Meeting the Challenge of Low Cost Lunar Exploration

Space Missions Meeting the Challenge of Low Cost Lunar Exploration Nadeem Ghafoor MDA / SSL LEAG 2013, 14-16 th October, APL, Laurel MD

Changing Times New space exploration era Positives Exciting new exploration frontiers More remote destinations & regions More autonomous operation More capable science instruments More sustainable exploration New technological capabilities Increased global coordination (e.g. ISECG) Challenges More technically ambitious Reduced political impetus Reduced budgets flat being the new up Low Cost is de rigueur in space exploration today 2

Living With Low Cost Heritage Approach Partnerships International Commercial But first some introductions 3

Intro: MDA 40 years of support to govt & commercial space Canada s largest space company & mission prime Global provider of space robotic systems Human spaceflight Shuttle & ISS robotics 100+ successful robotic missions Support to NASA, CSA, JAXA, commercial Orbital servicing Satellite servicing demonstrations for NASA, DARPA, DoD, CSA Planetary Exploration 10+ years of robotics on Mars MER, MSL, Phoenix, OSIRIS-Rex, ExoMars Affordable small / medium satellite missions EO, Surveillance & SSA Optical, Radar Radarsats, Rapideye, Sapphire, Cassiope 1000+ antennas on 125+ satellites across most commercial & military bands 4

Intro: SSL Formerly Space Systems Loral acquired by MDA in 2012 55 years of commercial & government space World s largest provider of GEO commercial communications satellites High reliability, long-life (15 yr) platform Largest heritage 20+kW bus in the industry High power (30+kW) Solar Electric Propulsion 250+ satellites for LEO, GEO & HEO operations 72 current operational GEO satellites 16 with 20+kW power 14 with Solar Electric Propulsion 16 Earth Observation missions Large satellite backlog with significant hosted payloads capacity direct to GEO Propulsion & composite structures for NASA planetary missions Viking, Voyager, Solar Dynamics Obsrv ty, LADEE 5

MDA & SSL SSL acquired by MDA in 2012 Integrated space capability End-to-end delivery from mission & system integration to enabling payloads, subsystems & data services for civil & military space 5000+ employees across US & Canada (+ international offices) Heritage systems across EO, Sat Comm, Science & Exploration Unique partnership offerings international & commercial 6

Low Cost Perspectives 1. Heritage Low Cost motivations can vary Budget availability Schedule Political profile Low Cost - Low Risk (e.g. Discovery) Low Cost - Medium Risk (e.g. Class D missions) More often than not demands leveraging heritage Technical risk trusted concept, NRE Programmatic Risk Processes, Parts, Partnerships Heritage can sometime be an explicitly required program enabler New Frontiers Discovery Flagship missions 7

Leveraging Heritage Examples Large Science Missions formerly for high reliability, now cost too Example: Alpha-Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument Mars 2020 Pathfinder APXS (1997) MER APXS (2004) MSL APXS (2012) Example: Mars robotic manipulators Mars 2020 MER IDD (2004) Phoenix Arm (2008) MSL Arm (2012)

Leveraging Heritage Examples SMD Competed Missions: New Frontiers high reliability, cost (explicit evals) Example: OSIRIS-Rex OLA Mapping Lidar & Altimeter Comet / Asteroid Sample Return USAF XSS-11 RPO Lidar (2005) Osiris Asteroid Mapping Science Lidar (2016) Asteroid Redirect Mission

Leveraging Heritage Examples SMD Competed Missions: Small (Discovery, Scout) cost, reliability Example: Phoenix MET USAF XSS-11 RPO Lidar (2005) Phoenix MET Station Lidar (2008) Example: Insight Robotics & Mechanisms MPL Arm (1999) Phoenix Arm (2008) Insight Arm (2016)

Leveraging Heritage Examples Small Science Missions: cost, new concepts Example: LADEE Propulsion System COTS derived bipropellant system Same thrusters & flow management components Same construction & integration processes Module structure Tailored composite process development Lightweight à rapid vehicle assembly SSL 1300 Spacecraft Bus LADEE Structure & Propulsion System

Towards Low Cost Lunar Exploration Lunar Orbiter Missions Heritage Propulsion systems Chemical propulsion e.g. LADEE Industry-leading Solar Electric Propulsion 300+ SPTs flown since 1971 Long-life heritage in GEO Hosted Payloads Onboard imaging & other science instruments Rideshares and dispensed small lunar spacecraft (e.g. cubesats) 12

Towards Low Cost Lunar Exploration Lunar Lander Missions Surface robotics 30 yrs of orbital & planetary manipulators New Frontiers Moonrise Arm Excavation, sample acquisition & transfer Down-selected for Round #3 Ph A Completed 2011 Developments since 2013 CSA-funded Lunar Dust Mitigation risk-buy down tech development ExoMars mechanisms & avionics Landing sensors Planetary Lidar / Laser Altimeter CSA/ESA-funded landing GNC testing 13

Towards Low Cost Lunar Exploration Lunar Rover Missions Resource Prospector Mission 2013 Rover concept design study for CSA Short-duration Class D mission Lunar tele-operable rover available for 2018 Survive short shadowed-region sortie Carry RESOLVE payload & instruments DTE comms; ~ few km traverse Night survival only as an option Heritage from ExoMars rover Mobility electromechanical elements Low-temperature avionics CSA risk buy-down activities Multiple rover prototypes Lunar dust mitigation technologies 14

Low Cost Perspectives: 2. International Partnerships Increasingly crucial element of exploration, particularly for Moon Advantages Cost sharing Heritage systems, mission opportunities Political value Multiple successful examples NASA Phoenix (competed) MSL Curiosity (flagship) New Frontiers (competed) 3 finalists had international elements Winner has international element (OLA) 15

Low Cost Perspectives: 2. International Partnerships Key areas Management of timelines and commitment expectations, particularly in early phases Management of risk approaches on both sides Focus on heritage ITAR Manageable proven on many programs Just requires time, process & experience International agreements DARPA Orbital Express Rendezvous Demo (2006) MDA-SSL programmatic flexibility Heritage on both sides of border Technology available on both sides of border Tailor to suit customer needs: US (domestic interest) or international (political / cost sharing) USAF XSS-11 RPO Lidar (2005) 16

Low Cost Perspectives: 3. Commercial Partnerships Hosted Payloads - Onboard Leverage high SSL commercial spacecraft flight rate (5-6 / yr) Backlog of almost 20 spacecraft - direct delivery to GEO Range of hosting options for payloads and small spacecraft PODs: Payload Orbital Delivery system 17

Low Cost Perspectives: 3. Commercial Partnerships Long history of SSL hosted payloads (Science, comms, tech demo) e.g. NASA GSFC Laser Comm Relay demonstration Pallet Experiments ESA EGNOS LBand Solar X-Ray Imager (SXI) Hosted Payloads Cisco IRIS Router Spanish X-Band Rx Phased Array Japanese MTSAT Payload Suite Australian Milsatcom CCD Cameras ( Dish Earth, Channel 287) 18

Low Cost Perspectives: 3. Commercial Partnerships Hosted Payloads Dispensed spacecraft Long sought after capability increasingly needed Cost constraints Advances in micro/nanosat capabilities (e.g. lunar cubesats) DARPA Phoenix (2013+) addressing several technology elements with PODS Dispensing of Satlets Enabling NRE for future lunar & planetary micro / nano missions Targets 2015/16 launch MDA / SSL supporting Phoenix from multiple divisions Pasadena Toronto Paolo Alto PODs: Payload Orbital Delivery system 19

Summary Low cost is de rigeur for space science & exploration today Heritage systems have been a proven enabler for recent missions Many technologies exists with more under current development for small-class science & exploration lunar missions International partnership is an enabler when managed successfully Procurement flexibility can be valuable & options exist today New commercial partnership options are emerging for lunar micro/ nano missions via launch / rideshare / hosted payloads 20

Space Missions Backup 22