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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 721 records · Page 40

Electric and hybrid vehicles charge efficiency tests of ESB EV-106 lead acid batteries

Charge efficiencies were determined by measurements made under widely differing conditions of temperature, charge procedure, and battery age. The measurements were used to optimize charge procedures and to evaluate the concept of a modified, coulometric state of charge indicator. Charge efficiency determinations were made by measuring gassing rates and oxygen fractions. A novel, positive displacement gas flow meter which proved to be both simple and highly accurate is described and illustrated.

Rowlette, J. J.↗

Launch vehicle aerodynamic flight test results

The aerodynamic flight test procedures and results for the Space Shuttle orbiter are presented. The aerodynamic characteristics used in testing were determined from flights STS-1 and through STS-4. Normal force and pitching moment were different than predicted, suggesting an unanticipated aerodynamic force acting upward on the end of the orbiter. However, lateral-directional aerodynamic characteristics were in good management with good predictions. The flight measured aerodynamics are repeatable and show good correlation with angle of attack and angle of sideslip.

Gaines, L. M.↗

Guidance and Control of an Autonomous Soaring Vehicle with Flight Test Results

A guidance and control method was developed to detect and exploit thermals for energy gain. Latency in energy rate estimation degraded performance. The concept of a UAV harvesting energy from the atmosphere has been shown to be feasible with existing technology. Many UAVs have similar mission constraints to birds and sailplanes. a) Surveillance; b) Point to point flight with minimal energy; and c) Increased ground speed.

Allen, Michael J.↗

NASA Space Launch System Completes Key Hotfire Test And Begins Vehicle Integration

NASA and its commercial and international partners are on the way back to the Moon. As directed by the White House in 2019, the agency team is striving to return humans to the Moon and land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface. NASA and its commercial partners made significant progress in the second half of 2020 and the first half of 2021 on the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS), one of the key parts of the Artemis program. The team is preparing for a 2021 launch of Artemis I, the first integrated launch of the Block 1 variant of SLS with the Orion crew capsule. Hardware for the Artemis II launch, which will be the first to launch crew on SLS and Orion, is progressing through assembly, and hardware for Artemis III has started manufacturing. Artemis IV manufacturing has also started, and engines for Artemis V are in development/manufacturing. This paper will discuss the progress made in the last year and the items currently in work on for future SLS flights and variants.

Bruce R Askins↗

Baseline tests of the battronic Minivan electric delivery van

An electric passenger vehicle was tested to develop data characterizing the state of the art of electric and hybrid vehicles. The test measured vehicle maximum speed, range at constant speed, range over stop-and-go driving schedules, maximum acceleration, gradeability and limit, road energy consumption, road power, indicated energy consumption, braking capability and battery charge efficiency. The data obtained are to serve as a baseline to compare improvements in electric and hybrid vehicle technologies and to assist in establishing performance standards.

Dustin, M. O.↗

Multi-Mission Earth Vehicle Subsonic Dynamic Stability Testing and Analyses

Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEVs) are blunt-body vehicles designed with the purpose of transporting payloads from outer space to the surface of the Earth. To achieve high-reliability and minimum weight, MMEEVs avoid use of limited-reliability systems, such as parachutes, retro-rockets, and reaction control systems and rely on the natural aerodynamic stability of the vehicle throughout the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) phase of flight. The Multi-Mission Systems Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) parametric design tool is used to facilitate the design of MMEEVs for an array of missions and develop and visualize the trade space. Testing in NASA Langley?s Vertical Spin Tunnel (VST) was conducted to significantly improve M-SAPE?s subsonic aerodynamic models. Vehicle size and shape can be driven by entry flight path angle and speed, thermal protection system performance, terminal velocity limitations, payload mass and density, among other design parameters. The objectives of the VST testing were to define usable subsonic center of gravity limits, and aerodynamic parameters for 6-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) simulations, for a range of MMEEV designs. The range of MMEEVs tested was from 1.8m down to 1.2m diameter. A backshell extender provided the ability to test a design with a much larger payload for the 1.2m MMEEV.

Glaab, Louis J.↗

Preparation of Morpheus Vehicle for Vacuum Environment Testing

The main objective for this summer 2016 tour was to prepare the Morpheus vehicle for its upcoming test inside Plum Brook's vacuum chamber at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center. My contributions towards this project were mostly analytical in nature, providing numerical models to validate test data, generating computer aided analyses for the structure support of the vehicle's engine, and designing a vacuum can that is to protect the high speed camera used during testing. Furthermore, I was also tasked with designing a tank toroidal spray bar system.

Sandoval, Armando↗

Wind tunnel tests of the 0.010-scale space shuttle integrated vehicle (model 52-QT) in the NASA/Ames 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel (IA18)

Experimental aerodynamic investigations were conducted in the NASA/Ames Research Center 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel on an 0.010-scale model of the space shuttle integrated vehicle consisting of an orbiter and external tank. The basic hypersonic stability characteristics of the orbiter attached rigidly to the external tank and the basic hypersonic stability characteristics of external tank alone simulating RTLS abort conditions were evaluated. The integrated vehicle was tested at angles of attack from- 8 deg through +30 deg and angles of sideslip of- 8 deg through +8 deg at fixed angles of attack of -4 deg, 0 deg, and +4 deg. A maximum angle of attack range of +15 deg through +40 deg was obtained for this configuration, at Mach number 7.3, for one run only. External tank alone testing was conducted at angles of attack from +8 deg through -30 deg and angles of sideslip of -8 deg at fixed angles of attack of -4 deg, 0 deg and +4 deg. Six-component force data and static base pressures were recorded during the test.

Esparza, V.↗

Results of baseline tests of the Lucas Limousine

The Lucas Limousine, an electric vehicle, was tested to assess the state-of-the-art of electric vehicles. All tests were made without the regenerative braking system and were conducted at the gross vehicle weight of 7,700 pounds. Over a 30 mph stop and go driving cycle the vehicle went 48.4 miles. The vehicle was able to accelerate to 30 mph in about 15 seconds with a gradeability limit of 16.5 percent. As determined by coast down tests the road power and road energy consumption for the vehicle were 2.92 kilowatts and 0.146 kWh/mi, respectively, at 20 mph. At 40 mph the road power requirement was 11.12 kilowatts and the road energy requirement was 0.278 kWh/mi. The maximum energy economy measured 0.45 kilowatt hours per mile at 30 mph and increased to 0.76 kilowatt hours per mile at 50 mph. Over the 30 mph stop and go driving cycle the energy economy was 0.92 kilowatt hours per mile.

Soltis, R. F.↗

Noise Measurements from Ground Tests of the Moog SureFly Vehicle

Noise measurements from a ground test of a small vertical lift research vehicle are presented. The proof-of-concept all-electric vehicle called “SureFly” was developed by Moog, Inc. A cooperative effort between NASA and Moog, Inc. has led to one of the first acoustic test datasets from an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicle being developed for passenger and cargo. Results show propeller and possibly motor tones are important for the overall noise levels. The vehicle has four support arms each with a pair of contra-rotating propellers. Noise measurements show higher noise levels from the lower propellers, likely due to inflow distortion from the arms and top propellers. Possible motor noise was identified by calculating harmonics of the line frequency and comparing to the tones in the narrowband acoustic spectra and phased microphone array data. The acoustic far field was found to be about 100 ft away from the vehicle, but additional microphones are needed to provide a better assessment. Results show the presence of modulation for some test conditions. The work reported here is only for ground tests.

Acoustics↗