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Briefs: Physical Sciences
Micro-Slit Collimators for X-Ray/Gamma-Ray Imaging
A hybrid photochemical-machining process is coupled with precision stack lamination to allow for the fabrication of multiple ultra-high-resolution grids on a single array substrate. In addition, special fixturing and etching techniques have been developed that allow higher0resolution multi-grid...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Scatterometer-Calibrated Stability Verification Method
The requirement for scatterometer-combined transmit-receive gain variation knowledge is typically addressed by sampling a portion of the transmit signal, attenuating it with a known-stable attenuation, and coupling it into the receiver chain. This way, the gain variations of the transmit and...
Briefs: Information Technology
Generic, Extensible, Configurable Push-Pull Framework for Large-Scale Science Missions
The push-pull framework was developed in hopes that an infrastructure would be created that could literally connect to any given remote site, and (given a set of restrictions) download files from that remote site based on those restrictions.
Briefs: Information Technology
Space-Time Localization of Plasma Turbulence Using Multiple Spacecraft Radio Links
Space weather is described as the variability of solar wind plasma that can disturb satellites and systems and affect human space exploration. Accurate prediction requires information of the heliosphere inside the orbit of the Earth. However, for predictions using...
Briefs: Information Technology
Dynamic Loads Generation for Multi-Point Vibration Excitation Problems
A random-force method has been developed to predict dynamic loads produced by rocket-engine random vibrations for new rocket-engine designs. The method develops random forces at multiple excitation points based on random vibration environments scaled from accelerometer data...
Briefs: Information Technology
Optimal Control Via Self-Generated Stochasticity
The problem of global maxima of functionals has been examined. Mathematical roots of local maxima are the same as those for a much simpler problem of finding global maximum of a multi-dimensional function. The second problem is instability — even if an optimal trajectory is found, there is no...
Briefs: Energy
An important aspect of wind power plant impact studies is to evaluate the short-circuit current (SCC) contribution of the plant into the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Stereo imaging requires two different perspectives of the same object and, traditionally, a pair of side-by-side cameras would be used but are not feasible for something as tiny as a less than 4-mm-diameter...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Wind and Temperature Spectrometry of the Upper Atmosphere in Low-Earth Orbit
Wind and Temperature Spectrometry (WATS) is a new approach to measure the full wind vector, temperature, and relative densities of major neutral species in the Earth’s thermosphere. The method uses an energy-angle spectrometer moving through the tenuous upper atmosphere...
Briefs: Information Technology
Health Monitor for Multitasking, Safety-Critical, Real-Time Software
Health Manager can detect “Bad Health” prior to a failure occurring by periodically monitoring the application software by looking for code corruption errors, and sanity-checking each critical data value prior to use. A processor’s memory can fail and corrupt the software,...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Parallel Wavefront Analysis for a 4D Interferometer
This software provides a programming interface for automating data collection with a PhaseCam interferometer from 4D Technology, and distributing the image-processing algorithm across a cluster of general-purpose computers.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Early Oscillation Detection Technique for Hybrid DC/DC Converters
Oscillation or instability is a situation that must be avoided for reliable hybrid DC/DC converters. A real-time electronics measurement technique was developed to detect catastrophic oscillations at early stages for hybrid DC/DC converters. It is capable of identifying low-level...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Compact THz receivers with broad bandwidth and low noise have been developed for the frequency range from 100 GHz to 1 THz. These receivers meet the requirements for high-resolution...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Coaxial Cables for Martian Extreme
Work was conducted to validate the use of the rover external flexible coaxial cabling for space under the extreme environments to be encountered during the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. The antennas must survive all ground operations plus the nominal 670-Martian-day mission that includes summer and winter...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Carbon Nanofiber-Based, High-Frequency, High-Q, Miniaturized Mechanical Resonators
High Q resonators are a critical component of stable, low-noise communication systems, radar, and precise timing applications such as atomic clocks. In electronic resonators based on Si integrated circuits, resistive losses increase as a result of the continued...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Using Spare Logic Resources To Create Dynamic Test Points
A technique has been devised to enable creation of a dynamic set of test points in an embedded digital electronic system. As a result, electronics contained in an application specific circuit [e.g., gate array, field programmable gate array (FPGA)] can be internally “probed,” even when...
Briefs: Energy
Ultracapacitor-Based Uninterrupted Power Supply System
The ultracapacitor-based uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system enhances system reliability; reduces life-of-system, maintenance, and downtime costs; and greatly reduces environmental impact when compared to conventional UPS energy storage systems. This design provides power when required and...
Briefs: Software
Autonomous Coordination of Science Observations Using Multiple Spacecraft
This software provides capabilities for autonomous cross-cueing and coordinated observations between multiple orbital and landed assets. Previous work has been done in re-tasking a single Earth orbiter or a Mars rover in response to that craft detecting a science event. This...
Briefs: Software
EOS MLS Level 1B Data Processing Software, Version 3
This software is an improvement on Version 2, which was described in “EOS MLS Level 1B Data Processing, Version 2.2,” NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 33, No. 5 (May 2009), p. 34. It accepts the EOS MLS Level 0 science/engineering data, and the EOS Aura spacecraft ephemeris/attitude data, and produces...
Briefs: Software
Cassini Tour Atlas Automated Generation
During the Cassini spacecraft’s cruise phase and nominal mission, the Cassini Science Planning Team developed and maintained an online database of geometric and timing information called the Cassini Tour Atlas. The Tour Atlas consisted of several hundreds of megabytes of EVENTS mission planning software...
Briefs: Software
Software Development Standard Processes (SDSP)
A JPL-created set of standard processes is to be used throughout the lifecycle of software development. These SDSPs cover a range of activities, from management and engineering activities, to assurance and support activities. These processes must be applied to software tasks per a pre- scribed set of...
Briefs: Software
Autonomous Phase Retrieval Calibration
The Palomar Adaptive Optics System actively corrects for changing aberrations in light due to atmospheric turbulence. However, the underlying internal static error is unknown and uncorrected by this process. The dedicated wavefront sensor device necessarily lies along a different path than the science camera,...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Graphite Composite Panel Polishing Fixture
The use of high-strength, lightweight composites for the fixture is the novel feature of this innovation. The main advantage is the light weight and high stiffness-to-mass ratio relative to aluminum.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Modifying Matrix Materials to Increase Wetting and Adhesion
In an alternative approach to increasing the degrees of wetting and adhesion between the fiber and matrix components of organic-fiber/polymer matrix composite materials, the matrix resins are modified. Heretofore, it has been common practice to modify the fibers rather than the matrices:...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Ridge Waveguide Structures in Magnesium-Doped Lithium Niobate
This work proposes to establish the feasibility of fabricating isolated ridge waveguides in 5% MgO:LN. Ridge waveguides in MgO:LN will significantly improve power handling and conversion efficiency, increase photonic component integration, and be well suited to space-based applications....
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Material Gradients in Oxygen System Components Improve Safety
Oxygen system components fabricated by Laser Engineered Net Shaping™ (LENS™) could result in improved safety and performance. LENS™ is a near-net shape manufacturing process fusing powdered materials injected into a laser beam. Parts can be fabricated with a variety of elemental...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Method for Cleanly and Precisely Breaking Off a Rock Core Using a Radial Compressive Force
The Mars Sample Return mission has the goal to drill, break off, and retain rock core samples. After some results gained from rock core mechanics testing, the realization that scoring teeth would cleanly break off the core after only a few millimeters of...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Scoring Dawg Core Breakoff and Retention Mechanism
This novel core break-off and retention mechanism consists of a scoring dawg controlled by a set of two tubes (a drill tube and an inner tube). The drill tube and the inner tube have longitudinal concentric holes. The solution can be implemented in an eccentric tube configuration as well where the...
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