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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Listening to the user: A case study

The managers of the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System consistently maintain that whatever scientific and technical information services and products are provided must be geared primarily to user needs and not simply system compatibility and convenience. A system evaluation study begun in 1973 and continued to the present is described. The thrust of this on-going examination is to regularly evaluate the usefulness of the present information system to those it is intended to serve, engineers and scientists working in their professional roles, and to identify areas and ways in which the system can be made more responsive to user needs. Techniques used have covered the range from personal, in-depth interviews to widely distributed questionnaires. The findings have been positive. Many refinements made to on-going programs and projects and new endeavors begun in direct response to stated user needs are discussed. In the main these needs are not unreasonable and thus can be responded to with cost effective system modifications.

Pryor, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The project scientist's role in scientific spacecraft project management

The project scientists is in a position which rates very high in terms of behavioral study recommendations. His influence over objectives is generally considered to be important. He is highly autonomous in a moderately coordinated environment. He has diverse managerial and technical functions and the performance of these functions require him to grow beyond his role as an experimenter. However, the position within the line organization for those interviewed is also very stimulating, rating almost as high by the same criteria. The role of project scientist may not be the dominant means of professional growth for the experienced scientific investigators. The influence which the project scientist exerts on the project and the stimulation of that position for him are determined largely by his position outside the defined project scientist role. The role of the project scientist is changing because the environment of those who become project scientists is changing.

Eller, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Analysis of extended-duration sortie missions

Many Spacelab payloads could significantly benefit from an extension of the duration of sortie missions beyond the nominal seven days. However, longer sortie missions require the addition of Shuttle or Spacelab mission extension kits, which results in a significant reduction in allowable scientific payload weight. An analysis of extended-duration sortie missions was performed. Payload requirements and detailed descriptions of Shuttle and Spacelab baselines were the primary inputs to the analysis. Payload benefits from extended-duration missions were established by surveying payload requirements and interviewing discipline specialists. The net weight available to Spacelab payloads as a function of mission length was derived. The impacts on Shuttle and Spacelab to provide extended-duration mission support and the corresponding impacts on payloads were established. Several alternatives to baseline systems and operations were studied as possibilities to increase available payload weight.

Ring, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Interorganizational transfer of technology - A study of adoption of NASA innovations

The paper describes a study on the effects of top management support, various techno-economic factors, organizational climate, and decision-making modes on the adoption of NASA innovations. Field research consisted of interviews and questionnaires directed to sixty-five organizations. Forty-five test cases where different decisions for adoption of ideas for new products or processes were made on NASA Tech Briefs were studied in relation to the effects of various factors on the degree of success of adoption, including: (1) the degree of general connection of the technology to the firm's existing operation, (2) the specificity of the relationship between the technology and some existing and recognized problem, (3) the degree of urgency of the problem to which the technology was related, (4) maturity of technology available to implement the technology, (5) availability of personnel and financial resources to implement the technology, (6) degree of top management interest, (7) the use of confrontation in joint-decision, (8) the use of smoothing in decision-making, and (9) the use of forcing in decision-making. It was found that top managements interest was important in the product cases only, and that the success of process innovations was dependent on the quality of information and the specificity of the relationship between the technology and some recognized existing problem.

Chakrabarti, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1975

CARETS: A prototype regional environmental information system. Volume 12: User evaluation of experimental land use maps and related products from the central Atlantic test site

The user interaction and evaluation phase of the USGS/NASA Central Atlantic Regional Ecological Test Site was designed to obtain the input of local, regional, State, and Federal agency users of land-resource information into the development, of a regional information system; to provide users with assistance and data resulting from CARETS research; and to have user. organizations evaluate to what extent the CARETS products meet their needs. The evaluation of CARETS land use and related products revealed that most user agencies interviewed, at all governmental levels, require more detailed data than that provided by the CARETS project. Few agencies found utility in the generalized ERTS Level I land--use maps. Level II data, though reported valuable by several users, was generally considered of secondary utility by most users. The products considered most useful by users at all levels were the high--altitude color-infrared photographs and the USGS orthophotoquads. Recommendations resulting from the evaluation reflect the need to establish a flexible and reliable system for providing more detailed raw and processed land-resource information as well as the need to improve the methods of making information available to users.

Land-use planning↗
NASA NTRS1975

CARETS: A prototype regional environmental information system. Volume 13: Utility of CARETS products to local planners; an evaluation

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) in cooperation with and under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey, conducted an evaluation of the utility of remote-sensor derived land use data produced by the USGS Central Atlantic Regional Ecological Test Site (CARETS) project. Investigators invited representatives of Washington, D.C. metropolitan area planning agencies to a workshop, introduced them to the CARETS products, and asked them to evaluate the products. In follow-up interviews, planners from 12 participating agencies reported general support for the fulI spectrum of CARETS products but gave more positive responses towards products with which they had some familiarity. Planners considered some products of limited utility because of (1) insufficient detail, (2) too small a scale, or (3) lack of technical capability to incorporate the information and products into the current planning process. Some planners expressed doubt about the application of CARETS products in most day-to-day planning activities , which involve specific rezoning requests or site development plans requiring highly localized data. The greatest potential of the CARETS products was in the identification of broad development patterns at the county or regional level. An appendix documents the results of an inventory of local government decisions relating to land use.

Land use planning↗
NASA NTRS1977

A comparison of a laboratory and field study of annoyance and acceptability of aircraft noise exposures

Residents living in close, middle and distant areas from JFK Airport were included in a field interview and laboratory study. Judgments were made of simulated aircraft noise exposures of comparable community indoor noise levels and mixes of aircraft. Each group of subjects judged the levels of noise typical for its distance area. Four different numbers of flyovers were tested: less than average for each area, the approximate average, the peak number, or worst day, and above peak number. The major findings are: (1) the reported integrated field annoyance is best related to the annoyance reported for the simulated approximate worst day exposure in the laboratory; (2) annoyance is generally less when there are fewer aircraft flyovers, and the subject has less fear of crashes and more favorable attitudes toward airplanes; (3) beliefs in harmful health effects and misfeasance by operators of aircraft are also highly correlated with fear and noise annoyance; (4) in direct retrospective comparisons of number of flights, noise levels and annoyance, subjects more often said the worst day laboratory exposured more like their usual home environments; and (5) subjects do not expect an annoyance-free environment. Half of the subjects can accept an annoyance level of 5 to 6 from a possible annoyance range of 0 to 9, 28% can live with an annoyance intensity of 7, and only 5% can accept the top scores of 8 to 9.

Borsky, P. N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A study of commuter air service

A regionally oriented overview of the commuter air service industry is provided. A framework for an eventual assessment of potential technology directions that may be of benefit to the industry is presented. Data are provided on the industry's market characteristics, service patterns, patronage characteristics, aircraft and airport needs, economic characteristics and institutional issues. Using personal interview and literature survey methods, investigation of a considerable cross-section of the industry was made.

Belina, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

U.S. satellite proposals, 1945-49

Views concerning the possibility of the development of multistage rockets capable of orbiting the earth had been expressed by von Braun during an interview with members of a U.S. technical intelligence team in 1945. Recommendations to adopt a program with the ultimate objective of launching an earth satellite were submitted in October 1945 by a committee established within the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics. In 1946 it was recommended by the Aeronautical Board that the services proceed independently with their satellite studies. A report concerning the 'preliminary design of an experimental world-circling spaceship' was published by RAND on May 2, 1946. RAND in early 1949 was again asked to study for the Air Force the possible uses of earth satellites. The reasons which prevented at that time a further development and implementation of initial concepts and study results are examined

Saegesser, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A survey of users of earth resources remote sensing data

The results of a NASA supported Battelle survey to obtain user views on the nature and value of LANDSAT data use, on current LANDSAT capabilities, and on ways to improve data use were summarized. Questionnaire and interview responses from over 1000 private and public sector users were analyzed and discussed.

Wukelic, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Use of remote sensing technology provided by the NASA/WFC Chesapeake Bay Ecological Program

Use of remote sensing technology provided through the NASA/Wallops Chesapeake Bay Ecological Program was investigated by means of extensive interviews with users. Since the inception of the Program four years ago, the technology has been used in 136 different managerial projects. Sixty-five regional managerial agencies took part in projects that the authors categorized as socioeconomic, political/managerial, monetary, legal, and other. Remote sensing technology was considered successful in 88.6 percent of the completed projects and unsuccessful in 2.8 percent.

Harman, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A market survey of geothermal wellhead power generation systems

The market potential for a portable geothermal wellhead power conversion device is assessed. Major study objectives included identifying the most promising applications for such a system, the potential impediments confronting their industrialization, and the various government actions needed to overcome these impediments. The heart of the study was a series of structured interviews with key decision-making individual in the various disciplines of the geothermal community. In addition, some technical and economic analyses of a candidate system were performed to support the feasibility of the basic concept.

Leeds, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The writers guide to NASA

NASA services of interest to writers and to the news media include personal interviews, daily audio reports of major missions, and projects via automated telephone, research assistance from historians or history monitors at technical libraries, the use of a collection of historical photographs, and the free loan of sound films of NASA research and development activities. The names and phones numbers are listed for public affairs contacts at Headquarters and at each of the major centers and their component installations. An overview of the six NASA program offices is included along with a vicinity map of each center and a description of their facilities and management responsibilities.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1978

Technology transfer and other public policy implications of multi-national arrangements for the production of commercial airframes

A study to examine the question of technology transfer through international arrangements for production of commercial transport aircraft is presented. The likelihood of such transfer under various representative conditions was determined and an understanding of the economic motivations for, effects of, joint venture arrangements was developed. Relevant public policy implications were also assessed. Multinational consortia with U.S. participation were focused upon because they generate the full range of pertinent public issues (including especially technology transfer), and also because of recognized trends toward such arrangements. An extensive search and analysis of existing literature to identify the key issues, and in-person interviews with executives of U.S. and European commercial airframe producers was reviewed. Distinctions were drawn among product-embodied, process, and management technologies in terms of their relative possibilities of transfer and the significance of such transfer. Also included are observations on related issues such as the implications of U.S. antitrust policy with respect to the formation of consortia and the competitive viability of the U.S. aircraft manufacturing industry.

Gellman, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The Partnership: a History of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

Correspondance, interviews, official documents, and other published materials were used to trace the evolution of the Apollo Soyuz Test Project from the initial proposal for international cooperation in space use and exploration until the successful completion of the joint Soviet-American mission. Conceptual drawings of proposed docking modules and mechanisms are presented and dicussed. Black and white photographs taken during mission planning and in-flight activities are included with color photographs of the earth taken during the mission. Joint meetings are summarized and the scientific experiments and launch vehicles are discussed in the appendices.

Ezell, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Applications of thermal energy storage to process heat and waste heat recovery in the iron and steel industry

The system identified operates from the primary arc furnace evacuation system as a heat source. Energy from the fume stream is stored as sensible energy in a solid medium (packed bed). A steam-driven turbine is arranged to generate power for peak shaving. A parametric design approach is presented since the overall system design, at optimum payback is strongly dependent upon the nature of the electric pricing structure. The scope of the project was limited to consideration of available technology so that industry-wide application could be achieved by 1985. A search of the literature, coupled with interviews with representatives of major steel producers, served as the means whereby the techniques and technologies indicated for the specific site are extrapolated to the industry as a whole and to the 1985 time frame. The conclusion of the study is that by 1985, a national yearly savings of 1.9 million barrels of oil could be realized through recovery of waste heat from primary arc furnace fume gases on an industry-wide basis. Economic studies indicate that the proposed system has a plant payback time of approximately 5 years.

Katter, L. B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Ion beam technology applications study

Specific perceptions and possible ion beam technology applications were obtained as a result of a literature search and contact interviews with various institutions and individuals which took place over a 5-month period. The use of broad beam electron bombardment ion sources is assessed for materials deposition, removal, and alteration. Special techniques examined include: (1) cleaning, cutting, and texturing for surface treatment; (2) crosslinking of polymers, stress relief in deposited layers, and the creation of defect states in crystalline material by ion impact; and (3) ion implantation during epitaxial growth and the deposition of neutral materials sputtered by the ion beam. The aspects, advantages, and disadvantages of ion beam technology and the competitive role of alternative technologies are discussed.

Sellen, J. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Review of industry interest in space processing

The interest on the part of selected U.S. corporation in using the research facilities and capabilities for materials processing in space utilizing the Space Shuttle was assessed. The effectiveness of the interview techniques as a method for gaining insight into the complex array of issues related to materials processing in space was evaluated. The survey, conducted was intended as a random sample of individuals, representing industry, who were currently involved in materials processing in space.

Mcdowell, J. R.↗