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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 415 records · Page 23

Empirical models for use in designing decompression procedures for space operations

Empirical models for predicting the incidence of Type 1 altitude decompression sickness (DCS) and venous gas emboli (VGE) during space extravehicular activity (EVA), and for use in designing safe denitrogenation decompression procedures are developed. The models are parameterized using DCS and VGE incidence data from NASA and USAF manned altitude chamber decompression tests using 607 male and female subject tests. These models, and procedures for their use, consist of: (1) an exponential relaxation model and procedure for computing tissue nitrogen partial pressure resulting from a specified prebreathing and stepped decompression sequence; (2) a formula for calculating Tissue Ratio (TR), a tissue decompression stress index; (3) linear and Hill equation models for predicting the total incidence of VGE and DCS attendant with a particular TR; (4) graphs of cumulative DCS and VGE incidence (risk) versus EVA exposure time at any specified TR; and (5) two equations for calculating the average delay period for the initial detection of VGE or indication of Type 1 DCS in a group after a specific denitrogenation decompression procedure. Several examples of realistic EVA preparations are provided.

Conkin, Johnny↗

CONFIG: Integrated engineering of systems and their operation

This article discusses CONFIG 3, a prototype software tool that supports integrated conceptual design evaluation from early in the product life cycle, by supporting isolated or integrated modeling, simulation, and analysis of the function, structure, behavior, failures and operations of system designs. Integration and reuse of models is supported in an object-oriented environment providing capabilities for graph analysis and discrete event simulation. CONFIG supports integration among diverse modeling approaches (component view, configuration or flow path view, and procedure view) and diverse simulation and analysis approaches. CONFIG is designed to support integrated engineering in diverse design domains, including mechanical and electro-mechanical systems, distributed computer systems, and chemical processing and transport systems.

Malin, Jane T.↗

Analyzing Spacecraft Telecommunication Systems

Multi-Mission Telecom Analysis Tool (MMTAT) is a C-language computer program for analyzing proposed spacecraft telecommunication systems. MMTAT utilizes parameterized input and computational models that can be run on standard desktop computers to perform fast and accurate analyses of telecommunication links. MMTAT is easy to use and can easily be integrated with other software applications and run as part of almost any computational simulation. It is distributed as either a stand-alone application program with a graphical user interface or a linkable library with a well-defined set of application programming interface (API) calls. As a stand-alone program, MMTAT provides both textual and graphical output. The graphs make it possible to understand, quickly and easily, how telecommunication performance varies with variations in input parameters. A delimited text file that can be read by any spreadsheet program is generated at the end of each run. The API in the linkable-library form of MMTAT enables the user to control simulation software and to change parameters during a simulation run. Results can be retrieved either at the end of a run or by use of a function call at any time step.

Kordon, Mark↗

Evaluation of SLAR and thematic mapper MSS data for forest cover mapping using computer-aided analysis techniques

To facilitate comparison between the four different spatial resolution of the NS-001 MSS data sets, a supervised approach was taken in defining training blocks for each of the different cover types. The training fields representing each cover type category were grouped and this group was clustered to determine the individual spectral classes within each cover type category which would effectively characterize the entire test site. Graphs show the variation in spectral response level with respect to distance in the across track dimension for four sampling intervals. Radar digitization procedures were developd. Flight characteristics and parameters for digitization of radar imagery are tabulated. The statement of work for phase 3 was reviewed and modifications were suggested to meet funding reduction.

Hoffer, R. M.↗

Distinguishing vegetation from soil background information

In aircraft and satellite multispectral scanner data, soil background signals are superimposed on or intermingled with information about vegetation. A procedure which accounts for soil background would, therefore, make a considerable contribution to an operational use of Landsat and other spectral data for monitoring the productivity of range, forest, and crop lands. A description is presented of an investigation which was conducted to obtain information for the development of such a procedure. The investigation included a study of the soil reflectance that supplies the background signal of vegetated surfaces. Landsat data as recorded on computer compatible tapes were used in the study. The results of the investigation are discussed, taking into account a study reported by Kauth and Thomas (1976). Attention is given to the determination of Kauth's plane of soils, sun angle effects, vegetation index modeling, and the evaluation of vegetation indexes. Graphs are presented which show the results obtained with a gray mapping technique. The technique makes it possible to display plant, soil, water, and cloud conditions for any Landsat overpass.

Richardson, A. J.↗

Integrated risk/cost planning models for the US Air Traffic system

A prototype network planning model for the U.S. Air Traffic control system is described. The model encompasses the dual objectives of managing collision risks and transportation costs where traffic flows can be related to these objectives. The underlying structure is a network graph with nonseparable convex costs; the model is solved efficiently by capitalizing on its intrinsic characteristics. Two specialized algorithms for solving the resulting problems are described: (1) truncated Newton, and (2) simplicial decomposition. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated using data collected from a control center in the Midwest. Computational results with different computer systems are presented, including a vector supercomputer (CRAY-XMP). The risk/cost model has two primary uses: (1) as a strategic planning tool using aggregate flight information, and (2) as an integrated operational system for forecasting congestion and monitoring (controlling) flow throughout the U.S. In the latter case, access to a supercomputer is required due to the model's enormous size.

Mulvey, J. M.↗

The Use of Higher-Order Difference Methods in Beam Vibration Analysis

Simple and higher-order difference methods for the solution for the natural frequencies of vibration of a uniform beam are compared. The same basic higher-order method is used throughout for the interior cells, but three different methods of boundary-condition representation are given. Tables and graphs of the error in mode frequencies, as compared with a continuous beam, are given for the various methods as a function of the number of cells. It is concluded that higher-order methods improve accuracy for a given number of cells, with essentially no change in the quantity of computing equipment required.

Greenwood, Donald T.↗

Scale effect and optimum relations for sea surface planning

From the general dimensional and mechanical similarity theory it follows that a condition of steady motion of a given shape\bottom with constant speed on the surface of water is determined by four nondimensional parameters. By considering the various systems of independent parameters which are applied in theory and practice and special tests, there is determined their mutual relations and their suitability as planning characteristics. In studying the scale effect on the basis of the Prnndtl formula for the friction coefficient for a turbulent condition the order of magnitude is given of the error in applying the model data to full scale in the case of a single-step bottom For a bottom of complicated shape it is shown how from the test data of the hydrodynamic characteristics for one speed with various loads, or one load with various speeds, there may be obtained by simple computation with good approximation the hydrodynamic characteristics for a different speed or for a different load. (These considerations may be of use in solving certain problems on the stability of planning.) This permits extrapolating the curve of resistance against speed for large speeds inaccessible in the tank tests or for other loads which were not tested. The data obtained by computation are in good agreement with the test results. Problems regarding the optimum trim angle or the optimum width in the case of planning of a flat plate are considered from the point of view of the minimum resistance for a given load on the water and planning speeds. Formulas and graphs are given for the optimum value of the planning coefficient and the corresponding values of the trim angle and width of the flat plate.

Sedov, L.↗

Comparing morphologies of drainage basins on Mars and Earth using integral-geometry and neural maps

We compare morphologies of drainage basins on Mars and Earth in order to confine the formation process of Martian valley networks. Basins on both planets are computationally extracted from digital topography. Integral-geometry methods are used to represent each basin by a circularity function that encapsulates its internal structure. The shape of such a function is an indicator of the style of fluvial erosion. We use the self-organizing map technique to construct a similarity graph for all basins. The graph reveals systematic differences between morphologies of basins on the two planets. This dichotomy indicates that terrestrial and Martian surfaces were eroded differently. We argue that morphologies of Martian basins are incompatible with runoff from sustained, homogeneous rainfall. Fluvial environments compatible with observed morphologies are discussed. We also construct a similarity graph based on the comparison of basins hypsometric curves to demonstrate that hypsometry is incapable of discriminating between terrestrial and Martian basins. INDEX TERMS: 1824 Hydrology: Geomorphology (1625); 1886 Hydrology: Weathering (1625); 5415 Planetology: Solid Surface Planets: Erosion and weathering; 6225 Planetology: Solar System Objects Mars. Citation: Stepinski, T. F., and S. Coradetti (2004), Comparing morphologies of drainage basins on Mars and Earth using integral-ge

Stepinski, T. F.↗

Biological Research and Space Health Enabled by Machine Learning to Support Deep Space Missions

A key science goal of the NASA “Moon to Mars” campaign is to understand how biology responds to the Lunar, Martian, and deep space environments in order to advance fundamental knowledge, reduce risk, and support safe, productive human space missions. Through the powerful emerging computer science approaches of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), a paradigm shift has begun in biomedical science and engineered astronaut health systems, to enable Earth-independence and autonomy of mission operations. We present a decadal view of AI/ML architecture to support deep space mission goals, developed in concert with leaders in the field. We describe current AI/ML methods to support 1) fundamental biology, 2) in situ analytics, 3) high performance computing hardware, 4) automated science, 5) self-driving labs, 6) remote data management, 7) integrated real-time mission biomonitoring, and 8) a Precision Space Health system. Cutting-edge AI/ML approaches that can be integrated to support these domains include active learning, explainable AI, adaptive learning, causal inference, knowledge graphs, federated learning, transfer learning, and large language models. Finally, we present results from several current ML projects that are underway in the field to address key challenges of small sample n, high feature count, heterogeneity, and sparse data. These include 1) connecting omics data to phenotypic data using an ensemble model to infer causality of spaceflight rodent liver health disruption, 2) usage of explainable ML to interrogate the muscular underpinnings of spaceflight muscle atrophy, 3) ML models analyzing and determining directed acyclic graphs of human space health risk leveraging rodent bone datasets, 4) usage of large pre-trained models connecting biomedical knowledgebases with small spaceflight datasets to understand gene-to-gene interaction networks, and 5) a suite of benchmarked open science datasets (spaceflight mouse liver; radiation DNA damage) enabling programmers to identify the best ML algorithms to answer space biological science questions.

space biology↗

Biological Research and Space Health Enabled by Machine Learning to Support Deep Space Missions

A key science goal of the NASA “Moon to Mars” campaign is to understand how biology responds to the Lunar, Martian, and deep space environments in order to advance fundamental knowledge, reduce risk, and support safe, productive human space missions. Through the powerful emerging computer science approaches of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), a paradigm shift has begun in biomedical science and engineered astronaut health systems, to enable Earth-independence and autonomy of mission operations. We present a decadal view of AI/ML architecture to support deep space mission goals, developed in concert with leaders in the field. We describe current AI/ML methods to support 1) fundamental biology, 2) in situ analytics, 3) high performance computing hardware, 4) automated science, 5) self-driving labs, 6) remote data management, 7) integrated real-time mission biomonitoring, and 8) a Precision Space Health system. Cutting-edge AI/ML approaches that can be integrated to support these domains include active learning, explainable AI, adaptive learning, causal inference, knowledge graphs, federated learning, transfer learning, and large language models. Finally, we present results from several current ML projects that are underway in the field to address key challenges of small sample n, high feature count, heterogeneity, and sparse data. These include 1) connecting omics data to phenotypic data using an ensemble model to infer causality of spaceflight rodent liver health disruption, 2) usage of explainable ML to interrogate the muscular underpinnings of spaceflight muscle atrophy, 3) ML models analyzing and determining directed acyclic graphs of human space health risk leveraging rodent bone datasets, 4) usage of large pre-trained models connecting biomedical knowledgebases with small spaceflight datasets to understand gene-to-gene interaction networks, and 5) a suite of benchmarked open science datasets (spaceflight mouse liver; radiation DNA damage) enabling programmers to identify the best ML algorithms to answer space biological science questions.

space biology↗

The dynamics and control of large flexible space structures-IV

The effects of solar radiation pressure as the main environmental disturbance torque were incorporated into the model of the rigid orbiting shallow shell and computer simulation results indicate that within the linear range the rigid modal amplitudes are excited in proportion to the area to mass ratio. The effect of higher order terms in the gravity-gradient torque expressions previously neglected was evaluated and found to be negligible for the size structures under consideration. A graph theory approach was employed for calculating the eigenvalues of a large flexible system by reducing the system (stiffness) matrix to lower ordered submatrices. The related reachability matrix and term rank concepts are used to verify controllability and can be more effective than the alternate numerical rank tests. Control laws were developed for the shape and orientation control of the orbiting flexible shallow shell and numerical results presented.

Bainum, P. M.↗

A transputer based finite element solver

The feasibility of performing FEM structural-mechanics analyses on transputer systems is investigated experimentally. Transputers are programmable microprocessors equipped with local memory and point-to-point communication links; they can be joined in a large concurrent system via a programming language which supports distributed processing; this permits parallel processing at relatively low hardware cost. The computational tasks required by FEM programs are reviewed; the hardware (one PC, one master transputer, and 12 slave transputers) employed in the test calculations is described; and results demonstrating the speed and efficiency of the transputer array in assembling a global stiffness matrix and performing Gauss-Jordan matrix inversion are presented in graphs. It is predicted that larger transputer networks could approach the power of supercomputers at minicomputer costs.

Favenesi, J. A.↗

Verifying an interactive consistency circuit: A case study in the reuse of a verification technology

The work done at ORA for NASA-LRC in the design and formal verification of a hardware implementation of a scheme for attaining interactive consistency (byzantine agreement) among four microprocessors is presented in view graph form. The microprocessors used in the design are an updated version of a formally verified 32-bit, instruction-pipelined, RISC processor, MiniCayuga. The 4-processor system, which is designed under the assumption that the clocks of all the processors are synchronized, provides software control over the interactive consistency operation. Interactive consistency computation is supported as an explicit instruction on each of the microprocessors. An identical user program executing on each of the processors decides when and on what data interactive consistency must be performed. This exercise also served as a case study to investigate the effectiveness of reusing the technology which was developed during the MiniCayuga effort for verifying synchronous hardware designs. MiniCayuga was verified using the verification system Clio which was also developed at ORA. To assist in reusing this technology, a computer-aided specification and verification tool was developed. This tool specializes Clio to synchronous hardware designs and significantly reduces the tedium involved in verifying such designs. The tool is presented and how it was used to specify and verify the interactive consistency circuit is described.

Bickford, Mark↗

The Open Data Repositorys Data Publisher

Data management and data publication are becoming increasingly important components of researcher's workflows. The complexity of managing data, publishing data online, and archiving data has not decreased significantly even as computing access and power has greatly increased. The Open Data Repository's Data Publisher software strives to make data archiving, management, and publication a standard part of a researcher's workflow using simple, web-based tools and commodity server hardware. The publication engine allows for uploading, searching, and display of data with graphing capabilities and downloadable files. Access is controlled through a robust permissions system that can control publication at the field level and can be granted to the general public or protected so that only registered users at various permission levels receive access. Data Publisher also allows researchers to subscribe to meta-data standards through a plugin system, embargo data publication at their discretion, and collaborate with other researchers through various levels of data sharing. As the software matures, semantic data standards will be implemented to facilitate machine reading of data and each database will provide a REST application programming interface for programmatic access. Additionally, a citation system will allow snapshots of any data set to be archived and cited for publication while the data itself can remain living and continuously evolve beyond the snapshot date. The software runs on a traditional LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) server and is available on GitHub (http://github.com/opendatarepository) under a GPLv2 open source license. The goal of the Open Data Repository is to lower the cost and training barrier to entry so that any researcher can easily publish their data and ensure it is archived for posterity.

Astrobiology data↗

From computer images to video presentation: Enhancing technology transfer

With NASA placing increased emphasis on transferring technology to outside industry, NASA researchers need to evaluate many aspects of their efforts in this regard. Often it may seem like too much self-promotion to many researchers. However, industry's use of video presentations in sales, advertising, public relations and training should be considered. Today, the most typical presentation at NASA is through the use of vu-graphs (overhead transparencies) which can be effective for text or static presentations. For full blown color and sound presentations, however, the best method is videotape. In fact, it is frequently more convenient due to its portability and the availability of viewing equipment. This talk describes techniques for creating a video presentation through the use of a combined researcher and video professional team.

Beam, Sherilee F.↗

Impact damage in composite plates

The objective of this research paper was to link two computer codes, PDCOMP (for Progressive Damage Analysis for Laminated Composites) and 3DIMPACT (for the prediction of the extent of delaminations in laminated composites resulting from point impact loads), in order to predict impact damage by taking into account local damage and material degradation and to estimate residual stiffness of composites after impact. The resulting graphs and analysis versus test results are presented along with the conclusive results of the codes' performances.

Shahid, I.↗

Evaluation of All-Day-Efficiency for selected flat plate and evacuated tube collectors

An evaluation of all day efficiency for selected flat plate and evacuated tube collectors is presented. Computations are based on a modified version of the NBSIR 78-1305A procedure for all day efficiency. The ASHMET and NOAA data bases for solar insolation are discussed. Details of the algorithm used to convert total (global) horizontal radiation to the collector tilt plane of the selected sites are given along with tables and graphs which show the results of the tests performed during this evaluation.

Source record↗