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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 NTRS2003

Hierarchical Strategy for Rapid Analysis Environment

A new philosophy is developed wherein the hierarchical definition of data is made use of in creating a better environment to conduct analyses of practical problems. This system can be adapted to conduct virtually any type of analysis, since this philosophy is not bound to any specific kind of analysis. It provides a framework to manage different models and its results and more importantly, the interaction between the different models. Thus, it is ideal for many types of finite element analyses like globalAoca1 analysis and those that involve multiple scales and fields. The system developed during the course of this work is just a demonstrator of the basic concepts. A complete implementation of this strategy could potentially make a major impact on the way analyses are conducted. It could considerably reduce the time frame required to conduct the analysis of real-life problems by efficient management of the data involved and reducing the human effort involved. It also helps in better decision making because of more ways to interpret the results. The strategy has been currently implemented for structural analysis, but with more work it could be extended to other fields of science when the finite element method is used to solve the differential equations numerically. This report details the work that has been done during the course of this project and its achievements and results. The following section discusses the meaning of the word hierarchical and the different references to the term in the literature. It talks about the development of the finite element method, its different versions and how hierarchy has been used to improve the methodology. The next section describes the hierarchical philosophy in detail and explains the different concepts and terms associated with it. It goes on to describe the implementation and the features of the demonstrator. A couple of problems are analyzed using the demonstrator program to show the working of the system. The two problems considered are two dimensional plane stress analysis problems. The results are compared with those obtained using conventional analysis. The different challenges faced during the development of this system are discussed. Finally, we conclude with suggestions for future work to add more features and extend it to a wider range of problems.

Whitcomb, John↗
NASA NTRS2003

High Temperature Transfer Molding Resins: Status of PETI-298 and PETI-330

Two phenylethynyl terminated oligomers designated PETI-298 and PETI-330 were developed at the NASA Langley Research Center and have emerged as leading candidates for composite applications requiring high temperature performance (i.e. greater than or equal to 288 C for 1000 hours) combined with the ability to be readily processed into composites without the use of an autoclave or complex/lengthy cure or post-cure cycle. These high performance/high temperature composites are potentially useful on advanced aerospace vehicles in structural applications and as aircraft engine components such as inlet frames and compressor vanes. The number designation (i.e. 298, 330) refers to the glass transition temperature in degrees Celsius as determined on neat resin cured for 1 hour at 371 C. The resins are processable by non-autoclave techniques such as resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum assisted RTM (VARTM) and resin infusion (RI). Both resins exhibit low complex melt viscosities (0.1-10 poise) at 280 C and are stable for greater than or equal to 2 hours at this temperature. Typically, the resins are melted, de-gassed and infused or injected at 280 C and subsequently cured at 371 C for 1-2 hours. Virtually no volatiles are evolved during the cure process. The resin synthesis is straightforward and has been scaled-up to 25 kg batches. The chemistry of PETI-298 and PETI-330 and the RTM AS-4 and T-650 carbon fabric laminate properties, and those of BMI-5270 for comparison, are presented.

Connell, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Neural network tracking and extension of positive tracking periods

Feature detectors have been considered for the role of supplying additional information to a neural network tracker. The feature detector focuses on areas of the image with significant information. Basically, if a picture says a thousand words, the feature detectors are looking for the key phrases (keypoints). These keypoints are rotationally invariant and may be matched across frames. Application of these advanced feature detectors to the neural network tracking system at JPL has promising potential. As part of an ongoing program, an advanced feature detector was tested for augmentation of a neural network based tracker. The advance feature detector extended tracking periods in test sequences including aircraft tracking, rover tracking, and simulated Martian landing. Future directions of research are also discussed.

feature extraction↗
NASA NTRS1983

The treatment of convected vortices in compressible potential flow

A method is described for incorporating line vortices into the three dimensional compressible potential flow equation. A modified Biot-Savart law is used to compute a vortical velocity field, which is added to the gradient of the potential to form a total velocity. A rapidly converging approximate factorization (AFZ) scheme is then used to compute a potential such that the modified potential flow equation as well as the appropriate boundary conditions, based on total velocity, are satisfied. As part of a coupled iteration procedure, the positions of the line vortices are computed so that they convect with the total flow. The method is used to compute the field due to a single line vortex convecting past a wing. This represents an approximation of the effect of a canard or other lifting surface ahead of the wing, which sheds a tip vortex. It is seen that the flow field is substantially modified by the passage of the vortex. Unlike Euler equation schemes, which are also used to compute these flows, the solutions exhibit no numerical diffusion: The convected vortices retain their initial upstream width. Euler solutions, on the other hand, involve a vorticity which is numerically convected in an Eulerian frame and, unless extensive adaptive grid refinement is used they result in vortices with spread as they convect. Also, the potential flow method requires approximately two orders of magnitude less computing time and much less computer storage than the Euler methods.

Steinhoff, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A vortex wake capturing method for potential flow calculations

A method is presented for modifying finite difference solutions of the potential equation to include the calculation of non-planar vortex wake features. The approach is an adaptation of Baker's 'cloud in cell' algorithm developed for the stream function-vorticity equations. The vortex wake is tracked in a Lagrangian frame of reference as a group of discrete vortex filaments. These are distributed to the Eulerian mesh system on which the velocity is calculated by a finite difference solution of the potential equation. An artificial viscosity introduced by the finite difference equations removes the singular nature of the vortex filaments. Computed examples are given for the two-dimensional time dependent roll-up of vortex wakes generated by wings with different spanwise loading distributions.

Murman, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Signatures of bulge triaxiality from kinematics in Baade's window

We study a sample of 62 Baade's Window, (l,b) = (1, -4)deg, K giants that have published proper motions, radial velocity, and metallicity. Using R(sub 0) = 8 kpc, we construct the velocity ellipsoids, namely the 3x3 velocity dispersion tensors, for the metal rich stars ((Fe/H) greater than or equal to 0) and metal poor stars ((Fe/H) less than or equal to -0.2). After diagonalizing the tensor, we find a vertex deviation characteristic of a nonaxisymmetric system. Eigenvalues for the two velocity ellipsoids (sigma(sub 1), sigma(sub 2), sigma(sub 3)) are (126, 89, 65) +/- 13 km/s for the metal rich sample and (154, 77, 83) +/- 25 km/s for the metal poor sample with their long axes pointing to two nearly perpendicular directions (l(sub v), b(sub v)) = (-65 +/- 9 deg, +14 +/- 9 deg) and (l(sub v), b(sub v)) = (25 +/- 14 deg, -11 +/- 14 deg), respectively. The vertex deviations of the velocity ellipsoids cannot be consistently explained by any oblate model. We are able to reject the hypothesis that the metal poor and metal rich populations are drawn from the same distribution at better than the 97% confidence level. We populate orbits in a realistic bar potential with a Gaussian velocity distribution, allowing us to simulate and interpret observations. We conclude that the data are consistent with a triaxial bulge pointing towards (l,b) with l less than 0 deg and b = 0 deg as suggested by earlier work on gas dynamics and the observed light distribution. We also predict that low latitude (absolute value of b less than or equal to 4 deg) bulge fields should show the vertex deviation more strongly and would therefore be the best locations for future proper motion studies. In the classification scheme of Athanassoula et al. (1983) the metal rich stars appear to occupy the B-family orbits which rotate in the prograde sense in the rest frame and have boxy shapes that are aligned with and supporting the bar. The metal poor stars in the sample lag behind the metal rich bulge and appear to occupy R-family orbits which rotate in the retrograde sense in the rest frame. They have nearly round loop shapes and are aligned perpendicularly to the bar, hence limit the triaxiality of the bar potential. The correlations between the metallicity and the orbit families can develop if the bulge forms dissipatively on a sufficiently long time scale. However, it is difficult to explain such correlations if most stars in the inner Galaxy form during the violent relaxation phase.

Zhao, Hongsheng↗
NASA NTRS1981

Low cost solar array project production process and equipment task: A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

Several major modifications were made to the design presented at the PDR. The frame was deleted in favor of a "frameless" design which will provide a substantially improved cell packing factor. Potential shaded cell damage resulting from operation into a short circuit can be eliminated by a change in the cell series/parallel electrical interconnect configuration. The baseline process sequence defined for the MEPSON was refined and equipment design and specification work was completed. SAMICS cost analysis work accelerated, format A's were prepared and computer simulations completed. Design work on the automated cell interconnect station was focused on bond technique selection experiments.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1989

Time dependent three-dimensional body frame quantal wave packet treatment of the H + H2 exchange reaction on the Liu-Siegbahn-Truhlar-Horowitz (LSTH) surface

The first successful application of the three-dimensional quantum body frame wave packet approach to reactive scattering is reported for the H + H2 exchange reaction on the LSTH potential surface. The method used is based on a procedure for calculating total reaction probabilities from wave packets. It is found that converged, vibrationally resolved reactive probabilities can be calculated with a grid that is not much larger than required for the pure inelastic calculation. Tabular results are presented for several energies.

Neuhauser, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS1992

ISDN at NASA Lewis Research Center

An expository investigation of the potential impact of the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) at NASA Lewis Research Center is described. To properly frame the subject, the paper contains a detailed survey of the components of Narrowband ISDN. The principles and objectives are presented as decreed by the Consultative Committee for International Telephone and Telegraph (CCITT). The various channel types are delineated and their associated service combinations are described. The subscriber-access network functions are explained pictorially via the ISDN reference configuration. A section on switching techniques is presented to enable the reader to understand the emergence of the concept of fast packet switching. This new technology is designed to operate over the high bandwidth, low error rate transmission media that characterizes the LeRC environment. A brief introduction to the next generation of networks is covered with sections on Broadband ISDM (B-ISDN), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and Synchronous Optical Networks (SONET). Applications at LeRC are presented, first in terms of targets of opportunity, then in light of compatibility constraints. In-place pilot projects and testing are described that demonstrate actual usage at LeRC.

Bakes, Catherine Murphy↗
NASA NTRS2019

Far Term Noise Reduction Technology Roadmap for a Large Twin-Aisle Tube-And-Wing Subsonic Transport

Interest in unconventional aircraft architectures has steadily increased over the past several decades. However, each of these concepts has several technical challenges to overcome before maturing to the point of commercial acceptance. In the interim, it is important to identify any technologies that will enhance the noise reduction of conventional tube-and-wing aircraft. A technology roadmap with an assumed acoustic technology level of a 2035 entry into service is established for a large twin-aisle, tube-and-wing architecture to identify which technologies provide the most noise reduction. The noise reduction potential of the architecture relative to NASA noise goals is also assessed. The current roadmap estimates only a 30 EPNdB cumulative margin to Stage 4 for this configuration of a tube-and-wing aircraft with engines under the wing. This falls short of reaching even the 2025 Mid Term NASA goal (32 EPNdB) in the Far Term time frame. Specifically, the lack of additional technologies to reduce the aft fan noise and the corresponding installation effects is the key limitation of the noise reduction potential of the aircraft. Under the same acoustic technology assumptions, unconventional architectures are shown to offer an 8–10 EPNdB benefit from favorable relative placement of the engine when integrated to the airframe.

June, Jason C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Civil Uses of Remotely Piloted Aircraft

The technology effort is identified and assessed that is required to bring the civil uses of RPVs to fruition and to determine whether or not the potential market is real and economically practical, the technologies are within reach, the operational problems are manageable, and the benefits are worth the cost. To do so, the economic, technical, and environmental implications are examined. The time frame is 1980-85. Representative uses are selected; detailed functional and performance requirements are derived for RPV systems; and conceptual system designs are devised. Total system cost comparisons are made with non-RPV alternatives. The potential market demand for RPV systems is estimated. Environmental and safety requirements are examined, and legal and regulatory concerns are identified. A potential demand for 2,000-11,000 RPV systems is estimated. Typical cost savings of 25-35% compared to non-RPV alternatives are determined. There appear to be no environmental problems, and the safety issue appears manageable.

Aderhold, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Description and User Instructions for the Quaternion_to_Orbit_v3 Software

For a given inertial frame of reference, the software combines the spacecraft orbits with the spacecraft attitude quaternions, and rotates the body-fixed reference frame of a particular spacecraft to the inertial reference frame. The conversion assumes that the two spacecraft are aligned with respect to the mutual line of sight, with a parameterized time tag. The software is implemented in Python and is completely open source. It is very versatile, and may be applied under various circumstances and for other related purposes. Based on the solid linear algebra analysis, it has an extra option for compensating the linear pitch. This software has been designed for simulation of the calibration maneuvers performed by the two spacecraft comprising the GRAIL mission to the Moon, but has potential use for other applications. In simulations of formation flights, one needs to coordinate the spacecraft orbits represented in an appropriate inertial reference frame and the spacecraft attitudes. The latter are usually given as the time series of quaternions rotating the body-fixed reference frame of a particular spacecraft to the inertial reference frame. It is often desirable to simulate the same maneuver for different segments of the orbit. It is also useful to study various maneuvers that could be performed at the same orbit segment. These two lines of study are more timeand labor-efficient if the attitude and orbit data are generated independently, so that the part of the data that has not been changed can be recycled in the course of multiple simulations.

Strekalov, Dmitry V.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Effect of scanline orientation on ventricular flow propagation: assessment using high frame-rate color Doppler echocardiography

Color M-mode echocardiography has recently been utilized to describe diastolic flow propagation velocity (Vp) in the left ventricle. While increasing temporal resolution from 15 to 200 Hz, this M-mode technique requires the user to select a single scanline, potentially limiting quantification of Vp due to the complex three-dimensional inflow pattern. We previously performed computational fluid dynamics simulations to demonstrate the insignificance of the scanline orientation, however geometric complexity was limited. The purpose of this study was to utilize high frame-rate 2D color Doppler images to investigate the importance of scanline selection in patients for the quantification of Vp. 2D color Doppler images were digitally acquired at 50 frames/s in 6 subjects from the apical 4-chamber window (System 5, GE/Vingmed, Milwaukee, WI). Vp was determined for a set of scanlines positioned through 5 locations across the mitral annulus (from the anterior to posterior mitral annulus). An analysis of variance was performed to examine the differences in Vp as a function of scanline position. Vp was not effected by scanline position in sampled locations from the center of the mitral valve towards the posterior annulus. Although not statistically significant, there was a trend to slower propagation velocities on the anterior side of the valve (60.8 +/- 16.7 vs. 54.4 +/- 13.6 cm/s). This study clinically validates our previous numerical experiment showing that Vp is insensitive to small perturbations of the scanline through the mitral valve. However, further investigation is necessary to examine the impact of ventricular geometry in pathologies including dilated cardiomyopathy.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1977

Validity of approximate methods in molecular scattering. III - Effective potential and coupled states approximations for differential and gas kinetic cross sections

Two dimensionality-reducing approximations, the j sub z-conserving coupled states (sometimes called the centrifugal decoupling) method and the effective potential method, were applied to collision calculations of He with CO and with HCl. The coupled states method was found to be sensitive to the interpretation of the centrifugal angular momentum quantum number in the body-fixed frame, but the choice leading to the original McGuire-Kouri expression for the scattering amplitude - and to the simplest formulas - proved to be quite successful in reproducing differential and gas kinetic cross sections. The computationally cheaper effective potential method was much less accurate.

Monchick, L.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Recent Enhancements To The FUN3D Flow Solver For Moving-Mesh Applications

An unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver for unstructured grids has been extended to handle general mesh movement involving rigid, deforming, and overset meshes. Mesh deformation is achieved through analogy to elastic media by solving the linear elasticity equations. A general method for specifying the motion of moving bodies within the mesh has been implemented that allows for inherited motion through parent-child relationships, enabling simulations involving multiple moving bodies. Several example calculations are shown to illustrate the range of potential applications. For problems in which an isolated body is rotating with a fixed rate, a noninertial reference-frame formulation is available. An example calculation for a tilt-wing rotor is used to demonstrate that the time-dependent moving grid and noninertial formulations produce the same results in the limit of zero time-step size.

Biedron, Robert T,↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Solar-Sail Launched Interstellar Probe: Pre-Perihelion Trajectories and Application of Holography

Design of missions beyond our solar system presents many challenges. Here, we consider certain aspects of the solar-sail launched interstellar probe (ISP), a spacecraft slated for launch in the 2010 time period that is planned to reach the heliopause, at 200 Astronomical Units (AU) from the Sun after a flight of about 20-years duration. The baseline mission under consideration by NASA / JPL has a sail radius of 200 m, a science payload of 25 kg, a spacecraft areal mass thickness of about two grams per square meter and is accelerated out of the solar system at about 14 AU per year after performing a perihelion pass of about 0.25 AU. In current plans, the sail is to be dropped near Jupiter's orbit (5.2 AU from the Sun) on the outbound trajectory leg. One aspect of this study is application of a realistic model of sail thermo-optics to sail kinematics that includes diffuse / specular reflectance and sail roughness. The effects of solar-wind degradation of sail material, based on recent measurements at the NASA MSFC (Marshall Space Flight Center) Space Environment Facility were incorporated in the kinematical model. After setting initial and final conditions for the spacecraft, trajectory was optimized using the provision of variable sail aspect angle. The second phase of the study included consideration of rainbow holography as a medium for a message plaque that would be carried aboard the ISP in the spirit of the message plaques aboard Pioneer 10 /11 and Voyager 1 /2. A prototype holographic message plaque was designed and created by artist C. Bangs with the assistance of Ana Maria Nicholson and Dan Schweitzer of the Center for Holographic Arts in Long Island City, NY. The piece was framed by Simon Liu Inc. of Brooklyn, NY. Concurrent to the creation of the prototype message plaque, we explored the potential of this medium to transmit large amounts of visual information to any extraterrestrial civilization that might detect and intercept ISP. It was also necessary to investigate possible degradation of holograms by the space environment. We developed a new way of characterizing the optical quality of holograms.

Gregory L. Matloff↗
NASA NTRS2009

Direct Multiple Shooting Optimization with Variable Problem Parameters

Taking advantage of a novel approach to the design of the orbital transfer optimization problem and advanced non-linear programming algorithms, several optimal transfer trajectories are found for problems with and without known analytic solutions. This method treats the fixed known gravitational constants as optimization variables in order to reduce the need for an advanced initial guess. Complex periodic orbits are targeted with very simple guesses and the ability to find optimal transfers in spite of these bad guesses is successfully demonstrated. Impulsive transfers are considered for orbits in both the 2-body frame as well as the circular restricted three-body problem (CRTBP). The results with this new approach demonstrate the potential for increasing robustness for all types of orbit transfer problems.

Whitley, Ryan J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Orbit Determination of Spacecraft in Earth-Moon L1 and L2 Libration Point Orbits

The ARTEMIS mission, part of the THEMIS extended mission, is the first to fly spacecraft in the Earth-Moon Lissajous regions. In 2009, two of the five THEMIS spacecraft were redeployed from Earth-centered orbits to arrive in Earth-Moon Lissajous orbits in late 2010. Starting in August 2010, the ARTEMIS P1 spacecraft executed numerous stationkeeping maneuvers, initially maintaining a lunar L2 Lissajous orbit before transitioning into a lunar L1 orbit. The ARTEMIS P2 spacecraft entered a L1 Lissajous orbit in October 2010. In April 2011, both ARTEMIS spacecraft will suspend Lissajous stationkeeping and will be maneuvered into lunar orbits. The success of the ARTEMIS mission has allowed the science team to gather unprecedented magnetospheric measurements in the lunar Lissajous regions. In order to effectively perform lunar Lissajous stationkeeping maneuvers, the ARTEMIS operations team has provided orbit determination solutions with typical accuracies on the order of 0.1 km in position and 0.1 cm/s in velocity. The ARTEMIS team utilizes the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS), using a batch least squares method, to process range and Doppler tracking measurements from the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN), Berkeley Ground Station (BGS), Merritt Island (MILA) station, and United Space Network (USN). The team has also investigated processing of the same tracking data measurements using the Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK) software, which uses an extended Kalman filter and recursive smoother to estimate the orbit. The orbit determination results from each of these methods will be presented and we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with using each method in the lunar Lissajous regions. Orbit determination accuracy is dependent on both the quality and quantity of tracking measurements, fidelity of the orbit force models, and the estimation techniques used. Prior to Lissajous operations, the team determined the appropriate quantity of tracking measurements that would be needed to meet the required orbit determination accuracies. Analysts used the Orbit Determination Error Analysis System (ODEAS) to perform covariance analyses using various tracking data schedules. From this analysis, it was determined that 3.5 hours of DSN TRK-2-34 range and Doppler tracking data every other day would suffice to meet the predictive orbit knowledge accuracies in the Lissajous region. The results of this analysis are presented. Both GTDS and ODTK have high-fidelity environmental orbit force models that allow for very accurate orbit estimation in the lunar Lissajous regime. These models include solar radiation pressure, Earth and Moon gravity models, third body gravitational effects from the Sun, and to a lesser extent third body gravitational effects from Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and Mars. Increased position and velocity uncertainties following each maneuver, due to small execution performance errors, requires that several days of post-maneuver tracking data be processed to converge on an accurate post-maneuver orbit solution. The effects of maneuvers on orbit determination accuracy will be presented, including a comparison of the batch least squares technique to the extended Kalman filter/smoother technique. We will present the maneuver calibration results derived from processing post-maneuver tracking data. A dominant error in the orbit estimation process is the uncertainty in solar radiation pressure and the resultant force on the spacecraft. An estimation of this value can include many related factors, such as the uncertainty in spacecraft reflectivity and surface area which is a function of spacecraft orientation (spin-axis attitude), uncertainty in spacecraft wet mass, and potential seasonal variability due to the changing direction of the Sun line relative to the Earth-Moon Lissajous reference frame. In addition, each spacecraft occasionally enters into Earth or Moon penumbra or umbra and these shadow crossings reduche solar radiation force for several hours. The effects of these events on orbit determination accuracy will be presented. In order to plan for upcoming stationkeeping maneuvers, the maneuver planning team must take the current orbit estimate, propagate it forward to the planned maneuver time, and determine the optimal maneuver to maintain the Lissajous orbit for one or more revolutions. The propagation is performed using a Runge-Kutta 7/8 integrator and typically the position and velocity uncertainty increases with propagation time, increasing the overall uncertainty of the orbit state at the maneuver execution time. The effect of orbit knowledge uncertainty on stationkeeping operations will be presented.

Woodard, Mark↗