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At least 163 records · Page 9

The Effect of Shared Information on Pilot/Controller And Controller/Controller Interactions

In order to respond to the increasing demand on limited airspace system resources, a number of applications of information technology have been proposed, or are under investigation, to improve the efficiency, capacity and reliability of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) operations. Much of the attention in advanced ATM technology has focused on advanced automation systems or decision aiding systems to improve the performance of individual Pilots or Controllers. However, the most significant overall potential for information technology appears to he in increasing the shared information between human agents such as Pilots, Controllers or between interacting Controllers or traffic flow managers. Examples of proposed shared information systems in the US include; Controller Pilot Databank Communication (CPDLC), Traffic Management Advisor (TMA); Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS); Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) and NAS Level Common Information Exchange. Air Traffic Management is fundamentally a human centered process consisting of the negotiation, execution and monitoring of contracts between human agents for the allocation of limited airspace, runway and airport surface resources. The decision processes within ATM tend to be Semistructured. Many of the routine elements in ATM decision making on the part of the Controllers or Pilots are well Structured and can be represented by well defined rules or procedures. However in disrupted conditions, the ATM decision processes are often Unstructured and cannot be reduced to a set of discrete rules. As a consequence, the ability to automate ATM processes will be limited and ATM will continue to be a human centric process where the responsibility and the authority for the negotiation will continue to rest with human Controllers and Pilots. The use of information technology to support the human decision process will therefore be an important aspect of ATM modernization. The premise of many of the proposed shared information systems is that the performance of ATM operations will improve with an increase in Shared Situation Awareness between agents (Pilots, Controller, Dispatchers). This will allow better informed control decisions and an improved ability to negotiate between agents. A common information basis may reduce communication load and may increase the level of collaboration in the decision process. In general, information sharing is expected to have advantages for all agents within the system. However there are important questions which remain to be,addressed. For example: What shared information is most important for developing effective Shared Situation Awareness? Are there issues of information saturation? Does information parity create ambiguity in control authority? Will information sharing induce undesirable or unstable gaming behavior between agents? This paper will explore the effect of current and proposed information sharing between different ATM agents. The paper will primarily concentrate on bilateral tactical interactions between specific agents (Pilot/Controller; Controller/Controller; Pilot/Dispatcher; Controller/Dispatcher) however it will also briefly discuss multilateral interaction and more strategic interactions.

Hansman, R. John↗

Transitioning from Free-Flight to TRACON Airspace: The Ground Perspective of User-Preferred Descents

Free-flight is considered to play a major role in the future air traffic environment. Studies are underway addressing different concepts for free-flight and self separation in enroute airspace. One common opinion throughout the different concepts is that the airspace surrounding major airports, the Terminal Radar Approach CONtrol (TRACON) will not be a free flight area. This means that aircraft in this area are completely controlled by air traffic controllers, who may be supported by decision support system like the Center TRACON Automation System (CTAS). How the transition from the free-flight area (enroute airspace) to the terminal area will take place is currently unclear, This paper describes a study at NASA Ames Research Center addressing the perspective of air traffic controllers handling user-preferred (FMS-optimized) descent trajectories during this transition phase. Two major issues in enabling user preferred descents from the controllers' point of view are predictability and controllability. In an environment in which the air traffic services are highly responsive to user preferences controllers need to know, where and when aircraft will change their trajectory and they need to have appropriate means and procedures at hand to control the aircraft according to the overall traffic situation. Predictability shall be enhanced by: 1) Indicating airspace corridors for descending aircraft; 2) Modify the controller interface; 3) Using a ground based conflict probe; 4) Making use of downlinked intent information from the aircraft FMS; and 5) Requiring to fly pilots on user preferred trajectories coupled to the FMS in the lateral and vertical axis. Additional controllability shall be achieved by supporting the controllers with CTAS center tools: 1) Traffic Management Advisor (TMA); 2) Conflict Probing and Trial Planning (CP/TP); and 3) Enroute Descent Advisor (E/DA). The paper describes the general concept and the modifications to current systems required to enable the concept. It explains the experiment design and discusses the results with regard to controller acceptability and usability. Potential benefits and drawbacks of the overall concept are indicated.

Prevot, Thomas↗

A Sounding Rocket Investigation of the Fine Structure in the Mesopause Region in Conjunction with High Spatial Resolution Lidar Measurements

The grant funds were provided to carry out chemical tracer wind and turbulence measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere as part of the Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (TOMEX) for which Dr. James Hecht of the Aerospace Corp. was the Principal Investigator. Clemson University designed, built, and tested two chemical tracer release payload sections for the 21.126 and 21.127 payloads which, in addition, had photometer and ionization gauge instrumentation. The tracer chemical was trimethyl aluminum (TMA). The experiment was carried out at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on October 26,2000. The location was chosen because of the proximity to the Starfire Optical Range (SOR) which hosted the powerful University of Illinois sodium lidar for an extended period prior to and also during the launch window. Since the SOR telescope is fully steerable, lidar measurements in the same volume sampled by the rocket were possible. The primary objective of the experiment was to measure the turbulent diffusion and mixing in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, especially in layers characterized by convective and/or dynamical instabilities. The lidar, which is capable of measuring the sodium density, temperatures, and winds with good range and time resolution, provided the launch criteria, as well as context measurements for the in situ rocket observations.

Larsen, M. F.↗

CODA: Coordinated Observations of Dynamics in Aurora

The grant funds were provided to carry out chemical tracer wind and turbulence measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere as part of the Coordinated Observations of Dynamics in Aurora (CODA) experiment for which Dr. Andy Christensen of the Aerospace Corp. was the Principal Investigator. Clemson University was a co-investigator institution on the project and was tasked with designing, building, and testing a total of four chemical tracer release payloads which were used to release trimethyl aluminum (TMA) to measure the winds and turbulent diffusion. All four payloads were flown from the rocket range at Poker Flat, Alaska, in support of instrumented payloads flown from the same location. The CODA experiment was designed to investigate the changes in the chemical composition in the lower thermosphere during an auroral substorm event. In particular, the objective was to determine the relative importance of two competing mechanisms. The first mechanism is associated with the advection of air from the polar cap into the auroral oval. A flow in that direction is typical in the postmidnight sector of the oval. As the air moves from the region of negligible forcing in the polar cap to the region of strong forcing and heating in the oval, changes in the composition are expected to occur. Alternatively, enhanced local mixing will also cause such changes. Since the auroral forcing accelerates the neutral winds in the lower E region, but not at lower altitudes, the forcing results in large shears that can be large enough to be unstable in the Richardson number sense. The unstable shears are expected to generate turbulence and therefore enhanced mixing. Such mixing will also create composition changes similar to what is observed. In the CODA experiment an instrumented payload designed and built by the Aerospace Corporation was used to measure the composition and plasma parameters needed to define the auroral forcing. In addition, three chemical tracer payloads were to be flown along three trajectories widely separated in azimuth to map out the winds and wind gradients. The measurements would thus provide information about the local composition changes above the launch site as well as detailed information about the advection and location of stable or unstable shears both locally and over a broader area in the vicinity of the launch site.

Larsen, M. F.↗

Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor Operational Field Test Results

The Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor (McTMA) is a research prototype system which seeks to bring time-based metering into the mainstream of air traffic control (ATC) operations. Time-based metering is an efficient alternative to traditional air traffic management techniques such as distance-based spacing (miles-in-trail spacing) and managed arrival reservoirs (airborne holding). While time-based metering has demonstrated significant benefit in terms of arrival throughput and arrival delay, its use to date has been limited to arrival operations at just nine airports nationally. Wide-scale adoption of time-based metering has been hampered, in part, by the limited scalability of metering automation. In order to realize the full spectrum of efficiency benefits possible with time-based metering, a much more modular, scalable time-based metering capability is required. With its distributed metering architecture, multi-center TMA offers such a capability.

Farley, Todd↗

Causes and Mitigation of Fuel Pilot Operated Valve Pilot Seal Extrusion in Space Shuttle Orbiter Primary RCS Thrusters

Extrusion of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) pilot seal located in the Space Shuttle Orbiter Primary Reaction Control Subsystem (PRCS) thruster fuel valve has been implicated in 68 ground and on-orbit fuel valve failures. A rash of six extrusion-related in-flight anomalies over a six-mission span from December 2001 to October 2002 led to heightened activity at various NASA centers, and the formation of a multidisciplinary team to solve the problem. Empirical and theoretical approaches were used. For example, thermomechanical analysis (TMA) and exposure tests showed that some extrusion is produced by thermal cycling; however, a review of thruster service histories did not reveal a strong link between thermal cycling and extrusion. Calculations showed that the amount of observed extrusion often exceeded the amount allowed by thermally-induced stress relief. Failure analysis of failed hardware also revealed the presence of fuel-oxidizer reaction product (FORP) inside the fuel valve pilot seal cavity, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the FORP was intimately associated with the pilot seal material. Component-level exposure tests showed that FORP of similar composition could be produced by adjacent oxidizer valve leakage in the absence of thruster firing. Specific gravity data showed that extruded fuel valve pilot seals were less dense than new pilot seals or oxidizer valve pilot seals, indicating permanent modification of the PTFE occurred during service. It is concluded that some thermally-induced extrusion is unavoidable; however, oxidizer leakage-induced extrusion is mostly avoidable and can be mitigated. Several engineering level mitigation strategies are discussed.

Waller, Jess M.↗

An Exploration of Radiation Physics in Electromagnetics

Contents include the following: NASA's Missions and Aeronautics Research. Today's Air Traffic Control System. Development of Decision-Support Tools. The Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS). The Traffic Management Advisor (TMA). The Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor (McTMA). The Surface Management System (SMS). Future Directions: The Joint Planning and Development Office.

Lee, Katherine K.↗

Dual-Channel Multi-Purpose Telescope

A dual-channel telescope allows for a wide-field telescope design wit h a good, narrow field channel of fewer surfaces for shorter-wavelen gth or planet-finding applications. The design starts with a Korsch three-mirror-anastigmat (TMA) telescope that meets the mission criter ia for image quality over a wide field of view. The internal image a t the Cassegrain focus is typically blurry due to the aberration bala ncing among the three mirrors. The Cassegrain focus is then re-optim ized on the axis of the system where the narrow field channel instru ment is picked off by bending the primary mirror.

Howard, Joseph M.↗

Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Integration, Evaluation and Transition

NASA's Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) research activity is assessing the use of surface trajectory-based takeoff (OFF) time estimates for en route domain departure scheduling in Call For Release situations. Current aircraft departure release times computed by an Air Traffic Management decision support tool to meet Call For Release constraints are based on coarse estimates of aircraft OFF times. Uncertainty in OFF time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into an overhead stream and lost throughput. However, technology exists to improve OFF time estimates by using more accurate aircraft trajectory predictions available in NextGen airport surface management decision support tools. PDRC findings are expected to be broadly applicable to NextGen integrated arrival/departure/surface implementations. For concept development and evaluation purposes this research activity integrates NASA's Surface Management System (SMS) OFF time prediction capabilities with Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) departure scheduling functions. PDRC field evaluations are being conducted at the North Texas (NTX) Research Station. The NASA/FAA Integrated Arrival/Departure/Surface Research Transition Team is using PDRC as a pathfinder for developing technology transfer mechanisms and procedures.

Engelland, Shawn A.↗

Efficiency Benefits Using the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing System

NASA has developed a capability for terminal area precision scheduling and spacing (TAPSS) to increase the use of fuel-efficient arrival procedures during periods of traffic congestion at a high-density airport. Sustained use of fuel-efficient procedures throughout the entire arrival phase of flight reduces overall fuel burn, greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. The TAPSS system is a 4D trajectory-based strategic planning and control tool that computes schedules and sequences for arrivals to facilitate optimal profile descents. This paper focuses on quantifying the efficiency benefits associated with using the TAPSS system, measured by reduction of level segments during aircraft descent and flight distance and time savings. The TAPSS system was tested in a series of human-in-the-loop simulations and compared to current procedures. Compared to the current use of the TMA system, simulation results indicate a reduction of total level segment distance by 50% and flight distance and time savings by 7% in the arrival portion of flight (~200 nm from the airport). The TAPSS system resulted in aircraft maintaining continuous descent operations longer and with more precision, both achieved under heavy traffic demand levels.

Thipphavong, Jane↗

NASA's ATM Technology Demonstration-1: Integrated Concept of Arrival Operations

This paper describes operations and procedures envisioned for NASA s Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1). The ATD-1 Concept of Operations (ConOps) demonstration will integrate three NASA technologies to achieve high throughput, fuel-efficient arrival operations into busy terminal airspace. They are Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM) for precise time-based schedules to the runway and points within the terminal area, Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) decision support tools for terminal controllers to better manage aircraft delay using speed control, and Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) avionics and flight crew procedures to conduct airborne spacing operations. The ATD-1 concept provides de-conflicted and efficient operations of multiple arrival streams of aircraft, passing through multiple merge points, from top-of-descent (TOD) to touchdown. It also enables aircraft to conduct Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from en route altitude to the runway, using primarily speed control to maintain separation and schedule. The ATD-1 project is currently addressing the challenges of integrating the three technologies, and implantation into an operational environment. Goals of the ATD-1 demonstration include increasing the throughput of high-density airports, reducing controller workload, increasing efficiency of arrival operations and the frequency of trajectory-based operations, and promoting aircraft ADS-B equipage.

Baxley, Brian T.↗

Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 Concept of Operations (ATD-1 ConOps), Version 2.0

This document is an update to the operations and procedures envisioned for NASA s Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1). The ATD-1 Concept of Operations (ConOps) integrates three NASA technologies to achieve high throughput, fuel-efficient arrival operations into busy terminal airspace. They are Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM) for precise time-based schedules to the runway and points within the terminal area, Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) decision support tools for terminal controllers to better manage aircraft delay using speed control, and Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) avionics and flight crew procedures to conduct airborne spacing operations. The ATD-1 concept provides de-conflicted and efficient operations of multiple arrival streams of aircraft, passing through multiple merge points, from top-of-descent (TOD) to the Final Approach Fix. These arrival streams are Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from en route altitude to the runway, using primarily speed control to maintain separation and schedule. The ATD-1 project is currently addressing the challenges of integrating the three technologies, and their implantation into an operational environment. The ATD-1 goals include increasing the throughput of high-density airports, reducing controller workload, increasing efficiency of arrival operations and the frequency of trajectory-based operations, and promoting aircraft ADS-B equipage.

Baxley, Brian T.↗

Constraints on the Composition and Evolution of the Lunar Crust from Meteorite NWA 3163

The lunar meteorite NWA 3163 (paired with NWA 4881, 4483) is a ferroan, feldspathic granulitic breccia characterized by pigeonite, augite, olivine, maskelynite and accessory Tichromite, ilmenite and troilite. Bulk rock geochemical signatures indicate the lack of a KREEP- derived component (Eu/Eu* = 3.47), consistent with previously studied lunar granulites and anorthosites. Bulk rock chondrite-normalized signatures are however distinct from the anorthosites and granulites sampled by Apollo missions and are relatively REE-depleted. In-situ analyses of maskelynite reveal little variation in anorthite content (average An% is 96.9 +/- 1.6, 2 sigma). Olivine is relatively ferroan and exhibits very little variation in forsterite content with mean Fo% of 57.7 +/- 2.0 (2 sigma). The majority of pyroxene is low-Ca pigeonite (En57Fs33Wo10). Augite (En46Fs21Wo33) is less common, comprising approximately 10% of analyzed pyroxene. Two pyroxene thermometry on co-existing orthopyroxene and augite yield an equilibrium temperature of 1070C which is in reasonable agreement with temperatures of 1096C estimated from pigeonite compositions. Rb-Sr isotopic systematics of separated fractions yield an average measured Sr-87/Sr-87 of 0.699282+/-0.000007 (2 sigma). Sr model ages are calculated using a modern day Sr-87/Sr-86 Basaltic Achondrite Best Initial (BABI) value of 0.70475, from an initial BABI value Sr-87/Sr-86 of 0.69891 and a corresponding Rb-87/Sr-97 of 0.08716. The Sr model Thermomechanical analysis (TMA) age, which represents the time of separation of a melt from a source reservoir having chondritic evolution, is 4.56+/-0.1 Ga. A Sr model T(sub RD) age, which is a Rb depletion age and assumes no contribution from Rb in the sample in the calculation, yields 4.34+/-0.1 Ga (i.e. a minimum age). The Ar-Ar dating of paired meteorite NWA 4881 reveals an age of c. 2 Ga, likely representing the last thermal event this meteorite experienced. An older Ar-40/Ar-39 age of c. 3.5 Ga may record the thermal event which produced the granulitic texture. Additional chronological constraints will be provided by Sm-Nd systematics. Ferroan Anorthosites like NWA 3163 have been interpreted to represent direct lunar magma ocean (LMO) crystallization products. If this is the case, trace element concentrations in NWA 3163 primary mineral phases should be in equilibrium with residual LMO liquids present during crystallization of those phases. Results from petrogenetic modeling suggest that the NWA 3163 protolith did not form from crystallization of an initially LREE depleted LMO but rather require an initially chondritic LMO with early garnet crystallization. Furthermore, a two-stage crystallization model where plagioclase crystalized prior to pyroxene (93% vs. 99.5% of LMO crystallization) is implied.

McLeod, C. L.↗

Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Overview and Results: NASA to FAA Research Transition

NASA researchers developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept to improve the tactical departure scheduling process. The PDRC system is comprised of: 1) a surface automation system that computes ready time predictions and departure runway assignments, 2) an en route scheduling automation tool that uses this information to estimate ascent trajectories to the merge point and computes release times and, 3) an interface that provides two-way communication between the two systems. To minimize technology transfer issues and facilitate its adoption by TMCs and Frontline Managers (FLM), NASA developed the PDRC prototype using the Surface Decision Support System (SDSS) for the Tower surface automation tool, a research version of the FAA TMA (RTMA) for en route automation tool and a digital interface between the two DSTs to facilitate coordination.

PDRC↗

NextGen Operations in a Simulated NY Area Airspace

A human-in-the-loop simulation conducted in the Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL) at NASA Ames Research Center explored the feasibility of a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) solution to address airspace and airport capacity limitations in and around the New York metropolitan area. A week-long study explored the feasibility of a new Optimal Profile Descent (OPD) arrival into the airspace as well as a novel application of a Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) enhancement to the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) arrival scheduling tool to coordinate high volume arrival traffic to intersecting runways. In the simulation, four en route sector controllers and four terminal radar approach control (TRACON) controllers managed traffic inbound to Newark International Airport's primary runway, 22L, and its intersecting overflow runway, 11. TAPSS was used to generate independent arrival schedules for each runway and a traffic management coordinator participant adjusted the arrival schedule for each runway 11 aircraft to follow one of the 22L aircraft. TAPSS also provided controller-managed spacing tools (slot markers with speed advisories and timelines) to assist the TRACON controllers in managing the arrivals that were descending on OPDs. Results showed that the tools significantly decreased the occurrence of runway violations (potential go-arounds) when compared with a Baseline condition with no tools. Further, the combined use of the tools with the new OPD produced a peak arrival rate of over 65 aircraft per hour using instrument flight rules (IFR), exceeding the current maximum arrival rate at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) of 52 per hour under visual flight rules (VFR). Although the participants rated the workload as relatively low and acceptable both with and without the tools, they rated the tools as reducing their workload further. Safety and coordination were rated by most participants as acceptable in both conditions, although the TRACON Runway Coordinator (TRC) rated neither as acceptable in the Baseline condition. Regarding the role of the TRC, the two TRACON controllers handling the 11 arrivals indicated that the TRC was very much needed in the Baseline condition without tools, but not needed in the condition with tools. This indicates that the tools were providing much of the sequencing and spacing information that the TRC had supplied in the Baseline condition.

NextGen↗

Optical Design of WFIRST-AFTA Wide-Field Instrument

The WFIRSTAFTA Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope TMA optical design provides 0.28-sq FOV at 0.11 pixel scale, operating between 0.6 2.4m, including a spectrograph mode (1.3-1.95m.) An IFU provides a discrete 3x3.15 field at 0.15 sampling.

Optical Equipment↗

The String Stability of a Trajectory-Based Interval Management Algorithm in the Midterm Airspace

NASA's first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise time-based scheduling in the terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides terminal controllers with decision support tools enabling precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain a precise spacing interval behind a target aircraft. As the percentage of IM equipped aircraft increases, controllers may provide IM clearances to sequences, or strings, of IM-equipped aircraft. It is important for these strings to maintain stable performance. This paper describes an analytic analysis of the string stability of the latest version of NASA's IM algorithm and a fast-time simulation designed to characterize the string performance of the IM algorithm. The analytic analysis showed that the spacing algorithm has stable poles, indicating that a spacing error perturbation will be reduced as a function of string position. The fast-time simulation investigated IM operations at two airports using constraints associated with the midterm airspace, including limited information of the target aircraft's intended speed profile and limited information of the wind forecast on the target aircraft's route. The results of the fast-time simulation demonstrated that the performance of the spacing algorithm is acceptable for strings of moderate length; however, there is some degradation in IM performance as a function of string position.

Swieringa, Kurt A.↗

System Performance of an Integrated Airborne Spacing Algorithm with Ground Automation

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise time-based scheduling in the Terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides controllers with decision support tools to enable precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain precise spacing behind another aircraft. Recent simulations and IM algorithm development at NASA have focused on trajectory-based IM operations where aircraft equipped with IM avionics are expected to achieve a spacing goal, assigned by air traffic controllers, at the final approach fix. The recently published IM Minimum Operational Performance Standards describe five types of IM operations. This paper discusses the results and conclusions of a human-in-the-loop simulation that investigated three of those IM operations. The results presented in this paper focus on system performance and integration metrics. Overall, the IM operations conducted in this simulation integrated well with ground-based decisions support tools and certain types of IM operational were able to provide improved spacing precision at the final approach fix; however, some issues were identified that should be addressed prior to implementing IM procedures into real-world operations.

Swieringa, Kurt A.↗