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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 NTRS2015

Overview of the Space Launch System Transonic Buffet Environment Test Program

Fluctuating aerodynamic loads are a significant concern for the structural design of a launch vehicle, particularly while traversing the transonic flight environment. At these trajectory conditions, unsteady aerodynamic pressures can excite the vehicle dynamic modes of vibration and result in high structural bending moments and vibratory environments. To ensure that vehicle structural components and subsystems possess adequate strength, stress, and fatigue margins in the presence of buffet and other environments, buffet forcing functions are required to conduct the coupled load analysis of the launch vehicle. The accepted method to obtain these buffet forcing functions is to perform wind-tunnel testing of a rigid model that is heavily instrumented with unsteady pressure transducers designed to measure the buffet environment within the desired frequency range. Two wind-tunnel tests of a 3 percent scale rigid buffet model have been conducted at the Langley Research Center Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) as part of the Space Launch System (SLS) buffet test program. The SLS buffet models have been instrumented with as many as 472 unsteady pressure transducers to resolve the buffet forcing functions of this multi-body configuration through integration of the individual pressure time histories. This paper will discuss test program development, instrumentation, data acquisition, test implementation, data analysis techniques, and several methods explored to mitigate high buffet environment encountered during the test program. Preliminary buffet environments will be presented and compared using normalized sectional buffet forcing function root-meansquared levels along the vehicle centerline.

Piatak, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Wind-tunnel preflight test program for aeroassist flight experiment

A proposed Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) will simulate return from geosynchronous orbit to low-earth orbit to provide fundamental information about the hypersonic flow conditions surrounding aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTV's). Future AOTV design must rely heavily on computational fluid dynamic (CFD) computer codes now under development, since the entry conditions are beyond the simulation capabilities of ground-based test facilities. However, existing codes and best available ground-based test facilities must provide for design of the AFE. The AFE ground-based test program provides data for calibration of existing and developing pertinent CFD codes. Confidence in code prediction capability increases with ability to predict forces and moments, pressure and heat-transfer distributions, shock shapes, and surface streamline directions. The ground-based test program provides these data over a wide range of hypersonic test parameters. This paper describes the test program, models, facilities, and some representative results.

Wells, William L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

NASA Fastrac Engine Gas Generator Component Test Program and Results

Low cost access to space has been a long-time goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Fastrac engine program was begun at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to develop a 60,000-pound (60K) thrust, liquid oxygen/hydrocarbon (LOX/RP), gas generator-cycle booster engine for a fraction of the cost of similar engines in existence. To achieve this goal, off-the-shelf components and readily available materials and processes would have to be used. This paper will present the Fastrac gas generator (GG) design and the component level hot-fire test program and results. The Fastrac GG is a simple, 4-piece design that uses well-defined materials and processes for fabrication. Thirty-seven component level hot-fire tests were conducted at MSFC's component test stand #116 (TS116) during 1997 and 1998. The GG was operated at all expected operating ranges of the Fastrac engine. Some minor design changes were required to successfully complete the test program as development issues arose during the testing. The test program data results and conclusions determined that the Fastrac GG design was well on the way to meeting the requirements of NASA's X-34 Pathfinder Program that chose the Fastrac engine as its main propulsion system.

Dennis, Henry J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Mach 10 Component of NASA's Hyper-X Ground Test Program

The Mach 10 Hyper-X ground test program is described, in which experimental flowpath parametric testing is being done in the HYPULSE facility. This facility has been upgraded for this effort by adding a reflected-shock-tunnel operating mode to access test conditions at Mach 10 and below. A large test section and hypersonic nozzle have been installed to provide full-scale engine test capability and the instrumentation systems have been expanded. A model of the Hyper-X engine flowpath has been built for freejet testing in the shock tunnel at both Mach 7 and 10 flight conditions. The model has over 180 instrumentation ports, a pitot rake mountable at the engine inlet or exit, and optical windows for visualization of the isolator, combustor, and nozzle. Testing in HYPULSE has been completed at Mach 7 conditions to provide a link between pulse facility data and the large Hyper-X performance database that is being accumulated in long-duration facilities. Comparisons of Mach 7 data with computational predictions and with data recently acquired for an identical flowpath being tested in the NASA 8-foot High Temperature Tunnel are presented.

Bakos, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Test program for 4-K memory card, JOLT microprocessor

A memory test program is described for use with the JOLT microcomputer 4,096-word memory board used in development of an Omega navigation receiver. The program allows a quick test of the memory board by cycling the memory through all possible bit combinations in all words.

Lilley, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology (HiMAT) flight-flutter test program

The highly maneuverable aircraft technology (HiMAT) vehicle was evaluated in a joint NASA and Air Force flight test program. The HiMAT vehicle is a remotely piloted research vehicle. Its design incorporates the use of advanced composite materials in the wings, and canards for aeroelastic tailoring. A flight-flutter test program was conducted to clear a sufficient flight envelope to allow for performance, stability and control, and loads testing. Testing was accomplished with and without flight control-surface dampers. Flutter clearance of the vehicle indicated satisfactory damping and damping trends for the structural modes of the HiMAT vehicle. The data presented include frequency and damping plotted as a function of Mach number.

Kehoe, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

DOD Space Test Program (STP)

This paper describes the Space Test Program (STP) which provides access to space for the DOD-wide space research and development (R&D) community. STP matches a ranked list of sanctioned experiments with available budgets and searches for the most cost effective mechanisms to get the experiments into space. The program has successfully flown over 350 experiments, using dedicated freeflyer spacecraft, secondary space on the Space Shuttle, and various host satellites.

Smith, Llwyn↗
NASA NTRS1977

Voyager flight project: DSN Telecommunications Compatibility Test Program

The Voyager Flight Project - DSN Telecommunications Compatibility Test Program consisted of three phases: Subsystem Design, System Design, and System Verification Tests. Subsystem Design Tests were performed during mid 1976. System Design Tests were performed during late 1976 and early 1977. System Verification Tests were performed during the spring and summer of 1977. This article describes the System Design Tests and test results that provided the basis for establishment of telecommunications design between the DSN and the Voyager Flight Project.

Bryan, A. I.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Pressure vessel burst test program - Initial program paper

The current status of a pressure vessel burst test program, aimed at the study of the blast waves and fragmentation characteristics of ruptured gas-filled pressure vessels, is reported. The program includes a series of test plans, each involving multiple bursts with burst pressures ranging to 7500 psig. The discussion covers the identification of concerns and hazards, application of the data generated, and a brief review of the current methods for assessing vessel safety and burst parameters. Attention is also given to pretest activities, including completed vessel and facility/instrumentation preparation and results of completed preliminary burst tests.

Cain, Maurice R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Mission Adaptive Wing test program

With the completion of the F-111 test-bed Mission Adaptive Wing (MAW) test program's manual flight control system, emphasis has been shifted to flight testing of MAW automatic control modes. These encompass (1) cruise camber control, (2) maneuver camber control, (3) maneuver load control, and (4) maneuver enhancement and load alleviation control. The aircraft is currently cleared to a 2.5-g maneuvering limit due to generally higher variable-incidence wing pivot loads than had been anticipated, especially at the higher wing-camber settings. Buffet is noted to be somewhat higher than expected at the higher camber settings.

Birk, Frank T.↗
NASA NTRS1964

Gemini test program.

Safety design concepts and hardware in Gemini Test Program

SPACECRAFT RELIABILITY↗
NASA NTRS1976

Test program for transmitter experiment package and heat pipe system for the communications technology satellite

The test program is described for the 200 watt transmitter experiment package and the variable conductance heat pipe system which are components of the high-power transponder aboard the Communications Technology Satellite. The program includes qualification tests to demonstrate design adequacy, acceptance tests to expose latent defects in flight hardware, and development tests to integrate the components into the transponder system and to demonstrate compatibility.

Depauw, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Shuttle/Centaur G-prime composite adapters damage tolerance/repair test program

The Space Shuttle/Centaur Composite Adapters Damage Tolerance/Repair Test program had as its goals the determination of probable and potentially critical defects or damages on the adapters' strength and stability, as well as the adequacy of repairs on significantly damaged areas and the generation of NDT data for the upgrading of acceptance criteria. Such rational accept/reject criteria and repair methods reduce both engineering liason costs and any unnecessary parts-scrapping. Successful 'damage tolerant' design ensures that degradations of strength and stability due to undetected defects or damage will not be catastrophic.

Sollars, Teresa A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Real-time data acquisition system assists engine test program

The mixed-fuels program examined included two major phases: the development of a reformer that would provide an onboard source of hydrogen, and the testing of induction systems and mixed fuels on a conventional V8 engine to verify the concept and define the system's potential. The discussion is limited to the engine testing phase. The testing program is reviewed and the effectiveness of an IDAC data acquisition system in supporting the engine testing program is demonstrated. The data system's application is illustrated by examples.

Griffin, D. C., Jr.↗