NASA SBIR abstracts of 1990 phase 1 projects

The research objectives of the 280 projects placed under contract in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 1990 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 program are described. The basic document consists of edited, non-proprietary abstracts of the winning proposals submitted by small businesses in response to NASA's 1990 SBIR Phase 1 Program Solicitation. The abstracts are presented under the 15 technical topics within which Phase 1 proposals were solicited. Each project was assigned a sequential identifying number from 001 to 280, in order of its appearance in the body of the report. The document also includes Appendixes to provide additional information about the SBIR program and permit cross-reference in the 1990 Phase 1 projects by company name, location by state, principal investigator, NASA field center responsible for management of each project, and NASA contract number

NASA Tech Briefs, June 1990

Topics: New Product Ideas; NASA TU Services; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery; Fabrication Technology; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences

Planification de trajectoire sous contraintes d'aéronef

The focus of this PhD thesis is on the trajectory planning module as a part of autonomous aircraft system. Feasible trajectories for aircraft flying in environment cluttered by obstacles are studied. Since aircraft dynamics are complex, nonlinear and nonholonomic; trajectory planning for such systems is very difficult and challenging.Rapidly-exploring Random Tree or RRT path planner is used as a basis to find a feasible trajectory. The advantage of this algorithm is that it does not consider only the complete vehicle model but also the environment. Two algorithms are developed to find a feasible and optimal solution. The RRT algorithm, combined with a preprocessing of the exploration space, is used for a complete realistic model of the system. However, this approach does not consider any optimal criteria. In order to consider performance criteria, the RRT* algorithm is used based on a simplified model with the help of the artificial potential field as a heuristic to improve the convergence rate to the solution.The algorithms are simulated in an application of hypersonic aerial vehicles, for example, interceptor missiles flying in high altitude. This makes the aerodynamically controlled aircraft have less maneuverability since the air density decreases exponentially with altitude. 3D shortest paths are developed and used as a metric. Therefore, a feasible and optimal trajectory is obtained efficiently. With these results, real-time constraints will be easier to verify if the algorithm is implemented on board the vehicle. In future work, replanning will be considered to improve the performance of the algorithm in case of dynamic environment or changes in the mission.Le sujet de cette thèse porte sur la planification de trajectoire pour un aéronef autonome. Les trajectoires d'aéronefs se déplaçant dans un environnement encombré par des obstacles sont étudiées. La dynamique des aéronefs étant complexe, non linéaire, et non holonome, la planification de trajectoire de ce type de systèmes est un problème très difficile.L'algorithme Rapidly-exploring Random Tree, ou RRT, est utilisé comme planificateur de base. L'avantage de cet algorithme est qu'il permet de considérer des modèles d'aéronefs complets dans un environnement complexe. Deux algorithmes sont développés pour trouver une solution faisable et optimale. Pour un modèle complet, L'algorithme RRT avec un prétraitement de l'espace d'état est utilisé dans le cas d'une prise en compte du modèle complet du système. Cependant, cette méthode ne considère pas de critères optimaux. Pour y remédier, l'algorithme RRT* est utilisé pour un modèle simplifié du système avec l'aide de champs de potentiels artificiels comme heuristique pour améliorer le taux de convergence vers la solution.Les algorithmes sont simulés pour une application d'aéronefs hypersoniques, comme par exemple des missiles intercepteurs volants à haute altitude. Les aéronefs ont donc moins de manœuvrabilité parce que la densité de l'air diminue exponentiellement avec l'altitude. Les chemins les plus courts en 3D sont développés et utilisés comme une métrique. Des trajectoires réalisables et optimales sont obtenues efficacement. A partir de ces résultats, les contraintes de temps réel à bord du véhicule seront plus faciles à vérifier. Dans les travaux futurs, la replanification sera considérée pour améliorer la performance de l'algorithme en cas d'environnement dynamique ou de changements dans la mission

1992 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

For the 28th consecutive year, a NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program was conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The program was conducted by the University of Alabama and MSFC during the period June 1, 1992 through August 7, 1992. Operated under the auspices of the American Society for Engineering Education, the MSFC program, was well as those at other centers, was sponsored by the Office of Educational Affairs, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. The basic objectives of the programs, which are the 29th year of operation nationally, are (1) to further the professional knowledge of qualified engineering and science faculty members; (2) to stimulate and exchange ideas between participants and NASA; (3) to enrich and refresh the research and teaching activities of the participants' institutions; and (4) to contribute to the research objectives of the NASA centers

Engineering handbook

2006 handbook for the faculty of Engineerin

Naval Postgraduate School Catalog 2015

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Naval Postgraduate School Catalog 2016

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in the History of the U.S. Civilian Space Program

The documents selected for inclusion in this volume are presented in three chapters, each covering a particular aspect of the evolution of U.S. space exploration. These chapters address (1) the relations between the civilian space program of the United States and the space activities of other countries, (2) the relations between the U.S. civilian space program and the space efforts of national security organizations and the military, and (3) NASA's relations with industry and academic institutions