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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Programmable Cadence Timer

Electronic metronome paces users through wide range of exercise routines. Conceptual programmable cadence timer provides rhythmic aural and visual cues. Timer automatically changes cadence according to program entered by the user. It also functions as clock, stopwatch, or alarm. Modular pacer operated as single unit or as two units. With audiovisual module moved away from base module, user concentrates on exercise cues without distraction from information appearing on the liquid-crystal display. Variety of uses in rehabilitative medicine, experimental medicine, sports, and gymnastics. Used in intermittent positive-pressure breathing treatment, in which patient must rhythmically inhale and retain medication delivered under positive pressure; and in incentive spirometer treatment, in which patient must inhale maximally at regular intervals.

Hall, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Low-Complexity, Digital Encoder/Modulator Developed for High-Data-Rate Satellite B-ISDN Applications

The Space Electronics Division at the NASA Lewis Research Center is developing advanced electronic technologies for the space communications and remote sensing systems of tomorrow. As part of the continuing effort to advance the state-of-the-art in satellite communications and remote sensing systems, Lewis developed a low-cost, modular, programmable, and reconfigurable all-digital encoder-modulator (DEM) for medium- to high-data-rate radiofrequency communication links. The DEM is particularly well suited to high-data-rate downlinks to ground terminals or direct data downlinks from near-Earth science platforms. It can support data rates up to 250 megabits per second (Mbps) and several modulation schemes, including the traditional binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) and quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) modes, as well as higher order schemes such as 8 phase-shift keying (8PSK) and 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM). The DEM architecture also can precompensate for channel disturbances and alleviate amplitude degradations caused by nonlinear transponder characteristics.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

A modular solid state detector for measuring high energy heavy ion fragmentation near the beam axis

A multi-element solid state detector has been designed to measure fluences of fragments produced near the beam axis by high energy heavy ion beams in thick targets. The detector is compact and modular, so as to be readily reconfigured according to the range of fragment charges and energies to be measured. Preamplifier gain settings and detector calibrations are adjustable remotely under computer control. We describe the central detector, its associated detectors and electronics, triggering scheme, data acquisition and particle identification techniques, illustrated by data taken with 600 MeV/u 56Fe beams and thick polyethylene targets at the LBL Bevalac. The applications of this work to space radiation protection are discussed.

NASA Center HQS↗
NASA NTRS1979

SOFIP: A Short Orbital Flux Integration Program

A computer code was developed to evaluate the space radiation environment encountered by geocentric satellites. The Short Orbital Flux Integration Program (SOFIP) is a compact routine of modular compositions, designed mostly with structured programming techniques in order to provide core and time economy and ease of use. The program in its simplest form produces for a given input trajectory a composite integral orbital spectrum of either protons or electrons. Additional features are available separately or in combination with the inclusion of the corresponding (optional) modules. The code is described in detail, and the function and usage of the various modules are explained. A program listing and sample outputs are attached.

Stassinopoulos, E. G.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Medical Data Architecture Project Capabilities and Design

Mission constraints will challenge the delivery of medical care on a long-term, deep space exploration mission. This type of mission will be restricted in the availability of medical knowledge, skills, procedures and resources to prevent, diagnose, and treat in-flight medical events. Challenges to providing medical care are anticipated, including resource and resupply constraints, delayed communications and no ability for medical evacuation. The Medical Data Architecture (MDA) project will enable medical care capability in this constrained environment. The first version of the system, called "Test Bed 1," includes capabilities for automated data collection, data storage and data retrieval to provide information to the Crew Medical Officer (CMO). Test Bed 1 seeks to establish a data architecture foundation and develop a scalable data management system through modular design and standardized interfaces. In addition, it will demonstrate to stakeholders the potential for an improved, automated, flow of data to and from the medical system over the current methods employed on the International Space Station (ISS). It integrates a set of external devices, software and processes, and a Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) note commonly used by clinicians. Medical data like electrocardiogram plots, heart rate, skin temperature, respiration rate, medications taken, and more are collected from devices and stored in the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system, and reported to crew and clinician. Devices integrated include the Astroskin biosensor vest and IMED CARDIAX electrocardiogram (ECG) device with INEED MD ECG Glove, and the NASA-developed Medical Dose Tracker application. The system is designed to be operated as a standalone system, and can be deployed in a variety of environments, from a laptop to a data center. The system is primarily composed of open-source software tools, and is designed to be modular, so new capabilities can be added. The software components and integration methods will be discussed.

Data architecture↗
NASA NTRS1989

Lunar deep drill apparatus

Proposed as a baseline configuration, this rotary drill apparatus is designed to produce 100-mm diameter holes in the lunar surface at depths up to 50 meters. The drill is intended to acquire samples for scientific analysis, mineral resource location, calibration of electronic exploration devices, and foundation analysis at construction sites. It is also intended to prepare holes for emplacement of scientific instruments, the setting of structural anchors, and explosive methods in excavation and mining activities. Defined as a deep drill because of the modular drill string, it incorporates an automatic rod changer. The apparatus is teleoperated from a remote location, such as earth, utilizing supervisory control techniques. It is thus suitable for unmanned and man-tended operation. Proven terrestrial drilling technology is used to the extent it is compatible with the lunar environment. Augers and drive tubes form holes in the regolith and may be used to acquire loose samples. An inertial cutting removal system operates intermittently while rock core drilling is in progress. The apparatus is carried to the work site by a three-legged mobile platform which also provides a 2-meter feed along the hole centerline, an off-hole movement of approximately .5 meters, an angular alignment of up to 20 deg. from gravity vertical, and other dexterity required in handling rods and samples. The technology can also be applied using other carriers which incorporate similar motion capabilities. The apparatus also includes storage racks for augers, rods, and ancillary devices such as the foot-plate that holds the down-hole tooling during rod changing operations.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2007

Master Clock and Time-Signal-Distribution System

A timing system comprising an electronic master clock and a subsystem for distributing time signals from the master clock to end users is undergoing development to satisfy anticipated timing requirements of NASA s Deep Space Network (DSN) for the next 20 to 30 years. This system has a modular, flexible, expandable architecture that is easier to operate and maintain than the present frequency and timing subsystem (FTS).

Tjoelker, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1999

Nano-Satellite Avionics

Abstract NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently developing a new class of satellites called the nano-satellite (nano-sat). A major objective of this development effort is to provide the technology required to enable a constellation of tens to hundreds of nano-satellites to make both remote and in-situ measurements from space. The Nano-sat will be a spacecraft weighing a maximum of 10 kg, including the propellant mass, and producing at least 5 Watts of power to operate the spacecraft. The electronics are required to survive a total radiation dose rate of 100 krads for a mission lifetime of two years. There are many unique challenges that must be met in order to develop the avionics for such a spacecraft. The first challenge is to develop an architecture that will operate on the allotted 5 Watts and meet the diverging requirements of multiple missions. This architecture will need to incorporate a multitude of new advanced microelectronic technologies. The microelectronics developed must be a modular and scalable packaging of technology to solve the problem of developing a solution to both reduce cost and meet the requirements of various missions. This development will utilize the most cost effective approach, whether infusing commercially driven semiconductor devices into spacecraft applications or partnering with industry to design and develop low cost, low power, low mass, and high capacity data processing devices. This paper will discuss the nano-sat architecture and the major technologies that will be developed. The major technologies that will be covered include: (1) Light weight Low Power Electronics Packaging, (2) Radiation Hard/Tolerant, Low Power Processing Platforms, (3) High capacity Low Power Memory Systems (4) Radiation Hard reconfiguragble field programmable gate array (rFPGA)

Culver, Harry↗
NASA NTRS2015

Tactically Extensible and Modular Communications X-Band TEMCOM-X

This paper will discuss a CubeSat size (3U) telemetry system concept being developed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army and Dynetics Corporation. This telemetry system incorporates efficient, high-bandwidth communications by developing flight-ready, low-cost, Proto-flight software defined radio (SDR) and Electronically Steerable Patch Array (ESPA) antenna subsystems for use on platforms as small as CubeSats and unmanned aircraft systems (UASs). Higher bandwidth capacity will enable high-volume, low error-rate data transfer to and from tactical forces or sensors operating in austere locations (e.g., direct imagery download, unattended ground sensor data exfiltration, interlink communications).

Sims, William H.↗
NASA NTRS2001

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2001

The topics include: 1) Application Briefs; 2) National Design Engineering Show Preview; 3) Marketing Inventions to Increase Income; 4) A Personal-Computer-Based Physiological Training System; 5) Reconfigurable Arrays of Transistors for Evolvable Hardware; 6) Active Tactile Display Device for Reading by a Blind Person; 7) Program Automates Management of IBM VM Computer Systems; 8) System for Monitoring the Environment of a Spacecraft Launch; 9) Measurement of Stresses and Strains in Muscles and Tendons; 10) Optical Measurement of Temperatures in Muscles and Tendons; 11) Small Low-Temperature Thermometer With Nanokelvin Resolution; 12) Heterodyne Interferometer With Phase-Modulated Carrier; 13) Rechargeable Batteries Based on Intercalation in Graphite; 14) Signal Processor for Doppler Measurements in Icing Research; 15) Model Optimizes Drying of Wet Sheets; 16) High-Performance POSS-Modified Polymeric Composites; 17) Model Simulates Semi-Solid Material Processing; 18) Modular Cryogenic Insulation; 19) Passive Venting for Alleviating Helicopter Tail-Boom Loads; 20) Computer Program Predicts Rocket Noise; 21) Process for Polishing Bare Aluminum to High Optical Quality; 22) External Adhesive Pressure-Wall Patch; 23) Java Implementation of Information-Sharing Protocol; 24) Electronic Bulletin Board Publishes Schedules in Real Time; 25) Apparatus Would Extract Water From the Martian Atmosphere; 26) Review of Research on Supercritical vs Subcritical Fluids; 27) Hybrid Regenerative Water-Recycling System; 28) Study of Fusion-Driven Plasma Thruster With Magnetic Nozzle; 29) Liquid/Vapor-Hydrazine Thruster Would Produce Small Impulses; and 30) Thruster Based on Sublimation of Solid Hydrazine

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2003

Optomechanical Design of Ten Modular Cameras for the Mars Exploration Rovers

This viewgraph presentation reviews the design and fabrication of the modular cameras for the Mars Exploration Rovers. In the 2003 mission there were to be 2 landers and 2 rovers, each were to have 10 cameras each. Views of the camera design, the lens design, the lens interface with the detector assembly, the detector assembly, the electronics assembly are shown.

cameras↗
NASA NTRS2012

Distributed Motor Controller (DMC) for Operation in Extreme Environments

This paper presents an extreme environment capable Distributed Motor Controller (DMC) module suitable for operation with a distributed architecture of future spacecraft systems. This motor controller is designed to be a bus-based electronics module capable of operating a single Brushless DC motor in extreme space environments: temperature (-120 C to +85 C required, -180 C to +100 C stretch goal); radiation (>;20K required, >;100KRad stretch goal); >;360 cycles of operation. Achieving this objective will result in a scalable modular configuration for motor control with enhanced reliability that will greatly lower cost during the design, fabrication and ATLO phases of future missions. Within the heart of the DMC lies a pair of cold-capable Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that enable its miniaturization and operation in extreme environments. The ASICs are fabricated in the IBM 0.5 micron Silicon Germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process and are comprised of Analog circuitry to provide telemetry information, sensor interface, and health and status of DMC. The FPGA contains logic to provide motor control, status monitoring and spacecraft interface. The testing and characterization of these ASICs have yielded excellent functionality in cold temperatures (-135 C). The DMC module has demonstrated successful operation of a motor at temperature.

SiGe↗
NASA NTRS2001

Creation and utilization of a World Wide Web based space radiation effects code: SIREST

In order for humans and electronics to fully and safely operate in the space environment, codes like HZETRN (High Charge and Energy Transport) must be included in any designer's toolbox for design evaluation with respect to radiation damage. Currently, spacecraft designers do not have easy access to accurate radiation codes like HZETRN to evaluate their design for radiation effects on humans and electronics. Today, the World Wide Web is sophisticated enough to support the entire HZETRN code and all of the associated pre and post processing tools. This package is called SIREST (Space Ionizing Radiation Effects and Shielding Tools). There are many advantages to SIREST. The most important advantage is the instant update capability of the web. Another major advantage is the modularity that the web imposes on the code. Right now, the major disadvantage of SIREST will be its modularity inside the designer's system. This mostly comes from the fact that a consistent interface between the designer and the computer system to evaluate the design is incomplete. This, however, is to be solved in the Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) program currently being funded by NASA.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗
NASA NTRS2006

Power Actuation and Switching Module Test Results

The X2000 Power System Electronics (PSE) is a Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) task to develop a new generation of power system building blocks for use on future deep-space missions. The effort includes the development of electronic components and modules that can be used as building blocks in the design of generic spacecraft power systems. All X2000 avionics components and modules are designed for use in centralized or distributed spacecraft architectures. The Power Actuation and Switching Module (PASM) has been developed under the X2000 program. This component enables a modular and scalable design approach for power switching applications, which can result in a wide variety of power switching architectures using this simple building block. The PASM is designed to provide most of the necessary power switching functions of spacecraft for various Deep Space missions including future missions to Mars, comets, Jupiter and its moons. It is fabricated using an ASIC process that is tolerant of high radiation. The development included two application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and support circuitry all packaged using High Density Interconnect (HDI) technology. It can be operated in series or parallel with other PASMs. It can be used as a high-side or low-side switch and it can drive thruster valves, pyrotechnic devices such as NASA standard initiators, bus shunt resistors, and regular spacecraft component loads. Each PASM contains two independent switches with internal current limiting and over-current trip-off functions to protect the power subsystem from load faults. During turnon and turnoff each switch can limit the rate of current change (di/dt) to a value determined by the user. Three-way majority-voted On/Off commandability and full switch status telemetry (both analog and digital) are built into the module. This paper is a follow up to the one presented at he IECEC 2004 conference that will include the lessons learned and test results from the development.

X2000↗
NASA NTRS2016

High Temperature Boost (HTB) Anode Power Supply for a Modular and Scalable Power Processing Unit

A concept of a modular and scalable 10kW to 80kW High Temperature Boost (HTB) Power Processing Unit (PPU) capable of operating at temperatures beyond the standard military temperature range was proposed for solar electric in-space propulsion. Within the PPU, the Anode Power Supply (APS) module is a 10kW modular power stage and is the key to the HTB PPU. This paper is to present the design, development, fabrication, testing and thermal demonstration of the 10kW HTB APS. The system architecture and the paradigm shift of the HTB PPU is also to be described. In addition, the extreme environments electronic and packaging technologies are addressed as the fundamental technology path. The HTB PPU is intended for power processing in the area of space solar electric propulsion, where reduction of in-space mass and volume are desired, and sometimes even critical, to achieve the goals of future space flight missions. The concept of the HTB PPU can also be applied to other extreme environment applications, such as geothermal and petroleum deep-well drilling, where higher temperature operation is required.

Carr, Gregory A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Miniaturized Airborne Imaging Central Server System

In recent years, some remote-sensing applications require advanced airborne multi-sensor systems to provide high performance reflective and emissive spectral imaging measurement rapidly over large areas. The key or unique problem of characteristics is associated with a black box back-end system that operates a suite of cutting-edge imaging sensors to collect simultaneously the high throughput reflective and emissive spectral imaging data with precision georeference. This back-end system needs to be portable, easy-to-use, and reliable with advanced onboard processing. The innovation of the black box backend is a miniaturized airborne imaging central server system (MAICSS). MAICSS integrates a complex embedded system of systems with dedicated power and signal electronic circuits inside to serve a suite of configurable cutting-edge electro- optical (EO), long-wave infrared (LWIR), and medium-wave infrared (MWIR) cameras, a hyperspectral imaging scanner, and a GPS and inertial measurement unit (IMU) for atmospheric and surface remote sensing. Its compatible sensor packages include NASA s 1,024 1,024 pixel LWIR quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) imager; a 60.5 megapixel BuckEye EO camera; and a fast (e.g. 200+ scanlines/s) and wide swath-width (e.g., 1,920+ pixels) CCD/InGaAs imager-based visible/near infrared reflectance (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging spectrometer. MAICSS records continuous precision georeferenced and time-tagged multisensor throughputs to mass storage devices at a high aggregate rate, typically 60 MB/s for its LWIR/EO payload. MAICSS is a complete stand-alone imaging server instrument with an easy-to-use software package for either autonomous data collection or interactive airborne operation. Advanced multisensor data acquisition and onboard processing software features have been implemented for MAICSS. With the onboard processing for real time image development, correction, histogram-equalization, compression, georeference, and data organization, fast aerial imaging applications, including the real time LWIR image mosaic for Google Earth, have been realized for NASA fs LWIR QWIP instrument. MAICSS is a significant improvement and miniaturization of current multisensor technologies. Structurally, it has a complete modular and solid-state design. Without rotating hard drives and other moving parts, it is operational at high altitudes and survivable in high-vibration environments. It is assembled from a suite of miniaturized, precision-machined, standardized, and stackable interchangeable embedded instrument modules. These stackable modules can be bolted together with the interconnection wires inside for the maximal simplicity and portability. Multiple modules are electronically interconnected as stacked. Alternatively, these dedicated modules can be flexibly distributed to fit the space constraints of a flying vehicle. As a flexibly configurable system, MAICSS can be tailored to interface a variety of multisensor packages. For example, with a 1,024x1,024 pixel LWIR and a 8,984x6,732 pixel EO payload, the complete MAICSS volume is approximately 7x9x11 in. (=18x23x28 cm), with a weight of 25 lb (=11.4 kg).

Sun, Xiuhong↗
NASA NTRS1995

Application of Ni-63 photo and corona discharge ionization for the analysis of chemical warfare agents and toxic wastes

Over the past decade, advances in instrumental design and refinements in the understanding of ion molecule reactions at atmospheric pressure enabled the application of Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) as a simple inexpensive and sensitive analytical method for the detection of organic trace compounds. Positive and negative gas-phase ions for ion mobility spectrometry have been produced by a variety of methods, including photo-ionization, laser multi photon ionization, surface ionization, corona discharge ionization. The most common ion source used in ion mobility spectrometry is a radioactive Ni-63 foil which is favored due to simplicity, stability, convenience, and high selectivity. If reactant ions like (H2O(n)H)(+) or (H2O(n)O2)(-) dominate in the reaction region, nearly all kinds of compounds with a given proton or electron affinity; are ionized. However, the radioactivity of the Ni-63 foil is one disadvantage of this ion source that stimulates the development and application of other ionization techniques. In this paper, we report analyses of old chemical warfare agents and toxic wastes using Bruker RAID ion mobility spectrometers. Due to the modular construction of the measuring cell, the spectrometers can be equipped with different ion sources. The combined use of Ni-63, photo- and corona discharge ionization allows the identification of different classes of chemical compounds and yields in most cases comparable results.

Stach, J.↗