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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 1,639 records · Page 91
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Spacecraft Doppler Tracking as a Xylophone Detector of Gravitational Radiation

Spacecraft Doppler tracking is discussed for detecting gravitational waves in which Doppler data recorded on the ground are linearly combined with Doppler measurements made on board a spacecraft. A new method is derived for removing from combined data the frequency fluctuations due to the Earth troposphere, ionosphere, and mechanical vibrations of the antenna on the ground. The remaining non-zero gravitational wave signal could be used for detecting gravitational waves.

Doppler tracking gravitational waves signal proces↗
NASA NTRS2003

Recent discoveries and advances for the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program with MSSS 1.2-meter telescope

Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program has two simultaneously-operating, autonomous search systems on two geographically-separated 1.2-m telescopes; one at the Maui Space Surveillance System (NEAT/MSSS) and the other on the Palomar Observatory's Oschin telescope (NEAT/Palomar). This paper will focus exclusively on the NEAT/MSSS system.

NEO near earth objects NEAT Near-Earth Asteroid Tr↗
NASA NTRS1998

Spacecraft Doppler Tracking as a Narrow-Band Detector of Gravitational Radiation

We discuss a filtering technique for reducing the frequency fluctuations due to the troposphere, ionosphere, and mechanical vibrations of the ground antenna in spacecraft Doppler tracking searches for gravitational radiation. This method takes advantage of the sinusoidal behavior of the transfer function to the Doppler observable of these noise sources, which displays sharp nulls at selected Fourier components.

gravitational radiation doppler tracking↗
NASA NTRS1995

High Precision and Real Time Tracking of Low Earth Orbiters With GPS: Case Studies With TOPEX/POSEIDON and EUVE

TOPEX/POSEIDON carries a dual-frequency 6 channel GPS receiver while EUVE has a 12 channel single frequency receiver. Flying at an altitude of 1334 km, TOPEX/POSEIDON performs precise ocean altimetry, which demands the highest possible accuracy in determining the radial orbit component in post-processing. Radial RMS accuracies of about 2 cm were realized using reduced dynamic tracking techniques. In this approach, orbit errors due to force are substantially reduced by exploiting the geometric strength of GPS to solve for a set of stochastic forces. On EUVE, the emphasis was on evaluating real time positioning techniques with a single frequency receiver. The capability for real time 3D accuracies of 15 m in the presence of Selective Availability was shown. This was validated by comparing to a post-processed differential GPS truth orbit believed accurate to about 1 m.!.

Tracking low-Earth orbiters↗
NASA NTRS1994

Hetrodyne Laser Tracking at High Doppler Rates

In hetrodyne laser tracking of a spacecraft, the incoming laser signal may be significantly offset from the local laser reference, producing a high-frequency beat note that must be accurately counted to produce an accurate phase measurement.

hetrodyne laser tracking↗
NASA NTRS2005

An examination of along-track interferometry for detecting ground moving targets

Along-track interferometry (ATI) is an interferometric synthetic aperture radar technique primarily used to measure Earth-surface velocities. We present results from an airborne experiment demonstrating phenomenology specific to the context of observing discrete ground targets moving admidst a stationary clutter background.

along-track interferometry↗
NASA NTRS2005

Preliminary results from an airborne experiment using along-track interferometry for ground moving target indication

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) along track interferometry (ATI) has been used extensively to measure ocean surface currents. Given its ability to measure small velocities of relatively radar-dark water surfaces, there is great potential that this technique can be adapted for ground moving target indication (GMTI) applications, particularly as a method for detecting very slwo targets with small radar cross sections. In this paper we describe preliminary results from an ATI GMTI experiment.

ground moving target indication↗
NASA NTRS2003

Tracking capability for entry, descent and landing and its support to NASA Mars Exploration Rovers

This paper described a new capability recently deployed in the NASA Deep Space Network to support the entry, descent and landing of the two Mars Exploration Rovers - Spirit and Opportunity. This final segment of a 7-month journey was critical step in enabling successful mission operation. The EDL Data Analysis (EDA) equipment processed the open loop recording samples from the existing radio science receivers, extracted the MFSK-modulated tones, and provided information on the occurrence of associated events happened onboard spacecraft. The EDA software supported real-time as well as post pass processing. The design flexibility allowed the track to be divided into different segments, each could be processed with a configuration optimized for its signal conditions and uncertainties. The use of dynamic lock state concept enabled signal detection be done with minimum required computing power - less was spent when signal was steadily detected and more when signal fluctuated. With the server-client design, the EDA supported connections to different remote operation centers for monitor purpose. The paper also presented the field results from both Spirit and Opportunity landings. The detection were much better than anticipated. All critical event tones were seen in real time. Surprising detection of LCP signal was found with Spirit landing, resulted in a reconfiguration for Opportunity landing to maximize signal detection.

tracking↗
NASA NTRS2001

Telemetry, tracking, and command consolidation in the Deep Space Network

Currently, in NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN), telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) functions are distributed between multiple subsystem computers. Control design of these subsystems did not consider the interaction necessary between the functions, which create opportunities for loss of data. Also, the current controller design can force the use of equipment that is not needed for the task at hand, to the detriment of others. As part of the Network Simplification Project (NSP), the TTC implementation has been re-examined, New telemetry and commanding equipment is being built, and the control of the TT&C functions is being consolidated into two controllers, Uplink and Downlink. The new equipment uses commercial components, as opposed to the custom built equipment it is replacing, which improves reliability and simplifies maintenance.

tracking↗
NASA NTRS2005

Rover mast calibration, exact camera pointing, and camara handoff for visual target tracking

This paper presents three technical elements that we have developed to improve the accuracy of the visual target tracking for single-sol approach-and-instrument placement in future Mars rover missions. An accurate, straightforward method of rover mast calibration is achieved by using a total station, a camera calibration target, and four prism targets mounted on the rover. The method was applied to Rocky8 rover mast calibration and yielded a 1.1-pixel rms residual error. Camera pointing requires inverse kinematic solutions for mast pan and tilt angles such that the target image appears right at the center of the camera image. Two issues were raised. Mast camera frames are in general not parallel to the masthead base frame. Further, the optical axis of the camera model in general does not pass through the center of the image. Despite these issues, we managed to derive non-iterative closed-form exact solutions, which were verified with Matlab routines. Actual camera pointing experiments aver 50 random target image paints yielded less than 1.3-pixel rms pointing error. Finally, a purely geometric method for camera handoff using stereo views of the target has been developed. Experimental test runs show less than 2.5 pixels error on high-resolution Navcam for Pancam-to-Navcam handoff, and less than 4 pixels error on lower-resolution Hazcam for Navcam-to-Hazcam handoff.

camera handoff↗
NASA NTRS2001

Observations on ion track structure in semiconductors : a phenomenological study

An ion track structure model at the nanometer scale is presented. The model is based on electrostatic principles and is supported by observed experimental results conducted on power MOSFETs. The model predicts the existence of a transient induced electric field following the passage of an energetic heavy ion. There are two segments to the field (a radial and an axial component). It is the interaction of this transient electric field with the local environment that can trigger a catastrophic failure.

SEGR↗
NASA NTRS2006

Repeat Ground Track Lunar Orbits in the Full-Potential Plus Third-Body Problem

A high degree and order Lunar gravitational field is superimposed on the Earth-Moon Restricted Three Body model to capture the dominating forces on a spacecraft in the vicinity of the Moon. For the synchronously rotating Moon, periodic orbits in this model map repeat ground tracks and represent higher order solutions to the frozen orbit problem. The near-circular, stable or near-stable solutions are found over a wide range of defining characteristics making them suitable for long-lifetime parking applications such as science orbits, crew exploration vehicle parking orbits, and global coverage constellation orbits. A full ephemeris is considered for selected orbits to evaluate the validity of the time-invariant, simplified model. Of the most promising results are the low-altitude families of near-circular, inclined orbits that maintain long-term stability despite the highly non-spherical Lunar gravity. The method is systematic and enables rapid design and analysis of long-life orbits around any tidally-locked celestial body with an arbitrarily high degree and order spherical harmonic gravity field. .

periodic↗