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At least 163 records · Page 9

Modeling the vestibulo-ocular reflex of the squirrel monkey during eccentric rotation and roll tilt

Model simulations of the squirrel monkey vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) are presented for two motion paradigms: constant velocity eccentric rotation and roll tilt about a naso-occipital axis. The model represents the implementation of three hypotheses: the "internal model" hypothesis, the "gravito-inertial force (GIF) resolution" hypothesis, and the "compensatory VOR" hypothesis. The internal model hypothesis is based on the idea that the nervous system knows the dynamics of the sensory systems and implements this knowledge as an internal dynamic model. The GIF resolution hypothesis is based on the idea that the nervous system knows that gravity minus linear acceleration equals GIF and implements this knowledge by resolving the otolith measurement of GIF into central estimates of gravity and linear acceleration, such that the central estimate of gravity minus the central estimate of acceleration equals the otolith measurement of GIF. The compensatory VOR hypothesis is based on the idea that the VOR compensates for the central estimates of angular velocity and linear velocity, which sum in a near-linear manner. During constant velocity eccentric rotation, the model correctly predicts that: (1) the peak horizontal response is greater while "facing-motion" than with "back-to-motion"; (2) the axis of eye rotation shifts toward alignment with GIF; and (3) a continuous vertical response, slow phase downward, exists prior to deceleration. The model also correctly predicts that a torsional response during the roll rotation is the only velocity response observed during roll rotations about a naso-occipital axis. The success of this model in predicting the observed experimental responses suggests that the model captures the essence of the complex sensory interactions engendered by eccentric rotation and roll tilt.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience

Rocket-Model Measurements of Zero-Lift Damping in Roll of the Bell MX-776 Missile at Mach Numbers from 0.6 to 1.56

The zero-lift damping in roll of the Bell MX-776 missile has been measured by a sting-mounted rocket-model technique at Mach numbers from 0.6 to 1.56. The damping-in-roll data, in general, show no unusual variation with Mach number. Aileron rolling-moment effectiveness derived from these data and previously obtained rolling-effectiveness data appear reasonable,

Bland, William N., Jr.

Free-to-Roll Investigation of Uncommanded Lateral Motions for an Aircraft with Vented Strakes

A free-to-roll study of the low-speed lateral characteristics of the pre-production F/A-l8E was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel. In developmental flight tests the F/A-18E unexpectedly experienced uncommanded lateral motions in the power approach configuration. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using the free-to-roll technique for the detection of uncommanded lateral motions for the pre-production F/A-l8E in the power approach configuration. The data revealed that this technique in conjunction with static data revealed insight into the cause of the lateral motions. The free-to-roll technique identified uncommanded lateral motions at the same angle-of-attack range as experienced in flight tests. The cause of the uncommanded lateral motions was unsteady asymmetric wing stall. The paper also shows that free-to-roll data or static force and moment data alone are not enough to accurately capture the potential for an aircraft to experience uncommanded lateral motion.

Owens, Elaine M.

Free-to-Roll Investigation of Uncommanded Lateral Motions for an Aircraft With Vented Strakes

A free-to-roll study of the low-speed lateral characteristics of the pre-production F/A-18E was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel. In developmental flight tests the F/A-18E unexpectedly experienced uncommanded lateral motions in the power approach configuration. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using the free-to-roll technique for the detection of uncommanded lateral motions for the preproduction F/A-18E in the power approach configuration. The data revealed that this technique in conjunction with static data revealed insight into the cause of the lateral motions. The free-to-roll technique identified uncommanded lateral motions at the same angle-of-attack range as experienced in flight tests. The cause of the uncommanded lateral motions was unsteady asymmetric wing stall. The paper also shows that free-to-roll data or static force and moment data alone are not enough to accurately capture the potential for an aircraft to experience uncommanded lateral motion.

Bryan, Elaine M.

An Evaluation of the Roll-Rate Stabilization System of the Sidewinder Missile at Mach Numbers from 0.9 to 2.3

A linear stability analysis and flight-test investigation has been performed on a rolleron-type roll-rate stabilization system for a canard-type missile configuration through a Mach number range from 0.9 to 2.3. This type damper provides roll damping by the action of gyro-actuated uncoupled wing-tip ailerons. A dynamic roll instability predicted by the analysis was confirmed by flight testing and was subsequently eliminated by the introduction of control-surface damping about the rolleron hinge line. The control-surface damping was provided by an orifice-type damper contained within the control surface. Steady-state rolling velocities were at all times less than 1 radian per second between the Mach numbers of 0.9 to 2.3 on the configurations tested. No adverse longitudinal effects were experienced in flight because of the tendency of the free-floating rollerons to couple into the pitching motion at the low angles of attack and disturbance levels investigated herein after the introduction of control-surface damping.

Nason, Martin L.

Experimental Characterization and Analytical Comparison of Rolling Element Bearing Radial Stiffness

Rocket engine turbopumps often employ rolling element bearings for rotor support. These bearings frequently provide the primary mechanical interface between the stationary and rotating parts, and are relied upon to provide an adequate stiffness characteristic to ensure small rotor deflection due to a variety of sources of radial load. The rotordynamic design of a turbopump, however, requires a more detailed understanding of the bearing's load-deflection characteristic, to accurately predict critical speed location and response. Accordingly, engineers have developed tools to predict the load-deflection relationship for rolling element bearings. These tools allow the engineer to account for rolling element bearing geometric parameters as well as operational parameters, many of which have been shown to significantly influence a bearing's force-deflection characteristics. To that end, a static test rig has been designed, built, and tested to experimentally measure the radial stiffness of a rolling element bearing in a realistic mounting configuration. The objective of this paper is to report these experimental results and provide a comparison to analytical predictions.

Earhart, Eric

NASA Ares I Launch Vehicle First Stage Roll Control System Cold Flow Development Test Program Overview

The Ares I launch vehicle is the selected design, chosen to return humans to the moon, Mars, and beyond. It is configured in two inline stages: the First Stage is a Space Shuttle derived five-segment Solid Rocket Booster and the Upper Stage is powered by a Saturn V derived J-2X engine. During launch, roll control for the First Stage (FS) is handled by a dedicated Roll Control System (RoCS) located on the connecting Interstage. That system will provide the Ares I with the ability to counteract induced roll torque while any induced yaw or pitch moments are handled by vectoring of the booster nozzle. This paper provides an overview of NASA s Ares I FS RoCS cold flow development test program including detailed test objectives, types of tests run to meet those objectives, an overview of the results, and applicable lessons learned. The test article was built and tested at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. The FS RoCS System Development Test Article (SDTA) is a full scale, flight representative water flow test article whose primary objective was to obtain fluid system performance data to evaluate integrated system level performance characteristics and verify analytical models. Development testing and model correlation was deemed necessary as there is little historical precedent for similar large flow, pulsing systems such as the FS RoCS. The cold flow development test program consisted of flight-similar tanks, pressure regulators, and thruster valves, as well as plumbing simulating flight geometries, combined with other facility grade components and structure. Orifices downstream of the thruster valves were used to simulate the pressure drop through the thrusters. Additional primary objectives of this test program were to: evaluate system surge pressure (waterhammer) characteristics due to thruster valve operation over a range of mission duty cycles at various feed system pressures, evaluate temperature transients and heat transfer in the pressurization system, including regulator blowdown and propellant ullage performance, measure system pressure drops for comparison to analysis of tubing and components, and validate system activation and re-activation procedures for the helium pressurant system. Secondary objectives included: validating system processes for loading, unloading, and purging, validating procedures and system response for multiple failure scenarios, including relief valve operation, and evaluating system performance for contingency scenarios. The test results of the cold flow development test program are essential in validating the performance and interaction of the Roll Control System and anchoring analysis tools and results to a Critical Design Review level of fidelity.

Butt, Adam

Rolling Bearing Life Prediction, Theory, and Application

A tutorial is presented outlining the evolution, theory, and application of rolling-element bearing life prediction from that of A. Palmgren, 1924; W. Weibull, 1939; G. Lundberg and A. Palmgren, 1947 and 1952; E. Ioannides and T. Harris, 1985; and E. Zaretsky, 1987. Comparisons are made between these life models. The Ioannides-Harris model without a fatigue limit is identical to the Lundberg-Palmgren model. The Weibull model is similar to that of Zaretsky if the exponents are chosen to be identical. Both the load-life and Hertz stress-life relations of Weibull, Lundberg and Palmgren, and Ioannides and Harris reflect a strong dependence on the Weibull slope. The Zaretsky model decouples the dependence of the critical shear stress-life relation from the Weibull slope. This results in a nominal variation of the Hertz stress-life exponent. For 9th- and 8th-power Hertz stress-life exponents for ball and roller bearings, respectively, the Lundberg- Palmgren model best predicts life. However, for 12th- and 10th-power relations reflected by modern bearing steels, the Zaretsky model based on the Weibull equation is superior. Under the range of stresses examined, the use of a fatigue limit would suggest that (for most operating conditions under which a rolling-element bearing will operate) the bearing will not fail from classical rolling-element fatigue. Realistically, this is not the case. The use of a fatigue limit will significantly overpredict life over a range of normal operating Hertz stresses. Since the predicted lives of rolling-element bearings are high, the problem can become one of undersizing a bearing for a particular application.

Zaretsky, Erwin V.

Ion Thruster Produced Roll Torque

Disturbances to the ion engine’s thrust vector will cause a spacecraft to spin about its axis if left unmanaged. Spin about the yaw and pitch axis can be easily handled by a gimbal with enough authority. Spin about the roll axis however must be handled by additional thrusters or reaction wheels. In order to capitalize on the high efficiency of their thrusters, missions utilizing electric propulsion as primary propulsion generally include long periods of thrusting (several years). It is necessary to quantify and understand the ion thruster produced roll torque because it will define the amount of chemical propellant that must be carried or the lifetime and quantity of momentum wheels required for the mission. The roll torque produced by the NEXT ion thruster is analyzed through a combination of theoretical calculations and magnetic field simulations. Experimental techniques for measuring roll torque and past flight data are also discussed.

Arthur, Neil A.

Ion Thruster Produced Roll Torque

Disturbances to the ion engine's thrust vector will cause a spacecraft to spin about its axis if left unmanaged. Spin about the yaw and pitch axis can be easily handled by a gimbal with enough authority. Spin about the roll axis however must be handled by additional thrusters or reaction wheels. In order to capitalize on the high efficiency of their thrusters, missions utilizing electric propulsion as primary propulsion generally include long periods of thrusting (several years). It is necessary to quantify and understand the ion thruster produced roll torque because it will define the amount of chemical propellant that must be carried or the lifetime and quantity of momentum wheels required for the mission. The roll torque produced by the NEXT ion thruster is analyzed through a combination of theoretical calculations and magnetic field simulations. Experimental techniques for measuring roll torque and past flight data are also discussed.

Arthur, Neil A.

Ion Thruster Produced Roll Torque

Disturbances to the ion engine’s thrust vector will cause a spacecraft to spin about its axis if left unmanaged. Spin about the yaw and pitch axes can be easily handled by a gimbal with enough authority. Spin about the roll axis, however, must be handled by additional thrusters or reaction wheels. In order to capitalize on the high efficiency of their thrusters, missions utilizing electric propulsion as primary propulsion generally include long periods of thrusting (several years). It is necessary to quantify and understand the ion thruster produced roll torque because it will define the amount of chemical propellant that must be carried or the lifetime and quantity of momentum wheels required for the mission. The roll torque produced by the NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion thruster is analyzed through a combination of theoretical calculations and magnetic field simulations. Experimental techniques for measuring roll torque and past flight data are also discussed.

Neil A Arthur

Reflectivity Control Device (RCD) Roll Momentum Management for Solar Cruiser and Future Solar Sail Missions

Solar sails provide propulsion from solar photonic pressure without the need for propellant. This advantage can be reduced or eliminated if propellant is required for attitude control. The current state of the art for solar sail attitude control is that of the solar sail mission Near Earth Asteroid Scout, which employs an Adjustable Mass Translator for pitch and yaw momentum management of reaction wheels, but must use a cold gas Reaction Control System for roll axis momentum management. It is highly desirable for solar sails to use an attitude control system that does not include propellant, so here we present a novel method of managing momentum on the roll axis. For the upcoming Solar Cruiser solar sail mission, for roll axis momentum management we plan to use Reflectivity Control Devices (RCDs), thin-film Polyimide Liquid Crystal Devices that are capable of changing optical properties on command, thus affording the opportunity to provide “photonic only” control if placed appropriately on the surface of the sail. RCD design for roll momentum management is multifaceted, and must include performance (degree of change in optical properties), RCD array size, locations of clusters on the sail, orientation with respect to the sail plane, and orientation out of the sail plane. Here we provide an explanation of the basic technology, optimal orientation, sizing, and location of RCDs, results of trade studies for Solar Cruiser, lessons learned from Solar Cruiser, and scalability for future solar sail missions. RCDs will dramatically improve the performance of the Solar Cruiser Momentum Management System compared to that of NEA Scout and will continue to benefit other future solar sail missions.

Daniel Tyler

Reflectivity Control Device (RCD) Roll Momentum Management for Solar Cruiser and Beyond

Reflectivity control devices (RCDs), thin film optical devices that are actuated (by application of a voltage across the device) to control the reflection of sunlight on their surfaces, can effectively enable roll momentum management (MM) of a solar sail operating in deep space, outside any magnetic field. This enables solar sails to maintain adequate attitude control in these challenging environments without sacrificing mission life by using expendables. They were planned and developed for use on Solar Cruiser, operating sunward of the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (sub-L1) in a propulsion-intensive artificial halo orbit. Located in pairs of panels near the distal end of each of four booms, each articulated at a slight angle out of the sail plane to produce a force tangent to the sail at a large moment arm, the RCDs provide roll torque capabilities by using simple switching logic to determine which panels should be activated (voltage applied) to produce torque in the desired direction. The performance capabilities and constraints of these devices across a range of operating conditions, namely sun-relative attitude, is well characterized, granting designers insight on how to properly size the system and optimize the system and component designs to maximize roll torque per unit area. With an informed design, RCDs can be very effective actuators for managing roll momentum with minimal detrimental system impacts (mass, power, complexity, etc.) on Solar Cruiser and other future deep space solar sail missions.

Andrew F Heaton

Rolling Horizon with K-Position Search Method for Strategic Deconfliction of Package Delivery UAS

This research focuses on the strategic deconfliction of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in an urban package delivery environment with two depots and multiple drop-off locations. Since the formulated mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem is non-deterministic polynomial-time (NP) hard, a heuristic algorithm called "rolling horizon with k-position search (KPS)" is used to compute the departure sequence and scheduled time of departure (STD) of each UAS at a depot, considering temporal constraints at en-route crossing waypoints and depots for strategic deconfliction. The simulation studies show that an increase in the value of k (local neighborhood search) in the KPS reduces the average ground delay at the cost of an increase in the computation time for a given number of UAS, size of the rolling horizon window, and number of depots involved in the local neighborhood search. The studies also show that for a given rolling horizon window, the computation time increases exponentially with an increase in the total number of UAS flights when serial processing the local neighborhood search of KPS (with k > 1) and drops by an order of magnitude upon performing the local neighborhood search of KPS using parallel processing instead of serial processing. The computation time drops with the reduction in air traffic complexity of a scenario for a given number of flights, k (local neighborhood search), and rolling horizon window.

UTM

Influence of rolling reduction and annealing on recrystallization and grain structure in Ta-2.5W alloys

The microstructural evolution of wrought Tantalum - 2.5 wt% Tungsten (Ta-2.5W) alloys during thermomechanical processing is critical for optimizing their mechanical reliability in demanding applications such as aerospace, chemical processing, and nuclear technology. Despite the widespread use of Ta-W alloys, a comprehensive understanding of how rolling reduction, annealing temperature, and elemental inhomogeneity interact to determine recrystallization behavior and grain refinement remains incomplete. Here, in this study, we systematically investigate the effects of cold rolling and subsequent annealing on the microstructure of Ta-2.5W, with particular attention to grain orientation, stored energy, and elemental banding. Our results demonstrate that higher rolling reduction rates lower the onset and completion temperatures for recrystallization, resulting in finer and more homogeneous grain structures. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis reveals that grains with a 〈111〉 parallel to the plate normal possess higher stored energy and nucleate recrystallization more readily than grains with a 〈001〉 parallel to the plate normal. Elemental mapping shows that tungsten inhomogeneity leads to localized bands of accelerated recrystallization and hardness variation. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of microstructure refinement in Ta-2.5W alloys, offering guidance for tailoring processing routes to achieve superior performance in demanding engineering environments.

Annealing

Tensile properties of co-rolled Zr/U-10Mo fuel at ambient and elevated temperatures

The United States High Performance Research Reactor (USHPRR) initiative is currently interested in replacing high-enriched uranium fuel in research reactors with high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel. Here, this work aimed to assist in that mission by providing tensile and bend test data on bare U-Mo and tensile test data on co-rolled Zr/U-10Mo plates at differing thicknesses (0.285 mm, 0.300 mm, and 0.465 mm) and temperatures (293 K, 473 K, and 623 K). Yield strength and ultimate tensile strength values are reported along with an in-depth comparison of how temperature, rolling direction, thickness, and the presence of the Zr-interlayer affect mechanical properties. Results showed that yield strength and ultimate tensile strength in Zr/U-10Mo foils lower as temperature increases by approximately 300 MPa from 293 to 473 K, and another 100 MPa from 473 to 623 K. Additionally it was found that with increased temperature, there is less differentiation in fuel necking and delamination behavior, as well as a greater perceived elongation to fracture. The elastic modulus of co-rolled mini-plates does not follow the volumetric rule of mixtures in terms of averaged strength and is actually lower than the reported moduli of both Zr and U-10Mo.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS

Identifying rolling resistance and air resistance simultaneously for an electric truck

Accurately estimating rolling and air resistance is essential for predicting the energy consumption of vehicles. This study presents a field-based approach using a rolldown test to simultaneously determine rolling and air resistance coefficients. Unlike prior methods that frequently used simulations or models, we employ a goal programming methodology to improve precision and evaluate the actual vehicle and environmental conditions. Our methodology was tested using a Class 8 Freightliner eCascadia on a surveyed road section, ensuring controlled conditions for data collection. By analyzing the time–velocity relationship across multiple test runs, we derived resistance coefficients for both loaded and unloaded conditions. The study confirms that rolling resistance is largely independent of velocity at low speeds but exhibits a nonlinear dependency at higher speeds. Additionally, road surface conditions, tire condition, axle configuration, aerodynamic properties, and weather conditions significantly impact resistance values, emphasizing the need for real-world testing rather than relying solely on standardized projections. Our results align with existing literature while demonstrating the efficacy of the goal programming approach in refining resistance estimates. This work contributes to improved vehicle energy modeling, offering practical insights for fleet operators and policymakers seeking accurate energy consumption predictions for electric trucks operating under varying environmental conditions.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION

Rolling Root Mean Square Based Multimodal Anomaly Detection for Real Time Monitoring of Smart Grid

Reliable real-time monitoring is valuable for maintaining the operational integrity of modern electrical smart grids. Deployment of heterogeneous sensing technologies in substations has enabled high-resolution, multichannel waveform monitoring, but also introduces challenges for anomaly detection due to noise, baseline drift, and modality-dependent signal characteristics. In this work, we present a computationally efficient unsupervised method for multimodal event detection based on Rolling Root Mean Square based Event Detection (RRMSED). The method is developed using in-house, field deployed sensors collecting data at a utility substation. The sensing system comprises voltage and current sensors, triaxial accelerometers, and magnetometers, collectively capturing electrical, vibrational, and magnetic waveform measurements at high temporal resolution. RRMSED operates by extracting rolling RMS energy features and their first-order temporal differences from consecutive waveform segments for each channel and then applying channel-specific statistical thresholds learned from historical data. A persistence-based exceedance logic is employed to robustly identify transient events while suppressing impulsive noise, and to provide precise temporal localization with high resolution. The framework is designed for continuous server-side operation and can be deployed in real time without requiring complex models. Experiments on simulated waveform data with known ground truth demonstrate low false positive (FP) and false negative (FN) rates. Application to real substation data shows RRMSED to identify events that are not captured by conventional monitoring indicators including fast transient detection algorithm currently deployed in the system. These results indicate that rolling RMS based features provide an effective and practical basis for real-time multimodal event detection in smart-grid substations.

Mukherjee, Subrata [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000309930338)