Engineering topics

Tripathi, Ram K.

Publications and source records attributed to Tripathi, Ram K..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2016

Meeting the Grand Challenge of Protecting Astronauts Health: Electrostatic Active Space Radiation Shielding for Deep Space Missions

This report describes the research completed during 2011 for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) project. The research is motivated by the desire to safely send humans in deep space missions and to keep radiation exposures within permitted limits. To this end current material shielding, developed for low earth orbit missions, is not a viable option due to payload and cost penalties. The active radiation shielding is the path forward for such missions. To achieve active space radiation shielding innovative large lightweight gossamer space structures are used. The goal is to deflect enough positive ions without attracting negatively charged plasma and to investigate if a charged Gossamer structure can perform charge deflections without significant structural instabilities occurring. In this study different innovative configurations are explored to design an optimum active shielding. In addition, to establish technological feasibility experiments are performed with up to 10kV of membrane charging, and an electron flux source with up to 5keV of energy and 5mA of current. While these charge flux energy levels are much less than those encountered in space, the fundamental coupled interaction of charged Gossamer structures with the ambient charge flux can be experimentally investigated. Of interest are, will the EIMS remain inflated during the charge deflections, and are there visible charge flux interactions. Aluminum coated Mylar membrane prototype structures are created to test their inflation capability using electrostatic charging. To simulate the charge flux, a 5keV electron emitter is utilized. The remaining charge flux at the end of the test chamber is measured with a Faraday cup mounted on a movable boom. A range of experiments with this electron emitter and detector were performed within a 30x60cm vacuum chamber with vacuum environment capability of 10-7 Torr. Experiments are performed with the charge flux aimed at the electrostatically inflated membrane structure (EIMS) in both charged and uncharged configurations. The amount of charge shielding behind and around the EIMS was studied for different combinations of membrane structure voltages and electron energies. Both passive and active shielding were observed, with active shielding capable of deflecting nearly all incoming electrons. The pattern of charge distribution around the structure was studied as well as the stability of the structures in the charge flow. The charge deflection experiments illustrate that the EIMS remain inflated during charge deflection, but will experience small amplitude oscillations. Investigations were performed to determine a potential cause of the vibrations. It is postulated these vibrations are due to the charge flux causing local membrane charge distribution changes. As the membrane structure inflation pressure is changed, the shape responds, and causes the observed sustained vibration. Having identified this phenomenon is important when considering electrostatically inflated membrane structures (EIMS) in a space environment. Additionally, this project included a study of membrane material impacts, specifically the impact of membrane thickness. Extremely thin materials presented new challenges with vacuum preparation techniques and rapid charging. The thinner and lighter membrane materials were successfully inflated using electrostatic forces in a vacuum chamber. However, care must be taken when varying the potentials of such lighter structures as the currents can cause local heating and melting of the very thin membranes. Lastly, a preliminary analysis is performed to study rough order of magnitude power requirements for using EIMS for radiation shielding. The EIMS power requirement becomes increasingly more challenging as the spacecraft voltage is increased. As a result, the emphasis is on the deflection of charges away from the spacecraft rather than totally stopping them. This significantly alleviates the initial power requirements. With modest technological development(s) active shielding is emerging to be a viable option.

Radiation↗

NASA NTRS2013

NASA Standard for Models and Simulations: Philosophy and Requirements Overview

Following the Columbia Accident Investigation Board report, the NASA Administrator chartered an executive team (known as the Diaz Team) to identify those CAIB report elements with NASA-wide applicability and to develop corrective measures to address each element. One such measure was the development of a standard for the development, documentation, and operation of models and simulations. This report describes the philosophy and requirements overview of the resulting NASA Standard for Models and Simulations.

Blattnig, Steve R.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Apparatus, Method and Program Storage Device for Determining High-Energy Neutron/Ion Transport to a Target of Interest

An apparatus, method and program storage device for determining high-energy neutron/ion transport to a target of interest. Boundaries are defined for calculation of a high-energy neutron/ion transport to a target of interest; the high-energy neutron/ion transport to the target of interest is calculated using numerical procedures selected to reduce local truncation error by including higher order terms and to allow absolute control of propagated error by ensuring truncation error is third order in step size, and using scaling procedures for flux coupling terms modified to improve computed results by adding a scaling factor to terms describing production of j-particles from collisions of k-particles; and the calculated high-energy neutron/ion transport is provided to modeling modules to control an effective radiation dose at the target of interest.

Wilson, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Comparison of Transport Codes, HZETRN, HETC and FLUKA, Using 1977 GCR Solar Minimum Spectra

The HZETRN deterministic radiation transport code is one of several tools developed to analyze the effects of harmful galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE) on mission planning, astronaut shielding and instrumentation. This paper is a comparison study involving the two Monte Carlo transport codes, HETC-HEDS and FLUKA, and the deterministic transport code, HZETRN. Each code is used to transport ions from the 1977 solar minimum GCR spectrum impinging upon a 20 g/cm2 Aluminum slab followed by a 30 g/cm2 water slab. This research is part of a systematic effort of verification and validation to quantify the accuracy of HZETRN and determine areas where it can be improved. Comparisons of dose and dose equivalent values at various depths in the water slab are presented in this report. This is followed by a comparison of the proton fluxes, and the forward, backward and total neutron fluxes at various depths in the water slab. Comparisons of the secondary light ion 2H, 3H, 3He and 4He fluxes are also examined.

Heinbockel, John H.↗

NASA NTRS2009

NASA Standard for Models and Simulations (M and S): Development Process and Rationale

After the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) report. the NASA Administrator at that time chartered an executive team (known as the Diaz Team) to identify the CAIB report elements with Agency-wide applicability, and to develop corrective measures to address each element. This report documents the chronological development and release of an Agency-wide Standard for Models and Simulations (M&S) (NASA Standard 7009) in response to Action #4 from the report, "A Renewed Commitment to Excellence: An Assessment of the NASA Agency-wide Applicability of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report, January 30, 2004".

Zang, Thomas A.↗

NASA NTRS2009

NASA Standard for Models and Simulations: Philosophy and Requirements Overview

Blattnig, St3eve R.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Comparison of Radiation Transport Codes, HZETRN, HETC and FLUKA, Using the 1956 Webber SPE Spectrum

Protection of astronauts and instrumentation from galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE) in the harsh environment of space is of prime importance in the design of personal shielding, spacec raft, and mission planning. Early entry of radiation constraints into the design process enables optimal shielding strategies, but demands efficient and accurate tools that can be used by design engineers in every phase of an evolving space project. The radiation transport code , HZETRN, is an efficient tool for analyzing the shielding effectiveness of materials exposed to space radiation. In this paper, HZETRN is compared to the Monte Carlo codes HETC-HEDS and FLUKA, for a shield/target configuration comprised of a 20 g/sq cm Aluminum slab in front of a 30 g/cm^2 slab of water exposed to the February 1956 SPE, as mode led by the Webber spectrum. Neutron and proton fluence spectra, as well as dose and dose equivalent values, are compared at various depths in the water target. This study shows that there are many regions where HZETRN agrees with both HETC-HEDS and FLUKA for this shield/target configuration and the SPE environment. However, there are also regions where there are appreciable differences between the three computer c odes.

Heinbockel, John H.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Towards a Credibility Assessment of Models and Simulations

A scale is presented to evaluate the rigor of modeling and simulation (M&S) practices for the purpose of supporting a credibility assessment of the M&S results. The scale distinguishes required and achieved levels of rigor for a set of M&S elements that contribute to credibility including both technical and process measures. The work has its origins in an interest within NASA to include a Credibility Assessment Scale in development of a NASA standard for models and simulations.

Blattnig, Steve R.↗

NASA NTRS2008

An Uncertainty Structure Matrix for Models and Simulations

Software that is used for aerospace flight control and to display information to pilots and crew is expected to be correct and credible at all times. This type of software is typically developed under strict management processes, which are intended to reduce defects in the software product. However, modeling and simulation (M&S) software may exhibit varying degrees of correctness and credibility, depending on a large and complex set of factors. These factors include its intended use, the known physics and numerical approximations within the M&S, and the referent data set against which the M&S correctness is compared. The correctness and credibility of an M&S effort is closely correlated to the uncertainty management (UM) practices that are applied to the M&S effort. This paper describes an uncertainty structure matrix for M&S, which provides a set of objective descriptions for the possible states of UM practices within a given M&S effort. The columns in the uncertainty structure matrix contain UM elements or practices that are common across most M&S efforts, and the rows describe the potential levels of achievement in each of the elements. A practitioner can quickly look at the matrix to determine where an M&S effort falls based on a common set of UM practices that are described in absolute terms that can be applied to virtually any M&S effort. The matrix can also be used to plan those steps and resources that would be needed to improve the UM practices for a given M&S effort.

Green, Lawrence L.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Recent Progress in the Development of a Multi-Layer Green's Function Code for Ion Beam Transport

To meet the challenge of future deep space programs, an accurate and efficient engineering code for analyzing the shielding requirements against high-energy galactic heavy radiation is needed. To address this need, a new Green's function code capable of simulating high charge and energy ions with either laboratory or space boundary conditions is currently under development. The computational model consists of combinations of physical perturbation expansions based on the scales of atomic interaction, multiple scattering, and nuclear reactive processes with use of the Neumann-asymptotic expansions with non-perturbative corrections. The code contains energy loss due to straggling, nuclear attenuation, nuclear fragmentation with energy dispersion and downshifts. Previous reports show that the new code accurately models the transport of ion beams through a single slab of material. Current research efforts are focused on enabling the code to handle multiple layers of material and the present paper reports on progress made towards that end.

Tweed, John↗

NASA NTRS2007

Mars Radiation Risk Assessment and Shielding Design for Long-term Exposure to Ionizing Space Radiation

NASA is now focused on the agency's vision for space exploration encompassing a broad range of human and robotic missions including missions to Moon, Mars and beyond. As a result, there is a focus on long duration space missions. NASA is committed to the safety of the missions and the crew, and there is an overwhelming emphasis on the reliability issues for space missions and the habitat. The cost-effective design of the spacecraft demands a very stringent requirement on the optimization process. Exposure from the hazards of severe space radiation in deep space and/or long duration missions is a critical design constraint and a potential 'show stopper'. Thus, protection from the hazards of severe space radiation is of paramount importance to the agency's vision. It is envisioned to have long duration human presence on the Moon for deep space exploration. The exposures from ionizing radiation - galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events - and optimized shield design for a swing-by and a long duration Mars mission have been investigated. It is found that the technology of today is inadequate for safe human missions to Mars, and revolutionary technologies need to be developed for long duration and/or deep space missions. The study will provide a guideline for radiation exposure and protection for long duration missions and career astronauts and their safety.

Tripathi, Ram K.↗

NASA NTRS2007

The Roles of Verification, Validation and Uncertainty Quantification in the NASA Standard for Models and Simulations

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently issued an interim version of the Standard for Models and Simulations (M&S Standard) [1]. The action to develop the M&S Standard was identified in an internal assessment [2] of agency-wide changes needed in the wake of the Columbia Accident [3]. The primary goal of this standard is to ensure that the credibility of M&S results is properly conveyed to those making decisions affecting human safety or mission success criteria. The secondary goal is to assure that the credibility of the results from models and simulations meets the project requirements (for credibility). This presentation explains the motivation and key aspects of the M&S Standard, with a special focus on the requirements for verification, validation and uncertainty quantification. Some pilot applications of this standard to computational fluid dynamics applications will be provided as illustrations. The authors of this paper are the members of the team that developed the initial three drafts of the standard, the last of which benefited from extensive comments from most of the NASA Centers. The current version (number 4) incorporates modifications made by a team representing 9 of the 10 NASA Centers. A permanent version of the M&S Standard is expected by December 2007. The scope of the M&S Standard is confined to those uses of M&S that support program and project decisions that may affect human safety or mission success criteria. Such decisions occur, in decreasing order of importance, in the operations, the test & evaluation, and the design & analysis phases. Requirements are placed on (1) program and project management, (2) models, (3) simulations and analyses, (4) verification, validation and uncertainty quantification (VV&UQ), (5) recommended practices, (6) training, (7) credibility assessment, and (8) reporting results to decision makers. A key component of (7) and (8) is the use of a Credibility Assessment Scale, some of the details of which were developed in consultation with William Oberkampf, David Peercy and Timothy Trocano of Sandia National Laboratories. The focus of most of the requirements, including those for VV&UQ, is on the documentation of what was done and the reporting, using the Credibility Assessment Scale, of the level of rigor that was followed. The aspects of one option for the Credibilty Assessment Scale are (1) code verification, (2) solution verification, (3) validation, (4) predictive capability, (5) technical review, (6) process control, and (7) operator and analyst qualification.

Zang, Thomas A.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Standardized Radiation Shield Design Methods: 2005 HZETRN

Research committed by the Langley Research Center through 1995 resulting in the HZETRN code provides the current basis for shield design methods according to NASA STD-3000 (2005). With this new prominence, the database, basic numerical procedures, and algorithms are being re-examined with new methods of verification and validation being implemented to capture a well defined algorithm for engineering design processes to be used in this early development phase of the Bush initiative. This process provides the methodology to transform the 1995 HZETRN research code into the 2005 HZETRN engineering code to be available for these early design processes. In this paper, we will review the basic derivations including new corrections to the codes to insure improved numerical stability and provide benchmarks for code verification.

Wilson, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2006

NASA Radiation Protection Research for Exploration Missions

The HZETRN code was used in recent trade studies for renewed lunar exploration and currently used in engineering development of the next generation of space vehicles, habitats, and EVA equipment. A new version of the HZETRN code capable of simulating high charge and energy (HZE) ions, light-ions and neutrons with either laboratory or space boundary conditions with enhanced neutron and light-ion propagation is under development. Atomic and nuclear model requirements to support that development will be discussed. Such engineering design codes require establishing validation processes using laboratory ion beams and space flight measurements in realistic geometries. We discuss limitations of code validation due to the currently available data and recommend priorities for new data sets.

Wilson, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Isotopic Dependence of GCR Fluence behind Shielding

In this paper we consider the effects of the isotopic composition of the primary galactic cosmic rays (GCR), nuclear fragmentation cross-sections, and isotopic-grid on the solution to transport models used for shielding studies. Satellite measurements are used to describe the isotopic composition of the GCR. For the nuclear interaction data-base and transport solution, we use the quantum multiple-scattering theory of nuclear fragmentation (QMSFRG) and high-charge and energy (HZETRN) transport code, respectively. The QMSFRG model is shown to accurately describe existing fragmentation data including proper description of the odd-even effects as function of the iso-spin dependence on the projectile nucleus. The principle finding of this study is that large errors (+/-100%) will occur in the mass-fluence spectra when comparing transport models that use a complete isotopic-grid (approx.170 ions) to ones that use a reduced isotopic-grid, for example the 59 ion-grid used in the HZETRN code in the past, however less significant errors (<+/-20%) occur in the elemental-fluence spectra. Because a complete isotopic-grid is readily handled on small computer workstations and is needed for several applications studying GCR propagation and scattering, it is recommended that they be used for future GCR studies.

Cucinotta, Francis A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Verification and Validation: High Charge and Energy (HZE) Transport Codes and Future Development

In the present paper, we give the formalism for further developing a fully three-dimensional HZETRN code using marching procedures but also development of a new Green's function code is discussed. The final Green's function code is capable of not only validation in the space environment but also in ground based laboratories with directed beams of ions of specific energy and characterized with detailed diagnostic particle spectrometer devices. Special emphasis is given to verification of the computational procedures and validation of the resultant computational model using laboratory and spaceflight measurements. Due to historical requirements, two parallel development paths for computational model implementation using marching procedures and Green s function techniques are followed. A new version of the HZETRN code capable of simulating HZE ions with either laboratory or space boundary conditions is under development. Validation of computational models at this time is particularly important for President Bush s Initiative to develop infrastructure for human exploration with first target demonstration of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) in low Earth orbit in 2008.

Wilson, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2004

MESTRN: A Deterministic Meson-Muon Transport Code for Space Radiation

A safe and efficient exploration of space requires an understanding of space radiations, so that human life and sensitive equipment can be protected. On the way to these sensitive sites, the radiation fields are modified in both quality and quantity. Many of these modifications are thought to be due to the production of pions and muons in the interactions between the radiation and intervening matter. A method used to predict the effects of the presence of these particles on the transport of radiation through materials is developed. This method was then used to develop software, which was used to calculate the fluxes of pions and muons after the transport of a cosmic ray spectrum through aluminum and water. Software descriptions are given in the appendices.

Blattnig, Steve R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Physics of the Isotopic Dependence of Galactic Cosmic Ray Fluence Behind Shielding

For over 25 years, NASA has supported the development of space radiation transport models for shielding applications. The NASA space radiation transport model now predicts dose and dose equivalent in Earth and Mars orbit to an accuracy of plus or minus 20%. However, because larger errors may occur in particle fluence predictions, there is interest in further assessments and improvements in NASA's space radiation transport model. In this paper, we consider the effects of the isotopic composition of the primary galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and the isotopic dependence of nuclear fragmentation cross-sections on the solution to transport models used for shielding studies. Satellite measurements are used to describe the isotopic composition of the GCR. Using NASA's quantum multiple-scattering theory of nuclear fragmentation (QMSFRG) and high-charge and energy (HZETRN) transport code, we study the effect of the isotopic dependence of the primary GCR composition and secondary nuclei on shielding calculations. The QMSFRG is shown to accurately describe the iso-spin dependence of nuclear fragmentation. The principal finding of this study is that large errors (plus or minus 100%) will occur in the mass-fluence spectra when comparing transport models that use a complete isotope grid (approximately 170 ions) to ones that use a reduced isotope grid, for example the 59 ion-grid used in the HZETRN code in the past, however less significant errors (less than 20%) occur in the elemental-fluence spectra. Because a complete isotope grid is readily handled on small computer workstations and is needed for several applications studying GCR propagation and scattering, it is recommended that they be used for future GCR studies.

Cucinotta, Francis A.↗