Engineering topics

Stavnes, Mark

Publications and source records attributed to Stavnes, Mark.

5 records

NASA NTRS1995

Third NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications

This workshop addressed key technology issues in the field of electrical power wiring for space applications, and transferred information and technology related to space wiring for use in government and commercial applications. Speakers from space agencies, U.S. Federal labs, industry, and academia presented program overviews and discussed topics on arc tracking phenomena, advancements in insulation materials and constructions, and new wiring system topologies.

Hammoud, Ahmad↗

NASA NTRS1995

NASA wiring for space applications program test results

The electrical power wiring tests results from the NASA Wiring for Space Applications program are presented. The goal of the program was to develop a base for the building of a lightweight, arc track-resistant electrical wiring system for aerospace applications. This new wiring system would be applied to such structures as pressurized modules, trans-atmospheric vehicles, LEO/GEO environments, and lunar and Martian environments. Technological developments from this program include the fabrication of new insulating materials, the production of new wiring constructions, an improved system design, and an advanced circuit protection design.

Stavnes, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1995

Effects of thermal and electrical stressing on the breakdown behavior of space wiring

Several failures in the electrical wiring systems of many aircraft and space vehicles have been attributed to arc tracking and damaged insulation. In some instances, these failures proved to be very costly as they have led to the loss of many aircraft and imperilment of space missions. Efforts are currently underway to develop lightweight, reliable, and arc track resistant wiring for aerospace applications. In this work, six wiring constructions were evaluated in terms of their breakdown behavior as a function of temperature. These hybrid constructions employed insulation consisting of Kapton, Teflon, and cross-linked Tefzel. The properties investigated included the 400 Hz AC dielectric strength at ambient and 200 C, and the lifetime at high temperature with an applied bias of 40, 60, and 80% of breakdown voltage level. The results obtained are discussed, and conclusions are made concerning the suitability of the wiring constructions investigated for aerospace applications.

Hammoud, Ahmad↗

NASA NTRS1993

Space transfer with ground-based laser/electric propulsion

A new method of providing power to space vehicles consists of using ground-based lasers to beam power to photovoltaic receivers in space. This can be used as a power source for electrically propelled orbital transfer vehicles.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Space transfer with ground-based laser/electric propulsion

Ground-based high-power CW lasers can be used to beam power to photovoltaic receivers in space that furnish electricity to space vehicles; this energy can also be used to power electric-propulsion orbital transfer vehicles. An account is presently given of the anticipated requirements for the pulsed FEL lasers, large adaptive optics, photovoltaic receivers, and high specific impulse electrical propulsion. Preliminary system analysis results are presented.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗