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NASA NTRS2014

Avionics Architectures for Exploration: Building a Better Approach for (Human) Spaceflight Avionics

The field of Avionics is advancing far more rapidly in terrestrial applications than in space flight applications. Spaceflight Avionics are not keeping pace with expectations set by terrestrial experience, nor are they keeping pace with the need for increasingly complex automation and crew interfaces as we move beyond Low Earth Orbit. NASA must take advantage of the strides being made by both space-related and terrestrial industries to drive our development and sustaining costs down. This paper describes ongoing efforts by the Avionics Architectures for Exploration (AAE) project chartered by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program to evaluate new avionic architectures and technologies, provide objective comparisons of them, and mature selected technologies for flight and for use by other AES projects. Results from the AAE project's FY13 efforts are discussed, along with the status of FY14 efforts and future plans.

Goforth, Montgomery B.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Deviser - An AI planner for spacecraft operations

The 'Deviser III' automated spacecraft mission planner prototype can plan complete Voyager spacecraft operational sequences consisting of over 100 data capture goals, working 10-50 times faster than a human analyst. The planner generates a loop-free network of actions and events resembling a program evaluation and review technique chart. Actions, events, and inferences are the building blocks from which plans are assembled. It is noted that, for a very large spacecraft mission plan, the backtracking through remembered decision trees entailed by this artificial intelligence system can consume megabite quantities of computer memory.

Vere, S. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

ART/Ada and CLIPS/Ada

Although they have reached a point of commercial viability, expert systems were originally developed in artificial intelligence (AI) research environments. Many of the available tools still work best in such environments. These environments typically utilize special hardware such as LISP machines and relatively unfamiliar languages such as LISP or Prolog. Space Station applications will require deep integration of expert system technology with applications developed in conventional languages, specifically Ada. The ability to apply automation to Space Station functions could be greatly enhanced by widespread availability of state-of-the-art expert system tools based on Ada. Although there have been some efforts to examine the use of Ada for AI applications, there are few, if any, existing products which provide state-of-the-art AI capabilities in an Ada tool. The goal of the ART/Ada Design Project is to conduct research into the implementation in Ada of state-of-the-art hybrid expert systems building tools (ESBT's). This project takes the following approach: using the existing design of the ART-IM ESBT as a starting point, analyze the impact of the Ada language and Ada development methodologies on that design; redesign the system in Ada; and analyze its performance. The research project will attempt to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the potential for embedding expert systems in Ada systems for eventual application in future Space Station Freedom projects. During Phase 1 of the project, initial requirements analysis, design, and implementation of the kernel subset of ART-IM functionality was completed. During Phase 2, the effort has been focused on the implementation and performance analysis of several versions with increasing functionality. Since production quality ART/Ada tools will not be available for a considerable time, and additional subtask of this project will be the completion of an Ada version of the CLIPS expert system shell developed by NASA. This tool will provide full syntactic compatibility with any eventual products of the ART/Ada design while allowing SSFP developers early access to this technology.

Culbert, Chris↗

NASA NTRS1990

Automated simulation as part of a design workstation

A development project for a design workstation for advanced life-support systems (called the DAWN Project, for Design Assistant Workstation), incorporating qualitative simulation, required the implementation of a useful qualitative simulation capability and the integration of qualitative and quantitative simulation such that simulation capabilities are maximized without duplication. The reason is that to produce design solutions to a system goal, the behavior of the system in both a steady and perturbed state must be represented. The Qualitative Simulation Tool (QST), on an expert-system-like model building and simulation interface toll called ScratchPad (SP), and on the integration of QST and SP with more conventional, commercially available simulation packages now being applied in the evaluation of life-support system processes and components are discussed.

Cantwell, Elizabeth↗

NASA NTRS2002

RIACS FY2002 Annual Report

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions. Operated by the Universities Space Research Association (a non-profit university consortium), RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. It currently operates under a multiple year grant/cooperative agreement that began on October 1, 1997 and is up for renewal in September 2003. Ames has been designated NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology. In this capacity, Ames is charged with the responsibility to build an Information Technology (IT) Research Program that is preeminent within NASA. RIACS serves as a bridge between NASA Ames and the academic community, and RIACS scientists and visitors work in close collaboration with NASA scientists. RIACS has the additional goal of broadening the base of researchers in these areas of importance to the nation's space and aeronautics enterprises. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of IT research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: 1) Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems; 2) Human-Centered Computing; and 3) High Performance Computing and Networking. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply IT research to a variety of NASA application domains including aerospace technology, earth science, life sciences, and astrobiology. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, visiting scientist programs and student summer programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA IT research communities.

Leiner, Barry M.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science: Annual Report October 1998 through September 1999

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions. RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). It currently operates under a multiple year grant/cooperative agreement that began on October 1, 1997 and is up for renewal in the year 2002. ARC has been designated NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology. In this capacity, ARC is charged with the responsibility to build an Information Technology Research Program that is preeminent within NASA. RIACS serves as a bridge between NASA ARC and the academic community, and RIACS scientists and visitors work in close collaboration with NASA scientists. RIACS has the additional goal of broadening the base of researchers in these areas of importance to the nation's space and aeronautics enterprises. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of information technology research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: (1) Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems. Techniques are being developed enabling spacecraft that will be self-guiding and self-correcting to the extent that they will require little or no human intervention. Such craft will be equipped to independently solve problems as they arise, and fulfill their missions with minimum direction from Earth. (2) Human-Centered Computing. Many NASA missions require synergy between humans and computers, with sophisticated computational aids amplifying human cognitive and perceptual abilities; (3) High Performance Computing and Networking Advances in the performance of computing and networking continue to have major impact on a variety of NASA endeavors, ranging from modeling and simulation to data analysis of large datasets to collaborative engineering, planning and execution. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply information technology research to a variety of NASA application domains. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, and visiting scientist programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA information technology research communities.

Leiner, Barry M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions. RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center. It currently operates under a multiple year grant/cooperative agreement that began on October 1, 1997 and is up for renewal in the year 2002. Ames has been designated NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology. In this capacity, Ames is charged with the responsibility to build an Information Technology Research Program that is preeminent within NASA. RIACS serves as a bridge between NASA Ames and the academic community, and RIACS scientists and visitors work in close collaboration with NASA scientists. RIACS has the additional goal of broadening the base of researchers in these areas of importance to the nation's space and aeronautics enterprises. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of information technology research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: (1) Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems. Techniques are being developed enabling spacecraft that will be self-guiding and self-correcting to the extent that they will require little or no human intervention. Such craft will be equipped to independently solve problems as they arise, and fulfill their missions with minimum direction from Earth; (2) Human-Centered Computing. Many NASA missions require synergy between humans and computers, with sophisticated computational aids amplifying human cognitive and perceptual abilities; (3) High Performance Computing and Networking. Advances in the performance of computing and networking continue to have major impact on a variety of NASA endeavors, ranging from modeling and simulation to data analysis of large datasets to collaborative engineering, planning and execution. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply information technology research to a variety of NASA application domains. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, and visiting scientist programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA information technology research communities.

Gross, Anthony R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Modeling and managing risk early in software development

In order to improve the quality of the software development process, we need to be able to build empirical multivariate models based on data collectable early in the software process. These models need to be both useful for prediction and easy to interpret, so that remedial actions may be taken in order to control and optimize the development process. We present an automated modeling technique which can be used as an alternative to regression techniques. We show how it can be used to facilitate the identification and aid the interpretation of the significant trends which characterize 'high risk' components in several Ada systems. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness of our technique based on a comparison with logistic regression based models.

Briand, Lionel C.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Automated Composites Processing Technology: Film Module

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a technology that combines a film/adhesive laydown module with fiber placement technology to enable the processing of composite prepreg tow/tape and films, foils or adhesives on the same placement machine. The development of this technology grew out of NASA's need for lightweight, permeation-resistant cryogenic propellant tanks. Autoclave processing of high performance composites results in thermally-induced stresses due to differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the fiber and matrix resin components. These stresses, together with the reduction in temperature due to cryogen storage, tend to initiate microcracking within the composite tank wall. One way in which to mitigate this problem is to introduce a thin, crack-resistant polymer film or foil into the tank wall. Investigation into methods to automate the processing of thin film or foil materials into composites led to the development of this technology. The concept employs an automated film supply and feed module that may be designed to fit existing fiber placement machines, or may be designed as integral equipment to new machines. This patent-pending technology can be designed such that both film and foil materials may be processed simultaneously, leading to a decrease in part build cycle time. The module may be designed having a compaction device independent of the host machine, or may utilize the host machine's compactor. The film module functions are controlled by a dedicated system independent of the fiber placement machine controls. The film, foil, or adhesive is processed via pre-existing placement machine run programs, further reducing operational expense.

Hulcher, A. Bruce↗

NASA NTRS1991

Design and fabrication of an autonomous rendezvous and docking sensor using off-the-shelf hardware

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed and tested an engineering model of an automated rendezvous and docking sensor system composed of a video camera ringed with laser diodes at two wavelengths and a standard remote manipulator system target that has been modified with retro-reflective tape and 830 and 780 mm optical filters. TRW has provided additional engineering analysis, design, and manufacturing support, resulting in a robust, low cost, automated rendezvous and docking sensor design. We have addressed the issue of space qualification using off-the-shelf hardware components. We have also addressed the performance problems of increased signal to noise ratio, increased range, increased frame rate, graceful degradation through component redundancy, and improved range calibration. Next year, we will build a breadboard of this sensor. The phenomenology of the background scene of a target vehicle as viewed against earth and space backgrounds under various lighting conditions will be simulated using the TRW Dynamic Scene Generator Facility (DSGF). Solar illumination angles of the target vehicle and candidate docking target ranging from eclipse to full sun will be explored. The sensor will be transportable for testing at the MSFC Flight Robotics Laboratory (EB24) using the Dynamic Overhead Telerobotic Simulator (DOTS).

Grimm, Gary E.↗

NASA NTRS2018

A Concept for Civil Space Traffic Management

As technology has improved, operators have sought to use cubesats, as well as smallsats more generally, to perform increasingly more ambitious and sophisticated functions. Despite this, practical concerns associated with cubesat infant mortality, conjunctions, limited maneuverability, and debris generation have been relatively muted because most cubesats have been launched to lower orbits that limit both their orbital lifetime and consequences should a collision occur. NASA ARC has developed a concept for a highly-automated and distributed space traffic management (STM) architecture, drawing on similar work done to provide traffic management for small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operating at low altitudes. The system proposes a strategy to accommodate growing space traffic volume safely, as well as pave the way for a transition of civil STM authority to a civilian governmental entity. The architecture envisions an open-access software platform architecture of data and service suppliers, consumers, and regulators, connected via a set of application programming interfaces (APIs). The platform would build on, rather than replicate existing integration and coordination efforts within the space situational awareness ecosystem, using existing standards for data message formats from organizations like the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems and wrapping, rather than replacing existing integrations. We will present an initial STM architecture in this presentation, with a few examples showing how stakeholders can interact structurally, but flexibly, within this architecture.

Space Situational Awareness↗

NASA NTRS2019

Geometry Systems for Lattice-Based Reconfigurable Space Structures

We describe analytical methods for the design of the discrete elements of ultralight lattice structures. This modular, building block strategy allows for relatively simple element manufacturing, as well as relatively simple robotic assembly of low mass density structures on orbit, with potential for disassembly and reassembly into highly varying and large structures. This method also results in a structure that is easily navigable by relatively small mobile robots. The geometry of the cell can allow for high packing efficiency to minimize wasted payload volume while maximizing structural performance and constructability. We describe the effect of geometry choices on the final system mechanical properties and automated robotic constructability of a final system. Geometric properties considered include number of attachments per voxel, number of attachments per coefficient of volume, and effects of vertex, edge, and face connectivity of the unit cell. Mechanical properties considered include strength scaling, modulus scaling, and packing efficiency of the lattice. Automated constructibility metrics include volume allowance for an end-effector, strut clearance angle for an end-effector, and packing efficiency. These metrics were applied to six lattice unit cell geometries: cube, cuboctahedron, octahedron, octet, rhombic dodecahedron, and truncated octahedron. A case study is presented to determine the most suitable lattice system for a specific set of strength and modulus scaling requirements while optimizing for ease of robotic assembly.

lattice geometry↗

NASA NTRS1983

Bringing AI up to the space challenge

The state of the art in automated systems for working in environments hostile to humans is assessed, together with the technological advancements necessary to meet NASA goals. Since completely automated operations are not possible with the current level of artificial intelligence (AI), the operator must have access to remote television access and interactive computerized controls. A proximal system exists when the teleoperated mechanism is close enough so that negligible time passes between operator and servocontrolled activation and feedback. An additional constraint is the complexity of the signal. Further development areas have been identified as limiting the necessary communication, compensating for technical limitations of communication with remote systems, such as bandwidth, error rate, and equipment response time, and to build-in fault tolerance, self-diagnosis, and self-maintenance capabilities. An AI expert system is being developed at JPL to provide an expert knowledge base and a decision-making capability. It is suggested that only thorough questioning of mission and spacecraft experts, as well as searching the large volume of project documentations, will provide the necessary data for establishing an expert data base for AI implementation.

Heer, E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The Ames-Lockheed orbiter processing scheduling system

A general purpose scheduling system and its application to Space Shuttle Orbiter Processing at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) are described. Orbiter processing entails all the inspection, testing, repair, and maintenance necessary to prepare the Shuttle for launch and takes place within the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) at KSC, the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), and on the launch pad. The problems are extremely combinatoric in that there are thousands of tasks, resources, and other temporal considerations that must be coordinated. Researchers are building a scheduling tool that they hope will be an integral part of automating the planning and scheduling process at KSC. The scheduling engine is domain independent and is also being applied to Space Shuttle cargo processing problems as well as wind tunnel scheduling problems.

Zweben, Monte↗

NASA NTRS2002

Making ROBONAUT an Intelligent Assistant for Humans

This presentation is an overview of the Robonaut project. Robonaut is a humanoid robot designed by the Automation, Robotics, and Simulation Division at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The Robonaut project seeks to develop and demonstrate a robotic system that can function as an EVA astronaut equivalent. Robonaut jumps generations ahead by eliminating the robotic scars (e.g., special robotic grapples and targets) and specialized robotic tools of traditional on-orbit robotics. However, it still keeps the human operator in the control loop through its telepresence control system. Robonaut is being designed for "EVA" tasks, i.e., those that were not specifically designed for robots. Our challenge is to build machines that can help humans work and explore in space. Working side by side with humans, or going where the risks are too great for people, machines like Robonaut will expand our ability for construction and discovery. Central to that effort is a capability we call dexterous manipulation, embodied by an ability to use ones hand to do work, and our challenge is to build machines with dexterity that exceeds that of a suited astronaut.

Savely, Robert T.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Fusion of monocular cues to detect man-made structures in aerial imagery

The extraction of buildings from aerial imagery is a complex problem for automated computer vision. It requires locating regions in a scene that possess properties distinguishing them as man-made objects as opposed to naturally occurring terrain features. It is reasonable to assume that no single detection method can correctly delineate or verify buildings in every scene. A cooperative-methods paradigm is useful in approaching the building extraction problem. Using this paradigm, each extraction technique provides information which can be added or assimilated into an overall interpretation of the scene. Thus, the main objective is to explore the development of computer vision system that integrates the results of various scene analysis techniques into an accurate and robust interpretation of the underlying three dimensional scene. The problem of building hypothesis fusion in aerial imagery is discussed. Building extraction techniques are briefly surveyed, including four building extraction, verification, and clustering systems. A method for fusing the symbolic data generated by these systems is described, and applied to monocular image and stereo image data sets. Evaluation methods for the fusion results are described, and the fusion results are analyzed using these methods.

Shufelt, Jefferey↗

NASA NTRS2003

Accelerating the Design of Space Vehicles

One of NASA's key goals is to increase the safety and reduce the cost of space transportation. Thus, a key element of NASA's new Integrated Space Transportation Plan is to develop new propulsion, structures, and operations for future generations of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). As part of this effort to develop the next RLV, the ClCT Program's Computing, Networking, and Information Systems (CNIS) Project is developing and demonstrating collaborative software technologies that use the collective power of the NASA Grid to accelerate spacecraft design. One of these technologies, called AeroDB, automates the execution and monitoring of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) parameter studies on the NASA Grid. About the NASA Grid The NASA Grid, or Information Power Grid,. is being developed to leverage the distributed resources of NASA's many computers. instruments, simulators, and data storage systems. The goal is to use these combined resources to sdve difficult NASA challenges, such as iimulating the entire flight of a space vehicle from ascent to descent.To realize the vision of the NASA Grid, the CNIS Project is developing the software framework and protocols for building domain-specific environments and interfaces, new Grid services based on emerging industry standards, and advanced networking and computing testbeds to support new Grid-based applications such as AeroDB.

Laufenberg, Larry↗

NASA NTRS2007

A Support Database System for Integrated System Health Management (ISHM)

The development, deployment, operation and maintenance of Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) applications require the storage and processing of tremendous amounts of low-level data. This data must be shared in a secure and cost-effective manner between developers, and processed within several heterogeneous architectures. Modern database technology allows this data to be organized efficiently, while ensuring the integrity and security of the data. The extensibility and interoperability of the current database technologies also allows for the creation of an associated support database system. A support database system provides additional capabilities by building applications on top of the database structure. These applications can then be used to support the various technologies in an ISHM architecture. This presentation and paper propose a detailed structure and application description for a support database system, called the Health Assessment Database System (HADS). The HADS provides a shared context for organizing and distributing data as well as a definition of the applications that provide the required data-driven support to ISHM. This approach provides another powerful tool for ISHM developers, while also enabling novel functionality. This functionality includes: automated firmware updating and deployment, algorithm development assistance and electronic datasheet generation. The architecture for the HADS has been developed as part of the ISHM toolset at Stennis Space Center for rocket engine testing. A detailed implementation has begun for the Methane Thruster Testbed Project (MTTP) in order to assist in developing health assessment and anomaly detection algorithms for ISHM. The structure of this implementation is shown in Figure 1. The database structure consists of three primary components: the system hierarchy model, the historical data archive and the firmware codebase. The system hierarchy model replicates the physical relationships between system elements to provide the logical context for the database. The historical data archive provides a common repository for sensor data that can be shared between developers and applications. The firmware codebase is used by the developer to organize the intelligent element firmware into atomic units which can be assembled into complete firmware for specific elements.

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