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NASA NTRS1993

Thermal performance testing of the Explorer Platform

The Explorer Platform (EP) has been designed to accommodate on-orbit payload and bus module changeout via Space Transportation System (STS) servicing. Such a versatile spacecraft platform designed to experience widely different environmental exposures and operational conditions, coupled with program constraints on schedule and budget, presented a challenge to implementing a technically sound thermal vacuum/thermal balance test program. This paper discusses thermal performance tests implemented at the subsystem and system levels, and the risks accepted resulting from test sequence, configuration. and tests omitted from the program. No thermal cycling or thermal balance tests were performed on the integrated spacecraft level, although both the Payload (EUVE) and Platform (EP) received independent testing. The decision to take this approach is discussed with respect to the thermal design and the associated risks taken to maintain budget and schedule.

Wasson, David↗
NASA NTRS1958

A Flight Investigation of the Effects of Varied Lateral Damping on the Effectiveness of a Fighter Airplane as a Gun Platform

Flight tests were conducted at three conditions of damping and two atmospheric turbulence levels with fixed-reticle, gyro computing, and telescopic gunsights. Results of simulated strafing runs indicate that the gun-line dispersion could be expected to be decreased about 7 percent by increased lateral damping and to be increased about 85 percent by decreased damping and about 40 percent by rough air of the type encountered. Use of the telescopic sight indicated a 20-percent decrease in gun-line dispersion.

OPERATING PROBLEMS, PHYSIOLOGICAL↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Design and Technology Maturation of the Stratospheric Projectile Experiment of Entry Dynamics

The supersonic and transonic dynamic stability of blunt-body reentry vehicles currently poses large risks in all of NASA’s ongoing entry missions (MSR SRL, MSR EES, and Dragonfly). These projects have allocated millions of dollars to testing and modeling efforts to buy down risk by using the current state-of-the-art (SoA) facilities at NASA’s disposal. While these facilities have heritage in supplying dynamics data to reentry missions, their availability is severely limited – particularly with the high number of concur-rent projects requesting simultaneous testing– and are costly when considering the science density per dollar. None of the current SoA facility methodologies allow the test model to have the dynamics fully develop through a flight relevant free-stream profile and as such require extrapolations with resultant high uncertainties in order to relate the test dynamics to flight expectations. SPEED is a NASA Ames Center Innovation Fund (CIF) project that is developing a highly tailorable and cost-effective test methodology to better assess the dynamic stability of blunt-body reentry vehicles via a stratospheric balloon flight. This is accomplished by dropping a suite of instrumented capsules from a stratospheric balloon to gain a statistically relevant dataset of scaled reentry vehicles in mission relevant free-flight conditions. This presentation will walk through how the test methodology is being implemented specifically for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Earth Entry System (EES) geometry in an awarded Flight Opportunities Program (FOP) test flight in early CY24. SPEED Application to MSR: SPEED consists of three main mechanical systems: the Drop Platform, the Projectile, and the test Capsule. SPEED is being developed as a set of guidelines and recommendations for how to test with the proposed Concept of Operations (Conops) since the specific design parameters will vary depending on the specific project’s reference trajectory and entry vehicle design. As such, this presentation will walk through the development time-line as shown in Fig. 2. This is meant to serve as a blueprint for further missions as desired. Mechanical and Avionics Design. The SPEED test platform designed for the MSR-EES capsule geometry with nominal entry parameters has the ability to carry 10 Capsules to altitude instrumented with: 1. 3-Axis Accelerometer 2. IMU 3. Gyroscope 4. Magnetometer 5. Pressure Transducer cruciform 6. Uplook and Horizon Cameras To package the avionics/instrumentation suite, the capsule is approximately 1’ in diameter with the Outer Mold Line (OML) centroid-scaled from the full EES design. The internal volume is gutted and custom-shaped to fit the desired instrumentation suite, as well as to allow for the positioning of ballast mass such that the Center of Gravity is analogous to the flight vehicle. All structural components in the Capsule and Projectile are 3D printed, which significantly reduces the cost of each flight unit to around $1500 including all instrumentation, avionics, and structural components. Flight Conops. The test Capsule is accelerated to the desired altitude and Mach number while stowed in the Projectile, a missile-like vehicle consisting of steel ballast in the nose, a low-drag OML, and an Ejection Mechanism to reliably release the Capsule into the free-flow supersonic conditions. For the MSR-EES design, the capsule employs ~3kg of ballast mass at the nose to accelerate the 1.25kg test Capsule to ~Mach 1.7 at 23km altitude. This requires an initial release altitude of 40km, the quoted limit of a 80kg payload by the FOP-contracted balloon provider. Once the Ejection Mechanism avionics detect the proper conditions, the spring-loaded Ejection Mechanism will release and – guided by the sabot – expose the test Capsule to the desired test conditions for ~5 seconds of free-flight in the supersonic/transonic regimes. Dynamics in the subsonic regime will also be captured with the instrumentation suite with post-flight recovery operations aimed at recovering the high-G-load capable SD cards after the planned hard impact landings. Testing and Development: In the few months the SPEED project has worked the development of MSR-EES flight test, the team has performed lab and drone based testing which this presentation will overview. After the first design phase, the team fabricated Engineering Demonstration Units (EDUs) of all subsystems to perform validation testing shown in Fig. 5. After validation was completed on the subsystem level, a drone-drop test was performed at the recreational flight ceiling of 400ft altitude to assess the SPEED systems in a flight environment. Parameters such as in-flight stability, hard impact landing performance, and avionics performance were quantified and qualified. The FY23 CIF will culminate in a helicopter drop test aboard an Air National Guard Blackhawk. This will prepare the team for the CY24 FOP stratospheric balloon flight that should provide the final verification to begin offering the test platform for mission support. Focus of Presentation: This presentation will outline the technology maturation path of the SPEED implementation to the MSR-EES capsule baseline as well as the details regarding the mechanical system, avionics and instrumentation, and flight operations. Note that a complementary presentation is being submitted for a methodology overview of the SPEED test platform, introducing the testing technique and benefits as well as the full application space of the technology.

pitch damping coefficient↗
NASA NTRS2014

Adaptive Augmenting Control Flight Characterization Experiment on an F/A-18

This paper summarizes the Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) flight characterization experiments performed using an F/A-18 (TN 853). AAC was designed and developed specifically for launch vehicles, and is currently part of the baseline autopilot design for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). The scope covered here includes a brief overview of the algorithm (covered in more detail elsewhere), motivation and benefits of flight testing, top-level SLS flight test objectives, applicability of the F/A-18 as a platform for testing a launch vehicle control design, test cases designed to fully vet the AAC algorithm, flight test results, and conclusions regarding the functionality of AAC. The AAC algorithm developed at Marshall Space Flight Center is a forward loop gain multiplicative adaptive algorithm that modifies the total attitude control system gain in response to sensed model errors or undesirable parasitic mode resonances. The AAC algorithm provides the capability to improve or decrease performance by balancing attitude tracking with the mitigation of parasitic dynamics, such as control-structure interaction or servo-actuator limit cycles. In the case of the latter, if unmodeled or mismodeled parasitic dynamics are present that would otherwise result in a closed-loop instability or near instability, the adaptive controller decreases the total loop gain to reduce the interaction between these dynamics and the controller. This is in contrast to traditional adaptive control logic, which focuses on improving performance by increasing gain. The computationally simple AAC attitude control algorithm has stability properties that are reconcilable in the context of classical frequency-domain criteria (i.e., gain and phase margin). The algorithm assumes that the baseline attitude control design is well-tuned for a nominal trajectory and is designed to adapt only when necessary. Furthermore, the adaptation is attracted to the nominal design and adapts only on an as-needed basis (see Figure 1). The MSFC algorithm design was formulated during the Constellation Program and reached a high maturity level during SLS through simulation-based development and internal and external analytical review. The AAC algorithm design has three summary-level objectives: (1) "Do no harm;" return to baseline control design when not needed, (2) Increase performance; respond to error in ability of vehicle to track command, and (3) Regain stability; respond to undesirable control-structure interaction or other parasitic dynamics. AAC has been successfully implemented as part of the Space Launch System baseline design, including extensive testing in high-fidelity 6-DOF simulations the details of which are described in [1]. The Dryden Flight Research Center's F/A-18 Full-Scale Advanced Systems Testbed (FAST) platform is used to conduct an algorithm flight characterization experiment intended to fully vet the aforementioned design objectives. FAST was specifically designed with this type of test program in mind. The onboard flight control system has full-authority experiment control of ten aerodynamic effectors and two throttles. It has production and research sensor inputs and pilot engage/disengage and real-time configuration of up to eight different experiments on a single flight. It has failure detection and automatic reversion to fail-safe mode. The F/A-18 aircraft has an experiment envelope cleared for full-authority control and maneuvering and exhibits characteristics for robust recovery from unusual attitudes and configurations aided by the presence of a qualified test pilot. The F/A-18 aircraft has relatively high mass and inertia with exceptional performance; the F/A-18 also has a large thrust-to-weight ratio, owing to its military heritage. This enables the simulation of a portion of the ascent trajectory with a high degree of dynamic similarity to a launch vehicle, and the research flight control system can simulate unstable longitudinal dynamics. Parasitic dynamics such as slosh and bending modes, as well as atmospheric disturbances, are being produced by the airframe via modification of bending filters and the use of secondary control surfaces, including leading and trailing edge flaps, symmetric ailerons, and symmetric rudders. The platform also has the ability to inject signals in flight to simulate structural mode resonances or other challenging dynamics. This platform also offers more test maneuvers and longer maneuver times than a single rocket or missile test, which provides ample opportunity to fully and repeatedly exercise all aspects of the algorithm. Prior to testing on an F/A-18, AAC was the only component of the SLS autopilot design that had not been flight tested. The testing described in this paper raises the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) early in the SLS Program and is able to demonstrate its capabilities and robustness in a flight environment.

VanZwieten, Tannen S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Space Active Modular Materials Experiments (SAMMES): Low Earth Orbital mission aboard the Space Test Experiments STEP-3 platform

The requirement of satellite systems to survive in the space environment for 5 to 10 years to achieve greater cost effectiveness is discussed. Characterization of the orbital space environment and its effects on spacecraft systems have received considerable research attention. Instrumentation for long term measurement of key physical parameters characterizing the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment and its effects on degradation of spacecraft materials and solar arrays is reported. These measurements enable active, real time monitoring of the health of spacecraft and payload systems. SAMMES is designed to be autonomous, compact, low power, and lightweight.

Joshi, P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Development of Test Article Building Block (TABB) for deployable platform systems

The concept of a Test Article Building Block (TABB) is described. The TABB is a ground test article that is representative of a future building block that can be used to construct LEO and GEO deployable space platforms for communications and scientific payloads. This building block contains a main housing within which the entire structure, utilities, and deployment/retraction mechanism are stowed during launch. The end adapter secures the foregoing components to the housing during launch. The main housing and adapter provide the necessary building-block-to-building-block attachments for automatically deployable platforms. Removal from the shuttle cargo bay can be accomplished with the remote manipulator system (RMS) and/or the handling and positioning aid (HAPA). In this concept, all the electrical connections are in place prior to launch with automatic latches for payload attachment provided on either the end adapters or housings. The housings also can contain orbiter docking ports for payload installation and maintenance.

Greenberg, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1954

Flight Tests of a Man Standing on a Platform Supported by a Teetering Rotor

Because previous flight tests of a man standing on a jet-supported platform were very successful, a series of flight tests were made to determine the flying qualities of a man standing on a platform supported by a teetering rotor. The rotor was 7 feet in diameter and was driven by air jets at the rotor tips fed by hollow blades and air hoses connected to an external air supply. The machine was tested with a free-teetering rotor and with a spring-restrained rotor, and, as an alternate arrangement, with the rotor and foot platform isolated from the framework by rubber connections to reduce the inertia of the moving parts. The machine was tested indoors in hovering and in limited translational flight and outdoors in light and in strong gusty winds. The stability and controllability with the spring-restrained rotor were uniformly good. The stability with the free-teetering rotor was marginal, but, when an experienced flyer placed his hands on a hand rail, the stability and controllability were good. The stability and controllability with the rubber-isolated frame and spring-restrained teetering rotor were very good and quite like the jet-supported platform.

Paul R Hill↗
NASA NTRS2008

Generic Helicopter-Based Testbed for Surface Terrain Imaging Sensors

To be certain that a candidate sensor system will perform as expected during missions, we have developed a field test system and have executed test flights with a helicopter-mounted sensor platform over desert terrains, which simulate Lunar features. A key advantage to this approach is that different sensors can be tested and characterized in an environment relevant to the flight needs prior to flight. Testing the various sensors required the development of a field test system, including an instrument to validate the truth of the sensor system under test. The field test system was designed to be flexible enough to cover the test needs of many sensors (lidar, radar, cameras) that require an aerial test platform, including helicopters, airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or balloons. To validate the performance of the sensor under test, the dynamics of the test platform must be known with sufficient accuracy to provide accurate models for input into algorithm development. The test system provides support equipment to measure the dynamics of the field test sensor platform, and allow computation of the truth position, velocity, attitude, and time.

Alexander, James↗
NASA NTRS1984

Vibration isolation system for testing in a vacuum

The design, manufacture, and testing of an isolation system placed under a bench which simulates a space platform during testing in a hard vacuum are described. A low natural frequency isolation system is used to decouple ground vibrations from the bench. The materials used are vacuum compatible and do not introduce unwanted matter which would contaminate the payload optics and/or the testing environment. The system accommodates payloads of varying weights and envelopes.

Jack Dankowski↗
NASA NTRS2016

CryoCart Restoration and Vacuum Pipe Construction

Propulsion systems that utilize hypergolic propellants have been used to power space vehicles since the beginning of the space program. Liquid methane and oxygen propulsion systems have emerged as an alternative and have proven to be more environmentally friendly. The incorporation of liquid methane/liquid oxygen (LOX) into the propulsion system has demonstrated an increase in engine performance, as well as a reduction in the volume, size and complexity of the system. Consequently, reducing the total mass of the vehicle which is a crucial aspect that is considered when planning space missions to both the Moon and Mars [1]. Project Morpheus has made significant advancements in liquid oxygen/liquid methane propulsion system technologies by incorporating a LOX/methane propulsion system to a vertical test bed. The vehicle consisted of a 5,000 lb main engine and four 20 lb remote control system (RCS) engines that utilize liquid methane/LOX as its propellant [1]. The vehicle completed successful flight testing at Kennedy Space Center in 2014 which marked the completion of the Morpheus project. Subsequent projects utilizing Morpheus' vertical test bed have been developed to make further advancements. One of the subsequent projects consisted of the addition of a smaller 2,000 lb main engine and a cold helium heat exchanger which would make it possible for a pressurant tank systems to be send to Mars or the Moon by significantly decreasing the overall mass and volume of the pressurant tank. The hot fire tests of the integrated system with the smaller main engine and cold helium heat exchanger were successful at sea level, but further studies are being conducted to better understand how the vertical test bed will behave under thermal-vacuum conditions. For this reason, the integrated vehicle will be taken to Plum Brook to be tested in a chamber capable of simulating these conditions. To ensure that the vehicle will function properly under vacuum conditions, testing will be first completed at the component level. During this process, the igniter of the main engine and the RCS thrusters will be tested under a vacuum. To complete the testing of the components, the test setup first needed to be finalized. The CryoCart is being used to feed the propellants to the test article. The CryoCart is a movable test set-up that was developed in 2009 to provide a mobile platform for testing oxygen/methane systems with hot-fire capability up to 100 lbf. The CryoCart consists of three different systems: Oxygen, Methane, and liquid Nitrogen. The Oxygen and Methane systems are placed into two different carts while the liquid nitrogen system is mainly located in the methane cart. Over the years, the CryoCart has been utilized for different projects and has undergone deterioration. For this reason, a new phase has been developed to rebuild it to working conditions once again. During my internship, I was aiding in the construction and restoration of the CryoCart. In the initial stages of the process, I updated the fluid and electrical schematics for the oxygen, methane, and test article systems. The original CryoCart consisted of an electrical panel that utilized electromechanical relays and a terminal to drive the igniter power and signal, as well as the main fuel and oxygen valves. This electrical panel connected to the CryoCart through various wire harnesses that could be found exiting from the CryoCart. First, it was determined how these harnesses connected to the electromechanical relays so that they worked correctly. Once the electrical system was understood, an alternative for the electromechanical relays and the Molex connectors used throughout the system was sought since these components can often prove to be unreliable. Solid State relays and MIL connectors were purchased to serve as replacements. Upon arrival of the parts, crimping and wiring was completed to install the new solid state relays and MIL connectors. During the replacement of the relays and connectors, system checks of the electrical system were ran to ensure that the system was working correctly. While completing system checks, the pressure transducers that were not functioning properly were also replaced and any issue with the wiring or signal was addressed. Once the electrical components were replaced, the restoration of the fluid system began. Parts of the tubing in the CryoCart had to be rebuild and often consisted of sizing, cutting, bending, filing, and sanding the tubing to prepare it to be flared. Many components had to be proof-tested to bring their certifications up to date, and several components had to be replaced. Various flex hoses, valves, and fittings were send to the Clean Lab because they were new, dirty, or had gone through proof-testing. Once they arrived from the cleaning lab they had to be put back to the system and leak checks and functional tests were conducted. In the Nitrogen system, the copper tubing located in the Oxygen cart was rebuild and Aerogel insulation was added to this section. A new gaseous nitrogen system was added to the CryoCart to purge the vacuum tube which will serve as the test chamber. Once the CryoCart was completed, construction of parts of the vacuum tube began. A flange was manufactured with welded fittings to hold the line of the vacuum pump as well as some extra fittings which will serve as extra inlets used to introduce fluid lines to the vacuum tube. Stress analysis was ran in this flange to ensure that it would not fail under vacuum conditions. The fluid lines leading from the air side of the vacuum to the test article were also constructed and added to the mount that had already been manufactured. Three different sets of tubing were constructed to accommodate the seven different RCS thruster and the main engine igniter that are going to be tested. Full electrical system checks were completed to ensure that all the wire harnesses and valves were functioning. Upon the completion of the CryoCart and the vacuum tube, hot fire testing for the RCS thrusters and the main engine igniter are going to begin. During this time any issues encountered with the engines or igniter will be addressed to ensure that the components function under vacuum conditions. After successful completion of testing, the vertical test bed, Morpheus, will be rebuilt and prepared to be sent to Plum Brook. In Plum Brook, the vehicle will be tested in the thermal-vacuum chamber to demonstrate that integrated lox-methane propulsion system operation in space-like conditions. This internship has allowed me the opportunity to gain valuable hands on experience and to develop skills that will aid in my education as well as in the workforce, while at the same time helping me determine that I would like to further pursue a career in propulsion engineering.

Chaidez, Mariana↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

BioNutrients-1: Development of an On-Demand Nutrient Production System for Long-Duration Missions

Future long-duration missions beyond low-Earth orbit will require advances in food technologies to address the documented problem of degradation of vitamins and nutrients in supplied foods stored long-term. To begin to address the issue of nutrient degradation, we are developing and flight-testing a platform biomanufacturing technology for in situ production of target nutrients. This technology is being tested over a five-year duration on the International Space Station (ISS). As part of the BioNutrients-1 project we have developed an on-demand system for the production of two carotenoids, β-carotene and zeaxanthin, by genetically engineering distinct strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, more commonly known as baker’s yeast. The on-orbit nutrient production packs contain a desiccated yeast strain and edible growth substrate. Once hydrated, the contents of the production packs are intended to grow and produce a desired amount of ready-to-consume nutrients. In this current version the production packs will not be consumed and future missions will require an inactivation of microorganisms before consumption. In addition to the on-orbit hydration of the production packs a series of valuable microorganisms are currently being stored in stasis packs on the ISS including probiotics organisms, bacterial strains used in yogurt production, and organisms with potential use for future biomanufacturing. Analysis of returned ISS stasis packs and ground controls will include multi-omics studies and provide insight into long-term survival of organisms stored in a space environment. Both stasis packs and hydrated production packs will be intermittently returned to Earth for analysis. Preliminary data from long-term storage studies of stasis packs stored on the ISS for 47 days versus their ground control counterparts have shown no significant difference in viability. Currently no production packs have been processed.

Yeast↗
NASA NTRS2004

Evaluation of Open-Source Hard Real Time Software Packages

Reliable software is, at times, hard to find. No piece of software can be guaranteed to work in every situation that may arise during its use here at Glenn Research Center or in space. The job of the Software Assurance (SA) group in the Risk Management Office is to rigorously test the software in an effort to ensure it matches the contract specifications. In some cases the SA team also researches new alternatives for selected software packages. This testing and research is an integral part of the department of Safety and Mission Assurance. Real Time operation in reference to a computer system is a particular style of handing the timing and manner with which inputs and outputs are handled. A real time system executes these commands and appropriate processing within a defined timing constraint. Within this definition there are two other classifications of real time systems: hard and soft. A soft real time system is one in which if the particular timing constraints are not rigidly met there will be no critical results. On the other hand, a hard real time system is one in which if the timing constraints are not met the results could be catastrophic. An example of a soft real time system is a DVD decoder. If the particular piece of data from the input is not decoded and displayed to the screen at exactly the correct moment nothing critical will become of it, the user may not even notice it. However, a hard real time system is needed to control the timing of fuel injections or steering on the Space Shuttle; a delay of even a fraction of a second could be catastrophic in such a complex system. The current real time system employed by most NASA projects is Wind River's VxWorks operating system. This is a proprietary operating system that can be configured to work with many of NASA s needs and it provides very accurate and reliable hard real time performance. The down side is that since it is a proprietary operating system it is also costly to implement. The prospect of replacing this somewhat costly implementation is the focus of one of the SA group s current research projects. The explosion of open source software in the last ten years has led to the development of a multitude of software solutions which were once only produced by major corporations. The benefits of these open projects include faster release and bug patching cycles as well as inexpensive if not free software solutions. The main packages for hard real time solutions under Linux are Real Time Application Interface (RTAI) and two varieties of Real Time Linux (RTL), RTLFree and RTLPro. During my time here at NASA I have been testing various hard real time solutions operating as layers on the Linux Operating System. All testing is being run on an Intel SBC 2590 which is a common embedded hardware platform. The test plan was provided to me by the Software Assurance group at the start of my internship and my job has been to test the systems by developing and executing the test cases on the hardware. These tests are constructed so that the Software Assurance group can get hard test data for a comparison between the open source and proprietary implementations of hard real time solutions.

Mattei, Nicholas S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Propagation effects by roadside trees measured at UHF and L-band for mobile satellite systems

Propagation field tests were performed in Central Maryland and involved a helicopter and mobile van as the source and receiving platforms, respectively. Tests were implemented at both UHF (870 MHz) and L-band (1.5 GHz) during a period in which the trees were in full blossom and contained maximum moisture. Cumulative fade distributions were determined from the data for various fixed elevation angles, side of the road driving, and road types for both worst and best case path geometries and for overall average road conditions.

Goldhirsh, Julius↗
NASA NTRS2000

Infrared Submillimeter and Radio Astronomy Research and Analysis Program

This program entitled "Infrared Submillimeter and Radio Astronomy Research and Analysis Program" with NASA-Ames Research Center (ARC) was proposed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) to cover three years. Due to funding constraints only the first year installment of $18,436 was funded, but this funding was spread out over two years to try to maximize the benefit to the program. During the tenure of this contact, the investigators at the SAO, Drs. Wesley A. Traub and Nathaniel P. Carleton, worked with the investigators at ARC, Drs. Jesse Bregman and Fred Wittebom, on the following three main areas: 1. Rapid scanning SAO and ARC collaborated on purchasing and constructing a Rapid Scan Platform for the delay arm of the Infrared-Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) interferometer on Mt. Hopkins, Arizona. The Rapid Scan Platform was tested and improved by the addition of stiffening plates which eliminated a very small but noticeable bending of the metal platform at the micro-meter level. 2. Star tracking Bregman and Wittebom conducted a study of the IOTA CCD-based star tracker system, by constructing a device to simulate star motion having a specified frequency and amplitude of motion, and by examining the response of the tracker to this simulated star input. 3. Fringe tracking. ARC, and in particular Dr. Robert Mah, developed a fringe-packet tracking algorithm, based on data that Bregman and Witteborn obtained on IOTA. The algorithm was tested in the laboratory at ARC, and found to work well for both strong and weak fringes.

Traub, Wesley A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

TechEdSat Nano-Satellite Series Fact Sheet

TechEdSat-3p is the second generation in the TechEdSat-X series. The TechEdSat Series uses the CubeSat standards established by the California Polytechnic State University Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo. With typical blocks being constructed from 1-unit (1U 10x10x10 cm) increments, the TechEdSat-3p has a 3U volume with a 30 cm length. The project uniquely pairs advanced university students with NASA researchers in a rapid design-to-flight experience lasting 1-2 semesters.The TechEdSat Nano-Satellite Series provides a rapid platform for testing technologies for future NASA Earth and planetary missions, as well as providing students with an early exposure to flight hardware development and management.

Platform for rapid technology testing↗
NASA NTRS2017

Implementation of Real-Time Hardware in the Loop Simulation for WAVE Instrument Avionics

The Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload will lead the Resource Prospector rover to hydrogen-rich locations on the moon supporting NASA's in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) mission. The Water Analysis and Volatile Extraction (WAVE) system will be responsible for heating up regolith samples and analyzing their volatiles in a vaporized state. Given the space environment, testing flight hardware and software using the scientific instruments can be costly and time consuming, which can hold back progress involving the instruments. A hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation will test the Avionics Data Acquisition as well as the Instrument Interface Unit, through simulating sensors and actuators involved in supporting the WAVE instruments. HITL is a platform for testing and developing WAVE's avionics and software, where the simulation plant will imitate the LAVA and OVEN instruments, thus allowing for an accessible, efficient, and replicable testing environment.

Al Qaraghuli, Ali↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Use, Evolution and Lessons Learnt of Deployable Static Solar Array Mechanisms

This paper focuses on the mechanisms incorporated into SSTL's static deployable arrays; namely the sprung-hinges and hold down and release mechanism (HDRM). Combined, the HDRM and hinges form the hold down release system (HDRS). The deployable static solar array HDRS has been successfully used on several missions, first launched upon the DMC-CFESAT spacecraft in 2007 for a U.S. customer (Figure 1), and later used on DMC-UK2 and EXACTVIEW-1 launched in 2009 and 2012, respectively. The simple, robust and low-cost solution HDRS has been evident in allowing missions to satisfy an ever increasing power demand, allowing the solar arrays to increase in size and have a preferable sun angle for increased cell efficiency. The system is now being employed on the first mission out of SSTL's U.S. office (SST-US) on the Orbital Test Bed platform. This paper shall cover details of the original design and development program, problems incurred on latter missions, and evolution of the HDRS for the present Orbital Test Bed mission. Both the original development and recent evolutions have taken place in rapid timescales, to satisfy the high-turnaround of SSTL missions.

Ferris, Mark↗