Mission Operations in Small Satellite Projects

1
Mission Operations in Small Satellite Projects

• Making Mission Operations Effective
• J. Burkert
• Colorado Space Grant Consortium

2
Introduction

• Need Effective Mission Operations
• Motivation
• Lessons Learned in 3CS, CX, and DINO Mission
  Operations
• Challenges
• Personnel
• Training
• Experience
• Turn-over
• Funding
• Little or None
• Equipment Tools
• Not Available, Poorly Designed
• Schedule
• Organization
• Solution The Road Map

3
Characteristics of Small Satellites

• Few Objectives
• Earth Observation and Tech Demos
• Little or no redundancy
• Nano- or micro-satellites
• Dedicated Ground System and Personnel
• Few ground stations and personnel
• Low priority operations
• Mission is not crucial to major projects
• Low tempo operations
• Low data rate, few major activities
• Little Funding
• 100,000
• Short Schedule
• 1 2 years
• Small Team
• Fewer than 100 people

4
Motivation

• Lessons from 3 CSGC Missions
• Citizen Explorer I (Operations Team Lead)
• Orbit Sun-Synchronous at 705 km
• Science Ozone Measurement
• Status Final Review in May 2005
• 3 Corner Sat (MCT Supervisor)
• Orbit 200 km Circular
• Science Imaging
• Status Lost on Launch (Dec 2004)
• DINO (Operations
  Team Lead)
• Orbit ISS Orbit
• Science Tech Demo, Cloud Topography
• Status No Longer Funded

5
Lessons and Challenges

• Organization
• Incomplete or incorrect tasking
• Schedule
• Incomplete or Nonexistent
• Personnel
• Training Decreases Productive Time
• Experience Undergraduates or Graduates
• Turn-over Workforce varies by semester
• Funding
• Scarce Cant hire experience
• Equipment Tools
• Not Available
• Poorly Designed

6
Role of Mission Operations

• Operational/Systems Level Viewpoint
• Capability for Operational Analysis
• Concept Design
• Operational Expectations ? Operational
  Objectives ?
• Operational Requirements ? Spacecraft Design
• Mission Planning
• How Mission Objectives will be met
• When Objectives will be met
• What Objectives require
• Criteria for Objective Success
• Evaluation of Project Deliverables
• Takes place over entire project lifetime
• Evaluation of Subsystem hardware/software
  capability

7
The Road Map

• Provides Clarity!
• Resolves Challenges
• Aids in Other Challenges through Anticipation of
  Issue

Organizational Scheduling
Responsibility Project-long Schedule of activity
Objectives Deliverables Deadlines and Definitions
Functions
Personnel Funding Equipment Tools
Turnover How much? What is needed?
Training When? When is it needed?
Experience For What?
8
Road Map ComponentsProject Phases

• Conception
• Project Concept Design
• Operational Expectations
• Mission Objectives and Requirements
• Design
• Detailed Subsystem Designs
• Build
• Fabrication and Functional Integration
• Test
• Rigorous Operational Testing
• Launch
• Initial Insertion
• Spacecraft Certification for Nom. Ops.
• Nominal Operations
• Meeting the Mission Objectives!
• End of Life
• Spacecraft Decommissioning

9
Road Map ComponentsMission Operations Functions
  Responsibilities Inputs Outputs
1 Systems Requirements Specification Devises and inspects Systems/Subsystems Specs and Objectives Project Expectations Detailed Project/ Subsystem Requirements and Mission Objectives
2 Ground Software Design Devises GSW Design Project Expectations Detailed GSW Design
3 Mission Simulation Ensuring that Subsystems Specs yield functional product Detailed Mission Specs Operation-level analysis
4 Failure Modes Effects Analysis Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Subsystem design, System design FMEA Documentation Implementation
5 Analytical Support Providing systems-level analysis to other subsystems for design and test efforts System/Subsystem Analysis Requests Analysis Results
10
Road Map Components Mission Operations
Functions (cont.)
  Responsibilities Inputs Outputs
6 Mission Planning Operations Management, detailed mission timelines Normal Mission Operations Requirements and System Capabilities Detailed Timelines, Procedures Resource Schedules
7 Activity Planning Development Ground and S/C Scheduling Abnormal Situations Certified and Tested Solutions
8 Mission Control Console Operations Monitoring S/C HS, Routine Maintenance S/C and Simulator Telemetry, Command Requests Daily S/C Status Reports, S/C Commands
9 Data Services Gathering, Managing, and Distributions Mission Data S/C Telemetry, Mission Data Products Accessible Database of Telemetry, Mission Data Products
10 Navigation S/C On-orbit Navigation Navigation Requirements Navigation Maneuvers
11
Road Map Components Mission Operations
Functions (cont.)
  Responsibilities Inputs Outputs
11 Attitude Control S/C On-orbit Attitude Control (as necessary) S/C and Instrument Pointing Requirements Attitude Maneuvers
12 Spacecraft Payload Operations S/C-specific Bus and Payload Operations Bus Payload Engineering Data Operations, Anomaly Responses, Command Requests
13 Mission Assurance Risk Mitigation Meeting Objectives while Minimizing risk to S/C Proposed Activities and Improvements Approval Recommendations
14 Operator Training Certification Obtaining, Training, and Certifying Mission Operators Untrained Personnel Certified Operators, Training Materials, Certification Critieria
12
Road Map ComponentsSchedule of Functions
  Conception Design Build Test Launch Nominal Operations End of Life
Systems Requirements Specification X X          
Ground Software Design   X X        
Mission Simulation   X   X X X X  
Failure Modes Effects Analysis   X X X X X  
Analytical Support X X X X X X X
Mission Planning X X  X X X X X
Activity Planning Development       X X X X
Mission Control        X X X  X
Data Services       X X X X
Navigation       X X X X
Attitude Control       X X X X
Spacecraft Payload Operations       X X X X
Mission Assurance Risk Mitigation X X X X X X X
Operator Training Certification       X X X X
13
Conclusions

• Identifiable Need for Clarity in the Role and
  Function of Mission Operations
• Defined Objectives Requirements allow
• Directed, Structured Analytical Effort
• Directed, Structured Design Effort
• Determination of Mission Operations Schedule
• Proper Schedule allows
• Effectiveness
• Efficiency
• Anticipation of Needs
• Mission Operations Functions Definition allow
• Clarity in role of Mission Operations in larger
  project over the project lifetime