National Aeronautics and Space Administration

International : Payload Operations Center

The Payload Operations Center at NASA’s The ISS is used to study the impact of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, microgravity and other space effects Ala., houses the International Space Station on several aspects of our daily lives. (ISS) Payload Operations Integration Center, conduct science daily across a the Laboratory Training Complex and wide variety of fields, including human life simulation rooms used to prepare for ISS sciences, biological science, human physi- expeditions. The center has the capabilities ology, physical and materials science, and facts and space for the creation of additional mis- Earth and space science. sion operations laboratory control rooms. Most recently, a control room was created The Payload Operations Integration Center is to support the Fast, Affordable, Science and the heartbeat for International Space Station Technology SATellite (FASTSAT) mission. This research operations. As NASA’s primary two-year mission successfully demonstrated space station science command post, the a capability to build, deploy and operate payload operations team coordinates all U.S. a science and technology flight mission at scientific and commercial experiments on lower costs than previously possible. the station, synchronizes payload activities of international partners, and directs commu- nications between researchers around the NASA

NASA’s Payload Operations Integration Center world and their onboard experiments. at the Marshall Center The ISS Payload Operations Integration Center’s role the Payload Operations Integration Center’s mission has become ever more important since space sta- to ensure each crew and payload operations team tion assembly was completed in the fall of 2011. Since member has the knowledge and the resources to 2001, more than 1,600 investigations have been com- assist the scientists in achieving the highest possible pleted, and now that assembly is completed, more science results. and more crew time is devoted to science. To help the crew as they conduct record-amounts of science, Led by the Payload Operations Director, each payload the operations center is staffed around the clock, operations center team member performs critical 365-days a year by three shifts of flight controllers. functions that maximize science return:

The payload operations team integrates research Payload Operations Director (POD) requirements, planning science missions and The Payload Operations Director (POD) manages ensuring that they are safely executed. The team day-to-day operations of payloads aboard the space integrates crew and ground team training, and station. This position is the single point-of-authority research mission timelines. During each six-month, to the International Space Station Mission Control space station research expedition, they manage Center flight director at the space station payload resources, handle science in for all of NASA’s payload operations. The communications with the crew, and manage com- POD oversees team members who manage payload manding and data transmissions to and from the mission planning, ground commanding of space sta- orbiting research center. tion payloads, communications with the crew, and use of the payload support system, the video system Coordinating research operating schedules across and the data systems. The POD ensures compliance Canada, Europe and Japan, as well as remote tele- with established safety requirements, flight rules and science workstations in the , the Payload payload regulations. The POD leads the review and Operations Integration Center processes hundreds approval of all change requests to the timeline. of payload commands in support of investigations operating each day. From the center, the cadre con- Operations Controller (OC) tinuously monitors the health and status of scientific The Operations Controller (OC) ensures scheduled instruments deployed on the space station. research activities are accomplished safely and on time, and manages and tracks available resources. Since the payload operations team works around the The OC monitors troubleshooting of onboard systems clock, they even conduct and monitor experiments to identify possible impacts to payload operations, remotely while the crew is sleeping. In this manner, and coordinates resolution of anomalies. science on the station continues even when the crew is busy with other activities, such as spacewalks Timeline Change Officer (TCO) or doing crew handovers. By serving as virtually The Timeline Change Officer (TCO) assesses change an extra space station crew member, this team of requests for impacts to the current science timeline, ground-based flight controllers increases experi- payload hardware assets and resources required for ment efficiency, which saves precious crew time for science, such as crew time and electrical power. The operations that require a human touch. The Payload TCO evaluates requests by scientists for changes to Operations Integration Center can send commands the experiment timeline, and then implements changes to the space station as fast as eight per second. It’s to the science operations plan aboard the station.

Payload Operations Center 2 NASA Facts Payload Rack Officer (PRO) on the space station. The DMC manages the integrated The Payload Rack Officer (PRO) provides real-time high-data-rate Ku-band communications link between command and control for these NASA facilities: the ground and the station. This position manages EXpedite PRocessing of Experiments to the Space data system traffic, downlink video, ensures ground Station (EXPRESS) Racks, Window Observational data quality with NASA users, and assesses data sys- Research Facility (WORF), Minus Eighty-degree tem change requests. The DMC ensures that the data Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI), and EXPRESS system is properly configured to support payload oper- Logistics Carriers, regardless of location aboard the ations. The DMC manages video coverage of research U.S. Orbital Segment portion of the station. PRO activity on the station. The DMC monitors, configures coordinates and monitors use of Payload Support and coordinates the use of the video system. Systems resources, which includes power, water flow, vacuum and nitrogen gas usage for all NASA payload Payload Communications Manager (PAYCOM) facilities and sub-rack payloads. The Payload Communications Manager (PAYCOM) using the call sign, “Huntsville,” is the prime commu- The PRO also is responsible for managing payload nicator with the International Space Station Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM) computer opera- crew regarding science operations. The PAYCOM tions and services for all payloads, including any enables researchers around the world to talk directly services used by international partner payloads. Once with the crew about their experiments, and for man- the space station crew installs a new payload, the aging payload conferences. Additionally, the PAYCOM PRO configures the rack interfaces to properly sup- reviews requests for changes to payload activity to port the payload and begins monitoring the health assess their impact on the crew. and status of the payload and the NASA facility. If a NASA payload facility and/or sub-rack payload were Lead Increment Science Representative (LIS Rep) to experience an anomaly during onboard operations, The Lead Increment Science Representative (LIS Rep) the PRO would be heavily involved in the planning and provides research priorities to the Payload Operations execution of troubleshooting activities and would col- Integration Center cadre for its planning and imple- laborate with the payload developer to help diagnose mentation of the research mission. Working with any interface problems with the facility racks. the Lead Increment Scientist at the Johnson Space Center, payload mission integration teams, remote In addition, the PRO manages all ground command- research teams and other users, the LIS Rep tracks ing of U.S. payload systems and experiments on payload status and accomplishments, and manages the station. The PRO manages the command link, research-related issues. receives and sends command files to the mass stor- age device, and configures the system to allow flight Stowage controllers in the Payload Operations Integration The Stowage position evaluates onboard stowage Center and remote users to send commands to their and inventory every day, ensuring the crew can find equipment on the space station. parts and materials they need for their research and experiment activities. Additionally, Stowage Data Manager Coordinator (DMC) recommends locations where the crew should put The Data Management Coordinator (DMC) is hardware when not in use, and helps maintain a responsible for command, control, data handling, database of the location and configuration of all communications and tracking for science payloads payload science equipment.

Payload Operations Center 3 NASA Facts Laboratory Training Complex the complex as an aid for resolving issues encountered The Laboratory Training Complex provides a hands- while station astronauts perform experiments in space. on training environment for cadre members to support science operations for U.S. payloads aboard The Laboratory Training Complex provides opportu- the International Space Station. nities for the station cadre at Marshall to train and familiarize themselves with flight facilities and experi- Physical mock-ups and glass rack models replicate ments, including numerous new experiments that station facilities, and functionally or physically simulate are added for each station expedition. Much of the flight and ground interfaces. Inside the complex, flight mock-up hardware was built through a program controllers practice station experiment operations with regional high schools called HUNCH, or High before missions. During a mission, controllers can use Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware.

Laboratory Training Complex

National Aeronautics and Space Administration George C. Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL 35812 www..gov/marshall www.nasa.gov

FS-2014-03-11-MSFC G-50511 NASA Facts