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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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This report presents the data obtained in laboratory testing of the optical sensors and multiplexing architecture developed for flight testing in the NASA F-18 systems research aircraft.
Nickel-Hydrogen cells are being cycled under a LEO (low earth orbit) test regime to examine the benefits of operating the cells at lower States of Charge (SOC) than typically used. A group of four cells are cycled using a voltage limiting charge regime that limits the State of Charge that the cells are allowed to reach. The test cells are then compared to identical cells being cycled at or near 100% State of Charge using a constant current charge regime.
This task develops two alternative candidate tile materials for leading edge applications: coated alumina enhanced thermal barrier (AETB) tile and silicone impregnated reusable ceramic ablator (SIRCA) tile. Upon reentry of the X-33/RLV space vehicle, the leading edges experience the highest heating rates and temperatures. The wing leading edge and nose cap experience peak temperatures in the range 2000 to 2700 F. Replacing reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) with tile-based thermal protection system (TPS) materials is the primary objective. Weight, complexity, coating impact damage, and repairability are among the problems that this tile technology development addresses. The following subtasks will be performed in this development effort: tile coating development; SIRCA tile development; robustness testing of tiles; tile repair development; tile operations/processing; tile leading edge configuration; and life cycle testing.
The Solar Dynamic Ground Test Demonstration (SDGTD) project has successfully designed and fabricated a complete solar-powered closed Brayton electrical power generation system and tested it in a relevant thermal vacuum facility at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). In addition to completing technical objectives, the project was completed 3-l/2 months early, and under budget.
A digitized video application was used to help determine minimum quality of service parameters for asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) over satellite. For these tests, binomially distributed and other errors were digitally inserted in an intermediate frequency link via a satellite modem and a commercial gaussian noise generator. In this paper, the relation- ship between the ATM cell error and cell loss parameter specifications is discussed with regard to this application. In addition, the video-encoding algorithms, test configurations, and results are presented in detail.
This is the Engineering Test Report, SARR, SARP, DCS Receivers, Link Frequencies EMI Sensitive Band Test Results, AMSU-A2, S/N 107, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
This is the Engineering Test Report, AMSU-AL METSAT Instrument (S/N 105) Qualification Level Vibration Tests of December 1998 (S/0 605445, OC-419), for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
This is the Engineering Test Report, Radiated Emissions and SARR, SARP, DCS Receivers, Link Frequencies EMI Sensitive Band Test Results, AMSU-A1 SIN 108, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
This is the Engineering Test Report, Radiated Emissions and SARR, SARP, DCS Receivers, Link Frequencies EMI Sensitive Band Test Results, AMSU-A1, S/N 109, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
This is the Engineering Test Report, Radiated Emissions and SARR, SARP, DCS Receivers, Link Frequencies EMI Sensitive Band Test Results, AMSU-A2, S/N 108, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
This is the Engineering Test Report, AMSU-A2 METSAT Instrument (S/N 108) Acceptance Level Vibration Test of Dec 1999/Jan 2000 (S/O 784077, OC-454), for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
This is the Engineering Test Report, AMSU-A2 METSAT Instrument (S/N 105) Vibration Tests Summary, P/N 1331720-2, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).
Approach and Lending Test Vehicle (ALTV) reduces risk to the X-37 orbital vehicle (OV) flight program by: Testing a subset of OV technologies in a critical portion of the flight envelope. Validating the calculated air data system (CADS) performance/subsonic aerodynamic database. Demonstrating OV approach and landing trajectory. Expending the operational flight envelope of the OV-enabling more landing opportunities for orbital missions.
In 1995, the NASA Langley Research Center conducted a series of aircraft tests aimed at characterizing the electromagnetic environment (EME) in and around a Boeing 757 airliner. Measurements were made of the electromagnetic energy coupled into the aircraft and the signals induced on select structures as the aircraft was flown past known RF transmitters. These measurements were conducted to provide data for the validation of computational techniques for the assessment of electromagnetic effects in commercial transport aircraft. This paper reports on the results of flight tests using RF radiators in the HF, VHF, and UHF ranges and on efforts to use computational and analytical techniques to predict RF field levels inside the airliner at these frequencies.
An investigation was conducted on an 0.08-scale semispan model of the Chance Vought XF7U-1 airplane in the Langley high-speed 7- by 10-foot tunnel in the Mach number range from 0.40 to 0.97. The results are compared with those obtained with an 0.08-scale sting-mounted complete model tested in the same tunnel and with an 0.026-scale semispan model tested by the wing-flow method. The lift-curve slopes obtained for the 0.08-scale semispan model and the 0.026-scale wing-flow model were in good agreement but both were generally lower than the values obtained for the sting model. The results of an unpublished investigation have shown that tunnel-wall boundary-layer and strut-leakage effects can came the difference noted between the lift-curve slopes of the sting and the semispan data. Fair agreement was obtained among the data of the three models as regard the variation of pitching-moment coefficients with lift coefficient. The agreement between the complete and the semispan models was more favorable with the vertical fine on, because the wall-boundary-layer and strut leakage effects were less severe. In the Mach number range between 0.94 and 0.97, ailavator-control reversal was indicated in the wing-flow data near zero lift; Whereas, these same trends were indicated in the larger scale semispan data at somewhat higher lift coefficients.
Rocket combustion chamber walls are exposed to the high-temperature environment caused by the combustion of propellants. Even with the walls actively cooled by the fuel, the hot gases can deteriorate the walls severely and limit any possibility for reusing the combustion chamber. For many years, the NASA Lewis Research Center has performed subscale investigations of potential improved cooling concepts to extend the life and reliability of the combustion chamber. Results from previous subscale tests have shown that, by increasing the coolant channel height-to-width aspect ratio, the rocket combustion chamber hot gas side wall temperature can be reduced by as much as 28 percent, without an increase in the coolant pressure drop. Recently, a series of experiments were completed in Lewis' Rocket Engine Test Facility (RETF) to validate the benefits of high aspect ratio cooling channels with a high-pressure, contoured rocket combustion chamber.
The Oil-Free Turbomachinery research team at the NASA Glenn Research Center is conducting research to develop turbomachinery systems that utilize high-speed, high temperature foil (air) bearings that do not require an oil lubrication system. Such systems combine the most advanced foil bearings from industry with NASA-developed hightemperature solid-lubricant technology. New applications are being pursued, such as Oil- Free turbochargers, auxiliary power units, and turbine propulsion systems for aircraft. An Oil-Free business jet engine, for example, would be simpler, lighter, more reliable, and less costly to purchase and maintain than current engines. Another application is NASA's Prometheus mission, where gas bearings will be required for the closed-cycle turbine based power-conversion system of a nuclear power generator for deep space. To support these applications, Glenn's Oil-Free Turbomachinery research team developed the Ambient Pressure Test Rig. Using this facility, researchers can load and heat a bearing and evaluate its performance with reduced air pressure to simulate high altitude conditions. For the nuclear application, the test chamber can be purged with gases such as helium to study foil gas bearing operation in working fluids other than air.
A new multi-axis multi-camera, robotic inspection system has been developed for use inside JPL's thermal/vacuum test chambers wherein satellites and other flight hardware are tested in a simulated space environment.