Terminal configured vehicle program: Test facilities guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The terminal configured vehicle (TCV) program was established to conduct research and to develop and evaluate aircraft and flight management system technology concepts that will benefit conventional take off and landing operations in the terminal area. Emphasis is placed on the development of operating methods for the highly automated environment anticipated in the future. The program involves analyses, simulation, and flight experiments. Flight experiments are conducted using a modified Boeing 737 airplane equipped with highly flexible display and control equipment and an aft flight deck for research purposes. The experimental systems of the Boeing 737 are described including the flight control computer systems, the navigation/guidance system, the control and command panel, and the electronic display system. The ground based facilities used in the program are described including the visual motion simulator, the fixed base simulator, the verification and validation laboratory, and the radio frequency anechoic facility.

The use of an automated flight test management system in the development of a rapid-prototyping flight research facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, Eugene L.; Hewett, Marle D.; Brumbaugh, Randal W.; Tartt, David M.; Antoniewicz, Robert F.; Agarwal, Arvind K.

1988-01-01

An automated flight test management system (ATMS) and its use to develop a rapid-prototyping flight research facility for artificial intelligence (AI) based flight systems concepts are described. The ATMS provides a flight test engineer with a set of tools that assist in flight planning and simulation. This system will be capable of controlling an aircraft during the flight test by performing closed-loop guidance functions, range management, and maneuver-quality monitoring. The rapid-prototyping flight research facility is being developed at the Dryden Flight Research Facility of the NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) to provide early flight assessment of emerging AI technology. The facility is being developed as one element of the aircraft automation program which focuses on the qualification and validation of embedded real-time AI-based systems.

A Unique Software System For Simulation-to-Flight Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Victoria I.; Hutchinson, Brian K.

2001-01-01

"Simulation-to-Flight" is a research development concept to reduce costs and increase testing efficiency of future major aeronautical research efforts at NASA. The simulation-to-flight concept is achieved by using common software and hardware, procedures, and processes for both piloted-simulation and flight testing. This concept was applied to the design and development of two full-size transport simulators, a research system installed on a NASA B-757 airplane, and two supporting laboratories. This paper describes the software system that supports the simulation-to-flight facilities. Examples of various simulation-to-flight experimental applications were also provided.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., measures photosynthesis on Bibb lettuce being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., measures photosynthesis on Bibb lettuce being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., checks the roots of green onions being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., checks the roots of green onions being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Lanfang Levine, with Dynamac Corp., helps install a Dionex DX-500 IC/HPLC system in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The equipment will enable analysis of volatile compounds, such as from plants. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Lanfang Levine, with Dynamac Corp., helps install a Dionex DX-500 IC/HPLC system in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The equipment will enable analysis of volatile compounds, such as from plants. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., checks the growth of radishes being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., checks the growth of radishes being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

Living Together in Space: The International Space Station Internal Active Thermal Control System Issues and Solutions-Sustaining Engineering Activities at the Marshall Space Flight Center From 1998 to 2005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieland, P. O.; Roman, M. C.; Miller, L.

2007-01-01

On board the International Space Station, heat generated by the crew and equipment is removed by the internal active thermal control system to maintain a comfortable working environment and prevent equipment overheating. Test facilities simulating the internal active thermal control system (IATCS) were constructed at the Marshall Space Flight Center as part of the sustaining engineering activities to address concerns related to operational issues, equipment capability, and reliability. A full-scale functional simulator of the Destiny lab module IATCS was constructed and activated prior to launch of Destiny in 2001. This facility simulates the flow and thermal characteristics of the flight system and has a similar control interface. A subscale simulator was built, and activated in 2000, with special attention to materials and proportions of wetted surfaces to address issues related to changes in fluid chemistry, material corrosion, and microbial activity. The flight issues that have arisen and the tests performed using the simulator facilities are discussed in detail. In addition, other test facilities at the MSFC have been used to perform specific tests related to IATCS issues. Future testing is discussed as well as potential modifications to the simulators to enhance their utility.

Functional requirements for the man-vehicle systems research facility. [identifying and correcting human errors during flight simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clement, W. F.; Allen, R. W.; Heffley, R. K.; Jewell, W. F.; Jex, H. R.; Mcruer, D. T.; Schulman, T. M.; Stapleford, R. L.

1980-01-01

The NASA Ames Research Center proposed a man-vehicle systems research facility to support flight simulation studies which are needed for identifying and correcting the sources of human error associated with current and future air carrier operations. The organization of research facility is reviewed and functional requirements and related priorities for the facility are recommended based on a review of potentially critical operational scenarios. Requirements are included for the experimenter's simulation control and data acquisition functions, as well as for the visual field, motion, sound, computation, crew station, and intercommunications subsystems. The related issues of functional fidelity and level of simulation are addressed, and specific criteria for quantitative assessment of various aspects of fidelity are offered. Recommendations for facility integration, checkout, and staffing are included.

The flight robotics laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobbe, Patrick A.; Williamson, Marlin J.; Glaese, John R.

1988-01-01

The Flight Robotics Laboratory of the Marshall Space Flight Center is described in detail. This facility, containing an eight degree of freedom manipulator, precision air bearing floor, teleoperated motion base, reconfigurable operator's console, and VAX 11/750 computer system, provides simulation capability to study human/system interactions of remote systems. The facility hardware, software and subsequent integration of these components into a real time man-in-the-loop simulation for the evaluation of spacecraft contact proximity and dynamics are described.

Noise measurements in a free-jet, flight simulation facility - Shear layer refraction and facility-to-flight corrections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morfey, C. L.; Tester, B. J.

1976-01-01

The conversion of free-jet facility into equivalent flyover results is discussed. The essential problem is to 'calibrate out' the acoustic influence of the outer free-jet shear layer on the measurement, since this is absent in the flight case. Results are presented which illustrate the differences between current simplified models (vortex-sheet and geometric acoustics), and a more complete model based on the Lilley equation. Finally, the use of geometric acoustics for facility-to-flight data conversion is discussed.

Flight testing and simulation of an F-15 airplane using throttles for flight control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burcham, Frank W., Jr.; Maine, Trindel; Wolf, Thomas

1992-01-01

Flight tests and simulation studies using the throttles of an F-15 airplane for emergency flight control have been conducted at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility. The airplane and the simulation are capable of extended up-and-away flight, using only throttles for flight path control. Initial simulation results showed that runway landings using manual throttles-only control were difficult, but possible with practice. Manual approaches flown in the airplane were much more difficult, indicating a significant discrepancy between flight and simulation. Analysis of flight data and development of improved simulation models that resolve the discrepancy are discussed. An augmented throttle-only control system that controls bank angle and flight path with appropriate feedback parameters has also been developed, evaluated in simulations, and is planned for flight in the F-15.

STS-26 simulation activities in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Overall view of JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR) during Flight Day 1 of STS-26 integrated simulations in progress between MCC and JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5 fixed-base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS).

The role of simulation in the development and flight test of the HiMAT vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, M. B.; Schilling, L. J.

1984-01-01

Real time simulations have been essential in the flight test program of the highly maneuverable aircraft technology (HiMAT) remotely piloted research vehicle at NASA Ames Research Center's Dryden Flight Research Facility. The HiMAT project makes extensive use of simulations in design, development, and qualification for flight, pilot training, and flight planning. Four distinct simulations, each with varying amounts of hardware in the loop, were developed for the HiMAT project. The use of simulations in detecting anomalous behavior of the flight software and hardware at the various stages of development, verification, and validation has been the key to flight qualification of the HiMAT vehicle.

STS-27 Atlantis - OV-104, Commander Gibson on SMS forward flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1988-02-03

STS-27 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Commander Robert L. Gibson, wearing flight coveralls and communications kit assembly, sits at commanders station controls on JSC shuttle mission simulator (SMS) forward flight deck during training session. Gibson looks at crewmember on aft flight deck. SMS is located in the Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences Lab, Lanfang Levine, with Dynamac Corp., transfers material into a sample bottle for analysis. She is standing in front of new equipment in the lab that will provide gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The equipment will enable analysis of volatile compounds, such as from plants. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences Lab, Lanfang Levine, with Dynamac Corp., transfers material into a sample bottle for analysis. She is standing in front of new equipment in the lab that will provide gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The equipment will enable analysis of volatile compounds, such as from plants. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, Jan Bauer, with Dynamac Corp., places samples of onion tissue in the elemental analyzer, which analyzes for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The 100,000 square-foot SLS houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, Jan Bauer, with Dynamac Corp., places samples of onion tissue in the elemental analyzer, which analyzes for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The 100,000 square-foot SLS houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, Jan Bauer, with Dynamac Corp., weighs samples of onion tissue for processing in the elemental analyzer behind it. The equipment analyzes for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The 100,000 square-foot SLS houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, Jan Bauer, with Dynamac Corp., weighs samples of onion tissue for processing in the elemental analyzer behind it. The equipment analyzes for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The 100,000 square-foot SLS houses labs for NASA’s ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASA’s Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

Automated flight test management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hewett, M. D.; Tartt, D. M.; Agarwal, A.

1991-01-01

The Phase 1 development of an automated flight test management system (ATMS) as a component of a rapid prototyping flight research facility for artificial intelligence (AI) based flight concepts is discussed. The ATMS provides a flight engineer with a set of tools that assist in flight test planning, monitoring, and simulation. The system is also capable of controlling an aircraft during flight test by performing closed loop guidance functions, range management, and maneuver-quality monitoring. The ATMS is being used as a prototypical system to develop a flight research facility for AI based flight systems concepts at NASA Ames Dryden.

Results of a Flight Simulation Software Methods Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, E. Bruce

1995-01-01

A ten-page questionnaire was mailed to members of the AIAA Flight Simulation Technical Committee in the spring of 1994. The survey inquired about various aspects of developing and maintaining flight simulation software, as well as a few questions dealing with characterization of each facility. As of this report, 19 completed surveys (out of 74 sent out) have been received. This paper summarizes those responses.

[Development of fixed-base full task space flight training simulator].

PubMed

Xue, Liang; Chen, Shan-quang; Chang, Tian-chun; Yang, Hong; Chao, Jian-gang; Li, Zhi-peng

2003-01-01

Fixed-base full task flight training simulator is a very critical and important integrated training facility. It is mostly used in training of integrated skills and tasks, such as running the flight program of manned space flight, dealing with faults, operating and controlling spacecraft flight, communicating information between spacecraft and ground. This simulator was made up of several subentries including spacecraft simulation, simulating cabin, sight image, acoustics, main controlling computer, instructor and assistant support. It has implemented many simulation functions, such as spacecraft environment, spacecraft movement, communicating information between spacecraft and ground, typical faults, manual control and operating training, training control, training monitor, training database management, training data recording, system detecting and so on.

The flights before the flight - An overview of shuttle astronaut training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sims, John T.; Sterling, Michael R.

1989-01-01

Space shuttle astronaut training is centered at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Each astronaut receives many different types of training from many sources. This training includes simulator training in the Shuttle Mission Simulator, in-flight simulator training in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, Extravehicular Activity training in the Weightless Environment Training Facility and a variety of lectures and briefings. Once the training program is completed each shuttle flight crew is well-prepared to perform the normal operations required for their flight and deal with any shuttle system malfunctions that might occur.

Advanced flight deck/crew station simulator functional requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, R. L.; Tate, J. L.; Moss, M. J.

1980-01-01

This report documents a study of flight deck/crew system research facility requirements for investigating issues involved with developing systems, and procedures for interfacing transport aircraft with air traffic control systems planned for 1985 to 2000. Crew system needs of NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and industry were investigated and reported. A matrix of these is included, as are recommended functional requirements and design criteria for simulation facilities in which to conduct this research. Methods of exploiting the commonality and similarity in facilities are identified, and plans for exploiting this in order to reduce implementation costs and allow efficient transfer of experiments from one facility to another are presented.

Expanded operational capabilities of the Langley Mach 7 Scramjet test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, S. R.; Guy, R. W.

1983-01-01

An experimental research program conducted to expand the operational capabilities of the NASA Langley Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility is described. Previous scramjet testing in this facility was limited to a single simulated flight condition of Mach 6.9 at an altitude of 115,300 ft. The arc heater research demonstrates the potential of the facility for scramjet testing at simulated flight conditions from Mach 4 (at altitudes from 77,000 to 114,000 ft) to Mach 7 (at latitudes from 108,000 to 149,000 ft). Arc heater electrical characteristics, operational problems, measurements of nitrogen oxide contaminants, and total-temperature profiles are discussed.

Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) Tour of MSFC Facilities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-22

Senator Doug Jones (D-AL.) and wife, Louise, tour Marshall Space Flight facilities. Steve Doering, manager, Stages Element, Space Launch System (SLS) program at MSFC, views the test stand 4693 where key SLS structural elements will be subjected to stress testing simulating space flight.

KSC-04PD-0003

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., checks the growth of radishes being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KSC-04PD-0002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., checks the roots of green onions being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

KSC-04PD-0001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sharon Edney, with Dynamac Corp., measures photosynthesis on Bibb lettuce being grown hydroponically for study in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

The F-18 simulator at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

The F-18 simulator at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Simulators offer a safe and economical alternative to actual flights to gather data, as well as being excellent facilities for pilot practice and training. The F-18 Hornet is used primarily as a safety chase and mission support aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. As support aircraft, the F-18's are used for safety chase, pilot proficiency, aerial photography and other mission support functions.

STS-26 simulation activities in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

In JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR), flight directors (FDs) Lee Briscoe (left) and Charles W. Shaw, seated at FD console, view front visual display monitors during STS-26 simulations in progress between MCC and JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5 fixed-base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS).

The determination of some requirements for a helicopter flight research simulation facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinacori, J. B.

1977-01-01

Important requirements were defined for a flight simulation facility to support Army helicopter development. In particular requirements associated with the visual and motion subsystems of the planned simulator were studied. The method used in the motion requirements study is presented together with the underlying assumptions and a description of the supporting data. Results are given in a form suitable for use in a preliminary design. Visual requirements associated with a television camera/model concept are related. The important parameters are described together with substantiating data and assumptions. Research recommendations are given.

STS-26 long duration simulation in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 long duration simulation is conducted in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR). Director of Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) Eugene F. Kranz (left) and Chief of the Flight Directors Office Tommy W. Holloway monitor activity during the simulation. The two are at their normal stations on the rear row of consoles. The integrated simulation involves MCC flight controllers communicating with crewmembers stationed in the fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

14 CFR 142.15 - Facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... adequate periods of time and at a location approved by the Administrator, adequate flight training equipment and courseware, including at least one flight simulator or advanced flight training device. [Doc... significant distractions caused by flight operations and maintenance operations at the airport. (b) An...

14 CFR 142.15 - Facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... adequate periods of time and at a location approved by the Administrator, adequate flight training equipment and courseware, including at least one flight simulator or advanced flight training device. [Doc... significant distractions caused by flight operations and maintenance operations at the airport. (b) An...

14 CFR 142.15 - Facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... adequate periods of time and at a location approved by the Administrator, adequate flight training equipment and courseware, including at least one flight simulator or advanced flight training device. [Doc... significant distractions caused by flight operations and maintenance operations at the airport. (b) An...

14 CFR 142.15 - Facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... adequate periods of time and at a location approved by the Administrator, adequate flight training equipment and courseware, including at least one flight simulator or advanced flight training device. [Doc... significant distractions caused by flight operations and maintenance operations at the airport. (b) An...

Justification for, and design of, an economical programmable multiple flight simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kreifeldt, J. G.; Wittenber, J.; Macdonald, G.

1981-01-01

The considered research interests in air traffic control (ATC) studies revolve about the concept of distributed ATC management based on the assumption that the pilot has a cockpit display of traffic and navigation information (CDTI) via CRT graphics. The basic premise is that a CDTI equipped pilot can, in coordination with a controller, manage a part of his local traffic situation thereby improving important aspects of ATC performance. A modularly designed programmable flight simulator system is prototyped as a means of providing an economical facility of up to eight simulators to interface with a mainframe/graphics system for ATC experimentation, particularly CDTI-distributed management in which pilot-pilot interaction can have a determining effect on system performance. Need for a multiman simulator facility is predicted on results from an earlier three simulator facility.

STS-27 Atlantis, OV-104, crewmembers on shuttle mission simulator flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1988-02-03

S88-27505 (3 Feb. 1988) --- Astronauts William M. Shepherd (standing) and Jerry L. Ross, both STS-27 mission specialists, get in some training time on the flight deck of the Shuttle Mission Simulator in the Jake Garn Mission Simulation and Training Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Photo credit: NASA

STS-26 simulation activities in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

In JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR), flight controller Granvil A. Pennington, leaning on console, listens to communications during the STS-26 integrated simulations in progress between MCC and JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5 fixed-base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS). MCC FCR visual displays are seen in background. Five veteran astronauts were in the FB-SMS rehearsing their roles for the scheduled June 1988 flight aboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103.

STS-29 Commander Coats in JSC fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

STS-29 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Commander Michael L. Coats sits at commanders station forward flight deck controls in JSC fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS). Coats, wearing communications kit assembly headset and flight coveralls, looks away from forward control panels to aft flight deck. Pilots station seat back appears in foreground. FB-SMS is located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

STS-26 Commander Hauck in fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Commander Frederick H. Hauck, wearing comunications kit assembly headset and seated in the commanders seat on forward flight deck, looks over his shoulder toward the aft flight deck. A flight data file (FDF) notebook rests on his lap. The STS-26 crew is training in the fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

Piloted evaluation of an integrated propulsion and flight control simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bright, Michelle M.; Simon, Donald L.

1992-01-01

A piloted evaluation of the integrated flight and propulsion control simulator for advanced integrated propulsion and airframe control design is described. The evaluation will cover control effector gains and deadbands, control effectiveness and control authority, and heads up display functionality. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using an advanced Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing fighter aircraft model, a simplified high-bypass turbofan engine model, fighter cockpit displays, and pilot effectors. The piloted tasks used for rating displays and control effector gains are described. Pilot comments and simulation results confirm that the display symbology and control gains are very adequate for the transition flight task. Additionally, it is demonstrated that this small-scale, fixed base flight simulator facility can adequately perform a real time, piloted control evaluation.

STS payloads mission control study. Volume 2-A, Task 1: Joint products and functions for preflight planning of flight operations, training and simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Specific products and functions, and associated facility availability, applicable to preflight planning of flight operations were studied. Training and simulation activities involving joint participation of STS and payload operations organizations, are defined. The prelaunch activities required to prepare for the payload flight operations are emphasized.

Status of NASA/Army rotorcraft research and development piloted flight simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Condon, Gregory W.; Gossett, Terrence D.

1988-01-01

The status of the major NASA/Army capabilities in piloted rotorcraft flight simulation is reviewed. The requirements for research and development piloted simulation are addressed as well as the capabilities and technologies that are currently available or are being developed by NASA and the Army at Ames. The application of revolutionary advances (in visual scene, electronic cockpits, motion, and modelling of interactive mission environments and/or vehicle systems) to the NASA/Army facilities are also addressed. Particular attention is devoted to the major advances made in integrating these individual capabilities into fully integrated simulation environment that were or are being applied to new rotorcraft mission requirements. The specific simulators discussed are the Vertical Motion Simulator and the Crew Station Research and Development Facility.

STS-26 crew on fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Commander Frederick H. Hauck (left) and Pilot Richard O. Covey review checklists in their respective stations on the foward flight deck. The STS-26 crew is training in the fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-12 - TRAINING (PRIOR) - MISSION SIMULATOR

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-09-06

S66-45579 (6 Sept. 1966) --- Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr. (right), prime crew command pilot of the Gemini-12 spaceflight, talks with Burton M. Gifford (left) and Duane K. Mosel (center), both with the Simulation Branch, Flight Crew Support Division. Lovell was preparing to undergo flight training in the Gemini Mission Simulator in Building 5, Mission Simulation and Training Facility. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-04PD-0005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Lanfang Levine, with Dynamac Corp., helps install new equipment for gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in the Space Life Sciences Lab. The equipment will enable analysis of volatile compounds, such as from plants. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

Piloted evaluation of an integrated propulsion and flight control simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bright, Michelle M.; Simon, Donald L.

1992-01-01

This paper describes a piloted evaluation of the integrated flight and propulsion control simulator at NASA Lewis Research Center. The purpose of this evaluation is to demonstrate the suitability and effectiveness of this fixed based simulator for advanced integrated propulsion and airframe control design. The evaluation will cover control effector gains and deadbands, control effectiveness and control authority, and heads up display functionality. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using an advanced Short Take-Off and vertical Landing fighter aircraft model, a simplified high-bypass turbofan engine model, fighter cockpit, displays, and pilot effectors. The paper describes the piloted tasks used for rating displays and control effector gains. Pilot comments and simulation results confirm that the display symbology and control gains are very adequate for the transition flight task. Additionally, it is demonstrated that this small-scale, fixed base flight simulator facility can adequately perform a real time, piloted control evaluation.

Improvements in flight table dynamic transparency for hardware-in-the-loop facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMore, Louis A.; Mackin, Rob; Swamp, Michael; Rusterholtz, Roger

2000-07-01

Flight tables are a 'necessary evil' in the Hardware-In-The- Loop (HWIL) simulation. Adding the actual or prototypic flight hardware to the loop, in order to increase the realism of the simulation, forces us to add motion simulation to the process. Flight table motion bases bring unwanted dynamics, non- linearities, transport delays, etc to an already difficult problem sometimes requiring the simulation engineer to compromise the results. We desire that the flight tables be 'dynamically transparent' to the simulation scenario. This paper presents a State Variable Feedback (SVF) control system architecture with feed-forward techniques that improves the flight table's dynamic transparency by significantly reducing the table's low frequency phase lag. We offer some actual results with existing flight tables that demonstrate the improved transparency. These results come from a demonstration conducted on a flight table in the KHILS laboratory at Eglin AFB and during a refurbishment of a flight table for the Boeing Company of St. Charles, Missouri.

Aeronautical facilities assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penaranda, F. E. (Compiler)

1985-01-01

A survey of the free world's aeronautical facilities was undertaken and an evaluation made on where the relative strengths and weaknesses exist. Special emphasis is given to NASA's own capabilities and needs. The types of facilities surveyed are: Wind Tunnels; Airbreathing Propulsion Facilities; and Flight Simulators

Langley test highlights, 1982

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

A 20 ft vertical spin tunnel, a 30 by 60 ft tunnel, a 7 by 10 ft high speed tunnel, a 4 by 7 meter tunnel, an 8 ft transonic pressure tunnel, a transonic dynamics tunnel, a 16 ft transonic tunnel, a national transonic facility, a 0.3 meter transonic cryogenic tunnel, a unitary plan wind tunnel, a hypersonic facilities complex, an 8 ft high temperature tunnel, an aircraft noise reduction lab, an avionics integration research lab, a DC9 full workload simulator, a transport simulator, a general aviation simulator, an advanced concepts simulator, a mission oriented terminal area simulation (MOTAS), a differential maneuvering simulator, a visual/motion simulator, a vehicle antenna test facility, an impact dynamics research facility, and a flight research facility are all reviewed.

International Space Station Internal Thermal Control System Lab Module Simulator Build-Up and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieland, Paul; Miller, Lee; Ibarra, Tom

2003-01-01

As part of the Sustaining Engineering program for the International Space Station (ISS), a ground simulator of the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) in the Lab Module was designed and built at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). To support prediction and troubleshooting, this facility is operationally and functionally similar to the flight system and flight-like components were used when available. Flight software algorithms, implemented using the LabVIEW(Registered Trademark) programming language, were used for monitoring performance and controlling operation. Validation testing of the low temperature loop was completed prior to activation of the Lab module in 2001. Assembly of the moderate temperature loop was completed in 2002 and validated in 2003. The facility has been used to address flight issues with the ITCS, successfully demonstrating the ability to add silver biocide and to adjust the pH of the coolant. Upon validation of the entire facility, it will be capable not only of checking procedures, but also of evaluating payload timelining, operational modifications, physical modifications, and other aspects affecting the thermal control system.

Rapid Ascent Simulation at NASA-MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sisco, Jimmy D.

2004-01-01

The Environmental Test Facility (ETF), located at NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, has provided thermal vacuum testing for several major programs since the 1960's. The ETF consists of over 13 thermal vacuum chambers sized and configured to handle the majority of test payloads. The majority of tests require a hard vacuum with heating and cryogenics. NASA's Return-to-Flight program requested testing to simulate a launch from the ground to flight using vacuum, heating and cryogenics. This paper describes an effective method for simulating a launch.

Man-vehicle systems research facility advanced aircraft flight simulator throttle mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurasaki, S. S.; Vallotton, W. C.

1985-01-01

The Advanced Aircraft Flight Simulator is equipped with a motorized mechanism that simulates a two engine throttle control system that can be operated via a computer driven performance management system or manually by the pilots. The throttle control system incorporates features to simulate normal engine operations and thrust reverse and vary the force feel to meet a variety of research needs. While additional testing to integrate the work required is principally now in software design, since the mechanical aspects function correctly. The mechanism is an important part of the flight control system and provides the capability to conduct human factors research of flight crews with advanced aircraft systems under various flight conditions such as go arounds, coupled instrument flight rule approaches, normal and ground operations and emergencies that would or would not normally be experienced in actual flight.

KSC-04PD-0007

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, Jan Bauer, with Dynamac Corp., places samples of onion tissue in the elemental analyzer, which analyzes for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The 100,000 square-foot SLS houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

The free jet as a simulator of forward velocity effects on jet noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, K. K.; Tester, B. J.; Tanna, H. K.

1978-01-01

A thorough theoretical and experimental study of the effects of the free-jet shear layer on the transmission of sound from a model jet placed within the free jet to the far-field receiver located outside the free-jet flow was conducted. The validity and accuracy of the free-jet flight simulation technique for forward velocity effects on jet noise was evaluated. Transformation charts and a systematic computational procedure for converting measurements from a free-jet simulation to the corresponding results from a wind-tunnel simulation, and, finally, to the flight case were provided. The effects of simulated forward flight on jet mixing noise, internal noise and shock-associated noise from model-scale unheated and heated jets were established experimentally in a free-jet facility. It was illustrated that the existing anomalies between full-scale flight data and model-scale flight simulation data projected to the flight case, could well be due to the contamination of flight data by engine internal noise.

Development and validation of the crew-station system-integration research facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nedell, B.; Hardy, G.; Lichtenstein, T.; Leong, G.; Thompson, D.

1986-01-01

The various issues associated with the use of integrated flight management systems in aircraft were discussed. To address these issues a fixed base integrated flight research (IFR) simulation of a helicopter was developed to support experiments that contribute to the understanding of design criteria for rotorcraft cockpits incorporating advanced integrated flight management systems. A validation experiment was conducted that demonstrates the main features of the facility and the capability to conduct crew/system integration research.

Challenges in the 1990's for astronaut training simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Patrick M.; Hajare, Ankur R.; Stark, George E.

1990-01-01

New challenges for the simulation community at the Johnson Space Center both in near and long terms are considered. In the near term, the challenges of supporting an increasing flight rate, maintaining operations while replacing obsolete subsystems, and incorporating forthcoming changes to the Space Shuttle are discussed, and focus is placed on a change of forward flight-deck instruments from electro-mechanical devices to electronic displays. Training astronauts for complex concurrent missions involving multiple spacecraft and geographically dispersed ground facilities is considered to be foremost of the long-term challenges, in addition to the tasks of improving the simulator reliability and the operational efficiency of the facilities.

Feasibility Study of SSTO Base Heating Simulation in Pulsed-Type Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Chung Sik; Sharma, Surendra; Edwards, Thomas A. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

A laboratory simulation of the base heating environment of the proposed reusable Single-Stage-To-Orbit vehicle during its ascent flight was proposed. The rocket engine produces CO2 and H2, which are the main combustible components of the exhaust effluent. The burning of these species, known as afterburning, enhances the base region gas temperature as well as the base heating. To determine the heat flux on the SSTO vehicle, current simulation focuses on the thermochemistry of the afterburning, thermophysical properties of the base region gas, and ensuing radiation from the gas. By extrapolating from the Saturn flight data, the Damkohler number for the afterburning of SSTO vehicle is estimated to be of the order of 10. The limitations on the material strengths limit the laboratory simulation of the flight Damkohler number as well as other flow parameters. A plan is presented in impulse facilities using miniature rocket engines which generate the simulated rocket plume by electric ally-heating a H2/CO2 mixture.

STS-26 crew trains in JSC fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, mission specialists pose on aft flight deck in fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. Left to right, Mission Specialist (MS) John M. Lounge, MS George D. Nelson, and MS David C. Hilmers await start of FB-SMS simulation. The long simulation, part of the training for their anticipated June 1988 flight, began 10-20-87.

STS-44 Atlantis, OV-104, Pilot Henricks in FB-SMS training at JSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-44 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Pilot Terence T. Henricks, seated at the pilots station on the forward flight deck, reviews checklists before a flight simulation in the Fixed Base (FB) Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) located in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. Surrounding Henricks are the seat back, the overhead panels, forward panels, and forward windows.

A piloted simulation study of data link ATC message exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Marvin C.; Lohr, Gary W.

1989-01-01

Data link Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Air Traffic Service (ATS) message and data exchange offers the potential benefits of increased flight safety and efficiency by reducing communication errors and allowing more information to be transferred between aircraft and ground facilities. Digital communication also presents an opportunity to relieve the overloading of ATC radio frequencies which hampers message exchange during peak traffic hours in many busy terminal areas. A piloted simulation study to develop pilot factor guidelines and assess potential flight crew benefits and liabilities from using data link ATC message exchange was completed. The data link ATC message exchange concept, implemented on an existing navigation computer Control Display Unit (CDU) required maintaining a voice radio telephone link with an appropriate ATC facility. Flight crew comments, scanning behavior, and measurements of time spent in ATC communication activities for data link ATC message exchange were compared to similar measures for simulated conventional voice radio operations. The results show crew preference for the quieter flight deck environment and a perception of lower communication workload.

STS-31 crewmembers during simulation on the flight deck of JSC's FB-SMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

On the flight deck of JSC's fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS), Mission Specialist (MS) Steven A. Hawley (left), on aft flight deck, looks over the shoulders of Commander Loren J. Shriver, seated at the commanders station (left) and Pilot Charles F. Bolden, seated at the pilots station and partially blocked by the seat's headrest (right). The three astronauts recently named to the STS-31 mission aboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, go through a procedures checkout in the FB-SMS. The training simulation took place in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

Construction of the Propulsion Systems Laboratory No. 1 and 2

NASA Image and Video Library

1951-01-21

Construction of the Propulsion Systems Laboratory No. 1 and 2 at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. When it began operation in late 1952, the Propulsion Systems Laboratory was the NACA’s most powerful facility for testing full-scale engines at simulated flight altitudes. The facility contained two altitude simulating test chambers which were a technological combination of the static sea-level test stands and the complex Altitude Wind Tunnel, which recreated actual flight conditions on a larger scale. NACA Lewis began designing the new facility in 1947 as part of a comprehensive plan to improve the altitude testing capabilities across the lab. The exhaust, refrigeration, and combustion air systems from all the major test facilities were linked. In this way, different facilities could be used to complement the capabilities of one another. Propulsion Systems Laboratory construction began in late summer 1949 with the installation of an overhead exhaust pipe connecting the facility to the Altitude Wind Tunnel and Engine Research Building. The large test section pieces arriving in early 1951, when this photograph was taken. The two primary coolers for the altitude exhaust are in place within the framework near the center of the photograph.

KSC-04PD-0006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences Lab, Lanfang Levine, with Dynamac Corp., transfers material into a sample bottle for analysis. She is standing in front of new equipment in the lab that will provide gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The equipment will enable analysis of volatile compounds, such as from plants. The 100,000 square-foot facility houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

3. WIDE ANGLE OF NEUTRAL BUOYANCY SIMULATOR (NBS) FROM WITHIN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. WIDE ANGLE OF NEUTRAL BUOYANCY SIMULATOR (NBS) FROM WITHIN NBS HIGHBAY DOORS. DIVE BELL IN FOREGROUND. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Test and Analysis Capabilities of the Space Environment Effects Team at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finckenor, M. M.; Edwards, D. L.; Vaughn, J. A.; Schneider, T. A.; Hovater, M. A.; Hoppe, D. T.

2002-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed world-class space environmental effects testing facilities to simulate the space environment. The combined environmental effects test system exposes temperature-controlled samples to simultaneous protons, high- and low-energy electrons, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation, and near-ultraviolet (NUV) radiation. Separate chambers for studying the effects of NUV and VUV at elevated temperatures are also available. The Atomic Oxygen Beam Facility exposes samples to atomic oxygen of 5 eV energy to simulate low-Earth orbit (LEO). The LEO space plasma simulators are used to study current collection to biased spacecraft surfaces, arcing from insulators and electrical conductivity of materials. Plasma propulsion techniques are analyzed using the Marshall magnetic mirror system. The micro light gas gun simulates micrometeoroid and space debris impacts. Candidate materials and hardware for spacecraft can be evaluated for durability in the space environment with a variety of analytical techniques. Mass, solar absorptance, infrared emittance, transmission, reflectance, bidirectional reflectance distribution function, and surface morphology characterization can be performed. The data from the space environmental effects testing facilities, combined with analytical results from flight experiments, enable the Environmental Effects Group to determine optimum materials for use on spacecraft.

Ground testing and simulation. II - Aerodynamic testing and simulation: Saving lives, time, and money

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dayman, B., Jr.; Fiore, A. W.

1974-01-01

The present work discusses in general terms the various kinds of ground facilities, in particular, wind tunnels, which support aerodynamic testing. Since not all flight parameters can be simulated simultaneously, an important problem consists in matching parameters. It is pointed out that there is a lack of wind tunnels for a complete Reynolds-number simulation. Using a computer to simulate flow fields can result in considerable reduction of wind-tunnel hours required to develop a given flight vehicle.

STS-30 crewmembers train on JSC shuttle mission simulator (SMS) flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Wearing headsets, Mission Specialist (MS) Mark C. Lee (left), MS Mary L. Cleave (center), and MS Norman E. Thagard pose on aft flight deck in JSC's fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS). In background, Commander David M. Walker and Pilot Ronald J. Grabe check data on forward flight deck CRT monitors. FB-SMS is located in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. Crewmembers are scheduled to fly aboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, in April 1989 for NASA mission STS-30.

STS-26 crew trains in JSC fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Commander Frederick H. Hauck (left) and Pilot Richard O. Covey train in JSC fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in the Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. On FB-SMS flight deck, Hauck and Covey man their respective stations. Mission Specialist (MS) David C. Hilmers is partially visible in the foreground. A simulation for their anticipated June 1988 flight began 10-20-87.

F-18 simulation with Simulation Group Lead Martha Evans at the controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Simulation Group Leader Martha Evans is seen here at the controls of the F-18 aircraft simulator at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Simulators offer a safe and economical alternative to actual flights to gather data, as well as being excellent facilities for pilot practice and training. The highly modified F-18 airplane flew 383 flights over a nine year period and demonstrated concepts that greatly increase fighter maneuverability. Among concepts proven in the aircraft is the use of paddles to direct jet engine exhaust in cases of extreme altitudes where conventional control surfaces lose effectiveness. Another concept, developed by NASA Langley Research Center, is a deployable wing-like surface installed on the nose of the aircraft for increased right and left (yaw) control on nose-high flight angles.

Advanced Simulation in Undergraduate Pilot Training (ASUPT) Facility Utilization Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagin, William V.; Smith, James F.

The capabilities of a flight simulation research facility located at Williams AFB, Arizona are described. Research philosophy to be applied is discussed. Long range and short range objectives are identified. A time phased plan for long range research accomplishment is described. In addition, some examples of near term research efforts which will…

The design and implementation of CRT displays in the TCV real-time simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leavitt, J. B.; Tariq, S. I.; Steinmetz, G. G.

1975-01-01

The design and application of computer graphics to the Terminal Configured Vehicle (TCV) program were described. A Boeing 737-100 series aircraft was modified with a second flight deck and several computers installed in the passenger cabin. One of the elements in support of the TCV program is a sophisticated simulation system developed to duplicate the operation of the aft flight deck. This facility consists of an aft flight deck simulator, equipped with realistic flight instrumentation, a CDC 6600 computer, and an Adage graphics terminal; this terminal presents to the simulator pilot displays similar to those used on the aircraft with equivalent man-machine interactions. These two displays form the primary flight instrumentation for the pilot and are dynamic images depicting critical flight information. The graphics terminal is a high speed interactive refresh-type graphics system. To support the cockpit display, two remote CRT's were wired in parallel with two of the Adage scopes.

KSC-04PD-0008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, Jan Bauer, with Dynamac Corp., weighs samples of onion tissue for processing in the elemental analyzer behind it. The equipment analyzes for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The 100,000 square-foot SLS houses labs for NASAs ongoing research efforts, microbiology/microbial ecology studies and analytical chemistry labs. Also calling the new lab home are facilities for space flight-experiment and flight-hardware development, new plant growth chambers, and an Orbiter Environment Simulator that will be used to conduct ground control experiments in simulated flight conditions for space flight experiments. The SLS Lab, formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory or SERPL, provides space for NASAs Life Sciences Services contractor Dynamac Corporation, Bionetics Corporation, and researchers from the University of Florida. NASAs Office of Biological and Physical Research will use the facility for processing life sciences experiments that will be conducted on the International Space Station. The SLS Lab is the magnet facility for the International Space Research Park at KSC being developed in partnership with Florida Space Authority.

Practical Application of a Subscale Transport Aircraft for Flight Research in Control Upset and Failure Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, Kevin; Foster, John V.; Morelli, Eugene A.; Murch, Austin M.

2008-01-01

Over the past decade, the goal of reducing the fatal accident rate of large transport aircraft has resulted in research aimed at the problem of aircraft loss-of-control. Starting in 1999, the NASA Aviation Safety Program initiated research that included vehicle dynamics modeling, system health monitoring, and reconfigurable control systems focused on flight regimes beyond the normal flight envelope. In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on adaptive control technologies for recovery from control upsets or failures including damage scenarios. As part of these efforts, NASA has developed the Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) flight facility to allow flight research and validation, and system testing for flight regimes that are considered too risky for full-scale manned transport airplane testing. The AirSTAR facility utilizes dynamically-scaled vehicles that enable the application of subscale flight test results to full scale vehicles. This paper describes the modeling and simulation approach used for AirSTAR vehicles that supports the goals of efficient, low-cost and safe flight research in abnormal flight conditions. Modeling of aerodynamics, controls, and propulsion will be discussed as well as the application of simulation to flight control system development, test planning, risk mitigation, and flight research.

Integration Process for Payloads in the Fluids and Combustion Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Free, James M.; Nall, Marsha M.

2001-01-01

The Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) is an ISS research facility located in the United States Laboratory (US Lab), Destiny. The FCF is a multi-discipline facility that performs microgravity research primarily in fluids physics science and combustion science. This facility remains on-orbit and provides accommodations to multi-user and Principal investigator (PI) unique hardware. The FCF is designed to accommodate 15 PI's per year. In order to allow for this number of payloads per year, the FCF has developed an end-to-end analytical and physical integration process. The process includes provision of integration tools, products and interface management throughout the life of the payload. The payload is provided with a single point of contact from the facility and works with that interface from PI selection through post flight processing. The process utilizes electronic tools for creation of interface documents/agreements, storage of payload data and rollup for facility submittals to ISS. Additionally, the process provides integration to and testing with flight-like simulators prior to payload delivery to KSC. These simulators allow the payload to test in the flight configuration and perform final facility interface and science verifications. The process also provides for support to the payload from the FCF through the Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP). Finally, the process includes support in the development of operational products and the operation of the payload on-orbit.

Realistic Development and Testing of Fission System at a Non-Nuclear Testing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Godfroy, Tom; VanDyke, Melissa; Dickens, Ricky; Pedersen, Kevin; Lenard, Roger; Houts, Mike

2000-01-01

The use of resistance heaters to simulate heat from fission allows extensive development of fission systems to be performed in non-nuclear test facilities, saving time and money. Resistance heated tests on a module has been performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in the Propellant Energy Source Testbed (PEST). This paper discusses the experimental facilities and equipment used for performing resistance heated tests. Recommendations are made for improving non-nuclear test facilities and equipment for simulated testing of nuclear systems.

Realistic development and testing of fission systems at a non-nuclear testing facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godfroy, Tom; van Dyke, Melissa; Dickens, Ricky; Pedersen, Kevin; Lenard, Roger; Houts, Mike

2000-01-01

The use of resistance heaters to simulate heat from fission allows extensive development of fission systems to be performed in non-nuclear test facilities, saving time and money. Resistance heated tests on a module has been performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in the Propellant Energy Source Testbed (PEST). This paper discusses the experimental facilities and equipment used for performing resistance heated tests. Recommendations are made for improving non-nuclear test facilities and equipment for simulated testing of nuclear systems. .

Experimental Supersonic Combustion Research at NASA Langley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, R. Clayton; Capriotti, Diego P.; Guy, R. Wayne

1998-01-01

Experimental supersonic combustion research related to hypersonic airbreathing propulsion has been actively underway at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) since the mid-1960's. This research involved experimental investigations of fuel injection, mixing, and combustion in supersonic flows and numerous tests of scramjet engine flowpaths in LaRC test facilities simulating flight from Mach 4 to 8. Out of this research effort has come scramjet combustor design methodologies, ground test techniques, and data analysis procedures. These technologies have progressed steadily in support of the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) program and the current Hyper-X flight demonstration program. During NASP nearly 2500 tests of 15 scramjet engine models were conducted in LaRC facilities. In addition, research supporting the engine flowpath design investigated ways to enhance mixing, improve and apply nonintrusive diagnostics, and address facility operation. Tests of scramjet combustor operation at conditions simulating hypersonic flight at Mach numbers up to 17 also have been performed in an expansion tube pulse facility. This paper presents a review of the LaRC experimental supersonic combustion research efforts since the late 1980's, during the NASP program, and into the Hyper-X Program.

The Utilization of Flight Simulation for Research and Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Totah, Joseph J.; Snyder, C. Thomas (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The objective of this paper is to review the conventional uses of flight simulation at NASA Ames Research Center for research and development, and to also consider the many new areas that have embraced flight simulation as an effective and economic research tool. Flight simulators have always been a very useful and economic research tool. Component technologies have evolved considerably to meet demands imposed by the aerospace community. In fact, the utilization of flight simulators for research and development has become so widely accepted that non-traditional uses have evolved. Whereas flight dynamics and control, guidance and navigation, vehicle design, mission assessment, and training have been, and perhaps always will be, the most popular research areas associated with simulation, many new areas under the broad categories of human factors and information science have realized significant benefits from the use of flight simulators for research and development. This paper will survey the simulation facilities at NASA Ames Research Center, and discuss selected topics associated with research programs, simulation experiments, and related technology development activities for the purpose of highlighting the expanding role of simulation in aerospace research and development. The information in this paper will in no way provide foreign companies with a competitive advantage over U. S. industry.

Development of a Flight Simulation Data Visualization Workstation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, Joseph A.; Chen, Ronnie; Kenney, Patrick S.; Koval, Christopher M.; Hutchinson, Brian K.

1996-01-01

Today's moderm flight simulation research produces vast amounts of time sensitive data. The meaning of this data can be difficult to assess while in its raw format . Therefore, a method of breaking the data down and presenting it to the user in a graphical format is necessary. Simulation Graphics (SimGraph) is intended as a data visualization software package that will incorporate simulation data into a variety of animated graphical displays for easy interpretation by the simulation researcher. Although it was created for the flight simulation facilities at NASA Langley Research Center, SimGraph can be reconfigured to almost any data visualization environment. This paper traces the design, development and implementation of the SimGraph program, and is intended to be a programmer's reference guide.

14. NBS REMOTE MANIPULATOR SIMULATOR (RMS) CONTROL ROOM. THE RMS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. NBS REMOTE MANIPULATOR SIMULATOR (RMS) CONTROL ROOM. THE RMS CONTROL PANEL IS IDENTICAL TO THE SHUTTLE ORBITER AFT FLIGHT DECK WITH ALL RMS SWITCHES AND CONTROL KNOBS FOR INVOKING ANY POSSIBLE FLIGHT OPERATIONAL MODE. THIS INCLUDES ALL COMPUTER AIDED OPERATIONAL MODES, AS WELL AS FULL MANUAL MODE. THE MONITORS IN THE AFT FLIGHT DECK WINDOWS AND THE GLASSES THE OPERATOR WEARS PROVIDE A 3-D VIDEO PICTURE TO AID THE OPERATOR WITH DEPTH PERCEPTION WHILE OPERATING THE ARM. THIS IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE RMS OPERATOR CANNOT VIEW RMS MOVEMENTS IN THE WATER WHILE AT THE CONTROL PANEL. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

STS-36 Commander Creighton and Pilot Casper on flight deck during JSC training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

In their forward flight deck stations, STS-36 Commander John O. Creighton and Pilot John H. Casper discuss procedures prior to participating in JSC Fixed Based (FB) Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) exercises in the Shuttle Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. Creighton (left) sits in front of the commanders station controls and Casper (right) in front of the pilots station controls. Checklists are posted in various positions on the forward control panels as the crewmembers prepare for the FB-SMS simulation and their Department of Defense (DOD) flight aboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104.

STS-44 Atlantis, OV-104, crewmembers participate in JSC FB-SMS training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-44 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Commander Frederick D. Gregory and Pilot Terence T. Henricks are stationed at their appointed positions on the forward flight deck of the Fixed Base (FB) Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. Gregory (left) in the commanders seat and Henricks (right) in the pilots seat look back toward aft flight deck and the photographer. Seat backs appear in the foreground and forward flight deck control panels in the background.

STS-26 long duration simulation in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 long duration simulation is conducted in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR). CBS television camera personnel record MCC activities at Spacecraft Communicator (CAPCOM) and Flight Activities Officer (FAO) (foreground) consoles for '48 Hours' program to be broadcast at a later date. The integrated simulation involved communicating with crewmembers stationed in the fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. MCC FCR visual displays are seen in front of the rows of consoles.

A MATLAB/Simulink based GUI for the CERES Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valencia, Luis H.

1995-01-01

The Clouds and The Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) simulator will allow flight operational familiarity with the CERES instrument prior to launch. It will provide a CERES instrument simulation facility for NASA Langley Research Center. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and TRW. One of the objectives of building this simulator would be for use as a testbed for functionality checking of atypical memory uploads and for anomaly investigation. For instance, instrument malfunction due to memory damage requires troubleshooting on a simulator to determine the nature of the problem and to find a solution.

1. NEUTRAL BUOYANCY SIMULATOR BUILDING (NBS) EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING NORTH; ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. NEUTRAL BUOYANCY SIMULATOR BUILDING (NBS) EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING NORTH; TANK BUILDING TO LEFT, CONTROL ROOM ETC. TO RIGHT OF CONNECTING BAY. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Mathematical Model Development and Simulation Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francis, Ronald C.; Tobbe, Patrick A.

2000-01-01

This report summarizes the work performed in support of the Contact Dynamics 6DOF Facility and the Flight Robotics Lab at NASA/ MSFC in the areas of Mathematical Model Development and Simulation Support.

STS-26 Commander Hauck in fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Commander Frederick H. Hauck, wearing comunications kit assembly headset, checks control panel data while seated in the commanders seat on forward flight deck. A flight data file (FDF) notebook rests on his lap. A portable computer (laptop) is positioned on the center console. The STS-26 crew is training in the fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

A comparison of ground-based and space flight data: Atomic oxygen reactions with boron nitride and silicon nitride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, J. B.; Lan, E. H.; Smith, C. A.; Whatley, W. J.; Koontz, S. L.

1990-01-01

The effects of atomic oxygen on boron nitride (BN) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) have been studied in low Earth orbit (LEO) flight experiments and in a ground-based simulation facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Both the in-flight and ground-based experiments employed the materials coated over thin (approx 250 Angstrom) silver films whose electrical resistance was measured in situ to detect penetration of atomic oxygen through the BN and Si3N4 materials. In the presence of atomic oxygen, silver oxidizes to form silver oxide, which has a much higher electrical resistance than pure silver. Permeation of atomic oxygen through BN, as indicated by an increase in the electrical resistance of the silver underneath, was observed in both the in-flight and ground-based experiments. In contrast, no permeation of atomic oxygen through Si3N4 was observed in either the in-flight or ground-based experiments. The ground-based results show good qualitative correlation with the LEO flight results, thus validating the simulation fidelity of the ground-based facility in terms of reproducing LEO flight results.

Ames Research Center life sciences payload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, P. X.; Tremor, J. W.

1982-01-01

In response to a recognized need for an in-flight animal housing facility to support Spacelab life sciences investigators, a rack and system compatible Research Animal Holding Facility (RAHF) has been developed. A series of ground tests is planned to insure its satisfactory performance under certain simulated conditions of flight exposure and use. However, even under the best conditions of simulation, confidence gained in ground testing will not approach that resulting from actual spaceflight operation. The Spacelab Mission 3 provides an opportunity to perform an inflight Verification Test (VT) of the RAHF. Lessons learned from the RAHF-VT and baseline performance data will be invaluable in preparation for subsequent dedicated life sciences missions.

Planetary and Space Simulation Facilities (PSI) at DLR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panitz, Corinna; Rabbow, E.; Rettberg, P.; Kloss, M.; Reitz, G.; Horneck, G.

2010-05-01

The Planetary and Space Simulation facilities at DLR offer the possibility to expose biological and physical samples individually or integrated into space hardware to defined and controlled space conditions like ultra high vacuum, low temperature and extraterrestrial UV radiation. An x-ray facility stands for the simulation of the ionizing component at the disposal. All of the simulation facilities are required for the preparation of space experiments: - for testing of the newly developed space hardware - for investigating the effect of different space parameters on biological systems as a preparation for the flight experiment - for performing the 'Experiment Verification Tests' (EVT) for the specification of the test parameters - and 'Experiment Sequence Tests' (EST) by simulating sample assemblies, exposure to selected space parameters, and sample disassembly. To test the compatibility of the different biological and chemical systems and their adaptation to the opportunities and constraints of space conditions a profound ground support program has been developed among many others for the ESA facilities of the ongoing missions EXPOSE-R and EXPOSE-E on board of the International Space Station ISS . Several experiment verification tests EVTs and an experiment sequence test EST have been conducted in the carefully equipped and monitored planetary and space simulation facilities PSI of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at DLR in Cologne, Germany. These ground based pre-flight studies allowed the investigation of a much wider variety of samples and the selection of the most promising organisms for the flight experiment. EXPOSE-E had been attached to the outer balcony of the European Columbus module of the ISS in February 2008 and stayed for 1,5 years in space; EXPOSE-R has been attached to the Russian Svezda module of the ISS in spring 2009 and mission duration will be approx. 1,5 years. The missions will give new insights into the survivability of terrestrial organisms in space and will contribute to the understanding of the organic chemistry processes in space, the biological adaptation strategies to extreme conditions, e.g. on early Earth and Mars, and the distribution of life beyond its planet of origin The results gained during the simulation experiments demonstrated mission preparation as a basic requirement for successful and significant results of every space flight experiment. Hence, the Mission preparation program that was performed in the context of the space missions EXPOSE-E and EXPOSE-R proofed the outstanding importance and accentuated need for ground based experiments before and during a space mission. The facilities are also necessary for the performance of the ground control experiment during the mission, the so-called Mission Simulation Test (MST) under simulated space conditions, by parallel exposure of samples to simulated space parameters according to flight data received by telemetry. Finally the facilities also provide the possibility to simulate the surface and climate conditions of the planet Mars. In this way they offer the possibility to investigate under simulated Mars conditions the chances for development of life on Mars and to gain previous knowledge for the search for life on today's Mars and in this context especially the parameters for a manned mission to Mars. References [1] Rabbow E, Rettberg P, Panitz C, Drescher J, Horneck G, Reitz G (2005) SSIOUX - Space Simulation for Investigating Organics, Evolution and Exobiology, Adv. Space Res. 36 (2) 297-302, doi:10.1016/j.asr.2005.08.040Aman, A. and Bman, B. (1997) JGR, 90,1151-1154. [2] Fekete A, Modos K, Hegedüs M, Kovacs G, Ronto Gy, Peter A, Lammer H, Panitz C (2005) DNA Damage under simulated extraterrestrial conditions in bacteriophage T7 Adv. Space Res. 305-310Aman, A. et al. (1997) Meteoritics & Planet. Sci., 32,A74. [3] Cockell Ch, Schuerger AC, Billi D., Friedmann EI, Panitz C (2005) Effects of a Simulated Martian UV Flux on the Cyanobacterium, Chroococcidiopsis sp. 029, Astrobiology, 5/2 127-140Aman, A. (1996) LPS XXVII, 1344-1 [4] de la Torre Noetzel, R.; Sancho, L.G.; Pintado,A.; Rettberg, Petra; Rabbow, Elke; Panitz,Corinna; Deutschmann, U.; Reina, M.; Horneck, Gerda (2007): BIOPAN experiment LICHENS on the Foton M2 mission Pre-flight verification tests of the Rhizocarpon geographicum-granite ecosystem. COSPAR [Hrsg.]: Advances in Space Research, 40, Elsevier, S. 1665 - 1671, DOI 10.1016/j.asr.2007.02.022

A Standard Kinematic Model for Flight Simulation at NASA Ames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcfarland, R. E.

1975-01-01

A standard kinematic model for aircraft simulation exists at NASA-Ames on a variety of computer systems, one of which is used to control the flight simulator for advanced aircraft (FSAA). The derivation of the kinematic model is given and various mathematical relationships are presented as a guide. These include descriptions of standardized simulation subsystems such as the atmospheric turbulence model and the generalized six-degrees-of-freedom trim routine, as well as an introduction to the emulative batch-processing system which enables this facility to optimize its real-time environment.

Atomic oxygen interaction with spacecraft materials: Relationship between orbital and ground-based testing for materials certification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, Jon B.; Koontz, Steven L.; Lan, Esther H.

1993-01-01

The effects of atomic oxygen on boron nitride (BN), silicon nitride (Si3N4), Intelsat 6 solar cell interconnects, organic polymers, and MoS2 and WS2 dry lubricant, were studied in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) flight experiments and in a ground based simulation facility. Both the inflight and ground based experiments employed in situ electrical resistance measurements to detect penetration of atomic oxygen through materials and Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) analysis to measure chemical composition changes. Results are given. The ground based results on the materials studied to date show good qualitative correlation with the LEO flight results, thus validating the simulation fidelity of the ground based facility in terms of reproducing LEO flight results. In addition it was demonstrated that ground based simulation is capable of performing more detailed experiments than orbital exposures can presently perform. This allows the development of a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms involved in the LEO environment degradation of materials.

STS-44 Atlantis, OV-104, crewmembers participate in FB-SMS training at JSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-44 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Commander Frederick D. Gregory (left) and Pilot Terence T. Henricks, positioned at their appointed stations on the forward flight deck, are joined by Mission Specialist (MS) F. Story Musgrave (center) and MS James S. Voss (standing). The crewmembers are participating in a flight simulation in the Fixed Base (FB) Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) located in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. A maze of panel switches appear overhead and in the background.

STS-44 Atlantis, OV-104, crewmembers participate in FB-SMS training at JSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-44 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Commander Frederick D. Gregory (left) and Pilot Terence T. Henricks (right), positioned at their appointed stations on the forward flight deck, are joined by Mission Specialist (MS) F. Story Musgrave (center). The crewmembers are participating in a flight simulation in the Fixed Base (FB) Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) located in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. Gregory in the commanders seat, Musgrave sitting on center console, and Henricks in the pilots seat look back toward the aft flight deck and the photographer. Seat backs appear in the foreground and forward control panels in the background.

An inventory of aeronautical ground research facilities. Volume 2: Air breathing engine test facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pirrello, C. J.; Hardin, R. D.; Heckart, M. V.; Brown, K. R.

1971-01-01

The inventory covers free jet and direct connect altitude cells, sea level static thrust stands, sea level test cells with ram air, and propulsion wind tunnels. Free jet altitude cells and propulsion wind tunnels are used for evaluation of complete inlet-engine-exhaust nozzle propulsion systems under simulated flight conditions. These facilities are similar in principal of operation and differ primarily in test section concept. The propulsion wind tunnel provides a closed test section and restrains the flow around the test specimen while the free jet is allowed to expand freely. A chamber of large diameter about the free jet is provided in which desired operating pressure levels may be maintained. Sea level test cells with ram air provide controlled, conditioned air directly to the engine face for performance evaluation at low altitude flight conditions. Direct connect altitude cells provide a means of performance evaluation at simulated conditions of Mach number and altitude with air supplied to the flight altitude conditions. Sea level static thrust stands simply provide an instrumented engine mounting for measuring thrust at zero airspeed. While all of these facilities are used for integrated engine testing, a few provide engine component test capability.

Measures for simulator evaluation of a helicopter obstacle avoidance system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demaio, Joe; Sharkey, Thomas J.; Kennedy, David; Hughes, Micheal; Meade, Perry

1993-01-01

The U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (AFDD) has developed a high-fidelity, full-mission simulation facility for the demonstration and evaluation of advanced helicopter mission equipment. The Crew Station Research and Development Facility (CSRDF) provides the capability to conduct one- or two-crew full-mission simulations in a state-of-the-art helicopter simulator. The CSRDF provides a realistic, full field-of-regard visual environment with simulation of state-of-the-art weapons, sensors, and flight control systems. We are using the CSRDF to evaluate the ability of an obstacle avoidance system (OASYS) to support low altitude flight in cluttered terrain using night vision goggles (NVG). The OASYS uses a laser radar to locate obstacles to safe flight in the aircraft's flight path. A major concern is the detection of wires, which can be difficult to see with NVG, but other obstacles--such as trees, poles or the ground--are also a concern. The OASYS symbology is presented to the pilot on a head-up display mounted on the NVG (NVG-HUD). The NVG-HUD presents head-stabilized symbology to the pilot while allowing him to view the image intensified, out-the-window scene through the HUD. Since interference with viewing through the display is a major concern, OASYS symbology must be designed to present usable obstacle clearance information with a minimum of clutter.

Accomplishments of the Advanced Reusable Technologies (ART) RBCC Project at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Karl W.; McArthur, J. Craig (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The focus of the NASA / Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Advanced Reusable Technologies (ART) project is to advance and develop Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle (RBCC) technologies. The ART project began in 1996 as part of the Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP). The project is composed of several activities including RBCC engine ground testing, tool development, vehicle / mission studies, and component testing / development. The major contractors involved in the ART project are Aerojet and Rocketdyne. A large database of RBCC ground test data was generated for the air-augmented rocket (AAR), ramjet, scramjet, and ascent rocket modes of operation for both the Aerojet and Rocketdyne concepts. Transition between consecutive modes was also demonstrated as well as trajectory simulation. The Rocketdyne freejet tests were conducted at GASL in the Flight Acceleration Simulation Test (FAST) facility. During a single test, the FAST facility is capable of simulating both the enthalpy and aerodynamic conditions over a range of Mach numbers in a flight trajectory. Aerojet performed freejet testing in the Pebble Bed facility at GASL as well as direct-connect testing at GASL. Aerojet also performed sea-level static (SLS) testing at the Aerojet A-Zone facility in Sacramento, CA. Several flight-type flowpath components were developed under the ART project. Aerojet designed and fabricated ceramic scramjet injectors. The structural design of the injectors will be tested in a simulated scramjet environment where thermal effects and performance will be assessed. Rocketdyne will be replacing the cooled combustor in the A5 rig with a flight-weight combustor that is near completion. Aerojet's formed duct panel is currently being fabricated and will be tested in the SLS rig in Aerojet's A-Zone facility. Aerojet has already successfully tested a cooled cowl panel in the same facility. In addition to MSFC, other NASA centers have contributed to the ART project as well. Inlet testing and parametrics were performed at NASA / Glenn Research Center (GRC) and NASA / Langley Research Center (LaRC) for both the Aerojet and Rocketdyne concepts. LaRC conducted an Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle (ABLV) study for several vehicle concepts with RBCC propulsion systems. LaRC is also performing a CFD analysis of the ramjet mode for both flowpaths based on GASL test conditions. A study was performed in 1999 to investigate the feasibility of performing an RBCC flight test on the NASA / Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) SR-71 aircraft. Academia involvement in the ART project includes parametric RBCC flowpath testing by Pennsylvania State University (PSU). In addition to thrust and wall static pressure measurements, PSU is also using laser diagnostics to analyze the flowfield in the test rig. MSFC is performing CFD analysis of the PSU rig at select test conditions for model baseline and validation. Also, Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) conducted a vision vehicle study using the Aerojet RBCC concept. Overall, the ART project has been very successful in advancing RBCC technology. Along the way, several major milestones were achieved and "firsts" accomplished. For example, under the ART project, the first dynamic trajectory simulation testing was performed and the Rocketdyne engine A5 logged over one hour of accumulated test time. The next logical step is to develop and demonstrate a flight-weight RBCC engine system.

An Update of the Nation’s Long-Term Strategic Needs for NASA’s Aeronautics Test Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

ETF Engine Test Facility ETW European Transonic Wind FAA Federal Aviation Administration FFC FutureFlight Central (Ames) FFS Full Flight Simulators...the testing requirements for the vehicles their organization produces. They also understood the capabilities of and trade -offs between NASA and other...conducted (or not). We, therefore, have to rely on expert input to understand the trade -offs. We do know, however, that the design community has been

A flight research program to develop airborne systems for improved terminal area operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, J. P.

1974-01-01

The research program considered is concerned with the solution of operational problems for the approximate time period from 1980 to 2000. The problems are related to safety, weather effects, congestion, energy conservation, noise, atmospheric pollution, and the loss in productivity caused by delays, diversions, and schedule stretchouts. The terminal configured vehicle (TCV) program is to develop advanced flight-control capability. The various aspects of the TCV program are discussed, giving attention to avionics equipment, the piloted simulator, terminal-area environment simulation, the Wallops research facility, flight procedures, displays and human factors, flight activities, and questions of vortex-wake reduction and tracking.

Modeling and HIL Simulation of Flight Conditions Simulating Control System for the Altitude Test Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jun; Shen, Li; Zhang, Tianhong

2016-12-01

Simulated altitude test is an essential exploring, debugging, verification and validation means during the development of aero-engine. Free-jet engine test can simulate actual working conditions of aero-engine more realistically than direct-connect engine test but with relatively lower cost compared to propulsion wind tunnel test, thus becoming an important developing area of simulated altitude test technology. The Flight Conditions Simulating Control System (FCSCS) is of great importance to the Altitude Test Facility (ATF) but the development of that is a huge challenge. Aiming at improving the design efficiency and reducing risks during the development of FCSCS for ATFs, a Hardware- in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation system was designed and the mathematical models of key components such as the pressure stabilizing chamber, free-jet nozzle, control valve and aero-engine were built in this paper. Moreover, some HIL simulation experiments were carried out. The results show that the HIL simulation system designed and established in this paper is reasonable and effective, which can be used to adjust control parameters conveniently and assess the software and hardware in the control system immediately.

Analysis procedures and subjective flight results of a simulator validation and cue fidelity experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carr, Peter C.; Mckissick, Burnell T.

1988-01-01

A joint experiment to investigate simulator validation and cue fidelity was conducted by the Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and NASA Langley Research Center. The primary objective was to validate the use of a closed-loop pilot-vehicle mathematical model as an analytical tool for optimizing the tradeoff between simulator fidelity requirements and simulator cost. The validation process includes comparing model predictions with simulation and flight test results to evaluate various hypotheses for differences in motion and visual cues and information transfer. A group of five pilots flew air-to-air tracking maneuvers in the Langley differential maneuvering simulator and visual motion simulator and in an F-14 aircraft at Ames-Dryden. The simulators used motion and visual cueing devices including a g-seat, a helmet loader, wide field-of-view horizon, and a motion base platform.

Space station dynamics, attitude control and momentum management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sunkel, John W.; Singh, Ramen P.; Vengopal, Ravi

1989-01-01

The Space Station Attitude Control System software test-bed provides a rigorous environment for the design, development and functional verification of GN and C algorithms and software. The approach taken for the simulation of the vehicle dynamics and environmental models using a computationally efficient algorithm is discussed. The simulation includes capabilities for docking/berthing dynamics, prescribed motion dynamics associated with the Mobile Remote Manipulator System (MRMS) and microgravity disturbances. The vehicle dynamics module interfaces with the test-bed through the central Communicator facility which is in turn driven by the Station Control Simulator (SCS) Executive. The Communicator addresses issues such as the interface between the discrete flight software and the continuous vehicle dynamics, and multi-programming aspects such as the complex flow of control in real-time programs. Combined with the flight software and redundancy management modules, the facility provides a flexible, user-oriented simulation platform.

Astronaut Sally K. Ride outside of shuttle mission simulator

NASA Image and Video Library

1983-05-26

S83-32890 (23 May 1983) --- Astronaut Sally K. Ride, STS-7 mission specialist, stands near the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) in Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Mission Simulation and Training Facility with suit specialist Alan M. Rochford after simulation of various phases of the upcoming STS-7 flight. Photo credit: NASA

Mir training Facility view

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-02-22

S95-04319 (22 Feb 1995) --- The neutral buoyancy facility at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, is used for underwater training for missions aboard the Russian Mir Space Station. The facility is similar to NASA's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, and the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama.

Experimental program for real gas flow code validation at NASA Ames Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deiwert, George S.; Strawa, Anthony W.; Sharma, Surendra P.; Park, Chul

1989-01-01

The experimental program for validating real gas hypersonic flow codes at NASA Ames Rsearch Center is described. Ground-based test facilities used include ballistic ranges, shock tubes and shock tunnels, arc jet facilities and heated-air hypersonic wind tunnels. Also included are large-scale computer systems for kinetic theory simulations and benchmark code solutions. Flight tests consist of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment, the Space Shuttle, Project Fire 2, and planetary probes such as Galileo, Pioneer Venus, and PAET.

Mechanisms test bed math model modification and simulation support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilchrist, Andrea C.; Tobbe, Patrick A.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the work performed under contract NAS8-38771 in support of the Marshall Space Flight Center Six Degree of Freedom Motion Facility and Flight Robotics Laboratory. The contract activities included the development of the two flexible body and Remote Manipulator System simulations, Dynamic Overhead Target Simulator control system and operating software, Global Positioning System simulation, and Manipulator Coupled Spacecraft Controls Testbed. Technical support was also provided for the Lightning Imaging Sensor and Solar X-Ray Imaging programs. The cover sheets and introductory sections for the documentation written under this contract are provided as an appendix.

Real-time aerodynamic heating and surface temperature calculations for hypersonic flight simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, Robert D.; Gong, Leslie

1990-01-01

A real-time heating algorithm was derived and installed on the Ames Research Center Dryden Flight Research Facility real-time flight simulator. This program can calculate two- and three-dimensional stagnation point surface heating rates and surface temperatures. The two-dimensional calculations can be made with or without leading-edge sweep. In addition, upper and lower surface heating rates and surface temperatures for flat plates, wedges, and cones can be calculated. Laminar or turbulent heating can be calculated, with boundary-layer transition made a function of free-stream Reynolds number and free-stream Mach number. Real-time heating rates and surface temperatures calculated for a generic hypersonic vehicle are presented and compared with more exact values computed by a batch aeroheating program. As these comparisons show, the heating algorithm used on the flight simulator calculates surface heating rates and temperatures well within the accuracy required to evaluate flight profiles for acceptable heating trajectories.

PSL Icing Facility Upgrade Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Thomas A.; Dicki, Dennis J.; Lizanich, Paul J.

2014-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center Propulsion Systems Lab (PSL) was recently upgraded to perform engine inlet ice crystal testing in an altitude environment. The system installed 10 spray bars in the inlet plenum for ice crystal generation using 222 spray nozzles. As an altitude test chamber, the PSL is capable of simulating icing events at altitude in a groundtest facility. The system was designed to operate at altitudes from 4,000 to 40,000 ft at Mach numbers up to 0.8M and inlet total temperatures from -60 to +15 degF. This paper and presentation will be part of a series of presentations on PSL Icing and will cover the development of the icing capability through design, developmental testing, installation, initial calibration, and validation engine testing. Information will be presented on the design criteria and process, spray bar developmental testing at Cox and Co., system capabilities, and initial calibration and engine validation test. The PSL icing system was designed to provide NASA and the icing community with a facility that could be used for research studies of engine icing by duplicating in-flight events in a controlled ground-test facility. With the system and the altitude chamber we can produce flight conditions and cloud environments to simulate those encountered in flight. The icing system can be controlled to set various cloud uniformities, droplet median volumetric diameter (MVD), and icing water content (IWC) through a wide variety of conditions. The PSL chamber can set altitudes, Mach numbers, and temperatures of interest to the icing community and also has the instrumentation capability of measuring engine performance during icing testing. PSL last year completed the calibration and initial engine validation of the facility utilizing a Honeywell ALF502-R5 engine and has duplicated in-flight roll back conditions experienced during flight testing. This paper will summarize the modifications and buildup of the facility to accomplish these tests.

Real-time simulations for automated rendezvous and capture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuseo, John A.

1991-01-01

Although the individual technologies for automated rendezvous and capture (AR&C) exist, they have not yet been integrated to produce a working system in the United States. Thus, real-time integrated systems simulations are critical to the development and pre-flight demonstration of an AR&C capability. Real-time simulations require a level of development more typical of a flight system compared to purely analytical methods, thus providing confidence in derived design concepts. This presentation will describe Martin Marietta's Space Operations Simulation (SOS) Laboratory, a state-of-the-art real-time simulation facility for AR&C, along with an implementation for the Satellite Servicer System (SSS) Program.

3D-CDTI User Manual v2.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Walter; Battiste, Vernol

2016-01-01

The 3D-Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (3D-CDTI) is a flight deck tool that presents aircrew with: proximal traffic aircraft location, their current status and flight plan data; strategic conflict detection and alerting; automated conflict resolution strategies; the facility to graphically plan manual route changes; time-based, in-trail spacing on approach. The CDTI is manipulated via a touchpad on the flight deck, and by mouse when presented as part of a desktop flight simulator.

Effects of helicopter noise and vibration on pilot performance (as measured in a fixed-base flight simulator)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stave, A. M.

1973-01-01

The effects of noise and vibration on pilot performance are described. Pilot subjects were required to fly VTOL commercial IFR schedules using the computer simulation facilities. The routes flown simulated closely metropolitan routes flown currently by a helicopter airline. The duration of simulator flights ranged from 3 to 8 hours. Subjects were exposed to noise sound pressure levels ranging from 74dB (ambient) to 100dB and 17 Hz vibration stimuli ranging from .1 g to .3 g measured at the floor directly beneath the pilot's seat. Despite subject reports of extreme fatigue in these long flights, performance did not degrade. A curve of performance shows a slow improvement for the first three hours of exposure and a slight loss in performance during the remainder of the flight. As environmental stress conditions (noise, vibration, and time in the simulator) increased, subject performance improved. Within the limits of this study, the higher the stress the better the performance.

STS-37 Mission Specialist (MS) Ross during simulation in JSC's FB-SMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-37 Mission Specialist (MS) Jerry L. Ross 'borrows' the pilots station to rehearse some of his scheduled duties for his upcoming mission. He is on the flight deck of the fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) during this unsuited simulation. The SMS is part of JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

STS-26 simulation activities in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

In JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR), astronauts John O. Creighton (right) and L. Blaine Hammond review their notes while serving as spacecraft communicators (CAPCOMs) for STS-26 simulations in progress between MCC and JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5 fixed-base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS).

The NASA landing gear test airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, John F.; Nagy, Christopher J.

1995-01-01

A tire and landing gear test facility has been developed and incorporated into a Convair 990 aircraft. The system can simulate tire vertical load profiles to 250,000 lb, sideslip angles to 15 degrees, and wheel braking on actual runways. Onboard computers control the preprogrammed test profiles through a feedback loop and also record three axis loads, tire slip angle, and tire condition. The aircraft to date has provided tire force and wear data for the Shuttle Orbiter tire on three different runways and at east and west coast landing sites. This report discusses the role of this facility in complementing existing ground tire and landing gear test facilities, and how this facility can simultaneously simulate the vertical load, tire slip, velocity, and surface for an entire aircraft landing. A description is given of the aircraft as well as the test system. An example of a typical test sequence is presented. Data collection and reduction from this facility are discussed, as well as accuracies of calculated parameters. Validation of the facility through ground and flight tests is presented. Tests to date have shown that this facility can operate at remote sites and gather complete data sets of load, slip, and velocity on actual runway surfaces. The ground and flight tests have led to a successful validation of this test facility.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instruments Module (ISIM) Cryo-Vacuum (CV) Test Campaign Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yew, Calinda; Lui, Yan; Whitehouse, Paul; Banks, Kimberly

2016-01-01

JWST Integrated Science Instruments Module (ISIM) completed its system-level space simulation testing program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). In March 2016, ISIM was successfully delivered to the next level of integration with the Optical Telescope Element (OTE), to form OTIS (OTE + ISIM), after concluding a series of three cryo-vacuum (CV) tests. During these tests, the complexity of the mission has generated challenging requirements that demand highly reliable system performance and capabilities from the Space Environment Simulator (SES) vacuum chamber. The first test served as a risk reduction test; the second test provided the initial verification of the fully-integrated flight instruments; and the third test verified the system in its final flight configuration following mechanical environmental tests (vibration and acoustics). From one test to the next, shortcomings of the facility were uncovered and associated improvements in operational capabilities and reliability of the facility were required to enable the project to verify system-level requirements. This paper: (1) provides an overview of the integrated mechanical and thermal facility systems required to achieve the objectives of JWST ISIM testing, (2) compares the overall facility performance and instrumentation results from the three ISIM CV tests, and (3) summarizes lessons learned from the ISIM testing campaign.

Rover Attitude and Pointing System Simulation Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanelli, Charles A.; Grinblat, Jonathan F.; Sirlin, Samuel W.; Pfister, Sam

2009-01-01

The MER (Mars Exploration Rover) Attitude and Pointing System Simulation Testbed Environment (RAPSSTER) provides a simulation platform used for the development and test of GNC (guidance, navigation, and control) flight algorithm designs for the Mars rovers, which was specifically tailored to the MERs, but has since been used in the development of rover algorithms for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) as well. The software provides an integrated simulation and software testbed environment for the development of Mars rover attitude and pointing flight software. It provides an environment that is able to run the MER GNC flight software directly (as opposed to running an algorithmic model of the MER GNC flight code). This improves simulation fidelity and confidence in the results. Further more, the simulation environment allows the user to single step through its execution, pausing, and restarting at will. The system also provides for the introduction of simulated faults specific to Mars rover environments that cannot be replicated in other testbed platforms, to stress test the GNC flight algorithms under examination. The software provides facilities to do these stress tests in ways that cannot be done in the real-time flight system testbeds, such as time-jumping (both forwards and backwards), and introduction of simulated actuator faults that would be difficult, expensive, and/or destructive to implement in the real-time testbeds. Actual flight-quality codes can be incorporated back into the development-test suite of GNC developers, closing the loop between the GNC developers and the flight software developers. The software provides fully automated scripting, allowing multiple tests to be run with varying parameters, without human supervision.

NASA Langley's AirSTAR Testbed: A Subscale Flight Test Capability for Flight Dynamics and Control System Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Thomas L.; Bailey, Roger M.

2008-01-01

As part of the Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) project, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a subscaled flying testbed in order to conduct research experiments in support of the goals of NASA s Aviation Safety Program. This research capability consists of three distinct components. The first of these is the research aircraft, of which there are several in the AirSTAR stable. These aircraft range from a dynamically-scaled, twin turbine vehicle to a propeller driven, off-the-shelf airframe. Each of these airframes carves out its own niche in the research test program. All of the airplanes have sophisticated on-board data acquisition and actuation systems, recording, telemetering, processing, and/or receiving data from research control systems. The second piece of the testbed is the ground facilities, which encompass the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to provide comprehensive support services for conducting flight research using the subscale aircraft, including: subsystem development, integrated testing, remote piloting of the subscale aircraft, telemetry processing, experimental flight control law implementation and evaluation, flight simulation, data recording/archiving, and communications. The ground facilities are comprised of two major components: (1) The Base Research Station (BRS), a LaRC laboratory facility for system development, testing and data analysis, and (2) The Mobile Operations Station (MOS), a self-contained, motorized vehicle serving as a mobile research command/operations center, functionally equivalent to the BRS, capable of deployment to remote sites for supporting flight tests. The third piece of the testbed is the test facility itself. Research flights carried out by the AirSTAR team are conducted at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The UAV Island runway is a 50 x 1500 paved runway that lies within restricted airspace at Wallops Flight Facility. The facility provides all the necessary infrastructure to conduct the research flights in a safe and efficient manner. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of the development of the AirSTAR testbed.

Advanced Plant Habitat Flight Unit #1

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-24

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a quality technician checks the hardware for the Advanced Plant Habitat flight unit. The flight unit is an exact replica of the APH that was delivered to the International Space Station. Validation tests and post-delivery checkout was performed to prepare for space station in-orbit APH activities. The flight unit will be moved to the International Space Station Environmental Simulator to begin an experiment verification test for the science that will fly on the first mission, PH-01. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the space station.

Advanced Plant Habitat Flight Unit #1

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-24

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, quality technicians check the hardware for the Advanced Plant Habitat flight unit. The flight unit is an exact replica of the APH that was delivered to the International Space Station. Validation tests and post-delivery checkout was performed to prepare for space station in-orbit APH activities. The flight unit will be moved to the International Space Station Environmental Simulator to begin an experiment verification test for the science that will fly on the first mission, PH-01. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the space station.

Advanced Plant Habitat Flight Unit #1

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-24

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, quality technicians check components of the hardware for the Advanced Plant Habitat flight unit. The flight unit is an exact replica of the APH that was delivered to the International Space Station. Validation tests and post-delivery checkout was performed to prepare for space station in-orbit APH activities. The flight unit will be moved to the International Space Station Environmental Simulator to begin an experiment verification test for the science that will fly on the first mission, PH-01. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the space station.

Advanced Plant Habitat Flight Unit #1

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-24

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, quality technicians check the hardware for the Advanced Plant Habitat flight unit. The flight unit is an exact replica of the APH that was delivered to the International Space Station. Validation tests and post-delivery checkout was performed to prepare for space station in-orbit APH activities. The flight unit will be moved to the International Space Station Environment Simulator to begin an experiment verification test for the science that will fly on the first mission, PH-01. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the space station.

Advanced Plant Habitat Flight Unit #1

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-24

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a quality technician checks the control panel on hardware for the Advanced Plant Habitat flight unit. The flight unit is an exact replica of the APH that was delivered to the International Space Station. Validation tests and post-delivery checkout was performed to prepare for space station in-orbit APH activities. The flight unit will be moved to the International Space Station Environmental Simulator to begin an experiment verification test for the science that will fly on the first mission, PH-01. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the space station.

Experience with Ada on the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle Flight Test Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regenie, Victoria A.; Earls, Michael; Le, Jeanette; Thomson, Michael

1992-01-01

Considerable experience was acquired with Ada at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility during the on-going High Alpha Technology Program. In this program, an F-18 aircraft was highly modified by the addition of thrust-vectoring vanes to the airframe. In addition, substantial alteration was made in the original quadruplex flight control system. The result is the High Alpha Research Vehicle. An additional research flight control computer was incorporated in each of the four channels. Software for the research flight control computer was written in Ada. To date, six releases of this software have been flown. This paper provides a detailed description of the modifications to the research flight control system. Efficient ground-testing of the software was accomplished by using simulations that used the Ada for portions of their software. These simulations are also described. Modifying and transferring the Ada for flight software to the software simulation configuration has allowed evaluation of this language. This paper also discusses such significant issues in using Ada as portability, modifiability, and testability as well as documentation requirements.

Experience with Ada on the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle flight test program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regenie, Victoria A.; Earls, Michael; Le, Jeanette; Thomson, Michael

1994-01-01

Considerable experience has been acquired with Ada at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility during the on-going High Alpha Technology Program. In this program, an F-18 aircraft has been highly modified by the addition of thrust-vectoring vanes to the airframe. In addition, substantial alteration was made in the original quadruplex flight control system. The result is the High Alpha Research Vehicle. An additional research flight control computer was incorporated in each of the four channels. Software for the research flight control computer was written Ada. To date, six releases of this software have been flown. This paper provides a detailed description of the modifications to the research flight control system. Efficient ground-testing of the software was accomplished by using simulations that used the Ada for portions of their software. These simulations are also described. Modifying and transferring the Ada flight software to the software simulation configuration has allowed evaluation of this language. This paper also discusses such significant issues in using Ada as portability, modifiability, and testability as well as documentation requirements.

Research and technology, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Selected research and technology activities at Ames Research Center, including the Moffett Field site and the Dryden Flight Research Facility, are summarized. These accomplishments exemplify the Center's varied and highly productive research efforts for 1990. The activities addressed are under the directories of: (1) aerospace systems which contains aircraft technology, full-scale aerodynamics research, information sciences, aerospace human factors research, and flight systems and simulation research divisions; (2) Dryden flight research facility which contains research engineering division; (3) aerophysics which contains aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and thermosciences divisions; and (4) space research which contains advanced life support, space projects, earth system science, life science, and space science divisions, and search for extraterrestrial intelligence and space life sciences payloads offices.

Crippen, pilot for STS-1, during a training session

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-03-22

S79-25014 (13 Dec. 1978) --- Astronaut Robert L. Crippen, pilot of the first space shuttle orbital flight test (STS-1), eases into a water immersion facility (WIF) during a training session in the Johnson Space Center?s training and test facility (Bldg. 260). The WIF affords one of two ways to simulate the feeling of weightlessness experienced during space extravehicular activity (EVA), the other being inside aircraft flying a parabolic curve. Crippen will be joined by astronaut John W. Young, commander for the STS-1 flight. Photo credit: NASA

Aerodynamic Characteristics, Database Development and Flight Simulation of the X-34 Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pamadi, Bandu N.; Brauckmann, Gregory J.; Ruth, Michael J.; Fuhrmann, Henri D.

2000-01-01

An overview of the aerodynamic characteristics, development of the preflight aerodynamic database and flight simulation of the NASA/Orbital X-34 vehicle is presented in this paper. To develop the aerodynamic database, wind tunnel tests from subsonic to hypersonic Mach numbers including ground effect tests at low subsonic speeds were conducted in various facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center. Where wind tunnel test data was not available, engineering level analysis is used to fill the gaps in the database. Using this aerodynamic data, simulations have been performed for typical design reference missions of the X-34 vehicle.

Flight simulator with spaced visuals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilson, Richard D. (Inventor); Thurston, Marlin O. (Inventor); Olson, Karl W. (Inventor); Ventola, Ronald W. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

A flight simulator arrangement wherein a conventional, movable base flight trainer is combined with a visual cue display surface spaced a predetermined distance from an eye position within the trainer. Thus, three degrees of motive freedom (roll, pitch and crab) are provided for a visual proprioceptive, and vestibular cue system by the trainer while the remaining geometric visual cue image alterations are developed by a video system. A geometric approach to computing runway image eliminates a need to electronically compute trigonometric functions, while utilization of a line generator and designated vanishing point at the video system raster permits facile development of the images of the longitudinal edges of the runway.

Research and test facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

A description is given of each of the following Langley research and test facilities: 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel, 7-by 10-Foot High Speed Tunnel, 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel, 13-Inch Magnetic Suspension & Balance System, 14-by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel, 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel, 16-by 24-Inch Water Tunnel, 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel, 30-by 60-Foot Wind Tunnel, Advanced Civil Transport Simulator (ACTS), Advanced Technology Research Laboratory, Aerospace Controls Research Laboratory (ACRL), Aerothermal Loads Complex, Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility (ALDF), Avionics Integration Research Laboratory, Basic Aerodynamics Research Tunnel (BART), Compact Range Test Facility, Differential Maneuvering Simulator (DMS), Enhanced/Synthetic Vision & Spatial Displays Laboratory, Experimental Test Range (ETR) Flight Research Facility, General Aviation Simulator (GAS), High Intensity Radiated Fields Facility, Human Engineering Methods Laboratory, Hypersonic Facilities Complex, Impact Dynamics Research Facility, Jet Noise Laboratory & Anechoic Jet Facility, Light Alloy Laboratory, Low Frequency Antenna Test Facility, Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel, Mechanics of Metals Laboratory, National Transonic Facility (NTF), NDE Research Laboratory, Polymers & Composites Laboratory, Pyrotechnic Test Facility, Quiet Flow Facility, Robotics Facilities, Scientific Visualization System, Scramjet Test Complex, Space Materials Research Laboratory, Space Simulation & Environmental Test Complex, Structural Dynamics Research Laboratory, Structural Dynamics Test Beds, Structures & Materials Research Laboratory, Supersonic Low Disturbance Pilot Tunnel, Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus (TAFA), Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT), Transport Systems Research Vehicle, Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, and the Visual Motion Simulator (VMS).

HIFiRE Direct-Connect Rig (HDCR) Phase I Scramjet Test Results from the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabell, Karen; Hass, Neal; Storch, Andrea; Gruber, Mark

2011-01-01

A series of hydrocarbon-fueled direct-connect scramjet ground tests has been completed in the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF) at simulated Mach 8 flight conditions. These experiments were part of an initial test phase to support Flight 2 of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) Program. In this flight experiment, a hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet is intended to demonstrate transition from dual-mode to scramjet-mode operation and verify the scramjet performance prediction and design tools A performance goal is the achievement of a combusted fuel equivalence ratio greater than 0.7 while in scramjet mode. The ground test rig, designated the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR), is a full-scale, heat sink test article that duplicates both the flowpath lines and a majority of the instrumentation layout of the isolator and combustor portion of the flight test hardware. The primary objectives of the HDCR Phase I tests were to verify the operability of the HIFiRE isolator/combustor across the simulated Mach 6-8 flight regime and to establish a fuel distribution schedule to ensure a successful mode transition. Both of these objectives were achieved prior to the HiFIRE Flight 2 payload Critical Design Review. Mach 8 ground test results are presented in this report, including flowpath surface pressure distributions that demonstrate the operation of the flowpath in scramjet-mode over a small range of test conditions around the nominal Mach 8 simulation, as well as over a range of fuel equivalence ratios. Flowpath analysis using ground test data is presented elsewhere; however, limited comparisons with analytical predictions suggest that both scramjet-mode operation and the combustion performance objective are achieved at Mach 8 conditions.

Wind-tunnel based definition of the AFE aerothermodynamic environment. [Aeroassist Flight Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Charles G.; Wells, W. L.

1992-01-01

The Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE), scheduled to be performed in 1994, will serve as a precursor for aeroassisted space transfer vehicles (ASTV's) and is representative of entry concepts being considered for missions to Mars. Rationale for the AFE is reviewed briefly as are the various experiments carried aboard the vehicle. The approach used to determine hypersonic aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic characteristics over a wide range of simulation parameters in ground-based facilities is presented. Facilities, instrumentation and test procedures employed in the establishment of the data base are discussed. Measurements illustrating the effects of hypersonic simulation parameters, particularly normal-shock density ratio (an important parameter for hypersonic blunt bodies), and attitude on aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic characteristics are presented, and predictions from computational fluid dynamic (CFD) computer codes are compared with measurement.

Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System Test Facility at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Springer, Darlene

1989-01-01

Different aspects of Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) testing are currently taking place at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Unique to this testing is the variety of test areas and the fact that all are located in one building. The north high bay of building 4755, the Core Module Integration Facility (CMIF), contains the following test areas: the Subsystem Test Area, the Comparative Test Area, the Process Material Management System (PMMS), the Core Module Simulator (CMS), the End-use Equipment Facility (EEF), and the Pre-development Operational System Test (POST) Area. This paper addresses the facility that supports these test areas and briefly describes the testing in each area. Future plans for the building and Space Station module configurations will also be discussed.

Experimental Validation: Subscale Aircraft Ground Facilities and Integrated Test Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Roger M.; Hostetler, Robert W., Jr.; Barnes, Kevin N.; Belcastro, Celeste M.; Belcastro, Christine M.

2005-01-01

Experimental testing is an important aspect of validating complex integrated safety critical aircraft technologies. The Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) Testbed is being developed at NASA Langley to validate technologies under conditions that cannot be flight validated with full-scale vehicles. The AirSTAR capability comprises a series of flying sub-scale models, associated ground-support equipment, and a base research station at NASA Langley. The subscale model capability utilizes a generic 5.5% scaled transport class vehicle known as the Generic Transport Model (GTM). The AirSTAR Ground Facilities encompass the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to provide comprehensive support services for the GTM testbed. The ground facilities support remote piloting of the GTM aircraft, and include all subsystems required for data/video telemetry, experimental flight control algorithm implementation and evaluation, GTM simulation, data recording/archiving, and audio communications. The ground facilities include a self-contained, motorized vehicle serving as a mobile research command/operations center, capable of deployment to remote sites when conducting GTM flight experiments. The ground facilities also include a laboratory based at NASA LaRC providing near identical capabilities as the mobile command/operations center, as well as the capability to receive data/video/audio from, and send data/audio to the mobile command/operations center during GTM flight experiments.

Verification Challenges of Dynamic Testing of Space Flight Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winnitoy, Susan

2010-01-01

The Six Degree-of-Freedom Dynamic Test System (SDTS) is a test facility at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas for performing dynamic verification of space structures and hardware. Some examples of past and current tests include the verification of on-orbit robotic inspection systems, space vehicle assembly procedures and docking/berthing systems. The facility is able to integrate a dynamic simulation of on-orbit spacecraft mating or demating using flight-like mechanical interface hardware. A force moment sensor is utilized for input to the simulation during the contact phase, thus simulating the contact dynamics. While the verification of flight hardware presents many unique challenges, one particular area of interest is with respect to the use of external measurement systems to ensure accurate feedback of dynamic contact. There are many commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) measurement systems available on the market, and the test facility measurement systems have evolved over time to include two separate COTS systems. The first system incorporates infra-red sensing cameras, while the second system employs a laser interferometer to determine position and orientation data. The specific technical challenges with the measurement systems in a large dynamic environment include changing thermal and humidity levels, operational area and measurement volume, dynamic tracking, and data synchronization. The facility is located in an expansive high-bay area that is occasionally exposed to outside temperature when large retractable doors at each end of the building are opened. The laser interferometer system, in particular, is vulnerable to the environmental changes in the building. The operational area of the test facility itself is sizeable, ranging from seven meters wide and five meters deep to as much as seven meters high. Both facility measurement systems have desirable measurement volumes and the accuracies vary within the respective volumes. In addition, because this is a dynamic facility with a moving test bed, direct line-of-sight may not be available at all times between the measurement sensors and the tracking targets. Finally, the feedback data from the active test bed along with the two external measurement systems must be synchronized to allow for data correlation. To ensure the desired accuracy and resolution of these systems, calibration of the systems must be performed regularly. New innovations in sensor technology itself are periodically incorporated into the facility s overall measurement scheme. In addressing the challenges of the measurement systems, the facility is able to provide essential position and orientation data to verify the dynamic performance of space flight hardware.

Combustor Operability and Performance Verification for HIFiRE Flight 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storch, Andrea M.; Bynum, Michael; Liu, Jiwen; Gruber, Mark

2011-01-01

As part of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) Direct-Connect Rig (HDCR) test and analysis activity, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed using two Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes solvers. Measurements obtained from ground testing in the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF) were used to specify inflow conditions for the simulations and combustor data from four representative tests were used as benchmarks. Test cases at simulated flight enthalpies of Mach 5.84, 6.5, 7.5, and 8.0 were analyzed. Modeling parameters (e.g., turbulent Schmidt number and compressibility treatment) were tuned such that the CFD results closely matched the experimental results. The tuned modeling parameters were used to establish a standard practice in HIFiRE combustor analysis. Combustor performance and operating mode were examined and were found to meet or exceed the objectives of the HIFiRE Flight 2 experiment. In addition, the calibrated CFD tools were then applied to make predictions of combustor operation and performance for the flight configuration and to aid in understanding the impacts of ground and flight uncertainties on combustor operation.

Studies of air traffic forecasts, airspace load and the effect of ADS-B via satellites on flight times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Z. W.; Ridhwan Salleh, Saiful; Chow, W. X.; Ong, Z. M.

2016-10-01

Air traffic forecasting is important as it helps stakeholders to plan their budgets and facilities. Thus, three most commonly used forecasting models were compared to see which model suited the air passenger traffic the best. General forecasting equations were also created to forecast the passenger traffic. The equations could forecast around 6.0% growth from 2015 onwards. Another study sought to provide an initial work for determining a theoretical airspace load with relevant calculations. The air traffic was simulated to investigate the current airspace load. Logical and reasonable results were obtained from the modelling and simulations. The current utilization percentages for airspace load per hour and the static airspace load in the interested airspace were found to be 6.64% and 11.21% respectively. Our research also studied how ADS-B would affect the time taken for aircraft to travel. 6000 flights departing from and landing at the airport were studied. New flight plans were simulated with improved flight paths due to the implementation of ADS-B, and flight times of all studied flights could be improved.

A flight-test and simulation evaluation of the longitudinal final approach and landing performance of an automatic system for a light wing loading STOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, S. C.; Hardy, G. H.; Hindson, W. S.

1983-01-01

As part of a comprehensive flight-test program of STOL operating systems for the terminal area, an automatic landing system was developed and evaluated for a light wing loading turboprop aircraft. The aircraft utilized an onboard advanced digital avionics system. Flight tests were conducted at a facility that included a STOL runway site with a microwave landing system. Longitudinal flight-test results were presented and compared with available (basically CTOL) criteria. These comparisons were augmented by results from a comprehensive simulation of the controlled aircraft which included representations of navigation errors that were encountered in flight and atmospheric disturbances. Acceptable performance on final approach and at touchdown was achieved by the autoland (automatic landing) system for the moderate winds and turbulence conditions encountered in flight. However, some touchdown performance goals were marginally achieved, and simulation results suggested that difficulties could be encountered in the presence of more extreme atmospheric conditions. Suggestions were made for improving performance under those more extreme conditions.

Advanced Plant Habitat Flight Unit #1

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-24

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, LED plant growth lights are being checked out on the hardware for the Advanced Plant Habitat flight unit. The flight unit is an exact replica of the APH that was delivered to the International Space Station. Validation tests and post-delivery checkout was performed to prepare for space station in-orbit APH activities. The flight unit will be moved to the International Space Station Environmental Simulator to begin an experiment verification test for the science that will fly on the first mission, PH-01. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the space station.

STS-37 crewmembers train in JSC's FB shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-37 Commander Steven R. Nagel (left) and Mission Specialist (MS) Jerry L. Ross rehearse some of their scheduled duties on the flight deck of JSC's fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in the Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. During the unsuited simulation, Nagel reviews checklist while seated at the commanders station as Ross looks on from the pilots station.

Research and development at the Marshall Space Flight Center Neutral Buoyancy Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulpa, Vygantas P.

1987-01-01

The Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS), a facility designed to imitate zero-gravity conditions, was used to test the Experimental Assembly of Structures in Extravehicular Activity (EASE) and the Assembly Concept for Construction of Erectable Space Structures (ACCESS). Neutral Buoyancy Simulator applications and operations; early space structure research; development of the EASE/ACCESS experiments; and improvement of NBS simulation are summarized.

Ares I-X Malfunction Turn Range Safety Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beaty, J. R.

2011-01-01

Ares I-X was the designation given to the flight test version of the Ares I rocket which was developed by NASA (also known as the Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) component of the Constellation Program). The Ares I-X flight test vehicle achieved a successful flight test on October 28, 2009, from Pad LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center, Florida (KSC). As part of the flight plan approval for the test vehicle, a range safety malfunction turn analysis was performed to support the risk assessment and vehicle destruct criteria development processes. Several vehicle failure scenarios were identified which could have caused the vehicle trajectory to deviate from its normal flight path. The effects of these failures were evaluated with an Ares I-X 6 degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) digital simulation, using the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories Version II (POST2) simulation tool. The Ares I-X simulation analysis provided output files containing vehicle trajectory state information. These were used by other risk assessment and vehicle debris trajectory simulation tools to determine the risk to personnel and facilities in the vicinity of the launch area at KSC, and to develop the vehicle destruct criteria used by the flight test range safety officer in the event of a flight test anomaly of the vehicle. The simulation analysis approach used for this study is described, including descriptions of the failure modes which were considered and the underlying assumptions and ground rules of the study.

Project Morpheus: Lessons Learned in Lander Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olansen, Jon B.; Munday, Stephen R.; Mitchell, Jennifer D.

2013-01-01

NASA's Morpheus Project has developed and tested a prototype planetary lander capable of vertical takeoff and landing, that is designed to serve as a testbed for advanced spacecraft technologies. The lander vehicle, propelled by a LOX/Methane engine and sized to carry a 500kg payload to the lunar surface, provides a platform for bringing technologies from the laboratory into an integrated flight system at relatively low cost. Designed, developed, manufactured and operated in-house by engineers at Johnson Space Center, the initial flight test campaign began on-site at JSC less than one year after project start. After two years of testing, including two major upgrade periods, and recovery from a test crash that caused the loss of a vehicle, flight testing will evolve to executing autonomous flights simulating a 500m lunar approach trajectory, hazard avoidance maneuvers, and precision landing, incorporating the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance (ALHAT) sensor suite. These free-flights are conducted at a simulated planetary landscape built at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The Morpheus Project represents a departure from recent NASA programs and projects that traditionally require longer development lifecycles and testing at remote, dedicated testing facilities. This paper expands on the project perspective that technologies offer promise, but capabilities offer solutions. It documents the integrated testing campaign, the infrastructure and testing facilities, and the technologies being evaluated in this testbed. The paper also describes the fast pace of the project, rapid prototyping, frequent testing, and lessons learned during this departure from the traditional engineering development process at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Investigation of the effects of bandwidth and time delay on helicopter roll-axis handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pausder, Heinz-Juergen; Blanken, Chris L.

1992-01-01

Several years of cooperative research conducted under the U.S./German Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in helicopter flight control has recently resulted in a successful handling qualities study. The focus of this cooperative research has been the effects on handling qualities due to time delays in combination with a high bandwidth vehicle. The jointly performed study included the use of U.S. ground-based simulation and German in-flight simulation facilities. The NASA-Ames Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) was used to develop a high bandwidth slalom tracking task which took into consideration the constraints of the facilities. The VMS was also used to define a range of the test parameters and to perform initial handling qualities evaluations. The flight tests were conducted using DLR's variable-stability BO 105 S3 Advanced Technology Testing Helicopter System (ATTHeS). Configurations included a rate command and an attitude command response system with added time delays up to 160 milliseconds over the baseline and bandwidth values between 1.5 and 4.5 rad/sec. Sixty-six evaluations were performed in about 25 hr of flight time during 10 days of testing. The results indicate a need to more tightly constrain the allowable roll axis phase delay for the Level 1 and Level 2 requirements in the U.S. Army's specification for helicopter handling qualities, ADS-33C.

Investigation of the effects of bandwidth and time delay on helicopter roll-axis handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pausder, Heinz-Juergen; Blanken, Chris L.

1993-01-01

Several years of cooperative research conducted under the U.S./German Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in helicopter flight control has recently resulted in a successful handling qualities study. The focus of this cooperative research has been the effects on handling qualities due to time delays in combination with a high bandwidth vehicle. The jointly performed study included the use of U.S. ground-based simulation and German in-flight simulation facilities. The NASA-Ames Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) was used to develop a high bandwidth slalom tracking task which took into consideration the constraints of the facilities. The VMS was also used to define a range of the test parameters and to perform initial handling qualities evaluations. The flight tests were conducted using DLR's variable-stability BO 105 S3 Advanced Technology Testing Helicopter System (ATTHeS). Configurations included a rate command and an attitude command response system with added time delays up to 160 milliseconds over the baseline and bandwidth values between 1.5 and 4.5 rad/sec. Sixty-six evaluations were performed in about 25 hours of flight time during ten days of testing. The results indicate a need to more tightly constrain the allowable roll axis phase delay for the Level 1 and Level 2 requirements in the U.S. Army's specification for helicopter handling qualities, ADS-33C.

26th Space Simulation Conference Proceedings. Environmental Testing: The Path Forward

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Packard, Edward A.

2010-01-01

Topics covered include: A Multifunctional Space Environment Simulation Facility for Accelerated Spacecraft Materials Testing; Exposure of Spacecraft Surface Coatings in a Simulated GEO Radiation Environment; Gravity-Offloading System for Large-Displacement Ground Testing of Spacecraft Mechanisms; Microscopic Shutters Controlled by cRIO in Sounding Rocket; Application of a Physics-Based Stabilization Criterion to Flight System Thermal Testing; Upgrade of a Thermal Vacuum Chamber for 20 Kelvin Operations; A New Approach to Improve the Uniformity of Solar Simulator; A Perfect Space Simulation Storm; A Planetary Environmental Simulator/Test Facility; Collimation Mirror Segment Refurbishment inside ESA s Large Space; Space Simulation of the CBERS 3 and 4 Satellite Thermal Model in the New Brazilian 6x8m Thermal Vacuum Chamber; The Certification of Environmental Chambers for Testing Flight Hardware; Space Systems Environmental Test Facility Database (SSETFD), Website Development Status; Wallops Flight Facility: Current and Future Test Capabilities for Suborbital and Orbital Projects; Force Limited Vibration Testing of JWST NIRSpec Instrument Using Strain Gages; Investigation of Acoustic Field Uniformity in Direct Field Acoustic Testing; Recent Developments in Direct Field Acoustic Testing; Assembly, Integration and Test Centre in Malaysia: Integration between Building Construction Works and Equipment Installation; Complex Ground Support Equipment for Satellite Thermal Vacuum Test; Effect of Charging Electron Exposure on 1064nm Transmission through Bare Sapphire Optics and SiO2 over HfO2 AR-Coated Sapphire Optics; Environmental Testing Activities and Capabilities for Turkish Space Industry; Integrated Circuit Reliability Simulation in Space Environments; Micrometeoroid Impacts and Optical Scatter in Space Environment; Overcoming Unintended Consequences of Ambient Pressure Thermal Cycling Environmental Tests; Performance and Functionality Improvements to Next Generation Thermal Vacuum Control System; Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project: Three-Dimensional Dynamic Stability Testing and Analysis; Thermal Physical Properties of Thermal Coatings for Spacecraft in Wide Range of Environmental Conditions: Experimental and Theoretical Study; Molecular Contamination Generated in Thermal Vacuum Chambers; Preventing Cross Contamination of Hardware in Thermal Vacuum Chambers; Towards Validation of Particulate Transport Code; Updated Trends in Materials' Outgassing Technology; Electrical Power and Data Acquisition Setup for the CBER 3 and 4 Satellite TBT; Method of Obtaining High Resolution Intrinsic Wire Boom Damping Parameters for Multi-Body Dynamics Simulations; and Thermal Vacuum Testing with Scalable Software Developed In-House.

STS-26 MS Lounge in fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Mission Specialist (MS) John M. Lounge, wearing comunications kit assembly headset and crouched on the aft flight deck, performs checklist inspection during training session. The STS-26 crew is training in the fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

STS-26 MS Hilmers on fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Mission Specialist (MS) David C. Hilmers prepares to ascend a ladder representing the interdeck access hatch from the shuttle middeck to the flight deck. The STS-26 crew is training in the fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

Aircraft interrogation and display system: A ground support equipment for digital flight systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glover, R. D.

1982-01-01

A microprocessor-based general purpose ground support equipment for electronic systems was developed. The hardware and software are designed to permit diverse applications in support of aircraft flight systems and simulation facilities. The implementation of the hardware, the structure of the software, describes the application of the system to an ongoing research aircraft project are described.

16. NBS TOPSIDE CONTROL ROOM, THE NBS HYPERBARIC CHAMBER IS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. NBS TOPSIDE CONTROL ROOM, THE NBS HYPERBARIC CHAMBER IS VERY CLOSE TO THE WATER'S EDGE AND HERE FOR DIVER EMERGENCY SUPPORT. A MEDICAL STAFF IS LOCATED ON THE MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (MSFC) AND SUPPORTS THE NBS PERSONNEL WHEN HYPERBARIC CHAMBER OPERATION IS NECESSARY. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

SimGraph: A Flight Simulation Data Visualization Workstation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, Joseph A.; Kenney, Patrick S.

1997-01-01

Today's modern flight simulation research produces vast amounts of time sensitive data, making a qualitative analysis of the data difficult while it remains in a numerical representation. Therefore, a method of merging related data together and presenting it to the user in a more comprehensible format is necessary. Simulation Graphics (SimGraph) is an object-oriented data visualization software package that presents simulation data in animated graphical displays for easy interpretation. Data produced from a flight simulation is presented by SimGraph in several different formats, including: 3-Dimensional Views, Cockpit Control Views, Heads-Up Displays, Strip Charts, and Status Indicators. SimGraph can accommodate the addition of new graphical displays to allow the software to be customized to each user s particular environment. A new display can be developed and added to SimGraph without having to design a new application, allowing the graphics programmer to focus on the development of the graphical display. The SimGraph framework can be reused for a wide variety of visualization tasks. Although it was created for the flight simulation facilities at NASA Langley Research Center, SimGraph can be reconfigured to almost any data visualization environment. This paper describes the capabilities and operations of SimGraph.

Simulator - Ride, Sally K.

NASA Image and Video Library

1983-05-24

S83-32568 (23 May 1983) --- Astronaut Sally K. Ride, STS-7 mission specialist, straps herself into a seat in the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) in Johnson Space Center?s Mission Simulation and Training Facility. Dr. Ride and the other STS-7 crew members continue their simulations in the motion base simulator in preparation for their flight in the space shuttle Challenger. Launch is scheduled for June 18. Troy Stewart, suit technician, assisted Dr. Ride. Photo credit: NASA

The use of vestibular models for design and evaluation of flight simulator motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussolari, Steven R.; Young, Laurence R.; Lee, Alfred T.

1989-01-01

Quantitative models for the dynamics of the human vestibular system are applied to the design and evaluation of flight simulator platform motion. An optimal simulator motion control algorithm is generated to minimize the vector difference between perceived spatial orientation estimated in flight and in simulation. The motion controller has been implemented on the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center and evaluated experimentally through measurement of pilot performance and subjective rating during VTOL aircraft simulation. In general, pilot performance in a longitudinal tracking task (formation flight) did not appear to be sensitive to variations in platform motion condition as long as motion was present. However, pilot assessment of motion fidelity by means of a rating scale designed for this purpose, were sensitive to motion controller design. Platform motion generated with the optimal motion controller was found to be generally equivalent to that generated by conventional linear crossfeed washout. The vestibular models are used to evaluate the motion fidelity of transport category aircraft (Boeing 727) simulation in a pilot performance and simulator acceptability study at the Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility at NASA Ames Research Center. Eighteen airline pilots, currently flying B-727, were given a series of flight scenarios in the simulator under various conditions of simulator motion. The scenarios were chosen to reflect the flight maneuvers that these pilots might expect to be given during a routine pilot proficiency check. Pilot performance and subjective rating of simulator fidelity was relatively insensitive to the motion condition, despite large differences in the amplitude of motion provided. This lack of sensitivity may be explained by means of the vestibular models, which predict little difference in the modeled motion sensations of the pilots when different motion conditions are imposed.

Test Capability Enhancements to the NASA Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvin, S. F.; Cabell, K. F.; Gallimore, S. D.; Mekkes, G. L.

2006-01-01

The NASA Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel produces true enthalpy environments simulating flight from Mach 4 to Mach 7, primarily for airbreathing propulsion and aerothermal/thermo-structural testing. Flow conditions are achieved through a methane-air heater and nozzles producing aerodynamic Mach numbers of 4, 5 or 7 and have exit diameters of 8 feet or 4.5 feet. The 12-ft long free-jet test section, housed inside a 26-ft vacuum sphere, accommodates large test articles. Recently, the facility underwent significant upgrades to support hydrocarbon fueled scramjet engine testing and to expand flight simulation capability. The upgrades were required to meet engine system development and flight clearance verification requirements originally defined by the joint NASA-Air Force X-43C Hypersonic Flight Demonstrator Project and now the Air Force X-51A Program. Enhancements to the 8-Ft. HTT were made in four areas: 1) hydrocarbon fuel delivery; 2) flight simulation capability; 3) controls and communication; and 4) data acquisition/processing. The upgrades include the addition of systems to supply ethylene and liquid JP-7 to test articles; a Mach 5 nozzle with dynamic pressure simulation capability up to 3200 psf, the addition of a real-time model angle-of-attack system; a new programmable logic controller sub-system to improve process controls and communication with model controls; the addition of MIL-STD-1553B and high speed data acquisition systems and a classified data processing environment. These additions represent a significant increase to the already unique test capability and flexibility of the facility, and complement the existing array of test support hardware such as a model injection system, radiant heaters, six-component force measurement system, and optical flow field visualization hardware. The new systems support complex test programs that require sophisticated test sequences and precise management of process fluids. Furthermore, the new systems, such as the real-time angle of attack system and the new programmable logic controller enhance the test efficiency of the facility. The motivation for the upgrades and the expanded capabilities is described here.

Requirements for facilities and measurement techniques to support CFD development for hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sellers, William L., III; Dwoyer, Douglas L.

1992-01-01

The design of a hypersonic aircraft poses unique challenges to the engineering community. Problems with duplicating flight conditions in ground based facilities have made performance predictions risky. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been proposed as an additional means of providing design data. At the present time, CFD codes are being validated based on sparse experimental data and then used to predict performance at flight conditions with generally unknown levels of uncertainty. This paper will discuss the facility and measurement techniques that are required to support CFD development for the design of hypersonic aircraft. Illustrations are given of recent success in combining experimental and direct numerical simulation in CFD model development and validation for hypersonic perfect gas flows.

Symposium keynote: Enduring the isolation of interplanetary travel. A personal account of the Mars500 mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urbina, Diego A.; Charles, Romain

2014-01-01

The Mars500 mission was a 520-day long simulation of a round trip to Mars. After going through an intense selection process, 6 individuals from various countries lived and worked for several months in a pressurized facility in Moscow, Russia, mimicking as close as possible the conditions of real space flight. The simulation concluded in November 2011 when the crew came out of the facility in seemingly good health and mood. A first person point of view description of daily life and activities is provided as well as the indication of the environmental factors that can act as stressors during such a mission as well as their change over the different periods of flight, including adaptation to the real world. Advice for the design and logistics of future exploration missions is given.

Launch and landing site science processing for ISS utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Mimi; van Twest, Jacqueline; van den Ende, Oliver; Gruendel, Douglas; Wells, Deborah; Moyer, Jerry; Heuser, Jan; Etheridge, Guy

2000-01-01

Since 1986, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has provided support to over 500 spaceflight experiments from NASA, international agencies, academic institutions, commercial entities, and the military sector. The experiments cover a variety of science disciplines including molecular, cellular, developmental biology, chemistry, physiology, and material sciences. KSC supports simulation, pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight processing of flight hardware, specimens, and data at the primary and secondary landing sites. Science processing activities for spaceflight experiments occurs at the Life Science Support Facility (Hangar L) on the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) and select laboratories in the Industrial Area at KSC. Planning is underway to meet the challenges of the International Space Station (ISS). ISS support activities are expected to exceed the current launch site capability. KSC plans to replace the current facilities with Space Experiments Research and Processing Laboratory (SERPL), a collaborative effort between NASA and the State of Florida. This facility will be the cornerstone of a larger Research Park at KSC and is expected to foster relations between commercial industry and academia in areas related to space research. .

Integrated Test Facility (ITF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The NASA-Dryden Integrated Test Facility (ITF), also known as the Walter C. Williams Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF), provides an environment for conducting efficient and thorough testing of advanced, highly integrated research aircraft. Flight test confidence is greatly enhanced by the ability to qualify interactive aircraft systems in a controlled environment. In the ITF, each element of a flight vehicle can be regulated and monitored in real time as it interacts with the rest of the aircraft systems. Testing in the ITF is accomplished through automated techniques in which the research aircraft is interfaced to a high-fidelity real-time simulation. Electric and hydraulic power are also supplied, allowing all systems except the engines to function as if in flight. The testing process is controlled by an engineering workstation that sets up initial conditions for a test, initiates the test run, monitors its progress, and archives the data generated. The workstation is also capable of analyzing results of individual tests, comparing results of multiple tests, and producing reports. The computers used in the automated aircraft testing process are also capable of operating in a stand-alone mode with a simulation cockpit, complete with its own instruments and controls. Control law development and modification, aerodynamic, propulsion, guidance model qualification, and flight planning -- functions traditionally associated with real-time simulation -- can all be performed in this manner. The Remotely Augmented Vehicles (RAV) function, now located in the ITF, is a mainstay in the research techniques employed at Dryden. This function is used for tests that are too dangerous for direct human involvement or for which computational capacity does not exist onboard a research aircraft. RAV provides the researcher with a ground-based computer that is radio linked to the test aircraft during actual flight. The Ground Vibration Testing (GVT) system, formerly housed in the Thermostructural Laboratory, now also resides in the ITF. In preparing a research aircraft for flight testing, it is vital to measure its structural frequencies and mode shapes and compare results to the models used in design analysis. The final function performed in the ITF is routine aircraft maintenance. This includes preflight and post-flight instrumentation checks and the servicing of hydraulics, avionics, and engines necessary on any research aircraft. Aircraft are not merely moved to the ITF for automated testing purposes but are housed there throughout their flight test programs.

Integrated Test Facility (ITF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The NASA-Dryden Integrated Test Facility (ITF), also known as the Walter C. Williams Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF), provides an environment for conducting efficient and thorough testing of advanced, highly integrated research aircraft. Flight test confidence is greatly enhanced by the ability to qualify interactive aircraft systems in a controlled environment. In the ITF, each element of a flight vehicle can be regulated and monitored in real time as it interacts with the rest of the aircraft systems. Testing in the ITF is accomplished through automated techniques in which the research aircraft is interfaced to a high-fidelity real-time simulation. Electric and hydraulic power are also supplied, allowing all systems except the engines to function as if in flight. The testing process is controlled by an engineering workstation that sets up initial conditions for a test, initiates the test run, monitors its progress, and archives the data generated. The workstation is also capable of analyzing results of individual tests, comparing results of multiple tests, and producing reports. The computers used in the automated aircraft testing process are also capable of operating in a stand-alone mode with a simulation cockpit, complete with its own instruments and controls. Control law development and modification, aerodynamic, propulsion, guidance model qualification, and flight planning -- functions traditionally associated with real-time simulation -- can all be performed in this manner. The Remotely Augmented Vehicles (RAV) function, now located in the ITF, is a mainstay in the research techniques employed at Dryden. This function is used for tests that are too dangerous for direct human involvement or for which computational capacity does not exist onboard a research aircraft. RAV provides the researcher with a ground-based computer that is radio linked to the test aircraft during actual flight. The Ground Vibration Testing (GVT) system, formerly housed in the Thermostructural Laboratory, now also resides in the ITF. In preparing a research aircraft for flight testing, it is vital to measure its structural frequencies and mode shapes and compare results to the models used in design analysis. The final function performed in the ITF is routine aircraft maintenance. This includes preflight and post-flight instrumentation checks and the servicing of hydraulics, avionics, and engines necessary on any research aircraft. Aircraft are not merely moved to the ITF for automated testing purposes but are housed there throughout their flight test programs.

Walter C. Williams Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The NASA-Dryden Integrated Test Facility (ITF), also known as the Walter C. Williams Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF), provides an environment for conducting efficient and thorough testing of advanced, highly integrated research aircraft. Flight test confidence is greatly enhanced by the ability to qualify interactive aircraft systems in a controlled environment. In the ITF, each element of a flight vehicle can be regulated and monitored in real time as it interacts with the rest of the aircraft systems. Testing in the ITF is accomplished through automated techniques in which the research aircraft is interfaced to a high-fidelity real-time simulation. Electric and hydraulic power are also supplied, allowing all systems except the engines to function as if in flight. The testing process is controlled by an engineering workstation that sets up initial conditions for a test, initiates the test run, monitors its progress, and archives the data generated. The workstation is also capable of analyzing results of individual tests, comparing results of multiple tests, and producing reports. The computers used in the automated aircraft testing process are also capable of operating in a stand-alone mode with a simulation cockpit, complete with its own instruments and controls. Control law development and modification, aerodynamic, propulsion, guidance model qualification, and flight planning -- functions traditionally associated with real-time simulation -- can all be performed in this manner. The Remotely Augmented Vehicles (RAV) function, now located in the ITF, is a mainstay in the research techniques employed at Dryden. This function is used for tests that are too dangerous for direct human involvement or for which computational capacity does not exist onboard a research aircraft. RAV provides the researcher with a ground-based computer that is radio linked to the test aircraft during actual flight. The Ground Vibration Testing (GVT) system, formerly housed in the Thermostructural Laboratory, now also resides in the ITF. In preparing a research aircraft for flight testing, it is vital to measure its structural frequencies and mode shapes and compare results to the models used in design analysis. The final function performed in the ITF is routine aircraft maintenance. This includes preflight and post-flight instrumentation checks and the servicing of hydraulics, avionics, and engines necessary on any research aircraft. Aircraft are not merely moved to the ITF for automated testing purposes but are housed there throughout their flight test programs.

Development and analysis of a modular approach to payload specialist training. [training of spacecrews for Spacelab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watters, H.; Steadman, J.

1976-01-01

A modular training approach for Spacelab payload crews is described. Representative missions are defined for training requirements analysis, training hardware, and simulations. Training times are projected for each experiment of each representative flight. A parametric analysis of the various flights defines resource requirements for a modular training facility at different flight frequencies. The modular approach is believed to be more flexible, time saving, and economical than previous single high fidelity trainer concepts. Block diagrams of training programs are shown.

Aircrew perceived stress: examining crew performance, crew position and captains personality.

PubMed

Bowles, S; Ursin, H; Picano, J

2000-11-01

This study was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center as a part of a larger research project assessing the impact of captain's personality on crew performance and perceived stress in 24 air transport crews (5). Three different personality types for captains were classified based on a previous cluster analysis (3). Crews were comprised of three crewmembers: captain, first officer, and second officer/flight engineer. A total of 72 pilots completed a 1.5-d full-mission simulation of airline operations including emergency situations in the Ames Manned Vehicle System Research Facility B-727 simulator. Crewmembers were tested for perceived stress on four dimensions of the NASA Task Load Index after each of five flight legs. Crews were divided into three groups based on rankings from combined error and rating scores. High performance crews (who committed the least errors in flight) reported experiencing less stress in simulated flight than either low or medium crews. When comparing crew positions for perceived stress over all the simulated flights no significant differences were found. However, the crews led by the "Right Stuff" (e.g., active, warm, confident, competitive, and preferring excellence and challenges) personality type captains typically reported less stress than crewmembers led by other personality types.

Fidelity of Simulation and Transfer of Training: A Review of the Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerathewohl, Siegfried J.

The document is concerned with the several kinds of flight simulators available today which are valuable tools for research, training, and proficiency measurement. They range from simple trainer type devices useful for learning specific tasks, to very sophisticated ground based facilities and aircraft used for crew training under simulated…

Crash Test of Three Cessna 172 Aircraft at NASA Langley Research Center's Landing and Impact Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin D.

2015-01-01

During the summer of 2015, three Cessna 172 aircraft were crash tested at the Landing and Impact Research Facility (LandIR) at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The three tests simulated three different crash scenarios. The first simulated a flare-to-stall emergency or hard landing onto a rigid surface such as a road or runway, the second simulated a controlled flight into terrain with a nose down pitch on the aircraft, and the third simulated a controlled flight into terrain with an attempt to unsuccessfully recover the aircraft immediately prior to impact, resulting in a tail strike condition. An on-board data acquisition system captured 64 channels of airframe acceleration, along with acceleration and load in two onboard Hybrid II 50th percentile Anthropomorphic Test Devices, representing the pilot and co-pilot. Each test contained different airframe loading conditions and results show large differences in airframe performance. This paper presents test methods used to conduct the crash tests and will summarize the airframe results from the test series.

Investigation and Development of Control Laws for the NASA Langley Research Center Cockpit Motion Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coon, Craig R.; Cardullo, Frank M.; Zaychik, Kirill B.

2014-01-01

The ability to develop highly advanced simulators is a critical need that has the ability to significantly impact the aerospace industry. The aerospace industry is advancing at an ever increasing pace and flight simulators must match this development with ever increasing urgency. In order to address both current problems and potential advancements with flight simulator techniques, several aspects of current control law technology of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center's Cockpit Motion Facility (CMF) motion base simulator were examined. Preliminary investigation of linear models based upon hardware data were examined to ensure that the most accurate models are used. This research identified both system improvements in the bandwidth and more reliable linear models. Advancements in the compensator design were developed and verified through multiple techniques. The position error rate feedback, the acceleration feedback and the force feedback were all analyzed in the heave direction using the nonlinear model of the hardware. Improvements were made using the position error rate feedback technique. The acceleration feedback compensator also provided noteworthy improvement, while attempts at implementing a force feedback compensator proved unsuccessful.

Fault detection and accommodation testing on an F100 engine in an F-15 airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, L. P.; Baer-Riedhart, J. L.; Maxwell, M. D.

1985-01-01

The fault detection and accommodation (FDA) methodology for digital engine-control systems may range from simple comparisons of redundant parameters to the more complex and sophisticated observer models of the entire engine system. Evaluations of the various FDA schemes are done using analytical methods, simulation, and limited-altitude-facility testing. Flight testing of the FDA logic has been minimal because of the difficulty of inducing realistic faults in flight. A flight program was conducted to evaluate the fault detection and accommodation capability of a digital electronic engine control in an F-15 aircraft. The objective of the flight program was to induce selected faults and evaluate the resulting actions of the digital engine controller. Comparisons were made between the flight results and predictions. Several anomalies were found in flight and during the ground test. Simulation results showed that the inducement of dual pressure failures was not feasible since the FDA logic was not designed to accommodate these types of failures.

21. NBS SUIT LAB. THREE GLOVES, HELMET, AND SCREW DRIVER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

21. NBS SUIT LAB. THREE GLOVES, HELMET, AND SCREW DRIVER TORQUE WRENCH FOR ASSEMBLY AND REPAIR OF BOTH. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) Tour of MSFC Facilities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-22

Senator Doug Jones (D-Al.) and wife Louise tour the Payload Crew Training Complex (PCTC) at Marshall Space Flight Center. The PCTC simulates International Space Station habitat modules and is interactive for different activities.

6. DECK #4 TOPSIDE FROM NORTHEAST CORNER END PIECE FOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. DECK #4 TOPSIDE FROM NORTHEAST CORNER END PIECE FOR ROBOTIC ARM FOR ANCHORING ASTRONAUT FOR MECHANICAL WORK. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Applications of Modeling and Simulation for Flight Hardware Processing at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, Jennifer L.

2010-01-01

The Boeing Design Visualization Group (DVG) is responsible for the creation of highly-detailed representations of both on-site facilities and flight hardware using computer-aided design (CAD) software, with a focus on the ground support equipment (GSE) used to process and prepare the hardware for space. Throughout my ten weeks at this center, I have had the opportunity to work on several projects: the modification of the Multi-Payload Processing Facility (MPPF) High Bay, weekly mapping of the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) floor layout, kinematics applications for the Orion Command Module (CM) hatches, and the design modification of the Ares I Upper Stage hatch for maintenance purposes. The main goal of each of these projects was to generate an authentic simulation or representation using DELMIA V5 software. This allowed for evaluation of facility layouts, support equipment placement, and greater process understanding once it was used to demonstrate future processes to customers and other partners. As such, I have had the opportunity to contribute to a skilled team working on diverse projects with a central goal of providing essential planning resources for future center operations.

STS-26 crew trains in JSC fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, crewmembers (left to right) Commander Frederick H. Hauck, Pilot Richard O. Covey, Mission Specialist (MS) George D. Nelson, MS David C. Hilmers, and MS John M. Lounge pose on the middeck in fixed-based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. A simulation for their anticipated June 1988 flight began 10-20-87.

Crew systems and flight station concepts for a 1995 transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sexton, G. A.

1983-01-01

Aircraft functional systems and crew systems were defined for a 1995 transport aircraft through a process of mission analysis, preliminary design, and evaluation in a soft mockup. This resulted in a revolutionary pilot's desk flight station design featuring an all-electric aircraft, fly-by-wire/light flight and thrust control systems, large electronic color head-down displays, head-up displays, touch panel controls for aircraft functional systems, voice command and response systems, and air traffic control systems projected for the 1990s. The conceptual aircraft, for which crew systems were designed, is a generic twin-engine wide-body, low-wing transport, capable of worldwide operation. The flight control system consists of conventional surfaces (some employed in unique ways) and new surfaces not used on current transports. The design will be incorporated into flight simulation facilities at NASA-Langley, NASA-Ames, and the Lockheed-Georgia Company. When interfaced with advanced air traffic control system models, the facilities will provide full-mission capability for researching issues affecting transport aircraft flight stations and crews of the 1990s.

Investigation of Asymmetric Thrust Detection with Demonstration in a Real-Time Simulation Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chicatelli, Amy; Rinehart, Aidan W.; Sowers, T. Shane; Simon, Donald L.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this effort is to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate three asymmetric thrust detection approaches to aid in the reduction of asymmetric thrust-induced aviation accidents. This paper presents the results from that effort and their evaluation in simulation studies, including those from a real-time flight simulation testbed. Asymmetric thrust is recognized as a contributing factor in several Propulsion System Malfunction plus Inappropriate Crew Response (PSM+ICR) aviation accidents. As an improvement over the state-of-the-art, providing annunciation of asymmetric thrust to alert the crew may hold safety benefits. For this, the reliable detection and confirmation of asymmetric thrust conditions is required. For this work, three asymmetric thrust detection methods are presented along with their results obtained through simulation studies. Representative asymmetric thrust conditions are modeled in simulation based on failure scenarios similar to those reported in aviation incident and accident descriptions. These simulated asymmetric thrust scenarios, combined with actual aircraft operational flight data, are then used to conduct a sensitivity study regarding the detection capabilities of the three methods. Additional evaluation results are presented based on pilot-in-the-loop simulation studies conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) flight simulation testbed. Data obtained from this flight simulation facility are used to further evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of the asymmetric thrust detection approaches. Generally, the asymmetric thrust conditions are correctly detected and confirmed.

Investigation of Asymmetric Thrust Detection with Demonstration in a Real-Time Simulation Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chicatelli, Amy K.; Rinehart, Aidan W.; Sowers, T. Shane; Simon, Donald L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this effort is to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate three asymmetric thrust detection approaches to aid in the reduction of asymmetric thrust-induced aviation accidents. This paper presents the results from that effort and their evaluation in simulation studies, including those from a real-time flight simulation testbed. Asymmetric thrust is recognized as a contributing factor in several Propulsion System Malfunction plus Inappropriate Crew Response (PSM+ICR) aviation accidents. As an improvement over the state-of-the-art, providing annunciation of asymmetric thrust to alert the crew may hold safety benefits. For this, the reliable detection and confirmation of asymmetric thrust conditions is required. For this work, three asymmetric thrust detection methods are presented along with their results obtained through simulation studies. Representative asymmetric thrust conditions are modeled in simulation based on failure scenarios similar to those reported in aviation incident and accident descriptions. These simulated asymmetric thrust scenarios, combined with actual aircraft operational flight data, are then used to conduct a sensitivity study regarding the detection capabilities of the three methods. Additional evaluation results are presented based on pilot-in-the-loop simulation studies conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) flight simulation testbed. Data obtained from this flight simulation facility are used to further evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of the asymmetric thrust detection approaches. Generally, the asymmetric thrust conditions are correctly detected and confirmed.

Health maintenance facility: Dental equipment requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, John; Gosbee, John; Billica, Roger

1991-01-01

The objectives were to test the effectiveness of the Health Maintenance Facility (HMF) dental suction/particle containment system, which controls fluids and debris generated during simulated dental treatment, in microgravity; to test the effectiveness of fiber optic intraoral lighting systems in microgravity, while simulating dental treatment; and to evaluate the operation and function of off-the-shelf dental handheld instruments, namely a portable dental hand drill and temporary filling material, in microgravity. A description of test procedures, including test set-up, flight equipment, and the data acquisition system, is given.

Test and training simulator for ground-based teleoperated in-orbit servicing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, Bernd E.

1989-01-01

For the Post-IOC(In-Orbit Construction)-Phase of COLUMBUS it is intended to use robotic devices for the routine operations of ground-based teleoperated In-Orbit Servicing. A hardware simulator for verification of the relevant in-orbit operations technologies, the Servicing Test Facility, is necessary which mainly will support the Flight Control Center for the Manned Space-Laboratories for operational specific tasks like system simulation, training of teleoperators, parallel operation simultaneously to actual in-orbit activities and for the verification of the ground operations segment for telerobotics. The present status of definition for the facility functional and operational concept is described.

Rotorcraft In-Flight Simulation Research at NASA Ames Research Center: A Review of the 1980's and plans for the 1990's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aiken, Edwin W.; Hindson, William S.; Lebacqz, J. Victor; Denery, Dallas G.; Eshow, Michelle M.

1991-01-01

A new flight research vehicle, the Rotorcraft-Aircrew System Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL), is being developed by the U.S. Army and NASA at ARC. The requirements for this new facility stem from a perception of rotorcraft system technology requirements for the next decade together with operational experience with the Boeing Vertol CH-47B research helicopter that was operated as an in-flight simulator at ARC during the past 10 years. Accordingly, both the principal design features of the CH-47B variable-stability system and the flight-control and cockpit-display programs that were conducted using this aircraft at ARC are reviewed. Another U.S Army helicopter, a Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk, was selected as the baseline vehicle for the RASCAL. The research programs that influence the design of the RASCAL are summarized, and the resultant requirements for the RASCAL research system are described. These research programs include investigations of advanced, integrated control concepts for achieving high levels of agility and maneuverability, and guidance technologies, employing computer/sensor-aiding, designed to assist the pilot during low-altitude flight in conditions of limited visibility. The approach to the development of the new facility is presented and selected plans for the preliminary design of the RASCAL are described.

Virtually-augmented interfaces for tactical aircraft.

PubMed

Haas, M W

1995-05-01

The term Fusion Interface is defined as a class of interface which integrally incorporates both virtual and non-virtual concepts and devices across the visual, auditory and haptic sensory modalities. A fusion interface is a multi-sensory virtually-augmented synthetic environment. A new facility has been developed within the Human Engineering Division of the Armstrong Laboratory dedicated to exploratory development of fusion-interface concepts. One of the virtual concepts to be investigated in the Fusion Interfaces for Tactical Environments facility (FITE) is the application of EEG and other physiological measures for virtual control of functions within the flight environment. FITE is a specialized flight simulator which allows efficient concept development through the use of rapid prototyping followed by direct experience of new fusion concepts. The FITE facility also supports evaluation of fusion concepts by operational fighter pilots in a high fidelity simulated air combat environment. The facility was utilized by a multi-disciplinary team composed of operational pilots, human-factors engineers, electronics engineers, computer scientists, and experimental psychologists to prototype and evaluate the first multi-sensory, virtually-augmented cockpit. The cockpit employed LCD-based head-down displays, a helmet-mounted display, three-dimensionally localized audio displays, and a haptic display. This paper will endeavor to describe the FITE facility architecture, some of the characteristics of the FITE virtual display and control devices, and the potential application of EEG and other physiological measures within the FITE facility.

Simulation of Flight-Type Engine Fan Noise in the NASA-Lewis 9X15 Anechoic Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidmann, M. F.; Dietrich, D. A.

1976-01-01

Flight type noise as contrasted to the usual ground static test noise exhibits substantial reductions in the time unsteadiness of tone noise, and in the mean level of tones calculated to be nonpropagating or cut-off. A model fan designed with cuttoff of the fundamental tone was acoustically tested in the anechoic wind tunnel under both static and tunnel flow conditions. The properties that characterize flight type noise were progressively simulated with increasing tunnel flow. The distinctly lobed directivity pattern of propagating rotor/stator interaction modes was also observed. Excess noise attributed to the ingestion of the flow disturbances that prevail near most static test facilities is substantially reduced with tunnel flow.

X-33 Integrated Test Facility Extended Range Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, Ashley

1998-01-01

In support of the X-33 single-stage-to-orbit program, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center was selected to provide continuous range communications of the X-33 vehicle from launch at Edwards Air Force Base, California, through landing at Malmstrom Air Force Base Montana, or at Michael Army Air Field, Utah. An extensive real-time range simulation capability is being developed to ensure successful communications with the autonomous X-33 vehicle. This paper provides an overview of various levels of simulation, integration, and test being developed to support the X-33 extended range subsystems. These subsystems include the flight termination system, L-band command uplink subsystem, and S-band telemetry downlink subsystem.

Evaluation of prototype Advanced Life Support (ALS) pack for use by the Health Maintenance Facility (HMF) on Space Station Freedom (SSF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krupa, Debra T.; Gosbee, John; Murphy, Linda; Kizzee, Victor D.

1991-01-01

The purpose is to evaluate the prototype Advanced Life Support (ALS) Pack which was developed for the Health Maintenance Facility (HMF). This pack will enable the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) to have ready access to advanced life support supplies and equipment for time critical responses to any situation within the Space Station Freedom. The objectives are: (1) to evaluate the design of the pack; and (2) to collect comments for revision to the design of the pack. The in-flight test procedures and other aspects of the KC-135 parabolic test flight to simulate weightlessness are presented.

United Space Alliance LLC Parachute Refurbishment Facility Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Esser, Valerie; Pessaro, Martha; Young, Angela

2007-01-01

The Parachute Refurbishment Facility Model was created to reflect the flow of hardware through the facility using anticipated start and delivery times from a project level IV schedule. Distributions for task times were built using historical build data for SFOC work and new data generated for CLV/ARES task times. The model currently processes 633 line items from 14 SFOC builds for flight readiness, 16 SFOC builds returning from flight for defoul, wash, and dry operations, 12 builds for CLV manufacturing operations, and 1 ARES 1X build. Modeling the planned workflow through the PRF is providing a reliable way to predict the capability of the facility as well as the manpower resource need. Creating a real world process allows for real world problems to be identified and potential workarounds to be implemented in a safe, simulated world before taking it to the next step, implementation in the real world.

KSC-2009-3120

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the framework known as the "birdcage" lowers the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS, onto the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3122

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the framework known as the "birdcage" lowers the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS, onto the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3121

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the framework known as the "birdcage" lowers the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS, onto the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3124

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician checks the mating from the inside of the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS, with the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3123

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the framework known as the "birdcage" lowers the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS, onto the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-44 Atlantis, OV-104, crewmembers participate in FB-SMS training at JSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-04-22

S91-35303 (22 April 1991) --- Astronauts Frederick D. Gregory (left) and Terrence T. Henricks (right), STS-44 commander and pilot, respectively, are joined near their launch and entry stations by F. Story Musgrave, mission specialist. The three pause while rehearsing some of the activities that will be performed during the scheduled ten-day November flight. Musgrave will be in a rear cabin station during launch and entry phases of the flight deck of the fixed-base Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) in the Johnson Space Center's mission simulation and training facility.

Ground-facilities at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine for preparation of flight experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemmersbach, Ruth; Hendrik Anken, Ralf; Hauslage, Jens; von der Wiesche, Melanie; Baerwalde, Sven; Schuber, Marianne

In order to investigate the influence of altered gravity on biological systems and to identify gravisensitive processes, various experimental platforms have been developed, which are useful to simulate weightlessness or are able to produce hypergravity. At the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, DLR Cologne, a broad spectrum of applications is offered to scientists: clinostats with one rotation axis and variable rotation speeds for cultivation of small objects (including aquatic organisms) in simulated weightlessness conditions, for online microscopic observations and for online kinetic measurements. Own research concentrates on comparative studies with other kinds of methods to simulate weightlessness, also available at the institute: Rotating Wall Vessel (RWV) for aquatic studies, Random Positioning Machine (RPM; manufactured by Dutch Space, Leiden, The Netherlands). Correspondingly, various centrifuge devices are available to study different test objects under hypergravity conditions -such as NIZEMI, a slow rotating centrifuge microscope, and MUSIC, a multi-sample centrifuge. Mainly for experiments with human test subjects (artificial gravity), but also for biological systems or for testing various kinds of (flight-) hardware, the SAHC, a short arm human centrifuge -loaned by ESA -was installed in Cologne and completes our experimental scenario. Furthermore, due to our specific tasks such as providing laboratories during the German Parabolic Flight Experiments starting from Cologne and being the Facility Responsible Center for BIOLAB, a science rack in the Columbus module aboard the ISS, scientists have the possibility for an optimal preparation of their flight experiments.

Large space structures testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waites, Henry; Worley, H. Eugene

1987-01-01

There is considerable interest in the development of testing concepts and facilities that accurately simulate the pathologies believed to exist in future spacecraft. Both the Government and Industry have participated in the development of facilities over the past several years. The progress and problems associated with the development of the Large Space Structure Test Facility at the Marshall Flight Center are presented. This facility was in existence for a number of years and its utilization has run the gamut from total in-house involvement, third party contractor testing, to the mutual participation of other goverment agencies in joint endeavors.

Langley Mach 4 scramjet test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, E. H., Jr.; Torrence, M. G.; Anderson, G. Y.; Northam, G. B.; Mackley, E. A.

1985-01-01

An engine test facility was constructed at the NASA Langley Research Center in support of a supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) technology development program. Hydrogen combustion in air with oxygen replenishment provides simulated air at Mach 4 flight velocity, pressure, and true total temperature for an altitude range from 57,000 to 86,000 feet. A facility nozzle with a 13 in square exit produces a Mach 3.5 free jet flow for engine propulsion tests. The facility is described and calibration results are presented which demonstrate the suitability of the test flow for conducting scramjet engine research.

STS-44 Atlantis, OV-104, MS Musgrave on FB-SMS middeck during JSC training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-44 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Mission Specialist (MS) F. Story Musgrave, wearing lightweight headset (HDST), adjusts controls on communications module mounted on a middeck overhead panel. Musgrave is on the middeck of the Fixed Base (FB) Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) located in JSC's Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5. The STS-44 crewmembers are participating in a flight simulation.

Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) Integrated Surface and Airspace Simulation - Experiment Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verma, Savita Arora; Jung, Yoon Chul

2017-01-01

This presentation describes the overview of the ATD-2 project and the integrated simulation of surface and airspace to evaluate the procedures of IADS system and evaluate surface metering capabilities via a high-fidelity human-in-the-loop simulation. Two HITL facilities, Future Flight Central (FFC) and Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL), are integrated for simulating surface operations of the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) and airspace in CLT TRACON and Washington Center.

The Use of Environmental Test Facilities for Purposes Beyond Their Original Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Terry C.; Marner, W. J.

2000-01-01

Increasing demands from space flight project offices are requiring environmental testing facilities to become more versatile with increased capabilities. At the same time, maintaining a cost-effective approach to test operations has driven efforts to use these facilities for purposes beyond their original design. This paper presents an overview of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's efforts to provide JPL's space flight projects with test facilities to meet unique test requirements and to serve the needs of selected outside customers. The large number of recent Mars Missions, including the Mars Pathfinder project, have required testing of components and systems in a Martian surface environment in facilities originally designed for deep space testing. The unique problems associated with performing these tests are discussed, along with practical solutions. Other unique test requirements are discussed including the use of space simulation chambers for testing high altitude balloon gondolas and the use of vacuum chambers for system level test firing of an ion propulsion engine.

iss038e024791

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-01-02

ISS038-E-024791 (2 Jan. 2014) --- In the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory, NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, Expedition 38 flight engineer, performs troubleshooting on the Biorack centrifuge for NanoRacks, a facility that provides lower-cost microgravity research facilities for small payloads utilizing a standardized "plug-and-play" interface. Mastracchio checked the three settings of the centrifuge, which is designed to simulate the gravity of Earth, the moon and Mars.

Premission and postmission simulation studies of the foot-controlled maneuvering unit for Skylab experiment T-020. [astronaut maneuvering equipment - space environment simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hewes, D. E.; Glover, K. E.

1975-01-01

A Skylab experiment was conducted to study the maneuvering capabilities of astronauts using a relatively simple self-locomotive device, referred to as the foot-controlled maneuvering unit, and to evaluate the effectiveness of ground-based facilities simulating the operation of this device in weightless conditions of space. Some of the special considerations given in the definition and development of the experiment as related to the two ground-based simulators are reviewed. These simulators were used to train the test subjects and to obtain baseline data which could be used for comparison with the in-flight tests that were performed inside the Skylab orbital workshop. The results of both premission and postmission tests are discussed, and subjective comparisons of the in-flight and ground-based test conditions are presented.

Wind Tunnel Tests Conducted to Develop an Icing Flight Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratvasky, Thomas P.

2001-01-01

As part of NASA's Aviation Safety Program goals to reduce aviation accidents due to icing, NASA Glenn Research Center is leading a flight simulator development activity to improve pilot training for the adverse flying characteristics due to icing. Developing flight simulators that incorporate the aerodynamic effects of icing will provide a critical element in pilot training programs by giving pilots a pre-exposure of icing-related hazards, such as ice-contaminated roll upset or tailplane stall. Integrating these effects into training flight simulators will provide an accurate representation of scenarios to develop pilot skills in unusual attitudes and loss-of-control events that may result from airframe icing. In order to achieve a high level of fidelity in the flight simulation, a series of wind tunnel tests have been conducted on a 6.5-percent-scale Twin Otter aircraft model. These wind tunnel tests were conducted at the Wichita State University 7- by 10-ft wind tunnel and Bihrle Applied Research's Large Amplitude Multiple Purpose Facility in Neuburg, Germany. The Twin Otter model was tested without ice (baseline), and with two ice configurations: 1) Ice on the horizontal tail only; 2) Ice on the wing, horizontal tail, and vertical tail. These wind tunnel tests resulted in data bases of aerodynamic forces and moments as functions of angle of attack; sideslip; control surface deflections; forced oscillations in the pitch, roll, and yaw axes; and various rotational speeds. A limited amount of wing and tail surface pressure data were also measured for comparison with data taken at Wichita State and with flight data. The data bases from these tests will be the foundation for a PC-based Icing Flight Simulator to be delivered to Glenn in fiscal year 2001.

4. TOPSIDE VIEW FROM UPPER DECK LOOKING DOWN INTO TANK ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. TOPSIDE VIEW FROM UPPER DECK LOOKING DOWN INTO TANK WITH SHUTTLE CARGO BAY MOCK-UP AT BOTTOM OF 40 FOOT TANK. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

5. TOPSIDE VIEW FROM UPPER DECK LOOKING DOWN INTO TANK ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. TOPSIDE VIEW FROM UPPER DECK LOOKING DOWN INTO TANK WITH SHUTTLE CARGO BAY MOCK-UP AT BOTTOM OF 40 FOOT TANK. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Capabilities of the Impact Testing Facility at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finchum, Andy; Nehls, Mary; Young, Whitney; Gray, Perry; Suggs, Bart; Lowrey, Nikki M.

2011-01-01

The test and analysis capabilities of the Impact Testing Facility at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center are described. Nine different gun systems accommodate a wide range of projectile and target sizes and shapes at velocities from subsonic through hypersonic, to accomplish a broad range of ballistic and hypervelocity impact tests. These gun systems include ballistic and microballistic gas and powder guns, a two-stage light gas gun, and specialty guns for weather encounter studies. The ITF "rain gun" is the only hydrometeor impact gun known to be in existence in the United States that can provide single impact performance data with known raindrop sizes. Simulation of high velocity impact is available using the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic Code. The Impact Testing Facility provides testing, custom test configuration design and fabrication, and analytical services for NASA, the Department of Defense, academic institutions, international space agencies, and private industry in a secure facility located at Marshall Space Flight Center, on the US Army's Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. This facility performs tests that are subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and DoD secret classified restrictions as well as proprietary and unrestricted tests for civil space agencies, academic institutions, and commercial aerospace and defense companies and their suppliers.

KSC-05PD-0811

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. At Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility, Center Director Jim Kennedy talks with STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins after her arrival. She and the rest of the crew are at KSC to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) over the next three days. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. The test ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the launch pad. This is Collins fourth space flight and second as commander. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.

Magnetic Testing, and Modeling, Simulation and Analysis for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boghosian, Mary; Narvaez, Pablo; Herman, Ray

2012-01-01

The Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace) and Lockheed Martin Space Systems (LMSS) participated with Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the implementation of a magnetic cleanliness program of the NASA/JPL JUNO mission. The magnetic cleanliness program was applied from early flight system development up through system level environmental testing. The JUNO magnetic cleanliness program required setting-up a specialized magnetic test facility at Lockheed Martin Space Systems for testing the flight system and a testing program with facility for testing system parts and subsystems at JPL. The magnetic modeling, simulation and analysis capability was set up and performed by Aerospace to provide qualitative and quantitative magnetic assessments of the magnetic parts, components, and subsystems prior to or in lieu of magnetic tests. Because of the sensitive nature of the fields and particles scientific measurements being conducted by the JUNO space mission to Jupiter, the imposition of stringent magnetic control specifications required a magnetic control program to ensure that the spacecraft's science magnetometers and plasma wave search coil were not magnetically contaminated by flight system magnetic interferences. With Aerospace's magnetic modeling, simulation and analysis and JPL's system modeling and testing approach, and LMSS's test support, the project achieved a cost effective approach to achieving a magnetically clean spacecraft. This paper presents lessons learned from the JUNO magnetic testing approach and Aerospace's modeling, simulation and analysis activities used to solve problems such as remnant magnetization, performance of hard and soft magnetic materials within the targeted space system in applied external magnetic fields.

Payload Crew Training Complex (PCTC) utilization and training plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Self, M. R.

1980-01-01

The physical facilities that comprise the payload crew training complex (PCTC) are described including the host simulator; experiment simulators; Spacelab aft flight deck, experiment pallet, and experiment rack mockups; the simulation director's console; payload operations control center; classrooms; and supporting soft- and hardware. The parameters of a training philosophy for payload crew training at the PCTC are established. Finally the development of the training plan is addressed including discussions of preassessment, and evaluation options.

Application experience with the NASA aircraft interrogation and display system - A ground-support equipment for digital flight systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glover, R. D.

1983-01-01

The NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility has developed a microprocessor-based, user-programmable, general-purpose aircraft interrogation and display system (AIDS). The hardware and software of this ground-support equipment have been designed to permit diverse applications in support of aircraft digital flight-control systems and simulation facilities. AIDS is often employed to provide engineering-units display of internal digital system parameters during development and qualification testing. Such visibility into the system under test has proved to be a key element in the final qualification testing of aircraft digital flight-control systems. Three first-generation 8-bit units are now in service in support of several research aircraft projects, and user acceptance has been high. A second-generation design, extended AIDS (XAIDS), incorporating multiple 16-bit processors, is now being developed to support the forward swept wing aircraft project (X-29A). This paper outlines the AIDS concept, summarizes AIDS operational experience, and describes the planned XAIDS design and mechanization.

High intensity 5 eV atomic oxygen source and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) simulation facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, J. B.; Spangler, L. H.; Hoffbauer, M. A.; Archuleta, F. A.; Leger, Lubert; Visentine, James

1987-01-01

An atomic oxygen exposure facility has been developed for studies of material degradation. The goal of these studies is to provide design criteria and information for the manufacture of long life (20 to 30 years) construction materials for use in LEO. The studies that are being undertaken using the facility will provide: absolute reaction cross sections for use in engineering design problems; formulations of reaction mechanisms; and calibration of flight hardware (mass spectrometers, etc.) in order to directly relate experiments performed in LEO to ground based investigations. The facility consists of: (1) a CW laser sustained discharge source of O atoms having a variable energy up to 5 eV and an intensity between 10(15) and 10(17) O atoms s(-1) cm(-2); (2) an atomic beam formation and diagnostics system consisting of various stages of differential pumping, a mass spectrometer detector, and a time of flight analyzer; (3) a spinning rotor viscometer for absolute O atom flux measurements; and (4) provision for using the system for calibration of actual flight instruments. Surface analysis equipment is available for the characterization of material surfaces before and after exposure to O atoms.

HIFiRE Direct-Connect Rig (HDCR) Phase I Ground Test Results from the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hass, Neal E.; Cabell, Karen F.; Storch, Andrea M.

2010-01-01

The initial phase of hydrocarbon-fueled ground tests supporting Flight 2 of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experiment (HIFiRE) Program has been conducted in the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF). The HIFiRE Program, an Air Force-lead international cooperative program includes eight different flight test experiments designed to target specific challenges of hypersonic flight. The second of the eight planned flight experiments is a hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet flight test intended to demonstrate dual-mode to scramjet-mode operation and verify the scramjet performance prediction and design tools. A performance goal is the achievement of a combusted fuel equivalence ratio greater than 0.7 while in scramjet mode. The ground test rig, designated the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR), is a full-scale, heat sink, direct-connect ground test article that duplicates both the flowpath lines and the instrumentation layout of the isolator and combustor portion of the flight test hardware. The primary objectives of the HDCR Phase I tests are to verify the operability of the HIFiRE isolator/combustor across the Mach 6.0-8.0 flight regime and to establish a fuel distribution schedule to ensure a successful mode transition prior to the HiFIRE payload Critical Design Review. Although the phase I test plans include testing over the Mach 6 to 8 flight simulation range, only Mach 6 testing will be reported in this paper. Experimental results presented here include flowpath surface pressure, temperature, and heat flux distributions that demonstrate the operation of the flowpath over a small range of test conditions around the nominal Mach 6 simulation, as well as a range of fuel equivalence ratios and fuel injection distributions. Both ethylene and a mixture of ethylene and methane (planned for flight) were tested. Maximum back pressure and flameholding limits, as well as a baseline fuel schedule, that covers the Mach 5.84-6.5 test space have been identified.

Antares Rocket Test Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-04-21

The Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket is seen as it launches from Pad-0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The test launch marked the first flight of Antares and the first rocket launch from Pad-0A. The Antares rocket delivered the equivalent mass of a spacecraft, a so-called mass simulated payload, into Earth's orbit. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

18. NBS SUIT LAB. OVERALL VIEW. ALL WORK TABLES WITH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. NBS SUIT LAB. OVERALL VIEW. ALL WORK TABLES WITH MISCELLANEOUS SUIT COMPONENTS AND SUPPLIES. TERRY WEST TO LEFT, AND PAUL DUMBACHER TO RIGHT. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

7. LESLIE WICKMAN, EVA (EXTRA VEHICULAR ACTIVITIES) SPECIALIST, IN SPACE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. LESLIE WICKMAN, EVA (EXTRA VEHICULAR ACTIVITIES) SPECIALIST, IN SPACE SUIT AFTER TESTING IN NEUTRAL BUOYANCY TANK. AVERAGE COST OF SUIT IS $1,000,000. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

GSFC Space Simulation Laboratory Contamination Philosophy: Efficient Space Simulation Chamber Cleaning Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roman, Juan A.; Stitt, George F.; Roman, Felix R.

1997-01-01

This paper will provide a general overview of the molecular contamination philosophy of the Space Simulation Test Engineering Section and how the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) space simulation laboratory controls and maintains the cleanliness of all its facilities, thereby, minimizing down time between tests. It will also briefly cover the proper selection and safety precautions needed when using some chemical solvents for wiping, washing, or spraying thermal shrouds when molecular contaminants increase to unacceptable background levels.

THE LARGE HIGH PRESSURE ARC PLASMA GENERATOR: A FACILITY FOR SIMULATING MISSLE AND SATELLITE RE-ENTRY. Research Report 56

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rose, P.; Powers, W.; Hritzay, D.

1959-06-01

The development of an arc wind tunnel capable of stagnation pressures in the excess of twenty atmospheres and using as much as fifteen megawatts of electrical power is described. The calibration of this facility shows that it is capable of reproducing the aerodynamic environment encountered by vehicles flying at velocities as great as satellite velocity. Its use as a missile re-entry material test facility is described. The large power capacity of this facility allows one to make material tests on specimens of size sufficient to be useful for material development yet at realistic energy and Reynolds number values. By themore » addition of a high-capacity vacuum system, this facility can be used to produce the low density, high Mach number environment needed for simulating satellite re-entry, as well as hypersonic flight at extreme altitudes. (auth)« less

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a remotely piloted jet transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horton, Timothy W.; Kempel, Robert W.

1988-01-01

The Dryden Flight Research Center Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and the FAA conducted the controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four-engine, remotely piloted jet transport airplane. Closed-loop primary flight was controlled through the existing onboard PB-20D autopilot which had been modified for the CID program. Uplink commands were sent from a ground-based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up-down telemetry link. These uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to the modified PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were produced by the ground system. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground-based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems; however, piloted flight tests were the primary method and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Performance Evaluation of Nose Cap to Silica Tile Joint of RLV-TD under the Simulated Flight Environment using Plasma Wind Tunnel Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillai, Aravindakshan; Krishnaraj, K.; Sreenivas, N.; Nair, Praveen

2017-12-01

Indian Space Research Organisation, India has successfully flight tested the reusable launch vehicle through launching of a demonstration flight known as RLV-TD HEX mission. This mission has given a platform for exposing the thermal protection system to the real hypersonic flight thermal conditions and thereby validated the design. In this vehicle, the nose cap region is thermally protected by carbon-carbon followed by silica tiles with a gap in between them for thermal expansion. The gap is filled with silica fibre. Base material on which the C-C is placed is made of molybdenum. Silica tile with strain isolation pad is bonded to aluminium structure. These interfaces with a variety of materials are characterised with different coefficients of thermal expansion joined together. In order to evaluate and qualify this joint, model tests were carried out in Plasma Wind Tunnel facility under the simultaneous simulation of heat flux and shear levels as expected in flight. The thermal and flow parameters around the model are determined and made available for the thermal analysis using in-house CFD code. Two tests were carried out. The measured temperatures at different locations were benign in both these tests and the SiC coating on C-C and the interface were also intact. These tests essentially qualified the joint interface between C-C and molybdenum bracket and C-C to silica tile interface of RLV-TD.

KSC-2009-3119

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the framework known as the "birdcage" lifts the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS. The CM-LAS stack will be mated with the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

International Space Station Sustaining Engineering: A Ground-Based Test Bed for Evaluating Integrated Environmental Control and Life Support System and Internal Thermal Control System Flight Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Charles D.; Perry, Jay L.; Callahan, David M.

2000-01-01

As the International Space Station's (ISS) various habitable modules are placed in service on orbit, the need to provide for sustaining engineering becomes increasingly important to ensure the proper function of critical onboard systems. Chief among these are the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) and the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS). Without either, life onboard the ISS would prove difficult or nearly impossible. For this reason, a ground-based ECLSS/ITCS hardware performance simulation capability has been developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The ECLSS/ITCS Sustaining Engineering Test Bed will be used to assist the ISS Program in resolving hardware anomalies and performing periodic performance assessments. The ISS flight configuration being simulated by the test bed is described as well as ongoing activities related to its preparation for supporting ISS Mission 5A. Growth options for the test facility are presented whereby the current facility may be upgraded to enhance its capability for supporting future station operation well beyond Mission 5A. Test bed capabilities for demonstrating technology improvements of ECLSS hardware are also described.

Capabilities of NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hovater, Mary; Hubbs, Whitney; Finchum, Andy; Evans, Steve; Nehls, Mary

2006-01-01

The Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for materials science at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). With an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns, a variety of projectile and target types and sizes can be accommodated. The ITF allows for simulation of impactors from rain to micrometeoroids and orbital debris on materials being investigated for space, atmospheric, and ground use. Expendable, relatively simple launch assemblies are used to obtain well-documented results for impact conditions comparable to those from ballistic and rocket sled ranges at considerably lower cost. In addition, for applications requiring study of impacts at speeds in excess of those attainable by gun launches, hydrocode simulations, validated by test data, can be used to extend the velocity range. In addition to serving various NASA directorates, the ITF has performed testing on behalf of the European and Russian space agencies, as well as the Department of Defense, and academic institutions. The m s contributions not only enable safer space flight for NASA s astronauts, but can help design materials and structures to protect soldiers and civilians on Earth, through advances in body armor, aircraft survivability, and a variety of other applications.

Building Airport Surface HITL Simulation Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chinn, Fay Cherie

2016-01-01

FutureFlight Central is a high fidelity, real-time simulator designed to study surface operations and automation. As an air traffic control tower simulator, FFC allows stakeholders such as the FAA, controllers, pilots, airports, and airlines to develop and test advanced surface and terminal area concepts and automation including NextGen and beyond automation concepts and tools. These technologies will improve the safety, capacity and environmental issues facing the National Airspace system. FFC also has extensive video streaming capabilities, which combined with the 3-D database capability makes the facility ideal for any research needing an immersive virtual and or video environment. FutureFlight Central allows human in the loop testing which accommodates human interactions and errors giving a more complete picture than fast time simulations. This presentation describes FFCs capabilities and the components necessary to build an airport surface human in the loop simulation capability.

A Concept for the HIFiRE 8 Flight Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alesi, H.; Paull, A.; Smart, M.; Bowcutt, K. G.

2015-09-01

HIFiRE 8 is a hypersonic flight test experiment scheduled for launch in late 2018 from the Woomera Test Center in Australia. This project aims to develop a Flight Test Vehicle that will, for the first time, complete 30 seconds of scramjet powered hypersonic flight at a Mach Number of 7.0. The engine used for this flight will be a rectangular to elliptic shape transition scramjet. It will be fuelled with gaseous hydrogen. The flight test engine configuration will be derived using scientific and engineering evaluation in the UQ shock tunnel T4 and other potential ground-based facilities. This paper presents current plans for the HIFiRE 8 trajectory, mission events, airframe and engine designs and also includes descriptions of critical subsystems and associated modelling, simulation and analysis activities.

Investigation of the effects of bandwidth and time delay on helicopter roll-axis handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanken, Chris L.; Pausder, Heinz-Jurgen

1994-01-01

Several years of cooperative research conducted under the U.S./German Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in helicopter aeromechanics have recently resulted in a successful handling qualities study. The focus of this cooperative research has been the effect of time delays in a high bandwidth vehicle on handling qualities. The jointly performed study included the use of U.S. ground-based simulation and German in-flight simulation facilities. The NASA-Ames Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) was used to develop a high bandwidth slalom tracking task which took into consideration the constraints of the facilities. The VMS was used to define a range of the test parameters and to perform initial handling qualities evaluations. The flight tests were conducted using DLR's variable-stability BO 105 S3 Advanced Technology Testing Helicopter System (ATTHeS). Configurations included a rate command and an attitude command response system with added time delays of up to 160 milliseconds over the baseline and band width values between 1.5 and 4.5 rad/sec. Sixty-six evaluations were performed in about 25 hours of flight time during ten days of testing. The results indicate a need to more tightly constrain the allowable roll axis phase delay for the Level 1 and Level 2 requirements in the U.S. Army's specification for helicopter handling qualities Aeronautical Design Standard (ADS)-33C.

STS-26 long duration simulation in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 long duration simulation is conducted in JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR). Front row of consoles with Propulsion Engineer (PROP) and Guidance, Navigation, and Control Systems Engineer (GNC) are visible in the foreground. CBS television camera personnel record front visual displays (orbital chart and data) for '48 Hours' program to be broadcast at a later date. The integrated simulation involved communicating with crewmembers stationed in the fixed based (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS) located in JSC Mission Simulation and Training Facility Bldg 5.

Low temperature fuel behavior studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stockemer, F. J.

1980-01-01

Aircraft fuels at low temperatures near the freezing point. The principal objective was an improved understanding of the flowability and pumpability of the fuels in a facility that simulated the heat transfer and temperature profiles encountered during flight in the long range commercial wing tanks.

8. LESLIE WICKMAN, EVA (EXTRA VEHICULAR ACTIVITIES) SPECIALIST, GETTING OUT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. LESLIE WICKMAN, EVA (EXTRA VEHICULAR ACTIVITIES) SPECIALIST, GETTING OUT OF SPACE SUIT AFTER TESTING IN NEUTRAL BUOYANCY TANK. AVERAGE COST OF SUIT $1,000,000. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

High-speed civil transport issues and technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hewett, Marle D.

1992-01-01

A strawman program plan is presented, consisting of technology developments and demonstrations required to support the construction of a high-speed civil transport. The plan includes a compilation of technology issues related to the development of a transport. The issues represent technical areas in which research and development are required to allow airframe manufacturers to pursue an HSCT development. The vast majority of technical issues presented require flight demonstrated and validated solutions before a transport development will be undertaken by the industry. The author believes that NASA is the agency best suited to address flight demonstration issues in a concentrated effort. The new Integrated Test Facility at NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility is considered ideally suited to the task of supporting ground validations of proof-of-concept and prototype system demonstrations before night demonstrations. An elaborate ground hardware-in-the-loop (iron bird) simulation supported in this facility provides a viable alternative to developing an expensive fill-scale prototype transport technology demonstrator. Drygen's SR-71 assets, modified appropriately, are a suitable test-bed for supporting flight demonstrations and validations of certain transport technology solutions. A subscale, manned or unmanned flight demonstrator is suitable for flight validation of transport technology solutions, if appropriate structural similarity relationships can be established. The author contends that developing a full-scale prototype transport technology demonstrator is the best alternative to ensuring that a positive decision to develop a transport is reached by the United States aerospace industry.

Ares-I-X Vehicle Preliminary Range Safety Malfunction Turn Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beaty, James R.; Starr, Brett R.; Gowan, John W., Jr.

2008-01-01

Ares-I-X is the designation given to the flight test version of the Ares-I rocket (also known as the Crew Launch Vehicle - CLV) being developed by NASA. As part of the preliminary flight plan approval process for the test vehicle, a range safety malfunction turn analysis was performed to support the launch area risk assessment and vehicle destruct criteria development processes. Several vehicle failure scenarios were identified which could cause the vehicle trajectory to deviate from its normal flight path, and the effects of these failures were evaluated with an Ares-I-X 6 degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) digital simulation, using the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories Version 2 (POST2) simulation framework. The Ares-I-X simulation analysis provides output files containing vehicle state information, which are used by other risk assessment and vehicle debris trajectory simulation tools to determine the risk to personnel and facilities in the vicinity of the launch area at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), and to develop the vehicle destruct criteria used by the flight test range safety officer. The simulation analysis approach used for this study is described, including descriptions of the failure modes which were considered and the underlying assumptions and ground rules of the study, and preliminary results are presented, determined by analysis of the trajectory deviation of the failure cases, compared with the expected vehicle trajectory.

1/48-scale model of an F-18 aircraft in Flow Visualization Facility (FVF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

This image shows a plastic 1/48-scale model of an F-18 aircraft inside the 'Water Tunnel' more formally known as the NASA Dryden Flow Visualization Facility. Water is pumped through the tunnel in the direction of normal airflow over the aircraft; then, colored dyes are pumped through tubes with needle valves. The dyes flow back along the airframe and over the airfoils highlighting their aerodynamic characteristics. The aircraft can also be moved through its pitch axis to observe airflow disruptions while simulating actual flight at high angles of attack. The Water Tunnel at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, became operational in 1983 when Dryden was a Flight Research Facility under the management of the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. As a medium for visualizing fluid flow, water has played a significant role. Its use dates back to Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), the Renaissance Italian engineer, architect, painter, and sculptor. In more recent times, water tunnels have assisted the study of complex flows and flow-field interactions on aircraft shapes that generate strong vortex flows. Flow visualization in water tunnels assists in determining the strength of vortices, their location, and possible methods of controlling them. The design of the Dryden Water Tunnel imitated that of the Northrop Corporation's tunnel in Hawthorne, CA. Called the Flow Visualization Facility, the Dryden tunnel was built to assist researchers in understanding the aerodynamics of aircraft configured in such a way that they create strong vortex flows, particularly at high angles of attack. The tunnel provides results that compare well with data from aircraft in actual flight in another fluid-air. Other uses of the tunnel have included study of how such flight hardware as antennas, probes, pylons, parachutes, and experimental fixtures affect airflow. The facility has also been helpful in finding the best locations for emitting smoke from flight vehicles for flow visualization.

1/48-scale model of an F-18 aircraft in Flow Visualization Facility (FVF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

This short movie clip shows a plastic 1/48-scale model of an F-18 aircraft inside the 'Water Tunnel' more formally known as the NASA Dryden Flow Visualization Facility. Water is pumped through the tunnel in the direction of normal airflow over the aircraft; then, colored dyes are pumped through tubes with needle valves. The dyes flow back along the airframe and over the airfoils highlighting their aerodynamic characteristics. The aircraft can also be moved through its pitch axis to observe airflow disruptions while simulating actual flight at high angles of attack. The Water Tunnel at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, became operational in 1983 when Dryden was a Flight Research Facility under the management of the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. As a medium for visualizing fluid flow, water has played a significant role. Its use dates back to Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), the Renaissance Italian engineer, architect, painter, and sculptor. In more recent times, water tunnels have assisted the study of complex flows and flow-field interactions on aircraft shapes that generate strong vortex flows. Flow visualization in water tunnels assists in determining the strength of vortices, their location, and possible methods of controlling them. The design of the Dryden Water Tunnel imitated that of the Northrop Corporation's tunnel in Hawthorne, CA. Called the Flow Visualization Facility, the Dryden tunnel was built to assist researchers in understanding the aerodynamics of aircraft configured in such a way that they create strong vortex flows, particularly at high angles of attack. The tunnel provides results that compare well with data from aircraft in actual flight in another fluid-air. Other uses of the tunnel have included study of how such flight hardware as antennas, probes, pylons, parachutes, and experimental fixtures affect airflow. The facility has also been helpful in finding the best locations for emitting smoke from flight vehicles for flow visualization.

Operational requirements for flight control and navigation systems for short haul transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, J. A.

1978-01-01

To provide a background for evaluating advanced STOL systems concepts, a number of short haul and STOL airline operations in the United States and one operation in Canada were studied. A study of flight director operational procedures for an advanced STOL research airplane, the Augmented Wing Jet STOL Research Airplane, was conducted using the STOLAND simulation facility located at the Ames Changes to the advanced digital flight control system (STOLAND) installed in the Augmentor Wing Airplane are proposed to improve the mode sequencing to simplify pilot procedures and reduce pilot workload.

Vision-Based Precision Landings of a Tailsitter UAV

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

2.2: Schematic of the controller used in simulation. The block diagram shown in Figure 2.2 shows the simulation structure used to simulate the vision...the structure of the flight facility walls, any vibration applied to the structure would potentially change the pose of the cameras. Each camera’s pose...relative to the target in Chap- ter 4, a flat earth assumption was made. In several situations the approximation that the ground over which the UAV is

NASA MSFC hardware in the loop simulations of automatic rendezvous and capture systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobbe, Patrick A.; Naumann, Charles B.; Sutton, William; Bryan, Thomas C.

1991-01-01

Two complementary hardware-in-the-loop simulation facilities for automatic rendezvous and capture systems at MSFC are described. One, the Flight Robotics Laboratory, uses an 8 DOF overhead manipulator with a work volume of 160 by 40 by 23 feet to evaluate automatic rendezvous algorithms and range/rate sensing systems. The other, the Space Station/Station Operations Mechanism Test Bed, uses a 6 DOF hydraulic table to perform docking and berthing dynamics simulations.

Overview of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility aeronautical flight projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Robert R., Jr.

1992-01-01

Several principal aerodynamics flight projects of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility are discussed. Key vehicle technology areas from a wide range of flight vehicles are highlighted. These areas include flight research data obtained for ground facility and computation correlation, applied research in areas not well suited to ground facilities (wind tunnels), and concept demonstration.

Web-Based Requesting and Scheduling Use of Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeager, Carolyn M.

2010-01-01

Automated User's Training Operations Facility Utilization Request (AutoFUR) is prototype software that administers a Web-based system for requesting and allocating facilities and equipment for astronaut-training classes in conjunction with scheduling the classes. AutoFUR also has potential for similar use in such applications as scheduling flight-simulation equipment and instructors in commercial airplane-pilot training, managing preventive- maintenance facilities, and scheduling operating rooms, doctors, nurses, and medical equipment for surgery. Whereas requesting and allocation of facilities was previously a manual process that entailed examination of documents (including paper drawings) from different sources, AutoFUR partly automates the process and makes all of the relevant information available via the requester s computer. By use of AutoFUR, an instructor can fill out a facility-utilization request (FUR) form on line, consult the applicable flight manifest(s) to determine what equipment is needed and where it should be placed in the training facility, reserve the corresponding hardware listed in a training-hardware inventory database, search for alternative hardware if necessary, submit the FUR for processing, and cause paper forms to be printed. Auto-FUR also maintains a searchable archive of prior FURs.

Antares Rocket Test Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-04-21

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other guests react after having watched the successful launch of the Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The test launch marked the first flight of Antares and the first rocket launch from Pad-0A. The Antares rocket delivered the equivalent mass of a spacecraft, a so-called mass simulated payload, into Earth's orbit. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Development of ADOCS controllers and control laws. Volume 3: Simulation results and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Kenneth H.; Glusman, Steven I.

1985-01-01

The Advanced Cockpit Controls/Advanced Flight Control System (ACC/AFCS) study was conducted by the Boeing Vertol Company as part of the Army's Advanced Digital/Optical Control System (ADOCS) program. Specifically, the ACC/AFCS investigation was aimed at developing the flight control laws for the ADOCS demonstator aircraft which will provide satisfactory handling qualities for an attack helicopter mission. The three major elements of design considered are as follows: Pilot's integrated Side-Stick Controller (SSC) -- Number of axes controlled; force/displacement characteristics; ergonomic design. Stability and Control Augmentation System (SCAS)--Digital flight control laws for the various mission phases; SCAS mode switching logic. Pilot's Displays--For night/adverse weather conditions, the dynamics of the superimposed symbology presented to the pilot in a format similar to the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS) for each mission phase is a function of SCAS characteristics; display mode switching logic. Results of the five piloted simulations conducted at the Boeing Vertol and NASA-Ames simulation facilities are presented in Volume 3. Conclusions drawn from analysis of pilot rating data and commentary were used to formulate recommendations for the ADOCS demonstrator flight control system design. The ACC/AFCS simulation data also provide an extensive data base to aid the development of advanced flight control system design for future V/STOL aircraft.

Concept of Operations Visualization for Ares I Production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chilton, Jim; Smith, David Alan

2008-01-01

Establishing Computer Aided Design models of the Ares I production facility, tooling and vehicle components and integrating them into manufacturing visualizations/simulations allows Boeing and NASA to collaborate real time early in the design/development cycle. This collaboration identifies cost effective and lean solutions that can be easily shared with Ares stakeholders (e.g., other NASA Centers and potential science users). These Ares I production visualizations and analyses by their nature serve as early manufacturing improvement precursors for other Constellation elements to be built at the Michoud Assembly Facility such as Ares V and the Altair Lander. Key to this Boeing and Marshall Space Flight Center collaboration has been the use of advanced virtual manufacturing tools to understand the existing Shuttle era infrastructure and trade potential modifications to support Ares I production. These approaches are then used to determine an optimal manufacturing configuration in terms of labor efficiency, safety and facility enhancements. These same models and tools can be used in an interactive simulation of Ares I and V flight to the Space Station or moon to educate the human space constituency (e.g., government, academia, media and the public) in order to increase national and international understanding of Constellation goals and benefits.

Boundary Layer Protuberance Simulations in Channel Nozzle Arc-Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marichalar, J. J.; Larin, M. E.; Campbell, C. H.; Pulsonetti, M. V.

2010-01-01

Two protuberance designs were modeled in the channel nozzle of the NASA Johnson Space Center Atmospheric Reentry Materials and Structures Facility with the Data-Parallel Line Relaxation computational fluid dynamics code. The heating on the protuberance was compared to nominal baseline heating at a single fixed arc-jet condition in order to obtain heating augmentation factors for flight traceability in the Boundary Layer Transition Flight Experiment on Space Shuttle Orbiter flights STS-119 and STS-128. The arc-jet simulations were performed in conjunction with the actual ground tests performed on the protuberances. The arc-jet simulations included non-uniform inflow conditions based on the current best practices methodology and used variable enthalpy and constant mass flow rate across the throat. Channel walls were modeled as fully catalytic isothermal surfaces, while the test section (consisting of Reaction Cured Glass tiles) was modeled as a partially catalytic radiative equilibrium wall. The results of the protuberance and baseline simulations were compared to the applicable ground test results, and the effects of the protuberance shock on the opposite channel wall were investigated.

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Steve; Finchum, Andy; Hubbs, Whitney; Gray, Perry

2008-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960s, then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California, The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility's unique capabilities were deemed a 'National Asset' by the DoD, The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Relocated test equipment was dated and in need of upgrade. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. Future ITF improvements will be focused on continued instrumentation and performance enhancements. These enhancements will allow further, more in-depth, characterization of rain drop demise characterization and evaluation of ice crystal impact. Performance enhancements also include increasing the upper velocity limit of the current environmental guns to allow direct environmental simulation for missile components. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas guns, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Steve; Finchum, Andy; Hubbs, Whitney

2008-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960% then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California. The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility's unique capabilities were deemed a "National Asset" by the DoD. The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Relocated test equipment was dated and in need of upgrade. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. Future ITF improvements will be focused on continued instrumentation and performance enhancements. These enhancements will allow further, more in-depth, characterization of rain drop demise characterization and evaluation of ice crystal impact. Performance enhancements also include increasing the upper velocity limit of the current environmental guns to allow direct environmental simulation for missile components. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas grins, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Computer aiding for low-altitude helicopter flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swenson, Harry N.

1991-01-01

A computer-aiding concept for low-altitude helicopter flight was developed and evaluated in a real-time piloted simulation. The concept included an optimal control trajectory-generated algorithm based on dynamic programming, and a head-up display (HUD) presentation of a pathway-in-the-sky, a phantom aircraft, and flight-path vector/predictor symbol. The trajectory-generation algorithm uses knowledge of the global mission requirements, a digital terrain map, aircraft performance capabilities, and advanced navigation information to determine a trajectory between mission waypoints that minimizes threat exposure by seeking valleys. The pilot evaluation was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center's Sim Lab facility in both the fixed-base Interchangeable Cab (ICAB) simulator and the moving-base Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) by pilots representing NASA, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Air Force. The pilots manually tracked the trajectory generated by the algorithm utilizing the HUD symbology. They were able to satisfactorily perform the tracking tasks while maintaining a high degree of awareness of the outside world.

Potential utilization of the NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in earthquake engineering research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scholl, R. E. (Editor)

1979-01-01

Earthquake engineering research capabilities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) facilities at George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Alabama, were evaluated. The results indicate that the NASA/MSFC facilities and supporting capabilities offer unique opportunities for conducting earthquake engineering research. Specific features that are particularly attractive for large scale static and dynamic testing of natural and man-made structures include the following: large physical dimensions of buildings and test bays; high loading capacity; wide range and large number of test equipment and instrumentation devices; multichannel data acquisition and processing systems; technical expertise for conducting large-scale static and dynamic testing; sophisticated techniques for systems dynamics analysis, simulation, and control; and capability for managing large-size and technologically complex programs. Potential uses of the facilities for near and long term test programs to supplement current earthquake research activities are suggested.

Practical color vision tests for air traffic control applicants: en route center and terminal facilities.

PubMed

Mertens, H W; Milburn, N J; Collins, W E

2000-12-01

Two practical color vision tests were developed and validated for use in screening Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) applicants for work at en route center or terminal facilities. The development of the tests involved careful reproduction/simulation of color-coded materials from the most demanding, safety-critical color task performed in each type of facility. The tests were evaluated using 106 subjects with normal color vision and 85 with color vision deficiency. The en route center test, named the Flight Progress Strips Test (FPST), required the identification of critical red/black coding in computer printing and handwriting on flight progress strips. The terminal option test, named the Aviation Lights Test (ALT), simulated red/green/white aircraft lights that must be identified in night ATC tower operations. Color-coding is a non-redundant source of safety-critical information in both tasks. The FPST was validated by direct comparison of responses to strip reproductions with responses to the original flight progress strips and a set of strips selected independently. Validity was high; Kappa = 0.91 with original strips as the validation criterion and 0.86 with different strips. The light point stimuli of the ALT were validated physically with a spectroradiometer. The reliabilities of the FPST and ALT were estimated with Chronbach's alpha as 0.93 and 0.98, respectively. The high job-relevance, validity, and reliability of these tests increases the effectiveness and fairness of ATCS color vision testing.

Performance of the NASA Airborne Radar with the Windshear Database for Forward-Looking Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Switzer, George F.; Britt, Charles L.

1996-01-01

This document describes the simulation approach used to test the performance of the NASA airborne windshear radar. An explanation of the actual radar hardware and processing algorithms provides an understanding of the parameters used in the simulation program. This report also contains a brief overview of the NASA airborne windshear radar experimental flight test results. A description of the radar simulation program shows the capabilities of the program and the techniques used for certification evaluation. Simulation of the NASA radar is comprised of three steps. First, the choice of the ground clutter data must be made. The ground clutter is the return from objects in or nearby an airport facility. The choice of the ground clutter also dictates the aircraft flight path since ground clutter is gathered while in flight. The second step is the choice of the radar parameters and the running of the simulation program which properly combines the ground clutter data with simulated windshear weather data. The simulated windshear weather data is comprised of a number of Terminal Area Simulation System (TASS) model results. The final step is the comparison of the radar simulation results to the known windshear data base. The final evaluation of the radar simulation is based on the ability to detect hazardous windshear with the aircraft at a safe distance while at the same time not displaying false alerts.

Sea-Level Flight Demonstration and Altitude Characterization of a LO2/LCH4 Based Accent Propulsion Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Jacob; Hurlbert, Eric; Romig, Kris; Melcher, John; Hobson, Aaron; Eaton, Phil

2009-01-01

A 1,500 lbf thrust-class liquid oxygen (LO2)/Liquid Methane (LCH4) rocket engine was developed and tested at both sea-level and simulated altitude conditions. The engine was fabricated by Armadillo Aerospace (AA) in collaboration with NASA Johnson Space Center. Sea level testing was conducted at Armadillo Aerospace facilities at Caddo Mills, TX. Sea-level tests were conducted using both a static horizontal test bed and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) test bed capable of lift-off and hover-flight in low atmosphere conditions. The vertical test bed configuration is capable of throttling the engine valves to enable liftoff and hover-flight. Simulated altitude vacuum testing was conducted at NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), which is capable of providing altitude simulation greater than 120,000 ft equivalent. The engine tests demonstrated ignition using two different methods, a gas-torch and a pyrotechnic igniter. Both gas torch and pyrotechnic ignition were demonstrated at both sea-level and vacuum conditions. The rocket engine was designed to be configured with three different nozzle configurations, including a dual-bell nozzle geometry. Dual-bell nozzle tests were conducted at WSTF and engine performance data was achieved at both ambient pressure and simulated altitude conditions. Dual-bell nozzle performance data was achieved over a range of altitude conditions from 90,000 ft to 50,000 ft altitude. Thrust and propellant mass flow rates were measured in the tests for specific impulse (Isp) and C* calculations.

In-flight thrust determination on a real-time basis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, R. J.; Carpenter, T.; Sandlin, T.

1984-01-01

A real time computer program was implemented on a F-15 jet fighter to monitor in-flight engine performance of a Digital Electronic Engine Controlled (DEES) F-100 engine. The application of two gas generator methods to calculate in-flight thrust real time is described. A comparison was made between the actual results and those predicted by an engine model simulation. The percent difference between the two methods was compared to the predicted uncertainty based on instrumentation and model uncertainty and agreed closely with the results found during altitude facility testing. Data was obtained from acceleration runs of various altitudes at maximum power settings with and without afterburner. Real time in-flight thrust measurement was a major advancement to flight test productivity and was accomplished with no loss in accuracy over previous post flight methods.

Jet Noise Modeling for Coannular Nozzles Including the Effects of Chevrons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, James R.; Krejsa, Eugene A.; Clark, Bruce J.

2003-01-01

Development of good predictive models for jet noise has always been plagued by the difficulty in obtaining good quality data over a wide range of conditions in different facilities.We consider such issues very carefully in selecting data to be used in developing our model. Flight effects are of critical importance, and none of the means of determining them are without significant problems. Free-jet flight simulation facilities are very useful, and can provide meaningful data so long as they can be analytically transformed to the flight frame of reference. In this report we show that different methodologies used by NASA and industry to perform this transformation produce very different results, especially in the rear quadrant; this compels us to rely largely on static data to develop our model, but we show reasonable agreement with simulated flight data when these transformation issues are considered. A persistent problem in obtaining good quality data is noise generated in the experimental facility upstream of the test nozzle: valves, elbows, obstructions, and especially the combustor can contribute significant noise, and much of this noise is of a broadband nature, easily confused with jet noise. Muffling of these sources is costly in terms of size as well as expense, and it is particularly difficult in flight simulation facilities, where compactness of hardware is very important, as discussed by Viswanathan (Ref. 13). We feel that the effects of jet density on jet mixing noise may have been somewhat obscured by these problems, leading to the variable density exponent used in most jet noise prediction procedures including our own. We investigate this issue, applying Occam s razor, (e.g., Ref. 14), in a search for the simplest physically meaningful model that adequately describes the observed phenomena. In a similar vein, we see no reason to reject the Lighthill approach; it provides a very solid basis upon which to build a predictive procedure, as we believe we demonstrate in this report. Another feature of our approach is that the analyses are all conducted with lossless spectra, rather than Standard Day spectra, as is often done in industry. We feel that it is important to isolate the effects of as many physical processes as practical. Atmospheric attenuation can then be included using the relations developed for NASA by Shields and Bass (Ref. 15), which are available in both FOOTPR and ANOPP. The current approach to coannular jet noise prediction used in FOOTPR is reported in Reference 16, which updates the earlier conventional-velocity-profile (CVP, Ref. 17) and inverted-velocity-profile (IVP, Ref. 18) models.

Production Support Flight Control Computers: Research Capability for F/A-18 Aircraft at Dryden Flight Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, John F.

1997-01-01

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) is working with the United States Navy to complete ground testing and initiate flight testing of a modified set of F/A-18 flight control computers. The Production Support Flight Control Computers (PSFCC) can give any fleet F/A-18 airplane an in-flight, pilot-selectable research control law capability. NASA DFRC can efficiently flight test the PSFCC for the following four reasons: (1) Six F/A-18 chase aircraft are available which could be used with the PSFCC; (2) An F/A-18 processor-in-the-loop simulation exists for validation testing; (3) The expertise has been developed in programming the research processor in the PSFCC; and (4) A well-defined process has been established for clearing flight control research projects for flight. This report presents a functional description of the PSFCC. Descriptions of the NASA DFRC facilities, PSFCC verification and validation process, and planned PSFCC projects are also provided.

Usability of EFBs for Viewing NOTAMs and AIS/MET Data Link Messages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Emory T.; Young, Steven D.; Daniels, Tammi S.; Myer, Robert R.

2014-01-01

Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) are increasingly integral to flight deck information management. A piloted simulation study was conducted at NASA Langley Research Center, one aspect of which was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of EFBs for viewing and managing Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and data linked aeronautical information services (AIS) and meteorological information (MET). The study simulated approaches and landings at Memphis International Airport (KMEM) using various flight scenarios and weather conditions. Ten two-pilot commercial airline crews participated, utilizing the Cockpit Motion Facility's Research Flight Deck (CMF/RFD) simulator. Each crew completed approximately two dozen flights over a two day period. Two EFBs were installed, one for each pilot. Study data were collected in the form of questionnaire/interview responses, audio/video recordings, oculometer recordings, and aircraft/system state data. Preliminary usability results are reported primarily based on pilot interviews and responses to questions focused on ease of learning, ease of use, usefulness, satisfaction, and acceptability. Analysis of the data from the other objective measures (e.g., oculometer) is ongoing and will be reported in a future publication. This paper covers how the EFB functionality was set up for the study; the NOTAM, AIS/MET data link, and weather messages that were presented; questionnaire results; selected pilot observations; and conclusions.

The Mission Planning Lab: A Visualization and Analysis Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daugherty, Sarah C.; Cervantes, Benjamin W.

2009-01-01

Simulation and visualization are powerful decision making tools that are time-saving and cost-effective. Space missions pose testing and e valuation challenges that can be overcome through modeling, simulatio n, and visualization of mission parameters. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration?s (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) capi talizes on the benefits of modeling, simulation, and visualization to ols through a project initiative called The Mission Planning Lab (MPL ).

Antares Rocket Test Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-04-21

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other guests react after having watched the successful launch of the Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The test launch marked the first flight of Antares and the first rocket launch from Pad-0A. The Antares rocket delivered the equivalent mass of a spacecraft, a so-called mass simulated payload, into Earth's orbit. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Analysis of terrestrial conditions and dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goward, S. N. (Principal Investigator)

1984-01-01

Land spectral reflectance properties for selected locations, including the Goddard Space Flight Center, the Wallops Flight Facility, a MLA test site in Cambridge, Maryland, and an acid test site in Burlington, Vermont, were measured. Methods to simulate the bidirectional reflectance properties of vegetated landscapes and a data base for spatial resolution were developed. North American vegetation patterns observed with the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer were assessed. Data and methods needed to model large-scale vegetation activity with remotely sensed observations and climate data were compiled.

A candidate V/STOL research aircraft design concept using an S-3A aircraft and 2 Pegasus 11 engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lampkin, B. A.

1980-01-01

A candidate V/STOL research aircraft concept which uses an S-3A airframe and two Pegasus 11 engines was studied to identify a feasible V/STOL national flight facility that could be obtained at the lowest possible cost for the demonstration of V/STOL technology, inflight simulation, and flight research. The rationale for choosing the configuration, a description of the configuration, and the capability of a fully developed aircraft are discussed.

Virtual Planning at Work: A Tour of NASA Future Flight Central

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClenahen, Jim; Dorighi, Nancy S. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

FutureFlight Central will permit integration of tomorrow's technologies in a risk-free simulation of any airport, airfield, and tower cab environment. The facility provides an opportunity for airlines to mitigate passenger delays by fine tuning airport hub operations, gate management and ramp movement procedures. It also allows airport managers an opportunity to study effects of various improvements at their airports. Finally, it enables air traffic controllers to provide feedback and to become familiar with new airport operations and technologies before final installation.

Spacelab cost reduction alternatives study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Alternative approaches to payload operations planning and control and flight crew training are defined for spacelab payloads with the goal of: lowering FY77 and FY 78 costs for new starts; lowering costs to achieve Spacelab operational capability; and minimizing the cost per Spacelab flight. These alternatives attempt to minimize duplication of hardware, software, and personnel, and the investment in supporting facility and equipment. Of particular importance is the possible reduction of equipment, software, and manpower resources such as comtational systems, trainers, and simulators.

KSC-2009-3118

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the framework known as the "birdcage" is placed over the Ares I-X simulator crew module-launch abort system, or CM-LAS. The birdcage will be used to lift the CM-LAS to mate the stack with the simulator service module-service adapter stack. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

From diffusion pumps to cryopumps: The conversion of GSFC's space environment simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cary, Ron

1992-01-01

The SES (Space Environmental Simulator), largest of the Thermal Vacuum Facilities at The Goddard Space Flight Center, recently was converted from an oil diffusion pumped chamber to a Cryopumped chamber. This modification was driven by requirements of flight projects. The basic requirement was to retain or enhance the operational parameters of the chamber such as pumping speed, ultimate vacuum, pump down time, and thermal system performance. To accomplish this task, seventeen diffusion pumps were removed and replaced with eight 1.2 meter (48 inch) diameter cryopumps and one 0.5 meter (20 inch) turbomolecular pump. The conversion was accomplished with a combination of subcontracting and in-house efforts to maximize the efficiency of implementation.

Developments in Human Centered Cueing Algorithms for Control of Flight Simulator Motion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houck, Jacob A.; Telban, Robert J.; Cardullo, Frank M.

1997-01-01

The authors conducted further research with cueing algorithms for control of flight simulator motion systems. A variation of the so-called optimal algorithm was formulated using simulated aircraft angular velocity input as a basis. Models of the human vestibular sensation system, i.e. the semicircular canals and otoliths, are incorporated within the algorithm. Comparisons of angular velocity cueing responses showed a significant improvement over a formulation using angular acceleration input. Results also compared favorably with the coordinated adaptive washout algorithm, yielding similar results for angular velocity cues while eliminating false cues and reducing the tilt rate for longitudinal cues. These results were confirmed in piloted tests on the current motion system at NASA-Langley, the Visual Motion Simulator (VMS). Proposed future developments by the authors in cueing algorithms are revealed. The new motion system, the Cockpit Motion Facility (CMF), where the final evaluation of the cueing algorithms will be conducted, is also described.

1. Credit PSR. This view displays the north and west ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Credit PSR. This view displays the north and west facades of Test Stand "G" (Vibration Facility) as seen when looking east southeast (110°). Test Stand "G" no longer houses the vibrator; it now houses an autoclave due to the changing nature of the testing work. The Vibration Facility was Test Stand "G"'s historic function. Test Stand "E" is at the far right. The Vibration Facility subjected motor and engine assemblies to various vibration patterns in order to simulate flight conditions and evaluate the durability of engine and motor designs. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Test Stand G, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

High-temperature combustor liner tests in structural component response test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moorhead, Paul E.

1988-01-01

Jet engine combustor liners were tested in the structural component response facility at NASA Lewis. In this facility combustor liners were thermally cycled to simulate a flight envelope of takeoff, cruise, and return to idle. Temperatures were measured with both thermocouples and an infrared thermal imaging system. A conventional stacked-ring louvered combustor liner developed a crack at 1603 cycles. This test was discontinued after 1728 cycles because of distortion of the liner. A segmented or float wall combustor liner tested at the same heat flux showed no significant change after 1600 cycles. Changes are being made in the facility to allow higher temperatures.

TPS: From Arc-Jet to Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buslog, Stanley A.

2004-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the testing of thermal protection system materials. All space vehicles that reenter Earth's atmosphere from either LEO or from Lunar/Mars missions require thermal protection system (TPS) materials. These TPS materials requires ground test facilities that simulate the aerothermodynamic environments experienced by reentry. The existing arc-jet facility requires expansion to combine convective and radiation heating and to test the capability to protect with the CO2 atmosphere that will be encountered for Martian entry.

Apollo experience report: Real-time auxiliary computing facility development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allday, C. E.

1972-01-01

The Apollo real time auxiliary computing function and facility were an extension of the facility used during the Gemini Program. The facility was expanded to include support of all areas of flight control, and computer programs were developed for mission and mission-simulation support. The scope of the function was expanded to include prime mission support functions in addition to engineering evaluations, and the facility became a mandatory mission support facility. The facility functioned as a full scale mission support activity until after the first manned lunar landing mission. After the Apollo 11 mission, the function and facility gradually reverted to a nonmandatory, offline, on-call operation because the real time program flexibility was increased and verified sufficiently to eliminate the need for redundant computations. The evaluation of the facility and function and recommendations for future programs are discussed in this report.

KSC-2009-2830

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The fifth segment simulator segments of the Ares I-X rocket have been moved to the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The stacking operations with other segments in the VAB in June. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2009-2829

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The fifth segment simulator segments of the Ares I-X rocket have been moved to the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The stacking operations with other segments in the VAB in June. Ares I-X is the flight test for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Atomization, drop size, and penetration for cross-stream water injection at high-altitude reentry conditions with application to the RAM C-1 and C-3 flights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooderum, P. B.; Bushnell, D. M.

1972-01-01

Atomization, drop size, and penetration data are presented for cross stream water injection at conditions simulating high altitude reentry (low Weber number, high static temperature, high Knudsen number, and low static pressure). These results are applied to the RAM C-1 and C-3 flights. Two primary breakup modes are considered, vapor pressure or flashing and aerodynamic atomization. Results are given for breakup boundaries and mean drop size for each of these atomization mechanisms. Both standard and flight orifice geometries are investigated. The data were obtained in both a static environment and in conventional aerodynamic facilities at Mach numbers of 4.5 and 8. The high temperature aspects of reentry were simulated in a Mach 5.5 cyanogen-oxygen tunnel with total temperature of 4500 K.

2013-2363

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-05-15

(left to right) NASA Langley aerospace engineer Bruce Jackson briefs astronauts Rex Walheim and Gregory Johnson about the Synthetic Vision (SV) and Enhanced Vision (EV) systems in a flight simulator at the center's Cockpit Motion Facility. The astronauts were training to land the Dream Chaser spacecraft May 15th 2013. credit NASA/David C. Bowman

19. NBS SUIT LAB. STORAGE SHELF WITH LIQUID COOLING VENTILATION ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. NBS SUIT LAB. STORAGE SHELF WITH LIQUID COOLING VENTILATION GARMENT (LCVG), SUIT GLOVES, WAIST INSERTS, UPPER AND LOWER ARMS (LEFT, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM), LOWER TORSO ASSEMBLIES (LTA) (MIDDLE RIGHT TO LOWER RIGHT). - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Design and Commissioning of a New Lightweight Piston for the X3 Expansion Tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gildfind, D. E.; Morgan, R. G.; Sancho, J.

The University of Queensland's (UQ) X3 facility (Figure 1) is the world's largest free-piston driven expansion tube. It is used to generate hypersonic test flows such as simulation of planetary entry (6-15 km/s) or scramjet flight (3-5 km/s).

The role of the real-time simulation facility, SIMFAC, in the design, development and performance verification of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) with man-in-the-loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccllough, J. R.; Sharpe, A.; Doetsch, K. H.

1980-01-01

The SIMFAC has played a vital role in the design, development, and performance verification of the shuttle remote manipulator system (SRMS) to be installed in the space shuttle orbiter. The facility provides for realistic man-in-the-loop operation of the SRMS by an operator in the operator complex, a flightlike crew station patterned after the orbiter aft flight deck with all necessary man machine interface elements, including SRMS displays and controls and simulated out-of-the-window and CCTV scenes. The characteristics of the manipulator system, including arm and joint servo dynamics and control algorithms, are simulated by a comprehensive mathematical model within the simulation subsystem of the facility. Major studies carried out using SIMFAC include: SRMS parameter sensitivity evaluations; the development, evaluation, and verification of operating procedures; and malfunction simulation and analysis of malfunction performance. Among the most important and comprehensive man-in-the-loop simulations carried out to date on SIMFAC are those which support SRMS performance verification and certification when the SRMS is part of the integrated orbiter-manipulator system.

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finchum, Andy; Hubbs, Whitney; Evans, Steve

2008-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center s (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960s, then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California. The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility s unique capabilities were deemed a "National Asset" by the DoD. The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas guns, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Computational and Experimental Characterization of the Mach 6 Facility Nozzle Flow for the Enhanced Injection and Mixing Project at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drozda, Tomasz G.; Cabell, Karen F.; Passe, Bradley J.; Baurle, Robert A.

2017-01-01

Computational fluid dynamics analyses and experimental data are presented for the Mach 6 facility nozzle used in the Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility for the Enhanced Injection and Mixing Project (EIMP). This project, conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center, aims to investigate supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) fuel injection and mixing physics relevant to flight Mach numbers greater than 8. The EIMP experiments use a two-dimensional Mach 6 facility nozzle to provide the high-speed air simulating the combustor entrance flow of a scramjet engine. Of interest are the physical extent and the thermodynamic properties of the core flow at the nozzle exit plane. The detailed characterization of this flow is obtained from three-dimensional, viscous, Reynolds-averaged simulations. Thermodynamic nonequilibrium effects are also investigated. The simulations are compared with the available experimental data, which includes wall static pressures as well as in-stream static pressure, pitot pressure and total temperature obtained via in-stream probes positioned just downstream of the nozzle exit plane.

Analytic and experimental evaluation of flowing air test conditions for selected metallics in a shuttle TPS application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, J. W.; Tong, H.; Clark, K. J.; Suchsland, K. E.; Neuner, G. J.

1975-01-01

A detailed experimental and analytical evaluation was performed to define the response of TD nickel chromium alloy (20 percent chromium) and coated columbium (R512E on CB-752 and VH-109 on WC129Y) to shuttle orbiter reentry heating. Flight conditions important to the response of these thermal protection system (TPS) materials were calculated, and test conditions appropriate to simulation of these flight conditions in flowing air ground test facilities were defined. The response characteristics of these metallics were then evaluated for the flight and representative ground test conditions by analytical techniques employing appropriate thermochemical and thermal response computer codes and by experimental techniques employing an arc heater flowing air test facility and flat face stagnation point and wedge test models. These results were analyzed to define the ground test requirements to obtain valid TPS response characteristics for application to flight. For both material types in the range of conditions appropriate to the shuttle application, the surface thermochemical response resulted in a small rate of change of mass and a negligible energy contribution. The thermal response in terms of surface temperature was controlled by the net heat flux to the surface; this net flux was influenced significantly by the surface catalycity and surface emissivity. The surface catalycity must be accounted for in defining simulation test conditions so that proper heat flux levels to, and therefore surface temperatures of, the test samples are achieved.

Comparison of flight results with digital simulation for a digital electronic engine control in an F-15 airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, L. P.; Burcham, F. W., Jr.

1983-01-01

Substantial benefits of a full authority digital electronic engine control on an air breathing engine were demonstrated repeatedly in simulation studies, ground engine tests, and engine altitude test facilities. A digital engine electronic control system showed improvements in efficiency, performance, and operation. An additional benefit of full authority digital controls is the capability of detecting and correcting failures and providing engine health diagnostics.

A mathematical simulation model of the CH-47B helicopter, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, J. M.; Liu, T. Y.; Chung, W.

1984-01-01

A nonlinear simulation model of the CH-47B helicopter was adapted for use in the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) simulation facility. The model represents the specific configuration of the ARC variable stability CH-47B helicopter and will be used in ground simulation research and to expedite and verify flight experiment design. Modeling of the helicopter uses a total force approach in six rigid body degrees of freedom. Rotor dynamics are simulated using the Wheatlely-Bailey equations including steady-state flapping dynamics. Also included in the model is the option for simulation of external suspension, slung-load equations of motion.

Time-of-Flight Measurements of Neutron Yields from Implosions at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caggaino, Joseph

2014-10-01

Three 20-m time-of-flight detectors measure neutron spectra from implosions of deuterium-tritium targets at the National Ignition Facility. Two prominent peaks appear in the spectra from the T(d, n) and D(d, n) reactions. The ratio of yields extracted from the peaks depend on the DT and DD reaction rates and attenuation from the compressed DT fuel, which makes the ratio a diagnostic of the hotspot thermodynamics and fuel areal density. The measured peak widths provide additional constraints on reactant temperature. Recent measurements from a high-yield campaign will be presented and compared to radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of similar implosions. This research is supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-NA0001944.

MEDES clinical research facility as a tool to prepare ISSA space flights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maillet, A.; Traon, A. Pavy-Le

This new multi-disciplinary medical experimentation center provides the ideal scientific, medical and technical environment required for research programs and to prepare international space station Alpha (ISSA) missions, where space and healthcare industries can share their expertise. Different models are available to simulate space flight effects (bed-rest, confinement,…). This is of particular interest for research in Human psychology, physiology, physiopathology and ergonomics, validation of biomedical materials and procedures, testing of drugs, and other healthcare related products. This clinical research facility (CRF) provides valuable services in various fields of Human research requiring healthy volunteers. CRF is widely accessible to national and international, scientific, medical and industrial organisations. Furthermore, users have at their disposal the multi-disciplinary skills of MEDES staff and all MEDES partners on a single site.

The 0.040-scale space shuttle orbiter base heating model tests in the Lewis Research Center space power facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dezelick, R. A.

1976-01-01

Space shuttle base heating tests were conducted using a 0.040-scale model in the Plum Brook Space Power Facility of The NASA Lewis Research Center. The tests measured heat transfer rates, pressure distributions, and gas recovery temperatures on the orbiter vehicle 2A base configuration resulting from engine plume impingement. One hundred and sixty-eight hydrogen-oxygen engine firings were made at simulated flight altitudes ranging from 120,000 to 360,000 feet.

12. NBS LOWER ROOM. BEHIND FAR GLASS WALL IS VIDEO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. NBS LOWER ROOM. BEHIND FAR GLASS WALL IS VIDEO TAPE EQUIPMENT AND VOICE INTERCOM EQUIPMENT. THE MONITORS ABOVE GLASS WALL DISPLAY UNDERWATER TEST VIDEO TO CONTROL ROOM. FARTHEST CONSOLE ROW CONTAINS CAMERA SWITCHING, PANNING, TILTING, FOCUSING, AND ZOOMING. MIDDLE CONSOLE ROW CONTAINS TEST CONDUCTOR CONSOLES FOR MONITORING TEST ACTIVITIES AND DATA. THE CLOSEST CONSOLE ROW IS NBS FACILITY CONSOLES FOR TEST DIRECTOR, SAFETY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE REPRESENTATIVES. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

13. NBS LOWER ROOM. BEHIND FAR GLASS WALL IS VIDEO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. NBS LOWER ROOM. BEHIND FAR GLASS WALL IS VIDEO TAPE EQUIPMENT AND VOICE INTERCOM EQUIPMENT. THE MONITORS ABOVE GLASS WALL DISPLAY UNDERWATER TEST VIDEO TO CONTROL ROOM. FARTHEST CONSOLE ROW CONTAINS CAMERA SWITCHING, PANNING, TILTING, FOCUSING, AND ZOOMING. MIDDLE CONSOLE ROW CONTAINS TEST CONDUCTOR CONSOLES FOR MONITORING TEST ACTIVITIES AND DATA. THE CLOSEST CONSOLE ROW IS NBC FACILITY CONSOLES FOR TEST DIRECTOR, SAFETY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE REPRESENTATIVES. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

On Fast Post-Processing of Global Positioning System Simulator Truth Data and Receiver Measurements and Solutions Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kizhner, Semion; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Post-processing of data, related to a GPS receiver test in a GPS simulator and test facility, is an important step towards qualifying a receiver for space flight. Although the GPS simulator provides all the parameters needed to analyze a simulation, as well as excellent analysis tools on the simulator workstation, post-processing is not a GPS simulator or receiver function alone, and it must be planned as a separate pre-flight test program requirement. A GPS simulator is a critical resource, and it is desirable to move off the pertinent test data from the simulator as soon as a test is completed. The receiver and simulator databases are used to extract the test data files for postprocessing. These files are then usually moved from the simulator and receiver systems to a personal computer (PC) platform, where post-processing is done typically using PC-based commercial software languages and tools. Because of commercial software systems generality their functions are notoriously slow and more than often are the bottleneck even for short duration simulator-based tests. There is a need to do post-processing faster and within an hour after test completion, including all required operations on the simulator and receiver to prepare and move off the post-processing files. This is especially significant in order to use the previous test feedback for the next simulation setup or to run near back-to-back simulation scenarios. Solving the post-processing timing problem is critical for a pre-flight test program success. Towards this goal an approach was developed that allows to speed-up post-processing by an order of a magnitude. It is based on improving the post-processing bottleneck function algorithm using a priory information that is specific to a GPS simulation application and using only the necessary volume of truth data. The presented postprocessing scheme was used in support of a few successful space flight missions carrying GPS receivers.

An investigation of automatic guidance concepts to steer a VTOL aircraft to a small aviation facility ship

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sorensen, J. A.; Goka, T.; Phatak, A. V.; Schmidt, S. F.

1980-01-01

A detailed system model of a VTOL aircraft approaching a small aviation facility ship was developed and used to investigate several approach guidance concepts. A preliminary anaysis of the aircraft-vessel landing guidance requirements was conducted. The various subelements and constraints of the flight system are described including the landing scenario, lift fan aircraft, state rate feedback flight control, MLS-based navigation, sea state induced ship motion, and wake turbulence due to wind-over-deck effects. These elements are integrated into a systems model with various guidance concepts. Guidance is described in terms of lateral, vertical, and longitudinal axes steering modes and approach and landing phases divided by a nominal hover (or stationkeeping) point defined with respect to the landing pad. The approach guidance methods are evaluated, and the two better steering concepts are studied by both single pass and Monte Carlo statistical simulation runs. Four different guidance concepts are defined for further analysis for the landing phase of flight.

Free-jet testing at Mach 3.44 in GASL's aero/thermo test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cresci, D.; Koontz, S.; Tsai, C. Y.

1993-01-01

A supersonic blow-down tunnel has been used to conduct tests of a hydrogen burning ramjet engine at simulated Mach 3.44 conditions. A pebble-bed type storage heater, a free standing test cabin, and a 48 foot diameter vacuum sphere are used to simulate the flight conditions at nearly matched enthalpy and dynamic pressure. A two dimensional nozzle with a nominal 13.26 inch square exit provides a free-jet test environment. The facility used for these tests is described as are the results of a flow calibration performed on the M = 3.44 nozzle. Some facility/model interactions are discussed as are the eventual hardware modifications and operational procedures required to alleviate the interactions. Some engine test results are discussed briefly to document the success of the test program.

ECN-33298-03

NASA Image and Video Library

1985-12-19

This image shows a plastic 1/48-scale model of an F-18 aircraft inside the "Water Tunnel" more formally known as the NASA Dryden Flow Visualization Facility. Water is pumped through the tunnel in the direction of normal airflow over the aircraft; then, colored dyes are pumped through tubes with needle valves. The dyes flow back along the airframe and over the airfoils highlighting their aerodynamic characteristics. The aircraft can also be moved through its pitch axis to observe airflow disruptions while simulating actual flight at high angles of attack. The Water Tunnel at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, became operational in 1983 when Dryden was a Flight Research Facility under the management of the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. As a medium for visualizing fluid flow, water has played a significant role. Its use dates back to Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), the Renaissance Italian engineer, architect, painter, and sculptor. In more recent times, water tunnels have assisted the study of complex flows and flow-field interactions on aircraft shapes that generate strong vortex flows. Flow visualization in water tunnels assists in determining the strength of vortices, their location, and possible methods of controlling them. The design of the Dryden Water Tunnel imitated that of the Northrop Corporation's tunnel in Hawthorne, CA. Called the Flow Visualization Facility, the Dryden tunnel was built to assist researchers in understanding the aerodynamics of aircraft configured in such a way that they create strong vortex flows, particularly at high angles of attack. The tunnel provides results that compare well with data from aircraft in actual flight in another fluid-air. Other uses of the tunnel have included study of how such flight hardware as antennas, probes, pylons, parachutes, and experimental fixtures affect airflow. The facility has also been helpful in finding the best locations for emitting smoke from flight vehicles for flow vi

Return to Flight: Crew Activities Resource Reel 1 of 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

The crew of the STS-114 Discovery Mission is seen in various aspects of training for space flight. The crew activities include: 1) STS-114 Return to Flight Crew Photo Session; 2) Tile Repair Training on Precision Air Bearing Floor; 3) SAFER Tile Inspection Training in Virtual Reality Laboratory; 4) Guidance and Navigation Simulator Tile Survey Training; 5) Crew Inspects Orbital Boom and Sensor System (OBSS); 6) Bailout Training-Crew Compartment; 7) Emergency Egress Training-Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT); 8) Water Survival Training-Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL); 9) Ascent Training-Shuttle Motion Simulator; 10) External Tank Photo Training-Full Fuselage Trainer; 11) Rendezvous and Docking Training-Shuttle Engineering Simulator (SES) Dome; 12) Shuttle Robot Arm Training-SES Dome; 13) EVA Training Virtual Reality Lab; 14) EVA Training Neutral Buoyancy Lab; 15) EVA-2 Training-NBL; 16) EVA Tool Training-Partial Gravity Simulator; 17) Cure in Place Ablator Applicator (CIPAA) Training Glove Vacuum Chamber; 16) Crew Visit to Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA); 17) Crew Inspection-Space Shuttle Discovery; and 18) Crew Inspection-External Tank and Orbital Boom and Sensor System (OBSS). The crew are then seen answering questions from the media at the Space Shuttle Landing Facility.

NASA's aircraft icing technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinmann, John J.

1991-01-01

NASA' Aircraft Icing Technology program is aimed at developing innovative technologies for safe and efficient flight into forecasted icing. The program addresses the needs of all aircraft classes and supports both commercial and military applications. The program is guided by three key strategic objectives: (1) numerically simulate an aircraft's response to an in-flight icing encounter, (2) provide improved experimental icing simulation facilities and testing techniques, and (3) offer innovative approaches to ice protection. Our research focuses on topics that directly support stated industry needs, and we work closely with industry to assure a rapid and smooth transfer of technology. This paper presents selected results that illustrate progress towards the three strategic objectives, and it provides a comprehensive list of references on the NASA icing program.

An environmental testing facility for Space Station Freedom power management and distribution hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackola, Arthur S.; Hartjen, Gary L.

1992-01-01

The plans for a new test facility, including new environmental test systems, which are presently under construction, and the major environmental Test Support Equipment (TSE) used therein are addressed. This all-new Rocketdyne facility will perform space simulation environmental tests on Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) hardware to Space Station Freedom (SSF) at the Engineering Model, Qualification Model, and Flight Model levels of fidelity. Testing will include Random Vibration in three axes - Thermal Vacuum, Thermal Cycling and Thermal Burn-in - as well as numerous electrical functional tests. The facility is designed to support a relatively high throughput of hardware under test, while maintaining the high standards required for a man-rated space program.

Beyond the cockpit: The visual world as a flight instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. W.; Kaiser, M. K.; Foyle, D. C.

1992-01-01

The use of cockpit instruments to guide flight control is not always an option (e.g., low level rotorcraft flight). Under such circumstances the pilot must use out-the-window information for control and navigation. Thus it is important to determine the basis of visually guided flight for several reasons: (1) to guide the design and construction of the visual displays used in training simulators; (2) to allow modeling of visibility restrictions brought about by weather, cockpit constraints, or distortions introduced by sensor systems; and (3) to aid in the development of displays that augment the cockpit window scene and are compatible with the pilot's visual extraction of information from the visual scene. The authors are actively pursuing these questions. We have on-going studies using both low-cost, lower fidelity flight simulators, and state-of-the-art helicopter simulation research facilities. Research results will be presented on: (1) the important visual scene information used in altitude and speed control; (2) the utility of monocular, stereo, and hyperstereo cues for the control of flight; (3) perceptual effects due to the differences between normal unaided daylight vision, and that made available by various night vision devices (e.g., light intensifying goggles and infra-red sensor displays); and (4) the utility of advanced contact displays in which instrument information is made part of the visual scene, as on a 'scene linked' head-up display (e.g., displaying altimeter information on a virtual billboard located on the ground).

Skylab Rescue Space Vehicle OAT No. 1 Plugs in Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jevitt, S. J.

1973-01-01

A test is described which demonstrates the compatibility of the Skylab Rescue Space Vehicle systems, the ground support equipment, and off-site support facilities by proceeding through a simulated launch countdown, liftoff, and flight. The functions of propellant loading, umbilical ejection, holddown arm release, service arm retraction, liftoff, and inflight separation are simulated. An external power source supplies transfer power to internal, and instrument unit commands are simulated by the digital command system. The test outline is presented along with a list of references, intercommunications information, radio frequency matrix, and interface control chart.

14 CFR Appendix E to Part 60 - Qualification Performance Standards for Quality Management Systems for Flight Simulation Training...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... conducted more frequently if warranted. End QPS Requirements Begin Information g. An example of a segment..., scheduling and conducting tests or inspections, functional preflight checks) but retain the responsibility... following: (a) A maintenance facility that provides suitable FSTD hardware and software tests and...

14 CFR Appendix E to Part 60 - Qualification Performance Standards for Quality Management Systems for Flight Simulation Training...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... conducted more frequently if warranted. End QPS Requirements Begin Information g. An example of a segment..., scheduling and conducting tests or inspections, functional preflight checks) but retain the responsibility... following: (a) A maintenance facility that provides suitable FSTD hardware and software tests and...

Aerocapture, Entry, Descent and Landing (AEDL) Human Planetary Landing Systems. Section 10: AEDL Analysis, Test and Validation Infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, J.; Cheatwood, N.; Powell, D.; Wolf, A.; Guensey, C.; Rivellini, T.; Venkatapathy, E.; Beard, T.; Beutter, B.; Laub, B.

2005-01-01

Contents include the following: 3 Listing of critical capabilities (knowledge, procedures, training, facilities) and metrics for validating that they are mission ready. Examples of critical capabilities and validation metrics: ground test and simulations. Flight testing to prove capabilities are mission ready. Issues and recommendations.

Argonne News Brief: Making Sense of Noise

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility at Argonne National Laboratory helped Joe Nichols, of the University of Minnesota, to create high fidelity simulations of jet turbulence to determine how and where noise is produced. The results may lead to novel engineering designs that reduce noise over commercial flight paths and on aircraft carrier decks.

Experimental control requirements for life sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, W. E.; Sharp, J. C.

1978-01-01

The Life Sciences dedicated Spacelab will enable scientists to test hypotheses in various disciplines. Building upon experience gained in mission simulations, orbital flight test experiments, and the first three Spacelab missions, NASA will be able to progressively develop the engineering and management capabilities necessary for the first Life Sciences Spacelab. Development of experiments for these missions will require implementation of life-support systems not previously flown in space. Plant growth chambers, animal holding facilities, aquatic specimen life-support systems, and centrifuge-mounted specimen holding units are examples of systems currently being designed and fabricated for flight.

Non-nuclear Testing of Reactor Systems in the Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanDyke, Melissa; Martin, James

2004-01-01

The Early Flight Fission-Test Facility (EFF-TF) can assist in the &sign and development of systems through highly effective non-nuclear testing of nuclear systems when technical issues associated with near-term space fission systems are "non-nuclear" in nature (e.g. system s nuclear operations are understood). For many systems. thermal simulators can he used to closely mimic fission heat deposition. Axial power profile, radial power profile. and fuel pin thermal conductivity can be matched. In addition to component and subsystem testing, operational and lifetime issues associated with the steady state and transient performance of the integrated reactor module can be investigated. Instrumentation at the EFF-TF allows accurate measurement of temperature, pressure, strain, and bulk core deformation (useful for accurately simulating nuclear behavior). Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE laboratories, industry, universities, and other NASA centers. This paper describes the current efforts for the latter portion of 2003 and beginning of 2004.

Hardware Progress Made in the Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) To Support Near-Term Space Fission Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Dyke, Melissa; Martin, James

2005-02-01

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Early Flight Fission Test Facility (EFF-TF), provides a facility to experimentally evaluate nuclear reactor related thermal hydraulic issues through the use of non-nuclear testing. This facility provides a cost effective method to evaluate concepts/designs and support mitigation of developmental risk. Electrical resistance thermal simulators can be used to closely mimic the heat deposition of the fission process, providing axial and radial profiles. A number of experimental and design programs were underway in 2004 which include the following. Initial evaluation of the Department of Energy Los Alamos National Laboratory 19 module stainless steel/sodium heat pipe reactor with integral gas heat exchanger was operated at up to 17.5 kW of input power at core temperatures of 1000 K. A stainless steel sodium heat pipe module was placed through repeated freeze/thaw cyclic testing accumulating over 200 restarts to a temperature of 1000 K. Additionally, the design of a 37- pin stainless steel pumped sodium/potassium (NaK) loop was finalized and components procured. Ongoing testing at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating both research and development necessary to support future decisions regarding potential use of space nuclear systems for space exploration. All efforts are coordinated with DOE laboratories, industry, universities, and other NASA centers. This paper describes some of the 2004 efforts.

A Real-Time Telemetry Simulator of the IUS Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drews, Michael E.; Forman, Douglas A.; Baker, Damon M.; Khazoyan, Louis B.; Viazzo, Danilo

1998-01-01

A real-time telemetry simulator of the IUS spacecraft has recently entered operation to train Flight Control Teams for the launch of the AXAF telescope from the Shuttle. The simulator has proven to be a successful higher fidelity implementation of its predecessor, while affirming the rapid development methodology used in its design. Although composed of COTS hardware and software, the system simulates the full breadth of the mission: Launch, Pre-Deployment-Checkout, Burn Sequence, and AXAF/IUS separation. Realism is increased through patching the system into the operations facility to simulate IUS telemetry, Shuttle telemetry, and the Tracking Station link (commands and status message).

KSC-2011-6635

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Smoke billows from a Huey II helicopter supporting the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6643

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Cape Canaveral Spaceport Mobile Command Center vehicle participates in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

TAMU: A New Space Mission Operations Paradigm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Ruszkowski, James; Haensly, Jean; Pennington, Granvil A.; Hogle, Charles

2011-01-01

The Transferable, Adaptable, Modular and Upgradeable (TAMU) Flight Production Process (FPP) is a model-centric System of System (SoS) framework which cuts across multiple organizations and their associated facilities, that are, in the most general case, in geographically diverse locations, to develop the architecture and associated workflow processes for a broad range of mission operations. Further, TAMU FPP envisions the simulation, automatic execution and re-planning of orchestrated workflow processes as they become operational. This paper provides the vision for the TAMU FPP paradigm. This includes a complete, coherent technique, process and tool set that result in an infrastructure that can be used for full lifecycle design and decision making during any flight production process. A flight production process is the process of developing all products that are necessary for flight.

Flight Test Techniques for Quantifying Pitch Rate and Angle of Attack Rate Dependencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grauer, Jared A.; Morelli, Eugene A.; Murri, Daniel G.

2017-01-01

Three different types of maneuvers were designed to separately quantify pitch rate and angle of attack rate contributions to the nondimensional aerodynamic pitching moment coefficient. These maneuvers combined pilot inputs and automatic multisine excitations, and were own with the subscale T-2 and Bat-4 airplanes using the NASA AirSTAR flight test facility. Stability and control derivatives, in particular C(sub mq) and C(sub m alpha(.)) were accurately estimated from the flight test data. These maneuvers can be performed with many types of aircraft, and the results can be used to increase simulation prediction fidelity and facilitate more accurate comparisons with wind tunnel experiments or numerical investigations.

Antares Rocket Test Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-04-21

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver talks with CEO and President of Orbital Sciences Corporation David Thompson, left, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, Orbital Sciences Corporation Antonio Elias, second from left, and Executive Director, Va. Commercial Space Flight Authority Dale Nash, background, in the Range Control Center at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility after the successful launch of the Orbital Sciences Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) in Virginia, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The test launch marked the first flight of Antares and the first rocket launch from Pad-0A. The Antares rocket delivered the equivalent mass of a spacecraft, a so-called mass simulated payload, into Earth's orbit. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Optical ablation/temperature gage (COTA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassaing, J.; Balageas, D.

ONERA has ground and flight tested for heat-shield recession a novel technique, different from current radiation and acoustic measurement methods. It uses a combined ablation/temperature gage that views the radiation optically from a cavity embedded within the heat shield. Flight measurements, both of temperature and of passage of the ablation front, are compared with data generated by a predictive numerical code. The ablation and heat diffusion into the instrumented ablator can be simulated numerically to evaluate accurately the errors due to the presence of the gage. This technology was established in 1978 and finally adopted after ground tests in arc heater facilities. After four years of flight evaluations, it is possible to evaluate and criticize the sensor reliability.

Thermal Characterization of a Simulated Fission Engine via Distributed Fiber Bragg Gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, Roger G.; Fielder, Robert S.; Seeley, Ryan J.; Kozikowski, Carrie L.; Raum, Matthew T.

2005-02-01

We report the use of distributed fiber Bragg gratings to monitor thermal conditions within a simulated nuclear reactor core located at the Early Flight Fission Test Facility of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Distributed fiber-optic temperature measurements promise to add significant capability and advance the state-of-the-art in high-temperature sensing. For the work reported herein, seven probes were constructed with ten sensors each for a total of 70 sensor locations throughout the core. These discrete temperature sensors were monitored over a nine hour period while the test article was heated to over 700 °C and cooled to ambient through two operational cycles. The sensor density available permits a significantly elevated understanding of thermal effects within the simulated reactor. Fiber-optic sensor performance is shown to compare very favorably with co-located thermocouples where such co-location was feasible.

Development of fire test methods for airplane interior materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tustin, E. A.

1978-01-01

Fire tests were conducted in a 737 airplane fuselage at NASA-JSC to characterize jet fuel fires in open steel pans (simulating post-crash fire sources and a ruptured airplane fuselage) and to characterize fires in some common combustibles (simulating in-flight fire sources). Design post-crash and in-flight fire source selections were based on these data. Large panels of airplane interior materials were exposed to closely-controlled large scale heating simulations of the two design fire sources in a Boeing fire test facility utilizing a surplused 707 fuselage section. Small samples of the same airplane materials were tested by several laboratory fire test methods. Large scale and laboratory scale data were examined for correlative factors. Published data for dangerous hazard levels in a fire environment were used as the basis for developing a method to select the most desirable material where trade-offs in heat, smoke and gaseous toxicant evolution must be considered.

Performance of the Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility During Altitude Firing Tests of the Delta 3 Upper Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Michael L.; Dickens, Kevin W.; Skaff, Tony F.; Cmar, Mark D.; VanMeter, Matthew J.; Haberbusch, Mark S.

1998-01-01

The Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center's Plum Brook Station was reactivated in order to conduct flight simulation ground tests of the Delta 3 cryogenic upper stage. The tests were a cooperative effort between The Boeing Company, Pratt and Whitney, and NASA. They included demonstration of tanking and detanking of liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and helium pressurant gas as well as 12 engine firings simulating first, second, and third burns at altitude conditions. A key to the success of these tests was the performance of the primary facility systems and their interfaces with the vehicle. These systems included the structural support of the vehicle, propellant supplies, data acquisition, facility control systems, and the altitude exhaust system. While the facility connections to the vehicle umbilical panel simulated the performance of the launch pad systems, additional purge and electrical connections were also required which were unique to ground testing of the vehicle. The altitude exhaust system permitted an approximate simulation of the boost-phase pressure profile by rapidly pumping the test chamber from 13 psia to 0.5 psia as well as maintaining altitude conditions during extended steady-state firings. The performance of the steam driven ejector exhaust system has been correlated with variations in cooling water temperature during these tests. This correlation and comparisons to limited data available from Centaur tests conducted in the facility from 1969-1971 provided insight into optimizing the operation of the exhaust system for future tests. Overall, the facility proved to be robust and flexible for vehicle space simulation engine firings and enabled all test objectives to be successfully completed within the planned schedule.

JT9D performance deterioration results from a simulated aerodynamic load test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stakolich, E. G.; Stromberg, W. J.

1981-01-01

The results of testing to identify the effects of simulated aerodynamic flight loads on JT9D engine performance are presented. The test results were also used to refine previous analytical studies on the impact of aerodynamic flight loads on performance losses. To accomplish these objectives, a JT9D-7AH engine was assembled with average production clearances and new seals as well as extensive instrumentation to monitor engine performance, case temperatures, and blade tip clearance changes. A special loading device was designed and constructed to permit application of known moments and shear forces to the engine by the use of cables placed around the flight inlet. The test was conducted in the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft X-Ray Test Facility to permit the use of X-ray techniques in conjunction with laser blade tip proximity probes to monitor important engine clearance changes. Upon completion of the test program, the test engine was disassembled, and the condition of gas path parts and final clearances were documented. The test results indicate that the engine lost 1.1 percent in thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC), as measured under sea level static conditions, due to increased operating clearances caused by simulated flight loads. This compares with 0.9 percent predicted by the analytical model and previous study efforts.

Atomic oxygen effects on boron nitride and silicon nitride: A comparison of ground based and space flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, J. B.; Lan, E. H.; Smith, C. A.; Whatley, W. J.

1990-01-01

The effects of atomic oxygen on boron nitride (BN) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) were evaluated in a low Earth orbit (LEO) flight experiment and in a ground based simulation facility. In both the inflight and ground based experiments, these materials were coated on thin (approx. 250A) silver films, and the electrical resistance of the silver was measured in situ to detect any penetration of atomic oxygen through the BN and Si3N4 materials. In the presence of atomic oxygen, silver oxidizes to form silver oxide, which has a much higher electrical resistance than pure silver. Permeation of atomic oxygen through BN, as indicated by an increase in the electrical resistance of the silver underneath, was observed in both the inflight and ground based experiments. In contrast, no permeation of atomic oxygen through Si3N4 was observed in either the inflight or ground based experiments. The ground based results show good qualitative correlation with the LEO flight results, indicating that ground based facilities such as the one at Los Alamos National Lab can reproduce space flight data from LEO.

Earthquake Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

During NASA's Apollo program, it was necessary to subject the mammoth Saturn V launch vehicle to extremely forceful vibrations to assure the moonbooster's structural integrity in flight. Marshall Space Flight Center assigned vibration testing to a contractor, the Scientific Services and Systems Group of Wyle Laboratories, Norco, California. Wyle-3S, as the group is known, built a large facility at Huntsville, Alabama, and equipped it with an enormously forceful shock and vibration system to simulate the liftoff stresses the Saturn V would encounter. Saturn V is no longer in service, but Wyle-3S has found spinoff utility for its vibration facility. It is now being used to simulate earthquake effects on various kinds of equipment, principally equipment intended for use in nuclear power generation. Government regulations require that such equipment demonstrate its ability to survive earthquake conditions. In upper left photo, Wyle3S is preparing to conduct an earthquake test on a 25ton diesel generator built by Atlas Polar Company, Ltd., Toronto, Canada, for emergency use in a Canadian nuclear power plant. Being readied for test in the lower left photo is a large circuit breaker to be used by Duke Power Company, Charlotte, North Carolina. Electro-hydraulic and electro-dynamic shakers in and around the pit simulate earthquake forces.

Constellation Training Facility Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flores, Jose M.

2008-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is developing the next set of vehicles that will take men back to the moon under the Constellation Program. The Constellation Training Facility (CxTF) is a project in development that will be used to train astronauts, instructors, and flight controllers on the operation of Constellation Program vehicles. It will also be used for procedure verification and validation of flight software and console tools. The CxTF will have simulations for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Crew Module (CM), CEV Service Module (SM), Launch Abort System (LAS), Spacecraft Adapter (SA), Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), Pressurized Cargo Variant CM, Pressurized Cargo Variant SM, Cargo Launch Vehicle, Earth Departure Stage (EDS), and the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM). The Facility will consist of part-task and full-task trainers, each with a specific set of mission training capabilities. Part task trainers will be used for focused training on a single vehicle system or set of related systems. Full task trainers will be used for training on complete vehicles and all of its subsystems. Support was provided in both software development and project planning areas of the CxTF project. Simulation software was developed for the hydraulic system of the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) of the ARES I launch vehicle. The TVC system is in charge of the actuation of the nozzle gimbals for navigation control of the upper stage of the ARES I rocket. Also, software was developed using C standards to send and receive data to and from hand controllers to be used in CxTF cockpit simulations. The hand controllers provided movement in all six rotational and translational axes. Under Project Planning & Control, support was provided to the development and maintenance of integrated schedules for both the Constellation Training Facility and Missions Operations Facilities Division. These schedules maintain communication between projects in different levels. The CxTF support provided is one that requires continuous maintenance since the project is still on initial development phases.

14 CFR 135.97 - Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. 135.97 Section 135.97 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Flight Operations § 135.97 Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. Each certificate holder...

14 CFR 135.97 - Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. 135.97 Section 135.97 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Flight Operations § 135.97 Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. Each certificate holder...

14 CFR 135.97 - Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. 135.97 Section 135.97 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Flight Operations § 135.97 Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. Each certificate holder...

14 CFR 135.97 - Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. 135.97 Section 135.97 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Flight Operations § 135.97 Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. Each certificate holder...

14 CFR 135.97 - Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. 135.97 Section 135.97 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Flight Operations § 135.97 Aircraft and facilities for recent flight experience. Each certificate holder...

Assessment of the Draft AIAA S-119 Flight Dynamic Model Exchange Standard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, E. Bruce; Murri, Daniel G.; Hill, Melissa A.; Jessick, Matthew V.; Penn, John M.; Hasan, David A.; Crues, Edwin Z.; Falck, Robert D.; McCarthy, Thomas G.; Vuong, Nghia;

A high order approach to flight software development and testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinbacher, J.

1981-01-01

The use of a software development facility is discussed as a means of producing a reliable and maintainable ECS software system, and as a means of providing efficient use of the ECS hardware test facility. Principles applied to software design are given, including modularity, abstraction, hiding, and uniformity. The general objectives of each phase of the software life cycle are also given, including testing, maintenance, code development, and requirement specifications. Software development facility tools are summarized, and tool deficiencies recognized in the code development and testing phases are considered. Due to limited lab resources, the functional simulation capabilities may be indispensable in the testing phase.

A review of recent developments in flight test techniques at the Ames Research Center, Dryden Flight Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Layton, G. P.

1984-01-01

New flight test techniques in use at Ames Dryden are reviewed. The use of the pilot in combination with ground and airborne computational capabilities to maximize data return is discussed, including the remotely piloted research vehicle technique for high-risk testing, the remotely augmented vehicle technique for handling qualities research, and use of ground computed flight director information to fly unique profiles such as constant Reynolds number profiles through the transonic flight regime. Techniques used for checkout and design verification of systems-oriented aircraft are discussed, including descriptions of the various simulations, iron bird setups, and vehicle tests. Some newly developed techniques to support the aeronautical research disciplines are discussed, including a new approach to position-error determination, and the use of a large skin friction balance for the measurement of drag caused by various excrescencies.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-02-01

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is responsible for designing and building the life support systems that will provide the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) a comfortable environment in which to live and work. Scientists and engineers at the MSFC are working together to provide the ISS with systems that are safe, efficient and cost-effective. These compact and powerful systems are collectively called the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, or simply, ECLSS. This is an exterior view of the U.S. Laboratory Module Simulator containing the ECLSS Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) testing facility at MSFC. At the bottom right is the data acquisition and control computers (in the blue equipment racks) that monitor the testing in the facility. The ITCS simulator facility duplicates the function, operation, and troubleshooting problems of the ITCS. The main function of the ITCS is to control the temperature of equipment and hardware installed in a typical ISS Payload Rack.

Development of a Simulation Capability for the Space Station Active Rack Isolation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Terry L.; Tolson, Robert H.

1998-01-01

To realize quality microgravity science on the International Space Station, many microgravity facilities will utilize the Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS). Simulation capabilities for ARIS will be needed to predict the microgravity environment. This paper discusses the development of a simulation model for use in predicting the performance of the ARIS in attenuating disturbances with frequency content between 0.01 Hz and 10 Hz. The derivation of the model utilizes an energy-based approach. The complete simulation includes the dynamic model of the ISPR integrated with the model for the ARIS controller so that the entire closed-loop system is simulated. Preliminary performance predictions are made for the ARIS in attenuating both off-board disturbances as well as disturbances from hardware mounted onboard the microgravity facility. These predictions suggest that the ARIS does eliminate resonant behavior detrimental to microgravity experimentation. A limited comparison is made between the simulation predictions of ARIS attenuation of off-board disturbances and results from the ARIS flight test. These comparisons show promise, but further tuning of the simulation is needed.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-05-10

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) played a crucial role in the development of the huge Saturn rockets that delivered humans to the moon in the 1960s. Many unique facilities existed at MSFC for the development and testing of the Saturn rockets. Affectionately nicknamed “The Arm Farm”, the Random Motion/ Lift-Off Simulator was one of those unique facilities. This facility was developed to test the swingarm mechanisms that were used to hold the rocket in position until lift-off. The Arm Farm provided the capability of testing the detachment and reconnection of various arms under brutally realistic conditions. The 18-acre facility consisted of more than a half dozen arm test positions and one position for testing access arms used by the Apollo astronauts. Each test position had two elements: a vehicle simulator for duplicating motions during countdown and launch; and a section duplicating the launch tower. The vehicle simulator duplicated the portion of the vehicle skin that contained the umbilical connections and personnel access hatches. Driven by a hydraulic servo system, the vehicle simulator produced relative motion between the vehicle and tower. On the Arm Farm, extreme environmental conditions (such as a launch scrub during an approaching Florida thunderstorm) could be simulated. The dramatic scenes that the Marshall engineers and technicians created at the Arm Farm permitted the gathering of crucial technical and engineering data to ensure a successful real time launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-07-28

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) played a crucial role in the development of the huge Saturn rockets that delivered humans to the moon in the 1960s. Many unique facilities existed at MSFC for the development and testing of the Saturn rockets. Affectionately nicknamed “The Arm Farm”, the Random Motion/ Lift-Off Simulator was one of those unique facilities. This facility was developed to test the swingarm mechanisms that were used to hold the rocket in position until lift-off. The Arm Farm provided the capability of testing the detachment and reconnection of various arms under brutally realistic conditions. The 18-acre facility consisted of more than a half dozen arm test positions and one position for testing access arms used by the Apollo astronauts. Each test position had two elements: a vehicle simulator for duplicating motions during countdown and launch; and a section duplicating the launch tower. The vehicle simulator duplicated the portion of the vehicle skin that contained the umbilical connections and personnel access hatches. Driven by a hydraulic servo system, the vehicle simulator produced relative motion between the vehicle and tower. On the Arm Farm, extreme environmental conditions (such as a launch scrub during an approaching Florida thunderstorm) could be simulated. The dramatic scenes that the Marshall engineers and technicians created at the Arm Farm permitted the gathering of crucial technical and engineering data to ensure a successful real time launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

KSC-2011-6637

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Fire Rescue personnel assist a volunteer portraying an injured Huey II helicopter crew member participating in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6644

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- An ambulance and several NASA Fire Rescue Services vehicles arrive to assist a Huey II helicopter participating in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6640

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Fire Rescue personnel assist volunteers portraying injured Huey II helicopter crew members participating in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6639

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Fire Rescue personnel assist volunteers portraying injured Huey II helicopter crew members participating in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6634

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A NASA Fire Rescue Services vehicle and a Huey II helicopter support the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6638

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Fire Rescue personnel assist volunteers portraying injured Huey II helicopter crew members participating in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6636

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A NASA Fire Rescue Services vehicle, ambulance and Huey II helicopter take part in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6641

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Fire Rescue personnel assist volunteers portraying injured Huey II helicopter crew members participating in the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6645

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Volunteers portraying injured Huey II helicopter crew members are assisted by NASA Fire Rescue personnel in support of the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Optimal Dynamic Soaring for Full Size Sailplanes

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

began with a brief overview of the motivation behind this research, the history of the sport of soaring, and an explanation of traditional static...defined below. sin( ) XFu Rv Qw g m θ • = − − + (43) sin( )cos( ) YFv Ru Pw g m φ θ • = − + + + (44) cos( ) cos( ) ZFw Qu Pv g m φ θ...Figure 52. LAMARS Facility LAMARS was chosen as a build up to the final flight simulator because of its successful 30 year history of simulating

Space simulation test for thermal control materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardgrove, W. R.

1990-01-01

Tests were run in TRW's Combined Environment Facility to examine the degradation of thermal control materials in a simulated space environment. Thermal control materials selected for the test were those presently being used on spacecraft or predicted to be used within the next few years. The geosynchronous orbit environment was selected as the most interesting. One of the goals was to match degradation of those materials with available flight data. Another aim was to determine if degradation can adequately be determined with accelerated or short term ground tests.

Astronaut Curtis Brown suspended by simulated parachute gear during training

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-06-28

S94-37516 (28 June 1994) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown is suspended by a simulated parachute gear during an emergency bailout training exercise in the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F). Making his second flight in space, Brown will join four other NASA astronauts and a European mission specialist for a week and a half in space aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in support of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) mission.

Lunar Landing Testing at NASA Langley

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-06-18

Lunar Landing Testing at NASA Langley. Lunar Landing Testing at NASA Langley. A simulated environment that contributed in a significant way to the success of Apollo project was the Lunar Landing Research Facility, an imposing 250 foot high, 400 foot long gantry structure that became operational in 1965. Published in the book "Space Flight Revolution" NASA SP-4308 pg. 376

Development of 3D Ice Accretion Measurement Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sam; Broeren, Andy P.; Addy, Harold E., Jr.; Sills, Robert; Pifer, Ellen M.

2012-01-01

Icing wind tunnels are designed to simulate in-flight icing environments. The chief product of such facilities is the ice accretion that forms on various test articles. Documentation of the resulting ice accretion key piece of data in icing-wind-tunnel tests. Number of currently used options for documenting ice accretion in icing-wind-tunnel testing.

Thermo Physics Facilities Branch Brochure ARC Jet Complex Fact Sheets, Hypervelocity Free-Flight Aerodynamic Facility Fact Sheets, Ames Vertical Gun Range Fact Sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fretter, E. F. (Editor); Kuhns, Jay (Editor); Nuez, Jay (Editor)

2003-01-01

The Ames Arc Jet Complex has a rich heritage of over 40 years in Thermal Protection System (TPS) development for every NASA Space Transportation and Planetary program, including Apollo, Space Shuttle, Viking, Pioneer-Venus, Galileo, Mars Pathfinder,Stardust, NASP,X-33,X-34,SHARP-B1 and B2,X-37 and Mars Exploration Rovers. With this early TPS history came a long heritage in the development of the arc jet facilities. These are used to simulate the aerodynamic heating that occurs on the nose cap, wing leading edges and on other areas of the spacecraft requiring thermal protection. TPS samples have been run in the arc jets from a few minutes to over an hour,from one exposure to multiple exposures of the same sample, in order t o understand the TPS materials response to a hot gas flow environment (representative of real hyperthermal environments experienced in flight). The Ames Arc l e t Complex is a key enabler for customers involved in the three major areas of TPS development: selection, validation, and qualification. The arc jet data are critical for validating TPS thermal models, heat shield designs and repairs, and ultimately for flight qualification.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instruments Module (ISIM) Cryo-Vacuum (CV) Test Campaign Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yew, Calinda; Whitehouse, Paul; Lui, Yan; Banks, Kimberly

2016-01-01

JWST Integrated Science Instruments Module (ISIM) has completed its system-level testing program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). In March 2016, ISIM was successfully delivered for integration with the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) after the successful verification of the system through a series of three cryo-vacuum (CV) tests. The first test served as a risk reduction test; the second test provided the initial verification of the fully-integrated flight instruments; and the third test verified the system in its final flight configuration. The complexity of the mission has generated challenging requirements that demand highly reliable system performance and capabilities from the Space Environment Simulator (SES) vacuum chamber. As JWST progressed through its CV testing campaign, deficiencies in the test configuration and support equipment were uncovered from one test to the next. Subsequent upgrades and modifications were implemented to improve the facility support capabilities required to achieve test requirements. This paper: (1) provides an overview of the integrated mechanical and thermal facility systems required to achieve the objectives of JWST ISIM testing, (2) compares the overall facility performance and instrumentation results from the three ISIM CV tests, and (3) summarizes lessons learned from the ISIM testing campaign.

Oxidation Behavior of HfB2-SiC Materials in Dissociated Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellerby, Don; Irby, Edward; Johnson, Sylvia M.; Beckman, Sarah; Gusman, Michael; Gasch, Matthew

2002-01-01

Hafnium diboride based materials have shown promise for use in extremely high temperature applications, such as sharp leading edges on future reentry vehicles. During reentry, the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere are dissociated by the shock layer ahead of the sharp leading edge such that surface reactions are determined by reactions of monatomic oxygen and nitrogen rather than O2, and N2. Simulation of the reentry environment on the ground requires the use of arc jet (plasma jet) facilities that provide monatomic species and are the closest approximation to actual flight conditions. Simple static or flowing oxidation studies under ambient pressures and atmospheres are not adequate to develop an understanding of a materials behavior in flight. Arc jet testing is required to provide the appropriate stagnation pressures, heat fluxes, enthalpies, heat loads and atmospheres encountered during flight. This work looks at the response of HfB2/SiC materials exposed to various simulated reentry environments.

Department of the Navy Justification of Estimates for Fiscal Year 1983 Submitted to Congress February 1982. Research, Development, Test and Evaluation: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

Improvements to and Construction of Government -Owned Facilities Funded by RDT&E -------------------- 57 Section 8: Project Data for Construction at... Government -Owned Facilities Funded by RDT&E --------------------------. . Section 9: Flight Simulator Programs...653,427 936.167 29 63202N AVIONICS 2 3,314 3,745 3,622 10,342 U 407 26 632n3N A0V HELICOPTER DEV 2 4,577 4,790 U 27 63207N ENVIRONENTAL APPLICATIONS 2

NASA Marshall Impact Testing Facility Capabilities Applicable to Lunar Dust Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Steven W.; Finchum, Andy; Hubbs, Whitney; Eskridge, Richard; Martin, Jim

2008-01-01

The Impact Testing Facility at Marshall Space Flight Center has several guns that would be of use in studying impact phenomena with respect to lunar dust. These include both ballistic guns, using compressed gas and powder charges, and hypervelocity guns, either light gas guns or an exploding wire gun. In addition, a plasma drag accelerator expected to reach 20 km/s for small particles is under development. Velocity determination and impact event recording are done using ultra-high-speed cameras. Simulation analysis is also available using the SPHC hydrocode.

CFD Analysis of Flexible Thermal Protection System Shear Configuration Testing in the LCAT Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferlemann, Paul G.

2014-01-01

This paper documents results of computational analysis performed after flexible thermal protection system shear configuration testing in the LCAT facility. The primary objectives were to predict the shear force on the sample and the sensitivity of all surface properties to the shape of the sample. Bumps of 0.05, 0.10,and 0.15 inches were created to approximate the shape of some fabric samples during testing. A large amount of information was extracted from the CFD solutions for comparison between runs and also current or future flight simulations.

B-737 flight test of curved-path and steep-angle approaches using MLS guidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branstetter, J. R.; White, W. F.

1989-01-01

A series of flight tests were conducted to collect data for jet transport aircraft flying curved-path and steep-angle approaches using Microwave Landing System (MLS) guidance. During the test, 432 approaches comprising seven different curved-paths and four glidepath angles varying from 3 to 4 degrees were flown in NASA Langley's Boeing 737 aircraft (Transport Systems Research Vehicle) using an MLS ground station at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. Subject pilots from Piedmont Airlines flew the approaches using conventional cockpit instrumentation (flight director and Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI). The data collected will be used by FAA procedures specialists to develop standards and criteria for designing MLS terminal approach procedures (TERPS). The use of flight simulation techniques greatly aided the preliminary stages of approach development work and saved a significant amount of costly flight time. This report is intended to complement a data report to be issued by the FAA Office of Aviation Standards which will contain all detailed data analysis and statistics.

A Free-flight Wind Tunnel for Aerodynamic Testing at Hypersonic Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seiff, Alvin

1954-01-01

The supersonic free-flight wind tunnel is a facility at the Ames Laboratory of the NACA in which aerodynamic test models are gun-launched at high speed and directed upstream through the test section of a supersonic wind tunnel. In this way, test Mach numbers up to 10 have been attained and indications are that still higher speeds will be realized. An advantage of this technique is that the air and model temperatures simulate those of flight through the atmosphere. Also the Reynolds numbers are high. Aerodynamic measurements are made from photographic observation of the model flight. Instruments and techniques have been developed for measuring the following aerodynamic properties: drag, initial lift-curve slope, initial pitching-moment-curve slope, center of pressure, skin friction, boundary-layer transition, damping in roll, and aileron effectiveness. (author)

Fluid handling 2: Surgical applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billica, Roger; Young, John; Rushing, Doug; Kizzee, Victor D.

1991-01-01

The methods proposed for managing fluids and particulate debris during minor surgery on Space Station Freedom (SSF) were investigated and demonstrated. A KC-135 parabolic flight test was performed, in which the flight followed the standard 40 parabola profile with 20 to 25 seconds in near-zero gravity in each parabola. The equipment (suction and laminar flow device) was evaluated. While this equipment performed satisfactorily previously in the dental simulation, the purpose of the current flight was to reconfigure the equipment in support of a minor surgical situation in order to evaluate its efficacy and establish clear requirements for the actual flight hardware. To accomplish the study the Health Maintenance Facility medical restraint system was deployed as for surgical use and mannequin suture arm was restrained to its surface. The surgical area was established as for performing minor surgery with standard tray and suture instruments employed.

A verified technique for calibrating space solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anspaugh, Bruce

1987-01-01

Solar cells have been flown on high-altitude balloons for over 24 years, to produce solar cell standards that can be used to set the intensity of solar simulators. The events of a typical balloon calibration flight are reported. These are: the preflight events, including the preflight cell measurements and the assembly of the flight cells onto the solar tracker; the activities at the National Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, including the preflight calibrations, the mating of the tracker and cells onto the balloon, preparations for launch, and the launch; the payload recovery, which includes tracking the balloon by aircraft, terminating the flight, and retrieving the payload. In 1985, the cells flow on the balloon were also flown on a shuttle flight and measured independently. The two measurement methods are compared and shown to agree within 1 percent.

Algorithm for Simulating Atmospheric Turbulence and Aeroelastic Effects on Simulator Motion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ercole, Anthony V.; Cardullo, Frank M.; Kelly, Lon C.; Houck, Jacob A.

2012-01-01

Atmospheric turbulence produces high frequency accelerations in aircraft, typically greater than the response to pilot input. Motion system equipped flight simulators must present cues representative of the aircraft response to turbulence in order to maintain the integrity of the simulation. Currently, turbulence motion cueing produced by flight simulator motion systems has been less than satisfactory because the turbulence profiles have been attenuated by the motion cueing algorithms. This report presents a new turbulence motion cueing algorithm, referred to as the augmented turbulence channel. Like the previous turbulence algorithms, the output of the channel only augments the vertical degree of freedom of motion. This algorithm employs a parallel aircraft model and an optional high bandwidth cueing filter. Simulation of aeroelastic effects is also an area where frequency content must be preserved by the cueing algorithm. The current aeroelastic implementation uses a similar secondary channel that supplements the primary motion cue. Two studies were conducted using the NASA Langley Visual Motion Simulator and Cockpit Motion Facility to evaluate the effect of the turbulence channel and aeroelastic model on pilot control input. Results indicate that the pilot is better correlated with the aircraft response, when the augmented channel is in place.

Space Based Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, James; Denson, Erik; Valencia, Lisa; Birr, Richard

2003-01-01

Current space lift launches on the Eastern and Western Range require extensive ground-based real-time tracking, communications and command/control systems. These are expensive to maintain and operate and cover only limited geographical areas. Future spaceports will require new technologies to provide greater launch and landing opportunities, support simultaneous missions, and offer enhanced decision support models and simulation capabilities. These ranges must also have lower costs and reduced complexity while continuing to provide unsurpassed safety to the public, flight crew, personnel, vehicles and facilities. Commercial and government space-based assets for tracking and communications offer many attractive possibilities to help achieve these goals. This paper describes two NASA proof-of-concept projects that seek-to exploit the advantages of a space-based range: Iridium Flight Modem and Space-Based Telemetry and Range Safety (STARS). Iridium Flight Modem uses the commercial satellite system Iridium for extremely low cost, low rate two-way communications and has been successfully tested on four aircraft flights. A sister project at Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) using the Globalstar system has been tested on one rocket. The basic Iridium Flight Modem system consists of a L1 carrier Coarse/Acquisition (C/A)-Code Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, an on-board computer, and a standard commercial satellite modem and antennas. STARS uses the much higher data rate NASA owned Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), a C/A-Code GPS receiver, an experimental low-power transceiver, custom built command and data handler processor, and digitized flight termination system (FTS) commands. STARS is scheduled to fly on an F-15 at Dryden Flight Research Center in the spring of 2003, with follow-on tests over the next several years.

Shuttle sortie simulation using a Lear jet aircraft: Mission no. 1 (assess program)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulholland, D. R.; Reller, J. O., Jr.; Nell, C. B., Jr.; Mason, R. H.

1972-01-01

The shuttle sortie simulation mission of the Airborne Science/Shuttle Experiments System Simulation Program which was conducted using the CV-990 aircraft is reported. The seven flight, five day mission obtained data on experiment preparation, type of experiment components, operation and maintenance, data acquisition, crew functions, timelines and interfaces, use of support equipment and spare parts, power consumption, work cycles, influence of constraints, and schedule impacts. This report describes the experiment, the facilities, the operation, and the results analyzed from the standpoint of their possible use in aiding the planning for experiments in the Shuttle Sortie Laboratory.

A simulation study of the flight dynamics of elastic aircraft. Volume 2: Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waszak, Martin R.; Davidson, John B.; Schmidt, David K.

1987-01-01

The simulation experiment described addresses the effects of structural flexibility on the dynamic characteristics of a generic family of aircraft. The simulation was performed using the NASA Langley VMS simulation facility. The vehicle models were obtained as part of this research project. The simulation results include complete response data and subjective pilot ratings and comments and so allow a variety of analyses. The subjective ratings and analysis of the time histories indicate that increased flexibility can lead to increased tracking errors, degraded handling qualities, and changes in the frequency content of the pilot inputs. These results, furthermore, are significantly affected by the visual cues available to the pilot.

Altitude Test Cell in the Four Burner Area

NASA Image and Video Library

1947-10-21

One of the two altitude simulating-test chambers in Engine Research Building at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The two chambers were collectively referred to as the Four Burner Area. NACA Lewis’ Altitude Wind Tunnel was the nation’s first major facility used for testing full-scale engines in conditions that realistically simulated actual flight. The wind tunnel was such a success in the mid-1940s that there was a backlog of engines waiting to be tested. The Four Burner chambers were quickly built in 1946 and 1947 to ease the Altitude Wind Tunnel’s congested schedule. The Four Burner Area was located in the southwest wing of the massive Engine Research Building, across the road from the Altitude Wind Tunnel. The two chambers were 10 feet in diameter and 60 feet long. The refrigeration equipment produced the temperatures and the exhauster equipment created the low pressures present at altitudes up to 60,000 feet. In 1947 the Rolls Royce Nene was the first engine tested in the new facility. The mechanic in this photograph is installing a General Electric J-35 engine. Over the next ten years, a variety of studies were conducted using the General Electric J-47 and Wright Aeronautical J-65 turbojets. The two test cells were occasionally used for rocket engines between 1957 and 1959, but other facilities were better suited to the rocket engine testing. The Four Burner Area was shutdown in 1959. After years of inactivity, the facility was removed from the Engine Research Building in late 1973 in order to create the High Temperature and Pressure Combustor Test Facility.

Simulation research: A vital step for human missions to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perino, Maria Antonietta; Apel, Uwe; Bichi, Alessandro

The complex nature of the challenge as humans embark on exploration missions beyond Earth orbit will require that, in the early stages, simulation facilities be established at least on Earth. Suitable facilities in Low Earth Orbit and on the Moon surface would provide complementary information of critical importance for the overall design of a human mission to Mars. A full range of simulation campaigns is required, in fact, to reach a better understanding of the complexities involved in exploration missions that will bring humans back to the Moon and then outward to Mars. The corresponding simulation means may range from small scale environmental simulation chambers and/or computer models that will aid in the development of new materials, to full scale mock-ups of spacecraft and planetary habitats and/or orbiting infrastructues. This paper describes how a suitable simulation campaign will contribute to the definition of the required countermeasures with respect to the expected duration of the flight. This will allow to be traded contermeasure payload and astronaut time against effort in technological development of propulsion systems.

Environmental Control and Life Support Systems Test Facility at MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is responsible for designing and building the life support systems that will provide the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) a comfortable environment in which to live and work. Scientists and engineers at the MSFC are working together to provide the ISS with systems that are safe, efficient, and cost-effective. These compact and powerful systems are collectively called the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, or simply, ECLSS. This photograph shows the development Water Processor located in two racks in the ECLSS test area at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Actual waste water, simulating Space Station waste, is generated and processed through the hardware to evaluate the performance of technologies in the flight Water Processor design.

Implementation of Satellite Formation Flight Algorithms Using SPHERES Aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandy, Christophe P.; Sakamoto, Hiraku; Saenz-Otero, Alvar; Miller, David W.

2007-01-01

The MIT's Space Systems Laboratory developed the Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) as a risk-tolerant spaceborne facility to develop and mature control, estimation, and autonomy algorithms for distributed satellite systems for applications such as satellite formation flight. Tests performed study interferometric mission-type formation flight maneuvers in deep space. These tests consist of having the satellites trace a coordinated trajectory under tight control that would allow simulated apertures to constructively interfere observed light and measure the resulting increase in angular resolution. This paper focuses on formation initialization (establishment of a formation using limited field of view relative sensors), formation coordination (synchronization of the different satellite s motion) and fuel-balancing among the different satellites.

ASTRONAUT CRIPPEN, ROBERT L. - PILOT - STS-1 - TRAINING - JSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-03-22

S79-25007 (13 Dec. 1978) --- Astronaut Robert L. Crippen, pilot for the first space shuttle orbital flight test (STS-1), is assisted by technicians prior to entering a water immersion facility (WIF) during a training session. The zero-gravity familiarization took place in the Johnson Space Center?s training and test center (Building 260). The WIF afford one of two ways to simulate the feeling of weightlessness experienced during space extravehicular activity (EVA), the other being inside aircraft flying a parabolic curve. Crippen will be joined by astronaut John W. Young for the STS-1 flight. Photo credit: NASA

A new low-turbulence wind tunnel for animal and small vehicle flight experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinn, Daniel B.; Watts, Anthony; Nagle, Tony; Lentink, David

2017-03-01

Our understanding of animal flight benefits greatly from specialized wind tunnels designed for flying animals. Existing facilities can simulate laminar flow during straight, ascending and descending flight, as well as at different altitudes. However, the atmosphere in which animals fly is even more complex. Flow can be laminar and quiet at high altitudes but highly turbulent near the ground, and gusts can rapidly change wind speed. To study flight in both laminar and turbulent environments, a multi-purpose wind tunnel for studying animal and small vehicle flight was built at Stanford University. The tunnel is closed-circuit and can produce airspeeds up to 50 m s-1 in a rectangular test section that is 1.0 m wide, 0.82 m tall and 1.73 m long. Seamless honeycomb and screens in the airline together with a carefully designed contraction reduce centreline turbulence intensities to less than or equal to 0.030% at all operating speeds. A large diameter fan and specialized acoustic treatment allow the tunnel to operate at low noise levels of 76.4 dB at 20 m s-1. To simulate high turbulence, an active turbulence grid can increase turbulence intensities up to 45%. Finally, an open jet configuration enables stereo high-speed fluoroscopy for studying musculoskeletal control in turbulent flow.

Heat Flux and Wall Temperature Estimates for the NASA Langley HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuda, Vincent, Jr.; Hass, Neal E.

2010-01-01

An objective of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) Program Flight 2 is to provide validation data for high enthalpy scramjet prediction tools through a single flight test and accompanying ground tests of the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR) tested in the NASA LaRC Arc Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF). The HDCR is a full-scale, copper heat sink structure designed to simulate the isolator entrance conditions and isolator, pilot, and combustor section of the HIFiRE flight test experiment flowpath and is fully instrumented to assess combustion performance over a range of operating conditions simulating flight from Mach 5.5 to 8.5 and for various fueling schemes. As part of the instrumentation package, temperature and heat flux sensors were provided along the flowpath surface and also imbedded in the structure. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the surface heat flux and wall temperature of the Zirconia coated copper wall can be obtained with a water-cooled heat flux gage and a sub-surface temperature measurement. An algorithm was developed which used these two measurements to reconstruct the surface conditions along the flowpath. Determinations of the surface conditions of the Zirconia coating were conducted for a variety of conditions.

Taurus II Stage Test Simulations: Using Large-Scale CFD Simulations to Provide Critical Insight into Plume Induced Environments During Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Struzenberg, L. L.; West, J. S.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the use of targeted Loci/CHEM CFD simulations to evaluate the effects of a dual-engine first-stage hot-fire test on an evolving integrated launch pad/test article design. This effort was undertaken as a part of the NESC Independent Assessment of the Taurus II Stage Test Series. The underlying conceptual model included development of a series of computational models and simulations to analyze the plume induced environments on the pad, facility structures and test article. A pathfinder simulation was first developed, capable of providing quick-turn around evaluation of plume impingement pressures on the flame deflector. Results from this simulation were available in time to provide data for an ongoing structural assessment of the deflector. The resulting recommendation was available in a timely manner and was incorporated into construction schedule for the new launch stand under construction at Wallops Flight Facility. A series of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) quasi-steady simulations representative of various key elements of the test profile was performed to identify potential concerns with the test configuration and test profile. As required, unsteady Hybrid-RANS/LES simulations were performed, to provide additional insight into critical aspects of the test sequence. Modifications to the test-specific hardware and facility structures thermal protection as well as modifications to the planned hot-fire test profile were implemented based on these simulation results.

FALSTAFF: A New Tool for Fission Fragment Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doré, D.; Farget, F.; Lecolley, F.-R.; Lehaut, G.; Materna, T.; Pancin, J.; Panebianco, S.; Papaevangelou, Th.

2014-05-01

The future Neutron For Science (NFS) facility to be installed at SPIRAL2 (Caen, France) will produce high intensity neutron beams from hundreds of keV up to 40 MeV. Taking advantage of this facility, data of particular interest to the nuclear community, in view of the development of fast reactor technology, will be measured. The development of an experimental setup called FALSTAFF for a full characterization of actinide fission fragments has been undertaken. Fission fragment isotopic yields and associated neutron multiplicities will be measured as a function of the neutron energy. Based on time-of-flight and residual energy technique, the setup will allow for the simultaneous measurement of the velocity and energy of the complementary fragments. The performance of the time-of-flight detectors of FALSTAFF will be presented and expected resolutions for fragment masses and neutron multiplicities, based on realistic simulations, will be shown.

Review of blunt body wake flows at hypersonic low density conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moss, J. N.; Price, J. M.

1996-01-01

Recent results of experimental and computational studies concerning hypersonic flows about blunted cones including their near wake are reviewed. Attention is focused on conditions where rarefaction effects are present, particularly in the wake. The experiments have been performed for a common model configuration (70 deg spherically-blunted cone) in five hypersonic facilities that encompass a significant range of rarefaction and nonequilibrium effects. Computational studies using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and Navier-Stokes solvers have been applied to selected experiments performed in each of the facilities. In addition, computations have been made for typical flight conditions in both Earth and Mars atmospheres, hence more energetic flows than produced in the ground-based tests. Also, comparisons of DSMC calculations and forebody measurements made for the Japanese Orbital Reentry Experiment (OREX) vehicle (a 50 deg spherically-blunted cone) are presented to bridge the spectrum of ground to flight conditions.

The NASA Glen Research Center's Hypersonic Tunnel Facility. Chapter 16

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woike, Mark R.; Willis, Brian P.

2001-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center's Hypersonic Tunnel Facility (HTF) is a blow-down, freejet wind tunnel that provides true enthalpy flight conditions for Mach numbers of 5, 6, and 7. The Hypersonic Tunnel Facility is unique due to its large scale and use of non-vitiated (clean air) flow. A 3MW graphite core storage heater is used to heat the test medium of gaseous nitrogen to the high stagnation temperatures required to produce true enthalpy conditions. Gaseous oxygen is mixed into the heated test flow to generate the true air simulation. The freejet test section is 1.07m (42 in.) in diameter and 4.3m (14 ft) in length. The facility is well suited for the testing of large scale airbreathing propulsion systems. In this chapter, a brief history and detailed description of the facility are presented along with a discussion of the facility's application towards hypersonic airbreathing propulsion testing.

Developing a Data Set and Processing Methodology for Fluid/Structure Interaction Code Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

50 29. 9-Probe Wake Survey Rake Configurations...structural stability and fatigue in test article components and, in general, in facility support structures and rotating machinery blading . Both T&E... blade analysis and simulations. To ensure the accuracy of the U of CO technology, validation using flight-test data and test data from a wind tunnel

Space Shuttle Usage of z/OS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Jan

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation gives a detailed description of the avionics associated with the Space Shuttle's data processing system and its usage of z/OS. The contents include: 1) Mission, Products, and Customers; 2) Facility Overview; 3) Shuttle Data Processing System; 4) Languages and Compilers; 5) Application Tools; 6) Shuttle Flight Software Simulator; 7) Software Development and Build Tools; and 8) Fun Facts and Acronyms.

Future directions in flight simulation: A user perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Bruce

1993-01-01

Langley Research Center was an early leader in simulation technology, including a special emphasis in space vehicle simulations such as the rendezvous and docking simulator for the Gemini program and the lunar landing simulator used before Apollo. In more recent times, Langley operated the first synergistic six degree of freedom motion platform (the Visual Motion Simulator, or VMS) and developed the first dual-dome air combat simulator, the Differential Maneuvering Simulator (DMS). Each Langley simulator was developed more or less independently from one another with different programming support. At present time, the various simulation cockpits, while supported by the same host computer system, run dissimilar software. The majority of recent investments in Langley's simulation facilities have been hardware procurements: host processors, visual systems, and most recently, an improved motion system. Investments in software improvements, however, have not been of the same order.

The Shuttle Mission Simulator computer generated imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, T. H.

1984-01-01

Equipment available in the primary training facility for the Space Transportation System (STS) flight crews includes the Fixed Base Simulator, the Motion Base Simulator, the Spacelab Simulator, and the Guidance and Navigation Simulator. The Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) consists of the Fixed Base Simulator and the Motion Base Simulator. The SMS utilizes four visual Computer Generated Image (CGI) systems. The Motion Base Simulator has a forward crew station with six-degrees of freedom motion simulation. Operation of the Spacelab Simulator is planned for the spring of 1983. The Guidance and Navigation Simulator went into operation in 1982. Aspects of orbital visual simulation are discussed, taking into account the earth scene, payload simulation, the generation and display of 1079 stars, the simulation of sun glare, and Reaction Control System jet firing plumes. Attention is also given to landing site visual simulation, and night launch and landing simulation.

Exobiological implications of dust aggregation in planetary atmospheres: An experiment for the gas-grain simulation facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huntington, J. L.; Schwartz, D. E.; Marshall, J. R.

1991-01-01

The Gas-Grain Simulation Facility (GGSF) will provide a microgravity environment where undesirable environmental effects are reduced, and thus, experiments involving interactions between small particles and grains can be more suitably performed. Slated for flight aboard the Shuttle in 1992, the ESA glovebox will serve as a scientific and technological testbed for GGSF exobiology experiments as well as generating some basic scientific data. Initial glovebox experiments will test a method of generating a stable, mono-dispersed cloud of fine particles using a vibrating sprinkler system. In the absence of gravity and atmospheric turbulence, it will be possible to determine the influence of interparticle forces in controlling the rate and mode of aggregation. The experimental chamber can be purged of suspended matter to enable multiple repetitions of the experiments. Of particular interest will be the number of particles per unit volume of the chamber, because it is suspected that aggregation will occur extremely rapidly if the number exceeds a critical value. All aggregation events will be recorded on high-resolution video film. Changes in the experimental procedure as a result of surprise events will be accompanied by real-time interaction with the mission specialist during the Shuttle flight.

System identification methods for aircraft flight control development and validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tischler, Mark B.

1995-01-01

System-identification methods compose a mathematical model, or series of models, from measurements of inputs and outputs of dynamic systems. The extracted models allow the characterization of the response of the overall aircraft or component subsystem behavior, such as actuators and on-board signal processing algorithms. This paper discusses the use of frequency-domain system-identification methods for the development and integration of aircraft flight-control systems. The extraction and analysis of models of varying complexity from nonparametric frequency-responses to transfer-functions and high-order state-space representations is illustrated using the Comprehensive Identification from FrEquency Responses (CIFER) system-identification facility. Results are presented for test data of numerous flight and simulation programs at the Ames Research Center including rotorcraft, fixed-wing aircraft, advanced short takeoff and vertical landing (ASTOVL), vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL), tiltrotor aircraft, and rotor experiments in the wind tunnel. Excellent system characterization and dynamic response prediction is achieved for this wide class of systems. Examples illustrate the role of system-identification technology in providing an integrated flow of dynamic response data around the entire life-cycle of aircraft development from initial specifications, through simulation and bench testing, and into flight-test optimization.

Goddard Space Flight Center Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility Restoration Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vernier, Robert; Bonalksy, Todd; Slavin, James

2004-01-01

The Goddard Space Flight Center Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility (SMTF) was constructed in the 1960's for the purpose of simulating geomagnetic and interplanetary magnetic field environments. The facility includes a three axis Braunbek coil system consisting of 12 loops, 4 loops on each of the three orthogonal axes; a remote Earth field sensing magnetometer and servo controller; and a remote power control and instrumentation building. The inner coils of the Braunbek system are 42-foot in diameter with a 10-foot by 10-foot opening through the outer coils to accommodate spacecraft access into the test volume. The physical size and precision of the facility are matched by only two other such facilities in the world. The facility was used extensively from the late 1960's until the early 1990's when the requirement for spacecraft level testing diminished. New NASA missions planned under the Living with a Star, Solar Terrestrial Probes, Explorer, and New Millennium Programs include precision, high-resolution magnetometers to obtain magnetic field data that is critical to fulfilling their scientific mission. It is highly likely that future Lunar and Martian exploration missions will also use precision magnetometers to conduct geophysical magnetic surveys. To ensure the success of these missions, ground-testing using a magnetic test facility such as the GSFC SMTF will be required. This paper describes the history of the facility, the future mission requirements that have renewed the need for spacecraft level magnetic testing, and the plans for restoring the facility to be capable of performing to its original design specifications.

Goddard Space Flight Center Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility Restoration Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vernier, Robert; Bonalosky, Todd; Slavin, James

2004-01-01

The Goddard Space Flight Center Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility (SMTF) was constructed in the 1960's for the purpose of simulating geomagnetic and interplanetary magnetic field environments. The facility includes a three axis Braunbek coil system consisting of 12 loops, 4 loops on each of the three orthogonal axes; a remote Earth field sensing magnetometer and servo controller; and a remote power control and instrumentation building. The inner coils of the Braunbek system are 42-foot in diameter with a 10-foot by 10-foot opening through the outer coils to accommodate spacecraft access into the test volume. The physical size and precision of the facility are matched by only two other such facilities in the world. The facility was used extensively from the late 1960's until the early 1990's when the requirement for spacecraft level testing diminished. New NASA missions planned under the Living with a Star, Solar Terrestrial Probes, Explorer, and New Millennium Programs include precision, high-resolution magnetometers to obtain magnetic field data that is critical to fulfilling their scientific mission. It is highly likely that future Lunar and Martian exploration missions will also use precision magnetometers to conduct geophysical magnetic surveys. To ensure the success of these missions, ground testing using a magnetic test facility such as the GSFC SMTF will be required. This paper describes the history of the facility, the future mission requirements that have renewed the need for spacecraft level magnetic testing, and the plans for restoring the facility to be capable of performing to its original design specifications.

The measurement programme at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunsing, F.; Aberle, O.; Andrzejewski, J.; Audouin, L.; Bécares, V.; Bacak, M.; Balibrea-Correa, J.; Barbagallo, M.; Barros, S.; Bečvář, F.; Beinrucker, C.; Belloni, F.; Berthoumieux, E.; Billowes, J.; Bosnar, D.; Brown, A.; Brugger, M.; Caamaño, M.; Calviño, F.; Calviani, M.; Cano-Ott, D.; Cardella, R.; Casanovas, A.; Castelluccio, D. M.; Cerutti, F.; Chen, Y. H.; Chiaveri, E.; Colonna, N.; Cortés-Giraldo, M. A.; Cortés, G.; Cosentino, L.; Damone, L. A.; Deo, K.; Diakaki, M.; Domingo-Pardo, C.; Dressler, R.; Dupont, E.; Durán, I.; Fernández-Domínguez, B.; Ferrari, A.; Ferreira, P.; Finocchiaro, P.; Frost, R. J. W.; Furman, V.; Ganesan, S.; García, A. R.; Gawlik, A.; Gheorghe, I.; Gilardoni, S.; Glodariu, T.; Gonçalves, I. F.; González, E.; Goverdovski, A.; Griesmayer, E.; Guerrero, C.; Göbel, K.; Harada, H.; Heftrich, T.; Heinitz, S.; Hernández-Prieto, A.; Heyse, J.; Jenkins, D. G.; Jericha, E.; Käppeler, F.; Kadi, Y.; Kalamara, A.; Katabuchi, T.; Kavrigin, P.; Ketlerov, V.; Khryachkov, V.; Kimura, A.; Kivel, N.; Kokkoris, M.; Krtička, M.; Kurtulgil, D.; Leal-Cidoncha, E.; Lederer, C.; Leeb, H.; Lerendegui, J.; Licata, M.; Meo, S. Lo; Lonsdale, S. J.; Losito, R.; Macina, D.; Marganiec, J.; Martínez, T.; Masi, A.; Massimi, C.; Mastinu, P.; Mastromarco, M.; Matteucci, F.; Maugeri, E. A.; Mazzone, A.; Mendoza, E.; Mengoni, A.; Milazzo, P. M.; Mingrone, F.; Mirea, M.; Montesano, S.; Musumarra, A.; Nolte, R.; Negret, A.; Oprea, A.; Palomo-Pinto, F. R.; Paradela, C.; Patronis, N.; Pavlik, A.; Perkowski, J.; Porras, I.; Praena, J.; Quesada, J. M.; Radeck, D.; Rajeev, K.; Rauscher, T.; Reifarth, R.; Riego-Perez, A.; Robles, M.; Rout, P.; Rubbia, C.; Ryan, J. A.; Sabaté-Gilarte, M.; Saxena, A.; Schillebeeckx, P.; Schmidt, S.; Schumann, D.; Sedyshev, P.; Smith, A. G.; Sosnin, N. V.; Stamatopoulos, A.; Suryanarayana, S. V.; Tagliente, G.; Tain, J. L.; Tarifeño-Saldivia, A.; Tarrío, D.; Tassan-Got, L.; Tsinganis, A.; Valenta, S.; Vannini, G.; Variale, V.; Vaz, P.; Ventura, A.; Vlachoudis, V.; Vlastou, R.; Wallner, A.; Warren, S.; Weigand, M.; Weiss, C.; Wolf, C.; Woods, P. J.; Wright, T.; Žugec, P.

2017-09-01

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections are important for a wide variety of research fields ranging from the study of nuclear level densities, nucleosynthesis to applications of nuclear technology like design, and criticality and safety assessment of existing and future nuclear reactors, radiation dosimetry, medical applications, nuclear waste transmutation, accelerator-driven systems and fuel cycle investigations. Simulations and calculations of nuclear technology applications largely rely on evaluated nuclear data libraries. The evaluations in these libraries are based both on experimental data and theoretical models. CERN's neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF has produced a considerable amount of experimental data since it has become fully operational with the start of its scientific measurement programme in 2001. While for a long period a single measurement station (EAR1) located at 185 m from the neutron production target was available, the construction of a second beam line at 20 m (EAR2) in 2014 has substantially increased the measurement capabilities of the facility. An outline of the experimental nuclear data activities at n_TOF will be presented.

STS-55 MS3 Bernard A. Harris, Jr in EMU at JSC's WETF for EVA simulation

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-11-08

S91-51058 (Dec 1991) --- Partially attired in a special training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit, astronaut Bernard A. Harris Jr. is pictured before a training session at the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F). Minutes later the STS-55 mission specialist was in a 25-feet deep pool simulating a contingency extravehicular activity (EVA). The platform on which he is standing was used to lower him into the water where, with the aid of weights on his environmentally-controlled pressurized suit, he was able to achieve neutral buoyancy. There is no scheduled EVA for the 1993 flight but each space flight crew includes astronauts trained for a variety of contingency tasks that could require exiting the shirt-sleeve environment of a Shuttle's cabin.

The Right Stuff: A Look Back at Three Decades of Flight Controller Training for Space Shuttle Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittemore, Gary D.; Bertels, Christie

2010-01-01

This paper will summarize the thirty-year history of Space Shuttle operations from the perspective of training in NASA Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center. It will focus on training and development of flight controllers and instructors, and how training practices have evolved over the years as flight experience was gained, new technologies developed, and programmatic needs changed. Operations of human spaceflight systems is extremely complex, therefore the training and certification of operations personnel is a critical piece of ensuring mission success. Mission Control Center (MCC-H), at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas manages mission operations for the Space Shuttle Program, including the training and certification of the astronauts and flight control teams. This paper will give an overview of a flight control team s makeup and responsibilities during a flight, and details on how those teams are trained and certified. The training methodology for developing flight controllers has evolved significantly over the last thirty years, while the core goals and competencies have remained the same. In addition, the facilities and tools used in the control center have evolved. These changes have been driven by many factors including lessons learned, technology, shuttle accidents, shifts in risk posture, and generational differences. Flight controllers will share their experiences in training and operating the Space Shuttle throughout the Program s history. A primary method used for training Space Shuttle flight control teams is by running mission simulations of the orbit, ascent, and entry phases, to truly "train like you fly." The audience will learn what it is like to perform a simulation as a shuttle flight controller. Finally, we will reflect on the lessons learned in training for the shuttle program, and how those could be applied to future human spaceflight endeavors.

Materials Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Materials Science Program is structured so that NASA s headquarters is responsible for the program content and selection, through the Enterprise Scientist, and MSFC provides for implementation of ground and flight programs with a Discipline Scientist and Discipline Manager. The Discipline Working Group of eminent scientists from outside of NASA acts in an advisory capacity and writes the Discipline Document from which the NRA content is derived. The program is reviewed approximately every three years by groups such as the Committee on Microgravity Research, the National Materials Advisory Board, and the OBPR Maximization and Prioritization (ReMaP) Task Force. The flight program has had as many as twenty-six principal investigators (PIs) in flight or flight definition stage, with the numbers of PIs in the future dependent on the results of the ReMaP Task Force and internal reviews. Each project has a NASA-appointed Project Scientist, considered a half-time job, who assists the PI in understanding and preparing for internal reviews such as the Science Concept Review and Requirements Definition Review. The Project Scientist also insures that the PI gets the maximum science support from MSFC, represents the PI to the MSFC community, and collaborates with the Project Manager to insure the project is well-supported and remains vital. Currently available flight equipment includes the Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) and Microgravity Science Glovebox. Ground based projects fall into one or more of several categories. Intellectual Underpinning of Flight Program projects include theoretical studies backed by modeling and computer simulations; bring to maturity new research, often by young researchers, and may include preliminary short duration low gravity experiments in the KC-135 aircraft or drop tube; enable characterization of data sets from previous flights; and provide thermophysical property determinations to aid PIs. Radiation Shielding and preliminary In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) studies work towards future long duration missions. Biomaterials support materials issues affecting crew health. Nanostructured Materials are currently considered to be maturing new research, and Advanced Materials for Space Transportation has as yet no PIs. PIs are assigned a NASA Technical Monitor to maintain contact, a position considered to be a 5 percent per PI effort. Currently 33 PIs are supported on the 1996 NRA, which is about to expire, and 59 on the 1998 NRA. Two new NRAs, one for Radiation Shielding and one for Materials Science for Advanced Space Propulsion are due to be announced by the 2003 fiscal year. MSFC has a number of facilities supporting materials science. These include the Microgravity Development Laboratory/SD43; Electrostatic Levitator Facility; SCN Purification Facility; Electron Microscope/Microprobe Facility; Static and Rotating Magnetic Field Facility; X-Ray Diffraction Facility; and the Furnace Development Laboratory.

Flight- and ground-test correlation study of BMDO SDS materials: Phase 1 report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Shirley Y.; Brinza, David E.; Minton, Timothy K.; Stiegman, Albert E.; Kenny, James T.; Liang, Ranty H.

1993-01-01

The NASA Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials-3 (EOIM-3) experiment served as a test bed for a variety of materials that are candidates for Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) space assets. The materials evaluated on this flight experiment were provided by BMDO contractors and technology laboratories. A parallel ground exposure evaluation was conducted using the FAST atomic-oxygen simulation facility at Physical Sciences, Inc. The EOIM-3 materials were exposed to an atomic oxygen fluence of approximately 2.3 x 10(exp 2) atoms/sq. cm. The ground-exposed materials' fluence of 2.0 - 2.5 x 10(exp 2) atoms/sq. cm permits direct comparison of ground-exposed materials' performance with that of the flight-exposed specimens. The results from the flight test conducted aboard STS-46 and the correlative ground exposure are presented in this publication.

Ballistocraft: a novel facility for microgravity research.

PubMed

Mesland, D; Paris, D; Huijser, R; Lammertse, P; Postema, R

1995-05-01

One of ESA's aims is to provide the microgravity research community with various microgravity exposure facilities. Those facilities include drop towers, sounding rockets, and parabolic flights on board aircraft, in addition to orbital spacecraft. Microgravity flights are usually achieved using large aircraft like the French 'Caravelle' that offer a large payload volume and where a person can be present to perform the experiments and to participate as a human test-subject. However, the microgravity community is also very interested in a flexible, complementary facility that would allow frequent and repetitive exposure to microgravity for a laboratory-type of payload. ESA has therefore undertaken a study of the potential of using a 'ballistocraft', a small unmanned aircraft, to provide a low-cost facility for short-duration (30-40 seconds) microgravity experimentation. Fokker Space & Systems performed the study under an ESA contract, supported by Dutch national funding. To assess the ballistocraft, a simple breadboard of the facility was built and flight tests were performed. The ability of the on-board controller to achieve automated parabolic flights was demonstrated, and the performance of the controller in one-g level flights, and in flights with both zero-g and partial-g setpoints, was evaluated. The partial-g flights are a unique and valuable feature of the facility.

Feasibility of Conducting J-2X Engine Testing at the Glenn Research Center Plum Brook Station B-2 Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schafer, Charles F.; Cheston, Derrick J.; Worlund, Armis L.; Brown, James R.; Hooper, William G.; Monk, Jan C.; Winstead, Thomas W.

2008-01-01

A trade study of the feasibility of conducting J-2X testing in the Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station (PBS) B-2 facility was initiated in May 2006 with results available in October 2006. The Propulsion Test Integration Group (PTIG) led the study with support from Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Jacobs Sverdrup Engineering. The primary focus of the trade study was on facility design concepts and their capability to satisfy the J-2X altitude simulation test requirements. The propulsion systems tested in the B-2 facility were in the 30,000-pound (30K) thrust class. The J-2X thrust is approximately 10 times larger. Therefore, concepts significantly different from the current configuration are necessary for the diffuser, spray chamber subsystems, and cooling water. Steam exhaust condensation in the spray chamber is judged to be the key risk consideration relative to acceptable spray chamber pressure. Further assessment via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and other simulation capabilities (e.g. methodology for anchoring predictions with actual test data and subscale testing to support investigation.

VIEW OF FLIGHT CREW SYSTEMS, FLIGHT KITS FACILITY, ROOM NO. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF FLIGHT CREW SYSTEMS, FLIGHT KITS FACILITY, ROOM NO. 1N12, FACING NORTH - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Vehicle Assembly Building, VAB Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

VIEW OF FLIGHT CREW SYSTEMS, FLIGHT KITS FACILITY, ROOM NO. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF FLIGHT CREW SYSTEMS, FLIGHT KITS FACILITY, ROOM NO. 1N12, FACING SOUTH - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Vehicle Assembly Building, VAB Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

Development of a EUV Test Facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Edward; Pavelitz, Steve; Kobayashi, Ken; Robinson, Brian; Cirtain, Johnathan; Gaskin, Jessica; Winebarger, Amy

2011-01-01

This paper will describe a new EUV test facility that is being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to test EUV telescopes. Two flight programs, HiC - high resolution coronal imager (sounding rocket) and SUVI - Solar Ultraviolet Imager (GOES-R), set the requirements for this new facility. This paper will discuss those requirements, the EUV source characteristics, the wavelength resolution that is expected and the vacuum chambers (Stray Light Facility, Xray Calibration Facility and the EUV test chamber) where this facility will be used.

Feasibility Study of Laboratory Simulation of Single-Stage-to-Orbit Vehicle Base Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Chung Sik; Sharma, Surendra; Edwards, Thomas A. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The feasibility of simulating in a laboratory the heating environment of the base region of the proposed reusable single-stage-to-orbit vehicle during its ascent is examined. The propellant is assumed to consist of hydrocarbon (RP1), liquid hydrogen (LH2), and liquid oxygen (LO2), which produces CO and H2 as the main combustible components of the exhaust effluent. Since afterburning in the recirculating region can dictate the temperature of the base flowfield and ensuing heating phenomena, laboratory simulation focuses on the thermochemistry of the afterburning. By extrapolating the Saturn V flight data, the Damkohler number, in the base region with afterburning for SSTO vehicle, is estimated to be between 30 and 140. It is shown that a flow with a Damkohler number of 1.8 to 25 can be produced in an impulse ground test facility. Even with such a reduced Damkohler number, the experiment can adequately reproduce the main features of the flight environment.

Langley Aerothermodynamic Facilities Complex: Enhancements and Testing Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micol, J. R.

1998-01-01

Description, capabilities, recent upgrades, and utilization of the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Aerothermodynamic Facilities Complex (AFC) are presented. The AFC consists of five hypersonic, blow-down-to-vacuum wind tunnels that collectively provide a range of Mach number from 6 to 20, unit Reynolds number from 0.04 to 22 million per foot and, most importantly for blunt configurations, normal shock density ratio from 4 to 12. These wide ranges of hypersonic simulation parameters are due, in part, to the use of three different test gases (air, helium, and tetrafluoromethane), thereby making several of the facilities unique. The Complex represents nearly three-fourths of the conventional (as opposed to impulse)-type hypersonic wind tunnels operational in this country. AFC facilities are used to assess and optimize the hypersonic aerodynamic performance and aeroheating characteristics of aerospace vehicle concepts and to provide benchmark aerodynamic/aeroheating data fr generating the flight aerodynamic databook and final design of the thermal protection system (TPS) (e.g., establishment of flight limitations not to exceed TPS design limits). Modifications and enhancements of AFC hardware components and instrumentation have been pursued to increase capability, reliability, and productivity in support of programmatic goals. Examples illustrating facility utilization in recent years to generate essentially all of the experimental hypersonic aerodynamic and aeroheating information for high-priority, fast-paced Agency programs are presented. These programs include Phase I of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Advanced Technology Demonstrator, X-33 program, PHase II of the X-33 program, X-34 program, the Hyper-X program ( a Mach 5,7, and 10 airbreathing propulsion flight experiment), and the X-38 program (Experimental Crew Return Vehicle, X-CRV). Current upgrades/enchancements and future plans for the AFC are discussed.

KSC-2011-6642

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Volunteers, portraying their individual roles, stand beside a NASA Fire Rescue Services vehicle and a Huey II helicopter in support of the aviation safety exercise during Emergency Response Safety Training at the Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The simulated helicopter mishap exercise was conducted to evaluate emergency response and mishap investigations of aircraft at Kennedy. Participants included Air Rescue Fire Fighters, Flight Operations, Disaster Preparedness, Security, and Safety. NASA mandates simulated aviation safety training take place every two years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Effects of hypodynamic simulations on the skeletal system of monkeys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, D. R.; Tremor, J. W.

1977-01-01

A research and development program was undertaken to evaluate the skeletal losses of subhuman primates in hypodynamic environments. The goals of the program are: (1) to uncover the mechanisms by which weightlessness affects the skeletal system; (2) to determine the consequences and reversibility of bone mineral losses; and (3) to acquire a body of data needed to formulate an appropriate countermeasure program for the prevention of skeletal deconditioning. Space flight experiment simulation facilities are under development and will be tested for their capability in supporting certain of the requirements for these investigations.

NASA Glenn Propulsion Systems Lab (PSL) Icing Facility Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Queito P.

2015-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center Propulsion Systems Lab (PSL) was recently upgraded to perform engine inlet ice crystal testing in an altitude environment. The system installed 10 spray bars in the inlet plenum for ice crystal generation using 222 spray nozzles. As an altitude test chamber, PSL is capable of simulation of in-flight icing events in a ground test facility. The system was designed to operate at altitudes from 4,000 ft. to 40,000 ft. at Mach numbers up to 0.8M and inlet total temperatures from -60F to +15F.

Development of an integrated set of research facilities for the support of research flight test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Archie L.; Harney, Constance D.

1988-01-01

The Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF) serves as the site for high-risk flight research on many one-of-a-kind test vehicles like the X-29A advanced technology demonstrator, F-16 advanced fighter technology integration (AFTI), AFTI F-111 mission adaptive wing, and F-18 high-alpha research vehicle (HARV). Ames-Dryden is on a section of the historic Muroc Range. The facility is oriented toward the testing of high-performance aircraft, as shown by its part in the development of the X-series aircraft. Given the cost of research flight tests and the complexity of today's systems-driven aircraft, an integrated set of ground support experimental facilities is a necessity. In support of the research flight test of highly advanced test beds, the DFRF is developing a network of facilities to expedite the acquisition and distribution of flight research data to the researcher. The network consists of an array of experimental ground-based facilities and systems as nodes and the necessary telecommunications paths to pass research data and information between these facilities. This paper presents the status of the current network, an overview of current developments, and a prospectus on future major enhancements.

Data Acquisition Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

In the mid-1980s, Kinetic Systems and Langley Research Center determined that high speed CAMAC (Computer Automated Measurement and Control) data acquisition systems could significantly improve Langley's ARTS (Advanced Real Time Simulation) system. The ARTS system supports flight simulation R&D, and the CAMAC equipment allowed 32 high performance simulators to be controlled by centrally located host computers. This technology broadened Kinetic Systems' capabilities and led to several commercial applications. One of them is General Atomics' fusion research program. Kinetic Systems equipment allows tokamak data to be acquired four to 15 times more rapidly. Ford Motor company uses the same technology to control and monitor transmission testing facilities.

ORION-II: A True Formation Flying Mission in LEO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

How, Jonathan P.

2004-01-01

The final report for the Orion-II project is taken from Chapter 5 of "CDGPS-Based Relative Navigation for Multiple Spacecraft," a thesis by Megan Mitchell submitted to the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, June 2004. This chapter begins with a comparison of the simulation architecture for the original and current simulation setups. Next, the changes made to the individual components of the navigation system are described. Finally, tests performed with a Spirent Simulator at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) are discussed. In addition to the development of the testbed components described, a new clean room facility was developed in the Orion Laboratory at MIT.

Experimental investigation of shock-cell noise reduction for dual-stream nozzles in simulated flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janardan, B. A.; Yamamoto, K.; Majjigi, R. K.; Brausch, J. F.

1984-01-01

Six scale-model nozzles were tested in an anechoic facility to evauate the effectiveness of convergent-divergent (C-D) terminations in reducing shock-cell noise of unsuppressed and mechanically suppressed coannular plug nozzles. One hundred fifty-three acoustic test points with inverted velocity profiles were conducted under static and simulated flight conditions. Diagnostic flow visualization with a shadowgraph and velocity measurements with a laser velocimeter were performed on selected plumes. Shock-cells were identified on the plug and downstream of the plug of the unsuppressed convergent coannular nozzle with truncated plug. Broadband peak frequencies predicted with the two shock-cell structures were correlated with the observed spectra using the measured shock-cell spacings. Relative to a convergent circular nozzle, the perceived noise level (PNL) data at an observer angle of 60 deg relative to inlet, indicated a reduction of (1) 6.5 dB and 9.2 dB with unsuppressed C-D coannular nozzle with truncated plug and (2) 7.7 dB and 8.3 dB with suppressed C-D coannular nozzle under static and simulated flight conditions, espectively. The unsuppressed C-D coannular nozzle with truncated plug, operating at the C-D design condition, had shock-cells downstream of the plug with no shock-cells on the plug. The downstream shock-cells were eliminated by replacing the truncated plug with a smooth extension to obtain an additional 2.4 dB and 3 dB front quadrant PNL reduction, under static and simulated flight conditions, respectively. Other results are discussed.

Gemini Simulator and Neil Armstrong

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-11-06

Astronaut Neil Armstrong (left) was one of 14 astronauts, 8 NASA test pilots, and 2 McDonnell test pilots who took part in simulator studies. Armstrong was the first astronaut to participate (November 6, 1963). A.W. Vogeley described the simulator in his paper "Discussion of Existing and Planned Simulators For Space Research," "Many of the astronauts have flown this simulator in support of the Gemini studies and they, without exception, appreciated the realism of the visual scene. The simulator has also been used in the development of pilot techniques to handle certain jet malfunctions in order that aborts could be avoided. In these situations large attitude changes are sometimes necessary and the false motion cues that were generated due to earth gravity were somewhat objectionable; however, the pilots were readily able to overlook these false motion cues in favor of the visual realism." Roy F. Brissenden, noted in his paper "Initial Operations with Langley's Rendezvous Docking Facility," "The basic Gemini control studies developed the necessary techniques and demonstrated the ability of human pilots to perform final space docking with the specified Gemini-Agena systems using only visual references. ... Results... showed that trained astronauts can effect the docking with direct acceleration control and even with jet malfunctions as long as good visual conditions exist.... Probably more important than data results was the early confidence that the astronauts themselves gained in their ability to perform the maneuver in the ultimate flight mission." Francis B. Smith, noted in his paper "Simulators for Manned Space Research," "Some major areas of interest in these flights were fuel requirements, docking accuracies, the development of visual aids to assist alignment of the vehicles, and investigation of alternate control techniques with partial failure modes. However, the familiarization and confidence developed by the astronaut through flying and safely docking the simulator during these tests was one of the major contributions. For example, it was found that fuel used in docking from 200 feet typically dropped from about 20 pounds to 7 pounds after an astronaut had made a few training flights." -- Published in Barton C. Hacker and James M. Grimwood, On the Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini, NASA SP-4203; A.W. Vogeley, "Discussion of Existing and Planned Simulators For Space Research," Paper presented at the Conference on the Role of Simulation in Space Technology, August 17-21, 1964; Roy F. Brissenden, "Initial Operations with Langley's Rendezvous Docking Facility," Langley Working Paper, LWP-21, 1964; Francis B. Smith, "Simulators for Manned Space Research," Paper presented at the 1966 IEEE International convention, March 21-25, 1966.

ARC-2010-AC00-0168-9-Edit

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-03

The Honorable George P. Schultz during a Visit and tour of Ames Research Center. Shown here from left to right are in the background Bill Berry, Ames Deputy Director, Dr. Tom Edwards, Chief, Aviation Systems Division, Front row, Dr. Sidney Drell, Staford University, former U S Secretary of State George Schultz, Dr Richard Haines, Senior Research Csientist, FFC at the Future Flight Central Simulator facility.

A flight test facility design for examining digital information transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knox, Charles E.

1990-01-01

Information is given in viewgraph form on a flight test facility design for examining digital information transfer. Information is given on aircraft/ground exchange, data link research activities, data link display format, a data link flight test, and the flight test setup.

KSC-2009-1897

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the installation of the Ares I-X service module onto the service adapter, at right, is complete. At left is the simulator crew module. Ares I-X is the test flight for the Ares I. The I-X flight will provide NASA an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with Ares I. The launch of the 327-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X, targeted for July 2009, will be the first in a series of unpiloted rocket launches from Kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) Development Activities at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center - 2006 Accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, Richard O.

2007-01-01

In 2005-06, the Prometheus program funded a number of tasks at the NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to support development of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system for future manned exploration missions. These tasks include the following: 1. NTP Design Develop Test & Evaluate (DDT&E) Planning 2. NTP Mission & Systems Analysis / Stage Concepts & Engine Requirements 3. NTP Engine System Trade Space Analysis and Studies 4. NTP Engine Ground Test Facility Assessment 5. Non-Nuclear Environmental Simulator (NTREES) 6. Non-Nuclear Materials Fabrication & Evaluation 7. Multi-Physics TCA Modeling. This presentation is a overview of these tasks and their accomplishments

ATLS-stowage and deployment testing of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gosbee, John; Benz, Darren; Lloyd, Charles W.; Bueker, Richard; Orsak, Debra

1991-01-01

The objective is to evaluate stowage and deployment methods for the Health Maintenance Facility (HMF) during microgravity. The specific objectives of this experiment are: (1) to evaluate the stowage and deployment mechanisms for the medical supplies; and (2) to evaluate the procedures for performing medical scenarios. To accomplish these objectives, the HMF test mini-racks will contain medical equipment mounted in the racks; and self-contained drawers with various mechanisms for stowing and deploying items. The medical supplies and pharmaceuticals will be destowed, handled, and restowed. The in-flight test procedures and other aspects of the KC-135 parabolic flight test to simulate weightlessness are presented.

Characterization of a 5-eV neutral atomic oxygen beam facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaughn, J. A.; Linton, R. C.; Carruth, M. R., Jr.; Whitaker, A. F.; Cuthbertson, J. W.; Langer, W. D.; Motley, R. W.

1991-01-01

An experimental effort to characterize an existing 5-eV neutral atomic oxygen beam facility being developed at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is described. This characterization effort includes atomic oxygen flux and flux distribution measurements using a catalytic probe, energy determination using a commercially designed quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), and the exposure of oxygen-sensitive materials in this beam facility. Also, comparisons were drawn between the reaction efficiencies of materials exposed in plasma ashers, and the reaction efficiencies previously estimated from space flight experiments. The results of this study show that the beam facility is capable of producing a directional beam of neutral atomic oxygen atoms with the needed flux and energy to simulate low Earth orbit (LEO) conditions for real time accelerated testing. The flux distribution in this facility is uniform to +/- 6 percent of the peak flux over a beam diameter of 6 cm.

ExoMars Entry Demonstrator Module Dynamic Stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dormieux, Marc; Gulhan, Ali; Berner, Claude

2011-05-01

In the frame of ExoMars DM aerodynamics characterization, pitch damping derivatives determination is required as it drives the parachute deployment conditions. Series of free-flight and free- oscillation tests (captive model) have been conducted with particular attention for data reduction. 6 Degrees- of-Freedom (DoF) analysis tools require the knowledge of local damping derivatives. In general ground tests do not provide them directly but only effective damping derivatives. Free-flight (ballistic range) tests with full oscillations around trim angle have been performed at ISL for 0.5

NASA Wallops Flight Facility Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Steven R.

1992-01-01

This publication serves as an introduction to the Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility at NASA/GSFC/Wallops Flight Facility. The purpose of this publication is to provide background information on the research facility itself, including capabilities, available instrumentation, the types of experiments already done, ongoing experiments, and future plans.

Transient Pressure Test Article Test Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vibbart, Charles M.

1989-01-01

The Transient Pressure Test Article (TPTA) test program is being conducted at a new test facility located in the East Test Area at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. This facility, along with the special test equipment (STE) required for facility support, was constructed specifically to test and verify the sealing capability of the Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) field, igniter, and nozzle joints. The test article consists of full scale RSRM hardware loaded with inert propellant and assembled in a short stack configuration. The TPTA is pressurized by igniting a propellant cartridge capable of inducing a pressure rise rate which stimulates the ignition transient that occurs during launch. Dynamic loads are applied during the pressure cycle to simulate external tank attach (ETA) strut loads present on the ETA ring. Sealing ability of the redesigned joints is evaluated under joint movement conditions produced by these combined loads since joint sealing ability depends on seal resilience velocity being greater than gap opening velocity. Also, maximum flight dynamic loads are applied to the test article which is either pressurized to 600 psia using gaseous nitrogen (GN2) or applied to the test article as the pressure decays inside the test article on the down cycle after the ignition transient cycle. This new test facility is examined with respect to its capabilities. In addition, both the topic of test effectiveness versus space vehicle flight performance and new aerospace test techniques, as well as a comparison between the old SRM design and the RSRM are presented.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-30

The Electrostatic Levitator (ESL) Facility established at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) supports NASA's Microgravity Materials Science Research Program. NASA materials science investigations include ground-based, flight definition and flight projects. Flight definition projects, with demanding science concept review schedules, receive highest priority for scheduling experiment time in the Electrostatic Levitator (ESL) Facility.

Subscale Flight Testing for Aircraft Loss of Control: Accomplishments and Future Directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, David E.; Cunningham, Kevin; Jordan, Thomas L.

2012-01-01

Subscale flight-testing provides a means to validate both dynamic models and mitigation technologies in the high-risk flight conditions associated with aircraft loss of control. The Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) facility was designed to be a flexible and efficient research facility to address this type of flight-testing. Over the last several years (2009-2011) it has been used to perform 58 research flights with an unmanned, remotely-piloted, dynamically-scaled airplane. This paper will present an overview of the facility and its architecture and summarize the experimental data collected. All flights to date have been conducted within visual range of a safety observer. Current plans for the facility include expanding the test volume to altitudes and distances well beyond visual range. The architecture and instrumentation changes associated with this upgrade will also be presented.

The Biological Flight Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Catherine C.

1991-01-01

NASA Ames Research Center is building a research facility, the Biological Flight Research Facility (BFRF), to meet the needs of life scientists to study the long-term effects of variable gravity on living systems. The facility will be housed on Space Station Freedom and is anticipated to operate for the lifetime of the station, approximately 30 years. It will allow plant and animal biologists to study the role of gravity, or its absence, at varying gravity intensities for varying periods of time and with various organisms. The principal difference between current Spacelab missions and those on Space Station Freedom, other than length of mission, will be the capability to perform on-orbit science procedures and the capability to simulate earth gravity. Initially, the facility will house plants and rodents in habitats which can be maintained at microgravity or can be placed on a 2.5-m diam centrifuge. However, the facility is also being designed to accommodate future habitats for small primates, avian, and aquatic specimens. The centrifuge will provide 1 g for controls and will also be able to provide gravity from 0.01 to 2.0 g for threshold gravity studies as well as hypergravity studies. The BFRF will provide the means to conduct basic experiments to gain an understanding of the effects of microgravity on the structure and function of plants and animals, as well as investigate the role of gravity as a potential countermeasure for the physiological changes observed in microgravity.

On the linearity of fast atomic oxygen effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, J. C.

1993-01-01

The effect of bombardment of 8 km per second atomic oxygen (AO) experienced by exposed surfaces of satellites in low Earth orbit must be considered in the selection of materials to be used in instruments and functional systems on these satellites. The degree of importance of the effects varies widely depending on the material, the application, and the exposure (fluence of atoms) to which it is to be subjected. Some highly erodible thin polymer film materials might be considered unacceptable on a long-lived space station, but may be perfectly serviceable on a normal shuttle flight. In order to determine the acceptability of a material for a particular environment, a designer must know the relationship between the magnitude of the effect (for example, mass-loss) and the magnitude of the fluence. To determine this relationship, we need data over a useful range of fluence. Until the return of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), the bulk of the data on materials effects was obtained from a few shuttle flights, and the bulk of that data from the flight of experiment Evaluation of Oxygen Interaction with Materials (EOIM-2) on STS-8 in 1983. EOIM-2 obtained a fluence of 3.5 x 10(exp 20) atoms cm(exp -2), while the LDEF fluence approached 10(exp 22) atoms cm(exp -2), or about 30 times greater. Although other flight exposures had been obtained with lower fluences, considerable uncertainty was attached to these results because of the possibility of large relative systematic errors and of other factors such as sweeping angle of attack. In the future, it is hoped that simulation facilities in the laboratory will allow testing of materials without the necessity of flying them in space. In addition, if the relationship of effect with oxygen fluence is well determined, it should not be necessary to expose a material for an entire mission fluence. In this paper, we shall avoid a comparison of flight data with results from simulators, though that comparison is important for the materials community. The present discussion is limited to flight data only.

A new low-turbulence wind tunnel for animal and small vehicle flight experiments

PubMed Central

Watts, Anthony; Nagle, Tony; Lentink, David

2017-01-01

Our understanding of animal flight benefits greatly from specialized wind tunnels designed for flying animals. Existing facilities can simulate laminar flow during straight, ascending and descending flight, as well as at different altitudes. However, the atmosphere in which animals fly is even more complex. Flow can be laminar and quiet at high altitudes but highly turbulent near the ground, and gusts can rapidly change wind speed. To study flight in both laminar and turbulent environments, a multi-purpose wind tunnel for studying animal and small vehicle flight was built at Stanford University. The tunnel is closed-circuit and can produce airspeeds up to 50 m s−1 in a rectangular test section that is 1.0 m wide, 0.82 m tall and 1.73 m long. Seamless honeycomb and screens in the airline together with a carefully designed contraction reduce centreline turbulence intensities to less than or equal to 0.030% at all operating speeds. A large diameter fan and specialized acoustic treatment allow the tunnel to operate at low noise levels of 76.4 dB at 20 m s−1. To simulate high turbulence, an active turbulence grid can increase turbulence intensities up to 45%. Finally, an open jet configuration enables stereo high-speed fluoroscopy for studying musculoskeletal control in turbulent flow. PMID:28405384

Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) and Concepts That Support Near-Term Space Fission Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanDyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Godfroy, Thomas; Martin, James

2003-01-01

Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. If fusion propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential; however, near-term customers must be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and utilized. Successful utilization will most likely occur if frequent, significant hardware-based milestones can be achieved throughout the program. If the system is designed to operate within established radiation damage and fuel burn up limits while simultaneously being designed to allow close simulation of heat from fission using resistance heaters, high confidence in fission system pe$ormance and lifetime can be attained through non-nuclear testing. Through demonstration of systems concepts (designed by DOE National Laboratories) in relevant environments, this philosophy has been demonstrated through hardware testing in the Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The EFF-TF is designed to enable very realistic non-nuclear testing of space fission systems. Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE labs, industry, universities, and other NASA centers.

JPS heater and sensor lightning qualification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, M.

1989-01-01

Simulated lightning strike testing of the Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) field joint protection system heater assembly was performed at Thiokol Corp., Wendover Lightning Facility. Testing consisted of subjecting the lightning evaluation test article to simulated lightning strikes and evaluating the effects of heater cable transients on cables within the systems tunnel. The maximum short circuit current coupled onto a United Space Boosters, Inc. operational flight cable within the systems tunnel, induced by transients from all cables external to the systems tunnel, was 92 amperes. The maximum open-circuit voltage coupled was 316 volts. The maximum short circuit current coupled onto a United Space Boosters, Inc. operational flight cable within the systems tunnel, induced by heater power cable transients only, was 2.7 amperes; the maximum open-circuit voltage coupled was 39 volts. All heater power cable induced coupling was due to simulated lightning discharges only, no heater operating power was applied during the test. The results showed that, for a worst-case lightning discharge, the heater power cable is responsible for a 3.9 decibel increase in voltage coupling to operational flight cables within the systems tunnel. Testing also showed that current and voltage levels coupled onto cables within the systems tunnel are partially dependant on the relative locations of the cables within the systems tunnel.

Mission Preparation Program for Exobiological Experiments in Earth Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panitz, Corinna; Reitz, Guenther; Horneck, Gerda; Rabbow, Elke; Rettberg, Petra

The ESA facilities EXPOSE-R and EXPOSE-E on board of the the International Space Station ISS provide the technology for exposing chemical and biological samples in a controlled manner to outer space parameters, such as high vacuum, intense radiation of galactic and solar origin and microgravity. EXPOSE-E has been attached to the outer balcony of the European Columbus module of the ISS in Febraury 2008 and will stay for about 1 year in space, EXPOSE-R will be attached to the Russian Svezda module of the ISS in fall 2008. The EXPOSE facilities are a further step in the study of the Responses of Organisms to Space Environment (ROSE concortium). The results from the EXPOSE missions will give new insights into the survivability of terrestrial organisms in space and will contribute to the understanding of the organic chemistry processes in space, the biological adaptation strategies to extreme conditions, e.g. on early Earth and Mars, and the distribution of life beyond its planet of origin.To test the compatibility of the different biological and chemical systems and their adaptation to the opportunities and constraints of space conditions a profound ground support program has been developed. It resulted in several experiment verification tests EVTs and an experiment sequence test EST that were conducted in the carefully equipped and monitored planetary and space simulation facilities PSI of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at DLR in Cologne, Germany. These ground based pre-flight studies allow the investigation of a much wider variety of samples and the selection of the most promising organisms for the flight experiment. The procedure and results of these EVT tests and EST will be presented. These results are an essential prerequisite for the success of the EXPOSE missions and have been done in parallel with the development and construction of the final hardware design of the facility. The results gained during the simulation experiments demonstrated mission preparation as a basic requirement for successful and significant results of every space flight experiment. Hence, the Mission preparation program that was performed in the context of the space missions EXPOSE-E and EXPOSE-R proofed the outstanding importance and accentuated need for ground based experiments.

The Right Stuff: A Look Back at Three Decades of Flight Controller Training for Space Shuttle Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittemore, Gary D.

2011-01-01

Operations of human spaceflight systems is extremely complex, therefore the training and certification of operations personnel is a critical piece of ensuring mission success. Mission Control Center (MCC-H), at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas manages mission operations for the Space Shuttle Program, including the training and certification of the astronauts and flight control teams. This paper will give an overview of a flight control team s makeup and responsibilities during a flight, and details on how those teams are trained and certified. The training methodology for developing flight controllers has evolved significantly over the last thirty years, while the core goals and competencies have remained the same. In addition, the facilities and tools used in the control center have evolved. These changes have been driven by many factors including lessons learned, technology, shuttle accidents, shifts in risk posture, and generational differences. Flight controllers will share their experiences in training and operating the Space Shuttle throughout the Program s history. A primary method used for training Space Shuttle flight control teams is by running mission simulations of the orbit, ascent, and entry phases, to truly "train like you fly." The reader will learn what it is like to perform a simulation as a shuttle flight controller. Finally, the paper will reflect on the lessons learned in training for the shuttle program, and how those could be applied to future human spaceflight endeavors. These endeavors could range from going to the moon or to Mars. The lessons learned from operating the space shuttle for over thirty years will help the space industry build the next human transport space vehicle and inspire the next generation of space explorers.

The Final Count Down: A Review of Three Decades of Flight Controller Training Methods for Space Shuttle Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittemore, Gary D.; Bertels, Christie

2011-01-01

Operations of human spaceflight systems is extremely complex, therefore the training and certification of operations personnel is a critical piece of ensuring mission success. Mission Control Center (MCC-H), at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas manages mission operations for the Space Shuttle Program, including the training and certification of the astronauts and flight control teams. As the space shuttle program ends in 2011, a review of how training for STS-1 was conducted compared to STS-134 will show multiple changes in training of shuttle flight controller over a thirty year period. This paper will additionally give an overview of a flight control team s makeup and responsibilities during a flight, and details on how those teams have been trained certified over the life span of the space shuttle. The training methods for developing flight controllers have evolved significantly over the last thirty years, while the core goals and competencies have remained the same. In addition, the facilities and tools used in the control center have evolved. These changes have been driven by many factors including lessons learned, technology, shuttle accidents, shifts in risk posture, and generational differences. A primary method used for training Space Shuttle flight control teams is by running mission simulations of the orbit, ascent, and entry phases, to truly "train like you fly." The reader will learn what it is like to perform a simulation as a shuttle flight controller. Finally, the paper will reflect on the lessons learned in training for the shuttle program, and how those could be applied to future human spaceflight endeavors.

National remote computational flight research facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rediess, Herman A.

1989-01-01

The extension of the NASA Ames-Dryden remotely augmented vehicle (RAV) facility to accommodate flight testing of a hypersonic aircraft utilizing the continental United States as a test range is investigated. The development and demonstration of an automated flight test management system (ATMS) that uses expert system technology for flight test planning, scheduling, and execution is documented.

Investigations into the Properties, Conditions, and Effects of the Ionosphere.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-15

Innovative Approaches to Direct Measurement of N e 28 ]- J FEASIBILITY OF RADIO BLACKOUT MITIGATION IN THE BRAKING PHASE 28 OF AOTV OPERATIONS 1. Brief...Cell could be tested under simulated flight conditions in the SAIC plasma laboratory facility. AJ. FEASIBILITY OF RADIO BLACKOUT MITIGATION IN THE...enable calculation of chemical modification techniques ,. on phenomena of radio blackout during re-entry of orbiting spacecraft . * ,1. Brief

Experimental Investigation of an Integrated Strut-Rocket/Scramjet Operating at Mach 4.0 and 6.5 Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawk, Clark; Nelson, Karl

1998-01-01

A series of tests were conducted to investigate RBCC performance at ramjet and scramjet conditions. The hardware consisted of a linear strut-rocket manufactured by Aerojet and a dual-mods scramjet combustor. The hardware was tested at NASA Langley Research Center in the Direct Connect Supersonic Combustion Test Facility at Mach 4.0 and 6.5 simulated flight conditions.

14 CFR 125.297 - Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., testing, and checking required by this subpart. (b) Each flight simulator and flight training device that... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Approval of flight simulators and flight... Flight Crewmember Requirements § 125.297 Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices. (a...

14 CFR 125.297 - Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., testing, and checking required by this subpart. (b) Each flight simulator and flight training device that... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Approval of flight simulators and flight... Flight Crewmember Requirements § 125.297 Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices. (a...

14 CFR 125.297 - Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., testing, and checking required by this subpart. (b) Each flight simulator and flight training device that... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Approval of flight simulators and flight... Flight Crewmember Requirements § 125.297 Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices. (a...

14 CFR 125.297 - Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., testing, and checking required by this subpart. (b) Each flight simulator and flight training device that... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Approval of flight simulators and flight... Flight Crewmember Requirements § 125.297 Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices. (a...

14 CFR 125.297 - Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., testing, and checking required by this subpart. (b) Each flight simulator and flight training device that... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Approval of flight simulators and flight... Flight Crewmember Requirements § 125.297 Approval of flight simulators and flight training devices. (a...

Venipuncture and intravenous infusion access during zero-gravity flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krupa, Debra T.; Gosbee, John; Billica, Roger; Bechtle, Perry; Creager, Gerald J.; Boyce, Joey B.

1991-01-01

The purpose of this experiment is to establish the difficulty associated with securing an intravenous (IV) catheter in place in microgravity flight and the techniques applicable in training the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) for Space Station Freedom, as well as aiding in the selection of appropriate hardware and supplies for the Health Maintenance Facility (HMF). The objectives are the following: (1) to determine the difficulties associated with venipuncture in a microgravity environment; (2) to evaluate the various methods of securing an IV catheter and attached tubing for infusion with regard to the unique environment; (3) to evaluate the various materials available for securing an intravenous catheter in place; and (4) to evaluate the fluid therapy administration system when functioning in a complete system. The inflight test procedures and other aspects of the KC-135 parabolic flight test to simulate microgravity are presented.

Ames Engineering Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Veronica J.

2017-01-01

The Ames Engineering Directorate is the principal engineering organization supporting aerospace systems and spaceflight projects at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. The Directorate supports all phases of engineering and project management for flight and mission projects-from R&D to Close-out-by leveraging the capabilities of multiple divisions and facilities.The Mission Design Center (MDC) has full end-to-end mission design capability with sophisticated analysis and simulation tools in a collaborative concurrent design environment. Services include concept maturity level (CML) maturation, spacecraft design and trades, scientific instruments selection, feasibility assessments, and proposal support and partnerships. The Engineering Systems Division provides robust project management support as well as systems engineering, mechanical and electrical analysis and design, technical authority and project integration support to a variety of programs and projects across NASA centers. The Applied Manufacturing Division turns abstract ideas into tangible hardware for aeronautics, spaceflight and science applications, specializing in fabrication methods and management of complex fabrication projects. The Engineering Evaluation Lab (EEL) provides full satellite or payload environmental testing services including vibration, temperature, humidity, immersion, pressure/altitude, vacuum, high G centrifuge, shock impact testing and the Flight Processing Center (FPC), which includes cleanrooms, bonded stores and flight preparation resources. The Multi-Mission Operations Center (MMOC) is composed of the facilities, networks, IT equipment, software and support services needed by flight projects to effectively and efficiently perform all mission functions, including planning, scheduling, command, telemetry processing and science analysis.

Space Environmental Effects Testing Capability at the Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeWittBurns, H.; Craven, Paul; Finckenor, Miria; Nehls, Mary; Schneider, Todd; Vaughn, Jason

2012-01-01

Understanding the effects of the space environment on materials and systems is fundamental and essential for mission success. If not properly understood and designed for, the effects of the environment can lead to degradation of materials, reduction of functional lifetime, and system failure. In response to this need, the Marshall Space Flight Center has developed world class Space Environmental Effects (SEE) expertise and test facilities to simulate the space environment. Capabilities include multiple unique test systems comprising the most complete SEE testing capability available. These test capabilities include charged particle radiation (electrons, protons, ions), ultraviolet radiation (UV), vacuum ultraviolet radiation (VUV), atomic oxygen, plasma effects, space craft charging, lunar surface and planetary effects, vacuum effects, and hypervelocity impacts as well as the combination of these capabilities. In addition to the uniqueness of the individual test capabilities, MSFC is the only NASA facility where the effects of the different space environments can be tested in one location. Combined with additional analytical capabilities for pre- and post-test evaluation, MSFC is a one-stop shop for materials testing and analysis. The SEE testing and analysis are performed by a team of award winning experts nationally recognized for their contributions in the study of the effects of the space environment on materials and systems. With this broad expertise in space environmental effects and the variety of test systems and equipment available, MSFC is able to customize tests with a demonstrated ability to rapidly adapt and reconfigure systems to meet customers needs. Extensive flight experiment experience bolsters this simulation and analysis capability with a comprehensive understanding of space environmental effects.

ASPS performance with large payloads onboard the Shuttle Orbiter. [Annular Suspension and Pointing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keckler, C. R.

1980-01-01

A high fidelity digital computer simulation was used to establish the viability of the Annular Suspension and Pointing System (ASPS) for satisfying the pointing and stability requirements of facility class payloads, such as the Solar Optical Telescope, when subjected to the Orbiter disturbance environment. The ASPS and its payload were subjected to disturbances resulting from crew motions in the Orbiter aft flight deck and VRCS thruster firings. Worst case pointing errors of 0.005 arc seconds were experienced under the disturbance environment simulated; this is well within the 0.08 arc seconds requirement specified by the payload.

Methods of Helium Injection and Removal for Heat Transfer Augmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haight, Harlan; Kegley, Jeff; Bourdreaux, Meghan

2008-01-01

While augmentation of heat transfer from a test article by helium gas at low pressures is well known, the method is rarely employed during space simulation testing because the test objectives usually involve simulation of an orbital thermal environment. Test objectives of cryogenic optical testing at Marshall Space Flight Center's X-ray Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) have typically not been constrained by orbital environment parameters. As a result, several methods of helium injection have been utilized at the XRCF since 1999 to decrease thermal transition times. A brief synopsis of these injection (and removal) methods including will be presented.

Methods of Helium Injection and Removal for Heat Transfer Augmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegley, Jeffrey

2008-01-01

While augmentation of heat transfer from a test article by helium gas at low pressures is well known, the method is rarely employed during space simulation testing because the test objectives are to simulate an orbital thermal environment. Test objectives of cryogenic optical testing at Marshall Space Flight Center's X-ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) have typically not been constrained by orbital environment parameters. As a result, several methods of helium injection have been utilized at the XRCF since 1999 to decrease thermal transition times. A brief synopsis of these injection (and removal) methods including will be presented.

Simulations of Instabilities in Complex Valve and Feed Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, Vineet; Hosangadi, Ashvin; Shipman, Jeremy; Cavallo, Peter A.

2006-01-01

CFD analyses are playing an increasingly important role in identifying and characterizing flow induced instabilities in rocket engine test facilities and flight systems. In this paper, we analyze instability mechanisms that range from turbulent pressure fluctuations due to vortex shedding in structurally complex valve systems to flow resonance in plug cavities to large scale pressure fluctuations due to collapse of cavitation induced vapor clouds. Furthermore, we discuss simulations of transient behavior related to valve motion that can serve as guidelines for valve scheduling. Such predictions of valve response to varying flow conditions is of crucial importance to engine operation and testing.

KSC-2009-2311

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first Ares I-X motor segment is in the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is one of four reusable motor segments and nozzle exit cone shipped by the Ares I first-stage prime contractor Alliant Techsystems Inc. for final processing and integration in the facility. The booster used for the Ares I-X launch is being modified by adding new forward structures and a fifth segment simulator. The motor is the final hardware needed for the rocket's upcoming flight test this summer. The stacking operations are scheduled to begin in the Vehicle Assembly Building in April. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Crew Dragon Demonstration Mission 1

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-06-13

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is at NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio, ready to undergo testing in the In-Space Propulsion Facility — the world’s only facility capable of testing full-scale upper-stage launch vehicles and rocket engines under simulated high-altitude conditions. The chamber will allow SpaceX and NASA to verify Crew Dragon’s ability to withstand the extreme temperatures and vacuum of space. This is the spacecraft that SpaceX will fly during its Demonstration Mission 1 flight test under NASA’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract with the goal of returning human spaceflight launch capabilities to the U.S.

KSC-08pd3834

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Parachute Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, United Space Alliance senior aero composite technicians Marcia Jones-Clark (left) and Dior Hubel pack a main parachute slated for use on the Ares I-X test flight. The launch is targeted for July 2009 from Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B and will provide an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I rocket. The Ares I-X rocket is a combination of existing and simulator hardware that will resemble the Ares I crew launch vehicle in size, shape and weight. It will provide valuable data to guide the final design of the Ares I, which will launch astronauts in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The test flight also will bring NASA one step closer to its exploration goals of returning humans to the moon for sustained exploration of the lunar surface and missions to destinations beyond. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-08pd3830

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Parachute Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, United Space Alliance senior aero composite technicians Dior Hubel (kneeling) and Marcia Jones-Clark pack a main parachute slated for use on the Ares I-X test flight. The launch is targeted for July 2009 from Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B and will provide an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I rocket. The Ares I-X rocket is a combination of existing and simulator hardware that will resemble the Ares I crew launch vehicle in size, shape and weight. It will provide valuable data to guide the final design of the Ares I, which will launch astronauts in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The test flight also will bring NASA one step closer to its exploration goals of returning humans to the moon for sustained exploration of the lunar surface and missions to destinations beyond. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-08pd3831

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Parachute Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, United Space Alliance senior aero composite technicians Dior Hubel (left) and Marcia Jones-Clark pack a main parachute slated for use on the Ares I-X test flight. The launch is targeted for July 2009 from Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B and will provide an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I rocket. The Ares I-X rocket is a combination of existing and simulator hardware that will resemble the Ares I crew launch vehicle in size, shape and weight. It will provide valuable data to guide the final design of the Ares I, which will launch astronauts in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The test flight also will bring NASA one step closer to its exploration goals of returning humans to the moon for sustained exploration of the lunar surface and missions to destinations beyond. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

A mathematical simulation model of the CH-47B helicopter, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, J. M.; Liu, T. Y.; Chung, W.

1984-01-01

A nonlinear simulation model of the CH-47B helicopter, was adapted for use in a simulation facility. The model represents the specific configuration of the variable stability CH-47B helicopter. Modeling of the helicopter uses a total force approach in six rigid body degrees of freedom. Rotor dynamics are simulated using the Wheatley-Bailey equations, steady state flapping dynamics and included in the model of the option for simulation of external suspension, slung load equations of motion. Validation of the model was accomplished by static and dynamic data from the original Boeing Vertol mathematical model and flight test data. The model is appropriate for use in real time piloted simulation and is implemented on the ARC Sigma IX computer where it may be operated with a digital cycle time of 0.03 sec.

Piloted Simulation Investigation of a Supersonic Transport Configuration (LaRC.4)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, E. Bruce; Martinez, Debbie; Derry, Stephen D.

1999-01-01

This report contains a description of the test facilities and software utilized during a joint NASA/aerospace industry study of improved control laws and desired inceptor characteristics for a candidate supersonic transport air-craft design. Details concerning the characteristics of the simulation cockpit, image generator and display systems, and motion platform are described. Depictions of the various display formats are included. The test schedule, session log, and flight cards describing the maneuvers performed is included. A brief summary of high-lights of the study is given. Modifications made to the industry-provided simulation model are described. This report is intended to serve as a reference document for industry researchers.

KSC-07pd0913

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Starfighter F-104 approaches the runway at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility for a landing after its test flight. The aircraft is taking part in a series of pathfinder test missions from the space shuttle runway. Two flights will generate test data to validate sonic boom assumptions about the potential impacts of suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight from the facility. NASA is assessing the environmental impact of such flights. Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., will perform the flights to help in assessing suborbital space launch trajectories from the runway and paving the way for future commercial space tourism and research flights from the facility. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0914

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Starfighter F-104 lands on the runway at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility after its test flight. The aircraft is taking part in a series of pathfinder test missions from the space shuttle runway. Two flights will generate test data to validate sonic boom assumptions about the potential impacts of suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight from the facility. NASA is assessing the environmental impact of such flights. Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., will perform the flights to help in assessing suborbital space launch trajectories from the runway and paving the way for future commercial space tourism and research flights from the facility. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Supersonic Flight Dynamics Test 1 - Post-Flight Assessment of Simulation Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutta, Soumyo; Bowes, Angela L.; Striepe, Scott A.; Davis, Jody L.; Queen, Eric M.; Blood, Eric M.; Ivanov, Mark C.

2015-01-01

NASA's Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project conducted its first Supersonic Flight Dynamics Test (SFDT-1) on June 28, 2014. Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) was one of the flight dynamics codes used to simulate and predict the flight performance and Monte Carlo analysis was used to characterize the potential flight conditions experienced by the test vehicle. This paper compares the simulation predictions with the reconstructed trajectory of SFDT-1. Additionally, off-nominal conditions seen during flight are modeled in post-flight simulations to find the primary contributors that reconcile the simulation with flight data. The results of these analyses are beneficial for the pre-flight simulation and targeting of the follow-on SFDT flights currently scheduled for summer 2015.

The Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC) and Closed-loop Hardware Testing for Orion Rendezvous System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Christopher; Milenkovich, Zoran; Wilson, Zachary; Huich, David; Bendle, John; Kibler, Angela

2011-01-01

The Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC) at the Lockheed Martin (LM) Waterton Campus in Littleton, Colorado is a dynamic test environment focused on Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) development testing and risk reduction activities. The SOSC supports multiple program pursuits and accommodates testing Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) algorithms for relative navigation, hardware testing and characterization, as well as software and test process development. The SOSC consists of a high bay (60 meters long by 15.2 meters wide by 15.2 meters tall) with dual six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) motion simulators and a single fixed base 6DOF robot. The large testing area (maximum sensor-to-target effective range of 60 meters) allows for large-scale, flight-like simulations of proximity maneuvers and docking events. The facility also has two apertures for access to external extended-range outdoor target test operations. In addition, the facility contains four Mission Operations Centers (MOCs) with connectivity to dual high bay control rooms and a data/video interface room. The high bay is rated at Class 300,000 (. 0.5 m maximum particles/m3) cleanliness and includes orbital lighting simulation capabilities.

KSC-07pd2902

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The left position light, strobe light and wing tip of one of NASA's Shuttle Training Aircraft, or STAs, sustained minor damage from apparent contact with a tree near Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The incident occurred during landing about 6:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 19 following a training session. An STA flight instructor was piloting the aircraft. The flight crew was unaware of any contact with the tree, and there were no injuries. Thunderstorms were in the area at the time of the incident, which is under investigation. The STA is a twin-engine Gulfstream II jet that was modified to simulate a space shuttle during landing. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd2899

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The left position light, strobe light and wing tip of one of NASA's Shuttle Training Aircraft, or STA, show signs of minor damage from apparent contact with a tree near Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The incident occurred during landing about 6:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 19 following a training session. An STA flight instructor was piloting the aircraft. The flight crew was unaware of any contact with the tree, and there were no injuries. Thunderstorms were in the area at the time of the incident, which is under investigation. The STA is a twin-engine Gulfstream II jet that was modified to simulate a space shuttle during landing. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Upgrades to Electronic Speckle Interferometer (ESPI) Operation and Data Analysis at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connelly, Joseph; Blake, Peter; Jones, Joycelyn

2008-01-01

The authors report operational upgrades and streamlined data analysis of a commissioned electronic speckle interferometer (ESPI) in a permanent in-house facility at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Our ESPI was commercially purchased for use by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) development team. We have quantified and reduced systematic error sources, improved the software operability with a user-friendly graphic interface, developed an instrument simulator, streamlined data analysis for long-duration testing, and implemented a turn-key approach to speckle interferometry. We also summarize results from a test of the JWST support structure (previously published), and present new results from several pieces of test hardware at various environmental conditions.

Results of tests on a specimen of the SRB aft skirt heat shield curtain in the MSFC LRLF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, W. G.

1980-01-01

A full scale segment of the actual Solid Rocket Booster aft skirt heat shield curtain was tested in the Large Radiant Lamp Facility (LRLF) at Marshall Space Flight Center. The curtain was mounted in the horizontal position in the same manner as it is to be mounted on the SRB. A shaker rig was designed and used to provide a motion of the curtain, simulating that to be caused in flight by vehicle acoustics. Thermocouples were used to monitor curtain materials temperatures. Both ascent and reentry heat loads were applied to the test specimen. All aspects of the test setup performed as expected, and the test was declared successful.

Definition of ground test for verification of large space structure control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaese, John R.

1994-01-01

Under this contract, the Large Space Structure Ground Test Verification (LSSGTV) Facility at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was developed. Planning in coordination with NASA was finalized and implemented. The contract was modified and extended with several increments of funding to procure additional hardware and to continue support for the LSSGTV facility. Additional tasks were defined for the performance of studies in the dynamics, control and simulation of tethered satellites. When the LSSGTV facility development task was completed, support and enhancement activities were funded through a new competitive contract won by LCD. All work related to LSSGTV performed under NAS8-35835 has been completed and documented. No further discussion of these activities will appear in this report. This report summarizes the tether dynamics and control studies performed.

Exobiology research on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huntington, J. L.; Stratton, D. M.; Scattergood, T. W.

1995-01-01

The Gas-Grain Simulation Facility (GGSF) is a multidisciplinary experiment laboratory being developed by NASA at Ames Research Center for delivery to Space Station Freedom in 1998. This facility will employ the low-gravity environment of the Space Station to enable aerosol experiments of much longer duration than is possible in any ground-based laboratory. Studies of fractal aggregates that are impossible to sustain on Earth will also be enabled. Three research areas within exobiology that will benefit from the GGSF are described here. An analysis of the needs of this research and of other suggested experiments has produced a list of science requirements which the facility design must accommodate. A GGSF design concept developed in the first stage of flight hardware development to meet these requirements is also described.

NASA/MSFC ground experiment for large space structure control verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waites, H. B.; Seltzer, S. M.; Tollison, D. K.

1984-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a facility in which closed loop control of Large Space Structures (LSS) can be demonstrated and verified. The main objective of the facility is to verify LSS control system techniques so that on orbit performance can be ensured. The facility consists of an LSS test article which is connected to a payload mounting system that provides control torque commands. It is attached to a base excitation system which will simulate disturbances most likely to occur for Orbiter and DOD payloads. A control computer will contain the calibration software, the reference system, the alignment procedures, the telemetry software, and the control algorithms. The total system will be suspended in such a fashion that LSS test article has the characteristics common to all LSS.

Development and Demonstration of a Computational Tool for the Analysis of Particle Vitiation Effects in Hypersonic Propulsion Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, Hugh Douglas

2010-01-01

In order to improve the understanding of particle vitiation effects in hypersonic propulsion test facilities, a quasi-one dimensional numerical tool was developed to efficiently model reacting particle-gas flows over a wide range of conditions. Features of this code include gas-phase finite-rate kinetics, a global porous-particle combustion model, mass, momentum and energy interactions between phases, and subsonic and supersonic particle drag and heat transfer models. The basic capabilities of this tool were validated against available data or other validated codes. To demonstrate the capabilities of the code a series of computations were performed for a model hypersonic propulsion test facility and scramjet. Parameters studied were simulated flight Mach number, particle size, particle mass fraction and particle material.

14 CFR 91.1091 - Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). 91.1091 Section 91.1091 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL... Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). (a) For the purposes of this... aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight training device for a particular type, class, or category...

14 CFR 91.1091 - Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). 91.1091 Section 91.1091 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL... Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). (a) For the purposes of this... aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight training device for a particular type, class, or category...

14 CFR 91.1091 - Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). 91.1091 Section 91.1091 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL... Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). (a) For the purposes of this... aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight training device for a particular type, class, or category...

14 CFR 91.1091 - Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). 91.1091 Section 91.1091 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL... Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight instructors (simulator). (a) For the purposes of this... aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight training device for a particular type, class, or category...

Post-Flight Assessment of Low Density Supersonic Decelerator Flight Dynamics Test 2 Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutta, Soumyo; Bowes, Angela L.; White, Joseph P.; Striepe, Scott A.; Queen, Eric M.; O'Farrel, Clara; Ivanov, Mark C.

2016-01-01

NASA's Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project conducted its second Supersonic Flight Dynamics Test (SFDT-2) on June 8, 2015. The Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) was one of the flight dynamics tools used to simulate and predict the flight performance and was a major tool used in the post-flight assessment of the flight trajectory. This paper compares the simulation predictions with the reconstructed trajectory. Additionally, off-nominal conditions seen during flight are modeled in the simulation to reconcile the predictions with flight data. These analyses are beneficial to characterize the results of the flight test and to improve the simulation and targeting of the subsequent LDSD flights.

Design and utilization of a Flight Test Engineering Database Management System at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knighton, Donna L.

1992-01-01

A Flight Test Engineering Database Management System (FTE DBMS) was designed and implemented at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility. The X-29 Forward Swept Wing Advanced Technology Demonstrator flight research program was chosen for the initial system development and implementation. The FTE DBMS greatly assisted in planning and 'mass production' card preparation for an accelerated X-29 research program. Improved Test Plan tracking and maneuver management for a high flight-rate program were proven, and flight rates of up to three flights per day, two times per week were maintained.

Cooperative GN&C development in a rapid prototyping environment. [flight software design for space vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bordano, Aldo; Uhde-Lacovara, JO; Devall, Ray; Partin, Charles; Sugano, Jeff; Doane, Kent; Compton, Jim

1993-01-01

The Navigation, Control and Aeronautics Division (NCAD) at NASA-JSC is exploring ways of producing Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) flight software faster, better, and cheaper. To achieve these goals NCAD established two hardware/software facilities that take an avionics design project from initial inception through high fidelity real-time hardware-in-the-loop testing. Commercially available software products are used to develop the GN&C algorithms in block diagram form and then automatically generate source code from these diagrams. A high fidelity real-time hardware-in-the-loop laboratory provides users with the capability to analyze mass memory usage within the targeted flight computer, verify hardware interfaces, conduct system level verification, performance, acceptance testing, as well as mission verification using reconfigurable and mission unique data. To evaluate these concepts and tools, NCAD embarked on a project to build a real-time 6 DOF simulation of the Soyuz Assured Crew Return Vehicle flight software. To date, a productivity increase of 185 percent has been seen over traditional NASA methods for developing flight software.

Initial piloted simulation study of geared flap control for tilt-wing V/STOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guerrero, Lourdes M.; Corliss, Lloyd D.

1991-01-01

A simulation study of a representative tilt wing transport aircraft was conducted in 1990 on the Ames Vertical Motion Simulator. This simulation is in response to renewed interest in the tilt wing concept for use in future military and civil applications. For past tilt wing concepts, pitch control in hover and low-speed flight has required a tail rotor or reaction jets at the tail. Use of mono cyclic propellers or a geared flap have also been proposed as alternate methods for providing pitch control at low speed. The geared flap is a subject of this current study. This report describes the geared flap concept, the tilt wing aircraft, the simulation model, the simulation facility and experiment setup, the pilots' evaluation tasks and procedures, and the results obtained from the simulation experiment. The pilot evaluations and comments are also documented in the report appendix.

High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) longitudinal controller: Design, analyses, and simulation resultss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostroff, Aaron J.; Hoffler, Keith D.; Proffitt, Melissa S.; Brown, Philip W.; Phillips, Michael R.; Rivers, Robert A.; Messina, Michael D.; Carzoo, Susan W.; Bacon, Barton J.; Foster, John F.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the design, analysis, and nonlinear simulation results (batch and piloted) for a longitudinal controller which is scheduled to be flight-tested on the High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). The HARV is an F-18 airplane modified for and equipped with multi-axis thrust vectoring. The paper includes a description of the facilities, a detailed review of the feedback controller design, linear analysis results of the feedback controller, a description of the feed-forward controller design, nonlinear batch simulation results, and piloted simulation results. Batch simulation results include maximum pitch stick agility responses, angle of attack alpha captures, and alpha regulation for full lateral stick rolls at several alpha's. Piloted simulation results include task descriptions for several types of maneuvers, task guidelines, the corresponding Cooper-Harper ratings from three test pilots, and some pilot comments. The ratings show that desirable criteria are achieved for almost all of the piloted simulation tasks.

ATD Occupant Responses from Three Full-Scale General Aviation Crash Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin D.; Annett, Martin S.

2016-01-01

During the summer of 2015, three Cessna 172 General Aviation (GA) aircraft were crash tested at the Landing and Impact Research (LandIR) Facility at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). Three different crash scenarios were represented. The first test simulated a flare-to-stall emergency or hard landing onto a rigid surface such as a road or runway. The second test simulated a controlled flight into terrain with a nose down pitch of the aircraft, and the third test simulated a controlled flight into terrain with an attempt to unsuccessfully recover the aircraft immediately prior to impact, resulting in a tail strike condition. An on-board data acquisition system (DAS) captured 64 channels of airframe acceleration, along with accelerations and loads in two onboard Hybrid II 50th percentile Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) representing the pilot and copilot. Each of the three tests contained different airframe loading conditions and different types of restraints for both the pilot and co-pilot ATDs. The results show large differences in occupant response and restraint performance with varying likelihoods of occupant injury.

An analytical investigation of acquisition techniques and system integration studies for a radar aircraft guidance research facility, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, W. S.; Ruedger, W. H.

1973-01-01

A review of user requirements and updated instrumentation plans are presented for the aircraft tracking and guidance facility at NASA Wallops Station. User demand has increased as a result of new flight research programs; however, basic requirements remain the same as originally reported. Instrumentation plans remain essentially the same but with plans for up- and down-link telemetry more firm. With slippages in the laser acquisition schedule, added importance is placed on the FPS-16 radar as the primary tracking device until the laser is available. Limited simulation studies of a particular Kalman-type filter are also presented. These studies simulated the use of the filter in a helicopter guidance loop in a real-time mode. Disadvantages and limitations of this mode of operation are pointed out. Laser eyesafety calculations show that laser tracking of aircraft is readily feasible from the eyesafety viewpoint.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-10-01

This is a ground level view of Test Stand 300 at the east test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center. Test Stand 300 was constructed in 1964 as a gas generator and heat exchanger test facility to support the Saturn/Apollo Program. Deep-space simulation was provided by a 1960 modification that added a 20-ft thermal vacuum chamber and a 1981 modification that added a 12-ft vacuum chamber. The facility was again modified in 1989 when 3-ft and 15-ft diameter chambers were added to support Space Station and technology programs. This multiposition test stand is used to test a wide range of rocket engine components, systems, and subsystems. It has the capability to simulate launch thermal and pressure profiles. Test Stand 300 was designed for testing solid rocket booster (SRB) insulation panels and components, super-insulated tanks, external tank (ET) insulation panels and components, Space Shuttle components, solid rocket motor materials, and advanced solid rocket motor materials.

Collaborative Mission Design at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gough, Kerry M.; Allen, B. Danette; Amundsen, Ruth M.

2005-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed and tested two facilities dedicated to increasing efficiency in key mission design processes, including payload design, mission planning, and implementation plan development, among others. The Integrated Design Center (IDC) is a state-of-the-art concurrent design facility which allows scientists and spaceflight engineers to produce project designs and mission plans in a real-time collaborative environment, using industry-standard physics-based development tools and the latest communication technology. The Mission Simulation Lab (MiSL), a virtual reality (VR) facility focused on payload and project design, permits engineers to quickly translate their design and modeling output into enhanced three-dimensional models and then examine them in a realistic full-scale virtual environment. The authors were responsible for envisioning both facilities and turning those visions into fully operational mission design resources at LaRC with multiple advanced capabilities and applications. In addition, the authors have created a synergistic interface between these two facilities. This combined functionality is the Interactive Design and Simulation Center (IDSC), a meta-facility which offers project teams a powerful array of highly advanced tools, permitting them to rapidly produce project designs while maintaining the integrity of the input from every discipline expert on the project. The concept-to-flight mission support provided by IDSC has shown improved inter- and intra-team communication and a reduction in the resources required for proposal development, requirements definition, and design effort.

Aerial Survey of Ames Research Center - Flight Simulation Complex' Flight simulators create an

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

Aerial Survey of Ames Research Center - Flight Simulation Complex' Flight simulators create an authentic aircraft environment by generating the appropriate physical cues that provide the sensations of flight.

14 CFR 61.64 - Use of a flight simulator and flight training device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Use of a flight simulator and flight... Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.64 Use of a flight simulator and flight training device. (a) Use of a flight simulator or flight training device. If an applicant for a certificate or rating uses a...

14 CFR 61.64 - Use of a flight simulator and flight training device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Use of a flight simulator and flight... Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.64 Use of a flight simulator and flight training device. (a) Use of a flight simulator or flight training device. If an applicant for a certificate or rating uses a...

Effects of restraint and cabin environment on skin temperature, sleep-wake, feeding and drinking circadian rhythms in Macaca mulatta during spacelab flight simulation.

PubMed

Demaria-Pesce, V H; Balzamo, E

1994-05-01

Exposure to a weightless environment such as in spaceflight, leads to a number of physiological responses to assure the survival of an organism in this new environment. However, the real effect of microgravity itself has not been clearly established yet. Considering the environmental and operational characteristics of a spaceflight, and as it has been shown in previous flights, the use of animals, and more particularly the non-human primates, takes on importance in understanding the mechanisms and factors involved in the adaptation to changes in gravitational loading. The SLS-3 flight of the American shuttle, scheduled for launch in early 1996, will be the first flight of the Rhesus project, a joint program of C.N.E.S. and N.A.S.A. which will carry out experiments in various physiological disciplines using the Rhesus monkey as a human surrogate. This 16 day orbital flight will be the longest flight accomplished by the shuttle to date. A number of feasibility studies have already been conducted on Macaca mulatta in order to simulate flight conditions to obtain ground data and to test the technical characteristics of the Rhesus Research Facility which have been described elsewhere. Microgravity might be the main factor inducing the physiological changes observed during spaceflights. However, these responses could also be influenced by other factors related to the spaceflight environment such as the life support systems of the spacecraft. Thus, the main purpose of the present study was to determine the impact of specific restraint and cabin environment on the circadian rhythms of body temperature, feeding, drinking, and sleep-waking in order to separate them from the real impact of microgravity.

Orion Pad Abort 1 Flight Test: Simulation Predictions Versus Flight Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stillwater, Ryan Allanque; Merritt, Deborah S.

2011-01-01

The presentation covers the pre-flight simulation predictions of the Orion Pad Abort 1. The pre-flight simulation predictions are compared to the Orion Pad Abort 1 flight test data. Finally the flight test data is compared to the updated simulation predictions, which show a ove rall improvement in the accuracy of the simulation predictions.

Experimental investigation of shock-cell noise reduction for single-stream nozzles in simulated flight, comprehensive data report. Volume 3: Shadowgraph photos and facility description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamamoto, K.; Brausch, J. F.; Janardan, B. A.; Hoerst, D. J.; Price, A. O.; Knott, P. R.

1984-01-01

A total of 142 shadowgraph photographs were taken on 43 different plumes that were distributed over the six nozzle configurations using the 9.5 inch diameter collimated light beam of the shadowgraph setup. Aerodynamic flow conditions of the shadowgraph test points, the location and identification of each of the photographs, and copies of the pictures are presented.

STS_135_SAIL

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-12

JSC2011-E-067679 (12 July 2011) --- This is an overall view of the wiring for the simulated shuttle payload bay in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on July 12, 2011. The laboratory is a skeletal avionics version of the shuttle that uses actual orbiter hardware and flight software. The facility even carries the official orbiter designation as Orbiter Vehicle 095. Photo credit: NASA Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool

STS_135_SAIL

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-12

JSC2011-E-067680 (12 July 2011) --- This is an overall view of the wiring for the simulated shuttle payload bay in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on July 12, 2011. The laboratory is a skeletal avionics version of the shuttle that uses actual orbiter hardware and flight software. The facility even carries the official orbiter designation as Orbiter Vehicle 095. Photo credit: NASA Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool

Development and Results of a First Generation Least Expensive Approach to Fission: Module Tests and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houts, Mike; Godfroy, Tom; Pederson, Kevin; Sena, J. Tom; VanDyke, Melissa; Dickens, Ricky; Reid, Bob J.; Martin, Jim

2000-01-01

The use of resistance heaters to simulate heat from fission allows extensive development of fission systems to be performed in non-nuclear test facilities, saving time and money. Resistance heated tests on the Module Unfueled Thermal-hydraulic Test (MUTT) article has been performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This paper discusses the results of these experiments and identifies future tests to be performed.

Proceedings of the 1977 Image Conference Held at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona on 17-18 May 1977

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-05-01

both stimulating and informative. May your experiences at this Conference he most rewarding and enjoyable. rr KEYNOTE ADDRESS Senator 3!rry M. Goldwater...capabilities, human motion perceiving capabilities and the dynamics of the flight system being simulated. Subliminal washout schemes and recent develop...facilities and the military user by the graphic presentation of information with auditory overlay. Background Pieces of the electronic graphic mail concept

MARA (Multimode Airborne Radar Altimeter) system documentation. Volume 1: MARA system requirements document

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, C. L. (Editor)

1989-01-01

The Multimode Airborne Radar Altimeter (MARA), a flexible airborne radar remote sensing facility developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is discussed. This volume describes the scientific justification for the development of the instrument and the translation of these scientific requirements into instrument design goals. Values for key instrument parameters are derived to accommodate these goals, and simulations and analytical models are used to estimate the developed system's performance.

KSC-07pd0904

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, a Starfighter F-104 aircraft is being prepared for test flights. Behind the plane is Dave Waldrop, co-pilot. The aircraft is taking part in a series of pathfinder test missions from the space shuttle runway. Two flights will generate test data to validate sonic boom assumptions about the potential impacts of suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight from the facility. NASA is assessing the environmental impact of such flights. Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., will perform the flights to help in assessing suborbital space launch trajectories from the runway and paving the way for future commercial space tourism and research flights from the facility. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0905

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, a Starfighter F-104 aircraft is being prepared for test flights. Ready to climb into the cockpit is the pilot, Rick Svetkoff. The aircraft is taking part in a series of pathfinder test missions from the space shuttle runway. Two flights will generate test data to validate sonic boom assumptions about the potential impacts of suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight from the facility. NASA is assessing the environmental impact of such flights. Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., will perform the flights to help in assessing suborbital space launch trajectories from the runway and paving the way for future commercial space tourism and research flights from the facility. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0915

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Starfighter F-104 comes to a stop on the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility after its test flight. The pilot is Rick Svetkoff; the co-pilot is Dave Waldrop.The aircraft is taking part in a series of pathfinder test missions from the space shuttle runway. Two flights will generate test data to validate sonic boom assumptions about the potential impacts of suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight from the facility. NASA is assessing the environmental impact of such flights. Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., will perform the flights to help in assessing suborbital space launch trajectories from the runway and paving the way for future commercial space tourism and research flights from the facility. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Quantifying methane emissions from natural gas production in north-eastern Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkley, Zachary R.; Lauvaux, Thomas; Davis, Kenneth J.; Deng, Aijun; Miles, Natasha L.; Richardson, Scott J.; Cao, Yanni; Sweeney, Colm; Karion, Anna; Smith, MacKenzie; Kort, Eric A.; Schwietzke, Stefan; Murphy, Thomas; Cervone, Guido; Martins, Douglas; Maasakkers, Joannes D.

2017-11-01

Natural gas infrastructure releases methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The estimated emission rate associated with the production and transportation of natural gas is uncertain, hindering our understanding of its greenhouse footprint. This study presents a new application of inverse methodology for estimating regional emission rates from natural gas production and gathering facilities in north-eastern Pennsylvania. An inventory of CH4 emissions was compiled for major sources in Pennsylvania. This inventory served as input emission data for the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry enabled (WRF-Chem), and atmospheric CH4 mole fraction fields were generated at 3 km resolution. Simulated atmospheric CH4 enhancements from WRF-Chem were compared to observations obtained from a 3-week flight campaign in May 2015. Modelled enhancements from sources not associated with upstream natural gas processes were assumed constant and known and therefore removed from the optimization procedure, creating a set of observed enhancements from natural gas only. Simulated emission rates from unconventional production were then adjusted to minimize the mismatch between aircraft observations and model-simulated mole fractions for 10 flights. To evaluate the method, an aircraft mass balance calculation was performed for four flights where conditions permitted its use. Using the model optimization approach, the weighted mean emission rate from unconventional natural gas production and gathering facilities in north-eastern Pennsylvania approach is found to be 0.36 % of total gas production, with a 2σ confidence interval between 0.27 and 0.45 % of production. Similarly, the mean emission estimates using the aircraft mass balance approach are calculated to be 0.40 % of regional natural gas production, with a 2σ confidence interval between 0.08 and 0.72 % of production. These emission rates as a percent of production are lower than rates found in any other basin using a top-down methodology, and may be indicative of some characteristics of the basin that make sources from the north-eastern Marcellus region unique.

Five Years of JOSIE: Assessment of the Performance of Ozone Sondes Under Quasi-Flight Conditions in the Environmental Simulation Chamber With Regard to Satellite Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smit, H. G.; Straeter, W.; Helten, M.; Kley, D.

2002-05-01

Up to an altitude of about 20 km ozone sondes constitute the most important data source with long term data coverage for the derivation of ozone trends with sufficient vertical resolution, particularly in the important altitude region around the tropopause. In this region and also above in lower/middle stratosphere up to 30-35 km altitude ozone sondes are of crucial importance to validate and evaluate satellite measurements, particularly for their long term stability. Each ozone sounding is made with an individual disposable instrument and, therefore, have to be characterized well prior to flight. Therefore, quality assurance of ozone sonde performance is a pre-requisite. As part of the quality assurance (QA) plan for ozone sondes that are in routine use in the Global Atmosphere Watch program of the World Meteorological Organization the environmental simulation chamber at the Research Centre Juelich (Germany) is established as World Calibration Centre for Ozone Sondes. The facility enables control of pressure, temperature and ozone concentration and can simulate flight conditions of ozone soundings up to an altitude of 35 km, whereby an accurate UV-photometer serves as a reference. In the scope of this QA-plan for ozonesondes since 1996 several JOSIE (= Juelich Ozone Sonde Intercomparison Experiment) experiments to assess the performance of ozone sondes of different types and manufacturers have been conducted at the calibration facility. We will present an overview of the results obtained from the different JOSIE experiments. The results will be discussed with regard to the use of ozone sondes to validate satellite measurements. Special attention will be paid to the influence of operating procedures on the performance of sondes and the need for standardization to assure ozone sounding data of sufficient quality to use for satellite validations.

Morpheus Vertical Test Bed Flight Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hart, Jeremy; Devolites, Jennifer

2014-01-01

NASA's Morpheus Project has developed and tested a prototype planetary lander capable of vertical takeoff and landing, that is designed to serve as a testbed for advanced spacecraft technologies. The lander vehicle, propelled by a LOX/Methane engine and sized to carry a 500kg payload to the lunar surface, provides a platform for bringing technologies from the laboratory into an integrated flight system at relatively low cost. Morpheus onboard software is autonomous from ignition all the way through landing, and is designed to be capable of executing a variety of flight trajectories, with onboard fault checks and automatic contingency responses. The Morpheus 1.5A vehicle performed 26 integrated vehicle test flights including hot-fire tests, tethered tests, and two attempted freeflights between April 2011 and August 2012. The final flight of Morpheus 1.5A resulted in a loss of the vehicle. In September 2012, development began on the Morpheus 1.5B vehicle, which subsequently followed a similar test campaign culminating in free-flights at a simulated planetary landscape built at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. This paper describes the integrated test campaign, including successes and setbacks, and how the system design for handling faults and failures evolved over the course of the project.

14 CFR 91.109 - Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests. 91.109 Section 91.109 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... OPERATING AND FLIGHT RULES Flight Rules General § 91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and...

14 CFR 91.109 - Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests. 91.109 Section 91.109 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... OPERATING AND FLIGHT RULES Flight Rules General § 91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and...

14 CFR 91.109 - Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests. 91.109 Section 91.109 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... OPERATING AND FLIGHT RULES Flight Rules General § 91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and...

14 CFR 91.109 - Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests. 91.109 Section 91.109 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... OPERATING AND FLIGHT RULES Flight Rules General § 91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and...

14 CFR 91.109 - Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests. 91.109 Section 91.109 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... OPERATING AND FLIGHT RULES Flight Rules General § 91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and...

Thermal System Upgrade of the Space Environment Simulation Test Chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desai, Ashok B.

1997-01-01

The paper deals with the refurbishing and upgrade of the thermal system for the existing thermal vacuum test facility, the Space Environment Simulator, at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The chamber is the largest such facility at the center. This upgrade is the third phase of the long range upgrade of the chamber that has been underway for last few years. The first phase dealt with its vacuum system, the second phase involved the GHe subsystem. The paper describes the considerations of design philosophy options for the thermal system; approaches taken and methodology applied, in the evaluation of the remaining "life" in the chamber shrouds and related equipment by conducting special tests and studies; feasibility and extent of automation, using computer interfaces and Programmable Logic Controllers in the control system and finally, matching the old components to the new ones into an integrated, highly reliable and cost effective thermal system for the facility. This is a multi-year project just started and the paper deals mainly with the plans and approaches to implement the project successfully within schedule and costs.

14 CFR 135.337 - Qualifications: Check airmen (aircraft) and check airmen (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... who is qualified to conduct flight checks in an aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight... to conduct flight checks, but only in a flight simulator, in a flight training device, or both, for a... the 12-month preceding the performance of any check airman duty in a flight simulator; or (2...

14 CFR 135.337 - Qualifications: Check airmen (aircraft) and check airmen (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... who is qualified to conduct flight checks in an aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight... to conduct flight checks, but only in a flight simulator, in a flight training device, or both, for a... the 12-month preceding the performance of any check airman duty in a flight simulator; or (2...

14 CFR 135.337 - Qualifications: Check airmen (aircraft) and check airmen (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... who is qualified to conduct flight checks in an aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight... to conduct flight checks, but only in a flight simulator, in a flight training device, or both, for a... the 12-month preceding the performance of any check airman duty in a flight simulator; or (2...

14 CFR 135.337 - Qualifications: Check airmen (aircraft) and check airmen (simulator).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... who is qualified to conduct flight checks in an aircraft, in a flight simulator, or in a flight... to conduct flight checks, but only in a flight simulator, in a flight training device, or both, for a... the 12-month preceding the performance of any check airman duty in a flight simulator; or (2...

14 CFR 121.413 - Initial and transition training and checking requirements: Check airmen (airplane), check airmen...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... flight simulator, or in a flight training device. This paragraph applies after March 19, 1997. (b) The... simulator, or in a flight training device, as appropriate. (g) The initial and transition flight training... simulator or in a flight training device. (2) Training in the operation of flight simulators or flight...