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September 2012

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Inside: 40 New Software Programs

Simulation Leads to BetterCooling of Electronic

Components in Toyota Hybrid Vehicles

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SONAR: The tonpilz piezo transducer is used for low frequency, high

power ultrasound emission. Results show the voltage distribution in the

© Copyright 2012. COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics and LiveLink are either registered trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. AutoCAD and Inventor are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and other countries. LiveLink

of Dassault Systémes. SpaceClaim is a registered trademark of SpaceClaim Corporation.

Verify and optimize your COMSOL Multiphysics. ®

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Multiphysics tools let you build simulations that accurately replicate the important characteristics of your designs. The key is the ability to include all physical e!ects that exist in the real world. Order your free Introduction to Multiphysics CD at www.comsol.com/intro

COMSOL Multiphysics

FLUIDCFD Module Pipe Flow ModuleMicrofluidics ModuleSubsurface Flow Module

CHEMICALChemical Reaction Engineering Module Batteries & Fuel Cells ModuleElectrodeposition Module Corrosion Module

MECHANICALHeat Transfer ModuleStructural Mechanics Module Nonlinear Structural Materials ModuleGeomechanics Module Acoustics Module

ELECTRICALAC/DC ModuleRF ModuleMEMS ModulePlasma Module

MULTIPURPOSEOptimization ModuleMaterial LibraryParticle Tracing Module

INTERFACINGCAD Import ModuleFile Import for CATIA® V5LiveLink™ for SolidWorks®

LiveLink™ for SpaceClaim®

LiveLink™ for Pro/ENGINEER®

LiveLink™ for Creo™ ParametricLiveLink™ for Inventor®

LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®

LiveLink™ for MATLAB®

Product Suite

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MECHANICALHeat Transfer ModuleStructural Mechanics ModuleNonlinear Structural Materials ModuleGeomechanics ModuleAcoustics Module



INTERFACINGCAD Import ModuleFile Import for CATIA® V5LiveLink™ for SolidWorksLiveLink™ for SpaceClaim

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CHEMICALChemical Reaction EngiBatBatteries & Fuel CelElectr deodepospositiition on MMCorrosion Module

designs with

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/40437-841

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F E A T U R E S

4 Simulation Leads to Better Cooling of ElectronicComponents in Toyota Hybrid Vehicles

D E S I G N & A N A L Y S I S S O F T W A R E

8 Conjugate Heat Transfer

9 Surface Plasmon Resonance

10 Software Creates and Analyzes Lightning ProtectionSolutions for Wind Turbines

11 Computing Radiative Transfer in a 3D Medium

12 Water Detection Based on Object Reflections

13 SATPLOT for Analysis of SECCHI Heliospheric Imager Data

E L E C T R O N I C S / C O M P U T E R S

13 Low-Cost Telemetry System for Small/Micro Satellites

14 Plug-in Plan Tool v3.0.3.1

14 Architectural Implementation of NASA SpaceTelecommunications Radio System Specification

M E C H A N I C S / M A C H I N E R Y

15 Autonomous Rover Traverse and Precise ArmPlacement on Remotely Designated Targets

15 Operator Interface and Control Software for theReconfigurable Surface System Tri-ATHLETE

18 Nonlinear Estimation Approach to Real-TimeGeoregistration from Aerial Images

19 Optimal Force Control of Vibro-Impact Systems forAutonomous Drilling Applications

20 Journal and Wave Bearing Impedance CalculationSoftware

P H Y S I C A L S C I E N C E S

20 Scalable Integrated Multi-Mission Support System(SIMSS) Simulator Release 2.0 for GMSEC

21 Linked-List-Based Multibody Dynamics (MBDyn)Engine

21 Frequency Correction for MIRO Chirp TransformationSpectroscopy Spectrum

21 Jet and Tropopause Products for Analysis andCharacterization (JETPAC)

22 Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool (MMPAT) Version 3

22 Jupiter Environment Tool

22 WGM Temperature Tracker

23 Large Terrain Continuous Level of Detail 3DVisualization Tool

23 Earth-Science Data Co-Locating Tool

I N F O R M A T I O N T E C H N O L O G Y

24 Algorithms for Determining Physical Responses ofStructures Under Load

25 CometQuest: A Rosetta Adventure

25 Mission Analysis, Operations, and Navigation ToolkitEnvironment (Monte) Version 040

25 Tiled WMS/KML Server V2

26 Where’s My Data — WMD

26 Dig Hazard Assessment Using a Stereo Pair ofCameras

27 Mars Express Forward Link Capabilities for the MarsRelay Operations Service (MaROS)

27 FERMI/GLAST Integrated Trending and PlottingSystem Release 5.0

28 Scalable Integrated Multi-Mission Support SystemSimulator Release 3.0

28 Policy-Based Negotiation Engine for Cross-DomainInteroperability

29 SE-FIT

30 WMS Server 2.0

30 High-Performance Modeling and Simulation ofAnchoring in Granular Media for NEO Applications

31 Mobile Multi-System Overview

31 Ascent/Descent Software

32 I-FORCAST: Rapid Flight Planning Tool

32 Leveraging Cloud Computing to Improve StorageDurability, Availability, and Cost for MER Maestro

2 www.techbriefs.com Software Tech Briefs, September 2012

September 2012

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs’ September 2012 issue. Published by Tech Briefs Media Group, an SAE International Company

On the Cover:This image, created using COMSOLMultiphysics software from COMSOL,Inc. (Burlington, MA), shows the coolingof a steering wheel injection mold. Thechannels are modeled by using a 1Dpipe non-isothermal flow fully coupledto the heat transfer simulation of themold and polyurethane CAD geometry.

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Simulation Leads to Better Cooling of Electronic Components in Toyota Hybrid VehiclesOne glance under the hood of a modern automobile is all it takes to realize that free space in the engine compartment is a thing of the past.

If carmakers could reduce the num-ber, size, and weight of the compo-nents in there, better fuel economy

would result. A case in point is thedesign and development of optimizedcooling structures, or advanced heatsinks, for thermally regulating the grow-ing number of power electronics compo-nents used in the electrical system ofToyota hybrid vehicles.

To save the time and expense associat-ed with analytical design methods andtrial-and-error physical prototyping, re -searchers at the Toyota Research Instituteof North America (TRI-NA) in AnnArbor, MI, instead used numerical simula-tion and multiphysics topology optimiza-tion techniques to design, fabricate, andtest possible prototypes of a novel heatsink for future hybrid vehicle generations.

One example prototype combines sin-gle-phase jet impingement cooling inthe plate’s center region with integralhierarchical branching cooling channelsto cool the periphery. The channelsradiate from the device’s center where asingle jet impinges, and carry liquidcoolant across the plate to dissipate heatevenly throughout and with minimalpressure loss.

Numerical simulations enabled Dr.Ercan (Eric) Dede, Principal Scientist inTRI-NA’s Electronics Research Depar -tment, and colleagues to produce theoptimized branching cooling channel pat-terns in an automated fashion usingadvanced simulation tools as opposed to atraditional trial-and-error design ap -proach. He carried out this work as part ofTRI-NA’s mission to conduct acceleratedadvanced research in the areas of energyand environment, safety, and mobilityinfrastructure. TRI-NA is a division of theToyota Technical Center, which in turn ispart of Toyota Motor Engineering &Manufacturing North America, oversee-ing R&D, engineering design and devel-opment, and manufacturing activities forToyota’s North American plants.

TRI-NA’s Electronics Research De -partment focuses on two main areas:sensors and actuators, and power elec-

tronics. Among its resources are power-ful modeling and simulation capabilitiesand prototype design tools, whichenable its staff to develop effective solu-tions in the compressed timeframesdemanded by the highly competitiveautomotive markets.

Hot Under the HoodToyota hybrid vehicles have sophisti-

cated electrical systems in which manypower diodes and power semiconduc-tors such as insulated gate bipolar tran-sistors (IGBTs) are used for power con-version and other applications. These

Figure 1. Optimal cooling channel topology with fluid streamlines colored blue (left); normalized tem-perature contours (center); and normalized pressure contours (right).

Figure 2. Isometric views of the derived hierarchical microchannel cold plate without a jet plate (left)and with a jet plate shown transparent for clarity (right).

Figure 3. Prototype aluminum cold plates with (left) and without (right) the hierarchical microchan-nel topology.

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Software Tech Briefs, September 2012 www.techbriefs.com 5

components are standard planar silicondevices measuring a few centimeters perside, with high power dissipation.

In these hybrid vehicles, they aremounted on aluminum heat sinks, orcold plates, through which a water/gly-col coolant mixture is pumped. In earli-er model years, the cold plate design fea-tured a fluid inlet on one side of theplate, an outlet on the other side, and inbetween were arrangements of mostlystraight cooling channels through whichthe coolant flowed. The long channelsprovided adequate heat transfer but itcame at the cost of a significant pressuredrop across the plate.

However, the technology roadmap forthese power components calls for themto shrink to about half their current sizewhile dissipating the same amount ofpower, meaning that heat fluxes willhave to increase. In addition, althoughthey have a 150 °C maximum operatingtemperature, typical silicon devices arekept at lower temperatures for greatercomponent reliability. Moreover, therole of such devices is becoming moreimportant as the electrification of vehi-cle systems increases.

All of these factors mean that thermalmanagement of these devices willbecome more difficult than it has beento date. It might seem reasonable to sim-ply redesign the cold plates so that morecoolant can be pumped through them.But that would require more pumpingpower, and with space already at a pre-mium in the engine compartmentwhere the pump is located, moving to alarger, more powerful pump or addingan additional pump is unacceptable.

Instead, Toyota decided to look atreengineering the cold plate with an eyetoward achieving optimum heat transfer

and negligible additional pressure dropsimultaneously. If both could beachieved, thermal objectives could bemet at no significant increase in systempumping capacity.

Jet Impingement an IncompleteSolution

“Many researchers working on diverseapplications have identified jet impinge-ment as an attractive way to cool sur-faces,” said Dede. “But while jet im -pinge ment performs well with respect toheat dissipation close to the jet, it’s lessthan optimum as you move away fromthe orifice.”

The reason is that the highest heattransfer occurs close to the jet entrancewhere the fluid is the coolest and veloci-ty is the highest. As a result, much heat-transfer capability is lost by the time thecoolant reaches the exit of the cold plate.

One solution to this problem is tocombine jet impingement with a periph-eral channel structure to increase thearea average heat transfer. “It’s in yourinterest to make those channels short tokeep pressure drop to a minimum, butshort, straight channels aren’t efficientenough for our use,” Dede explained.“Our goal was to come up with a combi-

nation jet-impingement/channel-flow-based cold plate with optimally designedbranching channels to uniformlyremove the most heat with the least pres-sure drop.”

The CFD and Heat Transfer Modulesof COMSOL Multiphysics software wereessential to the numerical simulations atthe heart of this work. COMSOL’s Live-Link™ for MATLAB® also enabled Dedeto work with the multiphysics simula-tions in a high-level scripting languageas he went about the task of optimizingthe cold plate’s topology.

He examined how topology influ-enced such variables as steady-state con-vection-diffusion heat transfer and fluidflow. He did this using well-establishedmaterial interpolation techniques and aMethod of Moving Asymptotes (MMA)optimizer, moving back and forthbetween COMSOL and MATLAB in aniterative fashion to investigate coolingchannel layouts. (MMA is a convex-approximation strategy to aid in opti-mizing physical structures.)

Although the aspect ratio of the chan-nels (i.e. ratio of height to width) isquite important, to simplify the numeri-cal simulations Dede assumed a thin 3Dstructure and then further “flattened” it.

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Figure 4. Comparison of cold plate unit thermal resistance (left) and pressure drop (right).

Figure 5. Multi-chip application (left) and multi-pass configuration for single-chip.

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Once an initial channel topology wasderived, the height of the fins that sepa-rate the cooling channels could be inves-tigated and incorporated with a separateparametric sizing study.

Dede’s group had separately per-formed such studies so his assumptionswere well informed. Ultimately, thesenumeric simulations produced an opti-mal cooling channel topology with fluidstreamlines in branching channels(Figure 1).

Because these channels efficientlydistribute coolant throughout theplate and create relatively uniformtemperature and pressure distribu-tions that are a function of branchingcomplexity, this fractal-like topologywas in turn used to guide the design ofa cold plate prototype (Figure 2). Thesize of the plate was set to approxi-mately 60 mm ! 45 mm with a middlecooling zone covering a 25 mm ! 15mm-sized area to match a specific heatsource. The plate’s base substrate thick-ness was assumed to be 1 mm.

Real-World Performance“Once we used COMSOL and MAT-

LAB for the topology optimization rou-tine, we then used the final channel con-cept from it to design and evaluate aprototype using COMSOL’s LiveLink™for SolidWorks®,” Dede said. “COMSOLhas a nice feature that allows you toactively link to computer-aided designtools, and it was easy to import various

structures from SolidWorks back intoCOMSOL to verify pressure drop andheat transfer.

“I think this is really the future of sim-ulation, to be able to link your CAD toolto your simulation tool so that you canstreamline the development of fast,accurate design iterations,” Dedeadded. “It’s not necessarily going tosolve all of your problems, but it helpsyou to quickly establish a reasonablestarting point and to progress fromthere quickly.”

Using the SolidWorks designs, twoprototypes were fabricated from alu-minum using standard micromachiningtechniques. Two such prototypes wereproduced that compared unit thermalresistance and pressure drop in a com-bined jet/hierarchical microchannelversion against a version that utilized jetimpingement of a simple flat plate(Figure 3). The prototypes were thenincorporated into a double-sided cool-ing test setup to see whether a dual con-figuration might provide higher-per-formance cooling in an ultra-compactpackage size.

On average, the dual-hierarchical mi -crochannel version dissipated 12.8 per-cent more power than the flat plate ver-sion (Figure 4 left). Indeed, using wateras the coolant, it demonstrated very highheat transfer when cooling on both sidesof the heat source was accounted for.With regard to pressure drop, both coldplates demonstrated similar results,

although the dual-hierarchical versionperformed slightly better at higher flowrates (Figure 4 right).

Future DirectionsDede noted that the cold plate con-

cept could be applied to multi-chippackages or even could be used in amulti-pass configuration for a single-chip package for higher-performancecooling (Figure 5).

Along these lines, Dede performedother numerical topology optimizationsimulations to study the fluid flow of acold plate inlet manifold comprising asingle fluid inlet and six outlets. Thismanifold could feed fluid to multiplemulti-pass cooling cells. In Figure 6, thefluid streamlines are colored with veloc-ity magnitude.

The curvy sidewall manifold shapewas generated through COMSOL fluid-flow topology optimization studies,where the goal was to minimize thepressure drop across the manifold whilebalancing the flow rate to each outletnozzle. The flow rates across all nozzlesare within 7 percent of each other andthe pressure drop is about 2 kPa, mean-ing that the different local sections ofthe cold plate would receive the samecoolant flow. This results in the devicetemperature distribution across thecold plate being evenly balanced.

“The work we’ve done here is reallyjust the first iteration of this solution,”Dede said. “In the future, we will alsolook at such things as manifold design todecrease the pumping penalty further.Also, we may be able to optimize thetopology of each individual cooling cellso that it works optimally in a 3D config-uration.”

And what about even farther down theroad? “We can apply these methods toother things, like electromagnetics andthermal stresses, as well. We believe thisproject is just the beginning for numeri-cal-simulation-based topology optimiza-tion,” he said.

This article was written by Gary Dagastinefor COMSOL. For more information, see thepaper “Experimental Investigation of theThermal Perfor mance of a ManifoldHierarchical Microchannel Cold Plate,” byToyota’s Ercan M. Dede in the InterPack2011 Conference Proceedings (the ASME2011 Pacific Rim Technical Conference &Exposition on Packaging and Integration ofElectronic and Photonic Systems).

MATLAB is a registered trademark ofMathWorks, Inc.

SolidWorks is a registered trademark ofDassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.

Figure 6. Manifold to feed fluid to multiple multi-pass cooling cells.

Simulation Leads to Better Cooling

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Design & Analysis Software

Conjugate Heat TransferThe conjugate heat transfer problem was analyzed using multiphysics software and applied toconditions with and without phase transformation.AltaSim Technologies, Columbus, Ohio

The controlled transfer of heat from a component to its sur-roundings is critical for the operation of many industrialprocesses. For example, cooling of electronics components isneeded to maintain safe operation and extend operating life-time, while quenching of materials from elevated temperaturesis often required to develop specific microstructural featuresthat provide prescribed properties.

The conjugate heat transfer problem can be analyzed usingCOMSOL Multiphysics and applied to conditions with andwithout phase transformation. For the simple case when nophase transformation occurs in the coolant media, the rate ofheat dissipation is a function of conduction and convection tothe flowing fluid. The flow conditions and component geome-try may give rise to turbulent flow that affects the heat dissipa-tion over the surface.

Analysis of heat transfer under conditions where phasetransformation occurs in the cooling fluid is more complex,and must consider the range of near-wall effects arising fromfilm boiling, transition boiling, nucleate boiling, and pure con-

vection. The near-wall boiling processes that strongly influenceheat transfer from the part to the quenching medium operateon a scale that is many orders of magnitude smaller than thecomponent size. To accommodate these different scales, thecomplex 3D physics near the wall are analyzed using sets ofequations that are solved only on the walls of the component.Under these conditions, accurate analysis of the heat transfercan be obtained for the differential heat transfer rates into thegas or liquid phase and the effect of gas formation on the flowbehavior (Figure 1).

In practice, commercial quenching during heat treatmentincludes forced fluid flow as well as fluid flow introduced bythe phase transformation from liquid to gas. To provide a com-plete analysis of the flow pattern within a commercial quench-ing tank and the resulting thermal distribution in the speci-men, the effect of the two fluid flow components must be inte-grated. The analyses developed here used a multiphase flowmodel that included forced convection due to mechanicalpumping, agitation caused by gas bubbles, and vapor forma-tion in complex geometries. The turbulent flow models weremodified to account for the two-phase flow. Figure 2 shows theresults of analyses of a commercial quench tank in which fluidis forced through nozzles and impinges on the bottom surfaceof a hot component lowered into the tank.

The results show the variation in the thermal conductivitydue to the multiphase flow resulting from forced fluid flow,

Figure 1. Fluid Flow Velocity Vector resulting from bubbles evolving alongthe surface of a hot component during quenching.

Figure 2. Results of Variation of Thermal Conductivity developed underconditions of turbulent flow that combines multiphase flow due to forcedfluid flow, and flow due to buoyancy effects associated with bubble forma-tion due to fluid boiling.

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and flow due to the liquid-to-gas phasetransformation caused by the fluid boil-ing at the specimen surface. Using theseanalytical approaches, the fluid flowconditions can be modified to produce amore regular distribution of heat extrac-tion from the hot component. This

allows the development of quench con-ditions in which an even temperaturegradient can be maintained, leading tomore homogeneous microstructuralvariability within the final componentshape and limited development of resid-ual stresses in the component.

This work was done by Luke T. Gritter,Jeffrey S. Crompton (corresponding author),Sergei Yushanov, and Kyle C. Koppenhoeferof AltaSim Technologies using COMSOLMultiphysics. For more information, visithttp://info.hotims.com/40437-117.

Surface Plasmon ResonanceTwo configurations for Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) were analyzed to define its effect onthe electromagnetic field.AltaSim Technologies, Columbus, Ohio

Surface plasmons are coherent elec-tron oscillations that exist at the inter-face between any two materials wherethe real part of the dielectric functionchanges sign across the interface.Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) canbe used to detect molecular adsorptionon surfaces, and consequently is of sig-nificance for technologies ranging fromgene assays and DNA sensing, molecularadsorption and desorption on surfaces,to surface-controlled electrochemicalreactions and nanoscale optical andphotonic devices.

SPR technology is based on the elec-tromagnetic field component of incidentlight penetrating tens of nanometersinto a surface. The stimulated resonanceoscillation of valence electrons reducesthe reflected light intensity and producesSPR due to the resonance energy trans-fer between the evanescent wave and sur-face plasmons. The resonance condi-tions are influenced by the type andamount of material adsorbed onto the

surface, thus allowing characterization ofsurface-related phenomena.

Two typical configurations of plasmonexcitation exist: the Kretschmann-Raether configuration, in which a thinmetal film is sandwiched between adielectric and air, and the incident waveis from the dielectric side; and the Ottoconfiguration, where an air gap existsbetween the dielectric and the metal. Inboth cases, the surface plasmon propa-gates along the metal/dielectric inter-face. The Kretschmann-Raether configu-ration is easier to fabricate, but has afixed dielectric gap that can affect thesensitivity of the measurement.

Full insight into SPR requires quan-tum mechanics considerations. How -ever, it can also be described in terms ofclassical electromagnetic theory by con-sidering electromagnetic wave reflec-tion, transmission, and absorption forthe multilayer medium. In fact, the exci-tation of plasmon resonance can onlytake place if the metal side of the inter-

face is slightly lossy, i.e. when the imagi-nary part of the metal permittivity is anon-zero negative number.

These two configurations for SPRhave been analyzed using COMSOLMultiphysics to define the effect of theSPR on the electromagnetic field. It canbe seen that the angle of resonance issensitive to both the experimental con-figuration used and to the dielectricconstant of the material adjacent to themetal surface. Using the analyticalapproaches demonstrated, the effect ofdifferent surface and experimental con-figurations on the SPR response can bedefined, and has allowed the develop-ment of commercial technology for themeasurement of surface contaminantsand nanoscale photonic devices.

This work was done by Sergei Yushanov,Jeffrey S. Crompton (corresponding author),Luke T. Gritter, and Kyle C. Koppenhoefer ofAltaSim Technologies using COMSOLMultiphysics. For more information, visithttp://info.hotims.com/40437-118.

Figure 2. Magnetic field distribution at resonance condition for the OttoConfiguration.

Figure 1. Magnetic field distribution at resonance condition for theKretchmann-Raether Configuration.

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Software Creates and Analyzes Lightning Protection Solutionsfor Wind Turbines Optimizing the design of wind turbines is critical when they are subject to lightning strikes.SpaceClaim Corporation, Concord, Massachusetts

Highvoltage.dk is a Danish consultingengineering firm with expertise in light-ning protection and high-voltage engi-neering. The company, founded in2005, tackles complex problems such asgeneral high-voltage design engineeringfor the power industry, lightning protec-tion concepts and findings for wind tur-bines, and high-voltage material tests.The engineers at Highvoltage.dk areexperienced users of numerical analysistools to simulate magnetic and electricfields, current distribution, and light-ning attachment points.

When complex structures such aswind turbines are struck by lightning,the discharge may interfere with theelectronic equipment within the tur-bine. Engineers must ensure that themost vulnerable areas of the turbineare not exposed to potential strikesthat could cause the turbine to fail orsustain damage. As the cost of commer-cial-scale wind turbines runs in the mil-lions, being able to optimize the designis critical.

When approaching the simulation andanalysis of turbine designs, High -voltage.dk has to model the physicalbehavior to gain knowledge of the systemwithout empirical validation. To performthese simulations, Casper FalkenstrømMieritz, Consulting Engineer, uses COM-SOL Multiphysics® simulation software.Before SpaceClaim®, Casper had to dis-cuss the CAD preconditioning with thecustomers, which added time and cost tothe process, and took some of the con-trol out of the hands of Highvoltage.dk.

To analyze the real physical structures,customer geometry must be simplifiedto the appropriate level of detail for thenumerical methods involved. Customerstypically send Highvoltage.dk fully fea-tured CAD geometry that is unsuitablefor meshing. SpaceClaim’s automatedmodel simplification tools allow Casperto remove irrelevant details such asbolts, nuts, and small edges. Once themodel is de-featured, Casper leveragesSpaceClaim to further refine the geome-try and move it directly to COMSOLthrough the LiveLink interface toSpaceClaim, which fuses direct model-ing and multiphysics in a tightly integrat-ed environment.

Figure 1. To compute physical conditions within Wind Turbine Nacelles, SpaceClaim was used to pre-condition the comprehensive CAD drawings.

Figure 2. The Magnetic Field within the nacelle structure is used for specifying the necessary level ofprotection of panels and installations. The calculated magnetic fields of more than 30 kA/m corre-sponds to a situation where the turbine is struck by a 200 kA lightning strike.


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“We used to spend a lot of time andresources in making our customersdeliver the CAD drawings with therequired level of detail, which was a timedrain and ineffective. Now withSpaceClaim, I can continue to makeedits and perform simulation as a con-tinuous loop until we’re satisfied withthe results. This has saved us at least 50percent in time to model,” according toFalkenstrøm Mieritz.

High-voltage or high-current testinginvolves the development of a test plan,the numerical modeling and actual test-

ing, and the evaluation of the results.The technical documentation of the testresults includes design guidelines forthe customer’s product, final testreports, and the translation of require-ments into application specific descrip-tions. Including very realistic visual rep-resentations of the product and recom-mendations created in SpaceClaim hasmade a big difference to High-voltage.dk’s communications with itscustomers.

“With SpaceClaim, we are able tocreate 3D drawings that clearly repre-

sent our recommendations andmake it much more understandableto our customers. SpaceClaim hasdefinitely improved the visual con-tent of our work,” said FalkenstrømMieritz. Additionally, SpaceClaimhas enabled engineers to take onsmall design projects to help cus-tomers optimize the design of asmall part, as an example. Prior tousing SpaceClaim, these new oppor-tunities were cumbersome, asFalkenstrøm Mieritz did not havethe right tool — he would have toask the customer to draw the part.Through Finite Element Analysis(FEA), Highvoltage.dk is able tohandle a broad range of complextasks including modeling of lightingattachment points on large windturbines, current distribution andelectric potentials surrounding sac-rificial anodes on offshore installa-tions, and the design of high-voltageswitchgear.

“Lightning protection of wind tur-bines has become mandatory andincreasingly our customers look to

Highvoltage.dk to determine the neces-sary shielding of panels and cables andforesee current amplitudes in shieldedcables and other components.SpaceClaim has changed our businessfor the better and enabled us to movemore quickly and be more creative inour approach to optimizing electricalapplications,” said Falkenstrøm Mieritz.

This work was done by Casper FalkenstrømMieritz, Consulting Engineer at Highvoltage.dk,using SpaceClaim and COMSOL software. Formore information, visit http://info.hotims.com/40437-119.

Figure 3. To investigate the magnetic field and determine the requirements for protection at a certain loca-tion in the nacelle, a Volume of Interest is added to the model. The volume could represent a control panel,in which protection might be crucial. The magnetic field is illustrated by an isosurface plot, where eachcolor represents different values of the magnetic field.

A package of software computes thetime-dependent propagation of a nar-row laser beam in an arbitrary three-dimensional (3D) medium with absorp-tion and scattering, using the transient-discrete-ordinates method and a directintegration method. Unlike prior soft-ware that utilizes a Monte Carlo method,this software enables simulation at verysmall signal-to-noise ratios. The ability tosimulate propagation of a narrow laserbeam in a 3D medium is an improve-ment over other discrete-ordinate soft-ware. Unlike other direct-integration

software, this software is not limited tosimulation of propagation of thermalradiation with broad angular spread inthree dimensions or of a laser pulse withnarrow angular spread in two dimen-sions. Uses for this software include (1)computing scattering of a pulsed laserbeam on a material having given elasticscattering and absorption profiles, and(2) evaluating concepts for laser-basedinstruments for sensing oceanic turbu-lence and related measurements ofoceanic mixed-layer depths. With suit-able augmentation, this software could

be used to compute radiative transfer inultrasound imaging in biological tissues,radiative transfer in the upper Earthcrust for oil exploration, and propaga-tion of laser pulses in telecommunica-tion applications.

This program was written by Paul VonAllmen and Seungwon Lee of Caltech forNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For moreinformation, contact [email protected].

This software is available for commerciallicensing. Please contact Daniel Broderick ofthe California Institute of Technology [email protected]. Refer to NPO-44719.

Computing Radiative Transfer in a 3D MediumNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

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Water bodies are challenging terrainhazards for terrestrial unmannedground vehicles (UGVs) for severalreasons. Traversing through deepwater bodies could cause costly damageto the electronics of UGVs.Additionally, a UGV that is either bro-ken down due to water damage orbecomes stuck in a water body duringan autonomous operation will requirerescue, potentially drawing criticalresources away from the primary oper-ation and increasing the operationcost. Thus, robust water detection is acritical perception requirement forUGV autonomous navigation.

One of the properties useful fordetecting still water bodies is that theirsurface acts as a horizontal mirror athigh incidence angles. Still water bod-ies in wide-open areas can be detectedby geometrically locating the exactpixels in the sky that are reflecting oncandidate water pixels on the ground,predicting if ground pixels are waterbased on color similarity to the sky andlocal terrain features. But in clutteredareas where reflections of objects inthe background dominate the appear-ance of the surface of still water bod-ies, detection based on sky reflectionsis of marginal value. Specifically, thissoftware attempts to solve the problemof detecting still water bodies on cross-country terrain in cluttered areas atlow cost.

Still water bodies are indirectlydetected in cluttered areas of cross-country terrain by detecting reflec-tions of objects in the water bodiesusing imagery acquired from a stereopair of color cameras, which aremounted to the front of a terrestrialUGV. Object reflections can be fromnaturally occurring (e.g. vegetation,trees, hills, mountains, clouds) orman-made entities (e.g. signs, poles,vehicles, buildings, bridges). Colorcameras provide a lower-cost solutionthan specialized imaging sensors(such as a polarization camera) andlaser scanners. In addition, objectreflections can be detected in waterbodies with stereo vision at furtherranges than with lidar scanners.

Four methods for detecting objectreflections have been implemented:detection in the rectified camera imagesusing cross correlation, detection in

stereo range images, detection in a worldmap generated from range data, anddetection using combined stereo rangeimages and rectified camera images.

Detection in stereo range images (seefigure) exploits the knowledge that 3Dcoordinates of stereo range data onobject reflections occur below the

A hole in Stereo Range Data may be a water body still too small to be detected in image space. In thisexample, the hole was labeled a potential hazard in the world map in frame N. In the next frame,where there was previously a hole, there was range data that was detected as an object reflection,providing confirmation of a water body.

Water Detection Based on Object ReflectionsNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California


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Determining trajectories of solar tran-sients such as coronal mass ejections isnot always easy. White light images fromSECCHI’s (Sun Earth ConnectionCoronal and Heliospheric Investigation)heliospheric imagers are difficult tointerpret because they represent a line-of-sight projection of optically thin solarwind structures. A structure’s image byitself gives no information about itsangle of propagation relative to the Sun-spacecraft line, and an image may showa superposition of several structures, allpropagating at different angles.Analyzing SECCHI heliospheric imagerdata using plots of elongation (anglefrom the Sun) versus time at fixed posi-

tion angle (aka “Jplots”) has provedextremely useful in understanding theobserved solar wind structures. Thistechnique has been used to study CME(coronal mass ejection) propagation,CIRs (corotating interaction regions),and blobs.

SATPLOT software was developed tocreate and analyze such elongation ver-sus time plots. The tool uses a library ofcylindrical maps of the data for eachspacecraft’s panoramic field-of-view.Each map includes data from three SEC-CHI white-light telescopes (the COR2coronagraph and both heliosphericimagers) at one time for one spacecraft.The maps are created using a Plate

Carree projection, optimized for creat-ing the elongation versus time plots. Thetool can be used to analyze the observedtracks of features seen in the maps, andthe tracks are then used to extract infor-mation, for example, on the angle ofpropagation of the feature.

This work was done by Jeffrey R. Hall andPaulett C. Liewer of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


SATPLOT for Analysis of SECCHI Heliospheric Imager Data NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

ground surface at a range close to that ofthe reflecting object.

Any autonomous robotic platform usedon cross-country terrain that has restric-tions on driving through water could ben-efit from this software, including militaryplatforms and perhaps some agriculturalplatforms. The automotive industry couldpotentially benefit from an application ofthis technology to detect wet pavement.

This work was done by Arturo L. Rankinand Larry H. Matthies of Caltech for NASA’sJet Propulsion Laboratory. For more informa-tion, download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.

In accordance with Public Law 96-517,the contractor has elected to retain title to thisinvention. Inquiries concerning rights for itscommercial use should be addressed to:

Innovative Technology Assets ManagementJPLMail Stop 202-2334800 Oak Grove DrivePasadena, CA 91109-8099E-mail: [email protected] to NPO-48494, volume and number

of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and thepage number.

Electronics/Computers

A Software Defined Radio (SDR) con-cept uses a minimum amount ofanalog/radio frequency components toup/downconvert the RF signal to/from adigital format. Once in the digital domain,all other processing (filtering, modula-tion, demodulation, etc.) is done in soft-ware. The project will leverage existingdesigns and enhance capabilities in thecommercial sector to provide a path to aradiation-hardened SDR transponder.

The SDR transponder would incorpo-rate baseline technologies dealing withimproved Forward Error Correcting(FEC) codes to be deployed to all NearEarth Network (NEN) ground stations.By incorporating this FEC, at least a ten-fold increase in data throughput can beachieved.

A family of transponder products canbe implemented using common plat-form architecture, allowing new prod-

ucts to be more quickly introduced intothe market. Software can be reusedacross products, reducing software/hardware costs dramatically. New fea-tures and capabilities, such as encodingand decoding algorithms, filters, andbit synchronizers, can be added to theexisting infrastructure without requir-ing major new capital expenditures,allowing implementation of advancedfeatures in the communication systems.

Low-Cost Telemetry System for Small/Micro SatellitesMarshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

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http://www.abpi.net/ntbpdfclicks/l.php?201209NTBPTSP




Plug-in Plan Tool v3.0.3.1Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

The role of PLUTO (Plug-in PortUTilization Officer) and the growth ofthe International Space Station (ISS)have exceeded the capabilities of thecurrent tool PiP (Plug-in Plan). Its users(crew and flight controllers) haveexpressed an interest in a new, easy-to-use tool with a higher level of interactiv-ity and functionality that is not bound bythe limitations of Excel.

The PiP Tool assists crewmembersand ground controllers in making real-time decisions concerning the safetyand compatibility of hardware pluggedinto the UOPs (Utility Outlet Panels)onboard the ISS. The PiP Tool alsoprovides a reference to the currentconfiguration of the hardware pluggedin to the UOPs, and enables thePLUTO and crew to test Plug-in loca-tions for constraint violations (such ascable connector mismatches or amplimit violations), to see the amps andvolts for an end item, to see whether ornot the end item uses 1553 data, andthe cable length between the outletand the end item. As new equipment isflown or returned, the database can be

updated appropriately as needed. Thecurrent tool is a macro-heavy Excelspreadsheet with its own database andreporting functionality.

The new tool captures the capabilitiesof the original tool, ports them to newsoftware, defines a new dataset, and com-pensates for ever-growing unique con-straints associated with the Plug-in Plan.New constraints were designed into thetool, and updates to existing constraintswere added to provide more flexibilityand customizability. In addition, there isan option to associate a “Flag” with eachdevice that will let the user know there is aunique constraint associated with it whenthey use it. This helps improve the safetyand efficiency of real-time calls by limitingthe amount of “corporate knowledge”overhead that has to be trained andlearned through use.

The tool helps save time by automat-ing previous manual processes, such ascalculating connector types and decid-ing which cables are required and inwhat order.

This project provides a better onboardtool for the crew to safely test ideas for

reconfigurations before calling theground, and send the changes directly.The layout provides clear detail for powerchannels, module locations, and dataports, and allows for intuitive “drag-and-drop” connections from the database.The software will allow only compatibleconnections to occur, and will flag viola-tions if they exist. It also allows the user toflag unique constraints that might not becaught by the software’s existing rulesand calculations.

The PiP Tool includes reporting capa-bilities that allow the user to export data-base information and configurationinformation to Excel to share with oth-ers or run detailed comparisons andsearches as needed.

This work was done by Kathleen E.Andrea-Liner, Brion J. Au, Blake R. Fisher,Watchara Rodbumrung, Jeffrey C. Hamic,Kary Smith, and David S.Beadle of theUnited Space Alliance for Johnson SpaceCenter. For more information, download theTechnical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under theSoftware category. MSC-24872-1

As new telecommunication technolo-gies emerge, incorporating them intothe SDR fabric will be easily accom-plished with little or no requirementsfor new hardware. There are no pre-ferred flight platforms for the SDR

technology, so it can be used on anytype of orbital or sub-orbital platform,all within a fully radiation hardeneddesign.

This work was done by William Sims andKosta Varnavas of Marshall Space Flight Center.

This invention is owned by NASA, and apatent application has been filed. For furtherinformation, contact Sammy Nabors, MSFCCommercialization Assistance Lead, [email protected]. Refer to to MFS-32871-1.

This software demonstrates a workingimplementation of the NASA STRS (SpaceTelecommunications Radio System) archi-tecture specification. This is a developingspecification of software architecture andrequired interfaces to provide commonali-ty among future NASA and commercialsoftware-defined radios for space, andallow for easier mixing of software andhardware from different vendors.

It provides required functions, andsupports interaction with STRS-compli-

ant simple test plug-ins (“waveforms”).All of it is programmed in “plain C,”except where necessary to interact withC++ plug-ins. It offers a small footprint,suitable for use in JPL radio hardware.

Future NASA work is expected todevelop into fully capable software-defined radios for use on the space sta-tion, other space vehicles, and interplan-etary probes.

This work was done by Kenneth J. Peters,James P. Lux, Minh Lang, and Courtney B.

Duncan of Caltech for NASA’s Jet PropulsionLaboratory. For more information, down-load the STRS Architecture Standard atspaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/SpaceOps/CoNNeCT/Candidate/Standards/ and theTechnical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under theSoftware category.


Architectural Implementation of NASA SpaceTelecommunications Radio System SpecificationNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Electronics/Computers

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Mechanics/Machinery

Autonomous Rover Traverse and Precise Arm Placement onRemotely Designated Targets NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

This software controls a rover plat-form to traverse rocky terrain auton -omously, plan paths, and avoid obstaclesusing its stereo hazard and navigationcameras. It does so while continuouslytracking a target of interest selectedfrom 10–20 m away. The rover drivesand tracks the target until it reaches thevicinity of the target. The rover thenpositions itself to approach the target,deploys its robotic arm, and places theend effector instrument on the designat-ed target to within 2–3-cm accuracy ofthe originally selected target.

This software features continuous nav-igation in a fairly rocky field in an out-door environment and the ability toenable the rover to avoid large rocks andtraverse over smaller ones. Using point-and-click mouse commands, a scientistdesignates targets in the initial imageryacquired from the rover’s mast cameras.

The navigation software uses stereoimaging, traversability analysis, pathplanning, trajectory generation, and tra-jectory execution. It also includes visualtarget tracking of a designated targetselected from 10 m away while continu-ously navigating the rocky terrain.

Improvements in this design includesteering while driving, which uses con-tinuous curvature paths. There are alsoseveral improvements to the traversabili-ty analyzer, including improved datafusion of traversability maps that resultfrom pose estimation uncertainties,dealing with boundary effects to enabletighter maneuvers, and handling a widerrange of obstacles.

This work advances what has beenpreviously developed and integrated onthe Mars Exploration Rovers by usingalgorithms that are capable of traversingmore rock-dense terrains, enabling

tight, thread-the-needle maneuvers.These algorithms were integrated on thenewly refurbished Athena Mars researchrover, and were fielded in the JPL MarsYard. Forty-three runs were conductedwith targets at distances ranging from 5to 15 m, and a success rate of 93% wasachieved for placement of the instru-ment within 2–3 cm of the target.

This work was done by Issa A. Nesnas andMihail N. Pivtoraiko of Caltech, Alonzo Kellyof Carnegie Mellon University, and MichaelFleder of MIT for NASA’s Jet PropulsionLaboratory. For more information, down-load the Technical Support Package (freewhite paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


Operator Interface and Control Software for theReconfigurable Surface System Tri-ATHLETE The capability of future exploration missions may be greatly extended for a small additional cost.NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Graphical operator interface methodshave been developed for modular,reconfigurable articulated surface sys-tems in general, and a specific instantia-tion thereof for JPL’s Tri-ATHLETE.The All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer Robot (ATHLETE)has six limbs with six kinematic degreesof freedom each (see figure).

The core advancement of this workwas the development of a novel set ofalgorithms for dynamically maintaininga reduced coordinate model of any con-nected assembly of robot modules. Thekinematics of individual modules are

first modeled using a catalog of 12 stan-dard 3D robot joints (this modelingstep needs to be done only once).Then, individual modules can beassembled into any closed- or open-chain topology. The system automati-cally maintains a spanning tree of theoverall configuration, which ensuresboth efficiency and accuracy of the on-screen representation.

Until now, JPL has used generic CAD(computer-aided design), simulation,and animation tools as a substitute for atrue modular robot operator interface.This workflow is extremely time-consum-

ing, and is not suited for use in an oper-ations context. Current operator inter-faces, both at JPL and in the broaderexploration robotics community, arelargely focused on non-reconfigurablehardware.

Reconfigurable modular hardwaresuch as Tri-ATHLETE promises toextend greatly the capability of futureexploration missions for a relativelysmall additional cost. Whereas existingmissions based on monolithic hardwarecan only perform a limited set of pre-defined operations, modular hardwarecan potentially be reconnected and

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Empowering usersand new mo

COMSOL Multiphysics version 4.3 is a major upgrade opowerful additions for electrical, mechanical, fl uid, and ch

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Corrosion ModuleCorrosion and corrosion protection simulations based on electrochemical principles. This module lets you simulate galvanic, pitting, and crevice corrosion, and provides tool to help you design cathodic and anodic protection.

© Copright 2012. COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics and LiveLink are either registered trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. AutoCAD and Inventor are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and other countries. LiveLink for AutoCAD and LiveLink for Inventor are not affi liated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by Autodesk, Inc., and/or its affi liates and/or subsidiaries. MATLAB is a registered trademark of The Mathworks, Inc. Pro/ENGINEER and Creo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and in other countries. SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. CATIA is a registered trademark of Dassault Systémes. SpaceClaim is a registered trademark of SpaceClaim Corporation.

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ElectromagneticsThe AC/DC Module now supports modeling of rotating machinery for brush-less motors and generators, brushed DC motors, and radial and axial fl ux machinery.

CFDThe CFD Module introduces easy-to-use turbulent mixing for mass transport simulations.

Particle TracingAutomatic computation of particle trajectories with new built-in forces and particle-particle interaction.

RFNew fast far-fi eld plots make it easy to visualize the asymptotic radiation pattern for RF and microwave antennas.

Heat TransferEasy setup of solar irradiation from latitude, longitude, date, and time.

Structural MechanicsAll-new nonlinear solver for mechanical contact and highly nonlinear simulations. The “double dog-leg” solver address-es a larger class of highly nonlinear simulations.

Module Updates

Mesh selections are now available for subdividing any imported mesh.

Cluster Sweep Speed UpCluster Sweep tool provides fast parallel computation of parameter-ized models with excellent scalability and usability.

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recombined to serve a range of func-tions. The full realization of these prom-ises is contingent not just on the devel-opment of the hardware itself, but alsoupon the availability of correspondingsoftware systems with algorithms thatenable operators to rapidly specify, visu-alize, simulate, and control particularassemblies of modules. In the case ofarticulated, reconnectable hardware likeTri-ATHLETE, operators also can deter-mine feasible motions of the assembly,and disconnect/reconnect actions thatchange assembly topology.

This work was done by Jeffrey S. Norris ofCaltech, Marsette A. Vona of NortheasternUniversity, and Daniela Rus of MIT forNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For moreinformation, download the TechnicalSupport Package (free white paper) atwww.techbriefs.com/tsp under the Softwarecategory.


Any Assembly of Kinematic Modules may be directly operated in the system by click-and-drag directmanipulation. Here the canonical configuration of two Tri-ATHLETE modules and one pallet is oper-ated in lifting (A), sliding (B), and tilting (C) motions.

Nonlinear Estimation Approach to Real-Time Georegistrationfrom Aerial Images This technology can be used for real-time search and rescue operations and surveillanceapplications using cameras mounted on aircraft or UAVs. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

When taking aerial images, it isimportant to know locations of specificpoints of interest in an Earth-centeredcoordinate system (latitude, longitude,

height) (see figure). The correspon-dence between a pixel location in theimage and its Earth coordinate is knownas georegistration. There are two main

technical challenges arising in theintended application. The first is thatno known features are assumed to beavailable in any of the images. The sec-ond is that the intended applicationsare real time. Here, images are taken atregular intervals (i.e. once per second),and it is desired to make decisions inreal time based on the geolocation ofspecific objects seen in the images asthey arrive. This is in sharp contrast tomost current methods for geolocationthat operate “after-the-fact” by process-ing, on the ground, a database of storedimages using computationally intensivemethods.

The solution is a nonlinear estimationalgorithm that combines processed real-time camera images with vehicle positionand attitude information ob tained froman onboard GPS receiver. This approachprovides accurate georegistration esti-mates (latitude, longitude, height) ofarbitrary features and/or points of inter-est seen in the camera images. Thissolves the georegistration prob lem at the

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Mechanics/Machinery

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modest cost of augmenting the camerainformation with a GPS receiver carriedonboard the vehicle.

The nonlinear estimation algorithm isbased on a linearized Kalman filter struc-ture that carries 19 states in its currentimplementation. Six of the 19 states arecalibration parameters associated with theinitial camera pose. One of the states cali-brates the scale factor associated with allcamera-derived information. The remain-ing 12 states are used to model the cur-rent kinematic state of the vehicle (posi-tion, velocity, acceleration, and attitude).

The new georegistration approach wasvalidated by computer simulation basedon an aircraft flying at a speed of 70 m/sin a 3-km radius circle at an altitude of15,000 ft ( 4,600 m), using a camerapointed at the ground toward the center

of the circle. Results from using the non-linear estimation algorithm, in combina-tion with GPS and camera images takenonce per second, indicate that after 20minutes of operation, real-time georegis-tration errors are reduced to values ofless than 2 m, 1 sigma, on the ground.

The new method is very modular andcleanly separates computer vision func-tions from optimal estimation functions.This allows the vision and estimationfunctions to be developed separately,and leverages the power of modern esti-mation theory to fuse information in anoptimal manner. Heuristics are avoided,which are generally suboptimal, as areother methods that require human-in-the-loop intervention, ad hoc parameterweightings, and awkward stitchingtogether of various types of data.

The work is applicable to any scientificor engineering application that re quiresfinding the geolocation of specificobjects seen in a sequence of cameraimages. For example, in a surveyingapplication, the precise location andheight of a mountain peak can be deter-mined by having an airplane take aerialimages while circling around it.

This work was done by David S. Bayard andCurtis W. Padgett of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.



The need to maintain optimal energyefficiency is critical during the drillingoperations performed on future andcurrent planetary rover missions (see fig-ure). Specifically, this innovation seeksto solve the following problem. Given aspring-loaded percussive drill driven bya voice-coil motor, one needs to deter-mine the optimal input voltage wave-form (periodic function) and the opti-mal hammering period that minimizesthe dissipated energy, while ensuringthat the hammer-to-rock impacts aremade with sufficient (user-defined)impact velocity (or impact energy).

To solve this problem, it was firstobserved that when voice-coil-actuatedpercussive drills are driven at highpower, it is of paramount importance toensure that the electrical current of thedevice remains in phase with the veloci-ty of the hammer. Otherwise, negativework is performed and the drill experi-ences a loss of performance (i.e.,reduced impact energy) and an increasein Joule heating (i.e., reduction in ener-gy efficiency). This observation has moti-vated many drilling products to incorpo-rate the standard bang-bang controlapproach for driving their percussivedrills. However, the bang-bang controlapproach is significantly less efficient

than the optimal energy-efficient con-trol approach solved herein.

To obtain this solution, the standardtools of classical optimal control theorywere applied. It is worth noting thatthese tools inherently require the solu-tion of a two-point boundary value prob-lem (TPBVP), i.e., a system of differen-

tial equations where half the equationshave unknown boundary conditions.Typically, the TPBVP is impossible tosolve analytically for high-dimensionaldynamic systems. However, for the caseof the spring-loaded vibro-impactor, thisapproach yields the exact optimal con-trol solution as the sum of four analytic

Optimal Force Control of Vibro-Impact Systems forAutonomous Drilling ApplicationsA method is investigated how to maximize energy transfer to tools used in drilling, and can beapplied to regular power tools.NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Planetary Rover equipped with a rotary percussive drill.

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functions whose coefficients are deter-mined using a simple, easy-to-implementalgorithm. Once the optimal controlwaveform is determined, it can be usedoptimally in the context of both open-loop and closed-loop control modes(using standard real-time control hard-ware).

Future NASA in situ exploration mis-sions increasingly require extensive

drilling and coring procedures thatstress the demand for more energy effi-cient methods to accomplish these tasks.For example, when rover-based auton -omous drills are controlled non-optimal-ly for long periods of time, the energyloss can grow at a rate that cannot be sus-tained by the rover’s internal energy sup-ply. Motorized percussive units can beespecially energy-draining (when con-

trolled non-optimally), making this tech-nology especially relevant to this type offuture NASA work.

This work was done by Jack B. Aldrich andAvi B. Okon of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category. NPO-48467

The wave bearing software suite is aMALTA application that computes bear-ing properties for user-specified wavebearing conditions, as well as plain jour-nal bearings. Wave bearings are fluidfilm journal bearings with multi-lobedwave patterns around the circumferenceof the bearing surface. In this softwaresuite, the dynamic coefficients are out-putted in a way for easy implementationin a finite element model used in rotordynamics analysis. The software has agraphical user interface (GUI) forinputting bearing geometry parameters,and uses MATLAB’s structure interface

for ease of interpreting data. This inno-vation was developed to provide the stiff-ness and damping components of wavebearing impedances.

The computational method for com-puting bearing coefficients was original-ly designed for plain journal bearingsand tilting pad bearings. Modificationsto include a wave bearing profile consist-ed of changing the film thickness profilegiven by an equation, and writing analgorithm to locate the integration limitsfor each fluid region. Careful considera-tion was needed to implement the cor-rect integration limits while computing

the dynamic coefficients, depending onthe form of the input/output variablesspecified in the algorithm.

This work was done by Amanda Hanfordand Robert Campbell of ARL/Penn State forGlenn Research Center. For further informa-tion, contact the GRC InnovationPartnerships Office at (216) 433-8047.

Inquiries concerning rights for the commer-cial use of this invention should be addressedto NASA Glenn Research Center, InnovativePartnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, MailStop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road,Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18627-1.

Journal and Wave Bearing Impedance Calculation SoftwareJohn H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Physical Sciences

Scalable Integrated Multi-MissionSupport System (SIMSS) SimulatorRelease 2.0 software is designed to per-form a variety of test activities related tospacecraft simulations and ground seg-ment checks. This innovation uses theexisting SIMSS framework, which inter-faces with the GMSEC (GoddardMission Services Evolution Center)Application Programming Interface(API) Version 3.0 message middleware,and allows SIMSS to accept GMSEC stan-

dard messages via the GMSEC messagebus service.

SIMSS is a distributed, component-based,plug-and-play client-server system that isuseful for performing real-time monitor-ing and communications testing. SIMSSruns on one or more workstations, and isdesigned to be user-configurable, or touse predefined configurations for routineoperations. SIMSS consists of more than100 modules that can be configured to cre-ate, receive, process, and/or transmit data.

The SIMSS/GMSEC innovation is intend-ed to provide missions with a low-costsolution for implementing their groundsystems, as well as to significantly reducea mission’s integration time and risk.

This work was done by John Kim, SarmaVelamuri, Taylor Casey, and Travis Bemannof Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. forGoddard Space Flight Center. For furtherinformation, contact the Goddard InnovativePartnerships Office at (301) 286-5810. GSC-16039-1

Scalable Integrated Multi-Mission Support System (SIMSS)Simulator Release 2.0 for GMSEC Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Mechanics/Machinery

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This new release of MBDyn is a soft-ware engine that calculates the dynamicsstates of kinematic, rigid, or flexiblemultibody systems. An MBDyn multibodysystem may consist of multiple groups ofarticulated chains, trees, or closed-looptopologies. Transient top ologies are han-dled through conservation of energy andmomentum. The solution for rigid-bodysystems is exact, and several configurablelevels of nonlinear term fidelity are avail-able for flexible dynamics systems.

The algorithms have been optimizedfor efficiency and can be used for both

non-real-time (NRT) and real-time(RT) simulations. Interfaces are cur-rently compatible with NASA’s TrickSimulation Environment. This newrelease represents a significant advancein capability and ease of use. The twomost significant new additions are anapplication programming interface(API) that clarifies and simplifies useof MBDyn, and a link-list infrastructurethat allows a single MBDyn instance topropagate an arbitrary number ofinteracting groups of multibody top -ologies.

MBDyn calculates state and statederivative vectors for integration usingan external integration routine. A Trick-compatible interface is provided for ini-tialization, data logging, integration,and input/output.

This work was done by John Maclean,Thomas Brain, Leslie Quiocho, An Huynh,and Tushar Ghosh of Johnson Space Center.For more information, download theTechnical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under theSoftware category. MSC-24925-1

Linked-List-Based Multibody Dynamics (MBDyn) EngineLyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

Frequency Correction for MIRO Chirp TransformationSpectroscopy SpectrumNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

This software processes the flyby spec-tra of the Chirp Transform Spec -trometer (CTS) of the Microwave In -strument for Rosetta Orbiter (MIRO).The tool corrects the effect of Dopplershift and local-oscillator (LO) frequencyshift during the flyby mode of MIROoperations. The frequency correctionfor CTS flyby spectra is performed and isintegrated with multiple spectra into ahigh signal-to-noise averaged spectrumat the rest-frame RF frequency. Thisinnovation also generates the 8 molecu-lar line spectra by dividing continuous4,096-channel CTS spectra. The 8 linespectra can then be readily used for sci-entific investigations.

A spectral line that is at its rest frequen-cy in the frame of the Earth or an asteroidwill be observed with a time-varyingDoppler shift as seen by MIRO. The fre-quency shift is toward the higher RF fre-quencies on approach, and toward lowerRF frequencies on departure. The magni-tude of the shift depends on the flybyvelocity. The result of time-varyingDoppler shift is that of an observed spec-tral line will be seen to move from chan-nel to channel in the CTS spectrometer.The direction (higher or lower frequen-cy) in the spectrometer depends on thespectral line frequency under considera-tion. In order to analyze the flyby spectra,two steps are required. First, individual

spectra must be corrected for the Dopplershift so that individual spectra can besuperimposed at the same rest frequencyfor integration purposes. Second, a cor-rection needs to be applied to the CTSspectra to account for the LO frequencyshifts that are applied to asteroid mode.

This work was done by Seungwon Lee ofCaltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.For more information, download theTechnical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under theSoftware category.


This suite of IDL programs providesidentification and comprehensive char-acterization of the dynamical features ofthe jet streams in the upper tropo-sphere, the lower stratospheric polarnight jet, and the tropopause. The out-put of this software not only providescomprehensive information on the jetsand tropopause, but also gives this infor-mation in a form that facilitates studies

of observations in relation to the jets andtropopauses.

The programs use data from griddedmeteorological analyses (including, cur-rently, GEOS-5/MERRA and NCEP/GFS,but are designed to easily adapt to oth-ers) to identify the locations and charac-teristics (wind speed, temperature, windcomponents, potential vorticity, equiva-lent latitude, potential temperature, rela-

tive vorticity, and other fields) at the jetmaximum and the edges of the jetregions. It also compiles detailed tro -popause information based on severalcommonly used definitions of the tro -popause, including cataloging times/locations with multiple tropo pauses.These products are calculated for thecomplete gridded meteorological data -sets, and the differences between jet loca-

Jet and Tropopause Products for Analysis and Characterization(JETPAC) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

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Physical Sciences


This software implements digitalcontrol of a WGM (whispering-gallery-mode) resonator temperature basedon the dual-mode approach. It com-prises one acquisition (dual-channel)and three control modules. The inter-action of the proportional-integralloops is designed in the original way,

preventing the loops from fighting.The data processing is organized inparallel with the acquisition, whichallows the computational overheadtime to be suppressed or often com-pletely avoided.

WGM resonators potentially provideexcellent optical references for metrolo-

gy, clocks, spectroscopy, and other appli-cations. However, extremely accurate(below micro-Kelvin) temperature stabi-lization is required. This software allowsone specifically advantageous method ofsuch stabilization to be implemented,which is immune to a variety of effectsthat mask the temperature variation.

tions/characteristics and measurementlocations/characteristics cataloged forseveral satellite (currently, Aura MLS,ACE, and HIRDLS) and aircraft (current-ly START-08, Winter Storms, SPURT)datasets.

These products are currently beingused in studies compiling jet and

tropopause climatologies, and to charac-terize trace gas observations in relationto the jets and tropopauses. The outputproducts will be made available to othercollaborators, and eventually will bepublicly available.

This work was done by Gloria L. Manneyand William H. Daffer of Caltech for NASA’s

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For more informa-tion, download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


The Multi-Mission Power AnalysisTool (MMPAT) simulates a spacecraftpower subsystem including the powersource (solar array and/or radioisotopethermoelectric generator), bus-voltagecontrol, secondary battery (lithium-ionor nickel-hydrogen), thermostaticheaters, and power-consuming equip-ment. It handles multiple mission typesincluding heliocentric orbiters, plane-tary orbiters, and surface operations.Being parametrically driven along withits user-programmable features canreduce or even eliminate any need forsoftware modifications when configur-ing it for a particular spacecraft. It pro-vides multiple levels of fidelity, thereby

fulfilling the vast majority of a project’spower simulation needs throughout thelifecycle. It can operate in a standalonemode with a graphical user interface, inbatch mode, or as a library linked withother tools.

This software can simulate all majoraspects of a spacecraft power subsystem.It is parametrically driven to reduce oreliminate the need for a programmer.Added flexibility is provided throughuser-designed state models and table-driven parameters.

MMPAT is designed to be used by avariety of users, such as power subsys-tem engineers for sizing power subsys-tem components; mission planners for

adjusting mission scenarios usingpower profiles generated by the model;system engineers for performing sys-tem-level trade studies using the resultsof the model during the early designphases of a spacecraft; and operationspersonnel for high-fidelity modeling ofthe essential power aspect of the plan-ning picture.

This work was done by Eric G. Wood, GeorgeW. Chang, and Fannie C. Chen of Caltech forNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For moreinformation, contact [email protected].


Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool (MMPAT) Version 3 NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

WGM Temperature Tracker NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

The Jupiter Environment Tool (JET) isa custom UI plug-in for STK that providesan interface to Jupiter environment mod-els for visualization and analysis. Userscan visualize the different magnetic fieldmodels of Jupiter through various ren-dering methods, which are fully integrat-ed within STK’s 3D Window. This allowsusers to take snapshots and make anima-tions of their scenarios with magnetic

field visualizations. Analytical data can beaccessed in the form of custom vectors.Given these custom vectors, users haveaccess to magnetic field data in customreports, graphs, access constraints, cover-age analysis, and anywhere else vectorsare used within STK.

This work was done by Erick J. Sturm,Kenneth M. Donahue, James P. Biehl, andMichael Kokorowski of Caltech; Cedrick

Ngalande of Microcosm, Inc.; and JordanBoedeker of Iowa State University for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


Jupiter Environment ToolNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

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WGM Temperature Tracker 2.3(see figure) is a LabVIEW code devel-oped for dual-mode temperature sta-bilization of WGM resonators. It hasallowed for the temperature stabiliza-tion at the level of 200 nK with one-second integration time, and 6 nKwith 10,000-second integration time,with the above room-temperature setpoint.

This software, in conjunction withthe appropriate hardware, can beused as a noncryogenic temperaturesensor/controller with sub-micro-Kelvin sensitivity, which at the timeof this reporting considerably out-performs the state of the art.

This work was done by Dmitry V.Strekalov of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laborator y. For moreinformation, download the TechnicalSup port Package (free white paper) atwww.techbriefs.com/tsp under the Soft -ware category.

This software is available for commer-cial licensing. Please contact DanielBroderick of the California Institute ofTechnology at [email protected]. Referto NPO-48306.


This software solved the problem of dis-playing terrains that are usually too largeto be displayed on standard workstationsin real time. The software can visualize ter-rain data sets composed of billions of ver-tices, and can display these data sets atgreater than 30 frames per second.

The Large Terrain Continuous Levelof Detail 3D Visualization Tool allows

large terrains, which can be composedof billions of vertices, to be visualized inreal time. It utilizes a continuous levelof detail technique called clipmappingto support this. It offloads much of thework involved in breaking up the ter-rain into levels of details onto the GPU(graphics processing unit) for fasterprocessing.

This work was done by Steven Myint andAbhinandan Jain of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,contact [email protected].


Large Terrain Continuous Level of Detail 3D Visualization ToolNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Earth-Science Data Co-Locating ToolNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

A Screen Shot of the WGM Temperature Tracker 2.3 graphic interface.

This software is used to locate Earth-science satellite data and climate-modelanalysis outputs in space and time. Thisenables the direct comparison of any setof data with different spatial and tempo-ral resolutions. It is written in three sep-arate modules that are clearly separatedfor their functionality and interfacewith other modules. This enables a fastdevelopment of supporting any newdata set. In this updated version of the

tool, several new front ends are devel-oped for new products.

This software finds co-locatabledata pairs for given sets of data prod-ucts and creates new data productsthat share the same spatial and tem-poral coordinates. This facilitates thedirect comparison between the twoheterogeneous datasets and the com-prehensive and synergistic use of thedatasets.

This work was done by Seungwon Lee, LeiPan, and Gary L. Block of Caltech for NASA’sJet Propulsion Laboratory. For more informa-tion, download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


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Algorithms for Determining Physical Responses of StructuresUnder LoadStructure can be monitored in real time while in actual service.Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California

Ultra-efficient real-time structuralmonitoring algorithms have been devel-oped to provide extensive informationabout the physical response of structuresunder load. These algorithms are drivenby actual strain data to measure accu-rately local strains at multiple locationson the surface of a structure. Through asingle point load calibration test, thesestructural strains are then used to calcu-late key physical properties of the struc-ture at each measurement location.Such properties include the structure’sflexural rigidity (the product of thestructure’s modulus of elasticity, and itsmoment of inertia) and the sectionmodulus (the moment of inertia dividedby the structure’s half-depth). Theresulting structural properties at eachlocation can be used to determine the

structure’s bending moment, shear, andstructural loads in real time while thestructure is in service.

The amount of structural informa-tion can be maximized through the useof highly multiplexed fiber Bragg grat-ing technology using optical timedomain reflectometry and optical fre-quency domain reflectometry, whichcan provide a local strain measurementevery 10 mm on a single hair-sized opti-cal fiber. Since local strain is used asinput to the algorithms, this systemserves multiple purposes of measuringstrains and displacements, as well asdetermining structural bending mo -ment, shear, and loads for assessingreal-time structural health.

The first step is to install a series ofstrain sensors on the structure’s surface

in such a way as to measure bendingstrains at desired locations. The nextstep is to perform a simple ground testcalibration. For a beam of length l (seeexample), discretized into n sectionsand subjected to a tip load of P thatplaces the beam in bending, the flexur-al rigidity of the beam can be experi-mentally determined at each measure-ment location x. The bending momentat each station can then be determinedfor any general set of loads applied dur-ing operation.

This work was done by W. Lance Richardsand William L. Ko of Dryden Flight ResearchCenter. For more information, download theTechnical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under theSoftware category. DRC-008-023

Cantilever Beam of tapered cross section subjected to tip loading.

b = 10 in.

l = 160 in. P = 1000 lbs

c = 5 in.


Information Technology

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CometQuest: A Rosetta Adventure NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

CometQuest is an educational AppleiPhone game outlining the Rosetta mis-sion to comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.Its goal is to provide an enjoyable means tolearn about the Rosetta mission throughaction gameplay where the player takesthe role of Rosetta’s mission operator andtries to capture and record as much sci-ence data as possible. It offers a multiple-choice quiz-type learning experience inwhich the player is asked to answer ques-tions about the Rosetta mission and

comets in general. The answers to all thequestions are included in the app’s “Learnmore” section.

CometQuest would become one of fewNASA educational games available on theiPhone and iPad platforms, including thefirst educational NASA game optimizedfor iPad. The app is a specialized outreachtool for the Rosetta mission, enablingNASA to disseminate information andappreciation of its value to the public in amedium otherwise unavailable.

This work was done by Nancy J. Leon,Diane K. Fisher, Alexander Novati, Artur B.Chmielewski, Austin J. Fitzpatrick, andAndrea Angrum of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


Mission Analysis, Operations, and Navigation ToolkitEnvironment (Monte) Version 040 NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Monte is a software set designed for usein mission design and spacecraft naviga-tion operations. The system can processmeasurement data, design optimal trajec-tories and maneuvers, and do orbit deter-mination, all in one application. For thefirst time, a single software set can be usedfor mission design and navigation opera-tions. This eliminates problems due to dif-ferent models and fidelities used in legacymission design and navigation software.

The unique features of Monte 040include a blowdown thruster model forGRAIL (Gravity Recovery and InteriorLaboratory) with associated pressuremodels, as well as an updated, optimal-search capability (COSMIC) that facili-tated mission design for ARTEMIS.Existing legacy software lacked the capa-bilities necessary for these two missions.There is also a mean orbital element

propagator and an osculating to meanelement converter that allows long-termorbital stability analysis for the first timein compiled code.

The optimized trajectory search toolCOSMIC allows users to place constraintsand controls on their searches withoutany restrictions. Constraints may be user-defined and depend on trajectory infor-mation either forward or backwards intime. In addition, a long-term orbit stabil-ity analysis tool (morbiter) existed previ-ously as a set of scripts on top of Monte.

Monte is becoming the primary toolfor navigation operations, a core compe-tency at JPL. The mission design capabil-ities in Monte are becoming matureenough for use in project proposals aswell as post-phase A mission design.

Monte has three distinct advantagesover existing software. First, it is being

developed in a modern paradigm: object-oriented C++ and Python. Second, thesoftware has been developed as a toolkit,which allows users to customize their ownapplications and allows the developmentteam to implement requirements quickly,efficiently, and with minimal bugs.Finally, the software is managed in accor-dance with the CMMI (CapabilityMaturity Model Integration), where it hasbeen ap praised at maturity level 3.

This work was done by Richard F. Sunseri,Hsi-Cheng Wu, Scott E. Evans, James R.Evans, Theodore R. Drain, and Michelle M.Guevara of Caltech for NASA’s Jet PropulsionLaboratory.


This software is a higher-performanceimplementation of tiled WMS, with inte-gral support for KML and time-varyingdata. This software is compliant with theOpen Geospatial WMS standard, and sup-ports KML natively as a WMS return type,including support for the time attribute.Regionated KML wrappers are generatedthat match the existing tiled WMS dataset.Ping and JPG formats are supported, andthe software is implemented as an Apache

2.0 module that supports a threading exe-cution model that is capable of support-ing very high request rates.

The module intercepts and responds toWMS requests that match certain patternsand returns the existing tiles. If a KML for-mat that matches an existing pyramid andtile dataset is requested, regionated KMLis generated and returned to the request-ing application. In addition, KMLrequests that do not match the existing

tile datasets generate a KML response thatincludes the corresponding JPG WMSrequest, effectively adding KML supportto a backing WMS server.

This work was done by Lucian Plesea ofCaltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Formore information, contact [email protected].


Tiled WMS/KML Server V2NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

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WMD provides a centralized inter-face to access data stored in the MissionData Processing and Control System(MPCS) GDS (Ground Data Systems)databases during MSL (Mars ScienceLaboratory) Testbeds and ATLO(Assembly, Test, and LaunchOperations) test sessions. The MSLproject organizes its data based onvenue (Testbed, ATLO, Ops), with eachvenue’s data stored on a separate data-base, making it cumbersome for usersto access data across the various venues.

WMD allows sessions to be retrievedthrough a Web-based search using sever-al criteria: host name, session start date,or session ID number. Sessions matching

the search criteria will be displayed andusers can then select a session to obtainand analyze the associated data.

The uniqueness of this software comesfrom its collection of data retrieval andanalysis features provided through a sin-gle interface. This allows users to obtaintheir data and perform the necessaryanalysis without having to worry aboutwhere and how to get the data, whichmay be stored in various locations.Additionally, this software is a Web appli-cation that only requires a standardbrowser without additional plug-ins, pro-viding a cross-platform, lightweight solu-tion for users to retrieve and analyzetheir data.

This software solves the problem ofefficiently and easily finding and retriev-ing data from thousands of MSL Testbedand ATLO sessions. WMD allows theuser to retrieve their session in as little asone mouse click, and then to quicklyretrieve additional data associated withthe session.

This work was done by William L. Quach,Tadas Sesplaukis, Kyran J. Owen-Mankovich,and Lori L. Nakamura of Caltech for NASA’sJet Propulsion Laboratory. For more informa-tion, contact [email protected].


Where’s My Data — WMD NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Dig Hazard Assessment Using a Stereo Pair of CamerasA lander can autonomously determine the areas within its robotic arm’s workspace that have theleast risk for digging hazards.NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

This software evaluates the terrainwithin reach of a lander’s robotic arm fordig hazards using a stereo pair of camerasthat are part of the lander’s sensor sys-tem. A relative level of risk is calculatedfor a set of dig sectors. There are two ver-sions of this software; one is designed torun onboard a lander as part of the flightsoftware, and the other runs on a PCunder Linux as a ground tool that pro-duces the same results generated on thelander, given stereo images acquired bythe lander and downlinked to Earth.

Onboard dig hazard assessment isaccomplished by executing a workspacepanorama command sequence. Thissequence acquires a set of stereo pairs ofimages of the terrain the arm can reach,generates a set of candidate dig sectors,and assesses the dig hazard of each candi-date dig sector.

The 3D perimeter points of candidatedig sectors are generated using config-urable parameters. A 3D reconstruction ofthe terrain in front of the lander is generat-ed using a set of stereo images acquiredfrom the mast cameras. The 3D reconstruc-tion is used to evaluate the dig “goodness”of each candidate dig sector based on a setof eight metrics. The eight metrics are:1. The maximum change in elevation in

each sector,

Eight metrics are used to determine the Dig Hazard goodness map in which the dig sectors within the3D reconstruction are color-coded. Green sectors are safe for digging. The colors between green andred correspond to the increasing level of risk.

Bad Good


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Mars Express Forward Link Capabilities for the Mars RelayOperations Service (MaROS) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

FERMI/GLAST Integrated Trending and Plotting SystemRelease 5.0Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

2. The elevation standard deviation ineach sector,

3. The forward tilt of each sector withrespect to the payload frame,

4. The side tilt of each sector withrespect to the payload frame,

5. The maximum size of missing dataregions in each sector,

6. The percentage of a sector that hasmissing data,

7. The roughness of each sector, and8. Monochrome intensity standard devi-

ation of each sector.Each of the eight metrics forms a

goodness image layer where the good-ness value of each sector ranges from 0to 1. Goodness values of 0 and 1 corre-spond to high and low risk, respectively.For each dig sector, the eight goodnessvalues are merged by selecting the low-est one. Including the merged goodnessimage layer, there are nine goodness

image layers for each stereo pair of mastimages.

There are three modes of operationfor the ground tool version of the soft-ware:1. View image, dig sector, and “digabili-

ty” data products generated onboardthe lander.

2. Given a set of raw images from astereo pair of mast cameras, generateimage, dig sector, and dig hazardproducts identical to what would begenerated onboard the lander andview them.

3. Given a set of image products down-linked from the lander, generate digsector and dig hazard products identi-cal to what would be generatedonboard the lander and view them.The ground tool can be used to viewthe 3D reconstruction of the terrain.The mouse buttons can be used to

rotate the 3D model of the terrain andzoom in and out. Drop-down menusenable the user to display the dig sec-tors, one of the eight goodness imagelayers, and the merged goodness maplayer. When viewing a goodness maplayer, the dig sectors within the 3Dreconstruction are color-coded. Greensectors are safe for digging. The colorsbetween green and red correspond tothe increasing level of risk.This work was done by Arturo L. Rankin and

Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package (freewhite paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp underthe Software category.

The software used in this innovation isavailable for commercial licensing. Please con-tact Daniel Broderick of the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology at [email protected] to NPO-48448.

An Integrated Trending and PlottingSystem (ITPS) is a trending, analysis,and plotting system used by space mis-sions to determine performance and sta-

tus of spacecraft and its instruments.ITPS supports several NASA missionoperational control centers providingengineers, ground controllers, and sci-

entists with access to the entire space-craft telemetry data archive for the lifeof the mission, and includes a secureWeb component for remote access.

This software provides a new capabili-ty for landed Mars assets to perform for-ward link relay through the MarsExpress (MEX) European Union orbitalspacecraft. It solves the problem of stan-dardizing the relay interface betweenlander missions and MEX.

The Mars Operations Relay Service(MaROS) is intended as a central pointfor relay planning and post-pass analysisfor all Mars landed and orbital assets.Through the first two phases of imple-mentation, MaROS supports relay coor-dination through the Odyssey orbiterand the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter(MRO). With this new software, MaROSnow fully integrates the Mars Expressspacecraft into the relay picture. This

new software generates and manages anew set of file formats that allows forrelay request to MEX for forward andreturn link relay, including the parame-ters specific to MEX.

Existing MEX relay planning interac-tions were performed via emailexchanges and point-to-point file trans-fers. By integrating MEX into MaROS,all transactions are managed by a cen-tralized service for tracking and analysis.Additionally, all lander missions have asingle, shared interface with MEX anddo not have to integrate on a mission-by-mission basis.

Relay is a critical element of Mars lan-der data management. Landed assetsdepend largely upon orbital relay for

data delivery, which can be impacted bythe availability and health of eachorbiter in the network. At any time, anissue may occur to prevent relay. For thisreason, it is imperative that all possibleorbital assets be integrated into the over-all relay picture.

This work was done by Daniel A. Allard,Michael N. Wallick, Roy E. Gladden, andPaul Wang of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


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FERMI/GLAST ITPS Release 5.0 fea-tures include the option to display dates(yyyy/ddd) instead of orbit numbers alongorbital Long-Term Trend (LTT) plot axis,the ability to save statistics from daily pro-duction plots as image files, and removal ofredundant “edit/create Input DefinitionFile (IDF)” screens. Other features are a fixto address invalid packet lengths, a changein naming convention of image files inorder to use in script, the ability to save allITPS plot images (from Windows or theWeb) as GIF or PNG format, the ability tospecify ymin and ymax on plots where previ-

ously only the desired range could be spec-ified, Web interface capability to plot IDFsthat contain out-of-order page and plotnumbers, and a fix to change all default filenames to show yyyydddhhmmss time stampsinstead of hhmmssdddyyyy.

A Web interface capability sorts filesbased on modification date (with newestone at top), and the statistics block canbe displayed via a Web interface. Via theWeb, users can graphically view the vol-ume of telemetry data from each daycontained in the ITPS archive in theWeb digest.

The ITPS could be also used in non-space fields that need to plot data ortrend data, including financial andbanking systems, aviation and trans-portation systems, healthcare and educa-tional systems, sales and marketing, andhousing and construction.

This work was done by Sheila Ritter ofGoddard Space Flight Center, and HaimBrumer and Denise Reitan of HoneywellTechnology Solutions. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category. GSC-15974-1

The Scalable Integrated Multi-missionSupport System (SIMSS) is a tool thatperforms a variety of test activities relat-ed to spacecraft simulations and groundsegment checks.

The GSFC Mission Services EvolutionCenter (GMSEC) has been advancingnew technologies using its architectureto aid missions in the development ofcontrol centers, and to enable the inter-operability of mission operations center(MOC) components. These new tech-nologies are intended to provide mis-sions with low-cost solutions in imple-menting their ground systems. SIMSSVersion 2.0 was developed to run withinthe GMSEC architecture as a plug-incomponent. To accomplish this, SIMSS isintegrated with GMSEC application pro-

gramming interface (API) 3.0 li brar ies,which allows SIMSS to successfully oper-ate in the GMSEC environment andcommunicate with other componentsusing GMSEC messages that are trans-mitted over the GMSEC messaging mid-dleware interface bus.

This innovation (SIMSS Release 3.0)provides a Generic Simulator module,which supports the use of an XTCE-based project database (PDB) fromwhich telemetry data is generated, andthen is published onto the GMSEC mes-sage bus.

SIMSS is a distributed, component-based, plug-and-play client-server systemuseful for performing real-time monitor-ing and communications testing. SIMSSruns on one or more workstations and is

designed to be user-configurable or touse predefined configurations for rou-tine operations. SIMSS consists of morethan 100 modules that can be config-ured to create, receive, process, and/ortransmit data. The SIMSS/GMSEC inno-vation is intended to provide missionswith a low-cost solution for implement-ing their ground systems, as well as sig-nificantly reducing a mission’s integra-tion time and risk.

This work was done by John Kim, SarmaVelamuri, and Taylor Casey of GoddardSpace Flight Center; and Travis Bemann ofHoneywell. For further information, contactthe Goddard Innovative Partnerships Officeat (301) 286-5810. GSC-16041-1

Scalable Integrated Multi-Mission Support System SimulatorRelease 3.0Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Policy-Based Negotiation Engine for Cross-DomainInteroperability This method can be used by any organization with distributed Web entities. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

A successful policy negotiationscheme for Policy-Based Management(PBM) has been implemented. Policynegotiation is the process of determin-ing the “best” communication policythat all of the parties involved can agreeon. Specifically, the problem is how toreconcile the various (and possibly con-flicting) communication protocols usedby different divisions. The solution must

use protocols available to all partiesinvolved, and should attempt to do so inthe best way possible. Which protocolsare commonly available, and what thedefinition of “best” is will be dependenton the parties involved and their individ-ual communications priorities.

This method is based on defeasible pol-icy composition (DPC), a new approachfor finding conflicts and resolving priori-

ties between rules. A formulation and sce-nario for how cross-domain interoper-ability can be achieved have been devel-oped based on a negotiation mechanismbetween different parties (domains) sothat all parties can agree on proceduresfor interacting with each other. An imple-mentation of this methodology has beendeveloped in the form of an executablecode and corresponding GUI interface.


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SE-FITJohn H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

The network management and Webcommunication software used by the dif-ferent organizations presents a stum-bling block. Many of the tools used bythe various divisions do not have theability to communicate network man-agement data with each other. At best,this means that manual human interven-tion into the communication protocolsused at various network routers and end-points is required. This process istedious, error-prone, and slow.

The present methods have inherentinefficiency and are not fully automatic,

which heavily restricts their practicalapplications. The new method is based onan efficient algorithm. The new engineutilizes defeasible logic to describe com-munication policy constraints and priori-ties. Defeasible logic (see figure) is non-monotonic, and contains three differenttypes of rules: strict rules, which are strict“if/then” statements; defeasible rules thatare “if this, then probably that” state-ments; and defeater rules that contradictthe outcomes of defeasible rules.

The policy negotiation program readsin two files specifying the policies that

the user wishes to combine, and outputsa single file describing the means ofcommunication that satisfy both inputpolicies, if any can be found.

To implement this method, a toolcalled DPC (Defeasible Policy Com -position) was developed. To maintainthat efficiency in the DPC tool, the datastructures for the individual terms ofeach constraint are joined in linked-listfashion to their constraints and to a par-ent object representing each term. Thiscan be visualized as a linked grid, wherethe heads of each column are the terms,the heads of each row are the rulenames, and the body of the grid is thereferences to the terms that make upthose rules. Each term reference islinked to its neighbors in the grid,which allows the algorithm to quicklyand efficiently search through, add, anddelete rows, terms, and individual termreferences.

This work was done by Farrokh Vatan andEdward T. Chow of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.

The software used in this innovation isavailable for commercial licensing. Please con-tact Daniel Broderick of the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology at [email protected] to NPO-48399.

Introducing Priority Relations Pseudo-English Form of Rules

Introducing Variables

Introducing Rules

3 Types of Rules: Strict, Deafeasible, Defeater

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Defeasible Logic Policy Editor

The mathematical theory of capillarysurfaces has developed steadily over thecenturies, but it was not until the last fewdecades that new technologies have puta more urgent demand on a substantial-ly more qualitative and quantitativeunderstanding of phenomena relatingto capillarity in general. So far, the newtheory development successfully pre-dicts the behavior of capillary surfacesfor special cases. However, an efficientquantitative mathematical prediction ofcapillary phenomena related to theshape and stability of geometrically com-plex equilibrium capillary surfacesremains a significant challenge. As oneof many numerical tools, the open-source Surface Evolver (SE) algorithmhas played an important role over thelast two decades. The current effort wasundertaken to provide a front-end to

enhance the accessibility of SE for thepurposes of design and analysis. Like SE,the new code is open-source and willremain under development for the fore-seeable future.

The ultimate goal of the currentSurface Evolver – Fluid Interface Tool(SE-FIT) development is to build a fullyintegrated front-end with a set of graph-ical user interface (GUI) elements. Sucha front-end enables the access to func-tionalities that are developed along withthe GUIs to deal with pre-processing,convergence computation operation,and post-processing. In other words, SE-FIT is not just a GUI front-end, but anintegrated environment that can per-form sophisticated computational tasks,e.g. importing industry standard file for-mats and employing parameter sweepfunctions, which are both lacking in SE,

and require minimal interaction by theuser. These functions are created using amixture of Visual Basic and the SE scriptlanguage. These form the foundationfor a high-performance front-end thatsubstantially simplifies use without sacri-ficing the proven capabilities of SE. Thereal power of SE-FIT lies in its automat-ed pre-processing, pre-defined geome-tries, convergence computation opera-tion, computational diagnostic tools,and crash-handling capabilities to sus-tain extensive computations.

SE-FIT performance is enabled by its so-called file-layer mechanism. During theearly stages of SE-FIT development, itbecame necessary to modify the originalSE code to enable capabilities required foran enhanced and synchronized communi-cation. To this end, a file-layer was createdthat serves as a command buffer to ensure

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a continuous and sequential execution ofcommands sent from the front-end to SE.It also establishes a proper means for han-dling crashes. The file layer logs inputcommands and SE output; it also supportsuser interruption requests, back and for-ward operation (i.e. ‘undo’ and ‘redo’),and others. It especially enables the batchmode computation of a series of equilibri-um surfaces and the searching of criticalparameter values in studying the stabilityof capillary surfaces. In this way, the modi-fied SE significantly extends the capabili-ties of the original SE.

There is a growing need for SE in sub-jects such as flows related to microgravi-ty tankage, inkjet printing, nanotech-nologies, transport in porous media,capillary self-assembly and self-align-ment, microscale wicking structures,foams, and more. It is hoped that SE-FITwill prove to be an essential tool for myr-iad capillary design and analysis applica-tions as well as a tool for both educationand inquiry.

This work was done by Yongkang Chen,Mark Weislogel, Ben Schaeffer, Ben Semerjian,and Lihong Yang of the Portland State

University Office of Research and SponsoredProjects; and Gregory Zimmerli of GlennResearch Center. For more information, down-load the Technical Support Package (freewhite paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.

Inquiries concerning rights for the commer-cial use of this invention should be addressedto NASA Glenn Research Center, InnovativePartnerships Office, Attn: Steven Fedor, MailStop 4–8, 21000 Brookpark Road,Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Refer to LEW-18824-1.

NASA is interested in designing aspacecraft capable of visiting a near-Earth object (NEO), performing experi-ments, and then returning safely. Certainperiods of this mission would require thespacecraft to remain stationary relative tothe NEO, in an environment character-ized by very low gravity levels; such situa-tions require an anchoring mechanism

that is compact, easy to deploy, and uponmission completion, easy to remove.

The design philosophy used in this taskrelies on the simulation capability of ahigh-performance multibody dynamicsphysics engine. On Earth, it is difficult tocreate low-gravity conditions, and testingin low-gravity environments, whether arti-ficial or in space, can be costly and very

difficult to achieve. Through simulation,the effect of gravity can be controlledwith great accuracy, making it ideally suit-ed to analyze the problem at hand.

Using Chrono::Engine, a simulationpack age capable of utilizing massivelyparallel Graphic Processing Unit (GPU)hardware, several validation experimentswere performed. Modeling of the regolithinteraction has been carried out, afterwhich the anchor penetration tests wereperformed and analyzed. The regolithwas modeled by a granular medium com-posed of very large numbers of convexthree-dimensional rigid bodies, subject tomicrogravity levels and interacting witheach other with contact, friction, andcohesional forces.

The multibody dynamics simulationapproach used for simulating anchorspenetrating a soil uses a differential vari-

High-Performance Modeling and Simulation of Anchoring inGranular Media for NEO ApplicationsNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

In this simulated Brazil Nut Problem, the large ball moves slowly up as the granular material is vibrated.

WMS Server 2.0NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

This software is a simple, yet flexibleserver of raster map products, compliantwith the OGC WMS 1.1.1 protocol. Theserver is a full implementation of theOGC WMS 1.1.1 as a fastCGI client andusing GDAL for data access. The servercan operate in a proxy mode, where allor part of the WMS requests are done ona back server.

The server has explicit support for acolocated tiled WMS, including rapidresponse of black (no-data) requests. Itgenerates JPEG and PNG images,

including 16-bit PNG. The GDAL back-end support allows great flexibility onthe data access.

The server is a port to a Linux/GDALplatform from the original IRIX/IL plat-form. It is simpler to configure and use,and depending on the storage formatused, it has better performance thanother available implementations.

The WMS server 2.0 is a high-perform-ance WMS implementation due to thefastCGI architecture. The use of GDALdata back end allows for great flexibility.

The configuration is relatively simple,based on a single XML file. It providesscaling and cropping, as well as blendingof multiple layers based on layer trans-parency.

This work was done by Lucian Plesea andJames F. Wood of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,contact [email protected].



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Mobile Multi-System Overview NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

ational inequality (DVI) methodology tosolve the contact problem posed as a lin-ear complementarity method (LCP).Implemented within a GPU processingenvironment, collision detection is great-ly accelerated compared to traditionalCPU (central processing unit)-based col-lision detection. Hence, systems of mil-lions of particles interacting with com-plex dynamic systems can be efficientlyanalyzed, and design recommendations

can be made in a much shorter time.The figure shows an example of thiscapability where the Brazil Nut problemis simulated: as the container full of gran-ular material is vibrated, the large ballslowly moves upwards.This capability wasexpanded to account for anchors of dif-ferent shapes and penetration velocities,interacting with granular soils.

This work was done by Marco B. Quadrelliand Abhinandan Jain of Caltech; and Dan

Negrut and Hammad Mazhar of the Universityof Wisconsin-Madison for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.

This software is available for commerciallicensing. Please contact Daniel Broderick of theCalifornia Institute of Technology [email protected]. Refer to NPO-48332.

Ascent/Descent Software Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

At the time of this reporting, there are2,589 rich mobile devices used at JPL,including 1,550 iPhones and 968Blackberrys. Considering a total JPL pop-ulation of 5,961 employees, mobile appli-cations have a total addressable market of43 percent of the employees at JPL, andthat number is rising.

While it was found that no existingdesktop tools can realistically be replacedby a mobile application, there is certainlya need to improve access to these desktoptools. When an alarm occurs and an engi-neer is away from his desk, a convenientmeans of accessing relevant data can save

an engineer a great deal of time andimprove his job efficiency. To identifywhich data is relevant, an engineer bene-fits from a succinct overview of the datahoused in 13+ tools. This need can be wellmet by a single, rich, mobile applicationthat provides access to desired data acrosstools in the ops infrastructure.

This software is an iPhone app thatallows a single configurable screen thatpresents an overview of many disparateWeb applications. This tool can beapplied to bring data from any publicWeb site into a native iPhone app. Thisconcept (see figure) is similar to what

the “Mint” financial aggregation sitedoes to gather and format data fromother Web sites, without APIs, onto itsown site.

The benefits of this app are as follows: Developed as a native iPhone applica-tion, it thereby inherits iPhone usabil-ity and mobile device accessibility. Integration with seven distinct sourcesof data for the Cassini mission. Compatibility with existing html-based infrastructure, and requiresno infrastructure upgrade. Configurable interface to show onlyrelevant information to the user. Easily extendable to add informa-tion from any existing Web site. Does not intend to replace existingtools, only complement andincrease user efficiency.

This work was done by Robert J. Witoff andDavid F. Doody of Caltech for NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory. For more information,download the Technical Support Package(free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.

This software is available for commerciallicensing. Please contact Daniel Broderick ofthe California Institute of Technology [email protected]. Refer to NPO-47634.User Interface Progression from concept to implementation.

The Ascent/Descent Software Suite hasbeen used to support a variety of NASAShuttle Program mission planning andanalysis activities, such as range safety, onthe Integrated Planning System (IPS)platform. The Ascent/Descent SoftwareSuite, containing Ascent Flight Design(ASC)/Descent Flight Design (DESC)

Configuration items (Cis), lifecycle docu-ments, and data files used for shuttleascent and entry modeling analysis andmission design, resides on IPS/Linuxworkstations. A list of tools in Navigation(NAV)/Prop Software Suite representstool versions established during or afterthe IPS Equipment Rehost-3 project.

This work was done by Charles Brown,Robert Andrew, Scott Roe, Ronald Frye,Michael Harvey, Tuan Vu, KrishnaiyerBalachandran, and Ben Bly of the UnitedSpace Alliance for Johnson Space Center. Forfurther information, contact the JSC Inno -vation Partnerships Office at (281) 483-3809. MSC-24960-1

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I-FORCAST (Instrument – Field ofRegard Coverage Analysis and SimulationTool) is a flight planning tool specificallydesigned for quickly verifying the feasibil-ity and estimating the cost of airborneremote sensing campaigns (see figure).Flights are simulated by being brokeninto three predefined routing algorithmsas necessary: mapping in a snaking pat-tern, mapping the area around a pointtarget (like a volcano) with a star pattern,and mapping the area between a list ofpoints. The tool has been used to planmissions for radar, lidar, and in-situatmospheric measuring instruments for avariety of aircraft. It has also been usedfor global and regional scale campaignsand automatically includes landingswhen refueling is required.

The software has been compared to theflight times of known commercial aircraftroute travel times, as well as a UAVSAR

(Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle SyntheticAperture Radar) campaign, and was with-in 15% of the actual flight time. Most ofthe discrepancy is due to non-optimalflight paths taken by actual aircraft toavoid restricted airspace and used to fol-low landing and take-off corridors.

This work was done by Bogdan Oaida,Mohammed O. Khan, and Michael B.

Mercury of Caltech for NASA’s Jet PropulsionLaboratory. For more information, down-load the Technical Support Package (freewhite paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tspunder the Software category.


Three Possible Scencarios were identified. This tool can handle all three as well as combinations.

I-FORCAST: Rapid Flight Planning Tool NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Leveraging Cloud Computing to Improve Storage Durability,Availability, and Cost for MER Maestro NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

The Maestro for MER (Mars Ex -ploration Rover) software is the pre-miere operation and activity planningsoftware for the Mars rovers, and it isrequired to deliver all of the processedimage products to scientists on demand.These data span multiple storage arrayssized at 2 TB, and a backup schemeensures data is not lost. In a catastrophe,these data would currently recover at 20GB/hour, taking several days for arestoration.

A seamless solution provides access tohighly durable, highly available, scalable,and cost-effective storage capabilities.This approach also employs a novel tech-nique that enables storage of the majori-ty of data on the cloud and some datalocally. This feature is used to store themost recent data locally in order to guar-antee utmost reliability in case of an out-age or disconnect from the Internet.This also obviates any changes to the soft-ware that generates the most recent dataset as it still has the same interface to thefile system as it did before updates.

This software provides a seamless inte-gration between existing software tools

that would enable any mission acrossNASA to leverage the capability withminimal customization. It also unleashesa virtually limitless amount of storageand delivers it to projects without havingto worry about provisioning, managing,and backing up large storage arrays.

The software integrates with AmazonSimple Storage Service (Amazon S3)service to provide the aforementionedsolutions. By integrating with S3,unprecedented durability is delivered tothe storage system with 99.999999999%data retention rate. Furthermore, it is aself-healing replication system thatrepairs objects automatically if they areever lost. Since data is stored on a per-object basis rather than a file systemmount, correlated loses of objects areextremely unlikely and recovery of eachobject is fast. This also reduces relianceon a single file system, where an outagecan take the system offline for extendedduration. The solution, built on cloudcomputing technology, reduces MERMaestro’s storage costs by over 80%.Most importantly, the solution is com-pletely server-side, providing a seamless

integration with existing clients withoutmodifying any of their code or redeliver-ing code.

An HTTP proxy was built that enablesclients to access large amounts of dataon S3 securely, and without any changesto existing software. The proxy cachesinformation and is capable of accessingdata from local channels as well as on S3.This enables the proxy to serve the mostrecent data from local storage, while theolder archived data is retrieved on-demand from S3. The data stored on S3is private and can only be accessed bythe proxy. Furthermore, the proxyauthenticates its users through JPLLDAP, and verifies their membership ina specific group before giving themaccess to the data.

This work was done by George W. Chang,Mark W. Powell, John L. Callas, Recaredo J.Torres, and Khawaja S. Shams of Caltech forNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For moreinformation, contact [email protected].



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