Deep Space Network scheduling program allocates resources based on the users requirements. The system reviews and allocates the requests for equipment and resources. Depending upon the program input either the seven day or the twelve week schedule is generated

Holzman, R. E.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1968	 Brief 68-10410 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
DSN Seven Day/Twelve Week Schedule Program 
input. These two schedules are the Seven Day Sched- 
ule and the Twelve Week Schedule. 
The Seven Day Schedule generated by the program 
contains two seven-day schedules. The first week is a 
firm commitment of DSN resources. The second 
portion is a forecast of the second week. The alloca- 
tions are made by specific day, hour, and minute, and 
are ordered in the output as a sequence of events. Each 
schedule contains several different extracts as well as 
a full sequence of events. The program may also be 
used to allocate the same resources at a lower level 
of time resolution to predict future DSN loading. In 
this case, allocations are made on an hours-per-week 
basis for each of the twelve weeks covered. To gen- 
erate either type of schedule, the DSN resource defini- 
tion remains the same. In both cases, conflicts are 
detected and identified. 
The inputs for the Seven Day and Twelve Week 
Schedules differ in terms of time, as follows: 
I. The Seven Day Schedule inputs must specify the 
exact day, hour, and minute of start and finish 
time requested for a particular configuration. 
2. Twelve Week Schedule requests are made in terms 
of the hours per week of a specific week required 
for each particular resource configuration. 
The output formats of the Seven Day and Twelve 
Week Schedules differ in terms of time and ordering, 
as follows: 
I. The allocations in the Seven Day Schedule are 
actual time assignments by day, hour, and minute. 
The ordering is by start times, seqUentially. 
2. The Twelve Week Schedule lists allocations as 
total hours per specific week for each DSN element 
which is requested. The order of the listing is a 
function of the portion of the DSN requested and 
of the user. The output is broken into twelve 
sections, with one for each week covered in the 
schedule. 
-	 (continued overleaf) 
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The problem: 
Tb ensure that, consistent with efficient Deep Space 
Network (DSN) utilization, all tests and operations 
shall be scheduled and fully supported as nearly as 
-possible in accordance with requested dates and 
times. 
The solution: 
The DSN Scheduling Program allocates resources 
of the DSN based on users' requirements. It is the 
final authority for scheduling operations within the 
DSN. It detects and identifies conflicts in requests for 
time and resources. 
How it's done: 
The DSN Seven Day/Twelve Week Schedule 
System is basically a system of request, review, and 
allocation. The system accepts requests for usage of 
DSN equipment and resources from flight project 
and DSN users. These requests are sorted, accumu-
lated, and compared by means of the program. Non-
conflicting requests are considered allocations, but 
conflicting requests detected by the program are 
reviewed with reallocation of resources based on 
known priorities. To accomplish its functions, the 
program needs three basic types of information: 
1. What DSN resources, in terms of facility, station, 
area, equipment, and communications are avail-
able for scheduling. 
2. Which items or what "configuration" of the DSN 
resources are required by a user to conduct a par-
ticular activity. 
3. When and for how long the use of that particular 
configuration is requested. 
With this type of information, the program allo-
cates the DSN resources. The program can generate 
two types of schedules, depending upon the program
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19680000410 2020-03-12T05:55:41+00:00Z
The method of conflict identification varies in the 	 3. This program is necessary as authority for schedul-
two schedules, as follows: ing operations within the Deep Space Network 
I. For the Seven Day Schedule conflicts are noted by which is responsible for two-way communica-
time overlap by element of the DSN tions with	 unmanned spacecraft	 beginning ap 
2.	 In the Twelve Week Schedule the conflicts are proximately 10,000 miles	 from	 earth	 to	 inter-
ii8nti1ied as total time requests in excess of time planetary distances. 
available, by element of DSN. 4.	 Inquiries concerning this innovation	 may be di-
Notes: rected to: 
I. This program is written in COBOL language .and, CQSMIC	 .. 
partially in MAP language for use on the IBM- Computer Cnter, 
7094 computer. It can also be run on an IBM University of Georgia. 
7094/7040 Direct Couple System, bu .t.it would be .....	 ..	 Athens, .2e0rgia 30601 
undesirable for production to be done on Direct Referéiice:	 B68-l0410	 . 
Couple System as a standard procedure, without" . . 
extensive program redesign, since running time is Patent status: 
approximately 50	 greater on the direct èouple No patent action is contemplated by NA SA 
system.	 .	 .. .	 .; :	 .	 Source:	 Robert E. Holzman 
2. Extenive use has been made of sequential process- .	 .	 .:	 Jet PopulsionLaboratory 
in.Thismdde was chosen over a disk file type of ..	 -H:.	 (IN PO-'10752) 
operation because it	 ensures	 cripatibility	 be-
 
'tweeñ running in a tape-oriented'system and a 
disk oriented system
.	 , 
•	 .	 •	 .. .:	 : 
•	 !.	 •	 -;	 • ..:, 
-	 ,•.	 -	 1.,;	 •-':i fl.' 
•	 . .	 "	 '
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Category 06


DSN seven day/twelve week schedule program

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