(Contract BMFT-FKZ-070-4580-6) (BPT-9/88; ISSN-0176-0777; ETN-89-94423) Copyright Avail: NTIS HC A05/MF A01 The design and performance characteristics of a vertical wind tunnel, adapted for research in cloud physics and atmospheric chemistry, are described. The Prandtl type wind tunnel is driven by suction of air into vacuum through a sonic valve which, together with a screen, honeycomb, and contration section provides a positive air flow velocity control and a laminar flow of extremely low turbulence. This air stream quality allows the free suspension of water drops, ice crystals, snow flakes, and hailstones. An air conditioning system allows the simulation of a wide range of physical conditions in atmospheric clouds. Preliminary experiments show the feasibility of quantitative studies of, the rates at which atmosphere pollutants become incorporated by cloud drops, rain drops and ice particles, of the mechanisms controlling this incorporation, of the chemical reactions inside these particles, of the desorption of trace gases from these particles, of the numerous other basic drop-to-particle conversion, and of microphysical processes in atmospheric clouds. ESA N89-28526# National Aerospace Lab., Amsterdam (Netherlands). Informatics Div. AIRPORT NOISE MEASURING DATA COLLCTION SYSTEM 19 Jan. 1987 12 p Presented at the M. H. J. B. Versteeg VMEbus Application Seminar, Antwerp, Belgium, 25 Feb. 1987 (NLR-MP-87006-U; ETN-89-95410) Avail: NTIS HC A03/MF A01 The technical aspects of the central unit of the permanent noise measuring system, are discussed. The measured noise data values are obtained from a set of noise monitoring terminals located near a military airbase on Dutch territory. These values are collected together with time tags, stored on magnetic tape and processed. The central unit of this system is built using versa module eurocard technology, and the controlling software is developed using micro concurrent PASCAL language, whose compiler performs extensive type checking and identifies development errors. The most time consuming part of the software development is the development of the links of the system hardware. The central unit of the noise measuring system is built in such a way as to be fault tolerant. Missing data samples, lost connections or erroneous collected data should not disrupt the operation of the system. 12 ASTRONAUTICS (GENERAL) ESA For extraterrestrial exploration see 91 Lunar and Planetary Exploration. N89-28527# Joint Publications Research Service, Arlington, VA. JPRS REPORT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. USSR REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES 15 Mar. 1989 77 p Transl. into ENGLISH from various Russian articles (JPRS-USP-89-005) Avail: NTIS HC A05/MF A01 Topics addressed in these translated Russian articles include: (1) manned mission highlights (preparations, research program and launch of the Soviet-French Mission to Mir); (2) aerospace sciences; (3) aerospace engineering; (4) space technology applications; and (5) Soviet space policy and administration. Over 50 articles from various Russian publications are included. For individual titles, see N89-28528 through N89-28532. N89-28528# Joint Publications Research Service, Arlington, VA. C18 THE ORBITAL SPACE OBSERVATORY GAMMA V. G. Kirillov-Ugryumov In its JPRS Report: Science and 15 Mar. 1989 Technology. USSR Report: Life Sciences P 14-23 Transl. into ENGLISH from Zemlya i Vselennaya (Moscow, USSR), no. 5, Sep.-Oct. 1988 p 5-13 (For primary document see N89-28527 23-12) Avail: NTIS HC A05/MF A01 The approaching launch of the Soviet space observatory, Gamma, into near-Earth orbit is discussed. Although the energy of gamma quanta is great, their flux near Earth is negligible. Gamma astronomy outside the atmosphere has the potential for looking even farther than radioastronomy and seeing still earlier epochs of development of the Universe. Instrumentation of the Gamma observatory which includes three telescopes, is discussed. Author N89-28529# Joint Publications Research Service, Arlington, VA. BURAN FLIGHT TESTING, CAPABILITIES DISCUSSED c16 In its JPRS Report: Science and Technology. USSR Report: Life Sciences 15 Mar. 1989 p 36-37 Transl. into ENGLISH from Tass (Moscow, USSR) 1923 GMT, 25 Jan. 1989 (For primary document see N89-28527 23-12) Avail: NTIS HC A05/MF A01 The flight testing capabilities of the unmanned reusable Soviet orbiter, Buran, are described. Aspects of the spacecraft's landing K.C.D. are briefly discussed. N89-28530# Joint Publications Research Service, Arlington, VA. DESIGNERS' COMMENTARY ON BURAN FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM c16 G. Gromov In its JPRS Report: Science and Technology. USSR Report: Life Sciences 15 Mar. 1989 p 39-40 Transl. into ENGLISH from Pravda (Moscow, USSR), 6 Dec. 1988 p 3 (For primary document see N89-28527 23-12) Avail: NTIS HC A05/MF A01 The automated landing control system of the Soviet unmanned reusable spacecraft, Buran, is described. The electronic systems developed for this purpose were integrated into a unified navigation, traffic control and landing system named Vympel. It included the instrumental and electronic systems that made up the ground and on-board equipment. K.C.D. (Contract W-7405-eng-36) (DE89-014280; LA-UR-89-2168; CONF-890799-1) Avail: NTIS HC A02/MF A01 Long-term space operations that require exposure of material to the low earth orbit (LEO) environment must take into account the effects of this highly oxidative atmosphere on material properties and the possible contamination of the spacecraft surroundings. Ground-based laboratory experiments at Los Alamos using a newly developed hyperthermal atomic oxygen (AO) source have shown that not only are hydrocarbon based materials effected but that inorganic materials such as MoS2 are also oxidized and that thin (750A) protective coatings such as Al2O3 can be breached, producing oxidation of the underlying substrate material. Gas-phase reaction products, such as SO2 from oxidation of MoS2 and CO and CO2 from hydrocarbon materials, have been detected and have consequences in terms of spacecraft contamination. Energy loss through gas-surface collisions causing spacecraft drag has been measured for a few select surfaces and has been found to be highly dependent on the surface reactivity. N89-28534# Army War Coll., Carlisle Barracks, PA. DOE The future battlefield has been described as non-linear, chaotic, intense and highly lethal. To fight and win in this environment, the Army has developed the AirLand Battle Doctrine, which relies heavily on the fundamental tenets of initiative, agility, depth, and synchronization as it fights the close, deep and rear battle. Our current terrestrial intelligence and communications systems alone do not provide the sufficiency of connectivity, reliability and capacity to meet the demands of this new doctrine. These systems also suffer from electronic jamming, frequency detection and coverage limitations. New battlefield surveillance and communications systems offer increased day/night, all-weather capability to see deep behind enemy lines, but will be limited because of stand-off positioning limitations and air platform flight-time restrictions. Space-based systems cannot totally replace terrestrial and airborne systems but offer enhanced capabilities that provide timely, reliable information in a ready-to-use form necessary to fight the deep-attack doctrine. This paper will review current military uses of space and suggest several roles and missions for the Army in space as it moves into the 21st century and attempts to meet the demands of the AirLand Battle 2004 Doctrine. GRA N89-28535*# National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA is entering an era of expanded space activity. Space-based transportation systems will carry cargo and humans from low earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit, to lunar bases, and to the Martian surface. Support of these future missions will require new, long lived, on-orbit systems using subcritical cryogens for propellants and life support systems. Such on-orbit systems present low gravity fluid management challenges of long term storage and efficient fluid transfer and supply techniques. Development of these cryogenic systems requires on-orbit experimentation to demonstrate the capability of performing these fluid management tasks and to obtain the engineering data base required to correlate analytical tools used for system design. Author N89-28538# Air Force Inst. of Tech., Wright-Patterson AFB, NUMERICAL DETERMINATION OF THE LOCATION OF 107 P The purpose of this study is to locate critical inclinations in long term high eccentricity orbits about Mars using numerical methods. A critical inclination is defined as the inclination at orbit insertion which produces a local maximum in the amplitude of the variation of eccentricity or inclination. The perturbation model consists of the first non-zero zonal harmonic of the Mars gravity potential and the Sun as a point mass third body. The search range consists of inclinations from 0.25 to 90.0 degrees, eccentricities from 0.40 to 0.90, periapse radii from 4000 km to 7000 km, and orbit lifetimes of 10 earth years. The numerical search comprises the following procedure: (1) A time history of eccentricity and inclination is produced for each combination of orbit insertion initial conditions by numerically propagating Lagrange's Planetary Equations. (2) Each time history is fit, in the least squares sense, to a linear function. The standard deviation of the residuals for each fit is employed as the search parameter. (3) A three-dimensional surface plot of the standard deviation in eccentricity and the standard deviation in inclination versus eccentricity and inclination is produced for each value of periapse radius considered. (4) The three-dimensional surfaces are then reduced to two dimensions by plotting inclination versus eccentricity for the local maximums in standard deviation. GRA results are curve fitted to develop a single equation which identifies the eccentricity needed to produce an arc of minimum altitude variation given the argument of periapsis, inclination, semi-major axis, ellipticity of the planet, equatorial radius, and the zonal J2. Once arcs with minimum altitude variations are identified, the properties of the arcs are considered. The mid-latitude, altitude, duration, and latitude range of the arcs are found as a function of argument of periapsis and inclination for various planet and semi-major axis combinations. The secular change in mean orbital elements will determine the most stable orbits. Secular changes in orbital elements due to the geopotential, drag, and third body effects are considered. GRA N89-28540# Air Force Inst. of Tech., Wright-Patterson AFB, ORBIT DETERMINATION OF SUNLIGHT ILLUMINATED Richard P. Osedacz Jun. 1989 79 p (AD-A209227; AFIT/GA/ENY/89J-3) Avail: NTIS HC A05/MF CSCL 22/3 A01 A technique for determining the orbital element set of a sunlight-illuminated object detected by an overhead platform (when passing through the sensor's field of view) is developed. The technique uses a Gauss orbit determination technique to find an initial target state estimate and then the estimate is refined via a batch weighted least squares estimation routine. A six element state vector consisting of three position and three velocity components describe the state at epoch. It was found that the Gaussian method produced reasonable initial orbits when the data bias was sufficiently zero. Each analyst-supplied slant range fit the data equally well, indicating that orbit determination is impossible with a single set of data. A unique series of events where the same object was tracked four consecutive days was fit using the developed algorithm, producing favorable results. The results of two single data set events and one multiple collection events are presented. 14 GROUND SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND FACILITIES (SPACE) GRA Includes launch complexes, research and production facilities; ground support equipment, e.g., mobile transporters; and simulators. For related information see also 09 Research and Support Facilities (Air). N89-28541*# Houston Univ., TX. Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center. [PRIMARY RESEARCH EFFORTS ON EXPLORING THE COMMERCIAL POSSIBILITIES OF THIN FILM GROWTH AND MATERIALS PURIFICATION IN SPACE] Annual Report, 1987-1988 1989 16 p (NASA-CR-184913; NAS 1.26:184913) Avail: NTIS HC A03/MF A01 CSCL 09B The progress made on research programs in the 1987 to 1988 year is reported. The research is aimed at producing thin film in materials space. and superconductor semiconductors Sophisticated vacuum chambers and equipment were attained for the epitaxial thin film growth of semiconductors, metals and superconductors. In order to grow the best possible epitaxial films at the lowest possible temperatures on earth, materials are being was found that isoelectronically doped during growth. It isoelectrically doped film shows the highest mobility in comparison with films grown at optimal temperatures. Success was also attained in growing epitaxial films of InSb on sapphire which show promise for infrared sensitive devices in the III-V semiconductor system. E.R. N89-28542# Los Alamos National Lab., NM. PROTOTYPE TESTING FOR A HYBRID GAS-GUN/RAILGUN Jerald V. Parker 1989 20 p Presented at the 5th International (DE89-014294; LA-UR-89-2138; CONF-890710-11) Avail: NTIS HC A03/MF A01 In 1984 Los Alamos began the design of the Lethality Test System (LTS), a facility to be used for the study of impact physics at velocities up to 15 km/s. The key component of LTS was an electromagnetic launcher capable of accelerating a 30 gram mass to 15 km/s. By the time of the preliminary design review (July 1985) it was known from laboratory experiments that a conventional railgun was incapable of reaching 15 km/s starting at low velocity (approx. 1 km/s) and a hybrid design was adopted for the LTS launcher. The hybrid launcher consisted of a two-stage hydrogen gun that preaccelerated the test mass to 6.5 km/s and an electromagnetic launcher for the final acceleration from 6.5 to 15 km/s. Design calculations predicted that injection into the railgun at 6.5 km/s would reduce ablation sufficiently to permit operation at 12 km/s with reasonable probability of achieving 15 km/s. The hybrid launcher design adopted for LTS presents some unique mechanical and electrical issues. In particular, the hybrid design requires that the plasma armature be established in a high pressure gas environment behind the projectile. To address this issue, as well as to evaluate the mechanical and electrical design, an 1.83 meter long prototype of the electromagnetic launcher barrel was built and tested. This paper describes the prototype launcher tests and the performance achieved. In addition, testing of a plasma initiator operating in a high pressure gas environment is discussed. N89-28543# DOE Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM. Plasma Theory Div. REGGIE RESULTS FOR THE NUNNALLY MASS LAUNCHER John R. Freeman Jun. 1989 13 p (Contract DE-AC04-76DP-00789) (DE89-014377; SAND-89-0927) Avail: NTIS HC A03/MF A01 Preliminary analyses are presented for the Nunnally mass launcher. The Nunnally launcher is much like ones described in U.S. Patents 1,370,200; 1,421,435; and 1,422,427 which were issued to A.L.O. Fauchon-Villeplee in the period 1917 to 1922. A discussion of why a high conductivity projectile impulsively accelerated in a uniform transverse B-field does not experience a drag force, even for very large magnetic Reynolds numbers (R DOE sub m 10(2)-10(4) is also presented. = N89-28544# Range Commanders Council, White Sands Missile Range, NM. Range Safety Group. DESIGN, PERFORMANCE AND TEST STANDARDS FOR (AD-A209644; RCC/RSG-313-89-Vol-1) Avail: NTIS HC This standard consists of three volumes: volume 1, Design and Performance Requirements, specifies the engineering design, performance and test standards: volume 2, Inspection and Test Procedures. Automatic Test Methods; and 3, volume Receiver/decoders submitted for acceptance which are intended for use in range safety applications shall, as a minimum, pass the tests and inspections specified. The receiver/decoders submitted for acceptance shall be compatible with existing range transmitting systems. Since specific missile systems and range requirements vary, this document should be used in conjunction with other related publications to develop a program test document for new systems. Any exceptions, deletions or additions to test requirements imposed by this document for new range safety receiver/decoders should be presented to the lead range for review and approval. GRA (NASA-TP-2912; E-4456; NAS 1.60:2912) Avail: NTIS HC A03/MF A01 CSCL 14B The NASA Lewis Research Center has developed a unique capability for evaluation of the microwave components of a digital communication system. This digitally modulated bit-error-rate (BER) measurement system (DMBERMS) features a continuous data digital BER test set, a data processor, a serial minimum shift keying (SMSK) modem, noise generation, and computer automation. Application of the DMBERMS has provided useful information for the evaluation of existing microwave components and of design goals for future components. The design and applications of this system for digitally modulated BER measurements are discussed. Author A low frequency torsional suspension system for testing a space structure uses a plurality of suspension stations attached to the space structure along the length thereof in order to suspend the space structure from an overhead support. Each suspension station includes a disk pivotally mounted to the overhead support, and two cables which have upper ends connected to the disk and lower ends connected to the space structure. The two cables define a parallelogram with the center of gravity of the space structure being vertically beneath the pivot axis of the disk. The vertical distance between the points of attachment of the cables to the disk and the pivot axis of the disk is adjusted to lower the frequency of the suspension system to a level which does not interfere with frequency levels of the space structure, thereby enabling accurate measurement. NASA N89-28548# Ballistic Research Labs., Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. induction field, current-density profile, and arc length. The measured results are then employed in conjunction with a one-dimensional, steady-state model to calculate properties of the arc which cannot be measured directly. Among the quantities calculated are the armature mass and the temperature and ionization state as a function of position in the arc. As a result of this analysis, it is concluded that the armature remains nearly constant and that the arc temperature is somewhat lower than had been expected previously. Both these factors lend some credence to the use of plasma armatures for a wide variety of applications. N89-28549*# GRA National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH. FURNACE FOR TENSILE/FATIGUE TESTING Patent Application 11 P Pamela K. Brindley, inventor (to NASA) 21 Jul. 1989 (NASA-Case-LEW-14848-1; NAS 1.71:LEW-14848-1; US-Patent-Appl-SN-382885) Avail: NTIS HC A03/MF A01 CSCL 14B Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. NEAR-FIELD TESTING OF THE 15-METER HOOP-COLUMN Lyle C. Schroeder, Richard R. Adams, M. C. Bailey, W. Keith CSCL 20N A 15-m-diameter antenna was tested to verify that dimensional tolerances for acceptable performance could be achieved and to verify structural, electromagnetic, and mechanical performance predictions. This antenna utilized the hoop column structure, a gold plated molybdenum mesh reflector, and 96 control cables to adjust the reflector conformance with a paraboloid. The dimensional conformance of the antenna structure and surface was measured with metric camera and theodolites. Near field pattern data were used to assess the electromagnetic performance at five frequencies from 2.225 to 11.6 GHz. The reflector surface was adjusted to greatly improve electromagnetic performance with a finite element model and the surface measurements. Measurement results show that antenna surface figure and adjustments and electromagnetic patterns agree well with predictions. Author N89-28551*# National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. Keith A. Jamison, Henry S. Burden, and John D. Powell 1989 66 p PLASMA PROPERTIES OF A LARGE-BORE, ARC-ARMATURE RAILGUN Jul. WIND MODELS FOR THE NSTS ASCENT TRAJECTORY BIASING FOR WIND LOAD ALLEVIATION O. E. Smith, S. I. Adelfang, G. W. Batts, and C. K. Hill 1989 55 p Aug. (AD-A209550; AD-E900860; BRL-TR-3014) Avail: NTIS HC A04/MF A01 CSCL 20/3 Diagnostic measurements on the plasma armature of the large-bore railgun, CHECMATE, have been made for four separate firings. These measurements include time-dependent values of the current, light output, and breech and muzzle voltages. In addition, signals obtained from B-dot data are used to infer the armature (NASA-TM-100375; NAS 1.15:100375) Avail: NTIS HC A04/MF A01 CSCL 22A New concepts are presented for aerospace vehicle ascent wind profile biasing. The purpose for wind biasing the ascent trajectory is to provide ascent wind loads relief and thus decrease the probability for launch delays due to wind loads exceeding critical limits. Wind biasing trajectories to the profile of monthly mean winds have been widely used for this purpose. The wind profile models presented give additional alternatives for wind biased trajectories. They are derived from the properties of the bivariate normal probability function using the available wind statistical parameters for the launch site. The analytical expressions are presented to permit generalizations. Specific examples are given to illustrate the procedures. The wind profile models can be used to establish the ascent trajectory steering commands to guide the vehicle through the first stage. For the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) program these steering commands are called l-loads. 16 SPACE TRANSPORTATION Author A system is presented for docking a space vehicle to a space station where a connecting tunnel for in-flight transfer of personnel is required. Cooperable coupling mechanisms include docking rings on the space vehicle and space station. The space station is provided with a tunnel structure, a retraction mechanism, and a docking ring. The vehicle coupling mechanism is designed to capture the station coupling mechanism, arrest relative spacecraft motions while limiting loads to acceptable levels, and then realign the spacecraft for final docking and tunnel interconnection. The docking ring of the space vehicle coupling mechanism is supported by linear attentuator actuator devices, each of which is controlled by a control system which receives loading information signals and attenuator stroke information signals from each device and supplies output signals for controlling its linear actuation to attenuate impact loading or to realign the spacecraft for final docking and tunnel interconnection. The retraction mechanism is used to draw the spacecraft together after initial contact and coupling. Tunnel trunnions, cooperative with the latches on the space vehicle constitute the primary structural tie between the NASA spacecraft in final docked configuration. N89-28553* National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Willie D. Whitaker, inventor (to NASA) (McDonnell-Douglas Corp., A berthing mechanism especially for use in berthing and compliant air-tight securing between manned space vehicle and modules is disclosed. The interface is provided by a pair of annular rings, one of which is typically, mechanically attached to the vehicle and the other to the module to which it is to be docked and secured. One of the two rings is attached to a base by resilient bellows. The facing surface of one annular ring is joined to a base by a cable laced through alternating pulleys attached circumferentially so that the interface surface of that ring may be tilted to accommodate angular misalignment as the annular rings are brought into docking (berthing) contact. Interleaving guide flanges with chambered sides provide at least some rotational mialignmnet correction. A plurality of electromechanical actuator/attenuator units provide means for extending one annular ring toward the other in the final stages of docking, for absorbing the initial docking shock and for drawing the annular rings into tight interface contact. Locking hooks provide for securing the interfaces. Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office |