IMU errors, vehicle performance uncertainties and environmental uncertainties using SVDS are defined. An evaluation of the SVDS linear error analysis capability is also included.

Snow, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Computer-aided reliability estimation

Computer-aided reliability estimation (CARE) programs are developed to improve the tools available for estimating the reliability of fault-tolerant systems. A description is presented of a program, called CARE II, which was developed after the first program reported by Mathur (1971). Attention is given to the CARE II reliability model, the CARE II coverage model, and CARE II limitations which are to be rectified in CARE III. It is pointed out that the present coverage model in CARE II is extremely versatile. The major limitation is related to the burden placed on the user to determine the basic parameters from which the coverage calculations are made.

Stiffler, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

An evaluation of the Interactive Software Invocation System (ISIS) for software development applications

The Interactive Software Invocation System (ISIS), which allows a user to build, modify, control, and process a total flight software system without direct communications with the host computer, is described. This interactive data management system provides the user with a file manager, text editor, a tool invoker, and an Interactive Programming Language (IPL). The basic file design of ISIS is a five level hierarchical structure. The file manager controls this hierarchical file structure and permits the user to create, to save, to access, and to purge pages of information. The text editor is used to manipulate pages of text to be modified and the tool invoker allows the user to communicate with the host computer through a RUN file created by the user. The IPL is based on PASCAL and contains most of the statements found in a high-level programming language. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the system as applied to a flight project, the collection of software components required to support the Annular Suspension and Pointing System (ASPS) flight project were integrated using ISIS. The ASPS software system and its integration into ISIS is described.

Noland, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Development and validation of a general purpose linearization program for rigid aircraft models

This paper discusses a FORTRAN program that provides the user with a powerful and flexible tool for the linearization of aircraft models. The program LINEAR numerically determines a linear systems model using nonlinear equations of motion and a user-supplied, nonlinear aerodynamic model. The system model determined by LINEAR consists of matrices for both the state and observation equations. The program has been designed to allow easy selection and definition of the state, control, and observation variables to be used in a particular model. Also, included in the report is a comparison of linear and nonlinear models for a high-performance aircraft.

Duke, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Reliability growth models for NASA applications

The objective of any reliability growth study is prediction of reliability at some future instant. Another objective is statistical inference, estimation of reliability for reliability demonstration. A cause of concern for the development engineer and management is that reliability demands an excessive number of tests for reliability demonstration. For example, the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) program requirements call for .99 reliability at 90 pct. confidence for demonstration. This requires running 230 tests with zero failure if a classical binomial model is used. It is therefore also an objective to explore the reliability growth models for reliability demonstration and tracking and their applicability to NASA programs. A reliability growth model is an analytical tool used to monitor the reliability progress during the development program and to establish a test plan to demonstrate an acceptable system reliability.

Taneja, Vidya S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The analytical representation of viscoelastic material properties using optimization techniques

This report presents a technique to model viscoelastic material properties with a function of the form of the Prony series. Generally, the method employed to determine the function constants requires assuming values for the exponential constants of the function and then resolving the remaining constants through linear least-squares techniques. The technique presented here allows all the constants to be analytically determined through optimization techniques. This technique is employed in a computer program named PRONY and makes use of commercially available optimization tool developed by VMA Engineering, Inc. The PRONY program was utilized to compare the technique against previously determined models for solid rocket motor TP-H1148 propellant and V747-75 Viton fluoroelastomer. In both cases, the optimization technique generated functions that modeled the test data with at least an order of magnitude better correlation. This technique has demonstrated the capability to use small or large data sets and to use data sets that have uniformly or nonuniformly spaced data pairs. The reduction of experimental data to accurate mathematical models is a vital part of most scientific and engineering research. This technique of regression through optimization can be applied to other mathematical models that are difficult to fit to experimental data through traditional regression techniques.

Hill, S. A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Soil, Foodstuffs, and Biota Program [Slides]

We use several environmental monitoring tools to assess ecosystem health and in part, risk to human health. Generally, the concentrations of chemicals we observe are below background and screening levels. All of our monitoring data are available in Intellus, and our analyses and results are reported in the Annual Site Environmental Report. Our program is only one of several monitoring programs at LANL, others include air, surface water, ground water, canyon sediments. We strive to improve the program by incorporating new monitoring techniques, monitoring new locations, monitoring new chemicals of interest, and by using robust statistical analyses.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

SmartFlower Renewable Energy Program (Final Technical Report)

The SmartFlower Renewable Energy Programming project brings renewable energy education to K-12 youth in the region. The motivation of the project was to pair an educational curriculum with Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast’s newly acquired SmartFlower. A SmartFlower is a solar energy device shaped like a flower in which each petal is a solar panel. The ‘stem’ of the SmartFlower rotates throughout the day, so the petal panels follow the sun’s path and maximize sunlight absorption. The goal of the project was to create an educational curriculum for K-12 youth that centered the SmartFlower and other renewable energy related topics. The Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast team created two educational curriculums; each designed for a specific age group (K-5 and 6 th -12 th grade). Both curriculums walk participants through hands-on activities about the sun, renewable energy, and sustainability. The project adds to educational opportunities in the region and for Girl Scouts. As renewable energy becomes more prevalent and essential, youth must be informed on its’ mechanics and application. The project provides an age-appropriate educational tool that welcomes youth to visit the SmartFlower, understand its larger purpose, and consider the importance of renewable energy. The project was achieved on a modest budget of $16,672 and its sustainability beyond the project period has low to no cost for participants. The curriculum is free and accessible on our website and can be used as an evergreen educational tool. The SmartFlower Renewable Energy Programming project benefits the public as it provides a free, easily accessible education tool to children, families, caregivers, and local educators that is scientifically based and relevant to our energy landscape.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1992

Designer's unified cost model

A conceptual and preliminary designers' cost prediction model has been initiated. The model will provide a technically sound method for evaluating the relative cost of different composite structural designs, fabrication processes, and assembly methods that can be compared to equivalent metallic parts or assemblies. The feasibility of developing cost prediction software in a modular form for interfacing with state of the art preliminary design tools and computer aided design programs is being evaluated. The goal of this task is to establish theoretical cost functions that relate geometric design features to summed material cost and labor content in terms of process mechanics and physics. The output of the designers' present analytical tools will be input for the designers' cost prediction model to provide the designer with a data base and deterministic cost methodology that allows one to trade and synthesize designs with both cost and weight as objective functions for optimization. The approach, goals, plans, and progress is presented for development of COSTADE (Cost Optimization Software for Transport Aircraft Design Evaluation).

Freeman, William T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Transportability, distributability and rehosting experience with a kernel operating system interface set

For the past two years, PRC has been transporting and installing a software engineering environment framework, the Automated Product control Environment (APCE), at a number of PRC and government sites on a variety of different hardware. The APCE was designed using a layered architecture which is based on a standardized set of interfaces to host system services. This interface set called the APCE Interface Set (AIS), was designed to support many of the same goals as the Common Ada Programming Support Environment (APSE) Interface Set (CAIS). The APCE was developed to provide support for the full software lifecycle. Specific requirements of the APCE design included: automation of labor intensive administrative and logistical tasks: freedom for project team members to use existing tools: maximum transportability for APCE programs, interoperability of APCE database data, and distributability of both processes and data: and maximum performance on a wide variety of operating systems. A brief description is given of the APCE and AIS, a comparison of the AIS and CAIS both in terms of functionality and of philosophy and approach and a presentation of PRC's experience in rehosting AIS and transporting APCE programs and project data. Conclusions are drawn from this experience with respect to both the CAIS efforts and Space Station plans.

Blumberg, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Virtual Environment Computer Simulations to Support Human Factors Engineering and Operations Analysis for the RLV Program

The Army-NASA Virtual Innovations Laboratory (ANVIL) was recently created to provide virtual reality tools for performing Human Engineering and operations analysis for both NASA and the Army. The author's summer research project consisted of developing and refining these tools for NASA's Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) program. Several general simulations were developed for use by the ANVIL for the evaluation of the X34 Engine Changeout procedure. These simulations were developed with the software tool dVISE 4.0.0 produced by Division Inc. All software was run on an SGI Indigo2 High Impact. This paper describes the simulations, various problems encountered with the simulations, other summer activities, and possible work for the future. We first begin with a brief description of virtual reality systems.

Lunsford, Myrtis Leigh↗
DOE OSTI2018

Automated Approach for Construction of Long-Term, Data-Intensive Watershed Models

Watershed models such as the Hydrological Simulation Program in FORTRAN (HSPF) are frequently used to analyze large-scale water quantity and water quality issues. The construction of HSPF models is a difficult and time-consuming process, because it requires compilation of extensive quantities of data into formatted files followed by a simultaneous fitting of many uncertain parameters. Because of these complications, studies are often limited to calibration periods of only a few years even when analyzing long time-scale issues such as climate and land-use changes that are difficult or impossible to reproduce. High-level, open source programming languages provide an environment for automating the extraction and processing of various sources of data in addition to the calibration process required by HSPF. Recently developed software can be used to build HSPF input files, run simulations, and postprocess simulation results using the Python programming language. The combination of tools in Python, public data sets on the Internet, and software extensions enables rapid development of long-term, reproducible, and sophisticated models for new hydrologic insight. Herein, the utility of these tools is illustrated by developing an automated 30-year HSPF model with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.88 for monthly flows and 0.75 for daily flows in a simulation time of approximately 3h. The integration of HSPF with a high-level programming language creates opportunities to more rigorously explore model assumptions, calibration methods, and alternative data sets.

Lampert, Dave J↗
NASA NTRS1978

Manufacturing Process Applications Team (MATeam)

The activities of the Manufacturing Process Applications Team concerning the promotion of joint Industry/Federal Agency/NASA funded research and technology operating plan (RTOP) programs are reported. Direct transfers occurred in cutting tools, laser wire stripping, soldering, and portable X-ray unit technology. TROP program funding approval was obtained for the further development of the cutting tool Sialon and development of an automated nondestructive fracture toughness testing system.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Examining Artifacts from GLOBE Program Research Symposia & Using Network Analysis Techniques to Characterize Students’ Authentic STEM Investigations

For the past several years, the GLOBE Program's International Virtual Science Symposia (IVSS) and Student Research Symposia (SRS) have provided opportunities for U.S. and international students to present their Earth science research investigations to the GLOBE community through online or in-person events. This presentation will share the techniques and findings of an evaluation study that used student posters and written reports to characterize their research investigations through multiple lenses and frameworks. The study began with a list of characteristics drawn from a literature review, an analysis of sample projects, and several reviews by expert stakeholders and scientists, which comprehensively covered diverse relevant frameworks including citizen science, student STEM learning through authentic experiences, and The GLOBE Program model. Once applied to 207 student projects, this list of codes revealed the frequency and prevalence of various qualities and experiences represented by GLOBE student research investigations. An innovative application of social network analysis techniques to the coded dataset revealed frequently cooccurring characteristics. This networking approach identified and conceptually mapped several "clusters" of characteristics that typified student projects, empirically based on the submitted projects themselves. The basic quantitative investigation of frequencies indicates the extent to which various characteristics are present in - or absent from - GLOBE SRS and IVSS projects, while the network analysis provides a descriptive framework for typifying projects. Ultimately, the descriptive framework fostered a suite of assessment tools to help The GLOBE Program's staff, scientists, and research project judges understand the diversity of student research projects. GLOBE can use these tools to identify and respond to areas of need; for instance, the descriptive framework illustrates the potential for further education and training resources related to data analysis, interpretation of data, and credibility of scientific claims. This presentation will share the novel utilization of network analysis techniques to holistically assess and react to student research contributions.

Ann Martin↗
DOE OSTI2026

SPAROW: Stochastic Programming and Related Optimization Workflows

SAND2026-16703O SPAROW: Stochastic Programming and Related Optimization Workflows is a Python library tool that facilitates the development and solution of stochastic programming problems. It provides a user-friendly class structure for defining stochastic programs through scenario-based representations of uncertainties. SPAROW incorporates multiple optimization strategies, including integer programming with all scenarios, progressive hedging, Benders decomposition, and Snoglode, a novel technique developed by Carnegie Mellon University. It also features interfaces to external solvers and functions that are commonly used in analysis workflows, making it applicable to a wide range of scientific and engineering design challenges, particularly in power grid planning. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Hart, William [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albu↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pit Production Strategic Analysis Tool

The LANL Pit Production Strategic Analysis tool is an executive-level decision support tool for planning related to the demand and production of pits. The spreadsheet-based tool includes decision factors for stockpile program demand combined with production and infrastructure planning at PF-4, Savanna River, and future production options. The tool graphically compares supply and demand under different scenarios. The tool is based on NNSA planning documents and process analyses.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1983

Structural-Vibration-Response Data Analysis

Computer program developed as structural-vibration-response data analysis tool for use in dynamic testing of Space Shuttle. Program provides fast and efficient time-domain least-squares curve-fitting procedure for reducing transient response data to obtain structural model frequencies and dampings from free-decay records. Procedure simultaneously identifies frequencies, damping values, and participation factors for noisy multiple-response records.

Smith, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Automatic differentiation as a tool in engineering design

Automatic Differentiation (AD) is a tool that systematically implements the chain rule of differentiation to obtain the derivatives of functions calculated by computer programs. AD is assessed as a tool for engineering design. The forward and reverse modes of AD, their computing requirements, as well as approaches to implementing AD are discussed. The application of two different tools to two medium-size structural analysis problems to generate sensitivity information typically necessary in an optimization or design situation is also discussed. The observation is made that AD is to be preferred to finite differencing in most cases, as long as sufficient computer storage is available; in some instances, AD may be the alternative to consider in lieu of analytical sensitivity analysis.

Barthelemy, Jean-Francois↗