NASA Research Research Articles

Lameness in Adult Sheep and Goats in Greece: Prevalence, Predictors, Treatment, Importance for Farmers.

The present study refers to an extensive investigation of lameness performed countrywide in Greece, on 325 sheep and 119 goat farms. The specific objectives of this work were to present data on the occurrence of lameness on sheep and goat farms and to identify variables (including variables related to climatic factors) associated with the disorder on the farms. Farms were visited and animals on the farm were assessed for the presence of lameness; further, an interview was carried out with the farmer to obtain information regarding practices applied on the farm. Climatic variables at the location of each farm were derived from NASA research. The within farm prevalence rate varied from 0.0% to 25.0% in sheep flocks and from 0.0% to 30.0% in goat herds. The mean ± standard error (median (interquartile range)) within farm prevalence rate among sheep farms was 1.9% ± 0.2 (0.0% (0.0%)); among goat farms, it was 2.6% ± 0.5% (0.0% (0.0%)). Multivariable analysis for within farm prevalence of lameness revealed three significant predictors in sheep farms: application of vaccination against foot-rot, increased precipitation at the farm location and longer annual grazing period for sheep, and one in goat farms: increased precipitation at the farm location. Treatment of lameness involved mostly administration of antibiotics (on 104 farms); the antibiotics administered most often were lincomycin (on 69 farms) and oxytetracycline (on 33 farms). There was a tendency for higher median within farm prevalence of lameness among farms where no antibiotic administration was practiced. Finally, 6.2% of sheep farmers and 4.2% of goat farmers considered lameness as an important health problem for the animals, specifically the third and fifth most important problem on the respective farms.

Template models of silicon carbide JFETs and their practical applications in high-temperature analog chip design problems in LTspice environment

Modern achievements of leading microelectronic firms in the field of designing operational amplifiers (Op-Amp) and their functional units based on silicon carbide, designed for operation in the temperature range up to 300-600 °C, are analyzed. Numerical values of the parameters of existing high-temperature operational amplifiers, created for space missions of NASA Research Center named after Gallen, on the open-circuit voltage gain, the systematic component of the zero offset voltage, the frequency of single gain, the maximum rate of increase of the output voltage, the coefficient of attenuation of input in-phase signals and the coefficient of suppression of interference on the power supply rails, as well as information on the experimental characteristics of Op-Amps during long-term operation at high temperatures and exposure to radiation. To model circuits at temperatures up to 450 °C, template models of SiC transistors (TM) have been developed using the template modeling technique, in which constant model parameters are replaced by fractional-rational functions (Padé approximation), allowing to describe more accurately the physical processes in JFETs without violating the nature of their changes. For the freely distributable modeling environment LTspice the instruction for application of the TM is developed. Circuit solutions of high-temperature basic analog functional units realized on the basis of silicon carbide field-effect transistors are considered. The basic characteristics of SiC source repeaters, SiC differential stages and the simplest SiC operational amplifiers based on them at temperatures of 25 °C and 452 °C are investigated. The obtained results are recommended to be used in the design of high-temperature operational and instrumental amplifiers in space instrumentation, deep well drilling, automotive industry, nuclear reactors, etc.

High-fidelity fluid-structure interaction applied to static aeroelasticity in transonic flows

Transonic flows at high Reynolds numbers can lead to high dynamic pressures and, consequently, to aerostructural deflections of aircraft structures. This study aims to develop and validate a high-fidelity static aeroelastic analysis environment that is efficient and that can be used in an industrial setting. The aerodynamics is represented by numerical solutions of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with appropriate turbulence closures. The load transfer process uses finite element shape functions in order to distribute the aerodynamic loads into the structural discretization. The structural analysis employs a modal basis approach, and a wingtip deflection convergence study is performed to find an adequate modal basis size. Radial basis functions are used for the fluid mesh displacement, and the influence of the support radius is evaluated to determine the optimal values relative to the wing mean aerodynamic chord. The capability is tested using the static aeroelastic benchmarks of the High Reynolds Aerostructural Dynamics Project (HIRENASD) and NASA's Common Research Model (CRM). The static aeroelastic results demonstrate robustness and consistency for the aerodynamic coefficients, pressure distributions, and structural deflection predictions at different normalized dynamic pressure values and grid refinement levels.

Mars Mission’s Monetary Roller Coaster Hits New Lows

In February, the NASA research center laid off more than 500 people, citing congressional budget uncertainties over the controversial Mars Sample Return mission. What is its path forward?

A Lithium-Ion Battery Remaining Useful Life Prediction Method with A New Algorithm Based on Incremental Capacity Analysis

Safe use of lithium-ion batteries requires accurately assessing state of charge (SoC), state of health (SOH) and capacity estimation techniques. Due to numerous charge and discharge cycles, lithium ion batteries undergo a degradation process during their use leading to failures, accidents, and fire. Traditional ICA/DVA methods have been used to overcome these issues, but they are subject to changes in battery resistance and polarization processes during battery aging. Evaluation of the SoC as a function of incremental capacity is proposed in this work to overcome this problem. This article used a new algorithm to perform, through simulations carried out with Matlab® software, incremental capacity analysis for a preventive estimate of remaining useful life (RUL). In addition, the comparison between IC curves and the SoC here used fully represents the relationship between the IC values and the internal parameters of the battery. The validity of the proposed algorithm against the phenomenon of battery aging was evaluated based on experimental data from NASA's PCoE research center.

UAP Research in Germany: Single Case Studies, Data Management, Understanding of “Strangeness”

Unidentified Aerial/Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) have become a serious research topic in the last years. Beyond the current efforts of U. S. government agencies, NASA, and several research institutions, data on UAP have been collected for many decades in private research organizations world-wide. However, the status of the work in Germany in particular is little known internationally. This paper presents the current state of knowledge and lists key issues regarding research on UAP. Using the example of the largest research organization in Germany, the “Gesellschaft zur Erforschung des UFO-Phänomens – GEP e.V.” (Society for the Study of the UFO Phenomenon), this paper describes how lay research or citizen science can contribute to addressing these key issues. Conducting individual case studies for data collection, requirements-driven research data management and the theoretical development of basic definitions of “UAP” as well as “anomalies” and “strangeness” are identified as core factors for progress in UAP research, for which increased international cooperation between all institutions involved will be required in the future.

Jack Dwayne Farmer April 18, 1947-February 22, 2023.

Jack Dwayne Farmer April 18, 1947-February 22, 2023.

Highlights of aeroacoustic tests of a metal spacecraft cabin ventilation fan prototype

A metal spacecraft cabin ventilation fan suitable for aerodynamic and acoustic ground tests was designed and tested in the NASA Glenn Research Center Acoustical Testing Laboratory. The fan design featured a low-noise blade-vane count that was chosen to reduce the rotor-stator interaction tone noise. The fan was throttled through its operating range, and results indicated that the measured aerodynamic and acoustic performance was in good agreement with predictions. Recommendations for further research of quiet high-performance fans intended to support long duration human space exploration missions are offered. This small fan aerodynamic and acoustic test rig and the NASA Glenn Acoustical Testing Laboratory are valuable resources available for supporting NASA's aeronautics research and space exploration missions.

Electric Propulsors for Zero-Emission Aircraft: Partially superconducting machines

Be it through combustion in a turbine or via direct conversion with fuel cells, hydrogen electric is considered the most attractive path toward a future with zero-emission aircraft. An internal combustion engine, with hydrogen as the fuel, results in very low amounts of nitrogen oxide emissions, providing an attractive option for a turboelectric propulsion system. Additionally, new lean combustion strategies show promising results to further minimize these emissions. On the other hand, a fuel cell-based electrical architecture, with no direct emissions, can be used to power a fully electric propulsion system. Whichever method is used, electric machines play a key role in hydrogen-powered aircraft as it is the unit that efficiently converts electrical power to mechanical power. With promising trends pointing toward hydrogen as the key to electrification of large transport aircraft, efficient and “flightweight” megawatt (MW)-class motors and, in some cases, tens of MW are needed. NASA’s Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) program anticipated this and launched several NASA Research Announcements, leading to the continued development and availability of enabling technologies. Other agencies are also stepping up to the challenge with integral R&D, such as thermal management-related work supported by Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy. In this article, we discuss technology options, developments, challenges, and trends toward an electric propulsor that will power the future of aviation.

Space Crafted

Many key technologies in consumer electronics owe their origins to NASA research. CET&D discovers what the space agency can teach us about the development of new products.

Cultural Diversity Responsive Education: Exploration of Concepts and Dimensions

This study has explored the concepts and dimensions of CDRE to understand its educational implications. The article is based on the review of conceptual and theoretical literature about cultural diversity and multicultural education following diversity-related issues. Guided by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, post-modernism, and multicultural education theories, the study interprets the existing and observed educational status. By reviewing the policy documents including NCF, NASA, and SSDP and relevant research reports, the study found that the existing educational status of Nepal is being oriented towards particular social class or mainstream culture or teachers' culture. The paper has identified the dimensions of CDRE as CDRC, CDRI, R&I, and CDRA to ensure equity in education which can translate the existing particular social class or mainstream culture or teachers “culture-based instruction into a mass or all students” culture-based instruction in the classroom.

Supplemental Food Production With Plants: A Review of NASA Research

Bioregenerative life-support systems for space have been investigated for 60 years, and plants and other photosynthetic organisms are central to this concept for their ability to produce food and O2, remove CO2, and help recycle wastewater. Many of the studies targeted larger scale systems that might be used for planetary surface missions, with estimates ranging from about 40 to 50 m2(or more) of crop growing area needed per person. But early space missions will not have these volumes available for crop growth. How can plants be used in the interim, where perhaps <5 m2of growing area might be available? One option is to grow plants as supplemental, fresh foods. This could improve the quality and diversity of the meals on the International Space Station or on the Lunar surface, and supply important nutrients to the astronauts for missions like Mars transit, and longer duration Martian surface missions. Although plant chambers for supplemental food production would be relatively small, they could provide the bioregenerative research community with platforms for testing different crops in a space environment and serve as a stepping stone to build larger bioregenerative systems for future missions. Here we review some of NASA’s research and development (ground and spaceflight) targeting fresh food production systems for space. We encourage readers to also look into the extensive work by other space agencies and universities around the world on this same topic.

Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Data Sets: Description, Management, and Delivery.

The ACT‐America project is a NASA Earth Venture Suborbital‐2 mission designed to study the transport and fluxes of greenhouse gases. The open and freely available ACT‐America data sets provide airborne in situ measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, trace gases, aerosols, clouds, and meteorological properties, airborne remote sensing measurements of aerosol backscatter, atmospheric boundary layer height and columnar content of atmospheric carbon dioxide, tower‐based measurements, and modeled atmospheric mole fractions and regional carbon fluxes of greenhouse gases over the Central and Eastern United States. We conducted 121 research flights during five campaigns in four seasons during 2016–2019 over three regions of the US (Mid‐Atlantic, Midwest and South) using two NASA research aircraft (B‐200 and C‐130). We performed three flight patterns (fair weather, frontal crossings, and OCO‐2 underflights) and collected more than 1,140 h of airborne measurements via level‐leg flights in the atmospheric boundary layer, lower, and upper free troposphere and vertical profiles spanning these altitudes. We also merged various airborne in situ measurements onto a common standard sampling interval, which brings coherence to the data, creates geolocated data products, and makes it much easier for the users to perform holistic analysis of the ACT‐America data products. Here, we report on detailed information of data sets collected, the workflow for data sets including storage and processing of the quality controlled and quality assured harmonized observations, and their archival and formatting for users. Finally, we provide some important information on the dissemination of data products including metadata and highlights of applications of ACT‐America data sets.

Monitoring of Industrial Machine Using a Novel Blind Feature Extraction Approach

Machinery with several rotating and stationary components tends to produce non-stationary and random vibration signatures due to the fluctuations in the input loads and process defects due to long hours of operation. Traditional heuristics methods are suitable for the detection of fault signatures, however, they become more complicated when the level of uncertainty or randomness exceeds beyond control. A novel methodology to identify these fault signatures using optimal filtering of vibration data is proposed to eliminate any false alarms and is expected to provide a higher probability of correct diagnosis. In this paper, a detailed pipeline of the algorithms are presented along with the results of the investigation that was carried out. These investigations are performed using open-source vibration data published by the NASA prognostics centre. The performance of these algorithms are evaluated based on the ground truth results published by NASA researchers. Based on the performance of these algorithms several parameters are fine-tuned to ensure generalisation and reliable performance.

Concept for a study on community responses to low sonic boom in Europe

In 2018, NASA was the first to assess noise annoyance by low-sonic booms among a population not used to hearing any of the acoustical phenomena associated with an aircraft flying at supersonic speeds (QSF18 study). Meanwhile, within the EU-project RUMBLE, data are collected, and literature reviewed used for research on community responses to low sonic boom demonstrator overflights. We present recommendations for such a field study, comprising NASA and RUMBLE studies' findings and other European efforts emphasizing items discussed by NASA and European researchers in the aftermaths of the first QSF18 results. We propose a study design for the CRLSB study in different European climate zones. A low-fidelity simulation model has been developed to pre-select test sites, supplemented by a more detailed impact model (NENA) for final site selection and preparation of the survey. We identified an approach of mixed survey modes, including experience-sampling procedures, as the most desirable modus operandi for community response assessment. Further, we propose a method for calculating desired sample sizes when applying linear mixed-effects modeling to data collected from a continental field study. [This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 769896.]

Going Beyond Hooked Participants: The Nibble-and-Drop Framework for Classifying Citizen Science Participation

Many citizen science (CS) programs aim to grow and sustain a pool of enthusiastic participants who consistently contribute their efforts to a specific scientific endeavor. Consequently, much research has explored CS participants’ motivations and their relationship to participant recruitment and retention. However, much of this research has focused on actively participating citizen scientists. If researchers want to elucidate the relationship between participant factors (such as demographics and motivations) and participant retention, it is necessary to develop a more comprehensive picture of the different degrees of participation in CS. This paper presents a framework for classifying participation throughout the participant’s engagement in a CS project/program. We suggest a CS participation model that captures the dynamic nature of participation across an arc of volunteering. Called the Nibble-and-Drop Framework, the model describes multiple exit points and stages of contribution typical of participation in a CS program. Applying the framework to the NASA GLOBE Observer (GO) CS program, we found that it captured the dynamics of participation in a global-scale, mobile, app-based, contributory-style CS project. The framework guided our analysis of how different participant factors correlate with degrees of participation. We found that participants were motivated to initially participate because they wanted to contribute to NASA research and science. Participants who dropped out of the program at various points often initially engaged through specific collection events and did not feel the need to continue contributing beyond the event; other drop-outs doubted whether their contributions were meaningful, showing again the need to ensure that participants understand the value of their engagement in a CS project.

NASA Research and Analysis: Status, Issues, and Recommendations for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey Committee

NASA Research and Analysis: Status, Issues, and Recommendations for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey Committee

Improvements to the NASA Research and Analysis Proposal and Review System

Improvements to the NASA Research and Analysis Proposal and Review System

Implicit large Eddy simulation of the NASA CRM high-lift configuration near stall

Recent progress in adaptive high-order numerical methods, high-order mesh generation, and scalable implicit time integration approaches has made large eddy simulation (LES) more affordable than ever before. In the present study, we demonstrate the progress by performing implicit LES of a benchmark problem from the 3rd AIAA High-Lift Prediction Workshop: NASA's Common Research Model (CRM) high-lift configuration. The LES tool, hpMusic, is based on the flux reconstruction method capable of handling high-order mixed unstructured meshes. P-refinement studies are used to assess the mesh-dependence of the numerical solutions. Comparisons are also made with available experimental data, and a very good agreement was obtained in lift and drag coefficients between the present computation and wall-corrected experimental data.

Diskursus Nalar Islam dan Ilmu Pengatahuan dalam Menjelaskan Asal Usul Kehidupan Bumi

Biotransition Theory is a concept of thought and the results of the suitability test by conducting comparative experiments, in questioning the origin theory of earth life which was carried by several previous scientists such as Abiogenesis , Biogenesis , Louis Pasteur's theory, and Nasa's research which until now has not been able to universalize universally. complete with a series of theories that existed before. This paper aims to explain some of the findings and criticisms of previous theories by making a comparative approach to research and studies that the author is currently doing. Aside from being an effort to compare and test the suitability of the development of existing knowledge, this article also explains coherently to Biotransisi theory in terms of various aspects including the results of comparative studies of previous theories that have weaknesses both regarding the rationale to the experiments carried out by several previous scientists. By presenting the results of the experiments and the results of literature review, the steps in this research can answer completely the fundamental questions about the origin of earth's life, so that this paper becomes an important spotlight for various groups to carry out further studies of some of the thoughts set forth in the text this.