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At least 613 records · Page 34

Monitoring Air Quality from Space using AURA Data

Measurements from the Earth Observing System (EOS) AURA mission will provide a unique perspective on air quality monitoring. Ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and aerosols from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and carbon monoxide from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) will be simultaneously measured with the spatial resolution and coverage needed for improving our understanding of air quality. AURA data products useful for air quality monitoring will be given.

Gleason, James F.↗

Predicting Crew Time Allocations for Lunar Orbital Missions Based on Historical ISS Operational Activities

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration continues to define candidate architectures for the planned lunar “Gateway”, it will be necessary to have a detailed understanding of how the crew will inhabit, operate, and maintain the spacecraft. The nature of the Gateway vehicle systems configuration and operations will have a direct impact on the scope of work activities required of the crew. Crew work schedules are sensitive to variations in spacecraft architecture, visiting vehicle activities, and logistics operations – particularly within short duration missions as initially planned for the lunar Gateway. These system and operational configurations must be taken into account when planning for crew time availability to conduct science activities on Gateway missions. This paper presents a methodology that is used to predict crew time distributions for lunar Gateway missions, as applied in NASA’s Exploration Crew Time Model (ECTM). The process utilized for evaluating crew time distributions is based on the categorization of all crew activities into a standardized ontology. Historical ISS daily crew timeline data from July 20, 2011 (post STS retirement) to present day was captured via the Operational Planning Timeline Integration System (OPTimIS) database and characterized according to the standardized ontology. This process enabled correlation and statistical analysis of the ISS data according to common mission parameters such as crew size, ECLSS system design, vehicle traffic operations, and logistics delivery operations. The results of the statistical analysis are a set of crew time distributions for each activity category. These distributions are then utilized within the ECTM to examine crew time allocations based on mission parameter inputs, which serve to characterize the Gateway mission configurations. Results for predicted crew time allocations for representative short duration Gateway missions are presented. These results can be used to evaluate crew schedule availability for science and utilization activities. Variations in expected mission architectures and mission operations are accounted for to correct crew time predictions. The analysis is being leveraged to plan utilization capability objectives that are achievable on the Gateway missions, as well as inform the viability of various mission architecture options.

Stromgren, Chel↗

Standards for space data systems

NASA has chaired the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) for the past four years. During that time, a top-level, end-to-end reference model for space data sytems has been developed that identifies the functions anad services which must be provided by space data systems, and defines the interfaces between major functional elements. A group of definitions for standard protocols has been derived by analyzing these interfaces, and a set of detailed guidelines for space data system standards is in the final stages of negotiation among member CCSDS agencies. Two guidelines that address packet telemetry and channel coding have been approved and are being incorporated into the internal standards of member agencies. Others (packet telecommand, time code, standards data format unit) are in review within CCSDS technical panels and will soon be submitted for approval. These guidelines provide a mechanism for significant cost savings in the implementation of space data systems by allowing reuse of hardware and software for different payloads and for missions, and by enabling the substitution of new technology/higher performance elements at key points in the data system without causing major perturbations in the remainder of the system.

Connell, E. B.↗

Outer planet entry probe system study. Volume 2: Supporting technical studies

The environment, science investigations, and general mission analysis considerations are given first. These data are followed by discussions of the studies pertaining to the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Except for Neptune, each planet discussion is divided into two parts: (1) parametric activities and (2) probe definition for that planet, or the application of a given probe for that planet. The Neptune discussion is limited to parametrics in the area of science and mission analysis. Each of the probe system definitions consists of system and subsystem details including telecommunications, data handling, power pyrotechnics, attitude control, structures, propulsion, thermal control, and probe to spacecraft integration. The first configuration is discussed in detail and the subsequent configuration discussions are limited to the differences. Finally, the hardware availability to support a probe system and commonality of science, missions, and subsystems for use at the various planets are considered.

Source record↗

Bridging the Engineering and Medicine Gap

A primary challenge NASA faces is communication between the disparate entities of engineers and human system experts in life sciences. Clear communication is critical for exploration mission success from the perspective of both risk analysis and data handling. The engineering community uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) models to inform their own risk analysis and has extensive experience managing mission data, but does not always fully consider human systems integration (HSI). The medical community, as a part of HSI, has been working 1) to develop a suite of tools to express medical risk in quantitative terms that are relatable to the engineering approaches commonly in use, and 2) to manage and integrate HSI data with engineering data. This talk will review the development of the Integrated Medical Model as an early attempt to bridge the communication gap between the medical and engineering communities in the language of PRA. This will also address data communication between the two entities in the context of data management considerations of the Medical Data Architecture. Lessons learned from these processes will help identify important elements to consider in future communication and integration of these two groups.

Walton, M.↗

Data Visualization and Analysis for Climate Studies using NASA Giovanni Online System

With many global earth observation systems and missions focused on climate systems and the associated large volumes of observational data available for exploring and explaining how climate is changing and why, there is an urgent need for climate services. Giovanni, the NASA GES DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd ANalysis Infrastructure, is a simple to use yet powerful tool for analysing these data for research on global warming and climate change, as well as for applications to weather. air quality, agriculture, and water resources,

Rui, Hualan↗

Remote sensing data handbook

A digest of information on remote sensor data systems is given. It includes characteristics of spaceborne sensors and the supportive systems immediately associated therewith. It also includes end-to-end systems information that will assist the user in appraising total data system impact produced by a sensor. The objective is to provide a tool for anticipating the complexity of systems and potential data system problems as new user needs are generated. Materials in this handbook span sensor systems from the present to those planned for use in the 1990's. Sensor systems on all planned missions are presented in digest form, condensed from data as available at the time of compilation. Projections are made of anticipated systems.

Source record↗

Lessons learned from Space Shuttle flight software and Mission Control software

The techniques utilized by NASA to manage risk in the development and operations of flight software and Mission Control Center software for the Space Shuttle are reviewed. Particular attention is given to independent software in the backup flight system, structured requirements and design techniques, multiple levels of testing in development and production, independent testing following production, and independence of development and production, and the Mission Control Center model for Real Time Data System project.

Muratore, John F.↗

The Mars climate for a photovoltaic system operation

Detailed information on the climatic conditions on Mars are very desirable for the design of photovoltaic systems for establishing outposts on the Martian surface. The distribution of solar insolation (global, direct and diffuse) and ambient temperature is addressed. This data are given at the Viking lander's locations and can also be used, to a first approximation, for other latitudes. The insolation data is based on measured optical depth of the Martian atmosphere derived from images taken of the sun with a special diode on the Viking cameras; and computation based on multiple wavelength and multiple scattering of the solar radiation. The ambient temperature (diurnal and yearly distribution) is based on direct measurements with a thermocouple at 1.6 m above the ground at the Viking lander locations. The insolation and ambient temperature information are short term data. New information about Mars may be forthcoming in the future from new analysis of previously collected data or from future flight missions. The Mars climate data for photovoltaic system operation will thus be updated accordingly.

Appelbaum, Joseph↗

The Mars climate for a photovoltaic system operation

Detailed information on the climatic conditions on Mars are very desirable for the design of photovoltaic systems for establishing outposts on the Martian surface. The distribution of solar insolation (global, direct and diffuse) and ambient temperature is addressed. This data are given at the Viking lander's locations and can also be used, to a first approximation, for other latitudes. The insolation data is based on measured optical depth of the Martian atmosphere derived from images taken of the sun with a special diode on the Viking cameras; and computation based on multiple wavelength and multiple scattering of the solar radiation. The ambient temperature (diurnal and yearly distribution) is based on direct measurements with a thermocouple at 1.6 m above the ground at the Viking lander locations. The insolation and ambient temperature information are short term data. New information about Mars may be forthcoming in the future from new analysis of previously collected data or from future flight missions. The Mars climate data for photovoltaic system operation will thus be updated accordingly.

Appelbaum, Joseph↗

One Year Report for SAMS and OARE on STS-73/USML-2

The Second United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) payload flew on the orbiter Columbia on mission STS-73 from October 20 to November 5, 1995. The USML-2 payload on STS-73 was dedicated to microgravity experiments. Two accelerometer systems managed by the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) flew to support these experiments, namely the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) and the Space Acceleration Measurements System (SAMS). OARE downlinked real-time quasi-steady acceleration data, which were provided to the investigators. The SAMS recorded higher frequency data onboard for post-mission analysis. The Principal Investigator Microgravity Services (PIMS) project at NASA LeRC supports principal investigators of microgravity experiments as they evaluate the effects of varying acceleration levels on their experiments. A summary report was prepared by PIMS to furnish interested experiment investigators with a guide to evaluate the acceleration environment during STS-73, and as a means of identifying areas which require further study. The summary report provides an overview of the STS-73 mission, describes the accelerometer systems flown on this mission, discusses some specific analyses of the accelerometer data in relation to the various activities which occurred during the mission, and presents plots resulting from these analyses as a snapshot of the environment during the mission. Numerous activities occurred during the STS-73 mission that are of interest to the low-gravity community. Specific activities of interest during this mission were crew exercise, payload bay door motion, Glovebox fan operations, water dumps, Ku band antenna activity, orbital maneuvering system, and primary reaction control system firings, and attitude changes. The low-gravity environment related to these activities is discussed in the summary report.

Hakimzadeh, Roshanak↗

Asynchronous Message Service Reference Implementation

This software provides a library of middleware functions with a simple application programming interface, enabling implementation of distributed applications in conformance with the CCSDS AMS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems Asynchronous Message Service) specification. The AMS service, and its protocols, implement an architectural concept under which the modules of mission systems may be designed as if they were to operate in isolation, each one producing and consuming mission information without explicit awareness of which other modules are currently operating. Communication relationships among such modules are self-configuring; this tends to minimize complexity in the development and operations of modular data systems. A system built on this model is a society of generally autonomous, inter-operating modules that may fluctuate freely over time in response to changing mission objectives, modules functional upgrades, and recovery from individual module failure. The purpose of AMS, then, is to reduce mission cost and risk by providing standard, reusable infrastructure for the exchange of information among data system modules in a manner that is simple to use, highly automated, flexible, robust, scalable, and efficient. The implementation is designed to spawn multiple threads of AMS functionality under the control of an AMS application program. These threads enable all members of an AMS-based, distributed application to discover one another in real time, subscribe to messages on specific topics, and to publish messages on specific topics. The query/reply (client/server) communication model is also supported. Message exchange is optionally subject to encryption (to support confidentiality) and authorization. Fault tolerance measures in the discovery protocol minimize the likelihood of overall application failure due to any single operational error anywhere in the system. The multi-threaded design simplifies processing while enabling application nodes to operate at high speeds; linked lists protected by mutex semaphores and condition variables are used for efficient, inter-thread communication. Applications may use a variety of transport protocols underlying AMS itself, including TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol), and message queues.

Burleigh, Scott C.↗

The Earth Observing System (EOS) Ground System: Leveraging an Existing Operational Ground System Infrastructure to Support New Missions

The Earth Observer System (EOS) was officially established in 1990 and went operational in December 1999 with the launch of its flagship spacecraft Terra. Aqua followed in 2002 and Aura in 2004. All three spacecraft are still operational and producing valuable scientific data. While all are beyond their original design lifetime, they are expected to remain viable well into the 2020s. The EOS Ground System is a multi-mission system based at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center that supports science and spacecraft operations for these three missions. Over its operational lifetime to date, the EOS Ground System has evolved as needed to accommodate mission requirements. With an eye towards the future, several updates are currently being deployed. Subsystem interconnects are being upgraded to reduce data latency and improve system performance. End-of-life hardware and operating systems are being replaced to mitigate security concerns and eliminate vendor support gaps. Subsystem hardware is being consolidated through the migration to Virtual Machine based platforms. While mission operations autonomy was not a design goal of the original system concept, there is an active effort to apply state-of-the-art products from the Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) to facilitate automation where possible within the existing heritage architecture. This presentation will provide background information on the EOS ground system architecture and evolution, discuss latest improvements, and conclude with the results of a recent effort that investigated how the current system could accommodate a proposed new earth science mission.

Earth Science Mission Operations (ESMO)↗

Space and Earth Sciences, Computer Systems, and Scientific Data Analysis Support, Volume 1

This Final Progress Report covers the specific technical activities of Hughes STX Corporation for the last contract triannual period of 1 June through 30 Sep. 1993, in support of assigned task activities at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). It also provides a brief summary of work throughout the contract period of performance on each active task. Technical activity is presented in Volume 1, while financial and level-of-effort data is presented in Volume 2. Technical support was provided to all Division and Laboratories of Goddard's Space Sciences and Earth Sciences Directorates. Types of support include: scientific programming, systems programming, computer management, mission planning, scientific investigation, data analysis, data processing, data base creation and maintenance, instrumentation development, and management services. Mission and instruments supported include: ROSAT, Astro-D, BBXRT, XTE, AXAF, GRO, COBE, WIND, UIT, SMM, STIS, HEIDI, DE, URAP, CRRES, Voyagers, ISEE, San Marco, LAGEOS, TOPEX/Poseidon, Pioneer-Venus, Galileo, Cassini, Nimbus-7/TOMS, Meteor-3/TOMS, FIFE, BOREAS, TRMM, AVHRR, and Landsat. Accomplishments include: development of computing programs for mission science and data analysis, supercomputer applications support, computer network support, computational upgrades for data archival and analysis centers, end-to-end management for mission data flow, scientific modeling and results in the fields of space and Earth physics, planning and design of GSFC VO DAAC and VO IMS, fabrication, assembly, and testing of mission instrumentation, and design of mission operations center.

Estes, Ronald H.↗

Challenges of the Cassini Test Bed Simulating the Saturnian Environment

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a joint NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) mission to collect scientific data of the Saturnian system and is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). After having arrived in Saturn orbit and releasing the ESA's Huygens probe for a highly successful descent and landing mission on Saturn's moon Titan, the Cassini orbiter continues on its tour of Saturn, its satellites, and the Saturnian environment. JPL's Cassini Integrated Test laboratory (ITL) is a dedicated high fidelity test bed that verifies and validates command sequences and flight software before upload to the Cassini spacecraft. The ITL provides artificial stimuli that allow a highly accurate hardware-in-the-loop test bed model that tests the operation of the Cassini spacecraft on the ground. This enables accurate prediction and recreation of mission events and flight software and hardware behavior. As we discovered more about the Saturnian environment, a combination of creative test methods and simulation changes were necessary to simulate the harmful effect that the optical and physical environment has on the pointing performance of Cassini. This paper presents the challenges experienced and overcome in that endeavor to simulate and test the post Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI) and Probe Relay tour phase of the Cassini mission.

Titan atmospheric drag↗

Cultivating an Emergent Earth Observation Analytics Ecosystem in the Cloud

A diverse set of data analytics systems for Earth Observations are sprouting up in the Earth Science community, with a wealth of processing algorithms and analysis methods. There is a similar wealth of data resources available via myriad data providers and clearinghouses, including large institutional systems like the Earth Observing System Data and Information System, Comprehensive Large Scale Array-data Stewardship System, and Federated Earth Observation Missions gateway. With Earth system science driving a need to work with more datasets together, and the community developing more analysis tools (some of them dataset-specific), how can we develop analysis workflows that incorporate far-flung datasets and leverage analysis resources from multiple organizations? Cloud computing points the way toward a solution in two different respects. Firstly, the access to and abstraction of virtually unlimited storage and computing power provides an environment that enables more straightforward means of pulling datasets and analysis resources together. Just as importantly, however, cloud computing serves as an example of an "ecosystem" of interoperating services, since the essence of cloud computing is the presentation of all resources as a service, from hardware to infrastructure to platform to software. This enables the combination of off-the-shelf, diverse services to construct entire systems that emerge out of an equally diverse community of architects and developers. This approach can be similarly applied to the data and analysis resources in the Earth Observation community. By exposing these resources via well understood services, and consuming resources in the same way, different organizations can construct bespoke analysis workflows and systems for their own purposes. The key leap the community needs to make is to develop analysis systems in components that interact with other components via services. The result would be a rich ecosystem of analytics components that can be combined to analyze datasets at scale and in conjunction with other datasets from other sources.

chaos↗

Methods for extracting aerodynamic accelerations from Orbiter High Resolution Accelerometer Package flight data

This report presents a process for extracting the aerodynamic accelerations of the Shuttle Orbiter Vehicle from the High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP) flight data during reentry. The methods for obtaining low-level aerodynamic accelerations, principally in the rarefied flow regime, are applied to 10 Orbiter flights. The extraction process is presented using data obtained from Space Transportation System Flight 32 (Mission 61-C) as a typical example. This process involves correcting the HiRAP measurements for the effects of temperature bias and instrument offset from the Orbiter center of gravity, and removing acceleration data during times they are affected by thruster firings. The corrected data are then made continuous and smooth and are further enhanced by refining the temperature bias correction and removing effects of the auxiliary power unit actuation. The resulting data are the current best estimate of the Orbiter aerodynamic accelerations during reentry and will be used for further analyses of the Orbiter aerodynamics and the upper atmosphere characteristics.

Thompson, J. M.↗