SEARCH · Engineering Papers
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.
The National Transonic Facility (NTF) was designed to be a national testing facility satisfying the research and development needs of NASA, DOD, industry, and universities. The NTF offers simulation of full scale Reynolds numbers in the critical flight regions of most current and planned aerospace vehicles. The degree of interest by users will depend greatly upon tunnel productivity, data quality, and cost.
The early mission model was developed through a survey of the potential user market. Service functions were defined and a group of design reference missions were selected which represented needs for each of the service functions. Servicing concepts were developed through mission analysis and STS timeline constraint analysis. The hardware needs for accomplishing the service functions were identified with emphasis being placed on applying equipment in the current NASA inventory and that in advanced stages of planning. A more comprehensive service model was developed based on the NASA and DoD mission models segregated by mission class. The number of service events of each class were estimated based on average revisit and service assumptions. Service Kits were defined as collections of equipment applicable to performing one or more service functions. Preliminary design was carrid out on a selected set of hardware needed for early service missions. The organization and costing of the satellie service systems were addressed.
The conclusions and recommendations from a three-day NASA sponsored workshop to assess deficiencies and shortcomings of previously flown electro-optical space sensors are summarized. Space technologists for NASA, NOAA, DOD, and industry also developed recommendations for improving instrumentation and calibration technology. The conclusions reached include the fact that the past knowledge of in-orbit radiometric accuracy has been poor relative to available calibration standards, whereas stringent accuracy requirements for planned NASA programs will require significant SOA improvements. The Shuttle contamination environment may also compromise future sensor accuracy. A number of panel recommendations to improve in-orbit accuracy of future sensors will be summarized, including one to establish a set of National Standards for Remote Sensors at NBS as a basis for long term accuracy.
This paper summarizes anticipated onboard navigation accuracies and user system characteristics for near-earth spacecraft. Alternate onboard systems configurations using inputs from the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) and the DOD NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) are described. Initial simulation results indicate that TDRSS will provide accuracies of 100 meters or less, and GPS can permit user spacecraft orbit determination to within 10 meters. Specific GPS user equipment developments for Landsat-D and Shuttle are outlined, along with future low-cost versions of these systems.
A detailed introduction is given to a wide variety of orbital cryogenic liquid storage and supply systems required for future vehicles by NASA and DOD. The systems include small cooling applications, large chemical and electrical orbit transfer vehicles and resupply tankers, and all have the common requirements of low-g fluid management for the accomplishment of gas-free liquid expulsion, and efficient thermal control in order to manage heat leak and tank pressure. The present study considers hydrogen, oxygen, methane, argon and helium tanks ranging from 0.6 to 37.4 cu m. Conceptual designs were generated for each tank system, and fluid dynamic, structural and thermal analyses were performed in view of Shuttle requirements.
NASA is examining the merits of a significant expansion of its avionics, controls, and human factors technology program for the 1980's. The rationale for an expanded program is related to two factors. One factor is related to a utilization of recent and anticipated significant advances in microelectronics. The second factor is the need to develop new concepts in avionics and control systems for more efficient aircraft operation and better utilization of extremely limited airport capacity. Substantial benefits could be realized in three major categories, including improved aircraft efficiency, improved flight operations, and improved/extended operational capability. The NASA Avionics, Controls, and Human Factors Technology Plan is the report of a task force of agency personnel working in close cooperation with industry, DOD, and FAA. Attention is given to the NASA role, aircraft controls, crew station technology, flight management, integration and interfacing, commercial transports, general aviation, rotorcraft, V/STOL, and high performance aircraft.
The application of NAVSTAR GPS to the problems of PTTI dissemination is discussed. A short review of the GPS concept lead to a detailed description of the implementation of time transfer through NAVSTAR GPS. Time was followed from the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) through the ground control, satellite, and receiving segments of GPS to the user's clock system. The three options by which a user's system can receive from the GPS receivers, currently under development by the DOD, are defined in detail. The electrical/digital/mechanical interface parameters along with suggested methods for their use are outlined for each option. A detailed error model is also presented for the traceability of UTC (GPS) to UTC (USNO). Real time synchronization between stationary users on the time continent can be controlled to within a few nanoseconds, and absolute post processed time offset with UTC (USNO) measured within 25 nanoseconds or better. A discussion of some of the potential work around techniques and their applications are included.
The Scout Launch Vehicle Program to utilize solid propellant rockets by the DOD and to provide a reliable, low cost vehicle for scientific and applications aircraft is discussed. The program's history is reviewed and a vehicle description is given. The Vandenberg Air Force Base and the San Marco launch sites are described, and capabilities such as payload weight, orbital inclinations, payload volume and mission integration time spans are discussed. Current and future plans for improvement, including larger heat shields and individual rocket motors are also reviewed.
The simulator contains a transponder compatible with the NASA Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network, a transponder compatible with the DOD Space Ground Link System, and associated command detector units and telemetry multiplexer/modulators. It is pointed out that during selected ESTL tests, the actual payload transponder will be configured with the Payload Communications Simulator (PCS) telemetry multiplexer and modulators to form a complete payload communication system. A block diagram of the PCS is included.
The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS), currently being developed by the DOD, is a space based navigation system that will provide the user with precise position, velocity, and time information on a 24 hour basis, in all weather conditions and at any point on the globe. The baseline GPS system will provide guaranteed high accuracy to only a limited number of users, mostly the military. The civilian community has to devise a variation of this system to allow for an assured, uninterrupted level of accuracy. Differential GPS provides such a capability. In connection with the conceived possibility of the use of GPS by an enemy, it is found to be necessary to implement a selective availability technical capability. Differential GPS provides an approach for the civilian community to have a guaranteed level of accuracy better than the 250 meters presently planned for GPS.
The Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) is an advanced upper stage concept which will deliver spacecraft from operating systems at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) such as Space Shuttle, Earth-To-Orbit (ETO) vehicles, and Space Operations Center (SOC), to High Earth Orbit (HEO) and planetary excursions. The OTV will be driven by the need to achieve significant reductions in the operational costs for delivering payloads to Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO). Aeroassist is a technological capability that has a potential for OTV's ranging from mission enhancing (reusable OTV for payload delivery) to mission enabling (manned GEO and some DOD). It is shown that the use of aeroassist for OTV's is a high leverage technology which can potentially reduce space transportation costs and enable a number of highly desirable missions.
In 1977 NASA published Shuttle Reimbursement Policies for Civil U.S. Government, DOD and Commercial and Foreign Users. These policies were based on the principle of total cost recovery over a period of time with a fixed flat price for initial period to time to enhance transition. This fixed period was to be followed with annual adjustments thereafter, NASA is establishing a new price for 1986 and beyond. In order to recover costs, that price must be higher than the initial fixed price through FY 1985. NASA intends to remain competitive. Competitive posture includes not only price, but other factors such as assured launch, reliability, and unique services. NASA's pricing policy considers all these factors.
An overview of NASA's oceanic remote sensing plans is given, focusing on an attempt to obtain time-varying three-dimensional structure data of the ocean. The first mission is the National Oceanic Satellite System, which is designed to perform an operational demonstration of global sea surface monitoring for NOAA and DOD. TOPEX is the second mission, and it is designed to observe the surface topography of the ocean in order to determine the absolute geostrophic velocity field of the ocean. The third mission, Ocean SAR, has not been defined, but the areas of physical interpretation of oceanic imagery, selection of optimal frequency and depression angle for specific observational needs, and real-time image processing must be considered. It is hoped that oceanic satellite missions will be optimally exploited by the end of the decade.
A review is made of historical developments of NASA-launched payloads as a basis for projecting payload operations configured to fit the Shuttle's capabilities, and the impetus for new spacecraft and applications designs is discussed. Payloads have experienced a growth in size and weight, capacity and lifetime, and have increasingly featured more automation, microminiaturized circuitry, and data processing systems. Launches by the DoD and NASA have averaged about 20/yr. Spacecraft specifically configured for Shuttle launch have had to wait due to development schedule delays. Partial compensation has occurred by the use of the MMS, which fits into both the Delta nose cone and the Orbiter bay. The Landsat-4 and SMM are cited as examples. Successful demonstration of in-orbit servicing of satellites is required in order to attract spacecraft designers who will make full use of the Shuttle's capabilities. Finally, increased standardization of spacecraft shape, interfaces, and components is foreseeen.
Orbiter-based service equipment needs/usage are identified by considering a broad spectrum of on-orbit operational scenarios associated with three primary mission events: initial launch, revisits, and Earth return. Nominal and alternate modes of operation, contingency situations (as remote manipulator system inoperative), and Orbiter close proximity operations are included. Satellite classes considered are direct delivery and servicing of the orbiter, low Earth orbiter/propulsion, sorties and DOD, geosatellites, and planetary and other satellites.
The helicopter and general aviation, light transport, and commercial transport aircraft share common icing requirements: highly effective, lightweight, low power consuming deicing systems, and detailed knowledge of the aeropenalties due to ice on aircraft surfaces. To meet current and future needs, NASA has a broadbased icing research program which covers both research and engineering applications, and is well coordinated with the FAA, DOD, universities, industry, and some foreign governments. Research activity in ice protection systems, icing instrumentation, experimental methods, analytical modeling, and in-flight research are described.
This manual addresses corrosion problems in the design, contruction, and maintenance of rapid transit systems. Design and maintenance solutions are provided for each problem covered. The scope encompasses all facilities of urban rapid transit systems: structures and tracks, platforms and stations, power and signals, and cars. The types of corrosion and their causes as well as rapid transit properties are described. Corrosion control committees, and NASA, DOD, and ASTM specifications and design criteria to which reference is made in the manual are listed. A bibliography of papers and excerpts of reports is provided and a glossary of frequently used terms is included.
The administration and organization are described and analyzed. Policies on manpower and the budgetary process for contracting for research development, the structure of NASA-DOD relations, and program planning are discussed.