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At least 1,171 records · Page 65
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of Integrated Random Vibration Testing of the NASA Orion Crew Survival Suit

The launch ascent and abort random vibration environments from NASA’s Orion spacecraft drove the need to test the NASA Orion Crew Survival Suit as an integrated system with exposure to the design levels. In order to properly characterize component responses, a series of integrated tests were designed to incorporate the interaction between a crew member, suit, seat, and the attenuation system. The first Development Test (2017) included human subjects, and was performed with early development seat and suit components, and low level inputs. It provided a baseline for frequency response and behavior of the integrated system. The next two tests, Development Test (2019) and Qualification Test (2020), used manikin surrogates to represent the crew member and increasing levels of component hardware fidelity in order to test to higher input levels. Testing was performed at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Vibration Labs and provided the input levels required to represent the ascent and abort vehicle profiles as well as recorded component response behavior from accelerometer instrumentation and high speed cameras. Inspection of the suit and related components showed that for all seat orientations, and input environments, no damage occurred. Additional pre and post-test checks confirmed the functionality of all suited hardware. Response data of the suited components generally showed heavy attenuation across most of the tested frequency range. Transmissibility plots showed some amplification of components at lower frequency ranges. Overall this series of integrated tests showed that 1) the use of surrogate manikins in the tests were adequate for representing crew in a vibration environment, 2) full vibration levels for ascent and abort were heavily attenuated in the suit components and were non-damaging, and 3) the suit and related components are qualified for the Orion random vibration environments.

Jeffrey Suhey↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Reduced Dimensionality Analysis of TEMPO Ozone Profile Retrievals Using the Compact Phase Space (CPSR) Algorithm

TEMPO ozone (O 3 ) profile retrievals are expected to have fidelity in the troposphere due the sensitivities of the associated averaging kernels. However, those averaging kernels are severely rank deficiency meaning that a visual inspection of the vertical structure of the averaging kernel profile sensitivities is misleading due linear dependencies in the profile. The Compact Phase Space Retrieval (CPSR) algorithm use singular value decompositions of the averaging kernels and the ‘compressed’ retrieval solution error covariance to project the transformed averaging kernels into a space that removes the linear dependencies and accounts for the solution error uncertainties. In this oral presentation and poster, we apply the CPSR dimensional reduction analysis to TEMPO and TROPOMI O 3 profile retrievals for 13:45 UTC March 29, 2024 to study the phase space characteristics of the transformed averaging kernels as a function of latitude for North America. Our results show that TEMPO generally has more phase space vertical structure in the troposphere than TROPOMI. TEMPO has four to five dominant modes, and TROPOMI has five to six dominant modes. That means that dimensional reduction can reduce the TEMPO resource requirements by ~77% and the TROPOMI requirements by ~81%. Finally, we found that after removing linear dependences and after accounting for solution uncertainties TEMPO still has sensitivities throughout the troposphere.

TEMPO↗
NASA NTRS1973

Generalized radiation impedances and reflection coefficients of circular and annular ducts

Morse's equation for the radiation impedance of a vibrating rigid piston is extended to give the generalized radiation impedances of all modes in circular and annular ducts which have arbitrary wall admittance and which terminate in an infinite baffle. The extended equation is reduced to a single infinite integral which is a function of the mode radiation directivity factors. An infinite matrix equation is derived which relates the generalized mode reflection coefficients to the radiation impedances. Results are presented which show that the duct-wall admittance is a significant parameter in the effect of duct-determination reflections and that mode-coupling reflection effects may be more important than direct-mode reflection effects.

Zorumski, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Energy Band Gap Study of Semiconducting Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundle

The electronic properties of multiple semiconducting single walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) considering various distribution inside a bundle are studied. The model derived from the proposed analytical potential function of the electron density for an individual s-SWCNT is general and can be easily applied to multiple nanotubes. This work demonstrates that regardless the number of carbon nanotubes, the strong coupling occurring between the closest neighbours reduces the energy band gap of the bundle by 10%. As expected, the coupling is strongly dependent on the distance separating the s-SWCNTs. In addition, based on the developed model, it is proposed to enhance this coupling effect by applying an electric field across the bundle to significantly reduce the energy band gap of the bundle by 20%.

potential function↗
NASA NTRS1993

Thermophysical properties of simple liquid metals: A brief review of theory

In this paper, we review the current theory of the thermophysical properties of simple liquid metals. The emphasis is on thermodynamic properties, but we also briefly discuss the nonequilibrium properties of liquid metals. We begin by defining a 'simple liquid metal' as one in which the valence electrons interact only weakly with the ionic cores, so that the interaction can be treated by perturbation theory. We then write down the equilibrium Hamiltonian of a liquid metal as a sum of five terms: the bare ion-ion interaction, the electron-electron interaction, the bare electron-ion interaction, and the kinetic energies of electrons and ions. Since the electron-ion interaction can be treated by perturbation, the electronic part contributes in two ways to the Helmholtz free energy: it gives a density-dependent term which is independent of the arrangement of ions, and it acts to screen the ion-ion interaction, giving rise to effective ion-ion pair potentials which are density-dependent, in general. After sketching the form of a typical pair potential, we briefly enumerate some methods for calculating the ionic distribution function and hence the Helmholtz free energy of the liquid: monte Carlo simulations, molecular dynamics simulations, and thermodynamic perturbation theory. The final result is a general expression for the Helmholtz free energy of the liquid metal. It can be used to calculate a wide range of thermodynamic properties of simple metal liquids, which we enumerate. They include not only a range of thermodynamic coefficients of both metals and alloys, but also many aspects of the phase diagram, including freezing curves of pure elements and phase diagrams of liquid alloys (including liquidus and solidus curves). We briefly mention some key discoveries resulting from previous applications of this method, and point out that the same methods work for other materials not normally considered to be liquid metals (such as colloidal suspensions, in which the suspended microspheres behave like ions screened by the salt solution in which they are suspended). We conclude with a brief discussion of some non-equilibrium (i.e., transport) properties which can be treated by an extension of these methods. These include electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, viscosity, atomic self-diffusion coefficients, concentration diffusion coefficients in alloys, surface tension and thermal emissivity. Finally, we briefly mention two methods by which the theory might be extended to non-simple liquid metals: these are empirical techniques (i.e., empirical two- and three-body potentials), and numerical many-body approaches. Both may be potentially applicable to extremely complex systems, such as nonstoichiometric liquid semiconductor alloys.

Stroud, David↗
NASA NTRS1993

The two-point correlation function of randomly distributed Lyman alpha clouds

It is often assumed that Ly-alpha forest clouds are randomly distributed, intergalactic objects that are highly ionized by the UV background produced by quasars. If these assumptions are true, fluctuations in the UV background should produce a nonzero two point correlation function in the Ly-alpha forest. This effect, which is really just a generalization of the proximity effect, is more significant at high redshift (z is approximately 3-4) because the mean free path for UV photons is smaller there, and the fluctuations correspondingly larger. This effect was studied using both the semi-analytic techniques of Zuo's recent papers and Monte Carlo simulations. The correlation function is expected to have a small yet potentially measurable amplitude that is consistent with current upper limits. Furthermore, the signature of this effect is distinctive because the nonzero correlation function extends over the photon mean free path, which is larger than the expected scale of large-scale structure. Observations or upper limits on this effect could provide information about the source of the ionizing background at high redshifts and the nature of the Ly-alpha forest clouds.

Fardal, Mark A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Preliminary candidate advanced avionics system for general aviation

An integrated avionics system design was carried out to the level which indicates subsystem function, and the methods of overall system integration. Sufficient detail was included to allow identification of possible system component technologies, and to perform reliability, modularity, maintainability, cost, and risk analysis upon the system design. Retrofit to older aircraft, availability of this system to the single engine two place aircraft, was considered.

Mccalla, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Thermal stability of the work function of NEA type surfaces

The work-function stability of both Si(100) and Ge(100) surfaces activated with adsorptions of cesium and oxygen has been determined. In general, it has been found that the highest temperature to which the optimized Ge surface could be heated without an increase in its work function (1.06 eV) was about 200 C, whereas the optimized Si surface could be heated to approximately 250 C without a significant increase in the optimized work function (0.93 eV). Details are also presented on various characteristics of cesium and oxygen adsorption-desorption on these surfaces.

Edwards, D., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A calculation of the Rosseland mean opacity of dust grains in primordial solar system nebulae

The Rosseland mean opacity owing to grains was calculated as a function of temperature and density for nebulae having solar elemental abundances. The values of the mean opacity were evaluated with a generalized formulation allowing for anisotropic scattering. The values of the mean opacity do not depend sensitively on the choice of the particle size distribution function, provided that there are few particles having sizes in excess of several tens of microns. The results indicate that thermal convection in primordial nebulae occurs over broader ranges of altitudes at low temperatures than at high temperatures, and for size distributions for which extensive aggregation has not yet occurred.

Pollack, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Gravity and the Adaptation of Form and Function in Lower Vertebrates

Comparative data emphasizing lower vertebrates will be used to justify the following generalized conclusions or expectations: 1) Gravitational stress produces adaptive increases in arterial pressure. 2) Gravitational stress produces adaptive reorganization of anatomy. 3) Natural selection favors small body size in high G-stress environments. 4) Gravitational stress produces low-compliant perivascular tissues (morphological antigravity suit). 5) Gradients or regional zonation of vascular characters evolve along the length of elongate vertebrates living in high G-stress environments. Presentation of information will include new data gathered by the author and Dr. Alan Hargens while the author was a NRC Senior Research Associate at NASA Ames Research Center. While there is no published abstract provided at the meeting, a symposium manuscript will be published in a special volume of Journal of Experimental Zoology.

Lillywhite, Harvey B.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Assessment of Immune Status, Latent Viral Reactivation and Stress during Long Duration Bed Rest as an Analog for Spaceflight

As logistical access for in-flight space research becomes more limited, the use of ground based spaceflight analogs for life science studies will increase. These studies are particularly important as NASA progresses towards the Lunar and eventually Mars missions outlined in the 2005 Vision for Space Exploration. Countermeasures must be developed to mitigate the clinical risks associated with exploration class space missions. In an effort to coordinate studies across multiple disciplines, NASA has selected 90-day bed rest as the analog of choice, and initiated the Flight Analogs Project to implement research studies with or without the evaluation of countermeasures. Although bed rest is not the analog of choice to evaluate spaceflight-associated immune dysfunction, a standard Immune Assessment was developed for subjects participating in the 90-day bed best studies. The Immune Assessment consists of: leukocyte subset distribution, T cell functional responses, intracellular cytokine production profiles, latent viral reactivation, virus specific T cell levels, virus specific T cell function, stress hormone levels and a behavioral assessment using stress questionnaires. The purpose of the assessment during the initial studies (without countermeasure) is to establish control data against which future studies (with countermeasure) will be evaluated. It is believed that some of the countermeasures planned to be evaluated in future studies, such as exercise, pharmacologic intervention or nutritional supplementation, have the ability to impact immune function. Therefore immunity will likely be monitored during those studies. The data generated during the first three control studies showed that the subjects in general did not display altered peripheral leukocyte subsets, constitutive immune activation, significant latent viral reactivation (EBV, VZV) or altered T cell function. Interestingly, for some subjects the level of constitutively activated T cells (CD8+/CD69+) and virus-specific T cells (CMV and EBV) both decreased during the studies. This likely reflects the isolation of the subjects (from an immunological perspective) and absence of everyday subclinical challenges to the immune system. Cortisol levels (plasma and saliva) did not vary significantly during the studies. This probably reflects a lack of physiological stress during the study and the stress of readaptation to the 1xG environment at R+1. These data demonstrate the absence of significant immune alteration during 90-day bed rest, and establish control data against which future studies (including countermeasures) may be compared.

Crucian, Brian E.↗
NASA NTRS2007

General-Purpose Front End for Real-Time Data Processing

FRONTIER is a computer program that functions as a front end for any of a variety of other software of both the artificial intelligence (AI) and conventional data-processing types. As used here, front end signifies interface software needed for acquiring and preprocessing data and making the data available for analysis by the other software. FRONTIER is reusable in that it can be rapidly tailored to any such other software with minimum effort. Each component of FRONTIER is programmable and is executed in an embedded virtual machine. Each component can be reconfigured during execution. The virtual-machine implementation making FRONTIER independent of the type of computing hardware on which it is executed.

James, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1981

General formulation of optical paths for large zenith angles in the earth's curved atmosphere

Formulas that can be used to determine the optical path between two points along an atmospheric ray path are derived for the case when the local zenith angle of the ray path is larger than 70 deg. For angles less than 70 deg, these formulas reduce to the airmass function; viz., the secant of the zenith angle. The formulation presented in this paper is general enough to be applicable to a wide variety of atmospheric conditions, such as spherical and nonspherical atmospheres, and vertically and horizontally homogeneous as well as inhomogeneous atmospheres. A formulation for the case when atmospheric refraction is important also is presented here.

Wang, P.-H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Simulation study of an automatic trim system for reducing the control forces on a light twin after an engine failure

An automatic trim system for reducing the control forces after an engine failure on a light twin has been investigated on the Langley General Aviation Simulator. The system schedules open-loop trim tab deflections as a function of differential propeller slipstream dynamic pressure and freestream dynamic pressure. The system is described and the airplane-system static and dynamic characteristics are documented. Three NASA research pilots evaluated the effectiveness of the system for takeoff and landing maneuvers. A variety of off-nominal system characteristics were studied. The system was judged to be generally beneficial, providing a 2 to 3 point improvement in pilot rating for the tasks used in the evaluations.

Stewart, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Thermodynamic Theory of Solid Viscoelasticity. Part 3: Nonlinear Glassy Viscoelasticity, Stability Constraints, Specifications

This paper, the last in the series, continues developing the nonlinear constitutive relations for non-isothermal, compressible, solid viscoelasticity. We initially discuss a single integral approach, more suitable for the glassy state of rubber-like materials, with basic functionals involved in the thermodynamic description for this type of viscoelasticity. Then we switch our attention to analyzing stability constraints, imposed on the general formulation of the nonlinear theory of solid viscoelasticity. Finally, we discuss specific (known from the literature or new) expressions for material functions that are involved in the constitutive formulations of both the rubber-like and glassy-like, complementary parts of the theory.

Freed, Alan↗
NASA NTRS1990

General-Purpose Serial Interface For Remote Control

Computer controls remote television camera. General-purpose controller developed to serve as interface between host computer and pan/tilt/zoom/focus functions on series of automated video cameras. Interface port based on 8251 programmable communications-interface circuit configured for tristated outputs, and connects controller system to any host computer with RS-232 input/output (I/O) port. Accepts byte-coded data from host, compares them with prestored codes in read-only memory (ROM), and closes or opens appropriate switches. Six output ports control opening and closing of as many as 48 switches. Operator controls remote television camera by speaking commands, in system including general-purpose controller.

Busquets, Anthony M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The crystallization of small particles and droplets

A general expression is derived for the volume fraction of material crystallized as a function of time for the situation where boundary effects may be important, and it is applied to a sample consisting of a monodisperse array of small particles. It is assumed that crystallization occurs via homogeneous nucleation followed by crystal growth. The crystallization rate is shown to be controlled by a single dimensionless parameter, beta. Beta exp 1/4 is a dimensionless particle radius which tends to be small when the growth rate is large or when the nucleation rate is small. When beta is large, the general expression for the volume fraction transformed reduces to the standard expression valid for bulk samples. When beta is small, it reduces to the formula used to compute the volume fraction crystallized in droplet undercooling experiments. Hence, the present results are pertinent for the interpretation of some droplet undercooling experiments as well as isothermal DSC and DTA experiments.

Weinberg, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Transfer function modeling of damping mechanisms in distributed parameter models

This work formulates a method for the modeling of material damping characteristics in distributed parameter models which may be easily applied to models such as rod, plate, and beam equations. The general linear boundary value vibration equation is modified to incorporate hysteresis effects represented by complex stiffness using the transfer function approach proposed by Golla and Hughes. The governing characteristic equations are decoupled through separation of variables yielding solutions similar to those of undamped classical theory, allowing solution of the steady state as well as transient response. Example problems and solutions are provided demonstrating the similarity of the solutions to those of the classical theories and transient responses of nonviscous systems.

Slater, J. C.↗