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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 883 records · Page 49
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Lessons Learned and Scalability Achieved When Porting Uintah to DOE Exascale Systems

A key challenge faced when preparing codes for Department of Energy (DOE) exascale systems was designing scalable applications for systems featuring hardware and software not yet available at leadership-class scale. With such systems now available, it is important to evaluate scalability of the resulting software solutions on these target systems. One such code designed with the exascale DOE Aurora and DOE Frontier systems in mind is the Uintah Computational Framework, an open-source asynchronous many-task (AMT) runtime system. To prepare for exascale, Uintah adopted a portable MPI+X hybrid parallelism approach using the Kokkos performance portability library (i.e., MPI+Kokkos). This paper complements recent work with additional details and an evaluation of the resulting approach on Aurora and Frontier. Results are shown for a challenging benchmark demonstrating interoperability of 3 portable codes essential to Uintah-related combustion research. These results demonstrate single-source portability across Aurora and Frontier with scaling characteristics shown to 3,072 Aurora nodes and 9,216 Frontier nodes. In addition to showing results run to new scales on new systems, this paper also discusses lessons learned through efforts preparing Uintah for exascale systems.

Holmen, John [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000259342641)↗
NASA NTRS1995

Mars Pathfinder Airbag Impact Attenuation System

The Mars Pathfinder spacecraft, scheduled for launch in December 1996, is designed to validate a low cost Entry, Descent, and Landing system and to perform scientific surface operations. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories teamed to design, fabricate, test and validate a prototype 0.38 scale model of an airbag impact attenuation system. A computer code was developed to predict the performance of the airbag system. A test program in Sandia's High Altitude Chamber was performed to validate the code and demonstrate the feasibility of the airbag concept and design. In addition, freefall tests were performed at representative velocities to demonstrate the structural integrity of the airbag system design. The feasibility program demonstrated that the airbag impact attenuation design will protect the lander upon impact with the Martian surface.

Mars Pathfinder↗
DOE OSTI2023

Unique safety features and licensing requirements of the NuScale small modular reactor

Small modular reactors (SMR) offer a novel approach to the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. The NuScale VOYGR™ plant uses a simplified SMR design that is based on proven light-water reactor technology with substantial improvements in nuclear safety. It consists of a 250 MWt reactor core housed with other primary system components in an integral reactor pressure vessel surrounded by a steel containment vessel, all of which is immersed in a large pool of water that also serves as the ultimate heat sink. At the core of the NuScale safety case are three primary safety systems: the decay heat removal system, the emergency core cooling system, and the containment. The ability of the NuScale Power Module (NPM) passive safety systems to remove core decay heat for an unlimited duration is demonstrated through analysis of a beyond-design-basis extended loss of AC power with no replenishment of water to the ultimate heat sink or operator actions. The NuScale methodology to evaluate an indefinite loss of AC power uses the proprietary NRELAP5 systems analysis computer code. Analysis results show that the reactor coolant system liquid level above the core is maintained and that containment pressure remains below the vessel design pressure. Once full passive air cooling is established, containment pressure and temperature will decrease over time with decreasing core decay heat. NuScale received standard design approval in September 2020 and design certification in January 2023 for its 50 MWe NPM configured as a 12 module plant. NuScale is currently seeking standard design approval to increase its core power to 250 MWt, nominally 77 MWe per module, in a 6-module plant (VOYGR™-6) configuration. The high-level safety of NuScale’s SMR technology is foundational to a new standard of nuclear power plant resilience.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1992

Preliminary test results and upgrades for an automated assembly system

An automated structures assembly testbed developed by Langley Research Center to study the practical problems associated with the automated assembly of large space structures using robotic manipulators is described. Emphasis is placed on the requirements and features of system upgrades and their impact on system performance, flexibility, and reliability. The current research program is aimed at evolving the baseline assembly system into a flexible, robust, sensor-based system capable of assembling more complex truss-supported satellite systems. To achieve this objective, five system upgrades have been developed including a machine vision capability to eliminate taught robot arm positions; an on-board end-effector microprocessor to reduce communications; a second-generation end-effector to construct contoured trusses for antennas and install payloads; the installation of reflector-type panels on the truss to produce a complete and functional system, and an expert system to significantly reduce the amount of software code required for system operation and provide greater flexibility in implementing new features.

Will, Ralph W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Feed system design for a reduced pressure tank

Three designs were considered to satisfy the design objective. These designs were the current design, a Land Based Pressurized Feed System, and a fuel recirculation system. A computer code was developed to analyze the current feed system and assist in the analysis of the two experimental systems. After comparing the three concepts, the land Based Pressurized Feed System seemed to be the most promising new development. This design coupled with the piping configuration described in the report provides a justifiable fuel feed system which satisfies all the necessary requirements.

Lui, Hurbert↗
NASA NTRS1996

Testing and Performance Analysis of the Multichannel Error Correction Code Decoder

This report provides the test results and performance analysis of the multichannel error correction code decoder (MED) system for a regenerative satellite with asynchronous, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) uplink channels. It discusses the system performance relative to various critical parameters: the coding length, data pattern, unique word value, unique word threshold, and adjacent-channel interference. Testing was performed under laboratory conditions and used a computer control interface with specifically developed control software to vary these parameters. Needed technologies - the high-speed Bose Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) codec from Harris Corporation and the TRW multichannel demultiplexer/demodulator (MCDD) - were fully integrated into the mesh very small aperture terminal (VSAT) onboard processing architecture and were demonstrated.

Soni, Nitin J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Object-Oriented Software Metrics for Predicting Reusability and Estimating Size

As object-oriented software development methods come into more widespread use, basic questions of software quality assurance must be reconsidered. We will highlight efforts now underway at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to both assess the quality of software systems developed using object oriented technology and develop guidelines for future development of such systems. The current focus is on design and code reusability., and system size estimation. A number of metrics are proposed and two software systems measured and analyzed. The preliminary results reported here should be useful to software development and quality assurance personnel working in C++ implementation environment.

Sanderson, D. Peter↗
NASA NTRS2003

Space Based Communications

Current space lift launches on the Eastern and Western Range require extensive ground-based real-time tracking, communications and command/control systems. These are expensive to maintain and operate and cover only limited geographical areas. Future spaceports will require new technologies to provide greater launch and landing opportunities, support simultaneous missions, and offer enhanced decision support models and simulation capabilities. These ranges must also have lower costs and reduced complexity while continuing to provide unsurpassed safety to the public, flight crew, personnel, vehicles and facilities. Commercial and government space-based assets for tracking and communications offer many attractive possibilities to help achieve these goals. This paper describes two NASA proof-of-concept projects that seek-to exploit the advantages of a space-based range: Iridium Flight Modem and Space-Based Telemetry and Range Safety (STARS). Iridium Flight Modem uses the commercial satellite system Iridium for extremely low cost, low rate two-way communications and has been successfully tested on four aircraft flights. A sister project at Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) using the Globalstar system has been tested on one rocket. The basic Iridium Flight Modem system consists of a L1 carrier Coarse/Acquisition (C/A)-Code Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, an on-board computer, and a standard commercial satellite modem and antennas. STARS uses the much higher data rate NASA owned Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), a C/A-Code GPS receiver, an experimental low-power transceiver, custom built command and data handler processor, and digitized flight termination system (FTS) commands. STARS is scheduled to fly on an F-15 at Dryden Flight Research Center in the spring of 2003, with follow-on tests over the next several years.

Simpson, James↗
NASA NTRS2015

Use of Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) for Teaching and Performing Senior Design Projects at the Educational Institutions

This paper describes the experience of the authors in using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) in teaching Design of Thermal Systems class at University of Alabama in Huntsville. GFSSP is a finite volume based thermo-fluid system network analysis code, developed at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, and is extensively used in NASA, Department of Defense, and aerospace industries for propulsion system design, analysis, and performance evaluation. The educational version of GFSSP is freely available to all US higher education institutions. The main purpose of the paper is to illustrate the utilization of this user-friendly code for the thermal systems design and fluid engineering courses and to encourage the instructors to utilize the code for the class assignments as well as senior design projects.

Majumdar, A. K.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multispin Clifford codes for angular momentum errors in spin systems

The physical symmetries of a system play a central role in quantum error correction. Here, in this work we encode a qubit in a collection of systems with angular momentum symmetry (spins), extending the tools developed by Gross for single large spins. By considering large spins present in atomic systems and focusing on their collective symmetric subspace, we develop codes with octahedral symmetry capable of correcting errors up to second order in angular momentum operators. These errors include the most physically relevant noise sources such as microwave control errors and optical pumping. We additionally explore qubit codes that exhibit distance scaling commensurate with the surface code while permitting transversal single-qubit Clifford operations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1986

Design sensitivity analysis using EAL. Part 1: Conventional design parameters

A numerical implementation of design sensitivity analysis of builtup structures is presented, using the versatility and convenience of an existing finite element structural analysis code and its database management system. The finite element code used in the implemenatation presented is the Engineering Analysis Language (EAL), which is based on a hybrid method of analysis. It was shown that design sensitivity computations can be carried out using the database management system of EAL, without writing a separate program and a separate database. Conventional (sizing) design parameters such as cross-sectional area of beams or thickness of plates and plane elastic solid components are considered. Compliance, displacement, and stress functionals are considered as performance criteria. The method presented is being extended to implement shape design sensitivity analysis using a domain method and a design component method.

Dopker, B.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Securing against errors in an error correcting code (ECC) implemented in an automotive system

In general, data is susceptible to errors caused by faults in hardware (i.e. permanent faults), such as faults in the functioning of memory and/or communication channels. To detect errors in data caused by hardware faults, the error correcting code (ECC) was introduced, which essentially provides a sort of redundancy to the data that can be used to validate that the data is free from errors caused by hardware faults. In some cases, the ECC can also be used to correct errors in the data caused by hardware faults. However, the ECC itself is also susceptible to errors, including specifically errors caused by faults in the ECC logic. A method, computer readable medium, and system are thus provided for securing against errors in an ECC.

Saxena, Nirmal Raj↗
NASA NTRS2000

Automated apparatus and method of generating native code for a stitching machine

A computer system automatically generates CNC code for a stitching machine. The computer determines the locations of a present stitching point and a next stitching point. If a constraint is not found between the present stitching point and the next stitching point, the computer generates code for making a stitch at the next stitching point. If a constraint is found, the computer generates code for changing a condition (e.g., direction) of the stitching machine's stitching head.

Miller, Jeffrey L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Encoding Scheme Reduces Hardware Requirements

Shift register time-shared in proposed error-correcting code for tape-storage systems. Error-correcting code logic for blocks of 256-bit data words implemented by 14-stage-time-shared shift register, two 4,096bit RAM's and logic gates. Encoding and decoding logic implement generator polynomial that defines error-correcting code, and error correction based on algorithm also implemented by logic.

Sasnowitz, H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

On decoding of multi-level MPSK modulation codes

The decoding problem of multi-level block modulation codes is investigated. The hardware design of soft-decision Viterbi decoder for some short length 8-PSK block modulation codes is presented. An effective way to reduce the hardware complexity of the decoder by reducing the branch metric and path metric, using a non-uniform floating-point to integer mapping scheme, is proposed and discussed. The simulation results of the design are presented. The multi-stage decoding (MSD) of multi-level modulation codes is also investigated. The cases of soft-decision and hard-decision MSD are considered and their performance are evaluated for several codes of different lengths and different minimum squared Euclidean distances. It is shown that the soft-decision MSD reduces the decoding complexity drastically and it is suboptimum. The hard-decision MSD further simplifies the decoding while still maintaining a reasonable coding gain over the uncoded system, if the component codes are chosen properly. Finally, some basic 3-level 8-PSK modulation codes using BCH codes as component codes are constructed and their coding gains are found for hard decision multistage decoding.

Lin, Shu↗
NASA NTRS2015

Pi-Sat: A Low Cost Small Satellite and Distributed Spacecraft Mission System Test Platform

Current technology and budget trends indicate a shift in satellite architectures from large, expensive single satellite missions, to small, low cost distributed spacecraft missions. At the center of this shift is the SmallSatCubesat architecture. The primary goal of the Pi-Sat project is to create a low cost, and easy to use Distributed Spacecraft Mission (DSM) test bed to facilitate the research and development of next-generation DSM technologies and concepts. This test bed also serves as a realistic software development platform for Small Satellite and Cubesat architectures. The Pi-Sat is based on the popular $35 Raspberry Pi single board computer featuring a 700Mhz ARM processor, 512MB of RAM, a flash memory card, and a wealth of IO options. The Raspberry Pi runs the Linux operating system and can easily run Code 582s Core Flight System flight software architecture. The low cost and high availability of the Raspberry Pi make it an ideal platform for a Distributed Spacecraft Mission and Cubesat software development. The Pi-Sat models currently include a Pi-Sat 1U Cube, a Pi-Sat Wireless Node, and a Pi-Sat Cubesat processor card.The Pi-Sat project takes advantage of many popular trends in the Maker community including low cost electronics, 3d printing, and rapid prototyping in order to provide a realistic platform for flight software testing, training, and technology development. The Pi-Sat has also provided fantastic hands on training opportunities for NASA summer interns and Pathways students.

Software↗
NASA NTRS1992

Technique for using a geometry and visualization system to monitor and manipulate information in other codes

A technique was developed to allow the Aero Grid and Paneling System (AGPS), a geometry and visualization system, to be used as a dynamic real-time geometry monitor, manipulator, and interrogator for other codes. This technique involves the direct connection of AGPS with one or more external codes through the use of Unix pipes. AGPS has several commands that control communication with the external program. The external program uses several special subroutines that allow simple, direct communication with AGPS. The external program creates AGPS command lines and transmits the line over the pipes or communicates on a subroutine level. AGPS executes the commands, displays graphics/geometry information, and transmits the required solutions back to the external program. The basic ideas discussed in this paper could easily be implemented in other graphics/geometry systems currently in use or under development.

Dickens, Thomas P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

The SEL Adapts to Meet Changing Times

Since 1976, the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) has been dedicated to understanding and improving the way in which one NASA organization, the Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) at Goddard Space Flight Center, develops, maintains, and manages complex flight dynamics systems. It has done this by developing and refining a continual process improvement approach that allows an organization such as the FDD to fine-tune its process for its particular domain. Experimental software engineering and measurement play a significant role in this approach. The SEL is a partnership of NASA Goddard, its major software contractor, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), and the University of Maryland's (LTM) Department of Computer Science. The FDD primarily builds software systems that provide ground-based flight dynamics support for scientific satellites. They fall into two sets: ground systems and simulators. Ground systems are midsize systems that average around 250 thousand source lines of code (KSLOC). Ground system development projects typically last 1 - 2 years. Recent systems have been rehosted to workstations from IBM mainframes, and also contain significant new subsystems written in C and C++. The simulators are smaller systems averaging around 60 KSLOC that provide the test data for the ground systems. Simulator development lasts up to 1 year. Most of the simulators have been built in Ada on workstations. The SEL is responsible for the management and continual improvement of the software engineering processes used on these FDD projects.

Pajerski, Rose S.↗