Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Reliability Testing”

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

Establishment of quality, reliability and design standards for low, medium, and high power microwave hybrid microcircuits

Quality, reliability, and design standards for microwave hybrid microcircuits were established. The MSFC Standard 85M03926 for hybrid microcircuits was reviewed and modifications were generated for use with microwave hybrid microcircuits. The results for reliability tests of microwave thin film capacitors, transistors, and microwave circuits are presented. Twenty-two microwave receivers were tested for 13,500 unit hours. The result of 111,121 module burn-in and operating hours for an integrated solid state transceiver module is reported.

Robinson, E. A.↗

The safety and reliability of the S and A mechanism designed for the NASA/LSPE program

Under contract to the Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA/Houston, NOL developed a number of explosive charges for use in studying the surface of the moon during Apollo 17 activities. The charges were part of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE). When the Safety and Arming Device used in the previous ALSEP experiments was found unsuitable for use with the new explosive packages, NOL also designed the Safety and Arming Mechanism, and the safety and reliability tests conducted are described. The results of the test program indicate that the detonation transfer probability between the armed explosive components exceeds 0.9999, and is less than 0.0001 when the explosive components are in the safe position.

Montesi, L. J.↗

Hollow cathodes with BaO impregnated, porous tungsten inserts and tips

The technology of impregnated materials is described and some inherently advantageous characteristics of impregnated cathodes are discussed. Thermionic emission measurements are presented for oxide coated and impregnated cathodes. Five cathode configurations with barium oxide impregnated porous tungsten inserts and/or tips have been fabricated and tested. Reliability, durability, and stability of operation are characterized. One of the cathodes has accumulated over 9000 operational hours, another has been cycled on and off more than 800 times.

Hudson, W. R.↗

Hollow cathodes with BaO impregnated, porous tungsten inserts and tips

The technology of impregnated materials is described and some inherently advantageous characteristics of impregnated cathodes are discussed. Thermionic emission measurements are presented for oxide coated and impregnated cathodes. Five cathode configurations with barium oxide impregnated porous tungsten inserts and/or tips have been fabricated and tested. Reliability, durability, and stability of operation are characterized. One of the cathodes has accumulated over 9000 operational hours, another has been cycled on and off more than 900 times.

Hudson, W. R.↗

Portable headset microphone checker

Simple and reliable test system gives go/no-go indication of output level of headset microphones. Portable system has its own internal battery power supply and can be used in field or in laboratory with wide variety of headset types.

Davenport, J.↗

Interfacial insert for electrical connectors

The development of interfacial inserts for improved electric connectors is discussed. The inserts were manufactured from epoxy resins. The design features of the inserts and the manufacturing equipment are described. The reliability test program is reported. Drawings of the interfacial inserts are provided.

Macavay, D.↗

DSN research and technology support

Continuing remote controlled pulsar observations are noted, along with routine observations of 22 pulsars. Preliminary installation of equipment for planned unattended operation of the Venus Station is reported, along with extensive measurements and performance evaluation of the 26-m antenna. Support of the X-band radar at the Mars Station (DSS 14), and stability and reliability testing of the DSS 13 receiving system is reported. Klystron testing and other DSN support activities of the DSN High-Power Transmitter Maintenance Facility are noted, along with energy conservation modifications to two buildings at DSS 13. Radio Science experiment support included Planetary Radio Astronomy, Pulsar Rotation Constancy, Interstellar Microwave Spectroscopy, and Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations. An increased schedule of clock synchronization transmissions, planned on five-day centers, is noted, as 39 transmissions were made to Australia, DSS 43, and Spain, DSS 63.

Jackson, E. B.↗

Definition of Tire Properties Required for Landing System Analysis

The data bank constructed provided two basic advantages for the user of aircraft tire information. First, computerization of the data bank allowed mechanical property data to be stored, corrected, updated, and revised quickly and easily as more reliable tests and measurements were carried out. Secondly, the format of the book which can be printed from the computerized data bank can be easily adjusted to suit the needs of the users without the great expense normally associated with reprinting and editing books set by ordinary typography.

Clark, S. K.↗

An autonomous Nimbus Doppler positioning system

A single-pass Doppler positioning system was developed at the GSFC in support of the Nimbus-6 mission. The system was designed to satisfy the following requirements: compatibility with the PDP 11/70 minicomputer; single-pass recovery of up to 250 positions with a two-sigma accuracy of 5 km; high reliability with a minimum of human interaction; and near real-time responsiveness. The system consists of a numerical integrator which includes only the J2 term (earth flattening) of the earth's gravity field, an editing routine, a first guess algorithm, a least squares position recovery program, and a routine for generating a 95% confidence circle based on a computer covariance matrix. An analysis and quantification of the following error sources that limit system accuracy are presented: orbit error, radial aliasing, computational difficulties with overhead passes, oscillator drift, and ambiguity problems. Results of system reliability tests and sample outputs are included.

Garza-Robles, R.↗

Why a variable G

An attempt is made to put the possible time variability of G in a broader context. It is suggested that the variable G is a popular and incomplete representation of the problem of the validity of the strong equivalence principle (SEP). Particular reference is made to a reanalysis of Viking Mars data to study, in a model independent way, the influence of atomic clocks in recording purely gravitational phenomena. These data ought to provide the most reliable test of the variability of G and the validity of the SEP.

Canuto, V. M.↗

Characterization of silicon-gate CMOS/SOS integrated circuits processed with ion implantation

The double layer metallization technology applied on p type silicon gate CMOS/SOS integrated circuits is described. A smooth metal surface was obtained by using the 2% Si-sputtered Al. More than 10% probe yield was achieved on solar cell controller circuit TCS136 (or MSFC-SC101). Reliability tests were performed on 15 arrays at 150 C. Only three arrays failed during the burn in, and 18 arrays out of 22 functioning arrays maintained the leakage current below 100 milli-A. Analysis indicates that this technology will be a viable process if the metal short circuit problem between the two metals can be reduced.

Woo, D. S.↗

NASA seeking high-power 60-GHz IMPATT diodes

Recent progress in the development of high-power 60 GHz GaAs IMPATT diodes for communication links with high-data-rate satellites is discussed. One of the advantages of GaAs over Si as the material for the diodes are that GaAs is likely to have a higher output and efficiency than Si despite recent advances in Si technology. It is therefore in GaAs technology that research is currently concentrating. Some of the design strategies of the various companies working on the technology are described, including a pill process, MOCVD growth, and the use of diethy zinc as a dopant. Reliability testing of the diodes will be performed by NASA. Some of the alternatives to solid state amplifiers are discussed, including optical and traveling wave tube technology (TWT).

Haugland, E. J.↗

The investigation of inlet/nozzle flowfield coupling using compact propulsion simulators

An investigation of airframe/propulsion system flowfield coupling has been conducted in the Ames 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel at Mach numbers from 0.40 to 1.40 and at angles-of-attack from -2 to +20 deg. Propulsive flows were simulated by flow-through, jet-effects, and turbo-powered simulators (CMAPS) techniques. The configuration was a 10 percent scale model of a VSTOL canard/wing fighter configuration with twin podded engine nacelles and nonaxisymmetric nozzles. Localized flowfield interactions were present and inlet-nozzle flowfield coupling was identified at supersonic flight conditions. The configuration with simultaneous inlet and nozzle flow simulation (CMAPS) exhibited lower drag supersonically than the flow-through/jet-effects configuration. During this first wind tunnel application of twin simulators in a full aircraft configuration, the CMAPS and control system proved to be a flexible, reliable testing method.

Zilz, D. E.↗

Accuracy of the Burnett equations for hypersonic real gas flows

Burnett solutions for the structure of normal shock waves for Mach numbers ranging from 1.1 to 50 have been obtained by using the time-dependent equation set in conjunction with modern computational fluid dynamic techniques. The current work seeks to provide corrected and improved high-resolution direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) results for hypersonic shocks in monatomic gases. These DSMC results will serve as a reliable test base for assessing the accuracy of various continuum equations more advanced than Navier-Stokes, such as the Burnett equations. The main conclusion of Fisko and Chapman (1988) that the Burnett equations are more accurate than the Navier-Stokes equations for all gases and at all Mach numbers in matching DSMC shock wave results is reassesed by comparing the improved and corrected DSMC results with continuum Burnett results. Various Burnett results for shocks in a diatomic gas, nitrogen, which include improvements to the work of Lumpkin and Chapman (1989) are presented. It is concluded that the Burnett equations represent a significant improvement over Navier-Stokes equations for flows exhibiting translational nonequilibrium.

Lumpkin, Forrest E., III↗

A review of propeller noise prediction methodology: 1919-1994

This report summarizes a review of the literature regarding propeller noise prediction methods. The review is divided into six sections: (1) early methods; (2) more recent methods based on earlier theory; (3) more recent methods based on the Acoustic Analogy; (4) more recent methods based on Computational Acoustics; (5) empirical methods; and (6) broadband methods. The report concludes that there are a large number of noise prediction procedures available which vary markedly in complexity. Deficiencies in accuracy of methods in many cases may be related, not to the methods themselves, but the accuracy and detail of the aerodynamic inputs used to calculate noise. The steps recommended in the report to provide accurate and easy to use prediction methods are: (1) identify reliable test data; (2) define and conduct test programs to fill gaps in the existing data base; (3) identify the most promising prediction methods; (4) evaluate promising prediction methods relative to the data base; (5) identify and correct the weaknesses in the prediction methods, including lack of user friendliness, and include features now available only in research codes; (6) confirm the accuracy of improved prediction methods to the data base; and (7) make the methods widely available and provide training in their use.

Metzger, F. Bruce↗

Updating Gimbal Actuators for the Long Journey to Saturn

The Cassini mission requires extraordinary life and reliability from the linear servo-actuators which position the spacecraft's redundant rocket engines. Both commercial actuators and existing in-house actuator designs were studied for this application. Ultimately a device inherited from JPL's Mariner and Viking missions to Mars was selected because of its close match to functional requirements and its flight pedigree. However, several design improvements were necessary to meet life and reliability goals. Special attention was focused on reliability testing of the motor and mechanism at all stages of procurement and assembly because a brush type of DC motor was retained from the old design. These improvements and, in particular, efforts to develop new component sources are discussed in this paper.

Iskenderian, Theodore↗

Progress on Space Borne Laser Risk Reduction at Goddard Space Flight Center

At the direction of NASA Headquarters NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) undertook in 2002 a program in fundamental research on laser manufacturing technologies aimed at improving the performance and lifetime of lasers sent into space for remote sensing applications. The work at GSFC has concentrated on three areas: 1) development of high power 1 micron lasers, 2) lifetime and reliability testing for 808 nm pump diodes, and 3) efficient conversion of 1 micron radiation to wavelengths needed for various remote sensing tasks. After almost 2 years of development interesting results in all three areas are beginning to emerge. Some of these results will be described along with discussion of future directions.

Heaps, William S.↗

L.E.R.C.I.P. Internship Summary

I am currently working towards a double major in Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. My summer internship at NASA Glenn Research Center has allowed me to apply and further my knowledge of both of these fields. This summer is my second L.E.R.C.I.P. experience, and has worked out equally well as the first. I haven't been working on one single project this year, but instead have had a good variety of thinking work on. Thus far I have spend time on the following tasks: antenna measurements, high-temperature reliability testing, and left-handed metamaterials.

Donovan, Owen↗