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At least 1,531 records · Page 85
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

The potential impact of microgravity science and technology on education

The development of educational support materials by NASA's Microgravity Science and Applications Division is discussed in the light of two programs. Descriptions of the inception and application possibilities are given for the Microgravity-Science Teacher's Guide and the program of Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Microgravity Science and Technology. The guide is intended to introduce students to the principles and research efforts related to microgravity, and the undergraduate program is intended to reinforce interest in the space program. The use of computers and electronic communications is shown to be an important catalyst for the educational efforts. It is suggested that student and teacher access to these programs be enhanced so that they can have a broader impact on the educational development of space-related knowledge.

Wargo, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The 1991 research and technology report, Goddard Space Flight Center

The 1991 Research and Technology Report for Goddard Space Flight Center is presented. Research covered areas such as (1) earth sciences including upper atmosphere, lower atmosphere, oceans, hydrology, and global studies; (2) space sciences including solar studies, planetary studies, Astro-1, gamma ray investigations, and astrophysics; (3) flight projects; (4) engineering including robotics, mechanical engineering, electronics, imaging and optics, thermal and cryogenic studies, and balloons; and (5) ground systems, networks, and communications including data and networks, TDRSS, mission planning and scheduling, and software development and test.

Soffen, Gerald↗
NASA NTRS2003

Evaluation of Algorithms for Compressing Hyperspectral Data

With EO-1 Hyperion in orbit NASA is showing their continued commitment to hyperspectral imaging (HSI). As HSI sensor technology continues to mature, the ever-increasing amounts of sensor data generated will result in a need for more cost effective communication and data handling systems. Lockheed Martin, with considerable experience in spacecraft design and developing special purpose onboard processors, has teamed with Applied Signal & Image Technology (ASIT), who has an extensive heritage in HSI spectral compression and Mapping Science (MSI) for JPEG 2000 spatial compression expertise, to develop a real-time and intelligent onboard processing (OBP) system to reduce HSI sensor downlink requirements. Our goal is to reduce the downlink requirement by a factor > 100, while retaining the necessary spectral and spatial fidelity of the sensor data needed to satisfy the many science, military, and intelligence goals of these systems. Our compression algorithms leverage commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) spectral and spatial exploitation algorithms. We are currently in the process of evaluating these compression algorithms using statistical analysis and NASA scientists. We are also developing special purpose processors for executing these algorithms onboard a spacecraft.

Cook, Sid↗
NASA NTRS2016

Voyager Interstellar Mission: Challenges of Flying a Very Old Spacecraft on a Very Long Mission

Two Voyager spacecraft were launched in 1977. After the successful flybys of Jupiter and Saturn by both Voyagers and Uranus and Neptune by Voyager 2, the mission has been extended for another 30 years in search of the transition region between the dominance of the solar energy and interstellar energy. The Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) started on January 1, 1990. It can be characterized by several factors including extremely long communication distances, aging hardware, reduced staffing levels and difficulty in obtaining Deep Space Network (DSN) resources necessitated by the increasing distance between the spacecraft and Earth. The mission was redesigned to compensate for such factors while maximizing the science return. After 25 years of VIM and several significant science discoveries, both Voyager spacecraft are still functioning well and the Voyager flight team is preparing for an even longer mission - until the year 2025 and beyond. In order to work around the challenges and to continue the mission even further, the team has been implementing numerous changes, mainly through flight software modifications and hardware reconfiguration. The major drivers for the changes are two-fold: resource constraints (such as decreasing power output and difficulty in obtaining the necessary DSN coverage) and anomalies due to the aging hardware. The majority of changes occur through flight software modifications so the state of the on-board responses is appropriate for the changing space environment and mission phase, and the flight software is compatible in allowing the maximum data gathering. The on-board flight software routines such as baseline sequence, fault protection routines, the High Gain Antenna POINTing to Earth (HPOINT) table, and long-term events table need to be maintained through flight software updates. The changes also occur through hardware reconfiguration such as selecting the backup Hybrid Buffer Interface Circuits (HYBIC) or attitude propulsion thrusters. This paper will describe the challenges of VIM and what has been done to overcome or mitigate those challenges. The primary focus will be the major flight software changes made during VIM and the changes that are in store for the near future in preparation for continuing the extended mission, from the originally projected year of 2020 out to the year 2025 and possibly beyond.

Matsumoto, Sun Kang↗
NASA NTRS2016

Navigation Using Deep-Space Optical Communication Systems

This work investigates the deep-space spacecraft navigation performance achievable from tracking data types obtained using optical communication systems. These optical navigation types include ranging between spacecraft and a station on Earth and astrometric measurements of angular position. Two mission scenarios are analyzed: an interplanetary cruise trajectory for a Mars lander (Mars 2020), and a science orbit for a Mars orbiter (MAVEN). Various data types are simulated using comprehensive measurement models, tracking schedules, and geometrical constraints. Sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the effect of various contributors to measurement accuracy and navigation performance. For both of the mission scenarios studied, the optical navigation types yield equivalent or improved performance as compared to traditional radiometric observables, though radiometric data types slightly outperform optical observables during tracking data gaps in the science orbit scenario.

McCandless, Sarah Elizabeth↗
NASA NTRS2020

Orbiting and In-Situ Lidars for Earth and Planetary Applications

At NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), we have been developing spaceborne lidar instruments for Earth and planetary sciences. We have successfully flown a several missions in the past based on mature diode pumped solid-state laser transmitters. In recent years we have been developing advanced laser technologies for applications such as laser spectroscopy, laser communications, and interferometry. In this paper, we will discuss recent experimental progress on these systems and instrument prototypes for ongoing development efforts.

Space instruments↗
NASA NTRS2006

Creating a NASA-Wide Museum Alliance

NASA's Museum Alliance is a nationwide network of informal educators at museums, science centers, and planetariums that present NASA information to their local audiences. Begun in 2002 as the Mars Museum Visualization Alliance with advisors from a dozen museums, the network has grown to over 300 people from 200 organizations, including a dozen or so international partners. The network has become a community of practice among these informal educators who work with students, educators, and the general public on a daily basis, presenting information and fielding questions about space exploration. Communications are primarily through an active listserve, regular telecons, and a pass word protected website. Professional development is delivered via telecons and downloadable presentations. Current content offerings include Mars exploration, Cassini, Stardust, Genesis, Deep Impact, Earth observations, STEREO, and missions to explore beyond our solar system.

planetary sciences↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Astrobee: Five years of Completed, Current, and Future Research on the International Space Station using Free Flying Robots.

After five years on the International Space Station (ISS), the Astrobee Research Facility, has completed over 160 Test Sessions logging over 1200 hours of operations. Managed by the NASA ISS Program OZ office and supported by NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) in California, the Astrobee Team currently maintains two identical free-flying Astrobee robots and a Docking Station for research on the ISS. As a technology demonstration platform, the Astrobee Robots are available for Guest Scientists to use for a spectrum of research capabilities. Using ambient air on the ISS, propelled by battery-operated fans, Astrobee is designed to autonomously operate throughout most of the USOS (US Orbital Segment), with the objective of minimizing the need for astronaut support. Astrobee carries a suite of six cameras, a two degree-of-freedom (DOF) arm with a gripper that can grasp ISS handrails and other objects, and three payload bays that provide power and data for guest science hardware. Astrobee can autonomously execute hours-long flight plans or be tele-operated from the ground. While the Astrobee Team continues to improve mapping and autonomous flight capabilities, one of the main goals of Astrobee Robots is to provide research opportunities for Guest Scientists. The Astrobee Robot Software (ARS) makes extensive use of the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS). The ARS can be used interchangeably with an Astrobee Simulator or as Astrobee’s onboard software. ARS features include autonomous docking and perching, real-time teleoperations from the ground, plan based autonomous tasks, multi Astrobee communication, among other capabilities. Through simulation software and ground testing laboratories, the Astrobee Team is available to support Guest Scientists during development and testing and lead real-time ISS operations. The Astrobee Team and Guest Scientists have completed research including Astrobatics maneuvers, RFID and sound sensing capabilities, Gecko materials studies, student Robotics Programming Challenges, and Free Flyer formation flight investigations. Current science with the Astrobee Robots is investigating new docking capabilities through software only research as well as testing new docking hardware installed on the Astrobees. The Astrobee Team and other researchers at NASA Ames continue to explore robotics applications for future NASA missions such as Gateway and potential experiments involving human-robot interactions. Continued advanced mapping resolution capabilities, and high-resolution panoramic imagery also remains areas of research. Exciting in development research involves docking for rendezvous proximity operation (CLINGERS), multi resolution 3D scanning (MRS), space debris removal in microgravity (REACCH). This presentation will mainly focus on completed research over the past year and current science being performed on the Astrobees. This presentation will also focus on how a Guest Scientist/Researcher progresses from conception to running their science on the Astrobees on the ISS, as well as discuss the Astrobee Facility resources available for supporting ground testing and real-time ISS operations.

Astrobee↗
NASA NTRS2014

NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations: Science Operations Development for Human Exploration

The purpose of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) mission 16 in 2012 was to evaluate and compare the performance of a defined series of representative near-Earth asteroid (NEA) extravehicular activity (EVA) tasks under different conditions and combinations of work systems, constraints, and assumptions considered for future human NEA exploration missions. NEEMO 16 followed NASA's 2011 Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS), the primary focus of which was understanding the implications of communication latency, crew size, and work system combinations with respect to scientific data quality, data management, crew workload, and crew/mission control interactions. The 1-g environment precluded meaningful evaluation of NEA EVA translation, worksite stabilization, sampling, or instrument deployment techniques. Thus, NEEMO missions were designed to provide an opportunity to perform a preliminary evaluation of these important factors for each of the conditions being considered. NEEMO 15 also took place in 2011 and provided a first look at many of the factors, but the mission was cut short due to a hurricane threat before all objectives were completed. ARES Directorate (KX) personnel consulted with JSC engineers to ensure that high-fidelity planetary science protocols were incorporated into NEEMO mission architectures. ARES has been collaborating with NEEMO mission planners since NEEMO 9 in 2006, successively building upon previous developments to refine science operations concepts within engineering constraints; it is expected to continue the collaboration as NASA's human exploration mission plans evolve.

Bell, Mary S.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Shuttle Communications and Tracking, Avionics, and Electromagnetic Compatibility

By definition, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is the capability of components, sub-systems, and systems, to operate in their intended electromagnetic environment, within an established margin of safety, and at design levels of performance. Practice of the discipline itself incorporates knowledge of various aspects of applied physics, materials science, and engineering across the board, and includes control and mitigation of undesirable electromagnetic interaction between intentional and unintentional emitters and receivers of radio frequency energy, both within and external to the vehicle; identification and control of the hazards of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation to personnel, ordnance, and fuels and propellants; and vehicle and system protection from the direct and indirect effects of lightning and various other forms of electrostatic discharge (ESD) threats, such as triboelectrification and plasma charging. EMC is extremely complex and far-reaching, affecting in some degree every aspect of the vehicle s design and operation. The most successful efforts incorporate EMC design features and techniques throughout design and fabrication of the vehicle s structure and components, as well as appropriate operational considerations with regard to electromagnetic threats in the operational environment, from the beginning of the design effort to the end of the life cycle of the manufactured product. This approach yields the highest design performance with the lowest cost and schedule impact.

deSilva, K.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Space Flight LiDARs, Navigation & Science Instrument Implementations: Lasers, Optoelectronics, Integrated Photonics, Fiber Optic Subsystems and Components

For the past 25 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center's Photonics Group in the Engineering Directorate has been substantially contributing to the flight design, development, production, testing and integration of many science and navigational instruments. The Moon to Mars initiative will rely heavily upon utilizing commercial technologies for instrumentation with aggressive schedule deadlines. The group has an extensive background in screening, qualifying, development and integration of commercial components for spaceflight applications. By remaining adaptable and employing a rigorous approach to component and instrument development, they have forged and fostered relationships with industry partners. They have been willing to communicate lessons learned in packaging, part construction, materials selection, testing, and other facets of the design and production process critical to implementation for high-reliability systems. As a result, this successful collaboration with industry vendors and component suppliers has enabled a history of mission success from the Moon to Mars (and beyond) while balancing cost, schedule, and risk postures. In cases where no commercial components exist, the group works closely with other teams at Goddard Space Flight Center and other NASA field centers to fabricate and produce flight hardware for science, remote sensing, and navigation applications. Summarized here is the last ten years of instrumentation development lessons learned and data collected from the subsystems down to the optoelectronic component level.

Detectors↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Deep Space Power System Option Based on Synergistic Power Conversion Technologies

Deep space science missions have typically used radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) power systems. The RTG power system has proven itself to be a rugged and highly reliable power system over many missions, however the thermal-to-electric conversion technology used was approximately 5% efficient. While the relatively low efficiency has some benefits in terms of system integration, there are compelling reasons why a more efficient conversion system should be pursued. The cost savings alone that are available as a result of the reduced isotope inventory are significant. The Advanced Radioisotope Power System (ARPS) project was established to fulfill this goal. Although it was not part of the ARPS project, Stirling conversion technology is being demonstrated with a low level of funding by both NASA and DOE. A power system with Stirling convertors. although intended for use with an isotope heat source. can be combined with other advanced technologies to provide a novel power system for deep space missions. An inflatable primary concentrator would be used in combination with a refractive secondary concentrator (RSC) as the heat source to power the system. The inflatable technology as a structure has made great progress for a variety of potential applications such as communications reflectors, radiators and solar arrays. The RSC has been pursued for use in solar thermal propulsion applications, and it's unique properties allow some advantageous system trades to be made. The power system proposed would completely eliminate the isotope heat source and could potentially provide power for science missions to planets as distant as Uranus. This paper will present the background and developmental status of the technologies and will then describe the power system being proposed.

Schreiber, Jeffrey G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

All-Metal Antennas for Applications in Extreme Space Environments

The feasibility of an all-metal antenna for transmission of science data by spacecraft, landers, and rovers operating in the extreme environment of space is investigated. The all-metal antenna is of the short backfire type with a waveguide feed and generates a linearly polarized radiation. The investigation includes the modeling, design, fabrication, and characterization of the antenna. The paper summarizes the preliminary results. Potential applications of an all-metal antenna include communication systems required to operate in the extreme hot environment of Mercury and Venus, extreme cold and high radiation environment of Jupiter’s icy moon, and Artemis missions that involve human/robotic exploration and long-term presence on the Moon.

Extreme Environment↗
NASA NTRS2019

BioBot: Innovative Offloading of Astronauts for More Effective Exploration

The BioBot concept consists of a robotic rover which is capable of traversing the same terrain as a spacesuited human. It carries the primary life support system for the astronaut, including consumables, atmosphere revitalization systems (e.g., CO2 scrubbing, humidity and temperature management, ventilation fan), power system (e.g., battery, power management and distribution),and thermal control system (e.g., water sublimator, cooling water pump), along with umbilical lines to connect to the supported astronaut. Although not technically part of life support, it would be logical for the BioBot to also provide long-range communications, video monitoring, tool and sample transport, and other functions to enable and enhance EVA productivity in planetary surface exploration.The design reference scenario for this concept is that astronauts involved in future lunar or Mars exploration will be on the surface for weeks or months rather than days, and will be involved in regular EVA operations. It is not unreasonable to think of geologists spending several days inEVA exploration each week over a prolonged mission duration, with far more ambitious operational objectives than were typical of Apollo. In this scenario, each astronaut will be accompanied by a "BioBot", which will transport their life support system and consumables, an extended umbilical and umbilical reel, and robotic systems capable of controlling the position and motion of the umbilical. The astronaut will be connected to the robot via the umbilical, carrying only a small emergency open-loop life support system similar to those contained in every PLSS. The robotic mobility base will be designed to be capable of traveling anywhere the astronaut can walk, and will also be useful as a transport for the EVA tools, science instrumentation, and collected samples. In addition, the BioBot can potentially carry the astronaut on traverses as well. Such a system will also be a significant enhancement to public engagement in these future exploration missions, as the robotic vehicles can also support high-resolution cameras and high bandwidth communications gear to providehigh-definition video coverage of each crew throughout each EVA sortie.

Akin, David L.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cross‐Cultural Validation of the Binge Eating Disorder Screener‐7 ( BEDS ‐7) Across 42 Countries

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Binge Eating Disorder Screener‐7 (BEDS‐7) across 42 countries and 26 languages, assessing its reliability and validity as a screening tool for binge‐eating disorder (BED) in diverse cultural contexts. Specifically, it sought to enhance early recognition of BED symptoms in primary care settings globally, contributing to a standardized framework for assessing BED. Method The International Sex Survey, a cross‐sectional online study, was conducted in 42 countries and 26 languages. A diverse community sample of 82,243 participants, aged 18 years or older, completed the BEDS‐7 and measures of sexuality, mental health, substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics. Confirmatory factor analyses and tests of measurement invariance were employed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the BEDS‐7 across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations. Results The BEDS‐7 demonstrated scalar factorial invariance across languages and countries, indicating consistent factor loadings and item intercepts. In contrast, the screener showed residual invariance across gender and sexual orientation groups, supporting its robustness across these demographics. Kruskal–Wallis tests revealed significant differences in BED symptoms across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations, with the highest BED scores observed among queer, pansexual, and gender‐diverse individuals. The BEDS‐7 also demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.80) and moderate criterion validity. Discussion The findings provide further evidence of the reliability and validity of the BEDS‐7 as a potential screening tool for identifying probable cases of BED globally, facilitating early intervention in primary care settings.

Gewirtz‐Meydan, Ateret [School of Social Work, Fac↗
DOE OSTI2025

Audible enclaves crafted by nonlinear self-bending ultrasonic beams

Delivering audible content to a targeted listener without disturbing others is paramount in audio engineering. However, achieving this goal has long been challenging due to the diffraction of low-frequency (long-wavelength) audio waves in linear acoustics. Here, we introduce an approach for creating remote audio spots, dubbed audible enclaves, by harnessing the local nonlinear interaction of two self-bending ultrasonic beams with distinct spectra. The self-bending ultrasonic beams created by acoustic metasurfaces, though inaudible, can bypass obstacles such as human heads. At their intersection behind obstacles, highly localized audible enclaves are formed due to the local nonlinear interactions. Additionally, we demonstrate the ultrabroadband capabilities of our metasurface-based implementation both numerically and experimentally, spanning from 125 Hz to 4 kHz (6 octave bands), covering the majority of the audible frequency range. The practicality of our proposed technique is underscored by its compact implementation size (0.16 m, equivalent to 0.06 wavelengths at 125 Hz), as well as its robust performance under wideband transient audio signal excitation and in a common room with reverberations. Our proposed audible enclaves hold significant potential for various applications in advanced audio engineering, including private speech communications, immersive spatial audio reproduction, and high-resolution sound/quiet zone control.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
NASA NTRS1986

Voyager 2 navigation to Uranus

Navigating the upcoming Voyager 2 encounter with Uranus presents unique challenges and opportunities. Uranus will be the most distant planetary encounter carried out to date, with a 2.75 hour delay each way for communication. Furthermore, Voyager 2 is the most sophisticated spacecraft ever used for first encounter with a planetary system. In this paper the special features of the encounter are analyzed from a navigation point of view. First, the most relevant science opportunities are introduced. Then the challenges posed by the Uranian distance and geometry are outlined. The result of a detailed navigation accuracy study is presented. Finally, the unique features of optical navigation at Uranus are shown.

Gray, D. L.↗