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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

Technology transfer to a developing nation, Korea

An experimental project is reported which was undertaken. to determine if selected types of technology developed for the aerospace program during the past decade are relevant to specific industrial problems of a developing nation and to test whether a structured program could facilitate the transfer of relevant technologies. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology and the IIT Research Institute were selected as the active transfer agents to participate in the program. The pilot project was based upon the approach to the transfer of domestic technology developed by the NASA Technology Utilization Division and utilized the extensive data and technical resources available through the Space Agency and its contractors. This pilot project has helped to clarify some aspects of the international technology transfer process and to upgrade Korean technological capabilities.

Stone, C. A.↗

Cartographic products from the Mariner 9 mission

Simultaneous acquisition of geodetic, cartographic, geologic, and other scientific data on Mars from Mariner 9 required extensive modification of conventional methods of mapping. Preliminary evaluation of all data simultaneously generated an inordinately large number of interim cartographic products for a final cartographic atlas of Mars. The selection of the scales at which Mars would be mapped, the projections to be used, and the way the planet would be divided into quadrangles was based on the resolution of Mariner 9 pictures and upon the resources available over the lifetime of the Mariner Mars 1971 Project.

Batson, R. M.↗

Use of graphics in the design office at the Military Aircraft Division of the British Aircraft Corporation

The CAD/CAM interactive computer graphics system was described; uses to which it has been put were shown, and current developments of the system were outlined. The system supports batch, time sharing, and fully interactive graphic processing. Engineers using the system may switch between these methods of data processing and problem solving to make the best use of the available resources. It is concluded that the introduction of on-line computing in the form of teletypes, storage tubes, and fully interactive graphics has resulted in large increases in productivity and reduced timescales in the geometric computing, numerical lofting and part programming areas, together with a greater utilization of the system in the technical departments.

Coles, W. A.↗

NASA management of the Space Shuttle Program

The management system and management technology described have been developed to meet stringent cost and schedule constraints of the Space Shuttle Program. Management of resources available to this program requires control and motivation of a large number of efficient creative personnel trained in various technical specialties. This must be done while keeping track of numerous parallel, yet interdependent activities involving different functions, organizations, and products all moving together in accordance with intricate plans for budgets, schedules, performance, and interaction. Some techniques developed to identify problems at an early stage and seek immediate solutions are examined.

Peters, F.↗

A simulator study of the interaction of pilot workload with errors, vigilance, and decisions

A full mission simulation of a civil air transport scenario that had two levels of workload was used to observe the actions of the crews and the basic aircraft parameters and to record heart rates. The results showed that the number of errors was very variable among crews but the mean increased in the higher workload case. The increase in errors was not related to rise in heart rate but was associated with vigilance times as well as the days since the last flight. The recorded data also made it possible to investigate decision time and decision order. These also varied among crews and seemed related to the ability of captains to manage the resources available to them on the flight deck.

Smith, H. P. R.↗

Analysis of a fuel cell on-site integrated energy system for a residential complex

Declining supplies of domestic oil and gas and the increased cost of energy resulted in a renewed emphasis in utilizing available resources in the most efficient manner possible. This, in turn, brought about a reassessment of a number of methods for converting fossil fuels to end uses at the highest practical efficiency. One of these is the on-site integrated energy system (OS/IES). This system provides electric power from an on-site power plant and recovers heat from the power plant that would normally be rejected to the environment. An OS/IES is potentially useful in any application that requires both electricity and heat. Several OS/IES are analyzed for a residential complex. The paper is divided into two sections; the first compares three energy supply systems, the second compares various designs for fuel cell OS/IES.

Simons, S. N.↗

Fuels and chemicals from biomass using solar thermal energy

The significant nearer term opportunities for the application of solar thermal energy to the manufacture of fuels and chemicals from biomass are summarized, with some comments on resource availability, market potential and economics. Consideration is given to the production of furfural from agricultural residues, and the role of furfural and its derivatives as a replacement for petrochemicals in the plastics industry.

Giori, G.↗

An investigation into pilot and system response to critical in-flight events, volume 1

The scope of a critical in-flight event (CIFE) with emphasis on pilot management of available resources is described. Detailed scenarios for both full mission simulation and written testing of pilot responses to CIFE's, and statistical relationships among pilot characteristics and observed responses are developed. A model developed to described pilot response to CIFE and an analysis of professional fight crews compliance with specified operating procedures and the relationships with in-flight errors are included.

Rockwell, T. H.↗

Photographic observations of comets at Lowell Observatory

Observations of Halley's comet at Lowell Observatory cover a period from November 10, 1909 to May 17, 1911: 334 direct photographs were taken, 118 objective prism spectra, and 32 slit spectrograms of the nucleus, many of them including 5 arc minutes of the surrounding coma. Just one morning's observations are illustrated as an example of utilizing every possible resource available at the Observatory at the time. Observational improvements developed since then are described and some suggestions for the coming return of Halley's comet are made.

Giclas, H. L.↗

The role of communications, socio-psychological, and personality factors in the maintenance of crew coordination

The influence of group dynamics on the capability of aircraft crew members to make full use of the resources available on the flight deck in order to maintain flight safety is discussed. Instances of crewmembers withholding altimeter or heading information from the captain are cited as examples of domineering attitudes from command pilots and overconscientiousness on the parts of copilots, who may refuse to relay information forcefully enough or to take control of the aircraft in the case of pilot incapacitation. NASA studies of crew performance in controlled, simulator settings, concentrating on communication, decision making, crew interaction, and integration showed that efficient communication reduced errors. Acknowledgements served to encourage correct communication. The best crew performance is suggested to occur with personnel who are capable of both goal and group orientation. Finally, one bad effect of computer controlled flight is cited to be the tendency of the flight crew to think that someone else is taking care of difficulties in threatening situations.

Foushee, H. C.↗

Biomass measurement from LANDSAT: Drought and energy applications

The theory supporting the use of vegetation indices derived from LANDSAT data for the direct measurement of biomass is reviewed. The use of multispectral data to measure biomass is a natural and viable application since the photosynthetic production of biomass gives vegetation its unique spectral properties. Vegetation indices also perform a normalization function which tends to make them insensitive to atmospheric and soil color variations. Optical and digital LANDSAT products are discussed relative to the use of vegetation indices to monitor drought impact. Based on results obtained in Colorado, operational use of LANDSAT to monitor drought is cost effective, practical and ready for implementation today. The direct measurement of biomass energy resources may also benefit from LANDSAT technology. Measurement of total biomass and annual primary production may be feasible. Identification of that component of biomass resources available for energy use will require other sources of information, however.

Maxwell, E. L.↗

A guide to research in NASA history, 7th edition

A guide to resources available for research in NASA history is presented. NASA Headquarters and the Washington area are emphasized, but some information is included on the NASA centers scattered across the country. A brief NASA-oriented introduction is provided.

Roland, A.↗

Costs of measuring leaf area index of corn

The magnitude of plant-to-plant variability of leaf area of corn plants selected from uniform plots was examined and four representative methods for measuring leaf area index (LAI) were evaluated. The number of plants required and the relative costs for each sampling method were calculated to detect 10, 20, and 50% differences in LAI using 0.05 and 0.01 tests of significance and a 90% probability of success (beta = 0.1). The natural variability of leaf area per corn plant was nearly 10%. Additional variability or experimental error may be introduced by the measurement technique employed and by nonuniformity within the plot. Direct measurement of leaf area with an electronic area meter had the lowest CV, required that the fewest plants be sampled, but required approximately the same amount of time as the leaf area/weight ratio method to detect comparable differences. Indirect methods based on measurements of length and width of leaves required more plants but less total time than the direct method. Unless the coefficients for converting length and width to area are verified frequently, the indirect methods may be biased. When true differences in LAI among treatments exceed 50% of mean, all four methods are equal. The method of choice depends on the resources available, the differences to be detected, and what additional information, such as leaf weight or stalk weight, is also desired.

Daughtry, C. S. T.↗

Spectrum/orbit utilization program for geostationary satellites

Mutual interferences among geostationary satellite communication systems determine the permitted spacing between satellites and the limits on the capacity of the orbit/spectrum resources available. This paper describes the computer program for analyzing the mutual interferences among communication satellite systems. Capabilities of the program are described. Inputs, models used, program operations, and program outputs are given. To show application of the program, an example scenario is analyzed for fixed satellites providing domestic service to North America.

Miller, E. F.↗

The ACTS Flight System - Cost-Effective Advanced Communications Technology

The multibeam communications package (MCP) for the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) to be STS-launched by NASA in 1988 for experimental demonstration of satellite-switched TDMA (at 220 Mbit/sec) and baseband-processor signal routing (at 110 or 27.5 Mbit/sec) is characterized. The developmental history of the ACTS, the program definition, and the spacecraft-bus and MCP parameters are reviewed and illustrated with drawings, block diagrams, and maps of the coverage plan. Advanced features of the MPC include 4.5-dB-noise-figure 30-GHz FET amplifiers and 20-GHz TWTA transmitters which provide either 40-W or 8-W RF output, depending on rain conditions. The technologies being tested in ACTS can give frequency-reuse factors as high as 20, thus greatly expanding the orbit/spectrum resources available for U.S. communications use.

Holmes, W. M., Jr.↗

Global tropospheric chemistry: A plan for action

Prompted by an increasing awareness of the influence of human activity on the chemistry of the global troposphere, a panel was formed to (1) assess the requirement for a global study of the chemistry of the troposphere; (2) develop a scientific strategy for a comprehensive plan taking into account the existing and projected programs of the government; (3) assess the requirements of a global study in terms of theoretical knowledge, numerical modeling, instrumentation, observing platforms, ground-level observational techniques, and other related needs; and (4) outline the appropriate sequence and coordination required to achieve the most effective utilization of available resources. Part 1 presents a coordinated national blueprint for scientific investigations of biogeochemical cycles in the global troposphere. part 2 presents much of the background information of the present knowledge and gaps in the understanding of tropospheric chemical cycles and processes from which the proposed program was developed.

Source record↗

Mini and super mini arrays for the study of highest energy cosmic rays

The chief difficulty in studying the highest energy cosmic rays is the extremely low intensity, only approximately 5 particles per sq km sr century above 10 to the 20th power eV. Instead of attacking the problem by assembling all of the available resources in one place, as has been done in the past, a way that the task can be performed at much less cost per unit sensitive area is suggested, by using numerous inexpensive mini arrays operating independently of each other. In addition to the quantities usually observed, each mini array will record shower particle arrival time distributions. At 10 to the 20th power eV the saving in cost per primary particle is estimated to be a factor of 10 or better, compared to methods now in use, even for mini arrays newly built from scratch for just this purpose.

Linsley, J.↗