Technology Focus: Test & Measurement Measurements of Ultra-Stable Oscillator (USO) Allan Deviations in Space NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Researchers have used data from the measure range fluctuations. Data from Earth’s atmosphere limit measurement GRAIL mission to the Moon to make the this crosslink can be combined in such a performance in direct-to-Earth links. In- first in-flight verification of ultra-stable way as to give the relative time offsets of flight USO performance verification was oscillators (USOs) with Allan deviation the two spacecrafts’ USOs and to calcu - also performed for GRAIL’s parent mis - below 10 –13 for 1-to-100-second averag - late the Allan deviation to describe the sion, the Gravity Recovery and Climate ing times. USOs are flown in space to USOs’ combined performance while or - Experiment (GRACE), using both K- provide stable timing and/or navigation biting the Moon. Researchers find the band and Ka-band crosslinks. signals for a variety of different science first direct in-space Allan deviations This work was done by Daphna G. Enzer, and programmatic missions. below 10 –13 for 1-to-100-second averag - William M. Klipstein, Rabi T. Wang, and The Gravity Recovery and Interior ing times comparable to pre-launch data, Charles E. Dunn of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Laboratory (GRAIL) mission is flying and better than measurements from Propulsion Laboratory. Further information twin spacecraft, each with its own USO ground tracking of an X-band carrier co - is contained in a TSP (see page 1) . NPO- and with a Ka-band crosslink used to herent with the USO. Fluctuations in 48705 Gaseous Nitrogen Orifice Mass Flow Calculator Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas The Gaseous Nitrogen (GN2) Orifice The GN2 mass flow-rate calculator culator can be used to analyze a leak Mass Flow Calculator was used to deter - standardizes a method for rapid assess - source, leak rate, gas consumables de - mine Space Shuttle Orbiter Water Spray ment of GN2 mass flow through various pletion time, and puncture diameter Boiler (WSB) GN2 high-pressure tank orifice sizes for various discharge coeffi - that simulates the measured GN2 system source depletion rates for various leak cients, delta pressures, and tempera - pressure drop. scenarios, and the ability of the GN2 tures. The calculator utilizes a 0.9-lb (0.4 The software is programmed into a consumables to support cooling of Aux - kg) GN2 source regulated to 40 psia Microsoft Excel Solver spreadsheet. iliary Power Unit (APU) lubrication dur - (≈276 kPa). These parameters corre - This work was done by Charles Ritrivi of ing entry. The data was used to support spond to the Space Shuttle WSB GN2 The Boeing Company for Johnson Space Cen - flight rationale concerning loss of an or - Source and Water Tank Bellows, but can ter. For further information, contact the JSC biter APU/hydraulic system and mission be changed in the spreadsheet to accom - Innovation Partnerships Office at (281) 483- work-arounds. modate any system parameters. The cal - 3809. MSC-24873-1 Validation of Proposed Metrics for Two-Body Abrasion Scratch Test Analysis Standards In principle, any scratch can be analyzed by this method. John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio Abrasion of mechanical components micrometeorite impacts. The relation - use in such surroundings. and fabrics by soil on Earth is typically ship between hardness of the abrasive The objective of this work was to evalu - minimized by the effects of atmosphere and that of the material being abraded is ate a set of standardized metrics proposed and water. Potentially abrasive particles well understood, such that the abrasive for characterizing a surface that has been lose sharp and pointed geometrical fea - ability of a material can be estimated as scratched from a two-body abrasion test. tures through erosion. In environments a function of the ratio of the hardness of This is achieved by defining a new abra - where such erosion does not exist, such the two interacting materials. Knowing sion region termed “Zone of Interaction” as the vacuum of the Moon, particles re - the abrasive nature of an environment (ZOI). The ZOI describes the full surface tain sharp geometries associated with (abrasive)/construction material is cru - profile of all peaks and valleys, rather than fracturing of their parent particles by cial to designing durable equipment for just measuring a scratch width. The ZOI NASA Tech Briefs, February 2013 5 has been found to be at least twice the size dardized manner, and not just by scratch curs (ZOI). Second, scratch width does not of a standard width measurement; in some width alone, is reinforced. This benefit is discern between material displacement and cases, considerably greater, indicating that made apparent when a tip creates an intri - material removal from the scratch. Finally, at least half of the disturbed surface area cate contour having multiple peaks and several scratches may have the same width would be neglected without this insight. valleys within a single scratch. but different zones of interactions, different The ZOI is used to calculate a more robust The current innovation consists of a soft - displacements, and different material re - data set of volume measurements that can ware-driven method of quantitatively evalu - movals. The current innovation allows be used to computationally reconstruct a ating a scratch profile. The profile consists quantitative assessment of all three. resultant profile for de tailed analysis. Doc - of measuring the topographical features of This work was done by Kenneth W. Street, Jr. umenting additional changes to various a scratch along the length of the scratch in - of Glenn Research Center, Ryan L. Kobrick of surface roughness par ameters also allows stead of the width at one location. The dig - MIT, and David M. Klaus of the University of key material attributes of importance to ul - itized profile data is then fed into software Colorado at Boulder. Further information is timate design applications to be quanti - code, which evaluates enough metrics of contained in a TSP (see page 1) . fied, such as depth of penetration and the scratch to reproduce the scratch from Inquiries concerning rights for the commer - final abraded surface roughness. Further - the evaluated metrics. cial use of this invention should be addressed to more, by investigating the use of custom There are three key differences between NASA Glenn Research Center, Innovative scratch tips for specific needs, the useful - the current art and this innovation. First, Partnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, Mail ness of having an abrasion metric that can scratch width does not quantify how far Stop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, measure the displaced volume in this stan - from the center of the scratch damage oc - Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18780-1. Rover Low Gain Antenna Qualification for Deep Space Thermal Environments NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California A method to qualify the Rover Low were performed on the RLGA hardware The return loss measurement results of Gain Antenna (RLGA) for use during before the start of the qualification test. the RLGA antenna after the PQV (Pack - the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mis - Functional intermittent RF tests were age Qualification and Verification) test sion has been devised. The RLGA an - performed during thermal chamber did not show any anomalies. The an - tenna must survive all ground opera - breaks over the course of the complete tenna pattern data taken before and tions, plus the nominal 670 Martian sol qualification test. For the return loss after the PQV test at the uplink and mission that includes the summer and measurements, the RLGA antenna was downlink frequencies were unchanged. winter seasons of the Mars thermal envi - moved to a test area. A vector network Therefore, the developed design of ronment. This qualification effort was analyzer was calibrated over the opera - RLGA is qualified for a long-duration performed to verify that the RLGA de - tional frequency range of the antenna. MSL mission. sign, its bonding, and packaging For the RLGA, a simple return loss meas - This work was done by Rajeshuni Rame - processes are adequate. urement was performed. sham, Luis R. Amaro, Paula R. Brown, and The qualification test was designed to A total of 2,010 (3×670 or 3 times mis - Robert Usiskin of Caltech; and Jack L. Prater demonstrate a survival life of three times sion thermal cycles) thermal cycles was of Polytechnic High School for NASA’s Jet more than all expected ground testing, performed. Visual inspection of the Propulsion Laboratory. Further information plus a nominal 670 Martian sol missions. RLGA hardware did not show any is contained in a TSP (see page 1) . NPO- Baseline RF tests and a visual inspection anomalies due to the thermal cycling. 48500 Automated, Ultra-Sterile Solid Sample Handling and Analysis on a Chip This technique could be used in the pharmaceutical industry for the automated manipulation of small amounts of powdered drugs. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California There are no existing ultra-sterile lab- solid samples, followed by on-chip liquid JPL MicroDevices Lab, and are plasma- on-a-chip systems that can accept solid extraction and chemical analysis. cleaned before and after assembly. Solid samples and perform complete chemi - This technology utilizes a newly in - samples enter the device through a drilled cal analyses without human interven - vented glass micro-device for solid manip - hole in the top. Existing micro-pumping tion. The proposed solution is to ulation, which mates with existing lab-on- technology is used to transfer milligrams demonstrate completely automated lab- a-chip instrumentation. Devices are of powdered sample into an extraction on-a-chip manipulation of powdered fabricated in a Class 10 cleanroom at the chamber where it is mixed with liquids to 6 NASA Tech Briefs, February 2013.