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At least 1,549 records · Page 86

Satellite services - An added benefit of the space transportation system

It is argued that the greatest economic benefit can be achieved by the Space Shuttle Orbiter's use as a satellite servicing platform if the following conditions are fulfilled: (1) the international user community must build serviceability features into its satellite and orbital platform designs, based on a common set of guidelines; (2) the various tools required for satellite servicing must be developed in a timely manner; and (3) servicing costs must be kept as low as possible, in order to appeal to the greatest number and variety of satellite operators. A three-part program development schedule is proposed, beginning with near-Orbiter servicing in low earth orbit, continuing with servicing at orbital heights between the low and geosynchronous at greater distances from the Orbiter, and culminating in the early 1990's with the use of the Space Operations Center (SOC) platform for servicing at all orbital heights.

Herardian, M. M.↗

A conservative finite difference algorithm for the unsteady transonic potential equation in generalized coordinates

An implicit, approximate-factorization, finite-difference algorithm has been developed for the computation of unsteady, inviscid transonic flows in two and three dimensions. The computer program solves the full-potential equation in generalized coordinates in conservation-law form in order to properly capture shock-wave position and speed. A body-fitted coordinate system is employed for the simple and accurate treatment of boundary conditions on the body surface. The time-accurate algorithm is modified to a conventional ADI relaxation scheme for steady-state computations. Results from two- and three-dimensional steady and two-dimensional unsteady calculations are compared with existing methods.

Bridgeman, J. O.↗

A new method for determining acoustic-liner admittance in a rectangular duct with grazing flow from experimental data

A method is developed for determining acoustic liner admittance in a rectangular duct with grazing flow. The axial propagation constant, cross mode order, and mean flow profile is measured. These measured data are then input into an analytical program which determines the unknown admittance value. The analytical program is based upon a finite element discretization of the acoustic field and a reposing of the unknown admittance value as a linear eigenvalue problem on the admittance value. Gaussian elimination is employed to solve this eigenvalue problem. The method used is extendable to grazing flows with boundary layers in both transverse directions of an impedance tube (or duct). Predicted admittance values are compared both with exact values that can be obtained for uniform mean flow profiles and with those from a Runge Kutta integration technique for cases involving a one dimensional boundary layer.

Watson, W. R.↗

Utilizing various test methods to study the stress corrosion behavior of Al-Li-Cu alloys

Recently, much attention has been given to aluminum-lithium alloys because of rather substantial specific-strength and specific-stiffness advantages offered over commercial 2000and 7000-series aluminum alloys. An obstacle to Al-Li alloy development has been inherent limited ductility. In order to obtain a more refined microstructure, powder metallurgy (P/M) has been employed in alloy development programs. As stress corrosion (SC) of high-strength aluminum alloys has been a major problem in the aircraft industry, the possibility of an employment of Al-Li alloys has been considered, taking into account a use of Al-Li-Cu alloys. Attention is given to a research program concerned with the evaluation of the relative SC resistance of two P/M processed Al-Li-Cu alloys. The behavior of the alloys, with and without an addition of magnesium, was studied with the aid of three test methods. The susceptibility to SC was found to depend on the microstructure of the alloys.

Pizzo, P. P.↗

Support of the balloon-borne ultraviolet stellar spectrograph

A (256 x 1024)-pixel imaging ultraviolet Multi-mode Microchannel Array (MAMA) detector system for flight was fabricated, evaluated, and environmentally tested for flight on the Balloon Borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrograph (BUSS). The goal of the program was to replace the existing SEC Vidicon with the pulse-counting MAMA detector in order to, first, improve the overall sensitivity of the BUSS telescope and spectrograph for observations of stars down to m sub v = 7 and fainter, and, second, to improve the spectral resolution and wavelength accuracy by eliminating the image drifts in the Vidicon caused by magnetic field effects. A sealed MAMA detector tube structure employing a remotely processed photocathode mounted on a window in proximity focus with the front face of the MCP was developed to avoid contamination produced by a noisy and unstable device. The configuration of the BUSS detector system in its flight ready configuration is shown. The quantum efficiency curve for the semi-transparent Cs2Te photocathode is also shown.

Timothy, J. G.↗

On the analytical determination of relaxation modulus of viscoelastic materials by Prony's interpolation method

A computer implementation to Prony's curve fitting by exponential functions is presented. The method, although more than one hundred years old, has not been utilized to its fullest capabilities due to the restriction that the time range must be given in equal increments in order to obtain the best curve fit for a given set of data. The procedure used in this paper utilizes the 3-dimensional capabilities of the Interactive Graphics Design System (I.G.D.S.) in order to obtain the equal time increments. The resultant information is then input into a computer program that solves directly for the exponential constants yielding the best curve fit. Once the exponential constants are known, a simple least squares solution can be applied to obtain the final form of the equation.

Rodriguez, Pedro I.↗

International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, 19th, Ann Arbor, MI, October 21-25, 1985, Proceedings. Volumes 1 & 2

The technology and applications of terrestrial remote sensing (RS) are discussed in reviews and reports. Topics examined include the future of the NASA earth-sciences program, NOAA plans for earth observations in the 1990s, space RS in France, international coordination of RS satellite programs, and applications of geocoded imagery. Consideration is given to spatial and tabular databases for order-three soil surveys, an AVHRR and Landsat regional inventory of irrigated agriculture, classification of wetlands, microwave radiometry of ocean surface winds and sea ice, and floodplain land-cover mapping with Thematic-Mapper data.

Source record↗

The 19th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment. Proceedings, Volume 1

The technology and applications of terrestrial remote sensing (RS) are discussed in reviews and reports. Topics examined include the future of the NASA earth-sciences program, NOAA plans for earth observations in the 1990s, space RS in France, international coordination of RS satellite programs, and applications of geocoded imagery. Consideration is given to spatial and tabular databases for order-three soil surveys, an AVHRR and Landsat regional inventory of irrigated agriculture, classification of wetlands, microwave radiometry of ocean surface winds and sea ice, and floodplain land-cover mapping with Thematic-Mapper data.

Source record↗

Observations and analyses of natural laminar flow over a nonlifting airframe surface

A NASA-sponsored flight experiment program has been conducted with a twin-engined, propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, in order to ascertain the transition location and mode over the nonaxisymmetric fuselage forebody. Attention is given to the transition instrumentation layout and the flight test plan matrix. The results obtained for transition in varying freestream and propeller conditions will furnish insights into transition mechanisms and the significance of crossflow instability during transition in realistic nonaxisymmetric fuselage forebodies at angles of attack and sideslip.

Vijgen, Paul M. H. W.↗

Concurrent Image Processing Executive (CIPE)

The design and implementation of a Concurrent Image Processing Executive (CIPE), which is intended to become the support system software for a prototype high performance science analysis workstation are discussed. The target machine for this software is a JPL/Caltech Mark IIIfp Hypercube hosted by either a MASSCOMP 5600 or a Sun-3, Sun-4 workstation; however, the design will accommodate other concurrent machines of similar architecture, i.e., local memory, multiple-instruction-multiple-data (MIMD) machines. The CIPE system provides both a multimode user interface and an applications programmer interface, and has been designed around four loosely coupled modules; (1) user interface, (2) host-resident executive, (3) hypercube-resident executive, and (4) application functions. The loose coupling between modules allows modification of a particular module without significantly affecting the other modules in the system. In order to enhance hypercube memory utilization and to allow expansion of image processing capabilities, a specialized program management method, incremental loading, was devised. To minimize data transfer between host and hypercube a data management method which distributes, redistributes, and tracks data set information was implemented.

Lee, Meemong↗

A situated reasoning architecture for space-based repair and replace tasks

Space-based robots need low level control for collision detection and avoidance, short-term load management, fine-grained motion, and other physical tasks. In addition, higher level control is required to focus strategic decision making as missions are assigned and carried out. Reasoning and control must be responsive to ongoing changes in the environment. Research aimed at bridging the gap between high level artificial intelligence (AI) planning techniques and task-level robot programming for telerobotic systems is described. Situated reasoning is incorporated into AI and Robotics systems in order to coordinate a robot's activity within its environment. An integrated system under development in a component maintenance domain is described. It is geared towards replacing worn and/or failed Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) designed for use aboard NASA's Space Station Freedom based on the collection of components available at a given time. High level control reasons in component space in order to maximize the number operational component-cells over time, while the task-level controls sensors and effectors, detects collisions, and carries out pick and place tasks in physical space. Situated reasoning is used throughout the system to cope with component failures, imperfect information, and unexpected events.

Bloom, Ben↗

The Atmospheric Tides Middle Atmosphere Program (ATMAP)

Atmospheric tides, oscillations in meteorological fields occurring at subharmonics of a solar or lunar day, comprise a major component of middle atmosphere global dynamics. The purpose of the 1982 to 1986 Atmospheric Tides Atmosphere Program (ATMAP) was to foster an interaction between experimentalists, data analysts, and theoreticians and modelers, in order to better understand the physical mechanisms governing tides and their relationships to other scales of motion, and to thereby explain features of observed tidal structures in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The ATMAP consisted of seven observational campaigns, five workshops and a climatological study. A historical perspective is provided along with a summary of major results, conclusions, and recommendations for future study which have emerged from the ATMAP.

Forbes, J. M.↗

Theoretical studies of the infrared emission from circumstellar dust shells - The infrared characteristics of circumstellar silicates and the mass-loss rate of oxygen-rich late-type giants

A simple analytic formula and a numerical radiative transfer program have been used to model the IR emission of spherically symmetric circumstellar dust shells in order to determine the IR absorption properties of circumstellar silicate grains and the mass-loss rates of the central stars. The correlation between the near-IR color temperature and the strength of the 10-micron emission or absorption feature is discussed, and it is shown that the near-IR absorption efficiency of circumstellar silicate grains is much higher than is expected from terrestrial minerals, possibly due to the presence of Fe(2+) color centers dissolved in the circumstellar silicates. Detailed models of the IR emission of R Cas, IRC 10011, and OH 26.5+0.6 are presented.

Schutte, W. A.↗

Concurrent Image Processing Executive (CIPE). Volume 1: Design overview

The design and implementation of a Concurrent Image Processing Executive (CIPE), which is intended to become the support system software for a prototype high performance science analysis workstation are described. The target machine for this software is a JPL/Caltech Mark 3fp Hypercube hosted by either a MASSCOMP 5600 or a Sun-3, Sun-4 workstation; however, the design will accommodate other concurrent machines of similar architecture, i.e., local memory, multiple-instruction-multiple-data (MIMD) machines. The CIPE system provides both a multimode user interface and an applications programmer interface, and has been designed around four loosely coupled modules: user interface, host-resident executive, hypercube-resident executive, and application functions. The loose coupling between modules allows modification of a particular module without significantly affecting the other modules in the system. In order to enhance hypercube memory utilization and to allow expansion of image processing capabilities, a specialized program management method, incremental loading, was devised. To minimize data transfer between host and hypercube, a data management method which distributes, redistributes, and tracks data set information was implemented. The data management also allows data sharing among application programs. The CIPE software architecture provides a flexible environment for scientific analysis of complex remote sensing image data, such as planetary data and imaging spectrometry, utilizing state-of-the-art concurrent computation capabilities.

Lee, Meemong↗

Finding fixed satellite service orbital allotments with a k-permutation algorithm

A satellite system synthesis problem, the satellite location problem (SLP), is addressed. In SLP, orbital locations (longitudes) are allotted to geostationary satellites in the fixed satellite service. A linear mixed-integer programming model is presented that views SLP as a combination of two problems: the problem of ordering the satellites and the problem of locating the satellites given some ordering. A special-purpose heuristic procedure, a k-permutation algorithm, has been developed to find solutions to SLPs. Solutions to small sample problems are presented and analyzed on the basis of calculated interferences.

Reilly, Charles H.↗

Mathematical analysis techniques for modeling the space network activities

The objective of the present work was to explore and identify mathematical analysis techniques, and in particular, the use of linear programming. This topic was then applied to the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) in order to understand the space network better. Finally, a small scale version of the system was modeled, variables were identified, data was gathered, and comparisons were made between actual and theoretical data.

Foster, Lisa M.↗

Empirical comparison of heuristic load distribution in point-to-point multicomputer networks

The study compared several load placement algorithms using instrumented programs and synthetic program models. Salient characteristics of these program traces (total computation time, total number of messages sent, and average message time) span two orders of magnitude. Load distribution algorithms determine the initial placement for processes, a precursor to the more general problem of load redistribution. It is found that desirable workload distribution strategies will place new processes globally, rather than locally, to spread processes rapidly, but that local information should be used to refine global placement.

Grunwald, Dirk C.↗

Modelling Directional Solidification

The long range goal of this program has been to develop an improved understanding of phenomena of importance to directional solidification, in order to enable explanation and prediction of differences in behavior between solidification on Earth and in space. Current emphasis is on determining the influence of perturbations on directional solidification.

Wilcox, William R.↗