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At least 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Low-frequency flute instabilities of a hollow cathode arc discharge - Theory and experiment.

The characteristics of two low-frequency electrostatic flute instabilities of a low-pressure hollow cathode arc discharge are reported. Mode I has azimuthal mode number m = 1, and occurs when the radial electric field is negative (directed inward), while mode II has m = - 1 and occurs when the field is positive. The radial electric field is controlled by varying the potential of a secondary anode cylinder located close to the outer discharge radius. A linear perturbation analysis, based on the two-fluid equations, is given for a low-beta, collisionless, cylindrical plasma column, immersed in a uniform axial magnetic field, having a Gaussian density profile and an arbitrary radial electric field profile. Reasonable correlation between theory and experiment is demonstrated for both modes.

Ilic, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The NASA Electric Propulsion program

It is pointed out that the NASA Electric Propulsion program is aimed at providing technology for auxiliary and primary propulsion functions for earth-orbital and planetary space missions. Efforts in electrostatic propulsion include analyses of ion propulsion for Geosynchronous (GEO) and planetary spacecraft, continued preflight efforts associated with the Ion Auxiliary Propulsion System (IAPS), and research and technology for advanced and simplified ion thruster systems. In the area of electromagnetic propulsion, studies were conducted regarding the feasibility and impacts of the use of electromagnetic launchers. Research on magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters, electromagnetic launchers, and Hall current thrusters was also performed. Studies in the electrothermal sector included an evaluation of electric propulsion options for the Space Station, taking into account also resistojets, a pulsed electrothermal thruster, and arc jets.

Byers, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Second NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications

This document contains the proceedings of the Second NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications held at NASA LeRC in Cleveland, OH, 6-7 Oct. 1993. The workshop was sponsored by NASA Headquarters Code QW Office of Safety and Mission Quality, Technical Standards Division and hosted by NASA LeRC, Power Technology Division, Electrical Components and Systems Branch. The workshop addressed key technology issues in the field of electrical power wiring for space applications. Speakers from government, industry, and academia presented and discussed topics on arc tracking phenomena, wiring system design, insulation constructions, and system protection. Presentation materials provided by the various speakers are included in this document.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

First NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications

This document contains the proceedings of the First NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications held at NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, OH, July 23-24, 1991. The workshop was sponsored by NASA Headquarters Code QE Office of Safety and Mission Quality, Technical Standards Division and hosted by the NASA Lewis Research Center, Power Technology Division, Electrical Components and Systems Branch. The workshop addressed key technology issues in the field of electrical power wiring for space applications. Speakers from government, industry and academia presented and discussed topics on arc tracking phenomena, wiring applications and requirements, and new candidate insulation materials and constructions. Presentation materials provided by the various speakers are included in this document.

Hammond, Ahmad↗
NASA NTRS1991

Dual-purpose self-deliverable lunar surface PV electrical power system

A safe haven and work supported PV power systems on the lunar surface will likely be required by NASA in support of the manned outpost scheduled for the post-2000 lunar/Mars exploration and colonization initiative. Initial system modeling and computer analysis shows that the concept is workable and contains no major high risk technology issues which cannot be resolved in the circa 2000 to 2025 timeframe. A specific selection of the best suited type of electric thruster has not been done; the initial modeling was done using an ion thruster, but Rocketdyne must also evaluate arc and resisto-jets before a final design can be formulated. As a general observation, it appears that such a system can deliver itself to the Moon using many system elements that must be transported as dead payload mass in more conventional delivery modes. It further appears that a larger power system providing a much higher safe haven power level is feasible if this delivery system is implemented, perhaps even sufficient to permit resource prospecting and/or lab experimentation. The concept permits growth and can be expanded to include cargo transport such as habitat and working modules. In short, the combined payload could be manned soon after landing and checkout. NASA has expended substantial resources in the development of electric propulsion concepts and hardware that can be applied to a lunar transport system such as described herein. In short, the paper may represent a viable mission on which previous investments play an invaluable role. A more comprehensive technical paper which embodies second generation analysis and system size will be prepared for near-term presentation.

Arnold, Jack H.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Recovery from Missed Thrust During Low Thrust Insertion of NASA's Gateway into a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit

Various strategies are assessed by which the first two elements of Gateway could recover from missed thrust events during insertion into a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). Recovery strategies are assessed in terms of their ability to maintain the desired NRHO insertion epoch ad well as their cost in terms of additional time and ∆v required to reach the NRHO. Strategies utilize a 50 kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system onboard the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE). Recovery solutions are found that, in the event of a missed thrust arc during the Insertion Phase of the Gateway Lunar Transit, deliver the space-craft into the NRHO within three additional revolutions (roughly 21 days) and 80 m/s ∆v.

low thrust↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Recovery from Missed Thrust During Low Thrust Insertion of NASA's Gateway into a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit

Various strategies are assessed by which the first two elements of Gateway could recover from missed thrust events during insertion into a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). Recovery strategies are assessed in terms of their ability to maintain the desired NRHO insertion epoch ad well as their cost in terms of additional time and ∆v required to reach the NRHO. Strategies utilize a 50 kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system onboard the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE). Recovery solutions are found that, in the event of a missed thrust arc during the Insertion Phase of the Gateway Lunar Transit, deliver the space-craft into the NRHO within three additional revolutions (roughly 21 days) and 80 m/s ∆v.

low thrust↗
NASA NTRS1982

Automatic Welding System

Robotic welding has been of interest to industrial firms because it offers higher productivity at lower cost than manual welding. There are some systems with automated arc guidance available, but they have disadvantages, such as limitations on types of materials or types of seams that can be welded; susceptibility to stray electrical signals; restricted field of view; or tendency to contaminate the weld seam. Wanting to overcome these disadvantages, Marshall Space Flight Center, aided by Hayes International Corporation, developed system that uses closed-circuit TV signals for automatic guidance of the welding torch. NASA granted license to Combined Technologies, Inc. for commercial application of the technology. They developed a refined and improved arc guidance system. CTI in turn, licensed the Merrick Corporation, also of Nashville, for marketing and manufacturing of the new system, called the CT2 Optical Trucker. CT2 is a non-contracting system that offers adaptability to broader range of welding jobs and provides greater reliability in high speed operation. It is extremely accurate and can travel at high speed of up to 150 inches per minute.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1989

Advanced solar-propelled cargo spacecraft for Mars missions

At the University of Washington, three concepts for an unmanned, solar powered, cargo spacecraft for Mars-support missions have been investigated. These spacecraft are designed to carry a 50,000 kg payload from a low Earth orbit to a low Mars orbit. Each design uses a distinctly different propulsion system: a solar radiation absorption (SRA) system, a solar-pumped laser (SPL) system, and a solar powered mangetoplasmadynamic (MPD) arc system. The SRA directly converts solar energy to thermal energy in the propellant through a novel process developed at the University of Washington. A solar concentrator focuses sunlight into an absorption chamber. A mixture of hydrogen and potassium vapor absorbs the incident radiation and is heated to approximately 3700 K. The hot propellant gas exhausts through a nozzle to produce thrust. The SRA has an I(sub sp) of approximately 1000 sec and produces a thrust of 2940 N using two thrust chambers. In the SPL system, a pair of solar-pumped, multi-megawatt, CO2 lasers in sun-synchronous Earth orbit converts solar energy to laser energy. The laser beams are transmitted to the spacecraft via laser relay satellites. The laser energy heats the hydrogen propellant through a plasma breakdown process in the center of an absorption chamber. Propellant flowing through the chamber, heated by the plasma core, expands through a nozzle to produce thrust. The SPL has an I(sub sp) of 1285 sec and produces a thrust of 1200 N using two thrust chambers. The MPD system uses indium phosphide solar cells to convert sunlight to electricity, which powers the propulsion system. In this system, the argon propellant is ionized and electromagnetically accelerated by a magnetoplasmadynamic arc to produce thrust. The MPD spacecraft has an I(sub sp) of 2490 sec and produces a thrust of 100 N. Various orbital transfer options are examined for these concepts. In the SRA system, the mother ship transfers the payload into a very high Earth orbit and a small auxiliary propulsion system boosts the payload into a Hohmann transfer to Mars. The SPL spacecraft releases the payload as the spacecraft passes by Mars. Both the SRA-powered spacecraft and the SPL-powered spacecraft return to Earth for subsequent missions. The MPD-propelled spacecraft, however, remains at Mars as an orbiting space station. A patched conic approximation was used to determine a heliocentric interplanetary transfer orbit for the MPD propelled spacecraft. All three solar-powered spacecraft use an aerobrake procedure to place the payload into a low Mars parking orbit. The payload delivery times range from 160 days to 873 days (2.39 years).

Auziasdeturenne, J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Assessment of environmental effects on Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System

Analyses of EPS (electrical power system) interactions with the LEO (low earth orbit) environment are described. The results of these analyses will support EPS design so as to be compatible with the natural and induced environments and to meet power, lifetime, and performance requirements. The environmental impacts to the Space Station Freedom EPS include aerodynamic drag, atomic oxygen erosion, ultraviolet degradation, VXB effect, ionizing radiation dose and single event effects, electromagnetic interference, electrostatic discharge, plasma interactions (ion sputtering, arcing, and leakage current), meteoroid and orbital debris threats, thermal cycling effects, induced current and voltage potential differences in the SSF due to induced electric field, and contamination degradation.

Lu, Cheng-Yi↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Recovery from Missed Thrust During Gateway's NRHO Insertion Using Auxiliary Propulsion

Various strategies are assessed by which the first two elements of Gateway could recover from missed thrust events during insertion into a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). Recovery strategies are assessed in terms of their ability to maintain the desired NRHO insertion epoch ad well as their cost in terms of additional time and ∆v required to reach the NRHO. Strategies utilize a 50 kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system onboard the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE). Recovery solutions are found that, in the event of a missed thrust arc during the Insertion Phase of the Gateway Lunar Transit, deliver the space-craft into the NRHO within three additional revolutions (roughly 21 days) and 80 m/s ∆v.

missed thrust↗
NASA NTRS1979

NASCAP modelling of high-voltage power system interactions with space charged-particle environments

A simple space power system operating in geosynchronous orbit was analyzed. This system consisted of two solar array wings and a central body. Each solar array wing was considered to be divided into three regions operating at 2000 volts. The center body was considered to be an electrical ground with the array voltages both positive and negative relative to ground. The system was analyzed for both a normal environment and a moderate geomagnetic substorm environment. Initial results indicate a high probability of arcing at the interconnects on the negative operating voltage wing. The dielectric strength of the substrate may be exceeded giving rise to breakdown in the bulk of the material. The geomagnetic substorm did not seem to increase the electrical gradients at the interconnects on the negative operating voltage wing but did increase the gradients on the positive operating voltage wing which could result in increased coupling current losses.

Stevens, N. J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Two Types of Transpolar Arc Development, Event Studies with Data Set of ASTRID-2, DMSP, FAST, and SuperDARN

Aurorae which appear in the polar cap are called transpolar arcs, polar cap arcs, sun-aligned arcs, or occasionally Theta-aurora because of its spatial distribution resembling Greek character 'Theta.' Morphology, IMF (Interplanetary Magnetic Field) relationship, and ionospheric convection patterns were studied in quest of mechanisms of transpolar arcs. Four events were analyzed: 1999/Jan/22/19:00 - 23/01:30 (1 event: a) 1999/Jan/24/06:00 - 10:00 (1 event: b) 1999/Feb/1 1/20:00 - 12/02:00 (2 events: c, d), with data set of ExB drift velocity data obtained by electric field measurements of ASTRID-2 and FAST, DMSP ion driftmeter data, and line-of-sight velocity data of SuperDARN. POLAR-UVI image data were used for spatial and temporal variations of transpolar arcs and ACE data set were used for investigation of IMF relationship. IMF-Bz was strongly positive (Bz from +8nT to +20 nT) during periods of all four transpolar arcs. In events (a),(b),(c), transpolar arcs appeared immediately after the direction of IMF turned northward, though IMF was fluctuating in event (b). A sudden increase of IMF-By, from +3nT to +18nT, was observed in event (d). Two different types of transpolar arc development were observed in POLAR-UVI: one which begins as a split from dawn or dusk sector of auroral oval and shifts poleward in event (a),(c),(d), and another which is initially a patch of auroral oval disturbed by substorm but develops as a transpolar arc, forming a growing finger-like shape from midnight sector (event b). Sunward flow, associated with positive IMF-Bz, were observed within newly-created polar caps in event (a),(c),(d). Not clear ionospheric convection pattern was seen across the polar cap arc in event (b) die to limitation of data set. In event (c), O+ with energy more than 1 keV were observed by FAST within a transpolar arc, suggesting that their origin be from plasma sheet. Transpolar arcs are thought to be projection of plasma sheet bifurcation into lobe regime. There can be several ways of development of transpolar arcs and two different patterns were observed through this work.

Narita, Yasuhito↗
NASA NTRS1989

A study of the spatial scales of discrete polar auroral arcs

Recent theoretical works have dealt with the identification and evaluation of the physical processes that determine the characteristic scale sizes of discrete auroral arcs. It is broadly acknowledged that a characteristic spatial width of approximately 100 km (at ionospheric heights) results naturally from the ionospheric mapping of the high-altitude magnetospheric convection electric field. However, recent analysis of the spatial power spectral distributions of electric and magnetic field variations has revealed structure at much smaller spatial scales. In this analysis, precipitating auroral electron data from the J-package sensor on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite is used to study the spatial scale sizes and size distributions of polar auroral arcs. A monotonically decreasing inverse-wavelength spectrum with a slope near unity is common, with no strictly preferred scale sizes, although the scale spectrum does flatten at scales larger than approximately 100 to 200 km. Typical observed widths of the auroral arcs tend to be much smaller than the resistive scale length, and the observed widths do not have a strong dependence on local ionospheric parameters.

Gorney, David J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM BEAMS RESEARCH USING A FREE-ELECTRON LASER OSCILLATOR

We present a Fixed-Field-Alternating (FFA) permanent magnet racetrack electron accelerator with energy range between 10-60 GeV for the future LHeC. Electron beam is brought back to the linac by the single beam line without requiring electric power REDUCING estimated wall power of 100 MW in the present LHeC design to a negligible power for arcs as the permanent magnets are used. The design is based on experience from the very successful commissioning of the Cornell University and Brookhaven National Laboratory Energy Recovery Test Accelerator ? ?CBETA?. The proposal supports sustainability efforts for LHeC by making a 'green' accelerator. It is an energy recovery linac with 99.9% energy efficiency and reduces the power consumption by using small permanent magnets. The FFA non-linear gradient design is a racetrack shape, where, as in the CBETA, the arcs are matched by adiabatic transition to the two (LHeC) or multiple straight sections. Two 10 GeV superconducting linacs are placed on both sides of the Interaction Region (IR) significantly reducing the power of synchrotron radiation loss.

Trbojevic, D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Observed characteristics of auroral forms

Observed characteristics of discrete auroral arcs and pulsating aurora are described, and a mechanism for the discrete auroras is considered. Strong horizontal and vertical electric fields characterize the discrete auroras, since their motions and their distortions indicate the presence of shear processes involving substantial charge excesses and magnetic field-aligned currents. Pulsating auroras do not exhibit shearing behavior and this lack of shearing shows that substantial electric fields are not involved. Transitional types of auroras, including black aurora, are considered.

Davis, T. N.↗