Maturing Small Satellite Mission Capabilities at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Transcription

1 Increasing Small Satellite Reliability- A Public-Private Initiative Maturing Small Satellite Mission Capabilities at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Albert Einstein Imagination is more important than knowledge SmallSat Pre-Conference Workshop 6 August 2017 Patricia Beauchamp, Harald Schone, Doug Sheldon/ Jet Propulsion Laboratory Linda Fuhrman/ MIT Lincoln Laboratory Erica Sullivan, Tom Fairbanks/ Los Alamos National Laboratories Miquel Moe, Jesse Leitner/ NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and others Presented by Michael Johnson Chief Technologist, Engineering Directorate NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

2 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions A transformation is ongoing Growing external and internal interest in achieving compelling science [via small satellites] CubeSats have already produced high-value science. CubeSats are useful as instruments of targeted investigations to augment the capabilities of large missions and ground-based facilities, and they enable new kinds of measurements and have the potential to mitigate gaps in measurements where continuity is critical. The Committee on Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats Community Symposium Ref- Achieving Success with CubeSats: Thinking Inside the Box Ref: Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats symposium, 2-3 September

3 Discussion SmallSats enable a breadth of impactful missions. The ability to quantify and improve the confidence of SmallSat-based missions informs their full potential. Thought and action derived from intentional public-private collaboration can release untapped potential. Enceladus and its plumes as observed by the Cassini spacecraft. 3

4 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions Concept: Explorer CubeSat for Student Involvement in Travels to Europa (ExCSITE): A smart instrument to be deployed from the Europa Clipper mission as it flies by Jupiter s ocean-moon Europa. Measurement objectives include High-resolution imaging of the surface Magnetic/gravity mapping Characterization of dust ejecta from Europa Notional Mission Concept. Ref- 4

5 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions Concept: CATScans- Mission to characterize 3D coronal processes. Pave the way for major improvement in predictive 3D space weather modeling. Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Ref: Pulkkinen/ NASA GSFC 5 5

6 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions Concept: L5 Space Weather Sentinels (L5SWS)- Space weather monitoring from the Sun-Earth L5 point. Observe Earth-directed CMEs, monitor solar wind stream structure, see solar active regions before visible from Earth. Notional Keck Institute Mission Concept. Ref- 6

7 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions Concept: Fourier-Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI)- Space-based interferometry enables compelling science: Detect Extra-solar Giant Planets Star Formation Extragalactic Astronomy A Small Connected Interferometer; The Fourier-Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI) distributed spacecraft mission concept (ref. ESA Pegase proposal) Ref: Danchi/ NASA GSFC 7

8 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions NASA has selected 19 studies under the Planetary Science Deep Space SmallSat Studies (PSDS3) program. Develop mission concepts using small satellites to investigate Venus, Earth s moon, asteroids, Mars and the outer planets. 8

9 SmallSats: Enabling Novel Compelling Missions Historically, it was understood and accepted that "high risk and CubeSat were largely synonymous; expectations were set accordingly A fly, re-fly approach does not map to certain missions Dellingr 6U development highlighted numerous out-of-the-box subsystem issues and other latent mission-compromising deficiencies Goddard and other organizations are building but do not desire to have to build CubeSat-SmallSat systems consistent with our mission success postures Intentional public-private collaboration can facilitate advancement. Dellingr at Goddard magnetic test facility. August 13 deployment to ISS. 9

10 SmallSat Reliability Initiative Interagency Small Satellite Reliability Initiative launched July 2016 Charter: Define implementable and broadly accepted approaches to achieve reliability and acceptable risk postures associated with several SmallSat mission risk classes from do no harm missions, to missions whose failure would result in loss or delay of key national objectives. Maintain, to the extent practical, cost efficiencies associated with small satellite missions and consider supply chain elements constraints, as appropriate. Address this challenge from two architectural scopes the mission- and system-level, and the component- and subsystem-level. Don t break it. Make it better. 10

11 SmallSat Reliability Initiative Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) convened February 2017, Pasadena, CA Goals- Secure industry inputs on initial government thoughts on SmallSat mission classifications and mission assurance approaches Define next steps Attendees NASA HQ, NASA Ames, NASA Goddard, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Los Alamos National Labs, Aerospace Corp, Air Force Research Lab, US Special Ops Command, Innoflight, VAACO, Tyvac, Pericle Communications, Spaceflight Industries, Planet, Phase Four, Vulcan Wireless, Univ Michigan, Space Dynamics Lab, Blue Canyon, Maryland Aerospace, GeoOptics, others 11

12 Industry Feedback SmallSat Reliability Initiative A mission confidence-based approach is preferred over a risk-based approach Instead of characterizing risk, a CubeSat mission should perform some level of assurance activities to achieve a threshold of confidence acceptable for their mission. 12

13 Industry Feedback, cont. SmallSat Reliability Initiative Mission/ System Level: A menu-style approach is preferable when determining assurance activities. Facilitates a holistic approach to mission assurance where requirements are tailored based on trades at the mission or system level Risk Tolerance Mission Characteristics Mission Criticality Very Low Low Moderate High Very High National Security; Operational Operational; Primary Science Gap Filler Experimental; Technology Demo Technology Demo; Teaching System LEO Mission Life 5+ years 3-5 years ~1 year Months Days to weeks Deep Space Mission Life Single Satellite Constellation (>10) Satellites Flight Development Time 10+ years 5+ years 1-3 years Months Days Operational Mission Common mode failures ruled out Data gathering Gap Filler Experiment High unit cost; limited spare vehicles Multiple spare vehicles Technology Demonstration Re-launch readily available >5 years ~ 2 years <12 months Example of a mission confidence framework 13

14 Industry Feedback, cont. SmallSat Reliability Initiative Subsystem/ Component Level: Develop a set of guidelines based on community best practices and heuristic data (when available) to guide prioritization of activities and processes to achieve the targeted assurance level. Risk Tolerance Lower Risk Tolerance Higher Risk Tolerance Activity or Process Reviews Drawings EEE Parts Thermal Cycling Environmental Test Formal SRR, PDR and CDR with external review board Configuration managed drawings / CAD models with critical review and signoff Rad-hard or rad-tolerant parts in critical areas Cycling at board, box, and full vehicle level Qual unit to validate design and Acceptance testing to validate workmanship Internal informal reviews with key stakeholders Capture as-built configuration and key dimensions. Rudimentary CAD model recommended. COTS parts; keep records of as-built At least four cycles at full vehicle level recommended As required by launch provider Potential examples of best practices to achieve desired specific reliability 14

15 Industry Feedback, cont. SmallSat Reliability Initiative Leveraging modern simulation and analytical tools developed for other similarly complex and often high financial risk industries is a logical and reasonable approach that can quickly provide value added robustness to the overall decision and review processes for CubeSat/SmallSat missions. 15

16 Industry Feedback, cont. SmallSat Reliability Initiative Knowledge Sharing A parts database containing radiation test results and other failure and anomaly information would be very useful to the CubeSat community. Interest in the creation of an exchange where questions about CubeSat reliability can be asked and answered by subject matter experts. Interest in the government sponsoring radiation testing of selected CubeSat EEE parts and making the results available to the industry. Interest in sharing designs, design guidelines, best practices with the developer community. 16

17 Industry Feedback, cont. SmallSat Reliability Initiative Software needs more attention and should be discussed in greater detail during another event. 17

18 Next Steps SmallSat Reliability Initiative Ongoing Activities Investigate use of sophisticated systems approaches to mission confidence Safety Cases Formal Assurance Cases Model Based Mission Assurance Investigate use of a menu-style framework Coordinate with Mission Assurance Improvement Workshop (MAIW) to explore and document best practices and craft a common approach to mission assurance for the U.S. space program Proceedings posted at 18

19 Next Steps, cont. SmallSat Reliability Initiative 2 nd Technical Interchange Meeting planned for October 2017, Washington, DC Proceedings posted at 19

20 Take Homes SmallSats enable a breadth of impactful missions. The ability to quantify and improve the confidence of SmallSat-based missions informs their full potential. Thought and action derived from intentional public-private collaboration can release untapped potential. Enceladus and its plumes as observed by the Cassini spacecraft. 20

21 Acknowledgments These findings are informed by the collective work of participants of the SmallSat Reliability TIM. A special thank you to Elizabeth Klein-Lebbink from The Aerospace Corporation for her contribution to this activity and to others who have lent their perspectives. 21

22 Thank you 22