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At least 523 records · Page 29

NASA as a Catalyst: Use of Satellite Data in the States

NASA revolutionized our view of the world in 1972 with the launch of the first satellite to monitor the Earth. Recognizing the importance of states in governing the United States, NASA then established a program in the late 1970s to educate and assist states in using satellite data products. This report reviews this brief, but beneficial program that laid a foundation and catalyzed satellite data work that continues today in several states. More recently, outreach efforts as part of NASAs Mission to Planet Earth program and growing state government roles, responsibilities, and initiatives led NASA to begin a new effort in 1994 to understand and work effectively with states. This effort included an investigation and synthesis of current satellite data conditions in each of the 50 states that are included in this report. It provided strong evidence that some state governments are applying satellite data to an increasing array of government needs, while other states have very limited applications to date. A wide range of satellite data applications in executive branch agencies are described, as well as the recent status of the Gap Analysis Program in each of the states with this program. The report also reviews the status of satellite data and geographic information coordination efforts in each of the 50 states. In addition to this investigation, NASA convened a meeting of representatives of 12 states experienced with satellite data to identify future satellite data uses and needs, as well as NASA opportunities to enhance the utility of satellite data products. The findings and recommendations from this meeting, the 50 state investigations, and NASAs past state programs are also included in the report; they provide the rationale for NASA to establish a new outreach effort with state governments in the late 1990s.

Warnecke, Lisa↗

Controls and guidance: Space

The Space Controls and Guidance Research and Technology Program is directed toward enabling the next generation of space transportation systems, large future spacecraft, and space systems such as the Space Station to have large communication antennas and high precision segmented reflector astrophysical telescopes. The new generation of transportation vehicles has demanding requirements to provide for an order of magnitude reduction in cost as well as an increase in capability. The future orbital facilities have demanding control requirements for pointing and stabilization, momentum management, build-up and growth accomodation, and disturbance management. To address these advanced requirements, the research and development program is designed to provide the generic technology base to support the implementation of advanced guidance, navigation, and control. The area of computational controls will be stressed in order to develop cost effective, high speed, high fidelity control system simulation and analysis and synthesis tools. The trust of this work will be to develop methods and software to enable analysis and real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulation of complex spacecraft for control design certification. To address future orbital facilities requirements, an advanced technology program is underway in system identification, distributed control, integrated controls/structures design methods, and advanced sensors and actuators. Because the behavior of large, light weight per unit area deployable/assembled spacecraft is greatly influenced by the ground environment, the testing and verification activity is both ground- and space-based.

Dibattista, John D.↗

Geochemical data synthesis and analysis

Data obtained at the Goddard Flight Center were collected for the purpose of completing analyses started at Goddard in order to maximize the scientific yield of the geochemistry program which was terminated in 1977. The major analytical task undertaken was to complete Gd analyses on a large number of samples already analyzed by mass spectrometry for other rare earth element abundances at Goddard. Gd values are important for pinning down the central part of the geochemically significant rare earth abundance pattern and are especially useful in the high precision definition of the utilitarian Eu anomaly. Isotope-dilution Gd abundances were obtained for 39 samples. The data are for 27 partition-coefficient samples, six Apollo 15 and 16 breccia samples, four terrestrial impactities, and associated rock standards.

Philpotts, J. A.↗

A superelement component dynamic synthesis method

A method is presented for coupling a broad class of component dynamic models in the manner of direct stiffness assembly. The method is implemented in a general matrix manipulation program.

Soni, M. L.↗

Topology of modified helical gears and Tooth Contact Analysis (TCA) program

The contents of this report covers: (1) development of optimal geometries for crowned helical gears; (2) a method for their generation; (3) tooth contact analysis (TCA) computer programs for the analysis of meshing and bearing contact of the crowned helical gears; and (4) modelling and simulation of gear shaft deflection. The developed method for synthesis was used to determine the optimal geometry for a crowned helical pinion surface and was directed to localize the bearing contact and guarantee favorable shape and a low level of transmission errors. Two new methods for generation of the crowned helical pinion surface are proposed. One is based on the application of a tool with a surface of revolution that slightly deviates from a regular cone surface. The tool can be used as a grinding wheel or as a shaver. The other is based on a crowning pinion tooth surface with predesigned transmission errors. The pinion tooth surface can be generated by a computer-controlled automatic grinding machine. The TCA program simulates the meshing and bearing contact of the misaligned gears. The transmission errors are also determined. The gear shaft deformation was modelled and investigated. It was found that the deflection of gear shafts has the same effect as gear misalignment.

Litvin, Faydor L.↗

Tolerance analysis program

Digital computer program determines tolerance values of end to end signal chain or flow path, given preselected probability value. Technique is useful in the synthesis and analysis phases of subsystem design processes.

Watson, H. K.↗

Radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres

Rheoretical techniques and observations at millimeter wavelengths are combined to study the atmosphere of planets and comets, planetary and satellite regoliths, and planetary rings. Analysis of the very high quality data on the 18 cm OH line observed in recent comets continued. The high spectral resolution and high signal-to-noise make these lines ideal for study of the kinematics in cometary comae. A model of the collisional quenching of the inversion of the lambda doublet responsible for the OH radio emission has been developed by P. Schloerb. For conditions appropriate to Halley's Comet, collisional quenching should lead radio observers to systematically underestimate the OH parent production rate by a factor of approximately 3 relative to its actual value, which is very consistent with differences observed between radio and ultraviolet-derived production rates. Modeling is likewise continuing for the profiles observed in the lowest rotational transition of HCN in Comet Halley in order to better estimate the excitation and hence the abundance of HCN, as well as the kinematics of parent molecules in the coma. A collaborative program to combine data from the 14 m antenna with interferometric data abtained at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory is allowing aperture synthesis mapping of Venus in the CO J=1-0 line.

Irvine, William M.↗

Closed loop lab tests of NASA's Mini-Mast

A design strategy which integrates model reduction by modal cost analysis and a multiobjective controller synthesis algorithm is used to design controllers for NASA's Mini-Mast system. The necessary modeling and control algorithms are easily programmed in Matlab standard software. Hence, this method is very practical for controller design for large space structures. The design algorithm also presents a solution for the important problem of tuning multiple-loop controllers.

Hsieh, C.↗

Achieving a balance - Science and human exploration

The linkage between science and human exploration is close. Currently, proponents of science and human presence themes identified by the Synthesis Group as the most important themes of Mars exploration, tend to have reservations about the other camp. Mechanisms that integrate the program themes are essential, to gain the advocacies of the exploration communities and find optimal solutions to the technical problems. Without such mechanisms, it will be difficult to gain widespread acceptance of the SEI as the strategic horizon for the U.S. civilian space program.

Duke, Michael B.↗

The Challenge to Advanced Cargo Aircraft Systems

The successful synthesis of all-new advanced cargo aircraft system concepts which can compete economically with less advanced additional, or derivative, aircraft from programs initiated earlier is a difficult task in view of the adverse impact of inflation and other economic factors on later programs. Reasonable projections promise technologically superior concepts. The adverse impact of continuing inflation on relative economic performance, however, must be carefully considered. A conflict between minimizing fuel usage and achieving best economics is also addressed. Some potential solutions for future all-new cargo systems are examined.

Cleveland, F. A.↗

Space Interferometry Mission: Measuring the Universe

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be the NASA Origins Program's first space based long baseline interferometric observatory. SIM will use a 10 m Michelson stellar interferometer to provide 4 microarcsecond precision absolute position measurements of stars down to 20th magnitude over its 5 yr. mission lifetime. SIM will also provide technology demonstrations of synthesis imaging and interferometric nulling. This paper describes the what, why and how of the SIM mission, including an overall mission and system description, science objectives, general description of how SIM makes its measurements, description of the design concepts now under consideration, operations concept, and supporting technology program.

Marr, James↗

At the interfaces of the hydrologic sciences: Connecting water, elements, ecosystems, and people through the major contributions of Dr. Emily Bernhardt

Here, in this paper, we describe the major contributions of Professor Emily Bernhardt to the hydrologic sciences. Dr. Bernhardt’s work addresses how carbon, nutrient, and contaminant dynamics respond to a wide range of environmental perturbations that alter hydrologic dynamics within and connectivity among ecosystems. Her research leverages intensive and extensive field sampling, experimental manipulations, macroscale data harmonization and exploration, and continental to global-scale synthesis activities to uncover key drivers and patterns of the impacts human perturbations have on water and elemental cycles. Dr. Bernhardt’s research program is defined by her ability to ask questions and use approaches that explicitly consider connectivity and interfaces in a variety of ways. Here, we highlight significant contributions from Dr. Bernhardt’s work, organized by connectivity, interfaces, and interactions among and across (1) elemental cycles, (2) ecosystems, (3) watersheds, (4) scales, and (5) disciplines. We conclude with a section on Dr. Bernhardt’s impact on the hydrologic sciences and beyond through her exceptional dedication to mentorship, engagement, and service.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Development of Passive HC/NOx Trap Catalysts for Low Temperature Gasoline Applications

This project aimed to develop fundamental understanding of the chemistry of NO adsorption and reaction in Pd/zeolites so as to facilitate the rational design of passive NOx adsorber catalysts. The approach adopted combined both experimental and computational methods, which together allow a deeper understanding of the governing chemistry than the use of either method alone. The workflow began with Pd/H-CHA and Pd/H-BEA catalyst synthesis and characterization, in which the Si/Al ratio and Al siting were systematically varied. This was followed by catalyst evaluation using temperature-programed adsorption/desorption methods, as well as in situ spectroscopic measurements to probe the chemistry of NO adsorption. In parallel, the adsorption of NO and other relevant species (H 2 O, CO, HCs) was studied by means of quantum chemical calculations in order to rationalize the experimental data and provide additional insights. Catalyst aging studies were also performed with the aim of elucidating the mechanism of catalyst degradation. Finally, the insights gained in this project were applied to the preparation of an optimized HC/NOx adsorber catalyst, the performance of which was studied using exhaust gas from an engine dynamometer.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Dynamic analysis of large structures by modal synthesis techniques.

Several criteria that may be used to evaluate the merits of some of the existing techniques for the dynamic analysis of large structures which involve division into substructures or components are examined. These techniques make use of component displacement modes to synthetize global systems of generalized coordinates and, for that reason, they have come to be known as modal synthesis or component mode methods. Two techniques have been found to be particularly useful - i.e., the modal synthesis method with fixed attachment modes, and the modal synthesis method with free attachment modes. These two methods are treated in detail, and general flow charts are presented for guidance in computer programming.

Hurty, W. C.↗

A feasibility study regarding the addition of a fifth control to a rotorcraft in-flight simulator

The addition of a large movable horizontal tail surface to the control system of a rotorcraft in-flight simulator being developed from a Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk Helicopter is evaluated. The capabilities of the control surface as a trim control and as an active control are explored. The helicopter dynamics are modeled using the Generic Helicopter simulation program developed by Sikorsky Aircraft. The effect of the horizontal tail on the helicopter trim envelope is examined by plotting trim maps of the aircraft attitude and controls as a function of the flight speed and horizontal tail incidence. The control power of the tail surface relative to that of the other controls is examined by comparing control derivatives extracted from the simulation program over the flight speed envelope. The horizontal tail's contribution as an active control is evaluated using an explicit model following control synthesis involving a linear model of the helicopter in steady, level flight at a flight speed of eighty knots. The horizontal tail is found to provide additional control flexibility in the longitudinal axis. As a trim control, it provides effective control of the trim pitch attitude at mid to high forward speeds. As an active control, the horizontal tail provides useful pitching moment generating capabilities at mid to high forward speeds.

Turner, Simon↗

Man-machine Integration Design and Analysis System (MIDAS) Task Loading Model (TLM) experimental and software detailed design report

This is the experimental and software detailed design report for the prototype task loading model (TLM) developed as part of the man-machine integration design and analysis system (MIDAS), as implemented and tested in phase 6 of the Army-NASA Aircrew/Aircraft Integration (A3I) Program. The A3I program is an exploratory development effort to advance the capabilities and use of computational representations of human performance and behavior in the design, synthesis, and analysis of manned systems. The MIDAS TLM computationally models the demands designs impose on operators to aide engineers in the conceptual design of aircraft crewstations. This report describes TLM and the results of a series of experiments which were run this phase to test its capabilities as a predictive task demand modeling tool. Specifically, it includes discussions of: the inputs and outputs of TLM, the theories underlying it, the results of the test experiments, the use of the TLM as both stand alone tool and part of a complete human operator simulation, and a brief introduction to the TLM software design.

Staveland, Lowell↗

Microgravity Combustion Science: 1995 Program Update

Microgravity greatly benefits the study of fundamental combustion processes. In this environment, buoyancy-induced flow is nearly eliminated, weak or normally obscured forces and flows can be isolated, gravitational settling or sedimentation is nearly eliminated, and temporal and spatial scales can be expanded. This document reviews the state of knowledge in microgravity combustion science with the emphasis on NASA-sponsored developments in the current period of 1992 to early 1995. The subjects cover basic research in gaseous premixed and diffusion-flame systems, flame structure and sooting, liquid droplets and pools, and solid-surface ignition and flame spread. They also cover applied research in combustion synthesis of ceramic-metal composites, advanced diagnostic instrumentation, and on-orbit fire safety. The review promotes continuing research by describing the opportunities for Principal Investigator participation through the NASA Research Announcement program and the available NASA Lewis Research Center ground-based facilities and spaceflight accommodations. This review is compiled by the members and associates of the NASA Lewis Microgravity Combustion Branch, and it serves as an update of two previous overview reports.

Ross, Howard D.↗