242 research outputs found
An Autonomous Flight Safety System
The Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS) being developed by NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center s Wallops Flight Facility and Kennedy Space Center has completed two successful developmental flights and is preparing for a third. AFSS has been demonstrated to be a viable architecture for implementation of a completely vehicle based system capable of protecting life and property in event of an errant vehicle by terminating the flight or initiating other actions. It is capable of replacing current human-in-the-loop systems or acting in parallel with them. AFSS is configured prior to flight in accordance with a specific rule set agreed upon by the range safety authority and the user to protect the public and assure mission success. This paper discusses the motivation for the project, describes the method of development, and presents an overview of the evolving architecture and the current status
Lessons Learned from Building the First Chilean Nano-satellite: The SUCHAI Project
This work presents the preliminary results and the lessons learned from the operation, thus far, of the Satellite of the University of Chile for Aerospace Investigation (SUCHAI-1), the first CubeSat mission at the University of Chile. The development of the SUCHAI-1 started in 2011 and was launched in June 23rd 2017 in an Indian PSLV Rocket. The launch resulted in a circular polar sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude close to 505 km. The SUCHAI-1 has operated continuously for more than 12 months except for three days after the mid-September 2017 solar storm. The SUCHAI-1 has been studying the capabilities that CubeSats can offer for scientific missions and collecting data from on-board payloads. This project has been the seed for a much longer space program at the University. Currently two other CubeSats are under construction. In this work, we describe the difficulties and the advantages of developing a nano-satellite project in a developing country and the impact that this project has had in students as well as in the space area in Chile
Communications subsystem hardware and software development for the ESTCube-2 nanosatellite
One of the most crucial components of satellites is their communications subsystem. Without a functioning radio link, it would be challenging to receive telemetry and payload data from the satellite and send telecommands to it from the ground. ESTCube-2 is a 3U CubeSat from the Estonian Student Satellite Foundation that is expectedto launch in 2022. The mission of ESTCube-2 is to test various payloads inLEO. The primary payload being the plasma brake, similar to the Electric Solar Wind Sail (E-Sail) experiment on ESTCube-1. Due to the critical nature of the satellite communications system, it is essential to start with thorough testing early to reach high reliability by the launch. The goals for this master thesis are to test ESTCube-2 communications subsystem hardware and software, and to create an engineering model, to resolve any issues discovered
Small Rocket/Spacecraft Technology (SMART) Platform
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Department of Defense Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office are exercising a multi-year collaborative agreement focused on a redefinition of the way space missions are designed and implemented. A much faster, leaner and effective approach to space flight requires the concerted effort of a multi-agency team tasked with developing the building blocks, both programmatically and technologically, to ultimately achieve flights within 7-days from mission call-up. For NASA, rapid mission implementations represent an opportunity to find creative ways for reducing mission life-cycle times with the resulting savings in cost. This in tum enables a class of missions catering to a broader audience of science participants, from universities to private and national laboratory researchers. To that end, the SMART (Small Rocket/Spacecraft Technology) micro-spacecraft prototype demonstrates an advanced avionics system with integrated GPS capability, high-speed plug-and-playable interfaces, legacy interfaces, inertial navigation, a modular reconfigurable structure, tunable thermal technology, and a number of instruments for environmental and optical sensing. Although SMART was first launched inside a sounding rocket, it is designed as a free-flyer
2009 Exhibitors
Listings and Descriptions of 2009 Small Satellite Conference Exhibitor
State of the Art: Small Spacecraft Technology
This report provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art of small spacecraft technology, with particular emphasis placed on the state-of-the-art of CubeSat-related technology. It was first commissioned by NASAs Small Spacecraft Technology Program (SSTP) in mid-2013 in response to the rapid growth in interest in using small spacecraft for many types of missions in Earth orbit and beyond, and was revised in mid-2015 and 2018. This work was funded by the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). For the sake of this assessment, small spacecraft are defined to be spacecraft with a mass less than 180 kg. This report provides a summary of the state-of-the-art for each of the following small spacecraft technology domains: Complete Spacecraft, Power, Propulsion, Guidance Navigation and Control, Structures, Materials and Mechanisms, Thermal Control, Command and Data Handling, Communications, Integration, Launch and Deployment, Ground Data Systems and Operations, and Passive Deorbit Devices
The ITASAT – The Lessons Learned from the Mission Concept to the Operation
The ITASAT Project was initiated as an effort of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) and the National Institute of Space Research (INPE) to train human resources to the Aerospace sector due to the lack of experience of the students in practical projects in the aerospace segment in Brazil. In this effort students were challenged to design, build and operate a satellite in a hands-on project. Along the project years several changes happened on the satellite configuration, going through a 100 kg satellite to a 6U CubeSat and this last configuration was designed, assembled and tested. In December ITASAT was launched and since its launch has been tracked and operated by the ground operation team. In this paper we will discuss the lessons learned during the project, since the decision to change the satellite size and re-thinking the scope of the project objectives, focusing on system engineering, Assembly Integration and Testing (AIT), Verification and Validation (V&V) and ground operations. The paper will present the challenges of the group of students in this hands-on project, the mistakes and hits along the project phases
POINTING, ACQUISITION, AND TRACKING FOR DIRECTIONAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
Directional wireless communications networks (DWNs) are expected to
become a workhorse of the military, as they provide great network capacity in hostile
areas where omnidirectional RF systems can put their users in harm's way. These
networks will also be able to adapt to new missions, change topologies, use different
communications technologies, yet still reliably serve all their terminal users. DWNs
also have the potential to greatly expand the capacity of civilian and commercial
wireless communication. The inherently narrow beams present in these types of
systems require a means of steering them, acquiring the links, and tracking to
maintain connectivity. This area of technological challenges encompasses all the
issues of pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT).
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The two main technologies for DWNs are Free-Space Optical (FSO) and
millimeter wave RF (mmW). FSO offers tremendous bandwidths, long ranges, and
uses existing fiber-based technologies. However, it suffers from severe turbulence
effects when passing through long (>kms) atmospheric paths, and can be severely
affected by obscuration. MmW systems do not suffer from atmospheric effects
nearly as much, use much more sensitive coherent receivers, and have wider beam
divergences allowing for easier pointing. They do, however, suffer from a lack of
available small-sized power amplifiers, complicated RF infrastructure that must be
steered with a platform, and the requirement that all acquisition and tracking be done
with the data beam, as opposed to FSO which uses a beacon laser for acquisition and
a fast steering mirror for tracking.
This thesis analyzes the many considerations required for designing and
implementing a FSO PAT system, and extends this work to the rapidly expanding
area of mmW DWN systems. Different types of beam acquisition methods are
simulated and tested, and the tradeoffs between various design specifications are
analyzed and simulated to give insight into how to best implement a transceiver
platform.
An experimental test-bed of six FSO platforms is also designed and constructed
to test some of these concepts, along with the implementation of a three-node biconnected
network. Finally, experiments have been conducted to assess the
performance of fixed infrastructure routing hardware when operating with a
physically reconfigurable RF network
Airframe assembly, systems integration and flight testing of a long endurance electric UAV
The need to adopt new techniques and practices in the Aerospace Industry branch is a
consequence of technological development. The present work aims to study the use of solar
power as a main energy source in the aviation, in this case for a flight of long endurance of an
unmanned air vehicle. This master thesis follows on previous works of the LEEUAV, where it
was done the design and construction of a long endurance unmanned aerial system. Thus, the
main objective of this work is the systems integration, flight testing and concepts validation.
LEEUAV, a prototype of 4.5 meters’ wingspan and ultralight structure partially covered
by solar cells was designed to fulfil a continuous flight mission of at least 8 hours on the equinox.
The 5.42Kg remotely piloted aircraft was successfully tested showing the agreement with
theoretical calculations already made. The longest flight achieved lasted more than 8.5 hours’
resulting in a total distance travelled of more than 75 km.
In order to validate the airworthiness concept of the LEEUAV several flight tests were
performed and their respective data (static and total pressure, air temperature, ground speed
and pitch angle) was collected for further analysis, using a flight controller with multiple
sensors on board. The results obtained allowed to study the general performance of the
aircraft, the main defects, agreement with the theoretical results as well as determine the real
values of aerodynamic coefficients (????, ????), through a reading and processing flight data
algorithm in Software MATLAB.
Finally, some future expectations for upcoming work are suggested in order to make
the LEEUAV an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle of reference.A necessidade de adoção de novas técnicas e práticas no ramo da Indústria Aeronáutica
é uma consequência do desenvolvimento tecnológico. O presente trabalho aborda o uso de
energia solar como principal fonte de energia na aviação, com enfoque num voo de grande
autonomia de uma aeronave não tripulada. Esta tese de mestrado surge na sequência de
trabalhos anteriores relativos ao LEEUAV, nos quais se efetuou o projeto e construção de uma
aeronave não tripulada de grande autonomia. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho é a
integração de sistemas, testes de voo e validação de conceitos.
O UAV Solar LEEUAV é um protótipo de 4.5 metros de envergadura e de estrutura
ultraleve parcialmente coberto de células fotovoltaicas sendo projetado para cumprir uma
missão de voo contínuo de pelo menos 8h no equinócio. O avião de 5.42kg foi testado com
sucesso mostrando a concordância com os cálculos teóricos já elaborados. O voo mais longo
conseguido foi de 3.13 horas correspondendo a uma distância total percorrida de 96.265 km.
De modo a validar o conceito de aeronavegabilidade do LEEUAV foram efetuados vários
voos de teste e recolhidos dados de voo (pressão estática e dinâmica, temperatura do ar,
velocidade no solo e ângulo de arfagem) para posterior análise, utilizando um controlador de
voo com múltiplos sensores a bordo. A análise dos resultados obtidos permitiu precisar o
desempenho geral da aeronave, os principais defeitos, concordância com os resultados teóricos
assim como determinar os valores reais dos coeficientes aerodinâmicos (???? , ????) através de um
algoritmo de leitura e processamento de dados de voo, em Software MATLAB.
Por fim, são referidas algumas sugestões para o desenvolvimento de novos trabalhos com
o objetivo de tornar O LEEUAV num veículo aéreo não tripulado de referência
2006 NASA Range Safety Annual Report
Throughout 2006, Range Safety was involved in a number of exciting and challenging activities and events, from developing, implementing, and supporting Range Safety policies and procedures-such as the Space Shuttle Launch and Landing Plans, the Range Safety Variance Process, and the Expendable Launch Vehicle Safety Program procedures-to evaluating new technologies. Range Safety training development is almost complete with the last course scheduled to go on line in mid-2007. Range Safety representatives took part in a number of panels and councils, including the newly formed Launch Constellation Range Safety Panel, the Range Commanders Council and its subgroups, the Space Shuttle Range Safety Panel, and the unmanned aircraft systems working group. Space based range safety demonstration and certification (formerly STARS) and the autonomous flight safety system were successfully tested. The enhanced flight termination system will be tested in early 2007 and the joint advanced range safety system mission analysis software tool is nearing operational status. New technologies being evaluated included a processor for real-time compensation in long range imaging, automated range surveillance using radio interferometry, and a space based range command and telemetry processor. Next year holds great promise as we continue ensuring safety while pursuing our quest beyond the Moon to Mars
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