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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

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NASA NTRS1987

Portable-Beacon Landing System for Helicopters

Prototype beacon landing system (BLS) allows helicopters to make precise landings in all weather. BLS easily added to existing helicopter avionic equipment and readily deployed at remote sites. Small and light, system employs X-band radar and digital processing. Variety of beams pulsed sequentially by ground station after initial interrogation by weather radar of approaching helicopter. Airborne microprocessor processes pulses to determine glide slope, course deviation, and range.

Davis, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Development of a portable precision landing system

A portable, tactical approach guidance (PTAG) system, based on a novel, X-band, precision approach concept, was developed and flight tested as a part of NASA's Rotorcraft All-Weather Operations Research Program. The system is based on state-of-the-art X-band technology and digital processing techniques. The PTAG airborne hardware consists of an X-band receiver and a small microprocessor installed in conjunction with the aircraft instrument landing system (ILS) receiver. The microprocessor analyzes the X-band, PTAG pulses and outputs ILS compatible localizer and glide slope signals. The ground stations are inexpensive, portable units, each weighing less than 85 lb, including battery, that can be quickly deployed at a landing site. Results from the flight test program show that PTAG has a significant potential for providing tactical aircraft with low cost, portable, precision instrument approach capability.

Davis, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Off-line processing of ERS-1 synthetic aperture radar data with high precision and high throughput

The first European remote sensing satellite ERS-1 will be launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1989. The expected lifetime is two to three years. The spacecraft sensors will primarily support ocean investigations and to a limited extent also land applications. Prime sensor is the Active Microwave Instrumentation (AMI) operating in C-Band either as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) or as Wave-Scatterometer and simultaneously as Wind-Scatterometer. In Europe there will be two distinct types of processing for ERS-1 SAR data, Fast Delivery Processing and Precision Processing. Fast Delivery Proceessing will be carried out at the ground stations and up to three Fast Delivery products per pass will be delivered to end users via satellite within three hours after data acquisition. Precision Processing will be carried out in delayed time and products will not be generated until several days or weeks after data acquisition. However, a wide range of products will be generated by several Processing and Archiving Facilities (PAF) in a joint effort coordinated by ESA. The German Remote Sensing Data Center (Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum DFD) will develop and operate one of these facilities. The related activities include the acquisition, processing and evaluation of such data for scientific, public and commercial users. Based on this experience the German Remote Sensing Data Center is presently performing a Phase-B study regarding the development of a SAR processor for ERS-1. The conceptual design of this processing facility is briefly outlined.

Gredel, J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The SIR-C ground data system: Digital processor, data products, information flow

The SIR-C (Shuttle Imaging Radar) instrument will collect both C-Band and L-Band data with each frequency band consisting of direct (HH or VV) and cross-polarized (HV or VH) data. Considering all possible combinations as many as eight different data channels will be available for any given target area. This data will be digitized and formatted on-board for direct downlink via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), or it will be buffered through on-board high density digital recorders for storage or transmission when TDRSS is available. The data is received by the TDRSS ground station at White Sands and is nominally relayed via DOMSAT to the high data rate recording facility at GSFC. The tapes are then shipped to JPL for processing into imagery and eventual distribution to the SIR-C investigators.

Curlander, John C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report

Topics addressed include: tracking and ground-based navigation; communications, spacecraft-ground; station control and system technology; capabilities for existing projects; network upgrade and sustaining; mission interface and support; and Ka-band capabilities.

Posner, E. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

STS-61C, Columbia flight

The performance of the Marshall Amateur Radio Club Experiment (MARCE) is reviewed. The responses, from the World Wide Amateur Radio Ground Stations, who received the Columbia to Earth direct radio downlinks, are discussed. Likewise, the MARCE radio relay link from Columbia through the AMSAT OSCAR AO-10 satellite to Earth is reviewed.

Stluka, Edward F.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Satellite analog FDMA/FM to digital TDMA conversion

The results of a study which investigated design issues regarding the use of analog to digital (A/D) conversion on board a satellite are presented. The need for A/D, and of course D/A as well, conversion arose from a satellite design which required analog FDMA/FM up and down links to/from a digitally modulated intersatellite link. There are also some advantages when one must interconnect a large number of various spot beams which are using analog, and therefore cannot take advantage of SS/TDMA switching among the beams, thus resulting in low fill factors. Various tradeoffs were performed regarding the implementation of on-board A/D processing, including mass, power, and costs. The various technologies which were considered included flash ADCs, surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, and digital signal processing (DSP) chips. Impact analyses were also performed to determine the effect on ground stations to convert to digital if the A/D approach were not implemented.

Driggers, T.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Calibration of the spin-scan ozone imager aboard the dynamics Explorer 1 satellite

The calibration technique, which contains the calibrated backscattered radiance values necessary for performing the calibrations, is presented. The calibration constants for September to October 1981 to determine total columnar ozone from the Spin-Scan Ozone Imager (SOI), which is a part of the auroral imaging instrumentation aboard the Dynamics Explorer 1 Satellite, are provided. The precision of the SOI-derived total columnar ozone is estimated to be better than 2.4 percent. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate correlation coefficients between total columnar ozone obtained from Dobson ground stations and SOI which indicate that the SOI total columnar ozone determination is equally accurate for clear or cloudy weather conditions.

Bressette, Walter E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Real-Time Processor For Synthetic-Aperture Radar

Images formed aboard airplane. Data processor for synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) operates aboard airplane with radar equipment to produce images of scanned terrain in real time. Providing images immediately, new processor enables SAR operator to monitor scanning activity. Processed images recorded on tape or transmitted to ground stations.

Liu, Kuang Y.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Potential for on-orbit manufacture of large space structures using the pultrusion process

On-orbit manufacture of lightweight, high-strength, advanced-composite structures using the pultrusion process is proposed. This process is adaptable to a zero-gravity environment by using preimpregnated graphite-fiber reinforcement systems. The reinforcement material is preimpregnated with a high-performance thermoplastic resin at a ground station, is coiled on spools for compact storage, and is transported into Earth orbit. A pultrusion machine is installed in the Shuttle cargo bay from which very long lengths of the desired structure is fabricated on-orbit. Potential structural profiles include rods, angles, channels, hat sections, tubes, honeycomb-cored panels, and T, H, and I beams. A potential pultrudable thermoplastic/graphite composite material is presented as a model for determining the effect on Earth-to-orbit package density of an on-orbit manufacture, the package density is increased by 132 percent, and payload volume requirement is decreased by 56.3 percent. The fabrication method has the potential for on-orbit manufacture of structural members for space platforms, large space antennas, and long tethers.

Wilson, Maywood L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Adaptive interference techniques for mobile antennas

The results of a study performed to investigate effective, low cost adaptive signal processing techniques for suppressing mutual satellite interference that can arise in a mobile satellite (MSAT) communication system are discussed. The study focused on the use of adaptive sidelobe cancelling as a method to overcome undesired interference caused by a multiplicity of satellite transmissions within the field of view of the ground station. Results are presented which show that the conventional sidelobe canceller produces undesired reduction of the useful signal. This effect is due to the presence of the useful component in the reference antenna element. An alternative structure, the generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC), has been proposed to overcome this difficulty. A preliminary investigation of possible implementations of the GSC was conducted. It was found that at most 8 bits would be required to implement the GSC processor under conditions in which the desired signal-to-interference ratio is 25 dB.

Griffiths, Lloyd J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The NASA tracking and data acquisition networks - Their history and their future

The NASA Tracking and Data Acquisition Networks were begun in the late 1950s as a part of the U.S. activities associated with the 1958-59 International Geophysical Year. The first network, the Minitrack Net, evolved into the Space Tracking and Data Acquisition Network (STADAN) for support of scientific satellites in earth orbit. The NASA Mercury and Apollo manned flight programs produced more demanding requirements for near real-time tracking, communications, and orbit determination, thus providing the impetus for new, more sophisticated networks. The Deep Space Network was also created to meet unique requirements of the planetary exploration programs. All of these programs necessitated establishing ground stations in various countries around the world, thus promoting the concept of international cooperation in space activities which NASA has fostered in many programs. This paper traces these networks from their beginnings through the various stages of development and introduction of new technologies to meet the requirements of increasingly more complex space missions. The paper also discusses the planning for new capabilities for tracking, data acquisition and communications support of future programs, including particularly the Space Station in the next decade.

Force, Charles T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Space Telescope Antenna Pointing System analysis and test

The Space Telescope (ST), carrying five astronomy instruments, is a long-life spacecraft designed to achieve and maintain ultrafine stabilization jitter performance. The rms jitter specification for pointing performance is 7 marcsec (1sigma) during periods of scientific observation. Spacecraft attitude control is achieved by onboard computer processing of attitude and rate sensor data to generate reaction-wheel torque commands. The ST Antenna Pointing System is used to position a high-gain antenna for relaying science and engineering data from the spacecraft to the ground station.

Dodder, R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Strategies for high-precision Global Positioning System orbit determination

Various strategies for the high-precision orbit determination of the GPS satellites are explored using data from the 1985 GPS field test. Several refinements to the orbit determination strategies were found to be crucial for achieving high levels of repeatability and accuracy. These include the fine tuning of the GPS solar radiation coefficients and the ground station zenith tropospheric delays. Multiday arcs of 3-6 days provided better orbits and baselines than the 8-hr arcs from single-day passes. Highest-quality orbits and baselines were obtained with combined carrier phase and pseudorange solutions.

Lichten, Stephen M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Operation of a multi-year, multi-agency project

Organizational and technological aspects of the operation by NASA and ESA of the IUE satellite observatory since its launch in 1978 are discussed. Topics addressed include the division of responsibilities among the ground stations, the IUE orbit and its evolution, the IUE spacecraft, normal operations (proposal selection and observation planning, shift handover, and spacecraft operations), and a typical observation (target identification and acquisition, telescope focus, spectrograph modes, camera operations, calibration, and data reduction). Consideration is given to constraints on IUE operation due to the sun-earth-moon configuration (eclipses), spacecraft power, radiation, temperature, and momentum-wheel speed; problems encountered with gyros, onboard computers, the fine sun sensor, and cameras; and the reliable high-efficiency overall performance of the IUE. Diagrams, drawings, and graphs are provided.

Faelker, Juergen↗

NASA NTRS1988

An analysis of the 7-year record of SBUV satellite ozone data - Global profile features and trends in total ozone

Results are presented from an analysis of Nimbus 7 SBUV monthly-average total ozone data for the November 1978 - September 1985 period. Linear drifts are estimated for the differences between SBUV and Dobson ground station total ozone data. The results show an average negative linear drift in SBUV data relative to Dobson data of about -0.4 percent per year. The global estimate of the relation between total ozone and solar flux variations is 0.97 + or - 0.61/100 solar flux units, representing a change of total ozone over the 7-year period associated with solar flux variations of about -0.20 + or - 0.13 percent per year.

Reinsel, Gregory C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

32 GHz deep space communications

The present analysis of the use of a 32-GHz (Ka-band) downlink for deep space communications notes significant benefits over current standard 8.4-GHz downlinks; the consequences of the 8-dB telemetry performance gain thus obtained is presently evaluated for the case of the Cassini and Mars Sample Return missions. This potential can only be realized, however, with upgradings of both the ground stations in the Deep Space Network and the spacecraft communications subsystem. Proposals are made for the use of a Ka-band beacon on the Mars observer spacecraft, as well as the demonstration of such a system aboard the CRAF.

Hansen, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Using TDRSS as an orbiting VLBI observatory

The procedures and results of experimental VLBI astronomical observations performed using TDRSE, the first deployed satellite of the NASA TDRSS, as one of the network telescopes are reviewed. The other two elements of the VLBI network were the high-sensitivity 64-m antennas of the NASA DSN in Australia and of ISAS in Japan, with a 25-m Japanese antenna used to check their performance. The E configuration of the Mark III recording system at White Sands was used to record seven contiguous 2-MHz channels centered at 2.27799 GHz during five 3-h periods in July-August 1986. Although satellite pointing failures and ground-station problems limited the number of useful observations to six, interferometric fringes of the sources were obtained in all of these observations, demonstrating the feasibility of the approach.

Ulvestad, James S.↗