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This paper will discuss using Astronics “Smart Panel” illuminated control panels to control an electronic power distribution system. A discussion of wiring simplification, automatic control possibilities and real time load monitoring is presented. The challenges of retrofitting the system into older aircraft will be covered as well. The paper also explains Electronic Circuit Breaker technology, arc fault protection, panel lighting technologies, control bus options, displays, and human input technology (buttons and knobs).

The onboard “SODART” telescope silicon detector cooling system of the “Spectrum-X-Gamma” observatory, which is designed for the space objects X-ray radiation study, is described. The scale-down model of the passive cooling system description and thermal vacuum test results of this model are given. In the real cooling system the minimal detector temperature at 300 mW heat release is expected about 107 K.

This paper presents the derivation of the equations for circumferential, longitudinal and radial heat transfer conductance for a thin shell toroid or a segment of the toroid. A thin shell toroid is one in which the radius to thickness ratio is greater than 10. The equations for the surface area of a toroid or of a toroidal segment will also be derived along with the equation to determine the location of the centroid. The surface area is needed to determine the radial conductance in the toroid or toroidal segment and the centroid is needed to determine the heat transfer center of the toroid or toroidal segment for circumferential and longitudinal conductance. These equations can be used to obtain more accurate results for conductive heat transfer in toroid which is a curved spacecraft components. A comparison will be made (1) using the equations derived in this paper which takes into account the curvature of the toroid (true geometry) and (2) using flat plates to simulate the toroid.

During several ISS missions, there were false alarms at both US and Russian smoke detectors. High local airborne particulate concentrations and interior deposits are considered the causes for such anomalies. Alternatives are proposed to replace or complement these faulty smoke detectors. The entrained zeolite particles may play a role in causing problems with check valves and air save pumps in CDRA and Vozdukh. Another incidence has been the dispersion of particulates out of Metox regeneration oven. Particulate matters with aerodynamic diameter of 15 microns and above, which normally settle down on earth, stay airborne under micro-gravity and thereby cause the above-mentioned nuisances. The motion of such a particle along a gas stream with an initial velocity can be expressed by theoretical equations. Stokes' Law leads to the descriptions of inertial precipitation of aerosols that are important in solving the issues.

This Life Support Laboratory consists of a simulator of the spacecraft called Nautilus, which houses Air Revitalization Subsystem, Atmospheric Control and Supply, and Fire Detection and Suppression in the Equipment Area. There are supporting facilities including a Human Metabolic Simulator, simulated Low and Moderate Temperature Coolant Loop, chemical analysis bench, purified water supply, vacuum and gas supplies. These facilities are scheduled to be completed and start to operate for demonstration purposes by March 2005. There are an ARES Ground Model (AGM) and a Trace Contaminant Control Assembly in the ARS. The latter will be integrated with the AGM and a Condensing Heat Exchanger. The unit of AGM is being engineered, built, and will be delivered in early 2005 by EADS Space Division. These assemblies will be operated for sensitivity analysis, integration and optimization studies. The main goal is the achievement for optimal recovery of oxygen.

HEAT TRANSFER causes loading and starting design problems in large missile systems powered by cryogenic propellants. This manifests itself during loading as effective density variation, violent surface conditions, boiloff, and ice formation — problems which may be solved by insulating the tank. During starting it causes overheating and caviation — effects which may be reduced by recirculators and subcooled charge injections. The study described in this paper centers around liquid oxygen and its variations in heat flux rate, which affect liquid density, surface condition, and replenishing requirements. The problem areas are made apparent by consideration of a hypothetical missile system.*

eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is a powerful X-ray telescope under development by the Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) in Garching, Germany. eROSITA is the core instrument on the Russian SRG1 mission which is planned for launch in 2011. It comprises seven nested Wolter-I grazing incidence telescopes, each equipped with its own CCD camera. The mirror modules have to be maintained at 20°C while the cameras are operated at -80°C. Both, mirrors and CCDs have to be kept within tight limits. The CCD cooling system consists of passive thermal control components only: two radiators, variable conductance heat pipes (VCHP) and two special thermal storage units. The orbit scenario imposes severe challenges on the thermal control system and also on the attitude control system.

The permanently increasing number of convenience and safety functions leads to higher complexity of in-car electronics and the rapidly growing amount of sensors, actuators and electronic control units places higher demands on high- speed data communication protocols. Safety-critical systems need deterministic protocols with fault-tolerant behavior. The need for on-board diagnosis calls for flexible use of bandwidth and an ever-increasing number of functions necessitates a flexible means of extending the system. None of the communication solutions available on the market until now (like CAN or TTP) have been able to fulfill all these demands. To solve these problems, BMW together with several semiconductor companies has developed a new protocol for safety-critical applications in automotive vehicles.

A “next generation” condensing heat exchanger for space systems has to satisfy demanding operational requirements under variable thermal and moisture loads and reduced gravity conditions. Mathematical models described here are used to investigate transient behavior of wetting and de-wetting dynamics in the binary porous system of porous tubes and porous cold plate. The model is based on the Richard's equation simplified for the zero-gravity conditions. The half-saturation distance or the zone of influence of the porous annular suction tubes on the cold-plate porous material will be in the range of 1 to 10 cm for the time scales ranging from 100 to 10,000 seconds and moisture diffusivity in the range of D = 10-4 to 10-6 m2/s.

Spacecraft life support equipment is often challenged with two phase flow, where liquid and gas exist together. In the zero gravity environment of an orbiting spacecraft, the behavior of a liquid/gas interface is dominated by forces not usually observed in one “G” due to the overwhelming effects of gravity. The normal perceptions no longer apply. Water does not run down hill and bubbles do not rise to the surface. Surface energy, capillary forces, wetting characteristics and momentum effects predominate. Techniques and equipment have been developed to separate the liquid/gas mixture into its constituent parts with various levels of efficiency and power consumption.

This paper investigates the use of several zero-ozone depleting potential (zero-ODP) HFC refrigerants, including HFC-134a, HFC-227ca, HFC-227ea, HFC-236ea, HFC-236cb, HFC-236fa, HFC-245cb, and HFC-254cb, for centrifugal chiller applications. We took into account the thermodynamic properties of the refrigerant and aerodynamic characteristics of the impeller compression process in this evaluation.. For a given operating temperature lift, there are significant differences in the pressure ratio required by each refrigerant and this variation in pressure ratio directly affects compressor size, efficiency, and performance. A comparison of the HFC refrigerant candidates with CFC-114 shows that HFC-236ea, HFC-227ca and HFC-227ea are viable alternatives for centrifugal water chillers. HFC-236ea has properties closest to CFC-114, and will result in comparible performance, but will require a slightly larger impeller and a purge system.

Guidelines for designing you-are-here (YAH) maps aboard International Space Station (ISS) are proposed, based on results from previous 3D spatial navigation studies conducted by our research group and colleagues. This paper reviews terrestrial YAH maps, the common errors associated with them, and how to appropriately implement what is known from terrestrial to micro-gravity YAH maps. We conclude with a creative example of an ISS YAH map that utilizes given guidelines and information visualization techniques.

This paper presents lessons learned from flight testing of the YA-10B Single Seat Night Attack (SSNA) testbed. The generic night attack avionics suite in the YA-10B was used to provide a workload baseline for use in future night attack programs. Pilot rating scales and physiological data were used to construct the workload data base.

The XMM-NEWTON satellite is the ESA X-ray spaceborne observatory covering the soft X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. XMM-NEWTON has been put in orbit on December, 10th 1999 by an Ariane 5 single launch. The spacecraft has a conventional thermal design that takes full advantage of the stable environment provided by its high altitude/long period orbit and by the limited variation of solar attitude angles in order to provide a stable platform for the telescope system. The precise geometry and alignment of the telescope system impose strict temperature requirements so that not only temperature gradients have to be kept small but also, and more importantly, time-variations of the gradients have to be minimised. In the paper, the thermal behaviour of the spacecraft as verified by its thermal test programme is compared with the early in-orbit temperature measurements.

High quality rivet installation is of critical importance to the aerospace industry, and the existence of gaps between the rivet head and the countersink is undesirable. Detection of gaps traditionally involves sectioning through rivet joints. Two concerns exist for this method of evaluation: it provides data only from the sectioned plane, and it has potential to alter the gaps. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to validate the effectiveness of the tradition sectioning method. It was revealed that the sectioning process generally increased the size of gaps. CT images also revealed that the gaps are not necessarily uniform around the rivet.

X-ray is an indispensable aid in locating and determining the extent of incipient failures in structure which is inaccessible by position or covered by multiple layers of metal. It is also the most feasible method for checking oil coolers for contamination; bonded honeycomb panels for water; fuel lines for erosion; and with a 360 deg emission tube, fuselage frames for structural integrity without removing the interior upholstery and panels from the passenger compartment or cargo compartments.

The X-29 Fuel/Auxiliary Oil Thermal Management System provides total aircraft accessory oil cooling, including both flight and combined hydraulics, Integrated Drive Generator oil, and Accessory Drive Gearbox oil, with onboard fuel. Fuel cooling rates that are independent of engine demand are achieved through the use of a recirculation loop. Recirculation is minimized by maintaining the engine fuel inlet temperature at the maximum allowable. Fuel cooling results in lower, more uniform subsystem oil temperatures, less ram drag, and smaller, lighter-weight heat exchangers. Initial design studies and laboratory development testing will be discussed, along with comparisons of analytical predictions with flight test results.

LiquidPiston Inc. has developed a new engine that can run on multiple fuels, including diesel, jet fuel, and gasoline. This platform uses an optimized thermodynamic cycle and a new rotary engine architecture and could increases flight endurance over conventional UAV engines by greater than 50%.