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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

Developing a Sustainable, User-Friendly Literature Database to Support the Microgravity Simulation Support Facility (MSSF) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Established in 2017, the Microgravity Simulation Support Facility (MSSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is the only centralized, dedicated facility supporting ground microgravity research in the United States. The MSSF offers the research community the ability to conduct simulated microgravity research with experimental conditions functionally resembling those aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and in other flight-based experimental environments. Since its inception, the MSSF has supported numerous studies and has since collected an extensive library of relevant and pertinent literature. The goal of our research was to develop and implement a sustainable, user-friendly literature database to better house this literature at the MSSF. To achieve this, our team focused on sorting, optimizing, and analyzing preexisting literature libraries to determine a best suitable and sustainable platform for the MSSF. After establishing initial database platforms, the team worked to develop descriptive and structural metadata categories to best sort the literature, which was followed by rigorous testing and optimization of the database as it was implemented. The MSSF has now been outfitted with a reliable, accessible database that effectively houses literature and provides diverse analysis to the user. Our team is continuing to test and update our platform and parameters as we aim for the formal implementation, expansion, and evolution of our database to better sustain future research ventures at the MSSF and beyond.

Database Development↗

Onboard Experiment Data Support Facility (OEDSF): Conceptual design study

The Onboard Experimental Data Support Facility (OEDSF) is an inflight data processor based on a totally new architecture specifically developed to cost-effectively process the data of Shuttle payloads sensors. Processing data onboard fills the following needs: (1) reduction of data bulk by conversion to information (2)quick-look for evaluation, interactive operation, etc. (3) real-time computation of engineering representation of sensed phenomena. For example: Value of backscatter coefficient (sigma) of a scatterometer as a function of latitude and longitude (4) exploitation of the real-time availability of ancillary data, thereby obviating the need for time-tagging, recording, and recorrelation and (5) providing data or information immediately usable by the experimenter or user. The OEDSF is made up of modular and cascadable matrix processors. Each matrix has been sized to process the data of a full typical shuttle payload. Cost analyses indicate that significant savings are realized by processing data with the OEDSF compared with conventional ground facilities.

Source record↗

Onboard experiment data support facility. Task 2 report: Definition of onboard processing requirements

The onboard experiment data support facility (OEDSF) will provide data processing support to various experiment payloads on board the space shuttle. The OEDSF study will define the conceptual design and generate specifications for an OEDSF which will meet the following objectives: (1) provide a cost-effective approach to end-to-end processing requirements, (2) service multiple disciplines (3) satisfy user needs, (4) reduce the amount and improve the quality of data collected, stored and processed, and (5) embody growth capacity.

Source record↗

Onboard experiment data support facility, task 1 report

The conceptual design and specifications are developed for an onboard experiment data support facility (OEDSF) to provide end to end processing of data from various payloads on board space shuttles. Classical data processing requirements are defined and modeled. Onboard processing requirements are analyzed. Specifications are included for an onboard processor.

Source record↗

Northstar Accelerator Based Mo99 Production Facility Design Support

Facility design support in FY20 centered on transfer of the target insertion and design details to MBraun and Springs, the companies under contract via Northstar to do the hot cell, target insertion and the local target shielding. A significant number of changes have been introduced by these vendors which have been reviewed and critiqued. In addition, the company contracted to produce the Mo100 disks announced that the tolerance on the thickness of 0.5 mm would be ±25%. An alternative design of the target holder was proposed. Bulk shielding and local target shielding design work has continued also and will be reported. Ongoing design and cooling issues continue to arise as the facility takes shape and moves toward completion. LANL is part of the team identifying, analyzing and designing solutions to these issues. Many of these are covered in this report.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Space Technology Experiment Platform (STEP). A Shuttle-borne support facility for structures, structural dynamics, and control technology flight experiments

The Space Transportation System (STS) is used for technology experiments in space. The Space Technology Experiment Platform (STEP) is a Shuttle-borne experiment support facility for use by structures, structural dynamics, and controls technology flight experiments. STEP represents a key element in the commitment to STS utilization. The STEP concept and definition process is discussed, and the results obtained to date on the configuration and function capability are summarized, and preliminary schedule information is presented.

Harris, J. E.↗

UNAVCO facility support of NASA Dynamics of the Solid Earth (DOSE) GPS investigation for years 1995-1996

This report consists of the following sections: a list of the NASA DOSE (Dynamics of the Solid Earth) Program Global Positioning System (GPS)-based campaigns supported by the UNAVCO (University Navstar Consortium) Boulder Facility; a list of NASA DOSE GPS permanent site installations supported by the UNAVCO Boulder Facility; and example science snapshots indicating the research projects supported with equipment and technical support available to DOSE Principal Investigators via the UNAVCO Boulder Facility.

Ware, Randolph↗

NASA Ames Thermophysics Ground Test Facilities Supporting Future Planetary Atmospheric Entry

A review of the current facility capabilities for testing Thermal Protection Systems and quantifying their entry environments at NASA Ames Research Center is presented based on the expected targets of interest to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology communities. While the operational capabilities of these facilities are generally considered sufficient for supporting future missions to targets of interest, expanded ground test capabilities such as larger sample sizes, flight-relevant gas mixtures, dusty environments, and flight-relevant shear/pressure combinations would reduce future entry vehicle design uncertainties and applied margins. These reduced uncertainties may translate into reduced entry vehicle masses, increased robustness, and decreased operational risks during entry phases for science missions. Expanded ground test capabilities would also offer the ability to study material failure modes in environments even more representative of flight than are currently achievable. A list of desired future test capabilities is presented along with suggestions of possible methods of achieving each. The main recommendation of this paper is the undertaking of a detailed study of the benefits and associated costs of each of these expanded capabilities to determine the best future path.

arc jet↗

FASTRACK (TM): Parabolic and Suborbital Experiment Support Facility

FASTRACK was developed by NASA Kennedy Space Center and Space Florida to provide capabilities to conduct frequent, affordable, and responsive flight opportunities for reduced gravity experiments, technology development, and hardware testing on suborbital vehicles and parabolic flights.

Suborbital Experiment↗

In Situ Resource Utilization Technology Research and Facilities Supporting the NASA's Human Systems Research and Technology Life Support Program

The NASA Microgravity Science program has transitioned research required in support of NASA s Vision for Space Exploration. Research disciplines including the Materials Science, Fluid Physics and Combustion Science are now being applied toward projects with application in the planetary utilization and transformation of space resources. The scientific and engineering competencies and infrastructure in these traditional fields developed at multiple NASA Centers and by external research partners provide essential capabilities to support the agency s new exploration thrusts including In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Among the technologies essential to human space exploration, the production of life support consumables, especially oxygen and; radiation shielding; and the harvesting of potentially available water are realistically achieved for long-duration crewed missions only through the use of ISRU. Ongoing research in the physical sciences have produced a body of knowledge relevant to the extraction of oxygen from lunar and planetary regolith and associated reduction of metals and silicon for use meeting manufacturing and repair requirements. Activities being conducted and facilities used in support of various ISRU projects at the Glenn Research Center and Marshall Space Flight Center will be described. The presentation will inform the community of these new research capabilities, opportunities, and challenges to utilize their materials, fluids and combustion science expertise and capabilities to support the vision for space exploration.

Schlagheck, Ronald A.↗

Constellation Training Facility Support

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is developing the next set of vehicles that will take men back to the moon under the Constellation Program. The Constellation Training Facility (CxTF) is a project in development that will be used to train astronauts, instructors, and flight controllers on the operation of Constellation Program vehicles. It will also be used for procedure verification and validation of flight software and console tools. The CxTF will have simulations for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Crew Module (CM), CEV Service Module (SM), Launch Abort System (LAS), Spacecraft Adapter (SA), Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), Pressurized Cargo Variant CM, Pressurized Cargo Variant SM, Cargo Launch Vehicle, Earth Departure Stage (EDS), and the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM). The Facility will consist of part-task and full-task trainers, each with a specific set of mission training capabilities. Part task trainers will be used for focused training on a single vehicle system or set of related systems. Full task trainers will be used for training on complete vehicles and all of its subsystems. Support was provided in both software development and project planning areas of the CxTF project. Simulation software was developed for the hydraulic system of the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) of the ARES I launch vehicle. The TVC system is in charge of the actuation of the nozzle gimbals for navigation control of the upper stage of the ARES I rocket. Also, software was developed using C standards to send and receive data to and from hand controllers to be used in CxTF cockpit simulations. The hand controllers provided movement in all six rotational and translational axes. Under Project Planning & Control, support was provided to the development and maintenance of integrated schedules for both the Constellation Training Facility and Missions Operations Facilities Division. These schedules maintain communication between projects in different levels. The CxTF support provided is one that requires continuous maintenance since the project is still on initial development phases.

Flores, Jose M.↗

Configuration management issues and objectives for a real-time research flight test support facility

An account is given of configuration management activities for the Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) at NASA-Ames, whose primary function is the conduct of aeronautical research flight testing through real-time processing and display, tracking, and communications systems. The processing of WATR configuration change requests for specific research flight test projects must be conducted in such a way as to refrain from compromising the reliability of WATR support to all project users. Configuration management's scope ranges from mission planning to operations monitoring and performance trend analysis.

Yergensen, Stephen↗

Configuration management issues and objectives for a real-time research flight test support facility

Presented are some of the critical issues and objectives pertaining to configuration management for the NASA Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) of Ames Research Center. The primary mission of the WATR is to provide a capability for the conduct of aeronautical research flight test through real-time processing and display, tracking, and communications systems. In providing this capability, the WATR must maintain and enforce a configuration management plan which is independent of, but complimentary to, various research flight test project configuration management systems. A primary WATR objective is the continued development of generic research flight test project support capability, wherein the reliability of WATR support provided to all project users is a constant priority. Therefore, the processing of configuration change requests for specific research flight test project requirements must be evaluated within a perspective that maintains this primary objective.

Yergensen, Stephen↗