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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Spaceborne Microwave Instrument for High Resolution Remote Sensing of the Earth's Surface Using a Large-Aperture Mesh Antenna

This report describes a two-year study of a large-aperture, lightweight, deployable mesh antenna system for radiometer and radar remote sensing of the Earth from space. The study focused specifically on an instrument to measure ocean salinity and Soil moisture. Measurements of ocean salinity and soil moisture are of critical . importance in improving knowledge and prediction of key ocean and land surface processes, but are not currently obtainable from space. A mission using this instrument would be the first demonstration of deployable mesh antenna technology for remote sensing and could lead to potential applications in other remote sensing disciplines that require high spatial resolution measurements. The study concept features a rotating 6-m-diameter deployable mesh antenna, with radiometer and radar sensors, to measure microwave emission and backscatter from the Earth's surface. The sensors operate at L and S bands, with multiple polarizations and a constant look angle, scanning across a wide swath. The study included detailed analyses of science requirements, reflector and feedhorn design and performance, microwave emissivity measurements of mesh samples, design and test of lightweight radar electronic~., launch vehicle accommodations, rotational dynamics simulations, and an analysis of attitude control issues associated with the antenna and spacecraft, The goal of the study was to advance the technology readiness of the overall concept to a level appropriate for an Earth science emission.

Njoku, E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

A Recipe for Streamlining Mission Management

This paper describes a project's design and implementation for streamlining mission management with knowledge capture processes across multiple organizations of a NASA directorate. Thc project's focus is on standardizing processes and reports; enabling secure information access and case of maintenance; automating and tracking appropriate workflow rules through process mapping; and infusing new technologies. This paper will describe a small team's experiences using XML technologies through an enhanced vendor suite of applications integrated on Windows-based platforms called the Wallops Integrated Scheduling and Document Management System (WISDMS). This paper describes our results using this system in a variety of endeavors, including providing range project scheduling and resource management for a Range and Mission Management Office; implementing an automated Customer Feedback system for a directorate; streamlining mission status reporting across a directorate; and initiating a document management, configuration management and portal access system for a Range Safety Office's programs. The end result is a reduction of the knowledge gap through better integration and distribution of information, improved process performance, automated metric gathering, and quicker identification of problem areas and issues. However, the real proof of the pudding comes through overcoming the user's reluctance to replace familiar, seasoned processes with new technology ingredients blended with automated procedures in an untested recipe. This paper shares some of the team's observations that led to better implementation techniques, as well as an IS0 9001 Best Practices citation. This project has provided a unique opportunity to advance NASA's competency in new technologies, as well as to strategically implement them within an organizational structure, while wetting the appetite for continued improvements in mission management.

Mitchell, Andrew E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Inflatable Space Structures Technology Development for Large Radar Antennas

There has been recent interest in inflatable space-structures technology for possible applications on U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) missions because of the technology's potential for high mechanical-packaging efficiency, variable stowed geometry, and deployment reliability. In recent years, the DOD sponsored Large Radar Antenna (LRA) Program applied this new technology to a baseline concept: a rigidizable/inflatable (RI) perimeter-truss structure supporting a mesh/net parabolic reflector antenna. The program addressed: (a) truss concept development, (b) regidizable materials concepts assessment, (c) mesh/net concept selection and integration, and (d) developed potential mechanical-system performance estimates. Critical and enabling technologies were validated, most notably the orbital radiation durable regidized materials and the high modulus, inflatable-deployable truss members. These results in conjunction with conclusions from previous mechanical-packaging studies by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Special Program Office (SPO) were the impetus for the initiation of the DARPA/SPO Innovative Space-based Antenna Technology (ISAT) Program. The sponsor's baseline concept consisted of an inflatable-deployable truss structure for support of a large number of rigid, active radar panels. The program's goal was to determine the risk associated with the application of these new RI structures to the latest in radar technologies. The approach used to define the technology maturity level of critical structural elements was to: (a) develop truss concept baseline configurations (s), (b) assess specific inflatable-rigidizable materials technologies, and (c) estimate potential mechanical performance. The results of the structures portion of the program indicated there was high risk without the essential materials technology flight experiments, but only moderate risk if the appropriate on-orbit demonstrations were performed. This paper covers both programs (LRA and ISAT) in two sections, Parts 1 and 2 respectively. Please note that the terms strut, tube, and column are all used interchangeably and refer to the basic strut element of a truss. Also, the paper contains a mix of English and metric dimensional descriptions that reflect prevailing technical discipline conventions and common usage.

Freeland, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS2007

The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program: Results and Direction

The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program's mission is to provide guidance to NASA for the selection and application of microelectronic technologies, to improve understanding of the risks related to the use of these technologies in the space environment and to ensure that appropriate research is performed to meet NASA mission assurance needs. This viewgraph presentation reviews the NEPP program's goals and objectives, and reviews many of the missions that the NEPP program has impacted, both in and out of NASA. Also included are examples of the evaluation that the program performed.

LaBel, Kenneth A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program

This viewgraph presentation reviews NASA's Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. The NEPP mission is to provide guidance to NASA for the selection and and application of microelectronics technologies, to improve understanding of the risks related to the use of these technologies in the space environment and to ensure that appropriate research is performed to meet NASA mission needs. The NEPP Program focuses on the reliability aspects of electronic devices. Three principal aspects to this reliability: (1) lifetime, (2) effects of space radiation and the space environment, and (3) creation and maintenance of the assurance support infrastructure required for success.

LaBel, Kenneth A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program - Radiation Activities

The NEPP mission is to provide guidance to NASA for the selection and application of microelectronics technologies, to improve understanding of the risks related to the use of these technologies in the space environment and to ensure that appropriate research is performed to meet NASA mission assurance needs.

LaBel, Kenneth A.↗
NASA NTRS2020

History and Logic Model NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Instrument and Payload Systems Engineering Technical Performance Study

Historically, some NASA missions have exceeded schedule and cost commitments. Studies suggest technical performance is a contributor. The 1980 NASA Project Management Study concluded, "one of the most significant contributors to cost and schedule growth is inadequate definition of technical and management aspects of a program..." (as cited in GAO/NSIAD-93-97, p. 11). The 1991 NASA Roles and Missions Report identified a "need for increased emphasis on technological readiness and requirements on the front end of a program" (as cited in GAO/NSIAD-93-97, p. 11). The 1992 NASA Program Costs Report stated that NASA officials identified, among other things, "insufficient definition studies... [and] program redesigns and technical complexities" as reasons for cost and schedule overruns (GAO/NSAID-93-97, p. 11). The 2002 Task Force on Acquisition of National Security Space Programs found "requirements definition and control issues, unhealthy cost bias in proposal evaluation, widespread lack of budget reserves required to implement high risk programs on schedule, and an overall underappreciation of the importance of appropriately staffed and trained system engineering staff to manage the technologically demanding and unique aspects of space programs" (DoD, 2003, p.i.) In 2007, The NASA Office of the Chief Engineer chartered the NASA Instrument Capability Study (NICS) “to determine whether NASA instrument developers are facing challenges that impact the capability to design and build quality instruments or whether there are flaws in the acquisition strategy evidenced by schedule delays, cost overruns, and increased technical risk via design deficiencies. The... team was also chartered to determine if occurrences [are]... isolated cases or if there are generic issues... If the issues [are] found to be generic, the team [is] to offer solutions to recover such capability" (NICS Report, 2008, p. vi). The 2008 NICS Report, led by Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), identified challenges to instrument technical performance consistent with findings from previous reports. In 2017, the Instrument Project Division (IPD) Implementation Study was initiated to determine if there was a change in meeting schedule and cost commitments after implementing certain NICS recommendations. In 2018, the Instrument Technical Performance Study was initiated to determine the current state of Instrument Technical Performance in the GSFC Payload & Instrument Systems Engineering Branch. The purpose of the combined studies is to answer the question, "Is there a relationship between meeting NASA scientific instrument technical success and meeting schedule and cost commitments? If yes, what is the relationship?" References Department of Defense Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. (2003). The report of the defense science board/ air force scientific advisory board joint task force on acquisition of national security space programs. Washington DC. Government Accounting Office. (1992). NASA program costs: Space missions require substantially more funding than initially estimated. GAO/NSIAD-93-97. Washington DC. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, Department of Defense. (2008). The NASA instrument capability study final report. NP-2008-11-058-GSFC. Washington DC.

Robbins, Geraldine↗
NASA NTRS1982

NASA Broad Specification Fuels Combustion Technology program - Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Phase I results and status

In connection with increases in the cost of fuels and the reduced availability of high quality petroleum crude, a modification of fuel specifications has been considered to allow acceptance of poorer quality fuels. To obtain the information upon which a selection of appropriate fuels for aircraft can be based, the Broad Specification Fuels Combustion Technology program was formulated by NASA. A description is presented of program-related investigations conducted by an American aerospace company. The specific objective of Phase I of this program has been to evaluate the impact of the use of broadened properties fuels on combustor design through comprehensive combustor rig testing. Attention is given to combustor concepts, experimental evaluation, results obtained with single stage combustors, the stage combustor concept, and the capability of a variable geometry combustor.

Lohmann, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA Aeronautics Research: An Assessment

The U.S. air transportation system is vital to the economic well-being and security of the United States. To support continued U.S. leadership in aviation, Congress and NASA requested that the National Research Council undertake a decadal survey of civil aeronautics research and technology (R&T) priorities that would help NASA fulfill its responsibility to preserve U.S. leadership in aeronautics technology. In 2006, the National Research Council published the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics. That report presented a set of six strategic objectives for the next decade of aeronautics R&T, and it described 51 high-priority R&T challenges--characterized by five common themes--for both NASA and non-NASA researchers. The National Research Council produced the present report, which assesses NASA's Aeronautics Research Program, in response to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-155). This report focuses on three sets of questions: 1. How well does NASA's research portfolio implement appropriate recommendations and address relevant high-priority research and technology challenges identified in the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics? If gaps are found, what steps should be taken by the federal government to eliminate them? 2. How well does NASA's aeronautics research portfolio address the aeronautics research requirements of NASA, particularly for robotic and human space exploration? How well does NASA's aeronautics research portfolio address other federal government department/agency non-civil aeronautics research needs? If gaps are found, what steps should be taken by NASA and/or other parts of the federal government to eliminate them? 3. Will the nation have a skilled research workforce and research facilities commensurate with the requirements in (1) and (2) above? What critical improvements in workforce expertise and research facilities, if any, should NASA and the nation make to achieve the goals of NASA's research program? This report continues the good work begun by the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics, and it expands that work to consider in more depth NASA aeronautics research issues related to the space program, non-civil applications, workforce, and facilities.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2005

NASA capabilities roadmap: advanced telescopes and observatories

The NASA Advanced Telescopes and Observatories (ATO) Capability Roadmap addresses technologies necessary for NASA to enable future space telescopes and observatories collecting all electromagnetic bands, ranging from x-rays to millimeter waves, and including gravity-waves. It has derived capability priorities from current and developing Space Missions Directorate (SMD) strategic roadmaps and, where appropriate, has ensured their consistency with other NASA Strategic and Capability Roadmaps. Technology topics include optics; wavefront sensing and control and interferometry; distributed and advanced spacecraft systems; cryogenic and thermal control systems; large precision structure for observatories; and the infrastructure essential to future space telescopes and observatories.

Feinberg, Lee D.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Engineering Research and Technology Development on the Space Station

This report identifies and assesses the kinds of engineering research and technology development applicable to national, NASA, and commercial needs that can appropriately be performed on the space station. It also identifies the types of instrumentation that should be included in the space station design to support engineering research. The report contains a preliminary assessment of the potential benefits to U.S. competitiveness of engineering research that might be conducted on a space station, reviews NASA's current approach to jointly funded or cooperative experiments, and suggests modifications that might facilitate university and industry participation in engineering research and technology development activities on the space station.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION↗
NASA NTRS2019

Characterization and Measurement of Spacecraft Airborne Particulate Matter

The International Space Station (ISS) gives a 6-member astronaut crew the ability to live and work in low Earth orbit. It is a unique indoor environment, which has served as both home and workplace to over 230 people since the year 2000. In this low gravity environment, smoke does not rise and cookie crumbs do not settle the way they do on Earth, causing airborne particulate matter, or aerosols, to behave differently and pose unique hazards for crew members. In its existence, virtually the same volume of ISS air has been continuously conditioned and ‘revitalized,’ including the removal of particles by filtration. While gaseous constituents of ISS air are monitored meticulously, sparse data exists on the indoor aerosols. The quantity and types of ISS airborne debris have been investigated in NASA’s Aerosol Sampling Experiment. Both active and passive samplers successfully collected airborne particulate matter in U.S. segments of the ISS, which were returned to Earth for characterization by microscopy and other techniques. The resulting data has informed the design of candidate particle instruments for spacecraft. In 2020, a reference-quality aerosol instrument will be flown to ISS, and will provide real-time data of particle concentrations in various modules. Smaller, more compact instruments will be necessary in future space missions, for example, in smaller vehicles, in habitats on lunar and planetary surfaces with ubiquitous dust, and also for use as wearable technology throughout missions. Miniaturized aerosol sensors, though lower fidelity than reference-quality instruments, can monitor the environment well when calibrated appropriately. Indoor air quality in spacecraft is fundamentally important to human health and comfort, and several particulate monitoring technologies will be at sufficient technology readiness levels for operational use within the next two years. Results of the Aerosol Sampling Experiment will be presented, along with the status of NASA’s aerosol instrument technology demonstrations on ISS.

Meyer, Marit E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

High efficiency epitaxial GaAs/GaAs and GaAs/Ge solar cell technology using OM/CVD

A technology for fabricating high efficiency, thin film GaAs solar cells on substrates appropriate for space and/or terrestrial applications was developed. The approach adopted utilizes organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OM-CVD) to form a GaAs layer epitaxially on a suitably prepared Ge epi-interlayer deposited on a substrate, especially a light weight silicon substrate which can lead to a 300 watt per kilogram array technology for space. The proposed cell structure is described. The GaAs epilayer growth on single crystal GaAs and Ge wafer substrates were investigated.

Wang, K. L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Materials and technologies for interstellar flights and intra-galactic spread of life

Small automated spaceships are capable to deliver seeds, frozen ova and gametes to other planetary systems. A spaceship can be equipped with a freezer containing reproductive cells, an artificial uterus, a robotic nursery and school, and a collection of instruments and equipment. The whole spaceship will be frozen during a long interstellar flight. Approaching another star, a spaceship will generate electricity from light, warm up, slow down and land on a suitable planet (if any), give birth to a human, provide care and education. After schooling, the human will vacate the spaceship and either build more space for living (using local materials) or die. A vacant spaceship will supply more people, one at a time. Hopefully, they will collectively create a sustainable colony on a remote planet. Our Milky Way galaxy has hundreds billion stars (i.e., more stars than humans on Earth). Mass production of spacecrafts for intragalactic spread of life will make each spaceship cheaper, will improve employment and purposeful production on Earth, and will spread human life beyond the Solar System. If any spaceship will miss its target stellar system, it will fly to the next one, retaining ability to bring life to another planet. Which materials and technologies are needed for the interstellar life propagation? Materials age during a long interstellar flight, which can last from 10^4 to 10^10 years. We evaluate the computational methods (such as C2NEB, available from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ameslab_software/1) that are suitable for addressing materials aging at low temperatures and high radiation levels during the appropriately long-time scales.

Technologies↗
NASA NTRS2012

Developing a Strategic Plan for NASA JSC's Technology Investments

Human space exploration has always been heavily influenced by goals to achieve a specific mission on a specific schedule. This approach drove rapid technology development, the rapidity of which adds risks as well as provides a major driver for costs. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is now approaching the extension of human presence throughout the solar system by balancing a proactive yet less schedule-driven development of technology with opportunistic scheduling of missions as the needed technologies are realized. This approach should provide cost effective, low risk technology development that will enable efficient and effective manned spaceflight missions. As a first step, the NASA Human Spaceflight Architecture Team (HAT) has identified a suite of critical technologies needed to support future manned missions across a range of destinations, including in cislunar space, near earth asteroid visits, lunar exploration, Mars space, and Mars exploration. The challenge now is to develop a strategy and plan for technology development that efficiently enables these missions over a reasonable time period, without increasing technology development costs unnecessarily due to schedule pressure, and subsequently mitigating development and mission risks. NASA fs Johnson Space Center (JSC), as the nation's primary center for human exploration, is addressing this challenge through an innovative approach allocating Internal Research and Development funding to projects that have been prioritized using four focus criteria, with appropriate importance weighting. These four focus criteria are the Human Space Flight Technology Needs, JSC Core Technology Competencies, Commercialization Potential, and Partnership Potential. The inherent coupling in these focus criteria have been captured in a database and have provided an initial prioritization for allocation of technology development research funding. This paper will describe this process and this database, and the preliminary technology development prioritization results.

Stecklein, Jonette M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Urban Air Mobility Noise: Current Practice, Gaps, and Recommendations

AN Air Mobility (UAM) is an opportunity for aviation to improve transportation systems across the world. Representative UAM vehicle attributes include electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles that can accommodate up to 6 passengers (or equivalent cargo), are possibly autonomous, perform missions of up to 100 nautical miles at altitudes up to 3000 ft. above ground level, have flight speeds up to 200 knots, and weigh between 800 and 8000 pounds. Along with the many anticipated benefits, there will be noise issues that need to be addressed. In 2018, NASA formed an Urban Air Mobility Noise Working Group (UNWG) to assemble noise experts from industry, universities and government agencies to identify, discuss, and address UAM noise issues. This oral presentation summarizes technology gaps and goals associated with four areas of interest: Tools & Technologies, Ground & Flight Testing, Human Response & Metrics, and Regulation & Policy, and is drawn from a draft white paper [1] by the same title. Tools & Technologies include noise prediction tools and noise reduction technologies that have been developed for conventional rotorcraft and fixed-wing vehicles that may be applicable or need to be modified for UAM. Prediction tools need to be able to account for variable speed rotors and other temporal variation effects that impact community noise. A reprioritization of noise sources needs to be done since UAM vehicles include multiple rotors/propellers, often in proximity to one another and/or the airframe, with dynamic transition, and new noise sources such as electric motors or hybrid-electric propulsion. Scattering and propagation methods need to be developed that include the vehicle components and surfaces near a receiver such as buildings and vertiports. Validation databases are needed to quantify prediction uncertainties. Prediction tools used to evaluate community noise will need source models appropriate for a wide range of UAM vehicles. Existing noise reduction technologies need to be evaluated and new noise reduction technologies should be developed in anticipation of future noise requirements. Although the prediction and treatment of interior cabin noise is a secondary goal, it is recognized that new tools and methods may be needed due to the uniqueness of the vehicle design and the presence of both acoustic and structure-borne loads. Ground & Flight Testing has been a critical part of validating noise reduction technologies and verifying that an air vehicle is ready for certification. UAM vehicles introduce new challenges for test procedures such as different source noise directivity, unsteady sources due to maneuvers, and a variety of takeoff and approach trajectories. The operating environment will be more complex than current aircraft with the introduction of vertiports in populated areas with “urban canyons” making reflections an important part of noise prediction and annoyance. It is expected that new test procedures and measurement methods will be necessary. Consideration will need to be given for both piloted and autonomous operations. Human Response & Metrics may be very different for UAM noise compared to current experience with airport noise. Current metrics used to certify rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft may not be as useful for evaluating UAM noise. Operations at lower altitudes may influence annoyance. Psychoacoustic and community testing will be needed to quantify annoyance and assess appropriate metrics. In addition to conventional noise level metrics, considerations such as audibility and temporal variation of the sound may be required. Differences between indoor or outdoor exposure will have an impact with dependence on urban and residential flight paths. Aircraft noise is currently regulated at a national level and typically involves partnerships with the industry to establish regulations. Regulators realize that current policies and procedures may not be appropriate for some of the emerging air vehicles and new procedures may be needed to address UAM noise. Development of new policies and procedures are needed so that local communities do not hastily attempt to establish their own restrictions that will both limit growth of the market and create an inconsistent and confusing regulatory environment. To expedite this development, it is crucial early measurement data are shared through partnership arrangements to support both noise certification and noise modeling/noise assessment. At the same time, an effective engagement strategy should be developed to address local community noise issues associated with UAM vehicles and flight operations as they arise.

urban air mobility↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Tailoring Early Concept Maturity Levels for Small Satellite Missions

The Concept Maturity Level (CML) framework has gained widespread acceptance as a process to assess mission concept maturity, particularly for early mission concepts in the formulation phase. Popularized by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory almost 15 years ago to evaluate large NASA science mission concepts, the CML method offers wide-ranging programmatic and technical evaluation criteria to assess and measure the progress of mission concepts at all stages of maturity. It also provides a useful tool to facilitate stakeholder relationships through effective engagement, interaction, and communication. The CML approach is modeled largely after the widespread Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale, a measure of how new technology progresses from early concept through to being operational at the mission flight system level. Tailoring the CML framework for small satellites allows for more relevant technical and programmatic evaluations for these missions. Given the diversity of small satellite mission objectives, cost constraints, complexity, and risk tolerance, this modified CML framework enables study teams and stakeholders to determine the appropriate CML fidelity to implement based upon the opportunity and strategic investment approach. A decision process flow method is proposed to guide teams through the logic of determining what CML fidelity to implement in evaluating small satellite mission concepts. The goal is to provide enhanced stakeholder engagement such that CML assessments are clearly articulated and understood early in the design study. This would allow for more appropriate application of CML methodology by study teams developing University led missions, technology demonstrations, commercial constellations, and more complex planetary science missions.

Concept Maturity Level↗
NASA NTRS1978

Some failure modes and analysis techniques for terrestrial solar cell modules

Analysis data are presented on failed/defective silicon solar cell modules of various types and produced by different manufacturers. The failure mode (e.g., internal short and open circuits, output power degradation, isolation resistance degradation, etc.) are discussed in detail and in many cases related to the type of technology used in the manufacture of the modules; wherever applicable, appropriate corrective actions are recommended. Consideration is also given to some failure analysis techniques that are applicable to such modules, including X-ray radiography, capacitance measurement, cell shunt resistance measurement by the shadowing technique, steady-state illumination test station for module performance illumination, laser scanning techniques, and the SEM.

Shumka, A.↗