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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 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Architecture for Payload Planning System (PPS) Software Distribution

The complex and diverse nature of the pay load operations to be performed on the Space Station requires a robust and flexible planning approach, and the proper software tools which tools to support that approach. To date, the planning software for most manned operations in space has been utilized in a centralized planning environment. Centralized planning is characterized by the following: performed by a small team of people, performed at a single location, and performed using single-user planning systems. This approach, while valid for short duration flights, is not conducive to the long duration and highly distributed payload operations environment of the Space Station. The Payload Planning System (PPS) is being designed specifically to support the planning needs of the large number of geographically distributed users of the Space Station. This paper problem provides a general description of the distributed planning architecture that PPS must support and describes the concepts proposed for making PPS available to the Space Station payload user community.

Howell, Eric↗
NASA NTRS2002

An optimization framework for interdependent planning goals

This paper describes an approach for optimizing over interdependent planning goals. We have implemented a methodology for representing and utilizing information about interdependent goals and their related utilities using the ASPEN planning and scheduling system.

planning scheduling optimization↗
NASA NTRS2003

Utilization of the Space Vision System as an Augmented Reality System For Mission Operations

Augmented reality is a technique whereby computer generated images are superimposed on live images for visual enhancement. Augmented reality can also be characterized as dynamic overlays when computer generated images are registered with moving objects in a live image. This technique has been successfully implemented, with low to medium levels of registration precision, in an NRA funded project entitled, "Improving Human Task Performance with Luminance Images and Dynamic Overlays". Future research is already being planned to also utilize a laboratory-based system where more extensive subject testing can be performed. However successful this might be, the problem will still be whether such a technology can be used with flight hardware. To answer this question, the Canadian Space Vision System (SVS) will be tested as an augmented reality system capable of improving human performance where the operation requires indirect viewing. This system has already been certified for flight and is currently flown on each shuttle mission for station assembly. Successful development and utilization of this system in a ground-based experiment will expand its utilization for on-orbit mission operations. Current research and development regarding the use of augmented reality technology is being simulated using ground-based equipment. This is an appropriate approach for development of symbology (graphics and annotation) optimal for human performance and for development of optimal image registration techniques. It is anticipated that this technology will become more pervasive as it matures. Because we know what and where almost everything is on ISS, this reduces the registration problem and improves the computer model of that reality, making augmented reality an attractive tool, provided we know how to use it. This is the basis for current research in this area. However, there is a missing element to this process. It is the link from this research to the current ISS video system and to flight hardware capable of utilizing this technology. This is the basis for this proposed Space Human Factors Engineering project, the determination of the display symbology within the performance limits of the Space Vision System that will objectively improve human performance. This utilization of existing flight hardware will greatly reduce the costs of implementation for flight. Besides being used onboard shuttle and space station and as a ground-based system for mission operational support, it also has great potential for science and medical training and diagnostics, remote learning, team learning, video/media conferencing, and educational outreach.

Maida, James C.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Walking the Walk/Talking the Talk: Mission Planning with Speech-Interactive Agents

The application of simulation technology to mission planning and rehearsal has enabled realistic overhead 2-D and immersive 3-D "fly-through" capabilities that can help better prepare tactical teams for conducting missions in unfamiliar locales. For aircrews, detailed terrain data can offer a preview of the relevant landmarks and hazards, and threat models can provide a comprehensive glimpse of potential hot zones and safety corridors. A further extension of the utility of such planning and rehearsal techniques would allow users to perform the radio communications planned for a mission; that is, the air-ground coordination that is critical to the success of missions such as close air support (CAS). Such practice opportunities, while valuable, are limited by the inescapable scarcity of complete mission teams to gather in space and time during planning and rehearsal cycles. Moreoever, using simulated comms with synthetic entities, despite the substantial training and cost benefits, remains an elusive objective. In this paper we report on a solution to this gap that incorporates "synthetic teammates" - intelligent software agents that can role-play entities in a mission scenario and that can communicate in spoken language with users. We employ a fielded mission planning and rehearsal tool so that our focus remains on the experimental objectives of the research rather than on developing a testbed from scratch. Use of this planning tool also helps to validate the approach in an operational system. The result is a demonstration of a mission rehearsal tool that allows aircrew users to not only fly the mission but also practice the verbal communications with air control agencies and tactical controllers on the ground. This work will be presented in a CAS mission planning example but has broad applicability across weapons systems, missions and tactical force compositions.

Bell, Benjamin↗
NASA NTRS1974

Astronautics in past and future

The contributions of Oberth in the development of rocket technology as a basis for the conduction of manned and unmanned space flights are considered, giving attention also to other rocket pioneers, including Ziolkowski, Ganswindt, von Hoefft, and Goddard. Early stages in rocket development in Germany, Russia, and the U.S. are examined. The launching of Sputnik I in October 1957 was the beginning of a new era in the history of mankind. The start of this new era of space exploration and space utilization comes at a time when the limited resources of the earth begin to impose severe restrictions upon the continuing growth of human technology and civilization. It is predicted that the new space technology will provide the means for overcoming these restrictions. Future space programs, which are partly based on the development of the space shuttle, are discussed, taking into account the international aspects of the new plans for the utilization and the study of space.

Stuhlinger, E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

NASA Space Engineering Research Center for utilization of local planetary resources

The University of Arizona and NASA have joined to form the UA/NASA Space Engineering Research Center. The purpose of the Center is to discover, characterize, extract, process, and fabricate useful products from the extraterrestrial resources available in the inner solar system (the moon, Mars, and nearby asteroids). Individual progress reports covering the center's research projects are presented and emphasis is placed on the following topics: propellant production, oxygen production, ilmenite, lunar resources, asteroid resources, Mars resources, space-based materials processing, extraterrestrial construction materials processing, resource discovery and characterization, mission planning, and resource utilization.

Ramohalli, Kumar↗
NASA NTRS1977

Seasat-A and the commercial ocean community

The Seasat-A program has been initiated as a 'proof-of-concept' mission to evaluate the effectiveness of remotely sensing oceanology and related meteorological phenomena from a satellite platform in space utilizing sensors developed on previous space and aircraft test programs. The sensors include three active microwave sensors; a radar altimeter, a windfield scatterometer, and a synthetic aperture radar. A passive scanning multifrequency microwave radiometer, visual and infrared radiometer are also included. All weather, day-night measurements of sea surface temperature, surface wind speed/direction and sea state and directional wave spectra will be made. Two key programs are planned for data utilization with users during the mission. Foremost is a program with the commercial ocean community to test the utility of Seasat-A data and to begin the transfer of ocean remote sensing technology to the civil sector. A second program is a solicitation of investigations, led by NOAA, to involve the ocean science community in a series of scientific investigations.

Montgomery, D. R.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effectively Considering the Distribution System in Integrated Resource Plans

While electricity planning practices vary by state and utility based on utility type and market structure, integrated resource planning (IRP) remains a prominent vehicle — even in states with centrally-organized wholesale electricity markets. IRP focuses on meeting forecasted long-term electricity needs. Typically, utilities have not considered impacts of design and operation of the low-voltage distribution network in IRP. With advanced capabilities of grid-edge technologies to generate and store electricity and provide load flexibility, and large utility investments in distribution systems, it's increasingly important to consider at least some distribution planning elements in IRP. This report considers the value proposition for doing so, such as reducing utility costs through resource co-optimization and strategic siting of grid-edge resources, and idenfities the most important touchpoints between planning for bulk power and distribution systems and provide a range of tactics for integrating these two processes.

Relf, Grace [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-F-BRD-10: Improving Plan Delivery Efficiency of Intensity Modulated Proton Plans with Prioritized Optimization

Purpose: To integrate treatment delivery time into plan optimization in spot scanning intensity modulated proton therapy. Utilizing a dedicated research treatment planning system we present an optimization approach to explore the trade-off between the correlated parameters treatment time and plan quality on an astrocytoma patient case. Methods: The planning system is based on prioritized optimization, a stepwise approach of implementing clinical goals. After each optimization step, dosimetric achievements are turned into hard constraints to maintain the achieved plan quality. Prior achievements can be violated by a so-called slip-factor which allows to study possible trade-offs of conflicting goals. Plan quality is obtained in the first two steps, while the third step optimizes delivery efficiency by working on the spot weight distribution via four alternative Methods: elimination of low weighted spots (1), elimination of spots hardly contributing to PTV dose, followed by reoptimization of the resulting smaller optimization problem (2), reduction of spot weights variance within each energy layer (3), and reduction of the overall spot weight sum (4). Treatment times were calculated assuming either constant or variable beam current depending on the lowest spot weight. Results: Delivery efficiency can be improved remarkably without influencing the plan quality. Absolute time savings depend on the utilized method and facility properties. By varying slip-factor and spot reduction limits, a border of worsening quality is detectable for all methods.Deleting low weighted spots by 10% results in a noticeable decrease in minimum target dose. Further reduction results in more heterogeneous dose distributions and insufficient coverage. Option 2 showed constant plan quality for spot reductions of more than 10%. Conclusion: Including treatment time optimization as a final step into prioritized optimization allows for more efficient treatment plans by redistributing the spot patterns without compromising plan quality, which has to remain the main intent of radiotherapy treatment. The authors report grants from German Research Foundation (DFG) during the conduct of the study.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-F-BRD-05: Dosimetric Comparison of Protocol-Based SBRT Lung Treatment Modalities: Statistically Significant VMAT Advantages Over Fixed- Beam IMRT

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to inter-compare and find statistically significant differences between flattened field fixed-beam (FB) IMRT with flattening-filter free (FFF) volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for stereotactic body radiation therapy SBRT. Methods: SBRT plans using FB IMRT and FFF VMAT were generated for fifteen SBRT lung patients using 6 MV beams. For each patient, both IMRT and VMAT plans were created for comparison. Plans were generated utilizing RTOG 0915 (peripheral, 10 patients) and RTOG 0813 (medial, 5 patients) lung protocols. Target dose, critical structure dose, and treatment time were compared and tested for statistical significance. Parameters of interest included prescription isodose surface coverage, target dose heterogeneity, high dose spillage (location and volume), low dose spillage (location and volume), lung dose spillage, and critical structure maximum- and volumetric-dose limits. Results: For all criteria, we found equivalent or higher conformality with VMAT plans as well as reduced critical structure doses. Several differences passed a Student's t-test of significance: VMAT reduced the high dose spillage, evaluated with conformality index (CI), by an average of 9.4%±15.1% (p=0.030) compared to IMRT. VMAT plans reduced the lung volume receiving 20 Gy by 16.2%±15.0% (p=0.016) compared with IMRT. For the RTOG 0915 peripheral lesions, the volumes of lung receiving 12.4 Gy and 11.6 Gy were reduced by 27.0%±13.8% and 27.5%±12.6% (for both, p<0.001) in VMAT plans. Of the 26 protocol pass/fail criteria, VMAT plans were able to achieve an average of 0.2±0.7 (p=0.026) more constraints than the IMRT plans. Conclusions: FFF VMAT has dosimetric advantages over fixed beam IMRT for lung SBRT. Significant advantages included increased dose conformity, and reduced organs-at-risk doses. The overall improvements in terms of protocol pass/fail criteria were more modest and will require more patient data to establish difference trends of more statistical significance.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1994

Shared virtual environments for aerospace training

Virtual environments have the potential to significantly enhance the training of NASA astronauts and ground-based personnel for a variety of activities. A critical requirement is the need to share virtual environments, in real or near real time, between remote sites. It has been hypothesized that the training of international astronaut crews could be done more cheaply and effectively by utilizing such shared virtual environments in the early stages of mission preparation. The Software Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center has developed the capability for multiple users to simultaneously share the same virtual environment. Each user generates the graphics needed to create the virtual environment. All changes of object position and state are communicated to all users so that each virtual environment maintains its 'currency.' Examples of these shared environments will be discussed and plans for the utilization of the Department of Defense's Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocols for shared virtual environments will be presented. Finally, the impact of this technology on training and education in general will be explored.

Loftin, R. Bowen↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-389: Validation in 4D Dosimetry Using Dynamic Phantom

Purpose: Tumor motion due to respiration causes the uncertainties during the radiotherapy. This study aims to find the differences between planning dose by treatment planning and the received dose using dynamic phantom. Methods: Respiratory motion was simulated by the DYNAMIC THORAX PHANTOM (Model 008A). 4D-CT scans and maximum intensity projection (MIP) images for GTV were acquired for analysis. The amplitude of craniocaudal tumor motion including 2mm, 5mm, 10mm and 20mm with 3cm2 tumor size were performed in this study. The respiratory cycles of 4-seconds and 6-seconds were included as the different breathing modes. IMRT, VAMT, and Tomotherapy were utilized for treatment planning. Ion chamber and EBT3 were used to measure the point dose and planar dose. Dose distributions with different amplitudes, respiratory cycles, and planning techniques were all measured and compared to calculations. Results: The variations between the does measurements and calculation dose by treatment planning system were found in both point dose and dose distribution. The 0.83% and 5.46 % differences in dose average were shown on phantom with motions using 2mm amplitude in 4 second respiratory cycle, and 20mm amplitude in 4 second respiratory cycle, respectively. The most point dose overestimation as compared of the calculations was shown the plan generated by Tomotherapy. The underestimations of planar dose as compared of calculations was found in the 100% coverage doses for GTV. Conclusion: The loss of complete (100%) GTV coverage was the predominant effect of respiratory motion observed in this study. Motion amplitude and treatment planning system were the major factors leading the dose measurement variation as compared of planning calculations.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Operational Simulation Tools and Long Term Strategic Planning for High Penetrations of PV in the Southeastern United States

Increasing levels of distributed and utility scale Solar Photovoltaics (PV) will have an impact on many utility functions, including distribution system operations, bulk system performance, business models and scheduling of generation. In this project, EPRI worked with Southern Company Services and its affiliates and the Tennessee Valley Authority to assist these utilities in their strategic planning efforts for integrating PV, based on modeling, simulation and analysis using a set of innovative tools. Advanced production simulation models were used to investigate operating reserve requirements. To leverage existing work and datasets, this last task was carried out on the California system. Overall, the project resulted in providing useful information to both of the utilities involved and through the final reports and interactions during the project. The results from this project can be used to inform the industry about new and improved methodologies for understanding solar PV penetration, and will influence ongoing and future research. This report summarizes each of the topics investigated over the 2.5-year project period.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Becoming a 10: A Closer Look at the U.S. Department of Energy Home Energy Score's Updates, Improvements, and Expansion

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Home Energy Score provides homeowners, buyers, and renters directly comparable and credible information about a home's estimated energy use and costs. Certified Qualified Assessors conduct low-cost assessments to provide each home a 1-10 score alongside a set of cost-effective upgrades to improve the score. As of February 2022, hundreds of assessors have delivered over 175,000 scores to homes across the country. Originally released in 2012 using DOE2.1e as the modeling backend, after years of effort, a new version of Home Energy Score was released in 2021 utilizing DOE's flagship energy modeling software, EnergyPlus. The updated architecture leverages modeling advancements and enables new building technologies to be added to the Scoring Tool. The new release represents a leap forward in harmonizing modeling assumptions across DOE and industry programs. In this paper we discuss the rigorous approach to model comparison with DOE2 undertaken prior to the update, utilizing test homes and real homes from the Home Energy Score database to strike a balance between consistency and more accurate energy predictions. We also discuss additional new capabilities, including improvements made to the upgrade recommendations methodology, the inclusion of an energy cost estimate metric based on ResStock analysis for use in home appraisals, and improved data analysis for quality assurance. Finally, we look at the impact Home Energy Score has had over the last decade and its future potential as its uptake in state energy plans, local ordinances, utility programs, and real estate data continues to grow.

building energy modeling↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ten-Ecosystem Study

Remote sensing methodology developed for the Nationwide Forestry Applications Program utilize computer data processing procedures for performing inventories from satellite imagery. The Ten-Ecosystem Study (TES) was developed to test the processing procedures in an intermediate-sized application study. The results of TES indicate that LANDSAT multispectral imagery and associated automatic data processing techniques can be used to distinguish softwood, hardwood, grassland, and water and make inventory of these classes with an accuracy of 70 percent or better. The technical problems encountered during the TES and the solutions and insights to these problems are discussed. The TES experience is useful in planning subsequent inventories utilizing remote sensing technology.

Mazade, A. V.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Review of Tools for Identifying, Planning, and Implementing Habitat Restoration for Pacific Salmon and Steelhead

Abstract A key challenge in watershed restoration is identifying the appropriate assessments, data, and analyses needed to identify disrupted natural processes, lost and degraded habitats, and limiting factors to ultimately identify and design successful restoration projects. This has proven particularly challenging for large restoration programs focused on recovery of threatened and endangered salmon and trout where numerous tools, models, and other assessments have been developed to assist with habitat restoration at the watershed, reach, and project scale. Unfortunately, it is often unclear which step in the restoration process these various assessment tools will actually address. To assist with identifying the appropriate assessment tool (e.g., model, data collection, analysis, and survey), we reviewed major categories of watershed restoration assessment tools to determine their goals, inputs, outputs, and their utility in helping plan, prioritize, and implement restoration actions. The major categories of assessment tools reviewed were: (1) life cycle and fish–habitat models, (2) watershed assessment methods and techniques, (3) reach assessments, (4) prioritization tools, and (5) common monitoring methods to identify, prioritize, and plan river and watershed restoration projects. We specifically indicated whether these assessment tools directly or indirectly assisted with the key steps in the restoration process that are required to develop successful restoration plans and projects. These steps involve assessing watershed conditions, identifying limiting habitats and life stages, identifying problems and restoration actions, selecting restoration techniques, prioritizing restoration actions, or designing actual restoration projects. It is important to recognize that no single assessment tool will address all the steps in the restoration process. Selecting appropriate assessment tools requires a clear understanding of the goals of the restoration program and which step in the restoration process will be addressed by a particular tool. We provide recommendations for how restoration practitioners and managers can use our review to help select the appropriate assessment tools needed for their watershed.

Roni, Philip↗
DOE OSTI2018

Autonomous 3D and Radiation Mapping in Tunnel Environments Using Aerial Robots - 18156

In this paper we present the algorithms and systems developed to enable autonomous 3D and radiation mapping, as well as radiological source localization in tunnel environments using aerial robots. The developed technologies aim to address the need of autonomous robotic inspection of nuclear sites such as facilities in the process of being decommissioned. As a motivational example, the PUREX tunnels at the Hanford Site are considered and the robot is designed to be able to conduct multi-modal 3D/radiation characterization of the tunnel environment without any prior knowledge or map provided beforehand. In order to enable the necessary GPS-denied simultaneous localization and mapping in dark, visually-degraded tunnel environments, a multi-modal mapping unit was developed which fuses the data from stereo vision cameras synchronized with flashing LEDs, inertial sensors, and three time-of-flight 3D depth sensors. The robot's pose and surrounding map are estimated at 20 Hz through a depth-enhanced visual- inertial localization and mapping framework. Provided this ability to estimate the robot's pose and develop a dense map in real-time, a receding horizon sampling-based autonomous exploration path planning algorithm was utilized and equips the robot with the ability to explore its environment given no prior map. The aforementioned key robotic functionalities are further extended through the integration of miniaturized fully solid-state scintillation detectors, utilizing advanced scintillators and Silicon Photomultipliers. The derived sensor data is employed for radiation mapping, which when fused with the 3D maps and the spectroscopic source localization methods, allow the aerial robotic platform to localize the radiation source and identify the specific source isotope. The source location is estimated through a geometric algorithm which can localize a source given only three measurements and short dwell times. The developed systems were tested using two small aerial robot platforms of the F450 and F550 frame classes with weights of 2.6 kg and 2.9 kg respectively. All localization and planning as well as high-level control algorithms are executed onboard. The scintillation detector is integrated on the robot and its data is collected through a dedicated microcontroller. A set of field experiments were conducted inside the dark and GPS-denied environment of a 4.25 m wide, 7.5 m tall, and 137 m long railroad tunnel. A Cs-137 source was placed within the tunnel, the associated 3D/radiation maps were derived, and the source location was estimated. Through these efforts, the goal is to develop the robotic technology that would enable the autonomous systematic inspection or emergency response in nuclear waste decommissioning facilities. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-C-BRB-06: Dosimetric Impact of Breast Contour Reconstruction Errors in GammaPod Stereotactic Radiotherapy

Purpose: The first GammaPod™ unit, a dedicated prone stereotactic treatment device for early stage breast cancer, has been installed and commissioned at University of Maryland School of Medicine. The objective of this study was to investigate potential dosimetric impact of inaccurate breast contour. Methods: In GammaPod treatments, patient’s beast is immobilized by a breast cup device (BCID) throughout the entire same-day imaging and treatment procedure. 28 different BICD sizes are available to accommodate patients with varying breast sizes. A mild suction helps breast tissue to conform to the shape of the cup with selected size. In treatment planning, dose calculation utilizes previously calculated dose distributions for available cup geometry rather than the breast shape from CT image. Patient CT images with breast cups indicate minor geometric discrepancy between the matched shape of the cup and the breast contour, i.e., the contour size is larger or smaller. In order to investigate the dosimetric impact of these discrepancies, we simulated such discrepancies and reassessed the dose to target as well as skin. Results: In vicinity of skin, hot/cold spots were found when matched cup size was smaller/larger than patient’s breast after comparing the corrected dose profiles from Monte Carlo simulation with the planned dose from TPS. The overdosing/underdosing of target could yield point dose differences as large as 5% due to these setup errors (D95 changes within 2.5%). Maximal skin dose was overestimated/underestimated up to 25%/45% when matched cup size was larger/smaller than real breast contour. Conclusion: The dosimetric evaluation suggests substantial underdosing/overdosing with inaccurate cup geometry during planning, which is acceptable for current clinical trial. Further studies are needed to evaluate such impact to treating small volume close to skin.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗