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Results for “Space Mission Robotic Missions”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

Defining a Space Mission Architectural Framework: Guiding Robotic Space Mission Design and Development at NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

Modern Systems Engineering activities for robotic science missions face increased complexity due to evolving measurement requirements, increased collaboration amongst stakeholders and increased collaboration between human and robotic systems. While NASA has employed standard process frameworks for project management and systems engineering for years, it has not yet established an architecture framework (AF) by which its mission systems are described. While an architecture framework is not a necessary component of an organization's operations, the value of a specified AF greatly enhances an organization's ability to define systems consistently and aid in communication across project and organizational boundaries. The current effort identifies an approach to establishing a Space Mission Architecture Framework (SMAF), an AF with roots in ISO 42010 (Systems and Software Engineering-Architecture Description), NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 7120.5 (NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements) and 7123.1B (NASA Systems Engineering Processes and Requirements). The heart of the AF lies in its viewpoints and work products, artifacts that represent a set of information from the viewpoint of a particular stakeholder. This effort articulates the needs, goals and objectives that the SMAF addresses, as well as the approach to creating the framework and establishing the various work products. A full set of work products, sufficient to satisfy the Mission System reporting requirements of NPR 7120/7123 at Key Decision Point (KDP) A is identified in this paper.

Architecture↗
NASA NTRS2021

Accelerating the Use of Autonomy on Robotic Space Missions –Workshop Summary

The purpose of this workshop was to address the following questions: What are the impediments to making more use of autonomy on robotic space missions? Which of those impediments apply to which kinds of space missions? What is/can/could be done to overcome those impediments? Highlights of the workshop’s treatment of these topics are given herein.

Kaufman, James↗
NASA NTRS2021

Accelerating the Use of Autonomy on Robotic Space Missions –Workshop Summary

The purpose of this workshop was to address the following questions: What are the impediments to making more use of autonomy on robotic space missions? Which of those impediments apply to which kinds of space missions? What is/can/could be done to overcome those impediments? Highlights of the workshop’s treatment of these topics are given herein.

Kaufman, James M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Developing a Fault Management Guidebook for Nasa's Deep Space Robotic Missions

NASA designs and builds systems that achieve incredibly ambitious goals, as evidenced by the Curiosity rover traversing on Mars, the highly complex International Space Station orbiting our Earth, and the compelling plans for capturing, retrieving and redirecting an asteroid into a lunar orbit to create a nearby a target to be investigated by astronauts. In order to accomplish these feats, the missions must be imbued with sufficient knowledge and capability not only to realize the goals, but also to identify and respond to off-nominal conditions. Fault Management (FM) is the discipline of establishing how a system will respond to preserve its ability to function even in the presence of faults. In 2012, NASA released a draft FM Handbook in an attempt to coalesce the field by establishing a unified terminology and a common process for designing FM mechanisms. However, FM approaches are very diverse across NASA, especially between the different mission types such as Earth orbiters, launch vehicles, deep space robotic vehicles and human spaceflight missions, and the authors were challenged to capture and represent all of these views. The authors recognized that a necessary precursor step is for each sub-community to codify its FM policies, practices and approaches in individual, focused guidebooks. Then, the sub-communities can look across NASA to better understand the different ways off-nominal conditions are addressed, and to seek commonality or at least an understanding of the multitude of FM approaches. This paper describes the development of the "Deep Space Robotic Fault Management Guidebook," which is intended to be the first of NASA's FM guidebooks. Its purpose is to be a field-guide for FM practitioners working on deep space robotic missions, as well as a planning tool for project managers. Publication of this Deep Space Robotic FM Guidebook is expected in early 2015. The guidebook will be posted on NASA's Engineering Network on the FM Community of Practice website so that it will be available to all NASA projects. Future plans for subsequent guidebooks for the other NASA sub-communities are proposed.

Fesq, Lorraine M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Assurance of Autonomy for Robotic Space Missions

While there have been meetings on assurance of autonomy in other application areas, this meeting seeks to develop a roadmap for assurance of autonomy specifically for robotic space missions. Key characteristics that distinguish this application area include: the lack of detailed prior knowledge of the environments in which those missions are to operate; the challenges of mimicking deep space operating conditions for purposes of testing; the need to be highly assured of failsafe operation; limited and delayed (due to speed of light over solar system distances) communication; and the one/few-of-a-kind, must-work-the-first-time nature of most space missions.

Feather, Martin↗
NASA NTRS1991

Design of multihundredwatt DIPS for robotic space missions

Design of a dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) general purpose heat source (GPHS) and small free piston Stirling engine (FPSE) is being pursued as a potential lower cost alternative to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's). The design is targeted at the power needs of future unmanned deep space and planetary surface exploration missions ranging from scientific probes to SEI precursor missions. These are multihundredwatt missions. The incentive for any dynamic system is that it can save fuel which reduces cost and radiological hazard. However, unlike a conventional DIPS based on turbomachinery converions, the small Stirling DIPS can be advantageously scaled to multihundred watt unit size while preserving size and weight competitiveness with RTG's. Stirling conversion extends the range where dynamic systems are competitive to hundreds of watts (a power range not previously considered for dynamic systems). The challenge of course is to demonstrate reliability similar to RTG experience. Since the competative potential of FPSE as an isotope converter was first identified, work has focused on the feasibility of directly integrating GPHS with the Stirling heater head. Extensive thermal modeling of various radiatively coupled heat source/heater head geometries were performed using data furnished by the developers of FPSE and GPHS. The analysis indicates that, for the 1050 K heater head configurations considered, GPHS fuel clad temperatures remain within safe operating limits under all conditions including shutdown of one engine. Based on these results, preliminary characterizations of multihundred watt units were established.

Bents, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Design of multihundred-watt dynamic isotope power system for robotic space missions

The design of a multihundred-watt dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) based on the US Department of Energy (DOE) general-purpose heat source (GPHS) and small (multihundred-watt) free-piston Stirling engine (FPSE) is described as a potential lower cost alternative to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The design is targeted at the power needs of future unmanned deep space and planetary surface exploration missions. Since the competitive potential of FPSE as an isotope convertor was first identified, work has focused on the feasibility of directly integrating GPHS with the Stirling heater head. Thermal modeling of various radiatively coupled heat source/heater head geometries has been performed using data furnished by the developers of FPSE and GPHS. The analysis indicates that, for the 1050 K heater head configurations considered, GPHS fuel clad temperatures remain safe operating limits under all conditions including shutdown of one engine on a twin engine unit. Based on these results, preliminary characterizations of multihundred-watt units have been established. They indicate that, per electrical watt, the GPHS/small Stirling DIPS will be roughly equivalent to MOD RTG in size and mass but will require about a third the amount of isotope fuel.

Bents, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Design of small Stirling dynamic isotope power system for robotic space missions

Design of a multihundred-watt Dynamic Isotope Power System (DIPS) based on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) and small (multihundred-watt) free-piston Stirling engine (FPSE) technology is being pursued as a potential lower cost alternative to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's). The design is targeted at the power needs of future unmanned deep space and planetary surface exploration missions ranging from scientific probes to Space Exploration Initiative precursor missions. Power level for these missions is less than a kilowatt. Unlike previous DIPS designs which were based on turbomachinery conversion (e.g. Brayton), this small Stirling DIPS can be advantageously scaled down to multihundred-watt unit size while preserving size and mass competitiveness with RTG's. Preliminary characterization of units in the output power ranges 200-600 We indicate that on an electrical watt basis the GPHS/small Stirling DIPS will be roughly equivalent to an advanced RTG in size and mass but require less than a third of the isotope inventory.

Bents, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Small Stirling dynamic isotope power system for robotic space missions

The design of a multihundred-watt Dynamic Isotope Power System (DIPS), based on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) and small (multihundred-watt) free-piston Stirling engine (FPSE), is being pursued as a potential lower cost alternative to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's). The design is targeted at the power needs of future unmanned deep space and planetary surface exploration missions ranging from scientific probes to Space Exploration Initiative precursor missions. Power level for these missions is less than a kilowatt. The incentive for any dynamic system is that it can save fuel and reduce costs and radiological hazard. Unlike DIPS based on turbomachinery conversion (e.g. Brayton), this small Stirling DIPS can be advantageously scaled to multihundred-watt unit size while preserving size and mass competitiveness with RTG's. Stirling conversion extends the competitive range for dynamic systems down to a few hundred watts--a power level not previously considered for dynamic systems. The challenge for Stirling conversion will be to demonstrate reliability and life similar to RTG experience. Since the competitive potential of FPSE as an isotope converter was first identified, work has focused on feasibility of directly integrating GPHS with the Stirling heater head. Thermal modeling of various radiatively coupled heat source/heater head geometries has been performed using data furnished by the developers of FPSE and GPHS. The analysis indicates that, for the 1050 K heater head configurations considered, GPHS fuel clad temperatures remain within acceptable operating limits. Based on these results, preliminary characterizations of multihundred-watt units have been established.

Bents, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Human and Robotic Space Mission Use Cases for High-Performance Spaceflight Computing

Spaceflight computing is a key resource in NASA space missions and a core determining factor of spacecraft capability, with ripple effects throughout the spacecraft, end-to-end system, and the mission; it can be aptly viewed as a "technology multiplier" in that advances in onboard computing provide dramatic improvements in flight functions and capabilities across the NASA mission classes, and will enable new flight capabilities and mission scenarios, increasing science and exploration return per mission-dollar.

flight computing↗
NASA NTRS2013

Human and Robotic Space Mission Use Cases for High-Performance Spaceflight Computing

Spaceflight computing is a key resource in NASA space missions and a core determining factor of spacecraft capability, with ripple effects throughout the spacecraft, end-to-end system, and mission. Onboard computing can be aptly viewed as a "technology multiplier" in that advances provide direct dramatic improvements in flight functions and capabilities across the NASA mission classes, and enable new flight capabilities and mission scenarios, increasing science and exploration return. Space-qualified computing technology, however, has not advanced significantly in well over ten years and the current state of the practice fails to meet the near- to mid-term needs of NASA missions. Recognizing this gap, the NASA Game Changing Development Program (GCDP), under the auspices of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate, commissioned a study on space-based computing needs, looking out 15-20 years. The study resulted in a recommendation to pursue high-performance spaceflight computing (HPSC) for next-generation missions, and a decision to partner with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in this development.

use cases↗
NASA NTRS1986

Artificial intelligence planning applications for space exploration and space robotics

Mission sequencing involves the plan for actuation of the experiments to be conducted aboard a spacecraft; automation is under study by NASA as a means to reduce time and manpower costs in mission planning and in robotic implementation. The development of a mission sequence is conditioned by the limited duration of advantageous spacecraft encounters with objects of study, more research requests than can be satisfied, and requested changes in objectives. Autonomous robot development is hampered by the absence of task-level programming languages, the existence of anomalies in real-world interactions, and a lack of required capabilities in current sensor technology.

Rokey, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2007

Distribution of Cost Growth in Robotic Space Science Missions

Cost growth characterization is a critical factor for effective cost risk analysis and project planning. This study analyzed low level budget changes in Jet Propulsion Laboratory-managed space science missions, which occurred during the development of the project. The data was then curve fit, according to cost distribution categories, to provide a reference set of distribution parameters with sufficient granularity to effectively model cost growth in robotic space science missions.

cost↗