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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Laser Pulse Production for NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Lidar

The Lasers and Electro-Optics Branch at Goddard Space Flight Center has been tasked with building the Lasers for the Global Ecosystems Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Lidar Mission, to be installed on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) on the International Space Station (ISS)1. GEDI will use three NASA-developed lasers, each coupled with a Beam Dithering Unit (BDU) to produce three sets of staggered footprints on the Earth's surface to accurately measure global biomass. We will report on the design, assembly progress, test results, and delivery process of this laser system.

Laser Oscillator↗
NASA NTRS2013

High-Power, High-Speed Electro-Optic Pockels Cell Modulator

Electro-optic modulators rely on a change in the index of refraction for the optical wave as a function of an applied voltage. The corresponding change in index acts to delay the wavefront in the waveguide. The goal of this work was to develop a high-speed, high-power waveguide- based modulator (phase and amplitude) and investigate its use as a pulse slicer. The key innovation in this effort is the use of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) waveguides, making the highpower, polarization-based waveguide amplitude modulator possible. Furthermore, because it is fabricated in KTP, the waveguide component will withstand high optical power and have a significantly higher RF modulation figure of merit (FOM) relative to lithium niobate. KTP waveguides support high-power TE and TM modes - a necessary requirement for polarization-based modulation as with a Pockels cell. High-power fiber laser development has greatly outpaced fiber-based modulators in terms of its maturity and specifications. The demand for high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) devices in terms of power handling, efficiency, bandwidth, and useful wavelength range has driven the development of bulk NLO options, which are limited in their bandwidth, as well as waveguide based LN modulators, which are limited by their low optical damage threshold. Today, commercially available lithium niobate (LN) modulators are used for laser formatting; however, because of photorefractive damage that can reduce transmission and increase requirements on bias control, LN modulators cannot be used with powers over several mW, dependent on wavelength. The high-power, high-speed modulators proposed for development under this effort will enable advancements in several exciting fields including lidarbased remote sensing, atomic interferometry, free-space laser communications, and others.

Hawthorne, Justin↗
NASA NTRS2019

LRI Improvements from LISA

This presentation is about a laser development effort for LISA at GSFC. Especially, the micro non-planar ring oscillator and its applicability to future gravitational missions are discussed.

Laser↗
NASA NTRS2010

Develop Critical Profilometers to Meet Current and Future Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) Interior Inspection Needs

The objective of this project is to develop laser profilometer technology that can efficiently inspect and map the inside of composite pressure vessels for flaws such as liner buckling, pitting, or other surface imperfections. The project will also provide profilometers that can directly support inspections of flight vessels during development and qualification programs and subsequently be implemented into manufacturing inspections to screen out vessels with "out of family" liner defects. An example interior scan of a carbon overwrapped bottle is shown in comparison to an external view of the same bottle (Fig. 1). The internal scan is primarily of the cylindrical portion, but extends about 0.15 in. into the end cap area.

Saulsberry, Regor L.↗
NASA NTRS2022

In-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement of Thermoplastic Composites for High-Rate Aircraft Manufacturing

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Hi-Rate Composites Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project in 2021 with the goal of significantly increasing composite structures manufacturing rate in the commercial aircraft industry. The technologies currently under investigation include resin infusion and automated fiber placement (AFP) of novel thermoset materials and thermoplastic composites. Thermoplastic composites offer attractive solutions to rapid manufacturing due to their ability to be formed and consolidated quickly. NASA is particularly focused on assessing composite structure manufacturing utilizing an in-situ consolidation AFP of thermoplastics (ICAT) process employing a recently developed laser heating system. Two semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone thermoplastic tape materials were characterized to ascertain the ICAT process parameters at AFP placement speeds approaching 423 mm/s. The required laser power settings were determined at Electroimpact, measuring material temperatures utilizing a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging camera and thermocouples. The material temperature, tool temperature, and placement speed were varied for resulting consolidation quality assessment. The resulting temperature data were also utilized to calibrate thermal analysis models under development at NASA. The experimental temperature data confirmed analytical results. An overview of the HiCAM project as well as initial data from ICAT process characterizations are described.

laser heating↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

In-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement of Thermoplastic Composites for High-Rate Aircraft Manufacturing

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Hi-Rate Composites Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project in 2021 with the goal of significantly increasing composite structures manufacturing rate in the commercial aircraft industry. The technologies currently under investigation include resin infusion and automated fiber placement (AFP) of novel thermoset materials and thermoplastic composites. Thermoplastic composites offer attractive solutions to rapid manufacturing due to their ability to be formed and consolidated quickly. NASA is particularly focused on assessing composite structure manufacturing utilizing an in-situ consolidation AFP of thermoplastics (ICAT) process employing a recently developed laser heating system. Two semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone thermoplastic tape materials were characterized to ascertain the ICAT process parameters at AFP placement speeds approaching 423 mm/s. The required laser power settings were determined at Electroimpact, measuring material temperatures utilizing a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging camera and thermocouples. The material temperature, tool temperature, and placement speed were varied for resulting consolidation quality assessment. The resulting temperature data were also utilized to calibrate thermal analysis models under development at NASA. The experimental temperature data confirmed analytical results. An overview of the HiCAM project as well as initial data from ICAT process characterizations are described.

thermoplastic composites↗
NASA NTRS1983

Requirements for a mobile communications satellite system. Volume 3: Large space structures measurements study

This study report defines a set of tests and measurements required to characterize the performance of a Large Space System (LSS), and to scale this data to other LSS satellites. Requirements from the Mobile Communication Satellite (MSAT) configurations derived in the parent study were used. MSAT utilizes a large, mesh deployable antenna, and encompasses a significant range of LSS technology issues in the areas of structural/dynamics, control, and performance predictability. In this study, performance requirements were developed for the antenna. Special emphasis was placed on antenna surface accuracy, and pointing stability. Instrumentation and measurement systems, applicable to LSS, were selected from existing or on-going technology developments. Laser ranging and angulation systems, presently in breadboard status, form the backbone of the measurements. Following this, a set of ground, STS, and GEO-operational were investigated. A third scale (15 meter) antenna system as selected for ground characterization followed by STS flight technology development. This selection ensures analytical scaling from ground-to-orbit, and size scaling. Other benefits are cost and ability to perform reasonable ground tests. Detail costing of the various tests and measurement systems were derived and are included in the report.

Akle, W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

An airborne laser polarimeter system (ALPS) for terrestrial physics research

The design of a multispectral polarized laser system for characterizing the depolarization properties of the earth's surface is described. Using a laser as the light source, this airborne system measures the Stokes parameters of the surface to simultaneously arrive at the polarization degree, azimuthal angle, and ellipticity for each wavelength. The technology will be studied for the feasibility of expansion of the sensor to do surface polarization imaging. The data will be used in support of solar polarization studies and to develop laser radiometry as a tool in environmental remote sensing.

Kalshoven, James E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Qualification and Issues with Space Flight Laser Systems and Components

The art of flight quality solid-state laser development is still relatively young, and much is still unknown regarding the best procedures, components, and packaging required for achieving the maximum possible lifetime and reliability when deployed in the harsh space environment. One of the most important issues is the limited and unstable supply of quality, high power diode arrays with significant technological heritage and market lifetime. Since Spectra Diode Labs Inc. ended their involvement in the pulsed array business in the late 1990's, there has been a flurry of activity from other manufacturers, but little effort focused on flight quality production. This forces NASA, inevitably, to examine the use of commercial parts to enable space flight laser designs. System-level issues such as power cycling, operational derating, duty cycle, and contamination risks to other laser components are some of the more significant unknown, if unquantifiable, parameters that directly effect transmitter reliability. Designs and processes can be formulated for the system and the components (including thorough modeling) to mitigate risk based on the known failures modes as well as lessons learned that GSFC has collected over the past ten years of space flight operation of lasers. In addition, knowledge of the potential failure modes related to the system and the components themselves can allow the qualification testing to be done in an efficient yet, effective manner. Careful test plan development coupled with physics of failure knowledge will enable cost effect qualification of commercial technology. Presented here will be lessons learned from space flight experience, brief synopsis of known potential failure modes, mitigation techniques, and options for testing from the system level to the component level.

Ott, Melanie N.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Qualification and Issues with Space Flight Laser Systems and Components

The art of flight quality solid-state laser development is still relatively young, and much is still unknown regarding the best procedures, components, and packaging required for achieving the maximum possible lifetime and reliability when deployed in the harsh space environment. One of the most important issues is the limited and unstable supply of quality, high power diode arrays with significant technological heritage and market lifetime. Since Spectra Diode Labs Inc. ended their involvement in the pulsed array business in the late 199O's, there has been a flurry of activity from other manufacturers, but little effort focused on flight quality production. This forces NASA, inevitably, to examine the use of commercial parts to enable space flight laser designs. System-level issues such as power cycling, operational derating, duty cycle, and contamination risks to other laser components are some of the more significant unknown, if unquantifiable, parameters that directly effect transmitter reliability. Designs and processes can be formulated for the system and the components (including thorough modeling) to mitigate risk based on the known failures modes as well as lessons learned that GSFC has collected over the past ten years of space flight operation of lasers. In addition, knowledge of the potential failure modes related to the system and the components themselves can allow the qualification testing to be done in an efficient yet, effective manner. Careful test plan development coupled with physics of failure knowledge will enable cost effect qualification of commercial technology. Presented here will be lessons learned from space flight experience, brief synopsis of known potential failure modes, mitigation techniques, and options for testing from the system level to the component level.

Ott, Melanie N.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Direct nuclear-powered lasers

The development of direct nuclear pumped lasers is reviewed. Theoretical and experimental investigations of various methods of converting the energy of nuclear fission fragments to laser power are summarized. The development of direct nuclear pumped lasers was achieved. The basic processes involved in the production of a plasma by nuclear radiation were studied. Significant progress was accomplished in this area and a large amount of basic data on plasma formation and atomic and molecular processes leading to population inversions is available.

Jalufka, N. W.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Investigation of Space Based Solid State Coherent Lidar

This report describes the work performed over the period of October 1, 1997 through March 31, 2001. Under this contract, UAH/CAO participated in defining and designing the SPAce Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE) mission, and developed the instrument's optical subsystem. This work was performed in collaborative fashion with NASA/MSFC engineers at both UAH/CAO and NASA/MSFC facilities. Earlier work by the UAH/CAO had produced a preliminary top-level system design for the Shuttle lidar instrument meeting the proposed mission performance requirements and the Space Shuttle Hitchhiker canister volume constraints. The UAH/CAO system design efforts had concentrated on the optical and mechanical designs of the instrument. The instrument electronics were also addressed, and the major electronic components and their interfaces defined. The instrument design concept was mainly based on the state of the transmitter and local oscillator laser development at NASA Langley Research Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and utilized several lidar-related technologies that were either developed or evaluated by the NASA/MSFC and UAH/CAO scientists. UAH/CAO has developed a comprehensive coherent lidar numerical model capable of analyzing the performance of different instrument and mission concepts. This model uses the instrument configuration, atmospheric conditions and current velocity estimation theory to provide prediction of instrument performance during different phases of operation. This model can also optimize the design parameters of the instrument.

Amzajerdian, Farzin↗
NASA NTRS2020

FLEET Velocimetry in the Common Research Model’s Wing Wake

Femtosecond laser electronic excitation tagging was used to make velocity measurements in the wake of the wing of the Common Research Model (CRM). Experiments were performed in the NASA Langley Research Center’s National Transonic Facility over a range of tunnel operating conditions. Pressures ranged from 205 to 411 kPa, temperatures from 278 to 323 K, and Mach from 0.1 to 0.9. Velocity was also determined over a range of model angles of attack. Time-averaged velocity results were obtained in both air and nitrogen, while single-shot velocity was obtained under certain tunnel operating conditions. Spatially-resolved, two dimensional, single component velocity measurements were achieved using a newly-developed laser scanning technique, which proved sufficiently sensitive to measure an approximately 5% velocity deficit in the wing wake region of the CRM.

Daniel T Reese↗
NASA NTRS2017

Binary polarization-shift-keyed modulation for interplanetary CubeSat optical communications

Recent developments for laser communication on CubeSats across interplanetary distances will be presented. A binary polarization-shift-keyed modulation scheme using dual gain-switched diode lasers is developed and demonstrated within an end-to-end link testbed to achieve signal acquisition under extremely poor signal-to-noise conditions (-43.5 dB average signal-to-noise power ratio at a 1-MHz symbol rate) to simulate direct-to-Earth links, while simultaneously targeting a limited SWaP footprint (1.5U envelope). Additional system design and constraints for the compact laser transmitter will be discussed.

Kovalik, Joseph M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Overview of laser applications to chemistry

The discussion is in three parts. First, laser spectroscopy is discussed with consideration given to single-photon and multiphoton processes. Second, attention is given to the use of lasers in studying molecular interactions and reaction dynamics. Finally, the paper discusses the relationship between chemistry and laser development.

George, T. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Research and technology of the Langley Research Center

Descriptions of the research and technology activities at the Langley Research Center are given. Topics include laser development, aircraft design, aircraft engines, aerodynamics, remote sensing, space transportation systems, and composite materials.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

From Mars to man - Biomedical research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

In the course of the unmanned exploration of the solar system, which the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has managed for NASA, major advances in computerized image processing, materials research, and miniature electronics design have been accomplished. This presentation shows some of the imaging results from space exploration missions, as well as biomedical research tasks based in these technologies. Among other topics, the use of polymeric microspheres in cancer therapy is discussed. Also included are ceramic applications to prosthesis development, laser applications in the treatment of coronary artery disease, multispectral imaging as used in the diagnosis of thermal burn injury, and some examples of telemetry systems as they can be involved in biological systems.

Beckenbach, E. S.↗