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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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Effects of simulated high energy electron space environment on ultraviolet transmittance of optical materials
We simulate “zero-slippage” phase space manipulation driven by a guided THz pulse using the 3-D General Particle Tracer code and compare our results to analytical predictions for bunch compression and angular deflection. With the beam parameters available at the UCLA PEGASUS laboratory for a proof-of-concept experiment, we simulate compression by nearly a factor of 10. We compare two deflection mechanisms for transverse streaking with an emphasis on the 3-D effects introduced by the undulator field.
The external Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) spectrum is significantly modified when it passes through spacecraft shielding and astronauts. One approach for simulating the GCR space radiation environment at ground based accelerators would use the modified spectrum, rather than the external spectrum, in the accelerator beams impinging on biological targets. Two recent workshops have studied such GCR simulation. The first workshop was held at NASA Langley Research Center in October 2014. The second workshop was held at the NASA Space Radiation Investigators' workshop in Galveston, Texas in January 2015. The results of these workshops will be discussed in this paper.
A time domain simulation of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) pointing control system is described. The simulation was developed to aid in the evaluation of moving target pointing algorithms and to serve as an analysis tool. The HST pointing control system is briefly described, and the time domain simulation is discussed. A typical simulation result for moving target tracking is presented.
The General-Use Nodal Network Solver (GUNNS) is a modeling software package that combines nodal analysis and the hydraulic-electric analogy to simulate fluid, electrical, and thermal flow systems. GUNNS is developed by L-3 Communications under the TS21 (Training Systems for the 21st Century) project for NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), primarily for use in space vehicle training simulators at JSC. It has sufficient compactness and fidelity to model the fluid, electrical, and thermal aspects of space vehicles in real-time simulations running on commodity workstations, for vehicle crew and flight controller training. It has a reusable and flexible component and system design, and a Graphical User Interface (GUI), providing capability for rapid GUI-based simulator development, ease of maintenance, and associated cost savings. GUNNS is optimized for NASA's Trick simulation environment, but can be run independently of Trick.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will launch in 2018 into a Libration Point Orbit (LPO) around the Sun-EarthMoon (SEM) L2 point, with a planned mission lifetime of 11 years. This paper discusses our approach to Stationkeeping (SK) maneuver planning to determine an adequate SK delta-V budget. The SK maneuver planning for JWST is made challenging by two factors: JWST has a large Sunshield, and JWST will be repointed regularly producing significant changes in Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP). To accurately model SRP we employ the Solar Pressure and Drag (SPAD) tool, which uses ray tracing to accurately compute SRP force as a function of attitude. As an additional challenge, the future JWST observation schedule will not be known at the time of SK maneuver planning. Thus there will be significant variation in SRP between SK maneuvers, and the future variation in SRP is unknown. We have enhanced an earlier SK simulation to create a Monte Carlo simulation that incorporates random draws for uncertainties that affect the budget, including random draws of the observation schedule. Each SK maneuver is planned to optimize delta-V magnitude, subject to constraints on spacecraft pointing. We report the results of the Monte Carlo simulations and discuss possible improvements during flight operations to reduce the SK delta-V budget.
A series of parametric wind tunnel tests was conducted to provide a base for developing a simulation of afterbody/base aerodynamics for multibody/multibase rocket-powered vehicles (such as Space Shuttle) which use unheated air as the simulant gas in development wind tunnel tests. The tests described were parameterized on external configuration, nozzle internal configuration, base geometry, propulsion gas type, and freestream Mach number (0.5 to 3.5). The tests were conducted over a 4-year period. Presented in this report are the data and pertinent reference information necessary to perform an analysis which would lead to a simulation procedure. The type of data obtained during the tests described herein include model base afterbody, and nozzle internal surface static pressure distributions, model chamber pressure and temperature, and freestream conditions. Also included is a brief description of simulation procedures that were used by the Space Shuttle program.
Large Space Structures do not have much damping, which necessitates the installation of a controller onto the structure. If the controller is improperly designed, the structure may become unstable and be destroyed. Since Large Space Structures are extremely expensive pieces of hardware, new controllers must not be tested first on the structure. They must first be tested in computer simulations. Until now, the usual procedure for simulating controlled Large Space Structures is to compute a reduced order modal representation of the structure and then apply the controller. However, this procedure entails modal truncation error. A new software package which is free from this error is currently under development within the Center for Space Construction. The more accurate finite element representation of the structure is used in the simulation, instead of the less accurate reduced order modal representation. This software also features an efficient matrix storage scheme, which effectively deals with the asymmetric system matrices which occur when control is added to the structure. Also, an integration algorithm was chosen so that the simulation is a reliable indicator of system stability or instability. The software package is fairly general in nature. Linearity of the finite element model and of the controller is the only assumption made. Actuator dynamics, sensor dynamics, noise, and disturbances can be handled by the package. In addition, output feedback of displacement, velocity, and/or acceleration signals can be simulated. Kalman state estimation was also implemented. This software was tested on a finite element model of a real Large Space Structure: The Mini-Mast Truss. Mini-Mast is a testbed at NASA-Langley which is currently under development. A 714 degree of freedom finite element model was computed, and a 19 state controller was designed for it. Torque wheel dynamics were added to the model, and the entire closed loop system was simulated with the software package.
The functional requirements for the design of an interpretive simulator for the space ultrareliable modular computer (SUMC) are presented. A review of applicable existing computer simulations is included along with constraints on the SUMC simulator functional design. Input requirements, output requirements, and language requirements for the simulator are discussed in terms of a SUMC configuration which may vary according to the application.
The space exploration mission of NASA requires long duration presence of human being beyond the low earth orbit (LEO), especially on Moon and Mars. Developing a human habitat or colony on these planets would require a diverse range of materials, whose applications would range from structural foundations, (human) life support, (electric) power generation to components for scientific instrumentation. A reasonable and cost-effective approach for fabricating the materials needed for establishing a self-sufficient human outpost would be to primarily use local (in situ) resources on these planets. Since ancient times, glass and ceramics have been playing a vital role on human civilization. A long term project on studying the feasibility of developing glass and ceramic materials using Lunar and Martian soil simulants (JSC-1) as developed by Johnson Space Center has been undertaken. The first step in this on-going project requires developing a data base on results that fully characterize the simulants to be used for further investigations. The present paper reports characterization data of both JSC-1 Lunar and JSC Mars-1 simulants obtained up to this time via x-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis (DTA, TGA) and chemical analysis. The critical cooling rate for glass formation for the melts of the simulants was also measured in order to quantitatively assess the glass forming tendency of these melts. The importance of the glasses and ceramics developed using in-situ resources for constructing human habitats on Moon or Mars is discussed.
A simulation model which was developed to provide a probabilistic analysis tool to study the various space transportation system abort mode situations is presented. The simulation model is based on Monte Carlo simulation of an event-tree diagram which accounts for events during the space transportation system's ascent and its abort modes. The simulation model considers just the propulsion elements of the shuttle system (i.e., external tank, main engines, and solid boosters). The model was developed to provide a better understanding of the probability of occurrence and successful completion of abort modes during the vehicle's ascent. The results of the simulation runs discussed are for demonstration purposes only, they are not official NASA probability estimates.
The Space Launch System (SLS) Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) team and its partners have developed several time- and frequency-based simulations for development and analysis of the proposed SLS launch vehicle. The simulations differ in fidelity and some have unique functionality that allows them to perform specific analyses. Some examples of the purposes of the various models are: trajectory simulation, multi-body separation, Monte Carlo, hardware in the loop, loads, and frequency domain stability analyses. While no two simulations are identical, many of the models are essentially six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) representations of the SLS plant dynamics, hardware implementation, and flight software. Thus at a high level all of those models should be in agreement. Comparison of outputs from several SLS trajectory and stability analysis tools are ongoing as part of the program's current verification effort. The purpose of these comparisons is to highlight modeling and analysis differences, verify simulation data sources, identify inconsistencies and minor errors, and ultimately to verify output data as being a good representation of the vehicle and subsystem dynamics. This paper will show selected verification work in both the time and frequency domain from the current design analysis cycle of the SLS for several of the design and analysis simulations. In the time domain, the tools that will be compared are MAVERIC, CLVTOPS, SAVANT, STARS, ARTEMIS, and POST 2. For the frequency domain analysis, the tools to be compared are FRACTAL, SAVANT, and STARS. The paper will include discussion of these tools including their capabilities, configurations, and the uses to which they are put in the SLS program. Determination of the criteria by which the simulations are compared (matching criteria) requires thoughtful consideration, and there are several pitfalls that may occur that can severely punish a simulation if not considered carefully. The paper will discuss these considerations and will present a framework for responding to these issues when they arise. For example, small event timing differences can lead to large differences in mass properties if the criteria are to measure those properties at the same time, or large differences in altitude if the criteria are to measure those properties when the simulation experiences a staging event. Similarly, a tiny difference in phase can lead to large gain margin differences for frequency-domain comparisons of gain margins.
A simulation model which predicts the behavior of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer has been developed and coded. The model is partially evaluated by comparing it with laboratory measurements and the sounding measurements at Kennedy Space Center. The applicability of such an approach should prove quite widespread.
The High Level Architecture (HLA) is a current US Department of Defense and an industry (IEEE-1516) standard architecture for modeling and simulations. It provides a framework and set of functional rules and common interfaces for integrating separate and disparate simulators into a larger simulation. The goal of the HLA is to reduce software costs by facilitating the reuse of simulation components and by providing a runtime infrastructure to manage the simulations. In order to evaluate the applicability of the HLA as a technology for NASA space mission simulations, a Simulations Group at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) conducted a study of the HLA and developed a simple prototype HLA-compliant space mission simulator. This paper summarizes the prototyping effort and discusses the potential usefulness of the HLA in the design and planning of future NASA space missions with a focus on risk mitigation and cost reduction.
A computer simulation tool is written to investigate simulation and control of a Space Station air revitalization system. Candidate subsystems for various air revitalization roles in the Space Station have been and continue to be tested. However, integration and control of these subsystems into an effective system which revitalizes the air in all habitable areas needs to be evaluated. From such an evaluation, the size of subsystems, size and location of accumulators, and decisions on bussing of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen can be affected. In addition, various control approaches can be assessed. The computer simulation model is described and its applications are presented.
Transmittance of optical materials between 1050 and 3000 angstroms, noting effect of simulated high energy space environment
Centaur solid state inverter failure during simulated flight in environmental space chamber
The Microgravity Simulator Support Facility (MSSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is supported by the NASA Biological and Physical Sciences Division (BPS), and provides the science community with a centralized ground-based microgravity simulation resource.