Bookmarks

Recent Publications and Patents by the Aerospace Technical Staff

Publications

(July 2003–June 2004)

S. Alfano, "Determining Probability Upper Bounds for NEO Close Approaches," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1478.

P. E. Andersen, L. Thrane, H. T. Yura, A. Tycho, and T. M. Jorgensen, "Modeling the Optical Coherence Tomography Geometry Using the Extended Huygens–Fresnel Principle and Monte Carlo Simulations," Saratov Fall Meeting 2002: Optical Technologies in Biophysics and Medicine IV (Oct. 14, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5068, pp. 170–181.

M. J. Barrera, "Conceptual Design of an Asteroid Interceptor for a Nuclear Deflection Mission," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1481.

J. D. Barrie, P. D. Fuqua, B. L. Jones, and N. Presser, "Demonstration of the Stierwalt Effect Caused by Scatter from Induced Coating Defects in Multilayer Dielectric Filters," Thin Solid Films, Vol. 447–448, pp. 1–6 (Jan. 30, 2004).

J. Camparo, "Fluorescence Fluctuations from a Multilevel Atom in a Nonstationary Phase-Diffusion Field: Deterministic Frequency Modulation," Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, Vol. 69, No. 1, pp. 013802/1–11 (2004).

E. T. Campbell and L. E. Speckman, "Preliminary Design of Feasible Athos Intercept Trajectories," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1454.

V. Chobotov, "The Space Elevator Concept as a Launching Platform for Earth and Interplanetary Missions," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1482.

J. G. Coffer, B. Sickmiller, and J. C. Camparo, "Cavity-Q Aging Observed Via an Atomic-Candle Signal," IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 139–145 (Feb. 2004).

D. DeAtkine, J. McLeroy, and J. Steele, "Department of Defense Experiments on the International Space Station Express Pallet," 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit (Reno, NV, Jan. 5–8, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-0442.

M. El-Alaoui, R. L. Richard, M. Ashour-Abdalla, and M. W. Chen, "Low Mach Number Bow Shock Locations During a Magnetic Cloud Event: Observations and Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations," Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 31, p. L03813 (Feb. 4, 2004).

J. S. George, R. Koga, K. B. Crawford, P. Yu, S. H. Crain, and V. T. Tran, "SEE Sensitivity Trends in Non-hardened High Density SRAMs with Sub-micron Feature Sizes," IEEE Radiation Effects Data Workshop Record (Monterey, CA, Jul. 21–25, 2003), pp. 83–88.

D. L. Glackin, J. D. Cunningham, and C. S. Nelson, "Earth Remote Sensing with NPOESS: Instruments and Environmental Data Products," Proceedings of the SPIE—The International Society for Optical Engineering, Vol. 5234, No. 1, pp. 123–131 (2004).

T. J. Grycewicz, T. S. Lomheim, P. W. Marshall, and P. LeVan, "The 2002 SEEWG FPA Roadmap," Focal Plane Arrays for Space Telescopes (San Diego, CA, Jan. 12, 2004), SPIE, Vol. 5167, pp. 31–37.

S. G. Hanson and H. T. Yura, "Complex ABCD Matrices: an Analytical Tool for Analyzing Light Propagation Involving Stochastic Processes," 19th Congress of the International Commission for Optics: Optics for the Quality of Life (Nov. 18, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 4829, pp. 592–593.

C. B. Harris, P. Szymanski, S. Garrett-Roe, A. D. Miller, K. J. Gaffney, S. H. Liu, and I. Bezel, "Electron Solvation and Localization at Interfaces," Physical Chemistry of Interfaces and Nanomaterials II (San Diego, CA, Dec. 8, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5223, pp. 159–168.

A. R. Hopkins, R. A. Lipeles, and W. H. Kao, "Electrically Conducting Polyaniline Microtube Blends," Thin Solid Films, Vol. 447–448, pp. 474–480 (Jan. 30, 2004).

J. Huang, S. Virji, B. H. Weiller, and R. B. Kaner, "Nanostructured Polyaniline Sensors," Chemistry, A European Journal, Vol. 10, pp. 1314–1319 (2004).

D. M. Kalitan, M. J. A. Rickard, J. M. Hall, and E. L. Petersen, "Ignition Measurements of Ethylene-Oxygen-Diluent Mixtures with and without Silane Addition," 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit (Reno, NV, Jan. 5–8, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1323.

H. I. Kim, P. P. Frantz, S. V. Didziulis, L. C. Fernandez-Torres, and S. S. Perry, "Reaction of Trimethylphosphate with TiC and VC(100) Surfaces," Surface Science, Vol. 543, No. 1–3, pp. 103–117 (Oct. 1, 2003).

B. F. Knight and M. K. Hamilton, "A Proposed Multidimensional Analysis Function," Technologies, Systems, and Architectures for Transnational Defense II (Orlando, FL, Aug. 12, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5072, pp. 80–89.

R. Koga, S. H. Crain, J. S. George, S. LaLumondiere, K. B. Crawford, C. S. Yu, and V. T. Tran, "Variability in Measured SEE Sensitivity Associated with Design and Fabrication Iterations," IEEE Radiation Effects Data Workshop Record (Monterey, CA, Jul. 21–25, 2003), pp. 77–82.

T. Langley, R. Koga, and T. Morris, "Single-Event Effects Test Results of 512 MB SDRAMs," IEEE Radiation Effects Data Workshop Record (Monterey, CA, Jul. 21–25, 2003), pp. 98–101.

D. Lynch, "Comet, Asteroid, NEO Deflection Experiment (CANDE)—An Evolved Mission Concept," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1479.

D. Lynch and G. Peterson, "Athos, Porthos, Aramis & Dartagnan—Four Planning Scenarios for Planetary Protection," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1417.

V. N. Mahajan, "Zernike Polynomials and Aberration Balancing," Current Developments in Lens Design and Optical Engineering IV (San Diego, CA, Nov. 3, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5173, pp. 1–17.

C. J. Marshall, S. C. Moss, R. E. Howard, K. A. LaBel, T. J. Grycewicz, J. L. Barth, and D. Brewer, "Carrier Plus: a Sensor Payload for Living With a Star Space Environment Testbed (LWS/SET)," Focal Plane Arrays for Space Telescopes (San Diego, CA, Jan. 12, 2004), SPIE, Vol. 5167, pp. 216–222.

T. N. Mundhenk, N. Dhavale, S. Marmol, E. Calleja, V. Navalpakkam, K. Bellman, C. Landauer, M. A. Arbib, and L. Itti, "Utilization and Viability of Biologically Inspired Algorithms in a Dynamic Multiagent Camera Surveillance System," Intelligent Robots and Computer Vision XXI: Algorithms, Techniques, and Active Vision (Providence, RI, Oct. 1, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5267, pp. 281–292.

D. Pack, B. B. Yoo, E. Tagliaferri, "Satellite Sensor Detection of a Major Meteor Event in the United States on 27 March 2003: The Park Forest, Illinois Bolide," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1407.

G. Peterson, "NEO Orbit Uncertainties and Their Effect on Risk Assessment," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1420.

G. Peterson, "Delta-V Requirements for DEFT Scenario Objects (Defined Threat)," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1475.

L. B. Rainey, Space Modeling and Simulation: Roles and Applications Throughout the System Life Cycle (The Aerospace Press and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., El Segundo, CA, 2004).

D. D. Sawall, R. M. Villahermosa, R. A. Lipeles, and A. R. Hopkins, "Interfacial Polymerization of Polyaniline Nanofibers Grafted to Au Surfaces," Chemistry of Materials, Vol. 16, No. 9, pp. 1606–1608 (2004).

T. Scalione, H. W. Swenson, F. De Luccia, C. Schueler, J. E. Clement, and L. Darnton, "Post-CDR NPOESS VIIRS Sensor Design and Performance," Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites VII (Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 2, 2004), SPIE, Vol. 5234, pp. 144–155.

S. S. Shen, "Spectral Quality Equation Relating Collection Parameters to Object/Anomaly Detection Performance," Algorithms and Technologies for Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery IX (Orlando, FL, Sept. 24, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5093, pp. 29–36.

P. L. Smith, M. J. Barrera, E. T. Campbell, K. A. Feldman, G. E. Peterson, and G. N. Smit, "Deflecting a Near-Term Threat—Mission Design for the All-Out Nuclear Option," 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (Orange County, CA, Feb. 23–26, 2004), AIAA Paper 2004-1447.

R. L. Thornton, R. L. Phillips, and L. C. Andrews, "Laser Communications Utilizing Molniya Satellite Orbits," Free-Space Laser Communication and Active Laser Illumination III (San Diego, CA, Jan. 27, 2004), SPIE, Vol. 5160, pp. 292–301.

S. Virji, J. Huang, R. B. Kaner, and B. H. Weiller, "Polyaniline Nanofiber Gas Sensors: Examination of Response Mechanisms," Nano Letters, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 491 (Mar. 1, 2004).

R. L. Walterscheid, G. Schubert, and D. G. Brinkman, "Acoustic Waves in the Upper Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere Generated by Deep Tropical Convection," Journal of Geophysical Research A: Space Physics, Vol. 108, No. A11 (Nov. 2003).

C. C. Wang and D. J. Sklar, "Metric Transformation for a Turbo-Coded DPSK Waveform," Journal of Wireless Communication and Mobile Computing, Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 609–616 (Aug. 2003).

B. H. Weiller, P. D. Fuqua, and J. V. Osborn, "Fabrication, Characterization, and Thermal Failure Analysis of a Micro Hot Plate Chemical Sensor Substrate," Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 151, No. 3, pp. H59–H65 (Feb. 5, 2004).

J. E. Wessel, R. W. Farley, and S. M. Beck, "Lidar for Calibration/Validation of Microwave Sounding Instruments," Lidar Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring IV (San Diego, CA, Dec. 29, 2003), SPIE, Vol. 5154, pp. 161–169.

S. Yongkun and N. Presser, "Tunable InGaAsP/InP DFB Lasers at 1.3 µm Integrated with Pt Thin Film Heaters Deposited by Focused Ion Beam," Electronics Letters, Vol. 39, No. 25, pp. 1823–1825 (Dec. 11, 2003).

C. C. Yui, G. M. Swift, C. Carmichael, R. Koga, and J. S. George, "SEU Mitigation Testing of Xilinx Virtex II FPGAs," IEEE Radiation Effects Data Workshop Record (Monterey, CA, Jul. 21–25, 2003), pp. 92–97.

H. T. Yura and S. G. Hanson, "Variance of Intensity for Gaussian Statistics and Partially Developed Speckle in Complex ABCD Optical Systems," Communications, Vol. 228, No. 4–6, pp. 263–270 (Dec. 15, 2003).

Patents

S. Alfano, F. K. Chan, M. L. Greer, "Eigenvalue Quadric Surface Method for Determining When Two Ellipsoids Share Common Volume for Use in Spatial Collision Detection and Avoidance," U.S. Patent No. 6,694,283, Feb. 2004.

This computationally efficient analytical method can determine whether two quadric surfaces have common spatial points or share the same volume. The technique can be used to asses the risk of collision by two orbiting bodies: the future state of each object is represented by a covariance-based ellipsoid, and these ellipsoids are then analyzed to see whether they intersect. If so, then a collision risk is indicated. The method involves adding an extra dimension to the solution space, providing an extra dimensional product matrix. The eigenvalues from this matrix are examined to identify any that are associated with degenerate quadric surfaces. If any are found, they are further examined to identify those that are associated with intersecting degenerate quadric surfaces. The method provides direct share-volume results based on comparisons of the eigenvalues, which can be rapidly computed. The method can also be used to determine whether two ellipses only appear to share the same projected area based on viewing angle.

R. B. Dybdal and D. D. Pidhayny, "Method of Tracking a Signal from a Moving Signal Source," U.S. Patent No. 6,731,240, May 2004.

Signals emanating from a moving source can be tracked by exploiting estimated variations in the motion of the source. Signal strength values are measured at open-loop-commanded angular offsets from the a priori estimated signal position and used to correct the antenna's alignment. In the case of an orbiting satellite, the estimated satellite location is computed from the satellite's ephemeris. The signal sampling at the angular offsets varies with the anticipated dynamics of the satellite's motion as observed from the antenna's location. The commanded angular offsets are along and orthogonal to the direction of the signal source motion—i.e., in-track and cross-track. Signal power measurements are used not only to correct the antenna direction but also to support decisions on when to revalidate the step-track alignment.

S. W. Janson, J. E. Pollard, C-C. Chao, "Method for Deploying an Orbiting Sparse Array Antenna," U.S. Patent No. 6,725,012, April 2004.

A cluster of small, free-flying satellites can be kept in rigid formation despite natural perturbing forces. Orbital parameters are chosen so that each satellite occupies a node in a spatial pattern that revolves around a real or fictitious central satellite in a frozen inclined eccentric Earth orbit. When the cluster's plane of rotation is inclined 60 degrees relative to the central satellite's orbit plane, the cluster appears to rotate like a wheel. Otherwise, the radial distances between the center point and the satellites lengthen and decrease twice per orbit around Earth, and the cluster moves as a nonrigid elliptical body. In all cases, the shape of the formation is maintained and all satellites return to their initial position once per revolution around Earth. Fuel-efficient microthrusting is all that's needed to maintain the formation for long periods. The technique is useful for positioning satellites as the elements in a sparse-aperture array, which can have an overall dimension from tens of meters to thousands of kilometers. The satellites remain spatially fixed with respect to each other within a fraction of the average interelement spacing, eliminating the possibility of intersatellite collisions while providing a slowly changing antenna sidelobe distribution.

R. Kumar, "Adaptive Smoothing System for Fading Communication Channels," U.S. Patent No. 6,693,979, Feb. 2004.

This adaptive smoother enhances the performance of radio-frequency receivers despite the amplitude variations caused by ionospheric scintillation or due to any other amplitude fading mechanism. The system can compensate for the loss due to fading of coherently modulated communication and navigation signals, including GPS. It employs an adaptive phase-lock loop based on a Kalman filter to provide phase estimations, a high-order estimator to compute rapidly varying dynamic amplitude, and an adaptive fixed-delay smoother to provide improved code-delay and carrier-phase estimates. Simulations show a performance improvement of 6–8 decibels when the adaptive smoother employs all three components. The simulations show that the adaptive smoother, operating under realistic channel-fade rates, can compensate for any loss in tracking performance caused by amplitude fading.

S. S. Osofsky, P. E. Hanson, "Adaptive Interference Cancellation Method," U.S. Patent No. 6,724,840, April 2004.

Developed for use as part of a wideband communications receiver, this adaptive system isolates and cancels unwanted signals having predetermined frequency, amplitude, and modulation criteria. The system works by continuously scanning a frequency bandwidth. Detected signals are parameterized, and these parameters are compared with the definition of an undesired signal stored in a microcontroller. When an undesirable signal is detected at a particular frequency location, a reference path gets tuned to that location. The reference path serves to isolate the undesired signal, which is then phase-inverted, amplified, and vector-summed with the input signal stream, which is delayed for coherent nulling. The unwanted signal is suppressed in the composite signal, leaving only the desired signal. The microcontroller also monitors and adjusts the reference path to adaptively minimize any residual interfering signal and respond to changes in interference. The system operates from 100–160 megahertz and can generate wideband nulls over a 5-megahertz bandwidth with a 15-decibel attenuation depth or narrowband nulls of 30 decibels.

R. P. Patera, G. E. Peterson, "Vehicular Trajectory Collision Avoidance Maneuvering Method," U.S. Patent No. 6,691,034, Feb. 2004.

Applicable to aircraft, launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft, this analytic method assesses the risk of an object colliding with another craft or debris and determines the optimal avoidance maneuver. Screening out bodies that pose no risk, the method first determines when the vehicle will come close enough to a foreign object to raise the possibility of a collision. It then determines the probability of collision. If the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold, the method then determines an avoidance maneuver, charting the direction, magnitude, and time of thrust to bring the probability below the threshold using the least propellant possible. The method uses various processes, including conjunction determinations through trajectory propagation, collision probability prediction through coordinate rotation and scaling based on error-covariance matrices, and numerical searching for optimal avoidance maneuvers.

J. Penn, "X33 Aeroshell and Bell Nozzle Rocket Engine Launch Vehicle," U.S. Patent No. 6,685,141, Feb. 2004.

This work defines a class of launch vehicles characterized by one or more rocket stages, each attached to a separate stage that supplies liquid propellant. The rocket stages use X33 aeroshell flight-control surfaces and can be equipped with three, four, or five bell-nozzle engines. Each rocket stage can be a booster or an orbiter with a payload bay. The feeding stage can be an external tank (no engine) or a core stage with two bell-nozzle engines and a payload bay. One possible configuration would be a launch vehicle having a single orbiter with five engines attached to an external tank. Another version would be a three-engine orbiter with a four-engine booster, both attached to an external tank; in this case, the four-engine booster augments both the thrust and the propellant-load capability of the system, thereby increasing payload capacity. In a third form, a four-engine orbiter with a four-engine booster is attached to an external tank. Alternatively, two X33 four-engine boosters can be attached to a core stage to provide ultraheavy lift.

To Summer 2004 Table of Contents