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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Kennedy Space Center Launch and Landing Support

The presentations describes Kennedy Space Center (KSC) payload processing, facilities and capabilities, and research development and life science experience. Topics include launch site processing, payload processing, key launch site processing roles, leveraging KSC experience, Space Station Processing Facility and capabilities, Baseline Data Collection Facility, Space Life Sciences Laboratory and capabilities, research payload development, International Space Station research flight hardware, KSC flight payload history, and KSC life science expertise.

Wahlberg, Jennifer↗
NASA NTRS2005

Project LAUNCH: Bringing Space into Math and Science Classrooms

Project LAUNCH is a K-12 teacher professional development program, which has been created in collaboration between the Whitaker Center for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), and the Florida Space Research Institute (FSRI). Utilizing Space as the overarching theme it is designed to improve mathematics and science teaching, using inquiry based, hands-on teaching practices, which are aligned with Florida s Sunshine State Standards. Many students are excited about space exploration and it provides a great venue to get them involved in science and mathematics. The scope of Project LAUNCH however goes beyond just providing competency in the subject area, as pedagogy is also an intricate part of the project. Participants were introduced to the Conceptual Change Model (CCM) [1] as a framework to model good teaching practices. As the CCM closely follows what scientists call the scientific process, this teaching method is also useful to actively engage institute participants ,as well as their students, in real science. Project LAUNCH specifically targets teachers in low performing, high socioeconomic schools, where the need for skilled teachers is most critical.

Fauerbach, M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Airborne measurements of launch vehicle effluent: Launch of Space Shuttle (STS-1) on 12 April 1981

Launch vehicle effluent environmental impact activities from the first space shuttle (STS-1) included airborne measurements within the exhaust cloud from about 9 min after launch (T + 9) to T + 120 min. Measurements included total hydrogen chloride (gaseous plus aqueous) concentrations, particulate concentrations, temperature, and dewpoint temperature. The airborne measurements are summarized. The physical growth and behavior of exhaust clouds is presented as well as the results of laboratory analysis of elemental composition of particulate samples collected by the aircraft. Observed results from the STS-1 launch are compared with earlier Titan III results. Shuttle effluent concentrations are found to be within the range of Titan III observations.

Gregory, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS2014

James Webb Space Telescope Launch Window Trade Analysis

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large-scale space telescope mission designed to study fundamental astrophysical questions ranging from the formation of the universe to the origin of planetary systems and the origins of life. JWSTs orbit design is a Libration Point Orbit (LPO) around the Sun-EarthMoon (SEM) L2 point for a planned mission lifetime of 10.5 years. The launch readiness period for JWST is from Oct 1st, 2018 November 30th, 2018. This paper presents the first launch window analysis for the JWST observatory using finite-burn modeling; previous analysis assumed a single impulsive midcourse correction to achieve the mission orbit. The physical limitations of the JWST hardware stemming primarily from propulsion, communication and thermal requirements alongside updated mission design requirements result in significant launch window within the launch readiness period. Future plans are also discussed.

James Webb Space Telescope↗
NASA NTRS1979

Near-field sonic-boom pressure signatures for the space shuttle launch and orbiter vehicles at Mach 6

Static-pressure signatures parallel to the flight path of the launch and entry configurations of the space shuttle were measured. The launch configurations, consisting of an equivalent body of revolution (representing the orbiter and external fuel tank) with a solid exhaust gas plume attached, was tested at an angle of attack of 0 deg. The entry configuration (orbiter only) was tested over an angle-of-attack range from 10 deg to 40 deg. Calculated pressure signatures were in good agreement with measured signatures for both configurations.

Ashby, G. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1990

STS-31: Hubble Space Telescope Post Launch Press Conference from Kennedy Space Center

This video presents a post-launch press conference on the STS-31 Hubble Space Telescope. Dick Young, Kennedy Space Center Public Affairs, introduces the panel. The panel consists of Robert Sieck, Kennedy Space Center Launch Director, and George T. Sassen, Director Shuttle Engineer. The STS-31 launch was accomplished with very few problems. Terminal count was started and then stopped at 31 seconds because the software sensed that a valve was not positioned correctly. The valve was positioned correctly, the count was resumed, and the launch was carried out safely and successfully. George T. Sassen explains, in detail, how the problem was corrected.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

The determination of exhaust cloud dimensions from films of space shuttle launches

Principles of photogrammetry are used to calculate the dimension of ground clouds produced from the Space Shuttle launch system. For each of three launches (Missions 41C, 41D, and 51A), a 16 mm camera recorded the ground cloud from three different locations. Measurements were made from outlines of the cloud and other features of interest which were traced onto paper at one-minute intervals using a 16 mm stop-action projector. Cloud characteristics such as top, max width at top, average width, and base are presented as a function of time. A temperature inversion was present each launch day and the cloud responded by first rising into the inversion and then descending to about the inversion height. Max tops were achieved in about three to five minutes and ranged from 2200 m for Mission 41C to 3500 m for Mission 41D. Cloud bases rose steadily to between 700 and 1000 m after 10 minutes. Average widths ranged from 500 to 1700 m depending on mission and camera. Photographs of digitizations of selected film frames are included in the report to show the irregular cloud shapes. Error sources for this analysis are also discussed.

Zak, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

NASA Historical Data Book: NASA Launch Systems, Space Transportation, Human Spaceflight and Space Science, 1979-1988 - Volume 5

In 1973, NASA published the first volume of the NASA Historical Data Book, a hefty tome containing mostly tabular data on the resources of the space agency between 1958 and 1968. There, broken into detailed tables, were the facts and figures associated with the budget, facilities, procurement, installations, and personnel of NASA during that formative decade. In 1988, NASA reissued that first volume of the data book and added two additional volumes on the agency's programs and projects, one each for 1958-1968 and 1969-1978. NASA published a fourth volume in 1994 that addressed NASA resources for the period between 1969 and 1978. This fifth volume of the NASA Historical Data Book is a continuation of those earlier efforts. This fundamental reference tool presents information, much of it statistical, documenting the development of four critical areas of NASA responsibility for the period between 1979 and 1988. This volume includes detailed information on the development and operation of launch systems, space transportation, human spaceflight, and space science during this era. As such, it contains in-depth statistical information about the early Space Shuttle program through the return to flight in 1988, the early efforts to build a space station, the development of new launch systems, and the launching of seventeen space science missions. A companion volume will appear late in 1999, documenting the space applications, support operations, aeronautics, and resources aspects of NASA during the period between 1979 and 1988. NASA began its operations as the nation's civilian space agency in 1958 following the passage of the National Aeronautics and Space Act. It succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The new organization was charged with preserving the role of the United States "as a leader in aeronautical and space science and technology" and in its application, with expanding our knowledge of the Earth's atmosphere and space, and with exploring flight both within and outside the atmosphere. By the 1980s, NASA had established itself as an agency with considerable achievements on record. The decade was marked by the inauguration of the Space Shuttle flights and haunted by the 1986 Challenger accident that temporarily halted the program. The agency also enjoyed the strong support of President Ronald Reagan, who enthusiastically announced the start of both the Space Station program and the National Aerospace Plane program.

Rumerman, Judy A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of Artemis I Aerodynamic Force and Moment Reconstructions and Pre-Flight Predictions for Ascent Flight

The Artemis I launch of the Space Launch System provided the first flight data for the new launch vehicle. The current paper shows comparisons of the preflight force and moment coefficient databases developed using traditional ground test and computation fluid dynamics to post-flight data reconstructions of the ascent aerodynamic force and moment coefficients. The post-flight reconstructions were developed using instrumentation on the vehicle, meteorological data, and Newton’s laws. In general, the preflight databases and post-flight reconstructed data showed similar trends throughout ascent from Mach 0.20 to Mach 3.50. Axial force coefficient showed the largest discrepancies, which is likely due to the difficulty of computing axial force from the flight data.

Space Launch System↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of Artemis I Aerodynamic Force and Moment Reconstructions and Preflight Predictions for Ascent Flight

The Artemis I launch of the Space Launch System provided the first flight data for the new launch vehicle. The current paper shows comparisons of the preflight force and moment coefficient databases developed using traditional ground test and computation fluid dynamics to post-flight data reconstructions of the ascent aerodynamic force and moment coefficients. The post-flight reconstructions were developed using instrumentation on the vehicle, meteorological data, and Newton’s laws. In general, the preflight databases and post-flight reconstructed data showed similar trends throughout ascent from Mach 0.20 to Mach 3.50. Axial force coefficient showed the largest discrepancies, which is likely due to the difficulty of computing axial force from the flight data.

Space Launch System↗
NASA NTRS1991

Atmospheric turbulence review of space shuttle launches

Research and analysis on the identification of turbulent regions from the surface to 16 km during Space Shuttle launches are discussed. It was demonstrated that the results from the FPS-16 radar/jimsphere balloon system in measuring winds can indeed indicate the presence or conditions ripe for turbulence in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It was further demonstrated that atmospheric data obtained during the shuttle launches by the rawinsonde in conjunction with the jimsphere provides the necessary meteorological data to compute aerodynamic parameters to identify turbulence, such as Reynolds number drag coefficient, turbulent stresses, total energy, stability parameter, vertical gradient of kinetic energy, Richardson number, and the turbulence probability index. Enhanced temperature lapse rates and inversion rates, strong vector wind shears, and large changes in wind direction identify the occurrence of turbulence at the troposphere. When any two of the above conditions occur simultaneously, a significant probability of turbulence can occur.

Susko, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1999

Aeronautics and Space Report of the President: Fiscal Year 1998 Activities

The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 directed the annual Aeronautics and Space Report to include a "comprehensive description of the programmed activities and the accomplishments of all agencies of the United States in the field of aeronautics and space activities during the preceding calendar year. In recent years, the reports have been prepared on a fiscal year (FY) basis, consistent with the budgetary period now used in programs of the Federal Government. This year's report covers activities that took place from October 1, 1997, through September 30, 1998. The activities of agencies included are NASA, the Department of Defense, The Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the Department of State, the Department of Energy, the Smithsonian Institution, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Information Agency. Appendices cover the U.S. Government Spacecraft Record, World Record of Space Launches Successful in Attaining Earth Orbit or Beyond , Successful Launches to Orbit on U.S. Launch Vehicles, October 1, 1997-September 30, 1998, U.S. and Russian Human Space Flights, 1961-September 30, 1998, U.S. Space Launch Vehicles, Space Activities of the U.S. Government-Historical Budget Summary, Space Activities of the U.S. Government-Budget Authority in Equivalent FY 1998 Dollars, Federal Space Activities Budget, Federal Aeronautics Budget, and a glossary

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Operational Modal Analysis of the Artemis I Dynamic Rollout Test and Wet Dress Rehearsal

NASA has developed an expendable heavy lift launch vehicle capability, the Space Launch System (SLS), to support lunar and deep space exploration. The uncrewed Artemis I was the first flight of this new launch vehicle and tested critical systems for the upcoming crewed Artemis II flight to the moon. Accelerations were recorded at a multitude of locations on Artemis, the Mobile Launcher (ML), and the Crawler Transporter (CT)during the rollout of Artemis I from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B March 2022 and is referred to as the Artemis I Dynamic Rollout Test (DRT). While Artemis I was at Launch Pad 39B, the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) was performed to demonstrate launch readiness and acceleration measurements were also recorded. Finally, Artemis I rolled back from Launch Pad 39B to the VAB in April 2022, where acceleration measurements were also recorded and is referred to as the rollback portion of DRT. Because the forces during rollout and at the launch pad acting on Artemis I, the ML, and the CT are not directly measurable, Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) techniques, instead of traditional Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) techniques, were used to identify modal characteristics. The OMA analysis of DRT and WDR directly builds upon the lessons learned from the OMA analysis of an earlier rollout of the ML from the VAB. DRT and WDR dynamic characteristics will be used to support SLS Integrated Modal Test finite element model correlation efforts and Exploration Ground System ML and CT finite element model verification and validation, which are part of the Building Block approach the Space Launch System program has implemented. The dynamic characteristics extracted from DRT as well as the rollout acceleration time histories themselves will be used in the development of generic rollout forcing functions that will provide refined estimates of the Artemis IV rollout forces, which will have the heavier and larger SLS Block 1B launch vehicle and Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2). This paper briefly describes Artemis I, the ML, and the CT physical characteristics, DRT rollout/rollback and WDR data collection, the challenges in implementing OMA techniques due in part to the CT harmonics, and how these challenges were overcome to obtain the Artemis I DRT configuration and WDR configuration modal characteristics.

Apollo↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Operational Modal Analysis of the Artemis I Dynamic Rollout Test and Wet Dress Rehearsal

NASA has developed an expendable heavy lift launch vehicle capability, the Space Launch System (SLS), to support lunar and deep space exploration. The uncrewed Artemis I was the first flight of this new launch vehicle and tested critical systems for the upcoming crewed Artemis II flight to the moon. Accelerations were recorded at a multitude of locations on Artemis, the Mobile Launcher (ML), and the Crawler Transporter (CT)during the rollout of Artemis I from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B March 2022 and is referred to as the Artemis I Dynamic Rollout Test (DRT). While Artemis I was at Launch Pad 39B, the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) was performed to demonstrate launch readiness and acceleration measurements were also recorded. Finally, Artemis I rolled back from Launch Pad 39B to the VAB in April 2022, where acceleration measurements were also recorded and is referred to as the rollback portion of DRT. Because the forces during rollout and at the launch pad acting on Artemis I, the ML, and the CT are not directly measurable, Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) techniques, instead of traditional Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) techniques, were used to identify modal characteristics. The OMA analysis of DRT and WDR directly builds upon the lessons learned from the OMA analysis of an earlier rollout of the ML from the VAB. DRT and WDR dynamic characteristics will be used to support SLS Integrated Modal Test finite element model correlation efforts and Exploration Ground System ML and CT finite element model verification and validation, which are part of the Building Block approach the Space Launch System program has implemented. The dynamic characteristics extracted from DRT as well as the rollout acceleration time histories themselves will be used in the development of generic rollout forcing functions that will provide refined estimates of the Artemis IV rollout forces, which will have the heavier and larger SLS Block 1B launch vehicle and Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2). This paper briefly describes Artemis I, the ML, and the CT physical characteristics, DRT rollout/rollback and WDR data collection, the challenges in implementing OMA techniques due in part to the CT harmonics, and how these challenges were overcome to obtain the Artemis I DRT configuration and WDR configuration modal characteristics.

Apollo↗
NASA NTRS1975

Sonic boom pressure signatures for the space shuttle launch vehicle

Sonic boom pressure signatures were measured in supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnels for models of the space shuttle launch vehicle at 0 deg angle of attack with and without solid body simulations of the exhaust plumes. Data were measured at 30 deg increments in roll angle from 90 deg to 180 deg at Mach numbers from 3.02 to 5.56.

Mendoza, J. P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Artemis I Flight Instrumentation Data Quality Assessment and Processing

This paper is in support of the SciTech 2024 Space Launch System Aerosciences Special Sessions being organized by Brent Pomeroy and Jeremy Pinier. On November 16th, 2022, NASA launched an inaugural test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) carrying the Orion capsule around the moon. The vehicle was instrumented with thousands of Developmental Flight Instrumentation (DFI) sensors, which monitored aerodynamic, acoustic, structural, and thermal environments. These data are used to validate experimental and numerical tools used to predict conditions the vehicle experiences during ascent. Prior to launch, a set of tests were performed to quantify the expected quality of the DFI flight data. These included testing of individual components, such as data acquisition units, at the Systems Integration Laboratory (SIL) and testing of integrated vehicle components at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). This paper summarizes these tests. Some aspects of post processing of data are also discussed.

Developmental Flight Instrumentation↗