NASA 2006 Spinoff - National Air and Space Museum · space technologies, including wireless telemetry (wireless signal transmission), microminiaturized circuitry, sensors, and batteries,

spin

off

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2006

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Innovative Partnerships Program

Developed byPublications and Graphics DepartmentNASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI)

2006

Spi

noff

Early in the next decade, the new Crew Exploration Vehicle will begin to ferry crew and supplies to the International Space Station. Cutting-edge technology like this leads the way for development of new spinoff products that benefit life on Earth.

Table of Contents

3 Foreword

4 Introduction

5 PartnershipBenefits

HealthandMedicine

IngestibleThermometerPillAidsAthletesinBeatingtheHeat................6 Space-ProvenMedicalMonitor:TheTotalPatient-CarePackage............10

FromPlanetaryImagingtoEnzymeScreening.........................................12

Transportation

Damage-TolerantFanCasingsforJetEngines.........................................14 SteeringAircraftClearofChoppyAir......................................................16 AdvancedAirDataSystemsforCommercialAircraft...............................18

NASAHelpsDesignthe‘CockpitoftheFuture’......................................20

PublicSafety

WaterVaporSensorsGoSky-HightoAssureAircraftSafety....................22 CleanWaterforRemoteLocations..........................................................26 Fire-ResistantReinforcementMakesSteelStructuresSturdier..................28 FeelingWellRestedandWideAwakeWhenitCounts............................30

Consumer,Home,andRecreation

X-rayDeviceMakesScrubbingRugsCleanaSpotlessEffort....................34 AMatchMadeinSpace...........................................................................38 AffordableSpaceTourism:SpaceStationSim............................................40 PreventingIceBeforeitForms.................................................................42 MicrospheresinPlasmaDisplayPanels....................................................44 LookSharpWhileSeeingSharp...............................................................46 RaisedReliefMarsGlobeBringstheRedPlanetCloser...........................48 ModernExplorationoftheLewisandClarkExpedition..........................52 ReflectingonSpaceBenefits:AShiningExample.....................................56

EnvironmentalandAgriculturalResources

PRP:TheProvenSolutionforCleaningUpOilSpills.............................62 ProgressivePlantGrowingHasBusinessBlooming..................................64 FLIPPER:ValidationforRemoteOceanImaging....................................68 Paper-ThinPlasticFilmSoaksUpSuntoCreateSolarEnergy................70 SavingSpaceandTime:TheTractorThatEinsteinBuilt.........................74

ComputerTechnology

APredictiveApproachtoEliminatingErrorsinSoftwareCode................76 SchedulingSoftwareforComplexScenarios.............................................78

DifficultDecisionsMadeEasier...............................................................80 TheEchoesofEarthScience....................................................................82 GPSEye-in-the-SkySoftwareTakesCloserLookBelow..........................84 AHistoryofHigh-PerformanceComputing............................................86

IndustrialProductivityandManufacturingTechnology

CryogenicCoolingforMyriadApplications—ASTARIsBorn!...............88 TemperatureSensingforOil,Gas,andStructuralAnalysis......................90 Robust,ThinOpticalFilmsforExtremeEnvironments...........................94 TheCuttingEdgeofHigh-TemperatureComposites..............................95 NanoGoesMagnetictoAttractBigBusiness........................................ 96 LaserMappingforVisualInspectionandMeasurement........................ 98 ElectricalConductivityinTextiles.........................................................100 SpatialPhaseImaging............................................................................102 MiniatureWirelessSensorsSizeUptoBigApplications.........................104

106 ResearchandDevelopmentatNASA

121 EducationNewsatNASA

128 PartnershipSuccesses

139 InnovativePartnershipsProgramNetwork

� Table of Contents Spinoff 2006

MichaelD.GriffinAdministrator NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration

NASA is making significant progress inimplementingourNation’s spaceexplorationstrategy,whichcallsforAmericanleadershipin

exploringotherworldsandintheinevitableexpansionofhumancivilizationintothecosmos.

This past year, NASA engineers developed theExplorationSystemsArchitectureforthespacecraftandlaunchvehiclesthatwillenabletherenewedhumanexplo-rationoftheMoon,asearlyas2018.OnAugust31,2006,weannouncedtheselectionofLockheedMartinCorp.astheprimecontractorthatwillbuildakeyelementofthearchitecture,ournewCrewExplorationVehicleOrion.Throughouttheyear,NASAengagedwithpotentialinter-national,academic,andcommercialpartnerstodevelopa strategy for scientific, commercial, and explorationactivitiesonthe lunarsurface,as thisnextgreateraofspaceexplorationunfolds.

Thepastyearwasalsomarkedbytheresumptionofspace shuttle missions, continued productive activityonboardtheInternationalSpaceStation,thelaunchingoftheNewHorizonsmissiontoPlutoandtheCloudSatandCALIPSOEarth-monitoringsatellites,theSpitzerInfraredSpaceTelescope’s imagingofa remarkablenestof redsupergiantstars—14supernovasinthemaking—andtheexcitingfindingsoftheCassinispacecraftandHuygensprobeinthevicinityofSaturnanditsfascinatingmoons,TitanandEnceladus.

WhenNASAengages inactivitiessuchasthese,wemakediscoveriesoffundamentalscientificimportanceandwedevelopnewtechnologiesthathelpimprovepeople’slives.Ourinvestmentinexplorationisaninvestmentinthehighestofhigh-techsectorsandwillhelpmaintainAmerica’spositionasthepreeminenttechnicalnationonEarth.Spaceexplorationisalensthatbringsafocustothedevelopmentofkeytechnologiesinawaythatsimplywouldnotoccurwithoutthe“demandpull”thatariseswhentryingtoaccomplishthenear-impossible.

Tothispoint,Spinoff2006highlightsNASA’swork,consistentwithourAgency’scharter,to“research,develop,

verify, and transfer advanced aeronautics, space, andrelatedtechnologies.”Belowareafewofthebeneficial,NASA-derivedtechnologiesthatarefeaturedinSpinoff2006andutilizedinthecommercialandpublicsectors:

• AGlobalPositioningSystem-controlledsteeringdevicethatautomaticallysteersfarmequipmenttomaximizeproductivity.Thedevice,whichpreventstheskippingandoverlappingofrowswhenplantingorwateringfields,wasinspiredbyaNASAexperimentthattestedtwo extraordinary predictions of Albert Einstein’stheoryofgeneralrelativity.

• MicroencapsulatingtechnologywithrootsinNASAresearchthatishelpingtocleanupcontaminantsinbodiesofwaterandotherecologicallyfragileareasinanenvironmentallysafemanner.

• Wirelesspatient-monitoringsystemsusedinhospitalsacross the country today that were derived fromconceptsbehindthemedicaltelemetrydevicesusedtomonitorastronauts’health.

Asimpressiveasthesetechnologiesare,IamconfidentthatNASA’songoingeffortstoexpandourexplorationhorizonswillsignificantlyincreaseourNation’sreturnoninvestmentinthefuture.IthankasupportiveAmericanpublic, and all those who are dedicated to the nobleworkofexploringthespacefrontier,forhelpingtoachievethisprogress.

Foreword

� Foreword Spinoff 2006

Introduction

Spinoff isoneoftheproductsofNASA’sInnovativePartnershipsProgram.WeareproudtohighlighttheadvancesthatcomeoutoftheAgency’spio-

neeringworkinspaceexploration,scientificdiscovery,andaeronauticsresearch.Itisaprimaryfunctionofthispublicationtosharesuchknowledgeandcapabilitieswithprivateandpublicsectors.

Morebroadlyspeaking,thecharteroftheInnovativePartnershipsProgramistoproduceleveragedtechnologythrough investments and partnerships with industry,academia, and others. We accomplish this throughlongstanding avenues such as technology transfer andlicensing,andthroughnewformsofpartnershipswiththeexternaltechnologycommunity.Asanexample,thisyearweareaddinganewpartnership—RedPlanetCapital—whichwillinvestinpromisingnewtechnologiesthroughfinancialequityinstruments.

NASArequiresthistechnologyinnovationbytheverynatureofitscharter.FortheHumanExplorationMission,theAgencyhasthechallengetoprotecthumansinhostileenvironmentsandfromadverseeffectsoflong-durationhabitationinzerogravity,andtolimittheirexposuretoextremetemperaturesandradiation.

This applies to hardware as well. Throughout itshistory,whetherontheouteredgeofthesolarsystem,communicating with space assets on Mars, orbitingEarth,orsendingcommandsfromtheground,NASAhasenabledsensors,energysystems,andelectronicsystemsto function in extreme environments. For example,temperatureconditionscanbeashighas400°Coraslowas-180°C.Radiationposeschallengestoo—spacesystemsmustoperate throughthemissionwith total radiationexposuresupto5megarads.Likewise,navigationdemandsextraordinaryaccuracy,suchasnanoradianprecisionforanencounterwithNeptune.ThisislikeagolferwhoteesoffinCaliforniaandhitsthegreeninWashington,DC.

NASA has a significant technology portfolio fromits years of meeting these needs. Not surprisingly, aswedevelopedtechnologytomeettheserequirements,we

foundsynergywithhigh-performancecommercialmarketsandwithcompaniesservingotherFederalagencies.Benefittobothsidesisachievedthroughjointdevelopmentoftechnology,andthroughlicensing.

ThePartnershipBenefitssectioninSpinoffhighlightssome results of NASA’s technology licensing andpartnering,andtheaddedvaluederivedforthepublicatlarge.Apreviewofthisyear’stechnology-to-productbenefitsinclude:

• NASAsatelliteimagerywhichhelpsanewgenerationof researchers explore the trail blazed across thecountrybyLewisandClarkthroughauniqueonlinegeospatialnetwork.

• A special, laser-based sensor technology NASAdeveloped to measure atmospheric planetary gasesthatnowimprovesreal-timeweatherforecastingandhelpsaircraftavoiddangerousweatherconditionshereonEarth.

• An environmentally friendly deicer developed forairplanewingsthatisnowavailabletoconsumerstopreventicefromstickingtocarwindshields.

In publishing NASA’s most current technologicalachievements, I am confident that this Spinoff 2006publicationoffersenlighteninginformationthatheightensyour awareness about NASA’s focused research anddevelopment activities, the creation of extraordinarytechnologies and capabilities, and the public benefitinherentinitsutilization.

MerleMcKenzieActing DirectorInnovativePartnershipsProgram

� Introduction Spinoff 2006

� Health and Medicine Spinoff 2006

Partnership Benefits

NASA seeks to create industry partnerships to develop technology that both applies to NASA mission needs and contributes to competitiveness in global markets. As part of NASA’s mission, the Agency facilitates the transfer and commercialization of NASA-sponsored research and technology. These efforts not only support NASA, they enhance the quality of life here on Earth.


OriginatingTechnology/NASAContribution

From the football turf to high above the Earth,heatexhaustionisalife-threateningconcern.Heatexhaustion,orhyperthermia,isanacutecondition

causedbyexcessiveexposuretoheatanddehydration.Itoccurswhenthebodycannolongerdissipateheatade-quatelybecauseofextremeenvironmentalconditionsorincreasedheatproductionfromwithin.Heatexhaustionmayprogresstoheatstrokewhenthebody’sthermoregula-torymechanismsbecomeoverwhelmedandfail,ultimatelyleadingtobrainandorgandamageorevendeath.

In football, heat exhaustion is a dangerous reality.Football players take the field for preseason trainingduringthedogdaysofsummer,frequentlyinfullpads,whentheheatindexcaneasilyexceed100°F.Ontopofallthepadsandtheswelteringheat—orunderneath,tobemoreprecise—areplayerswhoweighover300pounds.Infact,therearemorethan300playersintheNationalFootballLeague(NFL)topping300pounds.Duetotheirbodymass,theseplayers,whogenerallyserveasoffensiveanddefensivelinemen,faceahighriskofsufferingfromheatstroke. Even players in top shape can be at highrisk for a varietyof reasons, including if theyquicklyshed pounds to meet stringent weight requirements(apracticeknownas“cuttingweight”),oriftheyreachcriticaldehydrationbecausetheysweatoutfluidswithoutproperlyreplenishing.

Inspace,astronautsonextravehicularactivityassign-mentsareconstantlyexertingthemselves,whichcancauserapidincreasesinbodytemperature.Althoughthespacesuitisinsulatedtokeepastronautscomfortablefromtheextremetemperaturesofspace—thesideofthesuitfacingtheSunmayreachtemperaturesashighas250°F,whiletheoppositeside,exposedtothedarknessofdeepspace,mayreachtemperaturesaslowas-250°F—astronautsstillreleasebodyheatandhumidityinsidethesuits,whichcouldleadtoheatexhaustionandeventuallyheatstroke.

In order to monitor the body temperature ofastronautsduring space flight,NASAteamedupwithJohnsHopkinsUniversityinthelate1980stodevelopan ingestible “thermometer pill” called the Ingestible

ThermalMonitoringSystem.Incorporatinganumberofspacetechnologies,includingwirelesstelemetry(wirelesssignaltransmission),microminiaturizedcircuitry,sensors,andbatteries,thethermometerpillbecamecommerciallyavailableinresearch,university,andmilitarymarketsin1988(Spinoff1994).Duetoaheightenedawarenessofheatstrokeriskamongathletes,broughtonbythedeathsofaprofessionalfootballplayerandacollegefootballplayerjustaweekapartin2001,theproductisnowwellreceivedasameanstodetectelevatedcorebodytemperatureduringsportingactivities.

Partnership

Under a $75,000 grant from NASA, the JohnsHopkinsUniversityAppliedPhysicsLaboratoryworkedcloselywithGoddardSpaceFlightCentertodeveloptheIngestibleThermalMonitoringSystem.The resulting¾-inchcapsuleconsistedofasiliconecoatingontheexte-riorandatelemetrysystem,amicrobattery,andaquartzcrystaltemperaturesensorontheinterior.

Once ingestedand inside thegastrointestinal tract,thequartzcrystalsensorvibratesatafrequencyrelativeto the body’s temperature, producing magnetic fluxand transmitting a harmless, low-frequency signalthroughthebody.Thissignalcanthenberetrievedbyarecorder,outsideofthebody,thatdisplaysthecorebodytemperaturereadingwithanaccuracytowithinone-tenthofadegree,Celsius.

Thetemperature-readingpillwasfirstputtousebyaJohnsHopkinsUniversityveterinariannamedDr.PhillipBrown,whomonitoredananimal’stemperatureduringand immediately following surgery.Brownnoted thatlargeanimalscanbeerraticanddangerouswhilecomingoutofanesthesia;withthecapsule,“doctorscanmonitoranimalsfromasafedistance.”

HQ,Inc.,ofPalmetto,Florida,licensedthetemperaturepillin1988forwidespreadcommercialuse.(Thecompanywas then known as Human Technologies, Inc.) Thecompanypreviouslyhadalicensingagreementinplace

Ingestible Thermometer Pill Aids Athletes in Beating the Heat

Developed by Goddard Space Flight Center and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to monitor the core body temperature of astronauts during space flight, the ingestible “thermometer pill” has a silicone-coated exterior, with a microbattery, a quartz crystal temperature sensor, a space-aged telemetry system, and microminiaturized circuitry on the interior.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html

http://www.hqinc.net/


withtheAppliedPhysicsLaboratoryforanothermedicaldevice,sothispreexistingrelationshipopenedthedoorforittopurchasetheexclusivepatentrightsonthetemperaturepillandmarketacommercialversionglobally.

Threeyearslater,in1991,thepilltechnologymadeitsdebutinspace,whereastronautsingestedthecapsulessothattheircorebodytemperaturescouldbemonitoredviaradiofrequencysignalsthatweretransmittedtoNASAlaptopcomputersbackonEarth.

In 1998, astronaut and U.S. Senator John GlennswallowedthepillaspartofhisSpaceShuttleDiscoverymedicalexperiments.NASAscientiststrackedthedataproducedbythepilltostudythen77-year-oldGlenn’scondition during his stay in space. Specifically, thescientistswantedtobetterunderstandthephysicaldecon-ditioningexperiencedbyastronautsintheweightlessnessofspaceandthesimilaritiesofthisspacedeconditioningtothehumanagingprocess.

ProductOutcome

HeatstrokeisthethirdleadingcauseofdeathamongathletesintheUnitedStates.UniversityofFloridafresh-manfullbackandpre-medstudent,ErasteAutin,collapsedfromheatexhaustiononJuly19,2001,aftercompletingavoluntaryworkout.The18-year-oldwasinacomafor6daysbeforehedied.KoreyStringer,aProBowloffensivetacklefortheNFL’sMinnesotaVikings,diedonAugust1,2001,fromheatstrokecomplicationssufferedduringahotandhumidpracticesessionthepreviousmorning.Hewas27yearsold.

Newsoftheback-to-backtragediesrockedthecountry,promptingathleticprogramstoconsiderbetterprecautions

At three-fourths of an inch, the commercially available CorTemp Ingestible Core Body Thermometer Pill wirelessly transmits core body temperature as it travels through the human digestive tract. A sensor within the pill sends a signal that passes harmlessly through the body to the CorTemp Data Recorder outside of the body.


for protecting their athletes from heat-related illnesses. Enter the CorTempIngestible Core Body ThermometerPill,made forNASAandmanufacturedcommerciallybyHQ,Inc.

Within1to2hoursofingesting,theCorTemp thermometer pill will revealvital information necessary for the pre-vention and treatment of heat-relatedillnesses.(Itwillremaininanindividual’ssystemfor18to30hours,beforepassingsafely.)Theabsenceofcatheters,probes,andwire connections allow teamphysi-ciansandcertifiedathletictrainers(ATCs)tononinvasively andwirelesslymonitorthe core body temperature of multipleathletes inreal timeduringfieldplayorpractice.Thesemedicalprofessionalshaveseveral options and configurations fortracking athletes.The simplest is directmanualmonitoring,wherebytheyholdtheCorTempDataRecorder(aphysiologicalmonitoringsystem)nearthesmallofanathlete’sback.

The patented, U.S. Food and DrugAdministration-regulated pil ls arenumericallycoded,andanindividualDataRecordercanmonitorupto99athletes.When a two-digit athlete identificationnumber(orjerseynumber)isenteredonthe recorder keypad, that athlete’s core

temperaturewillinstantlyappearontherecorder’sliquidcrystal display.Temperatures ofmultiple athletes canquicklybetakenbyanATConthesidelines,allowingtheathletestogetbackontheplayingfieldwithinseconds.Trainersandphysicianscanalsoprogramthehand-heldmonitoring unit to set off an alarm if a player’s coretemperaturereachesadesignatedlevel.

Other system components can be added to gatheradditionaldata, suchas a strap-onheartmonitor thatallowscontinuousheartratemonitoringduringphysicalactivity. Real-time information can be transmittedwirelesslytoaPDAoraPC,ordownloadedstraightfromtheDataRecorder,foranalysisawayfromtheplayingfield;CorTempdata-graphing software is includedwith thepurchaseofthehand-heldrecorder.Anothercomponent,the CorTemp Barcode Scanner System, provides anaccurateinputfeaturethateliminatesthepossibilityofhumanerrorsduringdataentry.

In August 2005, the University of South FloridaSportsMedicineDepartmentreceiveda$20,000grantfromtheNFLCharitiestoconducttestsontheschool’sfootballplayersduringtheirfirstpracticeoftheseasoninfullpads.Withthesetests,thesportsmedicinestaffaimedtodeterminehowcloselycorebodytemperaturecorrelatedwithsymptomssuchaschills,nausea,cramps,andconfusion.Of the linemenwhoparticipated,oneplayer’scorebodytemperaturereached103.5°F.Hewaspulledimmediatelyfromactivity.Asanindicationofhowseriousasituationthispresented,apersonusuallysuffersaheatstrokewhencorebodytemperatureexceeds105°F.

TheTampa-baseduniversityhas also applied for aFederalgranttousethetemperaturepillonotherathletesinalaboratorysetting,whereheatandhumiditycanbecarefullycontrolled,tolookfortheearliestsignsofheat-relatedillness.

JustafewhoursnorthinGainesville,theUniversityofFlorida—whereAutinplayed—isalsotryingoutthetechnology, as are theUniversity ofConnecticut, theUniversityofOklahoma,andWestChesterUniversity

HQ, Inc.’s Core Body Temperature Monitoring System—consisting of the Cor-Temp Ingestible Core Body Thermometer Pill and the CorTemp Data Recorder—reveals vital information necessary for the prevention and treatment of heat-related illnesses.


(Pennsylvania),allunderaNationalCollegiateAthleticAssociation(NCAA)-sponsoredstudythathasledtothedevelopmentofnewguidelinesregardingtheamountoftimeplayerscanpracticeandtheamountofpaddingtheycanwearduringhotsummerdays.

In the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars, PhiladelphiaEagles,andMinnesotaVikingsareusingtheCorTemptechnologytomonitortheirplayers.AccordingtoHQ,

Inc., andwidelypublished reports, all three teamsarepleasedwithhowthesensorpilliskeepingtheirplayerssafe fromtheheat.HQ,Inc., iscurrentlytalkingwithseveralotherprofessionalfootballteamsaboutinvestinginitsproducts.

CorTemp isalsokeepingathletes fromoverheatinginother sports. In track and field,Olympic triathlonchampionSimonWhitfield,ofOntario,Canada,usedthe

technologyinpreparationforthe2004OlympicGamesinAthens.Inautoracing,FordAustraliaistestingitaspartofaprogramthat ithopeswill somedayleadtoabetterwayofmonitoringdriversfordehydrationandheatexhaustion.Othersportsmakinguseofthepillincludesoccer,hockey,andcycling.

Beyond the sporting world, the ingestible capsuleshavebeenusedtomonitorthecorebodytemperaturesoffirefightersastheybattleblazesanddiversastheyworkindeep,coldwaters.Thetechnologyhasalsobeenusedtomonitorcriticaltemperaturesinpapermanufacturing,infoodprocessing,andinjumbotelevisionsetsfoundatsportstadiums.

Furthermore,doctors studying sleepdisordershaveusedittodeterminewhenpeoplearesleepingmostdeeply,becausethatiswhentheirtemperatureisthelowest.Ithasadditionallybeenutilizedinheartsurgery,whenpatients’bodiesneededtobecooleddown.

ApplicationsareexpandingforHQ,Inc.,leadingtoaspikeinthecompany’ssales,morecelebratoryspikesonthefootballfield,and,mostimportantly,fewerspikesintemperature.v

CorTemp™isatrademarkofHQ,Inc.

While certified athletic trainers can retrieve athletes’ core temperatures right from the sidelines, they can also get the same information away from the playing field, since it can be transmitted wirelessly to a PDA (pictured) or a PC in real time.

10 Health and Medicine Spinoff 2006


Bymid-1963,Americanastronautshadvisitedspaceonsixdifferentoccasions,allaspartofNASA’sfirsthuman space flightprogram, theMercury

Program.DuringthefinalMercurymission,launchedonMay15,1963,astronautLeroyGordonCooperlogged34hoursinorbit,thelongestanAmericanhadspentinspacetothatpoint.Still,verylittlewasknownabouttheimpactthatspacewouldhaveonhumansandspacecraftthatweresubjectedtolong-durationmissions.Withthisinmind,NASAdecidedtofollowtheMercuryProgramwithanewinitiativecalledtheGeminiProgram.

Theprimaryobjectiveof theGeminiProgramwastodevelop techniques thatwould allow for advanced,long-durationspacetravel—aprerequisiteoftheensuingApolloProgramthatwouldputmansafelyontheMoonbeforetheendofthedecade.Inordertocarryoutthisobjective,NASAworkedwithavarietyofinnovativecom-paniestodeveloppropulsionsystems,onboardcomputers,anddockingcapabilitiesthatwerecriticaltothehealthofGeminispacecraft,aswellaslife-supportsystemsandphysiological-monitoringdevicesthatwerecriticaltothehealthofGeminiastronauts.

One of these companies was Spacelabs Medical,Inc.,thepioneerofwhatiscommonlyknowntodayasmedicaltelemetry.SpacelabsMedicalhelpedNASAbetterunderstandman’sreactiontospacethroughaseriesofbioinstrumentationdevicesthat,forthefirsttimeever,werecapableofmonitoringorbitingastronauts’physicalconditionsinrealtime,fromEarth.

Thecompanywentontofurtherexpanditsknowledgeofmonitoringandmaintaininghealthinspace,andthenbrought itdown toEarth, todramatically change thecourseofpatientmonitoringinthefieldofhealthcare.

Partnership

SpacelabsMedicalwasco-foundedbyBenEttelsonandJamesA.Reevesin1958fortheexpresspurposeofworkingwithNASAandtheU.S.AirForceonsystemstomonitorthevitalsignsofastronautsinspace.AsaprimecontractortoNASAfortheGeminiProgram,thecompanymanufacturedanddeliveredprototypesofminiaturizedsignalconditionerstomeasureastronauts’temperature,respiration,andcardiacactivity.ThistechnologywasfirstwornbyastronautsJamesA.McDivittandEdwardH.WhiteIIduringtheirhistoricGeminiIVflight—thefirstAmericanspacewalk—toassureproperevaluationoftheirhealthandperformance.

InJuly1969,justdaysafterNeilArmstrongbecomethe firstmantowalkontheMoonduring theApollo11mission,NASA’sMannedSpacecraftCenter (now

JohnsonSpaceCenter)honoredSpacelabsMedicalwithacertificateofappreciationforits“outstanding”contribu-tionstotheApolloProgram—contributionswhichprovedvitaltosuccessfullyachievingtheNation’sgoaloflandingmenontheMoonandreturningthemsafelytoEarth.

ProductOutcome

Afterpioneeringmedicaltelemetryinthemid-1960s,Spacelabs Medical began making the transition frommonitoringinspacetomonitoringinhospitals.In1968,itunveileditsfirstsystemsforintensivecareunit(ICU)andcriticalcareunit(CCU)monitoring.In1974,itlaunchedAlpha,thefirst-everpatient-monitoringsystemtoincor-poratedigitalmicroprocessor technology.Thishelpedtomakepatientmonitoringfaster,nottomentionmoreaffordable,sincecomplexsystemscouldnowbeproducedbyusingsmaller,lessexpensiveparts,withlessassemblywork.In1979,thecompanyintroducedthefirstbedsidearrhythmia-monitoring system, allowingphysicians toviewreal-timearrhythmiadata,bythepatient’sside,forthefirsttime.

Enteringthe1980s,thecompanywasenjoyingaccom-plishmentafteraccomplishment,asaresultofitsdecisiontoadaptthetechnologyitoriginallydevelopedforNASAtocommercialuseinhealthcare.Byheavilyinvestinginresearchanddevelopment,thecompanywasabletodreamupnew,innovativeenhancementsthatwerenecessaryforittostayaheadofthetechnologycurve.ItwasduringthistimethatSpacelabsMedicaldeliveredthePatientCareManagementSystem(PCMS)product,completewithasystemarchitecture—incorporatingEthernetcommunica-tionconnectionsand“smart”touchscreencontrols—thatwaswellaheadofitstime.Inthelatterpartofthedecade,thePCMSproduct lineexpandedto includeportable,color monitors and remote-access laptops, as well asFlexportsysteminterfaces,whichthecompanyreportsarethefirstinterfacestointegratestandalonemonitoringdeviceswithalargermonitoringnetwork.

Space-Proven Medical Monitor: The Total Patient-Care Package

On June �, 1��, Gemini IV astronaut Edward H. White II became the first American to step outside a spacecraft and let go for a space walk, effectively setting himself adrift in the zero gravity of space. For �� minutes, White floated and maneuvered himself around the Gemini spacecraft; he logged �,�00 miles during this historic orbital stroll.

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/mercury/mercury-overview.htm

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/mercury/mercury-overview.htm

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/gemini/gemini.htm

http://history.nasa.gov/apollo.html

http://www.spacelabs.com/en

http://www.spacelabs.com/en

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/gemini/gemini-iv/gemini-iv.html

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo-11/apollo-11.html


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.html

11 Health and Medicine Spinoff 2006

This technology continued to evolve throughoutthe1990s,withSpacelabsMedicalmakingiteasierforclinicians to accessmore information fromeither thepatient’sbedsideor fromaremote locationand, thus,provide better care. Spacelabs Medical’s introductionofWindowsDynamicNetworkAccess(WinDNA)markedyetanothermilestoneinthecompany’sillustriouscareerofpioneeringpatient-monitoringtechnology.WinDNAissoftwarethatprovidesstaffaccesstoandinteractionwithmedicine administration records, laboratory testresults,anytypeofelectronicreportorchartlocatedinotherareasofahospital,andanyWindowsprogramonahospital’snetwork.ItalsopossessesInternetandIntranetcapabilities, which allow hospital staff to maintainschedulesandchecke-mail.

Byallowingseamlessdataacquisitionandexchangeacrossanentirehealthcareorganization,thistechnologyimprovesoverallefficiencyandpreventscaregiversfromhavingtoleaveapatient’ssidetoobtaininformationthatisphysicallylocatedsomewhereelse.

“Icangotothelab,library,andrecords—andneverleavetheNICU(neonatalintensivecareunit),”assertedanursefromNorthCarolinaChildren’sHospital,addingthatWinDNAiskeepingthisfacilityonthecuttingedgeofpatientcare.

Children’s Hospitals and Clinics in St. Paul,Minnesota, has the largest all-private-room NICU intheUnitedStates,dueinparttotheWinDNAtechnol-ogy,whichallowsforaround-the-clock,remotepatientmonitoring.Thissystemislinkedtopocket-sized,wirelesshandsetscarriedbyprimarynurses,aswellasdesignatedback-upnurses, intheeventthattheprimariescannotrespondimmediately.Insteadofhavinganimmediate-responsealarmsoundinapatient’sroom,thealarmistransmitted,instantlyandsilently,tothewirelessdevices.Thisconcepthastranslatedintoconstant,effectivecare,allwhilereducingnoiselevelsandroomtraffic,sothattheinfantscanprogressinaquiet,stress-free,andmorenaturalenvironment.

SpacelabsMedical’stechnologyhasnotonlycreatedacalmoverChildren’sHospitalsandClinics’NICU,ithasaffectedthestaff,too.NICUworkersreportthattheyarenotasuptightattheendoftheirshiftsandarebetterabletorelaxandsleepathome.

This patient-monitoring technology has also beenembraced by many other health care organizations,including the University of Illinois Medical Center,St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the Nemours/Alfred I.duPontHospitalforChildren(Wilmington,Delaware),LakelandRegionalMedicalCenter(Lakeland,Florida),theUniversityofNorthCarolinaHealthCareSystem,andtheUniversityofMissouriHealthCareSystem.

In1999,SpacelabsMedical’sproductsbecamethefirsttooperate in theWirelessMedicalTelemetryService.

ThisserviceconsistsoffrequenciesthatwereestablishedbytheFederalCommunicationsCommissionandhavebeen set aside for medical uses only. Because neitherland-mobileradiosnortelevisionareallowedtooperateonthesefrequencies,theyaresafefromradiofrequencyinterferencethatpreviouslyposedseriousrisktomedicaltelemetryequipment.

BasedinIssaquah,Washington,withregionalofficesspanningtheglobe,thecompanyisleadingthewayintothe 21st century with the introduction of the IntesysClinicalSuite(ICS),asetofsolutionsthatenablesubiqui-tousaccesstopatientinformation.OnecomponentofthissuiteistheVitalSignsViewer,whichallowsphysicianstoseeapatient’slivewaveformsremotelyfromanynet-workedpersonalcomputerlocatedoutsideofahospital,suchasalaptopsetupinaphysician’soffsiteofficeorhome.AnothercomponentistheClinicalEventInterface(CEI),whichadvisescaregiversofpatientstatusorpatientalarms,viaadvancedcommunicationdevices.SpacelabsMedicalhasalsointroducedanew,wirelessnetworkingoption for its Ultraview SL compact, bedside patientmonitors.

Forty-eightyearsafteropeningitsdoorstodeveloptechnologyforNASA,SpacelabsMedical’shealthcareexpertisehasonceagainbeencalleduponbytheSpaceAgency. Under contract to Johnson Space Center, itrecently performed field tests of space-related telem-etry equipment foruse indisaster-response situationsonEarth.

“We are pleased to have had the opportunity toparticipateinthisexercise,”notedaSpacelabsMedicalrepresentative. “Our company got its start makingtelemetrysystemsformonitoringvitalsignsoftheearlyastronautsinthelate1950s,andnowweareonceagaininvolvedwithNASA.”v

Flexport®,WinDNA®,andUltraview®areregisteredtrademarksofSpacelabsMedical,Inc.

Windows®isaregisteredtrademarkofMicrosoftCorporation.

WinDNA gives clinicians easy and immediate access to more information and more functions from the patient’s bedside.

1� Health and Medicine Spinoff 2006


ToworkinNASA’sMissionControlCenterandshare in theexcitementof seeing thevery firstclose-up imagesofSaturnbeingpipedbackto

Earth(fromthePioneer11spacecraftin1979)isnotasensationthatmosthighschoolstudentsgettoexperi-ence.However,aspartofaninternshipinNASA’sSpaceBiologyProgram,MaryM.Yanghadtheopportunitytodojustthat.

This rewarding experience of working with NASAturnedouttobethefirstofseveralforYang,who,asayoungstudent,wasfascinatedwithplanetaryimagingandremotesensingobservations.Followinghighschool,sheworkedattheJetPropulsionLaboratory,developingsen-sorsforNASA,andattendedtheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley.Yang thenwenton topursueadoctorate ingeologyatPrincetonUniversity,whereherthesiscoveredspectroscopyanddataanalysisofmineralsandsolutions—themesshealsoencounteredinherworkforNASA.Aftercompletingherdoctorate,Yangjoinedtheresearchlabora-toryofDouglasYouvan,thenachemistryprofessorattheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology.

Atthetime,Youvan’slabwasstudyingphotosynthesis,theprocessbywhichlightisconvertedtochemicalenergyinlivingorganisms.Studieswereperformedbymeasuringthespectralpropertiesofgeneticallyengineeredphoto-syntheticbacteria.“Intheearlydays,aseriesofarduoustaskswerenecessarytopreparethebacterialsamplesforspectralanalysis,”saidYang.“Bacterialcolonieshadtobehand-pickedfromPetriplates,cultured,andthenthecellswereconcentratedandsubjectedtohighpressureinordertoobtainenoughsamplestoperformconventionalspectroscopy,onesampleatatime.”

Inordertobypassweeksofsamplepreparationtime,YouvanandYangdevelopedprototypeimagingspectro-photometersthatenabledthemtoacquirespectradirectlyfrombacterialcoloniesgrowingonthesurfaceofaPetriplate.Thistypeofimaginginstrumentanalyzesacombi-

nationofspatialandspectralinformationsothatspectracanbeobtainedforeachfeatureinanimage.AnalysesofthiskindwereinitiallyappliedbyNASAtoratherlargescenes,suchasplanetaryandremotesensingstudies.Inremotesensing,forexample,NASAutilizesaircraft-andsatellite-basedimagingspectrophotometerstocollectair-bornedata.

In1991,YangandYouvanfoundedKAIROS(nowKAIROSScientific,Inc.)toextendYang’sNASA“know-how,” plus the imaging spectrophotometers initiallydevelopedforlaboratory-basedphotosynthesisstudies,tothefieldsofmaterialsscience,health,andbiotechnology.

Partnership

Based in San Diego, KAIROS Scientific developsmolecular biology methods, instrumentation, andcomputeralgorithmstocreatesolutionstochallengingproblems in themedicalandchemical industries.The

company’spioneeringeffortsindigitalimagingspectros-copy(DIS)enableresearcherstoobtainspectraland/ortime-dependentinformationforeachpixelorgroupofpixelsinatwo-dimensionalscene.

InadditiontohavingYang’sNASAexperienceatitsfoundation, KAIROS Scientific was established withthesupportofmanygovernmentgrantsandcontracts.

Its first was a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)grant,fromAmesResearchCenter,todevelopHIRIM,ahigh-resolutionimagingmicroscopeembodyingbothnovelhardwareandsoftwarethatcanbeusedtosimultaneouslyacquirehundredsofindividualabsorbance spectra from microscopic features. UsingHIRIM’sgraphicaluserinterface,MicroDIS,scientistsandengineersarepresentedwitharevolutionarynewtoolwhichenablesthemtopointtoafeatureinanimageandrecallitsassociatedspectruminrealtime.

From Planetary Imaging to Enzyme Screening

KAIROS Scientific, Inc.’s graphical user interface for digital imaging spectroscopy. Close to �0,000 individual kinetics data have been sorted, with single pixel reaction kinetics being shown here.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/stsover-launch.html#stsover-mcc

http://spaceprojects.arc.nasa.gov/Space_Projects/pioneer/PNhist.html

http://www.fundamentalbiology.arc.nasa.gov

http://www.fundamentalbiology.arc.nasa.gov

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

http://www.kairos-scientific.com

http://sbir.nasa.gov/SBIR/SBIR.html


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/home/index.html

1� Health and Medicine Spinoff 2006

TheHIRIMinstrumentwasdelivered to theEarthScienceDivisionatAmesinMayof1998.Thisdeliverymarkedtheendofthe3-yearSBIRresearchanddevelop-mentprogram,whichincludedacquisitionofspatialandspectralinformationofhundredsofalgaeandcyanobac-teriaimmobilizedonslides.NASAwantedtocollectthisinformationas aground-truthingmeans (theuseof agroundsurveytoconfirmthefindingsofanaerialsurveyortocalibratequantitativeaerialobservations)forsatelliteandremotesensingstudiesofoceanicphytoplankton,andtoprovideinsightintothecontributionsoftheseorgan-isms toprimaryproduction andglobal carbon cycles.Sincethisoriginalapplication,HIRIMhasalsobeenusedbyNASAscientiststostudymeteoritespecimenscalledmeteoritethinsections.Bymountingaverythinsliceofameteoritespecimen(about30micronsthick)onaglassslide,thescientistscandetermineitsmake-upandlearn

whatenvironmentalconditionsthespecimenhasbeenexposedto.

ProductOutcome

KAIROSScientifichaslicensedandapplieditsDIStechnologyplatformtoseveralapplicationareas.Intheareaofdiseasemanagement,DISisdemonstratingthatitmaybepossible,incertainsituations,todifferentiatehealthyanddiseasedtissue,basedontheirspectralproper-ties.ByusingDIStocombinespectralandimageanalyses,itmayalsobepossibletodetectsubtlespatialfeaturesinhumantissueforapplicationsinpathologyandoncology.

KAIROS Scientific is most known, though, forcommercializing a DIS-based solid-phase enzymescreeningtechnology,calledKcatTechnology.WiththecombinationofKcatTechnologyandyearsofexperiencein protein engineering, the company is significantly

accelerating the pace of custom enzyme developmentandcommercialization.

Inordertodevelopnewenzymesatafasterpace,thepopulationofenzymevariantsmustbecarefullydesignedandanefficienthigh-throughputscreeningmethodmustbeused.KcatTechnologyconsistsofmethods, instru-mentation,andalgorithmsthatenablerapidandefficientscreeningofenzymevariantsexpressedinmicrocolonies.Itutilizesasolid-phaseformatandincorporatesasmallassaydiskonwhichthousandsofindividualvariantscanbesimultaneouslyscreened.Thisisathousandfoldreduc-tioninvolumeascomparedtotraditionalliquid-phasescreening.Onlytensofnanolitersperreactionareneeded,making the Kcat Technology particularly useful forperformingassaysthatrequireexpensiveordifficult-to-synthesizereagents.ThemultispectralcapabilityofKcatTechnologyisespeciallyusefulformultiplexedreactions(forevolvingnewsubstratespecificityorenantioselectiv-ity).Thesolid-phaseformatallowsassaydesignflexibilitysothatmultiplepropertiescanbeevolvedandscreenedforinthesamevariant.Itisalsoparticularlyeffectiveoninsolubleorhigh-molecularweightsubstrates(proteinsorpolymers), since it requires almostnopipetting.Athroughputofuptoamillionvariantsperinstrumentperdaycanbeachievedonabench-topinstrumentwithouttheneedforcomplexrobotics.

Kcat Technology has been commercialized inthe form of products and services which KAIROSScientificprovides.Clientsincludemultinationalspecialtychemical companies, large pharmaceutical firms, andacademiclaboratories.

KAIROS Scientific was recently awarded its sixthFederalPhaseIISBIRgrant,todevelopcellulaseenzymesfor biomass conversion. Engineered cellulases may beappliedtopapermaking,paperrecycling,andtheefficientconversionofagriculturalwasteintoethanolforfuel.v

HIRIMTM,MicroDIS™,andKcatTechnologyTMaretrademarksofKAIROSScientific,Inc.

KAIROS Scientific, Inc.’s Kcat Technology consists of methods, instrumentation, and algorithms for solid-phase enzyme screening. The Kcat instrument seen here is connected to a desktop workstation and displaying a panel of results from the sorting of approximately 1�,000 individual absorbance spectra. Kcat Technology has been commercialized in the form of products and services for chemical companies, pharmaceutical firms, and academic laboratories.

http://geo.arc.nasa.gov

http://geo.arc.nasa.gov

1� Transportation Spinoff 2006


Allturbofanenginesworkonthesameprinciple.Alargefanatthefrontoftheenginedrawsairin.Aportionoftheairentersthecompressor,buta

greaterportionpassesontheoutsideoftheengine—thisiscalledbypassair.Theairthatentersthecompressorthenpassesthroughseveralstagesofrotatingfanbladesthatcompresstheairmore,andthenitpassesintothecombustor.Inthecombustor,fuelisinjectedintotheair-stream,andthefuel-airmixtureisignited.Thehotgassesproducedexpandrapidlytotherear,andtheenginereactsbymovingforward.

Ifthereisaflawinthesystem,suchasanunexpectedobstruction, the fan blade can break, spin off, andharmotherenginecomponents.Fancasings,therefore,needtobestrongenoughtocontainerrantbladesanddamage-toleranttowithstandthepunishmentofalooseblade-turned-projectile.

NASAhas spearheaded research into improving jetenginefancasings,ultimatelydiscoveringacost-effectiveapproach tomanufacturingdamage-tolerant fan casesthatalsoboastsignificantweightreduction.Inanaircraft,weightreductiontranslatesdirectlyintofuelburnsavings,increasedpayload,andgreateraircraftrange.

Thistechnologyincreasessafetyandstructuralintegrity;isanattractive,viableoptionforenginemanufacturers,becauseofthelow-costmanufacturing;anditisapracticalalternativeforcustomers,asithastheaddedcostsavingbenefitsoftheweightreduction.

Partnership

A&PTechnology,Inc.,ofCincinnati,aleadingmanu-facturerofbraidedfabricsforcompositereinforcementandadvancedtechnologyapplications,receivedaSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)grant throughGlennResearchCentertodevelopdamage-tolerantfancasingsforjetengines.Additionalcollaboratorsonthisproject included theFederalAviationAdministration,Ohio State University, and the University of Akron,Ohio.Thisgroupeffortenabledtherapiddevelopmentandfabricationoftheprototypecompositefancasesfordirectcomparisontothemetalfancasescurrentlyusedinaircraftengines.

Theprototypesprovedfeasible.A&P,aseventh-gen-eration, family-ownedcompany ispartneredwith twomajormanufacturersof jet aircraft engines—WilliamsInternational and Honeywell International Inc.—andissponsoredbyGeneralElectricCorporation’sAviationdivision,GEAviation,inthedevelopmentandproduc-tionofthesebraidedcompositefancases.

ForthesuccessfulworkonthisSBIR,A&Preceivedthe “Emerging Technology Award” from the OhioDepartmentofDevelopment.TheworkalsocontributedtoGlenn’sJetEngineContainmentConceptsandBlade-Out Simulation Team receiving the NASA “TurningGoalsintoReality”award.

ProductOutcome

A&Puses triaxial carbonbraid as an alternative toaluminumorother solidmetal in themanufactureofbraidedfancontainmentcasesforjetengines.Thebraidedfancasehasatoughnesssuperiortoaluminumandenablessignificantreductionsinweightandfuelconsumption.

Theuseofbraidedreinforcementsalsoallowsforalow-cost, repeatablemanufacturingprocess.A&Pproducesa braided sleeve with a custom shape that exactly fitsthegeometryof the fancase. Insteadofhaving to cut

Damage-Tolerant Fan Casings for Jet Engines

The braided composite creates a lighter, more fuel-efficient engine casing that is stronger and safer than those made with aluminum or other traditional materials.

The efficient distribution of loads makes braided structures highly impact resistant. Since all of the fibers in the structure are involved in a loading event, a braid absorbs a great deal of energy as it fails, making it very effective for use in fan blade containment for commercial jet aircraft.

http://www.braider.com/index_hi.html



http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/home/index.html


weightby350pounds,or700poundsinatwo-engineaircraft.Theoverallweightreductionismorethan800poundsfortheaircraft,becausecompositematerialsalsoallow forweight avoidance in the engine installation.Theweightreductiontranslatesdirectlyintofuelsavings,increasedpayloadand/orgreateraircraftrange,andthose

complicated shapes to match the geometry of the fancase,themanufacturercansimplywrapA&P’stailoredbraidcircumferentiallyinacontinuouslay-uptocreatethe needed structural reinforcement. This cuts downsignificantlyonmanufacturingtimeandcosts.

Not only can the efficiency of the manufacturingprocessincreasenoticeablywiththebraid,buttheper-formanceof thebraidedcase exceeds theperformanceofconventionalfancases.Impacttestinghasshownthatbraidedlaminatesperformbetter,becausethefailuremodeismuchmorecontrolled.Inimpacttests,thebraidedlami-nateexperiencesfracturingonlynearthepointofimpactwhiletherestofthelaminateremainsintact.Incontrast,a conventional laminate that fractures froman impactspreadsrapidlytoregionsremotetotheinitialimpactloca-tion,likethe“spiderweb”crackingofawindshield.Thisextensivefailureresultsinafancasestructurethatislessabletowithstandsecondaryloadsasthefandecelerates.

Abraid’s resistance to crackpropagation is a resultoftwokeyfeatures:theinterwovenfiberswithineachlayerofbraid,whichdistributeloadevenly,andtheisotropicarchitectureofferedwithineachindividualply.Sinceeachplyisisotropicwithinitselfandidenticaltoeachneighboringply,theinterlaminarstressesareminimizedduringresponsetoan impactevent.Upon impact, crackpropagation iscontainedtoanareasubstantiallysmallerthanthosefounduponimpactofaluminumorlaminatecases.

Althoughbraidinghasbeenamechanizedprocessforover300years,creatingeverydayproductslikeclotheslinesandcandlewicks,A&Phasadvancedthemanufacturingtechnology to incorporate cutting-edgematerials suchascarbonfiberintostructuresofpreviouslyunthinkablescale.Forinstance,onefancasedesignitbuiltisapproxi-mately10feetindiameterand5feetlong.ThebraidedreinforcementsforthiscompositefancasewereproducedononeofA&P’sMegabraiders—an800carrierbraidingmachine—thelargestbraidingmachineintheworld.

InthecaseoftheGEnxengine,thecompositefancaseA&PismakingforGEAviation,braidwillreduceengine

The braided fan case has a toughness superior to aluminum and enables significant reductions in weight and fuel consumption.

arereallyjustsecondarybenefitsofthistechnology,withtheprimarybenefitbeingtheaddedsafetyofastrongerfancasing.v



On December 28, 1997, a United AirlinesplaneflyingfromJapantoHawaiiexperiencedsevereturbulencewhileovertheWestPacific

Ocean.Over100individualsonthisflightof374pas-sengersand19flightcrewmemberswereinjuredduringtheencounter,one fatally. Investigative reports issuedfollowingtheincidentindicatedthattheplanewassub-jectedtoa“suddenupwardpushofalmosttwicetheforceofgravity,”followedbya“sharp,downwardpush”about6secondslater.

Inother incidents, turbulentairhas rippedoff air-planeengines,brokenwingsinhalf,flungfoodcartstotheceiling,andcausedbrokenbonesinpassengersandflightattendants.Whether it isan injury toahuman,damage toonboard equipment, ordamage to aplaneitself, airlines are facing greater than$100million inturbulence-relatedcostsannually,accordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofTransportationandtheFederalAviationAdministration(FAA).Moreover,NASAhasfoundthatturbulenceencountersbycommercialtransportsaretheleadingcauseofinjuriestopassengersandflightcrewsinnon-fatalairlineaccidents.

Butwhatexactlyisthisturbulencephenomenon,andhowdoesitoccur?Turbulenceisanirregularordisturbedflowintheatmospherethatproducesgustsandeddies.Whatmakesturbulencesodangerousisthatitnormallycannotbe seen, andonboard radar systems that trackweathercannotdetectit—eventhoughweatherisaccount-ableforturbulenceinmanyinstances.Infact,nearly80percentofallturbulence-relatedaccidentsareassociatedwiththunderstormactivity.

It is not always the weather, though. If you areaccustomedtoflyingthe“friendly”skies,youhavelikelynoticedthattheroughandbumpypartsofatripcanoftenoccurwhentheskiesactuallyappeartobefriendliest;thatis,clearandblueasfarastheeyecansee.Thistypeofclear-airturbulencecanbeattributedtojetstreams,orfast,

high-altitudeaircurrentsthatdisturbnearbyair,aswellasairthatpassesovermountainsorotherhighobstructions.Thewakescreatedbyothernearbyplanesorhelicopterscan also stir up turbulence. Wake turbulence is moreprevalentinareaswhereplanesaretakingoffandlanding.

A team of researchers at Langley Research Center,undertheTurbulencePredictionandWarningSystems(TPAWS)project,developed two special technologiesthatcanautomaticallyalertpilotsofpotentiallyhazardousturbulenceconditions,inrealtime.

Thefirsttechnology,calledtheEnhancedTurbulence(E-Turb)ModeRadar,issoftwareinanaircraft’sradarthatcanprovideflightcrewsadvancewarningofturbulence,sothattheycanavoiditaltogetherandkeepthemselvesandtheirpassengersoutofharm’sway,or,ataminimum,preparetheaircraftforitbystowinglooseequipmentandhavingpassengersandcrewseatedwithseatbeltsfastened.

“The radar technology is an enhanced turbulence-detectionradarsystemthatdetectsatmosphericturbulencebymeasuring themotionsof themoisture in theair,”said NASA’s TPAWS project manager, Jim Watson.“It is a software signal-processing upgrade to existingpredictiveDopplerwindshearsystemsthatarealreadyonairplanes.”

The second technology, known as the TurbulenceAuto-PIREP System (“PIREP” is a term used in theaviationindustryforpilotreports),orTAPS,issoftwarethat improves situational awareness of the locationandseverityofactualturbulenceencountersforpilots,dispatchers,andcontrollers.IfaTAPS-equippedaircraftencounters turbulence that exceeds the designatedturbulence threshold, theonboardTAPSsoftwarewillgenerateaturbulencereportthatisthenbroadcastoveradatalink.Thereportisreceivedbygroundstations,whereitisautomaticallyshownonadisplay,accessibleviathe

Steering Aircraft Clear of Choppy Air

Screen shot of a ground station display showing a storm system over the central United States. The colored areas represent radar reflectivity. Also shown are various aircraft in the area and the TAPS reports made by TAPS-equipped transiting aircraft.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/home/index.html

http://wxap.grc.nasa.gov/tpaws


Internetbydispatchers, controllers, airlineoperationspersonnel, and maintenance crews. Various functionsallow the ground station display users to process andtailortheinformationforspecificusers.Ifthereareanyother aircraftoncourse toapproach the regionwheretheturbulencewasreported,thenthegroundstationcandirectlyuplinktheTAPSreportpackettothem.

TheE-TurbModeRadarandTAPSdevelopmentaleffortswerecarriedoutaspartofNASA’sAviationSafetyandSecurityProgram,whichhastappedintodecadesofaeronauticsresearchtomakecommercialairtravelmoresecure.Thegoalistoreducethenumberofturbulence-relatedaccidents50percentby2007.

Partnership

AeroTech Research (U.S.A.), Inc., a leader inturbulence-detection and warning systems, has beeninvolved with NASA Aviation Safety research since1998.AeroTechservedasacontractorfortheTPAWSgovernment/industry development project, and wasfundedbyNASAtodevelop theE-TurbModeRadaralgorithmsandtheTAPSsoftware.(OthercontributorstothisprojectincludetheNationalCenterforAtmosphericResearch,theFAA,NorthCarolinaStateUniversity,andtheResearchTriangleInstitute.)

Theradaralgorithmscombineanaircraft’sturbulence-response characteristics with radar measurements todetermine the predicted turbulence loads the aircraftwillexperience,andpresentthisinformationtothepilot.The TAPS software monitors and processes onboardaircraft sensordata; generates automatic reportswhenanaircraft encounters turbulenceanda set turbulencethresholdisexceeded;andthendisplaysthereportsandunderlyinginformationtogroundpersonneltoimprovesituationalawarenessofthelocationandtheseverityoftheturbulenceencounter.

Once the E-Turb Mode Radar and TAPS weredeveloped,AeroTechhelpedNASAperformtheinitialflighttestingofthetechnologies.Forthis, thesystems

were implementedonNASA’sB-757researchaircraft.Uponinstallation,theB-757wasflownthroughregionsofsignificantturbulence,causedbythunderstorms.TheactualflightdatagatheredallowedNASAandAeroTechto fully evaluate the systems’ performances and thenoptimizethetechnologiestoensuretheywerereadyforcommercialapplication.

NASAandAeroTechbegananin-serviceevaluationoftheTPAWSinconcertwithDeltaAirLinestoevaluatetheeffectivenessofTPAWStoawidervarietyofturbu-lenceexperiencedinoperationalconditions.

The E-Turb radar software was integrated into aRockwellCollinsWXR-2100radar,whichwasinstalledonaDeltaBoeing737-800aircraftandhasbeenflyinginrevenueoperationsforover2years.TheTAPSsoftwarewasimplementedonatotalof123DeltaBoeing737-800,767-300ER,and767-400ERaircraft,andhasalsobeenflyinginrevenueoperationsforover2years.TAPSwasadditionally integrated intoagroundstationgraphicaldisplay system,where turbulence reportsgeneratedbyTAPS-equippedDeltaaircrafthavebeenviewedandused

byDeltadispatch,operations,flightsafety,management,andmaintenancepersonnelsinceAugust2005.

ProductOutcome

AeroTech’s versions of these airborne turbulencetechnologies are being implemented into commercialsystems.TheE-Turbradaralgorithmsarebeingdevelopedfordifferentaircrafttypesandforincorporationinnewradars.Aretrofitoptionforexistingradarsisalsounderconsideration.Thiswouldallowthemaximumnumberofaircrafttotakeadvantageofthenew,enhancedturbulenceradar-detection capabilities. The FAA is currentlydevelopingminimumperformancestandardsforairborneweatherradarwithturbulence-detectionalgorithms.

TAPS, meanwhile, continues to fly on the Deltaaircraft.Additionalairlineshaveshowninterestinpartici-patingintheeffortand,hence,sharingTAPSreports.

Besidesimprovedin-flightsafetymeasures,TAPSalsoenablesmore judicioususeofairspaceandcan leadtopotentialsavingsinfuelandreductionsinflightdelays.Thetechnologycanalsoassistmeteorologistsinvalidatingandenhancingweatherforecasts.

“Withthese[TAPS]tools,we’llhavebetterknowledgeofwhereturbulenceis,andwewon’tcrywolfasmuch,”saidBillWatts,DeltaAirLines’TurbulenceProgrammanager.“Wecangetpeopletositdownwhentheyneedtositdown.”

Initscurrentformat,however,TAPSinformationcanonlybesenttothecockpitandreceivedbyairbornecrewsviatextandvoicemessagesfromdispatchers.AeroTechwasawardedaNASASmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)contracttocarryoutthiswork,andwillcontinuetocollaboratewithvariousindustrygroupstoensurethattheturbulencetechnologyreachesitspotential.v

Installation of the E-Turb radar, a modified radar unit that can detect turbulence associated with thunderstorms by measuring the motions of the moisture in the air.

http://www.atr-usa.com




Itispossibletogetacrudeestimateofwindspeedanddirectionwhiledrivingacaratnightintherain,withthemotionoftheraindropreflectionsintheheadlights

providingcluesaboutthewind.Thecluesaredifficulttointerpret,though,becauseoftherelativemotionsofground,car,air,andraindrops.Moresubtleinterpretationispossibleiftherainisreplacedbyfog,becausethetinydropletswouldfollowtheswirlingcurrentsofairaroundanilluminatedobject,like,forexample,awalkingpedes-trian.Microscopicparticlesintheair(aerosols)arebetterforhelpingmakeassessmentsofthewind,andreflectiveairmoleculesarebestofall,providingthemostrefinedmeasurements.Ittakesabrightlighttopenetratefog,soitiseasytounderstandhowotherfactors,likereplacingtheheadlightswith the intensityof a searchlight, canbeadvantageous.

Thisisthebasicprinciplebehindalidarsystem.Whilearadarsystemtransmitsapulseofradiofrequencyenergyand interprets the received reflections, a lidar systemworksinasimilarfashion,substitutinganear-opticallaserpulse.Thetechniqueallowsthemeasurementofrelativepositionsandvelocitiesbetweenthetransmitterandtheair,whichallowsmeasurementsofrelativewindandofairtemperature(becausetemperatureisassociatedwithhigh-frequencyrandommotionsonamolecularlevel).

NASA, as well as the National Oceanic andAtmosphericAdministration(NOAA),haveinterestsinthisadvancedlidartechnology,asmuchoftheirexplor-ativeresearchrequirestheabilitytomeasurewindsandturbulentregionswithintheatmosphere.LidaralsoshowspromiseforprovidingwarningofturbulentregionswithintheNationalAirspaceSystemtoallowcommercialaircrafttoavoidencounterswithturbulenceandtherebyincreasethesafetyofthetravelingpublic.Bothagenciescurrentlyemploylidarandopticalsensingforavarietyofweather-related research projects, such as analyzing the watercontentofsnowandforecastinglightning.

Partnership

NASAhasbeenworkingwithOphirCorporation,ofLittleton,Colorado,since1985,onavarietyofremoteopti-calsensingprojects.MostofthisworkhasbeenintheformofSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)grants.

Aninfraredairtemperatureradiometer—theby-productofoneoftheearlyPhaseIandPhaseIISBIRprojectscarried

out through Dryden Flight Research Center—is nowresidentattheNationalCenterforAtmosphericResearch.Thedevicedelivershighlyaccurate,remoteairtemperaturemeasurements, and it provides remote detection ofatmospherethermalanomalies,precursorsfortheformationofclear-airturbulenceandotherflighthazards.

Inthe1990s,Ophir’sworkwithNASAshiftedfromtheweather-related sensors it hadbeendeveloping to

Advanced Air Data Systems for Commercial Aircraft

An Ophir Corporation engineer works with a ground-based unit that provides air data for air vehicles, as well as information for turbulence detection and wind profiling.

http://www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/sparcle/sparcle_tutorial.html

http://www.noaa.gov

http://www.noaa.gov

http://www.ophir.com


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/home/index.html

http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/


remotesensinginstrumentationtomeasuretemperature,humidity,andairspeed.Theresultingmeasurementscouldbeusedtoimproveflightsafety.

From2002to2004,OphirworkedundernewSBIRPhaseIandIIcontractswithDrydentoprovideproof-of-conceptlaboratorytestingofanewapproachtoOpticalAir Data Systems (OADS). Traditionally, air data ismeasuredwith severalprobes that aremountedonanaircraft, including immersion temperatureprobes andPitotairspeedprobes,aswellaswithflush-mountedstaticpressureports.

In this project and in a follow-on effort, Ophiraddressedtheproblemofdeterminingthecharacteristicsof theairoutsideof theboundary layerofanaircraft.ThisdevelopmentincludedtheuseofasinglesensortoreplacetheconventionalairdatasensorsthatarepronetosuchfailuresasicingandthepluggingofPitottubes.Anopticalairdatasensornowprovidesthepotentialforimportantbenefitstohigh-performanceaircraft.Theseinclude measurements in difficult aircraft attitudes,potentiallyhigherupdaterates,andreducedcalibrationandmaintenancecosts.

ProductOutcome

Thecompanyhasmadegreatstridesinthisresearch,andalthoughthestudiescontinue, ithasalreadycom-mercializedaportionof thework.Through itseffortstodevelopalidarOADSformodernaircraft,OphirhasdevelopedatechnologyitcallssenseAirthatovercomestheproblemsinherenttotheearlylaser-basedOADS.

Early laser-basedOADSmadeuseof thebackscat-teredsignalfromnaturalatmosphericaerosolstomeasureairspeed. This approach suffered due to the fact thatinsufficientatmosphericaerosolloadingatcriticalflightaltitudessometimesmadesystemoperationunreliable.Also,earlysystems,operatingastheydidonaerosolback-scatteredenergy,didnothaveaccesstomeanmolecularvelocityand,therefore,couldnotmeasureatmospherictemperature.Moleculardensityisanotherparameterthat

canbeobtainedusingmolecularbackscatter, and thisparameter,whencombinedwiththetemperaturemeasure-ment,canprovidethefullsetofairdatainformationfromasinglesystem,whichwasnotpossiblefromsystemsusingonlyaerosolscattering.

ThesenseAirtechnologycanprovideairdata(velocity,temperature, andpressure) evenwhenno aerosols arepresent—in clean-air atmospheric conditions. It doesnot rely on coherent, optical wavefront mixing. Thisis an important advantage in ahigh-vibration aircraftenvironment,sinceitdramaticallyreducestheneedforprecise optical alignment and thermal stability of theopticalcomponents.Moreover,atmosphericturbulenceandrefractiveindexfluctuationsintheaircraftboundarylayerwillnotdegradetheperformanceofincoherentlaserradar,suchasusedinthissystem.

ThenewsystemusesRayleigh/Mielidar,anopticallaser-based,remotesensingtechniqueintendedtoofferanoptiontotraditionalsensorsusedformeasuringairdata outside a vehicle’s boundary layer. Laser light is

scatteredbytheatmosphericaerosolsandgasmolecules,andanopticalreceivercollectsafractionofthat light.Theairmoleculesoraerosolshaveanetvelocityalongthedirectionofthelaserlightpropagation,andthecenterwavelengthofthescatteredlightisDopplershifted.(ThisDoppler shift is analogous to the change in auditorypitchonehearsfromanoncomingtrainorautomobile.)Measuringthisfrequencyshiftallowstherelativeairspeedtobemeasuredalongthelaser’slineofpropagation.

Thelaserlightistransmittedandcollectedalongthreedifferentaxes,andthenthethree-dimensionalairvelocityismeasured.Thisprovidestotalairspeed,angleofattack,andangleofsideslip.Theaircraft’sairspeedisfoundfromtheDoppler shiftof theRayleighmolecular scatteringaugmentedbytheaerosolMiescattering,andwill,there-fore,notfailiftheairbecomesfreeofaerosols.Measuringtheairspeedonthreeperpendicularaxesallowstheaircraftvelocityrelativetotheairtobedetermined.

The innovative systemuses optical scattering fromatmospheric gas molecules (Rayleigh scattering) toobtainthemeanrandommolecularvelocityfromwhichatmospheric temperature is derived. Again, using themolecularbackscatteredsignalstrength,theatmosphericgasdensityisobtained.Then,usingtheidealgaslawformula,pressureisobtainedtoprovidetheremainingparameterinthesetofairdataparameters,withthethreevectorcomponentsofairspeedandatmospherictemperature.

TheOphirsystemshowspromiseforimprovedreli-abilityandreducing theneed forperiodiccalibration,therebycontributingtoareducedlife-cyclecost.Whentheairdatameasurementismadesufficientlyaheadoftheflightvehicle,thedisturbancetothemeasurementbythepresenceoftheaircraftisacceptablysmallsothatonesystemcalibrationcanbeusedforallaircraft.v

senseAir™isatrademarkofOphirCorporation.

Ophir Corporation has developed a significant innovation in the field of Optical Air Data Systems, since its device can measure all air data parameters in both aerosol and non-aerosol conditions from a single sensor.

�0 Transportation Spinoff 2006


LangleyResearchCenterconductsresearchinsup-portof allof theaeronauticsproject atNASA.It continues to forge new frontiers in aviation

research,asithassince1917,whenitwasestablishedastheNation’sfirstcivilianaeronauticslaboratory.Langley’smissionandcontributionstoaerospace,atmosphericsci-ences,andtechnologycommercializationareimprovingthewaytheworldlivesandflies.

OneoftheinitiativesatLangleyinvolvedtheresearchand development of a Small Aircraft TransportationSystemNetwork(SATS-Net),whichwasthecommunica-tionsinfrastructureforNASA’sSATSprogram.

SATSresearchfocusedonfouroperatingcapabilitiesthatmayhelppermitpeopleandgoodstotravelfasterandfarther,anywhereandanytime;highervolumeoperationsatairportsthatdonothavecontroltowersorterminalradars;pilotstolandsafelyinlow-visibilityconditionsatminimallyequippedairports;increasedsinglepilotperfor-mance;andSATSaircrafttointegrateseamlesslyintothecomplexnationalairspace.

TheprimarygoalofSATS-Netwastodevelopsecurevirtual travelportals for theNation’s general aviationairportsandtoofferanalternativetocommercialairandground transportation through general aviation. Thesecondarygoalsweretoincreasemobility,reducedoor-to-door travel times,andprovideair transportationtounderservedmarketsatanaffordablecost.Oneof thespecific planswas to create a networkof informationaboutthe2,000-plusnon-tower,non-radarairportsintheNation.

Thisinformationwouldbeaccessiblefromaperson’shome,office,PDA,orlocalairport.Thisnetworkprovidesreal-timeinformationandwouldbea“one-stopshop”portalwithdynamicaccesstoreal-timeWebcamerasforweather conditions, flightplanning information, locallodging,restaurants,andattractioninformation.SATS-

Theprojectaimedatdevelopingasystemthatwouldgivepilots andpassengersof small aircraft centralizedaccess to information about local airports and travelinformation for theareas inwhich theyarebased,viatheInternet.

EdwinTirona,presidentofDSI,saidoftheexperience,“We’reveryexcitedabout theSBIRprogram. It takessomeoftheriskoutoftheprocessandstillallowsyoutocreatearevenue-producingproduct.”

NASA Helps Design the ‘Cockpit of the Future’

NASA, Dynamic Systems Integration, and Microsoft Corporation collaborated to create the Connected Cockpit of the Future, a Windows-based collection of NASA’s Small Aircraft Transportation System Network (SATS-Net) information available online. Members of the team pose here with Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman.

NetwouldprovidemembershipservicesmuchlikethatofAAA.

Partnership

DynamicSystemsIntegration(DSI)ofVirginiaBeach,Virginia,avoice,video,security,anddatacommunicationsfirm,partneredwithLangleythroughaSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)contracttodevelopanewsystemtoassistinthedatamanagementforSATS-Net.


http://sats.larc.nasa.gov/overview_sats.html

http://sats.larc.nasa.gov/overview_sats.html

http://www.dynamicsystems.com/



�1 Transportation Spinoff 2006

ProductOutcome

DSIhaspusheditsNASASATSresearch inseveraldirections,mostlyaspartof itsAssuredAviationWebServices(AAWS)product,oneofthekeycomponentsincreatingtheairborneInternet.

ThecompanypartneredwithMicrosoftCorporationtocreatetheConnectedCockpitof theFuture,whichhas the potential to make flying an aircraft as safe,easy, affordable, and connected as driving a car, butwithoutalloftheheadachesandtrafficproblemsfoundontoday’shighways.

TheConnectedCockpitof theFuture isbuiltonaMicrosoftplatform,allowingittoextendandembrace

third-partyapplications throughanew,aviation-gradecommunicationstandardthatallowsmultipleapplicationstocollaborateandshareinformation.

Apilotentersflightinformationintoaportabledevice.Thiscanbedoneanywhere.Theportabledeviceisdockedinto theConnectedCockpitof theFuture,where theinformationisdownloaded,andthecockpitrespondstotheinputbyrealigningitselfandreorganizingitsdisplaystomatchthatpilot’suserpreferences,sothatinformationisavailabletothepilotinfamiliarformats.

After the interfacemakes accommodations foruserpreferencesanddestination,itthenrunsthroughaseriesofchecklistsandmonitorsplanestatus.Thesystemalertsthepilotbothvisuallyandbyvoiceofanycurrentorpotential

problems, thenautomaticallyconnects toandreceivesclearancefromtheSATSAirportManagementModule(AMM)totaxi.TheAMMisacentralized,automatedairportarbiterandsequencer.Itreceivesrequestsfromaircraft viadata link andgrantsordenies access.TheAMMalsoprovidesestimatedtimesofarrivalwhenaccessisgrantedandan“expectfurtherclearance”timewhenaccessisdenied.

Once theAMMhasgranted clearance, the cockpitdisplayanticipatestheinformationthepilotwillneedandmakesitavailableatthemostopportunetimeaccordingtowhatstageoftheflightthepilotisinandaccordingtothepredefineduserpreferences.

AnotherareawhereDSIuseditsNASAresearchisthesubscription-basedWebsite,Airtraveler.Theservicepro-videspilotswithup-to-date,detailedinformationaboutweatherandairports,includingthescopeandamenitieseachairportprovides,whetheritisafull-servicefacility,orhaslandingfacilitiesforseaplanesorhelicopters.Pilotscanaccessnecessaryassessmentsofthegroundconditionsfromupintheair.Beforelanding,aircrewscanevenmakearrangementsforrentalcars,readrestaurantreviews,andlearnaboutlocalattractions.Itisarealizationoftheair-borneInternet.v

Microsoft®andWindows®areregisteredtrademarksofMicrosoftCorporation.

Screen shot from the Airtraveler Web site, a first step in the realization of an airborne Internet.

http://www.airtraveler.com/airtraveler/index.aspx

�� Public Safety Spinoff 2006


A laserdiodeisasemiconductor-basedlaserusedtogenerateanalogsignalsordigitalpulsesfortrans-missionthroughopticalfibersorthroughopen

air.Insimplerterms,itisthetypeoflaserthatscansthebarcodeofaproducttodetermineitspriceorreadstheinformationstoredonacompactdisctoplaymusic.

Whilelaserdiodesmakeforgreatsensorsindetectingproductpricesandplayingmusic,theyarealsoverygoodatdetectinggasses.NASA’s JetPropulsionLaboratory(JPL)developedaspecial typeof laserdiode-basedgas

analyzer that the Space Agency could use to measureatmosphericgassesonEarthandMars.

In doing so, JPL used a special tunable diodelaser, which NASA scientists could tune to differentwavelengths—likearadiobeingtunedtodifferentfre-quencies—to accurately target specific molecules anddetectsmalltracesofgas.Thistunablediodelaserwasdesigned to emit near-infrared light at wavelengthsabsorbedbythegasorgassesbeingdetected.Thelightenergybeingabsorbedbythetargetgasisrelatedtothemoleculespresent.Thisisusuallymeasuredinpartsper

millionorpartsperbillion.Multiplemeasurementsaremadeeverysecond,makingthesystemquicktorespondtovariationsinthetargetgas.

NASAscientistsdevelopedthistechnologyaspartofthe1999MarsPolarLandermissiontoexplorethepos-sibilityoflife-givingelementsonMars.NASAhassinceusedthetunablediodelaser-basedgassensoronaircraftandonballoonstosuccessfullystudyweatherandclimate,globalwarming,emissionsfromaircraft,andnumerousotherareaswherechemicalgasanalysisisneeded.

SpectraSensors,Inc.,wasformedin1999asaspinoffcompanyofJPL,tocommercializetunablediodelaser-based analyzers for industrial gas-sensing applications(Spinoff2000).Now,theSanDimas,California-basedfirmhascomebacktothemarketwithanewproductfeaturing the NASA-developed instrument for atmo-spheric monitoring. This instrument is now helpingaircraftavoidhazardousweatherconditionsandenablingtheNationalWeatherServicetoprovidemoreaccurateweatherforecasts.

Partnership

Prior to co-founding SpectraSensors, Dr. RandyMayspent15yearsatJPL,whereheledseveralmajorresearchtasksrelatedtothedevelopmentandutilizationof tunablediode lasers in gas sensors for atmosphericstudies.Additionally,Mayoversawalaboratoryprogramthat developed spectroscopic analysis techniques andalgorithms for themanipulationand interpretationofmoleculargasspectra.

Aftermanyyearsofsuccessfulinstrumentationdevelop-mentforatmosphericstudiesonEarth,MayandhisJPLresearchteamreceivedNASAfundinginthemid-1990stofurtherdevelopandminiaturizethetechnologyforplan-etaryandspacestationstudies,whereoverallsize,mass,andpowerconsumptionarecritical.Theyfirstrespondedbydesigningandbuildingtwoonboarddiodelasergas-measurement systems for theMarsPolarLander.Theintentionofthesetwosystemswastogivethespacecraft

Water Vapor Sensors Go Sky-High to Assure Aircraft Safety

Miniaturized tunable diode laser packaging for sensing and measuring atmospheric water vapor.


http://www.spectrasensors.com

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff2000/ip6.htm


theabilitytodeterminewatervaporandcarbondioxidelevelsintheMartianatmosphereandingassesevolvedfromheatedsoilsamples.

TherefinementsmadebyMayandhisteamprevailedinotherrealmsofplanetaryresearch.TheyalsoprovidedNASAwithanimprovedmeansofatmosphericmeasure-mentpertainingtoozonelayersandabetterunderstandingofweather/climateandaircraft emissions.Allof thesestridesledtomoreapplicationsforthesensorsandmadeitfeasibleforNASAtoconsidertheiruseinindustrialmonitoringandcommercialaviationapplications.

Soonafterthisrealization,May—alongwithDr.CarlKukkonen—co-foundedSpectraSensorstocommercialize

the tunable diode laser instrument for the industrial-processandenvironmental-monitoringmarkets.

Armedwithproprietarytechnologyand15yearsofNASA-relatedresearchexperience,SpectraSensorsmovedintothemarketplacewithalaserdevicepoisedtorevolu-tionizethewaygassesaredetectedandmonitored.

ProductOutcome

SpectraSensors’ latestproduct,theWVSS-II(WaterVaporSensingSystem-II),combinestheNASA-developedtunablediodelaseranalyzerwithanair-samplingdevicethecompanylicensedfromtheUniversityCorporationforAtmosphericResearch(UCAR)todeliverreal-time

weather forecasting andhelp aircraft avoiddangerousweatherconditions.Watervapormeasurementiskeytoaccurateweathermodelingandforecasting,becauseofwatervapor’srole inspawningunexpectedturbulence,windshear,fog,andthunderstorms.(Whenwatervaporcondenses,heatescapesthroughrisingcolumnsofairthatcreatesuddeninstabilityintheatmosphere.)

Watervapormeasurement,however,has longbeenthemeteorologist’smissingforecastelement.Windandtemperaturemeasurementsareroutinelymadeforweatherforecasting,butwatervapormeasurementdoesnotoccurasregularly.Theconventionalmethodforcollectingwatervapordataistouseanoldertypeofsensorthatemploysathinfilmcapacitor.AccordingtoSpectraSensors,NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationweatherbal-loonsequippedwiththesesensorsarelaunchedonlytwicedailytomeasurewatervapor,atlessthan100sitesintheUnitedStates.Theproblemwiththismethodisthat,inonlyacoupleofhours,suddenatmospheric instabilityinducedbywatervaporcanmakethedatacollectedbytheseballoonsunusable.

Painting a picture of just how prominent watervaporisintheskiesisUCARscientistRexFleming:“Inatypicalyear,morewaterintheformofvaporandcloudsflows over the dry state of Arizona than flows downthe Mississippi River; yet we have not had a sensingsystemtocollectaccuratewatervapordata frequentlyenough to be really useful for forecasts.” He added:“Commercialaircraftcanfillacriticalgapinatmospheric

SpectraSensor, Inc.’s WVSS-II (Water Vapor Sensing System-II) helps pilots reroute around bad weather, increasing public safety and saving money for airlines. The technology consists of an electronics box, an air sampler on a filler plate, and connection hoses.

observationsbygatheringaccuratedatathroughouttheglobalatmosphere.”

The WVSS-II can fill this gap by providing watervaporinformationevery2secondswhenappliedtoacom-mercialaircraft.Thiscontinuousstreamofdatacanfillthatholeinthemeteorologist’sforecast,plushelppilotstoreroutearoundsevereweatherinrealtime.SpectraSensorsnotedthatjust25WVSS-II-equippedaircraftcansupplymorethan100timesthenumberofmeasurementsmadebyweather balloons and satellites, all at a fractionofthecost.

Theinstrument’sair-samplingdevicewasbuilttobemountedontothesideofaplane.Thisair-samplerchan-nelsairintoameasurementcellthatishousedinacasingthesizeofacigarboxandlocatedontheinsideoftheaircraft.Thesamplergivesatrueairreadingbyweedingoutrain,icecrystals,particles,aircontaminants,andanyotherdistractionsthatmightotherwisecompromiseanaccuratemeasurement.

Whenatruewatervaporsampleiscollected,itisana-lyzedonboardtheplanebythetunablediodelasersystem,which contains the advanced control electronics anddata-processingsoftwarespecificallydesignedforthisappli-cation.Theresultsoftheanalysiscanthenbetransmittedtoentitiesontheground,whichcanthendisseminateittopassengerandfreightcarriers,andtogovernmentagenciesforshort-andlong-rangeweatherplanning.

Sincethelasersensorishousedinsidetheplane,itdoesnotcomeintodirectcontactwiththeoutsideelements.Thisnoncontactfeaturepreventsthelaserfrombecomingcontaminatedand,thus,givesitalongeroperatinglife.Moreover,theWVSS-IIcoexistswithtraditionalaircraftdatastreams,suchasengineperformanceandfuellevel,sofewercustomizedmodificationsarenecessary.

TheWVSS-IIwascertifiedbytheFederalAviationAdministration for commercial aircraft flights inDecember2004.Installationofthefirst25units tookplaceonBoeing757aircraftflownbytheUnitedParcelService(UPS),whichhasbeenresponsibleforproviding

windandtemperaturedatatometeorologistssince1994.Now,withtheWVSS-II,UPSisaddinganotherdimen-siontoitsweatherforecasts.

Inaddition,SouthwestAirlinesisplanningtoincor-porate it inthenearfuture.Onaninternationalscale,LufthansaAirlinesisinstallingtheunitonitscommercialaircraft,andtheGermanWeatherServiceisintheprocess

ofcertifyingitforuse, incollaborationwithAustralia,SouthAfrica,andNewZealand.

AsecondaryfunctionoftheWVSS-IIwillbetocalcu-latewatervaporlevelsatextremelyhighaltitudestobetterunderstandglobalwarmingandthehighlydebatedrolethatcirruscloudsplayinthisphenomenon.High,thincirruscloudstendtoactasinsulators,trappingheatbefore

“In a typical year, more water in the form of vapor and clouds flows over the dry state of Arizona than flows down the Mississippi River,” said Rex Fleming, a scientist with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.



itcanradiateintospace.Inmanyscientificcircles,itisbelievedthatthisheatcontributestoglobalwarming.

Water vapor is a major factor in the rising globaltemperatures.It is thegreenhousegas thatcontributesmoretothegreenhouseeffectthananyothernaturalgassesinthegreenhousefamily.Watervaporlevelsintheuppertroposphereand stratosphereareas lowasa fewpartspermillion,andtraditionalmeasurementtechniquesarenotadequatetoprovideaccurate,timelydata,accordingtoSpectraSensors.Inthe longterm,thecompanyseesits WVSS-II technology helping to address manyunansweredquestionsrelatedtothecausesandeffectsofglobalwarming.

InfulfillingtheVisionforSpaceExploration,NASAplanstousethesensorsaboardspacevehiclestomeasurewatervaporandcarbondioxideinthesoilandatmosphereof other planets. These measurements could provideinformationonthegeologicalhistoryoftheseplanetsandtheirpotentialtosupportlife.v

The air-sampling device was built to be mounted onto the side of a plane. Its aerodynamic design removes ice crystals, particles, rain, and other distractions to improve the sensitivity of the air measurement.

The United Parcel Service, which provides wind and temperature data to meteorologists, is now flying the technology on its aircraft, for increased reliability of forecasts.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main



Water is indispensable forhumanhealthandwell-being.Apersoncannotliveformorethanafewdayswithoutclean,drinkablewater.It

is,therefore,oneofthemostcrucialprovisionsastronautsneedtoliveandworkinspace,whetherorbitingEarth,workingatalunarbase,ortravelingtoMars.

Currently,astronautsaboardtheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS)receivetheirwaterfromRussiandelivery

missionsandfromadevicethatcatchessomemoisturefrom respiration and recycles it into limited amountsofdrinkingwater.Thiswaterreplenishmentisacostlyendeavor,andengineersareworkingonwaystomaketheprocessmoreefficient.

Toward that effort, Marshall Space Flight Centerengineers are working on creating the RegenerativeEnvironmentalControlandLifeSupportSystem,acom-plexsystemofdevicesintendedtosustaintheastronauts

livingontheISSand,inthefuture,sustainthosewhoareblastingofftotheMoonorMars.

Thedevicesmakeuseof theavailable resources,byturningwastewaterfromrespiration,sweat,andurineintodrinkablewater.

Oneof thedevices thatMarshallhasbeenworkingonistheWaterRecoverySystem(WRS).Marshallhasteamed with long-time NASA contractor, HamiltonSundstrandSpaceSystemsInternational,Inc.,ofWindsorLocks,Connecticut.HamiltonSundstrand,theoriginaldesignerof the lifesupportdevices for thespacesuits,developedtheWaterProcessorAssembly(WPA).It,alongwiththeUrineProcessorAssembly(UPA)developedbyMarshall,combinestomakeupthetotalsystem,whichisaboutthesizeoftworefrigerators,andwillsupportuptoasix-membercrew.Thesystemiscurrentlyundergoingfinaltestingandverification.

“TheWaterProcessorAssemblycanproduceup toabout28gallonsofpotablerecycledwatereachday,”saidBobBagdigian,MarshallRegenerativeEnvironmentalControlandLifeSupportSystemprojectmanager.Afterthenewsystemsareinstalled,annualdeliveredwatertotheISSshoulddecreasebyapproximately15,960pounds,orabout1,600gallons.

TheWPAistentativelyscheduledforlaunchin2008,butthetechnologyisfindingapplicationsonEarthwellbeforethatdate.

Clean Water for Remote Locations

This is a close-up view of the Water Recovery System (WRS) racks, the hardware that will allow a constant supply of clean water for four to six crewmembers aboard the ISS. The WRS provides clean water through the reclamation of wastewaters, including water obtained from the space shuttle’s fuel cells; crewmember urine; used shower, handwash, and oral hygiene water; cabin humidity condensate; and extravehicular activity waste.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/home/index.html


Partnership

WaterSecurityCorporation,Inc.,ofSparks,Nevada,ownsthepatentsforthecommercialuseofthistechnol-ogyandhasbeguntoofferitaroundtheworld—anywherepeopleneedaffordable,cleanwater.

Thecompany’sterrestrialwatertreatmentdevicehasbeenrecognizedbytheSpaceFoundationasaCertifiedSpaceTechnology,notonlyforitsuseofspaceknow-how,butalsofor itshumanitarianmission.“WaterSecurityCorporation’stechnologywasawardedtheCertifiedSpaceTechnologyseal,becauseiteffectivelyappliesspace-basedknowledgetoaneededapplicationonEarth,”saidKevinC.Cook,directorofbrandmanagementfortheSpaceFoundation.“Theirwaterfiltrationsystemsareprovidingsafe,affordabledrinkingwaterthroughouttheworld.”

ProductOutcome

Bycombiningthebenefitsofchemicaladsorption,ionexchange,andultra-filtrationprocesses,WaterSecurityCorporation’sproductsyieldsafe,healthy,good-tastingwaterfromthemostchallengingwatersources,suchasinunderdevelopedregionswherewellwatermaybeheavilycontaminatedwithbacteria.

ThepatentedMicrobialCheckValve(MCV),createdby UMPQUA Research Company, of Myrtle Creek,Oregon,releasesiodineintothewater,whichthenkillsbacteriaandviruses.ThenextstepistoaddaproprietaryresincalledIodosorbthatfunctionsasaniodinescrub-ber.Testingofthesystemdemonstrates6-logbacteriakill(99.9999percent)and4-logviruskill(99.99percent),which meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agencystandardsandisequivalentto,ifnotbetterthan,waterinmanyindustrializedcountries.

TheUnitedNationsestimatesthat1billionpeoplelackaccesstosafedrinkingwater,10millionpeopledieeachyearofwaterbornediseases,and2millionofthosedeathsare children.Themajor sources of this contaminatedwaterarebacteria,viruses,andcysts.Thesepathogenic

organismsbreed inunprotectedwater andunsanitaryconditions.Evencleanupeffortsareoftenthwartedbyrecontaminationoftreatedwaterduringtransportationandstoragepriortouse.Thespacebornetechnologyisuniquelysuitedtoaddresstheseconcerns.

Oneof the innovativeproductsusingthispatentedspace technology is Water Security Corporation’sDiscovery–ModelWSC4.Discoveryhas a 4-gallon-per-minuteoutputanda30,000-galloncapacity.Itisidealforruralwaterdisinfectionapplicationsandwasspecifi-callydesignedtofilteranddisinfectfreshwaterthatmaybemicrobiologicallycontaminated.Itsmodularconstruc-tionandsimplemaintenanceproceduresmakeitanidealsolutionforremoteinstallationsandsituationswherethequalityofsuppliedwaterisunsatisfactory.Itcanbecarriedbytrailertolocationsinneedoffreshwaterandrequireslittletrainingtooperate.

AnothermodelthatWaterSecurityCorporationhascreated is theApollo–ModelWSC0.5.Smaller thantheDiscovery,itismobileandidealforremotelocations,aswellasmobiledisasterrelief.Whilestillprovidingthesamelevelofwaterfiltrationandpurificationasitslargerkin, theApollohasa reduced flowcapacityof2 litersperminute.ThisreducedflowisoffsetbythefactthattheApollomodelcanbeliftedeasily intothebedofapickuptruckanddriventowherevercleanwaterisneeded.Thisunitcanbeoperatedwithageneratororevenwithahandpump.

WaterSecurityCorporationiscurrentlyintheprocessof making a countertop model using the same MCVtechnology.Thiswouldbeusefulinurbanareas,wherepiped-inwaterisstillsubjecttocontamination.Insomedevelopednations,itisnotuncommonformunicipalitiestoissue“boilwateralerts”whenthewatersystemsbecomeoverloaded, or perhaps during an E. coli scare. Thecountertopunitwouldbeidealfortheselocations.v

MicrobialCheckValve®andMCV®areregisteredtrademarksofWaterSecurityCorporation,Inc.

The Discovery –Model WSC� unit pictured here has been deployed to rural areas around the world to assist in providing people with clean, drinkable water.

http://www.watseco.com

http://www.spacefoundation.org/noflash.shtml


http://www.urc.cc



InpreparingtosendmantotheMooninthe1960s,nodetailwastoosmallforNASAtoconsiderwhenitcametoensuringthathumansandtheirtransporting

spacecraftcouldwithstandthepowerfulthrustofalaunch,theharshandunforgivingconditionsofspace,andtheextremelyhightemperaturesofreentryintotheEarth’satmosphere.WhenatragiclaunchpadflashfireoccurredduringaroutinepreflighttestoftheApollo1spacecraftatCapeKennedy(renamedCapeCanaveralin1974),NASAputintoactionmajordesignandengineeringmodifica-tionsfortheMoon-shootingspacecraft,plusrevisionstotestplanning,testdiscipline,manufacturingprocessesandprocedures,andqualitycontrol.

Detailed accounts of the Apollo Program’s birthandevolutionfromtheNASA-publishedbook“ApolloExpeditionstotheMoon”confirmNASA’scommitmenttogettingthejobdoneright,depictingtheSpaceAgencyaseversometiculousinpledgingtosafelylandmanonEarth’slonenaturalsatelliteandthenreturnhimhome.AccordingtoonehistoricalaccountdocumentedinthisbookbyGeorgeLow,NASA’sdeputyadministratorfrom1969to1976,NASAbuiltmock-upsoftheentireApollospacecraft, and then tried to set themon fire. If theyburned,Lowcontinued,NASAredesignedthem,rebuiltthem,andtriedagain.Forvibrationtesting,theAgencytriedtoshakethingsapart.

Additionaltestswithinsimulatedenvironmentsalsooccurred to emulate the vacuum-like effects of space,the heat of the Sun, and the cold of the lunar night.Furthermore, Low wrote, all spacecraft systems weresubjectedtohumidityandcorrosivesaltspray,tothethun-derousnoiseoftherocketbooster,andtotheshockofahardlanding.Tosimulateanormal“splashdown”landingsimulation,NASAdroppedthecommandmodule—theportionofthespacecraft thatastronauts inhabit—intowater,andtosimulateanemergencylanding,itdroppedthe lunar module—the portion of the spacecraft that

carriesastronautsfromthecommandmoduletotheMoonandback—onsimulatedlunarterrain.

Low’saccountacknowledgedthatNASAoverstressedandoverloadedspacecraftcomponentsuntiltheybroke,andiftheybroketoosoon,theAgencyredesigned,rebuilt,andtestedthemagain.

The final safety exam came in the form of flight,accordingtoLow.NASAdesignedthreeunmannedtestflightmissions toensure theApolloorbitermetalloftheAgency’srequirements.Thefirsttwoflightsutilizeda1,300,000-pound(withpropellant)SaturnIBrocketboosterthatgaveoff1,600,000poundsofthrust.Thethirdunmannedmissionwasthemostcriticaltest.ThismissionwasdeemedtheApollo4mission.(NomissionswereeverofficiallydesignatedApollo2or3.)ItutilizedaSaturnVbooster,whichweighed6,200,000pounds(withpropellant)andgaveoff7,500,000poundsofthrust.

After the spacecraft achieved an altitudeof10,000miles, its enginesdrove itbackdown into theEarth’satmosphereatanunprecedentedspeedofapproximately

25,000milesperhour.Duringreentry,temperaturesontheorbiter’sheatshieldreached5,000°F,morethanhalfthesurfacetemperatureoftheSun.Theheatshieldcharredasexpected,butthespacecraft’s insidecabinremainedacomfortable70°F.Amilestonehadbeenpassed,Lowwrote,makingwayformantogototheMoon.

Partnership

BuiltanddesignedbyAvcoCorporation,theApolloheatshieldwascoatedwithanablativematerialwhosepur-posewastoburnand,thus,dissipateenergy.Thematerialcharredtoformaprotectivecoatingwhichblockedheatpenetrationbeyondtheoutersurface.

AvcoCorporationsubsequentlyenteredintoacontractwithAmesResearchCentertodevelopspinoffapplicationsoftheheatshieldinthearenaoffireprotection,specificallyforthedevelopmentoffire-retardantpaintsandfoamsforaircraft.ThisexperienceledtotheproductionofChartek59,manufacturedbyAvcoSpecialtyMaterials(asubsid-iaryofAvcoCorporationeventuallyacquiredbyTextron,Inc.)andmarketedastheworld’sfirstintumescentepoxymaterial.Asanintumescentcoating,Chartek59expandedinvolumewhenexposedtoheatorflamesandactedasaninsulatingbarrier.Italsoretaineditsspace-ageablativepropertiesanddissipatedheatthroughburn-off.

Furtherapplicationswerediscovered,andthefireproof-ingformulationfounditswayintooilrefineries,chemicalplants,andotherindustrialfacilitiesworkingwithhighlyflammableproducts.

ProductOutcome

Fourdecadesand12moonwalkslater,thetechnologystillexistsinnew,advancedproducts.In1999,Houston-based InternationalPaint,LLC, acquired theChartekfireproofingbrand.Thecompany’slatestproductderivedfromChartektechnologyiscoinedIntercharandgearedtowardmakingAmerica’shigh-risebuildingsandpublicstructuressafer.

Fire-Resistant Reinforcement Makes Steel Structures Sturdier

Artist’s drawing of Apollo Command Module—with cutaway showing three astronauts—oriented in a blunt-end-forward attitude, reentering the Earth’s atmosphere after returning from a mission.

http://history.nasa.gov/SP-350/cover.html

http://history.nasa.gov/SP-350/cover.html

http://www.internationalpaint.com


AccordingtoCraigScott,InternationalPaint’sdirectoroffireandinfrastructures,thenew-constructionindustryhasbeenforcedtoreevaluatetraditionalmethodsoffireprotectionincommercialinfrastructures.Thisincludeseverythingfrombuildingcodestostructuraldesignissuesandtheless-durablefireproofingmaterialscurrentlyspeci-fiedforcommercialsteelstructures.

Althoughsteeldoesnotburn,itlosesstrengthinafire,whichcanleadtoastructuralfailure.Above500°F,steelstartstoloseitsstructuralintegrity,andat600°F,steelloses75percentofitsstrength,accordingtoInternationalPaint.IntercharandotherChartekfireproofingmaterialsswelltoprovideatoughandstableinsulatinglayeroverthesteeltoprotectit.

AnIntercharcoatingistypicallyappliedatathicknessbetween1and8millimeters,soitdoesnotimpacttheoverallshapeofthesteel.Becausethisisathinlayeringprocess,architectsandbuildingplannerscanstillexploreintricate and innovate architecturaldesigns, especiallywhen the steel is exposed.According to thecompany,Interchar’saestheticversatilityisauniquecharacteristicforcommercialconstructionthatpreviousChartekproductscouldnotmatch.

Intercharoffersfastcuretimes,superioradhesiontosteelsurfaces,andastrong,durablebarriertothesteelbeamunderneath.Altogether,Intercharprovidesupto4hoursoffireprotectionandhelpspreventsteelinfrastruc-turesfromcollapsingprematurely,inturn,givingbuildingoccupantsmoretimetoevacuatesafely.

The technology is also made to be applied offsite,sothatallofthematerialsthatrequirefireproofingarereadybeforetheyaredeliveredtotheconstructionsite.Manybenefitsstemfromtheoffsiteapplicationprocess:acontrolledenvironmentisusedtoensuretheappropri-atethickness,asunder-orover-coatingcouldnegativelyaffectInterchar’sfunction;itsavestimeandmoney,sincescaffoldingandthesealingoffofareasduringsprayingarenotinvolved;anditdoesnotdisrupttheworkofothercontractorsorcauseprojectdelays.

Inadditiontofireprotection,Intercharisideallysuitedforcorrosionprotection, instructural steel facilitiesasvariedasofficebuildings,hospitals,stadiums,shoppingmalls,hotels,airports,schools,powerstations,andindus-trialcomplexes.

“This is a technology thathascomeofage,”notedScott.“Thehumanandeconomiccostsoffiredamagecan

besignificantlyreducedbytheuseofafireproofingsystemthatcanaddressanyemergencyfireevent.”v

Chartek®andInterchar®areregisteredtrademarksofInternationalPaint,LLC.

Fabrication shop application of Interchar fireproofing material to structural steel beams. Since Interchar is typically applied at a thickness between 1 and � millimeters, it does not impact the overall shape of the steel. This means architects and building planners can still explore intricate and innovate architectural designs.

�0 Public Safety Spinoff 2006

Feeling Well Rested and Wide Awake When it CountsOriginatingTechnology/NASAContribution

Respondingtoacongressionalconcernaboutavia-tionsafety,NASA’sAmesResearchCentercreatedtheAmesFatigue/JetLagProgram in1980 to

examinetheextenttowhichfatigue,sleeploss,andcirca-diandisruptionaffectpilotperformance.Theprogram’sprimaryresearchwasconductedinfieldsettings,aswellasinavarietyofaviation,controlledlaboratory,andfull-missionflight-simulationenvironments,tostudyfatiguefactorsandcircadiandisruptioninshort-haul,long-haul,military,cargo,andhelicopteroperations.

In 1990, NASA changed the program’s name tothe Fatigue Countermeasures Group, to provide agreateremphasisonthedevelopmentandevaluationofcountermeasuresthatwouldmitigatetheadverseeffectsof fatigue and maximize flight crew performance andalertness.TheresearchconductedbythisgroupatAmesincludedfieldstudiesofcockpitrest,quantityandqualityofonboard sleep, andperformancechangesassociatedwithlong-haulflights.

Partnership

Dr. Mark Rosekind initiated the transition to theFatigueCountermeasuresGroup,alongwithseveralotherNASAcolleagues.Rosekindledtheprogramfrom1990until1997.Duringhistenure,hemademanyimportantcontributionstoappliedresearch,accidentinvestigation,aviationpolicy,andoperationalenvironments.Inaddition,heservedasthechiefoftheAviationOperationsBranchintheFlightManagementandHumanFactorsDivisionatAmes,wherehehelpedenhanceaviationsafetyandperformancethroughtheanalysis,experimentation,andmodelingofhumanperformanceandhuman-automationinteraction.PriortoworkingforNASA,RosekindhaddirectedtheCenterforHumanSleepResearchatStanfordUniversity’sSleepDisordersCenter.

Forover20years,Rosekind’sresearch,publications,presentations, and practical applications in the fields

of fatigue and alertness paved the way for significantimprovementsinreal-worldsettings.Theseaccomplish-mentsdidnotgounnoticed,asRosekindrackedupawardafter award forhiswork.Honors included theNASAExceptionalServiceMedal,NASA“GroupAchievement”awards, aNASA“TurningGoals intoReality” award,a Flight Safety Foundation “Presidential Citation forOutstandingAchievementinSafetyLeadership,”aFlightSafetyFoundation“BusinessAviationMeritoriousService”award,andbeingnamedaFellowoftheWorldEconomicForum,inDavos,Switzerland.

In1997,RosekindbroughthisexpertisetotheprivatesectorbyfoundingAlertnessSolutions,Inc.,ascientificconsultingfirmthattranslatesknowledgeofsleep,circa-dianrhythms,alertness,andperformanceintopracticalproducts,services,andstrategiesthatimprovesafetyandproductivity.Theseofferings aregeared towards indi-vidualsandorganizationsinvolvedwitharound-the-clockoperations,alteredshiftschedules,sustainedorcontinuousrequirements,andfrequenttravelacrosstimezones.

In 2005, Cupertino, California-based AlertnessSolutionsaddedanotherNASAfatiguecountermeasures

The majority of NASA’s fatigue countermeasures studies are performed in the field during normal flight operations or in simulators. Pictured here are two pilots undergoing tests in the Crew-Vehicle Systems Research Facility’s Boeing ��-�00 Simulator at Ames Research Center.


http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/zteam

http://www.alertness-solutions.com

�1 Public Safety Spinoff 2006

veterantothemix,whenDr.MelissaMallis,wholedtheFatigueCountermeasuresGroup from2000 to 2005,joined thecompanyas itsdirectorof scientificaffairs.WhilewithNASA,Mallishadmadesignificantcontri-butions to safety, research, andeducation inaviation,space,andotherdiverseoperationalsettings.ShehadalsohelpedotherFederalagenciessetstandardsforevaluat-ingtechnologydesignedtoenhancehumanawarenessofneurobehavioraldecrements,byperformingthefirst-evercontrolled,double-blindscientificstudiesofthevalidityandreliabilityofvariousdrowsiness-detectiontechnolo-giesandalertingcountermeasures.

Together,RosekindandMallisareapplyingthescien-tificprowesstheyhonedatAmesandincorporatingthelatestresearchavailabletohelpindividualsandorganiza-tionsmanageandovercometheoperationalchallengesoftheirenvironments.Suchchallengesincludedrowsydriv-ingthatoccursfromlongdurationsbehindthewheel,jetlagfromcrossingmultipletimezonesinashortperiodoftime,andsleepdeprivationresultingfromirregularsched-ulesandchallengingsleepenvironments.

ProductOutcome

Sleep-relatedcrashescosttheAmericanGovernmentandbusinesses$46billioneachyear,estimatestheNationalCommissiononSleepDisordersResearch.Thirty-sevenpercentofdrivershavenoddedoffforatleastamomentorfallenasleepwhiledrivingatleastonceintheirdriv-ingcareer,accordingtoa2002NationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministrationreportcompiledfromanationalsurvey.Nineoutofevery10policeofficersrespondingtoanInternetsurveyfromtheAAAFoundationforTrafficSafetyreportedhavingstoppedadriverwhotheybelievedwasdrunk,butturnedouttobedrowsy.

Thesestatisticsshouldbealarmingenoughtoopeneventhedrowsiestofeyes,buttheyarejustasmallsamplingofavailabledataillustratinghowdrowsydrivingandfall-asleepcrashesaremajorroad-safetyissues,accountingforthousandsoffatalitiesandinjurieseveryyear.

“Peopledon’trealizehowcommonfall-asleepcrashesare;thattheyoftenhavetragicconsequences,andthatavarietyofpeopleareaffected,”saidRosekind,whoresidesaspresidentandchiefscientistofAlertnessSolutions.

“Drowsy driving is a significant and largelyunappreciated cause of motor vehicle crashes,” addedSusan Coughlin, former vice chair of the NationalTransportationSafetyBoard.“AlertnessSolutionshasaninnovativeremedythatcombinesstate-of-the-artsciencewith a practical tool, offering the potential to reducecrashesandmakehighwaydrivingsafer.”

This solution,calledAwakeat theWheel, servesasauniquedriver-alertnesstoolforvariousat-riskgroups,including sleep-deprived shift workers—particularlythosewhoworkatnight;youngadults, age16 to29;

andcommercialdriverswho spend longhourson theroad,especiallyatnight.Itcombinesinformation,self-evaluationtools,alertnessstrategies,travelplanning,andsafedrivingactivitiesinan“engaging,real-timeformat.”

AwakeattheWheelincludesa32-pagealertnessguideanda36-minuteaudioCDtogivedrivers:informationaboutwhatmakesthemsleepyandhowthisaffectstheirabilitytodrivesafely;waystoaccuratelyevaluatetheiralertness(whenitistimeto“getoutofthefastlaneandgetintobed,”asthecompanysays);“sure-fire”strategiestohelpthemstayalert;andplanningtoolsthatallowthemtoimplementalertnessstrategiesonthenextbigtrip.Thealertnessguideisfullofscientific-but-easy-to-understandinformationandexercises,andtheCDcontainsvignettes

Awake at the Wheel is a unique alert-driving tool consisting of an audio CD and a printed alertness guide.


andcharactersthataidthelistener/driverinstayingawakeandalert.

Johnson & Johnson’s “Safe Fleet” corporate driv-ingsafetyprogramwasthefirsttoimplementAwakeattheWheel.Thealertnesstoolwasdistributedto15,000corporatedriversandhasreceivedresoundingaccolades.Besidesallofthedirectbenefitspromotingdriveralert-ness,oneindividualevenreportedthattheinformationinthetooldirectlyledtothediagnosisandtreatmentoftheirsleepdisorder,sleepapnea.

Movingfromroadsafetytoairsafety,thereisaplethoraofresearchshowingthattheaviationindustryhasbeenprofoundlyaffectedby fatigue.Forexample, in1997,NASAconductedasurveyonfatiguefactorincorporate/executiveaviationoperations,wherein1,488corporateflight crewmembers—the majority of whom flew jetaircraft—responded.Nearlythree-quarters(71percent)oftherespondingpilotsreportedthattheyhad“noddedoff”duringaflight—yetanotheralarmingstatistictoopensomeeyes.

AlertnessSolutionsisindeedopeningeyes,withaprod-uctcalledAvAlertthathascometotheaidofnumerouspilotsandcrewmembers,andotherkeyflightoperationspersonnelplaguedbyfatigue.Asthepredecessorfortheprinciples and objectives that make up Awake at theWheel,AvAlertconsistsofmultimediapresentationsandadaptabletoolsonCD-ROMthatprovidescientificallybasedinformationon,andpracticalmanagementstrate-giesfor,fatigue,alertness,andperformance.

“TheAvAlertprogramhasbeenveryusefulinthebattleagainstaviationfatigue.We’veappliedwhatwelearnedonourtrips,anditworks,”accordingtorepresentativesofACMAviation,LLC,aworldwidecharterservicebasedattheMinetaSanJoseInternationalAirport.

AlertnessSolutionsmarketsAvAlertascomprehensive,convenient, andcustomizable.The technology is com-prehensive in that it includes:guidelines and resourcesforcreatinganactiveandeffectivein-housealertnessman-agementprogram;guidelinesforduty-andrest-scheduling;

The Alert Traveler passport is a handy reference guide containing techniques for managing jet lag. AvAlert is a comprehensive package of multimedia resources that provides corporate flight operators with the education, tools, and training they need to successfully implement alertness management programs.


educationalmaterialsforabetterunderstandingofsleep,circadian rhythms, and performance; fatigue-relatedfindingsandinsightsfromNASAaviationstudies;andamanagement communicationpackage to convey theimportance,benefits,andrequirementsofalertnessman-agementtocorporate/executivemanagement.

Thetechnologyisconvenientinthatitincorporatesinteractive lessons, practical tools, and paper andelectronic forms inoneeasy-to-usepackage. (Twofullsetsofmaterialsareincluded:onetoremainwithflightdepartments,theothertotravelwithflightcrews.)Becausehumanphysiology and flight operations are complex,othermethodsofcreatingandpromotingacomprehensiveandeffectivealertnessmanagementprogramwouldtakemonthsofresearch,preparation,planning,and,often,outside expertise, according to Alertness Solutions.Conversely,AvAlertprovidescorporateflightdepartmentswiththeknowledgeandmaterialstheyneedtocreateacomprehensivealertnessmanagementprogram,“literally,overnight,”addedAlertnessSolutions.

Finally,itiscustomizable.Sinceeverycorporateaircraftoperationisunique,AvAlertallowsflightdepartmentstotailoranalertnessmanagementprogramtotheirspecificoperationalrequirements, formaximumefficiencyandimpact. For example, tools are provided that allow aflightdepartmenttoaudititsspecificschedulesandcreatetailoredstrategiestoaddressanyidentifiedfatigueissues.Also,electronicversionsofresourcematerialcanbeeditedandpersonalizedforusewithintheflightdepartment.

Basedon itsNASAexperience,AlertnessSolutionsalsocreatedAlertnessMetricsTechnology,anempiricalapproachtocollectingobjectivedatarelatedtofatigue,alertness,andsafety.TheAlertnessMetricsTechnologymakesuseofanactigraph,awristwatch-likedevicethatobjectivelymeasures24-hour sleep/wakepatterns andprovides a valid and accurate determination of sleepquantity and quality. It also makes use of a speciallyprogrammedPDAthatcollectsdailyloginformationonactivitiessuchasmeals,sleeptiming,exercise,andcaffeine

use.ThePDAincludesasimple,5-minutereactiontimetestthatistakenonaregularbasistoassessperformance.

In2004,AlertnessSolutionswasengagedbyJetBlueAirwaystodevelopandimplementacomprehensivealert-nessmanagementprogram(byexpandingandtailoringacoresetofAvAlerttools),andthencollectdataduringactualJetBlueflights,usingAlertnessMetricsTechnology.

Tohelppilotsandpassengersfightofftheeffectsofjetlag,AlertnessSolutionscreatedahandyreferenceguideentitled“AlertTraveler:YourPassporttoManagingJetLag.”Whetheritbeforapilotresponsibleforlandingajetinanewtimezonewheredayquicklychangedtonight,orforapassengerwhojustcrossedmultipletimezonesandneedstobeclearheadedforabusinessmeeting,thisreferenceguidecontainsallofthehintsandtipsneededtosuccessfullymanagejetlag.

Inanotherexampleofapplyingsciencetoapracticalsituation,AlertnessSolutionsworkedwithHiltonHotels

Corporationtocombine“renownedhospitalityexpertisewiththepowerofscience”togiveU.S.Olympiansanoptimalsleepenvironmentand,hence,acompetitiveedgeatthe2006OlympicWinterGames,inTorino,Italy.Asaresultofthispartnership,Hilton—anofficialsponsoroftheU.S.OlympicTeam—modified160residentath-letedormroomsattheColoradoSpringsU.S.OlympicTraining Center, based on recommendations fromAlertnessSolutions,tohelpincreasetheathletes’alertnessandreactiontimesforpeakperformance.

“SleepissoimportantandsobasicthatitcouldmakethedifferencebetweenwinningthegoldorthesilverattheOlympicGames,”saidRosekind.“Theproperamountofsleepcouldboostanathlete’sperformanceasmuchas30percent.”

Modificationsincludedenhancedbedsizeandbedding,ausableworkarea,enhancedlightingcontrols,“black-out”drapes,andaneffectiveMP3/CDplayer-compatiblewakeupmechanismthatHiltonHotelsproclaimsisthe“world’seasiest-to-set”alarmclock.

“Itsoundssosimple,butgettingtheproperrestreallydoesincreasemyconfidenceandabilitiesonandoffthetrack,” said U.S. Olympic speedskater, Apolo AntonOhno.“Restandrelaxation isacriticalcomponent tocompetingatyourbest.Withtheimprovementsthatarebeingmadetoourlivingspace,I’mexcitedtocomehometoaplacedesignedtohelpmyperformance.”

Theredesignpaidoff,asOhnoturnedinabrilliantoverallperformanceatthe2006games,winningagoldmedal (men’s500-meter race)and twobronzemedals(men’s1,000-meterraceandmen’s5,000-meterrelay).v

AwakeattheWheel®,AvAlert®,AlertnessMetricsTechnology®,andAlertTraveler:YourPassporttoManagingJetLag®areregisteredtrade-marksofAlertnessSolutions,Inc.

The tips offered in the Alert Traveler passport have helped airline pilots through long-duration, multiple-time-zone flights.

�� Consumer, Home, and Recreation Spinoff 2006


If“pullingtherugoutfromunder”meanssuddenlywithdrawingsupportandassistance,thenNASAisprettygoodat“puttingtherugunder”whenitcomes

tooffering technical support andassistance toprivateindustry.InthecaseofanewX-rayfluorescence(XRF)sensorfeaturingenhancementscomplimentsofNASA,theSpaceAgencynotonlyprovidedtherug,buthelpedgiveprivateindustryameanstoensureitkeepsclean.

Thissensor,utilizedbyNASAtoreadchemicalbarcodesconcealedbypaintandothercoatings,performon-the-spotchemicalanalysesinfieldconditions,anddetectdifficult-to-identifycontaminants,hasfoundanotheruseasatoolthatcanmeasurehowmuchsoilisremovedfromhouseholdandcommercialcarpets.

Theoriginal technologywasdeveloped in2002 toconductqualitycontrolforcriticalaluminumalloypartsdestinedforthespaceshuttle.EvaluationofthesepartsiscriticalfortheSpaceAgency,asanysignsofcontamina-tion,corrosion,ormaterialdeviationcouldcompromiseashuttlemission.

Partnership

Inthesummerof2001,NASAbeganseekingacom-panythatcoulddesignandmanufacturealightweight,hand-held scanner capable of detecting data matrixsymbolsonparts coveredby layersofpaint andcoat-ingscontainingvariouschemicals.TheFederalAviationAdministration(FAA)wasalsolookingforthistypeoftechnology, to eliminate theuseofunapprovedparts.(Counterfeitparts,likeexpendedpiecesthathadbeensoldforscrapandpiecesmadebyunqualifiedsuppliers,donotfitthecriteriaforFAAacceptability.Withoutsafeguards,thepotentialexistsforsuchunapproveditemstofindtheirwaybackintothesupplychain.OneofthesafeguardsistoprovideapositiveidentificationsystemforallpartsintheFAAsystem—onethatgoesbeyondthesimplemarking

ofadatamatrixbarcodeorhuman-readableidentityonapart.)

Initssearch,theFAAcameacrossacompanynamedKeyMasterTechnologies,Inc.,thatwaswillingtoletitsXRFhand-heldscanningtechnologyserveas thebasisfornewdevelopments.SincetheFAAhadrecentlypar-ticipatedwithNASAindevelopingatechnicalstandardforpartmarking,itrecommendedNASAandKeyMasterworktogethertocreateananti-counterfeittechnologythatwouldbenefitbothagencies.

KeyMaster agreed to meet with NASA, sharingits opinion that its XRF scanner could be adapted tofittherequiredneeds.Uptothispoint,theXRFinstru-mentwasprimarilybeingusedasanalloyanalyzerinthemetalsindustry.

InJanuary2002,KeyMastervisitedMarshallSpaceFlightCenter’sTechnologyTransferOfficetodemonstratetheXRFtechnology.TechnicalpersonnelfromMarshall’sEngineering and Science Directorates were on handto witness the demonstration. The XRF demo was

X-ray Device Makes Scrubbing Rugs Clean a Spotless Effort

KeyMaster Technologies, Inc.’s TRACeR III-V portable, hand-held scanner, for detecting and tagging unique elemental codes. This instrument was designed to help NASA evaluate parts destined for the space shuttle.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

http://www.keymastertech.com




convincing,asalloftheNASAparticipantswereimpressedwiththeportabilityoftheXRFscanner,itsprovenabilitytoquicklyanalyzethecompositionofmostmaterialsintheEarth’senvironment,anditspotentialtohelpNASAavoidhardwarenonconformanceissues.NASAandKeyMastersignedaSpaceActAgreementinMarch2002,institutingtheformalresearchanddevelopmentpartnership.

Dr.BruceKaiser,KeyMaster’schieftechnologyofficer,workedwithNASApersonnel,guidedbyFredSchrammofMarshall’sTechnologyTransferOffice, to enhancethepreexistingXRF scanning technology forNASA’spurposes.Duringtheearlystagesofdevelopment,NASAfound thatadvanceswere required toextend theXRFinstrument’sdetectionrangetoincludealuminumalloys,since aluminum isused tobuild the space shuttle, itsexternaltank,partsofthereusablesolidrocketmotor,andmanyothershuttle-relatedcomponents.Toextendthedetectionrange,NASAandKeyMasterdeterminedthattheairbetweentheX-raysource,theobjectbeingevalu-ated,andthedetectorwouldhavetoberemoved,becauseX-raysemittedbytheinstrumentwerestrongenoughtopenetratetheaironthewaytotheobjectandstimulateatomsinthesubstrate,butX-raysreturningtothedetectorwerenotstrongenoughtopenetratetheairand,therefore,couldnotbedetected.AccordingtoSchramm,thiswasanindustry-widelimitation.

First,NASAandKeyMasterneededtoconductatesttogaugewhethertheair-removalconceptwasevenpossible.Todoso,thepartnersplacedtheXRFinstrumentinside

a vacuum chamber, where it was then used to detectaluminum alloy samples. This proof-of-concept wassuccessful,astheinstrumentquicklyanalyzedthesampleswitheaseandprecision.

Thenextstepwastodeviseawaytoactuallyremovetheairfromtheinstrumentchamber,outsideofavacuumchamber and in a real-life environment, so the returnX-rayscouldtraveleasilytothedetector.Byincorporatingavacuumsystemintotheinstrument,NASAandKeyMaster

arrivedatadesignthatsuccessfullyaccomplishedthis.Inaddition,thisnewdesignprovidedanewcapabilityfordetectinglow-energyelements.

KeyMasterforgedaheadwithmanufacturingthreeoftheadvancedinstrumentsforNASA’sReturntoFlightmission.Uponcompletion, the scanningdevicesweredeliveredtoNASA’sExternalTankProject,SpaceShuttleMainEngine,andReusableSolidRocketMotoroffices.

Researchers at the Carpet and Rug Institute use the TRACeR III-V to test the carpet-cleaning efficiency of a commercial vacuum cleaner. The TRACeR III-V is capable of detecting the amount of soil a vacuum cleaner removes, determining how well an extracting vacuum cleaner recovers water, and determining whether a vacuum cleaner is causing excessive carpet wear.

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/crew

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/crew


NASAandKeyMaster filedtwopatentapplicationsforthefinishedproduct,calledTRACeRIII-V.Thefirstpatentpertainedtothevacuum-assistelementthatremovesairfromtheinstrumentchamberandenablesthedetectionoflow-energyelements,likealuminumandmagnesium,aswellascontaminantswithinNASAhardware,likesilicon.Thesecondpatentwasforintrinsicproductauthentica-tionthroughchemicaltagidentifiersthatareconvertedtobarcodelanguage.Thispatentwasprimarilyintendedforcommercialapplications,asNASAandKeyMasterhadrealizedthetechnology’svalueinotherindustries.

ProductOutcome

Shaped like aportabledrill andweighing less than5pounds,TRACeRIII-Vhasfoundcommercialsuccessinbarcodeidentificationandchemicalanalysis.Recently,thetechnologysetthestageforamajorbreakthroughincarpetcleaning,helpingtocreatestricterstandardsfortoday’svacuumcleaners,toensurethattheyareremovingsoil and stains impervious to conventional cleaningtechniques.ThisbreakthroughcamecourtesyofNASAandKeyMaster, in collaborationwith theCarpet andRug Institute (CRI)—the national trade organizationfor the carpet and rug industry that represents over90percentofallcarpetingproducedintheUnitedStatesandoffers scientific insight into how carpet and rugs can“createabetterenvironmentforliving,working,learning,andhealing.”

Thethreeorganizationsworkedtogethertoestablisha multifaceted testing program that utilizes an XRF-detectablesoilmediathatcanbequantifiedafteracarpetcleaning,tomeasuretheeffectivenessofagivencleaningsystem.Thisdesigner“soil”containspropertiessimilartoactualsoilfoundincarpetingthroughoutthecountry,accordingtoCRI.

Using theTRACeRIII-V scanner, laboratories canmeasurethestartingcompoundappliedtoacarpetsampleandthenquantify thepreciseamountof soil removedfollowingacleaning.Thescannercanadditionallybeused

The Advance AquaClean 1�XP carpet extractor, from Nilfisk-Advance, Inc., was honored at the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval program launch at Kennedy Space Center in September �00�.

Imag

e co

urte

sy o

f Nilfi

sk-A

dva

nce,

Inc.

http://www.carpet-rug.com

http://www.carpet-rug.com


todeterminetheamountofwaterbeingremovedfromacarpetduringacleaning,intheeventofaspill,orifawet-vachadbeenused.Tomeasurehowwellanextractor(vacuum cleaner) recovers water, a carpet sample isweighedbeforeandafterthetestingprocesstodeterminehowmuchwaterremained.

Extractorsthatdonotsufficientlyremovesoilorwaterfromacarpetcan increase thepotential forgrowthofmoldspores,plusdamagethecarpetfibers.Addtothisthebuildupofeverydaycontaminantsthatareprevalentinthehome,suchasdustmites,petdander,pollen,andotherallergens,andthepotentialforhealthproblemsexists.

Compoundingtheseconcernsformoldandcontami-nantsisairquality.AccordingtotheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,airwithinhomesandotherbuildingscanbeup to5 timesmorepolluted thanoutdoorair.“Removingdirtandparticlesfromacarpetandcontainingthemwithinthecanistersofthebestperformingvacuumhelpsimproveoverallairquality,”maintainedCRI.

MichaelBerry,Ph.D.,formerdeputydirectoroftheNationalCenter forEnvironmentalAssessmentof theEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyandaleadingauthorityonindoorairquality,stated,“Inmy30years’experience,theXRFtagganttechnologyisthefirstscientificapproachtoquantifyingcarpetcleanlinessthatIwillstandbehind100percent.”

The XRF testing also evaluates surface-appearancechangesincarpeting,asaresultofvacuuming.Thistestis included, because experience has shown that someextractionmachinescancauseexcessivewearoncarpet,accordingtoCRI.

Anycarpet-cleaningcompaniesthatsubjecttheirextrac-tionproductstoCRI’sXRFtestingandmeettheinstitute’sstrictstandardsforsoilremoval,waterremoval,andsurfaceappearanceareawardedaCRISealofApproval.Sincesoilremoval istheprimarytest,efficiencyisratedonthreelevels:extractorsthatexceedaveragesoilremovalreceiveaBronzeSealrating;extractorsachievinghighersoilremovalreceiveaSilverSealrating;andextractorsremovingthe

highest amountof soilmeasurable receiveaGoldSealrating.Sofar,morethan30productshavereceivedSealofApprovalcertification.

OnSeptember12,2005,KennedySpaceCenter hosted the official launch of CRI’sSeal of Approval program. Several nationalcarpet manufacturers in attendance werehonored with the Gold Seal of Approval,including:SearsCarpet&UpholsteryCare,ofLewisCenter,Ohio;MohawkFloorCareEssentials,ofFayetteville,Georgia;Prochem,ofEnglewood,Colorado;ZeroRez,ofLindon,Utah; and CleanMaster Corporation, ofMukilteo, Washington. Two weeks later,onSeptember23,2005,theproduct-testingprogramwasrecognizedasaCertifiedSpaceTechnologybytheSpaceFoundation.

InMarch2006,CRIannouncedthatitisacceptingproductsfortestingunderthelatestphaseoftheSealofApprovalprogram.Thisnew“DeepCleaningSystems”phaseevaluatesthecombinedeffectivenessofcleaningequip-mentandcleaningchemistries.v

AquaClean®isaregisteredtrademarkofNilfisk-Advance,Inc.

KeyMaster Technologies, Inc.’s Lloyd Starks (left), special projects consultant, and John Landefeld, chief executive officer, share a handshake at the Seal of Approval program launch.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html




Justbeforethespaceshuttlereachesorbit,itsthreemainenginesshutdownsothatitcanachievesepa-rationfromthemassiveexternaltankthatprovided

thefuelrequiredforliftoffandascent.Injettisoningtheexternaltank—whichiscompletelydevoidoffuelat this point in the flight—the space shuttle fires aseriesofthrusters,separatefromitsmainengines,thatgivestheorbiterthemaneuveringabilitynecessarytosafelysteerclearofthedescendingtankandmaintainitsintendedflightpath.Thesethrustersmakeupthespaceshuttle’sReactionControlSystem.

Whilethespaceshuttle’smainenginesonlyprovidethrust inonedirection (albeit averypowerful thrust),theReactionControlSystemenginesallowthevehicletomaneuverinanydesireddirection(viasmallamountsofthrust).Theresultingrotationalmaneuversareknownaspitch,roll,andyaw,andareveryimportantinensur-ingthattheshuttledocksproperlywhenitarrivesattheInternationalSpaceStationandsafelyreenterstheEarth’satmosphereuponleaving.

To prevent the highly complex Reaction ControlSystemfrommalfunctioningduringspaceshuttleflights,andtoprovideadiagnosisifsuchamishapweretooccur,NASAturnedtoamethodofartificialintelligencethattrulydefiedthetraditionallawsofcomputerscience.

Partnership

Dr. Michael Georgeff, the inventor of the radicalmethodology,isamongtheworld’sleadingexpertsintheresearchandapplicationofartificialintelligence.HeisaformerdirectorofboththeArtificialIntelligenceCenteratStanfordResearchInstitute(SRI)International,MenloPark,California,andtheAustralianArtificialIntelligenceInstituteLtd.,attheUniversityofMelbourne.

ItwasduringGeorgeff’stenurewithSRIintheearly1990swhenNASAtappedhisexpertisetoimproveuponthecomputersthatmonitortheshuttlefleet’sReaction

ControlSystemengines.NASAdesiredadvancedcom-putertechnologythatcouldprovideavarietyofsolutionsfor the many things that could potentially go wrongduringashuttlemission.

In response toNASA’s call for assistance,GeorgeffandhisSRIteamdevelopedthefirst“intelligentagent”softwaresystemtoevergointospace.Thissystemhaditsowngoalsandbeliefs,andcouldpursuethesegoalsandbeliefsandthendeterminehowitwantedtoachievethem,inmuchthesamewaythathumansdo.Essentially,acomputerequippedwiththisintelligentagentsoftwarecouldmakedecisionsanddealwithproblemsthroughahuman-likepowerofreasoning.Shouldafirstattemptatasolutionfail,ittakesintoaccountalternativesolu-

tions,ratherthanithavingtodependonaconstrained,preprogrammedsetofparametersthatonlyleadstooneattempted solution—as most conventional computersdo.Byfurnishingacomputerwithahuman-likepowerofreasoning,itultimatelyassumeshuman-likelogicandbehavioraltraits.

GeorgeffplayfullyacknowledgesthatthisintelligentagentissomewhatlikeafirstversionofHAL9000—theneuroticsupercomputerfromthesciencefictionmovie“2001,ASpaceOdyssey”thatendsupendangeringthespacecrew’slivesforthesakeofthemission—onlythistime,hesays,thetrue-to-lifetechnologyisfullyunderthecontrolofNASAastronautsinspaceandMissionControlpersonnelonEarth.

A Match Made in Space

Center: Workers in the Orbiter Processing Facility watch closely as Discovery’s Reaction Control System is lowered into position in the orbiter’s forward fuselage nose area. This system contains the engines that provide the thrust for rotational maneuvers and small velocity changes along the orbiter axis. Top Left: Dr. Michael Georgeff, the inventor of the real-time reasoning and control software that monitors the space shuttle Reaction Control System. Bottom Right: Staff members of weAttract.com, Inc., conduct research on a series of individual profiles.


http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/sts-rcs.html



GeorgeffandNASA’sJohnsonSpaceCenterworkedtogethertointegratetheintelligentagentsoftwaresystemwiththespaceshuttlecomputers.Thisreal-timereasoningandcontrolsoftwarewasfirstusedtomonitorDiscovery’sReactionControlSystemin1997.

ProductOutcome

Theintelligentagentsoftwaresystemutilizedtomoni-torDiscovery’sReactionControlSystemengineshascomedowntoEarthtoimprovetheoperationofadifferentkindofengine:anonlinematchmakingsearchengine.

Foundedin1998andincorporatedin2000,weAttract.com,Inc.,combinesscientificandmathematicalinnova-tions to enhance human relationships. The conceptsthatGeorgeffdevelopedforNASAareatthecoreofthecompany’scomputerizedmatchmakingtechnology.

“AlthoughonthesurfacethiswasunlikeanythingIhadbeeninvolvedwithbefore,theunderlyingissuesweresimilartoonesIhavefacedonmanycommercialprojects,”explainsGeorgeff,whocurrentlyresidesasweAttract’sexecutive scientific advisor. “Even with something ascomplexasthespaceshuttlemalfunctionhandlingsystemIworkedwithatNASA,theunderlyingsysteminvolveshelpingcreateflexibleavenuestomeetgoals.ThiswasattheheartofwhattheweAttracttechnologyaimedtodowithrelationshipsonline.

“Theworkwe aredoing atweAttracthasmuch incommon with the approach we used at NASA,” hecontinues.“Thekeyideaistohavesomewayofmodelinghumancognitiveandemotionalattitudessothatwecanpredict[human]behaviorordeterminehowbest[humans]canaccomplishtheirdesires.IntheNASAproject,weusedaverysimplemodelofthesecognitiveattitudes:the‘desires’ofthesystemwerelimitedtothegoalsofclosingvalves,testingfuelpressure,andsoon.Thesystemhadnoemotions.”

ForweAttract,ontheotherhand,thecompanyhasdeveloped“averysophisticatedmodel”ofthecognitiveand emotional attitudes underlying human behavior,

basedona largenumberofpsychological studiesovermanyyears.Itsapproachistogivethepersonitisseekingtoassist(inthiscase,apersonwhohasadesiretofindanappropriatepartner)anumberofquestionsandtests.Thecompanyusestheoutputfromtheseteststologicallyand statistically deduce the most likely cognitive andemotionalmodelfortheperson.Onceithasthismodel,it can thendetermine thebestway for thatperson toachievehisorherdesires.Inotherwords,byobservingtheperson’sresponsestothetests,weAttractisabletodeduceapsychologicalmodelofthatperson,which—justlikethesystemforthespaceshuttle—thecompanycanthenusetodeterminehowbesttheycanachievetheirdesiresorgoals.AccordingtoGeorgeff,themethodsweAtrractusestodothisarequitedifferentfromthoseusedfortheshuttle,buttheunderlyingscientificapproachisthesame.

Thecompanythengoesonestepfurther.Byquestion-ingthepersononwhattypeofpartnertheyareseeking,weAttractcanalsobuildapsychologicalmodelofthepre-ferredpartner.ThisallowsweAttracttofindprospectivepartnersthatmatchnotonlyonbasicdemographicandbehavioralattitudes(e.g.,non-smoking),butona“richmodeloftheircognitiveandemotionalmakeup.”

Byhavingthepsychologicalmodelsofboththeseekerandthepotentialpartner,weAttractcanthenpredicthowthesetwomodelswouldinteractandbehavetogether.Inthisway,thecompanycanidentifypotentialstrengthsandweaknessesinthepartnership,andsuggestmeansformodifyingbehaviorstoavoidproblemsandreducingtheimpactofanyincompatibilities.

“This is an incredibly exciting project,” Georgeffproclaims.“Ibelieveitisbreakingnewgroundinunder-standinghowwe,ashumans,interactwithoneanotherandhowwecanrealizeourpersonalandsocialpotential.”

Match.com,thehighlypopulardatingsitewithover10yearsofexperience,beganusingweAttract’ssoftwarein2003.Theresultwasasophisticatedpersonalitymatch-ingprogramthatuses“smart”algorithmstocustomizea

testforeachuser,sothateachanswerleadstoatailoredfollow-upquestion;notwotestsareexactlyalike.

“TheMatch.comPersonalityTestwasaquantumleapbeyondthepop-psychquestionnairesyou’llfindonotherpersonalssites,”saysDr.MarkThompson,thefounderand chief executive officer of weAttract, as well as aStanfordUniversity-trainedclinicalpsychologist.“Therewere no pre-canned reports,” he adds. “In fact, therewereover100millionpossiblecustomizedreportsthatwent into great detail about the user’s strengths andquirks,andhowtofindsomeonewhoreally‘getsyou’onadeeplevel.”

In 2004, weAttract launched its second-generationproductforYahoo!Personals,whichincludesthePersonality&LoveStyleTestandtheRelationshipTest.BasedonweAttract’smathematical and scientific prowess, thesetestsuseinteractivereenactmentsofreal-liferelationshipscenarios,insteadofstaticmultiple-choicequestions.

ThePersonality&LoveStyleTest,whichtakesapprox-imately10minutestocomplete,providessingleswithacustomizedreportoftheirpersonalitytype,lovestyle,big-gestchallenges,andsuggestionsonwhichtypeofpersonwouldbeagood fit for them.TheRelationshipTest,whichtakesroughly30minutestocomplete,providesapersonalized,in-depthreportthatmeasurescompatibilitywithothers,relationshipskills,andmuchmore.

Presently, the insights gained from weAttract’smatchingendeavorshaveledittoformtwonewspinoffcompanies.Thefirst,calledSciencePlanet.com,aimstoexpandweAttract’sfocusoneducationaltoolsandenginesforthegeneralpublic.Thesecond,yettobenamed,willworktoapplytheadvancesweAttracthasmadeinfacialrecognitionandpersonalityprofilingtoareasofnationalsecurityanddefense.v

Yahoo!®isaregisteredtrademarkofYahoo!Inc. Match.com©isacopyrightofMatch.com,LP.


http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html

http://www.weattract.com

http://www.weattract.com

�0 Consumer, Home, and Recreation Spinoff 2006


Forover5years,peoplehavebeenlivingandworkinginspaceontheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS),astate-of-the-artlaboratorycomplexorbitinghigh

abovetheEarth.Offeringalarge,sustainedmicrogravityenvironment that cannot be duplicated on Earth, theISSfurthershumankind’sknowledgeofscienceandhowthebodyfunctionsforextendedperiodsoftimeinspace—allofwhichwillprovevitalon long-durationmissionstoMars.

On-orbitconstructionofthestationbeganinNovember1998, with the launch of the Russian Zarya ControlModule,whichprovidedbatterypowerandfuelstorage.Thismodulewasfollowedbyadditionalcomponentsandsuppliesoverthecourseofseveralmonths.InNovember2000,thefirstISSExpeditioncrewmovedin.

Sincethen,theISShascontinuedtochangeandevolve.Thespacestationiscurrently240feetwide,measuredacrossthesolararrays,and171feetlong,fromtheNASADestinyLaboratory to theRussianZvezdaHabitation

Module.It is90feettall,anditweighsapproximately404,000pounds.Crewsinhabitalivingspaceofabout15,000cubicfeet.

Todate,90scientific investigationshavebeencon-ductedonthespacestation.Newresultsfromspacestationresearch,frombasicsciencetoexplorationresearch,arebeingpublishedeachmonth,andmorebreakthroughsarelikelytocome.

It isnotallworkonthespacestation,though.Theorbitinghomeaffordsmanyof thecomfortsonefindsonEarth.Thereisaweightless“weightroom”andevenamusicalkeyboardalongsideresearchfacilities.Holidaysareobserved,andwiththem,traditional foodssuchasturkeyandcobblerareeaten—with lemonadetowashthemdown.

Partnership

VisionVideogames,LLC,ofTowson,Maryland,com-pletedaSpaceActAgreementwithNASAtocreatetheinteractivevideogame,SpaceStationSim,inwhichplayersrole-playastheNASA“ChiefAdministrator,”managing

astronautsontheISSina3-Dsimulatedenvironment.TheagreementwasacontinuationofonebetweenNASAandGRSGamesbeforeVisionVideogamesmanagementboughtthecompanyinMarch2004.

Theagreementprovided,forasettime,thecompanywithinformationfrom,andaccessto,NASApersonnel,sothatitcouldmakethemostaccurategamepossible.NASApersonnelevenvolunteeredtobebetatestersforthenewgame.

BillMueller,presidentofVisionVideogames,saidoftheproject,“TheassistanceandsupportfromNASAwereinvaluable,andtheenthusiasmoftheNASApersonnelwasgreat.”

Thecompanyalsoreceivedvolunteersofassistancefromavarietyofspaceexpertsandinternationalagencies,includ-ingtheJapanAerospaceExplorationAgency(JAXA).

Withthislevelofinterest,expertise,andinvolvement,VisionVideogamesmanagedtocreateagamethatissoaccurateandrealisticthatNASAisevenexploringaspectsofthegameformissionplanning.

Early in 2005, Vision Videogames worked withRaytheon Company, of Waltham, Massachusetts, todemonstrate theviabilityofusinga simulatedsystemsengineering and integrationvisualizationplatform forcollaborativedevelopmentenvironments. In fall2005,VisionVideogamescompletedacontractwithNASAtouseSpaceStationSimtosimulatethecreationoftheCrewExploration Vehicle and crew, appropriately named,SimCEV.Itissignificantlymoreaffordableandsafetomodelandtestequipmentandprogramsinasimulatedenvironmentthanitistofieldtest,especiallywhenthefieldistheMoonorMars.TheSpaceStationSimsoftwareengineprovided“virtualvehicle”assets,animation,andprogrammingexpertiseforNASAtosupporttheVisionforSpaceExploration.

ProductOutcome

SpaceStationSimisthelatestinalonglineofpopularsimulation(SIM)games.Precursorsincludegamesthat

Affordable Space Tourism: SpaceStationSim

SpaceStationSim allows players to create and manage their very own International Space Station and crew.

In New Station Mode, players have the freedom to build the International Space Station any way they want, within, of course, the connection rules governing the actual space station.


http://www.vision-play.com

http://www.raytheon.com

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/index.html



allowplayerstodoeverythingfrombuildingacity,anisland,oraplanet, toattendingcollege,goingoutonthetownatnight,ormanaginganamusementpark,tomasqueradingasrockstars.ThereisevenaSIMvariationthatallowsplayerstopracticelookingafterpets.WhiletheISSvariation,then,isnotthatfar-fetched,thedifferenceisthatitwasbuilttoNASAtechnicalspecificationsandholds all the excitement and intrigue that goes withactuallylivinginspace.

“We believe that one real day at NASA is moreexcitingthananimaginarydayanywhereelse,”Muellerexplains.“Weintendtobringtoawholegenerationofyoungpeoplea senseofownership in, anddedicationto,NASA.”

As the “ChiefAdministrator”ofNASA, theplayercreatescrewmemberswithuniqueneeds,abilities,andper-sonalities,andmanagestheiractivitiesandrelationships.

In this game, as in real life, the astronauts facemission-critical situations, including meteor strikesand decompression, while conducting microgravity

experimentsanddealingwithtroublesomespacetourists.Thespacetourists,includedtoofferabitofcomicrelief,appearonthestationdressedforthebeachorboardwalk,infullHawaiiantouristattire.Theydisrupttheastronautsas thecrewgoesabout itschores repairingmachinery,conductingexperiments,andtryingtokeephappyandhealthyintheconfinesofthespacestation.

Theplayermonitorsthecrewasitperformsexperi-mentsandcompletes simple repairs.According to thegame’s instructionmanual,“Throughstrategy,design,management,discovery,andcareofyourcrew,yourISSmayusherinthedawnofanewageformanamongthestarsorfailinaburninginferno!”

ThegamebeginsintheMissionControlCenter,whichisalsowheretheplayerreturnsregularlytolaunchnewmodulesandcomponents,recruitcrewmembers,organizesupply missions, and monitor the game’s currency,whichisinternationalgoodwill,measuredintheformofinternationalflags.

Theplayerdeterminestheastronaut’sstrengthsandweaknesses,andthenthesefactorslatercomeintoplayontheISS.Ifanastronautisexcessivelyplayfulandhasapoorworkethic,repairsmightnotbemade.Iftheastro-naut,ontheotherhand,istoofocusedonworkandisnotinterestedinhavingfun,hemayburnoutovertimeandbecomeunhealthyanddepressed.Theskillsandspecialtiesoftheastronautsalsocomeintoplay,ascertainspecialistsare theonlyonesqualifiedtoperformcertaintasks.Abiomedicalpayloadspecialist,forexample,canperformhigh-levelbiomedicalexperiments,whereasanastrotech-nologyexpertmaybemoreadeptatcertainonsiterepairs.

AftertheastronautsareblastedofftothestationonaRussianSoyuzvehicle,theplayermustmanagetheastro-naut’sactivitiesbyassigningtaskstokeepthemhappy,healthy,andproductive.Theastronautsareabletochoosetasksontheirown,butinitially,theyneedmoreguidanceortheywillmakemistakes.Oncetheyhavedevelopedmoreexperience,though,theybecomemoreself-sufficient,andtheplayercanfocusonbuildingthestation.

Asthegameprogresses,theplayerconstructsthesta-tion, adding additional sections and bringing neededequipmentand supplies to thevirtual astronauts.TheplayercoordinateswithMissionControl todeterminewhichvehiclesareavailabletocarrydifferentmachineryto the station.AplayercanchoosebetweendozensofmodulesandstylizedcomponentsfromNASAanditsfourexplorationpartners,JAXA,theRussianSpaceAgency,theCanadianSpaceAgency,andtheEuropeanSpaceAgency.

Players can add experimental equipment, items tomake their lives and stay more comfortable, and canconstructtheirownuniquestationbybuildingadditionsandcomponents.

Currently,thegamecanbeplayedonapersonalcom-puter,andaPlayStation2versionisindevelopment.v

PlayStation®isaregisteredtrademarkofSonyComputerEntertainmentAmerica,Inc.

SpaceStationSim™isatrademarkofVisionVideogames,LLC.

The Astronaut Builder allows players to create and recruit new astronauts for their stations, choosing everything from whether the astronaut will have a green or blue shirt to whether he or she will be skilled in astrotechnology or biomedicine.

To keep the astronauts in peak condition and the station in orbit, players must give astronauts tasks that fulfill their needs as well as those of the station.

http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/rsa/rsa.html

http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/default.asp

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html



NASA has always been on the cutting edge ofaviation safety research, though many of thetechnologiestheAgencydevelopsalsofindprac-

ticalapplicationingroundtransportationsafety.OneofthemostprominentexamplesofthistypeoftechnologytransferisthegroovedpavementdevelopedbyNASAintheearly1970s.Whileresearchingrunwayconditions,NASAscientistsdiscoveredthatcuttingnarrowgroovesintothesurfaceofrunwaysallowedrainwatertoflowoffofthetarmac,decreasingthetroublesassociatedwithwet,slick runways, including slipping,hydroplaning,poorhandling,andreducedbrakingtimes.

Thisknowledgehasaidedairportsaroundtheworld,and highway engineers have realized its benefits forslipperyroadways,aswell.ThisisjustoneofdozensofexamplesofhowNASAtechnologywithrootsinflightsafetyhashelpeddriversontheground.

Asamorerecentexample,inthelate1990s,ateamofengineersatAmesResearchCenterinventedananti-icingfluidtokeepicefrombuildinguponairplanewings.Iceonwingscanbeaserioussafetyhazard,especiallyduringtakeoff,whenasheetoficethethicknessofacompactdisccanreduceliftby25percentormore.Thetypicalapproachtoclearingofftheiceistouseadeicingsolutiononcetheicehasbuiltup.ThefluidcreatedbytheAmesteam, though,whenapplied toadry surface,preventstheicefromevenformingasurfacebond,whichsavesdeicingtimeandmoney,whilealsopreventingexcessiveuseofchemicalsolvents.If,however,thesolutionisnotappliedbefore ice forms, it also servesas a traditionaldeicingformula.

The formula contains propylene glycol, which hasaverylowfreezingpoint,andathickener,whichhelpsthefluidadheretothesurface.Icegathersontopoftheformula,andthenitcanbewipedoffwithlittleeffort.This thickening agent, a pseudo-plastic, sprays on asaliquid,likelemonade,gelslikealemonsherbet,turns

backtoaliquidwhenwiped,andthengelsagainintoitssherbetconsistencywhenlefttosolidify.Thesherbet-gelstageisespeciallyimportantwhentheformulaissprayedontoaverticalorsteepedsurface,asitclingsbetterthanaliquidwould.

Thesherbetanalogyisnotthatfar-fetched.Infact,whenthesolutionwasoriginally introduced, itwasso

environmentallysafe that itwasdeemed“foodgrade,”becauseitsingredientswereapprovedbytheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration foruse in food—icecream,tobespecific.Thissafetyfeatureisaseriousadvantageovermethylalcohol-andethyleneglycol-basedsolutions,whicharecommonlyusedfordeicing,buthavenegativeenvironmental effects. Exposure to large amounts of

Preventing Ice Before it Forms

This anti-icing agent adds an extra level of safety to air travel. Created at Ames Research Center, it contains food-grade ingredients, making it safe for the environment as well.

http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/PAIS/Groove.html



ethyleneglycolcandamagethekidneys,heart,andnervoussystemofpeopleandanimals.Poolsofthetoxicsolutionarealsodangerousforfishandwildlife.Thetoxiceffectscanbewidespread if it enters streams, rivers,orotherbodiesofwaterthatsupportlife.

Whenthenontoxicanti-icingsolutionwasannouncedin1997byAmes co-inventorsLeonardHaslim, JohnZuk,andRobertLockyer,thefluidwassaidtobeabletopreventicebuilduponairplanewings.Thefirstexampleapplicationinthepatent,though,wasforuseasananti-icingagentonautomobilewindshields.AlthoughworkinginthesunnyclimateofCalifornia,ZukhadgrownupintheAmericanNortheast,attendedcollegeintheMidwest,andwasalltoofamiliarwithcoldmorningsspentscrapingicefromwindshields.

Partnership

ThisfluidhadsuchobviouswidespreadapplicationthatNASAsoughttofindandissuealicensetoacommer-cialpartnerwiththebackgroundandresourcestomarketanddistributethiswonder.

WorldSource, Inc., of Palm Desert, California, adeveloperanddistributorofproductsfortheconsumermarketplace,wasjusttherightfit.Ithasanexperiencedmanagement team with considerable expertise inthe development, manufacturing, marketing, anddistributionofconsumerproducts.WorldSourceisnowthesolemanufactureranddistributoroftheformulaforwindshieldapplications.

“NASAaviationandspaceresearchhavehelpedman-kindbyfindingepicdiscoveriesinourskiesandfarintotheheavens,” saidBrianJue,chiefexecutiveofficerofWorldSource.“WorldSourceisproudtolicenseapieceofNASA’s aviation safety technology forour IceFreeanti-icingproduct.IceFree’sabilitytopreventicefrombondingtoavehicle’sglasswindowscouldmakewinterlife easier for millions of people on roadways aroundtheworld.”Theinventorsalsorecommendeditsuseonrailwayswitchesandonmonorailelectricalconnections.

Thetechnologyiscurrentlybeingleveragedbyanotherlicensee,Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc., ofCanton,Ohio,whereitisprizedforitsanti-icingqualities,aswellasitslubricatingpropertiesforpreventingthedevelop-mentoficebuildup.

“Aswecontinuetoexploretheuniverse,weareproudthatNASA’spioneeringeffortskeep fuelingAmericancreativity, innovation, and technology development,”saidDavidMorse,actingchief,TechnologyPartnershipsDivision at Ames. “This new product is yet anotherexampleoftheadditionaldividendsAmericansreapfromtheirinvestmentinspaceexploration.”

ProductOutcome

IceFree is a spray for automobilewindshields thatcanprovideprotectiondownto20°F.Appliedpriortoinclementweatherwitha standardspraybottle, it isasimpleandsafetreatmentthatpreventsiceorsnowfrombondingonaglasssurface,suchasacar’swindshield,sideorrearwindows,andmirrors.

Thespraymakesitfastandeasytogetstartedonawintrymorning,asiteliminateswaitingfordefrosterstohelpthawiceand,asisevenmoreappreciated,eliminatestheneedtostandoutsideincoldweather,scrapingandchippingawayattheice.Itissosimplethatoneswipeofthewindshieldwipersisallittakestoclearfrontwind-shieldstreatedwiththesolution.Forsidewindowsandmirrors,astrokeofasqueegeeisallittakes.

Ithastheadditionalbenefitofdeicing,insteadofjustbeingananti-icingagent.Iftheformulaisnotappliedbeforetheicesets,thesolutioncanstillbeused,becausewhensprayedonice,ithelpsthethawingprocess.

“We’vehad an extraordinary reception to IceFreeininitialmarketingtestsfromconsumers,distributors,andthemediafromacrosstheUnitedStates,andhavebeenreceivingworldwideinquiries,”saidBobHarrick,WorldSourcepresident.“We’reworkingonputtingIceFreeonto retailers’ shelves inevery regionwherecoldweatherforcespeopletoscrapetheiricywindowswhen

tryingtogettheirvehiclereadyfordriving.IceFreesavespeopletime,andsomeoftheirbodyheat,too.”

Lockyersaidoftheproductinitsnewfoundcommer-cialapplication,“It’sagooduseforit,anditwillwork.Wesprayedsomeonawindshieldhere, let it iceover,turnedthewindshieldwipersonthenextmorning,andtheicecamerightoff.”v

Now that Ice Free is commercially available, people everywhere can experience the advantages of this NASA-derived technology.

http://www.worldsourceinc.net



NASA does things that have never been donebefore—sending spacecraft to other planets,sendingpeopletotheMoon,andexploringthe

limitsoftheuniverse.Toaccomplishthesescientificmis-sions,engineersatworkwithintheSpaceAgencybuildmachines and equipment that have never been madebefore—rocketsthatcansendadvancedinstrumentsacrossthesolarsystem,gianttelescopesthatwatchthestarsfromspace,andspacecraftthatcankeepastronautssafefromtheperilsofspaceflight.Todothesenever-before-donedeedswiththesenever-before-madematerials,NASAoftenneeds

tostartatthebasicsandcreateitsowntextilesandmate-rials.TheengineersandmaterialsspecialistsattheSpaceAgencyare,therefore,amongthebestintheworld.

Itisnotsurprisingthen,thatoftentimes,whenindustryengineershavedifficultieswiththeirdesignsorprocesses,theyturntoNASAforassistanceandNASAteamsarehappytooblige.

Partnership

Fillingsmallbubblesofmoltenglasswithgassesisjustasdifficultasitsounds,butthetechnicalstaffatNASAisnotknowntoshyawayfromadifficulttask.

WhenMicrosphereSystems,Inc.(MSI),ofYpsilanti,Michigan,andImagingSystemsTechnology,Inc.(IST),ofToledo,Ohio,weretryingtopushthelimitsofplasmadisplays but were having difficulty with the designs,NASA’s Glenn Garrett Morgan CommercializationInitiative (GMCI) assembled key personnel at GlennResearch Center and Ohio State University for abrainstorming session to come up with a solution forthecompanies.

They needed a system that could produce hollow,glassmicro-sized spheres (microspheres) thatcouldbefilledwithavarietyofgasses.Buttheextremelyhightem-peraturerequiredtoforcethemicro-sizedglassbubblestoformatthetipofametalnozzleresultedinseverediscol-orationofthemicrospheres.Aftercountlessexperimentsonvariousglass-metalcombinations,theyhadturnedtotheGMCIforhelp.

NASAexpertsinadvancedmetals,ceramics,andglassconcludedthatanewdesignapproachwasnecessary.Theteamdeterminedthatwhatwasneededwasaphosphateglasscompositionthatwouldremaintransparent,andtheywenttoworkonasolution.

Sixweekslater,usingthedesigntipsfromtheNASAteam,TimHenderson,presidentofMSI,haddesignedanewsysteminwhichallsurfacesincontactwiththemoltenglasswouldbeceramicinsteadofmetal.Meanwhile,ISTwasabletocompleteaPhaseISmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)grantsupportedbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)andsupplyapotentialcustomerwithsamplesofthemicrospheresforevaluationasfillermateri-alsforhigh-performanceinsulations.

In2002,MSIreceiveda$35,000GMCI“Commerciali-zationAssistanceAward”toupgradeand implement itsproduction system to evaluate customer and investor

Microspheres in Plasma Display Panels

Conceptual drawing of a large-area, thin flat-panel display television in a home setting. Imaging Systems Technology, Inc., engineers were among the first to begin work in the field of developing plasma displays, and they are continuing to push the boundaries of this field.

http://www.teamist.com

http://www.nasagmci.org

http://www.nasagmci.org


reactionstoanewplasmadisplaypanel;andISTwasabletocontinue todevelop the flexibledisplay technologyusingmicrospheres.

In addition to the Phase I SBIR, IST went on toreceiveNSFPhaseIIandPhaseIIBgrants,aswellasaNationalInstituteofStandardsandTechnologyAdvancedTechnology Program grant for $2 million and twoadditionalresearchgrantsfromtheStateofOhio,totalingnearly$800,000.

ProductOutcome

Under the direction of its president, Carol AnnWedding,ISTspecializesinmicrospheresforflat-paneldisplays and relateddevices—with a strong focus andcapability inplasmadisplaydesign,development, andanalysis.ThestaffatISTcantraceitsrootsbacktothedevelopmentof the very firstplasmadisplays created;andmicrospheresarethekeycomponentforIST’snovel

plasmadisplays,sincetheycanbemadeintoavarietyofcontoursandshapeswithoutdistortingtheimage.

ISTmarketsthemicrospheresasPlasma-spheres,tinyhollowspheresencapsulatinganionizablegasthatglowswhencharged.Thespheres,whichcanbeappliedtobothflexibleandrigidpanels,formthebasisofanaddressablepixelelement—aPlasma-spheredisplay.Thedisplayoffersthesamebright,fullcolorasaconventionalplasmadis-play,butitisveryruggedandcanbealow-costsolutionforlarge-areaflexibledisplays.

Thesedisplayshavecommercialapplicationinthemar-ketsoflargevenuedisplays,largeconformabledisplays,andevenhometheaters.

Thecompanycontinuestostayonthecuttingedgeofthisfield,thanksinparttotheNASApartnership.Ithasworkedonmanydesigns,products,andservicesintheareaofimaginganddisplaytechnology,includingprod-ucttear-downs,analysisandcorrectionoffalsecontourandmotionartifacts,aswellasdevelopmentofcustomtestequipment.Ithasevendesignedalineoflarge-areatouchscreens,includingtheworld’slargest,whichmea-suresinat32by8feet.

InOctober2005,ISTreceivedtheprestigious“R&D100Award,”makingitthethirdtimethatplasmadisplayresearchteamsledbytheWeddingfamilyhavereceivedthis honor. In 1982, Donald K. Wedding with Dr.DonaldR.WillisofMagnavoxhadreceivedtheawardforthedevelopmentoftheworld’sfirst1-meterplasmapanel. In1990,CarolAnnWeddinghad received theawardforthedevelopmentofthefirstvideoaddressablecolorplasmadisplay.ThecompanyreceivedtheR&D100award,whichrecognizesitscutting-edgetechnologyasoneofthemosttechnologicallysignificantproductsoftheyear,foritsinnovativeworkinflexiblePlasma-spheredisplays.Thatsameyear,ISTwasalsoawardedthe“StateofOhio2005EmergingTechnologyAward.”v

Plasma-sphere™isatrademarkofImagingSystemsTechnology,Inc.

Imaging Systems Technology, Inc., is leading the way in the areas of plasma design, development, and testing.



Whilefashionstylesareknowntocomeandgo, a certain “shade” from the past hasprovedotherwise.

Developedinthe1980s,theoriginalSunTiger,Inc.,sunlight-filteringlenshassuccessfullywithstoodthetestoftime.Itisaliveandwelltodayintheformofeyewearthatcaterstotheneedsofanylifestyle.Thetechnology,firstfeaturedinSpinoff1987,sprungfrombreakthroughresearchcarriedoutbyJetPropulsionLaboratory(JPL)scientistsJamesB.StephensandDr.CharlesG.Miller.Thetwoscientistsweretaskedwithstudyingtheharm-fulpropertiesof light in space,aswellas theartificialradiationproducedduringlaserandweldingwork,forthepurposeofcreatinganenhancedmeansofeyeprotectioninindustrialweldingapplications.

Whileworkingtoapplytheirspaceresearchtotheseterrestrial applications, Stephens and Miller becameengrossedwithpreviouslydiscoveredresearchshowingevidencethattheeyesofhawks,eagles,andotherbirdsofpreycontainuniqueoildropletsthatactuallyprotectthemfromintenselyradiatedlightrays(blue,violet,ultraviolet)whileallowingvision-enhancinglightrays(red,orange,green)topassthrough.Theseoildropletsabsorbshortwavelengthlightrayswhich,inturn,reduceglareandpro-videheightenedcolorcontrastanddefinitionforoptimalvisualacuity.Accordingly,birdsofpreypossesstheabilitytodistinguishtheirtargetedpreyinnaturalsurroundingsandfromgreatdistances.

Pairingthefindingsfromtheirinitialstudieswithwhattheylearnedfromthebirdstudies,thescientistsdevisedamethodologytoincorporatethelight-filtering/vision-enhancingdual-actionbenefits intoa filtering system,usinglight-filteringdyesandtinyparticlesofzincoxide.(Zincoxide,whichabsorbsultravioletlight,isalsofoundinsunscreenlotionsthatprotecttheskinfromsunburn.)

Overthecourseof3years,StephensandMiller—withhelp from several other JPL researchers—used this

methodology to create and commercialize a transpar-entweldingcurtaintechnologythatabsorbs,filters,andscatters light to maximize protection of human eyesfrom the harmful blue and ultraviolet radiation thatemanatesduringwelding.Iftheeyesarenotprotectedduring welding, the intense light that is producedcanleadtoaconditioncalledarceye,inwhichultravioletlightcausesinflammationofthecorneaandlong-termretinaldamage.

Partnership

Followingcompletionoftheweldingproject,StephensandMiller turnedtheirattentiontotherelatedmatterof protective glasses. They used computer analysis todesignsunglassesforvariouslightenvironments,includingmountain,desert,andfluorescent-lightedofficesettings.Whatresultedwasaspinoffofaspinoff:theSunTigerlensforeverynaturalandartificialenvironment.SunTiger,Inc., of Calabasas, California, was formed to market

a full line of sunglasses that promised 100-percenteliminationofharmfulwavelengths anda sharp, crispviewingperspective.

ProductOutcome

Overthepastfewyears,thecompany,nowdoingbusi-nessasEagleEyesOptics,hasextendeditsproductlinetoover40stylesofsunglassesthatappealtobothgenders,nomatter the age.There is, for example, theAviatormodelthatpreservesthe1980sretrolookandfeelandisthenumberonechoiceofpilotsandpoliceofficers;theClassicsmodelthatcommemoratesavarietyoferaswithitstimelessstyling;theTuscanandForenzamodels,eachcraftedinanItalianunisexstylewithatortoiseshellframe;theUltraLiteMetromodel,whichweighslessthanahalf-ounceandfeaturesacomfortablewrap-aroundwireframe;andtheRedtailmodel,whichthecompanysaysisinspiredbystylesregularlyseenontheskislopesofMontBlancintheFrenchAlps.Regardlessofmodelpreference,allEagleEyessunglassproductsfeaturethecompany’spatentedTriLeniumGoldlenseswithcompleteultravioletprotec-tion,dual-layerscratch-resistantcoating,polarizedfiltersformaximumprotectionagainstglare,andhighvisualclaritytomakescenerymorevivid.

Asthebrandexpanded,sodidtheproductcategories.EaglesEyeshasspentthelastcoupleofyearsreviewingadvancements in optical research. Knowing thatdiminishedeyesightduetoconditionssuchasglaucoma,maculardegeneration,cataracts,andlowlightingcanbebothphysicallydetrimentalandexpensivetotreat,EagleEyeshasdeveloped an advisoryboardwith renownedophthalmologistsandothervisionspecialists,includingexpertlensdevelopers.Theboardhasturnedupsufficientresearchshowingthatdamageto theeye,especially totheretina,startsmuchearlierthanmostpeoplerealize.Therefore, the company has invested in educatingmembersofthegeneralpublic—particularlythosewhoareexposedtoalotofsunlightonadailybasis—toprotecttheireyesalotearlierinlife.

Look Sharp While Seeing Sharp

Intense light emitted during welding can be harmful to the eyes if they are not properly protected. Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers developed a welding curtain in the 1��0s to absorb, filter, and scatter this light and, ultimately, provide optimum eye protection.


http://www.eagleeyes.com


The results of this research can now be enjoyedby consumers seeking to improve their vision inenvironmentswithpoorlighting.ThelatestproductiscalledStimuLights.Designedspecifically for low-lightenvironments,StimuLightscanbewornoutdoorswhiledriving inhazy, foggy,duskanddawnconditionsandindoorswhileworkingoncomputersunderfluorescentlights,watchingtelevision,orreadingindimlylitareas.Special cut-on and cut-off filters in the lenses relaxtheeyesandprovide improvedclarity,definition,andcolor contrast under these conditions. The filters cutonto let theeyesreceiveuseful,vision-enhancingred,yellow,andgreenlightraysandcutofftopreventblueandvioletlightraysfromenteringandfocusingontheretina. The ultraviolet light is blocked by the lenses,thereforeprotectingthepurplepigmentintheeye,calledrhodopsin,thatpromotesvisioninlow-lightconditions.

Lackofprotectionfromrhodopsinleachingcanleadtonightblindness.

Industry-specificlensesarealsoavailable.Forexample,EagleEyesmanufactures a lens that provides dentistsprotectionagainsttheultravioletlighttheyareexposedtowhenoperatingcuringsystemsfordentalmaterials.

EagleEyesisalsolaunchingalineofspeciallensesandglassesthatfallwithinspecificrangesofthewavelengthspectrum,atvariednanometerintervalcut-ons,tomeetspecificvisionneedsforbothgeneralandindustrialuse.Theseofferingsintendtohelptheeyestransitionfromoneenvironmenttoanother.

In February, Eagle Eyes earned recognition as aCertifiedSpaceTechnologyfromtheSpaceFoundation.“TheSpaceFoundationispleasedtocertifyEagleEyes’lens technology for its application of this innovativetechnologythatenhancesandprotectshumanvision,”said

KevinC.Cook,directorofSpaceTechnologyAwarenessfortheSpaceFoundation.

EagleEyesisalsoeyeingupskinprotection.Thecom-panycurrentlyhasclinicalstudiesunderwayforauniqueultravioletsunscreen.

“Wearemostproudthat theEagleEyesbrandhasbecomeahouseholdnametomillionsofcustomersacrosstheworld.Now,withourupcominglaunchoftheultra-violetsunscreenapplication,wefeelmostexcitedtotakeourcompanytothenextlevelinwholebodyprotection,”statedAlanMittelman,EagleEyespresident.v

EagleEyes®isaregisteredtrademarkofSunTiger,Inc.

UltraLite™,TriLenium™,andStimuLights™aretrademarksofSunTiger,Inc.

Eagle Eyes’ Solare sunglasses, modeled here, are one of the latest styles available in the company’s line of total-protection, vision-enhancing sunglasses. The southwestern-styled, semi-rimless copper frames feature a soft silicon layer for added comfort around the temples and indiscernible, flexible hinges, while the scratch-resistant lenses shield ultraviolet light and glare.

The Aviator style—Eagle Eyes’ original product—is the number one choice of pilots and police officers. Millions of others worldwide are also sporting Aviators for their timeless style.



WhentheMarsReconnaissanceOrbiter(MRO)enteredtheRedPlanet’satmosphereinMarch2006,itjoinedtheranksofothernobleexplor-

ersstudyingtheplanetoverthepast2,000-plusyears.ThisnewNASAorbiterwillstudytheMartianatmosphereandsurface,andprobeundergroundinsearchofpastandpres-entwater,makingitoneofthemostadvancedstudiesoftheplanettodate.PeoplehavebeenawareoftheexistenceofMarsandinaweofitspresenceforcenturies,eversinceearlyhumansnoticedthatitdidnotshimmerlikethesur-roundingstars.

TheBabylonians,around400BCE,calledtheplanetNergalaftertheirgodofwar.Aroundthissametime,theAncientEgyptians,alsogazingupward,noticedtheplanetandnamedit“HarDecher,”theRedOne.TheGreekscalledtheplanetAresaftertheirswaggering,blood-thirstygodofwar.TheRomansnamedthefourthplanetfromtheSun“Mars”aftertheirmythologicalgodofwar.

Whateverthename,theRedPlanethasforevercap-turedpeople’s imaginations.Withitsblood-red,rockysurface,anditspronouncedvisibility,Marshassparkedtheimaginationsofpeopleforgenerations,andspecula-tionsthatthereislifeonthesurfacehaveneverceased.Thereisevenatopographicalfeaturethatmakesitlookasifthereisafaceontheplanet,whichmanyhavetakenasasignthatthe“people”ofMarsaretryingtocommunicatewithEarth.BeliefsthatotherbeingsliveonMarshavebeensorampantthattheterm“Martian,”meaningfromMars,isnowsynonymouswithspacealien.

Forexample,since1948,whenhewasfirstintroducedtoaudiences,theWarnerBros.animatedcharacterMarvintheMartianhasbeenattemptingtoblowuptheEarthwithhisIlludiumQ-36ExplosiveSpaceModulator,sinceourBluePlanetblockshisviewofVenus.

Andthen,there isalwaystheclassicCBStelevisionsciencefictioncomedythatranfrom1963to1966,“MyFavoriteMartian,”inwhichthelovableUncleMartin,an

English-speakingMartian,appearsveryhuman—despiteretractableantennaeandtheabilitiestomoveobjectswiththepointofafinger,turninvisibleatwill,andsendtele-pathicmessages.

Ithasnotalwaysbeenfunandhijinkscomingdownfromtheseventhlargestplanetinthesolarsystem,though.PeoplehavebeenafraidofMarsandits“Martians.”The

mostfamousexampleofthisfeardatesbacktoOctober31,1938,whennearly2millionAmericanssatdowntotheirevening’sentertainmentofnewsandamusicalscore,andwere scaredoutof theirwitswhenayoung radiopersonality,OrsonWells,interruptedtheirscheduledpro-grammingwithanews-styledramathatconvincedmanythatEarthwasbeinginvadedbyMartians.Theradioplay

Raised Relief Mars Globe Brings the Red Planet Closer

The face on Mars, actually just a series of craters and hills that, when viewed from a distance, look like the features of a human face, fueled speculation for years that the Red Planet housed some form of life and that Martians were trying to communicate with Earthlings.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro


wasOrsonWells’adaptationofH.GWells’“WaroftheWorlds,”updatedandsetinpresentday(1930s)UnitedStates,asopposedtoVictorianEngland.

Itbeganwithameteorstrike,followedbyaburstofincandescentgas,andthenextthinglistenersknew,theMartianshadlandedinruralNewJerseyandwerebeatingadevastatingpathtowardNewYorkCity.Despitehavingpre-warnedtheaudiencesthatthestorywasadramaticpresentation,theshowstillcausedmasspandemonium.

Decadeslater,NASAdeterminedtodiscoverifthereisoreverwaslifeonMars.

Inthe1960s,theMariner4,anunmannedflybyspace-craft,gavescientiststheirfirstglimpseofMarsatcloserange,finallyputtingtorestthemythsthattheRedPlanetmayhaveharboredanadvancedcivilization.Mariner4cruisedfor228daysbeforeitreachedMars,passingatanaltitudeof9,846kilometersfromtheplanet’ssurface.Anonboardtelevisioncamerarecorded21imagesofthesur-face,bringingtoEarththefirstclose-uppicturesofMars.

Mariners6and7weredesignedtoflyovertheequatorandsouthernhemisphereofMars.Geologicfeatures—includingcratereddeserts,hugeconcentricallyterracedimpactregions,collapsedridges,andcraterlessdepres-sions—wereamongtheMariners’manyrevelations.

In1971,Mariner9becamethefirstspacecrafttoorbitanotherplanet.ThespacecraftcircledMarstwicedailyforafullyear,photographingthesurfaceandanalyzingtheatmospherewithinfraredandultravioletinstruments.WhenMariner9firstarrived,Marswasalmosttotallyobscuredbyduststorms,whichpersistedforamonth.Afterthedustcleared,Mariner9revealedthetruesurfaceofMars,withgiganticvolcanoesandacanyonstretching3,000milesacrossitssurface.

In1976,theVikingMissioninsertedtwoprobesintotheplanet’satmosphere.TheVikingprobeseachconsistedoftwoprimarypieces,alanderandanorbiter.TheVikinglandersseparatedfromtheorbitersuponarrival,andthendescendedontotheMartiansurface,eachatadifferent

location.Amongsomeoftheorbiter’sdiscoverieswerethatMarshadnumerousfeaturesofgeologicinterest.

MarsGlobalSurveyorbecamethefirstsuccessfulmis-sion to theRedPlanet in2decadeswhen it launchedNovember7,1996,andenteredorbitonSeptember12,1997.Afterayearandahalftrimmingitsorbitfromaloopingellipsetoacirculartrackaroundtheplanet,thespacecraftbegan itsprimemappingmission inMarch1999.Themissionhas,withitsprimaryinstrument,theMarsOrbiterLaserAltimeter(MOLA),studiedtheentireMartiansurface,atmosphere,andinterior,andhasreturnedmoredatathanallpreviousMarsmissionscombined.

Thissameyear,MarsPathfinderlandedontheplanet’ssurfaceandmanagedtocollectandtransmit2.3billionbitsofinformation,includingmorethan16,500imagesfromthelanderand550imagesfromtherover,Sojourner,aswellasmorethan15chemicalanalysesofrocksandsoilandextensivedataonwindsandotherweatherfactors.

Currently,aspartoftheMarsExplorationRoverpro-gram,SpiritandOpportunityhavebeenrovingabouttheMartianlandscapeforyearsbeyondtheirexpectedsurvivaldates,exploringthesurfaceandsendingpicturesbacktoEarth.Therobotgeologistslandedontherockysurfacein2003withanexpectedlifespanof90days,butcontinueto

This is an artist’s concept of NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This orbiter is the latest in a series of spacecraft to visit Mars in order to broaden our understanding of the mysterious planet.

http://history.nasa.gov/mariner.html

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/past/viking.html

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs

http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/default.html

http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/home

http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/home


thisdaytocresthillsandscootthroughthevalleysofthedusty,redterrain.

NASAhasbroughtpeopleclosertothesurfaceofthisfascinatingplanetanditevenintendstosendpeopletoexploreitssurface;butpeoplehaveneverreallybeenabletoseeMarsupcloseortouchitssurface—untilnow.ThankstoacleveruseofNASAgeographicaldata,intheformofasuper-accurateglobe,itnowtakesjustamatterofsecondstoorbitMars—afarcryshorterthanthe2yearsitnormallytakesforaMartianyeartopass.Similarly,thesurfacecan

nowbewithinarm’sreachinsteadofthevarying35to250millionmilesthatmustotherwisebetraversed.

Partnership

When Alan Folmsbee retired from his position atacomputercompanyin2003,hehadplentyofenergyandsomeexpendableincomewithwhichhewantedtopurchaseaglobecollection.Notfindingthequalityorscopeofglobesthathehadhopedtopurchase,FolmsbeefoundedTheReliefGlobeCompany,inBoulderCreek,

California,toproduceraisedreliefglobesbasedonspeci-ficationsfromactualdatabases.Whiletheaverageglobeissmooth,itsdepictionsmisstheopportunitytoshowtopographicalfeatures.Itdeniestheabilityoftheglobetoshowfeaturesanddetailsina3-Ddisplay.Thetopo-graphicalmapscreatelandmarksnotaccessiblewithamaporanon-reliefglobe.Araisedreliefglobe,however,allowsthemountainsandcanyonstobecomerealandtangibleinwaysthatacardboardglobecoveredinnumbersandlettersjustcannot.

Hepurchaseddatabasesonline foroceanglobes, aswellasthosefortheMoon,Venus,andMars.TheMarsdata,thecompleterecordingstakenbytheMarsGlobalSurveyor’s MOLA instrument, filled 15 CD-ROMs.AftertryingtousethoseCD-ROMs,hedownloadedthemoreup-to-datedata from theNASAPlanetaryDataSystemarchivesmaintainedbytheEarthandPlanetaryRemoteSensingLaboratoryintheDepartmentofEarthandPlanetarySciencesattheWashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis.Folmsbeethenusedhiscomputerbackgroundtowrite a program thatwould take thedata and runsimulations—a process that went remarkably smoothduetothelargeamountofdetaileddatasuppliedhimbyMOLA.Within2weeks,FolmsbeehadafullyfunctionalmodelofMars,thefirstdigitallyproduced3-Ddepictionoftheplanetevercreated.

He then contacted Spectrum 3D, Inc., a state-of-the-art prototyping, low-run, injection molding, andrapid-tooling production company located in Tustin,California.Spectrum3Dhadahistoryofmakingprecisionproductsfromcomputerdesigns—itmadetherobotsfor

The Relief Globe Company creates raised relief globes using the most up-to-date information available, exaggerated to bring out the unique characteristics. From left to right are a globe of Earth with an exaggerated seafloor, the Mars globe, and a raised relief land globe of Earth.

http://www.reliefglobe.com

http://www.spectrum3d.com


theTwentiethCenturyFoxmotionpicture“I,Robot,”thefuturisticadaptationofIsaacAsimov’snovelbythesamename,aswellasspecialeffectsforahandfulofothermajormotionpicturesandindependentfilms.

Spectrum3DacceptedthetaskofmanufacturingtheraisedreliefMarsglobe.ThefirststepwastoworkwithTheReliefGlobeCompanytodeterminewhichlevelofreliefwasthemostappealing.The7-timesexaggerationwastoobland,whilethe40timeswas,perhaps,toomuch,thoughtheydidpresentseveral40-timesraisedreliefMarsglobestotheNationalFederationoftheBlindtosharewithblindstudentswhowouldotherwisehavenoideawhatthesurfaceoftheRedPlanetwaslike.TheNationalFederation of the Blind, working with NASA’s JetPropulsionLaboratory(JPL)tosetupsummerinternshipsintechnicalfieldsforblindstudentsaspartofNASA’sAchievingCompetenceinComputing,Engineering,andSpaceScienceprogram,introducedtheglobetoJPLMars

educationandengineeringstaffwhowouldbementoringthestudents.TheJPLteammetwithSpectrum3DandTheReliefGlobeCompanyandprovidedguidancefortheirfuturemodels.Theysuggestedtoningdowntheexag-geration,astheyfeltthatperhaps20-timesraisedreliefwasmoresubtle,yetstillallowedthetopographicalfeaturestostandout.TheyalsosuggestedarevisedcolorschemebaseduponsomeimageryfromtheVikingMission.Thefinaltest,though,camewhenblindNASAinternsatJPLwereabletoidentifythemajortopographicalfeaturesoftheglobe.

ProductOutcome

TheMarsGlobe20x is the firstdigitallyproducedraisedreliefglobetobesoldatretailestablishments.TherisesanddipsoftheMartianlandscapehavebeenmulti-pliedby20tomaketheshapesmorenoticeabletohumantouchandsight.Theymakethisglobe,withitsover1millionelevationpoints,avisuallystunningintroductiontotheplanet.

Spectrum3DusedtheNASAdigital landelevationdatatoaimlasersthatthenshapedanddefinedthemasterglobe’s surface.Subsequentcopieswere thenmadebycreatingamasterglobemold.Themoldedcopiesarehandfinishedbyworkerswhoremoveerrantedgesorlinesthatmayappearontherawglobesandthenpaintthesurfaces.Theresultisaglobethatmeasuresinat18inchesindiam-eter,roughly1:15,729,473scaleoftheactualplanet.

Theexaggeratedraisedreliefislikehavinga3-Ddigitalmicroscopeforplanetaryshapes.Thismakesthe land-markseasiertolearnandunderstand,asitprovideseasyvisualsfororientation.Peoplehaveanaturalpropensityforunderstanding3-Dshapesmoreeasilythannumbersorwords.The3-Dglobesappealtoboththekineticandvisual learningaspectsof thebrain,making iteasy forpeopletoreadilymemorizethelandmarksandtomakeamentalmodelthattheywillrememberforalongtime.

The polar caps on the north and south poles lendvisualcontrasttotheotherwiseblanketingpaletteofreds

andbrowns,buttherealexcitementisintherichlyvary-ing landscape.Theglobehelpsshowthe landmarks inrelativesizesandpositions.OlympusMons,thehighestpointonMars,is78,000feettall,2.6timestallerthanMountEverest.Therearealso5othergiantvolcanoes,plusabout15majorvolcanoes,thatareeachabouttheentiresizeofHawaii.Itisacaptivating,busylandscape.Ona topographicalmap, coloring tends toblur thesedramaticfeatures—butnotsoontheraisedreliefglobe.Agiantcrackrunsdownonesideoftheplanet.ItishalfasdeepasOlympusMonsistall—29,000feet.This“GrandCanyon” runs the distance from what would be LosAngelestoNewYork,hereonEarth.

Moststrikingabouttheglobe’sappearance,though,isthatMarsisnotperfectlyround.Infact,itappearsquitelopsided.Onthesideoppositethelargevolcanoclustersisadeepcrater—thelargestinthesolarsystem.Thisgreatdepression,whenviewedsimultaneouslywiththeexagger-atedmountains,givestheappearancethatsomethinglargestrucktheplanet,creatingthecraterandforcingthevolca-noesoutofthesurfaceontheoppositeside.ThisstrikingfeaturewasoneoftheelementsthattheJPLstaffmembersweresoexcitedtosee.Theyhadbeenstudyingtheplanetforyearsandthiswasthefirsttimetheyhadeverhadthisperspectiveavailabletothemonaglobe.OtherglobesofMarshadjustbeenroundorshowedthetopographyinsuchlowscalethatitwashardlynoticeable.

TheMarsGlobe20xisbeingdistributedintheUnitedStatesandthroughoutEurope.Ithasmyriaduses,includ-ingasaneducationaldisplayinclassrooms,museums,andlobbies.Itcanservejustaswellasapieceofartwiththeabilitytocaptivateandamazetheviewerjustastheearlycivilizationswereamazedwhentheyfirstgazedupandstartedwonderingaboutthatred,glowingorb.v

MarvintheMartian™isatrademarkofWarnerBros.Entertainment,Inc.

The Mars Globe �0x, with elevations calculated from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter database.



One of the forces that propels scientific andculturaladvancementisexploration.Themis-sionofNASAistopioneerthefutureofspace

exploration,scientificdiscovery,andaeronauticsresearch.Throughthismission,NASAleadstheNationinpushingtheboundariesofexplorationanddiscoveringnewfron-tiers,and,asasecondarybenefit,pushingscientificandculturaladvancement.

Much as the early American frontiersmen chartednewterritoryandcreatedthenewindependentAmericanculture,NASAisattheforefrontofthecontinuationofthispioneeringspirit.Itisnotsurprising,then,thatNASAAdministratorMichaelGriffin is fondofdrawing thecomparisonbetweentheworkdoneunderhisstewardshipoftheSpaceProgramandtheexpeditionsofsuchtrailblaz-ersasCaptainMeriwetherLewisandLieutenantWilliamClarkandtheirCorpsofDiscovery.

In an address to the 2005 graduating class of theGeorgiaInstituteofTechnology,GriffintoldthestudentsofaplantouseavailableatmosphericelementsonMarstofuelrockets.Hemadethiscomparison:“Therequirementtoliveoffthelandwillbecrucialtoourfutureinspace,justasitwastoLewisandClarkandtheCorpsofDiscoveryastheymadetheirwayfromSt.Joseph,Missouri,totheWestCoastandback,from1803to1806.”

Fourmonths later,whileaddressingagroupat the22ndNationalSpaceSymposium,acommercial spacemeeting hosted annually by the Space Foundation inColoradoSprings,Colorado,Griffinwentontosay,“Ibelievethatthebenefitsofexplorationare,similarly,anemergentpropertyofourinquisitivehumanbehavior.Wecanstudythegreatexplorationsofthepast,andwecanconcludethatsuchventuresdidinfactbenefitthesociet-ieswhichsponsoredthem.Butnosocietycanreasonablypredictthatagivenventurewillprovetobeworthitscost.Sponsorshipofsuchaquestisalwaysanactoffaith,notanactofscience.

“InthisregardIenjoyrecallingthat,asexpressedinhisinstructionstotheLewisandClarkExpedition,PresidentJefferson’sprimarygoalsforthatventureconcernedtheexpedition’sdiplomaticmissiontotheIndiannations,theestablishmentoftheUnitedStatesasthesovereignpowerin the region, and the enhancement of the fur trade.Particularlyimportanttothelatterwastheefforttofind

aroutebetweentheheadwatersoftheeastward-flowingMissouri River and the westward-flowing Columbia,thus (it was hoped) enabling a waterborne route forthe fur trade between the east andwest coasts.Who,today,believes that thesepurposes—thoughtheywereaccomplished—constitutethemostsignificantresultstohavecomefromtheLewisandClarkExpedition?”

Modern Exploration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

The Lewis and Clark Geosystem is an online collection of private, state, local, and Federal data resources associated with the geography of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.



ItisnotonlytheAdministratorwhoisinaweoftheexplorations of Lewis and Clark. Their story inspiresmany.InapreflightinterviewwithDr.KalpanaChawla,missionspecialistaboardSTS-107,whenaskedwhathadinspiredherthroughoutherlife,sheanswered,“LewisandClark’sincrediblejourneyacrossAmericatofindaroutetowater,ifoneexisted.And,theperseveranceandincred-iblecouragewithwhichtheycarrieditout.”

JustasLewisandClarkfacedthegreatunknown,harshconditions,andunexploredterritories,whichsecuredtheirpageinhistoryamongtheworld’sgreatexplorers,sotoo,haveNASA’sastronautsandvisionaryscientists.Throughitsendeavors,over200yearslater,NASAhasmanagedtocontributetomodernrecordingandunderstandingofLewisandClark’shistoricexpeditionthroughaunique,collaborativeinitiativewithothergovernmentagencies,academia,andprivateindustry.NASAprovidedawealthofsatelliteimagerytohelppreserveandexplaintheroutetakenbyLewisandClark.

Partnership

TheLewisandClarkGeosystemisanonlinecollectionofprivate,state,local,andFederaldataresourcesassociatedwiththegeographyoftheLewisandClarkExpedition.DatawerecompiledfromkeypartnersincludingNASA’sStennisSpaceCenter,theU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers,theU.S.FishandWildlifeService,theU.S.GeologicalSurvey (USGS), theUniversity ofMontana, theU.S.DepartmentofAgricultureForestService,andfromacol-lectionofLewisandClarkscholars.Itcombinesmodernviewsofthelandscapewithhistoricalaerialphotography,cartography,andothergeographicaldataresourcesandhistoricalsources,including:TheJournalsoftheLewisandClarkExpedition,theAcademyofNaturalScience’sLewisandClarkHerbarium,high-resolutioncopiesoftheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety’sprimary-sourceLewisandClarkJournals,TheLibraryofCongressLewisandClarkcartographycollection,aswellasartifactsfromtheSmithsonianInstitutionandothersources.

The Stennis contribution to the Lewis and ClarkGeosystemconsistedofprovidingaccesstoavarietyofdifferent satellite resources. Most notably, the systememployscomprehensivenationallandcoveragefromtheModerateResolutionImagingSpectroradiometer,akeyinstrumentaboardNASA’sTerraandAquasatellites.ItalsoemploysimageryfromtheAdvancedThermalandLand Applications Sensor remote sensing instrument

flownontheStennisLear jet toshowselectcampsitesalongtheLewisandClarkTrail,aswellasLandsat5TM(ThematicMapper)dataandthehighlyaccurateLandsat7ETM+(EnhancedThematicMapperPlus)coverageofthetrail.

StennisalsoworkedwithaLewisandClarkhistorian,Dr.RobertBergantino,andGCSResearchLLC,ageospa-tialinformationtechnologyfirmbasedoutofMissoula,

The Lewis and Clark Geosystem combines modern views of the traversed landscape with historical aerial photography, cartography, and other geographical data resources and historical sources.

http://www.gisuser.com/index.php?option=com_akogallery&func=detail&id=8

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/home/index.html

http://geo.arc.nasa.gov/sge/landsat

http://www.gcs-research.com


Montana,thatcurrentlyhasaSpaceActAgreementwiththeNASAcenter.GCSResearchhasdoneworkasvariedasproducingimageryforsecureairportmanagementtowatermarkingofdigitalimageryandwastheperfectfitforthishistoricendeavor.

At this time,TheLewis andClarkGeosystemalsoservesas aprimaryhistoricalgeospatial componentoftheFederal geospatialOne-Stop (GOSII)Portal thatmakesgeospatialinformationavailabletothepublicThegeosystem was included during the launch ceremony

for the earlierGOS I andwashighlightedduring the2004 National Governors Association Conference inWashington, D.C. Similarly, Alex Philp, presidentofGCSResearch, had the opportunity todiscuss thecreation,formation,andhistoricalgeospatialcomponentsoftheLewisandClarkGeosystematthe2003GeologicalSocietyofAmericaAnnualConferenceinSeattle,wherehewas invited topresent at thedistinguishedUSGS-sponsoredPardeeSymposium,hostedbyDr.JimTate,ScienceAdvisortotheU.S.SecretaryofInterior.

Philp said of the project, “The Lewis and ClarkgeosystemwasbornoutofsharedvisionbetweenNASAandGCSResearchregardingthesignificanceoftheLewisandClarkgeographicalodysseyandthemodernparallelsto continued planetary exploration. Technically, thegeosystemdemonstratestheabilitytoshareandcombineNASA’srichgeospatialarchivesindistributedgeospatialsystems.Conceptually,theLewisandClarkGeosystemhelpsusunderstandlandscapechangeintermsofhumanexplorationbothinthepresentandfuture.”

ProductOutcome

TheLewisandClarkGeosystem,managedbyGCSResearch,isintendedforeducationalandresearchpur-poses, and itsprimarygoal is toprovideaWeb-basedgeospatialsystemwhereinconceptsofhistoricallandscapechangecanbeexploredonaninteractivemap.

ThegeosystemprovidesmultiscaleandmultitemporalexaminationoftheLewisandClarkTrail’sgeography.Thepurposeistwofold.Itprovidesawaytoviewhistori-callandscapechangeandawaytoexaminethenetworkingofavarietyofgeospatialdatasources.Covering200yearsofchange,itpresentsavarietyofspatialdata—histori-cal,ecological,climatological—inawaythatallowsforexaminationofhistorical landscape change as a resultofanthropogenicandnon-anthropogeniceffects.ItalsoexploresthedeploymentandnetworkingofavarietyofgeospatialWebservices,eachofwhichprovidesuniquegeospatialdatatypesofinteresttothestudyofthetrail’s

The Lewis and Clark Geosystem, managed by GCS Research, is intended for educational and research purposes, and its primary goal is to provide a Web-based geospatial system wherein concepts of historical landscape change can be explored on an interactive map.

http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos


geography,representingsignificant,cumulativeadvance-mentsingeospatialinformationtechnology.

Perhapsthemostnotablefeatureoftheinteractivemapisthattheusercansuperimposeorhideaseriesoflayersoverittohelpusersformanalyticalperspectivesofthevarioustraillandscapes.Liketransparentslides,thelayerscoverthemapandshowavarietyofdifferentfeatures.Landmarkscanbeaddedandtakenaway.Forexample,a

usercanselectaslidethatsuperimposesmarkersshowingthetrailindifferentcolors,eachcolordepictingadifferentlegoftheexpedition,oralayerthatshowsalloftheplacestheexpeditioncamped.

Theusercansuperimposethestateborders,ortakethemoffforauthenticityandtohaveamorecontextuallyaccurateviewofthetrip.TheusercanalsochoosewhethertoshowthebordersofCanadaandMexico,oreventhe

LouisianaPurchase.Thereisevenafeatureonthemapthatwillhighlightorhidebodiesofwater.Inshort,theusercanmodifythemapinavarietyofwaysaccordingtointerest,courseofstudy,andintendeduse.

Theonlinemaphasabevyofadditionalfeaturesandcapabilitiesthatmakenavigationeasy.

Theuserisabletozoominoroutandpanacrossthemap,bringing theviewas close asneeded toexaminedetailsorasfaroutasneededtogainperspective.Crossingtheterrainonthisgeospatialmapisassimpleasdraggingthecursor,whichisafarcryeasierthanhowtheearlypioneerscrossedtheland.Infact,theexpeditionaveraged15milesperdaybylandand25milesperdaybyriver,withtheexplorerscarryingalloftheirequipmentandsup-plies.Nowitonlytakesthemodernresearcheraflickofthewristtocrossterrainonthismap.

Similarly, while the explorers had to set up theirastrolabesandcompassestocalculatecoordinates,usersoftheLewisandClarkGeosystemhaveiteasier.Byclickingonthemap,itwillre-centeronthatpoint.Thistoolgivesthesameresultsasthepanningtool,excepttheuserjustneedstoclickwherehewantsthemaptore-center.Thisfeaturecanbeusedforanaccuratecoordinatecalculation.Unliketheoriginalexplorers,thecomputer-boundusercanmeasureanydistanceonthemapinmilesorevenfeet,withjustthedragofthemouse.

And,whiletheexpeditioncartographerswouldhavetounfoldatable,unrollasheetofpaper,anddipquillintoinktomakeanewmap,thesystemhasatoolthatrescalesthemapwitharatiosetbytheusersandthenallowsthemtoprintthemap.Theearlypioneerswouldhaveappreciatedthetechnologytodayjustasmuchasthepeopleoftodayappreciatetheexplorationeffortsoftheearlypioneers.v

The Lewis and Clark Geosystem provides multiscale and multitemporal examination of the Lewis and Clark Trail’s geography.



NASAhaslongbeenknownforhavingdevelopedthethin,shinyreflectivematerialusedtoinsulateeverythingfromtheHubbleSpaceTelescopeto

hikers,fromtheMarsroverstomarathonrunners,fromcomputerstocampers,fromsatellitestosunshields,andfromrocketstoresidences.Itisoneofthesimplest,yetmostversatilespinoffstocomeoutoftheAgency.

The insulatingmaterial, a strong,plastic, vacuum-metallizedfilmwithahighly-efficient,infrared-reflective,vapor-depositedcoatingofaluminum,wascreatedtobeverylightweightinordertominimizeweightimpactonvehiclepayloadwhilealsoprotectingspacecraft,equip-ment, and personnel from the extreme temperaturefluctuationsofspace.

It has been employed on virtually all manned andunmannedNASAmissions.Theshinyinsulationwhichcoatedthebaseof theApollo lunar landingvehicles isperhapsoneofthemostmemorableearlydisplaysofthistechnology,andthebright,reflectivehoneycombontheJamesWebbSpaceTelescopeprototypeisatestamenttoitslastingusefulness.

Partnership

Thematerialiscreatedbydepositingvaporizedalu-minumontothinplasticsubstrates.Theresultisathin,flexiblematerialthatprovidessuperiorthermal-reflectiveproperties.Thehighlypurealuminumcoatingsarecare-fullymatched to their substrates toefficiently redirectinfraredenergy—infraredwavesbeingthechiefcompo-nentofthermalenergy inthenear-vacuumconditionsofouterspace—tocreateeitherfirst-orsecond-surfacereflecting.Insomeinstances,thematerialisintendedtodeflecttheinfraredrays,andinothercases,itismeanttoconservethemasapassivewarmingsystem.

EarlyintheSpaceProgram,theNationalMetallizingDivisionofStandardPackagingCorporation,headquar-tered inCranbury,New Jersey,was a supplierof this

reflectivematerial toNASA.In fact, itwasoneof theoriginalsubcontractorsNASAturnedtofordesignandsupplyofthematerial,anditwasabletobranchofffromthiswork into themore general, terrestrial insulatingapplications,likebuildinginsulation.

ItwasNationalMetallizingthatNASAturnedtoforassistancewhen,inMay1973,duringthefirstfewdaysthatSkylabwasinorbit,itwasmalfunctioningandover-heating.Aheatshieldbrokeoffduringlaunch,andairtemperatureinsidetheorbitingstationbeganapproaching

130°F.NASAwasconcernedabouttheconditionoffood,film,andotherequipmentinside,aswellasplasticinsula-tionandpossibletoxicgasesifthetemperaturerosetoohigh.ThestaffatNationalMetallizingwascalleduponbyengineersatMarshallSpaceFlightCentertohelpcreateanemergencyparasol-typesunshieldthathelpedsavemil-lionsofdollarsworthofequipment,yearsofresearch,andallowed,forthefirsttime,ahabitatforastronautstoliveandworkinspace.

Throughaseriesofmergers,acquisitions,andtransfersof ownership, National Metallizing’s factory doors

Reflecting on Space Benefits: A Shining Example

During the first days Skylab was in space, the station was besieged by problems caused when the meteoroid shield that was designed to protect it from micro-meteorites and the Sun’s intense heat tore off during launch. Scientists, engineers, astronauts, and management personnel at Marshall Space Flight Center and elsewhere worked to devise the means for its rescue. Their solution was to deploy a reflective parasol-like sunshield. Concern over the possibility that the parasol would deteriorate with prolonged exposure to the Sun’s rays prompted the installation of a second sunshield (pictured here) during the Skylab-� mission.

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/apollo.html

http://www.jwst.nasa.gov

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/history/skylab/skylab.htm



eventually closed.A former employee, though,DavidDeigan, took advantage of the remarkable materialthe company had been manufacturing for NASA andfoundedacompanytocontinueproducingit,brandingitasHeatsheets.Thecompany,AFMInc,wasoriginallyfoundedasJSCEnterprises,asolelyownedproprietorship,inRidgewood,NewJersey.The“J”stoodforJennifer,“S”forStephanie,andthe“C”forChristopher,thenamesofDeigan’sthreechildren.

He incorporated in 1982 as AFMInc (AdvancedFlexible Materials), because the name JSC, Inc. wasalreadytaken,butthecompany’sstoryactuallygoesbackafewdecadesfurtherthanthis.

ProductOutcome

In1959, theRussianswere the first to successfullylaunchaprobetothefarsideoftheMoon—andreturnpictures—thusfiringthestarterpistolfortheSpaceRace.Meanwhile,backinNewYork,ahighschooler,DavidDeigan,heardasimilarshotringout,andonalarkwithsomefriends,fellinstepwithacrowdrunningamara-thon.Withlittlepriortraining,hestillmanagedtofinishtheevent,andeventhoughhepaidfor itwithmuscleachesandsoreness,hehadcaughtthemarathonbug.

Granted,theillnessremaineddormantfor20years,as itwasn’tuntil1978thatDeiganattemptedanothermarathon—thistimewithmoretrainingandpreparation.ItwasamarathoninNewYorkCitythatstretchedits26.2milesthroughoutManhattan’sfiveboroughs:StatenIsland,Brooklyn,Queens, theBronx,andManhattan,where it finished in Central Park at the Tavern ontheGreen.

Whentherunnersfinished,oneoftheproblemstheyranintowaskeepingthemselveswarm.Theraceisheldinthefallofeachyear,eitherinOctoberorNovember,andweather inNewYork, like inmanyplacesaroundthecountryduringthesemonths,canberatherfickle.Itmightbebalmy.Itmightsnow.Withmassesofpeoplecrossing the finish line, it was taking each person an

averageof20minutestogettotheirclothes.Hypothermiawassettlinginwhentherunnersstoppedrunning,andmorepeopleweremakingittothefirstaidtentthanweretotheirstreetclothes.

The Association of International Marathons andRoadRaces,anonprofitgroupthatorganizesraces,mettodiscussthisproblem.Theytestedseveralproductsandsettledontheoriginal“SpaceBlanket”fromMetallizedProducts, an early company thathad takenadvantageof the NASA technology. Although fine for many

situations,andideallysuitedforthisuseinmanyways,theblanketswereeachfoldedandpackaged,aseeminglysmalldetailthathadsevereimpactontheirusefulnessinthis situation—withhundredsof runners crossing thelineeveryfewminutes,theblanketsjusttooktoolongtodispense,unwrap,andunfold,buttheywerestill,atthattime,themostviablesolution.

Still running, during the 1979 New York CityMarathon, Deigan crested a hill in Central Park andcrossedthefinishline.Whatstoodouttohimwasnotthat

Runners winding down after the �00� Boston Marathon. When they stop running, body temperatures drop rapidly. The reflective blankets, which have become standard at marathons worldwide, help stabilize body temperatures.

http://www.afminc.com


hehadmadeit26.2miles;rather,hewasmarvelingatthesilvercaterpillarofpeoplewigglingawayfromthefinishline.Asherecalls“Icrossedthefinishlineandfollowedtherunnersinfrontofmeaswewerewrappedinmetal-lizedpolyestersheetsandguidedontoandoverahillypathtothereunionarea.”HerecallsthatitlookedlikeadragonfromaChineseNewYear’scelebration.HehadtheideaatthatpointthattheNewYorkRoadRunnersClub,Inc.,

thegroupthatorganizestheNewYorkCityMarathon,couldtransformtheexpenseofthesilverblankets intoracingrevenuethroughbranding.

Deigan,theformeremployeeofNationalMetallizing,alsothoughtofasolutiontotheproblemofhavingtounwrapandunfoldtheblankets.Theinsulatingmaterialcouldbeshippedflatandunwrappedonapallet, thuseliminatingthetime-consumptionproblem.

Duringthefirstfewyears,theblanketswerebrandedwiththeRoadRunnerslogo,abrightredapple;butin1982,industryhadtakennoticeoftheadvertisingoppor-tunityandmajorcorporationsbrandedthemarathonaswellas10smallerraces,andtheideareallytookhold.Thatfollowingyear,theChicagoandBostonMarathonstookinterestinthenewproductandfoundsponsorstobrandtheirracesaswell.

Now,mostmajormarathons in theUnitedStates,manyinotherpartsoftheworld,andanumberofsmallerracesemploytheblankets,mostlyforthepurposesofpre-ventinghypothermia,butalsobecauserunnershavecometo expect them.Theyhavebecome synonymouswithfinishingarace.

Theblanketprintingprocesshas,overthelastfewyears,gottenincreasinglysophisticated.Thispastyear,fortheMarineCorpsMarathon,inArlington,Virginia,AFMIncshipped24,000camouflaged finish lineHeatsheets tocovertherunnersastheyfinishedtherace.Theproducthasalsoadvancedovertimeandisnowmanufacturedinavarietyofways,includingonrollsandperforatedat6-footintervalsforquickdispensing.Mostnotably,though,thesporthasreallyprogressed.IthastakenonmassappealasasportwhereamateurslineupwithOlympians.Infact,itisestimatedthat700,000marathonerscrossthefinishlineintheUnitedStatesaloneeachyear,inthedozensofracestakingplacearoundthecountry.

In 1996, Runner’s World, a monthly publicationdevotedtonewsofinteresttojoggers,rananarticleonDeiganandAFMInc’senduranceinthemarathonsafetyculture.Deiganreceivedacallfromaplantmanagerat

EncompassGroup,ofAddison,Texas,whohadjuststartedrunningmarathonsandhadreadthearticle.Theplantmanager,LloydBurnett,toldDeiganaboutThermo-Lite,anadvancedvariationoftheinfrared-reflectivealuminizedmaterialthathiscompanywasmanufacturing.

Atthetime,Thermo-Litewasbeingusedasbedsheetsinhospitalsettingsaspassivehypothermiapreventionforpre-andpost-operationalpatients,forstaffinscrubswhoworkinchilledenvironments,andassurgicaldrapes,oftenincludingacut-outaccessarea,givingsurgeonsaccesstospecificareasof thebodywhilecoveringtherest.Thesheetsweresofterandquieterthanmostreflectiveinsulat-ingmaterials,astheydidnothavethecrinkleandrustleofmetallizedplastics.

BurnettandDeigansawpotentialfortheThermo-LiteandHeatsheetsinalineofadventureandextremeweathergear,whichAFMIncthensoldthroughAdventureMedicalKits,ofOakland,California.Theproducts,emergencybivvies and rescueblankets,made theirway toAlaskawheretheywerepurchasedbyBeckyandDougBowers.

TheBowersliveattheTolovanaRoadhouseintheout-reachesofAlaska,50milesfromthenearestroadandthesmalltownofNenana.Theygrowtheirownvegetables,hunt,fish,andtrap.Sincepublicutilitiesdonotruntotheirremoteoutpost,theirpowerisgeneratedbywindmillsandsolarcollectors.Theyusethispower,inpart,torunasmallbusiness,MidnightMushingOutdoorGear,makingthetypesofrugged,cold-tolerantoutdoorgearneededfortheirclimate,where,onaniceday,tempera-turesrunwellintothenegativedigits.

Mostof theyear, theyare confined to theirhome,whereDougconductsthemarketingandbusinesssideoftheirenterprise,whilealsomakingthebuttonsandpullsfortheirlineofparkasandanoraksoutofcaribouboneandantlers,andBeckydesignsthegarments.Eachitem,includingthevests,mittens,parkas,walkingbags(atypeofmobilesleepingbag),andpullovers,ismadebyhand,withaddeddetailsthatmakeeachoneunique,butstillrepresentativeoftraditionalAlaskandesigns.

AFMInc supplied the Marine Corps Marathon with ��,000 camouflage printed Heatsheets for the �00� run.

http://www.marinemarathon.com/page11.aspx

http://www.encompassgroup.net

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com

http://www.midnightmushingalaska.com


Inadditiontotheiraesthetics,though,thegarmentsaretestedthoroughlyforhighperformance.BeckyandDouguseeverythingforafullseasonbeforeofferingthemforsale.Asmightbeimagined,oneofthekeyfactorstheytestisanitem’sinsulatingability.Manycontemporaryinsulat-ingfabricsarewicking,whichdrawstheperspirationawayfromthebody;butafterithasbeenwicked,theinsulatingbarrieristhenwet.Theidealsolutionistocombinetheinsulatingmaterialwithavaporbarrier.Unfortunately,manyofthedifferentmaterialstraditionallyusedasvapor

barriersarebulkyornoisy.ThisiswhereThermo-Liteentersthepicture.

OnoneoftheirtripsintoNenana,BeckypurchasedoneoftheThermo-Liteblankets.Shecutitintopiecesandseweditintotheliningsofseveralpairsofmittens.

The mittens were put to the test in the winter of1999, shortly afterChristmas,whenBeckyandDougleftNenanatotrekthe50milesbacktotheirhomeafterconductingsomeroutinebusiness.Dougwasleadingthewayonthesnowmobilewithaloadofgear,andBecky

was followingwitha teamofsleddogs.Thetwowereenjoyingtheunseasonablywarmweather,andthetripwasuneventful.

Two days later, the temperature started to drop,reaching -55 °Fby the timenight fell and continueddroppingthroughthenight.Thethermometerintheirwoodshedthenextmorningread-65°F.Theweatherwasexpectedtoholdatthistemperatureforatleastaweek,andtheBowershadonlyenoughfoodfortheir25sleddogstolastanother4days.

Theydeterminedtomakethetrekback,throughthebittercold,intoNenana,sotheymademakeshiftdogcoatsoutofsquirrel-damagedblankets,firedupthesnowmo-bile,andleft.Thetriptook7½hours,withtemperaturesnearing-72°F,144degreesbelowroomtemperature!

Duringthattime,thestarterpullrewindfailedonthesnowmobile,whichmeantDoughadtoruntheengineidlehightoavoidstallingandthendriveextraslowlysoasnottooverheattheengine.Meanwhile,Becky’schemi-calhandwarmerfailednearthehalfwaypoint.Shewore

At the Tolovana Roadhouse in Alaska, �0 miles from the nearest road, Doug and Becky Bowers live with their �� sled dogs and operate their small company, Midnight Mushing Outdoor Gear, via solar electricity.

All of the items in the Midnight Mushing catalog are handmade, and several contain an advanced variation of the infrared-reflective material used by NASA to control temperatures on spacecraft and equipment.


hernew,experimentalHeatBarrierMittstherestoftheway,andtohersurprise,andgreatrelief,herhandsstayedwarm.Aheadonthesnowmobile,whichisnotequippedwithheatedgrips,Dougworeapairofworkglovesunderapairofthemitts,andhishands,too,stayedwarm.

Afterthisevent,BeckyandDougdecidedtoaddtheThermo-LitemittenstotheirMidnightMushingsproductline.BeckyeventuallyworkedherwaythroughalineofphonecallsandgotthroughtoDeigan,thenaskedifshecouldbuysecondsofthematerial.Afterhearingherstory,notonlydidDeiganagreetosupplyBeckywithfactoryseconds,hetookaplaneuptheWestCoasttoseetheTolovanaRoadhousewheretheBowerslive.

Midnight Mushing’s resulting Heat Barrier Mittsemploya330-denierSupplexCorduraoutershell,amate-rialthatowesitsorigintoworkdonebyDuPontinthe1920stomakesuper-strongtires forArmyvehicles. Ithasbeenrefinedtothepointnow,whereitisassuppleascotton.ThemittensalsohaveTuff-Grippalms,whichstayflexibleeveninextremecold,and,ofcourse,theThermo-Liteinsulation.Theyareverypopularwiththetrapperswhoturnthemittensinsideoutwhenperspirationbuildsinside,waitafewsecondsforthemoisturetofreeze,givethemittensawhacktocrackofftheice,andthenputthembackon.

Beckyhasbeenwearingthemittensforseveralseasonsnow,andwiththemoneyshehassavedfromnothavingtopurchaseacaseofchemicalwarmerseachseason,themittenspaid for themselveswithin the first year. Shehadhadconsiderabletissuedamagetoherhandsfromrepeatedfrostbite,andwearingthesemittensforthepastfewyears,herhandshavehadachancetostarthealing—aconsiderableboonconsidering that she is a seamstressbytrade.

Midnight Mushing also incorporates the space-ageThermo-Liteintoalineofvests,whichishandynotonlyforactivitieslikerunningthedogsinextremecold,butforsedentaryactivities,likesewing,wherethebodyhasthetendencytoloseheat.

TheBowersarenottheonlypeoplewhohaveboughtthisspace-agematerialfromAFMInc;manyhaverealizeditspotentialandthenwanteditfortheirownuniqueuse.Whatisremarkable,though,istheextenttowhichthisspacetechnologycanbeappliedandthatithasworkeditswayintosuchremotelocations.

InOctober2005,anearthquakeregistering7.6ontheRichterscalecausedwidespreaddestructioninnorthernPakistan,aswellasinAfghanistanandnorthernIndia.Thefollowingday,theareafelt147aftershocks,thestron-gestofwhichregistered6.2.Duringthefirst4daysaftertheinitialquake,28aftershocksoccurredwithamagni-tudegreaterthan5.Even11dayslater,therewerestillmajorquakes.

Itisestimatedthatover79,000peopledied,135,000peoplewereinjured,and400,000housesweredestroyed—

atruenaturaldisaster.Theareawasdevastated,andtheaidstartedpouringintoassistinreliefefforts.

Stateside, Richard Berger, an avid hiker, was somovedbytheplightofthepeopleintheremotevillagesofPakistanthatheliterallygotintohiscarandstartedasearchforproductsthatmighthelprelievetheirsuffering.HefoundhiswaytoalargeREI(RecreationalEquipment,Inc.)retailstoreinhishometownofSeattle.REIisasup-plierof specialtyoutdoorgearandequipment.There,Bergersortedthroughasmanyproductsashecouldandsettledon theHeatsheets rescueblanketAFMIncandAdventureMedicalKitshadcreated.Itisalargerversionofthefinishlineblanket.Atfinishlines,wheretrippinghazardsareaproblem, theblanketsmeasure48by72inches.Theseemergencyblankets,though,arebigenoughfor twopeople towrapupandsharebodyheat.Theymeasure60by96inches,andtheretailversionisprinted

The Emergency Sleeping Bag by Adventure Medical Kits weighs only �.� ounces and reflects up to �0 percent of a person’s body heat, making it ideal for survival situations.


withacompletesetofillustratedsurvivalinstructionsintwolanguages.

Berger,liketheBowers,workedhiswayfromthesup-pliertothedistributor,tothemanufacturer,andeventuallytoDeigan,askingwhatAFMInccoulddotohelp.Withthecooperationofanetworkofsmallcompanies,andaremarkableInternetfundraisingeffortthroughfriendsandacquaintances,Bergerbegantogenerateabuzz.Theeffortsweresuccessful,andthenewlyformedcollectivereceivede-mailsandlettersfromnurseriesanddayschools,fromvariousnonprofit organizations, and from individualswillingtoassisttherefugeesofthePakistaniearthquake.

Through this fundraisingcampaign, theyproducedapproximately150,00060-by90-inchHeatsheetsoutofaspecialperformanceresinpolyethylenewiththestandardinfrared-reflectivecoating.Alloftheworkwasdoneatcost,withnoprofit,andtheywentthroughtwoproduc-tionrunstoproduceenoughHeatsheetstoreachasmanypeopleaspossible.

Oncethecampaignhadgrownquitesizeable,BergercontactedMercyCorps,ofPortland,Oregon,toassistinthefinal,butmostcritical,stage—distributingthemateri-als.MercyCorpshasa25-yearhistoryofdisasterreliefresponsearoundtheworldandhadalreadybeenconduct-ingaidworkinPakistanforover20years.Itwasintegraltotheearthquakeresponseandtheidealgrouptomanagethenextstagesoftheeffort.

The group supplied both folded Heatsheets andHeatsheets-on-a-Rollforthiseffort,andsuggestedwaysto employ Heatsheets as structural insulation and asemergencyblankets.AFMIncalsodonatedthousandsofsmallerThermo-Liteblankets thatwere tremendouslyhelpful,especiallyforsmallerchildrenandtheelderly.Thesedoubledasgroundcoversduringthedayandmuch-neededblanketsatnight.

Dan McHugh, a senior vice president at DHLInternational,Ltd.,assistedthegroupbyarrangingforthelargeshippingfirmtoprovideairshipmentsofthereliefsuppliesatnocharge,onthreeseparateoccasions.This

generositymadeitpossibletonearlydoubletheamountofHeatsheetssuppliedandprovidedsomerelieftopeoplehalfwayaroundtheworld.

BoththeHeatsheetsandThermo-LitehavebeennamedCertifiedSpaceTechnologiesbytheSpaceFoundation.TheSpaceFoundation,incooperationwithNASA,cre-ated the Space Certification Program to promote theextraordinaryproductsandservicesthatbringthebenefits

ofspacetechnologyhometoEarthandenhancepublicinterestandawarenessinspace.v

Heatsheets®isaregisteredtrademarkofAFMInc.

DuPont®isaregisteredtrademarkofE.I.duPontdeNemoursandCompany.

Supplex®andCordura®areregisteredtrademarksofINVISTA,Inc.

Thermo-Lite®isaregisteredtrademarkofEncompassGroup,LLC.

Mercy Corps coordinated with individuals and institutions, large and small, to deploy tens of thousands of the reflective emergency blankets to Pakistan in fall of �00�, after earthquakes devastated the region.

http://www.mercycorps.org


�� Environmental and Agricultural Resources Spinoff 2006


TheExxonValdez,anoiltankerexportingmillionsofgallonsofoil,ranagroundjustaftermidnightonMarch24,1989inAlaska,creatingwhatis,

tothisday,theworstenvironmentaldisasterinAmericanhistory.TheaffectedareaofcoastalAlaskacontinuestofeelthetoxicresultsofthatdisasterthatkilledmorethan250,000seabirds, thousandsofmarinemammals,andcountlessnumbersofothercoastalmarineorganismsinjustitsfirstmonths.Oilisnotoriouslydifficulttocleanfromwater,anditisstillemergingfromsubsurfaceres-ervoirs.Salmoncaughtinthatregionare,evennow,16years later, showing signsof long-termcontaminationfromthedevastatingoilspill.

Whiledisastersofthismagnitudehappenrarely,withlargespillsmakinguplessthan5percentoftheoilspilledintowatereachyear,tensofthousandsofsmalleroilspillsareoccurringallaroundtheworld.Oilentersthewatersupply from road runoff; refuse from routine enginemaintenance;emptyingofboatwastewaterandothershipoperations;airpollutionthatsettlesintobodiesofwaterafterrains;andthroughoffshoreoilproduction,whichcancauseoceanoilpollutionfromspills,leaks,androutine,operationaldischarges.

Watercan,thankfully,becleanedorremediatedandmade safe again fordrinking, swimming, fishing, andboating,ataskmadesignificantlyeasieriftheoiliscaughtbeforeithasthechancetosettleintothedepths.Aprod-uctusingNASAtechnologyisavailabletoconsumersandindustrythatenablesthemtosafelyandpermanentlycleanpetroleum-basedpollutantsfromthewater.Itisalmostalchemicalinitsperfection,asitiscomprisedofbeeswaxmicrocapsulesthatactasafoodsourcethatstimulatestheindigenousmicrobestoconsumetheoil.

The product makes use of NASA microencapsula-tiontechnology.WorkwasdoneattheJetPropulsionLaboratory(JPL)todemonstratethefeasibilityofencap-sulating live cells, while technology developed at the

MarshallSpaceFlightCenterforexperimentsinorbitalproductionofmicrospheresprovidesthebasicdesignofthedeliverysystem.

Partnership

IndustryscientistsworkedwithresearchersatJPLandMarshallintheearly1990stodevelopthemicroencapsu-latedwonder,PRP,orPetroleumRemediationProduct,for the companyPetrolRem, Inc. In2004,UniversalRemediation,Inc.(UniRemInc),ofPittsburgh,purchasedtheassetsofPetrolRem,Inc.,andhasrapidlyexpandedtheusesoftheoriginalmicroencapsulatingtechnology.UniRemInchasbroadenedproductionandavailabilityofPRP,makingitaccessibletomoreclientsandinavarietyofdifferentforms.

ProductOutcome

The basic technology behind PRP is thousands ofmicrocapsules—tinyballsofbeeswaxwithhollowcenters.Watercannotpenetratethemicrocapsule’scell,butoilisabsorbedrightintothebeeswaxspheresastheyfloatonthewater’ssurface.Thisway,thecontaminants—chemi-calcompoundsthatoriginallycomefromcrudeoilsuchasfuels,motoroils,orpetroleumhydrocarbons—arecaughtbeforetheysettle.

PRPworkswellasaloosepowderforcleaningupcon-taminantsinlakesandotherecologicallyfragileareas.Thepowdercanbespreadoveracontaminatedbodyofwaterorsoil,and itwillabsorbcontaminants,containthemin isolation,anddisposeof themsafely. Inwater, it isimportantthatPRPfloatsandkeepstheoilonthesurface,because,evenifoilexposureisnotimmediatelylethal,itcancauselong-termharmifallowedtosettle.Bottom-dwellingfishexposedtocompoundsreleasedafteroilspillsmaydevelopliverdisease,inadditiontoreproductiveandgrowthproblems.ThisuseofPRPisespeciallyeffectiveforenvironmentalcleanupinsensitiveareaslikecoralreefsandmangroves.

This ecological wonder has also been packaged forspecificusesbyUniRemInctocreateavarietyofdiffer-ent commercial products, including the BioSok Bilge

PRP: The Proven Solution for Cleaning Up Oil Spills

The BioSok Bilge Maintenance System is an easy-to-use “sock” (approximately � by 10 inches) that captures and biodegrades the oil and fuel that leaks into a boat bilge and can be accidentally pumped overboard.




http://www.unireminc.com/index.php

http://www.unireminc.com/index.php


Maintenance System, the BioBoom, the WellBoom,andOilBuster.

OneofthemostpopularusesforPRPistheBioSokBilgeMaintenanceSystem.Itallowsboaterstocleanupsmallspills.Boatstakeonwater,eitherfromrain,wash-ing,orwavessplashingoverthesides.Thiswateroftenmixeswithcleaningfluids,andoilandgasfromaboat’smotor.Thewatercollectsinabilge,theareainsideaboat’sbottomdesignedtocollectandholdtheerrantwater.Abilgeneedstobepumpedoverboardregularlytopreventtheboatfromtakingontoomuchwater.Thisbilgewater,though,isoftencontaminated.

TheBioSokisasmall,3-by10-inch“sock”withPRPencasedinpolypropylenethatfloatsinthebilge,absorbingandbioremediatinganyhydrocarbons,thus,decontami-natingthewater.EachBioSokcanimmediatelyabsorbtwiceitsweightandcandegrademorethan20timesitsweightinoilovertime.OneBioSokwillgenerallylastforanentireboatingseason.Itrequiresnomaintenanceormonitoring,anditsafelyeliminatesthepollutantsandfumesassociatedwithspilledoilandgasoline.

TheU.S.CoastGuardisalwaysontheprowlforanyboaters who expel oil-contaminated water from theirbilges.Finesareoftenthousandsofdollars,whichmakessense,knowingthateveryyearbilgecleaningandothership operations release millions of gallons of oil intonavigablewatersfromthousandsofdischargesofjustafewgallonseach.TheBioSokissuchaneffectiveantidotetopollutedbilgewater,thateventheCoastGuardhasuseditonitsboats.

UniRemIncalsomanufacturestheBioBoom,essentiallya longerBioSok that canbeused toenclose largeroilspills.Itisespeciallyeffectiveforemergencycontainmentofspilledoilinlargeareas,likeinmarinas,ponds,lakes,oropenwaters;butcanalsobeeffectiveintanks,stormrunoffsystems,electricalutilityvaults,andanywherethatrequiresthecontainment,absorption,andbiodegredationofleakingpetroleumhydrocarbons.TheBioBoomactsas a perimeter around spills and prevents them from

spreading.Thesnake-liketubeis3inchesindiameterandcanbeproducedatanylengthupto10feet.

TheWellBoom facilitates groundwatermonitoringbyabsorbingfloatingpetroleummoreeffectivelyandlessexpensivelythantraditionalbailingmethods.UniRemIncmakes the standard WellBoom by filling a weightedpolypropylenesock,36incheslongandupto3inchesindiameter,withPRP.Theproductisthenloweredintothegroundwatermonitoringwellswhereitabsorbsandacceleratesthebiodegradationofanyfloatingpetroleumhydrocarbon contaminants. WellBoom is typicallyused at petroleum storage facilities, gasoline stations,

and other locations where there is a potential forgroundwatercontamination.

OilBuster is yet another product using PRP thatUniRemInchasdeveloped.ItisthebeeswaxPRPmixedwith several grades of ground corncob and is for useon land or hard surfaces where no natural microbialpopulation ispresent. It is ideal for cleaningoil spillsthathavenotyetreachedthewaterandthathopefullyneverwill.

PRP has proven effective in facilities conductingrailroadrepair,whereballasts,ties,andthegroundcanbe saturatedwithdiesel fuelandoil. It is a safe, cost-

effective way for these types ofcontaminated facilities to get quickresults that restore the environmentand help them avoid the steep U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyfines.

UniRemInc is continuing to finduses for this amazing bioremediationtechnologyandtosupplyconsumersandindustrywithsafe,natural,andeffectivewaystokeepoiloutofourwater.v

BioSokBilgeMaintenanceSystem™,BioBoom™,WellBoom™,andOilBuster™aretrademarksofUniversalRemediation,Inc.

PRP Powder is especially well-adapted for moderate-to-small spills in areas such as industrial plant settings (cooling ponds and tanks), shorelines (whether rocky or sandy), marinas, railroad tracks, oil wells and fields, maintenance facilities, truck roll-overs, and for marsh and wetlands remediation where it can mitigate the collateral damage to the ecosystem caused by cleanup crews.



Soil,water,andlight.Accordingtoprevailingdogma,thesearethethreemainingredientsforgrowingandmaintaininghealthyplants.Butwhatifyoutake

soilcompletelyoutoftheequationandlimitthepresenceofwatersignificantly?Canyoustillnurtureplantsinsuchanenvironment?

Callitanagriculturalanomalyifyouwill,greenthum-bers,butplantsaregettingthetender lovingcaretheyneedbywayofanenvironmentallyfriendlyprocessthatisdevoidofdirtandusesverylittlewater.Thisprocess,knownasaeroponics,enablesplantstogrowinanair/mistenvironmentthatisfreefromsoiloranaggregatemedia.Thoughnot rooted in soil, someaeroponicallygrownplantsareactuallyrootedinNASA.

In 1997, AgriHouse, Inc. (d.b.a. AeroponicsInternational),a leadingagri-biologycompany,unitedwithNASAandBioServeSpaceTechnologies, anon-profit,NASA-sponsoredpartnershipresearchcenter,todesignasoil-lessplant-growthexperimenttobeperformedinmicrogravity,aboardtheMirspacestation.Thisexperi-mentaimedtogaugetheeffectivenessofanon-pesticidesolution on the immune responses of bean plants. Inessence,theresearchconsortiumwaslookingforameansofkeepingplantsfreefrominfection,withouthavingtorelyontheuseofpesticides.

Thisresearch,combinedwithfollow-ongrantsfromNASA,hashelpedBerthoud,Colorado-basedAgriHousegaincredibilityinthecommercialmarketplacewithrelatedtechnologyandgrossthecapitalnecessarytoconductfur-therresearchinanew-agefieldknownasbio-pharming.

Partnership

RichardStonerII,presidentandfounderofAgriHouse,beganusingaeroponicsinthelate1980stogrowherbsinagreenhouse.Utilizinghisownpatentedaeroponicprocess,StonerwasoneoftheonlypeopleintheUnitedStates

employingtheaeroponicplant-propagatingtechniqueatthetime.

Several years later, Stoner began working withColoradoStateUniversityresearchersonperfectinganall-natural, organically derived, disease control liquidformulacalledOrganicDiseaseControl,orOrganicallyDerivedColloidals(ODC).Thisformulacouldcooperatewithaplant’simmunesystem,inanaeroponicenviron-ment,toboostgrowthandwardoffdiseaseandinfection.Dr.JimLinden,aColoradoStateUniversityprofessorintheDepartmentofMicrobiologyandco-inventoroftheODCtechnology,claimedthatpreviousapproachesbyotherresearcherstostimulateaplant’simmunesystemhad“fallenshortofsustainableresults.”HeaddedthatthenewlydevelopedODCformulastimulatesaplant’sabilitytofightoffdiseasesduringitsentirelifecycle.Newsofthistriumphanteffortwasspreading,andNASAcaughtwindofit.

Withgreatinterest,NASAsoughtStoner’sexperiencein1997foranexperimenttobecarriedoutaboardMir.TheSpaceAgencyimmediatelybecameinterestedinthelow-waterrequirementsoftheaeroponicgrowingmethod.Usingaeroponicstogrowplantsinspacecouldreducetheamountofwatercarriedduringflight,thus,reducingtheoverallweightofthepayload.Additionally,NASAhas strict regulations concerning theuse of pesticideswithinclosedspacehabitats,soitwasequallyinterestedinexperimentingwiththeODCformulaStonerhadbeenworkingon.

StonerassentedtoNASA’srequestforassistance,andBioServewasbroughtonboardtohelpdirecttheresearch,inlightofhavingflownamultitudeofpayloadexperi-mentsonpreviousmissions.

The goal of the NASA research was to determinewhether or not the antifungal response of the plantswasmaintainedduringspaceflight.Lookingatthebiggerpicture,theresultscouldultimatelyleadtonewstrategiesforgrowingandmaintaininghealthyfoodplantsonlong-

termspace flightsor for futurebasesonotherplanetsandmoons.

For the actualmicrogravity experiment, astronautsworkedwith adzukibean seeds and seedlings, ahigh-protein Asian food crop. Along with the space-basedexperiment, concurrent ground control experimentswerebeingconductedonadzukibeanseedsandseedlingsbackonEarth.Thiswasdonetoinvestigatetheplants’responsesintwodifferentgravitationalenvironments.

Ingeneral,theadzukibeanseedsandseedlingssproutedquitewellbothonEarthandaboardthespacestation.TheMir-grownseedsandseedlings,however,exhibitedmoregrowththanthosegrownonEarth.Thoughnofungalchallengewasintentionally introducedintotheplants,theresearchersdidwitnessfungalinfectionofseveralof

Progressive Plant Growing Has Business Blooming

Richard Stoner II, president and founder of AgriHouse, Inc., with a prototype of the inflatable aeroponic system for space and microgravity food production.

http://www.aeroponics.com

http://www.aeroponics.com

http://www.colorado.edu/engineering/BioServe

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/spacecraft/to-s-mir.htm


theseedlingsonbothEarthandMir.PreliminaryvisualanalysisindicatedthattheseedsandseedlingsthatweretreatedwiththeODCmethodgrewmorerobustlyandexhibitedlessfungalinfectionthantheuntreatedseedsandseedlings.Thiswastrueforbothflightandgroundexperiments.Post-biochemical analysis supported thisfindingandfurthershowedthattheseplantsretainedtheir

fungal-fightingabilitiesandtheODCmethodmaintaineditseffectivenessinmicrogravity.

ThesuccessofthisNASAexperimentledtoothers,designedbyStonerandhiscompanyundernumerousNASASmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from Kennedy Space Center. Stoner tookadvantage of the SBIR support to create for NASA a

high-performance,gravity-insensitive,enclosedaeroponicsystemforfoodproductioninspace,aswellasalow-mass,inflatableaeroponicsystemforrapidcropproductionofpesticide-freeherbs,grains,tomatoes, lettuce,peppers,andothervegetables.

Thehigh-performance,gravity-insensitive,enclosedaeroponicsystemcanbeusedtoproducevarious foodcrops thatNASA intends togrow in space.TheSBIRawardcontributedtothedevelopmentofseveralmethodsthatallowaplant’sonlyby-producttobetheplantitself.Thissystemisnowbeingusedbycommercialgrowersandproducersforclean,efficient,andrapidfoodproduction.Cropscanbeplantedandharvestedinthesystemyearroundwithoutinterruption,andwithoutcontaminationfromsoil,pesticides,andresidue.

Thelow-mass,inflatableaeroponicsystemhasnotyetbeenusedintheSpaceProgram,butdoeshavepotentialforintegrationintofutureMoonandMarsapplications.TheinflatableanddeflatablenatureoftheSBIRinnova-tionmakesitlightweight,soittakesuplessvolumeduringtransportationandstorage.Evenmore,itimprovesupontheprecedingenclosedaeroponicsysteminthatitsdesignallowsforasignificantlylargercropyield.Spinoffsofthedesignandmaterialsusedarenowbeingintroducedforcommercialagriculturalapplications.

ProductOutcome

AgriHouse’saeroponicsandODCresearchonMiranditsensuingfirstSBIRcontractmadewayforthecommer-cializationoftheGenesisSeriesVaeroponicsystem.Withthisrapid-growthsystem,plantscanbestartedfromcut-tingsfromanalready-matureplantplacedintheopeningsontopofthegrowingchamber.Thestemsaresuspendedinthischamber.Ifstartingwithseeds,theycanbeplacedonspeciallydesignedmeshholdersthatareinsideofthechamber.Forboththecuttingsandtheseeds,theresult-ingplantsrapidlydeveloprootsystemsandgrowinanenclosed,air-basedenvironment,mademoistbyahydro-atomized,nutrient-rich spray that is released in timed

These plants have developed healthy root systems, all while growing in the soil-less environment of the Genesis Series V rapid-growth aeroponic system.




intervalsbyamicrocomputerandfinelymistedontothegrowthsubjects.

This clean, sterile environment greatly reduces thechancesofspreadingplantdiseaseandinfectionthatiscommonlyassociatedwithothergrowingmedia.Eachgrowingchamberhas161openings.Thegrowercanplaceonetofivecuttingsineachopening.Plantsdonotstretchorwiltwhiletheyaredevelopingtheirroots.Oncerootsaredeveloped,theplantscanbeeasilyremovedfortransplant-ingintoanytypeofmediawithoutexperiencingtransplantshockorsetbacktonormalgrowth.

TheGenesis systemcangrowmanydifferentplanttypes, including nursery stock, fruits, vegetables, andhouseplants.Hundredsofvarietieshavebeencultivatedbyresearchers,farmers,commercialgreenhousegrowers,andnurseryoperators.Inthecaseoftomatoes,forexample,growerscanutilizethesoil-lessmethodtogetajumpstartontheirproduction.Tomatogrowerstraditionallystart

theirplantsinpots,havingtowaitatleast28daysbeforetransplantingthemintotheground.WiththeGenesissystem,growerscanstarttheplantsintheaeroponicgrow-ingchamber,thentransplantthemtoanothermediumjust10dayslater.Thisadvancedaeroponicpropagationtechnologyofferstomatogrowerssixcropcyclesperyear,insteadofthetraditionalonetotwocropcycles.Italso

A grower clips the leaves of plants grown in the openings of a Genesis chamber.

Despite the drastic reduction in water and fertilizer usage, those employing the aeroponics growing method are witnessing robust crop yields and healthy, vibrant coloring.


eliminatestheneedforstageoneandtwotissueculturetransplants,thus,reducinglaborandhandlingcosts.

AccordingtoAgriHouse,growerschoosingtoemploythe aeroponics method can reduce water usage by98percent,fertilizerusageby60percent,andpesticideusageby100percent,allwhilemaximizing theircropyields by 45 to 75 percent. By conserving water andeliminating harmful pesticides and fertilizers used insoil,growersaredoingtheirpart toprotect theEarth.Moreover,theNASASBIRresultsdemonstratedthatthisaeroponictechnologydeliversan80-percentincreaseindryweightbiomasspersquaremeter,whencomparedtohydroponicandsoil-basedgrowingtechniques.(Whenadryweightmeasurementistaken,allwaterisremovedfromroots,leaves,andstems—thereby,removingwaterfromthebiomass.)Theseresultsessentiallyprovedthataeroponicallygrownplantsuptakemoreminerals andvitaminscomparedtoothergrowingtechniques.

Thehigh-performance crop-production technologyrecentlyreachedtotheothersideoftheworldtohelppotatoproductioninEastAsia.WithassistancefromtheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce,theWorldTradeCenterinDenver,andtheExport-ImportBankoftheUnitedStates,AgriHouse installedanaeroponicsystemattheHanoiAgriculturalUniversity’sInstituteforAgrobiology,inHanoi,Vietnam.

AccordingtoAgriHouse,potatoproduction inEastAsialagsbehindNorthAmericaduetopoorperformanceofseedpotatocrops.Utilizingtheclosed-loopfeaturesdeveloped under the NASA grants, the companydesignedandinstalledastate-of-the-artaeroponicpotatolaboratoryattheInstituteforAgrobiology,forpotatotuberseedproduction.

“AgriHouse’sadvancedtechnologygivestheInstituteofAgrobiologytheopportunityforadirectreplacementoflabor-intensive,invitrotissueculturepotatoproduc-tion,” said Dr. Nguyen Quang Thach, the institute’sdirector. “Furthermore, the economic impact in theregionfromtheseedpotato-productionfeaturesofthis

NASAtechnologywillgiveourunderdevelopedcountryatremendousboost.”

AgriHouse’sBeyondisyetanotherenvironmentallyconscious, crop-boosting commercial product stem-mingfromtheMirresearchandthefirstSBIRcontract.BasedontheODCformulatestedandproveninspace,Beyond is considered “nature’snaturalhealthboosterforallplants”bythecompany.Theall-naturalproductisderivedfromnaturalaquaticmaterials,andthereforecontainsnoenzymes,hormones,petrochemicals,acids,ormanure,anddoesnotaffectthenaturalmineraluptakeofplants.Asamultipurposecure-allforanygarden—nomatterwhatgrowingmethodisused—Beyondeliminatestheneedforpesticides;promotesfasterseedgermination;increasesthesurvivalrateofseeds;revivessickorinfectedplants;increasesgrowthandyields;addsnaturalnitrogentosoil-basedflora;is100-percentbiodegradable;andhasanindefiniteshelflife.

Beyondisalsosuper-concentrated,soitdoesnottakealargeapplicationoftheliquidtorealizepositiveresults.At16ounces,eachbottlemakesover160gallonsofplant-treatingsolutionwhenmixedwithwater.Thisbalancesouttobeenoughtreatmentforover1acreoffieldcrops.Instand-aloneapplicationsofasmallernature,suchasplant revival,pre-planting,orplant-potting,userscansimplypouraboutanounceofthesolutiondirectlyonplants,seeds,andsprouts,onceortwiceaweek.

Beyondcustomersareexpressingtheirsatisfactionwiththeproductleftandright,whetheritbeapotatofarmerwhoexperienceda45-percentgrowthrateinpotatostock,oroneofthethousandsofshopperswhosawitforsaleontheHSNshoppingchannel(formerlyrecognizedastheHomeShoppingNetworkchannel)andpurchaseditfordomesticpurposes.

AgriHouse’smostrecentNASAspinoffisitsFlexaero-ponicsystem,whichincorporatesthelightweightmaterialfromthelow-massinflatablesystemthatwasdevelopedforNASAduringasucceedingSBIRcontract.LiketheGenesissystem,theFlexsystemisaclosed-loopaeroponic

system.TheFlexsystem,however,possessesachamberthat contains 1,000 plant holders, offering a tenfoldincreaseinfreshcropproductionpersquaremeterovertheGenesissystem.Itiscapableofdelivering12growingcyclesperyearandeliminatestheneedforagreenhouse.

Withaneyetothefuture,AgriHouseisnowexploringadvancedbio-pharmingtechniquesinwhichnaturalcom-poundsderivedfrombotanicalsmaybeusedinplaceofchemicalstoproductpharmaceuticals.Specifically,Stonerand his company are focusing on creating controlledenvironmentstoproducebountifulcropstobeusedinbio-pharming.v

Beyond™isatrademarkofAgriHouse,Inc.

HSN®isaregisteredtrademarkofHSNLP.

Beyond, a nature-friendly, nontoxic product that promotes faster seed germination, strengthens root systems, and increases growth and yields, all while eliminating the need for pesticides.



Inorder tobetterunderstandour solar systemandthewaysitsupportslife,scientistsandresearchersatNASAstudytheplanets.Ofcourse,oneoftheplanets

onwhichNASAfocusesmostofitsresearchistheBluePlanet,Earth,sincethisistheonlyonecurrentlyknowntosupportlife;anditisalso,forallpracticalpurposes,themostaccessible.Thesescientistsandresearchersknowthatoneofthedeterminingfactorsintheplanet’sabilitytosupportlifeisthesamefactorthatmakestheBluePlanetblue:water.Therefore,NASAresearchershaveafocusedinterestinunderstandingEarth’soceansandtheirabilitytocontinuesustaininglife.

Acriticalobjectiveinthisstudyistounderstandtheglobalprocessesthatcontrolthechangesofcarbonandassociated living elements in theoceans.Sinceoceansaresolarge,oneofthemostwidelyusedmethodsofthisresearch is remote sensing—using satellites toobservechanges in the ocean color that may be indicative ofchangesoccurringatthesurface.Majorchangesincarbonareduetophotosynthesisconductedbyphytoplankton,showing,amongotherthings,whichareasaresustaininglife.Althoughvaluableforlarge-scalepicturesofanocean,remotesensingreallyonlyprovidesasurface,andthereforeincomplete,depictionofthatocean’ssustainability.

Trueandcompletetestingofthewaterrequireslocaltestinginconjunctionwiththesatelliteimagesinordertogeneratethenecessaryalgorithmparameterstocalculateoceanhealth.For this reason,NASAhas spearheadedresearchtoprovideonsitevalidationforitssatelliteimag-erysurveys.

Partnership

UnderaNASASmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)grantwithStennisSpaceCenter,Ciencia,Inc.,ofEastHartford,Connecticut,developedtheFluorescenceLifetimeProfilerofPhotochemicalEfficiency inReal-time,orFLIPPER,toassistinunderstandingtheglobal

processescontrollingthefluxesofcarbonandassociatedbiogenicelementsintheoceans.Biologistsandoceanogra-phersbenefitfromthisnewdevicethatprovidesreal-timedataofwaterpropertiesessentialtounderstandingwateronaglobalscale.NowbeingusedtomonitortheEarth’soceans,theresultsofthistechnologicalpartnershiparealsofindinghomesinapplicationsasbroadasagriculturalanalysisandpharmaceuticalmanufacturing.

Dr.SalvadorFernandez,presidentofCiencia, Inc.,praisestheNASASBIRprogramandhowithashelpedbringthetechnologytofruition.“Thisprojectisexem-plaryofthegoalsoftheSBIRprogram,”hesaid.“Ononehand,wehavebeenabletoprovideNASAwithauniquetechnology,essentialtomeetingitsmission,whileatthesametimecreatingcoretechnologythat[isenabling]usto

developnewproductsforverydifferentapplications,suchasdrugdiscoveryandprocessanalysisinthepharmaceuti-calindustry.”

Whilenotallofthesegoalshavebeenfullyrealized,theyare still in theworksandquitenear fruition; theNASAtechnologyandfundingwillhelpthemcometolife,while,inthemeantime,theoceanographicsurvey-ingtool,FLIPPER,isalreadyadvancingthestudyoftheEarth’soceans.

ProductOutcome

FLIPPERisafullysubmersibleoceanographicverticalprofilerforinsitu,oronsite,measurements.Itisbeingassessed by NASA researchers and the oceanographicresearchcommunitytodetermineitsabilitytomonitorphotosynthetic parameters in marine phytoplanktonforoceanographic,estuarine,limnological,andriverineresearch; environmentalmonitoringofphytoplanktonpopulations;oceanopticalpropertiesresearch;andstudiesoffisheriesandecosystems.

FLIPPER is an effective vertical profiler for thesetypesofresearch.Otherverticalprofilingmethodscanbeinaccurateandconfusing.Instrumentsbasedonchloro-phyllfluorescenceintensity,forexample,cannotprovideaccurateinformationonchlorophyllconcentration;thequantumyieldofchlorophyllfluorescenceisvariable,andintensityalonedoesnotprovideanyinformationaboutphotosynthesisstatus.FLIPPERpermits,forthefirsttime,directdeterminationofinvivochlorophyllfluorescencequantumyieldinsitu.Thisisanessentialparameterinthestudyofoceanandcoastalecosystems,onethathasbeenshowntobeinverselyrelatedtotherateatwhichphytoplanktonbiomassisformed.

Theconcentrationofchlorophyllintheoceanspresentsamajordetectionchallenge,becauseinordertoobtainaccuratevaluesofphotosyntheticparameters,theintensityoflightusedtoexcitefluorescencemustbekeptverylowsoasnottodisturbthephotosyntheticsystem.Severalinnovationsinfluorometricinstrumentationweremade

FLIPPER: Validation for Remote Ocean Imaging

The many shades of blue and blue-green in this image indicate that marine plant life (phytoplankton) is in full bloom around Iceland. This image is from NASA’s Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Project, whose goal is to provide quantitative data on global ocean bio-optical properties to the Earth science community.


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/home/index.html

http://www.ciencia.com


inordertomakeitpossibleforFLIPPERtoreachtherequiredlow-detectionlimit.Theseinnovationsincludea highly efficient optical assembly with an integratedflow-throughsampleinterface,andahigh-gain,low-noiseelectronicdetectionsubsystem.

The instrument also incorporates means for self-calibrationduringoperationandelectronichardwareandsoftwareforcontrol,acquisition,andanalysisofdataandcommunications.Theelectroniccircuitryishighlymin-iaturizedanddesignedtominimizepowerdemand.Theinstrumentishousedinapackagethatcanwithstandthewaterpressureatthemaximumdepthof300meters.AlloftheseinnovationsallowFLIPPERtoperformasotherocean-profilingdevicescannot.

Within FLIPPER, a light-emitting diode excitesfluorescenceinthesampleflowcell,whichisplacedatonefocalpointofanellipsoidalreflector.Aphotomultipliertubeisplacedattheotherfocalpoint.Thisopticalarrangementenableshighlyefficientcollectionoffluorescenceemittedover all polar directions. The excitation is modulatedat a specific frequency, and the phase shift betweentheexcitationlightandtheemittedfluorescenceismeasuredby a detection method in which the signal is down-converted.The fluorescence lifetimecanbecomputedfrom the known relationship among the fluorescencelifetime,phaseshift,andmodulationfrequency.

Inoperation, the instrumentmeasures fluorescenceintensityandlifetimerepeatedly,accordingtoascheduleestablishedduringaninstrumentset-upprocess,inwhichtheinstrumentisconnectedtoahostcomputer.Onceprogrammed,the instrument isdisconnectedfromthecomputerandremainsinaninactive,quietstateasitisplacedintheocean.Themeasurementprocessisstartedbyuseofamagneticallyactuatedswitch.

Measurementstakenbytheinstrumentarerecordedinamemorymodulethatcanholddatafrommorethan28,000measurements.Thesetofdatafromeachmea-surementistime-stampedandincludesapressure/depthdatum.Switchingtheinstrumentoffterminatesthemea-

surementsandpreparestheinstrumentforthenextseries.Attheendofaseriesofmeasurements,theinstrumentisreconnectedtothehostcomputerandthemeasurementdataareuploadedfromtheinstrument’smemorymoduleto the computer.Thesedataprovide researcherswithnever-before-seenaccuracy.

The development of FLIPPER is an importantadvance for biological oceanographic research, forphytoplanktonecologystudies,andforgroundtruthofprimaryproductionestimatesmadefromsatelliteoceancolormeasurements,butthetechnologiesdevelopedfortheseexperimentsarerapidlyfindingusesinotherfieldsaswell.

Based on the core technological development forFLIPPER,Cienciahasenteredintotwocommercializa-tionagreementsthatrepresentnon-equity investmentsin research anddevelopment and engineering servicesdirectedatnewproductcreation.

Ciencia has received a significant investment fromHTS Biosystems, Inc., of Hopkinton, Massachusetts,foraproductdevelopmenteffort thatwill incorporate

frequency-domaintechnologydevelopedundertheNASAworkintoinstrumentationfordrugdiscovery.

In addition, Ciencia has also entered into anotherproductdevelopmentagreementwithan internationalcompanyforthemakingofasensorforonlineprocessanalysisofpowdermixturesinthepharmaceuticalindus-try.Afeasibilitystudyfundedbythiscommercializationpartnerhasbeencompleted,anddesignofasystemforbetasitetestingisunderway.

This research has generated a significant amountof interest and already has investors clamoring to getinvolved.Additionalapplicationsincludeprecisionfarm-ing;noninvasiveclinicalinstrumentationandanalyticalinstrumentationfor foodsafetytesting;environmentalanalysis; andnoninvasive, real-time,onlineprocessingmonitoringforfoodmanufacturing.

Ciencia recently signed an agreement with GlobalImagingofJapan,basedinChiba,thatnowcontrolsinter-nationaldistributionofFLIPPER.v

FLIPPER is a fully submersible oceanographic vertical profiler for onsite measurements. The electronic circuitry is designed to minimize power demand, and the instrument housing can withstand water pressure at a maximum depth of �00 meters. The instrument also incorporates means for self-calibration, and highly miniaturized electronic hardware and software for control, acquisition, and analysis of data and communications.

�0 Environmental and Agricultural Resources Spinoff 2006


A solarcellisasemiconductordevicethatconvertsphotons,orlight,intoelectricity.Themostwidelyused solar cells today aremade fromwafersof

mono-orpoly-crystallinesilicon.Mono-crystallinesilicon,or single-crystal silicon, is

producedbygrowingalargepurecrystalofsiliconinafurnace.Thepurecrystalisthensawedintowafersandassembled in an array. The resulting silicon is highly

efficient, but expensive and time-consuming tomass-produce.Further,becausethesiliconhastobecutpriortoassembly,approximately50percentofmaterialgoesunused,andisthereforewasted.

Poly-crystalline silicon, or multi-crystal silicon, iscreatedbycastingmoltensiliconinblocks.Whilethisprocessisalittlelessexpensiveandfasterthantheprocessusedforgrowingasinglecrystal,theresultingmulti-crystalsiliconislessefficientthanitssingle-crystalcounterpart.

Althoughlesscommonlyused,athirdtypeofsolarcell,calledathinfilmsolarcell,cancounterbalancemanyofthedisadvantagesassociatedwithmono-andpoly-crystallinesiliconmanufacturingbyusingonlyafractionofpuresilicon.Thinfilmsolarcellsaremadebydepositingaverythinlayerofsilicon(oranothersemiconductorsubstance,dependingupontheapplication)onaverythinsupportingmaterial,suchasglass,plastic,ormetalfoil.Thisprocessisknownaschemicalvapordeposition.

Anon-crystallizedsiliconknownasamorphoussiliconis the semiconductormaterialmost frequently chosenfordeposition,because it isastrongabsorberof light.AccordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy,amorphoussiliconabsorbssolarradiation40timesmoreefficientlythan single-crystal silicon, anda thin filmonly about1-micrometer(oneone-millionthofameter)thickcon-tainingamorphoussiliconcanabsorb90percentoftheusable light energy shiningon it. Peak efficiency andsignificant reduction in theuseof semiconductorandthinfilmmaterialstranslatedirectlyintotimeandmoneysavingsformanufacturers.

ThanksinparttoNASA,thinfilmsolarcellsderivedfrom amorphous silicon are gaining more and moreattentioninamarketthathasotherwisebeendominatedby mono- and poly-crystalline silicon cells for years.AtGlennResearchCenter, thePhotovoltaic&SpaceEnvironments Branch conducts research focused ondeveloping this type of thin film solar cell for spaceapplications.Placing solar cellson thin filmmaterialsprovidesNASAwithanattractivelypricedsolution tofabricatingothertypesofsolarcells,giventhatthinfilmsolarcellsrequiresignificantlylesssemiconductormaterialto generate power. Using the super-lightweight solarmaterialsalsoaffordsNASAtheopportunitytocutdownonpayloadweightduringvehiclelaunches,aswellastheweightofspacecraftbeingsentintoorbit.

Iowa Thin Film Technologies, Inc., of Boone,Iowa, worked closely with the Photovoltaic & SpaceEnvironmentsBranchsothatbothpartiescouldbroaden

Paper-Thin Plastic Film Soaks Up Sun to Create Solar Energy

Thin film solar cells derived from amorphous silicon, pictured here, are gaining more and more attention in a market otherwise dominated by mono- and poly-crystalline silicon solar cells.


http://powerweb.grc.nasa.gov/pvsee

http://powerweb.grc.nasa.gov/pvsee

�1 Environmental and Agricultural Resources Spinoff 2006

theirunderstandingof thinfilmsolarcellsmadefromamorphoussilicon.Thecommercialpayoffofthisalli-ancehasnowbeenrealized,withterrestrialtrickle-downscomingintheformsofsolar-poweredheadsetradiosforrecreationaluseandbatterychargersandsolartentsformilitaryoperations.

Partnership

InNovember1989,GlennawardedIowaThinFilmTechnologieswitha$50,000Phase ISmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to research thepotentialforalightweightandflexiblethinfilmsolarcellthatusesamorphoussiliconasasemiconductorsource,for air and space applications.With this initial-phase

funding,IowaThinFilmTechnologiesdemonstratedthatdevelopmentofthesolartechnologywasviableand,thus,wasawardeda$500,000PhaseIIcontracttomoveaheadwiththemanufacturingprocess,whichthenoccurredoverthecourseof2years.FundingfromGlennsupportedtheresearchanddevelopmentprogramsofIowaThinFilmTechnologiesintheearlyyearsofthecompanyandhelpedimprovethecompany’sprocessfordepositingsolarcellsonrollsofthin,flexibleplasticsubstrate.

IowaThinFilmTechnologiesalsoreceivedfundingforthisprojectfromseveralothergovernmentagencies,aswellasfromprivateresources.Theprivateinvestmentsprovidedthefinancingnecessaryforthecompanytobuildacompleteproductionfacility.Inadditiontoexpanding

its workspace, the company expanded its workforce,growingfromjustafewemployeesto12full-timeand8part-timeemployees.

BecauseoftheNASASBIRsupportthatledtonewtechnologyandhelpedcreatenewjobs,thecompanytodayshinesasaleadingproducerofthinfilmphotovoltaics.

ProductOutcome

PowerFilm Solar, the solar division of PowerFilm,Inc.(thecompanypreviouslyknownasIowaThinFilmTechnologies),manufacturesandmarketsadifferentiatedlineofnext-generation,amorphoussilicon,thinfilmsolarpanelsthatcaneasilyandeconomicallybeintegratedwithconsumerandmilitaryproducts.Theamountofamor-phoussiliconusedinthepanelsisaslowas1percentoftheamountused in traditionalcrystalline siliconsolarpanels,accordingtoPowerFilmSolar.

Thesethinfilmsolarpanels,brandedasPowerFilmsolar panels, are constructed using a process calledmonolithicintegration,whichistheautomatic,built-inconnectionof individual solar cells.According to thecompany,monolithicintegrationimprovesdurabilityandreducescostbyeliminatingtheneedforexpensiveandfailure-pronemanualcollectionofindividualsolarcells.Itfurthernotedthatitisthefirstandonlycompanyintheworldtomanufactureandsellmonolithicallyintegratedsemiconductorsonaflexiblepolymersubstrate.Duringthemanufacturingprocess,PowerFilmSolarusesitspro-prietary“roll-to-roll”manufacturingtechnologyplatform.(Roll-to-rollprocessingistheactionofcreatingelectronicdevicesonarollofflexibleplasticormetalfoil.)

“Imaginetakingpaper-thinplasticfilmandmakingitgeneratepoweragainandagain.That’swhatPowerFilmisanddoes,”claimedMichaelCoon,thecompany’schiefoperatingofficer.“Thisisnotyourfather’ssolartechnol-ogy fromthe ’70s.PowerFilm’sdurableplasticbase issuperiortofragileglassorcorrosivemetal,”headded.

Available in a variety of standard and customconfigurations to meet specific voltage, current, and

PowerFilm Solar manufactures thin, flexible solar panels by way of a proprietary, low-cost, “roll-to-roll” process. The rollable solar panels are monolithically integrated, which eliminates the need for damage-prone manual connections of individual solar cells.



http://www.powerfilmsolar.com

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com


environmentalneeds, therollablePowerFilmproductsboast a durable and aesthetically pleasingdesign, andarequicklyadaptablewithintheirintendedmarket,beitcommercialormilitary.Moreover,theyarenothazardoustohumanhealth,sinceamorphoussiliconiscompletelyfree

ofcadmium(anaturallyoccuringmetallicelementknowntoproducetoxiceffectsinhumans),unlikemanyothersolartechnologies.

Across the board, PowerFilm Solar’s PowerFilmcommercialproductsareexperiencingverystrongsales.

One of the company’s first offerings sprung from itsresearchpartnershipwithNASAwastheHR-1SoltronixSolarRechargeableAM/FMHeadphoneRadio.Featuringa breakthrough combination of PowerFilm solartechnologyandpremiumsound,theHR-1headphoneradioautomaticallyrechargesitselfwheninsunlight,evenwhiletheuserislisteningtoit.(Onehourofcharginginfullsunlightprovides1to3hoursoflistening.)Itwillevenrechargeunderinteriorhouselightingoroncloudyor rainydays,albeitatmuchslower rates.When fullycharged,theheadphonesetwillplayformorethan20hours,eveninthedark.

Otherfeaturesincludeaninternalantennaforpowerfulreception,adualheadbandforaddedcomfort,all-weatherdurability(Someusershaveremarkedontheusefulnessoftheheadsetwhilewalking/joggingintherainorwhileboating.),andanextendedbassrangeforsettinggraphicequalizationtoalistener’sliking.

The sophisticated solar cells also serve asprecisionchargers for AA batteries. In 2005, PowerFilm Solar

The Soltronix HR-1 solar-rechargeable AM/FM Headphone Radio eliminates the cost and inconvenience of replacing batteries. The portable and powerful system automatically recharges itself when in sunlight, even while listening.

The PowerFilm AA Foldable Solar Charger provides portable power for charging AA rechargeable batteries. The charger automatically begins charging once unfolded, and a light informs the user when the batteries are fully charged.


launchedthePowerFilmFoldableSolarChargerthatcanrechargeuptofourAAbatteriesatatime,tooptimumlevel,withoutinducingdamageassociatedwithovercharg-ing.“UnlikeothersolarchargersforAAbatteries,thisnewchargingcircuitdoesnotgetconfusedfromvariationsincurrenttypicallyseenfromasolarpanel,”notedFrankJeffrey,PowerFilm’schairman.

The technology, comprisedof a rugged fabric thathouses the lightweight, flexible solar panels, is beingmarketedinpartnershipwithJohnsonOutdoors,Inc.,arecreationalproductmanufacturer.Inadditiontothiscommercialversion,PowerFilmSolarhasintroducedamilitaryversionthatisidealforsoldiersinthefield,espe-ciallyinremotelocations.

Also in2005,PowerFilmSolarteamedupwiththeU.S.ArmytosupplyPowerFilm-equippedtents.Thelarg-esttentorderedbytheArmyisacanopythatcanprovideupto2kilowattsofpower.“This isenoughenergytopowerupto66laptopcomputersor260cellorsatellitephones[whenthesunisshining],”saidSteveMartens,thepresidentofPowerFilm.“Asecond,smallermodelcan

produceenoughpowerfor5laptopcomputersor24cellorsatellitephones,”headded.Thepowergeneratedbyeachtentisstoredinabankofbatteries.

ThesolartentshelpmeettheArmy’sgrowingdemandforrapid-responseratesandportable,remotepower,and

eliminatetheneedfornoisygenerators,sparebatteries,andexcessivefuelstorage.v

PowerFilm®andSoltronixHR-1®areregisteredtrademarksofPowerFilm,Inc.

The PowerFilm �0-Watt Foldable Solar Charger, the largest in PowerFilm, Inc.’s line of foldable solar chargers, is very lightweight (�.� pounds), considering the amount of power it produces (�.� amps at 1�.� volts).

The flexible, thin film solar cell can be a source of power for laptops, MP� players, portable televisions, and other items that might be used during outdoor recreational activities.



In1984,NASAinitiatedtheGravityProbeB(GP-B)programtotesttwounverifiedpredictionsofAlbertEinstein’s theoryofgeneral relativity—hypotheses

aboutthewaysspace,time, light,andgravityrelatetoeachother.Totestthesepredictions,theSpaceAgencyand researchers at Stanford University developed an

experimentthatwouldcheck,withextremeprecision,tinychangesinthespindirectionoffourgyroscopescontainedinanEarthsatelliteorbitingata400-milealtitudedirectlyovertheEarth’spoles.

Whentheprogramfirstbegan,theresearchersassessedusingGlobalPositioningSystem(GPS) technology tocontrol theattitudeof theGP-Bspacecraftaccurately.Atthattime,thebestGPSreceiverscouldonlyprovideaccuracy to nearly 1 meter, but the GP-B spacecraftrequiredasystem100timesmoreaccurate.

To address this concern, researchers at Stanforddesignedhigh-performance,attitude-determininghard-warethatusedGPSsignals,perfectingahigh-precisionformofGPScalledCarrier-PhaseDifferentialGPSthatcould provide continuous real-time position, veloc-ity,time,andattitudesensorinformationforallaxesofavehicle.

TheresearcherscametotherealizationthatcontrollingtheGP-Bspacecraftwiththisnewsystemwasessentiallynodifferentthancontrollinganairplane.Theirthinkingtookanewdirection:Ifthistechnologyprovedsuccessful,theairlinesandtheFederalAviationAdministration(FAA)werereadycommercialmarkets.Theysetouttotestthenewtechnology,the“IntegrityBeaconLandingSystem,”usingittoautomaticallylandacommercialBoeing737over100timessuccessfullythroughReal-TimeKinematic(RTK)GPStechnology.

Thethinkingoftheresearchersshiftedagain—fromautomatically landingaircraft,toautomatingprecisionfarmingandconstructionequipment.

Partnership

TheStanford/NASAprecisionaircraftlandingsystemhadsuchclear-cutcommercialapplicationsthatagroupoftheStanfordresearchersinMenloPark,California,createdtheirowncompany,NovariantCorporation(originallycalledIntegriNauticsCorporation),andsubmittedapro-posaltoNASA’sSmall Business Technology Transfer (STTR)programatLangleyResearchCenter.

In1994,thecompanywasawardedtheSTTRcontract.InpartnershipwithNASA,theFAA,andStanford,thefirmplannedtoresearchanddevelopa“highlyreliablenavigationssystemforprecisionapproachandlanding,using navigation signals transmitted by satellites andsimilarsignalstransmittedbylow-cost‘IntegrityBeacons’ontheground.”

TheSTTRcontracthadalsoidentifiedotherpotentialapplications,includingcommercialonesforautomatedagricultural and construction equipment. In 1996,Novariant spawned a subsidiary, AutoFarm, to focuson agricultural applications of its GPS auto-steeringtechnology, and a tractor-steering technology wastrademarkedwiththename,RTK(Real-TimeKinematic)AutoSteer.RTKAutoSteerwasreleasedin1999tofarmersinCalifornia,Arizona,andAustralia.

ProductOutcome

For traditional farming,whenusinghuman-steeredtractors,itisnearlyimpossibletocreaterepeatablestraightrows.Tractorsshiftandwobble,andfarmersandoperatorsmakenaturaldigressionsfromtheexactrowstheytrytocultivate. Despite these dilemmas, farmers know theadvantages of accurately planting seeds, distributingfertilizers, andwatering.Seedsplanteddirectly in thecentersofrows,thensprayedaccuratelywithfertilizerandwater,willyieldincreasedcrops,reducedchemicaluse,andlesswastedwater.Itis,therefore,tothebenefitofthefarmertobeaspreciseaspossible.

RTKAutoSteertechnologymountstomoststandardfarm equipment set-ups anddelivers accurate steeringoftractorstowithin1inch.Itisidealforthepreparationoffields,thelayingofbeds,planting,cultivating,andtilling.

Iteliminatesskippedrowsorunnecessaryoverlapsbycreatingperfectrowswithrepeatableaccuracy.Inaddi-tion,itcanrunanytimeofdayornight,andevenonweekends—indust,fog,wind,andextremeheat.

The device has the capability to change the faceof farming forever by speeding field operations and

Saving Space and Time: The Tractor That Einstein Built

In this photo, the Gravity Probe B (GP-B) space vehicle is being assembled. The GP-B progam is among the most thoroughly researched programs ever undertaken by NASA.

http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/elvnew/gpb/index.htm

http://www.novariant.com




maximizingproductivity,whichreducesoperatingcostsaswellascapitalequipmentexpenditure.

TheAutoSteersystemusesasteeringwheel-mountedcontrol,multipleGPSantennasonthetractorcabroof,andanRTKbasestationantenna/transmitter.TheGPSantennas intheroofmoduledirectlymeasureposition(latitude,longitude,andaltitude)plusorientation(roll,pitch,andyaw)of the tractor for steeringcorrections.ThebasestationallowsGPSsignalstobeimprovedtoconsistentlyrepeatablesub-inchaccuracy.

Themultiple-GPSroofmoduleallowsvehiclesteeringtobecorrectedbeforeaguessrowerrororoverlapiscre-ated.Theroofmoduleisall-weatherrated,whichmeansitisbothwater-anddust-proof,adefiniteplusforequip-mentthatwillbeexposedtotheelements.

TheintuitiveAutoSteertouchscreendisplayissimpletooperate, similar tousing anATM, and isdesignedwithatransreflectivescreenforeaseofreadabilityinthesunshine.Additionally,aquick-connectdesignmakesiteasytomovebetweenvehicles,whichhelpsitseamlesslyintegrateacrossfleetsofmixedmakesandmodels.Easy-accessconnectorsandquick-releaselatchesmakeitsimpletotransfertheAutoSteersystembetweentractors,floaters,andsprayers,anditconnectsinminuteswithouttools.

Unlike the one-size-fits-all approach of other GPSsteeringsystems,theAutoSteersystemadjustsforchangesinthevehicle’sperformanceprofileasaresultofchangesinimplementsandcargo,terrain,oreventhroughnormalwearovertime.Thesystemhastuningandcalibration“wizards”thatenabletuningittotheoperatingcharacter-isticsofaspecificvehicle,anditadjustsasthemachine’sperformance changes. It is even accurate over uneventerrain.Thesystemcandirectlymeasuretherollofthevehicleframeasitpassesoversuchterrain.Themultipleantennascalculateandcompensateforvehicletilt,whereasasingleantennasystemwillmistakenlyassumethevehiclehasshiftedover.

The technology is now found on farms across theworld,andinApril2006,Novariantwasinductedbythe

SpaceFoundationintotheprestigiousSpaceTechnologyHallofFame.v

AutoFarm®isaregisteredtrademarkofNovariantCorporation. RTKAutoSteer™isatrademarkofNovariantCorporation.

RTK AutoSteer helps farmers reduce fuel costs, decrease driver fatigue, and eliminate overlap. Pictured here are GPS system antennas roof-mounted on a farming tractor and the touchscreen controls for the GPS guidance system installed in the cockpit.

�� Computer Technology Spinoff 2006


NASA’sMetricsDataProgramDataRepositoryisadatabasethatstoresproblem,product,andmetricsdata.Theprimarygoalof thisdata

repository is toprovideprojectdata to the softwarecommunity. Indoing so, theMetricsDataProgramcollectsartifactsfromalargeNASAdataset,generatesmetrics on the artifacts, and then generates reportsthataremadeavailabletothepublicatnocost.ThedatathataremadeavailabletogeneralusershavebeensanitizedandauthorizedforpublicationthroughtheMetricsDataProgramWebsitebyofficialsrepresent-ingtheprojectsfromwhichthedataoriginated.

ThedatarepositoryisoperatedbyNASA’sIndependentVerificationandValidation (IV&V)Facility,which islocated inFairmont,WestVirginia—ahigh-techhubfor emerging innovation in the Mountain State. TheIV&VFacilitywasfoundedin1993,undertheNASAOfficeofSafetyandMissionAssurance,asadirectresultof recommendations made by the National ResearchCouncilandtheReportofthePresidentialCommissionontheSpaceShuttleChallengerAccident.Today,underthedirectionofGoddardSpaceFlightCenter,theIV&VFacility continues its mission to provide the highestachievable levels of safety and cost-effectiveness formission-criticalsoftware.

Byextendingitsdatatopublicusers,thefacilityhashelpedimprovethesafety,reliability,andqualityofcom-plexsoftwaresystemsthroughoutprivate industryandothergovernmentagencies.IntegratedSoftwareMetrics,Inc.,isoneoftheorganizationsthathasbenefitedfromstudyingthemetricsdata.Asaresult,thecompanyhasevolvedintoaleadingdeveloperofinnovativesoftware-errorpredictiontoolsthathelporganizationsdeliverbettersoftware—ontimeandonbudget.

Partnership

Since2002,IntegratedSoftwareMetricshasnotonlystudied NASA’s metrics data, but has contributed tothematurationoftheAgency’sMetricsDataProgram,through a contract with Galaxy Global Corporation,Inc.;bothIntegratedSoftwareMetricsandGalaxyGlobalreside nearby the IV&V Facility in Fairmont. Thiscontract enabled IntegratedSoftwareMetrics toworktogetherwithGlennResearchCentertogeneratemetricsfortheMetricsDataProgram’sdatarepository.NASAisnowleveragingwhatwaslearnedfromthiscollaborationtobetteridentifyerror-pronecomputercodeand,hence,assuremissionsuccess.

Commercially,IntegratedSoftwareMetricshastappedintoeverythingithaslearnedfromitspartnershipwithNASAtocreateanew,artificiallyintelligentproductsuite

calledPredictive.Prior to introducing the software tomarket,thecompanytesteditonverylargeNASAsoft-wareprojectsconsistingofoveramillionlinesofcomputercode,inordertoensureitsefficacy.

ProductOutcome

TheIntegratedSoftwareMetricsPredictivesuiteofsoftwareproductspredictswhereerrorswilloccurinsoft-warecode.Suchacapabilityenablesuserstouncoveranyerrorsintheearlystagesofsoftwaredevelopment,thussavingtimeandmoney.

Softwareerrorsareusuallynot founduntil the latestagesofthedevelopmentcycle,whenitbecomesverycostlytogobackandfixthem.Addressingtheseerrors,however,isessential;otherwise,softwaredevelopersbuildareputationfordeliveringfaultyproductsor,evenworse,createlife-criticalsituationswhenthesoftwareispartoflargersystemsordevices,suchaspowerplant-monitoringsystemsormedicalequipment.

IntegratedSoftwareMetricsisaddressingtheseprob-lemsonthefrontend,beforeitbecomestoolate.ThethreeproductsthatmakeupitsnewPredictivesuiteare:PredictiveLite,PredictivePro,andPredictiveServer.

PredictiveLitewas launched inFebruary2005andprovidesbasicmetricsanalysisanderrorpredictionacrossoneormoreprojects,forthosewhodevelopandmanagesoftware,includingprojectmanagers,individualdevelop-ers,andsoftwarequalityassuranceprofessionals.Whileidentifyingerror-pronecode,PredictiveLitewillcreatecolor-codedreports thathighlight riskareas.Theusercanthenfocusattentionontheflawedcodeandassignresourcestocheckandpotentiallyfixthecodebeforetheprojectiscompleted.

TheLiteversionofthesoftware,designedforC,C++,andJavasourcecodes,wasmadetobedeployedonthesamePCwherethecoderesides,makingitastreamlinedtoolthatiseasytouse.TheuserjustdirectsPredictiveLitetothetargetcode,andthemetricsareautomaticallyapplied. This simple interface also allows the user to

A Predictive Approach to Eliminating Errors in Software Code

The Predictive product suite analyzes and predicts defects in software projects, allowing the user to identify the best metrics and thresholds to apply across one or more projects.

http://mdp.ivv.nasa.gov/repository.html


http://www.ismwv.com/forms/default.aspx

http://www.ismwv.com/forms/default.aspx



whohaveastrongtechnicalunderstandingofsoftwareanalysis.)Ausercanthencontinuetousetheheuristicsmodethroughmostofthesoftwaredevelopmentcycle.Neartheendofthecycle,theusercanswitchtothetrend-identificationmodetoidentifytrendsandfindthechronicproblemsinthesystem.

Thefinalproduct,PredictiveServer,wasreleasedinSeptember2005.Predictive Server contains all of thefeaturesofLiteandPro,andisscalablefornetworkordistributeddeployment.Unlikeitspredecessors,however,itwasdevelopedasaWeb-basedriskmanagementtoolformultiplesoftwareprojects,anditfacilitatescollaborationamongprojectmanagers,developers,andsoftwarequalityassuranceprofessionals.Essentially,thesoftwareaimstomeetthedemandsofhavingtomanagemultiplesoftwareprojectsinanetworkedenvironment.

WhenPredictiveServerisusedonasoftwareproject,errordataandmetrics arecompiledand stored in thesoftware’sknowledgedatabasefromtheverybeginning

monitorprogressasthetoolperformsitsanalysis.Whentheanalysisiscompleted,allerror-pronecodeisorganizedhierarchically.Ausercantypicallyexpecttoseeacompleteanalysis within minutes, as Predictive Lite possessesanaverageprocessingspeedof1,500 linesofcodepersecond(onastandardsystemwitha2.8GHzprocessorand512MBofRAM).

In an example of application, Houston-based GBTech, Inc., a technical services company providingengineeringservicestogovernment,recentlymanagedasmallbutcriticalsoftwareprojectfortheU.S.DepartmentofDefense (DOD),usingPredictiveLite.Theprojectinvolvedsoftwarecode,consistingofonly5,000lines,that operated a battery management system for theDOD’sJointStrikeFightermannedairplane.Despitethediminutivenumberoflines,hazardcriticalitywasratedextremelyhigh.Thiscodehadtobetestedextensivelytoensuresafety,giventhatthebatterywasalithiumionbattery,whichcanoverchargeandpossiblyexplode.

GBTechfirstusedamoreexpensivetoolforstructuralcodecoveragebeforetryingPredictiveLite.Later,itranbothtoolsonthesamecodetoperformacomparison,which demonstrated that Predictive Lite producedconsistent results and exceeded the abilities of themoreexpensivetool,intermsofarchitecturalcomplexityandcalculations.

PredictivePro,thesecondproductbelongingtothePredictive portfolio, was launched in June 2005 andincludesstandardandheuristicsmodes,aswellasatrend-identificationmodethatanalyzeshistoricalcodetofindpatternsandtrends.Thestandardmodeisusedearlyinthesoftwarelifecycle,beforeerrordataareaccumulated.Assuchdatapileup,theheuristicsmodecanbeemployedtoidentifytheerror-pronecode.Thisproblem-solvingmode uses an artificially intelligent engine to analyzethe metrics and associated error data to learn whatmetricthresholdspredicterrorwithinaspecificproject.(IntegratedSoftwareMetricsreportsthatresultsareverystable andmoreprecise than thoseofdomain experts

of theprojectuntil theend.Thereafter, thishistoricaldatabaseofmetricscanbeusedforothersoftwareprojectsintheenterprise.BecausePredictiveServerisWeb-based,allauthorizedsoftwareprojectteamscanaccessandupdatethe database, helping the organization deliver bettersoftwareandsavedevelopmentcosts.

Inlate2005,IntegratedSoftwareMetricsannounceda200-percentsurgeinsalesofitsPredictiveerror-predictiontools. Driving this boost were new customers in thetelecom,energy,technology,andgovernmentmarkets,includingorganizationssuchasCompagnieFinancièreAlcatel(Alcatel);ChevronCorporation;LogLogic,Inc.;andNorthropGrummanCorporation.

SpinningbacktoNASA,theGlennandGoddardfieldcentersarecurrentlyusingtheentirePredictivesuite.BothcentersrelyontheproductsforcriticalcodethatsupportsNASA’sEarth-orbitingspacecraft.v

Predictive™isatrademarkofIntegratedSoftwareMetrics,Inc.Java™isatrademarkofSunMicrosystems,Inc.

Earning � out of 10 stars from CRN magazine, Predictive Pro gives quality assurance managers “a tool with teeth.” The software is deployed on the same PC where the targeted code resides. The user just directs Predictive Pro to the code and metrics are generated. The output shows every module in the project, the associated metrics, its location, and error data for that module. Predictive Pro’s color-coding scheme of red, yellow, and green readily identifies the code modules of high, medium, and low risk, so that errors can be found easily.

http://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/eos_homepage/mission_profiles/index.php



Preparing a vehicle and itspayload for a singlelaunchisacomplexprocessthatinvolvesthou-sandsofoperations.Becausetheequipmentand

facilities required to carry out these operations areextremelyexpensiveand limited innumber,optimalassignmentandefficientusearecritically important.Overlapping missions that compete for the sameresources,groundrules,safetyrequirements,andthe

uniqueneedsofprocessingvehiclesandpayloadsdes-tinedforspaceimposenumerousconstraintsthat,whencombined,requireadvancedscheduling.

Traditionalschedulingsystemsusesimplealgorithmsand criteria when selecting activities and assigningresourcesandtimestoeachactivity.Schedulesgeneratedbythesesimpledecisionrulesare,however,frequentlyfarfromoptimal.Toresolvemission-criticalschedulingissuesandpredictpossibleproblemareas,NASAhistorically

relieduponexperthumanschedulerswhousedtheirjudg-mentandexperiencetodeterminewherethingsshouldhappen,whethertheywillhappenontime,andwhethertherequestedresourcesaretrulynecessary.

Partnership

NASAselectedStottlerHenkeAssociates,Inc.,asoft-waredesignfirmwithalonghistoryofsolvingNASA’suniquedilemmas,tocaptureandencodetheknowledgeembodiedbythesehumanexperts.LocatedinSanMateo,California,thecompanyisaleaderininnovativeartifi-cial intelligencesoftwareapplications.Forthisproject,thecompanywascontractedthroughaSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award facilitated byKennedySpaceCenter.

Asaresultofthepartnership,StottlerHenkedevelopedAurora,an intelligentplanningandschedulingsystemthatenablesNASAtosolvecomplexschedulingproblemsquickly,byencodingandapplyingsophisticated,domain-specificdecision-makingrules.

The proof-of-concept prototype was completed inthesummerof2001,andtheAuroraschedulingsystementeredoperationaluseatKennedy in late2003. It isbeingusedtoscheduletheuseoffloorspaceandotherresourcesattheSpaceStationProcessingFacility,whereInternationalSpaceStationcomponentsarepreparedforspaceflight.Auroraisalsoatthecoreofasystemthatgen-eratesshort-andlong-termschedulesoftheground-basedactivities that prepare space shuttles before each mis-sionandrefurbishthemaftereachmission.Thissystem

Scheduling Software for Complex ScenariosOften considered the most complex machine ever built, the space shuttle requires intricate planning and scheduling to prepare for launch. Pictured here is the Space Shuttle Columbia on April 1�, 1��1, preparing for the very first shuttle launch.

http://www.stottlerhenke.com





replacedtheAutomatedManifestPlanner,alsodevelopedbyStottlerHenkeandusedbyNASAsince1994.

The software Stottler Henke designed for NASAappliesacombinationofartificialintelligencetechniquesto produce a system capable of rapidly completing anear-optimalschedule.Itcombinessophisticatedschedul-ingmechanismswithdomainknowledgeandabevyofexpertconflict-resolutiontechniquestosolveschedulingproblems.ItalsotakesintoaccountanumberofproblemsuniquetoKennedy,suchastheneedtoschedulefloorspaceandmaintaincertainspatialrelationshipsamongthetasksandcomponents.Aurorathengraphicallydisplaysresourceuse,floorspaceuse,andthespatialrelationshipsamongdifferentactivities.Schedulingexpertscaninter-activelymodifyandupdatetheschedule,andcanrequestdetailedinformationaboutspecificschedulingdecisions.This allows them to supply additional informationorverifythesystem’sdecisionsandoverridethem,ifneces-sary,toresolveanyconflicts.

Thecompanyhasmodifiedthesoftwareandreleaseditasacommercialschedulingtoolthatisusableinnon-NASAsituations,allowingthegeneralpublictosolveaplethoraofindustryschedulingproblems.

ProductOutcome

Althoughthereareanumberofcommerciallyavailableschedulingsystems,none,accordingtoStottlerHenke,offers all of the features and advantages of Aurora.Furthermore,thedegreeofdomainknowledgerequiredfordecisionsandtheunusualsetsofunnaturalconstraintssetby the traditional scheduling softwaremakes themoflimitedusefortrulycomplexscenarios.ThelevelofcomplexitytheAurorasoftwarewasdesignedtohandle,however, is quite useful in a variety of industries. Itis practical for solving planning problems for whichhumanexpertisecanbeencodedandappliedtogeneratenear-optimal scheduling solutions automatically.It reduces, then, reliance on domain experts, and itchangestheschedulingprocessfromapainstakingexercise

thattakesdaysandweekstoonethatcanbeaccomplishedinhours.

It is currently being incorporated into two majorsystems.OneisfortheUnitedSpaceAlliance,LLC,toprovidespacecrewswithonboardschedulingcapabilityfortheCrewExplorationVehicle.Thesecondisforamajoraircraftmanufacturertohelpscheduleassemblyoperationsofitsnext-generationairliner.

WithAurora,userscandefineattributesforindividualtasks, groups of tasks, resources, resource sets, andconstraints.Theseattributescanbeconsideredbyuser-suppliedorbuilt-in schedulingdecision rules that areinvokedatkeyschedulingdecisionpointswithinsingle-ormultipassalgorithms,suchasdeterminingwhichtasktoschedulenext,selectingtheoverallbesttimewindowandresources,orhandlingthesituationwherenotalloftherequiredresourcesareavailableattherequiredtime.Additionalattributesofeachresourcecanbeconsideredwhen making intelligent resource selection decisionsinordertogenerateschedulesthatareasclosetooptimalaspossible.

Aurora’sgraphicaluserinterfaceenablesuserstoenterdomain-specific knowledge and specify their schedul-ingrequirementsquicklyandeasily.Interactivedisplaysenableuserstovisualizeandedittheschedule’sresourceallocationsandthetemporalrelationshipsamongactivi-ties.Schedulingproblems,suchasunresolvedconflicts,arehighlightedtoattracttheuser’sattention.

Auroraallowsuserstoexportreportsaboutresourceuse,whichcanthenbeopenedinastandardspreadsheetprogram.Itcanalsoexportanyofitsscheduledisplaysasanimagethesizeofthescheduledisplayitself,allow-ingtheusertoincludethescheduleinpresentationsorotherwisedistributeit.Thesoftwarecanalsoprintanyofitsscheduledisplays.

OneofthebiggestadvantagesoftheAurorasoftware,though,isthatitiscost-efficient.Itusedtobethat,inorderforacompanytodevelopacustomizedschedulingsystem, the company would have to pay hundreds of

thousands or even millions of dollars. Aurora can becustomizedforfarless.Iteliminatestheneedforcostly,time-consuming experts and can produce accurate,dependableresults.v

Aurora™isatrademarkofStottlerHenkeAssociates,Inc.

On June 1�, �00�, the Space Shuttle Discovery rested on a mobile launcher platform that sat atop a crawler-transporter, on its way to Launch Pad ��B, while the canister that delivered the mission STS-11� payloads to the launch pad departed.

�0 Computer Technology Spinoff 2006


NASAmissionsareextremelycomplexandpronetosudden,catastrophicfailureifequipmentfal-tersorifanunforeseeneventoccurs.Forthese

reasons,NASAtrainstoexpecttheunexpected.Ittestsitsequipmentandsystemsinextremeconditions,anditdevel-opsrisk-analysisteststoforeseeanypossibleproblems.

TheSpaceAgencyrecentlyworkedwithanindustrypartnertodevelopreliabilityanalysissoftwarecapableofmodelingcomplex,highlydynamicsystems,takingintoaccountvariationsininputparametersandtheevolutionofthesystemoverthecourseofamission.

Thegoalofthisresearchwasmultifold.It includedperformanceandriskanalysesofcomplex,multiphasemissions,liketheinsertionoftheMarsReconnaissanceOrbiter; reliabilityanalysesof systemswithredundantand/orrepairablecomponents;optimizationanalysesofsystemconfigurationswithrespecttocostandreliability;andsensitivityanalysestoidentifyoptimalareasforuncer-taintyreductionorperformanceenhancement.

Partnership

Forthiswork,NASAturnedtoGoldSimTechnologyGroupLLC,ofIssaquah,Washington,aprivatelyheldsoftwarecompanythatdeliverssoftwareandservicestohelppeopleunderstandcomplexsystemsandmakebetterdecisions.GoldSim,thecompany’snamesakesimulationsoftware,wasoriginallydevelopedfor long-termsafetyanalysesofnuclearwastedisposal,andiscurrentlyusedbytheU.S.DepartmentofEnergyandtheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,amongothers.Itisthecompa-ny’sflagshipproductandiswidelyusedforperformanceassessmentinthenucleararena,mostnotablyattheYuccaMountainProjectinNevada,theNation’sfirstlong-termgeologicrepositoryforspentnuclearfuelandhigh-levelradioactivewaste.

ThecompanyworkedwithNASAthroughaSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)grantwiththe

JetPropulsionLaboratorytodevelopanddemonstrateanewmodulefortheGoldSimsoftware:anintegrated,total-systemriskandreliabilityanalysisapproachbasedondynamic,probabilisticsimulation.Thisnewmodule(theReliabilityModule)addedfeaturestothesoftwaretofacilitatesimulationofspacemissions.

Previously,mostNASAstudiesofmissionriskandreli-abilityusedamethodologyknownasfaulttreeanalysis,whichwasoftendifficulttoimplementforcomplexsys-temsthatchangedovertime.Insteadofusingfaulttrees,theGoldSimmethodologyactuallysimulatesthebehaviorofthemissioncomponentsoverthefulldurationofthemission,explicitlyrepresentinghowthevariouscompo-nentsevolveovertimeandtheprobabilitiesinvolved.Theanalysisisintensiveandcomputesthepossiblewaysthatthemissionmayfail,alongwiththeirprobabilities.

Thisapproachnowprovidesavaluablenewsystemsanalysis capability to complement current NASA sys-temsanalysisapproaches. Inparticular, it isuseful forimpactstudies,risk/cost/benefitanalyses,risk/uncertainty

analyses, model integration, and model-based design/model-basedengineering.

The development of the new module marked thesuccessful completion of the NASA-funded researchproject todemonstrate the suitabilityof theGoldSimsoftwareforevaluatingtheriskandreliabilityoffutureNASAmissions.

ThecompanyreleasedtheReliabilityModuletothepublicinSeptember2005.

ProductOutcome

GoldSim is used to create computer models thatsimulate theperformanceof complex systems inbusi-ness,engineering,andscience.Ingeneral,thepurposeofsuchmodelsistosimulatethefuturebehaviorofasystemand then determine what can be done to improve itsperformance.Thesemodelsareusedtogainadiagnosticunderstandingofthesystem,ask“whatif”questionsaboutit,andevaluatealternativedesigns,policies,andplans.Itisusedbyorganizationsworldwide.

Thesoftwareishighlygraphicalandextensible,abletoquantitativelyrepresenttheuncertaintyinherentincom-plexsystems,andallowsuserstocreatecompellingmodelsthat are easy to communicate and explain to diverseaudiences.Usersbuildamodelinanintuitivemannerbyliterallydrawingapicture(aninfluencediagram)oftheirsystem.Inasense,GoldSimislikea“visualspreadsheet”thatallowsuserstographicallycreateandmanipulatedataandequations.Itmovesbeyondspreadsheets,however,bymakingitmucheasierforuserstoevaluatehowsystemsevolveovertimeandpredicttheirfuturebehavior.

Theprimaryapplicationsforthesoftwarefallintothreecategories:engineeredsystemsmodeling,environmentalsystemsmodeling,andbusinessmodeling.

Formanycomplexengineeredsystems(suchasspaceanddefensesystems, industrial facilities,mines,powerplants,andcomputernetworks),itisnecessarytopredictmeasuressuchasthesystem’sreliabilityorrisk.GoldSim

Difficult Decisions Made Easier

Artist’s concept of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) during the critical process of Mars orbit insertion. GoldSim software helped make this part of the mission a success.



http://www.goldsim.com/Index.asp

http://www.goldsim.com/Index.asp




�1 Computer Technology Spinoff 2006

canbeusedtosimulatethereliabilityandperformanceofcomplexengineeredsystemsovertime.

TheReliabilityModule(theresultoftheNASASBIRgrant)supportsthesoftware’sabilitytoperformengineer-ingsystemsanalysis,asitconsistsofpredictedreliabilitymetrics(e.g.,reliabilityandavailability)fortheoverallsystemandforindividualcomponentswithinthatsystem.TheReliabilityModulecanalsobeusedtocomputetheprobabilityof specificconsequences (e.g., catastrophicfailureofthesystem)tosupportriskanalysis.GoldSimcatalogsandanalyzesfailurescenarios,whichallowsforkeysourcesofunreliabilityandrisktobeidentified.

GoldSimcanalsobeusedtocreaterealisticmodelsofcomplex,real-world,multimediaenvironmentalsystems.Userscanexplicitlyrepresenttheuncertaintyinherentinthesesystems,inordertocarryoutriskanalyses,evaluatepotentialenvironmentalimpacts,andmakebetterresourcemanagement decisions. According to the company,GoldSimis,forthispurpose,thepremiertoolintheworldforcarryingoutperformanceassessmentsofproposedandexistingradioactivewastemanagementsites.

GoldSimisalsousefulforawiderangeofotherenvi-ronmentalsystemsmodelingapplications,includingwaterbalances andwaterqualitymanagement atmines andother constructed facilities;municipalwater resourcesmanagementandplanning;theperformanceofexistingorproposedlandfills,hazardouswastesitesandengineereddisposalfacilities;environmentalimpactsassociatedwithvariousminedevelopmentandclosureoptions;thetrans-portandfateofcontaminantsinaquifers,wetlands,lakes,andotherecosystems;transmissionofinfectiousdiseases;andthetransportandfateofpharmaceuticalsandothercompoundswithinbiologicalsystems.

AnotherarenawhereGoldSimhasfoundahomeisinbusinessmodeling.Mostbusinessmodelingtodayreliesontheuseofspreadsheetsand/orprojectmanagementsoft-waretocreateprojectschedules,dosimplifiedriskanalysiscalculations,carryoutcostandrevenueprojections,andperformothersimplefinancialanalyses.Althoughsuch

toolsareusefulandapplicableinmanycases,theygen-erallydonothavetheabilitytorepresentthecomplexdynamicsanduncertaintiespresent inreal-worldbusi-nesssystems.Assuch,theprojectionsproducedbythesetoolsoftendonotprovidearealisticrepresentationofthefuture.Thiscanleadtopoordecisions.GoldSimprovidesuserswiththeabilitytotransformbusinessmodelingintoamorequantitative,rational,anddefensibleanalysis.

Itprovidesbusinessplannerswiththetoolstoevaluatealternativestrategiesandpolicies,andidentifythosethatofferthegreatestpotentialforsuccess;determinetheopti-malportfolioofprojects,resources,and/orinvestments;developprogramplansthatprovidethehighestlikelihoodofmeetingobjectiveson time andunderbudget; andevaluaterisks,andthenidentifycost-effectivepreemptivemeasuresandcontingencyplansthatminimizeadverseimpacts.Businessplannerscanalsousethissoftwareto

evaluatetheperformanceofsupplychainsordesignandevaluatefinancialinstruments.

Alloftheengineeringsystemsmodeling,environmen-talsystemsmodeling,andbusinessmodelingapplicationscanbenefitfromthecollaborativeresearchperformedbyNASAandGoldSim.Infact,thecompanyseesthissoft-warebeingbeneficialinevenmorearenas.

“Wealsothinkithasalotofpotentialinotherfieldswhere risk and reliability are important—areas suchasdefense,automotive,andelectronics.Itisn’tjustamatterofdoingriskcalculations;it’simportanttoreallyunderstandthesourcesofriskorunreliabilityinordertobeabletodesignoptimalsolutions.That’swhatourGoldSimsoftwareisallabout,”saidIanMiller,presidentofGoldSim.v

GoldSim®isaregisteredtrademarkofGoldSimTechnologyGroupLLC.

The GoldSim software aids in uncertainty reduction and performance enhancement by providing decision makers with a highly graphical, multidimensional analysis tool. This screen shot is a seemingly simple depiction showing some of the elements that came into play while planning the complex orbital insertion of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



NASA’s Earth Observing System Data andInformation System (EOSDIS) acquires,archives,andmanagesdatafromallofNASA’s

Earthsciencesatellites,forthebenefitoftheSpaceAgencyandforthebenefitofothers,includinglocalgovernments,firstresponders,thecommercialremotesensingindustry,teachers,museums,andthegeneralpublic.EOSDISiscurrentlyhandlinganextraordinaryamountofNASAsci-entificdata.Togiveanideaofthevolumeofinformationitreceives,NASA’sTerraEarth-observingsatellite,justoneofmanyNASAsatellitessendingdowndata,sendsithundredsofgigabytesaday,almostasmuchdataastheHubbleSpaceTelescopeacquiresinanentireyear,oraboutequaltotheamountofinformationthatcouldbefoundinhundredsofpickuptrucksfilledwithbooks.

TomakeEOSDISdatacompletelyaccessibletotheEarthsciencecommunity,NASAteamedupwithprivateindustryin2000todevelopanEarthscience“market-place”registrythatletspublicusersquicklydrilldowntotheexactinformationtheyneed.ItalsoenablesthemtopublishtheirresearchandresourcesalongsideofNASA’sresearchandresources.ThisregistryisknownastheEarthObservingSystemClearingHOuse,orECHO.

The charter for this project focused on having aninfrastructurecompletelyindependentfromEOSDISthatwouldallowformorecontributorsandopenupadditionaldataaccessoptions.Accordingly,itisonlyfittingthatthetermECHOismorethanjustanacronym;itrepresentsthefunctionalityofthesysteminthatitcanechooutandcreate interoperability amongother systems, allwhilematuringwithtimeasindustrytechnologiesandstandardschangeandimprove.

Partnership

InstreamliningthepublicaccesspathtoEarthsciencedataandmaterialsculledbyEOSDIS,NASA’sGoddardSpaceFlightCenterjoinedrankswithGlobalScience&

Technology,Inc.,ascience,engineering,andinformationtechnology company serving Federal and corporateclients, and Blueprint Technologies, Inc., formerly awoman-owned, small business specialist in providingarchitecture-basedsolutionsthatwasrecentlyacquiredbyPearsonGovernmentSolutions,Inc.(ThecompanyisnowrecognizedasPearsonBlueprintTechnologies,Inc.)

From2000 to2002,GoddardworkedwithGlobalScience & Technology (the prime contractor on theproject)andBlueprintTechnologies(thesubcontractor)todeveloptheECHOregistryplatform.Apublicversion

The Echoes of Earth ScienceEarth-observing satellites that have provided/will provide data to better understand how the planet is changing: Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) will record sea-surface wind speed and direction data; Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) is part of a land-imaging mission; Landsat � provides images of continental/coastal areas; ACRIMSAT measures the Sun’s light energy for climate and global warming predictions; GRACE I/II are mapping gravity fields; SAGE-III measures ozone, aerosols, water vapor, and other atmospheric parameters; UARS measured chemical compounds found in the ozone layer; Jason-1 improves climate predictions and monitors global ocean circulation and eddies, plus El Niño conditions; TOMS-EP (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer onboard an Earth Probe satellite) measures total column ozone and sulfur dioxide from volcanic eruptions; the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite was designed to study tropical rainfall; TOPEX/Poseidon monitored ocean circulation, improved climate predictions, and tracked El Niño conditions; Aqua is designed to collect water cycle information, including ocean evaporation and atmospheric water vapor.

was released inNovember2002.Feedback fromearlyadoptersonthisinitialoperationalsystemledtoanewsetofenhancements,consideringthedataaccessneedsandexpectationsofAmerica’sEarthscienceringwerechangingbeforeitsveryeyes.Thedevelopmentteamrefinedtheoriginal version to expand the capabilities offered tothecommunity.

Theexpansionoftheprojecttookplacethrough2004,withastrongemphasisondatacollection.By2005—andseveral software versions later—a much-improvedECHOserviceregistrywasinplace,completewithmore

http://spsosun.gsfc.nasa.gov/eosinfo/EOSDIS_Site/index.html

http://spsosun.gsfc.nasa.gov/eosinfo/EOSDIS_Site/index.html



http://terra.nasa.gov

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/index.html

http://www.echo.eos.nasa.gov

http://www.echo.eos.nasa.gov



http://www.gst.com

http://www.gst.com

http://www.pearsongovernmentsolutions.com/


than 60 million pieces of Earth science metadata andcustomized client interfaces for improved searchingcapabilities.Furthermore,thismetadataregistryalloweduserstopublishandexchangetheirservices,algorithms,andmodels.

ProductOutcome

Today,theEarthsciencesolutiondevelopedinpartbyNASAandforNASAisfullyliveandoperationalasECHO version 8.0. The public registry is officially aWeb-basedbrokering systemthat enables informationandresourcesharingthatultimately leads to improve-mentsinresearchandanalysis,aswellascopioussocietalbenefits.Forexample,localgovernmentscanuseECHO8.0tomakekeydecisionsaboutadverseweathercondi-tionsfacingtheirregions,suchasfloodsandhurricanes.

HavingaccesstothelatestsatelliteimageryviaECHOcangivethemalegupintakinganyprecautionstheycantobecomefullyprepared.

“ECHOposesanexcitingexampleofhowtechnologycan be used to solve real-world challenges and createimportant foundations of change for generations tocome,”saidJeanneO’Kelley,generalmanagerofPearsonBlueprint Technologies. “Indeed, what makes thisparticularlyrelevantistheuseofWeb-servicestechnologythatcanbeappliednotonlywithinthegeospatialrealm,but across numerous sectors—including homelandsecurity—makinganysetofdataeasiertorecord,access,andshare.”

Version8.0providesamechanismofinteroperabilitybetweenorganizationswhoofferEarthobservationdataandindependentorganizationswhooffertools,algorithms,

andmodels thatutilize thisdata,essentially servingas“middleware”betweendata and clientpartners.Withthisfeature,Earthscientistshaveabasicinfrastructuretoleverageresourcesfromglobalpartnersand,hence,builddynamicapplications.

“ThefutureofaglobalexchangeofEarth-observingresourcesallowsforeffectiveuseoftheresourcesforcur-rentscienceapplicationsandenablesfutureinnovationinputtingtogetherthesedata,algorithms,models,andotherservicesinnewandunintendedways,”saidPearsonBlueprintTechnologies’MichaelBurnett,theleadECHOarchitect.“ECHOisbuiltasinfrastructureforaservice-orientedenterprise,thefutureofenterprise-levelexchangeinmanydomains,includingthatofEarthobservation.”

InordertoretrievedatastoredinECHO,ausercansearchforspecificmetadatausingkeywordsorcertainspa-tialortemporalparameters.Inperformingaspatialsearch,forinstance,ausercanentergeographicparameters,suchasthenameofastateoranexactlatitudinal/longitudinallocation.Thesearchwillthengenerateasetofresultsforaccesswithintheuser’sapplication.

BecauseECHOisaWeb-brokeringsystem,theusercanorderinformationinamannersimilartohowheorshewouldgoaboutpurchasing items fromtraditionalonlineretailers.Theusercansimplyaddanydataitemsofinteresttoapersonalonlineshoppingcartandthenproceedtocheckout.IfthedataitemsretrievedbytheECHO-generatedreportarenotofany interest to theuser,heorshecantheninitiateanewsearchbasedonnewkeywordsorparameters.

WithWeb-basedservicescontinuingtoexpandandreachingnewusersasaresult,thedevelopersofECHOanticipatethatpubliclyavailableEarthsciencedatawillproliferatefortomorrow’sEarthsciencegeneration,allbecauseofthesynergybetweentoday’sdatacontributorsandcustomers.v

Available to the public, the ECHO Web-based brokering system is filling gaps in Earth science data. The global-exchange registry lets scientists everywhere share important resources to help solve real-world challenges.



TheGlobalPositioningSystem(GPS)isasatellitenavigation system developed and maintainedby the U.S. Government. Though initially

designedformilitaryapplications,GPSisalsoapublicinformation service that protects the environment,improvesproductivity,andincreasessafety.Itcanbeusedasaninstrumenttomapandsurveyboundaries;improvecropproduction;trackstormsandthespreadofwildfires;andmonitor any landmovement anddeformationoftheEarth’scrust resulting fromearthquakeactivity. Italso offers navigational assistance for cars, airplanes,andboats.Forexample,carsequippedwithGPS-basednavigationalsystemscandirectdriverstotheirintendeddestinationpoints,steeringthemawayfromlongerroutes,traffic,androadconstruction,andpreventingthemfromgettinglost.

JustasvehiclescanbetrackedandsteeredintherightdirectonbyGPS,socanpeople.Hikers,hunters,moun-tainclimbers,andcross-countryskierscommonlydependonittonavigatetheirroutes,andtoletotherstracktheirwhereabouts,incasetheygetlostorfindthemselvesindangerandinneedofrescue.TelephonecompaniesarealsomanufacturingGPS-enabledcellphones.TheFederalCommunicationsCommissionnowrequirescellphonecompaniestobeabletopinpointacustomer’slocationwithin100meters,soemergencyresponderscanreachtheminacrisis.WhilenotallcellphonescontainactualGPSchips,theonesthatdocanactuallyfindanindividu-al’slocationtowithinafewfeet.

AtNASA,GPSisavitalresourceforscientificresearchaimedatunderstandingandprotectingEarth.TheAgencyemploysthebandofGPSsatellitesforsuchfunctionsasmappingEarth’sionosphereanddevelopingearthquake-predictiontools.ExtendingthisworldlywisdombeyondEarth,NASAresearchersareevendiscussingthepossibil-ityofdevelopingglobalpositioningsatellitesaroundMars,inanticipationoffuturemannedmissions.

Despiteallof its terrestrialaccomplishments, tradi-tionalGPS stillhas its limitations.TheSpaceAgencyisworking to address thesewithmanynew advances,includinga“GlobalDifferentialGPS”technologythatinstantaneouslyprovidesapositiontowithin4 incheshorizontallyand8inchesvertically,anywhereonEarth.AccordingtoNASA’sJetPropulsionLaboratory,noother

technologyforbettersurveyingofurbanareaspronetosignal blockages. The result of this collaboration ledto a new aerial mapping and targeting system withmyriadbenefits.

Partnership

NAVSYSCorporation,aColoradoSprings,Colorado-basedprovideroftechnicalproductsandservicesinGPShardwaredesign,systemsengineering,systemsanalysis,and software design, was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)contractin1993byNASAHeadquarterstodevelopaGPS/inertialmappingsystem.TheSBIRaimedtoaddresstheunreliabilityofGPSsur-veyinginurbanenvironmentsandtheamountoftimeittooktocollectlargequantitiesofdataforgeographicinformationsystems.

NAVSYS Corporation’s proposed solution to thisproblemwasdevelopingatightly-coupledGPS/inertial/video-mappingsystemthatcouldaddprecisepositionandattitudemetadatatodigitalcameraimages.Thiscouldalsoallow thedigital images tobepost-processedandthecoordinatesofobjectsofinteresttobecollected,plushigh-accuracyGPS/inertialintegrationalgorithmscouldcontinuemappingoperationsthroughshortGPSdrop-outs,withoutnoticeableperformancedegradation.

TheoriginalsystemdevelopedforNASAwasavan-basedunit.NAVSYSCorporationtookthissystemanddeveloped a smaller, airborne version of the product,termedGI-Eye,whichwasthenusedtocollectaerialmap-pingdataforcommercialandmilitaryapplications.

ProductOutcome

ThecommercialGI-Eyesystemisasoftwareplatformthat integrates GPS with inertial and digital cameradata. It isdesigned to collecthigh-resolution imageryforprecisevisualnavigationoraccurategeolocationoftargetcoordinates.It takesadvantageofdifferentialorkinematicGPSpositioningtoprovidethepreciselocationofeachcameraimageandusesNAVSYSCorporation’s

GPS Eye-in-the-Sky Software Takes Closer Look Below

The GI-Eye software-based system, used to collect aerial mapping data for commercial and military applications.

relatedsystemprovidesthesamecombinationofaccuracyandcoverage.

Furthermore, traditional GPS cannot communi-catebeyondlatitudesof75°.ThatmeansthatmostofGreenlandandAntarcticacannotreceiveGPSsignals.TheGlobalDifferentialGPStechnologyapproachesthisareaoftheworldusingseveraldifferentGPSsignals.Thesesignalsoverlaptocompensateforthegapsincoverage.Now, scientistsworking in the extremenorthernmostandsouthernmostareasoftheworldcanhaveaccesstothesameGPStechnologythatotherscientistsaroundtheworldrelyon.

NASA partnered with private industry to addressanother GPS limitation and, therefore, enhance the

http://gipsy.jpl.nasa.gov/igdg/system


http://www.navsys.com




proprietary InterNav kinematic alignment algorithmtomeasurethepreciseattitudeofthecamerausingtheinertialsensordata.

Byrecordingthepreciselocationandattitudeofthevideo images, theextractionof feature locationdata issimplifiedandstreamlined.Accordingtothecompany,thisresultsinrapidandmoreefficientdataprocessing,thus eliminating the need for expensive and time-consumingprocessingcurrentlyneededtogeneratetheorthorectifiedand registeredoverhead imagesusedbymanyWebservices.

The GI-Eye technology has been integrated intoFLIRSystems,Inc.’sStarSAFIREIIIairborneelectro-optic thermal imaging system. Currently, there areapproximately800StarSAFIREIIIunitsdeployedonmorethan35differenttypesofrotary-andfixed-wingaircraft. The pairing of GI-Eye’s precision mappingabilities and Star SAFIRE III’s long-distance, 360-degree, dayornight scoping abilities presents a trulyunprecedented vantage point for aerial surveillanceassociatedwith searchandrescue, reconnaissance, lawenforcement, border patrol, news gathering, land-useplanning,andenvironmentalmonitoring.

GI-Eye also registers sensor data collected fromunmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as the U.S.Department of Energy’s Atmospheric RadiationMeasurement(ARM)UAV,thefirstunmannedcraftevertocarryoutascientificresearchflight.Inthemilitary,thesystemwasalsoselectedbytheU.S.Navyforuseinanadvancedtechnologydemonstrationtoprovidereal-timetargetcoordinatesonabattlefield.

“WehavebeenveryimpressedwithtargetingresultsprovidedbytheNAVSYSGI-EyeproductandarenowalsopursuingapproachestoGPS-deniednavigationofunmannedairvehiclesusingthistechnology,”saidJamesR.Buss,oftheOfficeofNavalResearch.

TargetingsystemshaveadditionallybeendevelopedforseveralotherU.S.militarybranches,includingtheU.S.MarineCorps.v

Proprietary algorithms are used for point-and-click computation of object locations from selected pixel coordinates. In this ground-based demonstration, the GI-Eye software sets its target coordinates to lock directly onto a pedestrian sign, demonstrating its precise targeting capabilities.



Fasterthanmostspeedycomputers.Morepowerfulthan its NASA data-processing predecessors.Abletoleaplarge,mission-relatedcomputational

problemsinasinglebound.Clearly,it’sneitherabirdnoraplane,nordoesitneedtodonaredcape,becauseit’ssuperinitsownway.It’sColumbia,NASA’snewestsupercomputer andoneof theworld’smostpowerfulproduction/processingunits.

NamedColumbiatohonortheSTS-107SpaceShuttleColumbia crewmembers, the new supercomputer ismakingitpossibleforNASAtoachievebreakthroughsinscienceandengineering,fulfillingtheAgency’smissions,and,ultimately,theVisionforSpaceExploration.

Shortlyafterbeingbuiltin2004,Columbiaachievedabenchmarkratingof51.9teraflop/son10,240processors,makingittheworld’sfastestoperationalcomputeratthetimeofcompletion.Puttingthisspeedintoperspective,20years ago, themostpowerful computer atNASA’sAmesResearchCenter—homeoftheNASAAdvancedSupercomputing Division (NAS)—ran at a speed ofabout1gigaflop(onebillioncalculationspersecond).TheColumbiasupercomputeris50,000timesfasterthanthiscomputerandoffersatenfoldincreaseincapacityoverthepriorsystemhousedatAmes.What’smore,Columbiais considered theworld’s largestLinux-based, shared-memorysystem.

Thesystemisofferingimmeasurablebenefitstosocietyand is the zenith of years of NASA/private industrycollaboration that has spawned new generations ofcommercial,high-speedcomputingsystems.

Partnership

ToconstructColumbia,NASAtappedintoyearsofsupercomputingexperience,datingasfarbackastheearly1980s,whencomputationalfluiddynamics(CFD)com-putercodesoriginated,andasrecentas2004,whentheAgencyadoptednovelimmersivevisualizationtechnologies

tosafelypilottheSpiritandOpportunityMarsExplorationRovers.Inaddition,NASAlookedtoSiliconValleyforsomeextrasupportandfoundafriendithadhelpedbackintheheydayofearlymicroprocessingtechnology.

In the first fewyearsof the1980s,Ames scientistsandengineersassistedMountainView,California-basedSiliconGraphics,Inc.(SGI),byprovidingtechnicalinputtoimprovethecompany’shigh-performanceworkstationproduct line. NASA had purchased 18 of SGI’s IRISworkstationsandhelpedmakethemcommerciallyviable

withseveralimprovements.By1984,NASAwasSGI’sbiggestcustomer.

“NASAwasahugehelptousasayoungcompany,notonlybybeingourbiggestcustomeratatimewhenalackofsaleswouldhavebeendisastrous,buttheywereoneofourbestcustomersinthesensethattheengineerstheregaveusallsortsofvaluablefeedbackonhowtoimproveourproduct.Manyoftheimprovementstotheoriginalworkstationsarestillpartofourmostmodernproducts,”accordingtoTomDavis,formerprincipalscientistandafoundingmemberofSGI.

A History of High-Performance Computing

A bird’s-eye view of the 10,��0-processor SGI Altix “Columbia” supercomputer located at Ames Research Center. While Columbia is helping NASA achieve breakthroughs and solve complex problems in support of its missions, it has also been made available to a broader national science and engineering community.

http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Projects/Columbia/columbia.html

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-107/crew/index.html

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-107/crew/index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main


http://www.nas.nasa.gov

http://www.nas.nasa.gov

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html


http://www.sgi.com


SGI’s payback to NASA was helping to build thebehemothColumbiasupercluster.SantaClara,California-based IntelCorporation, theworld’s largest computerchip maker and a leading manufacturer of computer,networking,andcommunicationsproducts,alsoassistedin the effort. Through extraordinary dedication anduncompromising commitment, the Columbia projectteam achieved what many in the supercomputingcommunityconsideredimpossible:conceiving,planning,andconstructingtheworld’slargestLinux-based,shared-memorysysteminjustover4months.

TheresultingsystemisanSGIAltixsupercomputersystem, based on SGI’s NUMAflex shared-memoryarchitecture for high productivity. It is comprised of20 SGI Altix integrated superclusters, each with 512processors; 1 terabyte of memory per 512 processors,with20terabytestotalmemory;440terabytesofonlinestorage; and 10 petabytes of archive storage capacity(1petabyteisequalto1,024terabytes,and1terabyteisequalto1,024gigabytes).

“NASA’sindomitablespiritofexplorationhasledustotheMoon,tothesurfaceofMars,andeventotheringsofSaturn,”saidBobBishop,vicechairmanofSGI.“WithProjectColumbia,NASAwillnotonlycarrymankindfurtherintospace,butintonewworldsofknowledgeandunderstanding.After2decadesofcollaboration,NASAandSGIareonthecuspofanewageofscientificmethodandscientificdiscovery.”

ProductOutcome

A portion of the Columbia system has been madeavailableonabroadbasistoensuretheNation’sentirescience and engineering community has access to thehighlyadvancedsupercomputerarchitecture.Forexample,throughoutthe2004hurricaneseason,thefinite-volumeGeneral Circulation Model (fvGCM) running onColumbiahadcrankedoutvaluable,real-timenumeri-calweather-predictiondatatargetedatimprovingstormtrackingandintensityforecasts.AteamatGoddardSpace

FlightCenterisutilizingthedatatopredictlandfallupto5daysinadvance.

Additionally,JetPropulsionLaboratory,MassachusettsInstitute of Technology, and Scripps Institution ofOceanography scientists from a consortium calledEstimating theClimate andCirculationof theOcean(ECCO) teamed with the NAS Division to use thesupercomputertodramaticallyacceleratethedevelopmentofahighlyaccurateanalysisofglobal-oceanandsea-icecirculations.TheECCOteamproducestime-evolving,three-dimensionalestimatesofthestateoftheoceanandofsea-ice.Theseestimates,obtainedbyincorporatingintoanumericalmodelvastamountsofdatagatheredfrominstrumentsintheoceanandfromspacesatellites—suchas sea level, current speed, surface temperature, andsalinity—serveasapractical tool tobetterunderstandhowtheoceancurrentsaffectEarth’sclimate,tostudytheroleoftheoceanintheEarth’suptakeofcarbondioxide,andtomoreaccuratelypredicteventslikeElNiñoandglobalwarming.

Meanwhile, NASA continues to lend technicaladvice to support theadvancementofSGI’sproducts.The lessons learned while SGI provides NASA withengineeringprototypesystemsishelpingtoimprovethescalability and reliability of themachines.WhenSGIdevelopeda256-processorhigh-performancesystemforAmes, theexperiencedirectlybenefitedthecompany’scommercial 128-processor machines. When NASAdoubledits256-processorsystemtooperateona512-processor system,SGImade the256-processor systemcommerciallyavailable.Amesagaindoubledup(priortohavingColumbia)bymovingtoa1,024-processorsystem,leadingSGItomakethe512-processorsystemanofficialcommercialproduct.

“Themainproductoutcomehasbeenthedevelop-mentoflargerandlargergeneralpurpose,single-systemimagemachines thatarepracticalandusable,not justcuriosities,”saidBronNelson,asoftwareengineerwithSGI.“ThisisdrivenbyAmesandSGI’sbeliefthatthese

large,single-systemimagemachineshelptoimprovepro-grammerproductivityandease-of-use,aswellaseaseofsystemadministration.”

Whetheritissharingimagestoaidinbrainsurgery,findingoilmoreefficiently,enablingthetransitionfromanalogtodigitalbroadcasting,helpingtomodelFormula1racecarsandFordMotorCompanyvehicles,orprovidingtechnologiesforhomelandsecurityanddefense,SGIhascommitteditselftoworkingwithNASAtoensurethatitisputtingoutthebestproductpossibleandcommitteditsresourcestoaddressingthenextclassofchallengesforscientific,engineering,andcreativeuses.v

Linux®isaregisteredtrademarkofLinusTorvalds.

SiliconGraphics®,SGI®,andAltix®areregisteredtrademarksofSiliconGraphics,Inc.

NUMAflex™isatrademarkofSiliconGraphics,Inc.

Using an SGI Altix system to successfully model how the HIV protease molecule works across time, researchers hope to determine how best to target it with drugs that could stop it from doing its job and thus prevent the HIV virus from developing altogether.

Imag

e co

urte

sy o

f Sili

con

Gra

phi

cs, I

nc.,

and

Sto

ney

Bro

ok U

nive

rsity

.




�� Industrial Productivity and Manufacturing Technology Spinoff 2006


Cryogenics,thescienceofgeneratingextremelylowtemperatures,haswideapplicabilitythroughoutNASA. The Agency employs cryogenics for

rocketpropulsion,high-pressuregassupply,breathableair inspace, lifesupportequipment,electricity,water,food preservation and packaging, medicine, imagingdevices, andelectronics.Cryogenic liquidoxygenandliquidhydrogensystemsarealsoreplacingsolidrocketmotorpropulsionsystemsinmostoftheproposedlaunchsystems—areversiontoold-styleliquidpropellants.

In the late 1980s, NASA wanted a compact linearalternator/motorwithreducedsizeandmass,aswellashighefficiency, thathadunlimited service life foruseinathermallydrivenpowergeneratorforspacepowerapplications.Priordevelopmentworkwith free-pistonStirlingconverters (aStirlingengine integratedwithalinearactuatorthatproduceselectricalpoweroutput)hadshown thepromiseof that technology forhigh-powerspaceapplications.AdualuseforterrestrialapplicationsexistsforcompactStirlingconvertersforonsitecombinedheatandpowerunits.

TheStirlingcycleisalsousableinreverseasarefrigera-tioncyclesuitableforcryogeniccooling,sothisStirlingconverterworkpromiseddoublebenefitsaswellasdualuses.TheusesforcryogeniccoolerswithinNASAabound;commercialapplicationsaresimilarlywide-ranging,fromcoolingliquidoxygenandnitrogen,tocryobiologyandbio-storage,cryosurgery,instrumentanddetectorcooling,semiconductormanufacturing,andsupport service forcooledsuperconductingpowersystems.

Partnership

NASA entered into a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)contractwithCleverFellowsInnovationConsortium,Inc.(CFIC),ofTroy,NewYork,throughGlenn Research Center, to develop a lighter, morerobust linear alternatorbasedonCFIC’snovelSTAR

architecture.This resulted in a15-kilowatt prototypealternator for NASA’s Space Power Research Engine(SPRE)thatreducedoverallStirlingconvertermassby21percent.Theworkaccomplishedthroughthispartnershipwas later extended to a line of linear alternators andmotors,usedmainly incryogenicrefrigeratorsthataremarketedbyQdrive, formed in2001as thecryogeniccoolerdevelopmentandmanufacturingarmofCFIC.

Qdrive’s mission is to fill the need for quiet, low-vibration,no-maintenance,long-life,completecryogeniccooling systems that are easy touse andeconomicallyattractive.ItsworkwithNASAhasaidedinitsabilitytomeetthisgoal.Qdrive’sacousticStirlingcryocoolerlineisnow the industry’swidest capacity rangeofunitarycoolers,with77kelvincapacitiesfrom10wattstooverakilowatt.

ProductOutcome

OneoftheadvancestheSBIRcontractspawnedwastheestablishmentof themanufacturingcapabilitiesofQdrive,whichresultedinthedirectsalesofthecompany’sSTAR-basedequipment.STARmotor/alternatorsarenowthedrivingforcebehindallQdriveproducts.STARsarelinearreciprocatingdevicesthatcombinetheuniquecom-muterflexingaxialsuspension,withplunger-mounted,high-energymagnetsandarobustcoil-over-ironstator(thestationaryportionofamotor).Thesemotorscanbeconsideredahybridofmotorandloudspeaker.Likeloudspeakers,theymoveinandoutinresponsetoanelec-tricalinput,butlikemotors,theyoperateatapreferredspeed(frequency),andarepowerfulandefficient.Qdrive’scurrentSTARlinehaspowersfrom100toover10,000watts-per-unit,withefficiencies ranging frommid-80stowellover90percent(thebestloudspeakersareunder50percent).

STAR motors have a unique wear-free suspensionsystem—withunlimited life andextremelypure linearmotionwithout rubbing, rolling, sliding,oranyotherwearing contact—a feature that eliminates lubrication

requirements.Theyutilize an innovative interlocking,movingmagnetdesignwithlow-costblockmagnets,alsoenabledbythesingle-degreeoffreedomsuspension.

The noncontact STAR motors are combined withacousticStirlingcoldheadsinQdrivecoolers,sotherearenomovingpartsoperatingatthecoldtemperatures.Thisdesigneliminatesoilsandothercondensiblesthatwouldotherwisefoulthecoldpartsofconventionalmechanicalcoolers.Acompact,balancedconfigurationoftwinSTARmotorsinthemachinesproducesminimalvibration.

Qdrive’s technological strength is sustainedbykeyalliances.Formanufacturinganddistributionof,andcon-tinuedimprovementsto,itslargersystems,thecompanyhasalliedwithPraxair,Inc.,ofDanbury,Connecticut—thelargestairseparationandindustrialgascompanyin

Cryogenic Cooling for Myriad Applications—A STAR Is Born!

Qdrive’s 1S10�M/A linear reciprocating motor/alternator. All of the company’s products benefit from the STAR motor/alternators advanced under the NASA contract.



http://www.qdrive.com


theAmericas,withofficesworldwide.Praxairalsodesigns,engineers,andconstructscryogenicsupplysystemsusingQdrive’sSTARmotors.

QdrivehasalsolicensedHelixTechnologyCorporation,ofMansfield,Massachusetts(recentlyacquiredbyBrooksAutomation, Inc., of Chelmsford, Massachusetts), tomake and sell its coolers for the demanding fields ofsemiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing.TheCTI-CryogenicsdivisionofHelixTechnologyisthe

globalleaderincryogenichigh-vacuumproducts,wherereliabilityandlow-vibrationareparamount.

OtherdevelopmentcustomersincludetheLosAlamosNationalLaboratoryandtheAppliedResearchLaboratoryatPennStateUniversity—bothglobal leaders in ther-moacoustics—aswellasothersuperconductingproductscompanies,major international refrigerationmanufac-turers,NASA,theU.S.DepartmentofEnergy,theU.S.DepartmentofDefense,andlaboratoryanduniversityresearchersglobally.

Future applications will include cooling in morefamiliarsituations.CFIC-Qdrivehasjustcompletedtheworld’sfirstcompactandefficientthermoacousticfoodrefrigerator (STARdriven) formobileusebytheU.S.Army.Themodificationsrequiredforefficientoperationatnoncryogenicconditionsareapplicabletomanyotherrefrigerationtasksandeventoair-conditioningwithoutenvironmentalrisks,suggestingthatthisSBIRspinoffmaybecomeoneofthecoolestinnovationsyet!v

Qdrive’s water-cooled �S10�K L-form configuration desktop cryocooler.

Qdrive’s shrouded, air-cooled �S10�K desktop cryocooler.

�0 Industrial Productivity and Manufacturing Technology Spinoff 2006


Withretirementofthespaceshuttleimminent,andthecommercialspaceindustryburgeon-ing,NASAissearchingforsafeandinnovative

methodsforcarryingpayloadandpassengerstotheMoon,Mars,andbeyond.Thesearchfornewvehicleshasbeengoingonforsomeyearsnow,withavarietyofplansbeingpursuedandcountlesstechnologiesbeingdeveloped.

One of the early quests for a shuttle replacementinvolvedtheX-33program,initiatedin1996.ThegoaloftheX-33programwastoreducethebusinessandtechnicalrisksassociatedwithspacetravelsothatprivateindustrycould build and operate the next-generation reusablelaunchvehicle(RLV)byfirstdesigning,constructing,andflyingahalf-scaleprototypethatwoulddemonstrate(inflight)thetechnologiesneededforthenewRLV.

TheX-33wasintendedtopavethewayforafull-scale,commerciallydevelopedRLVtobebuiltbytheLockheedMartinCorporationaftertheturnofthecentury.Thefull-scale RLV would dramatically reduce the cost ofputtingpayloadsintospaceand,ultimately,replacethespaceshuttle.

TheLockheedMartindesignfortheX-33wasselectedfromthreedesignssubmittedtoNASA.Theconceptusedawedgedshapecoupledwithanaerospikerocketenginetopropelthevehicle,andaruggedmetallicthermalpro-tectionsystemtoshieldagainsttheextremevariationsintemperaturethecraftwouldendureduringtakeoffandreentry.

Itwasdesignedtotakeoffverticallylikearocketandlandhorizontally likeanairplaneafterhavingreachedhypersonicspeedsandaltitudesofupto50miles.

TheX-33programwasmanagedbytheMarshallSpaceFlightCenterandthecraftwouldhavebeenlaunchedataspecialsiteonEdwardsAirForceBase,inCalifornia.

Duetotechnicalproblemswiththevehicle’scompositeliquidhydrogentanks, though, theX-33programwascancelledinFebruary2001,withLockheedMartingiventheoptionbyNASAtocontinuedevelopmentofthecraftonitsown.

Sciencedevelopedforthevehicleprototypeproceededinmanydirections,includingtowardadvancingknowl-edge needed to create the next-generation RLV, andtoward creating a small fiber-optic-based temperaturesensorthathasfoundusesaswidespreadasautomatingtheoilandgasindustrytoensuringthestructuralintegrityoflargeconcretedams.

Temperature Sensing for Oil, Gas, and Structural Analysis

This artist’s rendering depicts the three designs submitted to NASA for the X-�� reusable launch vehicle, an early program addressing the eventual replacement of the space shuttle fleet. NASA considered design submissions (pictured left to right) from Rockwell Collins, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and the McDonnell Douglas Company. NASA selected Lockheed’s Martin’s Design.

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/x-33/home.htm

�1 Industrial Productivity and Manufacturing Technology Spinoff 2006

Partnership

In 1996, Systems and Processes EngineeringCorporation (SPEC), of Austin, Texas, undertook aNASASmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)con-tractwithLangleyResearchCentertodevelopacompactandlightweightdigitalthermalsensing(DTS)systemformonitoringthecryogenictanksontheX-33prototypeair-craft.Thattechnology,alongwithaprocessordevelopedbySPECforGoddardSpaceFlightCenter,wasspace-qualifiedandintegratedintoseveralNASAmissions.

SPECformedanancillaryorganization,SensorTran,Inc.,tocontinueworkdevelopingtheDTStechnologyforavarietyofcommercialandindustrialapplications.

ProductOutcome

Bytheyear2000,SensorTranwasemployingtheDTStechnologyaroundtheworldintheoilandgasindustry,theelectricalpowerindustry,inprocessingplants,andtoteststructuralintegrityoflargestructures.

Nowinitssecondgeneration,thecommerciallyavail-abledevice,billedastheSensorTran5100,isanindustryleaderbecauseofitsperformance,ruggedness,andcost-effectiveness.Thedevicemeasurestemperaturealonganopticalfiberbymonitoringtheamplitudeofbackscatterfroma laserpulsethroughthefiber,withtemperatureprofilesaccuratetohalfadegreeCelsiusalongfullkilo-metersofopticalfiber.Bymeasuringtemperatureovertheentiresurfaceofanarea,theSensorTran5100providesthousandsofmeasurementpointstomonitoractualcon-ditions.Theseextensivereal-timedataallowoperatorstomakebetterdecisionsaboutperformance,toreduceoperatingcosts,andtoincreaseperformanceandreturnoninvestment.

Intheoilindustry,ithelpscompaniesmaketherightdecisionsfortheoperationoftheiroilwellsbygivingthemcleardepictions ofdownhole conditions.Oftenwhendownholeinformationisavailable,itislimitedorvague,leavingoilcompanieswithhighlevelsofuncertainty,which

couldpotentiallycostvaluabletimeandresources.TheSensorTran5100instrumentreducesthisuncertaintybyprovidingclearerpicturesofwellconditions,whichallowsforbetterdecisionsandmaximizesoverallproductivity.Usingtheinstalledopticalfiber,itmeasurestemperatureovertheentirelengthofthewell,detectingconditionsat

anylocation.Italsopermanentlymonitorsconditionsovertime,capturingcriticaleventsastheyoccur,whilehelpingreducetheriskandcostofwellintervention.

Thedeviceenablesuserstobetterseeconditionsandeventsanywhereintheirwellsatanytime,allowingthemtomaketherightdecisions.

An artist’s conception of a half-scale X-�� demonstrator, one of the first visions for a space shuttle replacement, flying over a southwestern desert. The vehicle had a wedge-shaped lifting body, with two vertical fins and a pair of stub wings. At the rear was the aerospike engine, an experimental design that lacked the nozzles of conventional rockets.

http://www.spec.com/index_1024.html

http://www.spec.com/index_1024.html



http://www.sensortran.com

http://www.sensortran.com


Oilindustryuserscan:

• troubleshootwellboreconditionswithoutintervention andidentifyproblemsbeforetheybecomeserious;

• locatetubingandequipmentleaks;

• detectflowbehindcasing;

• identifycross-flowandwaterorgasbreakthrough;

• optimizemultizoneproductionoverthelifeofawell;

• monitorchangesinzonecontributions;

• monitorsteamfloodandsteam-assistedgravity drainage(SAGD)efficiency;

• verifyeffectivenessofdownholeoperationsin realtime;

• confirminjectionprofiles;

• monitorcementingjobs;and

• verifycementtopsandgas-liftvalveoperation.

Inthepowercablemonitoringindustry,theSensorTrandevicealsooffersahostofbenefits.Traditionalmethodsfor calculating load ratings relyonestimates for cableheatdissipationunderdifferent loads and conditions.Thedownsideofthismethodisthatitproducesoverlyconservativeloadratings,leavingcableswithsignificantunused capacity. The SensorTran instrument allowsengineerstoincreaseloadratingsbydirectlymeasuringtemperatureovertheentirelengthofacableandunderactualconditions.Thisprovidesamuchmoreaccuratepictureofcableheatdissipation,which,inturn,producesa more accurate cable rating. Estimates suggest thatutilizingDTSmeasurementscanincreasecableratingsbyasmuchas25percent.

ThesehigherratingsavailablewithDTScanprovidesignificantbenefits forpowercompanies,because theycandefernewcapitalexpenditures,delivermorepowerwithexisting infrastructure, anddefermillionsofdol-larsinplannednewconstruction.Theratingsalsoallowthemtoreduceload-sheddingeventsandthenumberofblackoutsandbrownoutsontheirsystems,whichtranslate

intointernalbenefitsthathelptogreatlyimprovecustomerserviceandsupportfuturecustomergrowth.Theneedforadditionalinvestmentisreducedbyextendingthelifeofexistingundergroundcables.

Whenproblemareasinpowercablelines,calledhot-spots,arenotknownorchangeovertime,powercableoperatorsmayberoutinelyloadingcablesabovethermallimits.WiththeSensorTran5100,engineerscanaccu-ratelypinpointthelocationandseveritiesofallhotspots,helpingextendcablelifebyensuringtemperaturelimitsarenotexceeded.Thedevicecanevenprovideautomaticalarms,givingoperatorsgreaterconfidenceundercriticalloadconditions.

SensorTran 5100 can ameliorate new cable designandoperation.BydesigningnewcableswithanexpectedhigherratingfromDTSdata,lessexpensivecablescanbeused.Inaddition,withthesensorinstalledfromtheverybeginning,theconditionsofthecableforitsentirelifecanbetracked,helpingbetterestimatecablelifeandoptimizecablemaintenance.

Thebenefitsofthistechnologyalsoextendintomoni-toringprocessingplants.WiththeSensorTran5100,plantoperatorsnowhave theability to thoroughlymonitortheirprocessingvesselsandplantpipelinesinrealtime.Usingstandardopticalfiber,thedevicecanmonitortheentiresurfaceofanyvessel,suchasareactorvesselorcryo-genictank,helpingoperatorspinpointthelocationand

The SensorTran �100 DTS unit is rugged, cost-effective, and precise.


severityofimpendinginsulationfailureorcatastrophicleaks—evenoninternalsurfaces.Theentirelengthofanyplantpipelinecanalsobemonitoredforpotentialleaks.

Bymonitoringvesselsandpipelinesinrealtime,opera-torscanrespondquicklytoleaksorspills,thusreducingdowntime and improving plant safety. In addition,maintenanceschedulescanbeoptimizedbasedonactualconditionsinsteadofestimatedguesses.

DTScanalsobeusedtomonitorthestrengthoflargecementstructures.WiththeSensorTran5100,engineersnowhavetheabilitytomonitorcriticaldamstructuresfrom the inside out, to ensure proper cement curingandsufficientintegritythroughoutthelifeofthestruc-ture.Usingstandardoptical fiber installedthroughoutandaroundthedamstructureduringconstruction,theSensorTran5100canprovideinitialinsightintotheprog-ressofcementcuringtohelplocateanysignificantflawsforreinforcement.Inaddition,thesensorcanbeusedoverthelifeofthedamtopreciselylocateanyemergingleaksthroughoutthedamstructure.Withanaccuratelocationofleaks,correctiveactioncanbetakentostoporreducepotentialdamagingeffects.v

SensorTran5100™isatrademarkofSensorTran,Inc. A group of engineers gathers to collect temperature data using the SensorTran �100 on the Yu River dam construction project in the Guizhou Province of China.

The SensorTran unit relies on advanced fiber optics. The device measures temperature along an optical fiber by monitoring the amplitude of backscatter from a laser pulse through the fiber, with temperature profiles accurate to half a degree Celsius along full kilometers of optical fiber. By measuring temperature over the entire surface of an area, the SensorTran �100 provides thousands of measurement points to monitor actual conditions. This precision is useful in myriad industries.



Theenvironmentofspacepresentsscientistsandengineerswiththechallengesofaharsh,unfor-giving laboratory in which to conduct their

scientificresearch.SolarastronomyandX-rayastronomyaretwoofthemorechallengingareasintowhichNASAscientistsdelve,astheopticsforthishigh-techworkmustbeextremelysensitiveandaccurate,yetalsobeabletowithstandthebatteringdishedoutbyradiation,extremetemperatureswings,andflyingdebris.RecentNASAworkonthisruggedequipmenthasledtothedevelopmentofastrong,thinfilmforbothspaceandlaboratoryuse.

Partnership

Through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with Goddard Space Flight Center,Luxel Corporation, of Friday Harbor, Washington,developedkeymaterialsthatwillhelpNASAresearchersas theyexplore theunforgivingenvironmentof space.WithNASA’sassistance,thecompanydevelopedanovelmanufacturing process for ultra-thin films that haveapplicationinenhancingX-rayandextremeultraviolet(EUV)filtertechnology.

Thefilmsincorporatecompositepolymersupportmeshwithpolyimideormetallicultra-thinfilms,whichmakesthemstrongerandmoredurable,whilestillmaintainingtheiropticalfilteringintegrity.Themeshwasspeciallycharacterized for adhesion, mechanical and vibrationstrength,X-raytransmittance,andthroughputgain.

ThisisthefourthsuccessfulNASASBIRcontractthatLuxelhascompletedinthisarea,withothersincluding“ApplicationsofThinPolyimideFilmstoX-rayOptics,”“High Throughput Thin Foil Filters with EnhancedDurability for theSoftX-rayandEUVRegions,”and“Polyimide X-ray Filters Optimized for Strength atCryogenicTemperatures.”

WhileNASAwillfinduseforthesefilteringfilmsinavarietyofoptical andplasmaresearchvenuesduring

future missions, Luxel’s customers have been findingusesforthisnewtechnologyingovernmentandcommer-ciallaboratories.

ProductOutcome

In the 30 years that Luxel has been in operation,it has pioneered development of new filter materialsandtechniquesforthefabricationofthefilteringfilms,andwithitsyearsofindustryexperience,itcanproducefiltersandwindowslargerandstrongerthanpreviouslythoughtpossible.

Its filters are cutting edge.Manyof thenewLuxeldesigns are allowing researchers tobetterdiscriminateregionsoftheelectromagneticspectrum,andits filtersroutinelydemonstrateremarkablestrengthfortheirsize.Manyofthemareabletowithstandspacecraft launch,pressuredifferentials,andmaintaingascellintegrity.Luxeldeliverssomeofthehighestqualityfoilfiltersavailable,producedfromover70differentmaterials,compounds,

and organics, supplied on both standard and customframes.Thepolyimideandmetallicfoilfiltersthatwereadvanced under the NASA contracts are now part ofLuxel’scommercialofferingsandbeingusedbyaplethoraofresearchers.

The new filters, combined with Luxel’s newmanufacturing process—a late discovery in the SBIRworkthatresultedinaradicalnewmethodforproducingcomposite polymer supports using photolithographyandpolyimide—areaviableoptionformanyofLuxel’scustomers.Thisnewmanufacturingcapabilityisaboontocustomers,asitallowsLuxeltoprovidelargequantitiesoftheultra-thinfilms.

The researchers also increased the performance ofthefilms.Theydiscoveredthatbyincorporatingeitherhigh-moduluspolymerfibersortungstenfilamentsintoafilter’sconstruction,theaverageburststrengthincreasesby200-percentmorethanthatofthebaselineelectro-formednickelmesh;andtheultra-finediameterfilamentsused in filter construction have the ability to reduce

obscurationeffectsby10to15percentoverthosesameexistingmeshsystems.

ThesefiltersfabricatedforX-rayandEUVapplicationsusingpolymercompositesupportmesharehighlytransparentinthehigh-energywavelengths, even in extreme conditions.Theyarehardyenoughtosurviveroughhan-dling,whichmakesthemidealforavarietyofresearchapplications.v

Robust, Thin Optical Films for Extreme Environments

Luxel Corporation is a top supplier of thin foil filters. The company supports customer requirements for X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) research programs. Its work with NASA under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract helped to create key filtering materials for protecting optics in harsh environments. These materials are now helping researchers everywhere.



http://www.luxel.com



NASA’s Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology(UEET)programwasformedin1999atGlennResearch Center to manage an important

nationalpropulsionprogramfortheSpaceAgency.TheUEETprogram’sfocusisondevelopinginnovativetech-nologiestoenableintelligent,environmentallyfriendly,andclean-burningturbineenginescapableofreducingharmfulemissionswhilemaintaininghighperformanceandincreasingreliability.

Seventechnologyprojectsexistunder theprogram,witheachprojectworkingtowardsspecificgoalstopro-videnewtechnologyforpropulsion.Oneoftheseprojects,MaterialsandStructuresforHighPerformance,iscon-centratingondevelopinganddemonstratingadvancedhigh-temperaturematerialstoenablehigh-performance,high-efficiency,andenvironmentallycompatiblepropul-sionsystems.Materialsincludeceramicmatrixcomposite(CMC)combustorlinersandturbinevanes,diskalloys,turbineairfoilmaterialsystems,high-temperaturepolymermatrixcomposites,andlightweightmaterials forstaticenginestructures.

Partnership

Hyper-ThermHigh-TemperatureComposites, Inc.(Hyper-ThermHTC),isaworldwideleaderinproduc-inghigh-temperature ceramic compositematerials. Inthemid-1990s,theHuntingtonBeach,California-basedcompanycreatedasilicon-dopedboronnitride(BN)fibercoatingforadvancedCMCs.Thisdevelopmentwasgearedtowardsdemandingapplicationsthatrequire increaseddurabilityandlongevity,aswellasdemandingenviron-ments,suchasspace.

ByparticipatinginNASA’sSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)programwithGlenn,Hyper-ThermHTCishelping theUEETprogramreach itsgoals to“developandhandoffrevolutionaryturbineenginepro-pulsiontechnologiesthatwillenablefuture-generation

vehiclesoverawiderangeofflightspeeds.”Hyper-ThermHTC’sceramiccompositesarealsobeingevaluatedbyotherNASAprogramsthatrequireimprovedmaterialsfornext-generationlaunchandflightvehicles.

Additionally, Hyper-Therm HTC was contracted(SBIR) by Glenn’s neighbor to the south, MarshallSpaceFlightCenter,todeviseauniqueandcost-effectivemethodology formanufacturingaxisymmetricceramiccomposite structures.According to the company, thisprojecthelpedtofacilitatetheworld’sfirstactivelycooled,continuousfiber-reinforcedsiliconcarbide(SiC)-matrixcomposite thrust chambers for liquid rocket propul-sion systems.Thesepropulsiondevicesweredesignedtobecooledwithcryogenicliquidhydrogen,toprovideprotection from severe, high-temperature combustionenvironments (greater than6,500°F liquidhydrogen/oxygen).Hot-firetestingofthedeviceswasperformedbyGlenn.

ByworkingwithNASA’sGlennandMarshallcenters,aswellasotherbranchesofgovernment,Hyper-ThermHTCwasabletofurtherdevelopandoptimizeitscompos-itetechnologyforgovernmentandcommercialaerospace,pluscommercialindustrialapplications.

ProductOutcome

Hyper-ThermHTChasexperiencedsalesinexcessof$4million,thankstoitsadvancedcompositematerials,coatings,andcomponents.Thetechnologyhasbeenfoldedintoeverythingfromhypersonicairframeandthermalre-entrystructures,toturbinedisks,lasermirrorsubstrates,heat-enginedevices,ballisticpenetrators,micro-rotarycut-tingtools,andfree-standingrefractorymetalcomponentsfornuclear,medical,andmaterialsresearchapplications.

The cutting-edge composites are produced viaisothermal/isobaric and forced-flow chemical vaporinfiltration(CVI)processingtechniques.Thecompany’smostpopularhigh-temperaturestructuralmaterialsystemsare composedof carbonandSiC fiber reinforcementsin aCVISiCmatrix.Available fiber coatings includesilicon-dopedBN,pyrolyticBN,pyrolyticcarbon(PyC),andduplexPyC-B

4C,allofwhichhavebeendeveloped

to impart an optimum balance of strength, fracturetoughness,andstrain-to-failure.

Forapplicationsdemandingincreaseddurabilityandlifeinaggressiveenvironments,Hyper-ThermHTCoffersitsmultilayerSiCfibercoatingsystemanditspseudo-porousSiCsystem.Themultilayerfibercoatingsystemiscomposedofverythin(about100nanometers),weaklybondedlayersofstoichiometricSiCandwasdevelopedtomitigatetheinherentproblemsofoxidationandmoistureinstabilityplaguingcurrentlyavailablePyCandBNfibercoatings.(InitsworkwithNASA,thecompanyachievedahundredfoldimprovementinmoisturestabilityoverstan-dard,low-temperature-derivedBNfibercoatings.)Thepseudo-porousfibercoatingsystemiscomposedofathin(lessthan1micrometer),breakablemonolayernetworkofporousSiC—alsodevelopedtomitigatetheassociatedproblemswithPyCandBN.

Lookingahead,thestirringdemandforstronger-but-lighter, high-temperature, cost-effectivematerialswillfortifyHyper-ThermHTC’sbusinessopportunities inexistingmarkets,aswellasnewones.v

The Cutting Edge of High-Temperature Composites

Hyper-Therm High-Temperature Composites, Inc., is developing advanced composite materials for a variety of high-temperature aerospace applications, including hypersonic aircraft thermal structures and advanced rocket propulsion thrust chambers.

http://www.ueet.nasa.gov/



http://www.htcomposites.com







Glenn Research Center has combined state-of-the-art electrical designs with complex,computer-aided analyses to develop some of

today’smostadvancedpowersystems,inspaceandonEarth. The center’s Power and On-Board PropulsionTechnologyDivisionisthebrainbehindmanyofthesepowersystems.Forspace,thisdivisionbuildstechnolo-giesthathelppowertheInternationalSpaceStation,theHubbleSpaceTelescope,andEarth-orbitingsatellites.ForEarth,ithaswovenadvancedaerospacepowerconceptsintocommercialenergyapplicationsthat includesolarandnuclearpowergeneration,batteryandfuelcellenergystorage,communicationsandtelecommunicationssatel-lites,cryocoolers,hybridandelectricvehicles,andheatingandair-conditioningsystems.

Whetheritisenergizingthelatestspace-boundpropul-sionsystemsorprovidingenergyforterrestrialpurposes,

Glenn’spower-generation technologygivesNASAtheboostitneedstoachieveitsmissionsinbothrealms.

Partnership

In1999,InframatCorporationreceivedfundingandtechnicalsupportfromGlenn,intheformofPhaseIandPhaseIISmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)contracts, to fabricate high-frequency, soft magnetic/ceramicnanocompositesinordertoadvancethemagnetic

performanceof theSpaceAgency’s electronic,power-generating equipment. According to the Farmington,Connecticut-based company, if thesenanocompositescouldfeasiblybedeveloped,theycouldyieldimprovedproperties over conventional ferrites, including acombination of higher magnetic permeability, higherelectrical resistivity, and lower magnetic loss. (Foundinelectronicdevices,aferriteisanygroupofmagneticsubstancesthatconsistessentiallyofferricoxidecombined

Nano Goes Magnetic to Attract Big Business

Glenn Research Center engineers assemble a NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) for testing. This thruster is a next-generation propulsion system that could revolutionize the way NASA sends science missions deep into the solar system. The thruster is built to use xenon gas and electrical power to drive spacecraft.

Inframat Corporation is an emerging technology company founded in 1�� to develop nanostructured materials to improve performance and extend the life of coated components used throughout the global infrastructure. These materials include magnetic nanocomposites with superior magnetic properties and a plasma spray nanocoating, seen here being applied by a spray gun onto a steel roller.


http://powerweb.grc.nasa.gov

http://powerweb.grc.nasa.gov


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/index.html


http://www.inframat.com



with theoxidesof oneormoremetals andhavehighmagneticpermeabilityandelectricalresistivity.)Inframatclaimed that,over thepasthalf-century, conventionalferriteshavebeentheonlytypeofmagneticmaterialforhigh-frequencyapplications,addingthat theyperformrelativelypoorlyathighfrequencies.Theseferritesarealsoknowntodeterioratewhenexposedtolargedemagnetizingfieldsatlowtemperatures.

Inframatwenttoworkonmanufacturingnanocom-positematerialswithvariousmagneticfrequencies,usingawet-chemicalsynthesistechnique.TheintentwastocreatetechnologythatcouldhaveamajorimpactonNASA’spowermanagementanddistributionapplications,aswellaswithinthecommercialmarket.

WhilethetechnologydidnotcometofruitionduringtheNASASBIReffort,Inframatwasabletomakethemostoutofwhatithadlearnedduringthisentireexpe-rience,aswellasthefundingitreceived,tolaterresolvesomeoutstandingtechnicalissuesandcreateanenablingtechnologyforcommercialapplications.

ProductOutcome

While electronic systems are trending towardmultifunctionality and increased miniaturization athigherspeedsandlowercoststhaneverbefore,theycanstillhavetheirlimitations.Forexample,currentinductive(power)componentsinatraditionalsemi-conductingchipcanbeamajorimpedimentforthemassminiaturizationofelectronics,duetothefactthatconventional,micro-sized,magneticmaterialscanonlybeusedproperlyatverylowfrequencies.

The limitations of conventional magnets becomesignificantinhigh-frequencyapplications(above1mega-hertz),because theirpermeability,ormagnetic-qualityfactor,startstodecreaseasfrequencyincreases,therebyincreasingtheirdeteriorationexponentially.

Totranscendthese limitationsandpropel toanewlevelthemanufacturing,cost,weight,performance,andreliability improvementsdemandedofhigh-frequency

electronicdevicesandinductors,InframathasspunoffacompanycalledEmbeddedNanomagnetics,Inc.Thisnewenterprise is commercializing Inframat’s revolutionarynanocomposite advancements under the brand nameM-power.According to Inframat, theM-powerbrandnameisrepresentativeofoneofthekeypoweradvantagesofEmbeddedNanomagneticsproducts:“…thefactthattheydeliverup to10 timesmore inductive value andefficiencythanconventionalmagneticmaterialsof thesamesize.”

For the designing and manufacturing of M-powernanocomposites,InframatandEmbeddedNanomagneticshaveaproprietaryprocessinplacethatenablesextremelydensepackingofnanoscalemagneticparticlesintoamag-neticpasteorfilm.Whenconfiguredasananomagneticpaste,forinstance,thematerialiscapableofachievingthehigh-inductancevaluesthatarerequiredforembeddedpowercircuitboardapplications(applicationsforwhichhigh-inductance values cannotbe accomplishedusingthinfilmtechniques).Inthiscase,thepastecansimply

besilk-screenedontoacircuitboard.Ontheotherhand,whenconfiguredasathinfilm,thematerialcanachievehigh-inductancevaluesforapplicationsthataredependentonsemiconductorwafers,insteadofcircuitboards.

TheM-powermagneticmaterialhasdemonstratedthatitcanmaintainhighpermeabilitywithextremelylowcoreloss(losscausedbyamagnetizationofthecoreanditsresistancetomagneticflux)andexcellentelectricalproper-ties,evenathighfrequenciesextendingintothegigahertzrange(1,000megahertzequals1gigahertz).ThisdesignpossessessoftmagneticpropertiesthatInframatconsid-ers“farsuperior”tothoseofconventionalferrites,thus,itenables“muchgreaterflexibility”intailoringmagneticandelectricparametersinawiderangeofapplications.

Device use for M-power materials include: powerconverters,antennas,broadbandfilters,sensors,digitalpackingconverters,radiofrequencyswitches,microwaveand millimeter wave circulators, sound-suppressors,hybrid integrated circuits, and semiconductor wafers.Theseapplicationscoverabroadspectrumofcommercialmarkets,suchastelecommunications,computers,con-sumerelectronics,automotives,aerospace,defense,powergeneration,andindustrialoperations.

EmbeddedNanomagneticsisinitiallyfocusingontheelectronics,telecommunications,anddefensemarkets,asithasattractedtheattentionofseveralmarketleadersintheseindustries.Oneoftheseleaders,TagentCorporation,isworkingtointegratetheM-powermaterialsintosmall,cost-effective radio frequency identification systemsintendedforfullyautomatedelectronictagreadinganditemtracking.v

Inframat®isaregisteredtrademarkofInframatCorporation.

M-power™isatrademarkofInframatCorporation.

Telecommunications is a part of Embedded Nanomagnetics, Inc.’s initial market focus. Pictured here is a microtransformer for DC-DC converters in cell phone applications.

Imag

e co

urte

sy o

f Drs

. P.M

. Raj

and

Lix

i Wan

.



Eachspaceshuttleorbiterhas38PrimaryReactionControlSystem(PRCS)thrusterstohelppowerandpositionthevehicleformaneuversinspace,

including reentry and establishingEarthorbit.Minorflawsintheceramicliningofathruster,suchasachiporcrack,cancrippletheoperationsofanorbiterinspaceandjeopardizeamission.Theabilitytolocate,measure,andmonitortinyfeaturesindifficult-to-inspectPRCSthrust-ersimprovestheiroverallsafetyandlifespan.

These thrusters have to be detached and visuallyinspectedingreatdetailatoneoftwoNASAfacilities—theWhiteSandsTestFacilityortheKennedySpaceCenter—beforeandaftereachmission,whichisanexpenseofbothtimeandmoney.

Partnership

LaserTechniquesCompany,LLC(LTC),ofBellevue,Washington,buildscustomizedlaser-basedmeasurementandinspectiondevicestohelpimprovethesafety,reliabil-ity,andusefullifeofhigh-value,safety-criticalequipmentandindustrialmachineryforthecommercial,defense,andaerospaceindustries.

In2002,JamesDoyle,presidentofLTC,successfullydemonstratedthataminiature,high-performancelasercould locateandmaphidden flaws inPRCSthrustersthatweresmallerthantheheadofapin,toanaccuracyof0.0003inches.

Through the NASA-sponsored Montana StateUniversityTechLinkCenter,Doyledeliveredapresenta-tionofhisworkatWhiteSands,whichledtotheissuanceofaNASAcontracttobuildafull-scale,portable,insituthrustermappingsystem.

Theprojectwassuccessful,resultinginthedevelop-mentofanautomatedlaser-basedscanningsystemthatincludedaminiature,high-performancelasersensor.Withthescanninglasersystem,theareaofathrustercanbequicklyinspectedandmapped,providingtechnicianswith

accurate3-Ddataforevaluatingtheceramicsurfacecondi-tion.TheportablelaserscannersystemwassenttoWhiteSands,whereitisusedinthrusterlife-testingprojectsandroutinethrusteroverhaulandrefurbishmentprograms.

NASAisinterestedinextendingtheuseofLTC’spor-tablescanningsystemtoon-shuttleapplications,enablinginspectorstodetectandmapflawsintheliningofthethrusterswhiletheyareattachedtotheshuttle.Thiswouldbeasignificantimprovementoverthecurrentvisualmeth-odsofinspection,whichrequireremovalandshippingofthethrusters.

ThesuccessfulresultsofthethrustermappingprojectresultedinpositiveexposureofLTC’scapabilitiestootherbranchesofNASA.Workingwith the technical staffsofNASA;theUnitedSpaceAlliance,ofHouston;andHamiltonSundstrandCorporation,ofWindsorLocks,Connecticut,LTCdevelopedanautomated,laser-basedcorrosionmappingsystemforthegasgeneratorsusedintheauxiliarypowerunitsonboththesolidrocketboosters

andthemainorbiter.Thissystem,whichisbeingputintofullproductionthisyear,willeliminatethelaboriousanddifficulttaskofmeasuringcorrosionandpittingontheexternalsurfaceofthegasgeneratorunits.

Asignificantlymoredifficultchallengewasthenpre-sentedtoLTCbythesamegroupofNASAresearchers.AsDoylerecalls,“Theybasicallysaid‘Okay,youdidagreatjobontheexternalsurfaceofthegasgeneratorunit,butcanyoubuildamicrosensorthatmapstheinsidesur-faceofthegasgeneratorinjectorstem?Oh,bytheway,itsinnerdiameterisonly0.095inches,anditisonly3inchesdeep!’”

Theinsidesurfaceoftheinjectorstemisthemostdif-ficultareatoinspect.Eventinyflawsinthegasgeneratorcanresultinthecondemnationoftheseexpensiveparts,andsincetheyareconsideredflightcritical,noflawscanbeallowed.

Approximately4monthsafterreceivingacontracttodevelopaproof-of-principlegasgeneratorstem-mappingsensor,LTCnotifiedNASAthatitwasreadytodemon-stratethedevice.

Not only was LTC ahead of schedule, the sensorexceeded the design goals, providing high-resolution,3-D images of pits as small as 0.005 inches deep. Itwill be put into full production for inspection of allgasgeneratorsduringtherefurbishmentprocessat theHamilton Sundstrand facility, in Rockville, Illinois.This system, which will be capable of mapping boththegasgeneratorexternalsurfaceandtheinjectorstem,willsignificantlyimprovetheinspectionprocessbyauto-mating theonerous taskofmanually inspecting thesecriticalparts.

The TechLink center provides assistance for smallbusinesses,suchasLTC,togetexposuretoNASAandtheU.S.DepartmentofDefense—ataskthatisotherwiseparticularlydifficultforsmallbusinesses.ForLTC,thatisallitneeded.

Todate,LTChassuccessfullyintroduceditstechnol-ogy to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Glenn

Laser Mapping for Visual Inspection and Measurement

James Doyle, Laser Techniques Company, LLC, president, kneels to examine the thrusters on Space Shuttle Atlantis.


http://www.wstf.nasa.gov


http://www.laser-ndt.com

http://www.techlinkcenter.org/cgi-bin/techlink/index.html

http://www.techlinkcenter.org/cgi-bin/techlink/index.html


ResearchCenter,WhiteSandsTestFacility,andKennedySpaceCenter.

ProductOutcome

ThedevelopmentsaccomplishedthroughtheprojectsconductedforNASAarebeingdirectlyextendedtothecommercialindustryandformilitarydefenseapplications.Conventionalvisualinspectionandmeasurementmethodscanbetime-consuming,laborious,andinaccurate.“Ourobjective,”statedDoyle,“istoeliminatethepossibilityofmissingapotentiallycrucialflawduetotheeffectsofoperatorsubjectivity,visualacuity,orfatigue.”

LTC’slaser-basedscanningmeasurementandinspec-tionsystems,advancedundertheNASAcontracts,areidealandcost-effectivesolutionstotheseproblems.Theirsmallsizeallowsthemtoscanotherwiseinaccessibleareas,andtheycanmapvirtually100percentofatargetsurfaceinamatterofminutes.Inaddition,theuniqueLaserVideoimagedatasetfromthelaser-scanningprobeprovidesvalu-ablequalitativevisualinformationaboutsurfacecondition.

Theselaser-generatedvisualimagesprovidenearlyphoto-graphicimagequalityofsurfacesthatwouldbeimpossibletophotographusingconventionalborescopes,andexposeflawssuchasscratches,scuffs,anddiscoloration.

LTCoffersavarietyofnoncontactmeasurementandinspectionsolutionsusinglaser-basedsensors.Forinspec-tionofcriticalcomponents,LTChasdevelopedawiderangeofproductsbasedonthreecoretechnologies:laserprofilemapping,LaserVideoimaging,andLaser-ScannedFluorescentPenetrantInspection(LSPI).Allofthecom-pany’stechnologiesaresupportedbyitsLaserMicroMapdataacquisitionsystemandutilizeitsLaserViewersoft-ware for flexibledata acquisition, real-timedisplayofcollecteddata,anddataanalysis.Ithasdevelopedastan-dardproductlinetomeettheneedsofanumberofdiverseapplications,andcan,asitprovedwiththevarietyofworkitperformedforNASA,quicklyadaptthoseproductstonewrequirements.

Laser profile mapping involves a group of sensorsthat provide precise, noncontact measurement and3-Dimagesoftubes,bores,plates,andcomplexsurfaces.

Thesesensorsarehigh-resolution“laser calipers” that take a rapidsuccessionofsingle-pointdistancemeasurements while scanningoverthetargetsurface.Theresultis a 3-D image that provides aquantitativemapoftheinspectedpart.Featuressuchaspits,erosion,and deformation can be rapidlylocatedandaccuratelymeasured.LTC also develops systems thatintegrate eddy current sensors,

complementarynondestructivetestingtechnologythatcandetectsubsurfaceflaws.

WithLaserVideoimaging,ahighlyfocusedlaserspotprovideshigh-resolution,undistortedimagesofhard-to-accesssurfacessuchastubesandbores,revealingfeatureslike cracks, scratches, stains, and variations in surfaceroughness.Theseimagesareacquiredalongwiththepro-filedataandprovideavisualimagethatcomplementsthetopographicaldataset.

The patented LSPI technique provides automatedfluorescent penetrant inspection for real-time detec-tionandmappingofsurface-breakingcracksandotherdefects.LikeLaserVideoimaging,thisnoncontactinspec-tion method is ideal for detecting surface defects indifficult-to-accesscomponents.

Usingthesethreecoretechnologies,LTCoffersanin-houselaserinspectionservice,aswellasafullyequippedlaboratory, including multi-axis, computer-controlledscanningfixtures;opticalbreadboardtables;anda fullcadreoftestinstrumentsandsensors.Thecompanycanquicklysetupandtestsamplesthatclientsprovideforevaluation.Italsooffersremoteoronsiteconsultingtocustomers,todevelopsolutionsforchallenginginspectionandmeasurementapplications.

LTC practices its trade in the defense, aerospace,and energy industries. Defense applications of thislaser-sensingtechnologyincludedetectingandmappingerosion,deformation,andpittinginweaponsrangingfromsmallcaliberrifles,tomortars,tolargecalibercannons.Aerospaceapplications,inadditiontodetectingchipsinthespaceshuttle thrusters, includedetectingcracks inaircraftenginepartsandmeasuringthrustererosion.Intheenergy industry, this technology isuseful fordentmeasurement,qualitymeasurement,andcrackdetectioninnuclearsteamgeneratortubes,andunderwatermappingofpiping.v

LaserVideo™,LSPI™,andLaserMicroMap™aretrademarksofLaserTechniquesCompany,LLC.

A �-D image of corrosion generated using the laser sensor developed under the NASA-funded partnership.

100 Industrial Productivity and Manufacturing Technology Spinoff 2006


Copperis themostwidelyusedelectricalcon-ductor.Likemostmetals,though,ithasseveraldrawbacks: it is heavy, expensive, and can

break.Fibersthatconductelectricitycouldbethesolu-tionstotheseproblems,andtheyareofgreatinteresttoNASA.

Conductive fibers provide lightweight alternativestoheavycopperwiringinavarietyofsettings,includingaerospace,whereweightisalwaysachiefconcern.ThisisanareawhereNASAisalwaysseekingimprovedmaterials.

The fibers arealsomorecost-effective thanmetals.ExpenditureisanotherareawhereNASAisalwayslookingtomakeimprovements.

Inthecaseofelectronicsthatareconfinedtosmallspaces and subject to severe stress, copper isprone tobreakingandlosingconnectionovertime.Flexiblecon-ductive fibers eliminate that problem.They aremoresuppleandstrongerthanbrittlecopperand,thus,findgooduseintheseandsimilarsituations.

While clearly amuch-neededmaterial, electricallyconductivefibersarenotreadilyavailable.Thecostofnewtechnologydevelopment,withallthepitfallsoftrouble-shootingproductionandtheyearsoftesting,andwithouttheguaranteeofanimmediatemarket,isoftentoomuchofafinancialhazardforcompaniestorisk.

NASA,however,sawtheneedforelectricalfibersinitsmanyprojectsandsoughtoutahigh-techtextilecompanythat was already experimenting in this field, SyscomTechnology, Inc., of Columbus, Ohio. Syscom wasfoundedin1993toprovidecomputersoftwareengineeringservicesandbasicmaterialsresearchintheareasofhigh-performancepolymerfibersandfilms.In1999,Syscomdecided to focus its business and technical efforts ondevelopmentofhigh-strength,high-performance, andelectrically conductive polymer fibers. The companydeveloped AmberStrand, an electrically conductive,low-weight, strong-yet-flexible hybrid metal-polymer

yarn. The company, however, had not yet developedmethodsformassproductionofitsproduct.Severaldesignfeatures,aswell,neededcollaborativeimprovementsfromNASAengineers.

Recognizingtheneedforthistechnology,NASAencour-agedthedevelopmentandadvancementofthisadvancedfiber for itsuse in futuremissions,while alsopushingSyscomintothecommercialmarketplacewithadvancedmanufacturing abilities. The U.S. Air Force ResearchLaboratoryandtheUniversityofDaytonalsocontributedexpertiseandfundingtothisrevolutionaryendeavor.

Today, thehybridmetal-polymerwire is replacingsignalwiring in severalNASAapplications, aswell asbeingconsideredforuseasspacetethers,spaceantennas,forelectromagneticinterference(EMI)shielding,andforaplethoraofapplicationswherelightweightwiringisessen-tial.Meanwhile,Syscomisexperiencingunprecedentedgrowthandfindingcountlessapplicationsforitsproduct.

Partnership

SyscomteamedwiththeSpaceAgencythroughaSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract thatwasgearedtowarddevelopingtheabilitytomanufactureAmberStrandonalargescale.AfterasuccessfulPhaseIoftheresearchgrant,inwhichthecompanyprovedthevalidityoftheproject,NASAawardedasecondgrant,alucrativePhaseIIawardthatallowedSyscomtopursuelarge-scale manufacturing by building a machine tomass-producethewire.Thecompanyisnowcapableofproducingupto8.5millionfeetofproductperyear,withone8-hourshiftperday.

Syscom attended an invitation-only conference forNASASBIRrecipientsinSanDiego,wherethecompanywasintroducedtodozensofpotentialusersfromthemili-tary,aerospace,andotherhigh-techfields.ThisconferenceincreasedtheexposureofAmberStrandandgaveSyscomthecredibilitywiththekeyinvestorsthatitneededtomakeuseofitsnew,large-scalemanufacturingabilities.

ProductOutcome

To create AmberStrand, Syscom covers a high-performance polymer fiber with a metallized coating,producing strong-but-flexible strands.The strandsarethenwrappedtogethertoformstrong,lightweightwiring.According to Syscom, the polymer fibers from whichAmberStrand is woven are actually twice as strong asKEVLAR.Whilesomewhatlessconductivethancopper,thefinalproduct isstillmorethancapableofcarryingvirtuallyanycurrentitwouldbecalledupontohandle.

Electrical Conductivity in Textiles

High production volumes and greater product diversity, combined with significantly lower product pricing, will remove most of the entry barriers to the electronic textiles market.

http://www.amberstrand.com

http://www.amberstrand.com



101 Industrial Productivity and Manufacturing Technology Spinoff 2006

It is ideal for lightweight EMI shielding, space andaerospacewiring,andotherapplicationsrequiringhigh-strength,low-weight,andsuperiorconductivity.

SyscomoffersAmberStrandasaseriesofyarnfibersthatarereadilyavailableininventory,butalsomanufac-turescustomfiberstomeetspecificcriteria.Itcomesinavarietyofmetalcoatings,conductivecoatingthicknesses,andinanynumberofbasefilamentsandstrands.Itpassesaseriesofnecessarytests forstrength,resistance, fluidimmersion,flammability,smoketolerance,andtoxicitywithhighrankings.

CurrentcustomersincludeNASA,theU.S.AirForce,andtheaerospaceindustry,sincethisadvanceinwiringtechnologyreducesthemaintenancecostofcommercialandmilitaryaircraft,aswellasspacecraft.

Potential applications include power distributionlines;additionalaircraftandaerospacewiringsystems;automotive wiring harnesses; missile guidance wires;

electrotextilesformilitary,medical,andconsumerapplica-tions;lightweightdeployableantennas;thermalblanketsandclothing;flexiblekeyboards;giant-areaflexiblecircuitsforenergyharvesting;electrostaticchargedissipation;andbattlefieldmonitoringandreportingofvital signsandwoundlocationsonsoldiers.

Syscom is spinning AmberStrand in anticipationof dozens more terrestrial uses for the fibers. Theseapplicationsarebecomingmoreapparenteveryday,withitemslikeheatedclothing,wiringforairbagsensors,andelectronictextiles(electrotextiles)formilitaryandcivilianusescomingintosharpdemand.

Theelectrotextileapplications,previouslynotfeasiblewithstandardtextilesbecauseoflimitationsintheirabilitytoconductcurrent,arenowbecomingpractical.Althoughtheelectrotextileindustryisstillinitsinfancy,itisalmostcertainthat,inthenearfuture,fabricswillnotonlypro-tectthewearerfromtheenvironment,butwillalsohave

intelligentbuilt-infeatures,suchasmultifunctionalsen-sorsorcomputingdevices.Incontrasttorigidelectroniccomponents,theelectrotextilewillbetrulyflexible,soft,andcomfortabletowearandtouch.

Electrotextileswillallowwearersavarietyoffunctions,rangingfromlisteningtoMP3stocontrollingtempera-ture.Likesomanyelectronicentertainmenttrends,whenthiscatcheson,ithasthepotentialtochangetheelectron-ics industryandmakeelectrotextilesandelectronicallyconductivefiberscommonplace,whichwouldcreatefur-therdemandandlikelydrivedownmanufacturingcostsevenfurther.Itmay,therefore,likelybecommoninthenearfuturetoseepeoplewearingclothesthatarewiredwithelectronicdeviceslikecellphones,PDAs,gamingdevices,andmusicplayers.

Thesedevicesarealreadybeingwovenintoinnovative,butexperimental,medicalapparel—wholejacketsorveststhatpatientsweartotransmitvitalsignstohealthcarepersonnel.Formilitaryandlawenforcementapplications,uniformsandbodyarmorcanbeequippedwithbuilt-insensorsandcomputingdevices.Thewoventextilesallowthesetechnologiestobereadilyavailable,buttherewouldnotbeasacrificeinflexibilityorcomfort.

TheNASApartnershipwithSyscomisoneofthefirststeps inbringing theseproducts tomarket.Previously,lightweight,flexibleelectrotextileswerenotaviableoptionformanufacturingandbuilding,becausetheywerenotavailableinlargequantities.ThispartnershipallowsSyscomtoofferthistechnologyatreducedcostandatgreaterquan-tity,whichwillspearheadthemovementtomakingthismuchanticipatedtechnologymoreaccessible.v

AmberStrand™isatrademarkofSyscomTechnology,Inc.

KEVLAR®isaregisteredtrademarkofE.I.duPontdeNemoursandCompany.

AmberStrand metal-clad polymer fibers can be used to incorporate electronic conductivity into otherwise traditional textiles.

10� Industrial Productivity and Manufacturing Technology Spinoff 2006


In1928,AlexanderFleming,ayoungScottishscientistwithasidepracticeofdiscretelytreatingthesyphilisinfectionsofprominentLondoners,was research-

ingagentsthatcouldbeusedtocombatsuchbacterialinfections.Helefthispracticefora2-weekvacation,inad-vertentlyleavingseveralbacterialcultureplatesunwashedandoutoftheincubator.Whenhereturned,whatimme-diatelystruckhimwasthattheplateshadgrownmold,butthebacteriaFleminghadbeenworkingwithwasbeingfendedoffbythemold,whichhecalledpenicillin,afterthemoldPenicillium notatum.Althoughunabletorefineorpurifythepenicillin,Fleminghaddiscoveredthearche-typeofmodernantibiotics.

The days of chance drug discovery and extensivetrial-and-error testingareover, though.Drugs arenotreallydiscoveredinthisfashionanymore;rather,theyarenowdesigned.

Understandingproteins,thebasicbiologicalbuildingblocksforallanimals(includinghumans)andtheregula-torsofbiochemicalprocessesinplants,helpsresearchersdesignthesenewdrugs,combatdiseases,andevenimproveagriculturalproducts,suchaspesticides.Researchersareunlockingthisknowledgebystudyingthegrowthofpro-teincrystals.

Through such study, researchers can now target aspecificproteinofapathogentomaximizeadrug’seffec-tiveness,whileatthesametimeworktominimizepossiblesideeffects.Thisprocess,knownasrationaldrugdesign,hasonemajordownside:Theexactstructureofthetargetproteinmustbedetermined,downtothelastmolecule.

Touncoverthismolecularstructure,scientistsoftenuseX-raycrystallography.Acrystaloftheproteinisbom-bardedwithX-raystoproduceapattern,which,muchlikeafingerprint,revealstheidentityoftheprotein’satomicstructure.Togetanaccuratepattern,though,thecrystalmustbeasfreeofimperfectionsaspossible.Growingsuchcrystalscanbeextremelydifficult—evenimpossible—on

Earth,becausegravitycausesthecrystalstosettleontopofoneanother,whichresultsinstructuralflaws.

Since1985,totakeadvantageoftheabilityofcrystalstogrowfreeofimperfectionsinmicrogravity,avarietyofproteincrystalgrowthexperimentshaveflownonthespaceshuttle,andseveralhaveflownontheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS).

DatacollectedfromtheISSexperimentsallowedthecomparisonofgrowthratesandcrystalqualityofmicro-gravityversusEarth-growncrystals.ThecrystalsthataregrowninmicrogravityareabletogrowlargerandbetterorganizedthanonEarth.Theresearchthatisdoneonthesecrystalsmayfurtherhumanspaceexplorationeffortsbytechnologicalandbiologicaladvancementsdevelopedasadirectresultfromthisresearchandwilllikelyleadtothenewestgenerationsofwonderdrugs.

Partnership

Frequently, scientists grow crystals by dissolving aproteininaspecificliquidsolution,andthenallowingthatsolutiontoevaporate.Themethodsusednexthavebeen,variously,invasive(addingadyethatisabsorbedbytheprotein),destructive(crushingprotein/salt-crystalmixturesandobservingdifferencesbetweenthecrushingofsaltandprotein),orcostlyandtime-consuming(X-raycrystallography).

Incontrast to thesemethods,anewtechnology formonitoringproteingrowth,developedinpartthroughNASASmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)fundingfromMarshallSpaceFlightCenter,isnoninva-sive,nondestructive,rapid,andmorecosteffectivethanX-rayanalysis.ThepartnerforthisSBIR,Photon-X,Inc.,ofHuntsville,Alabama,developedspatialphaseimagingtechnologythatcanmonitorcrystalgrowthinrealtimeandinanautomatedmode.

Spatial phase imaging scans for flaws quickly andproducesa3-Dstructured imageofacrystal, showingvolumetricgrowthanalysisforfutureautomatedgrowth.Itcanmeasurethecharacteristicsofacrystalandthecrys-

tal’s3-Dvolumetricproperties,andcanalsodiscriminatebetweensaltandproteincrystals.

Thespatialphaseimaginginvolvestheuseofpropri-etaryfilters.Theoperatorusesasinglecameratoacquireaseriesofspatialphaseimagesofaspecimen—whichcouldincludeoneormoreproteincrystalsmixedwithoneormoresaltcrystals.Thenext step is todigitallyprocesstheimagedatausingalgorithmsthatextractinformationonthe3-Dpropertiesoftheproteincrystalofinterest,includingitsvolumeandsomeaspectsofitscrystallinestructure.Thisinformationcanbeprocessedfurthertoextractinformationaboutthesymmetryofthecrystalandtodetectflaws.

Themethod is not expected to eliminate theneedforX-raycrystallographyatthelaterstagesofresearch.However,asameansof identificationandpreliminaryanalysisofproteincrystals,itcouldeliminateorgreatlyreducetheneedforX-raycrystallographyasascreeningtechniqueintheearlystages.Inadditiontobeingnonin-vasiveandnondestructive,thenewmethodyieldsresultsso rapidly that it is suitable for real-time monitoring

Spatial Phase Imaging

Crystallization trial of the glucose isomerase enzyme pseudo-colored by the phase of light from a slurry/crystal mixture and captured in �-D.





http://www.photon-x.com


and,hence,forprovidingprocesscontrolfeedback.Thismethodisexpectedtoacceleratethesearchforconditionstooptimizethegrowthofproteinsandtobeameansofautomationofthegrowthofhigh-qualityproteincrystals.

ProductOutcome

WhilethetargetmarketforPhoton-X’sspatialphaseimagingtechnologyincludespharmaceuticalcompanies,aswellaslaboratoriesattheacademic,commercial,struc-tural, andgovernmental levels, this technology isverydesirabletoanyonewhoroutinelysetsuphundredsorthousandsofcrystallizationexperimentsonadailybasis,anditismorecosteffectivethanX-rayanalysis.

Photon-Xhasalsousedthisinnovativetechnologytodevelopcommercial3-Dcameras forvariousmachinevisionandautomated3-Dvisionsystems.ItsSpatialPhaseVideoCameraisabletoextract3-Dinformationpassivelywithoutscannedorstructuredlighting.Thistechnologyrequiresasinglecamera,asingle-imagecapture,andisindependentof range.The3-Doutput is smoothandconnected, with versatility and depth precision oftenexceedingthatoftriangulation-basedmethods.Plus,byeliminating theneed formultiple cameraangles, laserillumination,ormovingtargetstogenerateusabledata,machinevisionsystemsbasedonthesensortechnologycanbelessexpensiveandeasiertoinstall,andaspassivedevices,presentnolaserradiationhazardtopersonnel.

ThePhoton-X3-Dspatialphaseimagingsystemcanrapidlyprovidehighlyaccuratedataabout the surfacefeaturesofitstarget.Thisinformationcanbeprocessedbyexistingapplicationstodeterminethearea,volume,orheightofsurfacefeatures.Thispatented,innovativeapproach to characterizing surface elements is angle-invariantandeasilyscaledtosuitavarietyofapplications,meaningthatsurfacefeaturescanberecognizedatavarietyofdistancesandangles.

Bysimplychangingitsfieldofview,thetechnologyhasbeensuccessfullydemonstratedinsystemswhoseimagedtargetsrangeinsizefrommicroscopiccrystals,tofaces,

automobiles,andaircraft;eventoterrainfeaturesmeasur-inghundredsofyardsinwidthatdistancesuptoseveralmilesfromthesensorunititself.

Specific applications includemachinevision,manydifferenttypesofinspection,rapidprototyping,targetorobjectrecognition,surfacedamageassessments,deforma-tionanalysis,defectdetectionandcharacterization,terrain

mapping,andbiometricfacialrecognition,whichanalyzesaperson’sfacialcharacteristicsthroughdigitalvideoinput.Theimagescanbeusedtoconstructintricatecomposites,whicharethenstoredinadatabase.Thismethodofiden-tificationiscurrentlybeingusedforsecuritysystems,butlawenforcementagenciesarenowexploringitsapplicationinterroristandcriminalrecognition.v

Photon-X’s �-D camera technology can capture a �-D image in single camera frame time. One application, face verification software, has been successfully demonstrated and shown to be a strong �-D face verification tool.



Liketheenvironmentofspace,theunderseaworldis ahostile, alienplace forhumans to live.Butfar beneath thewavesnearKeyLargo,Florida,

anunderwaterlaboratorycalledAquariusprovidesasafeharborforscientiststoliveandworkforweeksatatime.

Aquariusistheonlyundersealaboratoryintheworld.It isownedbytheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration (NOAA), administered by NOAA’sNationalUnderseaResearchProgram,andoperatedbytheNationalUnderseaResearchCenterattheUniversityof North Carolina at Wilmington. Aquarius was firstdeployedinunderwateroperationsin1988andhassincehostedmorethan200scientistsrepresentingmorethan90organizationsfromaroundtheworld.

ForNASA,AquariusprovidesanenvironmentthatisanalogoustotheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS)andthespaceshuttle.AspartofitsNASAExtremeEnvironmentMission Operations (NEEMO) program, the Agencysendspersonneltoliveintheunderwaterlaboratoryforupto2weeksatatime,someofwhomarecrewmem-bers—or“aquanauts”—whoare subjected to the sametasksandchallengesunderwaterthattheywouldfaceinspace.Infact,manyparticipantshavefoundthedeep-seadivingexperiencetobemuchakintospacewalking.

TomaintainAquarius,theISS,andthespaceshuttleas safe,healthy living/researchhabitats for itsperson-nel—while keeping costs in mind—NASA, in 1997,recruitedthehelpofConroe,Texas-basedInvocon,Inc.,todevelopwirelesssensortechnologythatmonitorsandmeasuresvariousenvironmentalandstructuralparametersinsidethesefacilities.

Partnership

Thisproject,fundedthroughaJohnsonSpaceCenterSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR)contract,focusedondevelopingwirelesssensorstohelpcutbackonthe integrationcostsassociatedwithwiredsensors.

It included the conceptual design, fabrication, anddemonstrationof a battery-powered,miniature,wire-less temperature sensor.NASAandInvoconagreed totakeInvocon’sexistingwirelessnetworkcommunicationsystemandcombineitwithvariousmicroelectromechani-calsystems(MEMS)sensors.TheinnovationconsistedofaPCinterfaceunit,agraphicaluserinterface,andmultiplewirelesssensorsthatareeachequivalentinsizetoastackoffivequarters.

Upon completion of the miniature wireless sensortechnology, Johnson’s Human Exploration andDevelopmentofSpaceprogram(nowpartoftheSpaceOperations Mission Directorate) sought to apply it

to the space shuttle to acquire temperaturedata fromseveralfundamentallocationsinandaroundtheshuttlecrewcompartmentandavionicsequipment.HighabovethedepthsofAquarius,thesensorsystemhasflownandoperatedsuccessfullyonspaceshuttlemissionsSTS-92,STS-96, STS-97, STS-100, STS-101, STS-104, STS-106,andSTS-108.FurtheruseofthetechnologyisbeinginvestigatedformonitoringcarbondioxideconcentrationsonboardtheISS,inthecrew’ssleepingquarters,andinregionsofreducedairflow.

ProductOutcome

Afteremergingfromtheseaandshootinghighintotheheavens,Invocon’swirelesssensorsystemhasmadea terrestrial landing as a product called MicroWIS-CO

2.This commercialoffspring is awireless, remote,

low-power,carbondioxidedata-acquisitionsystemfornear-static sensing and recording applications. It usesanon-dispersive infrareddiffusionmethod forcarbondioxidemeasurement.Carbondioxidediffusesintothesensor’sopticalchamber,andmoleculesofthegasabsorbinfraredlight.Thisabsorptionismeasuredtoderivethecarbondioxideconcentration.

MicroWIS-CO2offers threemodesofdata transfer

oncethecarbondioxidelevelisdetermined.Theunitcantransmitdatainrealtimetoanassociatedreceiver;storeinformationinamemorybankforlaterdownloading,viaradiofrequency,toeitherthereceiveroraPC;orconve-nientlycombinebothofthesemodestostreamreal-timeinformationwhilebackingitupinmemory.

Invoconhasalsospunoff several“next-generation”MicroWISproductsthatareconfiguredforapplicationsother thancarbondioxide sensing.The latestof theseproducts, theMicroWIS-XG, canbeused for sensingenvironmental, temperature, strain, and pressureparameters,forexample.

Intheareaofconstruction,oneofthesenext-generationsystems was used to monitor external grout pressureduringthebuildingofthreetunnelsintheNetherlands.

Miniature Wireless Sensors Size Up to Big Applications

Crew members for the ninth NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) excursion arrive at their underwater home: the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory, off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Canadian astronaut Dave Williams led the crew of four, which included NASA astronauts Ronald Garan and Nicole Stott, and University of Cincinnati physician Tim Broderick.



http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NEEMO/index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NEEMO/index.html

http://www.invocon.com



http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-92

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-96/index.html


http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-100







Whenboringtunnelsthroughtheground,propergroutpressureiscritical,becauseitcontrolstheamountofgroutthat isdepositedon the exteriorof the tunnel,whichultimatelydeterminesthestrengthofthewater-sealanddurabilityofthetunnelthroughoutitsusefullife.Anotherimportantreasontomaintainpropergroutpressureisthatitinfluencessurfaceelevationofthegrounddirectlyabovethe tunnel.Whenthegroutpressurebecomes too lowduringconstruction,thesurfacecansink.Thisbecomes

problematicinareaswheremuchofthelandisatorbelowsealevel.

DutchGovernment regulations required that strictcontrolswereusedduringconstructioninordertoensurethatthetunnelswouldmaintaintheirintegrityfor100yearsor longer.TheMicroWIS technologywascalledupontomonitorgroutpressureatseverallocationsduringthebuildingphasetoverifythattheprojectmetqualityandsafetyrequirements.Thewirelessnatureofthesystem

greatlysimplifiedthebuildingprocessandeliminatedanyrisksthatcouldhavecomefromwiresandpowercablesthat couldhavebeencutwhenexposed to theboringmachinesused todig through theground toassemblethetunnels.

In2002,MicroWISsystemswereusedbytheUniversityofHouston to study stresses during construction andtestingofalocalbridge.Thisapplicationstemmedfromconcernsthatcertainsectionsofabridgemayactuallybe compromised in the construction process due toinadequatesupportduringhandlingandinstallation.

Totestthistheory,112MicroWISunitsweremountedatkeylocationsonthebridge—betweenmainboxgirdersandontemporaryk-frames—todeterminestress loadsduringthe6-monthconstructionprocess.Datasamplingtookplaceonceevery8minutesoronceevery30min-utes,dependingonthestageofconstruction.Theunitsmeasured the strains inducedon thebridgebeamsbybothmechanicalloadsanddiurnaltemperatureeffects.Themeasurementstakenandtheresultingdataproducedby the units prevented the builders from adding anyunnecessaryloadsorstrainstothesectionsofthebridgeinquestion.

SincedevelopingthesensorsforNASA,Invoconhasgoneontomanufacturemonitoringsolutionsthathaveflownon20spaceshuttlemissions,includingthelatestSTS-114mission.BycontinuingtosupportNASAwithnewtechnologiesboundforspace,thecompanyisreapingthebenefitsofbringingnewideasdowntoEarth.v

MicroWIS™isatrademarkofInvocon,Inc.

The miniature wireless sensor developed for NASA is equivalent in size to a stack of five quarters. The technology has helped NASA acquire important data to keep astronauts’ remote living quarters safe and has been applied to a variety of sensing applications on Earth.

http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/shuttle/sts-114/index.html

Research and Development at NASA

The success of the Vision for Space Exploration relies upon the ongoing research and development activities conducted at each of NASA’s 10 field centers. In an effort to promote synergy across NASA as it works to meet its long-term goals, the Agency formed four Mission Directorates: Space Operations, Exploration Systems, Science, and Aeronautics Research. These directorates provide NASA Headquarters and the field centers with a streamlined approach to continue exploration in space and on Earth.

10� Research and Development at NASA Spinoff 2006

Research and Development at NASANASAWillCrashanImpactorontheMooninSearchofWater

Tokickoffthequest for lunarwater ice,NASAannouncedthatasmall,secondarypayloadspace-crafttobedevelopedbyAmesResearchCenter

willbeginatriptotheMooninOctober2008tolookforpreciouswater.

The water-seeking spacecraft is called the LunarCRaterObservationandSensingSatellite (LCROSS).It isknownasa secondarypayloadspacecraftbecauseitwillbeginitstriptotheMoononthesamerocketastheLunarReconnaissanceOrbiter(LRO),whichisonadifferentmissiontotheMoon.Therocket,theEvolvedExpendableLaunchVehicle,willlaunchfromKennedySpaceCenter.

TheLCROSSspacecraftwillarriveinthelunarvicinityindependentoftheLROsatellite.PriortoimpactingtheMoon,LCROSSwillorbitEarthtwiceforabout80days,andwillthenstrikethelunarsouthpoleinJanuary2009.

OnthewaytotheMoon,theLCROSSspacecraft’stwomainparts,theShepherdingSpacecraftandtheEarthDepartureUpperStage,willremaincoupled.Asthespace-craftapproachestheMoon’ssouthpole,theEarthDepartureUpperStagewillseparate,andwillthenimpactacraterinthesouthpolearea.A2.2-million-poundplumefromtheEarthDepartureUpperStagecrashwilldevelopastheShepherdingSpacecraftheadsintowardtheMoon.

The Shepherding Spacecraft will fly through theplume,andinstrumentsonthespacecraftwillanalyzethecloudtolookforsignsofwaterandothercompounds.Attheendofitsmission,thesatellitewillitselfbecomeanimpactor,creatingasecondplumevisibletolunar-orbitingspacecraftandEarth-basedobservatories.

HowWeWillGetBacktotheMoon

Beforetheendofthenextdecade,NASAastronautswillagainexplorethesurfaceoftheMoon.Thistime,they

In this artist’s concept, the Earth Departure Upper Stage and the Shepherding Spacecraft approach the Moon (above); the Earth Departure Upper Stage impacts at the south pole (below).


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/research/exploringtheuniverse/lunarorbiter_sum.html

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/research/exploringtheuniverse/lunarorbiter_sum.html

http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov




aregoingtostay,buildingoutpostsandpavingthewayforeventualjourneystoMarsandbeyond.

Thisjourneybeginssoon,withthedevelopmentofanewspaceship.Buildingonthebestofpastandpresenttechnology,NASAiscreatinga21stcenturyexplorationsystemthatwillbeaffordable,reliable,versatile,andsafe.

The centerpiece of this system is a new spacecraftdesignedtocarryfourastronautstoandfromtheMoon,

deliver up to six crewmembers and supplies to theInternational Space Station (ISS), and support futuremissionstoMars.

The new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) will beshapedlikeanApollocapsule,butitwillbesignificantlylargerandincludesolarpanelsforpower.Thenewshipwillbebuilttominimizelife-cyclecosts.Designersarelookingattheprosandconsofavarietyofdifferentsystemsthat

willensurethatthecrewvehicle,aswellasthelaunchandlandingsystems,aresustainableforlong-termusebythenextgenerationofspaceexplorers.

Coupledwiththenewlunarlander,thesystemwillsend twice asmany astronauts to the lunar surface asApollo,andtheycanstaylonger,withtheinitialmissionslasting4to7days.WhileApollowaslimitedtolandingsalongtheMoon’sequator,thenewshipwillcarryenoughpropellanttolandanywhereontheMoon’ssurface.

Oncealunaroutpostisestablished,crewscouldremainonthesurfaceforupto6months.Thecapsulewillalsooperateforupto6monthsinlunarorbitwithoutacrew,eliminating theneed foroneastronaut to staybehindwhileothersexplorethesurface.

The launch system that will get the crew off thegroundbuildsonpowerful,reliablepropulsionelements.Astronautswilllaunchonarocketmadeupofalongershuttlesolidrocketbooster,withasecondstagepowered

byaJ-2Xengine,likethekindusedontheApolloSaturn

Vrockets.Asecond,heavy-liftsystemwilluseapairofthelonger

solidrocketboostersandfiveliquid-fueledenginestoputupto125metrictonsinorbit—slightlymorethantheweightofashuttleorbiter.ThisversatilesystemwillbeusedtoputthecomponentsneededtogototheMoonandMarsintoorbit.Theheavy-liftrocketmaybemodi-fiedtocarrycrewaswell.

Bestofall,thecapsulewillbe10timessaferthantheshuttlebecauseofanescaperocketontopthatcanquicklyblastthecrewawayiflaunchproblemsdevelop.Therealsowillbelittlechanceofdamagefromlaunchvehicledebris,sincethecapsulewillsitontopoftherocket.

Earlyinthenextdecade,thenewshipwillbegintoferrycrewandsuppliestotheISS.Planscallforasmanyassixtripstothestationayear.Inthemeantime,robotic

missionswilllaythegroundworkforlunarexploration.A rocket fires for translunar injection, carrying the Crew Exploration Vehicle and lunar lander toward the Moon.



http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/apollo/apollo-spacecraft.htm


NASAplanstoreturnhumanstotheMoonasearlyas2018.Hereishowamissionwillunfold:

Aheavy-liftrocketblastsoff,carryingalunarlanderanda“departurestage”neededtoleaveEarth’sorbit.Thecrewlaunchesseparately,docksitscapsulewiththelanderanddeparturestage,andthenheadsfortheMoon.

Threedayslater,thecrewenterslunarorbit.Thefourastronautsclimbintothelander,leavingthecapsuletowaitfortheminorbit.Afterlandingandexploringthesurfacefor7days,thecrewblastsoffinaportionofthelander,dockswiththewaitingcapsule,andthentravelsbacktoEarth.Afterade-orbitburn,theservicemoduleportionof the capsule is jettisoned, exposing theheat

shieldforthefirsttimeinthemission.AfterafierydescentthroughEarth’satmosphere,parachutesdeploy,theheatshieldisdropped,andthecapsulelands.

With a minimum of two lunar missions per year,momentum will build quickly toward a permanentoutpost.CrewswillstaylongerandlearntoexploittheMoon’sresources,whilelandersmakeone-waytripstodelivercargo.Eventually, thenewsystemcouldrotatecrewstoandfromalunaroutpostevery6months.

Plannersarealreadylookingatthelunarsouthpoleasacandidateforanoutpost,becauseofconcentrationsofhydrogenthoughttobeintheformofwatericeandanabundanceofsunlighttoprovidepower.

TheseplansgiveNASAahugeheadstartingettingtoMars.TheUnitedStateswillalreadyhavetheheavy-liftsystemneededtogetthere,aswellasaversatilecrewcapsulecapableoftakingthecrewtoandfromaMarsvehicle inlow-Earthorbit.Alunaroutpost just3daysawayfromEarthwillgiveNASAtheneededpracticeof

As many as four astronauts could land on the Moon in the new lunar lander, a spacecraft that recalls the Apollo era but would be leagues more advanced.

Astronauts living at the lunar outpost, likely to be located on the Moon’s south pole, will use the site for scientific data collection and, eventually, as a stopover on a trip to Mars.

110 Research and Development at NASA Spinoff 2006

livingonanotherworldawayfromEarth,beforemakingthelongertrektoMars.

NASATeamDevelopsSpacecraftArmor

SixNASAcentersfromacrossthecountryarejoiningtogetherwithonecommongoal:advanceddevelopmentofaheatshieldthatwillprotectthenextgenerationofspacevehicles.Thefinalflightversionoftheheatshieldand ancillary support systems will be designed andmanufacturedbytheCEVprimecontractorwhenthatcontractisawarded.

As the CEV returns from future missions to theMoon,itwillborethroughEarth’satmosphereatspeedsexceeding6.8milespersecond.Thosespeedscangeneratetemperaturesthatexceed4,800°F.

Thespaceshuttle,bycomparison,entersataspeedof4.7milespersecondandseesamaximumtemperatureof2,900°F.Thecrewvehiclewillseetemperaturesofupto3,400°Fwhenreenteringfromlow-Earthorbit.

Thefasterentryvelocities,andespeciallythehighertemperatures,willmakeprovidingforthesafereturnofNASA’screwvehiclearealchallenge.Toreachthisgoal,ateamcomprisedofengineersfromsixofNASA’sfieldcenterswillconductatmosphericreentrymaterialsandstructurestestsleadingtothedesignanddevelopmentofanewheatshield.

“You can think of the CEV heat shield as a largeFrisbee-likediscthatisattachedtothebottomofthecrewvehicle,”saidJamesReuther,ThermalProtectionSystemAdvanced Development Project (TPS ADP) manageratAmes.

TheTPSADPis ledbyAmes for theCEVProjectOffice.TeamsfromLangleyResearchCenter,JohnsonSpaceCenter,GlennResearchCenter,KennedySpaceCenter,andtheJetPropulsionLaboratory(JPL)arecol-laboratinginthiseffort.

NASA’stwolargearcjetfacilitiesatAmesandJohnsonarehometoexperimentsspecificallydesignedtotestheatshieldmaterialsunderconditionsthatsimulatethesearing

heatandpressureexperiencedduringreentry.ThesearcjettestswilldeterminewhetheracurrentsetofcandidateTPSmaterialswillprovidethecrewvehicleenoughprotectionduringitsfierydescentbacktoEarth.

Thermal mechanical testing at Langley is leadingtowardabetterunderstandingofthestructuralaspectsoftheTPSmaterials.Langleyisalsodesigningtheattach-mentandseparationsystem,aswellasthecarrierstructure(usedtoholdontotheTPSmaterial),fortheheatshield.

GlennresearchersareworkingwithAmesandLangleytodevelopthemainsealfortheheatshield.Theyaredoingastate-of-the-artreviewofpreviouslyandcurrentlyusedsealoptions,sealmanufacturers,potentialrisks,andprosandconsforeachoptioninordertoproviderecommendedsealoptionswithcorrespondingattributesandrisks.

Engineers at Kennedy will conduct various non-destructive tests to analyze the quality of full-sizemanufactureddemonstrationunitsforthecrewvehicle’sheatshield.

JPL engineers areworkingwithAmes engineers todevelopanddocumentarobustsetofTPSrequirementsand associated verification and validation plans forevaluating contractor implementations. They are alsoworkingwithLangleyengineerstodesigntheattachmentand separation system for the heat shield. They havecompleted a state-of-the-art review of previously andcurrently used mechanical attachment and separationoptions,andarenowrefiningandanalyzingoneoptionbeingconsidered.

ToremainontheproposedscheduleoflaunchingtheCEVin2014,NASA’swidespreadTPSteamisworkingtocompletetheadvanceddevelopmentandselectthefinalTPSmaterialandoveralldesignofadurableheatshieldby2009.

“UnlikesomeoftheotherelementsoftheCEVdesign,theheatshieldmaterialselectionanddesignisbeingrunasanopencompetition,”saidReuther.“ItisarealchallengetoproduceaheatshielddesignthatcanbothprotecttheCEVfromtheextremeheatofentryandsimultaneously

beproducedasasingle16.5-foot-diameterlightweightandrobustdish.”

This advanced development is under the directionoftheCEVprojectatJohnson.GeorgeSarver,managerofAmes’sCEV/CrewLaunchVehicleSupportOffice,concluded,“NASA’sexpertiseinthefieldofthermalpro-tection,acrossallofNASA’scenters,isworldclass.”

NASALaunchesSatellitesforWeather,Climate,andAirQualityStudies

Two NASA satellites were launched in April fromVandenbergAirForceBase,California,onmissionstorevealtheinnersecretsofcloudsandaerosols,tinyparticlessuspendedintheair.

CloudSatandCALIPSO(Cloud-AerosolLidarandInfrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) thunderedskywardatopaBoeingDeltaIIrocket.Thetwosatelliteswilleventuallycircleapproximately438milesaboveEarthinaSun-synchronouspolarorbit,whichmeanstheywillalwayscross theequatorat the same local time.Theirtechnologieswillenablescientiststostudyhowcloudsandaerosolsform,evolve,andinteract.

“Cloudsareacriticalbutpoorlyunderstoodelementofour climate,” saidDr.GraemeStephens,CloudSatprincipalinvestigatorandaprofessoratColoradoStateUniversity.“Theyshapetheenergydistributionofourclimatesystemandourplanet’smassivewatercycle,whichdeliversthefreshwaterwedrinkthatsustainsalllife.”

“WiththesuccessfullaunchofCloudSatandCALIPSO,wetakeagiantstepforwardinourabilitytostudytheglobalatmosphere,”saidDr.DavidWinker,CALIPSOprincipalinvestigatoratLangley.“Intheyearstocome,weexpectthesemissionstosparkmanynewinsightsintotheworkingsofEarth’sclimateandimproveourabilitiestoforecastweatherandpredictclimatechange.”

Each spacecraft will transmit pulses of energy andmeasuretheportionofthepulsesscatteredbacktothesatellite.CloudSat’sCloud-ProfilingRadarisover1,000









http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/sts-tps.html

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/sts-tps.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cloudsat/main

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/calipso/main

111 Research and Development at NASA Spinoff 2006

timesmoresensitivethantypicalweatherradar.Itcandetectcloudsanddistinguishbetweencloudparticlesandprecipitation.CALIPSO’spolarizationlidarcandetectaerosolparticlesanddistinguishthemfromcloudparticles.Lidar,similarinprincipletoradar,usesreflectedlighttodeterminethecharacteristicsofthetargetarea.

The satellites will fly in formation as members ofNASA’s “A-Train” constellation, which also includesNASA’s Aqua and Aura satellites and a French satel-

liteknownasParasol, forPolarizationandAnisotropyofReflectancesforAtmosphericSciencescoupledwithObservationsfromaLidar.Thesatellitedatawillbemoreusefulwhencombined,providinginsightsintotheglobaldistributionandevolutionofcloudstoimproveweatherforecastingandclimateprediction.

CloudSat ismanagedby JPL,whichdeveloped theradar instrument with hardware contributions fromtheCanadianSpaceAgency;ColoradoStateUniversity

providesscientific leadershipandsciencedataprocess-inganddistribution;BallAerospaceandTechnologiesCorporation,ofBoulder,Colorado,designedandbuiltthespacecraft;theU.S.AirForceandU.S.DepartmentofEnergycontributedresources;andAmericanandinterna-tionaluniversitiesandresearchcenterssupportthemissionscienceteam.

This artist’s concept shows NASA’s CloudSat spacecraft and its Cloud-Profiling Radar using microwave energy to observe cloud particles and determine the mass of water and ice within clouds. The mission will collect information about the vertical structure of clouds that will help answer key questions about how they form, evolve, and affect our weather, climate, and water supply.

Artist’s concept of NASA’s CloudSat spacecraft, which will provide the first global survey of cloud properties to better understand their effects on both weather and climate.

http://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/about/atrain.php

http://aqua.nasa.gov

http://aura.gsfc.nasa.gov


CALIPSOisacollaborationbetweenNASAandtheFrenchspaceagency,CentreNationald’EtudesSpatiales(CNES).LangleyisleadingtheCALIPSOmissionandprovidingoverallprojectmanagement,systemsengineer-ing, and payload mission operations; Goddard SpaceFlightCenterisprovidingsupportforsystemengineeringandprojectandprogrammanagement;CNESisprovid-ingaProteus spacecraftdevelopedbyAlcatelSpace,aradiometerinstrument,andspacecraftmissionoperations;HamptonUniversity,inHampton,Virginia,isprovid-ingscientificcontributionsandmanagingtheoutreachprogram;BallAerospacedevelopedthelidarandonboardvisiblecamera;andNASA’sLaunchServicesProgramatKennedyprocured themission’s launch andprovidedmanagementforthemission’slaunchservice.

NASAScientistsAchieveBreakthroughinBlackHoleSimulation

NASAscientistshavemadeabreakthroughincomputermodelingthatallowsthemtosimulatewhatgravitationalwavesfrommergingblackholeslooklike.The3-Dsimula-tions,thelargestastrophysicalcalculationseverperformedonaNASAsupercomputer,providethefoundationtoexploretheuniverseinanentirelynewway.

AccordingtoAlbertEinstein’smath,whentwomas-siveblackholesmerge,allofspacejiggleslikeabowlofgelatinasgravitationalwavesraceoutfromthecollisionat light speed.Previous simulationshadbeenplaguedbycomputercrashes,asthenecessaryequations,basedonEinstein’s theoryofgeneral relativity,were far toocomplex.ScientistsatGoddard,however,havefoundamethodtotranslateEinstein’smathinawaythatcomput-erscanunderstand.

“Thesemergersarebyfarthemostpowerfuleventsoccurringintheuniverse,witheachonegeneratingmoreenergythanallofthestarsintheuniversecombined.Nowwehaverealisticsimulationstoguidegravitationalwavedetectorscomingonline,”saidJoanCentrella,chiefoftheGravitationalAstrophysicsLaboratoryatGoddard.

Similartoripplesonapond,gravitationalwavesareripplesinspaceandtime,afour-dimensionalconceptthatEinsteincalledspacetime.Theyhavenotyetbeendirectlydetected.Furthermore,gravitationalwaveshardlyinteractwithmatterand,thus,canpenetratethedustandgasthatblock theviewofblackholesandotherobjects.TheyofferanewwindowtoexploretheuniverseandprovideaprecisetestforEinstein’stheoryofgeneralrelativity.TheNationalScienceFoundation’sground-basedLaserInterferometerGravitational-WaveObservatoryandtheproposedLaser InterferometerSpaceAntenna, a jointNASA-EuropeanSpaceAgencyproject,hopetodetectthesesubtlewaves.

Black hole mergers produce copious gravitationalwaves,sometimesforyears,astheblackholesapproacheachotherandcollide.Blackholesareregionswheregrav-ityissoextremethatnothing,notevenlight,canescapetheirpull.Theyalterspacetime.Thereinliesthedifficultyincreatingblackholemodels;spaceandtimeshift,densitybecomesinfinite,andtimecancometoastandstill.Suchvariablescausecomputersimulationstocrash.

Thesemassive,collidingobjectsproducegravitationalwavesofdifferingwavelengthsandstrengths,dependingonthemassesinvolved.TheGoddardteamhasperfectedthe simulation of merging, equal-mass, non-spinningblackholesstartingatvariouspositionscorrespondingtothelasttwotofiveorbitsbeforetheirmerger.

Witheachsimulationrun,regardlessofthestartingpoint,theblackholesorbitedstablyandproducedidenti-calwaveformsduringthecollisionanditsaftermath.Thisunprecedentedcombinationof stabilityandreproduc-ibilityassuredthescientiststhatthesimulationsweretruetoEinstein’sequations.Theteamhassincemovedontosimulatingmergersofnonequal-massblackholes.

Einstein’stheoryofgeneralrelativityemploysatypeofmathematicscalledtensorcalculus,whichcannoteasilybeturnedintocomputerinstructions.Theequationsneedtobetranslated,whichgreatlyexpandsthem.Thesimplesttensorcalculusequationsrequire thousandsof linesof

computercode.Theexpansions,calledformulations,canbewritteninmanyways.Throughmathematicalintuition,theGoddardteamfoundtheappropriateformulationsthatledtosuitablesimulations.

The simulations were performed on the Columbiasupercomputer at Ames. Progress also has been madeindependently by several other groups, includingresearchers at the Center for Gravitational WaveAstronomyattheUniversityofTexas,Brownsville,whichissupportedbyNASA’sMinorityUniversityResearchandEducationPrograms.

Gravitational Astrophysics Laboratory team members. From left to right: Michael Koppitz, Jim Van Meter, Joan Centrella, and John Baker.



http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets

http://universe.gsfc.nasa.gov/gravity




StardustMissionFindingsMayAlterViewofCometFormation

Toscientists’ surprise, samples fromcometWild2indicatethattheformationofatleastsomecometsmayhaveincludedmaterialsejectedbytheearlySuntothefarreachesofthesolarsystem.

ScientistshavefoundmineralsformedneartheSunorotherstarsinthesamplesreturnedtoEarthbyNASA’sStardust spacecraft in January. The findings suggestmaterialsfromthecenterofthesolarsystemcouldhavetraveledtotheouterreacheswherecometsformed.Thismayalterthewayscientistsviewtheformationandcompositionofcomets.

“The interesting thing isweare findingthesehigh-temperaturemineralsinmaterialsfromthecoldestplaceinthesolarsystem,”saidDonaldBrownlee,StardustprincipalinvestigatorfromtheUniversityofWashington,Seattle.

Scientistshavelongthoughtofcometsascold,billow-ingcloudsof ice,dust,andgases formedontheedges

This visualization shows what Albert Einstein envisioned. Researchers crunched Einstein’s theory of general relativity on the Columbia supercomputer at Ames Research Center to create a �-D simulation of merging black holes. The simulation provides the foundation to explore the universe in an entirely new way, through the detection of gravitational waves.

Aerogel is a silicon-based solid with a porous, sponge-like structure in which ��.� percent of the volume is empty space. It was fitted into the tennis racquet-shaped collector. One side of the collector faced towards the particles in Comet Wild �, while the reverse side faced the streams of interstellar dust encountered during the journey.

ofthesolarsystem.Butcometsmaynotbesosimpleorsimilar;theymayprovetobediversebodieswithcomplexhistories.CometWild2seemstohavehadamorecom-plexhistorythanthought.

“We have found very-high-temperature minerals,whichsupportsaparticularmodelwherestrongbipolar

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/details2.html

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft.html


jetscomingoutoftheearlySunpropelledmaterialformedneartotheSunoutwardtotheouterreachesofthesolarsystem,” saidMichaelZolensky, Stardust curator andco-investigatoratJohnson.“Itseemsthatcometsarenotcomposedentirelyofvolatile-richmaterialsbutratherareamixtureofmaterialsformedatalltemperatureranges,atplacesveryneartheearlySun,andatplacesveryremotefromit.”

OnemineralfoundinthematerialbroughtbackbyStardustisolivine,aprimarycomponentofthegreensandfoundonsomeHawaiianbeaches.Itisamongthemostcommonmineralsintheuniverse,butscientistsweresur-prisedtofinditincometarydust.

Olivineisacompoundofiron,magnesium,andotherelements.TheStardustsampleisprimarilymagnesium.Along with olivine, the dust from Wild 2 containshigh-temperaturemineralsrichincalcium,aluminum,andtitanium.

Stardustpassedwithin149milesofcometWild2inJanuary2004,trappingparticlesfromthecometinanexposedgel.ItsreturncapsuleparachutedtotheUtahdesert2yearslater,onJanuary15ofthisyear.Thesci-encecanisterwiththeWild2samplearrivedatJohnsononJanuary17.Sampleshavebeendistributedtoapproxi-mately150scientistsforstudy.

“Thecollectionofcometaryparticlesisgreaterthanweeverexpected,”saidPeterTsou,StardustdeputyprincipalinvestigatoratJPL.“Thecollectionincludesabouttwo-dozenlargetracksvisibletotheunaidedeye.”

The grains are tiny, with most being smaller thanahair’swidth.Asinglegrainof10microns,onlyone-hundredthofamillimeter,canbeslicedintohundredsofsamplesforscientists.

Inadditiontocometaryparticles,Stardustgatheredinterstellardustsamplesduringits7-year,2.88billion-mile journey.AteamatJohnson’scuratorial facility iscarryingoutadetailedscanningoftheinterstellarsamples.Indoingso,itwillinitiatethe“Stardust@Home”project,

whichwillenablevolunteersfromthepublictohelpscien-tistslocateparticles.

ThevelocityofthesamplereturncapsulethatenteredtheEarth’satmosphereinJanuarywasthefastestofanyhuman-madeobjectonrecord.Itsurpassedtherecordset in May 1969 during the return of the Apollo 10CommandModule.

JPL manages the Stardust mission for the ScienceMissionDirectorate.

CassiniDiscoversPotentialLiquidWateronEnceladus

NASA’sCassinispacecraftmayhavefoundevidenceofliquid-waterreservoirsthateruptinYellowstoneNationalPark-likegeysersonSaturn’smoon,Enceladus.Therareoccurrenceofliquidwatersonearthesurfaceraisesmanynewquestionsaboutthemysteriousmoon.

To collect particles without damaging them, the Stardust spacecraft used an extraordinary substance called aerogel, in the form of a �-gram piece supporting the weight of a much heavier �.�-kilogram brick.

One mineral found in the material brought back by Stardust is olivine, a primary component of the green sand found on some Hawaiian beaches.

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/aerogel_factsheet.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/spacecraft/index.html

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/science/moons/moonDetails.cfm?pageID=5


“Werealizethatthisisaradicalconclusion—thatwemayhaveevidenceforliquidwaterwithinabodysosmallandsocold,”saidDr.CarolynPorco,CassiniimagingteamleaderattheSpaceScienceInstitute,ofBoulder,Colorado.“However,ifweareright,wehavesignificantlybroadened the diversity of solar system environmentswhere we might possibly have conditions suitable forlivingorganisms.”

High-resolutionCassiniimagesshowicyjetsandtow-eringplumesejectinglargequantitiesofparticlesathighspeed.Scientistsexaminedseveralmodelstoexplaintheprocess.Theyruledouttheideathattheparticlesarepro-ducedbyorblownoffthemoon’ssurfacebyvaporcreatedwhenwarmwatericeconvertstoagas.Instead,scientistshavefoundevidenceforamuchmoreexcitingpossibil-ity:thejetsmightbeeruptingfromnear-surfacepocketsofliquidwaterabove0°C,likecoldversionsoftheOldFaithfulgeyserinYellowstone.

“Wepreviouslyknewof,atmost,threeplaceswhereactivevolcanismexists: Jupiter’smoon,Io;Earth;andpossiblyNeptune’smoon,Triton.Cassinichangedallthat,makingEnceladusthe latestmemberof thisveryexclusiveclub,andoneofthemostexcitingplacesinthesolarsystem,”saidCassiniscientistDr.JohnSpencer,ofSouthwestResearchInstitute.

“Othermoonsinthesolarsystemhave liquid-wateroceanscoveredbykilometersoficycrust,”saidDr.AndrewIngersoll,imagingteammemberandatmosphericscientistattheCaliforniaInstituteofTechnology.“Whatisdiffer-enthereisthatpocketsofliquidwatermaybenomorethantensofmetersbelowthesurface.”

Other unexplained oddities now make sense. “AsCassini approached Saturn, we discovered that theSaturniansystemisfilledwithoxygenatoms.Atthetime,wehadno ideawhere theoxygenwas coming from,”saidDr.CandyHansen,CassiniscientistatJPL.“NowweknowthatEnceladusisspewingoutwatermolecules,whichbreakdownintooxygenandhydrogen.”

ScientistsarealsoseeingvariabilityatEnceladus.“EvenwhenCassini isnot flyingclose toEnceladus,wecandetectthattheplume’sactivityhasbeenchangingthroughitsvaryingeffectson the ‘soup’of electricallychargedparticlesthatflowpastthemoon,”saidDr.GeraintH.Jones,Cassiniscientist,magnetosphericimaginginstru-ment,MaxPlanckInstituteforSolarSystemResearch,Katlenburg-Lindau,Germany.

Scientistsstillhavemanyquestions:WhyisEnceladuscurrentlysoactive?AreothersitesonEnceladusactive?Mightthisactivityhavebeencontinuousenoughoverthemoon’shistoryforlifetohavehadachancetotakeholdinthemoon’sinterior?

“Oursearchforliquidwaterhastakenanewturn,”saidDr.PeterThomas,CassiniimagingscientistatCornellUniversity,inIthaca,NewYork.“ThetypeofevidenceforliquidwateronEnceladusisverydifferentfromwhatwe’veseenatJupiter’smoon,Europa.OnEuropa,theevi-dencefromsurfacegeologicalfeaturespointstoaninternalocean.OnEnceladus,theevidenceisdirectobservationofwatervaporventingfromsourcesclosetothesurface.”

Inthespringof2008,scientistswillgetanotherchancetolookatEnceladuswhenCassiniflieswithinapproxi-mately220milesofthemoon,thoughmuchworkremainsafterCassini’s4-yearprimemissionisover.

“Thereisnoquestionthat,alongwiththemoonTitan,Enceladusshouldbeaveryhighpriorityforus.Saturnhasgivenustwoexcitingworldstoexplore,”saidDr.JonathanLunine,CassiniinterdisciplinaryscientistattheUniversityofArizona,Tucson.

TheCassini-HuygensmissionisacooperativeprojectofNASA,theEuropeanSpaceAgency,andtheItalianSpaceAgency.TheCassiniorbiterwasdesigned,devel-oped,andassembledatJPL.

MarsRoversAdvanceUnderstandingoftheRedPlanet

Stillgoing…MarsroversSpiritandOpportunityhavebeenwork-

ingovertimetohelpscientistsbetterunderstandancientenvironmentalconditionsontheRedPlanet.TheroversarealsogeneratingexcitementabouttheexplorationofMarsoutlinedintheVisionforSpaceExploration.TheycontinuetofindnewvariationsofbedrockinareastheyareexploringonoppositesidesofMars.Thegeologicalinformation they have collected adds evidence about

This enhanced color view of Enceladus was created from �1 false-color frames taken during the Cassini spacecraft’s close approaches to the Saturnian moon on March � and July 1� of this year. The south polar terrain is marked by a striking set of fractures and encircled by a conspicuous and continuous chain of folds and ridges.

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Io

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Triton

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html

http://www.asi.it

http://www.asi.it


http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main_old.html


ancientMartianenvironmentsthatincludedperiodsofwet,possiblyhabitableconditions.

“TheextendedjourneystakenbythetworoversacrossthesurfaceofMarshaveallowedthesciencecommunitytocontinuetouncoverdiscoveriesthatwillenablenewinvestigationsoftheRedPlanetfarintothefuture,”saidMary Cleave, associate administrator for the ScienceMissionDirectorate.

Theroversarecurrentlyontheirthirdmissionexten-

sion.Duringtheir3-monthprimarymissions,therovers

drovefartherandexaminedmorerocksthantheprescribed

criteriaforsuccess.

Opportunityhasspentsomeconsiderabletimethisyear

examiningbedrockexposuresalongaroutebetweentwo

craterscoinedEnduranceandVictoria.Opportunityalso

foundevidenceofalong-agohabitatofstandingwateronMars.

Early thisyear,Spiritpassed its secondanniversaryinsidetheConnecticut-sizedGusevCrater.Initially,Spiritdidnotfindevidenceofmuchwater,andhillsthatmightrevealmoreaboutGusev’spastwerestillmerebumpsonthehorizon.Byoperatingeighttimesaslongasplanned,

This self-portrait of Spirit reveals that the rover’s solar panels are still gleaming in the Martian sunlight and are carrying only a thin veneer of dust more than � years after it landed and began exploring the Red Planet.

In January �00�, NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover team adopted a new strategy for carrying Opportunity’s robotic arm (the instrument deployment device with its turret of four tools at the end) when the rover is driving. On short drives over smooth terrain, Opportunity now holds the arm in a “hover-stow” position as shown in this image taken by the navigation camera during the rover’s �0�th Martian day. On longer or rougher drives, Opportunity still holds the arm in the original stow position, tucked underneath the deck. Symptoms began appearing that have been diagnosed as a broken wire in the motor windings at the shoulder joint. The motor still works when given extra current, but the change in strategy results from concern that, if the motor were to completely fail with the arm in the original stow position, the arm could no longer be unstowed for use.

http://science.hq.nasa.gov


http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=2963

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mer/images.cfm?id=1940

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=603


Spiritwasabletoclimbupthosehills,examineawideassortment of rocks, and find mineral fingerprints ofancientwater.

Whileshowingsignsofwear,SpiritandOpportunityarestillbeingusedtotheirmaximumremainingcapa-bilities.OnSpirit,theteethoftherover’srockabrasiontoolaretooworntogrindthesurfaceoffanymorerocks,butitswire-bristlebrushcanstillremoveloosecoatings.Thetoolwasdesignedtouncover3rocks,butitactuallyexposedtheinteriorsof15rocks.

OnOpportunity,thesteeringmotorforthefrontrightwheelstoppedworking.Amotorattheshoulderjointoftherover’sroboticarmshowedsymptomsofabrokenwireinthemotorwinding.Opportunitycanstillmaneuverwithitsthreeothersteerablewheels,however.Itsshouldermotorstillworkswhengivenextracurrentandthearmisstilluseablewithoutthatmotor.

JPLmanagestheMarsExplorationRovermissionfortheScienceMissionDirectorate.

NASA’sNewHorizonsMissionLaunchedtowardPluto

The first mission to Pluto, recently designated asa dwarf planet by the International AstronomicalUnion,isunderwayafterthesuccessfulJanuarylaunchofNASA’sNewHorizonsspacecraftfromCapeCanaveralAirForceStation.

“Rightnow,whatweknowaboutPlutocouldbewrittenonthebackofapostagestamp,”explainedDr.ColleenHartman,deputyassociateadministratorfortheScienceMissionDirectorate.“Afterthismission,we’llbeabletofilltextbookswithnewinformation.”

The1,054-pound,piano-sizedspacecraftisthefastesteverlaunched.ItspedawayfromEarthatapproximately36,000milesperhour,onatrajectorythatwilltakeitmore than 3 billion miles toward its primary sciencetargetinwhatisconsideredthe“thirdzone”ofoursolarsystem.NewHorizonswillzippastJupiterforagravityassistandsciencestudiesinFebruary2007,andconduct

thefirstclose-up,in-depthstudyofPlutoanditsmoonsinsummer2015.Aspartofapotentialextendedmission,thespacecraftwouldthenexamineoneormoreadditionalobjectsintheKuiperBelt,theregionofancient,icy,rockybodies(includingPluto)farbeyondNeptune’sorbit.

“Thisisthegatewaytoalong,excitingjourney,”saidGlenFountain,NewHorizonsprojectmanagerfromtheJohnsHopkinsAppliedPhysicsLaboratory(wherethemissionismanagedandwherethespacecraftwasdesigned

andbuilt).“Theteamhasworkedhardforthepast4yearstogetthespacecraftreadyforthevoyagetoPlutoandbeyond;toplaceswe’veneverseenupclose.Thisisaonce-in-a-lifetimeopportunity,inthetraditionoftheMariner,Pioneer,andVoyagermissions,tosetoutforfirstlooksinoursolarsystem.”

After the Jupiter encounter—during which NewHorizonswilltrainitsscienceinstrumentsonthelargeplanet and its moons—the spacecraft will “sleep” in

Artist’s concept of the New Horizons spacecraft during its planned encounter with Pluto and its moon, Charon. Image courtesy of Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Southwest Research Institute.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/spacecraft/index.html

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=KBOs&Display=Overview

http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/mariner.html

http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/pioneer.html

http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/voyager_worldbook.html


evertoorbitMars.ThedataratefromtheorbiteratMarsbacktoEarthwillbethreetimesfasterthanahigh-speedresidentialtelephoneline.Thisratewillenableustoreturnatremendousamountofdataanddramaticallyincreaseourunderstandingofthismysteriousplanet.”

Assembly and testing of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft bus in a cleanroom environment.

electronichibernationformuchofthecruisetoPluto.Operatorswillturnoffallbutthemostcriticalelectronicsystemsandcheckinwiththespacecraftonceayeartocheckoutthesesystems,calibratetheinstruments,andperformcoursecorrections,ifnecessary.Betweenthein-depthcheckouts,NewHorizonswillsendbackabeaconsignal eachweek to give operators an instant readonspacecrafthealth.Theentirespacecraft,drawingelectric-ityfromasingleradioisotopethermoelectricgenerator,operatesonlesspowerthanapairof100-watthouseholdlightbulbs.

NewHorizons is the firstmission inNASA’sNewFrontiersProgramofmedium-classspacecraftexplora-tionprojects.ThemissionteamalsoincludesGoddard,JPL, theU.S.DepartmentofEnergy,BallAerospace,TheBoeingCompany,LockheedMartinCorporation,StanfordUniversity,UniversityofColorado,andKinetX,Inc.,amonganumberofotherpartners.

TheNationalAcademyofSciencesrankedtheexplo-rationofthethirdzone—Pluto,itsmoons(Charon,inparticular), and the Kuiper Belt—among the highestprioritiesforspaceexploration,citingthefundamentalscientificimportanceofthesebodiestoadvancingunder-standingofoursolarsystem.

Mars-OrbitingCamerasMakeDebutasNASACraftAdjustsOrbit

InotherMarsnews,researchersarenowreleasingthevery firstMars images taken fromthe sciencecamerasonNASA’sMarsReconnaissanceOrbiter, launchedinAugust2005 to studywhether the fourthplanet fromtheSunofferedenoughwatertoeverprovideahabitatforlifeandtoidentifypotentiallandingsitesforfutureMarsmissions.

Imagestakenbytheorbiter’sContextCameraandMarsColorImagerduringthefirsttestsofthoseinstrumentsconfirmtheperformancecapabilityofthecameras—eventhoughthetestimagesweretakenfromnearly10timesas

farfromtheplanetasthespacecraftwillbeonceitfinishesreshapingitsorbit.

“Thetestimagesshowthatbothcameraswillmeetorexceedtheirperformancerequirementsoncethey’reinthelow-altitudescienceorbit.We’relookingforwardtothattimewithgreatanticipation,”saidDr.MichaelMalinofSanDiego-basedMalinSpaceScienceSystems,Inc.MalinisteamleaderfortheContextCameraandprincipalinves-tigatorfortheMarsColorImager.

Thecameras tookthe test images2weeksafter theorbiter’sMarch10arrivalatMarsandbeforethestartofaerobraking,aprocessofreshapingtheorbitbyusingcon-trolledcontactwiththeMartianatmosphere.Inmid-April,thespacecraftbeganitsdipintotheupperatmosphereofMars.Theorbiteralsotookthistimetoflyinveryelon-gatedloopsaroundtheplanet.Eachcircuitlastedabout35hoursandtookthespacecraftabout27,000milesawayfromtheplanetbeforeswingingitbackinclose.

Afterthespacecraftgetsintotheproperorbitforitsprimarysciencephase,thesixscienceinstrumentsonboardwillbegintheirsystematicexaminationofMars.TheMarsColor Imagerwillview theplanet’s entireatmosphereandsurfaceeverydaytomonitorchangesinclouds,wind-blowndust,polarcaps,andotherchangeable features.ImagesfromtheContextCamerawillhavearesolutionof20feetperpixel,allowingsurfacefeaturesassmallasabasketballcourttobediscerned.Theimageswillcoverswaths18.6mileswide.TheContextCamerawillalsoshowhowsmallerareasexaminedbytheHighResolutionImagingScienceExperimentcamera(whichwillhavethebestresolutioneverachievedfromMarsorbit)andbythemineral-identifyingCompactReconnaissance ImagingSpectrometer fit into thebroader landscape.Thiswillultimatelyallowscientiststowatchforsmall-scalechangesinthebroadercoveragearea.

“MarsReconnaissanceOrbiterisaquantumleapinourspacecraftandinstrumentcapabilitiesatMars,”saidJamesGraf,themission’sprojectmanageratJPL.“Weighing4,806poundsatlaunch,thespacecraftwillbethelargest

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Plu_Charon

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html


WorkContinuesonUltra-HighBypassRatioTurbofanEngines

Inaviationresearch,theSubsonicFixedWingproj-ectispushingengineandairframearchitecturesbeyondtoday’s“tubeandwing”configurationsbyoptimizingtheintegrationofairframeandpropulsionsystems.Akeytoimprovingperformanceandloweringaircraftnoiseisthedevelopmentofhigherbypass ratioengines forhigherefficiencyandreducedenginenoise.NASAhasworkedcloselywithPratt&Whitneyfor15yearstodeveloptech-nologiesneededtoenableultra-highbypassratioengines.

In the1990s, theAdvancedDuctedPropulsorwasdevelopedthroughscalemodelfantestsinwindtunnelsatGlennandLangleyandanenginedemonstratorinthe40-by80-footwindtunnelatAmes.(Duringthistime,theemphasiswasonlargeandmediumtwin-engineair-craftperforminglong-durationflights.)Higherefficiencieswereobtainedbyloweringtherotationalfantipspeedstoabout840feetpersecondduringtakeoff,whichreducedtheshock-relatedlossesassociatedwithcurrentturbofanengines.Thenoisewasreducedbyloweringthefanpres-sureratiotoabout1.29(comparedto>1.53fromtoday’sengines)andloweringthejetexhaustvelocity.Variablepitchfansweredevelopedtoprovidereversethrustforlandingandtaxioperations.

Withinthelast5years,theemphasisfornewtechnol-ogydevelopmentshiftedtosmall twin-engineaircraft.BasedonAdvancedDuctedPropulsor technologies, anewenginewasidentifiedbyPratt&WhitneycalledtheAdvancedGearedTurbofan.TheenginecycleparametersweresimilartotheAdvancedDuctedPropulsor,butthefantipspeedwasincreasedtoabout1,030feetpersecondandthevariablepitchfanwasreplacedwithavariableareanozzle.FannoisepredictionsanddataobtainedbyNASA fromseveral tests showed that the fanpressureratiowascontrollingthebroadbandnoiseandtheoverallnoiselevelscouldbecomparabletotheAdvancedDuctedPropulsor,as longas the tip speeddidnot increase to

wheretheshock-relatednoisesourcesdominated.Pratt&Whitneyanticipatedadditionalnoiseandperformancebenefitsfromusingafixed-pitchfanthatreducedlossesatthehubandtip.NASAtestedamodelfan(representativeoftheGE90cycle)andshowedthatvariableareanozzlescanprovideadditionalnoisereductionandperformancebenefits that are expected to help the new AdvancedGearedTurbofan.

InAugust2006,NASAconductedacooperativemodelfantestwithPratt&Whitneyina9-by15-footwindtunnelatGlenntoquantifytheaerodynamicandacousticcharacteristicsof theAdvancedGearedTurbofan.The

resultsarebeingusedforanenginedemonstrator thatPratt&Whitneywillfundandtestinlate2007.

Through the Subsonic Fixed Wing project, NASAwill continue working with Pratt & Whitney to testadvanced technologies foradditionalnoise, emissions,andperformanceimprovements,withthepossibilityoftestingtheminenginesthatwillbedevelopedforfuturesmall twin-engine aircraft. NASA projects it may bepossibletoreducethenoise levelsfromthecurrent14cumulativeEffectivePerceivedNoiseLevel indecibels(EPNdB)belowStage3,tolevelsrangingfrom38to42EPNdBbelowStage3.Specific fuelconsumptionwillbereducedbyabout8percentrelativetoenginesflying

�-D depiction of Distributed National Flight Operational Quality Assurance flights.

http://www.aero-space.nasa.gov

http://aerospace.nasa.gov/nra_pdf/sfw_proposal_c1.pdf

http://aerospace.nasa.gov/nra_pdf/sfw_proposal_c1.pdf

1�0 Research and Development at NASA Spinoff 2006

today and advanced combustor designs will reduceemissions suchasnitrogenoxidebyabout70percentrelative to theCommitteeonAviationEnvironmentalProtectionstandards.

TheAdvancedGearedTurbofanrepresentsasignifi-cantadvancetoenginearchitecturesthatwillbeviewedasatechnologybreakthroughforultra-highbypassratioturbofans,justastheintroductionoftheGE90engineinthe1990spavedthewayforhigherbypassratioengines.

Information-SharingInitiative

The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’sAviation Safety Program is working with the FederalAviation Administration (FAA) and the commercialaviation community to develop and test new data-miningtoolsthatwillenableuserstoproactivelyidentify,analyze, and correct systemic safety issues that affectcommercialaviation.ThisactivityalsocontributestotheJointPlanningandDevelopmentOffice’s(JPDO)safetyinitiativetoassessthesafetyoftheNextGenerationAirTransportationSystem.

The Commercial Aviation Safety Team, whichrepresents the aviation industry, the JDPO, and theFAA,andNASA,sawaneedtomovebeyondthecurrenthistoric, accident-based information to a diagnosticanalysisofinformationextractedfromFlightOperationalQuality Assurance (FOQA) flight-recorded data andAviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) incidentreportsbeingcollectedbyaircarriers.Inrecognitionofthisneed,theindustryestablishedaVoluntaryAviationSafety Information-sharing Process (VASIP) to agreeuponaprocessforthecommercialaviationindustryandtheFAAtocollectandsharesafety-relatedinformation.NASAclearlyhadtheinstitutionalbackground,resourcesandexpertisenecessary todevelop the analytical toolsfor extractingand integrating information from large,distributed, and diverse (numerical and textual) datasourcesthatwereneededtoenabletheVASIP.

TheAeronauticsResearchMissionDirectorate,work-ing in a collaborative partnership with participatingairlines, theFAA,andotherorganizations, started theInformation-SharingInitiative inJune2004.ThegoalofthisinitiativeistodemonstrateoperationalprogramsforbothDistributedNationalFOQAArchivedataandDistributedNationalASAPArchivedatabySeptember30,2006.Uponcompletionofthedemonstration,avia-tionindustrydecisionmakerswilluseinformationfromthesetwonationaldatabasestoproactivelycorrectsystemicsafetyissues.

TheFOQAandASAPdatabasesareonlytwoofthemanysafety-relateddatasourcescurrentlybeingcollectedacrosstheindustry.Informationmustbeextractedfromtheseothersourcesandintegratedtogainabetterunder-standingoftheproblemsandtodetermineappropriateinterventions.Theindustryseesasuccessfuldemonstra-tionasthefoundationuponwhichtoexpandandenhancethenationalarchivesofaviationsafety-relateddata.

Ultimately, theentireaviation industrywillbenefitfromaproactiveapproachtomanagingsystemicsafetyrisks.Theflyingpublicwillbenefitfromanairlineindus-trythatisabletomaintainitsphenomenalsafetyrecorddespiteprojectedincreasesinairtravel.

FutureATMConceptsEvaluationTool

TheFutureATMConceptsEvaluationTool(FACET)isaflexibleAirTrafficManagement(ATM)simulationenvironment technology thathasbeen established forexploring,developing, and evaluating advancedATMconcepts under NASA’s Airspace Systems Program.FACETcanoperate inaplayback,simulation, live,orhybrid mode on a laptop computer, using the FAA’sEnhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) dataalongwithwind andweatherdata from theNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration.

Examplesofadvancedconceptsthathavebeendevel-opedandtestedinFACETincludeaircraftself-separation,integratedaircraftandspacelaunchvehicleoperations,

aggregateflowmodelsoftheNationalAirspaceSystem,and reroute conformancemonitoring.These conceptsweredeployedintheFAA’soperationalETMSsystem.

ThesuccessofFACEThasleadtoitsadoptionbytheFAA,airlines,universities,andnumerouscompanies.ThemostnoteworthyexampleofFACET-derivedtechnologiesbeing adopted for commercial interests is the recentintegrationofFACETwiththeFlightExplorersoftwaresystem,fromFlightExplorer,Inc.,ofMcLean,Virginia.FlightExplorer is theworld’s leadingaircraft situationdisplay with an installed base of over 5,000 systems,according to the company. Its customers include 80percentofallmajorU.S.airlines,22regionalairlines,allcargocarriers,andexecutivejetoperators.ThefirsttwoFACET features available for commercial use are thesector and airport demand overlays that alert airspaceusers to forecasted demand and capacity imbalances.With thisnew information,airspaceuserswillbeabletodevelopbetterflight-routingstrategiesthatsavefuel,preserveairlineschedules,andreducepassengerdelaysandmissedconnections.FuturereleasesofFlightExplorerwillincorporateadditionalFACETcapabilities,suchasoptimalroutegeneration.

The integration of FACET with Flight Explorerwas initiated in2005with the signingof aSpaceActAgreementbetweenNASAandFlightExplorer,Inc.KeyFACETcapabilities,suchassectordemandoverlays,weresubsequentlymadeavailabletothecommercialmarketthroughanonexclusiveworldwidelicensingagreement.Overall,theFACET-FlightExplorerintegrationefforthasbeenanextremelysuccessfulventureandfeedbackfromtheusercommunityhasbeenverysupportive.v

Frisbee®isaregisteredtrademarkofWham-O,Inc.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/AvSP-factsheet.html

http://www.asc.nasa.gov/aatt/facet.html

Education News at NASA

NASA’s unique missions to space are the result of scientific expertise and technical excellence, qualities that are dependent on sound educational backgrounds. NASA gives back to the educational community in order to groom the next generation of explorers. The following pages show some of the partnerships between the Space Agency and various educational communities.

1�� Education News at NASA Spinoff 2006

Education News at NASANASAExplorerSchoolsProgramIsTopsinGovernmentInnovations

TheNASAExplorerSchoolsprogramwaschosenasoneofthe“Top50GovernmentInnovations”for 2006 by the Ash Institute for Democratic

Governance and Innovation. The selected programsrepresent theU.S.Government’smost innovativeandresults-orientedeffortsinvariousareas,includingeduca-tionandtraining.

“NASA’sExplorerSchoolsprogramexemplifies theAgency’straditionofinvestingintheNation’seducationprogramsandsupportingeducatorswhoplayakeyroleinpreparing,inspiring,encouraging,andnurturingyoungminds,”saidAngelaPhillipsDiaz,NASA’sactingassistantadministratorforeducation.

Theprogramestablishesa3-yearpartnershipbetweentheAgencyandteamsofteachersandeducationadmin-istrators fromdiversecommunitiesacross thecountry.Initsfourthyear,theprogramisdesignedforeducationcommunitiestohelpimproveteachingandlearninginsci-ence,math,andtechnology.Itaimstoattractandretainstudents,teachers,andfacultythroughaprogressionofeducationalopportunities.

TheHarvardUniversityJohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernment,homeoftheAshInstitute,announcedtheselectionsinMarch.

NewestExplorersBecomeAstronauts

After18monthsof intense training,NASA’s latestastronautcandidatesarenowofficiallyastronauts.Theclassof11,including3educatorastronautsselectedfromteachersacrosstheNation,receivedNASAastronautpinsinaFebruary2006graduationceremony.ThisisNASA’sfirstastronautclassthatisfocusedfromthestartonreal-izingtheVisionforSpaceExploration.

The candidates were selected in May 2004. Theyreported to Johnson Space Center that summer tobegintraining,whichincludedwaterandlandsurvival

courses,T-38flightinstructions,andspaceshuttleandInternationalSpaceStationsystemstraining.Theclassalso completednumerousqualifying exams and flightevaluations.Theynowjointherestoftheastronautcorpsinsupportingspaceflightintechnicalrolesandpursuingmorespecializedtrainingforfutureassignments.

“WhatI’mlookingforwardtomostisthefuture,”saidJoseHernandez,astronautcandidategraduate.“Ithinkit’sabrightandexcitingfuturefortheSpaceProgram.”

Immediatedutiesincludesupportrolesinthespaceshuttle and space station programs, and positions inroboticsandspaceflightmedicine.Thenewastronautsand their work assignments are: Joe Acaba, missionspecialist-educator,spacestationbranchandeducation;RichardArnold,missionspecialist-educator,spacestationbranchandeducation;RandyBresnik,pilot,spacestationbranch;ChristopherCassidy,mission specialist, spacestation operations branch and capcom branch; JamesDutton,pilot,explorationbranch;JoseHernandez,mis-sionspecialist,shuttlebranch;ShaneKimbrough,missionspecialist, safetybranch;ThomasMarshburn,missionspecialist,spacestationbranchandexplorationbranch;DottieMetcalf-Lindenburger,missionspecialist-educator,spacestationbranchandeducation;RobertSatcher,mis-sionspecialist,roboticsbranchandspacestationbranch;andShannonWalker,mission specialist, space stationoperationsbranchandcapcombranch.

NASALaunchesKids’Club

AteamofNASAeducatorshashelpedcreateadozengamesthatmakeupthefirstphaseofthenewNASAKids’Club,whichuses“stealthlearning”todrawchildrenin.Inotherwords,whilechildrenarehavingfunlaunchingrocketsordrivingacrossMars,theyarealsolearningaboutscienceandmathematics.

Thegamesaredivided into five levels, eachassoci-atedwithagradefromkindergartenthroughfourth.Thegamesarebasedonnationalstandardsandinvolveskillsappropriateforeachgradelevel.

The followingare someof the funandeducationalgamesfeaturedintheNASAKids’Club:

• Grab It:This game lets children control the spaceshuttle’sroboticarmtograbthingsthatgotogether.Itinvolvespickingoutwhichthingsbeginwiththesameletter—akindergarten-levelskill.

• AirplaneHigh-Low:Thisgamechallenges childrento guesswhichnumber the game’s airplanemascot isthinkingof.Ithelpstheplayersdevelopfirstgrade-levelnumber-orderskills.

Student testers enjoyed the NASA Kids’ Club Web site and gave feedback that helped in its development.

http://www.explorerschools.nasa.gov/portal/site/nes

http://education.nasa.gov/home/index.html

http://edspace.nasa.gov/home.html

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main_old.html


http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/T-38/index.html



http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html?flash=1

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html?flash=1


• StarFall:Thisfast-pacedgameinvolvesclickingongroupsofstars toclearasmanyofthemoff theboardas possible. Not only does the game rely on pattern-recognitionskills,childrenalsolearnaboutastronomyintheprocess.

• FlipTime:Thismemorygamechallengesplayerstomatchpicturesofclocksinordertomakeanairplanetakeoff.Childrenmatchdigitalandanalogclockswiththesametimes,usingthirdgradetime-tellingskills.

• Go to theHeadof theSolarSystem: In thisgame,childrentesthowmuchtheyknowaboutspacebypickingtheplanetsthatbestansweraseriesofquestions.Thechild-friendlyinterfacemakesitbothfunandeducational.

“OurgoalwiththeNASAKids’Clubistoprovideamediumthatwillencouragechildren’sinterestinexplor-ingthesubjectsthatare importanttodevelopingtheirearlyskillsinscience,technology,engineering,andmath-ematics,”saidJeffEhmen,educationspecialistatMarshall

SpaceFlightCenter.“Wehopetheyvisitthesiteoftentoimprovetheirgamingskillsandknowledge.Withtheir‘edutainment’value, thesegamesandactivitiesadd toNASA’sbroadeducationresources.”

Thesitewasdesignedtobeaccessibletoasmanystu-dentsaspossible.Itiscompatiblewithscreenreadersandotherassistivetechnologiesforstudentswithspecialneeds.InadditiontoFlash-basedgames,thesitefeaturesversionsofitscontentthatcanbeaccessedinlocationswithslowerInternetconnectionsorcomputerequipment.

A brother-sister team of testers (above) worked together to solve a problem on the NASA Kids’ Club site. The new NASA Kids’ Club (left) has five levels of games, an art area, and updates of new missions and other exciting things that are happening at NASA.




GoddardScientistsViewSolarEclipseWithTunisianStudents

UnderascienceandtechnologyagreementbetweentheUnitedStatesandTunisia,sponsoredbyNASAandtheU.S.StateDepartment,NASAresearchersflewtoTunisiainnorthernAfricatoexperiencetheOctober3,2005,solareclipsewithmorethan80Tunisianstudents.TheGoddardSpaceFlightCentersolarscientists,astrophysi-cistJosephDavilaandplanetaryresearchscientistMehdiBenna,anativeTunisian,wereinvitedtoparticipatebytheTunisianYoungScienceAssociation(AJST).

ParticipatinginthiseventwasparticularlyimportanttoBenna,becausehewasamemberofAJSTasachild.“Iwasdelightedtohavethechancetogivesomethingbacktomycountryandperhapsinfluencethecareerchoicesofyoungpeople,sincethisgrouphelpedtosteermetowardacareerasascientist,”hesaid.

Inpreparationfortheeclipse,twoTunisianstudentsandafilmcrewvisitedDavilaandBennaatGoddardtopracticesettingupsomeoftheexperimentstobecarriedoutduringthesolarevent.

OncethescientistsarrivedinTunisia’scapitalcityofTunis,theyparticipatedinapressroundtableattheU.S.Embassy.RepresentativesattendedfromthemajorFrenchlanguageandArabicnewspapersinTunisandfromtwomajorradiostations.Inaseriesof lecturesat theCityofScience,anewsciencemuseuminTunis,BennaandDavilaspoketoapproximately100studentsandmembersofthepublic.

BennaspokeaboutthehistoryofMarsexplorationandtheanatomyofspacemissions,includinghowaspacecraftisbuilt,tested,andlaunched;whatkindofdatascientistsexpect;andhowlongittakestobuildandtestsuchmis-sions.Daviladiscussedthecurrentstateofspaceweatherforecasting.Finally,BennaandDavilaparticipatedalongwithaprofessorofhistoryattheUniversityofTunisinapublicdiscussionthatcoveredthehistoryandmythologyofsolareclipsesinpastcivilizations.

TheGoddard scientists then traveled to the south-erncityofDouzattheedgeoftheSahara,wheretheyset up a number of experiments to be carried out bythe students.Several telescopeswere alsoavailable forpublicviewingduringtheeclipse.Usingthesetelescopes,alongwithsolarscopes,models,anddiagrams,thestu-dents explained the scienceof eclipses tohundredsofpublicobservers.

ApplausebrokeoutastheMoonmovedacrosstheSun,eventuallycovering95percentofit.“Itwasabeautiful

twilight-covereddesert,andallactivitystoppedforafewminutes.Peoplegazedupward,whilethecamels,unim-pressed,satquietlyontheground,”Davilasaid.

AmajorTunisianmoviestudio,Cinetelefilms,ispro-ducingadocumentarycoveringthecollaborativeevent.Thisfilmisslatedtobecomeapilotforaproposedseriesof sciencedocumentaries aimed at promotingmutualunderstandingbetweentheWestandtheArabworld.

TheNASAvisitpreparedthestudentsfortheMarch29,2006,totaleclipseoftheSun,innorthernAfrica.

Tunisian children were very interested in the Solarscopes brought from the United States.



Student-BuiltBuoyLaunchesOceanStudies

Overthewinterholidays,highschoolsophomoreKatieNancepaintedherroomacoolshadeofblue;though,whensheandher schoolmateshad topaint theoceanbuoytheyrecentlyconstructedforaninternationalocean-ographyprogram,theychoseamuchboldercolor.Theirbright-redbuoywaslaunchedoffthecoastofAntarcticainJanuary.Throughasatelliteconnection,thebuoysentbackdataonoceantemperaturesthatareavailabletosci-entistsandstudentsaroundtheworld.

Thebuoyproject ispartof aneducationprogramcalledArgonautica,organizedbytheFrenchspaceagency,theCentreNationald’EtudesSpatiales (CNES).WithhelpfromtheJetPropulsionLaboratory,asmallgroupof students from aCalifornia-basedFrench/Americanschool,theLycéeInternationalofLosAngeles,becamethefirstU.S.participant.Aboutadozenteammembersweredrawnfromdifferentclasses,ranginginagefrom9to17.Dr.MohamedAbid,aseniorsystemsengineerforNASA’sOceanSurfaceTopographyMission,servedastheiradvisor.

Argonauticaisdesignedtohelpstudentslearnaboutthe oceans and the role of satellites in oceanography.Participantsaregivenanemptyplasticshellfromwhichthey have to construct a functional buoy fitted withsensorscapableofwithstandingharshoceanconditions,plusananchortokeepthebuoyinpositionasitdriftswiththecurrents.

The first challenge, said seventh grader TurnerEdwards,“wasfiguringoutwhatwewantedtomeasure.Somewantedtomeasurethesaltinthewater,sometem-perature,andsomecurrents.Itwashardtodecide.”

Luckily,theyhadexperthelp.Abidistheauthorofa newbook entitled “Spacecraft Sensors.” “Wehad anumberofoptions,”hesaid,“sowemadelistsoftheprosandconsofourdifferentchoices.Wefinallychosethetemperaturesensor.”

Thenext stepswere tounderstandhowthesensorswork,testthem,andmakesuretheywillsurviveinsaltwater.ForNance,thehardestpartoftheprojectwasallthecalculationsthatneededtobedone.“Wehadtofigureoutwhereweweregoingtoputthesensors,howmuchweightneededtobeintheanchor,andhowmanyvoltsweneededfortheArgoscard—thesatellitetransmitter.”

Thecompletedbuoywasequippedwithseventem-peraturesensorsandananchor,whichwasconstructedfromplasticpipingandcement.Thefinalstepwasthered

paint.“Itlookedreallygood,”saidNance,“butthere’snotmuchyoucandowithabuoy.”

StudentstrackedtheirbuoyandotherArgonautica-built buoys from CNES’s education Web site andcorrelatedthedatatheycollectedwithmeasurementsofseasurfaceheightmadebytheJASONsatellite,whichwaslaunchedaspartofajointU.S./Frenchmission.

“It’sgreattoseewhattheycanaccomplish,”saidAbid.“Nowthattheycanseewhattheycando,theirexpec-tationsgethigher.Theybelievethatnexttimetheycanbuildsomethingevenmorecomplex.”

Two Argonautica students work on a temperature sensor.

http://www.cnes.fr/html/_.php


http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html


NASAandOlympicAthletesPlanLunarGames

WiththehelpofseveralOlympicathletes,studentsthisyearwereabletogetaphysicslessonfromNASAaboutwhatitwouldbeliketoperformwintersportsatthemostextremevenuearound—theMoon.

U.S. Olympic skier Eric Bergoust, snowboarderHannahTeter,andbobsled teammemberToddHays

were featured in 30- to 60-second NASA TV clipsthatexploredthescientificconceptsoftheirwinningflipsandrips.

Bergoust, a 1998Olympic goldmedalist, exploredwhetherhecoulddoublehisquadruple-twistingflipwithaperfectlandingintheMoon’sgravity,whichisone-sixthoftheEarth’sgravity.Teter,agoldmedalistinthisyear’sOlympicGames(thehalfpipe),showedhowherskillsto

hitasnowboardingmovecalledafrontsidefivemightbeusedtolanda lunarspacecraft.Hays,asilvermedalistinthe2002OlympicGames,discussedtheimportanceoflaunchingspacecraftfromKennedySpaceCenterandcomparedsuchlaunchestotherunningstartsheusestojump-starthisbobsled.

“U.S.Olympic athletes are helping to educate ouryouthbycomparingthephysicsofsportswiththephys-ics of space exploration,” said Phil West, the deputydirectorofeducationatJohnson.“Wehopeparentsandteacherswillusetheclipstointerestteensinmathandscience, because America will need them to becometomorrow’sinventors.”

CalPolyStudentsHelpNASAReduceAircraftNoise

Thirteen aerospace engineering students from theCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity(CalPoly),SanLuisObispo,spentpartofthe2005summeronalake.Whilethismaybeanormalsummeractivityformanycollegestudents,thisgroupof13madeitsstayatRogersDryLake,locatedinCalifornia’sMojaveDesert,whereitparticipatedintheC-17flightnoisemitigationstudy,aNASAexperimentthatmayonedaymaketheworldaquieterplace.

Currently,ahousewithinanairport’sflightpathneedstriple-panewindows,specialdoors,andextraatticandwallinsulation,inordertokeepaircraftnoiseout.ResearchersfromAmesResearchCenterandDrydenFlightResearchCenterwanttoeliminate,oratleastreduce,theneedfortheseoften-costlymodifications.

Todoso,NASA,throughtheVehicleSystemsProgram,workedtoreducethe“noisefootprint”producedbyair-craft.Akeycomponentofthisplanisthedevelopmentofextremeshorttakeoffandlanding(ESTOL)aircraftandprocedures.Theultimategoalistokeepaircraftnoisewithinanairport’sproperty.InSeptember2005,NASAdemonstratedthataircraftcapableofESTOLcouldcon-centratenoisetoanarrowarea.

California Polytechnic State University student Abagail Liddle sits on Rogers Dry Lake and uses a laptop to collect noise data of a C-1�’s landing approaches.


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/C-17.html


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/home/index.html

http://www.aero-space.nasa.gov/vsp


Duringthenoisemitigationstudy,17microphoneswerepositionedonthedry lakebed(coveringapproxi-mately15squaremiles)torecordthenoisefootprintoftheU.S.AirForceTestCenter’sC-17GlobemasterIIIas itmadevarious landingapproaches. In addition toconventionalstraight-inapproaches,anewtypeofsimul-taneousandnon-interfering(SNI)approachwasflown.Thisnewapproachissimilartoadescendingspiraloverthelandingsite.

“PreliminaryresultsindicatethattheSNIapproacheswillconcentratethenoisefootprintintoanarrowarea,”saidJohnZuk,theNASAmanagerwholedtheESTOLresearchatAmes.

Thetestsalsoconfirmedthatthecurvedapproachesposed no significant safety concerns and providedcurrentcommercialaircraft ridequality.“The landingapproachesweresimpleandsafe,”saidNASAresearchpilotFrankBatteas.

The successful tests were made possible by theextraordinaryeffortsandingenuityoftheteamtomeetthechallengesofalimitedbudgetandashortenedtestschedule,accordingtoCraigHange,projectmanagerandprincipalinvestigatorforthestudy.

“Theteamcameupwithatotallynewwayoftakingnoisedataoveralargeareathatnotonlyworkedwell,butwaslessexpensivebyusingcommerciallyavailablepartsandsoftware,”saidHange.“Theynotonlyputintheirideas,butalotofhardworkmadeitareality.”

“TheCalPolystudentsandfacultyalsodeservealotofcreditfortakingonthisnewtask,doingmostofthegruntwork,andsharinganenthusiasmthatyoucanonlygetfromstudents,”Hangeadded.

“InvolvementinthisNASAresearchprojecthastakenthestudents’classroomcurriculumandgivenitahands-onapplication,”saidCalPolystudentleadErikaBerg.

The students also designed and built the portableworkstations(madeoutofinexpensiveplasticpipingandheavyfabric)thatstoredthecomputerequipmentwhileitwasusedonthelakebed.

ThedatacollectedduringthetestswillbeveryvaluableforfutureresearchsupportingESTOLaircraftandmayhaveasignificantimpactonairportoperationsaroundthecountry.

“An aircraft that could use the shorter runways ofsmaller regional and community airports could bringcommercialairtraveltoapproximately97percentoftheU.S.population,becausemostAmericanslivewithinahalf-hourofanairport,”saidZuk.

TheC-17studyteamwascomprisedofmembersfromAmesandDryden,CalPoly,theU.S.AirForce,NorthropGrummanCorporation,andCENTRATechnology,Inc.,ofArlington,Virginia.

NASAAnnouncesSolarSystemAmbassadorsClassof2006

Whatdoasurfer,firefighter,teacher,neurosurgeon,and award-winning book author have in common? Aloveofspaceandadesiretosharethatpassion.TheyhavejoinedagrowingnumberofprivatecitizensinNASA’sSolarSystemAmbassadorsProgram,whichbringsspaceinformationtothepublicthroughplanetariumtalks,tele-scope-viewingparties,malldisplays,andotherevents.

Twenty-ninenewambassadorsjoinedtheprogramthisyear,bringingthetotaltoover450ambassadorsfromall50statesandPuertoRico.

ForswimcoachandsurferMikeOlsberg,ofNewportBeach, California, looking up at the stars overheadalwayscapturedhisimagination,sobecomingaNASAambassadorwasaclearchoice.“WhenNeilArmstrongandBuzzAldrinwalkedontheMoon,itrepresentedtheculminationofallofman’stechnologicalachievementsuptothatmoment.Sincethatday,spaceexplorationhasalwayshasbeenapersonalinterestforme,”Olsbergsaid.

ForKevinKilkenny, a15-year veteranof theNewYork City Fire Department, looking to the sky hasbeenafavoriteactivitysincehewas8yearsold.“Ilikewatchingthefacesoftheyoungstersastheylearnaboutfarawayplanetsandthengooutsideandseethemthrough

atelescope.Watchingthemmaketheirowndiscoveryispriceless,”hesaid.Kevinwasgluedtothetelevisionthatsummerdayin1969whenApollo11madeitshistoriclandingontheMoon.

“IhaveknownsincemyearlychildhoodthatIwasborntoteach,”saidJudyM.Dominguez,a33-yearveteranretiredteacherofmathandsciencewholivesinDowney,California.“Ihavebeenpassionateaboutspace,astronomy,andrelatedsubjects.Iconsideritapersonalresponsibilitytocommunicatetheirimportanceandthewonderandjoyofknowingtoothers,”addedDominguez.

ForDr.RonaldIgnelzi,becominganambassadorwasachancetospeakabouthowspacetechnologycanhelpimproveeverydaylives.Ignelzirecentlyretiredasaneuro-surgeonandlivesinLaJolla,California.“IbelievespaceexplorationandNASAareagreatpartofourplanet’sfutureandthatalreadysomeofthetechnologydevelopedforspacecrafthasapplicationsinmedicine.Thesespinoffshavepropelledmedicaltechnologyandwillcontinuetodosointhefuture.”

“Asalongtimespacecadet,Ilovedtheideaofbecom-inganambassadorforthesolarsystem,”saidDavaSobel,ofEastHampton,NewYork,anaward-winningauthorofpopularsciencebooks.

Eachambassadoragreestoholdat least fourpubliceventsduringtheyear.In2005,ambassadorsparticipatedin2,071eventsthatreachedmorethan1millionpeople.Initsninthyear,theJPL-managedprogrampreparesthesevolunteersthroughaseriesofInternettrainingcoursesandteleconferences.Ambassadorsspeakdirectlywithsci-entistsandengineersonmissionslikeCassinitoSaturn,theMarsExplorationRovers,andtheStardustmissionthatbroughthomecometsamples.Theyalsoreceivebro-chures,posters,DVDs,andothermaterialstohelpthemintheirpresentations.v

Flash®isaregisteredtrademarkofAdobeSystemsIncorporated.

http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stardust/main/index.html

Partnership Successes

NASA cultivates relationships with private industry, academia, and other government agencies to bring its science back down to Earth. By contributing time, facilities, and a wealth of technical expertise, NASA enriches the lives of people everywhere—though not all of these partnerships result in a commercial spinoff. The following pages show some of the many benefits of these partnerships.

1�� Partnership Successes Spinoff 2006

Partnership Successesaccommodatemodelsassmallasone-fiftieththesizeoftheactualaircraft.Unlikeconventionalwindtunnels,itcanadjustthecharacteristicsoftheairflowtomatchthesizeofthemodel.Resultshelpengineersdeterminehownewdesignswillworkforrealplanesinflight.

TheBoeingCompanyispurchasingwindtunneltimeinthefacilitytotestnewaviationconceptsbeforeapply-ing them in flight.TheSeattle-basedmanufacturer isspecificallyevaluatinghigh-liftsystemdesignsforitsnew787jetaircraft.High-liftsystemsincludeflapsandslats

thatincreasetheliftperformanceofthewing,allowingtheairplanetotakeoffandlandmoresafelyandefficiently.

AccordingtoRichWahls,facilitychiefaerodynamicist,thewindtunnel’sabilitytoduplicatetheaerodynamicsoftheflightenvironment,evenwithsmall-scalemodels,canallowaircraftmanufacturerstoproducebetter-performingairplaneswithlessrisk.

To test the high-lift concepts, Boeing developersdesignedthenew787-styletrailingedgeflapsandfitthemtoanexisting5.2-percentscale777semi-spanmodel.Thisstainlesssteelmodel,whichlookslikeone-halfofanair-planecutdownthemiddle,fromnosetotail,ismountedonthesidewallofthewindtunnel.

Improvementsindesignandperformancearealwaysachallenge,becauseofthecomplexairflowissuesencoun-tered when flaps and slats are extended from a wing.Fortunately,evensmallimprovementsinperformanceofahigh-liftsystemcansignificantlyimprovethetake-offfield length,weight-carryingcapability,andrangeofatransportaircraft.Theimprovementscanalsohelpreduceaircraftnoise.

“In the past, engineers have come to the NationalTransonicFacilitytofurtherunderstandandsolveprob-lemswith systems thathave alreadybeendeveloped,”Wahlssaid.“Nowwe’realsoseeingthistestcapabilitybeingusedduringtheaircraftdesignphase.”

NASADevelopsNewOnlineDe-IcingTrainingCourseforPilots

NASAhasdevelopedafreeonlinecoursetohelppilotsavoidthehazardsoficecontaminationwhiletheirplanesareontheground.“APilot’sGuidetoGroundIcing”isintendedprimarilyforprofessionalpilotswhomaketheirownde-icingandanti-icingdecisions.ItistheeighthinaseriesoftrainingaidsdevelopedatGlennResearchCenter,andthefirstongroundicing.

“Thepilotcommunityhasaskedfortrainingmaterialstocoverthefullspectrumoficingconcerns,”saidTomBond, chief of Glenn’s Icing Branch. “Ground icing

Wing trailing edge design concepts for Boeing’s new �� aircraft are being tested on a �.�-percent scale �� semi-span model inside Langley Research Center’s National Transonic Facility.

IndustryUsesNASAWindTunneltoDesignNewAirplanes

NASAwindtunneltechnologyisbeingusedbytheaviationindustrytoimprovenewairplanedesignsthroughouttheentiredevelopmentprocess.

The National Transonic Facility is a unique windtunneldevelopedbyNASAthatusessuper-coldnitrogengasathighpressuretoduplicatetrueflightaerodynamics.Located at Langley Research Center, the facility can

http://aircrafticing.grc.nasa.gov/courses.html


http://icebox.grc.nasa.gov

http://wte.larc.nasa.gov/facilities/aerodynamics/national.cfm


1�0 Partnership Successes Spinoff 2006

trainingcomplementsourpastworkforin-flighticingtraining.NASAworkedwithaninternationalgroupofaviationsafetyspecialistsfrombothregulatoryandindus-tryorganizationstodevelopatrainingtooltoaidpilotsacrossinternationalborders,”headded.

ThedevelopmentteamincludedexpertsfromAmesResearchCenter, theFederalAviationAdministration,TransportCanada,theCivilAviationAuthority(UnitedKingdom),theCanadianArmedForces,theUniversityofOregon,afractionaljetprovider,andanairline.

Thisself-guidedcourseprovidespilotswithgeneralground icingknowledge,anunderstandingof freezingprecipitationhazards,andtheabilitytoimprovedecisionmakingforgroundicingoperations.Itdiscussestherisksofcontamination,providescuestoalertpilotstogroundicingconditions,andoffersactionspilotscantaketohelpensuresafeoperations.Imagery,casestudies,aviatortes-timonials,andinteractiveelementsareallusedtoinformandhelppilots.

Groundicingaccidentsareoftenpreventable.Pilotswillreceivetrainingtoimprovethesafetyoftheirflightsfromthisonlinecourse.

“We are committed to supporting NASA’s goal toimproveaviationsafety.Byhelpingpilotsandoperatorsunderstandthehazardsofgroundandin-flightaircrafticing,theycanmakebetteroperationaldecisions,”saidDr.JudithVanZante,icingresearcherwiththeCleveland-basedQSSGroup,Inc.,andateammemberatGlennwhowasinstrumentalindevelopingthecourse.

TheactivitywassupportedbyNASA’sAviationSafetyandSecurityProgramOffice, part of theAeronauticsResearchMissionDirectorate.

PrevioustrainingaidsdevelopedatGlennfocusedonin-flight icingforvarioustargetpilotaudiences.Titlesinclude:IcingforRegionalandCorporatePilots;IcingforGeneralAviationPilots;APilot’sGuidetoIn-FlightIcing;TailplaneIcing;andSupercooledLargeDropletIcing.

InstrumentProvidesPilotsWithImprovedWeatherForecasts

Weather forecasters throughout the United Statesaremakingbetterlocalpredictionsforpilotsandothers,thankstoanairbornesensorbeingtestedbyaviationsafetyexpertsatLangley.

These experts led a team that designed, built, andequipped dozens of Mesaba Airlines aircraft with theTropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Report(TAMDAR) instrument. Headquartered in Eagan,Minnesota,MesabaisaNorthwestAirlinesaffiliatethatmainlyfliesshortcommuterroutes.

TheTAMDAR instrument allows aircraft to auto-matically sense and report atmospheric conditions.Observationsaresentbysatellitetoagrounddatacenterthatprocessesanddistributesup-to-dateweatherinforma-tiontoforecastersandpilots.

“Initialresearchshowstheairbornesensormakesa10-to20-percentimprovementinforecasterrorinnumericalmodels—andthat’sjustwithtemperature,”saidTaumiDaniels,NASAprojectleader.

Thesensoralsomeasureshumidity,pressure,winds,icing,andturbulence,withthehelpof location, time,and altitude provided by built-in Global PositioningSystemtechnology.

Largeairlinersflyabovemostweatherandcollectlim-itedatmosphericdata.Whenequippedwiththeweathersensor,regionalaircraft,whichtypicallyflybelow25,000feet, can provide more information. The informationcollectedcanalsobenefitweathermodelsandforecasts,because it increases thenumberofobservations in theloweratmosphere.

Currently,only70weatherballoonsitesinthecon-tinentalUnitedStates collect temperature,wind, andmoisturedatafromtwice-dailyatmosphericsoundings.TheTAMDARexperimentadded800moredailyatmo-sphericsoundings.

“MeteorologistsattheNationalWeatherServicehavefoundtheTroposphericAirborneMeteorologicalDataReporttobeusefulinforecastingseverethunderstorms,densefog,precipitationtypesofwinterstorms,andlow-levelwind shear,” saidRichardMamrosh, aNationalWeatherServicemeteorologistinGreenBay,Wisconsin.“Insummertime,itsbestuseisindeterminingifandwhenthunderstormsmightdevelop. Inwintertime, it reallyhelps indeterminingwhethera stormwillbringsleet,freezingrain,orsnow,”headded.

The NASA partners analyzing the data are a mixof industry professionals, meteorologists, researchers,andscientistsrepresentingAirDatLLC,ofMorrisville,NorthCarolina; theFederalAviationAdministration;theNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration(NOAA);theNationalCenterforAtmosphericResearch;the Massachusetts Institute of Technology LincolnLaboratory; the Meteorological Service of Canada,in Montreal; the Met Office, in London; and the

Shown here is the TAMDAR instrument, a tiny sensor flown on commuter airliners to gather weather information.





http://icebox.grc.nasa.gov/ext/education/video/video.html

1�1 Partnership Successes Spinoff 2006

meteorologicalnetworkofEurope (EUNETMET), inToulouse,France.

TheTAMDARprojectispartofNASA’sAeronauticsResearchMissionDirectorate.

MajorWeatherForecastingAdvancement

Inanotherweatherforecastingbreakthrough,NASAandNOAAhaveoutlined research thathashelped toimprovetheaccuracyofmedium-rangeweatherforecastsintheNorthernHemisphere.

NASAandNOAAscientistsattheJointCenterforSatelliteDataAssimilation,inCampSprings,Maryland,cameupwithprocedurestoimproveforecastingaccuracy.ThescientistsworkedwithexperimentaldatafromtheAtmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument onNASA’sAquasatellite.AIRSisahigh-spectralresolution,infraredinstrumentthattakes3-Dpicturesofatmospherictemperatures,watervapor,andtracegasses.

The scientists found that, by incorporating theinstrument’s data into numerical weather predictionmodels, they can improve the accuracy range ofexperimental, 6-day, Northern Hemisphere weatherforecastsbyupto6hours—a4-percentincrease.

“ThisAIRSinstrumenthasprovidedthemostsignifi-cantincreaseinforecastimprovementinthistimerangeofanyothersingleinstrument,”saidretiredNavyViceAdmiralConradC.Lautenbacher,Jr.,Ph.D.,undersecre-taryofcommerceforoceansandatmosphereandNOAAadministrator.“Climateandweatherforecastsaredepen-dentuponourunderstandingcurrentglobaloceanandatmosphereconditions,”addedLautenbacher.“Ifwewanttobeabletopredictwhattheweatherwillbelikeinthefuture,wemustadequatelydefinetheglobalconditionstoday.Satellitedata,likeAIRSprovides,isavitallinkforNOAAtotakethepulseoftheplanetcontinuously.”

“A4-percentincreaseinforecastaccuracyat5or6daysnormally takes severalyears toachieve,” saidDr.JohnLeMarshall,JointCenterforSatelliteDataAssimilationdirector.“Thisisamajoradvancement,anditisonlythe

startofwhatwemayseeasmuchmoredatafromthisinstrument are incorporated into operational forecastmodelsatNOAA’sEnvironmentalModelingCenter.”

“NASA is assisting the world’s weather-predictionagenciesbyprovidingverydetailed,accurateobservationsofkeyatmosphericvariablesthatinteracttoshapeourweatherandclimate,”saidDr.MaryCleave,associateadministrator

forNASA’sScienceMissionDirectorate.“The forecastimprovement accomplishment alone makes the AIRSprojectwellworththeAmericantaxpayers’investment.”

Theinstrument’sdatahavebeenofficiallyincorporatedintoNOAA’sNationalWeatherServiceoperationalweatherforecasts.Elsewhere,theEuropeanCentreforMedium-RangeWeatherForecastsbeganincorporatingdatafrom

NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument is able to peel back cloud cover to reveal �-D data of a storm’s water vapor content—information that can be used to improve weather forecast models.

http://www-airs.jpl.nasa.gov




AIRSintoitsoperationalforecastsinOctober2003.Thecenterreportedanimprovementinforecastaccuracyof8hoursinSouthernHemisphere5-dayforecasts.

TheAIRSinstrumentistheresultofmorethan30yearsofatmosphericresearch,ledbyDr.MoustafaChahineoftheJetPropulsionLaboratory(JPL).

The JointCenter forSatelliteDataAssimilation isoperatedbyNOAA,NASA,theU.S.AirForce,andtheU.S.Navy.ThegoalsofthecenteraretoacceleratetheuseofobservationsfromEarth-orbitingsatellitestoimproveweatherandclimateforecasts,andtoincreasetheaccuracyofclimatedatasets.

StudySuggestsWaystoBeattheHeatinNewYorkCity

TheheatisoninNewYorkCity,whetheritissummerorwinter.Thisisduetoaphenomenoncalledurbanheatislandeffect thatcausesair temperatures inNewYorkCityandothermajorcitiestobewarmerthaninneigh-boringsuburbsandruralareas.Inabigcity,warmerairtemperaturescanimpactairquality,publichealth,andthedemandforenergy.

Severalinnovativeapproachesdevelopedbyscientists,public officials, environmental activists, communityorganizations,andothershavebeenputinplacetotakeabiteoutoftheBigApple’stemperatureproblem.NASAresearchers,usingNASAsatelliteobservations,weatherpatterndata,andcomputermodels,conductedastudytoassesshowwellthosestrategiesareworking.

“Weneedtohelppublicofficialsfindthemostsuc-cessfulwaystoreducetheheatislandeffectinNewYork.Withever-increasingurbanpopulationsaroundtheworld,theheatislandeffectwillbecomeevenmoresignificantinthefuture,”saidStuartGaffin,anassociateresearchscientistatColumbiaUniversityandaco-authoroftheNASAstudy.“Thesummertime impactsareespeciallyintense with the deterioration of air quality, becausehigherairtemperaturesincreaseozone.Thathashealtheffectsforeveryone.Wealsorunanincreasedriskofmajor

heatwavesandblackouts,astheheatislandeffectraisesdemandforelectricity.”

Landsurfaceswithvegetationarerelativelysparseinlargecities,dominatedinsteadbynon-reflective,water-resistant surfaces, such as asphalt, tar, and buildingmaterialsthatabsorbmostoftheSun’sradiation,causingtheurbanheat islandeffect.Thesesurfaceshinderthenaturalcoolingthatwouldotherwisetakeeffectwiththeevaporationofmoisturefromsurfaceswithvegetation.

Theurbanheatislandoccurrenceisparticularlypro-nouncedduringsummerheatwavesandatnightwhenwindspeedsarelowandseabreezesarelight.Duringthesetimes,NewYorkCity’sairtemperaturescanrise7.2°Fhigherthantemperaturesinsurroundingareas.

IntheNASAproject,researcherssetouttorecommendwaystoreducetheurbanheatislandeffectinNewYorkCity.Theirrecommendationsincludedpromotinglight-coloredsurfaces—especiallyforroofsandpavements—thatreflect sunlight,planting“urban forests,”andcreating“livingroofs”onbuildingtopswheresturdyvegetationcanbeplantedandcanthrive.Usingaregionalclimatecomputermodel,theresearcherswantedtocalculatehowthesestrategiescouldlowerthecity’ssurfaceandclose-to-surfaceairtemperatures,andhowtheywouldaffectNewYork’senergysystem,airquality,andthehealthofitsresidents.

Inadditiontothecity-widecasestudy,NASAresearch-ersalsoconductedsixsmallercasestudiesacrossLower

Manhattan, the Bronx’s Fordhamsection, Brooklyn’s Crown Heightssection, and the Maspeth area ofQueens.Theseareaswerechosenforthe different ways land is used andtheir close proximity to other areaswithhighelectricaluse.Theyalsohadwarmer-than-averagenear-surfaceairtemperatures called “hot spots” andavailablespacestotestwaystoreducetheurbanheatislandeffect.

“Wefoundthatvegetationisapow-erful cooling mechanism. It appearstobethemosteffectivetooltoreducesurface temperatures,” Gaffin said.

This image indicates case study areas and weather stations used in the NASA study on urban heat island effect in New York City.



“Anothereffectiveapproachisamanmadeapproachtocooling,bymakingverybright,highalbedo,orreflectedlight,onrooftops.Theselight-coloredsurfaces,bestmadeusingwhitecoatings,reflecttheSun’slightand,thereby,itsheat.Interestingly,moreareaisavailabletocreatethelightersurfacesthantoaddvegetationinacitysuchasNewYork.”

This study was sponsored by the New York StateEnergyResearchandDevelopmentAuthority,theNewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation,andtheU.S.DepartmentofAgricultureForestService.Detailedresultswerepresentedduringthe2006AmericanMeteorologicalSociety’sannualmeeting.

Space-RootedTelemedicineAidsEarthquakeVictims

ScientistsataNASAresearchpartnershipcenterhaveputspacemedical-monitoringtechnologytohumanitarianuseinhelpingearthquakevictimsinPakistan.

Drs. Ronald Merrell and Azhar Rafiq, of VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity’sMedical Informatics andTechnologyApplicationsConsortium(MITAC),wentoverseasinJanuarytoteachtelemedicinetechniquesinRawalpindi,Pakistan,aregionhithardbyanOctober10,2005earthquakethatkilledmorethan80,000peopleandleft3.5millionhomeless.Thephysicianstaughtmedicalpractitionersfromremotemountainousregionshowtoprovidecutting-edgehealthcare,usingtechnologythatwasoriginallydevelopedforastronautsonlong-termmis-sionstotheMoon.

Inadditiontothiswork,MerrellandRafiqwerealsoinvitedby theU.S.DepartmentofStateandtheU.S.Department of Defense Telemedicine and AdvancedTechnologyResearchCentertocompleteatelemedicinetrainingprogramconsistingofonlineandvideoconferencelecturesforthemedicalcollegeatHolyFamilyHospitalinRawalpindi.Pakistaniteamsthatcompletethistrainingprogramcanbecomequalifiedtouseelectronicscopesandmedicalcamerasforskinevaluations,theresultsofwhich

canthenbesubmittedtoahubatthemedicalcollegeforconsultationandtreatmentrecommendations.

“Theskinrevealsalotaboutourhealth,”saidRafiq,who,whileinPakistan,providedadailylogofhispersonalobservations for NASA’s Web site. “Clammy, coldskin can be a sign of hypothermia, while moist, hotskin may indicate fever from an infection. With thecontinuum of virtual information available through

telemedicine,wecanapplysomeofthesamediagnostictechniquesandtreatmentonEarththatwearedevelopingforspaceexploration.”

AMDTelemedicine,Inc.,aleadingprovideroftele-medicineequipmentlocatedinLowell,Massachusetts,isanindustrypartnerwithMITACandthedonorofthemedicalequipmentforthePakistanproject,includingtheelectronicstethoscopesandmedicalcameras.

Scientists at a NASA research partnership center used space medical-monitoring technology to help earthquake victims in Pakistan. The tents pictured here served as field hospitals for patients who experienced “crush” injuries incurred from falling concrete caused by the earthquake.

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/technologies/pakistan_telemedicine_log_20060121.html


NASAandUniversityScientistsUncoverLostMayaRuins—FromSpace

Remainsof theancientMayaculture,mysteriouslydestroyedattheheightofitsreigninthe9thcentury,havebeenhiddenintherainforestsofCentralAmericaformorethan1,000years.Now,NASAanduniversityscientistsareemployingspace-andaircraft-basedremotesensingtechnology touncover these ruins,using thechemicalsignatureofthecivilization’sancientbuildingmaterials.

NASAarchaeologistDr.TomSeverandscientistDanIrwin,bothfromMarshallSpaceFlightCenter,areteam-ingwithDr.WilliamSaturno,anarchaeologistat theUniversityofNewHampshire,tolocatetheruinsoftheancientculture.

“From the air, everythingbut the topsof very fewsurvivingpyramids[is]hiddenbythetreecanopy,”saidSever,widelyrecognizedfor2decadesasapioneerintheuseofremotesensingforarchaeology.“Ontheground,the60- to100-foot trees anddenseundergrowth canobscureobjectsascloseas10feetaway.Explorerscanstumblerightthroughanancientcitythatoncehousedthousands—andneverevenrealizeit.”

Severhasexploredtheuseofremotesensing,thesci-enceofcollectinginformationabouttheEarth’ssurfaceusingaerialorspace-basedphotography,toservearchaeol-ogy.HeandIrwinprovidedSaturnowithhigh-resolution,commercialsatelliteimagesoftherainforestandcollecteddatafromNASA’sAirborneSyntheticApertureRadar,aninstrumentflownaboardahigh-altitudeweatherplane,capableofpenetratingclouds,snow,andforestcanopies.

These resultingEarthobservationshavehelped theteamsurveyanuncharted regionaroundSanBartolo,Guatemala.Itdiscoveredacorrelationbetweenthecolorandreflectivityofthevegetationseenintheimages—their“signature,”whichiscapturedbyinstrumentsmeasuringlightinthevisibleandnear-infraredspectrums—andthelocationofknownarchaeologicalsites.

In 2004, the team ground-tested the data. Hikingdeepintothejungletolocationsguidedbythesatelliteimages,ituncoveredaseriesofMayasettlementsexactlywherethetechnologyhadpredictedtheywouldbefound.Integratingcutting-edgeremotesensingtechnologyasa

vitalresearchtoolenabledthescientiststoexpandtheirstudyofthejungle.

Thecauseofthefloralsignaturedifferencesdiscernedin the imageryquicklybecameclear to the team.TheMayabuilttheircitiesandtownswithexcavatedlimestone

Deep in the Guatemalan jungle, NASA archaeologist Dr. Tom Sever, right, and team member Rob Griffin, a graduate student at Penn State University, study a crumbled “stele,” a stone pyramid used by the Maya to record information or display ornately carved art. Sever and Griffin found the stele—and other Maya ruins hidden for more than 1,000 years—during an expedition that relied on NASA remote sensing technologies to pinpoint sites of ancient settlements. Sever and fellow researcher Dan Irwin, both of Marshall Space Flight Center, have teamed with archaeologist Dr. William Saturno of the University of New Hampshire, to demonstrate how high-resolution satellite imaging can reveal variations in plant life indicative of ancient building sites.


http://airsar.jpl.nasa.gov


andlimeplasters.Asthesestructurescrumbled,thelackofmoistureandnutritionalelementsinsidetheruinskeptsomeplantspeciesatbay,whileotherswerediscoloredorkilledoffaltogether,asdisintegratingplasterchangedthechemicalcontentofthesoilaroundeachstructure.

“Overthecenturies,thechangesbecamedramatic,”Saturnosaid.“Thispatternofsmalldetails,impossibletoseefromtheforestfloororlow-altitudeplanes,turnedouttobeavirtualroadmaptoancientMayasiteswhenseenfromspace.”

According to Irwin, scientistsbelieve theMaya fellpreytoanumberofcataclysmicenvironmentalproblems,includingdeforestationanddrought, that led to theirdownfall.“Theworldcontinuestobattlethedevastatingeffectsofdroughttoday,fromthearidplainsofAfricatothesouthernUnitedStates,”hesaid.“ThemoreweknowabouttheplightoftheMaya,thebetterourchancesofavoidingsomethingsimilar.”

Another aspect of the research involved usingclimatemodelstodeterminetheeffectsofMaya-drivendeforestation on ancient Mesoamerican climate. ThegoalofthiseffortwastodeterminewhetherdeforestationcanleadtodroughtsandiftheactivitiesoftheancientMayadrovetheenvironmentalchangesthatunderminedtheircivilization.

ExtendingbenefitsofremotesensingtechnologiesispartofNASA’sEarth-SunSystemDivision.NASAiscon-ductingalong-termresearchefforttolearnhownaturalandhuman-inducedchangesaffecttheglobalenviron-ment,andtoprovidecriticalbenefitstosocietytoday.

SeverandIrwinconductresearchattheNationalSpaceScienceandTechnologyCenter, inHuntsville,a jointscienceventurebetweenMarshall,Alabamauniversities,industry,andFederalagencies.

Under a NASA Space Act Agreement with theUniversityofNewHampshire,thescienceteamwillvisitGuatemalaannuallythrough2009,withthesupportoftheGuatemalanInstituteofAnthropologyandHistoryandtheDepartmentofPre-HispanicMonuments.Theteam

willverifyitsresearchandcontinuerefiningitsremotesensingtoolstomoreeasilyleadexplorerstootherancientruinsandconductEarthscienceresearchintheregion.

“Studiessuchasthesedomorethanfulfillourcuriosityaboutthepast,”Seversaid.“Theyhelpusprepareforourownfuture.”

NASARespondstoCoralBleachingintheCaribbean

AspartofaU.S. interagencyresponse,aNASA-ledteamarrivedintheCaribbeantoassessacoral-bleachingeventinearly2006.

Coralbleachingisassociatedwithavarietyofstresses,includingincreasedseasurfacetemperatures.Thiscausesthecoraltoexpelsymbioticmicro-algaelivingintheirtissues—algae that provide it with food. Losing algaeleavescoraltissuesdevoidofcolor,giventhemableachedappearance.Prolongedcoralbleaching(morethanaweek)canleadtocoraldeathandthesubsequentlossofhabitatsforarangeofmarinelife.

“Coral reefsareconsidered ‘canariesof theoceans,’actingasanearlywarningsystemformarineecosystems,”saidLianeGuild,ascientistatAmes.GuildledtheNASAemergencydeploymenttorapidlyassessthedamagebeforeotherchangescouldtakeplaceintheaffectedreefs.

“I’mverypleasedtohaveNASAstepupandbringitsexpertiseandassetstohelpthescientificcommunityunderstand and address this devastating event,” saidTimothyKeeney,deputyassistantsecretaryofcommerceforoceansandatmosphere.

TheNASA-led interagency team inspected reefs inPuertoRico,includingsitesatLaPargueraandCulebraIsland,andsitesintheU.S.VirginIslands,includingBuckIsland,thenorthcoastofSt.Croix,andthesouthcoastofSt.John.

WithfinancialsupportandstafffromNOAA,theU.S.DepartmentoftheInterior,andotheragencies,NASAconducted aircraft flyovers above the affected reefs togathervaluabledata.

Theteam’sTwinOtteraircraft—suppliedbyGoddardSpaceFlightCenter—inspectedthebleachedreefareasusingadigitalcameraandtheNASAAirborneVisible/InfraredImagingSpectrometer(AVIRIS),aninstrumentthatcapturesvisibleandinfraredlightdata.Theaircraft-basedsensorsprovidehighspectralandspatialresolutiondataandcanbeusedtoenhanceunderstandingofoceanbiologysatellitedata.

“The importanceof this research is thatwewillbeconcentratingonaspectsthatenhancebothunderstand-ingandpredictionofreefstatusintermsoftheextentofbleachedcorals,coralmortality,evidenceofrecovery,evi-denceofalgalovergrowth,andbiodiversity,usingAVIRISdataandfieldmeasurements,”Guildsaid.

This aerial image of Buck Island, off of St. Croix, was taken with a Cirrus Digital Camera System. This camera system flew on NASA’s Twin Otter aircraft, along with the NASA Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), to assist researchers in their efforts to better understand and predict coral bleaching.



http://aviris.jpl.nasa.gov

http://aviris.jpl.nasa.gov


NASA,NOAA,andotherorganizationsalsosupportedfieldmonitoringtocomplementtheflyover.Guild’sfieldteamwasinthewaterwhentheflightsoccurred,collectingdataonthecoralthatrelatedtotheAVIRISdata.

Coralreefsarecriticalformarinefisheries,providinghabitatandnurserygrounds,accordingtoexperts.“Thestructureofcoralreefsprovidescoastlineprotectionfromseverestormsbydampeningwaveaction,”Guildsaid.

The research done by the team that assessed thepotentialimpactofachangingclimateonglobalecologysupportsU.S.ClimateChangeScienceProgramandU.S.OceanActionPlanobjectives.

The NASA-NOAA effort was just one componentoftheresponse.Manyothereffortswerestartedtohelpdocumentandtrackthisbleachingeventanditslong-termimpactsonCaribbeancoralreefecosystemsandthecom-munitiesthatdependonthem.

Other partners in this study included researchersfromtheUniversityofPuertoRico,NOAA’sCoralReefConservationProgram,andtheNationalParkServiceintheU.S.VirginIslands.

NASAandIndustryTestAircraftNoise-ReducingTechnologies

NASAandaerospaceindustrypartnersareflighttestingnewtechnologiestoseeiftheycanmakeaircraftquieter.Scallopededgesonengineexteriorsandtoboggan-likefit-tingsonlandinggeararesomeofthehigh-techideasbeingtestedtoreduceaircraftnoise.

ExpertsatLangleyandindustryteamresearchersdevel-opedadvancednoise-reductionconceptsandtestedthem,initially,usingwindtunnelsandcomputersimulations.

With the initial conceptual testing completed, theteamassessedtheideasandactualhardwareatatestflightfacility in Glasgow, Montana. The researchers used alarge,speciallyequipped777passengerjetprovidedbyTheBoeingCompany.Thetestfacilitywasoutfittedwithsophisticatedmicrophonearraysandothermeasurementdevicestorecordnoiselevels.

TheQuietTechnologyDemonstrator2wasa3-weektestflightprogramtovalidatetheideas,includingtwoimprovedchevrondesignsontheengineandacoverthatfitsonthelandinggear.Chevronsarescallopedorser-ratededgesalreadyusedonsomenewerjetengines.Oneimprovedchevrondesignincludedasymmetricalscallopsaroundtheengine.

“The new design tailors the chevrons to take intoaccounttheairflowandacousticdifferencesthatoccurwhentheengineisinstalledontheaircraft,”saidCharlotteWhitfield,NASA’sQuietAircraftTechnologymanagerofairframesystemnoisereduction.

Laboratorytestsshowedtheadvancedchevronshapewillreducenoiseasmuchas4decibelsduringtakeoffandwhenflyingatcruisealtitude.Resultsoftheflighttestsmayleadtochangesinaircraftconfigurations,andfutureairplaneengineandlandinggeardesigns.

GoodrichCorporation’sAerostructuresandLandingGeardivisionsdesignedandbuiltatoboggan-likeshapedcoverforthe777’smainlandinggear.

Thecoverstreamlinesthegearandmakesitlessnoisy.NASAandGoodrichtestedthisconceptinawindtunnelon a26-percent scalemodel of the777 landing gear.NASAresearchindicatedthat,whenlanding,airrushingpastconventionallandinggearisalmostasloudasenginenoise.Thecoveredgearconceptcould reduce landingnoisebyanother3decibels.

Aftercompletingthetesting,Boeingdeliveredthenewtechnology-equipped777toAllNipponAirways(ANA),inTokyo.TheaircraftjoinedtheANApassengerfleetandwillprovideadditionalnoisedatabasedonregularopera-tions.GETransportationAircraftEngines,ofCincinnati,alsoparticipatedintheresearch.

NASAHelpsWeedtheNationalGarden

NASAandotherFederalagenciesareusingsatellitesthatcircletheEarthtohelpweedoutaplantthatisaffect-ingwatersuppliesinthewesternUnitedStates.

NASA has been using its satellite and computerresources to help other organizations control invasiveplantspecies.Aninvasivespeciesisanon-nativespeciesor species that is alien to theecosystem inwhich it isfound.Often,invasivespeciescauseeconomicorenvi-ronmentalharm,orposeriskstohumanhealth.Invasivespeciescanbeplants,animals,andotherorganisms(suchasmicrobes).Humanactionsaretheprimarymeansofinvasivespeciesintroductions.

Invasiveplantspeciesaretraditionallylocated,identi-fied, andmonitoredbymanual ground surveys. Suchsurveys are effective, but expensive, time consuming,anddifficult tomanageover large areas.Now, anewtooldevelopedbytheU.S.GeologicalSurvey(USGS)istakingadvantageofobservationsfromNASAsatellitesandNASAengineeringtoprovideaserviceforlandmanagersthatpredictsquicklyandinexpensivelythelocationandspreadof invasiveplantsoverregionalareas.Thetool,calledtheInvasiveSpeciesForecastingSystem(ISFS),wasrecentlyusedtomakethefirstpredictivemapoftama-risk—sometimescalledsaltcedar—habitatsintheUnitedStates.Tamariskisalargedeciduousshrub,sometimesgrowingtothesizeofasmalltree,andnativetoAfricaandEurasia.ItwasintroducedinthewesternUnitedStatesintheearly1800sas“ornamentalvegetation”andforwindanderosioncontrol.

Tamarisk has since spread and can be found fromMinnesota toCaliforniaand fromMexico toCanada.TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculturerecentlyidentifiedtamariskasoneofthemostharmfulinvasivespeciesintheNation,becausetheplant’slongrootstapintounder-groundaquifers.Itsgroundwater-absorbingqualitiesmaybeaddingtotheseverityofthedroughtinthewesternUnitedStates.Tamariskalsoincreasesthesaltconcentra-tionofthesoilanddegradeshabitatsfornativespeciesalongriversystems.

“TheISFScombinesNASAsatellitedatawithtensofthousandsof fieldsamplingmeasurements,” saidTomStohlgren,directorof theUSGSNational Instituteof


InvasiveSpeciesScience.Allof thedataare thenusedto lookatwherenon-nativeplantsexisted inthepast,orwheretheyexisttoday.Then,theISFStoolcanhelppredictwhere the invasiveplantsmaygrowor spread.People thatmanage lands, especiallywater supplies intheU.S.West, canuse thecolor-codedmaps that theISFSproducestohelppredictandmanagethespreadoftroublesomeinvasivespecies.

ISFSusesdatafromNASA’sTerra,Aqua,andEarthObserving-1satellites,andtheUSGSLandsatsatellites,together with field data from government and non-governmentcontributors.Allofthesesatellitesobserveand

measuresunlightreflectedbyplantsandtheenvironmentsinwhichtheyaregrowing.Thesatellitesareabletolockinonsomeofthereflectedlighttodeterminetamarisk’scurrentlocations,aswellasplaceswhereitmayspread.

“Satellite data and computer modeling helps usunderstandwheretamariskislikelytobegrowing,eveninremote locationsthat fieldresearcherscannoteasilyreach,”saidJohnSchnase,principalinvestigatoroftheISFSprojectatGoddard.

Currently,USGSisusingtheISFStopredictthespreadofotherinvasivespecies,suchascheatgrass,Canadianstarthistle,andcertainaquaticspecies.

ScientistsGetaReal‘Rise’OutofBreakthroughsinUnderstandingChangesinSeaLevel

Forthefirsttime,researchershavethetoolsandexper-tisetounderstandtherateatwhichsealevelsarechangingandthemechanismsthatdrivethatchange.

Sealevelsriseandfallasoceanswarmandcoolandasiceonlandgrowsandshrinks.Otherfactorsthatcontrib-utetosealevelchangearetheamountofwaterstoredinlakesandreservoirsandtherisingandfallingoflandincoastalregions.

“FromtheMississippiDelta,totheMaldivesIslandsoffthecoastofIndia,tothemultitudeofotherlow-lyingcoastalareasaroundtheworld,itisestimatedthatover100million lives arepotentially impactedbya3-footincreaseinsealevel,”saidDr.WaleedAbdalati,headoftheCryosphericSciencesBranchatGoddard.“This isanidealtime,duringthemidstofahistoricyearofbothrelatednaturaleventsandresearchdevelopmentstiedtothis critical global issue, to talk to the public aboutwhethericeinourpolarregionsistrulymelting,whetherouroceansareindeedrisingfaster,andwhatthesechangesmaymeantous.”

NASAistakingadvantageofitsunique,space-basedsatelliteobservationsofEarth’soceansandatmosphere,incombinationwithsatelliteobservationsandseasurfacemeasurementsfromdomesticandinternationalpartners,tolearnmoreaboutwhyandhowtheworld’swatersarerising.Indoingso,theAgencyishopingtodeterminemoreaboutfactors leadingtosea levelchange, indica-torsofchangesuchasoceanexpansion,changesinice,impoundment of water, and movement of earth andcoastalregions,andhowthelatestresearchdevelopmentscontributetoourknowledgeofsealevelrise.

NASAisworkingwithNOAA,theNationalScienceFoundation,andothers toexploreandunderstandsealevel change—to tell the story of what is happening.NASA satellite missions devoted to sea level research

Researchers now estimate that tamarisk has infested more than �.� million acres in the western United States. With the invasion spreading like wildfire, this invasive species poses a serious threat to the West’s water supply.

http://terra.nasa.gov


http://eo1.gsfc.nasa.gov

http://eo1.gsfc.nasa.gov

http://neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov/csb


include:theGravityRecoveryandClimateExperiment(GRACE),whichmapsEarth’sgravitational fieldwithprecisionandresolution,andwhosedatahelpsusbetterunderstandmovementofwaterthroughouttheEarth;theOceanTOPographyEXperiment (TOPEX/Poseidon),ajointU.S./Frenchsatellitethatusesradartomaptheprecise features of the oceans’ surfaces; The JASONProject, which measures ocean height and monitorsoceancirculation;andtheIce,Cloud,andLandElevationSatellite(ICESat),whoseprimarypurposeistostudythe

massofpolaricesheetsandtheircontributionstoglobalsealevelchange.

AccordingtoDr.LauryMiller,chiefof theNOAALaboratoryforSatelliteAltimetry,thebignewsthathasemergedoverthepastfewyearsisthattherateof20thcenturysealevelriseisabout2millimetersperyearandthatonlyaquarterofthisisduetoexpansioncausedbywarmingoftheoceans.Thisprovidesanimportantcon-textfortheserecentobservations.

“We’vefoundthatthelargestlikelyfactorforsealevelrise ischanges intheamountof ice thatcoversEarth.

Three-fourthsoftheplanet’sfreshwaterisstoredingla-ciersandicesheets,orabout220feetofsealevel,”saidDr.EricRignot,principalscientistfortheRadarScienceand Engineering Section at JPL. Research results byRignotandpartners,publishedinanOctober2004articleinSciencemagazine,offerfurtherevidencethaticecoverisshrinkingmuchfasterthanpreviouslythought,withoverhalfofrecentsealevelriseduetothemeltingoficefromGreenland,WestAntarctica’sAmundsenSea,andmountainglaciers.

ThelatestsealevelresearchconductedbyDr.SteveNerem,associateprofessorat theColoradoCenter forAstrodynamicsResearchattheUniversityofColoradoatBoulder,andhiscolleagues,andpublishedina2004issueofMarineGeodesy,hasfoundthatrecentTOPEX/Poseidon and JASON satellite observations show anaverageincreaseinglobalmeansealevelof3millimetersayear,from1993to2005.Thisrateismorethan50percentgreaterthantheaveragerateofthelast50years.

“Now the challenge is to develop an even deeperunderstandingofwhat is responsible for sea level riseandtomonitorforpossiblefuturechanges.That’swhereNASA’ssatellitescomeinwithglobalcoverage,andabilitytoexaminethemanyfactorsinvolved,”saidMiller.v

Changes in sea level entail a complex array of conditions, from chemistry and temperature, to changes in the shape of the basins that hold the world’s water. This advanced computer model shows the span of sea temperatures across the globe. Recent research indicates that ice cover is shrinking much faster than thought, with over half of recent sea level rise due to the melting of ice from Greenland, West Antarctica’s Amundsen Sea, and mountain glaciers.

http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/grace

http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/science/science.html

http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/jason-1.html


http://icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov

http://icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov


Innovative Partnerships Program Network

The Innovative Partnerships Program creates alliances with industry, academia, and other non-traditional sources to develop and transfer technology in support of national priorities and NASA’s missions. The programs and activities resulting from the alliances engage innovators and enterprises to fulfill NASA’s mission needs and promote the potential of NASA technology. This section recognizes the NASA organizations that assist in establishing these fruitful relationships.

1�0 Innovative Partnerships Program Network Spinoff 2006

Innovative Partnerships Program Network

The NASA Innovative Partnerships Program iscomprisedoftheNationalTechnologyTransferCenter (NTTC)andanetworkof fieldcenter

officeslocatedaroundthecountrytoprovideafullrangeof technology transfer and commercialization servicesandassistance.

TheNational Technology Transfer Center (NTTC)<http://www.nttc.edu>wasestablishedin1989toexpe-ditethecommercializationoffederallyfundedresearchanddevelopment.Inthatrole,theNTTClinksU.S.industrywithFederal laboratoriesanduniversitiesthathavethetechnologies,thefacilities,andtheworld-classresearchersthat industryneeds tomaximizeproductdevelopmentopportunities.Throughthesepartnerships, theNTTChelpsFederalagenciesfindcompaniesthatcancommer-cializetechnologiesdevelopedintheFederallaboratoriesandleverageresearchanddevelopmenteffortsacrossthepublicandprivatesectorstocreatecollaborativeresearchopportunities.TheNTTChasworkedwithNASAsince1989,providingtheservicesandcapabilitiesneededtomeetthechangingneedsofNASAformanagingintellec-tualpropertyandcreatingtechnologypartnerships.

The NTTC, having developed as a full-servicetechnology commercialization asset for federal andnonfederal funded technologies is nowrefocusing itsNASAservicestoalignwiththeInnovativePartnershipProgram’s (IPP) Small Business Innovative Research(SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)Program, but will continue to perform traditionaltechnologytransferservicesasrequestedbyNASAandforotherclients.

NASAincubatorsareincludedwithinthisnetworkofprograms.TheyaredesignedtonurturenewandemergingbusinesseswiththepotentialtoincorporatetechnologydevelopedbyNASA.Theyofferawidevarietyofbusinessandtechnicalsupportservicestoincreasethesuccessofparticipatingcompanies.

BizTech <http://www.biztech.org>, of Huntsville,Alabama, is a small business incubator, offering

participatingcompaniesaccesstoservicesatMarshallSpaceFlightCenterlaboratoriesforfeasibilitytesting,prototypefabrication,andadviceontechnologyusageandtransfer.BizTechissponsoredbytheHuntsville-MadisonCountyChamberofCommerce.

The Florida/NASA Business Incubation Center (FNBIC) <http://www.trda.org/fnbic/> is a jointpartnershipofNASA’sKennedySpaceCenter,BrevardCommunityCollege,andtheTechnologicalResearchandDevelopmentAuthority.ThemissionoftheFNBICistoincreasethenumberofsuccessfultechnology-basedsmall

businessesoriginatingin,developingin,orrelocatingtoBrevardCounty.TheFNBICofferssupportfacilitiesandprogramstotrainandnurturenewentrepreneursintheestablishmentandoperationofdevelopingventuresbasedonNASAtechnology.

TheMississippi Enterprise for Technology (MsET) <http://www.mset.org>issponsoredbyNASAandtheMississippiUniversityConsortiumandDepartmentofEconomicandCommunityDevelopment,aswellastheprivatesector.Themissionoftheenterpriseistohelpsmallbusinessesutilizethescientificknowledgeandtechnical

The National Technology Transfer Center is located on the campus of Wheeling Jesuit University, in Wheeling, West Virginia.

http://www.nttc.edu

http://www.biztech.org

http://www.trda.org/fnbic/

http://www.mset.org

1�1 Innovative Partnerships Program Network Spinoff 2006

expertiseattheStennisSpaceCenter.Asignificantpartof this effort is Stennis’CommercialRemote Sensingprogram,whichwas formed to commercialize remotesensing, geographic information systems, and relatedimagingtechnologies.

To complement the specialized centers and pro-gramssponsoredbytheNASAInnovativePartnershipsProgram,affiliatedorganizationsandserviceshavebeenformed to strengthen NASA’s commitment to U.S.businesses.Private andpublic sector enterprisesbuilduponNASA’sexperienceintechnologytransferinordertohelpwiththechannelingofNASAtechnologyintothecommercialmarketplace.

The NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)program<http://www.sbir.nasa.gov>providesseedmoneytoU.S.smallbusinessesfordevelopinginno-vativeconceptsthatmeetNASAmissionrequirements.Eachyear,NASAinvitessmallbusinessestoofferpropos-alsinresponsetotechnicaltopicslistedintheannualSBIRprogramsolicitation.TheNASAfieldcentersnegotiateandawardthecontracts,aswellasmonitorthework.

NASA’sSBIRprogramisimplementedinthreephases:

• Phase Iistheopportunitytoestablishthefeasibilityandtechnicalmeritofaproposedinnovation.Selectedcompetitively,NASAPhaseIcontractslast6monthsandmustremainunderspecificmonetarylimits.

• Phase IIisthemajorresearchanddevelopmenteffortwhichcontinues themostpromisingof thePhase Iprojectsbasedonscientificandtechnicalmerit,resultsofPhaseI,expectedvaluetoNASA,companycapabil-ity,andcommercialpotential.PhaseIIplacesgreateremphasis on the commercial value of the innova-tion.Thecontractsareusuallyineffectforaperiodof24monthsandagainmustnotexceedspecifiedmon-etarylimits.

• Phase IIIistheprocessofcompletingthedevelopmentofaproducttomakeitcommerciallyavailable.Whilethefinancialresourcesneededmustbeobtainedfrom

sourcesotherthanthefundingsetasidefortheSBIR,NASA may fund Phase III activities for follow-ondevelopmentorforproductionofaninnovationforitsownuse.

TheSBIRManagementOffice,locatedattheGoddardSpaceFlightCenter,providesoverallmanagementanddirectionoftheSBIRprogram.

The NASA Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program<http://www.sbir.nasa.gov> awardscontractstosmallbusinessesforcooperativere-searchanddevelopmentwitharesearchinstitutionthroughauniform,three-phaseprocess.ThegoalofCongressinestablishingtheSTTRprogramwastotransfertechnologydevelopedbyuniversitiesandFederallaboratoriestothemarketplacethroughtheentrepreneurshipofasmallbusiness.

AlthoughmodeledaftertheSBIRprogram,STTRisaseparateactivityandisseparatelyfunded.TheSTTRprogramdiffersfromtheSBIRprograminthatthefund-ingandtechnicalscopeislimitedandparticipantsmustbeteamsofsmallbusinessesandresearchinstitutionsthatwillconductjointresearch.

The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer <http://www.federallabs.org> was organized in 1974 to promote and strengthentechnology transfernationwide.More than600majorFederal laboratories and centers, including NASA,are currently members. The mission of the FLCistwofold:

• To promote and facilitate the rapid movement ofFederallaboratoryresearchresultsandtechnologiesintothemainstreamoftheU.S.economy.

• Touseacoordinatedprogramthatmeetsthetech-nology transfer support needs of FLC memberlaboratories,agencies,andtheirpotentialpartnersinthetransferprocess.

The National Robotics Engineering Consortium (NREC) <http://www.rec.ri.cmu.edu>isacooperativeventureamongNASA,theCityofPittsburgh,theStateof

Pennsylvania,andCarnegieMellon’sRoboticsInstitute.ItsmissionistomoveNASA-fundedroboticstechnologytoindustry.IndustrialpartnersjointheNRECwiththegoalofusingtechnologytogainagreatermarketshare,developnewnichemarkets,orcreateentirelynewmarketswithintheirareaofexpertise.

OtherIPPaffiliatedorganizationsdevotedtothetransferofNASAtechnologyaretheResearch Triangle Institute (RTI)andtheMSU TechLink Center.

NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are a three-phased approach for the small business concern to develop a technology in response to a specific set of NASA mission-driven needs, as presented in the NASA SBIR/STTR Annual Solicitation.

http://www.sbir.nasa.gov

http://www.sbir.nasa.gov

http://www.federallabs.org

http://www.rec.ri.cmu.edu

1�� Innovative Partnerships Program Network Spinoff 2006

The RTI <http://www.rti.org>,locatedinResearchTrianglePark,NorthCarolina,providesarangeoftech-nology management services to NASA. RTI performstechnologyassessmentstodetermineapplicationsandcom-mercialpotentialofNASAtechnology,aswellasmarketanalysis,andcommercializationandpartnershipdevelop-ment.RTIworkscloselywithallofNASA’sTechnologyTransferOffices.

TheMSU TechLink Center <http://techlinkcenter.org> located at Montana State University-Bozeman,wasestablishedin1997tomatchthetechnologyneedsof client companieswith resources throughoutNASAand the Federal laboratory system. TechLink focuseson a five-state region that includes Idaho, Montana,North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.Working closely with public, private, and universityprograms, TechLink provides ongoing support in theprocess of adapting, integrating, and commercializingNASAtechnology.

Theroadtotechnologycommercializationbeginswiththebasicandappliedresearchresultsfromtheworkofscientists,engineers,andothertechnicalandmanagementpersonnel. The NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) program <http://www.sti.nasa.gov>providesthewidestappropriatedisseminationofNASA’sresearch results.TheSTIprogramacquires,processes,archives,announces,anddisseminatesNASA’sinternal—aswellasworldwide—STI.

TheNASASTIprogramoffersusersInternetaccesstoitsdatabaseofover3.9millioncitations,aswellasmanyinfulltext;onlineorderingofdocuments;andtheNASASTI Help Desk ([email protected]) for assistance inaccessingSTIresourcesandinformation.FreeregistrationwiththeprogramisavailablethroughtheNASACenterforAeroSpaceInformation.

NASA TechTracS <http://technology.nasa.gov> providesaccess toNASA’s technology inventoryand numerous examples of the successful transfer ofNASA-sponsored technology for commercialization.

TechFinder,themainfeatureoftheInternetsite,allowsuserstosearchtechnologiesandsuccessstories,aswellassubmitrequestsforadditionalinformation.AllNASAfieldcenterssubmitinformationtotheTechTracSdatabaseasameansoftrackingtechnologiesthathavepotentialforcommercialdevelopment.

Formorethan3decades,reportingtoindustryonanynew,commerciallysignificanttechnologiesdevelopedinthecourseofNASAresearchanddevelopmentefforts

hasbeenaccomplishedthroughthepublicationofNASA Tech Briefs<http://www.nasatech.com>.

The monthly magazine features innovations fromNASA, industrypartners, and contractors that canbeappliedtodevelopneworimprovedproductsandsolveengineeringormanufacturingproblems.Authoredbytheengineersorscientistswhoperformedtheoriginalwork,thebriefscoveravarietyofdisciplines,includingcomputersoftware,mechanics,andlifesciences.Mostbriefsoffera free supplemental technical support package, whichexplainsthetechnologyingreaterdetailandprovidescon-tactpointsforquestionsorlicensingdiscussions.

Technology Innovation<http://www.ipp.nasa.gov/innovation>ispublishedquarterlybytheNASAOfficeofExplorationSystems.Regularfeaturesincludecurrentnewsandopportunitiesintechnologytransferandcommercial-ization,andinnovativeresearchanddevelopment.

NASA Spinoff <http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto> isan annual print andonlinepublication featuring suc-cessfulcommercialandindustrialapplicationsofNASAtechnology, current research anddevelopment efforts,andthelatestdevelopmentsfromtheNASAInnovativePartnershipsProgram.v

Technology Innovation is one of NASA’s magazines for business and technology, published by the Innovative Partnerships Program. The latest issue highlights Kennedy Space Center recognition for NASA invention for the year.

http://www.rti.org

http://techlinkcenter.org

http://techlinkcenter.org

http://www.sti.nasa.gov

http://technology.nasa.gov

http://technology.nasa.gov

http://www.nasatech.com

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov/innovation

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov/innovation

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto


▲

✖★▲

▲

▲

▲

▲▲

▲▲ ■

▲

The FY 2006 NASA Innovative Partnership Program Network(IPPN)extendsfromcoasttocoast.Forspecificinformationcon-cerningtechnologypartneringactivitiesdescribedbelow,contact

theappropriatepersonnelatthefacilitieslistedorgototheInternetat:<http://www.ipp.nasa.gov>.GeneralinquiriesmaybeforwardedtotheNationalTechnologyTransferCenterattechnology@nttc.edu.

To publish your success about a product or service you may havecommercializedusingNASAtechnology,assistance,orknow-how,contactthe NASA Center for AeroSpace Information or go to the Internet at:<http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/contributor.html>.

★ NASA HeadquartersmanagestheSpinoffProgram.

▲ Field Center Technology Transfer Offices represent NASA’stechnology sourcesandmanagecenterparticipation in technologytransferactivities.

✖ National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC) providesnationalinformation,referral,andcommercializationservicesforNASAandothergovernmentlaboratories.

■ Research Triangle Institute (RTI)providesarangeoftechnologymanagementservicesincludingtechnologyassessment,valuationandmarketing,marketanalysis,intellectualpropertyaudits,commercializa-tionplanning,andthedevelopmentofpartnerships.

NASA Innovative Partnerships Network Directory

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/contributor.html


★NASAHeadquartersNational Aeronautics and Space Administration300EStreet,SWWashington,DC20546NASASpinoffPublicationManager:Janelle TurnerPhone:(202)358-0704E-mail:[email protected]

▲FieldCentersAmes Research CenterNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationMoffettField,California94035Chief,TechnologyPartnershipsDivision:Lisa LockyerPhone:(650)604-1754E-mail:[email protected]

Dryden Flight Research CenterNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration4800LillyDrive,Building4839Edwards,California93523-0273Chief,TechnologyTransferPartnershipsOffice:Michael Gorn Phone:(661)276-2355E-mail:[email protected]

John H. Glenn Research Center atLewisFieldNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration 21000BrookparkRoad Cleveland,Ohio44135 Director,TechnologyTransferandPartneringOffice:Robert Lawrence Phone:(216)433-3484 E-mail:[email protected]

Goddard Space Flight Center NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationGreenbelt,Maryland20771Chief,OfficeofTechnologyTransfer:Nona K. CheeksPhone:(301)286-5810E-mail:[email protected]

Jet Propulsion LaboratoryNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration 4800OakGroveDrivePasadena,California91109Manager,CommercialProgramOffice:James K. WolfenbargerPhone:(818)354-3821E-mail:[email protected]

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationHouston,Texas77058 ActingDirector,TechnologyTransferOffice: Michele Brekke Phone:(281)483-4614 E-mail:[email protected]

John F. Kennedy Space Center NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration KennedySpaceCenter,Florida32899 ActingChief,InnovativePartnershipsProgramOffice:David R. MakufkaPhone:(321)867-6227E-mail:[email protected]

Langley Research Center NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationHampton,Virginia23681-2199ChiefTechnologist,ChiefTechnologist’sOffice:Richard R. AntcliffPhone:(757)864-3000E-mail:[email protected]

George C. Marshall Space Flight CenterNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationMarshallSpaceFlightCenter,Alabama35812Manager,TechnologyTransferOffice:Vernotto C. McMillanPhone:(256)544-4266E-mail:[email protected]

John C. Stennis Space Center NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationStennisSpaceCenter,Mississippi39529Chief,TechnologyDevelopmentand TransferOffice:John W. Bailey Phone:(228)688-1065E-mail:[email protected]

✖NationalTechnology TransferCenter(NTTC)Wheeling Jesuit UniversityWheeling,WestVirginia26003 Davitt McAteer,VicePresidentofSponsoredPrograms Phone:(800)678-6882 E-mail:[email protected]

■ ResearchTriangleInstitute(RTI)Technology Application Team3040CornwallisRoad,P.O.Box12194ResearchTrianglePark,NorthCarolina 27709-2194Dan Winfield,DirectorPhone:(919)541-6431E-mail:[email protected]

NASACenterforAeroSpaceInformationSpinoff Project Office NASACenterforAeroSpaceInformation 7121StandardDrive Hanover,Maryland21076-1320

Jamie Janvier,Editor/Writer Phone:(301)621-0242 E-mail:[email protected]

Daniel Lockney,Editor/Writer Phone:(301)621-0244 E-mail:[email protected]

John Jones,GraphicDesigner

Deborah Drumheller,PublicationsSpecialist

Documents

NASA 2006 Spinoff - National Air and Space Museum · space technologies, including wireless telemetry (wireless signal transmission), microminiaturized circuitry, sensors, and batteries,