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At least 775 records · Page 43
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2013

Evidence of Temporal Variation of Titan Atmospheric Density in 2005-2013

One major science objective of the Cassini mission is an investigation of Titan's atmosphere constituent abundances. Titan's atmospheric density is of interest not only to planetary scientists but also to mission design and mission control engineers. Knowledge of the dependency of Titan's atmospheric density with altitude is important because any unexpectedly high atmospheric density has the potential to tumble the spacecraft during a flyby. During low-altitude Titan flyby, thrusters are fired to counter the torque imparted on the spacecraft due to the Titan atmosphere. The denser the Titan's atmosphere is, the higher are the duty cycles of the thruster firings. Therefore thruster firing telemetry data could be used to estimate the atmospheric torque imparted on the spacecraft. Since the atmospheric torque imparted on the spacecraft is related to the Titan's atmospheric density, atmospheric densities are estimated accordingly. In 2005-2013, forty-three low-altitude Titan flybys were executed. The closest approach altitudes of these Titan flybys ranged from 878 to 1,074.8 km. Our density results are also compared with those reported by other investigation teams: Voyager-1 (in November 1980) and the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument, HASI (in January 2005). From our results, we observe a temporal variation of the Titan atmospheric density in 2005-2013. The observed temporal variation is significant and it isn't due to the estimation uncertainty (5.8%, 1 sigma) of the density estimation methodology. Factors that contributed to this temporal variation have been conjectured but are largely unknown. The observed temporal variation will require synergetic analysis with measurements made by other Cassini science instruments and future years of laboratory and modeling efforts to solve. The estimated atmospheric density results are given in this paper help scientists to better understand and model the density structure of the Titan atmosphere.

Atmosphere↗
NASA NTRS2010

Estimation and Modeling of Enceladus Plume Jet Density Using Reaction Wheel Control Data

The Cassini spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997 by a Titan 4B launch vehicle. After an interplanetary cruise of almost seven years, it arrived at Saturn on June 30, 2004. In 2005, Cassini completed three flybys of Enceladus, a small, icy satellite of Saturn. Observations made during these flybys confirmed the existence of a water vapor plume in the south polar region of Enceladus. Five additional low-altitude flybys of Enceladus were successfully executed in 2008-9 to better characterize these watery plumes. The first of these flybys was the 50-km Enceladus-3 (E3) flyby executed on March 12, 2008. During the E3 flyby, the spacecraft attitude was controlled by a set of three reaction wheels. During the flyby, multiple plume jets imparted disturbance torque on the spacecraft resulting in small but visible attitude control errors. Using the known and unique transfer function between the disturbance torque and the attitude control error, the collected attitude control error telemetry could be used to estimate the disturbance torque. The effectiveness of this methodology is confirmed using the E3 telemetry data. Given good estimates of spacecraft's projected area, center of pressure location, and spacecraft velocity, the time history of the Enceladus plume density is reconstructed accordingly. The 1 sigma uncertainty of the estimated density is 7.7%. Next, we modeled the density due to each plume jet as a function of both the radial and angular distances of the spacecraft from the plume source. We also conjecture that the total plume density experienced by the spacecraft is the sum of the component plume densities. By comparing the time history of the reconstructed E3 plume density with that predicted by the plume model, values of the plume model parameters are determined. Results obtained are compared with those determined by other Cassini science instruments.

Lee, Allan Y.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Estimation and Modeling of Enceladus Plume Jet Density Using Reaction Wheel Control Data

The Cassini spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997 by a Titan 4B launch vehicle. After an interplanetary cruise of almost seven years, it arrived at Saturn on June 30, 2004. In 2005, Cassini completed three flybys of Enceladus, a small, icy satellite of Saturn. Observations made during these flybys confirmed the existence of a water vapor plume in the south polar region of Enceladus. Five additional low-altitude flybys of Enceladus were successfully executed in 2008-9 to better characterize these watery plumes. The first of these flybys was the 50-km Enceladus-3 (E3) flyby executed on March 12, 2008. During the E3 flyby, the spacecraft attitude was controlled by a set of three reaction wheels. During the flyby, multiple plume jets imparted disturbance torque on the spacecraft resulting in small but visible attitude control errors. Using the known and unique transfer function between the disturbance torque and the attitude control error, the collected attitude control error telemetry could be used to estimate the disturbance torque. The effectiveness of this methodology is confirmed using the E3 telemetry data. Given good estimates of spacecraft's projected area, center of pressure location, and spacecraft velocity, the time history of the Enceladus plume density is reconstructed accordingly. The 1-sigma uncertainty of the estimated density is 7.7%. Next, we modeled the density due to each plume jet as a function of both the radial and angular distances of the spacecraft from the plume source. We also conjecture that the total plume density experienced by the spacecraft is the sum of the component plume densities. By comparing the time history of the reconstructed E3 plume density with that predicted by the plume model, values of the plume model parameters are determined. Results obtained are compared with those determined by other Cassini science instruments.

Lee, Allan Y.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Performance Comparisons and Down Selection of Small Motors for Two-Blade Heliogyro Solar Sail 6U CubeSat

This report compiles a review of 130 commercial small scale motors (piezoelectric and electric motors) and almost 20 researched-type small scale piezoelectricmotors for potential use in a 2 blades Heliogyro Solar Sail 6U CubeSat. In this application, a motor and gearhead (drive system) will deploy a roll of solar sailthin film (2 um thick)accommodated in a 2U CubeSat (100 x 200 x 100 mm) housing. The application requirements are: space rated, output torque at fulldeployment of 0.8 Nm, reel speed of 3 rpm, drive system weight limited to 150 grams, diameter limited to 50 mm, and the length not to exceed 40 mm. The 50mm diameter limit was imposed as motors with larger diameters would likely weigh too much and use more space on the satellite wall. This would limit theamount of the payload. The motors performance are compared between small scale, volume within 3x102 cm3 (3x105 mm3), commercial electric DC motors,commercial piezoelectric motors, and researched-type (non-commercial) piezoelectric motors extracted from scientific and product literature. The comparisonssuggest that piezoelectric motors without a gearhead exhibit larger output torque with respect to their volume and weight and require less input power toproduce high torque. A commercially available electric motor plus a gearhead was chosen through a proposed selection process to meet the applications designrequirements.

Wiwattananon, Peerawan↗
NASA NTRS2015

An Analytical Solution for Yaw Maneuver Optimization on the International Space Station and Other Orbiting Space Vehicles

This paper presents a new method for optimizing yaw maneuvers, which are the most common large maneuvers on the International Space Station (ISS). The goal of the maneuver optimization is to find a maneuver trajectory with minimal torques acting on the vehicle during the maneuver. Therefore, the thruster firings necessary to perform the maneuver are minimized. Reduction of thruster firings saves propellant and decreases structural loads and contamination of the vehicle critical elements, thus saving the service life of the thrusters and the vehicle itself. Equations describing the pitch and roll motion needed to counteract the major torques during a yaw maneuver are obtained. Also, a yaw rate profile is suggested. In the obtained optimized case, the torques are significantly reduced. The proposed approximate analytical solution does not require extensive computer resources and, therefore, can be implemented using software onboard the ISS. As a result, the maneuver execution will be automatic. This is one of the major benefits of the simplified solution presented in this paper with respect to existing computational approaches. The suggested maneuver optimization method can be used not only for the ISS, but for other space vehicles as well.

Dobrinskaya, Tatiana↗
NASA NTRS2016

Z-2 Threaded Insert Design and Testing Abstract

The Z-2 Prototype Planetary Extravehicular Space Suit Assembly is a continuation of NASA's Z series of spacesuits. The Z-2 is another step in the NASA's technology development roadmap leading to human exploration of the Martian surface. To meet a more challenging set of requirements than previous suit systems standard design features, such as threaded inserts, have been re-analyzed and improved. NASA's Z-2 prototype space suit contains several components fabricated from an advanced hybrid composite laminate consisting of IM10 carbon fiber and fiber glass. One requirement NASA levied on the suit composites was the ability to have removable, replaceable helicoil inserts to which other suit components would be fastened. An approach utilizing bonded in inserts with helicoils inside of them was implemented. The design of the interface flanges of the composites allowed some of the inserts to be a "T" style insert that was installed through the entire thickness of the laminate. The flange portion of the insert provides a mechanical lock as a redundancy to the adhesive aiding in the pullout load that the insert can withstand. In some locations it was not possible to utilize at "T" style insert and a blind insert was used instead. These inserts rely completely on the bond strength of the adhesive to resist pullout. It was determined during the design of the suit that the inserts did not need to withstand loads induced from pressure cycling but instead tension induced from torqueing the screws to bolt on hardware which creates a much higher stress on them. Bolt tension is determined by dividing the torque on the screw by a k value multiplied by the thread diameter of the bolt. The k value is a factor that accounts for friction in the system. A common value used for k for a non-lubricated screw is 0.2. The k value can go down by as much as 0.1 if the screw is lubricated which means for the same torque, a much larger tension could be placed on the bolt and insert. This paper summarizes testing that was performed to determine a k value for helicoil inserts in the Z2 suit and how the insert design was modified to resist a higher pull out tension.

Rhodes, RIchard↗
NASA NTRS2017

Solar Sail Attitude Control System for the NASA Near Earth Asteroid Scout Mission

An Attitude Control System (ACS) has been developed for the NASA Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout mission. The NEA Scout spacecraft is a 6U cubesat with an eighty-six square meter solar sail for primary propulsion that will launch as a secondary payload on the Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) and rendezvous with a target asteroid after a two year journey, and will conduct science imagery. The spacecraft ACS consists of three major actuating subsystems: a Reaction Wheel (RW) control system, a Reaction Control System (RCS), and an Active Mass Translator (AMT) system. The reaction wheels allow fine pointing and higher rates with low mass actuators to meet the science, communication, and trajectory guidance requirements. The Momentum Management System (MMS) keeps the speed of the wheels within their operating margins using a combination of solar torque and the RCS. The AMT is used to adjust the sign and magnitude of the solar torque to manage pitch and yaw momentum. The RCS is used for initial de-tumble, performing a Trajectory Correction Maneuver (TCM), and performing momentum management about the roll axis. The NEA Scout ACS is able to meet all mission requirements including attitude hold, slews, pointing for optical navigation and pointing for science with margin and including flexible body effects. Here we discuss the challenges and solutions of meeting NEA Scout mission requirements for the ACS design, and present a novel implementation of managing the spacecraft Center of Mass (CM) to trim the solar sail disturbance torque. The ACS we have developed has an applicability to a range of potential missions and does so in a much smaller volume than is traditional for deep space missions beyond Earth.

Orphee, Juan↗
NASA NTRS2016

Micropulsed Plasma Thrusters for Attitude Control of a Low-Earth-Orbiting CubeSat

This study presents a 3-Unit CubeSat design with commercial-off-the-shelf hardware, Teflon-fueled micropulsed plasma thrusters, and an attitude determination and control approach. The micropulsed plasma thruster is sized by the impulse bit and pulse frequency required for continuous compensation of expected maximum disturbance torques at altitudes between 400 and 1000 km, as well as to perform stabilization of up to 20 deg /s and slew maneuvers of up to 180 deg. The study involves realistic power constraints anticipated on the 3-Unit CubeSat. Attitude estimation is implemented using the q method for static attitude determination of the quaternion using pairs of the spacecraft-sun and magnetic-field vectors. The quaternion estimate and the gyroscope measurements are used with an extended Kalman filter to obtain the attitude estimates. Proportional-derivative control algorithms use the static attitude estimates in order to calculate the torque required to compensate for the disturbance torques and to achieve specified stabilization and slewing maneuvers or combinations. The controller includes a thruster-allocation method, which determines the optimal utilization of the available thrusters and introduces redundancy in case of failure. Simulation results are presented for a 3-Unit CubeSat under detumbling, pointing, and pointing and spinning scenarios, as well as comparisons between the thruster-allocation and the paired-firing methods under thruster failure.

Gatsonis, Nikolaos A.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Evaluation of Wing Load Calibration and Sensing Methods Using Conventional Strain Gages and a Fiber Optic Sensing System Installed on a Straight Tapered Wing

State-of-the-art instrumentation techniques have provided an opportunity to obtain greater insight into structural wing loads during flight. An investigation was undertaken to research new wing instrumentation and load sensing techniques for measuring accurate in-flight spanwise load distributions on wing structures. A straight tapered wing was instrumented with both conventional foil strain gages at five spanwise wing stations and fiber optic strain sensors at every half inch along the entire wing span. Thirty-nine unique load cases were applied to the wing lower surface using hydraulic actuators to obtain various shear, bending moment, and torque load distributions on the wing. This paper will highlight three load calibration approaches. Conventional linear regression calibration methods were applied to foil strain gages providing a single wing station vertical shear, bending moment, and torque load. Linear regression methods were applied to a fiber optic sensing system to provide bending moment and torque spanwise load distributions. A load sensing scheme using strain derived wing shape information derived from a single load case provided vertical shear and bending moment spanwise load distribution information. Aspects of the three different approaches will be compared and contrasted to inform the reader of the benefits or disadvantages of each. Instrument installation, sensor characteristics, test execution aspects, and recommended calibration techniques will be discussed.

structural mechanics↗
NASA NTRS2019

Consequences of Tidal Dissipation in a Putative Venusian Ocean

The solar tide in an ancient Venusian ocean is simulated using a dedicated numerical tidal model. Simulations with varying ocean depth and rotational periods ranging from minus 243 to 64 sidereal Earth days are used to calculate the tidal dissipation rates and associated tidal torque. The results show that the tidal dissipation could have varied by more than 5 orders of magnitude, from 0.001 to 780 gigawatts (GW), depending on rotational period and ocean depth. The associated tidal torque is about 2 orders of magnitude below the present day Venusian atmospheric torque, and could change the Venusian daylength by up to 72 days per million years depending on rotation rate. Consequently, an ocean tide on ancient Venus could have had significant effects on the rotational history of the planet. These calculations have implications for the rotational periods of similarly close-in exoplanetary worlds and the location of the inner edge of the liquid water habitable zone.

Dynamical evolution and stability↗
NASA NTRS2019

Reassessment of Electromagnetic Core-Mantle Coupling and Its Implications to the Earth's Decadal Polar Motion

The observed Earth's polar motion on decadal time scales has long been conjectured to be excited by the exchange of equatorial angular momentum between the solid mantle and the fluid outer core, via the mechanism of electromagnetic (EM) core-mantle coupling. However, past estimations of the EM coupling torque from surface geomagnetic observations is too weak to account for the observed decadal polar motion. Our recent estimations from numerical geodynamo simulations have shown the opposite. In this paper, we re-examine in detail the EM coupling mechanism and the properties of the magnetic field in the electrically conducting lower mantle (characterized by a thin D″-layer at the base of the mantle). Our simulations find that the toroidal field in the D″-layer from the induction and convection of the toroidal field in the outer core could be potentially much stronger than that from the advection of the poloidal field in the outer core. The former, however, cannot be inferred from geomagnetic observations at the Earth's surface, and is missing in previous EM torque estimated from geomagnetic observations. Our deduction suggests further that this field could make the actual EM coupling torque sufficiently strong, at approximately 5 × 10(exp 19) Nm, to excite, and hence explain, the decadal polar motion to magnitude of approximately 10 mas.

Kuang, Weijia↗
NASA NTRS2019

Electromagnetic Mass and Efficiency of Magnetic Gears for Electrified Aircraft

Magnetic gears are currently being developed for use in a variety of industries such as wind and automotive, because of their higher reliability and lower maintenance cost than their mechanical counterparts. The bulk of magnetic gear development to date has focused on maximizing the technology's volumetric torque density. In contrast, the primary performance metrics for an aircraft's gear box are its mass and efficiency. To that end this paper presents a study of the achievable electromagnetic specific torque and efficiency of concentric magnetic gears. NASA's second magnetic gear prototype is used as the baseline for this study. Achievable electromagnetic specific torque and efficiency trends are presented with respect to higher level design variables such as gear ratio and radius.

Tallerico, Thomas F.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Consequences of Tidal Dissipation in a Putative Venusian Ocean

The solar tide in an ancient Venusian ocean is simulated using a dedicated numerical tidal model. Simulations with varying ocean depth and rotational periods ranging from −243 to 64 sidereal Earth days are used to calculate the tidal dissipation rates and associated tidal torque. The results show that the tidal dissipation could have varied by more than 5 orders of magnitude, from 0.001 to 780 GW, depending on rotational period and ocean depth. The associated tidal torque is about 2 orders of magnitude below the present day Venusian atmospheric torque, and could change the Venusian daylength by up to 72 days per million years depending on rotation rate. Consequently, an ocean tide on ancient Venus could have had significant effects on the rotational history of the planet. These calculations have implications for the rotational periods of similarly close-in exoplanetary worlds and the location of the inner edge of the liquid water habitable zone.

planets and satellites↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

X-57 High-Lift Propeller Control Schedule Development

The NASA X-57 distributed electric propulsion flight demonstrator uses a high-lift propeller system to maintain low-speed capability with a highly loaded, cruise-efficient wing. Previous research showed that the control scheme for the high-lift propellers was a crucial factor to enable an adequate balance between stabilized glideslope control and appropriate lift margin during the approach-to-landing phase of flight. This paper expands the high-lift propeller control considerations to include all phases of low-speed flight, including preflight, taxi, takeoff, initial climb, approach, and landing. Two control modes, termed airspeed and fixed mode, are developed in this paper. The airspeed mode varies propeller torque based on equivalent airspeed to account for different phases of ground and flight operations. The fixed mode operates the high-lift propeller system at a fixed rotational speed to account for failures in the air data system, preflight checkout, and high-performance takeoff operations. Modeling of the high-lift propellers within the X-57 low-speed flight envelope shows that (1) the structural rotational speed limit of the propeller blades limits their effectiveness at higher altitudes and airspeeds, (2) the speed setting of the fixed mode is set by the maximum torque of the airspeed mode, and (3) minimizing the potential for windmilling in non-standard conditions sets the torque schedule at higher speeds. Additionally, the fixed mode is shown to provide an increased climb rate during normal takeoff operations.

Nicholas K. Borer↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

PMSM Parameter Estimation using a Linear Unknown Input Interval Observer

In this paper, the problem of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) speed and unknown load torque estimation is addressed. For this purpose, a interval unknown input observer (UIO) for linear time-invariant (LTI) systems is used. First, the PMSM model is linearized in order to make it in a suitable form for the linear interval UIO. Then, the interval UIO is applied to allow the joint estimation of the motor speed and the unknown load torque disturbance. The main advantages of this approach is that it not only allows the joint state and unknown input estimation, but also to take the different uncertainty sources into account. Indeed, taking model and measurement uncertainty into account is crucial. Assuming that the measurement noise and disturbances are bounded, lower and upper bounds are first computed for the unmeasured state (motor speed) and then for the unknown input (load torque). The proposed approach and its limitations are demonstrated with the nonlinear PMSM model derived from its equivalent electrical circuit.

Elinirina I Robinson↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Estimation of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Parameters using a Linear Unknown Input Interval Observer

This paper develops and evaluate a technique to estimate the speed and unknown load torque of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). An interval unknown input observer (UIO) for linear time-invariant (LTI) systems is designed and utilized to estimate the PMSM parameters. Interval UIOs are advantageous as they allow for the estimation of both states and unknown inputs, while accounting for varying uncertainty sources, such as model and measurement uncertainties inherent in dynamic systems and processes. First, the nonlinear PMSM model is linearized to transform it to a suitable form for application of the linear interval UIO. Then, the interval UIO is applied to jointly estimate the motor speed and the unknown load torque disturbance. Assuming that the measurement noise and disturbances are bounded, lower and upper bounds are first computed for the unmeasured state (motor speed) and then for the unknown input (load torque). The proposed approach and its limitations are demonstrated for the nonlinear PMSM model derived from its equivalent electrical circuit.

Elinirina I Robinson↗
NASA NTRS2020

STIG: A Two-Speed Transmission Aboard the Mars2020 Coring Drill

The coring drill, part of the Sampling & Caching Subsystem (SCS) aboard the Mars2020 rover, demands a wide range of drill bit torque and speed capabilities during sample acquisition operations. The two driving operating points are high speed, low torque for rotary-percussive coring, as well as low speed, high torque for separating the rock core sample from its parent rock. The spindle twin-input transmission (STIG) allows these and other operating points to be reached with an actuator of substantially less peak power and maximum current draw than that of a single-speed actuator. Rather than containing gearing of its own, the transmission interfaces to an actuator with two outputs of different gear ratios, allowing the transmission to select one of the two of the outputs to be coupled to the drill bit. This paper describes the design, capabilities, and challenges associated with the transmission and the dual-output actuator.

Szwarc, Timothy↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Reflectivity Control Device (RCD) Roll Momentum Management for Solar Cruiser and Beyond

Reflectivity control devices (RCDs), thin film optical devices that are actuated (by application of a voltage across the device) to control the reflection of sunlight on their surfaces, can effectively enable roll momentum management (MM) of a solar sail operating in deep space, outside any magnetic field. This enables solar sails to maintain adequate attitude control in these challenging environments without sacrificing mission life by using expendables. They were planned and developed for use on Solar Cruiser, operating sunward of the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (sub-L1) in a propulsion-intensive artificial halo orbit. Located in pairs of panels near the distal end of each of four booms, each articulated at a slight angle out of the sail plane to produce a force tangent to the sail at a large moment arm, the RCDs provide roll torque capabilities by using simple switching logic to determine which panels should be activated (voltage applied) to produce torque in the desired direction. The performance capabilities and constraints of these devices across a range of operating conditions, namely sun-relative attitude, is well characterized, granting designers insight on how to properly size the system and optimize the system and component designs to maximize roll torque per unit area. With an informed design, RCDs can be very effective actuators for managing roll momentum with minimal detrimental system impacts (mass, power, complexity, etc.) on Solar Cruiser and other future deep space solar sail missions.

Andrew F Heaton↗