SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
General scaling rules for a photovoltaic array structure are required in order to compare the effectiveness of different cell technologies. Important evaluation criteria for an array are moment of inertia, resonant frequency of vibrational modes, stiffness against acceleration, and resistance losses in the wiring. Approximate scaling relationships for these parameters for a generic solar array structure are presented.
Covariance error analysis techniques were applied to investigate estimation strategies for the high-low SST mission for accurate local recovery of gravitational fine structure, considering the aliasing effects of unsolved for parameters. Surface density blocks of 5 deg x 5 deg and 2 1/2 deg x 2 1/2 deg resolution were utilized to represent the high order geopotential with the drag-free GRAVSAT configured in a nearly circular polar orbit at 250 km. altitude. GEOPAUSE and geosynchronous satellites were considered as high relay spacecraft. It is demonstrated that knowledge of gravitational fine structure can be significantly improved at 5 deg x 5 deg resolution using SST data from a high-low configuration with reasonably accurate orbits for the low GRAVSAT. The gravity fine structure recoverability of the high-low SST mission is compared with the low-low configuration and shown to be superior.
Covariance error analysis techniques were applied to investigate estimation strategies for the low-low SST mission for accurate local recovery of gravitational fine structure, considering the aliasing effects of unsolved for parameters. A 5 degree by 5 degree surface density block representation of the high order geopotential was utilized with the drag-free low-low GRAVSAT configuration in a circular polar orbit at 250 km altitude. Recovery of local sets of density blocks from long data arcs was found not to be feasible due to strong aliasing effects. The error analysis for the recovery of local sets of density blocks using independent short data arcs demonstrated that the estimation strategy of simultaneously estimating a local set of blocks covered by data and two "buffer layers" of blocks not covered by data greatly reduced aliasing errors.
This paper deals with the problem of digital demodulation of FM signals transmitted over Rayleigh and Rician fading channels. The Rayleigh and Rician fading channels are represented by two quadrature multiplicative nonzero mean white Gaussian processes in addition to an additive zero-mean white Gaussian noise. Quasi-optimum digital baseband demodulation algorithms using various nonlinear estimation techniques are derived. The digital demodulator structures are then simulated on a digital computer for an FM system with first order message spectrum for various values of the parameters for Rayleigh and Rician channels.
High temperature X-ray diffraction techniques were used to determine the gamma-gamma prime lattice mismatch of three different nickel-base superalloys at temperatures between 18 and 1000 C. The measurements were performed on oriented single-crystal disks which had been aged to produce a semicoherent gamma-gamma prime structure. The thermal expansion of the lattice parameters of the gamma and gamma-prime phases was described by a second-order polynomial expression. The expansion of the gamma-prime phase was consistently smaller than that of the gamma phase, which caused the lattice mismatch to become more negative at higher temperatures. It was also shown that high values of lattice mismatch resulted in increased rates of directional gamma-prime coarsening during elevated temperature creep exposure.
In the design and analysis of robust control systems for uncertain plants, the technique of formulating what is termed an M-delta model has become widely accepted and applied in the robust control literature. The M represents the transfer function matrix M(s) of the nominal system, and delta represents an uncertainty matrix acting on M(s). The uncertainty can arise from various sources, such as structured uncertainty from parameter variations or multiple unstructured uncertainties from unmodeled dynamics and other neglected phenomena. In general, delta is a block diagonal matrix, and for real parameter variations the diagonal elements are real. As stated in the literature, this structure can always be formed for any linear interconnection of inputs, outputs, transfer functions, parameter variations, and perturbations. However, very little of the literature addresses methods for obtaining this structure, and none of this literature addresses a general methodology for obtaining a minimal M-delta model for a wide class of uncertainty. Since have a delta matrix of minimum order would improve the efficiency of structured singular value (or multivariable stability margin) computations, a method of obtaining a minimal M-delta model would be useful. A generalized method of obtaining a minimal M-delta structure for systems with real parameter variations is given.
A homogeneous disordered phase separates into ordered structures when quenched into a broken-symmetry phase. The competition of broken-symmetry phases to select an equilibrium state may be studied in terms of coarse-grained order parameters described by a suitable Landau free-energy function. A network of equilibrium-phase domains develops on quenching and coarsens with time with a topology that may be controlled by shear. We use three-dimensional simulations, in which time-dependent models for conserved-order parameters coupled to Navier-Stokes fluid models are solved, to investigate the evolution of such domains, e.g. spinodal decompositions of polymeric materials under shear. The numerical problems are formidable because of the strong nonlinearities inherent in the coupled model, and these are amongst the first 3D calculations undertaken. In linear shear fields we find stable nanostrings, also recently seen in experiments. The affinity of the ordered phases to boundaries plays a role in the form of the structures that develop, with stacked plate-like phase distributions emerging under certain conditions. Such methods appear quite promising for design and analysis of multiphase and complex fluid formulations. The behavior of foams in such conditions is of particular interest in microgravity environments. Additional information can be found in the original extended abstract.
The objective is to present the activities at TRW in developing the capability to simulate the behavior of large flexible multibody space structures. The features of the simulation tools are: (1) to accommodate all rigid/flexible body degrees-of-freedom which incorporate the control system models and external forces, (2) to provide the flexibility to incorporate engineering-defined models and to retain parameters of significance to the engineer, (3) to reduce the computation cost by one order of magnitude (two orders of magnitude compared to a CRAY 1S), and (4) to keep it versatile so that radical variations in anticipated space structures can be accommodated. The current computer tools to simulate multibody systems appear not only to be very costly and time consuming, but also do not produce the desired fidelity of the mathematical models. In summary, a multibody simulation tool will be developed in the near future which will allow solution of the dynamics and controls of the deployment of the LDR backup structure, or the problem associated with the robotic assembly of the structure. The tools will allow the engineer to define the modeling technique and solve problems in less time and at reduced cost.
Energy-efficient, lightweight robot arms for space applications have considerable structural flexibility. An approach to control of a class of flexible robotic systems is presented. A control law is derived which decouples the joint-angle motion from the flexible motion and, in addition, asymptotically decomposes the elastic dynamics into two subsystems. This allows the design of an elastic mode stabilizer independently based on lower order models representing structural flexibility. The closed-loop system is shown to be globally asymptotically stable and robust to uncertaintly in system parameters. Simulation results show that the combination of nonlinear decoupling and elastic stabilization permits rapid, accurate tracking of large joint angle commands with well damped elastic response, in spite of space vehicle motion and payload uncertainty.
Energy efficient, lightweight robot arms for space applications have considerable structural flexibility. For large and fast motions, both the nonlinear coupled dynamics and the elastic behavior of the robots must be considered in control system designs. This paper presents an approach to the control of a class of flexible robotic systems. A control law is derived which decouples the joint-angle motion from the flexible motion and asymptotically decomposes the elastic dynamics into two subsystems, representing the transverse vibrations of the elastic link in two orthogonal planes. This decomposition allows the design of an elastic mode stabilizer independently based on lower order models representing structural flexibility. The closed-loop system is shown to be globally asymptotically stable and robust to uncertainty in system parameters. Simulation results are presented to show that large, fast control of joint angles can be performed in spite of space vehicle motion and uncertainty in the payload.
Continuum modeling of large space structures is extended to the problem of detecting construction errors in large space structures such as the proposed space station. First-order dynamic sensitivity equations for structures involving eigenfrequencies, modal masses, modal stiffnesses, and modal damping are presented. Matrix equations relating changes in element parameters to dynamic sensitivities are summarized. The sensitivity equations for the entire dynamical system are rearranged as a system of algebraic equations with unknowns of stiffness losses at selected locations. The feasibility of the formulation is numerically demonstrated on a simply-supported Euler-Bernouilli beam with simulated construction defects. The method is next extended to large space structures modelled as equivalent continua with simulated construction defects.
A new stochastic adaptive control structure is developed for the problem of combined parameter estimation and control of aerospace vehicles with changing parameters. Parameter uncertainties are modeled as first-order Gauss-Markov processes, and are introduced to the system dynamics through a small parameter. It is assumed that an accurate inertial measurement unit gives perfect measurements of the state variables. Since the stochastic system is assumed to be Gauss-Markov, the density function of the parameters given these measurements is conditionally Gaussian. Based on this conditionally Gaussian density, the problem of minimizing a quadratic cost over an infinite time horizon can be set up within the framework of stochastic optimal control theory. The optimal feedback control law is derived from a straightforward expansion of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation, based on the LQG solution. The resulting nonlinear controller is applied to the pitch axis control of a space platform with uncertain moments of inertia and is shown to produce marked improvement over a fixed controller.
New first- and second-order displacement transfer functions have been developed for deformed shape calculations of nonuniform cross-sectional beam structures such as aircraft wings. The displacement transfer functions are expressed explicitly in terms of beam geometrical parameters and surface strains (uniaxial bending strains) obtained at equally spaced strain stations along the surface of the beam structure. By inputting the measured or analytically calculated surface strains into the displacement transfer functions, one could calculate local slopes, deflections, and cross-sectional twist angles of the nonuniform beam structure for mapping the overall structural deformed shapes for visual display. The accuracy of deformed shape calculations by the first- and second-order displacement transfer functions are determined by comparing these values to the analytically predicted values obtained from finite element analyses. This comparison shows that the new displacement transfer functions could quite accurately calculate the deformed shapes of tapered cantilever tubular beams with different tapered angles. The accuracy of the present displacement transfer functions also are compared to those of the previously developed displacement transfer functions.
A uniform variational approach to sensitivity analysis of vibration frequencies and bifurcation loads of nonlinear structures is developed. Two methods of calculating the sensitivities of bifurcation buckling loads and vibration frequencies of nonlinear structures, with respect to stiffness and initial strain parameters, are presented. A direct method requires calculation of derivatives of the prebuckling state with respect to these parameters. An adjoint method bypasses the need for these derivatives by using instead the strain field associated with the second-order postbuckling state. An operator notation is used and the derivation is based on the principle of virtual work. The derivative computations are easily implemented in structural analysis programs. This is demonstrated by examples using a general purpose, finite element program and a shell-of-revolution program.
The control design problem for the class of future spacecraft referred to as large space structures (LSS) is by now well known. The issue is the reduced order control of a very high order, lightly damped system with uncertain system parameters, particularly in the high frequency modes. A design methodology which incorporates robustness considerations as part of the design process is presented. Combining pertinent results from multivariable systems theory and optimal control and estimation, LQG eigenstructure assignment and LQG frequency shaping, were used to improve singular value robustness measures in the presence of control and observation spillover.
A Lanczos technique is used to study the frustrated spin-1/2 Heisenberg model on square lattices of 16 and 20 sites. Frustration is introduced by an interaction along the diagonals of the plaquettes with coupling J2 greater than or equal to 0. For large J2, the ground state breaks (spontaneously) the lattice rotational symmetry. For intermediate values of J2, the squares of order parameters associated with spin-Peierls and 'twisted'states have a peak, while a similar quantity for a chiral state shows no interesting structure.
This research examines how ductility affects the durability of lunar surface structures against recurring disturbances like moonquakes, micrometeorite impacts, and thermal cycles over an extended period. The structural performance at various levels of ductility was determined by adjusting material parameters and the thickness of a reference multilayered dome structure. Moonquake and micrometeorite impact-induced lateral displacements were estimated using a reduced-order model under a control-oriented dynamic computational modeling framework. The study considered the degradation of the metallic dome’s strength properties over time due to thermal cycles. Fragility curves were generated by assessing the likelihood of reaching three predefined damage levels as a result of multiple hazards. Additionally, a discounted cash flow analysis was conducted to incorporate a financial aspect into the performance comparison. The findings revealed that structures with sufficient ductility capacity have a lower probability of sustaining severe damage or collapsing within a shorter time frame. Hence, having ductile structures in lunar environments is advantageous as it allows the postponement of maintenance and repair actions, thereby conserving scarce resources for more urgent tasks. Moreover, the financial analysis demonstrated that lunar habitats with higher ductile capacities result in larger net present values, offering a higher return on the initial investment.
The problem of identifying the spatially varying coefficient of elasticity using an observed solution to the forward problem is considered. Under appropriate conditions this problem can be treated as a first order hyperbolic equation in the unknown coefficient. Some continuous dependence results are developed for this problem and a spline-based technique is proposed for approximating the unknown coefficient, based on these results. The convergence of the numerical scheme is established and error estimates obtained.