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At least 811 records · Page 45

Development and Flight Testing of an Autonomous Landing Gear Health-Monitoring System

Development and testing of an adaptable vehicle health-monitoring architecture is presented. The architecture is being developed for a fleet of vehicles. It has three operational levels: one or more remote data acquisition units located throughout the vehicle; a command and control unit located within the vehicle; and, a terminal collection unit to collect analysis results from all vehicles. Each level is capable of performing autonomous analysis with a trained expert system. Communication between all levels is done with wireless radio frequency interfaces. The remote data acquisition unit has an eight channel programmable digital interface that allows the user discretion for choosing type of sensors; number of sensors, sensor sampling rate and sampling duration for each sensor. The architecture provides framework for a tributary analysis. All measurements at the lowest operational level are reduced to provide analysis results necessary to gauge changes from established baselines. These are then collected at the next level to identify any global trends or common features from the prior level. This process is repeated until the results are reduced at the highest operational level. In the framework, only analysis results are forwarded to the next level to reduce telemetry congestion. The system's remote data acquisition hardware and non-analysis software have been flight tested on the NASA Langley B757's main landing gear. The flight tests were performed to validate the following: the wireless radio frequency communication capabilities of the system, the hardware design, command and control; software operation; and, data acquisition, storage and retrieval.

Woodard, Stanley E.↗

Method and apparatus for reducing spacecraft instrument induced jitter via multifrequency cancellation

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for compensating for instrument induced spacecraft jitter is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a spacecraft control processor for producing an actuator command signal, a signal generator, for producing a cancellation signal having at least one harmonic having a frequency and an amplitude substantially equal to that of a disturbance harmonic interacting with a spacecraft structural resonance and a phase substantially out of phase with the disturbance harmonic interacting with the spacecraft structural resonance, and at least one spacecraft control actuator, communicatively coupled to the spacecraft control processor and the signal generator for inducing satellite motion according to the actuator command signal and the cancellation signal. The method comprises the steps of generating a cancellation signal having at least one harmonic having a frequency and an amplitude substantially equal to that of a disturbance harmonic interacting with a spacecraft structural resonance and a phase substantially out of phase with the disturbance harmonic interacting with the spacecraft structural resonance, and providing the cancellation signal to a spacecraft control actuator. The apparatus comprises a storage device tangibly embodying the method steps described above.

Liu, Ketao↗

BioSentinel: Mission Development of a Radiation Biosensor to Gauge DNA Damage and Repair Beyond Low Earth Orbit on a 6U Nanosatellite.

We are designing and developing a "6U" (10 x 22 x 34 cm; 14 kg) nanosatellite as a secondary payload to fly aboard NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Mission (EM) 1, scheduled for launch in late 2017. For the first time in over forty years, direct experimental data from biological studies beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) will be obtained during BioSentinel's 12- to 18- month mission. BioSentinel will measure the damage and repair of DNA in a biological organism and allow us to compare that to information from onboard physical radiation sensors. In order to understand the relative contributions of the space environment's two dominant biological perturbations, reduced gravity and ionizing radiation, results from deep space will be directly compared to data obtained in LEO (on ISS) and on Earth. These data points will be available for validation of existing biological radiation damage and repair models, and for extrapolation to humans, to assist in mitigating risks during future long-term exploration missions beyond LEO. The BioSentinel Payload occupies 4U of the spacecraft and will utilize the monocellular eukaryotic organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) to report DNA double-strand-break (DSB) events that result from ambient space radiation. DSB repair exhibits striking conservation of repair proteins from yeast to humans. Yeast was selected because of 1) its similarity to cells in higher organisms, 2) the well-established history of strains engineered to measure DSB repair, 3) its spaceflight heritage, and 4) the wealth of available ground and flight reference data. The S. cerevisiae flight strain will include engineered genetic defects to prevent growth and division until a radiation-induced DSB activates the yeast's DNA repair mechanisms. The triggered culture growth and metabolic activity directly indicate a DSB and its successful repair. The yeast will be carried in the dry state within the 1-atm P/L container in 18 separate fluidics cards with each card having 16 independent culture microwells, with integral microchannels and filters to supply nutrients and reagents, confine the yeast to the wells, and enable optical measurement. The measurement subsystem will monitor each subgroup of culture wells continuously for several weeks, optically tracking DSBtriggered cell growth and metabolism. BioSentinel will also include physical radiation sensors based on the TimePix sensor, as implemented by JSC's RadWorks group, which record individual radiation events including estimates of their linear-energytransfer (LET) values. Radiation-dose and LET data will be compared directly to the rate of DSB-and-repair events measured by the S. cerevisiae biosentinels. The spacecraft bus will operate in a deep space environment with functions that include command and data handling, communications, power generation (via deployable solar panels) and storage, and attitude determination-and-control system with micropropulsion. Development of the BioSentinel spacecraft will mature and prove multiple nanosatellite advances in order to function well beyond LEO: Communications from distances of ≥ 500,000 km; Autonomous attitude control, momentum management, and safe mode of nanosatellites in deep space; Shielding-, hardening-, design-, and software-derived radiation tolerance for electronics; Reliable functionality for 12 - 18 months of key subsystems for biofluidics, memory, communications, power, etc.; Close integration of living biological radiation event monitors with miniature physical radiation spectrometers; Biological measurement of solar particle events beyond Earth orbit In addition to providing the first biological results from beyond LEO in over 4 decades, BioSentinel will provide an adaptable small-satellite instrument platform to perform a range of human-exploration-relevant measurements that characterize the biological consequences of multiple outer space environments. BioSentinel is being developed under NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems program.

DNA damage↗

Spaceflight Causes Increased Virulence of Serratia Marcescens on a Drosophila Melanogaster Host

Drosophila melanogaster, or the fruit fly, has long been an important organism for Earth-based research, and is now increasingly utilized as a model system to understand the biological effects of spaceflight. Studies in Drosophila melanogaster have shown altered immune responses in 3rd instar larvae and adult males following spaceflight, changes similar to those observed in astronauts. In addition, spaceflight has also been shown to affect bacterial physiology, as evidenced by studies describing altered virulence of Salmonella typhimurium following spaceflight and variation in biofilm growth patterns for the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa during flight. We recently sent Serratia marcescens Db11, a Drosophila pathogen and an opportunistic human pathogen, to the ISS on SpaceX-5 (Fruit Fly Lab-01). S. marcescens samples were stored at 4degC for 24 days on-orbit and then allowed to grow for 120 hours at ambient station temperature before being returned to Earth. Upon return, bacteria were isolated and preserved in 50% glycerol or RNAlater. Storage, growth, and isolation for ground control samples were performed using the same procedures. Spaceflight and ground samples stored in 50% glycerol were diluted and injected into 5-7-day-old ground-born adult D. melanogaster. Lethality was significantly greater in flies injected with the spaceflight samples compared to those injected with ground bacterial samples. These results indicate a shift in the virulence profile of the spaceflight S. marcescens Db11 and will be further assessed with molecular biological analyses. Our findings strengthen the conclusion that spaceflight impacts the virulence of bacterial pathogens on model host organisms such as the fruit fly. This research was supported by NASA's ISS Program Office (ISSPO) and Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications (SLPSRA).

Serratia marcescens↗

Reinforcement-based Program Induction in a Neural Virtual Machine

We present a neural virtual machine that can be trained to perform algorithmic tasks. Rather than combining a neural controller with non-neural memory storage as has been done in the past, this architecture is purely neural and emulates tape-based memory via fast associative weights (onestep learning). Here we formally define the architecture, and then extend the system to learn programs using recurrent policy gradient reinforcement learning based on examples of program inputs labeled with corresponding output targets, which are compared against actual output to generate a sparse reward signal. We describe the policy gradient training procedure used, and report its empirical performance on a number of smallscale list processing tasks, such as finding the maximum list element, filtering out certain elements, and reversing the order of the elements. These results show that program induction via reinforcement learning is possible using sparse rewards and solely neural computations.

Katz, Garrett E.↗

A Modular Optimal Power Flow Method for Integrating New Technologies in Distribution Grids

This work proposes a modular concept to build optimal power flow (OPF) models for distribution networks containing various emerging technologies under diverse ownership structures, to efficiently deal with evolving technology capabilities and information sharing or privacy constraints. This concept will support any typical OPF application (e.g., optimal dispatch of a given asset without violating grid constraints) by coordinating between grid module and technology module without the need to recreate various modeling elements as technology capability changes due to innovation. Moreover, the modularity of the proposed concept enables achieving system level objectives without sharing detailed information on module level objectives and constraints among modules. To achieve this, the proposed work develops a gradient-descent algorithm which builds upon the literature on the state-of-the-art power flow approximation. The proposed concept is demonstrated with two case studies of i) controllable loads and ii) battery energy storage system (BESS) on an actual large-scale distribution grid.

Hanif, Sarmad↗

Integrating Commercial Ready Autonomous Robotic Platforms to Enhance Worker Safety and Efficiency - 20053

This paper will explore the challenges and triumphs of implementing advanced robotic systems and the supporting technology for the waste management industry. Deployment-ready solutions for autonomous robotic platforms are new to the radioactive waste management industry and have been slow to implement across the complex. Specifically, it will explore Hanford Tank Operations Contractor's implementation of ground-based autonomous robotic platforms to enhance workforce safety and efficiency. The first objective of the project is to demonstrate safe operation of autonomous instrumented robots, followed by a scaling up of capabilities for the platform to meet any additional requests of internal stakeholders. Autonomous robotics platforms offer a fantastic range of capabilities that will aid in decreasing long-term liability of radioactive waste management industry by enhancing clean-up efforts and worker safety. Over the past five years, deployment-ready solutions for autonomous robotic platforms have come a long way. Autonomous robotic platforms are increasingly available to purchase from many vendors, often for prices under $100,000. Additionally, the vendors who produce these products are efficient in accommodating customized solutions to unique challenges, such as those often found in the radioactive waste management industry. However, the newness of this technology to the radioactive waste management industry and has resulted in a slow implementation across the complex. This paper will explore the challenges and triumphs of implementing advanced robotic systems and supporting technology for the waste management industry. Specifically, it will explore Hanford Tank Operations Contractor's implementation of ground based autonomous robotic platforms to enhance workforce safety and efficiency. While the company has utilized robots in many parts of the tank farms mission, this was first attempted in the deployment of an autonomous platform that required no operator with only minor maintenance and created challenges not yet encountered. These challenges included stakeholder buy-in, operational safety, procurement uncertainties, adaption of 'off the shelf products, overcoming the 'Fukushima complexity' perception, security concerns, and the initial criteria down select. Hanford Tank Operations Contractor's management identified the need for a workforce protecting low cost robotics solution in the fall of 2017. The project scope generated was part of the response to the Tank Vapor Assessment Team recommendation to enhance the safety of the workforce by utilizing new technology. Since the projects inception, it has been incorporated into the Tank Stewardship Plan. This project was unique to Hanford Tank Operations Contractor, as the company does not frequently incorporate advanced technology for field deployment quickly. The project was also progressive to the Hanford Tank Operations Contractor as it functions as a partnership project with a local university. The first objective of the project is to demonstrate safe operations of autonomous instrumented robotics, monitoring and collecting data, and the wireless transmission of data to a central computing system. Following the completion of this first objective, the project will scale up capabilities of the platform to meet the requests of additional internal stakeholders throughout the tank farms - including completion of specific in-field tasks. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Hierarchical Flexibility Offering Strategy for Integrated Hybrid Resources in Real-time Energy Markets

This paper proposes a hierarchical model for determining the energy flexibility offering strategy of integrated hybrid resources (IHRs) in power distribution systems to participate in real-time energy markets. The proposed model utilizes the scalability, fast response time, and uncertainty observation of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to overcome the scalability issue of operating numerous flexible resources and deliverability of energy flexibility to the real-time markets in the presence of the network constraints. To that end, the power distribution system is divided into multiple IHRs, where different types of flexible loads, energy storage systems, and solar plants with controllable inverters are operated through local IHR controllers, trained by deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm. Active power request and reactive power capacity of IHRs are then transmitted to a central flexibility controller, where a quadratic optimization model ensures the deliverability of the energy flexibility to the real-time energy market by satisfying the distribution network constraints. The proposed model is implemented on the 123-bus test power distribution system, demonstrating the capability of DRL-based hierarchical model for scalable operation of IHRs in order to offer deliverable energy flexibility to the real-time energy market.

Majidi, Majid↗

Unveiling the Potential of MeshGraphNets for Predicting Subsurface Evolution in Carbon Storage Projects

This is the conference paper accompanying an oral presentation “Unveiling the Potential of MeshGraphNets for Predicting Subsurface Evolution in Carbon Storage Projects” at the 17th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies GHGT-17 held in Calgary, Canada, October 20-24 , 2024. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is critical for mitigating climate change but requires effective subsurface reservoir management to ensure safe containment of injected CO2. Accurate predictions of reservoir pressure and saturation are essential for assessing long-term CCS performance. Traditional numerical simulations, while effective, are computationally intensive, time-consuming, and constrained by data discretization. Previous work has shown the effectiveness of MeshGraphNets (MGN), a graph-based machine learning framework, as an innovative alternative for predicting reservoir behavior. MGN leverages graph neural networks (GNNs) and mesh representations to model complex geological formations, offering superior adaptability across different discretizations and reservoir configurations. Classic MGN implementations utilize an autoregressive technique to predict future behavior based on current predictions, but this technique is hampered by error accumulation over time. To enhance the model accuracy in time-series predictions, this study implemented a multi-step rollout strategy that integrates autoregressive predictions during training to stabilize prediction of saturation over time. Using the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP) dataset, comprising 100 simulations of CO2 injection, pressure, and saturation changes, the framework demonstrated its ability to learn spatial dependencies and temporal dynamics. With inputs including permeabilities, porosities, and injection rates, MGN accurately predicted CO2 plume evolution over time, even with limited training data. Moreover, the addition of a multi-step rollout procedure during training improved the ability of MGN to predict stably over time by ~15%. This research positions MGN, enhanced with multi-step rollout capabilities, as a robust and efficient tool for CCS applications. It advances the field by enabling precise, computationally efficient predictions of reservoir behavior, providing a foundation for the broader adoption of machine learning frameworks in CCS and other geoscience domains.

Holcomb, Paul↗

Transitioning CO2-EOR Field to Dedicated CO2 Storage: Risk Considerations and Quantifications

Presentation slides on “Transitioning CO2-EOR Field to Dedicated CO2 Storage: Risk Considerations and Quantifications” for the CCUS 2025 conference held in Houston, Texas March 3-5, 2025. CO2 injection wells for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) are currently regulated as Class II wells under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, while dedicated geological CO2 storage (GCS) wells are considered Class VI wells. The UIC classification of wells for a transitioning CO2-EOR facility has the potential to substantially impact the feasibility of operations. This paper reports a case study of risk assessment of this transition, including areas review, plume stability and pressure transient and its impacts in dedicated CO2 storage.

carbon storage↗

The Zero-Boil-Off Tank Experiment: the Effects of Non-Condensable Gases on Pressurization and Pressure Control of Propellant Tanks in Microgravity

Introduction Integral to all phases of NASA’s projected planetary expeditions is affordable and reliable cryogenic fluid storage for use in propellant or life support systems. It is greatly advantageous to develop innovative vent-less pressure control designs based on cooling/mixing of the bulk tank fluid to allow storage of the cryogenic fluid with zero or reduced boil-off. The presence of noncondensable gases, can interfere with the condensation at the interface impacting tank pressure control during subcooled jet mixing especially in microgravity. The Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) Experiments are a series of small-scale experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that use a transparent volatile simulant fluid in a transparent sealed tank to delineate various fundamental fluid flow, heat and mass transport, and phase change phenomena associated with storage tank pressurization and pressure control in microgravity. The ZBOT-1 experiment was performed on the ISS 2017-2018 timeframe and collected data to validate a state-of-the-art CFD model for tank pressurization and pressure control for a pure system. The ZBOT-NC Experiment is the second experiment in the series to be performed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025. Its goal is to investigate the effects of noncondensable gases on interfacial evaporation and condensation during self -pressurization and jet-mixing pressure control in microgravity for a two-component system. Materials & Methods In this work, we will describe the detailed features of the ZBOT-NC experimental hardware and Diagnostics that includes nonintrusive Quantum Dot Thermometry (QDT) for whole field temperature measurement. All microgravity pressurization and pressure control tests will be performed for both the pure and the two-components systems with Xenon and Neon as the two noncondensable gases spanning small and large molecular weights and sizes. The two-phase CFD model that is developed as part of the project will be also presented and discussed. Results Ground-based pressurization and jet mixing experiments and CFD simulation results are compared to each other to validate both the fidelity of the CFD model predictions and the accuracy of the QDT measurement. Model simulations for noncondensable gas effects will also be compared against large Cryogenic LH2-GHe experiments to indicate the noncondensable gas effects on tank pressure control during jet mixing in 1G. Finally, CFD results will be presented to predict the effects of the noncondensable gas during subcooled jet mixing during the ZBOT-NC in advance of the microgravity experiment in 2015.

Evaporation Condensation↗

NASA Spinoff Article: Automated Procedures To Improve Safety on Oil Rigs

On May 11th, 2013, two astronauts emerged from the interior of the International Space Station (ISS) and worked their way toward the far end of spacecraft. Over the next 51/2 hours, the two replaced an ammonia pump that had developed a significant leak a few days before. On the ISS, ammonia serves the vital role of cooling components-in this case, one of the station's eight solar arrays. Throughout the extravehicular activity (EVA), the astronauts stayed in constant contact with mission control: every movement, every action strictly followed a carefully planned set of procedures to maximize crew safety and the chances of success. Though the leak had come as a surprise, NASA was prepared to handle it swiftly thanks in part to the thousands of procedures that have been written to cover every aspect of the ISS's operations. The ISS is not unique in this regard: Every NASA mission requires well-written procedures-or detailed lists of step-by-step instructions-that cover how to operate equipment in any scenario, from normal operations to the challenges created by malfunctioning hardware or software. Astronauts and mission control train and drill extensively in procedures to ensure they know what the proper procedures are and when they should be used. These procedures used to be exclusively written on paper, but over the past decade, NASA has transitioned to digital formats. Electronic-based documentation simplifies storage and use, allowing astronauts and flight controllers to find instructions more quickly and display them through a variety of media. Electronic procedures are also a crucial step toward automation: once instructions are digital, procedure display software can be designed to assist in authoring, reviewing, and even executing them.

traclabs↗

Rational Design of High-Performing Electrodes in Energy Storage Devices

Our approach in this project is to control conductivities of different ions by modulating the pore sizes in MOFs as sulfur hosts in cathodes. To validate our hypothesis that controlling the pore size of MOFs can effectively prevent LiPSs shuttling while allowing sufficient Li ion transport, which will ensure electrochemical cycling performance, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a series of UiO MOFs with different linker sizes including LiPSs and electrolyte components (1M LiTFSI in DME/DOL 1:1 volume) in pores. Specifically, UiO-66, UiO-67, and UiO-68 are Zr-based MOFs with a linker length of 5.67 Å, 10.07 Å, and 14.35 Å, respectively, leading to different pore diameters of 8.4 Å, 12.8 Å, and 17.8 Å. We calculated the mean-squared displacements of Li and LiPS from MD simulations at 300 K for 50 ns or over to assess their mobility in MOFs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Challenges of designing, operating, and managing brine extraction at a carbon dioxide storage site

Developing and deploying commercial-scale carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage at a site requires operational strategies to manage pressure and CO 2 plume distribution. In the natural gas storage and oil and gas industries, fluid extraction has been successfully implemented as a strategy to manage pressure and control fluid distribution (i.e., hydrocarbon recovery and natural gas storage efficiency, respectively). The technical challenges of integrating brine extraction at CO 2 storage sites are expected to be similar, if not identical, to those in the natural gas storage and petroleum industries. Major technical challenges of using brine extraction to manage storage in a storage unit include (1) designing and completing the brine extraction wells, (2) locating the brine extraction well, (3) assessing the efficacy of brine extraction, and (4) handling the extracted brine. The design and completion of the brine extraction well include the well type (i.e., vertical or horizontal) and perforated interval. The location of the well is influenced by the timing of extraction operations (i.e., prior or after CO 2 injection starts) and project objectives (i.e., desired directional movement of the CO 2 plume and avoid or minimize CO 2 extraction). The efficacy of brine extraction requires a baseline projection of the pressure and CO 2 plume distribution. Options for handling extracted brine include subsurface disposal, surface disposal, and industrial use. Here this paper addresses means of overcoming technical challenges that may likely be encountered before or after CO 2 injection starts.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Bidirectional control system for energy flow in solar powered flywheel

An energy storage system for a spacecraft is provided which employs a solar powered flywheel arrangement including a motor/generator which, in different operating modes, drives the flywheel and is driven thereby. A control circuit, including a threshold comparator, senses the output of a solar energy converter, and when a threshold voltage is exceeded thereby indicating the availability of solar power for the spacecraft loads, activates a speed control loop including the motor/generator so as to accelerate the flywheel to a constant speed and thereby store mechanical energy, while also supplying energy from the solar converter to the loads. Under circumstances where solar energy is not available and thus the threshold voltage is not exceeded, the control circuit deactivates the speed control loop and activates a voltage control loop that provides for operation of the motor as a generator so that mechanical energy from the flywheel is converted into electrical energy for supply to the spacecraft loads.

Nola, Frank J.↗

DE-FE0029488 - North Dakota Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Complex Feasibility Study Public Data

Data from award DE-FE0029488 - North Dakota Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Complex Feasibility Study performed by the Energy & Environmental Research Center including the following: - 2D Seismic {Input data, sgy files, maps, logs, and descriptors} - Core Petrophysics {Core analysis of plugs from the two stratigraphic test wells (Flemmer-1 [API 33-057-00039] and BNI-1 [API 33-065-00018])} - North Dakota Oil and Gas File No 37380 Files - North Dakota Oil and Gas File No 37672 Files - Well Testing Data {Summary of well testing methods and results from the stratigraphic test wells (Flemmer-1 and BNI-1)} Additional References: https://www.netl.doe.gov/sites/default/files/2017-12/Wesley-Peck-_Mastering-the-Subsurface_CarbonSAFE-Phase-II_August-2017-final.pdf Peck, W.D., Ayash, S.C., Klapperich, R.J., Gorecki, C.D. (2019) The North Dakota integrated carbon storage complex feasibility study, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Volume 84, 2019, Pages 47-53, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2019.03.001

Carbon Storage↗

Optimization-Based Dynamic Voltage Support of Microgrids Using Energy Storage Systems

A microgrid network is characterized by a high R/X ratio, making the voltage more sensitive to active power changes compared to bulk power systems, where the voltage is regulated primarily by reactive power. Due to its sensitivity, voltage control approaches for microgrids should also consider the active power input coupling, making it very different from conventional power systems. Additionally, as the energy costs associated with active and reactive powers are different and the operational conditions of microgrids connected to active distribution systems vary over time, the ideal controller to provide voltage support must be flexible enough to handle these technical and operational constraints. This paper proposes a model predictive control approach to provide dynamic voltage support using energy storage systems. This approach uses a simplified predictive model of the system to solve the model predictive control problem. By proper selection of model predictive control weighting parameters, the quality of service provided can be adjusted to achieve the desired performance. A simulation study in MATLAB/Simulink validates the proposed approach for the Cordova, Alaska microgrid. Results show that the performance of the voltage support can be adjusted depending on the choice of weight and constraints of the controller.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

An integrated power/attitude control system /IPACS/ for space vehicle application

An integrated power and attitude control system (IPACS) concept with potential application to a broad class of space missions is discussed. The concept involves the storage and supply on demand of electrical energy in rotating flywheels while simultaneously providing control torques by controlled precession of the flywheels. The system is thus an alternative to the storage batteries used on present spacecraft while providing similar capability for attitude control as that represented by a control moment gyroscope (CMG) system. Potential IPACS configurations discussed include single- and double-rotor double-gimbal IPACS units. Typical sets of control laws which would manage the momentum and energy exchange between the IPACS and a typical space vehicle are discussed. Discussion of a simulation of a typical potential IPACS configuration and candidate mission concerned with pointing capability, power supply and demand flow, and discussion of the interactions between stabilization and control requirements and power flow requirements are presented.

Anderson, W. W.↗