DOCSLIB.ORG

Activity Planning for a Lunar Orbital Mission

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Activity Planning for a Lunar Orbital Mission Articles Activity Planning for a Lunar Orbital Mission John L. Bresina I This article describes a challenging, n this article, I describe the application of artificial intel- real-world planning problem within the ligence technology to address the challenging problem of context of a NASA mission called Iactivity planning for a lunar orbital NASA mission: the LADEE (Lunar Atmospheric and Dust Lunar Atmospheric and Dust Environment Explorer Environment Explorer). I present the (LADEE). approach taken to reduce the complexi- AI technology can help solve a given problem through a ty of the activity-planning task in order software system that automates some aspect of the problem- to perform it effectively under the time pressures imposed by the mission solving process. However, often, a significant aspect of the requirements. One key aspect of this benefit an AI scientist can provide is in terms of defining an approach is the design of the activity- effective formulation of the problem and an effective design planning process based on principles of of the problem-solving process, involving some combination problem decomposition and planning of humans and software. abstraction levels. The second key I present the application of the AI principles of problem aspect is the mixed-initiative system decomposition and planning abstraction levels (for example, developed for this task, called LASS Nilsson [1971] and Knoblock [1993]) to the design of the (LADEE Activity Scheduling System). LADEE activity-planning process in order to reduce problem The primary challenge for LASS was complexity. This design saved time and reduced conflicts in representing and managing the science constraints that were tied to key points servicing the observation requests from the multiple science in the spacecraft’s orbit, given their instrument teams. I also describe the mixed-initiative soft- dynamic nature due to the continually ware system that was developed to make this process efficient updated orbit determination solution. enough to meet the mission requirements and time pressures of the tactical workflow. This system is the LADEE Activity- Scheduling System, which we call LASS. LASS was used exten- sively throughout the mission; it was used by the instrument teams, the project science team, the Science Operations Cen- ter planner, and by the mission planning and sequencing team, which was led by the author. The key challenge in developing LASS was the efficient management of science constraints that were expressed in terms of when the spacecraft was in a certain point in its orbit around the moon. Given that the orbit determination is con- stantly being updated, the prediction of when the spacecraft would be in a particular point in the orbit changes during the Copyright © 2016, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. All rights reserved. ISSN 0738-4602 SUMMER 2016 7 Articles overall planning process. Our solution to this chal- sion, but in this article, I focus on the primary phase lenge is generalizable to apply to other planning — the science phase, which was nominally 100 days problems that have analogous issues. (not counting the extended mission phase). Due to Before discussing the activity-planning problem the moon’s gravity, in order to maintain the equato- and our problem-solving approach, I present some rial science orbit, 19 maneuvers had to be performed background information on the LADEE mission and during these 100 days. its concept of operations to help convey the problem Almost all of the science observations during this complexity and the time pressures imposed on the phase were executed on board the spacecraft through planning processes. an absolute timed sequence (ATS). The orbit mainte- nance maneuvers, as well as other engineering activ- ities, were also executed through the on-board ATS. A Mission Overview number of activities, for example, uploading com- The primary objectives of the Lunar Atmospheric and mand sequences or downloading housekeeping and Dust Environment Explorer mission were to deter- science data files, were executed from the ground mine the composition of the lunar atmosphere, to through the command plan. A command plan is a investigate the processes that control its distribution computer program run by the flight controller on the and variability, and to characterize the lunar exos- command and telemetry ground system in order to pheric dust environment. The mission was carried guide the interactions with the spacecraft. out by NASA Ames Research Center in collaboration Each science observation was implemented with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. through one or more relative timed sequences (RTSs) The LADEE spacecraft launched atop a Minotaur V that were started from the ATS at the appropriate from Wallops Flight Facility on September 6, 2013. time. For LDEX, the appropriate time was any time The lunar orbit acquisition phase was completed on that the sun was not in the instrument’s bore sight. October 12, 2013, beginning the commissioning For NMS and UVS, the appropriate times were phase. This phase included the checkout of the three defined in terms of where the spacecraft was in its science instruments: Lunar dust experiment (LDEX), equatorial orbit around the moon. Specifically, the neutral mass spectrometer (NMS), and ultraviolet observation times were constrained to occur at some spectrometer (UVS). All three instruments were temporal offset to when the spacecraft was crossing attached to the spacecraft in a fixed configuration; one of six orbital points: sunrise terminator, sunset hence, to point an instrument required the spacecraft terminator, noon, midnight, umbra entrance, and to attain an appropriate attitude. This phase also umbra exit (see figure 2). The most important, with included a successful technology demonstration of respect to the primary science objectives, was the lunar laser communications. sunrise terminator, which was when the spacecraft The 100-day science phase of the mission started was passing from the lighted portion of the moon to on November 21, 2013; after a period of extended the dark portion of the moon, since the spacecraft operations, the mission ended on April 17, 2014, was in a retrograde orbit. The science phase orbit was when the spacecraft struck the moon. designed such that when crossing the sunrise termi- The Mission Operations Center was located at nator, the spacecraft would be approximately 50 kilo- NASA Ames in California, and the Science Operations meters above the surface of the moon, in order to sat- Center was located at NASA Goddard in Maryland. isfy mission requirements. These requirements also The project scientist and deputy were at NASA Ames, specified that various types of science observations and the three science instrument teams were geo- had to be performed near the sunrise terminator graphically distributed: the LDEX team at the Uni- event every 12 hours. versity of Colorado at Boulder, the NMS team at To determine the absolute time to start an NMS or NASA Goddard, and the UVS team at NASA Ames. UVS observation, the times when the spacecraft The Laser Communication Operations Center was at would cross these six orbit points in the relevant MIT Lincoln Labs in Massachusetts. orbit had to be predicted. The orbits were approxi- Communications with the spacecraft were accom- mately 113 minutes in duration; hence, there were plished primarily through the deep-space network 12–13 orbits per day. Based on tracking data collect- with secondary support from the near-earth network, ed roughly every three orbits, the flight dynamics as well as the tracking and data relay system during team was continually updating the orbit determina- launch and early mission operations. tion, which is the basis for making these predictions. Based on the spacecraft pointing accuracy require- Mission Operations ments imposed by the science instruments, the ATS was updated every other day, using the most recent Figure 1 presents an overview of mission operations; orbit solution available. Typically, an ATS covered an in this article, I focus on the activity-planning 80-hour period, where the last 32 hours covered the aspects, indicated by the dark boxes. Activity plan- contingency that the next ATS did not get uploaded ning was performed throughout all phases of the mis- in time. When the next ATS included a maneuver 8 AI MAGAZINE Articles Instrument Strategic Orbit Activity Science Telemetry Planning Allocation Requests Analysis Engineering Activity Engineering Requests Analysis Engineering Skeletal Plan Flight Dynamis Maneuver Orbit Products Planning Determination Attitude Maneuver Tracking Planning Verification Tactical Command Command Commands Planning Sequencing Verification FigureFi 1.1 OverviewO i off LADEELADEE MissionMi i Operations.Op ti The five dark boxes involve activity planning. (always within the second day of the ATS), then an ing tracking passes. LDEX typically operated in the extra 24-hour period was added to the previous ATS ram attitude and one of the most common types of to cover the contingency that the maneuver did not NMS observations was performed in ram attitude, so take place. these activities could coincide with tracking. In addition to the 12-hour cadence requirement Due to power limitations and attitude conflicts, (mentioned above), there were exclusion require- NMS and UVS were never operated simultaneously, ments on the science observations. No science activ- but LDEX could operate at the same time as either ities
Load more

Recommended publications
  • NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE)
    Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 13, EGU2011-5107-2, 2011 EGU General Assembly 2011 © Author(s) 2011 NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Richard Elphic (1), Gregory Delory (1,2), Anthony Colaprete (1), Mihaly Horanyi (3), Paul Mahaffy (4), Butler Hine (1), Steven McClard (5), Joan Salute (6), Edwin Grayzeck (6), and Don Boroson (7) (1) NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA USA ([email protected]), (2) Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA, (3) Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA, (4) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD USA, (5) LunarQuest Program Office, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL USA, (6) Planetary Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA, Washington, DC USA, (7) Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lexington MA USA Nearly 40 years have passed since the last Apollo missions investigated the mysteries of the lunar atmosphere and the question of levitated lunar dust. The most important questions remain: what is the composition, structure and variability of the tenuous lunar exosphere? What are its origins, transport mechanisms, and loss processes? Is lofted lunar dust the cause of the horizon glow observed by the Surveyor missions and Apollo astronauts? How does such levitated dust arise and move, what is its density, and what is its ultimate fate? The US National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council decadal surveys and the recent “Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon” (SCEM) reports have identified studies of the pristine state of the lunar atmosphere and dust environment as among the leading priorities for future lunar science missions.
    [Show full text]
  • LADEE PDS Mission Description Center Document Document No: DES-12.LADEE.LPMD Rev.: 1.5 Effective Date: 05-13-2014
    Ames Research Title: LADEE PDS Mission Description Center Document Document No: DES-12.LADEE.LPMD Rev.: 1.5 Effective Date: 05-13-2014 Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) LADEE PDS Mission Description th May 13 , 2014 Ames Research Center Moffett Field, California National Aeronautics and Space Administration i Ames Research Title: LADEE PDS Mission Description Center Document Document No: DES-12.LADEE.LPMD Rev.: 1.5 Effective Date: 05-13-2014 This document is approved in accordance with LADEE Configuration Management Plan, C04.LADEE.CM, paragraph 3.6.1.1 Document Release Routing Approval Process. Page three of this document contains the approved routed release of this document. Approval Signatures _______________________________________ ___________ Butler Hine Date LADEE Project Manager _______________________________________ ___________ Gregory T. Delory Date LADEE Deputy Project Scientist _______________________________________ ___________ Date _______________________________________ ___________ Date ii Ames Research Title: LADEE PDS Mission Description Center Document Document No: DES-12.LADEE.LPMD Rev.: 1.5 Effective Date: 05-13-2014 This page is reserved for routing approval document iii Ames Research Title: LADEE PDS Mission Description Center Document Document No: DES-12.LADEE.LPMD Rev.: 1.5 Effective Date: 05-13-2014 REVISION HISTORY Rev. Description of Change Author(s) Effective Date 1.0 Initial draft G. Delory Nov 1, 2012 1.1 Resolved several TBDs G. Delory Nov 29, 2012 Updated TOC and prepared for conversion to PDF March 21, 1.2 G. Delory 2012 Baseline March 21, NC G. Delory 2012 Edited mission objective #2 as per PDS peer review 1.3 G. Delory April 4, 2013 results Updated mission timeline and orbit plots to reflect as- 1.4 G.
    [Show full text]
  • Spacecraft Trajectories in a Sun, Earth, and Moon Ephemeris Model
    SPACECRAFT TRAJECTORIES IN A SUN, EARTH, AND MOON EPHEMERIS MODEL A Project Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Aerospace Engineering San José State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering by Romalyn Mirador i ABSTRACT SPACECRAFT TRAJECTORIES IN A SUN, EARTH, AND MOON EPHEMERIS MODEL by Romalyn Mirador This project details the process of building, testing, and comparing a tool to simulate spacecraft trajectories using an ephemeris N-Body model. Different trajectory models and methods of solving are reviewed. Using the Ephemeris positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun, a code for higher-fidelity numerical modeling is built and tested using MATLAB. Resulting trajectories are compared to NASA’s GMAT for accuracy. Results reveal that the N-Body model can be used to find complex trajectories but would need to include other perturbations like gravity harmonics to model more accurate trajectories. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my family and friends for their continuous encouragement and support throughout all these years. A special thank you to my advisor, Dr. Capdevila, and my friend, Dhathri, for mentoring me as I work on this project. The knowledge and guidance from the both of you has helped me tremendously and I appreciate everything you both have done to help me get here. ii Table of Contents List of Symbols ............................................................................................................................... v 1.0 INTRODUCTION
    [Show full text]
  • Space Sector Brochure
    SPACE SPACE REVOLUTIONIZING THE WAY TO SPACE SPACECRAFT TECHNOLOGIES PROPULSION Moog provides components and subsystems for cold gas, chemical, and electric Moog is a proven leader in components, subsystems, and systems propulsion and designs, develops, and manufactures complete chemical propulsion for spacecraft of all sizes, from smallsats to GEO spacecraft. systems, including tanks, to accelerate the spacecraft for orbit-insertion, station Moog has been successfully providing spacecraft controls, in- keeping, or attitude control. Moog makes thrusters from <1N to 500N to support the space propulsion, and major subsystems for science, military, propulsion requirements for small to large spacecraft. and commercial operations for more than 60 years. AVIONICS Moog is a proven provider of high performance and reliable space-rated avionics hardware and software for command and data handling, power distribution, payload processing, memory, GPS receivers, motor controllers, and onboard computing. POWER SYSTEMS Moog leverages its proven spacecraft avionics and high-power control systems to supply hardware for telemetry, as well as solar array and battery power management and switching. Applications include bus line power to valves, motors, torque rods, and other end effectors. Moog has developed products for Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Systems, such as high power DC converters, switching, and power stabilization. MECHANISMS Moog has produced spacecraft motion control products for more than 50 years, dating back to the historic Apollo and Pioneer programs. Today, we offer rotary, linear, and specialized mechanisms for spacecraft motion control needs. Moog is a world-class manufacturer of solar array drives, propulsion positioning gimbals, electric propulsion gimbals, antenna positioner mechanisms, docking and release mechanisms, and specialty payload positioners.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA-Funded Scientists Interested in Giving Presentations Are Invited to Join the New NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’S Bureau!
    Welcome! Planetary Science E/PO Community Tag-up December 13, 2012 MESSENGER Finds New Evidence for Water Ice at Mercury's Poles Today • Community News and Announcements! • News from HQ – Data Call – Update on NASA Education Plan and Communications Plan • It’s A New Moon Campaign / LADEE Launch Events • AGU Reflections • LPSC Plans Community News & Announcements Science and E/PO Highlights A new episode of active volcanism on Venus? Halfway Between Uranus and Neptune, New Horizons Cruises On Early career scientists compete to convey their science to the public in three minutes … no PowerPoints! AGU, LPSC, and more! Finals: April 2014 at National Geographic Headquarters Winner competes in FameLab International in NASA's GRAIL Creates Most the UK in June 2014 Accurate Moon Gravity Map Science and E/PO Highlights NASA Mars Rover Fully Analyzes First Soil Samples Voyager 1 Encounters New Region in Deep Space What is Creating Gullies on Vesta? Opportunity Rover Finishes Walkabout on Mars Crater Rim Science and E/PO Highlights News from HQ • Data Call! Due … NOW! Really … no point in waiting to see if the world ends … • Recent governance changes: How the new NASA Education Plan and Communication Plan requirements will be implemented It’s A New Moon • Overall Strategy – take advantage of the excitement leading up to and during this mission to continue the successful “It’s A New Moon” public outreach program, highlighting the range of current NASA robotic lunar science missions, Lunar educational and public outreach activities, and building on the success and lessons learned from the GRAIL and LRO missions.
    [Show full text]
  • Planetary Science
    Mission Directorate: Science Theme: Planetary Science Theme Overview Planetary Science is a grand human enterprise that seeks to discover the nature and origin of the celestial bodies among which we live, and to explore whether life exists beyond Earth. The scientific imperative for Planetary Science, the quest to understand our origins, is universal. How did we get here? Are we alone? What does the future hold? These overarching questions lead to more focused, fundamental science questions about our solar system: How did the Sun's family of planets, satellites, and minor bodies originate and evolve? What are the characteristics of the solar system that lead to habitable environments? How and where could life begin and evolve in the solar system? What are the characteristics of small bodies and planetary environments and what potential hazards or resources do they hold? To address these science questions, NASA relies on various flight missions, research and analysis (R&A) and technology development. There are seven programs within the Planetary Science Theme: R&A, Lunar Quest, Discovery, New Frontiers, Mars Exploration, Outer Planets, and Technology. R&A supports two operating missions with international partners (Rosetta and Hayabusa), as well as sample curation, data archiving, dissemination and analysis, and Near Earth Object Observations. The Lunar Quest Program consists of small robotic spacecraft missions, Missions of Opportunity, Lunar Science Institute, and R&A. Discovery has two spacecraft in prime mission operations (MESSENGER and Dawn), an instrument operating on an ESA Mars Express mission (ASPERA-3), a mission in its development phase (GRAIL), three Missions of Opportunities (M3, Strofio, and LaRa), and three investigations using re-purposed spacecraft: EPOCh and DIXI hosted on the Deep Impact spacecraft and NExT hosted on the Stardust spacecraft.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Ames Research Center Intelligent Systems and High End Computing
    NASA Ames Research Center Intelligent Systems and High End Computing Dr. Eugene Tu, Director NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 A 80-year Journey 1960 Soviet Union United States Russia Japan ESA India 2020 Illustration by: Bryan Christie Design Updated: 2015 Protecting our Planet, Exploring the Universe Earth Heliophysics Planetary Astrophysics Launch missions such as JWST to Advance knowledge unravel the of Earth as a Determine the mysteries of the system to meet the content, origin, and universe, explore challenges of Understand the sun evolution of the how it began and environmental and its interactions solar system and evolved, and search change and to with Earth and the the potential for life for life on planets improve life on solar system. elsewhere around other stars earth “NASA Is With You When You Fly” Safe, Transition Efficient to Low- Growth in Carbon Global Propulsion Operations Innovation in Real-Time Commercial System- Supersonic Wide Aircraft Safety Assurance Assured Ultra-Efficient Autonomy for Commercial Aviation Vehicles Transformation NASA Centers and Installations Goddard Institute for Space Studies Plum Brook Glenn Research Station Independent Center Verification and Ames Validation Facility Research Center Goddard Space Flight Center Headquarters Jet Propulsion Wallops Laboratory Flight Facility Armstrong Flight Research Center Langley Research White Sands Center Test Facility Stennis Marshall Space Kennedy Johnson Space Space Michoud Flight Center Space Center Center Assembly Center Facility
    [Show full text]
  • Press Release
    Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MSCI WINS CONTRACT TO PROVIDE REACTION WHEELS TO NASA’S LADEE PROGRAM Mississauga, Ontario – May 21, 2009 – Microsat Systems Canada Inc. (MSCI), formerly the Space Division of Dynacon Inc., announced today that the company has won a contract with the NASA Ames Research Center to provide engineering model Reaction Wheels for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission. The main objective of NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission will be to orbit the Moon and characterize the atmosphere and lunar dust environment. LADEE implements an early priority of the National Research Council’s report, The Scientific Context for the Exploration of the Moon (NRC, 2007), namely to “determine the global density, composition, and time variability of the fragile lunar atmosphere before it is perturbed by further human activity." LADEE will have a mass about 130 kg and will be launched together with the JPL-led GRAIL mission on a Delta-II launch vehicle, scheduled for 2011. In addition to the scientific objectives, the mission will be testing a new spacecraft architecture called the ‘Modular Common Bus’ -- which is being developed by NASA as a flexible, low cost, rapid turnaround spacecraft for both orbiting and landing on the Moon and other deep space targets. It is hoped that such a capability will enable the Agency to perform future scientific missions at a reduced cost. LADEE is currently in the study phase and the MSCI Reaction Wheels will be used in the ACDS hardware-in- the-loop simulator. The MSCI Reaction Wheels will function as full flight models in the simulator.
    [Show full text]
  • Planetary Science Division Update & Small Bodies Research in PSD
    Planetary Science Division Update & Small Bodies Research in PSD Presentation at the Small Bodies Assessment Group James L. Green Director, Planetary Science Division January 12, 2009 1 Outline • Status of MSL • Small Body activity in PSD • Recent Selections and Upcoming Events 2 MSL slips to 2011 A NASA only ‘16 mission may not be possible ExoMars slips to ‘16 Under Study 3 PSS Recommendations- Oct. 2 • Reaffirm support for MSL. However, the PSS retracts its earlier recommendation that NASA make every effort to remain on schedule for a 2009 launch for MSL. • NASA should make a prompt decision on a launch timeline for MSL that minimizes both the risk to the full success of that mission and the impact on other programs. Consistent with concurrent SMD policy, cost increases should be: – Borne by JPL, the implementing organization for the mission – Additional funds sought next from Mars Exploration Program – Impacts to non-Mars programs, as needed after those two sources of funds are utilized, should be sought through delays rather than cancellation of approved missions now under development • NASA should conduct an external review to assess the causes of the MSL cost overruns and to recommend changes to prevent similar situations for future missions. • These recommendations were taken into account to develop a new fiscal solution to accommodate the launch slip of MSL to 2011 4 Timeline of Events • Several options to handle cost implications of the MSL launch slip within the Planetary Science Division have been created – Use the “Guiding
    [Show full text]
  • Fuelling the Future of Mobility: Moon-Produced Space Propellants
    May 2021 Fuelling the future of mobility: Moon-produced space propellants Go Beyond The forthcoming decade is expected to witness a wave of missions to the Moon and Mars, and fuel supply is a major challenge to make these travels economically sustainable. The difference in the required energy to launch from Earth and from the Moon is causing people to reconsider refuelling point positions (e.g. NHRO, Near Halo Rectilinear Orbit) and contemplate using space-produced propellants. A whole production and transport value chain would have to be established on the Moon. Initial investments are sizeable (~$7B) but an economic oportunity for space propellants should exist if launch costs from Earth do not fall too much below current SpaceX standards. Capex optimization and increased scale should further improve the competitiveness of space propellants. Positive outcomes for ’terrestrial‘ applications are also expected to be significant. Fuelling the future of mobility: Moon-produced space propellants The Case for Moon-Produced Propellants The next decade is expected to witness After 2024, NASA expects to set up a a boom in Lunar and Mars exploration. base camp on the moon (’Artemis Base Space-exploration- After the space race of the 60s, there has Camp’) to be a long-term foothold for lunar been an unprecedented resurgence of exploration, as well as a Moon-orbiting driven technologies unmanned Lunar and Mars missions since station (’Gateway’) on the NHRO (Near the end of the 90s, as well as the spread Rectilinear Halo Orbit) being a site for also have very of space programs to various countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Surveying Outreach and Citizen Science Opportunities for Planetary Defense
    EPSC Abstracts Vol. 13, EPSC-DPS2019-1488-1, 2019 EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019 c Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license. Surveying Outreach and Citizen Science Opportunities for Planetary Defense Brian Day NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute. NASA Ames Research Center. Moffett Field, CA, USA. ([email protected]) Abstract mission is a challenging task. However, examination of how past missions have done this successfully will Planetary defense stands out among the various yield critical lessons learned for future planetary topics of space science as an endeavour which the defense missions. general public can understand, for which they can readily appreciate the value, and in which they can 2. Informational Outreach find significant relevance to their own lives. This is Outreach and communications converge especially in well illustrated in the extensive coverage that the this area. We will survey a number of the existing international general media continues to give to the resources available. These include informational IAA Planetary Defense Conferences and their programming such as NASA Science Now, online hypothetical NEO/Earth impact event scenarios. resources such as solarsystem.nasa.gov provide wide- However, frequent doomsday predictions and bad ranging information while NASA’s Solar System movie plots illustrate that this is also an area for Treks is partnering with the OSIRIS-REx and misinformation, misconceptions, and Hayabusa2 missions to allow members of the public misunderstanding. In an endeavour as high-profile to conduct their own interactive flyovers and and critical as planetary defense, a campaign of explorations of the NEAs Bennu and Ryugu using accurate and effective public outreach is essential.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Deep Space Network
    NASA Deep Space Network https://spaceodyssey.dmns.org/media/53989/deep_space_network.ppt Deep Space Network The Challenge: Pioneer 10 Tracking and Communicating with Spacecraft beyond Earth Orbit : •Lunar Exploration •Planetary Exploration •Interplanetary Exploration •Astronomical Exploration NASA Deep Space Network Three complexes, approximately 120°apart: --Goldstone --Madrid --Canberra Functions: • Receipt of Telemetry • Spacecraft Command • Radiometric Tracking – of spacecraft • Very Long Baseline Interferometry – determine location of radio sources • Radio Science – determine transmission characteristics between ground and spacecraft • Monitor and Control of real-time data • Science such as radio astronomy (on space- available basis) NASA Deep Space Network Operational Concept Signals to/from Spacecraft are Line of Sight Coverage of DSN Stations overlap beyond 30,000km (18.000 miles), providing 8-14 hours of daily view. This ensures reliable and useable two station coverage for lunar and deep space coverage for “uplinks” (transmission) to spacecraft and “downlinks” (receive data) from spacecraft. NASA Deep Space Network Canberra Ground Station Complex One of three space communications complexes making up DSN --multiple steerable antennae --remote locations protected by terrain from radio interference and away from population centers. Each complex consists of ultrasensitive receiving and processing systems which include, as a minimum , the following dish antennas: • One 34-meter (111-foot) diameter High Efficiency antenna. • One 34-meter Beam Waveguide antenna. • One 26-meter (85-foot) antenna. • One 70-meter (230-foot) antenna. NASA Deep Space Network Goldstone Ground Station Complex Madrid Ground Station Complex NASA Deep Space Network Details of DSN Facilities DSN Network also includes: • The Demonstration Test Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where spacecraft-to-DSN compatibility is demonstrated and tested prior to launch.
    [Show full text]