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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 469 records · Page 26

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

Detector Interface for Streaming, Control, and Open-source integration (DISCO) v1.0.0

This suite consists of a multi-package ecosystem featuring detector emulators, EPICS areaDetector drivers, and remote server frameworks designed for the Advanced Light Source (ALS). Engineered for high-bandwidth devices—including VFCCD, Timepix3, Timepix4, and related pixel detectors—the software simulates hardware, wraps vendor SDKs into remote-callable servers, and integrates with open-source control systems. Key Capabilities: Distributed SDK Architecture: Server packages wrap hardware-specific SDKs, allowing areaDetector drivers to execute remote framework calls. This isolates proprietary libraries from the EPICS IOC, enhancing stability and enabling distributed computing across beamline networks. Device Support: Custom drivers for VFCCD, the Timepix family, and similar sensors optimize the data path from hardware control to high-speed transport. Full-Stack Emulation: Sophisticated emulator packages allow end-to-end pipeline testing and software development without requiring physical hardware or beam time. Integrated Workflows: Supports high-bandwidth streaming for real-time analysis and robust, metadata-rich file-based workflows (e.g., HDF5/NeXus). By standardizing interfaces across heterogeneous hardware, this suite reduces technical debt. It provides the ALS with a scalable, open-source solution to manage massive data rates within a unified control environment.

Mahl, Johannes [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborat↗

DOE OSTI2024

Simple self-consistent method for excited states in density functional theory to characterize defect-derived behavior in wide-band-gap-based microelectronic materials

This final report summarizes the results of the Laboratory Direct Research and Development (LDRD) Project Number 229740. Wide band gap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) have features highly desirable for multiple mission electronic applications. Realization of their potential requires atomic-scale understanding of electronic behavior. The principal experimental tools for electronically probing defects in GaN are chemically undifferentiating and lack a practical theoretical counterpart needed to identify and characterize specific defects. This project investigated whether a simple idea for modeling defect excited states and their associated photoluminescence (PL) energies is viable, as a path to accelerate the understanding of defect behavior and gain valuable insights into engineering new electronic materials and devices. The research implemented a non-self-consistent total-energy evaluation of a Koopmans-type estimation of an excited electronic state energy in density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and proceeded to design, implement, and assess a self-consistent method for computing excited states based upon an OCcupation-Constrained-DFT (occ-DFT). The occ-DFT was verified in test calculations of defect excited states and validated against well-characterized PL data for 3d transition metal defects in GaN. The method proved stable and robust in computing excited states and gave accurate predictions compared to experimental PL data. The combined ground state/excited-state capability proved capable of chemically differentiating defect species in GaN. In application to 3d dopants in GaN, we reinterpreted extensive experimental literature, proposed new defects as prospective candidates for use in quantum information applications, and outlined design strategies to create and exploit these potentially useful functional defects in GaN.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Development of A Multi-Spectral Pyrometry Sensor for High-Speed Transient Surface-Temperature Measurements in Combustion-Relevant Harsh Environments

Accurate and high-speed transient surface-temperature measurements of combustion devices including internal combustion (IC) engines, gas turbines, etc., provide validation targets and boundary conditions for computational fluid dynamics models, and are broadly relevant to technology advancements such as performance improvement and emissions reduction. Development and demonstration of a multi-infrared-channel pyrometry-based optical instrument for high-speed surface-temperature measurement is described. The measurement principle is based on multi-spectral radiation thermometry (MRT) and uses surface thermal radiation at four discrete spectral regions and a corresponding emissivity model to obtain surface temperature via non-linear least squares (NLLS) optimization. Rules of thumb for specifying the spectral regions and considerations to avoid interference with common combustion products are developed; the impact of these along with linear and non-linear MRT analysis are assessed as a function of temperature and signal-to-noise ratio. A multi-start method to determine the MRT-solution global optimum is described and demonstrated. The resulting multi-channel transient pyrometry instrument is described along with practical considerations including optical-alignment drift, matching intra-channel transient response, and solution-confidence indicators. The instrument demonstrated excellent >97% accuracy and >99% 2-sigma precision over the 400–800 °C range, with ~20 µs (50 kHz, equivalent to 0.2 cad at 2000 RPM IC-engine operation) transient response in the bench validation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

NASA NTRS1973

Current technology in ion and electrothermal propulsion

High performance propulsion devices, such as electrostatic ion engines and electrothermal thrusters, are achieving wide user acceptance. The current technology and projected development trends in the areas of ion and electrothermal propulsion systems and components are surveyed.

Finke, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Investigation of Inlet Concepts for Maneuver Improvement at Transonic Speeds

A 15 percent scale lightweight fighter type inlet forebody was tested in the Ames 14 foot transonic wind tunnel at Mach numbers of 0.7, 0.9, and 1.04. The inlet was a two dimensional horizontal ramp system designed for a Mach number of 2.2. Four inlet devices designed to prevent or delay cowl-lip boundary layer separation or to improve the inlet internal flow characteristics at high angles of attack were investigated. The devices used to control cowl-lip separation consisted of cowl leading edge flaps, slotted flaps, and tangential blowing. To improve the internal flow characteristics, discrete jet nozzle flows were directed downstream and parallel to the duct surface in the subsonic diffuser to energize the wall boundary layer. The discrete jets used in the subsonic diffuser were also tested in combination with each of the cowl leading edge devices. Test measurements included engine-face total pressure recovery, steady state distortion, dynamic distortion, duct boundary layer profiles, and duct-surface static pressures.

Latham, E.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Sound separation probes for flowing duct noise measurements

In order to understand the propagation of broadband sound from a device such as a jet engine, it is necessary to make fluctuating pressure measurements in the ducted airstream. However, in a flowing duct, fluctuating pressure energy can be due to both turbulence and sound travelling in the duct. By using the principal that sound waves and turbulent flow pressure perturbations travel at different velocities, a probe has been developed that provides the data necessary to separate the energy due to sound from that due to turbulence. A mini-computer based FFT analysis of the probe measurements provides the overall level of the broadband sound in the duct as well as the spectral distribution of the sound energy.

Moore, M. T.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Time resolved density measurements in premixed turbulent flames

Premixed, turbulent flames are important in connection with investigations of fundamental, turbulent-reacting-flow processes and the study of practical combustion devices, such as spark ignition engines and premixed, prevaporized gas turbine combustors which burn premixed reactants. The considered investigation is concerned with the application of laser induced Rayleigh scattering to measure the gas density in premixed, methane-air flames. A description is provided of the results of density and velocity measurements in an open, lean, premixed methane-air flame stabilized in grid turbulence of low Reynolds number. It is found that where applicable, Rayleigh scattering can be used to good advantage to measure molecular number density. Mean and rms density results show that the mean flame thickens with axial distance but that the maximum in rms does not change appreciably.

Dandekar, K. V.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Open cycle gas core nuclear rockets

The open cycle gas core engine is a nuclear propulsion device. Propulsion is provided by hot hydrogen which is heated directly by thermal radiation from the nuclear fuel. Critical mass is sustained in the uranium plasma in the center. It has typically 30 to 50 kg of fuel. It is a thermal reactor in the sense that fissions are caused by absorption of thermal neutrons. The fast neutrons go out to an external moderator/reflector material and, by collision, slow down to thermal energy levels, and then come back in and cause fission. The hydrogen propellant is stored in a tank. The advantage of the concept is very high specific impulse because you can take the plasma to any temperature desired by increasing the fission level by withdrawing or turning control rods or control drums.

Ragsdale, Robert↗

NASA NTRS1991

Group evaporation

Liquid fuel combustion process is greatly affected by the rate of droplet evaporation. The heat and mass exchanges between gas and liquid couple the dynamics of both phases in all aspects: mass, momentum, and energy. Correct prediction of the evaporation rate is therefore a key issue in engineering design of liquid combustion devices. Current analytical tools for characterizing the behavior of these devices are based on results from a single isolated droplet. Numerous experimental studies have challenged the applicability of these results in a dense spray. To account for the droplets' interaction in a dense spray, a number of theories have been developed in the past decade. Herein, two tasks are examined. One was to study how to implement the existing theoretical results, and the other was to explore the possibility of experimental verifications. The current theoretical results of group evaporation are given for a monodispersed cluster subject to adiabatic conditions. The time evolution of the fluid mechanic and thermodynamic behavior in this cluster is derived. The results given are not in the form of a subscale model for CFD codes.

Shen, Hayley H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Project Antares: A low cost modular launch vehicle for the future

The single stage to orbit launch vehicle Antares is based upon the revolutionary concept of modularity, enabling the Antares to efficiently launch communications satellites, as well as heavy payloads, into Earth's orbit and beyond. The basic unit of the modular system, a single Antares vehicle, is aimed at launching approximately 10,000 kg into low Earth orbit (LEO). When coupled with a Centaur upper stage it is capable of placing 3500 kg into geostationary orbit. The Antares incorporates a reusable engine, the Dual Mixture Ratio Engine (DMRE), as its propulsive device. This enables Antares to compete and excel in the satellite launch market by dramatically reducing launch costs. Antares' projected launch costs are $1340 per kg to LEO which offers a tremendous savings over launch vehicles available today. Inherent in the design is the capability to attach several of these vehicles together to provide heavy lift capability. Any number of these vehicles, up to seven, can be attached depending on the payload and mission requirements. With a seven vehicle configuration Antares's modular concept provides a heavy lift capability of approximately 70,000 kg to LEO. This expandability allows for a wider range of payload options such as large Earth satellites, Space Station Freedom support, and interplanetary spacecraft, and also offers a significant cost savings over a mixed fleet based on different launch vehicles.

Aarnio, Steve↗

NASA NTRS1991

Antares: A low cost modular launch vehicle for the future

The single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle Antares is a revolutionary concept based on identical modular units, enabling the Antares to efficiently launch communications satellites, as well as heavy payloads, into Earth orbit and beyond. The basic unit of the modular system, a single Antares vehicle, is aimed at launching approximately 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) into low Earth orbit (LEO). When coupled with a standard Centaur upper stage, it is capable of placing 4000 kg (8800 lb) into geosynchronous Earth orbit (GE0). The Antares incorporates a reusable engine, the Dual Mixture Ratio Engine (DMRE), as its propulsive device. This enables Antares to compete and excel in the satellite launch market by dramatically reducing launch costs. Inherent in the design is the capability to attach several of these vehicles together to provide heavy lift capability. Any number of these vehicles can be attached depending on the payload and mission requirements. With a seven-vehicle configuration, the Antares' modular concept provides a heavy lift capability of approximately 70,000 kg (154,000 lb) to LEO. This expandability allows for a wide range of payload options, such as large Earth satellites, Space Station Freedom material, and interplanetary spacecraft, and also offers a significant cost savings over a mixed fleet based on different launch vehicles.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1991

Long-wave infrared (LWIR) detectors based on III-V materials

Future NASA missions for earth observation and planetary science require large photovoltaic detector arrays with high performance in the long wavelength region to 18 microns and at operating temperatures above 65 K where single-cycle long-life cryocoolers are being developed. Since these detector array requirements exceed the state of current HgCdTe technology, alternative detector materials are being investigated as a possible option for future missions. Advanced growth techniques (e.g., MBE and MOCVD) of column III-V semiconductors have opened opportunities for engineering new detector materials and device structures. The technical approaches under investigation at JPL (with university and industry participation) include: quantum well infrared photodetectors, heterojunction internal photoemission (HIP) photodetectors, type-II strained layer superlattices, and nipi doping superlattices. Each of these options are briefly described with some of their pros and cons. A more detailed description is given for the HIP approach being pioneered at JPL.

Maserjian, Joseph↗

NASA NTRS1994

Safety Harness For Work Under Suspended Load

Safety device protects worker under suspended engine or other heavy load. Mechanically linked with load so if load should fall, worker yanked safely away. Worker wears chest-plate vest with straps crossing eye on back. Lower safety cable connected to eye extends horizontally away from worker to nearby wall, wrapped on pulley and extends upward to motion amplifier or reducer. Safety cables transform any sudden downward motion of overhanging load into rapid sideways motion of worker. Net catches worker, preventing worker from bumping against wall.

Sunoo, Su Young↗

NASA NTRS1999

GPS Sounding Rocket Developments

Sounding rockets are suborbital launch vehicles capable of carrying scientific payloads several hundred miles in altitude. These missions return a variety of scientific data including; chemical makeup and physical processes taking place In the atmosphere, natural radiation surrounding the Earth, data on the Sun, stars, galaxies and many other phenomena. In addition, sounding rockets provide a reasonably economical means of conducting engineering tests for instruments and devices used on satellites and other spacecraft prior to their use in more expensive activities. The NASA Sounding Rocket Program is managed by personnel from Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Flight Facility (GSFC/WFF) in Virginia. Typically around thirty of these rockets are launched each year, either from established ranges at Wallops Island, Virginia, Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico or from Canada, Norway and Sweden. Many times launches are conducted from temporary launch ranges in remote parts of the world requi6ng considerable expense to transport and operate tracking radars. An inverse differential GPS system has been developed for Sounding Rocket. This paper addresses the NASA Wallops Island history of GPS Sounding Rocket experience since 1994 and the development of a high accurate and useful system.

Bull, Barton↗

NASA NTRS1966

Breakup of Droplets in an Accelerating Gas Flow

A study of droplet breakup phenomena by an accelerating gas flow is described. The phenomena are similar to what propellant droplets experience when exposed to accelerating combustion gas flow in a rocket engine combustion zone. Groups of several dozen droplets in the 100-10 750-micron-diameter range were injected into a flowing inert gas in a transparent rectangular nozzle. Motion photography of the behavior of the droplets at various locations in the accelerating gas flow has supplied quantitative and qualitative data on the breakup phenomena which occur under conditions similar to those found in large rocket engine combustors. A blowgun injection device, used to inject very small amounts of liquid at velocities of several hundred feet per second into a moving gas stream, is described. The injection device was used to inject small amounts of liquid RP-1 and water into the gas stream at a velocity essentially equal to the gas velocity where the group of droplets was allowed to stabilize its formation in a constant area section before entering the convergent section of the transparent nozzle. Favorable comparison with the work of previous investigators who have used nonaccelerating gas flow is found with the data obtained from this study with accelerating gas flow. The criterion for the conditions of minimum severity required to produce shear-type droplet breakup in an accelerating gas flow is found to agree well with the criterion previously established at Rocketdyne for breakup in nonaccelerating flow. An extension of the theory of capillary surface wave effects during droplet breakup is also presented. Capillary surface waves propagating in the surface of the droplet, according to classical hydrodynamical laws, are considered. The waves propagate tangentially over the surface of the droplet from the forward stagnation point to the major diameter. Consideration of the effects of relative gas velocity on the amplitude growth of these waves allows conclusions to be made regarding rates of the droplet breakup processes and total time of the breakup process.

Dickerson, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1999

GPS Sounding Rocket Developments

Bull, Barton↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Real Time Differential GPS Tracking System for NASA Sounding Rockets

Sounding rockets are suborbital launch vehicles capable of carrying scientific payloads to several hundred miles in altitude. These missions return a variety of scientific data including: chemical makeup and physical processes taking place in the atmosphere, natural radiation surrounding the Earth, data on the Sun, stars, galaxies and many other phenomena. In addition, sounding rockets provide a reasonably economical means of conducting engineering tests for instruments and devices to be used on satellites and other spacecraft prior to their use in these more expensive missions. Typically around thirty of these rockets are launched each year, from established ranges at Wallops Island, Virginia; Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico and from a number of ranges outside the United States. Many times launches are conducted from temporary launch ranges in remote parts of the world requiring considerable expense to transport and operate tracking radars. In order to support these missions, an inverse differential GPS system has been developed. The flight system consists of a small, inexpensive receiver, a preamplifier and a wrap-around antenna. A rugged, compact, portable ground station extracts GPS data from the raw payload telemetry stream, performs a real time differential solution and graphically displays the rocket's path relative to a predicted trajectory plot. In addition to generating a real time navigation solution, the system has been used for payload recovery, timing, data timetagging, precise tracking of multiple payloads and slaving of optical tracking systems for over the horizon acquisition. This paper discusses, in detail, the flight and ground hardware, as well as data processing and operational aspects of the system, and provides evidence of the system accuracy.

Bull, Barton↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Space Based Internet Protocol System for Sub-Orbital Tracking and Control

Personnel from the Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Flight Facility (GSFC/WFF) in Virginia are responsible for the overall management of the NASA Sounding Rocket Program. Payloads are generally in support of NASA's Space Science Enterprise's missions and return a variety of scientific data as well as providing a reasonably economical means of conducting engineering tests for instruments and devices used on satellites and other spacecraft. The fifteen types of sounding rockets used by NASA can carry payloads of various weights to altitudes from 50 km to more than 1,300 km. Launch activities are conducted not only from established missile ranges, but also from remote locations worldwide requiring mobile tracking and command equipment to be transported and set up at considerable expense. The advent of low earth orbit (LEO) commercial communications satellites provides an opportunity to dramatically reduce tracking and control costs of launch vehicles and Unpiloted Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by reducing or eliminating this ground infrastructure. Additionally, since data transmission is by packetized Internet Protocol (IP), data can be received and commands initiated from practically any location. A low cost Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) system is currently under development for sounding rockets which also has application to UAVs and scientific balloons. Due to relatively low data rate (9600 baud) currently available, the system will first be used to provide GPS data for tracking and vehicle recovery. Range safety requirements for launch vehicles usually stipulate at least two independent tracking sources. Most sounding rockets flown by NASA now carry GPS receivers that output position data via the payload telemetry system to the ground station. The Flight Modem can be configured as a completely separate link thereby eliminating requirement for tracking radar. The system architecture which integrates antennas, GPS receiver, commercial satellite packet data modem, and a single board computer with custom software is described along with the technical challenges and the plan for their resolution. These include antenna development, high Doppler rates, reliability, environmental ruggedness, hand over between satellites and data security. An aggressive test plan is included which in addition to environmental testing measures bit error rate, latency and antenna patterns. Actual flight tests are planned for the near future on aircraft, long duration balloons and sounding rockets and these results as well as the current status of the project are reported.

Bull, Barton↗