Kelly, Angelita C.

NASA Technical Reports Server

Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
International Earth Observing Constellations
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INTRODUCTION
Angelita C. Kelly
Mission Operations Manager, Mission Validation and Operations Branch
Earth Observing Constellations
Earth Science Mission Operations Project
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20150010989 2019-08-31T08:02:01+00:00Z
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
• Welcome to all the members of the Mission Operations 
Working Group (MOWG) of the International Earth 
Observing Morning and Afternoon Constellations!
• Welcome especially to the new team members, Clifford Graham 
and Joseph Bartsch from CloudSat at KAFB:
• Welcome to our telecon participants.
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
MOWG Charter
The Constellation mission teams
enable nearly simultaneous 
science observations by 
coordinating their operations and 
cooperating with each other to
ensure the safety of the constellations.
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
A-Train Science Graphic
(from Steve Platnick, A-Train Project Scientist)
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The Earth Science Mission Operations (ESMO) Project at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) leads the 
Morning and Afternoon Constellation mission operations working group (MOWG) to address constellation safety. 
The MOWG goal is to ensure the safety of the constellation satellites to enable/maximize coincidental observations.
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Constellation History*
• Morning Constellation officially began in 1999 with the Landsat-7 launch in 
April and Terra launch in December (joining Landsat-5). Landsat-5 was already 
on-orbit.  EO-1 and SAC-C successfully joined in November 2000.  Landsat-8 
launched in February 2013.
• Afternoon Constellation (A-Train) began with the Aqua launch in May 2002, 
followed by Aura in July 2004, PARASOL in December 2004, and the joint 
CALIPSO/CloudSat launch in April 2006 (“formation flying”)
• A-Train Mission Operations Working Group (MOWG) officially met for the 
first time in March 2003, preceded by an exploratory discussion between LaRC 
(John Stadler) and GSFC (Angie Kelly and Lauri Newman)
• OCO (2010) and Glory (2011) launches failed due to launch vehicle fairing 
problems
• GCOM-W1 successfully launched in May 2012
• OCO-2 successfully launched in July 2014 
• Next missions:  ? 
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Significant Meeting Topics
• Terra Exit Plans
• CALIPSO Laser Swap Plans
• CALIPSO and CloudSat Future Plans
• OCO-2 First Year of operations
• Communications with Foreign Satellite Operators (FSOs) – Status update
• Revised CARA Concept of Operations – Lessons learned
• Spring 2015 IAM Series Lessons Learned
• “No slew” maneuvers for Aqua – Status update
• CCS Future Release Plans
• NASA HQ Perspective (including Senior Review status and the planned 
2016 Science Symposium)
• Current state of the missions, end-of-mission plan, and action plan for 
unexpected credible contingencies 
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
State of the Constellations
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• Morning Constellation
– Terra and its 5 instruments are performing nominally, except ASTER SWIR.
– Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 are performing nominally 
– EO-1 is currently ~22 km below Landsat 7 & Terra; continuing science observations
• Afternoon Constellation
– A-Train IAM Series (Spring 2015) successfully conducted
– OCO-2 is completing its first year in the A-Train.
– Aqua, Aura, and GCOM-W1 are performing nominally
– CloudSat is operating in Daylight-only Operation (Do-Op) mode; formation flying with 
CALIPSO
– CALIPSO is performing nominally; making plans to switch lasers
Constellations are operating successfully
and producing valuable science data
Excellent cooperation! Still growing and learning! 7
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Constellation Mission Operations Working Group (MOWG) Meeting
NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia)
October 15-17, 2014
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Since the last meeting . . .
Constellation Mission Operations Working Group (MOWG) Meeting
NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia)
October 15-17, 2014
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Since the last meeting . . .
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• OCO-2 completed 11 months in orbit!
• CALIPSO Laser Swap Review conducted
• CCS Release 7.0 deployed in December
• A-Train annual inclination adjust maneuvers (IAMs) 
completed during March – May 
• CloudSat UV anomaly in April 16-18
• Terra Exit Plans are under review
• The Operations Coordination Plan For The Morning and 
Afternoon Constellations Constellation was approved
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Afternoon Constellation
Current Orbital Configuration
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
A-Train IAM Series (Spring 2015)
• A-Train IAMs were conducted per agreements in the Afternoon Constellation 
Coordinated Plan for the 2015 Inclination Adjust Maneuvers document (Rev. 2)
• Replanning was necessary due to a Aqua IAM replan.  Thanks to all teams for a 
expeditious effort!
• 21 IAMs were performed between March 5 and May 13
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Upcoming Events . . .
• International Satellite Constellations/ June 8-11 (Delft, Netherlands)
Formation Flying Workshop (IWSCFF)*
• Fall 2015 MOWG Meeting Details TBD
• A-Train 3rd International Science mtg* TBA
12*--NCTS registration required
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
• Presentations
 Please e-mail your presentations to warren.f.case@nasa.gov.
 All the presentations will be made available within 2 weeks via Goddard WebDrive
server.  Download instructions will be sent.
 Let us know if your presentations are “not for public view”.
• Telecon Number:  1-844-467-6272, code 830887#
• Splinter Sessions – See schedule
• Traditional group photo – Day 1 during afternoon break
• Wi-Fi 
 NASA users: Use your standard login to the NASA wi-fi
 Non-NASA users: Log in to “Guest-CNE”.  Enter ‘NASA’ as the  Sponsoring 
Organization
• Group Dinner: 
– Wednesday, June 3 @6:30 p.m. Details to be provided.
Meeting Logistics
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Arigatou Gozaimasu
Merci
Thank you
Questions?
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Additional Information
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Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Constellation MOWG Action Items
October 2014 Meeting (at LaRC)
# Assignee Description Status/Due Date
1410-
01
CARA Analyze close approaches which have required mission team action on short notice. 
Determine why the approaches were identified later in the process than most other 
events. Note that this action may be handled during a CARA User Forum. 
OPEN / 
To be discussed at June 2015 MOWG 
meeting.  Report the conclusions of this 
analysis in Summer 2015.
1410-
02
Aerospace 
Corporation
Present the results of their risk study analyzing the Terra exit options. This study will 
include the risk of the Terra satellite itself being hit by debris and any subsequent risks to 
the remaining satellites in the 705-km constellations or satellites attempting to enter or 
exit the constellations. Thus it will entail characterizing the debris environments at the 
range of altitudes from 4 km below the constellations to re-entry plus the associated 
orbital lifetimes associated with Terra starting 4km and 19 km below the 705-km 
reference altitude.
OPEN / 
Mid-January 2015 summary to ESMO 
(Closed)
Present results at the Spring 2015 
MOWG meeting
1410-
03
NASA HQ 
Program 
Executive 
Invite the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office and the Office of Safety and Mission 
Assurance (OSMA) teams to the next MOWG meeting (which will include a 
presentation of the Aerospace Corporation study results).
CLOSED / April 2015
1410-
04
MOWG 
Teams
Provide CARA with the list of e-mail addresses to receive legacy reports once the new 
report becomes the regular CARA report.  Note that the 2 reports will be available for ~1 
month to enable users to provide feedback.
CLOSED / October 24, 2014.
1410-
05
MOWG 
Teams
Review CARA's new operations concept and provide feedback to the CARA team. This 
includes comparing the legacy report with the new report (weekly feedback desirable).
CLOSED / Feedback on new reports 
weekly with final feedback by November 
28, 2014. 
1410-
06
ESMO Present their analysis of impacts and concerns from cancelling the Aqua and Aura IAMs 
in 2018 to the Project Scientists.  ESMO will report the Project Scientist feedback to the 
mission teams.
CLOSED / A. Kelly provided the Project 
Scientist feedback to mission teams on 
October 27 and 28.
1410-
07
T. Sweetser
CloudSat 
Document his suggested alternative to the proposed approach of cancelling the 2018 
Aqua IAMs.  
CLOSED / E-mail was sent on October 
16, 2014
1410-
08
GSFC
FD
Update their previous no slew analysis presentation using the latest data. ESMO will 
provide this data to the constellation mission teams. 
CLOSED / Analysis sent to teams by 
November 21, 2014
1410-
09
Aqua team Present the results of Aqua no slew maneuvers. OPEN / Spring 2015 MOWG mtg
Mission Operations Working Group
June 2-4, 2015
Constellation MOWG Action Items
Older Actions Still Open
(from September 2013 and April 2014 meetings)
# Assignee Description Status/Due Date
1309-05 CARA Report on:
•the benefits of using owner operator covariances compared to the 
existing approach and
•any recommendations on how a mission should implement it.
OPEN. To be presented at June 2015 MOWG 
meeting.
1309-09 CARA Implement approved methods for sharing collision avoidance and 
risk mitigation data with other nations.
• Email distribution lists, file repositories, etc.
• Phone numbers
OPEN. Actively working / Date TBD
1309-11 CARA Analyze our timeline for working future close approaches with 
another nation and factor that into our risk management process.
OPEN. Actively working.  To be presented at June 
2015 MOWG meeting.
1404-08 USGS Investigate options for communications with Chinese space 
agency during close approach events.  Review the timeline for 
communication and coordination with foreign spacecraft 
operators (FSOs) for high interest events.
CLOSED. Discussed at meeting in Saskatoon 
(June 2014). Liu Jianbo from the Chinese Institute 
of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI) took 
the action to provide a SJ 11 point of contact to 
USGS.
This action has been overtaken by other activities 
being pursued by CARA.


International Earth Observing Constellations

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