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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Space Superhighway: A Cost Analysis of an In-Space Logistics Resupply Network

The Space Superhighway is a concept for an in-space logistics network for payload delivery and propellant resupply within the Earth-Moon system. It is expected that in the next several years the number of spacecraft in cislunar space will increase significantly. Commercial launch service providers have significantly reduced the cost of access to space and reduced the barrier to entry for private companies to build and operate their own satellites. Many of these newer satellites are being designed to take advantage of future In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities. In addition, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) intends to develop and maintain a sustained human presence in cislunar space and on the surface of the Moon. The sustained lunar presence will then serve as a steppingstone for human missions to Mars. The combined demand for propellant resupply and payload delivery in cislunar space for NASA's Moon to Mars campaign in addition to commercial ventures will likely exceed 1,000 t in the upcoming decades. This work presents a concept for an in-space logistics network to fulfill that demand. The network consists of commercial launch vehicles, propellant tankers, orbital depots, and in-space electric propulsion tugs. This work specifically analyzes the cost of developing, producing, and operating such a network at varying levels of customer demand.

space superhighway↗

NASA NTRS2004

Networking Technologies Enable Advances in Earth Science

This paper describes an experiment to prototype a new way of conducting science by applying networking and distributed computing technologies to an Earth Science application. A combination of satellite, wireless, and terrestrial networking provided geologists at a remote field site with interactive access to supercomputer facilities at two NASA centers, thus enabling them to validate and calibrate remotely sensed geological data in near-real time. This represents a fundamental shift in the way that Earth scientists analyze remotely sensed data. In this paper we describe the experiment and the network infrastructure that enabled it, analyze the data flow during the experiment, and discuss the scientific impact of the results.

Johnson, Marjory↗

NASA NTRS1999

Predicting Slag Generation in Sub-Scale Test Motors Using a Neural Network

Generation of slag (aluminum oxide) is an important issue for the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM). Thiokol performed testing to quantify the relationship between raw material variations and slag generation in solid propellants by testing sub-scale motors cast with propellant containing various combinations of aluminum fuel and ammonium perchlorate (AP) oxidizer particle sizes. The test data were analyzed using statistical methods and an artificial neural network. This paper primarily addresses the neural network results with some comparisons to the statistical results. The neural network showed that the particle sizes of both the aluminum and unground AP have a measurable effect on slag generation. The neural network analysis showed that aluminum particle size is the dominant driver in slag generation, about 40% more influential than AP. The network predictions of the amount of slag produced during firing of sub-scale motors were 16% better than the predictions of a statistically derived empirical equation. Another neural network successfully characterized the slag generated during full-scale motor tests. The success is attributable to the ability of neural networks to characterize multiple complex factors including interactions that affect slag generation.

Wiesenberg, Brent↗

NASA NTRS2002

A Lightning Channel Retrieval Algorithm for the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (LMA)

A new multi-station VHF time-of-arrival (TOA) antenna network is, at the time of this writing, coming on-line in Northern Alabama. The network, called the Lightning Mapping Array (LMA), employs GPS timing and detects VHF radiation from discrete segments (effectively point emitters) that comprise the channel of lightning strokes within cloud and ground flashes. The network will support on-going ground validation activities of the low Earth orbiting Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) satellite developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. It will also provide for many interesting and detailed studies of the distribution and evolution of thunderstorms and lightning in the Tennessee Valley, and will offer many interesting comparisons with other meteorological/geophysical wets associated with lightning and thunderstorms. In order to take full advantage of these benefits, it is essential that the LMA channel mapping accuracy (in both space and time) be fully characterized and optimized. In this study, a new revised channel mapping retrieval algorithm is introduced. The algorithm is an extension of earlier work provided in Koshak and Solakiewicz (1996) in the analysis of the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) system. As in the 1996 study, direct algebraic solutions are obtained by inverting a simple linear system of equations, thereby making computer searches through a multi-dimensional parameter domain of a Chi-Squared function unnecessary. However, the new algorithm is developed completely in spherical Earth-centered coordinates (longitude, latitude, altitude), rather than in the (x, y, z) cartesian coordinates employed in the 1996 study. Hence, no mathematical transformations from (x, y, z) into spherical coordinates are required (such transformations involve more numerical error propagation, more computer program coding, and slightly more CPU computing time). The new algorithm also has a more realistic definition of source altitude that accounts for Earth oblateness (this can become important for sources that are hundreds of kilometers away from the network). In addition, the new algorithm is being applied to analyze computer simulated LMA datasets in order to obtain detailed location/time retrieval error maps for sources in and around the LMA network. These maps will provide a more comprehensive analysis of retrieval errors for LMA than the 1996 study did of LDAR retrieval errors. Finally, we note that the new algorithm can be applied to LDAR, and essentially any other multi-station TWA network that depends on direct line-of-site antenna excitation.

Koshak, William↗

NASA NTRS1999

Interfacing a General Purpose Fluid Network Flow Program with the SINDA/G Thermal Analysis Program

A general purpose, one dimensional fluid flow code is currently being interfaced with the thermal analysis program Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer/Gaski (SINDA/G). The flow code, Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), is capable of analyzing steady state and transient flow in a complex network. The flow code is capable of modeling several physical phenomena including compressibility effects, phase changes, body forces (such as gravity and centrifugal) and mixture thermodynamics for multiple species. The addition of GFSSP to SINDA/G provides a significant improvement in convective heat transfer modeling for SINDA/G. The interface development is conducted in multiple phases. This paper describes the first phase of the interface which allows for steady and quasi-steady (unsteady solid, steady fluid) conjugate heat transfer modeling.

Schallhorn, Paul↗

NASA NTRS2010

Optimization of a Multi-Stage ATR System for Small Target Identification

An Automated Target Recognition system (ATR) was developed to locate and target small object in images and videos. The data is preprocessed and sent to a grayscale optical correlator (GOC) filter to identify possible regionsof- interest (ROIs). Next, features are extracted from ROIs based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and sent to neural network (NN) to be classified. The features are analyzed by the NN classifier indicating if each ROI contains the desired target or not. The ATR system was found useful in identifying small boats in open sea. However, due to "noisy background," such as weather conditions, background buildings, or water wakes, some false targets are mis-classified. Feedforward backpropagation and Radial Basis neural networks are optimized for generalization of representative features to reduce false-alarm rate. The neural networks are compared for their performance in classification accuracy, classifying time, and training time.

false alarm rate↗

NASA NTRS1980

The 30/20 GHZ net market assessment

By creating a number of market scenarios variations dealing with network types, network sizes, and service price levels were analyzed for their impact on market demand. Each market scenario represents a market demand forecast with results for voice, data, and video service traffic expressed in peak load megabits per second.

Rogers, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

First zonal harmonic component of cosmic ray neutron intensity

Cosmic ray neutron data from the cosmic ray stations from the worldwide network in 1966, 1967 and 1969 are analyzed by means of the three dimensional analysis method by Nagashima. The variations of the north-south anisotropy, which is the first zonal harmonic component obtained from the analysis are studied. The result obtained confirms earlier findings. Relationship of the anisotropy to the interplanetary magnetic field sector polarity is also studied.

Takahashi, H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Optimum design of geodesically stiffened composite plates

With the goal of tailorability in mind, the in-plane stiffness characteristics of a particular grid stiffened plate configuration under axial and shear loads have been studied. The contribution of the skin to the stiffener network and the resultant skin/rib interaction is analyzed. For the given plate geometry and loads, it is shown that an optimum configuration does exist. To achieve optimally designed practical plate configurations, buckling constraints need to be included in the design. Due to the complex geometry and loading of the plates, a simplified local buckling analysis of isolated stiffeners and triangular skin elements between the stiffeners is considered. Development of a stiffener buckling analysis represent stiffeners as shear deformable plate elements is presented.

Guerdal, Zafer↗

NASA NTRS1994

Long-term changes in the statistical distribution of Dobson total ozone in selected Northern Hemisphere geographical regions

The daily averages of total column amount of ozone taken in the period 1964-1988 at a network of 24 Dobson stations have been analyzed. Year-round data as well as summer data (May - Aug.) and winter data (Dec. - March) have been examined in the following regions: latitude bands (30 deg N - 39 deg N, 40 deg N - 52 deg N, 30 deg N - 60 deg N), North America, Europe, and Japan. To find year-to-year changes in the shape of the annual statistical distribution of total ozone (ASDTO) for these regions, we analyze trends in the following statistic characteristics of ASDTO: mean, standard deviation, median, and 10 and 90 percentiles. Time series of the statistical characteristics for the selected regions have been combined by averaging the individual stations values of these characteristics. The trends have been calculated by the multiple regression model adjusted for: the 11-year solar cycle, the Southern Oscillations effects, and for serial correlations. We have found that: a) in all regions (excluding Japan, North America), the shape of ASDTO has been drifting towards low ozone values. The drift seems to be not accompanied with a transformation in the shape of ASDTO. The drift speed (the rate of decrease in the annual means of total ozone) is of order 1-3 percent per decade (in the period 1970-1988). b) In Japan, the interannual changes in the shape of ASDTO have not been revealed. c) In North America, the drift of the year-round ASDTO (the year-round ASDTO comprises all the daily means of total ozone in a given year) has been accompanied with a transformation in the shape. The shape of the year round ASDTO becomes narrower. d) In all regions, except Japan and the band 30 deg - 39 deg N, the winter ASDTO (the winter ASDTO comprises the data taken in the period December in a given year through March next year) moves faster towards low ozone values than the summer ASDTO (the summer ASDTO comprises the data taken in the period May through August in a given year).

Krzyscin, Janusz W.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Hierarchical Simulation to Assess Hardware and Software Dependability

This thesis presents a method for conducting hierarchical simulations to assess system hardware and software dependability. The method is intended to model embedded microprocessor systems. A key contribution of the thesis is the idea of using fault dictionaries to propagate fault effects upward from the level of abstraction where a fault model is assumed to the system level where the ultimate impact of the fault is observed. A second important contribution is the analysis of the software behavior under faults as well as the hardware behavior. The simulation method is demonstrated and validated in four case studies analyzing Myrinet, a commercial, high-speed networking system. One key result from the case studies shows that the simulation method predicts the same fault impact 87.5% of the time as is obtained by similar fault injections into a real Myrinet system. Reasons for the remaining discrepancy are examined in the thesis. A second key result shows the reduction in the number of simulations needed due to the fault dictionary method. In one case study, 500 faults were injected at the chip level, but only 255 propagated to the system level. Of these 255 faults, 110 shared identical fault dictionary entries at the system level and so did not need to be resimulated. The necessary number of system-level simulations was therefore reduced from 500 to 145. Finally, the case studies show how the simulation method can be used to improve the dependability of the target system. The simulation analysis was used to add recovery to the target software for the most common fault propagation mechanisms that would cause the software to hang. After the modification, the number of hangs was reduced by 60% for fault injections into the real system.

Ries, Gregory Lawrence↗

NASA NTRS2002

Osteoblast Differentiation Decreases Hypergravity-Stimulated Release of PGE(sub 2)

We determined if progressive differentiation of osteoblasts influences their sensitivity to gravitational loading. Osteoblasts were cultured for 4 days (confluent monolayer), 6 days (prenodules), 9 days (nodules) and 19 days (mineralized nodules), then centrifuged at 10 times gravity (g) or 50-g for 3 hours using the NASA Ames 1-ft. Diameter Centrifuge. Stationary controls were placed in an adjacent incubator. Following centrifugation, conditioned media were collected and analyzed for PGE, by ELISA. Microtubules were fluorescently labeled and analyzed by confocal microscopy to determine microtubule network morphology and height. Centrifugation at 10-g reduced microtubule network height by 15% on d4 and 10% on d6, with variable changes in more mature cultures. No major changes in microtubule morphology were observed. PGE(sub 2) release by d4 cultures increased in a dose-dependent fashion (3-fold at 10-g and 6-fold at 50-g relative to controls). D6 cultures produced a 5-fold increase for both 10-g and 50-g. PGE(sub 2) increased only 1.5-fold by d9, and by d19, PGE(sub 2) was not delectable in either the control or hypergravity-stimulated cells. Thus, as osteoblasts differentiate in culture, responsiveness of the microtubule cytoskeleton and the PGE(sub 2) pathway to hypergravity declines.

Searby, Nancy D.↗

NASA NTRS2010

GeoLab in NASA's Pressurized Excursion Module: First Results from the 2010 Field Trials

Before humans explore other planets, NASA must develop advanced techniques for collection, preservation and return of unique extraterrestrial samples. To help evaluate hardware requirements and operational concepts for future sample-return missions, we designed and built GeoLab our first generation lab for geological samples into NASA s Habitat Demonstration Unit in the Pressurized Excursion Module (HDU1-PEM). The center of GeoLab is a glovebox for the examination of samples in a shirt-sleeve environment. As part of a deployable habitat, GeoLab can participate in NASA s analog missions that simulate planetary exploration activities and support the testing of relevant technologies for collecting and handling geological samples. Over time, these tests will evaluate sample handling environments (field and lab), sampling tools and analytical instruments, and different scenarios involving both robotic and human procedures. The GeoLab design supports evolving tests and configurations. The glovebox is mounted on the habitat bulkhead, with three sample pass-though chambers that allow for direct sample transfer into the glovebox from the outside. The glovebox design and construction (low-particle shedding, minimally off-gassing materials) provides a clean environment to reduce sample contamination; in the future, we will integrate a positive pressure, enriched nitrogen atmosphere. The glovebox is equipped with configurable instrument ports. The 2010 test included a mass balance, a stereomicroscope with a HD camera for detailed imaging of samples, and a handheld XRF analyzer for preliminary geochemical characterization of samples. Network cameras provided context imagery and sample handling activities. We present early results from the initial field trial of GeoLab during the 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) planetary analog test near Flagstaff AZ. The 2010 D-RATS mission involved two rovers, the habitat with GeoLab, four crew members, and a team of scientists and flight controllers. The crewed rovers conducted geological traverses and collected samples on the planetary surface. Selected samples were transferred into GeoLab for detailed examination and initial analysis, providing critical data to the science team for evaluation and prioritization of samples.

Evans, Cynthia A.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Multicolor Photometric Observation of Lightning from Space: Comparison with Radio Measurements

This study evaluates the effectiveness of spectrophotometric measurements from space in revealing properties of lightning flash. The multicolor optical waveform data obtained by FORMOSAT-2/Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (ISUAL) were analyzed in relation to National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (LMA). As of July 2011, we found six lightning events which were observed by ISUAL and North Alabama LMA. In two of these events, NLDN showed clear positive cloud-to-ground (CG) discharges with peak current of +139.9 kA and +41.6 kA and, around that time, LMA showed continuous intra-cloud (IC) leader activities at 4-6 km altitudes. ISUAL also observed consistent optical waveforms of the IC and CG components and, interestingly, it was found that the blue/red spectral ratio clearly decreased by a factor of 1.5-2.5 at the time of CG discharges. Other four lightning events in which NLDN did not detect any CG discharges were also investigated, but such a feature was not found in any of these cases. These results suggest that the optical color of CG component is more reddish than that of IC component and we explain this as a result of more effective Rayleigh scattering in blue light emissions coming from lower-altitude light source. This finding suggests that spectral measurements could be a new useful technique to characterize ICs and CGs from space. In this talk, we will also present a result from lightning statistical analysis of ISUAL spectrophotometric data and ULF magnetic data.

Adachi, Toru↗

NASA NTRS2013

A Seasonal Trend of Single Scattering Albedo in Southern African Biomass-burning Particles: Implications for Satellite Products and Estimates of Emissions for the World's Largest Biomass-burning Source

As a representative site of the southern African biomass-burning region, sun-sky data from the 15 year Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) deployment at Mongu, Zambia, was analyzed. For the biomass-burning season months (July-November), we investigate seasonal trends in aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA), aerosol size distributions, and refractive indices from almucantar sky scan retrievals. The monthly mean single scattering albedo at 440 nm in Mongu was found to increase significantly from approx.. 0.84 in July to approx. 0.93 in November (from 0.78 to 0.90 at 675 nm in these same months). There was no significant change in particle size, in either the dominant accumulation or secondary coarse modes during these months, nor any significant trend in the Angstrom exponent (440-870 nm; r(exp 2) = 0.02). A significant downward seasonal trend in imaginary refractive index (r(exp 2) = 0.43) suggests a trend of decreasing black carbon content in the aerosol composition as the burning season progresses. Similarly, burning season SSA retrievals for the Etosha Pan, Namibia AERONET site also show very similar increasing single scattering albedo values and decreasing imaginary refractive index as the season progresses. Furthermore, retrievals of SSA at 388 nm from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument satellite sensor show similar seasonal trends as observed by AERONET and suggest that this seasonal shift is widespread throughout much of southern Africa. A seasonal shift in the satellite retrieval bias of aerosol optical depth from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer collection 5 dark target algorithm is consistent with this seasonal SSA trend since the algorithm assumes a constant value of SSA. Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer, however, appears less sensitive to the absorption-induced bias.

aerosol absorption↗

NASA NTRS2003

Software for Allocating Resources in the Deep Space Network

TIGRAS 2.0 is a computer program designed to satisfy a need for improved means for analyzing the tracking demands of interplanetary space-flight missions upon the set of ground antenna resources of the Deep Space Network (DSN) and for allocating those resources. Written in Microsoft Visual C++, TIGRAS 2.0 provides a single rich graphical analysis environment for use by diverse DSN personnel, by connecting to various data sources (relational databases or files) based on the stages of the analyses being performed. Notable among the algorithms implemented by TIGRAS 2.0 are a DSN antenna-load-forecasting algorithm and a conflict-aware DSN schedule-generating algorithm. Computers running TIGRAS 2.0 can also be connected using SOAP/XML to a Web services server that provides analysis services via the World Wide Web. TIGRAS 2.0 supports multiple windows and multiple panes in each window for users to view and use information, all in the same environment, to eliminate repeated switching among various application programs and Web pages. TIGRAS 2.0 enables the use of multiple windows for various requirements, trajectory-based time intervals during which spacecraft are viewable, ground resources, forecasts, and schedules. Each window includes a time navigation pane, a selection pane, a graphical display pane, a list pane, and a statistics pane.

Wang, Yeou-Fang↗

NASA NTRS2018

Assessing C2 Communications for UAS Traffic Management

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) project works to develop tools and technologies essential for safely enabling civilian low-altitude UAS operations. Currently there is no established infrastructure to enable and safely manage the widespread use of low-altitude airspace and UAS operations, regardless of the type of UAS. The UTM technical challenge will develop comprehensive and validated airspace operations and integration requirements to safely enable large-scale persistent access to visual line of sight and autonomous beyond visual line of sight small UAS in low-altitude airspace. Within the UTM project, a number of communications technologies to support UTM command and control (C2) are under investigation. In particular, commercial networked cellular systems are being tested and assessed for their ability to meet the reliability, scalability, cybersecurity and redundancy required. NASA Glenn Research Center is studying some of the aspects of employing such networks for UTM C2 communications. This includes the development of a test platform for sensing and characterizing the airborne C2 communications environment at various altitudes and in various terrains and topologies, measuring such aspects as received signal strength and interference. System performance aspects such as latency in the link, handover performance, packet error loss rate, drop outs, coverage gaps and other aspects impacting UTM operation will also be assessed. In this paper we explore some of the C2 approaches being proposed and demonstrated in the UTM project, the reliability, availability and other general C2 performance requirements, and approaches to evaluating and analyzing UTM C2 links based on commercial cellular networks.

air traffic control↗

NASA NTRS2018

Assessing C2 Communications

aircraft communications↗