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NASA NTRS2018

Design Principles for Smallsat SARs

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is by now a mature remote sensing technique to obtain spatially-resolved radar measurements of terrain. Currently, SAR image data are readily available from an ever-expanding multitude of SAR satellites in Earth orbit. Many spaceborne SAR systems currently in use or planned for the near-term are multifunctional: their designs tend to maximize the menu of image modes available to the end user. They also follow fairly conventional design principles, laid down decades ago, that lead almost inevitably to large antennas and even larger spacecraft. This raises the question: how does one go about designing a SAR system that fits in a Smallsat (<200 kg) form factor? The design principles for Smallsat SARs outlined in this paper have been developed over a twenty-year period in architecting Earth-orbiting SARs such as NASA/JPL’s NISAR and ESA’s Biomass mission, as well as planetary SAR mission concepts. Example mission concepts following this approach will be presented at the end of the paper. These include an S-Band Smallsat geodetic constellation to measure surface deformation, as called for by the 2018 National Academy Decadal Survey for Earth Observation from Space. Another example is a Ka-band cubesat-sized system designed to detect changes on Earth’s surface.

Freeman, Anthony↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Near-Field Separation Analysis of SLS Block-1 and Block-1B Secondary Payloads

The NASA Space Launch System (SLS) Program Block-1 and Block-1B missions are expected to carry a number of CubeSat secondary payloads (SPL) to space, where they will be ejected from internal SLS structures to begin their own missions. This near-field ejection process must be closely evaluated to ensure that no SPL contacts the SLS structures, as contacts could result in SPL component damage, mission loss, or aberrant SPL trajectories. To this end, multiple SPL ejection events were analyzed for both Block-1 and Block-1B mission configurations using CLVTOPS, a NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed multi-body dynamics, proximity analysis, and visualization toolchain. This paper details the SPL-to-SLS clearance assessment process, with a focus on simulation setup and results as well as SPL design requirement analysis. Relevant CLVTOPS, statistics, and mission backgrounds are covered; important constraints, difficulties, and assumptions are also documented. Furthermore, the importance of SPL housing geometry on near-field vehicle clearance is highlighted, and examples are shown.

Jared Rucker↗

NASA NTRS2019

Seeker 1.0: Prototype Robotic Free Flying Inspector Mission Overview

Seeker 1.0 is a prototype free flying robot that will one day be capable of inspecting human-rated spacecraft. Building off previous free flyer experience, this technology will eventually improve safety of human spacecraft by offering a variety of inspection capabilities for both routine and emergency scenarios providing increased capability and safety over current inspection methods. Seeker 1.0 is capable of 6 degree of freedom flight via a cold gas propulsion system and can operate up to 1 hour via a semi-autonomous guidance, navigation, and control system. The prototype spacecraft is capable of capturing still images at a variety of resolutions up to 13 MP. The initial test flight utilizes a command and data relay box called Kenobi. Kenobi is a derivative of the Seeker design and will communicate between Cygnus and Seeker and store data for post-mission downlink. Seeker and Kenobi have launched inside a NanoRacks External CubeSat Deployer (NRCSD-E) attached to the NG-11 Cygnus ISS resupply vehicle and will operate after Cygnus departs ISS and moves to a safe altitude. Operations will last approximately 30 minutes and will consist of basic vehicle maneuvers while capturing high-resolution still images. With any remaining time and propellant, Seeker will demonstrate additional safety capabilities and maneuvers required for operations around a crewed spacecraft. The Seeker project utilized the Class IE process that allows for streamlined flight hardware development and increased mission risk tolerance.

Spacecraft Inspection↗

NASA NTRS2024

47th Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium

The Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium (AMS) provides a unique forum for those active in the design, production and use of aerospace mechanisms. A major focus is the reporting of problems and solutions associated with the development and flight certification of new mechanisms. Sponsored and organized by the Mechanisms Education Association, responsibility for hosting the AMS is shared by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Lockheed Martin Space. The 47th AMS was held in Virginia Beach, Virginia from May 15 to May 17. These proceedings are published to provide these lessons learned and mechanism design information to the mechanism community. Topics included instrument mechanisms, gimbals, release devices, tribology, materials issues, deployment, on-orbit performance, actuators and cubesat mechanisms. The high quality of this symposium is a result of the work of many people, and their efforts are gratefully acknowledged. This extends to the voluntary members of the symposium organizing committee representing the eight NASA field centers, Lockheed Martin Space, and the European Space Agency. Appreciation is also extended to the session chairs, the authors, and particularly the personnel at NASA Langley responsible for the symposium arrangements and the publication of these proceedings. A sincere thank you also goes to the symposium executive committee who is responsible for the year-to-year management of the AMS, including paper processing. The use of trade names of manufacturers in this publication does not constitute an official endorsement of such products or manufacturers, either expressed or implied, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

mechanism↗

NASA NTRS2016

Rapid Application of Space Effects for the Small Satellites Systems and Services Symposium

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) has engaged Military Branches, the Department of Defense, and other Government Agencies in successful partnerships to design, develop, deliver and support various space effects capabilities and space vehicles on timeline of need. Contracts with Industry are in place to execute operational and enabler missions using physical and informational infrastructures including Responsive Manufacturing capabilities and Digital Assurance. The intent is to establish a secure, web-enabled "store front" for ordering and delivering any capabilities required as defined by the users and directed by NASA ARC and Partner Organizations. The capabilities are envisioned to cover a broad range and include 6U CubeSats, 50-100 kg Space Vehicles, Modular Space Vehicle architecture variations, as well as rapid payload integration on various Bus options. The paper will discuss the efforts underway to demonstrate autonomous manufacturing of low-volume, high-value assets, to validate the ability of autonomous digital techniques to provide Mission Assurance, and to demonstrate cost savings through the identification, characterization, and utilization of Responsive Space components. The culmination of this effort will be the integration of several 6U satellites and their launch in 2016.

Small Satellite Systems↗

NASA NTRS2017

NASA's Space Launch System: A Transformative Capability for Deep Space Missions

Already making substantial progress toward its first launches, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) exploration-class launch vehicle presents game-changing new opportunities in spaceflight, enabling human exploration of deep space, as well as a variety of missions and mission profiles that are currently impossible. Today, the initial configuration of SLS, able to deliver more than 70 metric tons of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO), is well into final production and testing ahead of its planned first flight, which will send NASA’s new Orion crew vehicle around the moon and will deploy 13 CubeSats, representing multiple disciplines, into deep space. At the same time, production work is already underway toward the more-capable Block 1B configuration, planned to debut on the second flight of SLS, and capable of lofting 105 tons to LEO or of co-manifesting large exploration systems with Orion on launches to the lunar vicinity. Progress being made on the vehicle for that second flight includes initial welding of its core stage and testing of one of its engines, as well as development of new elements such as the powerful Exploration Upper Stage and the Universal Stage Adapter “payload bay.” Ultimately, SLS will evolve to a configuration capable of delivering more than 130 tons to LEO to support humans missions to Mars. In order to enable human deep-space exploration, SLS provides unrivaled mass, volume, and departure energy for payloads, offering numerous benefits for a variety of other missions. For robotic science probes to the outer solar system, for example, SLS can cut transit times to less than half that of currently available vehicles or substantially increased spacecraft mass. In the field of astrophysics, SLS’ high payload volume, in the form of payload fairings with a diameter of up to 10 meters, creates the opportunity for launch of large-aperture telescopes providing an unprecedented look at our universe. This presentation will give an overview of SLS’ capabilities and its current status, and discuss the vehicle’s potential for human exploration of deep space and other game-changing utilization opportunities.

Creech, Stephen D.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Mars Small Spacecraft Studies: Overview

NASA’s Mars Exploration Program is studying a potential Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign consisting of a series of missions over the next decade that would return samples collected at Mars for analyses in terrestrial laboratories. It is anticipated that during such a campaign, many in the Mars science community would seek to continue high-priority science investigations in parallel to those provided by geological and astrobiological sample return investigations. To respond to this anticipated desire of the science community, JPL is performing a study of small spacecraft mission concepts to Mars that could bridge the gap between MSR and other desired science investigations at Mars. The goal of the study is to utilize smaller, affordable missions in performing highpriority science investigations as defined in the National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey, Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) goals, and Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Strategic Knowledge Gaps. The study targets the use of small spacecraft with greater science capability than currently achievable with CubeSats. The target spacecraft wet mass is approximately 100 to 350 kilograms. Methods of access to Mars considered in this study include a self-propelled transit from Earth geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) to Mars as a secondary payload in a rideshare configuration. The study investigates mission concepts, science objectives, mission designs, concept of operations, enhancing technologies, and mission costs, along with launch vehicle interfaces. The cost estimates of the mission concepts studied range from below $100 million to less than $300 million for development through launch. This paper concludes with an outline of several examples of small spacecraft mission concepts to Mars that demonstrate significant scientific capability, are technically feasible, and fit within the desired cost range.

Edwards, Charles D.↗

NASA NTRS2025

Near-Field Separation and Dynamics Analysis of NASA's Space Launch System Block-1 and Block-1B Secondary Payloads

Jared T Rucker↗

NASA NTRS2012

Onboard Autonomy and Ground Operations Automation for the Intelligent Payload Experiment (IPEX) CubeSat Mission

The Intelligent Payload Experiment (IPEX) is a cubesat manifested for launch in October 2013 that will flight validate autonomous operations for onboard instrument processing and product generation for the Intelligent Payload Module (IPM) of the Hyperspectral Infra-red Imager (HyspIRI) mission concept. We first describe the ground and flight operations concept for HyspIRI IPM operations. We then describe the ground and flight operations concept for the IPEX mission and how that will validate HyspIRI IPM operations. We then detail the current status of the mission and outline the schedule for future development.

project data planning↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Applying the Cognitive Space Gateway to Swarm Topologies

NASA’s future vision for interplanetary networking includes a lunar network, Cube Satellite (CubeSat) constellations, and deep space robotic missions, comprising what could be viewed as a network of networks. Delay-tolerant networking (DTN) architecture and protocols provide a standard network layer among these varying scenarios and mitigate many challenges of the space environment, such as long delays, unplanned service interruptions, and asymmetric links. The Cognitive Space Gateway (CSG) is a routing method in a DTN architecture that uses spiking neural networks as the learning element to optimize outing decisions in a complex environment. This work aims to further develop cognitive networking technologies in several critical areas, including DTN, the CSG algorithm, SmallSat swarm topologies, and cloud services. The CSG algorithm is tested in a realistic scenario in which the emulated network topology is based on a SmallSat swarm. The emulation environment will be built upon a commercial cloud service, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic Compute Cloud. This work investigates the ability of such a platform to enable a flexible, lower maintenance approach to creating a multihop network outside of a physical laboratory. The cloud platform will provide a secure environment allowing for collaboration among government and academic entities.

Ricardo Lent↗

NASA NTRS2013

NanoTHOR: Low-Cost Launch of Nanosatellites to Deep Space

The rapid development of high-performance nanosatellite platforms is enabling NASA and commercial ventures to consider performing missions to the asteroids, the Moon, and Mars at lower cost and on shorter timelines than traditional large spacecraft platforms. Currently, however, opportunities to launch secondary payloads to Earth escape are rare, and using chemical rockets to propel secondary payloads from LEO rideshares to escape is problematic due to the risks posed to primary payloads. The NanoTHOR effort has explored the technical feasibility and value proposition for using a simple momentum-exchange tether system to scavenge orbital energy from an upper stage in geostationary transfer orbit in order to boost nanosatellites to Earth escape. A NanoTHOR module will accomplish rapid transfer of a nanosatellite to an escape trajectory by deploying the nanosat at the end of a long, slender, high-strength tether and then using winching in the Earth's gravity!gradient to convert orbital angular momentum into rotational angular momentum. In the Phase I effort, we developed and simulated methods for controlling tether deployment and retraction to spin up a tether system, and these simulations demonstrated the feasibility of providing delta-Vs on the order of 800 m/s with a simple, low-mass tether system. Moreover, the NanoTHOR tether can act as a reusable in-space upper stage, boosting multiple nanosatellites on a single launch and doing so with a mass requirement lower than that of conventional rocket technologies. Serving as an escape-injection stage, NanoTHOR can enable a 6U CubeSat to deliver small payloads to Mars orbit, lunar orbit, and rendezvous with at least 110 of the known near-Earth asteroids. Evaluation of the technology readiness of the component technologies required for NanoTHOR indicate that the hardware required is all mid-TRL, and the lower-TRL controls and integration components can be advanced to mid-TRL with modest investment. By scavenging orbital energy from upper stages without any stored energy or propellant requirements, NanoTHOR permits deep-space nanosat missions to launch on rideshare opportunities, enabling NASA and commercial ventures to conduct affordable and frequent missions to explore deep space destinations.

Hoyt, Robert↗

NASA NTRS2017

How Engineers Negotiate Domain Boundaries in a Complex, Interdisciplinary Engineering Project

Engineering educators have an essential role in preparing engineers to work in a complex, interdisciplinary workforce. While much engineering education focuses on teaching students to develop disciplinary expertise in specific engineering domains, there is a strong need to teach engineers about the knowledge that they develop or use in their work (Bucciarelli 1994, Allenby Sarewitz, 2011; Frodeman, 2013). The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of the knowledge systems of practicing engineers through observations of their practices such that the insights learned can guide future education efforts. Using an example from a complex and interdisciplinary engineering project, this paper presents a case study overviewing the types of epistemological (or knowledge-acquiring or using) complexities that engineers navigate. Specifically, we looked at a discussion of the thermal design of a CubeSat that occurred during an engineering review at NASA. We analyzed the review using a framework that we call 'peak events', or pointed discussions between reviewers, project engineers, and managers. We examined the dialog within peak events to identify the ways that knowledge was brought to bear, highlighting discussions of uncertainty and the boundaries of knowledge claims. We focus on one example discussion surrounding the thermal design of the CubeSat, which provides a particularly thorough example of a knowledge system since the engineers present explained, justified, negotiated, and defended knowledge within a social setting. Engineering students do not get much practice or instruction in explicitly negotiating knowledge systems and epistemic standards in this way. We highlight issues that should matter to engineering educators, such as the need to discuss what level of uncertainty is sufficient and the need to negotiate boundaries of system responsibility. Although this analysis is limited to a single discussion or 'peak event', our case shows that this type of discussion can occur in engineering and suggests that it could be important for future engineering education research.

ethnography↗

NASA NTRS2014

TechEdSat Nano-Satellite Series Fact Sheet

TechEdSat-3p is the second generation in the TechEdSat-X series. The TechEdSat Series uses the CubeSat standards established by the California Polytechnic State University Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo. With typical blocks being constructed from 1-unit (1U 10x10x10 cm) increments, the TechEdSat-3p has a 3U volume with a 30 cm length. The project uniquely pairs advanced university students with NASA researchers in a rapid design-to-flight experience lasting 1-2 semesters.The TechEdSat Nano-Satellite Series provides a rapid platform for testing technologies for future NASA Earth and planetary missions, as well as providing students with an early exposure to flight hardware development and management.

Platform for rapid technology testing↗

NASA NTRS2011

My Summer Internship at Kennedy Space Center

During my summer internship at Kennedy Space Center, I worked on several projects with my mentor Grace Johnson in the Education Programs Office. My primary project was the CubeSat project in which my job was to help mentor Merritt Island High School students in the building of a CubeSat. CubeSats are picosatellites that are used to carry out auxiliary missions; they "piggy back" into orbit on launch vehicles launching primary missions. CubeSats come in the sizes of 1U (10 by 10 by 10 cm) 2U (1Ux2) and 3U (1Ux3). The Cube Sats are housed in a protective deploying device called a Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deplored (P-POD). I also participated in a Balloon Workshop with the MIHS students. This was an intense 4-day project in which we constructed a balloon satellite equipped with a camera whose main goal was to obtain video images of the curvature of the earth at high altitudes and relay it back down to our ground station. I also began developing my own science research program for minority serving institutions to be implemented when funding becomes available. In addition to the projects that I completed during my internship, I got the opportunity to go on various tours of the technological facilities here at Kennedy Space Center.

Philpott, Hobert Leon↗

NASA NTRS2018

NASA's Space Launch System and Deep Space Opportunities for Smallsats

Designed to provide the significant capability required for human deep-space exploration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Launch System (SLS) also provides an exceptional opportunity for lower-cost deep-space science in the form of small-satellite (smallsat) secondary payloads. This opportunity will be leveraged beginning with the rocket's first flight; a launch of the SLS's Block 1 configuration, capable of delivering greater than 26 metric tons (t) to Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI), which will see the Orion crew vehicle travel around the Moon and return to Earth. On that flight, SLS will also deploy 13 6U-class CubeSat secondary payloads to multiple destinations including deep space. Preparations are already under way for future vehicle configurations, with the more capable Block 1B, able to deliver 40 metric tons to TLI. That configuration will have the capability to carry large payloads co-manifested with the Orion spacecraft, or to utilize an 8.4-meter (m) fairing to carry payloads several times larger than are currently possible. SLS will evolve to its full Block 2 configuration, with a TLI capability of greater than 45 metric tons. This paper will provide a status of the SLS development and outline the progress being made toward flying smallsats on SLS, and discuss future opportunities for smallsats.

Bookout, Paul S.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mission Architecture for the Green Propulsion Dual Mode Mission

Current spacecraft propulsion technologies are broadly divided into chemical and electric propulsion modes, each of which has unique advantages. It is common for both systems to have a place in interplanetary spacecraft, but the size, weight, and power required to carry two separate propulsion systems is extremely limiting for small spacecraft such as CubeSats. The upcoming NASA STMD-funded Green Propulsion Dual Mode (GPDM) mission will demonstrate on-orbit a novel dual-mode propulsion system known as the GPDM Propulsion System that uses the AF-M315E/ASCENT green monopropellant to feed both a chemical 100 mN monopropellant thruster and four electrospray thrusters. GPDM will fly a 6U CubeSat in low Earth orbit and perform orbit-raising and lowering maneuvers to characterize the performance of this dual-mode propulsion technology, enabling a new generation of future interplanetary small satellite explorers. The Georgia Institute of Technology Space Systems Design Laboratory (SSDL) is conducting the design, assembly, integration, testing, and mission operations of the GPDM host spacecraft, as well as the integration of the GPDM Propulsion System payload, designed by NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center (MSFC). The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is overseeing the overall GPDM project as well as specific technology development activities of the GPDM Propulsion System, while electrospray thrusters are supplied by the MIT Space Propulsion Lab, with additional components supplied by MMA Design, Blue Canyon Technologies, Quasonix, Xiphos, and Rubicon Space Systems. The GPDM spacecraft will carry the GPDM Propulsion System into orbit and use a high-power S-band radio to enable real-time operations in low Earth orbit (LEO) via the NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The mission is working towards a tentative launch readiness date of August 2025, in support of launch and operations commencing in January 2026. This paper describes GPDM’s overall mission concept of operations, spacecraft overview, and subsystem breakdown.

Green Propulsion Dual Mode↗

NASA NTRS2018

New Moon Explorer Robotic Precursor Mission Concept

A low-cost reconnaissance mission concept has been devised of Earth’s ‘New Moon’, the recently discovered Earth orbital companion asteroid 2016HO3. 2016HO3 provides a compelling destination to address science, economic, and asteroid protection objectives and could serve to influence the future direction of human exploration in cis-lunar space by offering an additional destination for human exploration and utilization. Key enabling technologies, solar sail propulsion, thin film power generation and telecommunications capabilities, and small spacecraft technology have reached a development milestone enabling an affordable reconnaissance mission. Leveraging the solar sail technology and mission expertise resident at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) resulting from the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) funded Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout mission, and combining this with the science and instrument expertise at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), a 12U scale small spacecraft mission can characterize 2016HO3. Spin rate, pole position, shape, structure, mass, density, chemical composition, temperature, thermal inertia, regolith characteristics, and spectral type can be determined using a small, CubeSat form factor within a three year time of flight. This paper outlines the outcome of a concept study for the New Moon Explorer (NME), a solar sail propelled reconnaissance mission of 2016HO3.

Dervan, Jared A.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Iodine Satellite

The Iodine Satellite (iSat) spacecraft will be the first CubeSat to demonstrate high change in velocity from a primary propulsion system by using Hall thruster technology and iodine as a propellant. The mission will demonstrate CubeSat maneuverability, including plane change, altitude change and change in its closest approach to Earth to ensure atmospheric reentry in less than 90 days. The mission is planned for launch in fall 2017. Hall thruster technology is a type of electric propulsion. Electric propulsion uses electricity, typically from solar panels, to accelerate the propellant. Electric propulsion can accelerate propellant to 10 times higher velocities than traditional chemical propulsion systems, which significantly increases fuel efficiency. To enable the success of the propulsion subsystem, iSat will also demonstrate power management and thermal control capabilities well beyond the current state-of-the-art for spacecraft of its size. This technology is a viable primary propulsion system that can be used on small satellites ranging from about 22 pounds (10 kilograms) to more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms). iSat's fuel efficiency is ten times greater and its propulsion per volume is 100 times greater than current cold-gas systems and three times better than the same system operating on xenon. iSat's iodine propulsion system consists of a 200 watt (W) Hall thruster, a cathode, a tank to store solid iodine, a power processing unit (PPU) and the feed system to supply the iodine. This propulsion system is based on a 200 W Hall thruster developed by Busek Co. Inc., which was previously flown using xenon as the propellant. Several improvements have been made to the original system to include a compact PPU, targeting greater than 80 percent reduction in mass and volume of conventional PPU designs. The cathode technology is planned to enable heaterless cathode conditioning, significantly increasing total system efficiency. The feed system has been designed to include iodine compatible control valves with internal heaters and temperature sensors to coincide with the iodine-compatible thruster. A key advantage to using iodine as a propellant is that it may be stored in the tank as an unpressurized solid on the ground and before flight operations. During operations, the tank is heated to vaporize the propellant. Iodine vapor is then routed through custom flow control valves to control mass flow to the thruster and cathode assembly. The thruster then ionizes the vapor and accelerates it via magnetic and electrostatic fields, resulting in high specific impulse, characteristic of a highly efficient propulsion system. The iSat spacecraft is a 12-unit (12U) CubeSat with dimensions of about 8 inches x 8 inches x 12 inches (20 centimeters x 20 centimeters x 30 centimeters). The spacecraft frame will be constructed from aluminum with a finish to prevent iodine-driven corrosion. The iSat spacecraft includes full three-axis control and will leverage heat generated by spacecraft components and radiators for a passive thermal control system. After the CubeSat has successfully detached from its launch vehicle, it will deploy its solar panels, correct for tip-off and maintain attitude control before ground contact. An initial check-out period of two weeks is planned for testing all subsystems. The spacecraft will charge the power system while in sunlight, using momentum wheels and magnetic torque rods to rotate the vehicle to the required attitude.

iSat↗