SSETO—Small Satellite for Exoplanetary Transit Observation

SSETO is the result of a phase-A study in context of the small satellite program of the University of Stuttgart that demonstrates the capability of a university institute to build a small satellite with a budget of 5 million Euro. The satellite will be capable of observing exoplanets in a Neptune–Earth scale and obtaining data of interstellar dust. Due to a system failure of NASA?s Kepler mission, there is currently (October 2013) a lack of satellites searching for exoplanets. This paper details the design of subsystems and payload, as well as the required test tasks in accordance with the mission profile at a conceptional level. The costs for standard spacecraft testing and integration tasks are included, but not those of launch, ground support, operations and engineer working hours.     

The cost benefits of the Spacelab system to scientific investigations and space applications

In the past, one of the major problems in performing scientific investigations in space has been the high cost of developing, integrating, and transporting scientific experiments into space. The limited resources of unmanned spacecraft, coupled with the requirements for completely automated operations, was another factor contributing to the high costs of scientific research in space. In previous space missions after developing, integrating and transporting costly experiments into space and obtaining successful data, the experiment facility and spacecraft have been lost forever, because they could not be returned to earth. The objective of this paper is to present how the utilization of the Spacelab System will result in cost benefits to the scientific community, and significantly reduce the cost of space operations from previous space programs.The following approach was used to quantify the cost benefits of using the Spacelab System to greatly reduce the operational costs of scientific research in space. An analysis was made of the series of activities required to combine individual scientific experiments into an integrated payload that is compatible with the Space Transportation System (STS). These activities, including Shuttle and Spacelab integration, communications and data processing, launch support requirements, and flight operations were analyzed to indicate how this new space system, when compared with previous space systems, will reduce the cost of space research. It will be shown that utilization of the Spacelab modular design, standard payload interfaces, optional Mission Dependent Equipment (MDE), and standard services, such as the Experiment Computer Operating System (ECOS), allow the user many more services than previous programs, at significantly lower costs. In addition, the missions will also be analyzed to relate their cost benefit contributions to space scientific research.The analytical tools that are being developed at MSFC in the form of computer programs that can rapidly analyze experiment to Spacelab interfaces will be discussed to show how these tools allow the Spacelab integrator to economically establish the payload compatibility of a Spacelab mission.The information used in this paper has been assimilated from the actual experience gained in integrating over 50 highly complex, scientific experiments that will fly on the Spacelab first and second missions. In addition, this paper described the work being done at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to define the analytical integration tools and techniques required to economically and efficiently integrate a wide variety of Spacelab payloads and missions. The conclusions reached in this study are based on the actual experience gained at MSFC in its roles of Spacelab integration and mission managers for the first three Spacelab missions. The results of this paper will clearly show that the cost benefits of the Spacelab system will greatly reduce the costs and increase the opportunities for scientific investigation from space.     

PHYSIOLAB: a new laboratory for the study of the cardio-vascular system

On the basis of the experience gained during the previous french-russian missions on board MIR about the adaptation processes of the cardio-vascular system, a new laboratory has been designed. The objective of this “PHYSIOLAB” is to have a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the changes in the cardio-vascular system, with a special emphasis on the phenomenon of cardio-vascular deconditioning after landing.

Beyond these scientific objectives, it is also intended to use PHYSIOLAB to help in the medical monitoring on-board MIR, during functional tests such as LBNP.

PHYSIOLAB will be set up in MIR by the French cosmonaut during the next french-russian CASSIOPEE mission in 1996. Its architecture is based on a central unit, which controls the experimental protocols, records the results and provides an interface for transmission to the ground via telemetry. Different specific modules are used for the acquisition of various physiological parameters.

This PHYSIOLAB under development for the CASSIOPEE mission should evolve towards a more ambitious laboratory, whose definition would take into account the results obtained with the first version of PHYSIOLAB. This “second generation” laboratory should be developed in the frame of wide international cooperation.     

FPGA-based operational concept and payload data processing for the Flying Laptop satellite

Flying Laptop is the first small satellite developed by the Institute of Space Systems at the Universität Stuttgart. It is a test bed for an on-board computer with a reconfigurable, redundant and self-controlling high computational ability based on the field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). This Technical Note presents the operational concept and the on-board payload data processing of the satellite. The designed operational concept of Flying Laptop enables the achievement of mission goals such as technical demonstration, scientific Earth observation, and the payload data processing methods. All these capabilities expand its scientific usage and enable new possibilities for real-time applications. Its hierarchical architecture of the operational modes of subsystems and modules are developed in a state-machine diagram and tested by means of MathWorks Simulink-/Stateflow Toolbox. Furthermore, the concept of the on-board payload data processing and its implementation and possible applications are described.     

FPGA-based operational concept and payload data processing for the Flying Laptop satellite

Flying Laptop is the first small satellite developed by the Institute of Space Systems at the Universität Stuttgart. It is a test bed for an on-board computer with a reconfigurable, redundant and self-controlling high computational ability based on the field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). This Technical Note presents the operational concept and the on-board payload data processing of the satellite. The designed operational concept of Flying Laptop enables the achievement of mission goals such as technical demonstration, scientific Earth observation, and the payload data processing methods. All these capabilities expand its scientific usage and enable new possibilities for real-time applications. Its hierarchical architecture of the operational modes of subsystems and modules are developed in a state-machine diagram and tested by means of MathWorks Simulink-/Stateflow Toolbox. Furthermore, the concept of the on-board payload data processing and its implementation and possible applications are described.     

Landing on small bodies: From the Rosetta Lander to MASCOT and beyond

Recent planning for science and exploration missions has emphasized the high interest in the close investigation of small bodies in the Solar System. In particular in-situ observations of asteroids and comets play an important role in this field and will contribute substantially to our understanding of the formation and history of the Solar System.The first dedicated comet Lander is Philae, an element of ESA's Rosetta mission to comet 67/P Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Rosetta was launched in 2004. After more than 7 years of cruise (including three Earth and one Mars swing-by as well as two asteroid flybys) the spacecraft has gone into a deep space hibernation in June 2011. When approaching the target comet in early 2014, Rosetta will be re-activated. The cometary nucleus will be characterized remotely to prepare for Lander delivery, currently foreseen for November 2014.The Rosetta Lander was developed and manufactured, similar to a scientific instrument, by a consortium consisting of international partners. Project management is located at DLR in Cologne/Germany, with co-project managers at CNES (France) and ASI (Italy). The scientific lead is at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Science (Lindau, Germany) and the Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (Paris).Mainly scientific institutes provided the subsystems, instruments and the complete, qualified lander system. Operations are performed in two dedicated centers, the Lander Control Center (LCC) at DLR-MUSC and the Science Operations and Navigation Center (SONC) at CNES. This concept was adopted to reduce overall cost of the project and is foreseen also to be applied for development and operations of future small bodies landers.A mission profiting from experience gained during Philae development and operations is MASCOT, a surface package for the Japanese Hayabusa 2 mission. MASCOT is a small (∼10 kg) mobile device, delivered to the surface of asteroid 1999JU3. There it will operate for about 16 h. During this time a camera, a magnetometer, a thermal monitor and an IR analytical instrument will provide ground truth and thus will even be able to support the selection of possible sampling sites for the main spacecraft.MASCOT is a flexible design that can be adapted to a wide range of missions and possible target bodies. Also the payload is flexible to some extent (with an overall mass in the 3 kg range). For example, the surface package is part of the optional strawman payload for MarcoPolo-R, a European asteroid sample return mission, proposed for ESA Cosmic Vision M-class.     

NASA'S Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project

Over the last 5 years, NASA has invested in development and risk-reduction activities for a new generation of planetary landers capable of carrying instruments and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface and other airless bodies. The Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project (RLLDP) is jointly implemented by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The RLLDP team has produced mission architecture designs for multiple airless body missions to meet both science and human precursor mission needs. The mission architecture concept studies encompass small, medium, and large landers, with payloads from a few tens of kilograms to over 1000 kg, to the Moon and other airless bodies. To mature these concepts, the project has made significant investments in technology risk reduction in focused subsystems. In addition, many lander technologies and algorithms have been tested and demonstrated in an integrated systems environment using free-flying test articles. These design and testing investments have significantly reduced development risk for airless body landers, thereby reducing overall risk and associated costs for future missions.     

Low cost planetary exploration: surrey lunar minisatellite and interplanetary platform missions

In order to meet the growing global requirement for affordable missions beyond Low Earth Orbit, two types of platform are under design at the Surrey Space Centre. The first platform is a derivative of Surrey's UoSAT-12 minisatellite, launched in April 1999 and operating successfully in-orbit. The minisatellite has been modified to accommodate a propulsion system capable of delivering up to 1700 m/s delta-V, enabling it to support a wide range of very low cost missions to LaGrange points, Near-Earth Objects, and the Moon. A mission to the Moon - dubbed “MoonShine” - is proposed as the first demonstration of the modified minisatellite beyond LEO. The second platform - Surrey's Interplanetary Platform - has been designed to support missions with delta-V requirements up to 3200 m/s, making it ideal for low cost missions to Mars and Venus, as well as Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and other interplanetary trajectories. Analysis has proved mission feasibility, identifying key challenges in both missions for developing cost-effective techniques for: spacecraft propulsion; navigation; autonomous operations; and a reliable safe mode strategy. To reduce mission risk, inherently failure resistant lunar and interplanetary trajectories are under study. In order to significantly reduce cost and increase reliability, both platforms can communicate with low-cost ground stations and exploit Surrey's experience in autonomous operations. The lunar minisatellite can provide up to 70 kg payload margin in lunar orbit for a total mission cost US$16–25 M. The interplanetary platform can deliver 20 kg of scientific payload to Mars or Venus orbit for a mission cost US$25–50 M. Together, the platforms will enable regular flight of payloads to the Moon and interplanetary space at unprecedented low cost. This paper outlines key systems engineering issues for the proposed Lunar Minisatellite and interplanetary Platform Missions, and describes the accommodation and performance offered to planetary payloads.     

国际空间站信息系统方案

为了支持在轨系统和有效载荷的操作 ,由硬件和软件组成的空间站信息系统为处理器、工作站、大容量存储单元以及设备接口提供了一个高速、宽带网络。这种结构的关键点是 :1开放式的并且是非专用的 ,避免传统设计方法的浪费。 2结构化和标准化 ,支持组装、增长性和技术性插入。 3采用标准的与用户隔离的硬件和软件接口组成 ,使用户避免了系统的复杂性 ,并且简化了集成 ,缩短了设计周期 ,压缩了研制和维护费用。文中对国际空间站信息管理系统的结构、初期设计、接口和向用户提供的服务做了概要性叙述     

Hyperspectral imaging—An advanced instrument concept for the EnMAP mission (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Programme)

In the upcoming generation of satellite sensors, hyperspectral instruments will play a significant role. This payload type is considered world-wide within different future planning.Our team has now successfully finalized the Phase B study for the advanced hyperspectral mission EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Programme), Germans next optical satellite being scheduled for launch in 2012. GFZ in Potsdam has the scientific lead on EnMAP, Kayser-Threde in Munich is the industrial prime.The EnMAP instrument provides over 240 continuous spectral bands in the wavelength range between 420 and 2450 nm with a ground resolution of 30 m×30 m. Thus, the broad science and application community can draw from an extensive and highly resolved pool of information supporting the modeling and optimization process on their results. The performance of the hyperspectral instrument allows for a detailed monitoring, characterization and parameter extraction of rock/soil targets, vegetation, and inland and coastal waters on a global scale supporting a wide variety of applications in agriculture, forestry, water management and geology. The operation of an airborne system (ARES) as an element in the HGF hyperspectral network and the ongoing evolution concerning data handling and extraction procedures, will support the later inclusion process of EnMAP into the growing scientist and user communities.     

新一代运载火箭的数据驱动快速测试技术

本文提出一种数据驱动的快速测试技术。数据由箭上系统通过自检测(BIT)采集,经箭地高速总线传送至地面;地面数据处理终端采用与箭上系统相同的模型和算法,复现箭上的处理过程,从而判断系统中是否存在故障,实现快速故障定位。本文全面介绍实现这一设计的关键技术,包括箭上信息监测点的选择、总线窃听技术、飞行软件中的数据管理任务等,并示例说明各类典型数据的分析以及故障诊断和定位等。所有分析工作均实时自动完成,并能随测试用例的调整自适应地计算出新的比对结果,为提高系统级测试的覆盖性创造条件;并大大节省地面专用测试设备和数据分析时间,减少技术保障人员。     

Small satellite's role in future hyperspectral Earth observation missions

Along with various advanced satellite onboard sensors, an important place in the near future will belong to hyperspectral instruments, considered as suitable for different scientific, commercial and military missions. As was demonstrated over the last decade, hyperspectral Earth observations can be provided by small satellites at considerably lower costs and shorter timescales, even though with some limitations on resolution, spectral response, and data rate. In this work the requirements on small satellites with imaging hyperspectral sensors are studied. Physical and technological limitations of hyperspectral imagers are considered. A mathematical model of a small satellite with a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer system is developed. The ability of the small satellites of different subclasses (micro- and mini-) to obtain hyperspectral images with a given resolution and quality is examined. As a result of the feasibility analysis, the constraints on the main technical parameters of hyperspectral instruments suitable for application onboard the small satellites are outlined. Comparison of the data for designed and planned instruments with simulation results validates the presented approach to the estimation of the small satellite size limitations. Presented analysis was carried out for sensors with conventional filled aperture optics.     

Economics of satellite communications systems

This paper is partly a tutorial, telling systematically how one goes about calculating the total annual costs of a satellite communications system, and partly the expression of some original ideas on the choice of parameters so as to minimize these costs.The calculation of costs can be divided into two broad categories. The first is technical and is concerned with estimating what particular equipment will cost and what will be the annual expense to maintain and operate it. One starts in the estimation of any new system by listing the principal items of equipment, such as satellites, earth stations of various sizes and functions, telemetry and tracking equipment and terrestrial interfaces, and then estimating how much each item will cost. Methods are presented for generating such estimates, based on a knowledge of the gross parameters, such as antenna size, coverage area, transmitter power and information rate. These parameters determine the system performance and it is usually possible, knowing them, to estimate the costs of the equipment rather well. Some formulae based on regression analyses are presented. Methods are then given for estimating closely related expenses, such as maintenance and operation, and then an approximate method is developed for estimating terrestrial interconnection costs.It is pointed out that in specific cases when tariff and geographical information are available, it is usually better to work with specific data, but nonetheless it is often desirable, especially in global system estimating, to approximate these interconnect costs without recourse to individual tariffs. The procedure results in a set of costs for the purchase of equipment and its maintenance, and a schedule of payments. Some payments will be incurred during the manufacture of the satellite and before any systems operation, but many will not be incurred until the system is no longer in use, e.g. incentives. In any case, with the methods presented in the first section, one arrives at a schedule of costs and payments for all the items and the years in which they will be incurred. The second category of costing problems is one of financing or engineering economics. All the costs are first “present valued” to some reference period using rates of return appropriate to the particular situation.One finally arrives at sets of annual costs which can be used as the basis for setting lease costs or revenue requirements and tariffs. The correspondence between methods using discounted rates of return and capital recovery formulae on one hand and those using various depreciation schedules, such as is typical of regulated industries on the other hand, is discussed.The remainder of the paper is devoted to discussing the relationship between critical parameters, such as replacement schedules, design lifetime, satellite power and Earth station antenna size, and the overall costs.It is shown that optima for these parameters may exist and can be calculated. In particular, the optimization of satellite replacement schedules to minimize the present value of total investment over a very long period is presented, along with simplified versions of the theory suitable for system planning.The choice of EIRP is also discussed and a procedure for choosing the value that minimizes the costs is shown.     

Rapid model-based inter-disciplinary design of a CubeSat mission

With an increase in the use of small, modular, resource-limited satellites for Earth orbiting applications, the benefit to be had from a model-based architecture that rapidly searches the mission trade-space and identifies near-optimal designs is greater than ever. This work presents an architecture that identifies trends between conflicting objectives (e.g. lifecycle cost and performance) and decision variables (e.g. orbit altitude and inclination) such that informed assessment can be made as to which design/s to take on for further analysis. The models within the architecture exploit analytic methods where possible, in order avoid computationally expensive numerical propagation, and achieve rapid convergence. Two mission cases are studied; the first is an Earth observation satellite and presents a trade-off between ground sample distance and revisit time over a ground target, given altitude as the decision variable. The second is a satellite with a generic scientific payload and shows a more involved trade-off, between data return to a ground station and cost of the mission, given variations in the orbit altitude, inclination and ground station latitude. Results of each case are presented graphically and it is clear that non-intuitive results are captured that would typically be missed using traditional, point-design methods, where only discrete scenarios are examined.     

Naval EarthMap Observer (NEMO) program and the Naval Space Science and Technology Program Office

In February 1997 the Chief of Naval Research chartered the Naval Space Science and Technology (S&T) Program Office, at the Office of Naval Research, to operate as the central point of contact for the Department of the Navy's (DON's) S&T activities in space. The Office was chartered to enhance the DON's space efforts through interdepartmental integration and linkage with external Department of Defense (DOD) commands and government agencies. The Office's goal is to optimize a plan for S&T coherency, synergy, and relevancy to effect technology transition to the DON's Systems Commands or Program Executive Offices (PEO's) while developing an investment strategy that accommodates and leverages the commonality of commercial and consumer thrust areas and products.

This paper will focus on the “Flagship” Naval Space S&T Program, the Naval EarthMap Observer (NEMO) Program, as one example of how the Office is executing its mission. It will discuss how, through NEMO, the Navy is able to leverage commercial industry and other US government agency requirements and resources to meet unique Naval needs. Finally, the paper will discuss the specifics of NEMO, the Navy's roles and responsibilities and how the Navy will use NEMO in its mission to characterize the littoral regions of the world.

Through the NEMO satellite system, the Navy will develop a large hyperspectral imagery database which will be used to characterize and model the littoral regions of the world. NEMO will provide images using its Coastal Ocean Imaging Spectrometer (COIS) Instrument along with a co-registered 5m Panchromatic Imager (PIC). With 210 spectral channels over a bandpass of 0.4 to 2.5μm and very high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the COIS instrument is optimized for the low reflectance environment of the littoral region. COIS will image over a 30km wide swath with a 60m Ground Sample Distance (GSD), and can image at a 30m GSD with ground motion compensation. A 10:30am, sun-synchronous circular orbit of 605km enables continuous repeat coverage of the whole earth. A unique aspect of the system is the spectral feature extraction and data compression software algorithm developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) called the Optical Real-Time Spectral Identification System (ORA-SIS). ORASIS employs a parallel, adaptive hyperspectral method for real-time scene characterization, data reduction, background suppression, and target recognition. The use of ORASIS is essential for management of the massive amounts of data expected from the NEMO HSI system, and for development of Naval products. Specific Naval products include bathymetry, water clarity, bottom type, atmospheric visibility, bioluminescence, beach characterization, under-water hazards, total column atmospheric water vapor, and detection and mapping of sub-visible cirrus. Demonstrations of timely downlinks of real-time hyperspectral imagery data to the Naval warfighter are also being developed. The NEMO satellite is planned for launch in mid-2000 followed by an operational period of 3 to 5 years.     

Ground and on-orbit command and data handling architectures for the Active Rack Isolation System microgravity flight experiment

The Active Rack Isolation System [ARIS] International Space Station [ISS] Characterization Experiment, or ARIS-ICE for short, is a long duration microgravity characterization experiment aboard the ISS. The objective of the experiment is to fully characterize active microgravity performance of the first ARIS rack deployed on the ISS. Efficient ground and on-orbit command and data handling [C&DH] segments are the crux in achieving the challenging objectives of the mission. The objective of the paper is to provide an overview of the C&DH architectures developed for ARIS-ICE, with the view that these architectures may serve as a model for future ISS microgravity payloads. Both ground and on-orbit segments, and their interaction with corresponding ISS C&DH systems are presented. The heart of the on-orbit segment is the ARIS-ICE Payload On-orbit Processor, ARIS-ICE POP for short. The POP manages communication with the ISS C&DH system and other ISS subsystems and payloads, enables automation of test/data collection sequences, and provides a wide range of utilities such as efficient file downlinks/uplinks, data post-processing, data compression and data storage. The hardware and software architecture of the POP is presented and it is shown that the built-in functionality helps to dramatically streamline the efficiency of on-orbit operations. The ground segment has at its heart special ARIS-ICE Ground Support Equipment [GSE] software developed for the experiment. The software enables efficient command and file uplinks, and reconstruction and display of science telemetry packets. The GSE software architecture is discussed along with its interactions with ISS ground C&DH elements. A test sequence example is used to demonstrate the interplay between the ground and on-orbit segments.     

The hidden costs of reliability and failure in launch systems

In comparing the costs of different launch vehicles, the possibility of the risk of failure is assumed to be accounted for by the cost of insurance. The satellite may be insured against loss during launch, and the launch services provider may offer a “free relaunch.” However, actual costs of reliability and failure extend beyond this. Each failure necessitates an investigation and a “get well” programme by the operating agency, while putting the operations team “on hold” until services can resume. A commercial operator may also lose customer revenue and actual customers through loss of confidence or unavailability. Such costs tend to be hidden, and not evaluated in assessing the effectiveness of a system, but count towards total costs. Failure investigations help to improve system reliability, but this could equally have been achieved by expenditure in development and qualification. Reusable launch vehicles will have different costs associated with reliability and failure. The relationship between reliability and cost, properly assessed, ought to influence the design of both expendable and reusable launch systems.     

Autonomous aerobraking for low-cost interplanetary missions

Aerobraking has previously been used to reduce the propellant required to deliver an orbiter to its desired final orbit. In principle, aerobraking should be possible around any target planet or moon having sufficient atmosphere to permit atmospheric drag to provide a portion of the mission ΔV, in lieu of supplying all of the required ΔV propulsively. The spacecraft is flown through the upper atmosphere of the target using multiple passes, ensuring that the dynamic pressure and thermal loads remain within the spacecraft's design parameters. NASA has successfully conducted aerobraking operations four times, once at Venus and three times at Mars. While aerobraking reduces the fuel required, it does so at the expense of time (typically 3–6 months), continuous Deep Space Network (DSN) coverage, and a large ground staff. These factors can result in aerobraking being a very expensive operational phase of the mission. However, aerobraking has matured to the point that much of the daily operation could potentially be performed autonomously onboard the spacecraft, thereby reducing the required ground support and attendant aerobraking related costs. To facilitate a lower-risk transition from ground processing to an autonomous capability, the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) has assembled a team of experts in aerobraking and interplanetary guidance and control to develop a high-fidelity, flight-like simulation. This simulation will be used to demonstrate the overall feasibility while exploring the potential for staff and DSN coverage reductions that autonomous aerobraking might provide. This paper reviews the various elements of autonomous aerobraking and presents an overview of the various models and algorithms that must be transformed from the current ground processing methodology to a flight-like environment. Additionally the high-fidelity flight software test bed, being developed from models used in a recent interplanetary mission, will be summarized.     

Mature systems for small satellite missions

Over the past several years Satellites International has developed an integrated suite of satellite sub-systems and small satellite buses. The sub-systems include S-band communications, attitude sensing and control, power conversion and distribution, and on-board data handling. They are inherently modular and readily adaptable to different satellite configurations, a concept known as semi-standardisation. This concept has been adopted by two generic low-cost buses: MicroSIL for satellites in the mass range 40–80kg; and MiniSIL for satellites in the range 100–500kg. Their architecture is based on the semi-standard sub-systems, but easily modified to utilise sub-systems from other manufacturers. They can support all stabilisation methods including spinning, 3-axis control and gravity gradient and are adaptable to a wide variety of missions including Earth resources, scientific, communications and technology demonstration. The Company also manufactures a range of low cost ground support equipment and complete ground stations to complement the space-borne systems.     

基于实时数据库技术的空间环境 模拟器数据管理平台

针对现有空间环境模拟器试验数据统一管理和试验设备集中监控的难题,文章提出了一种基于实时数据库技术的试验数据管理平台,首次在国内系统级空间环境模拟器研制中引入实时数据库概念,并成功应用于KM7空间环境模拟器中。该数据管理平台将KM7设备各分系统的关键数据信息进行分散采集,统一存储和调用,并通过网络发布。