Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “operational intent”

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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Stochastic Analysis for Long Term Capital Structures, Systems, and Components Refurbishment and Replacement

As commercial Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) pursue extended plant operation in the form of Second License Renewal (SLR), opportunities exist for these plants to provide capital investments to ensure long-term safe and economic performance. At the current time, several utilities have announced an intention to pursue extended operation for one or more of their NPPs via SLR . The goal of this research is to develop a risk-informed approach to evaluate and prioritize plant capital investments made in preparation for, and during the period of, extended plant operations to support decisions for NPP operations. Since the capital investments are influenced by various factors, such as markets, safety and regulatory, the decision-making process of NPP operations should take into account relevant factors for balancing risks, costs and profits. The traditional method of capital budgeting is based on the priority list of candidate projects using economic measures such as benefit-investment ratio, net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return. In the literatures, the problem of capital budgeting or the variant can be represented by an appropriate knapsack problem. The knapsack approach to capital budgeting takes as input as investment, along with the cost and profit of each project. The objective of capital budgeting is to find the combination of the binary decisions for every investment such that the overall profit is as large as possible. The output is a collection of projects to be carried out, and we refer this selected collection of projects as a project portfolio. One limitation of traditional optimization models for capital budgeting is that they do not account for risk/uncertainty in profit and cost streams associated with individual projects, they do not account for risk in resource availability in future years [1,2,3]. Projects can incur cost over-runs, especially when projects are large, performed infrequently, and when there is risk regarding technical viability, external contractors, and/or suppliers of requisite parts and materials. Occasionally, projects are performed ahead of schedule and with cost savings. Planned budgets for capital improvements can be cut and key personnel may be lost. Or, there may be surprise windfalls in budgets for maintenance activities due to decreased costs for “unplanned” maintenance. In these cases, how should we resolve capital budgeting when we have risk forecasts for costs, profits and budgets? One approach we proposed in this summary is to re-solve the optimization models based on assumed statistical distributions of given parameters. If these distributions were not available, a two-stage stochastic optimization approach can be used to provide priority lists to decision-makers to support better risk-informed decisions [4, 5]. In this summary, we will only focus on the first approach.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1998

Computational Model of Human and System Dynamics in Free Flight: Studies in Distributed Control Technologies

This paper presents a set of studies in full mission simulation and the development of a predictive computational model of human performance in control of complex airspace operations. NASA and the FAA have initiated programs of research and development to provide flight crew, airline operations and air traffic managers with automation aids to increase capacity in en route and terminal area to support the goals of safe, flexible, predictable and efficient operations. In support of these developments, we present a computational model to aid design that includes representation of multiple cognitive agents (both human operators and intelligent aiding systems). The demands of air traffic management require representation of many intelligent agents sharing world-models, coordinating action/intention, and scheduling goals and actions in a potentially unpredictable world of operations. The operator-model structure includes attention functions, action priority, and situation assessment. The cognitive model has been expanded to include working memory operations including retrieval from long-term store, and interference. The operator's activity structures have been developed to provide for anticipation (knowledge of the intention and action of remote operators), and to respond to failures of the system and other operators in the system in situation-specific paradigms. System stability and operator actions can be predicted by using the model. The model's predictive accuracy was verified using the full-mission simulation data of commercial flight deck operations with advanced air traffic management techniques.

Corker, Kevin M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Graph-Net with Node Embeddings to Detect False Data Injection Attacks in Photovoltaic Systems

Distributed energy resources (DER) contribute to the operational stability of the larger power grid both at utility-scale as well as commercial and residential scales in aggregated forms. These DER in-turn are susceptible to increasing cyber threats. An adversary can plug into the same local network that a field photovoltaic (PV) system uses to interconnect its data loggers and inverters and manipulate certain measurements collected from the network or trick existing irradiance and inverter readings through false data injection attacks (FDIA). Control routines that rely on these measurements can propagate the false data, impacting critical decisions that result in a suboptimal operation or even cause intentional harm leading to inverter-tripping or unscheduled loads that need to be shed. To detect FDIA in PV systems, the paper introduces an attention-based graph neural network with node embeddings and applied it to a simple prototypical DC-coupled microgrid with PV, energy storage, and load. The algorithm shows a detection accuracy of up to 98.95%. The proposed FDIA detection technique will provide micro-grid operators with an effective method to safeguard their systems, guaranteeing the secure and reliable operation.

Parvez, Imtiaz [Utah Valley University]↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hierarchical Control and Stability Analysis for a Nonisolated Grid-Tied DC Energy Router Integrating Energy Storage and Partial Distributed Generation

This article proposes a nonisolated dc converter-based energy router (dc-ER) and its operating strategy. Here, the intent is to integrate energy storage (ES), distributed generation (DG), local load, and dc power grid in an autonomous and more efficient way. The ES/DG power ports are coupled with each other in partial-type connections, which obtains higher voltage supply gain and direct input–output power transmission. High-voltage supply gain allows a wide solar power tracking range and the possibility of optimal battery charging/discharging. Direct input–output power transmission improves the energy conversion efficiency. In this article, the operating modes of dc-ER are first analyzed, followed by the optimal hardware design counting the DG current ripple minimization and the limitation caused by the power flow direction. Second, the mathematical model of dc-ER is deduced. The hierarchical control is then proposed to manage port energy in a flexible manner. The stability is analyzed by using impedance modeling. Finally, experimental and simulation results verify the superiorities of the proposed topology in terms of flexible operating mode transition and high-power conversion efficiency.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2005

A Regional, Integrated Monitoring System for the Hydrology of the Pan-Arctic Land Mass

Work under this NASA contract developed a system for monitoring and historical analysis of the major components of the pan-Arctic terrestrial water cycle. It is known as Arctic-RIMS (Regional Integrated Hydrological Monitoring System for the Pan-Arctic Landmass). The system uses products from EOS-era satellites, numerical weather prediction models, station records and other data sets in conjunction with an atmosphere-land surface water budgeting scheme. The intent was to compile operational (at 1-2 month time lags) gridded fields of precipitation (P), evapotranspiration (ET), P-ET, soil moisture, soil freeze/thaw state, active layer thickness, snow extent and its water equivalent, soil water storage, runoff and simulated discharge along with estimates of non-closure in the water budget. Using "baseline" water budgeting schemes in conjunction with atmospheric reanalyses and pre-EOS satellite data, water budget fields were conjunction with atmospheric reanalyses and pre-EOS satellite data, water budget fields were compiled to provide historical time series. The goals as outlined in the original proposal can be summarized as follows: 1) Use EOS data to compile hydrologic products for the pan-Arctic terrestrial regions including snowcover/snow water equivalent (SSM/A MODIS, AMSR) and near-surface freeze/thaw dynamics (Sea Winds on QuikSCAT and ADEOS I4 SSMI and AMSR). 2) Implement Arctic-RIMS to use EOS data streams, allied fields and hydrologic models to produce allied outputs that fully characterize pan-Arctic terrestrial and aerological water budgets. 3) Compile hydrologically-based historical products providing a long-term baseline of spatial and temporal variability in the water cycle.

Serreze, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2014

Observations of Spacecraft Bearing Lubricant Redistribution Based on Thermal Conductance Measurements

The performance and life of precision ball bearings are critically dependent on maintaining a quantity of oil at the ball/race interface that is sufficient to support a robust protective film. In space applications, where parched conditions are intentionally the norm, harsh operating conditions can displace the small reserves of oil, resulting in reduced film thickness and premature wear. In the past, these effects have proven difficult to model or to measure experimentally. This paper describes a study addressing this challenge, where bearing thermal conductance measurements are employed to infer changes in lubricant quantity at the critical rolling interfaces. In the first part of the paper, we explain how the lubricant's presence and its quantity impacts bearing thermal conductance measurements. For a stationary bearing, we show that conductance is directly related to the lubricant quantity in the ball/race contacts. Hence, aspects of bearing performance related to oil quantity can be understood and insights improved with thermal conductance data. For a moving bearing, a different mechanism of heat transfer dominates and is dependent on lubricant film thickness on the ball. In the second part of the report, we discuss lubricant quantity observations based on bearing thermal conductance measurements. Lubricant quantity, and thus bearing thermal conductance, depends on various initial and operating conditions and is impacted further by the run-in process. A significant effect of maximum run-in speed was also observed, with less oil remaining after obtaining higher speeds. Finally, we show that some of the lubricant that is displaced between the ball and race during run-in operation can be recovered during rest, and we measure the rate of recovery for one example.

Takeuchi, Yoshimi R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Lunar Water ISRU System Study for Human-Scale Propellant Production

NASA’s plans to return to the moon in the Artemis campaign include intentions for sustainable surface operations. In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is key to enabling sustainability. The use of water, which has been identified in the lunar polar regions [1-4], could be pivotal to a sustainable architecture. While water has been identified, there is limited information regarding its form and distribution. The Lunar Water ISRU Measurement Study (LWIMS) [5] outlined the current state of knowledge regarding water resources on the moon, what information is lacking, and how to approach a measurement campaign to close those knowledge gaps. However the NASA timeline necessitates that lunar surface water prospecting, or reconnaissance, efforts and ISRU system design to occur in parallel. ISRU hardware and systems development must proceed without key resource knowledge. Yet, engineering design requires come constraints and targets to work to. The goal of this study was to define a set of lunar water reference cases, based on the cur-rent lunar water information, to help focus ISRU de-sign and planning. This approach is similar to an study focused on Mars resources called Mars Water ISRU Planning (MWIP) [6].

Lunar Water↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TechEdSat 7, 10, 13, 15: Exo-brake Experiments on the ISS, First Virgin Orbit, and First Firefly-Alpha Test Flights.

The TechEdSat flight series (TES-n), developed by the Nano Orbital Workshop (NOW) group at NASA Ames, has been studying cube satellite re-entry technologies with a focus on Exo-Brake drag device research. An exo-atmospheric braking device, the Exo-Brake uses the tenuous upper atmosphere acting in a free molecular flow regime to enable controllable adjustment of the drag profile of the host spacecraft, currently enabling rapid disposal of small spacecraft after mission conclusion, and eventual targeted de-orbit to a desired entry point at the Von Karman line, or approximately 100km in altitude. The TES-7 mission, flown on the first successful Virgin Orbit flight January 17, 2021, was injected into a 500km, 61-degree inclination orbit, with an expected orbital lifetime of approximately ten years. After successful deployment of a unique hydrogen gas-cell inflation design ‘disposal’-type Mylar Exo-Brake intended to rapidly de-orbit the spacecraft, the maximum expected orbital lifetime of the TES-7 spacecraft was successfully reduced from ten years to 1.3 years, an 87% reduction in orbit lifetime via a passive, fuel-less system. The subsequent TES-13 mission utilized a new, less complex ‘disposal’-type Exo-Brake design made from collapsible rigid struts rather than inflated struts to reduce the engineering, construction, and safety complexities introduced by the prior hydrogen gas inflation design. The rigid strut Exo-Brake design is stowed via rotational compression and deploys using only stored spring energy once released via electronic actuator. This new rotation compression storage design has become the new Exo-Brake design standard used on TES missions thanks to its simplicity. Following on the success of this new Exo-Brake design demonstrated by TES-13, the design was further refined to enabled active manipulation of the Exo-Brake effective drag area though a winch-like system. Both the TES-10 and TES-15 spacecraft were equipped with geometrically similar Exo-Brake devices capable of such active drag modulation, with the intent of studying the operational impact of having such devices on cube satellite missions. To increase the survival time of the Exo-Brake at low altitudes and thus gain more experiment time and better guidance capability, TES-15 was equipped with a modulated Exo-Brake constructed from 3M™ Nextel™ 440 ceramic oxide fiber, the same fabric material used in the Space Shuttle TPS system, rather than Mylar. After launching on Alpha Flight 2 October 1st, 2022, Firefly’s first successful launch, TES-15 met the same modulation restrictions as TES-10, with modulation prohibited above 200km to avoid possible collision with other spacecraft. In this case, a low deployment orbit caused an extremely short mission life, which, coupled with delayed spacecraft identification, exacerbated collision concerns and caused performance data of the high-temperature Exo-Brake design to be inconclusive. As such, the Nano Orbital Workshop has taken a new approach of only conducting modulated Exo-Brake research on missions deploying below ISS altitude to avoid collision avoidance restrictions, and is working to improve spacecraft identification and location reporting techniques to increase experiment durations. Upcoming TES mission will therefore use one of two classes of Exo-Brake depending on their target altitude, as to be described in the submission.

M Murbach↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TechEdSat 7, 10, 13, 15: Exo-brake Experiments on the ISS, First Virgin Orbit, and First Firefly-Alpha Test Flights

The TechEdSat flight series (TES-n), developed by the Nano Orbital Workshop (NOW) group at NASA Ames, has been studying cube satellite re-entry technologies with a focus on Exo-Brake drag device research. An exo-atmospheric braking device, the Exo-Brake uses the tenuous upper atmosphere acting in a free molecular flow regime to enable controllable adjustment of the drag profile of the host spacecraft, currently enabling rapid disposal of small spacecraft after mission conclusion, and eventual targeted de-orbit to a desired entry point at the Von Karman line, or approximately 100km in altitude. The TES-7 mission, flown on the first successful Virgin Orbit flight January 17, 2021, was injected into a 500km, 61-degree inclination orbit, with an expected orbital lifetime of approximately ten years. After successful deployment of a unique hydrogen gas-cell inflation design ‘disposal’-type Mylar Exo-Brake intended to rapidly de-orbit the spacecraft, the maximum expected orbital lifetime of the TES-7 spacecraft was successfully reduced from ten years to 1.3 years, an 87% reduction in orbit lifetime via a passive, fuel-less system. The subsequent TES-13 mission utilized a new, less complex ‘disposal’-type Exo-Brake design made from collapsible rigid struts rather than inflated struts to reduce the engineering, construction, and safety complexities introduced by the prior hydrogen gas inflation design. The rigid strut Exo-Brake design is stowed via rotational compression and deploys using only stored spring energy once released via electronic actuator. This new rotation compression storage design has become the new Exo-Brake design standard used on TES missions thanks to its simplicity. Following on the success of this new Exo-Brake design demonstrated by TES-13, the design was further refined to enabled active manipulation of the Exo-Brake effective drag area though a winch-like system. Both the TES-10 and TES-15 spacecraft were equipped with geometrically similar Exo-Brake devices capable of such active drag modulation, with the intent of studying the operational impact of having such devices on cube satellite missions. To increase the survival time of the Exo-Brake at low altitudes and thus gain more experiment time and better guidance capability, TES-15 was equipped with a modulated Exo-Brake constructed from 3M™ Nextel™ 440 ceramic oxide fiber, the same fabric material used in the Space Shuttle TPS system, rather than Mylar. After launching on Alpha Flight 2 October 1st, 2022, Firefly’s first successful launch, TES-15 met the same modulation restrictions as TES-10, with modulation prohibited above 200km to avoid possible collision with other spacecraft. In this case, a low deployment orbit caused an extremely short mission life, which, coupled with delayed spacecraft identification, exacerbated collision concerns and caused performance data of the high-temperature Exo-Brake design to be inconclusive. As such, the Nano Orbital Workshop has taken a new approach of only conducting modulated Exo-Brake research on missions deploying below ISS altitude to avoid collision avoidance restrictions, and is working to improve spacecraft identification and location reporting techniques to increase experiment durations. Upcoming TES mission will therefore use one of two classes of Exo-Brake depending on their target altitude, as to be described in the submission.

Marcus Murbach↗
NASA NTRS2003

Vector-Ordering Filter Procedure for Data Reduction

The vector-ordering filter (VOF) technique involves a procedure for sampling a large population of data vectors to select a subset of data vectors that fully characterize the state space of the large population. The VOF technique enables a large reduction of the volume of data that must be handled in the automated monitoring system and method discussed in the two immediately preceding articles. In so doing, the VOF technique enables the development of data-driven mathematical models of a monitored asset from sets of data that would otherwise exceed the memory capacities of conventional engineering computers. Data-driven mathematical models have been shown to offer high fidelity for purposes of control and monitoring of assets. In practice, a collection of asset-operating observations is acquired with the intention that the collection contain observations characteristic of the full dynamic range of operation of the asset. Often, such a collection contains an extremely large number of observations, many of which are redundant. The VOF technique fills the need for a means to extract, from the original collection of observational data, a reduced data matrix that excludes redundant data while maintaining the full statistical character and dynamic range of the original data. The reduced data matrix can then be used as the input data for development of a mathematical model of the monitored asset, or as training data for a neural-network substitute for an explicit mathematical model of the asset. Alternatively, the reduced data matrix can, itself, be used directly as a mathematical model of the monitored asset, as is commonly done in multivariate state-estimation techniques. The original data are collected from the asset over a range of operating states and are put in matrix form. Each column vector in the original data matrix represents the signal values acquired at a particular operational state of the asset. Thus, the number of columns of the original data matrix equals the number of observed states and the number of rows in this matrix equals the number of signals acquired at each observation. In the VOF technique, one extracts the reduced data matrix from the original data matrix through the selection of a representative subset of the column (state) vectors.

Bickford, Randall L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Mars Surveyor 2001 21-Sol Plan

The Mars Surveyor 2001 21-sol plan defines the baseline surface science mission. This success-oriented plan is designed to be conservative and demonstrates that the primary mission success for each instrument can be attained during the first 21 sols on the surface of Mars. The 21-sol plan is designed to meet all of the power and data volume constraints placed upon the payload by the lander and is developed by the Science Operations Working Group (SOWG). It is the intent of the mission that SOWG will form a Core Operations Team (COT) that will be responsible for taking this plan and producing conflict free sequences of science activities.

Anderson, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Expressing Campaign Intent to Increase Productivity of Planetary Exploration Rovers

Achieving consistently high levels of productivity has been a challenge for Mars surface missions. While the rovers have made major discoveries and dramatically increased our understanding of Mars, they often require a great deal of effort from the operations teams and achieving mission objectives can take longer than anticipated. Missions have begun investigating ways to enhance productivity by increasing the amount of decision-making performed onboard the rovers. Our work focuses on the use of goal-based commanding as a means of more productively operating rovers. In particular, we are working on ways to convey the intent that operations team use to conduct science campaigns to the rover so that it can guide the rover in creating high quality plans and in identifying its own goals based on operator guidance. In addition to informing future surface exploration missions, this work is relevant for a wide range of applications in which operators must interact with limited communication opportunities.

Gaines, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2019

Overview of the Main Propulsion System for a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Flight Demonstrator

A demonstration of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) engine has not been conducted in over 50 years. Several tests were conducted during the NERVA program but no NTP engine was ever flown in space. In the last several years there has been a considerable amount of conceptual design work on NTP engines conducted. With the prospect of human Mars missions in the 2030’s there has been a renewed interest in NTP engines. A concept design study was conducted with the intent to design 2 flight demonstrator vehicles that would buy down programmatic and technical risks associated with launching and operating nuclear reactors in space. The intent of the first demonstrator mission would be to employ a simplified NTP engine and buy down programmatic risks whereas the second demonstrator would buy down technical risks with a NTP engine designed to be similar to an operational NTP model. The results of the study showed that a simplified NTP engine demonstrator could be feasibly built and flown in the near term with mostly high TRL, commercial off-the-shelf components.

Simpson, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Airborne Use of Traffic Intent Information in a Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management Concept: Experiment Design and Preliminary Results

A predominant research focus in the free flight community has been on the type of information required on the flight deck to enable pilots to "autonomously" maintain separation from other aircraft. At issue are the relative utility and requirement for information exchange between aircraft regarding the current "state" and/or the "intent" of each aircraft. This paper presents the experimental design and some initial findings of an experimental research study designed to provide insight into the issue of intent information exchange in constrained en-route operations and its effect on pilot decision making and flight performance. Two operational modes for autonomous operations were compared in a piloted simulation. The tactical mode was characterized primarily by the use of state information for conflict detection and resolution and an open-loop means for the pilot to meet operational constraints. The strategic mode involved the combined use of state and intent information, provided the pilot an additional level of alerting, and allowed a closed-loop approach to meeting operational constraints. Potential operational benefits of both modes are illustrated through several scenario case studies. Subjective data results are presented that generally indicate pilot consensus in favor of the strategic mode.

Wing, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Operational Philosophy Concerning Manned Spacecraft Cabin Leaks

The last thirty years have seen the Space Shuttle as the prime United States spacecraft for manned spaceflight missions. Many lessons have been learned about spacecraft design and operation throughout these years. Over the next few decades, a large increase of manned spaceflight in the commercial sector is expected. This will result in the exposure of commercial crews and passengers to many of the same risks crews of the Space Shuttle have encountered. One of the more dire situations that can be encountered is the loss of pressure in the habitable volume of the spacecraft during on orbit operations. This is referred to as a cabin leak. This paper seeks to establish a general cabin leak response philosophy with the intent of educating future spacecraft designers and operators. After establishing a relative definition for a cabin leak, the paper covers general descriptions of detection equipment, detection methods, and general operational methods for management of a cabin leak. Subsequently, all these items are addressed from the perspective of the Space Shuttle Program, as this will be of the most value to future spacecraft due to similar operating profiles. Emphasis here is placed upon why and how these methods and philosophies have evolved to meet the Space Shuttle s needs. This includes the core ideas of: considerations of maintaining higher cabin pressures vs. lower cabin pressures, the pros and cons of a system designed to feed the leak with gas from pressurized tanks vs. using pressure suits to protect against lower cabin pressures, timeline and consumables constraints, re-entry considerations with leaks of unknown origin, and the impact the International Space Station (ISS) has had to the standard Space Shuttle cabin leak response philosophy. This last item in itself includes: procedural management differences, hardware considerations, additional capabilities due to the presence of the ISS and its resource, and ISS docking/undocking considerations with a cabin leak occurring. The paper also offers a look at how different equipment configurations on future spacecraft impact the previously defined cabin leak operational philosophy and includes additional operational methods and considerations that result due to various configurations. The intent is to showcase these various considerations and highlight the variability they allow. The paper concludes with a selection of the author s personal observations from a spacecraft operator's point of view and recommendations with the goal of improving the design and operations of future spacecraft.

DeSimpelaere, Edward↗
DOE OSTI2021

Beyond ethics: The transformational power of overlapping motivations in implementing strategic sustainability actions

Abstract We develop a methodology to identify patterns between sustainability motivations, actions and engagement. We apply this methodology to analyse a 3 1/2‐year intervention that yielded 151 sustainability actions undertaken by 46 outbound tour operators. We find three aspects that can be explained by the tour operators' motivations to act sustainably, namely, a connection between: (i) the actions taken in the context of the organisation's business model, (ii) the intensity of the approach, measured by the resources invested in it and the operator's commitment level and (iii) the evolution of the response. These patterns demonstrate how ethical motivations are common and a precondition to acting sustainably, but, in themselves, these motivations are not sufficient to integrate sustainability practices into the core business or to maintain commitment over time. It is the combination of a high ethical commitment with clear strategic intent, materialised in commercial and operational motivations, that increases the connectedness, and intensity, of sustainability actions amongst ethically committed firms.

Bonilla‐Priego, Maria Jesus↗
NASA NTRS1991

Management of the orbital environment

Data regarding orbital debris are presented to shed light on the requirements of environmental management in space, and strategies are given for active intervention and operational strategies. Debris are generated by inadvertent explosions of upper stages, intentional military explosions, and collisional breakups. Design and operation practices are set forth for minimizing debris generation and removing useless debris from orbit in the low-earth and geosynchronous orbits. Self-disposal options include propulsive maneuvers, drag-augmentation devices, and tether systems, and the drag devices are described as simple and passive. Active retrieval and disposition are considered, and the difficulty is examined of removing small debris. Active intervention techniques are required since pollution prevention is more effective than remediation for the problems of both earth and space.

Loftus, Joseph P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Airborne Tactical Intent-Based Conflict Resolution Capability

Trajectory-based operations with self-separation involve the aircraft taking the primary role in the management of its own trajectory in the presence of other traffic. In this role, the flight crew assumes the responsibility for ensuring that the aircraft remains separated from all other aircraft by at least a minimum separation standard. These operations are enabled by cooperative airborne surveillance and by airborne automation systems that provide essential monitoring and decision support functions for the flight crew. An airborne automation system developed and used by NASA for research investigations of required functionality is the Autonomous Operations Planner. It supports the flight crew in managing their trajectory when responsible for self-separation by providing monitoring and decision support functions for both strategic and tactical flight modes. The paper focuses on the latter of these modes by describing a capability for tactical intent-based conflict resolution and its role in a comprehensive suite of automation functions supporting trajectory-based operations with self-separation.

Wing, David J.↗