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NASA NTRS2010

Space Flight Resource Management for ISS Operations

Although the astronaut training flow for the International Space Station (ISS) spans 2 years, each astronaut or cosmonaut often spends most of their training alone. Rarely is it operationally feasible for all six ISS crewmembers to train together, even more unlikely that crewmembers can practice living together before launch. Likewise, ISS Flight Controller training spans 18 months of learning to manage incredibly complex systems remotely in plug-and-play ground teams that have little to no exposure to crewmembers before a mission. How then do all of these people quickly become a team - a team that must respond flexibly yet decisively to a variety of situations? The answer implemented at NASA is Space Flight Resource Management (SFRM), the so-called "soft skills" or team performance skills. Based on Crew Resource Management, SFRM was developed first for shuttle astronauts and focused on managing human errors during time-critical events (Rogers, et al. 2002). Given the nature of life on ISS, the scope of SFRM for ISS broadened to include teamwork during prolonged and routine operations (O'Keefe, 2008). The ISS SFRM model resembles a star with one competency for each point: Communication, Cross-Culture, Teamwork, Decision Making, Team Care, Leadership/Followership, Conflict Management, and Situation Awareness. These eight competencies were developed with international participation by the Human Behavior and Performance Training Working Group. Over the last two years, these competencies have been used to build a multi-modal SFRM training flow for astronaut candidates and flight controllers that integrates team performance skills into the practice of technical skills. Preliminary results show trainee skill increases as the flow progresses; and participants find the training invaluable to performing well and staying healthy during ISS operations. Future development of SFRM training will aim to help support indirect handovers as ISS operations evolve further with the retirement of the Space Shuttle Program.

Schmidt, Lacey L.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Ka-Band Atmospheric Phase Stability Measurements in Goldstone, CA; White Sands, NM; and Guam

As spacecraft communication links are driven to higher frequencies (e.g. Ka-band) both by spectrum congestion and the appeal of higher data rates, the propagation phenomena at these frequencies must be well characterized for effective system design. In particular, the phase stability of a site at a given frequency will govern whether or not the site is a practical location for an antenna array, particularly if uplink capabilities are desired. Propagation studies to characterize such phenomena must be done on a site-by-site basis due to the wide variety of climates and weather conditions at each ground terminal. Accordingly, in order to statistically characterize the atmospheric effects on Ka-Band links, site test interferometers (STIs) have been deployed at three of NASA's operational sites to directly measure each site's tropospheric phase stability. Using three years of results from these experiments, this paper will statistically characterize the simultaneous atmospheric phase noise measurements recorded by the STIs deployed at the following ground station sites: the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, CA; the White Sands Ground Terminal near Las Cruces, NM; and the Guam Remote Ground Terminal on the island of Guam.

Interferometry↗

NASA NTRS1998

NASA/Mir Phase 1: A Lesson Learned in Long Duration Mission Planning and Operations

The NASA/Mir Phase I Program is a precursor to the assembly and operations of the International Space Station (ISS). The Phase I Program covers a four-year period and encompasses over ten shuttle flights to the Mir, culminating with the flight of STS-91 in June 1998. The Mir-Orbiting Station (Mir-OS) provides an excellent environment, both onboard and on the ground, for learning and studying the characteristics associated with crew-tended operations on long duration missions. By the end of the Phase I program, NASA astronauts will have accumulated over two years of continuous operations experience working and living onboard the Mir-OS. Ground controllers, working in Russia and at remote sites in the United States, will have gained valuable experience in the generation, maintenance, and coordination of the information and products required to support the long duration crew members onboard the Mir-OS. The experience gained by the crew and ground support personnel in the area of long duration mission operations has resulted in a number of factors that need to be considered in the definition and implementation of the processes and products for the ISS. While there are many areas in which experience has been gained, this paper focuses on the lessons learned regarding the level of detail and flexibility of crew timelines. Provided in this paper is an overview of the characteristics associated with long duration mission timeline development and execution, a summary of applicable lessons learned identified and documented through participation in the NASA/Mir Phase I Program, a detailed discussion of "Gross Timelines" as implementation which addresses the lessons learned. Also discussed are the challenges that must be overcome in getting the ISS program to recognize, evaluate, and learn from the crew and ground controller experience gained through participation in the NASA/Mir Phase I Program.

Hagopian, Jeff↗

NASA NTRS1997

Applied Virtual Reality in Reusable Launch Vehicle Design, Operations Development, and Training

Application of Virtual Reality (VR) technology offers much promise to enhance and accelerate the development of Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) infrastructure and operations while simultaneously reducing developmental and operational costs. One of the primary cost areas in the RLV concept that is receiving special attention is maintenance and refurbishment operations. To produce and operate a cost effective RLV, turnaround cost must be minimized. Designing for maintainability is a necessary requirement in developing RLVs. VR can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is beginning to utilize VR for design, operations development, and design analysis for RLVs. A VR applications program has been under development at NASA/MSFC since 1989. The objectives of the MSFC VR Applications Program are to develop, assess, validate, and utilize VR in hardware development, operations development and support, mission operations training and science training. The NASA/MSFC VR capability has also been utilized in several applications. These include: 1) the assessment of the design of the late Space Station Freedom Payload Control Area (PCA), the control room from which onboard payload operations are managed; 2) a viewing analysis of the Tethered Satellite System's (TSS) "end-of-reel" tether marking options; 3) development of a virtual mockup of the International Space Welding Experiment for science viewing analyses from the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System elbow camera and as a trainer for ground controllers; and 4) teleoperations using VR. This presentation will give a general overview of the MSFC VR Applications Program and describe the use of VR in design analyses, operations development, and training for RLVs.

Hale, Joseph P.↗

NASA NTRS1973

The Synchronous Meteorological Satellite /SMS/ system

Description of the fundamental design criteria and operational features of the spacecraft subsystems and ground facilities comprising the SMS program. The main objectives of the program are to provide day and night information on the earth's weather by means of earth imaging, retransmission of imaged data, data collection, data relay, and space environment monitoring. Attention is given to the launch and orbital station-keeping functions, onboard sensors used to provide remote imagery, data transmission from the satellite to command and regional ground stations, and examples of meteorological services resulting from use of this satellite.

Fordyce, D. V.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Ames life science telescience testbed evaluation

Eight surrogate spaceflight mission specialists participated in a real-time evaluation of remote coaching using the Ames Life Science Telescience Testbed facility. This facility consisted of three remotely located nodes: (1) a prototype Space Station glovebox; (2) a ground control station; and (3) a principal investigator's (PI) work area. The major objective of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of telescience techniques and hardware to support three realistic remote coaching science procedures: plant seed germinator charging, plant sample acquisition and preservation, and remote plant observation with ground coaching. Each scenario was performed by a subject acting as flight mission specialist, interacting with a payload operations manager and a principal investigator expert. All three groups were physically isolated from each other yet linked by duplex audio and color video communication channels and networked computer workstations. Workload ratings were made by the flight and ground crewpersons immediately after completing their assigned tasks. Time to complete each scientific procedural step was recorded automatically. Two expert observers also made performance ratings and various error assessments. The results are presented and discussed.

Haines, Richard F.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Application of differential GPS to civil helicopter terminal guidance

NASA is conducting a research program to evaluate differential Global Positioning System (GPS) concepts for civil helicopter navigation. It is pointed out that the civil helicopter community will probably be an early user of GPS because of the unique mission operations in areas where precise navigation aids are not available. Applications with very demanding accuracy requirements are related to remote area search and rescue, offshore oil platform approach, remote area precision landing, and other precise navigation operations. Differential GPS appears to provide a solution for meeting the accuracy requirements involved in the considered operations. The present investigation is concerned with results obtained in three areas studied in connection with the conducted research program. Attention is given to mission-tailored satellite selection, a satellite selection algorithm concept, satellite selection algorithm simulation results, and differential GPS ground station design.

Denaro, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Looking at Earth from space

This vendor equipment list was developed with NASA funding by the Dallas Remote Imaging Group (DRIG) and the Maryland Pilot Earth Science and Technology Education Network (MAPS-NET) project as a reference guide to low-cost ground station equipment for direct readout, the capability to acquire information directly from environmental satellites. Products were tested with the following standards in mind: ease of use; user friendliness and completeness of manual and instructions; total system cost for computer, geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES), and automatic picture transmission (APT) capability under $4000; and vendor stability in the industry.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2018

Human-Automation Allocations for Current Robotic Space Operations

Within the Human Research Program, one risk delineates the uncertainty surrounding crew working with automation and robotics in spaceflight. The Risk of Inadequate Design of Human and Automation/Robotic Integration (HARI) is concerned with the detrimental effects on crew performance due to ineffective user interfaces, system designs and/or functional task allocation, potentially compromising mission success and safety. Risk arises because we have limited experience with complex automation and robotics. One key gap within HARI, is the gap related to functional allocation. The gap states: We need to evaluate, develop, and validate methods and guidelines for identifying human-automation/robot task information needs, function allocation, and team composition for future long duration, long distance space missions. Allocations determine the human-system performance as it identifies the functions and performance levels required by the automation/robotic system, and in turn, what work the crew is expected to perform and the necessary human performance requirements. Allocations must take into account each of the human, automation, and robotic systems capabilities and limitations. Some functions may be intuitively assigned to the human versus the robot, but to optimize efficiency and effectiveness, purposeful role assignments will be required. The role of automation and robotics will significantly change in future exploration missions, particularly as crew becomes more autonomous from ground controllers. Thus, we must understand the suitability of existing function allocation methods within NASA as well as the existing allocations established by the few robotic systems that are operational in spaceflight. In order to evaluate future methods of robotic allocations, we must first benchmark the allocations and allocation methods that have been used. We will present 1) documentation of human-automation-robotic allocations in existing, operational spaceflight systems; and 2) To gather existing lessons learned and best practices in these role assignments, from spaceflight operational experience of crew and ground teams that may be used to guide development for future systems. NASA and other space agencies have operational spaceflight experience with two key Human-Automation-Robotic (HAR) systems: heavy lift robotic arms and planetary robotic explorers. Additionally, NASA has invested in high-fidelity rover systems that can carry crew, building beyond Apollo's lunar rover. The heavy lift robotic arms reviewed are: Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), Japanese Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), and the European Robotic Arm (ERA, designed but not deployed in space). The robotic rover systems reviewed are: Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Science Laboratory rover, and the high-fidelity K10 rovers. Much of the design and operational feedback for these systems have been communicated to flight controllers and robotic design teams. As part of the mitigating the HARI risk for future human spaceflight operations, we must document function allocations between robots and humans that have worked well in practice.

robotic allocation↗

NASA NTRS2018

Portable, Low-Cost, Column Carbon Dioxide and Methane Measurements for Validating Satellite Observations in Remote Locations

We present a low-cost (~$10K per instrument), portable solution to ground-based validation of satellite observations for difficult to reach locations with precisions of 1 ppm XCO2 and 10 ppb XCH4 for hourly data products. While Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) is the gold-standard for ground validation, there are locations where a ground column validation data point would be useful but conditions are not conducive to a permanent station. Examples include wetlands, thawing permafrost, the tropics, the Amazon, sub-Saharan Africa, as well as locations without a power grid or with geopolitical conflict. In addition, the low-cost and portability mean a geographical region can be studied in depth with multiple instruments. This passive, sun-pointing instrument is a miniaturized, laser heterodyne radiometer (mini-LHR) that has been under development by our team since 2009. It can be operated either in tandem with AERONET (a global network of 500 instruments that measure aerosol optical depth), or as a stand-alone instrument with a low-cost (~$3K), light-weight sun tracker. One of the main benefits of the mini-LHR is that it can quickly reach remote locations and provide a validation measurement even if there is limited or no infrastructure at the site. The instrument weighs ~10 lbs, fits into a backpack, and is powered by two folding solar panels and a battery pack. In clear conditions, the instrument can be set-up in under an hour. Portability means that mini-LHRs can be easily moved for side-by-side comparisons with other mini-LHRs and with TCCON which simplifies assessing instrument bias as well as accuracy. Like TCCON, the mini-LHR points directly at the sun with a narrow field-of-view and is its insensitivity to cloud and aerosol scattering that is common to nadir-pointing passive satellite approaches. Here we present a collection of sample data sets to demonstrate performance from locations that vary in climate, altitude, solar zenith angle, hours of sun per day, etc., as well as data from side-by-side TCCON comparisons. Retrievals of CO2 and CH4 were completed using the NASA/Goddard's Planetary Spectrum Generator (PSG) that incorporates meteorological inputs from Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) data set.

Wilson, Emily W.↗

NASA NTRS2004

A modular suite of hardware enabling spaceflight cell culture research

BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Research Partnership Center (RPC), has developed and operated various middeck payloads launched on 23 shuttle missions since 1991 in support of commercial space biotechnology projects. Modular cell culture systems are contained within the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) suite of flight-qualified hardware, compatible with Space Shuttle, SPACEHAB, Spacelab and International Space Station (ISS) EXPRESS Rack interfaces. As part of the CGBA family, the Isothermal Containment Module (ICM) incubator provides thermal control, data acquisition and experiment manipulation capabilities, including accelerometer launch detection for automated activation and thermal profiling for culture incubation and sample preservation. The ICM can accommodate up to 8 individually controlled temperature zones. Command and telemetry capabilities allow real-time downlink of data and video permitting remote payload operation and ground control synchronization. Individual cell culture experiments can be accommodated in a variety of devices ranging from 'microgravity test tubes' or standard 100 mm Petri dishes, to complex, fed-batch bioreactors with automated culture feeding, waste removal and multiple sample draws. Up to 3 levels of containment can be achieved for chemical fixative addition, and passive gas exchange can be provided through hydrophobic membranes. Many additional options exist for designing customized hardware depending on specific science requirements.

manned↗

NASA NTRS2019

Providing Small Satellite Communications Using the NOAA GOES Satellite

The results of a LEO to GEO communication system using the NOAA GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) DCS (Data Collection System) are presented. The DCS system was designed to collect climate-related data from remote unmanned stations. Data are uplinked to one of the two operational satellites via an aggregated link to the NASA Wallops Facility. The modified LEO transmitter, one of the 7 transmitters flown on the TechEdSat-8 nano-satellite, is designed to compensate for the Doppler effects to ensure the communication link. Though a slow data rate initially, the system may offer another convenient means of transmitting data from LEO to ground stations any time during an orbit. The experiment will allow for an assessment of this as a future communication system development path - as well as the very interesting extension of the system for a comparable system at Mars for climatic surveys from ground stations (hence, a Mars radio).

Stone, T.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Telescience testbedding: An implementation approach

Telescience is the term used to describe a concept being developed by NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) under the Science and Applications Information System (SAIS) Program. This concept focuses on the development of an ability for all OSSA users to be remotely interactive with all provided information system services for the Space Station era. This concept includes access to services provided by both flight and ground components of the system and emphasizes the accommodation of users from their home institutions. Key to the development of the telescience capability is an implementation approach called rapid-prototype testbedding. This testbedding is used to validate the concept and test the applicability of emerging technologies and operational methodologies. Testbedding will be used to first determine the feasibility of an idea and then the applicability to real science usage. Once a concept is deemed viable, it will be integrated into the operational system for real time support. It is believed that this approach will greatly decrease the expense of implementing the eventual system and will enhance the resultant capabilities of the delivered system.

Leiner, Barry M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

The Video Guidance Sensor: Space, Earth, Ground, and Sea

Engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been developing and testing video-based sensors for automated spacecraft guidance for several years. The next generation of Video Guidance Sensor (VGS) is being designed to be faster and more capable than ever. It will have applications to relative position measurement in any field of endeavor. The system works by sequentially firing two different wavelengths of laser diodes at the target (which has retroreflectors) and processing the two images. Since the target only reflects one wavelength, it shows up well in one image and not at all in the other. Because the target's dimensions are known, the relative positions and attitudes of the target and the sensor can be computed from the spots reflected from the target. The current sensor operates at 5 Hz at ranges from 1 to 110 meters with a 20 deg. field-of-view. The Video Guidance Sensor (VGS) developed over the past several years has performed well in testing and met the objective of being used as the terminal guidance sensor for an automated rendezvous and capture system. The first VGS was successfully tested in closed-loop 3-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) tests in 1989 and then in 6-DOF open-loop tests in 1992 and closed-loop tests in 1993-4. Development and testing continued, and in 1995 approval was given to test the VGS in an experiment on the Space Shuttle. The VGS flew in 1997 and in 1998, performing well during both flight experiments. During the development and testing before, during, and after the flight experiments, numerous areas for improvement were found. The next generation of VGS is being designed to operate at up to 100 Hz tracking rates and at ranges from 0.5 to 200 meters. In addition to its use as a spacecraft guidance sensor, it could be used as an alignment aid for an operator of a remote system (giving position and attitude feedback data), as a feedback system for a robotic arm, or for automated vehicle guidance. The next generation VGS, with its higher tracking rates, smaller size, and lower power could be used in more places than the original VGS, and by using LED's instead of laser diodes, the system would be eye-safe at any range. More potential applications include aerial station keeping (keeping 2 or more autonomous aircraft within particular relative positions), under-water robotics, and the guidance of ground vehicles in predefined areas equipped with sets of targets.

Howard, Richard T.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Orbital construction support equipment - Manned remote work station

The Manned Remote Work Station (MRWS) is a versatile piece of orbital construction support equipment which can support in-space construction in various modes of operation. Proposed near-term Space Shuttle mission support and future large orbiting systems support, along with the various construction modes of MRWS operation, are discussed. Preliminary flight subsystems requirements and configuration design are presented. Integration of the MRWS development test article with the JSC Mockup and Integration Facility, including ground-test objectives and techniques for zero-g simulations, is also presented.

Nassiff, S. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Intelligent systems technology infrastructure for integrated systems

Significant advances have occurred during the last decade in intelligent systems technologies (a.k.a. knowledge-based systems, KBS) including research, feasibility demonstrations, and technology implementations in operational environments. Evaluation and simulation data obtained to date in real-time operational environments suggest that cost-effective utilization of intelligent systems technologies can be realized for Automated Rendezvous and Capture applications. The successful implementation of these technologies involve a complex system infrastructure integrating the requirements of transportation, vehicle checkout and health management, and communication systems without compromise to systems reliability and performance. The resources that must be invoked to accomplish these tasks include remote ground operations and control, built-in system fault management and control, and intelligent robotics. To ensure long-term evolution and integration of new validated technologies over the lifetime of the vehicle, system interfaces must also be addressed and integrated into the overall system interface requirements. An approach for defining and evaluating the system infrastructures including the testbed currently being used to support the on-going evaluations for the evolutionary Space Station Freedom Data Management System is presented and discussed. Intelligent system technologies discussed include artificial intelligence (real-time replanning and scheduling), high performance computational elements (parallel processors, photonic processors, and neural networks), real-time fault management and control, and system software development tools for rapid prototyping capabilities.

Lum, Henry, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Teleoperator maneuvering system

The teleoperator maneuvering system (TMS), consisting of the vehicle, the shuttle orbiter bay cradle with airborne support equipment, and the aft flight deck control station, is described. The vehicle is a reusable remotely controlled free flying vehicle capable of a variety of missions including payload placement, retrieval, servicing, viewing, and large space systems assembly support. The TMS flies preprogrammed trajectories as well as being controlled or reprogrammed from the aft flight deck or the ground. A building block design philosophy is described which permits the evolution of capability as it is needed and delays cost as much as possible. Various mission operations are discussed.

Turner, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Aerospace Communications Security Technologies Demonstrated

In light of the events of September 11, 2001, NASA senior management requested an investigation of technologies and concepts to enhance aviation security. The investigation was to focus on near-term technologies that could be demonstrated within 90 days and implemented in less than 2 years. In response to this request, an internal NASA Glenn Research Center Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance Aviation Security Tiger Team was assembled. The 2-year plan developed by the team included an investigation of multiple aviation security concepts, multiple aircraft platforms, and extensively leveraged datalink communications technologies. It incorporated industry partners from NASA's Graphical Weather-in-the-Cockpit research, which is within NASA's Aviation Safety Program. Two concepts from the plan were selected for demonstration: remote "black box," and cockpit/cabin surveillance. The remote "black box" concept involves real-time downlinking of aircraft parameters for remote monitoring and archiving of aircraft data, which would assure access to the data following the loss or inaccessibility of an aircraft. The cockpit/cabin surveillance concept involves remote audio and/or visual surveillance of cockpit and cabin activity, which would allow immediate response to any security breach and would serve as a possible deterrent to such breaches. The datalink selected for the demonstrations was VDL Mode 2 (VHF digital link), the first digital datalink for air-ground communications designed for aircraft use. VDL Mode 2 is beginning to be implemented through the deployment of ground stations and aircraft avionics installations, with the goal of being operational in 2 years. The first demonstration was performed December 3, 2001, onboard the LearJet 25 at Glenn. NASA worked with Honeywell, Inc., for the broadcast VDL Mode 2 datalink capability and with actual Boeing 757 aircraft data. This demonstration used a cockpitmounted camera for video surveillance and a coupling to the intercom system for audio surveillance. Audio, video, and "black box" data were simultaneously streamed to the ground, where they were displayed to a Glenn audience of senior management and aviation security team members.

Griner, James H.↗