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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 991 records · Page 55
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Evaluation of Skylab earth laser beacon imagery

During the Skylab 3 and 4 missions the Skylab spacecraft was illuminated by a low power argon ion and dye laser. The earth laser beacon was studied visually by the astronauts. In addition, they collected 35 mm hand-held color photographs of the beacons. Photographs are shown that were obtained on Skylab 3 and Skylab 4. The imagery collected during the Skylab mission was analyzed to evaluate the utility of beacon lasers as terrestial 'artificial stars' for space navigation. The analyses of the imagery revealed two unusual features of the earth laser beacon: (1) The beacon, even though of a low power (approximately 1 watt), is considerably brighter than any other terrain feature and is readily visible on imagery at a distance in excess of 1500 km (900 miles). (2) Another feature of the beacon is its large size. The typical beacon extends over about 5 resolution areas with a characteristic dimension of about 200 m.

Piech, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Operational plans for life science payloads - From experiment selection through postflight reporting

Key features of operational plans developed in a study of the Space Shuttle era life science payloads program are presented. The data describes the overall acquisition, staging, and integration of payload elements, as well as program implementation methods and mission support requirements. Five configurations were selected as representative payloads: (a) carry-on laboratories - medical emphasis experiments, (b) mini-laboratories - medical/biology experiments, (c) seven-day dedicated laboratories - medical/biology experiments, (d) 30-day dedicated laboratories - Regenerative Life Support Evaluation (RLSE) with selected life science experiments, and (e) Biomedical Experiments Scientific Satellite (BESS) - extended duration primate (Type I) and small vertebrate (Type II) missions. The recommended operational methods described in the paper are compared to the fundamental data which has been developed in the life science Spacelab Mission Simulation (SMS) test series. Areas assessed include crew training, experiment development and integration, testing, data-dissemination, organization interfaces, and principal investigator working relationships.

Mccollum, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Einstein observations of extended galactic X-ray sources

Features of the X-ray pictures taken aboard the space observatory are presented. Imaging proportional counter pictures in three broad X-ray energy ranges were obtained. The X-ray spectrum of supernova remnants is described.

Seward, F. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Beam stresses induced by a turbulent boundary layer and simulated with a reverberant acoustic field

Unsteady pressure fluctuations are a feature of the flow field of an airplane or a space vehicle in atmospheric flight. Undesirable effects of these fluctuations range from internal (cabin) noise to structural fatigue and damage of avionic and ordnance systems. The integrity to withstand these fluctuating loads is established through reverberant room acoustical qualification testing. The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology of simulating turbulent boundary layer fluctuating pressure loading for a simply supported beam with a reverberant acoustic field. This goal was accomplished using normal mode vibration analysis. The main results were developed in terms of dimensionless quantities such as turbulent boundary layer spectrums, reverberant acoustical field simulation spectrums, and stress response spectrums with parameters: dimensionless fundamental frequency, Mach number, and relative boundary layer displacement thickness.

Schutzenhofer, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The topography of Ganymede's grooved terrain

Using the technique of photoclinometry, topographic profiles across areas of grooved terrain and several other features on Ganymede have been constructed. The grooved terrain examined consists of subparallel grooves spaced 3-10 km apart. Topographic amplitudes are typically 300-400 m, with a maximum of about 700 m. Slopes are very gentle and tend to be primarily concave upward. Very few major positive relief features exist on Ganymede. The most important of these is a broad, gently sloping dome-shaped feature 260 km in diameter and over 2 km high.

Squyres, S. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Aerothermodynamic entry environment of the Space Shuttle Orbiter

The entry aerothermodynamic environment for the Space Shuttle vehicle was an important factor in the design of the Orbiter. A design goal established during the initial study phase of the Shuttle program was to minimize the thermal protection system's weight. A description is presented of the design approach and preliminary flight test results relative to the entry heating environment for the complex flowfield regions of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Attention is given to Orbiter aerothermodynamic design features, aspects of trajectory development, the wind tunnel test program, heating environments, boundary-layer transition problems, and the flight test program.

Lee, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Intensified charge coupled devices for use as a spaceborne spectrographic image-plane detector system

An instrument that has been developed for studies of atmospheric emissions from the Space Shuttle comprises an array of imaging spectrometers to observe features over the 300-12,000-A wavelength range. Each spectrometer has a 2-D image-plane detector system on which spectral information is dispersed in one direction and spatial information is resolved in the other. The detectors consist of CCD arrays which are coupled to proximity focused image intensifiers. The intensifier in each case is selected for the wavelength range covered by the particular spectrometer. The result is a compact low-power spectrographic detector system. In the course of building the five flight detector systems, there was occasion to evaluate a larger number of the charge coupled devices and the proximity focused image intensifiers. Various characteristics, advantages, and shortcomings of these devices and the overall intensified CCD system are reported.

Torr, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Use of interactive graphics to analyze QUICK-geometry: Supplement

The advantages of using interactive computer graphics to display aircraft geometry to aid in detection and analysis of errors are described. The QUICK geometry system is reviewed and the Quick Interactive Graphics Analysis (QUIAGA) program is described. This QUIAGA program was developed to exercise the QUICK geometry subroutines to examine in several modes on a graphics terminal. Its use in the detection and analysis of errors in the QUICK geometry definition can be of great assistance in speedily arriving at a correct analytical geometry description for flow field computation. Experience with the program in developing a QUICK geometry model of the NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter is used to show some of its features. Appendixes giving details of program usage and an example session are included.

Townsend, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Battery charge control with temperature compensated voltage limit

Battery charge control for orbiting spacecraft with mission durations from three to ten years, is a critical design feature that is discussed. Starting in 1974, the General Electric Space Systems Division designed, manufactured and tested battery systems for six different space programs. Three of these are geosynchronous missions, two are medium altitude missions and one is a near-earth mission. All six power subsystems contain nickel cadmium batteries which are charged using a temperature compensated voltage limit. This charging method was found to be successful in extending the life of nickel cadmium batteries in all three types of earth orbits. Test data and flight data are presented for each type of orbit.

Thierfelder, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Basic facts about Venus

Because of the disturbing influence of the earth's atmosphere on terrestrial and airborne telescopy, radiometry, thermal mapping, spectroscopy, polarimetry and radar astronomy of Venus, major improvements in the body of theory concerning that planet, began with the Mariner 2 planetary exploration program in 1962. The effect of spacecraft exploration culminated with the influx of data yielded by the Pioneer Venus and Venera 11 and 12 missions of 1978. Attention is presently given to the quantitative enhancement of widely accepted, basic facts about Venus that has resulted from the analysis of space probe data, together with an overview of the major features of past and planned planetary missions.

Colin, L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Thermal management considerations for 100 kW(e) In-Core Thermionic Space Nuclear Power System

The general thermal management approach for the SP-100 In-Core Thermionic Space Nuclear Power System is presented. Thermal advantages and design features of the heat transport subsystem are addressed, including the selection of parameters, heat transport fluid, and materials. Pumping considerations, thermal insulation requirements, and radiator design are discussed, and the impacts of system scaling to higher power levels are projected.

Van Hagan, T. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Measuring Ada as a software development technology in the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL)

An experiment is in progress to measure the effectiveness of Ada in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Goddard Space Flight Center flight dynamics software development environment. The experiment features the parallel development of software in FORTRAN and Ada. The experiment organization, objectives, and status are discussed. Experiences with an Ada training program and data from the development of a 5700-line Ada training exercise are reported.

Agresti, W. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Evaluation of on-orbit cryogenic propellant depot options for the orbital transfer vehicle

An orbital cryogenic propellant storage facility will be required for a space-based Orbital Transfer Vehicle. The facility tanks will have features to permit fluid acquisition and transfer in low gravity and to limit cryogen boiloff caused by environmental heating. Boiloff management features will include thick multilayer insulation, vapor-cooled shields, low conductance structural supports and penetrations, and possibly refrigeration systems.

Schuster, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Effects of gravity perturbation on developing animal systems

The use of developing animal systems to analyze the effects of microgravity on animals is discussed. Some of the key features of developing systems, especially embryos, are reviewed and relevant space data are summarized. Issues to be addressed in the design of future space experiments are discussed. It is noted that an embryo which exhibits ground based gravity effects should be selected for use as a model system and individual variation in gravity response among batches of embryos should be taken into account.

Malacinski, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Tailoring Laminates For Protection Against Projectiles

Fiber/matrix composite laminates developed to protect military land vehicles against projectiles and spacecraft against impacts by micrometeroids. Although types, sizes, and velocities of expected incident objects differ between terrestrial and outer-space cases, general protection problems and solutions exhibit some common features. Configurations of fibers and matrices optimized with respect to protection, bulk, and weight, to obtain shield that breaks rapidly moving incident object into harmless smaller, more-slowly-moving pieces, containing debris, vaporizes debris, and/or otherwise absorbs kinetic energy of object to prevent harm to vehicle and occupants.

Gassner, John J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An extended Lagrangian method

A unique formulation of describing fluid motion is presented. The method, referred to as 'extended Lagrangian method', is interesting from both theoretical and numerical points of view. The formulation offers accuracy in numerical solution by avoiding numerical diffusion resulting from mixing of fluxes in the Eulerian description. Meanwhile, it also avoids the inaccuracy incurred due to geometry and variable interpolations used by the previous Lagrangian methods. Unlike the Lagrangian method previously imposed which is valid only for supersonic flows, the present method is general and capable of treating subsonic flows as well as supersonic flows. The method proposed in this paper is robust and stable. It automatically adapts to flow features without resorting to clustering, thereby maintaining rather uniform grid spacing throughout and large time step. Moreover, the method is shown to resolve multi-dimensional discontinuities with a high level of accuracy, similar to that found in one-dimensional problems.

Liou, Meng-Sing↗
NASA NTRS1992

Photovoltaic Array Space Power flight experiment plus diagnostics (PASP+) modules

The Photovoltaic Array Space Power Plus Diagnostics flight experiment (PASP+) subsumes twelve solar array modules which represent the state of the art in the space photovoltaic array industry. Each of the twelve modules individually feature specific photovoltaic technologies such as advanced semiconductor materials, multi-bandgap structures, lightweight array designs, advanced interconnect technologies, or concentrator array designs. This paper will describe each module in detail including the configuration, components, materials, anticipated on orbit performance, and some of the aspects of each array technology. The layout of each module and the photovoltaic cells or array cross section will be presented graphically. A discussion on the environmental constraints and materials selection will be included as well as a delineation of the differences between the modules and the baseline array configuration in its intended application.

Cooley, William T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

An extended Lagrangian method

A unique formulation of describing fluid motion is presented. The method, referred to as 'extended Lagrangian method', is interesting from both theoretical and numerical points of view. The formulation offers accuracy in numerical solution by avoiding numerical diffusion resulting from mixing of fluxes in the Eulerian description. Meanwhile, it also avoids the inaccuracy incurred due to geometry and variable interpolations used by the previous Lagrangian methods. The present method is general and capable of treating subsonic flows as well as supersonic flows. The method proposed in this paper is robust and stable. It automatically adapts to flow features without resorting to clustering, thereby maintaining rather uniform grid spacing throughout and large time step. Moreover, the method is shown to resolve multidimensional discontinuities with a high level of accuracy, similar to that found in 1D problems.

Liou, Meng-Sing↗