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At least 235 records · Page 13

Long-range planning cost model for support of future space missions by the deep space network

A simple model is suggested to do long-range planning cost estimates for Deep Space Network (DSP) support of future space missions. The model estimates total DSN preparation costs and the annual distribution of these costs for long-range budgetary planning. The cost model is based on actual DSN preparation costs from four space missions: Galileo, Voyager (Uranus), Voyager (Neptune), and Magellan. The model was tested against the four projects and gave cost estimates that range from 18 percent above the actual total preparation costs of the projects to 25 percent below. The model was also compared to two other independent projects: Viking and Mariner Jupiter/Saturn (MJS later became Voyager). The model gave cost estimates that range from 2 percent (for Viking) to 10 percent (for MJS) below the actual total preparation costs of these missions.

Sherif, J. S.↗

Materials trade study for lunar/gateway missions

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) administrator has identified protection from radiation hazards as one of the two biggest problems of the agency with respect to human deep space missions. The intensity and strength of cosmic radiation in deep space makes this a 'must solve' problem for space missions. The Moon and two Earth-Moon Lagrange points near Moon are being proposed as hubs for deep space missions. The focus of this study is to identify approaches to protecting astronauts and habitats from adverse effects from space radiation both for single missions and multiple missions for career astronauts to these destinations. As the great cost of added radiation shielding is a potential limiting factor in deep space missions, reduction of mass, without compromising safety, is of paramount importance. The choice of material and selection of the crew profile play major roles in design and mission operations. Material trade studies in shield design over multi-segmented missions involving multiple work and living areas in the transport and duty phase of space mission's to two Earth-Moon co-linear Lagrange points (L1) between Earth and the Moon and (L2) on back side of the moon as seen from Earth, and to the Moon have been studied. It is found that, for single missions, current state-of-the-art knowledge of material provides adequate shielding. On the other hand, the choice of shield material is absolutely critical for career astronauts and revolutionary materials need to be developed for these missions. This study also provides a guide to the effectiveness of multifunctional materials in preparation for more detailed geometry studies in progress. c2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗

Standardized, Low Cost Communications for Planetary Mission

For Deep Space Missions, the Radio-Frequency (RF) communications link provides both communications and navigation services. In this article we discuss the increased efficiency and reduced cost that can result from the potential consolidation of the two services into one suite of equipment, and the utilization of guaranteed delivery standard protocols to improve the communications service.

Deep↗

Clinical Decision Support Project

As NASA plans for exploration missions into deep space, significant challenges are realized due to the distance from Earth. Beside the effects of microgravity and radiation exposure, the astronauts face the additional constraints of isolation, lack of resupply, increasingly difficult evacuation, and delayed and disrupted communication with ground-based medical care providers. These constraints require a paradigm shift from current medical care where crews rely on the real-time communications with ground-based medical care providers toward Earth-independent medical operations for astronaut medical care. Medical expertise and decision-making are ground-based for current International Space Station and planned Lunar missions. However, a deep space exploration crew will need to autonomously perform the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of medical conditions. One approach to provide Earth-independent medical operations is to augment the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) of a time-constrained crew—operating under stressful conditions, combatting fatigue, and facing a potential medical crisis—with a robust clinical decision support system (CDSS). The CDSS is envisioned as an integrated, software-based tool deployed on a laptop computer or handheld device. The CDSS will assist the crew and ground support when interacting with knowledge/data bases (e.g. records, pharmacy, schedule), instrumentation (e.g. imaging, physiological monitoring devices), and habitat (e.g. wellness system, task performance system) and vehicle systems (e.g. environmental system, communication system). In addition, the human interface will employ a context-based approach that accounts for the crew’s situation. Thus, extraneous and clinically/operationally non-relevant information are reduced to avoid an increase in cognitive load. The framework of an ideal spaceflight CDSS is to include core and advanced analytical features that maintain a flexible platform for integrating new technology in the future. The Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element of the Human Research Program (HRP) is expanding the boundaries of space medical systems to advance the care of astronauts on future exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit by actively identifying and testing next-generation medical care and crew health maintenance technologies. The Clinical Decision Support (CDS) project addressed ap Medical-701 within the Inflight Medical Conditions risk: “We need to increase inflight medical capabilities and identify new capabilities that (a) maximize benefit and/or (b) reduce “costs” on human system/mission/vehicle resources.” Though mass, volume, and power will face increasing constraints, the projected computational capabilities of spacecraft systems will increase exponentially as information technology advances in this decade and beyond. Hence, data, software, and computational resources will play an essential and synergistic role in maintaining crew health, wellness, and performance in deep space missions. The focus of the CDS project was to develop recommended requirements for an in-vehicle CDSS that acts as a ‘virtual assistant’ for delivering optimal health, performance, and medical care during exploration missions. In fiscal year 2022 (FY22), the CDS project was chartered to baseline and/or revise all CDS project related documentation and update the CDS project model to include the revised CDSS Concept of Operations, revised systems-based modeling language (SysML) activity diagrams, and baseline requirements. The focus of this presentation will be an overview of the CDS products and CDS model content.

Decision Support↗

The Deep Space 1 Extended Mission

The primary mission of Deep Space 1 (DS1), the first flight of the New Millennium program, completed successfully in September 1999, having exceeded its objectives of testing new, high-risk technologies important for future space and Earth science missions.

Deep↗

Mark IV-85 mission support planning and future mission set

The Deep Space Network (DSN) is currently involved with supporting a group of mature deep space missions, none of which was launched in the past ten years. With great anticipation, the DSN is looking forward to the return of the Space Transportation System, which is scheduled to launch four deep space missions in 1989 through 1992. The DSN also supports earth orbiting spacecraft that are not compatible with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS).

Amorose, R. J.↗

Mission Design for the Deep Space 4/Champollion Comet Sample Return Mission

The Deep Space 4/Champollion mission will be the first to land a spacecraft on the surface of a comet, perform in-situ science, and collect a subsurface sample which it will return to Earth for analysis. This paper describes the trade studies resulting in the current reference mission, which uses solar electric propulsion to rendezvous with the comet Tempel 1 in December 2005 after launching in April 2003. An option which uses a chemical propulsion system to return to Earth is discussed.

4/Champollion↗

Improved Spacecraft Tracking and Navigation Using a Portable Radio Science Receiver

The Portable Radio Science Receiver (PRSR) is a suitcase-sized open-loop digital receiver designed to be small and easy to transport so that it can be deployed quickly and easily anywhere in the world. The PRSR digitizes, downconverts, and filters using custom hardware, firmware, and software. Up to 16 channels can be independently configured and recorded with a total data rate of up to 256 Mbps. The design and implementation of the system's hardware, firmware, and software is described. To minimize costs and time to deployment, our design leveraged elements of the hardware, firmware, and software designs from the existing full-sized operational (non-portable) Radio Science Receivers (RSR) and Wideband VLBI Science Receivers (WVSR), which have successfully supported flagship NASA deep space missions at all Deep Space Network (DSN) sites. We discuss a demonstration of the PRSR using VLBI, with one part per billion angular resolution: 1 nano-radian / 200 ?as synthesized beam. This is the highest resolution astronomical instrument ever operated solely from the Southern Hemisphere. Preliminary results from two sites are presented, including the European Space Agency (ESA) sites at Cebreros, Spain and Malargue, Argentina. Malargue's South American location is of special interest because it greatly improves the geometric coverage for spacecraft navigation in the Southern Hemisphere and will for the first time provide coverage to the 1/4 of the range of declination that has been excluded from reference frame work at Ka-band.

Delta Differential One-Way (DOR)↗

Evaluation of an Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem for Deep Space Exploration Missions

An Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem (ARS) suitable for deployment aboard deep space exploration mission vehicles has been developed and functionally demonstrated. This modified ARS process design architecture was derived from the International Space Station's (ISS) basic ARS. Primary functions considered in the architecture include trace contaminant control, carbon dioxide removal, carbon dioxide reduction, and oxygen generation. Candidate environmental monitoring instruments were also evaluated. The process architecture rearranges unit operations and employs equipment operational changes to reduce mass, simplify, and improve the functional performance for trace contaminant control, carbon dioxide removal, and oxygen generation. Results from integrated functional demonstration are summarized and compared to the performance observed during previous testing conducted on an ISS-like subsystem architecture and a similarly evolved process architecture. Considerations for further subsystem architecture and process technology development are discussed.

Perry, Jay L.↗

KSC Intern Narrative Report

There are limited resources on extraterrestrial bodies and current launch vehicles can only send finite resources on deep space missions. Transporting resources needed for deep space missions is extremely expensive; at tens of thousands of dollars per pound launched. In order to sustain life and establish outposts on other celestial bodies, it is necessary to find a way to utilize the resources that are readily available in these environments. This process is called In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), which is comprised of searching for, collecting, processing, and storing materials found on other celestial bodies and using them for construction, science applications, propulsion, and other life sustaining purposes. The processing and use of regolith, which is a loose rocky material found on the surface of bodies like the Moon or Mars, is the main focus of ISRU work done in Swamp Works in the Engineering Development Lab at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The research Swamp Works has done in regolith applications ranges from construction and infrastructure to propellant production to storage of oxygen and water.

George, Amber↗

Extensibility of Human Asteroid Mission to Mars and Other Destinations

This paper will describe the benefits of execution of the Asteroid Redirect Mission as an early mission in deep space, demonstrating solar electric propulsion, deep space robotics, ground and on-board navigation, docking, and EVA. The paper will also discuss how staging in trans-lunar space and the elements associated with this mission are excellent building blocks for subsequent deep space missions to Mars or other destinations.

McDonald, Mark A.↗

NASA’s Space Launch System: New Launch Capability for Artemis Lunar and Deep Space Science Missions

With stacking and integration of the initial Block 1 Space Launch System (SLS) expected to begin in 2020, NASA’s powerful new launch vehicle is ready to take center stage in the agency’s Artemis program to return astronauts to the Moon. Combining the highest launch thrust and largest payload capacity ever developed, SLS also enables a new generation of high-C3 science missions to destinations such as the gas and ice giants, the Kuiper Belt, and even beyond the solar system. Block 1 is only the beginning, as the vehicle has a planned evolution path to progressively more powerful variants. In addition to these block upgrades providing increased lift capability, the vehicle can be configured to fly in crew configuration with the Orion spacecraft or in cargo configuration with payload fairings for launching science mission or large infrastructure, providing a flexible launch option. For Artemis I, the first SLS flight, the Block 1 vehicle in the crew configuration will send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit for a thorough systems checkout before the crewed Artemis II flight. The Block 1 vehicle uses a proven propulsion system consisting of solid rocket boosters and RS-25 engines to lift more than 27 metric tons [t] to trans-lunar injection (TLI). In its cargo configuration, Block 1 can be fitted with a 5 m payload fairing. The second variant, Block 1B, uses a more powerful upper stage to increase payload mass to TLI to 38-42 t, depending on crew or cargo configuration. In the crew configuration, a co-manifested payload of up to 10 t can ride along in the Universal Stage Adapter (USA), which has as much volume for payloads as a 5 m-class payload fairing. The Block 2 evolved variant will lift 43-46 t to TLI, depending on crew or cargo configuration. The Block 1B and Block 2 vehicles can be outfitted with an 8.4 m-diameter payload fairing, available in 19.1 m and 27.4 m lengths, providing unprecedented volume for payloads. Larger-diameter 10 m fairings may also be an option in the future on the Block 2 vehicle. The unrivalled mass, volume and high-energy launches of SLS can provide significant mission flexibility for payloads and/or additional upper stages to open trade space for a new generation of exploration missions. SLS was designed to meet requirements for launching large-volume infrastructure as outlined in numerous studies of missions to cislunar space or Mars. Mission concept studies from the science community also point toward new possibilities enabled by SLS. Probes with more robust science packages can be sent to the gas giants. Dual spacecraft can be manifested for missions to Uranus and Neptune. Additional third or fourth payload stages can be encapsulated in the payload fairings to achieve missions to the Kuiper Belt or beyond. In addition, the large volume can be used to design and deploy wide-aperture mirrors on future space telescopes and to enable nuclear-thermal propulsion missions. At AIAA Ascend, the SLS Program will provide technical information on vehicle capabilities as well as descriptions of ongoing discussions with mission planners for utilizing the vehicle for an array of deep space missions.

Stephen Creech↗

Enabling Deep Space Science Missions with Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) enables entirely new classes of deep-space science missions to yield scientific returns that, in most cases, are simply not possible with traditional architectures. NTP systems can yield dramatically reduced interplanetary travel times, deliver roughly 2- 3 times (or more) the mass that can be delivered by conventional chemical propulsion systems, or provide a combination of these advantages to further enhance scientific return. Present NASA and DoD-sponsored plans for NTP systems will mature the technology using prototype and flight demonstration engines to prove the designs. These prototype engines will have performance in the correct thrust range so as to permit use as a low-risk propulsion stage in support of high-payoff deep space science missions. Additionally, the use of low-enriched Uranium (LEU) fuels over highly-enriched Uranium (HEU) fuels reduce the costs of engine development, qualification, acceptance and launch, and lowers the risks associated with proliferation management.

Kurt A Polzin↗