Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Cyclops”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2013

Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS) - Cyclops

Access to space for satellites in the 50-100 kg class is a challenge for the small satellite community. Rideshare opportunities are limited and costly, and the small sat must adhere to the primary payloads schedule and launch needs. Launching as an auxiliary payload on an Expendable Launch Vehicle presents many technical, environmental, and logistical challenges to the small satellite community. To assist the community in mitigating these challenges and in order to provide the community with greater access to space for 50-100 kg satellites, the NASA International Space Station (ISS) and Engineering communities in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD) Space Test Program (STP) is developing a dedicated 50-100 kg class ISS small satellite deployment system. The system, known as Cyclops, will utilize NASA's ISS resupply vehicles to launch small sats to the ISS in a controlled pressurized environment in soft stow bags. The satellites will then be processed through the ISS pressurized environment by the astronaut crew allowing satellite system diagnostics prior to orbit insertion. Orbit insertion is achieved through use of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Experiment Module Robotic Airlock (JEM Airlock) and one of the ISS Robotic Arms. Cyclops' initial satellite deployment demonstration of DOD STP's SpinSat and UT/TAMU's Lonestar satellites will be toward the end of 2013 or beginning of 2014. Cyclops will be housed on-board the ISS and used throughout its lifetime. The anatomy of Cyclops, its concept of operations for satellite deployment, and its satellite interfaces and requirements will be addressed further in this paper.

Smith, James P.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Update on Progress of Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS) - Cyclops

The Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS), known as "Cyclops" to the International Space Station (ISS) community, was introduced last August (2013) during Technical Session V: From Earth to Orbit of the 27th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites. Cyclops is a collaboration between the NASA ISS Program, NASA Johnson Space Center Engineering, and Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program (STP) communities to develop a dedicated 50‐100 kg class ISS small satellite deployment system. This paper will address the progress of Cyclops through its fabrication, assembly, flight certification, and on‐orbit demonstration phases. It will also go into more detail regarding its anatomy, its satellite deployment concept of operations, and its satellite interfaces and requirements. Cyclops is manifested to fly on Space‐X 4 which is currently scheduled in July 2014 with its initial satellite deployment demonstration of DoD STP's SpinSat and UT/TAMU's Lonestar satellites being late summer or fall of 2014.

Newswander, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2016

Solidifying Small Satellite Access to Orbit via the International Space Station (ISS): Cyclops' Deployment of the Lonestar SmallSat from the ISS

On January 29, 2016, the Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS), known as "Cyclops" to the International Space Station (ISS) community, deployed Lonestar from the ISS. The deployment of Lonestar, a collaboration between Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin, continued to showcase the simplicity and reliability of the Cyclops deployment system. Cyclops, a NASA-developed, dedicated 10-100 kg class ISS SmallSat deployment system, utilizes the Japanese airlock and robotic systems to seamlessly insert SmallSats into orbit. This paper will illustrate Cyclops' successful deployment of Lonestar from the ISS as well as outline its concept of operations, interfaces, requirements, and processes.

Hershey, Matthew P.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Paving the Way for Small Satellite Access to Orbit: Cyclops' Deployment of SpinSat, the Largest Satellite Ever Deployed from the International Space Station

The Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS), known as "Cyclops" to the International Space Station (ISS) community, successfully deployed the largest satellite ever (SpinSat) from the ISS on November 28, 2014. Cyclops, a collaboration between the NASA ISS Program, NASA Johnson Space Center Engineering, and Department of Defense Space Test Program (DoD STP) communities, is a dedicated 10-100 kg class ISS small satellite deployment system. This paper will showcase the successful deployment of SpinSat from the ISS. It will also outline the concept of operations, interfaces, requirements, and processes for satellites to utilize the Cyclops satellite deployment system.

Hershey, Matthew P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Cyclops - The JPL AIRSAR synoptic processor

Capability for synoptic, or wide-area, SAR processing has been added to the JPL Aircraft Synthetic Aperture Radar System (AIRSAR) by means of the CYCLOPS synoptic processor. Polarimetric requirements have been relaxed so that a single node in the system can process SAR data with a throughput of three channels in 3.75 hours. Each channel consists of five minutes of full-range-swath data chosen from the twelve available AIRSAR polarization channels. Processed data consists of 16-look, 16-meter resolution imagery with a swath size of 60 km. The processor fully utilizes the available Doppler bandwidth and provides processing options for range migration correction, zero-Doppler deskew, frequency registration, and radiometric correction. The detected-power output product is scaled so as to provide sigma zero radiometric calibration.

Taylor, Victor B.↗
NASA NTRS1967

Microwave Driven Magnetic Plasma Accelerator Studies (CYCLOPS)

A microwave-driven cyclotron resonance plasma acceleration device was investigated using argon, krypton, xenon, and mercury as propellants. Limited ranges of propellant flow rate, input power, and magnetic field strength were used. Over-all efficiencies (including the 65% efficiency of the input polarizer) less than 10% were obtained for specific impulse values between 500 and 1500 sec. Power transfer efficiencies, however, approached 100% of the input power available in the right-hand component of the incident circularly polarized radiation. Beam diagnostics using Langmuir probes, cold gas mapping, r-f mapping and ion energy analyses were performed in conjunction with an engine operating in a pulsed mode. Measurements of transverse electron energies at the position of cyclotron resonant absorption yielded energy values more than an order of magnitude lower than anticipated. The measured electron energies were, however, consistent with the low values of average ion energy measured by retarding potential techniques. The low values of average ion energy were also consistent with the measured thrust values. It is hypothesized that ionization and radiation limit the electron kinetic energy to low-values thus limiting the energy which is finally transferred to the ion. Thermalization by electron-electron collision was also identified as an additional loss mechanism. The use of light alkali metals, which have relatively few low lying energy levels to excite, with the input power to mass ratio selected so as to limit the electron energies to less than the second ionization potential, is suggested. It is concluded, however, that the over-all efficiency for such propellants would be less than 40 per cent.

CYCLOPS PLASMA ACCELERATOR↗
NASA NTRS1972

Project Cyclops: a Design Study of a System for Detecting Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life

The requirements in hardware, manpower, time and funding to conduct a realistic effort aimed at detecting the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life are examined. The methods used are limited to present or near term future state-of-the-art techniques. Subjects discussed include: (1) possible methods of contact, (2) communication by electromagnetic waves, (3) antenna array and system facilities, (4) antenna elements, (5) signal processing, (6) search strategy, and (7) radio and radar astronomy.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

Landing performance by low-time private pilots after the sudden loss of binocular vision - Cyclops II

Study of low-time general aviation pilots, who, in a series of spot landings, were suddenly deprived of binocular vision by patching either eye on the downwind leg of a standard, closed traffic pattern. Data collected during these landings were compared with control data from landings flown with normal vision during the same flight. The sequence of patching and the mix of control and monocular landings were randomized to minimize the effect of learning. No decrease in performance was observed during landings with vision restricted to one eye, in fact, performance improved. This observation is reported at a high level of confidence (p less than 0.001). These findings confirm the previous work of Lewis and Krier and have important implications with regard to aeromedical certification standards.

Lewis, C. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

State of the art in the detection of intelligent extraterrestrial signals.

Recent progress in ideas of how signals that might represent electromagnetic radiations of intelligent civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy is summarized. Project Cyclops, carried out at Ames Research Center under the auspices of NASA and the American Society for Engineering Education, determined that microwaves are superior to lasers for interstellar signalling. It is felt that the band lying between the resonances of the two dissociation products of water, the hydrogen line at 1420 MHz, and the first hydroxyl line at 1662 MHz, is the most suitable. Phased antenna arrays of perhaps 1000 to 10,000 dishes of 100 m diam would be required. It is considered that a list of likely stars should be compiled, and these should be searched one at a time. Procedures for combing the spectrum are outlined.

Oliver, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Measurement of dimensional stability

A technique was developed for measuring, with a precision of one part 10 to the 9th power, changes in physical dimensions delta L/L. Measurements have commenced on five materials: Heraeus-Schott Homosil (vitreous silica), Corning 7940 (vitreous silica), Corning ULE 7971 (titanium silicate), Schott Zero-Dur, and Owens-Illinois Cer-Vit C-101. The study was extended to include Universal Cyclops Invar LR-35 and Simonds-Saw Superinvar.

Jacobs, S. F.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A review of the theory of interstellar communication

The probability is analyzed that intelligent civilizations capable of interstellar communication exist in the galaxy. Drake's (1960) equation for the prevalence of communicative civilization is used in the calculations, and attempts are made to place limits on the search range that must be covered to contact other civilizations, the longevity of the communicative phase of such civilizations, and the possible number of two-way exchanges between civilizations in contact with each other. The minimum estimates indicate that some 100,000 civilizations probably coexist within several tens of astronomical units of each other and that some 1,000,000 probably coexist within 10 light years of each other. Attempts to detect coherent signals characteristic of intelligent life are briefly noted, including Projects Ozma and Cyclops as well as some Soviet attempts. Recently proposed American and Soviet programs for interstellar communication are outlined.

Billingham, J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Ultraprecise thermal expansion measurements of seven low expansion materials

We summarize a large number of ultraprecise thermal expansion measurements made on seven different low expansivity materials. Expansion coefficients in the -150-300 C temperature range are shown for Owens-Illinois Cer-Vit C-101, Corning ULE 7971 (titanium silicate) and fused silica 7940, Heraeus-Schott Zerodur low-expansion material and Homosil fused silica, Universal Cyclops Invar LR-35, and Simonds Saw and Steel Super Invar.

Berthold, J. W., III↗
NASA NTRS1977

Antenna concepts for interstellar search systems

An evaluation is made of microwave receiving systems designed to search for signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. Specific design concepts are analyzed parametrically to determine whether the optimum antenna system location is on earth, in space, or on the moon. Parameters considered include the hypothesized number of transmitting civilizations, the number of stars that must be searched to give any desired probability of receiving a signal, the antenna collecting area, the search time, the search range, and the cost. This analysis suggests that (1) search systems based on the moon are not cost-competitive, (2) if the search is extended only a few hundred light years from the earth, a Cyclops-type array on earth may be the most cost-effective system, (3) for a search extending to 500 light years or more, a substantial cost and search-time advantage can be achieved with a large spherical reflector in space with multiple feeds, (4) radio frequency interference shields can be provided for space systems, and (5) cost can range from a few hundred million to tens of billions of dollars, depending on the parameter values assumed.

Basler, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1976

OAST Space Theme Workshop. Volume 2: Theme summary. 3: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence (no. 9). A: Theme statement. B. 26 April 1976 presentation. C. Summary. D. Newer initiatives (form 4). E. Initiative actions (form 5)

Preliminary (1977-1983), intermediate (1982-1988), and long term (1989+) phases of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) program are examined as well as the benefits to be derived in radioastronomy and the problems to be surmounted in radio frequency interference. The priorities, intrinsic value, criteria, and strategy for the search are discussed for both terrestrial and lunar-based CYCLOPS and for a space SETI system located at lunar liberation point L4. New initiatives related to antenna independent technology, multichannel analyzers, and radio frequency interference shielding are listed. Projected SETI program costs are included.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

The windows of SETI - Frequency and time in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence

Since interstellar travel is not economically possible on the time scale of a human lifetime, communication with extraterrestrials can be achieved only by sending some form of energy or matter across space; photons (electromagnetic waves) are best. Of particular interest to SETI is the region from about 1,000-60,000 MHz known as the free-space microwave window. During the course of NASA's Cyclops program, it was pointed out that the hydrogen and hydroxyl lines bounded a band in which there were no other known lines. The threatened loss of the microwave window to earth-based services is discussed.

Oliver, Bernard M.↗