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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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At least 19 records

Space Shuttle flying qualities criteria assessment. Phase 5: Data acquistion and analysis

The development of flying qualities experiments (OFQ) as a part of the Orbiter Experiments Program (OEX) was continued. The data base was extended to use the ground based cinetheodolite measurements of orbiter approach and landing. Onboard the cinetheodolite data were analyzed from flights STS 2 through 7 to identify the effective augmented vehicle dynamics, the control strategy employed by the pilot during preflare, shallow glide, and final flare segments of the landing, and the key approach and touchdown performance measures. A plan for an OFQ flying qualities data archive and processing is presented.

Myers, T. T.↗

Design of a sample acquistion system for the Mars exobiological penetrator

The Mars Exobiological Penetrator will be imbedded into several locations on the Martian surface. It contains various scientific instruments, such as an Alpha-Particle Instrument (API), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Evolved Gas Analyzer (EGA) and accelerometers. A sample is required for analysis in the API and DSC. To avoid impact contaminated material, this sample must be taken from soil greater than 2 cm away from the penetrator shell. This study examines the design of a dedicated sampling system including deployment, suspension, fore/after body coupling, sample gathering and placement. To prevent subsurface material from entering the penetrator sampling compartment during impact, a plug is placed in the exit hole of the wall. A U-lever device is used to hold this plug in the penetrator wall. The U-lever rotates upon initial motion of the core-grinder mechanism (CGM), releasing the plug. Research points to a combination of coring and grinding as a plausible solution to the problem of dry drilling. The CGM, driven by two compressed springs, will be deployed along a tracking system. A slowly varying load i.e., springs, is favored over a fixed displacement motion because of its adaptability to different material hardness. However, to accommodate sampling in a low density soil, two dash pots set a maximum transverse velocity. In addition, minimal power use is achieved by unidirectional motion of the CGM. The sample will be transported to the scientific instruments by means of a sample placement tray that is driven by a compressed spring to avoid unnecessary power usage. This paper also explores possible modifications for size, weight, and time as well as possible future studies.

Thomson, Ron↗

Application of a single area array detector for acquistion, tracking and point-ahead in space optical communications

Functions of acquisition, tracking, and point-ahead in space optical communications are being combined into a single system utilizing an area array detector. An analysis is presented of the feasibility concept. The key parameters are: optical power less than 1 pW at 0.86 micrometer, acquisition in less than 30 seconds in an acquisition field of view (FOV) of 1 mrad, tracking with 0.5 microrad rms noise at 1000 Hz update rate, and point ahead transfer function precision of 0.25 microrad over a region of 150 microrad. Currently available array detectors were examined. The most demanding specifications are low output noise, a high detection efficiency, a large number of pixels, and frame rates over 1kHz. A proof of concept (POC) demonstration system is currently being built utilizing the Kodak HS-40 detector (a 128 x 128 photodiode array with a 64 channel CCD readout architecture which can be operated at frame rates as high as 40,000/sec). The POC system implements a windowing scheme and special purpose digital signal processing electronic for matched filter acquisition and tracking algorithms.

Clark, D. L.↗

On autonomous terrain model acquistion by a mobile robot

The following problem is considered: A point robot is placed in a terrain populated by an unknown number of polyhedral obstacles of varied sizes and locations in two/three dimensions. The robot is equipped with a sensor capable of detecting all the obstacle vertices and edges that are visible from the present location of the robot. The robot is required to autonomously navigate and build the complete terrain model using the sensor information. It is established that the necessary number of scanning operations needed for complete terrain model acquisition by any algorithm that is based on scan from vertices strategy is given by the summation of i = 1 (sup n) N(O sub i)-n and summation of i = 1 (sup n) N(O sub i)-2n in two- and three-dimensional terrains respectively, where O = (O sub 1, O sub 2,....O sub n) set of the obstacles in the terrain, and N(O sub i) is the number of vertices of the obstacle O sub i.

Rao, N. S. V.↗

NASA FAR Supplement: The NASA Supplement to the Federal Acquistion Regulation

This supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is divided into the following sections: General, Competition and Acquisition Planning, Contracting Methods and Contract Types, Socioeconomic Programs, General Contracting Requirements, Special Categories of Contracting, Contract Management, Clauses and Forms, and Agency Supplementary Regulations.

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Wireless Self-Acquistion of 12-Lead ECG via Android Smart Phone

Researchers at NASA s Johnson Space Center and at Orbital Research, Inc. (a NASA SBIR grant recipient) have recently developed a dry-electrode harness that allows for self-acquisition of resting 12-lead ECGs by minimally trained laypersons. When used in conjunction with commercial wireless (e.g., Bluetooth(TM) or 802.11-enabled) 12-lead ECG devices and custom smart phone-based software, the collected 12-lead ECG data can also immediately be forwarded from any geographic location within cellular range to the user s physician(s) of choice. The system can also be used to immediately forward to central receiving stations 12-lead ECG data collected during space flight or during activities in any remote terrestrial location supported by an internet or cellular phone infrastructure. The main novel aspects of the system are first, the dry-electrode 12-lead ECG harness itself, and second, an accompanying Android(TM) smart phone-based wireless 12-lead ECG capability. The ECG harness nominally employs dry electrodes manufactured by Orbital Research, Inc, recently cleared through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, other dry electrodes that are not yet FDA cleared, for example those recently developed by Nanosonic, Inc as part of another NASA SBIR grant, can also be used. The various advantageous features of the harness include: 1) laypersons can be quickly instructed on its correct use, remotely if necessary; 2) all tangled "leadwire spaghetti" is eliminated, as is the common clinical problem of "leadwire reversal"; 3) all adhesives and disposables are also eliminated, the harness being fully reusable; if multiple individuals intend to use use the same harness, then standard antimicrobial wipes can be employed to sterilize the dry electrodes (and harness surface if needed) between users; 5) padded cushions at the lateral sides of the torso function to press the left arm (LA) and right arm (RA) dry electrodes mounted on the cushions against sideward or downward-rested arms of the subject; 6) sufficient distal placement of the arm electrodes achieves good electrode abutment to the arms without the need for adhesives, straps, bands, bracelets, or gloves; 7) padding over the sternum avoids "tenting" in the V1 through V3 (and, when present, the V3R) electrode positions; 8) easy-to-don, one-piece design with an adjustable, front-side single point of connection and an adjustable shoulder strap; and 9) Lund or "modified Lund" placement of the dry electrodes, the results of which more effectively reproduce results from "standard" 12-lead ECG placements than do results from Mason-Likar placements. The main limitation of the harness is that "one size does not fit all", meaning that an appropriately sized harness (small, medium, large, etc) must be chosen on the basis of an individual's size. To facilitate the use of the harness with inexpensive, commodity-grade cell phones and tablet devices, 12-lead ECG software is also being developed to accompany the harness for wireless use with Android. For this part of the project, NASA has teamed with TopCoder, Inc and the Harvard-affiliated NASA Tournament Lab in sponsoring java-based software programming contests through TopCoder. While ECG signals from the harness can already be wirelessly received and thoroughly processed (locally or remotely) by commercial-grade conventional (as well as advanced) 12-lead ECG software running on Microsoft Windows(TM), the Android-based software, once completed, will "cast a wider net" by allowing for a greater percentage of cell phone owners to participate in inexpensive, store-and-forward recordings of 12-lead ECGs worldwide, including for example Android cell phone users in many remote, third-world locations. At the time of writing, the Android 12-lead ECG software platform consists of a basic but expanding graphical user interface and accompanying software that: 1) wirelessly receives the 12-lead ECG data stream from a Bluetooth-based, FDA-cleared 12-leaCG device attached to the harness; 2) locally stores the same data in binary format to the SD card on the Android cell phone; and 3) makes the data stream in available in real time, for now to TopCoder's java programming contestants.

Schlegel, Todd T.↗

Technology utilization

Technical and scientific information acquistion, processing, retrieval, and dissemination

INFORMATION RETRIEVAL↗

Four frequency ground scatterometer

The FM-CW Radar, used as a microwave scatterometer is described. Scatterometer system design, scatterometer system calibration, parameter calculation and correction for data acquisition, ground scatterometer data acquistion at Jornada Experimental Range, and Kansas radar cross-calibration test are discussed.

Dickerson, E. T.↗

Operation and maintenance requirements of the Army Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV)

The Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) system is being developed to provide the Army with a target acquistion, target location, and laser designation capability that will significantly enhance the effectiveness of the artillery. Iterative analyses of the manpower, personnel, and training (MPT) requirements for an RPV system configured to accommodate both a daylight television and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) mission payload subsystem (FMPS) and related support subsystems are examined. Additionally, this analysis incorporates a 24 hour-a-day operational scenario. Therefore, the information presented was developed with a view towards delineating the differences (or deltas) imposed by the new requirements resulting from FMPS/24 hour operating day functions.

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The Landsat thematic mapper World Data Base

A World Data Base of potential thematic mapper (TM) scenes was developed to aid in acquisition planning. The World Data Base contains geopolitical, geographic and economic regions along with a format that enables users to find the satellite day, sun angle and cloud cover probability for any month of the year. Scenes that have been acquired by TM and have an average cloud cover of 30 percent of less from July 1982 when TM was launched until the Landsat system was taken over by NOAA in September 1984 are also in the World Data Base. Processed data are referenced in maps and data bases at EROS Data Center; however, a large number of acquistions have never been processed and therefore are not accessible. The World Data Base enables the rapid location of scenes and areas with the least effort making it invaluable in TM scheduling. Users of TM data can use the World Data Base to determine if scenes of interest have been acquired, the acquisition date, and if scenes have been processed to computer-compatible tape (CCT). These uses of the World Data Base make it a valuable tool in the acquisition and location of TM scenes.

Ludwig, R. W.↗

Functional description of signal processing in the Rogue GPS receiver

Over the past year, two Rogue GPS prototype receivers have been assembled and successfully subjected to a variety of laboratory and field tests. A functional description is presented of signal processing in the Rogue receiver, tracing the signal from RF input to the output values of group delay, phase, and data bits. The receiver can track up to eight satellites, without time multiplexing among satellites or channels, simultaneously measuring both group delay and phase for each of three channels (L1-C/A, L1-P, L2-P). The Rogue signal processing described requires generation of the code for all three channels. Receiver functional design, which emphasized accuracy, reliability, flexibility, and dynamic capability, is summarized. A detailed functional description of signal processing is presented, including C/A-channel and P-channel processing, carrier-aided averaging of group delays, checks for cycle slips, acquistion, and distinctive features.

Thomas, J. B.↗

An experimental investigation of a low Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer subject to an adverse pressure gradient

A very low Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer subject to an adverse pressure gradient is studied. The aim is to obtain highly accurate mean-flow and turbulence measurements under conditions that can be closely related to the numerical simulations of Philippe Spalart for the purposes of CFD validation. Much of the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel was completely rebuilt with a new wider contraction and working section which will improve compatibility with the simulations. A unique sophisticated high-speed computer controlled 3-D probe traversing mechanism was integrated into the test section. Construction of the tunnel and traverse is discussed in some detail. The hardware is now complete, and measurements are in progress. The mean-flow data indicate that a suitably two-dimensional base flow was established. Automation of the probe positioning and data acquistion have led to a decreased running time for total pressure measurements. However, the most significant benefits are expected to occur when using hot-wire probes. Calibrations can be performed automatically and there is no need to handle fragile probes when moving between measuring stations. Techniques are being developed which require sampling of the signals from moving hot-wire probes on the basis of their position in the flow. Measurements can be made in high intensity turbulence by flying probes upstream at high speed so that the relative magnitude of the turbulent velocity fluctuations are reduced. In regions, where the turbulence intensity is not too large, the probe can also be repetitively scanned across very dense spatial grids in other directions. With this technique, a complete profile can be measured in about 1/3 the time and with a spatial density about 50 times that obtainable using a stationary probe.

Watmuff, Jonathan H.↗