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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

The Virtual Mission Operations Center

Spacecraft management is becoming more human intensive as spacecraft become more complex and as operations costs are growing accordingly. Several automation approaches have been proposed to lower these costs. However, most of these approaches are not flexible enough in the operations processes and levels of automation that they support. This paper presents a concept called the Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC) that provides highly flexible support for dynamic spacecraft management processes and automation. In a VMOC, operations personnel can be shared among missions, the operations team can change personnel and their locations, and automation can be added and removed as appropriate. The VMOC employs a form of on-demand supervisory control called management by exception to free operators from having to actively monitor their system. The VMOC extends management by exception, however, so that distributed, dynamic teams can work together. The VMOC uses work-group computing concepts and groupware tools to provide a team infrastructure, and it employs user agents to allow operators to define and control system automation.

Moore, Mike↗
NASA NTRS1998

Sensor Spatial Distortion, Visual Latency, and Update Rate Effects on 3D Tracking in Virtual Environments

Several common defects that we have sought to minimize in immersing virtual environments are: static sensor spatial distortion, visual latency, and low update rates. Human performance within our environments during large amplitude 3D tracking was assessed by objective and subjective methods in the presence and absence of these defects. Results show that 1) removal of our relatively small spatial sensor distortion had minor effects on the tracking activity, 2) an Adapted Cooper-Harper controllability scale proved the most sensitive subjective indicator of the degradation of dynamic fidelity caused by increasing latency and decreasing frame rates, and 3) performance, as measured by normalized RMS tracking error or subjective impressions, was more markedly influenced by changing visual latency than by update rate.

Ellis, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Constellation's First Flight Test: Ares I-X

On October 28, 2009, NASA launched Ares I-X, the first flight test of the Constellation Program that will send human beings to the Moon and beyond. This successful test is the culmination of a three-and-a-half-year, multi-center effort to design, build, and fly the first demonstration vehicle of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, the successor vehicle to the Space Shuttle. The suborbital mission was designed to evaluate the atmospheric flight characteristics of a vehicle dynamically similar to Ares I; perform a first stage separation and evaluate its effects; characterize and control roll torque; stack, fly, and recover a solid-motor first stage testing the Ares I parachutes; characterize ground, flight, and reentry environments; and develop and execute new ground hardware and procedures. Built from existing flight and new simulator hardware, Ares I-X integrated a Shuttle-heritage four-segment solid rocket booster for first stage propulsion, a spacer segment to simulate a five-segment booster, Peacekeeper axial engines for roll control, and Atlas V avionics, as well as simulators for the upper stage, crew module, and launch abort system. The mission leveraged existing logistical and ground support equipment while also developing new ones to accommodate the first in-line rocket for flying astronauts since the Saturn IB last flew from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1975. This paper will describe the development and integration of the various vehicle and ground elements, from conception to stacking in KSC s Vehicle Assembly Building; hardware performance prior to, during, and after the launch; and preliminary lessons and data gathered from the flight. While the Constellation Program is currently under review, Ares I-X has and will continue to provide vital lessons for NASA personnel in taking a vehicle concept from design to flight.

Davis, Stephan R.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Synchronization of Human Autonomic Nervous System Rhythms with Geomagnetic Activity in Human Subjects

A coupling between geomagnetic activity and the human nervous system's function was identified by virtue of continuous monitoring of heart rate variability (HRV) and the time-varying geomagnetic field over a 31-day period in a group of 10 individuals who went about their normal day-to-day lives. A time series correlation analysis identified a response of the group's autonomic nervous systems to various dynamic changes in the solar, cosmic ray, and ambient magnetic field. Correlation coefficients and p values were calculated between the HRV variables and environmental measures during three distinct time periods of environmental activity. There were significant correlations between the group's HRV and solar wind speed, Kp, Ap, solar radio flux, cosmic ray counts, Schumann resonance power, and the total variations in the magnetic field. In addition, the time series data were time synchronized and normalized, after which all circadian rhythms were removed. It was found that the participants' HRV rhythms synchronized across the 31-day period at a period of approximately 2.5 days, even though all participants were in separate locations. Overall, this suggests that daily autonomic nervous system activity not only responds to changes in solar and geomagnetic activity, but is synchronized with the time-varying magnetic fields associated with geomagnetic field-line resonances and Schumann resonances.

Magnetic Fields↗
NASA NTRS2020

Aboveground carbon loss associated with the spread of ghost forests as sea levels rise

Coastal forests sequester and store more carbon than their terrestrial counterparts but are at greater risk of conversion due to sea level rise. Saltwater intrusion from sea level rise converts freshwater-dependent coastal forests to more salt-tolerant marshes, leaving 'ghost forests' of standing dead trees behind. Although recent research has investigated the drivers and rates of coastal forest decline, the associated changes in carbon storage across large extents have not been quantified. We mapped ghost forest spread across coastal North Carolina, USA, using repeat Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveys, multi-temporal satellite imagery, and field measurements of aboveground biomass to quantify changes in aboveground carbon. Between 2001 and 2014, 15% (167 km2) of unmanaged public land in the region changed from coastal forest to transition-ghost forest characterized by salt-tolerant shrubs and herbaceous plants. Salinity and proximity to the estuarine shoreline were significant drivers of these changes. This conversion resulted in a net aboveground carbon decline of 0.13 ± 0.01 TgC. Because saltwater intrusion precedes inundation and influences vegetation condition in advance of mature tree mortality, we suggest that aboveground carbon declines can be used to detect the leading edge of sea level rise. Aboveground carbon declines along the shoreline were offset by inland aboveground carbon gains associated with natural succession and forestry activities like planting (2.46 ± 0.25 TgC net aboveground carbon across study area). Our study highlights the combined effects of saltwater intrusion and land use on aboveground carbon dynamics of temperate coastal forests in North America. By quantifying the effects of multiple interacting disturbances, our measurement and mapping methods should be applicable to other coastal landscapes experiencing saltwater intrusion. As sea level rise increases the landward extent of inundation and saltwater exposure, investigations at these large scales are requisite for effective resource allocation for climate adaptation. In this changing environment, human intervention, whether through land preservation, restoration, or reforestation, may be necessary to prevent aboveground carbon loss.

ghost forests↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Efficient Approach to Collect Inlet Characterization Data

This report considers a novel process to acquire performance data for supersonic mixed compression inlets that is faster, and therefore less costly, than the previous one. In the previous process, measurements were recorded in discrete increments. The backpressuring actuator was advanced, there was a pause to allow for airflow fluctuations to diminish, and then the measurements were recorded. While this process was methodical, reliable and accurate, it consumed significant wind-on time. In general, high-speed wind tunnels are expensive to operate considering maintenance, energy and human resource requirements. Furthermore, many facilities, such as blowdown wind tunnels, are limited in the duration that they can maintain the desired test condition. Consequently, a quick method to collect the measurements is desired. A favored approach has the actuator moving in a continuous fashion with measurements recorded as the actuator continuously progresses through the increment points. This approach, identified as the dynamic inlet characteristic data acquisition procedure, uses in situ dynamic high-speed pressure sensors to measure pressure signals. While faster, continuous movement adds dynamic effects to the data. To better understand these dynamic effects and other potential influences, a study was undertaken to compare wind tunnel measurements taken at discrete actuator position points with data gathered during continuous actuator movement. Specially, plots of inlet pressure recovery versus mass capture ratio, or total pressure characteristic curves, were examined. The data were measured during experiments in the NASA Glenn Research Center Abe Silverstein 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT) with an inlet propulsion test article. In this report, the wind tunnel experiment and the study objectives are described. The processes to reduce the data and for analysis are explained. A discussion of the results along with features noted in the data is given. Finally, conclusions from this study that may be used to guide future wind tunnel experiment planning are presented.

Inlet↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Efficient Approach to Collect Inlet Characterization Data

This report considers a novel process to acquire performance data for supersonic mixed compression inlets that is faster, and therefore less costly, than the previous one. In the previous process, measurements were recorded in discrete increments. The backpressuring actuator was advanced, there was a pause to allow for airflow fluctuations to diminish, and then the measurements were recorded. While this process was methodical, reliable and accurate, it consumed significant wind-on time. In general, high-speed wind tunnels are expensive to operate considering maintenance, energy and human resource requirements. Furthermore, many facilities, such as blowdown wind tunnels, are limited in the duration that they can maintain the desired test condition. Consequently, a quick method to collect the measurements is desired. A favored approach has the actuator moving in a continuous fashion with measurements recorded as the actuator continuously progresses through the increment points. This approach, identified as the dynamic inlet characteristic data acquisition procedure, uses in situ dynamic high-speed pressure sensors to measure pressure signals. While faster, continuous movement adds dynamic effects to the data. To better understand these dynamic effects and other potential influences, a study was undertaken to compare wind tunnel measurements taken at discrete actuator position points with data gathered during continuous actuator movement. Specially, plots of inlet pressure recovery versus mass capture ratio, or total pressure characteristic curves, were examined. The data were measured during experiments in the NASA Glenn Research Center Abe Silverstein 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT) with an inlet propulsion test article. In this report, the wind tunnel experiment and the study objectives are described. The processes to reduce the data and for analysis are explained. A discussion of the results along with features noted in the data is given. Finally, conclusions from this study that may be used to guide future wind tunnel experiment planning are presented.

Data Acquisition↗
NASA NTRS1995

Simultaneous cerebrovascular and cardiovascular responses during presyncope

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Presyncope, characterized by symptoms and signs indicative of imminent syncope, can be aborted in many situations before loss of consciousness occurs. The plasticity of cerebral autoregulation in healthy humans and its behavior during this syncopal prodrome are unclear, although systemic hemodynamic instability has been suggested as a key factor in the precipitation of syncope. Using lower body negative pressure (LBNP) to simulate central hypovolemia, we previously observed falling mean flow velocities (MFVs) with maintained mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). These findings, and recent reports suggesting increased vascular tone within the cerebral vasculature at presyncope, cannot be explained by the classic static cerebral autoregulation curve; neither can they be totally explained by a recent suggestion of a rightward shift in this curve. METHODS: Four male and five female healthy volunteers were exposed to presyncopal LBNP to evaluate their cerebrovascular and cardiovascular responses by use of continuous acquisition of MFV from the right middle cerebral artery with transcranial Doppler sonography, MABP (Finapres), and heart rate (ECG). RESULTS: At presyncope, MFV dropped on average by 27.3 +/- 14% of its baseline value (P < .05), while MABP remained at 2.0 +/- 27% above its baseline level. Estimated cerebrovascular resistance increased during LBNP. The percentage change from baseline to presyncope in MFV and MABP revealed consistent decreases in MFV before MABP. CONCLUSIONS: Increased estimated cerebrovascular resistance, falling MFV, and constant MABP are evidence of an increase in cerebral vascular tone with falling flow, suggesting a downward shift in the cerebral autoregulation curve. Cerebral vessels may have a differential sensitivity to sympathetic drive or more than one type of sympathetic innervation. Future work to induce dynamic changes in MABP during LBNP may help in assessing the plasticity of the cerebral autoregulation mechanism.

Non-NASA Center↗
DOE OSTI2026

A curated benchmark for cofolding models on kinase conformational states

Abstract Protein kinases are critical drug targets, requiring therapeutics that can modulate their active and inactive conformational states. While cofolding models can generate global folds directly from kinase sequences and ligand SMILES strings, these models have not yet been tested on their ability to recover ligand-induced-fit conformational states of the kinase proteins. Here, we introduce KinConfBench, a curated benchmark of 2225 high-quality human kinase chains to evaluate the ability of four state-of-the-art cofolding models—Boltz-2, Chai-1, Protenix, and RoseTTAFold-All-Atom—to recover both canonical and rare conformational states. We show that geometric success metrics of a ligand pose in the active site do not correlate strongly with the correct kinase conformational state, motivating a new set of dynamical benchmarks for assessing cofolding models. While all four cofolding models achieve ~60–80% prediction accuracy for kinase conformational classification, they exhibit severe mode collapse when performing multiple inferences, show negligible structural diversity in sampling induced-fit motions, and display a prevalent “apo-drift” in which most cofolding models predominantly predict the kinase to be in its ligand-free state. Our results highlight that capturing ligand-induced protein conformational diversity, not just geometric fit, is critical for next-generation structure-based drug discovery.

Sun, Kunyang↗
DOE OSTI2026

LandCast Mosaic: Reconstructing Global Population Distributions, 1975-2025

LandCast Mosaic (LCM) provides a global, high-resolution gridded population dataset spanning 1975–2025, representing annual, scenario-consistent estimates of daytime, nighttime, and ambient population distributions. LCM builds on the 2025 LandScan Mosaic (LSM) population data by backcasting to earlier years using historical changes in built-surface area derived from the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) and authoritative population counts from international datasets. The workflow scales 2025 building-informed gridded population estimates according to observed changes in built surface, applies linear interpolation for intermediate years, and normalizes estimates to match administrative- and country-level totals. The resulting dataset offers consistent, globally gridded population estimates over fifty years, suitable for temporal analyses of population dynamics, disaster risk modeling, and urban planning applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1981

Pursuit tracking and higher levels of skill development in the human pilot

A model of the human pilot is offered for pursuit tracking tasks; the model encompasses an existing model for compensatory tracking. The central hypothesis in the development of this model states that those primary structural elements in the compensatory model responsible for the pilot's equalization capabilities remain intact in the pursuit model. In this latter case, effective low-frequency inversion of the controlled-element dynamics occurs by feeding-forward derived input rate through the equalization dynamics, with low-frequency phase droop minimized. The sharp reduction in low-frequency phase lag beyond that associated with the disappearance of phase droop is seen to accompany relatively low-gain feedback of vehicle output. The results of some recent motion cue research are discussed and interpreted in terms of the compensatory-pursuit display dichotomy. Tracking with input preview is discussed in a qualitative way. In terms of the model, preview is shown to demand no fundamental changes in structure or equalization and to allow the pilot to eliminate the effective time delays that accrue in the inversion of the controlled-element dynamics. Precognitive behavior is discussed, and a model that encompasses all the levels of skill development outlined in the successive organizations of perception theory is finally proposed.

Hess, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Planning and executing motions for multibody systems in free-fall

The purpose of this research is to develop an end-to-end system that can be applied to a multibody system in free-fall to analyze its possible motions, save those motions in a database, and design a controller that can execute those motions. A goal is for the process to be highly automated and involve little human intervention. Ideally, the output of the system would be data and algorithms that could be put in ROM to control the multibody system in free-fall. The research applies to more than just robots in space. It applies to any multibody system in free-fall. Mathematical techniques from nonlinear control theory were used to study the nature of the system dynamics and its possible motions. Optimization techniques were applied to plan motions. Image compression techniques were proposed to compress the precomputed motion data for storage. A linearized controller was derived to control the system while it executes preplanned trajectories.

Cameron, Jonathan M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Composition and physiological profiling of sprout-associated microbial communities

The native microfloras of various types of sprouts (alfalfa, clover, sunflower, mung bean, and broccoli sprouts) were examined to assess the relative effects of sprout type and inoculum factors (i.e., sprout-growing facility, seed lot, and inoculation with sprout-derived inocula) on the microbial community structure of sprouts. Sprouts were sonicated for 7 min or hand shaken with glass beads for 2 min to recover native microfloras from the surface, and the resulting suspensions were diluted and plated. The culturable fraction was characterized by the density (log CFU/g), richness (e.g., number of types of bacteria), and diversity (e.g., microbial richness and evenness) of colonies on tryptic soy agar plates incubated for 48 h at 30 degrees C. The relative similarity between sprout-associated microbial communities was assessed with the use of community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) based on patterns of utilization of 95 separate carbon sources. Aerobic plate counts of 7.96 +/- 0.91 log CFU/g of sprout tissue (fresh weight) were observed, with no statistically significant differences in microbial cell density, richness, or diversity due to sprout type, sprout-growing facility, or seed lot. CLPP analyses revealed that the microbial communities associated with alfalfa and clover sprouts are more similar than those associated with the other sprout types tested. Variability among sprout types was more extensive than any differences between microbial communities associated with alfalfa and clover sprouts from different sprout-growing facilities and seed lots. These results indicate that the subsequent testing of biocontrol agents should focus on similar organisms for alfalfa and clover, but alternative types may be most suitable for the other sprout types tested. The inoculation of alfalfa sprouts with communities derived from various sprout types had a significant, source-independent effect on microbial community structure, indicating that the process of inoculation alters the dynamics of community development regardless of the types of organisms involved.

NASA Center KSC↗
NASA NTRS1997

Mechanical continuity and reversible chromosome disassembly within intact genomes removed from living cells

Chromatin is thought to be structurally discontinuous because it is packaged into morphologically distinct chromosomes that appear physically isolated from one another in metaphase preparations used for cytogenetic studies. However, analysis of chromosome positioning and movement suggest that different chromosomes often behave as if they were physically connected in interphase as well as mitosis. To address this paradox directly, we used a microsurgical technique to physically remove nucleoplasm or chromosomes from living cells under isotonic conditions. Using this approach, we found that pulling a single nucleolus or chromosome out from interphase or mitotic cells resulted in sequential removal of the remaining nucleoli and chromosomes, interconnected by a continuous elastic thread. Enzymatic treatments of interphase nucleoplasm and chromosome chains held under tension revealed that mechanical continuity within the chromatin was mediated by elements sensitive to DNase or micrococcal nuclease, but not RNases, formamide at high temperature, or proteases. In contrast, mechanical coupling between mitotic chromosomes and the surrounding cytoplasm appeared to be mediated by gelsolin-sensitive microfilaments. Furthermore, when ion concentrations were raised and lowered, both the chromosomes and the interconnecting strands underwent multiple rounds of decondensation and recondensation. As a result of these dynamic structural alterations, the mitotic chains also became sensitive to disruption by restriction enzymes. Ion-induced chromosome decondensation could be blocked by treatment with DNA binding dyes, agents that reduce protein disulfide linkages within nuclear matrix, or an antibody directed against histones. Fully decondensed chromatin strands also could be induced to recondense into chromosomes with pre-existing size, shape, number, and position by adding anti-histone antibodies. Conversely, removal of histones by proteolysis or heparin treatment produced chromosome decondensation which could be reversed by addition of histone H1, but not histones H2b or H3. These data suggest that DNA, its associated protein scaffolds, and surrounding cytoskeletal networks function as a structurally-unified system. Mechanical coupling within the nucleoplasm may coordinate dynamic alterations in chromatin structure, guide chromosome movement, and ensure fidelity of mitosis.

NASA Discipline Cell Biology↗
NASA NTRS2006

Working Group Reports and Presentations: Mars Settlement and Society

The long-term implications of space exploration must be considered early in the process. With this in mind, the Mars Settlement and Society Group focused on five key areas: Philosophical Framework, Community Infrastructure and Government, Creating Stakeholders, Human Subsystems, and Habitat Design. The team proposes long and short term goals to support getting to and then staying long-term on Mars. All objectives shared the theme that they should engage, inspire, and educate the public with the intent of fostering stakeholders in the exploration of Mars. The objectives of long-term settlement on Mars should not neglect group dynamics, issues of reproduction, and a strong philosophical framework for the establishment of a society.

McKay, Chris↗
NASA NTRS2008

Engineering America's Current and Future Space Transportation Systems: 50 Years of Systems Engineering Innovation for Sustainable Exploration

Over the past 50 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has delivered space transportation solutions for America's complex missions, ranging from scientific payloads that expand knowledge, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, to astronauts and lunar rovers destined for voyages to the Moon. Currently, the venerable Space Shuttle, which has been in service since 1981, provides the United States' (U.S.) capability for both crew and heavy cargo to low-Earth orbit to' construct the International Space Station, before the Shuttle is retired in 2010. In the next decade, NASA will replace this system with a duo of launch vehicles: the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle and the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle (Figure 1). The goals for this new system include increased safety and reliability coupled with lower operations costs that promote sustainable space exploration for decades to come. The Ares I will loft the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, while the heavy-lift Ares V will carry the Altair Lunar Lander and the equipment and supplies needed to construct a lunar outpost for a new generation of human and robotic space pioneers. This paper will provide details of the in-house systems engineering and vehicle integration work now being performed for the Ares I and planned for the Ares V. It will give an overview of the Ares I system-level test activities, such as the ground vibration testing that will be conducted in the Marshall Center's Dynamic Test Stand to verify the integrated vehicle stack's structural integrity and to validate computer modeling and simulation (Figure 2), as well as the main propulsion test article analysis to be conducted in the Static Test Stand. These activities also will help prove and refine mission concepts of operation, while supporting the spectrum of design and development work being performed by Marshall's Engineering Directorate, ranging from launch vehicles and lunar rovers to scientific spacecraft and associated experiments. Ultimately, fielding a robust space transportation solution that will carry international explorers and essential payloads will pave the way for a new century of scientific discovery beyond planet Earth.

Dmbacher, Daniel L.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Circadian and Fatigue Effects on the Dynamics of the Pupillary Light Reflex

The pupillary light reflex (PLR) is known to be driven by the photo-entrainment of intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. These ganglion cells are known to have retino-hypothalamic projections to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which regulates circadian rhythms, and bilateral retinal projections to the pretectal area, which mediates the PLR (Dacey et al., 2005; Hattar et al., 2002, 2006). The magnitude of the PLR has previously been shown to show circadian variation (Mnch et al., 2012). In this study, we used a constant routine protocol (Mills et al., 1978) to examine circadian and fatigue effects on the dynamics of the PLR. We characterized the PLR (pupil size as a function of time) in response to a square-wave change in the luminance of a white display background, at ten different times over a single circadian cycle. Twelve subjects participated in three daytime baseline runs followed by 7 nighttime runs each separated by an hour (17 23 hours after awakening). The constriction and dilation phases of the PLR waveform were fit separately with a single exponential model (Longtin Milton, 1988; Milton Longtin, 1990) with time constants estimated using a least-squares method. The dilation time constant exhibited a distinct sinusoidal modulation across the circadian cycle and, after 23 hours of wakefulness, decreased on average by 82 ms (paired t-test, p 0.05) relative to baseline (mean: 543 ms). The constriction time constant however, did not show an overall decrease with increased wakefulness. We conclude that the dynamics of the PLR show circadian variation and that, in addition, the briskness of the dilation response to a step-decrease in luminance shows a homeostatic enhancement with increased wakefulness.

human performance↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA's Implementation of Cloud Services for Human Space Flight

Cloud is a tried-and-true technology used throughout United States government agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). With reliable results and infrequent downtimes, cloud allows for secure remote access, customizability, and streamlined monitoring options, creating an environment for better data integrity and availability. As NASA increasingly migrates functions to the cloud, the Space Communications and Navigation Program (SCaN) program has been investigating how this capability can be leveraged to provide communication services to its users and customers. Currently, missions such as NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE), and Roman Space Telescope (RST) are planned to incorporate cloud into their data delivery architecture. However, SCaN is looking to expand further. This conversion to using cloud services allows for greater availability of mission data for both robotic and human space flight (HSF)missions. The SCaN program and the Near Space Network (NSN) are working to consolidate resources and create a cloud environment suitable for the entirety of the SCaN program network architecture. SCaN is in the process of finalizing its cloud architecture and soon will be implementing cloud services. The new services used will adhere to federal regulations including Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), which is built upon National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)documentation. While keeping in mind these security requirements, an auxiliary objective of the cloud integration is to ensure the most cost-efficient solution; providing a scalable, robust and resilient system. Using cloud services, NASA will gain access to better centralized monitoring and management features, along with customizable services on a pay-per-use plan. With the ever-growing NASA mission data volume needs, maintaining ample storage space is another major constraint. Processing and storing such large amounts of data, on the order of terabytes a day, requires dynamic processing capability which is inherently a strength of cloud computing. By routing this data from ground stations through the cloud, there will be greater ease of access for both SCaN and the user community. Artificial intelligence and other built-in cloud functions can also enhance efficiency, improving data processing time. Thereby also allowing for better data availability. As we look to the future of cloud services, NASA will continue to leverage capabilities that will benefit NASA’s ability to provide cost-effective communication services. This paper further outlines the evolution of cloud use by SCaN in the context of Human Space Flight.

cloud storage↗