Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Relays”

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

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

At least 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Sensitivity of high-accuracy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) user spacecraft orbit determination to tracking schedules

The results of a study to analyze the dependence of TDRSS user spacecraft orbit determination consistencies on varying tracking schedules are presented. In this study, the TDRS-East orbit determination results obtained utilizing Bilateration Ranging Transponder System data were evaluated. Six state parameters, three position and three velocity components and the solar radiation pressure coefficient, are estimated for TDRS-East. It is concluded that, in order to achieve high-precision orbit determination, the tracking coverage should not fall below 10 minutes every two orbits as decreasing it to every four orbits will significantly degrade the accuracy; present state-of-the-art consistency in orbit determination using TDRSS tracking is approximately 15 to 20 meters.

Doll, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Spacecraft preliminary orbit determination using tracking measurements obtained from the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) and the Ground Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (GSTDN)

In order to validate the operational and computational capabilities of the Preliminary Orbit Determination System (PODS), tests were performed using tracking measurements for several systems including the ERB satellite, the SMM, the STS and Landsat-4. POD procedures are utilized to generate a state vector following an unplanned orbital perturbation or spacecraft maneuver, when an estimation process such as a differential correction orbit determination cannot obtain a solution. Results are presented to demonstrate POD for several situations involving different qualities of a priori target state vectors, data type combinations, data arc lengths, and mixtures of single-TDRS, dual-TDRS, and GSTDN measurements. The system's ability to determine accurately the state vector for the spacecraft and the effectiveness of the solution screening process are discussed. It is shown that PODS is capable of determining a spacecraft vector when differential correction orbit determination processes fail.

Kirschner, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space VLBI observations using the U.S. tracking and data relay satellite

VLBI observations using a satellite in earth orbit and ground antennas in Japan and Australia were conducted in 1986, 1987, and 1988. Sources were detected on space-ground baselines at both observing frequencies: 2.3 and 15 GHz. The coherence on space-ground baselines for 340 s was 90 percent at 2.3 GHz and 76 percent at 15 GHz. Brightness temperatures in the range 1 - 4 x 10 to the 12th K were measured for 10 sources at 2.3 GHz and 6 sources at 15 GHz.

Linfield, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Advanced tracking and data relay satellite system

The purpose of this communication satellite system are as follows: to provide NASA needs for satellite tracking and communications through the year 2012; to maintain and augment the current TDRS system when available satellite resources are expended in the latter part of the decade; to provide the necessary ground upgrade to support the augmented services; and to introduce new technology to reduce the system life cycle cost. It is concluded that no ATDRS spacecraft requirement for new modulation techniques, that data rate of 650 MBps is required, and that Space Station Freedom requirement is for 650 MBps data some time after the year 2000.

Stern, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS1992

General analysis of two-mirror relay systems

The general two-mirror system used at finite conjugates is examined here. Relations for first-order geometric properties and third-order aberrations are given in terms of five design parameters: object distance, image distance, exit pupil size, and the two mirror magnifications. The conditions for aplanatic solutions are derived for conic mirrors. The curvatures of the astigmatic image surfaces are given, and the condition for anastigmatic solutions is derived. The relations are applied to infinite conjugate systems and spherical mirror systems as special cases.

Hannan, Paul G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Second tracking and data relay satellite system (TDRSS) ground terminal - STGT

The STGT will provide high availability command and control and improved services to users of NASA's Space Network in the 1990s and beyond. The Space Network, comprising the TDRSS, will be the primary communications gateway for Space Station Freedom and other user's spacecraft and their ground support elements. The STGT will contain a redundant, distributed computer system providing configuration and control of redundant RF to baseband equipment chains for throughput of user data, for user tracking services and for control and monitoring of the TDR Satellites. An interface with NASA's Network Control Center, located at the Goddard Space Flight Center, provides automated scheduling and control of the STGT. A local TDRSS Operations Control Center for local monitoring and back-up control and an interface with the Domestic Satellite for data distribution will be provided by the STGT. This paper describes the STGT, with emphasis on configuration, control and monitoring of those elements providing TDRSS services to user spacecraft.

Berndt, Allen K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Onboard Navigation System (TONS) experiment on the Explorer Platform/Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EP/EUVE)

NASA has taken a stepwise approach to giving high-accuracy, autonomous navigation to TDRSS utilizers. With implementation of the TONS experiment on EP complete, flight demonstration of onboard Doppler extraction and onboard signal acquisition is progressing. Preflight and preliminary inflight analyses show that the flight components are operating within their specifications.

Gramling, Cheryl J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Interferometric tracking system for the tracking and data relay satellite

This report documents construction and testing of the Interferometric Tracking System project developed under the NASA SBIR contract NAS5-30313. Manuals describing the software and hardware, respectively entitled: 'Field Station Guide to Operations' and 'Field Station Hardware Manual' are included as part of this final report. The objective of this contract was to design, build, and operate a system of three ground stations using Very Long Baseline Interferometry techniques to measure the TDRS orbit. The ground stations receive signals from normal satellite traffic, store these signals in co-located computers, and transmit the information via phone lines to a central processing site which correlates the signals to determine relative time delays. Measurements from another satellite besides TDRS are used to determine clock offsets. A series of such measurements will ultimately be employed to derive the orbital parameters, yielding positions accurate to within 50 meters or possibly better.

Effland, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Support of User Spacecraft without TDRSS Transponders

NASA GSFC VNS TSG personnel have proposed the use of TDRSS to obtain telemetry and/or S-band one-way return Doppler tracking data for spacecraft which do not have TDRSS-compatible transponders and therefore were never considered candidates for TDRSS support. For spacecraft with less stable local oscillators (LO), one-way return Doppler tracking data is typically of poor quality. It has been demonstrated using UARS, WIND, and NOAA-J tracking data that the simultaneous use of two TDRSS spacecraft can yield differenced one-way return Doppler data of high quality which is usable for orbit determination by differencing away the effects of oscillator instability.

Jackson, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Point Relay Scanner Utilizing Ellipsoidal Mirrors

A scanning system uses a polygonal mirror assembly with each facet of the polygon having an ellipsoidal mirror located thereon. One focal point of each ellipsoidal mirror is located at a common point on the axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror assembly. As the mirror assembly rotates. a second focal point of the ellipsoidal mirrors traces out a scan line. The scanner can be utilized for scanned output display of information or for scanning information to be detected.

Manhart, Paul K.↗
NASA NTRS1961

Microwave Reflectivity of Deposited Aluminum Films for Passive Relay Communications

Reflectivity measurements from 400 Mc/sec to 10 kMc/sec on 2,200 A thick aluminum deposited on 1/2-mil-thick Mylar film show this material to be a very good reflector of radio waves. Measurements made under conditions of stress and temperature which would be encountered by a communications sphere, such as Project Echo (1960 Iota), showed very little deterioration of the high reflectivity. packaging effects also caused very little reflectivity change. Under conditions of severe temperature cycling, aluminum removal and decreased reflectivity occurred.

Cuddihy, William F.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Role of the medial medullary reticular formation in relaying vestibular signals to the diaphragm and abdominal muscles

Changes in posture can affect the resting length of respiratory muscles, requiring alterations in the activity of these muscles if ventilation is to be unaffected. Recent studies have shown that the vestibular system contributes to altering respiratory muscle activity during movement and changes in posture. Furthermore, anatomical studies have demonstrated that many bulbospinal neurons in the medial medullary reticular formation (MRF) provide inputs to phrenic and abdominal motoneurons; because this region of the reticular formation receives substantial vestibular and other movement-related input, it seems likely that medial medullary reticulospinal neurons could adjust the activity of respiratory motoneurons during postural alterations. The objective of the present study was to determine whether functional lesions of the MRF affect inspiratory and expiratory muscle responses to activation of the vestibular system. Lidocaine or muscimol injections into the MRF produced a large increase in diaphragm and abdominal muscle responses to vestibular stimulation. These vestibulo-respiratory responses were eliminated following subsequent chemical blockade of descending pathways in the lateral medulla. However, inactivation of pathways coursing through the lateral medulla eliminated excitatory, but not inhibitory, components of vestibulo-respiratory responses. The simplest explanation for these data is that MRF neurons that receive input from the vestibular nuclei make inhibitory connections with diaphragm and abdominal motoneurons, whereas a pathway that courses laterally in the caudal medulla provides excitatory vestibular inputs to these motoneurons.

Non-NASA Center↗