Maintaining U.S. leadership in aeronautics : breakthrough technologies to meet future air and space transportation needs and goals / Committee to Identify Potential Breakthrough Technologies and Assess Long-Term R&D Goals in Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee to Identify Potential Breakthrough Technologies and Assess Long-Term R&D Goals in Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology.

Series:

Compass series (Washington, D.C.)

Compass series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Aeronautics--Technological innovations--United States.

Aeronautics.

Space flight--Technological innovations--United States.

Space flight.

Airplanes--Technological innovations--United States.

Airplanes.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (148 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Breakthrough technologies to meet future air and space transportation needs and goals

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1998.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

After the completion of the National Research Council (NRC) report, Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Aeronautics: Scenario-Based Strategic Planning for NASA's Aeronautics Enterprise (1997), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology requested that the NRC remain involved in its strategic planning process by conducting a study to identify a short list of revolutionary or breakthrough technologies that could be critical to the 20 to 25 year future of aeronautics and space transportation. These technologies were to address the areas of need and opportunity identified in the above mentioned NRC report, which have been characterized by NASA's 10 goals (see Box ES-1) in "Aeronautics & Space Transportation Technology: Three Pillars for Success" (NASA, 1997). The present study would also examine the 10 goals to determine if they are likely to be achievable, either through evolutionary steps in technology or through the identification and application of breakthrough ideas, concepts, and technologies.

Contents:

Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Aeronautics

Copyright

Preface

IMAGINE THE DAY

BREAKTHROUGHS ARE REQUIRED

INTEGRATION VERSUS BREAKTHROUGHS

Acknowledgments

Contents

Executive Summary

CANDIDATE BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES

Air Vehicle Technology

Advanced Air Vehicle Configurations

Embedded Sensing and Control

Structures and Materials

Advanced Propulsion and Power

Manufacturing

Computer-Based Design, Modeling, and Simulation

Air Transportation Systems Technology

Models to Predict the Impact of New Technologies and Procedures on the Air Transportation System

Upwardly Compatible Aerospace Information Systems

Methodologies for the Development of High Integrity Software

Advanced Human-Automation Systems

Precision Air Traffic Management/Aircraft Operations

Mitigating Constraints in Terminal Areas

Space Transportation Technology

Advanced Air Breathing Engines

Pulse Detonation Wave Engine

High Thrust to Weight Rocket Engines

Variable Expansion Ratio Nozzles

Advanced Propellants and Storage Methods

Integrated Aero-Thermal Structures

Novel Launch System Concepts

Additional Goals for Space Transportation

BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES TO MEET NASA'S GOALS

Cyber Technology

Propulsion Technology

Aerospace Vehicle Configurations and Integration Concepts

Precision Terminal Area Aircraft Operations

ACHIEVING THE 10 AND 20 YEAR GOALS

Meeting the 10 Year Milestones

Meeting the 20 Year Milestones

1 Introduction

EVOLUTION OF THE 10 AERONAUTICS AND SPACE TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY GOALS

The National Science and Technology Council's Aeronautics Goals

NASA's Strategic Planning in Response to the NSTC Goals

Scenario-Based Strategic Planning Workshop

Parallel NASA Activities Leading to the 10 Goals

THIS STUDY.

Statement of Task

Study Approach

Workshop on Breakthrough Aerospace Technologies

REFERENCES

2 Achieving NASA's Goals with Breakthrough Technologies

FUTURE AEROSPACE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND NASA'S ENABLING TECHNOLOGY GOALS

Enhanced Air Vehicle Safety and Survivability

Environmental Compatibility

General Aviation

High-Speed Air Travel

Air Traffic Management and Related Air Transportation System Technology

Enhanced Computer-Based Design and Manufacturing

DEFINING "BREAKTHROUGH" TECHNOLOGY

Reducing the Risk of Technology Adoption

Accelerating the Adoption of Commercially Viable Technology

3 Air Vehicle Technology

TOWARDS NEW AIR VEHICLES

TECHNOLOGY THRUST AREAS

Advanced Configurations

Drag Reduction Technologies

Aerodynamic/Propulsive Integration

Embedded Sensors and Controls

Aircraft with Controlled ''Adaptive" Structures

Intelligent Gas Turbine Engines: Moving from Proof of Concept to Deployment

Advanced Composites

Advanced Metal Alloys

Alternative Fuels

Novel Engine Components

Novel Power/Propulsion Devices

Advanced Manufacturing

Automated Manufacturing Processes

Lean Manufacturing

Optimizing the Design Process

Creating Nonlinear, Multidisciplinary Aircraft Design Models

Improving Models for Propulsion System Design

Optimizing Human/Computer Integration During the Design Process

4 Air Transportation System Technology

PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

MODELS TO PREDICT THE IMPACT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCEDURES

Documentation of the Current System

Evaluation of Current Assumptions

Tolerable Risk Levels for Component Technologies

Development of Fundamental and Integrated Models

UPWARDLY COMPATIBLE AEROSPACE INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Current Upgrade Limitations and Difficulties

Designing for Evolutionary Upgrades in Information Technology

Modular Design

Software Architectures

METHODOLOGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH INTEGRITY SOFTWARE

Developing, Ensuring, and Maintaining High Integrity Software

Software Certification

ADVANCED HUMAN-AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

Improving Human-Computer Interaction/Integration

Improving Pilot Situation Awareness

Unpiloted Commercial Transports, an Extreme Solution to Pilot Task Allocation

PRECISION AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT/AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS

Air-to-Ground Datalinks for Precise Controller-to-Pilot Communications

Improved Weather Detection Sensors

Precision Navigation and Surveillance

Fully Autonomous Air Traffic Operations

MITIGATING CONSTRAINTS IN TERMINAL AREAS

Reduced Runway Occupancy Time

Reduction in Aircraft Velocity on Roll out

Wide Runways/Formation Landings

Mitigation of Wake Vortices

Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing Aircraft to Enhance Capacity

Personal Air Travel

5 Space Transportation Technology

INTRODUCTION

POTENTIAL ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES

Advanced Air-Breathing Engines

High Thrust-to-Weight Rocket Engines

Variable Expansion-Ratio Nozzles

Recombination of Highly Energetic Atomic Ingredients

Hydrogen Storage at High Effective Densities

Metallic Hydrogen

Integrated Aerothermal Structures

Novel Launch Vehicle Configurations.

Automated Launch Operations

6 Breakthrough Technologies to Meet NASA's Goals

IDENTIFYING BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES

CYBER TECHNOLOGY

Modeling and Simulation

Advanced, Robust, Real-Time Sensors and Actuators

Automated Manufacturing

Improved Methods for Developing Flight-Critical Software

Human-Computer Integration

STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS

Lightweight Structures for Reusable Launch Vehicles

High-Temperature Materials

PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY

Advanced Air Vehicle Propulsion Concepts

Novel Components and Active Control for Gas Turbine Engines

Alternative Propulsion Systems

Advanced Propellants for Launch Vehicles

AEROSPACE VEHICLE CONFIGURATIONS

PRECISION AIR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS IN TERMINAL AREAS

Mitigating Wake Vortices

REFERENCE

Acronyms and Abbreviations

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A Statement of Task

APPENDIX B Biographical Sketches of Committee Members

APPENDIX C Sources of Input to the Committee

PRESENTATIONS

Committee Meeting 1 (September 15-16, 1997), Washington, D.C.

Space Transportation Technology Working Group Meeting (October 8,1997), Washington, D.C.

NASA Langley Research Center Meeting (November 3-4, 1997), Hampton, Virginia

Committee Meeting 2 (November 18-19, 1997), Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Cambridge, ...

SRI/NASA Ames Research Center Meeting (January 19-21, 1998), SanJose, California

Ohio Aerospace Institute Meeting (February 9-11, 1998), Cleveland, Ohio

DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS

APPENDIX D Complete List of Technologies Assessed

AIR VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

Propulsion Technologies

Aerodynamics

Air Vehicle Configurations

Control Systems and Sensors.

Structures, Materials, and MEMS

Design and Manufacturing

AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY

Flight Deck and Human/Automation Systems

Communications, Navigation, Surveillance, and Air Traffic Management

Terminal Area Technologies

Software and Process Technologies

SPACE TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY

Launch Vehicle Configurations and Components

Launch Assist Technology

Ground Infrastructure

Mitigation of Environmental Impact

APPENDIX E Workshop on Breakthrough Aerospace Technologies.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9786610210534

9780309184922

0309184924

9781280210532

1280210532

9780309592406

0309592402

9780585030791

0585030790

OCLC:

42854433