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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 235 records · Page 13

Genome-Scale Metabolic Modeling Enables In-Depth Understanding of Big Data

Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) enable the mathematical simulation of the metabolism of archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotic organisms. GEMs quantitatively define a relationship between genotype and phenotype by contextualizing different types of Big Data (e.g., genomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics). In this review, we analyze the available Big Data useful for metabolic modeling and compile the available GEM reconstruction tools that integrate Big Data. We also discuss recent applications in industry and research that include predicting phenotypes, elucidating metabolic pathways, producing industry-relevant chemicals, identifying drug targets, and generating knowledge to better understand host-associated diseases. In addition to the up-to-date review of GEMs currently available, we assessed a plethora of tools for developing new GEMs that include macromolecular expression and dynamic resolution. Finally, we provide a perspective in emerging areas, such as annotation, data managing, and machine learning, in which GEMs will play a key role in the further utilization of Big Data.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Orbiting propellant depot safety. Volume 1: Management summary report

Orbital missions are considered which require the use of orbiting vehicles, e.g., a cislunar shuttle, that is either chemically or nuclear propelled, functioning as orbit-to-orbit shuttles combined with space tugs for servicing earth-orbiting payloads. Such vehicles may be stationed in a low earth orbit from which they would initiate and terminate flights. The flight frequency of these vehicles indicates that large quantities of propellants will have to be delivered to them in orbit. Orbiting propellant depots, in both geocentric and selenocentric orbits, are being considered as candidate methods of making the required propellants readily available. An assessment of the potential safety hazards associated with the operation of such a depot is summarized.

Source record↗

Tensile properties of PRD-49 fiber in epoxy matrix.

Recently a high-modulus and high-strength organic fiber, identified as PRD-49-III by the manufacturer, became commercially available. To assess the fiber performance and its potential as a reinforcement for fiber composites, the tensile properties of the fiber in an epoxy matrix were determined. During this study over 6000 fiber/epoxy strands were made using the filament winding process; these strands were representative samples taken from over 60 lb of single-end fiber. The fiber uniformity, its strength distribution at room and LN2 temperature, stress-strain characteristics, and the strain rate effect on the fiber strength were evaluated.

Chiao, T. T.↗

A study of real jet effects on the surface pressure distribution induced by a jet in a crossflow

A study of jet exit profile, exit Mach number, swirl and turbulence level on jet-induced loadings for jets exhausting from a surface into a crossflow is presented. The importance of each of these real jet characteristics is assessed using available data. Where adequate surface pressure distribution data are available, a correlation method to predict surface pressure for a jet exhausting from an infinite flat plate is used either to attempt to develop a correlation based on the real jet characteristics or to model the effects of that characteristic. Data comparisons are presented for selected cases. Also, a summary of information on surface pressure distribution data for jet exhausting from flat plates into a subsonic crossflow is presented.

Perkins, S. C., Jr.↗

Infrared Imagery of Shuttle (IRIS). Task 1

Assessment of available IR sensor technology showed that the four aerothermodynamic conditions of interest during the entry trajectory of space shuttle can be accommodated by an aircraft flying parallel to the orbiter reentry ground track. Thermal information from the sides of the vehicle can be obtained with degraded performance (temperatures below 800 K) by flying the C-141 aircraft on the opposite side of the shuttle ground track and in the direction opposite that which is optimum for lower surface viewing. An acquisition system using a 6.25-cm aperture telescope and a single indium antimonide detector were designed to meet the acquisition requirements and interface with the 91.5-cm telescope with minimum modification. An image plane system using 600 indium antimonide detectors in two arrays which requires no modification to the existing telescope was also designed. Currently available components were used in a data handling system with interfaces with the experimentors station and the HP2100 computer.

Chocol, C. J.↗

Images of the future - Two decades in astronomy

Future instruments for the 100-10,000 A UV-wavelength region will require detectors with greater quantum efficiency, smaller picture elements, a greater wavelength range, and greater active area than those currently available. After assessing the development status and performance characteristics of vidicons, image tubes, electronographic cameras, digicons, silicon arrays and microchannel plate intensifiers presently employed by astronomical spacecraft, attention is given to such next-generation detectors as the Mosaicked Optical Self-scanned Array Imaging Camera, which consists of a photocathode deposited on the input side of a microchannel plate intensifier. The problems posed by the signal processing and data analysis requirements of the devices foreseen for the 21st century are noted.

Weistrop, D.↗

Assessment Planning and Evaluation of Renewable Energy Resources: an Interactive Computer Assisted Procedure

Adaptation and derivation were used to develop a procedure for assessing the availability of renewable energy resources on the landscape while simultaneously accounting for the economic, legal, social, and environmental issues required. Done in a step-by-step fashion, the procedure can be used interactively at the computer terminals. Its application in determining the hydroelectricity, biomass, and windpower in a 40,000 acre study area of Western Massachusetts shows that: (1) three existing dam sites are physically capable of being retrofitted for hydropower; (2) each of three general areas has a mean annual windspeed exceeding 14 mph and is conductive to windpower; and (3) 20% of the total land area consists of prime agricultural biomass while 30% of the area is prime forest biomass land.

Aston, T. W.↗

Applications of remote sensing technology to U.S. Water resource management

Applications of Landsat data to assessing the available water supply in the U.S. for agricultural puposes as a program of the NASA Office of Space Science and Applications are described. Snow melt runoff predictions are performed with multitemporal Landsat imagery to measure the extent of mountain snow packs in the Rockies in order to produce stream flow forecast models. The data is used for decisions of which crops to plant, based on irrigation water which will be accessible in eleven western U.S. states. Imagery has tracked the growth of irrigated lands watered from the Ogallala aquifer in the central U.S., and is providing a data base for calculating the aquifer depletion rates. Studies are preceeding in temporally mapping the kinds of vegetation growing in the Suwannee Sound in Florida to monitor the intrusion of salt water, which would reduce the River's usefulness for irrigation. Finally, capabilities of the Thematic Mapper are reviewed.

Weber, J. D.↗

Reliability Studies for Fatigue-Crack Detection

Reusable test panels available to assess reliability of techniques that use fluorescent penetrant to detect fatigue cracks. Ultrasonic cleaning method developed for removing penetrant from panels prior to reuse.

Christner, B. K.↗

Preliminary technology utilization assessment of the robotic fruit harvester

The results of an analysis whose purpose was to examine the history and progress of mechanical fruit harvesting, to determine the significance of a robotic fruit tree harvester and to assess the available market for such a product are summarized. Background information that can be used in determining the benefit of a proof of principle demonstration is provided. Such a demonstration could be a major step toward the transfer of this NASA technology.

Wilhelm, J.↗

Duty cycle testing and performance evaluation of the SM-229 teleoperator

The first known experimental studies and analyses of teleoperator performance for specific duty cycles are discussed. The results are presented in two distinct areas as position usage patterns, and as three-dimensional power grids. The position usage patterns are a valuable means to assess the available motion range. The power grids are a unique concept for evaluating joint performance. Final conclusions contain recommendations to upgrade the teleoperator for optimum performance.

Stoughton, Robert S.↗

Solar array flight experiment/dynamic augmentation experiment

This report presents the objectives, design, testing, and data analyses of the Solar Array Flight Experiment/Dynamic Augmentation Experiment (SAFE/DAE) that was tested aboard Shuttle in September 1984. The SAFE was a lightweight, flat-fold array that employed a thin polyimide film (Kapton) as a substrate for the solar cells. Extension/retraction, dynamics, electrical and thermal tests, were performed. Of particular interest is the dynamic behavior of such a large lightweight structure in space. Three techniques for measuring and analyzing this behavior were employed. The methodology for performing these tests, gathering data, and data analyses are presented. The report shows that the SAFE solar array technology is ready for application and that new methods are available to assess the dynamics of large structures in space.

Young, Leighton E.↗

Solar flare discovery

This paper considers the discoveries that have appreciably changed our understanding of the physics of solar flares. A total of 42 discoveries from all disciplines, ranging from Galileo's initial observation of faculae to the recent discovery of strong limb brightening in 10-MeV gamma-radiation, are identified. The rate of discovery increased dramatically over the past four decades as new observational tools became available. The assessment of significance suggests that recent discoveries -though more numerous - are individually less significant; perhaps this is because the minor early discoveries tend to be taken for granted.

Hudson, Hugh S.↗

Improvement of cloud cover assessment of Landsat Thematic Mapper data

Various methods for cloud cover assessment of Landsat TM data are compared and evaluated. A total of 3906 TM 241-mm black-and-white photo prints of different seasons and regions were assessed manually. These images were mostly in band 4 (0.76-0.90 microns) for daytime data and band 6 (10.4-12.5 microns) for nighttime data. The results of this manual assessment are compared to available automated and manual assessments, and the differences between results obtained by various methods are discussed.

Ludwig, R.↗

Comparison of ERBS orbit determination accuracy using batch least-squares and sequential methods

The Flight Dynamics Div. (FDD) at NASA-Goddard commissioned a study to develop the Real Time Orbit Determination/Enhanced (RTOD/E) system as a prototype system for sequential orbit determination of spacecraft on a DOS based personal computer (PC). An overview is presented of RTOD/E capabilities and the results are presented of a study to compare the orbit determination accuracy for a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) user spacecraft obtained using RTOS/E on a PC with the accuracy of an established batch least squares system, the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS), operating on a mainframe computer. RTOD/E was used to perform sequential orbit determination for the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS), and the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS) was used to perform the batch least squares orbit determination. The estimated ERBS ephemerides were obtained for the Aug. 16 to 22, 1989, timeframe, during which intensive TDRSS tracking data for ERBS were available. Independent assessments were made to examine the consistencies of results obtained by the batch and sequential methods. Comparisons were made between the forward filtered RTOD/E orbit solutions and definitive GTDS orbit solutions for ERBS; the solution differences were less than 40 meters after the filter had reached steady state.

Oza, D. H.↗

TDRSS-user orbit determination using batch least-squares and sequential methods

The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) commissioned Applied Technology Associates, Incorporated, to develop the Real-Time Orbit Determination/Enhanced (RTOD/E) system on a Disk Operating System (DOS)-based personal computer (PC) as a prototype system for sequential orbit determination of spacecraft. This paper presents the results of a study to compare the orbit determination accuracy for a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) user spacecraft, Landsat-4, obtained using RTOD/E, operating on a PC, with the accuracy of an established batch least-squares system, the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS), and operating on a mainframe computer. The results of Landsat-4 orbit determination will provide useful experience for the Earth Observing System (EOS) series of satellites. The Landsat-4 ephemerides were estimated for the January 17-23, 1991, timeframe, during which intensive TDRSS tracking data for Landsat-4 were available. Independent assessments were made of the consistencies (overlap comparisons for the batch case and covariances and the first measurement residuals for the sequential case) of solutions produced by the batch and sequential methods. The forward-filtered RTOD/E orbit solutions were compared with the definitive GTDS orbit solutions for Landsat-4; the solution differences were less than 40 meters after the filter had reached steady state.

Oza, D. H.↗

Space flight risk data collection and analysis project: Risk and reliability database

The focus of the NASA 'Space Flight Risk Data Collection and Analysis' project was to acquire and evaluate space flight data with the express purpose of establishing a database containing measurements of specific risk assessment - reliability - availability - maintainability - supportability (RRAMS) parameters. The developed comprehensive RRAMS database will support the performance of future NASA and aerospace industry risk and reliability studies. One of the primary goals has been to acquire unprocessed information relating to the reliability and availability of launch vehicles and the subsystems and components thereof from the 45th Space Wing (formerly Eastern Space and Missile Command -ESMC) at Patrick Air Force Base. After evaluating and analyzing this information, it was encoded in terms of parameters pertinent to ascertaining reliability and availability statistics, and then assembled into an appropriate database structure.

Source record↗

Improved solution accuracy for Landsat-4 (TDRSS-user) orbit determination

This paper presents the results of a study to compare the orbit determination accuracy for a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) user spacecraft, Landsat-4, obtained using a Prototype Filter Smoother (PFS), with the accuracy of an established batch-least-squares system, the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS). The results of Landsat-4 orbit determination will provide useful experience for the Earth Observing System (EOS) series of satellites. The Landsat-4 ephemerides were estimated for the January 17-23, 1991, timeframe, during which intensive TDRSS tracking data for Landsat-4 were available. Independent assessments were made of the consistencies (overlap comparisons for the batch case and convariances for the sequential case) of solutions produced by the batch and sequential methods. The filtered and smoothed PFS orbit solutions were compared with the definitive GTDS orbit solutions for Landsat-4; the solution differences were generally less than 15 meters.

Oza, D. H.↗