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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 667 records · Page 37

Attachment of Free Filament Thermocouples for Temperature Measurements on Ceramic Matrix Composites

At the NASA Lewis Research Center, a new installation technique utilizing convoluted wire thermocouples (TC's) was developed and proven to produce very good adhesion on CMC's, even in a burner rig environment. Because of their unique convoluted design, such TC's of various types and sizes adhere to flat or curved CMC specimens with no sign of delamination, open circuits, or interactions-even after testing in a Mach 0.3 burner rig to 1200 C (2200 F) for several thermal cycles and at several hours at high temperatures. Large differences in thermal expansion between metal thermocouples and low-expansion materials, such as CMC's, normally generate large stresses in the wires. These stresses cause straight wires to detach, but convoluted wires that are bonded with strips of coating allow bending in the unbonded portion to relieve these expansion stresses.

Lei, Jih-Fen↗

External Tank (ET) Bipod Fitting Bolted Attachment Locking Insert Performance

Following STS-107, the External Tank (ET) Project implemented corrective actions and configuration changes at the ET bipod fitting. Among the corrective actions, the existing bolt lock wire which provided resistance to potential bolt rotation was removed. The lock wire removal was because of concerns with creating voids during foam application and potential for lock wire to become debris. The bolts had been previously lubricated to facilitate assembly but, because of elimination of the lock wire, the ET Project wanted to enable the locking feature of the insert. Thus, the lubrication was removed from bolt threads and instead applied to the washer under the bolt head. Lubrication is necessary to maximize joint pre-load while remaining within the bolt torque specification. The locking feature is implemented by thread crimping in at four places in the insert. As the bolt is torqued into the insert the bolt threads its way past the crimped parts of the insert. This provides the locking of the bolt, as torque is required to loosen the joint after clamping.

Larsen, Curtis E.↗

Network-Attached Solid-State Recorder Architecture

A document discusses placing memory modules on the high-speed serial interconnect, which is used by a spacecraft s computer elements for inter-processor communications, to allow all multiple computer system architectures to access the spacecraft data storage at the same time. Each memory board is identical electrically and receives its bus ID upon connection to the system. The computer elements are configured in a similar fashion. The architecture allows for multiple memory boards to be accessed simultaneously by different computer elements, and results in a scalable, strong, fault-tolerant system. The IEEE-1393 ring bus can be routed so that multiple card failures can occur and the mass memory storage will still function.

Cox, Brian↗

Investigating Response from Attached and Separated Flow Excitations on a Real Launch Vehicle using SEA

Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) response has been fairly well anchored to test observations for Diffuse Acoustic Field (DAF) loading by others. Meanwhile, not many examples can be found in the literature anchoring the SEA vehicle panel response results to Turbulent Boundary Layer (TBL) fluctuating pressure excitations. This deficiency is especially true for supersonic trajectories such as those required by this nation s launch vehicles. Response and excitation data from vehicle flight measurements gathered during the development flight era of the Space Shuttle have been used in a trial to assess the sensitivity of response analysis to certain known and unknown parameters of the flight. This assessment compares vibration response predictions for TBL excitations produced by the SEA tool to flight measurements. A secondary, but perhaps more important objective, is to provide more clarity concerning the accuracy and conservatism that can be expected from response estimates to TBL-excited vehicle models in SEA. What range of parameters must be included in such an analysis in order to land on the conservative side in response predictions? What is the variability produced in the results with changes in these parameters? The TBL fluid structure loading model used for this study is provided from the SEA module of the commercial code VA One.

Harrison, Phil↗

Vacuum Attachment for XRF Scanner

Vacuum apparatuses have been developed for increasing the range of elements that can be identified by use of x-ray fluorescent (XRF) scanners of the type mentioned in the two immediately preceding articles. As a consequence of the underlying physical principles, in the presence of air, such an XRF scanner is limited to analysis of chlorine and elements of greater atomic number. When the XRF scanner is operated in a vacuum, it extends the range of analysis to lower atomic numbers - even as far as aluminum and sodium. Hence, more elements will be available for use in XRF labeling of objects as discussed in the two preceding articles. The added benefits of the extended capabilities also have other uses for NASA. Detection of elements of low atomic number is of high interest to the aerospace community. High-strength aluminum alloys will be easily analyzed for composition. Silicon, a major contaminant in certain processes, will be detectable before the process is begun, possibly eliminating weld or adhesion problems. Exotic alloys will be evaluated for composition prior to being placed in service where lives depend on them. And in the less glamorous applications, such as bolts and fasteners, substandard products and counterfeit items will be evaluated at the receiving function and never allowed to enter the operation

Schramm, Harry F.↗

Lightweight Bulldozer Attachment for Construction and Excavation on the Lunar Surface

A lightweight bulldozer blade prototype has been designed and built to be used as an excavation implement in conjunction with the NASA Chariot lunar mobility platform prototype. The combined system was then used in a variety of field tests in order to characterize structural loads, excavation performance and learn about the operational behavior of lunar excavation in geotechnical lunar simulants. The purpose of this effort was to evaluate the feasibility of lunar excavation for site preparation at a planned NASA lunar outpost. Once the feasibility has been determined then the technology will become available as a candidate element in the NASA Lunar Surface Systems Architecture. In addition to NASA experimental testing of the LANCE blade, NASA engineers completed analytical work on the expected draft forces using classical soil mechanics methods. The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) team utilized finite element analysis (FEA) to study the interaction between the cutting edge of the LANCE blade and the surface of soil. FEA was also used to examine various load cases and their effect on the lightweight structure of the LANCE blade. Overall it has been determined that a lunar bulldozer blade is a viable technology for lunar outpost site preparation, but further work is required to characterize the behavior in 1/6th G and actual lunar regolith in a vacuum lunar environment.

Mueller, Robert↗

Elastomeric Structural Attachment Concepts for Aircraft Flap Noise Reduction - Challenges and Approaches to Hyperelastic Structural Modeling and Analysis

Airframe noise is a significant part of the overall noise of transport aircraft during the approach and landing phases of flight. Airframe noise reduction is currently emphasized under the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) and Fixed Wing (FW) Project goals of NASA. A promising concept for trailing-edge-flap noise reduction is a flexible structural element or link that connects the side edges of the deployable flap to the adjacent main-wing structure. The proposed solution is distinguished by minimization of the span-wise extent of the structural link, thereby minimizing the aerodynamic load on the link structure at the expense of increased deformation requirement. Development of such a flexible structural link necessitated application of hyperelastic materials, atypical structural configurations and novel interface hardware. The resulting highly-deformable structural concept was termed the FLEXible Side Edge Link (FLEXSEL) concept. Prediction of atypical elastomeric deformation responses from detailed structural analysis was essential for evaluating feasible concepts that met the design constraints. The focus of this paper is to describe the many challenges encountered with hyperelastic finite element modeling and the nonlinear structural analysis of evolving FLEXSEL concepts. Detailed herein is the nonlinear analysis of FLEXSEL concepts that emerged during the project which include solid-section, foamcore, hollow, extended-span and pre-stressed concepts. Coupon-level analysis performed on elastomeric interface joints, which form a part of the FLEXSEL topology development, are also presented.

Sreekantamurthy, Thammaiah↗

In-Space and Lunar Surface Attachment Systems – Seals

While the IDSS standard is specified to enable androgynous docking resulting in a seal-on-seal (SoS) mated configuration, current docking systems and their seals were not certified to do so. This IRAD project goal is to characterize SoS performance including leak rates, compression loads, and adhesion loads under aligned and misaligned conditions at subscale as an initial step toward androgynous docking certification.

Seals↗

Peripheral end face attachment of exposed copper layers of a first printed circuit board to the surface of a second printed circuit board by surface mount assembly

A printed circuit board (PCB) structure and mounting assembly for joining two PCBs. A first PCB has a top and bottom surface faces and a peripheral end face separating the top and bottom surface. The first PCB has one or more conductive wire ends exposed at a surface of the peripheral end face; the exposed conductive wire ends forming multiple separate electrical contacts across the thickness and length of the PEF surface. A second PCB has a top surface face and one or more conductive pads exposed at the top surface at locations corresponding to locations of the multiple electrical contacts. A surface mount solder material is disposed on one or more exposed conductive pads for electrically connecting with corresponding the multiple electrical contacts. The disposed solder material stably joins the PEF surface of the first PCB to the top surface of the second PCB in a relative perpendicular orientation.

Takken, Todd E.↗