Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “COTS Parts”

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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Cryogenic Behavior of the High Temperature Crystal Oscillator PX-570

Microprocessors, data-acquisition systems, and electronic controllers usually require timing signals for proper and accurate operation. These signals are, in most cases, provided by circuits that utilize crystal oscillators due to availability, cost, ease of operation, and accuracy. Stability of these oscillators, i.e. crystal characteristics, is usually governed, amongst other things, by the ambient temperature. Operation of these devices under extreme temperatures requires, therefore, the implementation of some temperature-compensation mechanism either through the manufacturing process of the oscillator part or in the design of the circuit to maintain stability as well as accuracy. NASA future missions into deep space and planetary exploration necessitate operation of electronic instruments and systems in environments where extreme temperatures along with wide-range thermal swings are countered. Most of the commercial devices are very limited in terms of their specified operational temperature while very few custom-made and military-grade parts have the ability to operate in a slightly wider range of temperature. Thus, it is becomes mandatory to design and develop circuits that are capable of operation efficiently and reliably under the space harsh conditions. This report presents the results obtained on the evaluation of a new (COTS) commercial-off-the-shelf crystal oscillator under extreme temperatures. The device selected for evaluation comprised of a 10 MHz, PX-570-series crystal oscillator. This type of device was recently introduced by Vectron International and is designed as high temperature oscillator [1]. These parts are fabricated using proprietary manufacturing processes designed specifically for high temperature and harsh environment applications [1]. The oscillators have a wide continuous operating temperature range; making them ideal for use in military and aerospace industry, industrial process control, geophysical fields, avionics, and engine control. They exhibit low jitter and phase noise, consume little power, and are suited for high shock and vibration applications. The unique package design of these crystal oscillators offers a small ceramic package footprint, as well as providing both through-hole mounting and surface mount options.

Patterson, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2017

Expansion of Microbial Monitoring Capabilities on the International Space Station (ISS)

Microbial monitoring is one of the tools that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses on the International Space Station (ISS) to help maintain crew health and safety. In combination with regular housekeeping and disinfection when needed, microbial monitoring provides important information to the crew about the quality of the environment. Rotation of astronauts, equipment, and cargo on the ISS can affect the microbial load in the air, surfaces, and water. The current ISS microbial monitoring methods are focused on culture-based enumeration during flight and require a significant amount of crew time as well as long incubation periods of up to 5 days there by proliferating potential pathogens. In addition, the samples require return to Earth for complete identification of the microorganisms cultivated. Although the current approach assess the quality of the ISS environment, molecular technology offers faster turn-around of information particularly beneficial in an off-nominal situation. In 2011, subject matter experts from industry and academia recommended implementation of molecular-based technologies such as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for evaluation to replace current, culture-based technologies. The RAZOR EX (BioFire Defense, Inc, Salt Lake City, UT) a ruggedized, compact, COTS (commercial off the shelf) qPCR instrument was tested, evaluated and selected in the 2 X 2015 JSC rapid flight hardware demonstration initiative as part of the Water Monitoring Suite. RAZOR EX was launched to ISS on SpaceX-9 in July 2016 to evaluate the precision and accuracy of the hardware by testing various concentrations of DNA in microgravity compared to ground controls. Flight testing was completed between September 2016 and March 2017. Data presented will detail the hardware performance of flight testing results compared to ground controls. Future goals include additional operational ground-based testing and assay development to determine if this technology can meet spaceflight microbial monitoring requirements.

Khodadad, Christina L.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Markovian Statistical Model of Cloud Optical Thickness. Part I: Theory and Examples

We present a generalization of the binary-value Markovian model previously used for statistical characterization of cloud masks to a continuous-value model describing 1D fields of cloud optical thickness (COT). This model has simple functional expressions and is specified by four parameters: the cloud fraction, the autocorrelation (scale) length, and the two parameters of the normalized probability density function of (non-zero) COT values (this PDF is assumed to have gamma-distribution form). Cloud masks derived from this model by separation between the values above and below some threshold in COT appear to have the same statistical properties as in binary-value model described in our previous publications. We demonstrate the ability of our model to generate examples of various cloud-field types by using it to statistically imitate actual cloud observations made by the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) during two field experiments.

binary-value Markovian model↗
NASA NTRS2009

Evaluation of Advanced COTS Passive Devices for Extreme Temperature Operation

Electronic sensors and circuits are often exposed to extreme temperatures in many of NASA deep space and planetary surface exploration missions. Electronics capable of operation in harsh environments would be beneficial as they simplify overall system design, relax thermal management constraints, and meet operational requirements. For example, cryogenic operation of electronic parts will improve reliability, increase energy density, and extend the operational lifetimes of space-based electronic systems. Similarly, electronic parts that are able to withstand and operate efficiently in high temperature environments will negate the need for thermal control elements and their associated structures, thereby reducing system size and weight, enhancing its reliability, improving its efficiency, and reducing cost. Passive devices play a critical role in the design of almost all electronic circuitry. To address the needs of systems for extreme temperature operation, some of the advanced and most recently introduced commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) passive devices, which included resistors and capacitors, were examined for operation under a wide temperature regime. The types of resistors investigated included high temperature precision film, general purpose metal oxide, and wirewound.

Patterson, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Deep Space Network in the Common Platform Era: A Prototype Implementation at DSS-13

To enhance NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN), an effort is underway to improve network performance and simplify its operation and maintenance. This endeavor, known as the "Common Platform," has both short- and long-term objectives. The long-term work has not begun yet; however, the activity to realize the short-term goals has started. There are three goals for the long-term objective: 1. Convert the DSN into a digital network where signals are digitized at the output of the down converters at the antennas and are distributed via a digital IF switch to the processing platforms. 2. Employ a set of common hardware for signal processing applications, e.g., telemetry, tracking, radio science and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). 3. Minimize in-house developments in favor of purchasing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment. The short-term goal is to develop a prototype of the above at NASA's experimental station known as DSS-13. This station consists of a 34m beam waveguide antenna with cryogenically cooled amplifiers capable of handling deep space research frequencies at S-, X-, and Ka-bands. Without the effort at DSS-13, the implementation of the long-term goal can potentially be risky because embarking on the modification of an operational network without prior preparations can, among other things, result in unwanted service interruptions. Not only are there technical challenges to address, full network implementation of the Common Platform concept includes significant cost uncertainties. Therefore, a limited implementation at DSS-13 will contribute to risk reduction. The benefits of employing common platforms for the DSN are lower cost and improved operations resulting from ease of maintenance and reduced number of spare parts. Increased flexibility for the user is another potential benefit. This paper will present the plans for DSS-13 implementation. It will discuss key issues such as the Common Platform architecture, choice of COTS equipment, and the standard for radio frequency (RF) to digital interface.

Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN)↗
NASA NTRS2013

Workflow-Based Software Development Environment

The Software Developer's Assistant (SDA) helps software teams more efficiently and accurately conduct or execute software processes associated with NASA mission-critical software. SDA is a process enactment platform that guides software teams through project-specific standards, processes, and procedures. Software projects are decomposed into all of their required process steps or tasks, and each task is assigned to project personnel. SDA orchestrates the performance of work required to complete all process tasks in the correct sequence. The software then notifies team members when they may begin work on their assigned tasks and provides the tools, instructions, reference materials, and supportive artifacts that allow users to compliantly perform the work. A combination of technology components captures and enacts any software process use to support the software lifecycle. It creates an adaptive workflow environment that can be modified as needed. SDA achieves software process automation through a Business Process Management (BPM) approach to managing the software lifecycle for mission-critical projects. It contains five main parts: TieFlow (workflow engine), Business Rules (rules to alter process flow), Common Repository (storage for project artifacts, versions, history, schedules, etc.), SOA (interface to allow internal, GFE, or COTS tools integration), and the Web Portal Interface (collaborative web environment

Izygon, Michel E.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Wireless Command-and-Control of UAV-Based Imaging LANs

Dual airborne imaging system networks were operated using a wireless line-of-sight telemetry system developed as part of a 2002 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imaging mission over the USA s largest coffee plantation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. A primary mission objective was the evaluation of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) 802.11b wireless technology for reduction of payload telemetry costs associated with UAV remote sensing missions. Predeployment tests with a conventional aircraft demonstrated successful wireless broadband connectivity between a rapidly moving airborne imaging local area network (LAN) and a fixed ground station LAN. Subsequently, two separate LANs with imaging payloads, packaged in exterior-mounted pressure pods attached to the underwing of NASA's Pathfinder-Plus UAV, were operated wirelessly by ground-based LANs over independent Ethernet bridges. Digital images were downlinked from the solar-powered aircraft at data rates of 2-6 megabits per second (Mbps) over a range of 6.5 9.5 km. An integrated wide area network enabled payload monitoring and control through the Internet from a range of ca. 4000 km during parts of the mission. The recent advent of 802.11g technology is expected to boost the system data rate by about a factor of five.

Herwitz, Stanley↗
NASA NTRS2004

Power Lander for Support of Long-Term Lunar Presence

Emerging industrial base and the consequent sustained manned Lunar presence will require consistent high power capacities. This paper proposes a first iteration design of a flyable electric power platform which could serve as an enabler of Lunar Development and Exploration. It is intended to support a small facility solo or an emerging industrial base as part of a grid. Lunar Missions, Habitats and Facilities stand to benefit from an expected decade of non-stop operation, the economics of scale, Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) availability, standardization of design, and logistical support for Lunar encampments provided by this architecture. The unattended and unmanned vehicle design is to be man- and robotics-serviceable after delivery by current and proposed heavy-lift boosters. Design continuity within a family of systems will improve reliability through "lessons learned'' in the field. Further, various configurations of the proposed scalable architecture will provide reference platforms for the indigenous construction of similar power plant facilities from in-situ Lunar resources (ISRU). The baseline design should be directed towards those materials available on the Moon and expected to be manufacturable on-site within the first decade of operation.

Joyner, Russ↗
NASA NTRS2023

Extended Temperature Operation of Isolated, Precision Gate Driver, ADuM4120

Electronics used in space missions encounter exposure to extreme temperatures and operation under wide thermal swings. Most commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices are not designed to function under such extreme conditions and very little data exist on their performance outside their specified range of operation. Extending the temperature range at which electronic parts can operate reliably leads to potential benefits resulting in improving reliability, reducing mass/weight, and simplifying thermal design due to elimination of thermal control elements and fewer parts count. In this work, the performance of an isolated, precision gate driver for controlling power-level transistors, including gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) devices, was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to assess performance for potential use of this device in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.

Wide Bandgap Power Electronics↗
NASA NTRS2021

Observation of absorbing aerosols above clouds over the South-East Atlantic Ocean from the geostationary satellite SEVIRI - Part 2: Comparison with MODIS and aircraft measurements from the CLARIFY-2017 field campaign

To evaluate the SEVIRI retrieval for aerosols above clouds presented in Part 1 of the companion paper, the algorithm is applied over the south-east Atlantic Ocean during the CLARIFY-2017 field campaign period. The first step of our analysis compares the retrieved aerosol and cloud properties against equivalent products from the MODIS MOD06ACAERO retrieval (Meyer et al., 2015). While the correlation between the two satellite retrievals of the above-cloud aerosol optical thickness (AOT) is good (R = 0.78), the AOT retrieved by SEVIRI is 20.3 % smaller than that obtained from the MODIS retrieval. This difference in AOT is attributed mainly to the more absorbing aerosol model assumed for the SEVIRI retrieval compared to MODIS. The underlying cloud optical thickness (COT) derived from the two satellites is in good agreement (R = 0.90). The cloud droplet effective radius (CER) retrieved by SEVIRI is consistently smaller than MODIS by 2.2 µm, which is mainly caused by the use of different spectral bands of the satellite instruments. In the second part of our analysis, we compare the forecast water vapour profiles used for the SEVIRI atmospheric correction as well as the aforementioned aerosol and cloud products with in situ measurements made from the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) aircraft platform during the CLARIFY-2017 campaign. Around Ascension Island, the column water vapour used to correct the SEVIRI signal is overestimated by 3.1 mm in the forecast compared to that measured by dropsondes. However, the evidence suggests that the accuracy of the atmospheric correction improves closer to the African coast. Consistency is observed between the SEVIRI above-cloud AOT and in situ measurements (from cavity ring-down spectroscopy instruments) when the measured single-scattering albedo is close to that assumed in the retrieval algorithm. On the other hand, the satellite retrieval overestimates the AOT when the assumed aerosol model is not absorbing enough. Consistency is also found between the cloud properties retrieved by SEVIRI and the CER measured by a cloud droplet probe and the liquid water path derived from a microwave radiometer. Despite the instrumental limitations of the geostationary satellite, the consistency obtained between SEVIRI, MODIS and the aircraft measurements demonstrates the ability of the retrieval in providing additional information on the temporal evolution of the aerosol properties above clouds.

absorbing aerosols↗
NASA NTRS1994

Analytical Design Package (ADP2): A computer aided engineering tool for aircraft transparency design

The Analytical Design Package (ADP2) is being developed as a part of the Air Force Frameless Transparency Program (FTP). ADP2 is an integrated design tool consisting of existing analysis codes and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software. The objective of the ADP2 is to develop and confirm an integrated design methodology for frameless transparencies, related aircraft interfaces, and their corresponding tooling. The application of this methodology will generate high confidence for achieving a qualified part prior to mold fabrication. ADP2 is a customized integration of analysis codes, CAE software, and material databases. The primary CAE integration tool for the ADP2 is P3/PATRAN, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software tool. The open architecture of P3/PATRAN allows customized installations with different applications modules for specific site requirements. Integration of material databases allows the engineer to select a material, and those material properties are automatically called into the relevant analysis code. The ADP2 materials database will be composed of four independent schemas: CAE Design, Processing, Testing, and Logistics Support. The design of ADP2 places major emphasis on the seamless integration of CAE and analysis modules with a single intuitive graphical interface. This tool is being designed to serve and be used by an entire project team, i.e., analysts, designers, materials experts, and managers. The final version of the software will be delivered to the Air Force in Jan. 1994. The Analytical Design Package (ADP2) will then be ready for transfer to industry. The package will be capable of a wide range of design and manufacturing applications.

Wuerer, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Optical Properties of Nanosatellite Hardware

Over the last decade, a number of very small satellites have been launched into space. These have been called nanosatellites (generally of a weight between 1 and 10 kg) or picosatellites (weight <1 kg). This also includes CubeSats, which are based on 10-cm cube units. With the addition of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) to the International Space Station (ISS), CubeSats are easily cycled through the JEM airlock and deployed into space (fig. 1). The number of CubeSats launched since 2003 was approaching 100 at the time of publication, and the authors expect this trend in research to continue, particularly for high school and college flight experiments. Because these spacecraft are so small, there is usually no allowance for shielding or active heating or cooling of the avionics and other hardware. Parts that are usually ignored in the thermal analysis of larger spacecraft may contribute significantly to the heat load of a tiny satellite. In addition, many small satellites have commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components. To reduce costs, many providers of COTS components do not include the optical and physical parameters necessary for accurate thermal analysis. Marshall Space Flight Center participated in the development and analysis of the Space Missile Defense Command-Operational Nanosatellite Effect (SMDC-ONE) and the Edison Demonstration of Smallsat Networks (EDSN) nanosatellites. These optical property measurements are documented here in hopes that they may benefit future nanosatellite and picosatellite programs and aid thermal analysis to ensure project goals are met, with the understanding that material properties may vary by vendor, batch, manufacturing process, and preflight handling. Where possible, complementary data are provided from ground simulations of the space environment and flight experiments, such as the Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) series. NASA gives no recommendation, endorsement, or preference, either expressed or implied, concerning materials and vendors used. Solar absorptance was calculated from spectral reflectance measurements made from 250 to 2,800 nm with an AZ Technology Laboratory Portable Spectroreflectometer (LPSR) model 300. ASTM E-903 was the test method used under normal laboratory conditions, and ASTM E-490 was the solar spectral irradiance data used to calculate solar absorptance. Most of the samples were flat, but stray light was minimized as much as possible with either a blackbody or black cloth as sample background. The LPSR has repeatability of approximately +/-1%, where solar absorptance is given as range, that is, from actual measurements taken across the sample. Infrared emittance measurements were made with an AZ Technology TEMP 2000A infrared reflectometer. This instrument measures the total hemispheric reflectance averaged over 3-35 micrometer wavelengths. ASTM E-408 was the test method used under normal laboratory conditions. 3 Stray light was minimized as much as possible. The TEMP 2000A has repeatability of approximately +/-0.5%, where infrared emittance is given as a range, that is, from actual measurements taken across the sample.

Finckenor, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Operation of a New Half-Bridge Gate Driver for Enhancement - Mode GaN FETs, Type LM5113, Over a Wide Temperature Range

A new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) gate driver designed to drive both the high-side and the low-side enhancement-mode GaN FETs, National Semiconductor's type LM5113, was evaluated for operation at temperatures beyond its recommended specified limits of -40 C to +125 C. The effects of limited thermal cycling under the extended test temperature, which ranged from -194 C to +150 C, on the operation of this chip as well as restart capability at the extreme cryogenic and hot temperatures were also investigated. The driver circuit was able to maintain good operation throughout the entire test regime between -194 C and +150 C without undergoing any major changes in its outputs signals and characteristics. The limited thermal cycling performed on the device also had no effect on its performance, and the driver chip was able to successfully restart at each of the extreme temperatures of -194 C and +150 C. The plastic packaging of this device was also not affected by either the short extreme temperature exposure or the limited thermal cycling. These preliminary results indicate that this new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) halfbridge eGaN FET driver integrated circuit has the potential for use in space exploration missions under extreme temperature environments. Further testing is planned under long-term cycling to assess the reliability of these parts and to determine their suitability for extended use in the harsh environments of space.

Patterson, Richard↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

rHealth One Demonstration Aboard ISS: A Microfluidic Bioanalyzer Based on Sheath/Hydrodynamic Focusing Flow Cytometry

The Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element aims to provide astronauts with the means for their own health monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment during exploration missions. As space flight ventures further from earth, the need for autonomous medical care increases under greater constraints on size, mass, and resources. One pillar for diagnosis that crew would be separated from is laboratory analysis. Even now on ISS, blood samples must be collected and returned to earth for testing. In response, ExMC is assessing how assays for hematology, bone health, radiation exposure etc. could be addressed through commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funded bioanalyzers that are miniaturizing lab technology. Since missions will reach distances where there are no timely replacements, validation on the International Space Station (ISS) is a necessary part of that assessment. In partnership with NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Immunology Lab and the Research Operations and Integration (ROI) element, ExMC conducted a technology demonstration on ISS of the rHEALTH ONE, a flow cytometry based bioanalyzer, to assess future devices based on this design. In flow cytometry, there are predominantly three ways to focus the cells (or particles) into a single file stream: hydrodynamic focusing, microcapillary, and acoustic focusing. The rHEALTH ONE utilizes the commercial standard, sheath-based hydrodynamic focusing. rHEALTH itself represents both a company and a suite of medical tools NASA has funded through SBIR grants towards the development of a promising diagnosis instrument for exploration missions. rHEALTH ONE is the interim version of the technology, functional as a benchtop analyzer and test bed for the next generation of rHEALTH in development. Several modifications were made to the rHEALTH ONE analyzer for operation in microgravity. For function, fluid management was key. A sheath-based analyzer uses sheath fluid to flow the sample, cleaning fluid to prevent biological contamination, and a reservoir to collect the liquid waste. The rHEALTH ONE analyzer uses bottles dependent on gravity to separate the air and liquid pathways and keep the liquids contained. It uses only 1 psig of air pressure to directly push the liquid through the device, requiring little-to-no resistance at inlet and outlet. A microtubing assembly with self-sealing luer connectors was designed – featuring 0.014 mm thick durable medical balloons to hold water inside the supply bottles – to create safe containment and easy access for the crew while maintaining the analyzer’s function. For safety, copper tape was added to the interior of the plastic housing to reduce electromagnetic interference, fluid and electrical connections were secured against vibration and leaks, and gaps were further sealed to ensure containment of the optical block and lasers. Water as the sheath and cleaning fluid and TOX 0 samples were used to reduce the biohazard risk to the crew. In May 2022, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti demonstrated the rHEALTH ONE aboard ISS for its sample loading, flow cytometry, and data collection capability in microgravity. The JSC Immunology Lab provided flow cytometry expertise, designed the sample test protocol, and manufactured and benchmarked the flight samples on a ‘gold-standard’ flow cytometer. The analyzer was primed with water, purged of air, and four calibration solutions of polystyrene microparticles were tested to characterize its performance. Tightly controlled procedures and excellent execution prevented air bubble interference during air/water separation, fluid transfer, sample mixing and loading. Data showed a slight increase in signal noise on 3 of 5 channels and an anomaly of fluorophores migrating in one sample (confirmed by JSC post-flight). Flight results correctly detected the change in sample, matched the analyzer’s ground performance, and were consistent with the gold-standard’s ground results. Although areas were noted for improvement, these outcomes signified complete mission success.

R. S. Miller↗
NASA NTRS2016

NEPP Roadmaps, COTS, and Small Missions

This presentation provides an overview of the NEPP Program as well as the current roadmap for NEPP tasks.

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program↗
NASA NTRS1997

Automated Test Systems for Toxic Vapor Detectors

The NASA Toxic Vapor Detection Laboratory (TVDL) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, has been using Personal Computer based Data Acquisition and Control Systems (PCDAS) for about nine years. These systems control the generation of toxic vapors of known concentrations under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity. The PCDAS also logs the test conditions and the test article responses in data files for analysis by standard spreadsheets or custom programs. The PCDAS was originally developed to perform standardized qualification and acceptance tests in a search for a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) toxic vapor detector to replace the hydrazine detectors for the Space Shuttle launch pad. It has since become standard test equipment for the TVDL and is indispensable in producing calibration standards for the new hydrazine monitors at the 10 part per billion (ppb) level. The standard TVDL PCDAS can control two toxic vapor generators (TVG's) with three channels each and two flow/temperature/humidity (FIFH) controllers and it can record data from up to six toxic vapor detectors (TVD's) under test and can deliver flows from 5 to 50 liters per minute (L/m) at temperatures from near zero to 50 degrees Celsius (C) using an environmental chamber to maintain the sample temperature. The concentration range for toxic vapors depends on the permeation source installed in the TVG. The PCDAS can provide closed loop control of temperature and humidity to two sample vessels, typically one for zero gas and one for the standard gas. This is required at very low toxic vapor concentrations to minimize the time required to passivate the sample delivery system. Recently, there have been several requests for information about the PCDAS by other laboratories with similar needs, both on and off KSC. The purpose of this paper is to inform the toxic vapor detection community of the current status and planned upgrades to the automated testing of toxic vapor detectors at the Kennedy Space Center.

Mattson, C. B.↗