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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Time Domain Tool Validation Using ARES I-X Flight Data

The ARES I-X vehicle was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on October 28, 2009 at approximately 11:30 EDT. ARES I-X was the first test flight for NASA s ARES I launch vehicle, and it was the first non-Shuttle launch vehicle designed and flown by NASA since Saturn. The ARES I-X had a 4-segment solid rocket booster (SRB) first stage and a dummy upper stage (US) to emulate the properties of the ARES I US. During ARES I-X pre-flight modeling and analysis, six (6) independent time domain simulation tools were developed and cross validated. Each tool represents an independent implementation of a common set of models and parameters in a different simulation framework and architecture. Post flight data and reconstructed models provide the means to validate a subset of the simulations against actual flight data and to assess the accuracy of pre-flight dispersion analysis. Post flight data consists of telemetered Operational Flight Instrumentation (OFI) data primarily focused on flight computer outputs and sensor measurements as well as Best Estimated Trajectory (BET) data that estimates vehicle state information from all available measurement sources. While pre-flight models were found to provide a reasonable prediction of the vehicle flight, reconstructed models were generated to better represent and simulate the ARES I-X flight. Post flight reconstructed models include: SRB propulsion model, thrust vector bias models, mass properties, base aerodynamics, and Meteorological Estimated Trajectory (wind and atmospheric data). The result of the effort is a set of independently developed, high fidelity, time-domain simulation tools that have been cross validated and validated against flight data. This paper presents the process and results of high fidelity aerospace modeling, simulation, analysis and tool validation in the time domain.

Hough, Steven↗
NASA NTRS2011

Atomic Oxygen Fluence Monitor

This innovation enables a means for actively measuring atomic oxygen fluence (accumulated atoms of atomic oxygen per area) that has impinged upon spacecraft surfaces. Telemetered data from the device provides spacecraft designers, researchers, and mission managers with real-time measurement of atomic oxygen fluence, which is useful for prediction of the durability of spacecraft materials and components. The innovation is a compact fluence measuring device that allows in-space measurement and transmittance of measured atomic oxygen fluence as a function of time based on atomic oxygen erosion yields (the erosion yield of a material is the volume of material that is oxidized per incident oxygen atom) of materials that have been measured in low Earth orbit. It has a linear electrical response to atomic oxygen fluence, and is capable of measuring high atomic oxygen fluences (up to >10(exp 22) atoms/sq cm), which are representative of multi-year low-Earth orbital missions (such as the International Space Station). The durability or remaining structural lifetime of solar arrays that consist of polymer blankets on which the solar cells are attached can be predicted if one knows the atomic oxygen fluence that the solar array blanket has been exposed to. In addition, numerous organizations that launch space experiments into low-Earth orbit want to know the accumulated atomic oxygen fluence that their materials or components have been exposed to. The device is based on the erosion yield of pyrolytic graphite. It uses two 12deg inclined wedges of graphite that are over a grit-blasted fused silica window covering a photodiode. As the wedges erode, a greater area of solar illumination reaches the photodiode. A reference photodiode is also used that receives unobstructed solar illumination and is oriented in the same direction as the pyrolytic graphite covered photodiode. The short-circuit current from the photodiodes is measured and either sent to an onboard data logger, or transmitted to a receiving station on Earth. By comparison of the short-circuit currents from the fluence-measuring photodiode and the reference photodiode, one can compute the accumulated atomic oxygen fluence arriving in the direction that the fluence monitor is pointing. The device produces a signal that is linear with atomic oxygen fluence using a material whose atomic oxygen erosion yield has been measured over a period of several years in low-Earth orbit.

Banks, Bruce A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Development of an Integrated Data Acquisition System for a Small Flight Probe

In support of the SPRITE concept, an integrated data acquisition system has been developed and fabricated for preliminary testing. The data acquisition system has been designed to condition traditional thermal protection system sensors, store their data to an on-board memory card, and in parallel, telemeter to an external system. In the fall of 2010, this system was integrated into a 14 in. diameter, 45 degree sphere cone probe instrumented with thermal protection system sensors. This system was then tested at the NASA Ames Research Center Aerodynamic Heating Facility's arc jet at approximately 170 W/sq. cm. The first test in December 2010 highlighted hardware design issues that were redesigned and implemented leading to a successful test in February 2011.

Swanson, Gregory T.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Transition-Edge-Sensor Array for the Micro-X Sounding Rocket

The Micro-X sounding rocket program will fly a 128-element array of transition-edge-sensor microcalorimeters to enable high-resolution X-ray imaging spectroscopy of the Puppis-A supernova remnant. To match the angular resolution of the optics while maximizing the field-of-view and retaining a high energy resolution (< 4 eV at 1 keV), we have designed the pixels using 600 x 600 sq. micron Au/Bi absorbers, which overhang 140 x 140 sq. micron Mo/Au sensors. The data-rate capabilities of the rocket telemetry system require the pulse decay to be approximately 2 ms to allow a significant portion of the data to be telemetered during flight. Here we report experimental results from the flight array, including measurements of energy resolution, uniformity, and absorber thermalization. In addition, we present studies of test devices that have a variety of absorber contact geometries, as well as a variety of membrane-perforation schemes designed to slow the pulse decay time to match the telemetry requirements. Finally, we describe the reduction in pixel-to-pixel crosstalk afforded by an angle-evaporated Cu backside heatsinking layer, which provides Cu coverage on the four sidewalls of the silicon wells beneath each pixel.

Eckart, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS2012

MER Telemetry Processor

MERTELEMPROC processes telemetered data in data product format and generates Experiment Data Records (EDRs) for many instruments (HAZCAM, NAVCAM, PANCAM, microscopic imager, Moessbauer spectrometer, APXS, RAT, and EDLCAM) on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER). If the data is compressed, then MERTELEMPROC decompresses the data with an appropriate decompression algorithm. There are two compression algorithms (ICER and LOCO) used in MER. This program fulfills a MER specific need to generate Level 1 products within a 60-second time requirement. EDRs generated by this program are used by merinverter, marscahv, marsrad, and marsjplstereo to generate higher-level products for the mission operations. MERTELEPROC was the first GDS program to process the data product. Metadata of the data product is in XML format. The software allows user-configurable input parameters, per-product processing (not streambased processing), and fail-over is allowed if the leading image header is corrupted. It is used within the MER automated pipeline. MERTELEMPROC is part of the OPGS (Operational Product Generation Subsystem) automated pipeline, which analyzes images returned by in situ spacecraft and creates level 1 products to assist in operations, science, and outreach.

Lee, Hyun H.↗
NASA NTRS2013

RUSHMAPS: Real-Time Uploadable Spherical Harmonic Moment Analysis for Particle Spectrometers

RUSHMAPS is a new onboard data reduction scheme that gives real-time access to key science parameters (e.g. moments) of a class of heliophysics science and/or solar system exploration investigation that includes plasma particle spectrometers (PPS), but requires moments reporting (density, bulk-velocity, temperature, pressure, etc.) of higher-level quality, and tolerates a lowpass (variable quality) spectral representation of the corresponding particle velocity distributions, such that telemetry use is minimized. The proposed methodology trades access to the full-resolution velocity distribution data, saving on telemetry, for real-time access to both the moments and an adjustable-quality (increasing quality increases volume) spectral representation of distribution functions. Traditional onboard data storage and downlink bandwidth constraints severely limit PPS system functionality and drive cost, which, as a consequence, drives a limited data collection and lower angular energy and time resolution. This prototypical system exploit, using high-performance processing technology at GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center), uses a SpaceCube and/or Maestro-type platform for processing. These processing platforms are currently being used on the International Space Station as a technology demonstration, and work is currently ongoing in a new onboard computation system for the Earth Science missions, but they have never been implemented in heliospheric science or solar system exploration missions. Preliminary analysis confirms that the targeted processor platforms possess the processing resources required for realtime application of these algorithms to the spectrometer data. SpaceCube platforms demonstrate that the target architecture possesses the sort of compact, low-mass/power, radiation-tolerant characteristics needed for flight. These high-performing hybrid systems embed unprecedented amounts of onboard processing power in the CPU (central processing unit), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), and DSP (digital signal processing) elements. The fundamental computational algorithm de constructs 3D velocity distributions in terms of spherical harmonic spectral coefficients (which are analogous to a Fourier sine-cosine decomposition), but uses instead spherical harmonics Legendre polynomial orthogonal functions as a basis for the expansion, portraying each 2D angular distribution at every energy or, geometrically, spherical speed-shell swept by the particle spectrometer. Optionally, these spherical harmonic spectral coefficients may be telemetered to the ground. These will provide a smoothed description of the velocity distribution function whose quality will depend on the number of coefficients determined. Successfully implemented on the GSFC-developed processor, the capability to integrate the proposed methodology with both heritage and anticipated future plasma particle spectrometer designs is demonstrated (with sufficiently detailed design analysis to advance TRL) to show specific science relevancy with future HSD (Heliophysics Science Division) solar-interplanetary, planetary missions, sounding rockets and/or CubeSat missions.

Figueroa-Vinas, Adolfo↗
NASA NTRS2013

Cratos: The Evolution of a Robotic Vehicle

Cratos was originally designed to evaluate a small footprint, low-power, tracked vehicle for traversing a crater face and for scraping regolith from a crater basin on the lunar surface. These activities require a power-to-weight ratio such that the vehicle is able to pull its entire mass vertically off the ground with the power from one track. Further complicating matters, the available power-units that fit the vehicles approximate one cubic meter volume, restrict power consumption to 100 watts. Lastly, the vehicle is required to telemeter data from an array of sensors to a remote control station for further study. This unique mix of design constraints lead to the creation of a versatile mobile sensor platform, described in this paper, capable of performing a myriad of functions beyond the scope of its original purpose.

Greer, Lawrence C.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Support Routines for In Situ Image Processing

This software consists of a set of application programs that support ground-based image processing for in situ missions. These programs represent a collection of utility routines that perform miscellaneous functions in the context of the ground data system. Each one fulfills some specific need as determined via operational experience. The most unique aspect to these programs is that they are integrated into the large, in situ image processing system via the PIG (Planetary Image Geometry) library. They work directly with space in situ data, understanding the appropriate image meta-data fields and updating them properly. The programs themselves are completely multimission; all mission dependencies are handled by PIG. This suite of programs consists of: (1)marscahv: Generates a linearized, epi-polar aligned image given a stereo pair of images. These images are optimized for 1-D stereo correlations, (2) marscheckcm: Compares the camera model in an image label with one derived via kinematics modeling on the ground, (3) marschkovl: Checks the overlaps between a list of images in order to determine which might be stereo pairs. This is useful for non-traditional stereo images like long-baseline or those from an articulating arm camera, (4) marscoordtrans: Translates mosaic coordinates from one form into another, (5) marsdispcompare: Checks a Left Right stereo disparity image against a Right Left disparity image to ensure they are consistent with each other, (6) marsdispwarp: Takes one image of a stereo pair and warps it through a disparity map to create a synthetic opposite- eye image. For example, a right eye image could be transformed to look like it was taken from the left eye via this program, (7) marsfidfinder: Finds fiducial markers in an image by projecting their approximate location and then using correlation to locate the markers to subpixel accuracy. These fiducial markets are small targets attached to the spacecraft surface. This helps verify, or improve, the pointing of in situ cameras, (8) marsinvrange: Inverse of marsrange . given a range file, re-computes an XYZ file that closely matches the original. . marsproj: Projects an XYZ coordinate through the camera model, and reports the line/sample coordinates of the point in the image, (9) marsprojfid: Given the output of marsfidfinder, projects the XYZ locations and compares them to the found locations, creating a report showing the fiducial errors in each image. marsrad: Radiometrically corrects an image, (10) marsrelabel: Updates coordinate system or camera model labels in an image, (11) marstiexyz: Given a stereo pair, allows the user to interactively pick a point in each image and reports the XYZ value corresponding to that pair of locations. marsunmosaic: Extracts a single frame from a mosaic, which will be created such that it could have been an input to the original mosaic. Useful for creating simulated input frames using different camera models than the original mosaic used, and (12) merinverter: Uses an inverse lookup table to convert 8-bit telemetered data to its 12-bit original form. Can be used in other missions despite the name.

Deen, Robert G.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Attitude Control Performance of IRVE-3

The Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment 3 (IRVE-3) launched July 23, 2012, from NASA Wallops Flight Facility and successfully performed its mission, demonstrating both the survivability of a hypersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator in the reentry heating environment and the effect of an offset center of gravity on the aeroshell's flight L/D. The reentry vehicle separated from the launch vehicle, released and inflated its aeroshell, reoriented for atmospheric entry, and mechanically shifted its center of gravity before reaching atmospheric interface. Performance data from the entire mission was telemetered to the ground for analysis. This paper discusses the IRVE-3 mission scenario, reentry vehicle design, and as-flown performance of the attitude control system in the different phases of the mission.

Dillman, Robert A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The NASA Phoenix 2007 Mars Lander Thruster Calibration Estimator: Design and Validation

The NASA Phoenix 2007 Mars Lander mission, launched in August 2007 on its mission to land near the north pole of Mars in May 2008, had a driving need for entry-corridor delivery precision, which parlayed into stringent requirements on deep space navigation accuracy. This, in turn, necessitated in-cruise calibration of the three-axis thrust force vectors produced by each of the vehicle's four reactioncontrol system (RCS) thrusters during frequent daily low-catalyst-bed-temperature firings done to maintain the 3-axis attitude deadbands. A novel recursive sigmapoint consider-covariance filter was designed, validated and ultimately utilized extensively during flight operations, to estimate the RCS force vectors, per individual thruster. The estimate was achieved through ground-based processing of Deep Space Network (DSN) and telemetered gyroscope data from the spacecraft's inertial measurement unit (IMU), using a novel sigma-point consider filter (SPCF) formulation. During early-cruise active calibration, the spacecraft was flown in attitudes chosen, using this filter, to maximize observability of all thruster axes, to an extent constrained by vehicle thermal and communication considerations. The design of the Phoenix thruster calibration filter, and its validation through processing of archived Mars Odyssey thruster calibration radiometric data, and simulated sets of data, are discussed in this paper. The paper concludes with the formulation of the thruster calibration campaign and a summary of the thruster calibration campaign results. The SPCF algorithm is summarized in the Appendix.

sigma-point filter↗
NASA NTRS2015

Organics in Space: Results from Space Exposure Platforms and Nanosatellites

A series of successful laboratory astrophysics experiments performed on International Space Station(ISS) external platforms such as EXPOSE have provided insights into the evolution of organic and biological materials in space and planetary environments. The study of the reactions, destruction, and longevity of organics in the space environment is of fundamental interest. To provide an accurate outer space environment for extended durations, exposure experiments in low Earth orbit have been conducted in the last decades in order to examine the consequences of actual space conditions including combinations of solar and cosmic radiation, space vacuum, and microgravity. The OOREOS (OrganismORganic Exposure to Orbital Stresses) nanosatellite studied in situ during the 6-month primary and 1-year extended mission the photochemical processing of selected PAHs in low Earth orbit (650 km altitude); results were autonomously telemetered to Earth. We report on the methods and flight preparation of samples for space exposure platforms and results on the stability of organic thin-films. The UV-vis degradation process of thin-films was recorded over time, which revealed intriguing and counter-intuitive photolytic kinetics that will be re-investigated on the ISS in a space environment.

Space weathering↗
NASA NTRS2016

First Results from the ISS-RAD Charged Particle Detector

The Charged Particle Detector (CPD) subsystem of the ISS-RAD detector has been making measurements of high-energy charged and neutral particles since the unit was deployed on Feb. 1, 2016. The CPD is nearly identical to the MSL-RAD instrument, but onboard data processing has been significantly modified to meet ISS requirements. We will present dose rates and LET spectra obtained over the first six months of operations, as well as preliminary results obtained from the limited sample of pulse-height analyzed raw data that has been telemetered to Earth.

Semones, Edward↗
NASA NTRS2017

XTCE (XML Telemetric and Command Exchange) Standard Making It Work at NASA. Can It Work For You?

The XML Telemetric and Command Exchange (XTCE) standard is intended as a way to describe telemetry and command databases to be exchanged across centers and space agencies. XTCE usage has the potential to lead to consolidation of the Mission Operations Center (MOC) Monitor and Control displays for mission cross-support, reducing equipment and configuration costs, as well as a decrease in the turnaround time for telemetry and command modifications during all the mission phases. The adoption of XTCE will reduce software maintenance costs by reducing the variation between our existing mission dictionaries. The main objective of this poster is to show how powerful XTCE is in terms of interoperability across centers and missions. We will provide results for a use case where two centers can use their local tools to process and display the same mission telemetry in their MOC independently of one another. In our use case we have first quantified the ability for XTCE to capture the telemetry definitions of the mission by use of our suite of support tools (Conversion, Validation, and Compliance measurement). The next step was to show processing and monitoring of the same telemetry in two mission centers. Once the database was converted to XTCE using our tool, the XTCE file became our primary database and was shared among the various tool chains through their XTCE importers and ultimately configured to ingest the telemetry stream and display or capture the telemetered information in similar ways.Summary results include the ability to take a real mission database and real mission telemetry and display them on various tools from two centers, as well as using commercially free COTS.

CCSDS↗
NASA NTRS2017

NASA Affordable Vehicle Avionics (AVA)

Small satellites are becoming ever more capable of performing valuable missions for both government and commercial customers. However, currently these satellites can be launched affordably only as secondary payloads. This makes it difficult for the small satellite mission to launch when needed, to the desired orbit, and with acceptable risk. What is needed is a class of low-cost launchers, so that launch costs to low-Earth orbit (LEO) are commensurate with payload costs. Several private and government-sponsored launch vehicle developers are working toward just that-the ability to affordably insert small payloads into LEO. But until now, cost of the complex avionics remained disproportionately high. AVA (Affordable Vehicle Avionics) solves this problem. Significant contributors to the cost of launching nanosatellites to orbit are the avionics and software systems that steer and control the launch vehicles, sequence stage separation, deploy payloads, and telemeter data. The high costs of these guidance, navigation and control (GNC) avionics systems are due in part to the current practice of developing unique, single-use hardware and software for each launch. High-performance, high-reliability inertial sensors components with heritage from legacy launchers also contribute to costs-but can low-cost commercial inertial sensors work just as well? NASA Ames Research Center has developed and tested a prototype low-cost avionics package for space launch vehicles that provides complete GNC functionality in a package smaller than a tissue box (100 millimeters by 120 millimeters by 69 millimeters; 4 inches by 4.7 inches by 2.7 inches), with a mass of less than 0.84 kilogram (2 pounds. AVA takes advantage of commercially available, low-cost, mass-produced, miniaturized sensors, filtering their more noisy inertial data with real-time GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) data. The goal of the AVA project is to produce and light-verify a common suite of avionics and software that deliver affordable, capable GNC and telemetry avionics with application to multiple nanolaunch vehicles at 1 percent of the cost of current state-of-the-art avionics.

space technology↗
NASA NTRS2018

The Europa Lander Mission: A Space Exploration Challenge for Autonomous Operations

NASA has proposed a Europa Lander Mission, with a notional launch date in the 2024-2025 timeframe. Key features of the mission are: Take 5 samples from 10 cm under the Europa surface; Mission duration is expected to be 20 (Earth) days; Data will be telemetered data back to Earth via a dedicated Carrier Relay Orbiter (CRO) spacecraft. Some information about the Europa surface is available from Cassini, indicating the presence of mountains, ridges, and other complex features, and simulations of planet-wide lighting can be performed, but this information is available only at 6m per pixel resolution (Galileo imagery). While surface temperatures are exceedingly cold (average of 114 degrees Kelvin, or minus 160 degrees Centigrade at the equator), this need not translate to solid (and hard) ice. The possible presence of small grain features (snow-like), penitentes (inverse-icicles), plumes, and other complex terrain features, will complicate operations. The time delay for such a mission is 30-60 minutes. The CRO is in view of the Lander for roughly 8 hours, and is in view of Earth for roughly 10 hours, meaning significant autonomy will be needed. A compelling case can be made for the use of aggressive autonomous operations of the *entire* mission. In this talk we will describe the Europa mission and its objectives, as well as similar Icy Worlds missions of the future. We will then describe the autonomy challenges of such a mission, using examples of similar missions and specific autonomy technologies that have been used in the past to address these challenges. We will make the case that despite some technologies that may be suitable, Europa lander presents a unique, and unaddressed, challenge for autonomy.

Plan Execution↗
NASA NTRS2018

EcAMSat: A Small Satellite Flown to Explore the Role a Sigma Factor Plays in E. coli's Response to the Antibiotic Gentamicin

We have successfully flown the EcAMSat (Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Satellite) free-flyer mission. This was a 6U (six unit - CubeSat) small satellite that autonomously conducted an experiment in low Earth orbit to explore the impact of the space environment on antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and the role a particular sigma factor plays in the response. After being held in stasis during transport to orbit, two strains - a wildtype UPEC and an isogenic mutant with a deleted gene that encodes a sigma factor - were grown to stationary phase in a fluidic card inside EcAMSat's payload, then incubated with three concentrations of the antibiotic gentamicin. The payload then administered alamarBlue (registered trademark), a redox indicator, into all wells of the fluidic card. The cells were then incubated for 144 hours and metabolic activity was measured optically using the payloads' LED (Light-Emitting Diode) and detector system. Data were then telemetered to the ground and compared to a control experiment conducted in an identical satellite in a lab. The results of this experiment will help us better understand important therapeutic targets for treating bacterial infections on Earth and in space. Such targets are particularly relevant to deep-space and long-duration missions where crew may be more susceptible to infection and treatments for them may work differently.

small satellite↗
NASA NTRS2018

EcAMSat: Small Satellite to Examine E. coli's Response in Microgravity to the Antibiotic Gentamicin

We have successfully flown the EcAMSat (Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Satellite) free-flyer mission. This was a 6U small satellite that autonomously conducted an experiment in low Earth orbit to explore the impact of the space environment on antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and the role a particular sigma factor plays in the response. After being held in stasis during transport to orbit, two strains†a wildtype UPEC and an isogenic mutant with a deleted gene that encodes a sigma factor†were grown to stationary phase in a fluidic card inside EcAMSat's payload, then incubated with three concentrations of the antibiotic gentamicin. The payload then administered alamarBlue®, a redox indicator, into all wells of the fluidic card. The cells were then incubated for 144 hours and metabolic activity was measured optically using the payloads' LED and detector system. Data were then telemetered to the ground and compared to a control experiment conducted in an identical satellite in a lab. The results of this experiment will help us better understand important therapeutic targets for treating bacterial infections on Earth and in space. Such targets are particularly relevant to deep-space and long-duration missions where crew may be more susceptible to infection and treatments for them may work differently.

antibiotic↗
NASA NTRS2017

Space Technology Game Changing Development: NASA Affordable Vehicle Avionics (AVA)

Common Modular Avionics System for Nanolaunchers Offering Affordable Access to Space Small satellites are becoming ever more capable of performing valuable missions for both government and commercial customers. However, currently these satellites can be launched affordably only as secondary payloads. This makes it difficult for the small satellite mission to launch when needed, to the desired orbit, and with acceptable risk. What is needed is a class of low-cost launchers, so that launch costs to low-Earth orbit (LEO) are commensurate with payload costs. Several private and government-sponsored launch vehicle developers are working toward just that—the ability to affordably insert small payloads into LEO. But until now, cost of the complex avionics remained disproportionately high. AVA solves this problem. Significant contributors to the cost of launching nanosatellites to orbit are the avionics and software systems that steer and control the launch vehicles, sequence stage separation, deploy payloads, and telemeter data. The high costs of these guidance, navigation and control (GNC) avionics systems are due in part to the current practice of developing unique, single use hardware and software for each launch. High-performance, high-reliability inertial sensors components with heritage from legacy launchers also contribute to costs—but can low-cost commercial inertial sensors work just as well?

Aquilina, Rudy↗