National
Aeronautics and
Space
Administration
AC
321 867-2468
For Release:
Nov. 12 , 2004
Tracy
Young
Kennedy Space
Center, Fla.
Phone: (321/867-2468)
KSC Release:
87-04
NASA
TECHNOLOGY HELPING MILITARY AIRCRAFT REMAIN IN TOP
CONDITION
A device
invented by NASA experts is helping technicians detect wiring problems
dramatically faster on aircraft, including those used by the U.S. military in
Afghanistan. The portable Standing Wave Reflectometer (SWR) was created by
engineers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The device,
developed in 1997 to better identify cable and wire malfunctions in aircraft and
spacecraft, finds suspected problems to verify conditions of electrical power
and signal distribution. This includes locating problems inside Space Shuttle
orbiters.
“One of its
first applications at KSC was detecting intermittent wire failures in a cable
used in the Space Shuttle’s Solid Rocket Boosters,” said Pedro Medelius, who
helped to invent the SWR. “It has
also been used in the orbiter to locate electrical shorts in
cables.”
By
identifying and locating the malfunction, technicians hope the SWR will reduce
the time it takes to detect wiring problems by 85 percent. Currently, the SWR
accurately locates faults 75 percent of the time.
Currently,
the U.S. Navy, Marines and Air Force are evaluating the technology in
Afghanistan to test its ruggedness.
The country is known for a fine grade of sand and dusty conditions, a
taxing combination rarely found in the United States.
Eclypse
International Corp. in Corona, Calif., obtained exclusive patent rights in 1999
to further develop the technology. They anticipate completing enhancements
within two years.
The device
features an alphanumeric and illuminated display, an eight-hour rechargeable
battery, and auto shut-off. It also
resists force, fluids and extreme weather.
Those
utilizing the SWR include repair facilities certified by the Federal Aviation
Administration, commercial aircraft manufacturers and operators, the U.S.
Department of Energy, rail operators and elevator maintenance
companies.
Note to
Editors: Pedro Medelius is available for
interviews concerning the Standing Wave Reflectometer.
For more
information on NASA’s Technology and Technology Transfer programs on the
Internet, visit:
For more
information about other NASA programs on the Internet,
visit:
-end-
