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At least 181 records · Page 10

An integrated user-oriented laboratory for verification of digital flight control systems: Features and capabilities

A Digital Flight Control Systems Verification Laboratory (DFCSVL) has been established at NASA Ames Research Center. This report describes the major elements of the laboratory, the research activities that can be supported in the area of verification and validation of digital flight control systems (DFCS), and the operating scenarios within which these activities can be carried out. The DFCSVL consists of a palletized dual-dual flight-control system linked to a dedicated PDP-11/60 processor. Major software support programs are hosted in a remotely located UNIVAC 1100 accessible from the PDP-11/60 through a modem link. Important features of the DFCSVL include extensive hardware and software fault insertion capabilities, a real-time closed loop environment to exercise the DFCS, an integrated set of software verification tools, and a user-oriented interface to all the resources and capabilities.

Defeo, P.↗

Satellite Data Transmission (SDT) requirement

An 85 Mb/s modem/codec to operate in a 34 MHz C-band domestic satellite transponder at a system carrier to noise power ratio of 19.5 dB is discussed. Characteristics of a satellite channel and the approach adopted for the satellite data transmission modem/codec selection are discussed. Measured data and simulation results of the existing 50 Mbps link are compared and used to verify the simulation techniques. Various modulation schemes that were screened for the SDT are discussed and the simulated performance of two prime candidates, the 8 PSK and the SMSK/2 are given. The selection process that leads to the candidate codec techniques are documented and the technology of the modem/codec candidates is assessed. Costs of the modems and codecs are estimated.

Chie, C. M.↗

Design considerations for a monolithic, GaAs, dual-mode, QPSK/QASK, high-throughput rate transceiver

A monolithic, GaAs, dual mode, quadrature amplitude shift keying and quadrature phase shift keying transceiver with one and two billion bits per second data rate is being considered to achieve a low power, small and ultra high speed communication system for satellite as well as terrestrial purposes. Recent GaAs integrated circuit achievements are surveyed and their constituent device types are evaluated. Design considerations, on an elemental level, of the entire modem are further included for monolithic realization with practical fabrication techniques. Numerous device types, with practical monolithic compatability, are used in the design of functional blocks with sufficient performances for realization of the transceiver.

Kot, R. A.↗

Baseband processor development for the Advanced Communications Satellite Program

An onboard-baseband-processor concept for a satellite-switched time-division-multiple-access (SS-TDMA) communication system was developed for NASA Lewis Research Center. The baseband processor routes and controls traffic on an individual message basis while providing significant advantages in improved link margins and system flexibility. Key technology developments required to prove the flight readiness of the baseband-processor design are being verified in a baseband-processor proof-of-concept model. These technology developments include serial MSK modems, Clos-type baseband routing switch, a single-chip CMOS maximum-likelihood convolutional decoder, and custom LSL implementation of high-speed, low-power ECL building blocks.

Moat, D.↗

Advanced communications technologies for image processing

It is essential for image analysts to have the capability to link to remote facilities as a means of accessing both data bases and high-speed processors. This can increase productivity through enhanced data access and minimization of delays. New technology is emerging to provide the high communication data rates needed in image processing. These developments include multi-user sharing of high bandwidth (60 megabits per second) Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) satellite links, low-cost satellite ground stations, and high speed adaptive quadrature modems that allow 9600 bit per second communications over voice-grade telephone lines.

Likens, W. C.↗

International Halley Watch: Discipline specialists for spectroscopy and spectrophotometry

Spectroscopic observations of Comets P/Crommelin, P/Giacobini-Zinner and P/Halley are coordinated, preliminary results are delivered to the astronomical community and the data collected from observers throughout the world are archived. The ASU IHW Center has the additional responsibility of maintaining the IHW Electronic Bulletin Board which reports real-time information on the status of Comet P/Halley. Access to this electronic bulletin board via telephone modem connection is available to any astronomer upon request.

Wyckoff, S.↗

Design of a digital flexible mobile transceiver

A flexible, modular transceiver design for digital voice and data transmissions in the proposed Mobile Satellite Experimental (MSAT-X) System is presented. Major system design issues are addressed, including frequency stability control, modulation method, linear predictive coding vocoder algorithm, and error control technique. Detailed design aspects of the modular and flexible transceiver, including the core, RF/IF, modem, vocoder, forward error correction codec, and I/O modules, as well as the flexible interface, are also discussed.

Fang, R. J. F.↗

Mobile satellite communications technology - A summary of NASA activities

Studies in recent years indicate that future high-capacity mobile satellite systems are viable only if certain high-risk enabling technologies are developed. Accordingly, NASA has structured an advanced technology development program aimed at efficient utilization of orbit, spectrum, and power. Over the last two years, studies have concentrated on developing concepts and identifying cost drivers and other issues associated with the major technical areas of emphasis: vehicle antennas, speech compression, bandwidth-efficient digital modems, network architecture, mobile satellite channel characterization, and selected space segment technology. The program is now entering the next phase - breadboarding, development, and field experimentation.

Dutzi, E. J.↗

Compilation and development of K-6 aerospace materials for implementation in NASA spacelink electronic information system

Spacelink is an electronic information service to be operated by the Marshall Space Flight Center. It will provide NASA news and educational resources including software programs that can be accessed by anyone with a computer and modem. Spacelink is currently being installed and will soon begin service. It will provide daily updates of NASA programs, information about NASA educational services, manned space flight, unmanned space flight, aeronautics, NASA itself, lesson plans and activities, and space program spinoffs. Lesson plans and activities were extracted from existing NASA publications on aerospace activities for the elementary school. These materials were arranged into 206 documents which have been entered into the Spacelink program for use in grades K-6.

Blake, Jean A.↗

EnviroNET: An interactive space-environment information resource

EnviroNET is an interactive menu-driven system set up as an information resource for experimenters, program managers, and design and test engineers involved in space missions. Its basic use is as a fundamental single source of data for the environment encountered by Shuttle and Space Station payloads, but it also has wider applicability in that it includes information on environments encountered by other satellites in both low altitude and high altitude (including geosynchronous) orbits. It incorporates both a text-retrieval mode and an interactive modeling code mode. The system is maintained on the ENVET MicroVAX computer at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Its services are available at no cost to any user who has access to a terminal and modem. It is a tail-node on SPAN, and so it is accessible either directly or through BITNET, ARPANET, and GTE/TELENET via NPSS.

Vampola, Alfred L.↗

MSAT-X: A technical introduction and status report

A technical introduction and status report for the Mobile Satellite Experiment (MSAT-X) program is presented. The concepts of a Mobile Satellite System (MSS) and its unique challenges are introduced. MSAT-X's role and objectives are delineated with focus on its achievements. An outline of MSS design philosophy is followed by a presentation and analysis of the MSAT-X results, which are cast in a broader context of an MSS. The current phase of MSAT-X has focused notably on the ground segment of MSS. The accomplishments in the four critical technology areas of vehicle antennas, modem and mobile terminal design, speech coding, and networking are presented. A concise evolutionary trace is incorporated in each area to elucidate the rationale leading to the current design choices. The findings in the area of propagation channel modeling are also summarized and their impact on system design discussed. To facilitate the assessment of the MSAT-X results, technology and subsystem recommendations are also included and integrated with a quantitative first-generation MSS design.

Dessouky, Khaled↗

Development of a coded 16-ary CPFSK coherent demodulator

Theory and hardware are described for a proof-of-concept 16-ary continuous phase frequency shift keying (16-CPFSK) digital modem. The 16 frequencies are spaced every 1/16th baud rate for 2 bits/sec/Hz operation. Overall rate 3/4 convolutional coding is incorporated. The demodulator differs significantly from typical quadrature phase detector approaches in that phase is coherently measured by processing the baseband output of a frequency discriminator. Baud rate phase samples from the baseband processor are decoded to yield the original data stream. The method of encoding onto the 16-ary phase nodes, together with convolutional coding gain, results in near quad PSK (QPSK) performance. The modulated signal is of constant envelope; thus the power amplifier can be saturated for peak performance. The spectrum is inherently bandlimited and requires no RF filter.

Clarke, Ken↗

Evaluation of CDMA system capacity for mobile satellite system applications

A specific Direct-Sequence/Pseudo-Noise (DS/PN) Code-Division Multiple-Access (CDMA) mobile satellite system (MSAT) architecture is discussed. The performance of this system is evaluated in terms of the maximum number of active MSAT subscribers that can be supported at a given uncoded bit-error probability. The evaluation decouples the analysis of the multiple-access capability (i.e., the number of instantaneous user signals) from the analysis of the multiple-access mutliplier effect allowed by the use of CDMA with burst-modem operation. We combine the results of these two analyses and present numerical results for scenarios of interest to the mobile satellite system community.

Smith, Partrick O.↗

A prototype 4800 bps voice terminal for the mobile satellite experiment

The authors report the final stage of a research project for the NASA mobile satellite experiment (MSAT-X). The work has resulted in two alternative coding techniques which have achieved good communications quality at 4.8 kb/s while tolerating vehicle noise, fading, and a fairly high-error-rate, bursty channel. The authors have constructed a circuit board based on three AT&T 32-bit floating-point DSP32 digital signal processors (DSP) and providing both excess processing power and considerable flexibility for handling different variations of the algorithms. A Motorola 68HC11 microcomputer chip serves as the board controller and interface handler. Mounted on a wirewrapped card, the prototype's circuit footprint amounts to only 225 cm2 and consumes about 13 W of power. A description is given of the architecture, signal processing and communication functions, circuitry, and firmware of the prototype. Issues such as synchronization, framing, error control, and modem interface are also addressed.

Chan, Wai-Yip↗

Design of an MSAT-X mobile transceiver and related base and gateway stations

This paper summarizes the results of a design study of the mobile transceiver, base station, and gateway station for NASA's proposed Mobile Satellite Experiment (MSAT-X). Major ground segment system design issues such as frequency stability control, modulation method, linear predictive coding vocoder algorithm, and error control technique are addressed. The modular and flexible transceiver design is described in detail, including the core, RF/IF, modem, vocoder, forward error correction codec, amplitude-companded single sideband, and input/output modules, as well as the flexible interface. Designs for a three-carrier base station and a 10-carrier gateway station are also discussed, including the interface with the controllers and with the public-switched telephone networks at the gateway station. Functional specifications are given for the transceiver, the base station, and the gateway station.

Fang, Russell J. F.↗

Refining, revising, augmenting, compiling and developing computer assisted instruction K-12 aerospace materials for implementation in NASA spacelink electronic information system

The NASA Spacelink is an electronic information service operated by the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Spacelink contains extensive NASA news and educational resources that can be accessed by a computer and modem. Updates and information are provided on: current NASA news; aeronautics; space exploration: before the Shuttle; space exploration: the Shuttle and beyond; NASA installations; NASA educational services; materials for classroom use; and space program spinoffs.

Blake, Jean A.↗

Digitally modulated bit error rate measurement system for microwave component evaluation

The NASA Lewis Research Center has developed a unique capability for evaluation of the microwave components of a digital communication system. This digitally modulated bit-error-rate (BER) measurement system (DMBERMS) features a continuous data digital BER test set, a data processor, a serial minimum shift keying (SMSK) modem, noise generation, and computer automation. Application of the DMBERMS has provided useful information for the evaluation of existing microwave components and of design goals for future components. The design and applications of this system for digitally modulated BER measurements are discussed.

Shalkhauser, Mary Jo W.↗

Continuous phase quadrature phase shift keyed (CPQPSK) signaling technique

A continuous-phase quadrature-phase-shift-keyed (CPQPSK) modulation technique is presented. This method uses a conventional QPSK-modulated signal and a phase trajectory converter to obtain nearly constant envelope amplitude and continuous-phase trajectories. A computer simulation program, MODEM, is used to simulate the CPQPSK signaling technique. It is concluded that this technique is particularly useful in building a high-data-rate transmitter for existing QPSK communication systems.

Kuh, Steve↗