Ground and on-orbit command and data handling architectures for the Active Rack Isolation System microgravity flight experiment

The Active Rack Isolation System [ARIS] International Space Station [ISS] Characterization Experiment, or ARIS-ICE for short, is a long duration microgravity characterization experiment aboard the ISS. The objective of the experiment is to fully characterize active microgravity performance of the first ARIS rack deployed on the ISS. Efficient ground and on-orbit command and data handling [C&DH] segments are the crux in achieving the challenging objectives of the mission. The objective of the paper is to provide an overview of the C&DH architectures developed for ARIS-ICE, with the view that these architectures may serve as a model for future ISS microgravity payloads. Both ground and on-orbit segments, and their interaction with corresponding ISS C&DH systems are presented. The heart of the on-orbit segment is the ARIS-ICE Payload On-orbit Processor, ARIS-ICE POP for short. The POP manages communication with the ISS C&DH system and other ISS subsystems and payloads, enables automation of test/data collection sequences, and provides a wide range of utilities such as efficient file downlinks/uplinks, data post-processing, data compression and data storage. The hardware and software architecture of the POP is presented and it is shown that the built-in functionality helps to dramatically streamline the efficiency of on-orbit operations. The ground segment has at its heart special ARIS-ICE Ground Support Equipment [GSE] software developed for the experiment. The software enables efficient command and file uplinks, and reconstruction and display of science telemetry packets. The GSE software architecture is discussed along with its interactions with ISS ground C&DH elements. A test sequence example is used to demonstrate the interplay between the ground and on-orbit segments.     

Secure wireless collection and distribution of commercial airplane health data

The introduction of wireless communication capabilities supporting transfer of sensor data and information on-board commercial airplanes as well as between airplanes and supporting ground systems has the potential to significantly improve the safety and efficiency of air travel. The benefits, however, come at the cost of information security vulnerabilities introduced by data networks. Regulatory institutions, including the FAA, are aware that security requirements for network-enabled airplanes must be fully identified. Therefore, this focuses on wireless airplane health monitoring and management, and contributes a security framework to identify threats and system requirements to mitigate these threats. We also present challenges and open problems in enabling secure use of wireless sensor networks for health monitoring and control of commercial airplanes.     

Aerodynamics of cross-flow fans and their application to aircraft propulsion and flow control

Cross-flow fans offer unique opportunities for distributed propulsion and flow control due to their potential for spanwise integration in aircraft wings. The fan may be fully or partially embedded within the wing using a variety of possible configurations. Its inlet may be used to ingest the boundary-layer flow, and its high-energy exhaust flow may be injected into the wake at the wing trailing edge for drag reduction or vectored thrust. Cross-flow fans are high-pressure coefficient machines, so they can be diametrically compact. However, their efficiency is fundamentally limited by unavoidable recirculation flows within the impeller at all flight speeds, and by additional compressibility losses at high speeds. This article reviews the fundamental aerodynamics and flow regions of cross-flow fans using a simple mean-line analysis to examine the basic energy transfer and loss processes. Experimental data for fans intended for aircraft application are then reviewed and compared to calculations using unsteady Navier–Stokes methods, showing the state-of-the art in flow field and performance prediction capability. Alternative prediction methods where blade action is modeled in terms of body-force or vortex elements are discussed, including challenges in handling arbitrary non-uniform, unsteady blade flows for various design configurations. The article concludes with a review of cross-flow fan propulsion and flow control concepts that have been investigated by various researchers, and with discussions on future challenges in their application.