Core Flight System (cFS) Training
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Development of a unified control synthesis methodology for complex and/or non-conventional flight vehicles, and prediction techniques for the handling characteristics of such vehicles are reported. Identification of pilot dynamics and objectives, using time domain and frequency domain methods is proposed.
The Space Technology 7 (ST7) experiment will perform an on-orbit system-level validation of two specific Disturbance Reduction System technologies: colloidal micronewton thrusters and drag-free control. The ST7 Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) is designed to maintain the spacecraft s position with respect to a free-floating test mass while limiting the residual accelerations of that test mass over the frequency range of 1 to 30 mHz. This paper presents the overall design and analysis of the spacecraft drag-free and attitude controllers, with particular attention given to its primary mission mode. These controllers close the loop between the drag-free sensors and the colloidal micronewton thrusters.
The NASA Dawn spacecraft mission is studying conditions and processes of the solar system's earliest epoch by investigating two protoplanets remaining intact since their formations, Ceres and Vesta. Launch was in 2007. Ion propulsion is used to fly to and enter orbit around Vesta, depart Vesta and fly to Ceres, and enter orbit around Ceres. A conventional blowdown hydrazine reaction control system (RCS) is used to provide external torques for attitude control. Reaction wheel assemblies were intended to provide attitude control in most cases. However, the spacecraft experienced one, then two apparent failures of reaction wheels. Also, similar thrusters experienced degradation in a long life application on another spacecraft. Those factors led to RCS being operated in ways completely different than anticipated prior to launch. Numerous mitigations and developments needed to be implemented. The Vesta mission was fully successful. Even with the compromises necessary due to those anomalies, the Ceres mission is also projected to be feasible.
Dellingr is a 6U Cubesat developed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. It was delivered to the International Space Station in August 2017, and is scheduled to be deployed in November 2017. Compared to a typical NASA satellite, the Dellingr Cubesat had an extremely low budget and short schedule. Although the Dellingr Cubesat has minimal hardware resources, the cFS was ultimately chosen for the flight software. Using the cFS on the Dellingr Cubesat presented a few challenges, but also offered opportunities to help speed up development and verify the ACS flight software. This presentation will cover the lessons learned in porting the cFS to the Dellingr Cubesat, including working with the limited hardware resources, porting the cFS to FreeRTOS, and overcoming limitations related to data storage and file transfer. This presentation will also cover how hardware abstraction was used to run the flight software on multiple platforms and interface with the 42 dynamic simulator.
Presentation is an update to the Core Flight Software (CFS) Change Control Board (CCB) and other interested parties on the state of the Software Bus Networking (SBN) application.
An assessment of the inflight performance of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Metrology System, also known as the Attitude and Orbit Determination avionics (AODA), is presented. The assessment is based on analysis of raw sensor data obtained during the mission.
The MSAP project at JPL has been testing spacecraft avionics and flight software since 2005, in part using computer executable scripts. The scripts are document files of a common word processor and comply with the format of a traditional, formal test procedure common at JPL. These procedures use keywords to issue commands and evaluate responses, mimicking a human test operator. In effect, script lines are inserted into a normal procedure. Even though the executable structure of the procedures is limited to linear sequences of fairly simple operations, we have found significant value in certain test regimes given the repeatability, ease of execution, and readily understandable intent of these procedures.
This paper describes the overall design of the Shuttle Orbiter Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). The Orbiter ECLSS consists of six major subsystems which accomplish the functions of providing a habitable pressurized cabin atmosphere and removing gaseous contaminants, controlling the temperature of the cabin and vehicle components within acceptable ranges, providing fire detection and suppression capability, maintaining a supply of potable water, collecting and removing metabolic waste materials, and providing utilities and access for extravehicular activity. The operational experience is summarized for the 45 space flights accomplished to date during which the Orbiter ECLSS has been demonstrated to perform reliably, and has proved to have the flexibility to meet a variety of mission needs. Significant flight problems are described, along with the design or procedure changes which were implemented to resolve the problems.
In February 2015 the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) completed the open source release of the entire Core Flight Software (cFS) suite. After the open source release a multi-NASA center Configuration Control Board (CCB) was established that has managed multiple cFS product releases. The cFS was developed and is being maintained in compliance with the NASA Class B software development process requirements and the open source release includes all Class B artifacts. The cFS is currently running on three operational science spacecraft and is being used on multiple spacecraft and instrument development efforts. While the cFS itself is a viable flight software (FSW) solution, we have discovered that the cFS community is a continuous source of innovation and growth that provides products and tools that serve the entire FSW lifecycle and future mission needs. This paper summarizes the current state of the cFS community, the key FSW technologies being pursued, the development/verification tools and opportunities for the small satellite community to become engaged. The cFS is a proven high quality and cost-effective solution for small satellites with constrained budgets.
The major hardware elements, demonstration objectives, and technical approaches, as well as existing and developing technologies for applicability to the Satellite Servicer System (SSSFD) program are presented. In a project to develop the capability of servicing satellites in remote locations, NASA and SDI have planned a series of flights to demonstrate autonomous rendezvous and docking, supervised autonomous fluid transfer, and supervised autonomous orbital replacement unit exchange. Program objectives, design reference mission, and flight demonstrations are described. The expanded capability demonstrated by the SSSFD program will provide alternatives to excessive dependence on ground operations personnel and training, increase the reach into unique space environments, and decrease the costs of managing and operating space assets.
A program to develop the capability of servicing satellites in remote locations, where a series of flight that will demonstrate autonomous rendezvous and docking, supervised autonomous Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) exchange, supervised autonomous fluid transfer and, proximity operations for Space Station Freedom were planned, is described. The flight demonstrations are the results of several mission scenarios with complex technical objectives. Three Shuttle flights are planned to complete the multi-objective program. The major hardware elements of the program are described and discussed. Demonstration objectives and technical approaches to the flight demonstrations are discussed. Existing and developing technologies are assessed for applicability to the Satellite Servicer System (SSSFD) program.
The presentation will overview the flight test capabilities at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC), to open up partnership collaboration opportunities for Wireless Community to conduct flight testing of aerospace wireless technologies. Also, it will brief the current activities on wireless sensor system at AFRC through SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) proposals, and it will show the current areas of interest on wireless technologies that AFRC would like collaborate with Wireless Community to further and testing.
The ability to recover and purify water through physiochemical processes is crucial for realizing long-term human space missions, including both planetary habitation and space travel. Because of their robust nature, distillation systems have been actively pursued as one of the technologies for water recovery. One such technology is the Cascade Distillation System (CDS) a multi-stage vacuum rotary distiller system designed to recover water in a microgravity environment. The CDS provides a similar function to the state of the art (SOA) vapor compressor distiller (VCD) currently employed on the International Space Station, but its control scheme and ancillary components are judged to be more straightforward and simpler to implement into a more reliable and efficient system. Through the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems (LSS) Project, the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in collaboration with Honeywell International is developing a second generation flight forward prototype (CDS 2.0). A preliminary design fo the CDS 2.0 was presented to the project in September 2014. Following this review, detailed design of the system continued. The existing ground test prototype was used as a platform to demonstrate key 2.0 design and operational concepts to support this effort and mitigate design risk. A volumetric prototype was also developed to evaluate the packaging design for operability and maintainability. The updated system design was reviewed by the AES LSS Project and other key stakeholders in September 2015. This paper details the status of the CDS 2.0 design.
NASA/Langley Research Center collaborated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test a Runway Incursion Prevention System (RIPS) at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in October 2000. The RIPS combines airborne and ground sensor data with various cockpit displays to improve pilots' awareness of traffic conditions on the airport surface. The systems tested at DFW involved surface radar and data systems that gather and send surface traffic information to a research aircraft outfitted with the RIPS software, cockpit displays, and data link transceivers. The data sent to the airborne systems contained identification and GPS location of traffic. This information was compared with the own-ship location from airborne GPS receivers to generate incursion alerts. A total of 93 test tracks were flown while operating RIPS. This report compares the accuracy of the airborne GPS systems that gave the own-ship position of the research aircraft for the 93 test tracks.
Processing and data reduction of holographic images from Spacelab presents some interesting challenges in determining the effects of microgravity on crystal growth processes. Evaluation of several processing techniques, including the Computerized Holographic Image Processing System and the Software Development Package (SDP151) will provide fundamental information for holographic and schlieren analysis of the space flight data.
As the International Space Station's (ISS) various habitable modules are placed in service on orbit, the need to provide for sustaining engineering becomes increasingly important to ensure the proper function of critical onboard systems. Chief among these are the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) and the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS). Without either, life onboard the ISS would prove difficult or nearly impossible. For this reason, a ground-based ECLSS/ITCS hardware performance simulation capability has been developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The ECLSS/ITCS Sustaining Engineering Test Bed will be used to assist the ISS Program in resolving hardware anomalies and performing periodic performance assessments. The ISS flight configuration being simulated by the test bed is described as well as ongoing activities related to its preparation for supporting ISS Mission 5A. Growth options for the test facility are presented whereby the current facility may be upgraded to enhance its capability for supporting future station operation well beyond Mission 5A. Test bed capabilities for demonstrating technology improvements of ECLSS hardware are also described.
Integrations trends in aircraft are discussed with an eye to manifestations in future aircraft designs through interdisciplinary technology integration. Current practices use software changes or small hardware fixes to solve problems late in the design process, e.g., low static stability to upgrade fuel efficiency. A total energy control system has been devised to integrate autopilot and autothrottle functions, thereby eliminating hardware, reducing the software, pilot workload, and cost, and improving flight efficiency and performance. Integrated active controls offer reduced weight and larger payloads for transport aircraft. The introduction of vectored thrust may eliminate horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and location of the thrust at the vehicle center of gravity can provide vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. It is suggested that further efforts will open a new discipline, aeroservoelasticity, and tests will become multidisciplinary, involving controls, aerodynamics, propulsion and structures.