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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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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Pre-Launch Performance Trending of Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS)

The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) microwave radiometer instrument is utilized on-board NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) fleet of spacecraft to perform temperature and water vapor soundings of Earth’s atmosphere. Consisting of 22 channels over a frequency range from 22 to 183 GHz, ATMS provides high-impact observations for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. A general description of the ATMS instrument is discussed in [1]. There are five ATMS flight units in the polar-orbiting JPSS program; three are currently on-orbit and two are pending launch. The first ATMS was flown on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite, launched in 2011. The second ATMS was launched on the NOAA-20 (previously JPSS-1) satellite in 2017. The third ATMS was launched on the NOAA-21 (previously JPSS-2) satellite in 2022. The SNPP and NOAA-20 ATMS units are operational. The NOAA-21 ATMS unit is completing on-orbit commissioning and checkout, having achieved provisional maturity status in December 2022 with validated maturity expected in May 2023 [2]. The fourth and fifth ATMS units are planned for the JPSS-3 (launch ~2028) and JPSS-4 (launch ~2032) satellites [3]. This paper will focus on trending performance characteristics of each JPSS ATMS build from the pre-launch activities. Pre-launch trending of some parameters have been previously published up to the JPSS-3 mission [4][5]. This paper differs from and expands the scope of the prior work as it will include all five of the JPSS ATMS builds. The entire suite of JPSS ATMS units have completed their pre-ship instrument-level I&T and verification activities. These activities include a radiometric performance characterization of each instrument. In addition to comparing the performance across builds, the performance will also be compared to requirements and specifications where applicable. The on-orbit performance of the launched units will be excluded from the scope of this paper in order to focus on evaluations that are common across all builds. The post-launch performance of SNPP ATMS is detailed in [1][6][7][8]. The post-launch performance of NOAA-20 ATMS is detailed in [6][8][9]. The pre-launch characterization of the ATMS occurs at both subassembly-level and instrument-level testing. The antenna subsystem is tested at Northrop Grumman’s Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) in Azusa, CA [9]. This testing characterizes the antenna pattern and the pointing performance of the scan drive mechanism and antenna subsystem. Trended parameters from this evaluation will include beam pointing accuracy, beamwidth, and beam efficiency. These parameters are captured in each instrument’s Calibration Data Book [10]. Instrument-level radiometric performance evaluation is primarily done during thermal vacuum (TVAC) calibration testing at Northrop Grumman’s Azusa, CA facility [9]. A general description of the calibration activities is presented in [1][9]. The testing involves inferring a scene target brightness temperature (TB) and comparing it to the actual scene TB while the instrument is at flight-like temperature and pressure environmental conditions. Trended parameters from this activity will include Noise Equivalent Delta Temperature (NEDT), nonlinearity, radiometric accuracy, gain stability, striping, and inter-channel noise correlation. The trending evaluation will allow for a direct comparison of the ATMS performance across builds. The paper will highlight observed performance improvements.

Edward J Kim↗
NASA NTRS1966

The impact of the technological revolution

Technological revolution impact on society and space program and products, applications, interdisciplinary nature, and educational trends of space age technology

SPACE PROGRAM↗
NASA NTRS2010

Optimized O'Neill/Glaser Model for Human Population of Space and its Impact on Survival Probabilities

Two contemporary issues foretell a shift from our historical Earth based industrial economy and habitation to a solar system based society. The first is the limits to Earth's carrying capacity, that is the maximum number of people that the Earth can support before a catastrophic impact to the health of the planet and human species occurs. The simple example of carrying capacity is that of a bacterial colony in a Petri dish with a limited amount of nutrient. The colony experiences exponential population growth until the carrying capacity is reached after which catastrophic depopulation often results. Estimates of the Earth s carrying capacity vary between 14 and 40 billion people. Although at current population growth rates we may have over a century before we reach Earth s carrying limit our influence on climate and resources on the planetary scale is becoming scientifically established. The second issue is the exponential growth of knowledge and technological power. The exponential growth of technology interacts with the exponential growth of population in a manner that is unique to a highly intelligent species. Thus, the predicted consequences (world famines etc.) of the limits to growth have been largely avoided due to technological advances. However, at the mid twentieth century a critical coincidence occurred in these two trends humanity obtained the technological ability to extinguish life on the planetary scale (by nuclear, chemical, biological means) and attained the ability to expand human life beyond Earth. This paper examines an optimized O Neill/Glaser model (O Neill 1975; Curreri 2007; Detweiler and Curreri 2008) for the economic human population of space. Critical to this model is the utilization of extraterrestrial resources, solar power and spaced based labor. A simple statistical analysis is then performed which predicts the robustness of a single planet based technological society versus that of multiple world (independent habitats) society.

Curreri, Peter A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Optimized O'Neill/Glaser Model for Human Population of Space and its Impact on Survival Probabilities

Two contemporary issues foretell a shift from our historical Earth based industrial economy and habitation to a solar system based society. The first is the limits to Earth s carrying capacity, that is the maximum number of people that the Earth can support before a catastrophic impact to the health of the planet and human species occurs. The simple example of carrying capacity is that of a bacterial colony in a Petri dish with a limited amount of nutrient. The colony experiences exponential population growth until the carrying capacity is reached after which catastrophic depopulation often results. Estimates of the Earth s carrying capacity vary between 14 and 40 billion people. Although at current population growth rates we may have over a century before we reach Earth s carrying limit our influence on climate and resources on the planetary scale is becoming scientifically established. The second issue is the exponential growth of knowledge and technological power. The exponential growth of technology interacts with the exponential growth of population in a manner that is unique to a highly intelligent species. Thus, the predicted consequences (world famines etc.) of the limits to growth have been largely avoided due to technological advances. However, at the mid twentieth century a critical coincidence occurred in these two trends humanity obtained the technological ability to extinguish life on the planetary scale (by nuclear, chemical, biological means) and attained the ability to expand human life beyond Earth. This paper examines an optimized O Neill/Glaser model (O Neill 1975; Curreri 2007; Detweiler and Curreri 2008) for the economic human population of space. Critical to this model is the utilization of extraterrestrial resources, solar power and spaced based labor. A simple statistical analysis is then performed which predicts the robustness of a single planet based technological society versus that of multiple world (independent habitats) society.

Curreri, Peter A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Optimized O'Neill/Glaser Model for Human Population of Space and its Impact on Survival Probabilities

Two contemporary issues foretell a shift from our historical Earth based industrial economy and habitation to a solar system based society. The first is the limits to Earth s carrying capacity, that is the maximum number of people that the Earth can support before a catastrophic impact to the health of the planet and human species occurs. The simple example of carrying capacity is that of a bacterial colony in a Petri dish with a limited amount of nutrient. The colony experiences exponential population growth until the carrying capacity is reached after which catastrophic depopulation often results. Estimates of the Earth s carrying capacity vary between 14 and 40 billion people. Although at current population growth rates we may have over a century before we reach Earth s carrying limit our influence on climate and resources on the planetary scale is becoming scientifically established. The second issue is the exponential growth of knowledge and technological power. The exponential growth of technology interacts with the exponential growth of population in a manner that is unique to a highly intelligent species. Thus, the predicted consequences (world famines etc.) of the limits to growth have been largely avoided due to technological advances. However, at the mid twentieth century a critical coincidence occurred in these two trends humanity obtained the technological ability to extinguish life on the planetary scale (by nuclear, chemical, biological means) and attained the ability to expand human life beyond Earth. This paper examines an optimized O'Neill/Glaser model (O Neill 1975; Curreri 2007; Detweiler and Curreri 2008) for the economic human population of space. Critical to this model is the utilization of extraterrestrial resources, solar power and spaced based labor. A simple statistical analysis is then performed which predicts the robustness of a single planet based technological society versus that of multiple world (independent habitats) society.

Curreri, Peter A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Trends In Satellite Communication

Report assesses trends in satellite communication from present to year 2010. Examines restrictions imposed by limited spectrum resource and technology needs created by trends. Personal communications, orbiting switchboards, and videophones foreseen.

Poley, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The applicability of DOE solar cell and array technology to space power

Current trends in terrestrial photovoltaics that might benefit future space power needs are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the Low-Cost Solar Array Project with attention given to the materials task, the silicon sheet task, the production processes and equipment task, and encapsulation. The Photovoltaic Concentrator Technology Development Project is also discussed. It is concluded that terrestrial photovoltaic technology that has either been developed to date or is currently under development will not have any significant effect on the performance or cost of solar cells and panels for space over the near term (1980-1990).

Scott-Monck, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Advances and trends in structural and solid mechanics; Proceedings of the Symposium, Washington, DC, October 4-7, 1982

The mechanics of materials and material characterization are considered, taking into account micromechanics, the behavior of steel structures at elevated temperatures, and an anisotropic plasticity model for inelastic multiaxial cyclic deformation. Other topics explored are related to advances and trends in finite element technology, classical analytical techniques and their computer implementation, interactive computing and computational strategies for nonlinear problems, advances and trends in numerical analysis, database management systems and CAD/CAM, space structures and vehicle crashworthiness, beams, plates and fibrous composite structures, design-oriented analysis, artificial intelligence and optimization, contact problems, random waves, and lifetime prediction. Earthquake-resistant structures and other advanced structural applications are also discussed, giving attention to cumulative damage in steel structures subjected to earthquake ground motions, and a mixed domain analysis of nuclear containment structures using impulse functions.

Noor, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Applications study of advanced power generation systems utilizing coal-derived fuels, volume 2

Technology readiness and development trends are discussed for three advanced power generation systems: combined cycle gas turbine, fuel cells, and magnetohydrodynamics. Power plants using these technologies are described and their performance either utilizing a medium-Btu coal derived fuel supplied by pipeline from a large central coal gasification facility or integrated with a gasification facility for supplying medium-Btu fuel gas is assessed.

Robson, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Metallurgical Evaluations of Depainting Processes on Aluminum Substrate

In December 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emission Standards Division and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) signed an Interagency Agreement (IA) initiating a task force for the technical assessment of alternative technologies for aerospace depainting operations. The United States Air Force (USAF) joined the task force in 1994. The mandates of the task force were: (1) To identify available alternative depainting systems that do not rely on methylene chloride or other ozone-depleting, chlorinated, and volatile organic carbon solvents. (2) To determine the viability, applicability, and pollution prevention potential of each identified alternative. (3) To address issues of safety, environmental impact, reliability, and maintainability. Through a Technical Implementation Committee (TIC), the task force selected and evaluated eight alternative paint stripping technologies: chemical stripping, carbon dioxide (CO2) blasting, xenon flashlamp and CO2 coatings removal (FLASHJET(R)), CO2 laser stripping, plastic media blasting (PMB), sodium bicarbonate wet stripping, high-pressure water blasting (WaterJet), and wheat starch abrasive blasting (Enviro-Strip(R)). (The CO2 blasting study was discontinued after the first depainting sequence.) This final report presents the results of the Joint EPA/NASA/USAF Interagency Depainting Study. Significant topics include: (1) Final depainting sequence data for the chemical stripping, PMB, sodium bicarbonate wet stripping, and WaterJet processes. (2) Strip rates for all eight technologies. (3) Sequential comparisons of surface roughness measurements for the seven viable depainting technologies. (4) Chronological reviews of and lessons learned in the conduct of all eight technologies. (5) An analysis of the surface roughness trends for each of the seven technologies. (6) Metallurgic evaluations of panels Summaries of corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement evaluations of chemical stripping panels, detailed descriptions of which appear in previous reports. Because the requirements for alternative systems are diverse, as are initial setup, training, and on-going operational considerations, this study does not recommend a particular product or process. Users of this study will draw their own conclusions from the data presented herein.

McGill, Preston↗
NASA NTRS2018

Dynamic Shared Computing Resources for Multi-Robot Mars Exploration

The NASA roadmap for 2020 and beyond includes several key technologies which will have a game-changing impact on planetary exploration. The first of these is High Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC), which will provide orders of magnitude increases in processing power for next-generation rovers and orbiters (Doyle et al. 2013). The second is Delay Tolerant Networking, which overlays the Deep Space Network, providing internet-like abstractions and store-forward to route data through intermittent delays in connectivity. The third is a trend toward small, co-dependent robots included in flagship missions (MarCO, PUFFER, and Mars Heli). Taken together, these imply an increasing amount of communication and computing heterogeneity on Mars in coming decades. Motivated by these technological trends, we study the concept of Mars on-site shared analysis, information, and communication (MOSAIC) for Mars exploration. The key algorithmic problem associated with MOSAIC networks is simultaneous scheduling of computation, communication, and caching of data, which we illustrate using the three scenarios. We present models, preliminary solutions, and simulation results for two scenarios, showing how mission efficiency relates to communication bandwidth, processing power, geography of the environment, and optimal scheduling of computation, communication, and data caching. The third scenario illustrates future directions of this work.

Chien, Steve↗
NASA NTRS2013

Identification of Crew-Systems Interactions and Decision Related Trends

NASA Vehicle System Safety Technology (VSST) project management uses systems analysis to identify key issues and maintain a portfolio of research leading to potential solutions to its three identified technical challenges. Statistical data and published safety priority lists from academic, industry and other government agencies were reviewed and analyzed by NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) systems analysis personnel to identify issues and future research needs related to one of VSST's technical challenges, Crew Decision Making (CDM). The data examined in the study were obtained from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident and Incident Data System, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Accident/Incident Data System and the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). In addition, this report contains the results of a review of safety priority lists, information databases and other documented references pertaining to aviation crew systems issues and future research needs. The specific sources examined were: Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Safety Enhancements Reserved for Future Implementation (SERFIs), Flight Deck Automation Issues (FDAI) and NTSB Most Wanted List and Open Recommendations. Various automation issues taxonomies and priority lists pertaining to human factors, automation and flight design were combined to create a list of automation issues related to CDM.

Jones, Sharon Monica↗
NASA NTRS1982

The impact of distributed computing on education

In this paper, developments in digital computer technology since the early Fifties are reviewed briefly, and the parallelism which exists between these developments and developments in analysis and design procedures of structural engineering is identified. The recent trends in digital computer technology are examined in order to establish the fact that distributed processing is now an accepted philosophy for further developments. The impact of this on the analysis and design practices of structural engineering is assessed by first examining these practices from a data processing standpoint to identify the key operations and data bases, and then fitting them to the characteristics of distributed processing. The merits and drawbacks of the present philosophy in educating structural engineers are discussed and projections are made for the industry-academia relations in the distributed processing environment of structural analysis and design. An ongoing experiment of distributed computing in a university environment is described.

Utku, S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Sensing the earth's environment from space - User needs and technology opportunities

Results of a number of studies involving industry, universities and government agencies working in concert to identify specific measurement and data needs in the field of satellite remote sensing are discussed. Comparisons are made with existing sensor capabilities and with the trends in the supporting technology. A series of tables is presented describing, among other things, user subcommittees using remote sensing data, atmosphere, ocean, land and cryosphere measurement needs and funded capabilities, and the capability status of such sensors as passive and active microwave sensors, visible and IR radiometers and laser sensors.

Nagler, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mass properties survey of solar array technologies

An overview of the technologies, electrical performance, and mass characteristics of many of the presently available and the more advanced developmental space solar array technologies is presented. Qualitative trends and quantitative mass estimates as total array output power is increased from 1 kW to 5 kW at End of Life (EOL) from a single wing are shown. The array technologies are part of a database supporting an ongoing solar power subsystem model development for top level subsystem and technology analyses. The model is used to estimate the overall electrical and thermal performance of the complete subsystem, and then calculate the mass and volume of the array, batteries, power management, and thermal control elements as an initial sizing. The array types considered here include planar rigid panel designs, flexible and rigid fold-out planar arrays, and two concentrator designs, one with one critical axis and the other with two critical axes. Solar cell technologies of Si, GaAs, and InP were included in the analyses. Comparisons were made at the array level; hinges, booms, harnesses, support structures, power transfer, and launch retention mountings were included. It is important to note that the results presented are approximations, and in some cases revised or modified performance and mass estimates of specific designs.

Kraus, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1985

Trends in parts susceptibility to single event upset from heavy ions

New test data have been combined with published data to form a nearly comprehensive body of single event upset (SEU) test data for heavy ion irradiations. These data have been arranged to exibit the SEU susceptibility of devices by function, technology, and manufacturer. Clear trends emerge which should be useful in predicting future device performance.

Nichols, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Sensing the earth's environment from space: User needs and technology opportunities

The specific measurements and data needs of users of remotely sensed environmental data were identified in a number of studies supported by NASA in cooperation with industry, universities, and the operational government agencies involved. The present capabilities of space and aircraft sensors, data systems, and satellite support systems were assessed and compared with the trends in the supporting technology. Areas of high benefit in which there is a large gap between the efforts underway and the need are identified. The problems in narrowing these gaps are briefly discussed.

Nagler, R. G.↗