Paper Reference No: SSC02-X-1 Kodiak Star – The Mission, the Challenges, the Success A look at Lesson’s Learned from the first orbital flight from Alaska Garrett Lee Skrobot, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Abstract AIAA/USU conference on Small Satellites with representatives from National The Kodiak Star was a fast paced mission Aeronautics and Space Administration utilizing a number of first flight items (NASA) and the United States Air Force including a payload upper deck, a light (USAF). The resulting payload band separation system, and a method of compliment included USAF sponsored deploying multiple payloads from the small satellites and a NASA sponsored launch vehicle. The total integration time payload, which were other wise without a for this mission was 10-months from a ride to space. Agreements were developed novel remote launch complex. The and feasibility studies performed to mission configuration consisted of three establish the mission. Multinational Air force Payloads (PICOSat, PCSat, groups were required to achieve the Sapphire) and one NASA sponsored integration of this complement of payload, Starshine 3. On September 29, payloads. This mission required the 2001, at 6.40p.m. ADT the Kodiak Star involvement of two government mission successfully lifted off from the organizations, one international company, Kodiak Launch Complex and 2-hours and and one domestic company with two 40 minutes later, the complete teams, two colleges and one private entity. complement of spacecraft successfully Since the mission itself was designed to separated. The success of this mission is require a short integration period, clear attributed to teamwork amongst communication amongst all parties was multinational groups, early identification essential. Lessons learned from the and resolution to problems, and focus on a mission included the ability to form a team goal of launching the Kodiak Star in a environment early in the integration, minimum time frame, 10 months. understanding the flow of communication and information, and implementing this Introduction approach through launch. The team The Kodiak Star mission initial environment and interaction were key to discussions occurred during the 14th 1 the success of the mission of the Kodiak with fluctuations in solar extreme Star. ultraviolet radiation. Previous Starshine During the 10-month integration period, spacecraft were free flyers released from Kodiak Star experienced several the Shuttle cargo bay and were restricted challenges that could have jeopardized the to a low earth orbit and inclination. With mission. Issues and concerns were a ride on the Athena I from Kodiak addressed quickly. It was agreed early in Alaska, Starshine would be able to achieve the process that any problems must be a much higher orbit with a greater corrected expeditiously and retest inclination. This would give Starshine 3 a successfully completed within the greater coverage area over the earth for designed schedule. These components increased sighting around the world. were essential to the successful completion of the mission. The Mission In October 2000, NASA agreed to sponsor Background of the Mission Starshine 3 on the Athena vehicle with the Air Force complement of experimental The Kodiak Star mission was a unique spacecraft. The Kodiak mission would mission from the very start, in that the consist of two co-primary payloads team would be flying the first orbital (PICOSat for the USAF and the NASA launch vehicle from a remote site in sponsored Starshine 3). The PCSat (US Alaska with a diverse team. It was Navel Academy) and Sapphire formulated at a lunch meeting during the th (Washington University- St Louis) 14 Small Sat Conference, where the spacecraft would be classified as USAF and NASA started discussing a secondary payloads on the mission. The possible complement of three Air Force primary mission requirement was to place payloads on an Athena I. An Athena PICOSat (built by Surrey Inc. of Great launch vehicle became available when the Britain) at 800km with an inclination of NASA VCL spacecraft experienced 67° and release Starshine3 at an altitude of technical difficulties and was de- 500km. The only requirement for the two manifested from that vehicle. NASA remaining secondary spacecraft was to be Headquarters took the lead in searching placed in orbit somewhere in space. Since for a NASA spacecraft that matched the PICOSat had the highest altitude as a profile of the mission. After the search for requirement, and to reduce risk to the a NASA suitable payload for the mission other spacecraft, PICOSat was selected to was unsuccessful, NASA worked with the be the first spacecraft deployed. PCSat and Air Force for a complement of payloads. Sapphire were selected to deploy next. During the negotiation with the USAF, the PCSat was designed with long “tape Starshine project approached NASA about measure” antennas that were coiled up the possibility of launching Starshine 3 on under the spacecraft when mated to their the Athena mission. Starshine 3 is the third separation adapter. At separation, these in a series of spacecraft built with the help antennas would deploy and required a of students from around the world. The large area for clearance as PCSat separated Starshine 3 mission is to measure upper from the Payload Upper Deck. With this in atmospheric density by measuring the rate mind, it was determined to separate of orbital decay of mirrored satellite and Sapphire after PICOSat. This would correlate variations in atmospheric density eliminate the risk of the PCSat’s antenna 2 impacting Sapphire as it deployed. Once maneuver to lower the orbit from 800km the Sapphire spacecraft was separated, a circular to 500km circular (Figure 1) and delay was built into the software to give prepared for the separation of Starshine 3. some time before PCSat separated. After Upon Starshine 3 separation, the OMA the PCSat spacecraft separated from the performed a Collision Contamination Payload Upper Deck, the Lockheed Martin Avoidance Maneuver (CCAM), to assure Astronautics (LMA) Orbital Adjust that it would not re-contact the spacecraft. Module (OAM) performed an orbit change Figure 1 Kodiak Star Mission Design PICOSat, Sapphire, PCSat 800 km 500 km Incl = 67 deg StarShine 3 PICOSat PCSat Sapphire Starshine Mass (kg) 67 15 22 91 Orbit Alt Range (km) 650-1100 200-1400 500-1100 ?-500 Desired Orbit Alt (km) 8 0 0 1100 110 0 5 00 Orbit Inclination (deg) 50-70 40-90 40-90 ? Desired In clin ation (deg) 5 5 9 0 9 0 polar Schedule integration flow timeline to reduce schedule by 14-20 months without One of the greatest challenges facing the compromising normal analyses, testing Kodiak Star team was schedule and and reviews. The mission was initiated 18 timing. This mission had a very aggressive October 2000 with a launch date set for 10-month integration schedule as August 31, 2001. compared to the normal integration flows for NASA missions of 24 – 30 months. The goal of the team was to streamline the 3 Figure 2 Kodiak Star Integration 2000 2001 TASK Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Kickoff/ MIWG/GOWG10/18 12/13 1/11 3/8 5/9 7/11 GORR Launch Site 11/2 KLC Site Visit 5/1 5/30 Mobile Range Equip on KLC System 10/19 7/30 Analysis/Integration Spacecraft Fit Check 3/13 3/20 Athena Stack ing 6/1 6/19 Athena Processing 6/19 9/29 Starshine Mate to PUD 7/30 Sapphire Mate to PUD 8/8 PCSat Mate to PUD 8/9 PICOSat Mate to PUD 8/15 Encapsulation 9/4 Encap. Assembly Stack 9/5 Peer Team Review 5/4 5/25 MDR I MDR II Mission Dress 8/3 8/13 Rehearsal KSC Center Director 8/30 Review Flight Readness Review 9/16 for ILC on 9/22 Launch Readness 9/19 Review for ILC on 9/22 ILC - Intial 8/28 ILC - Pre 9/11 9/17 ILC - Post 9/11 9/22 Solar Flares 9/24 ILC - Launch 9/29 The Challenges which consisted of the Space Test Program (STP) from the Department of The Team Defense (DoD), which was responsible for Even though the Kodiak Star team itself PICOSat, PCSat, and Sapphire. The was one of the major reasons for the NASA sponsored spacecraft Starshine 3 success of the mission, it was one of the was managed by Professor Gil Moore of challenges as well. The Kodiak Star team the Starshine Project. Lockheed Martin organization was developed with NASA was the launch service provider for the KSC as the nucleus with five different Athena I and was contracted to perform organizations matrixed to NASA (Figure launch site activation. The Alaskan 3). NASA KSC was responsible for the Aerospace Development Corporation Mission and Launch Management function (AADC) managed the Kodiak Launch during the integration flow. Spacecraft Complex. The other organizations on the customers interface with the NASA team, team were NASA’s Wallops Flight 4 Facility who was responsible for ground weather forecasting and prediction during and flight safety, and the 45th Space Wing testing and launch countdown. Weather Officer, who was responsible for Figure 3 Kodiak Star Team Organizations MISSION & LAUNCH NASA CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT STARSHINE 3 Starshine SATELLITE DoD Project Space Test NASA CUSTOMER Program SATELLITES: NASA -PCSAT Kennedy Space th -PICOSAT 45 Wing -SAPPHIRE Center Weather Officer Lockheed NASA Martin Wallops Flight Facility RANGE SAFETY & AADC RANGE OPERATIONS NASA CONTRACTOR ATHENA I LAUNCH VEHICLE & LAUNCH SITE INTEGRATION KODIAK LAUNCH COMPLEX The NASA Mission Integration Team the Chief and Vehicle engineer to resolve (MIT) consisted of four interacting issues during integration. The Launch elements of which had independent Service Integration Manager is responsible responsibility for the Mission (Figure 4). for launch site activities and ground The Mission Integration Manager (MIM) integration processes for the spacecraft.