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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 901 records · Page 50

Space Flight Handbooks, Volume 3 - Planetary Flight Handbook. Part 8 - Jupiter Swingby Missions to Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Supplement - Tabular Trajectory Data

The trajectory data are presented chronologically and are organized by holding the arrival date constant while varying the Earth departure date in increments of 10 days. Upon completion of the specified range of Earth departure dates, the arrival date is incremented and the range of departure dates is repeated. The range of departure and arrival dates and the corresponding increments are given in Table 5-1 for each launch opportunity. It should be noted that the interval in arrival date is increased in the long flight time region where the variation of the trajectory parameters is relatively small. The criteria used for the selection of these dates are, in general: (i) the minimum Earth departure hyperbolic excess speed (across the Earth departure window) shall not exceed 0.65 EMOS and (2) the periapsis radius at Jupiter shall not be less than 0.95 planet radii.

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Slitting flat conductor cables with the single cutting edge slitter

Manually operated slitter can cut single slit in flat conductor cable to any desired length. Lateral position of flat conductor cable is adjusted with aid of optical magnifier and cursor glass to ensure that slit is accurately placed between conductors. Multiple slits may be made by repeating procedure for single slit.

Angele, W.↗

Development and fabrication of lithium-doped solar cells

The application of contacts and coatings after lithium diffusion provides good electrical output and satisfactory contact adhesion by sintering for short times at temperatures less than the lithium diffusion temperature. High output and repeatability are obtainable from both oxygen-rich and oxygen-lean silicon. These fabrication sequence alterations have led to higher cell output, better appearance, and increased contact strength.

Iles, P. A.↗

Establishment of design criteria for acceptable failure modes and fail safe considerations for the space shuttle structural system

The application of general design approaches for preventing failures due to repeated load cycles is briefly discussed. Program objective, mission requirements, and structural design criteria are summarized. Discrete structural elements and associated sections were selected for detailed strength, fatigue, and fracture mechanics investigations.

Westrup, R. W.↗

Evaluation of some wide dynamic range readout systems for photoelectric integrating spectrometers

Five types of electronic circuits commonly used for readout of currents from photomultiplier tubes were evaluated. This evaluation was conducted to define the experimental limits of achieving the widest possible dynamic range of light detection and concentration measurements in spectrochemical analysis. The circuits evaluated included the photon-counting technique and four dc circuits. These circuits displayed a dynamic range from 3 to about 4.5 decades within a repeatability criterion of 1 percent, or better. The maximum dynamic range allowed by the photomultiplier tube in this application was estimated to be about 6 decades.

Franklin, M. L.↗

Results of scatterometer systems analysis for NASA/MSC Earth observation sensor evaluation program

A systems evaluation of the 13.3 GHz scatterometer system is presented. The effects of phase error between the scatterometer channels, antenna pattern deviations, aircraft attitude deviations, environmental changes, and other related factors such as processing errors, system repeatability, and propeller modulation, are established. Furthermore, the reduction in system errors and calibration improvement is investigated by taking into account these parameter deviations. Typical scatterometer data samples are presented.

Krishen, K.↗

Hamiltonian formulation of guiding center motion

The nonrelativistic guiding center motion of a charged particle in a static magnetic field is derived using the Hamiltonian formalism. By repeated application of first-order canonical perturbation theory, the first two adiabatic invariants and their averaged Hamiltonians are obtained, including the first-order correction terms. Other features of guiding center theory are also given, including lowest order drifts and the flux invariant.

Stern, D. P.↗

Design and analysis of an automatic method of measuring silicon-controlled-rectifier holding current

The design of an automated SCR holding-current measurement system is described. The circuits used in the measurement system were designed to meet the major requirements of automatic data acquisition, reliability, and repeatability. Performance data are presented and compared with calibration data. The data verified the accuracy of the measurement system. Data taken over a 48-hr period showed that the measurement system operated satisfactorily and met all the design requirements.

Maslowski, E. A.↗

A lightweight bimetallic actuator for spacecraft thermal control

The design, development, and construction of two types of active thermal-control systems are described. These designs are based on the controlled angular deflections of spiral-wound bimetallic actuators. The use of these actuators and lightweight louvers results in a frictionless system that is low in weight yet simple in design and low in cost. Both designs exhibit high reliability, good performance repeatability, and do not require power from the spacecraft. Design philosophy and implementation, design tradeoffs, and materials selection are reviewed. The test program is described, and results are presented.

Schilling, K. L.↗

A method for nonlinear exponential regression analysis

A computer-oriented technique is presented for performing a nonlinear exponential regression analysis on decay-type experimental data. The technique involves the least squares procedure wherein the nonlinear problem is linearized by expansion in a Taylor series. A linear curve fitting procedure for determining the initial nominal estimates for the unknown exponential model parameters is included as an integral part of the technique. A correction matrix was derived and then applied to the nominal estimate to produce an improved set of model parameters. The solution cycle is repeated until some predetermined criterion is satisfied.

Junkin, B. G.↗

VHF ranging and position fixing experiment using ATS satellites: Executive summary of final report on phases 1 and 2, 25 November - 1 May 1971

The VHF transponders of the ATS-1 and ATS-3 geostationary satellites were used in ranging and position fixing experiments. An interrogation signal was transmitted from a ground terminal to ATS-3, which relayed it to the vehicle transponders. The vehicle that was addressed repeated the signal and its response was relayed back through both satellites to the ground terminal, where propagation times were measured; lines-of-position and fixes were computed. The 0.43 second tone-code ranging signal contained a single audio tone frequency. Ambiguity was resolved and user craft identified by a simple digital code. Seven vehicles were used in the test: three aircraft, two ships, an oceanographic buoy, and a truck. Ionospheric and multipath effects were studied. It is concluded that a VHF system could have an accuracy of + or - one nautical mile for ships and aircraft if calibration transponders are used to monitor the ionosphere.

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Determination of atmospheric structure function by using a single coherent detector

A technique is described and analyzed for using the single beam laser receiver to measure the wave structure function of atmospheric turbulence. The measurement procedure is as follows: first, the telescope aperture is masked with an opaque screen having two small holes; one hole is covered and the output of the laser receiver is measured; finally, the output of the laser receiver is measured with both holes uncovered. By repeating these measurements for different hole separations, the wave structure function can be derermined.

Lang, R. H.↗

Fabrication and test of a space power boiler feed electromagnetic pump. 3: Endurance and final performance tests

A three-phase helical induction electromagnetic pump designed for the boiler feed pump of a potassium Rankine cycle space power system was developed and built. It was mounted in a liquid metal test loop and successfully tested over a range of potassium temperatures from 900 to 1400 F, flow rates from 0.75 to 4.85 lb/sec, developed pressures up to 340 psi, net positive suction head from 1 to 22 psi, and NaK coolant temperatures from 800 to 950 F. Maximum efficiency at design point conditions of 3.25 lb/sec flow rate, 240 psi developed head, 1000 F potassium inlet temperature, and 800 F NaK coolant inlet temperature was 16.3 percent. After the performance tests the pump was operated without any difficulty at design point for 10,000 hours, and then a limited number of repeat performance tests were made. There was no appreciable change in pump performance after 10,000 hours of operation. A supplementary series of tests using the quasi-square wave power output of a dc to three-phase ac inverter showed that the pump would operate without difficulty at a frequency as low as 25 Hz, with little loss in efficiency.

Powell, A. H.↗

Experimental investigation of Mach 3 cruise heating simulations on a representative wing structure for flight loads measurement

Radiant heating experiments were performed in the laboratory on an instrumented multispar wing structure to investigate: (1) how accurately the structural temperatures of a Mach 3 cruise-flight profile could be simulated, (2) what the effects of the heating and heating inaccuracies would be on the responses of strain-gage bridges installed on the structure, and (3) how these responses would affect flight loads measurements. Test temperatures throughout the structure agreed well with temperatures calculated for a Mach 3 profile. In addition, temperatures produced by two identical tests were repeatable to less than + or -6 K deg. Thermally induced strain-gage-bridge responses were large enough to be detrimental to a high-speed flight loads program with a goal of establishing aerodynamic loads (exclusive of thermal loads). It was shown that heating simulation can be used effectively for thermal calibration (that is, to provide corrections for a high-temperature environment), and that thermal calibration may not be needed if the simulation data are used to carefully select bridges and load equations.

Fields, R. A.↗

Pressure ramp programmer; IMBLMS Phase B4 Additional Tasks: Task 3.0 pressure ramp programmer

A pressure ramp programmer model was designed, fabricated and tested. This model, in conjunction with an automatic blood pressure monitor, automatically controls the pressure in the blood pressure monitor arterial cuff. The cuff pressurization cycle is designed to maximize accuracy and repeatability of blood pressure measurements. The key feature of this automatic cycle is rapid blood pressure cuff bleed down from an initial setting until systolic (diastolic) pressure is encountered followed by a short repressurization and slow bleed, long enough to permit accurate systolic (diastolic) pressure determination. The system includes a pressure reservoir which bleeds the cuff through a precision needle valve; a solenoid valve which permits rapid pressurization from the reservoir; and a pressure sensor which provides information for bleed rate and set point controls. Korotkoff sound signals from a microphone in the blood pressure cuff (not part of the system) provide decision information to the digital control system. The system completed a series of engineering tests using simulated Korotkoff sound inputs. The system performed successfully in all cases and was stable over an extended period of time.

Fogal, G. L.↗