Tag: NASA Engineering and Safety Center

Contact Dynamics Predictions Utilizing theNESC Parameterless Contact Model

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Download PDF: Contact Dynamics Predictions Utilizing theNESC Parameterless Contact Model Modeling the capture of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Orbiting Sample (OS) involves understanding complex dynamic behavior, which includes the OS making contact against the interior of the capture enclosure. The MSR Program required numerical verification of the contact dynamics’ predictions produced using their commercial software tools. This commercial software used “free” parameters to set up the contact modeling. Free parameters (also known as free variables) are not based on contact physics. The commercial contact model used by MSRrequired seven…

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2024 NESC Technical Update

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1 Min Read 2024 NESC Technical Update Annual Report of NESC Technical Activities On behalf of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), I am pleased to provide you with the 2024 NESC Technical Update. This annual report summarizes the technical work, engineering advancements, and knowledge capture efforts we made in FY24. With support provided by members of our NASA community from across the centers, we focused our efforts on performing value-added independent testing, analysis, and assessments of NASA’s high-risk projects to ensure safety and mission success. This report contains summaries…

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Part Ojibwe, All NASA: Linda Spuler’s Role in Protecting Johnson Space Center 

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Linda Spuler, emergency manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, believes that everyone has a story. “Our stories highlight what we have in common, but they also make us each unique,” she said.  Spuler has worked at Johnson for over 32 years, spending most of her career in Center Operations. Her story has involved helping to coordinate emergency response teams at Johnson in preparation for natural disasters. “Since Johnson is situated on the coast, a good portion of my job revolves around planning for hurricanes,” she said.    Spuler has…

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Identification of Noise Sources During Launch Using Phased Array Microphone Systems

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Identification of Noise Sources During Launch Using Phased Array Microphone Systems  Every part of a launch vehicle, launch pad, and ground operation equipment is subjected to the high acoustic load generated during lift-off [1]. Therefore, many extreme measures are taken to try to suppress this acoustic environment by damping with a water deluge system and diverting engine plumes away from the vehicle via flame trenches. Even single decibel reductions of the acoustic levels can translate into a sizable reduction of acoustic loadings, certification needs, operational costs, and even vehicle weight.…

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Trajectory Reverse Engineering 

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A strategy for transferring spacecraft trajectories between flight mechanics tools, called Trajectory Reverse Engineering (TRE), has been developed[1]. This innovative technique has been designed to be generic, enabling its application between any pair of tools, and to be resilient to the differences found in the dynamical and numerical models unique to each tool. The TRE technique was developed as part of the NESC study, Flight Mechanics Analysis Tools Interoperability and Component Sharing, to develop interfaces to support interoperability between several of NASA’s institutional flight mechanics tools.   The development of space…

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