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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.

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At least 1,297 records · Page 72
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Stress analyses of B-52 pylon hooks

The NASTRAN finite element computer program was used in the two dimensional stress analysis of B-52 carrier aircraft pylon hooks: (1) old rear hook (which failed), (2) new rear hook (improved geometry), (3) new DAST rear hook (derated geometry), and (4) front hook. NASTRAN model meshes were generated by the aid of PATRAN-G computer program. Brittle limit loads for all the four hooks were established. The critical stress level calculated from NASTRAN agrees reasonably well with the values predicted from the fracture mechanics for the failed old rear hook.

Ko, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Measurement of the electron beam mode in earth's foreshock

High frequency electric field measurements from the AMPTE IRM plasma wave receiver are used to identify three simultaneously excited electrostatic wave modes in the earth's foreshock region: the electron beam mode, the Langmuir mode, and the ion acoustic mode. A technique is developed which allows the rest frame frequecy and wave number of the electron beam waves to be determined. It is shown that the experimentally determined rest frame frequency and wave number agree well with the most unstable frequency and wave number predicted by linear homogeneous Vlasov theory for a plasma with Maxwellian background electrons and a Lorentzian electron beam. From a comparison of the experimentally determined and theoretical values, approximate limits are put on the electron foreshock beam temperatures. A possible generation mechanism for ion acoustic waves involving mode coupling between the electron beam and Langmuir modes is also discussed.

Onsager, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Alternatives to the existence of large cooling flows

Arguments against the existence of large-scale cooling flows in clusters of galaxies are presented. The evidence for cooling flows is all circumstantial, consisting of observations of cool gas or hot gas with a radiative cooling time less than the Hubble time, or a central peak in the X-ray surface brightness profile. There is no evidence for large quantities (several tens to several hundreds of solar masses per year) of matter actually flowing anywhere. On the contrary, several lines of evidence suggest thaat cooling flows, if they exist, must be suppressed by one to two orders of magnitude from the values implied by simple estimates based on the radiative cooling time of the X-ray emitting gas. Two heat sources which might accomplish this, thermal conduction and relativistic particles, are considered, and an alternative to the standard model for cooling flows is presented: an accretion flow with feedback wherein the accretion of gas into a massive black hole in the central galaxy generates high energy particles that heat the gas and act to limit the accretion.

Tucker, Wallace↗
NASA NTRS1990

Information technologies for astrophysics circa 2001

It is easy to extrapolate current trends to see where technologies relating to information systems in astrophysics and other disciplines will be by the end of the decade. These technologies include mineaturization, multiprocessing, software technology, networking, databases, graphics, pattern computation, and interdisciplinary studies. It is easy to see what limits our current paradigms place on our thinking about technologies that will allow us to understand the laws governing very large systems about which we have large datasets. Three limiting paradigms are saving all the bits collected by instruments or generated by supercomputers; obtaining technology for information compression, storage and retrieval off the shelf; and the linear mode of innovation. We must extend these paradigms to meet our goals for information technology at the end of the decade.

Denning, Peter J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lidar Observations of the Pinatubo Stratospheric Aerosol Cloud over Frascati, Italy

The Pinatubo eruption of June 1991 introduced large plumes into the local stratosphere. On several occasions, volcanic gases and particles reached altitudes of about 30 km, and spread towards the west. A lidar system has been operating to monitor the evolution of the stratospheric aerosol cloud. The backscattering ratio profiles of eight different measurements were chosen to summarize the most significant occurrences of the event. Since the beginning of the winter planetary wave activity, the Pinatubo cloud integrated backscatter exceeded El Chichon's. In this context, the perturbation generated by El Chichon can only be assumed as a lower limit of the one which will follow the Pinatubo eruption. Observations of the event are still in progress.

Congeduti, Fernando↗
NASA NTRS1993

Performance Of The Split-Symbol Moments Estimator

Report presents analysis of performance of Split-Symbol Moments Estimator (SSME) algorithm. Designed to estimate symbol signal-to-noise ratio of radio signal modulated by binary data pulses of period T and received in presence of additive white Gaussian noise. Incoming signal and noise first filtered, then sampled Ns - T/Ts times per symbol period. This study focuses on performance of SSME in case in which frequency width limited by digital filter and inter-symbol interference is thereby generated.

Shah, Biren N.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Part 1: Executive summary

A workshop was convened by the FAA and NASA for the purpose of providing a forum at which leading designers, manufacturers, and users of helicopter simulators could initiate and participate in a development process that would facilitate the formulation of qualification standards by the regulatory agency. Formal papers were presented, special topics were discussed in breakout sessions, and a draft FAA advisory circular defining specifications for helicopter simulators was presented and discussed. A working group of volunteers was formed to work with the National Simulator Program Office to develop a final version of the circular. The workshop attracted 90 individuals from a constituency of simulator manufacturers, training organizations, the military, civil regulators, research scientists, and five foreign countries. A great amount of information was generated and recorded verbatim. This information is presented herein within the limits of accuracy inherent in recording, transcribing, and editing spoken technical material.

Larsen, William E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Analytical investigations in aircraft and spacecraft trajectory optimization and optimal guidance

A collection of analytical studies is presented related to unconstrained and constrained aircraft (a/c) energy-state modeling and to spacecraft (s/c) motion under continuous thrust. With regard to a/c unconstrained energy-state modeling, the physical origin of the singular perturbation parameter that accounts for the observed 2-time-scale behavior of a/c during energy climbs is identified and explained. With regard to the constrained energy-state modeling, optimal control problems are studied involving active state-variable inequality constraints. Departing from the practical deficiencies of the control programs for such problems that result from the traditional formulations, a complete reformulation is proposed for these problems which, in contrast to the old formulation, will presumably lead to practically useful controllers that can track an inequality constraint boundary asymptotically, and even in the presence of 2-sided perturbations about it. Finally, with regard to s/c motion under continuous thrust, a thrust program is proposed for which the equations of 2-dimensional motion of a space vehicle in orbit, viewed as a point mass, afford an exact analytic solution. The thrust program arises under the assumption of tangential thrust from the costate system corresponding to minimum-fuel, power-limited, coplanar transfers between two arbitrary conics. The thrust program can be used not only with power-limited propulsion systems, but also with any propulsion system capable of generating continuous thrust of controllable magnitude, and, for propulsion types and classes of transfers for which it is sufficiently optimal the results of this report suggest a method of maneuvering during planetocentric or heliocentric orbital operations, requiring a minimum amount of computation; thus uniquely suitable for real-time feedback guidance implementations.

Markopoulos, Nikos↗
NASA NTRS1993

The effect of high lift to drag ratio on aerobraking

This work reviews the use of aerodynamic forces to modify the velocity, and therefore, the orbital path of vehicles due to transit through planetary atmospheres, especially when high values of lift can be generated. The concepts of aerobraking and aerocapture are examined, and the limiting factors are discussed. The use of high L/D vehicles, such as hypersonic waveriders, is examined, and the advantages and disadvantages of their use for aerocapture are addressed. This preliminary study of non-optimized aerocapture trajectories suggests that entrance velocities at Mars can be 10 - 12 km/sec for a waverider while sustaining acceptable loads of about 3 - 4 Earth G's over a 3 minute period, diminishing to less than 1 G in about 15 minutes. The entrance velocities are greater than those for a more conventional biconic configuration with similar deceleration loads sustained. The convective heating rate on the waverider, increased due to the higher velocities and sharp leading edges, has an estimated upper bound of 14000 W/sq cm and a corresponding temperature of about 7500 degrees K.

Crouse, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS1998

Experimental Results and Issues on Equalization for Nonlinear Memory Channel: Pre-Cursor Enhanced Ram-DFE Canceler

This thesis investigates the effects of the High Power Amplifier (HPA) and the filters over a satellite or telemetry channel. The Volterra series expression is presented for the nonlinear channel with memory, and the algorithm is based on the finite-state machine model. A RAM-based algorithm operating on the receiver side, Pre-cursor Enhanced RAM-FSE Canceler (PERC) is developed. A high order modulation scheme , 16-QAM is used for simulation, the results show that PERC provides an efficient and reliable method to transmit data on the bandlimited nonlinear channel. The contribution of PERC algorithm is that it includes both pre-cursors and post-cursors as the RAM address lines, and suggests a new way to make decision on the pre-addresses. Compared with the RAM-DFE structure that only includes post- addresses, the BER versus Eb/NO performance of PERC is substantially enhanced. Experiments are performed for PERC algorithms with different parameters on AWGN channels, and the results are compared and analyzed. The investigation of this thesis includes software simulation and hardware verification. Hardware is setup to collect actual TWT data. Simulation on both the software-generated data and the real-world data are performed. Practical limitations are considered for the hardware collected data. Simulation results verified the reliability of the PERC algorithm. This work was conducted at NMSU in the Center for Space Telemetering and Telecommunications Systems in the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.

Yuan, Lu↗
NASA NTRS2000

Non-Intrusive, Laser-Based Imaging of Jet-A Fuel Injection and Combustion Species in High Pressure, Subsonic Flows

The emphasis of combustion research efforts at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is on collaborating with industry to design and test gas-turbine combustors and subcomponents for both sub- and supersonic applications. These next-generation aircraft combustors are required to meet strict international environmental restrictions limiting emissions. To meet these goals, innovative combustor concepts require operation at temperatures and pressures far exceeding those of current designs. New and innovative diagnostic tools are necessary to characterize these flow streams since existing methods are inadequate. The combustion diagnostics team at GRC has implemented a suite of highly sensitive, nonintrusive optical imaging methods to diagnose the flowfields of these new engine concepts. By using optically accessible combustors and flame-tubes, imaging of fuel and intermediate combustion species via planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) at realistic pressures are now possible. Direct imaging of the fuel injection process through both planar Mie scattering and PLIF methods is also performed. Additionally, a novel combination of planar fuel fluorescence imaging and computational analysis allows a 3-D examination of the flowfield, resulting in spatially and temporally resolved fuel/air volume distribution maps. These maps provide detailed insight into the fuel injection process at actual conditions, thereby greatly enhancing the evaluation of fuel injector performance and other combustion phenomena. Stable species such as CO2, O2, N2, H2O, and hydrocarbons are also investigated by a newly demonstrated 1-D, spontaneous Raman spectroscopic method. This visible wavelength Raman technique allows the acquisition of quantitative, stable species concentration measurements from the flow.

Locke, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Non-Intrusive, Laser-Based Imaging of Jet-A Fuel Injection and Combustion Species in High Pressure, Subsonic Flows

The emphasis of combustion research efforts at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is on collaborating with industry to design and test gas-turbine combustors and subcomponents for both sub- and supersonic applications. These next-generation aircraft combustors are required to meet strict international environmental restrictions limiting emissions. To meet these goals, innovative combustor concepts require operation at temperatures and pressures far exceeding those of cur-rent designs. New and innovative diagnostic tools are necessary to characterize these flow streams since existing methods are inadequate. The combustion diagnostics team at GRC has implemented a suite of highly sensitive, nonintrusive optical imaging methods to diagnose the flowfields of these new engine concepts. By using optically accessible combustors and flametubes, imaging of fuel and intermediate combustion species via planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) at realistic pressures are now possible. Direct imaging of the fuel injection process through both planar Mie scattering and PLIF methods is also performed. Additionally, a novel combination of planar fuel fluorescence imaging and computational analysis allows a 3-D examination of the flowfield, resulting in spatially and temporally resolved fuel/air volume distribution maps. These maps provide detailed insight into the fuel injection process at actual conditions, thereby greatly enhancing the evaluation of fuel injector performance and other combustion phenomena. Stable species such as CO2, O2, N2O. and hydrocarbons are also investigated by a newly demonstrated 1-D, spontaneous Raman spectroscopic method. This visible wavelength Raman technique allows the acquisition of quantitative. stable species concentration measurements from the flow.

Locke, Randy J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Aerothermodynamic Facilities And Measurement: Flow Characterization in Shock Tunnels

This presentation will examine the key performance aspects of shock tunnels as they relate to their use as aerothermodynamic flow simulation facilities. Assessment of shock tube reservoir conditions and flow contaminants generated in the shock tube will be presented along with their limiting impact on viable test envelopes, Facility nozzle performance as it pertains to test time assessment and nozzle exit flow quality (survey of pressure, temperature, and species) will be addressed. Also included will be a discussion of free stream flow diagnostics, both intrusive and nonintrusive, for measurement of critical flow properties not directly inferred from surface mounted transducers. The use of computational fluid dynamics for purposes of validating experimental measurements as well as predicting performance in regimes where measurements are not feasible or possible will be discussed. The use of CFD for facility research and design will also be presented.

Cavolowsky, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

On the Information Content of Program Traces

Program traces are used for analysis of program performance, memory utilization, and communications as well as for program debugging. The trace contains records of execution events generated by monitoring units inserted into the program. The trace size limits the resolution of execution events and restricts the user's ability to analyze the program execution. We present a study of the information content of program traces and develop a coding scheme which reduces the trace size to the limit given by the trace entropy. We apply the coding to the traces of AIMS instrumented programs executed on the IBM SPA and the SCSI Power Challenge and compare it with other coding methods. Our technique shows size of the trace can be reduced by more than a factor of 5.

Frumkin, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2005

NASA GRC and MSFC Space-Plasma Arc Testing Procedures

Tests of arcing and current collection in simulated space plasma conditions have been performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, for over 30 years and at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, for almost as long. During this period, proper test conditions for accurate and meaningful space simulation have been worked out, comparisons with actual space performance in spaceflight tests and with real operational satellites have been made, and NASA has achieved our own internal standards for test protocols. It is the purpose of this paper to communicate the test conditions, test procedures, and types of analysis used at NASA GRC and MSFC to the space environmental testing community at large, to help with international space-plasma arcing-testing standardization. To be discussed are: 1.Neutral pressures, neutral gases, and vacuum chamber sizes. 2. Electron and ion densities, plasma uniformity, sample sizes, and Debuy lengths. 3. Biasing samples versus self-generated voltages. Floating samples versus grounded. 4. Power supplies and current limits. Isolation of samples from power supplies during arcs. 5. Arc circuits. Capacitance during biased arc-threshold tests. Capacitance during sustained arcing and damage tests. Arc detection. Prevention sustained discharges during testing. 6. Real array or structure samples versus idealized samples. 7. Validity of LEO tests for GEO samples. 8. Extracting arc threshold information from arc rate versus voltage tests. 9. Snapover and current collection at positive sample bias. Glows at positive bias. Kapon (R) pyrolisis. 10. Trigger arc thresholds. Sustained arc thresholds. Paschen discharge during sustained arcing. 11. Testing for Paschen discharge threshold. Testing for dielectric breakdown thresholds. Testing for tether arcing. 12. Testing in very dense plasmas (ie thruster plumes). 13. Arc mitigation strategies. Charging mitigation strategies. Models. 14. Analysis of test results. Finally, the necessity of testing will be emphasized, not to the exclusion of modeling, but as part of a complete strategy for determining when and if arcs will occur, and preventing them from occurring in space.

Ferguson, Dale C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

NASA GRC and MSFC Space-Plasma Arc Testing Procedures

Tests of arcing and current collection in simulated space plasma conditions have been performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, for over 30 years and at the Marshall Space flight Center (MSFC) for almost as long. During this period, proper test conditions for accurate and meaningful space simulation have been worked out, comparisons with actual space performance in spaceflight tests and with real operational satellites have been made, and NASA has achieved our own internal standards for test protocols. It is the purpose of this paper to communicate the test conditions, test procedures, and types of analysis used at NASA GRC and MSFC to the space environmental testing community at large, to help with international space-plasma arcing testing standardization. To be discussed are: 1. Neutral pressures, neutral gases, and vacuum chamber sizes. 2. Electron and ion densities, plasma uniformity, sample sizes, and Debye lengths. 3. Biasing samples versus self-generated voltages. Floating samples versus grounded. 4. Power supplies and current limits. Isolation of samples from power supplies during arcs. Arc circuits. Capacitance during biased arc-threshold tests. Capacitance during sustained arcing and damage tests. Arc detection. Preventing sustained discharges during testing. 5. Real array or structure samples versus idealized samples. 6. Validity of LEO tests for GEO samples. 7. Extracting arc threshold information from arc rate versus voltage tests. 8 . Snapover and current collection at positive sample bias. Glows at positive bias. Kapton pyrolization. 9. Trigger arc thresholds. Sustained arc thresholds. Paschen discharge during sustained arcing. 10. Testing for Paschen discharge thresholds. Testing for dielectric breakdown thresholds. Testing for tether arcing. 11. Testing in very dense plasmas (ie thruster plumes). 12. Arc mitigation strategies. Charging mitigation strategies. Models. 13. Analysis of test results. Finally, the necessity of testing will be emphasized, not to the exclusion of modeling, but as part of a complete strategy for determining when and if arcs will occur, and preventing them from occurring in space.

Ferguson, Dale C.a↗
NASA NTRS2008

MRO DKF Post-Processing Tool

This software tool saves time and reduces risk by automating two labor-intensive and error-prone post-processing steps required for every DKF [DSN (Deep Space Network) Keyword File] that MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) produces, and is being extended to post-process the corresponding TSOE (Text Sequence Of Events) as well. The need for this post-processing step stems from limitations in the seq-gen modeling resulting in incorrect DKF generation that is then cleaned up in post-processing.

Ayap, Shanti↗
NASA NTRS2011

Radiation Specifications for Fission Power Conversion Component Materials

NASA has been supporting design studies and technology development that could provide power to an outpost on the moon, Mars, or an asteroid. One power-generation system that is independent of sunlight or power-storage limitations is a fission-based power plant. There is a wealth of terrestrial system heritage that can be transferred to the design and fabrication of a fission power system for space missions, but there are certain design aspects that require qualification. The radiation tolerance of the power conversion system requires scrutiny because the compact nature of a space power plant restricts the dose reduction methodologies compared to those used in terrestrial systems. An integrated research program has been conducted to establish the radiation tolerance of power conversion system-component materials. The radiation limit specifications proposed for a Fission Power System power convertor is 10 Mrad ionizing dose and 5 x 10(exp 14) neutron per square centimeter fluence for a convertor operating at 150 C. Specific component materials and their radiation tolerances are discussed. This assessment is for the power convertor hardware; electronic components are not covered here.

Bowman, Cheryl L.↗