Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “COMMAND SYSTEM”

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.

At least 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Utilizing Advanced Air Mobility Rotorcraft Tools for Wildfire Applications

Over the past decade, due in large part to heavy investment in the field of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), significant progress in rotorcraft-focused modeling tools has been made. Such progress has notably increased AAM rotorcraft modeling capabilities in the topics of conceptual design, preliminary design, and more recently flight dynamics. Yet, due to recent and persistent increases in extreme weather events, an emerging interest has been raised in utilizing such modeling capabilities for aiding in emergency relief efforts and other public good missions. This paper uses wildfire fighting as a representative public good mission and demonstrates the relevance of the NASA Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) rotorcraft toolchain to such missions. An emphasis is placed on flight dynamics modeling and control because of the hazards and challenges associated with the atmospheric environment of wildfires. In this work, the NASA FlightCODE tool was used to analyze both a UH-60 and the NASA six-passenger quadcopter reference model hovering in an experimentally informed wildfire turbulent environment. Preliminary results of this study estimate actuator usage exceedances and disturbance rejection capabilities of the vehicles’ translational rate command systems. Leveraging the RVLT toolchain, refinement and expansion of this work could lead to handling qualities envelope estimation and design optimization for wildfire turbulent environments. This would provide pilots with additional information to make real-time decisions in high-risk scenarios and begins preparations for simulating these dangerous environments for pilot training and experimentation.

Rotorcraft↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Utilizing Advanced Air Mobility Rotorcraft Tools for Wildfire Applications

Over the past decade, due in large part to heavy investment in the field of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), significant progress in rotorcraft-focused modeling tools has been made. Such progress has notably increased AAM rotorcraft modeling capabilities in the topics of conceptual design, preliminary design, and more recently flight dynamics. Yet, due to recent and persistent increases in extreme weather events, an emerging interest has been raised in utilizing such modeling capabilities for aiding in emergency relief efforts and other public good missions. This paper uses wildfire fighting as a representative public good mission and demonstrates the relevance of the NASA Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) rotorcraft toolchain to such missions. An emphasis is placed on flight dynamics modeling and control because of the hazards and challenges associated with the atmospheric environment of wildfires. In this work, the NASA FlightCODE tool was used to analyze both a UH-60 and the NASA six-passenger quadcopter reference model hovering in an experimentally informed wildfire turbulent environment. Preliminary results of this study estimate actuator usage exceedances and disturbance rejection capabilities of the vehicles’ translational rate command systems. Leveraging the RVLT toolchain, refinement and expansion of this work could lead to handling qualities envelope estimation and design optimization for wildfire turbulent environments. This would provide pilots with additional information to make real-time decisions in high-risk scenarios and begins preparations for simulating these dangerous environments for pilot training and experimentation.

Rotorcraft↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Contextualizing Air Traffic Management Conversations using Natural Language Understanding

Efficient management of air traffic and mitigation of delays depend on extracting actionable information from unstructured data, such as dialogues from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) telecons. This study presents a pipeline utilizing Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods for Intent Classification (IC) and Slot Filling (SF) to identify and extract Traffic Management Initiatives (TMIs) from aviation-specific dialogues. We leveraged DeBERTa, a pre-trained transformer model, and fine-tuned it to the nuances of the aviation domain. Despite challenges posed by annotation complexities, the IC model achieved promising results with a weighted average F1-score of 0.81. Our results are close to those of human annotators, which demonstrates the model’s strong alignment with human-level performance. The SF model also showed strong performance, achieving a weighted F1-score of 0.97, which demonstrates its effectiveness in accurately predicting key slots. Our analysis revealed limitations in handling less frequent intents and slot labels due to data sparsity, motivating future efforts to adopt joint IC-SF modeling and data augmentation strategies. This research highlights the potential of domain-specific NLP to streamline decision-making in the aviation industry and improve the management of TMIs.

Air Traffic Control Management↗
DOE OSTI2023

Systems and methods for control system security

A component security device may be disposed at an interface between a component and a cyber-physical system. The disclosed component security device may be physically and/or electrically coupled between the component and infrastructure of the cyber-physical system, such as a backplane, bus, and/or the like. The component security device may be configured to monitor the component, and selectively isolate the component from the cyber-physical system. Since the component security device is interposed at the interface of the component, the component security device may be capable of isolating the component regardless of whether the component has been compromised (e.g., regardless of whether the component is capable of complying with system commands).

Rieger, Craig G.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Command and Control System Software Development

With the first launch of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Launch System heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle and Lockheed Martin's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle scheduled for the year 2020, there exists a need to complete development of a new command and control system that will provide systems monitoring and launch control for NASA's Exploration Missions. One remaining task necessary for completion of this command and control system is to create and maintain comprehensive unit tests of the control system software packages. These tests should verify that the implementation of all required and desired functionality works as intended. This testing infrastructure is mostly in place, but the control system's open source automation server still reports software "bugs" (possible flaws or failures which may lead to unintended behavior) and intermittently failing unit tests. Since code correctness is of critical importance for human rated software systems, I was assigned to diagnose the root cause of failing unit tests, eliminate non-determinism in these tests, and fix bugs as reported by the automation server.

GUI↗
NASA NTRS2020

Command and Control System Automated Testing

To support the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion capsule, designed to take humans back to the moon in 2024, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has developed the Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) to monitor and control the launch. Within SCCS, the Launch Control System (LCS) is designed to allow console engineers to control and monitor the status of the launch and flight hardware, as well as issue commands to ground control systems and launch vehicles. The messaging software of LCS is responsible for handling the various data types that can be sent between the hardware and software components of the LCS. Since this system is interacting with numerous devices, controllers, and viewports in real time, the distribution of data across the system must be fast, but also reliable and accurate. To verify the accuracy and reliability of the system, developers on the project have created a set of tests to be performed that covers all operations allowed by the system. Given the extensive Application Programming Interface(API) provided by the messaging software, these unit tests are rather time-consuming and costly (in terms of man-hours) to perform. Therefore, an automated testing framework is used to perform supplemental tests automatically when updates are made to the code base.

Rebecca McFadden↗
NASA NTRS2013

IT Security Support for Spaceport Command and Control System

During the fall 2013 semester, I worked at the Kennedy Space Center as an IT Security Intern in support of the Spaceport Command and Control System under the guidance of the IT Security Lead Engineer. Some of my responsibilities included assisting with security plan documentation collection, system hardware and software inventory, and malicious code and malware scanning. Throughout the semester, I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of security related projects. However, there are three projects in particular that stand out. The first project I completed was updating a large interactive spreadsheet that details the SANS Institutes Top 20 Critical Security Controls. My task was to add in all of the new commercial of the shelf (COTS) software listed on the SANS website that can be used to meet their Top 20 controls. In total, there are 153 unique security tools listed by SANS that meet one or more of their 20 controls. My second project was the creation of a database that will allow my mentor to keep track of the work done by the contractors that report to him in a more efficient manner by recording events as they occur throughout the quarter. Lastly, I expanded upon a security assessment of the Linux machines being used on center that I began last semester. To do this, I used a vulnerability and configuration tool that scans hosts remotely through the network and presents the user with an abundance of information detailing each machines configuration. The experience I gained from working on each of these projects has been invaluable, and I look forward to returning in the spring semester to continue working with the IT Security team.

computer security↗
DOE OSTI2023

Integrated behavior-based infrastructure command validation

A cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system is provided herein for validating asset commands issued within an infrastructure network. The cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system can be integrated into an infrastructure network to monitor and validate infrastructure asset commands in real-time or while the infrastructure network is active. The cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system can receive or intercept commands issued by asset controllers. The cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system can validate the commands based on a command validation model. The command validation model can represent normal operating behavior of the infrastructure network. The cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system can provide valid commands to the intended infrastructure asset, or can reject invalid commands. The cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system can store validation results for use in updating the command validation model. The cybersecurity infrastructure command validation system can flag or otherwise warn the infrastructure network or administrators of invalid commands.

Akyol, Bora A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Apollo experience report: Command module uprighting system

A water-landing requirement and two stable flotation attitudes required that a system be developed to ensure that the Apollo command module would always assume an upright flotation attitude. The resolution to the flotation problem and the uprighting concepts, design selection, design changes, development program, qualification, and mission performance are discussed for the uprighting system, which is composed of inflatable bags, compressors, valves, and associated tubing.

White, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Spaceport Command and Control System Automation Testing

The goal of automated testing is to create and maintain a cohesive infrastructure of robust tests that could be run independently on a software package in its entirety. To that end, the Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) project at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has brought in a large group of interns to work side-by-side with full time employees to do just this work. Thus, our job is to implement the tests that will put SCCS through its paces.

Plano, Tom↗
NASA NTRS2020

The Spaceport Command and Control System Security Assessor Project

This Summer, I worked as a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Internships and Fellowships (NIF) intern under my mentor, Jill Giles within the Software Engineering Branch. Within this project, I worked alongside the Cyber Security branch to identify a list of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) software to analyze, research, and gain insight about potential vulnerabilities within the software that could become a threat of attack. After identifying the list of COTS software, my team and I used Microsoft Excel to create a worksheet to easily organize and design a questionnaire about the software. Security reports weregiven to us to identify the software used on the machines in the firing rooms. With these reports, we created a script that would populate the database with the software information to identify potential security weaknesses of COTS software.The goal of the project was to produce a final report, summarizing the most vulnerable launch control system servers and configurations and document vulnerabilities, residual risk, likelihood, and consequence. This project is important for the Cyber Security and Information Technology branches because it will identify security weaknesses and help to mitigate risk. From the Spaceport Command and Control System Security Assessor Project, I learned how to properly identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities within software and how to mitigate the risks within the software. This project also taught me how to create databases using scripts and input files.

Destani Satora Van Arsdalen↗
NASA NTRS2017

Spaceport Command and Control System Automated Verification Software Development

For as long as we have walked the Earth, humans have always been explorers. We have visited our nearest celestial body and sent Voyager 1 beyond our solar system1 out into interstellar space. Now it is finally time for us to step beyond our home and onto another planet. The Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) is being developed along with the Space Launch System (SLS) to take us on a journey further than ever attempted. Within SCCS are separate subsystems and system level software, each of which have to be tested and verified. Testing is a long and tedious process, so automating it will be much more efficient and also helps to remove the possibility of human error from mission operations. I was part of a team of interns and full-time engineers who automated tests for the requirements on SCCS, and with that was able to help verify that the software systems are performing as expected.

Automation↗
NASA NTRS2016

Cyber Security for the Spaceport Command and Control System: Vulnerability Management and Compliance Analysis

With the rapid development of the Internet, the number of malicious threats to organizations is continually increasing. In June of 2015, the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had a data breach resulting in the compromise of millions of government employee records. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is not exempt from these attacks. Cyber security is becoming a critical facet to the discussion of moving forward with projects. The Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) project at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) aims to develop the launch control system for the next generation launch vehicle in the coming decades. There are many ways to increase the security of the network it uses, from vulnerability management to ensuring operating system images are compliant with securely configured baselines recommended by the United States Government.

Cyber Security↗
NASA NTRS1961

Design and Flight Tests of an Adaptive Control System Employing Normal-Acceleration Command

An adaptive control system employing normal-acceleration command has been designed with the aid of an analog computer and has been flight tested. The design of the system was based on the concept of using a mathematical model in combination with a high gain and a limiter. The study was undertaken to investigate the application of a system of this type to the task of maintaining nearly constant dynamic longitudinal response of a piloted airplane over the flight envelope without relying on air data measurements for gain adjustment. The range of flight conditions investigated was between Mach numbers of 0.36 and 1.15 and altitudes of 10,000 and 40,000 feet. The final adaptive system configuration was derived from analog computer tests, in which the physical airplane control system and much of the control circuitry were included in the loop. The method employed to generate the feedback signals resulted in a model whose characteristics varied somewhat with changes in flight condition. Flight results showed that the system limited the variation in longitudinal natural frequency of the adaptive airplane to about half that of the basic airplane and that, for the subsonic cases, the damping ratio was maintained between 0.56 and 0.69. The system also automatically compensated for the transonic trim change. Objectionable features of the system were an exaggerated sensitivity of pitch attitude to gust disturbances, abnormally large pitch attitude response for a given pilot input at low speeds, and an initial delay in normal-acceleration response to pilot control at all flight conditions. The adaptive system chatter of +/-0.05 to +/-0.10 of elevon at about 9 cycles per second (resulting in a maximum airplane normal-acceleration response of from +/-0.025 g to +/- 0.035 g) was considered by the pilots to be mildly objectionable but tolerable.

McNeill, Water E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Stable Direct Adaptive Control of Linear Infinite-dimensional Systems Using a Command Generator Tracker Approach

A command generator tracker approach to model following contol of linear distributed parameter systems (DPS) whose dynamics are described on infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces is presented. This method generates finite dimensional controllers capable of exponentially stable tracking of the reference trajectories when certain ideal trajectories are known to exist for the open loop DPS; we present conditions for the existence of these ideal trajectories. An adaptive version of this type of controller is also presented and shown to achieve (in some cases, asymptotically) stable finite dimensional control of the infinite dimensional DPS.

Balas, M. J.↗