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At least 307 records · Page 17

Discussion on the progress and future of satellite communication (Japan)

The current status of communications satellite development in Japan is presented. It is shown that beginning with research on satellite communucations in the late 1950's, progress was made in the areas of communications, remote sensing, and technology experimentation. The current status of communication satellites is presented, stressing development in the areas of CFRP construction elements, the use of LSI and MIC circuits, advanced multibeam antenna systems, Ku and Ka band transmission systems, and the shift to small-scale earth stations. Methods for reducing costs and increasing transmission efficiency are shown. The technical specifications of all satellite projects currently under development are given. Users of Japanese communications satellite are presented.

Ogata, M.↗

Recent cryocooler progress in Japan

The progress of cryocoolers and related devices in Japan is reviewed. The Japanese National Railways has developed the light weight 4 K on-board refrigerators since 1977 as part of the MAGLEV train program. Superconducting and cryogenic fundamental technology was examined which included high performance cryocooler, magnetic refrigerator and superfluid refrigeration. Space cryogenics such as the cooling systems of IR-detectors was studied. Cryocooler for special applications such as cryopump, NMR-CT and JJ devices was investigated. Compact heat exchangers, high performance regenerators and reliable compressors are investigated as a critical component technology.

Matsubara, Y.↗

Progress in the Lewis Research Center Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT) Modeling Program

The rehabilitation of the Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT) at the NASA Lewis Research Center is under study with the goal of providing a modern subsonic wind tunnel for conducting propulsion system/airframe integration, isolated propulsion system, propulsion acoustics and adverse weather tests. Because of the increased Mach number capability (from Mach 0.6 to 0.9 plus) and the incorporation of acoustic and adverse weather capabilities into an existing tunnel, the AWT rehabilitation represents a significant technical challenge. In order to reduce the risk associated with such an undertaking, and extensive AWT modeling program is being conducted to guide and verify the tunnel design. Significant findings and progress in this modeling program are the subject of this paper.

Ciepluch, C. C.↗

Aeroelasticity at the NASA Langley Research Center Recent progress, new challenges

Recent progress in aeroelasticity, particularly at the NASA Langley Research Center is reviewed to look at the questions answered and questions raised, and to attempt to define appropriate research emphasis needed in the near future and beyond. The paper is focused primarily on the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Program because Langley is the lead NASA center for aerospace structures research, and essentially is the only one working in depth in the area of aeroelasticity. Historical trends in aeroelasticity are reviewed broadly in terms of technology and staffing particularly at the LaRC. Then, selected studies of the Loads and Aeroelasticity Division at LaRC and others over the past three years are presented with attention paid to unresolved questions. Finally, based on the results of these studies and on perceptions of design trends and aircraft operational requirements, future research needs in aeroelasticity are discussed.

Hanson, P. W.↗

Recent progress in the measurement of temperature and salinity by optical scattering

Recent progress is described in the use of Brillouin and Raman scattering for the measurement of temperature and salinity in the ocean. The use of Brillouin scattering is described for the measurement of the sound velocity, and the use of Raman scattering is described for the independent measurement of the temperature and salinity. Coupling these techniques permits the assessment of both temperature and salinity. The experimental techniques are described together with the results of recent experiments and an assessment of the errors to be expected.

Collins, D. J.↗

Rheologies of H2O ices Ih, II, and III at high pressures - A progress report

Ordinary hexagonal ice (ice Ih) represents the stable crystalline form of H2O on the earth's surface. It is known that ice exists elsewhere in the solar system. Thus, several of the moons of Saturn and Jupiter are composed predominately of H2O and their surface temperatures are about 75 and 100 K. The pressures in the interior of some of the larger of the moons may be as high as 3 GPa. The involved pressures and temperatures extend far beyond the conditions over which the rheological laws for ice Ih can be confidently extrapolated. It is, therefore, necessary to obtain information regarding the rheologies of H2O ices in pressure and temperature ranges which had not yet been previously considered. Since 1981, over 100 triaxial compression tests have been conducted over a wide range of temperatures (77 to 258 K) and pressures (0.1 to 350 MPa). The present paper provides a progress report of these experiments.

Kirby, S. H.↗

Progress in the Lewis Research Center Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT) modeling program

The rehabilitation of the AWT at the NASA Lewis Research Center is under study with the goal of providing a modern subsonic wind tunnel for conducting propulsion system/airframe integration, isolated propulsion system, propulsion acoustics and adverse weather tests. Because of the increased Mach number capability (from Mach 0.6 to 0.9 plus) and the incorporation of acoustic and adverse weather capabilities into an existing tunnel, the AWT rehabilitation represents a significant technical challenge. In order to reduce the risk associated with such an undertaking, an extensive AWT modeling program is being conducted to guide and verify the tunnel design. Significant findings and progress in this modeling program are the subject of this paper.

Ciepluch, C. C.↗

Flight research on natural laminar flow nacelles - A progress report

This paper presents a progress report on an ongoing flight experiment for natural laminar flow nacelles. The results given herein were obtained during the first phase of the experiment, in which an instrumented natural laminar flow nacelle fairing was flight tested in the presence of turbofan engine noise and a controlled noise source. The results indicate that with the controlled noise source off, natural laminar flow was measured as far aft as 37 percent of the fairing length. The transition front was irregular in contour, and the extent of natural laminar flow was significantly affected by the relative flow angle for the fairing. In addition to these test results, the paper discusses the results of some recent computational analyses to predict pressure distributions and transition location, and to explain some of the data trends. Comparisons between measured and predicted data indicate that the analytical methods successfully predicted trends for the baseline (no controlled noise source) studies.

Hastings, E. C., Jr.↗

Toward improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines - Progress in prediction of thermomechanical loads

NASA is sponsoring the Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology (HOST) Project to address the need for improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines. Analytical and experimental activities aimed at more accurate prediction of the aerothermal environment, the thermomechanical loads, the material behavior and structural responses to such loading, and life predictions for high temperature cyclic operation have been underway for several years and are showing promising results. Progress is reported in the development of advanced instrumentation and in the improvement of combustor aerothermal and turbine heat transfer models that will lead to more accurate prediction of themomechanical loads.

Sokolowski, D. E.↗

Progress in coherent laser radar

Considerable progress with coherent laser radar has been made over the last few years, most notably perhaps in the available range of high performance devices and components and the confidence with which systems may now be taken into the field for prolonged periods of operation. Some of this increasing maturity was evident at the 3rd Topical Meeting on Coherent Laser Radar: Technology and Applications. Topics included in discussions were: mesoscale wind fields, nocturnal valley drainage and clear air down bursts; airborne Doppler lidar studies and comparison of ground and airborne wind measurement; wind measurement over the sea for comparison with satellite borne microwave sensors; transport of wake vortices at airfield; coherent DIAL methods; a newly assembled Nd-YAG coherent lidar system; backscatter profiles in the atmosphere and wavelength dependence over the 9 to 11 micrometer region; beam propagation; rock and soil classification with an airborne 4-laser system; technology of a global wind profiling system; target calibration; ranging and imaging with coherent pulsed and CW system; signal fluctuations and speckle. Some of these activities are briefly reviewed.

Vaughan, J. M.↗

Gravity waves in the middle atmosphere: Recent progress and needed studies

The recent recognition of the important role played by gravity waves in the large-scale circulation and thermal structure of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere has stimulated considerable research on their properties and their middle atmosphere effects. For example, these studies have begun to provide important information on gravity wave scales, propagation, filtering, and the processes responsible for saturation and turbulent diffusion. There remain, however, many areas in which our current understanding of middle atmosphere gravity waves is deficient. The purpose here is to review the progress that has been made to date and to suggest areas in which additional studies are most needed. Gravity wave scales, gravity wave saturation mechanisms, turbulence production and turbulent diffusion, and distribution of gravity wave energies and momentum fluxes with height and time are discussed.

Fritts, D. C.↗

Progress in the development of integrating JFET amplifiers

A new approach to infrared detector readout has appeared with the development of integrating JFET amplifiers. This brief progress report includes results on the operation of commercially available devices at a temperature of 40 K, on their sensitivity and on an effort to develop a new JFET with properties optimized for cryogenic applications. Even with presently available devices it will be shown that for applications such as the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the most strigent sensitivity requirements of noise currents as low as 1 electron/sec in less than 100 seconds of integration can be met.

Low, F. J.↗

Technical progress in silicon sheet growth under DOE/JPL FSA program, 1975-1986

The technical progress made in the Silicon Sheet Growth Program during its 11 years was reviewed. At present, in 1986, only two of the original 9 techniques have survived to the start-up, pilot-plant stage in industry. These two techniques are the edge-defined, film-fed growth (EFG) technique that produces closed shape polygons, and the WEB dendritic technique that produces single ribbons. Both the status and future concerns of the EFG and WEB techniques were discussed.

Kalejs, J. P.↗

Measuring research progress in photovoltaics

The role and some results of the project analysis and integration function in the Flat-plate Solar Array (FSA) Project are presented. Activities included supporting the decision-making process, preparation of plans for project direction, setting goals for project activities, measuring progress within the project, and the development and maintenance of analytical models.

Jackson, B.↗

Progress in the prediction of unsteady heat transfer on turbines blades

Progress toward developing a general method for predicting unsteady heat transfer on turbine blades subject to blade-passing frequencies and Reynolds numbers relevant to the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is discussed. The method employs an invisid/viscous interactive procedure which has been tested extensively for steady subsonic and transonic external airfoil problems. One such example is shown. The agreement with experimental data and with Navier-Stokes calculations yields confidence in the method. The technique is extended to account for wake generated unsteadiness. The flow reversals around the stagnation point caused by the nonuniform onset velocity are accounted for by using the Characteristic Box scheme developed by Cebeci and Stewartson. The coupling between the inviscid and viscous methods is achieved by using a special procedure, which, with a novel inverse finite-difference boundary-layer method, allows the calculations to be performed for a wide range of flow conditions, including separation. Preliminary results are presented for the stagnation region of turbine blades for both laminar and turbulent flows. A laminar model problem corresponding to a flow on a circular cylinder which experiences the periodic passing of wakes from turbine blades is presented to demonstrate the ability of the method to calculate flow reversals around the stagnation region.

Cebeci, T.↗

Toward improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines: Progress in the prediction of thermomechanical loads

NASA is sponsoring the Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology (HOST) Project to address the need for improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines. Analytical and experimental activities aimed at more accurate prediction of the aerothermal environment, the thermomechanical loads, the material behavior and structural responses to such loading, and life predictions for high temperature cyclic operation have been underway for several years and are showing promising results. Progress is reported in the development of advanced instrumentation and in the improvement of combustor aerothermal and turbine heat transfer models that will lead to more accurate prediction of thermomechanical loads.

Sokolowski, Daniel E.↗

Progress in solar-pumped laser research

High-power solar-pumped lasers could eventually provide power in space for electric and propulsive needs. Recent research results are presented showing progress on both direct-pumped and blackbody-pumped solar lasers. Using a solar simulator, lasing of C3F7I at 10 watts has been achieved. Using C4F9I, lasing thresholds as low as 170 solar constants have been demonstrated, which is the lowest threshold value for a solar-pumped gas laser to date. Blackbody-pumped CO2 lasers have achieved outputs of 180 milliwatts for cavity-pumped and 1.4 watts in transfer-pumped systems.

De Young, R. J.↗

Electricity from photovoltaic solar cells. Flat-Plate Solar Array Project of the US Department of Energy's National Photovoltaics Program: 10 years of progress

The objectives were to develop the flat-plate photovoltaic (PV) array technologies required for large-scale terrestrial use late in the 1980s and in the 1990s; advance crystalline silicon PV technologies; develop the technologies required to convert thin-film PV research results into viable module and array technology; and to stimulate transfer of knowledge of advanced PV materials, solar cells, modules, and arrays to the PV community. Progress reached on attaining these goals, along with future recommendations are discussed.

Christensen, Elmer↗