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At least 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Landsat 9 Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 Preliminary Stray Light Assessment

Although the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) is a nearidentical copy of the Landsat 8/TIRS-1 instrument, an important design change to the optical system was designed to mitigate the stray light issue that plagued the TIRS-1 instrument [1, 2, 3]. This change involved the addition of several baffles strategically placed within the optical telescope to block the stray light paths that were present in the TIRS- 1 design. The specific optical changes were determined by first characterizing the TIRS-1 stray light paths on-orbit and then deriving a detailed optical model that was used to determine the locations and shapes of the mitigating baffles. The stray light design changes to the TIRS-2 instrument were confirmed through the initial thermal-vacuum characterization tests. Preliminary assessments of TIRS-2 indicate that the total stray light magnitude has been drastically reduced to a total magnitude of approximately 1% or less.

Montanar, Matthew↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Single-Lap Joint Adhesive Bonding Optimization Method Using Gradient and Genetic Algorithms

A natural process for any engineer, scientist, educator, etc. is to seek the most efficient method for accomplishing a given task. In the case of structural design, an area that has a significant impact on the structural efficiency is joint design. Unless the structure is machined from a solid block of material, the individual components which compose the overall structure must be joined together. The method for joining a structure varies depending on the applied loads, material, assembly and disassembly requirements, service life, environment, etc. Using both metallic and fiber reinforced plastic materials limits the user to two methods or a combination of these methods for joining the components into one structure. The first is mechanical fastening and the second is adhesive bonding. Mechanical fastening is by far the most popular joining technique; however, in terms of structural efficiency, adhesive bonding provides a superior joint since the load is distributed uniformly across the joint. The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for optimizing single-lap joint adhesive bonded structures using both gradient and genetic algorithms and comparing the solution process for each method. The goal of the single-lap joint optimization is to find the most efficient structure that meets the imposed requirements while still remaining as lightweight, economical, and reliable as possible. For the single-lap joint, an optimum joint is determined by minimizing the weight of the overall joint based on constraints from adhesive strengths as well as empirically derived rules. The analytical solution of the sin-le-lap joint is determined using the classical Goland-Reissner technique for case 2 type adhesive joints. Joint weight minimization is achieved using a commercially available routine, Design Optimization Tool (DOT), for the gradient solution while an author developed method is used for the genetic algorithm solution. Results illustrate the critical design variables as a function of adhesive properties and convergences of different joints based on the two optimization methods.

Smeltzer, Stanley S., III↗
NASA NTRS2018

Characterizing Material Scalability for Ultralight Lattice Design

Stiff yet ultra-light lattice structures constructed using digital materials have many practical applications as the building block for aircraft and other structures. By furthering our understanding of how material configuration affects the structural properties of an ultralight lattice, we can intelligently design these structures based on their intended function. Here we compare the behavior of ultralight lattice structures when fabricated by different materials. The individual unit cells of the lattice structures are referred to as voxels. The stiffness, elastic modulus, and yield strength of the specimens in compression and tension are determined through mechanical testing. Specimens are tested both as single voxel as well as 4x4x4 voxel constructions on an Instron 5982 Universal Testing System until failure. Each voxel is manufactured in bulk through injection molding, with a unit cell pitch of 76.2 mm. Individual voxels are fastened with machine screws and nuts to create assemblies. Four separate materials are used as voxel compositions in this experiment. These include a homogeneous polymer referred to as Ultem 1000, a glass-fiber reinforced polymer referred to as Ultem 2200, a polymer with chopped carbon fibers as 30% of its fill, and homogenous polypropylene. This work compares mechanical behavior, as well as the convergence behavior of the lattice as the size of the lattice assembly increases for various materials. The goal of this study is to characterize the behavior of homogenous lattices such that heterogenous lattices can be designed with different material voxels to achieve target material properties for ultralight space applications.

Sajjadi, Afsheen↗
NASA NTRS1992

A VLSI implementation of DCT using pass transistor technology

A VLSI design for performing the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) operation on image blocks of size 16 x 16 in a real time fashion operating at 34 MHz (worst case) is presented. The process used was Hewlett-Packard's CMOS26--A 3 metal CMOS process with a minimum feature size of 0.75 micron. The design is based on Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) cells which make use of a modified Booth recoding algorithm for performing multiplication. The design of these cells is straight forward, and the layouts are regular with no complex routing. Two versions of these MAC cells were designed and their layouts completed. Both versions were simulated using SPICE to estimate their performance. One version is slightly faster at the cost of larger silicon area and higher power consumption. An improvement in speed of almost 20 percent is achieved after several iterations of simulation and re-sizing.

Kamath, S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

On the undetected error probability of a concatenated coding scheme for error control

Consider a concatenated coding scheme for error control on a binary symmetric channel, called the inner channel. The bit error rate (BER) of the channel is correspondingly called the inner BER, and is denoted by Epsilon (sub i). Two linear block codes, C(sub f) and C(sub b), are used. The inner code C(sub f), called the frame code, is an (n,k) systematic binary block code with minimum distance, d(sub f). The frame code is designed to correct + or fewer errors and simultaneously detect gamma (gamma +) or fewer errors, where + + gamma + 1 = to or d(sub f). The outer code C(sub b) is either an (n(sub b), K(sub b)) binary block with a n(sub b) = mk, or an (n(sub b), k(Sub b) maximum distance separable (MDS) code with symbols from GF(q), where q = 2(b) and the code length n(sub b) satisfies n(sub)(b) = mk. The integerim is the number of frames. The outercode is designed for error detection only.

Deng, H.↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Brief Description of My Projects

My internship was in the IDC which consist of a machine shop and an array of design space. During my tour I worked on a wide variety of projects some of which included design, research, machining and fabrication. I gained further knowledge on some machines that I have had prior experience on such as the lathe and Hurco CNC machines. The first thing we did was complete our checkout in the machine shop which went pretty well, since I was already familiar with most of the machines. I also did a couple of practice parts on some of the machines, I made a name block on the CNC machine and I also used the vertical milling machine to complete this project. One of the other projects that I did was machine a hammer with my initials with the use of the lathe and CNC machine, this project took much longer since I had to set up a cylindrical piece on the CNC machine. The first project that I began work on was the Systems Engineering & Management Advancement Program (SEPMAP) Hexacopter project and helped them to assemble and modify one of their particle capture doors on their boxes. After a while we ended up helping them make a hinge and holes to reduce the weight of their design. We helped the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) team a bit with some of their name tags and assembly of some of their underwater parts. One of the more challenging projects was a rail that came in with a rather weirdly drawn part. The biggest project that I worked on was the solar array project. Which consisted of a variety of machining and 3D printing and it took me about 3 different times of re-designing to come up with a final prototype. Along with this project I also had to complete a project in which I had to modify a thermos. This was rather simple since I just had to draw up a part and print it out on the 3D printer. I also learned how to use Pro E/Creo parametric to design a square block and print it on the 3D Printer. All of these projects increased my experience on all of the machines and equipment that I used. I also got to tweak my design skills and better understand how to modify my designs and how to improve those specific designs.

Barnes, Tobin↗
NASA NTRS1980

OPDOT: A computer program for the optimum preliminary design of a transport airplane

A description of a computer program, OPDOT, for the optimal preliminary design of transport aircraft is given. OPDOT utilizes constrained parameter optimization to minimize a performance index (e.g., direct operating cost per block hour) while satisfying operating constraints. The approach in OPDOT uses geometric descriptors as independent design variables. The independent design variables are systematically iterated to find the optimum design. The technical development of the program is provided and a program listing with sample input and output are utilized to illustrate its use in preliminary design. It is not meant to be a user's guide, but rather a description of a useful design tool developed for studying the application of new technologies to transport airplanes.

Sliwa, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Thermoelectric converter for SP-100 space reactor power system

Conductively coupling the thermoelectric converter to the heat source and the radiator maximizes the utilization of the reactor and radiator temperatures and thereby minimizes the power system weight. This paper presents the design for the converter and the individual thermoelectric cells that are the building block modules for the converter. It also summarizes progress on the fabrication of initial cells and the results obtained from the preparation of a manufacturing plan. The design developed for the SP-100 system utilizes thermally conductive compliant pads that can absorb the displacement and distortion caused by the combinations of temperatures and thermal expansion coefficients. The converter and cell designs provided a 100 kWe system which met the system requirements. Initial cells were fabricated and tested.

Terrill, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Application of computational fluid dynamics to the design of the film cooled STME subscale nozzle for the National Launch System

The status of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations for the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) film/dump cooled nozzle design is presented, with an emphasis on the timely impact of CFD on the design of the sub-scale nozzle coolant system. The following aspects of the sub-scale coolant delivery system were analyzed with CFD: 1) a design trade study of a mechanical flow splitting device for uniform distribution of the subsonic cavity flow, 2) a design trade study of the subsonic cavity lip to achieve film integrity, and 3) an analysis of the primary flow interaction with the core/secondary coolant streams. All design calculations were performed with the Generalized Aerodynamic Simulation Program (GASP), a 3-D, multi-block, generalized Navier-Stokes code capable of solving with frozen, finite-rate or equilibrium chemical kinetics. The initial design of the subsonic cavity flow used square posts to distribute the sonic orifice jets into a uniform flow. Calculations for this design indicated that an unacceptable mal-distribution of film occurred. Design modifications involving curved and slotted posts were computed in an effort to uniformly distribute the secondary coolant flow. Analysis of these configurations showed that although the flowfield improved in uniformity, it was still unacceptable, especially at higher feed pressures. Results from these studies were then incorporated into a design that resulted in the insertion of a porous metal ring into the subsonic cavity. Subsequent water flow model studies showed that this concept was successful in uniformly distributing flow exiting the cavity. In addition to the design of the subsonic cavity, CFD was also used to analyze the secondary coolant lip and the primary flow interaction with the core/secondary coolant streams. A series of calculations were first performed to modify the subsonic cavity lip contour. The flow over the modified lip was then computed simultaneously with the primary injectors to determine the impact of the subsonic coolant stream on the primary slot jets. Pressure, temperature, velocity, and coolant mass fraction contours are presented for these configurations. Information is given in viewgraph form.

Garrett, Joseph L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Payload retention fittings for space shuttle payload ground handling mechanism

New ground fittings for Space Shuttle payload handling were designed, built, and tested by Government and contractor personnel at the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, from May 1981 through November 1982. Design evolution of the Space Shuttle Orbiter payload retention fittings, which contained a load-sensitive split bushing in a pillow-block housing, created an incompatibility between the interfacing ground and airborne equipment. New fittings were designed and successfully used beginning with the fifth Space Shuttle flight, STS-5. An active hydraulic spring system containing a gas accumulator in the hydraulic system provided the load relief required to protect the Orbiter bushing from damage.

Cassisi, V.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Tribology Induced Water Pump Bearing Failure

NASA’s In-Space Propulsion facility experienced two infant mortality water pump bearing failures during a recent refurbishment campaign, the cause or causes of which were unclear. A forensic failure study was undertaken that included site visits, collection and examination of physical evidence and a bearing and pump design review. The pumps are large (2000 hp) vertical turbine design machines that utilize metallic sleeve bearings cooled and lubricated by the pumped fluid (water). Though initial possible root cause for the failures were attributed to improper fabrication and debris contamination, detailed examination of failure surfaces combined with bearing design revealed that the failure mode was thermal seizure brought on by inadequate cooling flow. An unusual contributing factor was that the use of grease as an assembly lubricant, as opposed to a fluid like oil, appears to have exacerbated the rather than alleviated the thermal runaway by blocking water flow. Resolution of the problem was achieved through the design and installation of dedicated bearing lubrication water feed system.

bearings↗
NASA NTRS1988

Strawman Optical Reception Development Antenna (SORDA)

A strawman design of a ground-based station for receiving optical communications from deep space is presented. This strawman will serve as a basis for further study and design refinement. The recommendation to build rather than to use an existing facility is explained. Parameters of the design were selected to postulate a workable system, starting with a 10 m diameter, hexagonally segmented, f/0.5 primary mirror. The effects of variations of design parameters on performance and cost are discussed. Some design formulas are included. An electro-optical functional block diagram is presented and discussed. Cost calculations are based on a previous cost model for the hardware or on typical construction costs per unit area for several types of facilities. Other cost factors are included in the usual way for Construction of Facilities. The ratio of high and low reasonable values was less than a factor of 2, with a best estimate of under $16,000,000.

Kerr, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Design sensitivity analysis of boundary element substructures

The ability to reduce or condense a three-dimensional model exactly, and then iterate on this reduced size model representing the parts of the design that are allowed to change in an optimization loop is discussed. The discussion presents the results obtained from an ongoing research effort to exploit the concept of substructuring within the structural shape optimization context using a Boundary Element Analysis (BEA) formulation. The first part contains a formulation for the exact condensation of portions of the overall boundary element model designated as substructures. The use of reduced boundary element models in shape optimization requires that structural sensitivity analysis can be performed. A reduced sensitivity analysis formulation is then presented that allows for the calculation of structural response sensitivities of both the substructured (reduced) and unsubstructured parts of the model. It is shown that this approach produces significant computational economy in the design sensitivity analysis and reanalysis process by facilitating the block triangular factorization and forward reduction and backward substitution of smaller matrices. The implementatior of this formulation is discussed and timings and accuracies of representative test cases presented.

Kane, James H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Conceptual definition of a high voltage power supply test facility

NASA Lewis Research Center is presently developing a 60 GHz traveling wave tube for satellite cross-link communications. The operating voltage for this new tube is - 20 kV. There is concern about the high voltage insulation system and NASA is planning a space station high voltage experiment that will demonstrate both the 60 GHz communications and high voltage electronics technology. The experiment interfaces, requirements, conceptual design, technology issues and safety issues are determined. A block diagram of the high voltage power supply test facility was generated. It includes the high voltage power supply, the 60 GHz traveling wave tube, the communications package, the antenna package, a high voltage diagnostics package and a command and data processor system. The interfaces with the space station and the attached payload accommodations equipment were determined. A brief description of the different subsystems and a discussion of the technology development needs are presented.

Biess, John J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Tool For Installation And Removal Of Welding Electrodes

Special tool assists in installation and removal of welding electrode in welding torch equipped with through-the-torch vision system. Inserted easily into welding torch after welding electrode loaded into hollow shaft. Designed specifically for use within unique configuration of weld block and welding-electrode collet of torch.

Gilbert, Jeffrey L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

High performance compression of science data

Two papers make up the body of this report. One presents a single-pass adaptive vector quantization algorithm that learns a codebook of variable size and shape entries; the authors present experiments on a set of test images showing that with no training or prior knowledge of the data, for a given fidelity, the compression achieved typically equals or exceeds that of the JPEG standard. The second paper addresses motion compensation, one of the most effective techniques used in the interframe data compression. A parallel block-matching algorithm for estimating interframe displacement of blocks with minimum error is presented. The algorithm is designed for a simple parallel architecture to process video in real time.

Storer, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Unique passive diagnostic for slapper detonators

The objective of this study was to find a material and configuration that could reliably detect the proper functioning of a slapper (non-explosive) detonator. Because of the small size of the slapper geometry (on the order of a 15 mils), most diagnostic techniques are not suitable. This program has the additional requirements that the device would be used on centrifuge so that it could not use any electrical power or output signals. This required that the diagnostic be completely passive. The paper describes the three facets of the development effort: complete characterization of the slapper using VISAR measurements, selection of the diagnostic material and configuration, and testing of the prototype designs. The VISAR testing required that use of a special optical probe to allow the laser light to reach both bridges of the dual-slapper detonator. Results are given in the form of flyer velocity as a function of the initiating charge voltage level. The selected diagnostic design functions in a manner similar to a dent block except that the impact of the Kapton disk from a properly-functioning slapper causes a fracture pattern. A quick visual inspection is all that is needed to determine if the flyer velocity exceeded the threshold value. Sub-threshold velocities produce a substantially different appearance.

Brigham, William P.↗