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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Instrumentation for controlling and monitoring environmental control and life support systems

Advanced Instrumentation concepts for improving performance of manned spacecraft Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (EC/LSS) have been developed at Life Systems, Inc. The difference in specific EC/LSS instrumentation requirements and hardware during the transition from exploratory development to flight production stages are discussed. Details of prior control and monitor instrumentation designs are reviewed and an advanced design presented. The latter features a minicomputer-based approach having the flexibility to meet process hardware test programs and the capability to be refined to include the control dynamics and fault diagnostics needed in future flight systems where long duration, reliable operation requires in-flight hardware maintenance. The emphasis is on lower EC/LSS hardware life cycle costs by simplicity in instrumentation and using it to save crew time during flight operation.

Yang, P. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1981

ROLM computers in the flight testing of the Fokker F29 aircraft

The design, development, installation, and operation of the test equipment (MRVS) is discussed. The main feature of the MRVS is continuous recording on an instrumentation recorder data of up to 1500 parameters with a total sample rate of up to 10,000 samples per second. In order to compress the evaluation and calibration time period, the following additional requirements were set for two test systems: (1) recording of selected parameters, time tagged on computer compatible tape (CCT); (2) recording of selected high bandwidth signals and ad hoc parameters on analog tape; (3) onboard presentation of calibrated parameter data, in engineering units, in numerical as well as graphical form for: system checkout during pre-, in- and post-flight, and quick look analysis during in-flight; (4) real time presentation on the ground by telemetry for: flight monitoring, takeoff and landing measurements, and noise measurements; and (5) data processing on the ground on the Fokker-NLR computer network.

Manders, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

In-flight testing of the space shuttle orbiter thermal control system

In-flight thermal control system testing of a complex manned spacecraft such as the space shuttle orbiter and the considerations attendant to the definition of the tests are described. Design concerns, design mission requirements, flight test objectives, crew vehicle and mission risk considerations, instrumentation, data requirements, and real-time mission monitoring are discussed. An overview of the tests results is presented.

Taylor, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Knowledge based and interactive control for the Superfluid Helium On-orbit Transfer Project

NASA's Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer (SHOOT) project is a Shuttle-based experiment designed to acquire data on the properties of superfluid helium in micro-gravity. Aft Flight Deck Computer Software for the SHOOT experiment is comprised of several monitoring programs which give the astronaut crew visibility into SHOOT systems and a rule based system which will provide process control, diagnosis and error recovery for a helium transfer without ground intervention. Given present Shuttle manifests, this software will become the first expert system to be used in space. The SHOOT Command and Monitoring System (CMS) software will provide a near real time highly interactive interface for the SHOOT principal investigator to control the experiment and to analyze and display its telemetry. The CMS software is targeted for all phases of the SHOOT project: hardware development, pre-flight pad servicing, in-flight operations, and post-flight data analysis.

Castellano, Timothy P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Operation and performance of the Ciba-Corning 512 coagulation monitor during parabolic flight

The goal was to assess the functionality and evaluate the procedures and operations required to operate the Ciba-Corning 512 Coagulation Monitor during parabolic flight. This monitor determines the clotting characteristics of blood. The analyzer operates by laser detection of the cessation of blood flow in a capillary channel within a test cartridge. Test simulator results were excellent for both pre-and post-flight. In-flight results were not obtained due to the warm-up time required for the simulator. Since this is an electronic function only, the expected results on the simulator would be the same in zero-g.

Gocke, Robyn↗
NASA NTRS1985

An operational ASDAR system

The story of the Aircraft to Satellite Data Relay (ASDAR) program began when airline meteorologists realized that B-747's and other commercial jets provided cockpit displays of digital values for outside air temperature and winds. Later, when a few B-747's were used to carry portable air quality monitoring equipment for the Global Air Sampling Program (GASP), scientists at NASA-Lewis explored ways in which these digital values could be used to label data collected during the GASP flights. Digital values of GASP analyses were recorded along with digital values of location and altitude, time, winds, and temperature, obtained by microprocessors from within the host aircraft's avionics. These data suggested a way in which manually recorded in-flight meteorological reports could be replaced by an automatic system, which could record winds and air temperatures as often as desired. NASA's prototype ASDAR showed that automated data relay by meteorological geostationary satellites could be accomplished from an aircraft. Testing of the instruments and analyses of its data are examined.

Sparkman, James K., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Use of telescience for biomedical research during space flight

When the U.S. first embarked on a manned space flight program, NASA's use of medical telescience was focused on crew health monitoring. In recent years, medical telescience use has been expanded to include support of basic research in space medicine. It enables ground support personnel to assist on-board crews in the performance of experiments and improves the quality and quantity of data return. NASA is continuing to develop its telescience capabilities. Future plans include telemedicine that will enable physicians on Earth to support crewmembers during flight and telescience that will enable investigators at their home institutions to support and conduct in-flight medical research. NASA's use of telescience for crew safety and biomedical research from Project Mercury to the present is described and NASA's plans for the future are presented.

Huntoon, Carolyn L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Portable Dynamic Fundus Instrument: Uses in telemedicine and research

For years ophthalmic photographs have been used to track the progression of many ocular diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma as well as the ocular manifestations of diabetes, hypertension, and hypoxia. In 1987 a project was initiated at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to develop a means of monitoring retinal vascular caliber and intracranial pressure during space flight. To conduct telemedicine during space flight operations, retinal images would require real-time transmissions from space. Film-based images would not be useful during in-flight operations. Video technology is beneficial in flight because the images may be acquired, recorded, and transmitted to the ground for rapid computer digital image processing and analysis. The computer analysis techniques developed for this project detected vessel caliber changes as small as 3 percent. In the field of telemedicine, the Portable Dynamic Fundus Instrument demonstrates the concept and utility of a small, self-contained video funduscope. It was used to record retinal images during the Gulf War and to transmit retinal images from the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-50. There are plans to utilize this device to provide a mobile ophthalmic screening service in rural Texas. In the fall of 1993 a medical team in Boulder, Colorado, will transmit real-time images of the retina during remote consultation and diagnosis. The research applications of this device include the capability of operating in remote locations or small, confined test areas. There has been interest shown utilizing retinal imaging during high-G centrifuge tests, high-altitude chamber tests, and aircraft flight tests. A new design plan has been developed to incorporate the video instrumentation into face-mounted goggle. This design would eliminate head restraint devices, thus allowing full maneuverability to the subjects. Further development of software programs will broaden the application of the Portable Dynamic Fundus Instrument in telemedicine and medical research.

Hunter, Norwood↗
NASA NTRS1994

Crew factors in flight operations 2: Psychophysiological responses to short-haul air transport operations

Seventy-four pilots were monitored before, during, and after 3- or 4-day commercial short-haul trip patterns. The trips studied averaged 10.6 hr of duty per day with 4.5 hr of flight time and 5.5 flight segments. The mean rest period lasted 12.5 hr and occurred progressively earlier across successive days. On trip nights, subjects took longer to fall asleep, slept less, woke earlier, and reported lighter, poorer sleep with more awakenings than on pretrip nights. During layovers, subjective fatigue and negative affect were higher, and positive affect and activation lower, than during pretrip, in-flight, or posttrip. Pilots consumed more caffeine, alcohol, and snacks on trip days than either pretrip or posttrip. Increases in heart rate over mid-cruise were observed during descent and landing, and were greater for the pilot flying. Heart-rate increases were greater during takeoff and descent under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) than under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The following would be expected to reduce fatigue in short-haul operations: regulating duty hours, as well as flight hours; scheduling rest periods to begin at the same time of day, or progressively later, across the days of a trip; and educating pilots about alternatives to alcohol as a means of relaxing before sleep.

Gander, Philippa H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Investigation of wing upper surface flow-field disturbance due to NASA DC-8-72 in-flight inboard thrust-reverser deployment

An investigation of the wing upper surface flow-field disturbance due to in-flight inboard thrust reverser deployment on the NASA DC-8-72, which was conducted cooperatively by NASA Ames, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), McDonnell Douglas, and the Aerospace Industry Association (AIA), is outlined and discussed in detail. The purpose of this flight test was to obtain tufted flow visualization data which demonstrates the effect of thrust reverser deployment on the wing upper surface flow field to determine if the disturbed flow regions could be modeled by computational methods. A total of six symmetric thrust reversals of the two inboard engines were performed to monitor tuft and flow cone patterns as well as the character of their movement at the nominal Mach numbers of 0.55, 0.70, and 0.85. The tufts and flow cones were photographed and video-taped to determine the type of flow field that occurs with and without the thrust reversers deployed. In addition, the normal NASA DC-8 onboard Data Acquisition Distribution System (DADS) was used to synchronize the cameras. Results of this flight test will be presented in two parts. First, three distinct flow patterns associated with the above Mach numbers were sketched from the motion videos and discussed in detail. Second, other relevant aircraft parameters, such as aircraft's angular orientation, altitude, Mach number, and vertical descent, are discussed. The flight test participants' comments were recorded on the videos and the interested reader is referred to the video supplement section of this report for that information.

Hamid, Hedayat U.↗
NASA NTRS2001

A Low Cost GPS System for Real-Time Tracking of Sounding Rockets

This paper describes the development as well as the on-ground and the in-flight evaluation of a low cost Global Positioning System (GPS) system for real-time tracking of sounding rockets. The flight unit comprises a modified ORION GPS receiver and a newly designed switchable antenna system composed of a helical antenna in the rocket tip and a dual-blade antenna combination attached to the body of the service module. Aside from the flight hardware a PC based terminal program has been developed to monitor the GPS data and graphically displays the rocket's path during the flight. In addition an Instantaneous Impact Point (IIP) prediction is performed based on the received position and velocity information. In preparation for ESA's Maxus-4 mission, a sounding rocket test flight was carried out at Esrange, Kiruna, on 19 Feb. 2001 to validate existing ground facilities and range safety installations. Due to the absence of a dedicated scientific payload, the flight offered the opportunity to test multiple GPS receivers and assess their performance for the tracking of sounding rockets. In addition to the ORION receiver, an Ashtech G12 HDMA receiver and a BAE (Canadian Marconi) Allstar receiver, both connected to a wrap-around antenna, have been flown on the same rocket as part of an independent experiment provided by the Goddard Space Flight Center. This allows an in-depth verification and trade-off of different receiver and antenna concepts.

Markgraf, M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

A High-Precision, Fast-Response Airborne CO2 Analyzer for In Situ Sampling From the Surface to the Middle Stratosphere

Two in situ CO2 analyzers have been developed for deployment on the NASA ER-2 aircraft and on stratospheric balloons. The ER-2 instrument has had more than 150 flights during 21 deployments from 1992 to 2000, resulting in a dataset with nearly pole-to-pole coverage that includes data from all seasons in both hemispheres except austral summer. In-flight calibrations show that the typical long-term (i.e. flight-to-flight) precision of the instruments is better than plus or minus 0.1 ppmv. The flight standards are traceable to standards held by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory. The balloon instrument has had 8 balloon flights since September 1996, providing the first in situ observations of CO2 above approx. 21 km. In addition, the balloon instrument has been flown onboard a Cessna Citation II aircraft for sampling between the surface and 10 km. In this paper, the instrumentation and calibration procedures for both instruments are described in detail. An intercomparison of the two instruments during the Photochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer (POLARIS) project showed that, on average, the instruments agreed to within 0.05 ppmv.

Daube, B. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Flight Evaluation of the Army/NASA Variable Stability Fly-by-Wire Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concept Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) JUH-60A

NASA Ames Research Center and the U.S. Army Aeroflight dynamics Directorate (AFDD) have performed initial flight evaluations of the Research Flight Control System (RFCS) integrated into the Army/NASA Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) JUH-GOA. The highly modified JUH-GOA Black Hawk helicopter is a full authority, high bandwidth, variable stability, in-flight simulator designed to support development of advanced flight control, sensor, and integrated display and control technologies in a fail safe environment. Preparation for flight test required an extensive hazard analysis and ground testing to ensure proper system operation. A hardware in the loop development facility was utilized to evaluate control law stability following software changes, assess servo hardover upset conditions during manual and monitor disengagements and provide pilot familiarization of test techniques and software changes prior to flight. First engagement of the RFCS was conducted on 31 Aug 2001. RFCS transfer system operation, envelope expansion and a limited rate monitor evaluation have been completed with low bandwidth and model following control laws. The presentation will discuss the following - System overview including aircraft modifications and integrated development facilities used with the RASCAL facility. - Preliminary hazard identification and mitigation prior to flight test. - Ground testing used to qualify the RFCS transfer system and verify fault monitor operation. - Flight test results of low-bandwidth and model following control law evaluations including maneuver agility, control limitations, fault monitor reliability, and recovery from manual and monitor disengagement. - Lessons learned including test techniques using a passive three-axis sidearm controller, the value of the development facility in reducing risk and crew coordination issues related to the operation of a full authority, variable stability platform. - Future research and modifications planned for the RASCAL aircraft.

Dave Arterburn↗
NASA NTRS2004

Context-Aware Intelligent Assistant Approach to Improving Pilot's Situational Awareness

Faulty decision making due to inaccurate or incomplete awareness of the situation tends to be the prevailing cause of fatal general aviation accidents. Of these accidents, loss of weather situational awareness accounts for the largest number of fatalities. We describe a method for improving weather situational awareness through the support of a contextaware,domain and task knowledgeable, personalized and adaptive assistant. The assistant automatically monitors weather reports for the pilot's route of flight and warns her of detected anomalies. When and how warnings are issued is determined by phase of flight, the pilot s definition of acceptable weather conditions, and the pilot's preferences for automatic notification. In addition to automatic warnings, the pilot is able to verbally query for weather and airport information. By noting the requests she makes during the approach phase of flight, our system learns to provide the information without explicit requests on subsequent flights with similar conditions. We show that our weather assistant decreases the effort required to maintain situational awareness by more than 5.5 times when compared to the conventional method of in-flight weather briefings.

Spirkovska, Lilly↗
NASA NTRS1999

Energy expenditure and balance during spaceflight on the space shuttle

The objectives of this study were as follows: 1) to measure human energy expenditure (EE) during spaceflight on a shuttle mission by using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method; 2) to determine whether the astronauts were in negative energy balance during spaceflight; 3) to use the comparison of change in body fat as measured by the intake DLW EE, 18O dilution, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to validate the DLW method for spaceflight; and 4) to compare EE during spaceflight against that found with bed rest. Two experiments were conducted: a flight experiment (n = 4) on the 16-day 1996 life and microgravity sciences shuttle mission and a 6 degrees head-down tilt bed rest study with controlled dietary intake (n = 8). The bed rest study was designed to simulate the flight experiment and included exercise. Two EE determinations were done before flight (bed rest), during flight (bed rest), and after flight (recovery). Energy intake and N balance were monitored for the entire period. Results were that body weight, water, fat, and energy balance were unchanged with bed rest. For the flight experiment, decreases in weight (2.6 +/- 0.4 kg, P < 0.05) and N retention (-2. 37 +/- 0.45 g N/day, P < 0.05) were found. Dietary intake for the four astronauts was reduced in flight (3,025 +/- 180 vs. 1,943 +/- 179 kcal/day, P < 0.05). EE in flight was 3,320 +/- 155 kcal/day, resulting in a negative energy balance of 1,355 +/- 80 kcal/day (-15. 7 +/- 1.0 kcal. kg-1. day-1, P < 0.05). This corresponded to a loss of 2.1 +/- 0.4 kg body fat, which was within experimental error of the fat loss determined by 18O dilution (-1.4 +/- 0.5 kg) and DEXA (-2.4 +/- 0.4 kg). All three methods showed no change in body fat with bed rest. In conclusion, 1) the DLW method for measuring EE during spaceflight is valid, 2) the astronauts were in severe negative energy balance and oxidized body fat, and 3) in-flight energy (E) requirements can be predicted from the equation: E = 1.40 x resting metabolic rate + exercise.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2005

Optical Air Flow Measurements for Flight Tests and Flight Testing Optical Air Flow Meters

Optical air flow measurements can support the testing of aircraft and can be instrumental to in-flight investigations of the atmosphere or atmospheric phenomena. Furthermore, optical air flow meters potentially contribute as avionics systems to flight safety and as air data systems. The qualification of these instruments for the flight environment is where we encounter the systems in flight testing. An overview is presented of different optical air flow measurement techniques applied in flight and what can be achieved with the techniques for flight test purposes is reviewed. All in-flight optical airflow velocity measurements use light scattering. Light is scattered on both air molecules and aerosols entrained in the air. Basic principles of making optical measurements in flight, some basic optical concepts, electronic concepts, optoelectronic interfaces, and some atmospheric processes associated with natural aerosols are reviewed. Safety aspects in applying the technique are shortly addressed. The different applications of the technique are listed and some typical examples are presented. Recently NASA acquired new data on mountain rotors, mountain induced turbulence, with the ACLAIM system. Rotor position was identified using the lidar system and the potentially hazardous air flow profile was monitored by the ACLAIM system.

Jentink, Henk W.↗
NASA NTRS2005

In-flight Fault Detection and Isolation in Aircraft Flight Control Systems

In this paper we consider the problem of test design for real-time fault detection and isolation (FDI) in the flight control system of fixed-wing aircraft. We focus on the faults that are manifested in the control surface elements (e.g., aileron, elevator, rudder and stabilizer) of an aircraft. For demonstration purposes, we restrict our focus on the faults belonging to nine basic fault classes. The diagnostic tests are performed on the features extracted from fifty monitored system parameters. The proposed tests are able to uniquely isolate each of the faults at almost all severity levels. A neural network-based flight control simulator, FLTZ(Registered TradeMark), is used for the simulation of various faults in fixed-wing aircraft flight control systems for the purpose of FDI.

Azam, Mohammad↗
NASA NTRS1999

In-flight adaptive performance optimization (APO) control using redundant control effectors of an aircraft

Practical application of real-time (or near real-time) Adaptive Performance Optimization (APO) is provided for a transport aircraft in steady climb, cruise, turn descent or other flight conditions based on measurements and calculations of incremental drag from a forced response maneuver of one or more redundant control effectors defined as those in excess of the minimum set of control effectors required to maintain the steady flight condition in progress. The method comprises the steps of applying excitation in a raised-cosine form over an interval of from 100 to 500 sec. at the rate of 1 to 10 sets/sec of excitation, and data for analysis is gathered in sets of measurements made during the excitation to calculate lift and drag coefficients C.sub.L and C.sub.D from two equations, one for each coefficient. A third equation is an expansion of C.sub.D as a function of parasitic drag, induced drag, Mach and altitude drag effects, and control effector drag, and assumes a quadratic variation of drag with positions .delta..sub.i of redundant control effectors i=1 to n. The third equation is then solved for .delta..sub.iopt the optimal position of redundant control effector i, which is then used to set the control effector i for optimum performance during the remainder of said steady flight or until monitored flight conditions change by some predetermined amount as determined automatically or a predetermined minimum flight time has elapsed.

Gilyard, Glenn B.↗