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AerospaceTechnologyEnterprise

Annual Progress Report 2002

the role of the aerospace technology enterprise pioneers and va l i d at e sh i g h - p ayoff technologies

• to improve the quality of life;• to enable exploration and discovery;• to extend the benefits of our innovation throughout our society.

the enterprise accomplishes this role through advanced research in aviation systems, space launch and in-space technologies, innovativeprocesses and technology and the transfer of technology to the commercial sector.

our success is measured by the extent to which our results improve the quality of life and enable exploration and scientific knowledge.

the year 2003 marks the centennial of powered flight. to celebrate this—the office of aerospace technology has taken on a new look for its annual report—remembering ourpast and focused on the future of flight.

a replica of the wright flyer in the nasa langley full-scale wind tunnel at old dominion university.

Message to the Reader

In 1903, the Wright brothers realized the

ancient dream of human flight—a century later

NASA is pioneering the future of flight today.

iaerospace technology enterprise annual progress report 2002

As we commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Flight, the United States is still boldly pioneering the air andspace fro n t i e r. During this remarkable century, air travel has changed our lives in many ways. Journeys that oncetook weeks or months of dangerous travel now take a few hours. In space, we landed humans to explore theMoon and continue to send our robotic emissaries to roam the distant planets of our solar system.

For the past 45 years NASA’s aviation and space transportation investments have transformed our society by p roviding safe, aff o rdable transportation, creating global economic wealth, providing unrivaled national security,unlocking vast secrets of science and the cosmos, and providing a remarkable quality of life.

Over the past year, NASA’s Aerospace Technology Enterprise has forged ahead with bold new technologies inboth aviation and space access. These cutting-edge technologies will make air travel safer and more convenientwhile improving environmental compatibility. Our eff o rts support NASA’s mission of understanding and pro t e c t-ing our home planet, exploring the universe and searching for life, and inspiring future generations of explore r s .

The accomplishments in this re p o rt re p resent only a part of the total work achieved by the Aero s p a c eTechnology Enterprise. These accomplishments are not all final achievements—many re p resent a milestonealong a technology path. This path will lead to a new era in aviation and space transportation, improving ourquality of life and benefiting the Nation and the world.

Enterprise Executive Board

M r. Delma Fre e m a n

Center Director

Langley Research Center

(757) 864-1000

D . C . F re e m a n @ l a r c . n a s a . g o v

Mr. Scott Hubbard

Center Director

Ames Research Center

(650) 640-5111

[email protected]

Mr. Kevin L. Petersen

Center Director

Dryden Flight Research Center

(661) 258-3101

k e v i n . p e t e r s e n @ m a i l . d f r c . n a s a . g o v

Mr. Donald J. Campbell

Center Director

John H. Glenn Research

(216) 433-2929

D o n a l d . J . C a m p b e l l @ g r c . n a s a . g o v

Mr. Arthur G. Stephenson

Center Director

Marshall Space Flight Center

(256) 544-1910

A r t h u r. G . S t e p h e n s o n @ m s f c . n a s a . g o v

D r. Jeremiah F. Cre e d o n

AA for Aerospace Technology

NASA Headquarters

(202) 358-4600

j e re m i a h . f . c re e d o n @ n a s a . g o v

4 aerospace technology enterprise annual progress report 2002

Message to the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Evolution of the Aerospace TechnologyEnterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Goals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Aeronautics Technology Theme . . . . . . . . . . . 12Objective 2.1 Protect Air Travelers andthe Public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Resting for Peak Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Working with Human Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Life Saving Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A Real Ice-Breaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Weather Awareness–Or Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Getting a New View of Lightning . . . . . . . . . 18AWIN-WIN for Pilots and Passengers . . . . . 18How to Skip Over Bumpy Air . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Neural Networks for Pilots Who

Fly Smarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Objective 2.2 Protect the Environment . . . . . . . . 21Stronger Weaving for Turbine Vanes . . . . . . 21Fuel Injection for the Intelligent Engine . . . . 21Mix It Up to Beat Smog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Pulsing Fuel Adds Life to Engines . . . . . . . . . 22Putting the Brakes on Global Warming . . . . 23Reducing Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Landing Gear Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25PIV Helps Designers Visualize

Engine Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Tools to Predict Aircraft Noise . . . . . . . . . . . 26Quieter Landings Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Quiet for the Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Objective 2.3 Increase Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Decisions Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Better Flow Helps Safety and

Cuts Delays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29I n c reased Air Mobility Gives Everyone

a Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Internet in the Sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Objective 3.2 Support National Security . . . . . . . 33Staying Airborne Longer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Research Testbed for Flight Experiments . . . 33X-45A Unmanned Flight and Taxi Te s t s . . . . . 34Smart Simulations Help C-17

Globemaster Pilots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Space Launch Initiative Theme . . . . . . . . . . . 37Objective 8.2 Mission Safety and Affordability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Space Launch Initiative Architecture . . . . . . . 39Rockets Breathing Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Polymer Composites Can Take the Heat . . . 40New No-Pressure Adhesive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41New Alloy Has Remarkable Qualities . . . . . . 41COBRA Main Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Spaceflight by Candlelight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Pint-Sized Leak Detectors Just Right . . . . . . 43Measuring Vehicle Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Reusable Launch Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Objective 9.5 Support for Space Exploration . . . . 47Ion Engine Streams Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Table of Contents

5aerospace technology enterprise annual progress report 2002

Missions and Science Measurement Technology Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Objective 10.1 Mission Risk Analysis . . . . . . . . . . 51

Vehicle Redesign—During Flight Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Objective 10.2 Science Driven Architectures and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Seeing Red on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Rovers Get Freedom to Do Real Science . . . 53Virtual Tools Help MER Team

Collaborate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Innovative Technology Transfer Partnerships Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Calibration is Faster and Cheaper . . . . . . . . . 56Monitor Baby’s Heart at Home . . . . . . . . . . . 56Versatile Piezoelectric Actuators . . . . . . . . . . 57New Tools Help CFD Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Emergency Response Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Flight 587 Accident Investigation . . . . . . . . . 59New Aviation Security Capabilities . . . . . . . . 59

2002 Honors and Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Turning Goals Into Reality 2002 Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Aerospace Technology Education Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Fun and Inspiring Education Websites . . . . . 71Classroom Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Distance Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72NASA Science Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72NASA Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Destination Tomorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

O ffice of Aerospace Technology Locations . . . 74

Evolution of The Aerospace Technology Enterprise

NASA has a new vision and mission with a

single set of agency goals and objectives

that encompass the efforts of all six NASA

enterprises. Our success is measured by the

extent to which our results improve the quality

of life and enable exploration and the growth

of scientific knowledge.


In February 2003, NASA published a new StrategicPlan that emphasizes a “One NASA” approach and asingle set of 10 Agency Goals. The 18 organizingcategories through which the Agency Goals areaccomplished are called “Themes.”

The Aerospace Technology Enterprise is responsiblefor 4 of those 18:

• Aeronautics Technology• Space Launch Initiative• Mission and Science Measurement Technology• Innovative Technology Transfer Partnerships

The Aerospace Technology Enterprise contributes tothe NASA Vision and Mission through developmentof pioneering tools, processes and technologies. Thesein turn will enable future air and space transport a t i o nsystems, access to space, and new science missions.

The details supporting this new structure are showngraphically on the following pages.

For a complete look at the Agency Vision, Missionand Goals, please refer to the 2003 NASA StrategicPlan available online at: http://www.nasa.gov

Aerospace Technology Enterprise ThemesBeginning in FY 2003 these themes and their“Theme Objectives” have become the guides for ourresearch programs. Following is a brief descriptionof the work performed under each Theme.

Aeronautics Technology Theme. The Enterprisehas a unique role in NASA as sole administrator ofthe Agency’s aeronautics investments. NASA Aero-nautics Technology helps create technology for asafer, more secure, more environmentally friendly,and more efficient air transportation system. It also

enables improved performance of military aircraftand it finds new uses in science and commercial mis-sions. The enterprise supports our nation’s securitythrough its partnerships with the DOD and FAA.

Space Launch Initiative Theme. The Enterprise has been tasked to ensure safe, aff o rdable, and re l i a b l eaccess to space. New space transportation capabilitiesa re needed to ensure that America continues its lead-ership in space. Collaboration with DOD on criticalaccess to space and hypersonic technologies helps c reate a more secure world in support of future mili-t a ry and civil aerospace missions. Special emphasis isgiven to NASA-unique needs including crew escapeand survival systems, which will be developed by theprivate sector with government funding.

Mission and Science Measurement Te c h n o l o g i e sTheme. The Enterprise also is responsible for devel-oping crosscutting technology for a variety of aviationand space applications, such as communications, powerand propulsion systems, microdevices and instru m e n t s ,i n f o rmation technology, nanotechnology, and bio-t e c h n o l o g y. These technology advances will have thepotential to open a new era in aviation and allow spacemissions to expand our knowledge of Earth and theuniverse. Once developed, these technologies oftenfind their way into commercial applications.

Innovative Technology Transfer PartnershipsTheme. The Enterprise works to form partnershipswith industry and academia in order to develop newtechnology that supports enterprise programs. NASAalso will commercialize and transfer technology toU.S. industry and enhance its technology and com-mercial objectives through the Small BusinessInnovation Research (SBIR) and Small BusinessTechnology Transfer (STTR) programs.

Reporting on Enterprise AccomplishmentsOur Goals and Objectives reflect the real nationalneeds that are aligned with our Enterprise mission.To “stretch” beyond what is possible today, theEnterprise continually pursues and evaluates new,innovative and evolutionary technologies. To be successful, revolutionary technologies also must bedeveloped and integrated into the new aerospace systems and vehicles of the future.

This Annual Report highlights our Enterpriseaccomplishments for FY 2002. Many of theseaccomplishments represent major steps or milestonesalong a technology development path. Whileall are not yet in final form, they all demonstratenoteworthy progress achieved toward our ultimategoals and objectives.

Our FY 2002 accomplishments have been organizedin response to the new NASA 2003 Strategic Planand the new Agency Goals and Objectives supportedby the Aerospace Technology Enterprise. The charton the following page traces the linkage from ourprevious Enterprise Goals and Objectives to the newAgency Goals and Objectives. In most cases, there isa direct correlation between the 2002 and 2003 goalsand objectives, though in some cases assignmentshave changed and the new relationship is less clear.

For more information and insight on our 2002accomplishments, please visit our website and browsethrough the online version of this report. Links torelated information can be found on the website ofour research centers. Begin your search at:http://www.aerospace.nasa.gov


NASA mission and goals.


2002 Enterprise Goals and Objectives

2003 Agency Goals and ObjectivesA e rospace Technology Enterprise

2002 Goals and Objectives Structure

R e s t r u c t u red into Enterprise Support of Agency 2003 Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives

This chart maps Aerospace TechnologyEnterprise objectives from the 2000Enterprise Strategic Plan into theAgency’s 2003 NASA Strategic Plan structure. No lines or multiple links indicate, respectively, the creation of new objectives at the Agency level, or organizational changes within the original objectives.


Space Launch InitiativeTheme

Agency Goal 8Ensure the provision of space access and improveit by increasing safety, reliability, and affordability.

Objective 8.1Assured ISS AccessAssure safe, affordable, and reliable U.S.-based crew access andreturn from the International Space Station.

Objective 8.2 Mission Safety and AffordabilityImprove the safety, affordability, and reliability of future spacetransportation systems.

Agency Goal 3C reate a more secure world and improve the qualityof life by investing in technologies and collaboratingwith other agencies, industry, and academia.

Objective 3.1Support National Security (Space Access)Enhance the Nation’s security by developing and demonstratingcritical access-to-space technologies that benefit NASA, DOD,and other Government agencies.

Agency Goal 9Extend the duration and boundaries of humanspace flight to create new opportunities for exploration and discovery.

Objective 9.5Support for Space ExplorationDevelop innovative approaches and concepts to inform futuredecisions concerning systems, infrastructures, and missions forthe human and robotic exploration of space.

Aeronautics TechnologyTheme

Agency Goal 2Enable a safer, more secure, efficient, and environ-mentally friendly air transportation system.

Objective 2.1Protect Air Travelers and the PublicDecrease the aircraft fatal accident rate and the vulnerabilityof the air transportation system to threats and mitigate the con -sequences of accidents and hostile acts.

Objective 2.2 Protect the EnvironmentProtect local and global environmental quality by reducing aircraft noise and emissions.

Objective 2.3Increase MobilityEnable more people and goods to travel faster and farther, withfewer delays.


Objective 3.2Support National Security (Aeronautics)Enhance the Nation’s security through aeronautical partner -ships with DOD and other government agencies.

Agency Goal 10Enable revolutionary capabilities through new technology.

Objective 10.5Explore Revolutionary Aerospace ConceptsCreate novel aerospace concepts to support Earth and space science missions.

2003 Agency Goals and Objectives


Innovative TechnologyTransfer Partnerships Theme


Objective 3.3Extending Benefits to SocietyImprove the Nation’s economic strength and quality of life byfacilitating the innovative use of NASA technology.


Objective 10.6Tapping U.S. Non-Aerospace CapabilitiesEnhance NASA’s Mission by expanding partnerships betweenNASA Enterprises and nonaerospace U.S. industrial firms andby leveraging the venture capital community for innovativetechnology development.

Mission and ScienceMeasurement TechnologyTheme


Objective 10.1Mission Risk AnalysisImprove the capability to accurately assess and manage risk inthe synthesis of complex systems.

Objective 10.2Science Driven Architecture and TechnologyCreate system concepts and demonstrate technologies that enablenew scientific measurements.

Objective 10.3Create Knowledge from Scientific DataDevelop breakthrough information and communication systemsto increase our understanding of scientific data and phenomena.

Agency Goal 9Extend the duration and boundaries of humanspace flight to create new opportunities for exploration and discovery.

Objective 9.2Support for Human Space FlightDevelop knowledge and technologies to make life-support sys -tems self-sufficient and improve human performance in space.

Annual Report 2002

Relationship of Agency Goals to the Themes under the responsibility of the Aerospace Technology Enterprise. Primary Support

artist concept of future aircraft with revolutionarycapabilities. a new airspace system will allow greater

options for air travel and greater accessibility andaffordability to the public.


Expanding our aviation system to meet demands for future growth will mean providing a moredistributed, flexible, and adaptable network of airways. This growth must take place within thephysical and environmental constraints of today’s system, while also meeting the evolving needsof air travel. The system of the future will continue to be international in scope, requiring closecoordination across a global network.

Advanced vehicles will operate in this new infrastru c t u re with better perf o rmance and newcapabilities. Advanced information and sensor technologies will make air travel safer and moree fficient. Air transportation will be easily accessible from urban, suburban, and rural communi-ties. Airplanes will be cleaner, quieter, and faster.

NASA aims to revolutionize aviation by delivering the long-term, high-payoff aerospace tech-nologies, materials, operations, and research needed to enable development of new vehicles andsystem capabilities, including concepts to support Earth and Space Science missions.

The following pages report key accomplishments the Aerospace Technology Enterprise achievedtoward realizing this goal. Expanded write-ups, images, and videos can be found on the support-ing website at: http://www.aerospace.nasa.gov

Aeronautics Technology Theme


D e c rease the aircraft fatal accident rate and the vulnerability of the air transportation system to threats and mitigate the consequences of accidents and hostile acts.

In cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the aviationindustry, NASA research and technology efforts will continue to address accidentsand incidents involving hazardous weather, controlled flight into terrain, human-performance related causal factors, mechanical or software malfunctions and thedevelopment and integration of information technologies needed to build a saferairspace system and provide information for the assessment of situations and trendsthat indicate unsafe conditions before they lead to accidents.

NASA has examined the historical aviation accident trends and determined highpayoff technologies that will improve the safety of the National Airspace System.

After the events of September 11, 2001, technology re s e a rch in the area of aviationsecurity was added to NASA’s role. The re s e a rch program is under formulation andplans to leverage relevant work from existing related re s e a rch. As such the followingaccomplishments address aviation safety. Accomplishment re p o rts on aviation securitywill be provided beginning next year.

Motivated by the awareness that people operating within the air transportation system are ultimately responsible for air travel safety and reliability, the NASAAirspace Operations Systems Project is developing human-centered design conceptsand automation philosophies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aircraftpilots and air traffic controllers. During the past year, numerous studies have beenconducted in support of this objective including eye-movement tracking, imageprocessing, visual system modeling, and auditory system modeling.

The importance of these “psychophysical” studies is demonstrated through transferof the study findings to applications in aviation, medicine, and education. The following sections provide FY 2002 highlights and accomplishments in this area.

Aeronautics Technology Theme. Agency Goal 2

eye tracking is one of theperceptual measurementtools used to evaluatedisplay effectiveness inthe aos project.

Objective 2.1 Protect Air Travelers and the Public

Resting for Peak PerformanceFlight crew fatigue, caused by extended flight/dutytimes and crossing multiple time zones, has beenrepeatedly identified as a perf o rmance and safetyissue in aviation operations. To help improve thep robability that rested and alert crews are in thecockpit, a software-based scheduling tool was devel-oped to help predict flight crew perf o rmance andchanges in alertness based on sleep and circadianpatterns. The scheduling tool uses a biomathematicalmodel of alertness developed by a team at Harv a rdU n i v e r s i t y. It has been modified for use in flightoperations based on detailed cognitive, subjective,e n v i ronmental, and flight perf o rmance data collect-ed during long-haul commercial flights. The toolhelps users recommend pilot work and rest sched-ules to reduce in-flight fatigue during commerc i a lflight operations.

Working with Human NatureAs our reliance on machines increases—the potentialfor problems grows. Poorly designed user interf a c e sand manuals have resulted in training errors, in-flightincidents, and worst of all, accidents. To improve thep e rf o rmance and effectiveness of human beings inthese vital situations, the Airspace OperationsSystems Project is investigating how pilots and airt r a ffic controllers actually interact with highly complex automated control systems. Results of theseinvestigations have been used to produce form a lmethods and pro c e d u res for the verification anddesign of human-automation interaction.

These methods help to improve pilot perf o rmance int e rms of accuracy and reliability of actions in high-p re s s u re situations. The new design tools have alre a d ybeen successfully applied to the user interfaces for several autopilot and flight control pro g r a m s .

Life Saving TrainingIce—on the ground—or in the air—has been a serious, dangerous problem for pilots and their passengers since the start of powered flight. To get the upper hand in the battle with aircraft icing,researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Centerdeveloped a new computer-based training (CBT) aid for professional and private pilots, and pilots-in-training, that provides tools and information tohelp avoid, detect, and minimize ice exposure.Effects of icing on aircraft performance, controlupsets (wing and tail stalls), and recovery proceduresare explained.

This self-paced CBT improves on an existinginstructor-led In-Flight Icing Training CBT with newe x e rcises for pilots and pilots in training. Images fro mthe NASA Icing Research Aircraft and Icing Researc hTunnel, testimonials, animation, case studies andinteractive demonstrators supplement the training.


Pilot brainwave activity is monitored in the Crew VehicleSystem Research Facility Boeing 747-400 simulator in a study to determine fatigue, sleep loss, and circadian rhythmdisruption during long- and extra-long-haul flights.

The FAA, Air Line Pilots Association, and theUniversity of Oregon worked with NASA to developthis training. NASA plans to continue development ofe l e c t ronic-based training on icing in the future. Morethan 3,500 copies have been distributed to airlines,training and academic institutions, manufacturers, theFAA, and Tr a n s p o rt Canada. This CBT also has beendistributed intern a t i o n a l l y.

A Real Ice-Bre a k e rTo help improve aircraft performance during icyweather, computational icing simulation is makingthe transition from a research tool to more common-place use in design and certification.

The LEWICE project is serving as an introductionto the concepts of software management and isintended to serve as a pilot project for future icingsimulation developments.

The LEWICE Version 2.2 Ice Accretion Compu-tational Tool has been enhanced in FY 2002 by adding thermal ice protection subroutines for

modeling hot air and electro - t h e rmal anti/de-icing systems. This systems analysis capability has advancedthe state of the art to allow aircraft manufacturers tod e t e rmine—prior to testing—whether ice pro t e c t i o nsystem designs will prevent ice formation or re m o v eexisting ice accumulations. This software will assistoriginal equipment manufacturers in developing betterdesigns to cope with icing effects and certification ofthese designs.

Weather Awareness—Or NotOperating within the Aviation Safety Program’sWeather Accident Prevention Project—and a yearearly—a team from FAA, industry, academia, andNASA developed and integrated a series of key technologies needed for improved cockpit weatherinformation systems for both commercial and general aviation (GA) aircraft.

Improved in-cockpit graphical systems are expectedto provide a 50 percent reduction in aircraft acci-dents due to a lack of weather situational awareness.Weather effects on GA pilot decisions were studiedon the NASA B200 King Air research aircraft with atethered display from Honeywell. Digital datalinktechnologies also were demonstrated on the OhioUniversity King Air and the NASA Learjet aircraft.

Technologies from this project will improve operationale fficiency by allowing strategic avoidance of weather, amajor benefit given that weather causes most air traff i cdelays. Data from these flights also contributed to defin-ing the FAA Minimum Aviation System Perf o rm a n c eS t a n d a rds for Flight Information Services. These eff o rt shelped make new commercial subscription-based


Glace Ice formation commonly referred to as “Lobster Tail” byscientists and engineers, under certain conditions forms on theleading edge of an aircraft tail section. Studies of icing conditionsand resulting build up are conducted in the icing research tunnelat the NASA Glenn Research Center.

cockpit weather services possible—bringing graphicali n f o rmation to the GA cockpit for the first time.

Getting a New View of LightningLightning has always been a major safety problemfor aircraft. While the instantaneous voltage and heat effects are readily observed—these are not theonly problems.

To assess the impact of lightning and other electro-magnetic interference on aircraft structure andavionics systems, NASA has developed simulationsusing new physics-based computational tools devel-oped at the NASA Langley Research Center toenable a more accurate, safe, and cost-effective wayto study lightning.

AWIN-WIN for Pilots and PassengersIn partnership with the FAA, industry, and academia,NASA demonstrated technologies to give pilots moreup-to-the-minute weather forecasts to help safelyguide aircraft around dangerous weather.

The international Aviation Weather Inform a t i o nNetwork (AWIN) provides critical data and inform a-tion on potentially hazardous in-flight weather condi-tions. Prior to AWIN, pilots had to rely on pre f l i g h tweather briefings and occasional in-flight pilot re p o rt s .Real-time up-to-the-minute forecasts were unavailablein the cockpit.

In FY 2001, a national AWIN capability for the dis-play of radar weather information for transport and


Langley’s 737 flying laboratory flew over 130 missions into extreme weather situations, learning how to hunt invisible wind shearelements two to three miles ahead of the aircraft. This research contributed to better cockpit technologies for detecting wind shear.


GA aircraft was developed and demonstrated under aNASA Cooperative Research Agreement (CRA).

A communication infrastructure for in-flight distri-bution of weather information was also demonstratedunder a NASA CRA. These technologies enableddevelopment of the first generation of AWIN equip-ment, leading to release of more than 10 products. InFY 2002, NASA demonstrated the capability to inte-grate aircraft weather communications infrastructureand did it in an international environment.

Now pilots see current weather radar inform a t i o n —and receive and send turbulence re p o rts and stormf o recasts. As a result—pilots now can plan coursechanges more effectively to avoid hazardous weather.

How to Skip Over Bumpy AirDuring FY 2002, collaborations between industry andNASA reached key goals as much as a year ahead ofs c h e d u l e — s u p p o rting early completion of milestonesfor graphical weather display technologies. Flightdemonstrations included:

• I n - S e rvice Evaluations of the Honeywell We a t h e rI n f o rmation Network transport system by UnitedAirlines. Benefits include turbulence mitigation.

• First use of true Internet Protocol to a FAR 121flight deck via sky phone technology. Used oncommercial aircraft for passenger telephony, adial-up modem was used to provide low data ratedigital transfer of graphical weather information.

• The Rockwell Enhanced Weather Radar systemdemonstrated uplinked Next Generation Radar(NEXRAD) data combined with onboard radardata in a graphical weather information system.

• Display of weather products in a GA cockpit wasdemonstrated by ARNAV using the WeatherHazard Information System developed under acooperative agreement. Display concepts forretrofit and installation in a new cockpit alsowere developed.

Neural Networks for Pilots Who Fly SmarterNASA is doing something to help pilots who findthemselves flying severely damaged or malfunctioninga i rcraft—by developing new “smart” software thateventually will help aviators control and land disabledairplanes more safely.

The Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) project’s ultimate goal is to demonstrate this revolu-tionary control concept and efficiently identify keyaircraft stability and control characteristics usingneural networks—and optimize aircraft performancein both normal and failure conditions.

Neural network software has the capability to “learn ”by observing patterns in the data it receives andp rocesses—and then initiating diff e rent tasks inresponse to new patterns. Simple neural network s o f t w a re has been in use since the 1960s in computermodems—but it has never been used in the safety-related aviation environment—until now.

In July 2002, the NASA F-15B Research Testbedperformed a functional check flight equipped withinstrumentation needed to test the Generation IIFCS. The IFCS flights using the NASA F-15B are the first demonstration of an online “learning”neural network, which can learn changes to baselineaircraft stability and control derivatives and upgradethe neural network representations.

a new fa b r i c ation technique with composite materials is an innovation thata l l ows the composite to be shaped into the complex geometries needed forturbine va n e s . this will enable the design of higher performance, c l e a n e r ,longer lasting turbine engines.


Stronger Weaving for Turbine VanesFiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites offeradvantages over metallic materials—particularly for aerospace and nuclear applications.

To improve strength and perf o rmance of aero s p a c eturbine engines—a new fabrication technique devel-oped at NASA enables use of fiber- re i n f o rced ceramicsfor “first-stage” vanes in a gas turbine engine.

This is key because first-stage vanes are exposed tothe highest material temperatures in a turbine engineas they direct the hot combustion gas flow towardthe first stage of rotating turbine blades. One of thechallenges for a ceramic composite vane has beenshaping it to fit the complex geometry and structureof the sharp radius at the vane trailing edge.

This new fiber architecture innovation addresses thefabrication challenges presented at the vane trailingedge, and it provides composite-fiber architecture inthe remaining regions of the vane that has beendemonstrated in other turbine engine components.

Developed as part of the Ultra-Efficient EngineTechnology Program, a specially designed “Y-clothfiber architecture” now provides a unique solution tothis fabrication challenge.

Fuel Injection for the Intelligent EngineIn partnership with Goodrich Aerospace, NASAdemonstrated a metal multipoint Lean DirectInjector (LDI) fuel injection concept for use in a gasturbine engine combustor. LDI technologies canhelp improve performance of aircraft turbine enginesand reduce exhaust emissions.

The injector was made by Goodrich and tested inthe CE-9 Flame Tube Combustion Test Rig at theNASA Glenn Research Center. Tests demonstratedan 81 percent reduction in NOx emissions relative tothe 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) Standard.

This is a major step towards an actively controlledcombustor with embedded sensors and actuators thatwould be used in an intelligent engine that can adjust

Objective 2.2 Protect the Environment

Protect local and global environmental quality by reducing aircraft noise and emissions.

Reducing EmissionsAmong the chemicals produced during the combustion of aircraft fuel, two types have the most impact onhuman health and the quality of the environment—various nitrogen oxides (NOx) that degrade local air quality as common “smog” and interfer with the ozone layer— and carbon dioxide (CO2) that impacts theglobal environment by contributing to greenhouse warming. NASA efforts to explore emission reductiontechnologies will benefit the public in at least two ways:

• Reducing the overall impact of aviation operations on local air quality.• Eliminating nearly all aircraft emissions that are a source of climate change.

The following FY 2002 accomplishments highlight NASA’s research to Reduce Emissions.



its fuel consumption for maximum eff i c i e n c y. A siliconcarbide version of the LDI is being fabricated by theSensors and Electronic Branch at Glenn Researc hCenter and will be tested in the CE-5 test rig.

Silicon carbide provides high-temperature capabilityand is the base structure for incorporating advancedmicro-sensors and micro-electromechanical systems(MEMS) devices within the LDI injector assembly.Microvalve concepts using MEMS technology arecurrently in development.

Mix It Up to Beat SmogReducing NOx emissions from advanced aircraftengines is a key objective of the NASA AerospaceTechnology Enterprise and Ultra-Efficient EngineTechnology (UEET) Program.

Separate tests using a sector rig and a lean-burningstaged combustor Twin Annular Premixing Swirler(TAPS) mixer technology demonstrated up to a 67 percent NOx reduction below 1996 ICAO stan-

dards. Temperatures and pressures used for theTAPS rig were typical of engines in service today.Testing at higher pressures (50:1 to 55:1 ratio) isplanned at the Glenn Research Center AdvancedSubsonic Combustion Facility.

Research will continue with the goal of reaching a70 percent NOx reduction in a sector rig by the endof FY 2003.

These low-emission sector combustor tests provideconfidence that future combustors can be developedthat are capable of meeting the goal of 70 percentNOx reduction for the landing and takeoff cycle, forfuture commercial engines, reducing air pollutionand smog in and around airport communities.

Pulsing Fuel Adds Life to EnginesTo reduce environmental impact of aerospace pro p u l-sion systems, NASA is conducting extensive re s e a rc hwith lean-burning (low fuel-to-air ratio) combustors.L e a n - b u rning combustors have increased susceptibility

NASA hydrogen air combustion experiment, performed at Sandia National Lab, demonstrates a cleaner burning fuel option (byeliminating CO2) for future gas turbine engines and contributes to the OAT emissions reduction goal.

to thermo-acoustic instabilities, or high-pressureoscillations much like sound waves, that can causesevere high-frequency vibrations in the combustor.These pressure waves can significantly decrease com-bustor and turbine safe operating life. Suppression ofthese instabilities is an enabling technology for lean,low-emissions combustors.

Under the Aerospace Propulsion and Power BaseResearch and Technology Program, Pratt andWhitney, United Technologies Research Center(UTRC), and Georgia Institute of Technology partnered with NASA to develop technologies foractive combustion instability control. Pressureoscillations are put into the system by pulsing thefuel—this cancels out oscillations produced by instabilities. Thus, the engine has lower pollutantemissions and longer life.

The team demonstrated high-frequency (greaterthan 500 Hz) instability suppression on a single-nozzle combustor rig at UTRC. This team is thefirst to demonstrate active control in an environmentrelevant to aircraft engines.

Continued work will apply these advanced technolo-gies to future low-emissions combustors.

Putting the Brakes on Global WarmingRather than simply reduce turbine-engine emissions,a NASA team is working to totally eliminate onepollutant—CO2—through pioneering technologyresearch directed towards hydrogen-powered aircraftof the future.

The Zero CO2 Emissions Technology Team investi-gated two hydrogen-fueled aircraft approaches—gasturbine engines—and fuel cells. Analyses show bothapproaches are feasible using current technology.Research showed CO2 emissions were eliminatedand NOx emissions were greatly reduced throughdevelopment of a low-NOx hydrogen fuel injectorfor turbofan engines.

R e s e a rchers also found lightweight tanks of fiber-re i n f o rced polymer/clay “nanocomposites”—a potential bre a k t h rough in hydrogen storage—helpedreduce hydrogen permeability by two orders of mag-nitude, and a patent is pending on this technology.

Weight reductions of 20–30 percent are possible over metal tanks. Fracture toughness improved by 50 percent and strength by 40 percent. Power densityi m p rovements result from thinner, crack-re s i s t a n te l e c t rolytes that allow short e r, lighter fuel cell stacks.P a rtnerships with industry and academia have beenan integral part of this project and show both thed e s i re and need for such working solutions.


(Top) Compressor wired for data. (Bottom) Fan wired for data.

mounted landing gear is part ofdesign studies to reduce aircraft

noise on approach and landing.


Landing Gear NoiseStudy of airframe system noise in FY 2002 revealedlanding gear as the primary source of airframe noise,followed by flaps and slats. Technologies were devel-oped to reduce landing gear noise by streamliningairflow around gear through use of structures such asa “virtual” gear fairing.

Workstation-based simulations were used to identifyand document technology requirements for develop-ing advanced operation procedures.

In addition to changes to the landing gear, laterdeployment of landing gear is considered as an operational modification. For flaps and slats, con-cepts such as main-element links, flap-edge blowingand porous-slat trailing edges show promise. Theseconcepts will be initially pursued in the QuietAircraft Technology program. At the end of FY 2003the projected component benefits will be assessed on an airplane testbed.

PIV Helps Designers Visualize Engine NoiseTo understand fundamental mechanisms that cause noise in turbofan engines, an advanced flow-m e a s u rement technique, Particle Image Ve l o c i m e t ry(PIV), was used for the first time in FY 2002 tocharacterize turbulent airflow through fan andexhaust components.

The PIV technique uses a pulsed laser-light sheet torecord positions of individual particles in a fluid attwo points in time across a planar region of the flow.

This very accurate data, obtained with PIV, will helpvalidate existing noise-prediction computer codes, andaid development of new Computational Aero A c o u s t i c s(CAA) codes to be delivered as part of the NASAQuiet Aircraft Technology Program in 2005.

A variety of technical challenges were resolved to usePIV techniques in fan and exhaust nozzle flow fieldssuch as modification of model-scale engine nacelle

Reducing NoiseNASA is conducting a balanced effort to make major advances in noise reduction by 2007 and looking tohigh-impact technologies to achieve more substantial targets by 2022.

Reducing noise impact around airports—and confining air transport noise within compatible land-useareas—will benefit all the homes and businesses close to an airport. This will enable faster and more efficientgrowth in our nation’s air system—and reduce constraints on where new airports and runways are located.

Understanding source noise mechanisms gained from computational, as well as experimental investigations,also will lead to discovery and optimization of noise reduction concepts to achieve the NASA 10-year,10-decibel (dB) noise reduction objective.

The work completed in FY 2002 provides the foundation for future developmental eff o rts. The demonstratednew technologies—when incorporated into aviation systems—will result in an additional 2-dB noise re d u c t i o nf rom the 1997 baseline for aircraft noise.

The following FY 2002 accomplishments highlight NASA’s research to Reduce Noise.


hardware allowing high-speed photography of laser-illuminated particles. The resulting data, togetherwith noise prediction computer codes under devel-opment, will be used to analyze, design and optimizenew concepts for engine noise reduction.

Tools to Predict Aircraft NoiseSystem-level noise assessments are used to determinewhich technologies will provide the most leverage inreducing community noise impact. During FY 2002,NASA awarded a contract to define the code archi-tecture for an Advanced Vehicle Analysis Tool forAcoustics Research (AVATAR), an improved versionof a tool known as the Aircraft Noise PredictionProgram (ANOPP).

With AVATAR, noise prediction accuracy will beg reatly improved execution time and reduce codemaintenance cost. AVATAR will use re e n g i n e e re dANOPP code, incorporate the capabilities of ANOPP,and add capabilities to predict advanced aircraft configurations such as the Blended Wing Body con-cept. A beta version of AVATAR has been delivere dfor internal NASA use and testing (includes severalsignificant improvements over ANOPP).

Quieter Landings AheadA literature review provided a list of operationalnoise reduction techniques, from which the continu-ous descent approach (CDA) was selected as thefocus of further research.

Fan flow measurements made using particle image velocimetry technique to improve designs for low noise engines.


Although CDA aims to reduce noise in areas furt h e rf rom the ru n w a y, other techniques may be integratedinto the approach flight path to help reduce noisecloser to the end of the ru n w a y. An impact study hasshown that arrival demand is the main factor aff e c t i n grunway throughput for each of the noise re d u c t i o ntechniques studied.

During low arrival demand periods, CDA does notappreciably impact runway throughput. Additionalresearch will address new techniques for enablingCDA to be used successfully in moderate to highdemand periods and locations.

Quiet for the MovieOngoing work in improving passenger and crewenvironment noise has demonstrated broadband performance of “smart foam” as both a passive andactive concept. Purdue University has shown thereduced transmission loss from optimized fiberglass.Embedded structural damping, foam materials, andoverall system configurations are expected to reducenoise by up to 4 decibels.

The continued development of embedded electro n i c sand distributed autonomous controller technology alsowill make active control cheap and effective for use inspecific trouble areas where excessive noise exists.

Full-scale evaluation of noise reduction technologies.

a simulation demonstrating sms and tma interoperability was conducted in the futureflightcentral simulator at ames research center with tower controllers from dallas/ft. wo rt h ,m e m p h i s , and norfolk airport s . r e p r e s e n t atives from several air carriers (fedex, u p s , n o rt h w e s ta i r l i n e s , united airlines, and american airlines) also part i c i p at e d .


Decisions DecisionsSelecting the best sequence of airport runways to use for landings and depart u res hasbecome very complex—as demands on our National Airspace System have gro w n .I m p roved decision tools and concepts that can help safely automate the selectionp rocess are in development at the NASA Ames Research Center.

In FY 2002, the FutureFlight Central simulator at Ames tested the capability of twodecision support tools to help reduce arrival and departure delays. The SurfaceManagement System (SMS) and Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) tools—wereused to switch runways from departures to arrivals. In the simulation, two runwayswere used for departures and a third runway used for arrivals. A human TrafficManagement Coordinator (TMC) then decided when to switch one runway fromdepartures to arrivals. Timelines of arrival and departure schedules were the mosthelpful tools for these decisions. The TMC also found SMS information, particu-larly timelines, helpful in managing departure runway balancing.

Better Flow Helps Safety and Cuts DelaysA new Tr a ffic Flow Automation System (TFAS) decision support tool for system-wide prediction of air traffic sector loading was developed and evaluated in FY 2002.The intent is to use higher fidelity models of a tool known as the Center TRACONAutomation System (CTAS) to predict future sector loadings. CTAS is a set of toolsdesigned by the FAA and NASA to help air traffic controllers manage i n c re a s i n g l y

Objective 2.3 Increase Mobility

Enable more people and goods to travel faster and farther, withfewer delays.

Although the events of September 11 have temporarily reduced demand on ournation’s air system—delays are expected to return as demand for passenger andcargo flights increase. In cooperation with the FAA—NASA is developing new system concepts and airspace systems technologies:

• Improving gate-to-gate air traffic management and control processes by isdeveloping decision-support system technologies to assist air traffic controllers,pilots, and aircraft operators in using airspace more efficiently.

• Identifying and developing new concepts, to increase future air transportationcapacity and developing innovative modeling techniques.



complex air traffic flows at large airports. The toolsin CTAS benefit air traffic controllers by re d u c i n gs t ress and workload, and benefit air travelers byreducing delays and increasing safety.

The demonstration of TFAS capabilities re p re s e n t sthe first time that CTAS algorithms and models havebeen used to predict traffic flow for all air traffic inthe NAS simultaneously. Data obtained during opera-tion of this initial traffic management capability atAmes shows that sector loading accuracy is impro v e d .The Ames hp j6700 Compute Farm was used top rocess all air traffic in the NAS simultaneously. The data demonstrates that, in general, the TFA Sp rovides more accurate predictions of sector loadingthan current tools.

Increased Air Mobility Gives Everyone a LiftConceived as a safe alternative to free people andproducts from the limitations of today’s ground and air transportation systems—the Small AircraftTransportation System (SATS) concept will increasereliable air access to virtually any community in America.

NASA has selected the National Consortium forAviation Mobility (NCAM) as its partner in a jointv e n t u re to develop and demonstrate SATS Pro j e c toperating capabilities and enabling technologies.NCAM members include a broad range of industry,u n i v e r s i t y, state and local aviation authority gro u p sf rom across the United States. NASA and NCAM,along with the FAA, will conduct re s e a rch and devel-opment proof-of-concept activities. These studieshave the potential to increase use of small communityand neighborhood airports without requiring changesto control towers, radar installations, and incre a s e dland use for added runway protection zones.

In FY 2002, SATS project partners established abaseline framework for project management and sys-tems engineering efforts needed to develop, evaluateand demonstrate new operating capabilities that arekey to the overall SATS concept. Over time—SATStechnologies will provide benefits to commuter andair carrier operations as well.

Internet in the SkyFundamental improvements in aircraft communica-tions and information services are re q u i red to supportS ATS goals for better air access across America. Tosatisfy these communications re q u i re m e n t s — N A S A ,the FAA, and industry partners—developed an“ A i r b o rne Intern e t . ”

The Airborne Internet is a re v o l u t i o n a ry, integratedCommunications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS)system that delivers aviation information services inan Internet-like manner to aircraft and ground usersvia a high-speed digital communications network.

Developed to support SATS goals for improvedintercity door-to-door mobility, Airborne Internetfeatures include a robust high-capacity aviationinformation system for air traffic control and safetyadvisories; worldwide compatibility; seamless peer-to-peer connectivity; high bandwidth and data rates;and confirmed delivery notification.

In partnership with industry and the FAA—NASAled the development of the Airborne Internet. Nowcomplete to a high level of technology maturity, thenext stage is underway and involves transferring thistechnology to a newly formed Airborne InternetConsortium—known as SATSLab—for further evaluation and commercialization.

artist concept of a small personal-use jet aircraft fromthe small aircraft transportation system (sats) project.

the altair unmanned aerial vehicle (uav), built by general atomics aeronautical systems, inc.

for nasa, is poised for flight at ga-asi flight test facility at el mirage, california.


Staying Airborne LongerThe NASA Environmental Research Aircraft andSensor Technology (ERAST) program was establishedin 1994 under a Joint Sponsored Research Agre e m e n tto help accelerate development of Uninhabited AerialVehicle (U AV) technologies for scientific and com-m e rcial applications.

NASA developed the Predator-B/Altair UAV to meetthe requirements of the NASA Earth SciencesEnterprise for a future airborne science platform thatcould remain aloft at high altitudes for very longtime periods without refueling.

The Pre d a t o r-B/Altair is the next generation of re c o n-naissance and sensor platform developed from theP redator vehicle. The events of September 11, 2001accelerated this eff o rt with the Pre d a t o r-B aircraft. InDecember 2001, the USAF perf o rmed a Pre d a t o r- Bmission to meet the NASA mission-profile metric.Flight above 40,000 feet for more than 24 hours with-out refueling was demonstrated.

This demonstration was also a testament to a strongpartnership. Working together DOD and NASAwere able to quickly solve a number of issues to meetboth national security needs and scientific goals.

Research Testbed for Flight ExperimentsUsing the NASA F-15B Research Testbed to demon-strate and mature new technologies helps facilitate arapid transition of technology into defense, scientificand industry applications.

The mission of the F-15B Research Testbed is top rovide NASA, industry, and universities with a long-t e rm capability for flight testing of aero d y n a m i c ,i n s t rumentation, propulsion, and other flight re s e a rc hexperiments. The primary objective is to conductflight re s e a rch at lower cost to enable validation ofdesign tools and techniques.

During FY 2002, the following F-15B experimentswere completed for users including the DefenseAdvanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),NASA, and various academic institutions:

• Portable Neutron Spectrometer• Flight testing of Propulsion Flight Test Fixture• Laminar Flow Experiment #3• Supersonic Shaped Boom Demonstration base-

line flights

Objective 3.2 Support National Security

Enhance the Nation’s security through aeronautical partnerships with DOD andother Government agencies.

In FY 2002, innovative technology was developed to enable high data rate space communications from smallg round stations, and to demonstrate the application of nanotechnology for chemical sensors and high stre n g t hcomposite materials.


X-45A Unmanned Flights and Taxi TestsThe goal of the X-45A Unmanned Combat AirVehicle (UCAV) technology program is to demon-strate operation of high-perf o rmance autonomousvehicles and autonomous ground and flight contro llaws. The first X-45A vehicle flew in May 2002 andthe second X-45A flew in November 2002.

The X-45A UCAV is an autonomous low-observ a b l eradar signature vehicle with a deeply embeddedp ropulsion system. Boeing built two X-45A vehicles asp a rt of the DARPA Advanced Te c h n o l o g yDemonstration UCAV program.

NASA provided design of the autonomous gro u n d(taxi) control laws along with collision avoidance and

airspace operation strategies. The objectives of taxitests were to analyze guidance, navigation, control, andsubsystem perf o rmance for the purpose of validatingdesign tools and subsystem models.

Autonomous taxi control capabilities were requiredby the DARPA, DOD and USAF customer to enableX-45A to maneuver on its own up to takeoff and forpost-flight operations.

The X-45A is a major demonstration program forf u t u re weapon systems. NASA expertise in gro u n dand flight test techniques has been critical to successwith the X-45A. Activities such as X-45A helpNASA maintain its core competencies in advancedU AV technology.


DARPA, U.S. Airforce, Boeing X-45A UCAV at NASA Dryden.

Smart Simulations Help C-17 Globemaster PilotsIntegration of the Intelligent Flight Control Systemcontrol laws into a C-17 simulation in FY 2002 was afirst for use of a neural network flight control systemin a quad-redundant flight control environment.

Neural network software provided pilot control atlevels comparable to or better than existing C-17control laws at specific flight conditions. Two NASAand one Air Force test pilot from the C-17 test forceflew the simulation to ensure that Neural Network

software flew comparable to or better than the exist-ing C-17 control law. The pilots flew a standard setof C-17 evaluation maneuver cards to determinesimulation suitability.

Positive pilot comments on the simulation werereceived from NASA and Air Force pilots. Next stepsinclude continuing the simulation eff o rts and on-boardl e a rning neural network and failure mode insert i o n .L a t e r, Generation 2 neural network software for theC-17 will be developed.


C-17 taxing for take-off.

a rtist rendering of reusable launch vehicle concept.


Revolutionizing our space transportation system to significantly reduce costs and increase re l i a b i l i t yand safety will open the space frontier to new levels of exploration and commercial endeavor.

With the creation of the Integrated Space Tr a n s p o rtation Plan (ISTP), NASA has defined a single,integrated investment strategy for its diverse space transportation eff o rt s .

By investing in a sustained pro g ression of re s e a rch and technology initiatives, NASA will enablethe design and development of future generations of reusable launch vehicles and in-spacet r a n s p o rtation systems that will overcome present Earth-to-orbit challenges.

This will result in less costly, more frequent, and more reliable access to our neighboring planetsand eventually to the stars beyond our solar system.

The following pages re p o rt key accomplishments the Aerospace Technology Enterprise achievedt o w a rd realizing this goal. Expanded write-ups, images, and videos can be found on the support i n gwebsite at: h t t p : / / w w w. a e ro s p a c e . n a s a . g o v

Space Launch Initiative Theme

a rtist concepts for next generation launch vehicles.


Space Launch Initiative ArchitectureUnder the new NASA Integrated SpaceTransportation Plan released in early FY 2003, theSpace Launch Initiative (SLI) will focus on theOrbital Space Plane and Next Generation LaunchTechnology, including third-generation ReusableLaunch Vehicle (RLV) efforts.

The Orbital Space Plane is designed to provide acrew-transfer capability and to ensure access to andfrom the International Space Station. The NextGeneration Launch Technology Program fundsdevelopments in areas such as propulsion, structures,and operations for the next-generation RLV.

A new Integrated Space Tr a n s p o rtation Plan (ISTP) is designed to benefit the International Space Station,Space Shuttle, and NASA science and re s e a rch objec-tives. The new ISTP dedicates more re s o u rces to the Space Station program; provides additional fund-ing to extend the life and enhance the safety and reliability of the agency’s orbiter fleet; boosts fundingfor science-based payloads and re s e a rch; and re s t ru c-t u res NASA’s Space Launch Initiative, originallydesigned to identify next-generation reusable launchvehicle technology.

The new ISTP reflects important changes to NASA’sfive-year budget plan, but keeps costs within theoriginal 2003 fiscal budget.

A crucial component of the new ISTP is the develop-ment of a crew transport vehicle. The concept of anOrbital Space Plane reflects NASA’s need to ferrySpace Station crewmembers and to ensure that acapability exists to get the crew home if there is anemergency. The concept will be the immediateobjective of the new SLI research efforts.

The Orbital Space Plane is beneficial on several levels—it is based on existing technologies andtherefore lowers risk and is more affordable. It willreplace the Space Shuttle as the primary crew trans-port vehicle, freeing the orbiter fleet to focus onheavy cargo delivery.

SLI will continue to identify future reusable launchvehicle technology through a new Next GenerationLaunch Technology program, investing money inpropulsion, structures and other key areas.

Rockets Breathing AirA prototype for an innovative NASA “air- b re a t h i n g ”rocket engine—that could revolutionize air andspace travel in the next 40 years—reached a majormilestone in FY 2002—fully three months earlierthan planned.

The air-breathing rocket engine gets its initial powerfrom special rockets in a duct that captures air, whichhelps it perform 15 percent better than conventional

Objective 8.2 Mission Safety and Affordability

I m p rove the safety, aff o rd a b i l i t y, and reliability of future space transportation systems.

NASA is making substantial headway on new technologies to deliver payloads to Low-Earth Orbit at 100 times less than the cost of current technology and to reach a similar reduction in the cost of placing payloads in higher orbits by 2025.

Space Launch Initiative Theme. Agency Goal 8

rockets. At twice the speed of sound, the rockets turnoff and the vehicle relies on oxygen in the air to burnfuel. As the vehicle reaches 10 times the speed ofsound, the engine converts back to a rocket to propelthe craft into orbit.

Spacecraft using these engines would be reusable andcapable of takeoff and landing at airports—and re a d yto fly again in days.

Being developed by the NASA Integrated System Te s tof an Air- b reathing Rocket (ISTAR) pro g r a m — t h ep rogram plans to test an air- b reathing vehicle at six

times the speed of sound, demonstrating all modes ofengine operation.

System requirements review on the flight test enginewas completed in July 2002. ISTAR is part of theNASA effort to make future space transportationsafer, more reliable—and much less expensive than itis today.

Polymer Composites Can Take the HeatFor 20 years, NASA and industry have partnered in the technology of using lightweight textile com-posites. Historically, the biggest barriers to use of


Test firing of an air-breathing rocket engine.

composites in commercial jets have been the cost andits tolerance to damage.

Composites used in space structures must remainstrong at higher temperatures than with jet engines.Space p ropulsion components must withstand temper-a t u res of 650°F or more. But use of high-temperaturecomposites in space applications could save 30 perc e n tof component weight—so there is great benefit tousing these materials.

Under a Boeing/NASA cost-shared project—a new polymer was developed that exhibits the high-temperature characteristics for use at 650°F.The manufacturing process also will reduce the component costs by 50 percent—and reduce main-tenance due to the exceptional long-term durabilityand damage tolerance.

A variety of components were made with this polymerusing a Resin Film Infusion process. This pro c e s sinvolves injecting resin into a “pre - f o rm” of woven orbraided fiber, which had been limited to fabricatinglower temperature polymer materials. This work willreduce acquisition and maintenance costs for advancedspace systems—and will lead to similar savings in mili-t a ry and commercial aircraft engines.

New No-Pressure AdhesiveNew fabrication adhesives developed by NASA willallow efficient production of composite structures—without the use of expensive industrial autoclaves. Inaddition, this adhesive process permits fabrication oflarge composite structures.

This improved fabrication process can be used forp roducts needing high strength-to-weight ratio characteristics available from composite stru c t u re s .C o m m e rcial applications include aerospace and auto-mobile manufacturing as well as other industrial uses.

Based on a series of non-autoclave high-flow adhe-sive materials containing Phenylethynyl terminatedimides (PETI-8), composites now can be processedwith vacuum bag and oven-only techniques that donot require external autoclave pressure. Early testingof the PETI material also shows excellent adhesivestrength when bonding titanium.

F u t u re work is underway to study the characteristicsof this adhesive when used with composite stru c t u re s .If this new adhesive material works as predicted, itcan significantly reduce manufacturing costs andfacility re q u i re m e n t s .

New Alloy Has Remarkable QualitiesA revolutionary copper-based alloy (GRCop-84 Cu-Cr-Nb) may soon replace current state-of-the-art materials in “regeneratively-cooled” rocketengines because it will result in longer engine life,higher performance, improved safety and loweredmaintenance costs.

In 2002, more than 1,400 pounds of the copper alloyhas been processed into copper sheet and plate insupport of the Co-Optimized Booster for ReusableApplications (COBRA) engine—a liquid oxygen/hydrogen single “preburner-staged” combustionmain engine for reusable launch vehicles.

This new alloy will substantially improve key proper-ties of industry standard materials that have beenused since the 1960s. Weight reductions of morethan 10 percent for combustion chamber designs,increased temperature capability, longer life, reducedmaintenance, and higher reliability will result.

In 2003, this material will be used in subscale plateletchambers for testing in a rocket combustion chamberthat is undergoing combustion and active cooling.Work on the alloy by NASA, industry, and academia



is paving the way to a low-risk, high-gain transitionfor all major rocket engines.

COBRA Main EngineThe COBRA engine is designed to provide a 100-mission lifespan with maintenance checkupsafter 50 missions. Its liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen

main engine design produces 565,000 pounds ofthrust at vacuum and contains a single liquid-liquidfuel-rich preburner, high-pressure turbopumps, low-pressure turbopumps, and a channel-wall nozzle.The engine’s liquid-liquid preburner provides a keyenabling technology for future engines by loweringtemperatures and “smoothing” engine ignition. A

Manifold side Hot gas side

Platelet Technology Liner—Platelet liners are made by stacking sheets of GRCop-84 that has been machined with the desired shapesfor cooling channels and other features and bonding them together. Sections are formed and joined to make the completed MainCombustion Chamber.


single-preburner cycle provides inherent safety byeliminating one high-pressure burner.

The COBRA Team fabricated and proof-tested a 40 percent scale milled channel-wall nozzle. Thenozzle was structurally tested at pressures up to fourtimes higher than normal operation, validating thedesign of the nozzle which will improve safety, cost,and reliability, while reducing fabrication time from four years to one year. The milled channel-wall nozzle is designed for ease of manufacture and is lesssusceptible to coolant leakage, currently a problemfor a tube-wall design rocket engine. A single-pieceliner eliminates hot gas wall joints and a liquid oxy-gen coolant feature eliminates the need for a tradi-tional heat exchanger.

H i s t o r i c a l l y, high-pre s s u re pumps are one of themost difficult items to develop. COBRA usesm a t u re Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) alter-nate design turbopumps. Several key technologieseliminate possible SSME failure modes: the plateletinjectors eliminate 909 parts, the channel wall noz-zle construction eliminates 1,080 tubes, and the liq-uid oxygen-cooled nozzle eliminates a catastro p h i cSSME failure mode. The jet-engine-type EngineHealth Management System enhances safety withcontinuous diagnostics and reduces engine turn-a round time between flights. In 2002, the pro t o t y p ep re b u rner was completed through the CriticalDesign Review level and a subscale pre b u rner wassuccessfully tested.

The option to extend work on the COBRA pro t o t y p eengine was not exercised as part of the period of p e rf o rmance that ended September 30, 2002. At thistime the SLI Program decided to focus its pro p u l s i o nd e v e l o pment activities on a liquid oxygen (LOX)/H y d ro c a r b o n engine. The program determined afterextensive data analysis that the LOX/hydro c a r b o n

engines provided greater risk reduction potential for anew reusable launch system.

Spaceflight by CandlelightThe NASA Ames Hybrid Combustion Facility successfully tested an alternative rocket fuel that mayincrease operational safety and reduce costs over current solid fuels. Other tests at Stanford Universityhave shown that a new paraffin-based fuel has a burnrate three times greater than other hybrid fuels.The new paraffin-based fuel could eventually be usedin space shuttle booster rockets. The first successfultest in a series of 40 runs took place in September 2001.

Two years of collaboration between StanfordUniversity and NASA Ames Research Center haveled to development of a non-toxic, easily handledfuel made from a paraffin substance similar to com-mon candle wax.

The byproducts of combustion of the new wax fuelare carbon dioxide and water—unlike conventionalrocket fuel that produces aluminum oxide and acidicgasses such as hydrogen chloride.

A hybrid rocket using this fuel could be throttled—or have its thrust varied—including being shut-downand later restarted—offering a wide range of optionscompared to solid rocket motors of today that do nothave those options.

Pint-Sized Leak Detectors Just RightThe Advanced Space Transportation effort needsimproved leak detection capabilities to reduce explosion risk, improve safety, and reduce vehicle-operating costs.

Leak detection is important to avoid explosive condi-tions that could harm people and damage space vehicles. Dependable vehicle operations require

timely and accurate leak measurement; and improvedleak detection techniques are needed to meet theMission Safety Objective of reducing the incidenceof crew loss by a factor of 40 within 10 years as wellas reducing costs by a factor of 10.

Existing leak detection systems are large, re q u i re apumping system and large amounts of power—or do not work in the environment of space. This haslimited the capability to detect leaks in a wide range of applications; and there are often no space-qualifiedsystems that meet NASA needs.

In response, a NASA-led team in 2002, developed a postage-stamp sized hydrogen leak detection system that meets NASA and industry needs, and has customized it for use in many applications.

Significant technical challenges were overcome:miniaturizing sensor size and electronics; operatingreliability in inert environments; and providing adequate sensitivity to give early hazard warnings.

Measuring Vehicle HealthThe Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM)p roject focuses on technology that determines the“health” or fitness level of a launch vehicle in order to increase safety and reduce operations and mainte-nance costs.

IVHM uses advanced information technologies—software, hardware, communications, and sensortechnologies—to increase the safety of operations,reduce vehicle turnaround times, and eliminateunnecessary maintenance tasks.

Concepts for embedding IVHM monitoring sensorsinto aerospace structural materials have been devel-oped—and pre l i m i n a ry tests have been perf o rm e d .These concepts may enable the development of

embedded sensor systems for widespread structuralhealth management of future generations of aero-space vehicles.

New fiber-optic concepts also have led to a majorreduction in sensor complexity and a 50 percent costreduction for embedding sensor systems in aerospacestructural materials. Laboratory evaluation anddevelopment of existing concepts along with furtherdevelopment of new concepts for embedding sensorsis underway.

Reusable Launch VehicleRisk reduction and development activities conducted bythe 2nd Generation RLV program culminated in evalu-ation of competing second-generation reusable launchvehicle arc h i t e c t u res and technologies in FY 2002.

Architecture definition studies focused the availabletrade space from over 100 candidate architectures tothe 15 most promising candidates, identified the keytechnology drivers for a 2nd Generation RLV, andprioritized the technology development needs.

Propulsion system requirements definition and con-ceptual design studies were performed in support ofthese architectures. These studies focused the selec-tion of the thrust class and fuel for the booster stage,second stage, and on-orbit auxiliary rocket enginesand led to the decision to prioritize further rocketengine work on reusable kerosene engines to supporta booster stage of an RLV.

Airframe design evaluations included assessments ofhot aeroshell/integral tank structures and a demon-stration of a self-reacting friction stir weldingprocess for metallic cryogenic tanks. Additional tech-nology development activities were conducted inintegrated vehicle health management, flightmechanics, operations, and power systems.



Investments in space transportation launch technolo-gies will be continued in the Next GenerationLaunch Technology Program—with decision points

outlined in the future on whether to implement anew launch vehicle.

Testbed for dozens of advanced concepts that could pioneer the way for future reusable launch vehicles.

ion engine mounted in a jpl testbed.


Ion Engine Streams AheadThe NASA Glenn Research Center is evaluatinghigh specific impulse ion thrusters for potential outerplanet and interstellar missions. Unlike chemicalrocket engines that burn large amounts of solid orliquid fuels in a few short minutes—an ion engineemits a gentle stream of electrically charged atoms—for a period that could last years or even decades.

Use of ion engines could reduce travel times for longi n t e r p l a n e t a ry and interstellar missions because once“ t u rned on” these engines typically are operated con-

tinuously—which serves to continually increase vehiclespeed—as long as the ion stream continues to flow.In FY 2002, NASA completed and demonstrated a10-kilowatt ion engine, which is designed for use inn u c l e a r-electric propulsion systems. The high-powerion engine used titanium ion optics that pro d u c e dfour times the power and a 62 percent greater specificimpulse than the current state-of-the-art ion engine.

Two high-power ion optics approaches were designed,m a n u f a c t u red, and tested. Next steps involve incre a s-ing power output above the 10-kilowatt level.

Objective 9.5 Support for Space Exploration

Develop innovative approaches and concepts to inform future decisions concerning systems, infrastructures, and missions for the human and roboticexploration of space.

This objective aims to develop light, rapid space propulsion systems that will make travel times for longp l a n e t a ry missions dramatically shorter than today. These advances will be achieved through use of smallsystems for travel to the planets and using bre a k t h rough propulsion technologies to reach other stars within a human lifespan. Although begun as an Aerospace Technology Enterprise program, re s p o n s i b i l i t yfor this objective is now within the space and flight support theme.

Space Launch Initiative Theme. Agency Goal 9

a rtist concept of the next-generation space telescope using “ f o r m ation fly i n g ” o fmirror elements to collectively form a revo l u t i o n a ry large-aperture telescope.


New and innovative approaches to system design and technology development will be needed to build the aerospace systems of the future. These new systems will depend on technology anddisciplines still in their infancy.

Developing the broad knowledge base and information architecture needed to design advancedaerospace systems is a crucial first step. Creating the advanced engineering tools and techniquesthat promote high-confidence design and construction of new systems also is required. As partof this effort, the NASA Aerospace Technology Enterprise is developing fundamental new technologies to assist other NASA Enterprises in accomplishing their strategic objectives.

Technology transition planning and change management processes are used to effectively supportincorporation of new technologies into NASA missions. These technologies will enable collec-tion, analysis, distribution, and development of new scientific data, discoveries, and informationin a more rapid and efficient manner than ever before.


Missions and Science Measurement Technology Theme

example of ctv (crew transfer vehicle) with different wing configurat i o n s .


Vehicle Redesign—During FlightSimulationsNASA is working on a promising approach toreduce the overall time and cost to develop aero-space vehicles—by enabling vehicle design changesto be made during flight simulations using high-endcomputing tools and advanced information manage-ment techniques.

During FY 2002, real-time piloted simulations of af u t u re Crew Transfer Vehicle (CTV) were completed.These simulations used integrated ComputationalFluid Dynamics, flight test and wind tunnel data.A s t ronaut pilots provided ratings of the vehicle p e rf o rmance and handling qualities of the conceptCTV simulation.

This system allows real-time evaluations by astro-nauts of the handling qualities of proposed aerospacevehicles—while the vehicle concepts are still on thedrawing board. The system also functions as a virtuallaboratory for remote collaboration among designgroups, which helps reduce design cycle timethrough speedier integration of the engineeringproducts developed in the design process.

The Vi rtual Laboratory was used for collaborationamong engineering groups focused on design, fluiddynamics, control system, and handling qualities.T h ree NASA Centers at four sites across the countryw e re involved in the collaborative design eff o rt .Advances in experimental vehicles, flight testbeds andcomputing tools will lead to development of re v o l u-t i o n a ry new designs.

Objective 10.1 Mission Risk Analysis

Improve the capability to accurately assess and manage risk in the synthesis of complex systems.

Success in assessing and managing risk can help us find critical equilibrium among cost, perf o rmance, andschedule, while protecting the safety of our people and investments. Research and development activities toe n s u re mission success are built upon technologies that identify and eliminate risks; capture, integrate, and utilize knowledge; and provide an intelligent response to hazards. NASA will define the tools and techniques to manage risks and customize solutions for its various missions.

Mission and Science Measurement Technology Theme. Agency Goal 10

using technology developed by the office ofaerospace technology, the mars reconnaissanceorbiter will use high-power microwaves to analyze the planet’s surface for signs of water.


Seeing Red on Mars ReconnaissanceO r b i t e rIn 2005, NASA plans to launch a powerful new sci-entific orbiter, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter(MRO). This MRO mission will focus on analyzingthe surface in an effort to follow tantalizing hints ofwater detected in images from the Mars GlobalSurveyor spacecraft, and to bridge the gap betweensurface observations and measurements from orbit.

As part of MRO, the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS)instrument will sample the planet’s atmosphere usingan infrared detector. This detector consists of nineun-cooled thermopile linear arrays. The MCSinstrument will sample atmosphere at 20 altitudessimultaneously—and measure pressure, temperature,gas composition and dust. These instruments weree n g i n e e red to be one-eighth of their original weight—and now perform using a quarter of the initial power specification.

Rovers Get Freedom to Do Real ScienceIn 2003, two new Mars rovers will be on the way tothe red planet. With greater mobility than the MarsPathfinder rover, these explorers will trek up to 100 meters across the surface in a Martian day. Eachrover will have more freedom—or autonomy—toperform routine functions and operations than everbefore and carry a sophisticated set of instruments toallow it to search for evidence of liquid water thatmay have been present in the planet’s past.

Both autonomy and collaborative workspace tech-nologies for the new rovers were demonstrated in

simulations and field tests. Many of these technolo-gies will be used for Mars Exploration Rover (MER),and several will be used for planetary explorationmissions such as the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory.

The application of this technology would enable rapidresponse based on unexpected events or opport u n i s t i c(unplanned) science, which are often inherent in long-range traverse scenarios. Elements of these high-levelautonomy capabilities will be tested and evaluated inthe upcoming MER mission, with full infusion antici-pated for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

Virtual Tools Help MER Team CollaborateAnother advanced information technology to bedemonstrated on the MER mission is a new collabora-tive workspace developed to help streamline missionoperations. The collaborative workspace—known as“ M E R B o a rd”—allows geographically dispersed scien-tists, engineers, and mission operators to interactivelydevelop mission plans and monitor mission status. Theworkspace functions like an electronic bulletin boardthat the science team can use to ask the rover toa c q u i re interesting data and targets along its ro u t e .The MERBoard also provides a common frameworkfor naming targets and communicating science goalsthat will enable the mission team to work togetherm o re eff i c i e n t l y.

Collaborative engineering environments can substan-tially reduce the time needed to conduct tests andplan mission operations. Images can be marked upon a large plasma screen and reviewed in real timeon other MERBoards connected to the network.

Objective 10.2 Science Driven Arc h i t e c t u res and Te c h n o l o g y

Create system concepts and demonstrate technologies that enable new scientificmeasurements.

Driven by future mission needs, NASA will re s e a rch, develop, and evaluate a range of fundamental technologiesthat enable new and improved missions and new science measurement capabilities. NASA will validate newtechnologies to facilitate their infusion into missions at minimal cost and risk.

Mission and Science Measurement Technology Theme. Agency Goal 10

brs parachutes are lifesavers in cases of engine fa i l u r e ,mid-air collisions, pilot disorientation or incapacitat i o n ,u n r e c overed spins, extreme icing, and fuel exhaustion.


While NASA technology benefits the aerospace industry directly, creative applications of thistechnology have contributed to ongoing work in other fields including the environment, surfacetransportation, and medicine.

Commercial uses and transfer of technology to American businesses, other NASA programs, andto federal agencies exercises the full breadth and depth of NASA’s assets: technological skills andexpertise, large-scale and complex systems management experience, and advanced scientificresearch programs in cooperation with industry and academia. NASA’s technology transferprocesses help our industrial economy, provide new benefits to the American people, and supplyadvanced technologies needed in other federal agencies and organizations.


Innovative Technology Transfer Partnerships Theme


Calibration is Faster and CheaperA unique calibration-loading system that offers dramatic time and cost savings in wind tunnel testinghas been developed at NASA Langley Research Center.Calibration time is reduced from 3–4 weeks to a matterof hours—and saves about $6,000 per calibration.

Called the Single-Vector Balance Calibration System(SVS)—the calibration loading system is integratedwith formal experimental design techniques developedat NASA. During SVS calibration, a mathematicalmodel is derived that is used in wind tunnel tests ofa i rcraft models to estimate the aerodynamic loading.

To develop flight vehicles, models undergo wind tunnel tests to study the direct force and momentm e a s u rement of aerodynamic loads. An instru m e n tknown as a “force balance” captures these measure-ments during testing. The calibration process for thisbalance instrument is critical to production of high-quality force data.

Traditional, manual dead-weight calibration techniquesre q u i re pulleys, cranks, cables, and levers and fre q u e n t l ytake weeks to perf o rm. In contrast, SVS can perf o rmcalibrations with many fewer components so it hasfewer sources of systematic erro r. This technology wasrecently licensed to Modern Machine & Tool Co., Inc.

Monitor Baby’s Heart at HomeA physician working in a remote area spurred develop-ment of a passive fetal heart monitor concept—so

m e a s u rements of fetal heart rate and a related n o n - s t ress test could be made by women at home—without help from a medical pro f e s s i o n a l .

The underlying technology was developed at theNASA Langley Research Center, which sponsore dinitial testing at Eastern Vi rginia Medical School andthe Morehouse School of Medicine. Licensed to BabyBeats, Inc., of Spokane, Washington, the companyanticipates that prototype systems will be ready forclinical testing soon. Founded by the physician whot u rned to NASA for help with this pro b l e m — B a b yBeats expects its systems will become commerc i a l l yavailable following FDA appro v a l .

Objective 3.3 Extending Benefits to Society

I m p rove the Nation’s economic strength and quality of life by facilitating the innovative use of NASA technology.

NASA technologies are available to industry for commercialization support in the U.S. economy. NASA worksclosely with large and small businesses to facilitate the innovative use of NASA technology.

Allan Zuckerwar of Langley’s Advanced Measurement andDiagnostics Branch, is holding the material used for wing sur -face measurements. Because it is flexible, it is ideally suited to fitover the curved surface of a maternal abdomen for fetal testing.

Innovative Technology Transfer Partnerships Theme. Agency Goal 3


The enabling technology for this commercial devel-opment began in a NASA aeronautical re s e a rc hp rogram—thin electro-active film was used tom e a s u re pre s s u res associated with airflow over thewings of wind tunnel models.

Versatile Piezoelectric ActuatorsKnown as the piezoelectric effect—some materialswill produce electric impulses when the material isp ressed, squeezed, and stretched. Supply electricc u rrent to these materials—and they contract orchange shape as well. This technology pro d u c e sc o n t rolled motion when stimulated by voltage—andit generates an electrical potential when stre t c h e dor strained.

M a c ro-Fiber Composite (MFC) technology—from theNASA Langley Research Center—was used recently to produce a new high-perf o rmance, cost-competitive,and easily manufactured piezoelectric strain actuator.The MFC actuator may be embedded or attached to the surface of a flexible stru c t u re for distributeddeflection, vibration control, and strain sensing. TheMFC actuator was exclusively licensed to the SmartMaterial Corporation for sales in foreign markets. Itsintended use is for vibration dampening, noise re d u c-tion, and shape-changing applications.

New Tools Help CFD UsersCart3D is an aerodynamic computational simulationtool developed jointly by NASA and New YorkUniversity. This tool has been licensed and will beavailable to designers and engineers providing anautomated, accurate computer-simulation tool suitethat streamlines conceptual and preliminary analysisof new and existing aerospace vehicles.

Before Cart3D—the basic computational tool usedin analyzing designs of airplanes and spacecraft—wasa hand-generated grid layout—and it took months oreven years to generate complex models. Cart3D may

help revolutionize computational fluid dynamics—the computer simulation of how fluids and gases flowaround an object of a particular design.

Cart3D automates grid-generation to a remarkabledegree, enabling even the most complex geometriesto be modeled 100 times faster than before. Fusingcutting-edge technology from the fields of mineralo-gy, computer graphics, computational geometry andfluid dynamics—Cart3D gives engineers a newindustrial geometry processing and fluids analysiscapability that is unique in its level of automationand efficiency.

The NASA Ames Commercial Technology Officelicensed Cart3D for commercialization to ICEMCFD Engineering, a subsidiary of ANSYS, Inc. Thelicenses will help extend Cart3D beyond aerospaceapplications and into new industries such as automo-tive, electronics, turbo-machinery and industrialprocess simulation.

Program Development Company’s GridPro technology was usedto create the conceptual design of a two-stage-to-orbit launcher.

Emergency Response Calls

P e r i o d i c a l l y, NASA is called on in emergencies

and unusual situations to lend its expertise

outside of its usual research and technology

development. This support is requested

for everything from airplane crashes and natural

disasters to nonprogram activities with the

m i l i t a ry, other agencies, and industry.

The following sections provide highlights of that special support during FY 2002.


Flight 587 Accident InvestigationNovember 12, 2001, an American Airlines Airbus300-600R aircraft crashed after takeoff into JamaicaBay, New York. During the accident, the vertical finand rudder separated from the aircraft while it wasstill in flight.

These stru c t u res are made primarily of graphite-epoxy composite materials. Experts in composites t ru c t u res and materials and aerodynamics specialistsf rom the NASA Langley Research Center were con-tacted to help the National Tr a n s p o rtation SafetyB o a rd (NTSB) determine what caused the vertical finand rudder to depart from the aircraft in the accident.

NASA experts are assisting NTSB by conductings t ructural analyses of the vertical fin and rudder at theaccident loading conditions—and they are studyingthe stru c t u res to identify how the vertical fin and rudder failed.

Nondestructive evaluation and detailed photographics u rveys have been perf o rmed to help identify pre-cisely where the stru c t u res failed. Comparing results of these analyses with the failed parts shouldyield a definitive explanation. Once the root cause is understood, steps will be taken by the NTSB to help ensure that this sort of accident does nothappen again.

As of March 19, 2003 NTSB Investigation Update,all investigative groups are continuing their work. The investigation’s Stru c t u res Group is working withNASA and Airbus to arrange a static lug test to beconducted in Hamburg, Germany this spring. Theleft-side rear main attachment lug from an A310 tailfin box panel will be tested to demonstrate the behavior of the lug under tensile load conditions towhich the fin of Flight 587 had been exposed duringthe accident sequence.

New Aviation Security CapabilitiesAs a result of the World Trade Center events in 2001,NASA has been working to enhance aviation securityand aerospace technologies. As part of these eff o rt s ,NASA has perf o rmed several flight re s e a rch demon-strations using advanced datalinks to a monitoringsystem that transmits live pictures from inside a jet-liner and downlinks “black box” re c o rder contentsf rom airplanes in real time.

S p o n s o red by the NASA Aviation Safety Pro g r a m ,q u i c k - t u rn a round experiments determined the feasi-bility of using existing and near- t e rm communicationslinks to perf o rm new, security-focused serv i c e s .

In November 2001, aircraft perf o rmance data andcockpit video from the NASA B-757 were downlinkedusing an existing aircraft directional S-Band telemetrylink. In December 2001, a NASA/Honeywell teamleveraged VHF Datalink Mode 2 (VDLM2) tech-nology now under development to demonstrateremote black box and cockpit audiovisual surv e i l l a n c econcepts from the NASA Learjet to a ground stationlocated at the NASA Glenn Research Center.

In January 2002, a joint effort by NASA, ARINC,Teledyne, and Flytimer successfully demonstratedremote black box, panic button and remote cockpitaudiovisual surveillance concepts using the GlennResearch Center Learjet. The VDLM2 datalink wasalso used, but in a different configuration suitable forair transport operations flying at higher altitudes.NASA support for Flight 587 accident investigation.

2002 Honors and Awards

Members of the NASA Aerospace Te c h n o l o g y

Enterprise, are recognized by their peers,

and other organizations, through numerous

honors and awards.


• Daniel Guggenheim Medal. Richard T.Whitcomb, Langley Research Center (LaRC)retiree, for seminal contributions in aeronautics,including the development of the area rule,supercritical airfoil, and winglets concepts, whichare the basis for modern aerodynamic design.

• (Virginia) Peninsula Engineers Council, 2002Peninsula Engineer of the Year. Awarded toDr. Bruce J. Holmes.

• (Virginia) Peninsula Engineers Council, 2002Doug Ensor Young Engineer of the Year.Awarded to Ms. Anna-Maria McGowan.

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME) Medalist. D r. Leroy S. “Skip” Fletcher,for outstanding leadership in engineeringachievements in aeronautics and astro n a u t i c s ,p a rticularly in the area of thermophysics andt h e rmal control in spacecraft.

• ASME 2001–2002 Fellows. Neil Anderson,recognized for impressive contributions to theprogress of transmission and gear design andapplications during the past 20 years including24 published papers. Neil’s research and contri-butions at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC)in bearing and gear steels, transmission efficien-cy predictive modeling, and traction drives provided valuable tools for designers.

• AIAA Inducted to the rank of Fellow:Mr. Charles Miller III and Richard G.Culpepper (Ret.) of LaRC, J. Victor Lebacqz of

NASA HQ, and Mr. Arthur G. Stephenson andAnn F. Whitaker of Marshall Space FlightCenter (MSFC).

• American Institute of Aeronautics andAstronautics (AIAA) sustained serviceawards: Dr. Leroy. S. “Skip” Fletcher of AmesResearch Center (ARC), Mr. Jerry N. Hefnerand Mr. Ernest V. Zoby of LaRC, and Mr. David A. Throckmorton of MSFC.

• AIAA, Aerospace Power Systems Award.Mr. Ronald J. Sovie of GRC for a lifetime ofpersonal contributions in the guidance and man-agement of advanced space power technologyresearch and development, including the devel-opment of a foundation for a national nuclearspace power capability as Deputy ProgramManager for the SP-100 program.

• AIAA Hampton Roads Section, 2002 Engineerof the Ye a r. Aw a rded to Dr. Bruce J. Holmes.

• P residential Early Career Aw a rd . Aw a rded toJames Crawford of LaRC received the forScientists and Engineers to further his researchin the Global Tropospheric Experiment.

• 2002 AIAA Atmospheric Flight MechanicsConference Best Paper. Awarded to Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) engineers Ronald J. Ray, Brent R. Cobleigh, M. Jake Vachon and Clinton St. John’s for theirpaper: Flight Test Techniques Used to EvaluatePerformance Benefits during Formation Flight.

These honors and awards help validate the level of work accomplished by the Enterprise and provide clearindication and affirmation of the skills and expertise of the people in the Aerospace Technology Enterprise.Congratulations are in order for the individuals and programs listed here—and for the efforts of colleaguesand coworkers who helped make these honors and awards possible.


• AIAA Distinguished Service Award. Awardedto Dr. Leroy. S. “Skip” Fletcher of ARC.

• Golden Web Aw a rd, International Associationof Web Masters and Designers. Aw a rded to theAmes Educational web site “Robin Whirlybird onher Rotorcraft Adventure s . ”

• American Helicopter Society, HowardHughes Award. Presented to the LangleyTiltrotor Aeroacoustics Code System Develop-ment Team of Casey Burley, David Boyd, Tom Brooks, Henry Jones, Devon Prichard, and Kristin Roberts, LaRC, honored for theiroutstanding improvement in fundamental helicopter technology.

• Fellow of the American Helicopter Society.Due to his accomplishments in the field of heli-copter flight, Dr. William G. Wa rm b rodt of ARCwas honored with the rank of Fellow.

• Institute of Electrical and Electro n i c sEngineers (IEEE), with the Judith ResnikAw a rd . S u resh M. Joshi, LaRC, was honored foroutstanding contributions to space engineeringwithin the fields of interest to IEEE.

• I n t e rnational Conference on ComputationalEngineering and Sciences, T.H.H. Pian Medal.I v a t u ry S. Raju, LaRC, for distinguished contribu-tions to computational methods in fatigue andf r a c t u re of metals and composites with part i c u l a rrelevance to aerospace engineering.

• Vi rginia Polytechnic Institute and StateU n i v e r s i t y, Academy of EngineeringE x c e l l e n c e . Paul Holloway, former LangleyCenter Dire c t o r, inducted for sustained and meri-torious engineering and leadership contributions.

• AIAA, Aerodynamics Aw a rd . R i c h a rd Campbell,LaRC, for meritorious achievement in the field of applied aerodynamics, recognizing notable contributions in the development, application,and evaluation of aerodynamic concepts andmethods, most notably the development andimplementation of the Constrained DirectIterative Surface Curvature methodology forrapid aerodynamic design.

• Society for the Advancement of Material andP rocess Engineering (SAMPE), First place,outstanding paper by SAMPE member at 2002SAMPE Symposium in Long Beach,C a l i f o rn i a . Aw a rded to Brian W. Grimsley of LaRC, Pascal Hubert of Old DominionUniversity in Vi rginia, Roberto J. Cano of LaRC, Xiaolan Song of Vi rginia Tech, R. Byro nPipes of the College of William and Mary inVi rginia, and Alfred C. Loos of Vi rginia Tech, for a paper entitled E ffects of Amine andAnhydride Curing Agents on the VA RTM MatrixP rocessing Pro p e rt i e s.

• Acoustic Emission Working Group (AEWG)Fellow. William H. Prosser was recognized foroutstanding professional distinction and contin-ued significant contributions to the AEWG and for advancements in the areas of acousticemission in research, education, applications,instrumentation, or administration.

• R&D 100 Aw a rds. The GRC NumericalP ropulsion System Simulation, a propulsion systemsimulation software application—and for theirwork on an art - restoration technique using atomicoxygen, is the recipient of two prestigious award sp resented annually by R&D Magazine for the 100 most technologically significant new pro d u c t sof the year.


• Eric Reissner Medal. Deepak Srivastava,NASA ARC scientist, earned the prestigiousaward presented by the International Conferenceon Computational Engineering and Sciences forusing a computer to simulate molecular carbon“nanotubes”—so small they cannot be seen witha conventional microscope.

• 2002 Software of the Year Award. Presentedto Michael Aftosmis and Dr. John Melton ofNASA ARC, and Professor Marsha Berger ofthe Courant Institute, New York University, byNASA Inventions and Contributions Boards fortheir joint development effort of Cart3D, anaerodynamic simulation tool.

• E n v i ronmental Protection Agency 2002E n v i ronmental Achievement Aw a rd. P re s e n t e dto NASA ARC, for goats munching “stubborn ”vegetation and workers mulching land-scapingdebris along with reducing pesticide and herbi-cide use. In 2002, NASA Ames reduced pesticideand fertilizer use by 98 percent compared withthe previous year. The center also recycled all ofits landscaping debris by composting, which

saved an estimated $60,000 in disposal costs. Inaddition, Ames reduced the overall volume ofherbicide distributed, used herbicides that are lesstoxic, and maintained dro u g h t - resistant, nativevegetation. A group of 13 goats patrols cert a i na reas to control “hard-to-deal-with” vegetation.“Goats are goats—they eat just about anything,”said Jon Talbot, project manager for South BayMaintenance. NASA Ames has invested in bothhigh tech and low tech solutions to fulfill its mis-sion and help protect the enviro n m e n t .

Goats munching ’stubborn’ vegetation.

Turning Goals Into Reality 2002 Award Winners

Each year the Office of Aerospace

Technology recognizes the accomplishments

that have most significantly contributed to

the goals and objectives of the Enterprise.

Ultimately they contribute to the mission and

goals of the Agency. The Turning Goals

Into Reality award is presented to each

winning team at an annual ceremony. The

2002 award winners are described in

this section.


Administrator’s AwardThe Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System(PDARS) TeamPDARS is an innovative integration of data pro c e s s i n g ,i n f o rmation management, data visualization, and net-working technologies. It rapidly processes large volumes of complex ATC data, supports a suite of visualization and analysis tools, all on a secure networkthat enables cross-facility collaboration. The PDARSnetwork is a FAA mission-critical infrastru c t u re complying with the many regulations implied by that designation. The PDARS system for pro c e s s i n gcomplex data and reliably extracting information inmeaningful displays enables users to quickly focus onthe operationally significant pro b l e m s .

Goal 1: Revolutionize AviationAviation Safety Turbulence Prediction and WarningSystem (TPAWS) TeamTurbulence has been identified by the FAA, NTSB,and airline sources as a leading cause of in-flightinjuries. The primary focus of TPAWS is to analyzeand develop turbulence prediction and detection/w a rning systems and develop an airc r a f t - i n d e p e n d e n tturbulence intensity index. The TPAWS flightre s e a rch results re p resent a significant advance in thestate of the art. Severe turbulence was detected withina 30-120 second window by unique turbulence pre d i c-tion algorithms using radar sensor signals. Pre l i m i n a ryresults indicate a 92 percent correlation factor overv e ry wide ranges of turbulence intensities and airc r a f ttypes. The data collected also will be used to support

N A S A’s development of weather event data sets thatwill be used to FA A - c e rtify upgraded turbulence radar equipment.

Objective 1: Aviation SafetyTerrain Portrayal for Head-Down Displays Simulationand Flight Test TeamSVS displays present computer-generated three-dimensional imagery of the surrounding terrain togreatly enhance a pilot’s situation awareness (SA) tomitigate accidents. An essential component of allSVS displays is an appropriate presentation of terrainto the pilot. Prior to the terrain portrayal for head-down displays (TP-HDD) combined experiments,the relationship between the realism of the terrainpresentation and the resulting enhancements of pilotSA and performance was largely undefined.Composed of complementary simulation and flight test eff o rts, TP-HDD experiments evaluated critical t e rrain portrayal concepts that provided essential datato enable design trades that optimize SVS applications,and developed re q u i rements and recommendations tos u p p o rt certification of SVS H D D .

Objective 2: Emissions ReductionTurbine Airfoil System DeploymentThis project aimed to develop a turbine airfoil systemthat provides a 200 to 300˚F increase in blade surf a c et e m p e r a t u re, allowing for higher engine eff i c i e n c yand reduced CO2 emissions. The eff o rt developed an e w, single-crystal blade superalloy and a new low-conductivity ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC).

After due consideration of the evaluation criteria and the merits of the 48 nominees, the Review and Va l i d a t i o nB o a rd recommends the following candidates for 2003 Tu rning Goals Into Reality (TGIR) awards in theirrespective goal and objective are a s .


The resulting blade alloy demonstrated up to an 85˚Fi n c rease in metal temperature capability over curre n tp roduction blade alloys. The TBC demonstrated a200˚F surface temperature capability increase for com-m e rcial applications, and in excess of 300˚F for morea g g ressive, higher heat flux applications. System stud-ies estimate that this new airfoil material system alonep rovides a fuel burn reduction equivalent to a four to six percent emissions reduction for a 300 passengersubsonic vehicle, contributing significantly (20 per-cent) to OAT ’s objective of reducing CO2 e m i s s i o n sby 25 percent by the year 2007.

Objective 3: Noise ReductionFan Noise Reduction TeamThis project demonstrated engine noise reductionthrough fan wake management. Fan rig tests showedthat air injection through the blade trailing edgeslots removed or reduced non-uniformities in the fanstream and led to substantial reductions (more than10 dB) in fan interaction tone levels. These reduc-tions translate into sizable benefits for current highbypass ratio turbofan engines resulting in 2 EPNdBreductions in fan component noise. For ultra-highbypass ratio turbofan engines, whose noise signaturesare dominated by fan noise, potential trailing edgeblowing benefits are even higher, approaching 4 EPNdB. Such reductions in fan noise level, whencoupled with commensurate reductions in the level of noise from the airframe and other enginecomponents, can achieve the OAT enterprise goal ofreducing aircraft system noise by 10 EPNdB relativeto 1997 technology.

Objective 4: Increase CapacityThe Advanced Terminal Area Approach Space Research TeamR e s e a rchers developed a terminal area approach spac-ing concept that has the potential to revolutionize aviation by increasing capacity at the nation’s busiesta i r p o rts. Applies the Advanced Te rminal Are aA p p roach Spacing (ATAAS) concept precisely deliversa i rcraft to the ru n w a y, increases runway thro u g h p u tand system-wide eff i c i e n c y. Today air traffic con-t rollers use a radar-based position display to space air-craft on approach. This approach spacing tool, usingthe airc r a f t ’s position and planned flight path, pro v i d e sspeed commands directly to pilots, to achieve a pre c i s erunway arrival time. Due to the diff e rent speeds ofa i rcraft, wind effects on approach, and the airc r a f t ’sdeceleration this is a very complex problem to solve.This spacing tool uses Automatic DependentS u rv e i l l a n c e - B roadcast data link of aircraft state dataand airport weather forecast data in its computationsand uses simple pilot pro c e d u res and symbology toallow the pilots to easily follow the instructions. Theobjective of this tool is to allow accurate spacing ofa i rcraft and the potential to reducing it, without com-p romising safety. The ATAAS tool has been evaluatedin extensive simulations, with throughput benefitsexceeding eight percent, very significant for the highdemand airports. Other simulation evaluated pilotacceptability and workload followed by a flight valida-tion in September 2002 at Chicago’s O’HareI n t e rnational Airport. This flight was conducted usingNASA Langley’s Airborne Research IntegratedExperiments System Boeing 757, a Rockwell-CollinsS a b re l i n e r, and a Piper Chieftain. These aircraft flewover 30 approach scenarios and validated the ATA A Sconcept in an operational environment.


Objective 5: MobilitySATS Airborne Internet TeamThe limited capability and functionality of today’sNational Airspace System (NAS) Communications,Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastru c t u redoes not support the SATS re q u i rements, there b yp reventing intercity door-to-door mobility from beingenhanced, an OAT objective. NASA Glenn and itsp a rtners developed a new CNS system that deliversaviation information services in an internet-like manner to aircraft and ground facilities as interc o n-nected nodes on a high-speed digital communicationsnetwork. This re v o l u t i o n a ry, integrated CNS conceptis defined as the Airborne Internet and enables SAT SP rogram CNS services. The resultant Intern e tP rotocol (IP)-based Airborne Internet design anddevelopment allows intelligence redistribution fro mcentralized to distributed nodes, thus enabling SAT SOperating Capabilities of Higher Volume Operationsand Single Pilot Workload, key factors to incre a s i n gU.S. mobility via SATS and, eventually, commerc i a laviation. The Airborne Intern e t ’s fundamental characteristics include: client server with confirm e dd e l i v e ry notification features; a robust high-capacityaviation information system for both air traffic contro land safety advisories; integrated CNS; worldwidecompatibility; seamless peer-to-peer connectivity; and high bandwidth and data rates.

Goal 2: Advance Space TransportationCOBRA Main Engine Project Team Successfully accomplished challenging technical andp rogrammatic goals that could lead to significanti m p rovements in main engine propulsion safety, cost,and re l i a b i l i t y. Accomplishments include design of aliquid-liquid pre - b u rn e r, and a milled channel-wallnozzle. The pre - b u rner provides a key enabling

technology for next-generation engines by loweringt e m p e r a t u res and “smoothing” engine ignition. Thenozzle was fabricated at 40-percent scale and stru c-turally proof-tested at pre s s u res up to four times higher than normal operation, validating a nozzledesign which will improve safety, cost, and re l i a b i l i t y,while reducing fabrication time from four years to one year. COBRA’s innovative management controls and exemplary Government/contractor teamworkenabled several such technical accomplishments.

Objective 6: Mission SafetyMiniaturized Smart Leak Detection Sensor TeamLaunch vehicle leak detection applications are impor-tant to avoid conditions that could harm personneland damage vehicles, and improved leak detectiontechniques are necessary to meet the Advanced SpaceTr a n s p o rtation Mission Safety Objective of re d u c i n gthe crew loss incidence by a factor of 40 within 10 years as well as reducing costs by a factor of 10.Existing leak detection systems limit capability invarious NASA applications; there are often no spacequalified systems to meet NASA needs. In response,a hydrogen leak detection system consisting of amicrosystems based hydrogen sensor combined withsupporting electronics has been developed that meetsNASA and industry needs.

Objective 7: Mission AffordabilityGRCop-84 Alloy Development TeamNASA Glenn invented a new, rugged, high-temperature alloy, GRCop-84, which far exceedstoday’s alloy capabilities and is developing it forfuture space vehicle use. Rocket engine combustionchamber liners are a major limiting factor for thespace shuttle main engine (SSME) life and perform-ance. Current NARloy-Z liner degradation results


in perf o rmance loss plus high maintenance costs,while the long lead-time and high cost for pro d u c i n gliners limits their replacement potential and incre a s e sthe cost of putting payload into orbit. The aero s p a c ei n d u s t ry recognizes GRCop-84 as a potential re p l a c e-ment for the current alloy and has selected it as several new engines’ baseline material. This alloy’sc o m m e rcial use will achieve an estimated 50 perc e n tmanufacturing cost reduction, 50 percent deliverytime reduction, plus additional operational cost savings through an anticipated 2X-50X impro v e m e n tin life (number of missions). Simultaneously with lifei m p rovement, GRCop-84’s improved strength (2X)and temperature capability (+350˚F) over today’salloys will provide rocket perf o rmance improvements.

Objective 8: Mission ReachNo Award Presented

Goal 3: Pioneering Technology InnovationThe Secure, Mobile, Wireless Network Technology TeamA NASA Glenn team successfully developed anddemonstrated a re v o l u t i o n a ry technology solution toseamlessly disseminate data securely over a high-i n t e g r i t y, wireless broadband network that will enablefundamentally new airplane system capabilities byenabling secure, seamless network connections fro mp l a t f o rms in motion (i.e., aircraft and satellites) toexisting terrestrial systems without the need for manual reconfiguration, thus addressing a primarytechnical barrier to providing an order of magnitudei n c rease in aviation capacity and safety. Called“Mobile Router,” the new technology autonomouslyconnects and configures networks as they traversef rom one operating theater to another. As a MobileRouter companion, the team also developed anddemonstrated an entirely new, National Security

Agency approvable, Type 2 encryption device, allow-ing secure communications across a diverse networkt o p o l o g y. The new Mobile Router technology isa l ready incorporated into open standards, making alldemonstrated technologies commercially availableand fully interoperable with existing terrestrial net-work devices.

Objective 9: Engineering InnovationJavaPathFinder (JPF) Model Checking TeamFlight software costs in excess of $500 per line, dominated by the cost of testing. Advances in softwaredevelopment that could enable massive cost savings arenot being used in flight software since current testingtechniques cannot certify such system’s correctness. Are s e a rch team developed Java PathFinder, a re v o l u-t i o n a ry tool capable of automatically detecting e rrors in Java programs. Based on a technique called“model checking,” JPF essentially allows an exhaustiveanalysis of a system to check whether certain behav-ioral pro p e rties hold. JPF demonstrated its ability to find subtle errors which escaped detection duringtraditional testing. The “model checking” re s e a rc hp i o n e e red with JPF is being actively pursued by majorcompanies and universities.

Objective 10: Technology InnovationTEEK—A High-Temperature Polyimide InsulationUnder a NASA Space Act Agreement, NASALangley Research Center and Unitika LTD devel-oped TEEK, a low-density, flame-resistant polyimidefoam that provides excellent thermal and acousticinsulation high-perf o rmance structural support. Thesynthesis of TEEK begins with a salt-like monomericsolution to yield a homogeneous polyimide pre c u r s o rsolid residuum. Utilizing state-of-the-art foamingtechniques, the polyimide precursor solid re s i d u u m


can be reacted into a variety of forms including butnot limited to neat foam, syntactic foam, foam-filledhoneycomb and micro s p h e res. Over 25 diff e re n tpolyimide precursors have been processed into light-weight, high-strength polyimide foam for extre m et e m p e r a t u re applications.

Goal 4: Commercialize TechnologyProtective Coating for Ceramic Materials (PCCM)The innovation PCCM is a coating material, whichp rovides heat and fire protection to many substratessuch as ceramic, wood and metal. The coating iscapable of withstanding temperatures up to 3,000ºFand is environmentally friendly. The PCCM can easily be applied by spraying, brushing, or it can beincorporated as a constituent in wood or plastics. Thecoating can be used on any type of material, whetherrigid, flexible or fabric. The coating was developed as

an alternative to alleviate problems associated withthe previous coating used for the flexible blanketinsulations on the exterior of the Shuttle Orbiter.The initial primary application of the coating was toevaluate protection for Advanced Flexible ReusableS u rface Insulation (AFRSI) blankets on the ShuttleOrbiter during re e n t ry in the Eart h ’s atmosphere andsuccessfully flown on the Pegasus Glove Experimentas a coating for the gap fillers that resided betweentiles and at the metal-to-tile interfaces. The coatinghas been licensed to Wessex, Inc. and through part-nerships with numerous non-aerospace companieshas been used on everything from NASCAR racecarst h rough fabrication facilities to fire re t a rdant materi-als to prevent the possible spread of fire in airlinec a rgo containers.

Aerospace Technology Contributions to Education Programs

The NASA Office of Aerospace Technology in

partnership with the Education Enterprise

sponsors education projects. Professionally

designed learning activities and materials for

students and teachers at all grade levels are

developed annually.


Fun and Inspiring Education WebsitesIn 2002 the Aerospace Technology Enterprisedeveloped and implemented a wide range of onlineeducational programs designed to inspire interest inscience, technology, engineering, and mathematicsamong young people of all ages.

• Robin Whirlybird on Her Rotorcraft Adventures(http://rotored.arc.nasa.gov/) is an interactive, mul-timedia story in which students in grades K–4learn about the structure, function, and historyof different types of rotorcraft.

• Virtual Skies (http://virtualskies.arc.nasa.gov/)helps students in grades 9–12 explore excitingworlds of aviation technology, air traffic manage-ment, and aviation research.

• Reliving the Wright Way (http://wright.nasa.gov)provides educators and students with a centrallocation on the Wright Brothers and activitiesrelated to celebrating the 100th anniversary oftheir first powered flight.

• NASAexplores (http://www.nasaexplores.com) eachweek during the school term offers K–12 educa-tors exciting lesson ideas in science, technologyengineering and mathematics based on aerospacetechnology research.

• Aeronautics Kids Page (http://www.ueet.nasa.gov/StudentSite/) provides fun activities for youngpeople interested in airplanes and jet engines.

Classroom MaterialsThe Aerospace Technology Enterprise has developedand shared with educators nationwide an impressivenumber of educational publications and multimediaproducts that promote learning by capturing theexcitement of aerospace technology research.

• Learning to Fly: The Wright Brothers’ Adventureoffers a wealth of historical information aboutthe Wright Brothers and provides students withdetailed instructions for creating a model of theWright Flyer.

• Celebrating a Century of Flight provides studentswith a colorful look at key aviation events in thepast 100 years.

• Exploring the Extre m e is a poster and educatorguide set provides teachers a helpful collection oftools for teaching math and science in grades K–8.

• NASA Aerospace Technology Education Resourc eG u i d e is a CD–ROM product that contains a widerange of Aerospace Technology educational publi-cations on one attractive multimedia package.

• Earth to Orbit Engineering Design Challenge allowsstudents in grades 5–8 to learn fundamentalengineering principles through exciting hands-on classroom activities.

• Wright Brothers 2003 Game gives young people afascinating and fun glimpse into the world of theWright Brothers. The game can be played viaCD–ROM online at:http://www.ueet.nasa.gov/StudentSite/

These projects have been produced in close consultation with the educational community and are designedto support the national standards for mathematics, science, geography, and technology education. They aredeveloped and implemented by the education offices at NASA field centers.

The following pages report key accomplishments the enterprise achieved toward realizing its goals for education. Expanded write-ups, images, and videos can be found on the supporting website at:http://www.aerospace.nasa.gov

• The Aerospace Technology Enterprise offerseducators simple yet technically accurate simula-tion software to help science students under-stand the physics behind topics such as the shapeof aircraft wings and operation of jet engines.The software can be downloaded at:http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/aerosim/

Distance LearningT h rough a variety of distance learning pro g r a m s ,NASA seeks to enhance the teaching of math, science,g e o g r a p h y, and technology in grades K–12. Feel fre eto explore the programs that are available for you as astudent or educator.

NASA Science FilesNASA Science Files is a research and standards-based, Emmy-winning series of 60-minute instruc-tional programs for students in grades 3–5.

Programs are designed to introduce students toNASA; integrate mathematics, science, and technol-ogy through the use of Problem-Based Learning, scientific inquiry, and the scientific method; and tomotivate students to become critical thinkers andactive problem solvers.

The series includes an instructional broadcast, acompanion educator’s guide, an interactive web sitefeaturing a PBL activity, plus a wealth of instruction-al resources. The NASA Science Files airs nationallyon Cable Access, ITV, and PBS-member stations.Presently, 194,000 educators, representing morethan 4.3 million students in 50 states, have registeredfor the NASA Science Files. Program partnersinclude Christopher Newport University, HamptonCity Public Schools, Busch Gardens (Williamsburg,Virginia), Sea World (Tampa, Florida), the Society of Women Engineers, and the NationalWildlife Federation.

Follow the exploits of the tree house detectives asthey solve “real world” problems using mathematics,science, technology, and NASA with the help ofcommunity experts and resources, and members ofthe NASA Science Files Kids Club.

NASA ConnectNASA CONNECT is a research and standards-based, Emmy-winning series of mathematics-focused, instructional programs for students ingrades 6–8. The series includes a 30-minute instruc-tional broadcast, a companion lesson guide, and aninteractive web-based application.


Bianca Baker, of Tree House Detective for NASA Science Files.


P rograms in the series establish a connection betweenthe mathematics, science, and technology conceptstaught in the classroom to those used everyday byNASA re s e a rchers. The lesson guide, containing ahands-on activity, and the web-based application re i n-f o rce and extend the objectives presented in the pro-gram. NASA CONNECT airs nationally on CableAccess, ITV, and PBS-member stations.

P re s e n t l y, 260,000 educators, re p resenting more than8.9 million students in 50 states, have re g i s t e red forNASA CONNECT. Program partners include theAIAA Foundation, Christopher Newport University,Epals, the National Council of Teachers ofMathematics, Riverdeep Learning Systems, and theNational Wildlife Federation.

Destination TomorrowN A S A’s Destination To m o rrow is a series of 30-minuteeducational television programs that focus on NASAre s e a rch, past, present, and future, and is designed foreducators, parents, and adult (lifelong) learn e r s .

Each program in this award-winning series follows amagazine style format with segments ranging inlength from three to five minutes and six to eightminutes. The development of each program is basedon the theory, principles, and educational research asthey apply to how adults learn and apply knowledge.

P rograms in the series are designed to (1) create andheighten adult interest in mathematics, science, tech-n o l o g y, and NASA; (2) increase the scientific andi n f o rmation technology literacy of adults; (3) impro v eliteracy of adults who do not use English as their p r i m a ry language; and (4) to serve as a mechanism for parents and caregivers to become involved in theeducation of children and young adults.

An associated web site provides summaries of storiesand links to related program material. Nearly 600cable access and satellite TV stations air the series toan international audience of about 230 million viewers.

Hosts of NASA Connect: Jennifer Pulley and Dan Geroe.

NASA Centers for Aerospace Technology

NASA HeadquartersOffice of Aerospace TechnologyWashington, DC 20546-001Directory Information: 202-358-0000

Ames Research CenterMoffett Field, CA 94035-1000Directory Information: 650-604-5000

Dryden Flight Research CenterEdwards, CA 93523-0273Directory Information: 661-276-3311

Glenn Research Center at Lewis FieldCleveland, OH 44135-3191Directory Information: 216-433-4000

Langley Research CenterHampton, VA 23681-2199Directory Information: 757-864-1000

Marshall Space Flight CenterMarshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812-0001Directory Information: 256-544-2121


NASA Centers

GeoCover-Ortho Image Data Copyright EarthSat 2002

These NASA Centers contain world-class research, design, and testing facilities that support our nation’s aerospace research needs.These facilities help advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace technology. Tools and technologies ranging from small test rigs toadvanced propulsion systems and wind tunnels support the testing of small-scale engineering models to full-size aircraft.

NASA Center Locations

1. Ames Research Center 2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory3. Dryden Flight Research 4. Johnson Space Center5. Stennis Space Center6. Marshall Space Flight Center7 . Glenn Research Center 8. Kennedy Space Center9. Langley Research Center10. NASA HQ11. Goddard Space Flight Center

Mountain View, CaliforniaPasadena, CaliforniaEdwards Air Force Base, CaliforniaHouston, TexasStennis Space Center, MississippiHuntsville, AlabamaCleveland, OhioKennedy Space Center, FloridaHampton, VirginiaWashington, DCGreenbelt, Maryland

Centers in bold are the responsibility ofthe Aerospace Technology Enterprise.

this is an artist’s depiction of a hyper-x research vehicle under scramjetp ower in free-flight following separation from its booster rocket.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Office of Aerospace TechnologyNASA Headquarters, Code RWashington, DC 20546

http://www.aerospace.nasa.govNP-2003-06-306-HQ

aerospace technology enterprise - nasa · the aerospace technology enterprise contributes to the...

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