13,896 research outputs found
Alumina bearing in gas-lubricated gyros
Friction and wear properties of alumina bearings for use in gas-lubricated gyroscope
Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): FMEA/CIL assessment
The McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC) was selected to perform an Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL). Direction was given by the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office to perform the hardware analysis and assessment using the instructions and ground rules defined in NSTS 22206. The IOA analysis featured a top-down approach to determine hardware failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, the analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA and Prime Contractor FMEA/CIL documentation. The assessment process compared the independently derived failure modes and criticality assignments to the proposed NASA post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation. When possible, assessment issues were discussed and resolved with the NASA subsystem managers. Unresolved issues were elevated to the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office manager, Configuration Control Board (CCB), or Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) for further resolution. The most important Orbiter assessment finding was the previously unknown stuck autopilot push-button criticality 1/1 failure mode. The worst case effect could cause loss of crew/vehicle when the microwave landing system is not active. It is concluded that NASA and Prime Contractor Post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation assessed by IOA is believed to be technically accurate and complete. All CIL issues were resolved. No FMEA issues remain that have safety implications. Consideration should be given, however, to upgrading NSTS 22206 with definitive ground rules which more clearly spell out the limits of redundancy
Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): FMEA/CIL assessment
The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. Direction was given by the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office to perform the hardware analysis and assessment using the instructions and ground rules defined in NSTS 22206. The IOA analysis features a top-down approach to determine hardware failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, the anlaysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA and prime contractor FMEA/CIL documentation. The assessment process compares the independently derived failure modes and criticality assignments to the proposed NASA Post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation. When possible, assessment issues are discussed and resolved with the NASA subsystem managers. The assessment results for each subsystem are summarized. The most important Orbiter assessment finding was the previously unknown stuck autopilot push-button criticality 1/1 failure mode, having a worst case effect of loss of crew/vehicle when a microwave landing system is not active
Massive relic neutrinos in the galactic halo and the knee in the cosmic ray spectrum
Despite many efforts to find a reasonable explanation, the origin of the
"knee" in the cosmic ray spectrum at energy around 10**15.5 eV remains
mysterious. In this letter we suggest that the "knee" may be due to a GZK-like
effect of cosmic rays interacting with massive neutrinos in the galactic halo.
Simple kinematics connects the location of the "knee" with the mass of the
neutrinos, and, while the required interaction cross section is larger than
that predicted by the Standard Model, it can be accommodated by a small
neutrino magnetic dipole moment. The values for the neutrino parameters
obtained from the analysis of existing experimental data are compatible with
present laboratory bounds.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, uses RevTe
Spherical solid-propellant rocket motor Patent
Spherical solid propellant rocket engine desig
Variable Dynamic Force Vector Rocket Test Apparatus
Design and performance characteristics of variable dynamic force vector rocket test apparatu
Numerical Construction of Likelihood Distributions and the Propagation of Errors
The standard method for the propagation of errors, based on a Taylor series expansion, is approximate and frequently inadequate for realistic problems. A simple and generic technique is described in which the likelihood is constructed numerically, thereby greatly facilitating the propagation of errors
First unitarity-independent determination of the CKM matrix elements , , and and the implications for unitarity
The magnitudes of the CKM matrix elements , , and are determined for the first time without any assumptions of unitarity. The implications for the unitarity of the CKM matrix as a whole are discussed
A Multiple Scattering Polarized Radiative Transfer Model: Application to HD 189733b
We present a multiple scattering vector radiative transfer model which
produces disk integrated, full phase polarized light curves for reflected light
from an exoplanetary atmosphere. We validate our model against results from
published analytical and computational models and discuss a small number of
cases relevant to the existing and possible near-future observations of the
exoplanet HD 189733b. HD 189733b is arguably the most well observed exoplanet
to date and the only exoplanet to be observed in polarized light, yet it is
debated if the planet's atmosphere is cloudy or clear. We model reflected light
from clear atmospheres with Rayleigh scattering, and cloudy or hazy atmospheres
with Mie and fractal aggregate particles. We show that clear and cloudy
atmospheres have large differences in polarized light as compared to simple
flux measurements, though existing observations are insufficient to make this
distinction. Futhermore, we show that atmospheres that are spatially
inhomogeneous, such as being partially covered by clouds or hazes, exhibit
larger contrasts in polarized light when compared to clear atmospheres. This
effect can potentially be used to identify patchy clouds in exoplanets. Given a
set of full phase polarimetric measurements, this model can constrain the
geometric albedo, properties of scattering particles in the atmosphere and the
longitude of the ascending node of the orbit. The model is used to interpret
new polarimetric observations of HD 189733b in a companion paper.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
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