Mark D. Cmar

Sierra Lobo, Inc., Fremont, Ohio 

Christian T. Maloney

Gilcrest Electric & Supply Company, Elyria, Ohio

Vishal D. Butala

Glenn Research Center, Plum Brook Station, Sandusky, Ohio 

Modernization of B-2 Data, Video, and 

Control Systems Infrastructure

NASA/TM—2012-217668

September 2012

IIS12–P051
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Mark D. Cmar

Sierra Lobo, Inc., Fremont, Ohio 

Christian T. Maloney

Gilcrest Electric & Supply Company, Elyria, Ohio

Vishal D. Butala

Glenn Research Center, Plum Brook Station, Sandusky, Ohio 

Modernization of B-2 Data, Video, and 

Control Systems Infrastructure

NASA/TM—2012-217668

September 2012

IIS12–P051

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Prepared for the

58th Instrumentation Symposium

sponsored by the International Society of Automation

San Diego, California, June 4–8, 2012
Available from

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Level of Review: This material has been technically reviewed by technical management. 
NASA/TM—2012-217668 1

Modernization of B-2 Data, Video, and 

Control Systems Infrastructure

Mark D. Cmar

Sierra Lobo, Inc.

Fremont, Ohio 43420

Christian T. Maloney

Gilcrest Electric & Supply Company

Elyria, Ohio 44035

Vishal D. Butala

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Plum Brook Station

Sandusky, Ohio 44870

Abstract

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum 

Brook Station (PBS) Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility, commonly referred to as B-2, is NASA’s 

third largest thermal-vacuum facility with propellant systems capability.

B-2 has completed a modernization effort of its facility legacy data, video and control systems 

infrastructure to accommodate modern integrated testing and Information Technology (IT) Security 

requirements. Integrated systems tests have been conducted to demonstrate the new data, video and 

control systems functionality and capability. Discrete analog signal conditioners have been replaced by 

new programmable, signal processing hardware that is integrated with the data system. This integration 

supports automated calibration and verification of the analog subsystem. Modern measurement systems 

analysis (MSA) tools are being developed to help verify system health and measurement integrity. Legacy 

hard wired digital data systems have been replaced by distributed Fibre Channel (FC) network connected

digitizers where high speed sampling rates have increased to 256,000 samples per second. Several analog 

video cameras have been replaced by digital image and storage systems. Hard-wired analog control 

systems have been replaced by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), fiber optic networks (FON) 

infrastructure and human machine interface (HMI) operator screens. New modern IT Security procedures 

and schemes have been employed to control data access and process control flows. Due to the nature of 

testing possible at B-2, flexibility and configurability of systems has been central to the architecture 

during modernization.

Introduction

The Space Propulsion Research Facility, commonly referred to as B-2, as shown in Figure 1, is 

designed to hot fire rocket engines or upper stage launch vehicles with up to 890,000 N (200,000 lbf), after 

environmental conditioning of the test article in simulated thermal vacuum space environment. As NASA’s 

third largest thermal vacuum facility, and the largest designed to store and transfer large quantities of 

propellant, it is uniquely suited to support developmental testing associated with large lightweight structures 

and Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) systems, non-traditional propulsion test programs such as Electric 

and In-Space propulsion, as well as its baseline role for engine developmental and upper stage hot fire tests. 

B-2 has completed a modernization effort of its facility legacy data, video and control systems infrastructure 

to accommodate modern integrated testing and IT Security requirements. This paper details the data, video 

and control systems infrastructure modernization efforts at B-2.
NASA/TM—2012-217668 2

Figure 1.—B-2 Cutaway

Legacy Systems

The original infrastructure was installed in the 1960s to support upper stage Centaur Vehicle Testing, 

where the original control room, as shown in Figure 2, is remotely located approximately 2,500 ft from 

the facility. This infrastructure (Ref. 1) included direct hard-wired cables from field instruments through 

their analog signal conditioning to the central data system (CDS) located at the control room. Control 

devices were hardwired via relays from the control room back to facility. Hardwired push buttons and 

interlock relay logic schemes were employed. The CDS served also as the sequencer and abort system for 

upper stage vehicle testing. Electrical power for the instruments and control devices was generated at the 

control room and transmitted to the facility via setup and step down transformers, where this was backed 

up by a rotating motor-generator set uninterruptible power supply located at the control room. Signal 

conditioning equipment included thermocouple ovens, balance panels for strain gauge transducers, special 

bridge conditioners for platinum resistance temperature sensors, and power level circuits for hot wire 

point sensors. Video was taken by tube cameras and transmitted back via coax to the control room. Data 

system sampling rates were selectable at either 8 or 25 samples per second and stored on reel-to-reel 

magnetic tapes. Strip charts were used extensively to record vibration data.

In the 1990s, the facility and control room were modified with a minicomputer based Escort Data 

System (Refs. 2 and 3), where alpha numeric cathode ray tube (CRT) display capabilities were made 

available to facility operators to monitor facility and test parameters. This system also improved low 

speed sampling from 1 to 10 Hz, increased channel counts, and had history file and playback capabilities. 

For the most part, the facility process systems controls remained the same with push button hardwired 
NASA/TM—2012-217668 3

Figure 2.—Original B-Control Room

operator panels and using hard wired relay logic. More modern eight wire analog manual knob signal 

conditioners for strain gauge transducers were installed along with constant current low temperature 

silicon diodes as a replacement for cryogenic point sensor and thermocouple temperature measurements.

The sequencer and abort system was also replaced with an Allen Bradley SLC 500 programmable logic 

controller (PLC) implementation which was configured with high speed direct current (DC) input/output 

(I/O) cards as well as external high speed analog calculation hardware. This PLC implementation 

improved the abort system reaction response timing to 1 mS and with above red-lined conditions of 

20 mS. Previous video cameras were replaced by newer phototube and CCD camera technology were the 

analog video signals were recorded on VHS recorders. In addition, the motor generator set was replaced 

by a 50 kVA UPS system.

Maintenance Issues

With the aging of the facility, many maintenance issues arose within these Legacy systems. Wire 

cabling buried between the site and control room deteriorated over time due to wire insulation erosion and 

water infiltration. Lightning strikes would induce voltages that would damage transducers and data 

system input channels. Floating electrical ground grid potential differences between the facility and 

control room required isolation amplifiers to be added to the controls and data systems signals. Control, 

data, and video systems were no longer supported by the original equipment manufacturers. Video 

systems coax transmission lines deteriorated and did not have the bandwidth to handle higher video frame 

rates. Flexibility and system re-configurability was limited due to the intensive hardwired infrastructure 

between specific systems. Preparation of these infrastructure systems and keeping them functional for test 
NASA/TM—2012-217668 4

as well as performing manual end to end analog calibrations and verifications between the control room 

and facility were labor intensive. 

New Requirements

New launch vehicle systems and other test article systems that require thermal vacuum conditions 

become more sophisticated and varied. The improvements in the data, video, and controls infrastructure 

are required to meet testing needs. Flexibility and scalability of the data video and control is vital to 

satisfying the varying testing demands.

First of these improvements was to upgrade the control system wiring infrastructure with a new fiber 

optic based backbone. This fiber optic backbone would replace much of the existing hardwired copper 

cables where new distributed system PLC technology would be incorporated to activate and monitor field 

devices, provide man machine interface (MMI) operator screens in lieu of hardwired push button panels, 

and provide the bandwidth for a host of other controls devices and systems. Data and Video Systems 

would take advantage of the fiber media. The new media has greater bandwidth and frequency response 

as compared to copper and reduces and/or eliminates the maintenance issues of water infiltration, 

lightning, and wire insulation deterioration. The fiber backbone enables the flexibility of adding 

components to the systems, whether for video, data storage, transmission or other devices required to 

perform a test. 

Control System

The B-2 control system (Ref. 4) has been modernized using a distributed architecture whose primary 

intelligent modules are PLC and HMI workstations, also referred to as Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), 

based around a Client/Server System Architecture. The system is designed to offer a robust, redundant 

architecture with high flexibility and expansion capabilities. One of the key components to the 

modernization of the B-2 Test Facility was to convert the facility’s existing hard-wired control system(s) 

to a distributed PLC and HMI based Control System Architecture. 

The control system also consists of remote input/output (RIO) drops to minimize field wiring to 

equipment. RIO drops can also be expanded to handle new requirements and processes as needed. An 

advantage of a PLC-based controls system is the ability to communicate between systems and processes.

The B-2 Control system is designed with emphasis on controlling facility operations, automating

sequencing and test abort conditions, and control of the major facility sub-systems. Additionally the 

control system is used to monitor facility ancillary systems, and keep a log of key parameters with the 

goal to aid in the condition-based maintenance of that hardware. 

With a PLC-based control system, capabilities are expanded with the use of HMIs to replace 

hardwired control panels. Advantages of having an HMI go beyond the ease of adding graphics, they 

provide the capability to include features such as password protection to limit operations to qualified 

personnel, key stroke monitoring, pop-ups to force a two-step process to prevent inadvertent operation, 

animation of objects to show status, history of the data, and the ability to have standardization in the 

design of the operator screen.

PLCs have been used for decades in industry due to their robustness. To further extend the control 

system’s availability and reliability, the B-2 Control System is designed with redundancy at several 

levels, including hot standby PLCs, HMI data servers, networking and cabling, and redundant HMI 

workstations. It is a recent reality that today’s PLCs have dual co-processors to minimize the scan time, 

thereby enabling a hot standby configuration as a viable risk reduction choice for the system architecture.

One of the Advantages of the HMI Server/Client Architecture is the ability to expand. The B-2 system 

consists of eight workstations, with expansion if required. Another benefit is the ability to add 

functionality and additional data points with minimal cost. This capability also makes the control system 

seamless in adding functionality to handle multiple test stands or facilities if required.
NASA/TM—2012-217668 5

Figure 3.—Generic HMI Control Screen for the B-2 Control System

Human factors were considered in the design of operator screens. This design includes standardized 

status, alarm, and shortcut buttons; color-coded process systems piping; pop-up control screen 

standardization; and two-step decision-making operation wherever possible. Figure 3 shows a generic 

HMI screen for the B-2 control system. 

The B-2 Control system is capable of generating alarms based on set points and derived system 

requirements. Workstations can be configured to display specific alarms for any given system(s) or 

display all alarms. The system produces event logs with a time/date stamp showing a history of events at 

any workstation. The event log records the name of the operator and records operator activity. The event 

log is beneficial in troubleshooting when anomalies exist, processes are out of tolerance, or questions 

arise concerning operator error. The control system is capable of recording data through its historian data 

collection server. The system can handle up to 2,500 tags and is expandable up to 250,000 tags with 

additional investment. An alarm management plan is under development to prioritize alarms, presenting 

the correct information to the operators early enough to effect changes before events escalate.

A unique feature of the B-2 Control System is the event notification system. This system allows 

configuration of any alarm condition to dial out a phone message alerting a first responder, which aids in 

unattended operations. It will also enable audible instructions to personnel, per protection zone, in the 

event of a hydrogen fire or leak detection event.

Each control room console is prewired with media to aid in the reconfiguration or augmentation 

required for particular tests. This media includes single and multimode fiber, coaxial cable for video, Cat-
NASA/TM—2012-217668 6

5E, twisted pair and discrete wiring for control and data. This media distribution system allows the 

control room to be configured as required for test operations, test engineering, QA, and customer needs. 

Unique test requirements such as high speed video, mission simulators, and test article controls can be 

accommodated efficiently, minimizing test costs associated with augmenting the control room on a case 

by case basis.

Data Acquisition System

The B-2 Data Acquisition System (DAS) (Ref. 4) includes the signal conditioning electronics, data 

recording, storage, display, and archive systems. Like the control system, the B-2 facility DAS employs a 

distributed architecture which is designed to meet the unique challenges of a space environmental upperstage engine testing facility. In addition to addressing the specific requirements of performing large-scale 

data acquisition for test articles in a thermal-vacuum chamber, the B-2 DAS architecture also meets the 

hazardous environments NEC code safety requirements for tests which involve the use of propellants 

(Class 1 Group B Division 2). 

As discussed previously, the facility has a dedicated instrumentation Data Room at the test site. This 

location minimizes the transducer cabling impedance and improves signal to noise ratio, while protecting 

sensitive equipment from the environments produced by the test facilities. The Data Room allows the 

front-end electronics of the DAS to operate safely by providing a constant positive air pressure in the 

room. This allows the signal conditioning and digitizing electronics to function close to the test chamber 

when propellants are present in the chamber.

Furthermore, the distributed architecture of the DAS is used to mitigate the risk of the potential loss 

of data in a catastrophic scenario. Once the analog measurements are digitized in the Data Room the 

resulting data is streamed immediately via fiber optics to data recording units that are located at the BControl building outside the B-2 facility exclusion zone, approximately one-half mile away from the test 

facility. This is graphically displayed in Figure 4. Joined together by a 10 Gb fiber-channel switch fabric, 

the digitizers and the recording units form a fourth generation storage area network for which the distance 

between the digitizers at the B-2 test site and the recording units at B-Control does not introduce any 

appreciable time delay. The data is recorded remotely with the same latency it would have if the recoding 

units were located in Data Room with the digitizers. 

Figure 4.—Signal Flow from Test Chamber to Storage/Display
NASA/TM—2012-217668 7

The B-2 DAS is based entirely on commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware, and open 

hardware/software standards. The acquisition stations which house the A/D converters, digital signal 

processor (DSP) board, FC interfaces, and embedded processors are connected to a storage area network 

(SAN) over fibre channel. The architecture is designed to guarantee deterministic data acquisition and 

recording at designed bandwidth per channel. There are currently 576 channels of A/D’s arranged in 32-

or 96-channel subsystems, including low speed, high speed and discrete channels. Data is synchronized 

through a clock generator which is phase-locked to an externally supplied IRIG–B signal for accurate 

time stamping.

The data lab in the B-Control building houses the control, monitor, and archive workstations. The 

control workstation runs the application to configure the hardware, define the test parameters, and control 

access to the test data. There are three monitor workstations that run the visualization software for near 

real-time data display, as well as the limit-check monitoring software. The archive server backs up 

acquired data to mass storage and to magnetic tape library. The server has the capability to locate and 

serve archived data to other workstation clients (test customers) for analysis, reduction or transmission. 

An on-line post processing workstation is available to define and automatically execute analyses on any 

number of channels once acquisition is complete. 

Data displays and control interfaces are extended to the control room shown in Figure 5.

The B-2 DAS includes programmable analog signal conditioners to condition response transducers 

used in a wide variety of measurements including both high-speed (SR > 5 kHz) and low-speed 

(SR <4 kHz) sample rates used for a diverse range of measurements. Hardware self-tests and calibrations 

are traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Programming of the conditioning 

system via Ethernet is controlled through the DAS control computer using the Test Definition Editor. For 

configuration management purposes, all parameters associated with the measurement are contained in this 

test definition file. 

Figure 5.—B-2 Control Room
NASA/TM—2012-217668 8

All of the signal conditioners have a 4-pole programmable low-pass Flat/Pulse filters (300 Hz to 

30 kHz, as well as Bypass mode), for either time or frequency domain. The amplified output voltage of 

the signal conditioners can be buffered and made available as needed to other systems, such as the 

controls system and/or the red-line abort system as required. Conditioner types include 1-2 or 4 arm 

voltage bridge, frequency to DC converters, charge and IEPE accelerometers, constant current, and 

voltage amplifier/filters.

The functional role of the signal conditioning system in the B-2 DAS is to accurately prepare the 

analog portion of the signal chain for processing by the commercial off the shelf (COTS) digitizing and 

data processing system. Transducer interface cabling would be the other key component to complete the 

B-2 measurement system. There are many DAS requirements that relate strictly to the capabilities of a 

digital acquisition system, however, good system design places limitations on the location of hardware, 

cable lengths, transmission media, and data transport. Keeping the digitizers close to the signal 

conditioner outputs minimizes the cabling between the two systems, and reduces the risk of any unwanted 

transmission line effects between the signal conditioning system’s outputs and the digitizer system’s 

inputs. While the benefit of this design choice is clearly recognized at the boundary between the two 

systems, the choice puts additional requirements on the digitizing system to be selected; specifically, the 

ability to keep all of the individual digitizer sample clocks synchronized and the ability to transport the 

resulting data effectively. The B-2 DAS is a complete COTS turn-key data acquisition system solution 

with numerous state-of-the-art features, including the ability to provide complete control of the signal 

conditioning system, in effect treating the signal conditioning system as a native part of the DAS. 

Multiple digitizer bricks can be operated independently or in concert to form more complex systems with 

larger channel counts. The digitizer bricks are joined together on a 10 Gbps Fiber-Channel Switched 

Fabric along with remote redundant array of independent disks (RAID) storage units and Control PCs to 

form the distributed architecture. This architecture provides an unprecedented level of modularity and 

scalability that maximizes the versatility of the over-all system without compromising the system’s highspeed capabilities (Ref. 5). 

Measurement Systems Analysis 

A degree of uncertainty and variation exists in every measurement. It is an unavoidable part of the 

measurement process. While systematic errors can be eliminated by calibration, random errors can only 

be minimized through understanding the reason for the errors, minimizing their effects, and quantifying 

the residual errors for the test customer. The methodology for estimating the uncertainties in 

measurements and in the experimental results calculated from them must be structured to combine 

statistical and engineering concepts. Various methods of standardizing the uncertainty in the single 

channel measurement are accepted. As system channel counts grow large and signal chain diversity 

increases (accelerometers, strains, voltages, pressures, temps, discrete values, speed etc), it becomes 

challenging to ascertain the quantified level of measurement variability that exists in the data acquisition 

system. We refer to this process of characterizing the measurement variability of each channel in a system 

as Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) (Ref. 5). 

A measurement system analysis is a vital component for many data systems quality improvement 

initiatives. Accurate measurement should be consistent over the time (stability), have a measure of the 

amount of bias in the system (accuracy) and a measure of the bias values though the expected range of 

measurements (linearity). Precision measurement consists of repeatability and reproducibility of 

measurements under similar conditions with different operators operating the same system. Major

challenge for any test facility is to provide customer with reliable data with accuracy. Given the large 

channel count, high-speed digitizing rates and diverse instrument types being supported by this Low 

Speed Data Acquisition System (LSDAS), avoiding the potential difficulty in performing MSA activities 

for the whole system has been addressed at the earliest stages of the system design. The methodology for 

estimating the uncertainties in measurements and in the experimental results calculated from them must 

be structured to combine statistical and engineering concepts. 
NASA/TM—2012-217668 9

Each component of the LSDAS provides high degree of network controllability and network status 

monitoring. The signal conditioning system design consists of signal conditioners, Test Subsystem

software, digital multimeter and digital function generator for signal injection. The digital multimeter and 

function generator are fully network controlled and fully integrated into the signal conditioning system, to 

provide seamless NIST traceable calibrations for all of the analog signal components of the subsystem 

(Ref. 5). Graphical User Interface software for signal conditioning allows an operator to conduct fully 

automated factory acceptance test (FAT) NIST traceable (Z540) calibration and a GO-NO-GO daily (or 

more frequent) integrity Test. FAT run before and after the test provides assurance to the test conductor 

and the customer about the integrity of the signal conditioning system. These tests allow an operator to 

validate the system reliability and repeatability. For the LSDAS, the NIST traceable calibration 

capabilities of the signal conditioning subsystem are available to be utilized by the DAS. This allows the 

Calibration Calculator (MSA Calibration Software) to utilize the Signal Conditioning test subsystem to 

extend the system’s ability to calibrate the analog to digital converters (A/D) and perform complete NIST 

traceable calibrations of the entire system (Ref. 5). MSA Calibration Software provides flexibility to 

calibrate the DAS threat multiple levels including transducer end to end (XDR), (Channel Signal 

Conditioning) CSC and Digital Signal Processing (DSP). 

The uncertainty determined and reported for a particular measurement should be the most realistic 

estimate possible. A Comprehensive approach has been used in estimating measurement uncertainty for 

B-2 Measurement Systems Analysis. Central goal of the MSA is the task of quantifying the normality of 

the data acquiring and providing a high level report which clearly shows the quality of the data from each 

channel across the entire system. Random and Systematic errors are considered in various calculations 

performed to obtain confidence level for Thermocouple, Heat Flux Sensor and RTD temperature 

measurements performed at the B-2 Spacecraft Propulsion Facility. Using a consistent criterion, MSA 

software calculates the average, mode, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis for each channel. The 

Standard Deviation is the measure of the spread of data points from the mean. Skewness is a measure of 

symmetry, or more precisely, the lack of symmetry, where a distribution, or data set, is symmetric if it 

looks the same to the left and right of the center point. Kurtosis is a measure of whether the data points

are peaked or flat relative to a normal distribution. That is, data sets with high kurtosis tend to have 

distinct peaks near the mean, decline rather rapidly, and have heavy tails (Ref. 6). Data sets with low 

kurtosis tend to have a flat top near the mean rather than a sharp peak. The standard normal distribution of 

a data set has a kurtosis of zero. MSA software algorithm provides detailed graphs for individual channels 

across the entire system to validate the uncertainty in the acquired data. Figure 6 shows the MSA report 

for an individual Low Speed Channel. The top 2 charts in Figure 6 show the Histogram of the data 

acquired on an individual Low Speed Channel indicating the 99 percent confidence limit for data 

uncertainty to be within 30 μV. Data normality tests for each channel can be performed developing 

similar plots. Figure 7 shows the Power Density Spectrum of an individual channel providing further 

information to ensure normality of acquired data and signal strength at higher or lower frequencies.

Figure 8 shows the MSA report charts for the 40 Low Speed Channels. The five charts in Figure 8

shows various statistical calculations performed on the acquired data across the 40 channels to obtain a 

fair understanding of system reliability and channel uncertainties. The skewness, standard deviation, 

kurtosis, average and mode of the data sets indicate a mainly normally distributed data set for most 

channels, with one notable exception of channel 3. The B-2 DAS MSA performed using the MSA 

software compares each of the values to a pass/fail threshold limit to assure normality of the channel and 

calculate uncertainty limits. The combined capabilities of the features and characteristics of this LSDAS,

in combination with the automated MSA processes, the NIST traceable calibrations, and the measurement 

system uncertainty analysis for the LSDAS, provides the test facility with a highly efficient method of 

conducting Data Validation and Verification exercises (Ref. 7).
NASA/TM—2012-217668 10

Figure 6.—MSA Report for an individual Low Speed Channel

Figure 7.—Power Density Spectrum for an individual Low Speed Channel
NASA/TM—2012-217668 11

Figure 8.—MSA Report for 40 Low Speed Channels

Video Systems

The B-2 video system is an integral part of the facility modernization. This new video system enables 

Managers, Engineers and Technicians to have easy visual access to points of interest during test 

operations. It also provides a vast amount of information and opportunity to visually inspect the facility, 

its surroundings and control room area with respect to security. The B-2 video system is consists of 32 

digital image cameras. Various high quality cameras with extensive features including high zoom lens, 

preset and pan/tilt capabilities are used in this surveillance system. Cameras installed in the vacuum 

chamber are capable of sustaining thermal vacuum environment and provides high quality picture. A 

matrix switching system capable of supporting 256 camera inputs and 32 monitors is supported by digital 

hard disk recorders (DDR) and a video multiplexer designed to be used within surveillance system. Video 

signal is time stamped using the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) time code

prior to being recorded on DDR. DDR provides recording live video stream capability up to 30 frames per 

second. DDR feature allows replay without interrupting the recording and download of recorded files of 

to external recording devices with ease. 

The B-2 video surveillance system is supported by fiber switches for fiber to coax conversion of the 

video signal transmitted over long distance. Video signal amplifiers accommodate amplification

supporting the matrix switching system setup for multiple video input cameras, controlling DDR, PC and 

joystick controllers, and output monitors supporting various distant terminals throughout the facility. 

Encoders designed to transmit video signal over to web interface allows B-2 video system streaming for 

internal network. Remote control of camera pan-tilt–zoom and recording is accomplished by DDR, 

joystick controller and remotely connected network PC. Options are being investigated for providing 

remote access to advertise facility capabilities from remote locations ensuring proper security.

-0.006100

-0.006000

-0.005900

-0.005800

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

Channel Average - Volts

Average

 

 

 

-0.006100

-0.006000

-0.005900

-0.005800

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

Channel Mode - Volts

Mode

 

 

 

0.000000

0.000005

0.000010

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

Channel Standard Deviation -

Volts

Standard Deviation

 

 -5.000000

0.000000

5.000000

10.000000

15.000000

20.000000

25.000000

30.000000

35.000000

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

Channel Kurtosis

Kurtosis

 

 

 

-3.500000

-3.000000

-2.500000

-2.000000

-1.500000

-1.000000

-0.500000

0.000000

0.500000

1.000000

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

Channel Skewness

Skewness

 
NASA/TM—2012-217668 12

Summary

Modernization of the B-2 Data, Control and Video Systems along with use of Measurement Systems 

Analysis techniques has revitalized the facility for its use as a flexible and configurable multi-use space 

simulation vacuum chamber ready to meet new customer test article development requirements using 

currently available technology. The combined capabilities of these features and characteristics of the data 

and control systems in combination with the automated MSA process utilizing the NIST traceable 

calibration tools and MSA software , provide the facility with highly efficient methods of conducting data 

Validation and Verification exercises, identifying problems, quantifying errors, and performing facility 

controls checkouts. This modernization eliminates legacy maintenance issues and increases the reliability 

of overall facility systems performance.
NASA/TM—2012-217668 13

Appendix A.—Acronym List

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

A/D Analog to Digital

CCD Charged Coupled Device

CDS Central Data System

CFM Cryogenic Fluid Management 

COTS Commercially Off The Shelf

CRT Cathode Ray Tube

CSC Channel Signal Conditioning

DAS Data Acquisition System

DC Direct Current

DDR Digital Disk Recorder

DSP Digital Signal Processing

FAT Factory Acceptance Test

FC Fiber Channel

FON Fiber Optic Network

Gb gigabit

GRC Glenn Research Center

GUI Graphical User Interface

HMI Human Machine Interface

Hz Hertz

I/O Input / Output

IEPE Integrated Electronics Piezo Electric 

IRIG-B Inter-Range Instrumentation Group

IT Information Technology

kHz kilohertz

kVA kilovoltampere

LSDAS Low Speed Data Acquisition System

MMI Man Machine Interface

MSA Measurement System

NEC National Electric Code

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology

PBS Plum Brook Station

PC Personal computer

PLC Programmable Logic Control

QA Quality Assurance

RAID Redundant Array of Independent Disks

RIO Remote Input Output

RTD Resistance Temperature Detector

SAN Storage Area Network

SMPTE Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers

SR Sampling Rate

UPS Universal Power Supply

VHS Video Home System

XDR Transducer
NASA/TM—2012-217668 14

References

1. Lewis Research Center Staff, “Centaur Space Vehicle Pressurized Propellant Feed System Tests,” 

NASA TN D-6876, October 1972

2. Miller, Robert L., “ESCORT: A Data Acquisition and Display System to support Research Testing,”

NASA TM-78909, presented at IEEE Electro 78, May 23-25, 1978

3. Fronek, Dennis L., Setter, Robert N., Blumenthal, Phillip Z., Smalley, Robert R., “A Distributed Data 

Acquisition System for Aeronautics Test Facilities,” NASA TM–88961, presented at the ISA 

International Instrumentation Symposium,” May 3-8, 1987

4. Hill, Gerald M., Weaver, Harold F., Kudlac, Maureen T., Evans, Richard K., Maloney, Christian T., 

“Space Propulsion Research Facility (B-2) An Innovative, Multi-Purpose Test Facility,”

NASA/TM—2011-217007 presented at the 26th Aerospace Testing Seminar, March 29–31, 2011

5. Hill, Gerald M., Evans, Richard K., “Advanced Distributed Measurements and Data Processing at the 

Vibro-Acoustic Test Facility GRC Space Power Facility, Sandusky, OH – An Architecture and An 

Example,” E-17064, Proc. Of the 25th Aerospace Testing Seminar, USAF/The Aerospace 

Corporation, Oct. 2009

6. NIST, Engineering Statistics Handbook, 

http://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/eda/section3/eda35b.htm

7. NASA, “Measurement Uncertainty Analysis Principles and Methods,” NASA-HDBK-8739.19-3, 

July 13, 2010
NASA/TM—2012-217668 15

Biographies

Mr. Cmar works for the contractor Sierra Lobo, Inc., at the NASA Glenn Research Center Plum 

Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio. He is currently serving as a Facility Engineer for Cryogenic 

Components Laboratory, Cryogenic Research Facility and the Hypersonic Tunnel Facility and as an 

Instrumentation Engineer at the Space Propulsion Research Facility (B-2). He has over twenty years 

NASA experience as an instrumentation & controls engineer, project manager and facility engineer at all 

of above NASA Plum Brook Facilities including the Space Power Facility. He holds a BS in Electrical 

Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of 

Ohio. He is a member of the International Society of Automation. 

Mr. Maloney works as a contractor for TFOME at NASA Glenn Research Center’s Plum Brook 

Station in Sandusky, Ohio. He is currently serving as the Space Propulsion Research Facility (B-2) Senior 

Controls System Engineer. He has sixteen years’ experience as a controls engineer and has designed 

control systems across the United States in aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, steel, and food 

industries. He holds a Bachelor’s in Engineering Technology from The University of Toledo.

Mr. Butala is a civil servant working at Plum Brook Station, NASA located at Sandusky, Ohio. He is 

currently serving as the Data System Engineer at the Space Propulsion Research Facility (B-2). He has 

about 2 years of experience as a Data System Engineer. He is currently serving in the United States Army 

Reserves as a Paralegal Specialist. He has served in the U.S. Armed forces for 7 years, including 4 years 

active duty service. He holds a Master’s of Science in Information Resource Management from Central 

Michigan University. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering 

degree from Government Engineering College Modasa, India, in 2004. 
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Modernization of B-2 Data, Video, and Control Systems Infrastructure 

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station (PBS) Spacecraft 

Propulsion Research Facility, commonly referred to as B-2, is NASA’s third largest thermal-vacuum facility with propellant systems 

capability. B-2 has completed a modernization effort of its facility legacy data, video and control systems infrastructure to accommodate 

modern integrated testing and Information Technology (IT) Security requirements. Integrated systems tests have been conducted to 

demonstrate the new data, video and control systems functionality and capability. Discrete analog signal conditioners have been replaced by 

new programmable, signal processing hardware that is integrated with the data system. This integration supports automated calibration and 

verification of the analog subsystem. Modern measurement systems analysis (MSA) tools are being developed to help verify system health 

and measurement integrity. Legacy hard wired digital data systems have been replaced by distributed Fibre Channel (FC) network 

connected digitizers where high speed sampling rates have increased to 256,000 samples per second. Several analog video cameras have 

been replaced by digital image and storage systems. Hard-wired analog control systems have been replaced by Programmable Logic 

Controllers (PLC), fiber optic networks (FON) infrastructure and human machine interface (HMI) operator screens. New modern IT 

Security procedures and schemes have been employed to control data access and process control flows. Due to the nature of testing possible 

at B-2, flexibility and configurability of systems has been central to the architecture during modernization. 

15. SUBJECT TERMS

Data systems; Systems integration; Signal processing; Calibrating; Cameras; Flexibility; Controllers; Man machine interface 

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