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At least 397 records · Page 22

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NASA NTRS1983

Human factors in space telepresence

The problems of interfacing a human with a teleoperation system, for work in space are discussed. Much of the information presented here is the result of experience gained by the M.I.T. Space Systems Laboratory during the past two years of work on the ARAMIS (Automation, Robotics, and Machine Intelligence Systems) project. Many factors impact the design of the man-machine interface for a teleoperator. The effects of each are described in turn. An annotated bibliography gives the key references that were used. No conclusions are presented as a best design, since much depends on the particular application desired, and the relevant technology is swiftly changing.

Akin, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Infrared photometry of the dust in comets

Infrared observations of six comets ranging in heliocentric distance from 1 to 5 AU are reported. Data consist of wide and intermediate bandpass filter photometry, 1-20 microns, for periodic comets Stephan-Oterma, Swift-Gehrels, Kearns-Kwee, Gunn, and Grigg-Skjellerup and for parabolic Comet Elias (1981 XV). All of the comets show infrared temperatures hotter than a theoretical black body, indicating small absorbing grains. No emission feature at 10 microns was observed within the accuracy of the filter photometry. The photometric system is discussed in detail, and temperature-dependent corrections to monochromatic magnitudes are presented.

Tokunaga, A. T.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Errors in radiometric remote sensing of sea-surface temperature and salinity

Techniques for remote measurement of sea-surface physical temperature and salinity using radiometric measurements from aircraft or satellite are reviewed. Studies have been conducted to determine the sensitivity of the errors in surface temperature and salinity to errors in the measured brightness temperatures using combinations of UHF, L, S, and C-band measurements. These investigations were made using values of conductivity, static dielectric constant, and relaxation time derived from the regression equations of Klein and Swift (1977). Results of the error sensitivity study are presented in the form of error contour plots which permit the calculation of errors in the estimation of the physical parameters for given errors in the raw radiometric measurements.

Britt, C. L., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of meteoric debris of comets

It is proposed to carry out slitless spectroscopy at ultraviolet wavelengths from orbit of meteoric debris associated with comets. The Eta Aquarid and Orionid/Halley and the Perseid/1962 862 Swift-Tuttle showers would be principal targets. Low light level, ultraviolet video technique will be used during night side of the orbit in a wide field, earthward viewing mode. Data will be stored in compact video cassette recorders. The experiment may be configured as a GAS package or in the HITCHHIKER mode. The latter would allow flexible pointing capability beyond that offered by shuttle orientation of the GAS package, and doubling of the data record. The 1100 to 3200 A spectral region should show emissions of atomic, ionic, and molecular species of interest on cometary and solar system studies.

Wdowiak, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of meteoric debris: In situ calibration experiments from Earth orbit

It is proposed to carry out slitless spectroscopy at ultraviolet wavelengths from orbit of meteoric debris associated with comets. The Eta Aquarid, Orionid/Halley, and the Persied/1962 862 Swift-Tuttle showers would be principal targets. Low light level, ultraviolet video technique will be used during night side of the orbit in a wide field, earthward viewing mode. Data will be stored in compact video cassette recorders. The experiment may be configured as a GAS package or in the HITCHHIKER mode. The latter would allow flexible pointing capability beyond that offered by shuttle orientation of the GAS package, and doubling of the data record. The 1100 to 3200 A spectral region should show emissions of atomic, ionic, and molecular species of interest on cometary and solar system studies.

Nuth, J. A., III↗

NASA NTRS1987

Workstations take over conceptual design

Workstations provide sufficient computing memory and speed for early evaluations of aircraft design alternatives to identify those worthy of further study. It is recommended that the programming of such machines permit integrated calculations of the configuration and performance analysis of new concepts, along with the capability of changing up to 100 variables at a time and swiftly viewing the results. Computations can be augmented through links to mainframes and supercomputers. Programming, particularly debugging operations, are enhanced by the capability of working with one program line at a time and having available on-screen error indices. Workstation networks permit on-line communication among users and with persons and computers outside the facility. Application of the capabilities is illustrated through a description of NASA-Ames design efforts for an oblique wing for a jet performed on a MicroVAX network.

Kidwell, George H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Observed rate of ionization in shaped-charge releases of barium in the ionosphere

Data from 36 Ba shaped-charge releases carried out at an angle of less than 25 deg to the magnetic field, by the technique of Wescott et al. (1972) and Michel (1974), were examined for evidence of a sustained rate of ionization in excess of that attributable to sunlight. In four of the experiments, the time constant for the decay of the neutrals was measured using an ultrasensitive color TV camera and was found to have a value of about 30 sec, consistent with slow (solar) ionization. Although the qualitative appearance of most jets was found to be consistent with a slow process of ionization, some releases produced a thin confined jet that was suggestive of rapid ionization. Two of these jets were analyzed in detail, but no evidence of anomalous ionization was produced. The data obtained in this work agree with the geometrical predictions of the Swift model.

Hallinan, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of meteoric debris: In situ calibration experiments from earth orbit

It is proposed to carry out slitless spectroscopy at ultraviolet wavelengths from orbit of meteoric debris associated with comets. The Eta Aquarid, Orionid/Halley, and the Persied/1962 862 Swift-Tuttle showers would be principal targets. Low light level, ultraviolet video technique will be used during the night side of the orbit in a wide field, earthward viewing mode. Data will be stored in compact video cassette recorders. The experiment may be configured as a GAS package or in the HITCHHIKER mode. The latter would allow flexible pointing capability beyond that offered by shuttle orientation of the GAS package, and doubling of the data record. The 1100 to 3200 A spectral region should show emissions of atomic, ionic, and molecular species of interest on cometary and solar system studies.

Nuth, Joseph A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Calculation of polarization and anisotropy of resonant and fluorescent scattering

Formulas are derived for the swift calculation of the angular intensity distribution and the degree of polarization associated with the resonant and fluorescent scattering of radiation by atoms which occurs in the rarefied upper atmospheres of planets during sunlit airglow phenomena. Attention is given to spectral lines with hyperfine structure, which are indicative of nuclear spin processes. The method employed involves summations over Zeeman components, allowing an evaluation of polarization through the addition of underlying simple resonant and fluorescent scattering channels.

Chamberlain, Joseph W.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A simple parcel method for prediction of cumulus onset and area-averaged cloud amount over heterogeneous land surfaces

A set of PBL data selected from the Wangara experiment is used to examine the relationship between cumulus amount and the calculated relative humidity of rising parcels. The Wilde et al. (1985) method is compared to two explicit parcel methods. It is shown that predictions using parcel methods, in which surface air is lifted to its equilibrium level while being diluted by a defined amount of mixed layer air, are superior for cloud amount, especially during periods of rapid cloud onset when the mean boundary layer top is swiftly rising through a near-neutral layer. Pending independent verification, it appears that an rms error in instantaneous cloud amount of + or - 10 percent may be achievable.

Wetzel, Peter J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The coupled orbital and thermal evolution of Triton

The coupled orbital and thermal evolution of Triton is simulated with a model of the satellite having temperature-dependent k/Q (k is the second degree Love number and Q is the tidal dissipation factor). Large changes in orbital and interior properties occur in a short time span of less than 10 to the 8th years. The peak tidal heating rate exceeds the radioactive heating rate by a factor of at least 1000. The ability of tidal heating to overwhelm solid state convection and cause global melting is unequivocally demonstrated. Triton's initial thermal state and composition are shown to control the length of time that passes between capture from heliocentric orbit and the occurrene of swift and dramatic changes in orbital and internal properties. This time interval could have been several billion years.

Ross, Martin N.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Preliminary subsystem designs for the Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV)

Described herein is a series of design studies concerning the Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV). Study topics include a braking and landing system for the ACRV, ACRV growth options, and the design impacts of ACRV's role as a medical emergency vehicle. Four alternate designs are presented for the ACRV braking and landing system. Options presented include ballistic and lifting body reentries; the use of high-lift, high-payload aerodynamic decelerators, as well as conventional parachutes; landing systems designed for water landings, land landings or both; and an aerial recovery system. Uses of the ACRV or a similarly designed vehicle in several roles for possible future space missions are discussed, along with the required changes to the ACRV to allow it to perform these missions optimally. The impacts on the design of the ACRV due to its role as an emergency vehicle were studied and are presented here. This study included the design of a stretcher-like system to transport an ill or injured crewmember safely within the ACRV; a compilation of necessary medical equipment and decisions on how or where to store it; and recommendations about internal and external vehicle characteristics that will ease the transport of the ill or injured crewmember and allow for swift and easy ingress/egress of the vehicle.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1991

Utilizing expert systems for satellite monitoring and control

Spacecraft analysts in the spacecraft control center for the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite are currently utilizing a fault-isolation expert system developed to assist in the isolation and correction of faults in the communications link. This system, the communication link expert assistance resource (CLEAR), monitors real time spacecraft and ground systems performance parameters in search of configuration discrepancies and communications link problems. If such a discrepancy or problem is isolated, CLEAR alerts the analyst and provides advice on how to resolve the problem swiftly and effectively. The CLEAR system is the first real time expert system to be used in the operational environment of a satellite control center at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Clear has not only demonstrated the utility and potential of an expert system in the demanding environment of a satellite control center, but also has revealed many of the pitfalls and deficiencies of development of expert systems. One of the lessons learned from this and other initial expert system projects is that prototypes can often be developed quite rapidly, but operational expert systems require considerable effort. Development is generally a slow, tedious process that typically requires the special skills of trained programmers. Due to the success of CLEAR and several other systems in the control center domain, a large number of expert systems will certainly be developed to support control center operations during the early 1990's. To facilitate the development of these systems, a project was initiated to develop an integrated, domain-specific tool, the generic spacecraft analyst assistent (GenSAA), that alows the spacecraft analysts to rapidly create simple expert systems themselves. By providing a highly graphical point-and-select method of system development, GenSAA allows the analyst to utilize and/or modify previously developed rule bases and system components; thus, facilitating software reuse and reducing development time and effort.

Hughes, Peter M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The physics of the oscillating lightning

The lightning is proposed to start in a limited region of electric breakdown field. A growing charge pool in a cumulonimbus cloud is likely to produce such a field in its outer layers. When the field is not aligned with the potential surfaces, the electric force pushes positive charge in one direction and negative in the opposite. Self inductance develops and an embryo open electric circuit is born. Oscillations swiftly grow in strength when potential energy of the cloud is released. The channel extends in steps during those cycle stages where charge is crammed into the channel terminals. Electrostatic consequences of a narrow conductor among the cloud charges are computed. The conductor is charged by influence to such a degree that the charge is bound to leak out to the ambient air and appear as a charge sheath some distance off the channel. Ample energy is released to sustain the oscillations. The period increases with channel length and agrees well with observed time between steps. A ground strike leads to a shock pulse travelling up the channel.

Storebo, Per B.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Advanced automation in Space Shuttle Mission Control

In 1987, NASA-Johnson's Mission-Control Center (MCC) undertook the incorporation of novel concepts and technologies for advanced automation, collectively designated the Real Time Data System, emphasizing the achievement of advanced, near-operational systems by means of a rapid interactive method. In the majority of cases, the applications have been of such high quality and usefulness that they have been promoted to operational status. A key factor in this swift implementation has been the MCC's integrated team of software engineers and flight controllers.

Heindel, Troy A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

An enhanced sine dwell method as applied to the Galileo core structure modal survey

An incremental modal survey performed in 1988 on the core structure of the Galileo spacecraft with its adapters with the purpose of assessing the dynamics of the new portions of the structure is considered. Emphasis is placed on the enhancements of the sine dwell method employed in the test. For each mode, response data is acquired at 32 frequencies in a narrow band enclosing the resonance, utilizing the SWIFT technique. It is pointed out that due to the simplicity of the data processing involved, the diagnostic and modal-parameter data is available within several minutes after data acquisition; however, compared with straight curve-fitting approaches, the method requires more time for data acquisition.

Smith, Kenneth S.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Communications among data and science centers

The ability to electronically access and query the contents of remote computer archives is of singular importance in space and earth sciences; the present evaluation of such on-line information networks' development status foresees swift expansion of their data capabilities and complexity, in view of the volumes of data that will continue to be generated by NASA missions. The U.S.'s National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) manages NASA's largest science computer network, the Space Physics Analysis Network; a comprehensive account is given of the structure of NSSDC international access through BITNET, and of connections to the NSSDC available in the Americas via the International X.25 network.

Green, James L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Energy deposition by X-ray photoelectrons into interstellar molecular clouds

The deposition of energy by 100-10,000 eV electrons into molecular hydrogen and helium gas of cosmic abundances and fractional ionization ranging from 10 to the -12th to 0.1 is considered. In order to account for energy deposition by both discrete and continuous degradation processes, the loss spectrum, a form of the Spencer-Fano degradation spectrum particularly suited to describing electron energy deposition in a partially ionized gas is considered. The calculated excitation and ionization yields drop as the fractional ionization increases. The dependences of these yields on fractional ionization are fitted to a form suitable for swift numerical computation.

Voit, G. M.↗