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Affordable Practical High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Concentrator Blanket Assembly for Ultra-Lightweight Solar Arrays Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:13:36.000ZDeployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS) will focus the proposed NASA Phase 1 effort on the development of our innovative Functional Advanced Concentrator Technology (FACT). FACT is an affordable practical high-efficiency concentrator blanket assembly for ultra-lightweight solar arrays. FACT coupled to an ultra-lightweight solar array structural platform (such as DSS's ROSA) will provide game-changing performance metrics and unparalleled affordability for the end-user. FACT will enable emerging Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) Space Science missions, and other NASA missions, through its ultra-affordability, high voltage operation capability, high/low temperature operation capability, high/low illumination operation capability, high radiation tolerance, ultra-lightweight, and ultra-compact stowage volume. Once completely optimized through the proposed Phase 1 and Phase 2 programs the FACT technology promises to provide NASA/industry a near-term and low-risk flexible blanket technology for advanced solar array systems that provides revolutionary performance in terms of high specific power / ultra-lightweight (>400-500 W/kg BOL at the array level & >1000 W/kg BOL at the blanket level, PV dependent), affordability (>50% cost savings at the array level), compact stowage volume (>80 kW/m3 BOL, 10X times better than current rigid panel arrays), high operation reliability, high radiation tolerance, high voltage operation capability (>150 VDC), scalability, and LILT & HIHT operation capability.
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Combining Discrete Element Modeling, Finite Element Analysis, and Experimental Calibrations for Modeling of Granular Material Systems Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:43:27.000ZThe current state-of-the-art in DEM modeling has two major limitations which must be overcome to ensure that the technique can be useful to NASA engineers and the commercial sector: the computational intensive nature of the software, and the lack of an established methodology to determine the particle properties to best accurately model a given physical system. The proposed work will address both of these limitations. We will look at two approaches to overcome the particle count limitations of DEM: investigate the scaling up of particle size; and combine FEA and DEM to look at problems of densely packed solids. We will explore regimes where DEM and FEA are applicable and establish a coupling methodology that can be further developed during phase II. To address the lack of an established methodology to determine the particle properties to best accurately model a given physical system, we will investigate several small scale experiments that can be used to characterize DEM models. The proposed work will advance the state-of-the-art in DEM. At the end of phase I we will show the feasibility of developing modeling approaches to overcome the main limitations of DEM.
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Robust Optimal Fragmentation and Dispersion of Near-Earth Objects Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:31:30.000Z<p> During the past 2 decades, various concepts for mitigating the impact threats from NEOs have been proposed, but many of these concepts were impractical and not technically credible. In particular, all non-nuclear techniques require mission lead times larger than 10 years. However, for the most probable impact threat with a warning time less than 10 years, the use of high-energy nuclear explosives in space becomes inevitable for proper fragmentation and dispersion of an NEO in a collision course with Earth. However, the existing nuclear subsurface penetrator technology limits the impact velocity to less than 300m/s because higher impact velocities destroy prematurely the detonation electronic equipment. Thus, an innovative space system architecture utilizing high-energy nuclear explosives must be developed for a worst-case intercept mission resulting in relative closing velocities as high as 5-30km/s. An advanced system concept is proposed for nuclear subsurface explosion missions. The concept blends a hypervelocity kinetic-energy impactor with nuclear subsurface explosion, and exploits a 2-body space vehicle consisting of a fore body and an aft body. These 2 spacecraft bodies may be connected by a deployable boom. The fore body provides proper kinetic impact crater conditions for an aft body carrying nuclear explosives to make a deeper penetration into an asteroid body. For such a complex mission architecture design study, non-traditional, multidisciplinary research efforts in the areas of hypervelocity impact dynamics, nuclear explosion modeling, high-temperature thermal shielding, shock-resistant electronic systems, and advanced space system technologies are required. Expanding upon the current research activities, the Iowa State Asteroid Deflection Research Center will develop an innovative, advanced space system architecture that provides the planetary defense capabilities needed to enable a future real space mission more efficient, affordable, and reliable.</p>
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Increasing NASA SSC Range Safety by Developing the Framework to Monitor Airspace and Enforce Restrictions Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:39:58.000Z<p>Engine testing at NASA SSC poses a significant risk to general aviation due to potential smoke and excessive turbulence. The airspace over Stennis has been designated as restricted from 0600 - 2300 at altitudes below 5000 feet. SSC has limited ability to detect aircraft that have breeched the restricted airspace. In order to protect lives and property, a systematic evaluation of the potential technologies was requested to identify and define options to monitor the airspace, warn aircraft of impending danger, warn NASA test operations, and if necessary provide NASA test operations data so that an informed, timely decision could be made on whether or not to interrupt engine tests. This project systematically evaluated potential technologies that could address the problem of unauthorized aircraft entering Restricted Airspace/R-4403; a primary focus of this activity was on protecting the SSC Fee and Buffer Zone during an engine test or other sensitive operation. The research began with the findings and technology identified in the SSC Facility Safety Assessment Report. In 2010, a Facility Safety Assessment was performed for SMA to identify hazards associated with the SSC multiuser test range. During this assessment, a top system level safety hazard concerning unauthorized aircraft entering the SSC Restricted Airspace during test range operations, as well as twelve other hazards that directly or indirectly relate to the top hazard, were identified. SSC has limited ability to detect aircraft that may have intentionally or unintentionally breached R-4403. Because the restricted airspace is controlled by Houston ARTCC, controllers at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) are not required to monitor or alert aircraft to avoid R-4403.</p><p>The purpose of the project was to evaluate monitoring techniques to address the problem of aircraft entering R-4403, primarily focusing on access to the SSC Buffer Zone during an engine test or other sensitive operation. The objective was to provide a small set of cost effective solutions that enable appropriate personnel to make informed safety decisions in near-real time. A number of different existing and prototype technologies were considered against the monitoring requirements defined by NASA.</p><p>During this project, several different types of aircraft monitoring technologies were investigated. The project intended to prototype these potential technology solutions based on information and assessments performed. Potential software approaches to be prototyped included: phone apps, e-mail alerts, and desk top displays. Each was assessed against NASA&rsquo;s airspace monitoring requirements, which included the ability to monitor the entire buffer zone plus an additional 5 mile radius for both transponder and non-transponder equipped aircraft and, if possible, low-altitude UASs. Some technologies were eliminated because they are unable to track non-transponder equipped aircraft, while others are not capable of operating in all weather and illumination conditions. The remaining technologies represent potential solutions to monitoring the restricted airspace at SSC.&nbsp;Ultimately, the technologies investigated were not required and a refined notification procedure to follow in advance of test operations was implemented to insure NASA SSC Range Safety.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>
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Designer's Situation Awareness Toolbox (DeSAT) Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:22:49.000ZThis SBIR will develop a design decision support tool that will assist designers in providing a powerful, supportive work environment for aviation crews that support the maintenance of a high level of situation awareness in the flight environment. DeSAT will be developed as a design decision support system providing the capability to (1) analyze the situation awareness requirements associated with operational requirements (which could include ground based or flight based crew members), (2) compare situation awareness information requirements to system design features to identify potential situation awareness problems and deficiencies early in the design process, and (3) evaluate the degree to which design concepts support SA via the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). DeSAT will be developed for analysis of SA for both individual crew stations and for distributed teams operating across flight and time. DeSAT will allow designers to modify design concepts early in the design process to ensure that they provide the needed situation awareness to system users.
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Predictive Situational Awareness Tool Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:09:28.000ZSituational Awareness is the key element of performing safe and effective operations, and the space vehicle operations carried out by NASA is by no means an exception to the rule. Astronauts and flight controllers need to maintain awareness of the situation in the space vehicles, robots, habitats, Mission Control Center, and other systems. NASA has devoted and continues to devote a significant amount of resources to software for displaying the current situation in order to maintain this awareness. However, astronauts and flight controllers need to predict the future state of the systems for themselves. What will happen next? Resources have now advanced to the point where it is possible to inform the astronauts and flight controllers of the expected situation in the near future, and also to warn them if the current situation does not match the expectations of the recent past?this will indicate a developing issue that requires attention. All of this will aid in reducing the cognitive load on the astronauts and flight controllers, and help them perform their work safely and effectively. S&K Aerospace, LLC (SKA) proposes to research and develop a system that will provide predictive situational awareness to flight controllers and astronauts, by bringing together information about the current state of the vehicles and other systems, the activities planned in the near future, and the expected state of the system in the future, as well as an indication if the current state of the system matches planned state. This system will be called the Predictive System Awareness Tool, or PSAT.
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Rapid Electrochemical Detection and Identification of Microbiological and Chemical Contaminants for Manned Spaceflight Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:40:47.000Z<p>A great deal of effort has gone into the development of point-of-use methods to meet the challenge of rapid bacterial identification for both environmental monitoring and clinical applications.&nbsp; Unfortunately, most of the methods developed rely on Preliminary Chain Reaction (PCR) and face inherent limitations because of the requirement for enzymatic components and thermal control.&nbsp; Other methods based on surface plasmon resonance, quartz crystal microbalance, and fluorescence has been reported with good detection limits, but, these methods are immunological and cannot provide genetic-level information.&nbsp; Further, they require labeled markers, complicated fluid handling systems, and sensitive optics that drive up cost and complexity and preclude them from outside the laboratory.&nbsp; Recent work by a group at the University of Toronto has focused on developing an electrochemical platform that combines ultrasensitive detection, straightforward sample processing, and inexpensive components to create a cost-effective, user-friendly device for detection and identification of microorganisms.&nbsp; The platform combines an electrical cell lysis chamber, and electrochemical reporter system, and nanostructured microelectrodes (NMEs) to detect specific nucleic acid sequences.&nbsp; The nucleic acid sequences are unique to a given type of microorganism and can be used to identify the microorganisms present in a sample.</p><p>From the perspective of the anticipated prototype device &nbsp;(Lam, et al. 2012. <em>Polymerase Chain Reaction-Free, Sample-to-Answer Bacterial Detection in 30 Minutes with Integrated Cell Lysis</em>. Anal. Chem. <strong>84(1)</strong>: 21-5), detection of microbial contaminants will begin with a lysis chamber designed to release DNA and RNA from microorganisms present in the sample using ultrasonic or electrochemical technology.&nbsp; The DNA and RNA mixture is then passed into an analysis chamber containing an array of nanostructured microelectrodes (NMEs).&nbsp; The surface of the NMEs will be functionalized with probe molecules for DNA or RNA sequences specific to the bacteria being targeted.&nbsp; Binding of the DNA or RNA to the appropriate detection probe on the NME surface in the presence of an electrochemical reporter system will change the electrochemical properties of the NMEs.&nbsp; A potentiostat is used to measure the current at each individual electrode before and after addition of the DNA and RNA mixture.&nbsp; The difference in current before and after addition of the mixture to the NMEs is compared against a pre-determined threshold to check for the presence of target bacteria in the sample.&nbsp; The process for detection of chemical contaminants is very similar.&nbsp; The lysis chamber would be bypassed and the sample would flow directly into the analysis chamber.&nbsp; The NMEs will be functionalized with molecules to selectively bind the desired targets (analytes) and the change in the electrochemical response of each NME can again be used to detect and quantify the contaminants.&nbsp; Depending on the analyte of interest, it may be possible to directly measure analyte binding on the surface of the NMEs without the use of an electrochemical reporter system. The overall project will focus on optimization of the individual aspects of the detection platform in preparation for construction of a prototype for a flight experiment.&nbsp; The scope of the work in this proposal is limited to characterization and optimization of the lysis step/sample preparation, probe selection, and NME structure.&nbsp; Lysis conditions will be optimized by evaluating parameters associated with the oscillation frequency and lysis time for ultrasonic techniques and applied voltage for the electrochemical techniques.&nbsp; Cell viability, as determined by fluorescent detection of DNA or R
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Development of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging Method for the Measurement of Complex 3D Ice Shapes Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:33:58.000ZWhen ice accretes on a wing or other aerodynamic surface, it can produce extremely complex shapes. These are comprised of well-known shapes such as horns and feathers but also include other shapes such as the scallops that are associated with swept wing icing. The development of the larger ice shapes is generally believed to be influenced or built up from smaller scale surface structures such as roughness elements which can grow into the precursors of feathers or scallops seen on larger swept wing ice accretions. Feathers and scallops are often comprised of complex interlocking geometries that can contain a large number of voids. Hence it is important to characterize the geometries of these ice shapes, not only to ensure an adequate representation of the geometry for subsequent aerodynamic effects studies but also to provide data to validate icing codes, understand the basic physics involved with the ice accretion, and provide a basis for modeling the ice accretion. To address the above issue, we propose to use an X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging method to demonstrate that X-ray CT scanning can be used to measure 3D ice features of the form seen in aircraft ice accretions. We also propose to conduct a preliminary trade/design analysis to establish directions for a more detailed Phase II study that would address specific recommendations to integrate X-ray CT imaging with icing wind tunnels which can be used at NASA Glenn and commercial aerospace companies. It is anticipated that the proposed imaging method could provide a radically new way to visualize and characterize extremely complex 3D ice shapes.
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Flight Crew State Monitoring Metrics Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:15:06.000ZeSky will develop specific crew state metrics based on the timeliness, tempo and accuracy of pilot inputs required by the H-mode Flight Control System (HFCS). Specific scenarios will be developed which define required inputs by the pilot and metrics of timeliness, tempo and accuracy will be developed for each required input. An existing HFCS simulator will be enhanced to support the full scenarios and crew state metric capture. Human subject testing will validate the stability of the metrics in normal situations and the responsiveness of the metrics to crew state degradation due to high workload. Strategies for continuous real-time function allocation to crew and automation will be developed. At the end of phase 1 crew state monitoring metrics will be at TRL 4/5. In phase 2 we will incorporate these metrics and strategies into the HFCS simulator and evaluate the usability and validity of these metrics and strategies using both workload and hypoxia as means of controlled crew state degradation. At the end of phase 2 metric-based function reallocation will be implemented in a collaborative flight control system ready for incorporation into a full motion simulator at TRL 5.
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Ground Processing Optimization Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:35:32.000ZThe ultimate goal is the automation of a large amount of KSC's planning, scheduling, and execution decision making. Phase II will result in a complete full-scale implementation of a general framework and its application to several problems at KSC to create several operational systems (e.g., for Ground Processing (GP) and the Cryogenic Test Bed (CTB)) and other systems targeting future, advanced applications (e.g., autonomous cryogenic operations). During Phase II, delivered applications will improve scheduling of SLS Processing and V&V activity, including reduced scheduler manpower, reduced turnaround time in response to changes and what-ifs, and more optimal schedules; improve CTB Planning and Scheduling; and complete the diagnosis, planning, scheduling, and execution closed loop system for more-automatic ground and autonomous space-based cryogenic operations. The KSC Engineering Development Lab has substantial development and testing efforts ongoing for automatically diagnosing faults in cryogenic operations. By interfacing our system to these applications, it effectively completes the closed loop system required for completely autonomous operations. Our Phase II system will participate in a number of demonstrations during Phase II to prove the capabilities for future advanced more-automatic ground and space-based operations. Letters of support are included in this proposal from the managers of the groups that would use the operational systems in Phase II and the manager of the project demonstrating future, advanced applications. This Phase II effort will also improve the ability of SMEs to customize intelligent scheduling systems, capture corporate knowledge, and implement the required interfaces to allow operational use and participation in cryogenic operations demonstrations.