Maintenance issues for very long-lived robotic space systems
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software maintenance system maintenance ultra-long↗
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Maintenance issues for very long-lived robotic space systems
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
software maintenance system maintenance ultra-long↗
An analysis of low-thrust, resistojet reboost for the Space Station
This paper presents results of an analysis of low-thrust orbit maintenance of the Space Station. Propellant requirements and transfer times are given for reboost of the station through various altitude increments. The reboost can readily be accomplished with thrust levels that subject the station to an acceleration of less than the desired upper limit of 10 to the -5th g's. The variation in time and the probabilistic aspect of the predicted upper-atmospheric density as well as the variation in time of sun-pointing drag areas were taken into account. Estimates of the propellant requirements at different times during an 11-year solar cycle are given. It is shown that the amount of CO2 available from the station life-support system is sufficient, over most of the solar cycle, to provide the propellant for a resistojet orbit-maintenance system.
Penko, P. F.↗
Space Station integration and verification concepts
The TAVERNS concept for the integration, verification, and maintenance of the Space Station avionics and payload systems is described. The functional requirements which TAVERNS integrates are discussed, showing the mode of integration and the flight systems integration. The top and bottom TAVERNS sections are described, and the use of TAVERNS to develop software required for flight applications and testing is discussed.
Chevers, Edward S.↗
Integrated space program and vehicle system analysis (study B)
Work accomplished in the analysis of systems, space basing concepts, and space shuttle studies and alternative concepts is reported with emphasis on the preparation of cost estimates. It is concluded that space basing, as an operational mode, permits the assembly and maintenance of large space vehicles and payloads in low earth orbit, and may become the basing mode for space exploration.
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TAVERNS and the space station software support environment
The Space Station Information System (SSIS) provides the data processing capability for the Space Station Program (SSP). The Software Support Environment (SSE) System for the SSP is the collection of software, procedures, standards, hardware specification, documentation, policy, and training materials. The Ada programming language was baselined by the Space Station Program Office as the language for development and maintenance of all space station software including the software of the SSE itself. The Test And Validation Environment for Remote Networked Systems (TAVERNS) is a distributed philosophy for development and validation of Ada applications software for the space station and as such is closely related to the SSE. An overview of the system is provided.
Howes, Norman R.↗
A crisis in the NASA space and earth sciences programme
Problems in the space and earth science programs are examined. Changes in the research environment and requirements for the space and earth sciences, for example from small Explorer missions to multispacecraft missions, have been observed. The need to expand the computational capabilities for space and earth sciences is discussed. The effects of fluctuations in funding, program delays, the limited number of space flights, and the development of the Space Station on research in the areas of astronomy and astrophysics, planetary exploration, solar and space physics, and earth science are analyzed. The recommendations of the Space and Earth Science Advisory Committee on the development and maintenance of effective space and earth sciences programs are described.
Lanzerotti, Louis, J.↗
Human engineering studies for maintenance and repair in zero gravity.
Human engineering performance data for equipment design for manned space systems, discussing zero gravity maintenance and repair
HUMAN ENGINEERING↗
Design guidelines for remotely maintainable equipment
The quantity and complexity of on-orbit assets will increase significantly over the next decade. Maintaining and servicing these costly assets represent a difficult challenge. Three general methods are proposed to maintain equipment while it is still in orbit: an extravehicular activity (EVA) crew can perform the task in an unpressurized maintenance area outside any space vehicle; an intravehicular activity (IVA) crew can perform the maintenance in a shirt sleeve environment, perhaps at a special maintenance work station in a space vehicle; or a telerobotic manipulator can perform the maintenance in an unpressurized maintenance area at a distance from the crew (who may be EVA, IVA, or on the ground). However, crew EVA may not always be possible; the crew may have other demands on their time that take precedence. In addition, the orbit of the tasks themselves may be impossible for crew entry. Also crew IVA may not always be possible as option for equipment maintenance. For example, the equipment may be too large to fit through the vehicle airlock. Therefore, in some circumstances, the third option, telerobotic manipulation, may be the only feasible option. Telerobotic manipulation has, therefore, an important role for on-orbit maintenance. It is not only used for the reasons outlined above, but also used in some cases as backup to the EVA crew in an orbit that they can reach.
Clarke, Margaret M.↗
Integrated Logistics Support Analysis of the International Space Station Alpha: An Overview of the Maintenance Time Dependent Parameter Prediction Methods Enhancement
The objective of this publication is to introduce the enhancement methods for the overall reliability and maintainability methods of assessment on the International Space Station. It is essential that the process to predict the values of the maintenance time dependent variable parameters such as mean time between failure (MTBF) over time do not in themselves generate uncontrolled deviation in the results of the ILS analysis such as life cycle costs, spares calculation, etc. Furthermore, the very acute problems of micrometeorite, Cosmic rays, flares, atomic oxygen, ionization effects, orbital plumes and all the other factors that differentiate maintainable space operations from non-maintainable space operations and/or ground operations must be accounted for. Therefore, these parameters need be subjected to a special and complex process. Since reliability and maintainability strongly depend on the operating conditions that are encountered during the entire life of the International Space Station, it is important that such conditions are accurately identified at the beginning of the logistics support requirements process. Environmental conditions which exert a strong influence on International Space Station will be discussed in this report. Concurrent (combined) space environments may be more detrimental to the reliability and maintainability of the International Space Station than the effects of a single environment. In characterizing the logistics support requirements process, the developed design/test criteria must consider both the single and/or combined environments in anticipation of providing hardware capability to withstand the hazards of the International Space Station profile. The effects of the combined environments (typical) in a matrix relationship on the International Space Station will be shown. The combinations of the environments where the total effect is more damaging than the cumulative effects of the environments acting singly, may include a combination such as temperature, humidity, altitude, shock, and vibration while an item is being transported. The item's acceptance to its end-of-life sequence must be examined for these effects.
Sepehry-Fard, F.↗
NASA philosophy concerning space stations as operations centers for construction and maintenance of large orbiting energy systems
Future United States plans for manned space-flight activities are summarized, emphasizing the long-term goals of achieving permanent occupancy and limited self-sufficiency in space. NASA-sponsored studies of earth-orbiting Space Station concepts are reviewed along with lessons learned from the Skylab missions. Descriptions are presented of the Space Transportation System, the Space Construction Base, and the concept of space industrialization (the processing and manufacturing of goods in space). Future plans for communications satellites, solar-power satellites, terrestrial observations from space stations, and manned orbital-transfer vehicles are discussed.
Freitag, R. F.↗
Nondestructive testing for space applications - Feasibility and preliminary design study. Part 2 - Maintenance and operation manual for prototype hardware Final report
Operating and maintenance procedures manual for prototype in-space nondestructive ultrasonic and radiographic test units
Zoran, W. A.↗
On-orbit maintenance and repair - New era in space research and industrialization
During the seventies, NASA was developing a multifunction, economical spacecraft complete with ground and spaceborne support equipment, software, and necessary documentation to facilitate a large variety of space missions on a routine and cost effective basis. In order to reduce costs and time requirements, research was conducted to identify new approaches to a reusable, low-cost spacecraft design. The result of these studies was the development of the Multimission Modular Spacecraft (MMS). Three MMS spacecraft are currently operating in orbit. These spacecraft include the two Landsat-D earth resources satellites, Landsat-4 and -5, and the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) spacecraft. Attention is given to details regarding the MMS, the STS-41C SMM repair mission, and failure modes and component degradation.
Cepollina, F.↗
The design of a commercial space infrastructure
Space Services and Logistics, Inc. represents the complete engineering design of a technically and financially viable commercial space company. The final proposal offers an economically sound program of space vehicles and systems designed to substantially affect a variety of space markets and produce a vertically integrated structure within the next 20 years. Throughout this design process, particular stress has been placed on attaining the highest possible levels of safety and reliability. The final program financial design requires a considerable initial outlay, but promises a relatively quick return on invested capital, culminating in large annual profits by the end of the 20-year scope of the cost outlook. The overall design has been extensively researched and was primarily driven by the present and near-term projected market demands for services uniquely or competitively offered only by space-oriented operations. Heretofore, available capabilities, rather than these market demands, have determined the degree and type of commercial market access. Removing this limitation through extensive use of modularity and reconfigurability allows the company to gear itself to the market, while still remaining extremely competitive with existing systems. The markets identified as lucrative, and that have governed much of the design requirements, are: low-cost launch services to LEO over a wide range of payload masses and inclinations; upper stage payload delivery from LEO to GEO; manned space operations and human transport to and from orbit; EVA assembly and maintenance of large space structures; satellite servicing and repair by both humans and telerobotic operations; a line of customized satellites designed for extended life and capable of reconfiguration or technology upgrade on orbit; small-scale microgravity experimentation and manufacturing supported by spacecraft retrieval capabilities for experimental specimens and manufactured goods; and a full-range of payload integration, testing, design, and support services before launch and once in orbit.
Source record↗
Robotics technology developments in the United States space telerobotics program
In the same way that the launch of Yuri Gagarin in April 1961 announced the beginning of human space flight, last year's flight of the German ROTEX robot flight experiment is heralding the start of a new era of space robotics. After a gap of twelve years since the introduction of a new capability in space remote manipulation, ROTEX is the first of at least ten new robotic systems and experiments which will fly before the year 2000. As a result of redefining the development approach for space robotic systems, and capitalizing on opportunities associated with the assembly and maintenance of the space station, the space robotics community is preparing a whole new generation of operational robotic capabilities. Expanding on the capabilities of earlier manipulation systems such as the Viking and Surveyor soil scoops, the Russian Lunakhods, and the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS), these new space robots will augment astronaut on-orbit capabilities and extend virtual human presence to lunar and planetary surfaces.
Lavery, David↗
On-Orbit Maintenance of a Short Duration Mission: Space Technology 5
This viewgraph presentation contains an overview of the the Space Technology 5 (ST5) mission, a review of the Post-separation anomaly that occurred, and the patches and work-arounds that were implemented to correct the problems caused by the anomaly. The events that involved multi-bit errors and the actions that occurred to correct these are also reviewed.
Calder, Alexander C.↗
The role of man in space
The roles played by astronauts in space missions are discussed using illustrations from the Spacelab and STS experience, and the implications for the proposed space station are considered. Man's ability to perform successfully for relatively long periods in space is demonstrated, and capabilities in manipulation, EVA, equipment repair and compensation for equipment failure, earth observation, astronomy of sun and stars, and laboratory experimentation are characterized and illustrated with photographs. Space station activities planned include repairs (like that of the Solar Maximum Satellite), maintenance (of the Space Telescope), and construction and involve the use of a manned maneuvering unit, a teleoperator maneuvering system, and/or a manned or unmanned OTV.
Lousma, J. R.↗
Space Shuttle orbiter modifications to support Space Station Freedom
The Space Shuttle will be the primary vehicle to support the launch, assembly, and maintenance of the Space Station Freedom (SSF). In order to accommodate this function, the Space Shuttle orbiter will require significant modifications. These modifications are currently in development in the Space Shuttle Program. The requirements for the planned modifications to the Space Shuttle orbiter are dependent on the design of the SSF. Therefore, extensive coordination is required with the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP) in order to identify requirements and resolve integration issues. This paper describes the modifications to the Space Shuttle orbiter required to support SSF assembly and operations.
Segert, Randall↗