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Draper Laboratory has developed a framework that describes engineering problem solving for conceptual design. The framework serves as a guide for conducting the difficult and important early stages of design, and does so regardless of concept domain. Further, it provides the organizational structure for a catalog of methods that can be collaboratively used to find solutions to complex problems. This...
The Juno spacecraft is planned to launch in August of 2011 and would arrive at Jupiter five years later. The spacecraft would spend more than one year orbiting the planet and investigating the internal structure; determining the amount of global water and ammonia present in the atmosphere, studying convection and deep-wind profiles in the atmosphere; investigating the origin of the Jovian magnetic...
This paper discusses the modern approach of the implementation of Software as a Service (SaaS) for NASA as a way to reduce cost and increase efficiency. The grid XML datastore framework is an extension of SaaS framework based on eXtensible Database technology (XDB). This is implemented to support the Innovative Partnership Program (IPP) for its Technology Transfer System (NTTS) project.
The requirement for small satellites has been on a rise ever since 1957. The clients are spread far and wide on the globe. They have diversified requirements for payloads and are also limited by budgets for these satellites. These aspects tremendously increase pressure on design and development teams from translating abstract specifications to detailed designs to meet customer requirements. Ongoing...
The capacity to master engines behavior is fundamental for a manufacturer to prove its efficiency in conception and maintenance capability. This understanding goes through the capacity to acquire and treat data flows produced by sensors for monitoring purposes. One of many issues encountered by engine experts when reading measurements is that a given engine never works under exactly the same conditions...
Effective uncertainty management processes are essential elements in the design of prognostic modules if they to be viable for Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) systems. Modeling uncertainty, measurement and estimation uncertainties, future load uncertainty, among other factors, all potentially contribute to prognostic uncertainty. This paper analyzes the source of uncertainties in typical...
Prognostics has taken center stage in condition based maintenance (CBM) where it is desired to estimate remaining useful life (RUL) of a system so that remedial measures may be taken in advance to avoid catastrophic events or unwanted downtimes. Validation of such predictions is an important but difficult proposition and a lack of appropriate evaluation methods renders prognostics meaningless. Evaluation...
In this paper we present a new efficient algorithmic method for generating the analytical redundancy relations (ARRs). ARRs are one of the crucial tools for model-based diagnosis as well as for optimizing, analyzing, and validating the system of sensors. However, despite the importance of the ARRs for both system diagnosis and sensor optimization, it seems that less attention has been paid to the...
A decade ago, (1998, 1999), Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) F-100 engine seeded fault testing was conducted at Pratt & Whitney, Florida, in support of Diagnostics, Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) system design. Multiple sensor approaches were invited to monitor the seeded fault testing, including an Independent Research and Development (IR&D) system termed the robust laser interferometer...
In this paper, a model-based Fault Detection, Identification and Estimation (FDIE) scheme has been developed for the condition monitoring of the electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA) system. The scheme combines the use of a model of the EHA system with the multiple-model (MM) estimation algorithm to evaluate if fault is present, its cause and its severity. Using a multivariate nonlinear stochastic model,...
This paper has three contributions. First, we develop a low-cost test-bed for simulating bearing faults in a motor. In Aerospace applications, it is important that motor fault signatures are identified before a failure occurs. It is known that 40% of mechanical failures occur due to bearing faults. Bearing faults can be identified from the motor vibration signatures. Second, we develop a wireless...
Demonstrations have been favored by the Army as a complement to more traditional training materials because they accelerate learning, stimulate interest, and communicate better than text. Unfortunately, demonstrations have received little attention in the research literature and there is little consensus on what constitutes a good demonstration. We describe two parallel avenues of research towards...
A system to monitor the concentrations of trace chemicals in cabin atmosphere is one of the most critical components in long-duration human flight missions. The vehicle cabin atmosphere monitor (VCAM) is a miniature gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system to be used to detect and quantify trace chemicals in the International space station. We developed an autonomous computational process to quantify...
Mounting accuracy of satellite payload and ADCS (attitude determination and control subsystem) seats is one of the requirements to achieve the satellite mission with satisfactory performance. Deviation of the position of the mounting seat for multi-band-earth-imager (MBEI) is caused by cracks in the plate of the basis unit and bracket for attachment of MBEI. These cracks were detected during inspection...
High precision targeting of localized sources of atmospheric species outgassed from planetary surfaces remains an important goal in planetary science, but one that largely remains beyond present-day observational capabilities. For disequilibrium trace species, the detectable signature of a gas in the atmosphere often is confined to a small region (order 10-100's km) around its surface source. Identifying...
The rich variety of unmanned robotics at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sets the bar for innovations in activity planning. The Operations Planning Team at JPL, co-winner of the NASA Software of the Year award in 2004, is continuously working to enhance the capabilities and user experience for long term and real-time planning operations. Spatial Querying improves the efficiency of planetary surface...
This paper presents human-computer interaction (HCI) lessons learned over the course of design, development, and operation of activity planning tools on the Mars exploration rovers, the Phoenix Mars Lander, and looking ahead to the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory. These lessons and associated improvements to software tools range from challenging technical problems which require significant new software...
The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) Project, funded by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), is continuing to invest in propulsion technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. This overview provides development status, near-term mission benefits, applicability, and availability of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of aerocapture, electric propulsion,...
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company is involved in the design and manufacture of the aeroshell for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, an upcoming NASA-JPL mission to Mars. During entry into the Martian atmosphere, the aeroshell primarily protects the rover, as the spacecraft passes through extreme heating and dynamic pressure environments. After entering the atmosphere, and decelerating, the...
Mars Science Laboratory is a scientific mission with exploration rover. In order to accomplish this mission, the rover must be transported from Earth to the Martian surface, including cruise, entry, descent, and landing phases (CEDL). The key challenges for testing CEDL mechanical system lie in the physical size of the spacecraft and major subassemblies, complex configuration, multiple load cases,...
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