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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Risk Model for EM Decision Support Toolsets

The Government Office of Accountability (GAO) has published several reports identifying the need for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) to address mounting costs for DoE's cleanup program. DOEEM could greatly benefit from independent decision tool-sets/models that would allow them to evaluate options and inform business decision at the enterprise level considering site-specific life cycle costs and system plans. Program goals: Develop a tool-set that enables EM to independently evaluate alternatives, assess outcomes from different contracting strategies, and inform critical decisions for the enterprise. Project goals: Adaption of a Risk Model for integration with complimentary tool-sets for project level decision making. Operational Events: Discrete event model that evaluates operational variables (e.g. capacity, throughput, maintenance constraints) and identify bottlenecks. Identifying and Bounding Project Risk: Identify risks that impact confidence in meeting goals (e.g. production). Life cycle Cost: Evaluate impacts of staffing levels, inventory, and capital investments on life cycle costs. Methods and approach: Monte Carlo Analysis is being executed to generate results: Input derives from Risk Register Data; Tied to Projected and Target Schedules; Incorporates float duration within the model. Assumes associated risk mitigation actions being completed within a timeline of five fiscal years. Metrics include: Confidence in Meeting Production Goal; Confidence in Safety Standards; Confidence in Continuous Operation; Other Metrics can be added as appropriate regarding specific site needs. The adapted risk model can be used as a stand alone decision tool or can be integrated complementary tool-sets (i.e. process and cost models) for project-specific decisions. These support tool-sets can then be integrated with others for site- and complex- level evaluations. Future work includes designing an adaptable and modular framework that would allow integration of multiple tool-sets for holistic and/or targeted evaluation of alternative strategies for decision making that could lead to risk and cost reduction across the enterprise.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1995

Flight demonstration of laser diode initiated ordnance

A program has been initiated by NASA Headquarters to validate laser initiated ordnance in flight applications. The primary program goal is to bring together a team of government and industry members to develop a laser initiated ordnance system having the test and analysis pedigree to be flown on launch vehicles. The culmination of this effort was a flight of the Pegasus launch vehicle which had two fin rockets initiated by this laser system. In addition, a laser initiated ordnance squib was fired into a pressure bomb during thrusting flight. The complete ordnance system comprising a laser diode firing unit, fiber optic cable assembly, laser initiated detonator, and laser initiated squib was designed and built by The Ensign Bickford Company. The hardware was tested to the requirements of the Pegasus launch vehicle and integrated into the vehicle by The Ensign Bickford Company and the Orbital Sciences Corporation. Discussions include initial program concept, contract implementation, team member responsibilities, analysis results, vehicle integration, safing architecture, ordnance interfaces, mission timeline and telemetry data. A complete system description, summary of the analyses, the qualification test results, and the results of flight are included.

Boucher, Craig J.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Data Transferability and Collection Consistency in Marine Renewable Energy

Concerns about the potential effects of tidal turbines and wave energy devices on the marine environment continue to slow siting and permitting/consenting of single devices and arrays worldwide. While research studies and early results from post-installation monitoring over the past decade have informed interactions between marine renewable energy (MRE) devices, marine animals, and habitats, regulators still demonstrate considerable reluctance to accelerate the permitting/consenting process for devices and arrays. Furthermore, the MRE industry is struggling with the high costs of baseline assessments and post-installation monitoring, as well as long timelines for obtaining permits, which leads to uncertainty and risk related to project financing. Regulators require assessment and monitoring information to allow them to carry out the necessary analyses to describe, permit/consent, and manage the environmental risks associated with new MRE technologies and new uses of ocean space. One way to reduce risks to the industry and the environment and to allow for acceleration of the permitting/consenting process could be to transfer learning, analyses, and data sets from one country to another, among projects, and across jurisdictional boundaries. In addition, data are collected around early-stage MRE devices using many different methods, instruments, and measurement scales. If similar parameters and accessible methods of data collection were used for baseline assessments and post-installation monitoring around all early-stage devices and MRE developments, the results would be more readily comparable. This comparability would lead to a decrease in scientific uncertainty and support a common understanding of the risk of MRE devices to the marine environment. This in turn would facilitate more efficient and shorter permitting/consenting processes, which would decrease the financial risk for MRE project development. As a means of addressing the concept of transferring data (information, learning, analyses, and data sets) among projects and collecting data consistently, Annex IV has developed a data transferability process that has been socialized with the MRE community, which includes regulators, industry, developers, consultants, and researchers. The data transferability process consists of five components: 1. A Data Transferability Framework brings together data sets in an organized fashion, compares the applicability of each data set for use on other projects, and guides the process of data transfer 2. A Data Collection Consistency Table provides preferred measurement methods or processes, reporting units, and the most common methods of analysis or interpretation and use of data 3. A Monitoring Data Sets Discoverability Matrix allows a practitioner to discover data sets based on the approach presented in the Framework 4. Best Management Practices (BMPs) include five BMPs related to data transferability and collection consistency 5. An Implementation Plan presents an approach for implementing and applying the data transferability process. This report documents the background and development of the data transferability process and associated components and summarizes the next steps needed to successfully implement and apply the data transferability process.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2015

Computer model for electrochemical cell performance loss over time in terms of capacity, power, and conductance (CPC)

Available capacity, power, and cell conductance figure centrally into performance characterization of electrochemical cells (such as Li-ion cells) over their service life. For example, capacity loss in Li-ion cells is due to a combination of mechanisms, including loss of free available lithium, loss of active host sites, shifts in the potential-capacity curve, etc. Further distinctions can be made regarding irreversible and reversible capacity loss mechanisms. There are tandem needs for accurate interpretation of capacity at characterization conditions (cycling rate, temperature, etc.) and for robust self-consistent modeling techniques that can be used for diagnostic analysis of cell data as well as forecasting of future performance. Analogous issues exist for aging effects on cell conductance and available power. To address these needs, a modeling capability was developed that provides a systematic analysis of the contributing factors to battery performance loss over aging and to act as a regression/prediction platform for cell performance. The modeling basis is a summation of self-consistent chemical kinetics rate expressions, which as individual expressions each covers a distinct mechanism (e.g., loss of active host sites, lithium loss), but collectively account for the net loss of premier metrics (e.g., capacity) over time for a particular characterization condition. Specifically, sigmoid-based rate expressions are utilized to describe each contribution to performance loss. Through additional mathematical development another tier of expressions is derived and used to perform differential analyses and segregate irreversible versus reversible contributions, as well as to determine concentration profiles over cell aging for affected Li+ ion inventory and fraction of active sites that remain at each time step. Reversible fade components are surmised by comparing fade rates at fast versus slow cycling conditions. The model is easily utilized for predictive calculations so that future capacity performance can be estimated. The invention covers mathematical and theoretical frameworks, and demonstrates application to various Li-ion cells covering test periods that vary in duration, and shows model predictions well past the end of test periods. Version 2.0 Enhancements: the code now covers path-dependent aging scenarios, wherein the framework allows for arbitrarily-chosen aging conditions over a timeline to accommodate prediction of battery aging over a multiplicity of changing conditions. The code framework also allows for cell conductance and power loss evaluations over cell aging, analysis of series strings that contain a thermal anomaly (hot spot), and evaluation of battery thermal management parameters that impact battery lifetimes. Lastly, a comprehensive GUI now resides in the Ver. 2.0 code.

Gering, KevinL.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector Final Report CRADA No. TC02110.0

This was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and ElectroSonics Medical Inc. (formerly known as BIOMEC, Inc.), to develop a non-invasive pneumothorax detector based upon the micropower impulse radar technology invented at LLNL. Under a Work for Others Subcontract (L-9248), LLNL and ElectroSonics successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a novel device for non-invasive detection of pneumothorax for emergency and long-term monitoring. The device is based on Micropower Impulse Radar (MIR) Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology. Phase I experimental results were promising, showing that a pneumothorax volume even as small as 30 ml was clearly detectable from the MIR signals. Phase I results contributed to the award of a National Institute of Health (NIH) SBIR Phase II grant to support further research and development. The Phase II award led to the establishment of a LLNL/ElectroSonics CRADA related to Case No. TC02045.0. Under the subsequent CRADA, LLNL and ElectroSonics successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the pneumothorax detection in human subject research trials. Under this current CRADA TC02110.0, also referred to as Phase II Type II, the project scope consisted of seven tasks in Project Year 1; five tasks in Project Year 2; and four tasks in Project Year 3. Year 1 tasks were aimed toward the delivery of the pneumothorax detector design package for the pre-production of the miniaturized CompactFlash dockable version of the system. The tasks in Project Years 2 and 3 critically depended upon the accomplishments of Task 1. Since LLNL’s task was to provide subject matter expertise and performance verification, much of the timeline of engagement by the LLNL staff depended upon the overall project milestones as determined by the lead organization ElectroSonics. The scope of efforts were subsequently adjusted accordingly to commensurate with funding availability.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

MO-FG-213-04: Managing the Relationship

Academic-industrial collaborations are playing an increasingly prominent role in medical physics research. Successful partnerships have enabled truly translational, benchtop-to-bedside research that has significantly and positively impacted our field. Given the current flat or depleting trends in federal funding, and the increasing emphasis in the medical physics community on demonstrating translatability, efficacy, and safety prior to widespread clinical use, it is anticipated that such partnerships will become ever more important in advancing our field. In the future, it is likely that neither academia alone, nor industry alone, will be able to bring significant innovation to successfully impact patient care in radiotherapy. Such innovation will require partnership and symbiosis through the lifetime of the project. This symposium is aimed at professionals from academia and the industry who are interested in either initiating new collaborations or maintaining and improving existing partnerships. We will hear from four thought leaders from industry and academia on critical aspects of building and maintaining successful academic-industrial research partnerships. The following topics will be addressed: 1. Motivations: The industry perspective [Kevin Brown, Elekta] What goes into the development of a company’s R&D roadmap What are the motivations and expectations of the industry from academic partners How can academics make a successful pitch by identifying projects aligned with a company’s roadmap Why are some relationships successful and some not Milestones and progress reports - Why do we need them 2. Motivations: The academic perspective [T. Rock Mackie, Univ. of Madison, WI; Tomotherapy] What are the motivations and expectations of academic partners from the industry What are the cultural differences in academia vs industry on sharing information, exchanging ideas Partnership or entrepreneurship? When does each option make sense 3. Industrial Grants and Research Contracts – a Primer [Norbert Pelc; Stanford University] What topics are suited to industrial grants vs. academic grants How do resources (personnel effort, tuition) get allocated and charged in academia What are reasonable resource and timeline requests for small and big projects; from small and big companies “Fair market value” considerations Sections of a research agreement (IP including software confidential information, publications, data, exclusivity, support) 4. Managing the relationship [John Wong, Johns Hopkins University] How to effectively collaborate with each other How to adapt to changes in the relationship How to renew funding with the industry Moderated Panel Discussion [All speakers + moderators] Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the motivations of each partner 2. Elements that contribute to a successful partnership 3. Avoiding pitfalls - Challenges on either side that may derail a project 4. How to frame a research grant and agreement 5. How to sustain the collaborative relationship Amit Sawant: Funding from: NIH. Varian, Elekta and VisionRT; Michelle Svatos: Employee and shareholder: Varian, Board Member, TopasMC; Kevin Brown: Employee, Elekta; T. Rock Mackie: Consultant, Accuray; Norbert Pelc: Research support: Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare; John Wong: Funding from NIH, Xstrahl and Elekta. Co-founder and advisor for JPLC Associates, LLC.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Coal-dependent Communities in Transition: Identifying Best Practices to Ensure Equitable Outcomes

The U.S. coal industry is experiencing a sharp increase in the numbers of retired and/or decommissioned coal-fired power plants across the U.S. In the years between 2010-2019, around 102 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired generating capacity has been announced to be decommissioned, representing more than 546 coal-fired power plant units, and an additional 17 GW is planned to be decommissioned by 2025. This change in the energy production landscape presents an impact on the social, environmental, and economic prospects of coal-dependent communities. This report examined the role of communities in the coal power plant decommissioning process and provided community-identified best practices to ensure an equitable process. The experiences of four coal-dependent communities—Wise County, VA, Muskegon, MI, Anderson County, TN, and Becker, MN—are presented as case studies to understand the impacts of the decommissioning process, and associated best practices, from the communities’ perspective. The report results highlight the need to recognize that the decommissioning decision-making process must be community-based to be equitable. Each community’s input is key to the transition away from coal power because there is no one-size-fits-all development plan. In other words, each community’s trajectory through the decommissioning process—from the retirement decision-making stage to the final site redevelopment phase—is unique because each community has distinct needs and wants from the energy transition. What is best for one community may not be suited for another. Ultimately, the framework for site development and community revitalization post-decommissioning cannot be universal because each community’s profile—from a social, cultural, and economic perspective—is different. Community impacts of power plant decommissioning are not limited to job and revenue losses. Communities are likely to be impacted culturally, socially, environmentally, and have long-term health-based impacts that should be acknowledged and addressed in post-retirement plans. Commonly identified decommissioning best practices include: Early and continued engagement throughout, with a number of mediums for communication and feedback (e.g., in-person sessions, virtual meetings, written comment opportunities); Early planning of post-decommissioning projects to replace lost jobs, revenue, and economic activity; Recognition (and mitigation, if possible) of social impacts on the community due to plant closure; Transparency throughout the process, with trusted information being provided about the decommissioning process and timeline; potential impacts on the workforce, economy, and environment; and the feasibility of alternative site uses; Identification of funding sources, technical experts, and/or strategic partnerships to support decommissioning and the affected communities upfront; and, Acknowledgment of communities as stakeholders who have a role in the conversation and right to determine their futures. Three key areas for assisting coal-dependent communities affected by the energy transition: Technical assistance: assessment of site feasibility for alternative uses or to repower with new technologies; Cross-partnership engagement and collaboration: facilitate knowledge-sharing of “lessons learned” about the decommissioning process between communities and provide guidance for decision-making processes; and, Financial assistance: access to grant and/or loan programs to assist with redevelopment survey, bolster community economic security through job creation, and cover environmental clean-up costs. Technical assistance, cross-partnership engagement, and financial aid can be mobilized to help communities throughout various stages of the decommissioning process, including the retirement decision, the site reclamation phase, and eventual revitalization of the site and surrounding community.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2025

Non-destructive structural characterization of graphite components using mechanical resonance and deep learning

As compared to conventional nuclear reactors, microreactors have the potential to significantly reduce construction timelines and capital costs, decreasing the barriers for advanced nuclear reactor technologies. However, the lower power output of these microreactors (typically < 20 MWe) creates challenging economics if operation and maintenance costs cannot be sufficiently reduced. The compact size of these designs presents an opportunity for comprehensive in-situ structural health monitoring to provide real-time feedback in order to reduce operational costs associated with maintenance and downtime. Many microreactor concepts use graphite for both in-core neutron moderation and as a structural material, which has typically required some form of periodic and laborious inspection. This report provides a description and assessment of recent work with graphite to couple acoustic-based experimental measurements and characterization with machine learning models to mature structural health monitoring capabilities and generate benefits for the nuclear microreactor industry. With resilient embedded sensors in development in other programs funded by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and elsewhere, the work described herein builds upon previously funded efforts to mature non-destructive testing technology that relates measured vibrational signatures to structural changes, using a combination of new experimental measurements and machine learning processing. Building on past successful demonstrations of predictive workflows to identify structural changes in a hexagonal stainless steel test article with excellent acoustic propagation, we first performed baseline characterization on graphite samples with canonical geometries to ensure compatibility and confidence in the applied techniques for a material with distinctly different mechanical properties. In contrast to efforts in previous years, we worked exclusively with unidirectional vibration data that is more comparable to those expected from the existing embedded sensor technologies which are suitable for deployment in a reactor setting. Established acoustic and modern machine-learning-based characterization approaches were applied to the resulting datasets from these simple geometries. Both approaches were found to be highly capable of detecting even small geometric irregularities amongst nominally identical samples. As such, we then moved to testing these approaches for detection of artificial local stress perturbations introduced into a more complex geometry: a hexagonal block with drilled holes. A main outcome of this work is that a generalizable ML workflow can be used to detect and predict the characteristics of small artificial anomalies in a graphite component with a relevant geometry. While this work was performed using surficial vibration data, we expect the approach to be flexible and viable for other monitoring scenarios, such as those with different arrangements or types of sensor arrays. As compared to previously funded efforts, an existing ML workflow based on neural networks was enhanced through the addition of recently developed Fourier neural operators. As applied to previously collected and new vibration datasets, prediction accuracies of anomaly characterizations were greatly improved with minimal added computational cost. As trained on small durations of vibration data (tens of seconds) collected over a realistic number of locations, the model was able to reliably determine the presence of a subtle stress anomaly and begin to provide location estimates. Such an approach is likely to be viable for more relevant reactor damage scenarios for graphite components, such as progressive crack growth or creep.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Feasibility Assessment of Using Electrical Impedance Tomography for Damage Localization in Graphite Microreactor Components

Microreactors have great potential to decrease capital costs and construction timelines, reducing the barriers to implementing advanced nuclear reactor technologies. However, the lower power output of these microreactors introduces economic challenges if the operation and maintenance costs cannot be reduced sufficiently. Many microreactor concepts use graphite materials for in-core moderator and structural purposes, which will require periodic inspection or, ideally, in situ structural health monitoring. This work describes an initial evaluation of the feasibility of leveraging graphite’s semiconducting properties to perform electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for defect localization. First, a study was performed to identify the best methods for bonding electrical contacts to minimize the effects of contact resistance that interfere with impedance measurements of the graphite. After determining the best bonding approach, electrodes were attached to multiple graphite components with varying geometries (e.g., simple block and more representative microreactor hexagonal block). In parallel, finite element analysis approaches were developed and implemented to analyze the impact of defects and contact resistances and to inform an iterative inverse model for reconstructing the conductivity distribution. The results of this study show that defect localization in graphite components is possible using EIT if a sufficient number of electrodes (to improve spatial resolution) can be bonded using a technique with very low contact resistance and those contact resistances remain stable during reactor operation. If the reactor core and vessel design do not allow electrodes to be bonded during reactor operation, then it may be possible to detach/reattach electrodes between reactor operation and outages if a suitable mechanical connection that offers repeatable contact resistance can be identified. Alternatively, future work could focus on identifying contacts that can survive the harsh reactor operating environment so that contacts do not need to be removed.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Securing the Modern Grid: Federal Investments, Digitization, and Supply Chain Strategy

Across the United States (U.S.) grid expansion and modernization is underway, paving the way for accelerated load growth and intelligent resource management. Digitization of the grid is supported by several state and federal programs, providing support for utilities installing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), AI-powered analytics systems, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) to transform the grid from a one-way power delivery system into an intelligent, responsive network that will enable faster load growth and power expansion of data centers for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The digital transformation of America's grid presents opportunity for increased efficiency and resiliency but also introduces new digital risks that require careful management. Digital equipment often contains several vulnerabilities such as unencrypted communication protocols, and persistent remote access capabilities that could be exploited to manipulate device settings, coordinate service disruptions, or inject false data into grid operations. These digital risks become particularly important as the grid must rapidly scale to support AI-driven data centers, which the administration has identified as essential for maintaining U.S. technological leadership and economic competitiveness. These vulnerabilities are compounded by supply chain realities: Chinese manufacturers currently produce 70-90% of essential grid components including inverters, batteries, and control systems, with the U.S. lacking domestic manufacturing capacity for critical assets like extra-high voltage transformers. Recent federal legislation has established Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions to address these risks, requiring projects to achieve escalating thresholds of non-FEOC content to receive tax credits while utilities work to expand sourcing channels for their supply chains and strengthen security measures. These restrictions arrive precisely when utilities face unprecedented electricity demand growth driven by the rapid growth in data centers, creating a considerable challenge: rapidly expanding infrastructure while navigating complex compliance requirements while lacking viable alternatives for many critical components. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and its partners have developed practical approaches to help utilities navigate these intersecting challenges as they leverage federal investment to strengthen and grow the grid. These solutions include Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) principles that build resilience directly into systems, the Cirrus tool for secure cloud migration, and enhanced procurement guidance that embeds security requirements throughout equipment lifecycles. Federal initiatives, such as the Technical Assistance for Digital Assurance (TADA) project, provide direct support to utilities implementing these approaches while facilitating knowledge sharing across the industry. While these tools and frameworks cannot eliminate all risks inherent in foreign supply chain dependencies, they offer pragmatic pathways for strengthening security posture without sacrificing the deployment momentum essential to meeting surging electricity demand. Ultimately, securing America's digital energy infrastructure demands dedicated coordination across multiple fronts: building domestic supply chains, implementing robust digital assurance practices, and maintaining the aggressive modernization timeline necessary for reliability, resilience, and energy independence.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2004

Advanced Diagnostic System on Earth Observing One

In this infusion experiment, the Livingstone 2 (L2) model-based diagnosis engine, developed by the Computational Sciences division at NASA Ames Research Center, has been uploaded to the Earth Observing One (EO-1) satellite. L2 is integrated with the Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) which provides an on-board planning capability and a software bridge to the spacecraft's 1773 data bus. Using a model of the spacecraft subsystems, L2 predicts nominal state transitions initiated by control commands, monitors the spacecraft sensors, and, in the case of failure, isolates the fault based on the discrepant observations. Fault detection and isolation is done by determining a set of component modes, including most likely failures, which satisfy the current observations. All mode transitions and diagnoses are telemetered to the ground for analysis. The initial L2 model is scoped to EO-1's imaging instruments and solid state recorder. Diagnostic scenarios for EO-1's nominal imaging timeline are demonstrated by injecting simulated faults on-board the spacecraft. The solid state recorder stores the science images and also hosts: the experiment software. The main objective of the experiment is to mature the L2 technology to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7. Experiment results are presented, as well as a discussion of the challenging technical issues encountered. Future extensions may explore coordination with the planner, and model-based ground operations.

Hayden, Sandra C.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Virtual Manufacturing Techniques Designed and Applied to Manufacturing Activities in the Manufacturing Integration and Technology Branch

One of the identified goals of EM3 is to implement virtual manufacturing by the time the year 2000 has ended. To realize this goal of a true virtual manufacturing enterprise the initial development of a machinability database and the infrastructure must be completed. This will consist of the containment of the existing EM-NET problems and developing machine, tooling, and common materials databases. To integrate the virtual manufacturing enterprise with normal day to day operations the development of a parallel virtual manufacturing machinability database, virtual manufacturing database, virtual manufacturing paradigm, implementation/integration procedure, and testable verification models must be constructed. Common and virtual machinability databases will include the four distinct areas of machine tools, available tooling, common machine tool loads, and a materials database. The machine tools database will include the machine envelope, special machine attachments, tooling capacity, location within NASA-JSC or with a contractor, and availability/scheduling. The tooling database will include available standard tooling, custom in-house tooling, tool properties, and availability. The common materials database will include materials thickness ranges, strengths, types, and their availability. The virtual manufacturing databases will consist of virtual machines and virtual tooling directly related to the common and machinability databases. The items to be completed are the design and construction of the machinability databases, virtual manufacturing paradigm for NASA-JSC, implementation timeline, VNC model of one bridge mill and troubleshoot existing software and hardware problems with EN4NET. The final step of this virtual manufacturing project will be to integrate other production sites into the databases bringing JSC's EM3 into a position of becoming a clearing house for NASA's digital manufacturing needs creating a true virtual manufacturing enterprise.

Shearrow, Charles A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Developing a Logistics Data Process for Support Equipment for NASA Ground Operations

The United States NASA Space Shuttle has long been considered an extremely capable yet relatively expensive rocket. A great part of the roughly US $500 million per launch expense was the support footprint: refurbishment and maintenance of the space shuttle system, together with the long list of resources required to support it, including personnel, tools, facilities, transport and support equipment. NASA determined to make its next rocket system with a smaller logistics footprint, and thereby more cost-effective and quicker turnaround. The logical solution was to adopt a standard Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) process based on GEIA-STD-0007 http://www.logisticsengineers.org/may09pres/GEIASTD0007DEXShortIntro.pdf which is the successor of MIL-STD-1388-2B widely used by U.S., NATO, and other world military services and industries. This approach is unprecedented at NASA: it is the first time a major program of programs, Project Constellation, is factoring logistics and supportability into design at many levels. This paper will focus on one of those levels NASA ground support equipment for the next generation of NASA rockets and on building a Logistics Support Analysis Record (LSAR) for developing and documenting a support solution and inventory of resources for. This LSAR is actually a standards-based database, containing analyses of the time and tools, personnel, facilities and support equipment required to assemble and integrate the stages and umbilicals of a rocket. This paper will cover building this database from scratch: including creating and importing a hierarchical bill of materials (BOM) from legacy data; identifying line-replaceable units (LRUs) of a given piece of equipment; analyzing reliability and maintainability of said LRUs; and therefore making an assessment back to design whether the support solution for a piece of equipment is too much work, i.e., too resource-intensive. If one must replace or inspect an LRU too much, perhaps a modification of the design of the equipment can make such operational effort unnecessary. Finally, this paper addresses processes of tying resources to a timeline of tasks performed in ground operations: this enables various overarching analyses, e.g., a summarization of all resources used for a given piece of equipment. Quality Control of data will also be discussed: importing and exporting data from product teams, including spreadsheets-todatabase or data exchange between databases.

Chakrabarti, Suman↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electronic Production Control System News Note

The CMD subprogram develops and deploys multi-application weapon component manufacturing capabilities needed to replace sunset technologies, upgrade existing technologies, and introduce new technologies that support the nuclear weapons stockpile. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is currently developing an Electronic Production Control System (EPCS) for ASIC production in the back end of line (BEOL) flow. A pre-production version of EPCS has been released and is operating as intended. We are currently processing all ASIC products, including CVV validation ASICs. The BEOL flow includes wafer probe, packaging, quality inspection, initial electrical test, dynamic burn-in, final electrical test, quality inspection, final visual inspection, radiation testing, SNL acceptance, DOE SSO acceptance, and qualification testing steps. EPCS will execute this production workflow (initiate, control, and electronically track each product); it will implement defect prevention strategies; it will create an electronic inventory control system that is accountable for all ASIC material from inception to delivery; it will electronically collect and store any and all required quality evidence and most of the electronic BEOL data; and it will create a management reporting module with production statistics and timelines. The defect prevention strategies include the use of 2D marks on our ASICs with 2D scanners so that there will be no manual entry of part numbers (scanners), will not allow testing the wrong parts in Test and Burn-in. Other defect prevention strategies will negate the possibility of neither using the wrong test or burn-in program for any part nor the use of BEOL machines or boards that are out of calibration. In summary, EPCS is being implemented and it will greatly improve the product acceptance through full electronic data collection and quality control and defect prevention through bar codes, scanners, tracking training of personnel, and tracking tool availability.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
NASA NTRS2014

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2014

Topics include: JWST Integrated Simulation and Test (JIST) Core; Software for Non-Contact Measurement of an Individual's Heart Rate Using a Common Camera; Rapid Infrared Pixel Grating Response Testbed; Temperature Measurement and Stabilization in a Birefringent Whispering Gallery Resonator; JWST IV and V Simulation and Test (JIST) Solid State Recorder (SSR) Simulator; Development of a Precision Thermal Doubler for Deep Space; Improving Friction Stir Welds Using Laser Peening; Methodology of Evaluating Margins of Safety in Critical Brazed Joints; Interactive Inventory Monitoring; Sensor for Spatial Detection of Single-Event Effects in Semiconductor-Based Electronics; Reworked CCGA-624 Interconnect Package Reliability for Extreme Thermal Environments; Current-Controlled Output Driver for Directly Coupled Loads; Bulk Metallic Glasses and Matrix Composites as Spacecraft Shielding; Touch Temperature Coating for Electrical Equipment on Spacecraft; Li-Ion Electrolytes Containing Flame-Retardant Additives; Autonomous Robotic Manipulation (ARM); CARVE Log; Platform Perspective Toolkit; Convex Hull-Based Plume and Anomaly Detection; Pre-Filtration of GOSAT Data Using Only Level 1 Data and an Intelligent Filter to Remove Low Clouds; Affordability Comparison Tool - ACT; "Ascent - Commemorating Shuttle" for iPad; Cassini Mission App; Light-Weight Workflow Engine: A Server for Executing Generic Workflows; Model for System Engineering of the CheMin Instrument; Timeline Central Concepts; Parallel Particle Filter Toolkit; Particle Filter Simulation and Analysis Enabling Non-Traditional Navigation; Quasi-Terminator Orbits for Mapping Small Primitive Bodies; The Subgrid-Scale Scalar Variance Under Supercritical Pressure Conditions; Sliding Gait for ATHLETE Mobility; and Automated Generation of Adaptive Filter Using a Genetic Algorithm and Cyclic Rule Reduction.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

Space Station maintenance studies using plaid graphics

The Graphics Analysis Facility (GRAF) has been used frequently to study extravehicular activity (EVA) maintenance scenarios on Space Station Freedom. The ability to use 3-dimensional visualization gives one a more accurate estimate of the Space Station environment. Moreover, human EVA and robotic kinematics can be accurately simulated for columetric reach and collision detection analysis. An animation of this kind was developed for a research group at JSC to study and discover problem areas involved with doing external Space Station maintenance tasks. On the EVA side, it was discovered that items such as handholds and temporary restraint mechanisms should more effectively facilitate EVA movement about the Space Station structure for the suited personnel. Issues concerning CETA cart configuration, PWP storage locations, and locations of EVA storage areas were also identified by use of the animation. In the area of EVA versus robotics, it was found that there is a strong desire to make EVA and robotics interfaces compatible on items such as replacement units and unpressurized logistics carriers. The animation also showed that the use of robotics within an EVA task increases the difficulty and duration of the task setup, leaving less time available for the maintenance task itself. Graphics animation provides a mechanism to simultaneously analyze several mission parameters (i.e., EVA reach, volumetric analysis, and task timelines), and thus, it has proven to be an effective method for mission evaluation.

Helm, Mary E.↗
NASA NTRS2011

A Hybrid Parachute Simulation Environment for the Orion Parachute Development Project

A parachute simulation environment (PSE) has been developed that aims to take advantage of legacy parachute simulation codes and modern object-oriented programming techniques. This hybrid simulation environment provides the parachute analyst with a natural and intuitive way to construct simulation tasks while preserving the pedigree and authority of established parachute simulations. NASA currently employs four simulation tools for developing and analyzing air-drop tests performed by the CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) Project. These tools were developed at different times, in different languages, and with different capabilities in mind. As a result, each tool has a distinct interface and set of inputs and outputs. However, regardless of the simulation code that is most appropriate for the type of test, engineers typically perform similar tasks for each drop test such as prediction of loads, assessment of altitude, and sequencing of disreefs or cut-aways. An object-oriented approach to simulation configuration allows the analyst to choose models of real physical test articles (parachutes, vehicles, etc.) and sequence them to achieve the desired test conditions. Once configured, these objects are translated into traditional input lists and processed by the legacy simulation codes. This approach minimizes the number of sim inputs that the engineer must track while configuring an input file. An object oriented approach to simulation output allows a common set of post-processing functions to perform routine tasks such as plotting and timeline generation with minimal sensitivity to the simulation that generated the data. Flight test data may also be translated into the common output class to simplify test reconstruction and analysis.

Moore, James W.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Los Alamos Scientists Support Planetary Defense Efforts Worldwide

Every two years the International Academy of Astronautics brings scientists, engineers, spacecraft developers, disaster specialists, and government officials together to share research and ideas, and to consider how to find, and ultimately deflect or destroy, an asteroid that might be threatening Earth. Attending these Planetary Defense Conferences are scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory who contribute considerable expertise in the areas of computer modeling and asteroid mitigation technologies. Los Alamos scientists work with NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office to assist in the location and tracking near-Earth objects, characterization of those objects to determine their orbit trajectory, size, shape, mass, composition, rotational dynamics and other parameters, and planning and implementation of measures to deflect or disrupt an object on an impact course, along with measures that can be taken on Earth to protect lives and property include evacuation of the impact area and movement of critical infrastructure. At the Planetary Defense Conferences scientists share research findings, collaborate on planetary defense strategies, and work on hypothetical scenarios that consider the many timelines and options that might occur during an asteroid threat. To be sure, that threat is rare, but these emergency exercises provide officials with valuable information that may one day protect us all during the real thing.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗