Engineering topics
Atkins, K.
Publications and source records attributed to Atkins, K..
Managing risk in cost-capped, time-constrained robotic space missions
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The Stardust: A Successful Encounter with the Remarkable Comet Wild 2
On January 2, 2004 the Stardust spacecraft completed a close flyby of comet Wild2 (P81). Flying at a relative speed of 6.1 km/s within 237km of the 5 km nucleus, the spacecraft took 72 close-in images, measured the flux of impacting particles and did in-situ compositional analysis of freshly released dust with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The primary goal of the mission is to collect >500 particles >15 m diameter and return them to Earth on January 15, 2006. The cometary particles ranging in size from a micron to approx.100 microns were collected in low density silica aerogel. After returning over a hundred 2x4x3 cm aerogel collection cells will be processed at the curatorial facility at the NASA Johnson Space Center and 5 to 100 micron size extracted cometary particles will be distributed to analysts by a system that will be based on the allocation procedures for cosmic dust, Antarctic meteorites and lunar samples.
Preparing project managers for faster-better-cheaper robotic planetary missions
The authors have developed and implemented a week-long workshop for Jet Propulsion Laboratory Project Managers, designed around the development phases of the JPL Project Life Cycle. The workshop emphasizes the specific activities and deliverables that pertain to JPL managers of NASA robotic space exploration and instrument development projects.
Project management workshop
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STARDUST: Implementing a New Manage-to-Budget Paradigm
STARDUST is the Discovery Program's fourth mission, selected from a field of 28 original proposals.
Mission summary: Halley flyby/Tempel-2 rendezvous
A unique dual-comet flight opportunity exists in mid-1985 which includes flyby of the large and active comet Halley en route to rendezvous with second comet, Tempel-2. This mission will utilize ion propulsion at a modest performance level, based on proven technology. The Project is planned for FY81 start. Launch occurs in July 1985 via the Shuttle/IUS twin stage. Following IUS injection, the ion propulsion stage provides continuous thrust virtually throughout the 3-year flight until the Tempel-2 rendezvous in 1988. En route, a probe is deployed for encounter with Halley about 4 months after launch at a point 73 days before its perihelion. Rendezvous with Tempel-2 occurs about 60 days before the comet's perihelion during the summer of 1988 and continues for about 1 year. Earth will be in favorable relative positions for observing both the flyby and the rendezvous.
The 1973 report and recommendations of the NASA Science Advisory Committee on Comets and Asteroids
The present day knowledge is reported of comets and asteroids and recommendations for a development program needed to provide instruments to achieve certain scientific objectives are also presented. Discussions include reports on the primary experiments and instruments, the instruments of potential applicability, mission classes and parameters, mission opportunities, and vehicular technology. An annotated bibliography and recommendations for flight projects, propulsion systems, and experiment development are included.