NASA Aeronautics Research An Assessment (2008) / Chapter Skim
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2 Challenges and Requirements for NASA Aeronautics Research
2 Challenges and Requirements for NASA Aeronautics Research
Pages 20-64
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and NASA's own requirements for aeronautics research and the needs of other federal government departments and agencies for non-civil aeronautics research. The chapter also evaluates NASA's response to the eight overall recommendations that are contained in the Decadal Survey.
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Human operators in effective task and attention management Totals for All 51 R&T Challenges from the Decadal Survey Green 10 4 6 1 7 2 3 3 2 0 38 a Yellow 9 13 9 5 3 7 3 3 1 5 58 Work on R&T Challenge A6 related to subsonic fixed wing Black 8 14 9 5 6 7 2 0 1 1 53 aircraft is being done by the NASA Office of Safety.
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. -- Research described in the NASA task, if successful, may not make a significant difference in a time frame of interest to users of the research results (e.g., because the level of effort is too low, or a different and more viable research approach should be selected, or some of the task is devoted to research goals inconsistent with the Decadal Survey R&T challenges, the aero nautics research requirements of NASA, and other federal government department or agency non-civil aeronautics research needs)
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Thus, the grades primarily indicate the extent to which NASA's research plans are consistent with the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics, but they do not necessarily indicate the likelihood that NASA will succeed in implementing those plans. The overall assessment for each R&T challenge is indicated in the columns of Table 2-1 that summarize the number of grades assigned to each challenge, by color.
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. A1 Integrated system performance through novel propulsion-airframe integration SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Validate the predictive capability for three-dimensional (3-D)
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A2 Aerodynamic performance improvement through transition, boundary-layer, and separation control SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop energy-efficient and flexible active flow-control actuators. • Develop improved models for the operation of flow actuators.
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A3 Novel aerodynamic configurations that enable high-performance and/or flexible multimission aircraft SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop a family of aircraft configurations with cruise efficiency twice as high as conventional aircraft. • Demonstrate design approaches to develop novel configurations able to operate from small airfields.
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The Supersonics Project is supporting variable-cycle engine research, which would help reduce noise. A4b Accuracy of prediction of aerodynamic performance of complex 3-D configurations, including improved boundary-layer transition and turbulence models and associated design tools SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop improved techniques for the prediction of boundary-layer transition on 3-D configura tions and validate them against ground- and flight-test data.
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The SFW Project has no planned research to address the above milestones. A7b Accuracy of wake vortex prediction, and vortex detection and mitigation techniques SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black Y black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop numerical techniques to predict accurately wingtip vortex trajectory, strength, and dissipation.
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, including adequate control power SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop low-drag high-lift systems. • Demonstrate systems to provide pitch trim and control power at low speeds.
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There is no evident validation process for the computer codes being developed. A11 Robust and efficient multidisciplinary design tools SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop and validate physics-based models to predict performance for novel aircraft configurations.
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PROPULSION AND POWER This section summarizes the committee's assessment of NASA research related to the top 10 R&T challenges involving propulsion and power (Area B) in the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics (NRC, 2006)
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Plans for the Supersonics Project include research that effectively addresses relevant aspects of this challenge, including evaluation of empirical and statistical noise prediction tools, development of an improved statistical model for broadband shock noise, and jet noise studies. B1b Ultraclean gas turbine combustors to reduce gaseous and particulate emissions in all flight segments SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Understand particulate matter formation mechanisms and kinetics and develop fuel additives to disrupt formation.
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Project is addressing some aspects of this challenge, such as the issue of monitoring propulsion systems with smaller unique high-temperature sensors in the gas path and the development of diagnostic systems to predict engine health. B4 Improved propulsion system fuel economy SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Demonstrate laboratory-scale materials for 1500°F compressor disks.
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B5 Propulsion systems for short takeoff and vertical lift SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Demonstrate pressure ratios between 25:1 and 30:1 and turbine inlet temperatures of 2800°F for 3,000-shaft-horsepower-class engine components. • Develop and validate the design tools required for candidate gearboxes and clutch systems.
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B8 Propulsion systems for supersonic flight SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Establish needed boundary conditions, initial conditions, and other inputs and outputs for each module of multidisciplinary, system-level design tools. • Develop technology that will enable supersonic aircraft to meet Stage 4 noise standards.
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However, the IVHM Project is doing no work to increase the energy and/or power density of electric generators, motors, batteries, hybrid power storage systems, or power system architectures. B10 Combined-cycle hypersonic propulsion systems with mode transition SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop advanced diagnostics capable of measuring time-averaged and time-resolved flow param eters and their correlations.
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. C1 Integrated vehicle health management SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop lightweight sensor networks that characterize the state of materials and structures over large areas.
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The Aging Aircraft and Durability Project's low level of effort and broad scope bring into question its ability to make significant progress. C2 Adaptive materials and morphing structures SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Identify new morphing missions and designs for reconfigurable civil aircraft, including supersonic aircraft with low sonic boom.
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The Supersonics Project is concentrating on aeroelastic issues, but not on adaptive materials or morphing. C3 Multidisciplinary analysis, design, and optimization SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop multidisciplinary analysis tools that incorporate aerodynamics, structural dynamics, vibration, thermal response, acoustic response with structural response to mechanical loads.
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would be very helpful in identifying and prioritizing aging aircraft and durability issues. C4 Next-generation polymers and composites SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Demonstrate fabrication of composites with many different types of reinforcement fibers.
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C6a Innovative high-temperature metals and environmental coatings SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black Y black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Define required models and a model integration strategy to provide necessary functionality for simulations. • Select models for further development, based in part on how well they are aligned with materials systems that provide the greatest benefit for propulsion systems.
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C6b Innovative load suppression, and vibration and aeromechanical stability control SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Predict vibration using advanced CFD methodologies and validate experimentally. • Predict aeromechanical stability for advanced configurations and expanded flight envelope (including hypersonic flight)
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C9 High-temperature ceramics and coatings SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y Y Y Y This R&T challenge has the following near-term milestones: • Generate material property databases appropriate for design of a high-temperature ceramic component.
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C10 Multifunctional materials SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black black black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop a comprehensive analysis to predict the performance of selected monolithic and com posite multifunctional materials.
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. D1 Advanced guidance systems SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y black black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop advanced algorithms and avionics for collision, terrain, and wake vortex avoidance; f ormation flight and cooperative and multiaircraft guidance; and ground operations guidance (taxi, takeoff, rollout, and turnoff)
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D2 Distributed decision making, decision making under uncertainty, and flight-path planning and prediction SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop simulation capabilities for evaluation and demonstration of certain high-performing strategies in the execution of realistic system architectures and applications. • Develop a requirements flowdown to all affected aircraft systems, such as advanced communica tions, navigation, and surveillance systems.
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D4 Intelligent and adaptive flight control techniques SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop an adaptive, intelligent, fully integrated vehicle management system that can operate safely without reliable sensor information. • Demonstrate a mature methodology for designing and analyzing flight control laws for aircraft with large numbers of highly distributed control actuators and sensors -- for example, shape memory alloys and piezoelectrics.
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D5 Fault-tolerant and integrated vehicle health management systems SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Specify nominal models and model behavior, interface, and test requirements for component and integrated system capability affected by degraded or failed operation of a representative subset of avionics and flight system components. Define suitable thresholds for levels of degraded and failed operation for component-level and system-level operations.
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D6 Improved onboard weather systems and tools SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black black Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop robust and reliable data links for collecting information from onboard sensors. • Develop processes and tools for integrating weather information from onboard sensors and data links to the ground and other aircraft.
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This will require control algorithms that can handle multiple failures in terms of controlling the air craft with the failures as well as adjacent traffic to minimize the impact on airspace capacity and efficiency. Neither the NGATS ATM-Airportal Project, NGATS ATM-Airspace Project, nor IVHM Project has planned research to address the above milestones, and the SRW Project is not supporting research to address rotorcraft-specific aspects of this challenge.
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The SRW Project is addressing some rotorcraft-specific aspects of human–machine interaction issues, but it does not include research to develop processes and tools to determine the appropriate balance between human operations and automation. Instead, existing research is focused on control methods to reduced pilot workload.
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D10 Safe operation of unmanned air vehicles in the national airspace SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black black black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Develop and demonstrate secure, reliable communications as well as procedures for interaction between UAVs and air traffic controllers.
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. E1 Methodologies, tools, and simulation and modeling capabilities to design and evaluate complex interactive systems SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Demonstrate methodologies and tools for the design, test, and certification of a flexible, robust, safe air transportation system that is readily adaptable to changing operational paradigms suited to new and different vehicles, including UAVs, very light jets, and spacecraft operating in civil air space; communications, navigation, and surveillance capabilities; and optimization techniques.
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E2 New concepts and methods of separating, spacing, and sequencing aircraft SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Demonstrate high-efficiency airspace and airway structures that can be effectively managed and understood. • Design and evaluate separation, spacing, and sequencing procedures for UAVs operating in civil ian airspace and assess their impact on commercial aircraft capacity and safety.
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None of the planned work specifically addresses unmanned air vehicles. E4 Affordable new sensors, system technologies, and procedures to improve the prediction and measurement of wake turbulence SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C black black This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Demonstrate new sensors, including a scientific, coherent lidar capable of accurate wake velocity strength measurements.
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E5 Interfaces that ensure effective information sharing and coordination among ground-based and airborne human and machine agents SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Document improved understanding of human cognitive control, judgment, and decision making in a variety of contexts and under a variety of stressors. • Document improved understanding of organizational dynamics and business concerns associated with information sharing.
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E7 Adaptive ATM techniques to minimize the impact of weather by taking better advantage of improved probabilistic forecasts SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Identify potential reductions in weather-induced delays. • Demonstrate use of automated weather forecasts in making traffic flow decisions.
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E8b Using operational and maintenance data to assess leading indicators of safety SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C Y This R&T challenge has the following milestones: • Produce a common taxonomy for all safety information acceptable to all stakeholders. • Demonstrate methodologies to discover and analyze anomalous system, components, and human behavior in nominal and off-nominal conditions.
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• Demonstrate and evaluate candidate designs and procedures in support of preattentive reference, time-sharing among different tasks, and task switching. The Airportal Transition and Integration Management element of the NGATS ATM-Airportal Project includes an in-depth and comprehensive research effort to address the role of humans. The NGATS ATM-Airspace Project has no planned research to address the above milestones except as a by-product of the research by the Separation Assurance and Super Density Operations elements.
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SFW SRW Supersonics Hypersonics Airportal Airspace IVHM IIFD IRAC Aging A/C NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, Science Mission Directorate, and Space Operations Mission Directorate all support important space activities. As noted above, in some cases NASA space programs rely on the NASA Aeronautics Program to sponsor research tasks of direct benefit to future space programs.
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As discussed in Chapter 4, addressing all 51 highest-priority R&T challenges from the Decadal Survey in a thorough and comprehensive manner would require a substantial increase in the NASA ARMD funding levels. Absent such an increase in funding and/or a substantial reduction in the constraints that NASA faces in conducting aeronautics research, NASA, in consultation with the aeronautics research community and others as appropriate, should redefine the scope and priorities of the aeronautics research program, even if all 51 of the highest-priority R&T challenges from the Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics are not addressed simultaneously.
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As of October 19, 2007, the bill had passed the House of Representatives and was awaiting action by the Senate. Recommendation 5 from the Decadal Survey The U.S.
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The Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics reported that ARMD had plans to allocate only 7 percent of its budget for research by outside organizations. NASA is gradually increasing the involvement of universities and industry in ARMD research projects using NRAs.
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2006. Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics: Foundation for the Future.
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