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Paper Published in Materials Evaluation Journal

February 6, 2009 – 9:09 am

A paper entitled “Ultrasonic Phased Array Testing Simulations of Welded Components at NASA” written by Dr. D.J. Roth, R.E. Martin, R.W. Rauser, J.C. Aldrin and E.J. Schumacher, was published in the January 2009 issue of the Materials Evaluation Journal, vol. 67, #1, pp 60-65. Comprehensive and accurate tests of welded components have become increasingly important as NASA develops new hardware, such as Ares rocket segments, for future exploration missions.

Simulations and modeling will play an increased role in the future of nondestructive testing in order to better understand the physics of the testing process and help explain the experimental results. It will also help to prove or disprove the feasibility of a test technique or scenario, help optimize testing, and allow, to a first approximation, determination of limits of detectability. This study presents simulation and experimental results for ultrasonic phased array testing of critical welded structure important for NASA future exploration vehicles. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center funded this work.

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Optical Instrumentation & NDE


Frontiers of Propulsion Science Book Published

February 6, 2009 – 9:08 am

As volume 227 of the series, Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the book, Frontiers of Propulsion Science, has been released. Edited by Marc G. Millis (NASA Glenn) with co-editor Eric Davis (Austin, Texas Institute for Advanced Studies), this book is the first scholarly publication encompassing such visionary notions as gravity-control propulsion and faster-than-light-travel.

Amongst its 22 chapters and 739 pages, it connects the foundations of physics to the critical issues and opportunities of such ambitions. It also provides technological baselines of propulsion and power for comparison, as well as a chapter about management lessons for revolutionary research. In addition to the editors, an additional 16 authors from various affiliations contributed (NASA Centers, United Sates Air Force, Sandia Lab, Austrian Research Center, and various academia and private industry.)

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Propulsion & Propellants


Paper Published in IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters

February 6, 2009 – 9:05 am

A paper entitled "Temperature Dependency (25 to 400 C) of a Planar Folded Slot Antenna on Alumina Substrate," authored by Mr. Maximilian C. Scardelletti, Ms. Jennifer L. Jordan, and Dr. George E. Ponchak was published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 7, pp. 489-492, 2008.

This paper demonstrates that the radiation pattern and frequency of optimum impedance match do not vary with temperature, but there is a decrease in antenna gain due to higher resistive losses as temperature increases. This information is important for the design of high-temperature, wireless sensors for the Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Project.

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Electron & Opto-Electronic-Devices


GRC-Developed Technology Receives the FLC 2009 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer

January 29, 2009 – 2:07 pm

"Atomic Oxygen-Textured Surfaces for Blood Glucose Monitoring" (Bruce Banks and Sharon Miller, Space Environment & Experiments Branch) has been selected as a winner of the 2009 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer. This award is presented annually by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). The award recognizes laboratory employees who have accomplished outstanding work in the process of transferring a technology developed by a federal laboratory to the commercial marketplace.

A distinguished panel of technology transfer experts from industry, state and local government, academia, and the federal laboratory system evaluated the nominations. An award ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the FLC National Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Space Environment & Experiments


From Outer Space to the Eye Clinic: New Cataract Early Detection Technique

January 10, 2009 – 1:25 pm

Patients and Astronauts Benefit from NEI-NASA Collaboration

A compact fiber-optic probe developed for the space program has now proven valuable for patients in the clinic as the first non-invasive early detection device for cataracts, the leading cause of vision loss worldwide.

Researchers from the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) collaborated to develop a simple, safe eye test for measuring a protein related to cataract formation. If subtle protein changes can be detected before a cataract develops, people may be able to reduce their cataract risk by making simple lifestyle changes, such as decreasing sun exposure, quitting smoking, stopping certain medications and controlling diabetes.

"By the time the eye’s lens appears cloudy from a cataract, it is too late to reverse or medically treat this process," said Manuel B. Datiles III, M.D., NEI medical officer and lead author of the clinical study. "This technology can detect the earliest damage to lens proteins, triggering an early warning for cataract formation and blindness."

The new device is based on a laser light technique called dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was initially developed to analyze the growth of protein crystals in a zero-gravity space environment. NASA’s Rafat R. Ansari, Ph.D., senior scientist at the John H. Glenn Research Center and co-author of the study, brought the technology’s possible clinical applications to the attention of NEI vision researchers when he learned that his father’s cataracts were caused by changes in lens proteins.

Read the full article via one of the following:

Related Media

View the video, "Dr. Rafat Ansari and NASA’s Research on Cataracts."

Categories: Bio Sciences & Technology, Business Development & Partnership


Moon Tire Replication Work Featured on National Public Radio (NPR)

January 9, 2009 – 11:08 am

The NPR show, "All Things Considered," recently aired a story nationally on the NASA/Goodyear project to replicate the original Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) tires in order to evaluate their utility for the new lunar vehicle missions. This story focused on the need to work with Apollo engineers to retain this technology, in the absence of adequate documentation. NASA GRC’s Vivake Asnani and Ferenc Pavlics of the original LRV team are featured. Listen to the story, NASA and Goodyear recreate the original moon tires, online.

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Tribology & Mechanical Components


NASA Invention and Contributions Board Space Act Award Received

January 8, 2009 – 12:13 pm

Two RHA technologies, developed under the Space Communications and Navigation (Scan) Program, received the NASA Invention and Contributions Board Space Act Award for creative development of technological contributions of significant value in the advancement of the space and aeronautical activities of NASA.

These include: LEW-18089-1, entitled "Cup Cylindrical Waveguide Antenna" developed by Dr. Roberto Acosta and Mr. James Nessel (Antennas & Optical Systems Branch), Mr. William Darby (Space Combustion & Microgravity Technical Branch), Dr. Carol Kory (Anile) and Dr. Kevin Lambert (Anile) under the task titled Enhanced S-Band Multiple Access Antenna Element for the TDRSS-C (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System-Continuation) element; LEW-18248-1, entitled "Cellular Reflect array Antenna" developed by Dr. Robert R. Romano sky (Antennas & Optical Systems Branch) as part of a Space Act Agreement with Alien Works LTD, Urbana, Illinois.

Categories: Antenna & Optical Systems, Awards, Honors & Patents


NASA Tech Briefs Awards Received

January 8, 2009 – 12:08 pm

Two recently developed technologies have been recognized with awards from NASA Tech Briefs. LEW-18324-1, entitled “Semiconductor Metal Oxide Modified Solid Electrolyte Carbon Dioxide Micro sensor with Reduced Operation Temperature”, was developed by Drs. Gary Hunter and Jennifer Nu and supported by the Advanced Capabilities Project Office, Fire Prevention, Detection and Suppression Project.

The second technology, LEW-18342-1, entitled “Simple Yet Accurate SPICE Modeling of Sic JFET Transistors and Integrated Circuits Over Very Broad Temperature Range”, was developed by Dr. Phil Bedeck and supported by both the Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) Project and the Aviation Safety Program, Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Project. (Point of Contact: RHS/Dr. Lawrence G. Matus, 3-3650)

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Fundamental Aeronautics, Sensors & Electronics


Editorial Review and Cover Illustration Done for Vascular Analysis Review Paper on VESGEN Software

January 8, 2009 – 11:11 am

Vascular analysis by VESGEN software was presented in a vascular imaging symposium at the International Experimental Biology Meeting in Washington, D.C. during 2007. A special issue of Anatomical Record A, “Imaging the Living Vasculature” is featuring papers based on the symposium, including the GRC review paper, “VESGEN 2D: Automated, User-Interactive Software for Quantification and Mapping of Angiogenic and Lymphangiogenic Vascular Trees and Networks.”

Several applications of VESGEN to vascular trees, networks, and tree-network composites are illustrated by disease progression in the human retina; assessment of a clinical steroid in an avian model and a murine model of human infant retinopathy of prematurity; cytokine-stimulated abnormalities of lymphangiogenesis in the avian model, and progressive development of murine and avian coronary vasculature.

A VESGEN mapping of a vascular tree was selected from all vascular images as the cover illustration, and use of the VESGEN software is described in the lead editorial paper. Coauthors include Mary Vickerman, Patricia Keith, Terri McKay, Dan Gedeon, Alan Hylton, Daniela Ribita and Patricia Parsons (NASA GRC) and six collaborators at the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Bio Sciences & Technology


Three Controls and Dynamics Technologies Receive the NASA Invention and Contributions Board Space Act Award

December 19, 2008 – 4:47 pm

Three technologies developed under the Aviation Safety Program received the NASA Invention and Contributions Board Space Act Award for significant scientific and technical contributions. These include: LEW-18316-1, entitled "Integrated On-Line and Off-Line Diagnostic Approach For Aircraft Engine Health Management" developed by Takahisa Kobayashi and Donald Simon with support from the Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) project; LEW-18315-1, entitled "Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation (C-MAPSS)" developed by Jonathan DeCastro, Dean Frederick and Jonathan Litt with support from the Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) project; and LEW-18274-1, entitled "Engine Performance Deterioration Mitigating Control (EPDMC) Retrofit Architecture" developed by Sanjay Garg, Jonathan Litt and Shane Sowers also with support from the IRAC project.

Dean Frederick provided the support as a subcontractor to a small business – N&R Engineering, Shane Sowers is an on-site contractor with Analex, and Jonathan DeCastro and Takahisa Kobayashi provided the support as on-site contractors with ASRC and are currently working for other external organizations.

Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Controls & Dynamics


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