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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

STS-72 Flight Day 1

On this first day of the STS-72 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Brian Duffy, Pilot Brent W. Jett, and Mission Specialists Leroy Chiao, Daniel T. Barry, Winston E. Scott, and Koichi Wakata (NASDA), were shown in prelaunch and launch activities. This was the tenth flight of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour. The primary objectives of this mission were the retrieval of the Japanese Space Flyer Unit (SFU) spacecraft, the deployment and retrieval of the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology Flyer (OAST-FLYER) spacecraft, and two 6 1/2 hour spacewalks to test hardware and tools that will be used to assemble the International Space Station. Secondary objectives included the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV-8), the Shuttle Laser Altimeter GAS(5) (SLA-01/GAS(5)), the National Institutes of Health-R3 (NIH-R3), the Space Tissue Loss (STL/NIH-C), and Thermal Energy Storage (TES-2) experiments. Get-Away-Specials (GAS) included the USAF Academy G-342 Flexible Beam Experiment (FLEXBEAM-2), the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies G-459 Protein Crystal Growth Experiments, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) GAS Ballast Can with Sample Return Experiment. This night launch was shown at various angles and distances from the launching pad.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

Comparison of Gavage, Water Bottle, and a High-Moisture Diet Bolus as Dosing Methods for Quantitative D-xylose Administration to B6D2F1 (Mus musculus) Mice

Gavage, water bottle, and diet incorporation are 3 dosing methods used orally to administer test compounds to rodents. These 3 methods were compared in mice to determine which represented the most quantitative delivery system. For dietary incorporation, a high-moisture bolus form of NIH-31 rodent meal was developed using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose as an autoclave-stable binding agent. A high-moisture bolus were selected to increase the acceptability of the dosed diet and to promote quantitative consumption through reduced wastage. The test compound used was D-xylose, a pentose sugar that may be quantitatively detected, colorimetrically, in urine following oral dosing. Six male and 6 female B6D2FI mice were placed in metabolism cages and dosed with a known quantity of D-xylose by each of the 3 methods. Urine was collected before and after each method of administration and analysed for total D-xylose; the per cent recovery was based upon the amount of D-xylose consumed. Quantitative consumption was apparently greatest for water bottle dosing with an average recovery of 56.0% of the original D-xylose dose. High-moisture bolus incorporation ranked second with 50.0% D-xylose recovery, and gavage was third with 41.0% D-xylose recovery.

Zimmer, J. Paul↗
NASA NTRS1998

Analytical Tools for Cloudscope Ice Measurement

The cloudscope is a ground or aircraft instrument for viewing ice crystals impacted on a sapphire window. It is essentially a simple optical microscope with an attached compact CCD video camera whose output is recorded on a Hi-8 mm video cassette recorder equipped with digital time and date recording capability. In aircraft operation the window is at a stagnation point of the flow so adiabatic compression heats the window to sublimate the ice crystals so that later impacting crystals can be imaged as well. A film heater is used for ground based operation to provide sublimation, and it can also be used to provide extra heat for aircraft operation. The compact video camera can be focused manually by the operator, and a beam splitter - miniature bulb combination provide illumination for night operation. Several shutter speeds are available to accommodate daytime illumination conditions by direct sunlight. The video images can be directly used to qualitatively assess the crystal content of cirrus clouds and contrails. Quantitative size spectra are obtained with the tools described in this report. Selected portions of the video images are digitized using a PCI bus frame grabber to form a short movie segment or stack using NIH (National Institute of Health) Image software with custom macros developed at DRI. The stack can be Fourier transform filtered with custom, easy to design filters to reduce most objectionable video artifacts. Particle quantification of each slice of the stack is performed using digital image analysis. Data recorded for each particle include particle number and centroid, frame number in the stack, particle area, perimeter, equivalent ellipse maximum and minimum radii, ellipse angle, and pixel number. Each valid particle in the stack is stamped with a unique number. This output can be used to obtain a semiquantitative appreciation of the crystal content. The particle information becomes the raw input for a subsequent program (FORTRAN) that synthesizes each slice and separates the new from the sublimating particles. The new particle information is used to generate quantitative particle concentration, area, and mass size spectra along with total concentration, solar extinction coefficient, and ice water content. This program directly creates output in html format for viewing with a web browser.

Arnott, W. Patrick↗
NASA NTRS2001

Studying Earth's Environment From Space: Classroom and Laboratory Activities with Instructor Resources

Standard, text-book based learning for earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences has been limited by the unavailability of quantitative teaching materials. While a descriptive presentation, in a lecture format, of discrete satellite images is often adequate for high school classrooms, this is seldom the case at the undergraduate level. In order to address these concerns, a series of numerical exercises for the Macintosh was developed for use with satellite-derived Sea Surface Temperature, pigment and sea ice concentration data. Using a modified version of NIH Image, to analyze actual satellite data, students are able to better understand ocean processes, such as circulation, upwelling, primary production, and ocean/atmosphere coupling. Graphical plots, image math, and numerical comparisons are utilized to substantiate temporal and spatial trends in sea surface temperature and ocean color. Particularly for institutions that do not offer a program in remote sensing, the subject matter is presented as modular units, each of which can be readily incorporated into existing curricula. These materials have been produced in both CD-ROM and WWW format, making them useful for classroom or lab setting. Depending upon the level of available computer support, graphics can be displayed directly from the CD-ROM, or as a series of color view graphs for standard overhead projection.

Smith, Elizabeth A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Neural-Thyroid Interaction on Skeletal Isomyosin in Zero Gravity

The primary goal of the project was to develop a ground based model to first study the role of the nerve and of thyroid hormone (T3) in the regulation of body growth and skeletal muscle growth and differentiation in rodents. A primary objective was to test the hypothesis that normal weight bearing activity is essential for the development of antigravity, slow twitch skeletal muscle and the corresponding slow myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene; whereas, T3 was obligatory for general body and muscle growth and the establishment of fast MHC phenotype in typically fast locomoter muscles. These ground based experiments would provide both the efficacy and background for a spaceflight experiment (referred to as the Neurolab Mission) jointly sponsored by the NIH and NASA.

Baldwin, Kenneth M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

ISS Flight 2A.2B (STS-106): Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) Payload BioServe Space Technologies

The two experiments housed in the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) during STS-106 were designed to explore how biological processes are affected by microgravity. The first was a developmental study into the effects of microgravity on motor-neuronal growth in the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster and the second study was designed to characterize changes in kidney cell gene expression. The objective of the primary experiment, called NIH-B1, was to determine how gravity affects neuronal development of the D. melanogaster embryo and larvae in microgravity, specifically observing the neural connections to muscle fibers.

Stodieck, Louis↗
NASA NTRS2001

Lactating Rats Retain Nursing Behavior and Maternal Care in Space

In 1997, suckling mammals were flown in space for the first time as part of the NIH.R3 experiment sponsored jointly by NIH (National Institutes of Health) and NASA. Six rat dams and litters (Rattus norvegicus) were launched on an eight-day Space Shuttle mission at each of three postnatal ages (P5, P8, and P15). Dams and litters (N = 10 pups/litter) were housed within modified Animal Enclosure Modules (AEMs). Comparisons were made to ground controls. Dams and litters were videotaped daily in flight. The P8 and P15 flight litters showed excellent survival (99%) and weight gain relative to AEM ground controls, whereas P5 litters showed reduced survival (0% and 60%, respectively) and weight gain (less than 40% AEM). To examine the possibility that failures of maternal care contributed to P5 results, we analyzed the dams' in-flight nursing, licking and retrieving from four video segments ranging from twelve to fifteen minutes in length with control data derived from multiple ground segments. Video analyses revealed clear evidence of maternal care in flight. For P5 dams, frequency and duration of nursing and licking bouts fell within or above one standard deviation of control values. Retrieving was noted in the P5 and P8 groups only. The observed results suggest that factors other than maternal care contributed to the low survival rates and body weight gains of the P5 flight offspring.

Daly, Megan E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Neurolab Spacelab Mission: Neuroscience Research in Space: Results from the STS-90, Neurolab Spacelab Mission

Neurolab (STS-90) represents a major scientific achievement that built upon the knowledge and capabilities developed during the preceding 15 successful Spacelab module missions. NASA proposed a dedicated neuroscience research flight in response to a Presidential declaration that the 1990's be the Decade of the Brain. Criteria were established for selecting research proposals in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NM), the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and a number of the International Space Agencies. The resulting Announcement of Opportunity for Neurolab in 1993 resulted in 172 proposals from scientists worldwide. After an NIH-managed peer review, NASA ultimately selected 26 proposals for flight on the Neurolab mission.

Buckey, Jay C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Demonstration of Single Axis Combined Attitude Control and Energy Storage Using Two Flywheels

The energy storage and attitude control subsystems of the typical satellite are presently distinct and separate. Energy storage is conventionally provided by batteries, either NiCd or NiH, and active attitude control is accomplished with control moment gyros (CMGs) or reaction wheels. An overall system mass savings can be realized if these two subsystems are combined using multiple flywheels for simultaneous kinetic energy storage and momentum transfer. Several authors have studied the control of the flywheels to accomplish this and have published simulation results showing the feasibility and performance. This paper presents the first experimental results showing combined energy storage and momentum control about a single axis using two flywheels.

Kenny, Barbara H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Program for the Increased Participation of Minorities in NASA-Related Research

The goal of this program is to increase the participation of minorities in NASA related research and "Science for the Nation s Interest". Collaborative research projects will be developed involving NASA-MSFC, National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), other government agencies, industries and minority serving institutions (MSIs). The primary focus for the MSIs will be on Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University, which are in partnership with the NSSTC. These schools have excellent Ph.D. programs in physics and materials science and engineering, respectively. The first phase of this program will be carried out at Alabama A&M University in the "Research and Development Office" in collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Huston, Vice President of Research and Development. The development assignment will be carried out at the NSSTC with Sandy Coleman/ RS01 and this will primarily involve working with Tuskegee University.A portion of the program will be devoted to identifying and contacting potential funding sources for use in establishing collaborative research projects between NASA-MSFC, other government agencies, NSSTC, industries, and MSIs. These potential funding sources include the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DOD), Army, Navy, and Air Force. Collaborative research projects will be written mostly in the following research areas: a. Cosmic radiation shielding materials b. Advanced propulsion material c. Biomedical materials and biosensors d. In situ resource utilization e. Photonics for NASA applications

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2004

Intricate Crystal Structure of Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase (E3) with its Binding Protein: Multiple Copies, Dynamic and Static Disorders

Human E3 and binding protein E3BP are two components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Crystallization of E3 with 221-amino acid fragment of E3BP (E3BPdd) led to crystals that diffracted to a resolution of 2.6 Angstroms. Structure determination involved molecular replacement using a dimer of E3 homolog as a search model and de novo building of the E3BPdd peptide. Solution was achieved by inclusion of one E3 dimer at a time, followed by refinement until five E3 dimers were located. This complete content of E3 provided electron density maps suitable for tracing nine peptide chains of E3BPdd, eight of them being identified with partial occupancies. Final content of the asymmetric unit consists of five E3 dimers, each binding one E3BPdd molecule. In four of these molecular complexes, E3BPdd is in static disorder resulting in E3BPdd binding to either one or the other monomer of the E3 dimer. However, E3BPdd of the fifth E3 dimer forms specific contacts that lock it at one monomer. In addition to this static disorder, E3BPdd reveals high mobility in the limited space of the crystal lattice. Support from NIH and NASA.

Makal, A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Altered vestibular function in fetal and newborn rats gestated in space

Researchers evaluated vestibular development and function in rat pups flown during gestation on the NASA-NIH R1 and R2 missions. Fetal and postnatal vestibular function were examined. Altered vestibular-mediated responses in the experimental fetal pups are attributed to either direct effect of gravity on the vestibular system or indirect effects of microgravity transduced through the mother. The postnatal tests confirmed the hypothesis that the vestibular system continually adapts and responds to tonic stimulation.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2000

Substrate flexibility regulates growth and apoptosis of normal but not transformed cells

One of the hallmarks of oncogenic transformation is anchorage-independent growth (27). Here we demonstrate that responses to substrate rigidity play a major role in distinguishing the growth behavior of normal cells from that of transformed cells. We cultured normal or H-ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells on flexible collagen-coated polyacrylamide substrates with similar chemical properties but different rigidity. Compared with cells cultured on stiff substrates, nontransformed cells on flexible substrates showed a decrease in the rate of DNA synthesis and an increase in the rate of apoptosis. These responses on flexible substrates are coupled to decreases in cell spreading area and traction forces. In contrast, transformed cells maintained their growth and apoptotic characteristics regardless of substrate flexibility. The responses in cell spreading area and traction forces to substrate flexibility were similarly diminished. Our results suggest that normal cells are capable of probing substrate rigidity and that proper mechanical feedback is required for regulating cell shape, cell growth, and survival. The loss of this response can explain the unregulated growth of transformed cells.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1997

Light microscopic image analysis system to quantify immunoreactive terminal area apposed to nerve cells

The present report describes a desktop computer-based method for the quantitative assessment of the area occupied by immunoreactive terminals in close apposition to nerve cells in relation to the perimeter of the cell soma. This method is based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) routines incorporated in NIH-Image public domain software. Pyramidal cells of layer V of the somatosensory cortex outlined by GABA immunolabeled terminals were chosen for our analysis. A Leitz Diaplan light microscope was employed for the visualization of the sections. A Sierra Scientific Model 4030 CCD camera was used to capture the images into a Macintosh Centris 650 computer. After preprocessing, filtering was performed on the power spectrum in the frequency domain produced by the FFT operation. An inverse FFT with filter procedure was employed to restore the images to the spatial domain. Pasting of the original image to the transformed one using a Boolean logic operation called 'AND'ing produced an image with the terminals enhanced. This procedure allowed the creation of a binary image using a well-defined threshold of 128. Thus, the terminal area appears in black against a white background. This methodology provides an objective means of measurement of area by counting the total number of pixels occupied by immunoreactive terminals in light microscopic sections in which the difficulties of labeling intensity, size, shape and numerical density of terminals are avoided.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1992

Identification of a nuclear localization sequence in the polyomavirus capsid protein VP2

A nuclear localization signal (NLS) has been identified in the C-terminal (Glu307-Glu-Asp-Gly-Pro-Gln-Lys-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Leu318) amino acid sequence of the polyomavirus minor capsid protein VP2. The importance of this amino acid sequence for nuclear transport of newly synthesized VP2 was demonstrated by a genetic "subtractive" study using the constructs pSG5VP2 (expressing full-length VP2) and pSG5 delta 3VP2 (expressing truncated VP2, lacking amino acids Glu307-Leu318). These constructs were transfected into COS-7 cells, and the intracellular localization of the VP2 protein was determined by indirect immunofluorescence. These studies revealed that the full-length VP2 was localized in the nucleus, while the truncated VP2 protein was localized in the cytoplasm and not transported to the nucleus. A biochemical "additive" approach was also used to determine whether this sequence could target nonnuclear proteins to the nucleus. A synthetic peptide identical to VP2 amino acids Glu307-Leu318 was cross-linked to the nonnuclear proteins bovine serum albumin (BSA) or immunoglobulin G (IgG). The conjugates were then labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and microinjected into the cytoplasm of NIH 3T6 cells. Both conjugates localized in the nucleus of the microinjected cells, whereas unconjugated BSA and IgG remained in the cytoplasm. Taken together, these genetic subtractive and biochemical additive approaches have identified the C-terminal sequence of polyoma-virus VP2 (containing amino acids Glu307-Leu318) as the NLS of this protein.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2005

Seeing the Soils of Meridiani Planum Through the Eyes of Pancam and Microscopic Imager

We are using data from the Pancam and Microscopic Imager (MI) on the Opportunity rover to characterize the soil grains at Meridiani Planum. We have traced individual grains in all MI images of the soils using the software application ImageJ distributed by NIH, and subsequently derived size and shape properties about the grains. The resolution of the MI is 31 microns per pixel [1] so we limit our measurements to those grains larger than about 0.3 mm in size. In cases where the grain is partially or substantially buried by other grains or finer soil particles, we do not make a measurement. False-color composites from Pancam images that cover the same location imaged by MI are made from the Left 2,5,6 (753, 535, 482 nm) filters or Right 2,7,1 (753, 1009, 430 nm) filters [2] in the Red, Green, and Blue channels, respectively. These color images are then merged with the MI images to illustrate color properties of particular grains. Pancam spectra are also extracted from grains when there is sufficient spatial coverage. in diameter. Figure 2 illustrates the dominance of these small grains at this particular location, which happens to be on the southern wall of Eagle crater. The Pancam color merge with this MI image suggests that the small spherules are more consistent with the basalt grains than the blueberries (spherulitic concretions derived from outcrop rocks [7]). The resolution of Pancam images of this location is on the order of 0.5 mm so the grains are only barely resolved. A Mossbauer measurement taken on an adjacent soil (Sol 53 Vanilla) that is composed solely of these smaller spherules (Fig 1) is consistent with a basaltic composition for the grains. Their concentration at this particular location in a brighter, elongate patch along the southeastern wall compared to elsewhere inside Eagle crater suggests wind activity favored their transport and subsequent deposition here. Their spherical shape is also possibly the result of wind action rounding them during transport, though water action cannot be ruled out.

Weitz, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Image-Based Computational Fluid Dynamics in Blood Vessel Models: Toward Developing a Prognostic Tool to Assess Cardiovascular Function Changes in Prolonged Space Flights

One of NASA's objectives is to be able to perform a complete, pre-flight, evaluation of cardiovascular changes in astronauts scheduled for prolonged space missions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has shown promise as a method for estimating cardiovascular function during reduced gravity conditions. For this purpose, MRI can provide geometrical information, to reconstruct vessel geometries, and measure all spatial velocity components, providing location specific boundary conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the reliability of MRI-based model reconstruction and measured boundary conditions for CFD simulations. An aortic arch model and a carotid bifurcation model were scanned in a 1.5T Siemens MRI scanner. Axial MRI acquisitions provided images for geometry reconstruction (slice thickness 3 and 5 mm; pixel size 1x1 and 0.5x0.5 square millimeters). Velocity acquisitions provided measured inlet boundary conditions and localized three-directional steady-flow velocity data (0.7-3.0 L/min). The vessel walls were isolated using NIH provided software (ImageJ) and lofted to form the geometric surface. Constructed and idealized geometries were imported into a commercial CFD code for meshing and simulation. Contour and vector plots of the velocity showed identical features between the MRI velocity data, the MRI-based CFD data, and the idealized-geometry CFD data, with less than 10% differences in the local velocity values. CFD results on models reconstructed from different MRI resolution settings showed insignificant differences (less than 5%). This study illustrated, quantitatively, that reliable CFD simulations can be performed with MRI reconstructed models and gives evidence that a future, subject-specific, computational evaluation of the cardiovascular system alteration during space travel is feasible.

Chatzimavroudis, George P.↗
NASA NTRS2005

The NASA Bed Rest Project

NASA s National Vision for Space Exploration includes human travel beyond low earth orbit and the ultimate safe return of the crews. Crucial to fulfilling the vision is the successful and timely development of countermeasures for the adverse physiological effects on human systems caused by long term exposure to the microgravity environment. Limited access to in-flight resources for the foreseeable future increases NASA s reliance on ground-based analogs to simulate these effects of microgravity. The primary analog for human based research will be head-down bed rest. By this approach NASA will be able to evaluate countermeasures in large sample sizes, perform preliminary evaluations of proposed in-flight protocols and assess the utility of individual or combined strategies before flight resources are requested. In response to this critical need, NASA has created the Bed Rest Project at the Johnson Space Center. The Project establishes the infrastructure and processes to provide a long term capability for standardized domestic bed rest studies and countermeasure development. The Bed Rest Project design takes a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, integrated approach that reduces the resource overhead of one investigator for one campaign. In addition to integrating studies operationally relevant for exploration, the Project addresses other new Vision objectives, namely: 1) interagency cooperation with the NIH allows for Clinical Research Center (CRC) facility sharing to the benefit of both agencies, 2) collaboration with our International Partners expands countermeasure development opportunities for foreign and domestic investigators as well as promotes consistency in approach and results, 3) to the greatest degree possible, the Project also advances research by clinicians and academia alike to encourage return to earth benefits. This paper will describe the Project s top level goals, organization and relationship to other Exploration Vision Projects, implementation strategy, address Project deliverables, schedules and provide a status of bed rest campaigns presently underway.

Rhodes, Bradley↗