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At least 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Annual survey of spaceflight safety systems - 10th supplement /Survey period: July 1979-June 1980/

The survey summarizes 15 papers whose topics represent significant safety developments reported between July 1979 and June 1980 in connection with spaceflight. The majority of the papers address the Space Shuttle mission (control-system software modification; abort procedures; Vandenberg AFB launch operations; assembly and repair of the Orbiter's Thermal Protection System; flight hardware). One paper describes a procedure aiding Space Transportation System (STS) payload organizations in complying with safety requirements established by NASA. Spacecraft cabin environments, collision avoidance in near-earth space, and intercept and rendezvous charts are other topics of discussion. The survey also includes two papers outlining the European and Chinese approaches to astronaut selection and training.

Brown, N. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Mapping the infrared background radiation from the Shuttle

The Spacelab-2 Small Helium-Cooled Infrared Telescope will be used to map extended astronomical sources of low surface brightness emission, to measure the Shuttle induced environment and to develop techniques for managing large volumes of superfluid helium in space. The instrument is an f/4 15.2-cm Herschelian telescope with ten photoconductor detectors in the focal plane. This paper describes the hardware and software aspects of the instrument with emphasis on mission operations. In particular, a description is given of the observing plan formulated to meet the scientific and engineering objectives, the scan drive system, the precautions in design and operation necessary to prevent the sun, moon, and earth from adversely affecting the observations, the implications of thruster firings, and the on-board experiment computer application software to control the scanning of the telescope and support on-board displays.

Koch, D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Measurement of sound absorption in the air

The large temperature gradient in each section of the resonance tube resulting from the liquid nitrogen coolant necessitated a design modification to the cooling system. A timer and four solenoid valves were installed so that the coolant flow can be reversed periodically. The hardware and software for controlling the analog to digital converter and conversion rate were completed, and the system is operational. A duty cycle control circit was implemented so that on the sixteenth conversion a relay shuts off the vibration exciter used to generate the sound wave. Thus the starting point of each decay curve is exactly known. This information is necessary for evaluating the g digital decay information. The data acquisition and digital decay evaluation programs are described.

Meredith, R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Laser electro-optic system for rapid three-dimensional /3-D/ topographic mapping of surfaces

It is pointed out that the generic utility of a robot in a factory/assembly environment could be substantially enhanced by providing a vision capability to the robot. A standard videocamera for robot vision provides a two-dimensional image which contains insufficient information for a detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of an object. Approaches which supply the additional information needed for the three-dimensional mapping of objects with complex surface shapes are briefly considered and a description is presented of a laser-based system which can provide three-dimensional vision to a robot. The system consists of a laser beam array generator, an optical image recorder, and software for controlling the required operations. The projection of a laser beam array onto a surface produces a dot pattern image which is viewed from one or more suitable perspectives. Attention is given to the mathematical method employed, the space coding technique, the approaches used for obtaining the transformation parameters, the optics for laser beam array generation, the hardware for beam array coding, and aspects of image acquisition.

Altschuler, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Pulse stuttering as a remedy for aliased ground backscatter

An algorithm that aides in the removal of ground scatter from low frequency Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere (MST) radar signals is examined. The unwanted ground scatter is shown as a sequence of velocity plots which are almost typical at the various altitudes. The interpulse period is changed in a cyclic way, thereby destroying the coherence of the unwanted signal. The interpulse period must be changed by an amount at least equal to the transmitted pulse width, and optimum performance is obtained when the number of different interpulse period occupies a time span greater than the coherence time of the unwanted signal. Since a 20-msec pulse width is used, it was found convenient to cycle through 50 pulses, the interpulse period changing from 2 msec to 3 msec during the 1/8-second time. This particular pattern of interpulse periods was provided by a software radar controller. With application of this algorithm, the unwanted scatter signal becomes incoherent from one pulse to the next, and therefore is perceived as noise by the coherent integrator and correlator.

Bowhill, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Algorithms for Software Development

Management aid makes changes obvious. One key element in scheme for software development control is check summing. If check sum for given line in source file is different from previous version, it is evident change has been made. Subsequent editing of file creates new lines, deletes old ones, modifies characters, moves lines, or copies (reuse) existing lines. Combination of three elements of line code permits all transactions to be detected.

Tausworthe, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

NASA/MSFC ground experiment for large space structure control verification

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a facility in which closed loop control of Large Space Structures (LSS) can be demonstrated and verified. The main objective of the facility is to verify LSS control system techniques so that on orbit performance can be ensured. The facility consists of an LSS test article which is connected to a payload mounting system that provides control torque commands. It is attached to a base excitation system which will simulate disturbances most likely to occur for Orbiter and DOD payloads. A control computer will contain the calibration software, the reference system, the alignment procedures, the telemetry software, and the control algorithms. The total system will be suspended in such a fashion that LSS test article has the characteristics common to all LSS.

Waites, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The vector magnetograph of the Sayan Solar Observatory

The problem of choosing an optimum scheme for the electrooptical analyzer of polarization and related control principles are discussed. An electrooptical deflector, which is advantageously used to employ a single photodetector and to remove systematic errors inherent in magnetographs with two photodetectors in the wings of the line is discussed, as well as adjustment errors of optical elements of the polarization analyzer and errors of control voltages. A method for measuring the telescope's polarization matrix, reduction of magnetographic measurements for instrumental polarization and calibration of magnetograph channels are examined. Questions of evaluating scattered light and of reducing magnetic field measurements are also considered as a computational procedure for the magnetic field vector parameters is briefly outlined. Computer control of the solar magnetograph and of the processing and control system software is discussed.

Grigoryev, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

NASA/MSFC ground experiment for Large Space Structure control verification

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a facility in which closed loop control of Large Space Structures (LSS) can be demonstrated and verified. The main objective of the facility is to verify LSS control system techniques so that on-orbit performance can be ensured. The facility consists of an LSS test article which is connected to a payload mounting system that provides control torque commands. It is attached to a base excitation system which will simulate disturbances most likely to occur for Orbiter and DOD payloads. A control computer will contain the calibration software, the reference system, the alignment procedures, the telemetry software, and the control algorithms. The total system will be suspended in such a fashion that LSS test article has the characteristics common to all LSS.

Waites, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

SOT: A rapid prototype using TAE windows

The development of the window interface extension feature of the Transportable Applications Executive (TAE) is discussed. This feature is being used to prototype a space station payload interface in order to demonstrate and assess the benefits of using windows on a bit mapped display and also to convey the concept of telescience, the control and operation of space station payloads from remote sites. The prototype version of the TAE with windows operates on a DEC VAXstation 100. This workstation has a high resolution 19 inch bit mapped display, a keyboard and a three-button mouse. The VAXstation 100 is not a stand-alone workstation, but is controlled by software executing on a VAX/8600. A short scenario was developed utilizing the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) as an example payload. In the scenario the end-user station includes the VAXstation 100 plus an image analysis terminal used to display the CCD images. The layout and use of the prototype elements, i.e., the root menu, payload status window, and target acquisition menu is described.

Stephens, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1986

The Spartan attitude control system - Control electronics assembly

The Spartan attitude control system (ACS) represents an evolutionary development of the previous STRAP-5 ACS through the use of state-of-the-art microprocessors and hardware. Despite a gyro rate signal noise problem that caused the early depletion of argon gas, the Spartan 101 experiment was able to collect several hours of data from two targets. Attention is presently given to the ACS sequencer module, sensor interface box, valve driver box, control electronics software, jam tables, and sequencer programs.

Stone, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Heat exchanger demonstration expert system

A real-time expert system intended for detecting and diagnosing faults in a 20 kW microwave transmitter heat exchanger is described. The expert system was developed on a LISP machine, Incorporated (LMI), Lambda Plus computer using Process Intelligent Control (PICON) software. The Heat Exhanger Expert System was tested and debugged. Future applications and extensions of the expert system to transmitters, masers, and antenna subassemblies are discussed.

Bagby, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The UCR gamma ray telescope data acquisition system

A description is given of an electronics system based on the DEC Falcon SBC-11/23+, which has been designed and built to support a balloon-borne double Compton gamma-ray telescope. The system provides support for commands, data acquisition, data routing and compression, and photomultiplier tube gain control. The software consists of a number of interrupt-driven routines of differing priorities to handle each system task. This includes two circular buffers for onboard processing and bit encoding before transmission of the information to the ground computer. Acquisition of gamma-ray events at rates above the 200-Hz telemetry constraint is easily achieved.

O'Neill, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Space shuttle avionics system

The Space Shuttle avionics system, which was conceived in the early 1970's and became operational in the 1980's represents a significant advancement of avionics system technology in the areas of systems and redundacy management, digital data base technology, flight software, flight control integration, digital fly-by-wire technology, crew display interface, and operational concepts. The origins and the evolution of the system are traced; the requirements, the constraints, and other factors which led to the final configuration are outlined; and the functional operation of the system is described. An overall system block diagram is included.

Hanaway, John F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Agent independent task planning

Agent-Independent Planning is a technique that allows the construction of activity plans without regard to the agent that will perform them. Once generated, a plan is then validated and translated into instructions for a particular agent, whether a robot, crewmember, or software-based control system. Because Space Station Freedom (SSF) is planned for orbital operations for approximately thirty years, it will almost certainly experience numerous enhancements and upgrades, including upgrades in robotic manipulators. Agent-Independent Planning provides the capability to construct plans for SSF operations, independent of specific robotic systems, by combining techniques of object oriented modeling, nonlinear planning and temporal logic. Since a plan is validated using the physical and functional models of a particular agent, new robotic systems can be developed and integrated with existing operations in a robust manner. This technique also provides the capability to generate plans for crewmembers with varying skill levels, and later apply these same plans to more sophisticated robotic manipulators made available by evolutions in technology.

Davis, William S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Space Station power system autonomy demonstration

The Systems Autonomy Demonstration Program (SADP) represents NASA's major effort to demonstrate, through a series of complex ground experiments, the application and benefits of applying advanced automation technologies to the Space Station project. Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) will first jointly develop an autonomous power system using existing Space Station testbed facilities at each center. The subsequent 1990 power-thermal demonstration will then involve the cooperative operation of the LeRC/MSFC power system with the Johnson Space Center (JSC's) thermal control and DMS/OMS testbed facilities. The testbeds and expert systems at each of the NASA centers will be interconnected via communication links. The appropriate knowledge-based technology will be developed for each testbed and applied to problems requiring intersystem cooperation. Primary emphasis will be focused on failure detection and classification, system reconfiguration, planning and scheduling of electrical power resources, and integration of knowledge-based and conventional control system software into the design and operation of Space Station testbeds.

Kish, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Software For Supervisory And Shared Control Of A Robot

User-Macro-Interface computer program provides interactive interface enabling human operator to plan tasks for multiple-arm telerobot, cause robot to execute tasks, and monitor robot. Enables operator to specify that robot execute various tasks and subtasks under various mixtures of manual or automatic control. Well suited for use where environment of task poorly modeled or unplanned or task unexpected.

Backes, Paul G.↗