Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “developing countries”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,225 records · Page 68

Rational approach to drug discovery for human schistosomiasis

Human schistosomiasis is a debilitating, life-threatening disease affecting more than 229 million people in as many as 78 countries. There is only one drug of choice effective against all three major species of Schistosoma, praziquantel (PZQ). However, as with many monotherapies, evidence for resistance is emerging in the field and can be selected for in the laboratory. Previously used therapies include oxamniquine (OXA), but shortcomings such as drug resistance and affordability resulted in discontinuation. Employing a genetic, biochemical and molecular approach, a sulfotransferase (SULT-OR) was identified as responsible for OXA drug resistance. By crystallizing SmSULT- OR with OXA, the mode of action of OXA was determined. This information allowed a rational approach to novel drug design. Our team approach with schistosome biologists, medicinal chemists, structural biologists and geneticists has enabled us to develop and test novel drug derivatives of OXA to treat this disease. Using an iterative process for drug development, we have successfully identified derivatives that are effective against all three species of the parasite. One derivative CIDD-0149830 kills 100% of all three human schistosome species within 5 days. The goal is to generate a second therapeutic with a different mode of action that can be used in conjunction with praziquantel to overcome the ever-growing threat of resistance and improve efficacy. The ability and need to design, screen, and develop future, affordable therapeutics to treat human schistosomiasis is critical for successful control program outcomes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Aircraft ship operations

Worldwide interest in the use of shipborne aircraft as a major weapons system is very broad. Many NATO countries operate fixed wing aircraft from ships. Additionally, the use of ships as helicopter platforms is extensive in the NATO community and brings another import dimension to the aircraft/ship interface issue. Thus, it seemed that both fixed and rotary wing aviation deserved equal billing in the Aircraft/Ship Interface Symposium which is the subject of this Technical Evaluation Report. This Symposium was held in Seville, Spain, from 20th to 23rd May 1991 and was the first Symposium sponsored by the AGARD Flight Mechanics Panel devoted to this topic. The Symposium contained twenty-five presentations grouped under the following topics: Keynote Addresses; Ship Environment; Guidance, Controls, and Displays; Flight Test and Simulation Techniques; Launch, Recovery, and Handling Systems Development; and Operational Views and Future Developments. The full texts of the papers presented at this Symposium are published in AGARD-CP-509.

Aircraft carriers↗

A Multi-Instrument Cloud Condensation Nuclei Spectrum Product (Final Technical Report)

A wealth of observational data exists on the characteristics of atmospheric particulate matter, over multiple years, at the DOE ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) Central Facility site. This site is located in a region of the country that frequently experiences weather extremes, and that is removed from many local sources of pollution but is affected by transported smoke, dust, and urban emissions. The relationships between particulate matter, cloud formation and evolution, and precipitation are therefore of strong interest, and are being explored via modeling on a variety of scales. These models require as input detailed information on the characteristics of particles capable of serving as the nuclei for cloud formation. Sufficient data exist to be able to put together a picture of the nature of the total aerosol and the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) subset, and their variability, through merged data products. This study was aimed at exploiting the multiple measurement types at SGP to develop the first such multi-year estimates. Further, the resulting data were analyzed to understand temporal patterns ranging from hourly to seasonal, thereby gaining insights into the particle sources affecting the atmosphere in this region. DOE-funded datasets that were analyzed in this study include total particle number concentrations, submicron aerosol scattering coefficients, dry aerosol size distributions, and more recently, time-resolved submicron aerosol chemical composition. Data are also available for the number concentrations of particles that are activated in a cloud condensation nucleus instrument at a series of setpoint supersaturations, providing direct observations of the number concentrations of “CCN”. This variable is the quantity that is generally desired for inclusion in numerical models that seek to represent and predict the impacts of varying aerosol characteristics on the formation and microphysical properties of clouds. One limitation of the use of direct CCN observations is that they are not available for supersaturations larger than about 1%, which is insufficient for deep convection and may be insufficient even for shallow convection, depending on the nature of the available CCN and the dynamics of the cloud. We developed a data-based approach to representing the full aerosol size spectrum with size-dependent hygroscopicity, and used this to extrapolate CCN spectra beyond the limited measurements. Five years of SGP aerosol data (2009 -2013) were analyzed. As a side product of our work, we identified and communicated several previously-unflagged data quality issues. The resulting merged aerosol distributions, along with fits for seasonal averages, were published and submitted to the ARM archive as a special value-added product (VAP; submitted as a PI product). CCN spectra were computed for the same data period and will similarly be published and submitted to the archive for use by the community. We also note that our methodologies and findings have been discussed at several Joint ARM User Facility/Atmospheric System Research (ASR) Principal Investigators Meetings and that recent ARM/ASR aerosol data reporting strategies have included similar ideas for data merging, indicating that this work has had a lasting impact on ARM aerosol data acquisition and reporting. The proposed work advances the science of the interactions of aerosols, clouds and precipitation, with direct application to improve representation of such interactions for clouds in regional and global climate models. The archived data will continue to serve research studies in the future.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960% then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California. The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility's unique capabilities were deemed a "National Asset" by the DoD. The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Relocated test equipment was dated and in need of upgrade. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. Future ITF improvements will be focused on continued instrumentation and performance enhancements. These enhancements will allow further, more in-depth, characterization of rain drop demise characterization and evaluation of ice crystal impact. Performance enhancements also include increasing the upper velocity limit of the current environmental guns to allow direct environmental simulation for missile components. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas grins, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Evans, Steve↗

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960s, then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California, The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility's unique capabilities were deemed a 'National Asset' by the DoD, The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Relocated test equipment was dated and in need of upgrade. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. Future ITF improvements will be focused on continued instrumentation and performance enhancements. These enhancements will allow further, more in-depth, characterization of rain drop demise characterization and evaluation of ice crystal impact. Performance enhancements also include increasing the upper velocity limit of the current environmental guns to allow direct environmental simulation for missile components. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas guns, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Evans, Steve↗

Geothermal District Heating in the United States: 2021 Update

As of 2021, there are 23 geothermal district heating (GDH) systems in the United States. Most are over 30 years old. This paper presents an overview of GDH development in the United States and the performance of GDH systems over time. Calculations of the estimated levelized cost of heat (LCOH) for existing U.S. GDH systems were made using NREL's GEOPHIRES tool. Estimated LCOH for existing U.S. GDH systems ranges from $15 to $105/MWhth. This paper explores other factors in GDH development such as resource and system size, capacity factor, and the role of policy. U.S. GDH utilization and deployment are compared to worldwide trends. Results show that the market for GDH in the United States has been weak over the past 40 years due to the combination of inexpensive fossil fuel alternatives (mostly natural gas), lack of incentives focused on heating/cooling, and other factors. Future opportunities for increased GDH deployment in the United States related to increased demand for low-carbon heating and cooling solutions (driven by decarbonization goals in the residential, commercial and industrial heating/cooling sectors, and particularly aggressive ones on college campuses) are outlined. Lastly, this paper identifies policy mechanisms that have been implemented in other countries to incentivize GDH (such as financial incentives targeting GDH, geothermal risk reduction mechanisms, carbon prices benefiting low-carbon heat production, and others).

geothermal district heating↗

US computer research networks: Domestic and international telecommunications capacity requirements

The future telecommunications capacity and connectivity requirements of the United States (US) research and development (R&D) community raise two concerns. First, would there be adequate privately-owned communications capacity to meet the ever-increasing requirements of the US R&D community for domestic and international connectivity? Second, is the method of piecemeal implementation of communications facilities by individual researchers cost effective when viewed from an integrated perspective? To address the capacity issue, Contel recently completed a study for NASA identifying the current domestic R&D telecommunications capacity and connectivity requirements, and projecting the same to the years 1991, 1996, 2000, and 2010. The work reported here extends the scope of an earlier study by factoring in the impact of international connectivity requirements on capacity and connectivity forecasts. Most researchers in foreign countries, as is the case with US researchers, rely on regional, national or continent-wide networks to collaborate with each other, and their US counterparts. The US researchers' international connectivity requirements, therefore, stem from the need to link the US domestic research networks to foreign research networks. The number of links and, more importantly, the speeds of links are invariably determined by the characteristics of the networks being linked. The major thrust of this study, therefore, was to identify and characterize the foreign research networks, to quantify the current status of their connectivity to the US networks, and to project growth in the connectivity requirements to years 1991, 1996, 2000, and 2010 so that a composite picture of the US research networks in the same years could be forecasted. The current (1990) US integrated research network, and its connectivity to foreign research networks is shown. As an example of projections, the same for the year 2010 is shown.

Kratochvil, D.↗

New Local, National and Regional Cereal Price Indices for Improved Identification of Food Insecurity

Large price increases over a short time period can be indicative of a deteriorating food security situation. Food price indices developed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are used to monitor food price trends at a global level, but largely reflect supply and demand conditions in export markets. However, reporting by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) indicates that staple cereal prices in many markets of the developing world, especially in surplus-producing areas, often have a delayed and variable response to international export market price trends. Here we present new price indices compiled for improved food security monitoring and assessment, and specifically for monitoring conditions of food access across diverse food insecure regions. We found that cereal price indices constructed using market prices within a food insecure region showed significant differences from the international cereals price, and had a variable price dispersion across markets within each marketshed. Using satellite-derived remote sensing information that estimates local production and the FAO Cereals Index as predictors, we were able to forecast movements of the local or national price indices in the remote, arid and semi-arid countries of the 38 countries examined. This work supports the need for improved decision-making about targeted aid and humanitarian relief, by providing earlier early warning of food security crises.

Brown, Molly E.↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-13013-DND

Description, capabilities and utilization of the NASA Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory (LAL) are presented. The LAL consists of four hypersonic, blow-down-to-vacuum wind tunnels that collectively provide a range of Mach number from 6 to 10 (18 simulation), unit Reynolds number from 0.05 to 8 million per foot and, most importantly for blunt configurations, normal shock density ratio from 4 to 12. These wide ranges of hypersonic simulation parameters are due, in part, to the use of two different test gases (air and tetrafluoromethane, CF4), thereby making the facilities unique. The complex represents half of the conventional (as opposed to impulse) -type hypersonic wind tunnels operational in this country. LAL facilities are used to assess and optimize the hypersonic aerodynamic performance and aeroheating characteristics of aerospace vehicle concepts and to provide benchmark aerodynamic/aeroheating data for generating the flight aerodynamic databook and final design of the thermal protection system (TPS). Modifications and enhancements of LAL hardware components and instrumentation have been pursued to increase capability, reliability, and productivity in support of programmatic goals. The facilities are utilized to generate essentially all of the experimental hypersonic aerodynamic and aeroheating information for high-priority, fast-paced Agency programs and were a major contributor to the Shuttle Columbia Accident Investigation, space shuttle Return-to-Flight program and Hypersonic Thermodynamic Infrared Measurements (HYTHIRM) project. The LAL has also contributed to the development of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, Ares launch system, Mars Science Laboratory, Genesis Sample Return Capsule and supported DOD programs including HIFiRE, X-37, Falcon HTV-2 and X-51A.

John R Micol↗

The law applicable to the use of space for commercial activities

The general principles of space law that have an impact on commercial space activities are discussed. The Outer Space Treaty guaranteed the right of private enterprise in space, with jurisdiction over the participating parties residing in the country of origin. The liability for damages caused to a third party is also assigned to the country of origin. Government consent is necessary in the U.S. before a private firm is permitted to launch an object into space, with the relevant statute sections being part of the Arms Export Control Act; launches are legally treated as exports. FAA regulations define the safe area and flight conditions that must be satisfied for a private launch, although NASA, in the 1958 act which formed the agency, potentialy has the power to regulate space launch activities. The DoD must be notified of any launches in order to notify the U.S.S.R., filings must be made with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and fees must be paid to the IRS. It is presently U.S. government policy to encourage and facilitate private sector development of commercial launch services.

Hosenball, S. N.↗

Four quadrant control of induction motors

Induction motors are the nation's workhorse, being the motor of choice in most applications due to their simple rugged construction. It has been estimated that 14 to 27 percent of the country's total electricity use could be saved with adjustable speed drives. Until now, induction motors have not been suited well for variable speed or servo-drives, due to the inherent complexity, size, and inefficiency of their variable speed controls. Work at NASA Lewis Research Center on field oriented control of induction motors using pulse population modulation method holds the promise for the desired drive electronics. The system allows for a variable voltage to frequency ratio which enables the user to operate the motor at maximum efficiency, while having independent control of both the speed and torque of an induction motor in all four quadrants of the speed torque map. Multiple horsepower machine drives were demonstrated, and work is on-going to develop a 20 hp average, 40 hp peak class of machine. The pulse population technique, results to date, and projections for implementation of this existing new motor control technology are discussed.

Hansen, Irving G.↗

Going Places No Infrared Temperature Devices Have Gone Before

Exergen's IRt/c is a self-powered sensor that matches a thermocouple within specified temperature ranges and provides a predictable and repeatable signal outside of this specified range. Possessing an extremely fast time constant, the infrared technology allows users to measure product temperature without touching the product. The IRt/c uses a device called a thermopile to measure temperature and generate current. Traditionally, these devices are not available in a size that would be compatible with the Exergen IRt/c, based on NASA s quarterinch specifications. After going through five circuit designs to find a thermopile that would suit the IRt/c design and match the signal needed for output, Exergen maintains that it developed a model that totaled just 20 percent of the volume of the previous smallest detector in the world. Following completion of the project with Glenn, Exergen continued development of the IRt/c for other customers, spinning off a new product line called the micro IRt/c. This latest development has broadened applications for industries that previously could not use infrared thermometers due to size constraints. The first commercial use of the micro IRt/c involved an original equipment manufacturer that makes laminating machinery consisting of heated rollers in very tight spots. Accurate temperature measurement for this application requires close proximity to the heated rollers. With the micro IRt/c s 50-millisecond time constant, the manufacturer is able to gain closer access to the intended temperature targets for exact readings, thereby increasing productivity and staying ahead of competition.In a separate application, the infrared temperature sensor is being utilized for avalanche warnings in Switzerland. The IRt/c is mounted about 5 meters above the ground to measure the snow cover throughout the mountainous regions of the country.

Source record↗

Evaluating the Use of Remote Sensing Data in the U.S. Agency for International Development Famine Early Warning Systems Network

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) provides monitoring and early warning support to decision makers responsible for responding to food insecurity emergencies on three continents. FEWS NET uses satellite remote sensing and ground observations of rainfall and vegetation in order to provide information on drought, floods, and other extreme weather events to decision makers. Previous research has presented results from a professional review questionnaire with FEWS NET expert end-users whose focus was to elicit Earth observation requirements. The review provided FEWS NET operational requirements and assessed the usefulness of additional remote sensing data. We analyzed 1342 food security update reports from FEWS NET. The reports consider the biophysical, socioeconomic, and contextual influences on the food security in 17 countries in Africa from 2000 to 2009. The objective was to evaluate the use of remote sensing information in comparison with other important factors in the evaluation of food security crises. The results show that all 17 countries use rainfall information, agricultural production statistics, food prices, and food access parameters in their analysis of food security problems. The reports display large-scale patterns that are strongly related to history of the FEWS NET program in each country. We found that rainfall data were used 84% of the time, remote sensing of vegetation 28% of the time, and gridded crop models 10% of the time, reflecting the length of use of each product in the regions. More investment is needed in training personnel on remote sensing products to improve use of data products throughout the FEWS NET system.

USAID↗

RadLab: A Comprehensive Database and Graphical and Programming Interfaces for Biologically Relevant Space Radiation Data

RadLab, a new component of the NASA Open Science Data Repository (OSDR), comprises a database of radiation measurements relevant to space biology, and visual and programmatic interfaces for interrogation and retrieval of these data. The attributes of data available through RadLab include spacecraft, types of radiation sensing instruments, locations within the spacecraft (e.g. modules of the ISS), associated celestial bodies, trajectories, and spacecraft coordinates. The application programming interface (API) implements a request syntax for retrieval of timestamped data filtered by various combinations of such attributes; the graphical user interface (GUI) extends this functionality with visualizations, such as spacecraft schematics, time series plots, geospatial visualizations, and provides easy means to iteratively refine search parameters, inspect the data on the fly, and download target subsets of these data. The release of RadLab currently available to the public contains datasets provided by US and international collaborators and focuses on data recorded on the ISS. Investigators from multiple countries, including the US, Canada, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Russia and the Czech Republic, have committed to provide data from their instruments in and beyond low Earth orbit; RadLab will also soon expand to include past (e.g. Shuttle and Mir) and future (e.g. Artemis) data. RadLab will provide a comprehensive, dynamic compendium of space radiation data, enabling the scientific community to perform analyses of data from multiple detectors and to determine the radiation environment of research missions and experiments, both via programmatic retrieval of these data and through the graphical analysis toolkit. The RadLab Working Group has been formed to foster collaborations among data contributors and users, to identify data sources, to put in place standards for data harmonization, and to guide the development of the platform, with the goal to establish the use of RadLab in space radiation research and to advance our understanding of the space radiation environment in human habitats.

radiation↗

Evaluating the Use of Remote Sensing Data in the USAID Famine Early Warning Systems Network

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) s Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) provides monitoring and early warning support to decision makers responsible for responding to food insecurity emergencies on three continents. FEWS NET uses satellite remote sensing and ground observations of rainfall and vegetation in order to provide information on drought, floods and other extreme weather events to decision makers. Previous research has presented results from a professional review questionnaire with FEWS NET expert end-users whose focus was to elicit Earth observation requirements. The review provided FEWS NET operational requirements and assessed the usefulness of additional remote sensing data. Here we analyzed 1342 food security update reports from FEWS NET. The reports consider the biophysical, socioeconomic, and contextual influences on the food security in 17 countries in Africa from 2000-2009. The objective was to evaluate the use of remote sensing information in comparison with other important factors in the evaluation of food security crises. The results show that all 17 countries use rainfall information, agricultural production statistics, food prices and food access parameters in their analysis of food security problems. The reports display large scale patterns that are strongly related to history of the FEWS NET program in each country. We found that rainfall data was used 84% of the time, remote sensing of vegetation 28% of the time, and gridded crop models 10%, reflecting the length of use of each product in the regions. More investment is needed in training personnel on remote sensing products to improve use of data products throughout the FEWS NET system.

Brown, Molly E.↗

NASA’s Space Launch System: Progress Toward Launch

The Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s cornerstone launch capability for a new generation of deep space exploration, has begun assembly at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in preparation for launch in 2021. SLS will provide an unparalleled launch capability for human and robotic deep space exploration missions. Its proven propulsion system, upgrade path to more powerful vehicles, and high-volume payload fairings make it the foundation for ambitious and demanding as part of the Artemis program. Artemis is NASA’s 21st-century plan to put boots on the Moon and to perform sustainable, long-term science in deep space, with eyes toward sending explorers to Mars. The initial SLS vehicle to fly, Block 1 in the crew configuration – with the new Orion spacecraft – is scheduled to lift off from revitalized launch facilities at KSC in 2021 for an uncrewed test flight known as Artemis I. Manufacturing is complete on the vehicle and all elements have been delivered to the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program, except the core stage. The program’s all-new development, the core stage is currently in the midst of a “Green Run” test campaign at Stennis Space Center (SSC). Eight progressively more challenging tests in the Green Run series will culminate in a hot-fire of four flight-proven liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen (LH2/LOX) RS25 engines. Following the Green Run hotfiring, the core stage will ship to KSC. Already at KSC, aft sections of the fivesegment solid rocket boosters are being assembled. Previously delivered elements, including the upper stage, are undergoing final checkouts in preparation for stacking. An exciting 2021 will include such milestones as stacking SLS and Orion in KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), modal testing, roll out to Launch Pad 39B, Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR), and launch. Teams across the country are preparing for launch by finalizing procedures, defining launch constraints and flight rules, training console operators, performing simulations, and more. With the SLS Block 1 vehicle for Artemis I nearing integration and launch, the second Block 1 vehicle in the crew configuration, which will carry astronauts on an Artemis II hybrid lunar flyby mission, has several elements manufactured. In fact, the solid rocket motor segments and RS-25 engines are complete. Those program elements are processing hardware for the third flight and working toward manufacturing the second SLS variant to fly, Block 1B, which will onramp a powerful new upper stage, the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS).

John Honeycutt↗

Use of satellite telecommunications for telemedicine

The use of space telecommunications facilities in the interests of medicine should establish a reliable and timely connection between the specialists involved and access for each of them to information sources the need. Since a certain global-scale program should be implemented for this goal to be achieved, one of the top-priority tasks is to determine appropriate orbital facilities for telecommunications as well as appropriate areas and countries for them, outlining the territories where portable data receive/transport records can be placed and stations that are cheap and simple enough to operate can be stored. Eventually the satellite telecommunications system should encourage health workers to unite in a world community on the basis of a regular and efficient information exchange with the goal of protecting the health of man and the peace of Earth. This goal could only be achieved by gradually removing differences in the domain of medical education and information in different regions over the globe, by providing a possibility of rapid and coordinated access to the information on medical problems of interest on the global scale, as well as by coordinating the discussion and solution of all problems associated with the development and progress of the satellite communications system.

Tamkovich, Gennady↗

Optimizing Airspace System Capacity Through a Small Aircraft Transportation System: An Analysis of Economic and Operational Considerations

America's air transport system is currently faced with two equally important dilemmas. First, congestion and delays associated with the overburdened hub and spoke system will continue to worsen unless dramatic changes are made in the way air transportation services are provided. Second, many communities and various regions of the country have not benefited from the air transport system, which tends to focus its attention on major population centers. An emerging solution to both problems is a Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), which will utilize a new generation of advanced small aircraft to provide air transport services to those citizens who are poorly served by the hub and spoke system and those citizens who are not served at all. Using new innovations in navigation, communication, and propulsion technologies, these aircraft will enable users to safely and reliably access the over 5,000 general aviation landing facilities around the United States. A small aircraft transportation system holds the potential to revolutionize the way Americans travel and to greatly enhance the use of air transport as an economic development tool in rural and isolated communities across the nation.

Tarry, Scott E.↗