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This paper summarizes the architecture, capabilities, characteristics and uses of the current SPICE ancillary information system, and then outlines plans and ideas for how this system can be extended to meet future space mission requirements.
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SPICE is an information system providing space scientists ready access to a wide assortment of space geometry useful in planning science observations and analyzing the instrument data returned therefrom. The system includes software used to compute many derived parameters such as altitude, LAT/LON and lighting angles, and software able to find when user-specified geometric conditions are obtained. While not a formal standard, it has achieved widespread use in the worldwide planetary science community
NASA's SPICE information system for archiving, distributing, and accessing spacecraft navigation, orientation, and other ancillary data is described. A proposal is made for the further evolution of this concept to an internationally useful standard, to be.
A portable multimission information system named SPICE is used to assemble, archive, and provide easy access to viewing and other ancillary information needed by space scientists to interpret observations of bodies within our solar system. The modular nature of this system lends it to use in planning such observations as well. Since a successful proof of concept on Voyager, the SPICE system has been adapted to several recent JPL spacecraft missions and a variety of ground based operations. Other adaptations are underway. SPICE has been used to support observation planning for moving targets on the Hubble Space Telescope Project. Applications for SPICE on earth science, space physics, and other astrophysics missions are under consideration.
A portable multimission information system named SPICE is used to assemble, archive, and provide easy user access to viewing geometry and other ancillary information needed by space scientists to interpret observations of bodies within our solar system. The modular nature of this system lends it to use in planning such observations as well. With a successful proof of concept on Voyager, the SPICE system has been adapted to the Magellan, Galileo and Mars Observer missions, and to a variety of ground based operations. Adaptation of SPICE for Cassini and the Russian Mars 94/96 projects is underway, and work on Cassini will follow, SPICE has been used to support observation planning for moving targets on the Hubble Space Telescope Project. Applications for SPICE on earth science, space physics and other astrophysics missions are under consideration.
JPL's Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) has primary responsibility for design and implementation of the SPICE ancillary information system, supporting a wide range of space science mission design, observation planning and data analysis functions/activities. NAIF also serves as the geometry and ancillary data node of the Planetary Data System (PDS). As part of the PDS, NAIF archives SPICE and other ancillary data produced by flight projects. NAIF then distributes these data, and associated data access software and high-level tools, to researchers funded by NASA's Office of Space Science. Support for a broader user community is also offered to the extent resources permit. This paper describes the SPICE system and customer support offered by NAIF.
NASA's "SPICE" ancillary information system has gradually become the de facto international standard for providing scientists the fundamental observation geometry needed to perform photogrammetry, map making and other kinds of planetary science data analysis. SPICE provides position and orientation ephemerides of both the robotic spacecraft and the target body; target body size and shape data; instrument mounting alignment and field-of-view geometry; reference frame specifications; and underlying time system conversions.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
SPICE is NASA's multimission, multidiscipline information system for assembling, distributing, archiving, and accessing space science geometry and related data used by scientists and engineers for mission design and mission evaluation, detailed observation planning, mission operations, and science data analysis.
"SPICE" is an information system, comprising both data and software, providing engineers and scientists with the geometry data needed to help design robotic solar system missions, conduct mission engineering operations, plan observations from instruments, and analyze the data returned from those observations. The SPICE system has been used on the majority of worldwide planetary exploration missions since the time of NASA's Magellan mission to Venus, and it appears to be the ancillary information system of choice for most future solar system exploration missions. Along with its "free" price tag, portability and the absence of licensing and export restrictions, its stable, enduring qualities and substantial user support in terms of training and consultation help make it a popular choice among scientists and engineers.
The Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) team, acting under the directions of NASA's Office of Space Science, has built a data system-named SPICE, to assist scientists in planning and interpreting scientific observations from space-borne instruments. The principal objective of this data system is that it will provide geometric and other ancillary data used to plan space science missions and subsequently recover the full value of science instrument data returned from these missions, including correlation of individual instrument data sets with data from other instruments on the same or other spacecraft. SPICE is also used to support a host of mission engineering functions, such as telecommunications system analysis and operation of NASA's Deep Space Network antennas. This paper describes the SPICE system, including where and how it is used. It also touches on possibilities for further development and invites participation it this endeavor.
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