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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 1,423 records · Page 79
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Some considerations in low-cost image processing on a university main frame: The Penn State (ORSER) experience

The ORSER System as implemented on the Penn State University Computation Center's IBM main frame is an exceptionally useful mechanism for instructing the present and future remote sensing community in the theory and practice of automated analysis of digitized data. From its beginning, the system was used as the hands-on back-bone of a graduate level "Multispectral Remote Sensing" one-term course taught annually in the School of Forest Resources. It was also used at the end of a senior-level undergraduate "Introduction to Remote Sensing" course, and in teaching a variety of short courses, ranging in length from a few days for small groups of remote sensing consultants with specific application interests, to a 2-week course oganized by NASA for regional and urban planners who had little or no previous exposure to remote sensing. Because of its modular construction, the ORSER is suitable for all classes of remote sensing users. Although in a beginning course only 6 to 10 of the programs are generally used, the researcher has a set of about 35 programs available for his analyses.

Turner, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Design, development, and flight test of a demonstration advanced avionics system

Ames Research Center initiated a program in 1975 to provide the critical information required for the design of integrated avionics suitable for general aviation. The program emphasized the use of data busing, distributed microprocessors, shared electronic displays and data entry devices, and improved functional capability. Design considerations included cost, reliability, maintainability, and modularity. As a final step, a demonstration advanced avionics system (DAAS) was designed, built, and flight tested in a Cessna 402, twin engine, general aviation aircraft. A functional description of the DAAS, including a description of the system architecture, is presented and the program and flight test results are briefly reviewed.

Denergy, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

User-programmer dialogue: Guidelines for designing menus and help files for interactive computer systems

This document is a set of guidelines to aid a programmer in making the various decisions necessary for a clear user-programmer dialogue. Its goal is to promote an effective and efficient transfer of information between programmer and user. These guidelines are divided into four sections: (1) Format, (2) Sequence, (3) Audience, and (4) Aim. Format, in terms of this study, means the spatial and structural presentation of information. Sequence deals with the procedural aspects of multiple panel displays. This section looks at the issues of timelines of presentation, modularization of information, and patterns of user behavior. Audience looks at the relationship among programmer, user, and message. It covers the issues of analyzing the audience's knowledge, attitudes, and needs, anticipating the audience's inferences, and identifying textual ambiguities. The programmer's aim or intention shows up in everything from tone to format. Aim considers the programmer's purpose.

Carlson, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Large space structures controls research and development at Marshall Space Flight Center: Status and future plans

Work performed in Large Space Structures Controls research and development program at Marshall Space Flight Center is described. Studies to develop a multilevel control approach which supports a modular or building block approach to the buildup of space platforms are discussed. A concept has been developed and tested in three-axis computer simulation utilizing a five-body model of a basic space platform module. Analytical efforts have continued to focus on extension of the basic theory and subsequent application. Consideration is also given to specifications to evaluate several algorithms for controlling the shape of Large Space Structures.

Buchanan, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Hinge latch mechanism

The device described in this paper is a modular hinge latch mechanism. It is used to latch and preload four motorized hinges after their deployment. The paper describes design requirements, hardware development and initial testing of this hinge latch module. A special effort has been made to cover the design philosophy incorporated into this hardware.

Walker, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Demonstration Advanced Avionics System (DAAS), Phase 1

Demonstration advanced anionics system (DAAS) function description, hardware description, operational evaluation, and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) are provided. Projected advanced avionics system (PAAS) description, reliability analysis, cost analysis, maintainability analysis, and modularity analysis are discussed.

Bailey, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Vibration isolation and pressure compensation apparatus for sensitive instrumentation

A system for attenuating the inherent vibration associated with a mechanical refrigeration unit employed to cryogenically cool sensitive instruments used in measuring chemical constituents of the atmosphere is described. A modular system including an instrument housing and a reaction bracket with a refrigerator unit floated there between comprise the instrumentation system. A pair of evacuated bellows that "float' refrigerator unit and provide pressure compensation at all levels of pressure from seal level to the vacuum of space. Vibration isolators and when needed provide additional vibration damping for the refrigerator unit. A flexible thermal strap (20 K) serves to provide essentially vibration free thermal contact between cold tip of the refrigerator unit and the instrument component mounted on the IDL mount. Another flexible strap (77 K) serves to provide vibration free thermal contact between the TDL mount thermal shroud and a thermal shroud disposed about the thermal shaft.

Averill, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Application of the Hardman methodology to the Army Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV)

The application of the HARDMAN Methodology to the Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) is described. The methodology was used to analyze the manpower, personnel, and training (MPT) requirements of the proposed RPV system design for a number of operating scenarios. The RPV system is defined as consisting of the equipment, personnel, and operational procedures needed to perform five basic artillery missions: reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery adjustment, target designation and damage assessment. The RPV design evaluated includes an air vehicle (AV), a modular integrated communications and navigation system (MICNS), a ground control station (GCS), a launch subsystem (LS), a recovery subsystem (RS), and a number of ground support requirements. The HARDMAN Methodology is an integrated set of data base management techniques and analytic tools, designed to provide timely and fully documented assessments of the human resource requirements associated with an emerging system's design.

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NASA NTRS1983

Propeller performance and weight predictions appended to the Navy/NASA engine program

The Navy/NASA Engine Performance (NNEP) is a general purpose computer program currently employed by government, industry and university personnel to simulate the thermodynamic cycles of turbine engines. NNEP is a modular program which has the ability to evaluate the performance of an arbitrary engine configuration defined by the user. In 1979, a program to calculate engine weight (WATE-2) was developed by Boeing's Military Division under NASA contract. This program uses a preliminary design approach to determine engine weights and dimensions. Because the thermodynamic and configuration information required by the weight code was available in NNEP, the weight code was appended to NNEP. Due to increased emphasis on fuel economy, a renewed interest has developed in propellers. This report describes the modifications developed by NASA to both NNEP and WATE-2 to determine the performance, weight and dimensions of propellers and the corresponding gearbox. The propeller performance model has three options, two of which are based on propeller map interpolation. Propeller and gearbox weights are obtained from empirical equations which may easily be modified by the user.

Plencner, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Parallel processing in a host plus multiple array processor system for radar

Host plus multiple array processor architecture is demonstrated to yield a modular, fast, and cost-effective system for radar processing. Software methodology for programming such a system is developed. Parallel processing with pipelined data flow among the host, array processors, and discs is implemented. Theoretical analysis of performance is made and experimentally verified. The broad class of problems to which the architecture and methodology can be applied is indicated.

Barkan, B. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The early 1981 view of Landsat-D progress

The thematic mapper (TM) will provide a spatial resolution (30 m) higher than the radiometric observations provided from Landsats 1 through 3 (80 m); what is more, observations in new spectral bands (0.45 to 0.52, 1.55 to 1.75, and 2.08 to 2.35 microns) will be available. These characteristics will aid in identifying and assessing the acreage and condition of crops. Further advantages will be offered in mineral exploration and land resource assessment. In describing the flight segment, it is noted that the high-gain antenna (diameter, 6 ft) will be used to communicate with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System in the Ku-band (15 GHz). Direct transmission of TM data will be provided by the X-band antenna. The MSS data will be transmitted directly to foreign stations by the S-band antenna. A figure describing the Multimission Modular spacecraft is included.

Salomonson, V. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

NASA-ESA Spacelab systems and programs; Proceedings of the Seminar, Washington, DC, April 23, 24, 1981

Topics discussed include the development status of the Space Shuttle and Spacelab, with attention to Spacelab subsystem performance capabilities and Shuttle-Spacelab flight operations; Spacelab data management and software for science applications, ESA and Space Shuttle pointing systems, and the Space Shuttle's Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications (OSTA)-1 payload. Also covered are the lessons learned from the first Spacelab mission, the pallet-only mode verification flight of the second Spacelab mission, the objectives of the Spacelab mission D1, its role in the German space program, and its implementation, the impact of Spacelab on space-based life sciences research, the high resolution, large area modular reflector array X-ray telescope to be used by Spacelab, and Space Shuttle contamination effects on UV coronagraphic observations.

Moore, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Flight accommodations using a special structure

A special payload carrier structure has been developed in order to provide Space Shuttle flight accommodations for an exceptionally heavy instrument package requiring no subsystems support. This Mission Peculiar Equipment Support Structure (MPESS) will support the OSTA-2 payload for a materials processing mission. The modular design of the MPESS offers a payload support capability at multiple locations within the Space Shuttle cargo bay. The MPESS is also scheduled for use with earth observation instruments to be carried by the OSTA-3 mission in late 1984.

Noblitt, B. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Use of the Space Shuttle for remote sensing experimentation during the 1980's

Planned and possible future experiments that may be conducted on Space Shuttle missions of the mid and later 1980s are discussed. Remote sensing experiments will be performed on Shuttle missions STS-7, STS-9, STS-11, and STS-17, and will conduct surveys using the Modular Optoelectronic Multispectral Scanner, a multispectral linear array imager; a high-resolution metric photographic camera; the Microwave Remote Sensing experiment, with capabilities for passive and active operation as an X-band radiometer, scatterometer or synthetic aperture radar; the Large Format Camera, a high-resolution photogrammetric camera with forward motion compensation; and the four experiments of the OSTA-3 payload: Shuttle Imaging Radar-B, the Measurement of Air Pollution from Space experiment, the Feature Identification and Location Experiment, and the Large Format Camera. Conceptual plans for experiments that may be conducted in the latter part of the decade include a high spectral resolution imaging sensor, multispectral radar surveys, and multispectral measurements in the thermal infrared.

Settle, M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Control - Demands mushroom as station grows

The NASA space station, which is presently in the planning stage, is to be composed of both rigid and nonrigid modules, rotating elements, and flexible appendages subjected to environmental disturbances from the earth's atmospheric gravity gradient, and magnetic field, as well as solar radiation and self-generated disturbances. Control functions, which will originally include attitude control, docking and berthing control, and system monitoring and management, will with evolving mission objectives come to encompass such control functions as articulation control, autonomous navigation, space traffic control, and large space structure control. Attention is given to the advancements in modular, distributed, and adaptive control methods, as well as system identification and hardware fault tolerance techniques, which will be required.

Szirmay, S. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Historical review and current plans

A space station concept published in Colliers Magazine in 1952 was the result of a proposal made by a group of visionary scientists and engineers. NASA began studies regarding the concepts and technology needed for a space station in 1959 during its first year of existence. Formative studies regarding the design and the construction of a space station are discussed, taking into account the 1960 space station design of an American aerospace company, the scale model of a hexagonal self-deploying space station, the concept of the Manned Orbiting Research Laboratory (MORL), MORL with Apollo Logistics System, the MORL Brayton Cycle power system, MORL with nuclear power, a manned orbiting telescope, the 1967 Large Space Station concept, the phase B modular space station, the MOSC configuration 1975, a basic manned platform with resupply, and a concept for a space operations center studied in 1979. A Soviet space station program began with Salyut 1 in April 1971. The U.S. Skylab was launched in May 1973. Attention is also given to military stations and current planning.

Hook, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Space platforms

The expanded scientific capabilities available by interfacing an orbital, free-flying experiments platform with Shuttle tending are outlined. The platform would be lifted to orbit by the Shuttle, and modularly increased in size on subsequent flights. Science packages could be left on the 26,000 lb space platform for up to six months. Component sections would include electrical and thermal control systems, berthing ports for payloads and an Orbiter, and an attitude control, communications, and data handling subsection. A 12 kW solar array would furnish power, and interconnect with Spacelab would further enhance the operations range. All berthed science packages would have individual pointing ability and grapples for the Orbiter RMS. Eventual evolution to include facilities for a human crew and a 25 kW solar array is projected.

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