SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS
A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
VOLUME 43, ISSUE 20 - OCTOBER 07, 2006
16 SPACE TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY
Includes passenger and cargo space transportation, e.g., shuttle operations; and space rescue techniques.
For related information see also 03 Air Transportation and Safety; 15 Launch Vehicles and Launch Operations; and 18 Spacecraft Design, Testing and Performance.
For space suits see 54 Man/System Technology and Life Support.
20050214875 NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, FL, USA
STS-114: Discovery Mission Status Briefing July 29, 2005
In English; 34 min., 3 sec. playing time, in color, with sound; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI:
V03, Videotape-VHS:
B03, Videotape-Beta
Phil Engelauf, STS-114 Mission Operations Representative reports: the orbital rendezvous was successful, and today's activities includes initial preparations of the next day's extravehicular activities (EVA); he specifically mentioned tile repair, wiring on the outside of the vehicle to try to recover CMG2 (Control Moment Gyro), and preparation for the external stowage platform. John Shannon, Manager of the Space Shuttle Operations and Integration reports from Engineering standpoint that the composites of the underside of the tile surface seen from pictures taken during the pitch maneuver were extremely clean; the Engineering staff continues to look at the focus inspection data from the orbital boom sensor system (OBSS) and other data to assess the condition of the vehicle. Solid rocket boosters were retrieved and are towed back to the Air Force hangar in Cape Carneval. Six target inspection (nose gear doors, gap fillers, chine area, external tank doors, trailing edge, and ice), and arm operations, foam, conservation measures, shuttle air lock, aerodynamics assessment and re-entry were topics covered with the News media. CASI
Space Shuttle Missions; Space Shuttle Orbiters; Space Transportation System Flights; Extravehicular Activity
20050215014 NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Fan Beam Emission Tomography Demonstrated Successfully in the Reduced-Gravity Environment of Drop Towers
Feikema, Douglas A.; Research and Technology 2002; March 2003; 2 pp.; In English; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A01, Hardcopy
Fires onboard manned spacecraft and launch vehicles are a particularly feared hazard because one cannot jump ship while in orbit 240 nmi above the Earth at 17 000 mph! Understanding the physical properties of fires in free fall and on orbit is, therefore, a very important endeavor for NASA s Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise. However, detailed information concerning the structure of microgravity fires remained elusive until recently since robustness, limited power, limited volume, and limited mass place severe constraints on diagnostic equipment for use in space and in NASA Glenn Research Center s reduced-gravity facilities. Under NASA Research Associate funding since 2001, En'Urga, Inc. (Dr. Sivathanu, principal investigator, and Dr. Lim, co-investigator) in collaboration with Glenn (Dr. Feikema, coinvestigator) have successfully demonstrated a new technology for use in microgravity combustion. A midinfrared scanning spectrometer has been developed by En'Urga and tested at Glenn to measure 30 spectra per second at different spatial locations in a flame from 1.8 to 4.8 microns. Derived from text
Center of Gravity; Combustion; Flames
20050215025 NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
New Technologies Being Developed for the Thermophoretic Sampling of Smoke Particulates in Microgravity
Sheredy, William A.; Research and Technology 2002; March 2003; 3 pp.; In English; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A01, Hardcopy
The Characterization of Smoke Particulate for Spacecraft Fire Detection, or Smoke, microgravity experiment is planned to be performed in the Microgravity Science Glovebox Facility on the International Space Station (ISS). This investigation, which is being developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center, ZIN Technologies, and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST), is based on the results and experience gained from the successful Comparative Soot Diagnostics experiment, which was flown as part of the USMP-3 (USA Microgravity Payload 3) mission on space shuttle flight STS-75. The Smoke experiment is designed to determine the particle size distributions of the smokes generated from a variety of overheated spacecraft materials and from microgravity fires. The objective is to provide the data that spacecraft designers need to properly design and implement fire detection in spacecraft. This investigation will also evaluate the performance of the smoke detectors currently in use aboard the space shuttle and ISS for the test materials in a microgravity environment. Derived from text
Technology Assessment; Smoke Detectors; Size Distribution; Particulates; Gravitational Effects
20050215327 Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN, USA
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The Effect of Infrastructure Sharing in Estimating Operations Cost of Future Space Transportation Systems
Sundaram, Meenakshi; The 2004 NASA Faculty Fellowship Program Research Reports; January 2005, pp. XLIII-1 - XLIII-7; In English; See also 20050215300; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A02, Hardcopy
NASA and the aerospace industry are extremely serious about reducing the cost and improving the performance of launch vehicles both manned or unmanned. In the aerospace industry, sharing infrastructure for manufacturing more than one type spacecraft is becoming a trend to achieve economy of scale. An example is the Boeing Decatur facility where both Delta II and Delta IV launch vehicles are made. The author is not sure how Boeing estimates the costs of each spacecraft made in the same facility. Regardless of how a contractor estimates the cost, NASA in its popular cost estimating tool, NASA Air force Cost Modeling (NAFCOM) has to have a method built in to account for the effect of infrastructure sharing. Since there is no provision in the most recent version of NAFCOM2002 to take care of this, it has been found by the Engineering Cost Community at MSFC that the tool overestimates the manufacturing cost by as much as 30%. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop a methodology to assess the impact of infrastructure sharing so that better operations cost estimates may be made. Derived from text
Space Transportation System; Operating Costs; Cost Estimates; Manufacturing; Mathematical Models
20050215397 NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, FL, USA
STS-114: Discovery Day 3 Mission Status Briefing July 28, 2005
In English; 36 min., 27 sec. playing time, in color, with sound; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: V03, Videotape-VHS: B03, Videotape-Beta
Paul Hill, STS-114 Lead Shuttle Flight Director and John Shannon, Space Shuttle Flight Operations and Integration Manager are seen in this STS-114 flight day three Mission Status Briefing. Hill expresses that the Discovery Orbiter is performing beautifully and that STS-114 crew performed a picture perfect rendezvous. He also shows a video of the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver (RPM) where Commander Eileen Collins slowly flips Discovery in a circle to give the Expedition 11 crew a view of Discovery's heat resistant tiles. He talks about the removal of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) from Discovery's payload bay using the ISS Robotic Arm. Shannon discusses two objectives that his team is fulfilling on this mission. They include: 1) Understanding the health of Space Shuttle Discovery; and 2) Assessing the performance of the External Tank. Questions from the news media pertaining to the life expectancy of the Space Shuttle Discovery, battery lifetime on the wing leading edge impact sensors, foam loss, PAL ramps, and the safety of the Space Shuttle Discovery are addressed. CASI
Discovery (Orbiter); Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules; Robot Arms; Space Transportation System Flights; International Space Station
20050215575 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
Microwave and MillimeterWave Testing for the Inspection of the Space Shuttle Spray on Foam Insulations (SOFI) and the Acreage Heat Tiles
Zoughi, R.; Kharkovsky, S.; Hepburn, F. L.; [2005]; 8 pp.; In English; Original contains black and white illustrations Contract(s)/Grant(s): NNM04AA15A; Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A02, Hardcopy
The utility of microwave and millimeter wave nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) methods, for testing the Space Shuttle's external he1 tank spray on foam insulation (SOFI) and the acreage heat tiles has been investigated during the past two years. Millimeter wave NDE techniques are capable of producing internal images of SOFI. This paper presents the results of testing several diverse panels with embedded voids and debonds at millimeter wave frequencies. Additionally, the results of testing a set of heat tiles are also presented. Finally, the attributes of these methods as well as the advantageous features associated with these systems are also provided. Author
Foams; Microwaves; Millimeter Waves; Space Shuttles; Sprayers; Tiles; Nondestructive Tests; Thermal Insulation
20050215579 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
Microwave and Millimeter Wave Imaging of the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank Spray on Foam Insulation (SOFI) using Synthetic Aperture Focusing Techniques (SAFT)
Case, J. T.; Robbins, J.; Kharkivskiy, S.; Hepburn, F.; Zoughi, R.; [2005]; 16 pp.; In English; Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluaiton Conference, 31 Jul. - 5 Aug. 2005, Brunswick, ME, USA Contract(s)/Grant(s): NNM04AA15A; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A03, Hardcopy
The Space Shuttle Columbia s catastrophic failure is thought to have been caused by a dislodged piece of external tank spray on foam insulation (SOFI) striking the left wing of the orbiter causing significant damage to some of the reinforced carbodcarbon leading edge wing panels. Microwave and millimeter wave nondestructive evaluation methods have shown great potential for inspecting SOFI for the purpose of detecting anomalies such as small air voids that may cause separation of the SOFI from the external tank during a launch. These methods are capable of producing relatively high-resolution images of the interior of SOFI particularly when advanced imaging algorithms are incorporated into the overall system. To this end, synthetic aperture focusing techniques (SAFT) are being developed. This paper presents some of the preliminary results of this investigation using SAFT-based methods and microwave holography at relatively low frequencies illustrating their potential capabilities for operation at millimeter wave frequencies. Author
External Tanks; Foams; Insulation; Space Shuttles; Synthetic Apertures; Millimeter Waves; Microwave Holography; Imaging Techniques
20050217100 NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
Technical Consultation of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) System Health Assessment: Analysis of HST Health
Gentz, Steven J.; Heard, Brent N.; Hodson, Robert F.; Pettit, Duane H.; Pandolf, John E.; Azzolini, John D.; Dennehy, Cornelius J.; Farley, Rodger E.; Kirchman, Frank J.; Spidaliere, Peter D.; September 2005; 39 pp.; In English Contract(s)/Grant(s): 104-08-33 Report No.(s): NASA/TM-2005-213917; NESC-RP-04-12/04-060-E; L-19173; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A03, Hardcopy
The NESC conducted an abridged independent examination of available information and personnel interviews to evaluate the current and anticipated state of the spacecraft subsystems and the parameters that describe the HST's health. These examinations included the projected timeliness of a robotic SM and whether the GSFC baseline concept is likely to provide the capability to extend the useful scientific life of the HST by an additional 5 years. The NESC team collected a broad spectrum of pertinent HST Program analyses, reports, briefings, and the results of the IPAO and the Aerospace Corporation AOA assessments as they relate to the degradation of the HST s health. This review included the state of the HST subsystems having the potential to impact the viability of the HST, but will not be serviced under the baseline robotic SM. Author
Hubble Space Telescope; Systems Health Monitoring; Aerospace Safety; Robotics; Systems Engineering
20050217163 NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
Flexible Metallic Overwrap Concept Developed for On-Orbit Repair of Space Shuttle Orbiter Leading Edges
Ritzert, Frank J.; Nesbitt, James A.; Research and Technology 2004; June 2005; 3 pp.; In English; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A01, Hardcopy
The Columbia accident has focused attention on the critical need for on-orbit repair concepts for leading edges in the event that damage is incurred during space shuttle orbiter flight. Damage that is considered as potentially catastrophic for orbiter leading edges ranges from simple cracks to holes as large as 16 in. in diameter. NASA is particularly interested in examining potential solutions for areas of larger damage since such a problem was identified as the cause for the Columbia disaster. One possible idea for the on-orbit repair of the reinforced carbon/carbon (RCC) leading edges is an overwrap concept that would use a metallic sheet flexible enough to conform to the contours of the orbiter and robust enough to protect any problem area from catastrophic failure during reentry. The simplified view of the application of a refractory metal sheet over a mockup of shuttle orbiter panel 9, which experiences the highest temperatures on the shuttle during reentry is shown. The metallic overwrap concept is attractive because of its versatility as well as the ease with which it can be included in an onboard repair kit. Reentry of the orbiter into Earth's atmosphere imposes extreme requirements on repair materials. Temperatures can exceed 1650 C for up to 15 min in the presence of an extremely oxidizing plasma environment. Several other factors are critical, including catalysity, emissivity, and vibrational and aerodynamic loads. Materials chosen for this application will need to be evaluated with respect to high-temperature capability, resistance to oxidation, strength, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermal conductivity. The temperature profile across panel 9 during reentry as well as a schematic of the overwrap concept itself is shown. Derived from text
Composite Wrapping; Space Shuttle Orbiters; Leading Edges; Metal Sheets; Spacecraft Maintenance
Source: NASA.
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