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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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At least 1,171 records · Page 65
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

ATLAS (Automatic Tool for Local Assembly Structures) - A Comprehensive Infrastructure for Assembly, Annotation, and Genomic Binning of Metagenomic and Metaranscripomic Data

ATLAS (Automatic Tool for Local Assembly Structures) is a comprehensive multiomics data analysis pipeline that is massively parallel and scalable. ATLAS contains a modular analysis pipeline for assembly, annotation, quantification and genome binning of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics data and a framework for reference metaproteomic database construction. ATLAS transforms raw sequence data into functional and taxonomic data at the microbial population level and provides genome-centric resolution through genome binning. ATLAS provides robust taxonomy based on majority voting of protein coding open reading frames rolled-up at the contig level using modified lowest common ancestor (LCA) analysis. ATLAS provides robust taxonomy based on majority voting of protein coding open reading frames rolled-up at the contig level using modified lowest common ancestor (LCA) analysis. ATLAS is user-friendly, easy install through bioconda maintained as open-source on GitHub, and is implemented in Snakemake for modular customizable workflows.

genome binning↗
NASA NTRS1975

The application of the airship to regions lacking in transport infrastructure

The requirements for two areas of airship application are considered. The first of these are those countries where there is a need to move consignments that are too large for the existing transport systems; the second are those regions where ground characteristics have resulted in an area totally devoid of transport. The needs of the second group are considered in detail since they also require transport to provide social as well as economic growth. With this problem in mind, a philosophy is put forward for using airships in conjunction with LASH vessels. A specimen design is outlined and the initial costs estimated.

Coughlin, S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Thermionic technology infrastructure for space power

An assessment is made of the potential effectiveness, designs, and technological difficulties involved in the construction of space nuclear reactors coupled to thermionic energy converters (TEC). The TECs can be positioned either inside or outside of the reactor core. The out-of-core design lowers the reactor shielding requirements, as well as removing the need for mechanically pumped coolant for the reactor. R&D is still needed for the heat pipes for the reactor and the collectors, electrical insulation, and to reduce the potential losses in the interelectrode space. A cylindrical converter for the out-of-core configuration consists of a tungsten emitter heated by a tungsten-lithium heat pipe. The collector is a layer of tungsten oxide deposited on a Nb-1%Zr alloy, and has been tested at emitter temperatures of 1300-1850 K and a collector temperature range of 700-850 K. A design of a superheated thermionic converter is described, noting that a prototype has been operated at 1730 K for 12,000 hr.

Huffman, F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Introduction - The space infrastructure

This book focuses on the Space Station and its associated platforms, which are the central and most visible space facilities in the thrust toward establishing a permanent presence in space. Facilities cannot be operated in isolation, however, and must have transportation for access. This is particularly true for space facilities. In order to attain the goal of permanent presence in space, the Space Station and its low altitude platforms must be developed and operated with transportation for routine access to and from the earth; local transportation between the Space Station, its platforms, and other low altitude satellites; and long-range transportation between low and geostationary orbits, and escape orbits. In addition, geostationary facilities and habitation elements must also be developed. It is in such an assembly of space facilities and transportation elements that will be vested the capabilities to service the earth, establish bases on the moon or planets, and eventually move beyond.

Bekey, I.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Conceptual design studies for surface infrastructure

The utimate design of a manned Mars base will be the result of considerable engineering analysis and many trade studies to optimize the configuration. Many options and scenarios are available and all need to be considered at this time. Initial base elements, two base configuration concepts, internal space architectural concerns, and two base set-up scenarios are discussed. There are many variables as well as many unknowns to be reckoned with before people set foot on the red planet.

Ann L Bufkin↗
NASA NTRS1986

Mission and surface infrastructure concepts

This paper identifies and discusses several types of manned Mars surface missions, including sorties, fixed-base, and hybrid missions, which can be envisioned as potentially desirable approaches to the exploration and utilization of Mars. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type are discussed briefly. Also, some of the implications of the types of missions on the surface elements' designs are discussed briefly. Typical sets of surface elements are identified for each type of mission, and weights are provided for each element and set.

J Butler↗
NASA NTRS1986

Surface infrastructure functions, requirements and subsystems for a manned Mars mission

Planning and development for a permanently manned scientific outpost on Mars requires an in-depth understanding and analysis of the functions the outpost is expected to perform. The optimum configuration that accomplishes these functions then arises during the trade studies process. In a project this complex, it becomes necessary to use a formal methodology to document the design and planning process. The method chosen for this study is called top-down functional decomposition. This method is used to determine the functions that are needed to accomplish the overall mission, then determine what requirements and systems are needed to do each of the functions. This method facilitates automation of the trades and options process. In the example, this was done with an off-the shelf software package called TK! olver. The basic functions that a permanently manned outpost on Mars must accomplish are: (1) Establish the Life Critical Systems; (2) Support Planetary Sciences and Exploration; and (3) Develop and Maintain Long-term Support Functions, including those systems needed towards self-sufficiency. The top-down functional decomposition methology, combined with standard spread sheet software, offers a powerful tool to quickly assess various design trades and analyze options. As the specific subsystems, and the relational rule algorithms are further refined, it will be possible to very accurately determine the implications of continually evolving mission requirements.

Kyle Fairchild↗
NASA NTRS1987

Extraterrestrial infrastructure design projects

This paper is a synopsis of the mission planning and space design activities at The University of Texas at Austin during the 1985-86 calendar years. The research described has been conducted on both the undergraduate and graduate level and is continuing. The primary emphasis of the undergraduate program has focused on a manned Mars mission. The graduate research has concentrated on a lunar base; specifically, the feasibility of an electromagnetic lunar launcher and the development of a parametric lunar base computer simulation.

Bilby, Curt↗
NASA NTRS1989

Infrastructure considerations

An evaluation is made of performance requirements and technology development prospects for the logistical capacity entailed by manned space exploration. While the Space Shuttle will suffice for the launch of crews to a LEO Space Station, in support of such exploration missions, cargo transport will require 500-1000 tonne annual payload capacity launchers. As a first step toward satisfaction of such requirements, NASA has undertaken the development of the Shuttle-C unmanned Space Shuttle derivative. This will be followed by the Shuttle-Z derivative-family, aimed at meeting the needs of Mars missions. Joint USAF/NASA Advanced Launch System development will allow a given launch to place 91 tonnes in LEO.

Lovelace, Uriel↗
NASA NTRS1989

Space Station - Infrastructure for radiation measurements in low earth orbit

The general configuration, development schedule, and capabilities of the NASA International Space Station are reviewed, with an emphasis on the possibilities for long-term measurements of high-energy cosmic and secondary radiation from the main Station spacecraft, coorbiting or polar-orbit platforms, or Station-supported GEO satellites. Also outlined are the organizational structure and the application procedures to be followed by potential users of the Station facilities. Diagrams and drawings are provided.

Meredith, B. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Automated rendezvous and capture development infrastructure

The facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center and JSC to be utilized to develop and test an autonomous rendezvous and capture (ARC) system are described. This includes equipment and personnel facility capabilities to devise, develop, qualify, and integrate ARC elements and subsystems into flight programs. Attention is given to the use of a LEO test facility, the current concept and unique system elements of the ARC, and the options available to develop ARC technology.

Bryan, Thomas C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Manned Mars System Study (MMSS): Mars transportation and facility infrastructure study. Volume 2: Technical report

The Manned Mars System Study (MMSS) was conducted for the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) over the 35 month period between May 15, 1987 and April 30, 1990. During the course of the study, the NASA Office of Exploration (OEXP; Code Z) was created and MSFC was subsequently designated the Transportation Integration Agent (TIA) for support of the OEXP Mission Analysis and Systems Engineering (MASE) team. As a result of this action, modifications to the contract redirected the efforts to be consistent with NASA's overall objectives, including lunar transportation system design. A large number of written submittals were required in order to provide TIA support to MASE. A list summarizing the documents which have been prepared and delivered by Martin Marietta under this contract during the course of this work is presented. In nearly all cases, full sets of view-graphs were also provided to the MSFC COTR, and in several cases magnetic media were provided as well. To incorporate all of these materials (more than 2,000 pages) into the present report would obviously produce an extremely unwieldy and confusing document. Therefore, a summary of key findings are presented in this final report, supplemented by other material produced under this contract but not already available in the widespread literature.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1989

The design of a commercial space infrastructure

Space Services and Logistics, Inc. represents the complete engineering design of a technically and financially viable commercial space company. The final proposal offers an economically sound program of space vehicles and systems designed to substantially affect a variety of space markets and produce a vertically integrated structure within the next 20 years. Throughout this design process, particular stress has been placed on attaining the highest possible levels of safety and reliability. The final program financial design requires a considerable initial outlay, but promises a relatively quick return on invested capital, culminating in large annual profits by the end of the 20-year scope of the cost outlook. The overall design has been extensively researched and was primarily driven by the present and near-term projected market demands for services uniquely or competitively offered only by space-oriented operations. Heretofore, available capabilities, rather than these market demands, have determined the degree and type of commercial market access. Removing this limitation through extensive use of modularity and reconfigurability allows the company to gear itself to the market, while still remaining extremely competitive with existing systems. The markets identified as lucrative, and that have governed much of the design requirements, are: low-cost launch services to LEO over a wide range of payload masses and inclinations; upper stage payload delivery from LEO to GEO; manned space operations and human transport to and from orbit; EVA assembly and maintenance of large space structures; satellite servicing and repair by both humans and telerobotic operations; a line of customized satellites designed for extended life and capable of reconfiguration or technology upgrade on orbit; small-scale microgravity experimentation and manufacturing supported by spacecraft retrieval capabilities for experimental specimens and manufactured goods; and a full-range of payload integration, testing, design, and support services before launch and once in orbit.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

ATOS-1: Designing the infrastructure for an advanced spacecraft operations system

The space industry has identified the need to use artificial intelligence and knowledge based system techniques as integrated, central, symbolic processing components of future mission design, support and operations systems. Various practical and commercial constraints require that off-the-shelf applications, and their knowledge bases, are reused where appropriate and that different mission contractors, potentially using different KBS technologies, can provide application and knowledge sub-modules of an overall integrated system. In order to achieve this integration, which we call knowledge sharing and distributed reasoning, there needs to be agreement on knowledge representations, knowledge interchange-formats, knowledge level communications protocols, and ontology. Research indicates that the latter is most important, providing the applications with a common conceptualization of the domain, in our case spacecraft operations, mission design, and planning. Agreement on ontology permits applications that employ different knowledge representations to interwork through mediators which we refer to as knowledge agents. This creates the illusion of a shared model without the constraints, both technical and commercial, that occur in centralized or uniform architectures. This paper explains how these matters are being addressed within the ATOS program at ESOC, using techniques which draw upon ideas and standards emerging from the DARPA Knowledge Sharing Effort. In particular, we explain how the project is developing an electronic Ontology of Spacecraft Operations and how this can be used as an enabling component within space support systems that employ advanced software engineering. We indicate our hope and expectation that the core ontology developed in ATOS, will permit the full development of standards for such systems throughout the space industry.

Poulter, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Teledesic Global Wireless Broadband Network: Space Infrastructure Architecture, Design Features and Technologies

The Teledesic satellites are a new class of small satellites which demonstrate the important commercial benefits of using technologies developed for other purposes by U.S. National Laboratories. The Teledesic satellite architecture, subsystem design features, and new technologies are described. The new Teledesic satellite manufacturing, integration, and test approaches which use modern high volume production techniques and result in surprisingly low space segment costs are discussed. The constellation control and management features and attendant software architecture features are addressed. After briefly discussing the economic and technological impact on the USA commercial space industries of the space communications revolution and such large constellation projects, the paper concludes with observations on the trend toward future system architectures using networked groups of much smaller satellites.

Stuart, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Global Positioning System for the Geosciences: Summary and Proceedings of a Workshop on Improving the GPS Reference Station Infrastructure for Earth, Oceanic, and Atmospheric Science Applications

This report, which represents the results of the workshop, is divided into two sections. Section I includes an executive summary, a chapter introducing the reader to GPS and its usefulness for Earth, oceanic, and atmospheric research, and four chapters summarizing the themes of the workshop presentations, poster papers, and working group discussions. Section II contains the proceedings of the workshop and is divided into five chapters corresponding to the five categories of invited papers written by workshop speakers and authors of poster papers. The appendices contain additional information about the workshop and the Steering Committee.

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM↗