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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

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NASA NTRS1989

RCTS: A flexible environment for sensor integration and control of robot systems; the distributed processing approach

Most robot systems lack a suitable hardware and software environment for the efficient research of new control and sensing schemes. Typically, engineers and researchers need to be experts in control, sensing, programming, communication and robotics in order to implement, integrate and test new ideas in a robot system. In order to reduce this time, the Robot Controller Test Station (RCTS) has been developed. It uses a modular hardware and software architecture allowing easy physical and functional reconfiguration of a robot. This is accomplished by emphasizing four major design goals: flexibility, portability, ease of use, and ease of modification. An enhanced distributed processing version of RCTS is described. It features an expanded and more flexible communication system design. Distributed processing results in the availability of more local computing power and retains the low cost of microprocessors. A large number of possible communication, control and sensing schemes can therefore be easily introduced and tested, using the same basic software structure.

Allard, R.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Simulation of Guidance, Navigation, and Control Systems for Formation Flying Missions

Concepts for missions of distributed spacecraft flying in formation abound. From high resolution interferometry to spatially distributed in-situ measurements, these mission concepts levy a myriad of guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) requirements on the spacecraft/formation as a single system. A critical step toward assessing and meeting these challenges lies in realistically simulating distributed spacecraft systems. The Formation Flying TestBed (FFTB) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Guidance, Navigation, and Control Center is a hardware-in-the-loop simulation and development facility focused on GNC issues relevant to formation flying systems. The FFTB provides a realistic simulation of the vehicle dynamics and control for formation flying missions in order to: (1) conduct feasibility analyses of mission requirements, (2) conduct and answer mission and spacecraft design trades, and (3) serve as a host for GNC software and hardware development and testing. The initial capabilities of the FFTB are based upon an integration of high fidelity hardware and software simulation, emulation, and test platforms developed or employed at GSFC in recent years, including a high-fidelity Global Positioning System (GPS) simulator which has been a fundamental component of the GNC Center's GPS Test Facility. The FFTB will be continuously evolving over the next several years from a tool with capabilities in GPS navigation hardware/software-in-the-loop analysis and closed loop GPS-based orbit control algorithm assessment. Eventually, it will include full capability to support all aspects of multi-sensor, absolute and relative state determination and control, in all (attitude and orbit) degrees of freedom, as well as information management for satellite clusters and constellations. A detailed description of the FFTB architecture is presented in the paper.

Burns, Rich↗

NASA NTRS2005

A Fundamental Mathematical Model of a Microbial Predenitrification System

Space flight beyond Low Earth Orbit requires sophisticated systems to support all aspects of the mission (life support, real-time communications, etc.). A common concern that cuts across all these systems is the selection of information technology (IT) methodology, software and hardware architectures to provide robust monitoring, diagnosis, and control support. Another dimension of the problem space is that different systems must be integrated seamlessly so that communication speed and data handling appear as a continuum (un-interrupted). One such team investigating this problem is the Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) team whose role is to define the critical requirements expected of software and hardware to support an integrated approach to the command and control of Advanced Life Support (ALS) for future long-duration human space missions, including permanent human presence on the Moon and Mars. A goal of the AIM team is to set the foundation for testing criteria that will assist in specifying tasks, control schemes and test scenarios to validate and verify systems capabilities. This project is to contribute to the goals of the AIM team by assisting with controls planning for ALS. Control for ALS is an enormous problem it involves air revitalization, water recovery, food production, solids processing and crew. In more general terms, these systems can be characterized as involving both continuous and discrete processes, dynamic interactions among the sub-systems, nonlinear behavior due to the complex operations, and a large number of multivariable interactions due to the dimension of the state space. It is imperative that a baseline approach from which to measure performance is established especially when the expectation for the control system is complete autonomous control.

Hoo, Karlene A.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Reuse and Interoperability of Avionics for Space Systems

The space environment presents unique challenges for avionics. Launch survivability, thermal management, radiation protection, and other factors are important for successful space designs. Many existing avionics designs use custom hardware and software to meet the requirements of space systems. Although some space vendors have moved more towards a standard product line approach to avionics, the space industry still lacks similar standards and common practices for avionics development. This lack of commonality manifests itself in limited reuse and a lack of interoperability. To address NASA s need for interoperable avionics that facilitate reuse, several hardware and software approaches are discussed. Experiences with existing space boards and the application of terrestrial standards is outlined. Enhancements and extensions to these standards are considered. A modular stack-based approach to space avionics is presented. Software and reconfigurable logic cores are considered for extending interoperability and reuse. Finally, some of the issues associated with the design of reusable interoperable avionics are discussed.

Hodson, Robert F.↗

NASA NTRS2015

NASA's Space Launch System Program Update

Hardware and software for the world's most powerful launch vehicle for exploration is being welded, assembled, and tested today in high bays, clean rooms and test stands across the United States. NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) continued to make significant progress in 2014 with more planned for 2015, including firing tests of both main propulsion elements and the program Critical Design Review (CDR). Developed with the goals of safety, affordability, and sustainability, SLS will still deliver unmatched capability for human and robotic exploration. The initial Block 1 configuration will deliver more than 70 metric tons of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO). The evolved Block 2 design will deliver some 130 metric tons to LEO. Both designs offer enormous opportunity and flexibility for larger payloads, simplifying payload design as well as ground and on-orbit operations, shortening interplanetary transit times, and decreasing overall mission risk. Over the past year, every vehicle element has manufactured or tested hardware. An RS-25 liquid propellant engine was hotfire-tested at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss. for the first time since 2009 exercising and validating the new engine controller, the renovated A-1 test stand, and the test teams. Four RS-25s will power the SLS core stage. A qualification five-segment solid rocket motor incorporating several design, material, and process changes was scheduled to be test-fired in March at the prime contractor's facility in Utah. The booster also successfully completed its Critical Design Review (CDR) validating the planned design. All six major manufacturing tools for the core stage are in place at the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana, and have been used to build numerous pieces of confidence, qualification, and even flight hardware, including barrel sections, domes and rings used to assemble the world's largest rocket stage. SLS Systems Engineering accomplished several key tasks including vehicle avionics software and hardware build and testing, scale model acoustic and base heating tests. Construction of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) began. Advanced development provided a look into the future of SLS. Shell buckling knockdown factor testing refined decades-old design margins that added thousands of pounds to rocket payloads. Adaptive manufacturing and structured light scanning development promised to cut the cost and time associated with manufacturing and testing. This paper will provide an overview of the progress made over the past year and provide a glimpse of 2015 milestones and beyond on the way to the first launch in 2018.

May, Todd↗

NASA NTRS2015

NASA's Space Launch System Program Update

May, Todd↗

NASA NTRS1994

Missileborne Artificial Vision System (MAVIS)

Several years ago when INTEL and China Lake designed the ETANN chip, analog VLSI appeared to be the only way to do high density neural computing. In the last five years, however, digital parallel processing chips capable of performing neural computation functions have evolved to the point of rough equality with analog chips in system level computational density. The Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, has developed a real time, hardware and software system designed to implement and evaluate biologically inspired retinal and cortical models. The hardware is based on the Adaptive Solutions Inc. massively parallel CNAPS system COHO boards. Each COHO board is a standard size 6U VME card featuring 256 fixed point, RISC processors running at 20 MHz in a SIMD configuration. Each COHO board has a companion board built to support a real time VSB interface to an imaging seeker, a NTSC camera, and to other COHO boards. The system is designed to have multiple SIMD machines each performing different corticomorphic functions. The system level software has been developed which allows a high level description of corticomorphic structures to be translated into the native microcode of the CNAPS chips. Corticomorphic structures are those neural structures with a form similar to that of the retina, the lateral geniculate nucleus, or the visual cortex. This real time hardware system is designed to be shrunk into a volume compatible with air launched tactical missiles. Initial versions of the software and hardware have been completed and are in the early stages of integration with a missile seeker.

Andes, David K.↗

NASA NTRS1994

A Real-Time Control System for a Mobile Redundant 7DOF Arm

This paper describes the design and implementation of a real-time control system with multiple modes of operation for a mobile redundant dexterous manipulator. The paper describes the hardware and software components of the VME bus environment. Experimental results on real-time control of the Robotics Research arm using the manipulator control system are also presented in the paper.

avoidance angle control↗

NASA NTRS2003

Reconfigurable Hardware Adapts to Changing Mission Demands

A new class of computing architectures and processing systems, which use reconfigurable hardware, is creating a revolutionary approach to implementing future spacecraft systems. With the increasing complexity of electronic components, engineers must design next-generation spacecraft systems with new technologies in both hardware and software. Derivation Systems, Inc., of Carlsbad, California, has been working through NASA s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop key technologies in reconfigurable computing and Intellectual Property (IP) soft cores. Founded in 1993, Derivation Systems has received several SBIR contracts from NASA s Langley Research Center and the U.S. Department of Defense Air Force Research Laboratories in support of its mission to develop hardware and software for high-assurance systems. Through these contracts, Derivation Systems began developing leading-edge technology in formal verification, embedded Java, and reconfigurable computing for its PF3100, Derivational Reasoning System (DRS ), FormalCORE IP, FormalCORE PCI/32, FormalCORE DES, and LavaCORE Configurable Java Processor, which are designed for greater flexibility and security on all space missions.

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NASA NTRS2006

Core Community Specifications for Electron Microprobe Operating Systems: Software, Quality Control, and Data Management Issues

Modem electron microprobe systems have become increasingly sophisticated. These systems utilize either UNIX or PC computer systems for measurement, automation, and data reduction. These systems have undergone major improvements in processing, storage, display, and communications, due to increased capabilities of hardware and software. Instrument specifications are typically utilized at the time of purchase and concentrate on hardware performance. The microanalysis community includes analysts, researchers, software developers, and manufacturers, who could benefit from exchange of ideas and the ultimate development of core community specifications (CCS) for hardware and software components of microprobe instrumentation and operating systems.

Fournelle, John↗

NASA NTRS2002

Embedded Web Technology: Applying World Wide Web Standards to Embedded Systems

Embedded Systems have traditionally been developed in a highly customized manner. The user interface hardware and software along with the interface to the embedded system are typically unique to the system for which they are built, resulting in extra cost to the system in terms of development time and maintenance effort. World Wide Web standards have been developed in the passed ten years with the goal of allowing servers and clients to intemperate seamlessly. The client and server systems can consist of differing hardware and software platforms but the World Wide Web standards allow them to interface without knowing about the details of system at the other end of the interface. Embedded Web Technology is the merging of Embedded Systems with the World Wide Web. Embedded Web Technology decreases the cost of developing and maintaining the user interface by allowing the user to interface to the embedded system through a web browser running on a standard personal computer. Embedded Web Technology can also be used to simplify an Embedded System's internal network.

Ponyik, Joseph G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Upgrading NASA/DOSE laser ranging system control computers

Laser ranging systems now managed by the NASA Dynamics of the Solid Earth (DOSE) and operated by the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Texas have produced a wealth on interdisciplinary scientific data over the last three decades. Despite upgrades to the most of the ranging station subsystems, the control computers remain a mix of 1970's vintage minicomputers. These encompass a wide range of vendors, operating systems, and languages, making hardware and software support increasingly difficult. Current technology allows replacement of controller computers at a relatively low cost while maintaining excellent processing power and a friendly operating environment. The new controller systems are now being designed using IBM-PC-compatible 80486-based microcomputers, a real-time Unix operating system (LynxOS), and X-windows/Motif IB, and serial interfaces have been chosen. This design supports minimizing short and long term costs by relying on proven standards for both hardware and software components. Currently, the project is in the design and prototyping stage with the first systems targeted for production in mid-1993.

Ricklefs, Randall L.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Wireless Sensor Networks Approach

This viewgraph presentation provides information on hardware and software configurations for a network architecture for sensors. The hardware configuration uses a central station and remote stations. The software configuration uses the 'lost station' software algorithm. The presentation profiles a couple current examples of this network architecture in use.

Perotti, Jose M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Use of computer graphics for visualization of flow fields

A high-performance graphics workstation has been combined with software developed for flow-field visualization to yield a highly effective tool for analysis of fluid-flow dynamics. After the flow fields are obtained from experimental measurements or computer simulations, the workstation permits one to interactively view the dynamics of the flow fields; e.g., the viewer can zoom into a region or rotate his viewing position about the region to study it in more detail. Several techniques for visualization of flow fields with this workstation are described in this paper and illustrated with a videotape available from the authors. The computer hardware and software required to create effective flow visualization displays are discussed. Additional software and hardware required to create videotapes or 16mm movies are also described. Limitations imposed by current workstation performance is addressed and future workstation performance is forecast.

Watson, Val↗

NASA NTRS1983

Space Station needs, attributes and architectural options. Volume 2, book 2, part 2, Task 2: Information management system

Missions to be performed, station operations and functions to be carried out, and technologies anticipated during the time frame of the space station were examined in order to determine the scope of the overall information management system for the space station. This system comprises: (1) the data management system which includes onboard computer related hardware and software required to assume and exercise control of all activities performed on the station; (2) the communication system for both internal and external communications; and (3) the ground segment. Techniques used to examine the information system from a functional and performance point of view are described as well as the analyses performed to derive the architecture of both the onboard data management system and the system for internal and external communications. These architectures are then used to generate a conceptual design of the onboard elements in order to determine the physical parameters (size/weight/power) of the hardware and software. The ground segment elements are summarized.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1985

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Test act system validation

The primary objective of the Test Active Control Technology (ACT) System laboratory tests was to verify and validate the system concept, hardware, and software. The initial lab tests were open loop hardware tests of the Test ACT System as designed and built. During the course of the testing, minor problems were uncovered and corrected. Major software tests were run. The initial software testing was also open loop. These tests examined pitch control laws, wing load alleviation, signal selection/fault detection (SSFD), and output management. The Test ACT System was modified to interface with the direct drive valve (DDV) modules. The initial testing identified problem areas with DDV nonlinearities, valve friction induced limit cycling, DDV control loop instability, and channel command mismatch. The other DDV issue investigated was the ability to detect and isolate failures. Some simple schemes for failure detection were tested but were not completely satisfactory. The Test ACT System architecture continues to appear promising for ACT/FBW applications in systems that must be immune to worst case generic digital faults, and be able to tolerate two sequential nongeneric faults with no reduction in performance. The challenge in such an implementation would be to keep the analog element sufficiently simple to achieve the necessary reliability.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2018

NOS3: NASA Operational Simulator for Small Satellites

The NASA Operational Simulator for Small Satellites (NOS3) is a suite of open-source software tools to aid in areas such as software development, integration & test (I&T), mission operations/training, verification and validation (V&V), and software systems check-out. NOS3 provides a software development environment, a multi-target build system, operational interface/ground software, dynamics and environment simulations, and software-based hardware models. NOS3 has just recently been open-sourced by NASA and is available for immediate use. It enables the development of flight software (FSW) early in the project life cycle when hardware availability is limited. Small satellite development suffers from extensive lead times on many of the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components as well as limited funding for engineering test units (ETUs). To alleviate the need to provide a hardware test-bed for each developer/tester, NOS3 hardware models are based upon characteristic data or manufacturer's data sheets for each individual component. The NOS3 hardware models' fidelity is such that FSW executes unaware that physical hardware is not present. This allows FSW binaries to be compiled for both the simulation environment and the flight computer without changing the FSW source code. For hardware models that provide data which is dependent upon the environment and spacecraft dynamics, such as a GPS receiver or magnetometer, an open-source tool from NASA GSFC (42 Spacecraft Simulator) is used to provide the necessary data. The underlying infrastructure used to transfer messages between FSW and the hardware models can also be used to monitor, intercept, and inject messages, which has proven to be beneficial for V&V of larger missions such as James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). As hardware is selected and becomes available, drivers can be added to the NOS3 environment to enable hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) testing. When strict time synchronization is not vital, any number of combinations of hardware components and software-based models can be tested. NOS3 was actively used for FSW development and component testing of the Simulation-to-Flight 1 (STF-1) CubeSat and the Lunar IceCube CubeSat. As NOS3 matures, hardware models have been added for common small satellite components such as GPS receivers, electrical power systems and batteries, and antenna systems.

Suder, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1993

Telemetry ground system development via the component approach

NASA's deployment of major space projects such as the Earth Observing System (EOS) will demand increased functionality and ground-based telemetry processing performance well above current capabilities. At the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, custom hardware and software components have been developed and combined into a unique architecture to address this problem. The hardware components utilize Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC's) developed specifically to support NASA's telemetry data systems needs and designed to handle data rates up to 300 Mbps. A generalized set of software components, called the Telemetry Processing Control Environment facilitate the rapid construction of control and monitoring functions for the ground-based telemetry processing systems. This combination of hardware and software elements enables rapid construction of flexible, cost-effective telemetry processing systems capable of meeting the performance requirements facing NASA in the coming decade.

Thorn, Karen E.↗