A dual cryogenic capacitive density
sensor has been developed. The device
contains capacitive sensors that monitor
two-phase cryogenic flow density to within
±1% accuracy, which, if temperature
were known, could be used to determine
the ratio of liquid to gas in the line. Two
of these density sensors, located a known
distance apart, comprise the sensor, providing
some information on the velocity
of the flow.
Yearly Archives: 2009
Laser Tracker Ensures Accurate Alignment of Ares I Components
FARO® Laser Tracker
FARO Technologies
Lake Mary, FL
800-736-0234
http://www.faro.com
Making its first flights to the International Space Station by the middle of the
next decade, the Orion crew exploration
vehicle is part of the Constellation
Program, which will send human explorers
back to the Moon, and then to Mars
and other destinations in the solar system.
Future astronauts will ride into orbit on
Ares I, Orion’s launch vehicle, which uses
a single, five-segment solid rocket booster.
NASA’s first test flight, called Ares I-X, will
provide NASA with an early opportunity
to test and prove the hardware, facilities,
and ground operations associated with
the Ares I.
Dr. Scott Barthelmy, Research Scientist, Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Dr. Scott Barthelmy is the principal investigator for the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), a sophisticated instrument that detects and precisely locates elusive gamma-ray bursts in the universe. Developed as part of NASA’s Swift mission, the instrument technology is now being considered for a variety of homeland security applications because of its ability to pinpoint and identify nuclear materials – both legal and illegal – in transit or storage. Dr. Barthelmy also created the Gamma-Ray Bursts Coordinates Network (GCN) to distribute data collected on gamma-ray bursts to researchers throughout the world in real time.
Data Acquisition Modules
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IOtech, Cleveland, OH, has released the 6000 Series data acquisition modules with
Encore software. The 6220 is a 12-channel, simultaneously sampled, 16-bit voltage
input module that features a 100-kHz per channel sample rate. It includes BNC
connectors for signal connection. The 6224 is a 12-channel, simultaneously sampled
strain gage input module with 24-bit resolution, and a 50-kHz per A/D, per channel
rate. It is 100 percent software-programmable, enabling easy strain setup and configuration.
Each module also includes 8 digital I/O channels. Systems can be used in a
central location or in distributed or remote configurations. Multiple modules can be
combined to build expandable, mixed-signal systems. The Encore interactive measurement
software features an intuitive user interface that allows users to configure
hardware, develop and customize data displays, analyze data with built-in analysis
tools, and develop comprehensive test reports.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/22920-120
NASA Energy Concept Could Harness the Power of Ocean Waves
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) researchers who
developed a new way to power robotic underwater vehicles
believe a spin-off technology could help convert ocean energy
into electrical energy on a much larger scale. The researchers
hope that clean, renewable energy produced from the motion
of the ocean and rivers could potentially meet an important
part of the world’s demand for electricity.
2D Laser Profiling Scanner for Detecting Targets
The Radiometric Sensor Development
and Applications Team of the Sensors
and Electron Devices Directorate
(SEDD) at the U.S. Army Research
Laboratory (ARL) has developed a 2D
laser profiling scanner system to study its
operational characteristics, performance,
and effectiveness in detecting targets in
the battlefield and homeland security
environments. A profiling scanner provides
output images that reveal the size,
height, and outline or shape of an object.
This information can be useful in a wide
range of applications, ranging from simple
intrusion detection, to monitoring of
parts during a manufacturing process for
quality control purposes.
Congress Considers Killing Open-Access Journals
In recent years, the government has made moves to support making the results of taxpayer-funded research available to taxpayers for free. A new bill in Congress attempts to pull the plug.
All Scientists Have Conflicts of Interest (Duh)
What the Stimulus Package Means for Science
What's in the Stimulus Package for science?
NASA Releases Columbia Crew Safety Report
NASA has released the Spacecraft Crew Survival Integrated Investigation Team report, which includes 30 recommendations to improve spacecraft design and crew safety.
NASA Study Investigates Mental Overload in Pilots
Have you ever felt as if your brain was so full of information that you couldn't process another thing? Mental overload creates confusion and frustration, and for airline pilots, the consequences can be disastrous.
A vote for McCain is a vote against science
Palin takes on basic science research as an example of government waste.
Lunchtime Salon Today in L.A.
Join the Science Blog crew this Friday, October 24 at noon in Los Angeles to discuss Obama, McCain and the sciences, courtesy of Farmlab.
NASA’s FERMI, Space, and Time
Is it impossible to pin down both where and when an event takes place, due to quantum gravity effects?
Shahn Majid explains why this may be.
In my recent posts I have emphasized ideas on the cutting edge of fundamental science which have testable predictions or other contact with experiment, rather than being merely fashionable. Now, up until recently it was widely assumed that ideas for the ‘Mount Everest’ challenge of quantum gravity, as Martin Rees puts it in his review of the multi-authored book On Space and Time, could never be tested experimentally.
Next Target – Jupiter
Russia, Europe and the United States are getting ready for sending their spaceships to Jupiter in next 10-12 years.
‘Autonomous’ helicopters teach themselves to fly
Stanford computer scientists have developed an artificial intelligence system that enables robotic helicopters to teach themselves to fly difficult stunts by watching other helicopters perform the same maneuvers. The result is an autonomous helicopter than can perform a complete airshow of complex tricks on its own.
New Online Evaluation of Laminated Composite Stiffnesses
A new interactive Calculator for the calculation of composite stiffness has been developed. Simply input your micro-mechanical properties of the composite on the web page and the axial, A, coupling, B, and bending, D, matrices are calculated. This website provides a quick reference for Composite designers.
http://www.compositecalculator.com
Russian Rocket Engine – Best in the World
United States consider Russian rocket engine RD-180 to be the best rocket engine on the world, claim RosCosmos officials.
RD-180 is a two-chamber variant of four-chamber kerosene engine RD-170. The engine owes better specific characteristics, than American analogues have, to closed circuit with reburning of exhaust generator gas in main combustion chambers.
Particle, Particle in Space, Tell Me About Earthquakes
The crew of the International space station finishes preparations for “Vsplesk” (“Burst”) experiment, results of which are expected to help in developing methods for real-time forecasting of earthquakes.
Can You Treat Composite Beams or Wings Mathematically like Isotropic Wings?
Finding the effective rigidities of an advanced composite wing can simplify the analysis considerably. The application of fibre-reinforced composite materials in the aerospace industry extends from commercial to military aircraft, such as the Boeing F18, B2 Stealth Bomber, AV-8B Harrier (Jones, 1998 and http://www.compositecalculator.com). The attractiveness of composites lies in their mechanical properties; such as weight, strength, stiffness, corrosion resistance, fatigue life. Composites are widely used for control surfaces such as ailerons, flaps, stabilizers, rudders, as well as rotary and fixed wings. That is why the analysis of composite structures is imperative for aerospace industry. The main advantage of composites is their flexibility in design. Mechanical properties of the laminate can be altered simply by changing the stacking sequence, fibre lay-up and thickness of each ply which leads to optimization in a design process.