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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2013

Reverse Engineering Crosswind Limits - A New Flight Test Technique?

During modification of a Gulfstream III test bed aircraft for an experimental flap project, all roll spoiler hardware had to be removed to accommodate the test article. In addition to evaluating the effects on performance and flying qualities resulting from the modification, the test team had to determine crosswind limits for an airplane previously certified with roll spoilers. Predictions for the modified aircraft indicated the maximum amount of steady state sideslip available during the approach and landing phase would be limited by aileron authority rather than by rudder. Operating out of a location that tends to be very windy, an arbitrary and conservative wind limit would have either been overly restrictive or potentially unsafe if chosen poorly. When determining a crosswind limit, how much reserve roll authority was necessary? Would the aircraft, as configured, have suitable handling qualities for long-term use as a flying test bed? To answer these questions, the test team combined two typical flight test techniques into a new maneuver called the sideslip-to-bank maneuver, and was able to gather flying qualities data, evaluate aircraft response and measure trends for various crosswind scenarios. This paper will describe the research conducted, the maneuver, flight conditions, predictions, and results from this in-flight evaluation of crosswind capability.

sideslip↗
NASA NTRS1972

Dynamic verification of a digital flight control system.

Development of a digital control system dynamic variation technique which accounts for the limitation of available frequency response analyzers. Digital control system theory is briefly reviewed, and generation of the necessary theoretical frequency responses is discussed. Results of the dynamic verification of a digital control system for a Saturn V launch vehicle are presented, and attention is given to the limitations of this technique along with its applicability to other types of digital control systems. A technique for performing open-loop frequency response analyses of a flight program implemented in a 'flight-type' digital computer and interface hardware with vehicle dynamics simulated on an analog computer is described.

Nabers, J. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Directional solidification of silicon in carbon crucibles by an oscillating crucible technique

The quality of silicon cast by present techniques is limited by the presence of dislocations and grain boundaries in unseeded growth and by cellular structures with dislocation networks in the case of the seeded growth. To address these concerns, a new method of directional solidification called the oscillating crucible technique (OCT) is developed. During growth, a carbon crucible is oscillated to provide for effective stirring of the melt. This growth technique (seeded growth only), along with material characterization and solar-cell fabrication and testing, is described. Solar-cell efficiencies of up to 13 percent at 100 mW/sq cm area obtained in the single crystalline areas. Minority-carrier diffusion lengths exceeding 100 microns are measured even in the polycrystalline areas of the wafers. Limitations of the present setup and possible future improvements are discussed.

Daud, T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Differential imaging using charge-coupled device (CCD) imagers with on-chip charge storage

A CCD technique is described which allows long integration periods between readouts together with moderate chopping rates. During each phase of a differential chopping cycle, one set of charge images is shifted to the center of the chip, which is light sensitive. At the same time, the other set of charge images is shifted under one of two masked areas which serve as charge-storage sites. Since the vertical shifting between phases can be accomplished in much less time than the typical exposure per phase, there is negligible image smearing. For a given light level and chopping rate the performance of this technique is limited primarily by the readout noise and the vertical charge transfer inefficiency. If many transfer cycles are required between readouts, the charge transfer inefficiency will diffuse the accumulated charge images along the vertical columns. Laboratory and astronomical data obtained with this technique using a CCD camera and the 2.3 m telescope on Kitt Peak are presented.

Stockman, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1963

A Technique for Simulating Conditions of Walking and Performing Other Self-Locomotive Activities on the Lunar Terrain

One of the most important and probably the most interesting phase of a manned lunar mission will be the time the astronauts spend outside their vehicle on the moon's surface taking scientific measurements, exploring the surface features, surveying possible sites for a lunar base, inspecting their vehicle and preparing it for their return trip. Because the lunar gravity is only one-sixth that of the earth gravity, the explorers undoubtedly will have to adjust their accustomed methods of walking, climbing, jumping and performing other self-locomotive activities in order to carry out these various tasks. In as much as the over-all success of the lunar mission will depend to a large extent upon the self-reliance of the explorers, it will be necessary to have extensive knowledge of the effects of the moon's reduced gravity on the physical capabilities of man and of man's ability to adopt to the new environment prior to the planning and execution of the mission. At the present time there is a dearth of information on this subject due primarily to the lack of a practical technique for simulating the reduced gravity. Several techniques such as immersion in water and riding in an airplane flying a Keplerian trajectory have been used for zero-g or weightlessness studies to determine the physical capabilities of man but these techniques are limited in their usefulness either by restrictions imposed by the viscous effect of the water or by the short duration and small test area available in an airplane. Consequently, an effort was made at the NASA Langley Research Center to devise a new technique that would provide a realistic simlation of a reduced gravity for unlimited periods of time and allow freedom of movement over considerable distances. This paper concerns itself with a discussion of the newly developed simulation technique and a presentation of some preliminary results which were obtained utilizing a working model based on this scheme.

Hewes, Donald E.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Medical and surgical applications of space biosensor technology

Researchers in space life sciences are rapidly approaching a technology impasse. Many of the critical questions on the impact of spaceflight on living systems simply cannot be answered with the limited available technologies. Research subjects, particularly small animal models like the rat, must be allowed to function relatively untended and unrestrained for long periods to fully reflect the impact of microgravity and spaceflight on their behavior and physiology. These requirements preclude the use of present hard-wired instrumentation techniques and limited data acquisition systems. Implantable sensors and miniaturized biotelemetry are the only means of capturing the fundamental and critical data. This same biosensor and biotelemetry technology has direct application to Earth-based medicine and surgery. Continuous, on-line data acquisition and improved measurement capabilities combined with the ease and flexibility offered by automated, wireless, and portable instruments and data systems, should provide a boon to the health care industry. Playing a key role in this technology revolution is the Sensors 2000! (S2K!) Program at NASA Ames Research Center. S2K!, in collaboration with space life sciences researchers and managers, provides an integrated capability for sensor technology development and applications, including advanced biosensor technology development, spaceflight hardware development, and technology transfer and commercialization. S2K! is presently collaborating on several spaceflight projects with dual-use medical applications. One prime example is a collaboration with the Fetal Treatment Center (FTC) at the University of California at San Francisco. The goal is to develop and apply implantable chemical sensor and biotelemetry technology to continuously monitor fetal patients during extra-uterine surgery, replacement into the womb, through birth and beyond. Once validated for ground use, the method will be transitioned to spaceflight applications to remotely monitor key biochemical parameters in flight animals. Successful application of NASA implantable biosensor and biotelemetry technologies should accelerate the advancement of this and other modern medical procedures while furthering the exploration of life in space.

NASA Discipline General Space Life Sciences↗
NASA NTRS1992

Prediction of drag at subsonic and transonic speeds using Euler methods

A technique for the evaluation of aerodynamic drag from flowfield solutions based on the Euler equations is discussed. The technique is limited to steady attached flows around three-dimensional configurations in the absence of active systems such as surface blowing/suction and propulsion. It allows the decomposition of the total drag into induced drag and wave drag and, consequently, it provides more information on the drag sources than the conventional surface-pressure integration technique. The induced drag is obtained from the integration of the kinetic energy (per unit distance) of the trailing vortex system on a wake plane and the wave drag is obtained from the integration of the entropy production on a plane just downstream of the shocks. The drag-evaluation technique is applied to three-dimensional flowfield solutions for the ONERA M6 wing as well as an aspect-ratio-7 wing with an elliptic spanwise chord distribution and an NACA-0012 section shape. Comparisons between the drag obtained with the present technique and the drag based on the integration of surface pressures are presented for two Euler codes.

Nikfetrat, K.↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Precise Calibration Technique for Measuring High Gas Temperatures

A technique was developed for direct measurement of gas temperatures in the range of 2050 K - 2700 K with improved accuracy and reproducibility. The technique utilized the low-emittance of certain fibrous Materials, and the uncertainty of the technique was limited by the uncertainty in the melting points of the materials, i.e., +/- 15 K. The materials were pure, thin, metal-oxide fibers whose diameters varied from 60 mm to 400 mm in the experiments. The sharp increase in the emittance of the fibers upon melting was utilized as indication of reaching a known gas temperature. The accuracy of the technique was confirmed by both calculated low emittance values of transparent fibers, of order 0.01, up to a few degrees below their melting point and by the fiber-diameter independence of the results. This melting-point temperature was approached by increments not larger than 4 K, which was accomplished by controlled increases of reactant flow rates in hydrogen-air and/or hydrogen- oxygen flames. As examples of the applications of the technique, the gas-temperature measurements were used (a) for assessing the uncertainty in infering gas temperatures from thermocouple measurements, and (b) for calibrating an IR camera to measure gas temperatures. The technique offers an excellent calibration reference for other gas-temperature measurement methods to improve their accuracy and reliably extending their temperature range of applicability.

Gokoglu, Suleyman A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

An Approach to V&V of Embedded Adaptive Systems

Rigorous Verification and Validation (V&V) techniques are essential for high assurance systems. Lately, the performance of some of these systems is enhanced by embedded adaptive components in order to cope with environmental changes. Although the ability of adapting is appealing, it actually poses a problem in terms of V&V. Since uncertainties induced by environmental changes have a significant impact on system behavior, the applicability of conventional V&V techniques is limited. In safety-critical applications such as flight control system, the mechanisms of change must be observed, diagnosed, accommodated and well understood prior to deployment. In this paper, we propose a non-conventional V&V approach suitable for online adaptive systems. We apply our approach to an intelligent flight control system that employs a particular type of Neural Networks (NN) as the adaptive learning paradigm. Presented methodology consists of a novelty detection technique and online stability monitoring tools. The novelty detection technique is based on Support Vector Data Description that detects novel (abnormal) data patterns. The Online Stability Monitoring tools based on Lyapunov's Stability Theory detect unstable learning behavior in neural networks. Cases studies based on a high fidelity simulator of NASA's Intelligent Flight Control System demonstrate a successful application of the presented V&V methodology. ,

Liu, Yan↗
NASA NTRS1994

Visualizing Flow Over Parametric Surfaces Using Line Integral Convolution

Line Integral Convolution (LIC) is a powerful technique for imaging and animating vector fields. We extend the LIC paradigm in three ways: (1) The existing technique is limited to vector fields over a regular Cartesian grid. We extend it to vector fields over parametric surfaces, such as those found in curvilinear grids, used in computational fluid dynamics simulations; (2) Periodic motion filters can be used to animate the flow visualization. When the flow lies on a parametric surface, however, the motion appears misleading. We explain why this problem arises and show how to adjust the LIC algorithm to handle it; (3) We introduce a technique to visualize vector magnitudes as well as vector direction. Cabral and Leedom have suggested a method for variable-speed animation, which is based on varying the frequency of the filter function. We develop a different technique based on kernel phase shifts which we have found to show substantially better results. Our implementation of these algorithms utilizes texture-mapping hardware to run in real time, which allows them to be included in interactive applications.

Forssell, Lisa↗
NASA NTRS1973

Nondestructive evaluation technique guide

A total of 70 individual nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are described. Information is presented that permits ease of comparison of the merits and limitations of each technique with respect to various NDE problems. An NDE technique classification system is presented. It is based on the system that was adopted by the National Materials Advisory Board (NMAB). The classification system presented follows the NMAB system closely with the exception of additional categories that have been added to cover more advanced techniques presently in use. The rationale of the technique is explained. The format provides for a concise description of each technique, the physical principles involved, objectives of interrogation, example applications, limitations of each technique, a schematic illustration, and key reference material. Cross-index tabulations are also provided so that particular NDE problems can be referred to appropriate techniques.

Vary, A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Near-Net-Shape Processing of Sintered Fibrous Ceramics Achieved

A variety of sintered fibrous ceramic (SFC) materials have been developed over the last 50 years as thermal barrier materials for reentry applications. SFC materials typically exhibit very low thermal conductivities combined with low densities and good thermal stability up to 2500 F. These materials have flown successfully on the space shuttle orbiters since the 1960's. More recently, the McDonnell Douglas Corporation successfully used SFC tiles as a heat shield on the underside of its DC X test vehicle. For both of these applications, tiles are machined from blocks of a specific type of SFC called an alumina-enhanced thermal barrier (AETB). The sizes of these blocks have been limited by the manufacturing process. In addition, as much as 80 to 90 percent of the material can be lost during the machining of tiles with significant amounts of curvature. To address these problems, the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field entered a cooperative contract with the Boeing Company to develop a vacuum-assisted forming process that can produce large (approximately 4 square feet), severely contoured panels of AETB while saving costs in comparison to the conventional cast-and-machine billet process. For shuttle use, AETB is slurry cast, drained, and fired to form square billets conforming to the shape of the filtration box. The billets are then cut into tiles of the appropriate size for thermally protecting the space shuttle. Processing techniques have limited the maximum size of AETB billets to 21.5 square inches by 6.5-in. thick, but the space shuttles use discrete heat shield tiles no more than 8 to 12 square inches. However, in other applications, large, complex shapes are needed, and the tiling approach is undesirable. For such applications, vacuum-assisted forming can produce large parts with complex shapes while reducing machining waste and eliminating cemented joints between bonded billets. Because it allows contoured shapes to be formed, material utilization is inherently high. Initial estimates show that the amount of material lost during machining can be reduced by 50 percent or more. In addition, a fiber alignment favorable for minimum heat transfer is maintained for all panel shapes since the fibers are aligned parallel to the contoured surface of the forming tool or mold. The vacuum-assisted forming process can complete the entire forming operation in a matter of minutes and can produce multiple parts whose size is limited only by the size of the forming tool. To date, panels as large as 2 square feet have been demonstrated The vacuum-assisted forming process starts with the fabrication of a permeable forming tool, or mold, with the proper part contour. This reusable tool is mounted over an internal rib support structure, as depicted in the diagram, such that a vacuum can be pulled on the bottom portion of the tool. AETB slurry is then poured over and around the tool, liquid is drawn from the slurry, and the part forms over the tool surface. The part is then dried, fired, and finished machined. Future plans include an evaluation of the need for additional coatings and surface-toughness treatments to extend the durability and performance of this material.

Angel, Paul W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Investigation, development and application of optimal output feedback theory. Volume 2: Development of an optimal, limited state feedback outer-loop digital flight control system for 3-D terminal area operation

This report contains the development of a digital outer-loop three dimensional radio navigation (3-D RNAV) flight control system for a small commercial jet transport. The outer-loop control system is designed using optimal stochastic limited state feedback techniques. Options investigated using the optimal limited state feedback approach include integrated versus hierarchical control loop designs, 20 samples per second versus 5 samples per second outer-loop operation and alternative Type 1 integration command errors. Command generator tracking techniques used in the digital control design enable the jet transport to automatically track arbitrary curved flight paths generated by waypoints. The performance of the design is demonstrated using detailed nonlinear aircraft simulations in the terminal area, frequency domain multi-input sigma plots, frequency domain single-input Bode plots and closed-loop poles. The response of the system to a severe wind shear during a landing approach is also presented.

Broussard, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Lightweight Lidar Telescopes for Space Applications

NASA is intent on exploiting the unique perspective of space-based remote optical instruments to observe and study large-scale environmental processes. Emphasis on smaller and more affordable missions continues to force the remote sensing instruments to find innovative ways to reduce the size, weight, and cost of the sensor package. This is a challenge because many of the proposed instruments incorporate a high quality meter-class telescope that can be a significant driver of total instrument costs. While various methods for telescope weight reduction have been achieved, many of the current approaches rely on exotic materials and specialized manufacturing techniques that limit availability or substantially increase costs. A competitive lightweight telescope technology that is especially well suited to space-based coherent Doppler wind lidar has been developed through a collaborative effort involving NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) through the Global Hydrology and Climate Center (GHCC) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) at the Center for Applied Optics (CAO). The new lightweight optics using metal alloy shells and surfaces (LOMASS) fabrication approach is suitable for high quality metal mirrors and meter-class telescopes. Compared to alternative materials and fabrication methods the new approach promises to reduce the areal density of a meter-class telescope to less than 15-kg/sq m; deliver a minimum VIO-RMS surface optical quality; while using commercial materials and equipment to lower procurement costs. The final optical figure and finish is put into the mirrors through conventional diamond turning and polishing techniques. This approach is especially advantageous for a coherent lidar instrument because the reduced telescope weight permits the rotation of the telescope to scan the beam without requiring heavy wedges or additional large mirrors. Ongoing investigations and preliminary results show promise for the LOMASS approach to be successful in demonstrating a novel alternative approach to fabricating lightweight mirrors with performance parameters comparable with the Space Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE). Development and process characterization is continuing with the design and fabrication of mirrors for a 25-cm telescope suitable for a lidar instrument.

Peters, Bruce R.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Automated Antenna Design with Evolutionary Algorithms

Current methods of designing and optimizing antennas by hand are time and labor intensive, and limit complexity. Evolutionary design techniques can overcome these limitations by searching the design space and automatically finding effective solutions. In recent years, evolutionary algorithms have shown great promise in finding practical solutions in large, poorly understood design spaces. In particular, spacecraft antenna design has proven tractable to evolutionary design techniques. Researchers have been investigating evolutionary antenna design and optimization since the early 1990s, and the field has grown in recent years as computer speed has increased and electromagnetic simulators have improved. Two requirements-compliant antennas, one for ST5 and another for TDRS-C, have been automatically designed by evolutionary algorithms. The ST5 antenna is slated to fly this year, and a TDRS-C phased array element has been fabricated and tested. Such automated evolutionary design is enabled by medium-to-high quality simulators and fast modern computers to evaluate computer-generated designs. Evolutionary algorithms automate cut-and-try engineering, substituting automated search though millions of potential designs for intelligent search by engineers through a much smaller number of designs. For evolutionary design, the engineer chooses the evolutionary technique, parameters and the basic form of the antenna, e.g., single wire for ST5 and crossed-element Yagi for TDRS-C. Evolutionary algorithms then search for optimal configurations in the space defined by the engineer. NASA's Space Technology 5 (ST5) mission will launch three small spacecraft to test innovative concepts and technologies. Advanced evolutionary algorithms were used to automatically design antennas for ST5. The combination of wide beamwidth for a circularly-polarized wave and wide impedance bandwidth made for a challenging antenna design problem. From past experience in designing wire antennas, we chose to constrain the evolutionary design to a monopole wire antenna. The results of the runs produced requirements-compliant antennas that were subsequently fabricated and tested. The evolved antenna has a number of advantages with regard to power consumption, fabrication time and complexity, and performance. Lower power requirements result from achieving high gain across a wider range of elevation angles, thus allowing a broader range of angles over which maximum data throughput can be achieved. Since the evolved antenna does not require a phasing circuit, less design and fabrication work is required. In terms of overall work, the evolved antenna required approximately three person-months to design and fabricate whereas the conventional antenna required about five. Furthermore, when the mission was modified and new orbital parameters selected, a redesign of the antenna to new requirements was required. The evolutionary system was rapidly modified and a new antenna evolved in a few weeks. The evolved antenna was shown to be compliant to the ST5 mission requirements. It has an unusual organic looking structure, one that expert antenna designers would not likely produce. This antenna has been tested, baselined and is scheduled to fly this year. In addition to the ST5 antenna, our laboratory has evolved an S-band phased array antenna element design that meets the requirements for NASA's TDRS-C communications satellite scheduled for launch early next decade. A combination of fairly broad bandwidth, high efficiency and circular polarization at high gain made for another challenging design problem. We chose to constrain the evolutionary design to a crossed-element Yagi antenna. The specification called for two types of elements, one for receive only and one for transmit/receive. We were able to evolve a single element design that meets both specifications thereby simplifying the antenna and reducing testing and integration costs. The highest performance antenna found using a getic algorithm and stochastic hill-climbing has been fabricated and tested. Laboratory results correspond well with simulation. Aerospace component design is an expensive and important step in space development. Evolutionary design can make a significant contribution wherever sufficiently fast, accurate and capable software simulators are available. We have demonstrated successful real-world design in the spacecraft antenna domain; and there is good reason to believe that these results could be replicated in other design spaces.

Hornby, Gregory S.↗