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At least 757 records · Page 42

Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS) Leader Position [Slides]

The Center Director provides scientific leadership and line management of the CNLS while fostering collaborations with scientists throughout the Laboratory. The CNLS Center Director is expected to develop and lead a program to target and create cooperative long-term research programs consistent with the Laboratory’s strategic research objectives, to develop a strong working relationship with the CNLS External Advisory Committee, and to maintain effective working relationships throughout all levels of the Laboratory, government entities, academia and industry. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active research program while providing technical vision to nurture and support existing programs of others at the Center.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

An integrated Rotorcraft Avionics/Controls Architecture to support advanced controls and low-altitude guidance flight research

Salient design features of a new NASA/Army research rotorcraft--the Rotorcraft-Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) are described. Using a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter as a baseline vehicle, the RASCAL will be a flying laboratory capable of supporting the research requirements of major NASA and Army guidance, control, and display research programs. The paper describes the research facility requirements of these programs together with other critical constraints on the design of the research system. Research program schedules demand a phased development approach, wherein specific research capability milestones are met and flight research projects are flown throughout the complete development cycle of the RASCAL. This development approach is summarized, and selected features of the research system are described. The research system includes a real-time obstacle detection and avoidance system which will generate low-altitude guidance commands to the pilot on a wide field-of-view, color helmet-mounted display and a full-authority, programmable, fault-tolerant/fail-safe, fly-by-wire flight control system.

Jacobsen, Robert A.↗

Preliminary design features of the RASCAL - A NASA/Army rotorcraft in-flight simulator

Salient design features of a new NASA/Army research rotorcraft - the Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) - are described. Using a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter as a baseline vehicle, the RASCAL will be a flying laboratory capable of supporting the research requirements of major NASA and Army guidance, control, and display research programs. The paper describes the research facility requirements of these programs together with other critical constraints on the design of the research system, including safety-of-flight. Research program schedules demand a phased development approach, wherein specific research capability milestones are met and flight research projects are flown throughout the complete development cycle of the RASCAL. This development approach is summarized, and selected features of the research system are described. The research system includes a full-authority, programmable, fault-tolerant/fail-safe, fly-by-wire flight control system and a real-time obstacle detection and avoidance system which will generate low-latitude guidance commands to the pilot on a wide field-of-view, color helmet-mounted display.

Aiken, Edwin W.↗

Preliminary design features of the RASCAL: A NASA /Army rotorcraft in-flight simulator

Salient design features of a new NASA/Army research rotorcraft - the Rotorcraft-Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) - are described. Using a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter as a baseline vehicle, the RASCAL will be a flying laboratory capable of supporting the research requirements of major NASA and Army guidance, control, and display research programs. The paper describes the research facility requirements of these programs together with other critical constraints on the design of the research system, including safety-of-flight. Research program schedules demand a phased development approach, wherein specific research capability milestones are met and flight research projects are flown throughout the complete development cycle of the RASCAL. This development approach is summarized, and selected features of the research system are described. The research system includes a full-authority, programmable, fault-tolerant/fail-safe, fly-by-wire flight control system and a real-time obstacle detection and avoidance system which will generate low-altitude guidance commands to the pilot on a wide field-of-view, color helmet-mounted display.

Aiken, Edwin W.↗

Determining structural performance

An overview is given of the methods and concepts developed to enhance and predict structural dynamic characteristics of advanced aeropropulsion systems. Aeroelasticity, Vibration Control, Dynamic Systems, and Computational Structural Methods are four disciplines that make up the research program at NASA/Lewis Research Center. The Aeroelasticity program develops analytical and experimental methods to minimize flutter and forced vibration of aerospace propulsion systems. Both frequency domain and time domain methods have been developed for applications on the turbofan, turbopump, and advanced turboprop. To improve life and performance, the Vibration Control program conceives, analyzes, develops, and demonstrates new methods to control vibrations in aerospace systems. Active and passive vibration control is accomplished with electromagnetic dampers, magnetic bearings, and piezoelectric crystals to control rotor vibrations. The Dynamic Systems program analyzes and verifies the dynamics of interacting systems, as well as develops concepts and methods for high-temperature dynamic seals. The Computational Structural Methods program uses computer science to improve solutions of structural problems.

Ernst, Michael A.↗

The high speed civil transport and NASA's High Speed Research (HSR) program

Ongoing studies being conducted not only in this country but in Europe and Asia suggest that a second generation supersonic transport, or High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT), could become an important part of the 21st century international air transportation system. However, major environmental compatibility and economic viability issues must be resolved if the HSCT is to become a reality. This talk will overview the NASA High-Speed Research (HSR) program which is aimed at providing the U.S. industry with a technology base to allow them to consider launching an HSCT program early in the next century. The talk will also discuss some of the comparable activities going on within Europe and Japan.

Shaw, Robert J.↗

Risk of Adverse Health Outcomes and Decrements in Performance Due to In-flight Medical Conditions

The drive to undertake long-duration space exploration missions at greater distances from Earth gives rise to many challenges concerning human performance under extreme conditions. At NASA, the Human Research Program (HRP) has been established to investigate the specific risks to astronaut health and performance presented by space exploration, in addition to developing necessary countermeasures and technology to reduce risk and facilitate safer, more productive missions in space (NASA Human Research Program 2009). The HRP is divided into five subsections, covering behavioral health, space radiation, habitability, and other areas of interest. Within this structure is the ExMC Element, whose research contributes to the overall development of new technologies to overcome the challenges of expanding human exploration and habitation of space. The risk statement provided by the HRP to the ExMC Element states: "Given that medical conditions/events will occur during human spaceflight missions, there is a possibility of adverse health outcomes and decrements in performance in mission and for long term health" (NASA Human Research Program 2016). Within this risk context, the Exploration Medical Capabilities (ExMC) Element is specifically concerned with establishing evidenced-based methods of monitoring and maintaining astronaut health. Essential to completing this task is the advancement in techniques that identify, prevent, and treat any health threats that may occur during space missions. The ultimate goal of the ExMC Element is to develop and demonstrate a pathway for medical system integration into vehicle and mission design to mitigate the risk of medical issues. Integral to this effort is inclusion of an evidence-based medical and data handling system appropriate for long-duration, exploration-class missions. This requires a clear Concept of Operations, quantitative risk metrics or other tools to address changing risk throughout a mission, and system scoping and system engineering. Because of the novel nature of the risks involved in exploration missions, new and complex ethical challenges are likely to be encountered. This document describes the relevant background and evidence that informs the development of an exploration medical system.

Antonsen,Erik↗

Novel Concepts for High Gradient Acceleration (Final Technical Report)

We have conducted an intensive, pioneering program to demonstrate novel concepts for achieving high gradient acceleration at frequencies from the conventional microwave bands up to the millimeter wave /THz bands. High gradient accelerators hold the promise of smaller and less costly accelerators for applications ranging from the largest scale accelerators used for discovery science down to the smallest accelerators used for industrial, homeland security and medical applications. The research consisted of two major research thrusts: 1.) Structure-based wakefield accelerator (SWFA) research in collaboration with the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator research group and 2.) Millimeter Wave / THz high gradient acceleration in collaboration with SLAC. The specific goals of the research program were: Design novel metallic metamaterial structures that increase the beam-wave coupling for the accelerator mode and reduce the effect of high order modes; test novel metamaterial structures to achieve higher output power, > 1 GW at X-Band (11.7 GHz), in test at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA); determine the experimental breakdown threshold for nanosecond-scale pulses at X-Band in testing at the AWA; test a 110 GHz accelerator structure with a field emission electron gun, built at SLAC, using pulses from a 1 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron; design, build and test a 110 GHz quasi-optical, resonant-ring pulse compressor to compress microsecond pulses from the 1 MW gyrotron into > 20 MW, 5 ns output pulses for accelerator structure testing. The proposed research program built on our successes in our research program including: Generation of 510 MW, 2.1 ns (FWHM) pulses at 11.7 GHz from a metallic metamaterial structure in test at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator using a train of eight 65 MeV electron bunches spaced at 1.3 GHz with a total charge of 280 nC. The metamaterial structure consisted of 100 copper unit cells each consisting of a “wagon-wheel” plate and a spacer plate with a total structure length of 0.2 m. The 510 MW pulse generated an on-axis wakefield of 130 MV/m that could be used to accelerate a trailing witness bunch. Demonstration of coupling of an unprecedented rf power level of 575kW into a 110 GHz accelerator structure using a quasi-optical setup. The standing structure consisted of a central copper cavity located between two matching cavities fed by a TM01 mode. The 6 ns input pulses were sliced from 3 microsecond pulses from the gyrotron using a laser-driven silicon switch. We obtained an unprecedented high gradient up to 230MV/m corresponding to a peak surface electric field of more than 520 MV/m.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Summer student research presentations

In 2005, over 150 undergraduate students and first-year graduate students participated in a variety of research programs coordinated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Education Office in conjunction with the Caltech Student-Faculty Programs Office. The programs give students the opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of an experienced mentor for a 10-week period. Students gain valuable experience while contributing to the ongoing goals of JPL. Students are required to submit progress reports and an abstract, and to give an oral presentation of their projects to an audience of JPL staff and other students. This set of abstracts provides brief descriptions of the projects that were conducted by these students and their mentors. A schedule of student talks is also included. Students presenting their work have come to JPL through one of the following programs: SURF - Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, MURF - MURF Undergraduate Research Fellowships, NASA USRP - Undergraduate Student Research Program, NASA Space Grant Work Force Development Program, and NASA PGGURP - Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program

Casey, Carol↗

The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is the centerpiece of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth initiative. It is a pivotal part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and hence of the international effort to understand global change and the increasing demands of human activity. EOS consists of a space-based observing system, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) and a scientific research program. The space component consists of two series of polar-orbiting spacecraft, the first scheduled for launch in 1998, that will collect data for 15 years. EOS is completing its conceptual design phase and is preparing to enter the design phase with the selection and construction of the instruments for the first platform. EOSDIS will allow researchers to quickly and easily access data about the Earth system. Development of EOSDIS has already begun; it will support research and analysis with existing data. Geophysical and biological products will be created from the satellite data to be used to a broad range of the scientific community. NASA has also committed to providing smaller missions - called Earth Probes - dedicated to near-term observations of specific Earth processes. The scientific research program was initiated in 1990, with funding for 28 interdisciplinary teams, to begin development of models that will use EOS data and define the data requirements from the instruments, nine facility instruments and their science teams, 23 instrument investigations and definition studies for a synthetic-aperture radar.

Dozier, J.↗

Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut. International Fitness Challenge

The Mission X, Train like an Astronaut, pilot project was a 2-year effort directed by the International Life Science Working Group. The pilot was funded by the Human Research Program and was lead by the Human Research Program Education and Outreach (HRPEO) project and supported by a group of space agencies providing in-kind resources. The aim was to identify an international educational outreach concept that would promote a life science topic utilizing the education and outreach expertise of the various space agencies working on the utilization of the International Space Station. This in turn serves as an inspiration for the younger generation to aspire to go further in school, and provides insight into the capability of a participating country to ensure the effort provided value for their communities and children. The pilot project developed the necessary tools to promote communications between the partners and to use materials and expertise from all the countries? space agencies. The Mission X Website (trainlikeanastronaut.org) provided a single repository for the educational activities as well as a place for the Challenge Teams to provide their progress in the international fitness challenge. It also added to the International flavor as different countries were able to share and learn about what was happening with all those involved in the 6-week challenge period. A point system was utilized to promote constructive, cooperative competition in which 4164 students participated. The points were used to help FitKid, Astro Charlie, "Walk-To-The-Moon". The 18 physical and educational Mission X activities were made available on the Mission X website in seven languages. The Mission X pilot project was considered a success in 1) the design, development, and implementation of the multi-language website, 2) the expansion of healthy lifestyle awareness, and 3) the concept for drawing an international educational community together to highlight global topics in association with human space exploration. Metrics (70 post-event surveys) and lessons learned were collated and assessed. Key Lessons Learned were 1) foster and strengthen partnerships at all levels, 2) enhance and standardize MX Training, and 3) further expansion of activities and methods to teach the importance of fitness and nutrition. Methods used to teach the importance of nutrition and fitness are provided in the report.

Lloyd, Charles↗

Integrated Chemical and Microorganism Monitoring of Air Using Gas Chromatography/Ion Mobility Spectometry: Toward an Expanded-Use Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA)

The work described in this research program originated with the choice by NASA of an ion mobility spectrometer for air quality monitoring on-board the international spacestation. Though the gas chromatograph-ion mobility spectrometer analyzer known as VOA met or exceeded expectations, limitations in the basic understanding of response and the utilization of foundational principles into usable technology was considered unacceptable. In this research program, a comprehensive model for the origins of mobility spectra was proposed, tested and verified. The principles considered responsible for the appearance of mobility spectra have now been elucidated through this project. This understanding has been applied in automated identification of mobility spectra using neural networks and routine procedures for this now exist. Finally, the limitation on linear range has been shown to be a technical limitation and not a fundamental limitation so that a hardware component was crafted to extend the linear range of a mobility spectrometer by 10X. This project has led to one Ph.D. dissertation and one MS thesis. In addition, over ten public presentations at professional meetings and six journal publications have resulted from this program of research. The findings are so plentiful that total analysis of the findings may require four to six years or more. The findings confirm that the decision to use VOA was sound and that the chemical and physical principles of mobility spectrometry are both understandable and predictable.

Eiceman, G. A.↗

Effects of cosmic rays on single event upsets

The efforts at establishing a research program in space radiation effects are discussed. The research program has served as the basis for training several graduate students in an area of research that is of importance to NASA. In addition, technical support was provided for the Single Event Facility Group at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Lowe, Calvin W.↗

NASA's Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program Enables Researchers to Take Advantage of This Rapidly Evolving Industry

The growth of commercial Earth Observation (EO) satellite industry is accelerating rapidly, bringing a diverse set of products to a wide range of EO research domains. NASA’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, established in 2017, identifies, evaluates, and acquires commercial data - products, including very high-resolution imagery spanning from visible to short-wave infrared wavelengths, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, as well as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data that support, augment, and complement NASA’s extensive catalog of Earth science data. The poster demonstrates how users can learn about the CSDA Program, access the data, and find results from publications and findings of NASA researchers. NASA-acquired commercial data are governed by an end user license agreement. This poster is intended as a practical guide to what the CSDA Program is, where to discover the data and types, and how to access and use the data for scientific purposes.

Stephan Klene↗

Electro-optical flight deflection measurement system

This paper describes an electrooptical flight-deflection measurement system (FDMS) developed for use on highly-maneuverable-aircraft-technology (HiMAT) RPV flight research program. The FDMS provides in-flight measurements of the aircraft structural deflections and magnetic-tape recordings for automated data processing. The capabilities and limitations, requirements for installation on an aircraft, analytical considerations, and typical flight data acquired from the HiMAT research program are examined. The flight data indicate that the background light is the major obstacle to acquiring high-quality data and that the relationship between the target displacement and the output of the FDMS is nonlinear; however, the nonlinear effects can be minimized with judicious planning of the installation of the FDMS on the aircraft. Excellent flight deflection data were obtained from both the HiMAT and X-29 A flight research program with very little data lost as a result of encounters with severe background light.

Deangelis, V. Michael↗

In-space Fabrication and Repair Utilizing In Space Resources

Abstract: The microgravity research program, simply put, has the goal of doing science (which is essentially finding out something previously unknown about nature) utilizing the unique long-term microgravity environment in Earth orbit. Our new "strategic research" program is scientific research that enables safe and economical capabilities to enable humans to live, work and do science beyond Earth orbit. One new strategic research area focuses on In Space Fabrication and Repair. This research is to enable materials processing in space for use in space. The goal of this program is to provide scientific and technical research resulting in proof-of-concept experiments providing humans in space with an energy rich, resource rich, self sustaining infrastructure at the earliest possible time and with minimum risk, launch mass and program cost. The customers could include large space science experiments, human exploration, and space commercialization.

Curreri, Peter A.↗

NASA Glenn Research Center Program in High Power Density Motors for Aeropropulsion

Electric drive of transport-sized aircraft propulsors, with electric power generated by fuel cells or turbo-generators, will require electric motors with much higher power density than conventional room-temperature machines. Cryogenic cooling of the motor windings by the liquid hydrogen fuel offers a possible solution, enabling motors with higher power density than turbine engines. Some context on weights of various systems, which is required to assess the problem, is presented. This context includes a survey of turbine engine weights over a considerable size range, a correlation of gear box weights and some examples of conventional and advanced electric motor weights. The NASA Glenn Research Center program for high power density motors is outlined and some technical results to date are presented. These results include current densities of 5,000 A per square centimeter current density achieved in cryogenic coils, finite element predictions compared to measurements of torque production in a switched reluctance motor, and initial tests of a cryogenic switched reluctance motor.

Brown, Gerald V.↗