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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 55 records · Page 3

N2 positive and N2/+/ band systems and the energy spectra of auroral electrons.

Use of the relative emission rates of the auroral N2 positive and N2(+) band systems to limit the permissible range of differential electron fluxes in auroras, due to remarkable differences in electron excitation functions for the two kinds of systems. Use of recently measured electron cross sections and many observational data from ground based and rocket studies shows that the results are consistent with spectra equivalent to a power law E to the minus 1.4 power for primaries and secondaries combined. The unified primary spectra of Rees (1969) and secondary spectra of Rees et al. (1969) fail seriously to predict the optical ratios. It is shown that Rees' primary spectrum is deficient in slow primaries, owing to the use of defective Monte Carlo results of Maeda (1965). Doubt is thereby cast on the validity of experimental results for the differential spectrum below 50 eV reported by Feldman et al. (1971) because of the rapid decrease in flux with energy shown by those measurements.

Shemansky, D. E.↗

The NASA High Intensity Radiated Fields Laboratory

High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) are the result of a multitude of intentional and nonintentional electromagnetic sources that currently exists in the world. Many of today's digital systems are susceptible to electronic upset if subjected to certain electromagnetic environments (EME). Modern aerospace designers and manufacturers increasingly rely on sophisticated digital electronic systems to provide critical flight control in both military, commercial, and general aviation aircraft. In an effort to understand and emulate the undesired environment that high energy RF provides modern electronics, the Electromagnetics Research Branch (ERB) of the Flight Electronics and Technology Division (FETD) conducts research on RF and microwave measurement methods related to the understanding of HIRF. In the High Intensity Radiated Fields Laboratory, the effects of high energy radiating electromagnetic fields on avionics and electronic systems are tested and studied.

Williams, Reuben A.↗

Humidity Testing of PME and BME Ceramic Capacitors with Cracks

Cracks in ceramic capacitors are one of the major causes of failures during operation of electronic systems. Humidity testing has been successfully used for many years to verify the absence of cracks and assure quality of military grade capacitors. Traditionally, only precious metal electrode (PME) capacitors were used in high reliability applications and the existing requirements for humidity testing were developed for this type of parts. With the advance of base metal electrode (BME) capacitors, there is a need for assessment of the applicability of the existing techniques for the new technology capacitors. In this work, variety of different PME and BME capacitors with introduced cracks were tested in humid environments at different voltages and temperatures. Analysis of the test results indicates differences in the behavior and failure mechanisms for BME and PME capacitors and the need for different testing conditions.

reliability↗

Space shuttle main engine definition (phase B). Volume 2: Avionics

The advent of the space shuttle engine with its requirements for high specific impulse, long life, and low cost have dictated a combustion cycle and a closed loop control system to allow the engine components to run close to operating limits. These performance requirements, combined with the necessity for low operational costs, have placed new demands on rocket engine control, system checkout, and diagnosis technology. Based on considerations of precision environment, and compatibility with vehicle interface commands, an electronic control, makes available many functions that logically provide the information required for engine system checkout and diagnosis.

Source record↗

Electronic Components and Systems for Cryogenic Space Applications

Electronic components and systems capable of operation at cryogenic temperatures are anticipated in many future NASA space missions such as deep space probes and planetary surface exploration. For example, an unheated interplanetary probe launched to explore the rings of Saturn would reach an average temperature near Saturn of about - 183 C. In addition to surviving the deep space harsh environment, electronics capable of low temperature operation would contribute to improving circuit performance, increasing system efficiency, and reducing payload development and launch costs. Terrestrial applications where components and systems must operate in low temperature environments include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetic levitation transportation system, and arctic exploration. An on-going research and development program at the NASA Glenn Research Center focuses on the development of reliable electronic devices and efficient power systems capable of surviving in low temperature environments. An overview of the program will be presented in this paper. A description of the low temperature test facilities along with selected data obtained from in-house component testing will also be discussed. Ongoing research activities that are being performed in collaboration with various organizations will also be presented.

Patterson, R. L.↗

Science Enabling ASICs and FEEs for the JUICE and JEO Missions

A family of science enabling radiation hard Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Front End Electronics (FEEs) and Event Processing Systems, with flight heritage on many NASA missions, is presented. These technologies play an important role in the miniaturization of instruments -and spacecraft systems- at the same time increasing performance and reducing power. The technologies target time of flight, position sensing, and energy measurements as well as standard housekeeping and telemetry functions for particle and fields instruments, but find applications in other instrument categories too. More specifically the technologies include: the TOF chip, 1D and 2D Delay Lines with MCP detectors, for high precision fast and low power time of flight and position sensing; the Energy chip for multichannel SSD readout with time over threshold and standard voltage read out for TDC and ADC digitization; Fast multi channel read out chip with commandable thresholds; the TRIO chip for multiplexed ADC and housekeeping etc. It should be mentioned that the ASICs include basic trigger capabilities to enable random event processing in a heavy background of penetrators and UV foreground. Typical instruments include time of flight versus energy and look angle particle analyzers such as: plasma composition, energetic particle, neutral atom imaging as well as fast plasma and deltaE/E ion/electron telescopes. Flight missions include: Cassini/LEMMS, IMAGE/HENA, MESSENGER/EPPS/MLA/X-ray/MLA, STEREO, PLUTO-NH/PEPSSI/LORI, IBEX-Lo, JUNO/JEDI, RBSP/RBSPICE, MMS/HPCA/EPD, SO/SIS. Given the proven capability on heavy radiation missions such as JUNO, MMS and RBSB, as well diverse long duration missions such as MESSENGER, PLUTO and Cassini, it is expected that these technologies will play an important role in the particle and fields (at least) instruments on the upcoming JUICE and JEO missions.

Paschalidis, Nicholas↗

The Impact of Soft Magnetic Materials in Electrified Aircraft Applications

Electrical systems with high power and high power density are integral to many aerospace and energy applications. These systems, enabled by power electronics with wide bandgap semiconductor devices, require management of both efficiency/thermal aspects and electromagnetic interference that are problems specific to high power and high frequency applications, respectively. In addition to advanced active components, these applications also require passive components (inductors, capacitors, conductors) capable of operation under challenging conditions. This work surveys the state of the art of magnetic components and soft magnetic materials used as inductive cores. The wide variety of motor and converter topologies translates to a variety of requirements in the magnetics including mechanical properties, permeabilities, and frequency response. The scaling impact of material properties will be surveyed with respect to component performance and sizing, using both data from experiment and the published literature. Variations on simulations, both in lumped circuits and finite element models, will also be discussed as these are important aspects of the design phase of modern power electronics.

Alex Leary↗

Ab initio infrared and Raman spectra

It is pointed out that with increased computer power and improved computational techniques, such as the gradients developed in recent years, it is becoming practical to compute spectra ab initio, from the fundamental constants of nature, for systems of increasing complexity. The present investigation has the objective to explore several possible ab initio approaches to spectra, giving particular attention to infrared and nonresonance Raman. Two approaches are discussed. The sequential approach, in which first the electronic part and then later the nuclear part of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation is solved, is appropriate for small systems. The simultaneous approach, in which the electronic and nuclear parts are solved at the same time, is more appropriate for many-atom systems. A review of the newer quantum gradient techniques is provided, and the infrared and Raman spectral band contours for the water molecule are computed.

Fredkin, D. R.↗

Integrated Power and Attitude Control Systems for Space Station

Integrated Power and Attitude Control Systems (IPACS) studies performed over a decade ago established the feasibility of simultaneously storing electrical energy in wheels and utilizing the resulting momentum for spacecraft attitude control. It was shown that such a system possessed many advantages over other contemporary energy storage and attitude control systems in many applications. More recent technology advances in composite rotors, magnetic bearings, and power control electronics have triggered new optimism regarding the feasibility and merits of such a system. The paper presents the results of a recent study whose focus was to define an advanced IPACS and to evaluate its merits for the Space Station application. A system and component design concept is developed to establish the system performance capability. A system level trade study, including life-cycle costing, is performed to define the merits of the system relative to two other candidate systems. It is concluded that an advanced IPACS concept is not only feasible, but offers substantial savings in mass, and life-cycle cost.

Oglevie, R. E.↗

Wheel configurations for combined energy storage and attitude control systems

Integrated power and attitude control system (IPACS) studies performed over a decade ago established the feasibility of simultaneously storing electrical energy in wheels and utilizing the resulting momentum for spacecraft attitude control. It was shown that such a system possessed many advantages over other contemporary energy storage and attitude control systems in many applications. More recent technology advances in composite rotors, magnetic bearings, and power control electronics have triggered new optimism regarding the feasibility and merits of such a system. This paper presents the results of a recent study whose focus was to define an advanced IPACS and to evaluate its merits for the Space Station application. Emphasis is given to the selection of the wheel configuration to perform the combined functions. A component design concept is developed to establish the system performance capability. A system-level trade study, including life-cycle costing, is performed to define the merits of the system relative to two other candidate systems. It is concluded that an advanced IPACS concept is not only feasible but offers substantial savings in mass and life-cycle cost.

Oglevie, R. E.↗

Electronics for Low-Temperature Space Operation Being Evaluated

Electronic components and systems capable of low-temperature operation are needed for many future NASA missions where it is desirable to have smaller, lighter, and cheaper (unheated) spacecraft. These missions include Mars (-20 to -120 C) orbiters, landers, and rovers; Europa (-150 C) oceanic exploratory probes and instrumentation; Saturn (-183 C) and Pluto (-229 C) interplanetary probes. At the present, most electronic equipment can operate down to only -55 C. It would be very desirable to have electronic components that expand the operating temperature range down to -233 C. The successful development of these low-temperature components will eventually allow space probes and onboard electronics to operate in very cold environments (out as far as the planet Pluto). As a result, radioisotope heating units, which are used presently to keep space electronics near room temperature, will be reduced in number or eliminated. The new cold electronics will make spacecraft design and operation simpler, more flexible, more reliable, lighter, and cheaper. Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center are evaluating potential commercial off-the- shelf devices and are developing new electronic components that will tolerate operation at low temperatures down to -233 C. This work is being carried out mainly inhouse and also through university grants and commercial contracts. The components include analog-to-digital converters, semiconductor switches, capacitors, dielectric and packaging material, and batteries. For example, the effect of low temperature on the capacitance of three different types of capacitors is shown in the graph. Using these advanced components, system products will be developed, including dc/dc converters, battery charge/discharge management systems, digital control electronics, transducers, and sensor instrumentation.

Patterson, Richard L.↗

Predictive Monitoring With Many Sensors

Proposed method of predictive monitoring that prevents large number of sensor data from overwhelming human operator or electronic monitor is subject of continuing research. Predictive-monitoring system concentrates limited monitoring resources on few of many sensor outputs that are most important. Casual importance serves as basis for selection of sensors to verify expected behavior of system. Alarms raised where discrepancies between predicted and actual values are significant.

Doyle, Richard J.↗

A new high-speed IR camera system

A multi-organizational team at the Goddard Space Flight Center is developing a new far infrared (FIR) camera system which furthers the state of the art for this type of instrument by the incorporating recent advances in several technological disciplines. All aspects of the camera system are optimized for operation at the high data rates required for astronomical observations in the far infrared. The instrument is built around a Blocked Impurity Band (BIB) detector array which exhibits responsivity over a broad wavelength band and which is capable of operating at 1000 frames/sec, and consists of a focal plane dewar, a compact camera head electronics package, and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP)-based data system residing in a standard 486 personal computer. In this paper we discuss the overall system architecture, the focal plane dewar, and advanced features and design considerations for the electronics. This system, or one derived from it, may prove useful for many commercial and/or industrial infrared imaging or spectroscopic applications, including thermal machine vision for robotic manufacturing, photographic observation of short-duration thermal events such as combustion or chemical reactions, and high-resolution surveillance imaging.

Travis, Jeffrey W.↗

Observation of Strong Two-Electron-One-Photon Transitions in Few-Electron Ions

We resonantly excite the K series of O5+ and O6+ up to principal quantum number n = 11 with monochromatic x rays, producing K-shell holes, and observe their relaxation by soft-x-ray emission. Some photoabsorption resonances of O5+ reveal strong two-electron–one-photon (TEOP) transitions. We find that for the [(1s2s)15p3/2]3/2;1/2 states, TEOP relaxation is by far stronger than the radiative decay and competes with the usually much faster Auger decay path. This enhanced TEOP decay arises from a strong correlation with the near-degenerate upper states [(1s2p3/2 )14s]3/2;1/2 of a Li-like satellite blend of the He-like Kα transition. Even in three-electron systems, TEOP transitions can play a dominant role, and the present results should guide further research on the ubiquitous and abundant many-electron ions where electronic energy degeneracies are far more common and configuration mixing is stronger.

M Togawa↗

NASA access mechanism: Graphical user interface information retrieval system

Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited to factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards.

Hunter, Judy↗

NASA Access Mechanism - Graphical user interface information retrieval system

Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited by factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards.

Hunter, Judy F.↗

MEMS Technology for Space Applications

Micro-technology enables the manufacturing of all kinds of components for miniature systems or micro-systems, such as sensors, pumps, valves, and channels. The integration of these components into a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) drastically decreases the total system volume and mass. These properties, combined with the increasing need for monitoring and control of small flows in (bio)chemical experiments, makes MEMS attractive for space applications. The level of integration and applied technology depends on the product demands and the market. The ultimate integration is process integration, which results in a one-chip system. An example of process integration is a dosing system of pump, flow sensor, micromixer, and hybrid feedback electronics to regulate the flow. However, for many applications, a hybrid integration of components is sufficient and offers the advantages of design flexibility and even the exchange of components in the case of a modular set up. Currently, we are working on hybrid integration of all kinds of sensors (physical and chemical) and flow system modules towards a modular system; the micro total analysis system (micro TAS). The substrate contains electrical connections as in a printed circuit board (PCB) as well as fluid channels for a circuit channel board (CCB) which, when integrated, form a mixed circuit board (MCB).

vandenBerg, A.↗

Resonance quasi-projection operators - Calculation of the super 2 S autoionization state of He/-/.

Development of a method to remedy the defects of the projection-operator technique for calculating electron resonances in scattering from many-electron targets. It is recommended that the projection operator Q be replaced by a quasi-projection operator which yields a discrete spectrum which can be made to be in essentially a unique correspondence with resonance energies. By relaxing the idempotency requirement, it is found possible to define two forms of this quasi-projection operator. The simpler of the two forms is tested on e-H and e-H(+) systems; the two lowest resonant energies differ by less than 0.01 eV from rigorous QHQ results. For many-electron targets it is further argued that replacement of the exact target eigenfunction by reasonable approximations in constructing the quasi-projection operator will affect neither the discreteness of the above-mentioned discrete spectrum nor the proximity of its eigenvalues to the resonant energies.

Temkin, A.↗