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At least 19 records

Vehicle Systems Panel deliberations

The Vehicle Systems Panel addressed materials and structures technology issues related to launch and space vehicle systems not directly associated with the propulsion or entry systems. The Vehicle Systems Panel was comprised of two subpanels - Expendable Launch Vehicles & Cryotanks (ELVC) and Reusable Vehicles (RV). Tom Bales, LaRC, and Tom Modlin, JSC, chaired the expendable and reusable vehicles subpanels, respectively, and co-chaired the Vehicle Systems Panel. The following four papers are discussed in this section: (1) Net Section components for Weldalite Cryogenic Tanks, by Don Bolstad; (2) Build-up Structures for Cryogenic Tanks and Dry Bay Structural Applications, by Barry Lisagor; (3) Composite Materials Program, by Robert Van Siclen; (4) Shuttle Technology (and M&S Lessons Learned), by Stan Greenberg.

Bales, Tom↗

Impact of digital systems technology on man-vehicle systems research

The present study, based on a NASA technology assessment, examines the effect of new technologies on trends in crew-systems design and their implications from the vantage point of man-vehicle systems research. Those technologies that are most relevant to future trends in crew-systems design are considered along with problems associated with the introduction of rapidly changing technologies and systems concepts from a human-factors point of view. The technologies discussed include information processing, displays and controls, flight and propulsion control, flight and systems management, air traffic control, training and simulation, and flight and resource management. The historical evolution of cockpit systems design is used to illustrate past and possible future trends in man-vehicle systems research.

Bretoi, R. N.↗

Advanced Vehicle system concepts

Various nonpetroleum vehicle system concepts for passenger vehicles in the 1990's are being considered as part of the Advanced Vehicle (AV) Assessment at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The vehicle system and subsystem performance requirements, the projected characteristics of mature subsystem candidates, and promising systems are presented. The system candidates include electric and hybrid vehicles powered by electricity with or without a nonpetroleum power source. The subsystem candidates include batteries (aqueous-mobile, flow, high-temperature, and metal-air), fuel cells (phosphoric acid, advanced acids, and solid polymer electrolyte), nonpetroleum heat engines, advanced dc and ac propulsion components, power-peaking devices, and transmissions.

Hardy, K. S.↗

Trustworthy Autonomy for Gateway Vehicle System Manager

The Vehicle System Manager (VSM) is the highest-level software control system in the Gateway hierarchical Autonomous System Management Architecture. The VSM provides four function categories: Mission Management and Timeline Execution, Resource Management, Fault Management, Vehicle Control and Operation. VSM provides various levels of automation ranging from fully autonomous operations with no flight crew and minimal ground monitoring to advisory automation when Gateway is crewed and has full ground monitoring. Trustworthiness is achieved via verified specification, comprehensive development verification, and real-time verification using assume-guarantee contracts. Development verification includes semantic verification of the data model via peer review and testing and assume-guarantee contracts implemented using the PlusCal/TLA+ environment. VSM also uses runtime assume-guarantee contracts, implemented in R2U2 via a runtime monitor that feeds the necessary telemetry data to R2U2 and which receives and responds to the R2U2 verdict stream. The full lifecycle verification approach and use of assume-guarantee contracts provides increased trustworthiness to VSM. Preliminary results provide encouragement that VSM can be both autonomous and trustworthy.

Assume-guarantee contracts↗

Vehicle System Management Modeling in UML for Ares I

The Spacecraft & Vehicle Systems Department of Marshall Space Flight Center is responsible for modeling the Vehicle System Management for the Ares I vehicle which was a part of the now canceled Constellation Program. An approach to generating the requirements for the Vehicle System Management was to use the Unified Modeling Language technique to build and test a model that would fulfill the Vehicle System Management requirements. UML has been used on past projects (flight software) in the design phase of the effort but this was the first attempt to use the UML technique from a top down requirements perspective.

Pearson, Newton W.↗

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems for Disaster Relief: Tornado Alley

Unmanned aerial vehicle systems are currently in limited use for public service missions worldwide. Development of civil unmanned technology in the United States currently lags behind military unmanned technology development in part because of unresolved regulatory and technological issues. Civil unmanned aerial vehicle systems have potential to augment disaster relief and emergency response efforts. Optimal design of aerial systems for such applications will lead to unmanned vehicles which provide maximum potentiality for relief and emergency response while accounting for public safety concerns and regulatory requirements. A case study is presented that demonstrates application of a civil unmanned system to a disaster relief mission with the intent on saving lives. The concept utilizes unmanned aircraft to obtain advanced warning and damage assessments for tornados and severe thunderstorms. Overview of a tornado watch mission architecture as well as commentary on risk, cost, need for, and design tradeoffs for unmanned aerial systems are provided.

DeBusk, Wesley M.↗

Data Applicability of Heritage and New Hardware for Launch Vehicle System Reliability Models

Many launch vehicle systems are designed and developed using heritage and new hardware. In most cases, the heritage hardware undergoes modifications to fit new functional system requirements, impacting the failure rates and, ultimately, the reliability data. New hardware, which lacks historical data, is often compared to like systems when estimating failure rates. Some qualification of applicability for the data source to the current system should be made. Accurately characterizing the reliability data applicability and quality under these circumstances is crucial to developing model estimations that support confident decisions on design changes and trade studies. This presentation will demonstrate a data-source classification method that ranks reliability data according to applicability and quality criteria to a new launch vehicle. This method accounts for similarities/dissimilarities in source and applicability, as well as operating environments like vibrations, acoustic regime, and shock. This classification approach will be followed by uncertainty-importance routines to assess the need for additional data to reduce uncertainty.

Al Hassan Mohammad↗

Analysis of Aviation Safety Reporting System Incident Data Associated With the Technical Challenges of the Vehicle Systems Safety Technology Project

This analysis was conducted to support the Vehicle Systems Safety Technology (VSST) Project of the Aviation Safety Program (AVsP) milestone VSST4.2.1.01, "Identification of VSST-Related Trends." In particular, this is a review of incident data from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). The following three VSST-related technical challenges (TCs) were the focus of the incidents searched in the ASRS database: (1) Vechicle health assurance, (2) Effective crew-system interactions and decisions in all conditions; and (3) Aircraft loss of control prevention, mitigation, and recovery.

Withrow, Colleen A.↗

Development Concepts for Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Solid and Hybrid Vehicle Systems

The Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has conducted ongoing studies and trades into options for both hybrid and solid vehicle systems for potential Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) concepts for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Two MAV propulsion options are being studied for use in a potential Mars Sample Retrieval (MSR) campaign. The following paper describes the current concepts for hybrid and solid propulsion vehicles for MAV as part of a potential MSR campaign, and provides an overview of the ongoing studies and trades for both hybrid and solid vehicle system concepts. Concepts and options under consideration for vehicle subsystems include reaction control system (RCS), separation, and structures will be described in terms of technology readiness level (TRL), benefit to the vehicle design, and associated risk. A hybrid propulsion system, which uses a solid fuel core and liquid oxidizer, is currently being developed by JPL with support from MSFC. This type of hybrid propulsion vehicle would allow the MAV to be more flexible at the cost of higher complexity, in contrast to the solid propulsion vehicle that is simpler, but allows less flexibility. The solid propulsion vehicle study performed by MSFC in 2018 further refined the solid propulsion system sizing as well as added definition to vehicle subsystem concepts, including the RCS, structures and configuration, interstage and separation, aerodynamics, and power/avionics. The studies were performed using an iterative concept design methodology, engaging subject matter experts from across MSFC’s propulsion and vehicle systems disciplines as well as seeking trajectory feedback from analysts at JPL.

McCollum, Lisa Tunstill↗

Development Concepts for Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Solid and Hybrid Vehicle Systems

Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Study Introduction: Previous Studies -Solid, liquid and hybrid rocket propulsion feasibility studies since 2011 -Focus on hybrid rocket propulsion since 2016; Reassessing Propulsion Systems for Risk Reduction - Liquid propulsion vehicle found to not be feasible; Challenges -An autonomous return mission has never been done -Mars surface environments -Platform packaging limitations -Performance and trajectory requirements; Study Team -MSFC’s Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) -MSFC propulsion and vehicle design engineering expertise -JPL MAV team.

McCollum, Lisa Tunstill↗

Hybrid and Electric Advanced Vehicle Systems Simulation

Predefined components connected to represent wide variety of propulsion systems. Hybrid and Electric Advanced Vehicle System (HEAVY) computer program is flexible tool for evaluating performance and cost of electric and hybrid vehicle propulsion systems. Allows designer to quickly, conveniently, and economically predict performance of proposed drive train.

Beach, R. F.↗