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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

O-THREE: A high altitude, remotely piloted vehicle

A conceptual design for a remotely piloted vehicle to be used for ozone research above 80,000 feet was developed as part of the one-semester NASA/Universities Space Research Association Aerospace Design course at Case Western Reserve University in Fall 1989. The O-Three design team chose as its mission requirements a cruise altitude of 100,000 ft, a range of 1000 n.m., an endurance of 6 hrs., a 1000 lb payload, and a power to payload of 2 kW. These are based on the Boeing requirements for an ozone research vehicle. In addition, the vehicle should not be restricted to operation over any particular global location. Efforts were made to minimize atmospheric contamination that might increase the rate of ozone depletion and cause discrepancies in data accuracy. Design was not limited to today's level of technology. The design team was divided into four groups: aerodynamics, structures, stability, and control. The specifications and performance estimates for cruise at altitude are given in tabular form.

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NASA NTRS1972

Design and control of remote manipulators

Results of investigations on vibrational modes of manipulators revealed: (1) any arbitrary manipulator may be analyzed for its small motion compliances; (2) a simulation of the Martin-Marietta shuttle boom with a 65,000 lb. payload attached, indicated three natural frequencies; and (3) simulations can be made of rigid limbs and flexible joints as well as for flexible limbs and locked joints and combinations thereof. Trajectories for arms were determined so that some integral criterion such as integral of kinetic energy or control torque magnitude is minimized over a motion of the arm. Experiments performed to evaluate various TV displays in conjunction with manipulator control modes showed that when mounted directly to the manipulator control arm and arranged to look approximately along the arm to the hand the operator could perform the task almost as quickly as when viewing the task directly.

Whitney, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Study of design and control of remote manipulators. Part 4: Experiments in video camera positioning with regard to remote manipulation

The results are presented of a study involving closed circuit television as the means of providing the necessary task-to-operator feedback for efficient performance of the remote manipulation system. Experiments were performed to determine the remote video configuration that will result in the best overall system. Two categories of tests were conducted which include: those which involved remote control position (rate) of just the video system, and those in which closed circuit TV was used along with manipulation of the objects themselves.

Mackro, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Studies to design and develop improved remote manipulator systems

Remote manipulator control considered is based on several levels of automatic supervision which derives manipulator commands from an analysis of sensor states and task requirements. Principle sensors are manipulator joint position, tactile, and currents. The tactile sensor states can be displayed visually in perspective or replicated in the operator's control handle of perceived by the automatic supervisor. Studies are reported on control organization, operator performance and system performance measures. Unusual hardware and software details are described.

Hill, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Prospective markets and design concepts for civilian remotely piloted aircraft

This paper summarizes a study that examines the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) in the civil environment. A market survey was conducted in which 35 civil applications of RPVs were identified. For a number of these uses, vehicle and system concepts were defined, benefit and cost comparisons were made with present methods, and the influence of safety and environmental implications was assessed. The results suggest a sizable potential demand for the use of RPVs in the civil sector, and some of the applications show promising cost savings over established methods. A focussed technology effort could provide the safety assurances needed for routine civilian operation of RPVs.

Nelms, W. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The design of optimum remote-sensing instruments

Remote-sensing instruments allow values for certain properties of a target to be retrieved from measurements of radiation emitted, reflected or transmitted by the target. The retrieval accuracy is affected by random variations in the many target properties which affect the measurements. A method is described, by which statistical properties of the target and theoretical models of its electromagnetic behavior can be used to choose values for the instrument parameters which maximize the retrieval accuracy. The technique is applicable to a wide range of remote-sensing instruments.

Peckham, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Photovoltaic power system for satellite Earth stations in remote areas: Project status and design description

A photovoltaic power system which will be installed at a remote location in Indonesia to provide power for a satellite Earth station and a classroom for video and audio teleconferences are described. The Earth station may also provide telephone service to a nearby village. The use of satellite communications for development assistance applications and the suitability of a hybrid photovoltaic engine generator power system for remote satellite Earth stations are demonstrated. The Indonesian rural satellite project is discussed and the photovoltaic power system is described.

Delombard, R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

JEFF: Air transport system design simulation

Jeff is a remotely piloted vehicle designed by the Blue Team, a division of AE441, Inc., to fulfill the mission proposed by G-Dome Enterprises: to build a cost efficient aircraft to service Aeroworld with overnight cargo delivery. The design of Jeff was most significantly influenced by the need to minimize costs. This objective was pursued by building fewer large planes as opposed to many small planes. Thus, by building an aircraft with a large payload capacity, G-Dome Enterprises will be able to minimize the large costs and the large number of cycles that are associated with a large fleet. Another factor which had a significant influence on our design was the constraint that our design had to fit into a 2'x2'x5' storage container. This constraint meant that unless we wanted to build foldable wings that Jeff's span would be limited to 10 feet. Since this was not enough lifting surface to suit our needs a canard configuration was chosen to get the needed lifting surface and avoid the structural dilemma of foldable wings. The aircraft is constructed mainly of balsa, with spruce wing and canard spars and a monokote covering. It was designed to support a maximum payload weight of 35 oz. (total aircraft weight of 108 oz.) and withstand a maximum load factor of 2.5.

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NASA NTRS1978

Applicability of the Remote Mobile Emplacement Package (RMEP) design as a mobility aid for proposed post-84 Mars missions, phase O

The results of study to determine the applicability of the Remote Mobile Emplacement Package (RMEP) design concept as a mobility aid for the proposed post-'84 Mars missions are presented. The RMEP wheel and mobility subsystem parameters: wheel tire size, weight, stowed volume, and environmental effects; obstacle negotiation; reliability and wear; motor and drive train; and electrical power demand were reviewed. Results indicated that: (1) the basic RMEP wheel design would be satisfactory, with additional attention to heating, side loading, tread wear and ultraviolet radiation protection; (2) motor and drive train power requirements on Mars would be less than on Earth; and (3) the mobility electrical power requirements would be small enough to offer the option of operating the Mars mini rover untethered. Payload power required for certain sampling functions would preclude the use of battery power for these missions. Hazard avoidance and reverse direction maneuvers are discussed. Limited examination of vehicle payload integration and thermal design was made, pending establishment of a baseline vehicle/payload design.

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NASA NTRS2003

Software for a GPS-Reflection Remote-Sensing System

A special-purpose software Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver designed for remote sensing with reflected GPS signals is described in Delay/Doppler-Mapping GPS-Reflection Remote-Sensing System (NPO-30385), which appears elsewhere in this issue of NASA Tech Briefs. The input accepted by this program comprises raw (open-loop) digitized GPS signals sampled at a rate of about 20 MHz. The program processes the data samples to perform the following functions: detection of signals; tracking of phases and delays; mapping of delay, Doppler, and delay/Doppler waveforms; dual-frequency processing; coherent integrations as short as 125 s; decoding of navigation messages; and precise time tagging of observable quantities. The software can perform these functions on all detectable satellite signals without dead time. Open-loop data collected over water, land, or ice and processed by this software can be further processed to extract geophysical information. Possible examples include mean sea height, wind speed and direction, and significant wave height (for observations over the ocean); bistatic-radar terrain images and measures of soil moisture and biomass (for observations over land); and estimates of ice age, thickness, and surface density (for observations over ice).

Lowe, Stephen↗
NASA NTRS1987

An airfoil designed for a high-altitude, long endurance remotely piloted vehicle

The preliminary design of high-altitude, long-endurance RPVs is complicated by the paucity of data concerning airfoils with high lift coefficients at low Re numbers. Attention is presently given to a generic airfoil of this type for the design Re number range of 700,000 to 2 million. Low drag is predicted for lift coefficients from 0.4 (for high speed dashes) to 1.5 (for maximum mission endurance). The airfoil is such that its maximum lift coefficient, at 1.8, is unaffected by the surface contamination that would be encountered during takeoffs and landings in rain or over insect-infested runways.

Maughmer, Mark D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Aircraft integrated design and analysis: A classroom experience

AAE 451 is the capstone course required of all senior undergraduates in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. During the past year the first steps of a long evolutionary process were taken to change the content and expectations of this course. These changes are the result of the availability of advanced computational capabilities and sophisticated electronic media availability at Purdue. This presentation will describe both the long range objectives and this year's experience using the High Speed Commercial Transport (HSCT) design, the AIAA Long Duration Aircraft design and a Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) design proposal as project objectives. The central goal of these efforts was to provide a user-friendly, computer-software-based, environment to supplement traditional design course methodology. The Purdue University Computer Center (PUCC), the Engineering Computer Network (ECN), and stand-alone PC's were used for this development. This year's accomplishments centered primarily on aerodynamics software obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center and its integration into the classroom. Word processor capability for oral and written work and computer graphics were also blended into the course. A total of 10 HSCT designs were generated, ranging from twin-fuselage and forward-swept wing aircraft, to the more traditional delta and double-delta wing aircraft. Four Long Duration Aircraft designs were submitted, together with one RPV design tailored for photographic surveillance. Supporting these activities were three video satellite lectures beamed from NASA/Langley to Purdue. These lectures covered diverse areas such as an overview of HSCT design, supersonic-aircraft stability and control, and optimization of aircraft performance. Plans for next year's effort will be reviewed, including dedicated computer workstation utilization, remote satellite lectures, and university/industrial cooperative efforts.

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NASA NTRS1994

Design and construction of a remote piloted flying wing

Currently, there is a need for a high-speed, high-lift civilian transport. Although unconventional, a flying wing could fly at speeds in excess of Mach 2 and still retain the capacity of a 747. The design of the flying wing is inherently unstable since it lacks a fuselage and a horizontal tail. The project goal was to design, construct, fly, and test a remote-piloted scale model flying wing. The project was completed as part of the NASA/USRA Advanced Aeronautics Design Program. These unique restrictions required us to implement several fundamental design changes from last year's Elang configuration including wing sweepback and wingtip endplates. Unique features such as a single ducted fan engine, composite structural materials, and an electrostatic stability system were incorporated. The result is the Banshee '94. Our efforts will aid future projects in design and construction techniques so that a viable flying wing can become an integral part of the aviation industry.

Costa, Alfred J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Multi-Mission System Architecture Platform: Design and Verification of the Remote Engineering Unit

The Multi-Mission System Architecture Platform (MSAP) represents an effort to bolster efficiency in the spacecraft design process. By incorporating essential spacecraft functionality into a modular, expandable system, the MSAP provides a foundation on which future spacecraft missions can be developed. Once completed, the MSAP will provide support for missions with varying objectives, while maintaining a level of standardization that will minimize redesign of general system components. One subsystem of the MSAP, the Remote Engineering Unit (REU), functions by gathering engineering telemetry from strategic points on the spacecraft and providing these measurements to the spacecraft's Command and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem. Before the MSAP Project reaches completion, all hardware, including the REU, must be verified. However, the speed and complexity of the REU circuitry rules out the possibility of physical prototyping. Instead, the MSAP hardware is designed and verified using the Verilog Hardware Definition Language (HDL). An increasingly popular means of digital design, HDL programming provides a level of abstraction, which allows the designer to focus on functionality while logic synthesis tools take care of gate-level design and optimization. As verification of the REU proceeds, errors are quickly remedied, preventing costly changes during hardware validation. After undergoing the careful, iterative processes of verification and validation, the REU and MSAP will prove their readiness for use in a multitude of spacecraft missions.

Sartori, John↗
NASA NTRS1980

Southeastern Virginia Urban Plume Study design considerations and measurement results

The Southeastern Virginia Urban Plume Study is intended to provide a testing ground for NASA remote sensors designed for urban and regional scale monitoring of air quality phenomena. The air quality experiments it has conducted have incorporated surface, airborne, sonde and balloon platforms which measured air quality and meteorology parameters, with emphasis on photochemically produced O3 and its primary precursors upwind, above, and downwind of the Hampton Roads area urban complex. The results from three years of experiments have shown that such different meteorological conditions as blue/broken skies, high/moderate temperatures and low/high winds have a direct impact on the degree of downwind aging of the summer urban O3 airmass. In 1979, the urban plume was traced at aging times of 0.5, 1.5, and 5 hr.

Mcdougal, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The design of an airfoil for a high-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted vehicle

Airfoil design efforts are studied. The importance of integrating airfoil and aircraft designs was demonstrated. Realistic airfoil data was provided to aid future high altitude, long endurance aircraft preliminary design. Test cases were developed for further validation of the Eppler program. Boundary layer, not pressure distribution or shape, was designed. Substantial improvement was achieved in vehicle performance through mission specific airfoil designed utilizing the multipoint capability of the Eppler program.

Maughmer, Mark D.↗