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At least 199 records · Page 11

Robustness of adaptive control algorithms in the presence of unmodeled dynamics

This paper reports the outcome of an exhaustive analytical and numerical investigation of stability and robustness properties of a wide class of adaptive control algorithms in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and output disturbances. The class of adaptive algorithms considered are those commonly referred to as model-reference adaptive control algorithms, self-tuning controllers, and dead-beat adaptive controllers; they have been developed for both continuous-time systems and discrete-time systems. The existing adaptive control algorithms have been proven to be globally asymptotically stable under certain assumptions, the key ones being (1) that the number of poles and zeroes of the unknown plant are known, and (2) that the primary performance criterion is related to good command following. These theoretical assumptions are too restrictive from an engineering point of view. Real plants always contain unmodeled high-frequency dynamics and small delays, and hence no upper bound on the number of the plant poles and zeroes exists. Also real plants are always subject to unmeasurable output additive disturbances, although these may be guide small. Hence, it is important to critically examine the stability robustness properties of the existing adaptive algorithms when some of the theoretical assumptions are removed; in particular, their stability and performance properties in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and output disturbances. Previously announced in STAR as N83-16061

Rohrs, C. E.↗

Time and frequency measuring metrological equipment in the USSR

The complex of the means of providing time and frequency traceability in the USSR includes the system of time and frequency standards of the National Time and Frequency Calibration Service, time and frequency transfer facilities and local time and frequency standards. Control on measurement correctness is performed by the All-Union State Standard calibration service. The hardware of most of the above-mentioned systems is provided by the instruments developed by our institute. A common scientific and technological approach allowed us to create a unified system of time-frequency equipment composed of widely used serial instruments, sets, automated systems and complexes. Primary frequency standards of different classes, time and frequency references and instruments are based on the unified system. CH1-70 hydrogen frequency standard and its CH1-70A, CH1-80 modifications are used in the group time and frequency standards. Measuring time and data processing techniques, and also instrumentation specifications on the results of 10-year operation are given. The existing system provides time-frequency measurements with 2 times 10(exp -13) plus or minus 1 times 10(exp -14) accuracy.

Uljanov, Adolph A.↗

Aeroelastic Considerations For Rotorcraft Primary Control with On-Blade Elevons

Replacing the helicopter rotor swashplate and blade pitch control system with on-blade elevon control surfaces for primary flight control may significantly reduce weight and drag to improve mission performance. Simplified analyses are used to examine the basic aeroelastic characteristics of such rotor blades, including pitch and flap dynamic response, elevon reversal, and elevon control effectiveness. The profile power penalty associated with deflections of elevon control surfaces buried within the blade planform is also evaluated. Results suggest that with aeroelastic design for pitch frequencies in the neighborhood of 2/rev, reasonable elevon control effectiveness may be achieved and that, together with collective pitch indexing, the aerodynamic profile power penalty of on-blade control surface deflections may be minimized.

Ormiston, Robert A.↗

Analytical investigation of the dynamics of tethered constellations in earth orbit

This Quarterly Report on Tethering in Earth Orbit deals with three topics: (1) Investigation of the propagation of longitudinal and transverse waves along the upper tether. Specifically, the upper tether is modeled as three massive platforms connected by two perfectly elastic continua (tether segments). The tether attachment point to the station is assumed to vibrate both longitudinally and transversely at a given frequency. Longitudinal and transverse waves propagate along the tethers affecting the acceleration levels at the elevator and at the upper platform. The displacement and acceleration frequency-response functions at the elevator and at the upper platform are computed for both longitudinal and transverse waves. An analysis to optimize the damping time of the longitudinal dampers is also carried out in order to select optimal parameters. The analytical evaluation of the performance of tuned vs. detuned longitudinal dampers is also part of this analysis. (2) The use of the Shuttle primary Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters for blowing away a recoiling broken tether is discussed. A microcomputer system was set up to support this operation. (3) Most of the effort in the tether plasma physics study was devoted to software development. A particle simulation code has been integrated into the Macintosh II computer system and will be utilized for studying the physics of hollow cathodes.

Lorenzini, Enrico C.↗

STS-1 Forward RCS Oxidizer Tank Subsystem Failure Assessment

The launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 in April 1981 marked the beginning of a new era in American spaceflight. It was the only crewed first flight of a launch vehicle, and was also among the first vehicles to use large solid rockets as primary propulsion. A potential disaster was narrowly averted at liftoff when ignition overpressure waves pulse swept up the Shuttle stack. The frequency of this transient shock wave exceeded pre-launch predictions, and resulted in high, alternating normal accelerations along the length of the vehicle. Among the results of this unexpected loading was failure of an oxidizer tank support strut in the orbiter’s forward reaction control system module, which could have led to loss of the mission, crew and vehicle. This particular incident is investigated in more detail using classical structural mechanics, and the results are discussed to provide additional insight.

Space Shuttle↗

STS-1 Forward RCS Oxidizer Tank Subsystem Failure Assessment

The launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 marked the beginning of a new era in American spaceflight. It was the only crewed first flight of a launch vehicle to date, and was also the first crewed system to use large solid rockets as primary propulsion. A potential disaster was narrowly averted at liftoff when an ignition overpressure pulse swept up the Shuttle stack. The frequency of this transient shock wave exceeded pre-launch predictions, and resulted in high, alternating normal accelerations along the length of the vehicle. Among the results of this unexpected loading was failure of an oxidizer tank support strut in the orbiter’s forward reaction control system module, which could have led to loss of the mission, crew, and vehicle. This particular incident is investigated in more detail using classical structural mechanics, and the results are discussed to provide additional insight.

Space Shuttle↗

STS-1 Forward RCS Oxidizer Tank Subsystem Preliminary Failure Assessment

The launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 marked the beginning of a new era in American spaceflight. It was the only crewed first flight of a launch vehicle to date, and was also the first crewed system to use large solid rockets as primary propulsion. A potential disaster was narrowly averted at liftoff when an ignition overpressure pulse swept up the Shuttle stack. The frequency of this transient shock wave exceeded pre-launch predictions, and resulted in high, alternating normal accelerations along the length of the vehicle. Among the results of this unexpected loading was failure of an oxidizer tank support strut in the orbiter’s forward reaction control system module, which could have led to loss of the mission, crew, and vehicle. This particular incident is investigated in more detail using classical structural mechanics, and the results are discussed to provide additional insight.

Space Shuttle↗

STS-1 Forward RCS Oxidizer Tank Subsystem Structural Failure Assessment

The launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 marked the beginning of a new era in American spaceflight. It was the only crewed first flight of a launch vehicle to date, and was also the first crewed system to use large solid rockets as primary propulsion. A potential disaster was narrowly averted at liftoff when an ignition overpressure pulse swept up the Shuttle stack. The frequency of this transient shock wave exceeded pre-launch predictions, and resulted in high, alternating normal accelerations along the length of the vehicle. Among the results of this unexpected loading was failure of an oxidizer tank support strut in the orbiter’s forward reaction control system module, which could have led to loss of the mission, crew, and vehicle. This particular incident is investigated in more detail using classical structural mechanics and finite element analyses, and the results are discussed to provide additional insight.

space shuttle↗

Grid-Forming Control Using TAPAS Software Defined Inverters

Here, this paper discusses the design and hardware implementation aspects of state-feedback primary control for grid forming inverters. The primary control consists of two tracking control laws: voltage tracking and frequency/angle tracking. The voltage tracking control requires voltage and current at the inverter's switch terminal (i.e. before the filter). The fundamental component of switch terminal voltage is estimated using the inverter's average model while the switch terminal current is estimated using an observer, thus obviating the need for sensors at the switch terminals. The measurements of frequency and angle(s) needed for frequency/angle tracking are noisy due to measurement noises and inherent delays in the phase locked loop (PLL). Conditioning of these feedback signals is discussed in detail, and the corresponding changes in the control design are provided to better attenuate the impact of noises. Effectiveness of the proposed design and implementation is demonstrated by the implementation results from TAPAS software defined inverter (SDI).

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Simulation of Controller Pilot Data Link Communications over VHF Digital Link Mode 3

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established an operational plan for the future Air Traffic Management (ATM) system, in which the Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) is envisioned to evolve into digital messaging that will take on an ever increasing role in controller to pilot communications, significantly changing the way the National Airspace System (NAS) is operating. According to FAA, CPDLC represents the first phase of the transition from the current analog voice system to an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliant system in which digital communication becomes the alternate and perhaps primary method of routine communication. The CPDLC application is an Air Traffic Service (ATS) application in which pilots and controllers exchange messages via an addressed data link. CPDLC includes a set of clearance, information, and request message elements that correspond to existing phraseology employed by current Air Traffic Control (ATC) procedures. These message elements encompass altitude assignments, crossing constraints, lateral deviations, route changes and clearances, speed assignments, radio frequency assignments, and various requests for information. The pilot is provided with the capability to respond to messages, to request clearances and information, to report information, and to declare/rescind an emergency. A 'free text' capability is also provided to exchange information not conforming to defined formats. This paper presents simulated results of the aeronautical telecommunication application Controller Pilot Data Link Communications over VHF Digital Link Mode 3 (VDL Mode 3). The objective of this simulation study was to determine the impact of CPDLC traffic loads, in terms of timely message delivery and capacity of the VDL Mode 3 subnetwork. The traffic model is based on and is used for generating air/ground messages with different priorities. Communication is modeled for the en route domain of the Cleveland Center air traffic (ZOB ARTCC).

Bretmersky, Steven C.↗

Fabricating with Crystalline Si to Improve Superconducting Detector Performance

We built and measured radio-frequency (RF) loss tangent, tan d, evaluation structures using float-zone quality silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers with 5 µ m thick device layers. Superconducting Nb components were fabricated on both sides of the SOI Si device layer. Our main goals were to develop a robust fabrication for using crystalline Si (c-Si) dielectric layers with superconducting Nb components in a wafer bonding process and to confirm that tan d with c-Si dielectric layers was reduced at RF frequencies compared to devices fabricated with amorphous dielectrics, such as SiO2 and SixNy, where tan d ~ 10-3. Our primary test structure used a Nb coplanar waveguide (CPW) readout structure capacitively coupled to LC resonators, where the capacitors were defined as parallel-plate capacitors on both sides of a c-Si device layer using a wafer bonding process with benzocyclobutene (BCB) wafer bonding adhesive. Our control experiment, to determine the intrinsic tan d in the SOI device layer without wafer bonding, also used Nb CPW readout coupled to LC resonators; however, the parallel-plate capacitors were fabricated on both sides of the Si device layer using a deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) to access the c-Si underside through the buried oxide and handle Si layers in the SOI wafers. We found that our wafer bonded devices demonstrated F· d = (8 ± 2) × 10-5, where F is the filling fraction of two-level states (TLS). For the control experiment, F· d = (2.0 ± 0.6) × 10-5, and we discuss what may be degrading the performance in the wafer bonded devices as compared to the control devices.

Beyer, A D↗

Measurements of Acoustic Properties of Porous and Granular Materials and Application to Vibration Control

For application of porous and granular materials to vibro-acoustic controls, a finite dynamic strength of the solid component (frame) is an important design factor. The primary goal of this study was to investigate structural vibration damping through this frame wave propagation for various poroelastic materials. A measurement method to investigate the vibration characteristics of the frame was proposed. The measured properties were found to follow closely the characteristics of the viscoelastic materials - the dynamic modulus increased with frequency and the degree of the frequency dependence was determined by its loss factor. The dynamic stiffness of hollow cylindrical beams containing porous and granular materials as damping treatment was measured also. The data were used to extract the damping materials characteristics using the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The results suggested that the acoustic structure interaction between the frame and the structure enhances the dissipation of the vibration energy significantly.

Park, Junhong↗

Observations of Traveling Crossflow Resonant Triad Interactions on a Swept Wing

Experimental evidence indicates the presence of a triad resonance interaction between traveling crossflow modes in a swept wing flow. Results indicate that this interaction occurs when the stationary and traveling crossflow modes have similar and relatively low amplitudes (approx.1% to 6% of the total freestream velocity). The resonant interaction occurs at instability amplitudes well below those typically known to cause transition, yet transition is observed to occur just downstream of the resonance. In each case, two primary linearly unstable traveling crossflow modes are nonlinearly coupled to a higher frequency linearly stable mode at the sum of their frequencies. The higher-frequency mode is linearly stable and presumed to exist as a consequence of the interaction of the two primary modes. Autoand cross-bicoherence are used to determine the extent of phase-matching between the modes, and wavenumber matching confirms the triad resonant nature of the interaction. The bicoherence results indicate a spectral broadening mechanism and the potential path to early transition. The implications for laminar flow control in swept wing flows are significant. Even if stationary crossflow modes remain subcritical, traveling crossflow interactions can lead to early transition.

Eppink, Jenna L.↗

Fabricating with Crystalline Si to Improve Superconducting Detector Performance

We built and measured radio-frequency (RF) loss tangent, tan δ, evaluation structures using float-zone quality silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers with 5 μm thick device layers. Superconducting Nb components were fabricated on both sides of the SOI Si device layer. Our main goals were to develop a robust fabrication for using crystalline Si (c-Si) dielectric layers with superconducting Nb components in a wafer bonding process and to confirm that tan δ with c-Si dielectric layers was reduced at RF frequencies compared to devices fabricated with amorphous dielectrics, such as SiO2 and SixNy, where tan δ ~ 10(exp -3). Our primary test structure used a Nb coplanar waveguide (CPW) readout structure capacitively coupled to LC resonators, where the capacitors were defined as parallel-plate capacitors on both sides of a c-Si device layer using a wafer bonding process with benzocyclobutene (BCB) wafer bonding adhesive. Our control experiment, to determine the intrinsic tan δ in the SOI device layer without wafer bonding, also used Nb CPW readout coupled to LC resonators; however, the parallel-plate capacitors were fabricated on both sides of the Si device layer using a deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) to access the c-Si underside through the buried oxide and handle Si layers in the SOI wafers. We found that our wafer bonded devices demonstrated F· δ = (8 +/- 2) × 10(exp -5), where F is the filling fraction of two-level states (TLS). For the control experiment, F· δ = (2.0 +/- 0.6) × 10(exp -5), and we discuss what may be degrading the performance in the wafer bonded devices as compared to the control devices.

Beyer, A. D↗

GRACE Mission Design: Impact of Uncertainties in Disturbance Environment and Satellite Force Models

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) primary mission will be performed by making measurements of the inter-satellite range change between two co-planar, low altitude, near-polar orbiting satellites. Understanding the uncertainties in the disturbance environment, particularly the aerodynamic drag and torques, is critical in several mission areas. These include an accurate estimate of the spacecraft orbital lifetime, evaluation of spacecraft attitude control requirements, and estimation of the orbital maintenance maneuver frequency necessitated by differences in the drag forces acting on both satellites. The FREEMOL simulation software has been developed and utilized to analyze and suggest design modifications to the GRACE spacecraft. Aerodynamic accommodation bounding analyses were performed and worst-case envelopes were obtained for the aerodynamic torques and the differential ballistic coefficients between the leading and trailing GRACE spacecraft. These analyses demonstrate how spacecraft aerodynamic design and analysis can benefit from a better understanding of spacecraft surface accommodation properties, and the implications for mission design constraints such as formation spacing control.

Mazanek, Daniel D.↗

Aerothermal Analysis and Design of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Spacecraft

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) primary mission will be performed by making measurements of the inter-satellite range change between two co-planar, low altitude near-polar orbiting satellites. Understanding the uncertainties in the disturbance environment, particularly the aerodynamic drag and torques, is critical in several mission areas. These include an accurate estimate of the spacecraft orbital lifetime, evaluation of spacecraft attitude control requirements, and estimation of the orbital maintenance maneuver frequency necessitated by differences in the drag forces acting on both satellites. The FREEMOL simulation software has been developed and utilized to analyze and suggest design modifications to the GRACE spacecraft. Aerodynamic accommodation bounding analyses were performed and worst-case envelopes were obtained for the aerodynamic torques and the differential ballistic coefficients between the leading and trailing GRACE spacecraft. These analyses demonstrate how spacecraft aerodynamic design and analysis can benefit from a better understanding of spacecraft surface accommodation properties, and the implications for mission design constraints such as formation spacing control.

Mazanek, Daniel D.↗

Magnetic Test Performance Capabilities at the Goddard Space Flight Center as Applied to the Global Geospace Science Initiative

Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility (SMTF) is a historic test facility that has set the standard for all subsequent magnetic test facilities. The SMTF was constructed in the early 1960's for the purpose of simulating geomagnetic and interplanetary magnetic fields. Additionally, the facility provides the capability for measuring spacecraft generated magnetic fields as well as calibrating magnetic attitude control systems and science magnetometers. The SMTF was designed for large, spacecraft level tests and is currently the second largest spherical coil system in the world. The SMTF is a three-axis Braunbek system composed of four coils on each of three orthogonal axes. The largest coils are 12.7 meters (41.6 feet) in diameter. The three-axis Braunbek configuration provides a highly uniform cancellation of the geomagnetic field over the central 1.8 meter (6 foot) diameter primary test volume. Cancellation of the local geomagnetic field is to within +/-0.2 nanotesla with a uniformity of up to 0.001% within the 1.8 meter (6 foot) diameter primary test volume. Artificial magnetic field vectors from 0-60,000 nanotesla can be generated along any axis with a 0.1 nanotesla resolution. Oscillating or rotating field vectors can also be produced about any axis with a frequency of up to 100 radians/second. Since becoming fully operational in July of 1967, the SMTF has been the site of numerous spacecraft magnetics tests. Spacecraft tested at the SMTF include: the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM), Magsat, LANDSAT-D, the Fast Aurora] Snapshot (FAST) Explorer and the Sub-millimeter-Wave-Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) among others. This paper describes the methodology and sequencing used for the Global Geospace Science (GGS) initiative magnetic testing program in the Goddard Space Flight Center's SMTF. The GGS initiative provides an exemplary model of a strict and comprehensive magnetic control program.

Mitchell, Darryl R.↗

An advanced control system for a next generation transport aircraft

The use of modern control theory to develop a high-authority stability and control system for the next generation transport aircraft is described with examples taken from work performed on an advanced pitch active control system (PACS). The PACS was configured to have short-period and phugoid modes frequency and damping characteristics within the shaded S-plane areas, column force gradients with set bounds and with constant slope, and a blended normal-acceleration/pitch rate time history response to a step command. Details of the control law, feedback loop, and modal control syntheses are explored, as are compensation for the feedback gain, the deletion of the velocity signal, and the feed-forward compensation. Scheduling of the primary and secondary gains are discussed, together with control law mechanization, flying qualities analyses, and application on the L-1011 aircraft.

Rising, J. J.↗