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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 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Stabilizing Wheels For Rover Vehicle

Proposed articulated, normally-four-wheeled vehicle holds extra pair of wheels in reserve. Deployed to lengthen wheelbase on slopes, thereby making vehicle more stable, and to aid vehicle in negotiating ledge or to right vehicle if turned upside down. Extra wheels are drive wheels mounted on arms so they pivot on axis of forward drive wheels. Both extra wheels and arms driven by chains, hydraulic motors, or electric motors. Concept promises to make remotely controlled vehicles more stable and maneuverable in such applications as firefighting, handling hazardous materials, and carrying out operations in dangerous locations.

Collins, Earl R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Self-Aligning Coupler

Joint reduces assembly time and eliminates fumbling. Self-aligning coupler easy to use for people wearing heavy gloves or other restrictive clothing. Consists of two threaded sections, one with blade, other with slot - joined by threaded collar. Blade fits precisely in slot. Notch in blade engages pin in slot to form temporary attachment. Collar turned on continuous thread of joined sections to form tight, rigid joint. Designed for assembly of structures by astronauts in space suits, coupler used on Earth by firefighters wearing protective garments, technicians handling hazardous materials, and others working underwater or in other difficult environments.

Cooney, Earl T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

LifeSat - Radiation research

Spaceflight crews will be exposed to levels of radiation which exceed those experienced on the ground. In order to reduce the uncertainty in the evaluation of risks it is necessary to validate the responses of biological systems in space under conditions which simulate exposure levels expected during exploration class missions. The LifeSat system provides the experimental capabilities to satisfy these goals. Specifically, LifeSat is capable of long duration flights of up to 60 days, is able to fly directly into trapped radiation belts and in circular or eccentric polar orbits, has the ability to provide artificial gravity and imposes fewer restrictions than the STS on the use of hazardous materials such as chemical fixatives. These features along with reference missions and experiments are discussed with respect to radiation research goals.

Nelson, Gregory A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Direct-Link Prehensor

Operator-powered mechanical hand gives protection, dexterity, and proximity to work. Prehensor has ring finger, index finger, and thumb, mounted on supporting frame. Ring and index fingers consist of three jointed links each, and thumb consists of two jointed links. Thumb positioned opposite fingers in anthropomorphic arrangement. Palm assistor (disk projecting from support frame) helps mechanical fingers to hold objects. Shroud encloses operator's hand, protecting it from vacuum, high pressure, or hazardous materials. External mechanical fingers made of materials compatible with external environment.

Jameson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Fiber optic-based biosensor

The NRL fiber optic biosensor is a device which measures the formation of a fluorescent complex at the surface of an optical fiber. Antibodies and DNA binding proteins provide the mechanism for recognizing an analyze and immobilizing a fluorescent complex on the fiber surface. The fiber optic biosensor is fast, sensitive, and permits analysis of hazardous materials remote from the instrumentation. The fiber optic biosensor is described in terms of the device configuration, chemistry for protein immobilization, and assay development. A lab version is being used for assay development and performance characterization while a portable device is under development. Antibodies coated on the fiber are stable for up to two years of storage prior to use. The fiber optic biosensor was used to measure concentration of toxins in the parts per billion (ng/ml) range in under a minute. Immunoassays for small molecules and whole bacteria are under development. Assays using DNA probes as the detection element can also be used with the fiber optic sensor, which is currently being developed to detect biological warfare agents, explosives, pathogens, and toxic materials which pollute the environment.

Ligler, Frances S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Environmental projects. Volume 14: Removal of contaminated soil and debris

Numerous diverse activities at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex (GDSCC) are carried out in support of six parabolic dish antennas. Some of these activities can result in possible spills or leakages of hazardous materials and wastes stored both above ground in steel drums and below ground in underground storage tanks (UST's). These possible leaks or spills, along with the past practice of burial of solid debris and waste in trenches and pits, could cause local subsurface contamination of the soil. In 1987, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), retained Engineering-Science, Inc. (E-S), Pasadena, California, to identify the specific local areas within the GDSCC with subsurface soil contamination. The E-S study determined that some of the soils at the Apollo Site and the Mars Site were contaminated with hydrocarbons, while soil at a nonhazardous waste dumpsite at the Mojave Base site was contaminated with copper. This volume is a JPL-expanded version of the PE209 E-S report, and it also reports that all subsurface contaminated soils at the GDSCC were excavated, removed, and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable way, and the excavations were backfilled and covered in accordance with accepted Federal, State, and local environmental rules and regulations.

Kushner, Len↗
NASA NTRS1992

Kennedy Space Center environmental health program

The Kennedy Space Center's environmental health organization is responsible for programs which assure its employees a healthful workplace under diverse and varied working conditions. These programs encompass the disciplines of industrial hygiene, radiation protection (health physics), and environmental sanitation/pollution control. Activities range from the routine, such as normal office work, to the highly specialized, such as the processing of highly toxic and hazardous materials.

Marmaro, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Computer-Aided Remote Driving

System for remote control of robotic land vehicle requires only small radio-communication bandwidth. Twin video cameras on vehicle create stereoscopic images. Operator views cross-polarized images on two cathode-ray tubes through correspondingly polarized spectacles. By use of cursor on frozen image, remote operator designates path. Vehicle proceeds to follow path, by use of limited degree of autonomous control to cope with unexpected conditions. System concept, called "computer-aided remote driving" (CARD), potentially useful in exploration of other planets, military surveillance, firefighting, and clean-up of hazardous materials.

Wilcox, Brian H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Shoulder Joint For Protective Suit

Shoulder joint allows full range of natural motion: wearer senses little or no resisting force or torque. Developed for space suit, joint offers advantages in protective garments for underwater work, firefighting, or cleanup of hazardous materials.

Kosmo, Joseph J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development and evaluation of a predictive algorithm for telerobotic task complexity

There is a wide range of complexity in the various telerobotic servicing tasks performed in subsea, space, and hazardous material handling environments. Experience with telerobotic servicing has evolved into a knowledge base used to design tasks to be 'telerobot friendly.' This knowledge base generally resides in a small group of people. Written documentation and requirements are limited in conveying this knowledge base to serviceable equipment designers and are subject to misinterpretation. A mathematical model of task complexity based on measurable task parameters and telerobot performance characteristics would be a valuable tool to designers and operational planners. Oceaneering Space Systems and TRW have performed an independent research and development project to develop such a tool for telerobotic orbital replacement unit (ORU) exchange. This algorithm was developed to predict an ORU exchange degree of difficulty rating (based on the Cooper-Harper rating used to assess piloted operations). It is based on measurable parameters of the ORU, attachment receptacle and quantifiable telerobotic performance characteristics (e.g., link length, joint ranges, positional accuracy, tool lengths, number of cameras, and locations). The resulting algorithm can be used to predict task complexity as the ORU parameters, receptacle parameters, and telerobotic characteristics are varied.

Gernhardt, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Environmentally sound manufacturing

The NASA/Thiokol/industry team has developed and started implementation of an environmentally sound manufacturing plan for the continued production of solid rocket motors. They have worked with other industry representatives and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prepare a comprehensive plan to eliminate all ozone depleting chemicals from manufacturing processes and to reduce the use of other hazardous materials used to produce the space shuttle reusable solid rocket motors. The team used a classical approach for problem solving combined with a creative synthesis of new approaches to attack this problem. As our ability to gather data on the state of the Earth's environmental health increases, environmentally sound manufacturing must become an integral part of the business decision making process.

Caddy, Larry A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The meteorological monitoring system for the Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral Air Station

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) are involved in many weather-sensitive operations. Manned and unmanned vehicle launches, which occur several times each year, are obvious example of operations whose success and safety are dependent upon favorable meteorological conditions. Other operations involving NASA, Air Force, and contractor personnel, including daily operations to maintain facilities, refurbish launch structures, prepare vehicles for launch, and handle hazardous materials, are less publicized but are no less weather-sensitive. The Meteorological Monitoring System (MMS) is a computer network which acquires, processes, disseminates, and monitors near real-time and forecast meteorological information to assist operational personnel and weather forecasters with the task of minimizing the risk to personnel, materials, and the surrounding population. CLIPS has been integrated into the MMS to provide quality control analysis and data monitoring. This paper describes aspects of the MMS relevant to CLIPS including requirements, actual implementation details, and results of performance testing.

Dianic, Allan V.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A roadmap for regulatory survival in the 1990s

There have been many changes over the last several years in the ways that we're required to label, handle, and dispose of the products of our manufacturing processes...and we all know there will be more, not fewer, environmental regulations to deal with in the years to come. It is important to be aware of how a chemical is listed by federal or state regulations or recommending bodies. For example, if a chemical has been listed by OSHA, IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), or NTP (the National Toxicology Program) as a carcinogen, this listing will trigger hazard communication requirements. It may cause restrictions on the levels of a chemical that you may release into the air or water as well as how you manage your plant wastes. Understanding how a chemical is listed is the first critical step in overall compliance. Once a chemical makes one of these lists as a hazardous material or a carcinogen, your emissions, labelling, or MSD sheets may need to be changed in order to comply with federal or state regulations. Being fully aware of how the chemicals you use are listed by all pertinent bodies is the essential compass that you must have to follow the regulatory road map.

Sayad, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Aerospace Environmental Technology Conference: Exectutive summary

The mandated elimination of CFC's, Halons, TCA, and other ozone depleting chemicals and specific hazardous materials has required changes and new developments in aerospace materials and processes. The aerospace industry has been involved for several years in providing product substitutions, redesigning entire production processes, and developing new materials that minimize or eliminate damage to the environment. These activities emphasize replacement cleaning solvents and their application verifications, compliant coatings including corrosion protection systems, and removal techniques, chemical propulsion effects on the environment, and the initiation of modifications to relevant processing and manufacturing specifications and standards. The papers from this conference are being published in a separate volume as NASA CP-3298.

Whitaker, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Aerospace Environmental Technology Conference

The mandated elimination of CFC's, Halons, TCA, and other ozone depleting chemicals and specific hazardous materials has required changes and new developments in aerospace materials and processes. The aerospace industry has been involved for several years in providing product substitutions, redesigning entire production processes, and developing new materials that minimize or eliminate damage to the environment. These activities emphasize replacement cleaning solvents and their application verifications, compliant coatings including corrosion protection systems, and removal techniques, chemical propulsion effects on the environment, and the initiation of modifications to relevant processing and manufacturing specifications and standards. The Executive Summary of this Conference is published as NASA CP-3297.

Whitaker, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Ultra-high pressure water jetting for coating removal and surface preparation

This paper shall examine the basics of water technology with particular attention paid to systems currently in use and some select new applications. By providing an overview of commercially available water jet systems in the context of recent case histories, potential users may evaluate the process for future applications. With the on going introduction of regulations prohibiting the use of chemical paint strippers, manual scrapping and dry abrasive media blasting, the need for an environmentally compliant coating removal process has been mandated. Water jet cleaning has been a traditional part of many industrial processed for year, although it has only been in the last few years that reliable pumping equipment capable of ultra-high pressure operation have become available. With the advent of water jet pumping equipment capable of sustaining pressures in excess of 36,000 psi. there has been shift away from lower pressure, high water volume systems. One of the major factors in driving industry to seek higher pressures is the ability to offer higher productivity rates while lowering the quantity of water used and subsequently reprocessed. Among benefits of the trend toward higher pressure/lower volume systems is the corresponding reduction in water jet reaction forces making hand held water jetting practical and safe. Other unique applications made possible by these new generation pumping systems include the use of alternative fluids including liquid ammonia for specialized and hazardous material removal applications. A review of the equipment used and the required modifications will be presented along with the conclusions reached reached during this test program.

Johnson, Spencer T.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Reduced hazard chemicals for solid rocket motor production

During the last three years. the NASA/Thiokol/industry team has developed and started implementation of an environmentally sound manufacturing plan for the continued production of solid rocket motors. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Thiokol Corporation have worked with other industry representatives and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prepare a comprehensive plan to eliminate all ozone depleting chemicals from manufacturing processes and reduce the use of other hazardous materials used to produce the space shuttle reusable solid rocket motors. The team used a classical approach for problem-solving combined with a creative synthesis of new approaches to attack this challenge.

Larry A. Caddy↗
NASA NTRS1996

Evaluation of the Emergency Response Dose Assessment System(ERDAS)

The emergency response dose assessment system (ERDAS) is a protype software and hardware system configured to produce routine mesoscale meteorological forecasts and enhanced dispersion estimates on an operational basis for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) region. ERDAS provides emergency response guidance to operations at KSC/CCAS in the case of an accidental hazardous material release or an aborted vehicle launch. This report describes the evaluation of ERDAS including: evaluation of sea breeze predictions, comparison of launch plume location and concentration predictions, case study of a toxic release, evaluation of model sensitivity to varying input parameters, evaluation of the user interface, assessment of ERDA's operational capabilities, and a comparison of ERDAS models to the ocean breeze dry gultch diffusion model.

Evans, Randolph J.↗