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At least 397 records · Page 22

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2014

The Prediction and Analysis of Jet Flows and Scattered Turbulent Mixing Noise about Flight Vehicle Airframes

Jet flows interacting with nearby surfaces exhibit a complex behavior in which acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics are altered. The physical understanding and prediction of these characteristics are essential to designing future low noise aircraft. A new approach is created for predicting scattered jet mixing noise that utilizes an acoustic analogy and steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solutions. A tailored Green's function accounts for the propagation of mixing noise about the airframe and is calculated numerically using a newly developed ray tracing method. The steady aerodynamic statistics, associated unsteady sound source, and acoustic intensity are examined as jet conditions are varied about a large flat plate. A non-dimensional number is proposed to estimate the effect of the aerodynamic noise source relative to jet operating condition and airframe position.The steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solutions, acoustic analogy, tailored Green's function, non-dimensional number, and predicted noise are validated with a wide variety of measurements. The combination of the developed theory, ray tracing method, and careful implementation in a stand-alone computer program result in an approach that is more first principles oriented than alternatives, computationally efficient, and captures the relevant physics of fluid-structure interaction.

Miller, Steven A. E.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Ensemble Statistical Post-Processing of the National Air Quality Forecast Capability: Enhancing Ozone Forecasts in Baltimore, Maryland

An ensemble statistical post-processor (ESP) is developed for the National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC) to address the unique challenges of forecasting surface ozone in Baltimore, MD. Air quality and meteorological data were collected from the eight monitors that constitute the Baltimore forecast region. These data were used to build the ESP using a moving-block bootstrap, regression tree models, and extreme-value theory. The ESP was evaluated using a 10-fold cross-validation to avoid evaluation with the same data used in the development process. Results indicate that the ESP is conditionally biased, likely due to slight overfitting while training the regression tree models. When viewed from the perspective of a decision-maker, the ESP provides a wealth of additional information previously not available through the NAQFC alone. The user is provided the freedom to tailor the forecast to the decision at hand by using decision-specific probability thresholds that define a forecast for an ozone exceedance. Taking advantage of the ESP, the user not only receives an increase in value over the NAQFC, but also receives value for An ensemble statistical post-processor (ESP) is developed for the National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC) to address the unique challenges of forecasting surface ozone in Baltimore, MD. Air quality and meteorological data were collected from the eight monitors that constitute the Baltimore forecast region. These data were used to build the ESP using a moving-block bootstrap, regression tree models, and extreme-value theory. The ESP was evaluated using a 10-fold cross-validation to avoid evaluation with the same data used in the development process. Results indicate that the ESP is conditionally biased, likely due to slight overfitting while training the regression tree models. When viewed from the perspective of a decision-maker, the ESP provides a wealth of additional information previously not available through the NAQFC alone. The user is provided the freedom to tailor the forecast to the decision at hand by using decision-specific probability thresholds that define a forecast for an ozone exceedance. Taking advantage of the ESP, the user not only receives an increase in value over the NAQFC, but also receives value for

ozone↗

NASA NTRS2015

Project Morpheus: Lean Development of a Terrestrial Flight Testbed for Maturing NASA Lander Technologies

NASA's Morpheus Project has developed and tested a prototype planetary lander capable of vertical takeoff and landing that is designed to serve as a testbed for advanced spacecraft technologies. The lander vehicle, propelled by a Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Methane engine and sized to carry a 500kg payload to the lunar surface, provides a platform for bringing technologies from the laboratory into an integrated flight system at relatively low cost. In 2012, Morpheus began integrating the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) sensors and software onto the vehicle in order to demonstrate safe, autonomous landing and hazard avoidance. From the beginning, one of goals for the Morpheus Project was to streamline agency processes and practices. The Morpheus project accepted a challenge to tailor the traditional NASA systems engineering approach in a way that would be appropriate for a lower cost, rapid prototype engineering effort, but retain the essence of the guiding principles. This paper describes the tailored project life cycle and systems engineering approach for the Morpheus project, including the processes, tools, and amount of rigor employed over the project's multiple lifecycles since the project began in fiscal year (FY) 2011.

Devolites, Jennifer L.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Data Mining and Analysis

The Data Mining project seeks to bring the capability of data visualization to NASA anomaly and problem reporting systems for the purpose of improving data trending, evaluations, and analyses. Currently NASA systems are tailored to meet the specific needs of its organizations. This tailoring has led to a variety of nomenclatures and levels of annotation for procedures, parts, and anomalies making difficult the realization of the common causes for anomalies. Making significant observations and realizing the connection between these causes without a common way to view large data sets is difficult to impossible. In the first phase of the Data Mining project a portal was created to present a common visualization of normalized sensitive data to customers with the appropriate security access. The tool of the visualization itself was also developed and fine-tuned. In the second phase of the project we took on the difficult task of searching and analyzing the target data set for common causes between anomalies. In the final part of the second phase we have learned more about how much of the analysis work will be the job of the Data Mining team, how to perform that work, and how that work may be used by different customers in different ways. In this paper I detail how our perspective has changed after gaining more insight into how the customers wish to interact with the output and how that has changed the product.

iss↗

NASA NTRS2015

Cart3D Analysis of Plume and Shock Interaction Effects on Sonic Boom

A plume and shock interaction study was developed to collect data and perform CFD on a configuration where a nozzle plume passed through the shock generated from the wing or tail of a supersonic vehicle. The wing or tail was simulated with a wedge-shaped shock generator. Three configurations were analyzed consisting of two strut mounted wedges and one propulsion pod with an aft deck from a low boom vehicle concept. Research efforts at NASA were intended to enable future supersonic flight over land in the United States. Two of these efforts provided data for regulatory change and enabled design of low boom aircraft. Research has determined that sonic boom is a function of aircraft lift and volume distribution. Through careful tailoring of these variables, the sonic boom of concept vehicles has been reduced. One aspect of vehicle tailoring involved how the aircraft engine exhaust interacted with aft surfaces on a supersonic aircraft, such as the tail and wing trailing edges. In this work, results from Euler CFD simulations are compared to experimental data collected on sub-scale components in a wind tunnel. Three configurations are studied to simulate the nozzle plume interaction with representative wing and tail surfaces. Results demonstrate how the plume and tail shock structure moves with increasing nozzle pressure ratio. The CFD captures the main features of the plume and shock interaction. Differences are observed in the plume and deck shock structure that warrant further research and investigation.

supersonic wind tunnels↗

NASA NTRS2016

Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) Handbook

The purpose of this handbook is intended to be a how-to guide to prepare for, conduct, and close-out an Integrated Baseline Review (IBR). It discusses the steps that should be considered, describes roles and responsibilities, tips for tailoring the IBR based on risk, cost, and need for management insight, and provides lessons learned from past IBRs. Appendices contain example documentation typically used in connection with an IBR. Note that these appendices are examples only, and should be tailored to meet the needs of individual projects and contracts. Following the guidance in this handbook will help customers and suppliers preparing for an IBR understand the expectations of the IBR, and ensure that the IBR meets the requirements for both in-house and contract efforts.

IBR↗

NASA NTRS2016

Best Practices for Fatigue Risk Management in Non-Traditional Shiftwork

Fatigue risk management programs provide effective tools to mitigate fatigue among shift workers. Although such programs are effective for typical shiftwork scenarios, where individuals of equal skill level can be divided into shifts to cover 24 hour operations, traditional programs are not sufficient for managing sleep loss among individuals with unique skill sets, in occupations where non-traditional schedules are required. Such operations are prevalent at NASA and in other high stress occupations, including among airline pilots, military personnel, and expeditioners. These types of operations require fatigue risk management programs tailored to the specific requirements of the mission. Without appropriately tailored fatigue risk management, such operations can lead to an elevated risk of operational failure, disintegration of teamwork, and increased risk of accidents and incidents. In order to design schedules for such operations, schedule planners must evaluate the impact of a given operation on circadian misalignment, acute sleep loss, chronic sleep loss and sleep inertia. In addition, individual-level factors such as morningness-eveningness preference and sleep disorders should be considered. After the impact of each of these factors has been identified, scheduling teams can design schedules that meet operational requirements, while also minimizing fatigue.

research↗

NASA NTRS2016

Assessment of the Orion-SLS Interface Management Process in Achieving the EIA 731.1 Systems Engineering Capability Model Generic Practices Level 3 Criteria

NASA is currently developing the next generation crewed spacecraft and launch vehicle for exploration beyond earth orbit including returning to the Moon and making the transit to Mars. Managing the design integration of major hardware elements of a space transportation system is critical for overcoming both the technical and programmatic challenges in taking a complex system from concept to space operations. An established method of accomplishing this is formal interface management. In this paper we set forth an argument that the interface management process implemented by NASA between the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the Space Launch System (SLS) achieves the Level 3 tier of the EIA 731.1 System Engineering Capability Model (SECM) for Generic Practices. We describe the relevant NASA systems and associated organizations, and define the EIA SECM Level 3 Generic Practices. We then provide evidence for our compliance with those practices. This evidence includes discussions of: NASA Systems Engineering Interface (SE) Management standard process and best practices; the tailoring of that process for implementation on the Orion to SLS interface; changes made over time to improve the tailored process, and; the opportunities to take the resulting lessons learned and propose improvements to our institutional processes and best practices. We compare this evidence against the practices to form the rationale for the declared SECM maturity level.

Jellicorse, John J.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Deep Chandra Observation and Numerical Studies of the Nearest Cluster Cold Front in the Sky

We present the results of a very deep (500 ks) Chandra observation, along with tailored numerical simulations, of the nearest, best resolved cluster cold front in the sky, which lies 90 kpc (19 arcmin) to the north-west of M87. The northern part of the front appears the sharpest, with a width smaller than 2.5 kpc (1.5 Coulomb mean free paths; at 99 per cent confidence). Everywhere along the front, the temperature discontinuity is narrower than 4-8 kpc and the metallicity gradient is narrower than 6 kpc, indicating that diffusion, conduction and mixing are suppressed across the interface. Such transport processes can be naturally suppressed by magnetic fields aligned with the cold front. Interestingly, comparison to magnetohydrodynamic simulations indicates that in order to maintain the observed sharp density and temperature discontinuities, conduction must also be suppressed along the magnetic field lines. However, the northwestern part of the cold front is observed to have a non-zero width. While other explanations are possible, the broadening is consistent with the presence of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHI) on length-scales of a few kpc. Based on comparison with simulations, the presence of KHI would imply that the effective viscosity of the intracluster medium is suppressed by more than an order of magnitude with respect to the isotropic Spitzer-like temperature dependent viscosity. Underneath the cold front, we observe quasi-linear features that are approximately 10 per cent brighter than the surrounding gas and are separated by approximately 15 kpc from each other in projection. Comparison to tailored numerical simulations suggests that the observed phenomena may be due to the amplification of magnetic fields by gas sloshing in wide layers below the cold front, where the magnetic pressure reaches approximately 5-10 per cent of the thermal pressure, reducing the gas density between the bright features.

hydrodynamics↗

NASA NTRS2017

Nano Icy Moons Propellant Harvester

As one of just a few bodies identified in the solar system with a liquid ocean, Europa has become a top priority in the search for life outside of Earth. However, cost estimates for exploring Europa have been prohibitively expensive, with estimates of a NASA Flagship class orbiter and lander approaching $5 billion. ExoTerra's NIMPH offers an affordable solution that can not only land, but return a sample from the surface to Earth. NIMPH combines solar electric propulsion (SEP) technologies being developed for the asteroid redirect mission and microsatellite electronics to reduce the cost of a full sample return mission below $500 million. A key to achieving this order-of-magnitude cost reduction is minimizing the initial mass of the system. The cost of any mission is directly proportional to its mass. By keeping the mission within the constraints of an Atlas V 551 launch vehicle versus an SLS, we can significantly reduce launch costs. To achieve this we reduce the landed mass of the sample return lander, which is the largest multiplier of mission mass, and shrink propellant mass through high efficiency SEP and gravity assists. The NIMPH projects first step in reducing landed mass focuses on development of a micro-In Situ Resource Utilization (micro-ISRU) system. ISRU allows us to minimize landed mass of a sample return mission by converting local ice into propellants. The project reduces the ISRU system to a CubeSat-scale package that weighs just 1.74 kg and consumes just 242 W of power. We estimate that use of this ISRU vs. an identical micro-lander without ISRU reduces fuel mass by 45 kg. As the dry mass of the lander grows for larger missions, these savings scale exponentially. Taking full advantage of the micro-ISRU system requires the development of a micro-liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen engine. The micro-liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen engine is tailored for the mission by scaling it to match the scale of the micro-lander and the low gravity of the target moon. We also tailor the engine for a near stoichiometric mixture ratio of 7.5. Most high-performance liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen engines inject extra liquid hydrogen to lower the average molecular weight of the exhaust, which improves specific impulse. However, this extra liquid hydroden requires additional power and processing time on the surface for the ISRU to create. This increases mission cost, and on missions within high radiation environments such as Europa, increases radiation shielding mass. The resulting engine weighs just 1.36 kg and produces 71.5 newton of thrust at 364 s specific impulse. Finally, the mission reduces landed mass by taking advantage of the SEP modules solar power to beam energy to the surface using a collimated laser. This allows us to replace an 45 kg MMRTG with a 2.5 kg resonant array. By using the combination of ISRU, a liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen engine, and beamed power, we reduce the initial mass of the lander to just 51.5 kg. When combined with an SEP module to ferry the lander to Europa the initial mission mass is just 6397 kg - low enough to be placed on an Earth escape trajectory using an Atlas V 551 launch vehicle. By comparison, we estimate a duplicate lander using an MMRTG and semi-storable propellants such as liquid oxygen-methane would result in an order of magnitude increase in initial lander mass to 445 kg. Attempting to perform the trajectory with a 450 s liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen engine would increase initial mass to approximately 135,000 kg. Using an Atlas V 1 U.S. Dollar per kg rate to Earth escape value of $27.7k per kg, just the launch savings are over $3.5 billion.

liquid↗

NASA NTRS2017

The Pulsed Fission-Fusion (PUFF) Concept for Deep Space Exploration and Terrestrial Power Generation

This team is exploring a modified Z-pinch geometry as a propulsion system, imploding a liner of liquid lithium onto a pellet containing both fission and fusion fuel. The plasma resulting from the fission and fusion burn expands against a magnetic nozzle, for propulsion, or a magnetic confinement system, for terrestrial power generation. There is considerable synergy in the concept; the lithium acts as a temporary virtual cathode, and adds reaction mass for propulsion. Further, the lithium acts as a radiation shield against generated neutrons and gamma rays. Finally, the density profile of the column can be tailored using the lithium sheath. Recent theoretical and experimental developments (e.g. tailored density profile in the fuel injection, shear stabilization, and magnetic shear stabilization) have had great success in mitigating instabilities that have plagued previous fusion efforts. This paper will review the work in evaluating the pellet sizes and z-pinch conditions for optimal PuFF propulsion. Trades of pellet size and composition with z-pinch power levels and conditions for the tamper and lithium implosion are evaluated. Current models, both theoretical and computational, show that a z-pinch can ignite a small (~1 cm radius) fission-fusion target with significant yield. Comparison is made between pure fission and boosted fission targets. Performance is shown for crewed spacecraft for high speed Mars round trip missions and near interstellar robotic missions. The PuFF concept also offers a solution for terrestrial power production. PuFF can, with recycling of the effluent, achieve near 100% burnup of fission fuel, providing a very attractive power source with minimal waste. The small size of PuFF relative to today's plants enables a more distributed power network and less exposure to natural or man-made disruptions.

Adams, Robert↗

NASA NTRS2018

Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) Handbook

Project↗

NASA NTRS2018

Nasa's Launch Communications Ground Segment for the 21st Century Florida Spaceport

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Near Earth Network (NEN) Project is implementing a new launch communications ground segment to provide services for the next generation of human and robotic space exploration systems. It will deliver unique and advanced capabilities to accelerate the transformation of Kennedy Space Center into a multi-user spaceport in cooperation with the United States Air Force (USAF). The project has leveraged commercial technologies and remote operations concepts matured in NASAs orbiting satellite ground systems to achieve dramatic lifecycle cost efficiencies as compared to the space shuttle-era ground segment. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development history, capabilities and anticipated use cases of the NEN Launch Communications Segment (NEN LCS).The NASA Kennedy Space Center is co-located with the USAF Eastern Launch Range at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The USAF operates two launch communications ground stations, but they are not designed to transmit voice, commands or other data to the launch vehicle or astronauts. The bi-directional uplink-downlink communications responsibility for human missions has historically resided with the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Several market analyses and feasibility studies investigating concepts to provide NASAs next generation launch communications services were performed during the Constellation Program prior to its cancellation in 2009, and as part of the Kennedy Space Centers follow-on efforts to transform itself into a 21st century multi-user spaceport. In 2012, the Kennedy Space Center and the USAF 45th Space Wing jointly led a study to analyze the market needs of current and future launch systems and assess the operational deficiencies of the Eastern Range infrastructure. The study team issued several recommendations, two of which ultimately became driving operational capability requirements for the NEN LCS: increased telemetry data rates of at least 20 Mbps, and S-band uplink capability. Additional capabilities identified in the requirements development process include spread spectrum modulation support, LDPC 12 and 78 error correction codes, support for IRIG-106 and CCSDS data formats, automated best source selection, and Space Link Extension (SLE) services for data distribution. The NEN LCS is comprised of two permanent ground stations, the new Kennedy Uplink Station (KUS) and refurbished Ponce de Leon (PDL) station. Both stations are remotely operated from the Global Monitor and Control Center at Wallops Flight Facility. This core architecture is extensible through host-tenant arrangements with the U.S. Air Force and deployable assets, enabling agile, tailored and robust solutions to meet the needs of civil, commercial or military customers. The NEN LCS has three use cases:1.To provide agile, tailored and robust launch communications solutions to Florida spaceport customers2.To provide orbital communications services to near-earth customers 3.To provide an experimental proving ground for Space Mobile Network concepts and technologies The NEN LCS driving mission is to support the bi-directional link with the Orion crew capsule and two 20 Mbps telemetry links from the Space Launch System core stage on Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of NASAs flagship human exploration systems.

Roberts, Christopher J.↗

NASA NTRS2018

A Study of Shape Memory Polymer Based Slat-Cove Filler

Aircraft noise reduction is an application of current intense interest for which smart materials show significant potential. Specifically, the aeroacoustic noise produced by the unsteady aerodynamic flow about the leading-edge high-lift device, such as leading-edge slat, of typical transport-aircraft wings is of particular interest. Concepts with the most promise to mitigate this noise source, most notably the slat-cove filler concept, have focused on highly reconfigurable structures that change shape between different phases of the flight envelope. These shape changes often involve large deformation, which has stimulated the consideration of shape memory materials. In recent years, shape memory materials (SMMs) have drawn greater interest for applications such as smart fabrics, intelligent medical devices, self-deployable space structures, morphing structures and packaging. Compared to other shape memory materials, like shape memory alloys (SMAs) or shape memory ceramics (SMCs), shape memory polymers (SMPs) have desirable advantages such as high elastic deformation to enable large shape change, broad tailorability of mechanical properties, potential biocompatibility and biodegradability, ductility, light weight and ease of processing. However, SMPs still have some critical disadvantages such as insufficient mechanical and thermal characteristics for structural applications, low recovery stress, and long response time. The new LaRC shape memory thermosetting polymer composite (LaRC-SMPC) discussed herein was synthesized with nontoxic monomers and conductive/magnetic fillers to yield enhanced thermal/mechanical characteristics and faster response times. LaRC-SMPCs with a variety of fiber reinforcements [Kevlar®, carbon fiber (standard and thin-ply), and carbon-nanotube (CNT) sheet] were fabricated to tailor the physical properties and test for suitability as a slat-cove filler (SCF). The performance of SCF prototypes fabricated with the developed LaRC-SMPCs was evaluated using a bench-top test apparatus. The SCFs made of Kevlar® fiber fabric or carbon fiber fabric infused shape memory polymer composite (SMPC) exhibited kinking during simulated deployment and stowage, which can be problematic during operation. The SCF made of CNT sheet/SMP composite did not exhibit kinking, but the deployment was sluggish compared to carbon fiber fabric/SMP composite. This report documents the evolution of designing SMPCs as slat-cove fillers for aircraft noise reduction. In the course of the investigation, several 2 approaches were investigated to address shortcomings in material characteristics based on performance requirements of operational slat-cove fillers.

Kang, Jin Ho↗

NASA NTRS2014

Sharepoint Team Site Configuration

The Data Mining project seeks to bring the capability of data visualization to NASA anomaly and problem reporting systems for the purpose of improving data trending, evaluations, and analyses. Currently NASA systems are tailored to meet the specific needs of its organizations. This tailoring has led to a variety of nomenclatures and levels of annotation for procedures, parts and anomalies making difficult the realization of the common causes for anomalies. Making significant observations and realizing the connection between these causes without a common way to view data is difficult to impossible. The Data Mining project is in its early stages of presenting a common visualization of normalized data through a web based portal. In this paper I detail what I have learned and what I have accomplished during my time as an intern toward the purpose of creating the project portal. I have gone through an iterative process of familiarization with the project and its goals, site design, research, modification and review on the road to creating a common method and location to view the visualized data created under this project.

iss↗

NASA NTRS2019

Hydrogen Recovery by Methane Pyrolysis to Elemental Carbon

Use of a Sabatier reactor to recover the oxygen from the carbon dioxide exhaled by the crew on the International Space Station has been limited by the loss of the hydrogen contained in the methane it generates. Maximizing the oxygen recovered requires the hydrogen to be recovered from the methane product and recycled back to the Sabatier reactor. We describe the use of a tailored methane pyrolysis reactor to completely recover this hydrogen. The carbon-containing byproduct is elemental carbon, which is generated in the form of easily handled, non-sooty material that may have various uses. The process of creating this tailored carbon vapor deposition process involved exploration of the effects of temperature, pressure, substrate design and other variables to develop a high yield process that cleanly generates the desired products. Reaction kinetics and kinetics modelling were used to specify the temperature, pressure and reactor volume required to achieve the target conversion and to assure that the final average density was as high as possible. Reactor design included the selection of materials that will survive the high temperatures and environment in the pyrolysis reactor, and thermal modeling to achieve the required temperatures with minimum power consumption. The successful construction and demonstration of a brassboard prototype will allow the results of the chemical, thermal and mechanical models to be validated and should provide a useful alternative for a completely closed loop ECLS system. Integration of this technology with state-of-the-art (SOA) Sabatier hardware on ISS requires a complete understanding of the effects of impurities in the product hydrogen on the Sabatier catalyst. SOA Sabatier catalyst was evaluated over short and long-term exposure to anticipated contaminants to identify effects.

Yates, Stephen F.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Hydrogen Recovery by Methane Pyrolysis to Elemental Carbon

Yates, Stephen F.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Summary DSG-RQMT-004, Gateway Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) Requirements Document, Initial Baseline

The Baseline Readiness Review presentation for DSG-RQMT-004 at a high level summarizes the differences between the originating standards (publicly available) and the Gateway-tailored standards (publicly available per DAA 72653). All data in the presentations are either derived from either MIL-STD-461G, SSP 30237, or SL-E-002 (Shuttle EMI spec). The Baseline Readiness Review presentation identifies why a tailored standard was necessary for Gateway (summarizes the changes made from the originating standard). Communicating this information should lead to IP and vendor Level 3 responders proposing substitute standards more in line with the Gateway requirements.

MIL-STD-464↗