Walker, Roger

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1ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the PublicESA Technology CubeSats: Pushing the Mission Autonomy EnvelopeRoger Walker, Head of CubeSat Systems Unit, Directorate of Technology, Engineering & Quality10/08/2021ESA ESTEC2ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the PublicQARMAN (3U)studying atmospherere-entry GOMX-3 (3U)demonstrating new platform technologies GOMX-4B (6U)demonstrating constellationtechnologiesPICASSO (3U)studying the atmosphere RACE (2x6U)demonstrating rendezvous and dockingRadCube (3U)measuring space radiation and magnetic fieldSunstorm (2U)measuring X-Ray fluxesPRETTY (3U)demonstrating GNSS reflectometry www.esa.intSIMBA (3U)monitoring climatevariables→ ESA’S TECHNOLOGY CUBESAT FLEETLUMIO & VMMO (2x12U)measuring lunar surface impact hazards &  in-situ resourcesEuropean Space AgencyGOMX-5 (12U)demonstrating next generation constellation technologiesCubeSpec (6U)stellar spectroscopy from spaceDefinitionImplementationOperationPROBA-V Companion (12U)Imaging VegetationM-ARGO (12U)demonstrating asteroid rendezvous and identifying in-situ resourcesGENA-SAT (6U & 12U)demonstrating commercial IOD/IOV servicesCSC (2x6U)EC H2020 IOD/IOVJuventas & Milani (2x6U)observing asteroid deflection assessment (HERA S2P)Funded in GSTP Fly unless otherwise stated3The Evolution of the CubeSat (ESA)Rapid growth in size & advances in performance for real operational missionsSize 3U 6U 12U 12U XLMission GOMX-3 GOMX-4B GOMX-5 M-ARGOPower (max) 6 W 12 W 120 W 150WPointing acc. 2 deg (3-axis) 0.5 deg (3-axis) 0.2 deg (3-axis) 0.1 deg (3-axis)Comms D/L 3000 kbps (X-band) 2000 kbps (S-band) 225000 kbps (X-band) 8 kbps @ 1 AU (X-band)Delta-V 0 m/s 10 m/s (cold gas) 250 m/s (electric) 3000 m/s (electric)Launch 2015 2018 2022 2024-254CubeSat Evolutionary Tree (Europe)Hands-onEducationTechnology DemoLEO Constellations Close Proximity OperationsBeyond LEO Science1st wave: educational2nd wave: experimental3rd wave: operational~2005-onwards1-3U CubeSatsUniversities~2010-onwards3-12U CubeSatsIndustry, govtagencies, universities~2020-onwards3-12U CubeSatsIndustry, govt agencies5CubeSat On-Board Autonomy: Rationale• Significant decrease in space segment cost due to miniaturization, usage of COTS, modularity & ease of AIT from mechanical/electrical interface standards…• Significant decrease in launch segment cost due to mass reductions, containerized piggyback launch, standard launcher interfaces & streamlined qualification requirementsBUT • Ground Segment & Operations costs DO NOT scale with s/c size & mass• For constellations, operational complexity is increasing dramatically due to higher no. of s/c & ground stations, manoeuvre needs (station keeping, collision avoidance, de-orbiting)• For close proximity operations (formations, RVD, inspection), a manual or classical TTQ control & monitoring approach is not feasible• For lunar & deep space missions, eventually in fleets, large ground station networks needed (with constraints on availability), precise navigation with flight dynamics needed, mission-critical events (burns shortly after launch injection, escape manoeuvres, planet/small body approach)6Towards Level 4 Autonomy“On board autonomy management addresses all aspects of on-board autonomous functions that provide the space segment with the capability to continue mission operations and to survive critical situations without relying on ground segment intervention”WE ARE HEREWE NEED TO BE HERE7Future LEO Constellations• Earth Observation applications (EO programmes):– High-resolution atmospheric monitoring for public health & climate changeover the diurnal cycle => compact NO2, CH4 imagers– Global tropospheric measurements for weather prediction =>  GNSS-RO/R receivers, microwave radiometers– Change detection of land, flood, fire hazards => hyperspectral imagers & onboard AI• Other applications (ARTES, S2P programmes):– Telecom: IoT/M2M, asset tracking, ship & aircraft tracking, situational awareness– Space weather: ionosphere, radiation, magnetosphere• Autonomy-related trends:– Hardware: Inter-Satellite Links, On-board orbit determination (GNSS) & Propulsion (cold gas, chemical, electric)– Software: Autonomous Guidance & Control for station acquisition & keeping, collision avoidance, de-orbiting– Goal-driven FDIR at constellation system level (self aware, self-repairing)8Next Generation Constellation Technology Demo• Programme: GSTP Fly• Project: GOMX-5• Prime contractor: GomSpace (DK)• Platform: 12U CubeSat• IOD Mission:o Large orbit transfers using electric propulsion (ThrustMe NPT30-I2-1.5U)o High rate X-Band downlink comms (>225 Mbps) using Reflectarray High Gain antenna o High accuracy GNSS P2OD Receivers with wide band antenna (<10 cm pos. error 3D rms in real-time OB)o Additional 6 IOD Payloads from European industry (incl. autonomy experiment)• Launch: Q3 2022 to SSO 500 km• Operations: EP apogee raise >800 km, perigee lower <450 km• Status: PDR successful (Dec. 2019), Phase C/D ongoing• Payload Consolidation Review completed, CDR planned in September 2021 Credit: Gomspace9On-board Autonomy Demonstration on GOMX-5MiRAGE:• Software library runs on S/C OBC enabling autonomous operations• Combination of: Artificial Intelligence/Deep Learning algorithms, Expert Systems and Intelligent Agents• Runs on s/c OBC and processes spacecraft data (telemetry, payload) to take decisions autonomously during the missionIOD Experiments on-board GOMX-5:Deep Learning processing of payload data• Experiment: classification, object detection & segmentation• Data: access to optical payload imagery (visible, multi-spectral)AI processing of telemetry data • Experiment: trend predictions, anomaly detection, insight generation• Data: access to on-board telemetries of selected equipmentGoal Generation • Experiment: from detected events, to generation of goals• Data: access to on-board orbit determination (GNSS receiver)Autonomous Replanning • Experiment: from a list of goals, to reschedule the mission timeline• Data: any of the above event detections, or new goal generation10Future Close Proximity Operations Missions• Applications:– On-Orbit Assembly of large structures from smaller building blocks (e.g optical telescopes, RF antennas)– On-Orbit Servicing of larger satellites (e.g. avionics replacement/upgrade)– Close inspection & repair (e.g. large satellites, space stations, debris objects)– Sparse aperture swarm formations (multi-static radar interferometry & 3D optical)• Autonomy-related trends:– Vision Based Navigation @ close range (e.g. LED pattern + filtered visual camera + RT image processing)– GNSS receiver @ long range for relative (DCP) & absolute (PPP) navigation – 6 Degree of Freedom propulsion module(s) with low Minimum Impulse Bit– Robust accurate GNC/FDIR system for phasing & close proximity operationsSSC (UK)11Rendezvous Autonomous Cubesats Experiment (RACE)Phase C/D/E/F KO in Q1 2022 after change of prime & subject to fundingLaunch Q1 2024Phase A/B completed (GSTP Fly) with GomSpace DK, GMV PL & RO, Almatech, Micos CHDemo of:-Visual based navigation-6 DoF cold gas propulsion-Robust accurate GNC/FDIR-Mini docking mechanismFuture applications:-autonomous on-orbit assembly of large structures using building blocks-on-orbit servicing/inspectionMission concept:• two 6U CubeSats• launched together in a 12U POD• separate deployment & commissioning• series of docking and fly around manoeuvres• testbed for different GNC algorithms12RACE Mission PhasesDrifting ellipse around10m Keep Out ZoneInitial position -60 mFinal position +60 m-30 mStation Keeping-10 mStation Keeping5 impulses transferForced straight line trajectory-150 mSafe Hold TrajectoryRendezvous and DockingClose fly-aroundDrift direction20 m / orbitOrbit: 550 km SSO, LTAN: 9AM (1PM) to 11AM (15PM).Passively safe spiral trajectory13Autonomous GNC/FDIR Demo on RACE• H-Infinity controller (baseline)• Cooperative vision navigation using camera and LEDs for RVD• Uncooperative camera navigation for CFA• Collision Avoidance Manoeuver (CAM) algorithm triggers if trajectory predicted to enter Keep Out Zone (CFA) or breach approach corridor (RVD)• Mu-analysis for robust stability and robust performance• Advanced FDIR: Robust thruster Fault Diagnosis and Accommodation (docking with 1 failed thruster)Uncooperative camera navigation based on Centre of BrightnessRedundant CAM strategy:Both s/c can execute CAMsCooperative vision navigation:LEDs detection & centroiding14Future Stand-Alone Deep Space Missions• Applications of distributed nano-spacecraft fleets:o wide survey of the Near Earth Asteroid population for: science (diversity of early solar system bodies) planetary defence (know your enemy) in-situ resource exploration (prerequisite for exploitation)o simultaneous in-situ monitoring of space weather at multiple locations in the heliosphere (L1, L5, inner Earth orbits) or in reconfigurable swarmso constellations in lunar and Mars orbit (comms relay & navigation, simultaneous global coverage remote sensing)• Autonomy-related trends:o On-board visual navigation (supplementing radio navigation where possible)o Autonomous Guidance & Control (robust real-time trajectory optimization within constraints)o Goal-driven FDIR (from reconfiguration/recovery to mission re-planning)83 targets accessible15Miniaturised Asteroid Remote Geophysical ObserverStatus: Phase A completed (GSTP Fly)Phase B-F approved (Sept 2020)Phase B KO planned in Q3 2021Launch 2024-2025M-ARGO will lower the entry-level cost of deep space exploration by over an order of magnitude, leading to fleets of future deep space CubeSatsaddressing different applications (NEOs, space weather, Moon & Mars)Objectives:• Demonstrate critical technologies & operations for stand-alone deep space CubeSats in the relevant environment• Rendezvous with a Near Earth Object• NEO physical characterisation for in-situ resource exploration purposes• Test autonomous GNC techniquesMission concept:• 12U XL CubeSat• piggyback launch to Sun-Earth L2 transfer or Earth escape• 1-3 year low-thrust interplanetary transfer (∆V 2-3 km/s)• 6-month close proximity ops at NEO• 120 different NEO targets accessibleGridded ion engineThruster Pointing MechanismCold gas RCSReflectarrayHGAHigh power steerable solar arrayX-band transponder17Autonomous GNC demonstration on M-ARGO• Developer: Politecnico di Milano• Experiment consists of:o Deep space optical navigation using line-of-sight observations of planets using CubeSat star trackers/navigation camera*o Real-time on-board trajectory optimization for update of guidance profile to NEO rendezvouso Robust control techniques• Planned to be executed 3 times over 2-week arc during cruise phase to NEO targetGSE frame*V. Franzese PhD researchCo-sponsored by ESA18Summary• CubeSat systems are becoming more capable for supporting future operational missions involving distributed systems, including LEO constellations, close proximity operation swarms and deep space LEO fleets• Operations costs do not scale with s/c size & mass, complexity much higher for distributed systems• On-board autonomy is a must for distributed systems in LEO and beyond• Hardware enabling greater on-board autonomy is in development (e.g. ISLs, Propulsion, OBCs, GNSS receivers, navigation cameras)• On-board autonomy research ongoing with advanced GNC/FDIR techniques• Broad portfolio of ESA IOD CubeSat missions funded in GSTP Fly to rapidly demonstrate higher levels of autonomy (amongst many other technologies) at low-cost• IOD missions aim to go well beyond the state-of-art, enabling new (distributed) system capabilities and new operational missions in future• Relevant not only CubeSat-based missions, but also larger ESA missions once de-risked

ESA Technology CubeSats: Pushing the Mission Autonomy Envelope

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ESA Technology CubeSats: Pushing the Mission Autonomy Envelope

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