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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 613 records · Page 34

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1988

Noise of a model counterrotation propeller with reduced aft rotor diameter at simulated takeoff/approach conditions (F7/A3)

A model high-speed advanced counterrotation propeller, F7/A3, was tested in the NASA Lewis Research Center 9 by 15 foot Anechoic Wind Tunnel at simulated takeoff/approach conditions of 0.2 Mach number. Acoustic measurements were taken with an axially translating microphone probe, and with a polar microphone probe which was fixed to the propeller nacelle and could take both sideline and circumferential acoustic surveys. Aerodynamic measurements were also made to establish propeller operating conditions. The propeller was run at two setting angles (front angle/rear angle) of 36.4/43.5 and 41.1/46.4 degrees, forward rotor tip speeds from 165 to 259 m/sec, rotor spacings from 8.48 to 14.99 cm based on pitch change axis separation, and angles of attack to 16 degrees. The aft rotor diameter was 85 percent of the forward rotor diameter to reduce tip vortex-aft rotor interaction as a major interaction noise source. Results are compared with equal diameter F7/A7 data which was previously obtained under similar operating conditions. The aft rotor-alone tone was 7 dB lower for the reduced diameter aft rotor, due to reduced tip speed at constant rpm. Interaction tone levels for the F7/A3 propeller were higher at minimum row spacing and lower at maximum spacing.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Noise of a model counterrotation propeller with simulated fuselage and support pylon at takeoff/approach conditions

Two modern high-speed advanced counterrotation propellers, F7/A7 and F7/A3 were tested in the NASA Lewis Research Centers's 9- by 15-foot Anechoic Wind Tunnel at simulated takeoff/approach conditions of 0.2 Mach number. Both rotors were of similar diameter on the F7/A7 propeller, while the aft rotor diameter of the F7/A3 propeller was 85 percent of the forward propeller to reduce tip vortex-aft rotor interaction. The two propellers were designed for similar performance. The propellers were tested in both the clean configuration, and installed configuration consisting of a simulated upstream nacelle support pylon and fuselage section. Acoustic measurements were made with an axially translating microphone probe, and with a polar microphone probe which was fixed to the propeller nacelle and could make both sideline and circumferential acoustic surveys. Aerodynamic measurements were also made to establish propeller operating conditions. The propellers were run at blade setting angles (fron angle/rear angle) of 41.1/39.4 deg for the F7/A7 propeller, and 41.1/46.4 deg for the F7/A3 propeller. The forward rotors were tested over a range of tip speeds from 165 to 259 m/sec (540 to 850 ft/sec), and both propellers were tested at the maximum rotor-rotor spacing, based on pitch change axis separation, of 14.99 cm (5.90 in.). The data presented in this paper are for 0 deg propeller axis angle of attack. Results are presented for the baseline, pylon-alone, and strut + fuselage configurations. The presence of the simulated fuselage resulted in higher rotor-alone tone levels in a direction normal to the advancing propeller blade near the fuselage. A corresponding rotor-alone tone reduction was often observed 180 deg circumferentially from this region of increased noise. A significant rotor-alone increase for both rotors was observed diametrically opposite the fuselage. In some cases, interaction tone levels were likewise affected by the simulated installation.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Noise of a model counterrotation propeller with simulated fuselage and support pylon at takeoff/approach conditions

Two modern high-speed advanced counterrotation propellers, F7/A7 and F7/A3 were tested in the NASA Lewis Research Centers's 9- by 15-foot Anechoic Wind Tunnel at simulated takeoff/approach conditions of 0.2 Mach number. Both rotors were of similar diameter on the F7/A7 propeller, while the aft rotor diameter of the F7/A3 propeller was 85 percent of the forward propeller to reduce tip vortex-aft rotor interaction. The two propellers were designed for similar performance. The propellers were tested in both the clean configuration, and installed configuration consisting of a simulated upstream nacelle support pylon and fuselage section. Acoustic measurements were made with an axially translating microphone probe, and with a polar microphone probe which was fixed to the propeller nacelle and could make both sideline and circumferential acoustic surveys. Aerodynamic measurements were also made to establish propeller operating conditions. The propellers were run at blade setting angles (front angle/rear angle) of 41.1/39.4 deg for the F7/A7 propeller, and 41.1/46.4 deg for the F7/A3 propeller. The forward rotors were tested over a range of tip speeds from 165 to 259 m/sec (540 to 850 ft/sec), and both propellers were tested at the maximum rotor-rotor spacing, based on pitch change axis separation, of 14.99 cm (5.90 in.). The data presented in this paper are for 0 deg propeller axis angle of attack. Results are presented for the baseline, pylon-alone, and strut + fuselage configurations. The presence of the simulated fuselage resulted in higher rotor-alone tone levels in a direction normal to the advancing propeller blade near the fuselage. A corresponding rotor-alone tone reduction was often observed 180 deg circumferentially from this region of increased noise. A significant rotor-alone increase for both rotors was observed diametrically opposite the fuselage. In some cases, interaction tone levels were likewise affected by the simulated installation.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Space Station payload accommodations

Accommodating a multitude of diverse payloads on the Space Station base and its platforms requires an early definition of payload candidates to assure an adequate assessment of payload requirements. The task of interpreting the payload requirements, translating them into Station design requirements, and developing the processes and procedures to accommodate and integrate the user onto the Station is the function of the NASA Space Station Program Office Utilization and Operations Group. This paper describes the Space Station assembly sequence, time-phased payload accommodations, and the unique research environment provided by the Space Station.

Hemmerdinger, Louis↗

NASA NTRS1991

Satellite/spacecraft propulsion

Propulsion system performance has high leverage for many future missions because of large propellant mass requirements. Relatively small performance improvements can translate into large increases in payload and science return. Contamination control becomes more important as science instruments become more sensitive. This places more emphasis on exhaust plume contamination control. The need for reliable operation and long life places increased importance on health monitoring and control of spacecraft propulsion systems. The need for accurate spacecraft pointing and control increases the need for small impulse-bit thrusters. This presentation is represented by viewgraphs.

Dowdy, Mack W.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Revitalization of Space-Related Human Factors, Environmental and Habitability Data

The NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer (CHMO) recently directed that the agency establish crew health standards to aid in the development of requirements for future vehicles and habitats. Response to this direction includes development of a new NASA habitability and human factors standard and an accompanying design handbook. The new standard contains high-level, over-arching principles to assure its applicability and usability across all NASA development programs. The handbook will provide detailed design requirements and suggestions that will meet the standards. The information contained in NASA-STD-3000 will be updated and included in the new design handbook. In this approach, each new program will derive detailed program-specific requirements from the new standard using the handbook as a design guide and resource. With the completion of the standard, the focus of this year s effort is the development of the new handbook: Human Integration Design Handbook (HIDH). This is an opportunity for the space flight human factors and habitability community to consolidate up-to-date data for use by NASA programs and designers as well as outside researchers and policy makers looking for the next research focus. The goal of the handbook is to help NASA design and build human space flight systems which accommodate the capabilities and limitations of the crew so as to provide an environment where the crew can live and work effectively, safely, and comfortably. Handbook contents will address that primary goal, addressing unique aspects of space flight and habitation, including reduced gravity conditions, time lags, EVA systems and day/night cycles, not addressed in other standards or handbooks. The handbook will be divided into topics similar to NASA-STD-3000 (anthropometrics, architecture, workstations, etc.) and each topic area will contain elements for designers, human factors practitioners, program managers, operators, and researchers. The handbook will include the following elements: (1) Design considerations include a clear and concise summary of what is important to designers in space vehicle / habitat design, design information to translate Earth-base knowledge to the space environment, space issues and the data necessary to address those issues, and a consistent set of terminology. (2) Updates to Lessons Learned and example solutions from Shuttle and Station program experience will provide historical examples to help prevent repeating mistakes or reinvention of the wheel. (3) Requirements will aid in the translation of standards into program specific requirements. The scope of included requirements will define the pool that each program needs to consider and tailor for their specific program. (4) Requirements rationale will help understanding of the importance of these considerations. The HIDH development team at JSC is finalizing the format of the new handbook, prioritizing topic areas for expansion and update, and contacting subject matter experts within the scientific community to assist with this effort. Plans are also being made to continue handbook expansion and maintenance to assure it remains a valuable resource for human factors and human space flight programs.

Russo, Dane↗

NASA NTRS2013

NASA Tech Briefs, June 2013

Topics include: Cloud Absorption Radiometer Autonomous Navigation System - CANS, Software Method for Computed Tomography Cylinder Data Unwrapping, Re-slicing, and Analysis, Discrete Data Qualification System and Method Comprising Noise Series Fault Detection, Simple Laser Communications Terminal for Downlink from Earth Orbit at Rates Exceeding 10 Gb/s, Application Program Interface for the Orion Aerodynamics Database, Hyperspectral Imager-Tracker, Web Application Software for Ground Operations Planning Database (GOPDb) Management, Software Defined Radio with Parallelized Software Architecture, Compact Radar Transceiver with Included Calibration, Software Defined Radio with Parallelized Software Architecture, Phase Change Material Thermal Power Generator, The Thermal Hogan - A Means of Surviving the Lunar Night, Micromachined Active Magnetic Regenerator for Low-Temperature Magnetic Coolers, Nano-Ceramic Coated Plastics, Preparation of a Bimetal Using Mechanical Alloying for Environmental or Industrial Use, Phase Change Material for Temperature Control of Imager or Sounder on GOES Type Satellites in GEO, Dual-Compartment Inflatable Suitlock, Modular Connector Keying Concept, Genesis Ultrapure Water Megasonic Wafer Spin Cleaner, Piezoelectrically Initiated Pyrotechnic Igniter, Folding Elastic Thermal Surface - FETS, Multi-Pass Quadrupole Mass Analyzer, Lunar Sulfur Capture System, Environmental Qualification of a Single-Crystal Silicon Mirror for Spaceflight Use, Planar Superconducting Millimeter-Wave/Terahertz Channelizing Filter, Qualification of UHF Antenna for Extreme Martian Thermal Environments, Ensemble Eclipse: A Process for Prefab Development Environment for the Ensemble Project, ISS Live!, Space Operations Learning Center (SOLC) iPhone/iPad Application, Software to Compare NPP HDF5 Data Files, Planetary Data Systems (PDS) Imaging Node Atlas II, Automatic Calibration of an Airborne Imaging System to an Inertial Navigation Unit, Translating MAPGEN to ASPEN for MER, Support Routines for In Situ Image Processing, and Semi-Supervised Eigenbasis Novelty Detection.

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NASA NTRS2019

ISS Science Payload Command & Data Handling

For decades, the International Space Station (ISS) has provided a distinctive platform in low Earth orbit for experimental research. In support of this platform is a family of avionics systems that enables reliable data distribution of the many science payloads installed, and future internal and external payloads. This poster provides an update to the ISS avionics hardware system architecture, including design change successes, test bed architecture, and performance upgrades in the operation of all ISS avionics. We conclude with an outlook on future avionics system enhancements required to support additional modules and payload expansions taking place on the ISS, and how these avionics systems translate to a lunar gateway.

1553↗

NASA NTRS2024

Applying Generative-AI to NASA Documentation and Processes

This research and development project leverages generative-AI to assist in the generation of software process documentation based on NASA standards. By utilizing fine-tuned AI models, the proposed system will analyze NASA's software guidelines, helping to translate them into well-structured, compliant process documents. This assistance can reduce the manual effort required to produce such documentation, enhance consistency, and assure alignment with NASA's stringent software development and operational requirements. In addition to assisting in the generation of software process documentation, the project explores how generative-AI can help create audit checklists as well as assess the compliance of NASA provider documentation against applicable NASA standards. This approach would support the compliance auditing process, providing real-time insights and assessments. The intended result will be a streamlined process, potentially including a Python-based tool and database, that improves audit efficiency, reduces human error, lowers manpower costs and required manhours, and assures continuous compliance with NASA and industry evolving standards for safety-critical software development. Future task might be to investigate the software industry approach and standards for potential collaboration.

NASA Standards↗

NASA NTRS2014

Extravehicular Activity Asteroid Exploration and Sample Collection Capability

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) is challenged with primary mission objectives of demonstrating deep space Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and tools, and obtaining asteroid samples to return to Earth for further study. Although the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) is used for the EVAs, it has limited mobility which increases fatigue and decreases the crews' capability to perform EVA tasks. Furthermore, previous Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) spacewalks have benefited from EVA interfaces which have been designed and manufactured on Earth. Rigid structurally mounted handrails, and tools with customized interfaces and restraints optimize EVA performance. For ARCM, some vehicle interfaces and tools can leverage heritage designs and experience. However, when the crew ventures onto an asteroid capture bag to explore the asteroid and collect rock samples, EVA complexity increases due to the uncertainty of the asteroid properties. The variability of rock size, shape and composition, as well as bunching of the fabric bag will complicate EVA translation, tool restraint and body stabilization. The unknown asteroid hardness and brittleness will complicate tool use. The rock surface will introduce added safety concerns for cut gloves and debris control. Feasible solutions to meet ARCM EVA objectives were identified using experience gained during Apollo, Shuttle, and ISS EVAs, terrestrial mountaineering practices, NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 16 mission, and during Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory testing in the MACES suit. The proposed concept utilizes expandable booms and integrated features of the asteroid capture bag to position and restrain the crew at the asteroid worksite. These methods enable the capability to perform both finesse, and high load tasks necessary to collect samples for scientific characterization of the asteroid. This paper will explore the design trade space and options that were examined for EVA, the overall concept for the EVAs including translation paths and body restraint methods, potential tools used to extract the samples, design implications for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) for EVA, the results of early development testing of potential EVA tasks, and extensibility of the EVA architecture to NASA's exploration missions.

Scoville, Zebulon↗

NASA NTRS2009

Science Operations for the 2008 NASA Lunar Analog Field Test at Black Point Lava Flow, Arizona

Surface science operations on the Moon will require merging lessons from Apollo with new operation concepts that exploit the Constellation Lunar Architecture. Prototypes of lunar vehicles and robots are already under development and will change the way we conduct science operations compared to Apollo. To prepare for future surface operations on the Moon, NASA, along with several supporting agencies and institutions, conducted a high-fidelity lunar mission simulation with prototypes of the small pressurized rover (SPR) and unpressurized rover (UPR) (Fig. 1) at Black Point lava flow (Fig. 2), 40 km north of Flagstaff, Arizona from Oct. 19-31, 2008. This field test was primarily intended to evaluate and compare the surface mobility afforded by unpressurized and pressurized rovers, the latter critically depending on the innovative suit-port concept for efficient egress and ingress. The UPR vehicle transports two astronauts who remain in their EVA suits at all times, whereas the SPR concept enables astronauts to remain in a pressurized shirt-sleeve environment during long translations and while making contextual observations and enables rapid (less than or equal to 10 minutes) transfer to and from the surface via suit-ports. A team of field geologists provided realistic science scenarios for the simulations and served as crew members, field observers, and operators of a science backroom. Here, we present a description of the science team s operations and lessons learned.

Garry W. D.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Improved Multiple-DOF SAW Piezoelectric Motors

Surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) piezoelectric motors of a proposed type would be capable of operating in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) simultaneously and would be amenable to integration into diverse structures and mechanisms. These motors would be compact and structurally simple and would not contain bearings or lead screws. One example of a particularly useful motor of this type would be a two-dimensional- translation stage. Another such example would be a self-actuated spherical joint that could be made to undergo controlled, simultaneous rotations about two orthogonal axes: Such a motor could serve as a mechanism for aiming an "eyeball" camera or as a compact transducer in, and an integral part of, a joint in a robot arm. The multiple-DOF SAW piezoelectric motors as now proposed would be successors to the ones reported in "Multiple-DOF Surface-Acoustic-Wave Piezoelectric Motors" (NPO-20735), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 24, No. 12 (December 2000), page 5b. The basic principle of operation of a multiple-DOF SAW piezoelectric motor is a straightforward extension of that of single-DOF SAW piezoelectric motors, which have been reported in several previous NASA Tech Briefs articles: For example, in the case of a linear SAW piezoelectric motor, piezoelectric transducers at opposite ends of a stator excite surface acoustic waves that travel along the surface of the stator. An object (denoted the slider) is pressed against the stator with sufficient pressure (in practice .300 MPa) that it remains in frictional contact with the stator at all times. The slider rides the crests of the waves and is thereby made to move along the surface of the stator. The direction of motion (forward or backward) is controlled by selecting the relative phase of waves generated by the two piezoelectric transducers. The speed increases with the amplitude of the waves and thus with the magnitude of the voltage applied to the transducers.

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph↗

DOE OSTI2021

Manipulating Pore Topology and Functionality to Promote Fluorocarbon-Based Adsorption Cooling

With the worldwide demand for refrigeration and cooling expected to triple, it is increasingly important to search for alternative energy resources to drive the refrigeration cycles with reduced electricity consumption. Recently, adsorption cooling has gained increased attention since energy reallocation in such systems is based on gas adsorption/desorption, which can be driven by waste/natural heat sources. Eco-friendly sorption-based cooling relies on the cyclic transfer of refrigerant gas from a high to low energy state by the pseudo-compression effect resulting from adsorption and desorption. The driving force for energy transfer relies on heat rather than electricity. The performance of a sorption chiller is primarily influenced by this cyclic sorption behavior, which is characterized as the working capacity of the porous sorbent. Thus increases in this working capacity directly translate to a more compact and efficient cooling system. How-ever, a lack of highly effective sorbent/refrigerant pairs lowers cooling performance, and therefore has limited applicability. To this end, synthetic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic polymers (COPs) possess higher porosity and greater tunability leading to more substantial potential benefits for adsorption, compared to traditional sorbent materials. Similarly, hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants have more favorable applicability given ease of operation above atmospheric pressures due to suitable saturated vapor pressures and boiling points. For these reasons, our work focuses on an ongoing strategy to promote sorption cooling via improvements in the sorbent/refrigerant pair. Specifically, we target the interaction of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants with MOF/COP materials at a molecular level by interpreting the host-guest chemistry and the role of framework pore topology. These molecular level differences translate to cooling performance, which is described herein. These strategies include engineering framework porosity (i.e., pore size, pore volume) by using elongated organic linkers and stereochemistry control during synthesis; manipulating the sorb-ate/sorbent interaction by introducing functional moieties or unsaturated metal centers to enhance working capacities in narrow pressure ranges; varying pore topology/morphology to impact adsorption isotherm behavior; and leveraging defective sites within the frameworks to further enhance adsorption capability. Here this atomic level understanding of sorb-ate-sorbent interactions is conducted using various in situ experimental techniques such as synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and direct sorption energies determinization with calorimetry. Moreover, the experimentally studied interactions and the corresponding adsorption mechanism are corroborated by computational studies using density functional theory (DFT) and grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. Using this approach, we envision the capability to engineer designed frameworks with precise molecular control to target refrigerant molecules and thereby enhance the performance of desired working pairs for sorption-based cooling.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS1987

Noise of a model high speed counterrotation propeller at simulated takeoff/approach conditions (F7/A7)

A high speed advanced counterrotation propeller, was tested in the NASA-Lewis 9 x 15 foot Anechoic Wind Tunnel at simulated takeoff/approach conditions of 0.2 Mach number. Acoustic measurements were taken with fixed floor microphones, an axially translating microphone probe, and with a polar microphone probe which was fixed to the propeller nacelle and could take both sideline and circumferential acoustic surveys. Aerodynamic measurements were also made to establish the propeller operating conditions. The propeller was run over a range of blade setting angles from 36.4/36.5 to 41.1/39.4 deg, tip speeds from 165 to 259 m/sec, rotor spacings from 1.56 to 3.63 based on forward rotor tip chord to aerodynamic separation, and angles of attack to + or - 16 deg. First order rotor alone tones showed highest directivity levels near the propeller plane, while interaction tone showed high levels throughout sideline directivity, especially toward the propeller rotation axis. Interaction tone levels were sensitive to propeller row spacing while rotor alone tones showed little spacing effect. There is a decreased noise level associated with higher propeller blade numbers for the same overall propeller thrust.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Noise of a model high speed counterrotation propeller at simulated takeoff/approach conditions (F7/A7)

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Summary of activities

Four space projects' activities are summarized. Design work on the Mars Penetrator Project, in cooperation with the NASA Ames Research Center, is being continued. Efforts are focused on the drilling mechanism which must penetrate the martian subsurface soil to collect and retrieve an uncontaminated sample. The new design consists of a rotary-percussive drill mechanism. This mechanism is optimum for dry drilling, necessary to avoid contamination of the soil sample, in many different soil types. The need for a small, relatively inexpensive device to study the chemical structure of this martian soil was also established. The egg design was chosen for its low cost compared to other systems and potential for a large number of eggs to be deployed on the martian surface. The design process included analysis of the dynamics of reentry, dissipation of heat during reentry, impact with the surface, access to undisturbed soil samples, and ability to gather samples from the soil at three depths. The egg consists of the reentry systems, soil probe lifting system, soil probe package, gas chromatograph, transmitter, and battery power supply. The egg must function only once, but is designed to withstand one martian year. The Mars Mole is designed as a rover-based device which penetrates the martian soil to a depth of up to 10 m, obtains a sample of soil, and returns it to the surface for analysis. The mole was designed to meet the following specifications: (1) weight less than 10 kg; (2) size less than 20 x 20 x 30 cm; (3) power less than 100 W; (4) ability to obtain a sample of at least 5 cc; (5) ability to penetrate fine, loose sand; and (6) need to obtain at least one sample. The space station umbilical connector project is a device which provides the translational motion of the connectors on the Space Station Freedom to allow engagement for power and data transfer. The design is capable of delivering a 20 lb force within the necessary tolerances and will operate reliably in the space environment.

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NASA NTRS1997

A Performance Comparison of Pulsed Plasma Thruster Electrode Configurations

Pulsed plasma thrusters are currently planned on two small satellite missions and proposed for a third. In these missions, the pulsed plasma thruster's unique characteristics will be used variously to provide propulsive attitude control, orbit raising, translation, and precision positioning. Pulsed plasma thrusters are attractive for small satellite applications because they are essentially stand alone devices which eliminate the need for toxic and/or distributed propellant systems. Pulsed plasma thrusters also operate at low power and over a wide power range without loss of performance. As part of the technical development required for the noted missions, an experimental program to optimize performance with respect to electrode configuration was undertaken. One of the planned missions will use pulsed plasma thrusters for orbit raising requiring relatively high thrust and previously tested configurations did not provide this. Also, higher capacitor energies were tested than previously tried for this mission. Multiple configurations were tested and a final configuration was selected for flight hardware development. This paper describes the results of the electrode optimization in detail.

Arrington, Lynn A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Surveying System

Sunrise Geodetic Surveys are setting up their equipment for a town survey. Their equipment differs from conventional surveying systems that employ transit rod and chain to measure angles and distances. They are using ISTAC Inc.'s Model 2002 positioning system, which offers fast accurate surveying with exceptional signals from orbiting satellites. The special utility of the ISTAC Model 2002 is that it can provide positioning of the highest accuracy from Navstar PPS signals because it requires no knowledge of secret codes. It operates by comparing the frequency and time phase of a Navstar signal arriving at one ISTAC receiver with the reception of the same set of signals by another receiver. Data is computer processed and translated into three dimensional position data - latitude, longitude and elevation.

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