Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “COMMAND SYSTEM”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 523 records · Page 29

Advanced application flight experiment breadboard pulse compression radar altimeter program

Design, development and performance of the pulse compression radar altimeter is described. The high resolution breadboard system is designed to operate from an aircraft at 10 Kft above the ocean and to accurately measure altitude, sea wave height and sea reflectivity. The minicomputer controlled Ku band system provides six basic variables and an extensive digital recording capability for experimentation purposes. Signal bandwidths of 360 MHz are obtained using a reflective array compression line. Stretch processing is used to achieve 1000:1 pulse compression. The system range command LSB is 0.62 ns or 9.25 cm. A second order altitude tracker, aided by accelerometer inputs is implemented in the system software. During flight tests the system demonstrated an altitude resolution capability of 2.1 cm and sea wave height estimation accuracy of 10%. The altitude measurement performance exceeds that of the Skylab and GEOS-C predecessors by approximately an order of magnitude.

Source record↗

Multimodal user input to supervisory control systems - Voice-augmented keyboard

The use of a voice-augmented keyboard input modality is evaluated in a supervisory control application. An implementation of voice recognition technology in supervisory control is proposed: voice is used to request display pages, while the keyboard is used to input system reconfiguration commands. Twenty participants controlled GT-MSOCC, a high-fidelity simulation of the operator interface to a NASA ground control system, via a workstation equipped with either a single keyboard or a voice-augmented keyboard. Experimental results showed that in all cases where significant performance differences occurred, performance with the voice-augmented keyboard modality was inferior to and had greater variance than the keyboard-only modality. These results suggest that current moderately priced voice recognition systems are an inappropriate human-computer interaction technology in supervisory control systems.

Mitchell, Christine M.↗

A Hierarchical VLSM-Based Demand Response Strategy for Coordinative Voltage Control between Transmission and Distribution Systems

This paper presents a two-stage hierarchical voltage-load sensitivity matrix (VLSM)-based demand response (DR) algorithm for regulating the voltage at distribution feeders while fulfilling the transmission system DR requests. This allows distributed energy resources be aggregated to provide transmission-level services without causing operational issues in the distribution grids. At the beginning of each operation interval, a transmission system controller will issue DR commands to distribution system controllers. In the first stage, the distribution system controller uses a VLSM-based dispatch algorithm to dispatch the available DR resources on the distribution feeder with an objective to minimize the total voltage deviations at the lowest cost. Then, power flow studies are conducted assuming that the DR commands have been executed. If voltage violations are detected, a second-stage VLSM-based DR dispatch will be performed to remove those violations. After that, the upper and lower DR limits calculated for the next operation interval are sent back to the transmission system controller so the transmission optimization algorithm can use them as operational constraints to make subsequent decisions. The DR resources include smart photovoltaic (PV) inverters that can curtail real power and provide reactive power support, controllable loads and capacitor banks. In conclusion, the IEEE 123-bus test system with 5-minute PV and load data is used to evaluate the performance of the algorithm. In conclusion, simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can fulfill the transmission-level DR requests while maintaining the voltage in the distribution system within limits.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Mature data transport and command management services for the Space Station

The duplex space/ground/space data services for the Space Station are described. The need to separate the uplink data service functions from the command functions is discussed. Command management is a process shared by an operation control center and a command management system and consists of four functions: (1) uplink data communications, (2) management of the on-board computer, (3) flight resource allocation and management, and (4) real command management. The new data service capabilities provided by microprocessors, ground and flight nodes, and closed loop and open loop capabilities are studied. The need for and functions of a flight resource allocation management service are examined. The system is designed so only users can access the system; the problems encountered with open loop uplink access are analyzed. The procedures for delivery of operational, verification, computer, and surveillance and monitoring data directly to users are reviewed.

Carper, R. D.↗

Guidance, navigation, and control systems performance analysis: Apollo 13 mission report

The conclusions of the analyses of the inflight performance of the Apollo 13 spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control equipment are presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) the command module systems, (2) the lunar module inertial measurement unit, (3) the lunar module digital autopilot, (4) the lunar module abort guidance system, (5) lunar module optical alignment checks, and (6) spacecraft component separation procedures.

Source record↗

Large liquid rocket engine transient performance simulation system

A simulation system, ROCETS, was designed and developed to allow cost-effective computer predictions of liquid rocket engine transient performance. The system allows a user to generate a simulation of any rocket engine configuration using component modules stored in a library through high-level input commands. The system library currently contains 24 component modules, 57 sub-modules and maps, and 33 system routines and utilities. FORTRAN models from other sources can be operated in the system upon inclusion of interface information on comment cards. Operation of the simulation is simplified for the user by run, execution, and output processors. The simulation system makes available steady-state trim balance, transient operation, and linear partial generation. The system utilizes a modern equation solver for efficient operation of the simulations. Transient integration methods include integral and differential forms for the trapezoidal, first order Gear, and second order Gear corrector equations. A detailed technology test bed engine (TTBE) model was generated to be used as the acceptance test of the simulation system. The general level of model detail was that reflected in the Space Shuttle Main Engine DTM. The model successfully obtained steady-state balance in main stage operation and simulated throttle transients, including engine starts and shutdown. A NASA FORTRAN control model was obtained, ROCETS interface installed in comment cards, and operated with the TTBE model in closed-loop transient mode.

Mason, J. R.↗

XML: James Webb Space Telescope Database Issues, Lessons, and Status

This paper will present the current concept using extensible Markup Language (XML) as the underlying structure for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) database. The purpose of using XML is to provide a JWST database, independent of any portion of the ground system, yet still compatible with the various systems using a variety of different structures. The testing of the JWST Flight Software (FSW) started in 2002, yet the launch is scheduled for 2011 with a planned 5-year mission and a 5-year follow on option. The initial database and ground system elements, including the commands, telemetry, and ground system tools will be used for 19 years, plus post mission activities. During the Integration and Test (I&T) phases of the JWST development, 24 distinct laboratories, each geographically dispersed, will have local database tools with an XML database. Each of these laboratories database tools will be used for the exporting and importing of data both locally and to a central database system, inputting data to the database certification process, and providing various reports. A centralized certified database repository will be maintained by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. One of the challenges for the database is to be flexible enough to allow for the upgrade, addition or changing of individual items without effecting the entire ground system. Also, using XML should allow for the altering of the import and export formats needed by the various elements, tracking the verification/validation of each database item, allow many organizations to provide database inputs, and the merging of the many existing database processes into one central database structure throughout the JWST program. Many National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) projects have attempted to take advantage of open source and commercial technology. Often this causes a greater reliance on the use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS), which is often limiting. In our review of the database requirements and the COTS software available, only very expensive COTS software will meet 90% of requirements. Even with the high projected initial cost of COTS, the development and support for custom code over the 19-year mission period was forecasted to be higher than the total licensing costs. A group did look at reusing existing database tools and formats. If the JWST database was already in a mature state, the reuse made sense, but with the database still needing to handing the addition of different types of command and telemetry structures, defining new spacecraft systems, accept input and export to systems which has not been defined yet, XML provided the flexibility desired. It remains to be determined whether the XML database will reduce the over all cost for the JWST mission.

Detter, Ryan↗

Optical systems for free-space laser communications

An overview of optical systems utilized in JPL's Optical Communications research is provided here. These include discussions on the flight terminal optics, the ground receiver aperture and the uplink beacon or command optical system. On-going efforts on these and beam-coupling techniques will be described.

Hemmati, Hamid↗

Hierarchical hybrid control of manipulators: Artificial intelligence in large scale integrated circuits

Both in practical engineering and in control of muscular systems, low level subsystems automatically provide crude approximations to the proper response. Through low level tuning of these approximations, the proper response variant can emerge from standardized high level commands. Such systems are expressly suited to emerging large scale integrated circuit technology. A computer, using symbolic descriptions of subsystem responses, can select and shape responses of low level digital or analog microcircuits. A mathematical theory that reveals significant informational units in this style of control and software for realizing such information structures are formulated.

Greene, P. H.↗

Clarissa Spoken Dialogue System for Procedure Reading and Navigation

Speech is the most natural modality for humans use to communicate with other people, agents and complex systems. A spoken dialogue system must be robust to noise and able to mimic human conversational behavior, like correcting misunderstandings, answering simple questions about the task and understanding most well formed inquiries or commands. The system aims to understand the meaning of the human utterance, and if it does not, then it discards the utterance as being meant for someone else. The first operational system is Clarissa, a conversational procedure reader and navigator, which will be used in a System Development Test Objective (SDTO) on the International Space Station (ISS) during Expedition 10. In the present environment one astronaut reads the procedure on a Manual Procedure Viewer (MPV) or paper, and has to stop to read or turn pages, shifting focus from the task. Clarissa is designed to read and navigate ISS procedures entirely with speech, while the astronaut has his eyes and hands engaged in performing the task. The system also provides an MPV like graphical interface so the procedure can be read visually. A demo of the system will be given.

Hieronymus, James↗

Cost efficient command management

The design and implementation of a command management system (CMS) for a NASA control center, is described. The technology innovations implemented in the CMS provide the infrastructure required for operations cost reduction and future development cost reduction through increased operational efficiency and reuse in future missions. The command management design facilitates error-free operations which enables the automation of the routine control center functions and allows for the distribution of scheduling responsibility to the instrument teams. The reusable system was developed using object oriented methodologies.

Brandt, Theresa↗

Robust, Radiation Tolerant Command and Data Handling and Power System Electronics for SmallSats

In today's budgetary environment, there is significant interest within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to enable small robotic science missions that can be executed faster and cheaper than previous larger missions. To help achieve this, focus has shifted from using exclusively radiation-tolerant or radiation-hardened parts to using more commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components for NASA small satellite missions that can last at least one year in orbit. However, there are some portions of a spacecraft's avionics, such as the Command and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem and the Power System Electronics (PSE) that need to have a higher level of reliability that goes beyond what is attainable with currently available COTS parts. While there are a number of COTS components that can withstand a total ionizing dose (TID) of tens or hundreds of kilorads, there is still a great deal of concern about tolerance to and mitigation of single-event effects (SEE).

6U satellite↗

A Cooperative Game Theory-based Secondary Frequency Regulation in Distribution Systems

Participation of distribution systems in frequency regulation has become an important factor for grid operation after the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs). While available reserves from a single distribution system may not be sufficient for frequency regulation, aggregated reserves from several distribution systems can provide frequency regulation at grid-scale. This paper proposes a cooperative game theory-based approach for secondary frequency regulation in distribution systems consisting of distributed energy resources (DERs). A two-stage strategy is proposed to effectively and precisely determine a change in active power set points of DERs following a command from system operators. In the first stage, the value or worth of each DER and their coalitions are determined using initial rates of change of frequency (ROCOF) for each DER/coalition. In the second stage, the Shapley value, one of the solution concepts of cooperative game theory, is used to determine changes in active power set points of DERs. The proposed method is implemented on several distribution systems including a modified IEEE 13-node system and modified 33-node distribution system.

Gautam, Mukesh↗

On-line identification of forward/inverse systems for adaptive control applications

The paper is concerned with the on-line identification of system Markov parameters using observers. Two types of parameters are sought: the forward system parameters, which provide estimates of the outputs for given inputs, and inverse system parameters, which provide estimates of inputs for given outputs. A procedure is proposed which uses the inverse system to generate commands that produce a desired system response. The feasibility of the procedure is demonstrated using test results from an implementation of a truss structure fitted with piezoelectric actuators and collocated strain gauges.

Horta, Lucas G.↗

Merging Concurrent Behaviors on a Redundant Manipulator

Task Space control of manipulators is extended both in the number of simultaneous behaviors and in the dimension of task space. An application is decomposed into multiple simultaneous behaviors whose resultant behavior will provide the motion necessary to execute the task. Each behavior generates commands in its own coordinate system. These simultaneous commands are merged in a motion space using impedance control to complete a resultant command to the manipulator. The task space of each behavior can have the dimensionality of the mechanism being controlled. Control of a seven degree of freedom manipulator is described here so the available task space for each behavior has dimensionality seven.

robotics↗

Flight evaluation of advanced flight control systems and cockpit displays for powered-lift STOL Aircraft

A flight research program was conducted to assess the improvements, in longitudinal path control during a STOL approach and landing, that can be achieved with manual and automatic control system concepts and cockpit displays with various degrees of complexity. NASA-Ames powered-lift Augmentor Wing Research Aircraft was used in the research program. Satisfactory flying qualities were demonstrated for selected stabilization and command augmentation systems and flight director combinations. The ability of the pilot to perform precise landings at low touchdown sink rates with a gentle flare maneuver was also achieved. The path-control improvement is considered to be applicable to other powered-lift aircraft configurations.

Franklin, J. A.↗