Wallops Research Range

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Wallops Research RangeTest Range for Ranges
Function
May 17, 2007
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Research Range
Wallops Flight Facilitys Research Range is a
unique national resource enabling flexible,
low-cost space access, in-flight science, and
technology research for all of NASA and the
Nation. It is the only Launch Range that NASA
owns.
Wallops Mainbase and Research Airfield
Wallops Island Launch Range

• Enabling Science from Earth to Orbit and Beyond

• Vehicle Development and Risk Reduction Missions

• Proof of Concept Missions and Technology Testing

• Partnered with Mission Directorates and Centers

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Research Ranges NASA Customer Set
The Research Range supports missions and projects
that span NASAs major activities
Science Missions (Earth and Space)
Aeronautics
Outreach and Education
Mission Operations (ISS, STS, ELV development)
Exploration and Planetary Systems
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Reimbursables
NASA-External Highlights and Initiatives

• Flight and Ground Systems Demonstration and
  Certification
• Hypersonics support instrumentation (DARPA/NASA)
• High Data Rate Vehicle TM (MDA/DARPA)
• Highly mobile TM Systems (Navy, NASA, MDA)
• Next Gen Command/TM (BMRST-NASA)
• Space Based Communications (AF, NASA)
• Autonomous Flight Safety Systems (AF, NASA)
• Mission Planning, Simulation, and Assessment
  Tools (AF, NASA)
• Vehicle Antenna Technologies (AF, Navy)
• Flexible Range Network Architecture (NASA, Navy)
• US Navy Aircraft Ship Qualification Target
  Launches
• Targets Operations validate ship defense systems
• Aircraft tests of DoD fighters during maneuvers
  and weapons deployment

• DARPA Technologies and Experimental Launch
  Vehicle
• Scramjet testing
• Next Generation ELV testing and launch support
• Very High Speed UAVs
• Air Force Satellite deployments to LEO
• Satellite launches to Low Earth Orbit leveraging
  WFF capability and geographic location
• Missile Defense Agency Sensor Tests and
  Satellite Deployments
• Sounding Rocket and Sensor tests demonstrating
  launch detection systems
• Sensors versus Chaff testing and demonstration

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Test Range for Ranges Focus (Overview of this
Niche)

• The Need NASA Wallops Research Range mission
  set is extremely diverse
• Operational LEO Satellite Launch
• Sounding Rocket and Balloon launches worldwide
• Student-level Rocket, Balloon, and UAV missions
• Short range, low altitude missile intercepts
• Extended range depressed trajectory (hypersonics)
• Atmospheric re-entry
• EVERY mission seems to have mission-specific
  flight or data systems that fill a
  mission-specific need but which are not a part of
  the core range.
• Additionally, WFF is not necessarily the end
  state Range for these missions
• Instrumentation is intended for use at other
  ranges
• Vehicles may fly at other ranges
• Missions may be part of a technology maturation
  or scale test with later components
• The Challenge Leverage the inherent flexibility
  of WFF Research Range and in-house
  Engineering/Safety approval processes to
  identify, demonstrate, and validate, and certify
  systems for use elsewhere.
• Research Range has NASA-approved safety program
  and uses RCC and its subgroups to validate its
  architecture and testing approach.
• Wallops has historically filled a niche in
  supporting requirements-volatile and
  non-standard missions, so its processes and
  architecture are designed to be maximally open.
• The Process Tailor, Tailor, Tailor and treat
  each test article like a real project and use it
  to support real missions and a variety of launch
  opportunities as test cases.
• Isolate test components but allow full
  participation

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Test Range for Ranges Focus BMRST(Ballistic
Missile Range Safety Technology)

• The Need
• Request from SMC and 114th Range Operations
  Organization from Eastern Range support area to
  provide certification of BMRST for use in
  telemetry and command support of ELV missions.
• The Challenge
• Meet 6 month notification until launch timeline
  for primary mission (TACSAT2) while integrating a
  new system.
• Integration must be sufficiently tight to
  certify but sufficiently loose to ensure
  integrity of primary range systems
• The Process
• Range engineering and safety shadow team
  designs safety-compliant test plan which, if
  completed, will result in a grade of pass
• Design reviews kept to a minimum (1 1 delta)
  but required for engineering insight
• Initial separate data flows with strong network
  analysis / monitoring for impact detection
• Dedicated staffing from operations, engineering,
  and safety for all operational hours
• Use of WFF Mobile System Design Team to leverage
  expertise and minimize learning curve
• Ensure evaluation includes setup and teardown
  activities
• The Outcome
• BMRST certified for use with WFF fixed range with
  3 minor findings
• BMRST team accepted findings and is working these
  areas
• Wallops is impressed with BMRST

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Test Range for Ranges Focus Space-Based(Low
Cost TDRSS Tranceiver (LCT2) and Autonomous
Flight Safety System)

• The Need
• Demonstrate the way forward for true
  Range-independent flight safety and data
  collection systems using space-based transmission
  paths
• Develop, test, and fly increasingly capable
  systems for
• Full duplex vehicle ground communications
• On-board destruct using safety-compliant
  processes
• The Challenge
• Technical communications bandwidth, reliability
  of safety algorithms and hardware
• Political resistance on the part of
  establishment to loss of infrastructure and
  acceptance of technical risk on a safety system
• The Process
• Establish specific criteria for WFF acceptance of
  these systems
• Leverages WFF in-house authority to accept
  systems for operational use
• Fly, Fly, Fly
• Test systems and system components on sub-orbital
  and orbital platforms
• Make trades of engineering services for secondary
  space on manifested launches
• The Outcome
• Multiple flights of both systems with
  increasingly rich test data set

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Test Range for Ranges Focus

• Wallops Research Range is well suited for its
  Test Range for Ranges Role
• Varied Mission Set
• Strong history of process tailoring to
  accommodate new systems and missions
• Internal authority to accept systems while
  leveraging established standards
• Strong ties to establishment Ranges
• Culture of acceptance of new systems, processes,
  and paradigms
• Recent Successes have helped solidify this as a
  niche activity
• Space Based Systems
• BMRST
• Mission Simulation Tools
• Others
• Consistent with our mission to be supportive of
  Agencies AND Spaceports
• We would welcome the opportunity to support you
  in this way!

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Additional Information

• Backup

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Science Missions
Operational Highlights and Initiatives

• Poker Flat Sounding Rocket Campaign (9 rockets,
  many payloads)
• Four- rocket Rapid-fire launch studies of
  E-Region heating
• Solar wind magnetosphere interaction studies
• First ever measurement of atmospheric mass
  continuity equations.
• Kwajalein Sounding Rocket Campaign (14 rockets)
• Electrodynamics of the equatorial atmosphere
• Mesospheric scattering, E-Region Gravity Wave
  Studies
• Thunderstorm and Ionosphere Studies
• Space weather, ionized particle studies (usually
  4 launch-salvo)

• Black Brant Return to Flight
• Recertification of workhorse rocket motor after
  igniter failure
• Payload dedicated to risk tolerant technology
  maturation systems
• Low Altitude Ocean Science with UASs (Aurora and
  Aerosonde)
• Gulfstream temperature and phytoplankton studies
• New UAS platform demonstration
• Ophelia Hurricane Studies
• First ever study of low altitude winds,
  correlating data across sensors
• Atmospheric Entry Body Test
• MARS Parachutes, drop testing self-inflating
  balloons for planetary entry
• Launch support of Ames GeneSat micro-satellite
  aboard AF launch
• Possible deployment of small lunar missions using
  proven carriers

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Operational Highlights and Initiatives
Exploration Systems

• Atmospheric entry-body testing
• Re-entry wedge testing
• SCRAMP re-entry body
• Can be tested as secondary or freespace payload
  deployed at mission end

• Inflatable Re-entry Body Testing
• Inflatable re-entry body testing (deployed by
  Sounding Rocket)
• Cooperative effort with LaRC
• Motor Testing and Scale Model Testing
• Rocket motor testing, Crew escape test support
• Thermal Protection System Testing
• Tailored trajectory sounding rocket missions
• Constellation Launch Range Architecture Support
• Assist with design of launch head and downrange
  support architecture for Ares
• Operational support of Ares demonstration flights
  using mobile systems

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Operational Highlights and Initiatives
Aeronautics

• Hypersonic Boundary Layer Experiments (HYBOLT)
• Primary project will demonstrate laminar flow at
  hypersonic speeds
• Secondary project will demonstrate re-entry
  dynamics with a depressed trajectory atmospheric
  entry
• Partnership with Ames, Langley, and ATK, Inc.
• Aviation Safety, Resilient Controls
  Demonstrations
• Scale model UAVs demonstrate flight recovery
  techniques
• Jet-powered UAVs emulate passenger aircraft for
  the Global Transport Model (GTM) project for
  LaRC.

• Aviation Safety, Synthetic Vision Systems
• Autonomous detection and reaction to airport
  intrusions.
• Aircraft were equipped with X-band, infrared, and
  other sensors but blind pilots
• Detailed data maps of airport used for real-time
  comparison in the face of intrusions
• Landing and Acoustic Systems Studies
• Noise and runway friction studies conducted
  routinely
• Scramjet Demonstration Flights
• Joint DARPA-NASA demonstration of state of the
  art Scramjet engines

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Space Operations
Operational Highlights and Initiatives

• STS Launch Support
• WFF provides tracking, voice and video support
  for STS launches to station.
• Support is integrated with Eastern Range
• Augmentation of launch instrumentation for Hubble
  Servicing Mission

• STS East Coast Abort Landing (ECAL) Site
• 8700 long Research Runway is STS abort site for
  engine failures during launch to station.
• Radar, Telemetry, and Voice systems guide the STS
  for ECAL approach
• STS and ISS On-Orbit Tracking
• Radar tracking supports validation of orbital
  element

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Research Range Annual Usage
Complexity-weighted Annual Average Usage
Average Annual Usage Events

• ELV Support from WFF 1-2
• Field Campaigns 1-2
• Suborbital-class Rockets 7
• Small Rockets 20
• Shuttle Launch 1-2
• Orbital Tracks (ISS/STS) 389
• UAVs / Drop Models 143
• Aircraft Tests 144
• Ground System Tests 30
• DoD Targets 24
• DoD Gun Tests 3
• Other Tests 20

NASA Science 28
NASA Aeronautics 23
NASA Exploration 6
Non-NASA 28
NASA Space Operations 15
884 total events (680 NASA Events) Airspace
Activated 189 days in 2006
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Components of the Research Range
The Research Range is a fully functional launch
range that is inherently flexible, responsive,
and risk tolerant. These characteristics ensure
its alignment with its mission set and its
purpose as a Research Range.
Research Range Elements

• Instrumentation and Control Centers
• Mobile Systems
• Airspace and Airfield Services
• Science Instrumentation
• Facilities and Launchers
• People

gt currently funded by SMD under RRS Line
Item
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Research Range Instrumentation
SMD-funded fixed instrumentation systems are the
core component of the Range and provide tracking,
data collection, and command services that enable
both science and safety

• Radar Systems
• Telemetry Systems
• Range Control Centers
• Command/Destruct Systems
• Video tracking and Recording
• Radio, intercom, and voice circuits
• Weather measurement and assessment

WFF Telemetry Tracking Systems
Range Control Center
FPQ-6 Tracking Radar
Command Transmitter Site
Optical Tracking Station
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Wallops Mobile Range Systems
The Wallops Research Range is modular and highly
mobile and utilizes these characteristics to
support NASAs suborbital and orbital missions
worldwide
Mobile Range Instrumentation
Typical Missions include Equatorial and Polar
Sounding Rocket Campaigns, remote UAV or ELV
supports, and down-range deployments of total or
partial Range Infrastructure.
Downrange hand-off of vehicle to deployed mobile
site
Greenland Launcher
Kwajalein 04 Campaign
Alaska Mobile Launch
Mobile Assets Deployed at Poker 07
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Research Range Airspace and Airfield
Typical WFF Orbits
The Range and Mission Management Office
(RMMO) maintains formal agreements with FAA,
NORAD, and others to manage NASAs Surface to
Unlimited airspace.
WFF Controlled Airspace R-6604 and Airport
Control Zone

• 3 major 1 UAV-dedicated runway
• Air traffic control tower project control cab

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Wallops Range Launchers and Processing Facilities
Spacecraft Processing and Hazardous Processing
Facilities
Right Sized The Research Range includes support
facilities and technical equipment infrastructure
that are right-sized for suborbital and
SmallSat missions. Flexible These facilities
and systems are flexible and supportive of
austere, surge, and SmallSat-class operations.
Vehicle handling capabilities range from Sounding
Rockets to Minotaur and Space-X (Falcon
9-class). NASA Focused NASA missions have
schedule priority on this Range. Capable Payload
integration, vehicle integration, and hazardous
systems processing are all accommodated by the
Ranges wide array of facilities. Responsive and
Low Cost ELV launches can be supported with less
than 6 months notice. Lowest cost of major
ranges.
Simulation Test Labs
Spacecraft Processing Facility
Launch Control Blockhouse
20K and 50K Launchers
ELV Launcher and Gantry
Vehicle Integration Bay
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People
Range Project Teams Consist Of

• Range Project Managers
• Operations Staff
• Safety Engineers
• Discipline Engineers and Technologists
• Infrastructure and Facilities Management
• Financial Management
• Customers (Scientists, Program Managers)

Range Projects are managed by the Range and
Mission Management Office (RMMO) which integrates
team members to meet often first-of-kind launch
services requirements for science missions,
vehicle tests, or technology flight projects.
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Recent Operational Activities

• Remote campaigns in the Kwajalein Islands, Costa
  Rica, and Poker Flat, Alaska highlight the
  mobility and versatility of the Mobile Range
• Kwajalein Equatorial Sounding Rocket Campaign
• More than 200 tons of equipment
• Established a greenfield launch site prior to
  operations
• 14 Rocket Launches over 4 operational weeks
• Field integration of on site DoD assets to
  achieve NASA Science Goals
• Costa Rica UAV Campaign
• Supported Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes
  (TCSP) mission with low level collaborative
  flights in support of manned aircraft
• Established remote airspace, safe flight
  corridors, and tracking, command, and data
  collection systems

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Recent Operational Activities

• LaRC Synthetic Vision Systems Project Flights
  Complete for 2005
• The project demonstrates the use of integrated
  sensor and cockpit technologies to achieve
  Synthetic and Enhanced Vision capability to
  detect and avoid anomalies during low visibility
  landing approach operations. Integrated systems
  include X-Band Radar, GPS, and advanced airport
  modeling.
• WFF Research Airport supported 134 flight tests
  over 20 operational days
• Runway incursions by ground vehicles and aircraft
  during approach
• Airspace incursions by aircraft
• Near-incursions involving ground vehicles and
  aircraft
• FAA Associate Administrator for Technology at WFF
  for demo flight
• WFF contributions described in LaRC press
  releases and Project Managers were recognized at
  LaRC
• WFF provided Project Ops Mgmt, Safety, and Test
  Coordination

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Recent Operational Activities

• Typical Department of Defense Missions
• Fleet Weapons and Ship Defense Systems Exercises
• Concentrated 2-4 day exercise involving ship
  assets
• Up to 12 launches
• Drones
• Missiles
• Anti-Missile Missiles
• Guns
• Used to qualify new ship defense systems
• Used for training prior to active deployment
• Range provides full range services
• Designated East Coast Test Site for testing
• F-16, F-18, F-22 Qualification Tests
• Certification of airframe modifications
• Certification of new air launch systems
• Missiles
• Firing / Release Mechanisms

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Technology and Upgrades Activities

• Research Range Mission Planning Lab (MPL)
• Integrated Mission Design Center capability for
  design of Range-related launch missions
• Completed a catalog of standard launch services
  / vehicle capabilities
• MPL concept enjoys strong support from DoD
  Responsive Space community
• Reimbursable customers are paying a portion of
  development costs
• Conducted successful flight tests of Autonomous
  Flight Safety System (AFSS)
• Flights at KSC, DFRC, and WFF using aircraft and
  launch vehicles were successful in demonstrating
  safety boundaries for destruct determination
• Wallops-developed Space-Based Tracking System is
  currently THE standard for NASA and DoD Future
  Range Architectures.

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Focus Area End-to-End Small Launch to Orbit
Payload Development and Processing
Payload and Vehicle Integration
Launch Support To Orbit
On-Orbit Data Collection Mgmt

• Research Range Opportunities include
• Responsive, Low Cost-to-Orbit using DoD or NASA
  low cost launch vehicles with SMEX or even
  Sounding Rocket style small-satellite mission
  models

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Growth Areas Range Technology Development

• Research Range Opportunities include
• Development of promising Range Technologies for
  both NASA and DoD Mission Sets
• Testing and maturation of NASA, DoD, and FAA
  developed Range Technologies

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Projected Customer Set Evolution
Near Term
Far Term
Mid Term
2003 2005 2007 2009 2011
2013 2015 2017 2019 2021
Small science missions (Sounding rockets,
balloons, UAVs, etc)
Continued focus on sounding rockets UAVs flown
from WFF
Small sounding rocket science customers increase
based on new recovery technologies
Ocean Coastal Zone Research activities
prominent in schedule
Annual mobile campaigns for Sounding Rockets and
UAVs
Major ESMD and DoD flight technology programs
ESMD and DoD continue to focus regular flight
technology development operations at WFF
Regular NASA and DoD flight technology
demonstrations
Regular Commercial/DoD ELV-class space access
missions
Few Commercial/DoD ELV-class space access missions
Annual space access missions from WFF (NASA, DoD,
and Commercial)
NASA Space ELV-class missions for alternate ISS
access ESMD
Sporadic Coastal Zone research deployments
Oceanic and Coastal Zone missions and research
Program
Local and remote UAV science missions are routine
Small UAVs for NASA and DoD missions increasing
in number
Major Navy weapons testing programs routinely
supported
Large, medium, and small UAV science missions
Regular subsystem level Navy weapons
qualification tests
Integrated Navy weapons test program established
Annual mobile campaigns for Sounding Rockets and
UAVs
Annual mobile campaigns for Sounding Rockets and
UAVs