Briefs: Electronics & Computers
An Alternative for Emergency Preemption of Traffic Lights
An electronic communication and control system has been developed as a prototype of advanced means of automatically modifying the switching of traffic lights to give priority to emergency vehicles. This system could be used alternatively or in addition to other emergency...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Automated Announcements of Approaching Emergency Vehicles
Street intersections that are equipped with traffic lights would also be equipped with means for generating audible announcements of approaching emergency vehicles, according to a proposal. The means to generate the announcements would be implemented in the intersection-based subsystems...
Who's Who: Propulsion
Anthony Kelley, Lead Flow Research Engineer, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
As petroleum prices spiral higher, new technologies are being developed to help keep prices down. The balanced flow meter, technology originally developed by NASA for the space shuttle, promises to ease pain at the pump by being more precise and consuming...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The purpose of this article is to describe, in more detail, the transponder installed in each vehicle that participates in the emergency traffic-light-preemption system described in the...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A proposed three degree of freedom (tilt/tip/piston) manipulator, suitable for aligning an optical or mechanical component, would offer several advantages over prior such...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Identification, analysis, and control of fluid mechanically generated sound from models of aircraft and automobiles in special low-noise, semi-anechoic wind tunnels are an important...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Multifunctional Tanks for Spacecraft
A document discusses multifunctional tanks as means to integrate additional structural and functional efficiencies into designs of spacecraft. Whereas spacecraft tanks are traditionally designed primarily to store fluids and only secondarily to provide other benefits, multifunctional tanks are designed to...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The Planetary Autonomous Amphibious Robotic Vehicle (PAARV), now at the prototype stage of development, was originally intended for use in acquiring and analyzing samples of solid,...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A system for automated sampling of rocks, ice, and similar hard materials at and immediately below the surface of the ground is undergoing development. The system, denoted a sample...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
An improved process for making nanocrystallites, commonly denoted quantum dots (QDs), is based on spray pyrolysis. Unlike the process used heretofore, the improved process is amenable to mass...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A tool makes it possible to couple a torque wrench to an externally knurled, internally threaded, round cable connector. The purpose served by the tool is to facilitate the...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Controlling Attitude of a Solar-Sail Spacecraft Using Vanes
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
An ultrasonic rock-abrasion tool (URAT) was developed using the same principle of ultrasonic/sonic actuation as that of the tools described in two prior NASA Tech Briefs articles:...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Controllable active struts that would function as linear actuators with variable spring stiffness and damping have been proposed as components of advanced suspension systems of future...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A technique for real-time estimation of stability and control derivatives (derivatives of moment coefficients with respect to control-surface deflection angles) was used to support a...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A flight test on an F-15 airplane was performed to evaluate the utility of prescribed simultaneous independent surface excitations (PreSISE) for real-time estimation of flight-control...
Application Briefs: Propulsion
Marotta Controls
Montville, NJ
973-334-7800
www.marotta.com
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Integral Flexure Mounts for Metal Mirrors for Cryogenic Use
Semi-kinematic, six-degree-of-freedom flexure mounts have been incorporated as integral parts of metal mirrors designed to be used under cryogenic conditions as parts of an astronomical instrument. The design of the mirrors and their integral flexure mounts can also be adapted to other...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Low-Cost Propellant Launch From a Tethered Balloon
A document presents a concept for relatively inexpensive delivery of propellant to a large fuel depot in low orbit around the Earth, for use in rockets destined for higher orbits, the Moon, and for remote planets. The propellant is expected to be at least 85 percent of the mass needed in low...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The variable terrain tilt platform (VTTP) is a means of providing simulated terrain for mobility testing of engineering models of the Mars Exploration Rovers. The VTTP could also be...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
On Release of Microbe-Laden Particles From Mars Landers
A paper presents a study in which rates of release of small particles from Mars lander spacecraft into the Martian atmosphere were estimated from first principles. Because such particles can consist of, or be laden with, terrestrial microbes, the study was undertaken to understand their...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Designers often turn to self-clinching fasteners when they need a practical method to provide threads in thin metal sheets. The fasteners install permanently, reduce hardware, and promote thinner...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Stable Satellite Orbits for Global Coverage of the Moon
A document proposes a constellation of spacecraft to be placed in orbit around the Moon to provide navigation and communication services with global coverage required for exploration of the Moon. There would be six spacecraft in inclined elliptical orbits: three in each of two orthogonal...
Application Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
COMO Filtration Systems
Janesville, WI
608-756-3838
www.como.biz
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Shapes different from the traditional ones have been proposed for face worm gears and for conical and cylindrical worms that mesh with them. The proposed shapes are based on the concept of...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Using Plates To Represent Fillets in Finite-Element Modeling
A method that involves the use of fictitious plate elements denoted bridge plates has been developed for representing the stiffnesses of fillets in finiteelement calculations of deflections, stresses, and strains in structures. In the absence of this method, it would be necessary to...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Lunar Constellation of Frozen Elliptical Inclined Orbits
A document discusses the design of orbits of spacecraft for relaying communications between Earth stations and robotic and human explorers in craters in one of the polar regions on the Moon. In simplest terms, the basic problem is to design a constellation of orbits to provide continuous...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Two High-Temperature Foil Journal Bearings
An enlarged, high-temperature -compliant foil bearing has been built and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of such bearings for use in aircraft gas turbine engines. At 150 mm in diameter, this is the largest foil bearing known to date. This bearing is a scaled-up version of a patented...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A nonlinear version of the Liouville equation based on terminal attractors is part of a mathematical formalism for describing postinstability motions of dynamical systems...
Top Stories
Blog: RF & Microwave Electronics
A Hack to Trick Automotive Radar
Blog: Materials
Rapidly Printing with Liquid Metal
Blog: Materials
New Material Could Lead to Better Hydrogen-Based Batteries, Fuel Cells
Podcasts: Aerospace
Countering Illegally Operated Drones at Airports, Stadiums, and Prisons
NASA Spinoff: Design
Additive Manufacturing Subtracts from Rocket Build Time
Blog: Energy
Webcasts
Upcoming Webinars: Manufacturing & Prototyping
AI on the Ascent: Optimizing Factory Schedules for Peak Production
Webinars: Materials
Top 3 Factors Impacting the Useful Life of Medical Devices
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
How to Safely Control the Power to Your Vehicle
Upcoming Webinars: Software
Digital Twins and Simulation for Accelerated Automotive Product...
Upcoming Webinars: Manufacturing & Prototyping
EV Bodyshop Metrology: The Same but Different
Upcoming Webinars: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Integrating Additive Manufacturing Into Aerospace Production