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At least 1,639 records · Page 91
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Freeze-drying for morphological control of high performance semi-interpenetrating polymer networks. III

The feasibility of using a freeze-drying (solvent removal by sublimation) approach for controlling the morphology of a high-performance semi-IPN is assessed. A high-performance thermoplastic polyimide and commercially available 4,4'-bismaleimide diphenylenemethane were dissolved in a solvent, 1,3,5-trioxane. The solvent was removed from the constituents by freeze-drying. For purposes of comparison, the constituents were dissolved in a high-boiling-point solvent, N,N-dimethylformamide. The solvent was removed from the solution by evaporation. The physical and mechanical properties and phase morphology of the neat resins and composites prepared by freeze-drying and traditional solution methods are presented and compared. It is concluded that the TG is higher and that the magnitude of minor constituent separation is less in the freeze-dry processed materials than for the processed solution.

Hsiung, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Effect of inert propellant injection on Mars ascent vehicle performance

A Mars ascent vehicle is limited in performance by the propellant which can be brought from Earth. In some cases the vehicle performance can be improved by injecting inert gas into the engine, if the inert gas is available as an in-situ resource and does not have to be brought from Earth. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon are constituents of the Martian atmosphere which could be separated by compressing the atmosphere, without any chemical processing step. The effect of inert gas injection on rocket engine performance was analyzed with a numerical combustion code that calculated chemical equilibrium for engines of varying combustion chamber pressure, expansion ratio, oxidizer/fuel ratio, and inert injection fraction. Results of this analysis were applied to several candidate missions to determine how the required mass of return propellant needed in low Earth orbit could be decreased using inert propellant injection.

Colvin, James E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Shear-induced surface alignment of polymer dispersed liquid crystal microdroplets on the boundary layer

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal thin films have been deposited on a glass substrate, utilizing the processes of polymerization and solvent evaporation induced phase separation. Liquid crystal microdroplets trapped on the upper surface of the thin film respond to the shear stress due to air or gas flow on the surface layer. Response to an applied step shear stress input on the surface layer has been measured by measuring the time response of the transmitted light intensity. Initial results on the measurements of the light transmission as a function of the air flow differential pressure indicate that these systems offer features suitable for boundary layer and gas flow sensors.

Parmar, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Theory of dispersive microlenses

A dispersive microlens is a miniature optical element which simultaneously focuses and disperses light. Arrays of dispersive mircolenses have potential applications in multicolor focal planes. They have a 100 percent optical fill factor and can focus light down to detectors of diffraction spot size, freeing up areas on the focal plane for on-chip analog signal processing. Use of dispersive microlenses allows inband color separation within a pixel and perfect scene registration. A dual-color separation has the potential for temperature discrimination. We discuss the design of dispersive microlenses and present sample results for efficient designs.

Herman, B.↗
NASA NTRS2000

STS-99: Post Flight Presentation

Live footage shows the crewmembers of STS-99, Commander Kevin R. Kregel, Pilot Dominic L. Pudwill Gorie, and Mission Specialists Janet L. Kavandi, Janice E. Voss, Mamoru Mohri, and Gerhard P.J. Thiele, arriving at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in the T-38 aircraft. Crewmembers are seen speaking to the welcoming crowd at KSC, suiting-up, walking out to the Astro-van, being strapped in the shuttle, and performing various activities while in orbit. Scenes include the astronaut training process, main engine ignition, liftoff, solid rocket booster separation, mast deployment and retraction, and the changing of the mapping tapes. Footage also includes the crewmembers sleeping, eating, exercising, dancing and having fun in zero gravity. The High Definition Television Camera (HDTV) picks up images from the Earth. These images includes Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Bahamas, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Mount Fuji, Tokyo Bay, Southern Russia, the Black Sea, Equador, Northern Peru, the Mediterranean Sea, Malta, Sicily and Italy. The crewmembers of STS-99 each took a turn to narrate the scenes and events as they occur.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2000

Overcoming Dynamic Disturbances in Imaging Systems

We develop and discuss a methodology with the potential to yield a significant reduction in complexity, cost, and risk of space-borne optical systems in the presence of dynamic disturbances. More robust systems almost certainly will be a result as well. Many future space-based and ground-based optical systems will employ optical control systems to enhance imaging performance. The goal of the optical control subsystem is to determine the wavefront aberrations and remove them. Ideally reducing an aberrated image of the object under investigation to a sufficiently clear (usually diffraction-limited) image. Control will likely be distributed over several elements. These elements may include telescope primary segments, telescope secondary, telescope tertiary, deformable mirror(s), fine steering mirror(s), etc. The last two elements, in particular, may have to provide dynamic control. These control subsystems may become elaborate indeed. But robust system performance will require evaluation of the image quality over a substantial range and in a dynamic environment. Candidate systems for improvement in the Earth Sciences Enterprise could include next generation Landsat systems or atmospheric sensors for dynamic imaging of individual, severe storms. The technology developed here could have a substantial impact on the development of new systems in the Space Science Enterprise; such as the Next Generation Space Telescope(NGST) and its follow-on the Next NGST. Large Interferometric Systems of non-zero field, such as Planet Finder and Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure, could benefit. These systems most likely will contain large, flexible optomechanical structures subject to dynamic disturbance. Furthermore, large systems for high resolution imaging of planets or the sun from space may also benefit. Tactical and Strategic Defense systems will need to image very small targets as well and could benefit from the technology developed here. We discuss a novel speckle imaging technique with the potential to separate dynamic aberrations from static aberrations. Post-processing of a set of image data, using an algorithm based on this technique, should work for all but the lowest light levels and highest frequency dynamic environments. This technique may serve to reduce the complexity of the control system and provide for robust, fault-tolerant, reduced risk operation. For a given object, a short exposure image is "frozen" on the focal plane in the presence of the environmental disturbance (turbulence, jitter, etc.). A key factor is that this imaging data exhibits frame-to-frame linear shift invariance. Therefore, although the Point Spread Function is varying from frame to frame, the source is fixed; and each short exposure contains object spectrum data out to the diffraction limit of the imaging system. This novel speckle imaging technique uses the Knox-Thompson method. The magnitude of the complex object spectrum is straightforward to determine by well-established approaches. The phase of the complex object spectrum is decomposed into two parts. One is a single-valued function determined by the divergence of the optical phase gradient. The other is a multi-valued function determined by the circulation of the optical phase gradient-"hidden phase." Finite difference equations are developed for the phase. The novelty of this approach is captured in the inclusion of this "hidden phase." This technique allows the diffraction-limited reconstruction of the object from the ensemble of short exposure frames while simultaneously estimating the phase as a function of time from a set of exposures.

Young, Eric W.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Overcoming Dynamic Disturbances in Imaging Systems

We develop and discuss a methodology with the potential to yield a significant reduction in complexity, cost, and risk of space-borne optical systems in the presence of dynamic disturbances. More robust systems almost certainly will be a result as well. Many future space-based and ground-based optical systems will employ optical control systems to enhance imaging performance. The goal of the optical control subsystem is to determine the wavefront aberrations and remove them. Ideally reducing an aberrated image of the object under investigation to a sufficiently clear (usually diffraction-limited) image. Control will likely be distributed over several elements. These elements may include telescope primary segments, telescope secondary, telescope tertiary, deformable mirror(s), fine steering mirror(s), etc. The last two elements, in particular, may have to provide dynamic control. These control subsystems may become elaborate indeed. But robust system performance will require evaluation of the image quality over a substantial range and in a dynamic environment. Candidate systems for improvement in the Earth Sciences Enterprise could include next generation Landsat systems or atmospheric sensors for dynamic imaging of individual, severe storms. The technology developed here could have a substantial impact on the development of new systems in the Space Science Enterprise; such as the Next Generation Space Telescope(NGST) and its follow-on the Next NGST. Large Interferometric Systems of non-zero field, such as Planet Finder and Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure, could benefit. These systems most likely will contain large, flexible optormechanical structures subject to dynamic disturbance. Furthermore, large systems for high resolution imaging of planets or the sun from space may also benefit. Tactical and Strategic Defense systems will need to image very small targets as well and could benefit from the technology developed here. We discuss a novel speckle imaging technique with the potential to separate dynamic aberrations from static aberrations. Post-processing of a set of image data, using an algorithm based on this technique, should work for all but the lowest light levels and highest frequency dynamic environments. This technique may serve to reduce the complexity of the control system and provide for robust, fault-tolerant, reduced risk operation. For a given object, a short exposure image is "frozen" on the focal plane in the presence of the environmental disturbance (turbulence, jitter, etc.). A key factor is that this imaging data exhibits frame-to-frame linear shift invariance. Therefore, although the Point Spread Function is varying from frame to frame, the source is fixed; and each short exposure contains object spectrum data out to the diffraction limit of the imaging system. This novel speckle imaging technique uses the Knox-Thompson method. The magnitude of the complex object spectrum is straightforward to determine by well-established approaches. The phase of the complex object spectrum is decomposed into two parts. One is a single-valued function determined by the divergence of the optical phase gradient. The other is a multi-valued function determined by, the circulation of the optical phase gradient-"hidden phase." Finite difference equations are developed for the phase. The novelty of this approach is captured in the inclusion of this "hidden phase." This technique allows the diffraction-limited reconstruction of the object from the ensemble of short exposure frames while simultaneously estimating the phase as a function of time from a set of exposures.

Young, Eric W.↗
NASA NTRS2001

A Multi-Mission Testbed for Advanced Technologies

The mission of the Center for Space Integrated Microsystem (CSIM) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is to develop advanced avionics systems for future deep space missions. The Advanced Micro Spacecraft (AMS) task is building a multi-mission testbed facility to enable the infusion of CSIM technologies into future missions. The testbed facility will also perform experimentation for advanced avionics technologies and architectures to meet challenging power, performance, mass, volume, reliability, and fault tolerance of future missions. The testbed facility has two levels of testbeds: (1) a Proof-of-Concept (POC) Testbed and (2) an Engineering Model Testbed. The methodology of the testbed development and the process of technology infusion are presented in a separate paper in this conference. This paper focuses only on the design, implementation, and application of the POC testbed. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Chau, S. N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Inter-Agency Consultative Group for Space Science (IACG): Handbook of Missions and Payloads

The ACE spacecraft design is based on the Charge Composition Explorer (CCE) built by Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and the Applied Physics Lab (APL) for the AMPTE program. ACE is designed as a spinning spacecraft with its spin axis aligned to the Earth-Sun axis. The ACE launch weight will be approx. 633 kg, including 105 kg of scientific instruments and 184 kg of propellant. Using a Delta-class expendable launch vehicle, ACE will be launched into an L1 libration point (240 R(sub e)) orbit. Telemetry will be 6.7 kbps average, using tape recorder storage with daily readout to DSN. The experiment power requirement is approximately 76 W nominal and 96 W peak. The prime objective of the ACE mission is: (1) to determine accurate elemental and isotropic abundances including solar matter, local interstellar matter and local galactic matter; (2) to study the origin of elements and evolutionary processing in galactic nucleosynthesis, galactic evolution, origin and evolution of the solar system; (3) to study coronal formation and solar-wind acceleration processes; and (4) to study particle acceleration and transport, including coronal shock acceleration, stochastic flare acceleration, interplanetary shock acceleration, and interstellar acceleration and propagation. To accomplish this objective, ACE will perform comprehensive and coordinated determinations of the elemental and isotopic composition of energetic nuclei accelerated on the Sun, in interplanetary space, and from galactic sources. These observations will span five decades in energy, from solar wind to galactic cosmic ray energies, and will cover the element range from H-1 to Zr-40. Comparison of these samples of matter will be used to study the origin and subsequent evolution of both solar system and galactic material by isolating the effects of fundamental processes that include nucleosynthesis, charged and neutral particle separation, bulk plasma acceleration, and the acceleration of suprathermal and high-energy particles.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2004

Radiolytic Model for Chemical Composition of Europa's Atmosphere and Surface

The overall objective of the present effort is to produce models for major and selected minor components of Europa s neutral atmosphere in 1-D versus altitude and in 2-D versus altitude and longitude or latitude. A 3-D model versus all three coordinates (alt, long, lat) will be studied but development on this is at present limited by computing facilities available to the investigation team. In this first year we have focused on 1-D modeling with Co-I Valery Shematovich s Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code for water group species (H2O, O2, O, OH) and on 2-D with Co-I Mau Wong's version of a similar code for O2, O, CO, CO2, and Na. Surface source rates of H2O and O2 from sputtering and radiolysis are used in the 1-D model, while observations for CO2 at the Europa surface and Na detected in a neutral cloud ejected from Europa are used, along with the O2 sputtering rate, to constrain source rates in the 2-D version. With these separate approaches we are investigating a range of processes important to eventual implementation of a comprehensive 3-D atmospheric model which could be used to understand present observations and develop science requirements for future observations, e.g. from Earth and in Europa orbit. Within the second year we expect to merge the full water group calculations into the 2-D version of the DSMC code which can then be extended to 3-D, pending availability of computing resources. Another important goal in the second year would be the inclusion of sulk and its more volatile oxides (SO, SO2).

Cooper, John F.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Stimulus information contaminates summation tests of independent neural representations of features

Many models of visual processing assume that visual information is analyzed into separable and independent neural codes, or features. A common psychophysical test of independent features is known as a summation study, which measures performance in a detection, discrimination, or visual search task as the number of proposed features increases. Improvement in human performance with increasing number of available features is typically attributed to the summation, or combination, of information across independent neural coding of the features. In many instances, however, increasing the number of available features also increases the stimulus information in the task, as assessed by an optimal observer that does not include the independent neural codes. In a visual search task with spatial frequency and orientation as the component features, a particular set of stimuli were chosen so that all searches had equivalent stimulus information, regardless of the number of features. In this case, human performance did not improve with increasing number of features, implying that the improvement observed with additional features may be due to stimulus information and not the combination across independent features.

NASA Discipline Space Human Factors↗
NASA NTRS2007

Definition and maintenance of a telemetry database dictionary

A telemetry dictionary database includes a component for receiving spreadsheet workbooks of telemetry data over a web-based interface from other computer devices. Another component routes the spreadsheet workbooks to a specified directory on the host processing device. A process then checks the received spreadsheet workbooks for errors, and if no errors are detected the spreadsheet workbooks are routed to another directory to await initiation of a remote database loading process. The loading process first converts the spreadsheet workbooks to comma separated value (CSV) files. Next, a network connection with the computer system that hosts the telemetry dictionary database is established and the CSV files are ported to the computer system that hosts the telemetry dictionary database. This is followed by a remote initiation of a database loading program. Upon completion of loading a flatfile generation program is manually initiated to generate a flatfile to be used in a mission operations environment by the core ground system.

Knopf, William P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

HST Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier (SLIC) Static Test

The HST Super Light Weight Interchangeable Carrier Static Test program calls for a total of 15 load cases with an average of 9 simultaneous push/pull locations per load case. This testing program represents the most complex static test ever attempted at Goddard Space Flight Center. Many unique multi-pull fixtures were designed to apply the simultaneous loading. Additionally, a total of 600 channels of data required processing for each loadcase. A total of 1100 separate strain gages were installed on SLIC. A team of 15 trained technicians were needed to apply test loads via mechanical hand pumps for several load cases. All 15 load cases were successfully conducted within 15 weeks. The ManTech team successfully tested all SLIC 1200 interface clips to the required testing loads. Several unique designs were needed to address testing challenges as loadline interference, Payload Safety, payload flexibility and opposing load applications.

Chambers, William V.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Aerodynamics of a Gulfstream G550 Nose Landing Gear Model

In this paper we discuss detailed steady and unsteady aerodynamic measurements of a Gulfstream G550 nose landing gear model. The quarter-scale, high-fidelity model includes part of the lower fuselage and the gear cavity. The full model configuration allowed for removal of various gear components (e.g. light cluster, steering mechanism, hydraulic lines, etc.) in order to document their effects on the local flow field. The measurements were conducted at a Reynolds number of 7.3 x 10(exp 4) based on the shock strut (piston) diameter and a freestream Mach number of 0.166. Additional data were also collected at lower Mach numbers of 0.12 and 0.145 and correspondingly lower Reynolds numbers. The boundary layer on the piston was tripped to enable turbulent flow separation, so as to better mimic the conditions encountered during flight. Steady surface pressures were gathered from an extensive number of static ports on the wheels, door, fuselage, and within the gear cavity. To better understand the resultant flow interactions between gear components, surface pressure fluctuations were collected via sixteen dynamic pressure sensors strategically placed on various subcomponents of the gear. Fifteen of the transducers were flush mounted on the gear surface at fixed locations, while the remaining one was a mobile transducer that could be placed at numerous varying locations. The measured surface pressure spectra are mainly broadband in nature, lacking any local peaks associated with coherent vortex shedding. This finding is in agreement with off-surface flow measurements using PIV that revealed the flow field to be a collection of separated shear layers without any dominant vortex shedding processes.

Neuhart, Dan H.↗
NASA NTRS2009

A Review of the MLAS Parachute Systems

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) is developing the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) as a risk-mitigation design should problems arise with the baseline Orion spacecraft launch abort design. The Max in MLAS is dedicated to Max Faget, the renowned NASA spacecraft designer. The MLAS flight test vehicle consists of boost skirt, coast skirt and the MLAS fairing which houses a full scale boilerplate Orion Crew Module (CM). The objective of the flight test is to prove that the CM can be released from the MLAS fairing during pad abort conditions without detrimental recontact between the CM and fairing, achieving performance similar to the Orion launch abort system. The boost and coast skirts provide the necessary thrust and stability to achieve the flight test conditions and are released prior to the test -- much like the Little Joe booster was used in the Apollo Launch Escape System tests. To achieve the test objective, two parachutes are deployed from the fairing to reorient the CM/fairing to a heatshield first orientation. The parachutes then provide the force necessary to reduce the total angle of attack and body angular rates required for safe release of the CM from the fairing. A secondary test objective after CM release from the fairing is to investigate the removal of the CM forward bay cover (FBC) with CM drogue parachutes for the purpose of attempting to synchronously deploying a set of CM main parachutes. Although multiple parachute deployments are used in the MLAS flight test vehicle to complete its objective, there are only two parachute types employed in the flight test. Five of the nine parachutes used for MLAS are 27.6 ft D(sub 0) ribbon parachutes, and the remaining four are standard G-12 cargo parachutes. This paper presents an overview of the 27.6 ft D(sub 0) ribbon parachute system employed on the MLAS flight test vehicle for coast skirt separation, fairing reorientation, and as drogue parachutes for the CM after separation from the fairing. Discussion will include: the process used to select this design, previously proven as a spin/stall recovery parachute; descriptions of all components of the parachute system; the minor modifications necessary to adapt the parachute to the MLAS program; the techniques used to analyze the parachute for the multiple roles it performs; a discussion of the rigging techniques used to interface the parachute system to the vehicle; and a brief description of how the evolution of the program affected parachute usage and analysis. An overview of the Objective system, rationale for the MLAS approach and the future of the program will also be presented. We hope to have flight test results to report at the time of the Conference Presentation.

Taylor, Anthony P.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Foil Gas Thrust Bearings for High-Speed Turbomachinery

A methodology has been developed for the design and construction of simple foil thrust bearings intended for parametric performance testing and low marginal costs, supporting continued development of oil-free turbomachinery. A bearing backing plate is first machined and surface-ground to produce flat and parallel faces. Partial-arc slots needed to retain the foil components are then machined into the plate by wire electrical discharge machining. Slot thicknesses achievable by a single wire pass are appropriate to accommodate the practical range of foil thicknesses, leaving a small clearance in this hinged joint to permit limited motion. The backing plate is constructed from a nickel-based superalloy (Inconel 718) to allow heat treatment of the entire assembled bearing, as well as to permit hightemperature operation. However, other dimensionally stable materials, such as precipitation-hardened stainless steel, can also be used for this component depending on application. The top and bump foil blanks are cut from stacks of annealed Inconel X-750 foil by the same EDM process. The bump foil has several azimuthal slits separating it into five individual bump strips. This configuration allows for variable bump spacing, which helps to accommodate the effects of the varying surface velocity, thermal crowning, centrifugal dishing, and misalignment. Rectangular tabs on the foil blanks fit into the backing plate slots. For this application, a rather traditional set of conventionally machined dies is selected, and bump foil blanks are pressed into the dies for forming. This arrangement produces a set of bump foil dies for foil thrust bearings that provide for relatively inexpensive fabrication of various bump configurations, and employing methods and features from the public domain.

Edmonds, Brian↗
NASA NTRS2010

The NASA MLAS Flight Demonstration - A Review of a Highly Successful Test

NASA has tested the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) as a risk-mitigation design should problems arise with the baseline Orion spacecraft launch abort design. The Max in MLAS is not Maximum, but rather dedicated to Max Faget, The renowned NASA Spacecraft designer. In the fall of 2009, the mission was flown, with great success, from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. The MLAS flight test vehicle prototype consists of a boost ring, coast ring, and the MLAS fairing itself, which houses an Orion Command Module (CM) boilerplate. The objective of the MLAS flight test is to reorient the fairing with the CM, weighing approximately 29,000 lbs and traveling 290 fps, 180 degrees to an orientation suitable for the release of the CM during a pad abort and low altitude abort. Although multiple parachute deployments are used in the MLAS flight test vehicle to complete its objective, there are only two parachute types employed in the flight test. Five of the nine parachutes used for MLAS are 27.6 ft DO ribbon parachutes, and the remaining four are standard G-12 cargo parachutes. This paper presents an overview of the 27.6 ft DO ribbon parachute system employed on the MLAS flight test vehicle for coast ring separation, fairing reorientation, and as drogue parachutes for the CM after separation from the fairing. Discussion will include: the process used to select this design, previously proven as a spin/stall recovery parachute; descriptions of all components of the parachute system; the minor modifications necessary to adapt the parachute to the MLAS program; the techniques used to analyze the parachute for the multiple roles it performs; a discussion of the rigging techniques used to interface the parachute system to the vehicle; a brief description of how the evolution of the program affected parachute usage and analysis; and a summary of the results of the flight test, including video of the flight test and subsequent summary analysis. . A discussion of the flight test which was highly successful as well as the flight test observations will be a significant portion of the review.

Taylor, Anthony P.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Xenoliths in the CM2 Carbonaceous Chondrite LON 94101: Implications for Complex Mixing on the Asteroidal Parent Body

Xenoliths are foreign clasts that oc-cur in various classes of meteorites, e.g. [1,2,3]. A re-cent study reveals the presence of several distinct classes of xenoliths in regolith-bearing meteorites, in-cluding in over 20 different carbonaceous chondrites [4]. The most common types of xenoliths are fine-grained hydrous clasts, often referred to as C1 or CI clasts in the literature, although their mineralogy is actually more similar to hydrous micrometeorites [5,6]. Xenoliths in meteorites present an opportunity to study material not yet classified or available as separate meteorites, and can provide additional information on processes in the dynamic early history of the Solar Sys-tem. Here we have performed chemical and mineralogi-cal analyses of xenoliths in the CM2 carbonaceous chondrite LON 94101, using scanning electron micro-scopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Lindgren, P.↗