Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “met”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 775 records · Page 43

Drag measurements on a laminar flow body of revolution in Langley's 13 inch magnetic suspension and balance system

Low-speed wind tunnel drag force measurements were taken on a laminar flow body of revolution free of support interference. This body was tested at zero incidence in the NASA Langley 13 inch Magnetic Suspension and Balance System (MSBS). The primary objective of these tests was to substantiate the drag force measuring capabilities of the 13 inch MSBS. A secondary objective was to obtain support interference free drag measurements on an axisymmetric body of interest. Both objectives were met. The drag force calibrations and wind-on repeatability data provide a means of assessing the drag force measuring capabilities of the 13 inch MSBS. The measured drag coefficients for this body are of interest to researchers actively involved in designing minimum drag fuselage shapes. Additional investigations included: the effects of fixing transition; the effects of fins installed in the tail; surface flow visualizations using both liquid crystals and oil flow; and base pressure measurements using a one-channel telemetry system. Two drag prediction codes were used to assess their usefulness in estimating overall body drag. These theoretical results did not compare well with the measured values because of the following: incorrect or non-existent modeling of a laminar separation bubble on the body and incorrect of non-existent estimates of base pressure drag.

Dress, David A.↗

Development of the AGT101 regenerator seals

The design and development of the regenerator seals used in the AGT101 gas turbine engine are described in this paper. The all ceramic AGT101 gas turbine engine was designed for 100 hp at 5:1 pressure ratio with 2500F(1371C) turbine inlet temperature. Six distinct phases of seal design were investigated experimentally and analytically to develop the final design. Static and dynamic test rig results obtained during the seal development program are presented. In addition, analytical techniques are described. The program objectives of reduced seal leakage, without additional diaphragm cooling, to 3.6 percent of total engine airflow and higher seal operating temperature resulting from the 2000F (1093C) inlet exhaust gas temperature were met.

Fucinari, C. A.↗

Thermal properties and effects for Li/BCX (thionyl chloride) cells

New NASA requirements for the screening of lithium cells for space applications involve thermal soaks at elevated temperatures (149 C). The currently qualified Li/BCX cells and three design modifications have been evaluated showing that a design incorporating a shortened electrode stack met this test condition while continuing to satisfy the performance and safety requirements for cells used on NASA manned space vehicles. Information was also developed to show that measured heat capacities for the BCX D size cells correlated well with the heat generated from cells discharged in an insulated environment. Calculated heat capacities based on the amounts and types of materials in a cell were low compared to these values. This information provides the basis for the design of battery packs in the highly insulating environment of outer space.

Takeuchi, E. S.↗

OMV servicing missions from Space Station

The Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) will provide a means of bringing large observatories to the Space Station for servicing and redeployment to their operating altitudes. However, there are many constraints which must be met in mission planning. The missions must be designed so that propellant consumption is within the usable allowance, but contingency operations can still be accomplished. The vehicle was designed specifically to accommodate such missions, with emphasis upon servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. The OMV has been designed for operations from the Shuttle Orbiter and the Space Station. It will readily accommodate basing at the Space Station and executing observatory retrieval and redeployment missions. Mission profiles have been designed which allow retrieval with contingency hold before descent, and which allow contingency return of the observatory if it fails to reactivate properly. This capability will be a major addition to the Space Transportation System and will increase the utility of the Space Station.

Jennings, Jerry L.↗

SAFIRE - A novel high resolution cooled spectrometer for atmospheric research

The SAFIRE (Spectroscopy of Atmospheric Far Infra-Red Emissions) experiment is discussed with particular reference to the scientific aims and the conceptual instrument design of the project. The principal requirements of the experiment are reviewed, and it is shown how these requirements are met in the instrument concept. In particular, measurements of hydrogen oxides and other important species in the stratosphere require a far infrared limb sounder. Some problems involved in the optical and thermal design of the instrument are examined.

Harries, J. E.↗

Undercoolability and the exposure of metastable structures

The thermodynamic conditions for exposing metastable states are established by deenergizing a material, as in melt quenching, condensation, etc. When these conditions are met, metastable states may appear because they are kinetically preferred. The understanding of these kinetic preferences is reviewed. Formation of metastable structures by melt quenching requires high resistance to crystal nucleation to deep undercooling through the labile regime between the liquidus and configurational freezing temperature, Tg. Further, the growth of the most stable phase must be thermally activated (and therefore quench-suppressible) if the metastable state is to persist at T less than Tg. In metal systems, selective alloying is often crucial to the provision of the nucleation and/or growth resistance requisite to forming various metastable structures. These alloying effects are surveyed and interpreted.

Turnbull, David↗

Broadband imaging system with three fields of view

Payload space limitations, high optical fidelity and the desirability of fast slew rates imply that certain broadband active pointing systems should be lightweight, compact and high performance with small moments of inertia. This paper describes a 12 inch diameter, F/5 reflective hybrid with two fields of view in the visible SWIR, and one field of view in the LWIR region. By incorporating two classic optical designs, these stringent requirements are met at a level as to assure reasonably attainable weight, size and performance estimates.

Manhart, Paul K.↗

Need, utilization, and configuration of a large, multi-G centrifuge on the Space Station

A large, multi-g centrifuge is required on the Space Station (1) to provide valid 1-g controls for the study of zero-g effects on animals and plants and to study readaptation to 1 g; (2) to store animals at 1 g prior to short-term zero-g experimentation; (3) to permit g-level threshold studies of gravity effects. These requirements can be met by a 13-ft-diam., center-mounted centrifuge, on which up to 48 modular habitats with animals (squirrel monkey, rat, mouse) and plants are attached. The advantages of locating this centrifuge with the vivarium, a common environmental control and life support system, a general-purpose work station and storage of food, water, and supplies in an attached short module, are elaborated. Servicing and operation of the centrifuge, as well as minimizing its impact on other Space Station functions are also considered.

Bonting, Sjoerd L.↗

Development of 8 cm x 8 cm silicon gridded back solar cell for space station

The 8-cm x 8-cm gridded back cell being developed for the space station photovoltaic array is described. Modeling studies show that the beginning of life power output of 1.039 W per cell may be met by several different configurations, the most promising being either a fielded or nonfielded 2 ohm-cm planar 8-mil cell. Experimental data are presented which show that a thermal alpha of 0.63 is achievable on a planar cell but at the expense of some Isc. Planar cells are found to possess short-circuit currents which are 9 percent lower than on textured cells due to the loss of near-IR radiation by transmission through the cell. Preliminary modeling shows that the efficiency of the textured cell exceeds the planar cell by approximately 9 percent at 25 C but the situation is reversed in orbit due to the high thermal alpha of textured cells (0.82). Experimental data show that the IR absorption in textured cells can be reduced by about 3 alpha points without loss of efficiency by controlling the doping concentration in the diffused layers, thus increasing the efficiency in orbit.

Lillington, D. R.↗

Telescope structures - An evolutionary overview

A development history is presented for telescope structural support materials, design concepts, equatorial and altazimuthal orientational preferences, and mechanical control system structural realizations. In the course of 50 years after Galileo, the basic configurations of all reflecting telescopes was set for the subsequent 300 years: these were the Cassegrain, Gregorian, and Newtonian designs. The challenge of making a lightweight ribbed pyrex glass primary mirror for the 5-m Palomar telescope was met by von Karman's use of finite element analysis. Attention is given to the prospects for a 20-m deployable space-based reflecting telescope.

Meinel, Aden B.↗

Computational aerothermodynamics

Computational aerothermodynamics (CAT) has in the past contributed to the understanding of real-gas flows encountered by hypervelocity reentry vehicles. With advances in computational fluid dynamics, in the modeling of high temperature phenomena, and in computer capability, CAT is an enabling technology for the design of many future space vehicles. An overview of the current capabilities of CAT is provided by describing available methods and their applications. Technical challenges that need to be met are discussed.

Deiwert, George S.↗

Grid generation and adaptation for the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Method

A grid generation and adaptation procedure based on the method of transfinite interpolation is incorporated into the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Method of Bird. In addition, time is advanced based on a local criterion. The resulting procedure is used to calculate steady flows past wedges and cones. Five chemical species are considered. In general, the modifications result in a reduced computational effort. Moreover, preliminary results suggest that the simulation method is time step dependent if requirements on cell sizes are not met.

Olynick, David P.↗

Health maintenance on Space Station

Medical support for extended manned missions aboard such spacecraft as the NASA Space Shuttle must encompass prevention, diagnosis, and therapy capabilities in the preflight and postflight as well as actual mission phases. An evaluation is presently made of the technological and management challenges that must be met in order to furnish an adequate inflight health care delivery system that possesses adequate inflight health care, real-time environmental monitoring, physiological countermeasures, and medical rescue/recovery facilities for ill or injured crew members.

Logan, J. S.↗

Near-nucleus trajectory design for Comet Penetrator-Lander data relay

A Comet Penetrator-Lander is included in the payload of the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby spacecraft; it will be deployed from an orbit about the comet nucleus and will implant itself in the nucleus at a pre-selected site. Throughout the following 9 days, the orbiting spacecraft must be in position to receive transmissions from the Penetrator-Lander at specified intervals. Using conic orbits and a simplified model of the nucleus, several types of trajectories have been identified which will allow the data relay requirements to be met. These are sensitive to the mass and rotational properties of the comet nucleus and to the latitude of the Penetrator-Lander impact site; no single orbital strategy can cover the entire range of possibilities. Frequent spacecraft maneuvers would provide more flexibility, but would result in a much more complicated mission scenario. More accurate modeling of the comet nucleus and the orbiter trajectories will refine the relay orbit options presented here.

Stetson, Douglas↗

Dual passband dichroic plate for X-band

A need arose in the Deep Space Network for a dichroic plate that would simultaneously pass two desired frequency bands in the X-band region. In addition, the plate must be totally reflective for S-band frequencies. A dielectrically loaded dichroic plate is described that was developed to meet this need. The unique microwave properties that the new dichroic plate had to possess were: (1) insertion losses of less than 0.04 dB for X-band uplink frequencies centered at 7167 MHz and for X-band downlink frequencies centered at about 8425 MHz; (2) insertion losses that met the low loss requirements at 30 deg incidence angle simultaneously for both parallel and perpendicular polarizations; (3) total reflectivity at S-band frequencies; and (4) ability to maintain these electrical characteristics while passing 100 kW of CW power at X-band or while reflecting 100 kW of CW power at S-band. The dual passband dichroic plate is a thick metallic plate having an array of periodic round holes filled with Teflon plugs. Test results on an experimental prototype plate indicate that it is technically possible to design a dielectrically filled dichroic plate that meets all of the technical requirements.

Otoshi, T. Y.↗

DSN 64-meter antenna L-band (1668-MHz) microwave system performance overview

In 1985, L-band (1668 MHz) receive-only feed systems were installed on the three Deep Space Network 64 meter antennas to provide tracking support for two non-NASA spacecraft. The specifications, design approach, and operational test results are presented. The L-band microwave system met all of its tracking goals and is currently being upgraded to include a C-band (5000 MHz) uplink.

Withington, J.↗

Development of a verification program for deployable truss advanced technology

Use of large deployable space structures to satisfy the growth demands of space systems is contingent upon reducing the associated risks that pervade many related technical disciplines. The overall objectives of this program was to develop a detailed plan to verify deployable truss advanced technology applicable to future large space structures and to develop a preliminary design of a deployable truss reflector/beam structure for use a a technology demonstration test article. The planning is based on a Shuttle flight experiment program using deployable 5 and 15 meter aperture tetrahedral truss reflections and a 20 m long deployable truss beam structure. The plan addresses validation of analytical methods, the degree to which ground testing adequately simulates flight and in-space testing requirements for large precision antenna designs. Based on an assessment of future NASA and DOD space system requirements, the program was developed to verify four critical technology areas: deployment, shape accuracy and control, pointing and alignment, and articulation and maneuvers. The flight experiment technology verification objectives can be met using two shuttle flights with the total experiment integrated on a single Shuttle Test Experiment Platform (STEP) and a Mission Peculiar Experiment Support Structure (MPESS). First flight of the experiment can be achieved 60 months after go-ahead with a total program duration of 90 months.

Dyer, Jack E.↗

Development of polyisocyanurate pour foam formulation for space shuttle external tank thermal protection system

Four commercially available polyisocyanurate polyurethane spray-foam insulation formulations are used to coat the external tank of the space shuttle. There are several problems associated with these formulations. For example, some do not perform well as pourable closeout/repair systems. Some do not perform well at cryogenic temperatures (poor adhesion to aluminum at liquid nitrogen temperatures). Their thermal stability at elevated temperatures is not adequate. A major defect in all the systems is the lack of detailed chemical information. The formulations are simply supplied to NASA and Martin Marietta, the primary contractor, as components; Part A (isocyanate) and Part B (poly(s) and additives). Because of the lack of chemical information the performance behavior data for the current system, NASA sought the development of a non-proprietary room temperature curable foam insulation. Requirements for the developed system were that it should exhibit equal or better thermal stability both at elevated and cryogenic temperatures with better adhesion to aluminum as compared to the current system. Several formulations were developed that met these requirements, i.e., thermal stability, good pourability, and good bonding to aluminum.

Harvey, James A.↗