Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “data storage”

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 127 records · Page 7

Crystal gazing. Part 2: Implications of advanced in digital data storage technology

During the next 5-10 years it is likely that the bit density available in digital mass storage systems (magnetic tapes, optical and magnetic disks) will be increased to such an extent that it will greatly exceed that of the conventional photographic emulsions like IIIaJ which are used in astronomy. These developments imply that it will soon be advantageous for astronomers to use microdensitometers to completely digitize all photographic plates soon after they are developed. Distribution of digital copies of sky surveys and the contents of plate vaults will probably become feasible within ten years. Copies of other astronomical archieves (e.g., Space Telescope) could also be distributed with the same techniques. The implications for designers of future microdensitometers are: (1) there will be a continuing need for precision digitization of large-format photographic imagery, and (2) that the need for real-time analysis of the output of microdensitometers will decrease.

Wells, D. C.↗

Holographic data storage crystals for the LDEF

Crystals of lithium niobate were passively exposed to the space environment of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Three of the four crystals contained volume holograms. Although the crystals suffered the surface damage characteristic of that suffered by other components on the Georgia Tech tray, the crystals remained suitable for the formation of volume holograms.

Callen, W. Russell↗

Data storage: Retrospective and prospective

We study history to learn from its lessons so we don't repeat the mistakes. Ironically, however, sometimes it seems that the lessons we learn from history is how to repeat the mistakes more precisely. A brief discussion about the history of magnetic recording is presented, and the lessons of the past are used to look into the future.

Speliotis, Dennis E.↗

Optical Experiments With Manganese Doped Yttrium Orthoaluminate, a Potential Material for Holographic Recording and Data Storage

The YAlO3 host crystal has a distorted perovskite structure that belongs to the orthorhombic centrosymmetric Pbnm space group. The cationic sites in the structure available for Mn substitution are the relatively large strongly distorted YO12 polyhedral (Y3+ ionic radius R(sub Y) = 1.02 A) and the smaller nearly ideal AlO6 octahedra R(sub Al) = 0.53 A). Manganese may enter YAlO3 in the form of Mn2+ ions (R(sub Mn)= 0.96 A), substituting most likely Y3+ ions, and Mn3+ ions (R(sub Mn) = 0.65 A) or Mn4+ ions (R(sub Mn) = 0.53 A) substituting Al3+ ions. The latter substitution is most probable because of dimensional parameters. Point defects, which are common in YAl03, may provide the charge compensation required for substitution.

Warren, Matthew E.↗

Mass storage systems for data transport in the early space station era 1992-1998

NASA's Space Station Program will provide a vehicle to deploy an unprecedented number of data producing experiments and operational devices. Peak down link data rates are expected to be in the 500 megabit per second range and the daily data volume could reach 2.4 terabytes. Such startling requirements inspired an internal NASA study to determine if economically viable data storage solutions are likely to be available to support the Ground Data Transport segment of the NASA data system. To derive the requirements for data storage subsystems, several alternative data transport architectures were identified with different degrees of decentralization. Data storage operations at each subsystem were categorized based on access time and retrieval functions, and reduced to the following types of subsystems: First in First out (FIFO) storage, fast random access storage, and slow access with staging. The study showed that industry funded magnetic and optical storage technology has a reasonable probability of meeting these requirements. There are, however, system level issues that need to be addressed in the near term.

Carper, Richard↗

Study of software application of airborne laser doppler system for severe storms measurement

Significant considerations are described for performing a Severe Storms Measurement program in real time. Particular emphasis is placed on the sizing and timing requirements for a minicomputer-based system. Analyses of several factors which could impact the effectiveness of the system are presented. The analyses encompass the problems of data acquisition, data storage, data registration, correlation, and flow field computation, and error induced by aircraft motion, moment estimation, and pulse integration.

Alley, P. L.↗

Flow visualization using a computerized data acquisition system

A computer-driven traversing mechanism combined with mass data storage, data reduction programs, and general-purpose graphics programs permits a visualization of complex flows. A unique seven-hole probe is used which permits reasonably accurate measurements of all average flow properties if the local flow angle does not exceed 80 degrees. A description is given of the wake of a lifting canard surface as this wake passes over a wing. The flow includes concentrated and dissipating vortices, large regions of reduced total pressure, and local flow angles up to 60 deg. All these features can be clearly seen and accurately located in the graphical output.

Gallington, R.↗

Correlation methods

A method for processing complex radar data with a computer using correlation functions is reviewed. Parameters including data storage, data reduction, and real time operation are addressed. Since complex auto- and cross-correlation functions are calculated and stored, almost no information is lost. These also can be analyzed in terms of the full correlation analysis of the spaced-antenna-drifts technique. The proposed approach therefore appears to be very feasible to suit most Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere (MST) radar applications.

Rottger, J.↗

Advanced CID array multispectral pushbroom scanner

An optical imager, called the Scanning Imaging Spectroradiometer (SIS), was built for NASA in the early 1970's. Later, the Solidstate Array Spectroradiometer (SAS) was developed on the basis on a substitution of a Charge Injection Device (CID) array for the vidicon of the SIS. The Advanced Solidstate Array Spectroradiometer (ASAS) represents an improvement of the SAS. ASAS is a solidstate multispectral optical imaging radiometer which is currently the most versatile instrument of its type in the visible part of the spectrum. The instrument is capable of absolute radiometric measurements in all of its 32 bands. ASAS can be easily mounted in small aircraft as well as high altitude craft such as the U-2, taking into account also the possibility of a use in the Space Shuttle. The instrument consists of three separate subsystems. Attention is given to the optics, the detector array, data storage, data retrieval, and system performance.

Stewart, S. E.↗

Global Change Data Center: Mission, Organization, Major Activities, and 2001 Highlights

Rapid efficient access to Earth sciences data is fundamental to the Nation's efforts to understand the effects of global environmental changes and their implications for public policy. It becomes a bigger challenge in the future when data volumes increase further and missions with constellations of satellites start to appear. Demands on data storage, data access, network throughput, processing power, and database and information management are increased by orders of magnitude, while budgets remain constant and even shrink. The Global Change Data Center's (GCDC) mission is to provide systems, data products, and information management services to maximize the availability and utility of NASA's Earth science data. The specific objectives are (1) support Earth science missions be developing and operating systems to generate, archive, and distribute data products and information; (2) develop innovative information systems for processing, archiving, accessing, visualizing, and communicating Earth science data; and (3) develop value-added products and services to promote broader utilization of NASA Earth Sciences Enterprise (ESE) data and information. The ultimate product of GCDC activities is access to data and information to support research, education, and public policy.

Wharton, Stephen W.↗

Telescience Resource Kit

The Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) is a PC based ground control system. It can be used by a single individual or in a group environment to monitor and control spacecraft systems and payloads. Capabilities include data receipt, data processing, data storage, data management, and data transmission. Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware and software have been employed to reduce development costs, operations and maintenance costs, and to effectively take advantage of new commercial products as they become available. The TReK system is currently being used to monitor and control payloads aboard the International Space Station. It is located at sites around the world.

Schneider, Michelle↗

A Ground Systems Architecture Transition for A Distributed Operations System

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Ground Systems Department (GSD) recently undertook an architecture change in the product line that serves the ISS program. As a result, the architecture tradeoffs between data system product lines that serve remote users versus those that serve control center flight control teams were explored extensively. This paper describes the resulting architecture that will be used in the ISS payloads program, and the resulting functional breakdown of the products that support that architecture. It also describes the lessons learned from the path that was followed, as a migration of products cause the need to reevaluate the allocation of functions across the architecture. The result is a set of innovative ground system solutions that is scalable so it can support facilities of wide-ranging sizes, from a small site up to large control centers. Effective use of system automation, custom components, design optimization for data management, data storage, data transmissions, and advanced local and wide area networking architectures, plus the effective use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products, provides flexible Remote Ground System options that can be tailored to the needs of each user. This paper offers a description of the efficiency and effectiveness of the Ground Systems architectural options that have been implemented, and includes successful implementation examples and lessons learned.

Sellers, Donna↗

A Ground Systems Architecture Transition for a Distributed Operations System

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Ground Systems Department (GSD) recently undertook an architecture change in the product line that serves the ISS program. As a result, the architecture tradeoffs between data system product lines that serve remote users versus those that serve control center flight control teams were explored extensively. This paper describes the resulting architecture that will be used in the International Space Station (ISS) payloads program, and the resulting functional breakdown of the products that support this architecture. It also describes the lessons learned from the path that was followed, as a migration of products cause the need to reevaluate the allocation of functions across the architecture. The result is a set of innovative ground system solutions that is scalable so it can support facilities of wide-ranging sizes, from a small site up to large control centers. Effective use of system automation, custom components, design optimization for data management, data storage, data transmissions, and advanced local and wide area networking architectures, plus the effective use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products, provides flexible Remote Ground System options that can be tailored to the needs of each user. This paper offers a description of the efficiency and effectiveness of the Ground Systems architectural options that have been implemented, and includes successful implementation examples and lessons learned.

Sellers, Donna↗

Mission Control Technologies: A New Way of Designing and Evolving Mission Systems

Current mission operations systems are built as a collection of monolithic software applications. Each application serves the needs of a specific user base associated with a discipline or functional role. Built to accomplish specific tasks, each application embodies specialized functional knowledge and has its own data storage, data models, programmatic interfaces, user interfaces, and customized business logic. In effect, each application creates its own walled-off environment. While individual applications are sometimes reused across multiple missions, it is expensive and time consuming to maintain these systems, and both costly and risky to upgrade them in the light of new requirements or modify them for new purposes. It is even more expensive to achieve new integrated activities across a set of monolithic applications. These problems impact the lifecycle cost (especially design, development, testing, training, maintenance, and integration) of each new mission operations system. They also inhibit system innovation and evolution. This in turn hinders NASA's ability to adopt new operations paradigms, including increasingly automated space systems, such as autonomous rovers, autonomous onboard crew systems, and integrated control of human and robotic missions. Hence, in order to achieve NASA's vision affordably and reliably, we need to consider and mature new ways to build mission control systems that overcome the problems inherent in systems of monolithic applications. The keys to the solution are modularity and interoperability. Modularity will increase extensibility (evolution), reusability, and maintainability. Interoperability will enable composition of larger systems out of smaller parts, and enable the construction of new integrated activities that tie together, at a deep level, the capabilities of many of the components. Modularity and interoperability together contribute to flexibility. The Mission Control Technologies (MCT) Project, a collaboration of multiple NASA Centers, led by NASA Ames Research Center, is building a framework to enable software to be assembled from flexible collections of components and services.

Trimble, Jay↗