Space Shuttle UHF communications performance evaluation

Computational investigations and experimental measurements were performed to evaluate the Space Shuttle UHF communication system performance for payload bay antenna at the proposed new location. To insure adequate communication coverage at relocated new location, the link margin for the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) astronauts and between Space Shuttle Orbiter and International Space Station (SSO-ISS) during rendezvous were analyzed. The multipath effects from the vehicle structures surrounding the antenna were investigated. The Radio Frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation to the Orbiter Docking System (ODS) pyrotechnics was also analyzed to ensure the EMC/EMI compliances.     

Millimeter wave radar with clutter measurements

A portable millimeter wave test radar system, also suitable for battery operation, gives interesting possibilities for clutter recordings at hard-to-reach sites. The designed system covers all common radar frequencies from the Ka- to V-bands and enables spatial detection of targets or clutter elements within an adjustable time gate, whereby spatial clutter profiles of rain can be analyzed. The construction allows full operation with non-scanning antennas as well. This is advantageous when measuring temporal RCS variations of selected targets or surface clutter from snow dunes.     

Operational testing of valve regulated lead acid batteries incommercial aircraft

Valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries provide electrical performance that is virtually identical to sintered plate nickel-cadmium battery systems. In addition, the VRLA batteries offer the user a no-maintenance battery and other enhanced features that make this a very desirable battery for aircraft applications. In field trials, where VRLA batteries were substituted for nickel-cadmium batteries, the VRLA provided the user with a high reliability turbine engine starting battery under a wide variety of climatic conditions     

Ground-based simulations of galactic cosmic ray fragmentation and transport.

Since mean free paths for nuclear fragmentation are of the order of the ranges of primary Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) nuclei, determination of the radiation field produced by successive fragmentations of nuclei in material and tissue is essential to accurate assessment of GCR radiation risk to humans on long-duration missions outside the geomagnetosphere. We describe some recent measurements made at the Bevalac of heavy ion transport through materials, with representative results and examples of how they may be applied to aspects of the space radiation problem, including efforts to devise analytical tools for predicting biological effects and for designing spacecraft shielding.     

The conceptual design of a hybrid life support system based on the evaluation and comparison of terrestrial testbeds.

This report summarizes a trade study of different options of a bioregenerative Life Support System (LSS) and a subsequent conceptual design of a hybrid LSS. The evaluation was based mainly on the terrestrial testbed projects MELISSA (ESA) and BIOS (Russia). In addition, some methods suggested by the Advanced Life Support Project (NASA) were considered. Computer models, including mass flows were established for each of the systems with the goal of closing system loops to the extent possible. In order to cope with the differences in the supported crew size and provided nutrition, all systems were scaled for supporting a crew of six for a 780 day Mars mission (180 days transport to Mars; 600 days surface period) as given in the NASA Design Reference Mission Scenario [Hoffman, S.J., Kaplan, D.L. Human exploration of Mars: the Reference Mission of the NASA Mars Exploratory Study, 1997]. All models were scaled to provide the same daily allowances, as of calories, to the crew. Equivalent System Mass (ESM) analysis was used to compare the investigated system models against each other. Following the comparison of the terrestrial systems, the system specific subsystem options for Food Supply, Solid Waste Processing, Water Management and Atmosphere Revitalization were evaluated in a separate trade study. The best subsystem technologies from the trade study were integrated into an overall design solution based on mass flow relationships. The optimized LSS is mainly a bioregenerative system, complemented by a few physico-chemical elements, with a total ESM of 18,088 kg, which is about 4 times higher than that of a pure physico-chemical LSS, as designed in an earlier study.     

Distinguished Lecturers Program

One of the general trends of the MEMS sensors business is the utilization of the technology to satisfy harsh environment requirements (temperature, shock, vibration, environment security). The conjunction of material (standard Silicon, SiC or SOI), with complex micromachining techniques and advanced assembly techniques are the key to provide robust sensors with a miniimum concession on specification. The goal of this paper is to present progress on gun hard (> 20,000 g) and wide temperature range MEMS accelerometers (-120°C to +180°C). Concrete solutions and results (out of more than 500 tested products)) will be presented and discussed in detail.     

Comments on the Communication and Data Problems Associated with a Mars Trip During a Conjunction Phase

The analysis and comments presented in this paper are meant to establish the general communication parameters associated with Martian flyby probes and with lander and manned vehicles. Fundamental data transfer problems are reviewed to define comparisons and trends of tradeoffs for future studies. Selected focal points are based upon the long propagation path length, with inherent time delays, and the high noise produced by the sun. These problems are magnified because large quantities of data must be obtained to satisfy the needs of the scientific community and the curiosity of an interested public. A comparison of two communication systems is provided: the microwave spectrum and the optical spectrum, as represented by the microwaves at 2.3 GHz and the laser at 6328 ?. A method of cost effectiveness or value received from space missions (a criterion of power input for data quantity received) is also presented.     

Automorphogenesis and gravitropism of plant seedlings grown under microgravity conditions.

Plant seedlings exhibit automorphogenesis on clinostats. The occurrence of automorphogenesis was confirmed under microgravity in Space Shuttle STS-95 flight. Rice coleoptiles showed an inclination toward the caryopsis in the basal region and a spontaneous curvature in the same adaxial direction in the elongating region both on a three-dimensional (3-D) clinostat and in space. Both rice roots and Arabidopsis hypocotyls also showed a similar morphology in space and on the 3-D clinostat. In rice coleoptiles, the mechanisms inducing such an automorphic curvature were studied. The faster-expanding convex side of rice coleoptiles showed a higher extensibility of the cell wall than the opposite side. Also, in the convex side, the cell wall thickness was smaller, the turnover of the matrix polysaccharides was more active, and the microtubules oriented more transversely than the concave side, and these differences appear to be causes of the curvature. When rice coleoptiles grown on the 3-D clinostat were placed horizontally, the gravitropic curvature was delayed as compared with control coleoptiles. In clinostatted coleoptiles, the corresponding suppression of the amyloplast development was also observed. Similar results were obtained in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Thus, the induction of automorphogenesis and a concomitant decrease in graviresponsiveness occurred in plant shoots grown under microgravity conditions.     

Surface tension-driven flows in horizontal liquid metal layers

The problem of surface tension-driven flows in horizontal liquid layers has been studied experimentally, and theoretically by direct numerical simulation and small perturbation analysis. We focus our attention on situations in which the depth of the fluid (liquid tin; small Prandtl number, Pr=0.015) is small enough to ensure the predominance of the surface tension forces over those due to the buoyancy. The surface velocity has been experimentally obtained for liquid tin layer with various aspect ratio (length to height) in the range 5<A<83. The thermal gradients are ranged from 5 to 40°K/cm. In the numerical study, the Navier-Stokes and energy equations are solved by an efficient finite difference technique. The parameters governing the flow behaviour in the liquid are varied to determine their effects on thermocapillary convection: the Reynolds number 10<Re<210⁴ and the aspect ratio 2<A<25; with Pr kept constant at Pr=0.015. The linear eigenequation resulting from small spatial disturbances of the Couette flow solution is solved using an Tau-Chebyshev approximation. A notable feature of the theoretical study is the totally different end circulations. In the region near the cold wall a multicell structure is evident. This agrees with the eigensolution which is of complex type, indicating spatial periodicity. In the hot wall region the flow is accelerated to reach the velocity value for the fully-developed Couette flow which is reached under conditions such as Re/A<20. The transition from viscous to boundary layer regime occurs for a critical value (Re/A)_c of nearly about 200, as deduced from the numerical and experimental results.