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At least 109 records · Page 6

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NASA NTRS1983

Control of large spaceborne antenna systems with flexible booms by mechanical decoupling

A simple practical method for designing antenna-feed attitude control systems for large deployable spaceborne antenna systems with long flexible booms is proposed. The basic idea is to mechanically decouple the antenna-feed from the boom so that the feed-attitude control system can be designed without taking the boom dynamics into consideration, thus avoiding a complex control problem involving an infinite-dimensional distributed parameter system. The validity of the proposed method is substantiated by analytical and numerical studies using a mathematical model for the flexible boom which could undergo both bending and torsional vibrations. This approach leads to simple antenna-feed attitude control systems which are amenable to physical implementation.

Wang, P. K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1982

A decoupling approach to the control of large spaceborne antenna systems

A simple practical method for designing antenna-feed positioning control systems for large deployable spaceborne antenna systems with flexible booms is proposed. The approach is based on the mechanical decoupling of the antenna-feed from the boom so that the positioning control system can be designed without taking boom dynamics into consideration, thus avoiding a complex infinite dimensional control problem. The basic idea is illustrated by a simple angular positional control system attached to a flexible boom restricted to torsional motion only. The application of this approach to more complex situations is discussed briefly.

Wang, P. K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Decoupled and linear quadratic regulator control of a large, flexible space antenna with an observer in the control loop

An analysis is performed to compare decoupled and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) procedures for the control of a large, flexible space antenna. Control objectives involve: (1) commanding changes in the rigid-body modes, (2) nulling initial disturbances in the rigid-body modes, or (3) nulling initial disturbances in the first three flexible modes. Control is achieved with two three-axis control-moment gyros located on the antenna column. Results are presented to illustrate various effects on control requirements for the two procedures. These effects include errors in the initial estimates of state variables, variations in the type, number, and location of sensors, and deletions of state-variable estimates for certain flexible modes after control activation. The advantages of incorporating a time lag in the control feedback are also illustrated. In addition, the effects of inoperative-control situations are analyzed with regard to control requirements and resultant modal responses. Comparisons are included which show the effects of perfect state feedback with no residual modes (ideal case). Time-history responses are presented to illustrate the various effects on the control procedures.

Hamer, H. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Effects of model error on control of large flexible space antenna with comparisons of decoupled and linear quadratic regulator control procedures

An analysis was performed to determine the effects of model error on the control of a large flexible space antenna. Control was achieved by employing two three-axis control-moment gyros (CMG's) located on the antenna column. State variables were estimated by including an observer in the control loop that used attitude and attitude-rate sensors on the column. Errors were assumed to exist in the individual model parameters: modal frequency, modal damping, mode slope (control-influence coefficients), and moment of inertia. Their effects on control-system performance were analyzed either for (1) nulling initial disturbances in the rigid-body modes, or (2) nulling initial disturbances in the first three flexible modes. The study includes the effects on stability, time to null, and control requirements (defined as maximum torque and total momentum), as well as on the accuracy of obtaining initial estimates of the disturbances. The effects on the transients of the undisturbed modes are also included. The results, which are compared for decoupled and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control procedures, are shown in tabular form, parametric plots, and as sample time histories of modal-amplitude and control responses. Results of the analysis showed that the effects of model errors on the control-system performance were generally comparable for both control procedures. The effect of mode-slope error was the most serious of all model errors.

Hamer, H. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Gibbs vector kinematics and inverse dynamics for decoupled spacecraft attitude maneuvers

By use of Gibbs vectors as kinematic variables, multi-axial spacecraft equations of rotational motion are shown to be globally and rationally feedback-equivalent to a set of unconstrained and decoupled harmonic oscillators, driven by generalized acceleration commands. Advantages over alternative formulations with Euler angles and quaternions are pointed out.

Dwyer, T. A. W., III↗

NASA NTRS1985

Design and Fabrication of the NASA Decoupler Pylon for the F-16 Aircraft, Addendum 2

The decoupler pylons which were originally designed and assembled with bushings in the pivot joints were retrofitted with roller bearings. This retrofit, the supporting analyses and the fixture tests of the modified pylons are reported in this document. The loads and stress analysis was directed toward the redesigned parts which were the pylon links and pins. The loads and stress analysis indicates that the pylons with the bearing installation have reduced capacity with respect to the bushing design. Fixture tests of the redesigned pylons were conducted in the GD/FW facility. Breakout friction tests and vibration tests were conducted. The tests show that the joint friction is approximately one-half the level with bearings as compared with the bushing installation. The vibration test data was used to tune the pylon mathematical simulation and this revised pylon simulation was used to recompute airplane modes of vibration. These computed modes of vibration were used in complete airplane symmetric and antisymmetric flutter and aeroservoelastic analyses.

Clayton, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Remote pivot decoupler pylon: Wing/store flutter suppressor

A device for suspending a store from an aerodynamic support surface, such an an aircraft wing, and more specifically, for improving upon singlet pivot decoupler pylons by reducing both frequency of active store, alignment, and alignment system space and power requirements. Two links suspend a lower pylon/rack section and releasable attached store from an upper pylon section mounted under the wing. The links allow the lower pylon section to rotate in pitch about a remote pivot point. A leaf spring connected between the lower section and electrical alignment system servomechanism provides pitch alignment of the lower section/store combination. The servomechanism utilizes an electric servomotor to drive the gear train and reversibly move the leaf spring, thereby maintaining the pitch attitude of the store within acceptable limits. The damper strokes when the lower section rotates to damp large oscillations of store.

Hassler, J. M., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Decoupled direct method for sensitivity analysis in combustion kinetics

An efficient, decoupled direct method for calculating the first order sensitivity coefficients of homogeneous, batch combustion kinetic rate equations is presented. In this method the ordinary differential equations for the sensitivity coefficients are solved separately from , but sequentially with, those describing the combustion chemistry. The ordinary differential equations for the thermochemical variables are solved using an efficient, implicit method (LSODE) that automatically selects the steplength and order for each solution step. The solution procedure for the sensitivity coefficients maintains accuracy and stability by using exactly the same steplengths and numerical approximations. The method computes sensitivity coefficients with respect to any combination of the initial values of the thermochemical variables and the three rate constant parameters for the chemical reactions. The method is illustrated by application to several simple problems and, where possible, comparisons are made with exact solutions and those obtained by other techniques.

Radhakrishnan, Krishnan↗

NASA NTRS1988

Decoupled Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic evolution of the continental crust

Evidence was presented that the Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic systems are decoupled in crust-mantle evolution. Rare earth element (including Sm and Nd) residue principally in silicates, and are resistant to mobilization by weathering and metamorphism. In contrast, Rb and Sr are easily fractionated by crustal processes and residue in carbonates as well as in silicates. As a result, continental Sr, but not Nd, can be recycled into the mantle by exchange of seawater with basalt at spreading ridges and by subduction of carbonates associated with ridge processes. These effects result in mean Rb-Sr ages of the continental crust and of the upper mantle that are too young. Crustal growth curves based largely on Rb-Sr data, such that of Hurley and Rand, are therefore incorrect.

Goldstein, S. L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Variable structure control of globally feedback-decoupled deformable vehicle maneuvers

The use of Cayley-Rodrigues attitude parameters as kinematic variables is shown to yield a globally linearized and decoupled model of the equations of motion of a deformable body, where the structural deformation state appears only in the coefficients of the inverse transformation. It is shown how commanded multiaxial attitude maneuvers can be encoded as switching surfaces for a variable-structure control implementation of the corresponding computed slew torques, automatically modulated in respnse only to detected angular rate error signs, for accurate tracking in the presence of separately damped or even uncontrolled (but stable) structural deformations.

Dwyer, T. A. W., III↗

NASA NTRS1992

Decoupling Control For Oblique-Wing Airplane

Technical memorandum proposes procedure for mathematical synthesis of control signals proportional to commanded deflections of rudder, elevators, and ailerons of oblique-wing airplane. Procedure designed to generate signals compensating for aerodynamical and inertial cross-coupling among yawing, pitching, and rolling motions. Control interactions decoupled by feedforward and feedback.

Kempel, Robert W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

High-alpha vortex decoupling investigations on a chine forebody/Delta wing configuration at transonic Mach numbers

A test program conducted in the LaRC 8-foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel on a blended chine/delta wing model to verify the concept of controlled vortex decoupling via inboard leading-edge flaps for improved high-alpha lateral/directional characteristics is discussed. This test extended the Mach number range of a data base previously generated in a LaRC 7 ft. by 10 ft High Speed Tunnel investigation. Six-component force/moment, forebody surface pressures, and central and twin tall static and dynamic loads were measured at Mach numbers of 0.4 to 1.2; laser light-sheet visualizations were also performed. Selected data are analyzed and discussed, emphasizing lateral/directional improvements and tail environment enhanced attainable by leading-edge flaps in the maximum lift region.

Rao, Dhanvada M.↗

NASA NTRS1993

A decoupled control approach for magnetic suspension systems using electromagnets mounted in a planar array

A decoupled control approach for a Large Gap Magnetic Suspension System (LGMSS) is presented. The control approach is developed for an LGMSS which provides five degree-of-freedom control of a cylindrical suspended element that contains a core composed of permanent magnet material. The suspended element is levitated above five electromagnets mounted in a planar array. Numerical results are obtained by using the parameters of the Large Angle Magnetic Suspension Test Fixture (LAMSTF) which is a small scale laboratory model LGMSS.

Groom, Nelson J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Coupling finite element and integral equation solutions using decoupled boundary meshes

A method is outlined for calculating scattered fields from inhomogeneous penetrable objects using a coupled finite element-integral equation solution. The finite element equation can efficiently model fields in penetrable and inhomogeneous regions, while the integral equation exactly models fields on the finite element mesh boundary and in the exterior region. By decoupling the interior finite element and exterior integral equation meshes, considerable flexibility is found in both the number of field expansion points as well as their density. Only the nonmetal portions of the object need be modeled using a finite element expansion; exterior perfect conducting surfaces are modeled using an integral equation with a single unknown field since E(tan) is identically zero on these surfaces. Numerical convergence, accuracy, and stability at interior resonant frequencies are studied in detail.

Cwik, Tom↗

NASA NTRS1994

Implementation of a decoupled controller for a magnetic suspension system using electromagnets mounted in a planar array

An implementation of a decoupled, single-input/single-output control approach for a large angle magnetic suspension test fixture is described. Numerical and experimental results are presented. The experimental system is a laboratory model large gap magnetic suspension system which provides five degree-of-freedom control of a cylindrical suspended element. The suspended element contains a core composed of permanent magnet material and is levitated above five electromagnets mounted in a planar array.

Cox, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Equatorial heating and hemispheric decoupling effects on inner magnetospheric core plasma evolution

We have extended our previous semikinetic study of early stage plasmasphere refilling with perpendicular ion heating by removing the restriction that the northern and southern boundaries are identical and incorporating a generalized transport description for the electrons. This allows investigation of the effects of electron heating and a more realistic calculation of electric fields produced by ion and electron temperature anisotropies. The combination of perpendicular ion heating and parallel electron heating leads to an equatorial electrostatic potential peak, which tends to shield and decouple ion flows in the northern and southern hemispheres. Unequal ionospheric upflows in the northern and southern hemispheres lead to the development of distinctly asymmetric densities and other bulk parameters. At t = 5 hour after the initiation of refiling with different source densities (N(sub north) = 100 cu/cm, N(sub south) = 50 cu/cm), the maximum potential drops of the northern and southern hemispheres are 0.6 and 1.3 V, respectively. At this time the minimum ion densities are 11 and 7 cu/cm for the northern and southern hemispheres. DE 1 observations of asymmetric density profiles by Olsen may be consistent with these predictions. Termination of particle heating causes the reduction of equatorial potential and allows interhemispheric coupling. When the inflows from the ionospheres are reduced (as may occur after sunset), decreases in plasma density near the ionospheric regions are observed while the heated trapped ion population at the equator persists.

Lin, J.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Decoupled temporal patterns of evolution and ecology in two post-Paleozoic clades

Counts of taxonomic diversity are the prevailing standards for documenting large-scale patterns of evolution in the fossil record. However, the secular pattern of relative ecological importance between the bryozoan clades Cyclostomata and Cheilostomata is not reflected fully in compilations of generic diversity or within-fauna species richness, and the delayed ecological recovery of the Cheilostomata after the mass extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary is missed entirely. These observations demonstrate that evolutionary success and ecological dominance can be decoupled and profoundly different, even over tens of millions of years.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS2010

Development of Superconducting Transition Edge Sensors Based on Electron-Phonon Decoupling

We have successfully fabricated a superconducting transition edge sensor (TES), bolometer that centers on the use of electron-phonon decoupling (EPD) for thermal isolation. We have selected a design approach that separates the two functions of far-infrared and THz radiative power absorption and temperature measurement, allowing separate optimization of the performance of each element. We have integrated molybdenum/gold (Mo/Au) bilayer TES and ion assisted thermally evaporated (IAE) bismuth (Bi) films as radiation absorber coupled to a low-loss microstripline from niobium (Nb) ground plane to a twin-slot antenna structure. The thermal conductance (G) and the time constant for the different geometry device have been measured. For one such device, the measured G is 1.16 x 10(exp -10) W/K (plus or minus 0.61 x 10(exp- 10) W/K) at 60 mK, which corresponds to noise equivalent power (NEP) = 1.65 X 10(exp -18)W/vHz and time constant of approximately 5 microseconds.

Jethava, Nikhil↗