09-11 September 2011

Technology Focus

Electronics/Computers

Software

Materials

Mechanics/Machinery

Manufacturing

Bio-Medical

Physical Sciences

Information Sciences

Books and Reports

INTRODUCTION Tech Briefs are short announcements of innovations originating from research and development activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. They emphasize information con- sidered likely to be transferable across industrial, regional, or disciplinary lines and are issued to encourage commercial application.

Additional Information on NASA Tech Briefs and TSPs Additional information announced herein may be obtained from the NASA Technical Reports Server: http://ntrs.nasa.gov.

Please reference the control numbers appearing at the end of each Tech Brief. Information on NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP), its documents, and services is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ipp.nasa.gov.

Innovative Partnerships Offices are located at NASA field centers to provide technology-transfer access to industrial users. Inquiries can be made by contacting NASA field centers listed below.

NASA Field Centers and Program Offices

Ames Research Center Johnson Space Center NASA Headquarters Mary Walsh John E. James (650) 604-1405 (281) 483-3809 Innovative Partnerships Office [email protected] [email protected] Doug Comstock, Director (202) 358-2221 Dryden Flight Research Center Kennedy Space Center [email protected] Ron Young David R. Makufka (661) 276-3741 (321) 867-6227 Daniel Lockney, [email protected] [email protected] Technology Transfer Lead (202) 358-2037 Glenn Research Center Langley Research Center [email protected] Joe Shaw Michelle Ferebee (216) 977-7135 (757) 864-5617 Small Business Innovation Research [email protected] [email protected] (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Goddard Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center Carl Ray, Program Executive Nona Cheeks Jim Dowdy (202) 358-4652 (301) 286-5810 (256) 544-7604 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Stennis Space Center Indrani Graczyk Ramona Travis (818) 354-2241 (228) 688-3832 [email protected] [email protected]

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 1 09-11 September 2011

5 Technology Focus: 19 Green Design Test & Measurement 19 Data Service Provider Cost Estimation Tool 5 Fused Reality for Enhanced Flight Test Capabilities 19 Hybrid Power Management-Based 5 Thermography to Inspect Insulation of Large Vehicle Architecture Cryogenic Tanks 6 Crush Test Abuse Stand 21 Mechanics/Machinery 6 Test Generator for MATLAB Simulations 21 Force Limit System 6 Dynamic Monitoring of Cleanroom Fallout Using 21 Levitated Duct Fan (LDF) Aircraft an Air Particle Counter Auxiliary Generator 7 Enhancement to Non-Contacting Stress 22 Compact, Two-Sided Structural Cold Measurement of Blade Vibration Frequency Plate Configuration 22 AN Fitting Reconditioning Tool 9 Electronics/Computers 23 Active Response Gravity Offload System 9 Positively Verifying Mating of Previously Unverifiable Flight Connectors 25 Bio-Medical 9 Radiation-Tolerant Intelligent Memory 25 Method and Apparatus for Forming Nanodroplets Stack — RTIMS 25 Rapid Detection of the Varicella Zoster Virus 10 Ultra-Low-Dropout Linear Regulator in Saliva 10 Excitation of a Parallel Plate Waveguide by an 26 Improved Devices for Collecting Sweat for Array of Rectangular Waveguides Chemical Analysis 11 FPGA for Power Control of MSL Avionics 11 UAVSAR Active Electronically Scanned Array 27 Physical Sciences 11 Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Simulator 27 Phase-Controlled Magnetic Mirror for Wavefront Correction 13 Manufacturing & Prototyping 27 Frame-Transfer Gating Raman Spectroscopy for 13 Silicon Carbide Mounts for Fabry-Perot Time-Resolved Multiscalar Combustion Diagnostics Interferometers 28 Thermal Properties of Microstrain Gauges 13 Measuring the In-Process Figure, Final Used for Protection of Lithium-Ion Cells of Prescription, and System Alignment of Large Different Designs Optics and Segmented Mirrors Using 29 In-Service Monitoring of Steam Pipe Systems at Lidar Metrology High Temperatures 30 Control Program and Optical Improvements of 15 Materials & Coatings Fresnel Microspectrometer 15 Fiber-Reinforced Reactive 30 Miniature Laser Magnetometer Nano-Epoxy Composites 15 Polymerization Initiated at the Sidewalls of 33 Information Sciences Carbon Nanotubes 33 Finding Every Root of a Broad Class of Real, 15 Metal-Matrix/Hollow-Ceramic-Sphere Composites Continuous Functions in a Given Interval 16 Piezoelectrically Enhanced Photocathodes 33 Kalman Orbit Optimized Loop Tracking 16 Iridium-Doped Ruthenium Oxide Catalyst for 34 Development of Jet Noise Power Spectral Laws Oxygen Evolution 17 Improved Mo-Re VPS Alloys for High-Temperature Uses

This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States Govern- ment nor any person acting on behalf of the United States Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the information contained in this document, or warrants that such use will be free from privately owned rights.

2 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 35 Software 44 Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer 35 GLobal Integrated Design Environment 44 Multidisciplinary Tool for Systems Analysis of Planetary Entry, Descent, and Landing 35 SSC Engineering Analysis 44 Bundle Security Protocol for ION 35 Automated Cryocooler Monitor and Control System Software 45 Visual PEF Reader — VIPER 36 Common Bolted Joint Analysis Tool 46 Link Analysis in the Mission Planning Lab 36 Draper Station Analysis Tool 46 MatchGUI: A Graphical MATLAB-Based Tool for Automatic Image Co-Registration 36 Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k 47 Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control Visualization Tool 37 The Planning Execution Monitoring Architecture 47 Mission Operations Planning and Scheduling 37 Jitter Controller Software System (MOPSS) 38 µShell Minimalist Shell for Xilinx Microprocessors 48 Global Precipitation Mission Visualization Tool 38 Software Displays Data on Active Regions 48 Thermal Protection System Imagery Inspection of the Sun Management System —TIIMS 39 InSAR Scientific Computing Environment 49 Computer-Aided Parallelizer and Optimizer 40 Software Architecture to Support the Evolution 49 CCSDS Advanced Orbiting Systems Virtual of the ISRU RESOLVE Engineering Breadboard Channel Access Service for QoS MACHETE Model Unit 2 (EBU2) 50 Conceptual Model of Quantities, Units, 40 Coastal On-line Assessment and Synthesis Dimensions, and Values Tool 2.0 51 Sptrace 41 Generalized Software Architecture Applied to the Continuous Lunar Water Separation Process and 51 S-Band POSIX Device Drivers for RTEMS the Lunar Greenhouse Amplifier 51 MaROS: Information Management Service 42 Graphical Language for Data Processing 52 Interplanetary Overlay Network Bundle Protocol 42 Monitoring Areal Snow Cover Using NASA Implementation Satellite Imagery 52 STRS SpaceWire FPGA Module 43 Adaptation of G-TAG Software for Validating 53 Geodetic Strain Analysis Tool Touch-and-Go Comet Surface Sampling Design Methodology

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 3

Technology Focus: Test & Measurement

Fused Reality for Enhanced Flight Test Capabilities Complex maneuvers can be accomplished without additional aircraft resources or risk. Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California

The feasibility of using Fused Reality- can be directly correlated with the re- of the cockpit are bordered with colored based simulation technology to enhance sponses of the test aircraft. The FR Flight tape, and when these color-coded bor- flight test capabilities has been investi- system will allow real-time observation of, ders are sensed, the computer keys out gated. In terms of relevancy to piloted and manual interaction with, the cockpit pixels lying within each window so that evaluation, there remains no substitute environment that serves as a frame for the an underlying virtual scene is seen in for actual flight tests, even when consid- virtual out-the-window scene. place of the window pixels. The virtual ering the fidelity and effectiveness of FR is a mixed-reality approach that em- simulation reacts to the user’s head mo- modern ground-based simulators. In ad- ploys four technologies: live video cap- tion and control inputs, and the two lay- dition to real-world cueing (vestibular, ture, real-time video editing, machine vi- ers — processed video and virtual scene visual, aural, environmental, etc.), flight sion, and virtual environment simulation. — are combined and viewed by the user tests provide subtle but key intangibles Video from the trainee’s perspective is through a head-mounted display. that cannot be duplicated in a ground- sent to a processor that preserves pixels Critical hardware challenges included based simulator. There is, however, a in the near-space environment (i.e., cock- selection of color and material of the cost to be paid for the benefits of flight pit), and makes transparent the far-space window bordering material, and identi- in terms of budget, mission complexity, environment (outside the cockpit win- fying a lens filter to allow machine color and safety, including the need for dows) pixels using blue-screen imaging recognition in the presence of bright ground and control-room personnel, ad- techniques. This bitmap is overlaid on a sunlight. Software challenges included ditional aircraft, etc. virtual environment and sent to the accommodating for every possible view A Fused Reality™ (FR) Flight system trainee’s helmet-mounted display (of one or more window borders), bal- was developed that allows a virtual envi- (HMD). The user can directly view and ancing sensor noise-smoothing against ronment to be integrated with the test air- interact with the physical environment, precision loss, and creating a means for craft so that tasks such as aerial refueling, while the simulated outside world serves rapidly calibrating color sensing thresh- formation flying, or approach and land- as an interactive backdrop. olds for a given lighting environment. ing can be accomplished without addi- The system employs a head-mounted This work was done by Ed Bachelder and tional aircraft resources or the risk of op- camera and display assembly, where the David Klyde of Systems Technology, Inc. for erating in close proximity to the ground camera captures live video from the Dryden Flight Research Center. Further infor- or other aircraft. Furthermore, the dy- user’s perspective and sends it to a com- mation is contained in a TSP (see page 1). namic motions of the simulated objects puter for processing. The window frames DRC-010-033

Thermography to Inspect Insulation of Large Cryogenic Tanks Significant cost and schedule savings may be realized. John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida Thermography has been used in the Pad A tank, which has resulted in a sig- fer between surfaces to equalize temper- past to monitor active, large, cryogenic nificant cumulative loss of hydrogen atures can be relatively slow, even when storage tanks. This approach proposes over more than 40 years of service. It the temperature differences between to use thermography to monitor new or has been theorized for years that the the spheres themselves is small. There- refurbished tanks, prior to filling with performance degradation was due to fore, thermography has been suggested cryogenic liquid, to look for insulation an insulation void; however, because of as an aid in acceptance testing of the voids. Thermography may provide sig- the cost and schedule disruption that tanks before cryogen is introduced to nificant cost and schedule savings if would be required to fix the problem, it any tank, new or refurbished. voids can be detected early before a tank remained in service until Pad B was Models suggest that areas without in- is returned to service. turned over after its support for the sulation will heat less rapidly under The Launch Complex 39 Pad B liq- Shuttle program was finished. With the solar illumination than areas with insu- uid hydrogen storage tank at Kennedy tank taken out of active service, it was lation, due to better thermal contact Space Center has had performance is- confirmed that a major insulation void with the inner storage sphere. The re- sues since it was put into service in was present. sulting temperature difference across 1965. The loss rate from the Pad B tank Because of the large thermal mass of the outer shell of the tank should be a was two to three times more than the the inner and outer spheres, heat trans- few degrees Celsius, which can be easily

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 5 visualized by off-the-shelf long-wave and The ability to detect insulation voids into the system. Potential savings could mid-wave cameras. prior to filling with cryogen will save be in the millions if large voids are de- The opportunity to test this theory money and time, eliminating the ex- tected early. presented itself over the last year as the pense of losing cryogen and the This work was done by Ellen Arens and Launch Complex 39 hydrogen tank was months required for chilling down and Robert Youngquist of Kennedy Space Center. taken out of service in order to complete warming up the tank if a void is discov- Further information is contained in a TSP (see weld repairs. ered after the cryogen is introduced page 1). KSC-13575

Crush Test Abuse Stand This technology can be used in most applications for the performance of battery testing. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas The purpose of this system is to simu- Fully charged cells are to have an inter- The rate of crushing force can be in- late an internal short on battery cells by nal short simulated at the center of the creased or decreased based on how fast causing deformation (a crushing force) length of the cell (away from terminals). the operator pumps the hydraulic in a cell without penetration. This is per- The crush can be performed with a ¼- to pump. The size of cylinder used to com- formed by activating a hydraulic cylinder 1-in. (≈0.6- to 2.5-cm) rod placed cross- press the battery cell can be easily on one side of a blast wall with a hy- ways to the cell axis, causing deformation changed by adding larger or smaller fit- draulic pump located on the other. The of the cell without penetration. The OCV tings onto the end of the hydraulic cylin- operator can control the rate of the (open-circuit voltage) and temperature der based on the battery/cell size being crush by monitoring a local pressure of the cells, as well as the pressure and tested. The cell is crushed remotely and gauge connected to the hydraulic cylin- crushing force, are recorded during the videotaped, allowing the operator to der or a load cell digital display located operation. Occurrence of an internal closely monitor the situation from a safe at the hydraulic pump control area. The short accompanied by any visible physi- distance. internal short simulated would be con- cal changes such as venting, fires, or ex- This work was done by Jacob Collins, Judith sidered a worst-case scenario of a manu- plosions is reported. Typical analytical Jeevarajan, and Mike Salinas of Johnson facturer’s defect. This is a catastrophic data examined after the test would be Space Center. For further information, contact failure of a cell and could be a very de- plots of voltage, temperature, and pres- the JSC Innovation Partnerships Office at structive event. sure or force versus time. (281) 483-3809. MSC-23700-1

Test Generator for MATLAB Simulations Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland MATLAB Automated Test Tool, ver- MATLAB engine application-program source code for the same input data. sion 3.0 (MATT 3.0) is a software pack- interface to communicate with the Context-sensitive and fully searchable age that provides automated tools that Simulink engine. MATT 3.0 automati- help is provided in HyperText Markup reduce the time needed for extensive cally generates source code from the Language (HTML) format. testing of simulation models that have models, generates custom input data for This program was written by Joel Henry been constructed in the MATLAB pro- testing both the models and the source of the University of Montana for Goddard gramming language by use of the code, and generates graphs and other Space Flight Center. Further information is Simulink and Real-Time Workshop pro- presentations that facilitate comparison contained in a TSP (see page 1). GSC- grams. MATT 3.0 runs on top of the of the outputs of the models and the 14861-1

Dynamic Monitoring of Cleanroom Fallout Using an Air Particle Counter Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland The particle fallout limitations and ing methods that are insufficiently re- This method provides a simple linear periodic allocations for the James Webb sponsive. A method for dynamically pre- correlation to both time and air quality, Space Telescope are very stringent. dicting the particle fallout in a clean- which can be monitored in real time. Standard prediction methods are com- room using air particle counter data was The summation of effects provides the plicated by non-linearity and monitor- determined by numerical correlation. program better understanding of the

6 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 cleanliness and assists in the planning of air quality based on the rated class of a mine the “class” of the cleanroom (per future activities. cleanroom, with adjustments for pro- FED-STD-209 or ISO-14644). The corre- Definition of fallout rates within a jected work or exposure times. Actual lation function provides an area cover- cleanroom during assembly and integra- cleanroom class can also depend on the age coefficient per class-hour of expo- tion of contamination-sensitive hard- number of personnel present and the sure. The prediction of particle ware, such as the James Webb Space Tel- type of activities. accumulations provides scheduling in- escope, is essential for budgeting A linear correlation of air quality and puts for activity levels and cleanroom purposes. Balancing the activity levels normalized particle fallout was deter- class requirements. for assembly and test with the particle ac- mined numerically. An air particle This work was done by Radford Perry of cumulation rate is paramount. The cur- counter (standard cleanroom equip- Goddard Space Flight Center. Further infor- rent approach to predicting particle fall- ment) can be used to monitor the air mation is contained in a TSP (see page 1). out in a cleanroom assumes a constant quality on a real-time basis and deter- GSC-16108-1

Enhancement to Non-Contacting Stress Measurement of Blade Vibration Frequency John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio A system for turbo machinery blade data reduction algorithms to directly This work was done by Michael Platt and vibration has been developed that com- calculate the blade vibration frequency John Jagodnik of Mechanical Solutions for bines time-of-arrival sensors for blade and to correctly identify the active Glenn Research Center. Further information vibration amplitude measurement and modes of vibration. is contained in a TSP (see page 1). radar sensors for vibration frequency The work in this project represents a Inquiries concerning rights for the com- and mode identification. The enabling significant enhancement in the mode mercial use of this invention should be ad- technology for this continuous blade identification and stress calculation ac- dressed to NASA Glenn Research Center, In- monitoring system is the radar sensor, curacy in non-contacting stress measure- novative Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven which provides a continuous time se- ment system (NSMS) technology when Fedor, Mail Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark ries of blade displacement over a por- compared to time-of-arrival measure- Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Refer to tion of a revolution. This allows the ments alone. LEW- 18602-1.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 7

Electronics/Computers

Positively Verifying Mating of Previously Unverifiable Flight Connectors New approach ensures secure connections. Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Current practice is to uniquely key the connectors, which, when mated, could not be verified by ground tests such as F M those used in explosive or non-explosive initiators and pyro valves. However, this practice does not assure 100-percent correct mating. This problem could be overcome by the following approach. Errors in mating of interchangeable connectors can result in degraded or failed space mission. Mating of all flight R connectors considered not verifiable via 2 ground tests can be verified electrically +V by the following approach. It requires R two additional wires going through the Vtp 1 connector of interest, a few resistors, and a voltage source (see figure). The test- point voltage Vtp when the connector is not mated will be the same as the input voltage, which gets attenuated by the re- sistor Rl when the female (F) and male (M) connectors are mated correctly and The basic Circuit Diagram for verifying secure connection. properly. The voltage at the test point will be a function of Rl and R2. Monitor- that would result in a unique test point the connector pairs. This design ap- ing of the test point could be done on voltage for each connector pair. Each test proach can be applied to any number of ground support equipment (GSE) only, point voltage is unique, and correct test connectors on the flight vehicle. or it can be a telemetry point. For imple- point voltage is read only when the cor- This work was done by R.K. Chetty Pandi- mentation on multiple connector pairs, rect pair is mated correctly together. pati and Marlon Enciso of Goddard Space a different value for Rl or R2 or both can Thus, this design approach can be used Flight Center. Further information is con- be selected for each pair of connectors to verify positively the correct mating of tained in a TSP (see page 1). GSC-15896-1

Radiation-Tolerant Intelligent Memory Stack — RTIMS RTIMS can be used in real-time data processing, reconfigurable computing, and memory- intensive applications. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

This innovation provides reconfig- into a module of 42.7×42.7×13 mm. RTIMS enables significant reductions urable circuitry and 2-Gb of error-cor- Triple module redundancy, current lim- in the size and mass of mission memory rected or 1-Gb of triple-redundant digi- iting, configuration scrubbing, and sin- arrays, and is a radiation-tolerant mem- tal memory in a small package. RTIMS gle-event function interrupt detection ory suitable for both GEO and LEO uses circuit stacking of heterogeneous are employed to mitigate radiation ef- space missions through the use of new components and radiation shielding fects. The novel self-scrubbing and sin- package-level radiation shielding tech- technologies. A reprogrammable field- gle event functional interrupt (SEFI) nology and triple modular redundancy programmable gate array (FPGA), six detection allows a relatively “soft” FPGA (TMR) FPGA techniques. RTIMS also synchronous dynamic random access to become radiation tolerant without provides a simplified interface to a memories, linear regulator, and the ra- external scrubbing and monitoring large SDRAM (synchronous dynamic diation mitigation circuits are stacked hardware. random access memory) array with

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 9 built-in logic for timing reads, writes, RTIMS enables in-flight reconfigurability tion structure to each component in- and refresh cycles. by using SRAM (static random access stead of to a singlepoint failure at the Mission flexibility is added by operating memory)-based FPGA technology. system level. The mitigation techniques the memory array in the TMR architec- The design overcomes both hardware significantly simplify system design. ture with 1 Gb of storage or in an EDAC and software errors that may be detected RTIMS is well suited for deployment in (Error Detection And Correction) mode after launch during mission operations. real-time data processing, reconfig- where part of the memory is used to de- This reduces overall mission risk, which urable computing, and memory-inten- tect and correct errors with 2 Gb of stor- is increasingly important as flight system sive applications. age (corrects single bit errors and detects development times and budgets de- This work was done by Tak-kwong Ng and double bit errors). This allows RTIMS to crease. It also allows RTIMS to adapt to Jeffrey A. Herath for Langley Research Center. be used effectively on many types of mis- changing mission conditions. Further information is contained in a TSP sions, because it can be configured for the The design increases system reliabil- (see page 1). LAR-17257-1 “harshness” of the expected environment. ity by distributing the radiation mitiga-

Ultra-Low-Dropout Linear Regulator Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland A radiation-tolerant, ultra-low-dropout from the regulator. To maximize the ulator operation in extreme environ- linear regulator can operate between efficiency of the regulator, the dropout ments. This innovation allows an n- –150 and 150 ºC. Prototype components voltage (a measure of the voltage the channel transistor to perform the reg- were demonstrated to be performing regulator itself needs to operate) ulation without the need for an well after a total ionizing dose of 1 Mrad needs to be as small as possible. Exist- external capacitor. (Si). Unlike existing components, the ing regulators use p-channel transis- The n-channel pass transistor of the linear regulator developed during this tors to minimize the dropout voltage, linear regulator operates in depletion activity is unconditionally stable over all but p-channel regulators are intrinsi- mode thereby allowing ultralow dropout operating regimes without the need for cally unstable and require an external voltages of less than 100 mV. an external compensation capacitor. The compensation capacitor to stabilize This work was done by Trevor Thornton of absence of an external capacitor reduces their operation. The electrical proper- Arizona State University and William Lep- overall system mass/volume, increases ties of the compensation capacitor (in kowski and Seth Wilk of SJT Micropower for reliability, and lowers cost. particular, its equivalent series resist- Goddard Space Flight Center. For further in- Linear regulators generate a pre- ance, ESR) must be well controlled to formation, contact the Goddard Innovative cisely controlled voltage for electronic ensure stability. Changes in the ESR Partnerships Office at (301) 286-5810. GSC- circuits regardless of fluctuations in with temperature and/or radiation 16097-1 the load current that the circuit draws doses present challenges to stable reg-

Excitation of a Parallel Plate Waveguide by an Array of Rectangular Waveguides NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California This work addresses the problem of guides is analyzed by formulating cou- determined by MoM, the input reflec- excitation of a parallel plate waveguide pled integral equations for the aperture tion coefficients at each waveguide port, by an array of rectangular waveguides electric field at the junction. The inte- and coupling for each polarization over that arises in applications such as the gral equations are solved by the method the range of useful scan angles, are eas- continuous transverse stub (CTS) an- of moments. In order to make the com- ily obtained. tenna and dual-polarized parabolic putational process efficient and accu- Results for the input impedance and cylindrical reflector antennas excited rate, the method of weighted averaging coupling characteristics for both the ver- by a scanning line source. In order to was used to evaluate rapidly oscillating tical and horizontal polarizations are design the junction region between integrals encountered in the moment presented over a range of scan angles. It the parallel plate waveguide and the matrix. In addition, the real axis spec- is shown that the scan range is limited to linear array of rectangular waveguides, tral integral is evaluated in a deformed about 35° for both polarizations and waveguide sizes have to be chosen so contour for speed and accuracy. The therefore the optimum waveguide is a that the input match is adequate for MoM results for a large finite array have square of size equal to about 0.62 free the range of scan angles for both po- been validated by comparing its reflec- space wavelength. larizations. tion coefficients with corresponding re- This work was done by Sembiam Rengara- Electromagnetic wave scattered by sults for an infinite array generated by jan of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion the junction of a parallel plate wave- the commercial finite element code, Laboratory. For more information, contact guide by an array of rectangular wave- HFSS. Once the aperture electric field is [email protected]. NPO-47943

10 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 FPGA for Power Control of MSL Avionics NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California A PLGT FPGA (Field Programmable drives pyros, and the TMC receives digi- over a 1553 bus to the MREU (Multi-Mis- Gate Array) is included in the LCC tal and analog telemetry. The FPGA is sion System Architecture Platform Re- (Load Control Card), GID (Guidance implemented both in Xilinx (Spartan 3- mote Engineering Unit). The MREU re- Interface & Drivers), TMC (Telemetry 400) and in Actel (RTSX72SU, sends over a ‘remote serial command Multiplexer Card), and PFC (Pyro Fir- ASX72S). The Xilinx Spartan 3 part is bus’ c-bus to the LCC, GID TMC, and ing Card) boards of the Mars Science used for the breadboard, the Actel ASX PFC. The MREU also sends out telemetry Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft. (PLGT part is used for the EM (Engineer Mod- addresses via a ‘remote serial telemetry stands for PFC, LCC, GID, and TMC.) It ule), and the pin-compatible, radiation- address bus’ to the LCC, GID, TMC, and provides the interface between the back- hardened RTSX part is used for final EM PFC, and the status is returned over the side bus and the power drivers on these and flight. remote serial telemetry data bus. boards. The LCC drives power switches The MSL spacecraft uses a FC (Flight This work was done by Duo Wang and to switch power loads, and also relays. Computer) to control power loads, re- Gary R. Burke of Caltech for NASA’s Jet The GID drives the thrusters and latch lays, thrusters, latch valves, Sun-sensor, Propulsion Laboratory. For more informa- valves, as well as having the star-tracker and star-tracker, and to read telemetry tion, contact [email protected]. NPO- and Sun-sensor interface. The PFC such as temperature. Commands are sent 47022

UAVSAR Active Electronically Scanned Array NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

The Uninhabited Airborne Vehicle In order to be able to collect repeat- This work was done by Gregory A. Sad- Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) is a pass InSAR data over a wide range of owy, Neil F. Chamberlain, Mark S. Za- pod-based, L-band (1.26 GHz), repeat- wind conditions, UAVSAR employs an ac- wadzki, Kyle M. Brown, Charles D. Fisher, pass, interferometric, synthetic aperture tive electronically scanned array (AESA). Harry S. Figueroa, Gary A. Hamilton, radar (InSAR) used for Earth science ap- During data collection, the UAVSAR Cathleen E. Jones, Vatche Vorperian, and plications. Repeat-pass interferometric flight software continuously reads the air- Maurio B. Grando of Caltech for NASA’s radar measurements from an airborne craft attitude state measured by the Em- Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For more infor- platform require an antenna that can be bedded GPS/INS system (EGI) and elec- mation, contact [email protected]. steered to maintain the same angle with tronically steers the beam so that it NPO-47503 respect to the flight track over a wide remains perpendicular to the flight track range of aircraft yaw angles. throughout the data collection.

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Simulator This tool can be used to train hands-on workers, safety personnel, and engineers writing LOTO procedures. John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida

The Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Simu- electrical control cabinet. The light bulb the plastic shield to allow a voltmeter lator is a portable training aid, or is wired so that either of two breakers to be connected safely when opening demonstration tool, designed to physi- can provide power to it. When power is the cabinet and taking a meter reading cally illustrate real-time critical-safety sent to the electrical control cabinet, a to verify de-energization as part of a concepts of electrical lockout/tagout. red indicator light illuminates. simulation exercise. The objective is to prevent misinterpre- Inside the cabinet is the power sup- This LOTO simulator prototype is de- tations of what is off and what is on dur- ply from a personal computer. The signed and fabricated as an all-in-one ing maintenance and repair of complex power supply produces a 12-V dc out- unit. All accessories can be stored inside electrical systems. The simulator is de- put that is sent over to a small fan next the hinged case, and there is a handle signed in the form of a hinged box that to it, also from a computer, and an on top for ease of transport. opens up and stands on its own as an amber light on the front of the cabinet The circuit breaker labels attach with easel for demonstrations. illuminates. A separate switch powers hook and loop fasteners so that they On the outer face of the unit is a sim- the fan on and off. The power supply may be moved and changed to fit the ulated circuit breaker box housing the is behind a plastic shield to protect training or demonstration scenario. switches. The breakers control the main against exposure to live conductors. The warning signs and labels on the power to the unit, a light bulb, and an Electrical banana jacks are mounted in electrical control box are magnetic, al-

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 11 lowing for easy reconfiguration to emu- rely on indicator lights, but that they off, provided that all of the breakers and late different equipment setups. A spe- should always take a meter reading at switches leading to it are configured on cially designed magnetic cover was the exposed conductors to absolutely as well. The remote feature was added in made to disguise the indicator lights for verify de-energization before exposure. order to demonstrate the importance of demonstrations when these indicators A clear plastic barrier and banana jacks starting the lockout/tagout task with en- are not used. The cover is disguised as inside the cabinet provide a safe way to ergized equipment, then powering it an arc flash safety label that would typi- plug in a voltmeter for demonstrations down, isolating it, and locking it out to cally be found on such a cabinet. without exposure to the hazards of ener- ensure that the correct breakers have One indicator light has a separate gized equipment. been locked out. switch that can take it offline. This is to A small remote control unit is wired This work was done by Jennifer Scheer of allow for demonstration to trainees on into the fan circuit. The remote allows Kennedy Space Center. Further information is why it is important not to completely the demonstrator to turn the fan on and contained in a TSP (see page 1). KSC-13389

12 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Manufacturing & Prototyping

Silicon Carbide Mounts for Fabry-Perot Interferometers Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Etalon mounts for tunable Fabry- be modified for use as general light- Fabry-Perot interferometer of a prior Perot interferometers can now be fabri- weight optical mounts. design that originally called for Invar cated from reaction-bonded silicon car- Heretofore, tunable Fabry-Perot inter- structural components. The strength, bide structural components. These ferometer structures, including mount- thermal stability, and survivability of mounts are rigid, lightweight, and ther- ing hardware, have been made from the the interferometer as thus modified mally stable. The fabrication of these low-thermal-expansion material Invar (a are similar to those of the interferome- mounts involves the exploitation of nickel/iron alloy) in order to obtain the ter as originally designed, but the mass post-casting capabilities that (1) enable thermal stability required for spectro- of the modified interferometer is sig- creation of monolithic structures hav- scopic applications for which such inter- nificantly less than the mass of the orig- ing reduced (in comparison with prior ferometers are typically designed. How- inal version. such structures) degrees of material in- ever, the high mass density of Invar This work was done by Scott Lindemann homogeneity and (2) reduce the need structures is disadvantageous in applica- of Michigan Aerospace Corp. for Goddard for fastening hardware and accommo- tions in which there are requirements to Space Flight Center. For further information, dations. Such silicon carbide mounts minimize mass. contact the Goddard Innovative Partner- could be used to make lightweight Silicon carbide etalon mounts have ships Office at (301) 286-5810. GSC- Fabry-Perot interferometers or could been incorporated into a tunable 14957-1

Measuring the In-Process Figure, Final Prescription, and System Alignment of Large Optics and Segmented Mirrors Using Lidar Metrology This technique has application in commercial optics and lithography. Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

The fabrication of large optics is tra- The commercial lidar system illumi- that could be arbitrary or have a rela- ditionally a slow process, and fabrica- nates a target surface with a focused, tionship to the mirror edges. As the mir- tion capability is often limited by meas- near-IR beam. The instrument collects ror progresses through grinding into urement capability. While techniques scattered light returned from the target polishing phases, the surface becomes exist to measure mirror figure with and optically mixes it with a reference more specular. In order to detect fabri- nanometer precision, measurements of signal maintained within the instru- cation errors in the figure and prescrip- large-mirror prescription are typically ment, obtaining range data. The energy tion at this stage, the lidar must be lo- limited to submillimeter accuracy. is directed from the instrument to any cated close to the center of curvature of Using a lidar instrument enables one to target within a field of regard spanning the optic. The tolerance for this location measure the optical surface rough fig- >360° in azimuth and ±45° in elevation can be derived from the field of view of ure and prescription in virtually all and ranging ≈60 m. The uncertainty in the lidar’s camera and the approximate phases of fabrication without moving range is typically ≈15 microns and <1 prescription of the optic under test, but the mirror from its polishing setup. This arcsec in angle. Since the instrument is typically of-order centimeters. The technology improves the uncertainty of can detect faint, scattered radiation, it lidar’s camera similarly limits the de- mirror prescription measurement to the can be used to detect errors directly in tectable aspheric departure. micron-regime. the surface figure and prescription of The location tolerance was generous Furthermore, during instrument as- an optic during in-process fabrication, and could be accomplished by locating sembly, a lidar instrument measures the when the surface is rough. Since the the lidar unit using a simple tape meas- fabricated optical surface directly and surface will have a matt or ground fin- ure. For mirrors with glass substrates, compares with scans of diffuse, mechan- ish, this measurement can be accom- during lidar measurement in the polish- ical surfaces or other coordinate system plished without necessarily locating the ing phase when the surface is approxi- references on metering structures. This lidar instrument in any special location mately specular, one would need to speeds the alignment process and re- with respect to the mirror, as long as it apply a temporary coating to the surface moves the necessity of ancillary align- has sufficient line of sight to the surface. under test using, e.g., a spray-on type ment fiducials because the optical sur- The lidar would scan the surface using coating applicator already in common face can be sampled directly. a preprogrammed grid of sample points use in optical shops. (Alternatively, cus-

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 13 tom software could be used to filter the tioned near the center of curvature (but the segments are scanned and itera- range data to select the return from the only to within the loose tolerance de- tively aligned to microns, where other, dimmer surface.) Mirrors with metal scribed above). The lidar would scan the interferometric or image-based tech- substrates would need no such tempo- surface using a preprogrammed grid of niques would be used to complete fine rary coating during the lidar measure- sample points. alignment. ment in the polishing phase. Since the In a similar manner, the lidar may be This work was done by Raymond Ohl of instrument can also detect bright, specu- used for the coarse alignment and phas- Goddard Space Flight Center, Anthony larly returned radiation, it can be used ing of segmented telescope primary Slotwinski of Pyxisvision, and Bente Eegholm to directly characterize the as-built pre- mirrors for future, large space- and and Babak Saif of the Space Telescope Science scription of large optics after polishing ground-based observatories. Located Institute. Further information is contained in and coating. The lidar must be posi- near the nominal center of curvature, a TSP (see page 1). GSC-15988-1

14 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Materials & Coatings

Fiber-Reinforced Reactive Nano-Epoxy Composites Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

An ultra-high-molecular-weight poly- composites includes faster wetting rates With this innovation, high-perform- ethylene/matrix interface based on the on macro-fiber surfaces, lower viscosity, ance composites have been created, in- fabrication of a reactive nano-epoxy ma- better resin infusion rates, and im- cluding carbon fibers/nano-epoxy, glass trix with lower surface energy has been proved rheological properties. Im- fibers/nano-epoxy, aramid fibers/ improved. Enhanced mechanical prop- proved interfacial adhesion properties nano-epoxy, and ultra-high-molecular- erties versus pure epoxy on a three- with Spectra fibers by pullout tests in- weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE). point bend test include: strength (25 clude initial debonding force of 35 per- This work was done by Wei-Hong (Katie) percent), modulus (20 percent), and cent, a maximum pullout force of 25 Zhong of North Dakota State University for toughness (30 percent). Increased ther- percent, and energy to debond at 65 Marshall Space Flight Center. For further in- mal properties include higher Tg (glass percent. Improved mechanical proper- formation, contact Sammy Nabors, MSFC transition temperature) and stable CTE ties of Spectra fiber composites (tensile) Commercialization Assistance Lead, at (coefficient of thermal expansion). Im- aging resistance properties include hy- [email protected]. Refer to MFS- proved processability for manufacturing grothermal effects. 32666-1.

Polymerization Initiated at the Sidewalls of Carbon Nanotubes Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas A process has been developed for The flask was then charged with dry blended with other polymers, or can be growing polymer chains via anionic, THF (10 mL), and the tubes were dis- molded and used by itself as a specialty cationic, or radical polymerization from persed in solution with rapid stirring. material. the side walls of functionalized carbon Styrene (1.7 mL, 15 mmol) was added to This work was done by James M. Tour and nanotubes, which will facilitate greater the reaction vessel, and the mixture was Jared L. Hudson of Rice University for John- dispersion in polymer matrices, and will stirred for 180 min before adding son Space Center. For further information, greatly enhance reinforcement ability in ethanol (1 mL) or a function terminator contact the JSC Innovation Partnerships Of- polymeric material. of choice such as trimethylsilyl chloride. fice at (281) 483-3809. Aryl bromide functionalized carbon The mixture was then diluted with 100 In accordance with Public Law 96-517, nanotubes are dispersed in 5-mL tetrahy- mL dichloromethane, and filtered the contractor has elected to retain title to this drofuran (THF), and a solution of n- through Fisherbrand P8 filter paper to invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its butyllithium (5 mL, 2.19 M in hexane) remove any large particulates. The fil- commercial use should be addressed to: was added at 23 °C, and the solution trate was concentrated under reduced Rice University stirred for 10 min. The stirring was then pressure and precipitated into Office of Technology Transfer turned off, and the nanotubes were al- methanol. The resulting gray powder 6100 Main Street lowed to settle out of solution. After set- was then collected by filtration, using Houston, TX 77005 tling, the excess n-butyllithium solution Whatman 451 filter paper and dried Phone No.: (713) 348-6188 was removed from the reaction vessel via under vacuum (0.1 mm) to a constant E-mail: [email protected] cannula, and the nanotubes were washed weight (typically 0.100–1.00 g, depend- Refer to MSC-24065-1, volume and num- three times with dry THF (10 mL) to re- ing on the precise amount of styrene ber of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the move traces of n-butyllithium. added). This material can then be page number.

Metal-Matrix/Hollow-Ceramic-Sphere Composites These materials are relatively inexpensive, lightweight, stiff, tailorable, and machinable. Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

A family of metal/ceramic compos- and graphite/epoxy composites. mirrors for aerospace applications. ite materials has been developed that These metal/ceramic composites were These materials also have potential are relatively inexpensive, lightweight originally intended to replace beryl- utility in automotive and many other alternatives to structural materials that lium (which is toxic and expensive) as terrestrial applications in which there are typified by beryllium, aluminum, a structural material for lightweight are requirements for lightweight mate-

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 15 rials that have high strengths and the matrix metal. Because of the high metal to ceramic depending on loading. other tailorable properties as de- crush strength of the spheres, the initial Typical mechanical properties of such scribed below. composite workpiece can be forged or a material include a density less than The ceramic component of a material extruded into a high-strength part. The that of beryllium (ranging from 1.2–17 in this family consists of hollow ceramic total time taken in processing from the g/cm3 while the density of beryllium is spheres that have been formulated to be raw ingredients to a finished part is typ- 1.85 g/cm3) and modulus as high as 25 lightweight (0.5 g/cm3) and have high ically 10 to 14 days depending on ma- Msi (≈170 GPa). In contrast, the modu- crush strength [40–80 ksi (≈276–552 chining required. lus of aluminum is generally 14 Msi MPa)]. The hollow spheres are coated For purposes of further processing, (≈97 GPa). The CTE, the thermal con- with a metal to enhance a specific per- the material behaves like a metal: It can ductivity, and the specific heat can be formance — such as shielding against be processed by conventional machin- tailored, through the formulation of the radiation (cosmic rays or x rays) or ing (including formation of threads) or ceramic and metal matrix ingredients of against electromagnetic interference at electrical-discharge machining, and the composite. radio and lower frequencies, or a mate- pieces of the material can be joined by This work was done by Dean M. Baker of rial to reduce the coefficient of thermal techniques commonly used to join metal Advanced Powder Solutions, Inc. for God- expansion (CTE) of the final composite pieces. The material is also receptive to dard Space Flight Center. Further information material, and/or materials to mitigate coating materials and exhibits highly is contained in a TSP (see page 1). GSC- any mismatch between the spheres and variable thermal conductivity from 15348-1

Piezoelectrically Enhanced Photocathodes Attributes would include stability, high efficiency, and relative ease of fabrication. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Doping of photocathodes with materi- Candidate photocathodes include ni- image tubes, and night-vision goggles. als that have large piezoelectric coeffi- trides of elements in column III of the pe- Piezoelectrically enhanced photocathode cients has been proposed as an alternative riodic table — especially compounds of materials could also be used in making means of increasing the desired photoe- the general formula AlxGa1–xN (where highly efficient monolithic photodetec- mission of electrons. Treating cathode 0≤x≤1). These compounds have high tors. Highly efficient and stable piezoelec- materials to increase emission of electrons piezoelectric coefficients and are suitable trically enhanced, ultraviolet-sensitive is called “activation” in the art. It has been for obtaining response to ultraviolet light. photocathodes and photodetectors could common practice to activate photocath- Fabrication of a photocathode according be fabricated by use of novel techniques odes by depositing thin layers of suitable to the proposal would include inducement for growing piezoelectrically enhanced metals (usually, cesium). Because cesium of strain in cathode layers during growth of layers, in conjunction with thinning and is unstable in air, fabrication of cesiated the layers on a substrate. The strain would dopant-selective etching techniques. photocathodes and devices that contain be induced by exploiting structural mis- This work was done by Robert A. Beach, them must be performed in sealed tubes matches among the various constituent Shouleh Nikzad, Lloyd Douglas Bell, and under vacuum. It is difficult and costly to materials of the cathode. Because of the Robert Strittmatter of Caltech for NASA’s Jet perform fabrication processes in en- piezoelectric effect in this material, the Propulsion Laboratory. Further information closed, evacuated spaces. The proposed strain would give rise to strong electric is contained in a TSP (see page 1). piezoelectrically enhanced photocath- fields that, in turn, would give rise to a high This invention is owned by NASA, and a odes would have electron-emission prop- concentration of charge near the surface. patent application has been filed. Inquiries erties similar to those of cesiated photo- Examples of devices in which piezoelec- concerning nonexclusive or exclusive license cathodes but would be stable in air, and trically enhanced photocathodes could be for its commercial development should be ad- therefore could be fabricated more easily used include microchannel plates, elec- dressed to the Patent Counsel, NASA Man- and at lower cost. tron-bombarded charge-coupled devices, agement Office–JPL. Refer to NPO-40407.

Iridium-Doped Ruthenium Oxide Catalyst for Oxygen Evolution Possible applications of this catalyst include fabrication of water electrolysis units in hydrogen generators. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

NASA requires a durable and efficient cient catalyst for the anodic oxidation of ium, which has a tendency to stabilize catalyst for the electrolysis of water in a water to oxygen, but it degrades rapidly, ruthenium oxide at oxygen evolution polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM) reducing efficiency. To combat this ten- potentials. The novel oxygen evolution cell. Ruthenium oxide in a slightly re- dency of ruthenium oxide to change ox- catalyst was fabricated under flowing duced form is known to be a very effi- idation states, it is combined with irid- argon in order to allow the iridium to

16 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 preferentially react with oxygen from then fabricated into a PEM-based mem- This work was done by Thomas I. Valdez, Sri the ruthenium oxide, and not oxygen brane-electrode assembly (MEA), and R. Narayan, and Keith J. Billings of Caltech from the environment. then mounted into test cells. for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Further Nanoparticulate iridium black and an- The result is an electrolyzer system information is contained in a TSP (see page 1). hydrous ruthenium oxide are weighed that can sustain electrolysis at twice the In accordance with Public Law 96-517, out and mixed to 5–18 atomic percent. current density, and at the same effi- the contractor has elected to retain title to this They are then heat treated at 300 °C ciency as commercial catalysts in the invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its under flowing argon (in order to create range of 100–200 mA/cm2. At 200 commercial use should be addressed to: an inert environment) for a minimum of mA/cm2, this new system operates at an Innovative Technology Assets Management 14 hours. This temperature was chosen efficiency of 85 percent, which is 2 per- JPL because it is approximately the creep cent greater than commercially available Mail Stop 202-233 temperature of ruthenium oxide, and is catalysts. Testing has shown that this ma- 4800 Oak Grove Drive below the sintering temperature of both terial is as stable as commercially avail- Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 materials. In general, the temperature able oxygen evolution catalysts. This E-mail: [email protected] should always be below the sintering means that this new catalyst can be used Refer to NPO-46387, volume and number temperature of both materials. The irid- to regenerate fuel cell systems in space, of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the ium-doped ruthenium oxide catalyst is and as a hydrogen generator on Earth. page number.

Improved Mo-Re VPS Alloys for High-Temperature Uses Transition-metal ceramic dispersoids improve high-temperature properties. Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

Dispersion-strengthened molybde- num-rhenium alloys for vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) fabrication of high-temperature-resistant compo- nents are undergoing development. In comparison with otherwise equivalent non-dispersion-strengthened Mo-Re al- loys, these alloys have improved high- temperature properties. Examples of VPS-fabricated high-temperature-re- sistant components for which these al- loys are expected to be suitable in- clude parts of aircraft and spacecraft engines, furnaces, and nuclear power ZrO plants; wear coatings; sputtering tar- 2 gets; x-ray targets; heat pipes in which liquid metals are used as working flu- ids; and heat exchangers in general. These alloys could also be useful as coating materials in some biomedical applications. The alloys consist of 60 weight per- cent Mo with 40 weight percent Re made from (1) blends of elemental Mo and Re powders or (2) Re-coated Mo particles that have been subjected to a proprietary powder-alloying-and-spher- This Scanning Electron Micrograph of a dispersion-strengthened specimen shows ZrO2 particles at oidization process. For most of the dis- grain boundaries of the Mo-Re alloy. persion-strengthening experiments performed thus far in this development cles having sizes <45 µm, or HfN parti- mandrels as follows: In each case, the effort, 0.4 volume percent of transition- cles having sizes <1 µm. These materials VPS chamber was evacuated, then the metal ceramic dispersoids were mixed were chosen for evaluation on the basis rotating graphite mandrel was pre- into the feedstock powders. For one ex- of previously published thermodynamic heated by the plasma spray gun. Once periment, the proportion of dispersoid stability data. For comparison, Mo-Re the desired preheat temperature was was 1 volume percent. In each case, the feedstock powders without dispersoids reached, one of the powders prepared dispersoid consisted of either ZrN parti- were also prepared. as described above was made to flow to cles having sizes <45 µm, ZrO2 particles Tubular alloy specimens were fabri- the gun, causing the alloy to be de- having sizes of about 1 µm, HfO2 parti- cated by VPS onto rotating graphite posited on the mandrel. [A nearly iden-

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 17 tical process for fabrication of tubes of nearly net size and shape, having den- cause a decrease in room-tempera- non-dispersion-strengthened Mo-Re sities greater than 97 percent of the ture elongation. tubes was described in “High-Tempera- theoretical maximum. -The elevated-temperature ultimate ten- ture Crystal-Growth Cartridge Tubes • Microscopic examination of samples sile strengths of the dispersion- Made by VPS” (MFS-31540), NASA Tech that had been aged at a temperature of strengthened alloys were between 16 Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 11 (November 2008, 1,800 °C for 8 hours showed that average and 18 percent greater than those of page 54).] Immediately after VPS and grain sizes in the samples containing dis- the non-dispersion-strengthened alloys. before removal from the VPS chamber, persoids were significantly less than - The room-temperature mechanical the deposit and mandrel were cooled those of the samples that did not contain properties of the dispersion-strength- under a partial pressure of argon. After dispersoids. This result was interpreted ened alloys equaled or exceeded pre- removal from the chamber, the man- as signifying that the dispersoids pinned viously published values for alloys drel was mechanically removed, leaving Mo-Re grain boundaries (see figure) and comprising 60 weight percent of Mo the tubular specimen. thereby reduced grain growth. with 40 weight percent of Re. The specimens were subjected to • Room- and elevated-temperature ten- This work was done by Robert Hickman aging/grain-growth tests and to both sile tests of two of the dispersion- and James Martin of Marshall Space Flight room-temperature and elevated-temper- strengthened alloys and of the corre- Center and Timothy McKechnie and John ature tensile tests. The conclusions spondingnondispersion-strengthened (Scott) O’Dell of Plasma Processes, Inc. For drawn from the test results include the alloys showed that dispersion strength- further information, contact Sammy Nabors, following: ening afforded significant improve- MSFC Commercialization Assistance Lead, at • It is possible, by use of VPS, to fabricate ments in mechanical properties: [email protected]. Refer to MFS- Mo-Re alloys of the type in question to - Dispersion strengthening did not 32581-1.

18 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Green Design

Data Service Provider Cost Estimation Tool Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

The Data Service Provider Cost Esti- velopment and sustaining engineering, bles) to planned, new ESE data service mation Tool (CET) and Comparables and the changes in costs that result from providers. The CET implements the staff Database (CDB) package provides to changes in workload. effort and cost estimation algorithms NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) Data Service Providers may be stand- that access the CDB and generates the the ability to estimate the full range of alone or embedded in flight projects, lifecycle cost estimate for a new data year-by-year lifecycle cost estimates for field campaigns, research or applica- services provider. This data creates a the implementation and operation of tions projects, or other activities. The common basis for an ESE proposal eval- data service providers required by ESE CET and CDB package employs a cost- uator for considering projected data to support its science and applications estimation-by-analogy approach. It is service provider costs. programs. The CET can make estimates based on a new, general data service This program was written by Kathy Fontaine dealing with staffing costs, supplies, facil- provider reference model that provides of Goddard Space Flight Center and Greg ity costs, network services, hardware and a framework for construction of a data- Hunolt, Arthur L. Booth, and Mel Banks of maintenance, commercial off-the-shelf base by describing existing data service SGT, Inc. Further information is contained (COTS) software licenses, software de- providers that are analogs (or compara- in a TSP (see page 1). GSC-14905-1

Hybrid Power Management-Based Vehicle Architecture This ultracapacitor design is energy- and cost-efficient with measurably less environmental impact. John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Hybrid Power Management (HPM) is vides all power to a common energy stor- power from that system. This can signifi- the integration of diverse, state-of-the-art age system that is used to power the cantly reduce the power requirement of power devices in an optimal configura- drive motors and vehicle accessory sys- the primary power source, while increas- tion for space and terrestrial applica- tems. This architecture also provides ing the vehicle reliability. tions (see figure). The appropriate ap- power as an emergency power system. Ultracapacitors are ideal for an plication and control of the various Each component is independent, per- HPM-based energy storage system due power devices significantly improves mitting it to be optimized for its in- to their exceptionally long cycle life, overall system performance and effi- tended purpose. The key element of high reliability, high efficiency, high ciency. The basic vehicle architecture HPM is the energy storage system. All power density, and excellent low-tem- consists of a primary power source, and generated power is sent to the energy perature performance. Multiple power possibly other power sources, that pro- storage system, and all loads derive their sources and multiple loads are easily

VEHICLE FACILITY

Primary Traction Grid-Tied Power Source Motor Inverter

Hybrid Power Operator Energy Storage Automatic Building Management Input System Transfer Switch Power Controller

Secondary Vehicle Utility Power Power Source Accessories System

General HPM Vehicle Architecture.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 19 incorporated into an HPM-based vehi- have a much longer cycle life than bat- maintenance-free, have excellent low- cle. A gas turbine is a good primary teries, which greatly improves system re- temperature characteristic, provide con- power source because of its high effi- liability, reduces life-of-system costs, and sistent performance over time, and pro- ciency, high power density, long life, reduces environmental impact as ultra- mote safety as they can be left high reliability, and ability to operate capacitors will probably never need to indefinitely in a safe, discharged state on a wide range of fuels. An HPM con- be replaced and disposed of. The envi- whereas batteries cannot. troller maintains optimal control over ronmentally safe ultracapacitor compo- This work was done by Dennis J. Eichen- each vehicle component. This flexible nents reduce disposal concerns, and berg of Glenn Research Center. Further infor- operating system can be applied to all their recyclable nature reduces the envi- mation is contained in a TSP (see page 1). vehicles to considerably improve vehi- ronmental impact. High ultracapacitor Inquiries concerning rights for the commer- cle efficiency, reliability, safety, security, power density provides high power dur- cial use of this invention should be addressed and performance. ing surges, and the ability to absorb high to NASA Glenn Research Center, Innovative The HPM-based vehicle architecture power during recharging. Ultracapaci- Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, Mail has many advantages over conventional tors are extremely efficient in capturing Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleve- vehicle architectures. Ultracapacitors recharging energy, are rugged, reliable, land, Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18704-1.

20 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Mechanics/Machinery

Force Limit System This system protects the operator, specimen, system, and fixtures from overload damage. John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

The Force Limit System (FLS) was de- phisticated electronic/software pack- actuator contacts its internal mechani- veloped to protect test specimens from ages command the movement of the ac- cal stops. inadvertent overload. The load limit tuator based on transducer input and The unique features of this device are value is fully adjustable by the operator operator requirements. This is all inde- that it has an independent, fully ad- and works independently of the test sys- pendent of the FLS. justable load limit using mechanical de- tem control as a mechanical (non-elec- The Force Limit Cylinder is preset to sign, and it has the ability to change test trical) device. a calibrated amount that equals the frame control channels with minimal When a test specimen is loaded via an safety factor or protection value desired risk by applying load while in position electromechanical or hydraulic test sys- by the operator. The maximum force is control. For simplicity, the FLS uses tem, a chance of an overload condition determined by a precision dynamic me- readily available parts. exists. An overload applied to a speci- chanical control that has a very high re- The FLS can also be used in a test sys- men could result in irreparable damage lief rate. The load values and relief rates tem that has no provision for control to the specimen and/or fixturing. The are dictated by test requirements. The mode switching to an advantage. When FLS restricts the maximum load that an Force Limit Cylinder is attached to the a test system is switched between posi- actuator can apply to a test specimen. actuator on one end, and test specimen tion control and load control, there is an When testing limited-run test articles or contact on the other end (usually the increased risk of overload during this using very expensive fixtures, the use of cylinder push rod). Standard fixture operation. The FLS can be used to apply such a device is highly recommended. alignment procedures should be used a very low load to a specimen while con- Test setups typically use electronic peak prior to specimen loading. trolled in position. This allows a safe protection, which can be the source of Before applying load to the specimen, control mode switch and avoids an overload due to malfunctioning compo- the Force Limit Cylinder should be pre- open-loop situation. nents or the inability to react quickly set to the desired value to equal the de- This work was done by Ralph Pawlik, enough to load spikes. The FLS works sired load limit. Once this is completed, David Krause, and Frank Bremenour of Glenn independently of the electronic over- the Force Limit Cylinder push rod will Research Center. Further information is con- load protection. not permit the actuator to exceed the tained in a TSP (see page 1). In a standard test system, an actuator preset load to the specimen. If the actu- Inquiries concerning rights for the com- moves in a uniaxial direction to apply ator increases load to the point of the mercial use of this invention should be ad- load to a fixed-position specimen in a FLS set point, the Force Limit Cylinder dressed to NASA Glenn Research Center, In- very controlled fashion. The actuator, push rod will retract as the mechanical novative Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven usually capable of very high loads, is nor- control relieves force. If the actuator Fedor, Mail Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark mally driven by an electromechanical continues to move downward, the Force Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Refer to motor or hydraulic power supply. So- Limit Cylinder will allow this until the LEW-18678-1.

Levitated Duct Fan (LDF) Aircraft Auxiliary Generator This all-electric design eliminates mechanical bearings and enables more efficient aircraft electrical systems. John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

This generator concept includes a tween the rotor and the stator sus- tached to the outer circumference of novel stator and rotor architecture pends and supports the rotor within the drum rotor with coils placed in the made from composite material with the stator housing using permanent stator shell. The generation system uses blades attached to the outer rotating magnets attached to the outer cir- the same magnets as the levitation sys- shell of a ducted fan drum rotor, a cumference of the drum rotor and tem, but incorporates generator coils non-contact support system between passive levitation coils in the stator in the stator that are interwoven with the stator and rotor using magnetic shell. The magnets are arranged in a passive levitation coils. The levitation fields to provide levitation, and an in- Halbach array configuration. system is inherently stable, is failsafe, tegrated electromagnetic generation The electromagnetic generation sys- and does not require active control as system. The magnetic suspension be- tem also uses permanent magnets at- required by traditional magnetic bear-

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 21 ings. Also, the overall efficiency of the power delivery with similar geometric formance characteristics predicted suspension system improves with configuration. The rotor operates in using the derived theoretical equations. speed, whereas the performance of compression, which results in a 2× im- The goal of the final design is a self-con- conventional bearings degrades as provement in fatigue life, and the exten- tained suspension and electrical genera- speed increases. sive use of composites minimizes weight tion system free from mechanical cou- This innovation will greatly advance and reduces noise due to the higher plings. The use of magnetic suspension aircraft electrical power systems with the dampening properties of composites. minimizes concerns associated with tra- development of an efficient, reliable, A prototype stator and assembly and ditional bearings, such as active lubrica- maintenance-free, and safe electrical rotor have been designed and devel- tion and limited rotational speeds. generation system. The use of magnetic oped to study and evaluate subsystem This work was done by Dennis J. Eichen- suspension minimizes concerns associ- level characteristics of the generation berg, Dawn C. Emerson, Christopher A. Gallo, ated with traditional bearings, such as and levitation systems in a laboratory and William K. Thompson of Glenn Research active lubrication, contact wear, and lim- environment, and to verify theoretical Center. Further information is contained in a ited rotational speed. The ducted hard- predictions. The test setup has been TSP (see page 1). ware can translate into improved effi- used to measure successfully the flux Inquiries concerning rights for the com- ciency and reliability. The concept lends density emanating from the rotor, the mercial use of this invention should be ad- itself to a configuration in which the induced current in the stator winding as dressed to NASA Glenn Research Center, In- units can be used individually or clus- the rotor is driven at various speeds, the novative Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven tered for distributed power applications. associated induced current, and the Fedor, Mail Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark In addition, the concept can be readily generated repulsive force. Experi- Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Refer to scaled into a variety of sizes for specified mental results correlate well with per- LEW-18658-1.

Compact, Two-Sided Structural Cold Plate Configuration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

In two-sided structural cold plates, typ- external features can be easily damaged configuration allows the fluid to pass ically there is a structural member, such and are now new areas for potential from one cold plate to the other with- as a honeycomb panel, that provides the fluid leakage. out any exposed external features. structural strength for the cold plates This invention eliminates the need This work was done by Mark Zaffetti of that cool equipment. The cold plates are for an external feature and instead in- Hamilton Sundstrand for Johnson Space located on either side of the structural corporates the feature internally to the Center. For further information, contact the member and thus need to have the cool- structural member. This is accom- JSC Innovation Partnerships Office at (281) ing fluid supplied to them. One method plished by utilizing a threaded insert 483-3809. of accomplishing this is to route the that not only connects the cold plate to Title to this invention has been waived inlet and outlet tubing to both sides of the structural member, but also allows under the provisions of the National Aero- the structural member. Another method the cooling fluid to flow through it into nautics and Space Act {42 U.S.C. 2457(f)} might be to supply the inlet to one side the structural member, and then to the to Hamilton Sundstrand. Inquiries concern- and the outlet to the other. With the lat- cold plate on the opposite side. The in- ing licenses for its commercial development ter method, an external feature such as sert also employs a cap that acts as a should be addressed to: a hose, tube, or manifold must be incor- cover to seal the open area needed to Hamilton Sundstrand porated to pass the fluid from one side install the insert. There are multiple op- Space Systems International,Inc. of the structural member to the other. tions for location of o-ring style seals, as One Hamilton Road Although this is a more compact design well as the option to use adhesive for re- Windsor Locks, CT 06096-1010 than the first option, since it eliminates dundant sealing. Another option is to Phone No.: (860) 654-6000 the need for a dedicated supply and re- weld the cap to the cold plate after its Refer to MSC-24880-1, volume and num- turn line to each side of the structural installation, thus making it an integral ber of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the member, it still poses problems, as these part of the structural member. This new page number.

AN Fitting Reconditioning Tool John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A tool was developed to repair or re- tion agreed upon by the Army and Launch Main ten ance/Repair process place AN fittings on the shuttle exter- Navy, hence AN.) The tool is used on a for the AN fittings, the six fittings are nal tank (ET). (The AN thread is a type drill and is guided by a pilot shaft that removed from the ET’s GUCP (ground of fitting used to connect flexible hoses follows the inside bore. The cutting umbilical carrier plate) for recondi- and rigid metal tubing that carry fluid. edge of the tool is a standard-size re- tioning. The fittings are inspected for It is a U.S. military-derived specifica- placeable insert. In the typical Post damage to the sealing surface per stan-

22 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 dard operations maintenance instruc- at 36.5°, and may be adjusted at a precise This tool provides a quick solution to tions. When damage is found on the angle with go-no-go gauges to insure repair a leaky AN fitting. The tool could sealing surface, the condition is docu- that the cutting edge could be adjusted easily be modified with different-sized mented. as it wore down. One tool, one setting pilot shafts to different-sized fittings. A new AN reconditioning tool is set block, and one go-no-go gauge were fab- This work was done by Jason Lopez of up to cut and remove the surface dam- ricated. At the time of this reporting, the Kennedy Space Center. Further information age. It is then inspected to verify the fit- tool has reconditioned/returned to spec is contained in a TSP (see page 1). KSC- ting still meets drawing requirements. 36 AN fittings with 100-percent success 13235 The tool features a cone-shaped interior of no leakage.

Active Response Gravity Offload System Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

The Active Response Gravity Offload The overall design and implementa- simulation. Therefore, the system allows System (ARGOS) provides the ability to tion of the ARGOS system is unique and the person to perform tasks such as walk- simulate with one system the gravity ef- is at the time of this reporting the only ing as if the individual was on the surface fect of planets, moons, comets, aster- known system of its kind. The interface of the celestial body being simulated. oids, and microgravity, where the gravity of ARGOS to the human test participant The system has been used for bipedal is less than Earth’s gravity. The system is critical and is provided by a gimbaled walking robots and human testing in a works by providing a constant force of- system that was developed to align the variety of simulated gravitation fields. fload through an overhead hoist system pitch, yaw, and roll axes, and offload This work was done by Paul Valle, Larry and horizontal motion through a rail force provided by ARGOS, with the cen- Dungan, Thomas Cunningham, Asher and trolley system. The facility covers a ter of gravity of the object or person Lieberman, and Dina Poncia of Johnson 20- by 40-ft (≈6.1- by 12.2-m) horizontal being lifted. This gimbaled system Space Center. Further information is con- area with 15 ft (≈4.6 m) of lifting verti- greatly improves the realistic feel of the tained in a TSP (see page 1). MSC-24815- cal range. simulated gravity to the person in the 1/24-1

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 23

Bio-Medical

Method and Apparatus for Forming Nanodroplets This technique can create functionalized particles for targeted drug delivery. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

This innovation uses partially misci- Further investigation of the liposome droplet fluid system when the solvent ble fluids to form nano- and micro- properties reveals that optimal lipo- phase has a high vapor pressure. After droplets in a microfluidic droplet gen- some-forming mixtures have sufficient dry-down, the liposomes could then be erator system. density and viscosity to form droplets, rehydrated into an aqueous (buffer) so- Droplet generators fabricated in but also have the potential to be ex- lution for further use. PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) are cur- changed from aqueous solutions. Over- By way of contrast, a major limitation rently being used to fabricate engi- all, ethyl acetate was found to be about to the immiscible fluid system is the fact neered nanoparticles and microparti- 8 percent miscible in water, which sug- that the nanodroplets form an oil/water cles. These droplet generators were first gests that it could eventually be ex- emulsion when aqueous droplets are demonstrated in a T-junction configura- changed into a buffer solution. Based formed in oil. In the case of nano- and tion, followed by a cross-flow configura- on this solubility for ethyl acetate in micro-particle formation from the tion. All of these generating devices have water, it was hypothesized that this mix- droplets, it is very difficult to separate used immiscible fluids, such as oil and ture of reagents was sufficiently immis- out the target particles from the oil in water. This immiscible fluid system can cible to form droplets on the device. the emulsion. Thus, it was desirable to produce mono-dispersed distributions Also, the PDMS droplet generator de- demonstrate an alternative solvent sys- of droplets and articles with sizes rang- vices were sufficiently resistant to the tem from which the particles can be ing from a few hundred nanometers to a solvent effects of ethyl acetate and re- more readily separated. few hundred microns. For applications mained stable during the liposome- This work was done by Donald Ackley and such as drug delivery, the ability to en- forming process. Anita Forster of Nanotrope Inc. for Johnson capsulate aqueous solutions of drugs The fluidic system looks very much Space Center. For further information, contact within particles formed from the like other solvent/water systems. the JSC Innovation Partnerships Office at droplets is desirable. Droplets in the range of 100 to 5,000 nm (281) 483-3809. Of particular interest are non-polar in diameter may be formed by adjusting In accordance with Public Law 96-517, solvents that can dissolve lipids for the the flow rates. Liposomes were success- the contractor has elected to retain title to this formation of liposomes in the droplet fully fabricated in the ethyl acetate/ invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its generators. Such fluids include ether, water system using various lipid mix- commercial use should be addressed to: cyclohexane, butanol, and ethyl ac- tures. The liposomes were formed by dis- Nanotrope Inc. etate. Ethyl acetate is of particular inter- solving a lipid mixture in ethyl acetate, 2033 Cambridge Ave. est for two reasons. It is relatively non- and producing droplets, in the droplet Cardiff, CA 92007 toxic and it is formed from ether and generator. After droplet formation, the Phone No.: (760) 942-0301 acetic acid, and maybe broken down droplets flowed from an outlet and were Refer to MSC-24082-1, volume and num- into its constituents at relatively low dried down in a collection tube. This ber of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the concentrations. demonstrated the advantage of the page number.

Rapid Detection of the Varicella Zoster Virus in Saliva This kit provides a rapid, sensitive, specific, and inexpensive method for early virus detection. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes This invention is a rapid test for VZV pensive plastic injection molded parts, chicken pox on first exposure (usually in from a saliva sample and can be per- many of which can be purchased off children), and reactivates from latency formed in a doctor’s office. The kit is the shelf and merely assembled. All bi- causing shingles (usually in adults). Shin- small, compact, and lightweight. ological waste is contained for fast, ef- gles can be extremely painful, causing Detection is sensitive, specific, and ficient disposal. nerve damage, organ damage, and blind- noninvasive (no needles); only a saliva This innovation was made possible be- ness in some cases. The virus can be life- sample is required. The test provides cause of discovery of a NASA scientists’ threatening in immune-compromised in- results in minutes. The entire test is flight experiment showing the presence dividuals. The virus is very difficult to performed in a closed system, with no of VZV in saliva during high stress peri- culture for diagnosis, requiring a week or exposure to infectious materials. The ods and disease. This finding enables cli- longer. components are made mostly of inex- nicians to quickly screen patients for

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 25 VZV and treat the ones that show posi- and immune-compromised individu- EASI; Randall J. Cohrs and Don H. Gilden tive results with antiviral medicines. This als. In these patients, VZV can be a life- of the University of Colorado Health Science promotes a rapid recovery, easing of threatening disease. In both high- and Center; and Robert E. Harding, independent pain and symptoms, and reduces low-risk patients, early detection and consultant. Inquiries concerning rights for the chances of complications from zoster. treatment with antiviral drugs can dra- commercial use of this invention should be ad- Screening of high-risk patients matically decrease or even eliminate dressed to David Poticha at the University of could be incorporated as part of a reg- the clinical manifestation of disease. Colorado, [email protected]. Refer to ular physical exam. These patients in- This work was done by Duane L. Pierson of MSC-24451-1. clude the elderly, pregnant women, Johnson Space Center; Satish K. Mehta of

Improved Devices for Collecting Sweat for Chemical Analysis Unlike prior devices, these would enable measurement of volumes of specimens. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

Improved devices have been pro- dimethylsiloxane (silicone rubber) or the electrodes, which would be used to posed for collecting sweat for biochemi- other suitable material having proper- measure the Ca2+ content by a standard cal analysis — especially for determina- ties that, for the purpose of analyzing technique. In the other option, centrifu- tion of the concentration of Ca2+ ions in sweat, are similar to those of glass. The gation would be performed to remove sweat as a measure of loss of Ca from die for molding the silicone rubber the sweat from the device to make the bones. Unlike commercially available would be fabricated by a combination of sweat available to other analytical instru- sweat-collection patches used previously lithography and electroplating. The die ments for measuring concentrations of in monitoring osteoporosis and in qual- would reproducibly form, in the silicone substances other than Ca2+. itative screening for some drugs, the rubber, a precisely defined number of This work was done by Daniel L. Feeback of proposed devices would not allow evap- capillary channels per unit area, each Johnson Space Center and Mark S. F. Clarke of oration of the volatile chemical compo- channel having a precisely defined vol- the University of Houston. Further information nents (mostly water) of sweat. Moreover, ume. Optionally, electrodes for measur- is contained in a TSP (see page 1). the proposed devices would be designed ing the Ca2+ content of the sweat could In accordance with Public Law 96-517, the to enable determination of the volumes be incorporated into the device. contractor has elected to retain title to this inven- of collected sweat. From these volumes The volume of sweat collected in the tion. Inquiries concerning rights for its commer- and the quantities of Ca2+ and/or other capillary channels of the device would cial use should be addressed to: analytes as determined by other means be determined from (1) the amount of University of Houston summarized below, one could deter- light or radio waves of a given wave- Department of Health and Human Performance mine the concentrations of the analytes length absorbed by the device and (2) Laboratory of Integrated Physiology in sweat. the known geometry of the array of cap- 3855 Holman St., Room 104 Garrison A device according to the proposal illary channels. Then, in one of two op- Houston, TX 77201 would be flexible and would be worn tions, centrifugation would be per- Refer to MSC-23625-1, volume and number like a commercial sweat-collection formed to move the sweat from the of this Medical Design Briefs issue, and the patch. It would be made of molded poly- capillary tubes to the region containing page number.

26 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Physical Sciences

Phase-Controlled Magnetic Mirror for Wavefront Correction Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Typically, light interacts with matter mirrors or lenses. The use of a de- All the steps required to fabricate a via the electric field and interaction formable magnetic mirror allows for a magnetic mirror have been demon- with weakly bound electrons. In a mag- device with no moving parts that can strated. The modification is to apply a netic mirror, a patterned nanowire is modify the phase of incident light over bias voltage to the dielectric layer so as fabricated over a metallic layer with a many spatial scales, potentially with to change the index of refraction and dielectric layer in between. Oscillation higher resolution than current ap- modify the phase of the reflected radia- of the electrons in the nanowires in re- proaches. Current deformable mirrors tion. Light is reflected off the device and sponse to the magnetic field of incident modify the incident wavefront by using collected by a phase-sensing interferom- photons causes a re-emission of pho- nano-actuation of a substrate to physi- eter. The interferometer determines the tons and operation as a “magnetic mir- cally bend the mirror to a desired shape. initial wavefront of the device and fore ror.” By controlling the index of refrac- The purpose of the innovation is to optics. A wavefront correction is calcu- tion in the dielectric layer using a local modify the incident wavefront for the lated, and voltage profile for each applied voltage, the phase of the emit- purpose of correction of fabrication and nanowire strip is determined. The volt- ted radiation can be controlled. This al- alignment-induced wavefront errors at age is applied, modifying the local index lows electrical modification of the re- the system level. The advanced degree of of refraction of the dielectric under the flected wavefront, resulting in a precision required for some applications nanowire strip. This modifies the phase deformable mirror that can be used for such as gravity wave detection (LISA — of the reflected light to allow wavefront wavefront control. Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) or correction. Certain applications require wave- planet finding (FKSI — Fourier-Kelvin This work was done by John Hagopian and front quality in the few-nanometer Stellar Interfswerometer) requires wave- Edward Wollack of Goddard Space Flight regime, which is a major challenge for front control at the limits of the current Center. Further information is contained in a optical fabrication and alignment of state of the art. TSP (see page 1). GSC-16008-1

Frame-Transfer Gating Raman Spectroscopy for Time-Resolved Multiscalar Combustion Diagnostics This invention could potentially benefit the development of advanced combustion systems such as gas turbine engines and internal combustion engines. John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Accurate experimental measurement the absence of cost-prohibitive testing. A new diagnostic technology has been of spatially and temporally resolved One of the most critical aspects of set- developed at the NASA Glenn Research variations in chemical composition ting up a time-resolved stimulated Raman Center that utilizes a frame-transfer (species concentrations) and tempera- scattering (SRS) diagnostic system is the CCD sensor, in conjunction with a ture in turbulent flames is vital for char- temporal optical gating scheme. A short pulsed laser and multiplex optical fiber acterizing the complex phenomena oc- optical gate is necessary in order for weak collection, to realize time-resolved curring in most practical combustion SRS signals to be detected with a good sig- Raman spectroscopy of turbulent flames systems. These diagnostic measure- nal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the presence that is free from optical background ments are called multiscalar because of strong background optical emissions. noise (interference). The technology they are capable of acquiring multiple This time-synchronized optical gating is a permits not only shorter temporal opti- scalar quantities simultaneously. Multi- classical problem even to other spectro- cal gating (down to <1 µs, in principle), scalar diagnostics also play a critical scopic techniques such as laser-induced but also higher optical throughput, thus role in the area of computational code fluorescence (LIF) or laser-induced resulting in a substantial increase in validation. In order to improve the de- breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Tradi- measurement SNR. sign of combustion devices, computa- tionally, experimenters have had basically The new technology is an experimen- tional codes for modeling turbulent two options for gating: (1) an electronic tal method (or scheme) for isolating combustion are often used to speed up means of gating using an image intensi- true Raman spectral signals from flames and optimize the development process. fier before the charge-coupled-device using a single CCD detector. It does not The experimental validation of these (CCD), or (2) a mechanical optical shut- use an image intensifier or a mechanical codes is a critical step in accepting their ter (a rotary chopper/mechanical shutter shutter. Individual electrical or optical predictions for engine performance in combination). devices employed in this method are not

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 27 new; however, the diagnostic methodol- effective way of isolating true Raman sig- (unpolarized) laser-generated back- ogy itself, which utilizes a combination nals from laser-generated optical inter- ground emissions are observed regardless of existing devices for a particular appli- ferences in any combustion environ- of the polarization state of the excitation cation, is a novel concept. ment, in principle, without having to pulses. If the two orthogonally-polarized The present methodology employs employ multiple CCD detectors or po- laser pulses are separated in time so that two key optical devices: a pulsed laser larizer on the detection side. they just fall onto a pair of consecutive (nanosecond pulses) and a frame-trans- Since laser-induced background emis- sub-frames on the CCD sensor, subtract- fer CCD sensor. Frame-transfer CCD sions are unpolarized, unlike Raman scat- ing the one (laser-generated background sensors have been historically used to tering, which is polarized, they can be se- emission only) from the other (Raman capture fast (microsecond timescale) lectively isolated (and subtracted). While signal plus background emission) results transient events, such as Bose-Einstein the theory of this polarization technique in a true Raman spectrum. condensate phenomena, over a short pe- has been proposed previously, the imple- This work was done by Quang-Viet Nguyen, riod of time (milliseconds). By their op- mentation of this technique for time-re- David G. Fischer, and Jun Kojima of Glenn eration, the sensor area is exposed for a solved Raman diagnostics has not been Research Center. Further information is con- certain time and the charge is then matured. A principal reason is that an en- tained in a TSP (see page 1). transferred to the frame transfer area abling technology that can increase the Inquiries concerning rights for the commer- (or masking area) row-by-row, and is SNR was needed. When a flame receives cial use of this invention should be addressed to read out via a gain register or serial reg- two orthogonally polarized, but other- NASA Glenn Research Center, Innovative ister. This is called “frame-transfer” read- wise identical, laser pulses, Raman scat- Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, Mail out or “kinetics” readout. The use of tering can be observable only for the ver- Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, frame-transfer readout provides a very tically polarized excitation pulse. The Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18483-1.

Thermal Properties of Microstrain Gauges Used for Protection of Lithium-Ion Cells of Different Designs Commercial uses include lithium-ion batteries used in a human-rated environment, such as in automobile applications. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

The purpose of this innovation is to pouch-type lithium-ion cells, combina- provide the accuracy needed for this use microstrain gauges to monitor tions of changes in material properties and cannot track a change in internal minute changes in temperature along along with thermal changes can be used cell temperatures until it is too late to with material properties of the metal cans as an indication for the initiation of an stop a thermal runaway. and pouches used in the construction of unsafe condition. The microstrain gauges under study lithium-ion cells. The sensitivity of the mi- Lithium-ion cells have a very high en- have shown remarkable changes in re- crostrain gauges to extremely small ergy density, no memory effect, and al- sistance with changes in temperature changes in temperatures internal to the most 100-percent efficiency of charge that show a very close tracking to the cells makes them a valuable asset in con- and discharge. However, due to the pres- current used to charge and discharge trolling the hazards in lithium-ion cells. ence of a flammable electrolyte, along the lithium-ion cells. As the cells are The test program on lithium-ion cells in- with the very high energy density and charged, there is a very slight increase cluded various cell configurations, in- the capability of releasing oxygen from in temperature at the end of charge, cluding the pouch type configurations. the cathode, these cells can go into a and the same during the discharge The thermal properties of micros- hazardous condition of venting, fire, process. Although normal thermistors train gauges have been found to con- and thermal runaway. Commercial do not show a big change in tempera- tribute significantly as safety monitors in lithium-ion cells have current and volt- ture, the strain gauges have been able to lithium-ion cells that are designed even age monitoring devices that are used to track with great accuracy the thermal with hard metal cases. Although the control the charge and discharge of the changes in the cells during these metal cans do not undergo changes in batteries. Some lithium-ion cells have in- processes. Although strain gauges have material property, even under worst- ternal protective devices, but when used been used to track pressures internal to case unsafe conditions, the small in multi-cell configurations, these pro- cells in battery chemistries that use pres- changes in thermal properties observed tective devices either do not protect or sure vessels such as the Ni-hydrogen during charge and discharge of the cell are themselves a hazard to the cell due cells, they have not been used to track provide an observable change in resist- to their limitations. These devices do not resistance changes due to temperatures. ance of the strain gauge. Under abusive help in cases where the cells develop Existing thermal sensors do not have or unsafe conditions, the change in the high impedance that suddenly causes the sensitivity to be able to track small resistance is large. This large change is them to go into a thermal runaway con- changes in internal temperatures of the observed as a significant change in dition. Temperature monitoring typi- cells, so monitoring systems cannot de- slope, and this can be used to prevent cally helps with tracking the perform- tect changes fast enough to be able to cells from going into a thermal runaway ance of a battery. But normal provide any protection. With lithium- condition. For flexible metal cans or thermistors or thermal sensors do not ion cells, when the thermal sensors

28 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 record an alarming temperature read- Four different configurations of low temperature. The tests also included ing, it indicates that the cell’s internal lithium-ion cells of were tested. Two off-nominal conditions of overcharge, temperatures have reached a point cylindrical cells with metal containers overdischarge, external short, heat-to- where no external controls can stop the (two different diameters), a prismatic vent, and crush (simulated internal thermal runaway. With the thermally metal container cell type, and a pouch short). Overcharge tests and external sensitive new strain gauges, the changes cell type (aluminized plastic pouch) short tests provide the most valuable data in slope are so sensitive that this change were used for the study. Several tests were as these conditions produce the worst- can be used to stop the charge or re- performed on all our designs. The tests case reactions in lithium-ion cells. move the load on the lithium-ion cells included normal charge and discharge This work was done by Judith Jeevarajan of before the event can spiral into an un- cycling at two different charge and dis- Johnson Space Center. Further information is controllable one. charge rates at room temperature and at contained in a TSP (see page 1). MSC-24764-1

In-Service Monitoring of Steam Pipe Systems at High Temperatures This system can be used by utility companies for steam pipe systems incorporating multiple manholes. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

An effective, in-service health moni- toring system is needed to track water condensation in real time through the Pipe With walls of steam pipes. The system is re- Water quired to measure the height of the con- densed water from outside the pipe, while operating at temperatures that are Pipe as high as 250 °C. The system needs to Support account for the effects of water flow and cavitation. In addition, it is desired that the system does not require perforating the pipes and thereby reducing the structural integrity. Generally, steam pipes are used as part of the district heating system carrying Pipe Diameter 16” steam from central power stations under Pipe Wall Thickness 3/8” Drive Electronics the streets to heat, cool, or supply power Steel Alloy A58B to high-rise buildings and businesses. The testbed simulating the Steam Pipe and the in situ ultrasonic test setup. This system uses ultrasonic waves in pulse-echo and acquires reflected signal obtain high resolution, a broadband heat sink between the transducer and data. Via autocorrelation, it determines transducer is used and the frequency can the steam pipe, reducing the tempera- the water height while eliminating the be in the range of 2.25 to 10 MHz, provid- ture requirements on the transducer. effect of noise and multiple reflections ing sharp pulses in the time domain al- This work was done by Yoseph Bar-Cohen, from the wall of the pipe. lowing for higher resolution in identify- Shyh-Shiuh Lih, Mircea Badescu, Xiaoqi Bao, The system performs nondestructive ing the individual reflections. Stewart Sherrit, James S. Scott, Julian O. Blo- monitoring through the walls of steam The pulse-echo transducer is con- siu, and Scott E. Widholm of Caltech for pipes, and automatically measures the nected to both the transmitter (function NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Further in- height of condensed water while operat- generator), which sends electric signals formation is contained in a TSP (see page 1). ing at the high-temperature conditions of to generate the elastic wave, and the re- In accordance with Public Law 96-517, 250 °C. For this purpose, the ultrasonic ceiver, which amplifies the attenuated re- the contractor has elected to retain title to this pulse-echo method is used where the flected waves that are converted to elec- invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its time-of-flight of the wave reflections in- tric signals. To avoid damage to the commercial use should be addressed to: side the water are measured, and it is receiver, the large signal from the gener- Innovative Technology Assets Management multiplied by the wave velocity to deter- ator is blocked by an electronic switching JPL mine the height. The pulse-echo test con- mechanism from reaching the receiving Mail Stop 202-233 sists of emitting ultrasonic wave pulses circuitry. To assure the operation of the 4800 Oak Grove Drive from a piezoelectric transducer and re- transducer at the required temperature Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 ceiving the reflections from the top and range, the piezoelectric transmitter/re- E-mail: [email protected] bottom of the condensed water. A single ceiver is selected with a Curie tempera- Refer to NPO-47518, volume and number transducer is used as a transmitter as well ture that is much higher. In addition, the of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the as the receiver of the ultrasonic waves. To system can be improved by introducing a page number.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 29 Control Program and Optical Improvements of Fresnel Microspectrometer This innovation is suitable for optical fiber communications and medical applications where multiple optical fibers are used. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

A microspectrometer has a circular geometry, and is designed with the Fres- nel diffraction equation. This enables a dramatic miniaturization of the optical parts of a spectrometer over 100 times by volume. Therefore, it enables the construction of spectrometer arrays such as 100×100 microspectrometers for tunable multispectral or hyper-spec- tral imaging. It can be used for a mas- sive, simultaneous spectral scan from multiple optical sources such as 10,000 optical fibers. Two laser beams of 532 nm (green) and 633 nm (red) wavelengths were mixed and combined at a beam mixer. After the beam mixing, the beam looks like a yellow color to a human eye. This mixed pseudo-yellow beam passes a beam chopper operating at 191 Hz to The configuration of the optical test platform and the Microspectrometer. modulate the beam for the lock-in am- plification. A spatial filter was used to get the lock-in amplifier. The lock-in ampli- and the spectral resolving power were in- a uniformly mixed TEM00 beam in a fier picks up only the 191 Hz frequency- creased with the increasing numbers of wide beam diameter of about 1 cm. locked signal from photon detector with rings in the grating. Then, the mixed beam enters the Fres- respect to the reference signal from the Because the size of each microspec- nel ring grating whose diameter is only beam chopper, and it rejects unwanted trometer is small, a dense array of spec- 750 µm. The ring grating separates the room lights and other stray lights. The trometers can be fabricated in a small lights according to the wavelengths, and computer receives the data from the area. Such an array can simultaneously only the selected photons of the desired lock-in amplifier and sends commands capture the multiple spectral signals wavelength can pass the aperture slit of to an XYZ stage actuator to change the from various sources. 25 µm in diameter. optical distance Z, between the ring grat- This work was done by Yeonjoon Park, Glen The number of passed photons is ing and the aperture slit. A spectral scan King, Sang Choi, and James Elliott of Langley measured as the current of a photon de- is made with the linear actuator move- Research Center. Further information is con- tector. The signal current is delivered to ment. The sharpness of the focal point tained in a TSP (see page 1). LAR-17661-1

Miniature Laser Magnetometer This device can be used for satellite, aircraft, and ground-based magnetic field sensors. Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

A conceptual design has been devel- dynamic range up to 75,000 nT. The ogy is significantly more stable and accu- oped for a miniature laser magnetome- scalar sensitivity will be 1 pT(Hz)–1/2 at 1 rate than these fluxgate magnetometers. ter (MLM) that will measure the scalar Hz with an accuracy of 0.2 nT. The vec- On satellites that include vector mag- magnitude and vector components of tor sensitivity will be 1 pT(Hz)–1/2 at 1 netometers, a separate reference scalar near-Earth magnetic fields. The MLM Hz with an accuracy of 0.5 nT. magnetometer is often included to cor- incorporates a number of technical in- Fluxgates are the most common vec- rect the gains, offsets, and alignment er- novations to achieve high-accuracy and tor magnetometers used in space appli- rors of the vector instrument. The MLM high-resolution performance while sig- cations. They suffer from variable gain will provide both scalar and self-cali- nificantly reducing the size of the laser- and offset drifts that significantly limit brated vector measurements of the mag- pumped helium magnetometer for use absolute accuracy for demanding scien- netic fields in a single instrument. on small satellites and unmanned aerial tific investigations of magnetic fields. The MLM is a single magnetometer vehicles (UAVs). The MLM will have a MLM’s helium magnetometer technol- instrument consisting of separate sensor

30 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 and electronics sections that has the ca- miniaturized components and packag- For scalar measurements, the MLM uses pability of measuring both the scalar ing methods for the MLM sensor and the magnetically driven spin precession magnetic field magnitude and the vec- electronics. The MLM conceptual design (MSP) technique where a coil near the tor magnetic field components. Fur- includes three key innovations. The first helium cell sensing element is driven thermore, the high-accuracy scalar is a new non-magnetic laser package that with a signal oscillating at the Larmor measurements are used to calibrate and will allow the placement of the laser frequency. The signals from three or- correct the vector component measure- pump source near the helium cell sens- thogonal cells are summed to obtain ments in order to achieve superior vec- ing elements. The second innovation is omnidirectional sensitivity. For vector tor accuracy and stability. The correc- the design of compact, nested, triaxial measurements, the MLM uses the bias tion algorithm applied to the vector Braunbek coils used in the vector meas- field nulling (BFN) technique where or- components for calibration and the urements that reduce the coil size by a thogonal coil sets around one cell are same cell for vector and scalar measure- factor of two compared to existing used to null the magnetic field. The ments are major innovations. The sepa- Helmholtz coils with similar field-genera- magnetic vector components are then rate sensor and electronics section of tion performance. The third innovation proportional to the current required to the MLM instrument allow the sensor to is a compact sensor design that reduces null the field in the cell. be installed on a boom or otherwise lo- the sensor volume by a factor of eight This work was done by Robert Slocum and cated away from electronics and other compared to MLM’s predecessor. Andy Brown of Polatomic Inc. for Goddard noisy magnetic components. The MLM design utilizes two distinct Space Flight Center. Further information is The MLM’s miniaturization will be ac- methods for performing scalar and vec- contained in a TSP (see page 1). GSC- complished through the use of advanced tor measurements of magnetic fields. 16115-1

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 31

Information Sciences

Finding Every Root of a Broad Class of Real, Continuous Functions in a Given Interval This robust and reliable algorithm is capable of locating the zeros of a continuous, nonlinear function. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

One of the most pervasive needs tion function becomes zero. Moreover, whose function value is less than ef in within the Deep Space Network (DSN) each event type may have several occur- magnitude is considered to be a root, Metric Prediction Generator (MPG) rences within a given time interval of in- and the function values at distances view period event generation is that of terest. For example, a spacecraft in a low xGuard away from a root are larger than finding solutions to given occurrence Moon orbit will experience several possi- ef, unless there is another root located in conditions. While the general form of an ble occultations per day, each of which this vicinity. A root is considered found equation expresses equivalence between must be located in time. The MPG is if, during iteration, two root candidates its left-hand and right-hand expressions, charged with finding all specified event differ by less than a pre-specified ex, and the traditional treatment of the subject occurrences that take place within a given the optimum cubic polynomial match- subtracts the two sides, leaving an ex- time interval (or “pass”), without any spe- ing the function at the end and at two in- pression of the form f(x) = 0. Values of cial clues from operators as to when they terval points (that is within a relative the independent variable x satisfying this may occur, for the entire spectrum of mis- error fraction εL at its midpoint) is reli- condition are roots, or solutions. Gener- sions undertaken by the DSN. For each able in indicating whether the function ally speaking, there may be no solutions, event type, the event metric function is a has extrema within the interval. The ro- a unique solution, multiple solutions, or known form that can be computed for bustness of this method depends solely a continuum of solutions to a given any instant within the interval. on choosing these four parameters that equation. A method has been created for a control the search. The roots of discon- In particular, all view period events are mathematical root finder to be capable tinuous functions were also found, but modeled as zero crossings of various met- of finding all roots of an arbitrary con- at degraded performance. rics; for example, the time at which the el- tinuous function, within a given interval, This work was done by Robert C. Taus- evation of a spacecraft reaches its maxi- to be subject to very lenient, parameter- worthe of SCT, Inc. and Paul A. Wolgast of mum value, as viewed from a Deep Space ized assumptions. One assumption is Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Station (DSS), is found by locating that that adjacent roots are separated at least For more information, contact iaoffice@ point at which the derivative of the eleva- by a given amount, xGuard. Any point jpl.nasa.gov. NPO-46901

Kalman Orbit Optimized Loop Tracking This method has application in military GNSS receivers. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Under certain conditions of low signal aggregate of information from all tracked celeration of the low-SNR signal. The low- power and/or high noise, there is insuf- GNSS signals to close the tracking loop SNR signal data are captured by a di- ficient signal to noise ratio (SNR) to for each signal. For applications where rected open loop. KOOL builds on the close tracking loops with individual sig- there is not a good dynamic model, such previous open loop tracking by including nals on orbiting Global Navigation Satel- as very low orbits where atmospheric drag feedback and observable generation lite System (GNSS) receivers. In addi- models may not be adequate to achieve from the weak-signal channels so that the tion, the processing power available from the required accuracy, aiding from an MSR receiver will continue to track and flight computers is not great enough to IMU (inertial measurement unit) or provide PVT, range, and Doppler data, implement a conventional ultra-tight other sensor will be added. The KOOL even when all channels have low SNR. coupling tracking loop. This work pro- approach is based on research JPL has The KOOL algorithm will also reduce vides a method to track GNSS signals at done to allow signal recovery from weak the processor throughput requirements. very low SNR without the penalty of re- and scintillating signals observed during This is enabled because the dynamic quiring very high processor throughput the use of GPS signals for limb sounding model of the receiver motion is very to calculate the loop parameters. of the Earth’s atmosphere. That ap- smooth, so that the full physical orbit The Kalman Orbit-Optimized Loop proach uses the onboard PVT (position, model can be run at a low rate; for exam- (KOOL) tracking approach constitutes a velocity, time) solution to generate pre- ple, every 10 seconds. This contrasts with filter with a dynamic model and using the dictions for the range, range rate, and ac- the signal tracking loop requirement for

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 33 a much less complex set of processor ac- throughput, considering both its lower lator must be commensurately stable, re- tivity at 50 Hz, a 500 times higher rate. rate and greater complexity. quiring (delta F)/F of about 10–11 over Coarse benchmarks of PVT filter re- KOOL tracking high-rate models for times up to 10 seconds. quirements for processor throughput, phase and range at shorter times will be This work was done by Lawrence E. Young and the benchmark tracking loop’s re- generated within the digital logic once and Thomas K Meehan of Caltech for NASA’s Jet quirements, indicate KOOL tracking they are primed with model parameters Propulsion Laboratory. For more information, will require an order of magnitude less from the PVT filter. The onboard oscil- contact [email protected]. NPO-46973

Development of Jet Noise Power Spectral Laws This model can be used in measuring high-temperature steam pipes, leak noise from high- pressure pipes, or any device that generates noise by jet exhaust. John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

High-quality jet noise spectral data meas- evaluated as a function of observer ing has been developed independent of ured at the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Lab- angle and jet temperature. Similar in- the nozzle design point. oratory (AAPL) at NASA Glenn is used to tensity laws were developed for the The computer program provides de- develop jet noise scaling laws. A FORTRAN broadband shock-associated noise in su- tailed narrow-band spectral predictions algorithm was written that provides de- personic jets. for component noise (mixing noise and tailed spectral prediction of component jet A computer program called “sJet” was shock associated noise), as well as the noise at user-specified conditions. The developed that provides a quick estimate total noise. Although the methodology model generates quick estimates of the jet of component noise in single-stream jets is confined to single streams, efforts are mixing noise and the broadband shock-as- at a wide range of operating conditions. underway to generate a data bank and sociated noise (BBSN) in single-stream, A number of features have been incor- algorithm applicable to dual-stream jets. axis-symmetric jets within a wide range of porated into the data bank and subse- Shock-associated noise in high-powered nozzle operating conditions. quent scaling in order to improve jet jets such as military aircraft can benefit Shock noise is emitted when super- noise predictions. Measurements have from these predictions. sonic jets exit a nozzle at imperfectly been converted to a lossless format. Set This work was done by Abbas Khavaran expanded conditions. A successful scal- points have been carefully selected to and James Bridges of Glenn Research Center. ing of the BBSN allows for this noise minimize the instability-related noise at Further information is contained in a TSP component to be predicted in both small aft angles. Regression parameters (see page 1). convergent and convergent-divergent have been scrutinized for error bounds Inquiries concerning rights for the commer- nozzles. at each angle. Screech-related amplifica- cial use of this invention should be addressed Configurations considered in this tion noise has been kept to a minimum to NASA Glenn Research Center, Innovative study consisted of convergent and con- to ensure that the velocity exponents for Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, Mail vergent-divergent nozzles. Velocity ex- the jet mixing noise remain free of am- Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleve- ponents for the jet mixing noise were plifications. A shock-noise-intensity scal- land, Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18600-1.

34 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Software

GLobal Integrated Design Environment John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio The GLobal Integrated Design Envi- dataset. In cases in which the engineers or later on Windows systems, and with ronment (GLIDE) is a collaborative en- are unable to meet, their parameters are Microsoft Excel X or later on Macin- gineering application built to resolve the passed via e-mail, telephone, facsimile, tosh systems. design session issues of real-time passing or even postal mail. The result of this GLIDE follows the Client-Server para- of data between multiple discipline ex- slow process of data exchange would digm, transferring encrypted and com- perts in a collaborative environment. elongate a design session to weeks or pressed data via standard Web protocols. Utilizing Web protocols and multiple even months. While the iterative process Currently, the engineers use Excel as a programming languages, GLIDE allows remains in place, software can now ex- front end to the GLIDE Client, as many engineers to use the applications to change parameters securely and effi- of their custom tools run in Excel. which they are accustomed — in this ciently, while at the same time allowing This work was done by Matthew Kunkel, case, Excel — to send and receive for much more information about a de- Melissa McGuire, David A. Smith, and datasets via the Internet to a database- sign session to be made available. Leon P. Gefert of Glenn Research Center. driven Web server. GLIDE is written in a compilation of Further information is contained in a TSP Traditionally, a collaborative design several programming languages, in- (see page 1). session consists of one or more engi- cluding REALbasic, PHP, and Microsoft Inquiries concerning rights for the commer- neers representing each discipline meet- Visual Basic. GLIDE client installers are cial use of this invention should be addressed ing together in a single location. The available to download for both Mi- to NASA Glenn Research Center, Innovative discipline leads exchange parameters crosoft Windows and Macintosh sys- Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, Mail and iterate through their respective tems. The GLIDE client software is Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleve- processes to converge on an acceptable compatible with Microsoft Excel 2000 land, Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18591-1.

SSC Engineering Analysis Stennis Space Center, Mississippi A package for the automation of the figuration management. Using Info- for users to notify and track notifications Engineering Analysis (EA) process at the engine Tasks, JSP (JavaServer Pages), to individuals about the EA. Stennis Space Center has been cus- Javascript, a user interface was created Prior to the Engineering Analysis cre- tomized. It provides the ability to assign within the Windchill product that allows ation, there was no electronic way of cre- and track analysis tasks electronically, and users to create EAs. Not only does this in- ating and tracking these analyses. There electronically route a task for approval. It terface allow users to create and track was also a feature that was added that now provides a mechanism to keep these EAs, but it plugs directly into the out-of- would allow users to track/log e-mail no- analyses under configuration manage- the-box ability to associate these analyses tifications of the EA. ment. It also allows the analysis to be with other relevant engineering data This work was done by Harry Ryan and stored and linked to the engineering data such as drawings. Also, using the Wind- Justin Junell of Stennis Space Center; Colby that is needed to perform the analysis chill workflow tool, the Design and Data Albasini of Computer Sciences Corporation; (drawings, etc.). PTC’s (Parametric Tech- Management System (DDMS) team cre- and William O’Rourke, Thang Le, Ted nology Corp o ration) Windchill product ated an electronic routing process based Strain, and Tim Stiglets of SaiTech. For more was customized to allow the EA to be cre- on the manual/informal approval information call the SSC Center Chief Technol- ated, routed, and maintained under con- process. The team also added the ability ogist at (228) 688-1929. Refer to SSC-00340.

Automated Cryocooler Monitor and Control System Software NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California This software is used in an automated cooled low-noise amplifier system de- The software contains algorithms nec- cryogenic control system developed to scribed in “Automated Cryocooler Mon- essary to convert non-linear output volt- monitor and control the operation of itor and Control System” (NPO-47246), ages from the cryogenic diode-type ther- small-scale crycoolers. The system was NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 35, No. 5 (May mometers and vacuum pressure and designed to automate the cryogenically 2011), page 7a. helium pressure sensors, to temperature

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 35 and pressure units. The control function operating mode. The external interface Ahmad Wilson of Caltech for NASA’s Jet algorithms use the monitor data to con- is Web-based. It acts as a Web server, pro- Propulsion Laboratory. Further information trol the cooler power, vacuum solenoid, viding pages for monitor, control, and is contained in a TSP (see page 1). vacuum pump, and electrical warm-up configuration. No client software from This software is available for commercial li- heaters. The control algorithms are the external user is required. censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of the based on a rule-based system that acti- This work was done by Michael J. Britcliffe, California Institute of Technology at vates the required device based on the Bruce L. Conroy, Paul E. Anderson, and [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47247.

Common Bolted Joint Analysis Tool Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas Common Bolted Joint Analysis Tool provides fatigue calculations, and gener- The three key features of the software (comBAT) is an Excel/VB-based bolted ates joint diagrams for a visual reference. are robust technical content, innovative joint analysis/optimization program that Optimum fastener size and material, as and user friendly I/O, and a large data- lays out a systematic foundation for an in- well as correct torque, can then be pro- base. The program addresses every as- experienced or seasoned analyst to deter- vided. pect of bolted joint analysis and proves mine fastener size, material, and assem- Analysis methodology, equations, and to be an instructional tool at the same bly torque for a given design. Analysts are guidelines are provided throughout the time. It saves analysis time, has intelli- able to perform numerous “what-if” sce- solution sequence so that this program gent messaging features, and catches op- narios within minutes to arrive at an opti- does not become a “black box” for the erator errors in real time. mal solution. The program evaluates analyst. There are built-in databases that This work was done by Kauser Imtiaz of input design parameters, performs joint reduce the legwork required by the ana- The Boeing Co. for Johnson Space Center. For assembly checks, and steps through nu- lyst. Each step is clearly identified and re- further information, contact the JSC Innova- merous calculations to arrive at several sults are provided in number format, as tive Partnerships Office at (281) 483-3809. key margins of safety for each member in well as color-coded spelled-out words to MSC-24836-1 a joint. It also checks for joint gapping, draw user attention.

Draper Station Analysis Tool Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas Draper Station Analysis Tool (DSAT) is ulations and the process of analysis. DSAT puter. DSAT provides better than an a computer program, built on commer- provides a graphical user interface (GUI), order of magnitude improvement in cost, cially available software, for simulating plus a Web-enabled interface, similar to schedule, and risk assessment for simula- and analyzing complex dynamic systems. the GUI, that enables a remotely located tion based design and verification of com- Heretofore used in designing and verify- user to gain access to the full capabilities plex dynamic systems. ing guidance, navigation, and control sys- of DSAT via the Internet and Web- This program was written by Nazareth tems of the International Space Station, browser software. Data structures are used Bedrossian, Jiann-Woei Jang, Edward Mc- DSAT has a modular architecture that to define the GUI, the Web-enabled inter- Cants, Zachary Omohundro, Tom Ring, Je- lends itself to modification for application face, simulations, and analyses. Three remy Templeton, Jeremy Zoss, Jonathan Wal- to spacecraft or terrestrial systems. DSAT data structures define the type of analysis lace, and Philip Ziegler of Charles Stark consists of user-interface, data-structures, to be performed: closed-loop simulation, Draper Laboratory, Inc., for Johnson Space simulation-generation, analysis, plotting, frequency response, and/or stability mar- Center. For further information, contact the documentation, and help components. gins. DSAT can be executed on almost Johnson Commercial Technology Office at DSAT automates the construction of sim- any workstation, desktop, or laptop com- (281) 483-3809. MSC-23607-1

Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio The Commercial Modular Aero- The model has been tuned to capture chitecture is representative of that Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C- the behavior of flight test data, and is found in industry. MAPSS40k) software package is a non- capable of running at any point in the The simulation environment gives the linear dynamic simulation of a flight envelope [up to 40,000 ft user easy access to health, control, and 40,000-pound (≈178-kN) thrust class (≈12,200 m) and Mach 0.8]. In addi- engine parameters. C-MAPSS40k has a commercial turbofan engine, written in tion to the open-loop engine, the simu- graphical user interface (GUI) to allow the MATLAB/Simulink environment. lation includes a controller whose ar- users to easily specify an arbitrarily com-

36 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 plex flight profile to be simulated, as in the engine or controller. The package (CLM) written in the industry-standard well as ambient conditions and deterio- has the capability to create and validate graphical MATLAB/Simulink environ- ration level of the engine. C-MAPSS40k a linear model of the engine at any oper- ment to allow for easy modification and has three actuators: fuel flow, variable ating point. Linear models can be used portability. At the time of this reporting, stator vanes, and variable bleed valve. for control design, and C-MAPSS40k no other such model exists in the public The three actuators enable off-nominal lends itself well to implementation and domain. operation, which is not possible with evaluation of advanced control designs This work was done by Ten-Huei Guo, simulations that have fuel flow as the as well as to diagnostic and prognostic Thomas Lavelle, and Jonathan Litt of Glenn sole actuator, since in those simulations system development. The simulation Research Center and Jeffrey Csank of N&R En- the other actuators are implicit and as- can be run in real time and can there- gineering and Ryan May of ASRC. Further in- sumed to operate nominally. The simu- fore be integrated into a flight simulator formation is contained in a TSP (see page 1). lation is modular to allow users to re- with a pilot in the loop for testing. Inquiries concerning rights for the commer- design or replace components such as C-MAPSS40k fills the need for an easy- cial use of this invention should be addressed the engine controller or turbomachin- to-use, realistic, transient simulation of a to NASA Glenn Research Center, Innovative ery components without having to mod- medium-size commercial turbofan en- Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, Mail ify the rest of the simulation. It also en- gine with a representative controller. It Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleve- ables the user to view and save any signal is a detailed component level model land, Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18624-1.

The Planning Execution Monitoring Architecture Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas The Planning Execution Monitoring assist human operators in performing execute the necessary steps for accom- (PEM) architecture is a design concept procedures or autonomously execute plishing a task based upon the current for developing autonomous cockpit routine cockpit procedures based on the mission state and available resources. command and control software. The operational context. Most importantly, The PEM architecture has potential PEM architecture is designed to reduce the PEM autonomous framework pro- for application outside the realm of the operations costs in the space trans- motes and simplifies the capture, verifi- spaceflight, including management of portation system through the use of au- cation, and validation of the flight oper- complex industrial processes, nuclear tomation while improving safety and op- ations knowledge. Through a control, and control of complex vehi- erability of the system. Specifically, the hierarchical decomposition of the do- cles such as submarines or unmanned PEM autonomous framework en ables main knowledge, the vehicle command air vehicles. automatic performance of many vehicle and control capabilities are divided into This work was done by Lui Wang, Bebe Ly, operations that would typically be per- manageable functional “chunks” that and Alan Crocker of Johnson Space Center; formed by a human. Also, this frame- can be captured and verified separately. Debra Schreckenghost of Metrica Inc; Stephen work supports varying levels of au- These functional units, each of which Mueller and Bob Phillips of Titan-LinCom tonomous control, ranging from fully has the responsibility to manage part of Corp.; and David Wadsworth and Charles automatic to fully manual control. the vehicle command and control, are Sorensen of Lockeed Martin Corp. For further The PEM autonomous framework in- modular, re-usable, and extensible. information, contact the Johnson Commercial terfaces with the “core” flight software to Also, the functional units are self-con- Technology Office at (281) 483-3809. MSC- perform flight procedures. It can either tained and have the ability to plan and 23628-1

Jitter Controller Software Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas Sinusoidal jitter is produced by simply Software was developed for managing greater demands are also made on modulating a clock frequency sinu- these relationships, automatically con- transmitter performance, and measure- soidally with a given frequency and ampli- figuring the generator, and saving test ment techniques are needed to confirm tude. But this can be expressed as phase results documentation. Tighter man- performance. It was discovered early jitter, frequency jitter, or cycle-to-cycle jit- agement of clock jitter and jitter sensi- that sinusoidal jitter can be stepped on ter, rms or peak, absolute units, or nor- tivity is required by new codes that fur- a grid such that one can connect points malized to the base clock frequency. Jitter ther extend the already high by constant phase jitter, constant fre- using other waveforms requires calculat- performance of space communication quency jitter, or constant cycle-cycle jit- ing and downloading these waveforms to links, completely correcting symbol ter. The tool automates adherence to a an arbitrary waveform generator, and error rates higher than 10 percent, and grid while also allowing adjustments off- helping the user manage relationships therefore typically requiring demodula- grid. Also, the jitter can be set by the among phase jitter crest factor, frequency tion and symbol synchronization hard- user on any dimension and the others jitter crest factor, and cycle-to-cycle jitter ware to operating at signal-to-noise ra- are calculated. The calculations are all (CCJ) crest factor. tios of less than one. To accomplish this, recorded, allowing the data to be rap-

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 37 idly plotted or re-plotted against differ- uct, and the operator’s worksheet. To- and provided almost instantaneous deci- ent interpretations just by changing gether, these allowed the operator to sion-making control over test flow. The pointers to columns. sweep the jitter stimulus quickly along code was written in LabVlEW, and calls A key advantage is taking data on a any of three dimensions and focus on Agilent instrument drivers to write to carefully controlled grid, which allowed the response of the system under test the generator hardware. a single data set to be post-analyzed (response was jitter transfer ratio, or per- This work was done by Chatwin Lans- many different ways. Another innova- formance degradation to the symbol or downe and Adam Schlesinger of Johnson tion was building a software tool to pro- codeword error rate). Add ition ally, man- Space Center. Further information is con- vide very tight coupling between the aging multi-tone and noise waveforms tained in a TSP (see page 1). MSC- 24814-1 generator and the recorded data prod- automated a tedious manual process,

µShell Minimalist Shell for Xilinx Microprocessors NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

µShell is a lightweight shell environ- since many hardware peripherals instan- about 4.8 kB and a size-optimized foot- ment for engineers and software devel- tiated in FPGAs have reasonably simple print of about 2.3 kB. Since µShell allows opers working with embedded micro- register-mapped I/O interfaces, the en- unfettered access to all processor-accessi- processors in Xilinx FPGAs. (µShell has gineer can edit and view hardware pa- ble memory locations, it is possible to also been successfully ported to run on rameter settings at any time without perform live patching on a running sys- ARM Cortex-M1 microprocessors in stopping the processor. tem. This can be useful, for instance, if a Actel ProASIC3 FPGAs, but without µShell comes with a set of support bug is discovered in a routine but the sys- project-integration support.) µShell de- scripts that interface seamlessly with Xil- tem cannot be rebooted: µShell allows a creases the time spent performing ini- inx’s EDK tool. Adding an instance of skilled operator to directly edit the bi- tial tests of field-programmable gate µShell to a project is as simple as mark- nary executable in memory. With some array (FPGA) designs, simplifies run- ing a check box in a library configura- forethought, µShell code can be located ning customizable one-time-only experi- tion dialog box and specifying a software in a different memory location from cus- ments, and provides a familiar-feeling project directory. The support scripts tom code, permitting the custom func- command-line interface. The program then examine the hardware design, tionality to be overwritten at any time comes with a collection of useful func- build design-specific functions, condi- without stopping the controlling shell. tions and enables the designer to add tionally include processor-specific func- This work was done by Thomas A. Werne an unlimited number of custom com- tions, and complete the compilation of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labo- mands, which are callable from the process. For code-size constrained de- ratory. Further information is contained in command-line. The commands are pa- signs, most of the stock functionality can a TSP (see page 1). rameterizable (using the C-based com- be excluded from the compiled library. This software is available for commercial li- mand-line parameter idiom), so the de- When all of the configurable options censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of signer can use one function to exercise are removed from the binary, µShell has the California Institute of Technology at hardware with different values. Also, an unoptimized memory footprint of [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47495.

Software Displays Data on Active Regions of the Sun Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

The Solar Active Region Display Sys- nal use in predicting space weather in automatically accounts for the latitude tem is a computer program that gener- order to minimize the exposure of astro- dependence of the rate of rotation of ates, in near real time, a graphical dis- nauts to ionizing radiation, the program the Sun, by use of a mathematical play of parameters indicative of the might also be useful on Earth for pre- model that is corrected with NOAA spatial and temporal variations of activ- dicting solar-wind-induced ionospheric SEC active-region position data once ity on the Sun. These parameters in- effects, electric currents, and potentials every 24 hours. The display includes clude histories and distributions of that could affect radio-communication the date, time, and an image of the Sun solar flares, active region growth, coro- systems, navigation systems, pipelines, in Hα light overlaid with latitude and nal mass ejections, size, and magnetic and long electric-power lines. longitude coordinate lines, dots that configuration. Raw data for the display are obtained mark locations of active regions identi- By presenting solar-activity data in automatically from the Space Environ- fied by NOAA, identifying numbers as- graphical form, this program acceler- ment Center (SEC) of the National signed by NOAA to such regions, and ates, facilitates, and partly automates Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- solar-region visual summary (SRVS) in- what had previously been a time-con- tion (NOAA). Other data must be ob- dicators associated with some of the ac- suming mental process of interpretation tained from the NOAA SEC by verbal tive regions. of solar-activity data presented in tabular communication and entered manually. Each SRVS indicator is a small pie and textual formats. Intended for origi- The Solar Active Region Display System chart containing five equal sectors, each

38 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 of which is color-coded to provide a region number causes the program to 24 hours, the magnetic configuration, semiquantitative indication of the de- generate a solar-region summary table and the types, dates, and times of the gree of hazard posed by one aspect of (SRT) for the active region in question. most recent flare and coronal mass the activity at the indicated location. The SRT contains additional quantita- ejection. The five aspects in question are the his- tive and qualitative data, beyond those This program was written by Mike Go- tory of solar flares, the history of coronal contained in the SRVS: These data in- lightly of Johnson Space Center, Mark Wey- mass ejections, the growth or decay of clude the solar coordinates of the re- land of Lockheed Martin, and Vern Raben activity, the overall size, and the mag- gion, the area of the region and its of Raben Systems, Inc. For further informa- netic configuration. change in area during the past 24 tion, contact the JSC Innovation Partner- Mouse-clicking on an active-region- hours, the change in the number of ships Office at (281) 483-3809. MSC- marking dot, SRVS indicator, or NOAA sunspots in the region during the past 23300-1

InSAR Scientific Computing Environment NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

This computing environment is the next generation of geodetic image pro- Geodetically cessing technology for repeat-pass Inter- accurate InSAR ferometric Synthetic Aperture (InSAR) sensors, identified by the community as a needed capability to provide flexibility and extensibility in reducing measure- ments from radar satellites and aircraft to new geophysical products. This soft- ware allows users of interferometric radar data the flexibility to process from Poor geodetic Level 0 to Level 4 products using a vari- InSAR accuracy ety of algorithms and for a range of In software ISCE Heaps available sensors. of Data There are many radar satellites in orbit today delivering to the science community data of unprecedented quantity and quality, making possible large-scale studies in climate research, natural hazards, and the Earth’s ecosystem. The proposed DESDynI mission, now under consideration by Conventional recipe Object Oriented NASA for launch later in this decade, Framework for scientists would provide time series and multi- image measurements that permit 4D The InSAR Scientific Computing Environment (ISCE) replaces old InSAR processing algorithms and con- models of Earth surface processes so ventional computing paradigms with modern geodetically accurate algorithms embedded at the core of a modern, flexible, and extensible object-oriented computing framework. The framework enables that, for example, climate-induced scientists to easily and efficiently process raw data into useful data products for their science models changes over time would become ap- and investigations. parent and quantifiable. This ad- vanced data processing technology, ap- has been re-thought in order to enable ming. The framework is designed to plied to a global data set such as from multi-scene analysis by adding new al- allow users’ contributions to promote the proposed DESDynI mission, en- gorithms and data interfaces, to permit maximum utility and sophistication of ables a new class of analyses at time user-reconfigurable operation and ex- the code, creating an open-source com- and spatial scales unavailable using tensibility, and to capitalize on codes munity that could extend the frame- current approaches. already developed by NASA and the sci- work into the indefinite future. This software implements an accu- ence community. The framework in- This work was done by Paul A. Rosen, rate, extensible, and modular process- corporates modern programming Gian Franco Sacco, and Eric M. Gurrola of ing system designed to realize the full methods based on recent research, in- JPL/Caltech; and Howard A. Zebker of Stan- potential of InSAR data from future cluding object-oriented scripts control- ford University for NASA’s Jet Propulsion missions such as the proposed DES- ling legacy and new codes, abstraction Laboratory. Further information is con- DynI, existing radar satellite data, as and generalization of the data model tained in a TSP (see page 1). well as data from the NASA UAVSAR for efficient manipulation of objects This software is available for commercial li- (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic among modules, and well-designed censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of Aperture Radar), and other airborne module interfaces suitable for com- the California Institute of Technology at platforms. The processing approach mand-line execution or GUI-program- [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47557.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 39 Software Architecture to Support the Evolution of the ISRU RESOLVE Engineering Breadboard Unit 2 (EBU2) John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida

The In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Regolith & Environmental Sci- ence and Oxygen & Lunar Volatiles Ex- traction (RESOLVE) software provides operation of the physical plant from a remote location with a high-level inter- face that can access and control the data from external software applications of other subsystems. This software allows autonomous control over the entire sys- tem with manual computer control of individual system/process components. It gives non-programmer operators the capability to easily modify the high-level auton omous sequencing while the soft- ware is in operation, as well as the ability to modify the low-level, file-based se- quences prior to the system operation. Local automated control in a distributed system is also enabled where component control is maintained during the loss of network connectivity with the remote workstation. This innovation also mini- mizes network traffic. The software architecture commands and controls the latest generation of RE- Integrated LWRD/RVC engineering breadboard unit showing computer controls. SOLVE processes used to obtain, process, and quantify lunar regolith. The ide, ammonia, hydrogen, and others. parameters need to be changed as more system is grouped into six sub-processes: This is done by heating the soil and ana- is learned about the system operation. Drill, Crush, Reactor, Lunar Water Re- lyzing and capturing the volatilized The Master Events Controller (MEC) is source Demonstration (LWRD), Reg - product. The second goal is to produce run on a standard laptop PC using Win- olith Volatiles Charact erization (RVC) water by reducing the soil at high tem- dows XP. This PC runs in parallel to an- (see example), and Regolith Oxygen Ex- peratures with hydrogen. This is done by other laptop that monitors the GC, and a traction (ROE). Some processes are in- raising the reactor temperature in the third PC that monitors the drilling/ dependent, some are dependent on range of 800 to 900 °C, causing the reac- crushing operation. These three PCs in- other processes, and some are independ- tion to progress by adding hydrogen, terface to the process through a Com- ent but run concurrently with other and then capturing the water product in pactRIO, OPC Servers, and modems. processes. a desiccant bed. This work was done by Thomas Moss, Mark The first goal is to analyze the volatiles The software needs to run the entire Nurge, and Stephen Perusich of Kennedy Space emanating from lunar regolith, such as unit and all sub-processes; however, Center. Further information is contained in water, carbon monoxide, carbon diox- throughout testing, many variables and a TSP (see page 1). KSC-13353

Coastal On-line Assessment and Synthesis Tool 2.0 Stennis Space Center, Mississippi

COAST (Coastal On-line Assessment fits associated with taking advantage of and/or multi-temporal visual analytical and Synthesis Tool) is a 3D, open-source an open-source geo-browser are that it is look into possible data interrelationships Earth data browser developed by lever- free, extensible, and offers a worldwide and coeffectors for coastal environment aging and enhancing previous NASA developer community that is available to phenomenology. COAST provides users open-source tools. These tools use satel- provide additional development and im- with new data visual analytic capabilities. lite imagery and elevation data in a way provement potential. COAST has been upgraded to maximize that allows any user to zoom from orbit What makes COAST unique is that it use of open-source data access, viewing, view down into any place on Earth, and simplifies the process of locating and ac- and data manipulation software tools. enables the user to experience Earth ter- cessing data sources, and allows a user to The COAST 2.0 toolset has been devel- rain in a visually rich 3D view. The bene- combine them into a multi-layered oped to increase access to a larger realm

40 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 of the most commonly implemented data port Data Tool (IDT), and the Add Points This work was done by Richard Brown of formats used by the coastal science com- Tool (APT). With these improvements, Science Systems and Applications, Inc., An- munity. New and enhanced functionali- users can integrate their own data with drew Navard of Computer Sciences Corpora- ties that upgrade COAST to COAST 2.0 other data sources, and visualize the re- tion, and Beth Nguyen of Delta Computer So- include the development of the Tempo- sulting layers of different data types (such lutions for Stennis Space Center. For more ral Visualization Tool (TVT) plug-in, the as spatial and spectral, for simultaneous information, contact the Office of Chief Tech- Recursive Online Remote Data-Data visual analysis), and visualize temporal nologist at Stennis Space Center, 228-688- Mapper (RECORD-DM) utility, the Im- changes in areas of interest. 1929. Refer to SSC-00357.

Generalized Software Architecture Applied to the Continuous Lunar Water Separation Process and the Lunar Greenhouse Amplifier John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida This innovation provides the user with The objective for these programs was the program in various configurations, autonomous on-screen monitoring, em- to create a software application that along with specialized devices such as bedded computations, and tabulated out- would provide both autonomous moni- photodiode sensors. put for two new processes. The software toring and data storage, along with The goal of the CLWSP research proj- was originally written for the Continuous manual manipulation. The software ect is to design, build, and test a new Lunar Water Separation Process also allows operators the ability to method to continuously separate, cap- (CLWSP), but was found to be general input experimental changes and com- ture, and quantify water from a gas enough to be applicable to the Lunar ments in real time without modifying stream. The application is any In-Situ Greenhouse Amplifier (LGA) as well, the code itself. Common process ele- Resource Utilization (ISRU) process with minor alterations. The resultant pro- ments, such as thermocouples, pres- that desires to extract or produce water gram should have general applicability to sure transducers, and relative humidity from lunar or planetary regolith. The many laboratory processes (see figure). sensors, are easily incorporated into present work is aimed at circumventing

Sample Process

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 41 current problems and ultimately pro- Plastics are much lighter and resilient, ble of running autonomously on the ducing a system capable of continuous but are not efficient for absorbing long- Moon, Mars, and beyond. operation at moderate temperatures wavelength infrared radiation and The software for both applications that can be scaled over a large capacity therefore will lose more heat to the en- needs to run the entire units and all sub- range depending on the ISRU process. vironment compared to glass. The LGA processes; however, throughout testing, The goal of the LGA research project unit uses a transparent polymer “an- many variables and parameters need to is to design, build, and test a new type of techamber” that surrounds part of the be changed as more is learned about the greenhouse that could be used on the greenhouse and encases the SGGs, system operation. The software provides moon or Mars. The LGA uses super thereby minimizing infrared losses the versatility to permit the software op- greenhouse gases (SGGs) to absorb through the plastic windows. With ambi- eration to change as the user require- long-wavelength radiation, thus creat- ent temperatures at the lunar poles at ments evolve. ing a highly efficient greenhouse at a fu- –50 ºC, the LGA should provide a sub- This work was done by Stephen Perusich, ture lunar or Mars outpost. Silica-based stantial enhancement to currently con- Thomas Moss, and Anthony Muscatello of glass, although highly efficient at trap- ceived lunar greenhouses. Positive re- Kennedy Space Center. Further information ping heat, is heavy, fragile, and not suit- sults obtained from this project could is contained in a TSP (see page 1). KSC- able for space greenhouse applications. lead to a future large-scale system capa- 13539

Graphical Language for Data Processing Stennis Space Center, Mississippi

A graphical language for processing process graph. By working graphically, executes that graph. The execution of data allows processing elements to be the user can completely visualize the the graph follows the interpreted connected with virtual “wires” that rep- process flow and create complex dia- model of execution in that each node is resent data flows between processing grams. This innovation supports the traversed and executed from the origi- modules. The processing of complex nesting of graphs, such that a graph can nal internal representation. In addi- data, such as lidar data, requires many be included in another graph as a single tion, there are components that allow different algorithms to be applied. The step for processing. external code elements, such as algo- purpose of this innovation is to auto- In addition to the user interface com- rithms, to be easily integrated into the mate the processing of complex data, ponents, the system includes a set of system, thus making the system infi- such as LIDAR, without the need for .NET classes that represent the graph nitely expandable. complex scripting and programming internally. These classes provide the in- This work was done by Keith Alphonso of languages. ternal system representation of the Diamond Data Systems for Stennis Space The system consists of a set of user-in- graphical user interface. The system in- Center. For more information, contact Keith terface components that allow the user cludes a graph execution component Alphonso, Director Diamond Data Systems, a to drag and drop various algorithmic that reads the internal representation Geocent Company at [email protected], and processing components onto a of the graph (as described above) and (228) 688-3145. SSC-00324

Monitoring Areal Snow Cover Using NASA Satellite Imagery Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland The objective of this project is to de- for ingesting NASA EOS satellite im- and convert them to gridded datasets velop products and tools to assist in the agery (snow cover analysis), preparing that can be readily used. Statistical tech- hydrologic modeling process, including hydrologic model inputs, and visualizing niques will then be applied to the grid- tools to help prepare inputs for hydro- streamflow forecasts. Primary products ded snow cover data to predict the pres- logic models and improved methods for include a software tool for predicting ence of snow under cloud cover. The the visualization of streamflow forecasts. the presence of snow under clouds in toolbar has the ability to ingest both bi- In addition, this project will facilitate the satellite images; a software tool for pro- nary and fractional snow cover data. Bi- use of NASA satellite imagery (primarily ducing gridded temperature and precip- nary mapping techniques use a set of snow cover imagery) by other federal itation forecasts; and a suite of tools for thresholds to determine whether a and state agencies with operational visualizing hydrologic model forecasting pixel contains snow or no snow. Frac- streamflow forecasting responsibilities. results. The toolkit will be an expert sys- tional mapping techniques provide in- A GIS software toolkit for monitoring tem designed for operational users that formation regarding the percentage of areal snow cover extent and producing need to generate accurate streamflow each pixel that is covered with snow. streamflow forecasts is being developed. forecasts in a timely manner. After the imagery has been ingested, This toolkit will be packaged as multiple The Remote Sensing of Snow Cover physiographic data is attached to each extensions for ArcGIS 9.x and an open- Toolbar will ingest snow cover imagery cell in the snow cover image. This data source GIS software package. The from multiple sources, including the can be obtained from a digital elevation toolkit will provide users with a means MODIS Operational Snowcover Data model (DEM) for the area of interest. If

42 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 the snow cover image contains cloud uted basis. This is completed using tem- weather station (base station) located cover, regression tree analysis is used to perature data, and will be expanded in within the watershed; and (3) applying predict the presence of snow cover the future to include precipitation data. the monthly temperature lapse rates to under clouds. The Streamflow Forecast Visualization create gridded values. After a DEM is se- The Gridded Temperature and Pre- Toolbar will generate visualizations of lected for the area of interest, the GIS cipitation Forecast Toolbar will ingest streamflow forecasts. Outputs include a tools essentially complete the interpola- forecasts from numerical weather pre- variety of tables, charts, and figures de- tion process for any specified day auto- diction models and produce gridded picting streamflow forecasts in formats matically. Tools are included to assist in forecasts that can be used as input for that can be easily interpreted by the gen- the validation of the forecast grids. distributed hydrologic models. This eral public. This work was done by Brian J. Harsh- toolbar will enable users to easily pro- The interpolation process entails: (1) burger, Troy Blandford, and Brandon Moore duce gridded fields of temperature and obtaining a DEM for the watershed of Aniuk Consulting, LLC, for Goddard precipitation from location-specific fore- (basin) of interest; (2) obtaining tem- Space Flight Center. Further information is casts, which is needed since a majority of perature (forecasted or observed) and contained in a TSP (see page 1). GSC- hydrologic models are run on a distrib- elevation values for an individual 15791-1

Adaptation of G-TAG Software for Validating Touch-and-Go Comet Surface Sampling Design Methodology NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

The G-TAG software tool was devel- oped under the R&TD on Integrated Autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control for Comet Sample Return, and represents a novel, multi-body dynamics simulation software tool for studying TAG sampling. The G-TAG multi-body simulation tool provides a simulation environment in which a Touch-and-Go (TAG) sampling event can be extensively tested. TAG sam- pling requires the spacecraft to descend to the surface, contact the surface with a sampling collection device, and then to ascend to a safe altitude. The TAG event lasts only a few seconds but is mission- critical with potentially high risk. Conse- quently, there is a need for the TAG event to be well characterized and stud- ied by simulation and analysis in order for the proposal teams to converge on a reliable spacecraft design. This adaptation of the G-TAG tool was developed to support the Comet Odyssey proposal effort, and is specifi- Comet Spacecraft Concept: Red arrows point to joints, blue arrows to spacecraft body components. cally focused to address comet sample The frame used for the simulation and for creating simulation movies is shown in the lower-left cor- return missions. In this application, the ner (x-axis completes coordinate system using the right-hand rule). spacecraft descends to and samples from the surface of a comet. Perform- craft, descent profiles, and external sam- using G-View, contributed to the Comet ance of the spacecraft during TAG is as- pling forces/torques were more sophisti- Odyssey New Frontiers proposal effort sessed based on survivability and sample cated and customized for comets than by indicating problems and/or benefits collection performance. those available in the basic G-TAG simu- of different approaches and designs. For the adaptation of the G-TAG sim- lation tool. This work was done by Milan Mandic, Be- ulation tool to comet scenarios, models Scenarios implemented include the hcet Acikmese, and Lars Blackmore of Caltech are developed that accurately describe study of variations in requirements, for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Further the properties of the spacecraft, ap- spacecraft design (size, locations, etc. of information is contained in a TSP (see page 1). proach trajectories, and descent veloci- the spacecraft components), and the en- This software is available for commercial li- ties, as well as the models of the external vironment (surface properties, slope, censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of forces and torques acting on the space- disturbances, etc.). The simulations, the California Institute of Technology at craft. The adapted models of the space- along with their visual representations [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47199.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 43 Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer files that also contained other paper ables the ISS crew to electronically indi- (OSTPV) is a computer program for documents. Hence, the introduction of cate execution of timeline steps, launch electronic display of mission plans and OSTPV has both reduced the consump- electronic procedures, and efficiently timelines, both aboard the Interna- tion of resources and saved time in up- report to ground control teams on the tional Space Station (ISS) and in ISS dating plans and timelines. OSTPV ac- statuses of ISS activities, all by use of lap- ground control stations located in sev- cepts, as input, the mission timeline top computers aboard the ISS. eral countries. OSTPV was specifically output of a legacy, print-oriented, This work was done by Tim Hall and designed both (1) for use within the UNIX-based program called “Consoli- Troy LeBlanc of Johnson Space Center and limited ISS computing environment dated Planning System” and converts Brian Ulman, Aaron McDonald, Paul and (2) to be compatible with comput- the timeline information for display in Gramm, Li-Min Chang, Suman Keerthi, ers used in ground control stations. an interactive, dynamic, Windows Web- Dov Kivlovitz, and Jason Hadlock of United OSTPV supplants a prior system in based graphical user interface that is Space Alliance. Further information is which, aboard the ISS, timelines were used by both the ISS crew and ground contained in a TSP (see page 1). MSC- printed on paper and incorporated into control teams in real time. OSTPV en- 24335-1

Multidisciplinary Tool for Systems Analysis of Planetary Entry, Descent, and Landing Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia Systems analysis of a planetary entry (SAPE), descent, and landing (EDL) is a multidisciplinary activity in nature. SAPE improves the performance of the systems analysis team by automating and streamlining the process, and this im- provement can reduce the errors that stem from manual data transfer among discipline experts. SAPE is a multidisciplinary tool for sys- tems analysis of planetary EDL for Venus, (a) Bar truss (b) Warren truss (c) Warren truss Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Nep- on backshell. on backshell. on forward shell. tune, and Titan. It performs EDL systems analysis for any planet, operates cross-plat- SAPE is capable of analyzing and sizing certain classes of planetary probles, as demonstrated by sam- form (i.e., Windows, Mac, and Linux op- ple structural topologies for Pathfinder probe. erating systems), uses existing software components and open-source software to gration and for the user interface. Devel- rently includes the following analysis avoid software licensing issues, performs opment has relied heavily on the object- modules: geometry, trajectory, aerody- low-fidelity systems analysis in one hour oriented programming capabilities that namics, aerothermal, thermal protection on a computer that is comparable to an are available in Python. Modules are pro- system, and interface for structural sizing. average laptop, and keeps discipline ex- vided to interface with commercial and This work was done by Jamshid A. perts in the analysis loop. government off-the-shelf software compo- Samareh of Langley Research Center. Further SAPE uses Python, a platform-inde- nents (e.g., thermal protection systems information is contained in a TSP (see pendent, open-source language, for inte- and finite-element analysis). SAPE cur- page 1). LAR-17821-1

Bundle Security Protocol for ION NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California This software implements bundle au- DTN. This is the only implementation of dictable loss of connectivity, long or vari- thentication, conforming to the Delay- BSP that is integrated with ION. able delay, asymmetric data rates, and Tolerant Networking (DTN) Internet The bundle protocol is used in DTNs high error rates. The purpose of the bun- Draft on Bundle Security Protocol that overlay multiple networks, some of dle protocol is to support interoperabil- (BSP), for the Interplanetary Overlay which may be challenged by limitations ity across such stressed networks. The Network (ION) implementation of such as intermittent and possibly unpre- bundle protocol is layered on top of a

44 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 “convergence layer” of adapters that en- environment poses unique challenges on The ION system runs on Linux, capsulate bundles in the protocol data the mechanisms needed to secure the OS/X, Solaris, FreeBSD, RTEMS, and units (PDUs) of the underlying net- bundle protocol. Furthermore, DTNs VxWorks, and it should port readily to works’ native protocols for transmission may very likely be deployed in environ- other POSIX-based operating systems. and also extract bundles from the PDUs ments where a portion of the network No special hardware is required. RAM of those protocols as they are received. might become compromised, posing the (random access memory) requirements This convergence-layer encapsulation usual security challenges related to confi- depend on the volume of DTN traffic enables an application in one network to dentiality, integrity, and availability. that must be handled. communicate with an application in an- The BSP encompasses four mecha- This work was done by Scott C. Burleigh of other network built on entirely different nisms that are designed to provide this Caltech and Edward J. Birrane and Christo- native protocols, both of which are security. The technology currently being pher Krupiarz of the Johns Hopkins Univer- spanned by the DTN. reported implements one of those sity Applied Physics Laboratory for NASA’s Jet Security will be important for the bun- mechanisms, the Bundle Authentication Propulsion Laboratory. Further information dle protocol. The stressed environment Block (BAB), and provides a framework is contained in a TSP (see page 1). of the underlying networks over which for implementation of the remaining This software is available for commercial li- the bundle protocol will operate makes it mechanisms: Payload Integrity Block, censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of important that the DTN be protected Payload Confidentiality Block, and Ex- the California Institute of Technology at from unauthorized use, and this stressed tension Security Block. [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47211.

Visual PEF Reader — VIPER NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California This software graphically displays all pertinent information from a Predicted Events File (PEF) using the Java Swing framework, which allows for multi-plat- form support. The PEF is hard to weed through when looking for specific in- formation and it is a desire for the MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) Mission Planning & Sequencing Team (MPST) to have a different way to visu- alize the data. This tool will provide the team with a visual way of reviewing and error-checking the sequence product. The front end of the tool contains much of the aesthetically appealing ma- terial for viewing. The time stamp is dis- played in the top left corner, and high- lighted details are displayed in the bottom left corner. The time bar stretches along the top of the window, and the rest of the space is allotted for blocks and step functions. A preferences window is used to control the layout of the sections along with the ability to choose color and size of the blocks. Double-clicking on a block will show information contained within the block. Zooming into a certain level will graphi- cally display that information as an over- VIPER GUI general preferences. lay on the block itself. Other functions include using hotkeys to navigate, an op- determine what information is impor- This work was done by Victor Luo, Teera- tion to jump to a specific time, enabling tant within each block and what actu- pat Khanampornpan, Rudy A. Boehmer, and a vertical line, and double-clicking to ally defines the beginning and end of a Rachel Y. Kim of Caltech for NASA’s Jet zoom in/out. block. This gives the user much more Propulsion Laboratory. Further information The back end involves a configura- flexibility in terms of what the tool is is contained in a TSP (see page 1). tion file that allows a more experi- searching for. In addition to the config- This software is available for commercial li- enced user to pre-define the structure urability, all the settings in the prefer- censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of of a block, a single event, or a step ences window are saved in the configu- the California Institute of Technology at function. The individual will have to ration file as well. [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47509.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 45 Link Analysis in the Mission Planning Lab Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland The legacy communications link sis tool calculates signal strength and sig- (GUI) written in MATLAB (see figure analysis software currently used at Wal- nal-to-noise according to the accepted upper right-hand corner) is also used to lops Flight Facility involves processes processes for command destruct, radar, quickly depict link budget information that are different for command destruct, and telemetry assets. Graphs and other for multiple ground assets. This new radar, and telemetry. There is a clear ad- custom data are generated rapidly in for- method yields a dramatic decrease in vantage to developing an easy-to-use tool mats for reports and presentations. STK the time it takes to provide launch man- that combines all the processes in one is used for analysis as well as to depict agers with the required link budgets to application. Link Analysis in the Mission plume angles and antenna gain patterns make critical pre-mission decisions. The Planning Lab (MPL) uses custom soft- in 3D. software code used for these two custom ware and algorithms integrated with An- The MPL has developed two inter- utilities is a product of NASA’s MPL. alytical Graphics Inc. Satellite Toolkit faces with the STK software (see figure). This work was done by Jessica A. Mc- (AGI STK). The MPL link analysis tool The first interface is an HTML utility, Carthy, Benjamin W. Cervantes, Sarah C. uses pre/post-mission data to conduct a which was developed in Visual Basic to Daugherty, Felipe Arroyo, and Divyang Mago dynamic link analysis between ground enhance analysis for plume modeling of Goddard Space Flight Center. Further in- assets and the launch vehicle. Just as the and to offer a more user friendly, flexi- formation is contained in a TSP (see page legacy methods do, the MPL link analy- ble tool. A graphical user interface 1). GSC-15733-1

Mission Planning Lab Link analysis software tool.

MatchGUI: A Graphical MATLAB-Based Tool for Automatic Image Co-Registration NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California MatchGUI software, based on MAT- ortho-rectified images (focused prima- This work was done by Adnan I. Ansar of Cal- LAB, automatically matches two images rily on Mars orbital imagery for now), tech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For and displays the match result by super- this software automatically co-registers more information, contact [email protected]. imposing one image on the other. A the imagery so that corresponding This software is available for commercial li- slider bar allows focus to shift between image pixels are aligned. MatchGUI re- censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of the two images. There are tools for quires minimal user input, and per- the California Institute of Technology at zoom, auto-crop to overlap region, and forms a registration over scale and in- [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47513. basic image markup. Given a pair of plane rotation fully automatically.

46 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control Visualization Tool NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

G-View is a 3D visualization tool for supporting spacecraft guidance, naviga- tion, and control (GN&C) simulations relevant to small-body exploration and sampling (see figure). The tool is devel- oped in MATLAB using Virtual Reality Toolbox and provides users with the abil- ity to visualize the behavior of their simu- lations, regardless of which program- ming language (or machine) is used to generate simulation results. The only re- quirement is that multi-body simulation data is generated and placed in the proper format before applying G-View. G-View allows the user to visualize the behavior of a multi-body system (i.e. a spacecraft, the translations and rota- tions of the spacecraft body compo- nents, thruster firings, and thrust mag- nitude) by simultaneously showing plots of various relevant states and parame- ters. In G-View, the user can easily ma- nipulate the location, zoom, translation, and direction of the camera, thus pro- viding a wide range of options for view- ing the behavior of specific spacecraft components, such as the solar panels, Comet GN&C example of G-View. mechanical arms, brush-wheel sampler, joints, etc. simulation one frame at a time. This is complex scenarios, and improve trou- G-View is easily modifiable and can especially beneficial when applied to bleshooting efficiency. be adjusted to specific design or simula- simulation environments that require This work was done by Milan Mandic, Behcet tion requirements. For example, one long running times. By extracting visu- Acikmese, and Lars Blackmore of Caltech for mode of usage is to create movie clips alization data at specific time instants, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Further in- for a batch-collected set of data. This the user can assess whether the simula- formation is contained in a TSP (see page 1). provides a visual aid supporting itera- tion has the desired behavior or if This software is available for commercial li- tive design methods and an efficient something is wrong and is not worth censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of tool for generating presentations. G- continuing. In this manner, G-View can the California Institute of Technology at View can also be applied to a computer save significant time when simulating [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47197.

Mission Operations Planning and Scheduling System (MOPSS) Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland MOPSS is a generic framework that craft. This approach required creating a MOPSS is an expert system that auto- can be configured on the fly to support a data repository for storing planning and mates mission operations and frees the wide range of planning and scheduling scheduling information, building user flight operations team to concentrate on applications. It is currently used to sup- interfaces to display data, generating critical activities. It is easily reconfigured port seven missions at Goddard Space needed scheduling algorithms, and im- by the flight operations team as the mis- Flight Center (GSFC) in roles that in- plementing customized external inter- sion evolves. The heart of the system is a clude science planning, mission plan- faces. Complex scheduling problems custom object-oriented data layer ning, and real-time control. that involved reacting to multiple vari- mapped onto an Oracle relational data- Prior to MOPSS, each spacecraft proj- able situations were analyzed manually. base. The combination of these two tech- ect built its own planning and schedul- Operators then used the results to add nologies allows a user or system engineer ing capability to plan satellite activities commands to the schedule. Each archi- to capture any type of scheduling or and communications and to create the tecture was unique to specific satellite planning data in the system’s generic commands to be uplinked to the space- requirements. data storage via a GUI.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 47 MOPSS uses CORBA in conjunction mission scientists and engineers to mon- in a network and resources within hospi- with a multi-tier architecture to allow itor spacecraft integration tests. tals. In the power industry, MOPSS can multiple users to concurrently view and The most obvious use of MOPSS is for be used to schedule nuclear power plant edit schedule data. The adaptable archi- control of commercial satellites. In the maintenance. The education and trans- tecture of MOPSS also enables easy inte- television industry, MOPSS could be portation fields are also candidates. gration of tools and models to satisfy new used to schedule TV commercials on This work was done by Terri Wood of God- system requirements. MOPSS has two broadcast television based on FCC rules, dard Space Flight Center and Paul Hempel of clients: an X/MOTIF client and a Java demographics, and program content. In Computer Sciences Corp. Further information client. The Java client is effective over the the medical field, MOPSS could be used is contained in a TSP (see page 1).. GSC- Web and has been used by remote MAP to schedule and optimize use of hospitals 15858-1

Global Precipitation Mission Visualization Tool Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland The Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) software provides graphic visuali- zation tools that enable easy comparison of ground- and space-based radar obser- vations. It was initially designed to com- pare ground radar reflectivity from oper- ational, ground-based, S- and C-band meteorological radars with comparable measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite’s precipitation radar instrument. This de- sign is also applicable to other ground- based and space-based radars, and allows both ground- and space-based radar data to be compared for validation purposes. The tool creates an operational system that routinely performs several steps. It in- gests satellite radar data (precipitation radar data from TRMM) and ground- based meteorological radar data from a number of sources. Principally, the ground radar data comes from national networks Location of Validation Network match-up sites and associated site grid domains in the southeastern U.S. of weather radars (see figure). The data in- gested by the visualization tool must con- well as statistical and graphical analysis (in- as a stand-alone executable function. form to the data formats used in GPM Val- cluding two-dimensional graphical dis- This work was done by Mathew Schwaller idation Network Geometry-matched data plays) on the match-up data. of Goddard Space Flight Center. For further product generation. The software also per- The visualization tool software is writ- information, contact the Goddard Innovative forms match-ups of the radar volume data ten in IDL, and can be operated either Partnerships Office at (301) 286-5810. GSC- for the ground- and space-based data, as in the IDL development environment or 15785-1

Thermal Protection System Imagery Inspection Management System —TIIMS Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas TIIMS is used during the inspection certain quickly the status of the inspec- each zone and tile, and via query, sends phases of every mission to provide quick tion process, and current determination the information to a graphical image visual feedback, detailed inspection of any problem zones. generation program. Using the official data, and determination to the mission The TIIMS system allows inspection TIPS database tile positions and sizes, the management team. This system consists engineers to enter their determinations graphical image generation program of a visual Web page interface, an SQL into a database and to link pertinent im- creates images of the current status of database, and a graphical image genera- ages and video to those database entries. the orbiter, coloring zones, and tiles tor. These combine to allow a user to as- The database then assigns criteria to based on a predefined key code. These

48 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 images are then displayed on a Web page contains links into the database to access This work was done by Sharon Goza and using customized JAVA scripts to display the images used by the inspection engi- David L. Melendrez of Johnson Space Center, the appropriate zone of the orbiter neer when they make the determination Marsha Hennigan of Jacobs Engineering, based on the location of the user’s cur- entered into the database. Status for the Daniel LaBasse of MEI Technologies, and sor. The close-up graphic and database inspection zones changes as determina- Daniel J. Smith, consultant. Further informa- entry for that particular zone can then tions are refined and shown by the ap- tion is contained in a TSP (see page 1). be seen by selecting the zone. This page propriate color code. MSC-24484-1

Computer-Aided Parallelizer and Optimizer Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

The Computer-Aided Parallelizer and Optimizer (CAPO) automates the inser- tion of compiler directives (see figure) to facilitate parallel processing on Shared Memory Parallel (SMP) ma- chines. While CAPO currently is inte- grated seamlessly into CAPTools (devel- oped at the University of Greenwich, now marketed as ParaWise), CAPO was independently developed at Ames Re- search Center as one of the components for the Legacy Code Modernization (LCM) project. The current version takes serial FORTRAN programs, per- forms interprocedural data dependence analysis, and generates OpenMP direc- tives. Due to the widely supported OpenMP standard, the generated OpenMP codes have the potential to run on a wide range of SMP machines. CAPO relies on accurate interproce- dural data dependence information cur- rently provided by CAPTools. Compiler directives are generated through identi- fication of parallel loops in the outer- most level, construction of parallel re- The Main GUI (Directives Browser) for CAPO. gions around parallel loops and optimization of parallel regions, and in- chronization). Although directives are The work was done by Haoqiang Jin of sertion of directives with automatic iden- generated automatically, user interac- MRJ Technology Solutions for Ames Research tification of private, reduction, induc- tion with the tool is still important for Center. For further information, access http:// tion, and shared variables. producing good parallel codes. A com- people.nas.nasa.gov/~hjin/CAPO/ Attempts also have been made to prehensive graphical user interface is in- index.html. ARC-14487-1 identify potential pipeline parallelism cluded for users to interact with the par- (implemented with point-to-point syn- allelization process.

CCSDS Advanced Orbiting Systems Virtual Channel Access Service for QoS MACHETE Model NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

To support various communications Evaluation (MACHETE), described in supports orbital analysis, link budget requirements imposed by different mis- “Simulator of Space Communication analysis, communications network simu- sions, interplanetary communication Networks” (NPO-41373), NASA Tech lations, and hardware-in-the-loop test- protocols need to be designed, vali- Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 8 (August 2005), p. ing. By building abstract behavioral dated, and evaluated carefully. Multi- 44, combines various tools for simula- models of network protocols, one can mission Advanced Communications Hy- tion and performance analysis of space validate performance after identifying brid Environment for Test and networks. The MACHETE environment the appropriate metrics of interest. The

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 49 innovators have extended the MA- bers, allowing extended QoS handling different queuing and scheduling poli- CHETE model library to include a at link layer. This feature further re- cies at the link layer. This VC model sup- generic link-layer Virtual Channel (VC) fines the QoS v existing at the network ports system performance analysis of var- model supporting quality-of-service layer. ious virtual channel link-layer QoS (QoS) controls based on IP streams. QoS at the network layer (e.g. diff- queuing schemes independent of the The main purpose of this generic Vir- serv) supports few QoS classes, so data network-layer QoS systems. tual Channel model addition was to in- from one class will be aggregated to- This work was done by Esther H. Jennings terface fine-grain flow-based QoS (qual- gether; differentiating between flows in- and John S. Segui of Caltech for NASA’s Jet ity of service) between the network and ternal to a class/priority is not sup- Propulsion Laboratory. For more information, MAC layers of the QualNet simulator, a ported. By adding QoS classification contact [email protected]. commercial component of MACHETE. capability between network and MAC This software is available for commercial li- This software model adds the capability layers through VC, one maps multiple censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of of mapping IP streams, based on VCs onto the same physical link. Users the California Institute of Technology at header fields, to virtual channel num- then specify different VC weights, and [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47464.

Conceptual Model of Quantities, Units, Dimensions, and Values NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

JPL collaborated with experts from industry and other organi- zations to develop a conceptual model of quantities, units, di- mensions, and values based on the current work of the ISO 80000 committee revising the International System of Units & Quantities based on the Inter- national Vocabulary of Metrol- ogy (VIM). By providing sup- port for ISO 80000 in SysML via the International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM), this concep- tual model provides, for the first time, a standard-based ap- proach for addressing issues of unit coherence and dimen- sional analysis into the practice of systems engineering with SysMLbased tools. This concep- tual model provides support for two kinds of analyses specified in the International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM): coherence of units as well as of systems of units, and dimension analysis of systems of quantities. To provide a solid and stable foundation, the model for defin- ing quantities, units, dimen- sions, and values in SysML is ex- plicitly based on the concepts defined in VIM. At the same time, the model library is de- signed in such a way that exten- sions to the ISQ (International System of Quantities) and SI Units (Systeme International d’Unites) can be represented, as The key abstractions defined in the conceptual model of Quantities, Units, Dimensions and Values (QUDV) based on normative references in ISO 80000-1:2009, and an excerpt of its application for the SI Units and Quan- well as any alternative systems of tities as defined in ISO 8000-1:2009, in NIST's Reference on Constants, Units and Uncertainty, and in the quantities and units. IEEE/ASTM American National Standards for Metric Practice SI-10™ 2010.

50 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 The model library can be used to sup- Unit and QuantityKind stereotypes de- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For more port SysML user models in various ways. fined in SysML user models. information, contact [email protected]. A simple approach is to define and doc- This work was done by Nicolas F. Rou- The software used in this innovation is ument libraries of reusable systems of quette of Caltech, Hans-Peter DeKoenig of the available for commercial licensing. Please con- units and quantities for reuse across European Space Agency, Roger Burkhart of tact Daniel Broderick of the California Insti- multiple projects, and to link units and Deere & Company, and Huascar Espinoza of tute of Technology at [email protected]. quantity kinds from these libraries to the French Centre of Atomic Energy for Refer to NPO-47251.

Sptrace NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Sptrace is a general-purpose space Sptrace is implemented as a set of C use, these functions may be wrapped pri- utilization tracing system that is con- function calls that are invoked from vately inside public functions offered by ceptually similar to the commercial within the software that is being exam- the heap management software. Sptrace “Purify” product used to detect leaks ined. The function calls fall into two can be used for VxWorks or RTEMS real- and other memory usage errors. It is broad classes: (1) functions that are em- time systems as easily as for Linux or designed to monitor space utilization bedded within the heap management OS/X systems. in any sort of “heap,” i.e., a region of software [e.g., JPL’s SDR (Simple Data This work was done by Scott C. Burleigh of data storage on some device (nomi- Recorder) and PSM (Personal Space ACRO for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. nally memory; possibly shared and pos- Management) systems] to enable heap Further information is contained in a TSP sibly persistent) with a flat address usage analysis by populating a virtual (see page 1). space. This software can trace usage of time-sequenced “log” of usage activity, This software is available for commercial li- shared and/or non-volatile storage in and (2) reporting functions that are em- censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of addition to private RAM (random ac- bedded within the application program the California Institute of Technology at cess memory). whose behavior is suspect. For ease of [email protected]. Refer to NPO-41626.

S-Band POSIX Device Drivers for RTEMS NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California This is a set of POSIX device driver level Virtex-2 FPGA. It uses plug-and-play device (ADC capture and DAC playback), pll_de- abstractions in the RTEMS RTOS (Real- discovery to map memory to device IDs. vice (RF front end PLL tuning), and Time Executive for Multiprocessor Sys- Instead of interacting with hardware de- pwm_device (RF front end AGC control). tems real-time operating system) to S- vices directly, using direct-memory This work was done by James P. Lux, Minh Band radio hardware devices that have mapped access at the application level, Lang, Kenneth J. Peters, and Gregory H. Tay- been instantiated in an FPGA (field-pro- this driver provides an application pro- lor of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab- grammable gate array). These include gramming interface (API) offering that oratory. For more information, contact iaof- A/D (analog-to-digital) sample capture, easily uses standard POSIX function calls. [email protected]. D/A (digital-to-analog) sample playback, This simplifies application programming, This software is available for commercial li- PLL (phase-locked-loop) tuning, and enables portability, and offers an addi- censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of PWM (pulse-width-modulation)-con- tional level of protection to the hardware. the California Institute of Technology at trolled gain. This software interfaces to S- There are three separate device drivers [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47496. band radio hardware in an attached Xilinx included in this package: sband_device

MaROS: Information Management Service NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

This software is provided by the Mars previously distributed across multiple asset on Mars is geometrically visible by Relay Operations Service (MaROS) task spacecraft operations teams, and as an orbiting spacecraft. These “relay” ses- to a variety of Mars projects for the pur- such, greatly improves visibility into the sions are used to transfer data both to pose of coordinating communications end-to-end strategic coordination pro- and from the landed asset via the orbit- sessions between landed spacecraft as- cess. Most of the process revolves ing asset on behalf of Earth-based space- sets and orbiting spacecraft assets at around the scheduling of communica- craft operators. Mars. The Information Management tions sessions between the spacecraft This software component is an appli- Service centralizes a set of functions during periods of time when a landed cation process running as a Java virtual

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 51 machine. The component provides all requested information and deliver to This work was done by Daniel A. Allard, service interfaces via a Repre sentational the requesting client. Roy E. Gladden, Jesse J. Wright, Franklin H. State Transfer (REST) protocol over The provision of this service enables Hy, Gregg R. Rabideau, and Michael N. “https” to external clients. There are two several key advancements over legacy Wallick of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion general interaction modes with the serv- processes and systems. For one, this serv- Laboratory. Further information is contained ice: upload and download of data. For ice represents the first time that end-to- in a TSP (see page 1). data upload, the service must execute end relay information is correlated into This software is available for commer- logic specific to the upload data type a single shared repository. The software cial licensing. Please contact Daniel Brod- and trigger any applicable calculations also provides the first multimission la- erick of the California Institute of Technol- including pass delivery latencies and tency calculator; previous latency calcu- ogy at [email protected]. Refer to overflight conflicts. For data download, lations had been performed on a mis- NPO-47454. the software must retrieve and correlate sion-by-mission basis.

Interplanetary Overlay Network Bundle Protocol Implementation NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

The Interplanetary Overlay Network of Deep Impact. It is designed to mini- based local area network; administrative (ION) system’s BP package, an imple- mize resource consumption, while maxi- tools for managing a simple DTN infra- mentation of the Delay-Tolerant Net- mizing operational robustness. For ex- structure built from these components; a working (DTN) Bundle Protocol (BP) ample, no dynamic allocation of system background daemon process that silently and supporting services, has been specif- memory is required. Like all the other destroys bundles whose time-to-live inter- ically designed to be suitable for use on ION packages, ION’s BP implementa- vals have expired; a library of functions deep-space robotic vehicles. Although tion is designed to port readily between exposed to applications, enabling them the ION BP implementation is unique in Linux and Solaris (for easy development to issue and receive data encapsulated in its use of zero-copy objects for high per- and for ground system operations) and DTN bundles; and some simple applica- formance, and in its use of resource-sen- VxWorks (for flight systems operations). tions that can be used for system check- sitive rate control, it is fully interoperable The exact same source code is exercised out and benchmarking. with other implementations of the BP in both environments. This work was done by Scott C. Burleigh of specification (Internet RFC 5050). Initially included in the ION BP imple- ARCO for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The ION BP implementation is built mentations are the following: libraries of Further information is contained in a TSP using the same software infrastructure functions used in constructing bundle (see page 1). that underlies the implementation of the forwarders and convergence-layer (CL) This software is available for commercial li- CCSDS (Consultative Committee for input and output adapters; a simple pro- censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of Space Data Systems) File Delivery Proto- totype bundle forwarder and associated the California Institute of Technology at col (CFDP) built into the flight software CL adapters designed to run over an IP- [email protected]. Refer to NPO-41628.

STRS SpaceWire FPGA Module NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

An FPGA module leverages the previ- and status registers within the terfaces to the GSFC core, and synchro- ous work from Goddard Space Flight SpaceWire module. This allows soft- nizes all I/O to a single clock. An inter- Center (GSFC) relating to NASA’s Space ware to control and monitor the rupt output (with optional masking) Telecommunications Radio System SpaceWire functions, but it is also used identifies time-sensitive events within (STRS) project. The STRS SpaceWire to give software direct access to what is the module. Test modes were added to FPGA Module is written in the Verilog transmitted and received through the allow internal loopback of the Register Transfer Level (RTL) language, link. SpaceWire data characters can be SpaceWire link and internal loopback of and it encapsulates an unmodified sent/received through the software in- the client-side data interface. GSFC core (which is written in VHDL). terface, as well as through the dedi- This work was done by James P. Lux, Gre- The module has the necessary cated interface on the GSFC core. Sim- gory H. Taylor, Minh Lang, and Ryan A. inputs/outputs (I/Os) and parameters ilarly, SpaceWire time codes can be Stern of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion to integrate seamlessly with the SPARC sent/received through the software in- Laboratory. For more information, contact I/O FPGA Interface module (also devel- terface or through a dedicated inter- [email protected]. oped for the STRS operating environ- face on the core. This software is available for commercial li- ment, OE). This innovation is designed for plug- censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of Software running on the SPARC and-play integration in the STRS OE. the California Institute of Technology at processor can access the configuration The SpaceWire module simplifies the in- [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47434.

52 NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 Geodetic Strain Analysis Tool NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

A geodetic software analysis tool en- shear, dilatation, shear angle, and princi- converge on the “best practices” strain ables the user to analyze 2D crustal pal components. The current view and derivation strategy for the Solid Earth strain from geodetic ground motion, data dependencies are processed first. Science ESDR System (SESES) project and create models of crustal deforma- The remaining data products and views given the CGPS station distribution in tion using a graphical interface. Users are then computed in a round-robin the western U.S., and to provide SESES can use any geodetic measurements of fashion to anticipate view changes. users with a scientific and educational ground motion and derive the 2D When an analysis or display parameter is tool to explore the strain field on their crustal strain interactively. This software changed, the affected data products and own with user-defined parameters. also provides a forward-modeling tool views are invalidated and progressively This work was done by Sharon Kedar, Sean that calculates a geodetic velocity and re-displayed as available. C. Baxter, Jay W. Parker, Frank H. Webb, strain field for a given fault model, and This software is designed to facilitate Susan E. Owen, Anthony J. Sibthorpe, and lets the user compare the modeled the derivation of the strain fields from Danan Dong of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propul- strain field with the strain field obtained the GPS and strain meter data that sam- sion Laboratory. Further information is con- from the user’s data. ple it to facilitate the understanding of tained in a TSP (see page 1). Users may change parameters “on-the- the strengths and weaknesses of the This software is available for commercial li- fly” and obtain a real-time recalculation strain field derivation from continuous censing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of the of the resulting strain field. Four data GPS (CGPS) and other geodetic data California Institute of Technology at products are computed: maximum from a variety of tectonic settings, to [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47504.

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2011 53

National Aeronautics and Space Administration