SCaN
Phil Liebrecht Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator NASA Space Communications and Navigation June 2017 Decade of LIGHT
Technology Demo Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration
LADEE MISSION LRO MISSION • 622 Mbps • 10 kg • 100 Mbps • 90W • 60 kg • 120W Sending 6X Apollo-13 Movie (36.8 GB) can be More Data downloaded in Than LRO 49.1 mins Streaming Apollo-13 Movie 30+ HDTV (36.8 GB) can be Channels downloaded in 7.9 mins Simultaneously
Data was received via an 18.3 meter Data received via RF antenna dish four 40 cm downlink (263 m2 surface area) telescope (0.50 m2 surface area)
2009 2013 Faster 200 40 Times Gb/sec Secure Higher Data Rates
S 5 Gb/sec
RF (Ku-band) Optical Much smaller beam footprints and receiver fields-of-view increased Higher bandwidth enables mission data to be downloaded using shorter link security. contact times decreasing the number of relay terminals and ground sites. Flexible RF Comms Lighter 25% Less Power Low Cost Consumption Payload Ground 50% less Mass Systems SWaP . 100 Gb/sec . COTS Based Solution
RF (Ku-band) Optical
Smaller, lighter, flight communication systems that require less power Low-cost-ground segments located at mission sites or data centers lower cost savings for missions. cost, more direct control, and decreased ground data transport expenses. Concept of Operations RF Network RF Network
Near Earth DTE RF Network
Near Earth DTE
Near Earth Relay RF Network
Near Earth DTE
Near Earth Relay
Deep Space DTE CognitiveNetwork
Network Awareness . Integrated ground-based weather sensors . Dynamic links switched based on predicted performance . Automatic routing and fusing of ground data
Other Cognitive Technologies . Adaptive coding & modulation . Self-configured links . Reliability-based asset assignment . Integration of cognitive security TechnologyTimeline
Recent Successes Near Earth Direct-to- Near Earth Relay Deep Space DTE LADEE/LLCD (2013) Earth Technologies in the pipeline Technologies in the Technologies in the pipeline include: pipeline include: . First two-way space optical include: communications from the moon . 2.88 Gbps GEO relay & two . 200 Mbps ground station and first demonstration of . 100 Gbps user terminal ground stations (2019) “space internet” over a laser . 200 Mbps user terminal . 2.88 Gbps user terminal(2021) link . 100 Gbps low cost ground station . 100 Gbps GEO relay, user and . Cognitive Network to the SCaN Testbed on ISS (2012) ground station (2023) edge of the solar system . Cognitive algorithms . Cognitive radio step forward development . Cognitive networking development 2012 - 2013 2019 2019 - 2023 2023 DemonstrationTimeline
Near Earth DTE Technologies Near Earth Relay Technologies Deep Space DTE Technologies
2019 2019-2023 2023
200 G LEO DTE: LCRD: 1.244 Gbps ILLUMA-T: Psyche: 200 Gbps Demo Optical Relay Demo 2.88 Gbps Relay User 200 Mbps Demo . Demonstrates routing of . Demonstrates space . Demonstrates LEO . Demonstrates deep space optical signals in a hybrid technologies based on satellite acquisition and optical link COTS products environment (RF/optical) tracking in a GEO relay . Launch on Discovery 2023 . Hosted GEO relay payload system (LCRD) . Cube-sized, low SWaP mission user terminal on AFRL’s STPSat-6; . ISS LCRD Earth based on LADEE . Five (5) meter Palomar . User-site installable technology . Second generation user telescope ground station: eliminates terminal: lower cost and data backhaul . Two optical ground SWaP . Funded by STMD/TDM stations; one RF station . Cognitive demonstration Demonstrations 2019 2019 2021 2023 OperationalTimeline
LCRD Psyche GEO Relay ILLUMA-T 200 G LEO DTE Deep Space Technology User Relay Near Earth DTE Technology Demonstration Technology Demonstration Demonstration Demonstration
2019 2019 2021 2023
Near Earth DTE Relay Operational Deep Space Operational Services Services Operational Services Initially two SCaN operated Reuses LCRD and adds two Adds deep space class ground stations; others added more GEO relay node to the terminals to the architecture incrementally network . Based on first generation . Based on LCRD design . Scheduling terminals . Augments near earth DTE . Ground data buffering network . Ready to support and routing missions starting in 2026 . Cognitive networking in . Cognitive algorithms operations Operational 2024 2025 - 2027 2026 Deep Space Atomic Clock Deep Space Atomic Clock Features & Benefits . Miniaturized, ultra-precise mercury-ion atomic clock . Orders of magnitude more stable than existing navigation clocks . No lasers, cryogenics, microwave cavity Accurate spacecraft-to- . Low sensitivity to temperatures, spacecraft link extends magnetics, voltages the networks . Precise radio navigation in deep space
Performance . Short term stability: 1 – 10 sec Any spacecraft in (Depends on Local Oscillator. view of uplink can DSAC selected USO 2e-13 at 1 track signal second) . Longer term stability: greater than 10 sec. Allan Deviation < 3.e‐15 at 1 day
Next Step Downlink tracking shared by multiple . Year-long demonstration in spacecraft space; advances technology to TRL 7 . Focused on maturing new The miniaturized Deep technology (Ion trap and optical Space Atomic Clock, for systems) precise and real-time radio navigation in deep space Next Generation Broadcast Service Under Development: Next Generation Broadcast Service (NGBS)
Features & Benefits . Reduces time interval for coordinating Target-of- Opportunity observations across multiple spacecraft . Facilitates autonomous or MOC-in-the-loop re-pointing . Provides common information for situational awareness GPS Constellation including space weather . Provides unscheduled, continuously-available alternative (or supplement) to GPS navigation . Provides resiliency to GPS solution
Time Line . 2000: Global differential GPS (GDGPS) operational NGBS Service Architecture . 2006-2007: Demo of early • TDRSS multiple access forward service beacon concept on TDRS-1 • Unscheduled, on-demand user commanding . 2016: Re-scoped to NGBS; • Synchronized with GPS time for time Demo on TDRS-12 to validate transfer, one-way Doppler and ranging beacon pattern Decade of LIGHT
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