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At least 631 records · Page 35

0.625" FPPW Abstract

Friction Pull Plug Welding (FPPW) is a solid‐state process that is the primary close out method for Self‐ Reacting Friction Stir Welding (SR‐FSW). This process uses a servo hydraulic machine to spin an aluminum plug to several thousand revolutions per minute and pull the plug with several thousand pound force into an aluminum piece of material. This process, which has been around for approximately a decade, has proven to be a very difficult process to develop. There are large number of variables with interactions and correlations that are difficult to detect. Historically this method only provided good results on aluminum material up to 0.327" thick. The SLS rocket required weld land configurations of up to 0.625" thick. This not only pushed the limits of the process but also of the tools procured for materials 1/2 as thick. Ultimate Tensile Results was typically the response used for FPPW input variables. The problem was there were multiple processes including, welding, post weld machining, Non Destructive Evaluation, specimen fabrication and mechanical testing between the FPPW inputs and the mechanical test results. This only compiled the list of variables and made the process of FPPW even more difficult to develop. This presentation and paper describes the new process development methodology, which uses the FPPW tool's feedback to observe the process and develop it systematically. It captures 6 months and 600 plugs worth of work using only the tool's feedback as a response to the process. This presentation describes the solution to the issue, a solution whose methodology could apply to a variety of other processes.

Littell, Justin↗

Novel Control Effectors for Truss Braced Wing

At cruise flight conditions very high aspect ratio/low sweep truss braced wings (TBW) may be subject to design requirements that distinguish them from more highly swept cantilevered wings. High aspect ratio, short chord length and relative thinness of the airfoil sections all contribute to relatively low wing torsional stiffness. This may lead to aeroelastic issues such as aileron reversal and low flutter margins. In order to counteract these issues, high aspect ratio/low sweep wings may need to carry additional high speed control effectors to operate when outboard ailerons are in reversal and/or must carry additional structural weight to enhance torsional stiffness. The novel control effector evaluated in this study is a variable sweep raked wing tip with an aileron control surface. Forward sweep of the tip allows the aileron to align closely with the torsional axis of the wing and operate in a conventional fashion. Aft sweep of the tip creates a large moment arm from the aileron to the wing torsional axis greatly enhancing aileron reversal. The novelty comes from using this enhanced and controllable aileron reversal effect to provide roll control authority by acting as a servo tab and providing roll control through intentional twist of the wing. In this case the reduced torsional stiffness of the wing becomes an advantage to be exploited. The study results show that the novel control effector concept does provide roll control as described, but only for a restricted class of TBW aircraft configurations. For the configuration studied (long range, dual aisle, Mach 0.85 cruise) the novel control effector provides significant benefits including up to 12% reduction in fuel burn.

White, Edward V.↗

Adaptive Motor Resistance Video Game Exercise Apparatus and Method of Use Thereof

The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using computer configured exercise equipment and an electric motor provided physical resistance in conjunction with a game system, such as a video game system, where the exercise system provides real physical resistance to a user interface. Results of user interaction with the user interface are integrated into a video game, such as running on a game console. The resistance system comprises: a subject interface, software control, a controller, an electric servo assist/resist motor, an actuator, and/or a subject sensor. The system provides actual physical interaction with a resistance device as input to the game console and game run thereon.

Reich, Alton↗

Fixed Base Modal Testing Using the NASA GRC Mechanical Vibration Facility

The Space Power Facility at NASA's Plum Brook Station houses the world's largest and most powerful space environment simulation facilities, including the Mechanical Vibration Facility (MVF), which offers the world's highest-capacity multi-axis spacecraft shaker system. The MVF was designed to perform sine vibration testing of a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV)-class spacecraft with a total mass of 75,000 pounds, center of gravity (cg) height above the table of 284 inches, diameter of 18 feet, and capability of 1.25 gravity units peak acceleration in the vertical and 1.0 gravity units peak acceleration in the lateral directions. The MVF is a six-degree-of-freedom, servo-hydraulic, sinusoidal base-shake vibration system that has the advantage of being able to perform single-axis sine vibration testing of large structures in the vertical and two lateral axes without the need to reconfigure the test article for each axis. This paper discusses efforts to extend the MVF's capabilities so that it can also be used to determine fixed base modes of its test article without the need for an expensive test-correlated facility simulation.

Modal Test and Analysis↗

Computational Aeroelastic Analyses of a Low-Boom Supersonic Configuration

An overview of NASA's Commercial Supersonic Technology (CST) Aeroservoelasticity (ASE) element is provided with a focus on recent computational aeroelastic analyses of a low-boom supersonic configuration developed by Lockheed-Martin and referred to as the N+2 configuration. The overview includes details of the computational models developed to date including a linear finite element model (FEM), linear unsteady aerodynamic models, unstructured CFD grids, and CFD-based aeroelastic analyses. In addition, a summary of the work involving the development of aeroelastic reduced-order models (ROMs) and the development of an aero-propulso-servo-elastic (APSE) model is provided.

Silva, Walter A.↗

An Influenced Future

Phobos is a vital precursor and catalyst before our next giant leap to Mars. The principle period of a Phobos' mission could be a series of robotic precursor missions for experimental perception, soil examination, ecological approval and landing site distinguishing proof. For my summer intern position at Johnson Space Center I chipped away at creating a GUNNS (General Use Nodal Network Solver) based power subsystem model for the miniATHLETE hopper, which is a conceptual (idea-based) robotic lander that will operate on Phobos. Keeping in mind the end goal to begin on my venture, I needed to comprehend my undertaking before whatever else, in which I concentrated on C++ to see how to implement the code that GUNNS generates to a Trick S_define file. Prior to coming to this internship at Johnson Space Center Dr. Edwin Zack Crues provided a class on modeling and simulation, which introduced me to the Trick simulation environment. The goal of my project was to develop a GUNNS based power subsystem model for the miniATHLETE hopper. The model needed to incorporate a solar array, battery, hopping legs, and onboard scientific instruments (sensitive measuring/recording devices). The secondary bonus goal after I completed the electrical aspect of my model was to develop a GUNNS based thermal subsystem model for the miniATHLETE hopper. Stringing the two aspects together, I would need to code up a signal aspect to make the system work as one. Accomplishing my goals would not be an easy thing, however I had successfully completed the electrical aspect model with twenty-four servos, six cameras, and multiple sensors. Venturing to complete my project has eluded me to many failures in my design to tune many things like the battery to the proper voltage and the load to the proper wattage. During this time I had touched up on advanced topics in calculus in which I implemented in the converter in my electrical model. I am currently working with my mentor Zu Qun Li to create a signal aspect to control the temperatures inside my electrical aspect model. During my time at JSC I had effectively figured out how to create subsystem models utilizing Trick and GUNNS. I obtain essential knowledge of power and thermal subsystem design for a robotic vehicle. I also learned how to work and communicate in a team effectively to accomplish a goal. Before coming to Johnson Space Center my future career and educational goals included uncertainty, however now I have a completely new look on my path to a prosperous future. My NASA experience has unquestionably impacted me to accomplish and surpass my own particular desires. After my time at Johnson Space Center I plan to apply for a coop position for NASA. This has been a dream come true that I adored each moment being at JSC realizing that I am far fit for doing things most individuals can just long for.

Owens, Christopher↗

Thermal Design of Astrobee Perching Arm

This paper presents the thermal design of actuators in the perching arm of Astrobee robot that will operate inside the International Space Station (ISS) starting in 2019. Since the crew's safety is of the utmost importance on the ISS, all materials used in the Astrobee robot should meet the touch temperature requirements according to the ISS safety standards to protect crew from skin burns by controlling the exposure temperature. The Astrobee perching arm consists of 2-DOF (Degrees-of-Freedom)- arm servo motors and 1-DOF gripper DC motor, which are capable of overheating in the stalled condition. Thermal properties of two types of actuators are verified by monitoring the touch temperature in worst-case operations with no thermal protection. Then, the proper thermal protection designs have been conducted and installed to guarantee the safety in all conditions.

Park, In-Won↗

Thermal Design of Astrobee Perching Arm

This paper presents the thermal design of actuators in the perching arm of Astrobee robot that will operate inside the International Space Station (ISS) in starting 2019. Since the crew's safety is of the utmost importance on the ISS, all materials used in the Astrobee robot should meet the touch temperature requirements according to the ISS safety standards to protect crew from skin burns. The Astrobee perching arm consists of 2-DOF arm servo motors and 1-DOF gripper DC motor, which are capable of overheating when stalled, particularly given the lack of gravity-driven thermal convection in the ISS zero-gee environment. Thermal properties of two types of actuators are verified by monitoring the touch temperature in worst-case operations with no thermal protection. Then, the proper thermal protection designs have been conducted and installed to guarantee the safety in all conditions.

Park, In-Won↗

Adaptive Load Control of Flexible Aircraft Wings Using Fiber Optic Sensing

Over the past century aircraft wing design has transformed from the morphing wing used on the Wright Flyer to rigid wings with little to no shape-tailoring abilities. Modern day wings are designed to fly at a single trim condition and optimized to have a maximum aerodynamic efficiency at only this condition. Shape morphing wings on the other hand have the potential to undergo geometric changes allowing them to adapt to their mission profiles. Several flight demonstrations have been conducted over the decades using morphing-wing technologies. Active wing-twist control was demonstrated on the X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) research project by utilizing multiple leading- and trailing-edge control surfaces. Passive morphing technology has been demonstrated on the Rockwell RPRV-870 Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology (HiMAT) aircraft. In the current study, the wings of a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) were modified to have segmented control surfaces (SCS). The modifications include segmenting the original wing control surfaces (one flap and one aileron per wing) into 44 individual sections, each section having its own independent servo control motor. The wings were also instrumented with a network of over 1800 fiber-optic strain sensors (on four sensing fibers distributed over the top and bottom surfaces of the wing) monitoring the strain response of the wing to aerodynamic loading. The SCS positions were manipulated in real time to modify the spanwise lift distribution of the wings on the sUAS. The change in the structural response of the wings caused by load redistribution was quantified by measuring the bending strains on the upper and lower wing surfaces using an on-board compact fiber-optic strain sensing (cFOSS) system. A feedback controller was developed to control the SCS positions using strain-based shape estimations from the Displacement Transfer Function (DTF). Post-processing of the strain data allowed for the transverse displacement distributions and load distributions to be compared for the conventional and segmented control surface cases using displacements and loads algorithms developed by Richards and Ko at AFRC (refs. 5-10). While the current study focused on the shifting of the spanwise aerodynamic loads as quantified by displacements, future applications for loads or displacement control might include active gust alleviation and flutter suppression.

Pena, Francisco↗

Narrowband Rejection of Reaction Wheel and Environmental Disturbances for the WFIRST OMC Testbed

The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is a NASA observatory with two scientific instruments. The first is the Wide Field Instrument (WFI) designed to perform wide field imaging and surveys of the near infrared (NIR) sky. The second is a coronagraph (CGI) that will enable astronomers to detect and measure properties of planets in other solar systems. The coronagraph requires 0.5 milli-arcsecond (mas) RMS pointing per axis of the line of sight (LOS) to achieve a contrast of 1x10-9. This paper discusses the approach used for achieving this level of pointing performance on the occulting mask coronagraph (OMC) testbed at JPL. This testbed uses a low-order wavefront sensing (LOWFS) camera and fast steering mirror (FSM) to suppress injected LOS jitter and environmental LOS jitter. The injected jitter includes representative broadband spacecraft attitude control system (ACS) LOS motion and tonal LOS jitter caused by the reaction wheel assemblies (RWA). The environmental jitter includes thermal LOS variations and harmonics of the line noise. The LOWFS camera uses high flux from the obscured science target to achieve high rate measurements of the LOS. These measurements are augmented with fictitious RWA tachometer information and an estimate of the line noise frequency. A LOS servo using a combination of feedback and feedforward control is used in the testbed to compensate for all of the disturbance sources and to mitigate jitter caused by in-band camera noise. The feedforward uses a novel robust least mean squares (RLMS) filter algorithm to reject the RWA and line frequency tones. High fidelity models of the sensors, disturbances and actuator are presented in this paper. These models were developed as part of a simulation of the LOS control system. Performance results from the hardware testbed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are discussed in this paper.

Shields, Joel↗

Progress on Gust Load Alleviation Wind Tunnel Experiment and Aeroservoelastic Model Validation for a Flexible Wing with Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap System

This paper discusses a wind tunnel experiment of active gust load alleviation of a flexible wing which took place at University of Washington (UW) in 2019. The experiment performed under a NASA SBIR contract with Scientific Systems Company, Inc (SSCI). The objective of the experiment is to demonstrate active controls of the Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap (VCCTEF) system for gust load alleviation and real-time drag optimization. The wind tunnel model is a 8.2% sub-scale Common Research Model (CRM) wing. The wing structure is designed to provide a substantial degree of flexibility to represent that of a modern high-aspect ratio wing. Eight active control surfaces are employed in the VCCTEF. A new gust generator system was designed and installed by UW under a sub-contract with SSCI. The first test entry started in July 2019 and ended in September 2019. During this test entry, many significant issues were found with the hardware and software. The significant issues with the servos prevented the test objective from being completed. A follow-up second test entry in 2020 is being planned. The wing system is being repaired by SSCI. This paper reports on the progress of this experimental effort and the aeroservoelastic (ASE) model validation which was conducted during the test entry.

Nguyen, Nhan↗

Aeroservoelastic Control Law Development for the Integrated Adaptive Wing Technology Maturation Wind-Tunnel Test

The NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project seeks to “explore and develop technologies and concepts for improved energy efficiency and environmental compatibility for fixed wing subsonic transports” [1]. The IAWTM project is a subproject within AATT and is a joint Boeing/NASA effort to, in part, demonstrate the active control systems necessary to employ high-aspect ratio wings for improved aerodynamic efficiency. The aircraft configuration under study for the IAWTM project is a generic jet transport based on the NASA Common Research Model (CRM) whose wing aspect ratio has been increased to 13.5 (as opposed to nominal CRM aspect ratio of 9) and whose development is given in Ref. [2]. A semi-span model of the high-aspect-ratio CRM with 10 trailing edge control surfaces is currently being fabricated and will be delivered to the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). There, several tests will be conducted to demonstrate maneuver load alleviation (MLA), gust load alleviation (GLA), active flutter suppression (AFS), and drag reduction, all at transonic conditions. A layout of the wind tunnel model is shown in Fig. 1. The wind-tunnel model is a spar/pod wing design with a relatively rigid fuselage attached to a mounting structure (seen in Fig. 1), which in turn is attached to a load balance behind the tunnel wall. Shims exist that can be attached to force the load to go through the fuselage rather than through the balance so as not to damage the balance in the event of flutter. The spar/pod design is similar to that used in the Boeing truss-braced wing aeroelastic model tested in the TDT in 2013 [3]. There is a central spar running the span of the wing to which the pods are attached that form the aerodynamic shape of the wing. The pods are constructed of ribs for attachment to the spar and skins to create the outer mold line. There are ten active control surfaces that will be used for the test objectives discussed above. Three of these (two outboard ailerons and one inboard aileron) are high-speed electrohydraulic actuators, and the remaining seven are low-speed mini-plane flaps, which have slower servo motors that will be used primarily for drag and maneuver load reductions. Control laws must be developed for each test (MLA, GLA, AFS, and drag reduction) and must be able to work in tandem when two or more control strategies are being tested simultaneously (e.g., when control laws to mitigate maneuver loads and gust loads operate simultaneously). The development of these control laws requires accurate mathematical representations of the aerodynamics, structural dynamics, and control surface dynamics of the system. Taken together, this mathematical representation—which is often in state-space form— is the ASE model. Three low-order ASE models of differing fidelities were developed for the IAWTM test and will be presented here. The differences in fidelity appeared in the aerodynamic modeling—one model assumed purely linear aerodynamics, while the other two models used different techniques to linearize the aerodynamics about a nonlinear mean. Furthermore, simple observer-based full-state feedback controllers for each test (MLA, GLA, AFS, and drag reduction) were designed from these low-order ASE models and implemented in a higher-order, nonlinear computational ASE simulation to assess the effectiveness of each controller. Observers were designed from each of the three lower-order ASE models, and each (linear) observer was then used as an estimate of the nonlinear dynamics of the system. Using the estimated states and the full-state feedback controller, control surface commands were fed back to the higher-order, nonlinear ASE system. The insight gained during this development will be applied to control law development for the physical IAWTM wind-tunnel test.

Josiah M Waite↗

Control systems of the large millimeter telescope

The paper presents the analysis results (in terms of settling time, bandwidth, and servo error in wind disturbances) of four control systems designed for the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT). The first system, called PI’, consists of the proportional and integral (PI) controllers in the rate and position loops, and is widely used in the antenna and radiotelescope industry. The analysis shows that the PP control system performance is remarkably good when compared to similar control systems applied to typical antennas. This performance is achieved because the LMT structure is exceptionally rigid, however, it does not meet the stringent LMT pointing requirements. The second system, called PL, consists of the PI controller in the rate loop, and the Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) controller in the position loop. This type of controller is implemented in the NASA Deep Space Network antennas, where pointing accuracy is twice that of PP control system. The third system, called LP, consists of the LQG controller in the rate loop, and the propositional-integral-derivative (PID) controller in the position loop. This type of loop has not been yet implemented at known antennas or radiotelescopes, but the analysis shows that its pointing accuracy is the ten times better than PP control system. The fourth system, called LL, consists of the LQG controller in both the rate loop, and the position loop. It is the best of the four, with accuracy 250 better than the PP system, thus is worth further investigations, to identify implementation challenges for the telescopes of high pointing requirements.

Souccar, Kainal↗

Core Stage TVC Systems Engineering Challenges in Reusing Heritage Hardware

The Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system is comprised of 8 mechanical feedback Shuttle heritage Type III TVC actuators and four RS-25 engines, each attached to a Shuttle heritage gimbal block/bearing. Two actuators are used to move each engine in two planes perpendicular to one another (i.e., pitch and yaw). The TVC system design leverages hardware from the Space Shuttle program as well as new hardware designed specifically for the Core Stage. The Space Shuttle heritage hardware directly reused on SLS includes the Orbiter TVC hydraulic servo-actuators (with two slight design modifications), the Orbiter hydraulic circulation pumps, the Orbiter gimbal block/bearing, and the Solid Rocket Booster hydraulic pumps. The Core Auxiliary Power Unit (CAPU) is derived from the Orbiter Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The Orbiter and Solid Rocket Booster APU turbines are powered by hot gas produced by catalyzed hydrazine decomposition. On the SLS Core Stage, the CAPU turbine is spun using cold gas tapped-off from the RS-25 to CS liquid hydrogen autogenous pressurization line. While direct reuse or slight modification of existing hardware may seem to be a triple-win for a program in cost, schedule, and technical risk mitigation, those benefits can only be realized when its degree of application in a new system is carefully and thoughtfully managed. The heritage hardware reuse should be prescribed within the heritage design capability and reuse environments must lie within the envelope of heritage qualification testing. Despite the significant test and flight experience of the Shuttle heritage hardware components, successful integration with the newly designed CS TVC components and incorporation into the stage design proved to be a challenge which required re-qualification of the heritage hardware as well as thorough integrated testing to support flight certification. Examples of the challenges that were overcome include: re-qualifying heritage hardware to survive new shock and vibration environments, certifying performance of extensively modified heritage hardware, regenerating design insight due to lack of available heritage vendor data, showing compliance to modern structural design standards, translation of heritage requirements for analog avionics to modern digital avionics, and interfacing heritage mechanical hardware with newly designed avionics. This paper is the second installment in a seven-paper series surveying the design, engineering, test validation, and flight performance of the Core Stage Thrust Vector Control system. This paper will discuss several engineering challenges encountered during the development process for SLS CS TVC and how they were successfully overcome to reach flight readiness.

Thrust Vector Control↗

Overview of the SLS Core Stage Thrust Vector Control System Design

The Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) consists of four independent hydraulic systems. The SLS CS TVC system is comprised of 8 mechanical feedback Shuttle heritage Type III TVC actuators and four RS-25 engines, each attached to a Shuttle heritage gimbal block/bearing. Each hydraulic system nominally provides hydraulic power to one RS-25 engine and two actuators. Additionally, each system provides redundant control capability to one actuator on each of its neighboring systems. The RS-25 uses hydraulic power to control propellant valves, and the TVC actuators are used to move the engine in the pitch and yaw gimbal planes. The TVC system design leverages hardware from the Space Shuttle program as well as new hardware designed specifically for the Core Stage. The Space Shuttle heritage hardware directly reused on SLS includes the Orbiter TVC hydraulic servo-actuators (with two slight design modifications), the Orbiter hydraulic circulation pumps, the Orbiter gimbal block/bearing, and the Solid Rocket Booster hydraulic pumps. The Solid Rocket Booster APU turbines are powered by hot gas produced by a catalyzed hydrazine decomposition. The SLS Core Auxiliary Power Unit (CAPU) is derived from the Space Shuttle Orbiter Auxiliary Power Unit (APU); on the SLS Core Stage, the CAPU turbine is spun using cold gas tapped-off from the RS-25 to CS liquid hydrogen autogenous pressurization line. The remaining hardware in the TVC system (hydraulic Filter Manifold (FM), hydraulic Supply Accumulator (SA), hydraulic Return Accumulator (RA), Hydraulic Reservoir, Exhaust Gas Heat Exchanger (EGHE)) as well as the avionics providing control and telemetry (TVC Actuator Controller (TAC) and CAPU Controller (CAPUC) are new components developed for SLS. This paper is the first installment in a seven-paper series surveying the design, engineering, test validation, and flight performance of the Core Stage Thrust Vector Control system. In this paper, the overall design architecture of the CS TVC is presented, with a focus on the interfaces between the TVC actuators, the engines, their hydraulic power systems, and the avionics that provide commands from the SLS Vehicle Management (VM) software to effect stable and robust flight control for the integrated SLS launch vehicle.

Thrust Vector Control↗

Overview of the SLS Core Stage Thrust Vector Control System Design

The Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) consists of four independent hydraulic systems. The SLS CS TVC system is comprised of 8 mechanical feedback Shuttle heritage Type III TVC actuators and four RS-25 engines, each attached to a Shuttle heritage gimbal block/bearing. Each hydraulic system nominally provides hydraulic power to one RS-25 engine and two actuators. Additionally, each system provides redundant control capability to one actuator on each of its neighboring systems. The RS-25 uses hydraulic power to control propellant valves, and the TVC actuators are used to move the engine in the pitch and yaw gimbal planes. The TVC system design leverages hardware from the Space Shuttle program as well as new hardware designed specifically for the Core Stage. The Space Shuttle heritage hardware directly reused on SLS includes the Orbiter TVC hydraulic servo-actuators (with two slight design modifications), the Orbiter hydraulic circulation pumps, the Orbiter gimbal block/bearing, and the Solid Rocket Booster hydraulic pumps. The Solid Rocket Booster APU turbines are powered by hot gas produced by a catalyzed hydrazine decomposition. The SLS Core Auxiliary Power Unit (CAPU) is derived from the Space Shuttle Orbiter Auxiliary Power Unit (APU); on the SLS Core Stage, the CAPU turbine is spun using cold gas tapped-off from the RS-25 to CS liquid hydrogen autogenous pressurization line. The remaining hardware in the TVC system (hydraulic Filter Manifold (FM), hydraulic Supply Accumulator (SA), hydraulic Return Accumulator (RA), Hydraulic Reservoir, Exhaust Gas Heat Exchanger (EGHE)) as well as the avionics providing control and telemetry (TVC Actuator Controller (TAC) and CAPU Controller (CAPUC) are new components developed for SLS. This paper is the first installment in a seven-paper series surveying the design, engineering, test validation, and flight performance of the Core Stage Thrust Vector Control system. In this paper, the overall design architecture of the CS TVC is presented, with a focus on the interfaces between the TVC actuators, the engines, their hydraulic power systems, and the avionics that provide commands from the SLS Vehicle Management (VM) software to effect stable and robust flight control for the integrated SLS launch vehicle.

Thrust Vector Control↗

Space Launch System: Core Stage Thrust Vector Control Systems Engineering Challenges in Reusing Heritage Hardware

The Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system is comprised of 8 mechanical feedback Shuttle heritage Type III TVC actuators and four RS-25 engines, each attached to a Shuttle heritage gimbal block/bearing. Two actuators are used to move each engine in two planes perpendicular to one another (i.e., pitch and yaw). The TVC system design leverages hardware from the Space Shuttle program as well as new hardware designed specifically for the Core Stage. The Space Shuttle heritage hardware directly reused on SLS includes the Orbiter TVC hydraulic servo-actuators (with two slight design modifications), the Orbiter hydraulic circulation pumps, the Orbiter gimbal block/bearing, and the Solid Rocket Booster hydraulic pumps. The Core Auxiliary Power Unit (CAPU) is derived from the Orbiter Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The Orbiter and Solid Rocket Booster APU turbines are powered by hot gas produced by catalyzed hydrazine decomposition. On the SLS Core Stage, the CAPU turbine is spun using cold gas tapped-off from the RS-25 to CS liquid hydrogen autogenous pressurization line. While direct reuse or slight modification of existing hardware may seem to be a triple-win for a program in cost, schedule, and technical risk mitigation, those benefits can only be realized when its degree of application in a new system is carefully and thoughtfully managed. The heritage hardware reuse should be prescribed within the heritage design capability and reuse environments must lie within the envelope of heritage qualification testing. Despite the significant test and flight experience of the Shuttle heritage hardware components, successful integration with the newly designed CS TVC components and incorporation into the stage design proved to be a challenge which required re-qualification of the heritage hardware as well as thorough integrated testing to support flight certification. Examples of the challenges that were overcome include: re-qualifying heritage hardware to survive new shock and vibration environments, certifying performance of extensively modified heritage hardware, regenerating design insight due to lack of available heritage vendor data, showing compliance to modern structural design standards, translation of heritage requirements for analog avionics to modern digital avionics, and interfacing heritage mechanical hardware with newly designed avionics. This paper is the second installment in a seven-paper series surveying the design, engineering, test validation, and flight performance of the Core Stage Thrust Vector Control system. This paper will discuss several engineering challenges encountered during the development process for SLS CS TVC and how they were successfully overcome to reach flight readiness.

Thrust Vector Control↗

Implementation of Field-Oriented Control in Joint Actuator Electronics for Satellite-Servicing Robotics

NASA’s OSAM-1 (On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1) is a robotic spacecraft designed to extend the life of a satellite. Launching in 2026, the OSAM-1 servicer will use a robotic arm to grasp, refuel, and relocate Landsat 7. In order to accomplish the various servicing operations, including the critical auto-grapple capturing operation, the robot arm uses active compliance and visual servo control loops. These sophisticated control algorithms are enabled by the high performance Joint Control Boards (JCBs). At the core of the robot arm control architecture, the JCBs employ field-oriented control (FOC) to accurately commutate and efficiently control joint actuator torque. FOC offers numerous benefits over other current control methods, allowing the JCBs to achieve the high bandwidth and performance required by the outer control loops. As an added benefit, a torque feed-forward term allows the FOC loop to simulate microgravity actuator performance during ground testing. In this paper, a FOC implementation for space robotics applications and an end-to-end actuator calibration process are discussed.

Sam Zhao↗