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At least 1,423 records · Page 79

Mars exploration with Viking

The Viking Mission is a scientific exploration of the planet Mars with particular emphasis on the search for life. Two unmanned spacecraft will be launched from Cape Kennedy in 1975 and will arrive at Mars in the summer of 1976. Each spacecraft will consist of an orbiter and lander. The landing sites will be preselected before launch and certified by orbital reconnaissance before landing. Soft landing on the surface will be accomplished by decelerating first on an aeroshell, then a deployed parachute and finally using terminal propulsion engines. Thirteen investigations will be performed, including mapping experiments from the orbiter, and analytical experiments on the surface which deal broadly with the biology, geosciences and atmospheric characteristics of the planet.

Martin, J. S., Jr.↗

Development and in-flight performance of the Mariner 9 spacecraft propulsion system

On November 14, 1971, Mariner 9 was decelerated into orbit about Mars by a 1334 N (300 lbf) liquid bipropellant propulsion system. This paper describes and summarizes the development and in-flight performance of this pressure-fed, nitrogen tetroxide/monomethyl hydrazine bipropellant system. The design of all Mariner propulsion subsystems has been predicted upon the premise that simplicity of approach, coupled with thorough qualification and margin-limits testing, is the key to cost-effective reliability. The qualification test program and analytical modeling are also discussed. Since the propulsion subsystem is modular in nature, it was completely checked, serviced, and tested independent of the spacecraft. Proper prediction of in-flight performance required the development of three significant modeling tools to predict and account for nitrogen saturation of the propellant during the six-month coast period and to predict and statistically analyze in-flight data.

Evans, D. D.↗

Direct observations of the charge states of low energy solar particles

The charge states of carbon and oxygen of solar origin have been measured directly in interplanetary space. At 100 keV per nucleon the C(+5)/C(+6) and O(+7)/O(+8) ratios are 1.8 and 1.6, respectively. Abundance ratios of low energy heavy nuclei to He are found which are significantly larger than the corresponding photospheric values. The enhancement of O/He is 35, and both Si/He and Fe/He are overabundant by a factor of 100. To explain these observations a mechanism is proposed which first preferentially accelerates heavy ions and is followed by either storage of these ions in the coronal regions or strong adiabatic deceleration.

Gloeckler, G.↗

Stabilization of electron streams in type III solar radio bursts

We show that the electron streams that give rise to type III solar radio bursts are stable and will not be decelerated while propagating out of the solar corona. The stabilization mechanism depends on the parametric oscillating two-stream instability. Radiation is produced near the fundamental and second harmonic of the local electron plasma frequency. Estimates of the emission at the second harmonic indicate that the wave spectra created by the oscillating two-stream instability can account for the observed intensities of type III bursts.

Papadopoulos, K.↗

Gravitational considerations with animal rhythms

As established in the laboratory and largely confirmed by others, simulated high-g environments influence growth and development of animals as small as or smaller than baby turtles, sometimes accelerating and sometimes decelerating these processes. High-g environments result in many functional changes or adjustments in feeding, metabolism, circulation, fluid balances, and structures for support, and influence life expectancy. An assembly of equipment suitable for measuring oxygen consumption of small mammals as influenced by chronic centrifugation and/or by day-night rhythms is discussed.

Wunder, C. C.↗

Interactive design of large end rings on stiffened conical shells using composites

Design study methods and results for a composite reinforced base ring for the conical aeroshell structure of the planetary lander vehicle for Project Viking, an unmanned mission to Mars, are presented. The aeroshell is a ring and stringer-stiffened conical shell structure having a half angle of 70 degrees with a large base ring mounted at the outer edge of the cone and a large pay-load ring in the interior with many smaller rings spaced along the inside shell surface. The purpose of the structure is to develop the aerodynamic drag required to decelerate the lander in the Mars atmosphere to facilitiate a soft landing. The design of a shell structure of this complexity requires the use of the latest technology available in a large general-purpose shell buckling program. The large general-purpose non-linear shell buckling program (BOSOR 2) which was used for this purpose is described.

Davis, R. C.↗

Evolution of a moderately short turbulent boundary layer in a severe pressure gradient

The early and intermediate development of a highly accelerated (or decelerated) turbulent boundary layer is analyzed. For sufficiently large accelerations (or pressure gradients) and for total normal strains which are not excessive, the equation for the Reynolds shear stress simplifies to give a stress that remains approximately constant as it is convected along streamlines. The theoretical results for the evolution of the mean velocity in favourable and adverse pressure gradients agree well with experiment for the cases considered. A calculation which includes mass injection at the wall is also given.

Deissler, R. G.↗

Solar modulation

The important aspects of solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays are outlined. The conditions in the interplanetary medium that affect the modulation are summarized, and equations are developed to describe the behavior of cosmic rays in the solar system, including the effects of diffusion, convection, and energy loss due to adiabatic deceleration in the expanding solar wind. The particle diffusion coefficient is determined from the power spectra of interplanetary magnetic field irregularities. After some solutions for the modulation equations have been derived, the probable forms of the unmodulated cosmic ray spectra are discussed. Other topics include solar cycle variations, energy loss effects, anisotrophies, and gradients.

Fisk, L. A.↗

Analytical study of subsonic turbulent boundary layer separation including viscous-inviscid interaction

The prediction of boundary layer deceleration and separation in regions of adverse pressure gradients are discussed as an unsolved problem of fundamental practical importance in aerodynamics. A three layered theoretical flow model of boundary layer separation including viscous-inviscid interaction was conceived for the case of subsonic two dimensional steady laminar flow.

Inger, G. R.↗

Aerodynamic drag reduction tests on a full-scale tractor-trailer combination with several add-on devices

Aerodynamic drag tests were performed on a conventional cab-over-engine tractor with a 45-foot trailer and five commercially available or potentially available add-on devices using the coast-down method. The tests ranged in velocity from approximately 30 miles per hour to 65 miles per hour and included some flow visualization. A smooth, level runway at Edwards Air Force Base was used for the tests, and deceleration measurements were taken with both accelerometers and stopwatches. An evaluation of the drag reduction results obtained with each of the five add-on devices is presented.

Montoya, L. C.↗

The effect of thermal neutron field slagging caused by cylindrical BF3 counters in diffusion media

Computations are carried out in transport approximation (first collision method) for the attenuation of the field of thermal neutrons formed in counters of the CHM-8 and CHMO-5 type. The deflection of the thermal neutron field is also obtained near the counters and in the air (shade effect) and in various decelerating media (water, paraffin, plexiglas) for which the calculations are carried out on the basis of diffusion theory. To verify the calculations, the distribution of the density of the thermal neutrons at various distances from the counter in the water is measured.

Gorshkov, G. V.↗

Results of magnetospheric barium ion cloud experiment of 1971

The barium ion cloud experiment involved the release of about 2 kg of barium at an altitude of 31 482 km, a latitude of 6.926 N., and a longitude of 74.395 W. Significant erosion of plasma from the main ion core occurred during the initial phase of the ion cloud expansion. From the motion of the outermost striational filaments, the electric field components were determined to be 0.19 mV/m in the westerly direction and 0.68 mV/m in the inward direction. The differences between these components and those measured from balloons flown in the proximity of the extremity of the field line through the release point implied the existence of potential gradients along the magnetic field lines. The deceleration of the main core was greater than theoretically predicted. This was attributed to the formation of a polarization wake, resulting in an increase of the area of interaction and resistive dissipation at ionospheric levels. The actual orientation of the magnetic field line through the release point differed by about 10.5 deg from that predicted by magnetic field models that did not include the effect of ring current.

Adamson, D.↗

Motor run-up system

A starting system is described for bringing a large synchronous motor up to speed to prevent large power line disturbances at the moment the motor is connected to the power line. The system includes (1) a digital counter which generates a count determined by the difference in frequency between the power line and a small current generated by the synchronous motor; (2) a latch which stores the count; and (3) a comparator which compares the stored count with a newly generated count to determine whether the synchronous motor is accelerating or decelerating. Signals generated by the counter and comparator control the current to a clutch that couples a starting motor to the large synchronous motor.

Daeges, J. J.↗

Electrostatic dust transport and its consequences for the lunar ranging experiment

Attempts made to qualitatively model the available data concerning the electrostatic transport of dust on the lunar surface are noted. Charged dust grains, held in place by adhesive forces, are shot into space at velocities of hundreds of meters per second. Larger particles, because of their greater charge, are quickly decelerated in the nearby fields, while the smaller grains travel in ballistic trajectories for hundreds of kilometers. Flux estimates indicate that there is little danger to the optical corner reflectors for the next few decades.

Silverberg, E. C.↗

Cost Modeling Techniques for Design Maturity

Cost modeling techniques and factors which either add to or subtract from these estimates are examined. The most important factors for increasing costs are interfacing subsystems, subsystem design and software maturity. Cost decrease depends on hardware, software, and support equipment availability. A cost modeling analysis for reentry shield and aerodynamic decelerator subsystems of a reentry vehicle is presented. Integration problems for the subsystems are also discussed.

Ruhland, E. W.↗

Effects of 1980 technology on weight of a recovery system for a one million pound booster

The effects were evaluated of 1980 technology on the weight of recovery systems capable of decelerating a one-million-pound booster to vertical velocities of 60 or 30 ft/sec at sea level impact. A nominal set of booster staging conditions were assumed and there were no constraints on parachute size, number or type. The effects of new materials that would be available by 1980, the effects of booster attitude during entry, various parachute staging methods, parachute reefing schemes, parachute-retro rocket hybrid systems, and the effects of dividing the booster into separate pieces for recovery were evaluated. It was determined that for the systems considered, a hybrid parachute-retro-rocket recovery system would have the minimum weight. New materials now becoming available for parachute fabrication should result in a 37-percent reduction in hybrid recovery system weight for an impact velocity of 30 fps.

Eckstrom, C. V.↗

Time-dependent 2.2 MeV and 0.5 MeV lines from solar flares

The time dependences of the 2.2 MeV and 0.51 MeV gamma ray lines from solar flares are calculated and the results are compared with observations of the 1972, August 4 and 7 flares. Time lag between the nuclear reactions and the formation of these two lines are caused, respectively, by capture of the neutrons, and by deceleration of the positrons and decay of the radioactive nuclei. Results show that the calculation is consistent with the observed rise of the 2.2 MeV line on August 4, and it does not require different time dependences for the accelerated protons and electrons in the flare region. The above lags can explain the delayed gamma ray emission observed on August 7. Positrons of energies greater than about 10 MeV could be detected in interplanetary space following large solar flares.

Wang, H. T.↗

Compatibility of take-off and landing with mission and manoeuvre performance requirements for fighter aircraft

By means of an aircraft synthesis program, the effect of engine cycle, thrust to weight ratio, and wing parameter combination on field and flight performance has been investigated. For three different engine/intake configurations, thrust to weight ration and wing loading were varied. Each combination represents an aircraft designed to meet a specified mission radius. Using different lift systems and ground deceleration devices, the conditions are shown under which a matching of flight and field performance is economically feasible.

Reich, D.↗