Lunar Surface Communications Architecture: Commercial/International Collaborations
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Science Hybrid Orbiter and Lunar Relay (SCHOLR) Architecture and Design
Considered both a stepping-stone to deep space and a key to unlocking the mysteries of planetary formation, the Moon offers a unique opportunity for scientific study. Robotic precursor missions are being developed to improve technology and enable new approaches to exploration. Robots, lunar landers, and satellites play significant roles in advancing science and technologies, offering close range and in-situ observations. Science and exploration data gathered from these nodes and a lunar science satellite is intended to support future human expeditions and facilitate future utilization of lunar resources. To attain a global view of lunar science, the nodes will be distributed over the lunar surface, including locations on the far side of the Moon. Given that nodes on the lunar far side do not have direct line-of-sight for Earth communications, the planned presence of such nodes creates the need for a lunar communications relay satellite. Since the communications relay capability would only be required for a small portion of the satellite s orbit, it may be possible to include communication relay components on a science spacecraft. Furthermore, an integrated satellite has the potential to reduce lunar surface mission costs. A SCience Hybrid Orbiter and Lunar Relay (SCHOLR) is proposed to accomplish scientific goals while also supporting the communications needs of landers on the far side of the Moon. User needs and design drivers for the system were derived from the anticipated needs of future robotic and lander missions. Based on these drivers and user requirements, accommodations for communications payload aboard a science spacecraft were developed. A team of interns identified and compared possible SCHOLR architectures. The final SCHOLR architecture was analyzed in terms of orbiter lifetime, lunar surface coverage, size, mass, power, and communications data rates. This paper presents the driving requirements, operational concept, and architecture views for SCHOLR within a lunar surface nodal network. Orbital and bidirectional link analysis, between lunar nodes, orbiter, and Earth, as well as a conceptual design for the spacecraft are also presented
Trase, Kathryn K.↗
Options for a lunar base surface architecture
The Planet Surface Systems Office at the NASA Johnson Space Center has participated in an analysis of the Space Exploration Initiative architectures described in the Synthesis Group report. This effort involves a Systems Engineering and Integration effort to define point designs for evolving lunar and Mars bases that support substantial science, exploration, and resource production objectives. The analysis addresses systems-level designs; element requirements and conceptual designs; assessments of precursor and technology needs; and overall programmatics and schedules. This paper focuses on the results of the study of the Space Resource Utilization Architecture. This architecture develops the capability to extract useful materials from the indigenous resources of the Moon and Mars. On the Moon, a substantial infrastructure is emplaced which can support a crew of up to twelve. Two major process lines are developed: one produces oxygen, ceramics, and metals; the other produces hydrogen, helium, and other volatiles. The Moon is also used for a simulation of a Mars mission. Significant science capabilities are established in conjunction with resource development. Exploration includes remote global surveys and piloted sorties of local and regional areas. Science accommodations include planetary science, astronomy, and biomedical research. Greenhouses are established to provide a substantial amount of food needs.
Roberts, Barney B.↗
Software Architecture for Planetary and Lunar Robotics
A viewgraph presentation on the role that software architecture plays in space and lunar robotics is shown. The topics include: 1) The Intelligent Robotics Group; 2) The Lunar Mission; 3) Lunar Robotics; and 4) Software Architecture for Space Robotics.
Utz, Hans↗
NASA Human Spaceflight Architecture Team Cis-Lunar Analysis
The Cis-Lunar Destination Team of NASA's Human Spaceflight Architecture Teait1 (HAT) has been perfom1ing analyses of a number of cis-lunar locations to infom1 architecture development, transportation and destination elements definition, and operations. The cis-lunar domain is defined as that area of deep space under the gravitation influence of the earth-moon system, including a set of orbital locations (low earth orbit (LEO]. geosynchronous earth orbit [GEO]. highly elliptical orbits [HEO]); earth-moon libration or "Lagrange·· points (EMLl through EMLS, and in particular, EMLI and EML2), and low lunar orbit (LLO). We developed a set of cis-lunar mission concepts defined by mission duration, pre-deployment, type of mission, and location, to develop mission concepts and the associated activities, capabilities, and architecture implications. To date, we have produced two destination operations J concepts based on present human space exploration architectural considerations. We have recently begun defining mission activities that could be conducted within an EM LI or EM L2 facility.
Lupisella, M.↗
Mission Architecture Comparison for Human Lunar Exploration
The Vision for Space Exploration outlines a bold new national space exploration policy that holds as one of its primary objectives the extension of human presence outward into the Solar System, starting with a return to the Moon in preparation for the future exploration of Mars and beyond. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is currently engaged in several preliminary analysis efforts in order to develop the requirements necessary for implementing this objective in a manner that is both sustainable and affordable. Such analyses investigate various operational concepts, or mission architectures , by which humans can best travel to the lunar surface, live and work there for increasing lengths of time, and then return to Earth. This paper reports on a trade study conducted in support of NASA s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate investigating the relative merits of three alternative lunar mission architecture strategies. The three architectures use for reference a lunar exploration campaign consisting of multiple 90-day expeditions to the Moon s polar regions, a strategy which was selected for its high perceived scientific and operational value. The first architecture discussed incorporates the lunar orbit rendezvous approach employed by the Apollo lunar exploration program. This concept has been adapted from Apollo to meet the particular demands of a long-stay polar exploration campaign while assuring the safe return of crew to Earth. Lunar orbit rendezvous is also used as the baseline against which the other alternate concepts are measured. The first such alternative, libration point rendezvous, utilizes the unique characteristics of the cislunar libration point instead of a low altitude lunar parking orbit as a rendezvous and staging node. Finally, a mission strategy which does not incorporate rendezvous after the crew ascends from the Moon is also studied. In this mission strategy, the crew returns directly to Earth from the lunar surface, and is thus referred to as direct return. Figures of merit in the areas of safety and mission success, mission effectiveness, extensibility, and affordability are used to evaluate and compare the lunar orbit rendezvous, libration point rendezvous, and direct return architectures, and this paper summarizes the results of those assessments.
Geffre, Jim↗
A Low Cost Spacecraft Architecture for Robotic Lunar Exploration Projects
A program of frequent, capable, but affordable lunar robotic missions prior to return of humans to the moon can contribute to the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) NASA is tasked to execute. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and its secondary payload are scheduled to orbit the moon, and impact it, respectively, in 2008. It is expected that the sequence of missions occurring for approximately the decade after 2008 will place an increasing emphasis on soft landed payloads. These missions are requited to explore intrinsic characteristics of the moon, such as hydrogen distribution in the regolith, and levitated dust, to demonstrate the ability to access and process in-situ resources, and to demonstrate functions critical to supporting human presence, such as automated precision navigation and landing. Additional factors governing the design of spacecraft to accomplish this diverse set of objectives are: operating within a relatively modest funding profile, the need tb visit multiple sites (both polar and equatorial) repeatedly, and to use the current generation of launch vehicles. In the US, this implies use of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles, or EELVs, although this design philosophy may be extended to launch vehicles of other nations, as well. Many of these factors are seemingly inconsistent with each other. For example, the cost of a spacecraft usually increases with mass; therefore the desire to fly frequent, modestly priced spacecraft seems to imply small spacecraft (< 1 Mt, injected mass). On the other hand, the smallest of the EELVs will inject approx. 3 Mt. on a Trans Lunar Injection (TLI) trajectory md would therefore be wasteful or launching a single, small spacecraft. Increasing the technical capability of a spacecraft (such as autonomous navigation and soft landing) also usually increases cost. A strategy for spacecraft design that meets these conflicting requirements is presented. Taken together, spacecraft structure and propulsion subsystems constitute the majority of spacecraft mass; saving development and integration cost on these elements is critical to controlling cost. Therefore, a low cost, modular design for spacecraft structure and propulsion subsystems is presented which may be easily scaled up or down for either insertion into lunar orbit or braking for landing on the lunar surface. In order to effectively use the approx.3 Mt mass-to-TLI of the EELV, two low cost spacecraft will be manifested on the same launch. One spacecraft will be located on top of the other for launch and the two will have to be released in sequence in order to achieve all mission objectives. The two spacecraft could both be landers, both orbiters, or one lander and one orbiter. In order to achieve mass efficiency, the body of the spacecraft will serve the dual purposes of carrying launch loads and providing attachment points for all the spacecraft subsystems. In order to avoid unaffordable technology development costs, small liquid propulsion components and autonomous, scene-matching navigation cameras may be adapted from military missile programs in order to execute precision soft landings.
Lemke, Lawrence G.↗
Altair Lunar Lander Development Status: Enabling Human Lunar Exploration
As a critical part of the NASA Constellation Program lunar transportation architecture, the Altair lunar lander will return humans to the moon and enable a sustained program of lunar exploration. The Altair is to deliver up to four crew to the surface of the moon and return them to low lunar orbit at the completion of their mission. Altair will also be used to deliver large cargo elements to the lunar surface, enabling the buildup of an outpost. The Altair Project initialized its design using a minimum functionality approach that identified critical functionality required to meet a minimum set of Altair requirements. The Altair team then performed several analysis cycles using risk-informed design to selectively add back components and functionality to increase the vehicles safety and reliability. The analysis cycle results were captured in a reference Altair design. This design was reviewed at the Constellation Lunar Capabilities Concept Review, a Mission Concept Review, where key driving requirements were confirmed and the Altair Project was given authorization to begin Phase A project formulation. A key objective of Phase A is to revisit the Altair vehicle configuration, to better optimize it to complete its broad range of crew and cargo delivery missions. Industry was invited to partner with NASA early in the design to provide their insights regarding Altair configuration and key engineering challenges. A blended NASA-industry team will continue to refine the lander configuration and mature the vehicle design over the next few years. This paper will update the international community on the status of the Altair Project as it addresses the challenges of project formulation, including optimizing a vehicle configuration based on the work of the NASA Altair Project team, industry inputs and the plans going forward in designing the Altair lunar lander.
Laurini, Kathleen C.↗
Altair Lunar Lander Development Status: Enabling Lunar Exploration
As a critical part of the NASA Constellation Program lunar transportation architecture, the Altair lunar lander will return humans to the moon and enable a sustained program of lunar exploration. The Altair is to deliver up to four crew to the surface of the moon and return them to low lunar orbit at the completion of their mission. Altair will also be used to deliver large cargo elements to the lunar surface, enabling the buildup of an outpost. The Altair Project initialized its design using a "minimum functionality" approach that identified critical functionality required to meet a minimum set of Altair requirements. The Altair team then performed several analysis cycles using risk-informed design to selectively add back components and functionality to increase the vehicle's safety and reliability. The analysis cycle results were captured in a reference Altair design. This design was reviewed at the Constellation Lunar Capabilities Concept Review, a Mission Concept Review, where key driving requirements were confirmed and the Altair Project was given authorization to began Phase A project formulation. A key objective of Phase A is to revisit the Altair vehicle configuration, to better optimize it to complete its broad range of crew and cargo delivery missions. Industry was invited to partner with NASA early in the design to provide their insights regarding Altair configuration and key engineering challenges. NASA intends to continue to seek industry involvement in project formulation activities. This paper will update the international coimmunity on the status of the Altair Project as it addresses the challenges of project formulation, including optinuzing a vehicle configuration based on the work of the NASA Altair Project team, industry inputs and the plans going forward in designing the Altair lunar lander.
Laurini, Kathleen C.↗
The Lunar Space Communications Architecture From The KARI-NASA Joint Study
No abstract available
Tai, Wallace↗
An Integrated Architecture Study for Lunar Construction Operations
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Sarah A Triana↗
Architecture Study for a Fuel Depot Supplied from Lunar Assets
This architecture study sought to determine the optimum architecture for a fuel depot supplied from lunar assets. Four factors - the location of propellant processing (on the Moon or on the depot), the depot location (on the Moon, L1, GEO, or LEO), the propellant transfer location (L1, GEO, or LEO), and the propellant transfer method (bulk fuel or canister exchange) were combined to identify 18 candidate architectures. Two design reference missions (DRMs) - a commercial satellite servicing mission and a Government cargo mission to Mars - created demand for propellants, while a propellant delivery DRM examined supply issues. The study concluded Earth-Moon L1 is the best location for an orbiting depot. For all architectures, propellant boiloff was less than anticipated, and was far overshadowed by delta-v requirements and resulting fuel consumption. Bulk transfer is the most flexible for both the supplier and customer. However, since canister exchange bypasses the transfer of bulk cryogens and necessary chilldown losses, canister exchange shows promise and merits further investigation. Overall, this work indicates propellant consumption and loss is an essential factor in assessing fuel depot architectures.
Perrin, Thomas M.↗
Lunar Outpost Life Support Architecture Study Based on a High-Mobility Exploration Scenario
This paper presents results of a life support architecture study based on a 2009 NASA lunar surface exploration scenario known as Scenario 12. The study focuses on the assembly complete outpost configuration and includes pressurized rovers as part of a distributed outpost architecture in both stand-alone and integrated configurations. A range of life support architectures are examined reflecting different levels of closure and distributed functionality. Monte Carlo simulations are used to assess the sensitivity of results to volatile high-impact mission variables, including the quantity of residual Lander oxygen and hydrogen propellants available for scavenging, the fraction of crew time away from the outpost on excursions, total extravehicular activity hours, and habitat leakage. Surpluses or deficits of water and oxygen are reported for each architecture, along with fixed and 10-year total equivalent system mass estimates relative to a reference case. System robustness is discussed in terms of the probability of no water or oxygen resupply as determined from the Monte Carlo simulations.
Lange, Kevin E.↗
An Integrated Architecture Study for Autonomous Lunar Construction
Lunar construction is an expanding field within NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives that presents many challenges and requires innovative and reliable forms of autonomous operations on the surface of the Moon to further the technologies needed for human space exploration. Marshal Space Flight Center’s (MSFC) Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) addressed Lunar Infrastructure Objective LI-4 l by developing a Pre-Phase A, integrated architecture to inform a demonstration for lunar construction operations. The ACO study traded three architectures that would survey and prepare a construction area to build a landing pad out of lunar regolith using MMPACT (Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology) platforms, rovers, and navigation outposts. The main trades examined navigation for the system/architecture, options for rover navigation, battery vs continuous tether power for the MMPACT robotic arm, and assigning site prep functionality to the rovers vs the platforms. Results of the study determined that the best options for the scenario provided would be local navigation (more accurate and continuous), a combination of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for initial site mapping with subsequent Smart Video Guidance Sensors (SVGS) to save power for construction, and using tethered power to decrease mission duration. The team also concluded that assigning site prep functionality to either the rovers or the platforms has benefits and challenges; future studies could explore having that functionality on both the rovers and platforms. Lastly, the team provided a Concept of Operations (ConOps) timeline that can be used in real-time ground demonstrations to explore the mission timeline, construction processes, autonomous operations, and communication systems that can be tested using MSFC’s lunar regolith field and Lunar Utilization Control Area (LUCA).
Sarah Triana↗
A Proposed Communications Architecture for the First Lunar Outpost
The manned and robotic return to the moon envisioned in America's Space Exploration Initiative requires robust and reliable communications.
medium and protocols network management scheme↗
Lunar Outpost Life Support Architecture Study Based on a High Mobility Exploration Scenario
As scenarios for lunar surface exploration and habitation continue to evolve within NASA s Constellation program, so must studies of optimal life support system architectures and technologies. This paper presents results of a life support architecture study based on a 2009 NASA scenario known as Scenario 12. Scenario 12 represents a consolidation of ideas from earlier NASA scenarios and includes an outpost near the Lunar South Pole comprised of three larger fixed surface elements and four attached pressurized rovers. The scenario places a high emphasis on surface mobility, with planning assuming that all four crewmembers spend roughly 50% of the time away from the outpost on 3-14 day excursions in two of the pressurized rovers. Some of the larger elements can also be mobilized for longer duration excursions. This emphasis on mobility poses a significant challenge for a regenerative life support system in terms of cost-effective waste collection and resource recovery across multiple elements, including rovers with very constrained infrastructure resources. The current study considers pressurized rovers as part of a distributed outpost life support architecture in both stand-alone and integrated configurations. A range of architectures are examined reflecting different levels of closure and distributed functionality. Different lander propellant scavenging options are also considered involving either initial conversion of residual oxygen and hydrogen propellants to water or initial direct oxygen scavenging. Monte Carlo simulations are used to assess the sensitivity of results to volatile high-impact mission variables, including the quantity of residual lander propellants available for scavenging, the fraction of crew time away from the outpost on excursions, total extravehicular activity hours, and habitat leakage. Architectures are evaluated by estimating surpluses or deficits of water and oxygen per 180-day mission and differences in fixed and 10-year-total equivalent system mass (ESM) relative to a reference case. Results are presented based on current assumptions for Scenario 12 and based on Monte Carlo simulations with assumed probability distributions for the high-impact mission variables. The calculated probability of no water or oxygen resupply from Monte Carlo simulations provides a quantitative measure of system robustness that can be used for cost/benefit analyses to identify leading architecture candidates. Areas of technology improvement that are likely to have a significant impact are also suggested.
Lange, Kevin E.↗
Yet Another Lunar Surface Geologic Exploration Architecture Concept (What, Again?): A Senior Field Geologist's Integrated View
Lunar surface geological exploration should be founded on a number of key elements that are seemingly disparate, but which can form an integrated operational concept when properly conceived and deployed. If lunar surface geological exploration is to be useful, this integration of key elements needs to be undertaken throughout the development of both mission hardware, training and operational concepts. These elements include the concept of mission class, crew makeup and training, surface mobility assets that are matched with mission class, and field tools and IT assets that make data collection, sharing and archiving transparent to the surface crew.
Eppler, D. B.↗
Damage Tolerance Testing of a NASA TransHab Derivative Woven Inflatable Module
Current options for Lunar habitat architecture include inflatable habitats and airlocks. Inflatable structures can have mass and volume advantages over conventional structures. However, inflatable structures carry different inherent risks and are at a lower Technical Readiness Level (TRL) than more conventional metallic structures. One of the risks associated with inflatable structures is in understanding the tolerance to induced damage. The Damage Tolerance Test (DTT) is designed to study the structural integrity of an expandable structure. TransHab (Figure 1) was an experimental inflatable module developed at the NASA/Johnson Space Center in the 1990 s. The TransHab design was originally envisioned for use in Mars Transits but was also studied as a potential habitat for the International Space Station (ISS). The design of the TransHab module was based on a woven design using an Aramid fabric. Testing of this design demonstrated a high level of predictability and repeatability with analytical predictions of stresses and deflections. Based on JSC s experience with the design and analysis of woven inflatable structures, the Damage Tolerance Test article was designed and fabricated using a woven design. The DTT article was inflated to 45 psig, representing 25% of the ultimate burst pressure, and one of the one-inch wide longitudinal structural members was severed by initiating a Linear Shaped Charge (LSC). Strain gage measurements, at the interface between the expandable elements (straps) and the nonexpandable metallic elements for pre-selected longitudinal straps, were taken throughout pressurization of the module and strap separation. Strain gage measurements show no change in longitudinal strap loading at the bulkhead interface after strap separation indicating loads in the restraint layer were re-distributed local to the damaged area due to the effects of friction under high internal pressure loading. The test completed all primary objectives with better than expected results. This paper will discuss space inflatable structures, damage tolerance analysis, test results, and applicability to the Lunar architecture.
Edgecombe, John↗