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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 541 records · Page 30

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NASA NTRS1993

Gravity recovery analysis using GPS for STEP and a low-low satellite mission

Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers on low Earth orbiting satellites can provide three-dimensional global tracking with sub-decimeter orbit accuracy. The precise GPS data can additionally be used to refine the Earth's gravity field. Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP) is a proposed European Space Agency mission which will carry a flight GPS receiver. Using a realistic scenario for processing 5 days of GPS data, a covariance analysis is performed to obtain the expected improvement in the gravity field. Additionally, a similar analysis is then repeated for two low Earth orbiting satellites, each equipped with GPS receivers and with precise ranging measurements between them.

Muellerschroen, Ronald J.↗

NASA NTRS1996

A prototype Ka-/Ka-band dichroic plate with stepped rectangular apertures

A prototype five-layer Ka-/Ka-band dichroic plate was fabricated and measured. This dichroic plate was designed to pass Ka-band uplink (34.2-34.7 GHz) and to reflect Ka-band downlink (31.8-32.3 GHz) for dual-frequency operation in the Deep Space Network to support the future Cassini mission. The theoretical calculation and the experimental measurement of the reflected resonant frequencies were within 0.24 percent for circular polarization. The computer program, which was used to design the dichroic plate with stepped apertures, was then verified.

Chen, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Nonstandard Finite Difference Schemes: Relations Between Time and Space Step-Sizes in Numerical Schemes for PDE's That Follow from Positivity Condition

A large class of physical phenomena can be modeled by evolution and wave type Partial Differential Equations (PDE). Few of these equations have known explicit exact solutions. Finite-difference techniques are a popular method for constructing discrete representations of these equations for the purpose of numerical integration. However, the solutions to the difference equations often contain so called numerical instabilities; these are solutions to the difference equations that do not correspond to any solution of the PDE's. For explicit schemes, the elimination of this behavior requires functional relations to exist between the time and space steps-sizes. We show that such functional relations can be obtained for certain PDE's by use of a positivity condition. The PDE's studied are the Burgers, Fisher, and linearized Euler equations.

Mickens, Ronald E.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Mission Operations and Data Analysis Phase of the SupraThermal through Energetic Particle detector (STEP) of the EPACT experiment on the Wind Spacecraft

Scientific studies of energetic particle populations observed by STEP are summarized. Science highlights cover: upstream He-3 events general upstream events, energy spectra of ions accelerated in impulsive and gradual solar events, impulsive solar particle events, and corotating interaction regions. Bibliographies of journal publications and papers presented at conferences are also provided.

Mason, G. M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Accurate Monotonicity - Preserving Schemes With Runge-Kutta Time Stepping

A new class of high-order monotonicity-preserving schemes for the numerical solution of conservation laws is presented. The interface value in these schemes is obtained by limiting a higher-order polynominal reconstruction. The limiting is designed to preserve accuracy near extrema and to work well with Runge-Kutta time stepping. Computational efficiency is enhanced by a simple test that determines whether the limiting procedure is needed. For linear advection in one dimension, these schemes are shown as well as the Euler equations also confirm their high accuracy, good shock resolution, and computational efficiency.

Suresh, A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Large-eddy simulation of a backward facing step flow using a least-squares spectral element method

We report preliminary results obtained from the large eddy simulation of a backward facing step at a Reynolds number of 5100. The numerical platform is based on a high order Legendre spectral element spatial discretization and a least squares time integration scheme. A non-reflective outflow boundary condition is in place to minimize the effect of downstream influence. Smagorinsky model with Van Driest near wall damping is used for sub-grid scale modeling. Comparisons of mean velocity profiles and wall pressure show good agreement with benchmark data. More studies are needed to evaluate the sensitivity of this method on numerical parameters before it is applied to complex engineering problems.

Chan, Daniel C.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Argon-40/Argon-39 Age Spectra of Apollo 17 Highlands Breccia Samples by Laser Step Heating and the Age of the Serenitatis Basin

We have obtained high-resolution (21-63 steps) Ar-40/Ar-39 age spectra using a continuous laser system on 19 submilligram samples of melt rocks and clasts from Apollo 17 samples collected from the pre-Imbrian highlands in the easternmost part of the Serenitatis basin. The samples include poikilitic melt rocks inferred to have been formed in the Serenitatis basin-forming impact, aphanitic melt rock whose compositions vary and whose provenance is uncertain, and granulite, gabbro, and melt clasts. Three of the poikilitic melts have similar age spectrum plateau ages (72395,96, 3893 +/- 16 Ma (2sigma); 72535,7, 3887 +/- 16 Ma; 76315,150, 3900 +/- 16 Ma) with a weighted mean age of 3893 +/- 9 Ma, which we interpret as the best age for the Serenitatis basin- forming impact. Published Ar-40/Ar-39 age spectrum ages of Apollo 17 poikilitic melts are consistent with our new age but are much less precise. Two poikilitic melts did not give plateaus and the maxima in their age spectra indicate ages of greater than or equal to 3869 Ma (72558,7) and greater than or equal to 3743 Ma (77135,178). Plateau ages of two poikilitic melts and two gabbro clasts from 73155 range from 3854 +/- 16 Ma to 3937 +/- 16 Ma and have probably been affected by the ubiquitous (older?) clasts and by post- formation heating (impact) events. Plateau ages from two of the aphanitic melt 'blobs' and two granulites in sample 72255 fall in the narrow range of 3850 q 16 Ma to 3869 q 16 Ma with a weighted mean of 3862 +/- 8 Ma. Two of the aphanitic melt blobs from 72255 have ages of 3883 +/- 16 Ma and greater than or equal to 3894 Ma, whereas a poikilitic melt clast (of different composition from the 'Serenitatis' melts) has an age of 3835 +/- 16 Ma, which is the upper limit for the accretion of 72255. These data suggest that either the aphanitic melts vary in age, as is also suggested by their varying chemical compositions, or they formed in the 72255 accretionary event about 3.84-3.85 Ga and older relict material is responsible for the dispersion of ages. In any case the aphanitic melts do not appear to be Serenitatis products. Our age for the Serenitatis impact shows, on the basis of the isotopic age evidence alone, that Serenitatis is greater than 20-25 Ma and probably greatr than 55-60 Ma older than Imbrium (less than or equal to 3870 Ma and probably less than or equal to 3836 Ma (Dalrymple and Ryder, 19931). Noritic granulite sample 78527 has a plateau age of 4146 +/- 17 Ma, representing a minimum age for cooling of this sample in the early lunar crust. So far there is no convincing evidence in the lunar melt rock record for basin-forming impacts significantly older than 3.9 Ga.

Dalrymple, G. Brent↗

NASA NTRS1996

A Prototype Ka-/Ka-Band Dichroic Plate With Stepped Rectangular Apertures

Chen, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1958

Heat Transfer in the Turbulent Incompressible Boundary Layer: Step Wall-Temperature Distribution - Part 2

Heat-transfer rates and temperature profiles for the turbulent incompressible flow of air over a flat plate with a stepwise temperature distribution (unheated starting length) were measured for a variety of step positions at Reynolds numbers up to 3.5 x 10(exp 6). Comparison of the data with existing heat-transfer analyses indicates that an improved analysis is needed. An integral analysis is made that agrees very well with the data and allows a simple correction for the unheated starting length. In addition, a differential analysis is made that allows prediction of the temperature profiles from the velocity profiles, and good agreement with experimental profiles is obtained.

Reynolds, W. C.↗

NASA NTRS1959

Heat Transfer in a Liquid Metal Flowing Turbulently through a Channel with a Step Function Boundary Temperature

An analytical heat transfer solution is derived and evaluated for the general case of a turbulently flowing liquid metal which suddenly encounters a step-function boundary temperature in a channel system. Local Nusselt moduli, dimensionless mixed-mean fluid temperatures, and arithmetic-mean Nusselt moduli are given as functions of Reynolds and Prandtl moduli and a dimensionless axial-distance modulus. These solutions are compared with known solutions of more specific systems as well as with a set of experimental liquid-metal heat transfer data for a thermal entrance region.

Poppendiek, H. F.↗

NASA NTRS1998

The Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander: A First Step Toward Precision Landing

As the robotic exploration of Mars continues, science objectives have driven mission and flight system development towards the use of precision landing technology such that small surface features, such as craters, can be investigated. In addition, the surface rendezvous elements of human exploration missions will require landing accuracy that is greatly improved over that achievable with ballistic flight. With improved approach navigation and hypersonic maneuvering technologies, the MSP'01 Lander is taking the first significant step toward precision landing on Mars. This advance requires both the ability to generate lift during the atmospheric flight and an on-board guidance algorithm to direct a three-axis control system. Many configuration options were examined to generate the required lift, with an afterbody-mounted deployable flap emerging as the lightest-weight solution. Five candidate guidance algorithms have been developed and submitted to the MSP'01 Project for evaluation. Through high-fidelity simulation, each of these algorithms has demonstrated the ability to greatly improve upon the landed accuracy provided by ballistic flight. As a result, the science community should expect to be within 10 km of the specified landing target. In fact, depending on the selected aeroshell L/D, a 5-km precision landing goal is achievable with greater than 90% confidence.

Braun, Robert D.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Approximation of the Newton Step by a Defect Correction Process

In this paper, an optimal control problem governed by a partial differential equation is considered. The Newton step for this system can be computed by solving a coupled system of equations. To do this efficiently with an iterative defect correction process, a modifying operator is introduced into the system. This operator is motivated by local mode analysis. The operator can be used also for preconditioning in Generalized Minimum Residual (GMRES). We give a detailed convergence analysis for the defect correction process and show the derivation of the modifying operator. Numerical tests are done on the small disturbance shape optimization problem in two dimensions for the defect correction process and for GMRES.

Arian, E.↗

NASA NTRS1999

An Analytical Comparison of the Fidelity of "Large Motion" Versus "Small Motion" Flight Simulators in a Rotorcraft Side-Step Task

This paper presents an analytical and experimental methodology for studying flight simulator fidelity. The task was a rotorcraft bob-up/down maneuver in which vertical acceleration constituted the motion cue. The task considered here is aside-step maneuver that differs from the bob-up one important way: both roll and lateral acceleration cues are available to the pilot. It has been communicated to the author that in some Verticle Motion Simulator (VMS) studies, the lateral acceleration cue has been found to be the most important. It is of some interest to hypothesize how this motion cue associated with "outer-loop" lateral translation fits into the modeling procedure where only "inner-loop " motion cues were considered. This Note is an attempt at formulating such an hypothesis and analytically comparing a large-motion simulator, e.g., the VMS, with a small-motion simulator, e.g., a hexapod.

Hess, Ronald A.↗

NASA NTRS2000

STEP Tether Dynamics Preliminary Analysis

The General Tethered Object Simulation System (GTOSS) has been successfully converted to the PC environment. GTOSS has been run under Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and NT4.0 with no problems noted. Adaptation to the PC environment and definition of the 3 three body configuration required resizing some of the GTOSS internal data arrays. To allow studies of the tether dynamics accompanying electrodynamic thrust, a tether current flow model has also been developed for GTOSS. This model includes effects due to the earth's magnetic field and ionosphere, tether conductivity, temperature, motion, shape and available power. Sample cases have been defined for a proposed STEP-AIRSEDS (Space Transfer using Electrodynamic Propulsion-The Michigan Technic Corporation proposed tether missions for commercial applications) three body configuration. This required definition of a 6th power scenario for GTOSS. This power scenario allows a user to specify whether orbit raising or orbit lowering is to be performed by selecting the number of the tether. Orbit raising and orbit lowering sample cases have been run successfully. Results from these runs have been included in this report. Results have only been generated so far for a three body configuration. Only point end masses have been represented. No attitude dynamics have been included. Initial results suggest that tether current can have significant and detrimental effects on tether dynamics and provisions will have to be made for control of it. This control will have to be considered in connection with desired target orbits for electrodynamic thrusting, as well as end body attitude control, momentum management of proposed control moment gyros, solar array pointing. All of these items will interact and thus, any system simulation will have to have each of these effects modeled in sufficient detail to display these interactions.

Glaese, John R.↗

NASA NTRS2001

One-step Tape Casting of Composites via Slurry on Fiber

A process by which metal matrix composites can be made was presented. The process involves putting a powder slurry on fibers to make a precursor green tape. These green tapes are cut, stacked and hot pressed to form the fully dense composite. A computer program was presented which enables complete quantification and control of the process. Once some easily obtained properties of the slurry and its behavior are determined (such as the shrinkage from the wet to green state, and the density of the green tape) modification of the fiber spacing and blade height give the maker precise control of fiber volume fraction, and fiber architecture in the composite. The process was shown to be accurate and flexible through the production of a wide variety of volume fraction fiber composites made from a wide variety of fibers and powders. The most time consuming step of the tape casting process (other than hot pressing) was winding the fiber on the drum. The tape casting techniques developed resulted in high quality metal matrix composites, with ultimate tensile strength in the range of 215 ksi (1477 MPa), a strain at failure of 1.15 percent, and in fatigue at room temperature 0 to 120 ksi, n = 0.3 Hz, a 4-ply Ti-24Al-11Nb/SCS-6, 32 vol% fiber tape cast composite lasted 202,205 cycles with a maximum strain on the 100th cycle of 0.43 percent.

deGroh, Henry C., III↗

NASA NTRS2001

I(sup STAR), NASA's Next Step in Air-Breathing Propulsion for Space Access

The United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has established a strategic plan for future activities in space. A primary goal of this plan is to make drastic improvements in the cost and safety of earth to low-earth-orbit transportation. One approach to achieving this goal is through the development of highly reusable, highly reliable space transportation systems analogous to the commercial airline system. In the year 2000, NASA selected the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine as the next logical step towards this goal. NASA will develop a complete flight-weight, pump-fed engine system under the Integrated System Test of an Airbreathing Rocket (I(sup STAR)) Project. The objective of this project is develop a reusable engine capable of self-powering a vehicle through the air-augmented rocket, ramjet and scramjet modes required in all RBCC based operational vehicle concepts. The project is currently approved and funded to develop the engine through ground test demonstration. Plans are in place to proceed with flight demonstration pending funding approval. The project is in formulation phase and the Preliminary Requirements Review has been completed. The engine system and vehicle have been selected at the conceptual level. The I(sup STAR) engine concept is based on an air-breathing flowpath downselected from three configurations evaluated in NASA's Advanced Reusable Technology contract. The selected flowpath features rocket thrust chambers integrated into struts separating modular flowpath ducts, a variable geometry inlet, and a thermally choked throat. The engine will be approximately 220 inches long and 79 inches wide and fueled with a hydrocarbon fuel using liquid oxygen as the primary oxidizer candidate. The primary concept for the pump turbine drive is pressure-fed catalyzed hydrogen peroxide. In order to control costs, the flight demonstration vehicle will be launched from a B-52 aircraft. The vehicle concept is based on the Air Breathing Launch Vehicle 4 (ABLV4) lifting body configuration which has design heritage from NASA's NASP Program. The vehicle will be designed to accelerate from Mach 0.8 to Mach 7 and will be equipped with landing gear for horizontal landing. The complete vehicle, including the engine, will be designed for 25 flights and will be approximately 33 feet long with a total vehicle weight of approximately 25000 lbs.

Hutt, John J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Keeping Track Every Step of the Way

Knowledge Sharing Systems, Inc., a producer of intellectual assets management software systems for the federal government, universities, non-profit laboratories, and private companies, constructed and presently manages the NASA Technology Tracking System, also known as TechTracS. Under contract to Langley Research Center, TechTracS identifies and captures all NASA technologies, manages the patent prosecution process, and then tracks their progress en route to commercialization. The system supports all steps involved in various technology transfer activities, and is considered the premier intellectual asset management system used in the federal government today. NASA TechTracS consists of multiple relational databases and web servers, located at each of the 10 field centers, as well as NASA Headquarters. The system is capable of supporting the following functions: planning commercial technologies; commercialization activities; reporting new technologies and inventions; and processing and tracking intellectual property rights, licensing, partnerships, awards, and success stories. NASA TechTracS is critical to the Agency's ongoing mission to commercialize its revolutionary technologies in a variety of sectors within private industry, both aerospace and non- aerospace.

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NASA NTRS2002

The Moon Beyond 2002: Next Steps in Lunar Science and Exploration

This volume contains abstracts that have been accepted for presentation at the conference on The Moon Beyond 2002: Next Steps in Lunar Science and Exploration, September 12-14, 2002, in Taos, New Mexico. Administration and publications support for this meeting were provided by the staff of the Publications and Program Services Departments at the Lunar and Planetary Institute.

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