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NASA NTRS1998

Development of a Satellite Systems for Measuring Soil Moisture

The science need for remotely sensed soil moisture has been well established in the hydrologic, climate change and weather forecasting communities. There also have been a number of programs that have demonstrated the feasibility of using long wave microwave sensors for estimating soil moisture. These have ranged from truck mounted sensors, to intensive airborne campaigns with science objectives. Based on this history of truck and aircraft experiments, the science community has settled on a soil moisture product that meets the following criteria: a two day global repeat, a measured layer of 5 cm of soil, a footprint of 20 to 30 km, and an absolute accuracy of +/- 4% volumetric soil moisture. The principal sensor to accomplish this is an L-band passive microwave radiometer. A soil moisture mission is being proposed for the NASA Earth Systems Science Pathfinder (ESSP) mission which has very real constraints of a limited budget which includes the launch vehicle, and a three year award to launch time schedule. This paper describes ways to solve the very large antenna challenge, and the criteria used to choose the final design for an ESSP proposal. The paper also discusses the alternatives considered to obtain the necessary ancillary data for characterizing the surface roughness, the surface temperature and the attenuation affects of vegetation.

Engman, Edwin T.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Status of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 J,Jm to 28 J,Jm. JWST's primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. JWST is a segmented mirror telescope operating at approx.40K, a temperature achieved by passive cooling of the observatory, via a large, 5-layer membrane-based sunshield. We present an overview of the observatory design, the mission science objectives, the integration and test program and review the concept for science operations of JWST. With construction of the observatory progressing rapidly across all elements of the observatory, we will report on recent highlights such as the completion of the first JWST primary mirror segment. We will also review the predicted performance of the JWST observatory, based on initial measurements of the telescope optics and instrumentation.

Champin, Mark↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The NASA Aerosols, Clouds, Convection, and Precipitation (ACCP) Observing System

NASA’s new Earth System Observatory (ESO) will provide key information related to understanding climate change processes, mitigating natural hazards, fighting forest fires, and improving real-time agricultural processes. The ACCP observing system will address two of the five major focus areas: aerosols, which determine air quality and affect the global energy balance, a key source of uncertainty in predicting climate change; and clouds, convection, and precipitation, whose processes are also a large source of uncertainty in future projections of climate change as well as predictions of severe weather. ACCP, currently in the concept investigation phase, is made up of two projects, one in an inclined orbit and the other in a polar orbit, with both projects addressing synergistic A and CCP science. Suborbital science is also a significant element of ACCP. This talk will describe the science objectives of ACCP and their relationship to the 2017 NASA Earth Science Decadal Survey as well as summarize the orbital architecture and major science activities during the concept investigation phase.

Scott Braun↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Small Satellites Programs and Advances in Transformative Science Measurements with Small Satellites

Small satellites have become an accepted platform for enabling high-quality science measurements and observations. NASA missions have leveraged advances in sensor miniaturization, technology innovations, and new small satellite mission architectures to support high spatial and temporal measurements, continuity measurements, and constellations in response to science objectives described in NASA’s Decadal Surveys. Across six divisions of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), over 12 years, SMD has funded 88 CubeSat/ SmallSat Missions and 59 Studies to date. Currently, SMD has 53 small spacecraft science missions (87spacecraft) in implementation or formulation. This paper provides the background of efforts to promote the implementation of small satellites within NASA as a balanced portfolio for the agency’s science, technology, and exploration goals. We include analysis of SmallSat awards and trends funded by SMD through Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx), and Small Explorer (SMEX) and Medium Explorer (MIDEX) calls over the last 12years. The data source of this assessment is a subset of the NASA SmallSat Coordination Group Database, a collection of all known funded NASA SmallSat and CubeSat missions and studies. This paper also provides an overview of small satellite programs and selected missions from SMD’s divisions: Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Earth Science, and Planetary Science, and describes SMD’s efforts in fostering an incremental and continuous path to achieve high-priority science through transformative science measurements. This paper recognizes the latest observations and trends of the NASA CubeSat / SmallSat Science missions with masses ranging between 1kg to 500kg.

Small Satellites, SMD SmallSat, CubeSat,↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advances in Transformative Science Measurements with Small Satellites

Small satellites have become an accepted platform for enabling high-quality science measurements and observations. NASA missions have leveraged advances in sensor miniaturization, technology innovations, and new small satellite mission architectures to support high spatial and temporal measurements, continuity measurements, and constellations in response to science objectives described in NASA’s Decadal Surveys. Across six divisions of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), over 12 years, SMD has funded 88 CubeSat/ SmallSat Missions and 59 Studies to date. Currently, SMD has 53 small spacecraft science missions (87spacecraft) in implementation or formulation. This paper provides the background of efforts to promote the implementation of small satellites within NASA as a balanced portfolio for the agency’s science, technology, and exploration goals. We include analysis of SmallSat awards and trends funded by SMD through Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx), and Small Explorer (SMEX) and Medium Explorer (MIDEX) calls over the last 12years. The data source of this assessment is a subset of the NASA SmallSat Coordination Group Database, a collection of all known funded NASA SmallSat and CubeSat missions and studies. This paper also provides an overview of small satellite programs and selected missions from SMD’s divisions: Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Earth Science, and Planetary Science, and describes SMD’s efforts in fostering an incremental and continuous path to achieve high-priority science through transformative science measurements. This presentation recognizes the latest observations and trends of the NASA CubeSat / SmallSat Science missions with masses ranging between 1kg to 500kg.

Small Satellites, SMD SmallSat, CubeSat↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Overview of NASA’s Airborne and Field Data Resource Center

A key recommendation from NASA’s 2022 Airborne and Field Data Workshop called for the development of a virtual Resource Center for all stakeholders across the data lifecycle of airborne and field Earth observations. The agency’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project and Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG) have worked in concert to establish the newly launched NASA Airborne and Field Data Resource Center (AFDRC) to provide a single entry point for a wide assortment of information on and the effective, responsible stewardship of non-satellite observational data. The AFDRC compiles access to many existing resources, but does so in a newly organized way that integrates availability to increase efficiency and holistic understanding while simplifying users’ experience. Initially launched in fall of 2023, the AFDRC is a NASA Earthdata domain website that clarifies several previously disparate resources and provides newly updated information, including: Learning Resources: Educational resources to broaden understanding of the role airborne and field observations play in advancing understanding of our planet and NASA’s role in collecting and archiving these data. Support for data users to Find and Access Data: Advanced contextual browse/search capabilities that efficiently link researchers to data products suitable for their science objectives - this includes linking to NASA’s Catalog of Archived Suborbital Earth Science Investigations (CASEI). Working with Data: Tools specific to individual types of suborbital Earth Science data and their (inter-)disciplinary communities to provide access as well as guidance for their application. Stewardship Responsibilities: Resources for data producers with to lessen requirement burdens at the time of data transfer, and information for data stewards with consistent, authoritative guidance on best practices and agency- and/or community- specific archival procedures. This presentation will give an overview of the motivation for NASA’s AFDRC, approach for the design and content, iterative community-driven improvements, promote the use of the AFDRC, and solicit additional feedback from airborne and field data user communities.

Sara Lubkin↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

rHEALTH Laboratory Analyzer - ISS Increment 66 Tech Demo

A multilateral, web-based symposium, featuring ISS Increment 66 investigations will be held on December 14, 15 and 16, 2021 beginning at 0600 CST each day. The purpose of this event is for Principal Investigators to present their science objectives, testing approach, and measurement methods to agency scientists, managers, and other investigators. Participation is encouraged to gather a global picture of the science planned to be performed on ISS during Increment 66. Please note that only Increment 66 new investigations and those that have not been covered by previous science symposia will be included. We will be in touch with the investigations’ POCs to confirm the presentations and identify the speakers as we develop the preliminary agenda for the Symposium. The agenda and additional details will be distributed prior to the symposium. Presentations will be organized by discipline and will be allotted 15 minutes to highlight the main contributions of their experiment. There will be a short question and answer period after each discipline group session is complete. Please include back-up material as needed. The presentations may be made available to ISS crew members as review material for on-orbit science preparation and/or public outreach activities. Therefore, please ensure a comprehensive presentation (additional back-up material may be provided). The presentations should briefly cover the following: - Science background and hypothesis - Investigation goals and objectives - Measurement approach - Importance and reason for ISS - Expected results and how they will advance the field - Earth benefits/spin-off applications Please note that all presentations and discussions should be limited to content approved for export and information that can be shared with participants and the general public.

Laboratory Analysis↗

NASA NTRS2011

Lunar Solar Origins Exploration (LunaSOX)

The Moon offers a unique vantage point from which to investigate the Sun and its interaction via the solar wind magnetic fields, plasma, and energetic particles with the geospace system including the Moon itself. The lunar surface and exosphere provide in part a record of solar coronal plasma material input and resultant space weathering over billions of years. The structure and dynamics of solar wind interactions with the Moon provide an accessible near-Earth laboratory environment for study of general solar wind interactions with the vast multitude of airless asteroidal bodies of the inner solar system. Spacecraft in lunar orbit have the often simultaneous opportunity, except when in the Earth's magnetosphere, to make in-situ compositional measurements of the solar wind plasma and to carry out remote observations from the Moon of the solar corona, potentially enabled by lunar limb occultation of the solar disk. The LunaSOX project at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is addressing these heliophysical science objectives from and of the Moon with support from NASA's Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research (LASER) program: (1) specify history of solar wind parameters at and sunward of the Moon through enhanced access (http://lunasox.gsfc.nasa.gov/) to legacy and operational mission data products from the Apollo era to the present, (2) model field and plasma interactions with the lunar surface, exosphere, and wake, as constrained by the available data, through hybrid kinetic code simulations, and (3) advance mission concepts for heliophysics from and of the Moon.

Cooper, John F.↗

NASA NTRS2026

The Contaminant Footprint of Landed Spacecraft: Toward an Inventory and Modelling Framework

All spacecraft generate and carry contaminants, i.e., unwanted and potentially harmful material. When a spacecraft lands and operates in vacuum, as onto Earth’s Moon, it introduces contaminants into its environment that may compromise mission science objectives and engineering performance. Contamination may degrade sites of unique value to planetary science or in situ resource utilization. This presentation will identify and compare source terms and transport vectors for contaminants – in particular, organic material – generated by landed spacecraft. An integrated modeling framework for the organic contamination footprint of spacecraft missions will be described and presented.

Gas Dynamics↗

NASA NTRS2026

Organic Inventory - Planetary Protection on the Moon

Planetary Protection↗

NASA NTRS2016

NASA's Earth Science Flight Program Meets the Challenges of Today and Tomorrow

NASA's Earth science flight program is a dynamic undertaking that consists of a large fleet of operating satellites, an array of satellite and instrument projects in various stages of development, a robust airborne science program, and a massive data archiving and distribution system. Each element of the flight program is complex and present unique challenges. NASA builds upon its successes and learns from its setbacks to manage this evolving portfolio to meet NASA's Earth science objectives. NASA fleet of 16 operating missions provide a wide range of scientific measurements made from dedicated Earth science satellites and from instruments mounted to the International Space Station. For operational missions, the program must address issues such as an aging satellites operating well beyond their prime mission, constellation flying, and collision avoidance with other spacecraft and orbital debris. Projects in development are divided into two broad categories: systematic missions and pathfinders. The Earth Systematic Missions (ESM) include a broad range of multi-disciplinary Earth-observing research satellite missions aimed at understanding the Earth system and its response to natural and human-induced forces and changes. Understanding these forces will help determine how to predict future changes, and how to mitigate or adapt to these changes. The Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program provides frequent, regular, competitively selected Earth science research opportunities that accommodate new and emerging scientific priorities and measurement capabilities. This results in a series of relatively low-cost, small-sized investigations and missions. Principal investigators whose scientific objectives support a variety of studies lead these missions, including studies of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, polar ice regions, or solid Earth. This portfolio of missions and investigations provides opportunity for investment in innovative Earth science that enhances NASA's capability for better understanding the current state of the Earth system. ESM and ESSP projects often involve partnerships with other US agencies and/or international organizations. This adds to the complexity of mission development, but allows for a greater scientific return on NASA's investments. The Earth Science Airborne Science Program provides manned and unmanned aircraft systems that further science and advance the use of satellite data. NASA uses these assets worldwide in campaigns to investigate extreme weather events, observe Earth system processes, obtain data for Earth science modeling activities, and calibrate instruments flying aboard Earth science spacecraft. The Airborne Science Program has six dedicated aircraft and access to many other platforms. The Earth Science Multi-Mission Operations program acquires, preserves, and distributes observational data from operating spacecraft to support Earth Science research focus areas. The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), which has been in operations since 1994, primarily accomplishes this. EOSDIS acquires, processes, archives, and distributes Earth Science data and information products. The archiving of NASA Earth Science information happens at eight Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) and four disciplinary data centers located across the United States. The DAACs specialize by topic area, and make their data available to researchers around the world. The DAACs currently house over 9 petabytes of data, growing at a rate of 6.4 terabytes per day. NASA's current Earth Science portfolio is responsive to the National Research Council (NRC) 2007 Earth Science Decadal Survey and well as the 2010 NASA Response to President Obama's Climate Plan. As the program evolves into the future it will leverage the lessons learned from the current missions in operations and development, and plan for adjustments to future objectives in response to the anticipated 2017 NRC Decadal Survey.

Flight Program↗

NASA NTRS2013

Assessing the Benefits of NASA Category 3, Low Cost Class C/D Missions

Category 3, Class C/D missions have the benefit of delivering worthwhile science at minimal cost which is increasingly important in NASA's constrained budget environment. Although higher cost Category 1 and 2 missions are necessary to achieve NASA's science objectives, Category 3 missions are shown to be an effective way to provide significant science return at a low cost. Category 3 missions, however, are often reviewed the same as the more risk averse Category 1 and 2 missions. Acknowledging that reviews are not the only aspect of a total engineering effort, reviews are still a significant concern for NASA programs. This can unnecessarily increase the cost and schedule of Category 3 missions. This paper quantifies the benefit and performance of Category 3 missions by looking at the cost vs. capability relative to Category 1 and 2 missions. Lessons learned from successful organizations that develop low cost Category 3, Class C/D missions are also investigated to help provide the basis for suggestions to streamline the review of NASA Category 3 missions.

Bitten, Robert E.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Introduction to the Dynamics Explorer mission

The NASA Dynamics Explorer (DE) mission has the objective to investigate the physical processes which control interactions among the earth's upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere. The DE 1 and the DE 2 spacecraft were launched together on a Delta 3913 launch vehicle from the Western Test Range on Aug. 3, 1981. It is pointed out that the science objectives of the Dynamics Explorer mission required a comprehensive set of measurements of plasma and electric and magnetic fields simultaneously at high and low altitudes along with neutral-gas measurements in the thermosphere. Attention is given to the various instruments employed on the spacecraft, the primary measurement objectives, and a summary of science results.

Burch, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Manned Mars missions: A working group report

The discussions of the Working Group (based in large part on working papers, which will shortly be published separately) are summarized. These papers cover a broad range of subjects which need to be addressed in the formulation of such a formidable enterprise as a manned Mars program. Science objective and operations; Mars surface infrastructure and activities; mission and system concepts and configurations; life sciences; impacts on the space infrastructure; and costs, schedules, and organizations are addressed.

Duke, Michael B.↗

NASA NTRS2003

From Global Reconnaissance to Sample Return: A Proposal for a Post-2009 Strategy to Follow the Water on Mars

Since the mid-1990's, the stated strategy of the Mars Exploration Program has been to Follow the Water. Although this strategy has been widely publicized, its degree of influence -- and the logic behind its current implementation (as reflected in mission planning, platform and instrument selection, and allocation of spacecraft resources) remains unclear. In response to this concern, we propose an integrated strategy for the post-2009 exploration of Mars that identifies the scientific objectives, rationale, sequence of missions, and specific investigations, that we believe provides the maximum possible science return by pursuing the most direct, cost-effective, and technically capable approach to following the water. This strategy is based on the orbital identification, high-resolution surface investigation, and ultimate sampling of the highest priority targets: near-surface liquid water and massive ground ice (potentially associated with the discharge of the outlflow channels or the relic of a former ocean). The analysis of such samples, in conjunction with the data acquired by the necessary precursor investigations (to identify the locations and characterize the environments of the optimum sampling sites), is expected to address a majority of the goals and high priority science objectives identified by MEPAG.

S M Clifford↗

NASA NTRS2003

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO): The Next Step in Mars Exploration

This slide presentation reviews the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), and the science strategy that motivates the exploration of Mars. The MRO is one of several missions that are planned to enhance our understanding of the planet. Included in this presentation is a review of the schedule for the MRO, the science objectives of the mission, the payloads that ae planned for MRO, and the hoped for science that will be attained from them. A review of the mission, from launch to the primary science relay is reviewed and an overview of the orbiter is shown. The presentation details the payloads, and the expected data from the instruments.

water↗

NASA NTRS2017

The Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT): an International Science Mission Using a Cubesat

The Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT) is a 6U CubeSat mission to address the compelling but difficult problem of understanding the preconditions leading to equatorial plasma bubbles. The scientific literature describes the preconditions in both the plasma drifts and the density profiles related to bubble formations that occur several hours later in the evening. Most of the scientific discovery has resulted from observations at a single site, within a single longitude sector, from Jicamarca, Peru. SPORT will provide a systematic study of the state of the pre-bubble conditions at all longitudes sectors to enhance understanding between geography and magnetic geometry. SPORT is an international partnership between National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE), and the Technical Aeronautics Institute under the Brazilian Air Force Command Department (DCTA/ITA), and encouraged by U.S. Southern Command. This talk will present an overview of the SPORT mission, observation strategy, and science objectives to improve predictions of ionospheric disturbances that affect radio propagation of telecommunication signals. The science goals will be accomplished by a unique combination of satellite observations from a nearly circular middle inclination orbit and the extensive operation of ground based observations from South America near the magnetic equator.

Scintillation Prediction Observations↗

NASA NTRS2017

Telecommunication System Design for Interplanetary CubeSat Missions: LunaH-Map

The Lunar Hydrogen Mapper (Luna H-Map) will be one of 13 CubeSats to launch on the first integrated flight of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft in 2018. The goal of the LunaH-Map mission is to map the hydrogen content of the entire South Pole of the moon, including permanently shadowed regions at high resolution. The spacecraft is a 6 U CubeSat and the main instrument is a neutron spectrometer which will be used to perform the measurements required to accomplish the primary science objective. Once LunaH-Map reaches the Moon, the spacecraft will perform a 60 - day science mission, consisting of 141 science orbits during which the measurements will be taken. In the design of the LunaH-Map spacecraft, one of the main challenges is the elecommunication system as the spacecraft needs the ability to relay data during the long cruise phase and during the science phase. In addition, the telecommunication system needs to support the main navigation functions required to reach the Moon and to insert in the highly elliptical orbit required for the science phase. This paper covers the main aspects of the telecommunication design for the mission including: link and coverage analysis, waveform selection and spectral constraints, hardware selection and ground station coordination.

Babuscia, Alessandra↗