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At least 109 records · Page 6

Cyber-Threat Assessment for the Air Traffic Management System: A Network Controls Approach

Air transportation networks are being disrupted with increasing frequency by failures in their cyber- (computing, communication, control) systems. Whether these cyber- failures arise due to deliberate attacks or incidental errors, they can have far-reaching impact on the performance of the air traffic control and management systems. For instance, a computer failure in the Washington DC Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZDC) on August 15, 2015, caused nearly complete closure of the Centers airspace for several hours. This closure had a propagative impact across the United States National Airspace System, causing changed congestion patterns and requiring placement of a suite of traffic management initiatives to address the capacity reduction and congestion. A snapshot of traffic on that day clearly shows the closure of the ZDC airspace and the resulting congestion at its boundary, which required augmented traffic management at multiple locations. Cyber- events also have important ramifications for private stakeholders, particularly the airlines. During the last few months, computer-system issues have caused several airlines fleets to be grounded for significant periods of time: these include United Airlines (twice), LOT Polish Airlines, and American Airlines. Delays and regional stoppages due to cyber- events are even more common, and may have myriad causes (e.g., failure of the Department of Homeland Security systems needed for security check of passengers, see [3]). The growing frequency of cyber- disruptions in the air transportation system reflects a much broader trend in the modern society: cyber- failures and threats are becoming increasingly pervasive, varied, and impactful. In consequence, an intense effort is underway to develop secure and resilient cyber- systems that can protect against, detect, and remove threats, see e.g. and its many citations. The outcomes of this wide effort on cyber- security are applicable to the air transportation infrastructure, and indeed security solutions are being implemented in the current system. While these security solutions are important, they only provide a piecemeal solution. Particular computers or communication channels are protected from particular attacks, without a holistic view of the air transportation infrastructure. On the other hand, the above-listed incidents highlight that a holistic approach is needed, for several reasons. First, the air transportation infrastructure is a large scale cyber-physical system with multiple stakeholders and diverse legacy assets. It is impractical to protect every cyber- asset from known and unknown disruptions, and instead a strategic view of security is needed. Second, disruptions to the cyber- system can incur complex propagative impacts across the air transportation network, including its physical and human assets. Also, these implications of cyber- events are exacerbated or modulated by other disruptions and operational specifics, e.g. severe weather, operator fatigue or error, etc. These characteristics motivate a holistic and strategic perspective on protecting the air transportation infrastructure from cyber- events. The analysis of cyber- threats to the air traffic system is also inextricably tied to the integration of new autonomy into the airspace. The replacement of human operators with cyber functions leaves the network open to new cyber threats, which must be modeled and managed. Paradoxically, the mitigation of cyber events in the airspace will also likely require additional autonomy, given the fast time scale and myriad pathways of cyber-attacks which must be managed. The assessment of new vulnerabilities upon integration of new autonomy is also a key motivation for a holistic perspective on cyber threats.

Complex Networks↗

Impact of interference on the receiving systems of the Deep-Space Network (DSN) Earth stations operated by NASA due to adjacent band emissions from Earth exploration satellites operating in the 8025-

This paper will first describe the characteristics of interference from a typical EESS satellite, including the intensity, frequency and duration of such interference. The paper will then discuss the DSN interference susceptibility, including the various components in the receiving systems that are susceptible to interference and the recovery time after a strong interference. Finally, the paper will discuss the impact of interference on science data and missions operations.

space research↗

Fault characterization of a multilayered perceptron network

The results of a set of simulation experiments conducted to quantify the effects of faults in a classification network implemented as a three-layered perception model are reported. The percentage of vectors misclassified by the classification network, the time taken for the network to stabilize, and the output values are measured. The results show that both transient and permanent faults have a significant impact on the performance of the network. Transient faults are also found to cause the network to be increasingly unstable as the duration of a transient is increased. The average percentage of the vectors misclassified is about 25 percent; after relearning, this is reduced to 10 percent. The impact of link faults is relatively insignificant in comparison with node faults (1 percent versus 19 percent misclassified after relearning). A study of the impact of hardware redundancy shows a linear increase in misclassifications with increasing hardware size.

Tan, Chang H.↗

Experiences with the Bay Area Gigabit Network Testbed

The Bay Area Gigabit Network Testbed (BAGNet) is a high-performance ATM (155 Mbps) testbed located within the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California. BAGNet is a metropolitan-area network, spanning an area of approximately 50 square miles. There are fifteen sites participating in the testbed, with up to four hosts per site. Although BAGNet is an applications-oriented testbed, much of our effort has been directed towards getting the testbed running and understanding the factors that impact performance of an ATM network. We present some of our experiences in this paper.

Johnson, Marjory J.↗

Refined Analysis of CO2 Emissions in Urban Air Mobility Networks

In this study, we examine the environmental impact of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations as measured via carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by leveraging a computational model from previous studies that has been refined and expanded. Several scenarios are examined in which total transportation emissions for a representative day in a metro area are distributed differently among vehicle types and transportation modes. Specifically, we investigate the use of electric air vehicles in a UAM network; the increasing presence of electric ground vehicles for ground transportation; the impacts from implementing ridesharing in the UAM mode; and the effects of varying the electricity grid emissions. Results for a case study in the Chicago, IL metro area indicate that incorporating electric ground vehicles and UAM ridesharing can both lead to reduced CO2 emissions. These preliminary results indicate that carbon emissions from a UAM system leveraging ridesharing and all-electric aircraft may not be a practical operational limit on UAM, though further improvements to the modeling are warranted.

advanced air mobility↗

Refined Analysis of CO2 Emissions in Urban Air Mobility Networks

In this study, we examine the environmental impact of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations as measured via carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by leveraging a computational model from previous studies that has been refined and expanded. Several scenarios are examined in which total transportation emissions for a representative day in a metro area are distributed differently among vehicle types and transportation modes. Specifically, we investigate the use of electric air vehicles in a UAM network; the increasing presence of electric ground vehicles for ground transportation; the impacts from implementing ridesharing in the UAM mode; and the effects of varying the electricity grid emissions. Results for a case study in the Chicago, IL metro area indicate that incorporating electric ground vehicles and UAM ridesharing can both lead to reduced CO2 emissions. These preliminary results indicate that carbon emissions from a UAM system leveraging ridesharing and all-electric aircraft may not be a practical operational limit on UAM, though further improvements to the modeling are warranted.

advanced air mobility↗

Monitoring of Thermal Protection Systems Using Robust Self-Organizing Optical Fiber Sensing Networks

The general aim of this work is to develop and demonstrate a prototype structural health monitoring system for thermal protection systems that incorporates piezoelectric acoustic emission (AE) sensors to detect the occurrence and location of damaging impacts, and an optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor network to evaluate the effect of detected damage on the thermal conductivity of the TPS material. Following detection of an impact, the TPS would be exposed to a heat source, possibly the sun, and the temperature distribution on the inner surface in the vicinity of the impact measured by the FBG network. A similar procedure could also be carried out as a screening test immediately prior to re-entry. The implications of any detected anomalies in the measured temperature distribution will be evaluated for their significance in relation to the performance of the TPS during re-entry. Such a robust TPS health monitoring system would ensure overall crew safety throughout the mission, especially during reentry

Structural Health Monitoring↗

Experimental fault characterization of a neural network

The effects of a variety of faults on a neural network is quantified via simulation. The neural network consists of a single-layered clustering network and a three-layered classification network. The percentage of vectors mistagged by the clustering network, the percentage of vectors misclassified by the classification network, the time taken for the network to stabilize, and the output values are all measured. The results show that both transient and permanent faults have a significant impact on the performance of the measured network. The corresponding mistag and misclassification percentages are typically within 5 to 10 percent of each other. The average mistag percentage and the average misclassification percentage are both about 25 percent. After relearning, the percentage of misclassifications is reduced to 9 percent. In addition, transient faults are found to cause the network to be increasingly unstable as the duration of a transient is increased. The impact of link faults is relatively insignificant in comparison with node faults (1 versus 19 percent misclassified after relearning). There is a linear increase in the mistag and misclassification percentages with decreasing hardware redundancy. In addition, the mistag and misclassification percentages linearly decrease with increasing network size.

Tan, Chang-Huong↗

Cruise-Efficient Short Takeoff and Landing (CESTOL): Potential Impact on Air Traffic Operations

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is investigating technological and operational concepts for introducing Cruise-Efficient Short Takeoff and Landing (CESTOL) aircraft into a future US National Airspace System (NAS) civil aviation environment. CESTOL is an aircraft design concept for future use to increase capacity and reduce emissions. CESTOL provides very flexible takeoff, climb, descent and landing performance capabilities and a high-speed cruise capability. In support of NASA, this study is a preliminary examination of the potential operational impact of CESTOL on airport and airspace capacity and delay. The study examines operational impacts at a subject site, Newark Liberty Intemational Airport (KEWR), New Jersey. The study extends these KEWR results to estimate potential impacts on NAS-wide network traffic operations due to the introduction of CESTOL at selected major airports. These are the 34 domestic airports identified in the Federal Aviation Administration's Operational Evolution Plan (OEP). The analysis process uses two fast-time simulation tools to separately model local and NAS-wide air traffic operations using predicted flight schedules for a 24-hour study period in 2016. These tools are the Sen sis AvTerminal model and NASA's Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES). We use both to simulate conventional-aircraft-only and CESTOL-mixed-with-conventional-aircraft operations. Both tools apply 4-dimension trajectory modeling to simulate individual flight movement. The study applies AvTerminal to model traffic operations and procedures for en route and terminal arrival and departures to and from KEWR. These AvTerminal applications model existing arrival and departure routes and profiles and runway use configurations, with the assumption jet-powered, large-sized civil CESTOL aircraft use a short runway and standard turboprop arrival and departure procedures. With these rules, the conventional jet and CESTOL aircraft are procedurally separated from each other geographically and in altitude during tenninal airspace approach and departure operations, and each use a different arrival runway. AvTeminal implements its unique Focal-point Scheduling Process to sequence, space and delay aircraft to resolve spacing and overtake conflicts among flights in the airspace and airport system serving KEWR. This Process effectively models integrated arrival and departure operations. AvTerminal assesses acceptance rates and delay magnitude and causality at selected locations, including en route outer boundary fixes, tenninal airspace arrival and departure boundary fixes, terminal airspace arrival merge and departure diverge fixes, and runway landing and takeoff runways. The analysis compares the resulting capacity impacts, flight delays and delay sources between CESTOL and conventional KEWR operations. AvTerminal quantitative results showed that CESTOL has significant capability to increase airport arrival acceptance rates (35-40% at KEWR) by taking advantage of otherwise underused airspace and runways where available. The study extrapolates the AvTerminal-derived KEWR peak arrival and departure acceptance rates to estimate capacity parameter values for each of the OEP airports in the ACES modeling of traffic through the entire NAS network. The extrapolations of acceptance rates allow full, partial or no achievement of CESTOL capacity gains at an OEP airport as determined by assessments of the degree to which local procedures allow leveraging of CESTOL capabilities. These assessments consider each OEP airport's runway geometries, runway system configurations, airport and airspace operations, and potential CESTOL traffic loadings. The ACES modeling, simulates airport and airspace spacing constraints imposed by airport runway system, terminal and en route air traffic control and traffic flow management operations using airport acceptance rates representing conventional-aircraft-only and CESTOL-mixed operations. CEOL aircraft are assumed to have Mach 0.8, and alternatively Mach 0.7, cruise speeds to examine compatibility with conventional aircraft operations in common airspace. The ACES results provides estimates of CESTOL delay impact NAS-wide and at OEP airports due to changes in OEP airport acceptance rates and changes in en route airspace potential conflict rates. Preliminary results show meaningful nationwide delay reductions (20%) due to CESTOL operations at 34 major domestic airports.

Couluris, G. J.↗

Moonquakes and lunar tectonism.

Review of the major discoveries that have resulted to date from the analysis of seismic data from a network of geophysical stations on the moon. It is found that lunar seismic signals differ greatly from typical terrestrial seismic signals; the moon possesses a crust and a mantle, at least in the region of the Apollo 12 and 14 stations; natural lunar events detected by the Apollo seismic network are moonquakes and meteoroid impacts; and in addition to the repeating moonquakes, moonquake 'swarms' have been discovered.

Latham, G.↗

Status of computational fluid dynamics in the United States

CFD-related progress in U.S. aerospace industries and research institutions is evaluated with respect to methods employed, their applications, and the computer technologies employed in their implementation. Goals for subsonic CFD are primarily aimed at greater fuel efficiency; those of supersonic CFD involve the achievement of high sustained cruise efficiency. Transatmospheric/hypersonic vehicles are noted to have recently become important concerns for CFD efforts. Attention is given to aspects of discretization, Euler and Navier-Stokes general purpose codes, zonal equation methods, internal and external flows, and the impact of supercomputers and their networks in advancing the state-of-the-art.

Kutler, Paul↗

Interfacing a high performance disk array file server to a Gigabit LAN

Our previous prototype, RAID-1, identified several bottlenecks in typical file server architectures. The most important bottleneck was the lack of a high-bandwidth path between disk, memory, and the network. Workstation servers, such as the Sun-4/280, have very slow access to peripherals on busses far from the CPU. For the RAID-2 system, we addressed this problem by designing a crossbar interconnect, Xbus board, that provides a 40MB/s path between disk, memory, and the network interfaces. However, this interconnect does not provide the system CPU with low latency access to control the various interfaces. To provide a high data rate to clients on the network, we were forced to carefully and efficiently design the network software. A block diagram of the system hardware architecture is given. In the following subsections, we describe pieces of the RAID-2 file server hardware that had a significant impact on the design of the network interface.

Seshan, Srinivasan↗

New Uses for the VLBI Network

This paper suggests some potential new uses for the existing VLBI network. It seems that every VLBI group in the world faces some common problems: We do not have enough money to operate! We do not have enough money to make improvements!! In this contribution I discuss several possibilities for new business that might help to support the network stations without causing serious impacts on the primary VLBI programs.

Clark, Tom↗

A History of the Improvement of Internet Protocols Over Satellites Using ACTS

This paper outlines the main results of a number of ACTS experiments on the efficacy of using standard Internet protocols over long-delay satellite channels. These experiments have been jointly conducted by NASAs Glenn Research Center and Ohio University over the last six years. The focus of our investigations has been the impact of long-delay networks with non-zero bit-error rates on the performance of the suite of Internet protocols. In particular, we have focused on the most widely used transport protocol, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), as well as several application layer protocols. This paper presents our main results, as well as references to more verbose discussions of our experiments.

Allman, Mark↗

Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science: Annual Report October 1998 through September 1999

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions. RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). It currently operates under a multiple year grant/cooperative agreement that began on October 1, 1997 and is up for renewal in the year 2002. ARC has been designated NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology. In this capacity, ARC is charged with the responsibility to build an Information Technology Research Program that is preeminent within NASA. RIACS serves as a bridge between NASA ARC and the academic community, and RIACS scientists and visitors work in close collaboration with NASA scientists. RIACS has the additional goal of broadening the base of researchers in these areas of importance to the nation's space and aeronautics enterprises. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of information technology research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: (1) Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems. Techniques are being developed enabling spacecraft that will be self-guiding and self-correcting to the extent that they will require little or no human intervention. Such craft will be equipped to independently solve problems as they arise, and fulfill their missions with minimum direction from Earth. (2) Human-Centered Computing. Many NASA missions require synergy between humans and computers, with sophisticated computational aids amplifying human cognitive and perceptual abilities; (3) High Performance Computing and Networking Advances in the performance of computing and networking continue to have major impact on a variety of NASA endeavors, ranging from modeling and simulation to data analysis of large datasets to collaborative engineering, planning and execution. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply information technology research to a variety of NASA application domains. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, and visiting scientist programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA information technology research communities.

Leiner, Barry M.↗

Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions. RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center. It currently operates under a multiple year grant/cooperative agreement that began on October 1, 1997 and is up for renewal in the year 2002. Ames has been designated NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology. In this capacity, Ames is charged with the responsibility to build an Information Technology Research Program that is preeminent within NASA. RIACS serves as a bridge between NASA Ames and the academic community, and RIACS scientists and visitors work in close collaboration with NASA scientists. RIACS has the additional goal of broadening the base of researchers in these areas of importance to the nation's space and aeronautics enterprises. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of information technology research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: (1) Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems. Techniques are being developed enabling spacecraft that will be self-guiding and self-correcting to the extent that they will require little or no human intervention. Such craft will be equipped to independently solve problems as they arise, and fulfill their missions with minimum direction from Earth; (2) Human-Centered Computing. Many NASA missions require synergy between humans and computers, with sophisticated computational aids amplifying human cognitive and perceptual abilities; (3) High Performance Computing and Networking. Advances in the performance of computing and networking continue to have major impact on a variety of NASA endeavors, ranging from modeling and simulation to data analysis of large datasets to collaborative engineering, planning and execution. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply information technology research to a variety of NASA application domains. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, and visiting scientist programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA information technology research communities.

Gross, Anthony R.↗

[Activities of Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science]

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations missions. RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of IT research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: 1. Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems Techniques are being developed enabling spacecraft that will be self-guiding and self-correcting to the extent that they will require little or no human intervention. Such craft will be equipped to independently solve problems as they arise, and fulfill their missions with minimum direction from Earth. 2. Human-Centered Computing Many NASA missions require synergy between humans and computers, with sophisticated computational aids amplifying human cognitive and perceptual abilities. 3. High Performance Computing and Networking Advances in the performance of computing and networking continue to have major impact on a variety of NASA endeavors, ranging from modeling and simulation to analysis of large scientific datasets to collaborative engineering, planning and execution. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply IT research to a variety of NASA application domains. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, visiting scientist programs and student summer programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA IT research communities.

Gross, Anthony R.↗