National Aeronautics and SPACE TECHNOLOGY MISSION DIRECTORATE Space Administration SMALL SPACECRAFT TECHNOLOGY

2020 SmallSat Technology Partnerships

University-NASA Collaborations to Advance Small Spacecraft for Future Missions

Jim Cockrell Chief Technologist NASA STMD Small Spacecraft Technology Program

2020 Small Satellite Conference paper # SSC20-WKI-04

www.nasa.gov SST Program’s SmallSat Technology Partnerships

• NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program expands U.S. ability to execute unique missions through rapid development and demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft applicable to exploration, science and the commercial space sector. Through targeted development and frequent in space testing, the program: • Enables execution of missions at much lower cost than previously possible. • Substantially reduces the time required for development of spacecraft. • Enables new mission architectures through the use of small spacecraft. • Expands the reach of small spacecraft to new destinations and challenging new environments. • Enables the augmentation of existing assets and future missions with supporting small spacecraft. • The SST program sponsors annual Smallsat Technology Partnerships (STP) • 2-year cooperative agreements between a university team and a NASA center to develop specific technologies for small spacecraft • Universities gain experience and recognition through hands-on NASA collaborations • NASA benefits from rapid, innovative academic processes yielding new technologies

2020 SmallSat Conference # SSC20-WKI-04 NASA SST Program SmallSat Technology Partnerships 2 Aggregate Investment for Five STP Partnership “Classes”

• Investments: • Over $26,468,000 awarded 28 Universities in 19 States 8 NASA Centers • 8 of 10 NASA centers partnered • 28 universities in 19 states • 46 partnerships in 5 class years • Results: • 1 Intersatellite Network Planning/ Routing tool software open-sourced • 4 New Technology Reports / Patents • 13 flight demonstrations planned • 27+ conference presentations 2013 $6,500,000 17 awards; 13 Y2 option 2015 $3,590,150 8 awards; 8 Y2 option • 46+ papers published 2016 $4,676,693 8 awards; 8 Y2 option • 100+ students involved 2018 $5,802,500 8 awards; 8 Y2 option 2020 $5,900,000 9 awards. (assumes 2 yrs) • Many technology readiness levels (TRL) raised 2020 SmallSat Conference # SSC20-WKI-04 NASA SST Program SmallSat Technology Partnerships 3 STP 2013 2015 2016 2018 2020 2021 ClassSTP Technology Topics Communications Avionics / Command & Enhanced Power Instruments for Lunar Communications TBD Data Handling Generation and SmallSats including and Navigation Subsystem Storage Multiple SmallSats Network GN&C Communication Cross-linking Technologies That Smallsat Propulsion for TBD Subsystem Communications Enable Large Swarms Lunar Missions Systems of Small Spacecraft Propulsion Ground Data Systems Relative Technologies That Advanced Electrical TBD Navigation for Enable Deep Space Power and Thermal Multiple Small Small Spacecraft Management Spacecraft Missions Power Guidance Navigation & Instruments and Solicitation encourages Control / Attitude Sensors for Small grant extensions for Determination & Spacecraft Science suborbital, orbital

Technology Topics Control Subsystem Missions flight demo Science Instrument Payloads Capabilities Advanced Power Subsystem Manufacturing Propulsion Subsystem

Structures and Mechanisms

Subsystem-Oriented System-Oriented Mission-Oriented Pivot to Lunar Missions Manufacturing LEO Deep Space, Multi-Spacecraft Exploration Infrastructure Instruments Instruments Instruments 2020 SmallSat Technology Partnership Solicitation

• NASA plans to return humans to the Moon by 2024. SmallSat precursor missions will blaze the trail for lunar exploration: • Communication and navigation networks • Assembly and repair services • In-situ resource and habitat surveys • The 2020 STP sought proposers to identify: • A potential lunar mission that could be executed using Smallsats • A specific gap in SoA preventing mission accomplishment by Smallsats • A partnership effort (TRL 3 – 7) aimed at closing that technology gap • Proposals must be submitted to one of three technology topics: 1. Lunar Communications and Navigation Network 2. Smallsat Propulsion for Lunar Missions 3. Advanced Electrical Power Subsystem and Thermal Management Technology

2020 SmallSat Conference # SSC20-WKI-04 NASA SST Program SmallSat Technology Partnerships 5 2020 STP Partnerships Selected for Award • The very competitive selection process emphasized technical relevance and technical approach • Nine university partnerships were selected: Title University PI Name NASA NASA Co-I Name Center Flat Panel Phased Array Antennas with Two Simultaneous Steerable San Diego State University Satish Sharma GRC James A Nessel Beams utilizing 5G Ka-Band Silicon RFICs for Tx/Rx Communications between 6U Small Satellite and Lunar surface, Gateway and Earth 3-D Printed Hybrid Propulsion Solutions for SmallSat Lunar Landing and Utah State University Stephen Whitmore MSFC George Taylor Story Sample Return A high-precision continuous-time PNT compact module for the LunaNet University of California, Chee Wei Wong JPL Andrey B Matsko small spacecraft Los Angeles Variable Specific Impulse Electrospray Thrusters for Smallsat Propulsion University Of California, Manuel Gamero- JPL John K Ziemer Irvine Castano An Additively Manufactured Deployable Radiator with Oscillating Heat California State University, Yen Kuo JPL Benjamin Furst Pipes (AMDROHP) to Enable High Power Lunar CubeSats Los Angeles Deployable Optical Receiver Aperture for Lunar Communications and Arizona State University Daniel Jacobs JPL Jose E Velazco Navigation On-Orbit Demonstration of Surface Feature-Based Navigation and University Of Texas, Austin Brandon Jones JSC Christopher Timing D'Souza A Small Satellite Lunar Communications and Navigation System University Of Colorado, Scott Palo JPL Courtney Duncan Boulder Lunar Missions Enabled by Chemical-Electrospray Propulsion University Of Illinois, Joshua Rovey GRC, Thomas Liu, Urbana-Champaign GSFC Khary Parker 1. Flat Panel Phased Array Antennas with Two Simultaneous Steerable Beams utilizing 5G Ka-Band Silicon RFICs for Tx/Rx Communications between 6U Small Satellite and Lunar surface, Gateway and Earth 2. 3-D Printed Hybrid Propulsion Solutions for SmallSat Lunar Landing and Sample Return 3. A high-precision continuous-time PNT compact module for the LunaNet small spacecraft

Topic 1 Lunar Communications and Navigation Network: Technology Demonstration Mission 3. LunaNet PNT project objectives and deliverables

1. High-precision low-drift inertial sensing 2. High-precision low-drift clock LunaNet PNT Sensitivity / Bias Current TRL à • TRL maturation of the 4 Random walk 10 1,000 module Repeatability instabilit Completion TRL optomechanical clock (different state-of-art USO y optomechanical (m) Clock legend Velocity random Sensitivity = project),the 3 100 Flown Inertialsensor 1/2 50.9 µg 3 à 5 day walk = 8.2µg/Hz 625 µg/Hz accelerometer, and a 10 tunneling 1 Not yet flown resonant Angle random walk Repeatability 0.0012 gyroscope @ 10 Gyroscope 1/2 7 à 7 piezoresistive GPS Cs = 0.3 °/hr/Hz = 0.015 °/hr ° /hr • Design of the compact, 2 optomechanical GLONASS Cs Deep space 2-way 10 tunneling error range precision (1m) ruggedized package optical GPS IIF Rb (w/ drift) Mercury SNR´Q product (short-time 2´10-15 1 à optical thermal ion instability)= 3´10-13/ t (1-day 7 9 for the PNT module 1 tunneling range clock instability) 10 optical GPS IIF Rb (w/o drift) • 1-day imprecision: resonant Overall trajectoryimprecision / 0.1 Galileo H-maser 2 meters or less (3s rms error) over 1-day trajectory < 2 m (3s) & ACES Cold Cs (lab) Real-time orbit determination bulk spring-mass time transfer < 1-ns 0 optomechanical 10 capacitive DSAC DSAC ACES Cold tunneling 0.01 ACES H-maser operating excitation frequency (Hz) frequency excitation operating (2nd (demo) NASA/SAO Accumulated Cs (goal) Real-time time-transfer imprecision sub-nanosecond over 1-day our sensor our sensor (pre- Gen) H-maser (oscillation mode) capacitive oscillation mode) -1 optical optical 10 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0.001 We will develop and demonstrate an engineering module of an 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 0 20 40 60 80 100 accelerometer and create a conceptual design for a state-of-the-art resolution (g/Hz1/2) Mass (kg) high-precision LunaNet PNT module in the technology demonstration mission. The inertial sensing is achieved with an integrated chip-scale • Chip-scale optomechanics inertial measurement at 8.2-µg/Hz1/2, RF readout optomechanical inertial sensor developed at UCLA paired with a • Compact mercury ion clock at 10-15 1-day stability, for space flight mission commercial space qualified gyroscope. The timing is achieved with an integrated high-performance mercury ion clock that has been developed at JPL.

Compact Autonomous Navigation UCLA Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Group • Inertial sensing: tight field • TRL maturation and packaging confinement for strong • State-of-the-art chip, inertial sensing – gyroscope optomechanical transduction and integration, engineering model for advanced PNT parametrically-driven oscillation. • Precision modular and environmental testing • Motional readout at the • Timing transfer and thermal noise metrology thermodynamical backaction limits • Clock: Ultrastable integrated JPL Frequency and Timing Advanced Instrument Development Group compact mercury ion clock • TRL maturation and packaging • Gyroscope: Integrated COTS unit • State-of-the-art clock integration, and precision frequency standards Testing against multiple oscillators • Environmental and modular testing UCLA-JPL technology demonstration mission • Mission integration and space-flight design preparation • Compact (3U, 4 kg) and power at 20W or less; Radiation hardened by design;

• Vibration 15gRMS, with shock tolerance of 400g (100 Hz) and 1500g (1 kHz). Small Spacecraft Technology Program - Smallsat Technology Partnership 4. Variable Specific Impulse Electrospray Thrusters for Smallsat Propulsion

Potential Impact Project Objectives • The proposed electrospray thruster is an enabling technology for • Demonstration of a TRL5 electrospray thruster for primary propulsion of a 12U Smallsat-based lunar missions. Efficient propulsion is needed for Smallsat: maneuvers/missions such as: – Micromachined emitter arrays for droplet emission and ion emission, primary – multiple SC deployment in a lunar L2 halo orbit working as a radio telescope propulsion to detect exoplanets – Micromachined arrays, droplet emission, for yaw/pitch control – deployment and orbit maintenance of a constellation orbiting the moon to • Laboratory testing of propulsion performance (thrust, �sp, provide for lunar assets connectivity) efficiency), 100 hours and 1000 hours life test – Primary propulsion for sample return • Study reference missions/maneuvers, to • Variable adds operational b �sp determine optimal thruster operation and flexibility: same thruster can be used to prioritize either assert missions enabled by the propulsion low maneuver time (e.g. for orbit insertion) or efficient technology propellant use (e.g. for orbit maintenance) at different • Design CubeSat-class power system for operation of the times of the mission propulsion system • CDR package for CubeSat-like platform using the propulsion system

Technology Overview Team Overview • Physics of electrospray thrusters make it the only electric propulsion technology with appropriate d c • PI: Prof. Manuel Gamero-Castaño (UCI). efficiency at the small power levels typical of Development of micromachined electrospray arrays; a) Thruster rendition; b) & c) detailed of micromachined fundamental research on electrospray thrusters Smallsats. emitters and array; d) electrospraying of propellant • Electrospraying is used to atomize a liquid propellant into charged • Dr. John Ziemer (JPL). Electrospray thruster development, including space droplets (lower �sp operation mode), or molecular ions (high �sp demonstration of NASA’s ST7 thrusters operation mode) • Dr. Jose Velazco (JPL). Expertise in CubeSats, inter-space • A single emitter operates at the 1 milli-Watt level and produces a communications, mission design thrust of a fraction of a micro-Newton • Prof. Kenneth Mease (UCI). Orbit transfer optimization, station- keeping, and • Micromachining techniques are used to fabricate arrays of attitude dynamics and control. thousands of emitters to process the available power • Prof. John Bellardo (Cal Poly). Director of Cal Poly CubeSat Lab. CubeSat and • Array size scale well with the size of Smallsats, thrusters can process CubeSat-mission design. efficenlty the power available to Smallsats across their size range • Prof. Richard Wirz (UCLA). Fundamental research on electrospray thrusters. (from CubeSats to several hundred-kg Smallsats) 5. An Additively Manufactured Deployable Radiator with Oscillating Heat Pipes (AMDROHP) to Enable High Power Lunar CubeSats

Potential Impact Project Objectives • Develop an AMDROHP for a 1U CubeSat • Enable high power and low-cost small capable of dissipating 50W in Low Earth Orbit. satellites for the moon. • Enable thermal control for high heat loads. • Demonstrate an effective conductivity of 5,000 • Develop research capabilities at a minority W/m/K from the spacecraft to the radiator. serving institution and support underrepresented • Design a CubeSat mission and integrate students. AMDROHP into CubeSat design.

1 mm fluid OHP channels in plate JPL AM OHP

Technology Overview Team Overview • Develop Additively Manufactured (AM) Oscillating Heat Pipe (OHP) radiator. • PI: Yen Jim Kuo, Cal State LA – Project Manager • Develop flexible metallic OHP joint for high • Co-I: Scott Roberts, JPL – Materials and Manufacturing conductance deployable radiator. • Co-I: Eric Sunada, JPL – Thermal Systems Engineering • AMDROHP technology for CubeSat is estimated to be at • Co-I: John Bellardo, Cal Poly SLO – Cubesat Engineering TRL 3, and is projected to advance to TRL 5 upon • NASA Partner: Ben Furst, JPL – Thermal Engineering completion. • Technology is scalable to larger spacecraft. 6. Deployable Optical Receiver Aperture for Lunar Communications and Navigation

Potential Impact of Easy Laser Summary Objective: Communications from CubeSats Cubesat demonstration of wide field laser terminal ▪ Enables high bandwidth LunaNet nodes ▪ Enables high data rates to/from more cubesats Detail Objectives: ▪ Less stringent point requirement, easier mission integration • Construction and test of a cubesat form factor laser aperture array ▪ Multiple simultaneous Gbps connections (with additional software • Design and construction of a cubesat development) • Set up matching ground station array ▪ High bandwidth interconnect in a swarm • Lab testing of link between cubesat and optical ground station ▪ Small size and easy pointing can support cubesats, larger spacecraft, rovers and • Exit project with flight capable unit humans Key Performance Parameters: • Angle of Arrival determination precision • Link lock duration under cubesat pointing drift

Technology Team

▪ Widefield laser terminal enables Gbps communications without strict ASU LoCo group - PI Daniel Jacobs pointing, Current space projects include Phoenix Cubesat launched 2 Nov 2019, ▪ Wide-field receiving aperture comprised of large arrays of photo diodes SPARCS astronomy mission launching 2021, and development of the lunar ▪ Wide-field steerable miniature transmit telescope optics using micro- FARSIDE concept in the Network for Exploration and Space Science (NESS). electro-mechanical (MEMs) mirror The lab is also leading developer of cosmological observations at low radio ▪ Automated determination of incoming beam angle of arrival frequencies including the EDGES and HERAexperiments. ▪ Closed-loop communications lock and drift compensation JPL Optical Communications Group - Jose Velazco ▪ Target speed: 1Gbps Develops advanced RF and optical technologies to support JPL strategic ▪ Target bit error rate: 1e-8 mission interests. Relevant previous projects include the ISOC all sky laser ▪ Target range: 1000km terminal (SSTP 2016) and development into the Q4 mission concept. 7. On-Orbit Demonstration of Surface Feature-Based Navigation and Timing

Potential Impact Project Objectives Result: Position, navigation, and timing (PNT) from optical surface • Mature technology for use on 3U CubeSat feature tracking • Develop mission concept and bus for on-orbit demonstration in LEO Benefits: • Algorithms leverage hardware proven for small satellites • Demonstrate errors less than 100 meters per axis in position • PNT capabilities applicable to any spacecraft with camera Infrequent monitoring • Timing estimate accurate to 100 • Reduces number of ground contacts and tracking data contact Predicted Location milliseconds or better t Technology Overview Estimated h Team Overview Location • Neural network to identify and centroid features Principal Investigator: Dr. Brandon A. Jones (UT) Co-Investigator: Dr. Renato Zanetti (UT) • Use features for on-board inertial optical Collaborator: Dr. Christopher D’Souza (NASA/JSC) navigation Personnel: Graduate Student Assistants (2) • Compare to coarse predicted ephemeris for time Undergraduate Research Assistants (2) bias estimate

TRLs: Raise on-board navigation using surface features from TRL 3 to 5 via laboratory testing 8. A Small Satellite LunarA Small Communications Satellite Lunar Communications and Navigation and System Navigation System Impact Project Objectives Enable cell phone level performance position, navigation, timing (PNT) and text messaging at the The overall project objectives are to mature the technology readiness level of a low SWaP UHF based Moon. PNT and communications system to TRL-4 and demonstrate the capability of the system. Key Milestones include An operational system will provide: Year 1: 4/1/2020 to 3/31/2021 • 30ns 1-sigma time transfer • Develop key requirements and verification approach • Sub 10m positioning • Demonstrate integration of CSAC with SDR • Two way text messaging from the lunar surface to Earth • Demonstrate user reception of broadcast message • Delay tolerant networking Year 2: 4/1/2022 to 3/31/2022 • Ability to broadcast alert messages • Demonstrate user message transmission and orbiter reception • Up to 170 simultaneous users • Demonstrate two-way ranging • Expandable with lunar pseudolites • Demonstrate multiple user terminals transmitting simultaneously and orbiter • Lunar Gateway communications channel receiver decoding and forwarding messages while transmitting broadcast • Redundant direct to Earth communications channel signal. • Use of commercial ground station technology to offload DSN Technology interchange meetings will be held every other quarter

Technology Overview Team Overview A range of technologies are required to enable a lunar PNT Scott Palo (PI) – CU Professor, PI on prior SSTP project to develop CubeSat communication and communications network. This includes UHF two- system, PI/Co-PI on 9 CubeSat Missions, Chair AIAA Small Satellite Technical Committee way PNT signals, Ku- band intersatellite links and X-band and Associate Fellow of the AIAA. links to/from Earth. The CU/JPL team will leverage the Penina Axelrad (Co-I) – CU Professor, Fellow Institute of Navigation and AIAA, Member following currently available technologies which they National Academy of Engineering. 30 years’ experience and recognized leader in PNT systems. have previously developed or are currently using. Nick Rainville (Co-I) – CU Instructor, recent graduate, expert in software development, embedded systems, FPGA and software defined radio. • X-band Transmitter (TRL-6) Evan Bauch (student) – CU graduate student to develop lunar PNT an communication • IRIS Transceiver (TRL-9) simulation environment under NASA NSTGRO 20 fellowship (if selected). • CSAC (TRL-9) CU graduate student [TBD] – A CU graduate student will be recruited to develop the SDR code in GNU radio • LimeSDR (TRL-5) companion to demonstrate the performance of the system. Courtney Duncan (Co-I) – JPL lead. Developer of JPL IRIS CubeSat deep space radio used on MARCO 6U The UHF communication and PNT system, which is core CubeSat mission and planned for 10 of the 13 CubeSats on Artemis-1. to this project, is currently at TRL-3 and leverages James Lux (Co-I) – JPL partner. JPL PI for the SCaN [9] Testbed on ISS, a technology development platform components that are TRL-5 to TRL- with 3 software defined radios. Project Manager for DARPA SHFT mission. Project Manager for SunRISE mission which will fly 6 spacecraft in supersynchronous GEO to observe the Sun, currently in extended Phase A. 9. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the system at TRL-4 and develop a roadmap to achieve TRL-7. 9. Lunar Missions Enabled by Chemical-Electrospray Propulsion Potential Impact Project Objectives • Enables wide range of maneuvers/capability for CubeSat operations • Overall goal: in-space demonstration of combustion- electrospray propulsion during transit to and once in lunar orbit • Objectives: (1) assess benefits for specific NASA lunar missions, (2) • High-thrust chem lunar orbit insertion from translunar cis-lunar design/fab brassboard PPU and feed systems, (3) integrate with prototype space into circular polar, highly-inclined orbits thruster and map out stability, (4) measure KPPs of thruster and system • High-efficiency EP orbit maintenance, optimum orbit insertion, performance, (5) compete for launch opportunity, (6) develop plan for plane change, attitude control, station keeping integration, test, qual. for CubeSat tech demo. • Integrated chem-EP saves mass, reduces dry mass • Yr 3: prototype prop system, integrate with S/C bus, deliver, launch, in-space demo • Provides high payload ratio • Timely lunar arrival • Reconnaissance, surface mapping for landing sites • Comm relay, high transport rates, optimum orbits Technology Overview Team Overview • Integrated chemical and electric • Public-private partnership: University of Illinois, propulsion into a single propulsion NASA GRC and GSFC, Froberg Aerospace LLC package • Built on demonstrated prototype combustion- electrospray thruster using green dry ionic liquid propellant • Switchable between high-thrust (1N, 180s) catalytic combustion and • 100+ yrs combined expertise in propulsion and satellites/spacecraft high-specific impulse (0.5mN, 1000s) espray • Rovey (PI, Illinois) propulsion subsystem development, integration, testing, • TRL 3 – it creates thrust, raise TRL to 5 in Director Electric Propulsion Lab 2yrs with brassboard PPU and feedsystem • Berg (Froberg) – thruster design, fabrication, propellants testing, raise to TRL 7 with yr-3 vibe, shock, • Lembeck (Illinois) – smallsat design, development, test thermal-vac, launch, in-space ops • Liu (NASA GRC) – micropropulsion testing expertise • Parker (NASA GSFC) – lunar mission analysis, design Next Steps -

• 2020 STP Outcomes and Reporting • NASA monitors satisfactory progress over two-year period of performance • Begin July 1, 2020 end June 30, 2022 • A continuation review is conducted at end of year 1 • After the end of the second year, partnerships deliver technical closeout reports • Progress toward TRL advancement • Demonstrated achievements of the technical success measures (KPPs, MOPs) • Projects will publish technical reports and papers, patent new inventions, and report their new technologies through NASA’s New Technology Reporting (NTR) System. • Universities retain the rights to their own intellectual property • 2021 Solicitation • A 2021 STP solicitation is expected later this year. • Technology topic areas will likely continue the deep space exploration theme • Watch the NASA NSPIRES portal and the SST program web portal and social media • https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/index.do • https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/

2020 SmallSat Conference # SSC20-WKI-04 NASA SST Program SmallSat Technology Partnerships 16