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NASA NTRS1988

Calibration support for the Earth Observing System Project

The Earth Observing System Project (EOS) program guidelines establishes significantly more stringent requirements on calibrations of instruments. This requirement is driven by the need for long-term continuity of acquired data sets and the use of measurements in interdisciplinary investigations. Personnel from the Standards and Calibration Office have been supporting the Program and Project in interpreting these goals into specific requirements. Contributions to EOS have included participation in the Panel of Experts which produced a list of consensus items necessary for accomplishing an accurate calibration and suggested EOS Project Calibration Policy, and drafting the announcement of opportunity and bidders information package positions on instrument calibration and data product validation. Technical staffing was provided to the NASA delegates to the Committee on Earth Orbiting Satellites (club of space-faring nations) for the standing working group on Calibration and Data Validation.

Guenther, B. W.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Earth Observing System - A platform for imaging spectrometers

Several advanced imaging spectrometers will be deployed on the Space Station Polar Platforms as a part of the Earth Observing System (EOS) program. Two of these, the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and High-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS), will be provided as facility instruments, and currently are under conceptual study at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Goddard Space Flight Center. Other imaging spectrometer concepts, including proposals for a thermal infrared imaging spectrometer, are expected in response to the EOS Announcement of Opportunity scheduled for release in January of 1988.

Vane, Deborah↗

NASA NTRS1988

Lidar atmospheric sounder and altimetry for the Earth Observing System (EOS) satellite

The NASA Space Station Program includes development of a polar orbiting platform as part of the Earth Observing System (EOS) Program. A lidar facility is in turn being developed for the EOS polar platforms to make atmospheric science measurements utilizing techniques of laser atmospheric backscatter (optical radar), Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and altimetry. The science for this facility has been developed by the Lidar Atmospheric Sounder and Altimetry (LASA) panel for the Earth Observing System and will be addressed in an Announcement of Opportunity which will be released early in 1988 to solicit science proposals and experiment proposals for the EOS missions.

Woerner, Charles V.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Small Explorers - Small is beautiful

NASA's Small Explorer Program aims to achieve a flight rate of one mission per year in a program of small scientific satellites launched from small expendable launch vehicles. The Program is developing 3 missions for launch in the early 1990's: the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX), the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS), and the Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer (FAST). This paper gives an overview of the program, a description of the selected missions, the approach to developing the missions and the plans for the next Announcement of Opportunity.

Gilman, David↗

NASA NTRS1992

A spaceflight experiment to investigate the effects of a range of unilateral blue light phototropic stimulations on the movements of wheat coleoptiles (6-IML-1)

In 1978, in response to an announcement of opportunity by NASA, two independent groups proposed related investigations to study the response of seedling plants to photostimulations at microgravity. The spaceflight experiment is known by its NASA acronym, FOTRAN. The scientific objectives behind the experiment are outlined, and a brief description of the spaceflight equipment and the experimental procedures developed to accomplish the aims of the experiment are presented. By reference to the results of ground-based studies, the likely scientific returns of the FOTRAN experiment will be assessed. The experiment is designed to investigate the effects of a range of blue light stimulations on the movements of wheat coleoptiles at zero-g. The seedlings will be dark-grown, and their movements assessed from infrared time-lapse video recordings made during flight. The photostimulus may be expected to modulate circumnutations of the coleoptiles, by synchronizing, initiating or amplifying these rhythmic movements, and to initiate the classic phototropic response.

Heathcote, David G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Overview of the 1989 mission selections - A quality thrust in particle astrophysics

The particle astrophysics space missions that have been selected in 1989 in response to the NASA Announcement of Opportunity are surveyed. They include the low-energy missions Small Explorer/SAMPEX, Explorer/ACE, and Earth Observing System/POEMS and the high-energy missions Space Station Freedom/Astromag, Astromag/LISA, Astromag/WiZard, Astromag/SCIN-MAGIC, and HNC. The major issues in particle astrophysics that these missions will address are reviewed.

Jones, W. V.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Marine research using data from TOPEX/Poseidon

The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL), the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Deacon Laboratory (IOSDL), and the British National Space Centre (BNSC) plan to use radar altimeter data from the TOPEX/POSEIDON mission in five main areas of research. These are: (1) investigation of variations in Southern Ocean sea levels and circulation; (2) related numerical modeling and data assimilation; (3) global and regional ocean tides; (4) North Sea and northeast Atlantic studies; and (5) winds and waves. Each one of these topics is described briefly below while more information can be extracted from the United Kingdom response to the TOPEX/POSEIDON Announcement of Opportunity.

Woodworth, Philip L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Cassini atmospheric chemistry mapper. Volume 1. Investigation and technical plan

The Cassini Atmospheric Chemistry Mapper (ACM) enables a broad range of atmospheric science investigations for Saturn and Titan by providing high spectral and spatial resolution mapping and occultation capabilities at 3 and 5 microns. ACM can directly address the major atmospheric science objectives for Saturn and for Titan, as defined by the Announcement of Opportunity, with pivotal diagnostic measurements not accessible to any other proposed Cassini instrument. ACM determines mixing ratios for atmospheric molecules from spectral line profiles for an important and extensive volume of the atmosphere of Saturn (and Jupiter). Spatial and vertical profiles of disequilibrium species abundances define Saturn's deep atmosphere, its chemistry, and its vertical transport phenomena. ACM spectral maps provide a unique means to interpret atmospheric conditions in the deep (approximately 1000 bar) atmosphere of Saturn. Deep chemistry and vertical transport is inferred from the vertical and horizontal distribution of a series of disequilibrium species. Solar occultations provide a method to bridge the altitude range in Saturn's (and Titan's) atmosphere that is not accessible to radio science, thermal infrared, and UV spectroscopy with temperature measurements to plus or minus 2K from the analysis of molecular line ratios and to attain an high sensitivity for low-abundance chemical species in the very large column densities that may be achieved during occultations for Saturn. For Titan, ACM solar occultations yield very well resolved (1/6 scale height) vertical mixing ratios column abundances for atmospheric molecular constituents. Occultations also provide for detecting abundant species very high in the upper atmosphere, while at greater depths, detecting the isotopes of C and O, constraining the production mechanisms, and/or sources for the above species. ACM measures the vertical and horizontal distribution of aerosols via their opacity at 3 microns and, particularly, at 5 microns. ACM recovers spatially-resolved atmospheric temperatures in Titan's troposphere via 3- and 5-microns spectral transitions. Together, the mixing ratio profiles and the aerosol distributions are utilized to investigate the photochemistry of the stratosphere and consequent formation processes for aerosols. Finally, ring opacities, observed during solar occultations and in reflected sunlight, provide a measurement of the particle size and distribution of ring material. ACM will be the first high spectral resolution mapping spectrometer on an outer planet mission for atmospheric studies while retaining a high resolution spatial mapping capability. ACM, thus, opens an entirely new range of orbital scientific studies of the origin, physio-chemical evolution and structure of the Saturn and Titan atmospheres. ACM provides high angular resolution spectral maps, viewing nadir and near-limb thermal radiation and reflected sunlight; sounds planetary limbs, spatially resolving vertical profiles to several atmospheric scale heights; and measures solar occultations, mapping both atmospheres and rings. ACM's high spectral and spatial resolution mapping capability is achieved with a simplified Fourier Transform spectrometer with a no-moving parts, physically compact design. ACM's simplicity guarantees an inherent stability essential for reliable performance throughout the lengthy Cassini Orbiter mission.

Smith, William Hayden↗

NASA NTRS1992

Canadian Space Agency Space Station Freedom utilization plans

Under the terms of the NASA/CSA Memorandum of Understanding, Canada will contribute the Mobile Servicing System and be entitled to use 3 percent of all Space Station utilization resources and user accommodations over the 30 year life of the Station. Equally importantly Canada, like NASA, can begin to exploit these benefits as soon as the Man-Tended Capability (MTC) phase begins, in early 1997. Canada has been preparing its scientific community to fully utilize the Space Station for the past five years; most specifically by encouraging, and providing funding, in the area of Materials Science and Applications, and in the area of Space Life Sciences. The goal has been to develop potential applications and an experienced and proficient Canadian community able to effectively utilize microgravity environment facilities such as Space Station Freedom. In addition, CSA is currently supporting four facilities; a Laser Test System, a Large Motion Isolation Mount, a Canadian Float Zone Furnace, and a Canadian Protein Crystallization Apparatus. In late April of this year CSA sent out a Solicitation of Interest (SOI) to potential Canadian user from universities, industry, and government. The intent of the SOI was to determine who was interested, and the type of payloads which the community at large intended to propose. The SOI will be followed by the release of an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) following governmental approval of the Long Term Space plan later this year, or early next year. Responses to the AO will be evaluated and prioritized in a fair and impartial payload selection process, within the guidelines set by our international partners and the Canadian Government. Payload selection is relatively simple compared to the development and qualification process. An end-to-end user support program is therefore also being defined. Much of this support will be provided at the new headquarters currently being built in St. Hubert, Quebec. It is recognized that utilizing the Space Station could be expensive for users; costing in many cases millions of dollars to get a payload from conception to retrieval. It is also recognized that some of the potential users cannot or will not invest a lot of money or effort into Space Station utilization, unless there is a perceived significant commercial potential. How best to fund Space Station payloads is under study. Space Station Freedom will provide the first opportunity for Canada to conduct experiments in a long-duration microgravity environment. CSA have been developing and funding potential users for some time, and considerable interest has been shown by the response to our SOI earlier this year. Canada can be one of the two earliest users for the Space Station, along with NASA. We hope to take full advantage of this opportunity.

Faulkner, James↗

NASA NTRS1992

Precursor Space Station Freedom experiments

The NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology uses the In-Space Technology Experiments Program (IN-STEP) as the primary management vehicle to pursue innovative and potentially high payoff space technology experiments. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the IN-STEP approach in developing precursor Space Station experiments; identify those experiments now in the program; review the key points of the IN-STEP 1992 Announcement of Opportunity; and describe the OAST in-space technology experiments development process.

Breckenridge, Roger A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

NASA Discovery Program Workshop

The purpose of the workshop was to review concepts for Discover-class missions that would follow the first two missions (MESUR-Pathfinder and NEAR) of this new program. The concepts had been generated by scientists involved in NASA's Solar System Exploration Program to carry out scientifically important investigations within strict guidelines -- $150 million cap on development cost and 3 year cap on development schedule. Like the Astrophysics Small Explorers (SMEX), such 'faster and cheaper' missions could provide vitality to solar system exploration research by returning high quality data more frequently and regularly and by involving many more young researchers than normally participate directly in larger missions. An announcement of opportunity (AO) to propose a Discovery mission to NASA is expected to be released in about two years time. One purpose of the workshop was to assist Code SL in deciding how to allocate its advanced programs resources. A second, complimentary purpose was to provide the concept proposers with feedback to allow them to better prepare for the AO.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1993

Benefits gained and lessons learned from NASA's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program

NASA's Small Explorer Program (SMEX) is a sustained program of scientific satellites limited in mass to 200-300 kg (depending on orbital inclination) for a 500-km circular orbit. The SMEX program was undertaken to obtain the benefits of scientific yield, short development time, and high flight rate, with the goal to launch a mission every year. NASA also uses the program to train engineers and managers in designing and developing spacecraft. The phases of a SMEX mission life cycle are described including the competitive selection of missions through announcement of opportunity and evaluation of proposals, the definition of mission and system requirements, design and development of the spacecraft, testing, launch, and operations. Program content of some SMEX missions is then reviewed. The first SMEX mission was the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer, which confirmed that anomalous cosmic rays are only partially ionized atoms. The Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer was intended to measure the electric, magnetic, and time-variable fields and to record particle flow in the auroral acceleration region. A future mission is the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite to examine low-level molecular transitions.

Gilman, David↗

NASA NTRS1994

Laser Initiated Ordnance (LIO) activities in NASA

Laser initiated ordnance appears to offer the advantages of greater reliability, enhanced safety, lighter, less costly products, and improvements in spacecraft system designs which can lead to higher operational efficiency. But the lack of flight demonstrations has prevented the application of this new technology into new programs. Hence, a three-phase technology program was initiated by NASA to provide flight proof of their technical and programmatic feasibility: flight demonstration aboard an unmanned commercial vehicle (Pegasus), use as a Space Shuttle payload, and the most demanding of applications, namely, solid rocket motor vehicle ignition and flight termination. The programs investigate, via flight demonstrations the use of fully solid state laser diode systems to reduce potential hazards imposed by stray electrical signals. Inadvertent ignition has proven to cause serious problems. While the current electromechanical have been made safe, the result has been complex systems. Now is the time to take advantage of this new technology to further enhance safety and reliability of spacecraft systems. Two of the three phases are underway; an announcement of opportunity for the third, a sounding rocket flight demonstration, was made at the workshop.

Schulze, Norman R.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Optimal lunar trajectories for a combined chemical-electric propulsion spacecraft

Spacecraft which utilize electric propulsion (EP) systems are capable of delivering a greater payload fraction compared to spacecraft using conventional chemical propulsion systems. Several researchers have investigated numerous applications of low-thrust EP including a manned Mars mission, scientific missions to the outer planets, and lunar missions. In contrast, the study of optimal combined high and low-thrust spacecraft trajectories has been limited. In response to the release of NASA's 1994 Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for Discovery class interplanetary exploration missions, a preliminary investigation of a lunar comet rendezvous mission using a solar electric propulsion (SEP) spacecraft was performed. The Discovery mission (eventually named Diana) was envisioned to be a two-phase scientific exploration mission: the first phase involved exploration of the moon and second phase involved rendezvous with a comet. The initial phase began with a chemical propulsion translunar injection and chemical insertion into a lunar orbit, followed by a low-thrust SEP transfer to a circular, polar, low-lunar orbit (LLO). After scientific data was collected at the moon, the SEP spacecraft performed a spiral lunar escape maneuver to begin the interplanetary leg of the mission. After escape from the Earth-moon system, the SEP spacecraft maneuvered in interplanetary space and performed a rendezvous with a short period comet. An initial study that demonstrated the feasibility of using EP for the lunar and comet orbit transfer was performed under the grant NAG3-1581. This final report is a continuation of the initial research efforts in support of the Discovery mission proposal that was submitted to NASA Headquarters in October 1994. Section 2 discusses the lunar orbit transfer phase of the Diana mission which involves both chemical and electric propulsion stages. Section 3 discusses the chemical lunar orbit insertion (LOI) burn optimization. Finally, section 4 presents the conclusions of this research effort.

Kluever, Craig A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Space Station Biological Research Project: Reference Experiment Book

The Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP), which is the combined efforts of the Centrifuge Facility (CF) and the Gravitational Biology Facility (GBF), is responsible for the development of life sciences hardware to be used on the International Space Station to support cell, developmental, and plant biology research. The SSBRP Reference Experiment Book was developed to use as a tool for guiding this development effort. The reference experiments characterize the research interests of the international scientific community and serve to identify the hardware capabilities and support equipment needed to support such research. The reference experiments also serve as a tool for understanding the operational aspects of conducting research on board the Space Station. This material was generated by the science community by way of their responses to reference experiment solicitation packages sent to them by SSBRP scientists. The solicitation process was executed in two phases. The first phase was completed in February of 1992 and the second phase completed in November of 1995. Representing these phases, the document is subdivided into a Section 1 and a Section 2. The reference experiments contained in this document are only representative microgravity experiments. They are not intended to define actual flight experiments. Ground and flight experiments will be selected through the formal NASA Research Announcement (NRA) and Announcement of Opportunity (AO) experiment solicitation, review, and selection process.

Johnson, Catherine↗

NASA NTRS1996

US Participation in the GOME and SCIAMACHY Projects

The research performed during this reporting period includes development and maintenance of scientific software for the GOME retrieval algorithms, consultation on operational software development for GOME, further sensitivity and instrument studies to help finalize the definition of the SCIAMACHY instrument, and consultation on optical and detector issues for both GOME and SCIAMACHY. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment was successfully launched on the ERS-2 satellite on April 20, 1995, during this reporting period, and is working in the expected fashion. The European Space Agency has made their selections from responses to the Announcement of Opportunity for GOME validation and science studies, part of the overall ERS AO. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) proposal has been selected. These proposals are primarily for access to the data; ESA does not provide research funding for the selected investigations. The SAO activities that are carried out as a result of selection by ESA are funded by the present grant, to the limit that can be accomplished at the present level of funding. SCIAMACHY is currently in Phase C/D. Instrument design is almost finalized and selection of infrared detectors from the initial production run has been made.

Chance, K. V.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Development and Flight of the NASA-Ames Research Center Payload on Spacelab-J

Spacelab-J was an international Spacelab mission with numerous innovative Japanese and American materials and life science experiments. Two of the Spacelab-J experiments were designed over a period of more than a decade by a team from NASA-Ames Research Center. The Frog Embryology Experiment investigated and is helping to resolve a century-long quandary on the effects of gravity on amphibian development. The Autogenic Feedback Training Experiment, flown on Spacelab-J as part of a multi-mission investigation, studied the effects of Autogenic Feedback Therapy on limiting the effects of Space Motion Sickness on astronauts. Both experiments employed the use of a wide variety of specially designed hardware to achieve the experiment objectives. This paper reviews the development of both experiments, from the initial announcement of opportunity in 1978, through selection on Spacelab-J and subsequent hardware and science procedures development, culminating in the highly successful Spacelab-J flight in September 1992.

Schmidt, Gregory K.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Science Instruments for the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF)

The AXAF program has undergone major changes since the Announcement of Opportunity was extended by NASA Headquarters in 1983. The Science Instruments (SI's) for AXAF have also experienced several design changes since they were competitively selected in 1985. Moreover, two separate complementary missions are now being baselined for AXAF; one is designated AXAF-I for imaging and will include the high precision Wolter type I optics, and the other is called AXAF-S for spectroscopy. The resulting less-costly AXAF will still be superior to any previous x-ray observatories. Both missions continue to be managed. AXAF-I contains two focal plane SI's, the High Resolution Camera (HRC), and the AXAF Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imaging spectrometer (ACIS), as well as the High-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (HETGS) and the Low-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETGS). Optics/Cryogenics Division (BECD). AXAF-S features only one focal plane SI, the X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS). The grazing incidence mirrors for this mission are mainly to provide a large collecting area and to concentrate these x-ray photons onto the XRS detector. Precise focusing, although preferred, is of secondary importance. Nested conical foil mirrors are currently baselined; however, replicated imaging optics are being evaluated for collecting efficiency and cost. AXAF-S is scheduled to be launched in late 1999. It has been designated as an MSFC in-house project. In addition to overall management, MSFC is fully responsible for the design, development, integration, and test of the complete AXAF-S observatory, including the XRS which will be furnished by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Together, AXAF-I and AXAF-S constitute the third of NASA's series of Great Observatories, joining the Hubble space telescope (HST) and the Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO) which are already operational. The develop- ment, launch, and operation of the Space InfraRed Telescope Facility (SIRTF) will follow later to complete the Great Observatory series. This paper summarizes the impact these changes have had on the SI's.

Carl E Winkler↗