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At least 1,099 records · Page 61

A Functional Description of a Digital Flight Test System for Navigation and Guidance Research in the Terminal Area

A guidance, navigation, and control system, the Simulated Shuttle Flight Test System (SS-FTS), when interfaced with existing aircraft systems, provides a research facility for studying concepts for landing the space shuttle orbiter and conventional jet aircraft. The SS-FTS, which includes a general-purpose computer, performs all computations for precisely following a prescribed approach trajectory while properly managing the vehicle energy to allow safe arrival at the runway and landing within prescribed dispersions. The system contains hardware and software provisions for navigation with several combinations of possible navigation aids that have been suggested for the shuttle. The SS-FTS can be reconfigured to study different guidance and navigation concepts by changing only the computer software, and adapted to receive different radio navigation information through minimum hardware changes. All control laws, logic, and mode interlocks reside solely in the computer software.

Hegarty, D. M.↗

Mission description

The Apollo Soyuz mission was the first manned space flight conducted jointly by two nations. The United States and the U.S.S.R. achieved a substantial degree of success in: (1) obtaining flight experience for rendezvous and docking of manned spacecraft and developing a docking system that would be suitable for use as a standard international system, (2) demonstrating in-flight intervehicular crew transfer, and (3) conducting a series of science and applications experiments. The Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft, with minor exceptions, were similar to those flown on previous missions, but a new Apollo module, the docking module, was built specifically for this mission. The mission started with the Soyuz launch on July 15, 1975, followed by the Apollo launch on the same day. Docking of the two spacecraft occurred on July 17, and joint operations were conducted for 2 days. Both spacecraft landed safely and on schedule; the Soyuz landing in the U.S.S.R. occurred on July 21, and the Apollo landing near Hawaii occurred on July 24. Twenty-eight science experiments were performed during the mission.

Hardee, S. N.↗

Development of a computer code for calculating the steady super/hypersonic inviscid flow around real configurations. Volume 2: Code description

A numerical procedure was developed to compute the inviscid super/hypersonic flow field about complex vehicle geometries accurately and efficiently. A second-order accurate finite difference scheme is used to integrate the three-dimensional Euler equations in regions of continuous flow, while all shock waves are computed as discontinuities via the Rankine-Hugoniot jump conditions. Conformal mappings are used to develop a computational grid. The effects of blunt nose entropy layers are computed in detail. Real gas effects for equilibrium air are included using curve fits of Mollier charts. Typical calculated results for shuttle orbiter, hypersonic transport, and supersonic aircraft configurations are included to demonstrate the usefulness of this tool.

Marconi, F.↗

LACIE performance predictor final operational capability program description, volume 1

The program EPHEMS computes the orbital parameters for up to two vehicles orbiting the earth for up to 549 days. The data represents a continuous swath about the earth, producing tables which can be used to determine when and if certain land segments will be covered. The program GRID processes NASA's climatology tape to obtain the weather indices along with associated latitudes and longitudes. The program LUMP takes substrata historical data and sample segment ID, crop window, crop window error and statistical data, checks for valid input parameters and generates the segment ID file, crop window file and the substrata historical file. Finally, the System Error Executive (SEE) Program checks YES error and truth data, CAMS error data, and signature extension data for validity and missing elements. A message is printed for each error found.

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LACIE performance predictor final operational capability program description, volume 2

Given the swath table files, the segment set for one country and cloud cover data, the SAGE program determines how many times and under what conditions each segment is accessed by satellites. The program writes a record for each segment on a data file which contains the pertinent acquisition data. The weather data file can also be generated from a NASA supplied tape. The Segment Acquisition Selector Program (SACS) selects data from the segment reference file based upon data input manually and from a crop window file. It writes the extracted data to a data acquisition file and prints two summary reports. The POUT program reads from associated LACIE files and produces printed reports. The major types of reports that can be produced are: (1) Substrate Reference Data Reports, (2) Population Mean, Standard Deviation and Histogram Reports, (3) Histograms of Monte Carlo Statistics Reports, and (4) Frequency of Sample Segment Acquisitions Reports.

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LACIE performance predictor final operational capability program description, volume 3

The requirements and processing logic for the LACIE Error Model program (LEM) are described. This program is an integral part of the Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE) system. LEM is that portion of the LPP (LACIE Performance Predictor) which simulates the sample segment classification, strata yield estimation, and production aggregation. LEM controls repetitive Monte Carlo trials based on input error distributions to obtain statistical estimates of the wheat area, yield, and production at different levels of aggregation. LEM interfaces with the rest of the LPP through a set of data files.

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Mission payloads subsystem description, revision 2

The Mission Payloads Subsystem (MPLS) which utilizes a simplified trajectory model to generate a list of missions for the Scheduling Algorithm for Mission Planning and Logistics Evaluation (SAMPLE) program is described. The MPLS is the mechanism that forms the basis of input for the other subsystems of SAMPLE and various post processors.

Williams, J. M.↗

HAL/S-FC and HAL/S-360 compiler system program description

The compiler is a large multi-phase design and can be broken into four phases: Phase 1 inputs the source language and does a syntactic and semantic analysis generating the source listing, a file of instructions in an internal format (HALMAT) and a collection of tables to be used in subsequent phases. Phase 1.5 massages the code produced by Phase 1, performing machine independent optimization. Phase 2 inputs the HALMAT produced by Phase 1 and outputs machine language object modules in a form suitable for the OS-360 or FCOS linkage editor. Phase 3 produces the SDF tables. The four phases described are written in XPL, a language specifically designed for compiler implementation. In addition to the compiler, there is a large library containing all the routines that can be explicitly called by the source language programmer plus a large collection of routines for implementing various facilities of the language.

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Static force tests of a sharp leading edge delta-wing model at ambient and cryogenic temperatures with a description of the apparatus employed

A sharp leading edge delta-wing model was tested through an angle-of-attack range at Mach numbers of 0.75, 0.80, and 0.85 at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures in the Langley 1/3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel. Total pressure was varied with total temperature in order to hold test Reynolds number constant at a given Mach number. Agreement between the aerodynamic data obtained at ambient and cryogenic temperatures indicates that flows with leading-edge vortex effects are duplicated properly at cryogenic temperatures. The test results demonstrate that accurate aerodynamic data can be obtained by using conventional force-testing techniques if suitable measures are taken to minimize temperature gradients across the balance and to keep the balance at ambient (warm) temperatures during cryogenic operation of the tunnel.

Kilgore, R. A.↗

A computational system for aerodynamic design and analysis of supersonic aircraft. Part 1: General description and theoretical development

An integrated system of computer programs was developed for the design and analysis of supersonic configurations. The system uses linearized theory methods for the calculation of surface pressures and supersonic area rule concepts in combination with linearized theory for calculation of aerodynamic force coefficients. Interactive graphics are optional at the user's request. Schematics of the program structure and the individual overlays and subroutines are described.

Middleton, W. D.↗

SEASAT economic assessment. Volume 2: The SEASAT system description and performance

Results are presented of preliminary trade-off studies of operational SEASAT systems. The trade-off studies were used as the basis for the estimation of costs and net benefits of the operational SEASAT system. Also presented are the preliminary results of simulation studies that were designed to lead to a measure of the impact of SEASAT data through the use of numerical weather forecast models.

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A digital computer propulsion control facility: Description of capabilities and summary of experimental program results

Flight weight digital computers are being used today to carry out many of the propulsion system control functions previously delegated exclusively to hydromechanical controllers. An operational digital computer facility for propulsion control mode studies has been used successfully in several experimental programs. This paper describes the system and some of the results concerned with engine control, inlet control, and inlet engine integrated control. Analytical designs for the digital propulsion control modes include both classical and modern/optimal techniques.

Zeller, J. R.↗

Description and test results of a digital supersonic propulsion system integrated control

A digitally implemented integrated inlet/engine control system was developed and tested on a mixed compression, Mach 2.5, supersonic inlet and augmented turbofan engine. The control matched engine airflow to available inlet airflow so that in steady state, the shock would be at the desired location, and the overboard bypass doors would be closed. During engine induced transients, such as augmentor lights and cutoffs, the inlet operating point was momentarily changed to a more supercritical point to minimize unstarts. The digital control also provided automatic inlet restart.

Batterton, P. G.↗

Skylab ATM/S-056 X-ray event analyzer: Instrument description, parameter determination, and analysis example (15 June 1973 1B/M3 flare)

The Skylab ATM/S-056 X-Ray Event Analyzer, part of an X-ray telescope experiment, is described. The techniques employed in the analysis of its data to determine electron temperatures and emission measures are reviewed. The analysis of a sample event - the 15 June 1973 1B/M3 flare - is performed. Comparison of the X-Ray Event Analyzer data with that of the SolRad 9 observations indicates that the X-Ray Event Analyzer accurately monitored the sun's 2.5 to 7.25 A X-ray emission and to a lesser extent the 6.1 to 20 A emission. A mean average peak temperature of 15 million K at 1,412 UT and a mean average peak electron density (assuming a flare volume of 10 to the 13 power cu km) of 27 million/cu mm at 1,416 to 1,417 UT are deduced for the event. The X-Ray Event Analyzer data, having a 2.5 s time resolution, should be invaluable in comparisons with other high-time resolution data (e.g., radio bursts).

Wilson, R. M.↗

General Purpose Computer (GPC) to GPC systems interface description

The General Purpose Computer (GPC) 'subsystem' of the Orbiter Data Processing System was described. Two interface areas are discussed. One is the area of GPC intraconnections and intracommunications involving the hardware/software interface between the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the Input/Output Processor (IOP). The other is the area of GPC interconnections and intercommunications and involves the hardware/software interface between the five Orbiter GPC's. Based on the detailed GPC interface given, it is felt that the basic CPU to IOP interface and the GPC to GPC interface have the potential for trouble free operation. However, due to the complexity of the interface and the criticality of GPC synchronization to overall avionics performance, the GPC to GPC interface should be carefully evaluated when attempting to resolve test anomalies that may involve GPC timing and synchronization errors.

Breyer, B. C.↗

Image Data Processing System (IDAPS) user manual, S-056 experiment. Volume 1: System description. Volume 2: Batch IDAPS. Volume 3: Interactive IDAPS

Image data processing system (IDAPS) developed to satisfy the image processing requirements of the Skylab S-056 experiment is described. The S-056 experiment was designed to obtain high-resolution photographs of the sun in the far ultraviolet, or soft X-ray, portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thirty-five thousand photographs were obtained by the three flights of the program; and, faced with such a massive volume of imagery, the designers of the experiment decided to develop a computer-based system which would reduce the image processing workload. The purpose of the IDAPS User Manual is to give the IDAPS user the necessary information and instructions to effectively utilize the system.

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