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At least 289 records · Page 16

Status of the Fiber Optic Control System Integration (FOCSI) program

This report presents a discussion of the progress made in the NASA/NAVY Fiber Optic Control System Integration (FOCSI) program. This program will culminate in open-loop flight tests of passive optical sensors and associated electro-optics on an F-18 aircraft. Currently, the program is in the final stages of hardware fabrication and environmental testing of the passive optical sensors and electro-optics. This program is a foundation for future Fly-by-Light (FBL) programs. The term Fly-by-Light is used to describe the utilization of passive optical sensors and fiber optic data links for monitoring and control of aircraft in which sensor and actuation signals are transmitted optically. The benefits of this technology for advanced aircraft include the following: improved reliability and reduced certification cost due to greater immunity to EME (electromagnetic effects); reduced harness volume and weight; elimination of short circuits and sparking in wiring due to insulation deterioration; lower maintenance costs (fewer components); greater flexibility in data bus protocol and architecture; absence of ground loops; and higher operating temperatures for electrically passive optical sensors.

Baumbick, Robert J.↗

Prototype Local Data Integration System and Central Florida Data Deficiency

This report describes the Applied Meteorology Unit's (AMU) task on the Local Data Integration System (LDIS) and central Florida data deficiency. The objectives of the task are to identify all existing meteorological data sources within 250 km of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Eastern Range at Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), identify and configure an appropriate LDIS to integrate these data, and implement a working prototype to be used for limited case studies and data non-incorporation (DNI) experiments. The ultimate goal for running LDIS is to generate products that may enhance weather nowcasts and short-range (less than 6 h) forecasts issued in support of the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS), Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG), and the Melbourne National Weather Service (NWS MLB) operational requirements. The LDIS has the potential to provide added value for nowcasts and short term forecasts for two reasons. First, it incorporates all data operationally available in east central Florida. Second, it is run at finer spatial and temporal resolutions than current national-scale operational models. In combination with a suitable visualization tool, LDIS may provide users with a more complete and comprehensive understanding of evolving fine-scale weather features than could be developed by individually examining the disparate data sets over the same area and time. The utility of LDIS depends largely on the reliability and availability of observational data. Therefore, it is important to document all existing meteorological data sources around central Florida that can be incorporated by it. Several factors contribute to the data density and coverage over east central Florida including the level in the atmosphere, distance from KSC/CCAS, time, and prevailing weather. The central Florida mesonet consists of existing surface meteorological and hydrological data available from the Tampa NWS and data servers at Miami and Jacksonville. However the utility of these data for operational use is limited, mainly because there are relatively few additional meteorological observations within 50 km of KSC/CCAS to supplement existing METAR and KSC/CCAS tower reports.

Manobianco, John↗

Human Capabilities Assessments for Autonomous Missions: A Multi-Team Research Effort to Reduce Risk in the Human-System Integration Architecture for Future Deep-Space Missions

In future exploration missions beyond low earth-orbit, crew will have to execute complex operations and respond to off-nominal events, without real-time support from Mission Control. It is anticipated that increased reliance on automated systems, including human-centric vehicle and information architecture, will need to be designed to support the crew; increased risk to performance, health, and safety may occur if these are not implemented appropriately. The Human Factors and Behavioral Performance Element (HFBP) in the NASA Human Research Program supports research to characterize and mitigate such human health and performance risks, including the Risk of Adverse Outcome Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture (HSIA). The HSIA risk addresses the integration of onboard capability and the crew roles and responsibilities necessary to enable the crew to respond effectively and efficiently in the increasingly autonomous mission operations environment. In 2017, HFBP released the “Human Capabilities Assessments for Autonomous Missions” (HCAAM) research topic to address HSIA related questions. HCAAM is a major NASA research effort that has assembled a multidisciplinary team from seven institutions to work closely with design and engineering efforts on research towards developing and refining human performance standards, guidelines and automation tools. The scientific focus is on quantitative assessment of human capabilities relevant to future deep-space missions during which earth/spacecraft communication is so delayed and intermittent that the crew must be able to function autonomously. The integrated strategy of the HCAAM project characterizes human capabilities and limitations related to potential performance decrements during long duration exploration mission spaceflight as relevant to both routine and complex task performance; defines system characteristics that reduce the likelihood or impact of potential decrements in human performance capabilities; performs integrated assessment of intelligent system responses within the context of an operational environment with relevant NASA tools, systems, and data structures in order to determine positive or negative interactions and validate recommended approaches; and proposes specific updates to existing standards and guidelines for inclusion in NASA handbooks for the design of future spacecraft intelligent systems that provide crew performance assessment/feedback, and to also serve as decision-support aids for the onboard crew (i.e., NASA-STD-3001, and NASA/SP-Human Integration Design Handbook (HIDH)). The scientific research vectors being addressed by the seven HCAAM teams include: - crew task performance (accuracy, efficiency) (crew + automation) - crew performance (accuracy, efficiency) - crew Situation Awareness - procedure design and multi-modal enhancement - concurrent tasking (mixed manual + some level of autonomy) - task handover - crew self-planning and time-lining - task design - trust in automation, real-time calibration - human multi-sensory feedback and guidance - human trust in on-board software-based intelligent assistants - virtual assistants The presentation will highlight plans and progress made in each of these research areas as well as the methods by which surrogate astronaut crews in the NASA JSC HERA spaceflight analog facility will function as human test subjects for all of the HCAAM research projects.

HCAAM VNSCOR↗

Bi-Level Integrated System Synthesis (BLISS) for Concurrent and Distributed Processing

The paper introduces a new version of the Bi-Level Integrated System Synthesis (BLISS) methods intended for optimization of engineering systems conducted by distributed specialty groups working concurrently and using a multiprocessor computing environment. The method decomposes the overall optimization task into subtasks associated with disciplines or subsystems where the local design variables are numerous and a single, system-level optimization whose design variables are relatively few. The subtasks are fully autonomous as to their inner operations and decision making. Their purpose is to eliminate the local design variables and generate a wide spectrum of feasible designs whose behavior is represented by Response Surfaces to be accessed by a system-level optimization. It is shown that, if the problem is convex, the solution of the decomposed problem is the same as that obtained without decomposition. A simplified example of an aircraft design shows the method working as intended. The paper includes a discussion of the method merits and demerits and recommendations for further research.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw↗

Integrated System Health Management: Pilot Operational Implementation in a Rocket Engine Test Stand

This paper describes a credible implementation of integrated system health management (ISHM) capability, as a pilot operational system. Important core elements that make possible fielding and evolution of ISHM capability have been validated in a rocket engine test stand, encompassing all phases of operation: stand-by, pre-test, test, and post-test. The core elements include an architecture (hardware/software) for ISHM, gateways for streaming real-time data from the data acquisition system into the ISHM system, automated configuration management employing transducer electronic data sheets (TEDS?s) adhering to the IEEE 1451.4 Standard for Smart Sensors and Actuators, broadcasting and capture of sensor measurements and health information adhering to the IEEE 1451.1 Standard for Smart Sensors and Actuators, user interfaces for management of redlines/bluelines, and establishment of a health assessment database system (HADS) and browser for extensive post-test analysis. The ISHM system was installed in the Test Control Room, where test operators were exposed to the capability. All functionalities of the pilot implementation were validated during testing and in post-test data streaming through the ISHM system. The implementation enabled significant improvements in awareness about the status of the test stand, and events and their causes/consequences. The architecture and software elements embody a systems engineering, knowledge-based approach; in conjunction with object-oriented environments. These qualities are permitting systematic augmentation of the capability and scaling to encompass other subsystems.

Figueroa, Fernando↗

Maintaining a Local Data Integration System in Support of Weather Forecast Operations

Since 2000, both the National Weather Service in Melbourne, FL (NWS MLB) and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG) at Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX have used a local data integration system (LDIS) as part of their forecast and warning operations. The original LDIS was developed by NASA's Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU; Bauman et ai, 2004) in 1998 (Manobianco and Case 1998) and has undergone subsequent improvements. Each has benefited from three-dimensional (3-D) analyses that are delivered to forecasters every 15 minutes across the peninsula of Florida. The intent is to generate products that enhance short-range weather forecasts issued in support of NWS MLB and SMG operational requirements within East Central Florida. The current LDIS uses the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) Data Analysis System (ADAS) package as its core, which integrates a wide variety of national, regional, and local observational data sets. It assimilates all available real-time data within its domain and is run at a finer spatial and temporal resolution than current national- or regional-scale analysis packages. As such, it provides local forecasters with a more comprehensive understanding of evolving fine-scale weather features

Watson, Leela R.↗

Human Systems Integration Relationships Between Deep Space and Deepwater Exploration Challenges

NASA pursuit of human missions Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) to the moon and eventually Mars will pose many new challenges. These missions are characterized by increased risks to human performance due to stress, fatigue, radiation exposure, and isolation. Fundamental changes in spaceflight operations will be required as well. A very critical part of future missions will be assisting the crew with problem-solving and contingency resolution using next-generation smart spacecraft systems. Human Systems Integration (HSI) must be included as part of the systems engineering process. Gateway1 will serve as part of the proving ground for maturing technology such as autonomous systems and space operations procedures to help meet moon mission goals and prepare humans for missions to Mars. For deep space missions, risk factors affecting humans such as mission duration, distance, and physiological/psychological effects, must be considered. A human is not a simple component but rather a system in a systems-of-systems application-a system influenced by cognitive and biological factors that are difficult to model/analyze. System complexity will demand an integrated approach that requires multiple viewpoints, including the understanding of the astronauts' capabilities and limitations to enhance safety, performance, and satisfaction on the interaction between all system users in a variety of environments to achieve acceptable mission goals and performance. HSI will play a vital role in the development of these future missions. This paper provides a discussion of HSI used at NASA and the critical role human factors engineering will play in the HSI process for future missions along with the challenges. Industries such as oil and gas (O&G) could benefit from the content of this paper to help improve the safety and operations of deepwater/oil and gas exploration activities. NASA engineering and human systems subject-matter expert personnel reviewed challenges reported in space-related environments for long space duration missions and identified similarities with the challenges encountered in deepwater exploration. The researchers noted the space industry's current solutions and proposed a system development view to solve future deepwater exploration challenges using HSI principles. This paper discusses the results of the review.

George Salazar↗

Development of a high efficiency integration system and promoter library for rapid modification of Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Pseudomonas putida strains are highly robust bacteria known for their ability to efficiently utilize a variety of carbon sources, including aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Recently, P. putida has been engineered to valorize the lignin stream of a lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment process. Nonetheless, when compared to platform organisms such as Escherichia coli, the toolkit for engineering P. putida is underdeveloped. Heterologous gene expression in particular is problematic. Plasmid instability and copy number variance provide challenges for replicative plasmids, while use of homologous recombination for insertion of DNA into the chromosome is slow and laborious. Furthermore, heterologous expression efforts to date typically rely on overexpression of exogenous pathways using a handful of poorly characterized promoters. In order to improve the P. putida toolkit, we developed a rapid genome integration system using the site-specific recombinase from bacteriophage Bxb1 to enable rapid, high efficiency integration of DNA into the P. putida chromosome. We also developed a library of synthetic promoters with various UP elements, -35 sequences, and -10 sequences, as well as different ribosomal binding sites. We tested these promoters using a fluorescent reporter gene, mNeonGreen, to characterize the strength of each promoter, and identified UP-element-promoter-ribosomal binding sites combinations capable of driving a ~150-fold range of protein expression levels. One additional integrating vector was developed that confers more robust kanamycin resistance when integrated at single copy into the chromosome. This genome integration and reporter systems are extensible for testing other genetic parts, such as examining terminator strength, and will allow rapid integration of heterologous pathways for metabolic engineering.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Pressure Regulator With Internal Ejector Circulation Pump, Flow and Pressure Measurement Porting, and Fuel Cell System Integration Options

An advanced reactant pressure regulator with an internal ejector reactant circulation pump has been developed to support NASA's future fuel cell power systems needs. These needs include reliable and safe operation in variable-gravity environments, and for exploration activities with both manned and un manned vehicles. This product was developed for use in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) power plant reactant circulation systems, but the design could also be applied to other fuel cell system types, (e.g., solid-oxide or alkaline) or for other gas pressure regulation and circulation needs. The regulator design includes porting for measurement of flow and pressure at key points in the system, and also includes several fuel cell system integration options. NASA has recognized ejectors as a viable alternative to mechanical pumps for use in spacecraft fuel cell power systems. The ejector motive force is provided by a variable, high-pressure supply gas that travels through the ejector s jet nozzle, whereby the pressure energy of the fluid stream is converted to kinetic energy in the gas jet. The ejector can produce circulation-to-consumption-flow ratios that are relatively high (2-3 times), and this phenomenon can potentially (with proper consideration of the remainder of the fuel cell system s design) be used to provide completely for reactant pre-humidification and product water removal in a fuel cell system. Specifically, a custom pressure regulator has been developed that includes: (1) an ejector reactant circulation pump (with interchangeable jet nozzles and mixer sections, gas-tight sliding and static seals in required locations, and internal fluid porting for pressure-sensing at the regulator's control elements) and (2) internal fluid porting to allow for flow rate and system pressure measurements. The fluid porting also allows for inclusion of purge, relief, and vacuum-breaker check valves on the regulator assembly. In addition, this regulator could also be used with NASA's advanced nonflow-through fuel cell power systems by simply incorporating a jet nozzle with an appropriate nozzle diameter.

Vasquez, Arturo↗

Simulation of a Real-Time Local Data Integration System over East-Central Florida

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) simulated a real-time configuration of a Local Data Integration System (LDIS) using data from 15-28 February 1999. The objectives were to assess the utility of a simulated real-time LDIS, evaluate and extrapolate system performance to identify the hardware necessary to run a real-time LDIS, and determine the sensitivities of LDIS. The ultimate goal for running LDIS is to generate analysis products that enhance short-range (less than 6 h) weather forecasts issued in support of the 45th Weather Squadron, Spaceflight Meteorology Group, and Melbourne National Weather Service operational requirements. The simulation used the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) Data Analysis System (ADAS) software on an IBM RS/6000 workstation with a 67-MHz processor. This configuration ran in real-time, but not sufficiently fast for operational requirements. Thus, the AMU recommends a workstation with a 200-MHz processor and 512 megabytes of memory to run the AMU's configuration of LDIS in real-time. This report presents results from two case studies and several data sensitivity experiments. ADAS demonstrates utility through its ability to depict high-resolution cloud and wind features in a variety of weather situations. The sensitivity experiments illustrate the influence of disparate data on the resulting ADAS analyses.

Case, Jonathan↗

Autonomous power system: Integrated scheduling

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at NASA Lewis Research Center is designed to demonstrate the abilities of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control and scheduling techniques to space power distribution hardware. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for fault diagnosis, isolation, and recovery (FDIR), the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to determine system configuration, and power hardware (Brassboard) to simulate a space-based power system. Faults can be introduced into the Brassboard and in turn, be diagnosed and corrected by APEX and AIPS. The Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler controls the execution of loads attached to the Brassboard. Each load must be executed in a manner that efficiently utilizes available power and satisfies all load, resource, and temporal constraints. In the case of a fault situation on the Brassboard, AIPS dynamically modifies the existing schedule in order to resume efficient operation conditions. A database is kept of the power demand, temporal modifiers, priority of each load, and the power level of each source. AIPS uses a set of heuristic rules to assign start times and resources to each load based on load and resource constraints. A simple improvement engine based upon these heuristics is also available to improve the schedule efficiency. This paper describes the operation of the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler as a single entity, as well as its integration with APEX and the Brassboard. Future plans are discussed for the growth of the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler.

Ringer, Mark J.↗

Air Revitalization System integration

This paper presents a status review of Spacecraft Air Revitalization System (ARS) integration using regenerable techniques. The paper addresses concepts of integration of individual subsystems into an Air Revitalization System, as well as integration of components within subsystems. An ARS design is presented based on the Electrochemical Depolarized Carbon Dioxide Concentrator Subsystem, the Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction Subsystem, the Static Feed Water Electrolysis Subsystem, a condensing Humidity Control Subsystem, and a Water Handling Subsystem to perform the functions of CO2 removal, CO2 reduction, O2 generation, humidity control and by-product water distribution, respectively. The paper also highlights the numerous advantages of this integration. Trace contaminant control and the nitrogen supply are not included in the ARS described in this paper.

Quattrone, P. D.↗

Human Factors in Human-Systems Integration

Any large organization whose mission is to design and develop systems for humans, and train humans needs a well-developed integration and process plan to deal with the challenges that arise from managing multiple subsystems. Human capabilities, skills, and needs must be considered early in the design and development process, and must be continuously considered throughout the development lifecycle. This integration of human needs within system design is typically formalized through a Human-Systems Integration (HSI) program. By having an HSI program, an institution or organization can reduce lifecycle costs and increase the efficiency, usability, and quality of its products because human needs have been considered from the beginning.

Fitts, David J.↗

Flow direction measurement criteria and techniques planned for the 40- by 80-/80- x 120-foot wind tunnel integrated systems tests

A study was performed in order to develop the criteria for the selection of flow direction indicators for use in the Integrated Systems Tests (ISTs) of the 40 by 80/80 by 120 Foot Wind Tunnel System. The problems, requirements, and limitations of flow direction measurement in the wind tunnel were investigated. The locations and types of flow direction measurements planned in the facility were discussed. A review of current methods of flow direction measurement was made and the most suitable technique for each location was chosen. A flow direction vane for each location was chosen. A flow direction vane that employs a Hall Effect Transducer was then developed and evaluated for application during the ISTs.

Zell, P. T.↗

Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking (ISAAC) Simulated Cargo Logistics Demo Video

This video shows a simulation of autonomous cargo logistics using ISAAC (Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking). The video shows autonomous planning and execution of a cargo scenario in which the R2 robot moves a cargo bag from a stowed location to a transfer location in the US Lab on the International Space Station. The Astrobee robot then moves the bag from the transfer location to a new temporary stowage location in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM).

ISAAC↗

An Assessment of Impacts on Electric End-Use Load Profile of a Typical Residential Building from a Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Integrated with Underground Thermal Energy Storage

Buildings are the primary users of electricity, and a considerable amount of electric energy consumed in residential and commercial buildings is for meeting thermal demands (e.g., space heating/cooling, water heating, etc.). Therefore, integrating thermal energy storage with a building’s energy system has the potential to reshape the electric load profile of the building and mitigate the mismatch between the renewable power supply and the thermal demands of buildings. A novel ground-source heat pump system (GSHP) integrated with underground thermal energy storage (UTES) has been developed to enable flexible electric demand at buildings while meeting their thermal demands with an energy-efficient GSHP system. This paper assessed the potential impacts of the proposed system on the peak electrical demand and annual electricity consumption in a typical residential building at various climate zones in the United States. The results show that by replacing the conventional HVAC system (air conditioner and natural gas furnace) with the UTES integrated GSHP system, summer peak electric demand can be reduced by 27% to 50% depending on the weather. Although the winter peak electrical demand could be increased by up to 70% if the proposed system replaces natural gas furnace, the existing electricity supply system for single-family homes in most regions of the United States have adequate capacity for the replacement. While eliminating the natural gas consumption for space heating, the proposed system consumes more electricity on an annual basis in heating-dominated regions. However, it consumes less electricity in cooling dominated regions. The resulting variance in annual electricity consumption in various climate zones is within 15% compared with the baseline system.

Shi, Liang↗

NASA’s Identified Risks of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inadequate Human Systems Integration Architecture in Human Spaceflight

The NASA Human System Risk Board (HSRB) has the overall responsibility for tracking the evolution of the top ~30 human system risks that it has identified to be associated with human spaceflight. As part of this process, the Board is charged with maintaining a consistent, integrated process to mitigate those risks, and developing evidence-based risk posture recommendations. One of the identified risks is due to inadequate human systems integration architecture (HSIA) and a driving factor of this risk is that given decreasing real-time ground support for execution of complex operations during future exploration missions, there is a possibility of adverse performance outcomes including that crew are unable to adequately respond to unanticipated critical malfunctions or detect safety critical procedural errors. The HSRB uses Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) as a communication tool for describing how astronaut exposure to spaceflight hazards leads to meaningful mission-level health and performance outcomes and as the basis for understanding intermediate causal relationships between risk contributing factors and countermeasures that link hazards to outcomes. The HSIA risk DAG will be presented and described. Historically, critical malfunctions requiring Crew/MCC management occurred at a rate of 1.7 times per year for ISS averaged over the lifetime and 3-4 times per year in the burn in phase for the vehicle. These averages do not include EVA data, which greatly increases the incident rate. Prior experience from the Apollo program showed 10/11 crewed missions experienced significant anomalies where crew relied heavily on MCC expertise in real-time. These failure patterns are in line with those observed in other complex engineered systems (e.g., oil rigs, launch systems, commercial aviation, etc.) It is likely that general malfunction and error rates are > 10% for short duration missions (<30 days), based on past and current spaceflight operations data. Likelihood of adverse outcomes has the potential to increase as crew conduct work with new, complex systems and with less ground support. For Low Earth Orbit missions and Lunar missions less than 30 days, assuming minimal comm delays, disruptions and bandwidth limitations, malfunctions and errors can affect mission objectives and crew health but may be mitigated by ground support. For Lunar missions greater than 30 days and any potential Mars mission malfunctions and errors can have Loss of Crew and Loss of Mission consequences due to reduced ground support (communication delays, constraints and blackouts) for more complex operations, as well as reduced resupply and evacuation options.

Daniel M Buckland↗

System integration of marketable subsystems

These monthly reports, covering the period February 1978 through June 1978, describe the progress made in the major areas of the program. The areas covered are: systems integration of marketable subsystems; development, design, and building of site data acquisition subsystems; development and operation of the central data processing system; operation of the MSFC Solar Test Facility; and systems analysis.

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