Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Land Access”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Milwaukee Urban Development: Assessing the Drivers of Urban Flood Vulnerability in Milwaukee using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Model (InVEST)

Milwaukee County has experienced an increase in flooding due to climate change and urbanization. The frequency and severity of flooding vary spatially due to differences in land cover, surface permeability, and infrastructure. Marginalized communities tend to experience disproportionately high flooding and damage due to infrastructural inequalities and limited access to resources. To quantify these differences, we used the Natural Capital Project’s Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Model to calculate and create maps of runoff retention, nominal flood depth, and economic damage to buildings in Milwaukee. Our model inputs included land cover, surface permeability, and rainfall. To inform our precipitation inputs, we used NASA’s Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM IMERG) and National Weather Service (NWS) data. We assessed the relationship between flood risk and social and environmental spatial data including redlining, racial demographics, greenspace, and community resilience. The data demonstrate that flood risk is higher in historically redlined neighborhoods, majority Hispanic and Black census block groups, areas that lack parks and trees, and areas of low community resilience as measured by the Census Bureau’s Community Resilience Estimates (CRE). These findings will support our partners, Groundwork Milwaukee and Groundwork USA, in their efforts to promote the equitable distribution of resources and support environmental health in urban spaces. The end products of this project provide our partners with tools to assess urban flooding vulnerability, guide future intervention projects, quantify the effects of environmental injustice, and improve stakeholder access to data.

Madeleine Tango↗
NASA NTRS2022

Milwaukee Urban Development: Assessing the Drivers of Urban Flooding Vulnerability in Milwaukee Using NASA Earth Observations

Milwaukee County has experienced an increase in flooding due to climate change and urbanization. The frequency and severity of flooding vary spatially due to differences in land cover, surface permeability, and infrastructure. Marginalized communities tend to experience disproportionately high flooding and damage due to infrastructural inequalities and limited access to resources. To quantify these differences, we used the Natural Capital Project’s Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Model to calculate and create maps of runoff retention, nominal flood depth, and economic damage to buildings in Milwaukee. Our model inputs included land cover, surface permeability, and rainfall. To inform our precipitation inputs, we used NASA’s Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM IMERG) and National Weather Service (NWS) data. We assessed the relationship between flood risk and social and environmental spatial data including redlining, racial demographics, greenspace, and community resilience. The data demonstrate that flood risk is higher in historically redlined neighborhoods, majority Hispanic and Black census block groups, areas that lack parks and trees, and areas of low community resilience as measured by the Census Bureau’s Community Resilience Estimates (CRE). These findings will support our partners, Groundwork Milwaukee and Groundwork USA, in their efforts to promote the equitable distribution of resources and support environmental health in urban spaces. The end products of this project provide our partners with tools to assess urban flooding vulnerability, guide future intervention projects, quantify the effects of environmental injustice, and improve stakeholder access to data.

Madeleine Tango↗
NASA NTRS2004

The GLAS Polar Orbiting Lidar Experiment: First Year Results and Available Data

The first polar orbiting satellite lidar instrument, the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), was launched in 2003 and is approaching six months of data operations. As part of the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) project, the GLAS instrument is intended as a laser sensor fulfilling complementary requirements for several earth science disciplines including atmospheric and surface applications on the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite. In this paper we present examples of atmospheric measurement results and explain access to data for the international science community.

Spinhirne, James D.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Southern Idaho Ecological Conservation: Investigating the Impact of Targeted Grazing to Improve Wetland Habitat in the Sterling Wildlife Management Area

Wetland ecosystems are vital for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. The Sterling Wildlife Management Area in Bingham County, Idaho, has management concerns about decadent and accumulated vegetation growth encroaching on wetland habitat, which presents challenges for wildlife, decreases biodiversity, and limits public access. Targeted grazing has been proposed as a sustainable alternative to chemical herbicides or burning. Land managers introduced targeted cattle grazing in January 2021 to reduce biomass. NASA DEVELOP partnered with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to determine the impact of grazing using NASA Earth observations from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) in Google Earth Engine (GEE). Images were processed with TerrSet’s Land Change Modeler and ArcGIS Pro’s Change Detection Wizard to understand land changes following grazing. A Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis was performed to assess impacts on vegetation productivity and compare variance in biomass before and after grazing. A Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) was used to compare changes in the wetland and its vegetation content to evaluate the suitability of the area for migratory birds post-grazing. Results showed a decrease in the vegetation index and an increase in the water index postgrazing. The DEVELOP team’s analysis suggests that grazing helps break down thick, senesced vegetation and increase soil moisture. Providing a workflow model will aid partners in continuing to monitor this management area and other management areas across the state.

change detection↗
NASA NTRS1999

[X-33 Launch and Landing Facilities]

Sverdrup is responsible for the design, construction and activation of the X-33 Flight Operations Center at Edwards Air Force Base and for providing assistance in activating the X-33 Landing Sites. The past year has seen the completion of the construction of the X-33 Flight Operations Center. Construction was completed in December of 1998, with systems checkout and testing continuing into early 1999. Integration of the site with LMCMS and other partner-supplied systems began in December and will continue through rollout of the X-33 vehicle. The construction of the X-33 Launch Complex has been performed within the Edwards AFB and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) systems with no substantial interference to either parties. A high level of cooperation exists between Sverdrup, Edwards AFB, and the Air Force Research Laboratory in the areas of access, training, security, and operations. There have been no conflicts between programs that have not been accommodated. Development of the landing sites is progressing with many of the modifications necessary underway. GSE commitments are in place. The personnel training program developed by Sverdrup for persons entering the launch site construction areas, was modified by Lockheed for use in training and access control to the Center during flight operations to maximize safety and minimize intrusion upon the environment. Close cooperation between Sverdrup, the construction workers, and the environmental biologist permitted construction to proceed in a timely fashion without harm to the wildlife, in particular, the Desert Tortoise. Although the entire X-33 site encompasses approximately 50 acres including a new access road, only the areas directly impacted by the construction were cleared to minimize the impact on the environment. A total of about 30 acres was actually disturbed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2016

Interactive Computing and Processing of NASA Land Surface Observations Using Google Earth Engine

Google's Earth Engine offers a "big data" approach to processing large volumes of NASA and other remote sensing products. h\ps://earthengine.google.com/ Interfaces include a Javascript or Python-based API, useful for accessing and processing over large periods of record for Landsat and MODIS observations. Other data sets are frequently added, including weather and climate model data sets, etc. Demonstrations here focus on exploratory efforts to perform land surface change detection related to severe weather, and other disaster events.

earth engine↗
NASA NTRS1993

Internetworking satellite and local exchange networks for personal communications applications

The demand for personal communications services has shown unprecedented growth, and the next decade and beyond promise an era in which the needs for ubiquitous, transparent and personalized access to information will continue to expand in both scale and scope. The exchange of personalized information is growing from two-way voice to include data communications, electronic messaging and information services, image transfer, video, and interactive multimedia. The emergence of new land-based and satellite-based wireless networks illustrates the expanding scale and trend toward globalization and the need to establish new local exchange and exchange access services to meet the communications needs of people on the move. An important issue is to identify the roles that satellite networking can play in meeting these new communications needs. The unique capabilities of satellites, in providing coverage to large geographic areas, reaching widely dispersed users, for position location determination, and in offering broadcast and multicast services, can complement and extend the capabilities of terrestrial networks. As an initial step in exploring the opportunities afforded by the merger of satellite-based and land-based networks, several experiments utilizing the NASA ACTS satellite and the public switched local exchange network were undertaken to demonstrate the use of satellites in the delivery of personal communications services.

Wolff, Richard S.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Influence of Precipitation Forcing Uncertainty on Hydrological Simulations with the NASA South Asia Land Data Assimilation System

Accurate meteorological estimates are critical for process-based hydrological simulationand prediction. This presents a significant challenge in mountainous Asia where in situmeteorological stations are limited and major river basins cross international borders. In thiscontext, remotely sensed and model-derived meteorological estimates are often necessary inputsfor distributed hydrological analysis. However, these datasets are difficult to evaluate on accountof limited access to ground data. In this case, the implications of uncertainty associated withprecipitation forcing for hydrological simulations is explored by driving the South Asia Land DataAssimilation System (South Asia LDAS) using a range of meteorological forcing products.MERRA2, GDAS, and CHIRPS produce a wide range of estimates for rainfall, which causes awidespread simulated streamflow and evapotranspiration. A combination of satellite-derived andlimited in situ data are applied to evaluate model simulations and, by extension, to constrain theestimates of precipitation. The results show that available gridded precipitation estimates based onin situ data may systematically underestimate precipitation in mountainous regions and thatperformance of gridded satellite-derived or modeled precipitation estimates varies systematicallyacross the region. Since no station-based data or product including station data is satisfactoryeverywhere, our results suggest that the evaluation of the hydrological simulation of streamflowand ET can be used as an indirect evaluation of precipitation forcing based on ground-basedproducts or in-situ data. South Asia LDAS produces reasonable evapotranspiration and streamflowwhen forced with appropriate meteorological forcing and the choice of meteorological forcingshould be made based on the geographical location as well as on the purpose of the simulations.

South Asia land data assimilation system (South As↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) Mission Overview and Science Return

The Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) mission was the culmination of two decades of research and development led by NASA Langley Research Center for Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. A HIAD aeroshell can be hard packed into a small volume for launch and then deployed prior to atmospheric entry for stable aerodynamic deceleration through the atmosphere. Much larger than traditional fixed diameter aeroshells that are constrained by the size of launch vehicle shrouds, inflatable decelerators create more drag and start the deceleration process in the upper reaches of the atmosphere with greater efficiency and stability. Large deployable heatshields enable spacecraft to carry bigger, heavier payloads, including scientific instruments and human support systems for planetary landing and exploration. The success of the LOFTID mission could enable new NASA missions to Mars (including access to higher altitudes than currently possible), Venus, and most solar system destinations with atmospheres, as well as cost-effective payload returns to Earth. With its unique 6m diameter inflatable heatshield, LOFTID was the first-of-a-kind orbital reentry flight, and the largest blunt body atmospheric entry of any kind. On November 10, 2022, the LOFTID aeroshell endured the harsh environments of atmospheric reentry while exhibiting stable aerodynamics through the entire spectrum of hypersonic, supersonic, transonic, and subsonic flight. The demonstration confirmed the HIAD technology structural and thermal performance as the aeroshell protected the 1100 kg Reentry Vehicle (RV) entering Earth’s atmosphere at 8 km/s, reaching Mach 30, and experiencing 9.5 g deceleration before deploying parachutes and gently splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, where it was recovered in excellent condition. The LOFTID aeroshell was exposed to an aeroheating environment representative of many Mars and LEO HIAD applications, and successfully demonstrated the ability of the heat-affected inflatable structure to withstand aerodynamic forces that exceeded those expected at Mars. This mission further demonstrated the viability of HIAD technology to deliver large payloads safely and accurately through an atmosphere via a controlled entry, descent, and landing. Whereas LOFTID was indeed a first-of-a-kind flight for an inflatable heatshield, its remarkable performance assured that it will not be the last of its kind.

J M Dinonno↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) Mission Overview and Science Return

The Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) mission was the culmination of two decades of research and development led by NASA Langley Research Center for Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. A HIAD aeroshell can be hard packed into a small volume for launch and then deployed prior to atmospheric entry for stable aerodynamic deceleration through the atmosphere. Much larger than traditional fixed diameter aeroshells that are constrained by the size of launch vehicle shrouds, inflatable decelerators create more drag and start the deceleration process in the upper reaches of the atmosphere with greater efficiency and stability. Large deployable heatshields enable spacecraft to carry bigger, heavier payloads, including scientific instruments and human support systems for planetary landing and exploration. The success of the LOFTID mission could enable new NASA missions to Mars (including access to higher altitudes than currently possible), Venus, and most solar system destinations with atmospheres, as well as cost-effective payload returns to Earth. With its unique 6m diameter inflatable heatshield, LOFTID was the first-of-a-kind orbital reentry flight, and the largest blunt body atmospheric entry of any kind. On November 10, 2022, the LOFTID aeroshell endured the harsh environments of atmospheric reentry while exhibiting stable aerodynamics through the entire spectrum of hypersonic, supersonic, transonic, and subsonic flight. The demonstration confirmed the HIAD technology structural and thermal performance as the aeroshell protected the 1100 kg Reentry Vehicle (RV) entering Earth’s atmosphere at 8 km/s, reaching Mach 30, and experiencing 9.5 g deceleration before deploying parachutes and gently splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, where it was recovered in excellent condition. The LOFTID aeroshell was exposed to an aeroheating environment representative of many Mars and LEO HIAD applications, and successfully demonstrated the ability of the heat-affected inflatable structure to withstand aerodynamic forces that exceeded those expected at Mars. This mission further demonstrated the viability of HIAD technology to deliver large payloads safely and accurately through an atmosphere via a controlled entry, descent, and landing. Whereas LOFTID was indeed a first-of-a-kind flight for an inflatable heatshield, its remarkable performance assured that it will not be the last of its kind.

John M DiNonno↗
DOE OSTI2021

A system of shared autonomous vehicles for Chicago: Understanding the effects of geofencing the service

With autonomous vehicles (AVs) still in the testing phase, researchers and planners must resort to simulation techniques to explore possible futures regarding shared and automated mobility. An agent-based discrete-event transport simulator, POLARIS, is used in this study to simulate travel in the 20-county Chicago region with a shared AV (SAV) mobility option. Using this framework, the effect of an SAV fleet on system performance when constrained to serve within geofences is studied under four distinct scenarios: service restricted to the city, to the city plus suburban core, to the core plus exurban areas, and to the entire region — along with the choice of dynamic ridesharing (DRS) versus solo travel in an SAV. Results indicate that service areas need a balanced mix of trip generators and attractors, and an SAV fleet’s empty VMT (eVMT) can be noticeably reduced through suitable geofencing and DRS. Geofences can also help lower response times, reduce systemwide VMT across all modes, and ensure uniform access to SAVs. DRS is most useful in lowering VMT and %eVMT that arises from sprawled land development, but with insufficient demand to share rides, savings from the use of geofences is higher. Geofences targeting neighborhoods with high trip density bring about low response times and %eVMT, but fleet sizes in these regions need to be designed for uniformly low response times throughout a large region, as opposed to maximizing vehicle use in a 24-hour day.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS1983

Payload/cargo processing at the launch site

Payload processing at Kennedy Space Center is described, with emphasis on payload contamination control. Support requirements are established after documentation of the payload. The processing facilities feature enclosed, environmentally controlled conditions, with account taken of the weather conditions, door openings, accessing the payload, industrial activities, and energy conservation. Apparatus are also available for purges after Orbiter landing. The payloads are divided into horizontal, vertical, mixed, and life sciences and Getaway Special categories, which determines the processing route through the facilities. A canister/transport system features sealed containers for moving payloads from one facility building to another. All payloads are exposed to complete Orbiter bay interface checkouts in a simulator before actually being mounted in the bay.

Ragusa, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lunar Habitat Would Be Assembled In Space

Conceptual lunar habitat built inside external tank from National Space Transportation System (NSTS). Tank modified in low Earth orbit using existing structures and openings for access without compromising structural integrity. Designed for unmanned transport to orbit around Moon, and autonomous soft landing. Houses crew of 12 for 70 days between resupply missions.

King, Charles B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Applications of a hand-held GPS receiver in South American rain forests

A hand-held Global Positioning System receiver was used to determine the precise locations of villages, houses, gardens, and other cultural and environmental features in poorly mapped South American rain forests. The Magellan NAV 1000 unit profides extremely accurate latitude and longitude information, but determination of altitude is problematical. Overall, the receiver effectively allows anthropologists to obtain essential locational data useful for categorizing land uses, mapping tribal boundaries, and other applications in regions where environmental conditions are harsh and/or accessibility is difficult.

Baksh, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2001

Exploration of Titan using Vertical Lift Aerial Vehicles

Autonomous vertical lift aerial vehicles (such as rotorcraft or powered-lift vehicles) hold considerable potential for supporting planetary science and exploration missions. Vertical lift aerial vehicles would have the following advantages/attributes for planetary exploration: low-speed and low-altitude detailed aerial surveys; remote-site sample return to lander platforms; precision placement of scientific probes; soft landing capability for vehicle reuse (multiple flights) and remote-site monitoring; greater range, speed, and access to hazardous terrain than a surface rover; greater resolution of surface details than an orbiter or balloons. Exploration of Titan presents an excellent opportunity for the development and usage of such vehicles.

Young, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Footprints on Mars

The first three human missions to Mars should be to three different geographic sites. Maximize mobility to extend the reach of human exploration beyond the landing site. Maximize the amount of time that the astronauts spend exploring the planet. Provide subsurface access. Return a minimum of 250 kg of samples to Earth.

Drake, Bret G.↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's. The data collected by NASA represent a significant public investment in research. Consequently, NASA developed a free, open and non-discriminatory policy consistent with existing international policies to maximize access to data. EOSDIS manages data covering a wide range of Earth science disciplines including cryosphere, land cover change, polar processes, field campaigns, ocean surface, geodesy, atmosphere dynamics and composition, and inter-disciplinary research, and many others.

Remote Sensing↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's. The data collected by NASA represent a significant public investment in research. Consequently, NASA developed a free, open and non-discriminatory policy consistent with existing international policies to maximize access to data. EOSDIS manages data covering a wide range of Earth science disciplines including cryosphere, land cover change, polar processes, field campaigns, ocean surface, geodesy, atmosphere dynamics and composition, and inter-disciplinary research, and many others. This presentation will discuss data stewardship and archive activities.

Data Systems↗