Topic

The purpose of this research was to develop an improved method for measuring hydrogen concentrations in a cryogen flow stream to minimize helium waste during the purge process. Currently, this type of measurement is performed manually with a sniffer, and involves obtaining...

At the time of this reporting, there have been no effective methods of monitoring current in conductors in space without breaking the circuit or making contact with the conductor. In space, reliability rules all designs, and breaking a circuit to insert a sensor to monitor current would reduce...

Propellant mass gauging in microgravity has posed a challenge for decades. Various methods have been applied, including ultrasonic, capacitance probes, point level sensors, thermal detectors (thermistors, thermocouples, etc.), Michelson interferometry,...

Numerical algorithms capable of generating synthetic radio tomography data (reflection transmission data) for asteroids, comets, and other near-Earth orbits (NEOs) were developed. Future missions to main asteroid belt objects, NEOs, and other small...

Automation and autonomy are key elements in realizing the vision for space exploration. The NASA Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) has been developing several core autonomy capabilities, one of which is called a procedure representation language (PRL). PRL can be automatically...

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) strives for trace gas observations with unprecedented accuracy and precision. This requires a retrieval algorithm with many major improvements over existing retrieval software in the representation of the transfer of solar radiation through the atmosphere and instrument,...

As signals emitted by global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) propagate toward users on or near the surface of the Earth, they experience delay due to the presence of charged particles in the ionosphere. Currently, ionospheric delay is the largest source of GNSS positioning...

A paper describes a new technique designed to increase significantly the sensitivity for finding and tracking small, dim, and fast-moving near Earth asteroids (NEAs). The technique relies on a combined use of a novel data processing approach and a new...

A paper discusses a calibration method suited to correct variations of UAVSAR (unmanned aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar) backscatter with topography. To use radar backscatter to estimate forest biomass on terrain with slopes, it is necessary to remove the effect of topography....

A document describes solutions to problems of astrometry at the microarc-second (picoradian) level using a simple staring telescope. The problems include field-dependent beam-walk on the telescope’s mirrors, pixel position irregularity and distortion over time, non-flat intra-pixel...

A document describes a solution to missing flux values in time-domain optical and radio astronomical survey data that form “light curves.” The technique incorporates a priori astronomical knowledge into a missing value imputation technique. It is assumed that missing values in...

Hamilton Standard custom engineered an all-stainless inline caster for a major aerospace supplier. The aerospace company ordered two of these special casters designed for a clean-room environment, each with a carrying capacity of 15,500 lb. The caster stands 10-1/8-in tall and 21-in long, and is equipped with two 8-in-diameter by...

Crystek’s 50-GHz low-loss RF cable assemblies feature corrosion-resistant 2.4-mm 303 stainless steel connectors and three levels of shielding for low attenuation (loss) over distance (1.44 dB/ft at 50 GHz). They are in stock in standard lengths of 24, 39.4, and 48 in, with custom lengths available. The assemblies...

Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group’s Wahl DST500-FM temperature indicator with fixed probes is a high-accuracy, wide-range thermometer designed for hazardous locations where accurate and reliable temperature monitoring is critical. Fixed-stem probes are available in straight or 90° back-, left-, or...

Honeywell’s HP Series, HE Series, and LE Series of pressure switches provide high burst pressure ranges, a long lifecycle rating, and IP67 sealing, enhancing durability and reliability. High burst pressure and up to 2 million lifecycle ratings allow the switch to operate and survive in demanding applications and ensure long life...

The demand for innovative manufacturing technology that produces lighter parts with stronger material grows each day in the competitive aerospace industry. 3-D printing, also known as “additive manufacturing,” is at the center of this innovation.

Unmanned systems coursework will examine the application, development, management, and policies of unmanned systems and address issues including regulation; systems design; policy and ethics; education and training; and human performance and machine interaction.