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At least 1,639 records · Page 91
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Improvements to GlennICE Collection Efficiency Algorithm

GlennICE (Glenn Icing Computational Environment) is a computational tool designed to calculate ice growth on complex three-dimensional geometries using the input from a user-supplied computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solution for the geometry of interest. The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field is developing this tool to aid those evaluating, designing and certifying aircraft, engines, and aircraft components for flight in icing conditions. This domestically available software is being developed to enable the introduction of new icing physics into a computational environment in a manner that is open for evaluation and eventual use by industry, academia, and other government organizations. This paper will document recent improvements that reduce the number of trajectories needed to converge on collection efficiency. These improvements are documented using example cases with complex geometries.

Aircraft Icing↗
NASA NTRS2010

Software Development to Assist in the Processing and Analysis of Data Obtained Using Fiber Bragg Grating Interrogation Systems

A fiber Bragg grating is a portion of a core of a fiber optic stand that has been treated to affect the way light travels through the strand. Light within a certain narrow range of wavelengths will be reflected along the fiber by the grating, while light outside that range will pass through the grating mostly undisturbed. Since the range of wavelengths that can penetrate the grating depends on the grating itself as well as temperature and mechanical strain, fiber Bragg gratings can be used as temperature and strain sensors. This capability, along with the light-weight nature of the fiber optic strands in which the gratings reside, make fiber optic sensors an ideal candidate for flight testing and monitoring in which temperature and wing strain are factors. A team of NASA Dryden engineers has been working to advance the fiber optic sensor technology since the mid 1990 s. The team has been able to improve the dependability and sample rate of fiber optic sensor systems, making them more suitable for real-time wing shape and strain monitoring and capable of rivaling traditional strain gauge sensors in accuracy. The sensor system was recently tested on the Ikhana unmanned aircraft and will be used on the Global Observer unmanned aircraft. Since a fiber Bragg grating sensor can be placed every halfinch on each optic fiber, and since fibers of approximately 40 feet in length each are to be used on the Global Observer, each of these fibers will have approximately 1,000 sensors. A total of 32 fibers are to be placed on the Global Observer aircraft, to be sampled at a rate of about 50 Hz, meaning about 1.6 million data points will be taken every second. The fiber optic sensors system is capable of producing massive amounts of potentially useful data; however, methods to capture, record, and analyze all of this data in a way that makes the information useful to flight test engineers are currently limited. The purpose of this project is to research the availability of software capable of processing massive amounts of data in both real-time and post-flight settings, and to produce software segments that can be integrated to assist in the task as well. The selected software must be able to: (1) process massive amounts of data (up to 4GB) at a speed useful in a real-time settings (small fractions of a second); (2) process data in post-flight settings to allow test reproduction or further data analysis, inclusive; (3) produce, or make easier to produce, three-dimensional plots/graphs to make the data accessible to flight test engineers; and (4) be customized to allow users to use their own processing formulas or functions and display the data in formats they prefer. Several software programs were evaluated to determine their utility in completing the research objectives. These programs include: OriginLab, Graphis, 3D Grapher, Visualization Sciences Group (VSG) Avizo Wind, Interactive Analysis and Display System (IADS), SigmaPlot, and MATLAB.

Hicks, Rebecca↗
NASA NTRS1984

Control Systems

Boeing Commercial Airplane Company's Flight Control Department engineers relied on Langley developed software package known as ORACLS to develop an advanced control synthesis package for both continuous and discrete control system. Package was used by Boeing for computerized analysis of new system designs. Resulting applications include a multiple input/output control system for the terrain-following navigation equipment of the Air Forces B-1 Bomber, and another for controlling in flight changes of wing camber on an experimental airplane. ORACLS is one of 1,300 computer programs available from COSMIC.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessing Engine Hot Fire Data for Human Spaceflight Applications

Development and certification of liquid engine systems for human spaceflight missions requires exhaustive analysis to meet the NASA’s requirements for engine health, reliability, and performance. The techniques used to assess requirement conformance and test-to-test engine health pose many unique challenges including the unusually large scale of data, complex component and system analysis, and rigorous engineering judgement standards. To address these challenges, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Engine Systems branch has developed and maintained a robust software suite and operational processes that satisfy programmatic requirements levied on engines and the 7 Elements of Flight Rationale. Analysis at a systems level includes subsystem assessment of components such as turbomachinery and combustion devices as well as structural and fluid dynamics and transient and steady-state assessment at a systems level. Some of the most important tools to accomplish this analysis are automated script databases, creation of historical and statistical comparisons, and parameters calculated at the full data rate. These tools greatly simplify the crucial processes of anomaly investigation, limit monitoring, health assessment, and timely communication of key conclusions drawn from hot fire testing and flight data analysis.

Data Assessment↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessing Engine Hot Fire Data for Human Spaceflight Applications

Development and certification of liquid engine systems for human spaceflight missions requires exhaustive analysis to meet the NASA’s requirements for engine health, reliability, and performance. The techniques used to assess requirement conformance and test-to-test engine health pose many unique challenges including the unusually large scale of data, complex component and system analysis, and rigorous engineering judgement standards. To address these challenges, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Engine Systems branch has developed and maintained a robust software suite and operational processes that satisfy programmatic requirements levied on engines and the 7 Elements of Flight Rationale. Analysis at a systems level includes subsystem assessment of components such as turbomachinery and combustion devices as well as structural and fluid dynamics and transient and steady-state assessment at a systems level. Some of the most important tools to accomplish this analysis are automated script databases, creation of historical and statistical comparisons, and parameters calculated at the full data rate. These tools greatly simplify the crucial processes of anomaly investigation, limit monitoring, health assessment, and timely communication of key conclusions drawn from hot fire testing and flight data analysis.

Data Assessment↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessing Hot Fire Data with WinPlot

Development and certification of liquid engine systems for human spaceflight missions requires exhaustive analysis to meet the NASA’s requirements for engine health, reliability, and performance. The techniques used to assess requirement conformance and test-to-test engine health and performance pose many unique challenges including the unusually large scale of data, complex component and system analysis, and rigorous engineering judgement standards. To address these challenges, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Engine Systems branch has developed and maintained a robust software suite and operational processes that satisfy programmatic requirements levied on engines and the 7 Elements of Flight Rationale. Analysis at a systems level includes subsystem assessment of components such as turbomachinery and combustion devices as well as structural and fluid dynamics and transient and steady-state assessment at a systems level. Some of the most important tools to accomplish this analysis are automated script databases, creation of historical and statistical comparisons, and parameters calculated at the full data rate. These tools greatly simplify the crucial processes of anomaly investigation, limit monitoring, health assessment, and timely communication of key conclusions drawn from hot fire testing and flight data analysis.

J. Davis Hunter↗
NASA NTRS2005

Up, Up and Away: Arc Minute Pointing at 130,000 Feet

The InFOC-S X-ray telescope was launched September 16, 2004 aboard a 40 million cubic foot zero pressure high altitude balloon. Its primary objective was to demonstrate advances in hard X-ray focusing optics technology by flying an incident grazing mirror developed in cooperation between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Nagoya University, Japan. Launched from Ft. Sumner, NM and recovered near Wickenburg, AZ, the payload successfully collected photons from several X-ray sources during its 27 hour flight at a float altitude of 130,000 feet. To accommodate the instrument's narrow field of view, a precision arc-minute attitude determination and control systems was flown. This paper describes the application of a traditional spacecraft star tracker gyro based attitude determination and control system to the balloon problem. The control system architecture is presented, hardware identified, and software outlined. Simulated results are compared against actual flight data, with recommendations for enhanced performance identified.

Freesland, Doug↗
NASA NTRS2008

A Software Framework for Aircraft Simulation

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center has a long history in developing simulations of experimental fixed-wing aircraft from gliders to suborbital vehicles on platforms ranging from desktop simulators to pilot-in-the-loop/aircraft-in-the-loop simulators. Regardless of the aircraft or simulator hardware, much of the software framework is common to all NASA Dryden simulators. Some of this software has withstood the test of time, but in recent years the push toward high-fidelity user-friendly simulations has resulted in some significant changes. This report presents an overview of the current NASA Dryden simulation software framework and capabilities with an emphasis on the new features that have permitted NASA to develop more capable simulations while maintaining the same staffing levels.

Curlett, Brian P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The Ruggedized STD Bus Microcomputer - A low cost computer suitable for Space Shuttle experiments

Previous space flight computers have been costly in terms of both hardware and software. The Ruggedized STD Bus Microcomputer is based on the commercial Mostek/Pro-Log STD Bus. Ruggedized PC cards can be based on commercial cards from more than 60 manufacturers, reducing hardware cost and design time. Software costs are minimized by using standard 8-bit microprocessors and by debugging code using commercial versions of the ruggedized flight boards while the flight hardware is being fabricated.

Budney, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A New Definition for Ground Control

LandForm(R) VisualFlight(R) blends the power of a geographic information system with the speed of a flight simulator to transform a user's desktop computer into a "virtual cockpit." The software product, which is fully compatible with all Microsoft(R) Windows(R) operating systems, provides distributed, real-time three-dimensional flight visualization over a host of networks. From a desktop, a user can immediately obtain a cockpit view, a chase-plane view, or an airborne tracker view. A customizable display also allows the user to overlay various flight parameters, including latitude, longitude, altitude, pitch, roll, and heading information. Rapid Imaging Software sought assistance from NASA, and the VisualFlight technology came to fruition under a Phase II SBIR contract with Johnson Space Center in 1998. Three years later, on December 13, 2001, Ken Ham successfully flew NASA's X-38 spacecraft from a remote, ground-based cockpit using LandForm VisualFlight as part of his primary situation awareness display in a flight test at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1997

Electrolysis Performance Improvement Concept Study (EPICS) Flight Experiment-Reflight

The Electrolysis Performance Improvement Concept Study (EPICS) is a flight experiment to demonstrate and validate in a microgravity environment the Static Feed Electrolyzer (SFE) concept which was selected for the use aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for oxygen (O2) generation. It also is to investigate the impact of microgravity on electrochemical cell performance. Electrochemical cells are important to the space program because they provide an efficient means of generating O2 and hydrogen (H2) in space. Oxygen and H2 are essential not only for the survival of humans in space but also for the efficient and economical operation of various space systems. Electrochemical cells can reduce the mass, volume and logistical penalties associated with resupply and storage by generating and/or consuming these gases in space. An initial flight of the EPICS was conducted aboard STS-69 from September 7 to 8, 1995. A temperature sensor characteristics shift and a missing line of software code resulted in only partial success of this initial flight. Based on the review and recommendations of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) review team a reflight activity was initiated to obtain the remaining desired results, not achieved during the initial flight.

Schubert, F. H.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Telemetry Tracking and Control Through Commercial LEO Satellites

Personnel from the Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Flight Facility (GSFC/WFF in Virginia have successfully tested commercial LEO communications satellites for sounding rocket, balloon and aircraft flight TT&C. The Flight Modern became a GSFC/WFF Advanced Range Technology Initiative (ARTI) in an effort to streamline TT&C capability to the user community at low cost. Ground tests of the Flight Modem verified duplex communications quality of service and measured transmission latencies. These tests were completed last year and results reported in the John Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) 4th International Symposium on Reducing Spacecraft Costs for Ground Systems and Operations. The second phase of the Flight Modem baseline test program was a demonstration of the ruggedized version of the WFF Flight Modem flown on a sounding rocket launched it the Swedish rocket range (Esrangc) near Kiruna, Sweden, with results contained in this paper. Aircraft flight tests have been and continue to be conducted. Flights of opportunity are being actively pursued with other centers, ranges and users at universities. The WFF Flight Modem contains a CPS receiver to provide vehicle position for tracking and vehicle recovery. The system architecture, which integrates antennas, CPS receiver, commercial satellite packet data modem and a single board computer with custom software, is described. Small satellite use of the WFF Flight Modem is also being investigated, The Flight Modem provides an independent vehicle position source for Range Safety applications. The LEO communication system contains a coarse position location system, which is compared to GPS ace acy. This comparison allows users, to determine the need for a CPS receiver in addition to the satellite packet data modem for their application.

Streich, Ronald C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Software Management System

A software management system, originally developed for Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) by Century Computing, Inc. has evolved from a menu and command oriented system to a state-of-the art user interface development system supporting high resolution graphics workstations. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) was initially distributed through COSMIC and backed by a TAE support office at GSFC. In 1993, Century Computing assumed the support and distribution functions and began marketing TAE Plus, the system's latest version. The software is easy to use and does not require programming experience.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1981

A Loran-C prototype navigation receiver for general aviation

Prototype equipment was developed for flight evaluation which provides enroute navigation in both latitude-longitude and rho-theta coordinates. The nonprecision approach capabilities of this equipment was evaluated. The antenna/preamplifier coupler, the RF processor, tracking loop hardware, tracking loop software, and the video output are discussed. Laboratory and flight test results are evaluated.

Lilley, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Digital Instrumentation Analysis and Navigation System (DIANS) for system identification

Hardware, software, and performance features of the Digital Instrumentation and Navigation System (DIANS) designed for NASA research to collect flight data as a strap-down system are detailed. The support software for the system has a cross compiler, a linkage editor, and cross assembler, extended communication capabilities, postflight processing applications, and compilers for PASCAL, FORTRAN, CBASIC and MT. The DIANS microcomputer has a 1 Mbyte RAM module, a fast floating point processor board, a 68000 monoboard computer with 64 RAM, a 128 Kbyte bubble memory card, and a navigation radio. The system also carries a battery for full system operation for over an hour. The support software is also stored on a host mainframe computer, which has a CP/M operating system. Pitch, roll, and heading data are gathered from the on-board system, and communication is possible between the airborne and ground-based computer.

Smyth, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1994

High performance real-time flight simulation at NASA Langley

In order to meet the stringent time-critical requirements for real-time man-in-the-loop flight simulation, computer processing operations must be deterministic and be completed in as short a time as possible. This includes simulation mathematical model computational and data input/output to the simulators. In 1986, in response to increased demands for flight simulation performance, personnel at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC), working with the contractor, developed extensions to a standard input/output system to provide for high bandwidth, low latency data acquisition and distribution. The Computer Automated Measurement and Control technology (IEEE standard 595) was extended to meet the performance requirements for real-time simulation. This technology extension increased the effective bandwidth by a factor of ten and increased the performance of modules necessary for simulator communications. This technology is being used by more than 80 leading technological developers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Included among the commercial applications of this technology are nuclear process control, power grid analysis, process monitoring, real-time simulation, and radar data acquisition. Personnel at LaRC have completed the development of the use of supercomputers for simulation mathematical model computational to support real-time flight simulation. This includes the development of a real-time operating system and the development of specialized software and hardware for the CAMAC simulator network. This work, coupled with the use of an open systems software architecture, has advanced the state of the art in real time flight simulation. The data acquisition technology innovation and experience with recent developments in this technology are described.

Cleveland, Jeff I., II↗
NASA NTRS2005

Trusted Autonomy for Space Flight Systems

NASA has long supported research on intelligent control technologies that could allow space systems to operate autonomously or with reduced human supervision. Proposed uses range from automated control of entire space vehicles to mobile robots that assist or substitute for astronauts to vehicle systems such as life support that interact with other systems in complex ways and require constant vigilance. The potential for pervasive use of such technology to extend the kinds of missions that are possible in practice is well understood, as is its potential to radically improve the robustness, safety and productivity of diverse mission systems. Despite its acknowledged potential, intelligent control capabilities are rarely used in space flight systems. Perhaps the most famous example of intelligent control on a spacecraft is the Remote Agent system flown on the Deep Space One mission (1998 - 2001). However, even in this case, the role of the intelligent control element, originally intended to have full control of the spacecraft for the duration of the mission, was reduced to having partial control for a two-week non-critical period. Even this level of mission acceptance was exceptional. In most cases, mission managers consider intelligent control systems an unacceptable source of risk and elect not to fly them. Overall, the technology is not trusted. From the standpoint of those who need to decide whether to incorporate this technology, lack of trust is easy to understand. Intelligent high-level control means allowing software io make decisions that are too complex for conventional software. The decision-making behavior of these systems is often hard to understand and inspect, and thus hard to evaluate. Moreover, such software is typically designed and implemented either as a research product or custom-built for a particular mission. In the former case, software quality is unlikely to be adequate for flight qualification and the functionality provided by the system is likely driven largely by the need to publish innovative work. In the latter case, the mission represents the first use of the system, a risky proposition even for relatively simple software.

Freed, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1984

Software modifications to the Demonstration Advanced Avionics Systems (DAAS)

Critical information required for the design of integrated avionics suitable for generation aviation is applied towards software modifications for the Demonstration Advanced Avionics System (DAAS). The program emphasizes the use of data busing, distributed microprocessors, shared electronic displays and data entry devices, and improved functional capability. A demonstration advanced avionics system (DAAS) is designed, built, and flight tested in a Cessna 402, twin engine, general aviation aircraft. Software modifications are made to DAAS at Ames concurrent with the flight test program. The changes are the result of the experience obtained with the system at Ames, and the comments of the pilots who evaluated the system.

Nedell, B. F.↗