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NASA NTRS2017

UAV Inspection of Electrical Transmission Infrastructure with Path Conformance Autonomy and Lidar-Based Geofences NASA Report on UTM Reference Mission Flights at Southern Company Flights November 2016

Flights at low altitudes in close proximity to electrical transmission infrastructure present serious navigational challenges: GPS and radio communication quality is variable and yet tight position control is needed to measure defects while avoiding collisions with ground structures. To advance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation technology while accomplishing a task with economic and societal benefit, a high voltage electrical infrastructure inspection reference mission was designed. An integrated air-ground platform was developed for this mission and tested in two days of experimental flights to determine whether navigational augmentation was needed to successfully conduct a controlled inspection experiment. The airborne component of the platform was a multirotor UAV built from commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software, and the ground component was a commercial laptop running open source software. A compact ultraviolet sensor mounted on the UAV can locate 'hot spots' (potential failure points in the electric grid), so long as the UAV flight path adequately samples the airspace near the power grid structures. To improve navigation, the platform was supplemented with two navigation technologies: lidar-to-polyhedron preflight processing for obstacle demarcation and inspection distance planning, and trajectory management software to enforce inspection standoff distance. Both navigation technologies were essential to obtaining useful results from the hot spot sensor in this obstacle-rich, low-altitude airspace. Because the electrical grid extends into crowded airspaces, the UAV position was tracked with NASA unmanned aerial system traffic management (UTM) technology. The following results were obtained: (1) Inspection of high-voltage electrical transmission infrastructure to locate 'hot spots' of ultraviolet emission requires navigation methods that are not broadly available and are not needed at higher altitude flights above ground structures. (2) The sensing capability of a novel airborne UV detector was verified with a standard ground-based instrument. Flights with this sensor showed that UAV measurement operations and recording methods are viable. With improved sensor range, UAVs equipped with compact UV sensors could serve as the detection elements in a self-diagnosing power grid. (3) Simplification of rich lidar maps to polyhedral obstacle maps reduces data volume by orders of magnitude, so that computation with the resultant maps in real time is possible. This enables real-time obstacle avoidance autonomy. Stable navigation may be feasible in the GPS-deprived environment near transmission lines by a UAV that senses ground structures and compares them to these simplified maps. (4) A new, formally verified path conformance software system that runs onboard a UAV was demonstrated in flight for the first time. It successfully maneuvered the aircraft after a sudden lateral perturbation that models a gust of wind, and processed lidar-derived polyhedral obstacle maps in real time. (5) Tracking of the UAV in the national airspace using the NASA UTM technology was a key safety component of this reference mission, since the flights were conducted beneath the landing approach to a heavily used runway. Comparison to autopilot tracking showed that UTM tracking accurately records the UAV position throughout the flight path.

Moore, Andrew J.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Adapting New Space System Designs into Existing Ground Infrastructure

As routine space operations extend beyond earth orbit, the ability for ground infrastructures to take on new launch vehicle systems and a more complex suite of spacecraft and payloads has become a new challenge. The U.S. Vision for Space Exploration and its Constellation Program provides opportunities for our space operations community to meet this challenge. Presently, as new flight and ground systems add to the overall groundbased and space-based capabilities for NASA and its international partners, specific choices are being made as to what to abandon, what to retain, as well as what to build new. The total ground and space-based infrastructure must support a long-term, sustainable operation after it is all constructed, deployed, and activated. This paper addresses key areas of engineering concern during conceptual design, development, and routine operations, with a particular focus on: (1) legacy system reusability, (2) system supportability attributes and operations characteristics, (3) ground systems design trades and criteria, and (4) technology application survey. Each key area explored weighs the merits of reusability of the infrastructure in terms of: engineering analysis methods and techniques; top-level facility, systems, and equipment design criteria; and some suggested methods for making the operational system attributes (the "-ilities") highly visible to the design teams and decisionmakers throughout the design process.

ground system↗

NASA NTRS2017

Building an Economical and Sustainable Lunar Infrastructure to Enable Lunar Science and Space Commerce

A new concept study was initiated to examine the framework needed to gradually develop an economical and sustainable lunar infrastructure using a public private partnerships approach. This approach would establish partnership agreements between NASA and industry teams to develop cis-lunar and surface capabilities for mutual benefit while sharing cost and risk in the development phase and then allowing for transfer of operation of these infrastructure services back to its industry owners in the execution phase. These infrastructure services may include but are not limited to the following: lunar cargo transportation, power stations, energy storage devices, communication relay satellites, local communication towers, and surface mobility operations.

Zuniga, Allison↗

NASA NTRS2022

Distributed Simulation Infrastructure for Researching Implementation of Evolving Concepts in the NAS

The National Airspace System (NAS) is evolving; it is becoming more crowded, and new vehicles with different capabilities are starting to utilize airspace. Increased capacity, new vehicles, and their varying performance and equipage profiles will require changes in how we operate in the NAS. The Crew Systems and Aviation Operations Branch (CSAOB) has actively supported crew systems and aviation research contributing to the safe evolution of the NAS. As the NAS continues to evolve to meet the needs of the nation, CSAOB has the history, infrastructure, and tools to support needed research for the introduction of new technologies and understand their impact on the NAS . This paper describes the software infrastructure and tools supported by CSAOB, lists how the tools have been used in the past, how researchers can integrate into our infrastructure, and how these tools are evolving to support research into the future of the NAS.

Simulation↗

NASA NTRS2022

Report on a Workshop for Heliophysics Infrastructure

We report observations and findings from a three-day virtual workshop held May 17-19, 2021 which examined the current heliophysics research infrastructure to determine which elements were most utilized, what gaps exist in these elements between current utility and desired capability and, from a user standpoint, what a future state for the infrastructure might look like. Approximately 40 subject matter experts (SMEs) with backgrounds in heliophysics research, computer science and research infrastructure were gathered to consider this topic.

Brian A Thomas↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hardware Autonomy for Space Infrastructure

NASA prioritizes autonomous systems development with the expectation that it will continue to drive significant improvements in human and science exploration capability. Crew operations benefit from a spectrum of machine assistance to complete replacement of dangerous or highly repetitive tasks. Many science operations have a teleoperation component, and similarly benefit from a range of autonomy implementations that make long distance applications feasible. As we consider longer duration deep space missions, we also consider higher levels of autonomy in order meet emergent safety, maintenance, and logistics needs. One of the challenges within this scope is installation and maintenance of infrastructure, such as large scale instrumentation and communications equipment, crew habitats, and operational facilities. We describe how a programmable meta-material architecture may shift the paradigm of how we design, build, and operate future space infrastructure and assets. A primary objective of this strategy is to free the design space from launch vehicle constraints and fundamentally shift how a mission is designed and conducted. This integrates advances in materials (mechanical meta-materials), manufacturing (cooperative mobile robotics), and autonomy (multi-agent planning algorithms). Engineering systems that utilize a modular and reconfiguration building block approach, such as digital communication and computation systems, currently lead in terms of size and complexity scalability. NASA is extending the benefits and flexibility of digital systems to hardware systems, to optimize materials life-cycle management and expand our space exploration mission capabilities to meet long duration and deep space infrastructure needs, in accordance with long term NASA goals of "in-space reliance" and "mass-less exploration."

In space assembly↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Scaleup of Microwave Powder Bed Fusion for Lunar Infrastructure Construction

NASA and its partners are seeking to establish a sustainable and permanent presence on the Moon. Like explorers on Earth, making use of natural resources upon arrival at the destination will be paramount. In-situ resource utilization of the lunar regolith will enable efficient construction of lunar infrastructure. Transforming the granular regolith into a solid can be achieved in many ways. One method is to use microwave energy to sinter the regolith into various structures. The lunar regolith has a low thermal conductivity, but microwaves can volumetrically heat it to bind the granular particles together in an energy efficient manner. One concept that is being developed and evaluated to sinter the regolith into infrastructure uses the Moon’s surface as a powder bed. Regolith would be added to the sintered lunar structure to build up layers to create structures such as landing pads, blast shields, roads, etc. Microwave systems, concept of operations, and sintering protocols are being developed to create a sub-element structure targeted for a lunar demonstration mission.

microwave↗

NASA NTRS2022

Developing a Vision for Heliophysics Infrastructure

The current infrastructure in heliophysics acts as a barrier towards progress due to the lack of intelligent connections between the many valuable resources in our field. Due to the large scale of this problem, the path to a productive infrastructure requires community collaboration towards a common vision. This white paper presents a broad overview of what that vision could be and a path forward.

Infrastructure↗

NASA NTRS1978

Infrastructure dynamics: A selected bibliography

The term infrastructure is used to denote the set of life support and public service systems which is necessary for the development of growth of human settlements. Included are some basic references in the field of dynamic simulation, as well as a number of relevant applications in the area of infrastructure planning. The intent is to enable the student or researcher to quickly identify such applications to the extent necessary for initiating further work in the field.

Dajani, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The 1990 direct support infrastructure

The airport and cargo terminal were individually analyzed in depth as the principal direct infrastructure components having cross impacts with aircraft carrying cargo. Containerization was also addressed in depth as an infrastructure component since it categorically is linked with and cross impacted by the aircraft, the cargo terminal, the surface transport system, the shipper and consignee, and the actual cargo being moved.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1982

Architectural options for space stations in the context of the space infrastructure

The role of space stations in the space element infrastructure anticipated for the end of the 20th century is discussed. Various architectures for space stations designed to function as part of the infrastructure are examined with respect to a set of potential objectives for the stations. Architectural options are described that range from a minimum station of low capability and cost to an expensive station with a full operations capability and high growth potential. The capabilities, growth potentials, and likely costs of the options are compared, and the association between functional capabilities and likely cost is considered. It is concluded that the cost of a space station is intimately related to its architecture and that a larger initial investment must be made to satisfy more ambitious objectives.

Bekey, I.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Evolutionary Space Station infrastructure

This paper discusses the approach to Space Station evolution planning and the preliminary analysis of options for the evolution of the infrastructure. The approach emphasizes the analysis of evolution paths, driven by specific user requirements, and evolution modes, i.e., the infrastructure required to support the evolution paths. The objective is to determine the near-term actions that must be taken to protect the future options. These include the identification of evolution 'hooks and scars' on the baseline Space Station and the establishment of an evolution advanced development program. The near term emphasis of the evolution planning is on methods of increasing the efficiency and productivity of the Space Station and on requirements to support new initiatives currently being studied by NASA.

Diaz, Alphonso V.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Development of a lunar infrastructure

The problem of building an infrastructure on the moon is discussed, assuming that earth-to-moon and moon-to-earth transport will be available. The sequence of events which would occur in the process of building an infrastructure is examined. The human needs which must be met on a lunar base are discussed, including minimal life support, quality of life, and growth stages. The technology available to meet these needs is reviewed and further research in fields related to a lunar base, such as the study of the moon's polar regions and the limits of lunar agriculture, is recommended.

Burke, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Infrastructure for deployment of power systems

A preliminary effort in characterizing the types of stationary lunar power systems which may be considered for emplacement on the lunar surface from the proposed initial 100-kW unit in 2003 to later units ranging in power from 25 to 825 kW is presented. Associated with these power systems are their related infrastructure hardware including: (1) electrical cable, wiring, switchgear, and converters; (2) deployable radiator panels; (3) deployable photovoltaic (PV) panels; (4) heat transfer fluid piping and connection joints; (5) power system instrumentation and control equipment; and (6) interface hardware between lunar surface construction/maintenance equipment and power system. This report: (1) presents estimates of the mass and volumes associated with these power systems and their related infrastructure hardware; (2) provides task breakdown description for emplacing this equipment; (3) gives estimated heat, forces, torques, and alignment tolerances for equipment assembly; and (4) provides other important equipment/machinery requirements where applicable. Packaging options for this equipment will be discussed along with necessary site preparation requirements. Design and analysis issues associated with the final emplacement of this power system hardware are also described.

Sprouse, Kenneth M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Low earth orbit infrastructure to accommodate manned lunar missions

In order to establish bases on the lunar and Mars surfaces, a significant amount of orbital infrastructure including assembly platforms, cryogenic fluids depots, and Space Station Freedom, will be required in LEO. These facilities will be required to perform a myriad of functions ranging from orbital demonstration of advanced technology systems and establishment of life science capabilities to servicing and refurbishment of reusable lunar transfer vehicles. This paper addresses the requirements levied on these facilities and provides an overview of potetial LEO infrastructure elements that satisfy various advanced manned missions. Of key importance to the success of the manned lunar mission are (1) the evolutionary growth of Space Station Freedom to serve as a transportation node and (2) the development of a Shuttle-derived launch vehicle to deliver mission elements to LEO.

Cirillo, William M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Design of a minimum level lunar base infrastructure

The minimum necessary planet infrastructure required to support a lunar base is discussed. Various mission architectures are studied to illustrate the strategy of the minimum service level infrastructure (MSLI). These architectures encompass a standard suite of lunar surface elements (habitats, rovers, and power and communications systems), which are absolutely required to create and support the lunar base. Scientists are considered to be the most probable initial customers of a lunar base, and the initial lunar base is envisioned to provide the level of services required to support the scope of scientific activities. MSLI is considered to represent various additional services which cannot be justified by private investment or parochial interests and thereby must be provided by NASA or the government to encourage outside participation.

Connolly, John F.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Building an intellectual infrastructure for space commerce

Competition in commerce requires an 'intellectual infrastructure', that is, a work force with extensive scientific and technical knowledge and a thorough understanding of the business world. This paper focuses on the development of such intellectual infrastructure for space commerce. Special consideration is given to the contributions to this development by the 17 Centers for the Commercial Development of Space Program conducting commercially oriented research in eight specialized areas: automation and robotics, remote sensing, life sciences, materials processing in space, space power, space propulsion, space structures and materials, and advanced satellite communications. Attention is also given to the Space Business Development Center concept aimed at addressing a variety of barriers common to the development of space commerce.

Stone, Barbara A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Intelligent systems technology infrastructure for integrated systems

A system infrastructure must be properly designed and integrated from the conceptual development phase to accommodate evolutionary intelligent technologies. Several technology development activities were identified that may have application to rendezvous and capture systems. Optical correlators in conjunction with fuzzy logic control might be used for the identification, tracking, and capture of either cooperative or non-cooperative targets without the intensive computational requirements associated with vision processing. A hybrid digital/analog system was developed and tested with a robotic arm. An aircraft refueling application demonstration is planned within two years. Initially this demonstration will be ground based with a follow-on air based demonstration. System dependability measurement and modeling techniques are being developed for fault management applications. This involves usage of incremental solution/evaluation techniques and modularized systems to facilitate reuse and to take advantage of natural partitions in system models. Though not yet commercially available and currently subject to accuracy limitations, technology is being developed to perform optical matrix operations to enhance computational speed. Optical terrain recognition using camera image sequencing processed with optical correlators is being developed to determine position and velocity in support of lander guidance. The system is planned for testing in conjunction with Dryden Flight Research Facility. Advanced architecture technology is defining open architecture design constraints, test bed concepts (processors, multiple hardware/software and multi-dimensional user support, knowledge/tool sharing infrastructure), and software engineering interface issues.

Lum, Henry↗