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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 1,495 records · Page 83
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Pathways to excellence: A Federal strategy for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education

This Strategic Plan was developed by the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET) through its Committee on Education and Human Resources (CEHR), with representatives from 16 Federal agencies. Based on two years of coordinated interagency effort, the Plan confirms the Federal Government's commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education at all levels and in all sectors (i.e., elementary and secondary, undergraduate, graduate, public understanding of science, and technology education). The Plan represents the Federal Government's efforts to develop a five-year planning framework and associated milestones that focus Federal planning and the resources of the participating agencies toward achieving the requisite or expected level of mathematics and science competence by all students. The priority framework outlines the strategic objectives, implementation priorities, and components for the Strategic Plan and serves as a road map for the Plan. The Plan endorses a broad range of ongoing activities, including continued Federal support for graduate education as the backbone of our country's research and development enterprise. The Plan also identifies three tiers of program activities with goals that address issues in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education meriting special attention. Within each tier, individual agency programs play important and often unique roles that strengthen the aggregate portfolio. The three tiers are presented in descending order of priority: (1) reforming the formal education system; (2) expanding participation and access; and (3) enabling activities.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

FY25 Report on Water NSTF Testing: Parametric and Accident Testing with Lower Tank Inlet

The Natural Convection Shutdown Heat Removal Test Facility (NSTF) at Argonne National Laboratory has continued to generate empirical validation data on the performance of water-based reactor cavity cooling system (RCCS) for seven years. This data is actively being used to support the development of passive decay heat removal systems for advanced reactors. Distinguishing this facility are 1) the large, ½ scale of the facility and 2) its governance under an NQA-1 qualified program for producing data of the highest pedigree for advanced reactor designers and regulators. In addition to the experimental activities discussed in this report, a computational modeling program continues to support the experimental program and further accuracy and understanding of the computational models. Together, the experimental and computational work create a mutually beneficial relationship integral to the overall program objective of advancing the understanding of the RCCS technology.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Use of LS-DYNA in the Columbia Accident Investigation and Return to Flight Activities

During the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on January 16, 2003, foam originating from the external tank impacted the shuttle's left wing 81 seconds after lift-off. Then on February 1st, Space Shuttle Columbia broke-up during re-entry. In the weeks that followed, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board had formed various teams to investigate every aspect of the tragedy. One of these teams was the Impact Analysis Team, which was asked to investigate the foam impact on the wing leading edge. This paper will describe the approach and methodology used by the team to support the accident investigation, and more specifically the use of LS-DYNA for analyzing the foam impact event. Due to the success of the analytical predictions, the impact analysis team has also been asked to support Return to Flight activities. These activities will analyze a far broader range of impact events, but not with just foam and not only on the wing leading edge. The debris list has expanded and so have the possible impact locations. This paper will discuss the Return to Flight activities and the use of LS-DYNA to support them.

Gabrys, Jonathan↗
DOE OSTI2023

Microdynamics of active particles in defect-rich colloidal crystals

Hypothesis. Because they are self-propulsive, active colloidal particles can interact with their environment in ways that differ from passive, Brownian particles. Here, we explore how interactions in different microstructural regions may contribute to colloidal crystal annealing. Experiments. We investigate active particles propagating in a quasi-2D colloidal crystal monolayer produced by alternating current electric fields (active-to-passive particle ratio ~ 1:720). The active particle is a platinum Janus sphere propelled by asymmetric decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Crystals are characterized for changes in void properties. The mean-squared-displacement of Janus particles are measured to determine how active microdynamics depend on the local microstructure, which is comprised of void regions, void-adjacent regions (defined as within three particle diameters of a void), and interstitial regions. Findings. At active particle energy E A = 2.55 k B T, the average void size increases as much as three times and the average void anisotropy increases about 40% relative to the passive case. Further, the average microdynamical enhancement, <δ(t)>, of Janus particles in the crystal relative to an equivalent passive Janus particle is reduced compared to that of a free, active particle (<δ(t) > is 1.88 ± 0.04 and 2.66 ± 0.08, respectively). The concentration of active particles is enriched in void and void-adjacent regions. Active particles exhibit the greatest change in dynamics relative to the passive control in void-adjacent regions (<δ(t)> = 2.58 ± 0.06). The results support the conjecture that active particle microdynamical enhancement in crystal lattices is affected by local defect structure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Tuning the Coordination Environment of Rh Single Atoms on Highly Dispersed Reducible Oxides for Enhanced Reverse Water-Gas Shift Performance

Controlling the dynamic mobility of catalyst surface active sites and their interactions with the surrounding environment is critical in generating active surfaces that directly influence the catalytic activity and selectivity. Here, we report a strategy for tailoring the dispersion and electronic environment of single atom Rh catalysts by decorating the alumina support with highly dispersed (HD) cerium and molybdenum oxides. The resulting catalysts exhibit markedly different behavior in the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) reaction. In particular, Rh/MoOx(HD)/Al2O3 maintains atomically dispersed Rh even at elevated temperatures (up to 400 °C), achieving CO selectivity of up to 100% and resists sintering via the formation of a newly developed structure featuring Rh single atoms embedded in MoOx clusters. In situ spectroscopy and microscopy analyses confirm the stabilization of Rh and the dynamic evolution of Rh–Mo coordination under reaction conditions. Our findings highlight the power of support modification in steering active site structure and activity, offering a pathway toward enhanced and tunable single atom catalysts for CO2 valorization.

CO selectivity↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structural coordination between active sites of a CRISPR reverse transcriptase-integrase complex

CRISPR-Cas systems provide adaptive immunity in bacteria and archaea, beginning with integration of foreign sequences into the host CRISPR genomic locus and followed by transcription and maturation of CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs). In some CRISPR systems, a reverse transcriptase (RT) fusion to the Cas1 integrase and Cas6 maturase creates a single protein that enables concerted sequence integration and crRNA production. To elucidate how the RT-integrase organizes distinct enzymatic activities, we present the cryo-EM structure of a Cas6-RT-Cas1—Cas2 CRISPR integrase complex. The structure reveals a heterohexamer in which the RT directly contacts the integrase and maturase domains, suggesting functional coordination between all three active sites. Together with biochemical experiments, our data support a model of sequential enzymatic activities that enable CRISPR sequence acquisition from RNA and DNA substrates. These findings highlight an expanded capacity of some CRISPR systems to acquire diverse sequences that direct CRISPR-mediated interference.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structural adaptation of oxygen tolerance in 4-hydroxybutyrl-CoA dehydratase, a key enzyme of archaeal carbon fixation

Abstract Autotrophic microorganisms that convert inorganic carbon into organic matter were key players in the evolution of life on Earth. As the early atmosphere became oxygenated, microorganisms needed to develop mechanisms for oxygen protection, especially those relying on enzymes containing oxygen-sensitive metal clusters (e.g., Fe-S). Here we investigated how 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase (4HBD) - the key enzyme of the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (HP/HB) cycle for CO 2 -fixation - adapted as conditions shifted from anoxic to oxic. 4HBD is found in both anaerobic bacteria and aerobic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). The oxygen-sensitive bacterial 4HBD and oxygen-tolerant archaeal 4HBD share 59 % amino acid identity. To examine the structural basis of oxygen tolerance in archaeal 4HBD, we determined the atomic resolution structure of the enzyme. Two tunnels providing access to the canonical [4Fe-4S] cluster in oxygen-sensitive bacterial 4HBD were closed with four conserved mutations found in all aerobic AOA and other archaea. Further biochemical experiments and molecular dynamics simulations support our findings that restricting access to the active site is the key to oxygen tolerance, explaining how active site evolution drove a major evolutionary transition. Significance statement Autotrophy (primary production) was the first life strategy on Earth. Before photosynthesis (using solar energy to fix carbon dioxide), life relied on chemical reactions for energy. These chemosynthetic reactions are present in all domains of life, including archaea possessing the most energy-efficient carbon fixation pathway - the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle. This efficiency results from enzyme modifications, including enhanced enzyme stability and catalysis of multiple reactions. We reveal the first structure of aerobic 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase (4HBD) from ammonia-oxidizing archaea. These archaea are among the most abundant organisms on the planet, and their 4HBD active site evolved oxygen tolerance to support aerobic metabolism. This modification can provide further insight into enzyme evolution on early earth, as photosynthesis developed and began oxygenating the atmosphere.

DeMirci, Hasan (ORCID:0000000291355397)↗
NASA NTRS1985

International Ultraviolet Explorer Observatory operations

This volume contains the final report for the International Ultraviolet Explorer IUE Observatory Operations contract. The fundamental operational objective of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) program is to translate competitively selected observing programs into IUE observations, to reduce these observations into meaningful scientific data, and then to present these data to the Guest Observer in a form amenable to the pursuit of scientific research. The IUE Observatory is the key to this objective since it is the central control and support facility for all science operations functions within the IUE Project. In carrying out the operation of this facility, a number of complex functions were provided beginning with telescope scheduling and operation, proceeding to data processing, and ending with data distribution and scientific data analysis. In support of these critical-path functions, a number of other significant activities were also provided, including scientific instrument calibration, systems analysis, and software support. Routine activities have been summarized briefly whenever possible.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1988

Summary of DSN (Deep Space Network) reimbursable launch support

The Deep Space Network is providing ground support to space agencies of foreign governments as well as to NASA and other agencies of the Federal government which are involved in space activities. DSN funding for support of missions other than NASA are on either a cooperative or a reimbursable basis. Cooperative funding and support are accomplished in the same manner as NASA sponsored missions. Reimbursable launch funding and support methods are described.

Fanelli, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

International Space Station Earth Observations Working Group

The multilateral Earth Observations Working Group (EOWG) was chartered in May 2012 in order to improve coordination and collaboration of Earth observing payloads, research, and applications on the International Space Station (ISS). The EOWG derives its authority from the ISS Program Science Forum, and a NASA representative serves as a permanent co-chair. A rotating co-chair position can be occupied by any of the international partners, following concurrence by the other partners; a JAXA representative is the current co-chair. Primary functions of the EOWG include, 1) the exchange of information on plans for payloads, from science and application objectives to instrument development, data collection, distribution and research; 2) recognition and facilitation of opportunities for international collaboration in order to optimize benefits from different instruments; and 3) provide a formal ISS Program interface for collection and application of remotely sensed data collected in response to natural disasters through the International Charter, Space and Major Disasters. Recent examples of EOWG activities include coordination of bilateral data sharing protocols between NASA and TsNIIMash for use of crew time and instruments in support of ATV5 reentry imaging activities; discussion of continued use and support of the Nightpod camera mount system by NASA and ESA; and review and revision of international partner contributions on Earth observations to the ISS Program Benefits to Humanity publication.

Stefanov, William L.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Dione’s Wispy Terrain: A Cryovolcanic Story?

We examine the H2O ice phase on the surface of Dione, one of Saturn's icy satellites, to investigate whether it might harbor cryovolcanic activity induced by a subcrustal body of water. Several studies have searched for such a signature, as summarized in Buratti et al.; however, none has yet produced sufficient evidence to dissipate doubts. In the radiation environment characteristic of Saturn's icy moons, the presence of crystalline H2O ice has been used as a marker of a high-temperature region. Because ion bombardment will, over time, drive crystalline ice toward an increasingly amorphous state, the current phase of the H2O ice can be used to gauge the temporal temperature evolution of the surface. We adopt a technique described by Dalle Ore et al. to map the fraction of amorphous to crystalline H2O ice on Dione's surface, observed by the Cassini Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer, and provide an ice exposure age. We focus on a region observed at high spatial resolution and centered on one of the faults of the Wispy Terrain, which is measured to be fully crystalline. By assuming an amorphous to crystalline ice fraction of 5% (i.e., 95% crystallinity), significantly higher than the actual measurement, we obtain an upper limit for the age of the fault of 152 Ma. This implies that the studied fault has been active in the last ~100 Ma, supporting the hypothesis that Dione might still be active or was active a very short time ago, and similarly to Enceladus, might still be harboring a body of liquid water under its crust.

Saturnian satellites↗
NASA NTRS1991

Requirements for psychological models to support design: Towards ecological task analysis

Cognitive engineering is largely concerned with creating environmental designs to support skillful and effective human activity. A set of necessary conditions are proposed for psychological models capable of supporting this enterprise. An analysis of the psychological nature of the design product is used to identify a set of constraints that models must meet if they can usefully guide design. It is concluded that cognitive engineering requires models with resources for describing the integrated human-environment system, and that these models must be capable of describing the activities underlying fluent and effective interaction. These features are required in order to be able to predict the cognitive activity that will be required given various design concepts, and to design systems that promote the acquisition of fluent, skilled behavior. These necessary conditions suggest that an ecological approach can provide valuable resources for psychological modeling to support design. Relying heavily on concepts from Brunswik's and Gibson's ecological theories, ecological task analysis is proposed as a framework in which to predict the types of cognitive activity required to achieve productive behavior, and to suggest how interfaces can be manipulated to alleviate certain types of cognitive demands. The framework is described in terms, and illustrated with an example from the previous research on modeling skilled human-environment interaction.

Kirlik, Alex↗
NASA NTRS1988

Compact radio cores in three Seyfert galaxies - High resolution studies of Mkn 3, Mkn 231, and Mkn 463

The small-scale morphologies of Mkn 231 and Mkn 463 have been investigated using the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.6 GHz and the VLA at 15 and 22 GHz. Mkn 3 has been studied using the EVN at 1.4 and 1.6 GHz. All of the galaxies have a substantial fraction of their core radio flux in linear or elongated structures, typically tens of parsecs in extent. Agreement between the parsec- and kiloparsec-scale position angles of continuum radio emission suggests collimated outflow from the galaxy centers that continues over several orders of magnitude in scale. Supernova rates of order one hundred per year on scales of tens of parsecs are required to explain the nuclear radio emission as the result of bursts of star formation. The luminosities, small extents, and linear morphologies of the radio sources all support the idea that the nuclear radio sources are energized by active galactic nuclei and therefore support the more general picture of Seyfert galaxy nuclei being low-luminosity quasars. All of the galaxies appear to have undergone violent interactions in the recent past.

Neff, S. G.↗
DOE OSTI2021

INL ART AGR-5/6/7 PIE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) is currently supporting a tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel development and qualification program, which includes fuel fabrication, test irradiations, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing to assess fuel performance during normal irradiation and under accident conditions. PIE work on fuel from the last in the series of test irradiations, Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR)-5/6/7, will begin at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in approximately September 2020, but because of the complexity of the experiment preparations for the PIE are going to begin in FY2016. The work scope in this memorandum purchase order (MPO) includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing project management and technical support to PIE-related activities, providing technical input to the moisture furnace design, providing technical support for development of equipment and techniques for planned PIE evolutions, and contributing general expertise to this effort.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS2008

Deriving Tools from Real-time Runs: A New CCMC Support for SEC and AFWA

The Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) is a US inter-agency activity aiming at research in support of the generation of advanced space weather models. As one of its main functions. the CCMC provides to researchers the use of space science models, even if they are not model owners themselves. The second focus of CCMC activities is on validation and verification of space weather models. and on the transition of appropriate models to space weather forecast centers. As part of the latter activity. the CCMC develops real-time simulation systems that stress models through routine execution. A by-product of these real-time calculations is the ability to derive model products, which may be useful for space weather operators. After consultations with NOA/SEC and with AFWA, CCMC has developed a set of tools as a first step to make real-time model output useful to forecast centers. In this presentation, we will discuss the motivation for this activity, the actions taken so far, and options for future tools from model output.

Hesse, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1974

Skylab thruster attitude control system

Preflight activities and the Skylab mission support effort for the thruster attitude control system (TACS) are documented. The preflight activities include a description of problems and their solutions encountered in the development, qualification, and flight checkout test programs. Mission support effort is presented as it relates to system performance assessment, real-time problem solving, flight anomalies, and the daily system evaluation. Finally, the detailed flight evaluation is presented for each phase of the mission using system telemetry data. Data assert that the TACS met or exceeded design requirements and fulfilled its assigned mission objectives.

Wilmer, G. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Earth Observations to Assess Impact of Hurricane Katrina on John C. Stennis Space Center

The peril from hurricanes to Space Operations Centers is real and is forecast to continue; Katrina, Rita, and Wilma of 2005 and Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne of 2004 are sufficient motivation for NASA to develop a multi-Center plan for preparedness and response. As was demonstrated at SSC (Stennis Space Center) in response to Hurricane Katrina, NASA Centers are efficiently activated as local command centers, playing host to Federal and State agencies and first responders to coordinate and provide evacuation, relocation, response, and recovery activities. Remote sensing decision support provides critical insight for managing NASA infrastructure and for assisting Center decision makers. Managers require geospatial information to manage the federal city. Immediately following Katrina, SSC s power and network connections were disabled, hardware was inoperative, technical staff was displaced and/or out of contact, and graphical decision support tools were non-existent or less than fully effective. Despite this circumstance, SSC EOC (Emergency Operations Center) implemented response operations to assess damage and to activate recovery plans. To assist Center Managers, the NASA ASP (Applied Sciences Program) made its archive of high-resolution data over the site available. In the weeks and months after the immediate crisis, NASA supplemented this data with high-resolution, post-Katrina imagery over SSC and much of the affected coastal areas. Much of the high-resolution imagery was made available through the Department of Defense Clear View contract and was distributed through U.S. Geological Survey Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science "Hurricane Katrina Disaster Response" Web site. By integrating multiple image data types with other information sources, ASP applied an all-source solutions approach to develop decision support tools that enabled managers to respond to critical issues, such as expedient access to infrastructure and deployment of resources, provision of temporary shelter, logistical control of critical supplies, and the mobilization and coordination of assets from ground crews to aircraft/airspace management. Furthermore, ASP developed information products that illustrate risks to SSC's infrastructure from surge, inundation, and flood. Current plans include developing wind-risk prototype products for refinement and adoption into EOC plans.

Graham, William D.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Remote Sensing Information Science Research

This document is the final report summarizing research conducted by the Remote Sensing Research Unit, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara under National Aeronautics and Space Administration Research Grant NAG5-10457. This document describes work performed during the period of 1 March 2001 thorough 30 September 2002. This report includes a survey of research proposed and performed within RSRU and the UCSB Geography Department during the past 25 years. A broad suite of RSRU research conducted under NAG5-10457 is also described under themes of Applied Research Activities and Information Science Research. This research includes: 1. NASA ESA Research Grant Performance Metrics Reporting. 2. Global Data Set Thematic Accuracy Analysis. 3. ISCGM/Global Map Project Support. 4. Cooperative International Activities. 5. User Model Study of Global Environmental Data Sets. 6. Global Spatial Data Infrastructure. 7. CIESIN Collaboration. 8. On the Value of Coordinating Landsat Operations. 10. The California Marine Protected Areas Database: Compilation and Accuracy Issues. 11. Assessing Landslide Hazard Over a 130-Year Period for La Conchita, California Remote Sensing and Spatial Metrics for Applied Urban Area Analysis, including: (1) IKONOS Data Processing for Urban Analysis. (2) Image Segmentation and Object Oriented Classification. (3) Spectral Properties of Urban Materials. (4) Spatial Scale in Urban Mapping. (5) Variable Scale Spatial and Temporal Urban Growth Signatures. (6) Interpretation and Verification of SLEUTH Modeling Results. (7) Spatial Land Cover Pattern Analysis for Representing Urban Land Use and Socioeconomic Structures. 12. Colorado River Flood Plain Remote Sensing Study Support. 13. African Rainfall Modeling and Assessment. 14. Remote Sensing and GIS Integration.

Clarke, Keith C.↗