Engineering topics
Townes, Stephen A.
Publications and source records attributed to Townes, Stephen A..
Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS): Standards Development and Infusion
UNKNOWN
Enabling Future Science and Human Exploration with NASA's Next Generation near Earth and Deep Space Communications and Navigation Architecture
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is studying alternatives for the United States space communications architecture through the 2040 timeframe. This architecture provides communication and navigation services to both human exploration and science missions throughout the solar system. Several of NASA's key space assets are approaching their end of design life and major systems are in need of replacement. The changes envisioned in the relay satellite architecture and capabilities around both Earth and Mars are significant undertakings and occur only once or twice each generation, and therefore is referred to as NASA's next generation space communications architecture. NASA's next generation architecture will benefit from technology and services developed over recent years. These innovations will provide missions with new operations concepts, increased performance, and new business and operating models. Advancements in optical communications will enable high-speed data channels and the use of new and more complex science instruments. Modern multiple beam/multiple access technologies such as those employed on commercial high throughput satellites will enable enhanced capabilities for on-demand service, and with new protocols will help provide Internet-like connectivity for cooperative spacecraft to improve data return and coordinate joint mission objectives. On-board processing with autonomous and cognitive networking will play larger roles to help manage system complexity. Spacecraft and ground systems will coordinate among themselves to establish communications, negotiate link connectivity, and learn to share spectrum to optimize resource allocation. Spacecraft will autonomously navigate, plan trajectories, and handle off-nominal events. NASA intends to leverage the ever-expanding capabilities of the satellite communications industry and foster its continued growth. NASA's technology development will complement and extend commercial capabilities to meet unique space environment requirements and to provide capabilities that are beyond the commercial marketplace. The progress of the communications industry, including the emerging global space internet segment and its planned constellations of 100's of satellites offer additional opportunities for new capability and mission concepts. The opportunities and challenges of a future space architecture require an optimal solution encompassing a global perspective. The concepts and technologies intentionally define an architecture that applies not only to NASA, but to other U.S. government agencies, international space and government agencies, and domestic and international industries to advance the openness, interoperability, and affordability of space communications. Cooperation among the worlds space agencies, their capabilities, standards, operations, and interoperability are key to advancing humankind's understand of the universe and extending human presence into the solar system.
Thoughts on free space optical communication and standards for space applications
UNKNOWN
Deep Space Network: the Next 50 Years
In 2014, NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) celebrated its 50th year of enabling exploration of the Moon, Solar System planets, and beyond. During those 50 years, the DSN has grown along with the associated spacecraft flight systems, providing some 13 orders of magnitude communications systems improvement. It has also contributed to many of the world’s most important scientific discoveries and provided substantial technological spinoffs that have become part of everyday life on Earth. Studies of the next 25 years indicate that deep space missions will need an order of magnitude increased communications performance per decade - and this is likely to continue beyond that time. As exhibited by this meeting, another major change happening right now is the emergence of a standardized international community for tracking deep space missions. The future definitely involves increased international cooperation. This paper explains the near term plans already underway for the DSN. We also consider the plans and possibilities for deep space optical communications. Finally, we will discuss opportunities for international participation in the next 50 years of deep space exploration.
Deep Space Network: The Next 50 Years
In 2014, NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) celebrated its 50th year of enabling exploration of the Moon, Solar System planets, and beyond. During those 50 years, the DSN has grown along with the associated spacecraft flight systems, providing some 13 orders of magnitude communications systems improvement. It has also contributed to many of the world’s most important scientific discoveries and provided substantial technological spinoffs that have become part of everyday life on Earth. Studies of the next 25 years indicate that deep space missions will need an order of magnitude increased communications performance per decade – and this is likely to continue beyond that time. As exhibited by this meeting, another major change happening right now is the emergence of a standardized international community for tracking deep space missions. The future definitely involves increased inter-national cooperation. This paper explains the near term plans already underway for the DSN. We also consider the plans and possibilities for deep space optical communications. Finally, we will discuss opportunities for international participation in the next 50 years of deep space exploration.
The Mars laser communication demonstration
This paper provides the status of the Mars Laser Communication Demonstration Project, a joint project between NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Tecnology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL). It reviews the current ideas/designs for the flight and ground segments, the critical technologies required, adn the concept of operations. The laser communication (lasercom) flight terminal will be flown on the Mars Telecom Orbiter (MTO) to be launched by NASA in 2009, and will demonstrate a technology which has the potential of vastly improving NASA's ability to communicate throughout the solar system.
Overview of the Mars laser communication demonstration project
This paper provides an overview of the Mars Laser Communications Demonstration Project, a joint project between NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL). It reviews the strawman designs for the flight and ground segments, the critical technologies required, and the concept of operations. It reports preliminary conclusions from the Mars Lasercom Study conducted at MIT/LL and on additional work done at JPL and GSFC. The lasercom flight terminal will be flown on the Mars Telecom Orbiter (MTO) to be launched by NASA in 2009, and will demonstrate a technology which has the potential of vastly improving NASA’s ability to communicate throughout the solar system
Overview of the MARS Laser Communications Demonstration Project
This paper provides an overview of the Mars Laser Communications Demonstration Project, a joint project between NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL). It reviews the strawman designs for the flight and ground segments, the critical technologies required, and the concept of operations. It reports preliminary conclusions from the Mars Lasercom Study conducted at MIT/LL and on additional work done at JPL and GSFC. The lasercom flight terminal will be flown on the Mars Telecom Orbiter (MTO) to be launched by NASA in 2009, and will demonstrate a technology which has the potential of vastly improving NASA s ability to communicate throughout the solar system.