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At least 649 records · Page 36

Use of Soft Computing Technologies for a Qualitative and Reliable Engine Control System for Propulsion Systems

The problem to be addressed in this paper is to explore how the use of Soft Computing Technologies (SCT) could be employed to improve overall vehicle system safety, reliability, and rocket engine performance by development of a qualitative and reliable engine control system (QRECS). Specifically, this will be addressed by enhancing rocket engine control using SCT, innovative data mining tools, and sound software engineering practices used in Marshall's Flight Software Group (FSG). The principle goals for addressing the issue of quality are to improve software management, software development time, software maintenance, processor execution, fault tolerance and mitigation, and nonlinear control in power level transitions. The intent is not to discuss any shortcomings of existing engine control methodologies, but to provide alternative design choices for control, implementation, performance, and sustaining engineering, all relative to addressing the issue of reliability. The approaches outlined in this paper will require knowledge in the fields of rocket engine propulsion (system level), software engineering for embedded flight software systems, and soft computing technologies (i.e., neural networks, fuzzy logic, data mining, and Bayesian belief networks); some of which are briefed in this paper. For this effort, the targeted demonstration rocket engine testbed is the MC-1 engine (formerly FASTRAC) which is simulated with hardware and software in the Marshall Avionics & Software Testbed (MAST) laboratory that currently resides at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, building 4476, and is managed by the Avionics Department. A brief plan of action for design, development, implementation, and testing a Phase One effort for QRECS is given, along with expected results. Phase One will focus on development of a Smart Start Engine Module and a Mainstage Engine Module for proper engine start and mainstage engine operations. The overall intent is to demonstrate that by employing soft computing technologies, the quality and reliability of the overall scheme to engine controller development is further improved and vehicle safety is further insured. The final product that this paper proposes is an approach to development of an alternative low cost engine controller that would be capable of performing in unique vision spacecraft vehicles requiring low cost advanced avionics architectures for autonomous operations from engine pre-start to engine shutdown.

Trevino, Luis↗

Mechanics of Granular Materials-3 (MGM-3)

Scientists are going to space to understand how earthquakes and other forces disturb grains of soil and sand. They will examine how the particle arrangement and structure of soils, grains and powders are changed by external forces and gain knowledge about the strength, stiffness and volume changes properties of granular materials at low pressures. The Mechanics of Granular Materials (MGM) experiment uses the microgravity of orbit to test sand columns under conditions that cannot be obtained in experiments on Earth. Research can only go so far on Earth because gravity-induced stresses complicate the analysis and change loads too quickly for detailed analysis. This new knowledge will be applied to improving foundations for buildings, managing undeveloped land, and handling powdered and granular materials in chemical, agricultural, and other industries. NASA wants to understand the way soil behaves under different gravity levels so that crews can safely build habitats on Mars and the Moon. Future MGM experiments will benefit from extended tests aboard the International Space Station, including experiments under simulated lunar and Martian gravity in the science centrifuge.

Stein Sture↗

The Logical Extension

The same software controlling autonomous and crew-assisted operations for the International Space Station (ISS) is enabling commercial enterprises to integrate and automate manual operations, also known as decision logic, in real time across complex and disparate networked applications, databases, servers, and other devices, all with quantifiable business benefits. Auspice Corporation, of Framingham, Massachusetts, developed the Auspice TLX (The Logical Extension) software platform to effectively mimic the human decision-making process. Auspice TLX automates operations across extended enterprise systems, where any given infrastructure can include thousands of computers, servers, switches, and modems that are connected, and therefore, dependent upon each other. The concept behind the Auspice software spawned from a computer program originally developed in 1981 by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Draper Laboratory for simulating tasks performed by astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle. At the time, the Space Shuttle Program was dependent upon paper-based procedures for its manned space missions, which typically averaged 2 weeks in duration. As the Shuttle Program progressed, NASA began increasing the length of manned missions in preparation for a more permanent space habitat. Acknowledging the need to relinquish paper-based procedures in favor of an electronic processing format to properly monitor and manage the complexities of these longer missions, NASA realized that Draper's task simulation software could be applied to its vision of year-round space occupancy. In 1992, Draper was awarded a NASA contract to build User Interface Language software to enable autonomous operations of a multitude of functions on Space Station Freedom (the station was redesigned in 1993 and converted into the international venture known today as the ISS)

Source record↗

Development of an Aircraft Approach and Departure Atmospheric Profile Generation Algorithm

In support of NASA Virtual Airspace Modeling and Simulation (VAMS) project, an effort was initiated to develop and test techniques for extracting meteorological data from landing and departing aircraft, and for building altitude based profiles for key meteorological parameters from these data. The generated atmospheric profiles will be used as inputs to NASA s Aircraft Vortex Spacing System (AVOLSS) Prediction Algorithm (APA) for benefits and trade analysis. A Wake Vortex Advisory System (WakeVAS) is being developed to apply weather and wake prediction and sensing technologies with procedures to reduce current wake separation criteria when safe and appropriate to increase airport operational efficiency. The purpose of this report is to document the initial theory and design of the Aircraft Approach Departure Atmospheric Profile Generation Algorithm.

Buck, Bill K.↗

Morpheus: Advancing Technologies for Human Exploration

NASA's Morpheus Project has developed and tested a prototype planetary lander capable of vertical takeoff and landing. Designed to serve as a vertical testbed (VTB) for advanced spacecraft technologies, the vehicle provides a platform for bringing technologies from the laboratory into an integrated flight system at relatively low cost. This allows individual technologies to mature into capabilities that can be incorporated into human exploration missions. The Morpheus vehicle is propelled by a LOX/Methane engine and sized to carry a payload of 1100 lb to the lunar surface. In addition to VTB vehicles, the Project s major elements include ground support systems and an operations facility. Initial testing will demonstrate technologies used to perform autonomous hazard avoidance and precision landing on a lunar or other planetary surface. The Morpheus vehicle successfully performed a set of integrated vehicle test flights including hot-fire and tethered hover tests, leading up to un-tethered free-flights. The initial phase of this development and testing campaign is being conducted on-site at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), with the first fully integrated vehicle firing its engine less than one year after project initiation. Designed, developed, manufactured and operated in-house by engineers at JSC, the Morpheus Project represents an unprecedented departure from recent NASA programs that traditionally require longer, more expensive development lifecycles and testing at remote, dedicated testing facilities. Morpheus testing includes three major types of integrated tests. A hot-fire (HF) is a static vehicle test of the LOX/Methane propulsion system. Tether tests (TT) have the vehicle suspended above the ground using a crane, which allows testing of the propulsion and integrated Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) in hovering flight without the risk of a vehicle departure or crash. Morpheus free-flights (FF) test the complete Morpheus system without the additional safeguards provided during tether. A variety of free-flight trajectories are planned to incrementally build up to a fully functional Morpheus lander capable of flying planetary landing trajectories. In FY12, these tests will culminate with autonomous flights simulating a 1 km lunar approach trajectory, hazard avoidance maneuvers and precision landing in a prepared hazard field at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This paper describes Morpheus integrated testing campaign, infrastructure, and facilities, and the payloads being incorporated on the vehicle. The Project s fast pace, rapid prototyping, frequent testing, and lessons learned depart from traditional engineering development at JSC. The Morpheus team employs lean, agile development with a guiding belief that technologies offer promise, but capabilities offer solutions, achievable without astronomical costs and timelines.

Olansen, Jon B.↗

MACHETE: Environment for Space Networking Evaluation

Space Exploration missions requires the design and implementation of space networking that differs from terrestrial networks. In a space networking architecture, interplanetary communication protocols need to be designed, validated and evaluated carefully to support different mission requirements. As actual systems are expensive to build, it is essential to have a low cost method to validate and verify mission/system designs and operations. This can be accomplished through simulation. Simulation can aid design decisions where alternative solutions are being considered, support trade-studies and enable fast study of what-if scenarios. It can be used to identify risks, verify system performance against requirements, and as an initial test environment as one moves towards emulation and actual hardware implementation of the systems. We describe the development of Multi-mission Advanced Communications Hybrid Environment for Test and Evaluation (MACHETE) and its use cases in supporting architecture trade studies, protocol performance and its role in hybrid simulation/emulation. The MACHETE environment contains various tools and interfaces such that users may select the set of tools tailored for the specific simulation end goal. The use cases illustrate tool combinations for simulating space networking in different mission scenarios. This simulation environment is useful in supporting space networking design for planned and future missions as well as evaluating performance of existing networks where non-determinism exist in data traffic and/or link conditions.

Jennings, Esther H.↗

Approach to Modeling Boundary Layer Ingestion Using a Fully Coupled Propulsion-RANS Model

Airframe-propulsion integration concepts that use boundary layer ingestion have the potential to reduce aircraft fuel burn. One concept that has been recently explored is NASA's Starc-ABL aircraft configuration, which offers the potential for 12% mission fuel burn reduction by using a turbo-electric propulsion system with an aft-mounted electrically driven boundary layer ingestion propulsor. This large potential for improved performance motivates a more detailed study of the boundary layer ingestion propulsor design, but to date, analyses of boundary layer ingestion have used uncoupled methods. These methods account for only aerodynamic effects on the propulsion system or propulsion system effects on the aerodynamics, but not both simultaneously. This work presents a new approach for building fully coupled propulsive-aerodynamic models of boundary layer ingestion propulsion systems. A 1D thermodynamic cycle analysis is coupled to a RANS simulation to model the Starc-ABL aft propulsor at a cruise condition and the effects variation in propulsor design on performance are examined. The results indicates that both propulsion and aerodynamic effects contribute equally toward the overall performance and that the fully coupled model yields substantially different results compared to uncoupled. The most significant finding is that boundary layer ingestion, while offering substantial fuel burn savings, introduces throttle dependent aerodynamics effects that need to be accounted for. This work represents a first step toward the multidisciplinary design optimization of boundary layer ingestion propulsion systems.

Boundary Layer Ingestion↗

Wavelength Calibration of the Full-sun Ultraviolet Rocket SpecTrograph (FURST)

The Sun has a well-known periodicity in sunspot number and magnetic field variation. The underlying cause of this 11-year cycle is not fully understood and has yet to be connected with those processes in other stellar objects. The Full-sun Ultraviolet Rocket SpecTrograph (FURST) is a sounding rocket payload being developed by Montana State University (MSU) alongside the Marshall Space Flight Center(MSFC) solar physics group. Scheduled to launch from White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in 2022, this instrument is unique in that it will provide the connection between stellar observatories with measurements of our Sun. It will achieve this through measuring high-resolution full-disk spectral irradiance. We aim to obtain a wavelength resolution R>10,000 in the 120 - 181 nm UltraViolet (UV) range, on par with that of the Hubble (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). This resolution goal will allow us to study the relatively low-temperature plasma in the chromosphere and lower corona with spectral accuracy down to 0.1 Å (a Doppler-shift of about±30 km/s). In addition, the Lyman Alpha(121 nm) line is known to saturate most CCD electronics. These factors illustrate the particular challenge of precise wavelength calibration for this spectral range. We are building a collimator in order to calibrate the FURST instrument under these strict spectral requirements. This paper will present the results of our simulation of the diagnostic lamp signal to be used for wavelength calibration. The simulation allows us to begin to account for photon noise, electronic readout noise, and statistical error. These in turn lead to the development of our pre- and post-launch calibration plans. Future work includes absolute radiometric and wavelength calibration with this new collimator. In addition, the ability of FURST to measure small Doppler-shifts will provide capabilities for planetary atmospheric scientists. This impact is coupled with the diverse international partnership created by the closely-knit Sounding Rocket teams around the globe. Sounding Rockets like FURST have an even broader impact, as they encourage future satellite missions under the prospect of long-term observations

FURST↗

Revisiting Building-Block Approaches for Structures

The building-block approach is a method for building confidence in designs, working from lower-level components to more complex assemblies, using knowledge gained at each step to inform higher fidelity representations. The goals of this paper are to revisit the basic techniques of the building-block approach as it applies to structural design and analysis and illustrate some best practices that should be considered when developing structural analysis models. The paper demonstrates the process of leveraging existing information to build confidence in the design/development of analysis models, followed by examples of how the building-block approach for analysis was used in NASA hardware and spacecraft development efforts. The paper will also discuss virtual testing and hybrid simulation techniques, which are showing promise for more efficient/cost-effective verification of aerospace structures.

Kenneth R. Hamm Jr.↗

Characterizing Fit Factor of a One Size Fits-Most Emergency Mask using Subjects with Smaller Neck Circumferences

The Emergency Mask (EM) is an integral part of fire response on ISS, Orion and Gateway. The EM is a hood type protection respirator sealing around the subject’s neck, with an additional nose cup covering the subject’s oral nasal region. When integrated with a pair of Fire Cartridges (FCs), this system can be used to provide safe breathing air in a post-fire environment. The initial EM was certified as a ‘one size fits most’, however a recent requirements scrub discovered that the neck circumferences of the smallest possible crew population were not included in the initial requirement set. The test described in this paper uses the same slightly modified industry standard respirator test called a ‘Fit Factor’ used to certify the existing EM for larger subjects. Tests were performed on eight test subjects with neck circumference smaller than the initial EM requirement to determine if the current EM provided adequate protection during post-fire scenarios. The test included subjects donning an EM and then performing a number of head movements in a tent filled with approximately 50,000 particles/cm3 of smoke particulate. During these motions, particulate measurements were obtained from within the EM and compared with particulate measurements in the surrounding environment to determine the protection the EM provided in a simulated post-fire environment. This paper provides descriptions of the test hardware, methodology and results, which have provided rationale to design and build an EM to accommodate subjects with smaller necks.

Respirator↗

Simulation of the Impact of New Aircraft- and Satellite-based Ocean Surface Wind Measurements on Estimates of Hurricane Intensity

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is a new airborne microwave remote sensor currently under development to enhance real-time hurricane ocean surface wind observations. HIRAD builds on the capabilities of the Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR), which now operates on NOAA P-3, G-4, and AFRC C-130 aircraft. Unlike the SFMR, which measures wind speed and rain rate along the ground track directly beneath the aircraft, HIRAD will provide images of the surface wind and rain field over a wide swath (approximately 3 times the aircraft altitude). To demonstrate potential improvement in the measurement of peak hurricane winds, we present a set of Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) in which measurements from the new instrument as well as those from existing platforms (air, surface, and space-based) are simulated from the output of a high-resolution (approximately 1.7 km) numerical model. Simulated retrieval errors due to both instrument noise as well as model function accuracy are considered over the expected range of incidence angles, wind speeds and rain rates. Based on numerous simulated flight patterns and data source combinations, statistics are developed to describe relationships between the observed and true (from the model s perspective) peak wind speed. These results have implications for improving the estimation of hurricane intensity (as defined by the peak sustained wind anywhere in the storm), which may often go un-observed due to sampling limitations.

Uhlhorn, Eric↗

Propagation measurements for satellite radio reception inside buildings

Swept CW signals (from 700 to 1800 MHz) were received inside six buildings of brick, corrugated sheet-metal, wood-frame, mobile-home, and reinforced concrete-wall construction. A transmitter antenna was mounted outdoors on top of an 18 m tower to simulate a satellite, and a linearly scanned directional receiver antenna was used to probe the spatial, spectral, and temporal variability of the signal indoors. Levels were found to have much structure in the spatial and frequency domain, but were relatively stable in time. Typically, people moving nearby produced variations of less than 0.5 dB, whereas a person blocking the transmission path produced fades of 6 to 10 dB. Severe losses (17.5 dB) were observed in the concrete-wall building, which also exhibited the longest multipath delays (over 100 ns). Losses inside a mobile home were even larger (over 20 dB) and were independent of antenna orientation. The power-frequency distortion increased with the logarithm of the bandwidth, but could be reduced by moving to a position of higher power. Only the losses showed a clear frequency dependence, but they could be mitigated by moving the antenna.

Vogel, Wolfhard J.↗

A GCM Recent History of the Northern Martian Polar Layered Deposits

The polar layered deposits are thought to contain alternate layers of water and dust in different proportions resulting from the astronomical forcing of the martian climate. In particular, longterm variations in the orbital and axial elements of Mars are presumed to generate variations of the latitudes of surface water ice stability and of the amount of water exchanged in the polar areas. At high obliquity, simplified climate models and independent general circulation simulations suggest a transfer of water ice from the north polar region to tropical areas, whereas at lower and present obliquities, water ice is expected to be stable only at the poles. If so, over obliquity cycles, water ice may be redistributed between the surface water reservoirs leading to their incremental building or disintegration depending on the rates of water transfer. If only a relative limited amount of the available water is exchanged on orbital timescales, this may provide an efficient mechanism for the formation of the observed polar deposits. Within this context, GCM simulations of the martian water cycle have been performed for various obliquities ranging from 15 degrees to 45 degrees and for a large set of initial water ice locations to determine the rate of water exchange between the surface water reservoirs as a function of the obliquity. Propagating these rates over the last 10 Ma orbital history gives a possible recent evolution of these reservoirs.

Levrard, B.↗

System monitoring and diagnosis with qualitative models

A substantial foundation of tools for model-based reasoning with incomplete knowledge was developed: QSIM (a qualitative simulation program) and its extensions for qualitative simulation; Q2, Q3 and their successors for quantitative reasoning on a qualitative framework; and the CC (component-connection) and QPC (Qualitative Process Theory) model compilers for building QSIM QDE (qualitative differential equation) models starting from different ontological assumptions. Other model-compilers for QDE's, e.g., using bond graphs or compartmental models, have been developed elsewhere. These model-building tools will support automatic construction of qualitative models from physical specifications, and further research into selection of appropriate modeling viewpoints. For monitoring and diagnosis, plausible hypotheses are unified against observations to strengthen or refute the predicted behaviors. In MIMIC (Model Integration via Mesh Interpolation Coefficients), multiple hypothesized models of the system are tracked in parallel in order to reduce the 'missing model' problem. Each model begins as a qualitative model, and is unified with a priori quantitative knowledge and with the stream of incoming observational data. When the model/data unification yields a contradiction, the model is refuted. When there is no contradiction, the predictions of the model are progressively strengthened, for use in procedure planning and differential diagnosis. Only under a qualitative level of description can a finite set of models guarantee the complete coverage necessary for this performance. The results of this research are presented in several publications. Abstracts of these published papers are presented along with abtracts of papers representing work that was synergistic with the NASA grant but funded otherwise. These 28 papers include but are not limited to: 'Combined qualitative and numerical simulation with Q3'; 'Comparative analysis and qualitative integral representations'; 'Model-based monitoring of dynamic systems'; 'Numerical behavior envelopes for qualitative models'; 'Higher-order derivative constraints in qualitative simulation'; and 'Non-intersection of trajectories in qualitative phase space: a global constraint for qualitative simulation.'

Kuipers, Benjamin↗

Predictive monitoring research: Summary of the PREMON system

Traditional approaches to monitoring are proving inadequate in the face of two important issues: the dynamic adjustment of expectations about sensor values when the behavior of the device is too complex to enumerate beforehand, and the selective but effective interpretation of sensor readings when the number of sensors becomes overwhelming. This system addresses these issues by building an explicit model of a device and applying common-sense theories of physics to model causality in the device. The resulting causal simulation of the device supports planning decisions about how to efficiently yet reliably utilize a limited number of sensors to verify correct operation of the device.

Doyle, Richard J.↗

Tidal Distortion and Disruption of Earth-Crossing Asteriods

We represent results of numerical simulations that show Earth's tidal forces can both distort and disrupt Earth-crossing asteriods (ECAs) that have weak rubble-pile structures. Building on previous studies, we consider more realistic asteriod shapes and trajectories, test a variety of spin and rates and axis orientations, and employ a dissipation algorithm to more accurately treat collisions between particles.

Tides Solid Body Asteriods Planetesimals Cratering↗

PLRP-3: Operational Perspectives of Conducting Science-Driven Extravehicular Activity with Communications Latency

The Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP) is a unique platform where the combination of scientific research and human space exploration concepts can be tested in an underwater spaceflight analog environment. The 2015 PLRP field season was performed at Pavilion Lake, Canada, where science-driven exploration techniques focusing on microbialite characterization and acquisition were evaluated within the context of crew and robotic extravehicular activity (EVA) operations. The primary objectives of this analog study were to detail the capabilities, decision-making process, and operational concepts required to meet non-simulated scientific objectives during 5-minute one-way communication latency utilizing crew and robotic assets. Furthermore, this field study served as an opportunity build upon previous tests at PLRP, NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), and NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) to characterize the functional roles and responsibilities of the personnel involved in the distributed flight control team and identify operational constraints imposed by science-driven EVA operations. The relationship and interaction between ground and flight crew was found to be dependent on the specific scientific activities being addressed. Furthermore, the addition of a second intravehicular operator was found to be highly enabling when conducting science-driven EVAs. Future human spaceflight activities will need to cope with the added complexity of dynamic and rapid execution of scientific priorities both during and between EVA execution to ensure scientific objectives are achieved.

Miller, Matthew J.↗

Probabilistic Modeling Of Ocular Biomechanics In VIIP: Risk Stratification

Visual Impairment and Intracranial Pressure (VIIP) syndrome is a major health concern for long-duration space missions. Currently, it is thought that a cephalad fluid shift in microgravity causes elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) that is transmitted along the optic nerve sheath (ONS). We hypothesize that this in turn leads to alteration and remodeling of connective tissue in the posterior eye which impacts vision. Finite element (FE) analysis is a powerful tool for examining the effects of mechanical loads in complex geometries. Our goal is to build a FE analysis framework to understand the response of the lamina cribrosa and optic nerve head to elevations in ICP in VIIP. To simulate the effects of different pressures on tissues in the posterior eye, we developed a geometric model of the posterior eye and optic nerve sheath and used a Latin hypercubepartial rank correlation coef-ficient (LHSPRCC) approach to assess the influence of uncertainty in our input parameters (i.e. pressures and material properties) on the peak strains within the retina, lamina cribrosa and optic nerve. The LHSPRCC approach was repeated for three relevant ICP ranges, corresponding to upright and supine posture on earth, and microgravity [1]. At each ICP condition we used intraocular pressure (IOP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) measurements of in-flight astronauts provided by Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health Program, NASA Johnson Space Center. The lamina cribrosa, optic nerve, retinal vessel and retina were modeled as linear-elastic materials, while other tissues were modeled as a Mooney-Rivlin solid (representing ground substance, stiffness parameter c1) with embedded collagen fibers (stiffness parameters c3, c4 and c5). Geometry creationmesh generation was done in Gmsh [2], while FEBio was used for all FE simulations [3]. The LHSPRCC approach resulted in correlation coefficients in the range of 1. To assess the relative influence of the uncertainty in an input parameter on the peak strains, we ranked and then normalized these coefficients, considering that normalized values 0.5 implied a substantial influence on the range of the peak strains in the optic nerve head (ONH). IOP and ICP were found to have a major influence on the peak strains in the ONH, as did optic nerve and LC stiffness. Interestingly, the stiffness of the sclera far from the scleral canal did not have a large influence on peak strains in ONH tissues; however, the collagen fiber stiffness in the peripapillary sclera and annular ring both influenced the peak strains within the ONH. We have created a physiologically relevant model that incorporated collagen fibers to study the effects of elevated ICP. Elevated ICP resulted in strains in the optic nerve that are not predicted to occur on earth: the upright or supine conditions. We found that IOP, ICP, lamina cribrosa stiffness and optic nerve stiffness had the highest association with these extreme strains in the ONH. These extreme strains may activate mechanosensitive cells that induce tissue remodeling and are a risk factor for the development of VIIP.

biomechanics↗