This paper focuses on the logistics support to be provided by the APM Center (APMC). Among the Columbus ground infrastructures, this center is tasked to provide logistics, sustaining engineering and P/L integration support to the ongoing missions of the APM, i.e. the Columbus Laboratory attached to the Freedom Space Station. The following is illustrated: an analysis of the requirements that are levied on the logistics support of the APM; how such requirements are reflected in the corresponding support to be available on-ground and at APMC; the functional components of the APMC logistics support and how such components interact each other; how the logistics support function interfaces with the other functions of the ground support; and how the logistics support is being designed in terms of resources (such as hardware, data bases, etc.). Emphasis is given to the data handling aspects and to the related data bases that will constitute for the logistics activities the fundamental source of information during the APM planned lifetime. Functional and physical architectures, together with trades for possible implementation, are addressed. Commonalities with other centers are taken into account and recommendations are made for possible reuse of tools already developed in the C/D phase. Finally, programmatic considerations are discussed for the actual implementation of the center

Battocchio, L.

Canu, C.

Masullo, S.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

1.7 
CT 
This paper focuses the logistics support to be provided 
by the APM Centre (APMC). 
Among the Columbus ground infrastructures, this 
centre is tasked to provide logistics, sustaining 
engineering and PL integration support to the 
ongoing missions of the APM, i.e. the Columbus 
Laboratory attached to the Freedom Space Station. 
The following is illustrated: 
0 an analysis of the requirements that are levied on 
the logistics support of the APM; 
how such requirements are reflected in the 
corresponding support to be available on-ground 
and at APMC; 
0 the functional components of the APMC logistics 
support and how such components interact each 
other; 
0 how the logistics support function interfaces with 
the other functions of the ground support; 
0 how the logistics support is being designed in terms 
of resources (such as hardware, dataware, etc...). 
Emphasis is given to the data handling aspects and to 
the related data bases that will constitute for the 
logistics activities the fundamental source of 
information during the APM planned lifetime. 
Functional and physical architectures, together with 
trades for possible implementation are addressed. 
Commonalities with other centres are taken into 
account and recommendations are made for possible 
reuse of tools already developed in the C/D phase. 
Finally programmatic considerations are discussed for 
the actual implementation of the centre. 
Keywords : APM Centre, Columbus, Ground Segment, 
101, Logistics. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Columbus will be undoubtedly a demanding challenge 
for Europe in the next decades. 
For the first time Europe will deal with crew 
permanently in orbit and with space elements to be 
serviced and maintained operational for many years. 
A s a  matter of fhct thirty years of uninterrupted 
operations of orbital elements &e a challenge not only 
for the mission operational aspects but also for the 
whole of the ground infrastructures entrusted to 
support the space elements. 
All the on-ground functionalities requested by the 
Columbus missions are implemented by the facilities 
of the IO1 (In-Orbit Infrastructure) Ground Segment. 
Such functions can be grouped basically as follows: 
o Mission coordination & planning; 
e Monitoring & control of the space elements; 
Communication capability; 
e Crewtraining; 
o Integration & Logistics Support. 
These functions are all essential for a safe and cost 
effective mission objective achievement. 
A critical aspect, both technical and organisational, 
will be constituted by the effort to maintain both the 
space and ground segment during all their planned life 
cycle. 
Consequently logistics will play a fundamental role in 
the Columbus era. 
For the accomplishment of most of the Columbus 
APM logistics tasks, a new centre has been introduced 
inside the IO1 ground infrastructures, that implements 
basically new operational concepts w.r.t. the previous 
space experiences. 
It is the APMC, tasked to provide logistics, sustaining 
engineering and P L  integration support to the APM 
missions. 
2. NOMENCLATURE 
APM 
APMC 
AS1 
CMCC 
DB 
DP 
EAC 
EGSE 
ILS 
IO1 
MSCC 
= Attached Pressurised Module, called also 
= Attached Pressurised Module Centre 
= Agenzia Spaziale Italiana 
= Central Mission Control Centre 
= Data Base 
= Data Processing 
= European Astronaut Centre 
= Electrical Support Ground Equipment 
= Integrated Logistics Support 
= In Orbit Infrastructure 
= Manned Space Lab. Control Centre 
Columbus Attached Laboratory 
679 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19940019462 2020-06-16T15:35:31+00:00Z
FT e 
The aims of the APMC are: 
To provide a repositoiy of knowledge and 
expertise concerning the APM in order. ... 
.... to support the Space Station Freedom Control 
Centre and the Columbus Control Centres in 
operating the APM in orbit and maintaining it 
safe and operational as required. .. 
... and to support users of the APM in designing, 
preparing and operating payloads. 
e 
In order to reach its aims, the APMC has the following 
main roles: 
e as a referral centre for all other centres involved 
in the management and operation of the APM; 
o as a support centre for potential and actual 
payload users; 
o as a resource which may be used by the SSCC 
andfor the crew to help resolve contingency 
situations. 
The centre will be responsible for many facets of the 
support to be provided both to those operating the 
APM and to its users, i.e. those who wish to fly 
payloads on it. The result of such a broad remit is the 
broad range of activities the centre must undertake. 
These range from writing software for the APM to 
arranging intercontinental transport for equipment and 
spares. 
In order to fulfil the demanded tasks, the APMC must 
have many external interfaces, that, as regards the 
ground infrastructures, are summarised in figure 1. 
- I EA 
I I1 
Fig. 1 APMC major interfaces with ground centres 
- Engineering support 
- Payload Inte~ation Support. 
- Integrated Logistics Support 
The Engineering Support encompasses all the 
activities necessary to support the system engineering 
mission operations throughout the APM lifetime, Le. 
- Flight increment preparation support; 
- Mission control support during operations 
- Acquisition, processing and distribution of 
- High fidelity crew training; 
- Configuration control; 
- Strategic and tactical planning support; 
- Operations assessment; 
- Maintenance of flight configuration on board 
software and data bases; 
Maintenance of the board flight data files; 
execution; 
telemetry data; 
- 
- Dataarchiving; 
- Engineering assessment of design change 
proposals; 
- Maintenance of the Engineering Data Library and 
Data Bases. 
The Payload Integration Support activities envisioned 
in both the pre-operational and operational phases of 
the program include the establishment and 
maintenance of a capability that supports the 
decentralised user payload development and 
integration concept. It,will be responsive to the User 
community requirements throughout the lifetime of the 
program. This function will provide for: 
- Payload development and integration planning; 
- Payload verification; 
- Launch site payload processing and carrier 
integration; 
- On-orbit operations monitoring; 
- Landing site Carrier de-integration and payload 
processing; 
- Payload integration support function management 
and coordination. 
The ILS includes the establishment and maintenance 
of an integrated support system that will be responsive 
to the flight element and program requirements for 
logistics processing. 
The related functions are detailed in the subsequent 
section, devoted to the description of the logistics 
activities the APMC has to deal with. 
Such major functions do not operate as stand-alone 
activities, but need a mutual and continuous exchange 
of data, plans and information with a frequent use of 
same equipment in order to best accomplish their 
assimed tasks. 
Such a splitting is only fimctional and does not 
prevent that same operational equipment and 
personnel implement functions belonging to both of 
the a.m. groups. 
As a matter of fact the basic functions that compose 
the APMC ILS capabilities can be applied to both 
APM and APMC as shown in the figure 2. 
71 
-Planning/wntrol 
-Maintenance 
-TT&liIlg 
- S p d c O ~ W e s  
management 
-Transportation 
-Documentation 
m -Jtquipment update 
Fig. 2 APMC Logistics functionalities 
These functions are detailed in the next following 
lines. 
As a matter of fact the totality of the logistics tasks at 
the APMC can be well described as follows: 
- Maintenance of all the ground support, airborne 
support and flight hardware at the organisational, 
intermediate and depot levels, including 
performance of internal and overhaul activities 
and verification and control of the outside 
contracted ones. 
Technical support of in orbit maintenance and 
servicing via situational analysis, simulation and 
interdisciplinary coordination with other centre 
functions. This is to aid in anomaly resolution 
during both nominal and contingency 
maintenance and servicing. 
Supply support for the maintenance function in 
terms of providing spares and repair parts, 
warehousing, inventory management and control, 
re-procurement, supplier and vendor retention, 
repair and overhaul process support and control. 
- Transportation services for the maintenance and 
supply support items to and fiom their respective 
sources and user locations. 
- Training for those personnel required to carry out 
the maintenance and supply support functions of 
logistics and support to crew training for the in 
situ repair procedures. 
Ground processing for the resupply and return 
hardware and those items of operational ground 
support equipment that are required to support the 
flight segment of the program. 
- 
- 
- 
Limited logistic engineering capability for: 
0 Monitoring and participation to design 
requirements modification; 
0 to of new 
0 Logistics issues monitoring and control 
for new APM andor APMC 
itemsfequipment design and development 
contracted outside the APMC. 
Operational management, control and integration 
Of: 
and atioK 
0 ILS functions; 
0 Their interfaces and coordination with 
the engineering support and payload 
integration support functions; 
Strategic and tactical planning for flight 
increment manifest planning, including 
nominal and rescheduled flights with ILS 
impacts. 
0 
At the beginning of APM and APMC operations, the 
logistics activities shall be mainly based on suppliers 
inputs, related to MTBF, reliability parameters, costs 
etc. and on simulations. 
As more information becomes available on system and 
subsystems due to the analysis of live data coming 
from APM and APMC operations, the logistics 
programs shall be upgraded in order to improve the 
logistics support in terms of minimising costs and 
maximising efficiency of all the system (i.e. space and 
ground). 
5. LOGISTICS FACILITIES 
The analysis conducted in the previous sections 
addressed only the functional aspects of the centre and 
in particular of those functions affecting the logistics 
to be performed in the centre. 
All the identified functions must be translated into a 
set of facilities able to implement the needed functions. 
As regards the APMC logistics facilities, these can be 
grouped essentially in: 
0 DataBases; 
0 DP-based facilities; 
0 Training materials and tools; 
5 
5 Workshops. 
The figure 3 shows in a pictorial way the components 
of such facilities and simultaneously aims at providing 
the reader with the importance of their mutual 
PHS&T tools, materials and facilities; 
681 
such facilities. 
FACILITIES 
rRAINING TOOLS 
UyDMATERiALS 
Fig. 3 Major APMC logistics facilities 
5.1 Data Bases 
The APMC will use several kinds of databases 
necessary during the performance of APM operations. 
Taking into account the ones that have major impact 
on the logistics activities, they can be summarised as 
follows : 
- Mission data bases; 
- Engineering D/B; 
- Other Preparation Support DB; 
- APMCarchives. 
- Logi~ticsD/B; 
The figure 4 shows these groups of major data bases 
planned to be used at the APMC and the role of the 
logistics DB (it is not an architecture but only a picture 
aiming at summarising the APMC DBs and their 
interactions). 
The Mission data bases encompass all the data related 
to the APM increments. 
The data are organised per increment in order to allow 
the preparation of more than one increment at the 
same time during the preparation phase. 
For each increment this D/B encompasses: 
- Data reIated to APMC configuration; 
- Data related to APM configuration; 
- Payload data references; 
9 
ntation. 
- references to video and audio recordings; 
- reference to paper documentation. 
se engineering data are in many different farms, 
created by many diverse applications, not all of them 
necessary computer resident. 
\ 
fj ..... fj 
Mission DlBs 
/ ,,\'\ 
,' ; ! \, \ 
1 I I \  \ APMC Archives 
/ f l \  \ 
- 
Fig. 4 DBs role at APMC 
The Logistics D/B contain all relevant logistics data, 
classified as follows: 
- Engineering data, encompassing 
e RAMdata; 
e M'ITRandh4TBFdata; 
e FMECAdata 
e Others 
s PackagingKJnpacking data and instructions; 
e Spares relevant data (size, weight, storage 
conditions); 
e Commercial data; 
Others 
- Training data, concerning 
e Skills; 
e Training results; 
0 Etc ... 
- PHS&T data, related to 
- Documentation data; 
- Historical data, mainly related to the results of 
maintenance interventions. Such data will be also 
682 
effectiveness of logistics 
d to correct possible 
u ~ ~ l m e n t  of i r e q u ~ ~ e m e n ~  of 
Avai~ability and Reliability. 
Other preparation support data bases 
ng , P a  and on-b 
The MMC Archives are made up by all data used 
during the execution of all the APM increments, 
encompassing the current increment and the data 
related to the past increments. 
The complexity of such tools among APMC facilities 
will be adequately reflected in the WW and S M  
architectures with the related interfaces to both 
internal and external networks in order to get an 
efficient transferring of all the needed data during the 
execution of the logistics operations among the 
facilities (as shown in fig. 3) concerned. 
5.2 DP-based facilities 
The logistics activities at the APMC will exploit 
facilities, that heavily rely on data processing systems. 
An important set of tools that will be used in support 
of activities of the APM will be surely constituted by 
the APM Engineering Model and the related EGSE. 
It will be used to provide the capability to venfy 
functions and measure performances for the purpose of 
acceptance, trouble-shooting and repair. 
A more flexible tool is the APM Simulation Facility, 
that will be taken over from the CiD phase of the APM 
flight segment. Unless the breadboard of the on-board 
Data Management System (DMS) it is completely 
S/W-based and will allow prompt simulated 
configuration of the APM to help assess speciiic 
logistics operations, when needed. 
Other DP-based tools are constituted by S/W programs 
running on workstations and/or PCs for specific 
purposes (such as logistics planning, reliability 
analysis tools and others). 
equipment, since on the job 
conducted as much as possible 
5.4 PHSdZT tools 
The C will have stores, highly equi 
automated to allow effective nt, 
dis~bution of materials, supplies and equi 
the centre and outside. 
Tools encompassed in such a category are constituted 
by lifting devices, cranes and facilities to help keep 
track of items under MMC control (such as bar code 
readers, optical devices, etc...) in order to get an 
optimum stocking of items. 
5.5 Workshops 
Equipped workshops will allow to perform all the 
intermediate maintenance of the centre and to carry 
out tasks in support of the flight element and the 
related payloads. 
Workshops allowing to intervene in electrical and 
electronic, mechanical and fluidic works are 
consequently necessary in the APMC. 
These workshops shall be equipped with off-the-shelf 
tools (such as muhimeters, frequency generators, 
etc ...) plus ad-hoc facilities (e.g. workbenches to 
execute peculiar maintenance on specific component 
of the centre). 
5.6 Commonalities and trades 
Most of the facilities needed inside the centre to 
support the logistics operations don’t have to be 
developed ad-hoc. 
These could be grouped in two main categories: 
- already developed.for the space segment and 
reused, after due modification and/or 
customisation in the centre (such as DBs 
developed during the C/D phase); 
- common with other ground facilities (such as 
training materials). 
The development and/or transfer of such facilities 
must be phased carefully with the actual needs of the 
diverse users in order to have on time the requested 
support. 
Furthermore trades will be necessary to best assess 
options in the off-the-shelf equipment. 
6. PRQGRAMBIATIC! ASPECTS 
5.3 Training materials 
The training here addressed is only related to the 
personnel in charge to perform the logistics tasks as 
described in the previous section 4. 
Anyhow commonalities of tools and facilities is 
expected among the diverse training tasks to be 
performed in order to optimise schedules and costs. 
The planned materials can be summarised as follows: 
- classrooms 
- workbooks 
- computer aided instructors (CAI) 
- presentation materials 
- mock-ups - simulators and the general support services definition. 
- instructor training materials 
- 
It is to point out that other training materials are 
constituted by the actual APMC operational the design of the entire facility in all its own features. 
The APMC, developed by ESA for the above 
mentioned functions, will be located in an AS1 
infrastructure, being designed by Alenia Spazio in the 
frame of a national contract covering all the buildings 
Parallel and complementary ESA and AS1 studies 
(both implemented by Alenia Spazio as Prime, with 
CISET contributions) are running in order to complete 
tools to support training verification process 
683 
ready to support the ESA APM mission specific 
infmmcmes and M. 
In addition to the above mentioned planning it is 
important to mention, for a clear general picture on 
APMC what are the programmatic aspects from AS1 
side on the Centre. 
AS1 is involved with NASA in the development of the 
Space Station Freedom Logistics Modules. At the 
moment the studies on the first module, the so called 
Mini-Pressurised Logistics Module (MPLM), are 
entering in phase C/D. 
AS1 is planning, and negotiating with NASA, to host 
facilities acting for different functions in support to the 
Logistics Modules. 
Those functions (like sustaining engineering, logistics 
support, some integration tasks, etc.) shall be managed 
by an Italian Centre in strict coordination with the 
NASA facilities. 
AS1 plans to develop this Centre in the same location 
of the APMC (city of Torino area) using the same 
general support services already planned for the latter, 
in full synergy for all the common aspects and with the 
goal to improve the final total performance of the 
entire system versus each single program needs. 
7. CONCLUSIONS 
The importance of logistics activities in their multiple 
aspects for a longduration space programs, such as 
Columbus, has been addressed, showing the 
importance of the APMC in the ground infrastructures 
in support of the APM operations. 
The building of such a centre should prove again that 
ILS has to be performed not as a stand-alone and a 
post-development activity, but has to be conducted in 
parallel with the implementation phase of the centre, 
keeping continuous touch with the C/D phase running 
activities of the flight element. 
More embedded is ILS in the overall APM program 
and more effective will result in the overall life of the 
entire system. 
Due to the peculiarities of the Columbus program, 
APMC is expected to play a vital role in the 
operational phase of the APM with its available 
logistics infrastructures, for a cost effective 
accomplishment of the APM targets. 
for 
of 
9. NCES 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Battmhio L., Harris D.R. and Sarlo L. The 
Columbus APM Centre Flexible and Efficient 
Engineering SUPPOI%. ESA SP-308, October 
1990. 
De Luca G.F., Masullo S. and Randisi S. The 
Requirements on Data Systems of Columbus 
Logistics and Engineering Support. ESA SP- 
308, October 1990. 
De Luca G.F., Grazi R. and Masullo S. 
Integrated Logistics Support: Suggested 
Approach for Columbus. 3rd Space Logistics 
Symposium, Colorado Springs, April 90. 
Masullo S. and B e d  R Real Time Simulation 
Approach in Columbus Pressurized Module. 
International Symposium on Space S / W  
Engineering, Torino, December 1988. 
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The Columbus logistics support at the APMC: Requirements and implementation aspects

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