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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 307 records · Page 17

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NASA NTRS1987

An evidential approach to model-based satellite diagnosis

The paper presents an approach to the implementation of an automated satellite diagnosis capability which emphasizes techniques offering flexibility in the application of diagnostic strategies. The system utilizes a structural and behavioral model of the satellite; it uses a form of spreading activation to perform the diagnostic procedures on the model. A Dempster-Shafer evidential framework was implemented, making it possible to integrate evidence from the multiple sources necessary for building useful systems.

Bickmore, Timothy W.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Testing of the Automated Fluid Interface System

The Automated Fluid Interface System (AFIS) is an advanced development prototype satellite servicer. The device was designed to transfer consumables from one spacecraft to another. An engineering model was built and underwent development testing at Marshall Space Flight Center. While the current AFIS is not suitable for spaceflight, testing and evaluation of the AFIS provided significant experience which would be beneficial in building a flight unit.

Johnston, A. S.↗

NASA NTRS2024

Ultra-Light, Strong, and Self-Reprogrammable Mechanical Metamaterials

Versatile programmable materials have long been envisioned that can reconfigure themselves to adapt to changing use cases in adaptive infrastructure, space exploration, disaster response, and more. We introduce a robotic structural system as an implementation of programmable matter, with mechanical performance and scale on par with conventional high-performance materials and truss systems. Fiber reinforced composite truss-like building-blocks form strong, stiff, and lightweight lattice structures as mechanical metamaterials. Two types of mobile robots operate over the exterior surface and through the interior of the system, performing transport, placement, and reversible fastening using the intrinsic lattice periodicity for indexing and metrology. Leveraging programmable matter algorithms to achieve scalability in size and complexity, this system design enables robust collective automated assembly and reconfiguration of large structures with simple robots. We describe the system design and experimental results from a 256-unit cell assembly demonstration and lattice mechanical testing, as well as demonstration of disassembly and reconfiguration. The assembled structural lattice material exhibits ultra-light mass density (0.0103 g/cc) with high strength and stiffness for its weight (0.01117 MPa and 1.1129 MPa, respectively), a material performance realm appropriate for applications like space structures. With simple robots and structure, high mass-specific structural performance, and competitive throughput, this system demonstrates potential for self-reconfiguring autonomous metamaterials for diverse applications.

Robotics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Automated Management of Small Unmanned Aircraft System Communications and Navigation Contingency

The number of small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) operating in the low-altitude of the National Airspace System (NAS) has been rapidly increasing in the past few years and this number is expected to grow in the future. However, aside from a few special cases, all sUAS must fly within visual line-of-sight (VLOS) of their operators and this limitation is blocking highly anticipated beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) sUAS applications such as package delivery from practice. To enable routine low-altitude BVLOS operations, there needs to be a traffic management ecosystem that complements the FAA’s Air Traffic Management (ATM) system, which does not provide air traffic services under 400 feet above ground level (AGL). NASA has been pioneering research and development of this ecosystem under UAS Traffic Management (UTM) project since 2015 in a series of Technical Capability Levels (TCL) activities that are increasingly complex. In TCL1, completed in 2015, visual line-of-sight operations such as agriculture, firefighting, and infrastructure monitoring were addressed with a focus on geofencing and operations scheduling. Technologies and requirements needed for BVLOS operations in sparsely populated areas were examined in TCL2 in 2016, and those for operations over moderately populated areas in TCL3 in 2017 and 2018. TCL4 is building on the earlier TCLs and focuses on technologies and requirements for operations in higher-density urban areas for tasks such as newsgathering and package delivery and for managing large-scale contingencies. To coordinate and facilitate the incremental implementation of the UTM ecosystem in the NAS, a Research Transition Team (RTT) has been formed between the FAA, NASA, and industry. The RTT is divided into four subgroups, concept and use case development, data exchange and information architecture, sense and avoid, and communications and navigation (C&N). This paper focuses on C&N subgroup activities, in particular about the development of automated sUAS communications and navigation contingency management. The goal of this development is to prepare sUAS to display predictable behavior while handling C&N off-nominal events. It is expected that the adoption of the presented automated contingency management by the sUAS community will accommodate and inform rulemaking towards governing low-altitude BVLOS operations.

Unmanned Aviation System (UAS) Traffic Management↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Automated Management of Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Communications and Navigation Contingency

Unmanned Aviation Systems (UAS) Traffic Management↗

NASA NTRS1989

Predeployment validation of fault-tolerant systems through software-implemented fault insertion

Fault injection-based automated testing (FIAT) environment, which can be used to experimentally characterize and evaluate distributed realtime systems under fault-free and faulted conditions is described. A survey is presented of validation methodologies. The need for fault insertion based on validation methodologies is demonstrated. The origins and models of faults, and motivation for the FIAT concept are reviewed. FIAT employs a validation methodology which builds confidence in the system through first providing a baseline of fault-free performance data and then characterizing the behavior of the system with faults present. Fault insertion is accomplished through software and allows faults or the manifestation of faults to be inserted by either seeding faults into memory or triggering error detection mechanisms. FIAT is capable of emulating a variety of fault-tolerant strategies and architectures, can monitor system activity, and can automatically orchestrate experiments involving insertion of faults. There is a common system interface which allows ease of use to decrease experiment development and run time. Fault models chosen for experiments on FIAT have generated system responses which parallel those observed in real systems under faulty conditions. These capabilities are shown by two example experiments each using a different fault-tolerance strategy.

Czeck, Edward W.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A TEOM (tm) particulate monitor for comet dust, near Earth space, and planetary atmospheres

Scientific missions to comets, near earth space, and planetary atmospheres require particulate and mass accumulation instrumentation for both scientific and navigation purposes. The Rupprecht & Patashnick tapered element oscillating microbalance can accurately measure both mass flux and mass distribution of particulates over a wide range of particle sizes and loadings. Individual particles of milligram size down to a few picograms can be resolved and counted, and the accumulation of smaller particles or molecular deposition can be accurately measured using the sensors perfected and toughened under this contract. No other sensor has the dynamic range or sensitivity attained by these picogram direct mass measurement sensors. The purpose of this contract was to develop and implement reliable and repeatable manufacturing methods; build and test prototype sensors; and outline a quality control program. A dust 'thrower' was to be designed and built, and used to verify performance. Characterization and improvement of the optical motion detection system and drive feedback circuitry was to be undertaken, with emphasis on reliability, low noise, and low power consumption. All the goals of the contract were met or exceeded. An automated glass puller was built and used to make repeatable tapered elements. Materials and assembly methods were standardized, and controllers and calibrated fixtures were developed and used in all phases of preparing, coating and assembling the sensors. Quality control and reliability resulted from the use of calibrated manufacturing equipment with measurable working parameters. Thermal and vibration testing of completed prototypes showed low temperature sensitivity and high vibration tolerance. An electrostatic dust thrower was used in vacuum to throw particles from 2 x 10(exp 6) g to 7 x 10(exp -12) g in size. Using long averaging times, particles as small as 0.7 to 4 x 10(exp 11) g were weighted to resolutions in the 5 to 9 x 10(exp -13) g range. The drive circuit and optics systems were developed beyond what was anticipated in the contract, and are now virtually flight prototypes. There is already commercial interest in the developed capability of measuring picogram mass losses and gains. One area is contamination and outgassing research, both measuring picogram losses from samples and collecting products of outgassing.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1988

Engineering planetary lasers for interstellar communication

Transmitting large amounts of data efficiently among neighboring stars will vitally support any eventual contact with extrasolar intelligence, whether alien or human. Laser carriers are particularly suitable for high-quality, targeted links. Space laser transmitter systems designed by this work, based on both demonstrated and imminent advanced space technology, could achieve reliable data transfer rates as high as 1 kb/s to matched receivers as far away as 25 pc, a distance including over 700 approximately solar-type stars. The centerpiece of this demonstration study is a fleet of automated spacecraft incorporating adaptive neural-net optical processing active structures, nuclear electric power plants, annular momentum control devices, and ion propulsion. Together the craft sustain, condition, modulate, and direct to stellar targets an infrared laser beam extracted from the natural mesospheric, solar-pumped, stimulated CO2 emission recently discovered at Venus. For a culture already supported by mature interplanetary industry, the cost of building planetary or high-power space laser systems for interstellar communication would be marginal, making such projects relevant for the next human century. Links using high-power lasers might support data transfer rates as high as optical frequencies could ever allow. A nanotechnological society such as we might become would inevitably use 10 to the 20th power b/yr transmission to promote its own evolutionary expansion out of the galaxy.

Sherwood, Brent↗

NASA NTRS2010

Ares I-X Ground Diagnostic Prototype

The automation of pre-launch diagnostics for launch vehicles offers three potential benefits: improving safety, reducing cost, and reducing launch delays. The Ares I-X Ground Diagnostic Prototype demonstrated anomaly detection, fault detection, fault isolation, and diagnostics for the Ares I-X first-stage Thrust Vector Control and for the associated ground hydraulics while the vehicle was in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and while it was on the launch pad. The prototype combines three existing tools. The first tool, TEAMS (Testability Engineering and Maintenance System), is a model-based tool from Qualtech Systems Inc. for fault isolation and diagnostics. The second tool, SHINE (Spacecraft Health Inference Engine), is a rule-based expert system that was developed at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We developed SHINE rules for fault detection and mode identification, and used the outputs of SHINE as inputs to TEAMS. The third tool, IMS (Inductive Monitoring System), is an anomaly detection tool that was developed at NASA Ames Research Center. The three tools were integrated and deployed to KSC, where they were interfaced with live data. This paper describes how the prototype performed during the period of time before the launch, including accuracy and computer resource usage. The paper concludes with some of the lessons that we learned from the experience of developing and deploying the prototype.

Schwabacher, Mark A.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aerospace Cognitive Engineering Laboratory (ACELAB) Simulator for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVOTL) Research and Development

A new generation of aerospace innovators are looking for ways to quickly and efficiently transport people in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. In the not-too-distant future, passengers and goods are expected to routinely fly aboard a new breed of cleaner, smarter air vehicles. This represents a new and significant challenge to the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) which is responsible for aircraft certification, pilot licensing, operating approval and airspace integration. To help streamline this process, NASA has formulated its Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) project to provide research capabilities for development and evaluation of these new concepts and an environment where industry and regulators can work together to understand the requirements and work toward consensus standards for the new market. This paper will describe the development of the Aerospace Cognitive Engineering Lab Rapid Automation Test (ACELeRATE) simulator. ACELeRATE is an adaptable fixed-base aircraft simulator focused on the investigation of the performance and interaction of pilots and increasingly automated aircraft systems. ACELeRATE can be re-configured to support various simulation environments. The simulator includes a simple reconfigurable cockpit placed within a 10-foot spherical dome with a cluster of real-time image generators, high-resolution displays and highly realistic scenery with the surrounding digital terrain and required cultural area details (e.g., hangars, runways, ramp areas, taxiways, test range apparatus, buildings with designated rooftop landing areas, and other man-made 3D structures). This paper will also describe the various hardware and software tools employed in the ACELeRATE simulator, including engineering tools used by NASA for electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicle equations of motion, wind-model simulation in an urban environment, as well as the various modeling techniques and tools used to quickly generate highly realistic 3D terrain models for low level flight including urban terrain and obstacle depictions.

AAM Simulation Cockpit↗

NASA NTRS1990

Automated simulation as part of a design workstation

A development project for a design workstation for advanced life-support systems incorporating qualitative simulation, required the implementation of a useful qualitative simulation capability and the integration of qualitative and quantitative simulations, such that simulation capabilities are maximized without duplication. The reason is that to produce design solutions to a system goal, the behavior of the system in both a steady and perturbed state must be represented. The paper reports on the Qualitative Simulation Tool (QST), on an expert-system-like model building and simulation interface toll called ScratchPad (SP), and on the integration of QST and SP with more conventional, commercially available simulation packages now being applied in the evaluation of life-support system processes and components.

Cantwell, E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Open-Section Composite Structural Elements

Report describes investigation of manufacture and mechanical properties of graphite-fiber/aluminum-matrix open-section structural elements; e.g., channels and angle bars. Conducted with view toward using such elements to build lightweight, thermally stable truss structures in outer space. Other applications transport to, and assembly at, remote or otherwise uninviting locations. Advantages include shapes permitting high packing density during shipment, convenient paths for routing tubes, hoses, and cables; accessibility of both inner and outer surfaces for repair; and ease of attachment of additional hardware. Easier and require less equipment to fabricate, and more amenable to automated fabrication and assembly at remote site. Disadvantages, not as resistant to some kinds of deformation under load.

Loftin, T. A.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Demonstration of a Safety Analysis on a Complex System

For the past 17 years, Professor Leveson and her graduate students have been developing a theoretical foundation for safety in complex systems and building a methodology upon that foundation. The methodology includes special management structures and procedures, system hazard analyses, software hazard analysis, requirements modeling and analysis for completeness and safety, special software design techniques including the design of human-machine interaction, verification, operational feedback, and change analysis. The Safeware methodology is based on system safety techniques that are extended to deal with software and human error. Automation is used to enhance our ability to cope with complex systems. Identification, classification, and evaluation of hazards is done using modeling and analysis. To be effective, the models and analysis tools must consider the hardware, software, and human components in these systems. They also need to include a variety of analysis techniques and orthogonal approaches: There exists no single safety analysis or evaluation technique that can handle all aspects of complex systems. Applying only one or two may make us feel satisfied, but will produce limited results. We report here on a demonstration, performed as part of a contract with NASA Langley Research Center, of the Safeware methodology on the Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS) portion of the air traffic control (ATC) system and procedures currently employed at the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach CONtrol). CTAS is an automated system to assist controllers in handling arrival traffic in the DFW area. Safety is a system property, not a component property, so our safety analysis considers the entire system and not simply the automated components. Because safety analysis of a complex system is an interdisciplinary effort, our team included system engineers, software engineers, human factors experts, and cognitive psychologists.

Leveson, Nancy↗

NASA NTRS1982

Development of the structural technology of a large deployable antenna

The current NASA-sponsored Antenna Technology Development Program of the offset wrap-rib antenna concept is based on a ground test program of 'proof of concept' hardware whose potential on-orbit performance is based on analytical estimates. The ground demonstration hardware represents a partial 55-meter diameter reflector and feed support structure. Testing will include automated deployment, reflector surface quality evaluation and validation of analytical performance models. Test results and hardware fabrication costs will be used to refine the models that will be the basis for the preliminary design of a 100-meter diameter wrap-rib antenna system. Additionally, the design, processes, tooling, fabrication techniques, fixturing and assembly approaches used for the 'proof of concept' hardware are directly applicable to building flight systems up to 100 meters in diameter.

Wada, B. K.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Enabling Airspace Integration for High-Density On-Demand Mobility Operations

Aviation technologies and concepts have reached a level of maturity that may soon enable an era of on-demand mobility (ODM) fueled by quiet, efficient, and largely automated air taxis. However, successfully bringing such a system to fruition will require introducing orders of magnitude more aircraft to a given airspace volume than can be accommodated by the traditional air traffic control system, among other important technical challenges. The airspace integration problem is further compounded by requirements to set aside appropriate ground infrastructure for take-off and landing areas and ensuring these new aircraft types and their operations do not burden traditional airspace users and air traffic control. This airspace integration challenge may be significantly reduced by extending the concepts and technologies developed to manage small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at low altitudethe UAS traffic management (UTM) systemto higher altitudes and new aircraft types, or by equipping ODM aircraft with advanced sensors, algorithms, and interfaces. The precedent of operational freedom inherent in visual flight rules and the technologies developed for large UAS and commercial aircraft automation will contribute to the evolution of an ODM system enabled by UTM. This paper describes the set of air traffic services, normally provided by the traditional air traffic system, that an ODM system would implement to achieve the high densities needed for ODMs economic viability. Finally, the paper proposes a framework for integrating, evaluating, and deploying low-, medium-, and high-density ODM concepts that build on each other to ensure operational and economic feasibility at every step.

Mueller, Eric↗

NASA NTRS2017

Enabling Airspace Integration for High Density Urban Air Mobility

Aviation technologies and concepts have reached a level of maturity that may soon enable an era of on-demand mobility (ODM) fueled by quiet, efficient, and largely automated air taxis. However, successfully bringing such a system to fruition will require introducing orders of magnitude more aircraft to a given airspace volume than can be accommodated by the traditional air traffic control system, among other important technical challenges. The airspace integration problem is further compounded by requirements to set aside appropriate ground infrastructure for take-off and landing areas and ensuring these new aircraft types and their operations do not burden traditional airspace users and air traffic control. These challenge for ODM may be significantly reduced by extending the concepts and technologies developed to manage small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at low altitude the UAS traffic management (UTM) system to higher altitudes and aircraft with humans onboard in controlled airspace, or by equipping ODM aircraft with advanced sensors, algorithms, and interfaces. The precedent of operational freedom inherent in visual flight rules and the technologies developed for large UAS and commercial aircraft automation will contribute to the evolution of an ODM system enabled by UTM. This paper describes the set of air traffic services, normally provided by the traditional air traffic system, that an ODM system would implement to achieve the high densities needed for ODMs economic viability. Finally, the paper proposes a framework for integrating, evaluating, and deploying low-, medium-, and high-density ODM concepts that build on each other to ensure operational and economic feasibility at every step.

Mueller, Eric Richard↗

NASA NTRS1992

Knowledge-intensive software design systems: Can too much knowledge be a burden?

While acknowledging the considerable benefits of domain-specific, knowledge-intensive approaches to automated software engineering, it is prudent to carefully examine the costs of such approaches, as well. In adding domain knowledge to a system, a developer makes a commitment to understanding, representing, maintaining, and communicating that knowledge. This substantial overhead is not generally associated with domain-independent approaches. In this paper, I examine the downside of incorporating additional knowledge, and illustrate with examples based on our experiences building the SIGMA system. I also offer some guidelines for developers building domain-specific systems.

Keller, Richard M.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Enabling Airspace Integration for High-Density On-Demand Mobility Operations

Aviation technologies and concepts have reached a level of maturity that may soon enable an era of on-demand mobility (ODM) fueled by quiet, efficient, and largely automated air taxis. However, successfully bringing such a system to fruition will require introducing orders of magnitude more aircraft to a given airspace volume than can be accommodated by the traditional air traffic control system, among other important technical challenges. The airspace integration problem is further compounded by requirements to set aside appropriate ground infrastructure for take-off and landing areas and ensuring these new aircraft types and their operations do not burden traditional airspace users and air traffic control. This airspace integration challenge may be significantly reduced by extending the concepts and technologies developed to manage small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at low altitude - the UAS traffic management (UTM) system - to higher altitudes and new aircraft types, or by equipping ODM aircraft with advanced sensors, algorithms, and interfaces. The precedent of operational freedom inherent in visual flight rules and the technologies developed for large UAS and commercial aircraft automation will contribute to the evolution of an ODM system enabled by UTM. This paper describes the set of air traffic services, normally provided by the traditional air traffic system, that an ODM system would implement to achieve the high densities needed for ODM's economic viability. Finally, the paper proposes a framework for integrating, evaluating, and deploying low-, medium-, and high-density ODM concepts that build on each other to ensure operational and economic feasibility at every step.

Mueller, Eric↗