SEARCH · Engineering Papers
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An experimental investigation was conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center to study the effects of various vertical load and yaw angle conditions on the cornering behavior of the Space Shuttle Orbiter main gear tire. Measured parameters included side and drag force, side and drag force coefficients, aligning torque, and overturning torque. Side force coefficient was found to increase as yaw angle was increased, but decreased as the vertical load was increased. Drag force was found to increase as vertical load was increased at constant yaw angles. Aligning torque measurements indicated that the tire is stable in yaw.
This paper describes the work completed on the Orbital Spacecraft Consumables Resupply System (OSCRS) for the Johnson Space Center. The study objective was to provide a concept to NASA for supplying earth storable liquids and gases to a variety of orbiting vehicles, including Space Station, OMV and other satellites in orbits compatible with Shuttle resupply. The design is based on a cylindrical propellant tank optimized for transporting liquids in the Orbiter bay. The tank is polar mounted with the attachment fittings configured as Orbiter sill trunnions. The pressurant tanks provide support between the sill and keel fittings. Two potential spacecraft interface mechanisms were investigated. Continuing OSCRS effort will be directed toward further standardization studies, adapting the design to the Space Station Servicing Bay and investigating the possibilities of using ELV launchers.
An investigation was conducted in the Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus at the Langley Research Center to study the acoustically excited random motion of an aluminum plate which is buckled due to thermal stresses. The thermal buckling displacements were measured and compared with theory. The general trends of the changes in resonances frequencies and random responses of the plate agree with previous theoretical prediction and experimental results for a mechanically buckled plate.
The Sparse Distributed Memory (SDM) project is investigating the theory and applications of massively parallel computing architecture, called sparse distributed memory, that will support the storage and retrieval of sensory and motor patterns characteristic of autonomous systems. The immediate objectives of the project are centered in studies of the memory itself and in the use of the memory to solve problems in speech, vision, and robotics. Investigation of methods for encoding sensory data is an important part of the research. Examples of NASA missions that may benefit from this work are Space Station, planetary rovers, and solar exploration. Sparse distributed memory offers promising technology for systems that must learn through experience and be capable of adapting to new circumstances, and for operating any large complex system requiring automatic monitoring and control. Sparse distributed memory is a massively parallel architecture motivated by efforts to understand how the human brain works. Sparse distributed memory is an associative memory, able to retrieve information from cues that only partially match patterns stored in the memory. It is able to store long temporal sequences derived from the behavior of a complex system, such as progressive records of the system's sensory data and correlated records of the system's motor controls.
A research program is underway at the NASA Langley Research Center to study the effect of rate of descent on ground effects. A series of powered models were tested in the Vortex Research Facility under conditions with rate of descent and in the 14 x 22 Foot Subsonic Tunnel under identical conditions but without rate of descent. These results indicate that the rate of descent can have a significant impact on ground effects particularly if vectored or reversed thrust is used.
The effect of pressure on the propane diffusion flames burning in quiescent air under both normal-gravity and microgravity conditions (in the NASA's 2.2-Second Drop Tower at the Lewis Research Center) were studied at pressures of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 atm, with three fuel mass-flow rates for each pressure. Compared to normal-gravity flames, the microgravity tests showed enhanced sooting, tip-opening, and soot escape, accompanied with changes in color, size, and luminosity of the flames. At low pressures, less-efficient burning and a broader flame zone was found to exist due to the kinetics effects, while at high pressures, where was more soot and longer soot-burning zones. Results show that there exist a particular intermediate pressure at which both the microgravity and normal-gravity flame heights are minimized.
Since 1964, NASA has supported a program of summer faculty fellowships for engineering and science educators. The objectives are to further the professional knowledge of qualified engineering and science members; to stimulate and exchange ideas between participants and NASA; to enrich and refresh the research and teaching activities of participants' institutions; and to contribute to the research objectives of the NASA center. The study program consists of lectures and seminars on topics of interest or that are directly relevant to the research topics.
The Personnel Launch System (PLS) is a small transportation system designed to transport people, but no cargo, to and from low-earth orbit. The PLS is being considered as an addition to the manned launch capability of the United States for three main reasons: (1) to assure manned access to space, (2) to achieve a first-stage abort ability, and (3) to reduce operations costs. To those ends, two designs are being considered for the PLS that differ in their lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center was assigned the task of examining low L/D capsules with no wings and a parachute landing capability. The Langley Research Center is studying a higher L/D PLS with wings and runway landings. Whichever design is selected, the PLS will act as a complement to the Space Shuttle fleet and will enhance the ability of our Nation to achieve reliable, safe, and cost-effective access to space flight, thus furthering the goals of the U.S. space program and increasing the safety of the human crews manning a future space station.
The acoustic loads resulting from aircraft noise and sonic booms which can induce vibration in the structure and result in radiation of noise into its interior, rattling of items in contact with the structure, and the perception of the inhabitants that the structure is vibrating, are investigated. In particular, the response of buildings, particularly residential structures, to aircraft noise and the resulting effects on human response have been the subjects of considerable research at the NASA Langley Research Center. These studies are reviewed with particular emphasis on the response of houses to aircraft overflight noise and any increase in noise annoyance caused by the perception of vibration and rattling.
An investigation was conducted in the Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus at the Langley Research Center to study the acoustically excited random motion of an aluminum plate which is buckled due to thermal stresses. The thermal buckling displacements were measured and compared with theory. The general trends of the changes in resonances frequencies and random responses of the plate agree with previous theoretical prediction and experimental results for a mechanically buckled plate.
The objective of the analysis was to determine the critical length to diameter ratio (L/Do) of a hollow, cylindrical beam subjected to wind-induced vibration. The sizes of beams ranged from 4 to 24 inches and were composed of ASTM grade A and grade B and American Petroleum Institute grade X42 steels. Calculations used maximum steady-state wind speeds of 130 mph associated with hurricane conditions possible at the Kennedy Space Center. The study examined the effect that different end support and load conditions have on the natural frequencies of the beams. Finally, methods of changing the frequency of the wind-induced vibration were examined. The conclusions drawn were that the greatest possible L/Do is achieved using welded supports and limiting the maximum applied axial and bending loads to less than 50 percent.
Navier-Stokes (NS), parabolized NS codes, and classical method of characteristics prediction techniques are employed to compute hypersonic nozzle flowfields for the 15 in Mach 6 High Temperature Tunnel and the 16 in Mach 17 Nitrogen Tunnel, which are part of the Langley Research Center. The study focuses on defining the accuracy of these techniques by comparing the computational results to wind tunnel pitot pressure measurements conducted in the newly designed nozzle of the Mach 6 tunnel and in the original nozzle of the Mach 17 tunnel. The comparisons between predicted results and test section pitot surveys for the Mach 6 nozzle are in good agreement and show highly uniform flow over a range of reservoir pressures and temperatures.
This report describes the progress made on understanding phase changes related to solutions which may comprise Polar Stratospheric Clouds. In particular, it is concerned with techniques for investigating specific classes of metastability and phase change which may be important not only in Polar Stratospheric Clouds but in all atmospheric aerosols in general. While the lower level atmospheric aerosol consists of mixtures of (NH4)(SO4)2, NH4HSO4, NaCl among others, there is evidence that aerosol at PSC levels is composed of acid aerosol, either injected from volcanic events (such as Pinatubo) or having diffused upward from the lower atmosphere. In particular, sulfuric acid and nitric acid are known to occur at PSC levels, and are suspected of catalyzing ozone destruction reactions by adsorption on surfaces of crystallized particles. The present study has centered on two approaches: (1) the extent of supercooling (with respect to ice) and supersaturation (with respect to hydrate) and the nature of crystal growth in acid solutions of specific molality; and (2) the nature of growth from the vapor of HNO3 - H2O crystals both on a substrate and on a pre-existing aerosol.
An automated structures assembly testbed developed by Langley Research Center to study the practical problems associated with the automated assembly of large space structures using robotic manipulators is described. Emphasis is placed on the requirements and features of system upgrades and their impact on system performance, flexibility, and reliability. The current research program is aimed at evolving the baseline assembly system into a flexible, robust, sensor-based system capable of assembling more complex truss-supported satellite systems. To achieve this objective, five system upgrades have been developed including a machine vision capability to eliminate taught robot arm positions; an on-board end-effector microprocessor to reduce communications; a second-generation end-effector to construct contoured trusses for antennas and install payloads; the installation of reflector-type panels on the truss to produce a complete and functional system, and an expert system to significantly reduce the amount of software code required for system operation and provide greater flexibility in implementing new features.
The Goddard Space Flight Center has studied magnetic shielding for an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. Four types of shielding were studied: active coils, passive ferromagnetic shells, passive superconducting coils, and passive superconducting shells. The passive superconducting shells failed by allowing flux penetration. The other three methods were successful, singly or together. Experimental studies of passive ferromagnetic shielding are compared with calculations made using the Poisson Group of programs, distributed by the Los Alamos Accelerator Code Group of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Agreement between calculation and experiment is good. The ferromagnetic material is a silicon iron alloy.
Spectra of radiation emitted by the free-stream flow of air in an arcjet wind tunnel at NASA-Ames Research Center were studied experimentally. The arcjet produces a high energy gaseous flow that is expanded to low density and low temperature to produce high velocities in the free-stream for simulating atmospheric entry conditions. The gamma and the delta band systems of nitric oxide emitted by the free stream were measured in the second order. The NO-beta band system, which is in the same spectral region as the NO-gamma and NO-delta band systems, was not present in the data. Only transitions from the lowest vibrational level of the upper state of both the NO-gamma and NO-delta band systems were observed. The rotational temperature determined from these band systems was 660 +/- 50 deg K. The maximum possible vibrational temperature was determined to be less than 850 +/- 50 deg K. The electronic temperature determined from the ratio of the intensities of the NO-gamma and NO-delta band systems was 7560 +/- 340 K. The results indicate that the arcjet free-stream flow is in thermal nonequilibrium.
Hecate Chasma is a deep trough characterized by a chain-like concentration of coronae and corona-like features trending approximately southwest-northeast between approximately 200 and 260 degrees east longitude (terminating at Beta Regio). The section of Hecate in which we have concentrated our study is centered at 15N, 249, where the trough is especially well-defined. Nearby, a smaller chain of eight coronae lies along a minor trough parallel to the general trend of the greater chain. The trough itself is unusual in this area because it has a highly asymmetric profile. Using Magellan radar and topography data, we have examined the morphology of this area in order to assess the tectonic and volcanic history of the area. After examining the most important types of features (linear, arcuate and circular) in eastern Hecate, we present two possible models of origin. A companion abstract presents an overview of the Hecate and Parga linear deformation zones.