Cube Quest Challenge - Eligibility and Teaming Requirements, Challenge Prizes
No abstract available
Ortega, Sam↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “SAMS”
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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Immune Dysregulation Persists During Spaceflight: Case Study of an ISS Astronaut
No abstract available
Crucian, Brian↗
High-Performance LWIR Superlattice Detectors and FPA Based on CBIRD Design
We report our recent efforts on advancing of antimonide superlattice based infrared photodetectors and demonstration of focal plane arrays based on a complementary barrier infrared detector (CBIRD) design. By optimizing design and growth condition we succeeded to reduce the operational bias of CBIRD single pixel detector without increase of dark current or degradation of quantum efficiency. We demonstrated a 1024x1024 pixel long-wavelength infrared focal plane array utilizing CBIRD design. An 11.5 micrometer cutoff focal plane without anti-reflection coating has yielded noise equivalent differential temperature of 53 mK at operating temperature of 80 K, with 300 K background and cold-stop. Imaging results from a recent 10 micrometer cutoff focal plane array are also presented. These results advance state-of-the art of superlattice detectors and demonstrated advantages of CBIRD architecture for realization of FPA.
heterostructure↗
3D Imaging with a Single-Aperture 3-mm Objective Lens: Concept, Fabrication and Test
There are many advantages to minimally invasive surgery (MIS). An endoscope is the optical system of choice by the surgeon for MIS. The smaller the incision or opening made to perform the surgery, the smaller the optical system needed. For minimally invasive neurological and skull base surgeries the openings are typically 10-mm in diameter (dime sized) or less. The largest outside diameter (OD) endoscope used is 4mm. A significant drawback to endoscopic MIS is that it only provides a monocular view of the surgical site thereby lacking depth information for the surgeon. A stereo view would provide the surgeon instantaneous depth information of the surroundings within the field of view, a significant advantage especially during brain surgery. Providing 3D imaging in an endoscopic objective lens system presents significant challenges because of the tight packaging constraints. This paper presents a promising new technique for endoscopic 3D imaging that uses a single lens system with complementary multi-bandpass filters (CMBFs), and describes the proof-of-concept demonstrations performed to date validating the technique. These demonstrations of the technique have utilized many commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components including the ones used in the endoscope objective.
surgery↗
DESDynI : Quad First Stage Processor - a Four Channel Digitizer and Digital Beam Forming Processor
No abstract available
climate change↗
Ultimate Limits to Resource Efficiency in Photonic Communication
We review resource-efficiency metrics for transferring classical information with photon, present an overview of the ultimate limits to photon and dimensional efficiency permitted by quantum mechanics, as well as that acheived with structured transmitter-receiver pairs.
background noise↗
Risk of Crew Adverse Health Event Due to Altered Immune Response
Determining the effect of space travel on the human immune system has proven to be extremely challenging. Limited opportunities for in-flight studies, varying mission durations, technical and logistical obstacles, small subject numbers, and a broad range of potential assays have contributed to this problem. Additionally, the inherent complexity of the immune system, with its vast array of cell populations, sub-populations, diverse regulatory molecules, and broad interactions with other physiological systems, makes determining precise variables to measure very difficult. There is also the challenge of determining the clinical significance of any observed immune alterations. Will such a change lead to disease, or is it a transient subclinical observation related to short-term stress? The effect of this problem may be observed by scanning publications associated with immunity and spaceflight, which began to appear during the 1970s. Although individually they are each valid studies, the comprehensive literature to date suffers from widely varying sampling methods and assay techniques, low subject counts, and sometimes a disparate focus on narrow aspects of immunity. The most clinically relevant data are derived from in-flight human studies, which have demonstrated altered cell-mediated immunity and reactivation of latent herpes viruses. Much more data are available from post-flight testing of humans, with clear evidence of altered cytokine production patterns, altered leukocyte distribution, continued latent viral reactivation, and evidence of dramatically altered virus-specific immunity. It is unknown if post-flight assessments relate to the in-flight condition or are a response to landing stress and readaptation. In-flight culture of cells has clearly demonstrated that immune cells are gravity-sensitive and display altered functional characteristics. It is unknown if these data are related to in vivo immune cell function or are an artifact of microgravity culture. Ground analog testing of humans and animals, as well as microgravity-analog cell culture, has demonstrated utility. However, in all cases, it is not known with certainty if these data would reflect similar testing during space travel. Given their ready availability, ground analogs may be extremely useful for assay development and the evaluation of potential countermeasures. In general, the evidence base suffers from widely disparate studies on small numbers of subjects that do not directly correlate well with each other or spaceflight itself. Also lacking are investigations of the effect of gender on adaption to spaceflight. This results in significant knowledge 'gaps' that must be filled by future studies to completely determine any clinical risk related to immunity for human exploration-class space missions. These gaps include a significant lack of in-flight data, particularly during long-duration space missions. The International Space Station represents an excellent science platform with which to address this knowledge gap. Other knowledge gaps include lack of a single validated ground analog for the phenomenon and a lack of flight-compatible laboratory equipment capable of monitoring astronauts (for either clinical or research purposes). However, enough significant data exist, as described in this manuscript, to warrant addressing this phenomenon during the utilization phase of the ISS. A recent Space Shuttle investigation has confirmed the 31 in-flight nature of immune dysregulation, demonstrating that it is not merely a post-flight phenomenon. Several current studies are ongoing onboard the ISS that should thoroughly characterize the phenomenon. NASA recognizes that if spaceflight-associated immune dysregulation persists during exploration flights in conjunction with other dangers, such as high-energy radiation, the result may be a significant clinical risk. This emphasizes the need for a continued integrated comprehensive approach to determining the effect of prolonged spaceflight, separated from transient launch and landing stresses, on human immunity. After such studies, the phenomenon will be understood, and, hopefully, a monitoring strategy will have been developed that could be used to monitor the effectiveness of countermeasure
Crucian, Brian↗
Optical Studies on Antimonide Superlattice Infrared Detector Material
In this study the material quality and optical properties of type II InAs/GaSb superlattices are investigated using transmission and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The influence of the material quality on the intensity of the luminescence and on the electrical properties of the detectors is studied and a good correlation between the photodetector current-voltage (IV) characteristics and the PL intensity is observed. Studies of the temperature dependence of the PL reveal that Shockley-Read-Hall processes are limiting the minority carrier lifetime in both the mid-IR wavelength and the long-IR wavelength detector material studied. These results demonstrate that PL spectroscopy is a valuable tool for optimization of infrared detectors.
heterostructure↗
Millimeter-Wave Wireless Power Transfer Technology for Space Applications
In this paper we present a new compact, scalable, and low cost technology for efficient receiving of power using RF waves at 94 GHz. This technology employs a highly innovative array of slot antennas that is integrated on substrate composed of gold (Au), silicon (Si), and silicon dioxide (SiO2) layers. The length of the slots and spacing between them are optimized for a highly efficient beam through a 3-D electromagnetic simulation process. Antenna simulation results shows a good beam profile with very low side lobe levels and better than 93% antenna efficiency.
Slot Antenna↗
Minority Carrier Lifetime Studies of Narrow Bandgap Antimonide Superlattices
In this study optical modulation response and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to study mid-wave Ga-free InAs/InAsSb superlattices. The minority carrier lifetimes in the different samples varied from 480 ns to 4700 ns, partly due to different background doping concentrations. It was shown that the photoluminescence intensity can be used as a fast non-destructive tool to predict the material quality. It was also demonstrated that it is crucial to use a low excitation power in the photoluminescence measurements in order to get a good correlation between the photoluminescence intensity and the minority carrier lifetime.
minority carrier lifetime↗
A Flight-Calibrated Methodology for Determination of Cassini Thruster On-Times for Reaction Wheel Biases
The Cassini spacecraft, the largest and most complex interplanetary spacecraft ever built, continues to undertake unique scientific observations of planet Saturn, Titan, Enceladus, and other moons of the ring world. In order to maintain a stable attitude during the course of its mission, this three-axis stabilized spacecraft uses two different control systems: the Reaction Control System (or RCS) and the Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA) control system. In the course of its mission, Cassini performs numerous reaction wheel momentum biases (or unloads) using its reaction control thrusters. The use of the RCS thrusters often imparts undesired velocity changes (delta Vs) on the spacecraft and it is crucial for Cassini navigation and attitude control teams to be able to, quickly but accurately, predict the hydrazine usage and delta V vector in Earth Mean Equatorial (J2000) inertial coordinates for reaction wheel bias events, without actually having to spend time and resources simulating the event in a dynamic or hardware-in-the-loop simulation environments. The flight-calibrated methodology described in this paper, and the ground software developed thereof, are designed to provide the RCS thruster on-times, with acceptable accuracy and without any form of dynamic simulation, for reaction wheel biases, along with the hydrazine usage and the delta V in EME-2000 inertial frame.
Reaction Control System↗
Status of 3D Ice Shape Measurement Effort
(1) Main goal of the Airframe Icing Technical Challenge is to achieve acceptance of experimental and computational icing simulation tools -SupercooledLarge Droplet Icing (SLD) conditions -3D airframe components including swept wings; (2) It is necessary to develop suitable means of recording and archiving fully 3D descriptions of experimental ice accretion geometry; (3) Past research has shown that commercial laser scanners have the potential to be adapted to this task; and (4) A research plan has been developed to implement and validate the use of this technology for experimental ice accretions.
Lee, Sam↗
Flexible Ultrasound System (FUS) for Exploration and Human Research
No abstract available
Thompson, William K.↗
Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Network Simulation Tool Development and Its Use Cases
In this work, we focus on the development of a simulation tool to assist in analysis of current and future (proposed) network architectures for NASA. Specifically, the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Network is being architected as an integrated set of new assets and a federation of upgraded legacy systems. The SCaN architecture for the initial missions for returning humans to the moon and beyond will include the Space Network (SN) and the Near-Earth Network (NEN). In addition to SCaN, the initial mission scenario involves a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), the International Space Station (ISS) and NASA Integrated Services Network (NISN). We call the tool being developed the SCaN Network Integration and Engineering (SCaN NI&E) Simulator. The intended uses of such a simulator are: (1) to characterize performance of particular protocols and configurations in mission planning phases; (2) to optimize system configurations by testing a larger parameter space than may be feasible in either production networks or an emulated environment; (3) to test solutions in order to find issues/risks before committing more significant resources needed to produce real hardware or flight software systems. We describe two use cases of the tool: (1) standalone simulation of CEV to ISS baseline scenario to determine network performance, (2) participation in Distributed Simulation Integration Laboratory (DSIL) tests to perform function testing and verify interface and interoperability of geographically dispersed simulations/emulations.
Jennings, Esther↗
NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Observatory
The SMAP mission will produce high-resolution and accurate global maps of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state using data from a non-imaging synthetic aperture radar and a radiometer, both operating at L-band.
Kellogg, Kent↗