Engineering topics

Ramiscal, Ermin

Publications and source records attributed to Ramiscal, Ermin.

2 records

NASA NTRS2002

A Flight Deck Decision Support Tool for Autonomous Airborne Operations

NASA is developing a flight deck decision support tool to support research into autonomous operations in a future distributed air/ground traffic management environment. This interactive real-time decision aid, referred to as the Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP), will enable the flight crew to plan autonomously in the presence of dense traffic and complex flight management constraints. In assisting the flight crew, the AOP accounts for traffic flow management and airspace constraints, schedule requirements, weather hazards, aircraft operational limits, and crew or airline flight-planning goals. This paper describes the AOP and presents an overview of functional and implementation design considerations required for its development. Required AOP functionality is described, its application in autonomous operations research is discussed, and a prototype software architecture for the AOP is presented.

Ballin, Mark G.↗

NASA NTRS1999

The X-33 Flight Test Challenge

Low cost access to space has eluded present launch system technologies. Our objective is to reduce the cost of putting a payload into space from $10,000 per pound to $1000 per pound. In July 1996, a cooperative agreement was initiated between the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and NASA to help accomplish this goal. The X-33 is the first step in the process to make low cost space access a reality. The X-33 is a suborbital, hypersonic lifting body, proof of concept of a reusable launch vehicle. The X-33 flight test program will validate technologies such as a metallic thermal protection system, Linear Aerospike Engines, use of tanks and struts as fundamental structural elements, as well as quick turnaround time. Flight testing will begin in July 2000, with launches originating from Edwards Air Force Base and initial landings at Michael Army Airfield in Utah. Data collected from these flight tests will aid in the decision to build an economically viable single stage to orbit reusable launch vehicle. This paper will explore the technical challenges facing the X-33 Flight Test Team.

Borden, David↗