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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 937 records · Page 52

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NASA NTRS1976

The emission-line spectrum above the limb of the quiet sun - 1175-1940 A

Spectra of a quiet solar region obtained at positions within and above the solar white-light limb in the wavelength region from 1175 to 1940 A are discussed. The spectra were obtained by the slit spectrograph (SO82-B) on Skylab. The spectral resolution is 0.06 A, and the projected slit area on the sun was 2 x 60 arcsec (1450 x 43500 km). Relative line intensities are presented for lines formed in the temperature region of the solar atmosphere from about 8000 to 220,000 K. Representative line profiles of both optically thin and optically thick lines are shown as a function of height above the limb. Random mass-motion velocities are deduced from the optically thin lines, and the relative intensities and profiles of the lines are discussed in terms of current theoretical models. A wavelength list with identifications is given for the spectrum obtained at +4 arcsec above the white-light limb.

Doschek, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Management of optics

American Science and Engineering, Inc., designed the large X-ray optic for the HEAO-2 X-ray Telescope. The key element in this project was the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA), subcontracting the fabrication of the optical surfaces and their assembly and alignment. The roles and organization of the key participants in the creation of HRMA are defined, and the degree of interaction between the groups is described. Management of this effort was extremely complex because of the intricate weaving of responsibilities, and AS&E, as HEAO-2 Program managers, needed to be well versed in the scientific objectives, the technical requirements, the program requirements, and the subcontract management. Understanding these factors was essential for implementing both technical and management controls, such as schedule and budget constraints, in-process control, residence requirements, and scientist review and feedback. Despite unforeseen technical problems and interaction differences, the HEAO-2 was built on schedule and to specification.

Kirchner, T. E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

FIFE: Analysis and results - A review

This paper describes the first results of the data analysis carried out for the First International Satellite Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment (FIFE) conducted over a 15 x 15 km grasslands study area in the central United States. Preliminary results show that the energy and mass flux data collected at several diurnal cycles during different parts of the growing season are of high quality. It was found that the canopy radiometric brightness temperature measured in the 10.4-12.3 microns is linearly related to seasonal variations in canopy aerodynamic temperature, and, thus, may provide a useful measure of sensible heat flux from the surface. Airborne monitoring of the mass and heat flux in the atmospheric boundary layer were found to be adequate for studies of the energy and mass budgets above the test site.

Hall, F. G.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Environmental test program for superconducting materials and devices

This report is divided into two parts. The first dealing with work involved with Clemson University and the second with the results from Westinghouse/Savannah River. Both areas of work involved low noise, low thermal conductivity superconducting grounding links used in the NASA-sponsored Spectroscopy of the Atmosphere using Far Infrared Emission (SAFIRE) Project. Clemson prepared the links from YBa2Cu3O(7-x) superconductor tape that was mounted on a printed circuit board and encapsulated with epoxy resin. The Clemson program includes temperature vs. resistance, liquid nitrogen immersion, water immersion, thermal cycling, humidity, and radiation testing. The evaluation of the links under a long term environmental test program is described. The Savannah River program includes gamma irradiation, vibration, and long-term evaluation. The progress made in these evaluations is discussed.

Haertling, Gene↗

NASA NTRS1994

Atomic data from the iron project. 3: Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of boron-like ions: Ne VI, Mg VIII, Al IX, Si X, S XII, Ar XIV, Ca XVI and Fe XXII

Collison strengths and maxwellian averaged rate coefficients have been calculated for the 105 transitions among all 15 fine structure levels of the 8 LS terms 2s(sup 2) 2 P(P-2(sup 0 sub 1/, 3/2)), 2s2p(sup 2)(P-4(sub 1/2,3/2,5/2), D-2(sub 3/2, 5/2), S-2(sub 1/2), P-2(sub 1/2, 3/2)), 2p(sup 3)(S-4(sup 0)(sub 3/2), D-2(sup 0 sub 3/2, 5/2), P-2(sup 0 sub 1/2, 3/2)) in highly- charged B-like Ne, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca and Fe. Rate coefficients have been tabulated at a wide range of temperatures, depending on the ion charge and abundance in plasma sources. Earlier work for O IV has also been extended to include the high temperature range. A brief discussion of the calculations, sample results, and comparison with earlier works is also given. While much of the new data should be applicable to UV spectral diagnostics, the new rates for the important ground state fine structure transition P-2(sup 0 sub 1/2)-P-2(sup 0 sub 3/2) should result in significant revision of the IR cooling rates in plasmas where B-like ions are prominent constituents, since the new rate coefficients are generally higher by several factors compared with the older data.

Zhang, Hong Lin↗

NASA NTRS2001

Internal Consistency of the NVAP Water Vapor Dataset

The NVAP (NASA Water Vapor Project) dataset is a global dataset at 1 x 1 degree spatial resolution consisting of daily, pentad, and monthly atmospheric precipitable water (PW) products. The analysis blends measurements from the Television and Infrared Operational Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS), the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), and radiosonde observations into a daily collage of PW. The original dataset consisted of five years of data from 1988 to 1992. Recent updates have added three additional years (1993-1995) and incorporated procedural and algorithm changes from the original methodology. Since each of the PW sources (TOVS, SSM/I, and radiosonde) do not provide global coverage, each of these sources compliment one another by providing spatial coverage over regions and during times where the other is not available. For this type of spatial and temporal blending to be successful, each of the source components should have similar or compatible accuracies. If this is not the case, regional and time varying biases may be manifested in the NVAP dataset. This study examines the consistency of the NVAP source data by comparing daily collocated TOVS and SSM/I PW retrievals with collocated radiosonde PW observations. The daily PW intercomparisons are performed over the time period of the dataset and for various regions.

Suggs, Ronnie J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Operations Analysis of Space Shuttle System

The space science program at NASA since 1950's has gone through stages of development and implementation in rocketry and scientific advancement. It has become the nation's largest scientific institution of research and innovation for space exploration and military research, and overall a pride of the nation at an exorbitant cost. After placing man on moon, space shuttle program at NASA is an on-going project with a high success rate at an average cost of about $450m per flight. A future endeavor from both government and private sectors needs to be undertaken for commercialization of this expensive mission. In order to attract private enterprises, it needs to boost up its operations with better technology at lower cost to cope with rapid changes in scientific advancement and economic competition. Thus, a second-generation reusable launch vehicle (2GRLV) will play a major role in future operation of NASA centers. Envisioning this potential way of saving the program by reducing the cost, NASA is currently managing an innovative program called the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) to develop key technologies that will support the development of second-generation reusable launch vehicles (RLV) which will be more economical and safer and reliable than the existing space shuttle system. The selection of which technologies to fund for further development is being based on their likelihood to contribute to providing cost reduction or safety improvements. It is envisioned that in the 2006 timeframe, NASA will make a decision as to whether or not to commit to the replacement of the current space shuttle system with a new RLV. The decision to proceed with a new RLV will be partly based on the likelihood that the new system will be better than the existing space shuttle. Government and private entrepreneurs are currently considering four different types of RLV projects: commercial programs, government programs, international concepts, and X Prize competitors. NASA has already commissioned a series of X-programs to study the future RLV program. Today, NASA decision makers need analytical tools to help determine which technologies to fund the development of this technology. In the 2006 timeframe, these same decision makers will need analytical tools to evaluate and compare various RLV architectures, including the existing space shuttle so as to make the best decision for whether or not to proceed with the development of a new RLV, and if so, then which one. A study is conducted here to establish ground level knowledge from the historical data and expertise experiences of the field personnel. Such information is compiled in the form of mission statement, goals, space shuttle operations, payloads and cargo constraints, resource constraints, and bottlenecks to the enhancement vector.

Bhaba R. Sarker↗

NASA NTRS2004

Membership and Coronal Activity in the NGC 2232 and Cr 140 Open Clusters

Making use of eight archival ROSAT HRI images in the regions of the NGC 2232 and Cr 140, this project's primary focus is to identify X-ray sources and to extract net source counts for these sources in these two open clusters. These X-ray data would be combined with ground-based photometry and spectroscopy in order to identify G, K, and early-M type cluster members. Such membership data are important because, at present, no members later than spectral type approx. F5 are currently known for either cluster. With ages estimated to be approx. 25 Myr and at distances of just approx. 350 pc, the combined late-type membership of the NGC 2232 and Cr 140 clusters would yield an almost unique sample of solar-type stars in the post-T Tauri/pre-main sequence phase of evolution. These stars could be used to assess the level and dispersion of coronal activity levels, as a part of a probe of the importance of magnetic braking and the level of magnetic dynamo activity, for solar-type stars just before they reach the zero-age main sequence.

Oliversen, Ronald J.↗

NASA NTRS1998

64Mb COTS DRAMs: A Variety of SEE Responses

Advanced commercial DRAMs are particularly attractive to designers for space applications needing large memory arrays due to resulting savings in mass, volume, and power.

(MCMs)↗

NASA NTRS2016

Design and Development of NEA Scout Solar Sail Deployer Mechanism

The 6U (approximately 10cm x 20cm x 30cm) cubesat Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout1, projected for launch in September 2018 aboard the maiden voyage of the Space Launch System (SLS), will utilize a solar sail as its main method of propulsion throughout its approximately 3 year mission to a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA). Due to the extreme volume constraints levied onto the mission, an acutely compact solar sail deployment mechanism has been designed to meet the volume and mass constraints, as well as provide enough propulsive solar sail area and quality in order to achieve mission success. The design of such a compact system required the development of approximately half a dozen prototypes in order to identify unforeseen problems, advance solutions, and build confidence in the final design product. This paper focuses on the obstacles of developing a solar sail deployment mechanism for such an application and the lessons learned from a thorough development process. The lessons presented will have significant applications beyond the NEA Scout mission, such as the development of other deployable boom mechanisms and uses for gossamer-thin films in space.

Sobey, Alexander R.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Design and Development of NEA Scout Solar Sail Deployer Mechanism

The 6U (approximately10cm x 20cm x 30cm) cubesat Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout, projected for launch in September 2018 aboard the maiden voyage of the Space Launch System (SLS), will utilize a solar sail as its main method of propulsion throughout its approximately 3 year mission to a near earth asteroid. Due to the extreme volume constraints levied onto the mission, an acutely compact solar sail deployment mechanism has been designed to meet the volume and mass constraints, as well as provide enough propulsive solar sail area and quality in order to achieve mission success. The design of such a compact system required the development of approximately half a dozen prototypes in order to identify unforeseen problems and advance solutions. Though finite element analysis was performed during this process in an attempt to quantify forces present within the mechanism during deployment, both the boom and the sail materials do not lend themselves to achieving high-confidence results. This paper focuses on the obstacles of developing a solar sail deployment mechanism for such an application and the lessons learned from a thorough development process. The lessons presented here will have significant applications beyond the NEA Scout mission, such as the development of other deployable boom mechanisms and uses for gossamer-thin films in space.

Sobey, Alexander R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

DIP Overview to Collins

High level introduction of Digital Information Platform (DIP) objectives as a sub-project under Airspace Traffic Management - Exploration (ATM-X). Important information is emerging in digital form and additional effort is required to utilize this information. DIP will provide the capability to integrate key flight information from multiple sources. DIP is currently in planning phase will take a community-involved, collaborative approach to define and develop the framework. DIP is seeking community and stakeholder input to operational needs, metrics of interest and demonstration contribution.

Digital Information Platform↗

NASA NTRS2023

Autonomous Cargo Management and Distribution for Surface Logistics

The BLiSS: Cargo Management and Retrieval project is a submission to the NASA X-Hab challenge for an autonomous system of cargo storage and retrieval for use on the Lunar Gateway system. The system is designed to stow 5 tonnes of cargo within a capsule that has an internal diameter of 3.2 meters and height of 6 meters for cargo that will be up to 0.8 meters in any one dimension. The system will inventory all cargo items placed in each cargo container and then track the containers using RFID chips for autonomous stowage and retrieval upon request by on-station crew.

Luke McFarling↗

NASA NTRS2024

Intelligent Devices/Equipment/Instruments (IDEI) for Enabling Crew Health and Performance on Mars

The Moon to Mars eXploration Systems and Habitation (M2M X-Hab) 2024 Academic Innovation Challenge features a project titled “Intelligent Devices/Equipment/Instruments (IDEI) for Enabling Crew Health and Performance on Mars”. The project calls for the development of prototype IDEIs “that could be used for implementing integrated system health management for Crew Health and Performance (CHP) required for crew living on Mars for extended periods of time”. Thus, the deliverable for the project is not only a prototype exercise device, but also an ontology that provides insight into the best ways to exercise on Mars. To that end, we on the BLiSS team, supported by advisors from industry and academia, set out to ideate an exercise ontology and demonstrate its effectiveness through a functional prototype. To achieve the stakeholders’ requests, the device must operate semi-autonomously, must be an analog for an extant exercise device on Earth, and must provide quantitative information about the exercise and the device’s own state of health. Here, we define “semi-autonomous” as referring to the fact that while the system should be as autonomous as possible, there are some processes that the system cannot fulfill on its own. These include, but are not limited to, user identification, physical exercise reconfiguration, and wearable sensor placement.

llyana Smith↗

DOE OSTI2015

Not all Greater-Than-Class c (GTCC) waste streams are created equal - 15373

Greater-Than-Class C (GTCC) waste is a low level radioactive waste (LLRW) that exceeds the Class C concentration limits in Part 61.55 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Typically, this waste consists of irradiated metal components from reactors such as core shrouds, support plates, and core barrels, as well as filters and resins from reactor operations and decommissioning. Sealed sources used at hospitals, medical schools, research facilities, and universities can also be classified as GTCC waste. A third category, 'Other Waste', consisting of contaminated equipment, rubble, scrap metal, filters, soil, and solidified sludges may be classified as GTCC waste based on their differing radionuclides and concentration levels. The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 requires the Federal Government to take responsibility for the disposal of GTCC waste. All GTCC waste created from U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensed activities, under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, must be disposed of in an NRC licensed facility that has been determined to be adequate to protect public health and safety. Information from Argonne National Laboratory's supplemental report on GTCC waste from 2010 anticipates that the total volume of GTCC waste will be approximately 8,800 m{sup 3} (311,000 ft{sup 3}) and the projected activity of that waste will be 5.92 x 10{sup 6} TBq (160 MCi) with generation activities ending in 2083. Currently, there is no pathway for the disposal of GTCC waste in the United States. A performance-based approach may be used to subdivide GTCC waste into various waste streams by reviewing the characteristics of GTCC waste with its associated hazards. Characteristics of GTCC waste include half-life and concentration. In creating the 10 CFR Part 61 waste classification tables, which define GTCC concentrations, a number of assumptions were made regarding waste inventory and exposure scenarios for the inadvertent intruder for a generic LLRW disposal facility. The findings from other exposure scenarios (e.g., construction, agriculture, well drilling), together with the findings from evaluations of radiological characteristics of GTCC, could be used as part of a performance-based approach for categorizing GTCC waste. The findings may determine that some GTCC waste streams will be closer in characteristics to Class C waste, while other GTCC waste streams will have characteristics similar to high-level waste and may require a higher degree of isolation from the public. The application of a site-specific and performance-based approach to GTCC waste stream characterization could assist the NRC in developing specific technical requirements for future disposal of various types of GTCC waste. Examples of part of a performance-based approach that examine and evaluate the radiological characteristics of GTCC waste will be presented. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2015

Patient-bounded extrapolation using low-dose priors for volume-of-interest imaging in C-arm CT

Purpose: Three-dimensional (3D) volume-of-interest (VOI) imaging with C-arm systems provides anatomical information in a predefined 3D target region at a considerably low x-ray dose. However, VOI imaging involves laterally truncated projections from which conventional reconstruction algorithms generally yield images with severe truncation artifacts. Heuristic based extrapolation methods, e.g., water cylinder extrapolation, typically rely on techniques that complete the truncated data by means of a continuity assumption and thus appear to be ad-hoc. It is our goal to improve the image quality of VOI imaging by exploiting existing patient-specific prior information in the workflow. Methods: A necessary initial step prior to a 3D acquisition is to isocenter the patient with respect to the target to be scanned. To this end, low-dose fluoroscopic x-ray acquisitions are usually applied from anterior–posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) views. Based on this, the patient is isocentered by repositioning the table. In this work, we present a patient-bounded extrapolation method that makes use of these noncollimated fluoroscopic images to improve image quality in 3D VOI reconstruction. The algorithm first extracts the 2D patient contours from the noncollimated AP and ML fluoroscopic images. These 2D contours are then combined to estimate a volumetric model of the patient. Forward-projecting the shape of the model at the eventually acquired C-arm rotation views gives the patient boundary information in the projection domain. In this manner, we are in the position to substantially improve image quality by enforcing the extrapolated line profiles to end at the known patient boundaries, derived from the 3D shape model estimate. Results: The proposed method was evaluated on eight clinical datasets with different degrees of truncation. The proposed algorithm achieved a relative root mean square error (rRMSE) of about 1.0% with respect to the reference reconstruction on nontruncated data, even in the presence of severe truncation, compared to a rRMSE of 8.0% when applying a state-of-the-art heuristic extrapolation technique. Conclusions: The method we proposed in this paper leads to a major improvement in image quality for 3D C-arm based VOI imaging. It involves no additional radiation when using fluoroscopic images that are acquired during the patient isocentering process. The model estimation can be readily integrated into the existing interventional workflow without additional hardware.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Captan+X Data Converter Integration

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory's CAPTAN (Compact And Programmable daTa Acquisition Node) series provides a flexible hardware platform for data acquisition across a range of experiments and facilities. The latest iteration, CAPTAN+X, is built around a Kintex-7 FPGA supporting four FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC) connections. As part of a broader laboratory effort to bring facility systems under a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) framework, CAPTAN+X is one of several systems slated to be incorporated into this modeling environment in the near term. A necessary step toward that goal is incorporating the platform's core functionality, which centers on integration with the LXD31K4 FMC, a data converter module combining dual AD9652 analog-to-digital converters and dual AD9142A digital-to-analog converters. Achieving compatibility required resolving pin-mapping conflicts between the LXD31K4's High Pin Count connector and the CAPTAN+X's available pin types, adapting a Board Support Project originally written for an UltraScale-class evaluation board to the Kintex-7 architecture, replacing incompatible primitives, restructuring clock distribution, and manually configuring chip initialization in place of an unsupported soft-processor-based approach. Functional verification of the ADC and DAC channels, followed by closed-loop testing combining both converters with real-time filtering, confirmed correct operation of the integrated system. These results establish a working hardware and firmware baseline for the CAPTAN+X platform, positioning it for future inclusion in the laboratory's growing MBSE modeling effort.

Espinoza, David [Illinois U., Urbana (main)]↗

DOE OSTI2026

CAPTAN+X Data Converter Integration

Espinoza, David [Illinois U., Urbana (main)]↗