A prototype selection system for the optimal choice of an instrument package
Prototype selection system for optimal spacecraft instrument package planning decision making
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Prototype selection system for optimal spacecraft instrument package planning decision making
Gyro test package, dynamic test facility and real time attitude algorithm to investigate operational capabilities of strapdown inertial attitude package
An effective procedure for NASTRAN was developed that permits any number of substructures of any size to be synthesized for the purpose of developing normal modes of vibration of the complete structural system. The technique is extended to permit modal transient analysis of the subdivided system. This latter procedure permits the use of NASTRAN's ability to include nonlinear forces in the problem. The five-phase process is accomplished using standard NASTRAN rigid formats with problem-independent alter packages and DMAP sequences.
A multipurpose electric furnace system of advanced design for space applications was developed and tested. This system is intended for use in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Program. It consists of the furnace, control package and a helium package for rapid cooldown.
The author has identified the following significant results. As part of the tape reformatting process, a simple coded picture output program was developed. This represents Pixel's radiance level by one of a 47 character set on a nonoverprinting line printer. It not only has aided in locating areas for the reformatting process, but has also formed the foundation for a supervised clustering package. This in turn has led to a simplistic but effective thematic mapping package.
Surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) resonators used as frequency-determining elements in radio-frequency oscillators circuits. Oscillators are frequencymodulated, phase-modulated, or pulse-modulated. SAW resonators are especially applicable to low-power subminiature applications, such as biotelemetry and wind-tunnel instrumentation, where they advantageously replace crystals. Resonators are smaller than crystals and very thin--advantage where small package size is important.
Methods for the prediction of loads on large space structures are discussed. Existing approaches to the problem of loads calculation are surveyed. A full scale version of an alternate numerical integration technique to solve the response part of a load cycle is presented, and a set of short cut versions of the algorithm developed. The implementation of these techniques using the software package developed is discussed.
Scientific requirements for terrestrial remote-sensing satellites in the 1990's and instrument packages to meet them are discussed, summarizing the results of a preliminary study conducted by the NASA System Z Science and Mission Requirements Working Group. Major questions regarding atmospheric chemistry and circulation, global climate, ocean dynamics, biogeochemical cycles, ice-budget and hydrological cycles, continental geology, biomass dynamics, and land cover and use are listed along with the observational frequency and resolution necessary to answer them, and an instrument use matrix is presented. Large essentially permanent man-tended arrays of instruments serving multiple functions and linked to the users via advanced information-processing networks and (possibly including expert systems) are recommended, and a basic payload and two supplemental packages are outlined.
The Thermal Control Surfaces Experiment (TCSE) was a successful experiment to study the effects of the space environment on thermal control surfaces using in-space optical properties measurements combined with post-flight analyses. The TCSE reflectometer performed well on the LDEF mission demonstrating that a portable compact integrating sphere spectroreflectometer can be built that is rugged and space rated. Since the retrieval of the TCSE package from space, several other instruments have evolved from its pioneering technologies. These are the Optical Properties Monitor (OPM), the Laboratory Portable SpectroReflectometer (LPSR), and the Space Portable SpectroReflectometer (SPSR). These instruments and experiment packages are described.
As our knowledge of the planet Mars continues to grow, one parameter that remains elusive is the absolute chronology of the planet s geological history. Although crater counts have provided a robust relative chronology, impactor fluxes are poorly enough known that there are places on Mars where the absolute age is uncertain by a factor of two or more. To resolve these uncertainties, it will be necessary to either analyze well-documented samples returned to the Earth from the Martian surface or to perform in situ measurements with sufficient precision. Sample return is still at least a decade away, and even then it might be from a biologically interesting area that might be geologically complex. Hence an in situ measurement, within an uncertainty of 20% or better, could greatly improve our knowledge of the history of Mars. With funding from the Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program (PIDDP), we have been working on an instrument to perform potassium-argon (K-Ar) and cosmic-ray exposure (CRE) dating in situ on the surface of Mars. For either of these techniques, it is necessary to measure the abundance of one or more major or minor elements (K in the case of KAr; all majors and minors in the case of CRE) and the abundance and isotopes composition of a noble gas (Ar in the case of K-Ar; He, Ne and Ar for CRE dating). The technology for either of these types of measurements exists, but has never before been integrated for a spacecraft. We refer to the instrument as AGE, the Argon Geochronology Experiment (although we will measure the noble gases He and Ne as well for CRE ages). We report here on the basic components that go into such an instrument, both those that use existing technology and those that had to be developed to create the integrated package.
Space deployable antennas are needed for a variety of applications that include space based very-long-baseline interferometry, mobile communications, active microwave sensing, earth observation radiometry, synthetic aperture radar, spacecraft communications, and DOD space-based radar. Design and development concepts discussed are low cost, reliability, low weight, packaging, precision and stability.
We present results from a time-energy entanglement Bell inequality violation measurement of two highly non-degenerate photons using a compact Franson interferometer. The entangled photons are generated via the spontaneous parametric downconversion of a 532 nm pump photon into time-energy and polarization degrees of freedom hyper-entangled 810 nm and 1550 nm photons. The source is a type II periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal with a fiber-coupled input and free-space output. These wavelengths are of particular interest as they lie at the intersection of free-space quantum communication and terrestrial entanglement distribution due to 810 nm undergoing little atmospheric absorption, making it a candidate for satellite to ground quantum links. Furthermore, 1550 nm is capable of directly interfacing with existing telecommunications infrastructure. We report an initial violation of Bell's inequality by more than 3 standard deviations and describe efforts to improve upon this while maintaining stable operation in a low size, weight, and power (SWaP) package.
This invited presentation describes demonstration of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and ceramic packaging that are arguably the most environmentally durable transistor electronics ever demonstrated. SiC junction field effect transistor-resistor (JFET-R) ICs with two-level interconnect have successfully operated for over 1 year in 500 °C air-ambient [1], 60 days in 460 °C and 9.3 MPa pressure caustic Venus surface environment test chamber [2], and radiation exposure through 7 Mrad(Si) total ionizing dose (TID) and 86 MeV-cm2/mg heavy ion strikes [3]. Furthermore, these ICs have also demonstrated operation from -190 °C to +812 °C (over 1000 °C T-span) without significant change in signal (input /output) or power supply voltages [4]. With modest adjustments, the SiC JFET-R fabrication process is compatible with semiconductor mass-production tools and materials. As an initial step towards this end, the processing that forms the SiC JFETs and resistors (without interconnect) for the NASA Glenn “Generation 12” design prototype JFET-R ICs was conducted at GE Research. Once the COVID-delayed IC interconnect and bond pad fabrication processing on these wafers is completed at NASA Glenn, the resulting chips will be packaged and oven-tested [5]. It is expected that further technology transfer to complete commercial production will lower investment and risk barriers to useful application deployment. For NASA, an initial high-value deployment is opening the Venus surface to extended missions for robotic scientific exploration.
This package provides space for mounting up to five MMIC chips and has three RF and five DC feed-throughs.
RENEW computer program simulates maintenance events and estimates data pertinent to maintenance demands. Developed in support of Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP) Work Package 4. Uses data on reliability and maintainability (R&M) as well as logistical data to estimate both average and time-dependent maintenance demands. Estimates failure and repair times by use of Monte Carlo simulations. Written in BASIC and Assembly language.
Inspection results along with SEM and optical cross-sectional photos revealing damage and failure mechanisms will also be presented.
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