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NASA Tech Briefs, January 2006

Topics covered include: Semiautonomous Avionics-and-Sensors System for a UAV; Biomimetic/Optical Sensors for Detecting Bacterial Species; System Would Detect Foreign-Object Damage in Turbofan Engine; Detection of Water Hazards for Autonomous Robotic Vehicles; Fuel Cells Utilizing Oxygen From Air at Low Pressures; Hybrid Ion-Detector/Data-Acquisition System for a TOF-MS; Spontaneous-Desorption Ionizer for a TOF-MS; Equipment for On-Wafer Testing From 220 to 325 GHz; Computing Isentropic Flow Properties of Air/R-134a Mixtures; Java Mission Evaluation Workstation System; Using a Quadtree Algorithm To Assess Line of Sight; Software for Automated Generation of Cartesian Meshes; Optics Program Modified for Multithreaded Parallel Computing; Programs for Testing Processor-in-Memory Computing Systems; PVM Enhancement for Beowulf Multiple-Processor Nodes; Ion-Exclusion Chromatography for Analyzing Organics in Water; Selective Plasma Deposition of Fluorocarbon Films on SAMs; Water-Based Pressure-Sensitive Paints; System Finds Horizontal Location of Center of Gravity; Predicting Tail Buffet Loads of a Fighter Airplane; Water Containment Systems for Testing High-Speed Flywheels; Vapor-Compression Heat Pumps for Operation Aboard Spacecraft; Multistage Electrophoretic Separators; Recovering Residual Xenon Propellant for an Ion Propulsion System; Automated Solvent Seaming of Large Polyimide Membranes; Manufacturing Precise, Lightweight Paraboloidal Mirrors; Analysis of Membrane Lipids of Airborne Micro-Organisms; Noninvasive Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease Using 12-Lead High-Frequency Electrocardiograms; Dual-Laser-Pulse Ignition; Enhanced-Contrast Viewing of White-Hot Objects in Furnaces; Electrically Tunable Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers; Few-Mode Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators; Conflict-Aware Scheduling Algorithm; and Real-Time Diagnosis of Faults Using a Bank of Kalman Filters.

Source record↗

Collaborative Systems Engineering in the Ascent Abort-2 Crew Module/Separation Ring Project

Generally speaking, systems engineering (SE) tool-sets face a dilemma balancing power and accessibility. High-powered SE tools (MagicDraw, Cradle, Core, etc.) tend to be specialized and are available only to highly trained Systems Engineers, and/or through the use of a 'back room' developer team making the output products available to the broader team. On the other hand, highly accessible tools (MS Word, Excel, etc.) do not have the power to implement SE in a rigorous manner. NASA has to test all aspects of the new human-rated Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle spacecraft prior to its first crewed mission. The test program includes uncrewed launch abort flight tests to demonstrate the capability to save the crew in the event that a launch failure occurs. Orion's second abort flight test will be a low-altitude flight test known as "Ascent Abort 2 (AA-2)." This test is currently scheduled to be carried out at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46) in Florida in 2019. NASA's in-house AA-2 Crew Module and Separation Ring (CSR) Team is producing the crew module and separation ring. Operating jointly as both an Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Project and an Orion Project, the CSR project charter includes development of innovative, streamlined and generally more efficient practices for creation of flight hardware and software. One result of this tasking has been development of a collaborative and data-centric systems engineering environment within the team's shared web environment (Microsoft SharePoint). Through the use of built-in, 'out of the box capabilities' present in MS SharePoint, the CSR Systems Engineering team has created (with some limited developer support) a data-centric architecture for the project's SE implementation, including functional and interface analysis, requirements development and management, risk management, verification planning and management, test results, and end item management. Data elements are linked between data structures so as to define and control relationships between item types, link requirements to parents and children, and link tests to the requirements that they verify. The overall project team integration is increased by also linking SE content to project management content over the project life cycle, including team communication, action items, configuration management, decisional and meeting materials, and life cycle reviews. This presentation will provide an overview of the collaborative SE environment, showing how it provides the power for a number of SE tasks while still providing the accessibility and transparency to allow the full project team to collaborate and succeed. Given the project phase, we'll be able to present a nearly full lifecycle discussion, from concept through verification and approaching delivery.

Systems Engineering environments↗

LEWICE3D/GlennHT Particle Analysis of the Honeywell Al502 Low Pressure Compressor

A flow and ice particle trajectory analysis was performed for the booster of the Honeywell AL502 engine. The analysis focused on two closely related conditions one of which produced a rollback and another which did not rollback during testing in the Propulsion Systems Lab at NASA Glenn Research Center. The flow analysis was generated using the NASA Glenn GlennHT flow solver and the particle analysis was generated using the NASA Glenn LEWICE3D v3.56 ice accretion software. The flow and particle analysis used a 3D steady flow, mixing plane approach to model the transport of flow and particles through the engine. The inflow conditions for the rollback case were: airspeed, 145 ms; static pressure, 33,373 Pa; static temperature, 253.3 K. The inflow conditions for the non-roll-back case were: airspeed, 153 ms; static pressure, 34,252 Pa; static temperature, 260.1 K. Both cases were subjected to an ice particle cloud with a median volume diameter of 24 microns, an ice water content of 2.0 gm3 and a relative humidity of 100 percent. The most significant difference between the rollback and non-rollback conditions was the inflow static temperature which was 6.8 K higher for the non-rollback case.

Ice Accretion Codes↗

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2013

Topics include: Single-Photon-Sensitive HgCdTe Avalanche Photodiode Detector; Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Using Silica Whispering-Gallery Mode Resonators; 3D Hail Size Distribution Interpolation/Extrapolation Algorithm; Color-Changing Sensors for Detecting the Presence of Hypergolic Fuels; Artificial Intelligence Software for Assessing Postural Stability; Transformers: Shape-Changing Space Systems Built with Robotic Textiles; Fibrillar Adhesive for Climbing Robots; Using Pre-Melted Phase Change Material to Keep Payloads in Space Warm for Hours without Power; Development of a Centrifugal Technique for the Microbial Bioburden Analysis of Freon (CFC-11); Microwave Sinterator Freeform Additive Construction System (MS-FACS); DSP/FPGA Design for a High-Speed Programmable S-Band Space Transceiver; On-Chip Power-Combining for High-Power Schottky Diode-Based Frequency Multipliers; FPGA Vision Data Architecture; Memory Circuit Fault Simulator; Ultra-Compact Transputer-Based Controller for High-Level, Multi-Axis Coordination; Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot Excavator; Magnetically Actuated Seal; Hybrid Electrostatic/Flextensional Mirror for Lightweight, Large-Aperture, and Cryogenic Space Telescopes; System for Contributing and Discovering Derived Mission and Science Data; Remote Viewer for Maritime Robotics Software; Stackfile Database; Reachability Maps for In Situ Operations; JPL Space Telecommunications Radio System Operating Environment; RFI-SIM: RFI Simulation Package; ION Configuration Editor; Dtest Testing Software; IMPaCT - Integration of Missions, Programs, and Core Technologies; Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) Toolkit; Wind-Driven Wireless Networked System of Mobile Sensors for Mars Exploration; In Situ Solid Particle Generator; Analysis of the Effects of Streamwise Lift Distribution on Sonic Boom Signature; Rad-Tolerant, Thermally Stable, High-Speed Fiber-Optic Network for Harsh Environments; Towed Subsurface Optical Communications Buoy; High-Collection-Efficiency Fluorescence Detection Cell; Ultra-Compact, Superconducting Spectrometer-on-a-Chip at Submillimeter Wavelengths; UV Resonant Raman Spectrometer with Multi-Line Laser Excitation; Medicine Delivery Device with Integrated Sterilization and Detection; Ionospheric Simulation System for Satellite Observations and Global Assimilative Model Experiments - ISOGAME; Airborne Tomographic Swath Ice Sounding Processing System; flexplan: Mission Planning System for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; Estimating Torque Imparted on Spacecraft Using Telemetry; PowderSim: Lagrangian Discrete and Mesh-Free Continuum Simulation Code for Cohesive Soils; Multiple-Frame Detection of Subpixel Targets in Thermal Image Sequences; Metric Learning to Enhance Hyperspectral Image Segmentation; Basic Operational Robotics Instructional System; Sheet Membrane Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator; Advanced Materials and Manufacturing for Low-Cost, High-Performance Liquid Rocket Combustion Chambers; Motor Qualification for Long-Duration Mars Missions.

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Design and Analysis of V-Groove Passive Cryogenic Radiators for Space-borne Telescopes & Instruments

V-groove passive radiators are extremely efficient passive designs to thermally isolate a cryogenic telescope or instrument from warm environments in space, like the Sun, Earth, Moon or Spacecrafts. Compared to traditional multi-layer insulation blankets employed for thermal isolation, the V-Groove radiators provide as much as an order of magnitude improvement. The V-Groove design typically constitutes three low emissivity, lightweight and thin aluminized Mylar/Kapton sheets angled from each other by just few degrees. These successively reflect heat from warmer shields to space via their angular openings, thus minimizing heat flow into the cryogenic system. Thermal analysis of these V-Groove radiators is typically performed by sophisticated thermal software that uses hundreds of thousands of rays to simulate radiative heat flow between successive shields via reflections, which can be very time & resource intensive. We have arrived at very simple closed form equations to predict the thermal behavior of these radiators, that includes their radiative heat transfer factors and temperatures as a function of their basic thermo-optical properties and inter-shield angles. These predictions can be done by hand calculators or in spreadsheet tools like MS-Excel. They compare very well to those from sophisticated computer programs. The ease in the use of these simple equations allow for instantaneous predictions of cryogenic temperatures and their trends for design options and trade studies. A case study of this was utilized for the telescope project that is currently being designed for an all sky spectral survey of the universe. This paper will describe the derivations of these equations, their comparison with computer software results and their applicability for current and future cryogenic space telescope and instrument missions

Bhandari, Pradeep↗

Three dimensional audio versus head down TCAS displays

The advantage of a head up auditory display was evaluated in an experiment designed to measure and compare the acquisition time for capturing visual targets under two conditions: Standard head down traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) display, and three-dimensional (3-D) audio TCAS presentation. Ten commercial airline crews were tested under full mission simulation conditions at the NASA Ames Crew-Vehicle Systems Research Facility Advanced Concepts Flight Simulator. Scenario software generated targets corresponding to aircraft which activated a 3-D aural advisory or a TCAS advisory. Results showed a significant difference in target acquisition time between the two conditions, favoring the 3-D audio TCAS condition by 500 ms.

Begault, Durand R.↗

Simultaneous real-time data collection methods

This paper describes the development of electronic test equipment which executes, supervises, and reports on various tests. This validation process uses computers to analyze test results and report conclusions. The test equipment consists of an electronics component and the data collection and reporting unit. The PC software, display screens, and real-time data-base are described. Pass-fail procedures and data replay are discussed. The OS2 operating system and Presentation Manager user interface system were used to create a highly interactive automated system. The system outputs are hardcopy printouts and MS DOS format files which may be used as input for other PC programs.

Klincsek, Thomas↗

Updated System-Availability and Resource-Allocation Program

A second version of the Availability, Cost and Resource Allocation (ACARA) computer program has become available. The first version was reported in an earlier tech brief. To recapitulate: ACARA analyzes the availability, mean-time-between-failures of components, life-cycle costs, and scheduling of resources of a complex system of equipment. ACARA uses a statistical Monte Carlo method to simulate the failure and repair of components while complying with user-specified constraints on spare parts and resources. ACARA evaluates the performance of the system on the basis of a mathematical model developed from a block-diagram representation. The previous version utilized the MS-DOS operating system and could not be run by use of the most recent versions of the Windows operating system. The current version incorporates the algorithms of the previous version but is compatible with Windows and utilizes menus and a file-management approach typical of Windows-based software.

Viterna, Larry↗

NASA's Space Launch System Takes Shape

Major hardware and software for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) began rolling off assembly lines in 2016, setting the stage for critical testing in 2017 and the launch of a major new capability for deep space human exploration. SLS continues to pursue a 2018 first launch of Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1). At NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, LA, Boeing completed welding of structural test and flight liquid hydrogen tanks, and engine sections. Test stands for core stage structural tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. neared completion. The B2 test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center, MS, completed major structural renovation to support core stage green run testing in 2018. Orbital ATK successfully test fired its second qualification solid rocket motor in the Utah desert and began casting the motor segments for EM-1. Aerojet Rocketdyne completed its series of test firings to adapt the heritage RS-25 engine to SLS performance requirements. Production is under way on the first five new engine controllers. NASA also signed a contract with Aerojet Rocketdyne for propulsion of the RL10 engines for the Exploration Upper Stage. United Launch Alliance delivered the structural test article for the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage to MSFC for tests and construction was under way on the flight stage. Flight software testing at MSFC, including power quality and command and data handling, was completed. Substantial progress is planned for 2017. Liquid oxygen tank production will be completed at Michoud. Structural testing at Marshall will get under way. RS-25 hotfire testing will verify the new engine controllers. Core stage horizontal integration will begin. The core stage pathfinder mockup will arrive at the B2 test stand for fit checks and tests. EUS will complete preliminary design review. This paper will discuss the technical and programmatic successes and challenges of 2016 and look ahead to plans for 2017.

Askins, Bruce↗

OCEAN-PC and a distributed network for ocean data

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) wishes to develop an integrated software package for oceanographic data entry and access in developing countries. The software, called 'OCEAN-PC', would run on low cost PC microcomputers and would encourage and standardize: (1) entry of local ocean observations; (2) quality control of the local data; (3) merging local data with historical data; (4) improved display and analysis of the merged data; and (5) international data exchange. OCEAN-PC will link existing MS-DOS oceanographic programs and data sets with table-driven format conversions. Since many ocean data sets are now being distributed on optical discs (Compact Discs - Read Only Memory, CD-ROM, Mass et al. 1987), OCEAN-PC will emphasize access to CD-ROMs.

Mclain, Douglas R.↗

The Use of Probabilistic Methods to Evaluate the Systems Impact of Component Design Improvements on Large Turbofan Engines

Probabilistic Structural Analysis (PSA) is now commonly used for predicting the distribution of time/cycles to failure of turbine blades and other engine components. These distributions are typically based on fatigue/fracture and creep failure modes of these components. Additionally, reliability analysis is used for taking test data related to particular failure modes and calculating failure rate distributions of electronic and electromechanical components. How can these individual failure time distributions of structural, electronic and electromechanical component failure modes be effectively combined into a top level model for overall system evaluation of component upgrades, changes in maintenance intervals, or line replaceable unit (LRU) redesign? This paper shows an example of how various probabilistic failure predictions for turbine engine components can be evaluated and combined to show their effect on overall engine performance. A generic model of a turbofan engine was modeled using various Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) tools (Quantitative Risk Assessment Software (QRAS) etc.). Hypothetical PSA results for a number of structural components along with mitigation factors that would restrict the failure mode from propagating to a Loss of Mission (LOM) failure were used in the models. The output of this program includes an overall failure distribution for LOM of the system. The rank and contribution to the overall Mission Success (MS) is also given for each failure mode and each subsystem. This application methodology demonstrates the effectiveness of PRA for assessing the performance of large turbine engines. Additionally, the effects of system changes and upgrades, the application of different maintenance intervals, inclusion of new sensor detection of faults and other upgrades were evaluated in determining overall turbine engine reliability.

Packard, Michael H.↗

The Data Acquisition and Controls Systems (DACS) of the E-Complex at the John C. Stennis Space Center, MS: A General Overview

The John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) provides test operations services to a variety of customers including NASA, DoD, commercial enterprises, and others for the development of current next-generation rocket propulsion systems. Many of these test operations services are provided in the E-Complex series of test facilities. The E-Complex is composed of three active test stands (E1, E2, & E3), each with two or more test positions. Each test position is comprised of unique sets of data acquisition and controls hardware and software that record both facility and test article data and safely operate the test facility. The E-Complex data acquisition system (DAS) is actually composed of two separate systems, one for static data and the other for dynamic. The static DAS, otherwise known as the Low-Speed DAS (LSDAS), samples 16 bit data at 250 samples-per-second (SPS), although an aggregate sample rate of 200,000 SPS is possible. The dynamic data acquisition system, otherwise known as the high-speed DAS (HSDAS), samples 16 bit data at 100K SPS with a 45 KHz bandwidth.

Hughes, Mark S.↗

Diffusivities of Redox-Sensitive Elements in Basalt vs. Oxygen Fugacity Determined by LA-ICP-MS

Several diffusion experiments were conducted in a piston cylinder device across a range of oxygen fugacities (FMQ-3 FMQ-1.2, FMQ+6) at 1 GPa and 1300 C. This was done to explore the effects of oxygen fugacity (fO2) on diffusivity of redox sensitive trace elements. This allows investigation of how these elements diffuse across the fO2 range encountered in different reservoirs on planets and moons in our solar system. The University of Rochester LA-ICP-MS system was used for analysis of samples. Analyses were conducted using an Agilent 7900 quadrupole mass spectrometer connected to a Photon Machines 193 nm G2 laser ablation (LA) system equipped with a HelEx 2-volume sample chamber. Spots used were 35 micrometers circles spaced at 65 micrometers intervals. Laser fluence was 7.81 J/cm^2 with a rep rate of 10 Hz. The iolite software package was used to reduce data collected from laser ablation analysis of experiments with Si-29 used as the internal standard isotope. Iolite's global fit module was used to simultaneously fit elements' diffusivities in each experiment while keeping the Matano interface constant. Elements analysed include V, Nb, W, Mo, La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ta, and W. Figures

Szumila, Ian↗

Enigma Version 12

Enigma Version 12 software combines model building, animation, and engineering visualization into one concise software package. Enigma employs a versatile user interface to allow average users access to even the most complex pieces of the application. Using Enigma eliminates the need to buy and learn several software packages to create an engineering visualization. Models can be created and/or modified within Enigma down to the polygon level. Textures and materials can be applied for additional realism. Within Enigma, these models can be combined to create systems of models that have a hierarchical relationship to one another, such as a robotic arm. Then these systems can be animated within the program or controlled by an external application programming interface (API). In addition, Enigma provides the ability to use plug-ins. Plugins allow the user to create custom code for a specific application and access the Enigma model and system data, but still use the Enigma drawing functionality. CAD files can be imported into Enigma and combined to create systems of computer graphics models that can be manipulated with constraints. An API is available so that an engineer can write a simulation and drive the computer graphics models with no knowledge of computer graphics. An animation editor allows an engineer to set up sequences of animations generated by simulations or by conceptual trajectories in order to record these to highquality media for presentation. Enigma Version 12 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 28 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2013 Planetary Protection Bioburden Analysis Program NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California This program is a Microsoft Access program that performed statistical analysis of the colony counts from assays performed on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft to determine the bioburden density, 3-sigma biodensity, and the total bioburdens required for the MSL prelaunch reports. It also contains numerous tools that report the data in various ways to simplify the reports required. The program performs all the calculations directly in the MS Access program. Prior to this development, the data was exported to large Excel files that had to be cut and pasted to provide the desired results. The program contains a main menu and a number of submenus. Analyses can be performed by using either all the assays, or only the accountable assays that will be used in the final analysis. There are three options on the first menu: either calculate using (1) the old MER (Mars Exploration Rover) statistics, (2) the MSL statistics for all the assays, or This software implements penetration limit equations for common micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shield configurations, windows, and thermal protection systems. Allowable MMOD risk is formulated in terms of the probability of penetration (PNP) of the spacecraft pressure hull. For calculating the risk, spacecraft geometry models, mission profiles, debris environment models, and penetration limit equations for installed shielding configurations are required. Risk assessment software such as NASA's BUMPERII is used to calculate mission PNP; however, they are unsuitable for use in shield design and preliminary analysis studies. The software defines a single equation for the design and performance evaluation of common MMOD shielding configurations, windows, and thermal protection systems, along with a description of their validity range and guidelines for their application. Recommendations are based on preliminary reviews of fundamental assumptions, and accuracy in predicting experimental impact test results. The software is programmed in Visual Basic for Applications for installation as a simple add-in for Microsoft Excel. The user is directed to a graphical user interface (GUI) that requires user inputs and provides solutions directly in Microsoft Excel workbooks. This work was done by Shannon Ryan of the USRA Lunar and Planetary Institute for Johnson Space Center. Further information is contained in a TSP (see page 1). MSC- 24582-1 Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) Shield Ballistic Limit Analysis Program Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas Commercially, because it is so generic, Enigma can be used for almost any project that requires engineering visualization, model building, or animation. Models in Enigma can be exported to many other formats for use in other applications as well. Educationally, Enigma is being used to allow university students to visualize robotic algorithms in a simulation mode before using them with actual hardware.

Shores, David↗

A Low Cost Simulation System to Demonstrate Pilot Induced Oscillation Phenomenon

A flight simulation system with graphics and software on Silicon Graphics computer workstations has been installed in the Flight Vehicle Design Laboratory at Tuskegee University. The system has F-15E flight simulation software from NASA Dryden which uses the graphics of SGI flight simulation demos. On the system, thus installed, a study of pilot induced oscillations is planned for future work. Preliminary research is conducted by obtaining two sets of straight level flights with pilot in the loop. In one set of flights no additional delay is used between the stick input and the appearance of airplane response on the computer monitor. In another set of flights, a 500 ms additional delay is used. The flight data is analyzed to find cross correlations between deflections of control surfaces and response of the airplane. The pilot dynamics features depicted from cross correlations of straight level flights are discussed in this report. The correlations presented here will serve as reference material for the corresponding correlations in a future study of pitch attitude tracking tasks involving pilot induced oscillations.

Ali, Syed Firasat↗

Thermodynamic constraints on the textural evolution of eucrite, EET 90020

Basaltic eucrites, which are possibly parts of the Vestan crust, formed as either lava flows or intrusions, and can offer insights into early crust formation. However most eucrites have experienced thermal metamorphism, which exacerbates the challenges of understanding these samples. A variety of petrogenetic models such as, partial melting of a primitive source, fractional crystallization of magmas emplaced in a primitive crust, and/or partial melting of a eucritic source coupled with melt mixing and assimilation have been proposed in order to explain observed petrologic and chemical characteristics of eucrites. EET 90020 is an unbrecciated eucrite that has experienced significant thermal metamorphism, with temperatures of metamorphic equilibration calculated to be ~840-1040°C. Its petrologic history remains contentious, in part due to differences in trace element analyses [10,17, this work], which has led to multiple metamorphic interpretations [8,10-11]. Here, we combined petrologic observations, chemical analyses, and thermodynamic modeling, to interpret micro-domain textures identified in EET 90020 and better constrain its petrologic history. Ultimately, the development of such textures is a direct result of the geologic processes operating on a young Vesta or similar asteroid. Sample description: We identified three textural domains in EET 90020 (Figure 1); (I) A coarse grain domain with granoblastic plagioclase and pyroxene, (II) a medium grain domain with curved grain boundaries between plagioclase and pyroxene, and (III) a fine grain domain dominated by tridymite that fills in interstitial space between spherical plagioclase. Major element chemistry in phases is consistent across domains. Pyroxene have distinctive high Ca lamellae (Wo40.92En28.1Fs31.0) forming from the low-Ca pigeonite host (Wo3.5En33.7Fs62.8). There are small amounts of fayalitic olivine along pyroxene/oxide grain boundaries, where pyroxenes have reacted with ilmenite/chromite clasts. Plagioclase is anorthitic (Avg ~An88), with little variation (An86-92.5). Trace element bulk rock analyses were collected via ICP-MS and individual mineral analyses with LA-ICP-MS (Figure 2). The bulk sample has an observable enrichment in light rare earth elements, with a notable depletion in Eu. Plagioclase is enriched in LREEs, depleted in HREEs, and has a positive Eu anomaly while pyroxene is enriched in HREEs with a negative Eu anomaly. Variations in trace element analyses is likely influenced by the presence of phosphates because are highly enriched in REEs and have a dramatic effect on the bulk domain compositions. Thermodynamic modeling: The software package, Perple_X, was used to calculate mineral phase equilibria over a range of conditions using a Gibbs free energy minimization approach [12]. Models used all major/minor elements except P2O5. Thermodynamic properties from [13] were used to constrain endmember phase stabilities. Activity models were used to describe mixing in phases with solid solution. Isochemical P-T phase diagrams were constructed for the bulk thin section, and the coarse, medium and fine grain domain compositions. Domain compositions were determined using microprobe analyses of phases identified in each domain and observed modal mineral abundancies. Thermodynamically stable pyroxene compositions were extracted from model results and compared to pyroxene compositions collected via EMPA, allowing us to calculate temperatures for metamorphic equilibrium. Results: Results that use the coarse domain composition (Fig. 3a) demonstrate overlap at T ~ 1020°C indicating high T equilibration. There was no overlap for the medium and fine grain domains, or the bulk composition (e.g., Fig. 3b) indicating that these are not equilibrium assemblages. These results were replicated using data from [8,20]. Discussion: The disequilibrium results from the bulk rock, fine grain and medium grain models imply that EET 90020 was modified during and/or after peak metamorphism (open system behavior). However, this is in contrast to the coarse domain where it appears as if equilibrium was maintained. We suggest that this conflict is explained by highly localized equilibrium occurring at millimeter length-scales, which has been observed in terrestrial metamorphism where aqueous fluid infiltrate [14] or melt loss occurs [15]. It is unlikely that aqueous alteration was significant in modifying the bulk composition of EET 90020, because it lacks hydrated minerals. However, the presence of melt is supported by the presence of an abundance of curved grain boundaries and spherical grains in the medium and fine grain domains This contrasts the coarse domain, where grain boundaries are angular. Given the evidence for disequilibrium in the medium and fine grain domains, it would be inappropriate to draw additional conclusions about textural evolution using thermodynamic models of those domains. However, modeling results of the coarse grain domain, where equilibrium was maintained, can provide useful insights into the geologic evolution of EET 90020. We approximate maximum metamorphic temperatures, using the Ca component in pyroxene, at ~1020°C (Fig. 4), which is consistent with previous two-pyroxene thermometry [11]. At this temperature, up to 10 vol % melt can be produced in the coarse grain domain, which is at the boundary of minimum melt needed in order to segregate and form a melt network [16]. Tridymite and plagioclase would be the first minerals to melt out during heating starting ~990°C. This is consistent with the observed melt textures formed by tridymite and plagioclase in the fine grain domain. We suggest that a partial melting model best explains the textural development of EET 90020. Upon heating, melt generated was either trapped, resulting in no net change in the localized rock composition, or migrated, resulting in disequilibrium between pyroxene and the surrounding matrix. A positive Eu anomaly in plagioclase indicates that all of the plagioclase was melted previously. This is consistent with previous studies that have suggested that EET 90020 represents a residual eucrite that experienced partial melting and subsequent melt loss [8]. We speculate that partial melting could have occurred when EET 90020 was heated in the asteroid’s lower crust or adjacent to an intrusion [7]. Future work will study other, texturally heterogeneous samples to see if EET 90020 presents a unique circumstance or whether crustal partial melting was ubiquitous on the eucrite asteroid.

Eucrites↗

Neural Architectures for Control

The cerebellar model articulated controller (CMAC) neural architectures are shown to be viable for the purposes of real-time learning and control. Software tools for the exploration of CMAC performance are developed for three hardware platforms, the MacIntosh, the IBM PC, and the SUN workstation. All algorithm development was done using the C programming language. These software tools were then used to implement an adaptive critic neuro-control design that learns in real-time how to back up a trailer truck. The truck backer-upper experiment is a standard performance measure in the neural network literature, but previously the training of the controllers was done off-line. With the CMAC neural architectures, it was possible to train the neuro-controllers on-line in real-time on a MS-DOS PC 386. CMAC neural architectures are also used in conjunction with a hierarchical planning approach to find collision-free paths over 2-D analog valued obstacle fields. The method constructs a coarse resolution version of the original problem and then finds the corresponding coarse optimal path using multipass dynamic programming. CMAC artificial neural architectures are used to estimate the analog transition costs that dynamic programming requires. The CMAC architectures are trained in real-time for each obstacle field presented. The coarse optimal path is then used as a baseline for the construction of a fine scale optimal path through the original obstacle array. These results are a very good indication of the potential power of the neural architectures in control design. In order to reach as wide an audience as possible, we have run a seminar on neuro-control that has met once per week since 20 May 1991. This seminar has thoroughly discussed the CMAC architecture, relevant portions of classical control, back propagation through time, and adaptive critic designs.

Peterson, James K.↗

ISRU Pilot Excavator (IPEx) Technology Readiness Level 5 Design Overview

This paper details the mechanical and mechatronic design of the Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-5 In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Pilot Excavator (IPEx). IPEx is a robotic excavator designed for a technology demonstration of regolith mining in the lunar south -pole region. The novel design uses pairs of counter-acting excavation tools called bucket drums, that dig at the same time in opposing directions to reduce the reaction force needed, thereby enabling mining with a small, low-mass, robotic system. IPEx builds on the prior work of the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR), which is the TRL-4 implementation of this concept. The TRL-5 IPEx subsystems that are discussed in this paper include: Regolith Delivery Subsystem (RDS), Mobility Subsystem (MS), Cameras and Dust Mitigation Subsystem (CDMS), and Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS). Each subsystem is described in detail with rationale for design selections. Dust tolerance is a key feature for IPEx and this paper details a thermal control system with an actuated radiator cover and phase change material as well as camera modules with removable electrodynamic dust shields (EDS). Additional components such as actuators, wheels, and bucket drums are discussed in detail. Due to their complexity, the avionics and software subsystems will be discussed in a separate publication.

RASSOR↗