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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 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Developing a safe on-orbit cryogenic depot

New U.S. space initiatives will require technology to realize planned programs such as piloted lunar and Mars missions. Key to the optimal execution of such missions are high performance orbit transfer vehicles and propellant storage facilities. Large amounts of liquid hydrogen and oxygen demand a uniquely designed on-orbit cryogenic propellant depot. Because of the inherent dangers in propellant storage and handling, a comprehensive system safety program must be established. This paper shows how the myriad and complex hazards demonstrate the need for an integrated safety effort to be applied from program conception through operational use. Even though the cryogenic depot is still in the conceptual stage, many of the hazards have been identified, including fatigue due to heavy thermal loading from environmental and operating temperature extremes, micrometeoroid and/or depot ancillary equipment impact (this is an important problem due to the large surface area needed to house the large quantities of propellant), docking and maintenance hazards, and hazards associated with extended extravehicular activity. Various safety analysis techniques were presented for each program phase. Specific system safety implementation steps were also listed. Enhanced risk assessment was demonstrated through the incorporation of these methods.

Bahr, Nicholas J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Modernization of the NASA scientific and technical information program

The NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program utilizes a technology infrastructure assembled in the mid 1960s to late 1970s to process and disseminate its information products. When this infrastructure was developed it placed NASA as a leader in processing STI. The retrieval engine for the STI database was the first of its kind and was used as the basis for developing commercial, other U.S., and foreign government agency retrieval systems. Due to the combination of changes in user requirements and the tremendous increase in technological capabilities readily available in the marketplace, this infrastructure is no longer the most cost-effective or efficient methodology available. Consequently, the NASA STI Program is pursuing a modernization effort that applies new technology to current processes to provide near-term benefits to the user. In conjunction with this activity, we are developing a long-term modernization strategy designed to transition the Program to a multimedia, global 'library without walls.' Critical pieces of the long-term strategy include streamlining access to sources of STI by using advances in computer networking and graphical user interfaces; creating and disseminating technical information in various electronic media including optical disks, video, and full text; and establishing a Technology Focus Group to maintain a current awareness of emerging technology and to plan for the future.

Cotter, Gladys A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

EXCALIBIR - A space experiment in orbital debris lethality

The study proposes a space experiment using extended Space Shuttle external tanks to test the impact of orbital debris. The External Tank Calibrated Impact Response test, EXCALIBIR, is a low-cost low-risk, high-payoff approach to investigating the threat to resident space objects posed by untrackable orbital debris, to provide lethality data to the kinetic energy weapons community, and to aid in the testing of space and missile interceptor technology. This experiment is a feasible use of existing assets - the external tank, observation and data collection facilities, launch facilities, and interceptor technology and tests planned for other programs.

Culp, Robert D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Thermal systems design and analysis for a 10 K Sorption Cryocooler flight experiment

The design, analysis and predicted performance of the Brilliant Eyes Ten-Kelvin Sorption Cryocooler Experiment (BETSCE) is described from a thermal perspective. BETSCE is a shuttle side-wall mounted cryogenic technology demonstration experiment planned for launch in November 1994. BETSCE uses a significant amount of power (about 500 W peak) and the resultant heat must be rejected passively with radiators, as BETSCE has no access to the active cooling capability of the shuttle. It was a major challenge to design and configure the individual hardware assemblies, with their relatively large radiators, to enable them to reject their heat while satisfying numerous severe shuttle-imposed constraints. This paper is a useful case study of a small shuttle payload that needs to reject relatively high heat loads passively in a highly constrained thermal environment. The design approach described is consistent with today's era of 'faster, better, cheaper' small-scale space missions.

Bhandari, Pradeep↗
NASA NTRS1994

Solventless, curable fluid oligomeric systems for high performance microwave, acoustical and mechanical applications

While establishing the basis for a 'Technology 2000' product plan several years ago we plugged in the usual factors contributing toward product success: price/performance justifiable; profitable, warranting high quality maintenance, enhancement, and specific property improvement; narrow inventory requirements; and raw material integrable backwards with easily variable properties (molecular weight, functionality, and isomer control). We resolved this by selecting radical functional, low molecular weight polybutadiene liquid polymers. Encouraged by the need for solid rocket binders, several companies embarked on various perceptions of binder performance requirements over four decades ago. Initially dominated by progress of liquid polysulfides, soon a few settled primarily upon polybutadiene based binders. Such an approach in a few instances was exploited quite viably with a series of functional group terminated liquid polybutadienes: hydroxyl, mercaptan, carboxyl, vinyl, and amine. Good results are obtained for oligomers, liquid polymers, and their hybrids. The only significant limits on compounded products has been solvent resistance and oxidative sensitivity, unless sufficient proportion of sulfide or nitrile moiety is incorporated. For convenience, they have been grouped under the trademarks Nylane, Seamax, Oligomax, and Castomax.

Lefave, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Undersea applications of dexterous robotics

The revolution and application of dexterous robotics in the undersea energy production industry and how this mature technology has affected planned SSF dexterous robotic tasks are examined. Undersea telerobotics, or Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV's), have evolved in design and use since the mid-1970s. Originally developed to replace commercial divers for both planned and unplanned tasks, they are now most commonly used to perform planned robotic tasks in all phases of assembly, inspection, and maintenance of undersea structures and installations. To accomplish these tasks, the worksites, the tasks themselves, and the tools are now engineered with both the telerobot's and the diver's capabilities in mind. In many cases, this planning has permitted a reduction in telerobot system complexity and cost. The philosophies and design practices that have resulted in the successful incorporation of telerobotics into the highly competitive and cost conscious offshore production industry have been largely ignored in the space community. Cases where these philosophies have been adopted or may be successfully adopted in the near future are explored.

Gittleman, Mark M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Proceedings of the Fourth International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC 1995)

The theme to the 1995 International Mobile Satellite Conference was 'Mobile Satcom Comes of Age'. The sessions included Modulation, Coding, and Multiple Access; Hybrid Networks - 1; Spacecraft Technology; propagation; Applications and Experiments - 1; Advanced System Concepts and Analysis; Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Communications; Mobile Terminal Antennas; Mobile Terminal Technology; Current and Planned Systems; Direct Broadcast Satellite; The Use of CDMA for LEO and ICO Mobile Satellite Systems; Hybrid Networks - 2; and Applications and Experiments - 2.

J R Rigley↗
NASA NTRS2001

Risk reduction using DDP (Defect Detection and Prevention): Software support and software applications

Risk assessment and mitigation is the focus of the Defect Detection and Prevention (DDP) process, which has been applied to spacecraft technology assessments and planning, both hardware and software. DDP's major elements and their relevance to core requirement engineering concerns are summarized. The accompanying research demonstration illustrates DDP's tool support, and further customizations for application to software.

Software-specific customizations↗
NASA NTRS2001

Extending ACTS Operations Through a University-Based Consortium

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program was slated for decommissioning in October 2000 as was announced at the 6th Ka-band Utilization Conference in May 2000. Quite a celebration was had at that event too centering on the decommissioning of this very successful technology program. With plans in place to move the spacecraft to an orbital graveyard and then shut the system down, NASA was challenged to consider the feasibility of extending operations for education and research purposes provided that an academic organization would be willing to cover operations costs. Continuing operations of the system was determined viable and in the fall of 2000, an announcement was made by NASA to consider extending operations. Plans are now in place to continue the operations of ACTS through a university-based consortium led by Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. Initial plans are for two more years of operations, with options to extend up to a total of four years. This paper will present the change in plans to continue operations of ACTS. A description of the multi-month transition of the spacecraft to its new and final orbital location is provided. With the spacecraft at this new location, an update on its performance is presented as well as estimates of long-term performance. The consortium development will be presented along with its organization, membership, and operations plans for using ACTS.

Bauer, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1980

A New Image for the Water Hyacinth

Walt Disney Company activated a sewage treatment plan using NASA technology to create water hyacinths to clean wastewater by absorbing and metabolizing pollutants. Plants have exciting promise as a natural water purification system which can be established at a fraction of the cost of a conventional sewage treatment facility. Harvested plants can be used as fertilizer. They can also be heat-treated to produce consumer energy in the form of methane gas. If an economical method of drying plants can be developed they may find further utility as high protein animal feed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2003

Optics Needs for Future NASA Missions

Present review of mirror technology required for planned future National Aeronautics and Space Administrative (NASA) missions, e.g. SAFIR, SWO, TPF, HHST, MTRAP, etc.

Stahl, H. Philip↗
NASA NTRS2004

Development of an Information Fusion System for Engine Diagnostics and Health Management

Aircraft gas-turbine engine data are available from a variety of sources including on-board sensor measurements, maintenance histories, and component models. An ultimate goal of Propulsion Health Management (PHM) is to maximize the amount of meaningful information that can be extracted from disparate data sources to obtain comprehensive diagnostic and prognostic knowledge regarding the health of the engine. Data Fusion is the integration of data or information from multiple sources, to achieve improved accuracy and more specific inferences than can be obtained from the use of a single sensor alone. The basic tenet underlying the data/information fusion concept is to leverage all available information to enhance diagnostic visibility, increase diagnostic reliability and reduce the number of diagnostic false alarms. This paper describes a basic PHM Data Fusion architecture being developed in alignment with the NASA C17 Propulsion Health Management (PHM) Flight Test program. The challenge of how to maximize the meaningful information extracted from disparate data sources to obtain enhanced diagnostic and prognostic information regarding the health and condition of the engine is the primary goal of this endeavor. To address this challenge, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) have formed a team with several small innovative technology companies to plan and conduct a research project in the area of data fusion as applied to PHM. Methodologies being developed and evaluated have been drawn from a wide range of areas including artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, statistical estimation, and fuzzy logic. This paper will provide a broad overview of this work, discuss some of the methodologies employed and give some illustrative examples.

Volponi, Allan J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Need for Analogue Missions in Scientific Human and Robotic Planetary Exploration

With the increasing challenges of planetary missions, and especially with the prospect of human exploration of the moon and Mars, the need for earth-based mission simulations has never been greater. The current focus on science as a major driver for planetary exploration introduces new constraints in mission design, planning, operations, and technology development. Analogue missions can be designed to address critical new integration issues arising from the new science-driven exploration paradigm. This next step builds on existing field studies and technology development at analogue sites, providing engineering, programmatic, and scientific lessons-learned in relatively low-cost and low-risk environments. One of the most important outstanding questions in planetary exploration is how to optimize the human and robotic interaction to achieve maximum science return with minimum cost and risk. To answer this question, researchers are faced with the task of defining scientific return and devising ways of measuring the benefit of scientific planetary exploration to humanity. Earth-based and spacebased analogue missions are uniquely suited to answer this question. Moreover, they represent the only means for integrating science operations, mission operations, crew training, technology development, psychology and human factors, and all other mission elements prior to final mission design and launch. Eventually, success in future planetary exploration will depend on our ability to prepare adequately for missions, requiring improved quality and quantity of analogue activities. This effort demands more than simply developing new technologies needed for future missions and increasing our scientific understanding of our destinations. It requires a systematic approach to the identification and evaluation of the categories of analogue activities. This paper presents one possible approach to the classification and design of analogue missions based on their degree of fidelity in ten key areas. Various case studies are discussed to illustrate the approach.

Snook, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Data Fusion for Enhanced Aircraft Engine Prognostics and Health Management

Aircraft gas-turbine engine data is available from a variety of sources, including on-board sensor measurements, maintenance histories, and component models. An ultimate goal of Propulsion Health Management (PHM) is to maximize the amount of meaningful information that can be extracted from disparate data sources to obtain comprehensive diagnostic and prognostic knowledge regarding the health of the engine. Data fusion is the integration of data or information from multiple sources for the achievement of improved accuracy and more specific inferences than can be obtained from the use of a single sensor alone. The basic tenet underlying the data/ information fusion concept is to leverage all available information to enhance diagnostic visibility, increase diagnostic reliability and reduce the number of diagnostic false alarms. This report describes a basic PHM data fusion architecture being developed in alignment with the NASA C-17 PHM Flight Test program. The challenge of how to maximize the meaningful information extracted from disparate data sources to obtain enhanced diagnostic and prognostic information regarding the health and condition of the engine is the primary goal of this endeavor. To address this challenge, NASA Glenn Research Center, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, and Pratt & Whitney have formed a team with several small innovative technology companies to plan and conduct a research project in the area of data fusion, as it applies to PHM. Methodologies being developed and evaluated have been drawn from a wide range of areas including artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, statistical estimation, and fuzzy logic. This report will provide a chronology and summary of the work accomplished under this research contract.

Volponi, Al↗
NASA NTRS2005

NASA's Solar System Exploration Program

A viewgraph presentation describing NASA's Solar System Exploration Program is shown. The topics include: 1) Solar System Exploration with Highlights and Status of Programs; 2) Technology Drivers and Plans; and 3) Summary

Robinson, James↗
NASA NTRS2007

Recent Progress at NASA in LlSA Formulation and Technology Development

Over the last year, the NASA portion of the LISA team has been focused its effort on advancing the formulation of the mission and responding to a major National Academy review. This talk will describe advances in, and the current state of: the baseline mission architecture, the performance requirements, the technology development and plans for final integration and test. Interesting results stimulated by the NASINRC Beyond Einstein Program Assessment Review will also be described.

Stebbins, Robin↗
NASA NTRS2009

A Future State for NASA Laboratories - Working in the 21st Century

The name "21 st Century Laboratory" is an emerging concept of how NASA (and the world) will conduct research in the very near future. Our approach is to carefully plan for significant technological changes in products, organization, and society. The NASA mission can be the beneficiary of these changes, provided the Agency prepares for the role of 21st Century laboratories in research and technology development and its deployment in this new age. It has been clear for some time now that the technology revolutions, technology "mega-trends" that we are in the midst of now, all have a common element centered around advanced computational modeling of small scale physics. Whether it is nano technology, bio technology or advanced computational technology, all of these megatrends are converging on science at the very small scale where it is profoundly important to consider the quantum effects at play with physics at that scale. Whether it is the bio-technology creation of "nanites" designed to mimic our immune system or the creation of nanoscale infotechnology devices, allowing an order of magnitude increase in computational capability, all involve quantum physics that serves as the heart of these revolutionary changes.

Kegelman, Jerome T.↗
NASA NTRS2009

CxP Wireless DFI Summary Presentation for OTI Flight Test Working Group

This slide presentation reviews the wireless instrumentation architecture needed for the Alatir Lunar Lander, Ares I, Ares V, and the Block II Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). It includes information about the Wireless DFI system, mission planning, and the technology roadmap.

Arteaga, Ricardo A.↗