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NASA NTRS2004

Virtex-II Pro SEE Test Methods and Results

The objective of this coarse Single Event Effect (SEE) test is to determine the suitability of the commercial Virtex-II Pro family for use in spaceflight applications. To this end, this test is primarily intended to determine any Singe Event Latchup (SEL) susceptibilities for these devices. Secondly, this test is intended to measure the level of Single Event Upset (SEU) susceptibilities and in a general sense where they occur. The coarse SEE test was performed on a commercial XC2VP7 device, a relatively small single processor version of the Virtex-II Pro. As the XC2VP7 shares the same functional block design and fabrication process with the larger Virtex-II Pro devices, the results of this test should also be applicable to the larger devices. The XC2VP7 device was tested on a commercial Virtex-II Pro development board. The testing was performed at the Cyclotron laboratories at Texas A&M and Michigan State Universities using ions of varying energy levels and fluences.

Petrick, David↗
NASA NTRS2005

Probing the Relativistic Jets of Active Galactic Nuclei with Multiwavelength Monitoring

The work completed includes the analysis of observations obtained during Cycle 7 (March 2002-February 2003) of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The project was part of a longer-term, continuing program to study the X-ray emission process in blazars and radio galaxies in collaboration with Dr. Ian McHardy (U. of Southampton, UK) and Prof. Thomas Balonek (Colgate U.). The goals of the program are to study the X-ray emission mechanism in blazars and radio galaxies and the relation of the X-ray emission to changes in the relativistic jet. The program includes contemporaneous brightness and linear polarization monitoring at radio and optical wavelengths, total and polarized intensity imaging at at 43 GHz with a resolution of 0.1 milliarcseconds with the VLBA, and well-sampled X-ray light curves obtained from a series of approved RXTE programs. The objects studied in the time period covered by the grant were 3C 120, 3C 279, PKS 1510-089, and 3C 273, all with radio jets containing bright knots that appear to move at superluminal speeds. During RXTE Cycle 7, the project was awarded RXTE time to monitor PKS 1510-089 two times per week, 3C 273 and 3C 279 three times per week, and 3C 120 four times per week. In addition, 3C273 and 3C 279 were observed several times per day during a ten-day period in April 2002. The X-ray data, including those from earlier cycles, were compared with radio measurements obtained in the centimeter-wave band by the monitoring program of Drs. Margo and Hugh Aller at the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory, monthly imaging observations with the VLBA at 43 GHz, and optical observations obtained at several telescopes around the world.

Marscher, Alan P.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Combustion Module 1: Spacelab Racks Integrated at the Lewis Research Center for the First Time

The Combustion Module-1 (CM-1), NASA's largest (over 1800 lb) and one of the most sophisticated combustion experiments ever to fly on the Spacelab, will be carried on the first Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) mission aboard the space shuttle flight STS-84 in April 1997. The CM-1 project is a stepping stone to the space station era, because the hardware can support multiple investigators on the same mission and can be integrated at user locations and shipped to the launch site. CM-1 is being developed to accommodate microgravity combustion experiments that are designed to help explain and predict the behavior of combustion processes. Although the two principal investigators for CM-1 are both studying combustion processes, their investigations are quite different. Professor Paul D. Ronney of the University of Southern California will examine the Structures of Flame Balls at Low Lewis Numbers (SOFBALL), in which a variety of fuel-lean gaseous mixtures fill the combustion chamber and are ignited. Professor Gerard M. Faeth of the University of Michigan will investigate Laminar Soot Processes (LSP) by studying the key properties of burning gas jets of fuel, employing different fuels and nozzle sizes.

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NASA NTRS1995

Creep Testing of High-Temperature Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb Alloy Completed

A Cu-8 at.% Cr-4 at.% Nb (Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb) alloy is under development for high-temperature, high heatflux applications, such as actively cooled, hypersonic vehicle heat exchangers and rocket engine combustion chambers. Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb offers a superior combination of strength and conductivity. It has also shown exceptional low-cycle fatigue properties. Following preliminary testing to determine the best processing route, a more detailed testing program was initiated to determine the creep lives and creep rates of Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb alloy specimens produced by extrusion. Testing was conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center with constant-load vacuum creep units. Considering expected operating temperatures and mission lives, we developed a test matrix to accurately determine the creep properties of Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb between 500 and 800 C. Six bars of Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb were extruded. From these bars, 54 creep samples were machined and tested. The figure on the left shows the steady-state, or second-stage, creep rates for the samples. Comparison data for NARloy-Z (Cu-3 wt % Ag-0.5 wt % Zr), the alloy currently used in combustion chamber liners, were not unavailable. Therefore the steady-state creep rates for Cu at similar temperatures are presented. As expected, in comparison to pure Cu, the creep rates for Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb are much lower. The lives of the samples are presented in the figure on the right. As shown, Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb at 800 C is comparable to NARloy-Z at 648 C. At equivalent temperatures, Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb enjoys a 20 to 50 percent advantage in stress for a given life and 1 to 3 orders of magnitude greater life at a given stress. The improved properties allow for design tradeoffs and improvements in new and existing heat exchangers such as the next generation of combustion chamber liners. Average creep rates for Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb and pure Cu are shown. Average creep lives for Cu-8 Cr- 4 Nb and NARloy-Z are also shown. Currently, two companies are interested in the commercial usage of the Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb alloy. The Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International is conducting independent testing to analyze the properties for their projected needs in advanced rocket engine applications. Metallamics, a company based in Traverse City, Michigan, is entering into a Space Act Agreement to evaluate and test Cu-Cr-Nb alloys as materials for welding electrodes that are used in robotic welding operations. Creep rate is one of the alloy properties that determines the degree to which a welding electrode will mushroom or expand at the tip. A material with a low creep rate will resist mushrooming and give the electrode a longer life, minimizing downtime. This application holds the potential for large-scale usage of the alloy in the automotive and other industries. Success here would dramatically decrease the cost of the alloy and increase availability for aerospace applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2005

Microwave Signatures of Melting/Refreezing Snow: Observations and Modeling Using Dense Medium Radiative Transfer Theory

Microwave brightness temperatures of snow covered terrains can be modeled by means of the Dense Radiative Transfer Medium Theory (DMRT). In a dense medium, such as snow, the assumption of independent scattering is no longer valid and the scattering of correlated scatterers must be considered. In the DMRT, this is done considering a pair distribution function of the particles position. In the electromagnetic model, the snowpack is simulated as a homogeneous layer having effective permittivity and albedo calculated through the DMRT. In order to account for clustering of snow crystals, a model of cohesive particles can be applied, where the cohesion between the particles is described by means of a dimensionless parameters called stickiness (z), representing a measure of the inversion of the attraction of the particles. The lower the z the higher the stickiness. In this study, microwave signatures of melting and refreezing cycles of seasonal snowpacks at high altitudes are studied by means of both experimental and modeling tools. Radiometric data were collected 24 hours per day by the University of Michigan Tower Mounted Radiometer System (TMRS). The brightness temperatures collected by means of the TMRS are simulated by means of a multi-layer electromagnetic model based on the dense medium theory with the inputs to the model derived from the data collected at the snow pits and from the meteorological station. The paper is structured as follows: in the first Section the temperature profiles recorded by the meteorological station and the snow pit data are presented and analyzed; in the second Section, the characteristics of the radiometric system used to collect the brightness temperatures are reported together with the temporal behavior of the recorded brightness temperatures; in the successive Section the multi-layer DMRT-based electromagnetic model is described; in the fourth Section the comparison between modeled and measured brightness temperatures is discussed. We dedicate the last Section to the conclusions and future works.

Tedesco, Marco↗
NASA NTRS1999

Finite Ground Coplanar (FGC) Waveguide: Characteristics and Advantages Evaluated for Radiofrequency and Wireless Communication Circuits

Researchers in NASA Lewis Research Center s Electron Device Technology Branch are developing transmission lines for radiofrequency and wireless circuits that are more efficient, smaller, and make lower cost circuits possible. Traditionally, radiofrequency and wireless circuits have employed a microstrip or coplanar waveguide to interconnect the various electrical elements that comprise a circuit. Although a coplanar waveguide (CPW) is widely viewed as better than a microstrip for most applications, it too has problems. To solve these problems, NASA Lewis and the University of Michigan developed a new version of a coplanar waveguide with electrically narrow ground planes. Through extensive numerical modeling and experimental measurements, we have characterized the propagation constant of the FGC waveguide, the lumped and distributed circuit elements integrated in the FGC waveguide, and the coupling between parallel transmission lines. Although the attenuation per unit length is higher for the FGC waveguide because of higher conductor loss, the attenuation is comparable when the ground plane width is twice the center conductor width as shown in the following graph. An upper limit to the line width is derived from observations that when the total line width is greater than ld/2, spurious resonances due to the parallel plate waveguide mode are established. Thus, the ground plane width must be less than ld/4 where ld is the wavelength in the dielectric. Since the center conductor width S is typically less than l/10 to maintain good transverse electromagnetic mode characteristics, it follows that a ground plane width of B = 2S would also be electrically narrow. Thus, we can now treat the ground strips of the FGC waveguide the same way that the center conductor is treated.

Ponchak, George E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

National Transportation Safety Board Aircraft Accident Investigation Supported

The main purpose of this investigation was for NASA to help the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) gain better understanding of the events that led to the loss of Comair Flight 3272 over Monroe, Michigan, on January 9, 1997. In-flight icing was suspected as being the primary cause of this accident. Of particular interest to the Safety Board was what NASA could learn about the potential performance degradation of the wing of the Embraer EMB-120 twin-turboprop commuter aircraft with various levels of ice contamination. NASA agreed to undertake (1) ice-accretion prediction computations with NASA s LEWICE program to bound the kind of contaminations that the vehicle may have developed, (2) testing in the NASA Lewis Research Center's Icing Research Tunnel to verify and refine the ice shapes developed by LEWICE, (3) a two-dimensional Navier- Stokes analysis to determine the performance degradation that those ice shapes could have caused, and (4) an examination using three-dimensional Navier-Stokes codes to study the three-dimensional effects of ice contamination.

Reehorst, Andrew L.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Ion Thruster Power Levels Extended by a Factor of 10

In response to two NASA Office of Space Science initiatives, the NASA Glenn Research Center is now developing a 7-kW-class xenon ion thruster system for near-term solar-powered spacecraft and a 25-kW ion engine for nuclear-electric spacecraft. The 7-kW ion thruster and power processor can be throttled down to 1 kW and are applicable to 25-kW flagship missions to the outer planets, asteroids, and comets. This propulsion system was scaled up from the 2.5-kW ion thruster and power processor that was developed successfully by Glenn, Boeing, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Spectrum Astro for the Deep Space 1 spacecraft. The 7-kW ion thruster system is being developed under NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) project, which includes partners from JPL, Aerojet, Boeing, the University of Michigan, and Colorado State University.

Patterson, Michael J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

New High-Performance SiC Fiber Developed for Ceramic Composites

Sylramic-iBN fiber is a new type of small-diameter (10-mm) SiC fiber that was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center and was recently given an R&D 100 Award for 2001. It is produced by subjecting commercially available Sylramic (Dow Corning, Midland, MI) SiC fibers, fabrics, or preforms to a specially designed high-temperature treatment in a controlled nitrogen environment for a specific time. It can be used in a variety of applications, but it currently has the greatest advantage as a reinforcement for SiC/SiC ceramic composites that are targeted for long-term structural applications at temperatures higher than the capability of metallic superalloys. The commercial Sylramic SiC fiber, which is the precursor for the Sylramic-iBN fiber, is produced by Dow Corning, Midland, Michigan. It is derived from polymers at low temperatures and then pyrolyzed and sintered at high temperatures using boron-containing sintering aids (ref. 1). The sintering process results in very strong fibers (>3 GPa) that are dense, oxygen-free, and nearly stoichiometric. They also display an optimum grain size that is beneficial for high tensile strength, good creep resistance, and good thermal conductivity (ref. 2). The NASA-developed treatment allows the excess boron in the bulk to diffuse to the fiber surface where it reacts with nitrogen to form an in situ boron nitride (BN) coating on the fiber surface (thus the product name of Sylramic-iBN fiber). The removal of boron from the fiber bulk allows the retention of high tensile strength while significantly improving creep resistance and electrical conductivity, and probably thermal conductivity since the grains are slightly larger and the grain boundaries cleaner (ref. 2). Also, as shown in the graph, these improvements allow the fiber to display the best rupture strength at high temperatures in air for any available SiC fiber. In addition, for CMC applications under oxidizing conditions, the formation of an in situ BN surface layer creates a more environmentally durable fiber surface not only because a more oxidation-resistant BN is formed, but also because this layer provides a physical barrier between contacting fibers with oxidation-prone SiC surface layers (refs. 3 and 4). This year, Glenn demonstrated that the in situ BN treatment can be applied simply to Sylramic fibers located within continuous multifiber tows, within woven fabric pieces, or even assembled into complex product shapes (preforms). SiC/SiC ceramic composite panels have been fabricated from Sylramic-iBN fabric and then tested at Glenn within the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Program. The test conditions were selected to simulate those experienced by hot-section components in advanced gas turbine engines. The results from testing at Glenn demonstrate all the benefits expected for the Sylramic-iBN fibers. That is, the composites displayed the best thermostructural performance in comparison to composites reinforced by Sylramic fibers and by all other currently available high-performance SiC fiber types (refs. 3 and 5). For these reasons, the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Program has selected the Sylramic-iBN fiber for ongoing efforts aimed at SiC/SiC engine component development.

DiCarlo, James A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

High-Power, High-Frequency Si-Based (SiGe) Transistors Developed

Future NASA, DOD, and commercial products will require electronic circuits that have greater functionality and versatility but occupy less space and cost less money to build and integrate than current products. System on a Chip (SOAC), a single semiconductor substrate containing circuits that perform many functions or containing an entire system, is widely recognized as the best technology for achieving low-cost, small-sized systems. Thus, a circuit technology is required that can gather, process, store, and transmit data or communications. Since silicon-integrated circuits are already used for data processing and storage and the infrastructure that supports silicon circuit fabrication is very large, it is sensible to develop communication circuits on silicon so that all the system functions can be integrated onto a single wafer. Until recently, silicon integrated circuits did not function well at the frequencies required for wireless or microwave communications, but with the introduction of small amounts of germanium into the silicon to make silicon-germanium (SiGe) transistors, silicon-based communication circuits are possible. Although microwavefrequency SiGe circuits have been demonstrated, there has been difficulty in obtaining the high power from their transistors that is required for the amplifiers of a transmitter, and many researchers have thought that this could not be done. The NASA Glenn Research Center and collaborators at the University of Michigan have developed SiGe transistors and amplifiers with state-of-the-art output power at microwave frequencies from 8 to 20 GHz. These transistors are fabricated using standard silicon processing and may be integrated with CMOS integrated circuits on a single chip. A scanning electron microscope image of a typical SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor is shown in the preceding photomicrograph. This transistor achieved a record output power of 550 mW and an associated power-added efficiency of 33 percent at 8.4 GHz, as shown. Record performance was also demonstrated at 12.6 and 18 GHz. Developers have combined these state-of-the-art transistors with transmission lines and micromachined passive circuit components, such as inductors and capacitors, to build multistage amplifiers. Currently, a 1-W, 8.4-GHz power amplifier is being built for NASA deep space communication architectures.

Ponchak, George E.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Life Limiting Behavior in Interlaminar Shear of Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites at Elevated Temperatures

Interlaminar shear strength of four different fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites was determined with doublenotch shear test specimens as a function of test rate at elevated temperatures ranging from 1100 to 1316 C in air. Life limiting behavior, represented as interlaminar shear strength degradation with decreasing test rate, was significant for 2-D crossplied SiC/MAS-5 and 2-D plain-woven C/SiC composites, but insignificant for 2-D plain-woven SiC/SiC and 2-D woven Sylramic (Dow Corning, Midland, Michigan) SiC/SiC composites. A phenomenological, power-law delayed failure model was proposed to account for and to quantify the rate dependency of interlaminar shear strength of the composites. Additional stress rupture testing in interlaminar shear was conducted at elevated temperatures to validate the proposed model. The model was in good agreement with SiC/MAS-5 and C/SiC composites, but in poor to reasonable agreement with Sylramic SiC/SiC. Constant shear stress-rate testing was proposed as a possible means of life prediction testing methodology for ceramic matrix composites subjected to interlaminar shear at elevated temperatures when short lifetimes are expected.

Choi, Sung R.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Comparison of Orbital Parameters for GEO Debris Predicted by LEGEND and Observed by MODEST: Can Sources of Orbital Debris be Identified?

Since 2002 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has carried out an optical survey of the debris environment in the geosynchronous Earth-orbit (GEO) region with the Michigan Orbital Debris Survey Telescope (MODEST) in Chile. The survey coverage has been similar for 4 of the 5 years allowing us to follow the orbital evolution of Correlated Targets (CTs), both controlled and un-controlled objects, and Un-Correlated Targets (UCTs). Under gravitational perturbations the distributions of uncontrolled objects, both CTs and UCTs, in GEO orbits will evolve in predictable patterns, particularly evident in the inclination and right ascension of the ascending node (RAAN) distributions. There are several clusters (others have used a "cloud" nomenclature) in observed distributions that show evolution from year to year in their inclination and ascending node elements. However, when MODEST is in survey mode (field-of-view approx.1.3deg) it provides only short 5-8 minute orbital arcs which can only be fit under the assumption of a circular orbit approximation (ACO) to determine the orbital parameters. These ACO elements are useful only in a statistical sense as dedicated observing runs would be required to obtain sufficient orbital coverage to determine a set of accurate orbital elements and then to follow their evolution. Identification of the source(s) for these "clusters of UCTs" would be advantageous to the overall definition of the GEO orbital debris environment. This paper will set out to determine if the ACO elements can be used to in a statistical sense to identify the source of the "clustering of UCTs" roughly centered on an inclination of 12deg and a RAAN of 345deg. The breakup of the Titan 3C-4 transtage on February 21, 1992 has been modeled using NASA s LEGEND (LEO-to-GEO Environment Debris) code to generate a GEO debris cloud. Breakup fragments are created based on the NASA Standard Breakup Model (including fragment size, area-to-mass (A/M), and delta-V distributions). Once fragments are created, they are propagated forward in time with a subroutine GEOPROP. Perturbations included in GEOPROP are those due to solar/lunar gravity, radiation pressure, and major geopotential terms. The question to be addressed: are the UCTs detected by MODEST in this inclination/RAAN region related to the Titan 3C-4 breakup? Discussion will include the observational biases in attempting to detect a specific, uncontrolled target during given observing session. These restrictions include: (1) the length of the observing session which is 8 hours or less at any given date or declination; (2) the assumption of ACO elements for detected object when the breakup model predicts debris with non-zero eccentricities; (3) the size and illumination or brightness of the debris predicted by the model and the telescope/sky limiting magnitude.

Barker, Edwin S.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Self-Consistent Ring Current Modeling with Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Presence of Heavy Ions

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMIC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies 21 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMIC wave scattering during a magnetic storm. That is why the modeling of EMIC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. To describe the RC evolution itself this study uses the ring current-atmosphere interaction model (RAM). RAM solves the gyration and bounce-averaged Boltzmann-Landau equation inside of geosynchronous orbit. Originally developed at the University of Michigan, there are now several branches of this model currently in use as describe by Liemohn namely those at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMIC waves that has been developed by Khazanov and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMIC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMIC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at GEM meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMIC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMIC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

Khazanov, George V.↗
NASA NTRS1993

(abstract) Sensitivity to Forest Biomass Based on Analysis of Scattering Mechanism

The estimation of forest biomass on a global scale is an important input to global climate and carbon cycle models. Remote sensing using synthetic aperture radar offers a means to obtain such a data set. Although it has been clear for some time that radar signals penetrate forest canopies, only recently has it been demonstrated that these signals are indeed sensitive to biomass. Inasmuch as the majority of a forest's biomass is in the trunks, it is important that the radar is sensing the trunk biomass as opposed to the branch or leaf biomass. In this study we use polarimetric AIRSAR P- and L-band data from a variety of forests to determine if the radar penetrates to the trunk by examining the scattering mechanism as determined using van Zyl's scattering interaction model, and the levels at which saturation occurs with respect to sensitivity of radar backscatter to total biomass. In particular, the added sensitivity of P-band relative to L-band is addressed. Results using data from the Duke Forest in North Carolina, the Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest in Alaska, Shasta Forest in California, the Black Forest in Germany, the temporate/boreal transition forests in northern Michigan, and coastal forests along the Oregon Transect will be presented.

forest canopy biomass radar scattering mechanism↗
NASA NTRS2006

An Optimization of Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Fields Study

To date, in our research we have focused on the use of normal human neuronal progenitor (NHNP) cells because of their importance in human nervous system regeneration, development and maintenance, but we have developed 2-D and 3-D bioreactors that can accommodate any cell line. In this Project, we will include the use of tissues important for physiological regeneration: Human osteoblasts or chondrocytes, and vascular cells. Our initial results with the NHNP cells were quite startling using extremely low-level electromagnetic fields (5 microtesla at 10Hz; 6mA). The low-amplitude, rapidly time-varying electromagnetic fields exert a very potent effect on the proliferation, morphology, and gene expression of the cells in culture, both in standard 2-dimensional culture plates as well as cells organized into 3-dimensional tissue-like assemblies (TLAs) in a 3D bioreactor. We have replicated our preliminary results many, many times, have analyzed the gene expression using gene arrays (followed by Luminex analysis for protein production), and have monitored cell proliferation, orientation, morphology, and glucose metabolism, and we are confident that we have a stable and reliable model to study the control of high-level cellular processes by application of low-amplitude, time varying electromagnetic fields (TVEMF) (1, 2). In additional studies at the University of Michigan, we have been able to generate functional in vitro engineered mammalian skeletal muscle, and have employed nerve-muscle co-culture techniques to promote axonal sprouting. We believe that nearly all tissues, in particular, neural, are susceptible to the influences of low-level TVEMF.

Goodwin, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

The Tropospheric Wind Lidar Technology Experiment (TWiLiTE): An Airborne Direct Detection Doppler Lidar Instrument Development Program

Global measurement of tropospheric winds is a key measurement for understanding atmospheric dynamics and improving numerical weather prediction. Global wind profiles remain a high priority for the operational weather community and also for a variety of research applications including studies of the global hydrologic cycle and transport studies of aerosols and trace species. In addition to space based winds, a high altitude airborne system flown on UAV or other advanced platforms would be of great interest for studying mesoscale dynamics and hurricanes. The Tropospheric Wind Lidar Technology Experiment (TWiLiTE) project was selected in 2005 by the NASA Earth Sun Technology Office as part of the Instrument Incubator Program. TWiLiTE will leverage significant research and development investments in key technologies made in the past several years. The primary focus will be on integrating these sub-systems into a complete molecular direct detection Doppler wind lidar system designed for autonomous operation on a high altitude aircraft, such as the NASA WB57, so that the nadir viewing lidar will be able to profile winds through the full troposphere. TWiLiTE is a collaboration involving scientists and technologists from NASA Goddard, NOAA ESRL, Utah State University Space Dynamics Lab and industry partners Michigan Aerospace Corporation and Sigma Space Corporation. NASA Goddard and it's partners have been at the forefront in the development of key lidar technologies (lasers, telescopes, scanning systems, detectors and receivers) required to enable spaceborne global wind lidar measurement. The TWiLiTE integrated airborne Doppler lidar instrument will be the first demonstration of a airborne scanning direct detection Doppler lidar and will serve as a critical milestone on the path to a fixture spaceborne tropospheric wind system. The completed system will have the capability to profile winds in clear air from the aircraft altitude of 18 h to the surface with 250 m vertical resolution and less than 2 meters per second velocity accuracy. The instrument design, technologies and predicted performance will be presented.

Gentry, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS2007

GEO Population Estimates using Optical Survey Data

Optical survey data taken using the NASA Michigan Orbital Debris Survey Telescope (MODEST) gives us an opportunity to statistically sample faint object population in the Geosynchronous (GEO) and near-GEO environment. This paper will summarize the MODEST survey work that has been conducted by NASA since 2002, and will outline the techniques employed to arrive at the current population estimates in the GEO environment for dim objects difficult to detect and track using current systems in the Space Surveillance Network (SSN). Some types of orbits have a higher detection rate based on what parts of the GEO belt is being observed, a straightforward statistical technique is used to debias these observations to arrive at an estimate of the total population potentially visible to the telescope. The size and magnitude distributions of these fainter debris objects are markedly different from the catalogued population. GEO debris consists of at least two different populations, one which follows the standard breakup power law and one which has anomalously high Area-to-Mass Ratios (1 to approx. 30 square meters per kilogram; a sheet of paper = approx. 13 square meters per kilogram). The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) is investigating objects in GEO orbits with anomalously high Area-to-Mass Ratios (AMRs). The ESA Space Debris Telescope discovered this population and has and its properties of inclinations (0 to 30 degrees), changing eccentricities (0 and 0.6), and mean motions (approx. 1 rev), will be presented. The accepted interpretation of this orbital behavior is that solar radiation pressure drives the perturbations causing time varying inclinations and eccentricities. The orbital parameters are unstable for this population and thus difficult to predict. Their dim visual magnitudes and photometric variability make observations a challenge. The IADC has enlisted a series of observatories (participating institutions: University of Michigan/CTIO, Astronomical Institute University of Bern, Boeing LTS / AMOS, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics) at different longitudes. Complete observational coverage over periods of days to months will provide a better understanding of the properties, such as solar radiation pressure effects on orbital elements, size, shape, attitude, color variations, and spectral characteristics. Results from recent observational programs will be summarized, and includes a description of the orbit elements prediction processes, a summary of the metric tracking performance, and some photometric characteristics of this class of debris.

Barker, Edwin S.↗
NASA NTRS2007

An Attempt to Observe Debris from the Breakup of a Titan 3C-4 Transtage

In February 2007 dedicated observations were made of the orbital space predicted to contain debris from the breakup of the Titan 3C-4 transtage back on February 21, 1992. These observations were carried out on the Michigan Orbital DEbris Survey Telescope (MODEST) in Chile with its 1.3deg field of view. The search region or orbital space (inclination and right ascension of the ascending node (RAAN) was predicted using NASA#s LEGEND (LEO-to-GEO Environment Debris) code to generate a Titan debris cloud. Breakup fragments are created based on the NASA Standard Breakup Model (including fragment size, area-to-mass (A/M), and delta-V distributions). Once fragments are created, they are propagated forward in time with a subroutine GEOPROP. Perturbations included in GEOPROP are those due to solar/lunar gravity, radiation pressure, and major geopotential terms. Barker, et. al, (AMOS Conference Proceedings, 2006, pp. 596-604) used similar LEGEND predictions to correlate survey observations made by MODEST (February 2002) and found several possible night-to-night correlations in the limited survey dataset. One conc lusion of the survey search was to dedicate a MODEST run to observing a GEO region predicted to contain debris fragments and actual Titan debris objects (SSN 25000, 25001 and 30000). Such a dedicated run was undertaken with MODEST between February 17 and 23, 2007 (UT dates). MODEST#s limiting magnitude of 18.0 (S\N approx.10) corresponds to a size of 22cm assuming a diffuse Lambertian albedo of 0.2. However, based on observed break-up data, we expect most debris fragments to be smaller than 22cm which implies a need to increase the effective sensitivity of MODEST for smaller objects. MODEST#s limiting size can be lowered by increasing the exposure time (20 instead of 5 seconds) and applying special image processing. The special processing combines individual CCD images to detect faint objects that are invisible on a single CCD image. Sub-images are cropped from six consecutive CCD images with pixel shifts between images being consistent with the predicted movement of a Titan object. A median image of all the sub-images is then created leaving only those objects with the proper Titan motion. Limiting the median image in this manner brings the needed computer time to process all images taken on one night down to about 50 hours of CPU time.

Barker, E. S.↗