Digital Commons Network^™

Spacelab- The First Mission & Beyond, Edward James, John Garnett

Space Congress® Proceedings

The recent successful flight of Spacelab 1 while being the culmination of over 10 years of international cooperation is seen as just the start of a new era in manned scientific operations in orbit. This paper highlights the objectives and results of that first mission, as well as describing the international Spacelab program, its concept, and its history. Then looking to the future, the plans for utilizing Spacelab, its versatility and potential to the science community and its continuing evolution are discussed. Plans for substantially improving the cost effectiveness of Spacelab are examined including the use of dedicated discipline laboratories …

Satellite Communications Network Control In The Presence Of Electronic Countermeasures, Marc Spellman

Space Congress® Proceedings

Satellite communications networks have supplanted other over-the-horizon communications systems because of their high capacity and high reliability. A key characteristic of satellite communications systems is that all communication links within a network share a common transponder and thus have the potential for deleterious interactions. This in turn gives rise to the need for a network control function that can establish and ensure appropriate transmission characteristics for each terminal with the goal of maximizing the communications capacity available to all network members.

Because of the potential for electronic countermeasures in military satellite communications systems, an antijam mode of operations, which by …

Nasa Image Processing Technology Applied To Medicine: Ten Unsolved Problems In Medical Imaging, Michael W. Vannier, Ronald G. Evans

Space Congress® Proceedings

The solutions to current diagnostic imaging problems will be found, at least in part, in digital image processing technology developed by NASA. The adaptation of appropriate technology that can be applied clinically to improve the care of patients is a major concern of radiologists.

We have considered ten problems with clinical significance in diagnostic medical imaging, and discuss the impact of NASA image processing technology presently and predict future developments in this area.

The Space Station Data System And The User, Larry H. Kasulka

Space Congress® Proceedings

This paper addresses the Space Station Data System (SSDS), the demand on the data system from the user community, how these demands might be accommodated, and some of the technology issues identified that are applicable to the SSDS to meet these demands.

Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (Mid, John W. Oliver, John E. Erickson

Space Congress® Proceedings

A project has been implemented to fabricate, deliver, and install a Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS) at the United States Air Force's (USAF) Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility (CCFF), Cape Canaveral AFS (CCAFS), Florida. The MIDDS system will ingest special mesoscale meteorological data sources; merge them together into a gridded data base composed of satellite, radar, and conventional meteorological observations; integrate the data into forms where they can be displayed alone or in conjunction with correlative data; and then display the required meteorological information quickly and easily for use by the CCFF forecasters. The MIDDS, a joint NASA and AF …

Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (Omv) Missions Applications And Systems Requirements, William G. Huber, David C. Cramblit

Space Congress® Proceedings

The routine delivery of large payloads to low earth orbit has become a reality with the Space Transportation System (STS). However, once earth orbit has been achieved, orbit transfer operations represent an inefficient use of the Space Shuttle. The Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) will add a new and needed dimension to STS capabilities. Utilized in a reusable manner, the OMV is needed to deliver and retrieve satellites to and from orbital altitudes or inclinations beyond the practical limits of the Space Shuttle and to support basic Space Station activities. The initial OMV must also be designed to permit the addition …

Mars - Pathway To The Stars, Joseph A. Angelo, David Buden

Space Congress® Proceedings

Mars has and will continue to play a key role in our exploration and conquest of the Solar System. Within the context of the creation of humanity's extraterrestrial civilization, the major technical features of the following Mars programs are reviewed: the Mars Geoscience/Climatology Orbiter; the Mars Aeronomy Orbiter; the Mars airplane; the Mars Penetrator Network; Mars surface rovers and mobility systems; human exploration of Mars; and permanent Martian bases and settlements. Mars properly explored and utilized opens the way to the resources of the asteroid belt and the outer planets; supports the creation of smart machines for space exploration and …

An Evolutionary Geo Transportation System, Gideon Markus

Space Congress® Proceedings

This paper presents the results of an analysis of alternative transportation scenarios for geosynchronous missions, leading to the Identification and evaluation of an evolutionary geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) transportation system.

The concept 1s evolutionary 1n that 1t can be Initiated from an early capability space station by using expendable transfer stages (e.g., RAM) and grows Into a fully reusable orbit transfer vehicle to accommodate future mission requirements and growing space station capabilities.

The analysis demonstrates several advantages for this concept Including:

1. A transportation cost savings of at least $3.3 billion over a 10-year period.

2. An evolutionary capability that …

Sts Flight Experiments Database, Lott W. Brantley

Space Congress® Proceedings

In response to a request of the Space Station Task Force, a data base has been developed, utilizing experiment definitions from all NASA Centers, with emphasis on candidate STS flight experiments that relate to the development and operation of initial and growth versions of a Space Station. Experiments are also included for Shuttle enhancement, for servicing and operations of advanced vehicles such as OMV and OTV, for generic technology such as large structures, control and pointing, heat rejection, for life sciences and for physical sciences and applications. Criteria for selection activity are defined.

Lox Expert System, Ethan A. Scarl, Carl I. Delaune

Space Congress® Proceedings

The LOX Expert System is a computer program which uses artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to diagnose instrumentation problems in the shuttle liquid oxygen fueling system. The KNOBS knowledge-based system is being modified for application to this problem. System functionality and fault isolation methods are described.

Space Development: The Strategic Implications, James H. Sloan

Space Congress® Proceedings

Space Based Industries will be stimulated by the development of the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD). The BMD will require a space logistics capability far in excess of what the Space Shuttle can provide. This increased logistics base will aid Space Based Industries to grow by providing low cost work areas, transportation, and raw supplies. In return these industries will develop manufacturing in space. This will lead to using off-earth resources, the moon and the asteroids, and eventually to the building of self-sufficient space settlements. These space settlements will in turn be of significant military importance.

This paper consists of my …