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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 NTRS1987

Aerosol optical depth and planetary Albedo in the visible from the Solar Mesosphere Explorer

The Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) satellite has observed the visible sunlight scattered at the earth's limb since early 1982. By using a radiative-transfer model including multiple scattering and albedo effects, observations at 20 deg N latitude have been interpreted in terms of aerosol optical depth. The ratio of aerosol extinction to Rayleigh extinction at 431.8 nm shows a large increase after the eruption of El Chichon. A maximum ratio of 5 at 36 km and larger than 11 at 30 km occurred in the summer of 1982 followed by a decrease through 1983 and 1984. Aspects of the aerosol time evolution appear to be consistent with other observations and model predictions. Quantitative differences exist between inferred SME and lidar extinction coefficients, possibly due to the different wavelengths of the measurements and to the different scattering phase functions used in the two analyses. It is also shown that visible limb radiances provide information on the planetary albedo, which shows an increase from the equator to the poles with a maximum in the winter hemisphere and a minimum in the summer hemisphere.

Naudet, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Experiment M406, optical communications

An optical communications system, consisting of a gallium arsenide laser transmitter and three instrumented ground sites, was evaluated during the Gemini 7 flight. Considered was the use of crewmembers as a pointing element and the exploration of the atmosphere by optical coherent radiator outside the atmosphere. Results show that beacon lasers of greater survivability in field environments are needed to overcome unfavorable cloud conditions. A 1-watt argon laser is visible at orbital altitudes.

Lilly, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Herbig Ae/Be stars - Intermediate-mass stars surrounded by massive circumstellar accretion disks

The proposition that Herbig Ae/Be stars are young intermediate mass stars surrounded by optically thick accretion disks is explored. From a study of 47 such objects, a subset of 30 stars is identified whose spectral energy distributions can be interpreted convincingly in terms of pre-main sequence stars surrounded by massive optically thick circumstellar accretion disks. Constraints on the physical properties of the disks, such as size, mass, accretion rate, lifetime, and radial structure are derived from the photometric data.

Hillenbrand, Lynne A.↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Day in the Life of the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Project.

This presentation provides an overview of the planned concept of operations for the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Project (LCRD), a joint project among NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MITLL). LCRD will provide at least two years of bi-directional optical communications at user data rates of up to 1.244 Gbps in an operational environment. The project lays the ground work for establishing communications architecture and protocols, and developing the communications hardware and support infrastructure, concluding in a demonstration of optical communications potential to meet NASAs growing need for higher data rates for future science and exploration missions. A pair of flight optical communications terminals will reside on a single commercial communications satellite in geostationary orbit; the two ground optical communications terminals will be located in Southern California and Hawaii. This paper summarizes the current LCRD architecture and key systems for the demonstration, focusing on what it will take to operate an optical communications relay that can support space-to-space, space-to-air, and space-to-ground optical links.

Optical↗
NASA NTRS1996

Exploration an the Search for Origins: A Vision for Ultraviolet-Optical-Infrared Space Astronomy

Public support and enthusiasm for astronomy have been strong in the final decades of the twentieth century. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than with the Hubble Space Telescope (HCT), a grand endeavor, which is enabling astronomers to make giant strides in understanding our universe, our place in it, and our relation to it. The NASAs first infrared observatory, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), promises to take the crucial next steps towards understanding the formation of stars and galaxies. Toward their completion, the HST and Beyond Committee identifies major goals, whose accomplishment will justify a commitment well into the next century: (1) the detailed study of the birth and evolution of normal galaxies such as the Milky Way; (2) the detection of Earth-like planets around other stars and the search for evidence of life on them; (3) NASA should develop a space observatory of aperture 4m or larger, optimized for imaging and spectroscopy over the wavelength range 1-5 microns; and (4) NASA should develop the capability for space interferometry.

Dressler, Alan↗
NASA NTRS1992

Optical distributed sensors for feedback control: Characterization of photorefractive resonator

The aim of the project was to explore, define, and assess the possibilities of optical distributed sensing for feedback control. This type of sensor, which may have some impacts in the dynamic control of deformable structures and the monitoring of small displacements, can be divided into data acquisition, data processing, and control design. Analogue optical techniques, because they are noninvasive and afford massive parallelism may play a significant role in the acquisition and the preprocessing of the data for such a sensor. Assessing these possibilities was the aim of the first stage of this project. The scope of the proposed research was limited to: (1) the characterization of photorefractive resonators and the assessment of their possible use as a distributed optical processing element; and (2) the design of a control system utilizing signals from distributed sensors. The results include a numerical and experimental study of the resonator below threshold, an experimental study of the effect of the resonator's transverse confinement on its dynamics above threshold, a numerical study of the resonator above threshold using a modal expansion approach, and the experimental test of this model. A detailed account of each investigation, including methodology and analysis of the results are also included along with reprints of published and submitted papers.

Indebetouw, Guy↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Day in the Life of the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Project

This paper provides an overview of the planned concept of operations for the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Project (LCRD), a joint project among NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL). LCRD will provide at least two years of bi-directional optical communications at user data rates of up to 1.244 Gbps in an operational environment. The project lays the groundwork for establishing communications architecture and protocols, and developing the communications hardware and support infrastructure, concluding in a demonstration of optical communications' potential to meet NASA's growing need for higher data rates for future science and exploration missions. A pair of flight optical communications terminals will reside on a single commercial communications satellite in geostationary orbit; the two ground optical communications terminals will be located in Southern California and Hawaii. This paper summarizes the current LCRD architecture and key systems for the demonstration, focusing on what it will take to operate an optical communications relay that can support space-to-space, space-to-air, and space-to-ground optical links.

Communications↗
NASA NTRS1996

Remote Sensing Applied to Geology (Latest Citations from the Aerospace Database)

The bibliography contains citations concerning the use of remote sensing in geological resource exploration. Technologies discussed include thermal, optical, photographic, and electronic imaging using ground-based, aerial, and satellite-borne devices. Analog and digital techniques to locate, classify, and assess geophysical features, structures, and resources are also covered. Application of remote sensing to petroleum and minerals exploration is treated in a separate bibliography. (Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

BIBLIOGRAPHIES↗
NASA NTRS2021

Baseline Optical Design for an Integrated Radio and Optical Communication System

This document outlines the baseline optical design for an Integrated Radio and Optical communication (iROC) system, specifically the version labeled in-house as Lunar R1.2a. The version number corresponds to the particular design iteration, including major and minor changes that have been made throughout the design process. The catadioptric design is based on a reflective Cassegrain telescope configuration united with refractive tertiary components in order to approach a diffraction limited, laser beam expander communication transmitter. The configuration presented is intended to be used as an optical transmitter only. Optical design parameters, far-field beam propagations, optical component sensitivity studies, and design explorations are included to provide a high-level understanding of the beam expander’s basic design requirements and optical performance.

optics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SuperHERO (Super - High Energy Replicated Optics) Balloon Mission Concept

The SuperHERO hard-x-ray telescope is a proposed high-angular resolution successor to Marshall Space Flight Center’s (MSFC) successful High Energy Replicated Optic (HERO) and the HERO to Explore the Sun (HEROES) balloon missions. By utilizing recent advancements in MSFC’s replicated full shell, NiCo x-ray optic technology, SuperHERO will achieve its technical goal of demonstrating better than 10 arcseconds (arcsecs) angular resolution in half-power diameter (HPD) on a balloon platform. This represents a 6-fold improvement to the current state-of-the-art resolution for hard-x-ray, astrophysical telescopes and will allow for the observation of the high-energy-universe in unprecedented spatial detail. The SuperHERO balloon observatory will consist of seven coaligned, identical telescopes with a total focal length of 12-meters. Each telescope will pair a Mirror Module Assembly (MMA) comprised of NiCo shell optics matched to a CdTe Double-sided Strip Detector (CdTe-DSD) plane provided by iMAGINE-X Inc. and Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli-IPMU). Iridium coating applied directly to each shell will boost reflectivity into the hard-x-ray regime. Employing additional high-heritage technology, SuperHERO will have an open-truss carbon-composite gondola similarly used on the XL-Calibur balloon mission and will use the Wallops Arc-Second Pointer (WASP) system for attitude control

NickThomas↗
NASA NTRS1992

Water Sensors

Mike Morris, former Associate Director of STAC, formed pHish Doctor, Inc. to develop and sell a pH monitor for home aquariums. The monitor, or pHish Doctor, consists of a sensor strip and color chart that continually measures pH levels in an aquarium. This is important because when the level gets too high, ammonia excreted by fish is highly toxic; at low pH, bacteria that normally break down waste products stop functioning. Sales have run into the tens of thousands of dollars. A NASA Tech Brief Technical Support Package later led to a salt water version of the system and a DoE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for development of a sensor for sea buoys. The company, now known as Ocean Optics, Inc., is currently studying the effects of carbon dioxide buildup as well as exploring other commercial applications for the fiber optic sensor.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cryogenic optical systems and instruments; Proceedings of the Meeting, San Diego, CA, August 23, 24, 1984

Systems considerations for the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) are discussed, taking into account SIRTF telescope engineering and trade studies, implications of orbital inclination for SIRTF design and operations, the approaching of the natural background limit with the SIRTF, a long life feasibility study for SIRTF, and the impact of chopping on image quality in the SIRTF telescope. Cryogenic systems and coolers for space missions are considered, giving attention to the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) hardware flight performance, the design of the superfluid helium dewar for the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), Infrared Telescope (IRT) system cryogenic performance, the solidification of a cryogen by pumping, the production of superfluid helium using a Joule-Thomson Expander, and open cycle He-3 cooling to 0.18 K for space operation. Other topics explored are related to cryogenic optical instruments, facilities, and components, and to supporting technology for cryogenic infrared telescopes in space.

Melugin, R. K.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Envisioned Future for Space Optical Communications

Since the beginning of the Space Age, NASA has been a leader in developing space communications and navigation technologies— especially during the Apollo missions to the Moon and NASA’s initial foray into deep space. To support future exploration and science needs, NASA is gradually introducing optical communications technologies to augment its radio frequency (RF) systems. Optical communications will enable new science and exploration missions by providing high data rates and better navigation over long distances. NASA has already flown several optical communications demonstrations, including the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD), the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), and the Terabyte Infrared Delivery (TBIRD) system. Historically, NASA has partnered with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) to develop optical communications technology. In addition to pursuing optical communications, NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program is undergoing a paradigm shift and moving away from government owned and operated networks to using commercial services whenever possible. In partnership with SCaN, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) has identified key technologies that need to be developed to support future space communications and navigation, including enhanced RF, optical, and 3rd Generation Partnership (3GPP) cellular capabilities, as well as high-speed networking. This paper briefly describes some current and upcoming optical demonstrations and provides an overview of STMD’s envisioned future for optical communications and navigation in the 2030+ timeframe.

Bernard L Edwards↗
NASA NTRS1990

Diffraction image formation in optical systems with polarization aberrations. I - Formulation and example

This paper is the first in a series that will examine image formation in optical systems with polarization aberrations. The present paper derives the point-spread function (PSF) and the optical transfer function for optical systems with polarization aberration and explores how image formation depends on the coherence and polarization state of the source. It is shown that the scalar PSF of Fourier optics can be generalized in the presence of polarization aberration to a 4 x 4 point-spread matrix (PSM) in Mueller matrix notation. A similar 4 x 4 optical transfer matrix (OTM) is shown to be an appropriate generalization of the optical transfer function. The PSM and the OTM are associated with the optical system and are independent of the incident polarization state but dependent on the coherence of the illumination. Since an optical system with polarization aberrations will have a different PSF and optical transfer function for different incident polarization states, the PSM and the OTM act as filters with regard to the incident polarization state. Example calculations are performed for a circularly retarding lens.

Mcguire, James P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Optical Communications Systems for NASA's Human Space Flight Missions

The Laser-Enhanced Mission Communications Navigation and Operational Services (LEMNOS) office at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) manages two NASA optical communication related projects, the Orion EM-2 Optical Communications Terminal (O2O) and the Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) projects. The main goal of LEMNOS is the advancement and implementation of optical communications systems and technologies for NASA missions. The O2O mission is sponsored by NASA's Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate. The O2O project will provide optical communications capability to the Orion series of spacecraft, starting with the demonstration of operational utility on EM-2. It will be the first time a human exploration mission will rely on optical communications for its high-bandwidth link. ILLUMA-T is sponsored by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program Office. It is destined for the International Space Station (ISS) as an external payload attached to the Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility (JEM-EF). The ILLUMA-T project is developing an optical communications user terminal to demonstrate high bandwidth data transfer between LEO and the ground through the geosynchronous LCRD relay. ILLUMA-T will be the first demonstration of a LEO user of the LCRD system, pointing and tracking from a moving spacecraft at LEO to GEO satellite and vice versa, end-to-end operational utility of optical communications, and 51 Mbps forward link to ISS from ground. Both projects are collaborations between GSFC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology â€" Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL), and a number of contractors.

Lasercom↗
NASA NTRS2018

Optical Communications Systems for NASA's Human Space Flight Missions

The Laser-Enhanced Mission Communications Navigation and Operational Services (LEMNOS) office at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) manages two NASA optical communication related projects, the Orion EM-2 Optical Communications Terminal (O2O) and the Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) projects. The main goal of LEMNOS is the advancement and implementation of optical communications systems and technologies for NASA missions. The O2O mission is sponsored by NASA's Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate. The O2O project will provide optical communications capability to the Orion series of spacecraft, starting with the demonstration of operational utility on EM-2. It will be the first time a human exploration mission will rely on optical communications for its high-bandwidth link. ILLUMA-T is sponsored by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program Office. It is destined for the International Space Station (ISS) as an external payload attached to the Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility (JEM-EF). The ILLUMA-T project is developing an optical communications user terminal to demonstrate high bandwidth data transfer between LEO and the ground through the geosynchronous LCRD relay. ILLUMA-T will be the first demonstration of a LEO user of the LCRD system, pointing and tracking from a moving spacecraft at LEO to GEO satellite and vice versa, end-to-end operational utility of optical communications, and 51 Mbps forward link to ISS from ground. Both projects are collaborations between GSFC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL), and a number of contractors.

Laser Communications↗
NASA NTRS2001

Ultra-Light Precision Membrane Optics

SRS Technologies and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center have conducted a research effort to explore the possibility of developing ultra-lightweight membrane optics for future imaging applications. High precision optical flats and spherical mirrors were produced under this research effort. The thin film mirrors were manufactured using surface replication casting of CPI(Trademark), a polyimide material developed specifically for UV hardness and thermal stability. In the course of this program, numerous polyimide films were cast with surface finishes better than 1.5 nanometers rms and thickness variation of less than 63 nanometers. Precision membrane optical flats were manufactured demonstrating better than 1/13 wave figure error when measured at 633 nanometers. The aerial density of these films is 0.037 kilograms per square meter. Several 0.5-meter spherical mirrors were also manufactured. These mirrors had excellent surface finish (1.5 nanometers rms) and figure error on the order of tens of microns. This places their figure error within the demonstrated correctability of advanced wavefront correction technologies such as real time holography.

Moore, Jim↗
NASA NTRS1989

Telecommunications and navigation systems design for manned Mars exploration missions

This paper discusses typical manned Mars exploration needs for telecommunications, including preliminary navigation support functions. It is a brief progress report on an ongoing study program within the current NASA JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) activities. A typical Mars exploration case is defined, and support approaches comparing microwave and optical frequency performance for both local in situ and Mars-earth links are described. Optical telecommunication and navigation technology development opportunities in a Mars exploration program are also identified. A local Mars system telecommunication relay and navigation capability for service support of all Mars missions has been proposed as part of an overall solar system communications network. The effects of light-time delay and occultations on real-time mission decision-making are discussed; the availability of increased local mass data storage may be more important than increasing peak data rates to earth. The long-term frequency use plan will most likely include a mix of microwave, millimeter-wave and optical link capabilities to meet a variety of deep space mission needs.

Hall, Justin R.↗